[The following piece was emailed to me. I do not know who is the writer. But it should be a wake-up call indeed for all Malaysians if Malaysia is to stand up and stop being overtaken and left behind by one nation after another. Kit]
This is our wake up call!!!
Indonesia is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of natural resources. God has blessed Indonesia with gold, uranium, copper, oil, timber, beaches, seas and other wealth. The land is fertile with abundant rain. Stick a twig into the ground and it grows into a tree. Yet Indonesians sleep in the streets. Food is expensive. The average Indonesian eats some rice, tempe,tauhu and may be some vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. An average Nasi Padang meal for four persons in a single star Indonesian restaurant can cost RM60.00 (160,000 Rupiah). This is way beyond the income of the average Joko or Ketut in Indonesia.
Why is this so? The answer is because the ruling elites in Indonesia do not care about the people. They have pillaged the country. They craft policies that only serve to keep the elites in power and the wealthly. The same thing is happening in Malaysia. There are also millions of Indonesians who go to school and university but do not learn skills that can help them survive in the real world. They are very poor in European languages like English or Dutch. All their education is in Indonesian. So they cannot keep up with the latest developments and technologies. They cannot compete. They remain poor.
The children of the elite are sent overseas for their education. An average Indonesian university graduate cannot bring world class skills to his employers. He or she therefore earns a pittance. This is happening in Malaysia. Bumiputra university graduates only strike it rich if they get Government jobs where they do not do much work but earn a good salary with a pension. In the private sector they may not get a job or earn only a pittance. That is why 100,000 graduates remain unemployed in Malaysia.
Bumiputra university graduates are turning up for interviews as taxi drivers and shop assistants. What about those who flunk out after SPM? They become Mat Rempits (Motorcycle Racers ). Last Saturday I saw another Mat Rempit get killed at the road races in Shah Alam (near Section 7).
In Malaysia, just like in Indonesia, food is getting very expensive. But the wages and salaries of the people, especially the Malays, is not keeping up with the increase in prices. Instead of developing the competitive ability of the people,the Government has been using the failed NEP to provide subsidies and dish out money on a plate. Everything is subsidised, even cooking oil, flour, rice, sugar, fuel, etc. The Government has been providing these subsidies so that the people will keep voting for the ruling party. So it has never been to the Government’s advantage to make the Malays independent. A Malay who is independent of the Government may not vote for the BN. It is therefore better to keep feeding with subsidies.. So, for the past 50 years, everything has been subsidised.
But now with 27million people in the country of which more than half are Malays, subsidies are getting more expensive. There is also much much more thievery and wastage by the elites in Malaysia. But there is no bottomless well full of money. Everything has its limits. The money will soon run out. Without the subsidies for cooking oil, sugar, flour and petrol, how are the people, especially the Malays, going to survive? Already university graduates cannot find jobs or compete in the private sector. What happens when the oil money runs out? What happens when (not if, but when) the Government cannot simply spend billions of oil money to sustain its voting base any longer? That is when we may see people sleeping in the streets, just like in Indonesia. If that happens this country will go up in flames. We will all be consumed.
In Indonesia, the Government has not mobilised its hundreds of millions of people (over 250 million Indonesians) with the competitive skills to grow enough food for themselves. Hence food is expensive. They do not even have simple survival skills like coming to work on time, organising themselves to do simple tasks, maintaining good hygiene and cleanliness and so on. They are poorly read and not informed about many things that are going on around the world. Their Government has failed in all these aspects. Hence the average Indonesian remains poor.
The same thing has happened in Malaysia. Our young people, especially the Malays, do not possess basic survival skills. We are not talking about competitive skills but just basic survival skills. The Government is not serious about giving them useful competitive skills either. The Mat Rempits are being glorified by the politicians as saviours of the nation (Mat Cemerlang). Correction. they are drug users, gang rapists, snatch thieves and street fighters.
When an efficient Policewoman called Nooriyah Anvar was appointed Chief of Traffic Police she went after the Mat Rempits with a vengeance. Does anyone remember her? She confiscated their bikes on the spot. But soon the Mat Rempits called their political muscle and Nooriyah Anvar was kicked out. To date she holds the record of being the shortest serving Traffic Police Chief in Malaysia. She has been replaced by Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Hamza Taib.
So the Government is not serious about improving the position of the Malays. It serves the Barisan Nasional Government to keep the Malays down and out. Then the Malays can go to the Government for crumbs. This way the ruling elites get to keep the whole loaf to themselves. Go and visit Indonesia. This is what is happening over there. It is happening over here too.
Does Malaysia have a problem? yes the Malays are not happy, the Chinese are not happy and the Indians are not happy. They spoke out at the March 2008 polls and hope things will change for the better, now they have some oppositions who promised change. The Malays are being duped by their corrupted leaders by using the religion, the Chinese and Indians are being marginalised by the ruling elites. Let us all Malaysians wake up and fight the corrupt system for the benefit of everyone. Let us all unite and stand together and change the system for once and for all.
We are not Malays, Chinese or Indians, we are Malaysians. Malaysians May End Up Sleeping in the Street like its neighbours.
“We are not Malays, Chinese or Indians…we are Malaysians.” Very well said!! I am still waiting for the day to proudly say that I am a Malaysian here in central America!!
Dear Anonymous,
U the man!
Yes, I’m surely a Malaysian! Only stupid, no-sense people like Ahmad Ismail want to deny the fact.
Its true, the new Malay mechanical engineer graduated from University Tun Hussein Onn I employed dose not speak even a little English, does not seem to possess engineering knowledge of a Form 5 science student during the 70s, it is out of mercy that we are keeping him there, hoping that we would be able to train him up gradually as part of our social responsibility. A Chinese lady admins staff have to do on his behalf all engineering correspondence/email with overseas principals! The university standard is going down the drain and the bloody politicians with big tummies (symbol of overeating) just keep playing racial and religious cards to keep themselves in place. Wake up please all Malaysians, especially Sarawakian and Sabahan, change the government so that we could give our Malay fellow countrymen the real ‘fishing’ skill!
The country is heading towards bankruptcy; I just heard over the radio that they are going to take in 8000 staffs to man the various science labs in all the secondary schools. Just another excuse to take in the non-employable graduates to give them good monthly salary! Another ‘fire fighting’ testimony!
BN is taking us there, no doubt. I emphasised to some people who asked why do we tolerate Malay racism by UMNO, My reply was the Malaysian Edifice Was Built By Three People, viz the Malay racists in UMNO, Chinese racist in MCA, and also Gerakan, And Indian racists in MIC. In other words, we are being enslaved by a new race of masters after the colonist withdrew. Chinese and Indians (in the gomen) yoo have played a crucial role in the enslavement of the Malays.
The most distressing thing about this looting of the poor is, eastern board people (Sabahans and Sarwakians) have continued to empower so-called leaders who are very rich but the people are very poor. This state of affairs just connot be if weak willed and self seeking politicians would say, ‘NO.’
Maybe it is very true the people cannot help it because the system ensures this tragic situation. Don’t lay the blame entirely on UMNO shoulders, Isn’t it very clear now that BN is the real cultprit? Smalll time lovwer level leaders are in it for t he gravy!! Ignore them, these sorts are everywhere, due to poor family upbringing.
Maybe it is unfortunate PR is too slow in changing the equation. Somehow, the PK is still being out maneuvered by the foxy BN top people. So we will continue to slide – until such time we hold the BN people accountable for our plight, and take them to a reformed court of law, in the future.
It’s a very, very sad thing early in the morning to hear of such exposure and racial unity really takes a hard bashing at that! If the powers that be are not prepared to look at the larger picture of meritocracy and be more competitive, then what are our hopes for the future in this world of globalization and competitiveness! We’ll be left far behind and have everything to lose as we dare not rise above ourselves. God can only bless us! Good luck Malaysia!
NEP is only to enrich the UMNO guy, since they always say malays still lag behind in economic sector…why do those millionaire UMNO cronie that keep getting the benefit of NEP but not the poor malay instead that should? Are those that afford to built Istana need NEP or those malay that stay in atap house that need it? Don’t mislead by UMNO that Chinese and Indian are threat to Malays.. the real threat is within your own kind….think about it
To a great extent, I put the blame on the real educated Bumi middle class! they can see it through and yet they allow the situation to remain the same. They seem to be happy that so long they can get the non-bumis to cushion them, things would be all right! Man, this cannot go on for ever, the non-Bumis will find a way out, and many have! And slowly but surely the country will compete with not Indonesia but Myanmar and Laos in the Asean region!.
And if they still have lingering thought that the non-Bumis are the threat, then We all can only pray or pack our bags. As for the poor Indonesians, they should make it known to the current leadership that change will come if the policy does not benefit the people.
Based on some reports, they are going towards that direction, albeit rather slowly; but here the change can only be done with a new Gomen!! They can not change unless they are changed!!
This is what Ahmad Shabery said:
“Umno was still strong and relevant in the context of national development, he said, adding that Malaysia was the best progress story among countries in the region, thanks to the BN government helmed by Umno.”
He is in total denial. He is sleeping and the whole lot is believing it that they have brought the best progress to Malaysia. I guessed they are comparing with Zimbabwe.
Waking up is easier said than done because what it involves here are entrenched feudal attitudes structured upon relationships sanctioned by time and tradition.
It is trite that elites world over – by elites I mean political and economic elites as a class – will exploit their peoples given the chance. This is human nature : self interest and gain at the expense of the rest.
The difference in western culture as evolved is that Western attitudes treat political elites’ rule as sanctioned by the consent of those ruled, that the former is a trustee of the common weal of the latter as beneficiaries and therefore government has to be accountable and transparent and has to subject itself to review and fresh mandate of electorate periodically measured against its performance in the preceding period.
Hence elections – and performance – are the benchmarks of legitimacy to rule.
It is a long story how Western attitudes are shaped by 2000 years of western political philosophy and history starting from Greek Socrates, Thomas Acquinas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau,Thomas Paine John Stuart Mill etc right down to Karl Popper beyond the purview of discussion here…
We have none of that. Since the time of Malacca Sultanate it was a feudal political culture in which legendary Hang Tuah, slandered by his enemies was ordered to be put to death by the Sultan. When best friend Hang Jebat rebelled against the Sultan for injustice perpetrated on his friend Hang Tuah, Hang Tuah, when ordered by the sultan, killed his friend Hang Jebat – which goes to demonstrate the point that blind loyalty to rulers takes precedence over personal friendship and gratitude. Hang Tuah is a folk hero, and there are many Hang Tuahs within our present political firmament in explanation of the treachery and back stabbing that goes on in our present political court.
Corruption is not even in feudal lexicon. The basic feudal exchange is this : political leaders are patrons of those ruled. The leaders allocate social and financial benefit whether honorific titles, bags of money (in elections) or government contracts, scholarships, tenders, and permits after the elections are won. The people – the constituency – in return for these benefit and little mercies from the rulers show deference and give blind loyalty in exchange.
Yes we too have elections. We inherited that – parliamentary system of government – from the Colonial British. [As compromise to feudal tradition since Malacca sultanate we retain monarchy and system of hereditary rulers acting on advice of elected government on governance issues].
Though at one level we have the Western institution of elections, however yet on another level it is feudal influences, sanctioned by time and tradition that shape and mould significantly voting patterns and allegiance – until the contrarian effects of Internet that brings in global and Western influences .
Hence this entrenched feudal attitudes that candidates from government parties should be supported, regardless of their track-record or the performance of the government, simply because they represent the government. It is this uncritical acceptance of government authority and subservience to governmental ministers and power that almost guarantees that our political elites could get away with continued abuse of power, corruption or even murder, so to speak!
Our nation’s history is 50 years. Western parliamentary concept of elections and accountability of governance is figuratively speaking a plant that is grafted for last 50 years on a soil that is a carry-over from feudal history and tradition of Malacca Sultanate of last 500 years. This soil has no fertilizers of Socrates, Thomas Acquinas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau,Thomas Paine John Stuart Mill etc – so which influences will prevail? Can a flower of democracy bloom in feudal soil?
Take the local term for government, kerajaan: it is a reference to the raja who ruled absolutely with whimsical powers since the days of Malaccan sultanate courts. Top politicians are by protocol referred to as yang berhormat. Gordon Brown or George Bush are not addressed such. They are criticized and ridiculed by the public.
If you do it here as RPK did you would end up in ISA detention!
UMNO politicians have been plundering and abusing the nation’s wealth for personal gain over 50 years. The poor remain poor. This is why UMNO must go. PR have to prove that they can bring back honour and glory to Malaysia, otherwise they also have to go. PR implemention in many states have not be good, look at recent issues of corruption, temple demolishment, housing quota. So, PR buck up or ship out.
Don’t wait for that “Big Bang” – the day when our petroleum resources run out. PR please take urgent action to wrest power from BN to save the nation from falling into a bottomless abyss.
What I say here also applies to Indonesia which from historical perspectives could not free herself from entrenched shared feudal tradition and norms in its political culture…..
A culture of political corruption is Indonesia’s biggest problem at this point – and that is feudal.
Now businessman Soetrisno Bachir was elected in April 2005 as leader of the National Mandate Party (PAN), replacing Amien Rais in PAN’s party congress in Semarang, Central Java. Soetrisno Bachir at a seminar discussing Indonesian culture said, “What Indonesia needs is to dump its old feudal ways and culture”, “Can Indonesia become a first rank country, able to compete with the world and provide prosperity for its people?” he asked but he also conceded that this was unlikely while old ways and habits of a feudal nature still had an influence over the life of the people and their characters.
Attitudes, even sanctioned by time and tradition can be changed by countervailing influenmces dominating the global scene, and one of the quickest agent accelerating this is the Internet and its proliferation and penetration!
This is simply no choice as the World gets smaller with Globalisation.
Whether one discards feudal norms fast enough will determine whether a nation is going to be competitive, prosper and survive or otherwise. After all the richest nations (G8) control the rules of the game – they even control the UN and other international organizations by majority – and they embrace modern western influenced ideas regarding politics and economy than feudal that have long been discarded.
In the contest between traditional feudal attitudes, and modern Western attitudes relating to standards of governance, the latter will surely gain mileage subject to one major caveat – that there is no supervening and countervailing “blocking” factor like resurgence of Religion and religious values as in the case of large swathes of Middle East and Africa, still kept impoverished and engaged in internecine conflicts.
In Indonesia and Malaysia, the Western precepts of sovereignty of the people and Middle Eastern fundamental versions of Islam based on sovereignty of the Almighty in relation to government and laws are still in heated contest over the discursive space.
The future does not look bright when even a patriot like RPK can be incarcerated with impunity for insulting Religion when he merely sought to discuss more about it; it does not look good when 1/3 of the so-called reformist and enlightened Opposition (Pakatan Rakyat) seeking to replace the government derives its electoral strength from and has to accommodate theocratic agenda of PAS, in one form or another, if not some time now, then sometime in the future.
Re the statement “political corruption is Indonesia’s biggest problem at this point – and that is feudal” does nmot convey the right nuance. Political corruption is universal but feudal culture encourages or nurtures it more that checks it. That”s what I meant!
The only way to avoid being trapped in poverty like the Indonesians is freeing ourselves mentally and politically.
More and more Malaysians of all races are seeing the big picture. Malaysia can progress faster and the interests and well-being of all races better served if it is ruled by a non-racial party led by incorruptible leaders.
Why must we (Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Dayaks, etc) listen to them (who garner support from among their races by often making sick and irrational speeches in public and Parliament) and make ourselves divided along racial lines and unhappy? Instead of reflecting on their wrongdoings, these government and party leaders accuse the Opposition and even the people for inciting racial sentiments.
Political developments in the country have all the signs of a hugely unpopular government on its way out, judging by political turmoils in other countries.
We the rakyat want to avoid being trapped in race-based politics, and live happily and contentedly. That’s the common wishes of all Malaysians. Should our living standards one day deteriorate and like that of Indonesia’s, it would be because of BN’s prolonging its race-based policy. But I see it would be next to impossible for BN to have a 360 degree change.
So, change we must. Through an alternative way.
The problems with Indonesia is perhaps best summarised by the simplicity of your argument. It is general ignorance that prevails in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia that creates problems where opportunities otherwise lie.
With Indonesia it will always be the subject of foreign big power interference not only because of its enormous stores of natural resources, but also its strategic location and its huge potential as a market.
If it was not the Chinese who first inflitrated Sukarno’s military and defence apparatus in furtherance of their own designs in that region, then of course it was the Americans and their allies from Europe to Australia and Japan the financed Sukarnos overthrow in order to establissh a more ruthless but west friendly regime.
In context lets look at the situation of east Timor an anachronism in the modern post colonial era. One half of the island is given independent nation status when its people are of the same ethnic composition as west Timorese.
Ruled by two western powers of their day the Dutch on the one hand andd the Portuguese on the other, a contrived and choreographed war took place at independence from Portugal in the East. It endured to the point the instability of Suharto could not guarantee US submarine rights to its very deep submerged caves which is really East Timor’s greatest asset.
The undersea caves are within striking range of Southern China and Cam Ranh Bay (which was under Soviet control at the commencement of the Timor war of independence).
The Soviets had naval dominance of the region because of Cam Ranh Bay’s deep water submarine base capability. It is a shoot and scoot or shoot and hide capability that makes it worth defending. East Timor has it and the status quo from that equation will be jelously protected by both sides for their own interests.
As to the people of Indonesia, well the world made it clear after World War 2 that it did not condone the emergence of eatern powers or any additional powers apart from the 4. China first slipped that net with Russian backing till the two fell out ending in the Yuri river dispute.
Sukarno who together with Tito of Yugoslavia, Nasser of Egypt and Nehru of India created the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) had to endure a constant barrage of undermining of their governments for being neutral as they could be between Warsaw pact or NATO sided. It was to be either one or the other.
The Swedes, the Americans the Australians and the Dutch and their NGO’s in an effort to destablise and keep destabilised Indonesia, began a campaign to recognise internal divisions within the various ethnic groups in Indonesia and actively foster seccession movements including the Free Acheh Movementt and the Organasasi Papua Merdeka (directly funded by Canberra), the Independence for Moluccas and Sulawesi (the Dutch) all of whom also received hefty and generous monetary aid from a range of religious organisations and NGO’s.
Till the Indonesians can free themselves of the yoke of colonialism they will have a slow climb to real freedom and independence. Its 7000 or so islands are difficult to patrol and manage as are their numerous ethnic varieties. Its perhaps a strange paradox indeed that only someone like Suharto (not in all his forms) could have achieved a semblance of that.
But for Indonesians to be truly free, they have to also be freed from the yoke of colonial and foreign agents in their Chinese communities, many of the 11 million or so who have aided and abbetted all and sundry from the Japanese in world war 2 to the Dutch and the Americans and yes Singapore in their exploitation of 200 million people they collectively see as inferior and subservient in advancement of their own causes and interests.
That day will come and it won’t be pretty. If history tells us anything at all about a situation that is Indonesia, there will be much blood letting. In the end it is not the political ideology or human rights that will be defended, but the foreign policy. If it faces the Mecca of materialism of Tokyo and Washington it will be defended and recognised.
The Bob Hassans, Liem Soe Liems Sutantos and others will bee found hanging from trees if they are lucky. Most likely they will rrun to Singapore or their Chinese ancestral lands. But that day is not too far away.
The fear we should all have is that by our own ignorance and tacit support of these exploitative groups who have had a free run of this country, we have effectively nurtured a generation of Muklas’, Amrozi’s and the rest who like a mutant virus will grow more potent and destructive each time you destroy one of them.
Its a pity that the writer intends to remain anonymous when there is so much truth in what he writes. We understand.
If his identity is known, then all hell will break loose and the Utusan and UMNO leaders will demonize him – call him ungrateful, traitor to the Malay race and religion. Even his family will be hounded.
This is the sorry state we are in. They will not get involved in rational debate but clamp down on alternative or unpalatable views.
It’s UMNO views that matters.
Dear Owner of this Blog,
What is happening in Malaysia now began in Indonesia 20 years ago. I am surprised that a politician of your years in Malaysian politics has only seen the parallel only tody. Only the Lord can save this country..
Fully agree with the writer. I run 2 overseas student hostels and in my experience, I found Indonesian students when they arrived in Australia, hardly speak a sentence of simple English. Most of them were scholarship holders, courtesy of Australian govt. They were sent to do masters and Phd, imagine, how they struggled and faced frustrations, many returned unfinished with their courses. As compared to the quite recent arrivals, the Vietnamese, they may not be good with their spoken English but, most of them were reasonably prepared with their written English combined with hard work as a result, they graduated well on time.
Vietnam is progressing at a tremendous pace, because of the return of these scholars, oiling the engine of developments.. hardly any, were interested to apply for PR and leave their country. Returning and serving their nation is first priority in their minds…patriotism is written all over their faces.
Can we say the same for our students studying abroad ? I will reserve my comments here.
Some one said the government didn’t change is because Malaysian Chinesr don’t want to change ?
Because Malaysian Chinese control almost 70% of the economy.
Capitalism ?
After reading this well argued piece it occurred to me that there is one more significant similarity between Indonesia’s present malaise and Malaysia’s soon-to-be situation and that is, both countries were under dictatorial rule for a lengthy part of their recent history. Indonesia had Suharto who created much of the woes afflicting the country now while in Malaysia we had Mahathir for 22 years doing the same thing – albeit under a thinly disguised “democracy”.
The exodus has begun. YTL, Genting, the Kuoks, Ananda, even Syed Mokhtar have moved assets overseas, or have now invested more overseas than locally. Nobody wants to be a hero in a sinking ship.
The scenario 10 years from now is predictable. We will have hundreds of thousands of unemployed youths. These youths will rampage through the streets each time there is an economic crisis or a racial crisis, torching and displacing the hardworking ones. The womenfolk will compete with Indonesia and Philippines in the supply of domestic helpers to places like Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East. The politicians will continue to steal whatever’s left and occasionally they will go to Singapore or Australia or the UK to check on their bank accounts.
Thanks for the wake up call. “CHANGE!!!” “It’s now or never….”
Grateful thanks, YB Kit, for sharing this most accurate write-up that foretell our country’s future in great detail. Only the false Malaysians in the form of self-serving corrupt politicians of the BN are unaware or/and denying the reality before our eyes.
I certainly hope that DSAI will execute his exercise to take over soon in order to save this country of ours before it goes the way of the past Indonesia or worse e.g. Zimbabwee, Somali etc…..
The same here in my company, A Bumiputra Computer Science graduate is equivalent to just finish high school grade computer science and IT course.
They might know some basic Microsoft Office application like Word, Excel and Powerpoint, that does not make you a computer science graduate.
You should be able to use what you have learn as fundamental and based to solve future problem.
A Bumiputra graduate who was tasked to sort out a DB of 2 Million record with different criteria wrote a program using JAVA, and the program took a few hours to complete. The logic he used is NOT WRONG, BUT the worst and stupid way of doing it.
Sad! We need to change back the medium of education to English while keep BM, Mandarin and Tamil as compulsory elective
Good Luck Malaysia.
A stupid Malaysian is easy to satisfy and control. Simple. Do you like to be control?
Shiok Guy
http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/
What can the new leadership of UMNO offer ? Same old, same old.
I forsee that the political struggle in our country would evovle into a class struggle; the have nots vs the elitist haves. In many ways we are seeing this manifesting in this present political fight between PR and Umno/BN. The rakyat call for justice, end to corruption, cronyism, nepotism and police brutality. Hindraf is an early manifestation of the marginalised vs the elitist class. For this to happen quickly we must unite as MALAYSIANS and fight for ideals and not be divided by our racial origin and fight for racial quotas.
Arrogant Mahathirism says…don’t bite the fingers that feed your mouths…Humble Rakyatism says…don’t rob the rakyat that vote you in…
This is why UMNO must go. PR have to prove that they can bring back honour and glory to Malaysia, otherwise they also have to go. – Negarawan
If BN goes and PR goes too, then who will govern this country?
Do we have a third alternative?
On second thought, I think that it would definitely be good to have another party on standby as an alternative!!
We need change. we need jobs. we need the populace to rise up. we need a nelson mendela or gandhi to lead us of this diabolical morass
yes i fully concur. english education/medium of instruction is the only way forward. forget nationlism. otherwise this nation will go to the dogs if the people like tdm want to remain recalcitrant and still insist on having bahasa malaysia as medium of instruction based on malay nationalism. lets revert to the era of 60s/70s when the diversity of cultures and integration flourished
cant blame the author wanting to remain unknown. here, its very common for the govt to go after messenger rather than the message. look no further other than rpk, bala, Tan, teresa and kickdefella.
Interesting piece.
Check out this site for another viewpoint.
Although this article appears to champion Malaysian unity, yet i detect a foul stench of racism.
This article seems to heap the blame on the Malays for keeping BN in power. How wrong that is. The greedy business oriented Chinese and Indians who lovingly paint themselves as ‘progressive minded’ are equally (if not more) to blame for keeping BN in power.
Prior to Hindraf the MAJORITY of Indians fully supported BN. In 1999, at the height of the Mahathir-Anwar power tussle, the Malays were split roughly 50-50. Yet the non-Malays voted OVERWHELMINGLY to keep BN in power.
For decade’s the chinese and indians have voted Mahathir into power because they supported his ‘progressive and business oriented’ policies. Worst, the chinese and Indians were NEVER duped by MCA/MIC. These educated non-Malays fully supported BN even knowing full well the corruption and inefficiencies of the BN government and NEP.
The rich chinese and indians that supported the corrupt UMNO led government to dupe the Malays are as much to blame for the problems plaguing the country today.
This is the well writen article should be posted in all major news paper in Malaysia.
To Katdog this is no the blaming game here, the truth will preview, no one should be balme untill current moment. what happen already happen but do we have the courage to change? to help our country out of this continuing discontented problems?
please we all Malaysian regardless of races wake up now or we will be like Indonesia sooner or later.
greed are the main cause why we cannot become Malaysian
The tsunami of March 08 wasn’t strong enough!
The RAKYAT must overwhelmingly RID the BN GOONS in the next GE 13! That is, if PR TEAM and DSAI can’t do it in the coming months and the country is still standing!
Please fellow bros and siss of the RAKYAT of all race and religion, we can’t afford to wait till the WELLS RUN DRY for the sake of OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
100% agree can’t wait even 1 min.
bclee says: “To Katdog this is no the blaming game here”
I completely agree with that. There should be NO blaming here. But unfortunately when i read this article, i see an enormous emphasis on bumiputra graduates, Malay dependence on government, Malay Mat Rempits. This betrays the authors mentality that the Malays are the only ones with problems.
Why no mention of corrupt chinese/indian businessmen that work hand in hand with corrupt officials to pillage and loot the country? Or that most organised crime syndicates are run by chinese gangsters? Or that many petty crimes are committed by desperately poor Indians.
I agree with you, don’t play the blame game. Please don’t only point fingers at Malay’s.
Uncle Lim,
Since this is a wake up call to the Malaysian, have we made sure that it has reached all our fellow Malaysian by all means?
This article is a masterpiece and by hook or by crook, it should be disseminated to all the Malaysians by all means, especially our dear bumiputra comrades. Datuk Seri Anwar should also use this the facts in this article as part of his next speech to the people. Beside this, please also make sure that this article is published in all the Opposition’s main websites. I will start emailing this article to all my people i know and post it on the blog of UMNO website and the blog of Najib, Mahathir, Khairy and others.
Pleas start doing the things I am doing. The aim is to ensure it reaches the mass. If not, a wake up call is merely calling on no body.
Can someone translate this article into Bahasa Melayu please?
Your help is much appreciated. Thank you.
Rose Fashion,
You can disseminate this article to your indian and chinese friends. I’m sure they’ll get a kick out of it. But i’m sure your Malay friends will not like the insinuation in this article that the Malays are merely living on free handouts from the government.
I would also like to add that it is not just the Malays who have problems with English. I have met many many young chinese local graduates today that have problems with English. The young generation of chinese today all go to chinese schools, has mainly a circle of chinese friends, speak chinese 90% of their lives and their first serious exposure to English is when they start working.
Come March 2009, we might have a suspect murderer mastermind as our new PM. Wake up all Malaysian stop this rot with Makkal Sakhti or we shall be heading for hell.
Does Malaysia have a problem?
“Yes, Malaysia has a problem and needs repair
The gov’t of the day doesn’t seem to care
But the people need not feel despair
Just vote in an alternative gov’t that is fair”
I’m working in dubai because of good offer and better opportunities.
There are malay college here with competent skill to perform the job. This is because we are exposed to the real competitive envirolment that we have to fight for survival! Back in home, if we are spoon feed with all kind of prilivige and status, you can never survive outside malaysia, no even in Indonesia. Unless you are as smart as those UAE people whom are well educated from west, and if you are in the street of dubai, english language wording are same size along with arabic wording, sometime even bigger. They are the riches, ask ourselves do we smarter than them?
Katdog
I guess you are not a Malay from the way you wrote.
This article is not blaming the Malay for all the problems in Malaysia. All it is saying is the system in Malaysia is corrupted and a corrupted system attracts and creates corrupted businessmen, be it Chinese, Malay or Indians. And who created this system? The answer is BN government.
The article is not suggesting Malay is the only one responsible for the escalating crime rate in Malaysia. There are Chinese and Indian criminals of course. All it is saying is because enforcement departments are ineffective, inefficient and corrupted, the crime goes up. And who is the one administering these departments? The answer is BN government.
Why Singapore is much more efficient and has no corruption? The answer is they have a clean and efficient government. So are you clear now? Katdog?
If we are to do away with the current situation in Malaysia which is likely to fall into the footsteps of Indonesia, the only way is to remove the entire BN government and this is not only by removing UMNO. It includes MCA and MIC as well.
As a matter of fact, the government has helped the Malays in the past 30 years. Logically by now, the Malays should be more technically equipped and knowledgeable than the Chinese and Indians who did not get equivalent help from the Government. So by right Malays should have better surviving skills than the Chinese and Indians and the Malays should not have any problem competing with Chinese and Indians in this country. In overseas, they should also be able to compete if the Chinese and Indians can do that. But is this what happened now? With the help from government in the past 30 years, have the Malays become better and stronger in terms of ability to compete? Let’s not talk about Chinese who cannot speak proper English. The fact is they rather choose to go into Chinese schools knowing that they will not be proficient in English after they graduate than to choose to go into government schools, which do not help them to be proficient in English and equip them with better surviving skills. Since both schools do not help in the proficiency of English and the Chinese school equip them with better surviving skills, that’s the best choice they could make. As a matter of fact, these Chinese who are not proficient in English, somehow being able to find their way to survive, without any help from the Government.
The article has struck the right point by saying that the way that the BN government was helping the Malays is simply a politically motivated tactic to gain support. It is a good excuse used to rely on in order to gain continuous supports from the Malays for UMNO. In actual fact, how has the affirmative policies actually helped the needy Malay remains as a big question mark.
The point that Chinese and Indians gave their support to BN in the past 30 years are irrelevant. During then, there was no one opposition party who could give people confident that they could do better than the BN. People is too afraid of loosing the wealth they are enjoying. With the rise of Anwar and with his non-race based party, it is different now. The people have finally been given a choice to vote for a better party now. You must understand that the Chinese and Indians did no oppose to the notion of affirmative policies but they reject the abuse of such policies that serve only a group of people.
So Katdog, please read the article carefully without wearing a tainted racial glasses, you will understand that all the points are valid and logically developed.
Rose Thanks for helping me to answer all the quetion ask by katdog.
“I would also like to add that it is not just the Malays who have problems with English. I have met many many young chinese local graduates today that have problems with English. The young generation of chinese today all go to chinese schools, has mainly a circle of chinese friends, speak chinese 90% of their lives and their first serious exposure to English is when they start working.” quote katdog
100% agree with you on this all races having dificulty on english, i only SPM standard friend, do you know why our father will like to send us to Chinese school if they can support us? eventhough they need to pay fee.
mainly because in sekolah menengah chinese we learn more 3 language on thier books. Chinese,english and also Malay.
and i tell u thier tingkatan 3 mathematic higher than form 5 in government school.
i have 5 brothers only one sended to sekolah menengah chinese stream because our parent no money to support all.
“Take the local term for government, kerajaan: it is a reference to the raja who ruled absolutely with whimsical powers since the days of Malaccan sultanate courts. Top politicians are by protocol referred to as yang berhormat. Gordon Brown or George Bush are not addressed such. They are criticized and ridiculed by the public.”quote Jeffrey
Yes Jeffrey you see much deeper than me.like to read your comment, your article make me think more.
what is the choice…now even a malay(bn) cannot help a malay…
then who is going to help?
kebelakangan ini disebabkan oleh penamaan calon pemimpin umno kelihatan ramai pemimpin umno yang mukanya keluar tv, mak datuk daging kat leher depa cukup sihat.ibarat kata terlebih dari cukup makan.isa dari N9 yang dah lama tak dengar cerita ; mat taib dengan wangnya yang berbillion di australia ; muhyiddin dari johor dengan ceritanya makannya semasa jadi mb apatah lagi sekarang ;ramai lagi lah…ahmad ismail pun wah wah wah daging dekat leher dia…bukan main sihat, itu baru pemimpin bahagian…. cukup sihat depa
To Rose Fashion and bclee,
I did not ask any question. I am merely adding another perspective to this article. I am not directly disputing the contents of the article. Yes, we all know the UMNO elites have intentionally or unintentionally stifled Malay progress for their own political agendas… corrupt government yadda yadda yadda. Yes i understand the whole point of the article.
I merely want to point out that, while this article focuses mainly on the Malays, the chinese and indians should be reminded that their elites in MCA/MIC perpetrated exactly the same things as their cohorts in UMNO. (worst, unlike the uneducated kampung malays, the well educated non-Malays participated knowing full well that they were endorsing a corrupt and decadent government)
Another note, NEP gives preferential treatment to Malays not subsidies. Please again be reminded, subsidies are enjoyed by ALL Malaysians not just Malays.
In fact, one of the main reasons that the chinese voted against BN because the reduction of petrol subsidies caused financial burdens to them. So who are the ones being spoon fed subsidies? Does DAP have any plans for weaning the people of Malaysia off subsidies? Not as far as i can see at the moment.
Bystander says: “english education/medium of instruction is the only way forward. forget nationlism. otherwise this nation will go to the dogs if the people like tdm want to remain recalcitrant and still insist on having bahasa malaysia as medium of instruction based on malay nationalism. lets revert to the era of 60s/70s when the diversity of cultures and integration flourished.”
With the objective of emulating the success of Japan, BM was first adopted as a medium of instruction in accordance with the Look East Policy.
Notwithstanding the fact that proficiency in English is an all-important competitive edge, there is nothing wrong with BM as a language per se. Only that the approach was probably wrong.
In Japan, textbooks are translated from sources written in English into Japanese by researchers and scholars of the respective fields.
To address the current dilemma faced by our institutions of higher learning, it is time policymakers look squarely into ensuring that textbooks are translated into BM not by “language experts”, but by those for which the subject matters are their fortes.
TRUE…please dont identify ur self….these rogues dont care about truth ..they just care to shut out the truth….they have ISA ….looking at the last 50 over years….ALL those born before and around independence time are better educated…well knowledged… well rounded… in mid 70s education system was changed and thats when disaster struck….but who got hit most…the poor malays who were made to believe that english would lead them to western culture…hippy culture…its a shame …well my dear friends…the very people who changed the policy were all english educated….they send their children to study english…they are all in western countries…. or ….they send to educate their loved ones in INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN MALAYSIA… THEY DONT BELIEVE THE LOCAL SCHOOLS…THAT THEY PROPAGATE TO YOU AND OUR KIDS…….they just want their loved ones ot be ready to take over the positions after them…look around…if you are in denial mode …good luck…but take a good look at the ones helming the nation… and their loved ones and their siblings…..do u feel short changed….these very education system was the doing of the leaders you and me were blindly supporting and following these many years….such a pathetic situation we are in…JUST LOOK AT MIC.. MCA.. AND UMNO.. ALMOST ALL OF THEM who LEAD and have LEAD and intend to LEAD…have a hand in…u name it …they have been in it…they all go scott free…the education system here is sickkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk… u dont need to really DO well but u will get a seat in the U…. its as good as getting lesen tembak…yeah malaysia bolih….semua bolih….but whats the repercussion…ITS A FAILURE…
RECENT INCREASE IN FUEL PRICE…..LETS CHECK WHO BENEFITTED AND WHO ARE THE LOOSERS….
YES THE GOVERNMENT… SAVED ON CERTAIN PERCENTAGE CUTTING DOWN SUBSIDY… ask your self ….did your pay increase….this is for wage earners..(makan gaji) NO!!! NO!! NO!!… but did your expenses increase….20% …30% wellll…sebelum naik harga minyak…sudah lah tak cukup wang untuk belanja….now with this increase… most would end up borrowing…GOVERNMENT SUGGESTION…AAAAAAAAALONNNNNGGGG!!!!!!
NOW….JUST LOOK AT THE RETAILERS… THE WHOLE SELLERS OR MANUFACTURERS AND PRODUCERS…..DO U THINK THEY HAVE LOST ANY…..INFACT …TO THEM THE GOVERNMENT INCREASE…I INCREASE…THE MORE THE MERRIER…THE GOVERNMENT INCREASE 50 CENTS ….1 ITEM !!….THE ABOVE CROCODILES INCREASE EVERY COMMODITY….CONSUMABLES…AND EVERY DAMN THING… NOW WHERE IS THE RATIONAL/// yang kaya …lagi kaya..yang miskin…telungkup lah…….. SIAPA YANG KENA TERUK SEKALI….U AND ME …ORANG YANG MAKAN GAJI…..MINISTER // MENTERI///…NO WORRY …SEMUA GRATIS….SO WHY BOTHER….WHO CARES….APA!!! TAK ADA MAKAN!!! …APA ITU….BELUM PERNAH DENGAR!!!!!////…
Raya…open house.. kasi makan gratis …buka puasa…kasi bubur…..duit raya….. they are just pulling wool over your eyes…
LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE…
EDUCATION …EDUCATION…EDUCATION…. ITS BETTER U KNOW 10 LANGUAGES AND BE COMPETITIVE THAN BEING FOOLED….
MALAYSIAN POLITICS….. IT REALLY STINKS….. NOW ITS ……………………//CONSPIRASI M..&..M //
MOTHER OF ALL ILLS….WILL GUIDE …THE LEADERS OF THE NATION…
This article I must point out, besides the usual malaysian bit, disgusts me with it’s over emphasis on Malays.
Seriously, you digust me.
This article I must point out, besides the usual malaysian bit, disgusts me with it’s over emphasis on Malays.
Seriously, you disgust me.
We did not learn for 50 years and now we are no better.We will not learn and when the nation is destroyed there wont be anyone to learn.
The greatest danger in the coming years is the return of Mahathirism and all its associated ills. Look at the potential team of Najis, Muhyiddin and Mukhriz. Cronyism and nepotism will reign supreme, and all on the back of the unbridled use of the ISA, the Sedition Act and the Official Secrets Act.
We will have to boot the thieves out in 2012-2013, but can the country survive till then ?
That’s why the minister intends to change the subject to Bahasa Malaysia so that every one of you know nothing about the world but instead, they are sending their children to private school, International school and Oversea for study. The ministers also don’t want to learn Bahasa Malaysia. At the end of the day, they tell you that do you know how to speak and write English?
With this, they will tell you go to catch fish and they will be in the air cond office watching TV and in the afternoon, playing golf.
Not only the PM is sleeping and You too.
/// counsel888 Says:
But for Indonesians to be truly free, they have to also be freed from the yoke of colonial and foreign agents in their Chinese communities, many of the 11 million or so who have aided and abbetted all and sundry from the Japanese in world war 2 to the Dutch and the Americans and yes Singapore in their exploitation of 200 million people they collectively see as inferior and subservient in advancement of their own causes and interests. ///
counsel888, I was hoping that your counsel would be wise. What you said generally has merits, except for the paragraph above.
This is the typical witch-hunt and looking for scapegoat that follows the independence of many third world countries. Demonize the colonial masters. Pin all the blame on them.
For Malaysia and Indonesia to truly progress, they must, once and for all, get rid of this blame game. The irony and heartache is that both Malaysia and Indonesia are blessed with so much natural resources. The real culprit is corruption and the siphoning of huge amount of resources and wealth by those in power. And then blaming it on those who actually carry out the economic activities – the minorities. This game of blaming has been honed to a fine art by Dr Mahathir in his 22 years of administration. To distract and detract from the mess at home due to rampant corruption, TDM will point the fingers at the American, Jews, Soros, Britain, the West, and Singapore. All the bogeymen outside the country – anyone and anything except himself is to be blame.
And counsel888, I see you are falling into the same trap and blaming those who are the ones actually adding value to the economy and country.
So, you think getting rid of the yokes of colonial and “foreign agents” will free Indonesia (and Malaysia?) How long has Indonesia and Malaysia being independent? Still blaming the colonial masters all these decades?
I would have thought that history will be a very good guide. North Korea is fiercely independent and beholden to none. It even dared to thumb its nose at Uncle Sam. Likewise, Cuba has hold out against the might of the US. Close to home, Myanmar is truly on its own and has shed its colonial shackles long, long ago. Idi Amin has gotten rid of the colonial masters and the Asians (Indians in particular) and where does it lead Uganda to? Robert Mugabe has also gotten rid of all the colonial masters. Who is he going to blame next?
counsel888 – I hope wise counsel will prevail. Let’s look at really what ails Indonesia and Malaysia, and take steps to correct those mistakes and excesses, instead of taking the easy way out and blaming others. To me, the real culprits are corruption and the nasty habit of blaming everyone else for one’s failures.
The day all Malaysians wake up that we are all Malaysians with each to his own very unique aspirations and dreams, that will be the final day of racism-based politics as Barang Naik and UMNO is today.
Chiakchua wrote: “…Wake up please all Malaysians, especially Sarawakian and Sabahan, change the government so that we could give our Malay fellow countrymen the real ‘fishing’ skill!”..
Why ‘especially” Sarawak & Sabah?? Why not “especially” West Malaysia, since it is the heart & seat of the Federal government?
I was enjoying and agreeing with you until you hit that nerve, Chiakchu. You, like so many West Malaysians has the tendency to relegate the blame for a poor excuse of a government to us East Malaysians.
Haven’t you heard your DPM Najib saying Sabah is UMNO’s “fixed deposit”? And do you know what he implies by that daring remark? Najib, like all in Semanjung UMNO, knows that there is simply no more ‘people’s power’ in Sabah. That TDM made damn sure of that in the latter part of the eighties when Sabah PBS (with the encouragement of Tunku Razali) pulled out of the BN. As punishment for pulling out of the BN, TDM first sent UMNO to open up shop in Sabah (even though UMNO had promised not to do that) and issued over 2 million MyKads to Philippine & Indonesian migrants in Sabah with the promise that they will always vote for UMNO or else their MyKad will be withdrawn and confiscated. With Sabahan’s 7 hundred over votes, Sabah will forever be the ‘fixed deposit” for UMNO with dividends of votes to win in every damn election. This situation can only be remedied if, and only if, DSAI can form a new government and who then have the desire and the determination to investigate and to pull back those over 2 millions Mykads from the migrants.
Sarawak is a different kettle of fish altogether. As long as that Taib stays in power, he and his super rich Chinese business partners control the native voters effectively. Money always determines the outcome of election results in Sarawak, plus, most Natives are employed by these super conglomerate companies.
So, the fate our nation, Malaysia, at this point in time does not and cannot rest on Sabah & Sarawak, but in the Federal state of Malaya. Another huge stumbling factor in Sabah & Sarawak is the diverse racial mixture that makes up the populace:
Sabah has 32 ethnic groups, but the federal government of Malaysia officially recognizes only 28 ethnic groups as being indigenous or Bumiputra in Sabah: Kadazan-Dusun, Kadayan, Malay, Kwijau, Murut, Bajau, Illanun, Lotud, Rungus, Tambanuo, Dumpas, Mangka’ak, Suluk, Orang Sungai, Brunei, Bisaya Beaufort, Tidong, Maragang, Orang Cocos, Paitan, Ida’an, Minokok, Rumanau, Chines of mixed parentage, Filipino, Indonesians, Sarawakians, and Serani. Plus,of course, Chinese and Indians.
The population are distributed in 25 Districts (which in West Malaysia would become States, complete with Sultans and all) of Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Papar, Penampang, Putatan, Ranau, Tuaran, Beaufort, Nabawan, Keningau, Kuala Penyu, Siptang, Tambunan, Tenom, Kota Marudu, Kudat, Pitas, Beluran, Kinabatangan, Sandakan, Tongod, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Semporna, and Tawau.
Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups making up of Dayak Iban, Malay, Melanau, Dayak Bidayuh, Dayak Orang Ulu, Dayak Kayan, Dayak Kelabit, Dayak Kenyah, Dayak Penan, and Sebob/Chebob. Plus of course the Chinese & Indians.
Sarawak population are distributed in 11 Divisions (again which in West Malaysia would become States, complete with Sultans and all) of Bentong, Bintulu, Kapit, Kuching, Limbang, Miri, Mukah, Samarahan, Sarikei, Sibu, and Sri Aman.
Now, will my learned, more sophisticated, and better educated West Malaysian brothers and sisters please tell us simple orang kampong just how we should go about educating & uniting all our people, in our various districts & divisions (the size of your West Malaysian States, yah!.. and many with dirt access roads only), to vote for PKR??
So, please my West Malaysians, first learn something about us, our geography, our cultures, and our diversity before you fire off your volley. Those of us who have access to computers and the internet are supportive of PKR struggles and aspiration. Don’t make us revert back to anti-West Malaysia like we were back before the mid-eighties. Our fate has been effectively sealed by the Federal government with full knowledge and co-operation of our past elected leaders who immediately became corrupted and useless by money & power.
Wake up, we are all Malaysians???
I don’t think Sabah has slept at all and we never has been fully accepted as Malaysians since joining the Federation of Malaya 35 years and 27days ago. Our people are kept relatively uneducated and very much dependants upon the government. That’s the perfect strategy of any Empire, isn’t it? Keep the populace ignorant and unable to help themselves.
Our only hope, like yours, lies with DSAI and his new government! Period!
“In fact, one of the main reasons that the chinese voted against BN because the reduction of petrol subsidies caused financial burdens to them. So who are the ones being spoon fed subsidies?”quote katdog
wrong should say all Malaysian soon will voted against BN.
we don’t want any subsidies now please BN government adjust the petrol price according to world price.
when world crude oil price in all time high.
BN government immediate increased the petrol price up 40%
now we all Malaysians only want the government to adjust the petrol price to current world price without subsidies immediately.
People with an attention deficit problem will always want recognition but they will never see the problems others face. Some people in Malaysia went to space, went to the north south poles, went to Mount Everest because they want the rest of the world to respect them like they respect the rich countries. The thing is Malaysia is not terribly rich. In South East Asia, Brunei and Singapore have strong monetary currencies but even in Singapore, some foreign workers already take to the streets to sleep as reported in the t.v. Millions of ringgit is used up to buy attention from others. On one hand, there are people who want to have research orientated minds. On another hand, all sorts of students are admitted into the universities. The people concerned should do a research and find out if Malaysia needs that many universities’ graduates. It is cruel sugar coating a not so clever student and makes him looks nice as a university graduate but brain-wise, there is nothing so prominent. If he does not like studies and he prefers motorbikes, then take him into a vocational school and let him learn how to fix bikes and for sure, he is happier. And if he has a bike shop, then he will think twice whether he wants to rempit or not. At this time, there are so much political conflicts that it is up to each and every Malaysian to decide on what sort of life they should live. Most Malaysians are wide awake. It is some of these powerful people who choose to sleep and dream. Malaysians should wake them up and not let them continue sleep and dream.
We will continue to live like this till the day we die, but do we want our children or grandchildren to live in the streets like in Indonesia in times to come?
So, Malaysians, if you love Malaysians,
why do you all still want to pay tax in this country to fill up the pockets of those in power and later let your children or grandchildren live in the streets and starve? Who is going to help them if everyone is helping their own pockets?
Think of 50 years ago and 50 years from now.
Why don’t you all pave a way, relocate your factories, build up a country like Vietnam or anywhere, and instead of employing them here.
At least also, they will be grateful to you and you need not be called “squatters”
and perhaps one day, all Malaysians who cannot “squat” anymore, will have a home in another country.
Remember also, not all your children have the intelligence of Einstein and can migrate anywhere,
And then everyone will live happily ever after that because this is how i see how our future is heading, judging from all events that are here.
Just about everyone plays the blame game one way or another. It is human nature. To blame others is a defence mechanism when one cannot deal with one’s own failures and deficiencies.
Not quite true that everyone plays the blame game. Take specifically the Asian Financial Crisis. Thailand and Korea stoically took the bitter pills and did not blame others. Malaysia, and to a much much lesser extent, Indonesia, blamed the whole world. I hate to put this down to religion or other common thread. Or maybe it is just one raving politician at work.
TheWrathOfGrapes,
Thanks for the comments, which, as always, are sensible.
Just continuing the subject discussed a wee longer, I meant a different – the general context – about the blame game. For examples even in politically correct USA, some poiliticians and public opinion moulders & editorial writers have been trying to blame as first cause the US financial crisis on minorities getting subprime mortgages instead of avaricious and reckless mortgage brokers and disreputable lenders…. Or Castro/ the cubans blamed US’s hostilities for everything from short shortages to Havanna Hijacking…
I see you meant in another context, more of govts or leaders like TDM not blaming their spending profligacy and poor political/fiscal and monetary policies for their countries’ economic travails during the Asian Currency Crisis, which I agree.
That said, a point to think about is why the many amongst our majority population here really look up to that man. He left office and could still disparage the incumbent PM, become king maker and put in his people : after Pak Lah, Mahthirism is set to resurge and continue. He seems to have this ubiquitous and pervasive influence…..
We who don’t like him will say his contribution to the Crisis i9s locking the barn when horses have bolted but his feudal admirers who worship strong – never mind otherwise bad – leaders will, even now, in dynastic fashion give the requisite nominations for UMNO youth post to his son Mukhriz far ahead of Khairy.
In part they appreciate him as Malay nationalist : he dared to defend at whatever the costs their parochial agenda of preserving NEP assets from being opened to fire sale had he taken IMF course otherwise than his Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”.
You know the US has much influence over IMF and even international bodies like UN.
Take case of South Korea and its chaebol problems in context of Asian Currency Crisis then.
It is widely believed – indeed even reported in Asian Wall Street Journal – that IMF prescription had conditionalities favourable to US economics. US was hoping that its trade disputes with South Korea can resolved by massive restructuring of the financial services sector there. US automobile sector was worried by Korean competition. Under the IMF conditionality package, South Korea was obligated to end certain trade practices which the US finds objectionable.
Our case, something like over 85% of our banks was owned by Bumiputra. Then all the crony related privatisation projects and conglomerates, many highly leveraged – if IMP presciptions followed, very susah for these entities, the NEP gains would be reversed and re-transferred to foreigners and other communities.
Mahathir – considered a Malay hero by them – because he won’t allow that to happen at all costs, economics or ‘Noddynomics’!
True, it was to protect cronies and friends and other vested interest but he cleverly had twisted that and, in the view of his constitutency – the basis of his and UMNO’s political support – capital controls and other unorthodox measures were to protect the integrity of NEP and Bumiputra corporate dominance.
Hence they want a strong leader who is prepared to be unorthodox, no matter how authoritarian, not someone who flips flops as recent developments evince, who gives them xenophobic anxiety whether their interest as comminity is safeguarded against others.
/// Our case, something like over 85% of our banks was owned by Bumiputra. Then all the crony related privatisation projects and conglomerates, many highly leveraged – if IMP presciptions followed, very susah for these entities, the NEP gains would be reversed and re-transferred to foreigners and other communities. ///
Yes, Jeff, that paragraph above just about summed up why TDM did it his way and not the IMF way. His cronies and children’s companies will have to be treated equally (and not having first priority) if Malaysia went the IMF route. For this same reason, the negotiations with the US on the FTA will not get very far and will be very convoluted because the US is unlikely to agree to NEP and special treatments for Bumiuptra and non-competitive under-table bids.
The Malays supported TDM because he hoodwinked them into thinking that he is fighting for their rights when in actual fact the goodies only flow to his cronies and the UMNOputras.
Why the Home Minister and not doctors indeed. An easy explanation would be that even if more than 31 ministers cross over to Pakatan Rakyat, those who have fallen can use this DNA bill to frame anyone from Pakatan or who double crossed BN. Since the Home Minister would not be one of those who cross over (I really dont think that he will nor Pakatan will take someone like him in), he is free to use this bill to jail all of Pakatan.
Who says that BN is not cunning. Just that we can see through their cunning after so many years of experience dealing with their bull.
Who to blame then? In fact there are over millions of people still supporting Barisan Najis in Malaysia. If the majority of people still prefer Barisan Najis to run this country, there is nothing we can do. Believe me in coming years, our people have to go to Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia as ” kuli ” or maid.
Fuel price has gone up but food and other consumer goods price still remain unchanged although the petrol price has dropped for the third time few months ago.In order for a betterment for all of us , we should open our mouth and give some solution for this issue. Waiting for the prices of other goods will go down as well, otherwise it really makes no difference.