Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- KPRU: Najib As The Most Indecisive Prime Minister Of Malaysia
- On being called an ‘ungrateful Malay’
- If I’m Umno-BN, I would’ve neutralised DAP!
- Once a pushover, Pakatan sniffs power
- Game of ‘Sabotage 24/7′ in Selangor
- My Bible, My faith, My church
- Imagine no Ibrahim Ali
- Suaris Interview: The Future of Malays Part I
| KPRU: Najib As The Most Indecisive Prime Minister Of Malaysia Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:46 PM PST
As a political think tank, we try to chart a trajectory of a political leader's performance with a report on the ten of many other back pedaling policies of our Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. No other Prime Minister of Malaysia has shown a consistency of back pedaling other than Najib. Political Studies for Change (KPRU – Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan) You may be talking about when is the election. As a political think tank, we try to chart a trajectory of a political leader's performance with a report on the ten of many other back pedaling policies of our Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. No other Prime Minister of Malaysia has shown a consistency of back pedaling other than Najib. With the aspiration of Wawasan 2020 replaced with 1Malaysia and the hot air of aspiring dreams of Najib to usher Malaysia into a new era of a developed nation, the past five years from 2008 till today, the one thing Najib can be proud are the high levels of corruption and an equally divided nation. The election that may change the future of Malaysia is right around the corner. The Malaysian people are getting antsy to get this over and done with. As a leader of this country, a Prime Minister, a question is posed, "Where does Najib stand in all of this?". As an equally divided nation, what does the future of the Malaysian hold under an indecisive leader? Budget 2013 may have offered goodies but it is a disconnected budget that doesn't match the wants of the Malaysian people. How would giving rebate for smartphones help the youth in forging their future? How would it help raise the quality of future young leaders of this country? Does it help more youth to get quality education? As such, the questions raised by the giving of smartphone rebates is only an appetiser. This list of ten backpedalling policies provides us with more questions than it does with answers. Answers that is owed by the Prime Minister to us, the Malaysian people.
Table 1 : List of Najib's Indecisiveness compiled by Political Studie for Change (KPRU – Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan)
Najib's Administration a Bad Pun In November 2012, Najib introduced his book on political transformation. In the book, Najib explained that transformation in the political and legal system practiced by the government in efforts to prepare Malaysia to become a modern, democratic and progressive nation that adopts universal values.[32] Yet the "transformation" seeked by the Najib administration has not so much been a transformation than a broken track record going in circles. Najib and his administration has successfully proven to not have the political will to deliver those promised transformations, he has also proven time and time again that he "works best" without the trust of the Malaysian citizens. Case in point is the Lynas controversy. It is a game of ping pong between Najib Administration, Lynas and the Malaysian people. Najib[33] asssured the radioactive waste is safely secured at the plant. Reassurememt is followed by the Atomic Licensing Board (AELB)[34] in which the board reassures the public that the requirement of the safety standards has been satisfied by the plant. However, the ball was hit back by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry that issued a demand Lynas was to export the radioactive waste or its operating licence would be revoked[35]. The ball was jointly returned by four Ministers of Najib's administration. Those four Ministers included Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapha Mohamed, Minister of Science and Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri Douglas Unggah Emas and Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.[36] According to the four Ministers, the Cabinet had also endorsed for the condition of removing all wastes from the Lynas Plant. The Malaysian government is playing a dangerous round of russian roulette with the Malaysian people. The report by National Toxics Network[37] discloses the dangers of improper waste management of the radioactive waste and yet the Malaysian government under Najib's administration doesn't seem to have the political will to ensure the safety of local residents are guaranteed safe. Without the guaranteed quality of the Lynas plant that was built and the lack of political will by the Najib administration, the repeating history of Bukit Merah tragedy is not a myth. The second case in point of ping-pong by Najib's administration is the Malaysia Airlines (MAS)-AirAsia shareswap. When it was first signed, the deal was expected to reduce competition and help MAS to return profitability. Yet eight months into the deal, the deal was scrapped and approximately 20,000 employees[38] of MAS is left in a lurch with a failed corporate administration that have for 15 years failed to plug the bleed of MAS. This was after the swap was found to have caused more internal bleeding for MAS worth RM2.52 bilion in 2011 and a loss of RM1.28 billion for the fourth quarter of 2011.[39] The failed MAS-AirAsia share swap is another busted balloon following the launching of 20 projects under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) that was expected by the Najib administration to contribute as much as RM10.07 bilion to the GNI and create 64,282 jobs for Malaysians.[40] Also to be noted was the statement by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin[41] who stated the the government had no other choice than to agree to a share swap as if MAS makes more losses, the government would have to inject funds into MAS. Yet the ping-pong game by the Najib administration has not only failed to revive nor save the struggling MAS airline carrier, it has also jeopardized the careers of approximately 20,000 MAS employees and was the focus of a probe[42] by the Malaysian Competition Commission for possible anti-competition abuse. In the end, as proven by the scrapped share swap deal, there was no mutual benefit that arose from it. As per Khazanah Nasional, "the controversial share-swap deal between MAS and AirAsia has been cancelled as it had become a impediment to the recovery efforts of the loss making flag carrier".[43] The third ping-pong by Najib's administration is the flip-flop of the amended Section 114A Evidence Act. Najib has claimed that whatever his administration is doing, the people must be put first. Thus in his tweet, he has "asked" the Cabinet to discus the amended Section 114A. Yet apparently the Cabinet has been to not be called for a review of Section 114A.[44]
The Silent Secondhand Clapper This poses the question, who was lying to the Malaysian people? Was it Najib or was it his Cabinet? The charade of Section 114A continued with the non-action by the police against Umno Youth for the seditious religious posting on its Facebook page. The presumption of "guilty until proven innocence" as provided under Section 114A was apparently not applicable to Umno Youth. Just as the internet blackout by Malaysian online users that succeeded in unprecedented support from across Malaysia as a means to protest against Section 114A, it still failed to stop Section 114A from operating. This however is no match for the massive concerted effort of the American online community against SOPA and PIPA in early January of 2012. SOPA and PIPA are Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act. Both bills provided two methods for fighting copyright infringement on foreign websites. In one method, the U.S. Department of Justice could seek court orders requiring Internet service providers to block the domain names of infringing sites. For example, Comcast could prevent its customers from accessing thepiratebay.org, although the underlying IP address would still be reachable. This ISP-blocking provision was a major concern among Internet security experts, and both SOPA and PIPA have dropped it. The other tool would allow rights holders to seek court orders requiring payment providers, advertisers, and search engines to stop doing business with an infringing site. In other words, rights holders would be able to request that funding be cut off from an infringing site, and that search links to that site be removed. The site in question would have five days to appeal any action taken. The online protest saw 4.5 million people signing Google's anti-SOPA/PIPA online petition, it converted 25 senators into opposers of the PIPA, 2.4 million SOPA-related tweets were scored in one day and lastly, the online protest had managed to stop SOPA and PIPA in its' tracks and dumped by the American Congress.[45] In other words, the American Congress realized the law that fights against online-piracy, at the same time patronizes the freedom of the internet was a futile effort. The internet is a borderless universe and to set up regulations that undermine the freedom of information that runs through the veins of the internet is a useless effort in which Najib should learn a thing or two. Coming back to Section 114A, Najib's administration not only shown no consistent agreement amongst its' members, but Najib too, in the race to win the hearts of Malaysian prior to the election made a public declaration that is an evident rhetoric, in which was proven by Nazri Aziz's stance on the provision. In which according to Nazri, "Section 114A is here to stay to protect the country's security. Those who were against the amendment did not undertstand the law"[46] as opposed to Najib's weak "order" to the Cabinet to review the amendment. While there were supporters of Najib's "order", nevertheless, the "order" was a half-hearted attempt to quell the voices of dissent.
The Toothless Tiger This ping-pong game by Najibs' administration begs the question, "who is the head of the administration?". Who has more clout, authority within his administration? As clearly as it is by the amount of backpedalling, Najib's voice seems to be drowned out by some other influential parties. Evidently those influential parties seem to have more authority, more clout than the voices of the Malaysian people. He is vague on the implementation of the RPGT and intends to implement the GST as silently and stealthily as possible, all the while, evading in giving real answers regarding the two. It is as if he is unsure of his own administration and the policies churned out by him and his administration. As well as faithfully backtracking on his New Economic Model that was to "benefit Malaysians as a whole" but was quietly swept under the carpet. While trying to copy the American presidential campaign style, Najib has failed to learn from the United States with regards to the importance of listening to the people, particularly the internet community in this issue. Whilst the Malaysian internet community is not as vocal as the American internet community, Najib has proven to own a lacking of backbone or commitment as being the father of transformation. Najib's administration also has a disturbing lack of understanding on how the internet works. Anonymity is both poison and cure for online users. To punish the entire Malaysian population for the acts of a few online bullies does not cut it as a transformation that is so call lauded by Najib's administration. His administration seems to forget that to cure the menance of cyberbullying, Section 114A only acts a bandaid, it does not resolve the crux of the problem. It does not solve the source of cyberbullying and his lack of understanding on the psychology of such matters is clearly visible on his ping-pong of a game on Section 114A. Najib has proven time and time again, his first priority are his closest allies or potential allies, his second priority is the people or pretending to listen to the citizens of this country. Just as the Peaceful Assembly Act that acts as a doublespeak of Najib administration on so called "respect for basic human rights"as a basis for abuse of basic human rights to be treated equally and equally protected under the constitution. For example the protection for Perkasa by Najib's administration whilst at the same time, abusing the basic human rights of Malaysian to assemble and express freely without fear. Perkasa was given the freedom to spew racist acts whilst the Malaysian people were beaten, kicked and threatened for expressing their collective discontent against an unfair election. The failure of the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA) serves as a reminder of the priority of Najib and his administration. He conceded that the SBPA was launched based on the principle of a seven to thirteen percent salary hike and a raise in annual income of between RM80 and RM320 but when it was translated into action, it ran off from the decision that was made.[47]In other words, the only raise that occured was the raise for senior offices whilst the lower ranked officers received a paltry raise as mere as RM1.70. The pattern of Najib's proud "transformation" is turning a theoretically good or mediocre idea into a bad example of executions in which the repercussions are felt by the everyday Malaysian citizens whilst at the same time, the tight circle around him escaped. Only when the citizens have raised their collective voices, Najib does a backflip on his own policies. All these backflips, ping-pong games and russian roulette with the Malaysian people, topped with the outstanding honorary place of being the most corrupt nation to do business, Najib's administration seems to fail to grasp the gravity that these dots connect to create a vacuum that negates transformation and the so called dream of a developed Malaysian nation. Najib does not seem to be worried about his popularity as much as he thinks with these endless backflips and back pedaling. His latest fallacy is of course the failure of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) in which critics have pointed out is a money making machine for private companies and not as a proactive machine to increase the safety standards of roads. Within the ten years[48] of the idea of implementing the AES, it would seem ironic Najib's administration had failed to commend a detailed research analysis of the weaknesses of such system that outweighed the benefits of AES. As a Prime Minister and a leader of a nation, his vacillitating decisions mirror his disability as an incompetent and weak leader who holds the faith and belief of 28 million citizens of Malaysia. He has not only succesfully rocketed the nations' debt to 73.4[49] percent in last five years, Najib has also has managed to escort Malaysia to the top of the corruption ranks and displaced the faith and belief of Malaysians against a government. His empty promise to remove the bumiputera quota echoes his distrust against the skills and abilities of the Malays as well as it continuously sows disatisfaction amongst other races in Malaysia. The only transformation accomplished by Najib is turning Malaysia into an international joke. Where once Malaysia was filled with potential and rich with natural and human resources is now a source of critical brain drain and corruption. Unless Najib wishes a transformed developed Malaysia to realize, it is nothing but a phantom wish negated by his own undoing. These continuous back pedaling is also a show of desperation. A desperation to cling onto whatever power Najib has left. As per the words of Aung San Suu Kyi; "It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it."
[2] The Choice, Najib: Lynas Waste Will be Removed, 3 Mac 2012, http://www.thechoice.my/featured-articles/27836-najib-lynas-waste-will-be-removed [3] MI, Lynas Pledges To Send Rare Earth Waste Abroad, 6 Mac 2012, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/lynas-pledges-to-send-rare-earth-waste-abroad [4] BaruBian, Wastes Won't Be Exported Out Of Malaysia, Says Lynas, 8 Disember 2012, http://www.barubian.net/2012/12/wastes-wont-be-exported-out-of-malaysia.html [6] Asia One, MAS And Airasia In Share-Swap Deal, 7 Ogos 2011, http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Story/A1Story20110807-293137.html [7] NST, MAS-Airasia Swap Deal Is Off, 2 Mei 2012, http://www.nst.com.my/latest/mas-airasia-swap-deal-is-off-1.79952 [8] DigitalNewsAsia, Govt Stealthily Gazettes Evidence Act Amendment, Law Is Now In Operation, 8 Ogos 2012, [9] DigitalNewsAsia, PM Asks Cabinet To Re-Look Evidence Act Amendment, 14 Ogos 2012, http://www.digitalnewsasia.com/digital-economy/pm-asks-cabinet-to-re-look-evidence-act-amendment [11] The Star, Peaceful Assembly Bill Passed, 29 November 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/11/29/nation/20111129164017&sec=nation [12] 1Malaysia, Special Malaysia Day Message By Yab. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak In Conjunction With Malaysia Day 2011 Celebration, 15 September 2011, http://1malaysia.com.my/speeches/perutusan-khas-hari-malaysia/ [13] The Star, Najib: Govt Rescinded Three Emergency Proclamations To Give More Freedom, 12 April 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/12/nation/11087904&sec=nation [14] NST, To Build A Strong Foundation Takes Time: Najib, 26 September 2012, http://www.nst.com.my/latest/to-build-a-strong-foundation-takes-time-najib-1.148664#ixzz2Fa8zol6I [15] MI, Rethink Aid To Chinese Areas, Says Perkasa, 26 April 2010, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/malaysia/article/Rethink-aid-to-Chinese-areas-says-Perkasa/ [16] MI, Najib Says Perkasa Is Not Extreme, 3 April 2010, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/malaysia/article/Najib-says-Perkasa-is-not-extreme-/ [17] The Star, Umno Rejects Perkasa, 9 September 2010, Najib: SBPA scheme to be scrapped http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/9/9/nation/7006976&sec=nation [18] Malaysia Digest, SBPA Flip-Flop A Blow To Transformation, 10 Mac 2012, http://www.malaysiandigest.com/opinion/41184-sbpa-flip-flop-a-blow-to-transformation.html [19] The Star, PM: Public service new remuneration scheme to be reviewed, 12 Januari 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/12/nation/20120112201750&sec=nation [20] The Star, Najib: SBPA scheme to be scrapped, 8 Mac 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/8/nation/20120308105958&sec=nation [23] MI, Under Fire, Najib Says Yet To Confirm NEM, 30 Mei 2010, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/Under-fire-Najib-says-yet-to-confirm-NEM [24] MI, Najib Announces RPGT Reversal, 24 Disember 2009, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/malaysia/article/Najib-announces-RPGT-reversal-/ [26] MI, Najib Announces RPGT Reversal, 24 Disember 2009, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/malaysia/article/Najib-announces-RPGT-reversal-/ [28] The Edge, No Date For GST Yet, Says Najib, 19 Mac 2010, http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/161892-no-date-for-gst-yet-says-najib.html [29] The Star, Automated Enforcement System To Begin Operations Midnight Saturday 22 Septembr 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/22/nation/20120922141615&sec=nation [30] JPJ, Putrajaya Says 'No' To Deferring AES, 18 Oktober 2012, http://www.jpj.my/jpj_news/Putrajaya_says_no_to_deferring_AES.htm [33] The Star, Najib: Lynas Corp Would Not Be Licensed If Govt Was Not Convinced, 27 Februari 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/2/27/nation/10812267&sec=nation [35] WSJ, Malaysia Warns Lynas to Export Rare-Earths Waste, 10 Disember 2012, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324339204578171680493439150.html [36] The Star, Lynas Must Remove All Residue From Malaysia, Say 4 Cabinet Ministers, 10 Disember 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/12/10/nation/20121210205105&sec=nation [37] NTN, Rare Earth and Radioactive Waste A Preliminary Waste Stream Assessment of the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant, Gebeng, Malaysia, April 2012, [40] NST, Najib Unveils 20 ETP Projects, 3 Economic Corridors Worth RM26.09bln, 16 November 2012, http://www.nst.com.my/latest/najib-unveils-20-etp-projects-3-economic-corridors-worth-rm26-09bln 1.172155#ixzz2GnUdTYng [41] AsiaOne, MAS, Airasia Share Swap Only Option, 5 Oktober 2011, http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20111005-303317.html [42] The Edge, MAS, AirAsia Back In Competition, 3 Mei 2012, http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/highlights/212809-mas-airasia-back-in-competition.html [45] PCWorld, Were SOPA/PIPA Protests a Success? The Results Are In, 19 Januari 2012, http://www.pcworld.com/article/248401/were_sopa_pipa_protests_a_success_the_results_are_in.html [46] The Star, Section 114A Of The Evidence Act Stays, Says Nazri, 24 Ogos 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2012/8/24/nation/11907728 [48] The Star, Kong: AES System Came About 10 Years Ago, 20 Oktober 2012, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2012/10/20/nation/20121020121216 Terima kasih. Ooi Heng & KPRU Kajian Politik untuk Perubahan (KPRU – Political Studies for Change，政改研究所) merupakan sebuah pusat kajian yang baru dan kritikal. KPRU ditubuhkan pada era pasca 8 Mac dengan tujuan membawa idea perubahan kepada warga Malaysia melalui kajian dan sesi dialog. KPRU memberikan fokus kepada kajian terhadap bidang ekonomi politik dan sektor strategik yang dapat membawa impak jangka masa panjang kepada masyarakat. Dengan penerapan idea baru dan interaksi dengan pelbagai pihak berkepentingan, kajian KPRU diyakini akan membawa pemikiran dan wacana segar untuk menghadapi cabaran negara dalam dekad yang akan datang. |
| On being called an ‘ungrateful Malay’ Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:33 PM PST
Imagine if the Armed Forces, the police, the teachers and the trash collectors kept coming around our houses telling us to be "grateful" that they were honouring their duties. This country would be nothing without the "pendatang." Dr Mahathir also forgets that many so-called Malays have ancestors who were also in their days "pendatang." The Bugis. The Minang. The Javanese. Erna Mahyuni, The Malaysian Insider A "cybertrooper" sent me an email response to last week's column. To assuage your curiosity, I'll let you read it: (swear words censored so I won't get more emails about offended sensitivities) F*** U ERNA UR A PIECE OF S**** UR REMARK ON PENDATANG ISSUE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE UR A RUNNING DOG BARUA CHINESE UR AN UNGRATEFUL B******** MALAY QUESTIONING UR OWN RACE UR ABLE TO WRITE N SPEAK ENGLUSH COZ OF GOVT POLICY TO HELP U A B**** MALAY TO GO TO UNI.. UR SUCH A PIG RUNNING BY THOSE SEPET I SAY IT AGAIN UR A B******* A B**** UNGRATEFUL MALAY YET I BET U TOOK 5PCT DISCOUNT FOR BUMI HOME BUYERS… SHAME ON U SHAME ON U First thing: The Bumi discount is 7 per cent. Second thing: The discount is useless to me anyway as house prices are so ridiculous these days that even my more-than-10-years of EPF can't cover a downpayment. Unless you're the CEO or editor-in-chief of a mainstream paper, journalists aren't rich, sweetheart. Third thing: I'm not Malay nor do I have "Malay" blood anywhere in my ancestry. My birth certificate shows my father is Dusun; my mother is Bajau. Incidentally, one of my great-grandmothers is Chinese, as are quite a number of my relatives, and the other great-grandmother is Pakistani Indian. Which still makes me 100 per cent Malaysian. Fourth thing: In this day and age, why do I even have to make a big deal about/be forced to share details of my ancestry? Maybe I'll just do a Barack Obama and print my birth certificate online so the cybertroopers will quit harassing me on Twitter, my blog and their blogs. (And for the record, there are non-Malay cybertroopers as well who happen to be working for ministries/agencies I won't name here. 1 Malaysia, even for cybertroopers.) A friend of mine summarised the basic rhetoric of most cybertooper "logic": "The implication is that Malays are not capable of achieving anything on their own, and must be buoyed by a system that supports them. And, my god, how this system sustains itself!" If you read Bernama on a daily basis like I have to, the government feels duty-bound to near-constantly remind us to be "grateful." So I should be grateful the government is doing the job it was elected to do? Imagine if the Armed Forces, the police, the teachers and the trash collectors kept coming around our houses telling us to be "grateful" that they were honouring their duties. That we owe them our security, our education, our litter-free lawns. Wait, doesn't that make them a lot like Ah Long moneylenders? Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/on-being-called-an-ungrateful-malay/
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| If I’m Umno-BN, I would’ve neutralised DAP! Posted: 29 Jan 2013 03:59 PM PST
Honestly, many of my centrist friends and I are getting a little tired of you. We are fast becoming irritated and if pushed any further we may just work against you. In fact, a few of my friends are already skewing towards BN in the last few months. These were the people who voted against BN in the last general election because they were irritated by them. Now they are finding you as the irritating one. Anas Zubedy, FMT It is getting a little annoying…each time I write something positive about Umno-BN or something negative about PR or its component parties, instead of judging my ideas based on their merits, scores of supporters of the opposition are quick to suggest that I'm a BN or Umno member or agent. That I was being paid to speak on their behalf or simply that I'm a crony getting business from the government. This was especially true and gained momentum after I wrote an open letter to YB Lim Guan Eng suggesting ideas on how DAP can increase Malay support by empathising and understanding them better, deeply considering their concerns. In that letter, I also suggested that YB Lim Kit Siang should graciously retire from politics. This letter attracted hundreds of immediate reactions and many more thereafter from the opposition camp. It also brings forth the wrath from hard core (and may I say unthinking) DAP supporters. Another example is my disagreement with Haris Ibrahim's attitude towards change, his ABU approach. Even Haris Ibrahim, a person whom I see as a genuine change agent (although I do not agree with the route he chose to better Malaysian politics) cannot help but suggest in his note to me published in his blog, "As I share the views of many that you are in some way tied with the powers that be…". So let me make myself clear. I am not from BN or Umno, although I will be quick to support and promote any initiatives by them (or the opposition) which I consider good for the country. I do not get business from any political contacts. In fact, I've have made sure my company stands above board and does not seek government contracts, although in business there is nothing wrong with that! To illustrate further, let me put it this way. If I'm a BN or Umno member, I would first and foremost have worked towards the demise of DAP and the end of Lim Kit Siang's political power from the late eighties. Let me explain. I was a student at UM's Faculty of Economics majoring in Public Administration (a coursework that covers many political and government related subjects). I was privileged to have a good academic as a lecturer, a pro DAP scholar; Associate Professor Michael Ong whom I believe is a close friend of Lim Kit Siang. I borrowed many books and asked many questions from the good Professor. (His copy of 'Time Bombs In Malaysia' a best seller in the late 70s and early 80s, for example was a personal gift from the book's author, Lim Kit Siang). The 7th General Elections 1986 smacked right in the middle of my university life. I discovered three important things about the DAP from these experiences. 1. Lim Kit Siang was a capable opposition leader. His speeches and opinions in parliament were well researched. He puts in a lot of hard work, thinking and effort to represent the opposition team and the 'other' Malaysia, rightly or wrongly. The salary that we the rakyat paid him as an opposition leader was well worth it. (Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the current opposition leader). 2. While they may have improved markedly, the DAP's election machinery then (in 1986 election) was shameful, disorganised, and in many places non-existent. Umno on the other hand had the most efficient, effective and dynamic election machinery and operations in the country. (I used to suggest during my talks, if the Malays can run their businesses the way Umno managed elections, we can do away with the NEP!) 3. The number of members in DAP is negligible – not even 10,000 then. DAP's performance during elections are mostly based on the pendulum swings of Chinese voters who are very sensitive to the state of economic health of the nation. Even today, I do not think DAP has more than 100,000 members, perhaps at most 60,000. The second and third points above brought me to a simple common sense conclusion – even for a 22 year old undergraduate. It is easy for Umno and BN to kill off DAP and Lim Kit Siang's power base. Infiltrate them with thousands of hard core Malay members from Umno, change the flavour of the DAP and vote Lim Kit Siang out or dilute his power within his own power base. You cannot do that with MCA and MIC, as they are raced based parties. But the DAP is open to all and as such, the majority race (the Malays) can easily take advantage. Even today! With less than 100,000 members, it is not too difficult a task to neutralise DAP and the Lims. In fact, even PAS with a million members can 'donate' 100,000 members and make DAP 'Islamic' with the same formula. Anwar Ibrahim's ABIM gang alone could do the job rather efficiently if they wanted to. And remember, Umno has 3 million members! Now, why Umno-BN has not done that is a billion ringgit question. As I have suggested I'm not from the coalition, so I can only theorise. Perhaps they practice fair play. Or, the strategists in Umno/BN believe that it is good to have a little manageable competition that is disorganised, inefficient, ineffective and non-threatening. This is perhaps a good way to ensure their own team does not get complacent – like big Brands in FMCG (like Milo) allowing smaller brands to exist (like Vico). Or perhaps, they never thought about it or, nobody was keen on the project. What do you think? 1. If I'm from Umno or BN all these while, I would have at the point of graduation joined Umno and be the architect who destroyed DAP and the Lims. I would have earned my stripes and gained a really handsome position. I graduated in 1988. I was a project person. By the second year I was already teaching the juniors how to manage successful projects and sat on boards of advisors with the professors and university officials. I had the experience of running the biggest and perhaps one of the most successful projects ever seen at Universiti Malaya. At the height of the project, I had almost 1000 people running the show reporting to my team of 50 capable, hardworking, united core team organisers – I was then only 21 years old. I'm confident (and knew then) that if upon graduation I joined such a well-greased organisation like Umno that has already have in place concrete people, structure and processes, I would have been able to neutralise DAP and Lim Kit Siang by mid 90s. Perhaps, many would not have heard of Lim Guan Eng as he would be insignificant within his own party. To date, those who tried to challenge the Lims are fellow Chinese who is dependent on the same limited support base as they – hard core Chinese. None so far who joined the DAP with their own power base. It is difficult to win an incumbent on their own turf; you need to create a new playing ground, new rules, new people, new thinking. 2. I would like to humbly suggest that pro opposition supporters and key opinion makers to have a little more respect towards centrists like me and my friends. Understand that sometimes we are with you; sometimes we are with BN and many times we provide a third alternative (for example our middle path position towards peaceful demonstrations that was finally practiced by the organisers of #KL112 and the people in power). Understand that such position is all right and natural. You do not have the monopoly of truth and good. None does. Not you, not BN. Stop believing that you are holier than the rest of us and quit being arrogant. Stop spewing "Shame on you" and "if you are not with us then you are against us" mantras, leaving no room for a centrist position, no chance to just be a non-partisan rakyat. Please remember that we who are not from any political parties will likely form the biggest voting bloc. Even in America, the two-party system example that you so readily flaunt, the independents represent the largest bloc, 40% in 2012. Democrats only had 31% while Republicans, 27%. 3. When we provide a feedback, and especially if the feedback suggests that the current government's action or idea is the better one; stop, think, reflect, and listen. Your supporters and cohorts will likely go against them blindly. BN supporters will likely follow them without much thought too. We, the non-partisans are the best check and balance. End your childish attacks, rough language, holier than thou statements, and accusations that we are being bought over simply because you are afraid that your unthinking blind supporters may just start to THINK. We are not here to neuter your position or the position of your opponent. We are here to tell out the truth, as we see it. Your behaviour is beginning to be a little annoying. This takes me to the fourth and final point. 4. Honestly, many of my centrist friends and I are getting a little tired of you. We are fast becoming irritated and if pushed any further we may just work against you. In fact, a few of my friends are already skewing towards BN in the last few months. These were the people who voted against BN in the last general election because they were irritated by them. Now they are finding you as the irritating one. When the BN lost its 2/3rd majority and 5-state governments, these group of voters exclaimed, "Padan muka" to BN. Don't ever think that they will not do the same to you if you too act with arrogance and are annoying. With the combined votes of BN supporters and the independents, Malaysia will go back to the days where BN not only has a 2/3rd majority, but a very comfortable one. And if that happens, the results of GE12 may just be a one-time wonder. Last but not least…how you react to this article will show if you understand the stakes at hand, can be helped to change, or simply incorrigible.
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| Once a pushover, Pakatan sniffs power Posted: 29 Jan 2013 03:50 PM PST
Speculation is rife that Pakatan could win enough in the polls to lure ruling coalition defectors and form a government. Dan Martin, AFP After bloodying the government's nose in 2008 elections, a more experienced and organised Malaysian opposition is eyeing the once-unthinkable: toppling one of the world's longest-serving governments. Malaysians vote soon with the formerly hapless opposition buoyed by a new track record of state-level government, signs of growing voter support, and what its leader Anwar Ibrahim calls a sense of history in the making. "I am convinced, Inshallah (God willing), that we will win government," Anwar told AFP, evoking the winds of change that powered the "Arab Spring" elsewhere in the Muslim world. "Of course we call it a 'Malaysian Spring', but our method is elections (not uprisings)." Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is expected to call a fresh vote in weeks, pitting his Malay-dominated Barisan Nasional coalition against Anwar's multi-ethnic opposition alliance Pakatan Rakyat. The 57-year-old ruling bloc enjoys deep pockets, mainstream media control, an electoral system the opposition says is rigged, and a record of decades of economic growth under its authoritarian template. Few expect the opposition to win the 112 parliamentary seats needed to take power. The three-party alliance won 82 seats in the 2008 polls, up from 21, stunning the BN with its biggest-ever setback. But speculation is rife that Pakatan could win enough in the polls — which must be held by late June — to lure ruling coalition defectors and form a government. "Before this year, many were in denial about Pakatan's potential. Today, we see society beginning to accept that the possibility (of a BN defeat) is real," said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who runs the independent Malaysian think tank IDEAS. The country's stock market has trembled recently over the uncertainty as opinion polls suggest the vote will be tight. One recent survey put Najib and Anwar neck-and-neck as prime ministerial candidates. In a Jan 12 show of force, the opposition held a rally that drew clsoe to 100,000 people. "I think it's very close, and the party that makes the least mistakes will be the party that wins," said S Ambiga, , head of Bersih, an NGO coalition that has organised large public rallies for electoral reform. Pakatan attacks the ruling coalition, and particularly its dominant partner Umno, as corrupt, repressive and lacking a long-term vision for Malaysia. Anwar says Pakatan would end authoritarianism and free the media. It would lure foreign investment by attacking rampant graft and reforming the system of preferences for Malays that is blamed for harming national econonomic competitiveness and stoking resentment among minority Chinese and Indians. "The people are committed to reform. There is a legitimate expectation among the public for them to see that reforms do take place," Anwar said. Anwar, who was acquitted a year ago on sodomy charges he called a bogus Umno attempt to ruin him politically, has been integral to the opposition's revival. The former BN heir-apparent's spectacular 1998 ouster in a power struggle with then-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad gifted the opposition a charismatic leader with top government experience to rally around. The loose alliance of 2008 is stronger today, having since agreed on a common manifesto, and has shown it can govern in four states won five years ago, the most ever in opposition hands. Malaysia has 13 states. "Cooperation between the parties is much stronger than 2008. They have done more to prepare the ground for new voters," said leading political pollster Ibrahim Suffian. Concerns linger over Pakatan's ability to govern nationally. Besides Anwar's multi-racial PKR, it includes PAS representing Muslim ethnic Malays, and the secular DAP dominated by ethnic Chinese. PAS's calls for an Islamic state are a source of alliance squabbling, but Anwar dismisses any concern, saying PAS realises the goal is a non-starter in the diverse nation. Economists, meanwhile, warn that populist Pakatan promises such as free primary-to-university education could sink Malaysia into debt, while noting ever-larger public handouts by Najib's government also posed a risk. Najib took office in 2009 and has portrayed himself as a reformer but surveys suggest BN is still viewed as a corruption-plagued, status-quo force. Eroding minority support, particularly Chinese, that hurt the coalition in 2008 appears to be accelerating, independent polls show, while first-time voters estimated to number up to three million are a question mark. One top Umno official told AFP that party officials fear the coalition could lose 20 more seats — it now has 140 — raising the spectre of a Pakatan power play. "All said, Najib still has the advantage, but an opposition victory is clearly possible," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian politics expert at Singapore Management University.
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| Game of ‘Sabotage 24/7′ in Selangor Posted: 29 Jan 2013 11:52 AM PST
The ruling Barisan Nasional has increased dubious voters by the thousands in 13 parliamentary seats in Selangor Selena Tay, FMT In a slick and covert mission, some smooth operators have managed to shoot up the numbers of the Selangor electoral roll by adding as many dubious voters as possible in order to subvert the vote of genuine Selangorians. Appended below is the information on the increase of dubious voters in these Pakatan Rakyat-held parliamentary seats. The information is obtained from PAS' Harakah daily dated Jan 25 to 27, 2013: 1. Kuala Selangor 10,083 (PAS MP Dzulkefly Ahmad) 2. Selayang 16,189 (PKR MP William Leong) 3. Gombak 15,467 (PKR MP Azmin Ali) 4. Hulu Langat 23,334 (PAS MP Che Rosli Che Mat) 5. Serdang 23,748 (DAP MP Teo Nie Ching) 6. Puchong 19,772 (DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo) 7. Kelana Jaya 13,714 (PKR MP Loh Gwo Burne) 8. Subang 27,765 (PKR MP R Sivarasa) 9. Shah Alam 15,417 (PAS MP Khalid Samad) 10. Kapar 21,606 (PKR MP S Manikavasagam) 11. Klang 11,702 (DAP MP Charles Santiago) 12. Kota Raja 22,256 (PAS MP Siti Mariah Mahmud) 13. Kuala Langat 17,172 (PKR MP Abdullah Sani) This underhand operation to negate the vote of genuine Malaysian citizens reveals the desperation of those who want to win at all costs so much so that they are willing to sell out the nation's rights. In the process, they do not give two hoots about altering the nation's demographics or jeopardising the lives and livelihood of ordinary citizens. The situation will be difficult for us citizens if we do not do something about these dubious voters (most of whom are foreigners with MyKad) and if we do not take pro-active action on polling day. Pakatan leaders have already made countless police reports and filed countless complaints with the Election Commission (EC) but to no avail. The relevant authorities are just not concerned and have turned a blind eye to these reports and complaints. Other problems as well Besides the electoral roll problem, the water problem in Selangor is also an attempt to strike at Pakatan by victimising Selangorians. "If the water pumps are spoilt, then just get them repaired. What has it got to do with the building of the Langat 2 dam? BN is talking nonsense by linking the water pumps problem with the dam," said PAS Pokok Sena MP, Mahfuz Omar. Even the collection of rubbish in Selangor has been sabotaged. It is the game of "Sabotage 24/7" to halt the smooth running of the Pakatan Selangor government's administration. Therefore from the Selangor situation we can see BN's game in attacking Pakatan and the citizens as a whole. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/01/30/game-of-sabotage-247-in-selangor/
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| Posted: 28 Jan 2013 03:28 PM PST
Perkasa has lighted a fire of religious intolerance which is burning slowly but will grow bigger if not doused. Free Malaysia Today Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali wants to make a bonfire of the Malay version of the Bible that uses the word "Allah" and is written in Jawi. But a Bible is a Bible, whether it is in English or Malay or Jawi. It is still a sacred book and to throw it into the fire is an act of sacrilege. He is encouraging a course of action which is likely to lead to dire consequences. He has forgotten that Malaysia is a land shared by many races and faiths. Ibrahim has triggered widespread resentment in the Christian community for making such a provocative statement. Most of the worshippers using the Malay-language Bible are native Christians in Sarawak and Sabah. They also work and live in the Peninsula and continue to practise their faith. They have been using this Bible for ages without anyone trampling on their rights to religious freedom. The Bible is their faith and their church. But now come Ibrahim and his Bible-burning threat. Ibrahim's burning anger flows from two causes: he cited a report lodged by Persatuan Mukabuku Pulau Pinang alleging that two individuals had been giving away the Malay version of the Bible to Muslim pupils at the gate of a secondary school in Penang; and the Bible carried the word "Allah". These are two "sins" that Perkasa feels must be purged in the interest of the Muslim faithful. The Malay rights NGO has a point when it advances the argument that it is wrong to distribute Bibles to Muslims. Its secretary-general Syed Hasan Syed Ali points out that such attempts will only "confuse the Muslims into leaving Islam and converting to Christianity". The Federal Constitution expressly prohibits the "propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among Muslims". Based on the country's sacrosanct laws, the two individuals who distributed the Bibles should be charged and that would have ended the controversy. But the flame lighted by Ibrahim grew bigger when he urged Muslims to burn the Malay version of the Bible that contains the word "Allah". Granted that he told Muslims to burn these Bibles upon receiving them. He did not goad them to seize the holy book and torch it openly. But the firebrand had unleashed a reaction that threatens to destroy the delicate balance of religious tolerance and racial harmony. Extremely dangerous Ibrahim started the fireball rolling and now it has gone out of control. His "jihad" will be taken up by other rabid groups bent on "teaching" Christians a lesson. One group, the Pasukan Bertindak Anti Bible Bahasa Melayu (Anti-Malay-Bible Action Force), even wanted to throw the Bibles into the fire on a Sunday when Christians go to church. It is an extreme form of provocation which carries the seeds of a wider conflict. This group thinks Christians pray to many gods and not the one and true Allah. Therefore Christians are infidels. Such ignorance can lead to disaster.
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| Posted: 28 Jan 2013 10:47 AM PST
The are some who appear to be on a sacrilegious crusade to drown this nation in bloodshed for what is hailed as a sacrosanct cause. RK Anand, FMT Imagine there's no heaven Imagine there's no countries Imagine no possessions The above are excerpts from John Lennon's masterpiece titled "Imagine". During his solo career, Lennon had strained his vocal chords to promote peace, making him an icon of the anti-war movement. Ironically, Lennon met a violent end when he was shot four times on Dec 8, 1980. The next day, his wife issued a statement, which read: "…John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the Perhaps if he was still alive, Lennon might pray with extra zeal for Malaysians and even consider penning an additional verse for his song, which would read: Imagine no Ibrahim Alis, There are some who appear to be on a sacrilegious crusade to drown this nation in bloodshed for what is hailed as a sacrosanct cause. These are people, who, in the name of their religion, or rather the votes that it can entice, spew hatred and sow the seeds of discord, doing all that is antithetical to the teachings of their faith – peace, love, compassion and tolerance. Under the guise of protecting their faith, these opportunists are in fact doing a disservice to their respective beliefs. Being a witness to these unravelling shenanigans, one cannot be faulted for thinking that this nation is regressing fast in terms of race-relations. What is more disturbing is that a prime minister, who stepped into office with the grand proclamation of unity, is allowing this disunity to become exacerbated and a former prime minister of mixed parentage appears hell-bent on widening the fissures at an age when he should be contemplating on the afterlife instead. But then hell hath no fury like a deputy scorned! And so perhaps the octogenarian fears the retribution here – should the kingdom fall – more than what awaits him in the hereafter. Hence, he must do all within his powers to prevent that man, whom he despises, from ascending the throne, even if it means plunging this nation into the dark ages. The doctor who transformed Malaysia into a nation with first-world infrastructure appears to be suffering from the malaise of a third-world mentality. His legacy is in tatters. When the last general election delivered an almighty blow to the ruling coalition, Umno, under the stewardship of its new captain, who realised that most of its non-Malay backers had abandoned ship, decided to leave the keris in the sheath and chart a new course, steering clear of the troubled waters of racial and religious extremism. The new captain admitted that the coalition made mistakes in the past, which he wants to rectify but saw no reason to do so when he served in the Cabinet for decades. Enter Ibrahim Ali Sensing that Umno has left behind a vacuum which can be exploited to his benefit, a self-styled Malay warrior of Napoleonic stature (at least in the vertical sense) set sail for the troubled waters. While Ibrahim Ali is considered more of an annoying amphibian than a real threat, he however has the protection of what some detractors consider a venomous reptile from Umno. And so one wonders if the frog is merely spewing what is formed in the cobra's venom gland. Is Ibrahim just the mouthpiece for someone, who, because of his credentials, is unable to bare his fangs but by slithering on the same stage when these threats are made without making a hiss, sends an unmistakable signal that he condones them? Umno has distanced itself from Perkasa but the critics remain unconvinced, claiming that it has outsourced its department of public revulsion to the right-wing movement. There are certain forces in Umno which disagree with the president's pandering to the Chinese and Indians, calling it a futile campaign and prefer to consolidate the Malay votes by harping on race and religious issues vis-à-vis the threat posed by DAP (Chinese) politicians and their so-called Christian agenda. Those who believe in freedom of expression, like the patron of Perkasa, a new convert who championed the cause and took to blogging after being fitted with a muzzle during the previous administration, would argue that Ibrahim has the right to speak his mind. But the simple fact remains that his call to burn Bibles – regardless of whether he included a language disclaimer or not – is against the law of the land. Yet, no action has been forthcoming. Furthermore, Umno's muted response lends credence to the assertions that the party agrees with Ibrahim or that it is behind Perkasa. BN's ceremonial components MCA and MIC flexed their feeble muscles and issued one or two harsh press statements that fell on deaf ears as usual, once again proving their ineffectiveness and that Perkasa appears to possess more clout than them. Failing to defend the victims Racists and religious extremists exist in all parts of the world. But when leaders entrusted by the people to act for their well-being refuse to rise in defence of the victims of these bigots, then these leaders lose their moral right to refer to themselves as decent human beings and no longer can demand the respect and trust of the people. Our top political leaders, irrespective of colour and creed, should have severely chatised Ibrahim and reminded him to keep his arguments to facts instead of croaking up threats and stoking the flames of religious tension. What if the opposite had happened? What if a fanatical Christian leader called on believers to torch Islamic paraphernalia used for preaching to non-Muslims? Since to each, his or her belief is sacred. Let us leave the outcome of such an episode to the respective imaginations. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/01/29/imagine-no-ibrahim-ali/ |
| Suaris Interview: The Future of Malays Part I Posted: 27 Jan 2013 12:28 PM PST
No matter how bountiful the land is but if its leaders are corrupt and incompetent, people uneducated and unskilled, and culture wasteful and destructive, then eventually that society will decline. M. Bakri Musa [The original in Malay appeared in suaris.wordpress.com on January 19, 2013). Introduction: Dr. M. Bakri Musa's perspective may appear alien to some readers, especially those less exposed to the Internet and the English language. It is their loss not to have ready access to his clear thinking and substantive ideas. Suaris.wordpress.com is taking this initiative in bringing to readers especially those versed only in Malay his commentaries. Born and raised in Negri Sembilan, Bakri represents the earlier generation of Bumiputras that had been given the opportunity for an education abroad. Yet he never forgets his roots as evidenced by his extensive writings and many books. Even though he resides in America, but through his books and essays we feel close to him. He recently released his latest book, Liberating the Malay Mind, published by ZI Publications. In this interview, Dr. Bakri Musa discusses a critical issue, the future of Malays in our country. We are at a critical juncture in many respects, from politics to economics, and from education specifically to social arenas generally. What is the future of our people in the decades ahead and how can we best prepare for that future? Follow the series in its entirety. Suaris: How are you doctor? Hope that you and your wife are healthy and blessed by Allah! MBM: Great! Healthy! Thank you and praise be to Allah! Suaris: Doctor, you write frequently on the general unpreparedness of our people in meeting future challenges. In what way and how unprepared are we? MBM: In my book, Towards A Competitive Malaysia, I put forth this proposition. The fate of a society hangs on four pillars: leadership, people, culture, and geography. Of the four, only one – geography – cannot be altered. Whether that society is blessed with abundant oil and its land fertile, those are the blessings of Allah. Lucky indeed are the inhabitants! However, no matter how bountiful the land is but if its leaders are corrupt and incompetent, people uneducated and unskilled, and culture wasteful and destructive, then eventually that society will decline. We have many ready examples, among them Brunei and the Arab states. On the other hand, if the geography is less forgiving, the land mountainous and covered with thick snow, climate cold such that crops could grow only for a few months a year, but if the quality of leadership and people is high, their culture progressive, that country will advance. An example is Switzerland. We are all aware of the importance of wise, efficient and trustworthy leaders not only in politics and the administration of the country (ministers and civil servants), but also in religion (muftis and ustads), society (sultans and rajas), schools (teachers and professors), and at home (parents and neighbors). The quality of our people (human capital) depends on two measures: health and education. If our citizens are unhealthy (drug addicts, afflicted with dengue or malaria), they will not be vigorous or diligent. And if our schools are rotten, then our young will not be skillful and productive. A citizen is either productive and contributor to or dependent and a drain on society. If we have more of the former, then our society will rapidly progress. Conversely, if we have more of the latter, we will quickly decline. By culture I mean the rules and institutions of that society, together with its norms and values. Consider institutions. Lacking effective and reliable agencies, considerable time and effort would be spent just to ensure that the house I am about to buy legitimately belongs to the seller. With trustworthy registry in place, I spend my time on things that really matter, like whether the house would meet my needs and the price worth it. Similarly when I deposit my money at the bank, sans effective regulatory bodies, I would not be assured that the manager would not abscond with my precious funds. As for the values of a society, if it honors its thieves, thugs and cheaters, that would serve as ready examples for the rest. Before long that society would be like the Mafia in Southern Italy. All these four elements – leadership, people, culture, and geography – interact with and in turn are being influenced by each other. Enlightened citizens will select or vote in only equally enlightened leaders; those voters will no tolerate the corrupt and incompetent. Likewise, wise leaders will formulate progressive education policies so the young will be skillful and productive. Wise leaders and citizens will together utilize and protect the environment to ensure sustainable development. Cancun, Mexico, for example, was in the 1950s a poor fishing village. The only "tourists" were American hippies seeking cheap ganja. Through wise leadership and well-trained citizens, Cancun is no longer that but an affluent and much sought tourist destination. Its previously poor fishermen now own sleek motor yachts taking rich Americans and Europeans out for sports fishing. Now examine our society with respect to those four pillars. What mark would we give ourselves for the quality of our leadership, people, culture, and environment?
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