— Nawawi Mohamad
The Malaysian Insider
Nov 13, 2011
NOV 13 — Silvio Berlusconi, the flamboyant, scandalous media billionaire who practically jumped into Italian politics by organising the People of Freedom party, reigned for seventeen years. He has now resigned. He left Italy with about €1.9 trillion in national debt.
After being so preoccupied with his scandals, both creating them and defending himself from the repercussions, he had procrastinated in dealing with Italy’s troubled economy and serious financial problems.
Berlusconi only agreed to the proposal to reduce the deficit in June, when in March his advisers had already literally shouted at him to start taking action.
His government managed to get everything in order only by September this year and got the vote of final approval in the Italian Senate by a margin of 156 to 12 just before his resignation; too little too late.
The final straw is not his scandalous life but the neglected state of the economy and finance in Italy.
With our own version of scandals, mismanagement, complacency, wastage, extravagance and callous spending by the Umno/BN government, Malaysia is not much different from Italy.
Unfortunately the Umno/BN government seems to be oblivious to the so many writings on the wall pertaining to our economy, financial status, deficits, national debts and the road that Malaysia is now on.
The Umno/BN government must rectify these fault by scrapping all the mega projects, take action against all the irresponsible parties that are wasting our money, start with an austerity drive selectively, concentrate on the economy, let the people have more money in their pockets to spend and thus generate the domestic economy which is still within our influence.
Well, we do have many experts to work it out. We cannot depend on the world’s economy to prosper or even pick up because time is not on our side and the present situation is just too volatile and unpredictable.
However, the Umno/BN government seems to be preoccupied with trying to build up its deteriorating image and influence for the coming general election. And to win what may be a pyrrhic victory.
Unfortunately the whole nation has to bear the perils of procrastination by the Umno/BN government.
#1 by monsterball on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 7:43 pm
It seems that Dictators and corrupted Government crooks are exposed..killed and chased out ..except Malaysia.
If the 13th GE is declared and finished…..Najib would have join them by now.
Karpal said Najib cannot delay longer than Jan. next year…for the longer he delays…the worst or him to come.
That lawyer must know something to say that.
#2 by yhsiew on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 9:18 pm
Be wise to vote in a rakyat-oriented government and not one which only looks after the well-being of its own party.
#3 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 10:27 pm
Blaming Silvio Berlusconi for procrastination? May as well blame Coffee. Italy the birthplace of Renaissance and given the world the works of Michelangelo Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci. Designer brands – shoes and fashions- are made in Italian factories. So are the cars – Ferrari & Lamborghini & Alfa. It is a dedication to excellence but the funny thing is dedication to excellence is not necessarily synonymous with work ethic as affected by culture… Italians dedicate 3 hours in the middle of the day (Siesta) 12pm-3pm to sleeping and pampering their taste buds with wine pizza & spaghetti, so to speak. Between 12:30 and 3:30 many shops, post offices, banks, gas stations, will be closed. Now who would do that? The 4 chopstick tigers – China Japan Korea or S’pore or HongKies? No way. Now who else has culture of siesta and facing debt problems now? No surprise , Greece and Spain too both of which have Siesta culture ! Call it sheer laziness or dedication to hedonistic lifestyle, but they live it out, often spending more than the value they create and money earned.
#4 by tak tahan on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 10:30 pm
/Unfortunately the Umno/BN government seems to be oblivious to the so many writings on the wall pertaining to our economy, financial status, deficits, national debts and the road that Malaysia is now on./
No point telling Umno/BN government to rectify all these fault la.What concern them now is what if BN lost in the coming GE13,therefore they had and has been stealing more in the last recent years as we can read the amounts accounted to hundreds of million if not billions from public fund.As if each has national personal ATM card eg the recent controversial NFC case,Datuk cow girl,Shahrizat.When come to worst of losing the GE13,most of them would have said “sayonara,see you in oversee if by chance.All the entertainment and makan bills are on us.”Let’s vote ABU in order to save this nation from the brink of corruption.
#5 by Godfather on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 10:49 pm
What writing on the wall? As far as UMNO is concerned, it’s what they can get today that matters. Why worry about tomorrow ? The uncertainties of tomorrow become a strong catalyst to steal as much as possible TODAY.
#6 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 10:54 pm
Now if the people in general take it easy, when it comes to work, is there any surprise the civil servants too looking forward to early retirement, achieved through Social Security-type compensation packages? If you don’t take what I say that seriously, you may like to think about Coffee, the Italian national past time. (They also drink a lot of it in Greece & Spain). Caffeine is stimulant. People elsewhere drink a lot of it too but since they work more hours and they drink it incessantly during work hours Caffeine gives stimulus and energy in work. However in these Siesta countries when they have less work and more leisure time, and they drink a lot of coffee and caffeine especially during Leisure and non work hours – and it is said that Italians drink 600 cups of espresso or cappuccino a year: 70% at home, 20% at cafes – won’t Italians get a lot of stimulus pursuing leisure activities, shopping, eating, romancing? Wouldn’t this have something to do with their lack lustre work ethic??? On romancing, if Berlusconi has an amorous reputation, well it has to be recollected that butt pinching was very popular cultural practice in certain areas of Italy esp in the 70’s although the spread of feminism ideology (from US) has since then put a check on this somewhat, now considered an assault.
#7 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 13 November 2011 - 11:08 pm
Our poor work ethic is however different from Italians/Greeks. Whilst theirs is attributable to hedonism and enjoyment of too much Siesta leisure hours under stimulus of incessant coffee drinking and caffaine, ours is induced by race and culture measuring where affirmative policies, antithetical to work ethics, are institutionalised to make sure that the those with a frenetic culture of work ethics don’t get the better of national wealth if field were level! This is the problem.
#8 by Jeffrey on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 12:47 am
Our auditor general sounded the alarm that our Government debt for 2009 rose to RM362.39 billion or 53.7 per cent of GDP, its highest level in 5 years. What’s interesting is that the richer and more developed countries have higher debt to GDP ratios: eg whilst Itlay is at about 115%, Japan in 2010 was 225.8% of GDP; Germany, 78.8%, France 83.5%, USA about 100% S’pore about 104%, UK 81.7% and so on. Of course it doesn’t mean high debt to GDP means countries cannot repay debts or perceived to be such. In fact many poor countries and even failed ones have lower debt to GDP – eg Mozambique at 40.8%, Nigeria 13.4% , Libya 3.3% Equatorial Guinea 4.1% and so on. What does this suggest? Richer countries more educated and so called richer populations leveraging on debt for the good life? They have the social security and social welfare that they think takes care of old age and infirmity. So they become consumerist, spend and enjoy life – for tomorrow is promised to no one.
#9 by Jeffrey on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 12:53 am
Many the rich well-to-do and educated would think, see what happened to Steve Jobs. His money couldn’t save him! As his name implies, he liked his job but not everyone could find his passion in job so job is for the money to buy substitute happiness in a short life. Many spend on their credit cards, leverage up mortgages (that led to SubPrime) and in Wall Street, they shuffle papers to make big money than create value, unlike entrepreneurs of pioneer days. In a wired and connected World, this ‘create money than value’ style is a real problem – take the recent case of US Option MS Global bust that affected investors in CDRs from New York to S’pore to Sydney. This Debt thingy, “Get Rich Fast and Enjoy Life First for Tomorrow is Promised to No One” is a civilisational thing amongst people, esp the young and governments. This could be the problem. Maybe an Existential problem : Life has no meaning except having money to enjoy first! However one’s debt problems affect the other. The banks of unaffected countries, for example, hold tens of billions of euros of bonds issued by financially shaky countries. Now not only do they hold govt sovereign debts but heaps of exotic mortgage products, commercial real-estate loans, leveraged loans and other risky assets. No bail out means domino effect on others and their banks and financial health already mired in debt.
#10 by dagen on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 9:11 am
The lembu thingy is no ordinary private venture you umno idiot, or rather we are not the idiot you thought we are. It is a part of the grand umno gobermen initiatives – a synonym for fraud schemes – under the Min of Agri, to be specific. Never lose sight of this fact you umno idiot. We certainly will not and so you umno idiots dont even attempt to cloud this important point.
As a clear demonstration that we are not the idiots you umno believed we are I shall stick with the correct term here. The lembu fraud scheme was undertaken not by the gobermen but was instead was extended by the umno gobermen to a private enterprise supposedly because the latter, being (so it was claimed as claims were inevitably made in all schemes of frauds for credibility enhancement) possessed with the necessary expertise, is able to do a better job. Umno gobernen can never hold their hands up and simply say that the “money is out of our hands and we can do nothing about it – none of our business anyway”. The scheme is a gobermen scheme. The money is taxpayers’ money. The line of responsibility remains eventhough the undertaker of the scheme is a private enterprise.
Hey, just out of curiousity, cintanegara so how much did you milk out of our 2010 economy via umno’s numerous grand schemes?
#11 by dagen on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 9:27 am
Another comment. Umno is oblivious (like the shamed italian playboy) to the writings on the walls, the writer above said. I think not. I am sure umno is aware of those writings. Some of them could not quite understand the meanings of those writings. But most of them ignore the writings because those writings were about their ketuanan rights and hence were anti-agung, anti-sultan, anti-gobermen, anti-islam jenis umno, anti-melayu (actually umnoutra), unpatriotic, ungrateful, terrorism, communism etc etc and hence the writers are all ISA-able.
So you see our situation here is not quite like italy. One more point. Here we can condemn the italian guy. But italian people cannot condemn umno. There is no reciprocity of this right to condemn. The reason is because umnoputra is a supreme race in the world. Umnoputras’ ketuanan right is supreme to the italians. That means the italians too would be subject to that “anti-agung and this and that …” sanction,
#12 by k1980 on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 9:47 am
Writing on the wall?
No walls… look closely at Jibbi’s face and you can see the words ‘C4’ written all over it
#13 by flyer168 on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 10:09 am
Correct version…
Yes, Jibby should take note….
Just to share this…
Sunday, May 31, 2009 Global Reporting: On Berlusconi’s decline, the Mafia and the Bilderberg Group – http://angelacorrias.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-berlusconis-decline-mafia-and.html
Berlusconi’s political views have not always been popular with the elite global ruling class. As someone who’s considered to be a “right-wing conservative,” Berlusconi opposes illegal immigration and has pledged to cut taxes.
Meanwhile, Bilderberg attendees have complained that Berlusconi’s actions will undermine the euro. The Bilderberg-controlled Washington Post has called Berlusconi “the biggest challenge yet to the young euro currency.”
Berlusconi, although quite wealthy, appears to be far removed from Bilderberg and its agenda. Interestingly, he also maintains a close friendship with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, which may also make the globalists a bit nervous, depending on how genuinely independent from Bilderberg influence Putin really is.
February 14, 2011 – Italian Prime Minister on Bilderberg Hit List? – By Pete Papaherakles
Bilderberg Hit 257 – http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/bilderberg_hit_257.html
“A significant number of young women prostituted themselves with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi,” declared a document made public by Italian prosecutors on Jan. 17. The 74-year-old Berlusconi, a noted billionaire, is living a playboy lifestyle that easily rivals that of Bill Clinton.
But Berlusconi—Italy’s largest private media owner, operating TV and radio stations, as well as magazines and newspapers and owner of AC Milan, one of the top soccer teams in the world—reportedly is not cozy with the Bilderberg group—or, at least, the secretive clique of media moguls, global bankers, corporate titans and high-level government officials that meets behind closed doors each year is not comfortable with him.
Thus, is the current media tizzy exploding in Italy actually a politically oriented smear—especially the fuss over allegations that the prime minister had sexual relations with a 17-year-old nightclub dancer?…
You be the judge.
Shalom.
#14 by Bigjoe on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 10:50 am
Procrastination? Najib somehow think he can just get away with the worst public lie again and again. It started with 1Malaysia and the latest is claiming Malaysia is full democracy and allowing dissent in APEC.
Procratination is just symptom of basically fundamentally unsound policies. Basically Najib think he is entitled to do a crap job. Its OK to be lousy.. He has been since young and still does although he does not think so i.e., he thinks that if ‘if he says so, it will be so’.
#15 by dagen on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 12:22 pm
Hmm I think it ismore like jib is deeply engrossedly in hatching a solution to procrastinate his own inevitable and imminent demise.
#16 by monsterball on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 1:15 pm
Najib has reached a stage…almost all Muslims do not like his cunning personality.
Just mention his name to young educated Muslims..answer is….”eeeeerrrr….phew!”
#17 by dagen on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 1:59 pm
Yeah monsterball, ptuuuuiiii into the toilet bowl, pee onto the spit and then flush them all into the sewer system.
#18 by monsterball on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 4:17 pm
And if I give details how Malaysians show their dislikes to Mahathir…worst than Najib..moderator sure will not allow it.
In any case….see the difference…he left with 52% support ..lowest as PM for 22 years.
Dollah was refreshing….got 92% support and down back to 52% proven all talk..no action sleepyhead.
Strange….Najib have never dare to face a GE at all to be the “People PM” he promised.
phew phew phew to all these scums of the earth.
#19 by monsterball on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 4:24 pm
Because he knows it…that only 32% supports him.. and going down……sure gone case..if he declare 13th GE.
That’s why Mahathir wants him to step down.
After all…he owns UMNO b party..but all the King’s men and soldiers…cannot put Humpty Dumpty back…together again.
It’s a party with many cracks and cannot be patched…like 3rd stage cancer…sure to die…sooner or later.
#20 by boh-liao on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 5:57 pm
Noh insisted dat once d authorities released d $$$ 2 d project operator, it was up 2 d operator 2 do what they wished with d funds
O la la, so nice 1: “up 2 d operator 2 do what they wished with d funds”
NOTHING WRONG what, insisted Noh n KJ n band of thieves
Dis summarises d corrupt jiak jiak jiak mentality n DNA of UmnoB/BN kaki2
Don’t forget M’sia is MAL, Malaise – very soon we will follow Greece n Italy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8NOj_Ld4jg
#21 by monsterball on Monday, 14 November 2011 - 7:04 pm
Greeks are suffering…so the revolt.
Italians too.
Bercusconi step down to avoid blood shed.
Malaysians are sharper…smarter.
Before trouble comes…..shout.. yell…walk and protest peacefully…..taking blows with no fear.
Bullies and crooks dare not go further.
And so we may succeed where Greeks and Italians failed.
We are more patriotic.
It’s Patriots against Corrupted Racists.
Malaysia is safe….no bankrupt..unless Najib wins and we all deserve to suffer more and more….with Mahathir smiling…slipping away to the other world…happy..and Najib riding high.
#22 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 3:07 pm
Procrastination? What procrastination?? They were so fast in giving out RM100 to each student.
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2011/11/15/why-indecent-hassle-to-distribute-rm100-to-schoolchildren/
#23 by slashed on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 - 9:54 pm
“With our own version of scandals, mismanagement, complacency, wastage, extravagance and callous spending by the Umno/BN government, Malaysia is not much different from Italy.”
This sounds more like Greece than Italy. Italy’s problems stem from very very different reasons. Don’t just grab any example of an economy in trouble to use…
“The (Italian) government spends less on providing public services and benefits to its people than it earns in taxes, and has been doing so every year since 1992, except for the recession year of 2009.
Indeed, the only reason Italy continues to borrow at all is to meet the principal and interest payments on its existing debts.”
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15429057)
At the moment we are a softcore version of Greece but it clearly is the direction we are heading.