Karpal Singh is the real culprit!

 

The truth is never what meets the eye. Oppositions in their capacity as agent provocateur, have inadvertently mastered the art of provocation, manipulation of facts, situation and emotions and perfected the art of deception.  In short, they managed to galvanize support by the majority’s dissatisfaction, despite the Oppositions’ inability to do better otherwise.

The ruckus outside Parliament on Thursday afternoon when a few UMNO Youth tried to meet up and get a reasonable explanation from DAP Chairman Karpal Singh from his utterance of “Celaka” and accusation of sending the two live bullets to him, was fully capitalized in his effort as ‘the antagonist was being victimised’.

The Star has the story:

Saturday February 28, 2009

‘We did not touch Karpal’

By CHRISTINA TAN

SHAH ALAM: Two Selangor Umno Youth leaders who confronted Karpal Singh outside the Parliament tower block say they have nothing to fear because they did not “even touch Karpal or his wheelchair” during Thursday’s commotion.

Instead, Serdang Umno Youth chief Ungku Mat Salleh Ungku Abd Jamal and Gombak Umno Youth chairman Megat Zulkarnain Omardin claimed that it was an opposition MP who started the ruckus by pushing them.

Ungku Mat Salleh said the 20-odd Umno Youth leaders had gone to Parliament on their own without any prior planning or instructions from anyone.

The Youth leaders said that DAP chairman Karpal Singh, as a senior citizen and leader, should know how to behave instead of uttering the word celaka in reference to Umno Youth during his debate speech on Wednesday, or claim that Umno Youth was responsible for sending bullets to him.

Ungku Mat Salleh said he entered the Parliament compound after obtaining a visitor’s pass. He and a few other Umno Youth leaders had a smoke while waiting for Karpal Singh outside the tower block.

When they saw the Bukit Gelugor MP arriving, they approached him and asked him to retract his statement, or repeat outside Parliament his allegations against the movement.

“We did not even touch him or his wheelchair,” said Ungku Mat Salleh, adding that Karpal Singh refused to answer and accused the Umno Youth leaders of preventing him from entering Parliament.

A few minutes later, Ungku Mat Salleh said that Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng came and, after some heated words, pushed him and Megat Zulkarnain. Megat Zulkarnain also said that he went to Parliament on his own accord.

“I just wanted to hear for myself what Karpal Singh had to say about calling Umno Youth celaka, such a rude and unacceptable word.

“I spoke nicely to Karpal Singh but it was someone else who was rude,” he said.

On the eight-man investigation committee set up to look into Karpal Singh’s complaint that the group who confronted him had committed contempt against the House, both the Youth leaders said they were not afraid because they did not start the commotion, or did anything wrong to Karpal Singh.

*********************************

This demonization of UMNO Youth definitely got to stop. UMNO Youth was exercising their right to reply. The culprit here is  DAP Chairman Karpal Singh. He was the KURANG AJAR person who intended to drag HRH Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan of Perak to court for interpreting and exercising his absolute ultravires Head of State’s call to not prematurely dissolve the Perak State Assembly, summarily dismiss DAP-puppet MB Dato’ Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin and instead appoint Dato’ Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir as the 10^th Menteri Besar, after being convinced that BN had the voice of the majority in the State Assembly.

That saw the Malays explicitly demonstrated their wrath, nationwide. More than 100 Police reports were lodged against Karpal, UMNO units and NGOs. The Malays held demonstrations everywhere, including in front of his office in Jalan Pudu Kuala Lumpur and home in Penang. The anger was intensified till a point where two live pistol bullets were mailed to him, most probably as a ‘warning’ for his ultimate uncouth behaviour.

Karpal’s conduct unbecoming of an MP and Chairman of the party which is ruling the Penang state government, in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday is actually defying and insulting the Federal Constitution and Rukunegara. UMNO Youth reserve the right to challenge Karpal outside the augur hall, without the immunity to repeat his rude words and allegations. The UMNO Youth leaders who stepped up demanding Karpal’s personal explanation are those who are of very civil in nature.

Karpal is the sort of Opposition Leader who vehemently insults the system but instantaneously run back for protection and cover the minute he is threatened by his own provocation. Of course, whenever the system does not fulfill his whims and fancies, he would cry foul and uses his position as an ‘oppressed’ minority and Opposition to illustrate the harshness and brutality of the majority to victimise and undemocratically ‘punish’ someone like him.

Then again being a Punjabi lawyer, an anti Malay, anti Islam and chauvinist Opposition party chairman and paraplegic, makes him the ultimate minority. He uses  these positions and circumstances as an ‘immunity’ to provoke, antagonise and insult to the maximum and then the law is used as his ‘shield’.

UMNO Youth should not and never be apologetic in treating a KURANG AJAR like Karpal. The Malays cannot and should not be ‘bullied’ by people who use the system to ‘cover’ for the strategic game to dismantle the power of the majority. Karpal is managing and manipulating the circumstances and situation very well by making the majority as the ‘victim’.

This, by any count is nothing but civil-anarchism.

*Updated 1159pm

The Patriot by Tengku Putra Haron Jumat of Pulai UMNO strongly urged party leadership not to apologize on the issue.

Penentangan PPSMI secara strategiknya merugikan Bangsa Melayu

 

Isu Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) yang dimaktubkan dalam Jemaah Kabinet 19 Julai 2002 dan mula dilaksanakan pada sessi persekolahan 2003 kini menjadi bahan yang terlalu intensif yang dipolitikan, terutama dari sudut yang kadar songsang (counter productive). Ianya mendapat tentangan tegar ramai golongan pendidik Melayu sendiri, sehingga secara strategiknya sebenarnya merugikan Bangsa Melayu.

PPSMI ini diujudkan juga, walaupun Akta Pendidikan 1996 berkuat kuasa kerana keperluan strategik menjajarkan bahawa orang Melayu wajar mempunyai kekuatan menguasai Bahasa Inggeris, bahasa yang paling banyak digunakan diperingkat global. Penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris diperingkat sekolah diberikan penekanan hanya dilaksanakan tertumpu untuk pelajaran matematik dan sains. Kegagalan menguasai bahasa yang paling penting digunakan dalam teknologi dan kommersial ini akan merugikan negara.

Ini kerana bahan yang terkini dan relevan terlalu banyak dibangun dan rakamkan dalam Bahasa Inggeris. Untuk menentukan anak Melayu diperingkat sekolah mendalami dan menguasai applikasi ilmu, terutama sains dan tekonologi dalam masa hadapan, maka penguasaan dalam mata pelajaran sains dan matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris perlu dimulakan semenjak sekolah rendah lagi.

Tanpa penguasaan baik Bahasa Inggeris dari skop sains dan matematik peringkat sekolah lagi, dijangkakan akan menjadi masalah apabila pelajar cuba menguasai diperingkat pendidikan lanjutan, termasuk universiti. Ini kerana perubahan diperingkat ini kepada bahasa lain akan memberikan kepincangan untuk mencapai kefahaman dan penguasaan, terutama sudut applikasi dengan baik. Akibatnya, kecemerlangan penguasaan dan kecekapan applikasi sains dan matematik dikalangan pelajar Melayu bermedium Bahasa Melayu amatlah rendah.

Pasca peringkat universiti, pelajar yang mencari pekerjaan, terutama dalam sektor syarikat multinational (MNC) menampakan kesukaran. Ini kerana kemampuan dan penguasaan mereka untuk berkommunikasi dan mengapplikasi pengetahuan semasa universiti amat terbatas, terutama sebilangan bahan rujukan utama adalah dalam Bahasa Inggeris.

Ini terbukti kerana semenjak PPSMI, kualiti pelajar Melayu yang dihantar ke negara luar, terutama Barat dalam applikasi sains dan teknologi  telah pun menampakan peningkatan kadar yang membanggakan. Pencernaan minda mereka, terutama kemampuan untuk meraih segala maklumat dan ilmu yang begitu mudah dijana dalam era ICT ini, mula terserlah. Penguasaan mengapplikasikan sains dan teknologi menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris juga menampakan kemampuan berkommunikais dan interaksi, keyakinan, keterampilan dan jatidiri yang membanggakan.

Golongan penentang utama PPSMI iaitu Gabungan Mansuhkan PPSMI (GMP), Gabungan Penulis Nasional (GAPENA) dan aktivis Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) harus mengkaji secara komprehensif kedudukan yang mereka ambil. Ini kerana kegagalan mereka, terutama DBP untuk memperkasakan Bahasa Melayu dengan bahan dan terma rujukan ilmu dan applikasi sains dan teknologi, termasuk kejuteraan dan ICT sebenarnya member sebab mengapa PPSMI perlu ujud dan dilaksanakan. Kecenderungan mereka mem’politik’an isu ini menunjukan jelas kegagalan mereka memberikan fokus agar Bahasa Melayu itu sendiri diperkasakan, sesuai dengan keperluan dinamism dunia globalisasi hari ini.

Tidak dapat tidak, jika diperhalusi, mereka yang begitu gigih dan tegar menentang PPSMI ini sebenarnya berjaya dibangunkan melalui sistem pembelajaran medium Bahasa Inggeris juga. Ramai dikalangan mereka mendapat pendidikan luar negara, termasuk peringkat sarjana kerana kemampuan mereka menguasai Bahasa Inggeris dan peluang yang dibuka kerana kemampuan ini.

Jika dikaji, sekiranya orang Melayu berhasrat untuk membangun dan maju setaraf dengan bangsa lain, terutama Barat dan Asia Timur, terletak pada penguasaan dan kecekapan dalam ilmu dan applikasi sains dan teknologi dan bukan sastera dan sains sosial, sebagaimana kelulusan majoriti para aktivis GMP, GAPENA dan DBP.

Kesan mendedah dan memberikan cabaran kepada pelajar Melayu untuk menguasai sains dan matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris seawal peringkat sekolah rendah sebenarnya akan memberikan mereka kelebihan dan kemampuan bersaing dan kompetitif. Ini sebenarnya secara strategiknya akan meningkatkan keupayaan pelajar, terutama dalam cabaran peringkat universiti dan saujana.

Sebelum PPSMI diperkenal dan laksanakan, kedudukan kualiti sekolah kebangsaan ialah lebih rendah berbanding dengan sekolah vernakular. Ramai Bukan Melayu memberikan tumpuan untuk mendapatkan pelajaran di sekolah vernakular dan kedudukan ini sebenar berubah ketara semenjak PPSMI. PPSMI juga menenggelamkan aktivis dan chauvinis Bahasa Mandarin kerana pelajar Bukan Melayu kini mempunyai alternatif yang berwibawa peningkatan kemasukan Bukan Melayu ke sistem sekolah kebangsaan mula menampakan kesan positif yang memberangsangkan.

Kerjasama GAPENA dan aktivis DBP dengan chauvinis Cina Dong Zong dalam  GMP untuk menentang PPSMI juga membinggungkan. Namun begitu, semasa Kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang berhasrat untuk memberikan ruang kepada bahasa Mandarin dan Tamil dalam semua papan tanda tidak ditentang oleh golongan yang kunun kunun “Pejuang Bahasa” ini, maka boleh dirumuskan bahawa tindakan mereka ini sebenarnya cuba menangguk di air keruh, sehingga sanggup bersekongkol dengan chauvinis Cina seperti Dong Zong.

Hujah dimana bangsa maju seperti Jepun, Korea, Jerman dan Perancis mampu menguasai ilmu dan applikasi sains dan teknologi dalam bahasa ibunda mereka ini menjadi kurang relevan, terutama dalam era globalisasi ini. Mereka sebenarnya sudah berubah dan kini memberikan penekanan serious dalam Bahasa Inggeris, terutama banyak bahan dan manual, terutama ICT dan kejuteraan teknologi tinggi memerlukan penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris dengan baik. Perubahan ini begitu ketara sehingga negara seperti Perancis, yang secara tradisinya begitu anti Inggeris kini mensyaratkan bahawa lulus Bahasa Inggeris merupakan syarat untuk meningkat tahap dalam sistem persekolahan mereka.

Penguasaan baik Bahasa Inggeris juga meletakan guna tenaga pekerja Malaysia mempunyai kedudukan lebih baik dan mudah dipasarkan berbanding Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam dan China, walaupun kos pengajian jauh lebih tinggi diMalaysia. Ini jelas dalam industri berdasarkan applikasi sains dan tekonologi.

Apa guna menjadi ‘Jaguh Kampung’ semata mata jika keberkesanan guna tenaga orang Melayu hanya relevan dalam tanahair sendiri sahaja. Mengambil kedudukan yang merugikan Bangsa Melayu secara strategik ini akan mengakibatkan “Menang sorak, kampung tergadai”. Memang benar “Bahasa itu jiwa bangsa”, tetapi sekiranya bangsa itu terpinggir dari arus globalisasi, maka apa nilai ‘bangsa itu mempunyai jiwa’?

Kemajuan sesuatu bangsa itu terletak kepada kemampuan terus kekal relevan dan bukan sekadar sentimen dan rhetorik. Tanggung jawab orang Melayu menentukan Bangsa Melayu terus kekal relevan dalam era cabaran dan dinamism globalisasi ini.

Mukhriz: Karpal khianati Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Rukunegara

 

KENYATAAN MEDIA

YB DATO’ MUKHRIZ MAHATHIR

AHLI PARLIMEN JERLUN

 

Saya mengecam sekeras-kerasnya keceluparan Pengerusi Kebangsaan DAP, YB Karpal Singh menggunakan kata-kata kesat terhadap Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO di Parlimen kelmarin.

 

Beliau bukan sahaja telah melanggar peruntukkan 36 (4)  Peraturan Mesyuarat Dewan Rakyat yang tidak membenarkan kata-kata kesat digunakan sewaktu perbahasan di dalam Dewan, malah ianya berunsur fitnah dan pembohongan apabila menuduh Pergerakan  Pemuda UMNO sebagai membuat ancaman jenayah dengan menghantar dua butir peluru kepadanya.

 

Melanggari peruntukkan 36 (4) tersebut, YB Karpal Singh telah dengan sengaja cuba mengalih perhatian rakyat terhadap penderhakaan beliau kepada DYMM Paduka Seri Sultan Perak. Maka saya dengan tegasnya mendesak Pengerusi Kebangsaan DAP itu untuk mengakui Kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu dan menyanjung Sistem Raja Berpelembagaan. Kegagalan berbuat demikian membuktikan bahawa YB Karpal Singh mengkhianati Rukunegara dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Justeru, saya menggesa pihak berkuasa agar segera menahan dan mendakwa YB Karpal Singh di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 jika beliau terus enggan berganjak daripada sikap penderhakaan ini.

 

Pada masa yang sama, saya ingin berpesan kepada YB Karpal Singh agar jangan terlalu besar kepala sehingga tidak menghormati Raja-Raja Melayu kita. Kenyataannya bahawa “Singh is King” menunjukkan bahawa beliau sudah terlalu takbur sehingga menganggap dirinya seorang Raja mengatasi kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu yang sudah bertakhta sejak turun temurun.

 

Bak kata pepatah Melayu, “Telajak perahu boleh diundur, terlajak kata badan binasa;, keceluparan beliau adalah provokasi yang tidak diundang. YB Karpal Singh nyata tidak langsung menghormati mahupun mengendahkan tatasusila mesyuarat dan kesopanan Dewan Rakyat. Meskipun akhirnya YB Karpal Singh menarik balik kenyataan yang telah dibuat, saya menggesa beliau digantung dari menghadiri sidang Dewan Rakyat untuk suatu tempoh yang dianggap wajar sebagai sempadan yang mesti diawasi oleh ahli-ahli Yang Berhormat di dalam Dewan Rakyat.

‘Calon’ senarai Najib dapat no. 1 dalam cabutan

 

Semalam merupakan hari dimana nombor kedudukan senarai calon yang bertanding pada pemilihan parti hujung Mac 2009 ini ditentukan, sebagaimana akan tertera dalam kertas pengundian kelak. Penentuan ini dijalankan secara cabutan oleh jawatankuasa pemilihan UMNO dan dibuat secara terbuka di PWTC, dengan disaksikan calon, wakil calon, penyokong calon, wakil media dan ahli UMNO.

Proses ini diadakan untuk memberikan kesaksamaan bagi calon yang  telah mengesahkan untuk menawarkan diri dalam pertandingan, terutama jika senarai itu panjang, sebagaimana bagi jawatan Majlis Tertinggi, Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri.

Namun begitu, beberapa calon popular yang dikaitkan sebagai calon yang di’restu’i Presiden-UMNO akan-datang Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak, berjaya disenarai sebagai calon. No. 1 seperti Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd. Yasin bagi jawatan Timbalan Presiden, Dato’ Seri Zahid Hamidi bagi jawatan Naib Presiden, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz bagi jawatan Ketua Wanita, Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir bagi jawatan Ketua Pemuda dan Dato’ Razali Ibrahim bagi jawatan Naib Ketua Pemuda.

Bagi jawatan Exco Pemuda UMNO pula, calon Pemuda UMNO Seremban Ahmad Izany merupakan calon no.1.

Walaupun ini secara kebetulan, namun tidak dapat tidak, ianya sinonim dengan blog Presiden UMNO sedang-menunggu (UMNO President in-waiting) Dato’ Seri Najib sendiri, sebagai orang  no. 1 dalam UMNO tidak lama lagi, yang bertajuk dan themakan 1 Malaysia.

Apakah ini memberi alamat kepada Perwakilan bahawa pilihan yang mereka wajar lakukan apabila tiba masanya kelak?

The Ketuanan Rakyat Conspiracy?

 

It seems the Ketuanan Pakatan Rakyat Government scandals in Selangor have a slightly more complicated twist than what meets the eye. It is no longer about crack within the Ketuanan Pakatan Rakyat, but more of a story of conspiracy.

This is about a high ranking PKR official and long time party-less Opposition Leader’s political secretary’s intention to ascend as the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) if the Opposition takes over as the state government. However, former abuse-of-power convict Anwar chose former Guthrie Executive Chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim instead.

The young and powerful PKR leader  have been said to be upset over this for some time. As commonly known, he has had many falling outs with Khalid and they are no longer on speaking terms. In the party hierarchy, he holds a more prominent position compared to Khalid. It  is also said that he is no longer on speaking terms with PKR President Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Apparently, it seems because he feels sidelined in the party leadership. On top of that, rumour has it that this is about his wife. Her mere presence is said to be bothering Wan Azizah as the woman was said to be involved with Anwar at one point of time.

Anyway, the now infamous boyfriend of Selangor Exco Elizabeth Wong, who abruptly resigned recently in the height of the photo controversy, Hilmi Malek is the PKR  high ranking official’s boy. Whereas Elizabeth herself was Wan Azizah’s PA. There is a strong suspicion within PKR that this aspiring Deputy President may have had a role in leaking the photos because this would be a blow to Wan Azizah. It seems soon after the pictures were leaked, inferences were made from within PKR that Tan Sri Khalid may have had more than just a passing relationship with Elizabeth Wong.

More importantly, it might be a fatal blow to MB Khalid and the PKR strategist would have a strong chance assuming the seat of the Chief Executive of the wealthiest state in the Federation. The leakage of the 46 cows for Hari Raya Aidil Adha slaughter and the personal Lexus maintenance bill was also linked to his camp within PKR.

In any case, there is still some mystery looming about Eli Wong’s case. If there were just those photos of her asleep naked (which is not really “exciting”, unlike former Health Minister Chua Soi Lek late 2007) why is she resigning? They are after all photos taken without her knowledge.

The most probable answer is, rumour has it that she is resigning because there are still more photos that may surface. There is also rumours sprawling  around, it seems, a 35 minute video clip. However, contents are not certain.

Rumour has it that is most probably why she is resigning.

As they might always say, “There are honours amongst thieves”. Then again, this is not about common thieves. They are simply people who sordidly distrust each other. The back-stabbing is very apparent. This PKR story within Selangor Ketuanan Pakatan Rakyat has not even taken into consideration about how PAS is very dissatisfied with the unholy coalition. Not to mention  PAS’s champion of intellectualism and morality Dr. Hassan Ali’s uneasiness sitting on the same state Cabinet with the alleged DAP champion of brothels.

Are we surprise with this conspiracy theory? Then again, that was Anwar’s line of defense during his abuse-of-power and sodomy trial, all the way. As they, “What goes around, comes around”. Anwar, is tasting his own bitter medicine, again.

PKR had been always coveniently blaming BN, especially UMNO on almost every scandals they have to face. Most probably, this one is about a conspiracy within PKR to topple one of their own. It is widely known Anwar no longer can control Khalid.  Khalid has been said to be ‘listening’ to DAP within the coalition a little bit too much. If and when Anwar were to ask Khalid to step down in the overwhelming  controversy and sensation created by the MACC investigation, it proves the strong point that it was an ‘inside job’ all along. That is, conspiracy within.

www.mukhriz.com berwajah baru

 

Portal rasmi calon Ketua Pemuda UMNO Malaysia YB Dato’ Mukhriz Tun Mahathir www.mukhriz.com kini berwajah baru. Berthemakan motif perjuangan beliau, “Berani berubah!” untuk membawa perubahan kepada Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO agar terus kekal relevan sebagai sayap kiri Perjuangan memartabatkan Bangsa Melayu, segala maklumat mengenai ucapan, kenyataan, temubual dan paparan dalam media elektronik dan pergerakan Mukhriz disenaraikan dalam portal tersebut.

Beberapa keratan video dalam format Youtube juga dijaring-muatkan kedalam portal tersebut.

Kami di BigDogDotCom mengucapkan selamat maju jaya kepada portal ini dan kempen Mukhriz dalam meraih sokongan, terutama Perwakilan Pemuda UMNO.

Weathering the economy in the upcoming storm

 

The world is facing an unprecedented economic crisis now. It is expected to be far worse than the depression post World War I, which spun the economies of the Western world into conundrum well into the 30s. Malaysia, being the 17^th most important trading nation and 29^th largest economy will be affected by this far reaching viscous economic cycle. 

The RM 1.3 trillion (PPP adjusted) Malaysian economy, with an export valued RM 720 billion (2008) would seriously expected to be impaired in 2009 as over 55% of it goes to the Western economies of US, Singapore, Japan and EU. The American economy already growing at a negative growth of 3.8% (Q4 2008) and rising. 13 million more jobs are expected to be shed from the 150 million workforce. As of present, the unemployment rate is at 7.6%.

The crunch in these economies already showing signs, as growing cancellation of orders already recorded. The Penang economy, which based on manufacturing, especially in electronics and ICT, already presenting slightly more than 10% reduction in this sector alone. So far, ten of thousands of jobs already lost in this fastest growing economy in the country, which contributed 30% of national manufacturing export.

The economy needed boost to weather this really upcoming inevitable storm. The focus of the RM 7 billion stimulus package announced late last year is on physical development and human capital programs. The arguments that the cost for infrastructure development industry has been drastically reduced of late due the effect from the rapid fall of oil prices and coupled with the multiplication factor that is able to be trickled down still stands.

Human capital is the buzzword of the day. Training programs, especially specifically tailored for ‘employability’ and job placements of the 80,000 odd unemployed graduates have been emphasized, which also include the retraining and redeployment of the tens of thousands recently retrenched workers.

In the eagerness to achieve this human capital programs, recently a RM 400 million package has been announced in Parliament. More to come, especially through the recently created economic corridors as the warnings of industries, especially manufacturing and construction already expected to shrink drastically. These structured and aggressive programs to create ‘employability’ of the workforce is the ‘in thing’, amongst the politicians. It would certainly look good for the UMNO Annual Assembly end of March and politicians vying for posts, like Minsiter of Rural and Regional Development Senator Tan Sri Muhammad “Mike Tyson” Muhd. Taib and Minister of Higher Education Dato’ Seri Mohd. Khaled Nordin who are running for Deputy and Vice President respectively.

The thirteen million question is that, by just making these tens of thousands young Malaysians more ‘employable’, are there are direct and active programs to create the environment where businesses are really expanding and actually require more workforce?

The bet on the industries within the economy which have potential growth lies on retail and hospitality sectors, which include tourism (value of GDP is RM 26 billion). as compared against manufacturing (RM 52 billion), petroleum and mining (RM 37.2 billion) and financial services and capital markets (RM  22.5 billion). Since these industries now lies for domestic market power of purchase (the influx of tourism is expected to be impaired), not much left to be desired. Does the domestic market has enough muscle to sustain growth, especially when not many businesses are actually doing well and fixed income earners have their power of purchase shrunk due to sharp increase in prices, especially consumer goods and their quality of living actually starting to decline?

The aggregate demand, especially in these ‘high stake’ industries needed to be increased. It is not convincing enough when the power of purchase in the consumers’ hands actually come from the rapid and aggressive expansion of consumer and retail borrowings, especially high interest products such as credit cards and personal loans.  This unhealthy trend of giving easy access to consumer borrowings in the hands of the Malaysian workforce is worrying, which lately has shown incredible growth. So far, RM 24 billion of credit card and personal loans already classified  as  ‘problematic’ and this is looming unprecedentedly into very dangerous territories.  In this upcoming economic storm, this pattern will in time prove to affect Malaysians socially.

The Government should consider promoting Malaysians spend on their own earnings and cash at hand, rather than from short to medium term borrowings. One of the more effective way is for Malaysians to use digital cash, which is linked into their own accounts.

 

In the actual sense, the net aggregate demand created from the actual monies in the consumers’ hands has not risen, factored from the recent sharp increase in prices and inflationary pushed economy. Malaysian economy should move from the current Government induced monetary policy to Keynesian.

Another thirteen million ringgit question would be: How long would the retail and hospitality sector is able to sustain on an ‘artificial’ growth (based on rapid increase in consumer borrowings and not actual cash in hand) and how will this actually affect real GDP, in the medium term?

Aggregate demand on the retail industry could be improved by rapidly increasing cottage industries and SME/Is to cater for the more price conscious consumers, especially when larger FMCG industries would be facing credit crunch versus drop in demand issues. However, the ongoing problem for entrepreneurs is the availability of financing facilities. Despite so many schemes available, the accessibility is the real killer. Financial institutions should stop behaving like conventional banks with conservative practices and policies. Instead, they should be innovative and flexible in the products offered, coupled with willingness of taking more risk to ensure facilities are not only available, but much more accessible.

The financial institutions needed much more than mere change of policies and improvement of processes. They are in need of serious restructuring programs. The processes and criterion of making financing facilities more accessible should consider many entrepreneurs will not able to furnish capital nature of collateral. The fact that these firms behave like any other capitalists with too much emphasis on ‘return on investments’ is the real hindrance.

Bank Negara Malaysia is able to play the role for the injection into the financial institutions specifically to stimulate the SME/Is and retail development programs.  Part of the BNM reserve of RM 318 billion should be deployed to stimulate aggregate demand.  Part of the RM 270 billion within the EPF system should also be injected back into the system as liquidity will promote the effort to increase aggregate demand. Of course, any fiscal stimulus to be introduced must be bold enough, which should encompass the increase on consumer spending and aggressive tax relief programs on specific industries, to ensure more injection of profits back into the system.

Thus, major commercial banks should be re-nationalized to make the national agenda of massive entrepreneur creation a success. Profits should be made with facilities extended to capitalistic large corporations and then cross-subsidize for products meant to assist entrepreneurs in the SME/Is. This makes economical sense as spreading risks amongst SME/Is with high growth potential, especially since they have greater survivability in these trying times (as compared to the larger corporations and giants).

The development of SME/Is should be coupled with the emphasis to develop the agrobased industries, which the PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s strategic vision to expand, horizontally and vertically the agriculture sector. The ever ambitious economic corridors like NCER, ECER and Iskandar Malaysia should give this program some serious thoughts and planning, instead of getting conglomerates to mop up all the opportunities that should have been created for the small holders.

This is the right time to develop and improve on services, which include capital and financial sectors. Boutique investment firms and homegrown consultancies should replace the traditional and conservative merchant banks. Innovative financial products based on syariah compliance, especially more flexible and vibrant instruments, is the current flavour. The advantage of the Malaysian capital market already exist a developed  financial and legal system and resources, which include professionals, should be capitalised and developed further.

The role of the Government is ‘prepare the mind of the people’, in these trying times.  Of course, the traditional maxim of ‘Government is there to provide what the people cannot do for themselves’ still stand. Building the viable ecosystem is pertinent to ensure the economy is healthy. So many quarters want to see Federal Government develop a market driven economy, especially in the retail sector.

Federal Government also should re-look into the emphasis of GLCs on ROIs and making money. GLCs are created to be economically self sustaining, without impairing their primary role to assist in nation building. Lately, behaving like hard core capitalists would actually worsen the economies of the common rakyat, especially when goods and services are pricier.

Instead, Federal Government and GLCs should focus and promote on the development of the content development and services on the ICT related industries, especially on web-based and communication based products and services, which content development for the infotainment industry. With a staggering number of 15.9 million internet and 23.4 million mobile phone users, this sector has amazing growth potential. Many techno-preneurs to serve these ‘steroidly-adrenalised’ industries with very encouraging potentials should be developed, with the right programs, incentives and availability and accessibility of facilities, which include funding and grants.

On top of that, communication related services could be imported and re-sited in Malaysia, like call and online service centres. This is one aspect of the human capital program coupled with ICT infrastructure development that should be really pondered and developed. The availability of skilled and knowledge based workforce have  been factored  into the sector set to be potential leaders in these growing service  industries within the region.

The volatility of currencies, especially the US greenback and sharp devaluation of the British Pound Sterling is worrying. The world should consider barter trade, if not the gold backed Gold Dinar as the medium of exchange, for a consistent currency to ensure stability in value of exported goods.

At no part, the rural development programs, especially to realise the New Economic Policy (NEP) should be sacrificed, especially in the excuse of “moving the economy forward and to a better and progressive level, using the principles of the market forces”. Programs under NEP, are designed to stimulate the purchasing power of the majority of rural Malaysians. This is important in creating the consumer base, more over if the emphasis of developing indigenous centric retail and SME/I industries.

Strategic planning is required to ensure our entire resources; physical, commercial, economical and human capital are deployed effective and efficiently. Malaysia could really come out a winner in this, with lesser effort compared to others.

Never the less, all of these would not show result without strong political leadership. That is a really bitter lesson we learnt from putting PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah in charge of the nation five years ago.

Apakah persepsi atas Hakim yang akan mendengar kes saman perlantikan MB Perak bebas dari ‘bias’?

 

Seorang Hakim apabila diberikan tanggung jawab untuk mendengar sebarang kes, mereka dianggap sebagai mampu membezakan kemampuan dan kepentingan  sendiri untuk berlaku adil dan tanpa memihak kepada sesiapa.

MB boneka-DAP yang dipecat Dato’ Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin memfailkan saman petisyen mengenai kesahihan perlantikan ADUN BN Lumut Dato’ Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir sebagai Menteri Besar Perak X. Saman ini difailkan di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur dan bukan di Ipoh. Ini kemungkinan kerana Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Ipoh ialah saksi perlantikan MB Dato’ Dr. Zambry sebagai Menteri Besar X dan kalau beliau mengadili kes ini, dikhuatiri akan menjejaskan kelayakan sebagai seorang yang tidak ‘berpihak’ (bias).

Namun begitu, kes ini dijangkakan akan didengari oleh Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Mohamad Ariff Md. Yusof di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur. Apakah Hakim Mohamad Ariff boleh berlaku adil dan tidak dianggap sebagai seorang yang ‘berpihak’ tanpa sebarang keraguan?

Beliau dikatakan pernah menjadi Penasihat Undang Undang PAS sebelum ini. Apakah persepsi atas impartiality beliau sebagai Hakim yang mendengar kes akan terpelihara, sedangkan MB boneka-DAP Nizar merupakan ADUN PAS Pasir Panjang?

Walaupun beliau dikatakan mempunyai rekod berparti sedemikian, namun majoriti rakyat dijangkakan akan menerima keputusan yang dibuat sebagai Yang Arif Hakim berdasarkan fakta dan adil.

Sebaliknya, apakah sekiranya penghakiman ini tidak berpihak kepada Pakatan Rakyat, mereka akan menjerit “Kehakiman dibeli”  sekali lagi sebagaimana biasa? Mereka mempunyai rekod sedemikian, terutama setelah episod pemecatan mantan banduan salahguna-kuasa Anwar Ibrahim dari Kabinet pada 2 September 1998 dan gerakan ‘Refomasi’ dilancarkan yang berlandaskan memperkudakan emosi rakyat dengan manipulasi fakta dan keadaan.

Where are all those who shouted “Daulat Tuanku” on 10 Nov 2007?

 

It seems HM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibn Almarhum Sultan Mahmood delivered a strong titah at the opening of the new Dewan Rakyat term, on how decision of HRH Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Sultan Azlan Shah Ibn Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah should be respected.

The Star has the story:

Tuesday February 17, 2009

Respect sanctity of Constitution, says King

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has reminded the people to respect the sanctity of the Federal Constitution.

In his speech at the opening of the second term of the 12th Parliament yesterday, he said the sanctity of the basis of the Constitution had been agreed upon by all parties during the Independence.

“In this sense, I remind all parties to respect this foundation that the Constitution was based upon and not question it,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat.

Earlier, Tuanku Mizan and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah were welcomed at Parliament House by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia and Dewan Negara Speaker Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh.

Royal entrance: Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah arriving for the 12th Parliament Session. Escorting them are Abdullah, Jeanne, Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Tuanku Mizan added that the younger generation should also be cultivated on the history of the country’s independence, the Constitution and principles of the Rukunegara.

He expressed sadness that some parties still raised narrow-minded racial issues and brought them into public debates.

He stressed that the Government would not hesitate to take action against those who tried to divide the people and that it would ensure racial harmony and peace were maintained.

Tuanku Mizan also expressed his concern over some people who believed in slanderous and false news spread by certain parties.

He said this had caused confusion among the public.

Tuanku Mizan also said the global economic situation was expected to be challenging and affected the country’s economic growth.

He added that although the world was now affected by the financial crisis that began in the United States last year, Malaysia’s economy was still strong due to various steps taken since the 1997 Asian economic crisis.

“Additional packages to further stabilise the economy will be introduced if the situation warrants it,” he added.

Tuanku Mizan said the Government had taken efforts to reduce the people’s burden during the current economic situation.

He also said political parties should show maturity and intelligence, and advised their members not to act in a manner that could affect national stability and economic growth.

He advised Members of Parliament to display tactfulness in the House.

“I am saddened over the behaviour among the Yang Berhormat during the past parliamentary sessions, which has spoiled the image of our representatives, the House and our country,” he added.

Tuanku Mizan also expressed his appreciation to the services rendered by Abdullah during his tenure as Prime Minister since Oct 31, 2003.

He said Abdullah, who is expected to hand over his post to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak next month, had contributed a lot to promote democracy, accountability, integrity, and Islam Hadhari.

******************

What we at BigDogDotCom would like to highlight is that; where are all those who wore the yellow t-shirts on the afternoon of 10 November 2007 and chanting “Daulat Tuanku”, all the way from Dataran Merdeka, Jalan Tun Perak and PAS HQ in Jalan Raja Laut to Istana Negara?

Amongst the crowd include Pakatan Rakyat leaders such as partly-less Opposition Leader and former abuse-of-power convict Anwar Ibrahim and DAP Jurassic leader Lim Kit Siang.

How come their voices of “Daulat Tuanku” are no longer heard? They do that ONLY when they have narrow political agenda to suit their selfish interests????

BigDogDotCom is two years old…..

 

BigDogDotCom celebrated its two years in operations minutes ago. With over 745 postings, 10,000 comments and two million visits, we at BigDogDotCom would like to express our utmost sincere gratitude and appreciation for the support and attention that everyone have given us these past two years.

The first posting after announcing BigDogDotCom is live online was about Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s boldness in challenging the West during the 3rd Perdana Global Peace Forum in February 2007.

The past year, a lot had came and passed, here in bloggosphere. BigDogDotCom  gained even mainstream media’s attention. However, the proudest moment for us here at BigDogDotCom is when we managed to attract the attention on Hashim Hussain Yaacob’s plight. The little effort we did, we managed to alleviate his condition, even for a short while.  That posting managed to get his Old Putra buddies to raise a substantial amount of money to help him, who was in dire needs. Unfortunately, Hashim was called to be with Allah s.w.t. on Thursday 12 February 2009.

Special mention is accorded to chedet.com (now chedet.cc), Rocky’s Bru, MyKMU.net, KMU Utara, KMU Selatan, KMU.net.my, Malaysia Today.net and Another Brick in the Wall.

Again, two million thanks to all!