Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Truth of SAS issue revealed
Letter to the editor, WikiSabah
An eternal mockery of the anti-corruption move by the Malaysian government
1. This letter is written with a view to disclosing the TRUTH hidden in the disastrous loss of SAS, which has been twice rejected the presentation of TRUTH in White Paper by the overwhelming majority of BN assemblymen at the Sabah State Assembly.
2. At first glance, you would come to the simple (as kindergarten) conclusion that "I am from SAPP" and "I am speaking for Yong Teck Lee". My simple and instant reply is: Bullshit!! Let me tell you this: I've never been a SAPP member and neither am I paid / or instructed to write!
3. As regards the purpose of writing, my answers which are clear, simple and unequivocal are given below:
i) I write for the God / Tuhan I believe.
But, people join politics for the mere purpose of political position and monetary gains and still claim that they believe in God are not only self-deceiving but also insulting God / Tuhan. Such deceitful politicians also include those who claim themselves "clean and honest" but apply every means to cheat the peoples and twist the laws like Tun Mahathir as manifested in his relentless means to topple the PBS government in Sabah, to kick Tun Musa Hitam Datu Sri Anwar and Tun Abdullah Badawi down from their respective high positions, making every attempt to put his son in the top political position in Malaysia.
ii) As a true believer of God/Tuhan, a fortunate, (or unfortunate) insider who happened to have a chance to "know" the TRUTH, I have long suffered insomnia by watching anti hearing the Satanic covering-up and twisting of TRUTH.
4. Those who refuse or decline to tell the Truth can be classified into three categories, namely, (a) they themselves are the extremely few (the true and genuine culprits like Anifah Aman and Datuk Salleh) who took or stole the hundreds of million ringgit from SAS ; (b) those who have no share in the millions of dollars stolen / taken but would benefit abundantly by helping to cover-up (e.g. Dr. Yee Mob Chai); (c) those who were inevitably involved in the scandal like a person fallen into a sewerage tank. (e.g. Datuk Yong Teck Lee).
5. As I do not have a personal agenda for political gains, I would simply present the Truth in a Question and Answer (Q and A) manner as follows:
Q. Who were the real and actual culprits that caused the downfall of SAS?
A. They were Anifah Aman, the beloved brother of Datuk Musa Aman, Chief Minister of Sabah today and Datuk Salleh Said Keruak , former C.M. of Sabah
Q. How did they manage to get the hundreds of million ringgit out from SAS, causing the value of SAS to fall from RM1.00 p. share to below 20 cent p. share over a period of two years?
A. To be brief, it was an "insider trading'". The gigantic amount of cash was "stolen" from SAS via the so-called acquisition of Repco shares. That is, Datuk Salleh who was then Chairman of Saham Amanah Sabah acquired the "tissue-paper" shares (with blown-up price) of Repco manipulated by its Chairman Anifah Aman using the SAS fund.
In consequence of the "insider trading", hundreds of million ringgit were gone from SAS while Repco became a billionaire overnight. To be more specific, Anifah Aman (brother of Datuk Musa Aman) and Datuk Salleh became billionaires overnight.
Q. Was the "insider trading" completed over a few days or a few months / years?
A. In principal, it should be within a few weeks. But, to cover up their sin and crime, they took months or years to complete the acquisition of "cash" and the sharing among themselves, (whom you could never find out because they were all "private deals")
As Datuk Yee M.C said at Dewan lindangar. Negeri, the hundred - million ringgit loss of SAS occurred over a period of two years. That implied the "crime" could have occurred and completed long before or even after Datuk Yong left his C.M post.
Q. What is the significance of time sequence in this matter (SAS)?
A. Let us study the sequence of events as follows:
1) Before Tun Sakaran stepped down from the C.M. post, Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) was launched in late 1994 by the DPM/ Federal Minister of finance, Datuk Anwar Ibrahim. Datuk Salleh was the State Minister of Finance then.
2) 27/12/1994 - 27/05/1996
Datuk Mohd. Salleh became C.M. Sabah
3) 28/05/1996 - 27/05/ 1998
Datuk Yong Teck Lee was C.M. Sabah
4) 28/05/1998 - 14/0-3/1999
Datuk Bernard Dompok was C.M. Sabah
Datuk Yee has been deliberately confusing and misleading Sabahans with the time sequence of the tragedy.
Q. What was Datuk Salleh's role in this scandal?
A. Whitout his approval as the Chairman of SAS, the transfer would never have been possible.
Q. Did Datuk Yong Teck Lee know and benefit from the Devil's deal as described by Dr. Yee Moh Chai?
A. The answer could be "yes" or "no" depending on the government's willingness to "confirm and certify" the Truth. Neither Datuk Yong nor Dr. Yee can confirm to that effect.
As the Devil's transaction was conducted between SAS and Repco, Datuk Salleh (then Chairman of SAS) and Anifah Aman (Chairman of Repco) did not need the approval of Yong (C.M. until 27 May 1998) to acquire the hundreds-of-million ringgit worth of SAS units (fund) by means of Repco's "tissue paper" shares.
Besides, if Yong had been so smart and so cunning as Yee described, why should he use Repco to accomplish such juicy Devil's deal, knowing too well that Pepco did not belong to him? But, Dr Yee has all the time been smart and cunning enough to avoid mentioning of Repco in the loss of hundreds of million ringgit from SAS as proved in his argument on the issue at the Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah.
There was indeed a mysterious "restraint" by Dr. Yee in his deliberate and enthusiastic attack on Yong even though he claimed to know the truth about the collapse of SAS. He never mentioned or questioned Repco's role.
Q. How about the Federal I,eaders' role in the SAS scandal?
A. To my logical understanding, they (P.M, D.P.M or Minister of Finance) came to know about the deal almost as soon as Yong knew, it. Legally speaking, all unusual and tremendous deals concerning shares or fund of Public companies must be reported to the Minister of Finance by the Security Commission or the Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia.
The SAS deal was devilish enough for them to report to the Minister of finance. (Subsequently the P.M) because:(i) the tissue-paper shares of Repco were blown up to an impossible margin of prices in order to match and accommodate the acquisition of SAS trust fund;(ii) the total fund (or money) involved was over a few hundred millions: (iii) the fund belonged to the people of Sabah.
But, the Federal leaders did nothing and has remained silent until today, even though the newspapers and Dewan Undangan keep talking about it. We all know that Dr. Yee wanted Datuk Yong to admit the crime and punish himself. It was indeed weird for a professional lawyer like Yee to give judgment in the absence of a qualified Justice, which reminded us of the late Augustine Paul who heard Anwar's case during the upside-down history of Malaysia.
Q. What are the considerations behind the Federal leaders' "protection" for the culprits of SAS financial disaster?
A. I would answer your question by putting another question of similar nature back to you. Why have the Federal leaders never made any clear, solid, legal actions against the culprits involved in the multi-billion ringgit corruption cases (which they called "malpractices" or "mismanagement") of Bakun Hydro-electric Dam? Perwaja Steal project? Port Klang free Zone? And many others.
If you know the answer to these Devil problems, you have also got the answer to the SAS scandal and its tragic losses. 1 need not remind you that Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat left the State Cabinet not really because of Kudat Ma-Tzu statue but rather, because of the hidden corruption case relating to Pulau Sipadan. Chong was framed to walk into the shadow of a "corrupted practice" committed by Big Boss just as much as Yee M. Chai wanted Yong T. Lee to repeat the same.
However, as Datuk Yee M. Chai said at the Dewan Negeri, "The fact that they're not caught doesn't mean that they're not crooks." Very well said!
Q. What conclusive remarks would you give to summarize the SAS scandal?
A. i) My first and foremost concern is Datuk Joseph P. Kitingan, Huguan Siou of the Kadazans. He is a true believer of God / Tuhan. Telling and getting committed in blatant lies would push him towards Hell. I want to stop it by disclosing the Truth.
ii) Anifah Aman and Datuk Salleh have very obviously caused the tremendous loss and collapse of SAS. But, they have "somehow behaved themselves" by keeping quiet, leaving Yee M. Chai and Herbert Lagadan to play the role of a guilty clown by twisting and covering up Truth which, they claimed to know.
iii) While I give no guarantee that Datuk Yong was not involved in the scandals relating to SAS, I maintain that a full disclosure and open investigation (not P&C) be conducted. Other than that, it is either bullshit or blatant lies. If Dr. Yee does not like the idea of White Paper, he can have the disclosure presented in Yellow Paper or Red Paper.
To my understanding, Bibles are normally printed on white paper.
iv) Despite his persistence lies about SAS scandal (20% Truth plus 80% lies?), Datuk Yee and his associates in politics have made a highly remarkable contribution to Sabahans.
Thanks to Yee's persistent outcries in the press and Dewan Undangan Negeri "like the little clown jumping up and down. making people laugh" (as Datuk Yee himself described) in a deliberate attempt to cover up the crime committed by Datuk Salleh and Anifah Musa, we would not have heard the bitter debate about White Paper. Neither would I have the incentive to write this letter in an attempt to relieve Datuk Huguan Siou (Pairin) from the on-going lies in the light of a true Christian / Catholic.
Finally, I want to add that Datuk Joseph F, Kitingan is a good guy BUT for three reasons he could never be a good Chief Minister.
1st he is a Kadazan leader, not a UMNO leader.
2nd he is vulnerable in character.
3rd if he or Yong has been the mastermind of Repco / SAS scandal, they would have been sentenced to prison by now! Subsequently, Datuk Yee's role as a clown would also have been redundant.
P.S Please Photostat and circulate for the future of Sabah as well as for revelation of Truth.
The end ..
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Lessons For The BN to Learn From Tunisia
On Dec 17 in the North African country of Tunisia, in the small provincial town of Sidi Bouzid, an unemployed 26 year old graduate set fire to himself in frustration after his fruits and vegetables were confiscated by police for trading without a license. His suicide sparked mass unrest and protests which spread from region to region until it reached the capital, Tunis. In less than a month the longstanding President would flee into exile and a government would fall.
The suicide of the young man resonated with the people frustrated at the high unemployment, slack economy, corruption and lack of democratic freedom. His death ignited a shouldering cauldron which had built up under President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali who had reigned for 23 years. His autocratic regime became synonymous with corruption, growing wealth disparity, political repression and tight censorship.
As with all corrupt regimes unchallenged in a one party system, the ruling oligarchy grabbed economic largess for themselves causing the economy to stagnate and decline. Life became harder for ordinary Tunisians faced with rising costs of living amid high unemployment and stagnated incomes. An abusive police force and security apparatus kept the population in line.
There was of course no way that the ruling regime could be removed by free and fair elections, not that there were any. Tunisia has been governed by the same party since independence from France in 1956. The incumbent President, only the second since independence had been re-elected five times with enormous majorities in every election. Political repression kept the opposition small, fragmented and ineffective and tight censorship in the government controlled media and the internet sought to control the flow of information.
At first the government labeled the protestors terrorists, trouble makers and extremists. The police reacted violently by fatally shooting dozens of protestors. When the protests could not be stemmed curfew was imposed and schools and colleges closed. The government promised the creation of 300,000 jobs and ordered down the price of some basic foodstuffs but protests continued unabated.
In a desperate last attempt to placate the populace the President promised a raft of changes including investigating corruption and more democratic freedom. He ordered the police to stop shooting protestors and declared he would not stand for re-election when his term expires in 2014. But it was to no avail. Only the fall of the authoritarian regime could stop the protests and so it did.
A mirror of Tunisia
One important lesson from Tunisia is that in the globalized world governments can no long depend on press censorship to maintain its hold on power. Although news of the protests was blacked out in the tightly controlled press news spread quickly through the cyber world especially via facebook.
What happened in Tunisia is important for us all because it is the culmination of what Malaysia is becoming. Malaysia is almost a mirror image of Tunisia politically, socially and economically, only that the latter has been carried to further extreme. But if the present course of the BN government is not corrected we will reach the Tunisian situation in the near future.
BN or more accurately Umno has governed Malaysia for 53 years and its rule is synonymous with political patronage, an euphemism for corruption. The political patronage is so ingrained that it forms the backbone of Umno’s political structure and has become so endemic that no public project can escape it.
To compound the unsustainable pilfering of public funds, the competitiveness of the economy is degraded by racial policies which introduce economic distortions and cause the flight of productive and skilled human capital upon which any economy heavily depends. The country is unable to transition to a high income economy, least of all by massive infrastructure spending under a grandiose sounding Economic Transformation Program.
The long term effect on the Malaysian economy has been devastating. In the 1970s we were on par with Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan but these countries have outstripped us now in economic performance, per capital income and currency value despite our considerable advantage of abundant natural resources. We are now content to comparing ourselves with Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia which are fast catching up.
Our salaries have stagnated for the past 15 years while others have transitioned into high income economies. Rising cost of living against depreciating real income have pushed backs against the wall while our income disparity is the highest in Asia. A population unable to pay real world prices for oil and food staples coupled with a government increasingly unable to maintain subsidies is a cocktail for future social unrest.
The seeds of destruction
Along with economic mismanagement comes political repression as corrupt regimes try to cement their hold on power by ensuring that a democratically competitive environment does not take root. Efforts are made cull dissent by draconian laws, persecution of opposition politicians, deceitful propaganda and tight government control of information. In Malaysia yet another front is opened by playing on racial and religious sentiments to maintain political power at the expense of nation building.
The winds of change blowing after the unexpected results of the 12th general election did not change Umno’s ways in the least but only made them more cunning and more desperate to cling on to power by whatever means necessary even if it means making full use of subservient courts, enticing opposition lawmakers away, inciting racial and religious tension or a charm offensive with a hollow 1Malaysia propaganda.
The only way for the country to change course is the creation of a two party system where competition for electoral votes will put the brakes on corruption and abuse and lead to a more people-centric government. However a two party system will not be created unless BN is defeated at least once.
Elections in Malaysia are never on a level playing field with an Election Commission biased towards the incumbent government and able and willing to assist in tilting the odds with more tricks than Zimbabwe. For Pakatan Rakyat to seize power in the looming 13th general election is an uphill task and some may say a far stretch.
It is not at all certain that a regime resolute on clinging on to power and willing to use whatever unprincipled means can ever be toppled in democratic elections. The result of BN’s unbroken rule will be continuing corruption, persistent economic decline, increasing income disparity and deteriorating economic conditions for the masses.
But all decadent regimes sow the seed of their own destruction. In the end it may not be elections which topple BN from power but pent-up social forces epitomized by the Tunisian revolt and embodied by the illumination words of John F. Kennedy, “Governments which make peaceful change impossible make revolution inevitable.”
by Kenny Gan
The suicide of the young man resonated with the people frustrated at the high unemployment, slack economy, corruption and lack of democratic freedom. His death ignited a shouldering cauldron which had built up under President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali who had reigned for 23 years. His autocratic regime became synonymous with corruption, growing wealth disparity, political repression and tight censorship.
As with all corrupt regimes unchallenged in a one party system, the ruling oligarchy grabbed economic largess for themselves causing the economy to stagnate and decline. Life became harder for ordinary Tunisians faced with rising costs of living amid high unemployment and stagnated incomes. An abusive police force and security apparatus kept the population in line.
There was of course no way that the ruling regime could be removed by free and fair elections, not that there were any. Tunisia has been governed by the same party since independence from France in 1956. The incumbent President, only the second since independence had been re-elected five times with enormous majorities in every election. Political repression kept the opposition small, fragmented and ineffective and tight censorship in the government controlled media and the internet sought to control the flow of information.
At first the government labeled the protestors terrorists, trouble makers and extremists. The police reacted violently by fatally shooting dozens of protestors. When the protests could not be stemmed curfew was imposed and schools and colleges closed. The government promised the creation of 300,000 jobs and ordered down the price of some basic foodstuffs but protests continued unabated.
In a desperate last attempt to placate the populace the President promised a raft of changes including investigating corruption and more democratic freedom. He ordered the police to stop shooting protestors and declared he would not stand for re-election when his term expires in 2014. But it was to no avail. Only the fall of the authoritarian regime could stop the protests and so it did.
A mirror of Tunisia
One important lesson from Tunisia is that in the globalized world governments can no long depend on press censorship to maintain its hold on power. Although news of the protests was blacked out in the tightly controlled press news spread quickly through the cyber world especially via facebook.
What happened in Tunisia is important for us all because it is the culmination of what Malaysia is becoming. Malaysia is almost a mirror image of Tunisia politically, socially and economically, only that the latter has been carried to further extreme. But if the present course of the BN government is not corrected we will reach the Tunisian situation in the near future.
BN or more accurately Umno has governed Malaysia for 53 years and its rule is synonymous with political patronage, an euphemism for corruption. The political patronage is so ingrained that it forms the backbone of Umno’s political structure and has become so endemic that no public project can escape it.
To compound the unsustainable pilfering of public funds, the competitiveness of the economy is degraded by racial policies which introduce economic distortions and cause the flight of productive and skilled human capital upon which any economy heavily depends. The country is unable to transition to a high income economy, least of all by massive infrastructure spending under a grandiose sounding Economic Transformation Program.
The long term effect on the Malaysian economy has been devastating. In the 1970s we were on par with Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan but these countries have outstripped us now in economic performance, per capital income and currency value despite our considerable advantage of abundant natural resources. We are now content to comparing ourselves with Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia which are fast catching up.
Our salaries have stagnated for the past 15 years while others have transitioned into high income economies. Rising cost of living against depreciating real income have pushed backs against the wall while our income disparity is the highest in Asia. A population unable to pay real world prices for oil and food staples coupled with a government increasingly unable to maintain subsidies is a cocktail for future social unrest.
The seeds of destruction
Along with economic mismanagement comes political repression as corrupt regimes try to cement their hold on power by ensuring that a democratically competitive environment does not take root. Efforts are made cull dissent by draconian laws, persecution of opposition politicians, deceitful propaganda and tight government control of information. In Malaysia yet another front is opened by playing on racial and religious sentiments to maintain political power at the expense of nation building.
The winds of change blowing after the unexpected results of the 12th general election did not change Umno’s ways in the least but only made them more cunning and more desperate to cling on to power by whatever means necessary even if it means making full use of subservient courts, enticing opposition lawmakers away, inciting racial and religious tension or a charm offensive with a hollow 1Malaysia propaganda.
The only way for the country to change course is the creation of a two party system where competition for electoral votes will put the brakes on corruption and abuse and lead to a more people-centric government. However a two party system will not be created unless BN is defeated at least once.
Elections in Malaysia are never on a level playing field with an Election Commission biased towards the incumbent government and able and willing to assist in tilting the odds with more tricks than Zimbabwe. For Pakatan Rakyat to seize power in the looming 13th general election is an uphill task and some may say a far stretch.
It is not at all certain that a regime resolute on clinging on to power and willing to use whatever unprincipled means can ever be toppled in democratic elections. The result of BN’s unbroken rule will be continuing corruption, persistent economic decline, increasing income disparity and deteriorating economic conditions for the masses.
But all decadent regimes sow the seed of their own destruction. In the end it may not be elections which topple BN from power but pent-up social forces epitomized by the Tunisian revolt and embodied by the illumination words of John F. Kennedy, “Governments which make peaceful change impossible make revolution inevitable.”
by Kenny Gan
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Right to Do Business But Not the Right to Vote
by P. Ramakrishnan
We have to speak up. We have every reason to be concerned. We wonder where this nation is heading for and what is in store for us.
From the civil servant to the Umno politician, it is the same story: the non-Malays are ‘pendatang‘ and don’t have any citizenship rights. The rights conferred by Aricle 8 of the Federal Constitution are not respected or protected.
When an extreme group like Perkasa questions the citizenship rights of the non-Malays, the national leadership does not take them to task.
When extreme elements in Umno berate and denigrate the non-Malays, the top Umno leadership does not chastise them.
When one Umno delegate at the recently concluded general assembly had the temerity to suggest that the non-Malays be given the right to do business but should be denied the right to vote, nobody pointed out that it was against the constitution and that he should not be talking through his nose!
It is this disturbing silence when atrocious things are said which affect our unity that is worrying. It is this unbecoming conduct that encourages the extreme elements amongst us to be outrageous in their conduct and prompt them to continue with their seditious remarks.
It is this vocal minority that is predominant in our society and influences the trend of policy. Our political leaders dare not condemn them outright.
Utusan Malaysia fans the race baiting and gives the widest publicity without bothering to be responsible or sensible. When the powers-that-be that own and control this press do not force it to fall in line, what do we make of this?
A nation can make or break depending on the unity of its citizens. Today our unity is threatened. And if concerned voices and responsible leaders and caring Malaysians do not rise up and speak up, we will be a fragmented nation. By our silence, we will contribute to the chaos that may ensue.
P Ramakrishnan is president of Aliran
We have to speak up. We have every reason to be concerned. We wonder where this nation is heading for and what is in store for us.
From the civil servant to the Umno politician, it is the same story: the non-Malays are ‘pendatang‘ and don’t have any citizenship rights. The rights conferred by Aricle 8 of the Federal Constitution are not respected or protected.
When an extreme group like Perkasa questions the citizenship rights of the non-Malays, the national leadership does not take them to task.
When extreme elements in Umno berate and denigrate the non-Malays, the top Umno leadership does not chastise them.
When one Umno delegate at the recently concluded general assembly had the temerity to suggest that the non-Malays be given the right to do business but should be denied the right to vote, nobody pointed out that it was against the constitution and that he should not be talking through his nose!
It is this disturbing silence when atrocious things are said which affect our unity that is worrying. It is this unbecoming conduct that encourages the extreme elements amongst us to be outrageous in their conduct and prompt them to continue with their seditious remarks.
It is this vocal minority that is predominant in our society and influences the trend of policy. Our political leaders dare not condemn them outright.
Utusan Malaysia fans the race baiting and gives the widest publicity without bothering to be responsible or sensible. When the powers-that-be that own and control this press do not force it to fall in line, what do we make of this?
A nation can make or break depending on the unity of its citizens. Today our unity is threatened. And if concerned voices and responsible leaders and caring Malaysians do not rise up and speak up, we will be a fragmented nation. By our silence, we will contribute to the chaos that may ensue.
P Ramakrishnan is president of Aliran
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Success Story of a Country
US President Obama visited China last week, primarily to find out what exactly & how exactly China is doing things that makes it such a success story, surpassing all the so-called "expert economic planners" of the US & Europe. His team found these 5 basic lessons behind China 's success - it applies equally to our country Malaysia:
LESSON No 1 - BE AMBITIOUS
The Chinese believe in Setting Goals, Making Plans, & Focusing on Moving Ahead - there is always the sense of forward motion.
As an example, a huge 6-lane highway in Shanghai took only 2 years from planning to ready for traffic. In the US, 2 years will only get you the environment and local authority permit if you are lucky - in Malaysia in 2 years, they will still be calculating how to inflate the costs, and to whose crony company to award the project to.
LESSON No 2 - EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
The Chinese are obsessed with ensuring kids get the right education - English, Maths & Science. They made sure that their education system reaches even the most remote of rural areas - today the literacy rate in China is OVER 90%, surpassing even the USA's 86%. According to American Educationists, the Chinese kids are way ahead of the kids in the USA .
Meanwhile in Malaysia, our Moo-Moo politicians are determined to retract our education system into the stone age, such as making History a compulsory subject, and the History text book merely promotes Islam and Syariah law.
LESSON No 3 - LOOK AFTER THE ELDERLY
The Chinese DO NOT send their elderly to nursing care centres - they personally look after & care for their parents. In the US, nursing care of the elderly is now costing each resident USD 85,000 annually, & this is rising. The Chinese also believe that the grandparents at home make the best tutors for their children. It also provides a sense of cultural continuity - this helps bind society.
Here its a growing trend to have children brought up by maids, of the lowest educational & moral quality - so our children (the future leaders) grow up with similar language & outlook capability.
LESSON No 4 - SAVE MORE
In the USA , savings dropped to zero in 2005, and is only now slowly rising to 4%. In China , the savings rate for every household has exceeded 20%. The Chinese believe that fugality & a healthy savings rate are a sure indicator of a country's financial health. High savings lead to increased investments - results in increased productivity, innovation & job growth.
In the West, & aped by our Malaysians, the status symbol is to spend more than you earn, with as many credit cards as possible. In the end, the whole country gets into debt.
LESSON No 5 - LOOK OVER THE HORIZON
In China , everyone is forward looking - never backwards. New graduates make a vow - never ever will their children & grandchildren ever work in the fields again. With this kind of forward mentality, people are always thinking & planning how, not just to succeed, BUT how to be the best in the world in everything they do.
In Malaysia , we are still, after 24 years, trying to get the window switches of the Proton to work properly, and our Religious Fundamentalists want us to adopt medieval syariah laws.
LESSON No 1 - BE AMBITIOUS
The Chinese believe in Setting Goals, Making Plans, & Focusing on Moving Ahead - there is always the sense of forward motion.
As an example, a huge 6-lane highway in Shanghai took only 2 years from planning to ready for traffic. In the US, 2 years will only get you the environment and local authority permit if you are lucky - in Malaysia in 2 years, they will still be calculating how to inflate the costs, and to whose crony company to award the project to.
LESSON No 2 - EDUCATIONAL MATTERS
The Chinese are obsessed with ensuring kids get the right education - English, Maths & Science. They made sure that their education system reaches even the most remote of rural areas - today the literacy rate in China is OVER 90%, surpassing even the USA's 86%. According to American Educationists, the Chinese kids are way ahead of the kids in the USA .
Meanwhile in Malaysia, our Moo-Moo politicians are determined to retract our education system into the stone age, such as making History a compulsory subject, and the History text book merely promotes Islam and Syariah law.
LESSON No 3 - LOOK AFTER THE ELDERLY
The Chinese DO NOT send their elderly to nursing care centres - they personally look after & care for their parents. In the US, nursing care of the elderly is now costing each resident USD 85,000 annually, & this is rising. The Chinese also believe that the grandparents at home make the best tutors for their children. It also provides a sense of cultural continuity - this helps bind society.
Here its a growing trend to have children brought up by maids, of the lowest educational & moral quality - so our children (the future leaders) grow up with similar language & outlook capability.
LESSON No 4 - SAVE MORE
In the USA , savings dropped to zero in 2005, and is only now slowly rising to 4%. In China , the savings rate for every household has exceeded 20%. The Chinese believe that fugality & a healthy savings rate are a sure indicator of a country's financial health. High savings lead to increased investments - results in increased productivity, innovation & job growth.
In the West, & aped by our Malaysians, the status symbol is to spend more than you earn, with as many credit cards as possible. In the end, the whole country gets into debt.
LESSON No 5 - LOOK OVER THE HORIZON
In China , everyone is forward looking - never backwards. New graduates make a vow - never ever will their children & grandchildren ever work in the fields again. With this kind of forward mentality, people are always thinking & planning how, not just to succeed, BUT how to be the best in the world in everything they do.
In Malaysia , we are still, after 24 years, trying to get the window switches of the Proton to work properly, and our Religious Fundamentalists want us to adopt medieval syariah laws.
Why did Beng Hock die? Who are his killers?
by P. Ramakrishnan
January 11, 2011 — We don’t need experts or eminent persons to tell us if Teoh Beng Hock’s human rights have been violated. Ask the common man in the street and he will tell you right away that Beng Hock’s rights have been blatantly and violently abused and violated. This fact is as plain as daylight.
So why do we need a royal commission of inquiry to find out “whether it (MACC) had violated human rights”. Beng Hock’s family is not interested in this. Malaysians don’t want a RCI to waste its time in investigating procedures adopted by the MACC with regard to his death. That’s not the issue, dear Prime Minister.
All that everyone is dying to find out is how did Beng Hock die? Why did he die? Who caused his death?
The inquest has clearly stated that it wasn’t a suicide. How then did he drop from the 14th floor and land on the 5th floor of the MACC building? Who was responsible for this fall from the 14th floor, dear Prime Minister?
The inquest has confirmed that there were pre-fall neck injuries. Who caused these injuries on Beng Hock’s neck? Why were these injuries caused? What damage did these injuries do to Beng Hock? Did he die as a result of these injuries? This is what Beng Hock’s family is demanding to know, dear Prime Minister.
Why are you wasting everybody’s time setting up a RCI to carry out irrelevant investigations that will not throw any light as to how Beng Hock died — and why. This is what the whole country is interested in, dear Prime Minister.
Beng Hock was interrogated for nearly 11 hours from 5pm right up to 3.45am the next day in the most inhuman way. He was deprived of food, denied sleep and rest and subjected to intense questioning. What does that suggest, dear Prime Minister?
Before 5pm on that day —July 15, 2009 — it was a working day for Beng Hock. Assuming that he got up for work at 7am, it would add another 10 hours to his non-stop questioning for nearly 11 hours. That would mean he was on his feet for almost 21 hours. Doesn’t it strike you as an extreme form of torture that he was subjected to in a barbaric manner, dear Prime Minister?
Under the circumstance, do we really need a RCI to tell us that Beng Hock’s human rights were indeed violated? Isn’t it very apparent? Isn’t it rather obvious?
What is not apparent and what is not obvious is: How did Beng Hock die? Who caused his death? Who are his killers? That is all Beng Hock’s family is dying to know in order to bring closure to this human tragedy, dear Prime Minister.
The purpose of the RCI should simply be to establish why and how Beng Hock died. Any other investigation will not do justice to Beng Hock’s family, dear Prime Minister.
* P. Ramakrishnan is president of Aliran.
January 11, 2011 — We don’t need experts or eminent persons to tell us if Teoh Beng Hock’s human rights have been violated. Ask the common man in the street and he will tell you right away that Beng Hock’s rights have been blatantly and violently abused and violated. This fact is as plain as daylight.
So why do we need a royal commission of inquiry to find out “whether it (MACC) had violated human rights”. Beng Hock’s family is not interested in this. Malaysians don’t want a RCI to waste its time in investigating procedures adopted by the MACC with regard to his death. That’s not the issue, dear Prime Minister.
All that everyone is dying to find out is how did Beng Hock die? Why did he die? Who caused his death?
The inquest has clearly stated that it wasn’t a suicide. How then did he drop from the 14th floor and land on the 5th floor of the MACC building? Who was responsible for this fall from the 14th floor, dear Prime Minister?
The inquest has confirmed that there were pre-fall neck injuries. Who caused these injuries on Beng Hock’s neck? Why were these injuries caused? What damage did these injuries do to Beng Hock? Did he die as a result of these injuries? This is what Beng Hock’s family is demanding to know, dear Prime Minister.
Why are you wasting everybody’s time setting up a RCI to carry out irrelevant investigations that will not throw any light as to how Beng Hock died — and why. This is what the whole country is interested in, dear Prime Minister.
Beng Hock was interrogated for nearly 11 hours from 5pm right up to 3.45am the next day in the most inhuman way. He was deprived of food, denied sleep and rest and subjected to intense questioning. What does that suggest, dear Prime Minister?
Before 5pm on that day —July 15, 2009 — it was a working day for Beng Hock. Assuming that he got up for work at 7am, it would add another 10 hours to his non-stop questioning for nearly 11 hours. That would mean he was on his feet for almost 21 hours. Doesn’t it strike you as an extreme form of torture that he was subjected to in a barbaric manner, dear Prime Minister?
Under the circumstance, do we really need a RCI to tell us that Beng Hock’s human rights were indeed violated? Isn’t it very apparent? Isn’t it rather obvious?
What is not apparent and what is not obvious is: How did Beng Hock die? Who caused his death? Who are his killers? That is all Beng Hock’s family is dying to know in order to bring closure to this human tragedy, dear Prime Minister.
The purpose of the RCI should simply be to establish why and how Beng Hock died. Any other investigation will not do justice to Beng Hock’s family, dear Prime Minister.
* P. Ramakrishnan is president of Aliran.
History Became a Compulsory Subject
This history textbook seems to seek to influence the young minds of our children who come from various faiths, to follow the prophet of one particular religion. There is a detailed study of the life of the prophet Muhammad (pg 102 – 107). He is repeatedly praised throughout the chapters. Students are then repeatedly exhorted throughout the book, to emulate him as a ROLE MODEL in life (pg 106, 111, 124, 133, 137, 138).
By A Concerned Mother
When one picks up a history book, one would expect to read a fair account of events as they actually happened in the past. Definitely, one would expect the most accurate record possible of history as it unfolded through the decades, written as objectively as possible.
A most reasonable expectation indeed when the book in question is a major textbook prescribed by our Education Ministry for our students nationwide. A book that is instrumental in shaping the young minds of our future generation. The issue takes even greater prominence when the content of that book is going to decide whether our students pass or fail in a major exam on which their future hinges.
Lay hold of the Form 4 history textbook that our children are compelled to digest. Read it for yourself. Take a good hard look while the storm is brewing in the teacup. And it is brewing for good reason. Be shocked at what the syllabus writers have managed to quietly incorporate into our school syllabus just a few years ago, unnoticed by most people, even parents of affected students.
This is no typical history textbook. Simply because the syllabus writers have not confined its content to history. Instead they have extended its boundaries seemingly to push a certain agenda. In the process, our history textbooks seems to have taken on a quest of its own - to win the hearts and minds of our children for that particular agenda. We have to take note that all 4 writers of the textbook comes from only one race and religion, without representation from other faiths and races.
I write as a concerned mother who cares about what my children are being fed in school. I write as a troubled citizen who cares about the younger generation that will one day helm the nation. I write based on my own personal review of the Form
4 history textbook and this review is based on the hard facts of the content of the textbook, without any intention to offend any religion, its prophet or believers. I will leave the review on the accuracy of the history to historians, who are already speaking out on the historical errors and distortions contained.
The first fact to note is the overwhelming proportion of the Form 4 history textbook being devoted to Islamic civilization (100 PAGES) while the other religious civilizations are barely given a passing mention (460 WORDS). Out of 10 chapters, 5 bulky chapters are devoted to Islamic history and civilization, which constitutes at least half a year’s study. This certainly is a disproportionate emphasis on one religion, to the exclusion of all other religious civilizations.
Most of us would not mind our children understanding more about Islamic civilization. But it has to presented fairly accurately within a balanced perspective. Do we want to mislead our children to believe that there is only one important civilization in the entire history of the human race and the rest are insignificant? Are the other major civilizations not worth studying in equal if not greater depth?
Giving our children a correct and broad worldview can only benefit our nation in the context of a globalized world. Otherwise, our nation will be producing people with an extremely narrow worldview and an incomplete and distorted view of world history. That is to our own loss.
Secondly, this history textbook seems to seek to influence the young minds of our children who come from various faiths, to follow the prophet of one particular religion. There is a detailed study of the life of the prophet Muhammad (pg 102 – 107). He is repeatedly praised throughout the chapters. Students are then repeatedly exhorted throughout the book, to emulate him as a ROLE MODEL in life (pg 106, 111, 124, 133, 137, 138).
We respect the Muslim belief in the greatness of their prophet. However, we have to respectfully suggest (with no offence intended whatsoever to the prophet) that teachings that encourage students to follow any prophet would more properly belong to a religious class meant for students who already subscribed to that particular faith. It has no proper place in a major history textbook for students of other faiths. In a plural society like ours, the religious sensitivities of other faiths must surely be respected.
Thirdly, throughout the pages of the textbook, history seems to have been written from a religiously biased viewpoint. Other religions seems to be cast in an unfavourable light. Consider some statements found in the textbook:-
(1) Islam is described as a religion easily acceptable and not confined to any race, nation or geography (pg 185).
(2) Islam can be accepted by many people because of the purity of its teaching (pg 110).
(3) The uniqueness of Islam resulted in many people embracing the religion (pg162, 163, 185).
(4) The conversion of some Arab leaders to Islam in 629 AD is described as “an act done after rational investigation into the truth of Islam” (pg 133).
(5) Islamic social policies are described as so attractive that European Christians converted to Islam during the Byzantize era (pg 163).
(6) Islam requires rational thinking and therefore is accepted by all levels of society. (pg 185).
Sadly, biased religious viewpoints are being unfairly shoved onto our children as established facts within the framework of a narrow religious perspective.
Fourthly, the history textbook itself dwells on the teachings of the religion. Whilst the children have to study Islamic concepts (pg 185), no space is given to a balanced comparison with the teachings of other religions. Our youth are therefore taught the virtues of one religion to the exclusion of others. Why not have a balanced approach and allow our children to learn the basic tenets of all major world religions? Allow them to engage in comparative studies. Will it not be healthier to promote better understanding among the races which has positive effect on nation building?
Fifthly, the textbook also promotes Syariah law as suitable and practical for a multi racial nation. It cites the example of the success of the multi racial community in Madinah governed by the Madinah Charter. The formation of an Islamic government in Madinah is stated to thus prove that Islam can be practised in a wholesome daily living and should be emulated by the Malaysian society. Syariah law is hailed as just, complete and perfect, and can be followed by all communities (pg 128). There is mention of social justice under Islam (pg 128); equal treatment to all people under Islam (pg 110, 128); purity of the struggles of Islam (pg 112); fairness, integrity, consideration and generosity of Islamic economic principles (pg 128).
Perhaps the fifth ground raises the most questions and rings loudest the alarm bells. It makes us wonder why our school history syllabus is written in a way that seems to condition the minds of our youth to accept Syariah laws as the basis of our legal system in the future? Is there a deliberate political and/or religious agenda at play?
Our Education Minister owes us an explanation. We want to know why our school curriculum has been allowed to be written from such a religious slant by a group of writers of only one religious background. We want to know the reason for this sudden but quiet change in the school syllabus a few years ago. We want to know why our children are compelled to disproportionately focus and digest so much on one religion without a balanced perspective of others?
We must demand for an immediate and urgent revamp and re-writing of the entire history curriculum for our schools and universities. There should be a panel of qualified historians from all races and faiths working reviewing the syllabus. Feedback must be obtained from the public. We must insist that politics and religious indoctrination be strictly kept out of our textbooks.
History should be what it is – an objective and accurate record of past events. We must no longer allow our school syllabus to be hijacked for political and religious propoganda. Until then, it is unacceptable to even think that History should be made a compulsory pass subject in SPM.
By A Concerned Mother
When one picks up a history book, one would expect to read a fair account of events as they actually happened in the past. Definitely, one would expect the most accurate record possible of history as it unfolded through the decades, written as objectively as possible.
A most reasonable expectation indeed when the book in question is a major textbook prescribed by our Education Ministry for our students nationwide. A book that is instrumental in shaping the young minds of our future generation. The issue takes even greater prominence when the content of that book is going to decide whether our students pass or fail in a major exam on which their future hinges.
Lay hold of the Form 4 history textbook that our children are compelled to digest. Read it for yourself. Take a good hard look while the storm is brewing in the teacup. And it is brewing for good reason. Be shocked at what the syllabus writers have managed to quietly incorporate into our school syllabus just a few years ago, unnoticed by most people, even parents of affected students.
This is no typical history textbook. Simply because the syllabus writers have not confined its content to history. Instead they have extended its boundaries seemingly to push a certain agenda. In the process, our history textbooks seems to have taken on a quest of its own - to win the hearts and minds of our children for that particular agenda. We have to take note that all 4 writers of the textbook comes from only one race and religion, without representation from other faiths and races.
I write as a concerned mother who cares about what my children are being fed in school. I write as a troubled citizen who cares about the younger generation that will one day helm the nation. I write based on my own personal review of the Form
4 history textbook and this review is based on the hard facts of the content of the textbook, without any intention to offend any religion, its prophet or believers. I will leave the review on the accuracy of the history to historians, who are already speaking out on the historical errors and distortions contained.
The first fact to note is the overwhelming proportion of the Form 4 history textbook being devoted to Islamic civilization (100 PAGES) while the other religious civilizations are barely given a passing mention (460 WORDS). Out of 10 chapters, 5 bulky chapters are devoted to Islamic history and civilization, which constitutes at least half a year’s study. This certainly is a disproportionate emphasis on one religion, to the exclusion of all other religious civilizations.
Most of us would not mind our children understanding more about Islamic civilization. But it has to presented fairly accurately within a balanced perspective. Do we want to mislead our children to believe that there is only one important civilization in the entire history of the human race and the rest are insignificant? Are the other major civilizations not worth studying in equal if not greater depth?
Giving our children a correct and broad worldview can only benefit our nation in the context of a globalized world. Otherwise, our nation will be producing people with an extremely narrow worldview and an incomplete and distorted view of world history. That is to our own loss.
Secondly, this history textbook seems to seek to influence the young minds of our children who come from various faiths, to follow the prophet of one particular religion. There is a detailed study of the life of the prophet Muhammad (pg 102 – 107). He is repeatedly praised throughout the chapters. Students are then repeatedly exhorted throughout the book, to emulate him as a ROLE MODEL in life (pg 106, 111, 124, 133, 137, 138).
We respect the Muslim belief in the greatness of their prophet. However, we have to respectfully suggest (with no offence intended whatsoever to the prophet) that teachings that encourage students to follow any prophet would more properly belong to a religious class meant for students who already subscribed to that particular faith. It has no proper place in a major history textbook for students of other faiths. In a plural society like ours, the religious sensitivities of other faiths must surely be respected.
Thirdly, throughout the pages of the textbook, history seems to have been written from a religiously biased viewpoint. Other religions seems to be cast in an unfavourable light. Consider some statements found in the textbook:-
(1) Islam is described as a religion easily acceptable and not confined to any race, nation or geography (pg 185).
(2) Islam can be accepted by many people because of the purity of its teaching (pg 110).
(3) The uniqueness of Islam resulted in many people embracing the religion (pg162, 163, 185).
(4) The conversion of some Arab leaders to Islam in 629 AD is described as “an act done after rational investigation into the truth of Islam” (pg 133).
(5) Islamic social policies are described as so attractive that European Christians converted to Islam during the Byzantize era (pg 163).
(6) Islam requires rational thinking and therefore is accepted by all levels of society. (pg 185).
Sadly, biased religious viewpoints are being unfairly shoved onto our children as established facts within the framework of a narrow religious perspective.
Fourthly, the history textbook itself dwells on the teachings of the religion. Whilst the children have to study Islamic concepts (pg 185), no space is given to a balanced comparison with the teachings of other religions. Our youth are therefore taught the virtues of one religion to the exclusion of others. Why not have a balanced approach and allow our children to learn the basic tenets of all major world religions? Allow them to engage in comparative studies. Will it not be healthier to promote better understanding among the races which has positive effect on nation building?
Fifthly, the textbook also promotes Syariah law as suitable and practical for a multi racial nation. It cites the example of the success of the multi racial community in Madinah governed by the Madinah Charter. The formation of an Islamic government in Madinah is stated to thus prove that Islam can be practised in a wholesome daily living and should be emulated by the Malaysian society. Syariah law is hailed as just, complete and perfect, and can be followed by all communities (pg 128). There is mention of social justice under Islam (pg 128); equal treatment to all people under Islam (pg 110, 128); purity of the struggles of Islam (pg 112); fairness, integrity, consideration and generosity of Islamic economic principles (pg 128).
Perhaps the fifth ground raises the most questions and rings loudest the alarm bells. It makes us wonder why our school history syllabus is written in a way that seems to condition the minds of our youth to accept Syariah laws as the basis of our legal system in the future? Is there a deliberate political and/or religious agenda at play?
Our Education Minister owes us an explanation. We want to know why our school curriculum has been allowed to be written from such a religious slant by a group of writers of only one religious background. We want to know the reason for this sudden but quiet change in the school syllabus a few years ago. We want to know why our children are compelled to disproportionately focus and digest so much on one religion without a balanced perspective of others?
We must demand for an immediate and urgent revamp and re-writing of the entire history curriculum for our schools and universities. There should be a panel of qualified historians from all races and faiths working reviewing the syllabus. Feedback must be obtained from the public. We must insist that politics and religious indoctrination be strictly kept out of our textbooks.
History should be what it is – an objective and accurate record of past events. We must no longer allow our school syllabus to be hijacked for political and religious propoganda. Until then, it is unacceptable to even think that History should be made a compulsory pass subject in SPM.
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