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Proposal of principal KPI for MACC – to arrest enough “big fish” every year to reduce annual RM28 billion government loss from corruption by at least 10 per cent

During the Chinese New Year, the media first reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had arrested a political secretary to a Cabinet Minister and raided his apartment in Teluk Air Tawar in Butterworth, seizing cash in bundles of RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100 notes totaling about RM2 million. Also seized were a 4WD vehicle and a BMW car.

This was followed by a one-paragraph statement from the Prime Minister’s Department on the resignation of Hasbie Satar, the political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Malaysians can put the pieces together to fathom what is happening.

For me, I am reminded of two recent reports. Continue reading “Proposal of principal KPI for MACC – to arrest enough “big fish” every year to reduce annual RM28 billion government loss from corruption by at least 10 per cent”

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New land policy for Orang Asli: boon or bane?

By Yip Ai Tsin | Feb 14, 10 2:56pm | Malaysiakini

A new land policy purported to be a boon for the 150,000-strong Orang Asli community has all but been received as good news, given the many questions surrounding the announcement, said activists.

Unless further details are forthcoming from the government, the policy announced by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last December may even undermine the rights and interests of the Orang Asli, they alleged.

On Dec 4 last year, Muhyiddin announced that some 20,000 Orang Asli families will be given by state governments freehold land titles for residential use and for oil palm, rubber and other crop cultivation under an agreement between the government and developers.

The number made up 72 per cent of the total of 27,841 Orang Asli families and involve 50,563.51 hectares of land in Peninsular Malaysia, said Muhyiddin according to reports.
Continue reading “New land policy for Orang Asli: boon or bane?”

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No other Chinese New Year with such a blizzard of conversational topics and talking points

Probably in no other Chinese New Year since Merdeka has there been such a blizzard of conversational topics and talking points, from hot-oven scandals like:

  • the two missing jet engines disappearing all the way to Uruguay;

  • a multi-billion ringgit submarine that cannot dive;

  • Robin-Hood blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s son’s trial and tribulations in Sungei Buloh prison;

to perennial subjects like

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Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 2

By M. Bakri Musa

[Presented at the Third Annual Alif Ba Ta Forum, “1Malaysia Towards Vision 2020,” Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, December 5, 2009, organized by Kelab UMNO NY-NJ. The presentation can be viewed at www.youtube.com (search under “Bakri Musa RIT”) or through this link]

Part Two of Six: Diamond of Development

In my book Towards A Competitive Malaysia, I relate how the four cardinal elements – leaders, people, culture, and geography – govern a society’s trajectory of development. Each element influences and in turn is being influenced by the other three, as illustrated by my “Diamond of Development” diagrammatic representation. When all four factors are favorable, we have a virtuous cycle propelling that society quickly towards progress. When one element is wanting, it quickly exerts its negative influence on the other three, and soon we would have a vicious cycle leading towards a quick downward spiral.

An important caveat to my diamond of development is that it presumes peace. When a nation is at war or in conflict, the only certainty is death and destruction, not development. This is a much-needed reminder for a plural society like Malaysia. Just look at Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka.
Continue reading “Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 2”

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Karpal to govt: ‘Be compassionate, host Dr Shaariibuu’

14 Feb, 10 4:36pm | Malaysiakini

A tenth of the remains of the murdered Altantuya Shaariibuu were taken on Nov 17, 2006, back to her native Mongolia by her father Dr Shaariibuu Setev for purposes of her burial rites.

It is time, said lawyer Karpal Singh, that the government – on compassionate grounds – host Dr Shaariibuu once more so that he can collect the remaining 90 percent of Altantuya’s remains and complete the last rites in Mongolia to appease her soul.

In a statement, the DAP leader said the Honorary Consul-General of Mongolia in Malaysia Syed Abdul Rahman Al Habshi was informed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers that Altantuya’s remains could be released for the purpose of burial in Mongolia.

Following an enquiry from the Mongolian government, Syed Abdul Rahman had written to Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan asking for the Malaysian government and the Royal Malaysian Police Force to foot the bill for Shaariibuu and a representative’s journey to Malaysia for that purpose.
Continue reading “Karpal to govt: ‘Be compassionate, host Dr Shaariibuu’”

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Umno’s Chinese whispers — The Malaysian Insider

The Malaysian Insider

FEB 13 — Today is the day Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should learn former US president, Ronald Reagan’s favourite phrase: “Trust, but Verify”.

If he had learnt the phrase before today, the deputy prime minister would not look silly for castigating the Penang government which he alleged had cancelled the annual Maulidur Rasul procession.

He accused the Pakatan Rakyat government led by Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng of not supporting the aspirations of Muslims.

All this based on a report by the Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia.

In other words, Muhyiddin appeared irresponsible for stoking racial and religious tension when talking about the apparent cancellation of the Maulidur Rasul procession in Penang, where Malays have been complaining about being sidelined.

The responsible thing to do would have been to double check with the Penang state government and not rely on what is reported by Utusan Malaysia, which has stretched its credibility in the past when reporting about Umno’s political foes.
Continue reading “Umno’s Chinese whispers — The Malaysian Insider”

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Muhyiddin – don’t be DPM who talks through his nose

Two days ago, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin lambasted the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) for “talking through their nose” for raising Malaysia’s risk index and giving the impression that Malaysia was veering towards instability.

He dismissed the latest PERC report that foreign investments into Malaysia have not been forthcoming, either in direct form or in the equity markets, and doubting the efficacy of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia strategy of “trying to be all things to all people, but in the end he might satisfy no one”.

Muhyiddin said:

“We are not asking them to help us anyway. We are helping ourselves and we don’t need their comments because I think a lot of other people know and can evaluate us very objectively.

“We are not basing it on emotions but facts and reality.

“The fact is, Malaysians are happy and are not facing any major disaster or racial trouble in the country… So, what are they talking about?

“I think they (PERC) must be talking through their nose.”

Continue reading “Muhyiddin – don’t be DPM who talks through his nose”

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Happy Chinese New Year of the Golden Tiger – make 13th general elections the great turning point for Malaysia

I wish all Malaysians a Happy Chinese New Year.

This is the second Chinese New Year after the historic political tsunami of the March 8, 2008 general elections which witnessed a paradigm shift in Malaysian political thinking and expectations.

What were never thought of as possible in the first five decades of nationhood have become common-place and are even in danger of being taken for granted.

All eyes and thoughts are focused on the next general elections – whether the 13th general elections will complete the process prepared by the 12th general elections for Malaysia to have a new ruling coalition in the seat of federal government in Putrajaya apart from the state government level.

The next general elections, whether in 2011 or 2012, will provide answers to many intriguing questions, including:

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Will Najib now ask Umno executive secretary Abdul Rauf Yusoh to resign for doing a Nasir Safar at an Umno Club function in London?

The denial by Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh that he had made racist remarks at an Umno Club function in London a few days ago is most revealing for its self-incriminatory and confessional nature.

Rauf, who led an Umno delegation to London to meet with party members in a private closed-door meeting earlier this week was alleged to refer to non-Malays as “bangsa asing” who were trampling on the Malays in “Tanah Melayu”.

In a letter sent to The Malaysian Insider, Ahmad Naim Mazlan, a first-year finance and accounting student heard Rauf saying “Jangan biarkan bangsa asing pijak kepala kita.” (Don’t let the foreigners walk all over our heads.)

Ahmad Naim said in his letter:

“There was also a vigorous defence of Datuk Nasir Safar’s recent comments against non Malays which branded non Malays as beggars and prostitutes. According to one Umno Youth exco member present, those comments were not racist but quite contrarily, ‘just facts’….

“Throughout the session, non-Malays were treated as the enemy, and whilst they did praise Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, there was no mention of 1 Malaysia, unity or multiracial nation-building. During some moments in the session, they sounded nothing less than Vikings on the path to war — an Umno Youth exco said something to the effect of Umno willing to fight to the death the threats made by non-Malays. These threats were, strangely enough, never detailed….
Continue reading “Will Najib now ask Umno executive secretary Abdul Rauf Yusoh to resign for doing a Nasir Safar at an Umno Club function in London?”

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Muhyiddin’s Myths & Make-Believe

Bolehland’s economy is Stagnant, Shaky, Startling & Sliding
by Martin Jalleh

Deputy PM Muhyiddin Yassin tries very hard to make sense of what he says most of the time. When he fails to make sense he makes fun of those whom he criticises. He then constructs (make believe) his preferred reality of the country and ends up making the fool of himself.

In a report on Malaysia released at the end of January, the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) warned: “Events of the past month give the impression that pressures are building and the entire situation is becoming much more unstable”. Malaysia was “veering towards instability” (Malaysian Insider, 10 Feb. 2010).

The PERC reported that the impression that Malaysia has given since New Year’s Day was that the situation in the country is becoming increasingly unstable; a group of elite minorities were dominating the national agenda to the extent that it was hurting Malaysia’s attractiveness to investors; and it is “probable” that no other Asian country is suffering from as much bad press as Malaysia.

Among the developments that caught PERC’s attention were the theft of military jet engines; detention of terror suspects from a number of African and Middle East countries; warnings that Islamic militants were planning attacks on foreigners at resorts in Sabah; renewed ethnic and religious “violence” that included arson at some churches and desecration of mosques; and controversy over the integrity of key institutions like the judicial system in the sodomy trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Continue reading “Muhyiddin’s Myths & Make-Believe”

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PDC Board Has Awarded The Open Tender Of Managing The Bukit Jambul Golf & Country Resort(BJCC) That Is Worth More Than RM 40 Million.

By Lim Guan Eng

The Penang Development Corporation (PDC) Board decided on 9 February 2010 to award the open tender of managing the BJCC to a company that is worth more than RM 40 million over 10 years. Full details of the tender award will be published after the Chinese New Year in accordance with CAT principles of Competency, Accountability and Transparency.

BJCC is run by Island Golf Properties Bhd(IGP), a PDC owned subsidiary company. At the present moment Bayan Baru MP Dato Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim is still the Chairman of IGP. Zahrain has been the Chairman and Director of Island Golf Properties Bhd since 9th July 2008. PDC has informed me that no letter has been sent by either PDC or IGP to any director of IGP of any changes.

Certain actions and claims by Zahrain on the IGP has compelled PDC to monitor IGP closely to ensure that IGP is run in the public interest and in compliance with CAT principles. PDC has been concerned at how Zahrain was leading the IGP, when he and the IGP recommended on 12 January 2009 that the operations of the BJCC be outsourced and awarded to a RM 2 company.

PDC Board meeting on 10 February 2009 rejected Zahrain and IGP’s recommendation that the RM 2 company be selected. Instead the PDC Board agreed with the Chief Minister’s recommendation that a fresh open tender be called.
Continue reading “PDC Board Has Awarded The Open Tender Of Managing The Bukit Jambul Golf & Country Resort(BJCC) That Is Worth More Than RM 40 Million.”

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Malaysia would have been spared the religious troubles of the past month if inter-religious dialogues had been institutionalized as an important aspect of nation-building in the past five decades

PR leaders at 1st Pakatan Rakyat hosted Inter-Religious Dialogue

The Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council decided on 31st January 2010 to convene tonight’s inter-religious dialogue because we believe that the overwhelming majority of Malaysians from all religions are men and women of good will and good sense who want religion to unite and not divide, to build and not to destroy, the nation.

During the course of the historic dialogue tonight, bringing together representatives from all the great religions in Malaysia to freely and frankly exchange views and share their common concerns for the best welfare of the country, I was struck by the thought that Malaysia would have been spared the religious troubles of the past month if inter-religious dialogues had been institutionalized as an important aspect of nation-building in the past five decades.

Bapa Malaysia and the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, established the Inter-Religious Organisation to provide a common platform to bring representatives of all religions together to work for the common good and it is most unfortunate that Tunku’s initiative was discarded in the past few decades.

Tonight’s inter-religious dialogue is a historic one. As Dr. Herman Shastri has said, the mechanism of trust has broken down and in our challenge and task to rebuild this mechanism of trust, regular inter-religious dialogues among the different faiths in the country plays an important part.
Continue reading “Malaysia would have been spared the religious troubles of the past month if inter-religious dialogues had been institutionalized as an important aspect of nation-building in the past five decades”

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What is Najib’s response to the PERC’s “blistering” report and the prospect of Malaysia becoming even more uncompetitive internationally because of his failing strategy to be “all things to all people”

Yesterday, I criticised the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for coming up with a wishy-washy “1Malaysia” concept, which has come to mean “a thousand and one” different things even to Umno and Barisan Ministers and leaders – resulting in his lament that “I am greatly saddened that such an idea, which is not terribly complicated, is so often not understood.”

This criticism has found support in the latest report of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) on Malaysia which is quite pessimistic about the Najib strategy of “trying to be all things to all people, but in the end he might satisfy no one”.

In what Malaysian Insider has described as a “blistering report” on Malaysia at the end of January, PERC raised Malaysia’s risk index from 5.24 in December to 5.4 in January – out of a possible maximum score 10 for highest level of risk.

PERC maintained in its report that foreign investments into Malaysia have not been forthcoming, either in direct form or in the equity markets.

It said: “Foreign companies and investors are remaining cautious until they see how Malaysia gets its own house in order.”
Continue reading “What is Najib’s response to the PERC’s “blistering” report and the prospect of Malaysia becoming even more uncompetitive internationally because of his failing strategy to be “all things to all people””

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Justice is done in by the Federal Court

By Martin Jalleh
 
Once again justice is shamelessly sacrificed on the altar of political expediency by judicial shenanigans of the highest court in Bolehland. It is a sad day indeed to see how five “blind” men of supposed legal stature strove so hard not to see and sense what was staring at them in the Federal and Perak constitutions.
 
The judiciary – the very portal of justice continues to be reduced to a convenient playground for the ruling elite to legitimize their power grab, persecute their opponents and promote their political agenda, through the perversion of the rule of law by certain court jesters.

The Federal and Perak Constitutions are dead, done in by those who decided to disregard, desecrate and discard constitutional provisions to treat the doctrine of separation of powers with deference. They are rigorously and rightly interpreted only when it best suits Umno.
 
In stark comparison to the courageous, cogent and convincing judgment of High Court judge Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim, the cowed five-member bench caved in and conveniently decided to take the cue from the powers that be.
 
It comes as no surprise that their “collective written judgement is apparently riddled with contradictions”.The five judges surely qualify for retired Justice N H Chan’s classic category of “recalcitrant” and “Humpty Dumpty” judges in the Perak conundrum.
  Continue reading “Justice is done in by the Federal Court”

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Najib’s 1Malaysia concept means “a thousand and one” different things even to Umno and BN Ministers and leaders

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is unhappy about the various misconceptions over the 1Malaysia concept which he introduced upon taking office in April last year, causing him to lament yesterday in his keynote speech at the 1Malaysia Economic Conference: “I am greatly saddened that such an idea, which is not terribly complicated, is so often not understood.”

Najib has only himself to blame as the 1Malaysia concept has come to mean “a thousand and one” different things even to Umno and Barisan Ministers and leaders – let alone to the people at large.

This is why even his senior aide of some two decades, Datuk Nasir Safar, could interpret Najib’s 1Malaysia as inclusive of offensive and insensitive sentiments such as:

  • Labelling Indians and Chinese in Malaysia as “pendatang”;

  • “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies (jual tubuh)”;

  • Claimed that Umno was solely responsible in drafting the constitution sidelining the contribution of MCA and MIC;

  • Threat to revoke the citizenship of those vocal about the subject cap for SPM examination.

Continue reading “Najib’s 1Malaysia concept means “a thousand and one” different things even to Umno and BN Ministers and leaders”

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Mandela-isation of Anwar?

by Azly Rahman

“Man proposes, god disposes”
Thomas a Kempis, ‘Of The Imitation of Christ’

While America awaits The Super Bowl, Malaysia awaits The Super Trial II this week to listen to the arguments concerning the predicament of Anwar Ibrahim.
Philosophically, what ought to be the shape of things to come? Where do we go from here, as a nation? Where do we wish to bring this nation that is in need of deep reflection on the meaning of nationhood and democracy?

Maturity after Mahathirism

If we take 1998 as a framework in looking at the changes this country is seeing politically, Anwar can be seen as an embodiment of Nelson Mandela.

His spirit did not die for the six years he was jailed and upon his release a momentum was created that grew in strength to first, become institutionalised in the form of a strong Parti Keadilan Rakyat and next, of Pakatan Rakyat.
Continue reading “Mandela-isation of Anwar?”

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Malaysia has forgotten Tunku, and Tunku would not recognise Malaysia

By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Tunku Abdul Rahman was the founder of Malaysia. That has been obscured by an intervening period in which his memory has been brushed out of our national consciousness.

He brought together a Malaysia that had come together “through our own free will and desire in the true spirit of brotherhood and love of freedom”, in a union arrived at “by mutual consent by debate and discussion…through friendly argument and compromise,” and “in the spirit of co-operation and concord.”

This was the basis for Malaysia he worked for and established, and that his life embodied. That basis has been replaced by something alien to it, his memory has been suppressed, and our history revised.

Part of the reason our collective memory of Tunku has faded, and that Tunku would not recognise today’s Malaysia, is that Tunku and his generation built institutions that empowered the people rather than cults of personality to concentrate power and wealth in themselves. They reached instinctively for democratic decision-making. The concepts and precepts of constitutional democracy were part of their natural vocabulary and instinctive reactions. They knew who the country belonged to, and that they lived to serve.

The day of Tunku’s funeral was not even declared a public holiday. It is no accident that the erasure of his memory has gone hand in hand with the erosion of our institutions. Tunku built up a system of good civil service in which ordinary citizens did not need to see so-and-so to get things done. This has been replaced by a domineering style of leadership in which what you get done depends on who you know. Of course the rich and powerful have better connections.
Continue reading “Malaysia has forgotten Tunku, and Tunku would not recognise Malaysia”

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UMNO leaders in Federal Government should not play with fire and mortgage credibility and success of 1Malaysia GTP Roadmap and Malaysia 2.0 new economic model

UMNO leaders in the Federal Government, from the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to Cabinet and sub-Cabinet levels should not play with fire and mortgage the credibility and success of the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap and Malaysia 2.0 new economic model yet to be announced by Najib.

They should be mindful that Malaysians and the world are watching whether they could separate their responsibilities as Federal Government officials from those of Umno leaders, which would have a great bearing on the credibility, trustworthiness and success of of Najib’s 1Malaysia GTP Roadmap and Malaysia 2.0 new economic model which is to be the basis for the Tenth Malaysia Plan to be presented to Parliament in June.

For instance, national and international credibility in the system of governance which plays a very important role in a country’s international competitiveness, would suffer grievously if Malaysians and the international community believe that the Najib premiership is unable to rise above narrow political party considerations to give top priority to national interests as to continue to compromise the independence, professionalism and integrity of national law enforcement agencies.
Continue reading “UMNO leaders in Federal Government should not play with fire and mortgage credibility and success of 1Malaysia GTP Roadmap and Malaysia 2.0 new economic model”

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Why the prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim matters to the West

The Washington Post

FEB 7 – In the past two years, Malaysia, which has been a one-party state since it gained independence in 1957, has made remarkable strides toward becoming a democracy. That it has done so is mostly due to the efforts and political talent of one man – Anwar Ibrahim.

So the fact that Anwar went on criminal trial last week should deeply concern the democratic world. The outcome could determine whether one of Asia’s most economically successful countries preserves its stability and embraces long-overdue reforms.

A former deputy prime minister in the ruling party, Anwar was deposed and jailed in 1998 by former Malaysian strongman Mahathir Mohamad.

A manifestly unfair trial followed in which Anwar was convicted of homosexual sodomy, which shamefully remains a crime in Malaysia.

Six years later, the conviction was overturned by a court, and Anwar resumed his political career – this time as an open champion of democracy in Malaysia and other Muslim countries.
Continue reading “Why the prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim matters to the West”

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Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 1

By M. Bakri Musa

[Presented at the Third Annual Alif Ba Ta Forum, “1Malaysia Towards Vision 2020,” Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, December 5, 2009, organized by Kelab UMNO NY-NJ. The presentation can be viewed at www.youtube.com (search under “Bakri Musa RIT”) or through this link]

Part One of Six: Definition of A Developed State

Thank you, President Shahrir Tamrin of Kelab UMNO-NY/NJ for inviting me again. I still savor the many pleasant memories of last year’s event. To President Arif Aiman of the Malaysian Students Association, RIT, your warm welcome and generous introduction more than made up for the chill of a New York autumn! To Nur Fauzana and her committee, I congratulate you for your grit in holding this forum in December when American campuses are typically gripped with term paper deadlines and final examinations.

To fellow panelist Dr. Azly Rahman, it is good to see you again! I was in Greece recently and imagined you conducting a Socratic-like seminar on the meaning of truth, wisdom, and knowledge, under those imposing columns! To Ambassador Jarjis, it is a pleasure meeting you and your wife again. That was an impressive picture of you with President Obama, a portrait of a Malay hulubalang (knight), fearsome yet elegant, with his tanjak (keris) discreetly tucked underneath the samping. You effectively demonstrated that a genuine hulubalang need not brandish his keris to convey his message!
Continue reading “Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 1”