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Two greater maturity developments on occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary most welcome

Two greater maturity developments on occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary most welcome

Two developments showing greater maturity of Malaysians on occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary is most welcome as it is time that the government and leaders move away from narrow sectarian approach towards a more nationalistic and broadminded approach on issues which should transcend race, religion, class or political differences to create greater national unity.

The two developments are:

  • The announcement by the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim that all parliamentary constituencies in the country will receive RM30,000 each for activities to celebrate the country’s 50th years of independence;
  • The directive by the Minister for Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Chairman Dr. Halim Shafie to withdraw his letter barring private television stations from broadcasting speeches by members of the opposition.

It will be very sad if on the nation’s half-a-century nationhood, Malaysian public life is still moored in narrow sectarian divisions on every issue including those which must transcend race, religion, class or partisan politics.

Both Rais and Keng Yaik are to be commended for showing that they are prepared to make a beginning to take a Malaysian nationalistic approach rather than narrow sectarian one, and to show that there are issues where all can come together as Malaysians.

I hope these small beginnings can be broadened to larger spheres of public life and to embrace more issues to bring about greater national unity instead of creating more and more division even on matters which should not be a subject of national disunity in the first place.

Yesterday, DAP MP for Batu Gajah, Fong Po Kuan and I met Rais to discuss the channeling of the RM30,000 allocation for 50th Merdeka celebrations for the 20 non-Barisan Nasional parliamentary constituencies, which is a good new start.

12 Replies to “Two greater maturity developments on occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary most welcome”

  1. Will the Minister for Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik be a one off (flash in the pan) or selective reporting with his directive? Let us not be too carried away. Time will tell. Never trust the BN. I hope this is not my “pouring cold water” reaction but just my instinct. I have been let down too often by the BN.

  3. KeenWatcher_01, you’re right!
    Don’t be carried away by such shows.
    No matter what anyone in the BN does, never ever cast another vote for them.
    The problem is that Malaysians are very naive and are easily fooled. After all that has happened in this country, what is there worth voting for in the BN?
    Be resolute in your resolve to dump the BN! Or you’ll regret it for another five years after the next general election!

  6. I agree with KeenWatcher_01, afterall, this LKY guy always kena the “foot in mouth” dissease, remember when he said about the estate Indians………… the Hailamese?…………… hope this is not another of his opps, “you heard wronly”

    As for the 30k, don’t be too happy till it’s in your hand, and even then don’t be too happy still as this is an addition to the operating fund they have at their disposal……….

    so the end sum is something like this:
    BN = RM 3,030,000, opposition = RM 30,000

  8. The Return of the Billion Ringgit Sleepy Old Man
    http://www.jeffooi.com/2007/07/rm90b_for_11_mega_projects_and.php

    RM90b for 11 mega projects… and still counting?
    1 ) Trans-Peninsular Oil Pipeline
    Cost: RM25 billion (US$7.5 billion)

    2 ) Ipoh-Padang Besar Double-Track Railway
    Cost: RM10 billion (Land cost not determined)

    3 ) Extension of Existing LRT Lines in Klang Valley
    Cost: RM10 billion

    4 ) New 40km LRT Line with Underground Tunnel Across KL
    Cost: RM10 billion

    5 ) The Bakun Undersea Cable
    Cost: RM9 billion

    6 ) High-Speed Train to Singapore
    Cost: RM8 billion (Land cost not determined)

    7 ) Hulu Langat Water Treatment Project, Selangor
    Cost: RM5 billion

    8 ) Pahang-Selangor Inter-state Water Transfer
    Cost: RM4 billion

    9 ) West Coast Highway
    Cost: RM3.05 billion

    10 ) Penang Monorail
    Cost: RM1.2 billion to RM1.6 billion

    11 ) River Cleaning Project
    Cost: RM1 billion

  9. Malaysian govt must follow the French example
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2027839.ece

    Cécilia Sarkozy, the wife of the French President, has surrendered a credit card after her access to the lavish and unaccounted Elysée palace budget threatened to heap embarrassment…
    François Mitterrand would never have lodged his second family at the taxpayer’s expense and Jacques Chirac would not have had his holidays financed by the state

  11. One mature step forward will soon to be followed by two immature step backwards. And that would explain why after 50 years this gomen is so far away from reaching maturity.

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