In his interview with Sin Chew Daily in the past two days, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made the most sensible and commendable comments on nation-building in Malaysia.
The greatest pity is that he did not adopt them when he has the real power to influence the government and nation in his heyday as Prime Minister.
Firstly, in “Change Or Perish, Pak Lah Tells UMNO”, Sin Chew reported:
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Malays have changed their old thinking and value system, only that UMNO seems to have “forgotten” that the Malays have indeed changed.
He said the Malays have changed, but if UMNO remains unwilling to change, then the party will eventually head for destruction.
“UMNO has forgotten that the Malays have changed their own thinking and perspectives. It has forgotten that the Malays have changed their value system. The Malays are no longer what they used to be. They unreservedly express themselves. They even wave the DAP flags!”
Abdullah said during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily at his private residence in Kuala Lumpur that during his five-year tenure as the prime minister, he has managed to change the mentality of the Malays.
He said young Malays believe they can stand on their own feet, and this is the major value that has changed the young Malays today.
“Young Malays feel that they need the opportunities, so they begin talking about DAP and PKR. They believe they have better opportunities there.”
Secondly, in “Pak Lah: NEP No Longer In Existence”, Sin Chew reported:
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi emphasised that the New Economic Policy is no longer in existence today.
“The NEP is a policy which is no longer in existence. The objective of this policy has been to eradicate poverty, as you all know.”
He said during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily at his private residence in Kuala Lumpur that the way the NEP was implemented had triggered the dissatisfaction among many people, including some Malays, adding that Malaysians needed a more transparent policy and open market.
The first question is whether the rest of the Umno leadership, led by the Umno President-elect and Prime Minister-in-waiting, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, are prepared to publicly endorse Abdullah’s “Umno – Change or Perish” analysis – accepting the reality that when Malays support the DAP or PKR, it is not because they are traitors to the Malay race but because they reject the political fallacy equating “UMNO with Malays and Malays with UMNO”, regarding themselves as Malaysians first and Malays second, just as their other Malaysian counterparts who must regard themselves as Malaysians first and Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans second!
Similarly, does the rest of the Umno leadership led by Najib accept that the New Economic Policy “no longer exists” as it is a specific policy meant for 20 years from 1970 and 1990, although the objectives of eradication of poverty regardless of race and restructuring of society to reflect the country’s multi-racial character in all sectors of society should be continuing programmes.
If this had been Abdullah’s clear-cut nation-building policy and philosophy from the first day he took over as Prime Minister five years ago, the country would have spared many nation-building crises arising from high-handed, arbitrary, hegemonic and most divisive extension of the New Economic Policy till 2020, giving rise to keris-wielding excesses and “ketuanan Melayu” demands.
Will Najib and the rest of the Umno leadership endorse Abdullah’s most sensible philosophy on nation-building, viz:
· that Malays have changed including supporting the DAP to further the legitimate aspirations of the Malays and that UMNO will perish unless Umno could also change; and
· that the New Economic Policy is no longer in existence and the country should no longer be divided by irresponsible calls for the extension of the NEP while the country should continue with its national objectives of poverty eradication and multi-racialisation?
#1 by k1980 on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 12:14 pm
PM– “The NEP is a policy which is no longer in existence.”
Then, Mr PM, why do I have to pay 10% more for a house while my Malay friend can get it for 10% less? And he’s certainly getting a higher salary than me. Like this also can one ahh?
#2 by de_Enigma on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 12:32 pm
“The NEP is a policy which is no longer in existence” – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
To a person half-asleep all the time, that should be the case. He must bear in mind that we as affected public see things with our own eyes. One can’t just point at a monkey and called it human.
#3 by madmix on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 12:38 pm
When he is riding away into the sunset, it is easy for him to say such things. I believe that Pak Lah really subscribes to all that he says all along, only that as leader of a racist supremacist party, he cannot practice what he preach without outright mutiny in the ranks as such ideas goes against the very grain and ideology by which UMNO stands.
#4 by wanderer on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 1:18 pm
Not appreciated Abdullah, too little, too late…flowery language is only meant for dreamers!
A racist and arrogant party like UMNO will not change unless thrown out by the people…need not have to wait too long for this change to happen.
#5 by pathfinder on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 1:42 pm
My say is this, we are all hearing from a failure. A failure who talks like he can do alot but actually in reality he can’t. Just imagine he is the head of UMNO and yet he don’t have control over them. Seems like He’s a leader who don’t lead but follow the members. So ironical. So out of sync with his party, so out of touch, so….but after years and years in UMNO can’t change them and yet he refuses to admit defeat until the members themselves have to remove him as their head. If I read it right the problem actually is not with UMNO but him……he can’t manage to get his message across to them…plainly speaking he just don’t have the skill to change them.
#6 by -ec- on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 1:55 pm
AAB cannot lead. That leads to his failure. yes, too little too late.
#7 by -ec- on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 1:59 pm
Malaysians will remember AAB as a lame duck PM. Or Malaysians will simply forget him altogether.
#8 by hadi on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 2:06 pm
YB, this PM can talk when he is not with the rest of the UMNO goons.
Orang Melayu cakap “berani cakap belakang saja” SO, THAT IS THE QUALITY OF PM we have.
Probably Malaysians should allow him to continue his term as PM and see whether he has the political will.
The PM elect is no different and may be even worst, with all the tainted image and incompetent. Don’t believe me wait and see.
Keep hammering YB but take care of your health.
#9 by One4All4One on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 2:14 pm
Well, well, well…
What is in store for us all? I mean ALL, all Malaysians…with no exceptions.
There are so many contemporaneous issues to be dealt with which need subtle solutions to satisfy so many dissenting views and demands from as many peoples from different cultural, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Some issues are outstanding and old, some have evolved over time and are different versions of the old, some are serious, some are petty, some are real, some are made up, some are relevant, some are not, some are academic, some are philosophic, some are sensible, some are senseless, some are reasonable, some are atrocious, some are solvable, some are simply abysmal and never ending…
How the problems are approached and tackled reflect the mentality, intelligence, experience, subtlety, refinement, attitude, disposition, magnanimity, finesse, civility, culture, tradition, education, and the sum total sense of humanity and existence of the individuals concerned.
The approach adopted and taken is a reflection of the culmination of the civilisation and philosophical attainment of the collective leadership and people of the land.
Where do Malaysia and Malaysians stand in those regards?
What do we wish to accomplish as a nation and as a people?
What we wish for and where we are headed depends on how we position and posture ourselves.
We need to be very honest about the problems and situations in order to come up with sensible and workable solutions.
What are not needed are corruption, cheats, parochialism, antagonism, greed, racism, discrimination, prejudice, hegemony, supremacy, inequitable policies, etc., etc.
Unless and until we can stand up to the rigours of those demands, we are not ready to achieve anything close to meritocracy and the spoils that come with it.
The choice is in our hands.
#10 by Cinapek on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 2:20 pm
AAB dares to claim the NEP no longer exist because he knows he is leaving office soon and does not have to depend on UMNO’s support to remain in power. On top of all his other failings, he has shown himself to lack the courage to do what is right. If he had felt that the NEP should not exist anymore, he should have spoken up sooner and done the right thing to get rid of it officially. To say it now is to my mind an admission of weakness in integrity.
It is wistful thinking to hope that any UMNO leaders would dare to agree with AAB. To do so would be to commit political suicide unless they are prepared to leave UMNO and forgo all those opportunities to grab a slice of the pie.
Abdullah claims “…..he has managed to change the mentality of the Malays….” who is he trying to fool. Maybe some Malays have changed but certainly not those in UMNO. Ahmad Ismail is a living example. Add Bung Moktar, Tajuddin and those other racist UmNO leaders and clearly AAB is delusional.
#11 by monsterball on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 2:51 pm
All are the same sickening hypocrites la.
OKT….UMNO pimp… talk so much….nice for Malaysians to hear….after knowing…he has no more hope as MCA President.
Mahathir is the worst of the lot….non stop talking for 5 years…..blaming everyone…but himself.
Can lie..can make a promise.. to expose UMNO crooks..and then .. forget.
This man is the darling of young Malays for 22 years..and see how many have become like him.
Dollah you say?….why he is a selfish good for nothing simpleton.
That’s why Mahathir chose him.
The funs begins….when the worst of the two….Najib takes over as PM.
Najib is the adopted son of Mahathir….Mahathir’s pet..when he was PM.
Wait till he perform as PM…and see the clone of Mahathir finally emerged.
Will change of government save us all.
YOU BET!!
#12 by AhPek on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 3:04 pm
Dear Sleepy Head,
Tell us why,on the eve of your departure you feel compelled to make such statements to your UMNOPUTRAS when you could have in fact started the ball rolling for change to happen especially having obtained such huge mandate from the people? Those statements made can simply be viewed as an indictment of total failure of your stewardship,a complete squandering of opportunities given to you by the rakyat.All told you haven’t got the makings of a leader, and you shouldn’t be there in the first place but no,you want that glamourous position with its power and benefits to boot.Now look what have you done to the country…a total mess.We wouldn’t miss you although we don’t relish the in coming PM.
#13 by hiro on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 3:33 pm
PM’s ideas won’t fly when he’s neck deep running the federal administration. Now that he’s outgoing, those are just nice words that no longer have any real impact on UMNO, and so he can say whatever he wants.
That’s the disease of UMNO. When it comes to the real stuff, the meat of the policy, they fail to use an inclusive approach on Malaysia. They suffer from siege mentality, whether real or otherwise.
It will be by a stretch of imagination to see UMNO improving on better governance, creating better democratic space, and making Malaysia competitive, especially when the PM can say NEP no longer exists, but the rest in UMNO will call for blood to be drawn at some mention of amending the NEP.
I say hope for all Malaysians lie with Pakatan Rakyat. PKR, DAP and PAS – please try hard not to screw up, you have our prayers to succeed.
#14 by vsp on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 4:15 pm
Haven’t you notice that this is not the first time that Abdullah has been saying sensible and commentable things on many isues but within a short time he will just to do the exact opposite of what he said?
When he first became the PM his words were so sweet and appealing that many Malaysians were hookwinked to give him the biggest mandate of all PMs before him. In spite of failing to keep the promises he made he kept on repeating the same mistakes over and over again until many Malaysians were so pissed up with his pompous talks that they decided to give him a turkey: total rejection during the 2008 election.
This latest homily is just smoke and mirror. I thought the last rabbit to be pulled out of his trick bag was the MACC/JAC bills, but here again I am wrong. I think this man is suffering from a psychological disorder: he just could not stop with this game even though the people had seen through his tricks and sent him a clear message.
I really pity this incorrigible liar. When is he going to learn? Are there any suckers out there who still believe in this misearble man?
#15 by pulau_sibu on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 4:23 pm
Abdullah would perhaps stay on until Anwar takes over. No one is sure that Abdullah will step down by March, if he will have majority of support within BN
#16 by Loh on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 4:48 pm
///If this had been Abdullah’s clear-cut nation-building policy and philosophy from the first day he took over as Prime Minister five years ago, the country would have spared many nation-building crises arising from high-handed, arbitrary, hegemonic and most divisive extension of the New Economic Policy till 2020, giving rise to keris-wielding excesses and “ketuanan Melayu” demands.///
PM AAB tried to initiate such policy when he declared that he was a PM for all Malaysians. TDM stopped him. AAB’s son-in-law made it impossible for AAB to do away with racist policies when he started to suggest that Malays were marginalized in Penang. The problem with AAB was that he loved his daughter more than other Malaysians, and he was held hostage to ensure his daughter’s happiness. The greatest sinner was TDM. Longevity is good if it falls on the right person, otherwise never would there be so many people suffering for the continued existence of one person. Such is the fate of Malaysians!
#17 by wizzerd on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 5:16 pm
Pak Lah is just a puritanical hypocrite who does not mean what he says. As a pathetic PM for 5 years plus, he still had his arms twisted by UMNO and he is only telling this on the eve of his departure.
He is so afraid of his own party members to say the right thing. At the end of the day, he is still booted out by UMNO in favour of Najib. Life is cruel on you right? Pak Lah.
By agreeing to conduct, he is just playing to the gallery.
By now, I suppose no one would take his word seriously.
What a pathetic PM.
#18 by luking on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 5:23 pm
Like people say,you listen to him you will die,lah!
He just did a half past six reforms,and then he proudly says.They won’t be any corruptions happening anymore.even if there is there will be very little.What he is he talking?
#19 by mata_kucing on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 5:53 pm
Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. He says one thing and then does nothing. The guy doesn’t walk his talk. He’s just saying all the nice things hoping people will give him some praise before he goes. Thanks but no thanks.
#20 by anna brella on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 6:09 pm
“He said the Malays have changed, but……”
With respect:
The Malays as a people and a community have always had the ability like everyone else to evolve and adapt to keep up with the changing times.
Change and growth are constants in Life for all just as much as stability and consolidation are.
And unlike what Dr M said in his (once banned) book “The Malay Dilemma” the Malays are not alleged retards at all, but are just as smart (or just as stupid) as any other people in Malaysia or anywhere else. What they really lacked was the opportunity to prove that to themselves and to others because of the deliberate and manipulative “support-crutches” given them all (as a freebie even if they did not have a broken leg to require one) by UMNO for its self-serving political gain and survival.
What has changed now is that for the first time most Malays seem to be able to see and appreciate the fact that those free UMNO-given support crutches have not really helped them to feel good about themselves in the end. Those crutches have proved to be too expensive to bear as they were given freely at the expense of many other equally deserving fellow Malaysians who have lost out through no fault of their own.
Now that would, I believe, make any good Muslim feel bad for doesn’t Islam teach fairness to all? And worse, I bet they now also realise that those support crutches have only fooled them into complacence and served to make all Malays (other than those in UMNO of course) that much weaker and more dependent on hand-outs, instead of making them truly stronger and more interdependent as a people with high morale-boosting self-confidence and self-esteem to enable them to compete effectively with the best anywhere in the world.
It seems the Malays too can now, thankfully, see beyond the Machiavellian plotting and political machinations of UMNO and see the glaring truth that UMNO is there to merely serve and enrich itself and its cronies in the BN and elsewhere. They can see that UMNO is not really interested in their well-being and betterment, or in the well-being and betterment of other Malaysians or even in the well-being and betterment of the nation herself.
Being fooled and taken for a ride by the people you trust is a hard lesson to learn indeed.
“…..but if UMNO remains unwilling to change, then the party will eventually head for destruction.”
Sorry to be the harbinger of doom and gloom, but methinks that UMNO self-destruct button to self-oblivion in the political wilderness has already been irreversibly self-triggered with this latter-day dinosaur now blindly set on auto-pilot to self-detonate at the next GE with a historically spectacular BIG BANG.
But having said that, I add the standard a*s-covering-caveat that miracles can sometimes happen to save dinosaurs……smile.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
#21 by Onlooker Politics on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 7:13 pm
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (AAB) always likes to speak in the holy saint’s language when he meets up with a holy saint. Vice versa, he will speak in the devil’s language when he meets up with a devil. This kind of political talking strategy only proves that AAB is a hypocrite who is good for nothing.
By translation of the Sin Chew Daily reporter’s interview with AAB in this blogsite, Uncle Kit has been able to expose AAB’s true hypocritical face to some English-speaking Malays who will browse this blogsite. It will be much better if Uncle Kit can spend sometime in order to do some further translation work and publish a Malay version of AAB’s conversation with the Sin Chew Daily reporter so that much more Malay Malaysians will also be given a chance to know the true face of AAB.
I don’t really trust AAB so much on his sincerity in the nice talk which is meant only for the Non-Malay communities in Malaysia. I guess AAB chooses to speak nicely to the Sin Chew Daily reporter this time simply because he tries to please the Chinese community in Malaysia for purpose of wooing the Chinese voters to vote for the Barisan Nasional candidate in the soon-coming Kuala Terengganu by-election.
After the by-election, I believe AAB will tend to forget about everything he has said about the non-existence of the New Economic Policy and the KLSE listing requirement of 30% Bumiputera shareholders will continue to apply for many main board listed companies.
It is time now to tell all the Malay Malaysian voters in Kuala Terengganu that UMNO is just a useless party consists of many hypocrites who will never walk their talk and be ready to vote for Pakatan Rakyat in order to send a strong signal to Najib for purpose of demanding for a true reform. I think all of us should always play our own vital part in the general election or the by-election and strive to change for the better for our next generations!
#22 by juno on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 7:38 pm
Not only Badawi seems out of range in the IQ needed to run a Country like Malaysia, but the whole cabinet seems to suffer this endemic UMNO default! It seems like we are being ruled by ones like his African despot groups. Integrity ? its something you can never find in our Cabinet. How are they judged can be seen .. http://sjsandteam.wordpress.com The world no longer needs to listen to the weak and absentminded Heads of Govts like us . They will just freewheel into the ground and wipe out the resources. Paklah is just over driving his so called zest to cover for the rot underneath.
#23 by khairi ali on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 8:10 pm
Do we all know what nation building is all about, esp with a nation like Malaysia – a nation on the move… and the movement is away-and-away from the once known as Malay States.
Comparatively speaking, whatever is going on in American leaderships should be categorically referred as ‘nation building’, cos it has been going on for hundreds of years. Even if we see that America is drifting away from the worlds’ economic power due to its present inflationary crisis, but the nation still seem to be intact.
Malaysians should refer to its neighbour – Singapore – if nation building is to be comphrehended.
If this is the case for nation building, then we can see that no leaders right now, could be categoried as nation builder. All leaders seem to be more involve in political building rather than nation building.
Just because the outgoing PM said that the young Malays seem to be more relying on DAP, which suited DAP a lot, it doesnt mean that a ‘natiion building’ is in progress. It can also means that the nation is heading for trouble waters.
So, our MP should come up with something tangible about nation building, rather than referring to PM statements about ‘nation building’.
#24 by simon041155 on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 8:32 pm
It is heartening to see so many broad-minded Malays these days and because of this, UMNO’s katak di bawah tempurung narrow-mindedness is increasing spurn by the Malay populace. Let us support Keunggulan Melayu to show the world that the Malays are indeed at par with other technologically-advanced races in the world. Instead of sending a passenger to space, maybe we ought to develop our own indigenous aeronautical industry shaped like the wau, for example, LOL.
#25 by kerishamuddinitis on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 8:37 pm
We are assuming that those are indeed Sleepy Head’s own personal views and not those of his team of strategists trying to salvage what little they can for him to leave office as the PM who truly had the people’s interests at heart. I think Sleepy Head is not intelligent enough to arrive at these views on his own.
So, on the 1st count, they know Malays have changed and are simply using Sleepy Head to pass the message. But for UMNO to change, that is another challenge altogether. For when REAL change happens, the skeletons must come out of the closet. There are too many skeletons, quite a few decomposing bodies, a fair number of cadavers in rigor mortis, a significant number of freshly dead and too many walking dead. When REAL change happens, all this will be revealed.And the Malays will see the TRUTH for the first time. At this moment, it is to UMNO’s benefits to utter phrases like ‘Malays have changed, UMNO must change too.’ Then, when Malays are drugged in a trusting stupor, UMNO will take the next 50 years to SEEM to change.
On the 2nd count, it really is unfair of us to accuse Sleepy Head of not having taken affirmative action to jettison the NEP. He can very well turn around and say to us, WHY DID 50% of MALAYSIANS WHO ARE NOT MALAYS REFUSE TO PAY THE 10% on housing prices or the host of discriminatory standards? WHY?
You see, when you are classified as BUMIPUTRA and by that discriminatory standard alone, you stand to benefit by saving 10% on, say, a RM400k house, why in the world would you NOT take it? Who the heck cares if you really are not Malay but belong to a long list of ‘bumiputeras’ by some definition or other. And why would any ‘bumiputera’ care when the majority of non-bumiputeras are Chinese who ‘control the economy of Malaysia’? Include our Indian brothers and geez, that’s a lot of people who have to pay the full price. Why didn’t they speak up THEN?
Why would Muniandy A/L Suppiah who had just become Mamak Kaya bin Abdullah want to reject this benefit as he is planning to buy his RM950k bungalow? Or Ong Ah Kow who has taken on the name of Omar Sudah Ong Abdullah want to do so when he has a RM10mil contract on the table just waiting for the signature that seals the deal.
Maybe it serves us better if we look for the learnings behind those statements of Sleepy Head and ask ourselves why? Now, OTK is turning around on his words. And the whole of MCA is mum. You think MCA is filled with Malays-ah? Thank god, there are Malays who are waking up to the nonsense that is happening to this country. They are more honest in their assessment than the Chinese in MCA. The Chinese in MCA are running dogs. And the worst of them is Chew May13 Fun. Remember HER! REMEMBER HER WORDS! A Chinese like her is unlikely to really challenge the 10% penalty. She is like Mamak Kaya bin Abdullah and Omar Sudah Ong Abdullah – RUNNING DOGS who will sell the country for their own interests. Like 10% discount on house purchase.
#26 by One4All4One on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 9:24 pm
Someone please tell Datuk Seri AAB to repeat all that he had said in the Sin Chew interview to Utusan Malaysia and to UMNO in the coming general assembly.
That would perhaps awaken some people in the organisation and make them think hard about their blunders and sickening stance vis-a-vis the realities on the ground.
#27 by Anti Illuminati on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 9:26 pm
Dear Mr. Lim,
can u pls shed some light on the “New World Order” agenda by the westerner and the impact to us.
#28 by Yee Siew Wah on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 10:08 pm
This sleepy flip flop lame duck guy is playing a double game.
I beleive whatever he uttered to Sin Chew is not sincere at all. Due to his flip flop nature, how to believe whatever he does. For all you you, if he ever want to speak to that garbage reporting media UM, he may do a complete flip flop again. Just look at the current reforms he did. Only sandiwara. Actually this guy is going to piss off soon, whatever he do or talk does not hold water anymore.
#29 by otl on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 10:18 pm
YB Lim,
Thank you highlight to us.
We all anak Malaysia, we should be “satu bangsa”, we need to co-operate to fight with other countries, we are not so competitive enough compare with other South East Asia nation.
If we still continue this NEP will this bring benefits to us? We anak Malaysia need change, we have to survive, we want to be proud that we are Anak Malaysia.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst… Haha…
Thank you.
http://tinglip.blogspot.com
#30 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 11:19 pm
Congrats to Pak Lah. It’s never too late to see the light, speak the truth and damn the devil.
Now, can we ask for 3 more pragmatic measures to be instituted by you to level the playing field and help all Malaysians to prosper. The prosperous Chinese, Indians, Dayaks etc. will be better positioned and be able to develop more financial muscles to prosper their Malay brethren if they are given the breathing space and room to extend their competencies.
Pak Lah, you know much better than most malaysians what is right and proper and good for Malaysia. Just do it and cut out the homilies. Mostly, actions speak louder than words.
#31 by sheriff singh on Saturday, 20 December 2008 - 11:49 pm
Looks like Pak Lah is out to “sabo” his successor. Now Najib must be feeling uncomfortable to be put in a fix by all these statements.
Say some more Pak Lah and let him squirm.
#32 by Jong on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 12:05 am
Sometimes I just wonder whether he knows what he is talking about. He calls himself “PM of ALL Malaysians” yet he warned the rakyat “Saya pantang dicabar ” or to that effect. Most of the time he’d be reading a prepared speech, I am sure without understanding. No wonder this nation is so screwed up with such calibre and quality of leaders like him and worse is our Malaysian prime ministers are not of our choosing, but the choice of some 190 UMNO division heads, to lead a nation of 27 million population! How ridiculous can this be? There’s no “quality” in our prime ministers except one – Dr Mahathir, to be frank. Who dare dispute the fact that had that railway gatekeeper Dato Z not died, he might even stand a chance to be a PM, just lubricate those 190 division head with all those money that he has accumulated, what’s the problem?
The method inwhich we had allowed the of selection of PM candidates must cease! It’s not right, definitely unfair and a big joke! How can we allow the fate of 27 million people of Malaysia be decided by the bunch of 190 UMNO division heads? How could we have allowed this to happen for half a century now? Don’t we Malaysians look stupid enough?
It’s time the Federal Constitution must go for review, and for change if we want the best of men to lead this nation, someone capable whom we are proud to have and to call our choice, if not the choice of 27 million Malaysians but at least the choice of 13 million but definitely not 190 ‘well-lubricated’ UMNOputras?!!!!
#33 by Kongseemik on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 12:42 am
As the Tun had said before rightfully, “Melayu mudah lupa!!”
#34 by chengho on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 2:16 am
Malaysia need a strong leader who will not hesitate to karate chop when neccessary to maintain public order . A weak leader cannot lead a nation with so much diversity like Malaysia . PakLah is a leader at the wrong place and a wrong time may be he can come back 50 yrs from now.
#35 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 9:10 am
Is “Change or Perish” for Sin Chew Daily’s audience reported in Utusan Melayu/Berita Harian, where it counts?
#36 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 9:25 am
When he says the same thing to Utusan, then I will buy it. How many Malay read Sin Chew?
#37 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 10:16 am
“They unreservedly express themselves. They even wave the DAP flags!” Abdullah 37
What flag do you expect them to wave?? DAP supporters also wave the national flag. Does that not mean anything to you, you block head!!
#38 by undergrad2 on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 10:19 am
“… just lubricate those 190 division head with all those money that he has accumulated, what’s the problem?” Jong
Lubricate their heads with KY?? I think youi got the wrong end.
#39 by k1980 on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 11:43 am
Dreamt of Dola dressed up as Papa Krismas coming down the house chimney delivering Christmas gifts. Asked him why he was doing this, he answered that he has changed his name to from Bad Awi to Good Awi. Then woke up and the dream ended.
#40 by AhPek on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 11:49 am
‘…………………………………..may be he can come back 50 years from now.’ chengho.
Then you must be as much a clown as he is!!
#41 by dawsheng on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 12:03 pm
Talk is cheap! Maybe the Chinese folks in KT will believe Abdullah.
#42 by aje on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 12:12 pm
Johore is the only state which gives a 15% discount to Malays in the purchase of medium and high cost of houses.I remember DAP reps in the Johore state assembly did make some noises sometime ago but to no avail.I hope the Pakatan reps will bring up this issue again for the benefit of ALL Johoreans.May be the discount this time should be cap at 5 %.What do u think,Johoreans?
#43 by vsp on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 1:45 pm
There’s no “quality” in our prime ministers except one – Dr Mahathir, to be frank. [Jong]
——–
In what sense do you define “quality” in a person such as Mahathir? Just because he had built a lot of monuments and implemented a lot of mega projects? I think you are a bit screwed in your assessments here.
If all these achievements are accompanied with the development of human values and capital, then I would totally agree with you.
Just look around you and what state of affairs have you found Bolehland to be so envied about?: crime, broken law enforcement institutions, frayed race-relations, blatant piracy of public wealth by the UMNOputras, shallow education system where students are not allowed to think but only to regurgitate useless facts and figures, etc. Who is the one that has allowed such a sorry state to exist in the first place? No other than the great Mahathir!
When people say that Mahathir is responsible for all the development of Bolehland and only think of the physical infrastructures that were built but disregard the damage that were wrought by his callous administration, they had been successfully fooled by the clever propaganda of the UMNOputras.
The UMNOputras have cleverly used the mantra of development as a cover for the inhumanity and indignities of pillage and plunder of Bolehland. Developments were carried out not because the UMNOputras care but only as a mean of feeding their insatiable greed for wealth and power. Do they care when schools, highways, bridges, courts, and other buildings built at great expense to the public purse collapsed for no apparent reason? Yet no one were held responsible for all these fiascos!
I can illustrate one example why the UMNOputras are so fond of the development mantra. Let’s look at the Putrajaya–KL dedicated highway that was opened hardly a year ago. Even before the highway was officially opened, you can find that on both sides of the highway swatches of virgin forests were stripped bare of all trees and in its place rows and rows of gleaming houses were ready to be occupied or were in the process of construction. This scenario applies to all the highways that were constructed throughout the years. Before a highway project was approved, the UMNOputras would have already bought all the lands surrounding such massive projects.
This shows that the epithet being heaped on Mahathir as the “Father of Development” is so shallow when the state of affairs now in Bolehland is in dire straits.
#44 by dawsheng on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 2:28 pm
“PKR’s junior partner in Pakatan Rakyat, the DAP, is expected to whip up racial sentiments and focus the hatred of the city-dwelling Chinese against Taib over the issue of extending their property leases which are due soon.
The Sarawak Chinese have for a long time worried about the possibility of their livelihood being threatened if their leases are not extended. However, such an event is highly unlikely in Sarawak where the Chinese have benefited from the trust given to them by the Sarawak political leadership to develop the economy of Sarawak.
The DAP is promising them freehold land titles as a reward for putting them in power. It would be interesting to see how the newly formed Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission would perceive these political inducements. – Nur Jazlan, Malaysian Insider
DAP is racist?
#45 by Evenmind on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 3:11 pm
Is Buduwhi still asleep., what da fcuk is he talking about.?? NEP , racism and all the bull is still very much alive and is consuming the nation’s economy as ever before., what a nerd?tion Vivina
#46 by lee wee tak_ on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 3:35 pm
one thing similar between Badawi & Mahathir is that after their reign is over or about to be over, they tell some truth (though in Mahathir’s case, he mix up with other stuff as well). Mahathir talks a lot about money politics in UMNO except who really got it going in UMNO big time
Badawi’s last ditch action is add salt onto injury. He neglected the public’s trust given to him in 2004 and now, in a rush for personal glory, he is bulldozing the Parliament process to deposit seeds for future legal tragedy and injustice by rushing through many critical Bills.
Notice Badawi is hardly heard during the Bukit Antarabangsa Tragedy? He could have earned some brownie points by pretending to be angry, sad (yes, cry a little like you did during the budget speech. Eyemos at the ready) and whatever. Perhaps wanting to leave with good FINAL impression, he distanced himself from a tragedy.
What else? Another marriage before you vacant office come March?
#47 by lee wee tak_ on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 3:38 pm
another thing, Badawi is still a wakil rakyat. Is he going to set up a service centre, visit drains and lepers, arranging meetings with resident associations?
riding into sun set? he still has responsibilities. look at the hard working WRs, especially those in the PR camp. You think Badawi can match their work rate? I fancy he will become 1 of the most well traveled MP after March 2009 if he really does step down.
Perhaps he can let us know about the best kebab in Istanbul or the best grill Down Under
#48 by lee wee tak_ on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 3:46 pm
dawsheng,
read the source. MInsider, I believe, is run by certain interest group.
yet, I am all for positive racism. Positive racism, in my book, means doing positive things in advance for a certain race without harming the others.
every race have their own problems and we need to devise specific programs to address them
1) help Indians with their economic problems arising from structural changes in the plantation industry
2) help the Malays in the transition from rural dwellers to urban dwellers
3) assist the Dayak with their land problem
4) promote Chinese culture amongst Chinese and other races to sustain this wonderful heritage
5) preserving the richness in Malay culture like Makyong, Wayang Kulit, Wau, Keris making etc
6) promote cultural events of minorities like Portuguese, Sikhs, Jakuns to foster understanding and attract foreign tourism
7) promote West Malaysians’ understanding of the East Malaysians’ culture and livelihood issues so that we can be a more united and co-ordinated nation
and dump the zero sum game promoted and prefected by the He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken
#49 by k1980 on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 7:33 pm
He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken? Let me guess– the Great Pharaoh? aka the Capati-eating immigrant from Kerala?
#50 by mohd ali ismail on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 8:34 pm
The problem with AAb is that he has too many double headed advisers with split tongues around him.He is a good listener and will listen to anyone that he feels he can rely on.As he is weak mentally and physically they take advantage of the situation for their personal gains like the recent exercise to get IJN privatised.
#51 by lee wee tak_ on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 9:03 pm
k1980
absolutely
#52 by Jimm on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 9:10 pm
with at least 3 generations of Malaysiab been fully exploited by umno to their evil power …… this old dog are merely barking with his last voice …..
Let the great God take His action to punish this kind of animal which destroys His people of their living rights.
#53 by chin on Sunday, 21 December 2008 - 10:40 pm
Gosh ! This man is out of coma ! At least, he is running out of Novacaine, for now ! Does sleep talking exist ?
#54 by undergrad2 on Monday, 22 December 2008 - 6:42 am
“UMNO has forgotten that the Malays have changed their own thinking and perspectives. It has forgotten that the Malays have changed ..” Abdullah Badawi
This guy has everything mixed up! The Malays didn’t change. What changed was UMNO. UMNO has lost its legitimacy to rule and the Malays are about to dump them – lock, stock and barrel, line, hook and sinker! See you at the bottom of the ocean!
#55 by cintanegara on Monday, 22 December 2008 - 10:20 am
Happy 83rd Birthday to Negarawan Ulung, Tun Dr Mahathir, May GOD blessed you with prosperity, good health and long live. You have turned Malaysia into an advanced developing country and well respected country in Asia. You will always be remembered in our hearts as well as our next generations.
We all love you TUN. Malaysians are proud of you Tun. You are a WORLD class leader
#56 by AhPek on Monday, 22 December 2008 - 11:24 pm
cintanegara,
If you were to use a little bit of your grey matter you’ll realise it’s no use wishing him “Happy Birthday” in this blog.That mamak won’t come to this blog cos he would likely see all his misdeeds,mismanagement and abuse of power mentioned by commenters here.He cannot have that.His ego needs to be fed by people rushing forward bodek him like what one sees in his blog.In there one will see millions bodeking him, with nothing else worth reading from contributions from commenters there.
See,by not allowing your brains to work,you have wasted your time sending birthday wishes to him to YB’s blog!! But then again it’s not surprising for people trained by UMNOPUTRAS cos the trainees are not trained to think since the thinking is already done for them!
#57 by katdog on Monday, 22 December 2008 - 11:32 pm
Ha ha! Cintanegara is funny. He is what is called a ‘Troll’
Heres a definition of a Troll:
“An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion”
Shoo Troll! Shoo!
#58 by One4All4One on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 2:00 am
There are just too many contentious issues which are bothering, worrying, disturbing, annoying, being prolonged, being abused, being used as trump cards, being perpetuated or simply left aside to rot or grow malignant and holding everyone at ransom.
It seems no concerted efforts are being taken and pursued with relentlessness and vigour that would solve those contentious issues once and for all to the satisfaction and relief of all stakeholders, especially those of the rakyat who seem to be forever trapped in the cacophonies and misdeeds, trickery and “wayang kulit” played out by the so-called leaders and captains, some, or rather most, of whom are more interested to enrich themselves and their kins and friends, or to pander to the whims and fancies of their supporters, or simply resigned to throw their support behind the leadership to perpetuate their fortune and selfish interest.
All at the expense of truly getting into the heart of matters which are relevant to their posts and duties. And for which the rakyat voted them in.
It is time the rakyat wake up and demand that those who are tasked to work for the common good of all, and that include the elected themselves, really stand up to their expectation. Else it would all boil down to futility and make a complete mockery of the system and defeat the very purpose of the election process.
The rakyat must not accept being taken for a ride, or simply being hoodwinked. Let’s not fall prey to the false cries and wolf calls made by those insincere and less than able so-called leaders. We can and should demand that they carry out reforms which truly matter to all, without prejudice and discrimination. If they fail to deliver they should be booted out at the soonest.
It is not a time to be emotional or sympathetic as our future and that of our children are at stake.
Enough is enough.
#59 by Loh on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 5:25 am
///“UMNO has forgotten that the Malays have changed their own thinking and perspectives. It has forgotten that the Malays have changed ..” Abdullah Badawi///
The Malays who have changed according to AAB are the Malays who were Malays without having to depend on the definition as provided in the constitution. UMNO have forgotten about that because UMNO is controlled not by Malays whose forefathers were malays before 1957, but by Malays who are better classified as NEWMalays. These NEWMalays want the divide and rule continued forever, and it is because of the benefits that they call themselves Malays. The NEWMalays are dragging the true Malays to support them in their effort to continue with racisim in the country.
#60 by AhPek on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 9:29 am
cintanegara,
Since your education on the goings-on of Malaysia and the doings of your great idol mamakthir come mainly msm as well as http://www.chedet.com so much so you tend to have verbal diarrhoea when you and commenters in mamak’s blog heap praises on him,I’ll like to give an account of the other side of him to fill up the missing gap in your knowledge of him.With this added information hopefully a better picture of him should emerge.
The Malaysian nation has lost at least 30 billion dollars during his years of corrupt rule. One billion lost from the purchase of phantom skyhawk war planes nobody has ever seen (are they still in the Nevada desert USA?) 3 billions lost from the London tin scandal (Mahathir thought he could corner the London tin market without knowing the Americans had such a huge stockpile!! Stupidity at its height!)6 billions Perwaja steel mill where nobody knew where the money went, 3 billions bank Bumiputra scandal where George Tan bribed all the bank officials to lend him the money. 6 billion forax lost by Bank Negara (the fool and his money are soon parted) and 6 billions to build 3 of the world’s tallest buildings (built by Japanese and Koreans with furniture imported from France,not Malaysia) and 1 billion lostfrom the purchase of British warship including fees paid to the broker and under the table.Add 10 billion he stole and 5 billion taken by Ministers.
There were 50,000 university students not given places in Malaysia but these were good enough for places overseas resulting in billions of dollars lost.The British and Australians must be thinking how stupid Malaysian government is.Malaysia’s best students sent over to their countries helping to raise their standards besides earning their money.In most countries the best are kept at home and rejects are sent overseas.Look at Singapore.She not only keeps her best but also does her utmost to attract the region’s best brains as well!
3 of Mahathir’s children,Mirzan,Mokhzani and Mukhriz acted as directors in more than 200 companies in a short space of a few years.According to searches made at the registry of companies at the end of 1994 when Mahathir was PM,
Mirzan had interests in 98 companies.
Mokhzani had interests in 48 companies.
Mukhriz had interests in 67 companies.
So,cintanegara this should pretty well fill up some of the missing gaps in your knowledge of your “world class” leader which in reality is a first class example of a modern day ROBBER BARON!!
#61 by cintanegara on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 2:21 pm
Dear Ah Pek,
Talking about father and son, what do you think of LKS? His son got the golden opportunity to contest in Kota Melaka at a very young age. I still remember he defeated Datuk Soh Chin Aun in 1986 and at that time, he was just 24.
Apart from that, LKS’s daughter in law is also the State Assemblywoman in Melaka. For sure, she will be Melaka CM, if PR took over the State Governemnt. However, I doubt that will become reality.
Moreover, no one could deny that Lim’s family are holding the most top and senior positions in DAP? What about Dr Tan Seng Giaw? He appears to be more rational and sensible compare to others. He chooses his words with care and precision and seldom brought up sensitive issue that would hurt others. Why he is not given the chance to lead DAP? No wonder, good and rational people like Lee Lum Tye left the party years ago.
Last but not least, dear Ah Pek, kindly not to relate Singapore for the benchmarking. After all they had done to us, why are you still praising them?
#62 by AhPek on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 3:22 pm
cintanegara,
Like what I’ve said ,you are not using your head,the thinking has already been done for you.That is why you are trying to equate LKS with your mamak.There is no comparison for one is a Robber Baron,the other is not and you can’t see that! Shocking to say the least!!
Another indication to my saying that thinking has already been done for you is that you people like to benchmark Malaysia’s doing with failed states.Malaysia’s corruption index is not bad what.We’re better tnan Indonesia,Zimbabwe or Sudan.See we’ve become a space-faring nation already by putting a tumpangnaut up there by paying for the trip.And you call him a cosmonaut! That’s the benchmark UMNOPUTRAS would like us to have.This I am not surprised as well for if they try to set high benchmarks they never be get to anywhere near it,so what’s the point.
You are the product of such indoctrination!
#63 by AhPek on Tuesday, 23 December 2008 - 3:40 pm
cintanegara,
I remember that article English-Medium Islamic school by Bakri Musa and you said “Dear Ah Pek, Would you kindly refer to my recent comment on the ungrammatical BM used everyday conversation?Hopefully,you don’t run away this time.”.
Go back to that posting and in case you haven’t read there are many replies given.Strangely it’s you who is doing the running away! And it is the second time you have run away although the first time you are forced to reply thro repeated reminders.So go back and reply me, I am waiting.