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Posted: 10 Oct 2011 08:47 PM PDT

Malaysia's youngest sitting politician says his generation of leaders is ready to move away from race-based politics. Politics in Malaysia is centred on race and religion, with the Malay UMNO dominating a multi-racial political coalition. 29 year old Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad says all signs are pointing to an early election - as soon as November this year, or in the first quarter of 2012. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad also calls for a more equitable distribution of wealth in Malaysia.

Sen Lam, Radio Australia

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Selangor state assemblyman, Malaysia and Communications Director for the opposition Parti Keadilan. He was in Melbourne as a guest of the Asia Institute, Asialink and the Asia Society

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NIK NAZMI: The problem we have today is that the economic policy we have in Malaysia is very much a trickle-down one for the ordinary people, regardless of race. Of course, the politicians would like us to see in terms of racial paradigms but in reality, the ordinary Malaysians regardless of race, lose out, whereas those who are politically-connected, regardless of race benefit. So I think that currently, the government talks about liberalising the NEP (New Economic Policy), moving away from the NEP adopting our own rhetoric, which is good, but in terms of reality, we think that it also means an over-emphasis on liberalisation, without a balance in terms of social justice, which is bad I think, for the country as a whole.

LAM: But in politics, appearances count for a lot as well, how do you think that will sit with your Malay constituents, who might feel that they're losing their rights?

NIK NAZMI: It is, the problem for the ruling coalition is that they they have shaped the debate for so long in terms of race-based analysis. If a Chinese gains, then that means the Malays and Indians lose, and vise versa. Whereas our emphasis has always been about the ordinary people against the powerful. Even the One-Malaysia campaign (of Prime Minister Najib Razak) is not being accepted by their own (UMNO) party, because they've always been talking about Malay supremacy - Ketuanan Melayu. So I think that's where the government faces a problem, as a result of they've become the victim of their own rhetoric.

The children of those who benefitted from the NEP, the younger Malays, who, their parents studied in Australia, in the US and in the UK, come back and they start to question the analysis, that Malays are naturally weak and that the Malays need political protection in order to survive. So in that sense, I believe that rather than being a headache for us, it's actually a headache for everyone in the country, because this is your 'Gen Y', which is shaped by a different mindset than the previous generations. They tend to be critical of the government, which means BN (Barisan Nasional) rather than the (Opposition) Pakatan. But they're not as loyal in terms of party politics, as their parents were. You know, I think that's a phenomenon across the world, where in the past, our parents' time, where they would vote for a certain party from cradle to grave, but today, the younger generation are more interested in voting along the lines of issues.

LAM: So are you saying, that the future in Malaysian democracy and in a more vibrant political landscape, lies in this current and future generations of younger people?

NIK NAZMI: Definitely, I mean, Malaysia especially being a very young country - the population pyramid in Malaysia is very broad-based because of the number of young people. So in that sense, definitely, the young people are the ones we should focus on. They are shaped by a very different view and things are changing so fast, the tools that are out there, we cannot take them for granted anymore, definitely.

LAM: If elections were called in early 2012, how do you think the Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition coalition, how do you think you'll fare? Do you think you'll get more than five states?

NIK NAZMI: Predictions are not my thing, but I would think that generally, the two coalition systems are here to stay. Malaysians do not want the time where one coalition knew best or one party knew best, or during Mahathir's time, perhaps one man knew best. I think those times are over. People see the benefit because now, both parties, the Opposition coalition has just been elected. I think there's a greater desire, younger more energetic, they work harder but at the same time, the ruling coalition has been to a certain extent, woken up from their slumber. And they're trying to win (voters) over. At the end of the day, the people benefit. So I think the people are smart enough to realise that. The government has lost the monopoly of information...

LAM: Through new and social media?

NIK NAZMI: New and social media, definitely. People are more interested to hear both sides of the view.

LAM: So, is the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition.. are you prepared to take over federal politics? To take over government?

NIK NAZMI: We are better prepared than we were in 2008, definitely. It was a loose coalition in 2008, there was no formal coalition between Keadilan, the Islamic PAS and the DAP. And we have come out with a common 'Orange Book' which details our common policies. Yes, there are differences, I will admit that, but it's natural. There is no coalition or party in Malaysia that would not have differences, because it's a reflection of the diverse spectrum of Malaysian society.

LAM: Well, some people might argue that the Barisan Nasional stayed in power for so long because it had UMNO at the helm, it had a galvanising factor, a party that's strong enough to hold everyone together. It might be argued that Pakatan Rakyat lacks that cohesiveness -what do you say to that?

NIK NAZMI: Well, that model worked in the 20th century. It worked in 1955, it worked all the way until 2008. But I think the Big Brother model of politics, where you have one dominant partner is not relevant for the 21st century. People want a partnership of equals. And I think it has to go out from the race-based political situation that you have today.

Definitely, there have been differences, issues, but I think at the end of the day, all the three parties have accepted the Constitutional concensus in Malaysia, where Islam is the religion of the Federation, but the rights of other adherents to practise their faith are fully respected. We need to stick to things that we agree on, rather than harp on the things that divide us. I mean, I think we're all learning here. It's all a maturing process.

The 'Arab Spring' has shown whether you're Islamist or whether you're a liberal, that democracy is ultimately the most important thing to fight for, because it's something that we need to run governments. At the end of the day, without a functioning democracy, then countries cannot function, nation states cannot have peaceful transitions of power.

LAM: I read in one blog, that recommended you as a politician of the future, and as the sort of politician that Malaysia needs, because, the argument of the blog goes, you are Malay and ultimately, Malaysia still needs Malay leaders because the Malays are the majority. So that's still race-based though, isn't it?

NIK NAZMI: That is the reality in Malaysia, because I think you want to talk about political change. It used to be about Malay supremacy, I think the Opposition has rejected that. We talk about "people's supremacy" but I think at this point of time, change still needs to be Malay-led because people still vote along racial lines, that's a reality. I think all countries have this - I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's a political reality. But what is better is that enlightened Malay leadership is better than this ignorant Malay leadership.

But I would say that, while there are those challenges, the good thing is that because of social media, because of the internet, people are better-informed. This is the Reformasi, the Bersih generation, you know, the concerns are different. So in that sense, the parameters are different, that provides an opportunity. The problem is that some politicians still want to dumb down old politics, but I think if we keep making the argument for a Malaysia that moves forward, then I believe that the younger generation is ready to step into the 21st century.

Umno not ready for Nov/Dec polls

Posted: 09 Oct 2011 07:12 PM PDT

Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is not heeding his former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad's unsolicited advice.

(Free Malaysia Today) - A former prime minister who was also a former finance minister and never known for fiscal frugality has warned the west not to spend in denial.

Was Dr Mahathir Mohamad also targeting our current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak?

In a world set upon by slower economic growth, where do we sell our exports? Can we maintain our price of oil and gas to ensure we have enough funds to finance the RM232.8 billion Budget 2012?

For now these factors seem not to worry Najib who is also the current finance minister.

Najib isn't heeding the unsolicited talking-to and advice of Mahathir because he has that one tool which he thinks can earn the loyalty and allegiance of people who will ensure Barisan Nasional (BN) stays in power – the Budget.

Before the 2008 general election, former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi presented the budget in much the same way as Najib did – giving out goodies to everyone he could capture in the dragnet.

But it didn't stop the BN losing a large number of seats and five states. But Najib knows best. So, he will and can call elections anytime.

March 2012 polls?

Best, call it before the end of the year. But then, the Umno people are just going through the drill attending courses here and there.

The Umno assembly is slotted sometime at the end of the year.

And Najib is leaving for haj pilgrimage for about two weeks. Perhaps there he will be seeking divine signs on the dates to hold elections.

God is on BN's side just as God is a Republican in the US. It's impossible not to win. I will say, the elections will be around March 2012.

People can easily be overwhelmed by the feel-good nature of an election budget.

But wait till it sinks in, then the questions will come. Has Najib addressed the issue of rising cost of living in his Budget 2012?

READ MORE HERE

Malaysia Unveils Plan for Handouts

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:54 AM PDT

By James Hookway, Wall Street Journal

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak unveiled a government spending plan for 2012 that pledged cash handouts and more benefits for ordinary Malaysians, while also shoring up the country's finances and reining in its budget deficit at a time of global economic uncertainty.

Political analysts said Mr. Najib had at least one eye on the election that must be called within the next 18 months. Over the past month this aristocratic son of the country's second prime minister has staked out the center ground of Malaysia's politics, pledging to roll back laws that allow for detention without trial and to allow a greater degree of media freedoms in what is still a very closely controlled country.

For Mr. Najib, who took over the ruling United Malays National Organization party about a year after it lost its customary two-thirds parliamentary majority in a March 2008 election, Friday's budget speech appeared to mark the next step in a plan to secure a strong mandate in this Muslim-dominated but ethnically diverse nation.

"There was something for all of the key groups in there," said James Chin, a political-science professor at Monash University in Kuala Lumpur. The right wing of Mr. Najib's ethnic-Malay party will likely be placated by the two billion ringgit ($631.2 million) of infrastructure contracts reserved for bumiputra-owned (ethnic-Malay-owned) businesses, while ethnic-Chinese voters will likely be relieved by the absence of new taxes.

"International investors got some reassurance on the budget deficit, too," Mr. Chin said. "Mr. Najib needs to get this right and secure a strong majority whenever the elections come or else he could get kicked out by his own party."

To help finance the 2012 budget, Mr. Najib, who is also the country's finance minister, said the government plans to privatize and list state-owned plantation operator Felda Global Ventures Bhd. by the middle of the year. That could create the world's largest publicly traded palm-oil producer by planted area, as well as draw substantial foreign investment into the country's stock market.

Other major proposals in the 2012 budget would encourage foreign investment in sectors including financial services, logistics and health care and limit the budget deficit to 4.7% of gross domestic product. It is 5.4% this year.

The budget wouldn't ramp up government largess as much as many economists had feared. Mr. Najib struck a note of caution by limiting development spending—which analysts say has been used in the past to win political support—to 48.34 billion ringgit, only slightly more than this year's 48.60 billion ringgit. Mr. Najib said the government expects the economy to expand 5% to 6% next year, compared with 5% to 5.5% growth projected for this year. The bump would be partly thanks to his spending plan, he said.

"Global developments would certainly have a direct impact on the Malaysian economy," Mr. Najib told Parliament. "With these developments, the government will put in place measures to stimulate domestic economic activities, in particular public and private investments."

Targeting a relatively low deficit of 4.7% now might leave Mr. Najib better placed to pump more money into the economy later if the global environment deteriorates sharply, economists said. Governments across Asia are growing increasingly concerned that debt crisis in the euro zone may further damp the tepid recovery in key markets—not only European countries, but the U.S. and Japan as well.

In the meantime there will also be several cash handouts, including a one-off payment of 500 ringgit to all households with a monthly income of 3,000 ringgit or less. Civil servants' wages and pensions will rise, while the compulsory retirement age will increase to 60 years old.

Mr. Najib's budget also allots 50 billion ringgit for education, an area he has repeatedly singled out as a key to nurturing the long-term development of Malaysia's economy.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Selasa, 11 Oktober 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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