Confusion Reigns On New Economic Model

DS Najib Tun Razak at last unveiled the New Economic Model (NEM) yesterday and... confusion reigns! Well... at least in this Malay Mind it does. And I am really hoping someone will set me right with regards to this confusion as I am sure to be asked at smaller and larger kenduri tables to media forums what I think of the NEM... well... it's confusing!

Lets first defuse the immediate impression from my words that I may not like the NEM's key thrusts. Actually, I don't. The idea of modifying the NEP and NDP statistical focus away from the broader population with targets based on race to a income defined basis makes some sense. Sure, it ignores some cultural aspects of Malaysian communities, but at least it highlights that Malays and Bumis make up almost 80% of the lowest 40% income earners of the population.

I also like some of the broader thrusts of the NEM, such as the call to revamp our education system (again...), an acknowledgement that Malaysian income levels are too low (which explains the government's ramping up of public sector pay, beginning with Doctors and Policemen), subsidies must go and most importantly, highlighting the old system (NEP and NDP) did not fail but IT WAS PATRONAGE THAT WRECKED THE OLD SYSTEM hence the new system must be immune to it!

Whilst the NEP and NDP laid the basis for pushing the nation up from the low income strata in the 70's to middle income by early this century, PATRONAGE, especially during its free reign in the Pak Lah era assisted by the post 90's Malaysian private sector doldrums following the economic crises. These two statements in particular clearly laid the finger on PATRONAGE as the reason for the weakness in our economy:

From DS Najib's speech: "There's a need to change rent-seeking and patronage system that has wracked our old system and the NEM must overcome this"

From the NEM: “To break the logjam of vested interests through political will and leadership”

However, despite all the glory promised by DS Najib's speech, questions remain.

Some would tell me to refer to the 200 page NEM book, which I will, but I have little respect for the thickness of the book, especially policy papers, as the Pak Lah's era has taught us that thick books embroidered by slogans and launched at 6-star expense may well amount to nothing if the content makes no sense. And the NEAC line-up to me is unconvincing. They are smart people I am sure, but their backgrounds risk the NEM being more 'academic' as opposed to practical.

Even at the 'academic' level, why is GDP being used as a measure on its own, rather than Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). On focus, whilst DS Najib proclaims the focus being the 40% lower income groups, how is the privatisation of Petronas' subsidiaries helpful to this group? Isn't this more exciting to the investment community, especially foreign investprs and Malaysia's high to medium net worth individuals? Or indeed how is who buys Pos Malaysia relevant?

The rhetoric justifying claims of the NEAC is also inaccurate. E.g., the exodus of highly skilled professionals from Malaysia is blamed on the absence of high value-add jobs and activities. This is not true. The truth is that MALAYSIAN RENUMERATION LEVELS ARE ARTIFICIALLY LOW! The jobs are there, especially in the public and GLC sectors, as many expats and consultants are hired for these jobs, also proving even GLCs can afford high income professionals! So?

This is the beginning of my analysis. And I am glad the government is seeking input. There will be loads!

Kembalinya Musim Pilihanraya Kecil...

Berbulan-bulan rakyat Malaysia menikmati keamanan hidup tanpa pilihanraya kecil (PRK). Semestinya, ancaman PRK bakal ada senantiasa menghantuo kita, baik hasil perletakkan jawatan, lompat parti, kes jenayah, kes politik mahupun kematian. Kini, seolah-olah PRK bakal masuk musim kembali dengan perletakan jawatan seorang ADUN MCA di Perlis disusuli kembalinya Ahli Parlimen Hulu Selangor kerahmatullah semalam.

Orang politik juga tahu, amnya, ada dua-tiga lagi kerusi yang di ambang PRK. Di DUN Seputeh, PRK bakal dijalankan hasil ADUN-nya dizalimi oleh speaker Dewan dari parti lain manakala seorang Ahli Parlimen di Wilayah menanti pengadilan mahkamah bersabit jenayahnya. Sebagai seorang jurublog, penat rasanya melihat. Kita dalam proses mengalih perhatian kepada isu-isu yang lebih mendalam, tiba-tiba PRK kembali menghantui... hai...

Tak tahulah sejauh mana suara saya ini upaya kedengaran, tetapi ingin saya sarankan di sini kepada Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya, SPR, seboleh-bolehnya, tolonglah aturkan supaya semua PRK ini berlangsung dengan serentak! Setidak-tidaknya, perit hasil PRK, baik dari segi terpesongnya perhatian pemimpin dan rakyat ke arah kawasan-kawasan terbabit sahaja mahupun bahaya di jalanraya hasil rombongan berkoyan-koyan ke PRK-PRK ini dapat dikurangkan.

Harapan saya adalah kita kemudian dapat menumpukan perhatian kembali kepada perkara-perkara yang lebih penting...

Anwar Ibrahim Mengaku Beliau Liwat Melalui Blognya?

Saya tersentak apabila membaca penulisan sahabat saya Jebat Must Die (JMD) yang memetik akhbar Financial Times mengenai kes liwat DS Anwar Ibrahim. Antara yang ditonjolkan oleh JMD adalah bagaimana akhbar tersebut tidak menidakkan berlakunya kejadian tersebut! Malah, akhbar tersebut cuma menidakkan yang DS Anwar kini dituduh merogol Saiful, menurut Financial Times:

"Malaysia should be embarrassed that it is threatening to send a man to prison for consensual sex with another adult."

Dialih bahasakan (dengan penjelasan): "Malaysia seharusnya malu kerana mengancam untuk menghantar seorang (DS Anwar) ke penjara kerana melakukan hubungan seks saling bersetuju (zina) dengan seorang dewasa (tak kira jantina) yang lain."

Lihatlah bagaimana akhbar Financial Times tidak menidakkan berlakunya kejadian tersebut, tetapi cuma meng'spin'kan cerita mengatakan Saiful bukan dirogol tetapi rela diliwati DS Anwar! Terlihat juga di sini bagaimana akhbar Barat tersebut sedia mempertahankan 'hak' DS Anwar untuk berzina tak kiralah dengan manusia berjantina apa sekalipun!

Kita mungkin boleh memaafkan akhbar Financial times kerana tidak melihat perbuatan zina mahupun seks sekelamin sebagai kesalahan dari segi moral Barat yang rasminya sudah lama meninggalkan lunas-lunas agama demi 'kebebasan'. Namun, yang peliknya, blog DS Anwar telah memilih untuk memetik rencana akhbar Financial Times tersebut! Betul... tak caya, kilk sahajalah link tu!

Memandangkan akhbar Financial Times tidak menidakkan berlakunya hubungan kelamin antara DS Anwar dan Saiful dan cuma menyangkal tuduhan yang ianya perbuatan rogol, bukankah ini merupakan sejenis pengakuan? Setidak-tidaknya, dengan membenarkan petikan akhbar tersebut dipaparkan pada halaman web rasmi beliau, tanpa pembetulan, bukankah DS Anwar mengiakan, mengakui, yang memang hubungan seks berlaku antara beliau dengan Saiful?

Tak kiralah sama ada hubungan seks sekelamin tu merupakan rogol, liwat atau kata kerja apa sekalipun, perbuatan sejantina sebegini haram belaka! Adakah akhirnya bibit-bibit kebenaran tentang peribadi comot DS Anwar sudah mula terbit dari rekahan imej beliau yang kian menjadi-jadi? Tu lah, hina lagi Allah S.W.T. dengan membenarkan nama-Nya digunakan sewenang-wenangnya oleh penganut agama lain! Kan dah pecah tembelang... konon 'Pejuang Islam'!

Searching For MCA's Soul... Part 2... The Loser, The Disgraced And The Boy Scout...

It has been difficult to fathom how things have come to pass at MCA. From a near ideal appearance of potency in leadership (no pun intended) by the combination of the youthful DS Ong Tee Keat and experienced DS Chua Soi Lek as President and Deputy respectively, augemented with characters such as DS Liow Tiong Lai and DS Ng Yen Yen as VPs, it looked to be ready to recover from the devastation of PRU 12. It is hence unfortunate to see things come to pass as they have.

Now DS Ong Tee Keat is being challenged for the Presidency by the man he succeeded, TS Ong Ka Ting, the man who shouldered the responsibility for the massive losses incurred by the MCA at PRU 12. This presents a particular quandry for MCA. Many would agree that what MCA needs now is a leader who can unite the party, something that DS Ong Tee Keat had patently failed to do. It is no wonder then that we find him trailing in the polls despite being the incumbent!

However, few insiders will really agree that TS Ong Ka Ting is the ideal replacement as President. OK, so, there is all this rhetoric about how he is still 'respected' in the party. Nevertheless, many in the party would quietly agree that it was TS Ong and his brother's manuevering of MCA candidates that shares part of the blame, with Pak Lah's weak leadership, for creating a pre-election rift in the MCA leading to the subsequent Chinese electorate's rejection of BN and MCA.

For MCA, this leaves the party with only one other choice to unite the party, the 'Hollier Than Thou' DS Chua Soi Lek! However, this is a man that, having being caught with his pants down, remain unrepentant! OK, so, if he needed care only of the moral sensitivities of his more forgiving core Chinese constituemts, he may be fine, but as a senior BN leader, DS Chua has to be a morally acceptable to all religions and creeds... and he wants to be THE Chinese leader for ALL Malaysians!

And so, MCA is now left to choose as their President, an Election Loser, a Disgraced Poltician and a Boy Scout! Boy Scout? Well, everyone knows that what redeems DS Ong Tee Keat to the Rakyat in general is his apparent steadfast course in resolving the Port Klang Free trade Zone (PKFZ) issue, including bringing all the corrupt involved to book! That the MCA Youth Chief, somewhat implicated in the scandal, is opposed to DS Ong adds further spice to it.

Unfortunately, the Rakyat's sympathy towards DS Ong Tee Keat is not in line with political reality. You see, DS Ong, being a 'Boy Scout', has been rather naive in his years in power. There is an attempt to 'reform' MCA being pursued whilst he's been its president. The effort may have started as something else, but at least at present, the aim is to make MCA a 'true' political party, divorced from special interest groups, such as not just triads, but also business and education...

... hold on, MCA not representing Chinese business and education groups? What the...? So, what's the point of the MCA then!? Hello, putting aside that a political party not tied to 'special interests' is an oxymoron... how is it even conceivable that the MCA would not be working hand-in-hand with Chinese NGOs and 'special interest' groups like in the past? Kicking out any triad influences is OK, but surely cutting off Dong Jiao Song would be political suicide... oh... DS Ong...

In addition to all the mess described above, it seems no one serious about who leads the MCA in the long term is really focussed on the 28 March MCA Presidential elections. This is because, whoever becomes President this time around will only hold the post for 1 year, following which there will be another election, where... jeng, jeng, jeng... the TRUE PRESIDENT of MCA that will lead the charge into PRU 13 will emerge...

So if we don't focus on the next MCA President, should we be focussing on the candidates for Deputy then? One candidate has already declared his rival should really be running for President! Perhaps DS Liow simply being cautious when running for Deputy? Perhaps DS Liow is continuing to take advice from his mentor and some time protector, TS Lim Ah Lek? Perhaps knowing what a mess this election will be, TS Ong Ka Ting was asked to contest to protect DS Liow?

Whatever it is that is really happening behind the scenes, to an outsider, even an informed one, it appears MCA is still lost. Ironically, I believe TS Lim Ah Lek himself should take over the MCA rather than leave it to TS Ong simply to protect his protege of unproven worthiness. If it is only for 1 year, why not? Else, the second irony is, perhaps DS Chua Soi Lek is the best choice after all! Disgraced to some, perhaps, but at least he's neither as divisive nor a puppet President.

Searching For MCA's Soul...

I get confused about my party UMNO, often-times, but have to say, MCA's recent turmoil beats PKR's mess even! At least PKR is not confused about who leads it... its President right? No... its Advisor... eh? How can? Both are busy with PKR Advisor's case now, so is it the Deputy President? What, that socialist? No la, PKR is now run by the VP who's the husband of the party Advisor's ex-ehm-ehm... eh? Aiya, confuse la! Let's focus back on MCA!

Well, the MCA of today would be is a GREAT example on how too much democracy is NOT a good thing. Here we have a party that was synonymous with 'big business', which should be securing the Chinese cake from erosion under the New Economic Model. On top of that, its President, from being a champion of chair throwing youths of the past, survived recent failure in cyberspace, to have evolved into a champion against corruption by his handling of the PKFZ issue.

Instead of charging along strongly into the future, we have with MCA a party that is exercising democratic destruction in all its pride and glory! OK, it must be admitted, the handling of Holier Than Thou 'strong'man DS Dr Chua Soi Lek could have been better in the past, but the 'peace plan' seemed to be working. DS Dr Chua was having the time of his life grinding DS Liow Tiong Lai's political reputation into the ground by ridicule... in open press as well!

Now, everyone has to wait and seewhat is to become of the MCA. And whilst many may smack their lips at the weeks of headlines sure to showcase myriad twist and turns that is also part of over-democracy's crass appeal, I lament. I kinda liked the Ong Tee Kiat - Chua Soi Lek Combo. It felt right somehow for the Chinese. A younger reformist partnering with an old-guard grassroots man. The resolution of the PKFZ scandal would have been the beginning of many things...

Which then leads to the question... is PKFZ the reason why OTK's leadership has always been on shaky ground? Is PKFZ or its beneficiaries the real killers of MCA? And when the dust settles after the 28 March MCA AGM, after its orgy of over-democracy, would MCA be left stronger? Or would 'democracy' leave MCA an empty shell... still searching for its soul?

Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah: Saya Setuju Dengan Pak Lah!

Teramat jaranglah perkara ini berlaku, sehingga tergerak saya dari fokus kerja untuk merakamkannya... saya setuju dengan Pak Lah! Jangan salah sangka, ini bukan bermakna saya sekarang sudah berubah haluan, tetapi kalau musuh terkeji pun cakap betulnya kita harus sokong, apatah lagi nasihat pemimpin lama yang walaupun banyak salah, telah pun kalah dan budi lepasnya masih dikisah.

Kenyataan Pak Lah yang manakah menggerakkan saya untuk menulis perkara ini? Kenyataan yang saya petik di sini:

Abdullah bagaimanapun mengingatkan BN supaya tidak menganggap kerapuhan pakatan pembangkang ketika ini secara automatik akan menjadikan BN lebih kuat.

''Yang lebih penting saat ini ialah BN dan UMNO kena pastikan ia lebih kuat dan mampu untuk berjasa memperjuangkan program-program pembangunan untuk rakyat," katanya.

Kata beliau: ''Setakat nak kuat hanya apabila pembangkang menghadapi masalah, kekuatan itu kelak akan meleset.

''Yang penting, biarlah apa yang kita cakapkan sebelum ini hendakkan pembaharuan dapat meyakinkan rakyat bahawa BN tetap teguh dan mampu membela nasib mereka."

Saya rasa ahli politik dari planet Marikh atau mana-mana alam songsang lain sahajalah yang ada kemungkinan tidak bersetuju dengan pendapat Pak Lah di atas. Malah, kepimpinan BN kini harus waspada akan kelekaan yang mungkin mula menular di kalangan akar-umbi mahupun diri mereka sendiri apabila melihat Pakatan, terutama PKR, begitu kucar-kacir.

Kalaulah saranan untuk bermuhasabah diri ini tidak cukup, ingatlah yang tunjang kekuatan Pakatan bukannya PKR, tetapi PAS, dan parti tersebut masih utuh walau dilanda gelombang-badai dalamannya sendiri. Jangan diharap kekuatan parti PAS akan terhakis sepertimana PKR dengan terserlahnya kerakusan kuasa dan dosa liwat DS Anwar. Malah, PAS mungkin menjadi lebih kuat dengan punahnya PKR!

Akhir kata, apakah mungkin Pak Lah kini sudah bangun dari lena yang hampir menghancurkan negara di bawah tampuk kepimpinannya dahulu? Kata-kata di atas mengingatkan kita akan Pak Lah yang lama, pasca PRU-11! Apa yang berbeza dengannya dahulu dengan sekarang ya? OH YA! TINGKAT 4 DAH TAK ADA! Silap-silap, KJ pun dah lama tak bisik kat dia! Alhamdulillah....