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A Blueprint for Malaysia

Opinion Asia | The Wall Street Journal
Prime Minister Najib Razak sounds a reform note, but will he follow through?

The times they are a-changin’ in Malaysia. A few years ago it was inconceivable that a Malaysian premier would express dissatisfaction with the “rent-seeking and patronage” inherent in the country’s four-decade-old affirmative action policies and call for a more “transparent” system based on merit and need. Former strongman Mahathir Mohamad used to label people with such ideas “extremists.”

Yet today Dr. Mahathir, who has thrown his lot in with nativist groups like Perkasa, looks extreme. Prime Minister Najib Razak, by contrast, is reflecting the popular will. In announcing what he dubbed a “New Economic Model” Tuesday, Mr. Najib is responding to the obvious: His country’s extensive system of hiring rules, investment quotas and various other perquisites for the majority ethnic Malays drives away capital and labor and entrenches corruption and poverty.

It’s a story investors already understand. For the past few years, foreign direct investment in Malaysia has slowed to a trickle in an economy that used to be one of Southeast Asia’s dynamos. On a net basis, money is flowing out of the country. Part of this trend has to do with state-owned oil behemoth Petronas’s investments abroad. But it also reflects that many Malaysian companies don’t repatriate capital because they see fewer decent investment opportunities at home. The same goes for foreign investors.

The only way to change this trend is to roll back Malaysia’s overweening public sector and open space for competition and creative destruction. Mr. Najib acknowledged this Tuesday, saying “we need a new way of doing things.” He laid out a plan for privatization of state-owned companies, sales of government land, a reassessment of subsidies and a review of restrictions on foreign investment in services.

As importantly, Mr. Najib mentioned education reform—an area in which pro-Malay admissions policies have made meritocracy a dirty word and denied opportunities to bright minority students, especially from the Chinese and Indian communities. Malaysian companies often complain about the lack of skilled labor, and the country’s universities are a big part of the problem.

So far, so good. However, Mr. Najib has made these promises before, and there’s no evidence beyond his words that he has the gumption to press ahead. He announced a small services liberalization in April last year, but it wasn’t the big-bang reform that Malaysia needs. Not much has happened since. The markets yesterday greeted the New Economic Model with a yawn.

Most investors simply don’t believe Mr. Najib is willing to take on the biggest entrenched interest of all—his own political party, the United Malays National Organization. For decades, UMNO has monopolized power by divvying up economic spoils on political and ethnic grounds. If Mr. Najib is serious about reform, that’s the place to start.

47 Replies to “A Blueprint for Malaysia”

  3. I do not think he dares to go hard on the new policies. He will be threatened by his own people from within. GE13 will definitely be very exciting, with all kinds of incidents never before experienced in the history of Malaysia. Some of the veterans may kick the bucket by then, including Toon Bak Kut Teh … one down and many to go….

  4. I’ve never ever seen or heard any countries in this entire world shouting”Ketuanan This n That” while doing nothing yet expecting to be fed all the time.Such a shamefull n pathetic minded souls.What will foreigners think of their non contribute deeds yet “Ketuanan This n That” shouting for the world to hear.

  6. I don’t think NR will follow through his reform note.Obviously he had stood by TDM n umno’s remark-I am malay first,malaysian second.His balls has been squeesed and licked to give in to be with them.

  7. After all those years, it would be wonderfully difficult to change drastically, at best it oozes as fast as water does through marble. Anyway, the test is on the PM. How far would he push his “DREAM”?. If he could or would do it, he could change 1 generation of mind-set entrenched as it is in die-casts. Anyway, it takes only one STEP to prove if he will become Father of CHANGE!! A change that could totally change the landscape forever! The idea is simple enough but the mind-set must be as tough as diamond! Show us that you are “made of sterner stuff:!!

  8. Simple….Najib needs votes from all Malaysians..and ..therefore..he cooked up the “1 Malaysia” nonsense…..play…act and say…like he is a Malaysian first….Malay second.
    He knows that is the safest bet…to win.
    BUT..that is against his god father Mahathir…a true racist and welknown corrupted leader.
    In short….Mahathir is Malay first of all things.
    Yet…this MAMAK is half Malay…..half Indian….making nonsense of Malay first..1Malaysia second.
    Naturally…you need a clown like their.. DPM to talk cock and bull…with Nazri…the welknown snake to twist and turn….trying to cover up all the mistakes done…to prove he is the smartest…by challenging LKS to a debate on Malay race..to divert attentions ….indirectly…saving Najib’s “! Malaysia”….which is also against Mahathir’s wishes.
    Mahathir wants….UMNO BARU…to keep fooling his own race to win votes.
    To sum up all things…to me…the worst are the MCA Gerakan and MIC sickening low class politicians leading their races to be second class citizens …to UMNO BARU.
    Yes…..Malaysia is a sick country…governed by sick people…so corrupted and so arrogant…that nothing can be done…until 13th GE…to know the truth…the whole truth and nothing but the truth….what Malaysians want.
    If they want UMNO BARU to keep on governing…then more truths are revealed..and what is that?
    Majority Malaysians are idiots…and do not know how to use their powerful votes…to change for the better..to govern politicians..instead of politicians governing them.

  9. Sidetrack a bit.

    MUSLIM LAWYERS CHALLENGE SULTAN’S DECISION.

    The Malaysian Insider – By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

    KUANTAN, April 2 — The Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association (PPMM) today disputed the Sultan of Pahang’s decision to commute Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor’s sentence, saying the ruler’s decree may not be in accordance with Islamic law.

    They said that the rights and powers of the ruler as the head of the religion in the state were contingent on him defending Islamic law and the Syariah courts.

    PPMM secretary-general, Abdul Halim Bahari, said that the Sultan’s decision also did not reflect Kartika’s wishes to be caned instead of performing community service.

    “The royal decree does not take into account the wishes and desires of Kartika, who wants to be caned according the Syariah because of the offence committed by her. Kartika is also facing pressure to appeal against the caning penalty but is still determined to be sentenced according the Syariah,” Abdul Halim said in a press statement.

    The part-time model was sentenced to six strokes of the rotan and fined RM5,000 for drinking beer at a hotel in Cherating on July 11, 2008.

    However, the caning sentence that was delayed from last August was replaced with a community service order two days ago by the Sultan of Pahang, who is also the head of Islam in the state.

    The state ruler had instead ordered her to perform community service at a children’s home in Kuantan for three weeks.

    Muslim lawyers are now worried that the Sultan was not defending the country’s Islamic legal system.

    “PPMM is concerned that royal decree does not have the legitimacy before the law because even though the Sultan is the head of the state’s religion, he must defend Islamic laws and strengthen (the) institution of Islamic courts. The rights and power as the head of the state’s religion must be conducted according to the canon of the law,” Abdul Halim said.

    He added that Islamic interpretation for the punishment of alcohol consumption was definite and not open to interpretation.

    PPMM also questioned the reasons provided for not proceeding with Kartika’s sentence.

    “PPMM is curious why the sentence was commuted based humanitarian factor when the punishment itself is very light and has its own philosophy. Syariah caning is different from civil caning which injures and tortures offenders. Syariah caning is more like a father educating his son,” he added.

    Abdul Halim stressed that matters related to the Islamic law must be advised by the state’s Mufti.

    “Syariah punishment which has been commuted must be advised by the Mufiti. The Mufti has the responsibility to advise the Sultan on Islamic legislation,” he said.

    The association also urged politicians and NGOS not to politicise Islamic laws for their own self interest.

    “PPMM stresses that each law stipulated by God has its own philosophy and sometimes is beyond the human logic. Therefore, we cannot use one’s mind to match Allah’s resolution,” he said.

    The Muslim group has been campaigning for Kartika’s caning to proceed and accused those against the Syariah sentence of not understanding the dual legal system practiced in the country.

    Kartika today began serving her three-week community service order at the Tengku Ampuan Fatimah Children’s Home in Kuantan.

    —————————————-

    Isn’t challenging the Sultan’s decision tantamount to treason as what UMNO has accused Karpal Singh of when the latter challenged the decision of the Sultan of Perak not to dissolve the Perak State Assembly last year?

  11. Oh dear Sabahans and Sarawakians want a divorce. They found it impossible to live with umno in peninsular and they are now talking about leaving.

    I am sad but at the same time I am happy for them. Malaysia under umno is already a goner. Hundreds and hundreds of thousand malaysians have left over the last few decades. It makes no sense if sabahans and sarawakian do likewise. The land is theirs. They need not leave. Instead umno must leave. If umno doesnt leave then yes it is only right and proper for sabah and sarawak to go independent and be like singapore.

    Maybe penang and malacca should follow.

    Look at them. Look at all their deceits and lies. It took just one year for all of us to get a firm and final confirmation for our suspicion that 1malaysia actually means umnoputra first.

  12. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he announced the sale of government land – to an UMNO company. Why is it that MCA, MIC or Gerakan never ask the basic question of “Where’s the transparency? Where’s the competitive bidding that was promised?” Has MRCB been told quietly who to divvy up parcels of the 3,000 acres of land in Sg Buloh to ?

  14. “It’s a story investors already understand. For the past few years, foreign direct investment in Malaysia has slowed to a trickle in an economy that used to be one of Southeast Asia’s dynamos.”

    Well, I wrote in chedet.co.cc that this development is actually good for NEP. Why bring in foreign direct investment and dilute the Malay share of the cake, right? Doesn’t make sense at all to me to prevent the non-Malays from investing and then bring in foreigners instead. In fact, I told Mahathir that it would be better off for Malaysia if we close our economy, like what some countries have tried before, LOL.

  16. ah yo..yo.. jojnnypok,
    Then which country must say “saya melayu,china atau india first,malaysian second” or the other way round”.I’ll suggest to all independent countries to stand by LKS’motto “saya malaysian first,race second”

  18. Najib wanted 1malaysia and NEM but TDM,Ibrahim Ali aka Perkasa and DPM MY said nope.The trio instead demanded that Najib must not only retained the malay’s affirmation action and rights but wanted it now to be expanded as well.They also made it pretty clear that they are malays first and malaysian second turning poor Najibl looking look a fool.More over should Najib insisted to go ahead with his NEM plan,the trio have expressed in no uncertain terms they would dump him into the crocodile’s pit.Hence I think Najib is in a dilemma now and in a matter of time he will be a sitting duck prime minister.

  20. “Will NR follow through his reform note?”
    If only now onward he can ignore um.no.way,bahkuteh,thick faced i.wear bra.him n gangs’s ill-intentions till they rot together with themself,he may reach his destiny for 1MALAYSIA.Then we’ll forgive and forget and together get this nation going.

  22. There are too many whiners in this forum. Do you seriously think things would change significantly under PR with PKR, PAS and DAP? If you do, you are not only idealistic, you are just plain naive!!

    DS Najib Razak has at least started to dare to make changes to the system. Yes it may be slow but you cannot change a 40-year old system overnight! It takes time as you are not only changing the system but you also need to change people’s mindset at the same time. I for one am looking forward to more specific reforms and improvement which I am confident DS Najib Razak will deliver.

  24. I just read this from a translation of Sayimgs attributed to Lao Zi:

    Place a monkey in a cage and it is the same as a pig. Not that it is not clever. It is just that it does not have the freedom to exercise its capabilities.

  25. Rule No.4 – If the Malays are not happy, tell them to get out of Malaysia, and go back to India and Indonesia. Malaya is only 1/3 of Malaysia, The other 2/3 belongs to Sabah and Sarawak.

  26. I don’t mind if I was spoon fed. Why not, easy money!
    It’s the leaders who insist on spoon feeding the folks so that these folks would be so dependent on these goons that they keep these goons remain in office season after season. This is likened to poisoning the people so that people have no choice but to make sure they are always there forto provide the treatment, the antidote.

  27. 2/3 of the wealth belongs to Sabah and Sarawak.

    So when Sabah and Sarawak pull out of the federation, they are entitiled to claim their share.

    Or if Malaya is kicked out of the federation, 1/3 must be paid back to Sabah and Sarawak.

  28. johnnypok have to think twice before he writes again.
    What he wrote…are what UMNO love to dream of.
    We must all UNITE..as Malaysian first…race second..as spoken by LKS….and never think of breaking up Malaysia….into pieces.

  29. In theory NEP was good and it will bring up the Malay economic status but it has failed because it has been hijack by the people who entrusted in its implementation. Other wise Malaysian will not suffer at this turn of century. We have way behind other neighboring countries and yet we are still at odd how to go about it. Its really does not matter it is call NEP or MEP.

    UMNO has deceived the race whom they are fighting for and being the one party who rule the country they also deceive and keeping lying to all Malaysian. The have built the supports by corruption and by feeding all those who has been supporting them include MCA and MIC. By so doing they have cheated and take away the wealth that was suppose to go to helping the reserving Malay who need help to bring them up economically but they fund allocated has all gone into the UMNO packets.

    The reason that why they still can afford to perform this deceiving treat because they also has the support from MCA and MIC the parties who suppose to fight for their respective races. It end up the ordinary Malaysian are the one who lose up at the end.

    Mahathir has ruled Malaysian for 22 years and yet before he cal it a day from E who is still fithing non stop for the Malay but at this time is just crying like a cat over the dead rat.

    He was the one who has instrumented the huge spending, and he was the one who has let corruption to be a way of life in all the major component parties that form BN and rule Malaysia over 22 years, and now those corrupt foundation that have been built up by him and other is difficult to break.

    Malaysia really need a fundamental change and it can be has a chance if BN is being replaced by PR.

  30. As long as there r lots of Malaysians, exploiting n exploited included, willing 2 support racist UmnoB/BN, this nation remains a 3rd world country
    N there will b no chance 4 d nation 2 evolve 2 a 2 politicial party-system democracy
    What a shame 2 remain wallowing in d mud of racist n corrupt practices
    4 d sake of our children, we must BREAK d monopoly of UmnoB/BN of federal governance
    Next battle, Hulu Selangor where another confirmed corrupt convenietly-speak-no-Englsih n mythomaniac ExMB will b distributing $$$ fr his bags of cash

  31. Latest news in papers..saying Najib have 68% support from Malaysians.
    Lets see he declare a 13th GE now…or at least get Perak settled with an election.
    Previously…Najib also said he had 62% support.
    I wonder what kind of a political Commander that does not take the advantage to slaughter all enemies…in an election…and govern in peace for next 4 years…elected by the people.
    Message to Najib…”NAJIB!!!…Malaysians are waiting….why talk so much. Walk your talks…or live the fool’s dream…while it last”

  32. As i said earlier, the ground is shifting and the moment they sense that, you can see the Ketuanan is making a come back. So much of the reform and 1Malaysia they toss about. I am referring to NaJ!b now asserting he is proud of being a Malay and Muslim and sidestepping the issue of being a Malaysian first and a Malay second.

    There was no sincerity and they are just waiting for the storm to be over so that they can go back to the same old way of milking this country under the pretext of protecting the Malays rights as guaranteed in the Federal Constitution written more than 50 years ago. Again they forget that it was the abuse of these privileges that have brought UMNO/BN to its knees. What is so sacrosanct about our constitution when it has been amended so many times to suit the political expediency of the day? If indeed the constitution is supreme, may i claim article 8 just like some others keeping citing articles to their favour. Can we honestly believe that the present generation would want to live in a system of perpetual discrimination, patronage and abuse?

    A true leader must do what is right. An abusive privilege system will sink this country –everyone of us – Malays, Chinese, Indian, Ibans, Kadazans and others.

  33. No NEP or NEM but come out with a NAP – National Adoption Plan, like what they did to ZOO NEGARA, making it compulsory for every non-Malay to adopt a Malay and take GOOD CARE of him, providing him with all he needs! This way we are surely on the way to become a NATION OF JELLYFISHES! So Najis can drop his headache of whether to choose NEP or NEM!

  36. “There are too many whiners in this forum. Do you seriously think things would change significantly under PR with PKR, PAS and DAP? If you do, you are not only idealistic, you are just plain naive!!”

    This comment from the UMNO apologist Imranj78 goes to show how desperate UMNOputras have become. Firstly Najib has just started to TALK about it, and even his gobbledygook double-talk isn’t convincing. Not by PR supporters, but by international observers. Remember when Badawi first came to power and promised transparency ? Work with me, not work for me…and look what happened ?

    Can Imranj78 answer the question of why 3000 acres of land in Sg Buloh were given to MRCB and EPF to develop at exactly the same time as Najib’s promise of transparency and open tender ?

    Would Imranj78 call Perkasa a bunch of whiners too or would it be too much to ask ?

  37. Godfather, perhaps we have forgotten the Maltrade Building at Jalan Duta given to NAZA, one of the the APs kings. You see, that is how they govern – they know most Malaysians are generally forgetful and lack tenacity. Extend to them a little more goodies and praise them a little more, they will probably forget their mothers’ names too. If there is a reversal in the next general election, I think Malaysians may have to wait for another 50 years to see some changes.

  38. Yup, PKFZ too looks like dying a natural death a la Malaysian style. Of course apologists like Imranj78 would say that the Maltrade deal and the PKFZ deal were all done pre-NEM, so Najib should be given a chance. Just like Badawi was given a chance, and he slept on the job while the plunder continued under his administration. The simple fact is that BN has thieving ambitions in their blood, and the answer to Imranj78 would be this: NO MORE. We will give the chance to PR and if they screw up, then we’ll give others a chance.

  39. Sabah and Sarawak should demand that BN/UMNO stop sucking blood from the two partners, and to pay back what they have stolen from them, failing which Malaya should be kicked out of the federation, unless the monster’s balls can produce enough golden syrup for sale.

  40. hai johnnypok,
    I’ll suggest you should shout more for sabahan n sarawakian to wake up n vote for PR instead.The ace is in our hands.Hope u don’t mind,i think this is reality.
    From Animals Rights:-when buying stop(BN votes),the killings stop(BN ill deeds)

  41. The wind of change is already picking up speed. The wish of Sabahan and Sarawakians is to topple BN/UMNO during the coming GE13, failing which, we will demand to pull out of the federation. I pray that the balls of the monster will explode tonight.

  43. If you’ve been on crutches for 30 years, with goodies given to you in respect of 10 pct discount on properties, scholarships for all your children, priority for new share issues, free APs, loans you don’t have to pay back because they just write them off, sponsored trips overseas, etc etc….why would you want things to change now ? Won’t you be worried that your kids may not be able to compete ? Won’t you want your kids to have the same benefits and freebies ?

    You think UMNO has the will to change all these ? Nah, they will just repackage the crutches and say that they will be given to those in need in a open transparent manner. In implementation, it will be the exact opposite, and UMNOputras will again be given the lion’s share of the benefits and the freebies.

  46. Latest news in papers..saying Najib have 68% support from Malaysians.
    Lets see he declare a 13th GE now…..by Monsterball….Well I think PR must make pretty sure it wins Hulu Selangor by election A PR’s lost would affirm NR’s claim of 68% support from the voters was true. I think PR must win or cannot afford to lose it’s own lost seat in it’s own house. I’m pretty sure NR/MY would put 100 % of Umno/Bn resources into this by election in order to beat PR.Hence I suggest it’s best that PR must show or provide proofs of what they have done for the Hulu Selangor people under its watch ,failing which the voters would be carried away by pretty lots of BN’s sweet and juicy talks and promises.

  47. Silence protest, in-fighting and subversive activities by his own people will shorten his tenure. Putra Jaya is now infested with hungry wolves and sharks, and the situation will soon explode fireworks.

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