Malaysians enter the new year of 2010 with Datuk Seri Najib Razak completing three-quarters of his first year as the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
After nine months, “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” has proved to be mere publicity and propaganda puff of the Najib premiership with no meaningful change or consequence to the lives of Malaysians.
Are Malaysians of diverse races, religions and regions more united as one Malaysian people or even more divided than ever?
Do Malaysians feel safer from the endemic tide of crime which had deprived them of the two fundamental freedoms of any citizen in any civilized society – to be free from crime and the fear of crime?
Is Malaysia becoming a country where accountability, transparency and integrity are not just slogans but taken seriously by the government with the political will to take action against the “sharks” and not just “ikan bilis”?
Have Malaysians started to regain confidence in the credibility, professionalism and integrity of the key national institutions in the country, in particular the judiciary, police, Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission?
Have the government started to check the brain-drain and migration of the best and brightest Malaysians?
Has Malaysia regained her international competitiveness to ensure economic growth and development to become a high-income country with justice for all Malaysians?
The answers to these questions are a clear and categorical negative.
These are among the issues Malaysians should ponder and confront with the ushering in the new year for they comprise the challenges to be surmounted if Malaysia is to regain her rightful place not only to in the international comity of nations but to fulfill the founding aspirations of our forefathers on national independence in 1957 and the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
#1 by Godfather on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 10:19 am
I think you meant to say “ikan bilis” instead of “ikan yus” in the 5th para.
#2 by ktteokt on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 10:27 am
All these propaganda started with TDM taking over the reins from Tun Hussein Onn. Prior to TDM, there were no such empty slogans! TDM started the ball rolling with his WAWASAN 2020, followed by AAB with his “cemerlang, temberang” nonsense! So, naturally, his successor Najis has to come up with something similar, thus this nonsense of “1 MALAYSIA, PEOPLE FIRST, PERFORMANCE NOW”! was formulated by Najis just for the sake of taking after his predecessors!
Eventually, what has become of TDM’s Wawasan 2020? Where is the cemerlang, temberang of AAB? Malaysia has been independent for more than 52 years today but have we at any point become an ADVANCED NATION in the eyes of the international community? So, with just another 10 years to go, you think we can ever achieve such an objective?
Wawasan 2020 has actually brought more harm than good to Malaysia, especially to the Malays themselves! These guys were so “stimulated” by Mahathir’s slogan that they began imagining things and lived in fantasyland the day this “mirage” was announced! They think that by just “reciting” this “chant”, Wawasan 2020 will become reality! Fat hopes!!!!
#3 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 10:53 am
How will ever achieve Vision2020 when we have diplomats who do not follow simple instructions?
Even worse the guy is allowed to end his contract not within a week “to settle personal matters” but three months!
What a cushy deal….what happens if he goes amok and decides to declare war on some friendly country?
Of course some cronies have really done well with the slogans ….. each new campaign generates new contracts for caps, tee-shirts, banners, dinners etc. to the tune of a few million ringgit in unnegotiated contracts.
As 2009 draws to a close, spare a few moments to remember the life of an ordinary citizen who should inspire us to be always wary of government even if the next one belong to the PR.
http://malaysiawatch4.blogspot.com/2009/12/malaysiakinis-newsmaker-of-2009.html
#4 by pulau_sibu on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 10:54 am
I would be very surprised if any one placed hope on Najib to improve his administration. It was the same this whole year, and will still be the same next year, with a likelihood of getting worse.
#5 by yhsiew on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:00 am
have we at any point become an ADVANCED NATION in the eyes of the international community? So, with just another 10 years to go, you think we can ever achieve such an objective? (#2 by ktteokt)
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Vision 2020 is a flop. This is because Malaysia is unlikely to be able to achieve by 2020 a “0.9” Human Development Index which is the threshold to categorize a country as being developed.
A high income country is not necessary a developed country e.g. Brunei. Whilst Malaysia may have become a high income country by 2020, it will still be categorized as a developing country due to its low Human Development Index of less 0.9. That is the reason why Najib changed the Vision 2020 goal to that of “high income country”.
#6 by Jamesy on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:16 am
“After nine months, “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” has proved to be mere publicity and propaganda puff of the Najib premiership with no meaningful change or consequence to the lives of Malaysians” – Uncle Lim.
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No meaningful change or consequence to the lives of Malaysians? There IS consequence change to the lives of Malaysians. Najib wants to implement the promise he made to the rakyat next year. He promised to implement the credit card service charge of RM50 for principle card holders and RM25 for supplement card holders next year, Goods and Services Tax in 2011 and petrol subsidies floated to market price next year. Who suffers? Of course there is consequence change to the lives of Malaysians!
#7 by Godfather on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:25 am
Najib’s tenure as PM will be remembered as the time when the government treasury runs dry….and his administration will have to go on roadshows to raise money all over the world.
The time for the transition of Malaysia into a Philippines lookalike is near.
#8 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:32 am
Now that you mention raising monies, EPF still doing a good job buying up properties at inflated prices to prop up CIMB. If CIMB decides it does not want to own properties why should EPF allow it to make such fantastic profits?
The new Captcha is difficult to decipher!
#9 by ekompute on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:38 am
Performance now? Read this piece from Malaysiakini: http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/120839
If Najib does not show leadership by example by holding himself accountable to the loss of the two jetplanes while he was the Defence Minister, how can he hold anyone accountable?
So much for Performance Now, but wait a minute. Maybe he mean “Performance from now onwards”… okay, okay… past is past, LOL.
#10 by the reds on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 12:07 pm
I still do not understand what is 1Malaysia despite it has been “implemented” nine months ago. Everything remains the same – no improvement at all. Worse off, in some key areas like transparency, accountability, competitiveness, the rankings further plunge down. Every country advances over the years, but this is not the case for Malaysia. What can we expect from 1Malaysia? The only thing we look forward is next GE, and hopefully PR will bring us to greater heights.
Happy 2010 New Year!
#11 by Godfather on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 12:20 pm
Najib has taken the meaning of “you-scratch-my-back, I-scratch-yours” to new heights. Apparently he approved a new mansion off Carcosa for the Sleepy Head as a present – and then also directed the approval of the development of townhouses along the way to Carcosa Seri Negara to a mysterious bumiputra company which has apparently entered into a JV with the Kuok Group to give the project credibility.
What is the price of the new Istana now, Najib ? Oh, you don’t know….can you find someone who does know. What is the appraised value of the land at Sri Hartamas given to Naza TTDI, Najib ? Oh, you don’t know….find someone who does know.
The plunder continues into 2010…..
#12 by boh-liao on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 2:02 pm
10 years fr now, we will be hours fr 2020
We should then revisit MMK’s Vision 2020
N hv a good larf at how he conned d nation
Slogans r like opium 2 lull into a false state of happiness
Anyway, Happy New Year n New Decade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJRmdN9iyU&feature=related
#13 by SENGLANG on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 2:14 pm
Najib is a political master who has master the finest pint of politic.
His present at the 90th anniversary dinner of KL Chung Hwa Independent School show that trait.
In that dinner he has not offer anything and he did not promise anything to the hopeful Chinese, who have been expecting some good news of sort, but instead he remind those present to be grateful to BN for Malaysia is the only country which still allowed the Chinese have the Chinese medium school of education.
After he left, those Chinese was left to fend for themselves sourcing funds from the parents and well wishes. So it was another night and after that all go back to the square.
He brought along all the Chinese political alliances during that night. Included OTK and KSK. All these show that he was not sincere but just try to please and hopefully some stupid fellow will believe in him.
The next was the RPGT tax. The budget propose tax at 5% for all disposal of landed properties regardless of how long you have purchased or owned the properties. This tax will badly affect many Chinese who has bought or who has inherited landed properties the value that have appreciated overtime. Again to please them he took an opportunity to announce the reversal of the tax policy in one of the meeting with the Chinese business group. So, this was I announced first to tax you now I shall not tax you, it is just because I care for you and you should cooperate to make sure BN remain in power.
For those who has simple mind will sure bite his bait but for decades how wise have you become. The answer shall be know after the next GE.
#14 by frankyapp on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 2:17 pm
NR’s 1Malaysia,people first and performance now target has in fact turned into a pretty scary nightmare for the rakyat. 1Malaysia becomes “1ketuanan tanah melayu”,people first becomes” Umnoputra melayu de utamakan” performance now becomes C4 blasts,bridges collapsed,roofs fell,jet engines lost,PKFZ scandal, dead body fell from tall building,poor innocent young children drowned in water,enconomy slid downforward,cost of living stinks,people’s wages cut,corruption index # fell from 47 to 56 ,and the list goes on. This’s my summary of NR’s nime month as prime minister.
#15 by Ken G on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 2:37 pm
1Malaysia will soon be denigrated to mean “national unity” (a meaningless concept) and not racial fairness. Those hoping for 1Malaysia to do away with bumiputraism will be disappointed. Another wool over the people’s eyes just like Mahathir’s Bangsa Malaysia. But this time will the people let Najib off so easily?
#16 by Bigjoe on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 2:51 pm
Well, survey of UMNO member seem to indicate it does the slogan in fact mean 1UMNO, Benefits for UMNOist now..
Lets not kid ourselves, Najib may not be the brightest thing on the block but he knows he knows how to keep his UMNO horde happy and that is what matters more in the short term. In order for it not to matter, it has to come around to hound him meaning, things have to go wrong. So far, we can criticise him but we have not pin anything directly on his butt. There is no proof of Altantuya although we know its true, we can proof that he was complicite with PKFZ although we know he did not pursue the matter hard enough, we can’t even pin the two stolen jet engines on his watch.
The PM job is an easy job frankly for the unambitious and mediocre. It has too much power and leeway. You can give so much excuses and still get away with it.
But luck runs out and it will run out soon enough. Najib is a screw-up. Its in his history. Sooner or later, he will screw-up…
#17 by drngsc on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 4:33 pm
Do you expect anything good for Malaysia, from someone with so many skeletons in his closet. Even if this leopard can change his spot ( do not look like so far ), those challenging him will never let him. How can he do his job? Looks like more of the same, just talk, and slogans. That’s all.
#18 by ReformMalaysia on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 7:48 pm
Satu Malaysia?
Kononnya Satu Malaysia!
#19 by vsp on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 9:32 pm
Whatever happened to the two massive stimulus packages that were announced with fanfare to give a fillip to the economy? No, these stimulus packages were meant to fill the pockets of the UMNOputra contractors, the gold diggers and the parasites hawking contracts at inflated prices. I haven’t seen any benefit for the general population. These funds were diverted into the “1Malaysia” multibillion advertising blitz and spin-doctoring; slush funds to protect the Najib regime by buying key people in the civil service, the judiciary and security personnel for their “loyalties and silence”; the continuation of mega-projects such as the Formula 1, the proposed PNB two 100-storeys high-rise buildings to rival the Petronas twin towers, the Maltrade convention centre and many more.
After sucking dry these two stimulus packages of funds, Najib decided to make the people pay for his malfeasance: there are the GST tax; the talk about increases in the prices of commodities such as sugar, rice and flour; the proposed increases in utilities costs such as water, electricity and highway toll.
Najib is David Copperfield par excellence and Bolehland is now in the grip of the “Copperfield syndrome” effect.
#20 by fed-up on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 10:40 pm
What’s new? No Action Talk Only yet so many people fall for it. No brainers
#21 by monsterball on Thursday, 31 December 2009 - 11:58 pm
Najib reputation is gone.
There is nothing that he can say or do…makes Malaysians respect or trust him.
Mahathir welcomed to be investigated….and Najib said no need to investigate hm..shows Najib is hiding something.
His “People First.Performance Now” have prove by himself….are just lips service with no sincerity from his heart. He is such a big hypocrite and liar…that majority Malaysians can never forget his famous one word…’FRIVOLOUS” in reply to Bala’s 81 answers to 81 questions put out by three layers that all concluded…Bala was telling the truth.
Najib needs Mahathir to save him.
#22 by johnnypok on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 12:23 am
Only a CULTURAL REVOLUTION can save Malaysia from going bankrupt.
Hopefully PR can topple BN, and hopefully people will wake up from the long sleep.
With each new PM squandering billions, and with our rotten culture, there is no future.
All the rich people are hiding their wealth in other countries.
Very soon RM has no value!
#23 by 1to1 on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 12:39 am
Malaysia is surrealand. All the slogans and PR goes to show the world that our leaders are in cloud nine mode of thought. The reality is, without FDI , any visible engine of growth and effective economic policy, the country is declining rapidly to a failed state.
#24 by ktteokt on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 12:43 am
On the one hand, Najis is asking non-Chinese Malaysians to take up Chinese, on the other hand, we have KKK and Ridzuan Tee Abdullah with their anti-Chinese remarks! So how is Najis going to reconcile these contradictory actions and justify his ONE MALAYSIA?
#25 by johnnypok on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 12:48 am
So long as NEP = 1 Tongkat is still being practise, there is no hope and no future.
#26 by Onlooker Politics on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 1:24 am
Najib has just annouced a new target for “Performance Now”, i.e. to reduce the budget deficit from 7.4% of GDP in 2009 to 5.6% in 2010. And Najib has chosen a rather easy way for working towards the direction of achieving such a target, i.e. to allow the price of granulated white sugar to go up by 20 sen per kilogramme and to allow the price of white bread to go up by 5 sen per 100 grammes, effective 01.01.2010.
Don’t ever trust Najib’s sweet talk again! On his one hand, Najib can boastfully hold a promise of higher economic growth in year to come. However, Najib will on the other hand callously hold a sharp knife for cutting the robe in order to unleash the mad bull of inflation, which will be set free to go on a run and very quickly we will see that the poor and the needies will be deprived of the expected bountiful fruits which can possibly be obtained from an expected high economic growth. By permitting the prices of the staple foods to go up with immediate effect on the first day of a new year, the BN Federal Government has done a gross disservice to many underprivileged Malaysian people who can hardly earn enough of income for living on one or two cups of teh ‘O’ with sugar plus a few slices of white bread on a daily basis.
I really wonder why Najib wants to choose such a sad and disgusting way for celebrating his New Year Holiday!
#27 by PSM on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 10:00 am
1Malaysia…Rakyat Diperbodohkan, Rasuah Diutamakan!
#28 by k1980 on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 10:15 am
Jib: “Bring ‘em* on!”
‘em = price increases
#29 by boh-liao on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 10:32 am
People n citizens of 1Malaysia
Lend me your ears n your purses as well
Please pay more 4 your basic drinks n foods
Otherwise tighten your belts n eat less
While my ministers n civil servants (ex, present, n future) continue 2 send $$$ 2 overseas accounts (cash or throu’ money changers)
N build palatial mansions in 1Malaysia
Please continue 2 vote 4 us so dat we can continue 2 squeeze u more
Thank you, u useless bunch of easily scared simpletons, BN love u
#30 by boh-liao on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 10:58 am
Yes, NR should first get himself n his ministers 2 act with honor
We r not asking them 2 b like Japan’s ministers
No, not asking them 2 commit seppuku or hara-kiri
Just follow Thai n Indonesian ministers will do
Resign with honor 4 d sake of d nation when things go terribly wrong
New year’s resolution lah, boleh kah
#31 by Godfather on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 11:04 am
The PKFZ scandal would have allowed us to continue subsidising essential commodities for years. The new palace alone would have paid for a year’s sugar subsidy. I’m not saying that subsidising essential goods is the right way to go. I’m saying that compared to wasteful projects and expenditure that benefits a few, we are better off at spending for the benefit of the rakyat.
There is little doubt the country is running out of money. When they stop subsidies and cheap loans for small businesses, you know the coffers are empty. If we are awash with funds, these clowns would never take the risk of incurring the ire of the public.
#32 by frankyapp on Friday, 1 January 2010 - 5:55 pm
Like Yemen,an on going failed state,malaysia under Umno/Bn and at the rate these greedy umnoputras are squeezing the nation’s oil,it will soon be joining Yemen. Yeap Malaysia becoming a failed state. This’s what NR is asking the rakyat to looking forward for the future.What a prime minister ,he should resign.
#33 by ekans on Saturday, 2 January 2010 - 7:03 pm
Got the following from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/2/nation/5024686&sec=nation
It was published on the front page of the Star on 2/11/2009 with title “Najib: Disregard racist remarks from certain leaders”.
The news article starts with:
Racist comments from “one or two Umno leaders” should be ignored because the majority of members in the party are not racists, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Umno president stressed that the party’s policies had always been fair, inclusive, democratic and open.
“Umno is not a racist party. From the beginning, we wanted a multiracial society. Don’t listen to one or two leaders talk; that’s different. Any party has leaders like them. But look at our policies from Day One,” he said at the opening of the Gerakan national delegates conference yesterday.
Is this the spirit of 1Malaysia where racists remarks from certain UMNO leaders should be tolerated with the Pekan MP telling the public to simply ignore them?
Salam ataupun selam 1Malaysia?
#34 by ekans on Saturday, 2 January 2010 - 7:11 pm
This was published on the front page of the Star on 2/11/2009.
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“Najib: Disregard racist remarks from certain leaders.”
Racist comments from “one or two Umno leaders” should be ignored because the majority of members in the party are not racists, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Umno president stressed that the party’s policies had always been fair, inclusive, democratic and open.
“Umno is not a racist party. From the beginning, we wanted a multiracial society. Don’t listen to one or two leaders talk; that’s different. Any party has leaders like them. But look at our policies from Day One,” he said at the opening of the Gerakan national delegates conference yesterday.
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Is this the spirit of 1Malaysia where racists remarks from certain UMNO leaders should be tolerated with the Pekan MP telling the public to simply ignore them?
Salam ataupun selam 1Malaysia?