Archive for category Mahathir
The Mahathir prediction
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Thomas Lee on Monday, 30 August 2010
by Thoma Lee
My.sinchew.com
August 30, 2010
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that racial tension would escalate if the New Economic Policy (NEP) type of policies is removed in favour of open policies which disregard the disparities between races in the interest of equity and merit.
The former prime minister has also warned that the time is not right for changes to be made to the existing pro-Bumiputera affirmative policies.
He said that the violent Communist revolution in Europe was caused by the disparity between rich and poor, and hinted that such a scenario could happen in Malaysia if the so-called economic gap between the Bumiputeras and the other races is not narrowed.
Hence, he suggested that the affirmative policies and programmes be continued infinitum, arguing that such a protection for the Bumiputera is still necessary and that a 20-year timeline is not enough for them to become economically on par with other races. Read the rest of this entry »
Mahathir — Malaysia’s enigma
By Jema Khan
AUG 30 — To make sense of the various ongoing debates on the NEP, one has to have a sense of history especially for the time when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister.
During his 22 years as PM, the main priority of the nation was to develop at all costs. The man worked 16 hours a day, was well-read, intelligent, soft-spoken and most of all, he listened well.
He was tenacious when it came to policy; it was often his way or the highway. His detractors would call him a dictator for undermining institutions such as the judiciary and using the ISA against his political opponents. Nevertheless, when he stepped down as PM in 2003, he was still largely popular among all the races in Malaysia.
Read the rest of this entry »
Where has our leadership gone?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Najib Razak, UMNO on Friday, 27 August 2010
Sometime in 2007, Lee Iacocca, wrote a book titled ‘Where Have All The Leaders Gone?. In light of what is happening, I find the subject matter of the book, becoming more relevant by each passing day. We should now begin asking the same question- where have all our leaders gone?
In the early part of the book, Iacocca asks a question which we Malaysians should also be asking- where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder at what’s going on.
The level of corruption goes unabated. Ezam Mat Nor says he has got boxes and boxes of hard evidence against Rafidah Aziz and Mat Nor Yaakob and a slew of UMNO leaders. Why doesn’t he turn them over to the government? Rais Yatim should be arrested for concealing material that can help the government bust the 18 high profile corruption cases that he once loudly announced. Was that his pompous piety and righteousness that were on display? Where are the evidence? RTM itself should be investigated as to why only one company seems to monopolize all the advertising rights?
Read the rest of this entry »
Eh, Tun dah lupa?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, nation building on Friday, 27 August 2010
By Art Harun
Every year, during the first two or three days of fasting, I suffer from headaches. That is because my blood sugar level drops. Thank God this will go away after the 3rd day of fasting.
Low blood sugar level may cause hypoglycemia. In some cases, symptoms of hypoglycemia include impaired judgment; irritability; belligerence; confusion; belligerence, combativeness and rage. Thankfully, as far as I know, I don’t have those symptoms.
When Tun DrM said yesterday that meritocracy and “meritocrats” are racists, my first reaction was one of irritation. Then I was bemused. Later I was amused. And finally today I think it must have been the fasting month and the obvious low blood sugar level which was affecting him.
Meritocracy as I understand it is the act of rewarding or awarding an individual or a body of individuals or any entity with anything based on merit. Like awarding a student who has scored 13 As in SPM a place in the university. Or awarding X Sdn Bhd a contract to maintain a submarine because X Sdn Bhd has successfully maintained 15 other submarines before this without any problem at reasonable costs as compared to any other company who were bidding for the job.
Read the rest of this entry »
Has Mahathir crossed the Rubicon to declare war on Najib, 1Malaysia and NEM?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Mahathir, Najib Razak, nation building on Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Shock, outrage and consternation are understatements of the reactions to the latest outbursts by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad when he denounced the proponents of meritocracy as “racists too” and warned the Malay community that they risk losing political control of the country if they remain disunited.
It is not just the spectacle of the former longest-serving Prime Minister of Malaysia adding oil to the cauldron of the politics of race and religion but the repudiation of the Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia which he had proclaimed two decades ago.
In 1990, beginning his second decade as Prime Minister, Mahathir spelt out Vision 2020 to achieve in 30 years a fully developed Malaysian nation made up of one “Bangsa Malaysia” with a sense of common and shared destiny, distinguished by the pursuit of excellence, fully aware of all its potentials, psychologically subservient to none, and respected by the peoples of other nations.
Read the rest of this entry »
What’s next for Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Politics, Post-2008 general election on Tuesday, 24 August 2010
By Karim Raslan
The Star
Tuesday August 24, 2010
All societies need change and countries that don’t change or can’t change remain ossified and stagnant.
A few weeks ago, I hosted a lunch for a Malaysian politician and an Indonesian businessman.
The politician and I were struck by the tycoon’s steadfast support of his nation’s democratic traditions.
He stressed that he would not be where he was now had it not been for Reformasi and the turbulence of 1998.
Indeed he made a powerful argument that his country wouldn’t be powering ahead were it not for the transformation that took place after Soeharto’s ouster.
Interestingly, I think most Malaysian businessmen, including those dependent on government contracts, would agree with my Indonesian friend.
All societies need change and countries that don’t change or can’t change remain ossified and stagnant. Read the rest of this entry »
The Malays in Singapore – no crutch mentality
(Speech by Berita Harian Singapore editor Guntor Sadali, at the Berita Harian Singapore Achiever of the Year Awards ceremony on July 28, 2010)
It is a fact known to all that Malays in Singapore are a minority.
However this minority is quite different from other minorities in the world.
Similarly, to some, Singapore is just a red dot in this vast Asian region.
But it is no ordinary red dot.
It is a grave mistake to equate size with ability, just as it is wrong to assume that being small and in the minority is to be weak and insignificant.
The recent World Cup proved this. While Spain may be the world champion, it was minnow Switzerland that became the only country in the tournament that was able to defeat Spain.
Forty-five years have passed since Singapore left Malaysia, yet every now and then we still hear non-complimentary comments from across the Causeway about the Malay community here. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib should explain why after 16 months of his 1Malaysia slogan, Malaysians are even more divided with even the former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir declaring that he is confused and does not know the meaning of 1Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Mahathir, Najib Razak, nation building on Tuesday, 3 August 2010
I do not agree with the former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who criticized the Najib administration’s 1Malaysia slogan, claiming that the concept needed further “explanation” to prevent it from interpreted differently by various races.
But Mahathir is right that Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan which he introduced after he took office in April last year had failed to unite Malaysians as a whole.
This is not because the 1Malaysia slogan is vague or Najib failed to provide an explanation or definition of what his slogan means.
An official definition of 1Malaysia was given by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap released by the government in January this year, which states:
“The goal of 1Malaysia is to make Malaysia more vibrant, more productive and more competitive – and ultimately a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Will Mahathir or any of his Ministers in 2002 Cabinet testify in court of being misled by Ling to approve Port Klang Authority’s purchase of PKFZ land with 15-year repayment with compound interest instead of 10 years?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Court, Financial Scandals, Mahathir, PKFZ on Friday, 30 July 2010
The charge preferred against former MCA President and Transport Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik, in connection with the RM12.5 million Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal has mystified many.
The charge against Ling reads:
“That you, between Sept 25 and Nov 6, 2002, at Level 4 of the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangunan Perdana Putra, cheated the Govern ment by deceiving the Cabinet into approving a land purchase in Pulau Indah for a Mega Distribution Hub project in Port Klang according to the terms agreed between Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd and Port Klang Authority which, among others, are:
the size of the land being 999.5 acres or 43,538,200 sq ft
the purchase price for the land being RM25 per sq ft amounting to a total of RM1,088,456,000
the repayment period being based on a “deferred payment” of 15 years with an interest rate of 7.5% per annum (total RM720,014,600), and thereby dishonestly hiding the fact that the valuation by the Valuation and Property Service Department on the land was RM25 per sq ft for a repayment period of 10 years or RM25.82 per sq ft for a repayment period of 15 years, including coupon/interest that could be charged for the repayment period.
Ex-MIER chief questions Dr M’s NEP views
By Lee Wei Lian
Malaysian Insider
July 11, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — The country’s premier economic think tank’s ex-chief questioned Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s assertion that the country grew rapidly due to the New Economic Policy (NEP), and instead said Malaysia should thank external factors.
Professor Datuk Dr Mohamed Ariff, distinguished fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research and its former executive director, also suggested that Malaysia could have grown even faster if the NEP restrictions were absent.
“Mahathir’s argument that the country had developed more rapidly under NEP is questionable,” Ariff told The Malaysian Insider.
“Yes, Malaysia under Mahathir’s leadership did post impressive growth rates, but that cannot be attributed to NEP. A counter argument would be that the economy grew rapidly — not because of, but in spite of NEP.
“The high growth rates Malaysia registered during Dr M’s premiership was largely due to very favourable external circumstances, driven mainly by strong external demand for exports.” Read the rest of this entry »
Updating Dr M on who runs the country
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, public service, UMNO on Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Is it true that Umno has allowed the situation of Malay dominance to be so badly eroded that the community is facing a bleak and hopeless future?
The Ketuanan party is being overly modest if it refuses to take any credit for the Malays’ measurable success. In which case, we should all be content to attribute the advancement of Malays and Malaysia merely to takdir and the grace of Allah, and quite willing to discount human agency and Umno diligence.
But let’s see.
Bring back the civil service staff list
Until the early 1970s, the Malaysian government used to produce a federal civil service staff list annually that contained the details of key personnel heading the various ministries and departments of the federal authorities and agencies, and their positions in the service.
Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M should encourage rally for reconciliation
By Dr Lim Teck Ghee
We are heartened that the controversial ‘Melayu Bangkit’ rally in Terengganu planned for tomorrow to commemorate May 13 has been postponed indefinitely.
It would be even more reassuring to hear that any future events to remember this fateful date in our history will take a more constructive note. May 13 should be a collective reaffirmation by all of Malaysia’s peoples that such an incident must never again happen.
In any country in the world which has experienced a tragic outburst of national racial violence, its anniversary is normally one of sombre reflection, collective shame and reconciliation.
The rally organizer is however, Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat — its acronym ‘Gertak’ translated into English means ‘to intimidate’ — and thus an organization whose name has an ominous ring to it.
Gertak has endeavoured to rouse a single race at a time when groups and individuals should come together to condemn the shedding of innocent blood and vow to walk the path of peace.
Read the rest of this entry »
Abdullah should explain whether he had signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang a month before he stepped down as Prime Minister and why
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Mahathir, Najib Razak, Oil on Friday, 30 April 2010
Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah should explain whether he had signed off US$100 billion (RM320 billion) worth of oil rights to resolve Brunei’s claims to Limbang a month before he stepped down as Prime Minister in March last year and why.
The disclosure by former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir that there had been such a deal is most shocking and even outrageous, demonstrating how gravely good governance had deteriorated after Merdeka in 1957, as this is something Abdullah’s predecessors as Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein and even Tun Mahathir himself, would not have done without proper consent of Cabinet, Parliament and the Malaysian people.
Malaysians would have continued to be kept in the dark of this deal if not for Mahathir’s latest blog entry “Malaysia’s Generosity” yesterday where he disclosed that Malaysia had lost a substantial oil producing offshore area in the South China Sea, namely Block L and Block M. Read the rest of this entry »
The Labu and Labi Team of Najib and Muhyiddin (Part 3)
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Bakri Musa, Mahathir, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak on Monday, 12 April 2010
By M. Bakri Musa
(Third of Four Parts)
The Ugly and Dysfunctional Mahathir-Anwar Pair
As leader, Mahathir is essentially a one-man team, a loner. He exhibits the typical alpha-male monkey mode. An alpha monkey could tolerate other males in the colony only if they were to submit to him, or be seen doing so. Any hint of a non-deferring behavior or “dissing” would be dealt with quickly until the challenger is either driven out or fatally finished off. Such leaders have little use for a deputy, partner, or a team. Instead he needs a sidekick, in the manner of a Jim McMahon to Johnny Carson; someone to make the leader looks good and be the butt of his jokes.
Consider Mahathir’s relationship with his first deputy, Musa Hitam. It went well so long as Musa deferred to Mahathir, that is, by being submissive. In the beginning, Musa was exactly that. The moment he began to assert himself or received more attention than Mahathir, it marked the beginning of the end for Musa.
The same dynamics governed Mahathir’s relationship with his third deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. Like Musa, Anwar was only too willing to be Mahathir’s sidekick and to humor him, at least initially. And why not; Anwar was handsomely rewarded, as seen by his rapid ascent in the party and government. Mahathir never viewed Anwar as a threat seeing that he was very much younger and thus could patiently bide his time. That scenario would have successfully played out to the end had Anwar not succumb to the impatient goading of his many impatient and greedy supporters.
Read the rest of this entry »
In sympathy with Matthias Chang
Posted by Kit in Judiciary, Mahathir, Martin Jalleh on Wednesday, 7 April 2010
By Martin Jalleh
(Martin Jalleh (MJ) responds to a letter purportedly written by Matthias Chang (MC) before he chose to go to jail after being charged for contempt of court by the Kuala Lumpur High Court.)
MC: Message from Matthias Chang. To My Dearest Friends and Colleagues
MJ: Dear Matthias, I was shocked that you have been charged for contempt of court. You must in synergy with your former boss who was most contemptuous of the courts!
MC: I have fought against injustice throughout my life and as a practising lawyer
MJ: Perhaps it would be more accurate to say throughout your pre-political-secretary life? The rest of your life you have been faithfully fighting for your former Master, Mahathir.
MC: …upholding justice when there are abuses by the judiciary
Read the rest of this entry »
DR M, Father of the Regressing Malay
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Martin Jalleh on Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Mahathir forgets easily (II)
By Martin Jalleh
Recently, Bolehland’s Statesman Dr Mahathir (Dr M) launched Perkasa, a right-wing Malay group, (some consider it as an ultra-fanatical wing of Umno) at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
The former premier was the replacement for the much wiser Sultan of Selangor who turned down Perkasa’s invitation. The Malay CEOs of government-linked companies (GLCs) also declined.
Dr M and his wife were greeted with a silat performance, strains of traditional music and a huge replica of a keris which stood out on the side of the stage. In the midst of speeches were shouts of “Hidup Perkasa”.
Dr M said that the Malays’ faith in Umno has weakened since it’s disastrous performance in the 2008 general elections. The BN government was weak and all this was due to the then weak leader! He inferred that the Malays needed a strong voice like Perkasa.
Read the rest of this entry »
Dr M, The Father of Re-Colonisation
Mahathir forgets easily (I)
By Martin Jalleh
Recently, Dr Mahathir (Dr M) reminded the younger generation, who will one day lead the nation, not to be taken in by the subtle tactics of foreigners who want to bring about neo-colonialism in the country.
He said that “foreign forces would take advantage on the basis of globalisation and liberalisation to fulfil their agenda. We are now “faced with various challenges from abroad…(and) threats from blog sites”.
He was speaking at the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Statesman Discussion organised by the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) of the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture (Bernama, 27.03.10).
It was one amongst the many of Dr M’s anti-re-colonisation rhetoric. Once when he was in power (in reality, he still is!) he declared that the rakyat must ensure that the BN “is returned to power with a big majority in the next general election so that the nation will be ruled by a strong Government capable of standing against any attempt by foreign powers to re-colonise the country”.
Read the rest of this entry »
Mahathir has come full circle – from an ultra back again to an ultra repudiating Bangsa Malaysia and Vision 2020
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, nation building on Saturday, 27 March 2010
Two events held almost simultaneously today highlighted the two facets in the battle for the hearts and minds of Malaysians – the launching of neo-NEP Perkasa by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at PWTC and the launching of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim’s book “I, too, am a Malay” (Chinese edition) by Dr. Chen Man Hin in Subang Jaya.
Almost at the same time that the former Prime Minister was awarded the Bintang Perkasa Pribumi Negara after launching Perkasa, Dr. Chen formally launched Zaid book.
What a sharp contrast in the imageries evoked in the two events – the launching of Zaid’s book invoking an inclusive and all-embracing hopes of all Malaysians for a progressive, prosperous common future regardless of race, religion or region with the launching of Perkasa anchored in a hankering for the past, oblivious of 52-years of nation-building, even dismissive of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept, all to allow Umno-putras to perpetuate the abuses of NEP by exploiting the name of bumiputras.
As the press have contacted me for my reactions to the Perkasa launch and its inflammatory speeches, this is my preliminary response until I have full access to the speeches concerned.
Read the rest of this entry »
Why have the sons of the second and third Prime Ministers turned their backs on their father’s joint legacy on 5% oil royalty to the states?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Najib Razak, Oil, Razaleigh Hamzah, UMNO on Wednesday, 3 March 2010
End-game to the silencing of Umno veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah or his expulsion from Umno.
This is the import and intent of the gag order announced by Umno vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on Umno members on the Kelantan oil royalty issue which could affect the party’s image.
It is no more a question of who and what is historically right or wrong but who has the present power to impose his views on the country at the moment, right or wrong.
What the second and third Prime Ministers, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn, intended some 35 years ago, as ordering Razaleigh as the first Petronas Chairman “to design the Petroleum Development Act in such a way that the Malay heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor and especially his beloved Pahang, would benefit directly from offshore oil beyond 3 nautical miles through the mechanism of 5 per cent cash payments made directly to the state consolidated fund” (Razaleigh’s statement) do not matter today.
Even Razak’s categorical and unequivocal commitment in Parliament on Nov. 12, 1975 in reply to my parliamentary question that “Under the agreement, each state will receive 5 per cent of the value of petroleum found and extracted from each of the states, whether onshore or offshore, that is sold by Petronas or agencies or contractors” is now regarded as utterly of no consequence or value.
Read the rest of this entry »
Is Muhyiddin the right-hand man of Najib or Mahathir in the Najib premiership?
Posted by Kit in Mahathir, Muhyiddin Yassin, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 22 February 2010
Tun Abdullah tried to distance himself and tinker with the Mahathir legacy, without really daring to dismantle it when he was Prime Minister – but that was enough to ensure a swift and ignominious dismantling and end to Abdullah’s hapless premiership.
One great difference between the Najib and Abdullah premierships up to now is over their stance on the Mahathir legacy – in the Abdullah premiership, the Cabinet Ministers stand mute on the subject but in the Najib administration, the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has emerged as the custodian of the Mahathir legacy with a powerful following!
This is why Muhyiddin’s utterances and actions are not only important for one who is only half-a-heartbeat away from the premiership but as a surrogate of the Mahathir legacy – undoubtedly of the most powerful former Malaysian Prime Minister in the nation’s history.
Just look at some the media headlines on Muhyiddin in the past few months:
Read the rest of this entry »
-
You are currently browsing the archives for the Mahathir category.
