By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life adviser
CALL FOR AN OPEN DEBATE ON THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL AS IT IS A POLICY THAT WILL IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC WELL BEING OF THE PEOPLE, AND AS SUCH THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE ON THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL BEFORE IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
This is absolutely necessary as the New Economic Policy was pushed through parliament in 1971 without a full discussion by the people. Only the cabinet and government under the then prime minister were privy to the details, and it was rushed through parliament.
Implemented from 1971 until today, the aim was to restructure society, to rescue the Malays from poverty and to give them access to all strata of the economy.
Today, admittedly there are more middle class Malays, but the vast majority of them still live in grinding poverty, and many others still live below the poverty line where families subsist on RM1,500 a month.
The wealth which was supposed to be transferred to the Malay poor was hijacked midway by Umno cronies. They have become rich beyond their wildest dreams.
THE NEP OBSTRUCTED AND DESTROYED THE ENTREPRENEUR SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE. FOREIGNERS AVOIDED INVESTING IN MALAYSIA. MANY SKILLED AND TALENTED MALAYSIANS MIGRATED TO GREENER PASTURES LIKE SINGAPORE, AUSTRALIA, CANADA AND THE STATES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE THE PUBLIC ADMISSION THAT 300,000 MALAYSIANS LEFT THE SHORES OF THE COUNTRY IN 2008. THE GOVERNMENT ALSO ADMITTED THAT ONE DECADE OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS WAS LOST AFTER THE ASIA FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 1998.
PAKATAN RAKYAT HAS OPENLY CALLED FOR THE NEP TO BE SCRAPPED AND IN ITS PLACE IMPLEMENT THEIR MALAYSIAN ECONOMIC POLICY WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE PUSH FOR THE ECONOMY TO PROGRESS AND PROSPER.
Unfortunately there are signs that PM Najib Razak is weakening and submitting to pressure by UMNO and PERKASA (extreme Malay pressure group) to retain the racial concepts of the NEP. PM Najib is vacillating and hence he is postponing the launch of the New Economic Model.
Pakatan Rakyat urges the prime minister to stand firm and scrap the NEP policies, which has been shown with facts and figures to have caused the Malaysian economy to fall behind that of S Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore
At independence, Malaya had the second highest per capita income in Asia, after Japan. After 1971, with the NEP, the GDP of Malaysia began falling behind that of the four Asian tigers Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore). In 2009, while GDP of Malaysia stood at US$8,000, S Korea and Taiwan rose to US$19,000, Hong Kong to $32,000 while Singapore to US$34,000.
The NEP caused Malaysia to lose four decades of economic progress and inflicted economic pain and loss on two generations of young Malaysians.
Prime Minister Najib Razak must wake up to the dangerous and retrogressive policies of Umno and Perkasa. Which will condemn Malaysians to a life of hardship due to low income and poverty.
PRIME MINISTER NAJIB SHOULD CALL FOR A NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF ECONOMISTS, ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINNESSMEN, BANKERS, SMALL AND MEDICUM ENTREPRENEURS, NGOS AND POLITICAL PARTIES TO DISCUSS AND AGREE ON A NEW BLUEPRINT FOR THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL FOR MALAYSIA.
#1 by Loh on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 6:33 pm
///A better way to measure prosperity is to divide the average annual salary by the total price of a selected basket of goods and services (as used in the UBS study). This tells us how much purchasing power local wages.///
Thank you Jeffrey for providing the link.
From the above you would appreciate that the data relates only to salary earned, and one doubts the coverage and the basis of such Statistics. Thus, it does not represent the country as a whole.
When the term PPP is used, the prices ralate to all items, included in GDP computation, inflated to international price. You might have heard of purchasing power parities of currencies based on Macdonald’s prices across countries. I view the report to belong to that category.
#2 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 6:34 pm
Yes, a car in Singapore can cost you 3 times more than Malaysia. But in Singapore, in terms of quality of life, you can travel around in efficient, clean and comfortable MRT. In Malaysia, the same car costs you less, but you still have to buy it and drive in the jam everyday, got it half baked sage?
#3 by c730427 on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 7:52 pm
Those dependent on NEP is like a handsome on life support. They can only think, talk and dream.
Compared to Indonesia, Malaysia is losing behind in terms of mentality, culture and advancement in terms of desire to excel.
#4 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 8:00 pm
In my post #30 I was just bringing to attention a certain point of view of a Singaporean analyst that [sic] obsession with GDP growth does not necessarily bring happiness and well-being to its people. Thats it period.
I used the word ‘sic’ in #30 (from the Latin ‘sicut’, meaning ‘just as’), to explain the status of an apparent mistake. Generally, sic means the foregoing mistake (or apparent mistake) was made by the writer/speaker I am quoting.
I am but the messenger of what he said.
So Lim Kam Put, Please explain to me why do you call me repeatedly “half baked” calculated to be offensive.
#5 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 8:02 pm
Or are you saying that “half baked”: is not intended to be offensive?
#6 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 8:27 pm
Did I mention your name specifically when I said some of the views expressed here are half baked? It does not matter whether a point has come from that person directly or he has quoted from somewhere. Either way, that person is half baked. Let me put it this way, that someone has a penchant for diverting the real issue here. His agenda is suspected.
Let me add: Singapore does have rats as big as cats running around; Singapore does not have monsoon drains that are like open sewage. Singapore does not have uncollected garbage that oozes stench; Singapore does not have cockroaches, lizards, flies everywhere; Four or five Singapore dollars give you a decent meals in hygienic environment; five ringgit here now give you rubbish in a road side store with all the filthy air and stray cats. This someone must have his head examined. You know why this country never change? The denial syndrome is everywhere
#7 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 8:38 pm
///Did I mention your name specifically when I said some of the views expressed here are half baked?/// – LimKamPut
So you admit you are not referring to me?
In your posting #46 “Godfather, I think you shouldn’t waste time with this half baked sage”, you’re not referring to me – and that you are referring to “some of the views expressed here are half baked”? Or you don’t have sincerity/courage to own up what you intended? Ha ha ha.
#8 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 8:42 pm
And in #40 when you said “Half baked, if you think life in Malaysia is more present than Singapore, that is because Malaysia has more resources …” – again you are referring to the world at large (not me)? Lim Kam Put do you have the sincerity/courage to own up what you intended or you want to keep telling grand mother stories here ?
#9 by Bunch of Suckers on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 9:16 pm
#50
What an excellent point?
Usually, traffic jams are man-made by bunch of police suckers sucking for money as to setup unnecessary road-blocks and check-points in Bolehland or bodohland!! Lot of laughs…. Ha ha ha…
As LKS said before, “couple of SMS message and a phone call…” to halt up the entire KL city for couple of days!!! What a joke.man!!! LOL!!
Hopeless….hopeless…. Police….
#10 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 9:20 pm
///Either way, that person is half baked. Let me put it this way, that someone has a penchant for diverting the real issue here. His agenda is suspected./// – LimKamPut #4
You are referring to the whole world – those whose views expressed here are half baked, right? Hah ha ha
#11 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 10:07 pm
Not to mention the only exercise some people get in Bolehland is jumping to conclusions, running down others (sometimes directed generally at the whole world), side-stepping responsibility, and pushing their luck.
#12 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 10:42 pm
Bodoh, in the first place do you know exactly what is PPP? I doubt you know, this much i can say.
#13 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 10:52 pm
Though Malaysia is still a developing country and has a GDP (PPP) per capita of only $14,215, less than 3 times of ours, the ordinary Malaysian citizen has about the same domestic purchasing power as the Singaporean.
//UBS
UBS is talking through its ass. If they understand what PPP is all about, they would not have made the above statement. What can we expect from all these big names – UBS, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Bro, CitiBank etc. Didn’t they screw the world financial system and run it to its ground.
#14 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 10:53 pm
Though Malaysia is still a developing country and has a GDP (PPP) per capita of only $14,215, less than 3 times of ours, the ordinary Malaysian citizen has about the same domestic purchasing power as the Singaporean.
//UBS
UBS is talking through its ass. If they understand what PPP is all about, they would not have made the above statement. What can we expect from all these big names – UBS, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Bro, CitiBank etc. Didn’t they scr*w the world financial system and run it to its ground.
#15 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 11:00 pm
Limkamput: Re your posting #10 who were you insulting “Bodoh” (unprovoked) – UBS? Me? or the World at Large?
#16 by limkamput on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 - 11:19 pm
//In a bid to regain straying non-Malay support, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin said tonight the government’s New Economic Model (NEM) will provide equal opportunities to all regardless of race.//MI
Sound familiar or not? Didn’t I said all these before – each time after all the scr*w-up, the government will come up with a standard response – all the unfairness, the shortcomings, the discrimination and marginalisation will be rectified in the next Malaysia Plan and now with a little more sophistication, in the NEM. Read my lips, new model my ass. If those Chinamen from the Chinese Assembly Hall buy the stupid idea, then they are asses too.
#17 by johnnypok on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 12:45 am
Employ Mr. Lee Kuan Yew as the PM cum King of Bolehland, on contract basis for a period of 20 years, and extend it perpetually if necessay.
#18 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 5:00 am
“Sound familiar or not? Didn’t I said …” limkaput
This is the result of UMNO sending Malay students at great taxpayer expense, who do not deserve to go anywhere to the U.S. and elsewhere overseas to attend community colleges and polytechnics, only to return to write and speak broken English.
” Read my lips, new model my ass …” limkaput
After all this time, you’re still asking readers to read your lips when they can’t even see your face. Please put yourself on webcam so we can see your lips.
“If those Chinamen from the Chinese Assembly Hall buy the stupid idea …” limkaput
Yeah right! Blame the Chinamen when you cannot find anybody else to blame. The average Chinaman is a lot smarter than you think.
#19 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 6:55 am
took long sabbatical leave from public duty?
#20 by limkamput on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 12:09 pm
Hey, half baked sage, it is pointless for you to canvass for support from a depraved ass who honesty is worse than the pimp walking streets of Kampung Atap. Since the pimp is here, it is better for me to get out fast.
#21 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 2:40 pm
/// Singapore has high GDP per capita its not having same quality of life as like countries and even more aggrieved that though Malaysia has much lower GDP (PPP) per capita of only $14,215, less than 3 times of Singapore’s, the ordinary Malaysian citizen at least cities like KL, has about the same domestic purchasing power as the Singaporean. ///
Jeff, that is wrong. PPP already factored in the domestic purchasing power. Singapore’s per capita GDP (ppp) on a purchasing power parity is 3 times more than Malaysia’s. Period. But you will be correct to say that some pockets in KL (not all) have a per capita GDP – again on a ppp basis, that could be higher than Singapore’s. That is like saying the top income earners in KL earns more than the average earners in Singapore. And certainly the per capita GDP (Grease, Dirty-money, Pilfering) of UMNOputras and their cronies are a thousand fold higher than Singapore’s per capita GDP.
#22 by Godfather on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 3:35 pm
I have just returned from a trip to find that you folks have hijacked this blog and diverted attention to Dr Chen’s call for the “New” Economic Model to be the subject of public consultation.
I don’t care if some lowly economist thinks that Singaporeans have no freedom of choice, and that they yearn for Malaysians’ happiness. I also don’t care if many Malaysians are happy with their per capita income, especially if their income is supplemented by crutches offered by the government. All I know is that I am unhappy at the way my tax payments are fritted away by this den of thieves. My income may be on a par with the per capita income of Singapore (and therefore 3 times the per capita income of the average Malaysian) but I know for a fact that I can’t be happier than the average Singaporean.
Hence I want the New Economic Model to address leakages and crutches offered only to those who truly deserve them. If the government can’t do this transparently, then it means the voice of Perkasa is more important than mine, even though I contribute more to tax revenues than Ibrahim Katak.
#23 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 5:38 pm
According to TheMalaysiaInsider’s report March 17 By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal The Malay Consultative Council (MPM) (of which Ibrahim Ali is the founder and steering committee member) “claims that Malays and Bumiputras, who form the majority group in the country, are being marginalised and amendments need to be made to the New Economic Model (NEM) to remedy that.”
According to Ibrahim Ali (sic) “77 per cent of the country’s population is made up of Malays and Bumiputras while 33 percent are non-Malays, which made Malays and Bumiputras the majority race in the country”.
“The UN charter states that the majority group is the national agenda… this is indeed the issue of national agenda, because this is the majority population,” he added.
After 50 years of affirmative policy by NEP, majority are still marginalized? By what – the implementation of the very affirmative policy that is supposed to address it?
This is the only country in the world that (sic) 77% majority receives affirmative help. In others it’s the minority who receive.
Also by articles 2 and 7 of UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms and equal protection of law, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. He forgot to mention these.
#24 by Loh on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 - 9:37 pm
Surely one day, the 77% will be reached, but now it is 67%, when NEWMalays are included. Had UMNO cared for the true Malays, the definition of the Malay in the constitution would have referred to them rather than to persons who could hijacked the NEP.
NEP was to be for 20 years until 1990. NDP replaced NEP while implementing the same racial policies with better protection for corruption among the connected. That lasts for 20 years. So NEM begin now until 2020 when a new variant of NEP will be due. By then the figure of 77% for NEWMalays would materialise. The per capita GDP would become one-sixth of that for Singapore.
The UMNO Malay leaders in the 1960s should have either opened up UMNO membership to all Malayans or restiricted them to true Malays. The true Malays are no match for mamaks even when mamaks are at the receiving end like other non-Malays. When they are included as Malays, what hope are there for the true Malays? Ibrahim Ali can scream his head off, but he still did not realise the cause of Malays’ problems; he had Perkasa opened by Mamakthir. What a joke!