- Joe Fernandez
The name-calling has started again over that neo-Nazi ideology called Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy). Perkasa, the extreme Malay right-wing movement, is firing on all cylinders against PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for her take over the weekend on Umno’s “Ketuanan Melayuism”.
Congratulations to her for taking the bull by the horns in recognition of the stark reality that the urban Malays in particular accept that Ketuanan Melayuism is an elaborate cover for the ruling elite to raid the public treasury and the banks at will.
Media pictures of Perkasa leaders – many looking more Indian than Malay – vividly depict the fury on their faces, their eyes flashing as if possessed by demons on the loose.
Patently, it’s a sheer waste of time to engage with Umno poodle Perkasa or like-minded racists on their sick version of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and the unwritten 1957 social contract, which allowed political dominance for the Malays to compensate for Chinese economic dominance.
The rhetoric, polemics and endless debates on Ketuanan Melayuism will be a dead ender and a contradiction in terms considering the mountains of sanctimonious pontification on the 1Malaysia concept.
The time has come to bring the Ketuanan Melayu issue to the United Nations Security Council. The world body must consider whether Malaysia is following in the footsteps of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the Apartheid regime of South Africa.
Some years ago, the UN put India on notice that it must end the caste system. The Security Council even invoked the spectre of economic sanctions against it after intensive lobbying by social activists.
Ketuanan Melayuism is no different from a caste system in that it benefits a handful of leeches, parasites, bloodsuckers at the expense of the overwhelming majority through institutionalised racism. Furthermore, there are shades of Nazism, Fascism and Apartheid in Ketuanan Melayuism.
An inconvenient truth
The Umno government will not be able to explain at the UN Security Council why it has not abolished Article 153 but has instead even extended it outside its four limited areas, applying it to every aspect of life in Malaysia in a deviant, distorted form. In addition, the second prong of Article 153, which covers the legitimate aspirations of the non-Malay communities, has been ignored by Umno as an inconvenient truth.
To complete the living nightmare, the New Economic Policy (1970-1990) has been applied selectively throughout the country and institutionalised to circumvent its 20-year shelf life. This has seen, among others, the emergence of the Licence Raj, which reserves permits, quotas, concessions, licences and the like for certain people only. In short, it’s a licence for them to print money in perpetuity.
We can see the sickness that is Ketuanan Melayu from any number of angles.
Education is one field that has deeply divided the country and polarised it as never before.
Peninsular Malaysian law graduates from foreign universities are not allowed to practise their profession in the country unless they pass the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) examination conducted by the government.
Of the nearly 2,000 law graduates who sit for the examination every year, only 10% get the right to practise. This 10% is subject to a racial quota that remains a state secret. The unfortunate majority have to repeat the CLP, as many as 10 times or more, before they get a chance to make it, if at all. Not all have the patience to run the gauntlet; they give up after two or three attempts, depressed, traumatised and suicidal.
Subjecting a critical discipline like law to a racial quota is the height of idiocy and a refinement of Ketuanan Melayuism to a degree that has no parallel anywhere else in the world.
Medicine, another critical discipline, has likewise been taken over by the Ketuanan Melayuists. A strict racial quota regulates entry into government-owned universities for medicine. Even getting there for a shot at a medical seat is easier said than done since the race-based marking system for government-run public examinations is a closely guarded state secret.
Tip of the iceberg
There’s no escaping the government even if one attempts to get a medical degree at a foreign universities. Many foreign universities with an unusually high number of Malaysian students of Indian-origin vis-à-vis the Malays have had the recognition of their medical degrees withdrawn. This happened to the medical degrees awarded by the Crimea State University in the Ukraine after a visit by the then prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Like the CLP students, medical graduates who return to Malaysia with unrecognised degrees have to run the gauntlet before they can win recognition for their qualifications.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in education.
There is no 1Malaysia in administering pre-university examinations. Malay students take the easier matriculation route to enter universities while their non-Malay counterparts are bogged down by the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), which Wikipedia describes as the most difficult pre-university examination in the world. Yet, the matriculation and the STPM are considered as equal in standard.
Not even one of the vice-chancellors of the 20-odd state-owned universities is non-Malay.
It’s the same situation in the civil service, which is 90% dominated by one community, as is the teaching service, the police and armed forces, the judiciary, the governrment-linked companies, and the diplomatic and foreign service, among others.
In keeping with Ketuanan Melayuism, proxies of the ruling elite run Sabah and Sarawak.
In Sabah, in particular, the influx of illegal immigrants continues and they have overtaken the locals in numbers, resulting in the latter’s virtual disenfranchisement. Of the 3.2 million people in Sabah in 2005, 1.7 million were illegal immigrants. About 600,000 of them have acquired MyKads via the backdoor and been placed on the electoral rolls, according to Suhakam annual reports.
The federal civil service in Sabah and Sarawak has not been Borneonised, as pledged in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. Instead, the Ketuanan Melayuists stepped into the vacuum created by the departing British colonial civil servants and continue to hog almost all posts.
It would be interesting to hear what the UN Security Council has to say about the manner in which Umno has been running the country since 1957. There is even a case to be taken up, as a class action suit, at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy): A Risky Experiment
By Mariam Mokhtar
I was born Malay and was hardly conscious of my race, either at school or at home. Race hardly cropped up in conversation except when we had form-filling to do – like applying for an identity card. Religion was something sacred and the only time we’d be aware of our racial and religious differences was deciding what to wear for a wedding or whose open house to visit, during the various festivities.
Thus, the recent clamour for “ketuanan Melayu” is destructive and damaging – not just for Malaysia but more so for the Malays, the very people that the “ketuanan Melayu” concept is supposed to protect. It is wrong because “ketuanan Melayu” is a dangerous experiment in social engineering.
Our neighbours were both Chinese and Indian. As children, we studied and played with each other, even hitched lifts to school when necessary, whilst the adults shared garden produce, swopped certain special dishes for the various ‘open houses’ and practiced their own version of ‘neighbourhood watch’.
Today, the Wongs are living out their twilight years away from their children, who have now settled overseas. Their children were willing to pay for them to live in a gated community, but they refused. In gated communities, they said, people hardly know one another and lives are conducted behind high walls and electric fences. The Wongs are unwilling to trade their relative freedom for living in secure isolation.
Mrs Pillai is now a widow, living on her own. Both her son and daughter have emigrated and she is loathe to leave Malaysia. She tells me, her children saw no opportunities in Malaysia. Her daughter is particularly bitter at having to leave her mother and especially angry that she was denied a place at a local college, and denied help by a local political organisation who refused to recommend her for a study loan.
Several thousand non-Malays have left, but many Malays have also gone. Families are torn apart or wrecked by a false belief in so-called superiority. Our country has not benefited from the wasted talent.
Where’s the sense of equality and justice?
When will Malays understand that the call for “ketuanan Melayu” creates antagonism at best, and violence at worst? There is open hatred toward non-Malays. The Malays have become arrogant; and non-Malays have been forced to be compliant. But for how long? Perhaps, it is the Malay who has more need of change. Where is their sense of equality and justice?
If “ketuanan Melayu” is supposed to benefit the Malays, why are the majority of Malays poor? If politicians had genuinely wanted to help Malays, the majority of Malays would now be wealthy, after 53 years of Umno rule. But this is not the case. The majority of Malays are poor.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned that the Malays will “lose their power” if Pakatan Rakyat were to come to power. He labeled Pakatan leaders as a bunch of self-serving and racist politicians.
What “power” is he referring to? Is he referring to Umno’s potential loss? Will the loss mean no
more abuse of power and enrichment of family, friends and cronies? Is he lamenting the lack of control over the media, police, judiciary and the parliamentary rights and privileges committee? Did he also mean the inability to detain those who dare speak out against injustices?
Malay extremists claim that Pakatan’s alternative call for “ketuanan rakyat” goes against the Malay rulers. However, no one objected when Mahathir clipped the wings of the royals.
Mahathir and Najib Abdul Razak have sought to suggest that Umno/BN is a caring party, but despite 1Malaysia, Malaysians probably feel less united today.
Perhaps, the Malay extremist politicians promoting “ketuanan Melayu” can rightly be called “Children of Mahathir”.
Why will the extremists not deal with the social ills that beset the Malay youth – drug abuse, abandoned babies, under-achievement, and Mat Rempit? They have been fed propaganda and expect instant rewards but soon become disillusioned. They then fall further into the trap that ‘non-Malays are robbing them of their rights’. Is it any wonder they are bitter and have little aspiration?
The same group of extremists expects other faiths to respect Islam – but they fail to reciprocate this. It is alleged that in some mosques, the sermons preach unbridled hatred.
Many loopholes and obstacles
Last Saturday, a 14-year-old girl and a 23-year-old teacher were married at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur, after a religious syariah court approved the union. The teenager said, “It has been hard trying to juggle two rôles – as a student and a wife – but I am taking it in my stride.”
Can no one else see that this is wrong? How does the state protect children from paedophilia? Has the child’s health and maturity been considered? What about her mental and maternal health, when she undergoes repeated childbearing at a young age? What about her education?
Muslim men can remarry easily. So who will support her should her marriage fail? Or if her husband leaves her for a younger woman or fails to support her when he remarries? Our syariah law and welfare system has many loopholes and obstacles. Some women claim it works against them.
Look at how Malay men perceive of their women. Despite equality in Islam, women are given short shrift. Nurul Izzah Anwar’s request for a debate with Ibrahim Ali was rejected. He called her ‘small fry’ and told her to contact the head of Wiranita, the Perkasa women’s organisation, instead. This demeaning attitude towards women is replicated in many Malay households..
When will the champions of “ketuanan Melayu” talk about success, progress, innovation, creativity, harmony, sharing and excellence instead of alluding to the “only my rights matter” mentality?
We Malays must face up to our insecurities so we can live at peace with ourselves. The non-Malay is a convenient scapegoat for our failures. We need to admit we have problems and face up to them.
Our religious leaders must make a clear stand against polygamy, paedophilia, child-snatching and intolerance of other faiths. Our Malay leaders must learn to respect other non-Malay Malaysians and treat them as equals. Only then do we have the right to ask others to respect us. We must stop the hypocrisy and madness that is called “ketuanan Melayu”.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist
I was born Malay and was hardly conscious of my race, either at school or at home. Race hardly cropped up in conversation except when we had form-filling to do – like applying for an identity card. Religion was something sacred and the only time we’d be aware of our racial and religious differences was deciding what to wear for a wedding or whose open house to visit, during the various festivities.
Thus, the recent clamour for “ketuanan Melayu” is destructive and damaging – not just for Malaysia but more so for the Malays, the very people that the “ketuanan Melayu” concept is supposed to protect. It is wrong because “ketuanan Melayu” is a dangerous experiment in social engineering.
Our neighbours were both Chinese and Indian. As children, we studied and played with each other, even hitched lifts to school when necessary, whilst the adults shared garden produce, swopped certain special dishes for the various ‘open houses’ and practiced their own version of ‘neighbourhood watch’.
Today, the Wongs are living out their twilight years away from their children, who have now settled overseas. Their children were willing to pay for them to live in a gated community, but they refused. In gated communities, they said, people hardly know one another and lives are conducted behind high walls and electric fences. The Wongs are unwilling to trade their relative freedom for living in secure isolation.
Mrs Pillai is now a widow, living on her own. Both her son and daughter have emigrated and she is loathe to leave Malaysia. She tells me, her children saw no opportunities in Malaysia. Her daughter is particularly bitter at having to leave her mother and especially angry that she was denied a place at a local college, and denied help by a local political organisation who refused to recommend her for a study loan.
Several thousand non-Malays have left, but many Malays have also gone. Families are torn apart or wrecked by a false belief in so-called superiority. Our country has not benefited from the wasted talent.
Where’s the sense of equality and justice?
When will Malays understand that the call for “ketuanan Melayu” creates antagonism at best, and violence at worst? There is open hatred toward non-Malays. The Malays have become arrogant; and non-Malays have been forced to be compliant. But for how long? Perhaps, it is the Malay who has more need of change. Where is their sense of equality and justice?
If “ketuanan Melayu” is supposed to benefit the Malays, why are the majority of Malays poor? If politicians had genuinely wanted to help Malays, the majority of Malays would now be wealthy, after 53 years of Umno rule. But this is not the case. The majority of Malays are poor.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned that the Malays will “lose their power” if Pakatan Rakyat were to come to power. He labeled Pakatan leaders as a bunch of self-serving and racist politicians.
What “power” is he referring to? Is he referring to Umno’s potential loss? Will the loss mean no
more abuse of power and enrichment of family, friends and cronies? Is he lamenting the lack of control over the media, police, judiciary and the parliamentary rights and privileges committee? Did he also mean the inability to detain those who dare speak out against injustices?
Malay extremists claim that Pakatan’s alternative call for “ketuanan rakyat” goes against the Malay rulers. However, no one objected when Mahathir clipped the wings of the royals.
Mahathir and Najib Abdul Razak have sought to suggest that Umno/BN is a caring party, but despite 1Malaysia, Malaysians probably feel less united today.
Perhaps, the Malay extremist politicians promoting “ketuanan Melayu” can rightly be called “Children of Mahathir”.
Why will the extremists not deal with the social ills that beset the Malay youth – drug abuse, abandoned babies, under-achievement, and Mat Rempit? They have been fed propaganda and expect instant rewards but soon become disillusioned. They then fall further into the trap that ‘non-Malays are robbing them of their rights’. Is it any wonder they are bitter and have little aspiration?
The same group of extremists expects other faiths to respect Islam – but they fail to reciprocate this. It is alleged that in some mosques, the sermons preach unbridled hatred.
Many loopholes and obstacles
Last Saturday, a 14-year-old girl and a 23-year-old teacher were married at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur, after a religious syariah court approved the union. The teenager said, “It has been hard trying to juggle two rôles – as a student and a wife – but I am taking it in my stride.”
Can no one else see that this is wrong? How does the state protect children from paedophilia? Has the child’s health and maturity been considered? What about her mental and maternal health, when she undergoes repeated childbearing at a young age? What about her education?
Muslim men can remarry easily. So who will support her should her marriage fail? Or if her husband leaves her for a younger woman or fails to support her when he remarries? Our syariah law and welfare system has many loopholes and obstacles. Some women claim it works against them.
Look at how Malay men perceive of their women. Despite equality in Islam, women are given short shrift. Nurul Izzah Anwar’s request for a debate with Ibrahim Ali was rejected. He called her ‘small fry’ and told her to contact the head of Wiranita, the Perkasa women’s organisation, instead. This demeaning attitude towards women is replicated in many Malay households..
When will the champions of “ketuanan Melayu” talk about success, progress, innovation, creativity, harmony, sharing and excellence instead of alluding to the “only my rights matter” mentality?
We Malays must face up to our insecurities so we can live at peace with ourselves. The non-Malay is a convenient scapegoat for our failures. We need to admit we have problems and face up to them.
Our religious leaders must make a clear stand against polygamy, paedophilia, child-snatching and intolerance of other faiths. Our Malay leaders must learn to respect other non-Malay Malaysians and treat them as equals. Only then do we have the right to ask others to respect us. We must stop the hypocrisy and madness that is called “ketuanan Melayu”.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist
Friday, September 17, 2010
Negara Ku ... kepala pening
Some self-appointed defenders of Islam including the chief of "1Malaysia " have insisted that Catholics should use "Tuhan" instead of "Allah" to address the Catholic or Christian God. But in the national anthem, "Tuhan" (not "Allah") bless the country (...Tuhan kurniakan...). How now ?!!!. If Malay-Muslims are that easily confused as portrayed by some politicians, they must be thinking that Malaysia is blessed by the Catholic/Christian God, and the Muslim God "Allah" is perpetually on leave.
Perhaps, this confusion may cause the government to change the national anthem by replacing "Tuhan" with "Allah". But then again, non-muslims will not be allowed to sing the national anthem. Then it would be non-muslims turn to be confused. If this issue goes to the courts, even the judges will get kepala pening.
So much for "1Malaysia "!.
Perhaps, this confusion may cause the government to change the national anthem by replacing "Tuhan" with "Allah". But then again, non-muslims will not be allowed to sing the national anthem. Then it would be non-muslims turn to be confused. If this issue goes to the courts, even the judges will get kepala pening.
So much for "1Malaysia "!.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Two Faces of Malaysia
Ask any foreigner what he thinks of Malaysia and he waxes lyrical about our beaches, food, adventure holidays and shopping. Malaysia is a popular tourist destination but are ‘outsiders’ aware of our darker side?
For every satisfied tourist, another would have experienced Malaysia’s other claims to shame – dirty toilets, poor taxi-service, litter or terrible driving habits.
Try and look into every facet of Malaysian life.
We want to be a global nation but we ignore the importance of English. We desire a high income economy but we import low unskilled labour.
We want healthy citizens but place importance on medical tourism at the expense of good affordable medical care for our own people. We want to reverse the brain drain but we do not make it attractive for our skilled people to return.
We pride ourselves on our tolerance but allow extremist groups to vent their anger on the goodwill of peace-loving people by calling for certain races to ‘return where they came from’?
The constitution says everyone is free to practice the religion of his choice and yet some people violently claim ownership of one word, ‘Allah’. When a Muslim insults someone of another faith, he appears to be let off with minimum punishment, if at all.
The country is facing economic hardship and the people have been told that various items will be dearer, and yet the government has found time and resources to publish a book where Prime Minister Najib can ‘refute the various slanders’ directed at him and his administration.
The Penan have been turfed out of their ancestral homelands, but we are told to rejoice as our king will soon have a new palace built at RM800 million.
The people in Sabah and Sarawak suffer because their states lack money and yet they see their country’s resources making their ministers wealthy. These poor people are told that they need a dam but they still can’t afford electricity and drink from water that is polluted and murky from the activities of logging companies or oil palm companies.
The indigenous people are encouraged to promote traditional weaving but the state destroys the jungles in which the raw materials for their handicraft grow. They scrounge a living from government hand-outs but read of billions being siphoned by their leaders to offshore accounts.
The 1Malaysia is supposed to bind us but the deputy prime minister is not committed to this concept.
With an imminent robbery, BN politicians can summon the police immediately and have the thieves killed. When ordinary folk want a basic investigation into the murder of their father, or assault on their relative or a house burglary, they wait endlessly, without any further action.
Corruption is a cancer in our society and yet few big fish get hauled to court.
Muslims are even more confused. Polygamy is permitted under certain circumstances and yet our lawmakers break the law with impunity.
Single mothers who kill their babies now risk capital punishment. Unmarried underage teenagers who have sex must marry so their baby is not born illegitimate irrespective of whether the girl and boy are mature enough to start a family.
The international community praises our judiciary for quickly clearing the backlog of court cases and yet our views about the judiciary, such as suicide notes appearing with incredulity, are in stark contrast to this Bernama report.
Anwar Ibrahim was unsuccessful in his effort to strike out his sodomy charge, following an allegation that a member of the prosecution team had romantic relations with the complainant.
Even a casual follower of the popular TV series LA Law or Perry Mason will know that the prosecution’s integrity is compromised once it was revealed that the DPP was accused of having an affair with a complainant.
It is obvious that Anwar’s court case is on ‘autopilot’; The authorities are hell-bent on finding him guilty as charged.
But the allegation of the DPP’s sexual liaison must be true, otherwise why have her removed?
This is the Malaysian court's unique method of ascertaining proof and certainty - after the disclosure appeared on a blogsite.
However, cast your mind back to three girls who made the news, last February for having illicit sex. They were whipped, fined and had their reputations tarnished. These three girls never had a chance, as the authorities wanted to show the world that they were not afraid of whipping women.
Now if these three women were whipped and fined for having a sexual liaison, why has DPP Farah Azlina Latif not been whipped and fined as well?
Is this the kinder face of Malaysia or the hypocritical one?
* The views expressed here are those of the writer: Mariam Mokhtar
17 August 2010
For every satisfied tourist, another would have experienced Malaysia’s other claims to shame – dirty toilets, poor taxi-service, litter or terrible driving habits.
Try and look into every facet of Malaysian life.
We want to be a global nation but we ignore the importance of English. We desire a high income economy but we import low unskilled labour.
We want healthy citizens but place importance on medical tourism at the expense of good affordable medical care for our own people. We want to reverse the brain drain but we do not make it attractive for our skilled people to return.
We pride ourselves on our tolerance but allow extremist groups to vent their anger on the goodwill of peace-loving people by calling for certain races to ‘return where they came from’?
The constitution says everyone is free to practice the religion of his choice and yet some people violently claim ownership of one word, ‘Allah’. When a Muslim insults someone of another faith, he appears to be let off with minimum punishment, if at all.
The country is facing economic hardship and the people have been told that various items will be dearer, and yet the government has found time and resources to publish a book where Prime Minister Najib can ‘refute the various slanders’ directed at him and his administration.
The Penan have been turfed out of their ancestral homelands, but we are told to rejoice as our king will soon have a new palace built at RM800 million.
The people in Sabah and Sarawak suffer because their states lack money and yet they see their country’s resources making their ministers wealthy. These poor people are told that they need a dam but they still can’t afford electricity and drink from water that is polluted and murky from the activities of logging companies or oil palm companies.
The indigenous people are encouraged to promote traditional weaving but the state destroys the jungles in which the raw materials for their handicraft grow. They scrounge a living from government hand-outs but read of billions being siphoned by their leaders to offshore accounts.
The 1Malaysia is supposed to bind us but the deputy prime minister is not committed to this concept.
With an imminent robbery, BN politicians can summon the police immediately and have the thieves killed. When ordinary folk want a basic investigation into the murder of their father, or assault on their relative or a house burglary, they wait endlessly, without any further action.
Corruption is a cancer in our society and yet few big fish get hauled to court.
Muslims are even more confused. Polygamy is permitted under certain circumstances and yet our lawmakers break the law with impunity.
Single mothers who kill their babies now risk capital punishment. Unmarried underage teenagers who have sex must marry so their baby is not born illegitimate irrespective of whether the girl and boy are mature enough to start a family.
The international community praises our judiciary for quickly clearing the backlog of court cases and yet our views about the judiciary, such as suicide notes appearing with incredulity, are in stark contrast to this Bernama report.
Anwar Ibrahim was unsuccessful in his effort to strike out his sodomy charge, following an allegation that a member of the prosecution team had romantic relations with the complainant.
Even a casual follower of the popular TV series LA Law or Perry Mason will know that the prosecution’s integrity is compromised once it was revealed that the DPP was accused of having an affair with a complainant.
It is obvious that Anwar’s court case is on ‘autopilot’; The authorities are hell-bent on finding him guilty as charged.
But the allegation of the DPP’s sexual liaison must be true, otherwise why have her removed?
This is the Malaysian court's unique method of ascertaining proof and certainty - after the disclosure appeared on a blogsite.
However, cast your mind back to three girls who made the news, last February for having illicit sex. They were whipped, fined and had their reputations tarnished. These three girls never had a chance, as the authorities wanted to show the world that they were not afraid of whipping women.
Now if these three women were whipped and fined for having a sexual liaison, why has DPP Farah Azlina Latif not been whipped and fined as well?
Is this the kinder face of Malaysia or the hypocritical one?
* The views expressed here are those of the writer: Mariam Mokhtar
17 August 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Supposed 'hero' vs a 'true hero'
Supposed 'hero' vs a 'true hero' Mariam Mokhtar 12 August 2010
The former chief of Bukit Bendera Umno, Ahmad Ismail, was honoured with titles and proclaimed a ‘Malay hero’. He was conferred two heroic titles: the Wira Bangsa Melayu and Bintang Perkasa Melayu Jati.
After an hour long wait, typical of people who have little respect for others, the arrival of the ‘hero’ resembled a wedding procession complete with bunga manggar and the drum-beat of the kompang. The only thing that appeared to be missing was the bride.
The night’s jollity which was attended by around 150 delegates from 23 branches included a silat performance and the obligatory sheathing and unsheathing of the keris.
Boys will be boys and they will show off their weapons in an act of assumed bravado.
To the uninformed, the controversial Ahmad Ismail, our new ‘hero’, was suspended by Umno in late 2008, for three years, after he referred to non-Malays as “pendatang” (foreigners).
He described Malaysian Chinese as ‘squatters’ and cautioned them not to emulate the ‘Jews in America’. As expected, the suspension was later lifted by Umno, last December.
His racist comments aroused the memories of inter-ethnic tensions and threatened the government led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, at the time. Badawi suspended Ahmad and barred him from any political posts as punishment.
There were protests from members of the BN coalition who threatened to withdraw their membership. Even the armed forces chief warned that ‘stern action must be taken to prevent’ racial conflicts.
As a consequence of Ahmad Ismail’s ill-timed, ill-judged and unacceptable comments, the journalist who reported his comments was taken away by the police under the orders of the Internal Security Act ( ISA), ostensibly for her personal safety.
The supposed hero, Ahmad Ismail, managed to threaten the security of a country, challenged the authority of the Prime Minister at the time, almost wrecked the BN coalition, caused strife and anger in the Malaysian public, caused the army to be on possible alert, insulted various people (Jews, Americans, Chinese, Malays), rekindled horrific memories of racial riots, threatened the fragile peace and security of a nation, exposed the hypocrisy of the police actions and the political abuse of the use of the ISA.
Is this Bukit Bendera’s idea of a hero? Someone who divides, insults and is unapologetic in his actions? Someone who has no respect for others? Someone who was prepared to hold his leader and his country to ransom? Someone who is ignorant of history?
Please allow me to show an example of a ‘true hero’ .
My choice of a hero is Dr. Karen Woo, a British doctor who was murdered by the Taliban and the Hizb-i-Islami group last Thursday. She was killed, with eight other doctors as they returned from months working in the Nuristan region, a remote area in the north east of Afghanistan. They had gone to set up a clinic and provide free medical help to the people there. They did not have 5-star accommodation or even luxury cars. They lived a spartan life and conducted part of their journey on horseback.
Dr. Woo gave up a lucrative career in private medicine to join a humanitarian aid effort. She combined her love of travelling with her medical work. Before Afghanistan, she had also worked in hospitals in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago.
Although she had joined the International Assistance Mission, a Christian charity, Dr. Woo found time to make a documentary about Kabul, a city which she grew to love. She even started the Bridge Afghanistan charity with Firuz Rahimi, a journalist, to improve the lives of ordinary Afghan people.
According to Dr. Woo’s family, she was “a humanist and had no religious or political agenda. Her motivation was purely humanitarian. She wanted the ordinary people of Afghanistan, especially the women and children to receive health care.”
Dr. Woo, who once dreamt of being a professional dancer, was briefly a model and even joined a flying circus performing stunts strapped to the wing of a biplane.
Encouraged by her mother, a psychiatric nurse, she turned to medicine and worked in various places around the world. She returned to London and worked as a surgeon and as a medical director in private medicine, before embarking on the humanitarian work in Afghanistan.
Her life was full of inspiration, adventure, travel and charity. She, like her other colleagues who died alongside her, were committed, caring, compassionate and courageous. She helped women and children who were in need of medical attention.
She bridged the gap between the sick and the healthy, the east and west, the criminals and caring people. Dr. Woo, who I am assuming is possibly a non-Muslim, helped the Muslim people in Badakhshan and Nuristan provinces.
In two weeks time, 36 year-old Karen Woo would have been married to her fiancé. His last act of love was to identify her body, which had been shot twice, and then to bury her.
She leaves behind her parents, an English mother and Chinese father, and her two brothers to mourn their loss, in England. A whole nation which depended on medical programs, provided by humanitarian workers like her, is in jeopardy. Thousands of people are now, unable to receive a continuation of her medical expertise.
The tragedy of this young woman was that in helping to save lives in remote, Taliban infested, Afghanistan, she made the ultimate sacrifice.
If you ask me, Dr. Karen Woo is my ‘true hero’.
* The views expressed here are those of the writer.
The former chief of Bukit Bendera Umno, Ahmad Ismail, was honoured with titles and proclaimed a ‘Malay hero’. He was conferred two heroic titles: the Wira Bangsa Melayu and Bintang Perkasa Melayu Jati.
After an hour long wait, typical of people who have little respect for others, the arrival of the ‘hero’ resembled a wedding procession complete with bunga manggar and the drum-beat of the kompang. The only thing that appeared to be missing was the bride.
The night’s jollity which was attended by around 150 delegates from 23 branches included a silat performance and the obligatory sheathing and unsheathing of the keris.
Boys will be boys and they will show off their weapons in an act of assumed bravado.
To the uninformed, the controversial Ahmad Ismail, our new ‘hero’, was suspended by Umno in late 2008, for three years, after he referred to non-Malays as “pendatang” (foreigners).
He described Malaysian Chinese as ‘squatters’ and cautioned them not to emulate the ‘Jews in America’. As expected, the suspension was later lifted by Umno, last December.
His racist comments aroused the memories of inter-ethnic tensions and threatened the government led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, at the time. Badawi suspended Ahmad and barred him from any political posts as punishment.
There were protests from members of the BN coalition who threatened to withdraw their membership. Even the armed forces chief warned that ‘stern action must be taken to prevent’ racial conflicts.
As a consequence of Ahmad Ismail’s ill-timed, ill-judged and unacceptable comments, the journalist who reported his comments was taken away by the police under the orders of the Internal Security Act ( ISA), ostensibly for her personal safety.
The supposed hero, Ahmad Ismail, managed to threaten the security of a country, challenged the authority of the Prime Minister at the time, almost wrecked the BN coalition, caused strife and anger in the Malaysian public, caused the army to be on possible alert, insulted various people (Jews, Americans, Chinese, Malays), rekindled horrific memories of racial riots, threatened the fragile peace and security of a nation, exposed the hypocrisy of the police actions and the political abuse of the use of the ISA.
Is this Bukit Bendera’s idea of a hero? Someone who divides, insults and is unapologetic in his actions? Someone who has no respect for others? Someone who was prepared to hold his leader and his country to ransom? Someone who is ignorant of history?
Please allow me to show an example of a ‘true hero’ .
My choice of a hero is Dr. Karen Woo, a British doctor who was murdered by the Taliban and the Hizb-i-Islami group last Thursday. She was killed, with eight other doctors as they returned from months working in the Nuristan region, a remote area in the north east of Afghanistan. They had gone to set up a clinic and provide free medical help to the people there. They did not have 5-star accommodation or even luxury cars. They lived a spartan life and conducted part of their journey on horseback.
Dr. Woo gave up a lucrative career in private medicine to join a humanitarian aid effort. She combined her love of travelling with her medical work. Before Afghanistan, she had also worked in hospitals in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago.
Although she had joined the International Assistance Mission, a Christian charity, Dr. Woo found time to make a documentary about Kabul, a city which she grew to love. She even started the Bridge Afghanistan charity with Firuz Rahimi, a journalist, to improve the lives of ordinary Afghan people.
According to Dr. Woo’s family, she was “a humanist and had no religious or political agenda. Her motivation was purely humanitarian. She wanted the ordinary people of Afghanistan, especially the women and children to receive health care.”
Dr. Woo, who once dreamt of being a professional dancer, was briefly a model and even joined a flying circus performing stunts strapped to the wing of a biplane.
Encouraged by her mother, a psychiatric nurse, she turned to medicine and worked in various places around the world. She returned to London and worked as a surgeon and as a medical director in private medicine, before embarking on the humanitarian work in Afghanistan.
Her life was full of inspiration, adventure, travel and charity. She, like her other colleagues who died alongside her, were committed, caring, compassionate and courageous. She helped women and children who were in need of medical attention.
She bridged the gap between the sick and the healthy, the east and west, the criminals and caring people. Dr. Woo, who I am assuming is possibly a non-Muslim, helped the Muslim people in Badakhshan and Nuristan provinces.
In two weeks time, 36 year-old Karen Woo would have been married to her fiancé. His last act of love was to identify her body, which had been shot twice, and then to bury her.
She leaves behind her parents, an English mother and Chinese father, and her two brothers to mourn their loss, in England. A whole nation which depended on medical programs, provided by humanitarian workers like her, is in jeopardy. Thousands of people are now, unable to receive a continuation of her medical expertise.
The tragedy of this young woman was that in helping to save lives in remote, Taliban infested, Afghanistan, she made the ultimate sacrifice.
If you ask me, Dr. Karen Woo is my ‘true hero’.
* The views expressed here are those of the writer.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Have to pay a premium for staying in Malaysia!
What do I get for paying toll everyday?
Now I have to pay an extra RM50 for each credit card. For what?
Extra GST (goods and services tax). Again, how does that benefit me?
Look at the long list:
I have to pay for security guards because the police are hopeless.
I have to install filters because the water supply is dirty.
I have to watch satellite tv because the government broadcasts crap.
Many kids have to go for tuition or to private schools because the government schools are bad.
We have to pay IPPs (independent power providers) because the government cannot provide consistent electricity.
We have to pay Indah Water to clean up the sewers.
We have to pay tax on foreign cars because Mahathir wants to keep his dying local car industry alive. ON top of it APs cost bcoz of his cronies.
Most have to drive because the government cannot provide good public transport.
We have to pay to sustain the government's affirmative action policies.
We have to pay for private health care because the public hospitals are crowded .
All in all, we have to pay a PREMIUM to stay in this country!
1Malaysia Boleh! DAMN!
Now I have to pay an extra RM50 for each credit card. For what?
Extra GST (goods and services tax). Again, how does that benefit me?
Look at the long list:
I have to pay for security guards because the police are hopeless.
I have to install filters because the water supply is dirty.
I have to watch satellite tv because the government broadcasts crap.
Many kids have to go for tuition or to private schools because the government schools are bad.
We have to pay IPPs (independent power providers) because the government cannot provide consistent electricity.
We have to pay Indah Water to clean up the sewers.
We have to pay tax on foreign cars because Mahathir wants to keep his dying local car industry alive. ON top of it APs cost bcoz of his cronies.
Most have to drive because the government cannot provide good public transport.
We have to pay to sustain the government's affirmative action policies.
We have to pay for private health care because the public hospitals are crowded .
All in all, we have to pay a PREMIUM to stay in this country!
1Malaysia Boleh! DAMN!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Inside Story of LDP v UMNO
By Loyal Sabahan
Datuk YB Hajjiji Haji Noor, Minister of Local Govt, called YB Teo and informed him that he was in the dark about the termination of the eight local community leaders and will do his best to reinstate them. However, he said the appointment of Haji Harun was done by the Chief Minister [Musa Aman] and as such, he can only inform the CM of his request for him to be removed.
Note: this Haji Harun was put there by the CM to sabotage (evidence in audio & video) LDP & YB Teo even before the last general election due to the MAZU issue in the Kudat constituency as the YB post for TANJUNG Kapor Assembly Seat was formerly held by Tan Sri Chong for many terms and the Sabah CM HATES Tan Sri Chong who was then the Minister of Tourism for not granting a 20 years privatization lease of SIPADAN Island to a S/B company held by CM cronies Richard Barnes and Olsen Lo (on behalf of his [CM's] son).
This same group (company) was eventually GIVEN 80 acres of ''land over water-TOL'' surrounding Mable Island by Musa for the proposed design and construction of a so-called ''Oceaniarium'' using Inno-Tech Architects S/B and AIA Planners, of which Richard Barne's Brother, Douglas, is a director.
This same company immediately SOLD the rights to this TOL [Temporary Occupation Lease of 20 years] to a company in West Malaysia controlled by a Penang Chinese (a Mr Wong) for many Millions of $$$.
This CM never forgave Tan Sri Chong (LDP) for the above and has since tried to split up LDP by buying and influencing some party leaders ie Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah (now in Gerakan), Dtk VK Liew, and Dtk Dep Sabah CM Peter Pang to gang up against Datuk Chin Su Phin and YB Teo, who are aligned to Tan Sri Chong.
I gave the above inside story to you so that when you look back now, the picture will become clearer as to what caused the ''Rumble in BN. LDP vs UMNO''.
Datuk YB Hajjiji Haji Noor, Minister of Local Govt, called YB Teo and informed him that he was in the dark about the termination of the eight local community leaders and will do his best to reinstate them. However, he said the appointment of Haji Harun was done by the Chief Minister [Musa Aman] and as such, he can only inform the CM of his request for him to be removed.
Note: this Haji Harun was put there by the CM to sabotage (evidence in audio & video) LDP & YB Teo even before the last general election due to the MAZU issue in the Kudat constituency as the YB post for TANJUNG Kapor Assembly Seat was formerly held by Tan Sri Chong for many terms and the Sabah CM HATES Tan Sri Chong who was then the Minister of Tourism for not granting a 20 years privatization lease of SIPADAN Island to a S/B company held by CM cronies Richard Barnes and Olsen Lo (on behalf of his [CM's] son).
This same group (company) was eventually GIVEN 80 acres of ''land over water-TOL'' surrounding Mable Island by Musa for the proposed design and construction of a so-called ''Oceaniarium'' using Inno-Tech Architects S/B and AIA Planners, of which Richard Barne's Brother, Douglas, is a director.
This same company immediately SOLD the rights to this TOL [Temporary Occupation Lease of 20 years] to a company in West Malaysia controlled by a Penang Chinese (a Mr Wong) for many Millions of $$$.
This CM never forgave Tan Sri Chong (LDP) for the above and has since tried to split up LDP by buying and influencing some party leaders ie Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah (now in Gerakan), Dtk VK Liew, and Dtk Dep Sabah CM Peter Pang to gang up against Datuk Chin Su Phin and YB Teo, who are aligned to Tan Sri Chong.
I gave the above inside story to you so that when you look back now, the picture will become clearer as to what caused the ''Rumble in BN. LDP vs UMNO''.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Building a society through defeatism: Malay style
By the Kenyan Nomad
Monday, June 14, 2010
Being a student in Malaysia has been useful to me in many ways. You learn many new things, a new country, a new culture, people, food, etc. A beautiful nation with beautiful people, but probably a nation that has the worst political system. When you look from a far, when you see the dazzling Twin Towers, the sky crappers, the trains, the paved roads, the almost all tarmacked lanes, it is beautiful and satisfying, but beyond that, there is stinking political system, one devoid of decency and human good, a godless politics that thrives in indecency, skulduggery and simply outright demagoguery.
I remember Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi saying in 2006, ‘the Malays will do anything to achieve something in politics (or something like that) and that anything includes vomit inducing rhetoric and actions. He was right! He was booted out disgracefully after being stabbed in the back by some of his Cabinet Ministers.
Malaysia’s story is not new, its racial politics, stifling bureaucracy, bulging and ever increasing civil service, third world politics, controlled society, partisan bodies and unthinking religious entities are issues one reads about almost on daily basis. Malaysia is not a nation that has bright future. I remember as a kid, circa 1995 reading somewhere a robust statement made by Prof. Ali Mazrui, recognized as the one of the 100 most influential intellectuals today where he praised the nation and predicted a bright future. Prof. Mazrui was in particular intrigued by the then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. One decade later, you won’t hear the Kenyan-American professor talking of Malaysia.
That was when the economy was strong, institutional rot hidden from the public, social discontent minimal, political demagoguery not widely practiced, and Malaysia was surging. Dr. Mahathir and his then Deputy, Anwar Ibrahim were extremely popular in the Muslim (and non Muslim to a large extent) world. They were where the Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan is today. Unchallenged and probably unparalleled when measured against fellow Muslim leaders.
Then came 1998, where Dr Mahathir and Anwar clashed over the 1997/8 Asian Financial Crisis and some internal succession politics. Anwar was sacked, brutally beaten and jailed on fabricated charges of sodomy. Dr. Mahathir, realizing Anwar’s appeal both locally and abroad went overdrive to neutralize him. He did it (at least till he left power in 2003) but at the expense of Malaysia. Malaysia has never recovered from that humiliating experience since then and it will never. Make no mistake about it; neither Dr. Mahathir nor Malaysia will recover from that ugly episode.
Anwar today is facing sodomy charges again. The new allegation would even beat the first one in stupidity. At least, in the first one, Malaysians were innocent enough to be shocked. Now, they aren’t. In fact, they have become accustomed to the brutality of the system that they smile, resigned to that fate. Only Chinua Achebe can describe their resignation and hopelessness like he did in his A Man of the People. Foreign students in Malaysia joke about this immoral politics. ‘Why doesn’t Malaysia introduce Bachelor in Sodomology’ they joke. Then they can shout to the world that they can (boleh) as they say in Malaysia.
This is a nation that’s losing its soul, its spiritual side, its human side. It is becoming concrete, merciless, immoral, godless and utterly ruthless. All the signs that the edifice is to come tumbling down are there, but the elite are interested in one thing: assassinating Anwar and they refuse to see the imminent danger.
But that’s not the subject here; it is the defeatism culture of the Malay leadership. Being a Somali ethnic myself, I’m in no position to blame others or point out their shortcomings, after all, my people have nothing to be proud of. May be Islam only, and even that Islam, they have rendered it cruel and tribal.
In Malaysia, there are three main races, the Malays who are the majority, the Chinese and the Indians, then there is motley of other races and tribes but politics revolves around the three main ones. Malaysia’s greatest challenge has been how to balance the economic disparity between the native Malays and the migrant communities who have made big (at least many of them) in Malaysia. The racial riots of 1969 define Malaysia till today.
After that deadly rioting, a new economic policy (NEP) was formulated. The target was to alleviate Malay poverty (plus the poverty of others), rearrange the economic imbalance, support Malays to get a foothold and make them have at least 30% equity. Four decades later, it stands at 19%. In those four decades, entire countries were built from scratch, of course others failed, but in Malaysia, they couldn't manage one policy in four decades and worse, many continue to insist that the failed policy should be maintained. Like a drug addict who holds on to his fatal drugs, some Malays have become addicts. It is killing them, killing their souls, killing their humanity, killing their spirit, killing their will, killing their dignity, killing their Islam and killing their country.
The trouble is the Malay leadership. Having seen their people have become addicts, they lack the charisma to tell them that the nation must cross a new frontier and meet today’s challenges with new policies that are effective, economically sound and free of corruption. You can’t stick to a policy that failed. Four decades is what a nation needs to rise, not for a single policy to be implemented.
Of course there is Anwar Ibrahim, always the rabble rouser who called the policy obsolete and formulated a new policy. But rather than debating on the merits of his new policy, the ruling party, UMNO, and its apparatchiks dismissed Anwar as a traitor, IMF funded rogue who wants to destroy the Malays. To me, Anwar is a great leader and UMNO leaders are leaders. The difference between the two is that a great leader takes his people where they don’t want to be but aught to be and a leader takes his people where they want. And when you listen to what your people like PERKASA's Ibrahim Ali and other Manglish speaking, Utusan consuming hordes want, you fail in your leadership role and that’s what’s happening in Malaysia.
In the four to five years that I have been in Malaysia, I have never heard a single Malay leader apart from Anwar Ibrahim and former Finance Minister and UMNO’s only conscientious member (apart from a blogger called Sakmongkol) Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah say the Malays CAN! I always hear, “The Malays are weak, the Malays can’t compete, the Malays don’t have the Chinese civilization, the Malays are not tough enough to survive on their own, the Malays need help, the Malays are under threat” and etc.
Dr. Mahathir, the former PM and a notoriously racial leader continues to stoke the embers of racism and warned the Malays that that they were losing Malaysia to the non-Malays. He knows they aren't losing but his target is to scare villagers into supporting the ruling party and thus prevent his arch-rivals, Anwar and PAS leaders from coming into power. I have no problem with politics, but destructive politics that destroys the very fabric of your nation and mismanages the destiny of that nation is both immoral and evil.
When I hear UMNO Malay leaders humiliate their own people by saying they are weak, can’t compete and need perpetual crutches, I always ask myself: what’s their intention? When you publicly and before the world camera repeat and repeat that your people are a bunch of hapless people, what do you want the world to do? To issue a Guinness World Records' certificate of collective stupidity to your people?
Why not praise your people instead? Why not say my people can? Why not raise up their spirit? Why not show them the opportunities the world has rather than cocooning them here alone? Why not remind them Islam and Allah’s order to Muslims to seek His bounties on earth and toil? A believer doesn't fail and worse, a believer doesn't engage in defeatism. “Ta-Ha. We have not revealed the Quran to you that you may be unsuccessful.” (20-1-2. Holy Quran, Shakir)
There was a Tab’ie (follower of the Prophet’s Companions) who one day came a long two men fighting. One was being humiliated. So he wanted to raise the spirits of the defeated guy. He reminded him of his faith, of his people’s past glories, of his ability, of grandfathers, of his own, and instantly the man was charged. I can’t recollect the entire story but I remember the Tabi’e also said had the other man being the one humiliated, he would have reminded him of many good things and helped him rise.
The moral of the story? Always remind your people of what’s good! Of their past glories to draw lessons, always point to their future. Remind them about their name and dignity. Tell them of the teachings of their faith. Islam is basically about creating success stories, not a whining society that’s hopeless. You are in a fight, a perpetual fight and this fight can’t be won through simplistic ideas. It needs resilience, patience, innovation, faith, sobriety, thinking, good leadership, honest administrators and just leaders (institutions).
This battle needs sacrifice. This battle needs toil and tears. Allah (sw) didn't see it fit to send even His Prophets free food. There is nothing called free here. All our Prophets worked hard and were herdsmen. Why do you think they had to occupy the lowest of jobs to survive? It's meant to remind us work is what’s important and earning halal income is our destiny. Rent-seeking, corruption, sleaze, cronyism and opportunism destroy a nation.
Mukhtar al Bukhary is not a success story. Which part of meeting a minister in his private sitting room and cutting deals is a success? Can he stand tall and be proud? The world would laugh at him, but UMNO says that’s the success of NEP. Poorah! A successful story inspires generations or even nations. Bill Gates inspired nations. He invented something, promoted it and benefited billions. He continues to inspire billions. Can Bukhary do the same? He can’t. When you give Naza 18,000 APs and they make some easy money, it that a success story that can inspire the future Malays? Which part of it is a success?
But we can have a successful Malay community by sticking to the book, rule of law, Godliness, and meritocracy. You deserve: you get, you don’t deserve: you won’t get it. Period! We need to have some policy to help the Malays, but we need results as well. I want to remind the Malays one thing, if you are unjust, you will lose this nation. That’s how God’s creation order works. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “God upholds the just state even if it is unbelieving, but does not uphold the unjust state even if it is Muslim.”
In other words, God would help and sustain a non-Muslim person/state that’s just than a Muslim person/state that is not. This is simple because the Prophets were sent to bring justice and God’s creation order stands on justice. If you want to have NEP, include the Chinese and Indian orphans and widows and the needy among all races. That way, you will continue to rule and prosper. But if you think voting PERKASA and UMNO will make you safe and sustainable, then you are mistaken. You will drown sooner than you can imagine. It is justice that would maintain you and settle for good leadership.
There can no be 100% successful policy or state, but being righteous and godly, being fair and just, being honest and incorruptible helps. And please, for once, defeat PERKASA and PERKASA minded parties. If you don't look inward, if you don't ask critical questions and examine yourselves, if you believe the hyperbole of PERKASA and its financiers, there will come a time when it is too late to salvage this nation and regret comes later. May Allah (sw) bless u all and guide us! Amin!
“And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right. Holy Quran 29: 69)
Update: An anonymous commentator pointed out to a forum (forum.cari) where some Malays are attacking me. Read their bunkum here. Some are even calling me a nigger. kkkkk! I can assure you that I'm whiter than "Malay" Zambry Abdul Kadir. But even if I were a nigger, that's not a problem. I appreciate God's creation. I being black or white is of no consequence. My humanity is what matters.
Please dear Malay brethren, debate the merits of this post and if you believe I may be wrong in some cases, point out and advise by commenting on it. Engaging in an orgy of tribal bashing devoid of any intellectual input justifies what I have wrote here. I love you and only God knows how Much. My criticism is genuine and from a Muslim brother who feels your pain but believes things have to change because the world is not waiting for you. Wassalam!
Posted by Chronicles of a Nomad
Monday, June 14, 2010
Being a student in Malaysia has been useful to me in many ways. You learn many new things, a new country, a new culture, people, food, etc. A beautiful nation with beautiful people, but probably a nation that has the worst political system. When you look from a far, when you see the dazzling Twin Towers, the sky crappers, the trains, the paved roads, the almost all tarmacked lanes, it is beautiful and satisfying, but beyond that, there is stinking political system, one devoid of decency and human good, a godless politics that thrives in indecency, skulduggery and simply outright demagoguery.
I remember Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi saying in 2006, ‘the Malays will do anything to achieve something in politics (or something like that) and that anything includes vomit inducing rhetoric and actions. He was right! He was booted out disgracefully after being stabbed in the back by some of his Cabinet Ministers.
Malaysia’s story is not new, its racial politics, stifling bureaucracy, bulging and ever increasing civil service, third world politics, controlled society, partisan bodies and unthinking religious entities are issues one reads about almost on daily basis. Malaysia is not a nation that has bright future. I remember as a kid, circa 1995 reading somewhere a robust statement made by Prof. Ali Mazrui, recognized as the one of the 100 most influential intellectuals today where he praised the nation and predicted a bright future. Prof. Mazrui was in particular intrigued by the then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. One decade later, you won’t hear the Kenyan-American professor talking of Malaysia.
That was when the economy was strong, institutional rot hidden from the public, social discontent minimal, political demagoguery not widely practiced, and Malaysia was surging. Dr. Mahathir and his then Deputy, Anwar Ibrahim were extremely popular in the Muslim (and non Muslim to a large extent) world. They were where the Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan is today. Unchallenged and probably unparalleled when measured against fellow Muslim leaders.
Then came 1998, where Dr Mahathir and Anwar clashed over the 1997/8 Asian Financial Crisis and some internal succession politics. Anwar was sacked, brutally beaten and jailed on fabricated charges of sodomy. Dr. Mahathir, realizing Anwar’s appeal both locally and abroad went overdrive to neutralize him. He did it (at least till he left power in 2003) but at the expense of Malaysia. Malaysia has never recovered from that humiliating experience since then and it will never. Make no mistake about it; neither Dr. Mahathir nor Malaysia will recover from that ugly episode.
Anwar today is facing sodomy charges again. The new allegation would even beat the first one in stupidity. At least, in the first one, Malaysians were innocent enough to be shocked. Now, they aren’t. In fact, they have become accustomed to the brutality of the system that they smile, resigned to that fate. Only Chinua Achebe can describe their resignation and hopelessness like he did in his A Man of the People. Foreign students in Malaysia joke about this immoral politics. ‘Why doesn’t Malaysia introduce Bachelor in Sodomology’ they joke. Then they can shout to the world that they can (boleh) as they say in Malaysia.
This is a nation that’s losing its soul, its spiritual side, its human side. It is becoming concrete, merciless, immoral, godless and utterly ruthless. All the signs that the edifice is to come tumbling down are there, but the elite are interested in one thing: assassinating Anwar and they refuse to see the imminent danger.
But that’s not the subject here; it is the defeatism culture of the Malay leadership. Being a Somali ethnic myself, I’m in no position to blame others or point out their shortcomings, after all, my people have nothing to be proud of. May be Islam only, and even that Islam, they have rendered it cruel and tribal.
In Malaysia, there are three main races, the Malays who are the majority, the Chinese and the Indians, then there is motley of other races and tribes but politics revolves around the three main ones. Malaysia’s greatest challenge has been how to balance the economic disparity between the native Malays and the migrant communities who have made big (at least many of them) in Malaysia. The racial riots of 1969 define Malaysia till today.
After that deadly rioting, a new economic policy (NEP) was formulated. The target was to alleviate Malay poverty (plus the poverty of others), rearrange the economic imbalance, support Malays to get a foothold and make them have at least 30% equity. Four decades later, it stands at 19%. In those four decades, entire countries were built from scratch, of course others failed, but in Malaysia, they couldn't manage one policy in four decades and worse, many continue to insist that the failed policy should be maintained. Like a drug addict who holds on to his fatal drugs, some Malays have become addicts. It is killing them, killing their souls, killing their humanity, killing their spirit, killing their will, killing their dignity, killing their Islam and killing their country.
The trouble is the Malay leadership. Having seen their people have become addicts, they lack the charisma to tell them that the nation must cross a new frontier and meet today’s challenges with new policies that are effective, economically sound and free of corruption. You can’t stick to a policy that failed. Four decades is what a nation needs to rise, not for a single policy to be implemented.
Of course there is Anwar Ibrahim, always the rabble rouser who called the policy obsolete and formulated a new policy. But rather than debating on the merits of his new policy, the ruling party, UMNO, and its apparatchiks dismissed Anwar as a traitor, IMF funded rogue who wants to destroy the Malays. To me, Anwar is a great leader and UMNO leaders are leaders. The difference between the two is that a great leader takes his people where they don’t want to be but aught to be and a leader takes his people where they want. And when you listen to what your people like PERKASA's Ibrahim Ali and other Manglish speaking, Utusan consuming hordes want, you fail in your leadership role and that’s what’s happening in Malaysia.
In the four to five years that I have been in Malaysia, I have never heard a single Malay leader apart from Anwar Ibrahim and former Finance Minister and UMNO’s only conscientious member (apart from a blogger called Sakmongkol) Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah say the Malays CAN! I always hear, “The Malays are weak, the Malays can’t compete, the Malays don’t have the Chinese civilization, the Malays are not tough enough to survive on their own, the Malays need help, the Malays are under threat” and etc.
Dr. Mahathir, the former PM and a notoriously racial leader continues to stoke the embers of racism and warned the Malays that that they were losing Malaysia to the non-Malays. He knows they aren't losing but his target is to scare villagers into supporting the ruling party and thus prevent his arch-rivals, Anwar and PAS leaders from coming into power. I have no problem with politics, but destructive politics that destroys the very fabric of your nation and mismanages the destiny of that nation is both immoral and evil.
When I hear UMNO Malay leaders humiliate their own people by saying they are weak, can’t compete and need perpetual crutches, I always ask myself: what’s their intention? When you publicly and before the world camera repeat and repeat that your people are a bunch of hapless people, what do you want the world to do? To issue a Guinness World Records' certificate of collective stupidity to your people?
Why not praise your people instead? Why not say my people can? Why not raise up their spirit? Why not show them the opportunities the world has rather than cocooning them here alone? Why not remind them Islam and Allah’s order to Muslims to seek His bounties on earth and toil? A believer doesn't fail and worse, a believer doesn't engage in defeatism. “Ta-Ha. We have not revealed the Quran to you that you may be unsuccessful.” (20-1-2. Holy Quran, Shakir)
There was a Tab’ie (follower of the Prophet’s Companions) who one day came a long two men fighting. One was being humiliated. So he wanted to raise the spirits of the defeated guy. He reminded him of his faith, of his people’s past glories, of his ability, of grandfathers, of his own, and instantly the man was charged. I can’t recollect the entire story but I remember the Tabi’e also said had the other man being the one humiliated, he would have reminded him of many good things and helped him rise.
The moral of the story? Always remind your people of what’s good! Of their past glories to draw lessons, always point to their future. Remind them about their name and dignity. Tell them of the teachings of their faith. Islam is basically about creating success stories, not a whining society that’s hopeless. You are in a fight, a perpetual fight and this fight can’t be won through simplistic ideas. It needs resilience, patience, innovation, faith, sobriety, thinking, good leadership, honest administrators and just leaders (institutions).
This battle needs sacrifice. This battle needs toil and tears. Allah (sw) didn't see it fit to send even His Prophets free food. There is nothing called free here. All our Prophets worked hard and were herdsmen. Why do you think they had to occupy the lowest of jobs to survive? It's meant to remind us work is what’s important and earning halal income is our destiny. Rent-seeking, corruption, sleaze, cronyism and opportunism destroy a nation.
Mukhtar al Bukhary is not a success story. Which part of meeting a minister in his private sitting room and cutting deals is a success? Can he stand tall and be proud? The world would laugh at him, but UMNO says that’s the success of NEP. Poorah! A successful story inspires generations or even nations. Bill Gates inspired nations. He invented something, promoted it and benefited billions. He continues to inspire billions. Can Bukhary do the same? He can’t. When you give Naza 18,000 APs and they make some easy money, it that a success story that can inspire the future Malays? Which part of it is a success?
But we can have a successful Malay community by sticking to the book, rule of law, Godliness, and meritocracy. You deserve: you get, you don’t deserve: you won’t get it. Period! We need to have some policy to help the Malays, but we need results as well. I want to remind the Malays one thing, if you are unjust, you will lose this nation. That’s how God’s creation order works. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “God upholds the just state even if it is unbelieving, but does not uphold the unjust state even if it is Muslim.”
In other words, God would help and sustain a non-Muslim person/state that’s just than a Muslim person/state that is not. This is simple because the Prophets were sent to bring justice and God’s creation order stands on justice. If you want to have NEP, include the Chinese and Indian orphans and widows and the needy among all races. That way, you will continue to rule and prosper. But if you think voting PERKASA and UMNO will make you safe and sustainable, then you are mistaken. You will drown sooner than you can imagine. It is justice that would maintain you and settle for good leadership.
There can no be 100% successful policy or state, but being righteous and godly, being fair and just, being honest and incorruptible helps. And please, for once, defeat PERKASA and PERKASA minded parties. If you don't look inward, if you don't ask critical questions and examine yourselves, if you believe the hyperbole of PERKASA and its financiers, there will come a time when it is too late to salvage this nation and regret comes later. May Allah (sw) bless u all and guide us! Amin!
“And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right. Holy Quran 29: 69)
Update: An anonymous commentator pointed out to a forum (forum.cari) where some Malays are attacking me. Read their bunkum here. Some are even calling me a nigger. kkkkk! I can assure you that I'm whiter than "Malay" Zambry Abdul Kadir. But even if I were a nigger, that's not a problem. I appreciate God's creation. I being black or white is of no consequence. My humanity is what matters.
Please dear Malay brethren, debate the merits of this post and if you believe I may be wrong in some cases, point out and advise by commenting on it. Engaging in an orgy of tribal bashing devoid of any intellectual input justifies what I have wrote here. I love you and only God knows how Much. My criticism is genuine and from a Muslim brother who feels your pain but believes things have to change because the world is not waiting for you. Wassalam!
Posted by Chronicles of a Nomad
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Re-Colonisation of Sabah
By Dominic Legeh
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah veteran politician Karim Ghani has admonished the state Barisan Nasional government for acquiescing to the notion that the state is merely one of 13 in the federation and not one of the three components in Malaysia.
"We are actually a federation composed of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya. It is not Sabah, Sarawak, Perlis, Kelantan and so on. This must be put correct," the prominent Sabah Umno member said yesterday.
"It is incumbent upon the leaders in Sabah to say that this is our position," he said in an interview.
"I suggest someone either the state government of Sabah or the opposition bring this to the assembly and reaffirm our position as we see it … that we are one of the three components of the Federation of Malaysia, not one of the 13 states," he said.
Explaining his stand on a recent government-sponsored talk by a law professor who said that Sabah and Sarawak could not claim that Malaysia was a partnership of three equal members, Karim said it was crucial for state leaders to rebut this contention.
He said that this was because the professor was reflecting the view of the federal government, as he was in the state on the government's invitation.
Ranjit Singh, of Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Law, Government and International Studies, made the startling claim in his working paper titled 'Sabah Politics and Policy and Federal-State Relations 1963-1995', last month.
Politicians and leaders of all stripes have been pouncing on the the controversial contention that downplays Sabah's and Sarawak's importance in the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
Karim said the contention is important because "it involves the root of the formation of Malaysia.
"It is beyond the question of autonomy because when Tunku Abdul Rahman (the then Prime Minister of Malaya) invited Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Brunei to join Malaya to form Malaysia, it was agreed that they would have equal rights and be equal components with equal status.
"The reason, as what Tunku Abdul Rahman said then, was that one, we are colonised, second, we are poor, three, we are undeveloped...meaning by forming Malaysia we will be free from colonisation, we will be rich like Malaya, and we will be developed like Malaya.
"Unfortunately, after 46 years of independence, Sabah did not become rich like Malaya but instead became one of the poorest in Malaysia...the same can be said with the development aspect.
A different master now
Stating that Sabah had actually remained a colony albeit under a different master he said: "The basis of a free nation is that the leader is appointed by the people. In our case our leader is appointed by Kuala Lumpur.
"Before 1961, our leader in Sabah was Sir William Good but he was appointed by London. So nothing has changed.
"When we talk about equal component and equal share we must remember that when Tunku Abdul Rahman invited us there were five separate entities and thus equal share meant each nation would enjoy a 20 percent share of the nation's wealth.
"When Brunei pulled out there were left four entities, so the share become 25 percent each for the remaining four. Then when Singapore was kicked out there were three left and thus each should have enjoy 33.3 percent share of teh nation’s wealth.
"But if we are only one of the 13 states our share is only 7.3 percent so who took away or stole the rest of 26 percent (of the wealth) which supposed to belong to Sabah.
"That is why the question whether we are one of the 13 states or one of the three components in Malaysia means so much.
"If Tunku Abdul Rahman had said you (Sabah) become one of the 13 states, like Sabah is equal to Perlis, I don't think the Sabah and Sarawak leaders would have been so stupid to accept the invitation (to form Malaysia).
"I think the professor (Ranjit) was trying to justify the 1Malaysia concept when he presented the paper. The 1Malaysia concept means the position of Sabah is no longer there, because everyone is equal.
"So don't be surprised if you see the heads of federal government departments and agencies are from the Peninsular because you cannot ask any question anymore because of 1Malaysia.
"And it is the same when those people from the peninsular come to Sabah to take our business and land under the 1Malaysia concept.
"But this is not what Malaysia is. Malaysia, like Australia, is a federation composed of three components Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya Federation."
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah veteran politician Karim Ghani has admonished the state Barisan Nasional government for acquiescing to the notion that the state is merely one of 13 in the federation and not one of the three components in Malaysia.
"We are actually a federation composed of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya. It is not Sabah, Sarawak, Perlis, Kelantan and so on. This must be put correct," the prominent Sabah Umno member said yesterday.
"It is incumbent upon the leaders in Sabah to say that this is our position," he said in an interview.
"I suggest someone either the state government of Sabah or the opposition bring this to the assembly and reaffirm our position as we see it … that we are one of the three components of the Federation of Malaysia, not one of the 13 states," he said.
Explaining his stand on a recent government-sponsored talk by a law professor who said that Sabah and Sarawak could not claim that Malaysia was a partnership of three equal members, Karim said it was crucial for state leaders to rebut this contention.
He said that this was because the professor was reflecting the view of the federal government, as he was in the state on the government's invitation.
Ranjit Singh, of Universiti Utara Malaysia's College of Law, Government and International Studies, made the startling claim in his working paper titled 'Sabah Politics and Policy and Federal-State Relations 1963-1995', last month.
Politicians and leaders of all stripes have been pouncing on the the controversial contention that downplays Sabah's and Sarawak's importance in the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
Karim said the contention is important because "it involves the root of the formation of Malaysia.
"It is beyond the question of autonomy because when Tunku Abdul Rahman (the then Prime Minister of Malaya) invited Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Brunei to join Malaya to form Malaysia, it was agreed that they would have equal rights and be equal components with equal status.
"The reason, as what Tunku Abdul Rahman said then, was that one, we are colonised, second, we are poor, three, we are undeveloped...meaning by forming Malaysia we will be free from colonisation, we will be rich like Malaya, and we will be developed like Malaya.
"Unfortunately, after 46 years of independence, Sabah did not become rich like Malaya but instead became one of the poorest in Malaysia...the same can be said with the development aspect.
A different master now
Stating that Sabah had actually remained a colony albeit under a different master he said: "The basis of a free nation is that the leader is appointed by the people. In our case our leader is appointed by Kuala Lumpur.
"Before 1961, our leader in Sabah was Sir William Good but he was appointed by London. So nothing has changed.
"When we talk about equal component and equal share we must remember that when Tunku Abdul Rahman invited us there were five separate entities and thus equal share meant each nation would enjoy a 20 percent share of the nation's wealth.
"When Brunei pulled out there were left four entities, so the share become 25 percent each for the remaining four. Then when Singapore was kicked out there were three left and thus each should have enjoy 33.3 percent share of teh nation’s wealth.
"But if we are only one of the 13 states our share is only 7.3 percent so who took away or stole the rest of 26 percent (of the wealth) which supposed to belong to Sabah.
"That is why the question whether we are one of the 13 states or one of the three components in Malaysia means so much.
"If Tunku Abdul Rahman had said you (Sabah) become one of the 13 states, like Sabah is equal to Perlis, I don't think the Sabah and Sarawak leaders would have been so stupid to accept the invitation (to form Malaysia).
"I think the professor (Ranjit) was trying to justify the 1Malaysia concept when he presented the paper. The 1Malaysia concept means the position of Sabah is no longer there, because everyone is equal.
"So don't be surprised if you see the heads of federal government departments and agencies are from the Peninsular because you cannot ask any question anymore because of 1Malaysia.
"And it is the same when those people from the peninsular come to Sabah to take our business and land under the 1Malaysia concept.
"But this is not what Malaysia is. Malaysia, like Australia, is a federation composed of three components Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya Federation."
Yong: Will Malaysia be another Greece?
Yong: Will Malaysia be another Greece? .
03 Jun 2010 . .By Queville To
KOTA KINABALU: Attempts by Umno leaders to shrug off warnings that Malaysia could be heading for bankruptcy like Greece showed that they were unable to see underlying trends that have been threatening Malaysia's economy for the last decade, a senior Sabah politician said yesterday.
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Yong Teck Lee, said that facts and figures on the state of the country's economic malaise were disturbing.
He was commenting on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala's recent warning that the country could go bankrupt in nine years if the RM74 billion annual subsidies are not cut.
Yong also took a swipe at economist and Umno supreme council member Norraesah Mohamad's rebuttal of Idris' stand, saying it was “ridiculous” and frightening”.
Yong pointed out that Malaysia’s tax revenue base has been shrinking because of the migration of manufacturing companies to Vietnam, Indonesia and China and a drop in foreign direct investments (FDIs).
“The fact that import and export duties, excise duties and sales and service taxes have remained stagnant at below RM30 billion for the last five years indicates low trade and business volume.
"The bulk of the additional government revenue came from Petronas dividends, oil royalties, petroleum profit tax and personal income tax,” he said.
Yong said that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had acknowledged, when tabling the 2010 Budget in Parliament last year, that revenue would fall by RM14 billion from RM162 billion to RM148 billion, a drop of 8.4%.
Net FDIs for the first half of 2009 dropped by RM16 billion to a mere RM 3.6 billion.
"Hence, revenues have not been able to catch up with total expenditures, resulting in an escalating deficit each year. From a deficit of RM18 billion in 2005, the figure has grown to RM19 billion (2006), RM20 billion (2007), RM35 billion (2008) and RM47 billion in 2009.
"The deficit for the first quarter of this year has already reached RM10 billion."
'Idris has a point'
Yong said the warning by Idris that Malaysia could be bankrupt like Greece is shocking because it would only take a short time for the country to deteriorate from prosperity to bankruptcy.
“The only other Asian example is the Philippines which in the 1970s was one of the richest and most advanced nations in Asia.
"Within a decade of mismanagement and abuses, it turned into the poorest, most corrupt nation riddled with civil strife and chaos,” he said.
On Norraesah's argument that the Greek debt to GDP ratio was 113% while Malaysia’s current national debt of RM378 billion is 56% of GDP, Yong said that at the rate the deficit is running up (RM50 billion each year and a GDP growth of 5%), Malaysia will indeed become like Greece by 2019.
“Idris has a point. But his Umno partners are not likely to agree with him because the national economy is subsidising the 'Umnoputras'. This is why there has to be a change in the federal government before it is too late,” said Yong.
He also warned that Sabah could be another “Dubai” if the state government is not careful with its financial management.
“Greece was eventually brought down because it was unable to pay its sovereign bonds of US$11 billion earlier this year, which resulted in its credit rating being downgraded to 'junk status'. Dubai has debts to the tune of US$60 billion.
"If Sabah is not careful, it could suffer a similar fate,” said Yong.
"Dubai’s government investment agency could not honour its bond of only US$3.5 billion. This has caused a financial crisis, loss of confidence and an exodus of investors from Dubai,” he added.
Yong is concerned that too little information is available on the Sabah government bond of RM500 million issued last year.
“The government claims to have a reserve of RM2 billion but has chosen to take a bond of RM500 million payable in full in five years, presumably in 2014.
"If we have RM2 billion in reserves, then why do we need a bond of RM500 million?
"Where will the RM500 million be invested in? Suria Complex? Sabah Development Corridor projects? One Borneo? Plantations? When will the information be made known?” he asked.
'Time for more information'
Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, recalled that at the height of the Asian 1997-98 financial crisis, an internal evaluation of Sabah’s credit rating showed that the state government had no debts.
“It is my understanding that this healthy status was maintained until the state government took out the RM500 million bond .
"What will happen in 2014 if the state government cannot afford to take out RM500 million from its treasury and pay off the bond?
"Failure to do so could trigger our own Sabah financial crisis. Civil service pay and operational expenditures will be affected.”
In the light of what has been disclosed about Malaysia's economic and financial status, "it is time that the state government released more information about the RM500 million bond”, said Yong.
03 Jun 2010 . .By Queville To
KOTA KINABALU: Attempts by Umno leaders to shrug off warnings that Malaysia could be heading for bankruptcy like Greece showed that they were unable to see underlying trends that have been threatening Malaysia's economy for the last decade, a senior Sabah politician said yesterday.
Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president, Yong Teck Lee, said that facts and figures on the state of the country's economic malaise were disturbing.
He was commenting on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala's recent warning that the country could go bankrupt in nine years if the RM74 billion annual subsidies are not cut.
Yong also took a swipe at economist and Umno supreme council member Norraesah Mohamad's rebuttal of Idris' stand, saying it was “ridiculous” and frightening”.
Yong pointed out that Malaysia’s tax revenue base has been shrinking because of the migration of manufacturing companies to Vietnam, Indonesia and China and a drop in foreign direct investments (FDIs).
“The fact that import and export duties, excise duties and sales and service taxes have remained stagnant at below RM30 billion for the last five years indicates low trade and business volume.
"The bulk of the additional government revenue came from Petronas dividends, oil royalties, petroleum profit tax and personal income tax,” he said.
Yong said that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had acknowledged, when tabling the 2010 Budget in Parliament last year, that revenue would fall by RM14 billion from RM162 billion to RM148 billion, a drop of 8.4%.
Net FDIs for the first half of 2009 dropped by RM16 billion to a mere RM 3.6 billion.
"Hence, revenues have not been able to catch up with total expenditures, resulting in an escalating deficit each year. From a deficit of RM18 billion in 2005, the figure has grown to RM19 billion (2006), RM20 billion (2007), RM35 billion (2008) and RM47 billion in 2009.
"The deficit for the first quarter of this year has already reached RM10 billion."
'Idris has a point'
Yong said the warning by Idris that Malaysia could be bankrupt like Greece is shocking because it would only take a short time for the country to deteriorate from prosperity to bankruptcy.
“The only other Asian example is the Philippines which in the 1970s was one of the richest and most advanced nations in Asia.
"Within a decade of mismanagement and abuses, it turned into the poorest, most corrupt nation riddled with civil strife and chaos,” he said.
On Norraesah's argument that the Greek debt to GDP ratio was 113% while Malaysia’s current national debt of RM378 billion is 56% of GDP, Yong said that at the rate the deficit is running up (RM50 billion each year and a GDP growth of 5%), Malaysia will indeed become like Greece by 2019.
“Idris has a point. But his Umno partners are not likely to agree with him because the national economy is subsidising the 'Umnoputras'. This is why there has to be a change in the federal government before it is too late,” said Yong.
He also warned that Sabah could be another “Dubai” if the state government is not careful with its financial management.
“Greece was eventually brought down because it was unable to pay its sovereign bonds of US$11 billion earlier this year, which resulted in its credit rating being downgraded to 'junk status'. Dubai has debts to the tune of US$60 billion.
"If Sabah is not careful, it could suffer a similar fate,” said Yong.
"Dubai’s government investment agency could not honour its bond of only US$3.5 billion. This has caused a financial crisis, loss of confidence and an exodus of investors from Dubai,” he added.
Yong is concerned that too little information is available on the Sabah government bond of RM500 million issued last year.
“The government claims to have a reserve of RM2 billion but has chosen to take a bond of RM500 million payable in full in five years, presumably in 2014.
"If we have RM2 billion in reserves, then why do we need a bond of RM500 million?
"Where will the RM500 million be invested in? Suria Complex? Sabah Development Corridor projects? One Borneo? Plantations? When will the information be made known?” he asked.
'Time for more information'
Yong, a former Sabah chief minister, recalled that at the height of the Asian 1997-98 financial crisis, an internal evaluation of Sabah’s credit rating showed that the state government had no debts.
“It is my understanding that this healthy status was maintained until the state government took out the RM500 million bond .
"What will happen in 2014 if the state government cannot afford to take out RM500 million from its treasury and pay off the bond?
"Failure to do so could trigger our own Sabah financial crisis. Civil service pay and operational expenditures will be affected.”
In the light of what has been disclosed about Malaysia's economic and financial status, "it is time that the state government released more information about the RM500 million bond”, said Yong.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Know Your Leaders Quiz
Know Your Leaders Quiz
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Transcribed from an article posted by a reader on Din Merican's blog
WHICH:
a.. Chief Editor of a mainstream Malay newspaper who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed?
b.. Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife?
c.. Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room?
d.. Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking?
e.. Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?
f.. Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?
g.. Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl which resulted in an illegitimate child?
h.. Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child?
i.. Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur ?
j.. Religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body like the National Fatwa Council?
k.. Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child?
THE ANSWERS:
1. A Chief Editor of a mainstream newspaper (Utusan Melayu) who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed
-Zainuddin Maidin (became Ministef of Information)
2. A Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife
– Muhammad Mohd Taib (then Chief Minister of Selangor).
3. A Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room
– Najib Tun Razak (Defence Minister) and Ziana Zain.
4. A Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking
– Muhyiddin Yassin (who became Deputy Prime Minister)
5. A Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Ruhaini Ahmad.
6. A Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Muhammad Mohd Taib ( Chief Minister of Selangor)
7. A Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl
– Rahim Tambi Chik (then Melaka Chief Minister).
8. A Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Shahidan Kassim (Perlis Chief Minister).
9. A Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur
– Shahidan Kassim.
10. A religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body
– Ismail Ibrahim of the National Fatwah Council.
11. A Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Abu Hassan Omar (then Selangor Chief Minister).
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Transcribed from an article posted by a reader on Din Merican's blog
WHICH:
a.. Chief Editor of a mainstream Malay newspaper who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed?
b.. Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife?
c.. Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room?
d.. Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking?
e.. Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?
f.. Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage?
g.. Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl which resulted in an illegitimate child?
h.. Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child?
i.. Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur ?
j.. Religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body like the National Fatwa Council?
k.. Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child?
THE ANSWERS:
1. A Chief Editor of a mainstream newspaper (Utusan Melayu) who had an affair with a young girl while his wife lay paralysed in bed
-Zainuddin Maidin (became Ministef of Information)
2. A Chief Minister who eloped to Thailand to secretly marry his second wife
– Muhammad Mohd Taib (then Chief Minister of Selangor).
3. A Federal Minister who was caught with a female artiste in a Port Dickson hotel room
– Najib Tun Razak (Defence Minister) and Ziana Zain.
4. A Federal Minister whose brother was arrested for drug trafficking
– Muhyiddin Yassin (who became Deputy Prime Minister)
5. A Federal Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Ruhaini Ahmad.
6. A Chief Minister who had an affair with someone else’s wife that eventually resulted in a broken marriage
– Muhammad Mohd Taib ( Chief Minister of Selangor)
7. A Chief Minister who had an affair with an under-aged girl
– Rahim Tambi Chik (then Melaka Chief Minister).
8. A Chief Minister who had an affair with a girl who eventually gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Shahidan Kassim (Perlis Chief Minister).
9. A Chief Minister who kept an under-aged mistress at a condominium in Kuala Lumpur
– Shahidan Kassim.
10. A religious leader who had an illicit affair and who is now holding a prominent position in a very important government religious body
– Ismail Ibrahim of the National Fatwah Council.
11. A Chief Minister who had an affair with his sister-in-law who gave birth to an illegitimate child
– Abu Hassan Omar (then Selangor Chief Minister).
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Nah! You want Keris? I give you KERIS!
Nah! You want Keris? I give you KERIS!
by Patrick Teoh
Poor Najib. He gets it almost everyday doesn't he? It's either being contradicted by his deputy and almost everybody else. Or he's being warned.
Today, he is being WARNED! Yes the capitals are intentional because this latest warning comes from no less than former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamed.
Don't ignore Perkasa (The Star)
The former PM says that Najib should listen to views expressed by Perkasa because it is a "mouthpiece" of the Malay community.
Really? So, if you are Malay and don't agree with what Perkasa is doing you better make your voices heard. NOW!
This next bit from Dr. M is quite scary. He said that Najib must listen to their(Perkasa's I presume) view "whether it is sane or insane".
And this is the man who was our Prime Minister for 22 years! Now I feel insanely stupid.
Mahathir also said “The Government is listening to the grouses of other communities and it should also listen to the grouses of the Malays’’.
Hello uncle! When has the Malaysian government NOT been listening to the grouses of the Malays and looking after them? Tell me. Which period of our 50+ years as an independent nation? Got meh? I think it is just people like you and Perkasa who are insisting that fiction be created to cover up history.
"Dr Mahathir said sensitive religious and racial issues should be discussed behind closed doors for the sake of stability."
I tell you ah, politicians lie so often that they totally forget what they are saying. This man is speechifying about Malay rights and all and he tells us that racial issues should be discussed behind closed doors for the sake of stability?
NIAMAH!!!
Friday, March 26, 2010
TNB to sue WWF over Earth Hour
These jokers complain that some people responded and turned off the lights for 1 hour. Yet they say nothing of the hours upon hours practically every day that they have blackouts throughout Sabah.
During Perth's recent storm which was the worst in 50 years which resulted in some power outage, but that was of course not the fault of the power company, each household and business that had experienced a power outage of 12 hours or more could claim A$80 (RM250).
On the other hand, the WWF Earth Hour was supported by all and sundry, including the power company there. How much greed do these UMNO goons need to possess? They think they are smart. But, they are indeed unbelievably stupid!
TNB to sue WWF over Earth Hour
Jump to Comments
KUALA LUMPUR — Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s premier energy provider today announced that they were taking legal action against the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) for organising the Earth Hour, a global movement that makes a stand against climate change by turning off all non-essential lights and electrical equipment for an hour every year.
In a Press conference, TNB president and CEO Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohd Noh said that the annual worldwide symbolic gesture, which this year would be observed this Saturday at 8.30pm, is nothing more than an ‘arrogant and thoughtless viral movement’ aimed to hurt power companies such as TNB.
CHE KHALIB: These people are inconsiderate
“Obviously these green-minded fellows think they’re really cute, organising such an irresponsible campaign,” said Che Khalib angrily. “They say ‘turn off your lights for an hour’ and people do. I bet that really makes them feel all powerful.
“What these western colonialists fail to grasp is how such drastic action affects the poor companies like us. One hour of unused electricity means an hour of wastage for TNB. Did you know that last year’s Earth Hour costed us millions in unrealised revenue?” asked Che Khalib, seething.
“How do you think that affected our production? We couldn’t exactly turn off our power plants just because a large number of Malaysians turn off their lights at the same time. So imagine all that wasted energy.
“This year, we expect even more people to fall for this global con-job,” added Che Khalib. “So there’ll be more lights turned off. KL alone would be engulfed in darkness. Yes, sure, it may seem fun to some, running around in complete darkness. But that also means TNB would get less money. Tell me, what am I supposed to say to the kids of this electrical technician when we can’t give bonus this year?” asked Che Khalib, as he pointed to a TNB staff manning the lights for the Press conference.
He added, “In light of such inconsiderate actions by these tree huggers, TNB has no choice but to take legal action against the Earth Hour organisers, WWF. We’ll wait for our accountants to come back with the loss figure after this year’s Earth Hour, and we plan to sue them for that same amount. We may even add a hundred million ringgit or so, to teach them a lesson.”
Che Khalib also reminded Malaysians to ignore the Earth Hour, calling it a ‘cultural invasion, a concerted assault by extreme liberal forces aimed to destabilise poorer nations’.
“We are Malaysians, and we should be proud of our lights. Every night we should go out and see the beautiful sparkling lights in our city skylines. Don’t be ashamed of the lights,” said Che Khalib, as he unveiled a set of pictures showing the Petronas Twin Towers and the surrounding buildings consequently going dark during last year’s Earth Hour.
DARK TIMES: KLCC buildings going dark last year
“See this? See how ugly, gloomy and dark the last picture is? God knows how many people tripped over things and hurt themselves in the complete darkness, not to mention the number of bad people going around doing naughty things, knowing the authorities could not see them.
“Let’s reverse the order of these pictures this year, and fight for the rights to our lights,” continued Che Khalib. “Let’s unite as 1Malaysia, and tell these green terrorists that we will not go dark! We will not switch off! Let’s tell them that we love our lights!
“POWERRR… EXTREME!” he screamed, as powerful clusters of foglamps flooded the conference room with ultra-bright and hot light, temporarily blinding everyone present, and signalling the end of the Press conference.
During Perth's recent storm which was the worst in 50 years which resulted in some power outage, but that was of course not the fault of the power company, each household and business that had experienced a power outage of 12 hours or more could claim A$80 (RM250).
On the other hand, the WWF Earth Hour was supported by all and sundry, including the power company there. How much greed do these UMNO goons need to possess? They think they are smart. But, they are indeed unbelievably stupid!
TNB to sue WWF over Earth Hour
Jump to Comments
KUALA LUMPUR — Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Malaysia’s premier energy provider today announced that they were taking legal action against the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) for organising the Earth Hour, a global movement that makes a stand against climate change by turning off all non-essential lights and electrical equipment for an hour every year.
In a Press conference, TNB president and CEO Dato’ Sri Che Khalib Mohd Noh said that the annual worldwide symbolic gesture, which this year would be observed this Saturday at 8.30pm, is nothing more than an ‘arrogant and thoughtless viral movement’ aimed to hurt power companies such as TNB.
CHE KHALIB: These people are inconsiderate
“Obviously these green-minded fellows think they’re really cute, organising such an irresponsible campaign,” said Che Khalib angrily. “They say ‘turn off your lights for an hour’ and people do. I bet that really makes them feel all powerful.
“What these western colonialists fail to grasp is how such drastic action affects the poor companies like us. One hour of unused electricity means an hour of wastage for TNB. Did you know that last year’s Earth Hour costed us millions in unrealised revenue?” asked Che Khalib, seething.
“How do you think that affected our production? We couldn’t exactly turn off our power plants just because a large number of Malaysians turn off their lights at the same time. So imagine all that wasted energy.
“This year, we expect even more people to fall for this global con-job,” added Che Khalib. “So there’ll be more lights turned off. KL alone would be engulfed in darkness. Yes, sure, it may seem fun to some, running around in complete darkness. But that also means TNB would get less money. Tell me, what am I supposed to say to the kids of this electrical technician when we can’t give bonus this year?” asked Che Khalib, as he pointed to a TNB staff manning the lights for the Press conference.
He added, “In light of such inconsiderate actions by these tree huggers, TNB has no choice but to take legal action against the Earth Hour organisers, WWF. We’ll wait for our accountants to come back with the loss figure after this year’s Earth Hour, and we plan to sue them for that same amount. We may even add a hundred million ringgit or so, to teach them a lesson.”
Che Khalib also reminded Malaysians to ignore the Earth Hour, calling it a ‘cultural invasion, a concerted assault by extreme liberal forces aimed to destabilise poorer nations’.
“We are Malaysians, and we should be proud of our lights. Every night we should go out and see the beautiful sparkling lights in our city skylines. Don’t be ashamed of the lights,” said Che Khalib, as he unveiled a set of pictures showing the Petronas Twin Towers and the surrounding buildings consequently going dark during last year’s Earth Hour.
DARK TIMES: KLCC buildings going dark last year
“See this? See how ugly, gloomy and dark the last picture is? God knows how many people tripped over things and hurt themselves in the complete darkness, not to mention the number of bad people going around doing naughty things, knowing the authorities could not see them.
“Let’s reverse the order of these pictures this year, and fight for the rights to our lights,” continued Che Khalib. “Let’s unite as 1Malaysia, and tell these green terrorists that we will not go dark! We will not switch off! Let’s tell them that we love our lights!
“POWERRR… EXTREME!” he screamed, as powerful clusters of foglamps flooded the conference room with ultra-bright and hot light, temporarily blinding everyone present, and signalling the end of the Press conference.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Ant and The Grasshopper!
From Malaysian Mirror
(OLDER VERSION)
An ant worked hard in the sweltering heat all summer, building its nest and laying up supplies for the winter.
A grasshopper thought the ant was stupid not knowing how to enjoy life. It spent its days laughing, singing & dancing thoroughly enjoying the summer.
Came winter, the ant was warm, comfortable and had no shortage of food.
The grasshopper had no proper shelter, no stored food, and couldn't find anything to eat from the snow-covered ground. So it died and the story ended.
Moral of the story: Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN VERSION
An ant worked hard in the sweltering heat all summer, building its nest and laying up supplies for the winter.
A grasshopper thought the ant was stupid not knowing how to enjoy life. It spent its days laughing, singing & dancing thoroughly enjoying the summer.
Came winter, the shivering grasshopper called a press conference and demanded to know why the ant should be warm and well fed while he was cold and starving.
TV1, TV2 & TV3 showed up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper alongside to a video clip of the ant in his comfortable home with a table full of food.
The majority of the Malaysian parliamentarians were stunned by the sharp contrast. How could this poor grasshopper be allowed to suffer?
Khairy staged a demonstration in front of the ant's nest.
Nazri went on a hunger strike along with other grasshoppers demanding that they be relocated to warmer climate area during winter.
The Malaysian Government immediately passed a law forbidding all ants from working hard in the summer so as to bring about equality of poverty between ants and grasshoppers.
Muhyiddin increased 'More Special Reservations' for grasshoppers in educational institutions & in government services..
The ant was fined for failing to share 30% of his food with the grasshopper. The PM announced that this was part of the NEP. No ant should question it. (Don't forget, Tax Audits were introduced and targeted at certain individuals who were eventually penalised heavily for not contributing enough to the well-being of the grasshoppers).
Many years later...
Some ants migrated to the US and other countries, and set up multi-billion dollar companies there.
Hundreds of grasshoppers still died of starvation despite the 'More Special Reservations'.
Losing significant number of hard working ants and free loading the grasshoppers, Malaysia remained a developing country, despite its abundant natural resources.
All because the remaining ANTS were still doing their work ...
Latest finding showed that almost all the grasshoppers in the political arena and civil service were hoarding corrupt wealth which they refused to share with fellow grasshoppers.
MORAL OF THE STORY: You decide in the 13th general election.
This was published because we believe that you are an ant – not a grasshopper! Make sure that you pass this on to other ants. Don't bother alerting any grasshoppers because they wouldn't understand it, anyway.
(OLDER VERSION)
An ant worked hard in the sweltering heat all summer, building its nest and laying up supplies for the winter.
A grasshopper thought the ant was stupid not knowing how to enjoy life. It spent its days laughing, singing & dancing thoroughly enjoying the summer.
Came winter, the ant was warm, comfortable and had no shortage of food.
The grasshopper had no proper shelter, no stored food, and couldn't find anything to eat from the snow-covered ground. So it died and the story ended.
Moral of the story: Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN VERSION
An ant worked hard in the sweltering heat all summer, building its nest and laying up supplies for the winter.
A grasshopper thought the ant was stupid not knowing how to enjoy life. It spent its days laughing, singing & dancing thoroughly enjoying the summer.
Came winter, the shivering grasshopper called a press conference and demanded to know why the ant should be warm and well fed while he was cold and starving.
TV1, TV2 & TV3 showed up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper alongside to a video clip of the ant in his comfortable home with a table full of food.
The majority of the Malaysian parliamentarians were stunned by the sharp contrast. How could this poor grasshopper be allowed to suffer?
Khairy staged a demonstration in front of the ant's nest.
Nazri went on a hunger strike along with other grasshoppers demanding that they be relocated to warmer climate area during winter.
The Malaysian Government immediately passed a law forbidding all ants from working hard in the summer so as to bring about equality of poverty between ants and grasshoppers.
Muhyiddin increased 'More Special Reservations' for grasshoppers in educational institutions & in government services..
The ant was fined for failing to share 30% of his food with the grasshopper. The PM announced that this was part of the NEP. No ant should question it. (Don't forget, Tax Audits were introduced and targeted at certain individuals who were eventually penalised heavily for not contributing enough to the well-being of the grasshoppers).
Many years later...
Some ants migrated to the US and other countries, and set up multi-billion dollar companies there.
Hundreds of grasshoppers still died of starvation despite the 'More Special Reservations'.
Losing significant number of hard working ants and free loading the grasshoppers, Malaysia remained a developing country, despite its abundant natural resources.
All because the remaining ANTS were still doing their work ...
Latest finding showed that almost all the grasshoppers in the political arena and civil service were hoarding corrupt wealth which they refused to share with fellow grasshoppers.
MORAL OF THE STORY: You decide in the 13th general election.
This was published because we believe that you are an ant – not a grasshopper! Make sure that you pass this on to other ants. Don't bother alerting any grasshoppers because they wouldn't understand it, anyway.
Friday, March 12, 2010
4.4 million unregistered Malaysian voters!
"Some 28 per cent of eligible voters – or 4.39 million Malaysians over the age of 21 – have yet to register as voters as of the end of last year, Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said.
Of the total, Selangor has the highest number at 787,000, followed by Johor (605,000), Perak (526,000) and Sarawak (473,000)."
Do Malaysians deserve the government they are getting or what?! Why don' they even register to be voters to determine their own future and those of their children?
Of the total, Selangor has the highest number at 787,000, followed by Johor (605,000), Perak (526,000) and Sarawak (473,000)."
Do Malaysians deserve the government they are getting or what?! Why don' they even register to be voters to determine their own future and those of their children?
Thursday, March 4, 2010
夢醒時分 Time to Wake Up from the Dream!
Good article - published in Sin Chew Jit Poh column (English translation is below)
鄭丁賢 • 夢醒時分
你是否和我一樣，發覺身邊的親戚和朋友，似乎少了許多。
以往接近過年時，各種聚餐排得滿滿的，而今年，似乎沒聲沒息。
即使是平常日子，電話少了，與大家見面也少了。
也許，大家各忙各的；或者，目前流行“宅生活”，儘量避免出門。
也不盡然如此。再想一想，很多老友和親戚，已經不在了。嗟！大吉利是，他們都還好好的，只是離開了馬來西亞。
去了中國大陸開工廠；王子不做工程師，移民到澳洲開小食檔；阿風離開本地大學，去香港做講師；青蛙去了台灣，開展事業第二春；還有的到了美國、 英國，唔，還有去印尼的……。
起初，以為這只是個別現象，逐漸的，旁人也有同樣發現；原來，這不是個別現象，而是社會現象；這不是少數，而是相當大的數目。
外交部早前披露了一個數字，說明這個現象是多麼真實，多麼貼近。
從去年3月到今年9月，已經有30萬大馬人移民他國；其中20萬人是今年1月到8月出走的數目。累積下來，已經有超過200萬大馬人移民，接近今天印尼外勞在大馬的人口。
不同的是，移居他國的大馬人，多是專業人士、中產階級。
他們有很多出走的理由，追求事業發展，為了孩子前途，尋找個人更大空間……，概括一句：對馬來西亞失望。
50年前，大家說，馬來西亞真好，好過香港，甚至日本。
30年前，大家說，馬來西亞還不錯，比得上韓國、台灣（不提香港和日本了）。
20年前，大家說，馬來西亞還可以，至少超越中國、泰國（不能和台、韓比了）。
10年前，大家說，馬來西亞再差，還不至於像越南、印尼（中國已是不同級別）。
今日，越南和印尼的經濟成長率遙遙領先大馬，社會活力和知識發展也勝過一籌；距離愈來愈近了。
怕甚麼，還有菲律賓和柬埔寨、緬甸。
但是，一位經濟學家最近到菲律賓考察之後，認為再過20年，大馬可以取代菲律賓，出口馬籍女傭到全世界了。
半個世紀以來，馬來西亞是在大宅院裡，用封建方式，分配祖宗家業，消耗社會資源，浪費和逼走人才；不談競爭力，忽略生產力，討厭績效制。
亞洲金融風暴來襲時，大馬把門關起來，以為避過一劫，有人還自我陶醉，自以為是天才策略。
然而，其它國家面對風暴，走出風暴，進行體質改革，跨步向前，登上另一個水平；大馬卻還在原地踏步。
馬來西亞，該醒一醒了。
Time to Wake Up from the Dream!
I wonder if you feel the same as me, all of a sudden I realised friends and relatives around me seems to get less and less.
Those years when the New Year drew near, all sorts of gathering appointments almost completely filled the diaries, but this year seems so quiet.
Even in normal time, phone calls become less and less, face to face meet up also become much less.
Perhaps, everybody is busy with their own things, or perhaps, nowadays people prefer just to stay in.
However, it is not entirely like this, thinking further, actually old friends and relatives are not around anymore. God bless, they are still alive and well, they just left the country, Malaysia.
They have gone to China to set up factories; ah Wang quit his engineer job and migrated to Australia to set up his little food store business, ah Fong left the local University and went to Hong Kong as a lecturer. 'Frog' went to Taiwan to pursue his second career life.
Others went to America, England, even Indonesia...
At first, I thought these are individual cases, but gradually, people around me realized the same, these are not individual cases but a general symptoms of our society. They are not small numbers but the pretty big numbers indeed.
The Department of Foreign Affairs released the figures earlier, it confirmed that the situation is real.
From March 2008 through to September 2009, a total of 300,000 Malaysians migrated to other Countries, among them 200,000 left between Jan - Aug 2009. (in 8 months)
Cumulatively, 2 million Malaysians have migrated; this figure is close to the number of Indonesian workers in Malaysia today.
The difference being, those migrated are mostly professionals and middle class people.
They have many reasons to leave: pursue career development, for the future of their children, in search of better life and environment... In one sentence, they all lost hope in Malaysia.
50 years ago people said: Malaysia is very good, better than Hong Kong and even Japan.
30 years ago people said: Malaysia is not bad, comparable to South Korea and Taiwan. (No mention of Hong Kong and Japan any more).
20 years ago people said: Malaysia can do la, at least better than China and Thailand (Cannot compare with Taiwan and Korea lah).
10 years ago people said: No matter how bad Malaysia is, cannot be worse than Vietnam and Indonesia. (China is already in a different category).
Today, the economic growth rate of Vietnam and Indonesia already far exceeded Malaysia’s. Social activity and intellectual development of these Country are also better, the gap between us and them is closing up.
Why worry? there are still the Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar behind us.
However, an economist who recently surveyed the Philippines thinks that in 20 years' time, Malaysia can replace Philippines to become the World exporter of Malaysian maids.
Over half a century, Malaysians live in this big old imperial housing complex, closed up and survived on properties left behind by their ancestors; continue to consume up social resources, wasteful, and drive away talents; they never talk
about competitiveness, totally neglect productivity, and hate meritocracy.
When the Asia economic storm hit in 1997, Malaysia closed its doors, thinking we beautifully avoided a disaster, they even think of themselves as geniuses, being able to handle the situation so well.
However, just look at other Countries in our neighbourhood, they stand up, face the storm, and walk out of the storm.
They overhaul the system, improve the processes and march forward, they moved up to a new level. And Malaysia, still "marking time", walking on the same spot.
Dear Malaysia, it's time to wake up! We are already very very late now!
鄭丁賢 • 夢醒時分
你是否和我一樣，發覺身邊的親戚和朋友，似乎少了許多。
以往接近過年時，各種聚餐排得滿滿的，而今年，似乎沒聲沒息。
即使是平常日子，電話少了，與大家見面也少了。
也許，大家各忙各的；或者，目前流行“宅生活”，儘量避免出門。
也不盡然如此。再想一想，很多老友和親戚，已經不在了。嗟！大吉利是，他們都還好好的，只是離開了馬來西亞。
去了中國大陸開工廠；王子不做工程師，移民到澳洲開小食檔；阿風離開本地大學，去香港做講師；青蛙去了台灣，開展事業第二春；還有的到了美國、 英國，唔，還有去印尼的……。
起初，以為這只是個別現象，逐漸的，旁人也有同樣發現；原來，這不是個別現象，而是社會現象；這不是少數，而是相當大的數目。
外交部早前披露了一個數字，說明這個現象是多麼真實，多麼貼近。
從去年3月到今年9月，已經有30萬大馬人移民他國；其中20萬人是今年1月到8月出走的數目。累積下來，已經有超過200萬大馬人移民，接近今天印尼外勞在大馬的人口。
不同的是，移居他國的大馬人，多是專業人士、中產階級。
他們有很多出走的理由，追求事業發展，為了孩子前途，尋找個人更大空間……，概括一句：對馬來西亞失望。
50年前，大家說，馬來西亞真好，好過香港，甚至日本。
30年前，大家說，馬來西亞還不錯，比得上韓國、台灣（不提香港和日本了）。
20年前，大家說，馬來西亞還可以，至少超越中國、泰國（不能和台、韓比了）。
10年前，大家說，馬來西亞再差，還不至於像越南、印尼（中國已是不同級別）。
今日，越南和印尼的經濟成長率遙遙領先大馬，社會活力和知識發展也勝過一籌；距離愈來愈近了。
怕甚麼，還有菲律賓和柬埔寨、緬甸。
但是，一位經濟學家最近到菲律賓考察之後，認為再過20年，大馬可以取代菲律賓，出口馬籍女傭到全世界了。
半個世紀以來，馬來西亞是在大宅院裡，用封建方式，分配祖宗家業，消耗社會資源，浪費和逼走人才；不談競爭力，忽略生產力，討厭績效制。
亞洲金融風暴來襲時，大馬把門關起來，以為避過一劫，有人還自我陶醉，自以為是天才策略。
然而，其它國家面對風暴，走出風暴，進行體質改革，跨步向前，登上另一個水平；大馬卻還在原地踏步。
馬來西亞，該醒一醒了。
Time to Wake Up from the Dream!
I wonder if you feel the same as me, all of a sudden I realised friends and relatives around me seems to get less and less.
Those years when the New Year drew near, all sorts of gathering appointments almost completely filled the diaries, but this year seems so quiet.
Even in normal time, phone calls become less and less, face to face meet up also become much less.
Perhaps, everybody is busy with their own things, or perhaps, nowadays people prefer just to stay in.
However, it is not entirely like this, thinking further, actually old friends and relatives are not around anymore. God bless, they are still alive and well, they just left the country, Malaysia.
They have gone to China to set up factories; ah Wang quit his engineer job and migrated to Australia to set up his little food store business, ah Fong left the local University and went to Hong Kong as a lecturer. 'Frog' went to Taiwan to pursue his second career life.
Others went to America, England, even Indonesia...
At first, I thought these are individual cases, but gradually, people around me realized the same, these are not individual cases but a general symptoms of our society. They are not small numbers but the pretty big numbers indeed.
The Department of Foreign Affairs released the figures earlier, it confirmed that the situation is real.
From March 2008 through to September 2009, a total of 300,000 Malaysians migrated to other Countries, among them 200,000 left between Jan - Aug 2009. (in 8 months)
Cumulatively, 2 million Malaysians have migrated; this figure is close to the number of Indonesian workers in Malaysia today.
The difference being, those migrated are mostly professionals and middle class people.
They have many reasons to leave: pursue career development, for the future of their children, in search of better life and environment... In one sentence, they all lost hope in Malaysia.
50 years ago people said: Malaysia is very good, better than Hong Kong and even Japan.
30 years ago people said: Malaysia is not bad, comparable to South Korea and Taiwan. (No mention of Hong Kong and Japan any more).
20 years ago people said: Malaysia can do la, at least better than China and Thailand (Cannot compare with Taiwan and Korea lah).
10 years ago people said: No matter how bad Malaysia is, cannot be worse than Vietnam and Indonesia. (China is already in a different category).
Today, the economic growth rate of Vietnam and Indonesia already far exceeded Malaysia’s. Social activity and intellectual development of these Country are also better, the gap between us and them is closing up.
Why worry? there are still the Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar behind us.
However, an economist who recently surveyed the Philippines thinks that in 20 years' time, Malaysia can replace Philippines to become the World exporter of Malaysian maids.
Over half a century, Malaysians live in this big old imperial housing complex, closed up and survived on properties left behind by their ancestors; continue to consume up social resources, wasteful, and drive away talents; they never talk
about competitiveness, totally neglect productivity, and hate meritocracy.
When the Asia economic storm hit in 1997, Malaysia closed its doors, thinking we beautifully avoided a disaster, they even think of themselves as geniuses, being able to handle the situation so well.
However, just look at other Countries in our neighbourhood, they stand up, face the storm, and walk out of the storm.
They overhaul the system, improve the processes and march forward, they moved up to a new level. And Malaysia, still "marking time", walking on the same spot.
Dear Malaysia, it's time to wake up! We are already very very late now!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Extract from a speech by Lim Kit Siang in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
...2013 in three years’ time mark Sabah’s 50th anniversary in the formation of Malaysia. It is appropriate in preparing for the occasion to seriously assess whether the dreams of Sabahans in 1963 to form Malaysia together with Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia had been fulfilled or betrayed.
Have the people of Sabah been granted their full citizenship rights as Malaysians in the past five decades?
Let the debate and soul-searching begin as to how one of the richest states in Sabah had been reduced in five decades to become the poorest state in the federation.
In the nineties, the Barisan Nasional promised Sabahans that poverty in Sabah would be eradicated in the year 2,000. However, instead of abolishing poverty in 2000, Sabah’s poverty rate became the worst in the whole of the country.
Barisan Nasional next promised that hard-core poverty in Sabah would be abolished in 2010. This is another candidate heading for the mountainous dump heap of Barisan Nasional broken promises, in Sabah and in Malaysia!
Sabahans and Malaysians remember that to topple the PBS Sabah government, Umno and Barisan Nasional pledged that if they come to power in Sabah, they would be genuine power-sharing through the rotation of the post of Sabah Chief Minister among the three major communities in the state.
What is the Umno/Barisan Nasional record of their rule of Sabah in the past 16 years since 1994?
UMNO/BN had betrayed their pledge of power-sharing by rotation of Sabah Chief Minister’s post as in the past 16 years, the Chief Minister’s post was held by a Kadazan native for 9 months, Chinese for 4 years and Umno for more than 11 years!
Nothing could be more eloquent than this episode to highlight the enormity of the breach of faith and betrayal of pledge of Umno/Barisan Nasional to the people of Sabah in the past 16 years of their rule of Sabah.
This is a far cry from the great promises shared by Sabahans in the early decades of nationhood.
...2013 in three years’ time mark Sabah’s 50th anniversary in the formation of Malaysia. It is appropriate in preparing for the occasion to seriously assess whether the dreams of Sabahans in 1963 to form Malaysia together with Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia had been fulfilled or betrayed.
Have the people of Sabah been granted their full citizenship rights as Malaysians in the past five decades?
Let the debate and soul-searching begin as to how one of the richest states in Sabah had been reduced in five decades to become the poorest state in the federation.
In the nineties, the Barisan Nasional promised Sabahans that poverty in Sabah would be eradicated in the year 2,000. However, instead of abolishing poverty in 2000, Sabah’s poverty rate became the worst in the whole of the country.
Barisan Nasional next promised that hard-core poverty in Sabah would be abolished in 2010. This is another candidate heading for the mountainous dump heap of Barisan Nasional broken promises, in Sabah and in Malaysia!
Sabahans and Malaysians remember that to topple the PBS Sabah government, Umno and Barisan Nasional pledged that if they come to power in Sabah, they would be genuine power-sharing through the rotation of the post of Sabah Chief Minister among the three major communities in the state.
What is the Umno/Barisan Nasional record of their rule of Sabah in the past 16 years since 1994?
UMNO/BN had betrayed their pledge of power-sharing by rotation of Sabah Chief Minister’s post as in the past 16 years, the Chief Minister’s post was held by a Kadazan native for 9 months, Chinese for 4 years and Umno for more than 11 years!
Nothing could be more eloquent than this episode to highlight the enormity of the breach of faith and betrayal of pledge of Umno/Barisan Nasional to the people of Sabah in the past 16 years of their rule of Sabah.
This is a far cry from the great promises shared by Sabahans in the early decades of nationhood.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Why Australia Did Not Respond?
These UMNO goons protesting against the 50 Australian MP's - couldn't even bother to get spelling checked by google?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
An Unhappy Chinese New Year?
By Martin Jalleh
At a CHINESE NEW YEAR function, the Prime Minister declares that Malaysian Chinese should be daring to help build a more dynamic 1Malaysia.
Such a dramatic invitation by Najib Abdul Razak is made against the dark and depressing background of discordant voices by Umnoputras which the drums and deafening firecrackers fail to drown out and exorcise.
We hear the disturbing insult of all the Ahmad Ismails labelling the Malaysian Chinese "immigrants" and "squatters" and adding that they have no right to equal treatment with the Umnoputras – who just happened to migrate here a little earlier than the rest of us.
Lost in translation
We hear the deranged Nasir Safars spitting on us in 1Malaysia seminars with their vile claim that our mothers and grandmothers came here to sell their bodies, whilst never mentioning how the Umnoputras sell their principles, souls and even the country away.
We hear the devious speeches of Umno “intellectuals” in the Biro Tatanegara such as the ridiculous claim of a Chinese conspiracy with Singapore, when the Malays are disunited, to topple the Malay government, when very obviously the BTN courses are meant “to promote certain government leaders” (Nazri Aziz) and to protect, perpetuate and preserve their political power!
We hear the disgraceful racist rant of all the Abdul Rauf Yusohs in closed-door Umno functions abroad and at home calling non-Malays “‘bangsa asing” and accusing them of “trampling on the Malays in ''Tanah Melayu'', when the glaring reality is that of Umnoputras trampling on each other and on ordinary Malays to grab and gobble the largest piece possible of ‘Tanah Melayu’ that is left!
We hear the despicable and highly racist hysteria of Perkasa whose president Ibrahim Ali has hopped back as the saviour of the hapless Malay by waging war against the supposedly avaricious Chinese, whilst hiding the fact that the real enemy of the Malays are people like him and his cohorts who have been Umno’s self-serving sycophants who suck up to the powers that be to satisfy their insatiable greed.
We hear the views of Dr M claiming (without any substantiation, solid evidence or statistics) that the Chinese are the real masters of the country – when in reality it is he, his cronies and a few Chinese capitalists whom he had created who are the real “tuans”. He is also the real mastermind of Umno’s racist policies – the “Father of all racists” as Nazri Aziz has crowned him!
The real culprits
We hear the disgusting attempts to make the Chinese the scapegoat of Malay poverty when for the last 39 years of the NEP it was the Umnoputras who have squeezed and bled this country dry, siphoned and stashed their ill-gotten gains overseas and sent their children abroad to study in premier schools, whilst deceiving, denying and depriving the poor Malay of what was due to them.
We hear the deafening silence of the Umnoputras on the many bail-outs, buy-outs and the mind-boggling billions wasted and still more which went missing without being accounted for or anyone held responsible for, especially during the Mahathir years, and which goes on unabated till today, whilst the Chinese are accused of getting richer at the expense of the Malays!
We hear the derogatory remarks of Umnoputras against the Chinese newspapers while Umno-owned English and Malay papers, especially the Utusan Malaysia, are allowed to go on a spree of spinning falsehood, spouting lies, spewing seditious articles and spreading what Nazri Aziz calls “outdated racist propaganda” with impunity and immunity by the Umno Home Minister.
We hear the diabolical voices in Umno who politicise religion for the party’s survival by creating unfounded fears and insecurities amongst Muslims, deepening distrust of adherents of other religions and derailing sincere efforts at inter-religious dialogue whilst declaring those who detest their devious ways as anti-Islam and anti-Malay.
We hear the desperate attempts by Umnoputras to manufacture imaginary threats and bogeymen such as the Chinese wanting to conquer this country from the Malays, the Christians hell-bent on confusing and converting every Muslim and even the CIA having covert operations here! Alas, Umno can only survive with a siege mentality which Khairy Jamaluddin had urged it to abandon.
We hear the deceiving hypocrisy of Umnoputras who portray themselves as the protectors of the Malays to revive their comatosed political careers, and when in actuality Malay rights have always been outlined, stated and guaranteed clearly by the Federal Constitution (Professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari), i.e., the Malays do not need further protection from Umno or the likes of Ibrahim Ali!
We hear the Umnoputras’ drummed-up danger of the Malays losing their rights – when they in fact control all the (Malay) institutions, dictate all laws and policies, own all the state-owned companies, GLCs (Petronas), banks and national assets and resources and are accorded priorities and privileges when it comes to properties, public contracts and scholarships! If indeed the Malays do lose their rights – it is to the Umno elite!
Pervasive delirium
We hear the delirium of the Umno warlords who are drunk with power, warning non-Malays not to push the Malays too far (who is pushing?) or they would go amok, create a bloodbath and start another May 13 “or Feb. 13”, when it is obvious that such intimidating threats of thuggery and mob violence are meant to defend “the most corrupt institution in this country” (Lim Kit Siang), Umno!
We hear Najib’s voice spurring the country towards oneness, but will it be silenced by Umno’s cacophony of racism? Will the PM show spine, substance and nerves of steel and stop the mounting dissonance by the Umno warlords, government officials and extremist groups like Perkasa or will he be satisfied in being a sloganeer and somnolent PM and meet the same tragic fate as his predecessor?
We hear Najib’s invitation to the Malaysian Chinese to be more courageous, committed and to contribute to a more dynamic 1Malaysia.
At the same time, Umnoputras are allowed to gamble away the country by playing the racist card to the hilt!
Is this part of Najib’s charade and chicanery of “concrete change” on Chinese New Year’s Day? If it is, he and Umno will not last very long.
At a CHINESE NEW YEAR function, the Prime Minister declares that Malaysian Chinese should be daring to help build a more dynamic 1Malaysia.
Such a dramatic invitation by Najib Abdul Razak is made against the dark and depressing background of discordant voices by Umnoputras which the drums and deafening firecrackers fail to drown out and exorcise.
We hear the disturbing insult of all the Ahmad Ismails labelling the Malaysian Chinese "immigrants" and "squatters" and adding that they have no right to equal treatment with the Umnoputras – who just happened to migrate here a little earlier than the rest of us.
Lost in translation
We hear the deranged Nasir Safars spitting on us in 1Malaysia seminars with their vile claim that our mothers and grandmothers came here to sell their bodies, whilst never mentioning how the Umnoputras sell their principles, souls and even the country away.
We hear the devious speeches of Umno “intellectuals” in the Biro Tatanegara such as the ridiculous claim of a Chinese conspiracy with Singapore, when the Malays are disunited, to topple the Malay government, when very obviously the BTN courses are meant “to promote certain government leaders” (Nazri Aziz) and to protect, perpetuate and preserve their political power!
We hear the disgraceful racist rant of all the Abdul Rauf Yusohs in closed-door Umno functions abroad and at home calling non-Malays “‘bangsa asing” and accusing them of “trampling on the Malays in ''Tanah Melayu'', when the glaring reality is that of Umnoputras trampling on each other and on ordinary Malays to grab and gobble the largest piece possible of ‘Tanah Melayu’ that is left!
We hear the despicable and highly racist hysteria of Perkasa whose president Ibrahim Ali has hopped back as the saviour of the hapless Malay by waging war against the supposedly avaricious Chinese, whilst hiding the fact that the real enemy of the Malays are people like him and his cohorts who have been Umno’s self-serving sycophants who suck up to the powers that be to satisfy their insatiable greed.
We hear the views of Dr M claiming (without any substantiation, solid evidence or statistics) that the Chinese are the real masters of the country – when in reality it is he, his cronies and a few Chinese capitalists whom he had created who are the real “tuans”. He is also the real mastermind of Umno’s racist policies – the “Father of all racists” as Nazri Aziz has crowned him!
The real culprits
We hear the disgusting attempts to make the Chinese the scapegoat of Malay poverty when for the last 39 years of the NEP it was the Umnoputras who have squeezed and bled this country dry, siphoned and stashed their ill-gotten gains overseas and sent their children abroad to study in premier schools, whilst deceiving, denying and depriving the poor Malay of what was due to them.
We hear the deafening silence of the Umnoputras on the many bail-outs, buy-outs and the mind-boggling billions wasted and still more which went missing without being accounted for or anyone held responsible for, especially during the Mahathir years, and which goes on unabated till today, whilst the Chinese are accused of getting richer at the expense of the Malays!
We hear the derogatory remarks of Umnoputras against the Chinese newspapers while Umno-owned English and Malay papers, especially the Utusan Malaysia, are allowed to go on a spree of spinning falsehood, spouting lies, spewing seditious articles and spreading what Nazri Aziz calls “outdated racist propaganda” with impunity and immunity by the Umno Home Minister.
We hear the diabolical voices in Umno who politicise religion for the party’s survival by creating unfounded fears and insecurities amongst Muslims, deepening distrust of adherents of other religions and derailing sincere efforts at inter-religious dialogue whilst declaring those who detest their devious ways as anti-Islam and anti-Malay.
We hear the desperate attempts by Umnoputras to manufacture imaginary threats and bogeymen such as the Chinese wanting to conquer this country from the Malays, the Christians hell-bent on confusing and converting every Muslim and even the CIA having covert operations here! Alas, Umno can only survive with a siege mentality which Khairy Jamaluddin had urged it to abandon.
We hear the deceiving hypocrisy of Umnoputras who portray themselves as the protectors of the Malays to revive their comatosed political careers, and when in actuality Malay rights have always been outlined, stated and guaranteed clearly by the Federal Constitution (Professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari), i.e., the Malays do not need further protection from Umno or the likes of Ibrahim Ali!
We hear the Umnoputras’ drummed-up danger of the Malays losing their rights – when they in fact control all the (Malay) institutions, dictate all laws and policies, own all the state-owned companies, GLCs (Petronas), banks and national assets and resources and are accorded priorities and privileges when it comes to properties, public contracts and scholarships! If indeed the Malays do lose their rights – it is to the Umno elite!
Pervasive delirium
We hear the delirium of the Umno warlords who are drunk with power, warning non-Malays not to push the Malays too far (who is pushing?) or they would go amok, create a bloodbath and start another May 13 “or Feb. 13”, when it is obvious that such intimidating threats of thuggery and mob violence are meant to defend “the most corrupt institution in this country” (Lim Kit Siang), Umno!
We hear Najib’s voice spurring the country towards oneness, but will it be silenced by Umno’s cacophony of racism? Will the PM show spine, substance and nerves of steel and stop the mounting dissonance by the Umno warlords, government officials and extremist groups like Perkasa or will he be satisfied in being a sloganeer and somnolent PM and meet the same tragic fate as his predecessor?
We hear Najib’s invitation to the Malaysian Chinese to be more courageous, committed and to contribute to a more dynamic 1Malaysia.
At the same time, Umnoputras are allowed to gamble away the country by playing the racist card to the hilt!
Is this part of Najib’s charade and chicanery of “concrete change” on Chinese New Year’s Day? If it is, he and Umno will not last very long.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Purposeful Inconvenience or Voluntary Neglect?
By Disappointed Dr
I am a medical doctor who was educated overseas and worked in Australia for several years and recently decided to return to Malaysia to serve the country.
As a professional working overseas I heard about the 'Program bagi mengalakkan warganegara Malaysia yang berpakaran yang bekerja di luar negara pulang ke Malaysia' and therefore applied for it. I was very disappointed when they rejected my application on the grounds that it was sent after I returned to Malaysia. Apparently it was meant to be sent whilst I was still in Australia.
I find this a very poor excuse given the fact that Malaysia is trying to lure back its citizens to work for them. It discourages professionals such as me from having to bear the burden to return but not have any perks or encouraging incentives. Furthermore, my parents bore my exorbitant medical tuition fees and I did not receive any governmental loans whatsoever. The “least” is something anyone would expect.
Besides that, it took me a great deal of an effort to locate the abovementioned application form which was hidden in the catacombic archives of one of the governmental websites. Talk about purposeful inconvenience or perhaps voluntary neglect.
I can see why many of my colleagues are hesitant to return and serve the government given the unimpressive, unattractive attitude and to top it off the obvious suboptimal remuneration and working conditions. Now, thankfully I still have the option to return to Australia and am reconsidering my intentions to continue here thanks to the above. Job well done in luring professionals back.
I am a medical doctor who was educated overseas and worked in Australia for several years and recently decided to return to Malaysia to serve the country.
As a professional working overseas I heard about the 'Program bagi mengalakkan warganegara Malaysia yang berpakaran yang bekerja di luar negara pulang ke Malaysia' and therefore applied for it. I was very disappointed when they rejected my application on the grounds that it was sent after I returned to Malaysia. Apparently it was meant to be sent whilst I was still in Australia.
I find this a very poor excuse given the fact that Malaysia is trying to lure back its citizens to work for them. It discourages professionals such as me from having to bear the burden to return but not have any perks or encouraging incentives. Furthermore, my parents bore my exorbitant medical tuition fees and I did not receive any governmental loans whatsoever. The “least” is something anyone would expect.
Besides that, it took me a great deal of an effort to locate the abovementioned application form which was hidden in the catacombic archives of one of the governmental websites. Talk about purposeful inconvenience or perhaps voluntary neglect.
I can see why many of my colleagues are hesitant to return and serve the government given the unimpressive, unattractive attitude and to top it off the obvious suboptimal remuneration and working conditions. Now, thankfully I still have the option to return to Australia and am reconsidering my intentions to continue here thanks to the above. Job well done in luring professionals back.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
"Don't Come Home, Son"
A true story about emigration.
Sometime in 1980, when I was a final year student in London, I had a very short teleconversation with my father. In those days, there were no call cards, Skype or the like and calls were expensive. He had a very simple message - "Dont come home, Son".
Now almost 30 years on, I see where he was coming from.
He advised me to stay on in the UK or if I found the weather not to my liking, told me to go to Australia - even if it meant that I may eventually marry a "white girl" as he put it. I was 23 and marriage was certainly not on my mind.
29 years on, I view his foresight through the same prism and now agonise as to whether I should tell my children the same. For now, I am allowing my eldest to pursue his tertiary education overseas. Maybe when he finishes, he may not be as short-sighted as I was. Pray God grant him wisdom and vision.
Last year, I resigned from my job, returned the company car and driver, said goodbye to my executive package and moved to Australia where I now live with no maid, no driver, no Audi 2.8, no golf, no teh tarik seessions, no bonus etc but am rediscovering humanity running a humble ice cream shop.
Sometimes we learn very late.
An ice-cream seller
Sometime in 1980, when I was a final year student in London, I had a very short teleconversation with my father. In those days, there were no call cards, Skype or the like and calls were expensive. He had a very simple message - "Dont come home, Son".
Now almost 30 years on, I see where he was coming from.
He advised me to stay on in the UK or if I found the weather not to my liking, told me to go to Australia - even if it meant that I may eventually marry a "white girl" as he put it. I was 23 and marriage was certainly not on my mind.
29 years on, I view his foresight through the same prism and now agonise as to whether I should tell my children the same. For now, I am allowing my eldest to pursue his tertiary education overseas. Maybe when he finishes, he may not be as short-sighted as I was. Pray God grant him wisdom and vision.
Last year, I resigned from my job, returned the company car and driver, said goodbye to my executive package and moved to Australia where I now live with no maid, no driver, no Audi 2.8, no golf, no teh tarik seessions, no bonus etc but am rediscovering humanity running a humble ice cream shop.
Sometimes we learn very late.
An ice-cream seller
Barisan Wrong to Betray the People!
by Khoo Kay Peng
Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah criticised Malaysians who have emigrated, saying it was “wrong” and insinuating that they were betraying the sacrifices of their forefathers.
“You and me, our children, we build our lives here and we have our homes here. This is our homeland. I get very sad when I hear we have people migrating to foreign shores. To me, this is wrong.
“Our forefathers have come here, many years ago, bearing much hardship and deprivation. Why did they endure this? Because they believed that their future generations will reap the fruits of having to live on this blessed land.”
Yes, this was the case until the only ruling regime of this country, Barisan Nasional, insisted to perpetuate its brand of race-based, divisive and irresponsible politics which helped to drive away more than a million Malaysians in a short span of five decades.
More than 60 percent of these Malaysians were driven away by how this country has been managed by the ruling regime. It is safe to assume that more were driven away by the push factor (e.g. racist policies, corruption, mediocre leadership, lack of equal access to economic and education opportunities and bad policies) than a pull factor.
Why should Barisan continue to embrace the old? The coalition has squandered many opportunities to strengthen its partnership and its political influence. Political parties in the coalition could easily abandon race based politics and form a common political party, using the existing Barisan platform.
We would have thought that years of socialisation amongst political parties in the coalition would have made it easier for them to transition to a common multiracial platform. Alas, the answer is no. Race based political parties continue to exist to serve the interest of a few who wanted to become race heroes or to manipulate race for political ascension.
Husni should try to find some political wisdom from his own statement and disappointment. I had met him a few times when he was just a backbencher and held a favourable impression of his humble personality and reasonableness.
If the Barisan regime can govern fairly, transparently and respect our democratic credentials and spirit, many more Malaysians would rather work and live at home. Malaysia is still home to these overseas wanderers.
When I went abroad for my postgraduate studies, the feeling of loneliness and craving for home (Malaysia) was unbearable and sharp. The same feeling is probably shared by many Malaysians abroad.
Husni should remember that one hand cannot clap. In every action, there is an equal reaction. It should start from the ruling regime, Barisan Nasional.
Barisan is wrong to neglect the people. Is it wrong to continue perpetuating its race based politics, neglecting the education system, stunting real economic growth by condoning political corruption, abusing political power, practising divisive and bad policies, promoting ethno-nationalism and communitarian politics and ignoring the need to strengthen democracy.
If the current situation persists, why would non-partisan, helpless and common but highly educated and skillful Malaysians stay?
Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah criticised Malaysians who have emigrated, saying it was “wrong” and insinuating that they were betraying the sacrifices of their forefathers.
“You and me, our children, we build our lives here and we have our homes here. This is our homeland. I get very sad when I hear we have people migrating to foreign shores. To me, this is wrong.
“Our forefathers have come here, many years ago, bearing much hardship and deprivation. Why did they endure this? Because they believed that their future generations will reap the fruits of having to live on this blessed land.”
Yes, this was the case until the only ruling regime of this country, Barisan Nasional, insisted to perpetuate its brand of race-based, divisive and irresponsible politics which helped to drive away more than a million Malaysians in a short span of five decades.
More than 60 percent of these Malaysians were driven away by how this country has been managed by the ruling regime. It is safe to assume that more were driven away by the push factor (e.g. racist policies, corruption, mediocre leadership, lack of equal access to economic and education opportunities and bad policies) than a pull factor.
Why should Barisan continue to embrace the old? The coalition has squandered many opportunities to strengthen its partnership and its political influence. Political parties in the coalition could easily abandon race based politics and form a common political party, using the existing Barisan platform.
We would have thought that years of socialisation amongst political parties in the coalition would have made it easier for them to transition to a common multiracial platform. Alas, the answer is no. Race based political parties continue to exist to serve the interest of a few who wanted to become race heroes or to manipulate race for political ascension.
Husni should try to find some political wisdom from his own statement and disappointment. I had met him a few times when he was just a backbencher and held a favourable impression of his humble personality and reasonableness.
If the Barisan regime can govern fairly, transparently and respect our democratic credentials and spirit, many more Malaysians would rather work and live at home. Malaysia is still home to these overseas wanderers.
When I went abroad for my postgraduate studies, the feeling of loneliness and craving for home (Malaysia) was unbearable and sharp. The same feeling is probably shared by many Malaysians abroad.
Husni should remember that one hand cannot clap. In every action, there is an equal reaction. It should start from the ruling regime, Barisan Nasional.
Barisan is wrong to neglect the people. Is it wrong to continue perpetuating its race based politics, neglecting the education system, stunting real economic growth by condoning political corruption, abusing political power, practising divisive and bad policies, promoting ethno-nationalism and communitarian politics and ignoring the need to strengthen democracy.
If the current situation persists, why would non-partisan, helpless and common but highly educated and skillful Malaysians stay?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
THE MALAYSIAN MALAY
by Dr Syed Alwi of Singapore
As you know, I am an avid watcher of Malaysian affairs. I must confess that lately, Malaysia appears to be failing. Not a day passes by without more events that clearly highlight Malaysia's race-religion fault-line. If things keep going this way, I fear for Malaysia's future.
Today, schools in Singapore celebrate Racial Harmony Day. I can visibly see the joy in the children's faces as they wear their ethnic costumes and have fun together at school. But in Malaysia - even the right to choose a religion has become a sensitive, national issue. No doubt, there are many in Malaysia who hate my liberal views on Islam, family included. But I will say what I must say openly. I have come to the conclusion that Malaysia cannot progress any further without first addressing fundamental questions regarding its identity and soul.
I remember the days when we can laugh at Lat's cartoons on everyday Malaysian life. But sadly,the Islamic tide has polarised Malaysians.
Some people ask why I should bother about Malaysian affairs since I am a Singaporean. May I remind Malaysians that it was Tan Siew Sin who once said that Singapore and Malaysia are Siamese Twins. Should Malaysia go down - it would hurt the region tremendously. Especially Singapore ..
Where do you think Malay apostates would head for if Lina Joy loses her case? Singapore of course! I find the Malaysian Malay to be very under-exposed. For them, it's all Islam and the NEP and everything under the sun would sort itself out. I am sorry to say this - but Islam and the NEP may be the cause of the undoing of the Malaysian Malay.
There is nothing wrong with religion or affirmative action. But, like everything else in life,they must be taken in moderation and with a pinch of salt. A little doubt is good. Unfortunately in Malaysia, emotions over Islam have overcome reason. What we see today is the result of the NEP and Islamisation policies of the past thirty years or so.
No one owes Malaysian Malays a living. Let me assure you that should Malaysia fail - the Malaysian Malay will suffer enormously. And rightly so. After all they have been pampered with all sorts of goodies over the years.
They cannot now expect more goodies. Perhaps the day of reckoning for them, is near. Whatever it is, Malaysia had better wake up to the realities around her. The globalised world of the 21st century has no NEP to offer the Malaysian Malay. And humans cannot live by religion alone.
As you know, I am an avid watcher of Malaysian affairs. I must confess that lately, Malaysia appears to be failing. Not a day passes by without more events that clearly highlight Malaysia's race-religion fault-line. If things keep going this way, I fear for Malaysia's future.
Today, schools in Singapore celebrate Racial Harmony Day. I can visibly see the joy in the children's faces as they wear their ethnic costumes and have fun together at school. But in Malaysia - even the right to choose a religion has become a sensitive, national issue. No doubt, there are many in Malaysia who hate my liberal views on Islam, family included. But I will say what I must say openly. I have come to the conclusion that Malaysia cannot progress any further without first addressing fundamental questions regarding its identity and soul.
I remember the days when we can laugh at Lat's cartoons on everyday Malaysian life. But sadly,the Islamic tide has polarised Malaysians.
Some people ask why I should bother about Malaysian affairs since I am a Singaporean. May I remind Malaysians that it was Tan Siew Sin who once said that Singapore and Malaysia are Siamese Twins. Should Malaysia go down - it would hurt the region tremendously. Especially Singapore ..
Where do you think Malay apostates would head for if Lina Joy loses her case? Singapore of course! I find the Malaysian Malay to be very under-exposed. For them, it's all Islam and the NEP and everything under the sun would sort itself out. I am sorry to say this - but Islam and the NEP may be the cause of the undoing of the Malaysian Malay.
There is nothing wrong with religion or affirmative action. But, like everything else in life,they must be taken in moderation and with a pinch of salt. A little doubt is good. Unfortunately in Malaysia, emotions over Islam have overcome reason. What we see today is the result of the NEP and Islamisation policies of the past thirty years or so.
No one owes Malaysian Malays a living. Let me assure you that should Malaysia fail - the Malaysian Malay will suffer enormously. And rightly so. After all they have been pampered with all sorts of goodies over the years.
They cannot now expect more goodies. Perhaps the day of reckoning for them, is near. Whatever it is, Malaysia had better wake up to the realities around her. The globalised world of the 21st century has no NEP to offer the Malaysian Malay. And humans cannot live by religion alone.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Ayah! Ayah! Allah! Allah!
A non-Muslim man came home from work and his children ran to him and called out “Ayah! Ayah!”
His Muslim neighbour got very upset and said to him, “Can you please tell your children not to call you ‘Ayah’?”
The man asked, “Why?”
The neighbor retorted, “Because my children call me ’Ayah’ too. They might get confused and mistake you to be their father.”
His Muslim neighbour got very upset and said to him, “Can you please tell your children not to call you ‘Ayah’?”
The man asked, “Why?”
The neighbor retorted, “Because my children call me ’Ayah’ too. They might get confused and mistake you to be their father.”
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Money Leaving Malaysia in Massive Amounts and in Bizarre Fashion!
(Free Malaysia Today) - Malaysia’s once strong foreign exchange reserves is bordering on collapse, according to a UBS Securities Asia Limited report. It says that in 2009, Malaysia experienced the biggest foreign exchange reserve losses among Asian countries.
It says official reserves fell by more than one-quarter on a valuation-adjusted basis.
Describing the situation as bizarre, it notes that Malaysia used to have the largest current account surplus in Asia–at around 17% of GDP.
“Over the past 12 months, Malaysian reserves nearly collapsed” while neighbours like Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China “have seen sizeable increases,” it says.
It says foreign capital outflows from Malaysia in the last year was nearly 50 percent of its GDP.
“When we measure implied net flows using the same rough methodology as in used on Russia, the numbers are simply stunning. Malaysia showed peak outflows of nearly 50% of GDP,” it says, noting that the outflow was larger than anything witnessed in the world of emerging markets (EM).
The report also says Malaysia over the past 12 months recorded one of the biggest base money contractions in the entire EM world.
It asserts that recent outflows were “far, far bigger than those Malaysia experienced in the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.”
It says official reserves fell by more than one-quarter on a valuation-adjusted basis.
Describing the situation as bizarre, it notes that Malaysia used to have the largest current account surplus in Asia–at around 17% of GDP.
“Over the past 12 months, Malaysian reserves nearly collapsed” while neighbours like Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China “have seen sizeable increases,” it says.
It says foreign capital outflows from Malaysia in the last year was nearly 50 percent of its GDP.
“When we measure implied net flows using the same rough methodology as in used on Russia, the numbers are simply stunning. Malaysia showed peak outflows of nearly 50% of GDP,” it says, noting that the outflow was larger than anything witnessed in the world of emerging markets (EM).
The report also says Malaysia over the past 12 months recorded one of the biggest base money contractions in the entire EM world.
It asserts that recent outflows were “far, far bigger than those Malaysia experienced in the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.”
Monday, January 4, 2010
Action against Moneychangers – Turf War
Being circulating in the internet are the following assertions:
Syed Akbar Ali is one of the more pleasant and likeable mamaks. He has an independent and inquisitive mind. Here he exposes the real reasons why there is a clampdown on moneychangers.
It seems that some 45 UMNOputras used their ‘connections’ to get “Moneychanger Licences.” But not having the necessary smarts – in other words, an idiot will always be an idiot – they cannot compete against the real mamak moneychangers.
So they decided to play dirty – which is par for the course of being an UMNO member – used their “influence” to get Bank Negara to come down hard on these mamak moneychangers and revoke their licences. Then these 45 “moneychangers” will have no competition, charging exorbitant rates for changing money.
Some of you will remember that Robert Kuok sold all his shares in the sugar business in Malaysia about 3 weeks ago. As long as he was in the sugar business in Malaysia, the Malaysian government refused to allow the price of sugar to go up. Just two weeks after he sold all his shares, the government made an announcement that it would remove the tariff and allow the price of sugar to find its own level so that the Malaysian population would be discouraged from taking too much sugar in their cakes and drinks.
Only a retard would come up with such a dumb excuse to screw the Malaysian public including the Malays! The UMNOputras who took over immediately wanted to raise the price of sugar so that they could become rich overnight. When your cup of teh tarik reaches RM1.50 or 2.00, will you say they are looking after the interests of the Malays, as they claim in BTN courses? So do you think the Chinese are working against your interests?
Commodity prices are now rising again because of inclement weather. Sugar prices are sure to go up but by what margin? With more than 60 years experience in sugar trading, Robert Kuok knew how to handle the sugar commodity business. Commodity trading requires skills honed over years of exposure. So how will our Johnny-come-lately’s handle the next surge in sugar prices? Your teh tarik is going to cost you RM2.50 per cup in a year’s time. And all hell will break loose.
Remember what they did to MAS? They took a guy from Shell who had some exposure to oil trading and made him the CEO. He was supposed to do wonders to MAS with his experience in oil trading. You obviously know what happened when oil prices soared to US165 per barrel and then collapsed after that.
Syed Akbar Ali is one of the more pleasant and likeable mamaks. He has an independent and inquisitive mind. Here he exposes the real reasons why there is a clampdown on moneychangers.
It seems that some 45 UMNOputras used their ‘connections’ to get “Moneychanger Licences.” But not having the necessary smarts – in other words, an idiot will always be an idiot – they cannot compete against the real mamak moneychangers.
So they decided to play dirty – which is par for the course of being an UMNO member – used their “influence” to get Bank Negara to come down hard on these mamak moneychangers and revoke their licences. Then these 45 “moneychangers” will have no competition, charging exorbitant rates for changing money.
Some of you will remember that Robert Kuok sold all his shares in the sugar business in Malaysia about 3 weeks ago. As long as he was in the sugar business in Malaysia, the Malaysian government refused to allow the price of sugar to go up. Just two weeks after he sold all his shares, the government made an announcement that it would remove the tariff and allow the price of sugar to find its own level so that the Malaysian population would be discouraged from taking too much sugar in their cakes and drinks.
Only a retard would come up with such a dumb excuse to screw the Malaysian public including the Malays! The UMNOputras who took over immediately wanted to raise the price of sugar so that they could become rich overnight. When your cup of teh tarik reaches RM1.50 or 2.00, will you say they are looking after the interests of the Malays, as they claim in BTN courses? So do you think the Chinese are working against your interests?
Commodity prices are now rising again because of inclement weather. Sugar prices are sure to go up but by what margin? With more than 60 years experience in sugar trading, Robert Kuok knew how to handle the sugar commodity business. Commodity trading requires skills honed over years of exposure. So how will our Johnny-come-lately’s handle the next surge in sugar prices? Your teh tarik is going to cost you RM2.50 per cup in a year’s time. And all hell will break loose.
Remember what they did to MAS? They took a guy from Shell who had some exposure to oil trading and made him the CEO. He was supposed to do wonders to MAS with his experience in oil trading. You obviously know what happened when oil prices soared to US165 per barrel and then collapsed after that.
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