To be a statesman or to remain a politician?
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, Parliament on Tuesday, 20 September 2011, 12:44 pm
by K Kabilan
Free Malaysia Today
September 20, 2011
Critics can be silenced only if Najib shows that he is genuine in making political reforms. For that, he has to start the ball rolling now, not next year, not after the general election.
COMMENT
It’s not surprising that there are so many sceptics to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s proposed political reforms as announced by him on Malaysia Day.
It has been about a week now and we are yet to be shown any outlines or details of the mechanism under which Najib proposes to revoke the three Emergency proclamations, do away with the draconian Internal Security Act and on what form would the two replacement Acts be.
Neither have we seen any fine print on how the other Emergency Ordinance-related laws such as the Banishment Act and the Restricted Residence Act 1993 will be replaced. Read the rest of this entry »
Bumis ‘typically’ sold government contracts for cars, houses, leaked study reveals
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, NEP on Tuesday, 20 September 2011, 12:35 pm
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 20, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — An unpublished Works Ministry study found that Bumiputera contractors as a rule sold their government contracts to buy luxury cars and houses apart from misusing payments received from the Treasury, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.
The cable, revealed by whistleblower website WikiLeaks, comes just after Putrajaya agreed to allocate RM8 billion worth of contracts in the country’s most expensive infrastructure project, the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), which initially set strict rules for its contractors.
The US diplomatic cable quoted a Works Ministry source as saying the “Study on Bumiputera Contractor Leakage” was the result of feedback from various industry sources on failed and successful projects. The report was used by then-Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (picture) to castigate failing Bumiputera businessmen in February 2007.
“The current system of awarding lucrative government contracts to Bumis provides them with a strong economic incentive to simply act as agents, turning over as many projects as possible and taking a cut before handing each one off to a competent non-Bumi implementer.
“This ‘Bumi agent’ system is firmly entrenched in Malaysia. Any effort to make reforms is likely to be resisted not only by well-established Bumis, but also by the non-Bumi implementers who have built up a network of well-oiled agent partnership,” the US Embassy concluded in the report published by the Malaysia-Today news portal. Read the rest of this entry »
That bold speech on that historic day
Posted by Kit in Media, Najib Razak, OSA on Tuesday, 20 September 2011, 8:12 am
— Sakmongkol AK47
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 19, 2011
SEPT 19 — I am a little late to write on the historic speech of the prime minister. Really, I wanted to offer words of encouragement and support. I am tired to continue criticising the PM, who is, after all, my ketua bahagian.
I was thinking, support and congratulations are in order because the media, led by the overzealous minister of information, have led the public to believe that some real goodies are in order; and after that, the public will offer effusive joyousness in response.
They will, I think, if the subject matter that is going to be announced affects them directly and immediately in a positive way. The response from the public will be lukewarm if the subject matter affects them indirectly and inconsequentially. Let us judge the administration on this score. Read the rest of this entry »
Foreign sell-off, economy top concerns despite reforms push
Posted by Kit in Economics, Elections, Finance, Najib Razak on Monday, 19 September 2011, 6:43 pm
by Lee Wei Lian
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 19, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — Despite the Najib administration’s political reforms, a Bloomberg report today said foreign funds may continue paring down local share stakes in an indication that the world economy will remain the government’s biggest headache ahead of an expected general election.
Terence Wong, head of research at Kuala Lumpur-based CIMB, was reported as saying that worsening global economic turmoil may cause investors to keep unloading the nation’s equities.
Wong also said that promises made last week by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to burnish Malaysia’s democratic credentials and abolish the controversial security and media laws will not be enough to boost confidence.
The Bloomberg report said that KLSE data showed that foreign funds sold RM3.8 billion worth of Malaysian shares last month, the most since at least October 2009 after four consecutive months of inflows. Read the rest of this entry »
Human Rights and Transparency in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Human Rights, Lim Guan Eng, Penang on Monday, 19 September 2011, 5:07 pm
by Lim Guan Eng
Speech at Monash Asia Institute in Melbourne
19th September 2011
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for inviting me to speak at the Monash Asia Institute, an important research center at my alma mater. I would like to especially thank Professor Greg Barton and my dear friend Dr Wendy Smith as well as send my thanks to the Monash University’s leadership. As you know, Monash University has a sister campus in Kuala Lumpur and although it is sadly not in my state, the university plays an important role in educating future leaders of our country.
As a Malaysian, I am very grateful for this collaboration and hope we can strengthen ties between Monash and Malaysia further. On a personal level, as many of your know I received my economics and accounting degree here and was quite active in student politics. I was never an outstanding student but what little I gleaned has helped me to formulate new economic and industrial policies in Penang that is now acknowledged as the best run state in Malaysia with strong growth, record budget surpluses and record FDIs coupled with a labour shortage.
In short, Monash helped me to evolve as a leader and politician and this university will always have a special place in my heart for which I am eternally grateful. Not only did I learn the importance of studying and working hard, but the need to forge relationships and centrality of principles. I am sure Monash will train future Malaysian leaders and I look forward to many of you helping to chart our future and being the change you want to see. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib should present a full blueprint of how he proposes to make Malaysia the “best democracy in the world” when Parliament reconvenes on October 3
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Parliament on Monday, 19 September 2011, 2:33 pm
Malaysians should take seriously what the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in Pekan yesterday about making Malaysia the “best democracy in the world” and put him to the test.
At present, Malaysia is among the “worst democracy in the world” where citizens could be arrested for wearing yellow T-shirts and attract the full might of the law for supporting a peaceful rally in pursuit of a perfectly legitimate and democratic campaign for free and fair elections, including mass arrests and the firing of teargas and chemically-laced water cannons at unarmed and defenceless Malaysians.
A government seriously committed to the goal of becoming the “best democracy in the world” would not have arbitrarily and undemocratically banned Bersih 2.0 as an illegal organisation but would have engaged with all political parties and the civil society as to how Malaysia can transform itself from a “flawed democracy” into a “full-fledged democracy”. Read the rest of this entry »
Pak Lah warns Najib of internal resistance to reforms
Posted by Kit in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Elections, Najib Razak on Monday, 19 September 2011, 12:19 pm
By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 19, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that Datuk Seri Najib Razak should expect hardliners in Barisan Nasional (BN) to resist his plans to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other security laws because they want to maintain the old ways to silence critics.
The former prime minister, who was conferred Universiti Malaysia Kelantan’s first honorary doctorate today, said in his acceptance speech that his own efforts to implement reforms were “opposed not just by those outside but also those from within.”
“There are hardliners who want to maintain the old system, controlling the flow of information and using laws to silence the public. Najib may face the same challenges I did before. The job of a reformist is not easy.
“I hope there will not be those that oppose silently, ‘seperti gunting dalam lipatan’, as the policy that (Najib) wants to create with the repeal of the ISA will benefit the public and the nation in the long term,” Abdullah said, using the Malay idiom that refers to internal saboteurs. Read the rest of this entry »
From the people behind Tony Blair, a ‘cool’ Najib
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak on Monday, 19 September 2011, 9:25 am
By Leslie Lau
Executive Editor
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 19, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — In the last few weeks, a group of political strategists that includes members of the team behind Tony Blair’s “New Labour” have started work to reinvent Datuk Seri Najib Razak as a moderate reformist to appeal to voters as he prepares to lead his Barisan Nasional (BN) for the first time into elections.
The Malaysian Insider understands that besides the former Blair operatives, the Najib team is also seeking the counsel of a familiar face — Paul Stadlen, the former boss of APCO Malaysia, the team that met an ignominious end a few months ago for alleged links to Israel.
As part of the Najib team’s big push, it is also understood that multi-million ringgit funding has also been worked out for a new website and to hire hundreds of people to promote “Brand Najib” and “Brand BN” on social media and other websites.
A new Najib — one who attends concerts and speaks of being “cool” — has already emerged despite the short time the “Blair team” has been working here.
Last week, the prime minister pushed aside the hawks that had been dominating space in his administration by announcing plans for a raft of reforms including the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA). Read the rest of this entry »
A Whiff of His Father’s Leadership
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, ISA, Najib Razak on Monday, 19 September 2011, 12:49 am
by M. Bakri Musa
In announcing the repeal of the Internal Security Act and other repressive laws, Prime Minister Najib Razak secures for himself an enshrined spot in Malaysian history.
Of the many thoughtful comments on Najib’s historic announcement, the one that struck at the heart of the issue was that by former Mufti of Perlis, Dr. Asri Zainul Abidin. He declared, “The ISA is an un-Islamic law. It infringes [upon] individual rights and can be easily misused by leaders, so repealing it was a very Islamic move.” Amen!
“Najib’s announcement,” Asri continued, “is more valuable than any bonus payment or salary increase because repealing the ISA means the restoration of human rights … which is more valuable than money.” That is putting things in their proper perspective.
I disagree however, with the Mufti’s characterization of Najib’s move as a “gift” to the people. When someone robs you of something and then returns it, that is no gift, merely restoring what is rightly yours. The ISA and other restrictive laws rob us of our precious possession, our freedom. That is Allah’s gift to us, as enshrined in the Koran. It is not for mere mortals, no matter how exalted their earthly positions, to tamper.
Nonetheless I do hear the Mufti. Good Muslims ought to be grateful for their blessings, however small. I want to be a good Muslim, and Najib’s announcement is a huge blessing, so I am very grateful. Alham dulillah! Praise be to Allah! Read the rest of this entry »
Stop the charade of claiming to want to be the “best democracy in the world” – what Najib should do is to immediately end Malaysia’s ranking as a “flawed democracy”
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Najib Razak on Sunday, 18 September 2011, 5:36 pm
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is outdoing himself every day with taller and ever incredible claims – yesterday claiming that no one else but Barisan Nasional should take credit for the repeal of the Internal Security Act and other law reforms he announced in his Malaysia Day message and today reiterating that the repeal of the ISA is not due to pressure from any quarter but an effort to make Malaysia the “best democracy in the world”.
Najib should stop the charade of claiming to want to be the “best democracy in the world” when what he should do is to immediately end Malaysia’s ranking as a “flawed democracy” before Malaysia could qualify to rank among the full democracies in the world.
The third edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2010 released early this year categorised Malaysia as a “flawed democracy” due to “a gradual erosion of civil liberties and political culture in the past year” with Malaysia’s aggregate score dropping 0.17 to 6.19 out of 10 from the previous index in 2008, and the overall country ranking falling from 68th to 71st out of 167 countries. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib: Reforms not due to any pressure
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak on Sunday, 18 September 2011, 2:44 pm
Free Malaysia Today
September 18, 2011
The prime minister says ISA was being repealed in order to make Malaysia the best democracy.
PEKAN: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said today the repeal of the Internal Security Act was an effort to make Malaysia the best democracy in the world.
The prime minister said the repeal of the ISA was possible at this time because of the success in developing the nation, the increasing maturity of the people and the greater awareness of human rights in society.
“It was not due to pressure from any quarter,” he stressed at his Aidilfitri open house here which was attended by about 50,000 people. Also present was his wife Rosmah Mansor. Read the rest of this entry »
You should be afraid, Najib
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 18 September 2011, 2:20 pm
— Tan Teck Huat
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 18, 2011
SEPT 18 — One of the more amusing articles that I have read recently was the story about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak telling his Umno members yesterday that he was not afraid of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Opposition leader.
Najib said that he was willing to debate Anwar or something along those lines.
The PM must be one of those people who say they are not fixated with something yet spend an inordinate amount of time talking or paying attention to that person “who they are not afraid of”.
If he is not afraid of Anwar, why bring up the name at all? Read the rest of this entry »
Anything But Umno (Part 2)
Posted by Kit in ISA, Najib Razak on Sunday, 18 September 2011, 12:22 am
— Ali Kadir
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 17, 2011
SEPT 17 — Humility is a virtue which everyone of us should aspire to but many of us prefer pride.
So we should not be surprised that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Barisan Nasional are claiming credit for announcing the removal of some laws which the BN government has used for decades to stifle dissent, lock up critics and control the press.
Strange isn’t it that they are silent about being the architects of the ISA and other laws but quite happy to claim credit for proposing their demise.
This is like a factory owner or dare I say rare earth plant, which pollutes the neighbourhood for 20 years, and then congratulates itself for shutting down the factory, not saying sorry for the increase in the number of deaths from cancer. Read the rest of this entry »
The Economist says well done Najib but…
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak, NEP on Saturday, 17 September 2011, 5:39 pm
The Malaysian Insider
Sep 17, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — The influential international newspaper The Economist has praised Datuk Seri Najib Razak for his move to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other controversial security laws but points out that he will have to abolish “institutionalised ethnic discrimination” before he can assume the mantle of a radical reformer.
The extreme right-wing of Umno is expected to go along with the sweeping legislative changes as long as it does not touch on ethnic quotas and divisions, the newspaper said in an opinion published in its popular Banyan column yesterday.
“It is the system of ethnic quotas and divisions that is really holding the country back — if Mr Najib started to take an axe to all that, then absolutely nobody would question his credentials as a radical reformer,” the newspaper wrote. Read the rest of this entry »
Will repeal of ISA and slew of other legislative changes be completed before next general elections or will they be “work-in-progress” trotted out as BN election “goodies” ?
Posted by Kit in Bersih, Elections, Najib Razak, Parliament on Saturday, 17 September 2011, 4:39 pm
I had said at the Sabah Pakatan Rakyat convention in Kota Kinabalu last evening that the Pakatan Rakyat has begun to chalk up victories even before the 13th general elections, citing as example the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s announcement to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) which is one of the specific promises made by Pakatan Rakyat in the Buku Jingga manifesto.
This has been quickly rebutted by Najib today who said that no one else but Barisan Nasional should take credit for the repeal of the ISA and the slew of other law reforms which he announced in his Malaysia Day message on Wednesday night.
Najib claimed that “these are not the fruits of their struggle” but was a decision made by the Barisan Nasional government “because we listened to Malaysians who want this change”.
Najib even said the decision to scrap the ISA was part of his promise to amend the controversial law when he took office in 2009.
Not to mention Malaysians at large – but even leaders and members of Barisan Nasional parties would require enormous capacity of self-deception to believe such tall tales. Read the rest of this entry »
It was People Power that finished off the ISA
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, ISA, Judiciary on Saturday, 17 September 2011, 11:08 am
Aliran Executive Committee
Malaysia Day, 16 September 2011
Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement that the ISA and the Emergency Ordinance would be repealed has taken the nation by surprise. He also announced that Section 27 of the Police Act (on public assemblies) and the requirement for publishing permits to be renewed annually would be dropped.
Most people would be inclined to welcome these announcements. But we would be well advised to temper any celebration with caution. What will replace these oppressive laws is not clear and has not yet been revealed in much detail.
The repeal of the ISA and EO is an acknowledgement that the government can no longer sustain the use of these laws without strong public condemnation and opposition. The repeal of these two laws is the only logical move. Read the rest of this entry »
Peanuts, not sweeping reforms
Posted by Kit in Human Rights, ISA, Kee Thuan Chye, Najib Razak on Saturday, 17 September 2011, 1:51 am
by Kee Thuan Chye
Free Malaysia Today
September 16, 2011
Let’s not be fooled, people. The changes Najib announced are merely cosmetic, and will have to be passed in Parliament first before they become effective.
COMMENT
PEANUTS. That’s what Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s so-called “sweeping reforms” are. They hardly amount to a political transformation.
While it’s cheering to note that the Internal Security Act (ISA) will be repealed – finally, after our many years of waiting – and that the Emergency proclamations are to be lifted – a decision that is decades overdue –it’s disturbing to be told that they will be replaced by two new laws aimed at preventing subversion and safeguarding public order.
And even though the detention period under these new laws may be shorter, with further extensions to be made by court order, the Home Minister is still the one to decide who gets detained for suspicion of being a terrorist. Read the rest of this entry »
Answering Jeffrey
By N H Chan
In the recent article by Martin Jalleh dated 14 Sept 2011 entitled Chief Jester’s Circus and Charade Comes to a Close (Part 2) which appeared in your blog, I find this comment from Jeffrey:
The Ex judges that talked independent, don’t forget that they do so only after they left office, with nothing to lose!
Normally I do not answer comments from commentators. But in this case I think Mr Jeffrey should know that he is mistaken because apparently he does not know about me when I was a serving judge. For sure he has not read my book How to Judge the Judges. I would suggest that he reads Ayer Molek v Insas [1995] 2 MLJ 735. Read the rest of this entry »
For now, a healthy dose of scepticism
Posted by Kit in ISA, Najib Razak on Friday, 16 September 2011, 1:18 pm
By Ong Kian Ming | Sep 16, 11
Malaysiakini
Many who read this commentary would accuse me of being unnecessary cynical, that I am not giving credit where it is due. Those who know me better would know that I am an optimist at heart. Which is why I want to caution everyone who is ecstatic over Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcements tonight to take what he says with a large bucket of salt.
On paper, Najib’s announcement to repeal the Internal Security Act 1960 (better known as the ISA) and the less well-known Banishment Act 1959 as well as to review certain sections of the Restricted Residents Act 1933, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 and the Police Act 1967, should be applauded and welcomed by all who advocate for a freer and more democratic country.
But instead of reacting with glee and overwhelming optimism, I have instead chosen to take a more sceptical, and in my humble opinion, more realistic view of these announcements for three related reasons. These are:
(i) The experience of having too high hopes in the promises made by Najib’s predecessor, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah), prior to the 2004 general election.
Read the rest of this entry »
After 54 years independence, Malaysia still sufferring in the middle income trap
Posted by Kit in Dr. Chen Man Hin, Economics, globalisation, Najib Razak, NEP on Thursday, 15 September 2011, 9:19 am
By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life advisor
There is not much to celebrate after 54 years of independence, as Malaysia is still caught in a middle income trap, where 60% of our households are living below the poverty line of RM3000 per month.
In the past few weeks, PM Najib made some moves calculated to impress the people that the economy is resurging and well on the way to full recovery.
The first plan was to announce that FDIs (foreign direct investments) inflow was spectacular. He admitted that the FDI dropped to a low of US$1.5 billion in 2009 but in 2010 it had rebounded by over 500 per cent to US$9 billion. It looks impressive, but the increase was large only because it rebounded from a very low baseline.
However, the US$9 billion was minuscule compared to a FDI of US$38 billion in 2010 for Singapore, US$15 billion for Indonesia and US$105 billion for China.
Read the rest of this entry »
