Malaysia in the Era of Globalization #4
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa, globalisation on Thursday, 4 March 2010, 8:58 am
By M Bakri Musa
Introduction and Overview
A Discussion on Causation
The numerous theories to explain why some societies develop and prosper while others languish and stagnate revolve around three broad themes: biology, geography, and culture. The first two factors are immutable; there is nothing that can be done to change a nation’s biological heritage or its geographical attributes. Culture on the other hand can and does change.
The popularity of the various theories varies with time. The prevailing view often coincides with the beliefs held by members of the dominant societies of the day. During the heyday of imperialism, biology took center stage. The Europeans, being the most advanced nations, easily believed that they were favored by nature and endowed with the most desirable characteristics: God’s perfection personified. The “White Man’s burden” mentality (they considered themselves divinely chosen to lead others) was a reflection of this belief in their inherent superiority.
Later, with the discovery of the importance of natural resources and trade, geographical attributes and strategic locations became popular explanations. The current favorite revolves around culture. That is, there is something in the cultures of the various societies that either predispose (or cause) them to develop; or conversely, impede their progress. In effect, culture is destiny. Economists emphasize the crucial role of institutions (an aspect of culture) in development; the backwardness of many Third World countries is caused largely by to their lack of effective and honest institutions.
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Open letter to Pakatan members
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 7:41 pm
Letter by Emmanuel Joseph
Dear friends,
We cannot let them win. We cannot let hopelessness and despair triumph over justice and truth. We cannot succumb to helplessness and self-pity. And most importantly, we cannot self-destruct.
It is convenient and most tempting to raise a finger and point out PKR as the weak link in the PR chain, to blame all that is happening today on Anwar Ibrahim. After all they clung on stubbornly to their allocated seats and placed postmen and washouts to contest instead of giving way to PAS’ or DAP’s more qualified, loyal candidates.
But in more ways than one, it was also PKR and its leader Anwar Ibrahim that has raised Pakatan to the level it is now. PKR helped smooth things out between conservative DAP and hardline PAS in the shaky first few weeks, and subsequently PKR played the role as a stabilising force in Pakatan, grounding the ideals of both its partners, and allowing PAS and DAP to cement their ties to the current warm levels.
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An open letter to defecting PKR MPs
Posted by Kit in Letters, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 3 March 2010, 2:31 pm
Open Letter By Shamsuddin Kamal
Assalamu Alaykum and peace to all,
Three PKR MPs have so far quit the party and turned independent, meaning turned BN MPs anyway, you have that right, but also the people who elected you have some rights. All of you left the party upon which you were elected and singled out one reason: no faith in leadership. Some even said they want to go back to Umno (either directly or indirectly) because of bangsa dan agama. Well, dear MPs, most Malaysians know why you are leaving and these are the reasons:
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UMNO is behind the spate of defections to hurt Anwar Ibrahim and whoever it finds that has a weak heart, it snatches him/her away to play along.
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UMNO wants to humiliate Anwar Ibrahim and whoever it finds has a wicked heart, it beckons him so that he/she will play along.
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UMNO wants to salvage whatever that’s remaining of its credibility and does so by playing the racial card and it brings alone anyone who can’t see beyond its devilish tactics and so far it has gotten few.
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, 12:34 pm
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.
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Online petition to lift ban on Peter Mojuntin biography – “The Golden Son of the Kadazan”
@dredwinbosi how abt launch online petition 2lift ban of Golden Son of Kadazan “Family wants ban on book lifted” http://bit.ly/d0vzmi #SSSM
2 March 2010 09:06 PM
RT @dredwinbosi: @limkitsiang YB I agree and will work on it.
2 March 2010 10:35 PM
@dredwinbosi Bravo Assured my full support Am prepared 2make sp trip 2Penampang See statue of Peter Mojuntin GSoK http://bit.ly/bzjaX1 #SSSM
2 March 2010 10:53 PM
Bernard Sta Maria kept me informed w writing “The Golden Son of the Kadazan” in 1978 w full support of Mojuntin family Fitting tribute #SSSM
2 March 2010 10:59 PM
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Now, even Marina M is censored
The Column That Wasn’t
By Marina Mahathir
Folks, I’m posting here what should have been my Musings column tomorrow. The Star has refused to publish it because, after what happened to P. Gunasegaram’s article which was pulled out after the Home Ministry gave them a show-cause letter, they don’t want any ‘sensitive’ articles that may jeopardise their KDN permit.
Now I’ve been writing for the Star for about 20 years now, believe it or not, and although it would be much easier and freer to just blog, I maintain my column because of the discipline and because of my many loyal readers who don’t necessarily read anything online. There have been other times when my column has been in danger of being censored (and very occasionally edited to sound gentler and nicer..) but still they came out when they were supposed to.
But this time they were adamant. As it happened, this evening I attended a dinner held by the MCA for NGOs. The MCA, as you may know, owns The Star. It was high irony for me to have so many people, including top MCA officials, tell me that they faithfully read my column when their own paper won’t publish it tomorrow. I was seated next to Dato Sri Ong Tee Keat himself and complained about it but he wasn’t keen to rock the boat, even though every time someone like me is censored, it’s one point gained by the conservatives who, rather than argue things out with proper facts, would simply prefer to shut everyone up.
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Family wants ban on book lifted
Daily Express | Sunday, February 28, 2010
Kota Kinabalu: The family of the late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin Saturday expressed appreciation to efforts by individuals and politicians through various channels to call for the lifting of the ban on the book “The Golden Son of the Kadazan”.
“My family appreciates every single one of those efforts,” said his eldest son, Donald Mojuntin, who is now a State Assistant Finance Minister and Moyog Assemblyman.
“However what we, as a family, will not condone is any effort to politicise the matter. Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin has done his part in our continuing efforts in the development of the people, State and the country,” he said.
He said as a member of Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin’s family, he wanted the ban lifted.
“Our family’s view on the matter is that ‘The Golden Son of the Kadazan’ was written to honour the man. A man of the people whom we love, respect and are very proud of.
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I contributed to Zul’s victory & I’m sorry
By Nomad Muslim | The Malaysian Insider
MARCH 2 — Dear Editor, I would appreciate if you publish this long but terribly important letter on Zulkifli Nordin, Umno, the Malays and the tragic state Malaysia finds itself in today. Thank you and may Allah (sw) bless you.
The letter:
I did contribute to Zulkifli’s victory and I’m sorry dear Malaysians
I’m a Muslim student in Malaysia from an African non-Muslim country. I have been here for a while to know much about this country.
Although I’m in the science stream, I follow the Malaysian political scene with fervour. In fact, foreign students particularly Muslims follow Malaysia’s sorry state with disgust and shock.
A nation we thought we could be proud of and sell to others including our countries, but unfortunately hell-bent on proving that God’s Grace can be a curse.
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Anwar Ibrahim will continue as Parliamentary Opposition Leader even if PKR MPs number less than DAP’s 28 MPs
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, DAP, Pakatan Rakyat on Tuesday, 2 March 2010, 12:08 pm
A Malaysian Insider journalist has just drawn my attention to a tweet by Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday that he has no problem in my taking over from him.
I was also asked whether the DAP would rally behind Anwar.
My response was that the question of DAP rallying behind Anwar does not arise, as we are solidly in support of his leadership in Pakatan Rakyat, as Parliamentary Opposition Leader and as Prime Minister-designate in the Pakatan Rakyat plan to wrest power from Umno and Barisan Nasional in the next general elections.
As far as the DAP is concerned, Anwar continues as Parliamentary Opposition Leader even if PKR Members of Parliament number less than DAP’s 28 MPs.
All keen followers of the Malaysian political scene see what is happening in PKR as a long-needed self-cleansing process which, however painful and agonizing, is necessary to restore public confidence in the credibility and viability of PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.
As I have just commented in my tweet:
“Great diff between PR n BN – PR rubbish are BN gems”.
Death of legendary DAP grassroots stalwart
Tweets @limkitsiang
Sad news DAP Bentong founder n Pahang DAP stalwart Cheong Koon Kam 64 died in Bentong home 2day Contested DUN Semantan 1974 elections RIP
Mar 2, 2010 06:35PM
@n_izzah @dredwinbosi tq at wake4CheongKoonKam legendary DAP stalwart contested 5elections in Bentong since 1974’Never admit defeat’ spirit
Mar 2, 2010 10:27AM
Up 2last sec KoonKam died in cause 4Reform n New Malaysia singly registered over 900 new voters last 3mths his target 1k voters Great Msian
Mar 2, 2010 10:33AM
Of the opposition, obstacles, opportunity and oblivion!
Posted by Kit in Martin Jalleh, Pakatan Rakyat on Monday, 1 March 2010, 3:39 pm
By Martin Jalleh
The public has increasingly perceived the fledging PR to be a “fragile”, “feuding”, “fraying” and “faltering” coalition – one that was “not on a firm footing”.
Last year saw the end of the euphoria that enveloped the whole country after the political tsunami of March 2008. It was a year during which the Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), was brought down to earth and forced to face the enormity of the challenge to deliver what it had promised during the elections.
It was also a year when the public increasingly perceived the fledging PR to be a “fragile”, “feuding”, “fraying” and “faltering” coalition — one that was “not on a firm footing”. In light of this scenario, the PR was hard pressed to convince the public that they could form the next federal government.
One would have thought that the PR, after having lost Perak to the BN in February 2009, would come to its senses about the need to be united.
But it continued with its petty and puerile public inter and intra-party squabbles, spats and skirmishes, much to the surprise and scorn of the public and the satisfaction of Umno!
Meanwhile, the great hope which the apolitical Hindraf gave to the Indians and in fact to Bolehland came to a halt.
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Mark 50th anniversary of Malaysia with commission of inquiry on how the dreams and aspirations of Sabahans in forming Malaysia had been betrayed in past five decades
The Joint Chinese New Year Open House by Sabah Pakatan Rakyat in Kota Kinabalu today is most significant and historic, sending out a clear and unmistakable message that Pakatan Rakyat in Sabah will not repeat the mistakes of the 2008 general elections and we will ensure that the next general elections will see a one-to-one fight between the Pakatan Rakyat and the Barisan Nasional in Sabah.
With the SAPP President, Datuk Yong Teck Lee as our guest here, let me say that we will like to see the one-to-one fight with the Barisan Nasional in Sabah in the next general elections the most unique and important feature in the next Sabah general elections, embracing SAPP also.
The high-spirited overflowing capacity crowd at today’s Joint Pakatan Rakyat Chinese New Year Open House is more than a Chinese New Year reception. It is a potent sign of the changing and challenging times in Sabah and Malaysia – as it is as rousing and inspiring as any climax election rally.
Let us today from Kota Kinabalu raise a political whirlwind to bring about change in Sabah and Malaysia in the next general elections to elect a Pakatan Rakyat Chief Minister in Sabah and a Pakatan Rakyat Prime Minister in Putrajaya.
My visit to Kota Belud and Tuaran yesterday has left me with one abiding impression – how the dreams of Sabahans in forming Malaysia had been betrayed in the past five decades.
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Towards A Developed Malaysia – Part 4
Posted by Kit in Bakri Musa on Monday, 1 March 2010, 8:30 am
By Bakri Musa
[Presented at the Third Annual Alif Ba Ta Forum, “1Malaysia Towards Vision 2020,” Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, December 5, 2009, organized by Kelab UMNO NY-NJ. The presentation can be viewed at www.youtube.com (search under “Bakri Musa RIT”) or through this link]
Part Four of Six: A Bigger Fish Story
Returning to my original tale, I now have a bigger fish story to tell; the story that is, not the fish. Consider two villages. The leader of one was suddenly struck by the fishing bug; now he also wanted his people to be great fishermen and win coveted derby prizes. He wanted to put his village on the map for its fishing prowess. So he embarked on a crash program teaching his people how to fish, importing great fishermen as teachers, and subsidizing the fishing tools. He also made fishing compulsory in schools and forced every villager to learn how to fish.
He was successful; the village’s catch increased substantially, and his villagers were winning many fishing tournaments. His leadership was widely lauded, making the other villages envious. They yearned that if only they could have such an efficient, far-sighted, single-minded, and yes, even ruthless leader, then they too would be good fishermen and their village would be equally famous.
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Sabah people must fully embrace new Internet technology in the “Save Sabah, Save Malaysia” battle
Sabah people must fully embrace new Internet technology of blogs, facebook and twitter in the “Save Sabah, Save Malaysia” battle to restore justice, freedom and prosperity for all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region
This is my first visit to Tuaran and it is historic in more senses than one.
Firstly, the coming together of Bajaus, Dusuns and Chinese in Tuaran tonight illustrates the living 1Malaysia in Sabah and not just at the sloganeering level of 1Malaysia since Datuk Seri Najib Razak became the sixth Prime Minister in April last year.
When I visited Kota Belud earlier today, I was told that Sabah – like the Bajau, Dusun, Iranun and Chinese in Kota Belud – had been practising 1Malaysia for decades, with the various ethnic groups in Sabah long having a very easy, friendly and cosy relationships with each other, and their response to Najib’s 1Malaysia is whether the Prime Minister had been sleeping all these decades. Read the rest of this entry »
LKS visits Kota Belud
In KotaKinabalu w MPs 4Serdang Segambut KK also SriTanjong SA attended UPKO CNY do met BernardDompok DonaldMojuntin YongTeckLee EdwardKhoo
Friday, 26 February, 2010 18:35
Dinner w Kadazan leaders Windbell Restaurant TgAru incl EdwardMuji JeffreyKumin DrEdwardBosi Steven FrancisAriffin MickyJangki JeffreyEkol
Friday, 26 February, 2010 19:07
Glad 2meet Sabah bloggers at Cititel Hotel Kota Kinabalu Sat tmr 830 am Maybe we can set agenda 2save Sabah n Malaysia
Friday, 26 February, 2010 22:46
Met Sabah political bloggers this morning coined a new word – deavatarise How n why imp 4bloggers 2also get into real world of knockabouts
Saturday, 27 February, 2010 12:03
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UMNO/BN betrayed its pledge of power-sharing by rotation of Sabah Chief Minister’s post
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, Sabah, UMNO on Saturday, 27 February 2010, 9:07 am
It is coming to a year since Datuk Seri Najib Razak became the sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia bombarding Malaysians with his multi-million ringgit “1Malaysia” slogan and campaign.
It is sad and ironical that despite such high-intensity 1Malaysia publicity campaign in the past 11 months, Malaysians have never been more polarized both on race and religion, reminding Malaysians that they are even further from the goal of a united Malaysian nation, as illustrated by issues such as the Allah controversy, the burning of churches and attack of mosques and other places of religious worship, the cow-head and pig-head incidents; irresponsible politicking of race and religion as the mischievous attempt by Umno leaders and Umno-controlled media to paint the Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government as anti-Malay and anti-Islam; the racist brain-washing courses conducted by Biro Tata Negara of the Prime Minister’s Department, resulting in “ultra” statements like dismissing the Chinese and Indians as “pendatang” and defaming the Indians as coming to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese women coming as prostitutes; the rise of what UMNO elder statesman Tengku Razaleigh has described as “rabid racism” like the surfacing of organizations like Perkasa, etc.
Everywhere and everyday in Malaysia, there are more evidence of the absence of 1Malaysia rather than its presence.
In Kota Kinabalu today, I saw new evidence of the absence rather than the presence of 1Malaysia – with two conflicting and competing sets of billboards, banners and advertisements of Chinese New Year greetings by MCA in Sabah. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib is setting the stage for drastic action by UMNO against Tengku Razaleigh
When the Prime Minister and UMNO President, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said last night that it was up to UMNO members to decide if action should be taken against Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for continuing his campaign against the federal government over Kelantan’s oil royalties claim, the stage is set for drastic action by Umno against the Kelantan prince and elder Umno statesman.
It is clear as to what Najib meant when he made the ominour statement:” We have to hear what the party members have to say” after the Umno supreme council meeting last night.
Already, the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Umno President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had more than once expressed displeasure at Razaleigh’s unrepentant recalcitrance, openly questioned Razaleigh’s loyalty to Umno and accused him of trying to confuse the public over the oil royalty issue.
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Raising Malaysia’s Hackles
An angry youth protest highlights the Malaysian authorities’ insecurities over international criticism.
Opinion Asia | The Wall Street Journal
The prosecution of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is proceeding apace, but that doesn’t mean international pressure is useless. Witness the government’s reaction to recent international criticism.
A bipartisan group of 56 Australian parliamentarians sent a letter earlier this month to the Malaysian High Commissioner in Canberra, saying the fact that a leading opposition voice has been charged with sodomy a second time “raises serious concerns,” and urging the authorities to drop the charges. The letter cited an op-ed in this newspaper by Munawar A. Anees, who claims he was tortured by the police and forced to confess to sodomy with Mr. Anwar before the first trial in 1998. And it echoes statements by American and Canadian politicians also worried about the impartiality of Malaysia’s rule of law.
The reaction was swift. Some 500 members of the ruling coalition’s youth wing and sympathizers protested in Kuala Lumpur last week, calling the letter a “trampling” on “sovereignty.” Youth leader Khairy Jalamuddin told us in a telephone interview that the trial is a judicial process, not a political one.
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Speak Out for Anwar Ibrahim’s Sake
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign on Friday, 26 February 2010, 10:29 am
By Paul Martin, former prime minister of Canada.
The Globe and Mail
Anwar Ibrahim is a former deputy prime minister of Malaysia. After having differences of opinion with prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998, he was removed from office, charged with sodomy and corruption – charges condemned worldwide as an attempt to remove him from politics – and imprisoned for six years. After his release in 2004, he became the leader of a coalition of opposition parties that is successfully challenging the ruling coalition’s power. Mr. Anwar has now been charged again with sodomy, a charge that has again been condemned worldwide.
I have known Mr. Anwar well since the period when we each served as finance ministers for our respective countries. He is deeply committed to democracy, justice and the rule of law. And I have watched with horror how he has been treated in Malaysia because of that commitment. His initial imprisonment was seen worldwide as politically motivated. Amnesty International regarded him as a prisoner of conscience, jailed for the non-violent expression of his political opinion. After his release in 2004, he redoubled his campaign, attracting thousands to his public rallies, with the result that the historic 2008 election returned an unprecedented number of opposition candidates to Parliament. He now poses a threat to the government in the next national elections, expected in 2013 – the real reason for the latest charge.
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Spare the Rod, Spoil the Country
by John Berthelsen
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Malaysia seeks to organize an international caning conference
Malaysia appears determined to make an international fool of itself. The latest news, according to Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the Women’s Minister, is that the country is considering organizing an international conference on caning and whether it is an appropriate punishment for women under Islamic law.
The announcement by Shahrizat comes on the heels of a government statement last week, nine days after the fact, that a shariah court had ordered the caning of three women for adultery. A fourth, far more publicized, is the case of Kartika Dewi Shukarni, a part-time model who was ordered by a shariah court to be caned for drinking beer. The case is still hanging fire while the Regent of Pahang decides how to treat the matter.
This all is in addition to the widely publicized show trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on charges of consensual sex with a male, a selective prosecution at best even if he did it, since Kuala Lumpur throngs with gay bars, and political persecution at the worst over widespread suspicion that the charges were trumped up. There is also the January violence in the wake of a high court judge’s decision to allow the Malaysian Catholic Church to use the word Allah as a synonym for God in its Malay-language editions of its newspaper, the Catholic Herald. Eleven churches, a Sikh temple and two Muslim prayer rooms were attacked.
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