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Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?
"Divide and Rule" - Dividing The Malays
The Ball Is Now In Their Court
The General Election is in July, folks!
Check, some news just isn’t right
Anwar Ibrahim a Scoundrel?

Will the GST be another nail in the coffin?

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:23 PM PDT

But to me, the plan to implement the GST will be another nail in the coffin for the BN government. In almost all cases where the GST was introduced, it has raised a lot of discontent. Governments have fallen because of the GST and finance ministers have resigned.

Remember this: governments have fallen. Finance ministers have quit.

I hope, the government's tax package is not an attempt to trick workers into thinking that they will be better off after the proposed tax cuts. I also hope it will not trick people on government benefits that they will be better off after the so-called "compensation", despite the introduction of a goods and services tax (GST).

Consider this. Our tax base is perhaps only 15%, i.e. only about 15 percent of the population pays tax. The balance have nor or were not paying taxes- kampong people, self-employed, ordinary folks outside the tax bracket. Now, all are caught in the tax trawler net and pay consumption tax. Never mind says the government; we will compensate the ordinary people.

Ok. So we ask, what then is the size of the compensation and its value? Will it be larger than the revenue the government collects after implementing GST? Then the government ends up spending more after all.

What is the purpose of the GST? The GST, levied at a rate of x %, will replace the government's wholesale sales tax and other indirect taxes. How much will the abolition of these taxes cost and how much will the GST raise?

I don't have the figures but I am sure the reasoning by the government is that the GST will increase the amount of tax collected. Meaning the GST will increase government revenue by X amount. Revenue will likely to increase over time because of the expansion of the service sector.

Here is an interesting question. Somebody will make money as a result of introducing and implementing the GST. Ask this question- who will collect the revenue? It will be collected by some companies already proposing or about to propose further privatization of government services.

Who is actually paying the excess revenue that government collects after GST? If we study carefully, we can know who is NOT going to pay: big business- the tax burden on Malaysian business will be reduced by more than the GST revenue collected. How so? Because business which export a lot will be treated to a substantial decrease in costs because they will be eligible to have GST they pay on business inputs refunded.

So if business doesn't pay, who pays? If businesses won't be paying the extra GST revenue, then it means that workers and people on government benefits will subsidize business.

Cilaka punya government! We subsidize these people? Because, really the GST is not a tax on business as input tax credits ensure that businesses effectively do not pay GST on their inputs.

GST paid by business on raw materials, tools, electricity and rent is refunded. Business is exempt from paying the GST.

READ MORE HERE

"Divide and Rule" - Dividing The Malays

Posted: 20 May 2011 05:06 PM PDT

From Caesar, Napolean, Louis XI, the Habsburgs to colonial Europe, divide and rule have always been the maxim for maintaining a hold on to power or breaking up larger concentration of power into smaller chunks that individually would be less powerful and less effective.

Machiavelli in his book the "Art of War" denotes the same application in military strategy.Infiltrate your enemies and divide the forces by sowing the seeds of mistrust among the ranks and file and the generals.

Colonial Europe imperialist territorial expansion gave them global network of colonies, of peoples subjugation and of divide and rule that have allowed the colonisers to exploit the natural resources and the inhabitants of the colonies to the fullest.

For centuries European colonies straddled the globe with territories changing hands among the European powers either through wars, gunboat diplomacy or treaties.The European were masters and enslavers of poor and undeveloped subordinated territories.

The "sun never sets on the British Empire" it was said at its pinnacle. At its height it was the largest empire in history and for over a century, the foremost global power. It held sway a quarter of the world's population and almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. It ruled not only the land but all of the world's great oceans as well. That was the British Empire at its greatest, the epitome of divide and rule policy. Today, the empire is gone, the endgame of divide and rule.

The birth of the Federation of Malaya from British Malaya and the eventual formation of Malaysia was no less the same process.

Sabah and Sarawak could have been given independence on its own and many Sabahans and Sarawakians think on hindsight that would be the ideal situation, but as much as I do not wish to agree with the British, it seemed inevitable that we have not much choice but to participate in the formation of a bigger nation to counter the threat of Indonesia's expansionist policy then. Due to its weakening economic power and poor military forces the Philippines which has a claim over Sabah was not seen as a threat, it was Sukarno and Indonesia that the British was worried about.

Divide and rule policy inherited from the British had made this racially diverse nation into a very ethnically divided country and existential policies that failed to bring to fruit a national identity.

The Malays remained Malays, the Chinese remained Chinese, the Indians remained Indians. The Chinese speak Chinese and some looked upon China as the motherland and 20% of the population couldn't speak the national language properly. The Indians speaks the Indian language (mostly Tamil) and some still looked upon Indian as the motherland and sent their sons to India to marry Indian brides chosen by the parents.

The races still eye each other with suspicion and whatever discomfort they may have with each other had been under the lid for decades but has now surfaced threatening to tear the country to shred if no action is taken to stop the racist mudslingers.

On the economic front the picture is even more dreary.

Tokenism! Rampant in both Chinese controlled companies and government controlled corporations.The Chinese would not employ Malays in critical positions as they do not trust them and perceived them too slow and less competent.It became even worse in family run companies where all critical positions would be wholly Chinese and the lowest rank the preserve of the other races.

Malay run GLCs practised the same discriminatory behaviour, staffing almost the entire organisation with Malays.

The civil service, the military and the police force are almost entirely Malays. The same way the Malays are being treated in Singapore by the Chinese, critical positions are not for those whose allegiance are still questionable. The Chinese and Indians have come to accept that they would never be top brass in any of these vital organisations.Most stayed away.

The Malays, the leading political force had cleverly retained the British divide and rule policy and held sway political control for over half a century until the unexpected political tsunami in March 2008 which jolted the Malay political powerhouse. UMNO never dreamt they would be rejected so badly by fellow Malays. They were still in Lala Land till the morning after.

Breaking up and dividing the Chinese and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak into small and inert political parties gave the Malays perfect political control over the other races under the BN concept, probably, the biggest amalgamation of political parties any where in the democratic world, the brainchild of former Prime Minister the late Tun Razak Hussein.A good concept if there were fair play.

There are no less than six active Chinese based parties in the country, DAP, MCA and Gerakan in the Peninsula, SAPP, LDP in Sabah and SUPP in Sarawak.

Sabah and Sarawak also enjoyed a democratic split of the indigenous people.In Sabah, there are at least three active KDM (Kadazan Dusun Murut) based political parties, PBS, UPKO and PBRS and Sarawak has three, SPDP, PRS and SNAP.

To try register a new Malay based party or revive a defunct Malay party is almost impossible.Various attempts to revive USNO in Sabah was rejected by the Register of Societies without giving valid reasons whatsoever. USNO, still has, among the adult Malay/Muslim population in Sabah, nostalgic reminiscent of days yonder when Sabahans had full control of the state.

Since its inception Malaysia has only two active Malay political parties, UMNO and PAS.Both are competing for Malay anchorage but UMNO has the lateral influence while PAS is confined to areas where the zeal for Islam is greater.

UMNO, the doyen of Malay politics has seen its influence eroding among the Malay population and has to share the Malays votes not only with PAS but with PKR, a multi-racial party headed by Anwar Ibrahim, one of the factors responsible for dividing the Malays.

In the March 2008 General Elections some very disillusioned Malays even voted for DAP candidates to show their anger and frustrations with UMNO leaders seen as high muckety muck and corrupt.

Corruptions and ostentatious display of ill-acquired wealth by UMNO leaders,families and cronies had been the rallying call for the diminution of UMNO political influence. The other big factor for splitting of the Malay votes was Anwar Ibrahim who is seen as a victim of UMNO conspiracy.

Anwar could be immoral as can be but Malaysians are bought that he is innocent even if proven guilty.Majority of French people thought of the same of Dominique Strauss-Kahn who now looked more and more guilty of the alleged crime.

Who divide the Malays?

READ MORE HERE

The Ball Is Now In Their Court

Posted: 19 May 2011 08:01 PM PDT

This was to avoid being stopped along the way.

According to Dr. Pa of the People's Green Coalition, about 500 people gathered in front of the Australian High Commission to voice their concerns over radioactive hazards it will pose if the project is carried through.

The protestors from various parts of Malaysia gathered at the KLCC for the protest march after Friday prayers. With one purpose in mind and hearts knitted as one, they braved the rain and marched to the Australian High Commission, reaching their destination at 2.15pm.

There to give their warm welcome was a barricade of riot police, many policemen and about ten FRU trucks police stationed at Jalan Yap Kwan Seng here.

Regardless, the protestors with much courage and conviction shouted "Stop Lynas!" because of their concerns regarding the radiation pollution from the Lynas plant that is said to be the biggest in the world upon completion.

Despite the heavy police presence, the protestors held posters that read "Too toxic! Too risky!" and "We don't want Lynas" and "Lynas, go back to Australia."

Six representatives went into the Australian High Commission including Dr. Jaya and Mr. Tan (Kuantan) and handed a memorandum protesting the building of the Lynas plant near Kuantan to a representative of the embassy who assured them that the memorandum would be passed to the Australian government.

READ MORE HERE.

The General Election is in July, folks!

Posted: 19 May 2011 06:11 PM PDT

Yes, despite whatever the prime minister has said, is saying, and will be saying, about the date of the 13th General Election (GE), I dare say that it's all meant to coax and delude us into believing that it's not going to be a snap poll.

And for all the "excellent" track record of this government, it will be foolhardy to expect me for one to buy the assurances. All the more because this country oddly represents the remaining dinosaurs of a la Westminster electoral democracy, where only the premier (and his wife in the case of Malaysia) and God Almighty know exactly when a general election will be held!

It does sound very weird, but very true indeed. Even the UK, the origin and birthplace of a la-Westminster democracy, is moving towards setting election dates well in advance.

Come what may, Najib is hell bent on winning this GE. It is a do-or-die mission. As demonstrated by his now infamous quote, he will defend Putrajaya at all cost – "Even if our bodies are crushed and our lives lost, brothers and sisters, whatever happens, we must defend Putrajaya!"

Utmost in his political calculation is to win, plain and simple. This mandate is the be-all and end-all of his political struggle. Defeat is not an option. He is frantically desperate to secure victory.

Going by the spectre of the unending tumultuous events post-12th GE, and quite unlike all his predecessors, Najib is very wary and fully conscious that the going is onerous and the outcome almost unpredictable. The million-dollar question that begs an immediate answer now is when would it be most strategic and correct for him to conduct this 13-GE.

Despite dispelling speculation that the dissolution of the 12th parliament will be soon, this writer is far from convinced that Najib is honest at that. It's not meant to be pejorative but quite on the contrary it is to depict him as a smart strategist, if indeed he is one.

The writer's arguments are as follows:

Foremost in his consideration would be this strategic question: "what?" The "when" and "how" would follow suit. "What" is surely the most important question the master strategist has to answer for himself, and this cannot be delegated. Doing so would spell his doom. To be capable of executing it, it presupposes that he has gathered all the pertinent and critical information there are, from all "sources", overt and covert.

Simply put, Najib would have to decide what it is he wants to achieve? He hasn't much to choose from. Defeat is not an option as emphatically said earlier. So, he is left with either (a) regain his lost two-thirds majority in parliament or (b) win by a simple majority.

It is the belief of this writer that Najib has settled for the latter i.e. winning by a simple majority. He still harbours hopes that perchance, on a good outing, he can still wrestle back the two-thirds majority. But what's the fuss behind making the choice, you might want to ask. Well, it is simply this.

If he chooses a simple majority, that is a lot easier to achieve. If he is passionate and insistent on regaining his two-thirds majority, he has to ensure that the strategic objective is achievable and he wouldn't have the "degree of freedom" and flexibility to call for a snap election, a quick kill of sorts. This snap option would allow him to ambush his political enemies, when they will be caught flat-footed and foolishly grinning still.

This writer would like to believe that Najib is being very realistic and has settled for a simple win. The defining consideration for Najib is premised on the fact that delaying the GE is not going to do his party and the BN any favours.

Najib requires 112 seats to win. His own party is already in control of 79 seats. Assuming he doesn't lose any, he only requires 33 seats to win. Even if in the worst-case scenario of Pakatan winning 10 parliamentary seats in Sarawak and eight from Sabah, Najib is still secure with 40 seats from the 58 seats (25+31+1) from his so-called "fixed deposit" states of Borneo. Najib could still make it home with 119 seats to win the "first-past-the-post" electoral system. The actual dynamic is, of course, more complex and fluid. This piece avoids that discourse.

Najib has also bought into the notion that his trajectory is almost at a plateau – on that "diminishing return" part of the S-curve. The recently concluded Sarawak state election spoke volumes of the hypothesis. He doesn't want to be reminded of the marked swings of the various indigenous groupings of Sarawakians including the usually-docile-submissive Malay-Melanau grouping.

An 8 per cent nationwide swing especially in West Malaysia, as observed in the Sarawak election, would be catastrophic, and would kick him out of Putrajaya. That is a very grim scenario for Najib. Worse still, he doesn't expect nor hope for this to reverse, even if given more time. In short, time is not the essence of winning back the trust that they have lost. MCA and MIC no longer provide the required additional support. If anything, they have become a liability to Najib.

The rot has gotten too deeply seated, almost terminal as in a cancer patient. Foremost, he doesn't believe that the Chinese would make a comeback any time soon. No amount of cajoling the Chinese has been fruitful. Equally, if not more distressful for him, is that no amount of tough rhetoric has been productive either.

If anything, it has got from bad to worse. The last round of DAP-Christian state and Perkasa-crusade fiasco was simply too tragic for Najib's approval rating, especially because he is seen as condoning Perkasa's condescending rhetoric, the fighter-dog of Umno.

The premier has now to do the obvious. To borrow an investment cliché, he has to "cut-loss". He has to swallow a lot of his ego and humble himself to the rakyat. Perchance they might want to forgive him but they, the rakyat and the electorates, shall not forget that it's the two-thirds majority that has resulted in the BN's decades of ruling with impunity. He has now only to settle for a win – a simple majority.

The next question that begs a prompt answer is a tactical one – the "when." This is the most intriguing, though. Given the earlier argument, the answer is equally evident. If possible, he wants it today. Why? Well, it is the writer's conviction that Najib is a coward. Nothing pejorative again though, please. But that is the plain naked truth. He is a very risk-averse personality. Incidentally, that doesn't augur well with our emerging nation. It is just his demeanour, and it has to do with one's personality. You can't hide it.

Najib has never been known to be a risk-taker. He had it all so good so far, almost on a silver platter i.e. from his youthful days of becoming the Youth chief of Umno and all. Do you recall any challenging battles he waged to get to where he is now? Hardly, right? Right again.

In the same vein, Najib is not willing to subject himself to the dynamic of his own party's check and balance. Given the growing undercurrent of dissent within the ranks of the warlords and the middle-upper leadership, Najib is going to use the coming GE as a convenient ploy to get the party's wannabe candidates to toe the line. Traditionally, it's the Umno president's prerogative to decide the candidacy for the GE. Holding the GE early is surely to his advantage.

He dares not take them on a debate of his 1 Malaysia and "inclusiveness" rhetoric, which seems so diametrically opposed to Umno's ideology of Ketuanan Melayu. Holding the election early would quell and quash all dissenting voices. That's being crafty, but still in the mould of a "coward". Again, he must hold the GE soonest.

Hence, Najib is now out to execute an elaborate decoy plan to delude his nemesis into believing that the election could very well be after Budget 2012, and could well fall on his magical feng shui date of 11-11-11. But that is on a Friday, mind you. Ludicrous, you might be thinking. He will be cursed for having it on an auspicious Friday.

READ MORE HERE

Check, some news just isn’t right

Posted: 19 May 2011 04:33 PM PDT

HEY! Guess what? The other day I was wandering around Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur and I saw a group of Hindus discussing something in their temple compound.

You know what? I think they want to make Malaysia a Hindu state!

They are somehow going to get two-thirds of both the Dewan Rakyat and the Dewan Negara along with the Council of Rulers to change the Constitution and make us a Hindu state.

No, don't laugh. I recognised a politician in there among them, so it must be true.

How can you tell this story is true? Well, you are reading it in a newspaper aren't you? And to make sure this story is truly credible, I'm going to make the same assertions on my blog.

Does this sound stupid to you? It does? Well, that is because it is.

Now in the world we live in today, anyone with a computer can say any old thing, no matter how obtuse, and then get it out for the whole planet to see.

For example, the "scoop" that a bunch of priests and politicians are going to turn this country into some sort of Christian state.

It's a wild accusation – irresponsible, unfounded and silly.

However, on the information super highway, you get a lot of silliness and this is to be expected.

In my view, this freedom to be as dumb as you can be is a price worth paying for the freedom of expression the Net gives us.

However, I find it is surprising that this "scoop" would be carried by a newspaper. Aren't newspapers supposed to work within this strange thing called "journalistic principles"?

Shouldn't a newspaper check out a story first by doing a spot of investigating? I don't know, perhaps by calling the organisers of this "insidious" meeting of Christians and asking them.

The conversation could sound something like this: "Hello Padre, are you going to convince Parliament and the Council of Rulers to make this a Christian state? You aren't? Are you sure, because a blogger said you are.

"What's his name? I don't know because he uses a pseudonym. Perhaps there is some other way you want to do it, maybe by force?

"What did you say? Oh, yes, Christians make up only 7% of the population and there is no Christian Army to call upon.

"I see, so it's just a silly accusation then? Right, well, thanks for your time Padre."

There you go, simple. No need to do a Woodward and Bernstein with midnight visits to underground car parks to meet informers named "Deep Throat".

READ MORE HERE

Anwar Ibrahim a Scoundrel?

Posted: 19 May 2011 12:23 PM PDT

"Even more insidious than religion being used as a tool to maintain power but integral to that phenomenon is the role of religious charlatans in politics. These are politicians who use religious platforms to get support. In the Malaysian context, unscrupulous politicians use Islam to gain support from Muslims who form the majority population in the country.

The epitome of such politicians is Anwar Ibrahim".

Syed Mohd Salim Syed Mohd Bakar

Steadyaku47 comment:

I have written enough recently on this issue but still feel compel to respond to what this Syed Mohd Salim has written recently in his letter to Malaysia Today. Basically what he has said in the first six paragraphs of his posting can be condensed into this one sentence I highlighted in my posting:

Among Politicians the esteem of religion is profitable, the principles of it troublesome.

Syed then goes on in the last six paragraphs of his letter to argue that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who he says is a scoundrel, uses religion as his refuge.

I beg to differ.

In 1974 I did not see DSAI use religion as his refuge or sanctuary when he was arrested during student protests against rural poverty and hunger and imprisoned under the ISA for 20 months in the Amounting Detention Centre.

I have yet to see DSAI use religion as a refuge or sanctuary for himself against the viral personal vendetta of Mahathir. The same Mahathir who used PDRM, The Judiciary and all means at his disposal to pursue DSAI until he was incarcerated in Sugai Buloh.

I did not see DSAI use religion to seek justice after he was bludgeoned by the Inspector Gseneral of Police while under Police custody.

I did not see DSAI seek divine intervention through religion to prove his innocence from the sodomy 1 conviction that was ultimately overturned by the Federal Court!

And now this Carcosa Tape allegations against DSAI. Was it not Rahim Thamby Chik that thundered to us all that it was his duty to ensue that no Muslim of low morals should ever be Prime Minister of Malaysia. The same Rahim Thamby Chik that raped an underage Malay Schoolgirl while Chief Minister of Melaka? Or is it okay to rape an underage Malay schoolgirl when you are already a Chief Minister? This is a classic case situation where you are required to shoot the messenger rather then listen to the message he has to deliver.

Who seeks refuge in religion to swear his innocence in this sordid sex tape episode? Not DSAI. Eskay did his sumpah laknat – is this not seeking refuge in religion?

DSAI's stand is clear. He has not and will not allow religion to be ridiculed and brought down to the tardy level where Muslims of questionable character calls upon the name of ALLAH in vain to protest their innocence. DSAI knows that for us mortals, it is the Judiciary that will ultimately decide on your innocence or guilt…sooner or later. As in his sodomy 1 case, it was later. Much, much later.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Sabtu, 21 Mei 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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