Mahathir’s words

CHANGE

Aug22 2012 Written by chedet

///1. In his campaign to become President of the US Barack Obama promised change, “time for change”, he said.

2. He promised to close down Guantanamo Detention Camp.

3. He promised to stop trials of detainees by Military Courts.

4. He promised to pull out from Iraq and Afghanistan.

5. And many more.

6. Now four years into his first term he has failed to keep his promises.

7. Guantanamo is still holding so-called terrorists; still torturing them. No military courts but no trials by civilian courts either.

8. Instead of pulling out from Iraq and Afghanistan he approved a “surge” in the troops sent to this area. Later he pulled out some troops but American soldiers are still in the two countries.

9. Making promises during campaigns for elections is easy. Keeping them is a different matter. The best hope is that people’s memory is short. They would normally forget the promises.///–Mamakthir

That was Barack Obama who made the promise. It has nothing to do with Pakatan Rakyat which intends to show how BN failed to keep its promise.

///10. Now the opposition in Malaysia have copied Obama and is promising change.///–Mamakthir

Pakatan Rakyat wants to change the tenant in Putrajaya. Pakatan Rakyat does not copy Obama who does not have the monopoly for change.

///11. Give them a chance they say. The BN has ruled this country for 55 years. It is time to change. They will change this into a welfare state. Everything will be free. No fees for education. No tolls. Large subsidy for petrol. 20% royalty to oil producing states etc.etc.///–Mamakthir

Pakatan Rakyat was merely saying that without corruption pioneered by Mamakthir which has been institutionalized, the money which have been leaked into the hands of UMNOputras and their cronies would be enough to finance a welfare state, free education, free tolls after the construction costs have been repaid, and more in the form of subsidy for petrol. With good public transport, there would not be a need for subsidy in petrol. Royalty for oil producing states has to be fair. As it is now, the largest oil producing states Sabah and Sarawak are the poorest with some regions in Sarawak where the people do not even have access to electricity.

///12. The Socialist and Communist have tried this welfare state idea. They failed. Malaysia has no ideology. But the reality is that the Government needs money in order to develop the country and to subsidise living cost for the people. But when Government foregoes taxes, tolls and fees, it will have less money. But it will have to spend more on running an maintaining utilities, expressways, schools, operational and development cost, pension etc. ///– Mamakthir

13. So where does the Government get necessary funds?///–Mamakthir

The solution is simple. Stop corruption and the savings would be enough. The government can have a windfall making those who have profited ‘corruption-wise’ during Mamakthir’s administration to cough out what they have swallowed.

///14. Borrowing is okay if the money is invested and giving a return. But borrowing money in order to just spend will lead to non-payment of debts.

15. That’s what happened to Greece. It’s bankrupt now. The whole of Europe cannot put it back together again.///–Mamakthir

The problem in the country is not borrowing, it is corruption. In perpetuating corruption the government made racist policies of divide and rule so that the favoured group would continue collaborating with the government’s corrupt practices to return them to power. That was how BN stayed on for 55 years. Now some among the majority race realize that without corruption, they would have gained more benefits from government even if there were no racial discriminatory practices. Hence, there was the tsunami in 2008, though it was not strong enough to topple BN.

///16. Admittedly the BN has ruled this country every since independence. But look at the record and compare it with other countries which gained independence at the same time. Compare it even with the developed West. They are in deep financial trouble and try as they might, they have not been able to overcome the crisis.///–Mamakthir

Mamakthir chooses to forget that Singapore gained independence later in 1965 but she has done much better than Malaysia even though Singapore does not have the natural resources.

///17. Remember 1997-98 crisis. The then Deputy PM and Minister of Finance tried the IMF solution without the IMF loans. Banks and companies were faced with the threat of bankruptcy from non-performing loans. Imports cost more. Cost of living shot up.///–Mamakthir

Mamakthir imagined that he had done well with the so-called currency control scheme. Many countries did not have to invoke currency control and recovered. Currency control then makes Ringgit a pariah currency and the closing of CLOB weakened KLSE to the extent that after a decade KLSE has yet to reach the level it attained two decades ago. Currency control was risky but it was chosen so that the government could continue with its corrupt practices.

///18. The track record of the Minister of Finance then was bad although there is a fondness of claiming success brought about by other people as his success. PNB, UIA were part of the claim.

19. Now as leader of the Opposition he is claiming to bring about change. What good change did he introduce when he was in the Government? All he was interested in was getting up the leadership ladder of UMNO in order to become Prime Minister. How he achieved his objective does not bear scrutiny.///–Mamakthir

Anwar Ibrahim might find it pointless to reply.

///20. Five years to give a trial as Government is dangerous. Many things can be destroyed in five years. Besides the Opposition as Government will ensure there will be no return for the BN. Officers in the Government will be used to “gempar” (threaten) whoever tries to change Government.///–Mamakthir

Civil servants in all democracies serve the government of the day and they should not be politically inclined. By saying that the civil servants would sabotage, it shows that it had been Mamakthir’s policies which used BTO to make civil servants racists and to tie them to UMNO as though they are members of secret society.

All governments fight to return to power through good policies which benefit the nation except BN which ensures its return to power through racism. BN has done the worst to the country and any fool can do no worse. Stopping BN would prove that BN is not automatically entitled to rule.

///21. Already we see this person who claims to fight for free speech suing and resorting to the courts to shut the mouth of his critics. Other powers of the Government will be similarly abused. Nepotism and cronyism will be employed as indeed they are in the party he now heads.///–Mamakthir

This is worse than pot calling kettle black. Mamakthir started negotiated tender which institutionalized nepotism and cronyism. Nobody has seen Pakatan Rakyat doing wrong yet but BN has been abusing government institutions ever since 1987 when the Lord President was sacked. The LP was removed to ensure that the court decision that UMNO 1946 was illegal could not be overturned. It was so in order that the New UMNO registered then could continue heading the government and the President of the New UMNO needed not have to face another party election.

///22. The record is there. Malaysians must not allow themselves to be hoodwinked as I was hoodwinked by the appearance of religious piety in the past.///–Mamakthir

If not for Anwar leading students to have Mamakthir reinstalled as UMNO members, he would have been gone from the political scene since 1969. We should blame Anwar Ibrahim for causing Malaysians pains.

///23. The BN has listened to the people and has changed many laws and policies. All that the people need to do is to urge the BN to carry out whatever change the people desire.///–Mamakthir

Whenever Najib tried to do something different from racism, such as 1Malasyia Mamakthir said that he was surrendering to non-Malays as though Malaysia does not belong to all Malaysians. With Mamakthir-backed Perkasa breathing down his neck Najib dared not venture any further. Najib might have to wait for Mamakthir to meet his God before he dares to do any good to the country. Let Najib be opposition leader for five years and by then Mamakthir would be gone for good. People might consider Najib’s return depending on the performance of Pakatan Rakyat in Putrajaya.

///25. Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t.///–Mamakthir

Except when you know that the devil is the worst of them all.