When in Kota Kinabalu last Saturday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced “goodies” to tackle “long-standing issues” in Sabah which needed “urgent” solution, including:
• Abolition of Sabah Federal Development Department (JPSS);
• RM1 billion special allocation for rural development;
• Direct channeling of development allocations of 11 ministries;
• Federal government to allocate RM1 million each to MPs and RM400,000 each to assemblymen in Sabah;
• High-powered Cabinet Committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to tackle Sabah’s long-standing illegal immigrant and refugee problem;
• Appointment of Sabahan Prof Datuk Kamarulzaman Ampong as the vice chancellor of` Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) effective June 18 and another Sabahan Yusof Saringit as federal Chief Financial Officer for the state; and
• Petronas and Sabah Foundation to build a power plant with the capacity to generate 300mw in Kimanis.
The real motive for Abdullah playing the role of early Santa Claus is not because of any solicitation for the welfare and interests of the people of Sabah as they had long disappeared from the radar of the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, but to consolidate Sabah Barisan Nasional support as a consequence of the March 8 political tsunami in Peninsular Malaysia and in particular to buy the loyalty of Sabah BN MPs to ensure that they will not collectively withdraw support from the Barisan Nasional federal government.
Was Abdullah given such a glowing report of Sabahan reactions to his “goodies” last Saturday in securing the loyalty of Sabah BN MPs to ensure the stability of the BN national government that it also encouraged the Prime Minister four days later to announce hefty and unconscionable oil price increases ranging from 41 to 63 per cent?
Is Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?
#1 by limkamput on Sunday, 8 June 2008 - 11:06 pm
I think lots of discussion here are devoid of logic. Why are we talking only of MPs from Sabah crossing over to PK? Why can’t MPs from Sarawak or Peninsula be doing the same? Are we saying that only MPs from Sabah can be bought? Alternatively are we saying that MPs from Peninsula and Sarawak can’t be bought or have been paid sufficiently already?
#2 by deathlings on Sunday, 8 June 2008 - 11:52 pm
Sarawak’s turn for goodies from Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Sarawakians are looking for some pleasant surprises from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he makes a one-day visit to the Land of the Hornbill Tuesday.
haih, so PM is going to go from 1 state to another giving out goodies so they won’t jump over to PR?
To be frank, the more things they put into the controlled price item list, the more we pay for our groceries and food. 7 years ago when i came back to PJ, a bowl of noodles was 2.70, now its at least 4.00, 50% increment (6% p.a. increase) as compared to our CPI of 3% p.a. Problem with the National statistics is the CPI basket consists of too many price controlled items, and population in general don’t really get to purchase the items at the quoted price.
Blame the Government for not promoting savings in those years that the economy was doing better. The artificially low CPI resulted in low interest rates, effectively a negative real rate, so everyone would rather spend than to save. Now at the hard patch, PM asked us to change lifestyle.
The latest CPI of our neighbours ranges from 5-8% for APril and Malaysia managed to maintain at 3%, didnt everything ranging from Milo, rice to tyres go up back in April?
#3 by mybangsamalaysia on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 12:00 am
I am traveling from North to KL via North South Highway very often. Today, it seems that there are lesser vehicles although busy. KL is rather slow around mid valley and bangsar. Oil hike after shock?
If this continue (slow down of activities), it may have spiral effect on our economy. Hope my observation is wrong.
#4 by Godfather on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 12:34 am
Badawi is doing
#5 by Godfather on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 12:42 am
Badawi is acting like a drowning rat – moving from Sabah to Sarawak to try to make monetary pledges to the local leadership, while at the same time trying to come up with money to keep the UMNO gravy train moving. He ends up trampling all over the rakyat. I say that we should let him drown.
#6 by sheriff singh on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 12:42 am
“Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urged angry citizens to understand the reasons behind the move, and said the government would do all it can to alleviate the burden on the poor.”
First you whack the people, then you want to find solutions to ease their pains? Why whack them in the first place?
Why would a dog want to bite you if you did not kick it in its stomach?
#7 by limkamput on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 1:51 am
May I know who will make up the economic team of PK? Who would be the major players of Malaysia’s economic policies when PK takes over the Federal Govt. Who would be the advisors? I think Anwar and the rest of PK leadership should give some indications. Otherwise, it is between the devil and the deep blue sea. I don’t think this country can stand another year of yo-yo leadership. As I see it, the whole federal government is goofing in the dark. Either most of them can’t hold more than three variables in their heads or they don’t care anymore – just hit and run. It is after all the dying days of a dynasty. They announced the price hike as if they have no clue what the impact and reaction are going to be like. Hence, when come to compensating measures they have totally no idea. MOst of the measures are piecemeal and incoherent following the dictates of who among the industry players can make the loudest noise. It is pathetic we have such an incompetent group of people now at the helm of national leadership. Malaysia deserve better. But can PK deliver? I think we should start debating who among PK will be managing the Malaysian economy starting from now. What are their plans and major policy thrusts. We can’t wait till after they form the new government. It will be too late and by then we are all dead.
#8 by ahpiow on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 1:53 am
Too many comments to read thru. Does not matter. All prices now increased – hawker foods, bus fares, essential goods, and god knows what else will increase in the next few weeks.
Are these price increases justified? No! Actual net increase is slight but traders increase their prices unreasonably. What shud the rakyat do? Boycott! Who suffers? The Malay, the Chinese, and the Indian hawkers. Do they deserve it? Yes! They take advantage to increase prices unreasonably at every opportunity.
Fuel price increase of 40.6% – is this necessary? No! Malaysia is net exporter of oil – high grade low sulphur content – at better prices than market price. This oil belongs to the rakyat. Malaysia makes more money than other oil exporters.
Why AAB makes us suffer? Everything increase prices but gaji no increase! Enough lah with this BN govt!
Anwar, when are you coming in? In WW2 battle of Britain Churchill said “Never in the history of human endeavour has so much been done by so few for so many”.
So when is PR going to do for the rakyat what the BN cannot do?
The country needs a paradigm shift now! Only PR taking over the country can do this!
#9 by limkamput on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 2:00 am
Unless PK also come up with concrete plans and policies, may i assume that there is no difference between PK and BN. Seriously, we need to know. Malaysia is on the edge of becoming a failed state if nothing is done quickly.
#10 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 3:35 am
Pak Lah and Najib have at various times said: the people must be resilient!
Talk cock again! Do they even understand the meaning of resilience and the economics of it!
And stop being so damn hypocritical. Why don’t you and your ilk spend some of your millions on holidays in Malaysia instead of overseas, eh?
I have seen an upsurge in illegal stalls sprouting up on road shoulders – mostly by your people, Malays! After 50 years, see what the damned NEP has done for the majority of Malays whilst the minority of crony Malays lick their oily palms and struggle to get off their fat rumps and bumps.
Keranamu BN, Malaysia cepat jadi Zimbabwe.
#11 by kanthanboy on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 4:34 am
//UMNO dare to sacrifice peace and social harmony in May 1969, why not this fuel hike which seems the pain level is not as bad as 513.//VoteDap
______________________________
Please try not to use the ghost name 513 anymore. UMNO and MCA and Gerakan have used this ghost to blackmail the Chinese during every GE since 1969. This ghost has been successfully exorcized on March 8, 2008. Don’t bring back the dead ghost.
#12 by bernadette on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 7:30 am
“Problem with the National statistics is the CPI basket consists of too many price controlled items, and population in general don’t really get to purchase the items at the quoted price.”
it is time a more independent agency does the computation and tracking of the average consumer prices..
when was the basket of goods and services selected last revised by our stats dept?
#13 by Godfather on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 7:36 am
“Unless PK also come up with concrete plans and policies, may i assume that there is no difference between PK and BN. Seriously, we need to know. Malaysia is on the edge of becoming a failed state if nothing is done quickly.” Limkamput
I think this statement is unduly harsh on PK. We have to look at things as half full rather than half empty. Is Tony Pua going to be less of a finance minister than Nor Mohamed ? Is Anwar going to sleep more on the job than the Sleepy Head ? Throw a stone, and you will find a person more suited than, for example, Mike Tyson or Tengku Adnan. Once the stealing stops, the rest is easy.
#14 by dawsheng on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 8:27 am
Not only the petrol price hike creates uncertainties to the already bad business climate; existing businesses especially retailers, big and small, is going to find it hard to cope, cost cutting measures like retrenchment will be the top choice among business owners. But cost cutting may not helps either, it is just a short term solution and is likely to fail as purchasing power diminished further due to chain reaction in the coming months. Jobless rate will also increases as business owners hold back new domestic investment.
#15 by dawsheng on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 8:47 am
With economic troubles brewing at the domestic front, one can only hopes the very much needed FDI falling from the sky.
#16 by PSM on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 8:48 am
Bro Kit,
Well we better get ready for more Price hikes! The Sarawak MP’s have alreday said they wanted similat “goodies’ for Gawai! They have also said that it has to be no less than what Sabah got! Wow! Which other BN State is next?!
How much more do we have to take?!
#17 by PHUAKL on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 9:05 am
Dear Sir
For the good of the country (and to stop Malaysia from
continuing on the road to becoming a Third World “failed state”),
the Pakatan Rakyat needs to form a shadow cabinet and decide on what public policies to implement when power changes hands.
Please do not be distracted by BN’s Karl Rove-style “wedge issues”
such as the wearing of songkoks (Just wear it!). The economic future of our country is threatened by kleptocrats, incompetents and Machiavellians. Examples such as Zimbabwe show how short (and fast) the road to economic and social ruin is!
Phua Kai Lit
#18 by ktteokt on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 9:43 am
For the sake of Sabah, it is “Robbing Peter to pay Paul”, what happens when it comes to Sarawak? Will AAB rob Paul to pay Patrick? It simply means AAB has three pots with only two covers or perhaps only one!
#19 by bumi-non-malay on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 9:57 am
Thanks to Tun Dr. Senile call for High Crude Price to Hurt USA-Isreal …….looks like Malaysia suffering more instead. GO to this link to freely publish comments on Che Det Blog. No Censorship!!
Lots of problems coming soon for Malaysian as School Bus operator Boycott picking up your children. Not allowed to raise their fare with threat to their license and livelihood……..I prefer to quit the business rather than be greater debt. UMNO-BN cronies can afford to do business this way….orang biasa Cannot!!
LINK
#20 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 10:38 am
Anwar mentioned to keep the identity of the possible crossover BN MPs in order to protect them. On the other hand, he mentioned about meeting some of these MPs in Manila. I think BN will be desperate to find out who actually flown to Manila last week. Very soon we will know the answer.
#21 by Jameswong on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 10:58 am
when BN is managing the people money, do they have the authority or power to just distribute the wealth on their wish, i am sure good goverment must have the good guidelines or transparancy when come to money; these RM1M per each MP and Rm400K per state really make me jealous-lah.
will the RM1m each end up into their pocket ?
#22 by Godfather on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 3:02 pm
If Sabah was the main reason for the fuel price hike, then what will happen after Badawi visits Sarawak tomorrow ? Make promises, and then follow it up with another price hike ?
#23 by k1980 on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 3:06 pm
The only way to solve the present crisis is ala Saddam Hussein, i.e. for malaysia to invade Brunei. Then the Americans will blast malaysia back to the stone age where everyone would be happy because there was no bloody use for petrol during the stone age. And like Saddam, our PM will be singing the song below as he is led by the americans to the hangman’s noose…
And now, the end is here
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and ev’ry highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
#24 by lakilompat on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 4:29 pm
“malaysia to invade Brunei.”
How Malaysia going to touch Brunei? the shukoi jet we ordered are not yet delivered since the big fat najis got his large pay check. The scorpene submarine have not deliver all yet, we don’t even have the dock to keep them and the group of trained marine to operate them.
If Indonesia come to invade Malaysia, since many of their foreigner workers are here can easily spy on our govt. weaknesses, assasin our leader with bullet on head becos current M’sian policy is to reduce and contaminate them, then there is possiblity Indonesia will launch attack on Malaysian.
#25 by lakilompat on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 5:43 pm
“RM1m each end up into their pocket ?” in respond to James Wong,
Why not, whose money do u think help Curry open a boutique TENC at the pavillions, KL? whose money is it for Curry to owed billions of ACM Libra shares? whose money is it for Curry to owed stakes at Air Asia, Rapid KL, Rapid Penang. Whose money is it to build so many toll booth to collect from the people? it is like selling lemon juice to the people.
#26 by KualaPenyu on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 6:20 pm
Think about this scenario: How much is the price of petrol in Malaysia if Sabah and Sarawak are not part of Malaysia?
#27 by jeremiah on Tuesday, 10 June 2008 - 12:04 am
Welcome to the New Era of Global Inflation!
After the government made the sudden decision to raise petrol and diesel prices with effect from 5 June 2008, Malaysians will be quickly entering a new era of globalised inflation ranging from between 5-7% per annum in the next one year. Is this good or bad after years of enjoying the shelter of government subsidies (basically our own money)?
Well it depends. Most sensible bloggers and economists are correct in concuring that a fuel price hike is necessary and will enhance the efficiency of the economy. We have lived under the shelter of excessive subsidies for too long and need to adjust our consumption habits. However, the whole debate about the fuel price hike of 41% to RM2.70/litre plus the efforts to provide a rebate needs to be simplified into 4 issues:
(1) The quantum of the increase is a shock to consumers and companies’ pockets and this 41% hike in the fuel bill has never ever happened before in Malaysia’s history. Who knows whether we will enter into a steep economic slowdown while most of our trading partners in the US , Europe and Japan are now going through economic stagnation? Is the government and the central bank so confident that they can fine-tune the economy after this shock treatment?
(2) About RM7.5billion or 55% of the savings from the government’s reduced subsidy is given back to the people who are apparently car and motorbike owning lower income groups. So in a way, this is a form of income distributive policy by taking the subsidy previously enjoyed by both rich and lower income groups to give to the lower income car owners. Besides, the RM625 is not sufficient to cushion the higher cost of fuel.
(3) Is the government really short of cash when out of the estimated RM53 billion of subsidy (without fuel hikes), its actual direct subsidy is less than RM20 billion.
(4) Instead of using the other 45% of RM13.7 billion to subsidise food, why not improve the public transport system and lower the import duties on cars so that our standard and quality of living will be on par with Thailand and Indonesia where the prices of cars are much lower? Alternatively, build a wider and more efficient rapid train system similar to Singapore’s.
Aside from the issue of leakages through inefficient spending, these issues will probably be played up by the Opposition.
Let’s see whether the political backlash will lead to some solid debates in parliament and eventually more efficient use of resources. Read more at http://www.jeremiahliang.blogspot.com
#28 by cvl on Tuesday, 10 June 2008 - 9:25 pm
Well, no Sabah is NOT the reason for removing the fuel ‘subsidy’. Period. Much much more to it..
Here’s a comment at M2day:
‘Malaysia supprts the violence in thailand by assisting terrorist there raise funds by selling our subsidised diesel in Thailand and probably in Phillipines too.’ by sydput.
Nail squarely hit there.
Removing the fuel ‘subsisidy’ to directly stop the financing was demanded of AAB from the international collation of the principled and willing.
AAB has to do it; he is either on their side or against. Just like Perves Musharaff was asked ‘are you on our side or against us’ just hours before they blasted the Afghan hideouts.
With backing like so, AAB has NO choice but pull the plug on a Wednesday evening in the middle of a working week. Some aslo suggested the ‘pineapple face’ case was also discussed to add haste to AAB pulling the plug. Never mind the traffic jam.