Greater unity under a Middle Malaysia


PETALING JAYA: Lim Kit Siang said the Middle Malaysia concept mooted by DAP stresses national transformation in bracing future economic challenges while more effectively uniting all Malaysians.

He said we must not interpret the new economic model purely from economic perspectives, but must first put in place a new model of governance.

“Although prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has proposed a new economic model, the many issues that have taken place lately such as the disappearance of military aircraft engine and the ‘Allah’ issue have shown that the Barisan Nasional government does not have a new model of governance to give rise to a new economic model”

He said during an interview with Sin Chew Daily that Middle Malaysia means the majority of Malaysians.

“If Middle Malaysia could get the support of majority of people, it would create a favourable prerequisite for the country to face future economic challenges.”

He said the continued deterioration of Malaysia’s global competitiveness shows that investors’ confidence in the country’s system was sliding. At the same time, the country’s ranking in Transparency International’s corruption perception index also went down last year.

“Countries like China have made significant improvements in both the ranking and score in the corruption perception index,” he said, adding that cases like a senior judge sentenced to life imprisonment in China would never happen in Malaysia.

“People’s Champion” only serves to consolidate the support of Malay grassroots

He said the People’s Champion campaign initiated by UMNO was meant to consolidate the support of Malay grassroots, not tailored towards the needs of all Malaysians.

He said that was just UMNO’s political gimmick for the Malays which was going against the 1Malaysia principles.

“Does the People’s Champion campaign launched by UMNO conform to the 1Malaysia spirit? Why was this campaign carried out only by UMNO and not the entire Barisan Nasional?”

He felt the campaign had been launched by UMNO with the next general elections in mind.

“UMNO’s biggest objective has been to consolidate its support and status among the Malays so that it can continue to rule after the next general elections.”

He felt that Najib was conscious of the implications of the RAHMAN predictions that after he took over as the country’s sixth prime minister, the RAHMAN predictions would be materialised, and that he could be the last prime minister from UMNO.

He said all new prime ministers would come up with some kind of new slogans, such as Dr Mahathir’s “clean, efficient and reliable government” in 1981 had helped him secure a landslide victory in the first general election after taking over the office.

Tun Abdullah, meanwhile, also came up with an impressive manifesto that saw him scoring the best ever results for BN in the general elections.

1Malaysia fails to manifest itself

“The 1Malaysia concept mooted by PM Najib may not get the desired results. Malaysians are not against the 1Malaysia concept, but the concept fails to manifest itself in many issues.”

He also said Pakatan Rakyat would not disintegrate even if PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim were convicted in the sodomy case. Instead, he said the Pakatan leaders would boldly face the problems and make sure that the opposition pact would continue to forge ahead towards its target of running the federal administration.

He said that was why DAP had come up with the “Middle Malaysia” concept and stressed the importance of a “Middle Malaysia.”

“After the 2008 general elections, parties in the opposition pact came to the realisation that the establishment of Pakatan Rakyat had a pivotal role on the political development in this country. Anwar’s role was indeed very special prior to the 2008 elections. He brought PKR, DAP and PAS together. Without him, there wouldn’t have been Pakatan Rakyat.”

He said Pakatan had been established for almost two years now, and he believed the component parties realised the importance of the pact.

He said no one would like to see what UMNO like to see most, that is Anwar would be convicted and jailed, and completely taken out of politics.

However, even if something were to happen to Anwar, he believed Pakatan would not crumble because of that.

He said it was not time now to talk about the successor, as the more important thing was to consolidate the direction of Pakatan towards a “Middle Malaysia” so that it could win the confidence of more people and eventually take over the place of BN in the future.

Ku Li to lead Pakatan?

When asked whether DAP would replace both MCA and Gerakan to become the dominant party for Chinese Malaysians, Lim Kit Siang said, “I agree that MCA and Gerakan are going downhill now, especially in view of their failure to express their stand in the ‘Allah’ issue. However, DAP does not aspire to replace MCA or Gerakan in their gradually diminishing roles. Instead, we want to promote ‘Middle Malaysia’ to get the recognition from the new government, and this should lead the country towards a brighter tomorrow and greater openness.”

On rumours that if something were to happen to Anwar, Pakatan would likely pick Tengku Razaleigh as his successor, Lim Kit Siang said he knew many people were talking about this thing, but he didn’t want to speculate on this and there was no need for him to rebuke such presumptive questions either.

“Some people were saying this, and I heard it. But there is no reason that we must get someone from UMNO to lead Pakatan Rakyat.” (Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)

  1. #1 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 10:32 am

    RePost (in 3 segments):

    Ku Li at his age will “jump” over to PR only if it leads Pakatan, which also means Anwar takes a back seat, and if at all could become PM, will be next in line after Ku Li! However to moot this could sound an ungrateful attempt to denigrate Anwar’s contribution so far in conceiving, rallying and nurturing Pakatan to its present position today with unprecedented victory in last general election.

    Hence your classic diplomatic response (leaving an open ended “neutral” position) – that you “knew many people were talking about this thing”, but that you “didn’t want to speculate on this and there was no need” for you “to rebuke such presumptive questions either..” Wow!

    Yet getting Anwar to give way to Ku Li makes realistic sense for these reasons: (1) Ku Li is perceived in line with ‘Middle Malaysia’ that PR & DAP advocate; (2) the spectre of Anwar being convicted of sodomy is not imagined (3) prospects of some faction in PAS preferring Ku Li to Anwar is also not imagined.

    If Ku Li joins now and leads PR (before next election) and holds the greater promise (than Anwar) of Pakatan’s winning the next election, then even IF Anwar gets convicted/incarcerated, he can (quid pro quo for sacrificing the helms position for PR’s electoral success) still get reprieved by a PR govt in power in respect to any conviction, whether that conviction is before or after the next election!
    However if assuming Anwar should get convicted before next election and due to last minute arrangements its too late for Ku Li to join or lead PR, and if the person taking over PR as leader other than Ku Li holds lesser chances than Ku Li in winning the election, then the future for Anwar (after conviction) is worse, if BN continues in power……

  2. #2 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 10:36 am

    (To continue):

    Re your statement “Some people were saying this, and I heard it. But there is no reason that we must get someone from UMNO to lead Pakatan Rakyat.”

    But why not? Who in PKR is not from UMNO? All luminaries whether Anwar and Zaid, Amin etc are from UMNO; Chua Jui Meng from MCA! It is whether they believe in Middle Malaysia ideology that counts – not from where they parachuted.

    [And Ku Li hasn’t parachuted yet not because he doesn’t agree with Middle Malaysia but couldn’t agree at his age & stature to play 2nd fiddle to Anwar].

    I think you are smart/politically savvy to raise the issue at this juncture for discussion, lestb there’s not much time left (to build momentum).

    Though for diplomacy – and impartiality – you did not explicitly state so, the fact that you raise it for discussion shows that you too must believe objectively in heart of hearts (but not openly saying) that Ku Li’s taking over at this juncture is the more logical/practical option that offers the greater chance for PR’s electoral support and Anwar’s getting a repreive from his personal predicament – a win win for all!

    Of course whats being said here of Ku Li is applicable to Zaid in his stead but Ku Li commands by seniority/ political experience better credential, not to mention that he may pull a faction from UMNO/BN over as well!

  3. #3 by taiking on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 11:31 am

    Labour problem is one area needing very urgent attention when pakatan comes in. I am sure all visitors here in this blogsite who are employer/professional would agree. It is extremely difficult (if not almost impossible) to get staffs whether in professional capacity or as support staffs. We all know that professionals have largely migrated elsewhere. Now even employing support staffs have become a great headache. A form-five leaver in the past has good command of english, sound general knowledge and right work attitude. The motivated ones could even prepare first-drafts for lawyers to approve. Where have they all gone to? Even if they do come, they just dont stay long enough. Growing a business in malaysia today is a nightmare.

    This issue really goes back to our really bad education system and umno’s pride i.e. the (-)meritocracy system. The sad thing is even if the system is overhauled completely today it will still take us one generation to reap the benefit of the change.

    Perhaps this has something to do with our “cheap” mindset. Look at our mentality in general. It is common to hear malaysians complaining about the low quality chinese made products. But chinese made products are not all low quality. They do have very high quality ones. But they come with a higher pricetag. But why are we being flooded with the low quality ones? Because we still have this “cheap and good” idea about things, that there are still “cheap and good” things available in this world. Such idea is at least 30yrs out of date. Good things dont come cheap. Such demand of course cannot be satisfied totally. So after a while it the expectation turned from “cheap and good” to “cheap is good”. That is how we became cheap. An engineer (or an architect or a lawyer or an accountant) is good only if his fees is low.

    The need to satisfy this “cheap is good” mentality by businesses drives their profits down. As a result, the salaries of staffs too suffered. And lower salary would then feed the “cheap is good” mentality even further. When salary is low the drive to work will be blunted. Staffs are forever on the look out for opportunity elsewhere to jump to. If an employee is being paid adequately, he is less likely to leave for another job that promises say RM100 more because considerations like “I like the job”, “I like the workplace/colleagues”, “I can learn a lot here” or “I have a good manager” will come in. If he is not adequately paid, he would be tempted to leave even for RM50 a month more because he needs that amount for say his bike petrol.

    This issue must be corrected to move us towards a high-income economy, to retain our talents and to improve our competitiveness.

  4. #4 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 11:49 am

    I know Tengku Razaliegh. He will never leave UMNO not that it means he agrees with the present leadership.

  5. #5 by yhsiew on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 11:54 am

    A new model of governance is only successful and effective if it adheres to the country’s constitution and rule of law.

    What is the use of creating a new model of governance if it does not adhere to the country’s constitution and rule of law?

  6. #6 by monsterball on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 1:39 pm

    Ku Li is unreliable and too old to change or adapt to the Middle Malaysia concept.
    To replace Anwar…it must be from the present people.
    Zaid Ibrahim….seems more qualified and proven a Middle Malaysia man.
    Yes Middle Malaysia is aiming to be truthful and sincere government.
    Yes….Buddhists have been taught to travel the middle path…not to be extremists.
    That should be the way…..to build up a democratic country.

  7. #7 by taiking on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 1:44 pm

    Yes Zaid’s a better choice. Ku Li can be adviser.

  8. #8 by Onlooker Politics on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 2:11 pm

    How does the “Middle Malaysia” concept address the issue of irresponsible criminal bahaviours of some youngsters who set fire or did vandalism on the places of worship? This is something which is much of concern for many a man in Malaysia!

    Four suspects were arrested this morning by the Police due to the Police’s suspecting the detainees’ getting involved in the arson attack on two suraus in Muar recently. One of the suspects was said to be a son of the Police Officer. I wonder why the educational system of Malaysia could lead to the production of such kind of youngsters who were stiffnecked in showing their impious heart towards “Allah”. What has gone so wrong with our educational system in schools? It seemed that the New Economic Policy (NEP) of Barisan Nasional did not show a good result in turning the younger generations of Malaysia into a group of people with much higher degree of racial tolerance and religious tolerance. BN’s government policy has failed to address the racial polarisation issue that had been laid down in Malaysia since May 13 Incident of 1969.

    We certainly need to find a much better solution to the racial polarisation problems in Malaysia, by putting less emphasis on the races but focusing more on the area of social integration among all malaysian people of different backgrounds, whether rich or poor, whether a muslim or a non-muslim!

  9. #9 by Loh on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 5:24 pm

    ///It seemed that the New Economic Policy (NEP) of Barisan Nasional did not show a good result in turning the younger generations of Malaysia into a group of people with much higher degree of racial tolerance and religious tolerance.///–Onlooker Politics

    NEP was meant to produce intolerance about race and religion, and we are getting the results expected of NEP.

    Jealousy is accepted as national sport, and instead of directing the sense of jealousy to motivation, the government thought it proper to reduce jealousy by limiting the progress of those who can shine. That breeds mediocrity, and we should not be surprised that we are a low income country. Besides NEP goes against the teachings of great religions and civic lessons in you reap what you sow. In NEP you gang up to bully.

  10. #10 by OmegaMan on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 6:47 pm

    So far we can see that Najib/ UMNO/BN had tried to convince the people that 1Malaysia is the best solution. Nothing substantial has happened. Prices of commodities are still spiralling, subsidies are now threatened with withdrawals (as if we are already a developed nation) and the Malaysian folk are so well off that that would be a non-issue.
    Look around us, dear citizens, the ordinary breadwinner/father is finding difficulty putting food on the table. While those gangsters in their ivory towers make promises and/or threats and intimidation and gazette laws that continue to put a heavy yoke on our necks, they wallow in their filthy money and still try to convince us that we will overcome the economic crises.
    Who are we to ask or seek to find out what really happened to the Rm67 billion stimulus plan that was expended and yet felt by none us? Had some of us benefitted from it?
    And, which country except this 1Malaysia government would come out with an no-brainer policy of a two-tier fuel system without first studying the ramifications of such an exercise?
    We are absolutely confounded by their stupidity!!

  11. #11 by ringthetill on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 7:22 pm

    I think most of us don’t really care whether it is left or right or centre, east or west, 1 or 2. All we wish to see if fair play, work for nation building, and place the people’s interests first without prejudice.
    Can any party deliver these?

  12. #12 by chengho on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 9:33 pm

    Dap should take the lead by giving the model of middle Malaysia by appointing dr mansor as the CM of Penang dan Deo as the secretary of Dap…

  13. #13 by Jong on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 10:08 pm

    Just leave Tengku Razaleigh alone, he’s happy throwing stones so let him be. Poor chap he thinks he’s still important to umno, do they care?

    Don’t think it’s fair on the existing PR leaders that he takes over the PR leadership if he should decide to cross over. My opinion is he should get in queue and prove his worth.

  14. #14 by tanjong8 on Saturday, 23 January 2010 - 10:27 pm

    UtusanUmno can never be expected to shed its racist stunt at all.

    Whatever its campaign, it is for its own interest only.

    The people must get rid of this obstacle to racial unity and nation prosperity.

  15. #15 by monsterball on Sunday, 24 January 2010 - 1:11 am

    If DAP takes chengho advises…the party would have lost all the seats in elections.
    Somehow…chengho loves t keep on talking nonsense….never in favour to change the government..not once…but he does give plenty of stupid advises to DAP.

  16. #16 by monsterball on Sunday, 24 January 2010 - 3:21 am

    You never try…you will never know…”ringthetill” writer.
    What is important is to change your attitudes..and know your vote is all powerful..and do not allow UMNO to make you feel …without them…Malaysia is finished.
    Any sane person will know…it is time for a change of government.
    Can “ringthetill” prove it will be worst to change?
    You see…you ask a question..make sure you got an answer right ..when someone throws the same question …back to you.
    Change the government. Give it 2 terms..and no good..change it back.
    Is that not smart voters choice?
    The problem is…Malaysia have too many selfish racists voters..all created by BN.
    But the percentage is very very low now..and that means…vast majority wants a change of government.
    Live with the real facts..and do not be fooled by newspapers UMNO propaganda work.

  17. #17 by boh-liao on Sunday, 24 January 2010 - 10:18 am

    Forget TR, he is another frog n was given a chance b4 with Semangat
    For M’sia 2 move ahead, d Malays themselves hv 2 decide d path
    By sheer number n spatial distribution, they hv d final say in our election results
    If Malays r not confident of themselves n always brain-washed by Umno B n BTN 2 think that they r under siege by d minorities/pendatang (which is ridiculous)
    Then there will not b change 4 d better, despite d fact dat a large no of Malays r actually fleeced by a small no of Umno B Malays n their cronies
    Middle, 1, 2, 3 Malaysia or what hv u, no difference

  18. #18 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 24 January 2010 - 4:33 pm

    Honestly if Anwar goes, Sdr. Lim Kit Siang should be the one to replace him, unfortunately Malaysia nor PR is ready for it.

    Middle Malaysia vs 1Malaysia. One is honest the other dishonest. Its the battle of two story – one is our own long time social-political weakness and the other is UMNO/BN own cynicism.. Which is a better story? I am a sceptic not a cynic. In life you should be sceptical, but I have had incredible success betting against cynics…

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