Down to the wire

Malaysia’s elections
Banyan Asia
by R.C. | KUALA LUMPUR
The Economist
Dec 19th 2012

ALL year, it seems, Malaysia has been on a war footing. For elections, that is—and thankfully, rather than anything more martial. The country operates on a Westminster-style parliamentary system, so the prime ministers’ five-year term does not officially end until early next summer. Nonetheless, Najib Razak and his people have been talking up the chances of going to the polls before then pretty well continuously over the past 18 months or so, which keeps everyone guessing.

Now, with the end of the year in sight and no further announcements, it seems that Mr Najib will take this down to the wire. Given that he can only go to the country after Chinese New Year next February, most people expect him to plump for the latest date he can in the electoral calendar, which would be about late March or early April.

His supporters say, why rush? With a generally favourable economic outlook, tame state media and all the advantages of incumbency, there is no reason why Mr Najib can’t enjoy the rest of his term of office without worrying about the 13th general election. After all, he has a bit of history on his side, to put it mildly—the ruling political alliance, Barisan Nasional (BN), has never lost a general election since independence in 1957.

His critics, however, detect signs of nervousness about the outcome—mainly, the endless indecision about when to go to the polls. Indeed, all the evidence suggests that this will be the closest race in Malaysia’s history, even more so than the last general election in 2008. On that occasion, the BN lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time, thus losing its powers to make changes to the constitution. Just as bad, five of the 12 contested state legislatures were won by the opposition, compared with only one in the previous election. Mr Najib knows that to placate his hardline critics within the BN he has to not only win, but win big. They want the BN to claw back most of what the party lost last time. It’s a tall order.

With so much at stake, every vote counts…but only if every vote is counted. Democracy activists and other election-watchers are concerned that many of the criteria for a free and fair election have not been met by the government and the government-appointed Election Commission.

Over the past few years the campaign for open and fair elections has been led by Bersih (meaning “clean” in Malay), a loose coalition of civil-rights and human-rights NGOs and others.

The head of Bersih, Ambiga Sreenevasan, sounded gloomy last week about the prospects for this election. “It will be the dirtiest election we have seen for a long time”, she warned. She points to the more overt signs of this, such as “increasing political violence” (at political rallies, for example) and more subtle signs such as “constant reports of discrepancies on the electoral roll in west Malaysia.”

Having campaigned for very specific improvements to the conduct of elections, Ms Ambiga says that the authorities have take action only with respect to the proposal that voters be marked with indelible ink (and even then not entirely to her satisfaction). On everything else, such as the neglected right of all sides to enjoy equal access to the media, Ms Ambiga says that the electoral authorities “give me and Bersih no reason at all to believe that anything will change before the election”.

With official overseas election observers (apart from ASEAN) apparently considered unnecessary by the government, Bersih is setting up its own “citizens-observers’ campaign”. Mr Ambiga says that they need 30,000 observers, but expect to get only 10,000. Bersih will train them. They might soon be busy people

Malaysia’s Education Disaster: The power to change the system is in our hands

by Koon Yew Yin

As election day comes closer, we will be asked for reasons as to why we should want to change the Barisan Nasional Government (BN). When the question is put to me, I tell people that there is no need to enumerate three, four or five reasons. One reason alone is sufficient for Malaysians to elect a new government.

The reason is that the BN has ruined our educational system and put us back at least one generation in our educational standards and standing.

When the country became independent in 1957 our educational system was acknowledged to be amongst the best in the region. Today, after the introduction of NEP policies in education, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel in our standards of educational achievement at all levels.

 BN’s Record

Whether it is in primary, secondary or tertiary education, the rot is clear. Half literate primary school products that cannot write or speak properly in either English or Bahasa and drop out early; secondary students with abysmal standards in Mathematics, Science and other core subjects; tertiary students who are provided with university degrees but in fact are unemployable except in the civil service.

This is the disastrous outcome of BN rule. This is the result of the politicization of the educational system and UMNO’s cynical use of it as a political and racial football.

Whether it is with regard to mission schools or vernacular or SRJK schools; teaching of science and mathematics; teaching of English; appointment of administrators and heads of schools; the curriculum; examinations; vocational education; funding and allocations – UMNO has inserted its racial and political agenda to debase and corrupt the system.

If readers think that I am over critical of the BN, let me provide two pieces of evidence on the disaster in our education.

The first is from the Government itself. According to the national education blueprint (Preliminary report, Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, pp, E4-E5)

• Malaysia was ranked in the bottom third of 74 participating countries of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009+.

• 60% of the 15-year-old Malaysian students who participated in PISA failed to meet the minimum proficiency level in Mathematics, while 44% and 43% did not meet the minimum proficiency levels in Reading and Science respectively

• A comparison of scores shows that 15-year-olds in Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Shanghai are performing as though they have had three or more years of schooling than 15-year-olds in Malaysia

• Low achievement standards in TIMSS (Maths and Science): far behind first tier; now comparable to countries such as Indonesia

• By 2007 (last published cycle) 18% and 20% of our students failed to meet the minimum proficiency standards in Maths and Science.

The conclusion of the Blueprint is shocking. Not only are the gaps between Malaysia and other countries in our region growing, international assessments also revealed that Malaysian student performance is declining in absolute terms.

This damning conclusion – that we are going backwards in our education standards and achievement – shows that the problem is not a new one. It is a long standing crisis which the BN has successfully concealed from Malaysians thanks to media manipulation and its diversionary focus on language and Chinese school issues.

But it is no longer easy to fool Malaysians thanks to the internet media and the availability of international assessment results.

Hence the latest educational scandal in which the Ministry of Education is accused of lowering the maths and science standards for the PMR and SPM examinations to artificially increase the pass rate does not shock me in the least.

Such efforts have been taking place for the past thirty years, especially in the public universities. How else then to account for the hundreds of thousands of graduates who are unemployable?

My Personal Experience

The second piece of evidence is one derived from personal experience. For several years now, I have been providing scholarships to poor young Malaysians so that they will be able to go to the university to improve their life and career opportunities. Below are examples of letters I have received from two applicants requesting for financial assistance (details of my scholarship program are available from http://english.cpiasia.net/).

What is important to note is that although these are written by pre-university students, the level of English language competency attained is lower than that of a primary student during my time.

Sadly, they are not isolated cases – in fact they are typical of students who have been through our educational system and whose decline in standards has been due to BN rule.

Ambiga: Bersih’s ‘citizen observers’ will be non-partisan

By Clara Chooi
Assistant News Editor
December 20, 2012 

Ambiga said Bersih’s ‘citizen observers’ will comply with global standards for domestic election monitoring.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — Bersih 2.0 has chided the Election Commission (EC) for labelling it “partisan”, insisting to the agency that its “citizen observers” will comply with global standards on election monitoring, which list non-partisanship as a requirement. 

The movement’s co-chairman, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, said the use of citizen observers during polls is a practice that has been accepted and used in many countries abroad, including Indonesia.

“We understand what they are saying that we should be well-organised and not interfere with the polls process. Certainly, that is not our intention,” the renowned lawyer told The Malaysian Insider.

“We are providing training for our observers and we will comply with global standards for domestic election monitoring,” she said when contacted yesterday.

The standards referred to by Ambiga are enshrined in the “Declaration of Global Principles for Non-Partisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organisations and its Code of Conduct”.

The declaration was commemorated at the United Nations on April 3 this year by the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors, an international network that connects some 150 organisations worldwide. In Malaysia, Bersih 2.0, the Malaysian Voters Union and the National Institute for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (NIEI) signed on to the declaration.

Ambiga said the purpose behind calling for citizen observers was not to manipulate the results of the polls but to offer Malaysians an active role in protecting their own vote.
She pointed out that any member of the public could sign up as a citizen observer, irrespective of their political leaning.

“We made the call publicly... everyone can sign up for training,” she said.

Wan Ahmad raised the possibility that Bersih 
may have a certain agenda to protect its partisan interests.

Agreeing, Maria Chin Abdullah, a Bersih 2.0 steering committee member, said there was nothing partisan
about urging Malaysians to come
forward and participate in the polls process of their own country. 

 
“We are merely asking citizens to take
a stand on the fraud that has been happening. It’s their right, after all, to see that their votes are protected… we are not telling them who to vote,” she said.

Ambiga also said the very reason behind the initiative, also known
as the “Jom Pantau” campaign, had stemmed from Bersih 2.0’s lack of confidence in the EC’s commitment to reforms.

“Rather than attacking us, they should actually be focusing on cleaning up their act for the elections.

“Why do they seem to be so nervous about our independent observers?” she asked.

“Frankly, I would really like to make this call to all members of the EC who have chosen to remain silent — we will hold each and every one of them responsible for how the coming elections are run.

“I urge the commissioners to search their conscience and ask themselves if this is an acceptable state of affairs for Malaysia and if they are fulfilling their constitutional duties to the people,” she said.

The EC questioned yesterday the ability of Ambiga to ensure all “citizen observers” in her Bersih 2.0 electoral watchdog group obey the law and steer clear of fouling up the polls regulator’s work.

EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar was reported by a Malay news portal as saying Bersih 2.0 was formed along partisan lines and that it was possible the group may have a certain agenda to protect its partisan interests.

He told Sinar Harian Online that while the prominent legal expert, who is co-chairman of the electoral reform group, is seen to be familiar with the law, he asked: “But is she capable of taking care of members involved in the Jom Pantau PRU13?”

Wan Ahmad said the EC acknowledged the right of citizens to monitor the election process for any possible fraud that may arise, but said they must not disturb the work of the authorities and EC.

“We want to give a reminder so that Bersih 2.0 that launched this campaign will not disturb this election’s affairs,” he told the news portal.

Bersih 2.0 has already launched its “Jom Pantau” and “Jom 100” but Ambiga said on Monday that these campaigns will be expanded next month to keep the pressure on the authorities.

Palm oil refiners heave a sigh of relief

Source by: New Straits Times
by Rupa Damodaran

Three options on how to reduce high palm oil stocks

Source by: New Straits Times
by Hanim Adnan

RM100 CPO price drop to lead to RM1.8b fall in annual trade surplus

Source by, The Edge Malaysia

Business & Market 2012

Written by Kamarul Anwar of theedgemalaysia.com Monday, 10 December 2012 16:20

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 10): A RM100 drop per tonne in palm oil prices would lead to a RM1.8 billion reduction in Malaysia's trade surplus on an annual basis, according to a report by Barclays Capital (BarCap). Read more ......

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/226827-rm100-cpo-price-drop-to-lead-to-rm18b-fall

Shock-Proofing Asia’s Economies

By : Noeleen Heyzer

Source: http://www.project-syndicate.org/

10 May 2012

BANGKOK – Uncertainty and volatility have quickly become the “new normal” of the global economy. For several reasons, this turbulent external environment poses the most significant threat to Asia-Pacific growth in 2012.

One of this environment’s main features is the ongoing weakness of major developed economies. The expected V-shaped global recovery, from the depths of the 2008 financial crisis, proved short-lived. The world economy entered a second stage of crisis in 2011, owing to eurozone’s sovereign-debt crisis and continuing uncertainty about the economic outlook for the United States.

Mapping the landscape of these threats, forecasting their impact, and presenting a range of policy options to help countries to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth despite the uncertainty, is the focus of the United Nations’ 2012 Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific.

Our forecast is that persistent headwinds will slow Asia-Pacific economic growth to 6.5% this year, down from 7% in 2011. Reduced demand for regional exports and higher costs of capital, combined with loose monetary policies and trade protectionism in some advanced economies, will contribute to the slowdown.

Nevertheless, Asia-Pacific growth will continue to outpace that of all other regions, acting as an anchor of stability and a new pole of dynamism for the world economy. For example, South-South trade with the Asia-Pacific countries in 2012 will help other developing regions, especially Africa and Latin America, to reduce further their dependence on the low-growth advanced economies.

Moreover, robust growth from the Asian economic powerhouses will continue in 2012, with China likely to grow at 8.6% and India’s growth expected to accelerate from 6.9% to 7.5%. The South-East Asian sub-region is likely to record a slight increase in growth, owing to Thailand’s strong recovery following the 2011 floods, and annual inflation in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole is projected to fall from 6.1% to 4.8%.

The greatest risk to the Asia-Pacific economy in 2012 is a disorderly sovereign-debt default in Europe, or an unraveling of the eurozone. This worst-case scenario could lead to Asia-Pacific export losses of up to $390 billion in one year, with least-developed and landlocked developing countries worst hit – losing as much as 10% of their total exports. Although unlikely, such a scenario could reduce regional growth by as much as 1.3 percentage points, and prevent 22 million people from escaping $2-a-day poverty in 2012.

A second key challenge to Asian regional growth in 2012 is commodity price volatility, together with a long-term rising trend. High prices and persistent volatility are increasingly features of the “new normal,” and both national and regional economies need to adjust to this reality.

The commodity boom that has resulted from higher prices presents both risks and opportunities. Price shifts alter incentives, but the less-developed economies of Asia and the Pacific must resist the impulse towards narrow commodity specialization. The lesson from the first round of Western globalization was that natural-resource specialization, especially in the poorest countries, can delay industrialization, economic diversification, and the creation of productive capacity.

Another key step in “shock-proofing” Asian economies will be to address the problem of jobless growth, unemployment, and rising inequalities. This needs to be a gradual process of rebalancing, supporting greater domestic consumption as an enhanced engine of growth and productivity, job creation, and income equality.

Other critical economic-policy challenges in 2012 will include managing the balance between growth and price stability – which will require inflation-fighting measures beyond monetary policy alone; coping with capital flows, especially the surge in short-term debt; dealing with exchange-rate volatility; and addressing the impact of extreme weather and natural disasters.

The Asia-Pacific countries are fortunate to face the turbulence and uncertainty of the global economy this year from a position of relative strength. High GDP growth rates, significant fiscal room for maneuver, and increasing economic cooperation make the region’s prospects for 2012 brighter than almost anywhere else.

Making the right policy choices – to build resilience and pursue a sustainable pathway to shared prosperity – will prepare Asia and the Pacific to flourish in the context of sustained global uncertainty. That is good news in a troubled and turbulent world.

Read more from our "Asia's Tipping Point" Focal Point.

Two pre-conditions for Pakatan Rakyat to beat Umno/Barisan Nasional in the battle for Putrajaya in the 13GE

PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said in his speech at the opening of the 58th PAS Muktamar this morning that PAS is prepared to take federal power with its Pakatan Rakyat allies.

Malaysians are at the crossroads in the 13th General Elections, to decide whether the country should have a new beginning by electing a new Pakatan Rakyat federal government in Putrajaya or whether the corruption, abuses of power, injustices and inequalities of the Umno/Barisan Nasional Government should continue to blight the future, hopes and aspirations of the people.

There are two pre-conditions if Pakatan Rakyat is to beat UMNO/Barisan Nasional in the battle for Putrajaya in the 13 General Elections.

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition of PAS, PKR and DAP must be able to show and convince Malaysians of two important differences with the Umno/Barisan Nasional coalition.

Firstly, that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition practices the politics of “Unite and Rule” as distinct from the traditional but divisive and destructive politics of “Divide and Rule” of UMNO/BN, polarizing instead of uniting Malaysians along racial and religious lines.

Through the politics of lies, falsehoods and fear, UMNO/Barisan Nasional spread different and conflicting messages among different racial and religious groups, sowing the seeds of suspicion, distrust and even hatred, which is totally against the task of Malaysian nation-building.

Among the Malays, UMNO spread the lies and falsehoods that if Pakatan Rakyat wins in the 13GE, the DAP will be the real “power” in Putrajaya, that Malay rights would be sacrificed with Malays becoming “beggars in the own land”, Islam marginalized and the country become a Christian Malaysia, the system of Malay Rulers abolished and Malaysia will become a republic. In other words, that the DAP would renege and betray the pledges made in the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Programme and Buku Jingga.

Among the Chinese, MCA is allowed to spread fear with the lies and falsehoods that PAS will be the real “power” if Pakatan Rakyat wins resulting in the sacrifice of the political, economic, educational, social, cultural and religious rights of the non-Malays and non-Muslims. Underlying these lies and falsehoods is the message that PAS would renege and betray the pledges made in the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Programme and Buku Jingga.

This is a most irresponsible and reckless politicking, completely heedless of the harm of such “divide and rule” tactics to the Malaysian nation-building process.

In contrast, the Pakatan Rakyat parties of PAS, PKR and DAP seek to unite Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, with the common vision and objective – to restore justice, freedom, democracy and good governance in the country.

Also unlike Barisan Nasional under UMNO hegemony, Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of equals which operates on the basis of consensus. There is no hegemony by any single party in Pakatan Rakyat.

Secondly, we must convince Malaysians that another great difference with UMNO/BN is that the Pakatan Rakyat coalition practises the politics of sincerity, honesty and trust, where our word is our bond, and that none of the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat, whether PAS, PKR or DAP, would renege or betray the pledges and commitments we have made in the PR, whether in the Common Policy Programme or Buku Jingga.

I call on all leaders, members and supporters of Pakatan Rakyat, whether PAS, PKR or DAP, to commit themselves to give full support to the cause of effecting change in the 13GE as this is the only way to end the corruption, abuses of power, injustices and inequalities rampant under UMNO/BN rule.

(Speech at the Pakatan Rakyat Himpunan Kebangkitan Rally at Stadium Mohammad IV Stadium, Kota Baru on Friday, 16th November 2012 at 10 pm)

Source: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/

Middle income-trap – Malaysia has shot itself in the foot!

Malaysia’s Development Strategy Revisited (2)

by Dr. Mohamed Ariff*

Input-Driven Growth unsustainable

It goes without saying that Malaysia must grow at a faster pace if it is serious about joining the club of developed countries by 2020 – hence the need to reinvent itself through reforms that can help restore the lost growth potential. Malaysia has learned the hard way that input-driven growth is unsustainable. It is instructive to note that the economy was growing at a rate of over 8.0 per cent in the early 1990s despite declining total factor productivity. To stay competitive, the growth strategy then was to keep wages low with the aid of a large migrant workforce. Obviously there was a dismal failure to understand that there were limits to economic expansion through input increases.

Migrant Workers depress wages

It was a major policy blunder to let migrant workers depress wages in the country, thereby throttling productivity improvements. Malaysia locked itself into low value-added manufacturing by allowing foreign workers to work in the sector for low wages, thus removing the incentive for manufacturers to automate. The size of the problem is huge: the country reportedly has 1.9 million registered migrant workers and another 600,000 unregistered ones (probably an underestimate), accounting for nearly one-fifth of the working population. These workers are not confined to the so-called 3D jobs – the difficult, dirty and dangerous jobs that the locals shun – but compete with Malaysians in the wider labour market.

This is a race that Malaysian workers are bound to lose, as migrant workers are willing to accept lower wages and work longer hours, with no laws – let alone enforcement of laws – in place to protect their rights. Unless and until there is equal pay for equal work, the employers’ penchant for migrant workers will continue unabated.

This is not to deny that Malaysia needs the services of foreign workers, both skilled and unskilled. But care must be taken to ensure that they are treated with dignity and fairness, and not exploited by agents, employers and the authorities. Condoning the injustices inflicted on foreign workers only serves to increase the demand for foreign workers, to the detriment of locals in the labour market.

Productivity Gains Needed

Malaysia has inadvertently fallen into a middle-income trap by adopting an ill-conceived policy of preserving its fading competitiveness through suppressed wages. High wages need not mean high labour costs if the increased wages are backed by productivity gains. By the same token, low wages may not translate into low labour costs if productivity suffers. In the Malaysian context, the social cost of employing migrant labour far exceeds the private cost to employers. If the negative externalities associated with the excessive presence of migrant workers are taken into account, the short-sighted dependence on the migrant workforce turns out to be a costly affair. Obviously Malaysia has shot itself in the foot!

to be continue

Source: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/

Kalau terasa akan kalah, biarkan sahaja Parlimen terbubar dengan sendirinya

― Aspan Alias, The Malaysian Insider, Nov 13, 2012

13 Nov ― Ada dua perkara yang saya hendak sentuh sekali gus hari ini. Yang pertamanya ialah tentang program UMNO Seremban yang mengadakan majlis parti di Kem Tentera Sikamat, Seremban, dan yang kedua ialah isu Himpunan Rakyat 1Malaysia yang dianjurkan oleh UMNO dan BN melalui penganjuran oleh beberapa NGO pada 24 hb November ini.

Saya tidak berapa perasan bila program itu diadakan tetapi yang nyata ada jemputan Dato’ Ishak Ismail kepada semua penduduk Sikamat untuk mereka hadir di majlis anjuran beliau di dalam kem Rejimen Ke-4, Artileri Di- Raja, Sikamat dan ini amat memeranjatkan banyak pihak kerana ia dibenarkan oleh pemerintah Kem tersebut untuk UMNO mengadakan majlis politik itu.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Menteri Pertahanan, yang berucap dalam majlis itu sepatutnya memberikan penjelasan kenapa UMNO mengheret tentera dalam politik dan jika tentera menjadi aktif dalam politik ini merupakan petanda buruk akan melanda negara dan tidak siapa akan dapat mengenali politik yang sebenarnya dalam tempoh yang terdekat ini. Ini merupakan satu fenomena baru di dalam UMNO dan ini hanya menunjukkan betapa terdesaknya parti yang telah memerintah negara sejak merdeka itu.

Jika tentera digiatkan dalam politik maka kita sudah tidak ada lagi sistem politik yang betul dan ia akan hanya membawa negara kepada keadaan dan situasi yang mana rakyat tidak akan tahu lagi yang mana satu sistem yang betul sebagai sebuah negara demokrasi kerana semua sistem dan tata cara bernegara itu sudah berkecamuk dan tidak menentu lagi. Anak-anak muda tidak akan lagi tahu siapa yang sepatutnya bergiat dan siapa yang sepatutnya duduk di tengah-tengah dengan ‘magnanimous’ kerana setiap rakyat sudah tidak tahu lagi yang mana yang sepatutnya mereka lakukan dan yang mana yang tidak boleh dan beretika untuk dilakukan.

Oleh kerana keadaan ini sudah mula berlaku ia sepatutnya menjadi pengukur kepada kemampuan untuk mempertahankan sistem demokrasi negara ini. Maka tidak boleh kita biarkan perkara seperti ini berlaku justeru pilihanraya inilah sebaik-baik masa untuk memperbetulkan apa yang tidak kena dalam negara kita ini. Himpunan rakyat 1Malaysia

Ketua Penerangan UMNO, Ahmad Maslan, telah membuat sidang media semalam yang beliau sedang mengetuai satu sekatariat untuk menganjurkan himpunan rakyat 1Malaysia pada November ini di Kuala Lumpur. Ia bermatlamatkan untuk meningkatkan sokongan rakyat kepada kepimpinan pada hari ini dan UMNO sedang menggunakan badan-badan bukan kerajaan untuk menganjurkannya. Menggunakan NGO-NGO seperti ini merupakan satu-satunya jalan untuk mengumpulkan manusia yang sudah menjauhi UMNO dan BN itu.

Tetapi masalahnya UMNO menggunakan cara yang sama yang digunakan oleh Pakatan Rakyat dan ia bukan cara UMNO yang lazim mereka lakukan. UMNO terpaksa menciplak dan mengadakan perhimpunan seperti yang dilakukan oleh pembangkang. Tetapi perbezaannya amat jauh di antara UMNO dan pembangkang kerana UMNO sudah pasti terpaksa menggunakan badan-badan NGO dan tentulah ia memakan belanja yang banyak untuk menyempurnakannya. Saya tidak menjangka yang orang ramai akan memberikan sokongan padu terhadap perhimpunan ini kerana mereka dijemput dengan semua persediaan yang mahal-mahal dengan karipap dan minuman serta tambang menambang serta bas-bas percuma untuk mengangkut manusia yang kebanyakannya terdiri dari pelajar-pelajar dan budak sekolah.

Berlainan dengan pihak PR yang hanya mengumumkan tempat dan waktu perhimpunan diadakan tanpa perlu membayar dan menyediakan makanan dan khemah-khemah untuk menarik orang ramai untuk datang. Kita telah melihat berapa ramainya kedatangan serta kehadiran rakyat jelata dalam perhimpunan rakyat di Senawang, Seremban pada 3hb Nov yang lepas. Mereka datang dalam hujan lebat dan berpayung dan berbaju hujan yang tidak diberikan oleh PR. Mereka berbelanja sendiri kerana yang memberikan motivasi mereka untuk hadir itu adalah semangat dan perasaan ingin kepada perubahan kerajaan dalam pilihanraya yang akan datang.

UMNO atau BN tidak mungkin mampu untuk memanggil kehadiran yang besar tanpa disediakan makanan, pengangkutan, topi serta baju T yang mahal-mahal. Sebaliknya bagi UMNO, mereka akan diberikan kontrak untuk membekalkan baju T dan topi. Mereka tentulah mendapat habuan yang besar dan mereka yang mendapat kontrak itu tentulah mereka yang hampir dengan pejabat setiausaha agong dan setiausaha kerja UMNO Pusat. Satu perhimpunan rakyat anjuran BN itu akan memakan belanja yang berjuta-juta.

Bagi UMNO ia hanya untuk menunjukkan kepada ramai yang mereka juga mendapat sokongan tetapi rakyat tahu tujuan pimpinan BN hanyalah untuk merawati jiwa mereka yang tertekan dalam menghadapi pilihanraya yang hampir tiba ini. Mereka (UMNO) hanya hendak menunjukkan dan menempelkan imej sokongan sahaja tetapi ia hanyalah ibarat seorang wanita yang mengenakan bedak sejuk di muka mereka sahaja. Bedak sejuk di muka-muka mereka akan hilang setelah baru bangun dari tidur dan selepas mandi. Bedak sejuk itu tidak kekal melekat di muka-muka mereka.

Mengikut kata-kata Ahmad Maslan di antara mereka yang berucap nanti adalah mereka yang mewakili berbagai-bagai bidang masyarakat. Beberapa professor kangkong serta mereka yang bergelar dan bernama yang mewakili berbagai pihak akan berucap. Mereka termasuklah Chandra Muzaffar dan Lee Lam Thye. Apa yang akan mereka perkatakan tidaklah dapat kita jangkakan kerana selalunya mereka akan memberikan retorik dan ucapan mengungkit-ngungkit tentang apa yang BN telah lakukan kepada rakyat dan sebagainya.

Mereka tidak akan berani bercakap tentang segala kemungkaran politik, ekonomi dan sosial yang BN telah lakukan oleh mereka selama ini. Satu yang pasti perhimpunan anjuran BN akan menggunakan belanja yang besar untuk menjayakannya. Untuk mengekalkan BN memerintah rakyat terpaksa berbelanja terlalu mahal tetapi tidak juga mendapat perhatian ramai.

Bagi pandangan peribadi saya jika BN tidak berkeyakinan dengan diri sendiri untuk menghadapi PRU ini biarkan sahaja penggal ini terbubar dengan sendirinya pada 28hb April yang akan datang. Mengadakan perhimpunan besar pun bukannya memberikan faedah apa-apa pun. Apa perbezaan di antara 29hb April dengan Mac? Yang pasti Najib merupakan satu-satunya PM yang belum mendapat mandat sehingga hari ini.

Kalau UMNO sudah masuk kem tentera untuk mengadakan ceramah, itu adalah petanda yang UMNO tidak relevan lagi kepada rakyat biasa.

The al-Bukhary story: how it all began

Tun Datu Haji Mustapha bin Datu Harun was the President of USNO and the third Chief Minister of Sabah. Tan Sri Syed Kechik Syed Mohamed was the Legal Adviser to Tun Datu Mustapha and the Director of Yayasan Sabah, the foundation that was set up as the trustee of the state’s timber wealth. Syed Kechik’s famous (or infamous) nephew cum son-in-law is Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, another man of great controversy -- just like his father-in-law, Syed Kechik, and Syed Kechik’s ‘mentor’, Tun Datu Mustapha.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

An embarrassment of business opportunities, political patronage and debts. The Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary story.

CT Ali, Free Malaysia Today

Syed Mokhtar al Bukhary is like a king? First it was FLOM and now it is SMIK? (Syed Mokhtar is King). What will our king have to say about this pretender to his throne who also happens to be a tycoon – something which our king is not.

All this came from that MP from Kinabatangan, Bung Mokhtar Radin.

The first question I want to ask of this Sabah Umno leader is why has he got his beady eyes trained on this Syed Mokhtar guy?

I am no fan of Syed Mokhtar but why is Bung Mokhtar breaking ranks with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in the same way he did with Shahrizat Abdul Jalil – and you know what happened to Shahrizat after that.

Or is Bung Mokhtar taking a position to the rear of Najib’s unprotected left flank ready to do battle against Najib?

Or has Syed Mokhtar done an Abdul Razak Baginda on Bung Mokhtar?

Unity - Never Seen Before

One of the very good initiative in Pakatan Rakyat…Hope we can see more of these kind of prayer for peace together…

A delegation of about a dozen Pas representatives made a courtesy call to new Penang Diocese Bishop Sebastian Francis at his office at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit yesterday to congratulate him on his recent appointment.

Penang Pas ulamak chief Soib Mohd Amin saying a prayer of peace together with Bishop Sebastian Francis inside the bishop’s office at the Cathedral

The Pas delegation comprising mainly Penang Pas representatives was led by Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Also present were College General seminary rector Fr Gerard Theraviam and Cathedral parish priest Fr Bernard Paul.

Ustaz Soib Mohd Amin said a prayer for peace and for closer Muslim-Christian relations while Bishop Sebastian reciprocated by saying the Bapa Kami (Our Father) as a prayer for the nation. The new bishop also stressed the importance of cultivating a deep spirituality – an aspiration shared by people of other faiths – in forging closer Muslim-Christian ties.

Both sides pointed to their common Abrahamic heritage, which could serve as a foundation to promote better interreligious understanding.

The Pas delegation then presented the Bishop with a book and a specially baked ‘good luck’ cake.

congratulatory cake from pas to new penang bishop sebastian francis

Bishop Sebastian Francis flanked by Mujahid Yusof Rawa (left) and Tasik Gelugor Pas information chief Abdul Rahman Kassim

Bishop Sebastian then hosted tea and refreshments for the visitors.

The meeting yesterday was initiated by Mujahid and Pas representatives, who had sent a letter to the Bishop informing him of their wish to make a courtesy call.

Oxford relies on interviews to pick students

LONDON: Explain why many animals have stripes. Why do humans have two eyes? 
 
   Teenagers who can give convincing answers to these posers when they are interviewed for a place at Oxford could be just who the university is looking for, it was revealed yesterday.

  Tutors at Oxford lifted the lid on the interview process to explode some of the myths about what is seen as the most nerve-racking aspect of admissions.

   “Discuss JK Rowling’s transition from Harry Potter to writing for adults” is an example of one of the questions students are asked in the Oxford examinations.

   The university has increasingly come to rely on interviews to identify high-fliers because public exams fail to discriminate between the bright and the exceptional.

  Oxford said interviews give candidates the chance to show their “real ability and potential”.

  One English literature don said pupils were more likely to be asked about Harry Potter than Shakespeare, at least in initial questioning.

   “No all candidates might have the same access to a wide range of literature.” said Lucinda Rumsey, of Mansfield College.

   “If I start with Harry Potter, everyone at least has a starting point of recognition.”

   History applicants might be asked to imagine how much about the past they could find out simply from historical records of sport.

   Applicants for experimental psychology who are asked why humans have two eyes might be expected to discuss the reasons in terms of three dimensional vision.

   And the question about striped animals might be thrown at applicants for biological sciences. Martin Speight, of St Anne’s College, said: “There are no right or wrong specific answers – I’m interested in candidates’ speculations about the advantages of having stripes.”

   Mike Nicholson, director of admissions at Oxford, said: “The interviews are designed to push students to think, not recite specific facts or answers.” DM

AG report: Top marks to Pakatan states
Author: Syed Jaymal Zahiid
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/
October 15, 2012

The 2011 Auditor-General's report showed that apart from a few minor glitches, all four states showed good financial standing.

KUALA LUMPUR: The 2011 Auditor-General’s report indicates good fiscal management by all four Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states with revenues improving.

DAP-held Penang led the way in terms of revenue collection, recording a RM192.19 million or 46.8% increase compared with the RM410.70 million made in 2010 while Selangor, Malaysia’s richest state, increased by RM62.50 million or 4% for the same period.

Kedah, on the other hand, saw its surplus drop when it recorded an increase in operating expenditures despite boosting its revenue, but the report noted that the PAS-led state government had more or less maintained a “satisfactory” balance sheet.

But the rice-bowl state, considered as one of the country’s poorest, is still far from achieving its debt target, said the report.

“The state government’s commitment to the remaining public debt now stands at RM2.60 billion compared with RM2.61 billion in 2010; it is still high,” it read, adding that Kedah must do more to improve its revenue collection.

Oil-rich Kelantan, too, was rated satisfactory due to the increase in its consolidated fund by RM86.17 million or 58.1% to RM234.47 million as compared with the RM148.30 million recorded in 2010.

The PAS-conrolled-state also saw investments in 2011 increase by RM95 million from RM16.33 million in 2010 to RM111.33 million in 2011.

The state’s overall financial performance statement, whereby revenue as compared to total management and development expenditures for 2011, recorded an increase from total deficit of RM171.70 million in 2010 to RM141.53 million in 2011.

But the AG report highlighted poor debt management by Kelantan.

“Public debts increased by RM27.85 million from RM1.11 billion in 2010 to RM1.14 billion in 2011. The arrears of debts repayment to the federal government also increased from RM121.57 million in 2010 to RM179.81 million in 2011″.

Meanwhile, the report noted marked improvements in the performance of state agencies with most rated “excellent” compared to 2010, although it recommended Kelantan and Kedah to provide more training for its officers to improve.

Selangor and Penang were praised for their initiatives to bolster their financial management performance.

Also read:

AG report: Govt agencies improved in 2011

Nazri praises Pakatan led states

Budget 2013: Federal government subsidies go up in flames while poor Malaysians watch

By Teh Chi-Chang, CFA
Executive Director
REFSA (Research for Social Advancement)
Friday, 12 October 2012

We write to rebut Dr Lim Teck Ghee’s assertion that “There is little empirical research to back up what has become an increasingly popular line of argument” that blanket subsidies such as for cheap petrol and sugar “benefit upper-class Malaysians who consume much more than their poorer cousins[1]”.

These are the basic facts: 1. The federal government subsidy bill is expected to exceed RM42 billion this year.

2. If we can agree that subsidies should go only to the poor, and we define the poor as the bottom 1/3rd of households, there will be 2.3 million households or nearly 10 million Malaysians[2] who will get subsidies.

3. RM42 billion is enough to give these bottom 1/3rd of households RM1,650 per month – which will more than double their current incomes of RM1,500 per month!

Quite clearly, federal government subsidies are not going where they should. RM42 billion is enough to give the poorest 1 of 3 households RM550 every 10 days, as opposed to the occasional RM500 BR1M payment. Note that in addition to the RM42 billion federal government subsidies, Petronas bears another RM20 billion or so per year in supplying cheap gas to the independent power producers and other industries. Let’s not fritter away resources on unnecessary ivory-tower analysis. The simple truth is that the bulk of the subsidies goes to cheap fuel which is burnt, and the rich man burns more than the poor. Just ask the average man on a small motorbike how much he spends on petrol and contrast that to what a man driving a gleaming new BMW spends.

Figure 1: Who uses more petrol?

Figure 2: And who takes more sugar?

Cartoons from UMNO-Nomics: the Dark Side of the Budget, Teh Chi-Chang & Johnny Ong, REFSA, July 2012.

Dr Lim also says these subsidies are a “necessary burden” in a “highly skewed capitalist economy like Malaysia”. We would highlight that income inequality in Malaysia remains high [3] despite the quadrupling of subsidies under Dato’ Sri Najib’s administration. The subsidy bill has soared from RM10 billion in 2007 to over RM42 billion today [4].

The massive 4-fold increase in subsidies has clearly not been effective. In their current form, the massive amount spent on subsidies is literally going up in flames, while the vast majority of Malaysians remain lowly-skilled and poorly-paid. 77% of our work-force has SPM-level qualifications, at best; and the bottom 40% of our households survive on RM50 per day [5].

It is in this context that IDEAS (Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs) and REFSA issued a joint-statement [6] expressing shock at the ballooning federal government subsidy bill [7] and calling for blanket subsidies such as for cheap petrol and sugar to be restructured so that the poor rather than the rich would benefit. REFSA calls for a constructive national discourse on restructuring our subsidy policies. This discourse should centre around 3 main issues:

1. Who should receive subsidies? All Malaysians? Or just the poor and marginalised and other selected groups?

2. How much should they get? Should all Malaysians get the same amount each? Or should the amount be calibrated according to need?

3. In what form should the subsidies be given and should there be a time limit? Should it all be in cash? Or should it be in the form of an enhanced social safety net that includes, for example, housing, child-care, educational, skills-training and micro-financing support? And should there be a time limit for some or all of these subsidies?

It is obvious the existing subsidies are poorly delivered. Even the currently ‘targeted’ subsidies, such as cheap fuel for fishermen are misused as some fishermen choose to sell the fuel and make an immediate profit instead of actually going out to fish [8].

We believe subsidies should be directed towards the most disadvantaged segments of the community, including single parents and the disabled. Let’s work together to identify the disadvantaged groups that require support and craft subsidy policies that meet their needs, with the aim of ultimately lifting as many Malaysians as possible from the need for welfare.

______ [1] REFSA and IDEA’s misplaced focus on critiquing subsidies in the budget. Dr Lim Teck Ghee, 1 Oct 2012. Available at http://english.cpiasia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2419&catid=118&Itemid=162 Retrieved 6 Oct 2012.

[2] Number of households data from Endnote 17 of UMNO-Nomics: the Dark Side of the Budget. Teh Chi-Chang and Johnny Ong, REFSA, July 2012.

[3] Data from the 2009 Household Income Survey shows the Gini coefficient (a measure of income inequality) rising slightly to 0.441 in 2009 from 0.440 in 2007. It is little changed from 0.443 in 1999.

[4] Subsidies have increased dramatically under Dato’ Sri Najib Razak’s administration. Federal government subsidies were just RM10.5 billion in 2007. In 2010, that had doubled to RM23.8 billion; and in 2012 are now more than quadrupled to RM42.4 billion. The federal government projects the subsidy bill to fall to RM37.6 billion in 2013, but this is on the expectation of lower global oil prices rather than due to subsidy reform.

[5] As discussed in Sections 1.7 and 4.3 of UMNO-Nomics: the Dark Side of the Budget.

[6] Budget 2012: The shocking explosion of federal government subsidies. Wan Saiful and Teh Chi-Chang, 28 Oct 2012. Available at www.refsa.org.

[7] The original amount budgeted for subsidies in 2012, as stated in the Economic Report 2011/2012 released last year, was RM33.2 billion. In the latest Economic Report 2012/2013, it is now estimated that the subsidy bill will hit RM42.4 billion in 2012.

[8] For example, fishermen near Sepang buy subsidised petrol at RM1.30 per litre and then sell it at RM1.80. Reported in Fishermen selling subsidised diesel and petrol to others.

Stuart Michael, Star Metro, 15 Feb 2012.

Available at www.thestar.com.my. Retrived on 8 Oct 2012.

Malaysia’s elections: Should the international community care?

— Ambiga Sreenevasan
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 15, 2012

OCT 15 — Those in the international community may be forgiven for saying, “Is there a problem with the democratic process in Malaysia?”

In the international arena, our leaders portray Malaysia as a moderate Islamic nation that is built on the democratic principles that are enshrined in our Federal Constitution. The fundamental rights of freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, the right to life and a fair electoral process, are indeed guaranteed under our Federal Constitution.

The reality is, however, far less idyllic. There are serious questions whether these rights are respected and upheld by those in power.

Since before the 1990’s, Malaysians have been pushing for a reform of the system of governance. There has been growing discontent over issues like rampant corruption, abuse of power, deaths in custody and selective prosecution (or persecution), to name but a few of the grouses.

We are increasingly alarmed by the use of race and religion by politicians to divide the people for political gain, with no regard whatsoever for the possible long term consequences of this conduct.

We note with disgust our mainstream media descending to the lowest depths of junk journalism. We are appalled at the growing instances of political violence.

In the clearest example of how low we have sunk, human rights defenders and civil society who are seen as opposing the government are facing ruthless attacks by the government of the day. SUARAM, established in 1989 and who has in the past year been exposing possible corruption by Malaysians in high places in the purchase of Scorpene submarines from France, is suddenly facing investigation by several government agencies.

The mainstream media is once again playing its role in showing no regard whatsoever for presenting the whole truth. In a front page news story, preposterous claims were made that NGOs like SUARAM and BERSIH were funded by organisations like National Democratic Institute (NDI) and Open Society Institute (OSI) for the purpose of overthrowing the government. Directors of SUARAM have been hauled up by enforcement agencies for their expose on the corruption, yet our anti- corruption agency fails to even begin to investigate the claims of SUARAM that a huge commission of RM500 million had been received by a Malaysian entity in the Scorpene deal.

Civil society is now continuously portrayed in the media as the enemy who is seeking to overthrow the government at the behest of foreign powers. These accusations have also been hurled at BERSIH, more so since July last year when we had a successful rally of more than 50,000 people on the streets of KL, clamouring for clean and fair elections. Another rally was held in April this year when more than 200,000 people were on the streets, again asking for electoral reform.

Malaysians do not easily take to the streets. The numbers must mean that there were good reasons why they did.

I will not go into more details of the attacks that human rights defenders have had to face by those in authority or those who had the tacit approval of the authorities. Suffice it to say they have been sustained and relentless.

When asked, our leaders will say that this government is reforming because of the replacement of many oppressive laws, and the apparent move to greater democracy. They will say that after the BERSIH rally last year, a parliamentary select committee for electoral reform was set up and a report issued.

What they don’t go on to explain is what replaces these oppressive laws and what they are doing to effectively implement the PSC recommendations. In my view, the new legislation just does not go far enough, and the important recommendations of the PSC report are largely ignored or poorly implemented.

BERSIH also continues to receive reports of electoral malpractices and the integrity of the electoral roll leaves much to be desired. Our Election Commission does not enjoy public confidence and is not seen by many as independent. This together with all the other issues that plague our system of governance leads to the inevitable conclusion that the next crucial general elections will be seriously flawed.

All the so-called reforms are like attempting to varnish a table that is ridden with termites. It is difficult to fix a system that is fundamentally flawed by building on the same rotten foundation. That is, even if there is real political will to reform.

The Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security which is headed by Mr. Kofi Annan and which has many distinguished members including H.E Dr Ernesto Zedillo former President of Mexico, Dr Madeleine K. Albright and Professor Amartya Sen, issued a ground-breaking report on clean and fair elections dated September 2012.

In his foreword, Kofi Annan states, “The spread of democracy across the world has been one of the most dramatic changes I have witnessed over the course of my career. In country after country, people have risked their lives to call for free elections, democratic accountability, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Elections are the indispensable root of democracy…..”

I make no apologies for quoting from this report at length for I cannot say it better. The report clearly outlines that clean and fair elections are not just about choosing leaders, but are about building a solid framework for a democracy that works for the people. After studies, the following were some of the conclusions arrived at:

1. “Elections with integrity are important to values that we hold dear — human rights and democratic principles. Elections give life to rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, the right to take part in the government of one’s country through freely elected representatives, the right of equal access to public service in one’s country, and the recognition that the authority of government derives from the will of the people, expressed in “genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot.

2. Elections are fundamental to the ethos and principles of democracy…..

3. Citizens lose confidence in democratic processes when elections are not inclusive, transparent, and accountable. When elections have integrity, they bolster democracy, respect fundamental rights, and produce elected officials who are more likely to represent their citizens’ interests.

4. But in addition to promoting democratic values and human rights, elections with integrity can also yield other tangible benefits for citizens. Evidence from around the world suggests that elections with integrity matter for empowering women, fighting corruption, delivering services to the poor, improving governance, and ending civil wars…….

5. Electoral accountability, in turn, is associated with lessening government corruption…….

6. Electoral accountability, in turn, has direct benefits for improving representation of the poor……..

7. Even in countries emerging from civil wars — the most difficult of contexts for building democracy — research now shows that when the termination of the war is accompanied by elections in which former combatants run for office and campaign for votes, countries are less likely to revert to civil war. At the same time, however, other studies note that fraudulent elections are correlated with societal violence and political instability…….”

In an interview after the presentation of the report, Stephen Stedman, director of the Global Commission and a political scientist from Stanford was asked what the motivation was for the report.

In speaking of the chairman Kofi Annan, he said that Annan was “driven by his experience of having to deal with several elections in Africa that had become violent and had gone off the rails. And there is a frustration he feels about how little attention had been paid to those places before they blew up”. (The emphasis is mine)

Let us be clear. Malaysia is not facing the problems or the hopelessness that gave rise to the Arab Spring. We are blessed with an abundance of resources and talent. But to assume that all is well and that there is no need to scrutinise the democratic processes, would be a mistake.

We want change before things do blow up in our faces. We do not want an Arab Spring. We want to choose our leaders in clean and fair elections. If there is to be change, we want to do it through the ballot box.

If the government is willing to overlook, and in fact tacitly support, corruption and abuse of power, and promote racism and religious bigotry for its own ends, how can we trust that the elections will be clean and fair?

There is even an admission of malpractices in the past. A Royal Commission of Inquiry has been set up by the government in the state of Sabah in respect of a large number of foreigners having been given citizenships in exchange for votes for more than 20 years. BERSIH has received reports that this practice continues and even in West Malaysia.

Why is this happening? It is because the party that has been in power for 55 years is now feeling vulnerable. As Aung Sang Suu Kyi has famously said, “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.”

So why should one country be bothered about electoral processes in another?

We know that if any such suggestion is made, the immediate diplomatic response is that there will be no interference by one country into such domestic matters of another country. Not that this is entirely true in fact.

As observed of the international community in the commission report “While their rhetorical support for elections with integrity may be constant, their record of responding to flawed elections is not. In some cases, their interest lies in bolstering a preferred candidate, not in an election with integrity per se.

Too often, democratic governments have turned a blind eye to electoral malpractice by regimes and incumbents with whom they have friendly relations”.

And the best answer to why everyone should be interested in clean and fair elections everywhere is stated in the report thus:
“We still live in a world in which states act on their strategic interests. The key lies in reminding democratic governments that their strategic interest is best served by supporting elections with integrity. Not only do democratic governments share an interest in the spread of democracy as a bulwark for international peace, but they must also learn that their bilateral relations are strengthened when their partners have democratic legitimacy earned through genuine elections.”

Malaysia is a member of many important regional and international organisations and appears to enjoy the confidence of its neighbours. We can set valuable examples in the region. We have what it takes to be a role model.

But we can only be that if the example we set is one of a truly democratic system of governance borne out of clean and fair elections. And if we are to be valuable contributors to the global community, then it is in everyone’s interests that our elections are clean and fair.

What’s keeping Malaysia’s Opposition together?

— Bridget Welsh

The Malaysian Insider
Oct 10, 2012

Oct 10 — What keeps the Malaysian opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance) together? The quick answer often given is the common search of political power.

While power frames the relationships between three disparate political parties – Islamist PAS, secular-committed Democratic Action Party and the umbrella reform-oriented PKR of Mr Anwar Ibrahim – it is not the glue of the opposition alliance. Were this the case, PAS would have left the coalition when UMNO floated the offer of joining the government in 2008 and intense jockeying took place within PAS.

The answer lies in the three parties’ shared moral compact. Pakatan Rakyat is an alliance of profoundly different backgrounds, with secularists, theocrats, conservatives and progressives working together. In a world wracked with tensions over religion and misunderstandings, Malaysia’s opposition stands out in bucking international trends of difference.

CORRUPTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Three common principles bind the Opposition together. The first is deep concern with endemic corruption.

The problem of corruption is not new, and while Malaysia’s practices are assessed above many in Asia, including Indonesia, what has become increasingly apparent is that it has crossed the line of acceptability for many Malaysians. Survey results show that an overwhelming majority view their officials as corrupt and believe that their officials do not abide by the law.

Scandal after scandal, from the National Feedlot Corporation and Scorpene, to the recent revelations about the extension of the Ampang LRT, has inundated citizens. While there are many civil servants who work hard to deliver services, there are pressures within the system to conform to predatory practices.

Malaysian corruption was initially concentrated among the elite through the practice of “money politics”. But more and more, it is extending into everyday issues such as school fees, crime prevention and service provision.

Most basic food items, such as sugar and rice, are tied to non-transparent deals of politically-aligned businessmen, as are bigger items such as cars through Approved Permit licence allocations.

These weaknesses in governance share a common moral thread – a privileged minority using the system to their advantage, and this is hurting the majority and widening inequality.

FAIRNESS AND THE PLAYING FIELD

This leads to the second shared principle – fairness. The three political parties each have a different take on what is fair, but there are areas of similarity: Namely, everyone should have a seat at the table; everyone should be treated fairly in a court of law; and social and economic inequalities should be minimised.

This shared view of fairness extends into the outrage over unfair legal decisions and deep-seated concerns about poverty and displacement of many Malaysians. Pakatan’s conception of citizenship has evolved into one in which all Malaysians are exactly that — Malaysians. It is a modern view of citizenship, in which everyone has rights and the government is to respond to the people, not the other way round.

The Opposition’s moral compact is also driven by a mutual interest in expanding democratic governance to level the political playing field.

Calls for the removal of the Internal Security Act (which was suspended and replaced by the more benign but less tested Security Offences Act earlier this year), electoral reform, freedoms of assembly, religion and speech, among other things, all fall under the umbrella of expanding political space and rights.

Ever since the reformasi movement of 1999, opposition activists have joined forces in highlighting democratic deficits and showcasing reasons for an expansion of democracy. Each protest and political crisis has brought the opposition together – from Bersih 1.0 in 2007, to the defections and subsequent takeover of the Perak state government in 2009. The bonds forged by protesting together are strong.

Since 2008, there have been significant efforts to rupture the Opposition’s moral compact on multiple fronts. The charges of sodomy and corruption have been tied to attempts to discredit opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and raise doubts about his moral calibre to lead. The introduction of issues such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) rights puts pressure on the relationship between the liberals and others within the Pakatan Rakyat.

The sensitive “Allah” issue that rose to the fore in 2010 tested the Islamists’ position. The push for Malay rights under the rubric “Ketuanan Melayu” reflects efforts to reinforce ethnic supremacy over shared humanity and equality, to reimpose the social contract of the past.

Each of these issues has not broken the ties between the opposition actors, and it is in part due to the prominence of the underlying principles that bring them together.

THE PROBLEM OF HUDUD

This is not a moral compact without problems, however. The biggest challenge for the Opposition lies within. It has to do with an issue being negotiated throughout the Muslim world: The place and form of Islamic law, notably hudud.

Globally, Islamist political parties from AKP in Turkey to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt are grappling with how to bring about Islamic governance while maintaining rights. For liberals, the introduction of measures such as hudud violates the shared democratic ideals, as there remains deep mistrust of Islamists in office.

For secularists, hudud violates their view of governance. Doubts persist in some quarters about whether the Islamists will continue to hold to the ideals in office, respect different religious rights and, importantly, tolerate difference within their own community.

Detractors point to Algeria and Iran as testimony to a potential violation of trust. Others more open-minded highlight the negotiated paths of Turkey and Morocco.

For Malaysia, the hudud issue remains on the agenda, unresolved and unlikely to be so before polls. In public remarks, Mr Anwar has stressed the centrality of dialogue and principle of consensus. There appears to be a working agreement to agree to disagree.

Among Islamists there has been a global trend towards greater accommodation of difference and an appreciation of constitutional frameworks for governance. Many in the PAS old guard, nevertheless, are tied to the vision of a religious theocracy that is increasingly becoming outmoded, even in Egypt where the President comes from one of the historically strongest advocates of these measures, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Islamists the world over are having to reprioritise their principles in order to govern societies, and PAS will have to as well. What is important is that it will need to do this on its own terms, rather than respond to ultimatums from allies and opponents alike.

Hudud will remain salient to this campaign, because at its core, it puts pressure on Malaysia’s Opposition to reassess, reaffirm and reinforce their common moral priorities. It is this common ground however, that is Pakatan’s moral compact — and for now it is on firm ground. — Today

Budget Fails To Address Cronyism, Monopolies

Source by Malaysiakini

The Budget 2013 offers “small doses” of election goodies and fails to address basic structural problems such as cronyism and monopolies, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

In an immediate reaction to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s budget speech this evening, Anwar said the budget contained elements of gimmick that was “over the top”.

However, said the Permatang Pauh MP, it is a budget that is not based on domestic capabilities and international scenarios, joining the chorus of doubt on the freshly-unveiled budget’s ability to tackle the country’s economic situation.

Here is what Anwar and other MPs have to say about today’s revelations:
Anwar Ibrahim, Opposition Leader

It fails to address the international economic scenario, which is traditionally addressed in the national budget. Secondly, there is the unrealistic position in reference to the domestic capacity
as alluded by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (in his comments, see below).

Both of these elements are not touched upon but instead we have a few political gimmicks that are over the top.

The announcement for the public in general seems attractive, with small doses for the elections.

But basic structural problems in this country where the rich cronies and their family members amass billions of ringgit of profit through improper means and fraudulent process is kept unchecked. That includes the monopolies, the independent power producers (IPP) and also the other related agencies.

We have seen massive announcements … but (Najib) has failed – he has no courage to address the issues …

Najib’s reference to Pakatan Rakyat’s stand on) PTPTN is an irresponsible statement… we defend our stand on this and on several others – Najib did not take into consideration the economic situation and the ballooning budget deficit (that Pakatan aims to tackle to afford its promises).

There are conflicting figures that we will review tonight (at the Pakatan dinner) and at the event on Monday.

Najib dares to attack the opposition but does not dare to debate. I was prepared to sit down and listen to his criticisms, but I want him to attend my speech on Monday 11.30am. He calls himself a democrat, so let’s see.

Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Bandar Tun Razak MP

BN’s budget is very Putrajaya-centric, where the bulk of the allocation is spent to maintain ongoing government activities, programmes and policies. Consequently, only a small portion trickles down to benefit the rakyat.

Pakatan’s budget prioritises the rakyat. We want to unwind the very activities that BN is maintaining.

We are talking about unwinding the approved permits (AP) policy, unwinding the privatisation of government-linked companies (GLCs) and unwinding 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The federal government is responsible to ensure that the rentier class does not bleed the resources of the people.

They must stop giving such a high profit margin to contractors as this will only encourage them to lobby for a business contract at a high cost.

Abdul Hadi Awang, Marang MP

The budget appears to be just numbers and billions of ringgit for projects, and not about fixing fundamentals and its implementations to benefit the masses.

The large-scale projects, meanwhile, are used to siphon profits for the Umnoputeras. After decades of this sort of budget, the rakyat needs to understand that it is about billions of the nation’s wealth down the drain.

Lim Guan Eng, Bagan MP

This is clearly an election budget that does not take into account the fiscal and financial position of the country.

Last year the government overspent by RM20 billion.

The budget will also benefit cronies through projects, so this will be problematic if Pakatan takes over next year.

But I am certain Pakatan, under Anwar’s leadership, will be able to fulfill the Buku Jingga promises without pawning things out to cronies.

Noh Omar, Agriculture Minister

It is a good budget. This is the first time the government has introduced insurance for padi farming. If the farmers’ crops are ruined by floods or disease, they will have insurance.

Liew Chin Tong, Bukit Bendera MP

There are no new policy ideas in this budget. It repeats existing policies and gives money here and there to buy votes.

I hope Malaysians know this is their own money. It may help Najib’s personal popularity (especially) among the poorer households, but people have been talking about it for a whole year already.

We are proposing fundamental re-thinking of (tackling) monopoly as a way to improve income, so we can give more cash to the hands of ordinary Malaysians.

Giving money to Rela and residents’ associations for crime prevention is like giving money to students for private tuition instead of improving education quality.

It is the same in the police budget, which allocates RM1.7 billion for internal security but RM530 million for the Criminal Investigation Department.

Nasharuddin Mat Isa, Bachok MP

Looking at the incentives offered, it is quite impressive but I question… whether it can be implemented or not, because we are almost reaching the maximum (term) of our session.

There are a few incentives that benefit the people, like the RM250 book vouchers for university students, whom we know really need assistance.

Both Pakatan and the government have offered quite impressive budgets for the rakyat so it is up to the rakyat to decide.

(The speech attacking the opposition) is something we have never seen in a budget presentation, but we understand that the election is close, so each side will use every opportunity to showcase their agenda, and the PM will have an advantage in this front.

Anthony Loke, Rasah MP

(The budget) is to buy off many sectors of voters.

One very clear goodie to first-time voters is the RM200 to buy smartphones – it is a very clear target at first-time voters, and the book vouchers and so on.

And also (to woo) civil servants with the one and a half month bonus. This is the first time ever the bonus for civil servants has increased to one and a half months. The timing is to win their support in the election.

In the budget, there are not much changes to the direction of the economy.

Salahuddin Ayub, Kubang Kerian MP

Pakatan’s commitments are more fundamental, for example free education, and the abolition of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) through a staggered plan over the next 15 years.

This, and the move to improve the incomes of various states through oil royalty payments is more important. This area was touched on too lightly by the Budget 2013, through the reduction in liquefied natural gas prices.

That is not a holistic approach, when our objective is to solve the problems faced by the people and this requires true commitment.

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Robert Kuok - FORBES MAGAZINe

Robert Kuok - FORBES MAGAZINE 

I don't wish Malaysia as a country ill. But I would dearly love to see all their corrupt officials have their just desserts. And for a straight Malay (is there one??) plus minority groups rise up to overthrow the useless Fat and Lazy UMNO and change the Constitution completely to make it a fairer and more efficient govt and society. Now, Malays are little more than sleeping partners collecting money with their outstretched greedy hands.

 

Don't mess with the Sugar King, Jibby

The following is a translation of the 忠政快讯 commentary on how Najib stole Robert Kuok's sugar business so that greedy UMNO cronies could enjoy the profits, and how Malaysia's economy suffered as a result.

Recently, the govt offended Robert Kuok.  As a result, the Malaysian economy suffered a great blow.  And now, after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Malaysia, Najib's administration truly understands Robert Kuok's influence in China.

Crony got richer, Malaysia got poorer

UMNO cronies are loyal when there's easy money for the taking.  To keep them happy, Najib twisted Robert Kuok's arm to get the profits from his sugar empire.  As a result, UMNO cronies got richer by tens of billions of ringgit.  But it caused a national loss of more than 200 billion for Malaysia as a whole!

(Those who have insider knowledge on this are still cursing until God knows when.)

So, the Malaysian sugar king was forced to leave his own country, but ironically, he has now become the world's sugar emperor.  How?  He bought the world's largest sugar mills in Australia, investing a cool 10 billion US dollars.

So, Najib's government benefited a few UMNO families at the expense of national interests.  Very ungrateful, when it is a known fact that Robert Kuok had given a lot of help to the Malaysian Govt for several decades.  A Chinese idiomatic expression calls this 'turning a pig's intestine inside out' because on the other side is a lot of shit.

Palm oil slap in the face

In the global political gossip columns, insiders are smiling because Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Malaysia hit a snag with Najib.  How?  You see, before this visit, Najib and his cabinet had hinted several times that they hoped China would double the amount of palm oil imports from Malaysia.

China is the largest buyer of Malaysian palm oil.  But there is strong competition with Indonesia, which is trying to sell palm oil at lower prices to China and India.  Najib is very worried about this.  So during the official visit, he hoped to seal a new palm oil trading contract with China, to double the average of 10 million tonnes sold by Malaysia every month.

But Wen Jiabao said that this was impossible.  Najib was very disappointed.  He knew the Chinese market demand; even for China to import 1,000,000 tonnes per day is not a problem.  So where was the problem?

The problem was that Robert Kuok did not agree!

How was Robert Kuok able to influence China's decision?  Who owns the monopoly of China's national oil market?  The market leader is Arowana cooking oil, accounting for nearly 40% of the market.  And the Arowana cooking oil boss is, Robert Kuok!

Think about it.  If Premier Wen Jiabao had agreed to buy more Malaysian palm oil, who is going to refine it into cooking oil?  Privatised enterprises, of course!  With 40% market share, if the Arowana cooking oil company refuses the additional supply, how is the Chinese government going to utilise the extra crude palm oil?

Najib, insensible from the start, did not know that Kuok was so influential in China.  By helping UMNO cronies get rich, he jeopardized the prosperity of Malaysia and its ordinary people.

Ask what Kuok has done for his country

After losing his throne, the Sugar King left Malaysia, understandably disappointed and unhappy.  Many people still remember that, in the early days of Malaysia, we did not have aviation professionals, and the BN govt asked Kuok's father to help set up Malayan Airways.

In the 1970s, our maritime industry was also a vacuum, and Malaysian govt sent representatives to Hong Kong to request Kuok's help.  For the sake of national development, Kuok put aside the Group's business and returned to Malaysia to help establish a national shipping industry.  This later became MISC, the Malaysia International Shipping Corp.

When Malaysia repeatedly faced economy difficulties, Robert Kuok was a big help.  He even posted bail for MCA's Tan Koon Swan's CBT case.  The govt owes Robert Kuok a great deal, but it used strong-arm tactics to forcefully take over Kuok's sugar empire in Malaysia.  Truly ungrateful.

Kuok's relationship with China

When Deng Xiaoping announced China's reforms, he needed aid from generous overseas Chinese entrepreneurs.  Robert Kuok promptly joined other helping hands in the Chinese economic miracle such as Hong Kong's Henry Fok and Li Ka-shing.  Kuok was the first to respond to Deng Xiaoping in Beijing and built China's first five-star hotel (Shangri-La).

Kuok has over 30 years of friendship with China's leadership.  Najib failed to recognise this when he ate Kuok's sugar empire in Malaysia, partly to benefit the business connections of his greedy fat 'vampire' wife's family.  Imagine doing this to an international tycoon – what humiliation in return for patriotic help in the past, from his own country?

Early this year, Kuok announced plans to invest US$10 billion in Indonesia to develop refineries in the world's largest sugarcane growing areas.  The global economy was facing a downturn.  The Malaysian govt traveled the world to solicit investments.  How much was Malaysia’s foreign investment?  Kuok’s single investment in Indonesia was equivalent to US$10 billion!  Of course, when the news hit the papers, he was criticized for being 'unpatriotic', preferring to take so much money to Indonesia instead of Malaysia.  Can you smell the bullshit?

For the moment, Malaysia's palm oil trade with China will remain on agreed terms (no increase).  Indonesia has more palm oil than Malaysia – cheaper too.  Now that Kuok has invested so much money in Indonesia, its govt treats him like a god of wealth.  Certainly open to negotiations on anything.  Moreover, Indonesia has been eyeing the opportunity to take over the palm oil supply contract from Malaysia.

At least give the beggars something – frozen durian

Buying frozen durian was the consolation China gave instead of buying more Malaysian palm oil.

Business needs more than cow sense.  Who ever supplies millions of ringgit in frozen durian to a brand-new market with small durian consumption?  How much time and effort is needed to market frozen durian from Malaysia?  Thai durian does not sell well in China, let alone frozen durian from Malaysia.  If the market is proven non-receptive to frozen durian, how do we deal with return goods?  A total loss with capital.  Is this how to do business?

Kuok is not just China's top hotelier, king of cooking oil, and the world’s sugar emperor.  He is also the patent owner of the Coca-Cola soft drink brand in the Chinese market.  He is also involved in a diverse range of businesses in China, and has created millions of jobs there.  The Beijing central leadership has great respect for him as a savvy and powerful entrepreneur.  When the man speaks, the weight of his words can be far-reaching.

And yet, Robert Kuok is one of the few outstanding Malaysians who has never accepted any of the high-faluting titles which are churned out every year for 'distinguished' VIPs.  Many people address him as Tan Sri or Datuk Robert Kuok when in fact, he does not have such titles and needs none.

Life must be lived with love and humour. Love to understand and humour to endure

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