NAJIB IS CUTTING IT A LITTLE TOO THIN

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak signing the letter of his appointment as the Sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia

Within the first 100 days in office, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak had made many changes mostly relaxing the rigid policy on Bumiputera equity participation in the economy and other concerns perceived to have the same effect.

Let’s recapitulate and see how many announcements he has made regarding the matter.

1. 1 Malaysia.

2. Dissolution of the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development (MECD). This is the agency responsible for coordinating the development of Bumiputera entrepreneurs. The MECD when it was in existence provided training and development programmes to Bumiputera entrepreneurs.

3. Liberalization of 27 services sub-sectors in our economy, whereby the 30% Bumiputera equity is no longer mandatory in this area.

4. Merit-based scholarships and in the same breath hints of doing away with race based quotas by next year.

5. Deregulation of Investment Guidelines http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=421826 cutting down the percentage of the mandatory Bumiputera equity in Malaysian companies seeking public listing, though 50% of the Public Shareholdings spread must be offered to them.

While I can appreciate that these changes will have positive affects to the Bumiputeras and the Nation as a whole, I fear that not enough information is forthcoming and reaching the Malays in the heartland which could prove to be costly for us if they are left to make their own interpretation to the changes in the government policies.

It seems UMNO Members of Parliament are in full support of the Prime Minister’s new economic policy. Yes well, that’s an understatement because they will always be the first to say they support him, either out of duty or sheer sucking up without comprehending the real situation, even if it is a brilliant idea on the Prime Minister’s part.

Now let us see if these overzealous UMNO MPs will do justice to the good efforts of the Prime Minister by going back to their constituents, particularly the Malays who are not too clear as to the mechanics of these newly introduced measures which DO NOT, contrary to consensus, alter the rights and privileges of the Malay people. Dato’ Sri Najib is putting too much faith in his UMNO soldiers to do the right thing for him. The UMNO Information Chief must crack the whip on these MPs to ensure that the Malays in the kampongs do not lose heart in view of the current standing due to the lack of understanding. In general they are feeling like the good Prime Minister is over-reaching and giving away too much. Trust me on it, I've been on the frontlines and had to face ballistic queries on these issues from branch leaders every weekend of late.

If UMNO fails to inform the heartland of this progressive yet harmless development, then their support for us which we have usually relied upon during general elections will grow thin, while the majority of the Chinese and Indians will remain with the opposition without a doubt in view of the weak and troubled MCA and the lost in trust of the Indian community towards MIC and PPP.

Let NOT Najib’s hands end what his father started.

ALLAH SELAMATKAN SULTAN!

Almutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail

Allah Selamatkan Sultan are the last three words from the Johor State Anthem known as the Lagu Bangsa Johor. The loyal Citizens in Johor usually pray for the well-being of H.R.H. the Sultan, the Royal family, government servants, the rakyat and for peace and harmony in the State in one go after Friday prayers every week. UMNO was given birth on the steps of the Johor Palace. As such, the rakyat feels like they have a special relationship and bond with H.R.H. the Sultan.

Yesterday His Highness’ decree delivered by the Tunku Mahkota, Tunku Ibrahim Ismail on his behalf at the opening of the State Assembly, rejected the proposed third bridge linking Johor to Singapore.

In the first place, the topic of the originally proposed Crooked Bridge has been a sore point in the souring relationship between Malaysia and Singapore mainly because of the cancellation of the project by the former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi on the false pretext that the cancellation was in the best interest and wishes of the Johor people. This was an outright lie because the Johor leaders were never consulted nor asked to seek feedback from the people they represented. I specifically remember not long after Dato Sri Najib Razak, the then Deputy Prime Minister, inspected the CIQ, he was asked whether the project was on track in a press conference and his answer was something to the effect that the government was going ahead with it and will not turn back on their decision. A week later, it was reversed and the decision was announced by Abdullah Badawi himself blind-siding Najib entirely, almost turning him into a liar. Naturally, being the Deputy, he had to concur with his Prime Minister.

The people of Johor became weary of Federal decisions made on the State of Johor in their name ever since the infamous “lie” by the former Prime Minister and this was compounded by the decision regarding Johor yet again by the same person, this time on the Joint Committee with the Singapore Government on the Iskandar Region.

We are wondering why the Johor Government, which is supposed to be the Custodian of the State and her people, remained silent when Abdullah lied about Johorians wanting the Crooked Bridge to be cancelled and we still wonder why the Johor Government are mute and is evidently agreeable to the Joint Committee with Singapore on matters regarding our Sovereignty in Iskandar. Do we not have qualified consultants who are equal to the task, perhaps those who’ve developed Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang or even Putrajaya that we have to include our “not so friendly neighbour” to participate in this development? If Singapore wanted to develop Sentosa Island or even Jurong which is closer to Johor for instance, would they opt to form a Joint Committee with the Johor State Government? I think not.

I’ll just cut through the chase and say it straight up. We are fed up with our State representatives in the Assembly and the Johor State Government for not speaking their minds until it is too late. The idea of a third bridge linking us with Singapore was a rude shock when we were expecting an announcement of the revival of the Crooked Bridge instead. When I was asked about it once before, I was a little apprehensive about demanding for its revival in view of the economic outlook and wasn't sure whether the Prime Minister had the resources in his hands to afford such an endeavor not to mention the opportunity cost for it's resurrection. However, if we can afford to build a much longer bridge from Pengerang albeit with shared costs with our “nemesis” as announced by the Government, we can damned well afford the shorter bridge over the waters and within the territories of the Pulai UMNO Division as originally planned.

Surely being the head of the State Government, the Menteri Besar would know how the general public feels about it and he should be honest enough to convey the message to the Prime Minister instead of going along and taking for granted the support that we are currently enjoying from the people. Yes, Johor UMNO cured the disease from spreading by pressuring the former Prime Minster out of office. Let’s not have to do it again and save Johor from losing more seats to the opposition because of the lack of preventive measures taken by the Menteri Besar and the BN State Assemblymen who are there to serve the interest of the People, not the leaders in Putrajaya, least of all Singapore.

We, the Barisan Nasional are holding on by a thread in the other States and drowning in the affluent towns and cities in the Peninsula. Are we sure we can afford to gamble with the support from our stronghold in Johor by kowtowing and addressing the needs of our kiasu friends?

ARE YOU REALLY FEELING THE PULSE AND LISTENING TO THE HEARTBEAT OF THE PEOPLE?

Dato’ Sri Najib, the man I have always prayed for to be Prime Minister of Malaysia ever since I was twelve, should take a long hard look at Johor and have a dialogue with local leaders to get honest feedback and in his very own words during one of his rallies, “ feel the pulse and heartbeat of the Rakyat, “ because he sure is not getting those vibes from the State Government and the UMNO division chiefs who try to remain in his good books not knowing that by doing so and not giving him the true picture, they are hurting him and his aspirations to lift the country to greater heights.

The State leaders should be sincere to the Prime Minister by telling him of the real situation on the ground. Granted, perhaps this idea mooted by Dato’ Sri Najib is capital in the macro aspect because it will bring long term benefits to the East Coast not to mention allowing the rich Singaporeans to stretch the legs of their Ferraris and Porsches along the other length of the Peninsula. The Johor leaders should do their job earnestly and save H.R.H. Sultan Iskandar from having to intervene after having felt the heartache of his subjects, most of whom voted for the BN Ruling Government.

During the lapse in judgment of our State leaders in advising the Prime Minister of the weakening pulse and heartbeat of the Rakyat of Johor, we would like to offer our most humble gratitude to His Royal Highness Almutawakil Al-Allah Al-Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail Ibrahim for alerting the national leadership of the same and wish His Royal Highness the very best of health under the protection and guidance of Allah The Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

ALLAH SELAMATKAN SULTAN! DAULAT TUANKU!

UMNO VICE PRESIDENTS PAY HOMAGE TO LEE KUAN YEW?

Two of my most admired personalities other than Tun Dr Mahathir; A young Lee Kuan Yew and Abdul Hamid Jumat of Singapore in this 2 June, 1958 file picture.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Dato Sri Hishammuddin Hussein, and Datuk Seri Shafie Afdal were reported in the Malaysian Insider to have altogether paid a courtesy call on Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. All three Ministers are Vice Presidents of UMNO.

Granted, the meeting was also with other officials who accompanied LKY on his official visit but why did our Ministers have to go to them at the Mandarin Oriental? Why couldn’t the meeting be at the conference room in the PM’s Department at Putrajaya? If indeed it was just a courtesy call and not an official one, why did it happen to be by three Ministers who are apparently also UMNO Vice Presidents? If Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong were to come, would he be accorded the same courtesy by our UMNO Vice Presidents? Have we officially recognized the position of a Minister Mentor while we don’t have one here?

Have the three UMNO Vice Presidents paid a courtesy call on the Tun at the Perdana Leadership Foundation for “45 minutes of advice and candor” ever since their victory to show their respect for the man who had shaped our Nation into being the fastest developing country in the world besides making UMNO a fully respected political party?

Whose idea was it that all three of them had to meet LKY? What was the reason behind it? Yes you may say that this posting is full of questions but isn’t it too coincidental just to be a matter of fact?

If we are doing it because LKY is a friend of the ruling government, then why, according to the same report in http://m.themalaysianinsider.com/articles.php?id=29162-young-leaders-welcome-lees-visit is he meeting with the opposition as well? When any of our officials go to Singapore, do you think he’d dare pay a courtesy call on the opposition party leader? Would he be accorded the same courtesy we are giving to LKY, i.e. providing police escort complete with sirens to meet with the opposition? We’re being thumbed in the nose and thanking him for it at the same time. This doesn’t send a good signal to the ground.

If anything, I hope at least these three stooges who are humble to the extent of being obedient LKY protégé wannabes, learnt 3 things from the Statesman whom I too admire as a leader in his own City State. They are:

1. How to make the minorities behave themselves, while taking pride and feeling like it’s a privilege in doing so.

2. How to deal with the opposition, i.e. bankrupt their backsides till they are left with only their singlets and shorts having lost their wives and family because of the same, and not being able to drive in posh vehicles to by-election campaigns.

3. How to control the Courts to the extent that it is more painful to go through the judicial process than to be stuffed under the I.S.A. making the latter available but insignificant.

Now if these UMNO Vice Presidents came out of the Mandarin Oriental having learnt all that during their courtesy call with my model politician, LKY, than I’d say it was a very good meeting indeed and hope that Mr Lee Kuan Yew would return to Malaysia on a follow up visit very soon.

WELCOME TO MALAYSIA HARRY!