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Making of a great cover-up

Free Malaysia Today
July 10, 2012

The contact was more than physical: it was a brutal crushing of bodies.

The probe into the April 28 rally is turning out to be a sham. The panel chairman tasked with finding the truth about the events that led to the outbreak of violence on that dark day made a preposterous statement when he said the police were ordered not to come into physical contact with the protesters to avoid spilling blood. The chairman must have been wearing blinkers on the day when thousands converged on the barricades of freedom square. It was not a pretty sight when the clashes eventually broke out.

When the trouble erupted, the chief investigator was probably in his Genting redoubt and did not see what happened on the ground. Or maybe he saw on the idiot box the government version where the poor victims were his men in blue. The reality was different. Did the police hold back for fear of coming into contact with human flesh? No, sir! Switch off the propaganda stuff and watch the citizens’ videos to get the truth.

When the storm broke loose, all those men in uniform were transformed into ferocious animals who lost all restraint and attacked the defenceless people in a paroxysm of rage. The contact was more than physical: it was a brutal crushing of bodies. The arms and legs of the police were their batons: they used them to beat, stomp, trample, slap, punch, kick while at the same time unleashing salvos after salvos of tear gas directly into the trapped crowd.

In scenes after scenes, the guardians of law and order became the perpetrators of violence. There are photos of Federal Reserve Unit clutching batons, contrary to what the chief investigator claimed. He said the FRU contingent was not equipped with batons, which is a bared-faced lie. All the uniformed personnel were out in full force eager to do battle with citizens armed only with mineral water bottles and salt. Continue reading “Making of a great cover-up”

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Is Petronas an ungrateful child of Malaysia?

Anas Alam Faizli
Free Malaysia Today
July 12, 2012

In early June Petronas hinted publicly at the World Gas Conference that they are tired of being the Malaysian government’s cash cow. They said no to fuel subsidy and last year they said they wanted to pay less dividends! Is Petronas ungrateful? The money belongs to the rakyat anyway and hence the government.

While many have attempted to comment on the sustainability of Petronas’ payouts, this article aims to give some insights into the realities of the local oil & gas industry, and why returning all oil harvests back to Malaysians may not benefit them in the longer run.

In 1974, Petronas, fully owned by the government of Malaysia, was established and given full ownership and control of our Petroleum reserves. Today, it has evolved into a fully integrated oil and gas multinational corporation, ranked among FORTUNE 500’s largest and most profitable oil and gas corporations with a total workforce of more than 30,000. Continue reading “Is Petronas an ungrateful child of Malaysia?”

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Can’t keep silent about crime

― Gomen Man
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 12, 2012

JULY 12 ― Firstly, Eugene Teh of Pemandu should know his place. He is a consultant, employed by Idris Jala.

He is not the prime minister or the home minister or even our wakil rakyat. He is a consultant who depends on the co-operation of the police to do his work. If the cops are unhappy with Teh, he will have to look for work elsewhere.

So I suppose it is no surprise that he issues a plea to Malaysians to stop bashing the cops because they are our only hope, etc. He goes on to describe the stressful conditions in which they work.

Don’t take us for fools. We deal with the cops daily. We go to police stations to report snatch thefts only to either face unsympathetic faces or worse yet, to be told “banyak kes macam ini”. Continue reading “Can’t keep silent about crime”

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Janji dimungkiri, Mahathirisme hidup lagi

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 12, 2012

12 JULAI — Dr Mahathir yang masih tidak boleh melupakan seronok jadi PM selama 22 tahun menyatakan masa depan Malaysia musnah jika Pakatan menang. Dia sebenarnya rindukan Mahathirisme. Najib di anggap kurang cerdik melaksanakan doktrin Mahathirism. Sebab itu Mahathir sedang asah parang hendak sembelih leher Najib di bantu oleh Muhyidin al lelongi dan Mukriz a/l Mahathir.

Sebelum masa itu tiba, perkara yang serupa dislogankan oleh PM Najib. Mengenai slogan-slogan rakyat dah lali dengan jerit sana sini Najib. Ketika meraikan ahli Umno yang di angkut dan dibayar berhimpun di stadium Bukit Jalil, dia kata nak istihar pilihanraya dia tetap takut. Di Melaka dia kata Umno akan menang 14-0, saya kata, kalau demikian, semalam sudah Najib istihar PRU. Najib tahu perpaduan orang Umno akan kurang 30 peratus pada hari dia menamakan calun. Jadi bagaimana hendak bertarung dalam gelanggang, apabila diluar pun sudah kelam kabut.

Orang Umno dah letih menunggu bila PRU akan di adakan. Kepada orang Umno, PRU ialah Hari Raya. Sebab masa itu, duit datang mencurah curah. Motorsikal dan kereta Myvi sudah di pesan tapi duit belum turun. Orang Umno gelisah. Hendakkan PRU di cepatkan. Mereka tahu kalau Umno kalah, orang Melayu tetap akan terbela bahkan di jagai dengan lebih baik dari yang Umno mampu. Continue reading “Janji dimungkiri, Mahathirisme hidup lagi”

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Drop sedition charges against Karpal and Uthayakumar to prove Najib’s bona fides when announcing repeal of Sedition Act

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail should drop sedition charges against DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh and Human Rights Party leader P. Uthayakumar to establish the bona fides of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak when announcing that the Sedition Act 1948 will be repealed and replaced with a new act to be known as the National Harmony Act.

In his speech yesterday, Najib said the decision to repeal the Sedition Act was to find a mechanism that could ensure the freedom of speech for every citizen and the need to handle the complexity of plurality existing in the country.

He said that with the new National Harmony Act, the country would be “better equipped to manage our national fault lines” and “help to strengthen national cohesion by protecting national unity and nurturing religious harmony”.

The history of the Sedition Act in Malaysia is the history of an undemocratic, draconian, archaic, authoritarian and repressive law used in a most selective and discriminatory manner by the powers-of-the-day not only to suppress freedom of speech and expression by criminalising dissent but also to target and penalise Opposition personalities. Continue reading “Drop sedition charges against Karpal and Uthayakumar to prove Najib’s bona fides when announcing repeal of Sedition Act”

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Thugs at my doorstep

— Ong Kian Ming
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 11, 2012

JULY 11 — At approx 4.45pm [yesterday] (July 10), three thugs, in their early to late twenties, tried to break into my house in Petaling Jaya.

Thankfully, they were unsuccessful. Thankfully, I am not hurt. I am immensely grateful at the outpouring of support shown by my friends and family. I am thankful to the police for their quick response in sending three squad cars to my house five minutes after I reported the incident and their follow up on this case.

Many are probably wondering why I think it was politically motivated rather than just a simple attempted break in. I cannot be 100 per cent sure that it was politically motivated but I’m quite sure of it. And here’s why:

The thugs came in a car and they parked directly in front of my house, which is about 200m from the community guard house. It is a simple and spartan double story terrace house. It is not a flashy house. I drive a Toyota Vios.

There are other houses along the same row with Mercedes-Benz and other nicer cars. Some of my neighbours were not at home. It would have been much easier to break into their homes instead of mine (not that I am recommending that they do this). Or a house that is more secluded. Or a house which seems to have more stuff to steal.

My car was in the driveway. The thugs must have considered the possibility that someone was at home. They broke the automatic gates, which create a huge noise, rather than scaling over the gate, which would have been easy to do and much more discreet. Continue reading “Thugs at my doorstep”

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Smoke and mirrors

— Rom Nain
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 11, 2012

JULY 11 — For many, certainly among the educated, urban middle class, it has become quite apparent why this administration has become increasingly unpalatable.

There have been the barefaced lies and arrogant disdain in response to scandals such as the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), Scorpene submarines, and controversial projects such as the Lynas plant.

There also have been the crass accusations and misrepresentations of important and meaningful events like Bersih 3.0, the ongoing blatant buying of the peoples’ votes using public funds and, of course, the continuing, unprovoked character assassination of people and parties who, for some inexplicable reason, seem to scare the living daylights out of the members of this regime.

The call by the Barisan Nasional’s Seri Gading MP, Mohamad Aziz, for Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan to be hanged for treason is a perfect example of this desperation, this stupidity, this insanity.

All this, evidently, has contributed to a general feeling of revulsion among many at the antics of a regime that appears to have gone mad with power. And will do anything to cling on to it, especially at a time when its legitimacy is evidently at an all-time low and is rapidly sinking further.

Indeed, things seem to have all gone wrong for Prime Minister Najib Razak. Continue reading “Smoke and mirrors”

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Rebellious divisions holding Najib back

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | July 11, 2012
Free Malaysia Today

Is Najib Tun Razak, who has been groomed since young to lead the country, facing a coup in Umno?

COMMENT

Why is Prime Minister and Umno president Najib Tun Razak procrastinating in naming an election date?

After all, he’s enjoying a good personal rating, and good reports from the ground. Not forgetting Umno is now flush with cash.

The real reason he delays and delays, and huffs and puffs is that he fears a looming revolt within Umno.

The incumbents are insisting they are winnable. Would anyone dare replace warlord Tajudin Rahman (Pasir Salak), for example?

Najib is facing potential revolts in all divisions. Continue reading “Rebellious divisions holding Najib back”

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Teoh Beng Hock like Ahmad Sarbaini, Aminurasyid and V.Kugan will be among priority cases of “transitional justice” in a new Pakatan Rakyat government in Putrajaya after 13GE to address past human rights violations and rebuild social trust in a democratic system of governance

We are here to remember Teoh Beng Hock, cruel victim of injustice and misgovernance, and to reaffirm our commitment to continue to do all we can to ensure that we will not cease until justice is done to Beng Hock and his family.

The death of Teoh Beng Hock at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters at Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, together with cases of Ahmad Sarbaini, Aminurasyid and V. Kugan will be among the priority cases of “transitional justice” in a new Pakatan Rakyat government in Putrajaya after the 13th General Election to address human rights violations and rebuild social trust in a democratic system of governance.

What is “transitional justice”? Continue reading “Teoh Beng Hock like Ahmad Sarbaini, Aminurasyid and V.Kugan will be among priority cases of “transitional justice” in a new Pakatan Rakyat government in Putrajaya after 13GE to address past human rights violations and rebuild social trust in a democratic system of governance”

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Return of Mahathirism triumphant

Last week, Tun Mahathir asked why I hated him so much. Yesterday, he asked why I am so afraid of him.

It is neither. As I had said on Saturday, “like three former Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Hussein and Tun Abdullah and the majority of Malaysians in 2012, I am opposed to Mahathirism and its return to Malaysian politics in the 13th general election”.

Mahathir is in his cynical best.

Tongue-in-cheek, he made the grandiloquent announcement that “Mahathirism” is dead, that it “died” when Tun Abdullah took over from him as Prime Minister in 2003.

In actual fact, “Mahathirism” is not only alive and thriving, the return of Mahathirism is enjoying its most triumphant phase since the unceremonious exit of Abdullah as Prime Minister and his replacement by Datuk Seri Najib Razak 39 months ago. Continue reading “Return of Mahathirism triumphant”

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Anatomy of the civil service pay rise debacle

— Dr.Lim Teck Ghee
CPI
Jul 09, 2012

JULY 9 — New Straits Times group managing editor A. Jalil Hamid recently wrote an analysis of the recent changes in the civil service top leadership. The article titled ‘Of accountability in the civil service and putting people first’ ended with the lines “[t]hose in the public service can now look forward to a better and a more rewarding career as the country marches towards meeting the Vision 2020. We can now put the dark episode behind us”.

But has the dark episode ended? Although one prominent head has rolled, more were implicated in the salary revision debacle and should have been lopped off. Even with the latest attempt at salary revision, the basic problems besetting the civil service remain unresolved and continue to be kept out of the arena of public discussion and discourse. Continue reading “Anatomy of the civil service pay rise debacle”

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Utusan Malaysia confirmed it is “lies-paper” when it front-paged the lie that DAP would contest 90 parliamentary seats to dominate PR and appoint the Prime Minister in 13GE

Utusan Malaysia today confirmed that it is a “lies-paper” and not a newspaper when it plumbed a new depth of dishonest and unethical journalism by front-paging the lie that DAP would contest 90 parliamentary seats to dominate Pakatan Rakyat and appoint the Prime Minister in the 13th general election.

The Utusan report that DAP would be contesting 90 out of 222 (i.e. 40.5%) parliamentary seats in the next general election, with PAS and PKR contesting in 66 seats each, is the latest in an irresponsible, malicious and anti-national campaign by UMNO propagandists and spinmasters to stoke racial suspicion and distrust that the Malays will lose political power if UMNO is defeated and the Barisan Nasional replaced by Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general election.

Last week, I had debunked former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s scare tactics when he warned that the Chinese voters are the kingmakers for the 13th general election on the ground that the Malays are divided among three “small” parties and that the Chinese voters will decide who forms the government after the general election. Continue reading “Utusan Malaysia confirmed it is “lies-paper” when it front-paged the lie that DAP would contest 90 parliamentary seats to dominate PR and appoint the Prime Minister in 13GE”

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Don’t mix National Day theme with political party theme

— Vinod Naidu Munikrishnayya
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 09, 2012

JULY 9 — An independence day celebration is a day to appreciate the progress of our beloved nation, along with the ups and downs that we have undergone ever since 1957.

This day is to be celebrated and cherished by each and every Malaysia across the political and racial divide.

Having an independence day themed after a political party’s theme does not do justice.

I don’t think we want to see only a portion of Malaysians celebrating it. This is not the anniversary of the existence of a political party but a nation. Do not mix this with politics.

Keep those political party themes for your party events and campaign; leave independence day alone. Continue reading “Don’t mix National Day theme with political party theme”

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Choice is yours – let us change so we can have liberty and live with dignity

(Prepared closing remarks by DAP Secretary-General/Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the debate with MCA President Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek on “DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit the Country More?” at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre on Sunday, July 8, 2012)

Since Merdeka, two million Malaysians have migrated overseas because they do not see a future for themselves and for Malaysia. It is time that we don’t live in our past that is filled with hatred and fear. We should look to the future filled with hope and harmony between all Malaysians.

 To put the past behind us, we must stop the politics of race and religion.

 To put the past behind us, we must end corruption.

 To put the past behind us, we must abolish the suppression, oppression, repression of our basic human rights and freedoms.

 To put the past behind us, we must demand good governance and performance from our ministers. Continue reading “Choice is yours – let us change so we can have liberty and live with dignity”

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PR vs BN – future vs the past

(Opening speech by DAP Secretary-General/Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at the debate with MCA President Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek on “DAP & MCA: Whose Policies Benefit the Country More?” at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 2.30 pm)

CEO of ASLI Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, my learned opponent, ladies and gentlemen: Salam bersih kepada semua.

Kita berkumpul di sini untuk menentukan dasar parti manakah yang lebih boleh memberi manfaat kepada rakyat Malaysia. Seharusnya, satu perbahasan patut diadakan di antara Perdana Menteri, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, dan Ketua Pembangkang, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Malangnya Perdana Menteri enggan berbahas dengan Anwar. Adakah Najib enggan berbahas dengan Anwar kerana beliau bimbang selepas perbahasan, rakyat akan membuat pernilaian bahawa Anwar lebih layak menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia?

In fact, MCA is not qualified to be here to discuss about policies because MCA does not decide, it is UMNO that decides. MCA claims to speak only for the Chinese, and yet only the Chinese in the Peninsula, and not the Chinese in Sabah and Sarawak. This is different from the DAP, that wants to speak for all Malaysians. DAP mahu bersuara untuk semua orang Malaysia: Melayu, Cina, India, Kadazan dan Iban, kerana kita semua rakyat Malaysia, bukan macam MCA, yang kononnya mahu mewakili orang Cina sahaja.

Mengapakah mesti kita terus dipecahbelahkan mengikut kaum dan agama? Inilah kejayaan terbesar UMNO. Mereka mahu kita takut satu sama lain supaya BN boleh terus merompak harta dan kekayaan Malaysia. Tengoklah skandal lembu dan kondo. Pak cik yang ternak lembu sepanjang masa tidak dapat pinjaman berjuta-juta ringgit, tapi keluarga menteri yang tak pernah ternak lembu boleh mendapat pinjaman 250 juta ringgit yang disalahgunakan untuk beli kondo pula. Jangan-jangan orang Singapura yang ada banyak kondo nak datang ke Malaysia belajar macam mana ternak lembu di kondo. Skandal PKFZ sebanyak 12.5 bilion ringgit telah melibatkan pemimpin tertinggi MCA tetapi ahli politik yang aktif tidak dibawa ke mahkamah. Semua skandal ini MCA tidak bersuara tetapi sokong buta sahaja. Kedudukan Malaysia telah jatuh dalam persepsi rasuah Transparency International daripada 37 dalam tahun 2003 kepada 60 tahun lepas (2011).

Kita harus bersatupadu sebagai anak Malaysia. Kalau kita terus dipecahbelahkan, hanya kroni-kroni dan orang-orang ataslah yang untung. Kalau kita bersatupadu, baru dapatlah kita semua menikmati hasil kejayaan ekonomi Malaysia.

Mengapakah hanya pemimpin Melayu yang boleh membela hak orang Melayu, hanya pemimpin Cina yang boleh membela hak orang Cina. Tibalah masanya untuk pemimpin-pemimpin membela hak semua rakyat Malaysia dan membantu satu sama lain. Continue reading “PR vs BN – future vs the past”

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Playing along with Macom Bhd

Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Jul 2, 2012

Every Malaysian has, in their daily activities, had dealings with Macom Bhd., the company which flourished under the tenure of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Even foreign investors have been involved in transactions with Macom. Just in case you’re not aware, Macom stands for ‘Makan Commission’.

At some point in the past, our integrity was compromised. Umno and to a large extent, Mahathir, were responsible. Umno Baru was created to keep the Malays ignorant and stupid (Melayu di perbodohkan), as Mahathir might say.

It is a story which has been told repeatedly. The Malays, under Mahathir, became rich beyond their wildest dreams. In one generation, the Malays and their values were compromised. The non-Malays are not blameless, especially the ones who played along with Macom.

The people who control Macom don’t want things to change. The Malay who prefers to keep quiet and not rock the boat, is preferable to one who makes his government and leaders accountable for their every action. Continue reading “Playing along with Macom Bhd”

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What leadership?

Rom Nain
Malaysiakini
Jul 5, 2012

Many of the people in the news these days – and, by and large, that, of course, means BN politicians – really must have been smoking some pretty bad weed, as it were.

Indeed, it’s as though, in their stupor, they’d been soliciting roadside snake oil merchants to get some modal – anything that’s deemed mujarab – from how to come up with expensive and totally unconvincing, made-in-Thailand sex videos, to tall tales of infidelity that even a village idiot would find far-fetched and absolutely ridiculous.

Many of us, on the other hand, wish that, instead, they would spend their time – and our money – on more constructive, productive and, certainly, creative pursuits, like resolving the country’s debt problems and really, genuinely, bringing down our crime statistics.

Indeed, we wish that they would do the job that they were put there for in the first place instead of just bumming around making mischief.

Unfortunately, many of them simply seem incapable of doing so. Continue reading “What leadership?”

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Drinking from the same fountain

— Justin Santiago
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 08, 2012

JULY 8 — When I was very young I remember looking at a set of pictures of post World War 2 America. The picture that struck me most was a water cooler with two taps on either side. The one on the left said Blacks Only and the one on the other side said Whites Only.

To many parents in Malaysia that picture still exists when their children choose to go for government subsidised pre university education. The non Bumiputeras will be shunted to the left to take the Form Six route and the Bumiputeras will be shunted to right to take the Matriculation route.

From the statement made by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin there appears to be a difference between the two. There was a perception that matriculation courses were far better than Form Six and that Form Six was viewed as a last resort for getting into tertiary education.

A plan is being put into place to boost the image and perception of Form Six. A “rebranding” exercise would be carried out to boost the perception of Form Six. The syllabus and structure will be revamped. Logistical aspects of centralizing students and strong support systems would be looked into. Students would no longer have to wear the school uniform. Continue reading “Drinking from the same fountain”

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The difference between Pakatan and BN

— Jaleel Hameed
The Malaysian Insider
Jul 08, 2012

JULY 8 — In terms of scale, the Talam Corporation Bhd debt settlement pales in comparison with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) and Scorpene submarine cases.

The mainstream newspapers have been going at great guns with the so-called TalamCorp scandal. Understandbly because they are partial to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. As for the alternative media, the reverse is true as some are partial to BN’s political foes, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Yet, there’s a marked difference between PR and BN which can be seen by how each one has serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement and their respective reaction to the claims.

In the TalamCorp case, PR leaders are prepared to have a White Paper on the matter although it is puzzling why there has not been one since the case came up in 2010.

And PR MPs such as Tony Pua and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and even Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim are all willing to lift the veil of corporate secrecy and explain the numbers to the public. After all, it involves public institutions and funds from the time the deal was struck when Selangor was under BN rule.

Transparency is key to all this. Continue reading “The difference between Pakatan and BN”

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Applying people power to public choice

— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian insider
Jul 07, 2012

JULY 7 — We are familiar with the seasonal bargain sales whenever we approach the days of cultural and religious festivities. Even before Hari Raya (the Muslim religious festivities after a month long of fasting), the public is flooded with all sorts of bargain sales.

A popular clothing merchant has launched its pre-Hari Raya sales of fine textiles. Other merchants have also launched their own bargain sales.

These bargain sales, however, pale in comparison with the bargain sales offered by the chief snake-oil peddler in Malaysia — the PM.

By means of logrolling bargains, he dishes out economic morsels large enough to secure the votes from the public. Logrolling is a term used commonly in the US to refer to the granting of fevers by politicians seeking re-election to selected groups in exchange for their support and votes.

Najib’s grant of an advance of RM 15,000 to Felda settlers is a logrolling act. Now, Felda settlers realize they have been short-changed. The 15,000 is a sweetener to lessen the anger at receiving 810 units of share amounting to around RM 600 gross value in profit. Settlers have been used and piggybacked by rent seekers to make a killing at the stock market. Continue reading “Applying people power to public choice”