Oh, Pak Lah
Fifty-year-old Malaysia is in crisis.
The effective ceasefire in inter-ethnic relations put into place after 1969 has after almost 40 years, led to an impasse in Malaysian political discussion.
Many feel it but are at a loss as to what can be done. This crisis is more than economic. It is systemic in the sense that a bankruptcy of ideas plagues both the regime and the opposition. For example, Malaysian journalists normally feel they have to fish for news by getting politicians to say something controversial which they then quickly ask other politicians to comment on, and so news is created. Such ad hoc news tends to be superficial, gossipy and is easily forgotten.
The hope for reforms and honest government that many felt after Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi took over as premier in October 2003 has greatly waned over the last three years. Now, when the country starts out on a lackluster and faltering Ninth Malaysia Plan and prepares to acknowledge 50 years of independence, many are not certain about what it is they are to work for and what it is that they are to celebrate.
The floods that hit the country this year have dampened spirits even more.
Two separate issues over the past week painted a stumbling, weak and fumbling Prime Minister.
First, copies of official documents have been circulated on the Internet with regards to a purported US$50 billion foreign fund-raising exercise by the Government.
In the name of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance, Abdullah must clarify three things, urged Lim Kit Siang,
As the Malaysian Government has prided itself as one of the advanced exponents of e-government, the Prime Minister cannot turn a blind-eye and claim ignorance of such Internet material.
If Abdullah is really in the dark about such Internet material, LKS is prepared to forward to him all relevant information.
Second, the New Straits Times Publications (NSTP) – Utusan Malaysia Merger exercise.
Sections of the country's Malay community are up in arms over the proposed merger of New Straits Times Press (NSTP) and Utusan Malaysia, two of the country's oldest media groups closely linked to the government.
Critics say that it would dilute the so-called 'Malayness' of Utusan Malaysia, the flagship publication of the governing party Umno, undermining the paper's role as the defender of Malay rights.
Umno controls a direct 50 per cent interest in Utusan, and several members of the party's main policy-making body voiced objections to the deal. They argued that the merger plan would not be well received by the Malay community and could trigger a backlash against Umno.
However, Umno's top leadership, led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, looks favourably upon the merger.
It was clear from earlier media statements since December that the Prime Minster and his deputy were pretty much behind the move to merge the two UMNO owned media entities in Malaysia.
After much “deliberation” and sniping behind the scenes by UMNO Supreme Council members as well as Ministers themselves who objected to the move, the merger exercise has finally been called off.
This was after it has been reported in the media that the Supreme Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of aborting the exercise (43-8), despite the Prime Minister and his deputy voting in favour. It is probably the closest one can get to a rebellion within UMNO.
And what was the Prime Minister's public response?
He claimed that the decision to abort the proposed New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd merger is the “best decision”. The Prime Minister said he had had reservations when the proposal was first mooted. “But I thought it was best to give those who proposed it some time to consider it carefully.”
“it is the best decision” and that he “had reservations”
Tun Dr Ismail's autobiography "The Reluctant Politician" by Dr Ooi Kee, has a section where he thought that Malaysians of all races, going to the government "is one of the easiest ways to make money; and they know very well that some [may be] thrown out in five-yearly elections [...] so they accept bribes and become corrupt".
He is certainly right in that many do join the government or the governing political parties for it is indeed one of the easiest ways to make money. Unfortunately, he was wrong in that political developments in the country over the past 30 years have seen these politicians entrench their positions, with little possibility of being dumped in elections.
Malaysia Abdullah 9MP Media merge
The effective ceasefire in inter-ethnic relations put into place after 1969 has after almost 40 years, led to an impasse in Malaysian political discussion.
Many feel it but are at a loss as to what can be done. This crisis is more than economic. It is systemic in the sense that a bankruptcy of ideas plagues both the regime and the opposition. For example, Malaysian journalists normally feel they have to fish for news by getting politicians to say something controversial which they then quickly ask other politicians to comment on, and so news is created. Such ad hoc news tends to be superficial, gossipy and is easily forgotten.
The hope for reforms and honest government that many felt after Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi took over as premier in October 2003 has greatly waned over the last three years. Now, when the country starts out on a lackluster and faltering Ninth Malaysia Plan and prepares to acknowledge 50 years of independence, many are not certain about what it is they are to work for and what it is that they are to celebrate.
The floods that hit the country this year have dampened spirits even more.
Two separate issues over the past week painted a stumbling, weak and fumbling Prime Minister.
First, copies of official documents have been circulated on the Internet with regards to a purported US$50 billion foreign fund-raising exercise by the Government.
In the name of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance, Abdullah must clarify three things, urged Lim Kit Siang,
1. Whether and why the government has adopted the unusual and even extraordinary arrangement to raise US$50 billion funding for the Ninth Malaysia Plan infrastructure development projects from 25 world top prime bank or local prime bank through dubious private companies.
2. Whether and why Asasatu Technology Sdn. Bhd, whose status in the latest record in Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) is “winding up”, has been chosen to arrange the USD50 billion for the Malaysian government.
A check with the SSM, the particulars of Asasatu Technology Sdn. Bhd are:
(i) Address: No, Jalan Arowana 4,
Kawasan Perniagaan Arowana, 13500, Permatang Pauh, Penang
(ii) Shareholder/director – Zubir bin Ahmad 1,980,000 shares
-Rosni binti Rahmat 20,000 shares
(iii) Last filed accounts – 31st Dec. 2000.
(a)Fixed assets RM542,248; current assets RM1,976,421.
(b) Current liabilities RM1,071,641; long-term liabilities RM321,756.
(c)Profit for the year RM39,512; accumulated profits RM125,272.
(d) Four “unsatisfied” charges to four banks exceeding RM7 million.
3. Whether and why the partner and agent of Asasatu Technology Sdn. Bhd. to arrange for the USD50 billion financing for the government’s Ninth Malaysia Plan is the Sydney-based Project Equity Services Group (PESG). An Internet search raises many questions about the PESG, whether it is a front-company for Roland Bleyer, who is also President of Union Financial Services Corporation and dogged by a long history of allegations of scams by their victims world-wide.
As the Malaysian Government has prided itself as one of the advanced exponents of e-government, the Prime Minister cannot turn a blind-eye and claim ignorance of such Internet material.
If Abdullah is really in the dark about such Internet material, LKS is prepared to forward to him all relevant information.
Second, the New Straits Times Publications (NSTP) – Utusan Malaysia Merger exercise.
Sections of the country's Malay community are up in arms over the proposed merger of New Straits Times Press (NSTP) and Utusan Malaysia, two of the country's oldest media groups closely linked to the government.
Critics say that it would dilute the so-called 'Malayness' of Utusan Malaysia, the flagship publication of the governing party Umno, undermining the paper's role as the defender of Malay rights.
Umno controls a direct 50 per cent interest in Utusan, and several members of the party's main policy-making body voiced objections to the deal. They argued that the merger plan would not be well received by the Malay community and could trigger a backlash against Umno.
However, Umno's top leadership, led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, looks favourably upon the merger.
It was clear from earlier media statements since December that the Prime Minster and his deputy were pretty much behind the move to merge the two UMNO owned media entities in Malaysia.
After much “deliberation” and sniping behind the scenes by UMNO Supreme Council members as well as Ministers themselves who objected to the move, the merger exercise has finally been called off.
This was after it has been reported in the media that the Supreme Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of aborting the exercise (43-8), despite the Prime Minister and his deputy voting in favour. It is probably the closest one can get to a rebellion within UMNO.
And what was the Prime Minister's public response?
He claimed that the decision to abort the proposed New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd merger is the “best decision”. The Prime Minister said he had had reservations when the proposal was first mooted. “But I thought it was best to give those who proposed it some time to consider it carefully.”
“it is the best decision” and that he “had reservations”
Tun Dr Ismail's autobiography "The Reluctant Politician" by Dr Ooi Kee, has a section where he thought that Malaysians of all races, going to the government "is one of the easiest ways to make money; and they know very well that some [may be] thrown out in five-yearly elections [...] so they accept bribes and become corrupt".
He is certainly right in that many do join the government or the governing political parties for it is indeed one of the easiest ways to make money. Unfortunately, he was wrong in that political developments in the country over the past 30 years have seen these politicians entrench their positions, with little possibility of being dumped in elections.
Malaysia Abdullah 9MP Media merge
Labels: Politic. and opinion
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11:08 AM
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