by Dr. Chen Man Hin
The frustration in the hearts of Malaysians at the stubborn attitude of Umno leaders and the greed of their cronies is mounting by the day.
Even the advice of foreign dignitaries like Thierry Rommel had been rejected haughtily by DPM and the Umno Youth chief. The EU envoy had no axe to grind except to see that justice is done.
World Bank statistics have shown that the NEP is jeopardising the economy, and is marginalising the poor whether Malays or non-Malays.
Umno leaders are the economic masters and the non-Malays are the economic slaves.
Umno has seen to it that government money is channelled to GLCs and their cronies. All government contracts are the preserve of the cronies, not one for the rest.
And yet they must demand their pound of flesh by imposing the 30% tax on non-Malay businesses.
Foreign businessmen fight shy of Malaysia. FDIs are very low compared even with Vietnam and Thailand.
The situation is desperate. The economy is in jeopardy, corruption is rife in every level of society, and the man-in-the street suffers because of greedy politicians and cronies.
Petronas money will not be fothcoming to save the country come 2111 as oil reserves are depleting, and there will be hell to pay for the corruption and greed of Umno.
Who will pay? Poor Malaysians!
#1 by smeagroo on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 9:23 am
When all hell breaks loose these are the people with cash stashed abroad be the first to leave. And we can only pray and hope that the other countires wont accept them and send them home and face the consequences.
#2 by Libra2 on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 9:48 am
The Media, The Chinese and the Indians have contributed tremendously in the creation of the “UMNO Frankenstein” which is on rampage – raping and plundering the nation.
MCA and MIC still embrace this “UMNO Frankenstein” not realizing that their creation will ultimately swallow them and their races.
#3 by boh-liao on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:03 am
Where is Malaysia heading?
Consider this: We have a population of >26 millions now. In this global and competitive age, every country is desperately tapping the talents of their population, as well as milking foreign talents to ensure national development and progress.
Malaysia is truly unique. In terms of seeking and using talents at the highest level, it ignores, with few exceptions, about 35% of its people, who happen to be non-Malays and non-bumiputras. Then, among the remaining 65% of its people, although of the same ethnic group and religion, only a small percentage, who happen to be members of a certain political group or considered to be friendly to that political group, are given the responsibility to manange all the important portfolios in the country.
So, in reality, this country is run and managed by a very small pool of people (neither the best nor the kind with the right vision) who are fantastic at achieving superficial feats. No depth. Do we expect Malaysia to become an economic achiever?
It’s all in the name of our country – Malaysia. Have another close look – Malay sia. Bersia-sia?
#4 by Jeffrey on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:14 am
UMNOconomics : 30% subsidise 70%!
#5 by Godfather on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:14 am
Do you know the French name for Bolehland ?
MALAISIE
Very very close to “malaise” which is the apt term for Bolehland run by the den of thieves.
#6 by Godfather on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:19 am
In today’s radio broadcast, the Works Ministry reported that it will cost the government RM 380 million a year to subsidise toll concessionaires if tolls are not increased in January.
RM 380 million ? That’s not even 10 pct of the PKFTZ bailout, which can subsidise tolls for the next 11 years. It’s even smaller than the commissions for the submarine deal paid to some local cronies.
And yet, “King” Zakaria of Pandamaran wants to alienate an extra 13,000 sf of land next to his palace in order to expand his mini golf course….
“We are not in the business of cheating the people.” AAB, 2005
#7 by fish_talk on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:30 am
To Love Malaysia is to Save Malaysia.
To Save Malaysia is to Vote anything except BN
#8 by oknyua on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:34 am
Dear Doc,
Thank you for stating the obvious. Yet I can’t help thinking the simplistic view on one being the masters and another the slaves.
The complexity of Malaysian demographic structure had necessitated the setting of many measures, including the NEP, as safety valves against potential eventualities. We don’t have to define these eventualities. I believe the Tunku and our other founding fathers had never, at any one time, expected that these measures would one day, contribute to the present deterioration existing in Malaysia.
The reason, Doc, is simply that there was little to mistrust each other with. Take for example the NEP; how could such a noble concept turned into a sore attrition between races? It is because NEP had became a valid excuse to favour one and neglecting the other. And as the stake gets bigger, so is the mistrust for one another.
I don’t think the ruling politicians are ignorant to this fact. As people in the equity market used to say, when the winning is good, who wants to exit? That simply means we are not beyond redemption. To me the one solution is for political parties like DAP to be a credible alternative, if not, be a credible opposition.
Otherwise all the shoutings and complaints are just flakes and blanks.
#9 by sani on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:43 am
Despite knowing all this for 50 years, we Malaysians cannot even start to muster enough courage for a political change.
Hard to find a country that’s this highly educated + “democratic” + robbed for 1/2 a century to patronize the culprit again + again.
Wake up fellow Malaysians, don’t sleep all the time like our PM…….or else suffer our children + the rest of the world will agree with Nazri…..pondan you all.
#10 by mendela on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:43 am
Not only Thierry Rommel’s advices were rejected totally, he received death threats too!
This is Bodohland!
Real Bodoh!
Nobody can beat Bodohland’s Bodohness!
#11 by AhPek on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:50 am
NEP i beg to defer is not noble. It would have been noble had it also taken into account the non bumiputra poor.This NEP thing did not come about during Tunku’s time, it was the idea of Razak’s whose social engineering is in fact legalised robbing.And Razak is also a known racist. Just ask RPK.During one of the speeches he gave at a Felda Scheme, he even asked the non Malays to go back to where they come from if they don’t like what he is doing.
Now of course they have used NEP as an excuse to enrich the well connected!! And they are filthy rich with money stashed away in foreign land!!
#12 by Godfather on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:56 am
“To me the one solution is for political parties like DAP to be a credible alternative, if not, be a credible opposition.
Otherwise all the shoutings and complaints are just flakes and blanks.” Oknyua
What constitutes a credible alternative ? PAS insisting on amending the Federal constitution to make it clear that Bolehland is an Islamic state puts off the vast majority of the non-Muslims. DAP insisting on the abolition of the NEP without any alternative programmes makes it unacceptable to the majority of Muslims. Is there no “middle-of-the-road” compromise ? Can we not agree that individual states with majority PAS rule may institute Islamic laws without contravening the constitution ? Can’t the DAP come up with a credible poverty-eradication programme with all the high-powered economists at its disposal ?
Can’t people like Karpal Singh zip his mouth instead of openly stating that DAP will go it alone without PKR if the latter does not denounce PAS ? With this sort of “friends” in the Opposition, who needs enemies ?
#13 by People on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:01 am
Firstly the malay need the chinese for their survival and likewise the chinese need the malays for their licenses. It’s like “I scratch your back you scratch mine”. Unfortunately one has been scratching very hard but the other party is not scratching back hard enough or just tickling! This party has been going around championing their land rights bla bla bla until they forget about the ‘poor’ little cats who are still scratching. Very soon these little cats will turn into mice and later shrews and lastly become ‘extinct’. The current practice of divide and rule is similar with an authocratic government run by a dictator and it has created much havoc as we can see now. The hyper sentitivity of our cops believing in stupid rumours has caused much inconvenience, fear and injuctice to the rakyat. As suggested by one blogger, it would be good if DAP can come up with its own university. i am sure there are some towkay will support that idea.
#14 by greenacre on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:15 am
Two days ago I met 60 year old man and was chatting up. He said he was previously running a transport service but folded up. The reason he said was that he had to pay more than a thousand a month to keep his lorries from JPJ fellows harassment. He further said that,they employ civilian collectors who get a 20% cut of the monthly for which they are given a special logo which will allow them to pass through. Corruption is their bedfellow.
#15 by oknyua on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:19 am
Godfather,
Your comments gave me a good laugh, not at the contents, because you are right. It is the absurdity of the situation now.
#16 by madmix on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:27 am
LOOK AT THE RICH OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS: (nevermind the Sultan, he is supposed to be wealthy):
KUANTAN: The car registration number CCC 1 fetched RM76,600 in a bid submitted by Sultan Ahmad Shah.
This is the highest amount paid for a car number plate in the state.
The Pahang sultan also secured the “CCC 2” plate for RM37,000 in an open tender for the CCC series of registration numbers that was opened for 45 days until Oct 25.
The list of successful bidders were displayed at the State Road Transport Department office here yesterday.
Second highest bidders are State Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ahmad Shukri and State Entrepreneur Development Committee chairman Datuk Shahiruddin Ab Moin who put up RM62,400 each for the CCC 3 and CCC 8 numbers.
Also in the list is Teruntum State Assemblyman Datuk Ti Lian Ker who won the bid for CCC 5 with an offer of RM32,000.
The CCC 1 price is, however, lower than the RM150,000 tendered for the JJJ 1 number in Johor Baru last year.
Other numbers that fetched high prices are CCC 9 (RM48,000); CCC 6 (RM42,000); CCC 888 (RM40,600); CCC 7 (RM32,000); CCC 88 (RM28,800); CCC 333 (RM27,000); CCC 11 (RM21,400) and CCC 4 (RM21,200).
State RTD assistant director Abdul Hakim Abdul Rauf said the department received 2,000 bids for the CCC plate numbers.
#17 by watgoblok on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:40 am
msia is more like a communist country…protesting is illegal,NEP etc. arent these like somewhat communist ideology? just that it’s msian style.
#18 by Bigjoe on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 12:29 pm
Tony Pua has a good chart on where economics will look like in the future. Its not that things will fall apart anytime soon. Chen Man Hin is wrong about Petronas running out of money sometime soon. Malaysian oil is NOT fully explored especially deep water oil. No one knows how much potential is there. We may find a bonanza like Brazil did. Its not impossible but there is more oil. With high oil prices, there is no need to change if reserve keep being added.
But achieving global competitiveness? Well, that is another matter…
#19 by mendela on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 12:30 pm
Godfather is totally right.
The Opposition must find common grounds in order to create a strong force to fight UMO!
We have seen many left wing and right wind opposition parties joined forces and brought down many Governments in the past! Why can’t we do the same?
#20 by eagleye on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 1:15 pm
WoW… A lot happened in 50 years time. Changes which we didn’t realise earlier… Mmm… Is gov can see all this problems? How many of Malaysians realised this? What we supposed to do then? Vote for different party or let the british take over Malaysia again?(ridiculous!!!) Politicains…. Wake Up!!! Don’t just hold your superior’s balls which can ensure you a seat, do what your people need… PM, just remember one thing!!! You are PM in Malaysia because you born as a Malay, but if you born as an Colombian, will you be a mafia leader? or if you born as a Somalian, will you look for a sky hoping chopper will drop your food? Think as human!!! You can do changes… or else… People will change you!!!(maybe too late to change). Race is not what we choose, is given!!! don’t confuse… and don’t proud… name is what we choose… Want to be Abraham Lincoln or Adolf Hitler?… or want to create your own name… Work it out!!!
#21 by k1980 on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 1:25 pm
Associate Professor Azmi Sharom of UM’s law faculty said quality will suffer as long as there is the dual entry system. ‘It’s time to have meritocracy in the proper sense,’ he told The Straits Times.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_177512.html
#22 by Traveller on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 2:28 pm
“..the RM150,000 tendered for the JJJ 1 number in Johor Baru last year.”
———–
When you are filthy rich, you can afford to compete for something totally outlandish and meaningless. Just like little boys comparing their marbles all for “air muka”. Making money must be easy in Malaysia. It is very obscene to flaunt money like that.
For that price, I can get that license plate AND a brand-new Mercedes C-class in the US and still have some change to donate to charity.
It is just amazing how something that is insignificant in one country is worth so much in another. But then I may be too bourgeois and may not be able to appreciate the finer things in life that these rich Malaysians can. Unfortunately, I don’t have the taste to tell the difference between a gold-plated toilet and an ordinary one. To me they both serve the same function equally well.
#23 by oknyua on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 2:48 pm
Madmix,
RM437,000 collected. Dr. Chen, we don’t need FDI.
#24 by despin on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 5:46 pm
The way we are heading, it is not inconceivable that Malaysia will be like Zimbabwe in Year 2057. Come every election, their politicians will tell her people that “it is the White Man’s fault so let’s grab some of their farmland because it is our God-given right”. They grabbed and grabbed until there is nothing left. In Malaysia, the debilitating effect of the NEP is minimally felt today because we are rich in oil and gas. However, if we run out of oil and gas one day, the negative effect could be exponential. We may enter into a vicious cycle where all wealth-creation resources will leave the country and those outside refuse to come in. Frankly, watching Pak Lah’s performance over the last four years is akin to sitting through a long horror movie. Fright after fright with no end in sight. Can we expect him to do something regarding the NEP? Nah!
#25 by waterfrontcoolie on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 6:05 pm
Is the list of all car owners above ,say $200,000.00 can be made public? we don’t need owners’ names, just their race. Then we should be able to conclude whether some of the economic ‘parities’ which UMNO has said not achievable as yet. We do have a problem with all many malaysians of Chinese origin, you keep on piling up your assets, while ‘others’ keep on spending, surely you would continue to cause this imbalance forever! Either you spend as fast as they do or send it some where else. This may eventually save the other communities from comparing. Just check the list of Malaysians who are blacklisted for not paying thier cards hutang, quit rent not paid and what have you?
#26 by smeagroo on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 9:25 pm
many of us cant wait for another chance for the opposition to buck up n joion forces. If they lose this GE badly, be veru sure that the govt will ensure they are wiped out from the face of Msia.
#27 by cancan on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:45 pm
The NEP has created an instant impression that the Malays are lazy and stupid.
What a wonderful marketing tool!
We know that no race is perfect.
Not all Chinese are clever and hardworking.Likewise,not all Malays are lazy and stupid.
So,please,my Malay friends,do not be used by the Umnoputras who are making a demon out of the Malay race.
#28 by shaolin on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 10:48 pm
1 of the UMNO and BN leaders and their cronies, SAMI
Velu says the government needs to pay RM300 Billion to
all 8 highway Management Companies to buy them over
once and for all if we are not going to have price-hike
in toll money yearly!!
May we know WHO are the Board of Directors behind all
those Highway Companies?? Those are the cronies of all
BN Politicians, Ministers and Abang Zakaria and his Palace!!
How about Petronas oil Money?? Please also go and ask
Abang Zak and you will have the answers and information
from him too… but he will remind you …Please do not tell
others that I give you this piece of confidential information
otherwise I WILL be in big big trouble… The UMNO and BN
people will burn down my PALACE in no time…!!!
All that I can say is ‘Keep all info to yourself, buddie’… We
are the foxes of the same skin living under the same den of
Ali Baba and The Thieves..!!
#29 by AhPek on Friday, 23 November 2007 - 11:38 pm
Godfather,
You must be the fake ‘godfather’, the true ‘Godfather’ is the guy in Klang with the big Palace!! You have wrongly labelled him “king”. Anyway what I am saying is —What GODFATHER Zakaria wants, he gets and it is as simple as that. He wants to alienate 13000sf of land next to his palace all he has to do is click is fingers and it’s done.
#30 by choonchoy on Saturday, 24 November 2007 - 12:44 am
Our gov is so bankrupt of ideas and intelligence. A product of our local Us no doubt. Look at our southern neighbor they have no water let alone natural resources. Look at us still a 3rd world country, to top that we are in reverse gear. Good cannot come from evil, look at proton our national car assembler (has turned around? Ha ha ha), mrr2 cracking highway of kl (hope the retrofitting holds), klcc design and built by foreigners (the same cannot be said for Taipei 101), angkasawan program (I’m at a lost for words) and recently the collapse of the building in Belum – completed in 2004 but left vacant for 3 years??? (blamed on global warming-oh bangunan tu puteri lilin- and the Venetians were building on worse ground conditions some thousand or more yrs ago).
#31 by Godfather on Saturday, 24 November 2007 - 6:47 am
AhPek:
Zakaria Mat Deros is no godfather. A true godfather protects the weak and the innocent like women and children. A true godfather doesn’t try to “sapu” everything in sight. Yes, we are not free of all sins, but we have our own code of conduct !
#32 by Jonny on Saturday, 24 November 2007 - 11:37 am
Yes.
WORK FOR ME.
Don’t work with me.
Good slogan indeed.
#33 by cheng on soo on Saturday, 24 November 2007 - 4:19 pm
Add to Despin comment: Zimbabwe today has annual inflation over 8000%, over 80% unemloyment, over 25% of her people had left the country, shortage of food, electricity, clean water supply, etc. Many earn less than Z$20 million (new) a month, Z$1 million (new) buy you RM3.50. Z$1 million (old) was more than RM2 million at 1980 ! They chase out the white! They revise their currecncy by $1000 (old) = Z$1 (new) in Aug 2006. Can go to http://www.zimbabwesituation.com
Another example, Idi Amin of Uganda chase out the Asian in the 1980’s, experienced over 1000% inflation !