It speaks volumes that I was invited to the launching of the National Integrity Plan (NIP) by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi three years ago but I was not invited to the third anniversary commemoration of the NIP and the Integrity Institute of Malaysia (ITM) led by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.
I take this as a realization and admission by the government and organizers of the third anniversary commemoration of the NIP that whatever their public posturing and speechifying, corruption has gotten worse in the past three years and the NIP has become quite a joke.
Even former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is not famous for leading a government of integrity, could elicit national and international approval when he said corruption under Abdullah in the past three years is worse than during his 22-year administration.
As far back as May 2005, Mahathir had warned that “corruption might be getting to a point of no return”, that it had become a culture in Malaysia with corruption almost at the “above the table” level and more and more people no longer trying to hide the fact that they were corrupt.
Why is Malaysia becoming even more corrupt than before when there was no National Integrity Plan, as testified by Malaysia’s seven-point drop in the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) rankings from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 44 in 2006, and with all signs of heading further south in the 2007 ranking on the occasion of our 50th Merdeka anniversary?
What is the use of having a National Integrity Plan when there is even no integrity to admit that the NIP is a flop with regard to its most outstanding five-year objective to improve Malaysia’s TI CPI ranking to at least 30th position by 2008 — that we are going backward instead of forward in the battle against corruption?
I picked up on a comment on my blog and asked in Parliament yesterday whether BN has not become “Bribery Nasional” from the blatant money politics and electoral corruption in Ijok by-election and most recently the Machap by-election?
The full transformation of BN into “Bribery Nasional” in Machap and Ijok by-elections has made a total mockery of the third anniversary commemoration of the National Integrity Plan and the Integrity Institute of Malaysia — and I can understand why I did not receive any invitation to it.
As I told Parliament yesterday that I demurred with the Bernama report on Najib’s speech which headlined: “Fighting Corruption Is A National Mission, Says DPM”. A more appropriate headline would have been: “Spreading Corruption is A National Mission”.
Yesterday, I asked why is the Election Commission Chairman keeping totally silent about the worst case of money politics and electoral corruption in 50 years of elections in the Ijok by-election?
Today, we must ask why the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is mute and completely helpless about the worst case of money politics and electoral corruption in half-a-century of nationhood, when it would have enough material and work to occupy an army of ACA officers for the next few years to burn midnight oil to initiate investigations, launch arrests and conduct prosecutions for the multitude of the corrupt electoral practices in Ijok as well as Machap.
But horror of horrors, if the Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo is right, the ACA had been roped into the “Bribery Nasional” chicanery in Ijok to give legitimacy to the multitude of corrupt electoral practices by both national and state BN leaders.
We must also ask the Integrity Institute of Malaysia why it is keeping totally dumb about the cornucopia of corrupt electoral practices in Ijok and Machap by-elections?
Najib was really replying to my criticisms in Parliament when he said in his keynote address yesterday that “contrary to what some had believed, fighting corruption and improving national integrity had always been a serious matter not just for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi but the government as well”.
Najib said: “Let me remind everyone that this is not just the agenda of the Prime Minister. This is a part and parcel of the national mission and the government is firm behind the Prime Minister on this”
Why didn’t Najib come to Parliament even once in the past three years to make such a declaration? The answer is very simple — he would have no credibility whatsoever, especially with him spearheading the transformation of BN as “Bribery Nasional” in the Ijok and Machap by-elections!
Malaysia being in such a sad state, I can only see decline for decades to come.
May be even for centuries.
May be the rise of China can give the bright sparks of Malaysia some leverage to change society, but I doubt whether the ingrained culture of failure can be reversed.
Not the UK, not the US, not in most parts of the world, the culture of failure always reproduced itself generation after generation.
Change has to come from external influence and not from the inside.
>
Anyone has a deathnote??
Nation-wide bribery by “BRIBERY NATIONAL”(BN):
Pak Lah …..silent elegance;
ACA…..submissive acceptance;
Elections Commission…..servile collusion;
Police…..standard operation.
–Just for fun and for our mental motivation question–
Integrity is a major ingredient that is seriously lacking in Malaysia especially among those in public office.
I believe it can be seen more readily among the common folk.
Where there is a lack of integrity, corruption flourishes.
http://malaysiawatch.blogspot.com/2006/05/integrity-missing-ingredient-in.html
If we accept that there is a distinct relationship between corruption and integrity like
“Corruption increases as Integrity decreases”
then the saying of
“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
should be debated.
With the 90% control of Parliament we have almost reached absolute power.
Time for Malaysians to wake up!
Corruption is the lifeblood of UMNO. Eradicate Corruption and UMNO will collapse like a house of cards.
We have politicians who are corrupted but they can put a straight face and talk about integrity. Just look at Najib!!!
UMNO guys with four wives can give a lecture on the virtues of monogamy and fedelity.
Another with false dentures will talk about how to care for one’s teeth.
There is a nice write up on corruption in the Star today by Datin Umapagam Ampikaipakan.(Page 41)
She writes:
“We spend so much time arguing its justification that we’ve lost track of the fact that corruption is immoral.
It is dishonesty.
It is fraud.
It is the distortion of all that is decent.
She then adds, “How can we actually hope to achieve anything in the fight against corruption if we can’t even acknowledge that it is in fact something sinister?”
Even former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who is not famous for leading a government of integrity, could elicit national and international approval when he said corruption under Abdullah in the past three years is worse than during his 22-year administration.
************************************************* Success breeds success! Corrupts breed corrupts!
As a student of economics I remember reading about the relationship between AC and MC – AC meaning ‘average cost’ and MC meaning ‘marginal cost’. It is when the two curves intersect that marginal productivity turns negative.
Corruption acts as a lubricant and serves a positive purpose in the early stages. It delivers what we need for a price. What can be more efficient than corruption?
But Malaysia has today arrived at a situation when marginal returns turn negative. And so has corruption.
Mahathir says, “Corruption might be getting to a point of no returnâ€Â. This is in reference to the marginal productivity.
He meant to say ‘negative’ return rather than ‘no return’.
Hello all, I am a new member here. Hi everyone, I hope this note finds you all well and happy and not in an ISA underground facility somewhere!
To the DAP, K Singh and Mr Lim Kit Siang, I salute you guys, you represent the best of Malaysia. You are not perfect I know, but at least you are not BN.
Corruption stems from power, more accurately unchecked and unbalanced power. It is contributed by the ISA by non-existent press freedom, a passive zombie-like society and by UMNO.
BN/UMNO will one day I fear achieve unqestionable & unlimited power, not unlike the mullahs of Iran, if we continue the present course. The present government is hopelessly and blatantly corrupted and somehow something has to give. I hope that will not be achieved after our country has turn into Afganistan or Turkmenistan. I hope we will achieve it peacefully and by REFORMASI
Politicians are only interested in winning elections, nothing more.
With the country strong focus on religious and moral values, how could corruption be left unchecked to destroy the country?
AAB might have a good system to fight corruption.
So, they “sapu” as much as they can before it is too late when AAB’s new system in force. That is why corruption getting worse.
If you wanna have thieves delcaring that they are thieves, then dream on… Maybe we should be doing something like the media in India. Having people meeting those high up pigs and secretly filming them while they accept bribes. It will be a definite hit on Local TV (provided they are not being told to shutup), CNN, BBC or even YouTube.
Well, if all the BN MP die one after another and spent RM100mil for each by-election, then it would actually be better. We can have 9thMP implemented in one fell swoop.
A good BN MP is a dead MP.
How many BN MP does it take to screw in a light bulb? None – they have to be dead first.
Voters everywhere now wish their MP would keel over…
ENDANGERED HORNBILL Says:
April 24th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Nation-wide bribery by “BRIBERY NATIONALâ€Â(BN):
“Police…..standard operation” should read as ” standard operating procedure.” Error regretted.
Nazri Aziz….’all-cleared-already’ (ACA)
Nagib Razak….’I never saw a cent (‘I never saw Altantuya’ genre)
Tun Mahathir….’I started a joke’, UMI! (UMNO Needs It)
Tun Daim…..I had it my way. (It’s pocket money).
Aman Musa…chicketty-chicketyy bang-bang, join my gang.
Taib Mahmud….I’ll suee Malaysiakini. C u in court, baby.
Closed-one-eye MP Said…..It’s only timber. Timber is not bribery.
Samy Vellu….Feel me, shake me, any way u want it.
Ong Ka Ting….’Money-conquers-all’ (MCA)
Koh Tsu Koon…I’ve to hear a cent drop (GERAKAN or ‘movement’)
Khir Toyo…..Welcome to my world (Bribery was and is Indonesian national culture)
Idris Jusoh…..Gone with the Winds (Monsoon state)
Zakaria Deros …Goodbye satay, hello bungalow.
Zakaria ACA….Money, money, money – it’s a rich man’s world.
We need to have some bloggers, if reporters are not willing to check the existence of Phantom Voters. … i have already done my part by listing this information in all the blogs and congregating bloggers to act against EVIL. Time from the slaves to wake up and stand up against injustice. Who is up for this task?
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/reports.php?itemid=4107
23/04: Ijok: Who’s gonna win? Let’s bet!
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Unofficially, Parti Keadilan Rakyat is going to win the Ijok by-election by 500 votes. That’s what three intelligence agencies have reported and Barisan Nasional is running scared. Officially, Barisan Nasional will win by roughly 1,200 votes? And why do I say this? Simple, out of the 12,000 plus voters, about 1,700 or so are ‘phantom voters’.
Don’t believe me? Blogs and websites are run by unemployed women and liars? Well, take a look at the Election Commission (SPR) voters’ registration below. It is just three pages but these three pages are enough to prove my point. And if you want the whole book then you will have to pay for it because SPR sells the voters’ registration book on CD format; it is not free. And they will sell a different version to the opposition (minus some crucial information) while Barisan Nasional will get the FULL version.
Anyway, note the following from the three pages below:
In sheet one (voting locality SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN JAYA SETIA), you will see that there are two voters (items 1 and 2) who were born in 1900. So expect 107 year old voters to come out and vote come Polling Day. There are others aged up to 93 years old who are all still alive and are voters or else their names would not be in the voters’ list.
In sheet two (voting locality SEKOLAH JENIS KEBANGSAAN CHINA IJOK), the same is repeated. Voters born in 1900, 1904, 1908, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1919, 1921, etc, are all still alive and are registered voters.
Then, in sheet three (voting locality SEKOLAH KEBANGSAAN BUKIT BADONG), there are voters born in 1999 (item 1913 in sheet three). This makes him a mere EIGHT YEARS OLD (maybe even SEVEN, depending on which month his birthday is). I wonder whether he has even been circumcised yet?
Yes, that’s right! Barisan Nasional will win by more than 1,000 votes instead of losing by 500 votes. And this is because of the 1,700 ‘phantom voters’. Anyone still wants to hedge my bet. Let’s just make it a mere teh tarik somewhere in Bangsar because I don’t want you to lose big — just a token bet.
Guess this is going to be the expected procedure now.
Need to pump in millions into any place with a by-election.
I think as others have pointed out – aduns had better hire better protection. Think we have enough lose nuts on the prowl and a few could become victims.
Already there is so much rivalry even among UMNO and we have had a minister committing murder before.
Now with millions on the table, the BN has set a very dangerous precedent.
Malaysia would be perfect if we had a really good government and in the case of a by-election the ruling party can win the votes with just one statement like:
“You know what we have done for you during the past 5 years like
new roads
better drainage
public hall
health clinic
cleaner environment
more trees
We feel confident that you will continue to support us as we continue to improve your lives.”
No need for the DPM and so many ministers to neglect their duties like as at present.
OK,OK – I am only dreaming
HJ Angus Says:
April 24th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
“I think as others have pointed out – aduns had better hire better protection. Think we have enough lose nuts on the prowl and a few could become victims.”
Que sera sera.
what’s the different, since corruptions have been happening during mahathir era. and now, it’s getting from bad to worse.
it all started with ketuanan melayu mission by BN UMNO. and they are the ones that should be blamed for greed, power and status!now, they are getting bolder, greedier and power hungry!
No matter the corruption, no matter the bribery… i think it is still sad to hav such election campaigns in Bodoh Land. some might ask what is wrong with such campaignings… well, here are my reasons:
1) total waste of money
2) a perfect platform for money politics / vote buying
3) gives devils e chance to show an angelic face
4) just shows how idiotic n ignorant e voters are. For so many years BN goons hav sat on their fattened arse doing nothing n come election time, they promise some goodies n they expect to b re-elected. those who do vote for them r plain idiots. paying attention when there r all those fanfare for a week but forget about e hardship due to e ineptness of e useless MP for e past few years. Such idiocy knows no bounds.
One have to ask the basic question whether the national mission of National Integrity Plan (“NIPâ€Â) is compatible and reconcilable with the other national mission of restructuring society pursuant to NEP, NDP and the NVP (together, ‘NEPâ€Â) justified on all in the name of “social Contract†at Independence, especially when the implementation of the latter leaves much to be desired.
It is beyond comment here but widely commented elsewhere that the NEP’s implementation has been such that far from attaining its original laudable objective of eradicating poverty regardless of race or identification of economic function based on race to promote national unity, it has, instead, benefited principally the few rich, powerful and politically connected amongst the intended beneficiary group at the expense of the larger which has, in the words of Dr Lim Teck Ghee, aggravated “intra racial cleavages†whilst exacerbating inter ethnic polarization at the same time contrary to the NEP’s objectives.
When the NEP is not implemented in a disciplined manner, its implementation would descend the slippery slope to corruption perpetrated under the protection and justification of the NEP.
For examples, those in power or connected with power could avail of their positions and influence to manipulate share allocation, granting of licences and award of government contracts under the auspices of the NEP to benefit their family members and cronies in confidence that if they were ever called upon to account for such exercise of power, they could always rely on the excuse and defence of the NEP.
When such a thing is allowed to carry on it is very contagious, permeating and broadening to all levels below – down to the civil service and even the office boys, and to the private sector and wider society.
Those down the ladder of the power and food chain will ask if their leaders, higher ups and betters can do it all in the name of NEP why not they? If leaders and persons of higher social and political standing constituting society’s elite could take advantage of an ideology to circumvent law to become rich from power and influence, it only breeds contempt amongst lesser beings and multitudes for the hypocrisy of integrity and law; it invites every man to view the mission of National Integrity to combat corruption as a necessary hypocrisy to get rich by the same excuse.
RM380 billion were already lost in “corruption and cronies practices†as estimated by Morgan Stanley economists for the last two decades in Malaysia. This is part of the fall out from the undisciplined and haphazard implementaion of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that denies the quota of 30% bumi equity ownership has been atained after 36 years. What gives?
So how could NIP show results if powerful vested interests keep protecting the existing mode of NEP’s implementation that has led to abuses? How could one be serious with the former, and also at same time, fight tooth and nail for the latter that ambivalently, in terms of implementation, overlaps with and provide the necessary excuses for those inclined toward corrupt practices?
This is a question that must be honestly faced.
They are not only immoral and unethical in the coming Ijok election, they are also resorting to blackmail by warning the voters of Ijok that there will be no development if the opposition is voted in.
Well I hope the voters of Ijok will be intelligent enough to send a message to them that they do not want a government of low moral and ethics with a pack of corrupt monsters.
“RM380 billion were already lost in “corruption and cronies practices†as estimated by Morgan Stanley economists for the last two decades in Malaysia. This is part of the fall out from the undisciplined and haphazard implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that denies the quota of 30% bumi equity ownership has been attained after 36 years. What gives?â€Â
Interesting.
Where do I go to read this material?
What is NIP? How does one nip it in the bud (read: butt)?
The NEP when first conceptualized in the aftermath of the race riots in 1969 seemed an honest effort at reducing the identification of economic functions with race – one source of political instability, without which the economy would suffer. It is a policy which addresses some of the issues and no one can disagree with that. It is a policy when analyzed in a non-zero sum game context has its particular appeal. But then the conspiracy theorists would say.†Hey, wait a minute! This looks like a conspiracy between the politically powerful and the politically connected among the Malays in this country and the economically powerful among the Chineseâ€Â. The lopsided and skewed implementation of the NEP over the years is the ‘natural’ result of a ‘flawed’ policy. I respectfully submit that it is natural but not flawed.
Another school of thought is that articulated by readers like Richard Teo who disputes that the NEP right from its early days of its conceptualization is a non-race based policy meant to benefit all who are poor who are disadvantaged. To him and readers like him it is inconceivable that a national policy aimed at eradicating poverty should be race-based – and I agree with him. The national policy is to eradicate poverty irrespective of race, of course, for ‘poverty’ if it were a person does not pick and choose and is color blind. The NEP, I submit, is best understood within the context of such a broader policy. It constitutes a sub-strata, if you will, of a broader national policy aimed at reducing poverty.
I think the conspiracy theory is a good read for all interested in conspiracies.
The truth, I submit, lies elsewhere. It is nearer the truth to say that as the Malay middle class widens as a result of this ‘lopsided’ and ‘skewed’ implementation of a broad national policy aimed at reducing poverty, so does the number of Malays who are both rich and politically connected. This is the group of Malays who are most able to reap the benefits of the NEP. Through the politics of patronage this group of Malays have been able to maintain their hold over both political and economic power.
Are these the unintended consequences of the NEP? You bet! Inadvertent consequences? This is the more controversial component. What is clear is that there is a general failure to exploit the multiplier effects of the NEP to further widen the Malay middle class – the cornerstone in any analysis involving the NEP.
Then there is this other aspect of the NEP. What good is a policy that replaces one group of drug dealers with another, one group of robbers, plunderers and looters with another?
This is my last piece on the NEP. If there is such a thing as an NEP fatigue this is it!
Pah Lah does not run this gahmen. Its the 2 deputies that run and dictate the gahmen policies, award of contracts and the two dummies are just the front men.
Najib and Khairy runs the whole nation under a smoke screen!
Ah …. the bullies and gangsters are masquerading as Santa Claus giving post-dated cheques?
Good way to save on the RM36million goodies huh.
it HAS gotten to a point of no return…
just look at how corrupt our govt already is
blatantly buying votes using the govt machinery
racist remarks, interference with the law, setting up monopolies, soliciting forced donations,… all done without any prosecution whatsoever
and still these idiots vote them back into the govt – malaysian’s stupidity knows no bounds
It has gotten so bad that for most people, their main source of income is not acquire legally.
Can you help this GUY to solve the puzzle between Barisan Nasional and Opposition in Ijok?
ENDANGERED HORNBILL Says:
April 25th, 2007 at 1:18 am
Just compare with our neighbour – real MALU. BN just don’t know where to hide face. Everything masuk pocket sendiri…shyok sendiri!
FROM IHT:
In Singapore, a local Switzerland for Asia’s wealthy
By Wayne Arnold Published: April 24, 2007
SINGAPORE: This affluent city-state of 4.5 million people is aiming to become a sanctuary for the world’s wealthy and their money, Asia’s answer to Geneva and Zurich.
Singapore, with its reputation for authoritarian order and safety, has long relied on luring multinational corporations for manufacturing jobs and economic growth. But with China’s rise as an industrial powerhouse, it started chasing a succession of economic fads – from technology to pharmaceuticals to stem cell research – in search of a fresh elixir.
Now Singapore, is trying to carve out a new niche for itself in the global economy by beefing up banking secrecy laws and offering generous tax incentives.
Almost 40 private banks now have regional operations here, including Swiss stalwarts like Bank Julius Baer. Citigroup’s headquarters for all private banking outside the United States is now in Singapore, as is the global banking headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank of Britain.
“I can’t think of any other place where private banking is growing so much as in Singapore,†said Henrik Mikkelsen, a private banker at Commerzbank in Singapore. “We want to be the Switzerland of Asia.â€Â
–THIS IS THE FUTURE WE WANT–
http://jelas.info/2007/04/21/ijok-nomination-pictures-debunk-the-spin/
everyone should take a peep on this website. This is what we want for ourselves and our future generation. After viewing this website I have 2 reactions:
1. I feel watery in my eyes because I finally see some chance and hope.
2. I laugh until I almost pee in my pants… why?? take a look by yourself.
Oh boyyy….
The Superintendant of police also the CPO for Kuala Selangor Ibrahim Chin had to do it! He will lose his job otherwise if he allow the opposition to hold ceramah.
Najib on the other hand was screaming at the top of his voice in his ceramah! Permit was allowed for BN but the opposition needed 16 days to apply for one in a 9 day campaign period!!
Will this unfair tactic be applied for the General Election? I believe so!!!
No thanks to Tun Mahathir! For it was him who made BN and the PM in particular so powerful that he actually created a huge monster in the BN.
In order for sanity to be restored we must be patient. Only when there is serious internal cracks within UMNO can justice prevail otherwise it will be futile to challenge the BN. In fact General Elections are a waste of time and resources. Better to spend these on more productive activities.
“People don’t become rich just because they are smart,†Dr Zagorsky said. “Your IQ has really no relationship to your wealth…“Professors tend to be very smart people,†he said. “But if you look at university parking lots, you don’t see a lot of Rolls-Royces, Porsches or other very expensive cars. “Those with low intelligence should not believe they are handicapped, and those with high intelligence should not believe they have an advantage.â€Â
See http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21618537-2703,00.html
So it’s not the brainy ones who can get RM30 million yachts and RM60 million mansions…those who failed stats in university can also do so
“Spreading Corruption is A National Missionâ€Â.
Ha ha ha……Najis made an ERROR statement, where Uncle Lim one should be the way!
Really I am concerned where we are heading. Can someone tell me? All I see and read comes in the negative flow. Did i read about some ‘dipping in Chinese blood’ thing?
Perhaps we should all take a hold of ourselves before this explodes to something big. I have the feeling of a volcanic eruption. Lot of activity going on inside and underneath but calm on the surface.
Hey, Is this how we going to celebrate our 50 years – golden jubliee.
I am not going to take sides on any political party but just throwing a word of caution that we need to brace ourselves or we’ll be heading for some disaster.
I love Malaysia and I hope she will continue as a peaceful nation
NOW, we have a peaceful Ijok ….. where everything are back to normal. Media representatives have been re-posted to do other ‘exciting’ and ‘innovative’ stories.
We have to wait for ” HARI INI DALAM SEJARAH ” to run those memories again …
Thank you all