The Analysis

Monday, September 30, 2013

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Umno’s blunder in Chin Peng’s case

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Koon Yew Yin | September 30, 2013
Treating the case of Chin Peng with compassion and statesmanship, and permitting him to return to Malaysia would have been an important building block for our race relations.
COMMENT
Almost two years after my meeting with Chin Peng in Bangkok on Oct 2, I learnt – as did other Malaysians – of his death on Sept 16, 2013.

His passing on is not unexpected as he had been ill for some years. What is unexpected is the government’s refusal to allow his ashes to be returned to Malaysia, his home country for which he fought for liberty and freedom, initially against the Japanese and then against the British.

Chin Peng was a freedom fighter in every sense of the word. His record of defiance and opposition to Japanese and British colonial rule in Malaya is unprecedented. It is comparable or even exceeds that of anti-colonial leaders such as Ho Chi Minh, Mohammad Hatta, and Jawaharwal Nehru who were his contemporaries in Asia’s struggle to free itself from the yoke of western powers and Japan in the mid twentieth century.

Other leaders that come to mind during that crucial period of nationalist ferment after the Second World War are Nkrumah, Nasser and Lumumba.

In all those countries whether in Asia, Africa or Latin America where the anti-colonial and nationalist freedom fighters fought, they have been accorded due recognition and honour.

But not in Malaysia where Umno-putraism has sought to stamp its racial and religious politics on every aspect of life in the country –dead and living; past, present and the future.

Why Chin Peng’s ashes are not allowed back

It is sickening to read the lame excuses that Umno leaders, in particular Home Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, have given to prevent the homecoming of Chin Peng’s ashes.

These excuses range from the allegation that Chin Peng never applied for citizenship to concern that a memorial may be erected for him and fear that he would be treated as a “hero”.

Well, I have news for Umno. Chin Peng is a patriot and hero in the eyes of many who are knowledgeable of that historical past of Japanese and British colonial rule in Malaya and the contributions of the Communist Party of Malaya (MCP) in fighting to free our country.

Chin Peng had three failings. One is that he and the MCP though engaged in an armed struggle against the British should have ceased it as soon as the country gained its independence.

This fact of MCP responsibility for killings and bloodshed, including of innocent civilians, is undeniable and needs to be fully recorded.

He had two other failings – if we can call it that – which had prevented him from getting due recognition in his homeland.

The first is that he fought for the wrong ideology. Now if he had collaborated with the Japanese and negotiated peacefully with the British and sucked up to them the way many other leaders did, perhaps he may not have been so vilified.

Our history books on the Japanese occupation of Malaya need to record the names of Umno and other leaders who actively supported and collaborated with the Japanese in their murderous and blood stained rule.

Let Malaysians then draw their own conclusions as to who are the true nationalists and patriots; who are the opportunists and collaborators; and which were the families and loved ones that died during Japanese and British colonial rule and who do not want the return of Chin Peng’s ashes.

His other failing appears to be that he is a Chinese. Others have pointed out that if Chin Peng was a Malay, his place in Malaysian history and his ashes would be treated differently. I am sure there is more than a grain of truth in this.

Chin Peng’s wish for Malaysia

My reason in writing this is not simply to remind of some uncomfortable truths and facts of our history but to point the government towards a correct and fair closure of this particular episode of our history.
During my meeting with Chin Peng, I asked if he was keen to return to Malaysia and what was his advice for the Malaysian Chinese.

His immediate reply was that he yearned to return to his homeland and to die in his birth place. He also emphasised that Malaysia is a rich country and that the Chinese must work together and cooperate with the Malays to make Malaysia a better country.

He had hoped that under the 1Malaysia policy the government would allow him to return to the country to show that there is no bitterness towards the Communist Party of Malaya since both sides were fighting against a common colonial power enemy.

It would also show that the government was serious about the truthful portrayal of the history of Malaya which is one in which all races have contributed.

This would also help in getting rid of the misunderstandings and distortions that have plagued our views of the past and lay the groundwork for racial unity and solidarity.

Treating the case of Chin Peng with compassion and statesmanship, and permitting him to return to Malaysia – his home country – besides putting the historical record straight- would have been an important building block for our race relations.

The way Umno is going about it is totally wrong.

Governing the country is like managing a very large business corporation. The definition of good management is to get all your stakeholders – this includes staff – to do their share of work.

Staff can only do it if they are motivated. The government should have taken advantage of this situation to win the Chinese over to work harder for the country.

Sadly, this has now become more difficult to achieve because Umno’s blinkered and narrow-minded ideology.

Koon Yew Yin is an investor and philantropist. He is the founder IJM Group, Gamuda and Mudajaya.

Making Corruption History – Cakap Kosong le Ah Jib Hor!

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by Dr. M.Bakri Musa
Morgan-Hill, California
bakri-musaIn San Francisco recently, Prime Minister Najib confidently declared “to make corruption part of Malaysia’s past, not its future.” The man’s delusion never ceases to amaze me. The reality is of course far different; corruption defines the Najib Administration.
Nonetheless if Najib is serious, then he should heed Tengku Razaleigh’s call for Najib to declare his assets. Otherwise it would be, to put it bluntly in the vernacular, “Cakap kosong je ‘Jib!” (Empty talk only!)
Integrity Minister: A Joke?
New NajibTengku Razaleigh’s suggestion, if implemented, would do far more good than all of Najib’s lofty declarations of “changing organizational as well as business cultures” or creating “a new governance and integrity minister” (Paul Low) and “elevating the anti-corruption agency.” Malaysians have heard all those ad nauseum, not only from Najib but also his predecessors.
If after doing what Tengku Razaleigh had suggested Najib still aspires higher, he could begin by getting rid of those tainted individuals in his administration.

 Then if he is really committed to clean and effective governance, he should select only those with unquestioned integrity and solid accomplishments to be his new ministers and advisors.
As Najib is slow to grasp concepts, let me elaborate on those three simple suggestions.Consider asset declaration.
Najib does not need yet another highly-paid consultant or Idris Jala of Pemandu advising him how to do it. There are plenty of effective models out there, including one recommended by the OECD. The simplest is the one used by American public officials including the President, Cabinet secretaries, and Supreme Court judges. It covers their spouses and all dependent children.
Here is President Obama’s, available publicly at: docstoc.com/docs/156786412/Obama-Financial-Disclosure. The simple eight-page report lists his assets and income, transactions during the year, gifts received (he had none), liabilities (his home mortgage), and contracts he is a party to (his old faculty appointment).
Simple yet effective! As the declaration is filed annually, citizens could tract any sudden ballooning of assets, income, or extra-generous gifts that could prompt further enquiry, as well as monitor contracts and activities that could pose as potential conflicts of interest.
Obama and his senior officials go further; they release their full income tax returns annually.
Shahrizat A. Jalil
Shahrizat A JalilIf Najib were to do likewise, rumors of his wife buying million-ringgit rings and getting extravagant gifts would not have arisen, if indeed they were baseless. If Najib’s ministers were to similarly declare their assets, then we would not have the silly specter of a cabinet minister feigning ignorance of her husband’s quarter-billion ringgit government-funded business, as Shahrizat tried to do recently. The pathetic part was that she truly believed that the public would buy her swiftly-concocted story.
Beyond publicly declaring his assets, if Najib still aspires for a clean administration, then he should remove those tainted individuals in his administration. Since Najib is blind to reality, I will help him identify such proven shady characters.
Isa Samad
isa-samadGUILTYThe most glaring is Isa Samad, former Negri Sembilan Chief Minister (and current FELDA Chairperson). Dispensing with his lackluster tenure as the Chief Executive of that state, the man was found guilty of “money politics,” UMNO’s euphemism for plain ugly corruption. Meaning, he is corrupt even by UMNO’s lax standards, assuming the party has any!
In any system with even a semblance of integrity, slimy characters like Isa Samad would have been jailed. In China, they would be executed. Yet Najib appointed Isa to helm the billion- ringgit FELDA Global Holdings, a GLC. One wonders why Najib is so enamored with this character. The more intriguing question is why the powerful hold Isa has on Najib?
Ali Rustam
Ali RustamThen there is Ali Rustam, also a former Chief Minister of Malacca. Like Isa, Ali too was found guilty of money politics. At least voters in his state were wise enough to boot him out. Now Ali is eyeing for the UMNO Vice-Presidency, as is Isa. Watch it, Najib will also do an Isa on Ali, that is, appoint him to a senior lucrative position, making a mockery of Najib’s aim of making corruption history.
Then if after getting rid of the Isa Samads and Ali Rustams Najib still harbors even higher aspirations, like wanting a crisp and efficient administration, then he could entice capable Malaysians to join his team.
I suggest co-opting Keadilan’s Rafizi Ramli. This bright young man has done more than anyone else to heighten public consciousness of corruption at high places. Rafizi shamed the anti-corruption agency. Appointing Rafizi would also go a long way towards a “unity” government. Only the likes of Shahrizat would not welcome his appointment.
 At the very least Rafizi’s appointment would significantly lower the average age of Najib’s cabinet as well as drastically elevate its collective IQ!
Tengku Razaleigh: Take Over from Ah Jib Hor
kuliAt the other end of the experience spectrum is Tengku Razaleigh. He is from Najib’s own party too. If Najib is deeply serious about and truly committed to memperkasakan ekonomi Melayu (enhancing Malay economy) as he asserted recently, well, the Tengku has been there and done that, and remarkably well too! Look at Petronas and Pernas. Malaysia’s finances too were robust when he was Finance Minister.
Yes, at one time he helmed the once powerful Bank Bumiputra, now long gone. If Tengku’s detractors want to taint him with that scandal, remember this. Tengku Razaleigh is one of the few if not only public figures to have successfully sued for libel the venerable Financial Times when it tried to implicate him.
Co-opting Tengku Razaleigh would give the Najib Administration some adult supervision. Better yet, Najib should seize the opportunity and take a sabbatical, just like what Lee Kuan Yew once did. Take a temporary leave from UMNO and Malaysia; learn about the real world beyond government. Najib would learn that there is a vast other universe out there not dependent on public paychecks or political patronages.
At another speech during his recent San Francisco trip, Najib chided his critics especially those residing abroad who “criticize the country but they do not have any idea on how to contribute to the country.”
Najib: You have insulted US, Malaysians
HonourNajib is not only slow in grasping concepts but he is also not a careful reader. We do not criticize Malaysia, only his inept leadership. Nonetheless since Najib has asked for specific ideas, here is one.
Take an extended sabbatical. Let someone like Tengku Razaleigh take over. Three or four years hence, in time for the next election, resume your prime ministership.
Meanwhile learn as much as possible about the much bigger and considerably more wonderful world beyond UMNO. You will be a more effective leader for that, and Malaysia would be a much better country, both while you were gone and after you return.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The Sabah Project M: A Travesty of Justice


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WHEN a senior Police Officer makes an official statement that he found himself as if in a foreign country when he visited certain villages in Sabah, the stark reality hits you in the face.
When Supt Mohd Azman Mohd Sapri remarks that he and his team felt "threatened" and that they felt that Kampung Bangau-Bangau near Semporna in Sabah was in Zamboanga (Philippines), it amplifies the problems and repercussion caused by the entry of illegal immigrants.
If it had come from a lesser officer, it could be dismissed lightly but when it comes from the Head of the Police team investigating claims about illegal immigrants, one is compelled to fathom the damage it has done and will continue to do to the sovereignty of the nation.
Project IC SabahSitting through the last nine days of the Royal Commission of Inquiry and learning more about the problem, one can see the spillover effects and how it can change the economic and social framework of the state.
On Saturday, I picked up a copy of the Borneo Post and the front page shows clear proof of the problems. The lead story was on the conclusion of the RCI but what appeared alongside under the heading "Police nab false MyKad maker in Tawau" gives an accurate picture of the multitude of problems faced by the authorities.
The man who was nabbed had been previously convicted, jailed, caned and deported, but found his way back.
Sitting over steaming hot bakut teh in the evening, one cannot ignore the fact that the little ones who serve food and drinks have not even reached puberty.
"Berapa umur bah?" was the question.
"Dua belas," was the answer.
Before she could answer whether she goes to school, she gets chided by a man who is re-heating the broth.
"He is the father. The mother is at the back washing dishes. The entire family works here. They are not Sabahans, they are Suluks," says the local who took me there.
At the golf courses in Sabah, I was told, some of the caddies were as tall as the golf bags. Having no school to attend, they accompany the elders to the course where the only requirement is to be able to carry about 12kg in weight.
Other witnesses at the RCI testified that foreigners have taken over jobs, trading places and even business operations. On Thursday, a lawyer representing the Sabah Law Association charged that "public transport operations are monopolised by foreigners."
Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip KiongWhile the panel headed by former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong says its recommendations will be ready by the end of the year, what happens during the interim?
Mohd Azman testified that people still land in one of the many landing points along the porous coastline and that many of them acquire fake papers by dubious means. So, haven't we learnt enough, especially with the Lahad Datu invasion in March?
For the Sabahans, it is an issue and the presence of foreigners impedes on their status as legitimate citizens, some of whom don't even qualify for the many privileges that the aliens enjoy. (The RCI was told that some of the foreigners have even invested in the Amanah Saham Nasional which is exclusive to the bumiputra community.)
It's not animosity but a sense of helplessness which has descended on them. Despite successive Chief Ministers reporting the problems to Putrajaya, no action was taken because political expediency over-rode the rule of law.
Even before the RCI can finish its task, the cynicism is overbearing when one talks to locals. They talk about RCIs before this and ask: "What happened to the findings and recommendations? Will they be implemented?"
There is little to offer comfort and solace to their long-suffering except that an undertaking be given by the federal government that the RCI's recommendations will be implemented without delay.
This needs political will and determination which has been in short supply, especially over the past three years.
Having said that, there have been calls from some quarters for the "humanitarian" element to be taken as a consideration when the decisions are made, but it should not be at the expense of legitimate citizens.
Even the Head of the National Registration Department recommended that those who attained documents fraudulently be given an amnesty and that their papers be "legalised". This is absurd and unfair to the thousands of Malaysian-born people who have not been issued proper identity documents.
While many of us who were born and bred in this country (this writer included) took the long and winding path to attain citizenship, it will be a travesty of justice if holders of blue identity cards which were traded in coffee shops are made citizens.
R. Nadeswaran's three sojourns to Sabah were enough to listen to the plight of its people. Comments: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com
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Malaysia deserves better than Najib's Leadership

Malaysia deserves better than Najib’s Leadership

by dinobeano
September 23, 2013

Malaysia deserves better than Najib's Leadership

by Dr. M Bakri Musa
Morgan-Hill, California
"We must change the nation’s sorry trajectory by dispensing with the current leadership. The excuse that there is no one else capable may be solace to Najib but an insult to all Malaysians. Allah would not be so unkind and unjust as to deprive us of our share of leadership talent. To get our rightful due however, we must first stop indulging our present incompetent leaders, beginning with Najib. Only then could we diligently search for better ones."--M. Bakri Musa
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mole-Najib-Razak-endless-possibilities-1MalaysiaNajib’s glaring leadership deficiencies have now been glaringly exposed. Malaysia deserves better. His performance has not been up to par even when compared to his lackluster predecessor. If under Abdullah Badawi Malaysia had the modernity of Manhattan but the mentality of Mogadishu, under Najib, Malaysia risks degenerating, period.
 
Najib is not terribly bright or introspective. Like a little child, he always hunger for approval. He is also severely “charimastically-challenged.” A leader could survive or even thrive despite having one or two of these flaws, but to be cursed with all three is fatal.
All his adult years Najib has depended entirely on government paychecks. No surprise then that his worldview is narrowly circumscribed. His solution to every problem is to distribute government checks, well exemplified by his many “1-Malaysia” handouts. His recent Majlis Ekonomi Bumiputra was no exception; likewise its hefty price tag.
 
Not being introspective, Najib does not and never will recognize his shortcomings. Consequently unlike his immediate predecessor, Najib will never resign voluntarily; he would rather destroy his party and country first. If UMNO does not recognize this, it too will go down with him; likewise the country. 
 
A good leader, to paraphrase a hadith, is one who protects his followers from his hands and tongue. Najib does neither. Functionally, he slipped his hands into the pockets of Malaysians when he raised the price of petrol. He wants to do it again with his Goods and Services Tax (GST). Meanwhile his smooth tongue bribes us with his ever-generous “1Malaysia” gifts, using the rakyat’s money of course.
 
While being smart is an obvious asset in a leader, not being one would not necessarily be a handicap. Reagan, one of the most successful American presidents, was far from being brainy. He however, knew his limitations and duly compensated for that; his cabinet was full of intellectual heavyweights and individuals of proven achievements.
 
Incidentally my comparing him to Reagan, no matter how unfavorably, only feeds Najib’s delusion. Najib thinks he is super smart; he frequently parrots the latest buzz words. It is not just an increase but a quantum leap! It is not just any strategy but a blue ocean one! Meanwhile the ship of state is headed straight to the bottom. He does not appreciate his fundamental problem. You cannot scour the ocean on a leaky sampan with a crew familiar only with the rakit (bamboo raft), and hope to survive.
The embarrassing caliber of Najib’s cabinet and advisors reflects his blissful ignorance of his deficiencies. He had over four years to scout for fresh talent, only to end up with the same mediocre core ministers he inherited from his equally dull predecessor. I cringe whenever I hear any pronouncement from them. They are all “half-past six.”
 
Even on the rare occasion when Naijb picked a bright star like Idris Jala, the formerGuitar Playing Singer Idris Jala chief executive of Shell, the sparkle is gone. It is hard to soar like an eagle when surrounded by turkeys. Idris is reduced to and consumed with making elegant Powerpoint presentations to any willing audience.
 
Tasked with “transforming” the government (note the bombastic buzz word!), Idris Jala either severely underestimated the enormity of the task or generously overestimated his talent in executing it. He forgot the evident reality that the government of Malaysia is not Shell with respect to size, scope of activities, availability of talent, or any other matrix. The bureaucratic inertia of the civil service pales the physical one of a loaded supertanker.
 
If Idris had appreciated the enormity of the challenge, or had a wee bit of humility, he would have focused on only one or two areas, and learned from the experience. Once successful, he would have minimal difficulty selling his ideas and initiatives.
 
If Najib had been introspective, he would have assigned Idris a specific portfolio and then let him do his own “transforming.” Idris would then be able to show instead of just merely tell us his managerial capabilities.
 
Like a skillful carpenter, a good leader knows when and where to deploy his finest tools. Implicit in that observation is that a good leader must first recognize which tools are sharp and which ones are dull, to be discarded. It is precisely this critical insight that Najib is severely lacking.
 
drmNajib’s second weakness, his hunger for approval, is equally crippling. He tried to ingratiate himself to extremist Malay nationalists by brandishing his kris dipped in tomato sauce, but to no avail. During the last election he had his son utter a few words of Mandarin and gave generous on-the-spot grants to Chinese schools. Likewise, he visited Rome for an audience with the Pope. At home he garlanded himself in that outlandish floral arrangement around his neck while visiting Batu Caves. Voters readily saw through those silly overtures.
 
Like a spoilt brat who had grown accustomed to being indulged upon, Najib could not accept the harsh rebuke that was the last election. He reacted like the over-pampered kampong kid by sulking; hence his shameful silence during the many recent crises.
Lacking self-awareness, Najib has pretensions of great charisma. If contrast is the essence of art, then his on-stage performance with the South Korean Gangnam Group, Psy, during the last election campaign was truly, well, artistic. If that were his only gig, that would be harmless enough. It was however, mildly funny, even if it was at his expense.
A charismatic leader could at least attract talent to his cause despite lacking competence or not being generously-endowed intellectually. Najib does not attract the best. He confuses endless slogans for substantive efforts, frenetic activities as decisive actions, and sulking withdrawal as deep contemplation.
Take his endless sloganeering. First there was glokal Malay (contraction for global and lokal, Malay bastardization for local). Lacking traction, he shifted to “One Malaysia.” Streams of slogans later, it is now “Endless Possibilities!” What’s next? Najib is the leader caricatured by Shahnon Ahmad’s lead character in his novella, Unggappan.
We must change the nation’s sorry trajectory by dispensing with the current leadership. The excuse that there is no one else capable may be solace to Najib but an insult to all Malaysians. Allah would not be so unkind and unjust as to deprive us of our share of leadership talent. To get our rightful due however, we must first stop indulging our present incompetent leaders, beginning with Najib. Only then could we diligently search for better ones.
Malaysia deserves better than to be saddled with Najib Razak.
____________________________________________________________________
bakri-musaBakri Musa’s essays on Malaysian issues have appeared in local publications as The Sun Daily and Education Quarterly, as well as international ones like The Far Eastern Economic Review and International Herald Tribune. His commentary has also aired on National Public Radio’s Marketplace. His latest book is Liberating the Malay Mind.
Bakri received his undergraduate, medical and masters degrees from the University of Alberta , and was awarded a Research Fellowship from the Medical Research Council of Canada to pursue research in transplant immunology. A published author in his scientific and professional fields, Bakri is a board-certified surgeon and a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada .
Prior to coming to California in 1981, Bakri practiced in Oregon , Alberta , and his country of origin, Malaysia . He used to scuba dive and sail his sloop Makan Angin in Monterey Bay, but that time is now taken up tending his Katahdin sheep and free-ranging chicken on his ranch in Morgan Hill , California.
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Mahathir Vs Anwar: Who is the Inveterate Liar at RCI (Sabah)?

Mahathir Vs Anwar: Who is the Inveterate Liar at RCI (Sabah)?

by dinobeano
September 22, 2013
MY COMMENT: Consider it a privilege or a misfortune. I worked with both Tun Dr.DM latest3 Mahathir, my hometown hero, and Anwar, the ambitious and impatient former UMNO superstar. Their styles are different. The Tun was a hands-on manager with an attention for details; so nothing escapes him. That is why I cannot accept his "saya sudah lupa' or "saya tak ingat" excuses. He is an amazing politician who operates astutely and acts decisively. He could have been a great leader if he could be humble enough to acknowledge that he is not infallible.
Anwar Ibrahim was his student; whether he is a good or a poor student is another matter. But he is an equally shrewd politician with a excellent oratorical skills. But unlike Mahathir, Anwar is bored with details. That makes him a big picture politician Because of his past experiences in UMNO and his subsequent persecution, he is very cautious and does not trust people around him easily. In dealing with people, he is someone who believes that he can sell ice to an Eskimo by smooth talk and lofty ideals.
My exposure to both of them makes me realise that politics is not my cup to tea. In politics, a capacity to lie is a distinct advantage. Their performance at the RCI Sabah merely confirms my view that they are incapable of telling the truth.  Everything they both do is politically motivated. So I am not disappointed about what they said at the recent RCI hearings. --Din Merican

Mahathir Vs Anwar: Who is the Inveterate Liar at RCI (Sabah)?

by Phlip Rodrigues
Executive Editor
Last updated on 21/09/2013 - 20:19
Posted on 21/09/2013 - 20:00
COMMENT: Either Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is an inveterate liar when they both spoke before the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on illegal immigrants in Sabah. The whole world wants to know if the former Prime Minister and his Deputy knew anything about Project IC – a sinister scheme to indiscriminately issue identity cards to illegal immigrants in Sabah for a political purpose.
Mahathir ruled the country from 1981 to 2003 and Anwar was his Deputy from 1993 until 1998. For 22 long years, the doctor presided over the destiny of the country and surely he must have been privy to many secret schemes carried out either to discredit his political opponents or tighten UMNO’s grip on power. Anwar’s stay in the cabinet was shorter but he served the government for 16 years and surely he too must have got wind of some nefarious strategies designed to change the demographic landscape of some states like Sabah.
Project IC allegedly started in the early 1990s after Umno planted its foot in Sabah. As soon as UMNO took root in this rich soil, it set in motion a chain of events that eventually saw the ascendancy of the Malay-based party in Sabah politics. A native party, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), once a powerhouse in the mid-1980s, was eclipsed with the entry of UMNO.
Let us not delve deeper into the murky politics of Sabah. Suffice it to say that the cover on Project IC was first lifted in 1999 when a court in Sabah nullified the result of the 1999 state election for the Likus seat based on the fact that thousands of dubious names were on the electoral roll. Project IC was mentioned in court although one of the witnesses, an UMNO chief information officer, denied its existence. It was a tangled web of intrigue involving government agencies such as the National Registration Department (NRD), the Immigration Department, National Civics Bureau and the Election Commission. All seemed to conspire to register illegal immigrants as voters.
Over the years strong evidence of the existence of Project IC emerged and voices in Sabah grew shriller in protest. Even the RCI heard the testimony of a former NRD officer who said that about 100,000 blue identity cards were issued to immigrants in Sabah in 1993. How was it possible that Sabah was suddenly flooded with immigrants if not for Project IC? Where did the foreigners get their blue identity cards from? Why was it that most of the new citizens were mostly Muslims from Indonesia and the southern Philippines? There must be some truth in the allegations that the unwanted foreigners were given their ICs so that they would all vote for Umno and guarantee its dominance for many years.
Now where was Mahathir when all these disturbing events took place? Was he hiding under the bed? Was he busy globe-trotting? Has he forgotten that Sabah is part of Malaysia? He was the supreme leader and yet at the RCI hearing the doctor said he had never heard about Project IC. He must have suffered from a massive attack of amnesia. On all other national affairs his mind is clear but when it comes to Project IC his mind went blank. He chose the easy way out: he put all the blame on Anwar.
DSAI Vs TDM
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Where was Anwar when blue identity cards were showered on the immigrants? Was he in deep slumber? Was he deliberately kept in the dark about Project M (Mahathir)? Was he busy fostering ties with the Western world? He was the second most powerful man in the country and yet he too said he never knew there was such a secret scheme dubbed “Project IC”. He too chose the easy way out: he put all the blame on Mahathir. He even called his former boss a liar.
Now what are we to make of this farcical scene? How can the truth be revealed? Twist Mahathir’s arm until he confesses? Use waterboarding technique on Anwar until he croaks out an admission of guilt? Clearly, the two men were using the RCI platform to continue their political duel. Each was trying to get political mileage out of this mud-slinging match.
The whole inquiry is rapidly descending into a circus because no one seems to be taking the investigation seriously. Nowhere in the RCI terms of reference is there any mention of giving the panel the powers of prosecution. Even if the RCI were to pronounce Mahathir or Anwar or both guilty of committing a crime against the people of Sabah, these two protagonists on the country’s political stage would walk away unscathed. When the RCI finally folds up its tent, Sabah will be no better than before: immigrants will continue to pour in until the identity of the state is erased.
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Monday, September 16, 2013

A New Plan for All, or still just for cronies

Happy (?) Malaysia Day and NEPII for Malays

MY COMMENT: Why Happy with a Q mark? Well, I know we celebrate the malaysiaday1350th Year of the formation of Malaysia. It is for me an unhappy occasion this year. For two reasons.
One, the NEP2 that was announced on Saturday September 14 is for Malays only. Maybe for those who support UMNO. Even then, not all. After 40 years of affirmative action to deal with poverty irrespective of race and promote national unity through social engineering, the government has to go back to taxpayers (the people who pay taxes are mainly non-Malays) to support NEP2.
It is an open admission by the Prime Minister that NEP1 has failed to achieve its objectives. It needs to be replaced. So the focus of NEPII is the economic advancement of the Malays, not the plight of the poor and low income Malaysians. Malaysians now have to give the government more money via taxes and time (perhaps another 40 years) to help the Malays.
Second, it is the state of our economy. It is slowing down at a time whenDM latest our fiscal position has weakened considerably because of wasteful spending for political ends by the Najib administration. Not much is heard about our national budget 2013-2014. NEP2 will divert our attention away from the real problems that have emerged as a result of our mismanagement of our economy.
Slow growth, unemployment, inflation and corruption must be dealt with as a matter of top priority. Until  we can have concrete plans to deal with and act on these issues, what is there to celebrate today. For me, September 16, 2013 is a day for sober reflection. Why have we as a nation come to this state of affairs?--Din Merican
September 15, 2013
Latest Update: September 15, 2013 08:26 pm

A New Plan for All, or still just for cronies

by The Malaysian Insider
Najib announcing a slew of new programmes to boost the Bumiputera economic agenda at UiTM in Shah Alam yesterday. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 15, 2013.
The party never ends for Umnoputras. Never. It is one continuous gorge at the buffet table, funded by Malaysian taxpayers.
Sure, it is couched in the language of a national agenda; to help Malaysia achieve the target of becoming a developed nation by 2020; to help Malays obtain jobs, houses and narrow the income gap between the have and the have-nots. Blah, blah, blah.
Whenever the government splashes money on programmes and projects, it is the rich and connected who benefit most. The rest feed on scraps.
The New Economic Policy made millionaires of some pretty pedestrian UMNO politicians and their cronies. The continuation of the NEP under the name of the National Development Policy turned the millionaires into multi-millionaires and we can be sure that the RM9.2 billion to be spent by Datuk Seri Najib Razak under the latest Malay-only initiative or NEPII will make the plunderers into the super-rich class.
Yes, some Malays will be able to own houses under the affordable housing scheme but the interest-free loan or subsidised repayment scheme will be nothing compared to the obscene profits the politician and his property developer nominee will make from taking part in the housing project.
Similarly, some Malay graduates will become more employable after attending a crash course in English but their happiness will be outdone by the select few who will make millions from delivering the training modules and building training facilities.
There are so many things wrong about the government's decision to reward its loyal voters and constituents with this new Malay agenda. One, the funds to be used by Najib and gang are from all taxpayers, not from the UMNO endowment fund or from the annual Perkasa subscription. Chinese, Indians, Punjabis and others pay taxes and are entitled to reap the benefits when taxpayer funds are used for government projects.
It is dishonest for the government to say that non-Malays will not lose out under this new affirmative action programme. Of course, they will. You are essentially taking what Samy and Chua contributed into the common pool and only rewarding Abdul.
Two, the affirmative action plan for Malays and Bumiputeras assumes wrongly that Chinese and Indians and Punjabis and Eurasians are all living in the lap of luxury.
Just take a stroll around Kampung Medan on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur and you will find Indians in abject poverty.Go into Salak South and Jinjang and you will find Chinese families struggling to make ends meet.
Three, mediocrity should never be rewarded or excused so easily. And this is what the government is doing by cobbling together another Bumiputera-first policy.
Let us take the issue of making Malays employable. Who dumbed down the Education system? Who threw out English as the medium of instruction? Who chose the easy path and set up more universities, turning tertiary institutions into nothing more than degree mills? Who scrapped the policy of teaching Maths and Science in English?
And now, after a catalogue of mistakes and mediocre decisions, the government says it has a problem on its hands: Malay graduates who are unemployable. The troubling fact: the government that put the Malay community in this mess is now saying it has got the silver bullet.
Nothing irks intelligent people more than when government practises deceit. Yesterday was all about loading up the gravy train for the UMNOputras once again.
Along the way, the people really in need of help will feast on the crumbs.
 photo PLS-33431480_02.jpg

A New Plan for All, or still just for cronies

Happy (?) Malaysia Day and NEPII for Malays

MY COMMENT: Why Happy with a Q mark? Well, I know we celebrate the malaysiaday1350th Year of the formation of Malaysia. It is for me an unhappy occasion this year. For two reasons.
One, the NEP2 that was announced on Saturday September 14 is for Malays only. Maybe for those who support UMNO. Even then, not all. After 40 years of affirmative action to deal with poverty irrespective of race and promote national unity through social engineering, the government has to go back to taxpayers (the people who pay taxes are mainly non-Malays) to support NEP2.
It is an open admission by the Prime Minister that NEP1 has failed to achieve its objectives. It needs to be replaced. So the focus of NEPII is the economic advancement of the Malays, not the plight of the poor and low income Malaysians. Malaysians now have to give the government more money via taxes and time (perhaps another 40 years) to help the Malays.
Second, it is the state of our economy. It is slowing down at a time whenDM latest our fiscal position has weakened considerably because of wasteful spending for political ends by the Najib administration. Not much is heard about our national budget 2013-2014. NEP2 will divert our attention away from the real problems that have emerged as a result of our mismanagement of our economy.
Slow growth, unemployment, inflation and corruption must be dealt with as a matter of top priority. Until  we can have concrete plans to deal with and act on these issues, what is there to celebrate today. For me, September 16, 2013 is a day for sober reflection. Why have we as a nation come to this state of affairs?--Din Merican
September 15, 2013
Latest Update: September 15, 2013 08:26 pm

A New Plan for All, or still just for cronies

by The Malaysian Insider
Najib announcing a slew of new programmes to boost the Bumiputera economic agenda at UiTM in Shah Alam yesterday. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 15, 2013.
The party never ends for Umnoputras. Never. It is one continuous gorge at the buffet table, funded by Malaysian taxpayers.
Sure, it is couched in the language of a national agenda; to help Malaysia achieve the target of becoming a developed nation by 2020; to help Malays obtain jobs, houses and narrow the income gap between the have and the have-nots. Blah, blah, blah.
Whenever the government splashes money on programmes and projects, it is the rich and connected who benefit most. The rest feed on scraps.
The New Economic Policy made millionaires of some pretty pedestrian UMNO politicians and their cronies. The continuation of the NEP under the name of the National Development Policy turned the millionaires into multi-millionaires and we can be sure that the RM9.2 billion to be spent by Datuk Seri Najib Razak under the latest Malay-only initiative or NEPII will make the plunderers into the super-rich class.
Yes, some Malays will be able to own houses under the affordable housing scheme but the interest-free loan or subsidised repayment scheme will be nothing compared to the obscene profits the politician and his property developer nominee will make from taking part in the housing project.
Similarly, some Malay graduates will become more employable after attending a crash course in English but their happiness will be outdone by the select few who will make millions from delivering the training modules and building training facilities.
There are so many things wrong about the government's decision to reward its loyal voters and constituents with this new Malay agenda. One, the funds to be used by Najib and gang are from all taxpayers, not from the UMNO endowment fund or from the annual Perkasa subscription. Chinese, Indians, Punjabis and others pay taxes and are entitled to reap the benefits when taxpayer funds are used for government projects.
It is dishonest for the government to say that non-Malays will not lose out under this new affirmative action programme. Of course, they will. You are essentially taking what Samy and Chua contributed into the common pool and only rewarding Abdul.
Two, the affirmative action plan for Malays and Bumiputeras assumes wrongly that Chinese and Indians and Punjabis and Eurasians are all living in the lap of luxury.
Just take a stroll around Kampung Medan on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur and you will find Indians in abject poverty.Go into Salak South and Jinjang and you will find Chinese families struggling to make ends meet.
Three, mediocrity should never be rewarded or excused so easily. And this is what the government is doing by cobbling together another Bumiputera-first policy.
Let us take the issue of making Malays employable. Who dumbed down the Education system? Who threw out English as the medium of instruction? Who chose the easy path and set up more universities, turning tertiary institutions into nothing more than degree mills? Who scrapped the policy of teaching Maths and Science in English?
And now, after a catalogue of mistakes and mediocre decisions, the government says it has a problem on its hands: Malay graduates who are unemployable. The troubling fact: the government that put the Malay community in this mess is now saying it has got the silver bullet.
Nothing irks intelligent people more than when government practises deceit. Yesterday was all about loading up the gravy train for the UMNOputras once again.
Along the way, the people really in need of help will feast on the crumbs.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

MACC: Keep On Dreaming, Tan Sri Abu Kassim

September 5, 2013

We outclass many of our peers, says MACC Chief

Unlike some other nations that set up anti-graft agencies as mere "window dressing to hide corrupt practices", the Malaysian watchdog has more bite, said its chief Abu Kassim Mohammad.
Speaking at an event in Penang yesterday, he pointed out that even the United Nations acknowledged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) structure.
"Based on my experiences and observations overseas, anti-corruption agencies in other countries cannot match us in terms of capacity, logistics, position and power.
"The UN recognises that we do not only have a high element of accountability but very good facilities and support from the government as well," he stressed.
MACC's Abu
Abu Kassim (right) also claimed that currently 90 percent of the caseshandled by the commission had been wrapped up within the "expected time frame".
He explained that this was achieved by introducing team-based investigations to promptly deal with backlog cases, which were now "non-existent".
"This is something we can be proud of because one of the rakyat's aspiration is to see the MACC carry out speedy investigation of cases," he said.
However, Abu Kassim said the public must understand that it was not always easy to probe these cases as corruption was a "very complex crime".
Unlike other cases, he noted, the victims involved in corruption were not always prepared to cooperate with MACC or provide its officers with information.
"The victims often feel that this is a victimless crime because the two sides are involved... so it is difficult for them to come forward and help us," he said.
More public service officers lodging reports
Meanwhile, Abu Kassim also revealed that more public service officials were coming out to lodge reports with MACC.
"Corruption in this sector is increasing but while in the past 20-25 years, MACC arrests have been targeted at public officers, today we focus not only on the private sector but the public (individuals or groups) who give bribes," he said.
"This change is related to public service officers who are willing to come out to report cases of corruption," he added.
Abu Kassim said this trend of exposing corrupt activities was in line with Transparency International's recent barometer on corruption which revealed that only five percent of Malaysians were perceived to be involved in the practice of giving bribes.
"This is a good achievement compared to other countries, where 75 percent of the population reportedly pay bribes," he added.
 photo PLS-33431480_02.jpg