Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Qucik glance BN budget vs PR budget
- Anwar wants BN vs Pakatan budget debate with Najib
- Is Mansor Pakatan’s ‘sacrificial goat’?
- Why the US prefers Najib to Pakatan
- Premesh Chandran Dissection Is No P T Barnum Circus
- Can there be a SPM trial exam question: Is it appropriate for police to use tear gas, water ...
- Nazri: Ok to get foreign funds, but don't attack govt
- Budget aims to spur growth, win votes
- GE13 will be referendum on CMs
- The way to go with Budget 2013
- Pakatan, where will the money come from?
| Qucik glance BN budget vs PR budget Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:42 PM PDT  Lee Wee Tak It has been number crunching nerd's dream week as both Barisan Nasional administration and Pakatan Rakyat shadow administration unveiled their respective budget within a day between them. There is so much to talk about when one put both of them together. I limit myself for the moment to comment on Vision, Cost of Living and Crime and Safety aspects. Vision: Pakatan Rakyar: 3 strategic thrust to combat deteriorating standard of living of all Malaysians, combating rampant corruption and patronage 1) Increasing disposal income 2) Building Entrepreneur class and promoting constructive competition 3) A just society with dignity and pride BN: Focus on the expected short term goodies and no structural transformation in sight despite Economic Transformation being the daily rallying call BN would rely on the tax break such as •Three-year tax holiday for tourism companies handing 750 foreign tourists and 1,500 local tourists. •10-year tax holiday for Tun Razak Exchange companies, expected to attract 250 companies related to finance sector So much for 1Malaysia concept - special tax rate for finance industry major players converging in a piece of real estate. It is proven that tax break alone is not enough to attract foreign investment and talent. Otherwise Singapore would not have beaten Malaysia to become the financial hub of South East Asia. Whereas constructive competition promoted by Pakatan Rakyat would attract foreign investment as evidenced by the new vibrancy in Penang since 2008 On the contrary, PR's budget advocate for removing rent seekers, lower cost of business and living by addressing excessive fats in toll collection, broad band expenses, water and electricity facilities. PR's budget exhibited much more apparent transformation and structural reform signals compared to BN. The existing concessionaires no doubt represented a major obstacle for reform and transformation of substance. Cost of living BN continue to mimic PR's initial concrete gesture of returning excess cash to the needy (such as Penang's RM100 gift to elders). The difference is that BN finance the handout by deficit budget whereas PR distributes from surpluses. BN has upped the competition with more handouts such as: •One-off payment of RM1,000 for army veterans who served for at least 21 years, where 224,000 will qualify. •RM200 rebate for smart phone purchase for those aged 21 to 30 years. •Half price Kommuter fares for those earning less than RM3,000 a month. • RM500 cash for households with combined income of RM3,000 or less •RM250 cash for unmarried individuals who are 21 and above and earning RM2,000 and below •One-off payment of RM100 for each primary and secondary school student •One and a half month civil servants bonus, disbursed in three months. The above one off goodies is merely pre-GE gig. A water tap which can be turned on and off according to the whims and fancies of a person who can call or postponed GE at spur of a moment. PR has moved beyond that. It's budget advocate raising income for all Malaysians. Increased income would free the people from depending too much on hand outs and work towards social justice and more equitable share of wealth of nation. Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2012/09/qucik-glance-bn-budget-vs-pr-budget.html |
| Anwar wants BN vs Pakatan budget debate with Najib Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:11 AM PDT
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today renewed his debate challenge on Datuk Seri Najib Razak, this time suggesting to take on the country's number one by pitting Barisan Nasional's (BN) Budget 2013 to Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) alternative. The opposition leader pointed out to how Najib had laced his Budget speech this evening with direct insults against PR and told the prime minister that if he was prepared to attack the opposition, he should do so in a debate. "Debate me. If you are prepared to attack the opposition and the opposition leader, why can you not engage in a debate?
Confine it to economic policies... or the Budget. I am now reiterating my earlier proposal that we debate ― that I debate Najib on the national Budget... PR versus BN's Budget," he told reporters after Najib tabled the government's Budget 2013 in Parliament this evening. Anwar had earlier described BN's Budget handouts as mere "titbits" fed to the poor and middle income earners, pointing out that the move would do nothing to narrow the country's income gap. The prime minister hopeful said the fresh round of cash handouts in Budget 2013 to middle- and lower-income Malaysians was proof that the government was merely concerned with its chances at the ballot boxes in the coming months. "The announcements of handouts to general Malaysians is just a small dosage for the elections... but the basic structural problem of the country, where the rich cronies and their family members amass millions of dollars of profits through improper means ― that is left intact," Anwar said. In his Budget 2013 speech, Najib took an indirect swipe at Anwar when he pointed out that among the leaders of the federal opposition were "those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation's wealth." Anwar was finance minister under the Mahathir administration. "We recognise that the BN government is not without fault, but what differentiates us from the other is that they do not have the courage to accept mistakes. On the other hand, they make excuses and find fault in others. "Ultimately, parties that offer an alternative must be evaluated on their merit," Najib had said in his speech. "The rakyat know them well. Among them, there are those who were trusted as leaders to manage the nation's wealth. "If today they make promises, the rakyat must ask why is this leadership, while in power, did not take any action. "When they had the opportunity; and did not implement what they promises, what guarantee is there that they will fulfil promises when they are in power?" he asked. Najib pointed out that it was during the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s when the country was "almost destroyed".
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| Is Mansor Pakatan’s ‘sacrificial goat’? Posted: 27 Sep 2012 04:42 PM PDT
Patsy Thomas, The Malaysian Times Is Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Mansor Othman being abandoned by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) after the leaked tape fiasco? Is he PKR's sacrificial goat? Mansor who has been making headlines a month ago when minutes of a party meeting held in March were leaked and posted on a blog called "Gelagat Anwar" in June. In the alleged leak which was also aired on prime time news by TV3, Mansor was caught stating that Guan Eng was cocky and arrogant and that he was viewed as a tokong (deity). He was also heard saying that DAP had wanted to 'kill off' PKR in the next general election and take control of Penang. He also said that DAP was sure of winning 19 (state seats) and that the party now wanted more to enable it to rule Penang on its own. The Malaysian Times today contacted Datuk Reezal Merican UMNO Youth Information Chief to get his comment on this matter. According to him, the statement made by Mansor was a clear statement of the true character of Guan Eng.  Datuk Reezal Merican "The testimonial of Guan Eng being a cocky and arrogant peron is not far from the truth. This was not said by any members from BN but from Mansor himself who is the Deputy Chief Minister. What could be clearer?" asked Reezal Merican. He added that anything said behind closed door is the truth and that the people in Penang will now be able to see the coalition in its true form as a party without trust, accountability and competency. Meanwhile, Umno Wanita Chairman Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil had said that Mansor had been practically abandoned and left to defend himself alone without the help of the party. This action shows many that PKR is planning to completely hand over the state to DAP. Shahrizat had said that Anwar who had practically abandoned one of its member, Mansor, had seemed to be afraid of Guan Eng. In pressing for an answer, the UMNO Wanita Chairman is calling for Anwar to explain his actions and why he was giving full authority to DAP and Guan Eng to rule the state unilaterally.  Shahrizat Abdul Jalil Is trouble brewing again in Penang? The trouble between PKR and DAP is becoming worse as state PKR Information Chief Johari Kassim called for the suspension of those who attended a meeting in which Penang Deputy Chief Minister 1 Datuk Mansor Othman had revealed his dissatisfaction towards the state's Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Mansor was however determined to stay and ride out the storm which was coming towards him. Mansor had recently denied using certain words against Lim but had however agreed that he had described him as a 'tokong' because he was revered like a "deity" in Penang. "It is a compliment. People in Penang look up to Lim like a tokong. That is how I meant it. My comment was taken out of context in the blog," he said. When asked the source of the leak, Mansor had admitted that the recording was leaked by someone within the party (PKR) itself who had attended the meeting. Apart from that he had also said that he had offered a reward for the return of the recording. In commenting on the issue, DAP former Vice President, Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim had said that Mansor should remove himself from holding any post in the state government.  Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim PKR's Disciplinary Body has launched its own investigation into the alleged leak of the recording aired on TV3. The party's Secretary General, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said, that the party has yet to receive any report from the Disciplinary Body in regards to the issue. "An internal investigation is being carried out. Should there be any element of sabotage or if it actually took place, we will not hesitate to take action. We are awaiting the report from the Disciplinary Body before any action could be taken," said Tengku Aziz. He also said that Mansor should take responsibility on the statement given rather than 'beating around the bush'. "A good leader should not be giving excuses. A leader should have the strength in stating the truth. Mansor should voluntarily recuse himself from his job within the Penang state Government for the sake of the community," said Tunku Aziz. In commenting on the investigation held by PKR's Disciplinary Body, he said that such investigation was unnecessary as the recording had clearly shown who Mansor is. "What is there to investigate? The recording is there… TV3 has aired it," he said
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| Why the US prefers Najib to Pakatan Posted: 27 Sep 2012 04:20 PM PDT
Is the United States really supportive of democracy and fundamental rights or does America's interests come first? In this 12th May 2008 secret communiqué between the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Commander of the Seventh Fleet, it is clear why the United States prefers Najib Tun Razak rather than Pakatan Rakyat to lead Malaysia. And let this communiqué speak for itself. THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin Malaysia is hardly an ideal democracy, but it can still serve as a reference point for evolving Islamic societies elsewhere. The Malay people, traditionally known for their social tolerance, have become more religiously conservative in recent years, but Prime Minister Abdullah has enshrined the Malay political elite's continued preference for moderation in his "Islam Hadhari" or "Civilizational Islam" policy. Abdullah's key message is that Islam can become a leading world civilization again only if it embraces economic development, education, innovation and tolerance. Observers are wary of a longer-term trend toward greater divisions between the Muslim Malay majority and other ethnic groups, and religious minorities increasingly complain of growing Islamization, as highlighted by the controversy surrounding Deputy Prime Minister Najib's comments last year that Malaysia is an "Islamic state." Nevertheless, Malaysia has kept inter-ethnic tensions well under control by regional and world standards for almost 40 years. Malaysia is important to us because it is an economically successful, stable, predominantly Muslim country that, over the longer term, may be able to support us more strongly in places like the Middle East. It is strategically located on the Straits of Malacca, through which one quarter of the world's trade flows, and it borders five of the other nine ASEAN countries. Military-to-military cooperation is improving, with 9 US Navy ship visits to Malaysian ports thus far in 2008, 22 visits in 2007, and 23 in 2006. This is up from only five ship visits in 2003. Recently initiated engagement with the Royal Malaysian Navy's developing submarine force has successfully forged a relationship in this critical warfare capability. Our security relationship also finds expression in regular high level visits and counterpart visits. Behind the scenes, Malaysia has been a good partner in the war on terror. The overall tone in Malaysian-American relations has improved considerably since Abdullah Badawi became Prime Minister in late-2003, and we seek to translate this into substantive improvements. Bilateral relations eroded under Abdullah's vituperative predecessor Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, but Abdullah brought with him a friendlier style and an interest in projecting a more moderate image, both for himself and for his country. While the surprise results of the March 2008 election have remade Malaysia's political landscape and severely shaken the ruling coalition, our bi-lateral relations have remained on an even keel. Malaysia is our sixteenth largest trading partner, and many major American companies have invested here. We have increased senior-level exchanges since Abdullah came aboard, for example conducting our first ever Senior Dialogue with the Foreign Ministry at the Assistant Secretary level in May 2005. Malaysia has acceded to the IAEA Additional Protocol, and participates as an observer in PSI exercises. Malaysia has played a positive role in helping to stabilize Aceh, Mindanao, and East Timor. Malaysia's traditional approach to global issues, which Abdullah has continued albeit at a lower decibel level, remains an impediment to closer bilateral cooperation. Malaysia actively participates in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), often adopting distinctly third-world positions on issues of importance to us. Our public affairs environment is also challenging. The Malaysian public is strongly opposed to our policies in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. A strong "post-colonial overhang" also colours Malaysian attitudes toward the U.S. role in Southeast Asia. With Abdullah we have nevertheless been able to pursue a set of broad common interests, and pragmatism generally rules in bilateral security relations. The bilateral military interaction remains strong; and we, along with Embassies in Jakarta and Manila, are implementing the Regional Security Initiative (RSI) concept through a maritime policymakers' conference in Sabah. The objective is to encourage the three nations to share information, data and intelligence on a national interagency level and tri-laterally to create a common operational picture to enhance their effectiveness in maritime enforcement. These visits, and the relationships developed, have fostered strong military-military cooperation between the United States and Malaysia, and have not been adversely impacted by recent leadership changes. Ship visits have significantly increased and received greater visibility. Security-related training sponsored by the United States for military and law enforcement participants, including Malaysia's new coast guard, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, has also been on the rise. The Malaysian-initiated coordinated surface patrols and "Eyes in the Sky" program, a regional aerial monitoring of the Straits of Malacca, have been more effective in creating a perception of security than actual operational capability. Malaysia concluded a new 505 agreement in 2006 that will allow us to utilize 1206 funds to put CT equipment into the vulnerable Sulu and Sulawesi Seas border areas of Sabah where terrorists are known to transit. Congress has approved funds for building and installing coastal radars in eastern Sabah and the first sites have been identified and contracted. A joint forces command and control center funded under 1206 is planned for this year to functionally link the various radar sites. Malaysia has not signed either a PSI or Article 98 agreement. In general, Malaysia remains open to bilateral cooperation that strengthens its own defense capacity, but the GOM will quickly raise the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity when discussing international security regimes and coordination, such as for the Straits of Malacca. We have been pleased by the overwhelmingly positive media coverage our ship visits have received, in contrast to the quiet arrivals of past years. The flip side to this is that our visits could attract increased attention from ideological foes on the Islamist right (PAS), and from some mainstream politicians pandering to the conservative Islamic vote. Deputy Prime Minister Najib has stoutly defended our cooperation before Parliament, and we do not see that our engagement is under threat. However, we do need to be cognizant of our increased military visibility and sensitive to GOM concerns, particularly with high tensions in the Middle East. The GOM cited concerns about the growing visibility of training in eastern Sabah and, in 2006, decided to review on a case basis proposed training events involving foreign military forces in that region. In May 2007, Malaysia hosted the annual Bilateral Training and Consultative Group (BITACG) meeting in Port Dickson. BITACG is a forum used to promote and strengthen military-military relations through discussions of bilateral exercises, intelligence exchanges, C4 issues, logistics engagement, and defense cooperation. Malaysia also hosted a BITACG mid-year review in Kuala Lumpur in November 2007. Additionally, Malaysia co-hosted an annual conference for military intelligence chiefs in the Asia-Pacific region (APICC) held in September 2007. In September 2006, the U.S. Navy initiated annual Submarine Staff Talks, which have been successful in fostering a close relationship with the Royal Malaysian Navy as they develop their Scorpene submarine program. |
| Premesh Chandran Dissection Is No P T Barnum Circus Posted: 27 Sep 2012 03:12 PM PDT
FREEDOM COME FREEDOM After Steven's gun on a post-emptive strike ran on empty, it was the other half, Premesh Chandran, to step up to the plate, "Attacks on Malaysiakini, here we go again" "The attacks against Malaysiakini signal that the government is getting desperate." "Does Soros care that his personal foreign policy is putting America at risk? Not likely. When asked whether he felt responsible for his role in the 1997 East Asian currency crash, he famously responded: "As a market participant, I don't need to be concerned with the consequences of my actions."Self explanatory "The Hidden Soros Agenda: Drugs, Money, the Media, and Political Power" 4. Malaysiakini gets grants from foreign donors See 1. above Premesh, give any one year, in the last 7 years, a detailed income and expense financial statements, as proof, grants meant for non-profit projects has not been utilised in your for-profit organisation.
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| Can there be a SPM trial exam question: Is it appropriate for police to use tear gas, water ... Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:46 PM PDT
Lim Kit Siang Would the Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his two deputies, Puad Zarkashi and Datuk Wee Ka Siong give their tacit approval or close their eyes and shut their ears if any of the following questions had appeared in a SPM trial examination paper for Moral Education: * Is it appropriate for the police to use tear-gas or chemically-laced water cannon or used physical violence against peaceful demonstrators comprising all races, religions, age and gender who merely wanted to send a clear and unmistakable to the government that they want free, fair and clean elections?* Is it appropriate for any government to misuse public funds for political party purposes especially in the run-up to a general election? * Is it appropriate for voters in a general election to support candidates from a political coalition which is responsible for Malaysia having the lowest Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ranking of No. 60 as well as lowest CPI score of 4.3 in 2012? * Is it appropriate for any Minister or MP to go against national unity efforts as publicly dissociating from the 1Malaysia policy, declaring that he or she is Malay first and Malaysian second? Of course not. There can be no shadow of doubt that if such questions had appeared in any school SPM trial examination paper, there would be an orchestrated howl of protest and condemnation in the mainstream mass media of Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, Berita Harian and the Star as well as on government/Barisan Nasional radio and television channels, followed by a witch-hunt to expose, penalise and even criminalise those responsible for setting the questions. Surely, Puad would not say: "As long as it does not affect the racial or religious sensitivities or malign any individual, I feel (the question) is not a problem…It is up to the rakyat to decide". This is what Puad said when commenting on a question in a school SPM trial examination on Moral Education in Johore Baru, which featured two photographs of the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, and asked: "Is it appropriate for a citizen to participate in an illegal assembly?" A photograph of the question referring to the Bersih 3.0 rally from a an SPM trial examination paper at a school in Johore Baru appeared on Facebook, which showed that the answer given by the student - "tidak wajar (not appropriate)" - was ticked as correct.
Would Muhyiddin, Puad and Wee take the position that there is nothing wrong with the setting of questions like the four above for students, just as they now strike the posture that its "not a problem" for such a Bersih question to be posed in the SPM school trial examination? In fact, in another trial examination for STPM General Paper in a school in Johore Baru, there is a clear insinuation that those who supported the Opposition could have their citizenship revoked? Would Muhyiddin, Puad and Wee agree and approve if STPM General Paper school trial examination poses the question whether a person who supported corrupt political leaders have failed their citizenship responsibilities? Clearly the politicisation of education has reached a new low with the Education Minister and his two deputy Ministers failing to condemn in the strongest possible terms the setting of these tendentious and misguided questions – which amounts no less to an irresponsible attempt to indoctrinate and brainwash schoolchildren to parrot the views of the ruling coalition. With such continued politicisation of education, there can be very little public confidence that under continued UMNO/Barisan Nasional government, the education system could unite rather than divide Malaysians or that the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025 recently launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak would be able to make any fundamental difference to the problems of politicisation and deterioration of educational standards in Malaysia.
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| Nazri: Ok to get foreign funds, but don't attack govt Posted: 27 Sep 2012 02:17 PM PDT
(The Sun Daily) - It is all right for groups and non-governmental organisations to receive foreign funding but they should not be used by outsiders as mercenaries to attack the government. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said groups that act like mercenaries are questionable as it is unknown if their criticisms against the government are genuine. "They are just like mercenaries because they receive money but their criticisms may not be genuine. "It may be only an act of gratification for receiving funding from certain groups overseas," Nazri told theSun today. He was referring to civil liberties group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), which was investigated over foreign funding. The probe caused a public outcry, with several quarters calling it harassment and intimidation by the government. Some quarters also argued there was nothing unusual about NGOs receiving foreign funds, adding that even the government receives international funding. Nazri scoffed at the comments, describing the rebuttals as "very poor". He said some NGOs such as the Malaysian AIDS Council, which has admitted receiving support from international agencies for its programmes, are fine "as it is for a good cause". "The funding is not an issue, the issue is that you receive money from overseas and act like a mercenary to attack the government; you are being used by outsiders," he said. On Sept 18, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced a probe on Suaram and its affiliate, Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd. He said the Registrar of Societies would take action against Suaram and Suara Inisiatif under the Societies Act 1966, while Bank Negara Malaysia would probe Suaram under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 for anomalies related to its accounts. On Tuesday, Ismail told reporters the Companies Commission of Malaysia has submitted a report on Suaram and Suara Inisiatif to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further investigation. He declined to reveal the details requested by the AG.
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| Budget aims to spur growth, win votes Posted: 27 Sep 2012 01:56 PM PDT
The prime minister is expected to expand stimulus measures in his last budge before the 13th general election. (AFP) - Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to unveil a fresh round of handouts today in a voter-friendly budget aimed at shoring up support ahead of what is predicted to be a tough election. Najib's Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled the country for 55 years, must face a national ballot by June. He has previously raised civil servants' pay, handed cash to low-income households and announced rail and road projects to fuel growth, and analysts predict a repeat of such moves and other incentives to cushion rising prices. Najib is also expected to expand stimulus measures to support the economy in his last budget before polls, where he will face a tough test against Anwar Ibrahim, who leads the three-party opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance. Ibrahim Suffian, director of Merdeka Center, Malaysia's top polling organisation, told AFP that the issue of reducing public debt was not Najib's immediate concern. "It will be an election budget since the survival of his government is paramount as compared to tackling the budget deficit and public debt," he said. Ibrahim said Najib was again expected to offer cash handouts to the poor and pensioners, bonuses for civil servants and tax adjustments for the middle class. "With the goodies, the government hopes it will be more attractive to the electorate," he said. Malaysia's budget deficit stood at 4.7% in the first half of the year, while its public debt was 53% of gross domestic product in 2011. Rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch recently warned of rising fiscal pressures in Malaysia that could lead to a downgrade. But the government has said it is on target to reduce the deficit to 3.0% by 2015. Yeah Kim Leng, chief economist with RAM Holdings, said handouts would be welcomed. "As long as there is no deterioration in the deficit and debt levels, it would be welcomed given that the weak global economy requires most governments to prop up their domestic economy," he said. The prime minister will announce the budget to Parliament at 4pm. A once-insignificant opposition scored unprecedented gains in 2008 general election that saw the long-ruling coalition, which Najib took over in 2009, lose its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority. About 70% of the country's 29 million population are low- and middle-income earners and have been hard hit by rising prices, especially for food and transport. Bank Negara has previously forecast full-year growth between 4% and 5% this year, slower than the 5.1% seen in 2011.
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| GE13 will be referendum on CMs Posted: 27 Sep 2012 01:53 PM PDT
Whether these chief ministers will succeed in their re-election bid will depend on how they can overcome issues at the constituency level. Selvaraja Somiah, FMT If Umno-Barisan Nasional fares poorly in Penang in the coming 13th general election, it will be mainly due to its inability to challenge the DAP's popular Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and not necessarily because of the BN government's failures in managing the economy or maintaining internal security. Given the voter fixation with state issues and chief ministers, national issues have become rather irrelevant in this upcoming polls. Altantuyaa Shaariibuu, Scorpene submarines and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's RM250 million "lembu" episode and price rise on food items which opposition Pakatan Rakyat had hoped to raise in this election in a big way seems to have failed to take off. Why, you may ask? Because the 13th general election has become a virtual referendum on the performance of the chief ministers. Currently, four states are helmed by chief ministers – Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak. Sarawak, of course, has already had its state election last April and Taib Mahmud is back in his seat as chief minister for the fourth term. He will keep a tight grip on at least 25 parliamentary seats which he "controls". Sarawak has 31 parliamentary seats. Whether these chief ministers will succeed in their re-election bid will depend on how they can overcome issues at the constituency level. But incumbent leaders do have an edge over others in their states. My believe is that the "war" this time will be less about parties and more about the leaders. Much of this view hinges on the fact that many Malaysian voters have begun choosing governments not on the basis of party ideology and long-prevailing preferences but on specific party leaders. This trend has become more obvious with an increasing number of young people emerging as a major voting bloc. Leaders must have own profile In general, party loyalty and party identification among the youth is weaker compared with older Malaysian voters. In which case Penang, Malacca and Sabah will be turned into a sort of referendum on the performance of the chief ministers. People are craving for leaders who are honest, easily accessible and have a strong, pro-rural and pro-people orientation. Incumbent chief ministers of the latest poll-bound states don't necessarily have all these qualities. Yet, overall, they have performed remarkably well on these attributes; this is what makes it difficult for their challengers. Take, for instance, Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam. He was barred from contesting in the Umno elections after the party's disiplinary board found him guilty of violating party ethics for indulging in money politics. Mohd Ali was aiming to contest the post of deputy president (which Muhyiddin Yassin now holds). But he still remains as the Malacca Chief Minister. In the past, it was only national leaders such as Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim, and some regional icons such as Musa Aman, Pairin Joseph Kitingan and Taib, who had the magnetism to win on their sheer personal strength.
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| The way to go with Budget 2013 Posted: 27 Sep 2012 01:47 PM PDT
Three Pakatan Rakyat's leaders share their vision on how Budget 2013 should address long-term issues plaguing the economy and rakyat. Teoh El Sen, FMT Even before Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak unveils Budget 2013 today, three Pakatan Rakyat leaders showed him how to steer the country in the right direction. According to them, the country needs long-term measures to address challenges the economy and society would face in the long run. PKR's Rafizi Ramli, PAS' Dzulkefly Ahmad, and DAP's Liew Chin Tong shared with FMT their thoughts on how the prime minister should handle the economy when asked, "what would you do if you were Najib?" Rafizi took a swipe at how Najib "was good at giving away handouts to quell public anger", noting that such measures would not resolve long-term issues. "I think Najib cannot run away from pressing issues such as house prices and the rising cost of living… these are systemic problems that Najib wants to hide," the PKR strategy director said. Rafizi also said that corruption is a serious issue as it contributes to wastage in the budget, and the economy could not be tackled independently without anti-corruption measures. "In Selangor, we saved 24% of our funds in the past nine months, just by doing open tender for public projects." Rafizi argued that if such savings could be practised in the federal budget, the deficit can be brought down by about 3.2%, which is 1% lower than the government's target of between 4% from 4.5%. "Let's say budget spending is RM250 billion. Of this, almost RM120 billion will be on procurement. If we can save 20% on these deals, we save RM24 billion, and our budget will be brought down to RM226 billion," he claimed. 'There's a lot of fat'
"There is a lot of fat we need to trim," he said, adding that without such anti-corruption measures in place, it was unfair to start cutting subsidies. "We shouldn't punish the people. We need to punish endemic corruption." "I disagree with some of our analysts' views. They assume that the RM250-billion budget is already clean and corruption-free… but you know that the budget is bloated. Any good organisation will say that before you cut spending, you must cut out the rent-seekers, cronies, and middlemen." Rafizi said he also disagreed with those, including economists, who say implementing goods and services tax (GST) is a good idea. "In other countries, when you introduce GST, you usually reduce income tax too. That's not the case in this country, where income level has not improved and only 1.2 million people are able to pay tax, while the rest don't earn enough to pay tax. "We need to grow at 6%, then we can start talking about GST." On housing, Rafizi said that Pakatan has proposed in its shadow budget that a powerful government body similar to a housing development board be established. This could change the way public housing is built." Rafizi said that currently private developers are not building the right affordable homes for the vulnerable groups. "When private developers build houses, it's about making profit. Unless you address this problem, no matter what you do, developers will not provide enough numbers of affordable homes." 'Najib will face backlash' Rafizi said the government body on housing should have full powers to talk to state governments and take over the land, adding that profit should be of secondary importance. "In the long term, private developers will then bring down prices. In the mid-term, we can build houses at a much lower market rate, because the funding is done by the government." Rafizi also said that Najib would have to announce something to reduce car prices due to public pressure. "A lot of pressure is on Najib. I don't think he can get away without doing something to reduce excise duty. He will face a backlash," he said, adding that PKR has promised to slash excise duty if it comes to power. On public transport, Rafizi said that Pakatan is proposing to inject some RM2 billion to add about 1,000 buses in the Klang Valley immediately. "Will Najib commit to doing something like that? The MRT will take another four to five years, and the whole city can't depend on this alone. There is a huge under-investment on buses." Rafizi also said that Najib should implement a "comprehensive social safety net", which would track everyone below a certain income level, and regularly uplift them, instead of giving one-off tidbits such as BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia). He said that under Pakatan's Caruman Wanita National, families will pay RM10 to RM100 a month and the government will pay a flat contribution of RM50 per month. "It's like EPF. This is to help out; if anything happens to the husband, the housewife will get [financial] aid." Ballooning debt
He said Najib should also not neglect development in Sabah and Sarawak but bring the two states at par with the Peninsula. Meanwhile, PAS's Dzulkefly hoped Najib would address several issues, among others, reducing the national debt and increasing disposable income. He said Budget 2013 should look into measures to promote prudent spending and curb corruption and leakages. "We have been pump-priming the economy for many years, during good and bad times, creating a ballooning debt that is reaching 55% of our GDP. Najib should avoid pushing us further into debt," he said. Dzulkefly, a PAS central working committee member, also called on Najib to find ways to reduce dependence on oil and gas revenue. "Currently, 40% of our budget is financed by oil money," he said. He also said that Budget 2013 should find ways to increase disposable income rather than offering piecemeal solutions like BR1M and Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia programme. One way to do this is to reduce the prices of essential things such as food and transport. "As for transport, let's empower local councils to have their own bus system. We can also work on a hybrid transport system by integrating the bus system with the MRT project," he said.
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| Pakatan, where will the money come from? Posted: 27 Sep 2012 01:43 PM PDT
From Arul K Muthiah, via e-mail In anticipation of the general election, we have seen the Opposition trying to introduce more policy proposals to sway key voting segments. In particular, it has targeted young, first-time voters, who make up the bulk of the more than two million newly registered Malaysian voters, and the middle class in general. Two of Pakatan's policy proposals announced this year are designed to strike at these two voter demographics directly. The first was a promise to write off all National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans and provide free university education, and the latest, a policy that will see a reduction in passenger car prices. Both policies have clear political objectives in mind. The student loan write-off is an attractive promise for young voters still stuck with their PTPTN debt in addition to dealing with higher living costs. The promise of lower car prices casts a wider appeal as most Malaysian car owners bemoan having to pay more for the same car than people in other countries, which results in a bigger chunk of the salary being used to service their monthly car loans. By selling these promises, the federal opposition is saying that it can assist with increasing your disposable income because you will have more to spend on other things and also save because these two expenditure items will either disappear (PTPTN loans written off) or be reduced (cheaper car prices). The purpose of this article is not to examine the two proposals directly but to discuss one fundamental question that arises when political parties – especially those not in power – make electoral promises: How do they hope to pay for these promises? If this question does not require answering, then politics would be an easy game. Promise people everything under the sun, sit back and enjoy watching voters swing your way. But we do not live in a world where the electorate believes they can get everything for free. Politicians cannot assume people are stupid, as they seem to do particularly when elections are approaching. Apart from subsidies which many Malaysians still hold dear, most Malaysians do generally believe that the government should not increase the budget deficit and borrow more money. Most Malaysians also feel a sense of responsibility and that people should pay back whatever they borrowed and not have the government write off those loans. Also, importantly, international investors and credit rating agencies are watching to see whether we live within our means. In an age of sovereign defaults and bailouts, fiscal responsibility is a key measure of sound public administration that will have an impact on our attractiveness as an investment destination and on our credit ratings. As far as the federal opposition is concerned, it is doubtful that balancing the books high is on its agenda. It has not really explained how it is going to pay for its electoral promises. And just to put it on the record once again – its electoral promises amount to a very very high RM206.5 billion in the first year alone. And this doesn't even include Pakatan's standard promise of an immediate reduction in the price of petrol should it take over the Government. Depending on the reduction, this could cost billions on top of whatever has already been promised. Multi-billion ringgit promises Let's just put the cost of the opposition's promises into context. The federal government development budget for 2012 was RM51.2 billion. Pakatan's electoral promises costs 400% or four times more than the current 2012 Government's development budget. So if it were to fulfil its promises in the first year of office, a Pakatan federal Government would not have enough money to pay the salaries of teachers, doctors, nurses, police and army personnel, let alone have the funds for building roads, schools, hospitals or providing welfare assistance to the poor. Most of the money would have been used to deliver on its Jingga promises. If this happens, essential services would grind to a halt and the country would cease to function. If it decides to borrow more money to fund its promises and keep the government going, the fiscal deficit would balloon from 4.7%, which it is now, to more than 25% of GDP and Malaysia would effectively be bankrupt within the first two years of Pakatan ruling Putrajaya. Pakatan's standard response to this is that it will "get rid of the corruption" to pay for its promises. But the question is can getting rid of corruption pay for the Oppositions RM206.5 billion promises?
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