‘Umno warlords will not let Najib succeed’
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, NEM, UMNO on Thursday, 2 February 2012, 11:08 am
By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | February 2, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
Sometime ago I met The Economist correspondent Dr Richard Cockett who asked me whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will succeed in his transformation ideas.
I said, Najib will not suceed. And why not? Because Umno won’t let him succeed.
Take the case of his New Economic Model (NEM). Nowadays we hardly hear about it. In the 2011 Umno general assembly, Najib did not even mention it.
Instead he devoted much of his speech sounding very combative and full of vehemence. What he did at the time was to actually retrograde to Umno cavemen politics – stick and stones.
So how is he going to push his tranformation agenda? Knowing Najib, he will revert to the ‘old’ tested ways of ‘patronage’.
Read the rest of this entry »
In just two years, Najib has “given up the ghost” on his signature 1Malaysia policy
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building on Thursday, 2 February 2012, 5:17 am
“Why must I be Malaysian first and Malay second?”
This seemingly innocuous question by the Minister without Portfolio in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Idris Jala yesterday marked another watershed in the 34-month premiership of Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In just two years, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has “given up the ghost” on his signature 1Malaysia policy to create a Malaysia where Malaysians regard themselves as Malaysians first and their race, religion, region or socio-economic status second.
It marked another abandonment of Najib’s grandiloquent “transformation” policies, like the even more short-lived New Economic Model (NEM) which was given an unceremonial burial in three short months.
This was why the theme of my speech in Parliament on the Tenth Malaysia Plan on 21st June 2010 was “Tenth Malaysia Plan: Long live NEP – RIP NEM” although the NEM was unveiled only on 30th March 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
Idris Jala: Why must I be Malaysian first?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, nation building on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 9:43 pm
By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 01, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 – Datuk Seri Idris Jala said today that nationality, race and religion are of equal importance when determining an individual’s true Malaysian identity.
As such, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the “Malaysian first, Malay next” dilemma should not arise as being Malaysian as well as Malay are different matters and are both important.
“I get upset with people stuck with this whole Malaysian first dilemma. Why must I be Malaysian first and Malay second?” he said when dissecting the 1 Malaysia concept during his keynote address at an intercultural dialogue this afternoon.
The Sarawakian Christian minister, who served as mediator between the religious community and the government during the Alkitab bibles row last year, said race, nationality and religion contribute equally to a person’s identity and should not be placed in a contest against one another.
He added that by insisting that the “Malaysian” tag should supercede others, it was tantamount to saying that the hand is more important than the leg or vice-versa.
“My name is Idris, that is my name, my identity. Kelabit is the tribe I was born in.
“I belong to a group called the Orang Ulu. I am Sarawakian, I am Malaysian, I am Asian.
“They are all individual identities that are equally as important – you cannot say one is more important than another,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »
PR MPs will remind Najib in March Parliament to honour his solemn undertaking to leave “no stone unturned” to find out the truth about Beng Hock’s death or face the censure of voters
Posted by Kit in Parliament, Teoh Beng Hock on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 3:45 pm
For more than 30 months since his murder at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters at Shah Alam on July 16, 2009, justice have been denied to Teoh Beng Hock.
Despite an inquest, an exhumation, a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) and solemn undertaking by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to Teoh Beng Hock’s family that “no stone would be left unturned”, the full frightening story of the causes and circumstances for Beng Hock’s murder at MACC Headquarters have still to be told and full justice given to Beng Hock and family.
The Coroner Muntapha Abas in Beng Hock’s inquest had ruled out suicide but had returned an open verdict as there was insufficient evidence to prove that his death was a homicide.
The James Foong RCI came out with a finding overturning the verdict of the Inquest ruling out suicide – concluding that Beng Hock was “driven to commit suicide by the aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous interrogation”.
This is most unacceptable finding as it was not based on any evidence but completely a leap in speculation by the RCI. Read the rest of this entry »
Hassan Ali talking as if he got more than a screw loose in his head – impossible to get angry and outraged but only feelings of great pity at the gibberish pouring out from him
Posted by Kit in Constitution, DAP on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 2:10 pm
Expelled PAS member and former Selangor state exco member Datuk Hassan Ali must have shocked his “masters” when he made the wildest and most preposterous of allegations in the first stop of his nationwide roadshow in Bangi yesterday, alleging that “once they take over Putrajaya”, DAP will merge Malaysia with Singapore into a republic and abolish Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and do away with Islamic enactments.
One should get outraged and incensed at lies and falsehoods, but when they are so far-fetched with Hassan Ali talking as if he has got more than a screw loose in his head, it is impossible to get angry and outraged but only feelings of great pity at the gibberish pouring out from him.
It is clearly an utter waste of time to try to reason with such a deranged person.
DAP however reserves the right to take all necessary legal action against such defamatory falsehoods, whether from Hassan personally or others spreading his defamatory falsehoods. Read the rest of this entry »
Rebranding Rela into BN’s vanguard
Posted by Kit in Election, Law & Order, Najib Razak, Police on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 1:09 pm
— Bob Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 31, 2012
JAN 31 — Under the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), Rela is to be rebranded as part of a police “omnipresence.” But its massive build-up has raised suspicions that it may instead become Barisan Nasional’s (BN) vanguard or even an additional vote bank.
“When the chips are down, Rela will be with this government to defend the country. Do not cause havoc in this country because the 2.8 million Rela members will not stand idly by and watch the country descend into chaos,” he thundered to the noisy approval from a crowd of 30,000 Rela members gathered in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday.
Najib Razak seems at variance with his minister in charge of the GTP, Idris Jala. The GTP roadmap for combating crime requires Rela to help police keep “omnipresence” in 50 identified crime hot spots in the Kuala Lumur, Selangor, Johor and Penang.
But Najib talks about using Rela as a vanguard or vigilante when Umno or BN’s chips are down, and he wants Rela to contain demonstrators out to create public disorder. Read the rest of this entry »
PM – when will Beng Hock’s case be given due attention?
Posted by Kit in Teoh Beng Hock on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 11:58 am
by Teoh Lee Lan
(Sister of The Late Teoh Beng Hock)
18th January 2012
It’s already 2012, could the PM please tell us when the Beng Hock case will be given due attention?
We, the family of Teoh Beng Hock, will be in Putrajaya at 9 a.m., 2 February 2012 for a Court of Appeal decision on the Teoh Beng Hock case judicial review.
In 2012 we are about to usher in the third Chinese New Year without Beng Hock and with the truth nowhere in sight.
We should like to ask: What actually happened on 16 July 2009 at the scene of Beng Hock’s death? Why have the various doubts we raised gone unanswered?
For the past few years, we have asked such questions not once, not twice, but more than a thousand times at the courts, in the media, and at various forums, but every time silence was the answer. Read the rest of this entry »
Breaking up wealth concentration in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Finance, Lim Teck Ghee on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 10:51 am
— Dr Lim Teck Ghee
The Malaysian Insider
FEB 1 — The past year has seen the government and the opposition unveil their respective economic reform policies. Even if these reform policies and their attendant programmes are implemented they will not be able to resolve the country’s economic problems. This is because the policies advocated by both sides of the political divide are merely palliative. They do not address the root or fundamental cause of the problem of structural deformation of the country’s economy.
How has this deformation come about? What are its characteristics? And what can be done to bring about a reversal or correction of the deformation so that we have a really transformed economic system that can live up to its full potential?
First we need to recognise that wealth in any country — and Malaysia is no exception — is created by economic activity engaged in by individuals or enterprises that bring profits or gains to the entrepreneur. Much of this wealth creation and subsequent accumulation is legitimate. It is based on material reward arising from work (or gift) and is socially and ethically acceptable. It comes from risk-taking and from the social utility and superiority of the products and services generated by the individual or enterprise.
Wealth generated and accumulated by individuals through legitimate means and conforming to the norms of justice and fairness is not only desirable but beneficial to society and the economy.
But what about wealth that is created or amassed by less than legitimate or illegitimate or illegal means? Is it a minor or non-issue and do we just ignore it as is the case with the Barisan Nasional government? Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia: Why do I care?
— Clive Kessler
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 01, 2012
FEB 1 — Part 1: The personal quest
Now back in Sydney yet again, after two more months in Malaysia, I sigh from both exhaustion and relief.
Exhaustion, since as I age I find it ever more punishing physically just to get around Kuala Lumpur and keep up with things there.
… And relief. Relief since I am here at home spared the daily onslaught of anguish and stress that is my lot there, as I contemplate Malaysia’s future and prospects “from within”: from the midst, or at the least from my vantage point close on the sidelines, of the nation’s current travails.
I enjoy here, in short, some of the pleasure of a little distance from it all, some blissful detachment.
But it is a guilty pleasure, an enjoyment that makes me feel uneasy. Why?
As I now think, from afar, about how exercised and agitated and concerned I become about Malaysia’s current situation and trajectory — especially as I contemplate Malaysia’s current situation and prospects from “inside” or “close up” there — I pose a challenge to myself. A basic question. Read the rest of this entry »
Beginning of a shift in racial politics
Posted by Kit in DAP, nation building, Politics on Wednesday, 1 February 2012, 9:56 am
Jan 31, 2012
YOURSAY
Malaysiakini
‘What is happening today is a revolt against corruption, and by extension revolt against Umno. It is not about race.’
The fracturing of the Malay community
Cala: S Thayaparan’s argument is surprisingly simple – that Umno due to its various weaknesses is slowly and steadily losing its grip on the Malays and thus giving rise to a fragmented Malay community.
The future, as seen by the writer is in DAP given its multi-ethnic stance and hopefully it will over the years allow “a reformed Malay-majority DAP” to work with other partners within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
In theory, the argument makes sense because in this case number matters. To be effective and be counted, DAP needs Malay memberships.
In practice, however, it is a painfully long process to anyone who wishes to boot out the corrupted and unrepentant regime quickly.
While waiting for more enlightened Malays to join DAP, the better way is to work closely with PKR and PAS as the latter two share similar political aspiration. Read the rest of this entry »
Cuepacs steps up fight against new scheme
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, public service on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, 6:54 pm
Stephanie Sta Maria | January 31, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
KUALA LUMPUR: Cuepacs has set up an action committee as its latest step in its fight against the Public Service New Remuneration Scheme (SBPA).
A 15-member team, led by Cuepacs deputy president, Azih Muda, will present a paper on its recommendations to Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, by early March.
These recommendations were compiled during a two-day workshop on SBPA which was attended by all Cuepacs officials.
Cuepacs president, Omar Osman, told the media this afternoon that the paper would be based on the five items that Cuepacs has already submitted for review by the SBPA task force.
“The prime minister introduced the SBPA in the hope that it would be better than the Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) but instead it is the worst scheme we have ever seen,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno parti rasuah
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Najib Razak, UMNO on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, 6:44 pm
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 31, 2012
31 JAN — Kawan kawan saya dalam Umno bercakap mengenai rasa cemas bila kerajaan yang di pimpin oleh Umno menabur wang begitu banyak kepada rakyat. Bayaran RM100, RM200, dan sekarang ini RM500 sedang rancak di jalankan. Tapi apa yang hendak di risaukan? Bukankah ini hasil pejuangan Umno dan bukti Umno dan BN amat perihatin kepada rakyat?
Mereka bertanya kepada saya, bayaran2 ini, adakah ianya meningkatkan peluang Umno dan kerajaan BN menang? Saya cakap sudah tentu ia meningkat peluang- peluang untuk rakyat merasa sakit hati. Bila rakyat sakit hati, bertambah ramailah musuh2 Umno.
Hah? Macam mana itu berlaku? Saya menyatakan bahawa dalam hal beri memberi ini, Umno selalu menghadapi masaalah. Siapa yang menentukan siapa dapat RM100, RM200 dan RM500? Selalunya yang menentukan ialah ketua kampung.
Ketua kampung punya keutamaan ialah menyenaraikan adik beradik, saudara-saudara terdekat, dan geng-geng yang sebulu dengan mereka. Golongan yang terpinggir ramai daripada yang dapat imbuhan. Ini memang resam sesetangah ketua kampong. Semasa saya jadi ADUN dahulu, saya mempunyai masaalah dengan ketua-ketua kampung yang seperti inilah juga — yang jadi pagar yang memakan padi.
Kalau buka kawasan pembesaran kampung, lot-lot tanah di sapu mereka dan keluarga mereka sendiri. Kalau ada rumah rakyat, rumah PPRT, sanak saudara di dahulukan. Bahkan lot-lot tanah di beri kepada suku-sakat mereka yang tidak pun tinggal dalam kawasan pemberian tanah.
Apabila saham Felcra di beri oleh kerajaan, yang sepatutnya di beri kepada kepala keluarga, pemimpin kampung mendesak di beri kepada anggota isi rumah. Kalau keluarganya ada lima orang, mereka mahu saham Felcra di beri kepada ke lima-lima ahli keluarganya. Apa akan jadi bila perkara seperti ini di biarkan? Ianya bermakna lima ketua keluarga yang lain di nafikan peluang untuk dapat saham Felcra.
Nah, sekarang perkara yang serupa berlaku apabila pentadbiran Najib Razak membayar wang kepada rakyat. Ramai orang menerima wang tersebut tapi bilangan yang di nafikan hak untuk menikmati rezeki dari Najib Razak juga kian bertambah. Read the rest of this entry »
4 MCA Ministers should make amends for their ministerial cowardice/irresponsibility by speaking up in first post-CNY Cabinet meeting for full public transparency and accountability for the RM330 million “cattle condo” scandal
Posted by Kit in Auditor-General Report, Corruption, MCA on Tuesday, 31 January 2012, 1:33 pm
Just before the Chinese New Year, the MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek gave an interview where he blamed the Barisan Nasional government, “particularly embattled minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abd Jalil”, for the “poor handling” of the RM330 million “cattle condo” scandal, causing the public to perceive the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project as “real rotten”.
If the MCA President is right, then the four MCA Ministers must also bear full responsibility as they have allowed the RM330 million “cattle condo” to drag on for three months in the public limelight, with the relentless expose of one abuse of power and misuse of public funds after another, without any rebuttal and providing no light whatsoever “at the end of the tunnel”!
In fact, as it is more than six months since the completion and submission to the government of the Auditor-General’s Report 2010 in early July last year which led to the expose of the “terrible mess” of the NFC scandal, Malaysians are entitled to an explanation why the Cabinet (including the four MCA Ministers) had been sleeping on their jobs to get to the very bottom of the NFC scandal?
In view of the MCA President’s statement blaming the “rotten mess” of the NFC scandal on Barisan Nasional’s “poor handling”, are the four MCA Ministers prepared to make amends for their ministerial cowardice and irresponsibility by speaking up in first post-Chinese New Year Cabinet meeting for full public transparency and accountability for the RM330 million “cattle condo” scandal? Read the rest of this entry »
Malays have no qualms about joining DAP: Only Umno says they have
by Moaz Nair
Malaysia Chronicle
30 January 2012
Some UMNO leaders and the nuisance-to-society Perkasa apparently still belong to the old school of thoughts that race and religion can be used to gain votes from the Malays. More often than not, they prefer to sow hatred among races in the country to achieve their selfish goals.
The new educated or enlightened Malay race – New Malays (Melayu Baru) do not auspiciously subscribe to this divisive politics or racial and religious rhetoric of UMNO or Perkasa anymore. The New Malays see race, religion and the country as a whole from an entirely different political perspective. They seem to spurn politics based on shallow discourse relating to race and religion. They have a bigger ambition for the country to see it develop with people of all races having a fair share of the economic pie.
Some irrelevant Malay politicians belonging to the old school of thoughts are wasting their precious time organising public speeches trying to delude the Malays into thinking that non-Malays are a threat to them or that Christianity is a threat to the Malays and the religion of Islam in this country. When these bigots sense that they are not getting the crowd to their numb sermons – as the people are not interested in their story telling – they resort to their friendly media to pad the events. They fail to realise that the majority of Malays are at ease living together with other races and seeing the many religions being practised in peace. There are many more Malays working, studying in Christian countries without fear that they will be converted to Christianity. Many Malays have even left this country for good after having hatred for UMNO’s approach to politics.
In truth, the New Malays in the country will not fall to UMNO’s bilk that DAP is a threat to the Malay race, Islam and the royalty. The country and its political parties have evolved for many years. DAP is today perceived by the New Malays as a party for all Malaysians. Never in the history of DAP’s party manifesto has it shown any predisposition towards the Malays, Islam or the royalty. Read the rest of this entry »
Dissecting Mahathir’s grand design
by Liew Chin Tong
The Rocket
30 January, 2012
Not many of us remembered that Barisan Nasional survived and thrived electorally for an extended period from 1991 to 2005 as a result of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s grand compromise in the form of Vision 2020.
Coercive tools and undemocratic means like security power to arrest legitimate political opponents without trial, legal and financial controls over mass media, and a distorted electoral system, have helped BN to remain in power, becoming the current longest serving elected government in the world.
The Alliance formula and the beginning of “Malay First” hegemony
BN’s predecessor the Alliance’s formula was to win half of the votes of all ethnic groups. Being the sole coalition with multi-ethnic representation at all levels, the strategy paid off well in 1959 and 1964.
But the Alliance also pursued a small-government-do-very-little approach, resulting in rising inequality. It eventually resulted in an increased support for the opposition among members of all ethnic groups, including Malays, in 1969.
Contrary to the popular belief that only Chinese supported the opposition in the 1969 election, the Malays played their part too. Dr. Mahathir lost his Kota Setar Selatan seat as well as the defeats of other UMNO bigwigs demonstrated that there were substantial Malay swing against the Alliance.
Post-1969, Tun Razak’s formula strived to achieve a 70 percent Malay electoral support for BN. Non-Malay support was considered non-essential in such formula. All policies under the new arrangement, symbolised by the New Economic Policy, were geared towards that goal.
The “Malay first” strategy served UMNO well until the 1990 general election when the Malay votes were split after the formation of Semangat 46, led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and other former senior UMNO leaders. Read the rest of this entry »
The fracturing of the Malay community (2)
S Thayaparan | Jan 30, 2012
Malaysiakini
COMMENT
Umno’s interaction with “multiracial parties” has so far been with Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR – ostensibly a multiracial party but for the most part, an organisation filled with ship-jumping Umno rejects – and the Islamic PAS, often used as a bogeyman by Umno to keep the non-Muslims in line.
That Umno considers PKR a threat to its power has more to do with the fact that it was always perceived to be the third moderate way of the Malay polity and not for any multiracial reasons.
Umno is fighting a battle on two fronts, against vocal liberal Malay voices of PKR and the more religious tones from PAS.
In both these cases, the fight for the Malay soul is confined within the Malay community and the non-Malays have been collateral damage in the ongoing shadow war that will determine the fate of this country.
So it should come as no surprise that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (left) is concerned over the possible influx of moderate Malay voices into the routinely demonised DAP.
If more Malays enter this political party, the Malay vote will be further fractured into a diverse range of political aspirations that don’t neatly fit in the bigoted ethnocentric agenda of the ruling Umno regime.
If the point of the Umno game is to limit the choices of the Malay population then any attempt to provide avenues for different forms of political expressions is a threat to the natural order of their reality.
There can be no plurality of voices when it comes to expressing Islam. Anything which is a threat to Malay unity, which should be read as Umno hegemony, should be shot down in a hail of racial, religious or cultural bullets. Read the rest of this entry »
Open letter to Dr M
— Mohd Ikhram Merican
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 30, 2012
JAN 30 — Dear Tun Dr M,
Many years ago, in 1986 or ‘87, I can’t remember the exact year, I had the pleasure of meeting you in a private family dinner. You were the guest of honour and I was a very young boy, excited to be in the vicinity of your towering presence. I had many things I wanted to say to you and when I walked up to where you were seated I could only manage one rhetorical question.
You were very kind. Although in the midst of conversation with my uncles, you stopped and gave me, a little boy, a few minutes of your time. I spoke to the prime minister. It was my two minutes of fame.
For the better part of my life you have been the prime minister of Malaysia. In all those years, I saw you as the best prime minister Malaysia has ever had. Sadly, I’m not so sure anymore. I don’t despise you or loathe you but I question your rationale for a good many things. There are so many issues that I would like to raise with you. It is near impossible to cover everything here but let me start with your latest blog post titled “Kaitan Bangsa Dengan Bisnes”. The Malaysian Insider reported this with the headline, “Dr M: Scrapping race-based policies will lead to chaos.”
I find it hard to believe that scrapping race-based policies will lead to chaos. The status quo is more detrimental to the country in the long run. The existing race-based policies have done little to improve the plight of the Malays. In fact it has created a class divide between the Malay haves and have-nots. This WILL split the Malays because severe class inequalities have caused revolutions, even in singular nations.
You believe not everyone has equal capabilities and some people must be given special consideration in business and other areas based on their race. This is an argument that neither makes sense nor justifies special considerations. Let me elaborate. Would you allow an aspiring surgeon to become one via special considerations, even if he is inherently bad at it? And would you trust your life under the knife with this person? This is what you propose.
Allow me to provide a further example. UiTM was founded in 1956 (as Dewan Latihan Rida) to facilitate the creation of Bumiputera professionals. Fifty-six years later, it ranks among the last in the QS World University Rankings. While it is the largest university in Malaysia, and has admittedly created many graduates, it has done little to create world-class professionals. Read the rest of this entry »
Mahal sungguh nak ‘maintain’ Umno ini
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 30 January 2012, 8:49 pm
— Aspan Alias
The Malaysian Insider
Jan 30, 2012
30 JAN — Masalah yang dihadapi oleh parti pemerintah sekarang ini ialah perpecahan dalaman yang berlaku dari atas sehingga ke bawah. Perpecahan yang sangat serius ini bukan kepalang besarnya. Beberapa minggu lalu di Shah Alam Dr Mahathir Mohamad telah menyeru ahli-ahli Umno supaya menyokong calon Umno walaupun yang diturunkan oleh parti itu bukannya seorang ahli Umno.
Seruan Dr Mahathir ini sangat besar maknanya kepada seseorang yang berpolitik. Ia bermakna Umno memang sedang berada di dalam keadaan tenat sehinggakan ada tempat-tempat dan kawasan yang tidak ada seorang pun ahli Umno yang layak untuk diturunkan sebagai calon yang mendapat sokongan yang menyeluruh.
Dr Mahathir pula nampaknya sudah berubah lagi. Kali ini beliau menyokong parti, tidak seperti dalam PRU yang lalu di mana beliau meyokong calon dan tidak parti. Tetapi itu adalah tindakan yang tidak mengejutkan ramai sebab Dr Mahathir adalah seorang yang sentiasa “flip-flop” dalam perjuangan beliau.
Jadi benarlah pandangan saya selama ini yang Umno memang tidak ada kepimpinan di kalangan ahli-ahlinya. Jika seorang pemimpin yang digelar sebagai negarawan oleh penyokong-penyokong setianya itu, boleh menzahirkan kata-kata seruan seperti itu maka sah Umno memang sedang menghadapi masalah yang bertindih-tindih yang tidak dapat diselesaikan walaupun PRU akan diadakan tidak lama lagi. Read the rest of this entry »
Umno’s in trouble in Selangor
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, UMNO on Monday, 30 January 2012, 8:44 pm
Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | January 30, 2012
Free Malaysia Today
Contrary to survey ratings, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is not as popular as people are made to believe, says Daim Zainuddin.
COMMENT
In the pre-2008 general election days, Umno leaders castigated and demeaned former economic adviser Daim Zainuddin, claiming he was senile and past his shelf life, and that he was way-off with his political predictions.
Then came the shocking loss. As prophesied by Daim, Barisan Nasional lost five states and barely managed to retain its two-thirds majority.
Now every Umno leader regards Daim as the Oracle of Delphi. More so, if they can persuade him to give encouraging, if not forced, optimism of Umno’s prospects in the 13th general election.
Sadly they are not going to get that.
Two Saturdays ago, I sat down with Daim’s alter ego, whom I call the Oracle of Syed Putra.
Although I directed my questions to the Oracle and he gave answers, readers must assume they are directed to and answered by Daim himself.
I asked the Oracle his assessment of the current political situation and of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
His response was somewhat startling, to say the least.
He said Najib “has simply lost the plot” on how to run and manage this country.
What about those polls and ratings about Najib being popular?
The Oracle said, “Surveyors and those surveyed can be paid to elicit the politically correct statements. No big deal.” Read the rest of this entry »
Utusan Malaysia or Chua Soi Lek – which of them lied? Answer: Both lied!
Yesterday, when Utusan Malaysia accused DAP of being the world’s most racist political party, I did not know whether to laugh or to cry.
To laugh at the poverty of ideas and bankruptcy of journalistic principles of the Utusan editors or to cry at the lack of loyalty and patriotism of Utusan editors to an united, harmonious and successful multi-racial Malaysia!
What came to me immediately was the Greek saying: “Those whom the Gods wish to destroy they first make mad!”
The Utusan Malaysia charge was so ridiculous that I put the Utusan Malaysia item on my blog in verbatim, to let more people see the depths Utusan had sunk to from its early days when it was a great newspaper.
Only few days earlier, the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek was in his stentorian best, spinning the tune that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS and a victory for DAP in the next general elections is paving the road for PAS’ “days of glory”.
If Utusan Malaysia is right that DAP is the world’s most racist party, then Chua is wrong. If Chua is right, then Utusan must be wrong.
Read the rest of this entry »
