Malaysia In The Eyes Of The World

This is how the world view us. Following are abstracts taken from The Malaysian Insider.

Branson says Anwar trial ‘damages’ Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has called on the Malaysian prime minister to intervene in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial, calling the issue “a thorn” in Malaysia’s otherwise good reputation.

“If you’re a bold leader, you should get rid of things like this which are damaging your reputation,” he said today at the “Dawn of the New Decade: Alternative Investments in Asia” conference here.

“This has gone on for a long, long time. It looks bad overseas.”

Full report here.

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Malaysia an ‘extreme’ example of tepid investment, says World Bank

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Malaysia is lacking in investment in human and physical capital leading to domestic savings greatly exceeding domestic investment, said a World Bank report.

The bank noted that Malaysia, like its fellow middle-income neighbours Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, is trying to move out of the middle-income trap but said it requires investment in infrastructure, equipment, education and skills in levels far exceeding what they are currently experiencing, which is well short of the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore when they were at similar per capita income levels, when they were at the same development stage.

Full report here.

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Malaysia should resist censorship temptation, says Wikipedia founder

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Malaysia should eschew censorship in favour of openness in order to foster an educated citizenry that will bring about prosperity, said Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales today.

Wales said that while censorship was tempting, it was no longer a valid option for governments to consolidate their hold on power by controlling what people know.

“Censorship is counter-productive,” he said in his speech at the World Capital Markets Symposium here.

“In the Malaysian context, for example, this is a country that has a fairly mixed record, the Internet is fairly uncensored but there is still some censorship in this country and I think we are beginning to see that it is no longer an effective strategy, certainly not an effective strategy when we think about economic growth, when we think about prosperity, when you think about making sure that the people have the information they need, make good decisions in their lives; it’s absolutely important that we have a very open flow of information.”

He said it was important that people be able to put out information so that “fellow citizens have the knowledge they need so they can’t be oppressed.”

Full report here.

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Bahrain tycoon says Bumi policy can scare away investors

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Malaysia risks scaring away foreign investors if it insists on pursuing Bumiputera affirmative action policies, a top official of a major Bahrain conglomerate said today.

“There is one thing Malaysia has to be careful of. You have a ‘delightful’ law here... where you give the local population certain seats or certain preference or certain licences,” Kanoo Group deputy chairman Mishal Hamed Kanoo told reporters at the “Dawn of the New Decade: Alternative Investments in Asia” forum here today.

“If you do that and foreign investors want to come in — they’re not used to this idea — you might scare them.”

Kanoo Group is one of the biggest independent companies in the Gulf region of the Middle East. It is also a partner with Malaysia’s CIMB in the CIMB-Kanoo Islamic Investment Company.

Likening the government’s pro-Bumiputera policies to covering one perceived “sin” with another, Kanoo later told The Malaysia Insider that only competition could ensure that the country developed the best products and achieved the best results.

“I don’t mean competition as in nasty, killing each other but competition [in the sense] that I want to be there or I am there because I deserve to be there, rather than because somebody has taken my hand or I was born under a certain star,” he said.

“These things should be taken away so that the best and the brightest become the best and the brightest... not because they know there’s no competition [but] because they know there is competition and that they are better than the competition. That’s what drives things.”

Drawing parallels between Bumiputera equity quotas and Saudi Arabia’s policy of “Saudisation”, Kanoo said such requirements were an unnecessary “extra hassle” that only burdened potential foreign investors wanting to do business in Malaysia.

“For a foreign entity coming into this market not knowing these things and then discovering these things, they’re not going to be too happy,” he said.

However, he pointed out that Malaysia was still regarded highly by the Islamic world, and remained well-positioned to leverage its competitive advantages as the premier Islamic financial centre outside of Bahrain and potential international hub for Islamic food marketing.

Kanoo nonetheless cautioned that Malaysia first needed to address its “internal issues” before it could begin to move forward in the right direction.

“I find it strange. Malaysia is seriously a success story, and I think Malaysia’s worst enemies are the Malaysians themselves,” he observed.

What A Shameful & Hypocritical UN Speech By The Prime Minister Of Malaysia!

The Prime Minister of Malaysia in his tweet is encouraging Malaysians to read his speech that he delivered at the UN General Assembly, and welcome their thoughts.

My thought is that it was such a shameful and hypocritical speech. His full text can be read here.

How can the PM be so shameless to preach to the world about the good while practicing the bad in his own homeland? I hope President Obama and other world leaders will take his speech with a grain of salt.

Let me differentiate what he preaches to the world and what he practices in his own country. I would like to remind the world leaders that Malaysia is quick to condemn other countries wrong doings but others were blocked from interfering with Malaysia internal problems even if they had signed or supported any of the international law agreements.

2.Let me reaffirm Malaysia’s unwavering and continuing support for the United Nations and the multilateral principles, based on international law, which it embodies. Let me also reiterate Malaysia’s commitment to doing our part in this collective endeavour.

In Malaysia the international law he spoke about were put into cold storage and he uses his own laws on humanity and democracy. He can arrest and lock up anyone under the Internal Security Act (ISA) without charges. The Press, Print & Publication Act (PPPA) had stifled freedom of speech to the extend that many were under investigation for seditions and a reporter arrested under the ISA simply for reporting what was said by others.

3.It is imperative that we have to achieve peace premised upon a covenant of the willing and not one enforced by way of hegemony through fear and coercion. Such peace can only be achieved if we are willing to constructively engage each other through dialogue. Such discussions would help in creating a deeper understanding as well as appreciation and respect of each other in our conviction to create a better future for all citizens of the world.

In Malaysia, racial polarisation and religious confrontation were at its worst since independent yet any discussions and constructive dialogue on racial and religious issues were illegal and condemned with their reasoning being that they are sensitive. The government itself is enforcing the way of hegemony through fear and coercion. Many opposition leaders are now under police investigations for talking about race and religious issues even though they were carried out in good faith.

4.As a trade organization, WTO remains relevant to today’s economic climate and Malaysia believes that the Doha Round must return to its original objective of ensuring free, fair and equitable trade.

Malaysia wanted the world to recognise free, fair and equitable trade but not willing to do so within its own country. The ridiculous pricing of its national car and the fall of FDI are just two examples.

5.Since the adoption of the MDGs a decade ago, which galvanized the world into collective action; there has been lack of efforts on joint endeavours towards the betterment of humanity. The missed opportunity at last year’s climate change meeting in Copenhagen is a wake-up call for all of us. We need to bridge the gaps towards resolving and addressing the issues of climate change which affects the lives and livelihoods of the peoples of the world and our future generations.

Malaysia, here again call upon the world for the betterment of humanity which they themselves are not doing anything about its poor handling of humanity in the country.

Vast forest are being destroyed for its priceless timber and soon, coal-fired and nuclear plants will be built and he got the guts to talk about climate change.

6.On 7 June 2010, the Malaysian Parliament unanimously passed a Resolution condemning the brutal Israeli attack on the humanitarian convoy in international waters.

Is it not hypocritical of Malaysia to condemn the brutal Israeli attack but letting loose its police force to crash peaceful rallies and demonstrations with arrest, firing tear gas and spraying chemical lace water onto protesters? Talking about humanity..it must be a real joke.

7.We were happy to see establishment of the UN Investigation Panel and the International Fact Finding Mission of the Human Rights Council. The report has found that the conduct of the Israeli military and other personnel towards the flotilla passengers was not only disproportionate but also demonstrated levels of totally unnecessary and incredible violence. This inhumane attack constituted grave violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law.

Malaysians are facing inhumane attack and arrest that constituted grave violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law. Malaysians can get arrested for wearing black, get arrested for lighting candles, get arrested for drawing cartoons, get arrested in rallies and get arrested simply for voicing against the government. Many going in for interrogations by the police and macc did not come out alive but in body bags. Will Malaysia allow the UN Investigation Panel and the International Fact Finding Mission of the Human Rights Council to come in to investigate all the inhuman actions of its government? I can provide you all with the government standard answer, "Malaysia has its own laws, we do not need outsiders to interfere with our internal affairs".

11.While harnessing our efforts to promote international peace and harmony we are concerned with the increasing trend in some parts of the world to perpetuate or even fuel Islamophobia. I therefore urge us to embark on building a “Global Movement of the Moderates” from all faiths who are committed to work together to combat and marginalize extremists who have held the world hostage with their bigotry and bias. We must choose moderation over extremism. We must choose negotiations over confrontation.

Did anyone ask the Prime Minister what is happening in his own country and is he practicing what he preaches at the UN in Malaysia? In Malaysia, the word "Allah" is banned from usage by the non muslim, while mosques and suraus are allowed to be built without any difficulties, other religion places of worship are facing objections. Cow heads were been dragged to proof their objection of Indian temple being built. Non muslim are not allowed into mosque while no action taken on those muslims who entered a church and desecrated the holy communion.

13.We commend President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg for rising to the challenge by affirming the rights of supporters of the Cordoba House to be located near the site of the World Trade Centre. This project will include a mosque and aMulti-Faith Community Centre open to all. We support the objectives of the Cordoba Initiative, an organization that focuses on promoting peace, understanding and moderation, both between Muslims and non-Muslims and within the Muslim communities. All countries should encourage and support initiatives that promote mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and reject the extremists who divide us all with issues that have in the past brought misery and hatred.

Malaysia is happy to see that the Cordoba House include a mosque and a Multi-Faith Community Centre open to all but did he tell you all that in Malaysia no such thing can happened or realised? Even open discussion about Islam and entering the mosque is a no no and could get you arrested for sedition or ISA. How can the PM support such initiative half way across the globe but not willing to do so in his own country? Do you think the PM will agree for calls to build other religious place of worship within Putra Jaya?

14.Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural and democratic society that has benefited from the positive interaction and synergy between the various communities. Mosques, temples, churches and other places of worship co-exist in harmony. It is this equilibrium that leads to moderation or “wasatiyyah” in the Islamic tradition of mutual justice.

I agree with the PM on this point if we are still living in the 50's and 60's but the whole scenario at present time are not so rosy and there is no showing or practicing of his so call "Islamic tradition of mutual justice". He allowed his party controlled media and malay NGOs to heighten the tension of unfounded reporting regarding racial and religious issues.

15.We are therefore well poised to play our part in promoting religious understanding, harmony and tolerance. To further strengthen our process of national unity, I have introduced a philosophy known as 1Malaysia.

Did he explained the reasons why after 53 years of independent there is still no national unity and the people are still so divided by race and religious intolerance? I will skip this 1Malaysia rhetoric as Malaysians including the PM's own ministers are having a hard time understanding it.

With the PM 1Malaysia, RACISM is getting worst with racist remarks coming out from the PM own top party leaders, civil servants, NGOs and multi media. The PM can talk and talk just like his shameful and hypocritical speech at the UN but he simply has no guts to tackle nor take any actions against those racists.

So, Mr. Prime Minister, you want my thoughts, these are my thoughts.

Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) 60th Birthday Message

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAJA PETRA KAMARUDIN


Thank You So Much

What is foremost in my mind is that even if I go tomorrow I would go knowing that I have helped plant the seed of dissent and have been able to teach Malaysians that we must never fear the oppression perpetuated by the government but rise and oppose oppression and make the government fear us instead.


Raja Petra Kamarudin

I was born just after midnight UK time 60 years ago. That would be around 7.00am Malaysian time. But already I am receiving loads of birthday wishes.

As I would probably not be able to reply to all your messages, as there are just so many, I would like to thank everyone here in this article for the birthday wishes you sent me and are continuing to send me even as I write this article. I don’t want anyone saying that I am sombong and am ignoring your messages.

My father who was born on 1st July 1925 died on 4th August 1971 at the age of 46. My mother who was born on 11th February 1933 died on 5th November 1980 at the age of 47. The fact that today I am celebrating my 60th birthday means I have been given ‘extended time’, which I certainly must be very grateful for.

This ‘extended time’ does not belong to me. Going by the ages that my parents died I too should have gone a long time ago. And the fact that I am still around not only means I should be grateful I am still alive but that this ‘extended time’ should be used not for my benefit but for the benefit of the nation.

I have seen and done many things in my life. What I have experienced in my 60 years can fill two or more lifetimes for many people. At my age what more is there that I need? Even if I never wake up from sleep tomorrow there are no regrets because I have lived a full life. And if I do wake up then I have to ponder as to why I am still around and what I must do with the balance of my life.

My time on earth is no longer mine. This time does not belong to me. It belongs to my children and grandchildren and their children and grandchildren yet to be born.

I pray I get to see another ten years of life. If I get to see more than ten years that is more than I expect and hope for. Whatever it may be and whatever time I may have left, it is so that I can utilise this extra time in trying to make Malaysia a better place for those I leave behind.

The future belongs to the next generation. My job is to ensure that the next generation gets to enjoy life in a country that is conducive to a better quality of life. Quality of life is not about the number of years you live. Quality of life is not about the wealth that you procure. It is about a country free of persecution, discrimination and injustice and where the government respects the fundamental rights of its citizens.

How long we live is not important. Whether it is a short or long life is not crucial. It is what you do in that short time you spend on earth is what matters.

When I leave this world I shall not be able to leave my descendants money or riches because I am not a wealthy man. In fact, I am a declared bankrupt. But what I can leave them would be a legacy that we must always fight for justice and freedom and rise to the defence of the downtrodden. That, I believe, are virtues which even money cannot buy.

So, again, thank you so much for all those birthday wishes. And whether ten years from now you will still be wishing me happy birthday and whether I will still be saying thank you is not foremost in my mind. What is foremost in my mind is that even if I go tomorrow I would go knowing that I have helped plant the seed of dissent and have been able to teach Malaysians that we must never fear the oppression perpetuated by the government but rise and oppose oppression and make the government fear us instead.

Thank you, Malaysians. You are always in my heart and I hope I too will always be in yours long after I am gone and have become dust buried in the earth.

Teoh Beng Hock, Did You Commit Suicide?

I am truly sorry, Sdr. Teoh Beng Hock, that I have to ask you this question, Did You Commit Suicide? Everyone knows that this is really a stupid question to ask but am I wrong? No, I am not wrong because this is the way how our government, macc, pdrm and the judiciary taught us, to be stupid.

When your family met up with the prime minister, he made a promise that your mysterious death will be fully investigated and ensured that no stone will be left unturned. With this promise, the prime minister should called for a royal commission of inquiry which your family and the public had wanted, instead, he called for an inquest. Why did he reject the RCI, simply because the chances of getting the truth of your mysterious death is very high. For an inquest, they have the upper hand to protect the guilty (if any), manipulate and fabricate, anyway, anyhow they wanted.

On the onset, the government, pdrm, macc and the judiciary had already made up their mind to see that your mysterious death be concluded as committing suicide, that is, you took your own life. I came to this conclusion by judging the way they presented the case, the investigation by pdrm, the judiciary allowing the dpp to ridicule witness and articulation of imaginary theories.

Your body was discovered at around 1:30pm but was kept in the dark for over four hours before making the announcement. A lot of things can be done, cleaning up, confide in each other what to say and many other rearrangement if required during the four hours.

One minister came out with his wise statement just hours later, "we do not know why he wanted to jump and not going home". One of the first few indication to start and point towards a commit suicide verdict.

The macc suddenly became very professional, claiming that you were not a suspect but only a witness without explaining why a witness required such long hours of questioning right through the early morning. Macc claimed that you were released but do not know why you wanted to stay back while your personal belongings were still kept by them. Indeed, we, the public finds it very puzzling the way macc tried to distance themselves from your death.

The so called professional pdrm can only came to the conclusion of sudden death. If the pdrm were to really look deeper into it, my guess is that they should be able to find out whether you committed suicide or was it homicide.

We now come to the interesting part, the clowning of your inquest. Here, we can really see that no stone was left unturned to pursue for a commit suicide verdict.

Your mental stage and your family were questioned very thoroughly but not the macc officials that were questioning you. Every effort to block Dr. Phorntip from testifying to the extend of questioning her qualification and expertise being not recognised by our country.

You were even speculated to have strangled yourself first before you jumped to your death. We can see how desperate they are to protect someone, the murderer, the government, the macc, the pdrm or even the judiciary?

The most shocking and unbelievable evidence surfaced after more than a year of your inquest, your suicide note. As I had said above, for an inquest they have the upper hand to spring surprises, they can magically turned a common simple note into a suicide note. The laughter does not end here, there are more when they can justified to present your suicide note as evidence based on google's translation from your written Chinese note into English. They did not get an expert to translate nor authenticate the so called suicide note.

So, here we are, can anyone be surprised should the dpp in the ongoing inquest called for your lawyers to go and asked you whether you were murdered or that you committed suicide?

I am now ahead of the dpp stupidity to ask you this question first, Did You Commit Suicide?

"MALAYSIA" Is Good Enough, We Do Not Need The "1Malaysia" Rhetoric

We are all Malaysians living in this country called Malaysia. Is the ruling government so ashamed of the word "Malaysia" and blaming it for all the problems that we are facing now? If not why introduce a "1Malaysia", a copycat version of "OneIsrael", "1Singapore" and "1Indonesia". We are often reminded not to copy others as we "Malaysia Boleh" can succeed on our own.

Up till date, since it's inception, nobody can really understand what is the meaning of "1Malaysia", even among the ruling government themselves. Many visitors came to my blog via keyword search and 60% of the keywords were, "meaning of 1Malaysia", "1Malaysia explanation" or "simple explanation 1Malaysia".

Why can't we just used Malaysia Toilet, Malaysia Clinic, Malaysia Milk and remove the 1 from all the other acronyms that represented Malaysia.

Malaysia is a country that we are proud to live and die for. We can all integrate with each other among all the races under a proud single word called "Malaysia".

There is actually no racial disharmony among the various races on the ground. It is umno, certain leaders of the government, school heads, civil departmental heads, multi media and certain NGOs that wanted to see to it that the various races are divided and mistrust each other, all because of political power play.

Let me narrate an actual happening that I saw giving me the self confident that on the ground the various races are actually very integrated and not so divided as reported.

This morning I had to cross the Penang bridge to Seberang Prai by bike to get something done. Half way through the bridge, it started to rain heavily and there was no shelter, so I had to continue the journey even though I am totally wet.

Nearing the toll, I saw a bus shelter and drove towards it to take refuge. I parked the bike and rushed towards the shelter which were already filled with people. I had to squeezed in, with the kind people making room for me. We all were standing rubbing shoulders against each other.

What I saw was a mixed crowd of about 15 people, what a coincidence, there were 5 Malays, 5 Indians and 5 Chinese out of which, one was a civil servant, a mechanic, office workers and an Indian family going home. Some look up at me and smile and one laugh at me because I was all wet through. We chatted among us, mostly cursing for the sudden heavy downpour. A young Malay man complained that he got hantam from his boss for not reaching the office and from the sound of his earlier telephone conversation, his boss is most probably a Chinese.

After about 40 minutes, the heavy rain subsided and we all parted way to our own destination. I reached my destination and after finishing what I came to do I went to a Malay owned coffee shop to have my lunch.

The majority of the people in the shop were Malays and as I walked in, some smiled at me and looked at my dress as it was still wet. I chatted with some of them and they were very friendly. I saw a Chinese girl hugging a Malay woman sharing an umbrella while other office workers of different races came in together to have their lunch.

Majority of us on the ground are simple people and when situation arises, we can gather together in a friendly manner, stand closed to each other and communicate easily with each other.

The ruling government, controlled by umno, must put a stop to all kind of racism put in place and practiced by it's top leaders,umno, perkasa, multi media and NGOs.

We can all live together as Malaysians anywhere in this country called Malaysia. We do not need for "1Malaysia" to unite the people. We are already united under "MALAYSIA" if not for certain power crazy leaders, umno/bn, multi media and NGOs playing the race issues to the tilt.

Is Umno Now Controlled By Perkasa And Mahathir?

Are we all not surprised at the latest U-Turn/flip-flop by umno/Najib regarding Perkasa. One week ago umno leaders were told to keep their distance from Perkasa with mca, mic, gerakan cheering with happiness and today one by one they are reversing their previous stand on Perkasa.

Umno is now under the thumb of Perkasa and Mahathir with Najib, the PM, looking like a fool still daydreaming of his 1Malaysia while his own members are going all out to blame everyone else including Lee Kuan Yew except themselves for the racial and religious turmoil.

You can see how the racist school principles, utusan and perkasa are being protected for all their racial venom thrown out every other days.

There is no way that umno/bn is going to change anytime sooner and they are going to use the only way they know best to ensure that they remain in power. And that way is by creating disharmony among the various races. The PM as usual will play the nice guy with his daydream 1Malaysia to hook in as many non malay voters while letting perkasa, utusan, Mahathir and his other ministers playing the racial cards to garner the malay votes. Umno is not perturbed one bit should their racial cards turned into riots and chaos, as a matter of fact they will be much happier if it did.

It is very predictable what umno is trying to do in order for them to win the 13th general election.

My answer to you all is to stand firm and see through the much needed change that is required to restore our badly damaged country to its original, beautiful and harmonious state. Do not be fooled again by all the slogans and rhetoric from umno/bn for we have been fooled for a long 53 years and that is enough. The choice and decision is yours, we must ensure that umno/bn does not rule this country again after the 13th GE for they have failed us many times over.

Read the latest statement from Penang Chief Minister.

LIM GUAN ENG

DAP is not surprised at UMNO Secretary-General Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s reversal of his previous stand against Perkasa by denying that he had said his Barisan Nasional (BN) colleagues agreed to keep the ruling coalition from Perkasa. After all Tengku Adnan had no choice but to support Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s statement yesterday that Umno did not want to stir conflict with any non-governmental organisation (NGO) such as Perkasa.

This only proves UMNO has all along being behind Perkasa. UMNO’s submission to Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia open support shows the strength of the Perkasa mentality within BN and that 1Malaysia is an empty slogan to win votes. What is surprising however is that this support and the Perkasa mentality is prevalent even amongst all component parties of BN as explained by Tengku Adnan in The Malaysian Insider on Perkasa, “When we had a meeting with BN secretaries-general, we never talked even a little bit that we wanted to distance ourselves from anybody.”

Clearly all the BN component parties like MCA are just playing a big “sandiwara” opposing Perkasa outside when inside meetings, they keep silent and submissively support UMNO’s pro-Perkasa position. This Perkasa mentality in BN is dangerous as it has led to public and open denigration of Malaysians from minority groups.

This Perkasa mentality has resulted in those making racist remarks escape unpunished. When Najib’s special officer Nasir Safar said that Indians were beggars and Chinese women sell their bodies, Nasir was not punished for such seditious remarks and only resigned. When the school principals abused their position to make racist remarks against Indians and Chinese, no action was taken.

No action was taken agains the Kulai school principal who said during the school assembly that Indians were like dogs and Chinese students can go back to China. Similarly no action was taken against the Kedah school principal for making similar racist statements against Chinese students. Another teacher in a Bukit Jambul school in Penang was only given a memo when he used foul language against students.

How can you reward good if you do not punish bad? Is the reason why no action has been taken against these racist and extremist statements because of Perkasa’s open support and demonstrations of the right of Nasir and the school principals to make such racist and extremist statements.

Many Malaysians know that Perkasa is racist and extremist when they do not condemn but openly support the school principals and Nasir for calling Indians beggars and dogs, Chinese women sell their bodies and to go back to China. More serious is that UMNO and BN continues to support Perkasa despite such racist and extremist positions taken by Perkasa.

Malaysians must stand up and unite against the racism and extremism as embodied not only by Perkasa but those that support Perkasa such as UMNO and BN. BN may feel that this is just a political game to win votes and the next general elections. However the consequences are dire if not nipped in the bud. There is but only one short step from dehumanizing Malaysians by describing them as beggars, selling their bodies and even dogs to the final militant step practiced by those who preach the language of violence.

When PM Opened His Mouth, The People Got Angrier

The Prime Minister is supposed to be the most powerful person in this country but sadly he is only powerful in talking but powerless to take action.

He should not be sadden over problems that arises under his leadership, instead he must be strong and with the power invested in him, he should be able to solve or at least control the problems from escalating. He must act immediately without fear or favor in accordance to the law of this country.

Just take a look at how his talk can make the people angrier.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today expressed strong opposition to the actions of extremist groups or individuals who believe in their radical views and actions against others.

“It saddens me that despite living in an independent multi-cultural nation for over 50 years, there are still those among us who cannot tolerate, much less accept the benefits of a [peaceful] society,” he said.

Without any evidence to indicate that the country's security was compromised, Raja Petra Kamarudin, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng were arrested under the ISA.

But today he can see the complete live evidence of extremist groups and radical individuals excreting the racists and extremists pollutants almost everyday and all he can do is to express his strong opposition.

What the hell is he sad about, he is the most powerful man in Malaysia and he can only complain about his sadness but powerless to do anything. Go after perkasa and utusan and I will guarantee that he will not be sadden anymore.

The PM tweet today will make you more angrier.

"NajibRazak: It's International Day for Democracy. Malaysia believes in the ideas and principles of democracy, including accountability and transparency."

Is this the reaction from a PM pretending to be democratic but not so?. No commitments and totally disregard the principles of democracy. Look at how he uses the words "believes" and "ideas". He can only believes in the ideas and he spoke about it only once a year during the International Day for Democracy. He just include the "accountability and transparency" words to complement himself, knowing that his government will not put it into practice and for democracy, it will have to follow umno's interpretation.

Up to this point, what we can say is, "He looks like a PM, talks like a PM but is he really the PM?

13th General Election (13th GE) Online Campaign - Umno/BN Must Go !

Umno/bn have ruled this country for far too long, 53 long years and we are getting worst in terms of everything. Please spend 10 minutes of your time to watch this video and fully understand why umno/bn has to go and help to spread this video.




13th GE Online Campaign:

Malaysia Needs A New Federal Government

Is It Difficult To Govern A Country?

"Wait And See First Lah"

Intolerable Umno/BN

Umno/BN Controlled Multi-Media Spin And Distortion

Big Fish Caught! The More Reason To Vote For Change

Why Be Afraid Of PAS?

PR Needs To Put In Place A 2nd & 3rd Line Of Defence

Daydreams That Turn Disastrous

What Wiki said about Daydream:
A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake. There are many different types of daydreams, and there is no consensus definition amongst psychologists. Daydreams may involve fantasies about future scenarios or plans, or reminiscences about past experiences, and may include vivid dream-like mental images. They are often connected with some type of emotion.

While daydreaming has long been derided as a lazy, non-productive pastime, it is now commonly acknowledged that daydreaming can be constructive in some contexts.

Malaysians as well as the leaders have daydreams in the political atmosphere which we can termed it as political daydreams. In such political daydreams the constructive contexts will be different depending on which side of the divide you are aligned to.

The political opposition daydreamers are dreaming for a two party system, the hope and ambition to take over as the government of the day. Today, we are not talking about the daydreams of the political opposition which we will leave it for another day.

The present ruling government were able to form the federal government with a coalition of 13 political parties that won a simple majority after the 12th general election. The losing of five States and the two third majority in Parliament had shattered the core bone of the coalition which until then was unshakable.

Prior to the 12th general election, everything looks easy for the coalition government, no serious work were needed to ensure their continuing stay in power and what they needed to do were to daydreams of how to enrich themselves and family members while the people were influenced with another type of daydream, that only this coalition is capable of governing this country.

Everyone, one time or another have daydreams. When you get wind that you are going to be promoted to be a manager, you will somehow start to daydream of how you are going to manage your subordinates and the company. How you are going to treat your enemy within, how you aim to go higher up. Your daydream will be effective or not upon sitting inside the manager's room depends greatly on how you play out your daydream.

The PM of a country is no difference, when as DPM and upon learning that he will soon become the next PM, he will has his daydreams but these daydreams are bigger from that of an ordinary manager.

We are quite sure that the present PM of this country had his many daydreams, years before he was even a DPM. His daydreams became more complex as the days get closer for him to become the PM and making it worst was the great lost at the 12th general election.

Why I called it the daydreams of the PM and not planning is because when you make plans, you can really see the whole structure of the ongoings in a transparent manner by a group of people or team work, irrespective whether the plan succeed or fail while the daydreams are only the dreams of the PM alone without full support from others within his team and rushing to implement his daydreams make the situation worst.

The particular outstanding daydream of the PM is to ensure that the coalition continues to hold on to power. Daydreams are often connected with some type of emotion and the emotion of the PM after seeing the lost of the two third majority in Parliament by his predecessor and the fear of losing power in the coming 13th general election is negatively enormous.

One special daydream of the PM is to see a "1Malaysia, People First Performance Now" implementation which by now can be seen by all that it had turned into a disaster. This daydream is good but failed because the PM did not create supportive meaningful daydreams to give it the credence that it needed to succeed. The television stations, TV1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 have been continuously screening the 1Malaysia ideology using the PM's daydream but it is just about that and what we actually see happening on the ground is totally different and the opposite of what they are showing us.

Daydreams are pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions that can actually be translated into meaningful actions if the applications are put into the correct perspective without any further disturbances from other newly created daydreams.

The PM, in rushing to put his half-baked daydreams into reality and affirmative actions were met with furious retaliation from all sides because he failed to daydreams about other factors that were required in order to see through his ambition of wanting to hold on to power.

The PM, by playing out his daydreams without first opening them up for discussions and further planning, especially among the various races, had indeed became a big disaster.

Creating daydreams one after another can be disastrous if not handled and play out correctly for it will turned into a horrible nightmare as seen from the latest racial and religious confrontations.

The justification to say the PM is daydreaming for over one and a half years by trying to implement his odds and pieces daydreams is from seeing the continuing failure of the country in every aspect, especially in the economy, judiciary, education, crime, corruptions, suppression of free speech and further racial and religious intolerance.

If one do not know how to turn one's daydreams into good and useful actions, just leave it as a dream.

Selamat Hari Raya To All Malaysians Updated With CM Lim Guan Eng Raya Speech

Wishing All Malaysians
Selamat Hari Raya

LET US REJOICE & CELEBRATE HARI RAYA PEACEFULLY TOGETHER AS MALAYSIANS

Kerajaan Negeri Akan Berusaha Untuk Martabatkan Rakyat Pulau Pinang Dan Orang Melayu Memiliki Daya Dinamik, Daya Kepakaran Dan Daya Usahawanan.

Kerajaan Negeri Akan Berusaha Untuk Martabatkan Rakyat Pulau Pinang Dan Orang Melayu Memiliki Daya Dinamik, Daya Kepakaran Dan Daya Usahawanan.

Salam Hari Raya Aidil Fitri 1431H saya hulurkan kepada semua umat Islam di Malaysia serta selamat bercuti kepada semua warga Malaysia. Semoga 1 Syawal yang mulia ini dapat memberi berkat dan rahmat buat kita semua.

Sempena Syawal sebagai bulan suci bagi umat Islam untuk membersihkan diri dari segala gejala buruk, saya dengan rasa rendah diri ingin memohon maaf jika ada salah silap yang sememangnya tidak disengajakan.

Untuk itu, saya harap kita dapat bersama-sama kembali kepada sifat kemanusiaan yang jujur dan ikhlas dengan membuang sifat-sifat keji seperti perkauman dan keagamaan yang melampau. Bagi saya, agama membawa kebaikan insan dan bukannya pencetus kepada sikap benci-membenci. Kasih sayang antara jiran, antara sahabat, malah antara penyokong politik yang berbeza fahaman adalah penting kerana kita semua adalah sama dan setaraf sebagai manusia.

Sebarang perbezaan fahaman politik boleh dibincang atau dibahaskan, bukannya dibenci atau dihina; bukannya dikenakan tindakan undang-undang atau didiskriminasikan oleh mereka yang berkuasa.

Kata-kata perkauman yang meghina maruah dan harga diri warga Malaysia perlu dihentikan serta-merta. Tuduh-menuduh antara kaum dan agama tidak akan dapat merapatkan hubungan kita sebagai rakyat yang cintakan Malaysia.

Saya sedih kerana sepanjang bulan Ramadan yang mulia lalu, masih ada anasir-anasir yang sanggup mencemarkan kesucian bulan puasa dengan fitnah dan pembohongan perkauman dan agama di mana saya sendiri sekali lagi menjadi mangsanya. Sedih sungguh apabila kemurnian Ramadan dikotorkan oleh segelintir manusia yang gelap hati mereka.

Saya berharap Perdana Menteri dan Kerajaan Pusat yang telah berjanji untuk menangani masalah perkauman supaya benar-benar berani melaksanakan langkah-langkah tegas. Tidak boleh ada pilih kasih. Yang bersalah, sama ada dari kalangan orang Melayu, Cina, India, Kadazandusun, Iban dan sebagainya atau pun dari kalangan penganut apa-apa agama, perlu dikenakan tindakan tegas mengikut undang-undang atas prinsip keadilan.

Memerangi masalah perkauman dan amalan agama yang ekstrem bukan sekadar soal politik kepartian. Ia adalah isu nasional yang harus ditangani bersama oleh setiap warga yang prihatin kepada keadilan dan demokrasi.

Di negeri Pulau Pinang, kerajaan negeri akan berusaha untuk martabatkan rakyat Pulau Pinang dan orang Melayu memiliki daya dinamik, daya kepakaran dan daya keusahawanan. Peruntukan untuk hal ehwal Islam telah bertambah daripada RM 12.5 juta pada 2008 kepada RM 24.3 juta pada 2010. Di antara langkah yang diambil oleh kerajaan negeri adalah:

a) mengadakan tender terbuka di mana kontraktor Melayu biasa menunjukkan kebolehan berdaya saing dengan kontraktor lain dengan kontraktor Melayu biasa memenangi kebanyakan tender. Jelas hanya kontraktor UMNO sahaja yang tidak dapat berdaya saing.

b) menubuhkan Majlis Sains Pulau Pinang yang menggalakkan pelajar pintar dan menubuhkan Penang Tech Center yang menonjolkan pencapaian industri di sini agar menjadikan Pulau Pinang sebagai pusat kecemeralangan sains dan teknologi; dan

c) memberikan bantuan kewangan kepada Sekolah Agama Rakyat, elaun dan duit raya kepada guru kafa dan mengiktiraf para huffaz;

d) menubuhkan Hab Pendidikan Pulau Pinang untuk menggalakkan universiti terkemuka dunia termasuk dalam Islam untuk mendirikan kampus cawangan;

e) memberikan bantuan mikro-kredit tanpa faedah kepada peniaga-peniaga kecil dan mengurangkan bayaran lesen penjaja dan nelayan sebanyak 50%

Semoga semangat Syawal akan membuka hati kita untuk menerima hakikat bahawa kita adalah warga yang bersaudara dalam satu negara yang sama-sama kita bina dan hidup bersama. Ikhlas dari saya, maaf zahir dan batin.

LIM GUAN ENG

In Defence Of Nurul Izzah Anwar

John Malott

“She may well turn out to be the fresh young voice of conscience and courage… at a time when Malaysia needs a gentle, clear voice".

Without question, racial tensions in Malaysia are higher today than at any time since the 1969 riots.

A high school principal makes racist remarks to her young students but goes unpunished by the government. A Chinese Malaysian rapper makes an offensive video claiming that Malaysia's wealth is thanks to the Chinese, insulting not only Malays but also Indian workers who have toiled on Malaysian plantations for generations.

A right-wing Utusan Malaysia columnist writes that those who disagree with his extremist views on the unwritten social contract can “go home” to China and India. When some Malays parade the severed head of a cow to protest against a Hindu temple, they are greeted as heroes by the home minister.

Fearful of losing political support, the government's actions have been selective - criticising statements coming from the opposition, while remaining silent when the racism comes from their own quarters. The prime minister's failure to provide leadership to deal with this growing racial and religious crisis and his inability to go beyond the sloganeering of 1Malaysia do not portend well for Malaysia's future.

Against this backdrop, Nurul Izzah Anwar, the MP for Lembah Pantai, has written a courageous and fascinating two-part article, 'Malaysia or Malaysaja?', calling for a constructive dialogue with Perkasa to discuss how to interpret Article 153 of the Constitution. She has said that she is willing to engage with other concerned Malaysians as well.

Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali dismissed Nurul Izzah's challenge to a debate, calling her 'small fry'. And in a snub, he said that if she wants to debate, she can talk to the head of Wiranita, the Perkasa women's organisation.

For reasons that most people understand, the publicity-seeking Ibrahim does not want to share a microphone with anyone, let alone Nurul Izzah, who clearly is his intellectual superior.

As expected, Perkasa and its allies responded in typical fashion – not by countering Nurul Izzah's well-considered arguments, but by engaging in bluster, name-calling, and threats, filing a police report against her.

Nurul Izzah, not one to be intimidated by bullying, responded by writing another article, even more forceful and detailed than the first.

What Izzah has called for

Let us consider what Nurul Izzah said and did not say – and why her proposal for a constructive debate on the meaning of Article 153, and how it has been implemented over the years, has merit.

First, Nurul Izzah did not call for the repeal or amendment of Article 153. So the hot heads of Perkasa, as well as Home Minister Hishammuddin Onn, should back off. There is no element of sedition here. She also did not challenge Malaysia's unwritten social contract.

Nurul Izzah correctly pointed out that Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa are wrong when they insist that the words “Malay rights” appear in Article 153. They do not. The Constitution refers to the “special position” of the Malays and other bumiputera, but not to any inalienable rights.

Pardon me for talking briefly about my own country to make a point. Soon to be 223 years old, the US Constitution is the oldest written constitution in the world. Over the years, the US Supreme Court has been called upon countless times - now between 75 and 100 times each year - to interpret the meaning of the Constitution and whether specific actions and laws of the government conform to it.

So as an American, I think that debating the meaning and implementation of specific articles in the Constitution is a legitimate part of the political and governing process in a democracy. Even after two centuries, we still have that debate. For example, the question of placing an Islamic Centre near Ground Zero in New York raises constitutional issues of freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Nurul Izzah is doing the same. She says, let's have a constructive debate about what Malaysia's constitution means in practice when it talks about the “special position” of the Malays.

Discounts on fancy homes a 'right'?

For example, nowhere in the Constitution does it say that bumiputera citizens should be given discounts when they buy fancy condominiums. Those are policies enacted by the government of the day, which are not enshrined in the Constitution.


While the civil service, scholarships, and business permits are mentioned in Article 153, housing is not. But when DAP MP Tony Pua recently suggested that the Selangor state government should abolish the bumiputera discount for purchase of houses costing more than RM500,000 (in a state where the average cost of housing in 2009 was RM267,000), an Umno Youth leader filed a police report and said that Pua's suggestion not only challenged Article 153, it was an offence under the Sedition Act. Of course, it is not.

Question: Should bumiputera residents be given discounts when they buy housing? If so, what should the percentage be? Do you have a “right” to a 10 percent discount as opposed to 5 percent?

Should there be a means test – that the discount is only given to people whose incomes are below a certain level, or when the value of the housing is below a certain level? If poor Malays are to be given housing discounts or subsidies, then should they not also be given to poor Indians and others? These are all legitimate questions to discuss.

If in the future the government decides that bumiputera may receive a 30 percent discount when they buy a Proton, but others may not, isn't it only fair to discuss this? If the government decides that 100 percent of the civil service has to be Malay, or that only Malays may head corporations in Malaysia, isn't that something that should be debated?

If others want to question such policies, they should not be told that they are violating Article 153 and are subject to arrest for sedition.

Bumi equity target has failed

Let's consider the policy of bumiputera ownership of 30 percent of the equity on the Bursa Malaysia. Article 153 talks about making special provision for bumiputeras to acquire licences and permits to engage in trade and business. But it does not talk about setting aside a special allocation of new stock issues for Malays and others, let alone how the value of the stock should be measured.

If the goal of the NEP is to raise the economic status and living standards of the Malay people, then how does this specific programme – setting aside 30 percent of stock issues – do that? If it were an effective programme, then why after all these years do so many Malays - and especially those in the rural areas - still live in poverty?

Why, as the New Economic Model (NEM) report pointed out, has the gap between rich and poor widened? Why has income for the bottom 40 percent of Malaysian households grown the most slowly over the past three decades?

Judged by these results, clearly the 30 percent equity policy has failed to do the job. Are there not better and more effective policies to raise the economic levels of the Malays and people of Sabah and Sarawak? And as others have pointed out, who decided what individuals could buy these shares? Where was the transparency? Why were the recipients not required to keep the shares, rather than sell them to others for a quick buck?

When MCA head Dr Chua Soi Lek called for ending the 30 percent quota, Perkasa's economic bureau director called for Chua to be arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for “disregarding national interests.”

In 2006, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) issued a report that said when the actual market value of stocks is used (the way that all of us determine our current wealth), rather than the artificially-determined par value, then the 30 percent target already has been reached. But under pressure, Asli withdrew the report.

'A fresh young voice'

In summary, even without challenging Article 153, it is perfectly legitimate to have a discussion of:

1) how that article has been implemented and should be implemented through government policies and actions;

2) how successful past and current policies have been in meeting the goals of Article 153; and

3) how success should be measured.

In a democracy, none of these topics should be "off limits."

On a personal note, I have known Nurul Izzah for 12 years, and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow into the remarkable woman that she is today. No one should underestimate her. Everyone sees her beauty, but I can attest that she also has brains, determination, and courage. And all of those characteristics are on display right now.

Perhaps an anonymous comment on the Internet, in response to her article, says it best: “She may well turn out to be the fresh young voice of conscience and courage… at a time when Malaysia needs a gentle, clear voice.” - Malaysiakini


(John Malott is the former US ambassador to Malaysia)

Click here to read more

Malaysia Or Malaysaja? Part 2: Clarifying And Reconciling The Constitution

By NURUL IZZAH ANWAR

Since I wrote my 31 August 2010 article, titled “The Ultimate Malaysian Debate: Malaysia or Malaysaja?”, which called for a constructive engagement with Perkasa, and with the stated purpose to seek clarification and not challenge or repeal the constitution, my invitation to Perkasa has not only been rejected but countless accusations and police reports were made against me.

I believe as a democracy, that all opinions made related to the article — which I hope was not lost in translation — is accepted and responded to with thanks.

With that, I invite everyone to read the full article again. (see: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/44287 )

I stand by that article and will remain a Malaysian Patriot forever.

I also recommend that the Malaysian Constitution be read in conjunction with the Articles mentioned. For brevity, the fantastic MyConstitution brochures produced by the Malaysian Bar Council are also very helpful.

Part 2: Clarifying and Reconciling the Constitution

In the interest of framing the context of my concerns for the state of our nation, I have written this sequel.

I wish to continue in the path of constructive engagement with all concerned Malaysians.

I again reaffirm that I only seek clarifications and not to challenge or ask to repeal our constitution.

I have decided to make a list of issues concerning “Malay Rights”, that needs to be clarified and reconciled between the mixed government policy signals over the years in relation to Article 153, Article 152, Article 89 and the NEP.

The main contention for clarification is that, how do we reconcile between the need for change to meet current circumstances facing the nation today and the constitution — the raison d’etre of my proposed debate with Perkasa for a better Malaysia?

The list, where all the information is available as a matter of public record, is as follows:

Part XII, General and Miscellaneous — Article 153 — Reservation of quotas in respect of services, permits, etc., for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak.

Article 153 contains a quota mechanism in the form of Article 153 (2)… the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law… to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable for:

* positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State)

* scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given

* permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.

Position in Public Service Quota

In regards to “position in the public service”, in 2009, 78.2% of public service positions are composed of Malays and 7.7% other Bumiputeras for a total of 85.9%.

However, it is reassuring that measures have been introduced to recruit more non-Malays into the civil service.

How do we reconcile this with the need for diversity and fair racial representation without diminishing “Malay Rights”?

Scholarship Quota

In regards to scholarships for Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak, I would like to propose that more scholarships should be given as education is a great equaliser and facilitates social mobility; hence shouldn’t all PTPTN student loans be converted to scholarships to fulfil Article 153 intent?

And as a sustainable source of funds for more scholarships, shouldn’t Petronas oil revenue have a specific 30% of profits mandated for scholarships, this would definitely be putting our “Khazanah Negara: (national treasure, i.e. oil) to develop our most treasured resources: our children?

Wouldn’t it also be an exercise in good governance and in the interest of “Malay Rights”, if Petronas accounts are made public and accountable through the Parliament?

I do believe with Petronas mandated scholarship contribution, even all deserving top scorers, regardless of race can receive a scholarship that will enrich the quality of our human resource and foster national unity to achieve higher economic growth; to improve the quality of our current workforce, 80 per cent of which are SPM holders.

Wouldn’t this enhance “Malay Rights”?

Public University Admission Quota

We should also look at how Article 153 (2) is to be reconciled, with the change of policy from a quota-based to a meritocracy-based admissions system to public universities made by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003?

Wouldn’t this lead to efforts to continue improving our education system or just be seen as limiting access to public universities? Which is the priority?

Permits and Licenses for Business and Trade Quota

In regards to permits or licences for trade or business, how can it be reconciled with the initiative of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s act to liberalise 27 sub-sectors within the services sector?

Would this impact “Malay Rights” positively or negatively, in terms of creating market efficiencies through competition which will grow the economy or have market protection that limits growth?

Part XII, General and Miscellaneous — Article 152 — National Language

Article 152 (1) …The national language shall be the Malay language…..

How do we reconcile between the need for change and the constitution with the earlier initiative to teach Science and Maths in English in national schools by prime minister Mahathir in 2003, which now has been reversed back to being taught in Bahasa Malaysia?

As a note to the ability of the courts to interpret on the constitution, this year in a test case brought by four students, a High Court has ruled that it is constitutional to teach Mathematics and Science in English. [1]

Indeed, is it safe to surmise that the constitution can be reconciled with the needs of the times, as shown in the PPSMI case?

Part VI, Chapter 4 — Land; Article 89 — Malay Reserve Land

Article 89 refers to Malay Land Reservation matters, how can it be reconciled with the government’s proposal to establish the Kampung Baru Development Corp, with a yet to be finalised 60:40 ratio for Malay and non-Malay participation in property development (and ownership?) made by the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister?

Wouldn’t this reduce “Malay Rights” in terms of landholdings, but how do we unlock the value of these lands for productive uses? Which should be the priority?

NEP — Poverty Eradication Goal

In the matter of the poverty eradication regardless of race, absolute poverty in the population as a whole dropped from 49.7% in 1970 to 3.8% in 2009, according to the 10th Malaysia Plan government statistics.

In real numbers this means that 228,400 households or 1,004,960 Malaysian live on an average of RM800 per household a month and below.

However, if we use a more realistic and reasonable measurement methodology for determining the Poverty Line Income (PLI) which is defined as income that is necessary to buy a group of foods that would meet the nutritional needs of the members of a household and other basic necessities such as clothing, rent, fuel and utilities, transport and communications, medical expenses, education and recreation, then according to Jayanath Appudurai, who writes extensively on poverty for the Centre for Policy Initiatives, suggest that Malaysia calculates the PLI based on two-thirds of the median income of its households. The median income is a country’s total income divided by half which is RM2,830 for Malaysia. Therefore, Malaysia’s PLI for 2010 based on two-thirds of the median income, should be RM1,886 rather than the government’s PLI average of RM800 per household. [2]

Based on RM800 per month per household of 4.4 people, then the daily amount needed to live is RM6.00 per person as compared to an income of RM 1,886 per month which would provide a daily average of RM14.00 per person to cover basic necessities.

What is the price of one chicken today? Has food prices increased? Is living getting more expensive while job opportunities and incomes are stagnant or declining? Are we losing our purchasing power day by day?

With a more realistic and reasonable PLI, it would mean that 32 per cent or 1,923,368 households with 8,463,821 million Malaysians are living below the poverty line.

And mind you, by some estimates it requires a monthly income of RM3,000 to barely live in Kuala Lumpur. However, should we take heed of a minister’s advice to cut overheads such as Astro and cars to survive?

Furthermore, our Gini Coefficient index which is a measurement of income inequality, where an index of 0 means perfect income equality and an index of 1 means perfect income inequality, in 2009 is 46.1 and ranked 35 among other nations. Will it go any higher to an index of 1?

Therefore, the first step should be to review the Poverty Line Income (PLI) for Malaysia to a realistic and reasonable measurement, and use it to set urgent corrective and doable policies which have been suggested by Pakatan Rakyat, such as:

* A living income policy that will realign our labour market towards a higher-income nation.

* To review the major utilities concessions that will bring down living costs.

* To strictly implement anti-monopoly laws without fear or favour.

* To expand micro-credit facilities for small business development.

* To provide targeted subsidies for essential goods and services for deserving households.

* To implement a transparent government procurement practice to avoid wastages and leakages that drives up economic cost that burden the poor more.

* And for good measure, to provide even more scholarships and convert existing PTPTN student loans for these households into scholarships.

Can all these be done to assist the households that would be termed to be in poverty, which are majority Bumiputeras, with the more realistic and reasonable PLI, as part of “Malay Rights” struggle?

NEP — Corporate Equity Ownership Goal

Has the Bumiputera corporate equity ownership reached 18.9% or more than 30% in 2006?

These are the four studies or reports on the matter.

In the first study, a 2002 University of Malaya research entitled “Bumiputeras in the Corporate Sector — Three decades of performance 1970-2000?, by Dr M. Fazilah Abdul Samad, head of department of finance and banking in the Faculty of Business and Accountancy, has concluded that the 30% Bumiputera equity ownership as targeted under the NEP had been achieved in 1997.

The research was based on a 10-year analysis of Bumiputera equity ownership between 1988 and 1997 of public listed companies on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE), now called Bursa Malaysia. It is important to note, that the study used par value of KLSE listed companies as the basis of calculation.

Bumiputera equity ownership reached 33.7% in 1997, comprising 30.6% Bumiputera corporate equity ownership and 3.1% individual Bumiputera share ownership. This does not include nominee company ownership which could be held in the majority on behalf of Bumiputeras.

In a second study in 2006, the Asian Strategic Leadership Institute (Asli) also released a study that showed that Bumiputera ownership of corporate equity in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange had exceeded the 30% target.

The findings of a 45% Bumiputera equity ownership share were based on a different method of measurement compared with the official one. It used market value as opposed to the par value valuation official method, and allocating the equity of GLCs according to racial composition.

In a third study, also in 2006 and in spite challenging the validity of both the UM and Asli reports of exceeding the 30% target, the government had inadvertently announced on 7 Novermber 2006, that Bumiputeras indeed owned 36.6% or RM78.4 billion in shareholding value in companies listed on the main board and second board of Bursa Malaysia up to 31 December 2005.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin said shareholding by non-Bumiputeras stood at RM100.4 billion (46.9%)while another RM55.2 billion (16.45%) was held by foreigners.

However, this initial report was later retracted by another qualifying report, which is our fourth report, was released.

The fourth study in 2006, attempted to explain the official NEP statistics calculation methodology. It was reported (published here in its entirety as to understand the full context of the subject) that:

“The Malaysian government has released details on how it calculates the Malay share of corporate ownership following a controversy over this statistic, which is crucial for the continuation of pro-Malay policies.

The Asian Strategic Leadership Institute (Asli) sparked a debate last month when it said Malays already owned 45% of business equity, ahead of the government target of 30% by 2020.

This was seen as challenging the government’s affirmative action policy. Official statistics put Malay corporate ownership at 18.9%.

Following the controversy, the government promised to reveal how it had arrived at its statistics.

The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Rahman Suliman disclosed the methodology in Parliament on Tuesday, ahead of next week’s Umno general assembly, where the issue of Malay economic progress is expected to be debated.

He said the government based its calculations on the 609,625 registered companies and not just the 1,000-plus public listed ones.

Based on listed companies, the Bumiputera share would be 36.6% as at 31 December last year. This is because all such companies must have at least 30% Malay ownership.

In the case of registered companies, only 24% are controlled by Malays, said Datuk Rahman.

Secondly, the government uses the par, or nominal, value of the shares held, and not the market value, as this gives a better picture, he said.

Datuk Rahman said market value could be used for listed companies, but for the other companies, this could be manipulated easily.

“But the government is always open to reviewing the methodology,” he said.

The Asli study used market value because it believed that this reflected the actual value of the company.

Datuk Rahman addressed criticisms that the government failed to count as Malay the shareholdings of GLCs and shares held by nominee companies and trustee companies.

He said it had taken into account shares held by companies like Permodalan Nasional, set up to raise Malay involvement in business, and unit trusts open only to Malays.

It also counted shares held by nominee companies, most of which were owned by non-Bumiputeras.

As for GLCs, he said shares held by the Employees Provident Fund, Khazanah Holdings and Minister of Finance Inc are not classified as held by any particular ethnic group.

He said the government’s data covered only corporate equity in Malaysia and not wealth held overseas.

Datuk Rahman also said Malays owned less than 12% of urban commercial properties, while Chinese held 72% and Indians 5%.

These last two statements are telling. It shows the government has expanded its parameters for equitable wealth distribution beyond the usual yardsticks of corporate equity, household income and employment.

Property ownership, especially commercial assets, and overseas holdings are also now a factor.

Asli director Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam told The Straits Times: “I hope the government will broaden the spectrum of experts to include academicians and the private sector to provide a wider perspective when they review the methodology.”

Opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng criticised the use of par value calculation and said market value gave a more accurate picture.

Kemaman MP Ahmad Shabery Cheek told online news portal Malaysiakini that affirmative action was still needed to bridge income disparity between races. However, the government is adamant that the NEP should be continued. Earlier, it had rejected two reports from Asli and UM which suggested that Bumiputera corporate equity ownership is more than 30 per cent.”[3]

It would appear in summary that there are four Bumiputera equity ownership share reports with different conclusions and methodologies, the UM report puts it at 33.7% (using par-value method of listed companies), the ASLI report shows it at 45%(using market-value of listed companies and GLCs race apportioned method), the Deputy Finance Minister’s statement is 36.6% (using market value of listed companies) and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department places it at the official 18.9% (using par-value of listed and all non-listed companies excluding all GLCs and Government Managed Financial Institutions except PNB).

So has the Bumiputera corporate equity ownership reached 18.9% or more than 30% in 2006?

Which valuation method should be used?

Regardless of valuation method, what the reports fail to show is that which Bumiputeras own all this wealth? How was it allocated?

And how can we explain the NEP Equity leakage of RM52 billion that was sold off?

Shouldn’t the focus for the sake of “Malay Rights”, be on the improving the mode of NEP or progressive NEM implementation and share allocation to include more Malays rather than to only a few individuals?

Shouldn’t our efforts for the sake of “Malay Rights”, be on strengthening the diminishing “enabling” factors to equitable and sustainable economic growth, caused by cronyism, corruption, wastages, leakages, wrong resource allocations (big projects phenomenon), racism, anti-democratic laws and state institutional degradation and abuse, that in reality subverts and undermine achieving the well intended NEP or progressive NEM goals?

Therefore, I want to suggest that to correct this NEP wealth distribution dilemma, and in the interest of “Malay Rights”, a new mechanism be applied on existing Bumiputera equity holdings in both listed and non-listed, especially government vendors, privatisation, utilities and concession holder companies (which is in line with official Bumiputera Equity Share calculation methodology), whereby, 30% of current ownership be divested on a par-value basis (since this is the official method of calculating equity value held), in the following portions; 25% to a Bumiputera Education Fund for more scholarships, and the remaining 5% to a Bumiputera employee-owned co-operative of the participating company.

As for financing the par-value shares purchases, to compensate the current Bumiputera equity owners, the beneficiaries should apply for a loan from Bank Bumiputra Berhad which is a financial institution created from the Bumiputera Economic Congress, and as the bank no longer exist, then they should apply to CIMB instead.

This mechanism can be called the “Bumiputera NEP Equity — Quota in a Quota — Redistribution Program”, where the current Bumiputera equity owner will still be left with a 70% stake of his current holdings and the 30% be used for the programme, and may I suggest we start with Kenchana Petroleum, Scomi, CIMB, Perimekar, APCO and a certain Pasir Mas Bridge Building Construction Company as test-cases?

Conclusion

The above list should suffice for now, to set the context of my concerns for the future of our nation.

I would like to reaffirm, that I am only seeking clarification and to reconcile, and not challenge or repeal the constitution, for a better Malaysia.

I would again remind ourselves that a possible way forward out of this “Malay Dilemma”, comes from a Malaysian statesman, the late Tun Dr Ismail, who once argued that “the question (of the ‘Special Position’ of the Malays) be left to the Malays themselves because as more and more Malays became educated and gained self-confidence, they themselves would do away with this ‘special position’.” However, Tun Dr Ismail believed the special position was “a slur on the ability of the Malays.”

Finally, I do wish to end with the proposition that the government must allow the restoration of local government elections and implement national election reforms immediately, so that the people may legitimately decide, on how to live together as one people, with the constitution, in peace and harmony, in one truly independent and sovereign nation.

Hidup Malaysia! (or Hidup Malaysaja!?)

(Note: Bersih’s Joint Communiqué for Election Reforms provides an illuminating argument on the subject. Please support and promote new Voter Registration.)

[Nurul Izzah Anwar is the MP for Lembah Pantai.]

Notes:
[1] The Star, 7 May 2010, High Court: It’s constitutional to teach Maths, Science in English and 8 May 2010, Court: It’s OK to teach Science and Maths in English, Both by M. Mageswari

[2] The Malaysian Insider, 21 July 2010, How poor are we, really? By Sheridan Mahavera.

[3] Straits Times, Singapore 9 November 2006, KL Reveals How Bumi Share Is Calculated — Move follows dispute over claim that Malays own only 18.9% of business equity By Malaysia Correspondent Carolyn Hong

What Social Contract?

by Clive Kessler
Malaysian Insider
September 06, 2010

“Najib warns against questioning ‘social contract’,” it is reported.

This claim is plain and simple “historical revisionism”.

To what “social contract” precisely is the PM referring?

In the 1980s a new political idea was created: that of “Ketuanan Melayu”, of Malay ascendancy, supremacy, domination.

Thereafter, especially from 2008 it has been ever more powerfully promoted, generally in association with the suggestion that a “social contract” had been entered into and constitutionally enshrined in the mid-1950s.

How was this manoeuvre executed? With what purpose and consequences?

It was, from 1986, now newly suggested that the notion of “Ketuanan Melayu” had been part of the “Merdeka process and agreements”, and that the nation’s non-Malay citizens had thereby consented to accept, and thereafter ever live subject to, Malay ascendancy and supremacy.

There was perhaps an implicit, but only implicit, “social contract” formed in 1955-1957. If that is how one chooses to denote the core political substance of the Merdeka process, then that implied “contract” was about inter-communal or inter-ethnic power-sharing and the secular nature of the Malaysian state. It was not about notion of “Malay supremacy”. That notion was only subsequently, indeed very much later, confected.

If there was at that time a “social contract”——if that is how some people later may choose to characterize the Merdeka process and agreements——then what they are referring to is merely a retrospectively imputed or implied social contract.

This term was now offered as a new way of denoting, and seeing, that national political legacy and foundation, that core political substance. But, when reached, in their own time, those agreements, that subsequently implied “contract” (to use the new, and newly inflated term) was not about and did not provide for “Ketuanan Melayu” — nor for the supremacy of Islamic shari’ah law as the supreme and uncontestable law of the land either, for that matter, as some creative constitutional revisionists also now like to suggest.

Yet there was no “social contract” as such at the time. People have only inferred and argued subsequently that there was, because there somehow must have been, such a contract at the time of Merdeka — and, driven by retrospective wish-fulfilment, they have then “filled in” what it pleases them to believe, or passionately desire, that its terms must have been. They “read back” the politics of the present, and their preferred political future that they like to imagine for themselves, into the historic past.

Yet nobody talked at the time, in 1955-1957, about there being concluded any such “social contract”. Nobody seriously imagined that any such contract formally enshrining and constitutionally entrenching Malay domination was being entered into by all the people. Nobody suggested that people, or the nation as a whole, had signed up to and agreed to be bound by any such “contract” providing for enduring Malay ethnocracy — for Malay domination in perpetuity and with the unalterable assent over the generations of the dominated.

Subsequently, from the mid-1980s, the idea that there had been an implicit “social contract” was fashioned. It was suggested that the notion of “Ketuanan Melayu” had, by inference, been part of or implied by that contract.

In this way, born only in the 1980s, the new idea of “Ketuanan Melayu” was “read back”, or subsequently “smuggled”, into the Merdeka agreements and process, or into now authoritatively offered but very questionable claims about what those agreements had provided for and “locked in” as the solemn foundations of nationhood . If there was an implicit contract at that time (it was at first subliminally and then explicitly suggested) then universal assent to “Ketuanan Melayu” was and must have been part of it.

This, quite simply and evidently, is historically erroneous. It is sheer revisionism. It is retrospective meddling with national historical truth and the nation’s constitutional foundations.

Never has the need for clear historical study, analysis, accuracy and faithfulness to the facts been greater.

* Clive S. Kessler is Emeritus Professor, Sociology & Anthropology at The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Celebrate Malaysia Day With Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza(BE) In Penang

The Penang state government will hold a free Siti Nurhaliza concert in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebrations.Dato Siti Nurhaliza will perform at the Stadium Bandaraya Pulau Pinang on the night of 25th September 2010. This concert entitled “Menyambut Hari Malaysia Bersama Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza” will be funded by the Penang state government and private sponsors.

Since this year is the first year that Malaysians are celebrating the formation of Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak as a national holiday, the Penang state government want to give this important occasion a memorable and happy one. With top Malaysian and

international performer Dato Siti Nurhaliza, it will not only be an unforgettable occasion but also reminds all Penangites, Sabahans, Sarawakians and Malaysians that we are all tied together in one family and one destiny.

Malaysians must continue to be united in pursuing the aspirations of truth, justice, freedom, welfare for the people and faith in the moral values of God that led to the formation of Malaysia. We must never surrender to the forces of extremism, bigotry and racism that seeks to divide us and deny us equal opportunities to realise our full potential.

Only when we allow all Malaysians the right, the space and the level playing field to perform their best, then only can Malaysia be on top of the rest. We need more human talents to push Malaysia forward. If we adopt policies that celebrate excellence and humanity, just like Dato Siti Nurhaliza, Malaysians can indeed be the best.

The first ever concert by Dato Siti Nurhaliza in Penang will be graced by the Yang Dipertua Negeri Pulau Pinang Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas. The concert will start at 8pm and will be produced by Miss Adelyn Lim of Creativision.

The function is free to all Penangites and in the spirit of Hari Malaysia to all Malaysians who may wish to come to Penang attend this free concert. Those who attend are only required to buy a bottle of mineral water each. The mineral water, Island Spring Water is produced by PBAPP and will be sold at RM 1 to assist us in determining the attendance record.

25th September 2010 will be a night to remember with Dato Siti Nurhaliza performing her famous evergreen hits in Penang in conjunction with the Hari Malaysia celebrations.

Will "Not Being Able To Speak BM" Becomes Seditious Or A Crime Next?

They insist, persist at every opportunity to twist and turn each and every good deeds, be it racial or religious performances by Pakatan Rakyat into chargeable offences.

You have read the past few weeks about how the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng got entangled with the mosque sermon issue, where certain groups were trying to pin the CM involvement, the Komtar traders creating ruckus out of their own wrong doing and doctored photos of the CM slaughtering cow. They have to bring down the CM before the 13th GE.

Teo Nie Ching's surau visit by invitation to bring aides from the Selangor Government had being turned into a holier than thou episode. Till today they are still finding ways on how to charge her, with the latest salvo coming from the PM himself insisting that Teo Nie Ching violated fatwa with the surau visit. Yes, the non muslim will always be wronged when it involves the Islamic religion but the PM yet again conveniently forget about the two individuals without permission from church authorities entered a church and received Holy Communion which is most sacred to Catholics and then spat it out.

Fighting for the rights of all races can also be twisted and spin into questioning Article 153 of the Federal Constitution as the case for Lembah Pantai Member of Parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar's invitation to Perkasa to a Constructive Engagement for a new beginning for Malaysia.

An anti-racist rap video by Namewee had the police and MCMC questioning him for hours in which they have the intention to charge him for sedition but the two school principles who openly make racist remarks were left untouched. Many had viewed the video and found nothing racist or seditious but with some vulgarity mix in the rap.

Khairy, the umno youth leader is hell bend that it is very racist by his own interpretation of the phrase "You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya?" Now what can we do or say, they are the leaders of the country and the fear of losing power makes their mind go bonker and they can just charged you for what you are doing right to correct their wrong doing.

What do we expect to hear from Perkasa, malay NGOs, Khairy or the PM of another racist case from a police inspector who allegedly told a 51-year-old snatch theft victim to “balik China” (return to China) if she could not speak Bahasa Malaysia.

It was reported that the police inspector is now under investigation but there is no mentioning of investigating the alleged racist remark. What I can gather is that the whole investigation will be on the victim once perkasa, Khairy or the PM open their mouths.

The investigation of the police inspector cannot be because of his racist remark "balik China", because to umno it is not racist since there are so many precedents of such call openly by umno leaders and there are no investigation or charges against them.

What I foresee is that they will instead investigate the victim. They will question her why as a Malaysian she is not able to speak BM. Is she a citizen of Malaysia or is she an illegal immigrant? They will give her a hard time checking through her background. They may even charged her for provocation against the police inspector. What we can see from all the latest racist and religious cases, umno is trying to protect their own kind and this case will be no different, they will have to protect the police inspector.

I am not sure which part of the law they will used against the victim, will it be sedition or is it going to be a crime for not being able to speak BM?

Why double standards against Namewee, questioned for over 10 hours, for his anti-racist outburst as compared to treatment for the two errant school pr

Am lost for words and does not know how to write regarding Malaysia leaders handling of racist and religious issues. It just pointed to more racist reaction from the leaders, anything racist against the non malays is somewhat okay but a slight remark against the malay, even non racist or religious issues can be blown up to create and looks like it is racist by the leaders.

Copy and paste from Lim Kit Siang's blog posting.

Four questions need to be asked in the Nameweek’s “Nah” videoclip controversy.

Firstly, is the three-minute video “Nah” uploaded on YouTube by rapper Wee Meng Chee better known as Namewee seditious? I would say no.

Secondly, is the video racist? I would also say no, unless an anti-racist response has also become “racist” in the way that former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad wants Malaysians to believe that meritocracy has become a form of racism.

Thirdly, is the video crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene? Yes. I have said twice publicly that I do not approve of the crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene style used by Namewee but that is different from saying that it is seditious or racist and deserves the harshest criminal action to be taken against Meng Chee.

This is also why I cannot agree with the public stand of the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek who declared on National Day eve that MCA fully supports any action taken by the government against Meng Chee. Does this include action under the Sedition Act or other capital offences?

How can the MCA leadership with four Ministers in Cabinet take such an irresponsible position, giving a blank cheque to racists and extremists to set the agenda as to the punishment that should be meted out to Meng Chee? Isn’t this a gross abdication of responsibility in government?

The fourth question is whether Meng Chee is the victim of double standards by the authorities?

Yesterday, Meng Chee was questioned for more than seven hours at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for the “Nah” videoclip. Three days earlier, he was questioned for three hours by the police – making a total of over ten hours of questioning by the authorities since National Day.

In contrast, the two schools principals in Kulai and Bukit Selayang, who had made racial and seditious slurs against non-Malay students, had been spared such an ordeal although Meng Chee’s video was made as an anti-racist protest against these two incidents.

The Public Service Department (PSD) is reported today as saying that a show cause letter will be issued to the school principal in Kulai if she had indeed uttered derogatory remarks at her students recently.

Three weeks have passed since the incident in Kulai on 12th August. Is it so difficult to establish the facts and the truth of the incident?

Where is the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s pledge of “Zero tolerance for racism” and his slogan of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” when there could be such great contrast between the treatment meted out to the two errant school principals and Meng Chee?

If action is to be taken against Meng Chee, there must be a sense of proportion and justice with regard to the action meted out to the errant school principals on the one hand and Meng Chee on the other.

UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin’s self-serving response to my statement on Thursday does not merit much attention as I had never said that “two wrongs make a right”.

However, a person who had been guilty of making racist statements should not be trigger-happy to demand action to be taken against others on the alleged ground of racism.

Malaysianki readers have themselves shot down Khairy’s self-serving explanations in the Malaysiakini interview, as his defence of his racist statements would be as believable as his support for the keris-wielding incidents by the Umno Youth leader, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for three years consecutively when he was then Deputy Umno Youth leader!

Khairy’s claim “if you ask 10 Malaysians what they thought” of the Namewee line “You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya?” that 10 Malaysians would agree with him that it was racist is debunked by one reader who commented:

Wong Jiang Fung KJ: “If you ask 10 Malaysians what they thought Namewee meant by that statement, they’d say that there is an obvious undertone which is suggestive.” “Of course it was offensive, implying that we don’t have any contribution at all,” I have 10 friends on fb who watched the video, none of them think like KJ did. This proves KJ is wrong. The statement is controversial but not seditious.

Writer Mariam Mokhtar in her article ‘Namewee is a uniting factor’ also clearly does not agree with Khairy, and I would urge Umno and MCA leaders to ponder what she wrote, viz:

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin adopted a different spin on Namewee’s questions: “You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya?” (Don’t you know? Who made Malaysia prosperous?). Khairy assumed that Namewee suggested the ‘Malays played a minor role in Malaysia’s economic growth’.

Khairy is possibly wrong and as far as can be ascertained, Namewee wasn’t alluding to anything.

Namewee posed an open-ended question. However, political personalities are already scoring brownie points by insinuating various things.

Namewee was wrong to be abusive – even I would balk short at such behaviour. But Namewee speaks for all those who suffered that day in school and for the people in Malaysia who care.

Maybe if the authorities had been swift in their response, Namewee would not have had the reason to come up with this clip.

The more potent danger

Actually, Namewee has done the job of the government much better that the government itself. It has given prominence to racism issues in a creative way and made us take a stand against racism. If not for his Youtube, clip, would we have taken as much attention? The problem is that the authorities have ‘lost it’.

When Dr Chua Soi Lek criticised Namewee and said, “Freedom of expression should come with responsibility to consider sensitivities towards other races and religions”, he forgot that it was the two school principals who ignored sensitivities and caused a furore.

And instead of the school principals being censured, it is Namewee who is allegedly being charged with sedition. Namewee’s clip was crude and coarse, but not racist.

This young disgruntled Malaysia’s response to racism has been blown into something of a racial firestorm. That is the more potent danger.

It seems that when you scratch beneath the surface, 1Malaysia is unraveling faster than a knitted jumper. One person condemns an irresponsible racist head, and the so called defenders of the race, react like beasts unleashed, and all for the wrong reasons.

Namewee has talent. He engages with the young via his rap music and lyrics. He should be nominated for a role in the Ministry for Information, Communications, Culture and Arts, to promote racial unity and other Malaysian issues.

Far from creating disharmony, Namewee has united us against racism. He at least has the courage to tackle racism in his own entertaining way.