Day: October 30, 2009

Friday, 30 October 2009 02:02

KUCHING – For 17 years, Marina Undau lived a life of a child growing into a young adult.

School, her family and friends were a central part of her existence. She dreamt of doing her parents proud by furthering her education in a university and eventually getting a good job.

SPM came and went, and the 18-year-old science stream student of SMK Simanggang did well, scoring 9As and 1B last year.

But then she had a rude shock.

Not eligible

The education system said she was not eligible to enroll in a matriculation course, a prelude to varsity and a degree. The reason? She was, it seemed, not a bumiputra.
Continue reading “Marina, you’re no bumi”

By Hussein Hamid

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.” Charles Dickens.

Those lines are an apt description of the situation Pakatan Rakyat finds itself in today! Pakatan Rakyat is the Government in waiting and yet will it govern?

The people had the wisdom to chose Pakatan Rakyat in the last GE and yet would they be foolish enough now to hand it back to UMNO; Pakatan Rakyat leaders had belief that the people within their midst were committed to the ideals and aspirations of the Rakyat and Party and yet incredibly there are those within Pakatan Rakyat that would put self before the party – even before the Rakyat; Continue reading “It was the best of times it was the worst of times…..”

The Finance Minister said in the budget speech that the Government will expedite the implementation of HSBB at a total cost of RM11.3 billion, of which RM2.4 billion is from the Government and RM8.9 billion from Telekom Malaysia, and that a speed of 10Mbps will be provided in selected areas in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor by end-March 2010 while these services will be extended to other selected areas nationwide between 2010 and 2012.
He also said that Malaysia’s broadband penetration is currently at 25%, a rate that is far lower compared to Korea, Singapore, Japan and United States.

There is a contradiction here.

In simple terms, administration is spending RM2.4 billion to encourage Telekom Malaysia to spend RM8.9 billion for selected areas in KL and Selangor to be further extended to other selected areas nationwide.

The government policy in subsidizing HSBB is creating broadband desert in the rural area as its fiscal policy continues to favour the urban and high-income rakyat as shown by its tax cut for the top-earners.
Continue reading “Broadband Penetration vs Broadband Quality vs HSBB”

1. RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

   The Cabinet decision last month to set up a super task force, headed by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, to take over all investigations into the PKFZ scandal is not a demonstration of political will to get to the bottom of the “mother of all scandals” but the opposite.

   I see it as a major step backwards in public accountability and good governance, as it smacks of being a super “cover up” task force for the PKFZ scandal.

   What is needed is a Royal Commission of Inquiry to conduct a comprehensive and no-holds-barred investigation into the “mother of all scandals” including relevant Ministerial and Cabinet aspects of the scandal instead of trying to sweep the whole issue back under the carpet.
   In the first place, is Mohd Sidek the most appropriate person to head the super task force on the PKFZ scandal?

   Continue reading “Super cover-up of RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal?”

What is the credibility of Najib talking about a total innovation of the Malaysian economy and nation when Malaysia is facing a losing battle in international competitiveness because of continuing loss of confidence in key national institutions whether judiciary, the civil service, the police, the MACC or the Election Commission?

This is the reason for the two recent adverse global rankings for Malaysia, falling three places from 21st to 24th ranking in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Global Competitiveness Report (GCR) 2009-2010 and a drop of two places in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times from 21st to 23rd placing.

The first seven months’ of Najib’s premiership have not seen any restoration of public confidence in the key national institutions but the reverse whether in the strategic areas to fight corruption and ensure integrity; keep crime low to protect the safety of citizens, tourists and investors; or to uphold the administration of justice.
Continue reading “Malaysia’s losing battle for international competitiveness”

To many Malaysians, the deplorable cowhead protests incited by UMNO in Shah Alam section 23 three days before National Day over the relocation of a Hindu temple was strong evidence of the lack of seriousness and commitment of the Najib administration to the “1Malaysia concept” – which put Malaysia in the dock of world opinion with adverse international media reports scaring off intending investors with the spectre that Malaysia is on the verge of greater racial and religious polarisation and intolerance.

The announcement in the budget of the award of national scholarships to 30 crème de la crème students strictly on merit for educational studies in world renowned universities is not proof of 1Malaysia – but the very reverse, of the discriminatory and divisive nature of Barisan Nasional government policies in the name of NEP when they should be based on meritocracy coupled with socio-economic need and justice.

National scholarships to 30 crème de la crème students for world renowed universities is a paltry and most ridiculous figure 52 years after Merdeka.
Continue reading “A Malaysian Civil Service totally against 1Malaysia concept”

Or does Najib think that Umno/BN victory in the Bagan Pinang by-election could be used as proof of popular support for his 1Malaysia slogan?

Then, what about Umno/BN defeats in the Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and Permatang Pasir by-elections, if we do not to mention Penanti by-election, where 1Malaysia theme could not ensure victory? Is this to be taken as three by-election defeats as against one victory for Najib’s 1 Malaysia since he became Prime Minister in April?

It is not wise to turn 1Malaysia into a political party issue.

I had publicly called on Najib to officially withdraw the 1Malaysia slogan from the BN Bagan Pinang by-election campaign.

Firstly, what 1Malaysia could the BN talk about when there is even no 1Umno, 1MCA, 1MIC or 1BN?
Continue reading “Does 2010 Budget pass as a 1Malaysia Budget?”

Najib will be finishing his seventh month as Prime Minister which he started off with the slogan “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now”.

Does Najib’s 2010 Budget pass as a 1Malaysia Budget?

Two events have cast their shadows over the 2010 Budget and the 1Malaysia slogan – first, the drowning of 11 year-old Dina Devi Nathan from SJK (T) Mambang Di Awan and we have just received reports confirming the death of the other two eleven-year-olds Devadharshini Mageswaran from SJK (T) Mambang Di Awan and Divya Shree Vasudevan from SJK (T) Gopeng when the suspension bridge of the Education Ministry’s 1Malaysia motivation camp at SK Kuala Dipang collapsed on Monday night, sending some 30 pupils crossing the bridge into the Kampar River.

Like other DAP MPs including the MP for Bagan, Lim Guan Eng, MP for Beruas Ngeh Koo Ham, MP for Ipoh Barat, Kulasegaran who visited the tragic Kuala Dipang site on Tuesday, I was shocked and outraged at the utter recklessness, negligence, irresponsibility and complete disregard for the lives and safety of schoolchildren on the part of the authorities, particularly the education department and the contractor concerned, in allowing the suspension bridge to be built without adequate foundation or safety features causing its collapse in two weeks and claiming the lives of three children.
Continue reading “1Malaysia kills – “1Malaysia 2Perak 3Katak””

In his first budget, the 2010 budget, presented to Parliament last Friday, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak claimed that he is laying the foundation for the development of a new economic model to become a high-income economy.

He stressed that the new economic model must be based on innovation, creativity and high-value added activities so that Malaysian can remain relevant in a competitive global economy.

Najib announced that his government “will transform Malaysia through a comprehensive innovation process, comprising innovation in public and private sector governance, societal innovation, urban innovation, rural innovation, corporate innovation, industrial innovation, education innovation, healthcare innovation, transport innovation, social safety net innovation and branding innovation.”
Continue reading “End NEP which has trapped Malaysia in middle-income group instead of becoming a high-income economy”