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On changing horses midstream and the man who can walk on water

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 21, 2012

JAN 21 — The prime minister told the people not to change horses midstream. So we asked, don’t we change even if the horse is limping and is running on three legs? In endurance races, riders change horses in order to arrive at the destination. Malaysians should be pragmatic when it comes to deciding their future.

Midstream for Barisan Nasional and Umno is already over 50 years. Since 1955, when the first elections took place until now, from Perikatan to BN, we have had more than 50 years of BN rule. What do we have?

We have development, for sure, but are also damaged by rampant corruption, utter disregard for the rule of law, abuses of all kinds, political manipulations, deception and lies and gross mismanagement of the economy. To all that, the PM says, we don’t change? If we don’t, we shall have another 50 years of unchecked corruption, emasculation of the judiciary, thugs running the legal institutions, abuses and gross mismanagement.

At another point in his speech, the PM says we don’t know whether the opposition knows what to do if they come into power. We don’t know whether, under Pakatan Rakyatwe, we can achieve developed status by 2020 with the fabled per capita income of US$15,000.

Of course Pakatan knows what to do. In the short years since they came into power, direct investments have been highest in Pakatan led states of Penang, Selangor and Kedah. These states have achieved balanced budgets without doing arithmetic tricks.

In Penang, which is led by a non-Muslim, grants to Islamic religious institutions have reached RM30 million a year. Compare that to Negri Sembilan, which is led by a good Muslim, where the grant is only RM 12 million a year. How is that possible? Because the state coffers have been managed better in one state than in the other managed by BN and Umno.

So, in answer to the PM’s pained exhortations, we should change horses if and when necessary. It’s now most necessary to change the tired horse. Retire him. But as a good animal lover, we won’t put it to sleep, but maybe employ it as a riding horse for children.

The other piece of news that struck me as odd was the statement from Khazanah Nasional that it didn’t make a profit from its sale of Proton shares to DRB-Hicom. If no profits were made, why sell the shares? You mean, a simple bottom-line judgement call require a phalanx of Oxbridge analysts to justify in order to sell at a profit?

Secondly, Khazanah’s statement can be construed as an admission that it was given a fait acompli, take-this-and-don’t-ask-any-questions offer. In Malaysia, only one person can do that – the man who can walk on water.

I hope I can throw more light on the sale of Proton shares to DRB-Hicom. Were there any other bids besides DRB-Hicom’s that were presented to Khazanah? Is Khazanah brave enough to publish the identity of all bidders?

If it has the courage to do so, we shall not be surprised if the bidders were only the Tengku Mahaleel- Arumugam group, DRB-Hicom, plus Nadzmi Salleh and Co.

If that is the case, whoever gets the shares has only one master. The man who can walk on water. — sakmongkol.blogspot.com

16 Replies to “On changing horses midstream and the man who can walk on water”

  1. ///We have development, for sure, but are also damaged by rampant corruption, utter disregard for the rule of law, abuses of all kinds, political manipulations, deception and lies and gross mismanagement of the economy. To all that, the PM says, we don’t change? If we don’t, we shall have another 50 years of unchecked corruption, emasculation of the judiciary, thugs running the legal institutions, abuses and gross mismanagement.///–S. AK47

    Malaysia has failed after 54 years. Yes, the new government will make mistakes. They too will make mistakes if they try to cheat, and we shall catch them.

    Malaysia can survive mistakes made by inexperienced people out of good intention for the nation. Malaysia will not survive the experienced hands who converted national resources into private hands who then illegally sent hundreds of billion ringgit overseas. The past decades showed that the experienced politicians were wont on dividing the people so that there were tensions among people of different races and religions just to continue with their votes collection schemes to remain in power.

    One does not change horses midstream if the horse is obedient and will carry us across. But we have a rebellious horse that is not willing to carry us safely through. It is safer to change horse even in midstream.

  4. Roughly, 1 horse year = 3 human years. If the UMNO/ BN horse is 54 years old, then in human years term it is 165 years old !!!!

    We should be surprised that this horse is still alive and kicking. It should be dead and made into glue already.

    Must be the special food and gravy it has been eating all these years that is keeping it alive, just like that 86 years old Mahahorse.

    We really need a new horse.

    Anyone for horse games?

  5. ///If no profits were made, why sell the shares? ///

    Seeing the end is near, BN is transferring public assets to its cronies so that Pakatan cannot have access to these assets when voted into federal power.

  6. I still can’t get over this ‘First Couple’ spending A$ 20,000 (RM65,000) per night (x 7 days?) for their penthouse in Sydney. That’s a lot of moola to fork out man.

    Meanwhile in 1Malaysia, the ordinary citizen is barely keeping his / her nose above water, wondering whether they can pay their bills.

    We need more Kedai 1Malaysia, Kelinik 1Malaysia, IThis and 1That for the ordinary folks.

  7. Najib really has a way of putting his foot in his mouth. Anyone who has run a decent size organisation can tell you that the simple fact is that ANY OTHER HORSE other than UMNO/BN will get to the finish line first.

    The simple truth is when you looked at how the handle crises and affairs like NFC, FGV, IMsia email, etc. its pathetic – there are so many entrenched interest, corrupt entreched interest, in the structure of UMNO/BN administration, even the all powerful PM office, only a pathetic leader could not move things decisively. The simple fact, these prodigal inheritors of UMNO/BN only have a tiny inkling, which everyone also do, of what to do.

    Seriously, ANY OTHER HORSE BUT UMNO/BN will get there first. Only a minority, crony businessmen, politicians disguised as Islamic, etc, significant they may be, will be worst off. Even some members of Perkasa will be better off – the like of Ibrahim Ali who believe what he says will be free to say what he wants and better off.

    Seriously, its not about changing horse midstream – UMNO/BN is already certain to lose – look around the region and the numbers are starkingly clear – they are all gaining while we are falling behind and there is absolutely NO REASON but UMNO/BN why we should not speeding way ahead of everyone else.

  8. I would suggest that PR parties do not get into those issues which can trap thier leaders in unnecessary problems; example Karpal’s. Like what AK47 said here, just print out the facts on those projects for the rural people to read; they will make up their mind based on such facts. Whether the horse is lame or not, if it does not follow the will of the rider, then it should even be drowned in mid-stream! As noted the performances of the 2 PR States speak volume and this should be circulated in printed forms and be sent to every village in the nation. BN have nothing to talk about except to give bonuses which are indeed from the national coffer. If the 3 States are anything to go by, we can even hit us$20k by 2010.

  12. DON’T change horses midstream, pls NO CHANGE, pleaded NR n RM who spent BIG BUCKS in Ozland n may b spending MORE else where
    If rakyat CHANGE horses, then HOW NR n RM 2 hv $$ 2 buy dresses, shoes, handbags, etc

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