Batu Nisan Putih Politik Pak Lah

Tanggungjawab mempertahankan kedaulatan dan sempadan tanah milik negara merupakan peranan pokok sesebuah kerajaan. Makanya, apabila hilang hak negara atas Pulau Batu Putih kepada seteru lama yang ganas walaupun kerdil, Singapura, sekali lagi ia membukti kelembapan pada pihak Pak Lah dan kepimpinannya dalam menjalankan tanggungjawab asas sekalipun.

Makanya bertambah lagi perkara yang perlu dibimbangkan rakyat selagi Pak Lah berkuasa. Kalau memang sudah sedia rakyat bimbang tentang

1. keselamatan dalam negeri, yang kini dimenterikan bekas Menteri Luar yang patut duduk tertuduh bersama Pak Lah sebagai menteri yang gagal dalam kes Pulau Batu Putih. Patut lah Syed Hamid Albar, teman setia anak-anak Pak Lah, cepat-cepat tukar kementerian yang diserah kepada saingan lama Pak Lah, Datuk Rais Yatim... Pak Lah dah lama dah tahu ke nak kalah?
2. kenaikan harga barang, kini dimenterikan seorang menteri yang dahulu memerlukan pertolongan kakak bos lamanya untuk memanjangkan kerjaya politiknya
3. masa depan UMNO, yang kini 'diterangkan' seorang yang hanya selamat dari dipenjarakan akibat membawa wang berjuta ringgit kehulu-hilir seberang laut kerana mampu mengaku dirinya tak tahu cakap orang putih
4. pertelingkahan yang memanjang tentang kedudukan agama Islam sehingga terseret nama baik agama dan dipergunakan nama besar Allah sebagai alat kempen masuk agama lain... sementara Pak Lah tak sudah-sudah berIslamkan yang ada Had harinya...
5. dan seorang anak muda yang naik sebagai wakil rakyat atas dasar tauliah sijil nikah sahaja... dan yang bersekutu dengannya... si KJ la!
6. dll
7. dll
8. ...

Kini rakyat harus bimbang pula yang dalam menangkis serangan perundangan dari sang Singa yang ber Pura-pura sekalipun, Pak Lah tidak mampu mempertahankan hak Malaysia, yang baru malam sebelumnya dipaparkan di kaca TV, jauh lebih berhak-milik terhadap Pulau Batu Putih.

Ternyata kekalahan Malaysia dalam kes Pulau Batu Putih teruk sekali ke tahap kalah-kalah, sebab kalau menang-menang seperti dipaksa Datuk Rais Yatim isytiharkan, kenapa Pak Lah tak sambut sama? Kenapa dirakam pula di RTM konon Pak Lah menyangkal tuduhan dari Amerika yang tak ketahuan pun? Hebat sangatkah tuduhan sehingga PM yang harus menyangkal? Pakar sangatkah Pak lah sehingga "terpaksa" melepaskan tanggungjawab hal Pulau Batu Putih?

Dah la tu, semakin kalah-kalah Malaysia bila RTM tunjuk konon rakyat kebanyakan 'menerima keputusan'. WOI! Tak malu ka! RTM tu orang tengok la di Singapura! Apa, Pak Lah nak tunjuk rakyat Malaysia mengaku kalah macam dia kah? Oh ya lupa... Pak Lah mungkin terasa dia menang... sebab kalah pulau pun dapat juga simpan batu-batu laut ni kan?

Mungkinkah ada orang Johor yang berani menyaman Pak Lah dan kerajaannya, terutama sekali bekas Menteri Luar yang bertanggungjawab kemudian cabut kementerian, Syed Hamid Albar, kerana terlalu lembap dalam mempertahankan bumi Johor... dari IDR hingga kini Pulau Batu Putih? Oh ya juga... Pak Lah yang besar macam IDR pun sanggup bagi free ke Singapura, apatah lagi pulau... ada nasihat anak angkat Singapura dari Oxford kut!

Moga-moga hikmahnya adalah kini, sudah tersedia Batu Nisan Putih untuk kubur politik Pak Lah...

Halal Biz <-> Pak Lah Family <-> Temasek Nexus; Another Nail In Pak Lah's Political Coffin?

It is not so much a surprise when Rocky broke the story of yet another Government Business <-> Pak Lah & Family <-> Temasek/ Singapore nexus, but a disappointment. This should not be happening still, on the back of:

1. The obvious; the poor PRU-12 results for BN surely was reflective of the people's dissatifaction with the governance of the country and blatant pork-barreling by "the friends and family of Lah" club.
2. Ever increasing food costs brings sensitivity to any issue related to the food and beverage (F&B) business, including the Halal certification. People should be, no, they actually will be asking why Pak Lah and family is making money out of the F&B business via a link to what is a government monopoly of sorts when the people are having to suffer the cost of spending more money just to eat! And Malaysians MUST HAVE OUR FOOD!
3. When there is sensitivity around Islam Hadhari (resulting in the loss of Kedah), Karpal's challenge over the role of the Sultan in Muslim affairs and the challenge on the use of Allah in non-Muslim literature, why is Pak Lah and co. fooling around with another issue sensitive to Muslims in Malaysia?
4. The Pantai Cross-Border Economic Bail-Out and other pro-Singapore initiatives like the SJER have blown up in te government's faces in the past. Surely Pak Lah is not intending to tempt the fate of Thaksin Shinawatra yet again!

One good thing about this news though... at least its another potential nail in Pak Lah's political coffin!

Some Quick Bytes On The NCER

I wanted to resume my blogging on something else, but thought to do a 'quick' commentary on a current economic mego-project first. The Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) - a new mega project - was launched yesterday. Some observations:

1. I am quite supportive of the agricultural modernisation thrust, only such efforts tend to result in employment reducing in the agricultural sector! So, is there a real engine for alternative employment in place, or is government again hoping to rely on infrastructure projects on the outset?


2. The strategic plan is actually better thought out than the SJER/WPI was. Probably the result of more time, effort and more considered input from people who know what they are talking about. Outside of the Seeds R&D and waste materials businesses though, I find the plan has nothing new and earth-shaking, or as Dato' Marina Mahathir would say,"Kurang Merah". The plan is actually just conventionally sound.


3. Can't help but note quirk no 1 being the 'Halal Hub'. This concept is still unclear to many people in Malaysia, let alone investors globally. It detracts from the Malaysian Halal brand even, giving people cause to wonder why Malaysia needs 'Halal Hubs' if its Halal certification is the best around.


4. Nice maneuvering of Gurun as an 'Automotive Hub' (quirk no 2) with incentives in the NCER plan referring also to the failed National Automotive Policy (NAP). Continuing to help SM Nasimuddin's family at Naza we see... I hope not at the expense of Proton again...


5. Quirk 3 appears in page 14 of the pdf doc on this link http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/7/30/nation/northernCorridor.pdf where the IMT-GT (Indonesia Malaysia Thailand -Growth Triangle) is incorrectly drawn, such as to exclude much of Thailand but include Singapore instead! Is this the Singapore friendly 4th Floor's contribution to the document?


6. I expressed before of the government's over-reliance on Sime Darby's competency. Firstly, Sime Darby's meant to lead the 'Synergy Drive' effort. It has to continue to deliver as a conglomerate. It was even touted as a Proton saviour. It is also meant to continue to lead the effort for the NCER. Will something give?

On a more petty side, I take great offense in the picture here showing Kedah to be much smaller than North Perak. Most insulting to us Kedahans!

The verdict is nonetheless a big tick compared to efforts of the past efforts by the Lah-ist regime. Thankfully, as they can't convert the NCER name to refer to 3 Sultans simultaneously (at least my non-Oxbridge brain can't!) and as they are also not likely to involve the outdated walking PR disaster that is Musa Derhaka in this, they should be able to avoid boo-boos that continue to dog the ever-unfortunate SJER.

Will Tun Dr M be considered to chair the committee equivalent to Musa's down south?

Re-Focussing Angst And Efforts On Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) - SJER


After my last posting, a fellow Promudan challenged my cynicism towards the IDR, citing the government's intention for IDR to emulate the the Pan-Pearl River Delta Development in China; where Singapore plays the role of Hong Kong and IDR region that of the mainland provinces of South China.

At this stage, allow me to begin referring to the IDR by its old name, the SJER or South Johor Economic Region. The reasons for this I will present later.

I actually do not agree that the SJER emulates the critical elements of Pan-Pearl River Delta Development. Those who equate then have accidentally, or by choice,ignored the following factors:

• LEVEL OF INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT - Pan Pearl is also called 9+2, where Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan are jointly developed WITH Hong Kong and Macau in one development effort. The effort is integrated for the benefit of the whole or majority of the whole, with the following implications:

1. The focus of development should be equally weighed against the needs of all parties, whereas the government pitch seems to be overly-sensitive of fulfilling Singapore's needs for SJER, specifically, land (low land investment oversight), labour (passport-less region?) and basic resources like water.
2. In reality, for SJER to be equivalent to Pan-Pearl, the SJER region must include Singapore WITHIN SJER, with the SJER management body having a say in directing Singapore's development to support SJER. Can't imagine Harry Lee Kuan Yew agreeing to this though! He would basically be reporting to the state government under the rule of the Sultan of Johor!
   

• RIGHTS OF SOVEREIGNITY - for which the problem seems to be very much our own government's lack of sensitivity of what the inherent rights they should be protecting.
  

1. As mentioned, for SJER to be like Pan-Pearl, Singapore's development must also be driven by needs dictated by SJER development board etc for the sake of SJER as a whole. I see it unlikely for Singapore to agree as it would abrogate their sovereign rights.
   
2. It is hence strange that the Malaysian government does not seem to mind having Singapore government reps give direct input as part of SJER's management core. This must be one of the few instances in the world were even a slice of power is surrendered voluntarily by a government to a foreign power to decide on the fate of some of its citizens on its own sovereign soil!
3. Pan-Pearl does not have this issue of course, as HK and Macau are part of China, avoiding any sovereign issues.
   

• SIZE - The biggest difference between the SJER and Pan-Pearl is by far in size and scale. Pan-Pearl River Delta's 9 Chinese provinces are significantly larger than Malaysia - why then is the focus so South Johor-centric!

1. If the government was right serious and about emulating Pan-Pearl, the region should be LARGER, and even incorporate slices of Indonesia, perhaps also Thailand and Southern Indo-China.
2. The government can then have tried to be clever by positioning South Johor as an alternative secondary (but fast growing to equal) hub to Singapore for the wider Pan-Central ASEAN Development.
   

• REGRESSION TO THE 80's FTZ ERA - The SJER seems to be a regression from the MSC and BioTech corridors we had been moving to as offerings. The MSC, Kulim Hi-Tech Park, etc included a focus on key industry niches that also pushes Malaysia up the FDI value chain. The SJER is just a broad-based resource Free Trade Zone (FTZ) with some glitz, but no apparent value focus.

1. Hence, by ignoring all the above, the government has not offered up a real equivalent to Pan-Pearl with SJER, when comparing FTZ to FTZ! FTZ - this is so 1980's! (Incidentally, when Musa Hitam was last involved actively in development as a cabinet minister)
2. As an FTZ, on size alone, the SJER is hence poor competition to Pan-Pearl, and certainly struggles to provide an ASEAN-wide offering to challenge it. Indeed, this is probably why the SJER is being poorly received by the West (who'd rather invest in China), Japan (prefer Indochina) and even Oil-Rich Arabs (Dubai is still being pumped up). Hence probably the over-focus on one ever interested party - Singapore.
   

But as I said before... Singapore should not matter so much...

As I'm busy with a new baby and now with my sister's coming wedding, I'll keep a running brief on this piece and perhaps update it from this stage onwards as and when info, understanding and opinion gels.

So, why do I wish to still refer to the IDR as the SJER. Well the reasons are:

1. I understand that permission for use of his name for the SJER has not as yet been sought from the Sultan of Johor. The name "IDR" was unveiled as a 'surprise', against all rules of protocol and Malay propriety at the launching of SJER, to the Sultan's chagrin, and it seems he is still waiting for the request from those 'in charge'.
2. SJER is a more appropriate acronym for it, being Singapore's Johor Economic Rape!
   

One last running word on the NEP thing - I don't see why the NEP and its removal or otherwise is such a big deal where attracting FDI is concerned. In truth, EU commissioners like Rommel have something to complain about all ASEAN countries - Indonesian corruption, Thai's military, Philippines' gunpowder democracy, even Singapore's authoritarianism.

In the end, NEP had not been able to deter investment in Malaysia throughout the 70's through to even post 2000. Why should it 'magically' be factor now? The outside investors just don't care about our social-engineering agenda - as long as their investments are not risked by it... Is there anyone out there selling the story that the NEP puts investor's good money at risk...? Who...?

Crunch Points Of 2007, With Q1 Leading To Initial Conclusions

I had a gathering with a few friends on New Year's Day to discuss the potential crunch areas facing the nation this year, 2007. It was partly in reaction to the on-going number of issues, many unresolved till today, and many more arising continuously, almost swamping us to the point where many have stopped caring. We thought it was important to focus on the key issues that may place the nation in danger, in the eve of our 50th Merdeka celebrations.

By far the most critical item was agreed as being the impending USFTA. The group believed this was the biggest issue, though surprisingly the issue the rakyat were least aware of, as:

1. If miss-handled, it had the potential of being the most damaging agreement the country has ever agreed upon since independence, to the risk of even sacrificing out sovereign rights to the US, a power that has shown itself to be selfish and unsympathetic to other, closer, past partners.
2. The recent JapanFTA with Malaysia has indicated a degree of incompetence of the current government in concluding such agreements, resulting in an agreement clearly NOT in Malaysia's favour, when a better agreement would have been easy as Japan is a country that has a long-standing, cooperative and benign relationship with us.
3. Worryingly, there has recently been anecdotal evidence from the behaviour of MITI, especially the long serving minister, that the Japan FTA was not signed with the ministry's full endorsement, but an agreement was forced by 'other forces', much as being seen recently for the USFTA.

Compared to the USFTA, the other 2 'crunch' events seen then are more benign, but are themselves major events were it not for the presence of the USFTA. The second highest ranked issue for my part was Proton, or rather what the government was going to do about it.

The Proton issue is a long-standing one, but is critical in demonstrating the seriousness of this administration in establishing good corporate governance and the building of a progressive Malaysia. Continued misshandling of Proton, by rewarding its ownership to the wrong parties, or denying its success by turning it into a second-rate subsidiary of a foreign rival, would be seen as confirming that corporate corruption and the culture of mediocrity is alive an well in Malaysia.

As mentioned on occassion by this blogger, my book of writings on Proton is coming along nicely, with materiel from former leaders and internal sources from bidding companies, hopefully, shedding more light to the whole mess so far, though we hope (naively?) nevertheless leading to a good outcome.

Finally, the issue we thought would be of interest moving later into the year was Synergy Drive and the amalgamation, and re-allocation (as there must be), of the assets of the major Plantation GLCs in the country. Synergy Drive is seen as a larger and potentially bigger test case of the extent of corporate corruption and mismanagement has progressed than Proton.

Of particular additional interest also is the way the merger will change the power-structure in Malaysia's corporate landscape, with the plantation companies wielding so much power even whilst apart, second only to Petronas in the GLC ranks. Will our plantations continue to be steered by Nationalists like those in PNB, with Nation-Building agendas, or new-age Economic Hit-men like many in Khazanah, with KPI's and 'loose change' on their minds... and little else?

We are coming into the end of Q1 2007, and I believe the above to still be pertinent, so many may ask, where is the 9MP and Singapore's Johor Economic Rape (SJER), now better known as the IDR (Iskandar Duped Repeatedly). Well, I believe the 9MP to be nothing more than a poor man's PR trick (I mean really, do you remember the 8th, 7th, 6th... MPs?). And the IDP, the biggest real-estate auction in history, deserves a separate category altogether...

As for the coming elections... well, I think the handling of USFTA, Proton and Synergy Drive should probably be guiding lights for Young Professional voters in Malaysia on how they cast their votes in any case. On these issues we can decide if the government is guiding us and our country where we think we deserve to be driven, in a decent Proton running along in 'synergy' with our nature and desires, and without some obnoxious American as a backseat driver!