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Another RM2 billion loss?

By Hussein Hamid

Tell me who would be stupid enough to go and buy a bank in Indonesia? You tell me who would do that? Then if that was not enough you go and take a running jump into Pakistan and buy another bank there. But wait there is more! While they are doing that why not pick up a bank in Vietnam. In all they spent an incredible RM10.8 billion to acquire these three banks. Who would be stupid enough to do this when Maybank has been advise AGAINST making the purchase? Maybank belongs to the Government and so they will take instructions from the Government. Taking instructions from a Government run by idiots who thinks that Maybank is also Maybank. So in essence it is the Barisan Government that is stupid enough to go and buy three Banks in Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam for RM10.8 billion.

Now Malayan Banking has confirmed that it lost RM2 billion in this escapade. Now which UMNO guy made a few hundred million in commission from these purchases? Who are the usual suspects? Najib as the Minister of Finance has to be suspect number one – but if MACC does the questioning they will say that he is just ‘helping with inquires’. But Najib must beware that even helping with inquiries can be dangerous if Muhyiddin has anything to do about it.
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The Arrogance of Power

By Hussein Hamid

When you are in power for over fifty years, every now and then there is that temptation to bend the rules and sometimes even the truth to suit the political needs of the moment. You can be forgiven if this inclination does come up once in a blue moon – though the colour of the moon can be said to be blue every month if you are powerful enough to want it to be so. So here lies the problem. When this inclination becomes the norm where does that put good governance?

Almost daily now we are subject to the painful and most uncomfortable sensation of having our leaders take us for fools. They boldly stand in front of us through the medium of their Television Stations, their Media or even at times in person and proceed to tell us what they want us to know – not what we should know. Is there nobody amongst them that can tell them that what they are doing is like peeing into the wind?

Have the educated, intelligent and rational generation of Malays all left UMNO leaving our nation without some of its best people in government even when we need them most? Najib is in a world of his own. He lacks the ability to make sense of what is happening around the country. Surviving day to day is hard enough for him. UMNO has sworn blood oaths that they will defend themselves from PAS, from DAP from Keadilan from everybody – no matter what. In desperation they have ventured into territory where they violate all democratic conventions almost on a daily basis. When we question the legality of their actions their answer is that ‘might is right’.
Continue reading “The Arrogance of Power”

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UMNO or Three Stooges? Who will u Vote?

By Hussein Hamid

Over the weekend I have been doing a bit of thinking after watching Malaysiakini video “Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s Press Conference 2nd Sept 2009” on youtube re the cow-head incident in Section 23. According to Din (let me just call Hishammuddin that -his name is to long to have to type out every time I need to refer to him – and anyway he is younger then me!). According to Din the organizer of that cow-head demo was sitting to his right and to his left. Now if that is not tacit support to what they have done – I do not know what is. You can even see one of the organizer sitting on Din’s left nodding in agreement to what Din was saying.

In a not too veiled a threat to Pakatan Rakyat, Din said that if he wanted to he could take advantage of the situation to create “huru hara” in Selangor. For those unfamiliar with that term – think Charles Manson and think “helter skelter”…and think UMNO..put them altogether and you have an idea what ‘huru hara’ means!

He also made a direct reference to me…well okaylah if you want to be technical – to all those using cyberspace and internet to comment on the situation. He said that the three stooges – he, Rais and Nazri have requested (can also mean instructed or ordered but here again let us not get too technical!) the IGP, AG and the Suruhan Jaya Multi Media “untuk membantu supaya bila kita ambil tindakan nanti ada bukti dan satu case yang kukuh supaya bila di bawa ka mahkamah dia (we blogers) takkan lepas dari gegamman kita”. Guys you better stay clear of those tentacles – once caught “Tiada maaf bagi mu”.
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Vision 2020…not bloody likely!

By Hussein Hamid

Mahathir unveiled the Vision of 2020 plan for Malaysia in 1991. Malaysia was to become an industrialized nation and be considered a high-income economy. Najib refined (that is double speak to mean ‘no can do lah’) that vision: “It is clear that our Vision 2020 objective has to be refined to remain viable,” Najib said. “Being richer alone does not define a developed nation. There are important social and quality-of-life measurements that must be factored in when considering our objectives and successes.” Malaysia needs to “redefine and recalibrate” how and when it will achieve Vision 2020, Najib told reporters after the speech. That doesn’t necessarily mean a change in the timeline, he said.

I would have agreed with him in principal had he not put in the “that does not necessarily mean a change in the timeline” proviso. I am no economist but let us just use common sense to look at realities.

Let us look at the differences between salaries earned, the cost of a vehicle and a house between 1973 and 2009.

  YEAR increase
1973 2009
1.3 liter Japanese Car 7,000 60,000 8.5
Double Story House 45,000 300,000 6.6
Engineer Salary 1,000 2,000 2

Continue reading “Vision 2020…not bloody likely!”

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Tolerance..

By Hussein Hamid

You will never know what it is like to be discriminated against because you are rich or poor or because of your colour, race or religion until you have experience it your self. I was in London in the 60’s and London then still had pockets of areas where you would be treated differently because you are Asian. You will be waiting to be served at these places and you will be ignored until the ‘white’ have been served first. You would go look at a flat that you saw advertised in the local papers and be told that “it is taken”. Invariably we Asians found ourselves living in houses where there were other Asian tenants.

We Asian in turn used to mock the blacks and called them “Gagak” or crows and the whites we sometimes called them “Babi”. In one memorable episode me and some friends were on the London bus and we were referring to the gentleman in a bowler hat sitting behind us as “Babi this and Babi that”…Then as his stop came he stood up behind us with his briefcase and umbrella and politely told us “ Tolong beri laluan ini Babi nak jalan”. He must have been one of those colonial masters that came to administer Malaysia.

My unpleasant experiences in London with discrimination, however slight, made me realize that it was unpleasant to be discriminated against – for any reason. Coming back to KL around the early 70’s brought me head on with the ‘bumiputra’ and NEP situation that gave so much hope and expectations of good things to come for us Malays, regardless of our standing in life. My memories of these times are a bit hazy but one experience can capture the essence of those times. At the apex of my time doing “Project Acquisition” I had two penthouses costing me RM30 thousand a month, two Generals and back up staff under my payroll. Continue reading “Tolerance..”

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Social Contract between the Malays and UMNO

By Hussein Hamid

My friends we are witnessing the slow and messy end of Najib and gang, who for reason best known to themselves, have decided to commit Har-rah-kee-ree in public. Whether this was ordered by a greater authority (ahem…Mahathir?) as a form of punishment or chosen in preference to a dishonourable and certain death at the hands of an enemy (Us and Pakatan Rakyat!!) is anybody’s guess. But this particularly painful act of self- destruction is being acted out now even as I write but it is being done without honor, courage, moral character and etiquette which is an integral part of such an act as practised by the code of Bushido and the discipline of the Samurais of Japan. But then again with those familiar with the ways of UMNO, this lack of finesse is nothing out of the ordinary for UMNO.

Today I want to talk as a Melayu – without the constrains of having to worry about what anybody else in Malaysia will feel. Without having to worry about good manners, politeness and being nice – all the qualities that we Malays are noted for. With that out of the way I will begin.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away as a Melayu I knew this for as a fact. The Chinese were from China. The Indians from India. The others were from where they came from. As a Malay, this is my country. The Continue reading “Social Contract between the Malays and UMNO”

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The dead cannot cry……

By Hussein Hamid

Death

The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them. Lois McMaster Bujold,

When am I going to die? To those that I will leave behind what comfort is there for them in my going? I do not know. But for Teoh Beng Hock those that he left behind can find some comfort in his passing for in death he has achieved what he would find it hard to achieve in living.

They can take comfort because in his dying he has opened our eyes to the unfairness of how our own Government treats its own people. He has opened our heart to allow all Malaysian to stand together to mourn his passing and by so doing we have become stronger and more committed to being one people – all Malaysian.
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The end is near?

By Hussein Hamid

If I am Najib today I will be afraid, very afraid. He lives and works in Putrajaya –surrounded on all sides by Selangor. To all intents and purposes not his kind of State. Immediately to the North is Perak. Big headache and still a grey area. To be avoided at all cost. Penang is a no go area. Kedah too. Perils is so so – better not do anything there that might tip the scales over to the other side. I can go South to Negri Sembilan and Malacca – but if I blink I am going to miss those states. Johor is all clear for now – but Singapore holds too many past memories for Rosmah to allow me to go there unescorted. Pahang should be my safe haven – but with all the clamoring for projects from the ‘faithful’ -big headache too. And do not remind me about the much-delayed University project. I SAID DO NOT REMIND ME OF IT! In Trengganu there are just digging one hole to cover another. After Patrick Lim I was hoping it was going to get better and then that ‘Another Project of Barisan Nasional” the Stadium decided not to cooperate. Malu nak mengadap Yang Di Pertuan Agong. In as far as Kelantan is concern my lips are sealed. Though much is being done to ‘mend ‘ fences with Tok Guru there has been nothing coming back. The least Tok Guru can do is to work with us for Malay Unity but no can do so far.

I can go to Sabah and Sarawak – but if you got no ammunition to give them – no can talk. And just because they ‘saved’ Barisan in the last election does not mean they can ask for the PM’s post. Melawan tauke lah!
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Azmi Anshar…syok sendiri

By Hussein Hamid

I am a nice person. I normally mind my own business and it does take quite a lot to rattle me or to get me up tight over anything. I prefer to walk away from any confrontational situation because life is to short to get aggravated over things that do not concern my family or me. Unfortunately this Azmi Anshar, one of those reporter ‘who is almost a writer’ working with NSTP has managed to upset me again. The first time was a couple of weeks ago when I ‘ter’ – that’s Bahasa for accidentally – when I terbaca what he wrote about TBH and MACC. I read only the first paragraph of what he wrote because even that much made me wonder what sort of a pretentious prick would write like that. In the first paragraph I had to reach for the dictionary four times! He has done it again today.

Again I am not going to read more then the first paragraph – that I have done and now I will say my piece. This was his headline:

DAILY DISPATCHES: Pakatan politicians want MACC to operate without element of surprise
2009/08/19
Azmi Anshar
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Common sense in Politics?

By Hussein Hamid

Time and time again we have been told that the last 50 years have seen unprecedented growth and development for Malaysia – more development and material progress then at any time of our history. Our technical and scientific skill has increased to allow our country to be a developed country in the global context. Yes – unprecedented growth as compared to what? Compared to the last 500 years of our history? If it has been so why not work towards the development and growth of our country for the next 50 years? Why does the Government of Barisan Nasional instead concern itself with the control of our society in which we live in and in ways and means of ensuring itself a lengthy stay in Government?

Is it not now than at any other moment of our history that we should concern ourselves with morality and ethics? That statesmanship and government must be for the well being of our people?
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Muhyiddin will wait …. for now

By Hussein Hamid

UMNO is a Party disunited by defeat. Uneasy sits the crown on Najib’s head because he knows that Muhyiddin is not only a possible leadership alternative but Muhyiddin is the Man Who would be King. How long will Muhyiddin wait? Unlike previous Deputy Prime Ministers who were appointed by the Prime Minsters and thus owe an allegiance of sorts to the man who put him there – we know that Najib did not choose Muhyiddin as his Deputy. Muhyiddin appointed himself to the number two position. And wisely he sees leading UMNO and Barisan in the present political climate as too big a challenge for him to take on. And so he waits.

There has been a realignment of loyalties and factionalism within UMNO as the rank and file ‘allow’ themself to be converted to either the Najib or Muyiddin camps. The fact that there are two strong leadership contenders within UMNO should be indicative of a healthy check and balances situation much sought in the pursuit of good governance in any organization – but not so UMNO. The Politics of greed and nepotism requires patronage and loyalty to be bought not earned. The catch phrase for any UMNO gatherings of any number of more then one is “ADA PROJEK?” Continue reading “Muhyiddin will wait …. for now”

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Death, Tragedy, Profits and Corruption

By Hussein Hamid

ON July 13th 2007 an RMAF Nuri helicopter crashed into a deep ravine in the dense forest 5km to the west of the Genting Sempah Tunnel. Six Air Force crewmembers were killed in that crash. I remember images of the ambulance lined up on the grounds of the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital as the first of the helicopters carrying the bodies of these Crew Members came into sight. Silent crowd watch with all eyes on the families of those waiting for the arrival of their love one now dead. As you hear the instantly recognizable sound of the helicopter when it came to land you can feel the sorrow touching everyone there. There was not much to say as they carried the first body of the aircrew from the helicopter to the waiting ambulance. I remember too that there was no anger in me that day. Only sadness.

Today when I think about that moment and knowing what I know now – that just on that Razak Baginda case Ringgit $500 million was paid out as commission on the purchase of the three submarines – I asked myself if those six aircrews should have died? I remember Najib hastily announcing Cabinet’s decision to phase out the Nuri. Again the Government reacting after the fact. The billions of Ringgit spent on Mindef tenders were really simply an excuse for cronies of politicians to make Continue reading “Death, Tragedy, Profits and Corruption”

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Should Pakatan Rakyat agree to disagree?

By Hussein Hamid

There is much talk these days of internal strife within Pakatan Rakyat. These talk generally comes from people who does and does not matter. (Lest I upset anybody–put yourself where you think you deserve to be). They make their comments from information based on what crumbs they obtained from government control media, talk in the kedai kopi and hastily scribbled messages over the net (careful here brother and sisters–the SB is looking over your shoulder!) Let us be clear on a few things.

PR is a coalition that celebrates diversity – in religious, racial and political beliefs. What do you expect? We have a past UMNO President that left the party until what he perceived were wrongs was made right. Do you think this past President and the past PM before Najib would ever be able to sit and converse in a civil manner? No they will not be able to. Do you think the past UMNO Ketua Wanita and the current Ketua Wanita would be able to sit and chat over a teh tarik. No they cannot. We are talking about a party established over 50 years ago having problems at the highest level – out in the open for all to see.
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The art of Managing a Crisis…do we want one?

By Hussein Hamid

Me thinks something is stirring in the Pakatan Rakyat and UMNO camps. The winds of change seems to blow ever so slowly. Diversions are being thrown around here and there by Pakatan Rakyat. The issue of selling beers in Selangor seem to take a life of its own unencumbered by thoughts of Pakatan unity. There is the ‘life and death struggle’ of Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor and the internal ‘bickering’ between PAS and DAP. For Barisan they want Selangor back and the word is out that they are confident enough to look at holding elections in Perak…it all points to the classic diversionary tactics of ‘creating a crisis’ – but by whom? Barisan or Pakatan?

What is self-evident now is that there is a growing momentum towards creating a Malaysia the people are unfamiliar with. The dismantling of the great racial divide, the real possibility of Pakatan Rakyat emerging as the next Government after the General Elections (at worse an effective opposition) and the potential demise of UMNO and the Barisan Coalition it leads as the Party in power.

Concurrently as part and parcel of this progression there is an increasing demand by the people for transparency and openness in Government – akin to Putri Gunung Ledang agreeing to marry the Sultan if given:
Continue reading “The art of Managing a Crisis…do we want one?”

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Principled Politics

By Hussein Hamid

Why is it that I, as a Malay, show much disrespect to Najib? Why are there so many Hang Jebats as oppose to Hang Tuahs in this time of ours – ready to do verbal battle with our leaders? Menderhaka they say. Sometimes after I have written my piece I read them and I am appalled at the venom of what I write. While we are Hang Jebats we do what we do because of what Hang Tuah had said “Takkan Melayu Hilang di Dunia”. If we do not care for our survival as a viable partner to the other races in our country then who will?

We want to tell the Malays and the people of our country that there is an alternative to the excesses of the past fifty years when UMNO were in power and got totally carried away. You not only systematically steal from our national treasuries but also take from other Malays what as taken years to acquire. How else do you explain the use of the EPF and Petronas funds to bail out your failures?

If you ask how can DAP, Keadilan and PAS work together towards a common goal when their fundamental beliefs are so divisive? I say this….how about principled politics?
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As I see it

By Hussein Hamid
steadyaku47

The past:

Big win gives Malaysia’s Abdullah mandate

The 2004 elections won by Barisaan’s Nasional was the biggest for any Political Party in Malaysian history. With a parliamentary majority of over two thirds, the multi ethnic Barisan Nasional coalition that UMNO heads can pass law uncontested. This success was matched in polls for the state assemblies with Barisan winning 12 of the 13 states.

This puts to rest the challenge of PAS in the Malay heartland states in the North and seemed to wipe out Keadilan.

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, faced a recount in her seat, which was once occupied by her husband Anwar Ibrahim who is now serving a 15-year jail term for sodomy and abuse of power, and the party looked unlikely to win any other seats.

Current realities: Continue reading “As I see it”

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Oh No !! What Have I Got Myself Into?

By Hussein Hamid
steadyaku47

In the beginning UMNO and MCA had a tacit understanding that the Malays will have control of Political Power while the Chinese – the Economy. This arrangement brought with it all the intrigues and excesses that springs up when the Malays were in control of licenses and contracts that the Chinese business needed to do businesses and in return the Chinese made contributions during elections (that is how they became known as buy elections !!) up front services fees, kick backs and went into joint ventures with Bumiputra Companies and gave ‘directorship’ to Malays in Chinese owned companies.

Politics. Patronage and Profit.

This is the thing I cannot understand. Mahathir was not able to see where this lethal combination of Politics, Patronage and Profit will lead to? He is suppose to be quite smart. Was he under the mistaken belief that he would be able to ‘manage’ the situation to his personal advantage? Which in hindsight he did because to stay in office for 22 years Continue reading “Oh No !! What Have I Got Myself Into?”

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Saya Melayu

By Hussein Hamid

The problems we now face does not only concern Perak, Kelantan, Penang and Selangor but the whole country. It does not only concern the Malays, the Chinese, the Indians but everybody who are Malaysians. It is not a concern for today, tomorrow, next week or next year but a concern for not only today but more important, of the future. The errors we make, the foundations we build and all that we do now will be there for posterity – to be judged by those that come after us. If we are not there to hear the verdict, our children will.

While the individual leaders within Pakatan Rakyat have long been in Politics their ability to govern and govern well is yet to be tested. But time favours them.

Time does not favor UMNO. The years of UMNO rule, while all not bad, has brought into question whether more of the same excesses are to prevail in the years to come?
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What need is there for Ku Li?

By Hussein Hamid

Who are these people that will lead us. Anwar Ibrahim did not know of his destiny until he was faced with the reality of life within the four walls of his cell. Lim Kit Siang and Karpal never did have the taste of power as Anwar did but are familiar with the harshness and isolation that the ISA impose on those that are unfortunate enough to endure its shadow. Tok Guru had his son put away under the same ISA and I believe that the sorrow and pain of a Father with a son put away for his beliefs is almost as great a sorrow as anyone can endure. By circumstance or design their destiny is to lead us and we are grateful for their commitment and presence in our ranks.

If I am asked this question of the next GE “In this hour of its greatest need, will you not, as a Malay, support UMNO after all that it has done for the Malays in this country?” The answer from my heart will be “yes” but my judgement is “NO !!” I will not be for UMNO because it can no longer champion the cause of the Malays – the reason UMNO was established many years ago”
Continue reading “What need is there for Ku Li?”

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PDRM instrument of their political masters

By Hussein Hamid

I will not refer to the Police as PDRM – it is an affront to our Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong to do so. There is nothing Royal about the Police.

PDRM is an instrument of the state. PDRM takes instructions from their political masters and what they do reflects the instructions given to them by their political masters who are the legitimate authority of our country (at least for the time being).

But I am getting ahead of myself here. Let us back up a bit.

Have you not seen a mata mata jump to attention when an Inspector comes into his peripheral vision? What about the Inspector jumping to attention when an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) casually walks by? Then you go past the Superintendent grade. When the mata-mata is privileged (and I use this term loosely…very very loosely!!) enough to come into the same rarified air as a Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police you will see him stand rooted to the spot standing at attention…not daring to breath, eyes front and just wishing that the earth would swallow him for having the nerve to be born on the same planet as the SAC in front of him….get my drift?
Continue reading “PDRM instrument of their political masters”