The Fools Behind Malaysia Airlines' Downfall

Most of you have probably heard of how Khazanah Nasional has taken Malaysia Airlines private.

They're calling it an overhaul, but you and I know that it's essentially a bailout - using taxpayer funds.

As usual.

I have stated in the past, that a major aspect of Malaysia Airlines loss is due to crony involvement.

The cronyism was well on its way even back in the 1990s, when the Loony Tun and his prodigy Daim Zainuddin were piloting this country into destruction.

For the full story, read this piece: Here Are Insider Reasons Why Malaysia Airlines Bailout Will Not Work.

It's mind-blowing.

A Victim Of Popularity

Poor Ibrahim Ali.

All he wants is to be a nice, quiet, unassuming freedom-fighter cum human rights activist.

But he's misunderstood.

Unloved.

Criticised.

Even heckled by those who are less willing to suffer fools gladly. In short, he's a victim of popularity.

How distressful it must be, to be so .... popular. Especially when one is defending Malay rights, as per the Constitution.

We all know how downtrodden the Malays are, and how Ketuanan Melayu is taking a backseat to significantly less important matters like the economy, for example.

The very nerve of Malaysian citizens to neglect their priorities.

But not Ibrahim Ali.

With renewed strength and fortitude, he plows on, like an impotent but well-trained kerbau in the sprawling padi fields of Kedah.

Affirmative Action: Bad for growth?

You and I know that on the issue of the NEP, Najib is merely lubricating his jaws with saliva.

But here are some thoughts on the issue of affirmative action, which is a huge portion of what the failed NEP was all about.

Malaysia's prime minister, Najib Razak, is in the process of overhauling what is likely the world's most extensive and intensive affirmative action program, called the New Economic Policy, or NEP.

First instituted in the early 1970s, the NEP was designed to expand the role of the impoverished Malay community in the national economy. The Malays represent the majority of the population, but back when the NEP was launched, Chinese immigrants and foreign firms owned the vast majority of the country's assets.

To fix that, the Malay-dominated government adopted all kinds of rules and regulations that gave special perquisites to Malays. Malay-owned companies received preferential treatment when bidding for state contracts, for example, while the government mandated Malay investors receive 30% of initial public offerings on the local stock market. It was an amazing experiment in social reconstruction.

Read the rest of it HERE

Will Malaysia Ever Be Colour-Blind?

Will Malaysia ever be colour-blind?
In Malaysia, a promise to continue a race-based affirmative action policy will only entrench racism

By Nazry Bahrawi

After South Africa and Rwanda's harrowing experiences, it might be expected that no country would want its citizens governed racially lest it be torn asunder. But Malaysia considers itself an exception. Its leaders just gave race-based policies a renewed stamp of approval.

Last month, prime minister Najib Razak vowed to continue an unpopular affirmative action policy that favours the nation's Malays (who make up for slightly more than half of its population) over the Chinese and Indian minorities, who account for about 26% and 8% respectively.

The New Economic Policy (NEP), as this racialised national programme is known, was introduced nearly four decades back to raise the Malays' share of the nation's wealth from a meagre 1.5% to a more equitable 30% and create a Malay middle class. To this end, the government imposed racial quotas in such spheres as education and business.

Read it all HERE.

Political Chameleon

The thing about these political types is that they are natural pots with an affinity for calling the kettle black.

Take Kera Jantan for example - he is a study in contradictions.

He is also capable of saying the most ludicrous things with a straight face:

Malaysians are now faced with the choice between two political fronts - Barisan Nasional, which has developed the country to its current heights, or Pakatan Rakyat which continues to divide the people.

It is our responsibility to expose the true colours of the opposition – that they are no true coalition and are not bound by any shared principle.

What exists is merely a casual relationship, void of any moral principle, genuine affinity or mutual respect. They are a coalition willing to be in cahoots merely to topple BN, dreaming of Putrajaya.

The Kera must have had a bout of high fever coupled with multiple concussions, which has obviously resulted in severe brain damage, loss of memory and comprehension skills.

He is describing everything that is wrong with Barisan Nasional, his own party, but instead claiming that those are Pakatan Rakyat's woes.

In other words, he is a pot calling the kettle black.

You'd think he'd be smart enough to stop there. Nope.

Just today, he called for Malays and Umno to "get rid of siege mentality". The Kera is actually referring to the ridiculous protection of the Malay special position and consequently the New Economic Policy (NEP).

This is coming from the guy who has whined about the Malays in Penang being marginalised in his bid to play up racial issues. This is the guy who has fiercely protected the NEP since he also benefits generously from it.

That is quite a U-turn. In fact, if he was a car, he'd need handbrakes to achieve that sort of sudden turn-about.

Looks like he is pandering to the crowds again, though at this point, I am confused as to whom he wishes to please.

Saying the Malays have siege mentality is frankly a chronic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

It's quite embarrassing for me to witness this sort of thing. The Kera however, seems to take it in his stride.

You may remember how he once referred to PKR as Projek Khinzir Raksasa (or Giant Pig Project).

He wasn't expecting the response he got.

Fortunately, people do point out the pot's blackness.

NYT On Affirmative Action

Malaysia Dilutes Its System of Ethnic Preferences

BANGKOK — Najib Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, announced Tuesday a major rollback in the system of ethnic preferences that has defined the country’s political system for almost four decades.

The new policy would severely weaken a requirement that companies reserve 30 percent of their shares for ethnic Malays, the country’s dominant ethnic group.

The 30-percent rule was once considered politically untouchable, and Mr. Najib described the change in policy as a “tricky balancing act.”

Malaysia has long given ethnic Malays and members of other indigenous ethnic groups — known as bumiputra, or sons of the soil — political and economic privileges. But that system has come under strain amid growing resentment by minority groups and poorer Malays.

The government offers bumiputra discounts on houses, scholarships and other perks. But some benefits, like government contracts and stock-market allocations, have been beyond the reach of working-class Malays.

Anger among Chinese and Indians, the country’s main minority groups, over the ethnic preferences was perhaps the main reason that the opposition made large gains in elections last year that nearly dismantled the governing coalition led by Mr. Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organization.

“We want to be fair to all communities,” Mr. Najib said in a speech in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. “No one must feel marginalized.”

Mr. Najib’s success in rolling back the ethnic preferences will depend in large part on his ability to hold together his coalition and fend off a resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim, a former finance minister.

Mr. Anwar, who leads a diverse group of opposition parties, has promised to undo the system of ethnic preferences.

By positioning himself as a reformer, Mr. Najib, who came to power in April, appears to be calculating that he can stave off opposition advances and be seen as an agent of change.

“The world is changing quickly, and we must be ready to change with it or risk being left behind,” he said Tuesday.

The change would leave some ethnic preferences intact and come with caveats. But it would dilute one of the most important components of what is known as the New Economic Policy, introduced in 1971: the requirement that companies listing on the stock exchange sell 30 percent of their shares to ethnic Malays.

That requirement was scrapped for companies already listed on the stock exchange and reduced to 12.5 percent for initial public offerings. The requirement will remain in place for “strategic industries” like telecommunications, water, ports and energy.

Mr. Najib also said he would lower barriers for foreign investors. The government would eliminate a special vetting process for foreign companies wanting to invest in, merge or take over a Malaysian company, he said.

“The global economic crisis is amplifying the need to be a preferred investment destination,” he added.

Malaysia’s trade-dependent economy is expected to contract by 5 percent this year.

Enforcement And Abuse

This Race Relations Act has got to be the most freaking-stupid-thing I've heard in a while.

One thing's for sure. Pinky and the Brain (or lack thereof) never fail to cook up elaborately asinine ideas.

We have lived together for over 50 years. At some point, we learned to give and take. We've survived through racist policies like the NEP.

And you think we need an Act to keep us in line?

No Act or Law in the world can protect anyone, if it is abused or enforced unjustly.

You and I know how good the BN government is at the 'divide and rule' policy, and abusing every Law in sight.

Economic Impact Of PM's Leadership

It's not the first time the Wall Street Journal is commenting on our sorry state of political affairs.

Late last year, there was a piece in response to Abdullah's op-ed regarding the arrests of the HINDRAF 5 under the draconian ISA.

It certainly did not flatter the man. This one doesn't either.

WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced this week that he has enough parliamentary support to unseat the current government, led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. If he does, Abdullah’s lacklustre economic management will be largely to blame.

The prime minister has not introduced any substantive reforms during his nearly five years in office, preferring to rely instead on opening up the government purse. Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan announced in 2005, he expanded public-sector spending to RM200 billion annually from RM160 billion. In his Midterm Plan Review this year, he increased this outlay to RM240 billion. The national debt now stands at RM285 billion, up from RM192 billion in 2004. The official fiscal deficit has risen to 4.8% of GDP this year, from 3.2% last year. Revenue is being spent faster than it is coming in.

It’s hard to argue that these outlays have served the broad public interest. Much of the funding has been channelled to elites in the majority Malay community, under the country’s pro-Malay affirmation action programme. That has created discontent with many Malays who don’t see the full benefits of the programme, and among the minority Chinese and Indians, who are excluded from it altogether.

Abdullah’s stewardship has had a real impact on the economy. Capital flight has risen sharply; Malaysian investment abroad now exceeds inward foreign investment. The Kuala Lumpur stock exchange has lost almost one-fifth of its value this year to date. Malaysia’s currency, the ringgit, saw its biggest one-month loss last month since the end of the dollar peg in 2005. Although GDP growth has averaged a robust 5% annual growth under Abdullah, that record is now under threat. Inflation reached a record 8.5% this summer. Job creation has reached record lows, as unemployment, particularly among young majority Malays, remains high. Ironically, only the opposition-led state governments are attracting new foreign investment - and without the federal government’s help, no less.

Abdullah’s 2004 attempts to promote growth and investment - such as through the promotion of the biotechnology and agricultural industries - have failed. He also fumbled discussions with the United States on a free trade agreement, which have now stalled. What Malaysia really needs is education reform and the liberalisation of its labour markets to improve its economic competitiveness.

The political opposition, in the form of Anwar and his Pakatan Rakyat coalition, have seized on these issues. They have promised to root out corruption and to implement a new economic policy to address the concerns of all ethnic communities in Malaysia. Their platform aims to move beyond populist spending to introduce structural reforms in government procurement programmes and in the management of government-linked companies.

When Abdullah assumed office in 2004, he inherited an economy in need of structural reform. Malaysians have had to pay for his poor stewardship through higher prices, stagnating wages and growing private sector debt. Soon, Abdullah may have to pay the political price for that record.

Rox For PM

Remember I once asked, Who Can Lead Us?

I didn't exactly expect a response, but Rox has offered herself up as a living sacrifice. Well, sort of. :)

It's a hoot! You absolutely HAVE to read it!! Now!

Rox's offering should rightly take responsibility for evoking consternation and some very startled expressions in my office. I do derive a significant amount of amusement from the stuff I read online.

But rarely do I bury my nose and mouth in the palms of my hands, to unsuccessfully muffle the snorts of laughter that did escape eventually.

She has a way with words, Rox does. But more importantly, she also has some very salient points, 3 of which I highlight below.

1. The New Economic Policy

The NEP is just so taboo, that no one really wants to address it. Especially the politicians (with the notable exception of Lim Guan Eng) because at this point, saying anything could lose you some precious votes.

But you know what's wrong with us non-Malays? We tend to curl up in a corner and lick our wounds because we think the nation is doing us such an injustice by perpetuating the implementation of the NEP.

To an extent, it does border on unfairness. But it's nothing compared to what it's doing to the Malays. How it's crippling those it claims to "help" and ensuring that they are eternally buried under their mountain of insecurity.

Guess which despot owns this.


By the way, it's official - I have bad taste. Both Rox and GobloKing, among others, think that this mansion is garishly furnished. But I sure love the pool.

Rox has a penchant for documenting stories of people who live in strange places, bless her heart. The stories about these Malays, I believe, were highlighted by the mainstream media to validate and justify the implementation of the NEP.

But I think they serve as a solid reminder of why the NEP is such a failure. Compare the splendour of the mansion, with the abandoned toilet and the chicken coop.

Same country, different world. Product of the NEP.

2. Corruption

People I have spoken to in person always disagree with me, but I believe law-enforcement officers must be given better wages and working conditions so that "they won't be tempted by pittance/duit kopi".

It's not so much about the money as it is about instilling pride and integrity in carrying out their duties.

Honestly, it's very distressing to see that the police and militarymen have no more zest for what they do, which happens to be a very important role in our society. They have exchanged their noble calling for the errands of a running dog, that's what they've done.

They have been bribed into doing the bidding of the evil despots in our country. That desperately begs for change.

As for the despots themselves:

Any minister/administrator found guilty of making lucrative deals with foreign operatives at the expense of the rakyat, and civil servants of accepting bribes in any form or amount, will be tarred, feathered and hanged by their schwanz/kitzler to fry under the sun in front of Parliament from midday to sundown.

Good to know she doesn't practise gender discrimination. Equality for all, baby.

3. Education

This is so relevant, in the face of sub-standard institutions of higher learning.

Forget about UiTM. Our children are being educated in schools, where they are taught not to question authority. Or ask why something is done without being told, "It's tradition."

We have the memorise-and-regurgitate rote system that does not enhance creativity or inspire critical thinking. Simply put, we don't think.

The Indians follow the rote system as well. But if you worked in Cyberjaya, you would know that international servers and computer systems for MNCs are manned not by Malaysians but by expatriate Indian systems and software engineers.

Where did we go wrong?

We obviously haven't moved along with world trends when it comes to education. But Rox does a fine job of hashing it out; anything else I say would be redundant.

I feel sorry for all those top students in my class who graduated only to find, that the working world is the complete opposite of life in school.

And I'm sorry for those bored students who never bothered to put in any effort because the education system frankly undermined their intelligence.

I was lucky. I had maths and physics, the only two subjects I shone at, apart from English.

Oh, and I had Candide. :)

Scholarships For Bumiputras

Susan Loone brought up the issue of some UMNO fool called Ahmad Ikmal Ismail who has said some hatefully seditious things about non-bumiputras, as reported in The Star.

Ahmad Ikmal said this meant that scholarships were being taken from the bumiputras to be given to the non-bumiputras.

“We object to this move because it now means that 700 scholarships for bumiputra students are gone,” he said.

Of course, that inevitably led to a discussion of the New Economic Policy which some Malays cling on stubbornly to, not unlike a toddler and his bantal busuk.

One particular commenter, Bola Hangus, goes off on a rant about how unfairly the Malays are being treated:

Chinaman will always try to look down and blame the malays eventhough the fault mainly lies with UMNO. To them, being condescending to the malay is considered normal and no matter how smart a malay is, a graduate of oxford or harvard, the malay is just intelectually inferior and the only reason these ivy leaques accept them is because they are malay and the quota system.

I wonder who conceived that perception and continues to perpetuate it? It is the Malays themselves who demand special rights, claiming to be intellectually inferior.

In fact, they even consider their fellow Malays as less intelligent than a non-Malay. I work in a rather unique field. My previous superior, a senior engineer, was a highly intelligent Malay man.

I have yet to meet a smarter and humbler man (though he has no reason whatsoever to be humble).

My head of department is also a Malay. He is capable, responsible and accountable for his team. Both these Malay men have earned the respect of my non-Malay colleagues and myself as neither have been recipients of "special rights".

But my Malay colleagues have regarded both with no small amount of suspicion. Both are somewhat of loners and tend to hang out by themselves.

The fact is, if the Malays themselves cannot laud their fellow men for their personal successes without having some measure of jealousy and the intense need to backbite, do you expect some apek Chinaman not to be condescending?

Bola Hangus continues:

The chinamen bitch and moan about not getting equal opportunity etc etc etc. Do they even offer such opportunity to others?

Well, no. Let me share with you what another Malay brought up in a separate post, this time at Rocky's Bru.

But the truth is this, and I have asked my non-Malay friends the same question. Generally, in the context of carrying out mammoth projects, do you think Malays are competent? Almost all my friends were either stumped, because they were polite to say yes on reflex, or they would say yes after some deliberation.

I then asked them this question. If you, for example, are in the position to award contracts, would you give it to a Malay? Again, silence, or a simple no.

It's a Catch 22 situation. The Malays cannot compete because they have been molly-coddled by their "special rights" but they refuse to become independent and let go of the policy because they feel they cannot compete.

Payback Time explains the real situation here:

Bola Hangus; … .. You hanged on to your rights and see how many more generations of people like you gonna be look down upon by other races..as under acheivers non competitive..waiting for handout all the time. Wonder why chinaman towkay doesn’t prefer people like you…wakeup and smell the propaganda our politician are preaching..people like you are just a pawn for their own ambition..get it

Unfortunately, those in favour of the NEP believe it should still remain in spite of their own admission that they are incompetent. I seriously question the logic behind that.

The perpetuation of the NEP is discrediting the Malays who have made it on their own. And Galadriel is right, by claiming that Malays are being threatened by the increase in scholarships being given to non-bumiputras, Umno insults bumiputera students.

Bola Hangus eventually reveals why he has such strong feelings against the non-bumiputras, the Chinese in particular.

I have personaly experienced racism pepertrated by the chinaman (if you want to believe or not) in the form of refusing to rent shoplot, artificially inflating prices whn it comes to rates, providing unsellable items or overstock (wholesaler) instead of the good ones reserved for their own kind., condescending remarks, etc etc Whatever it is i know them inside out. Now is the in thing to use “malaysian” cos as a malaysian, chinaman will come on top. This is the excuse and strategy for now. Let me ask you a question, singapore practices meritocracy, where is the malays over there? name afew famous ones? If they dont discriminate then why they pull out malays for questioning at the train station?

I was studying in the states for 5 years. Once i applied to work at a chinese restaurant. They said i coundnt cos i didnt speak chinese and i needed to speak it in order to communicate with the cooks in the kitchen. Funny thing is that there were 5 americans who also work there and none spoke the language. The moral of the story is the americans do not yield to these chinese demands, it’s america we speak english here goddammit. Only if you are weak then the chinaman will take advantage over you and exploit you.

Interestingly, it is kacang putih who first gauges the real issue behind Bola Hangus' anger.

Bola, as an admitted PHD in racism I feel sorry that you have been mistreated by so called “chinamen” in your past. Lest not forget that whatever ill feelings you feel toward them the fact of the matter is at this very moment Malaysia as a whole is a racist country that is anti chinese, indians etc. Regardless of what your personal experiences have been with an individual or group in the past the truth is the Indians and Chinese are getting the raw end of the deal.

I am 100% sure that whever bad experiences you have had with a chinamen, an opposite and similar situation has happened to a chinese man too dealing with malays.

I could not have said it better myself. Kudos to you, kacang putih.

But the question remains for Bola Hangus to answer, in the past few years of giving special rights to the bumiputras, has there been significant improvement?

Have they become competent? Capable of running and managing their businesses?

Collectively, have the non-bumiputras begun to gain respect for the bumiputras?

Have the deserving bumiputras truly been helped or is it just a select bunch of elite, connected individuals who have benefitted?

Do the bumiputras prefer to live on handouts for the rest of their lives simply because they were born in this land and claim entitlement to it?

The New Breed Of Malays

I get the impression that Nazri is trying to fan the flames while maintaining the facade of "championing the rights of Malays".

I honestly don't think Nazri gives two sh!ts about whether his fellow Malays become successful or not. He's more concerned about whether his pockets are lined through this corrupted policy.


Actually, it really appears like he's taunting them. Check out how he keeps repeating the words "rights" and "merit" like he doesn't believe that they could be accorded that merit without the special rights.

“We (Umno) have to really sit down and think. It looks like the educated Malays do not care about Malay rights anymore,” he said when contacted.

“The Malay doctors, lawyers, engineers feel they have made it on their own merit.

“It looks like the NEP is not something that can be used to persuade the Malays to support the Barisan Nasional.

“The Malays are saying ‘you can’t scare us by talking about us losing our rights, because we are here on our own merit’.”

Nazri said it looked like some Malays felt that the NEP was unfair, and questioned why special rights should be given to the Malays.

He described the new confidence among the Malays as good for the Malay psyche.

Like you've ever bothered about the Malay psyche, Nazri. You've always needed them to be stupid, subservient and unable to think for themselves.

Otherwise, they'd never have voted for you or your racist party.

Unfortunately for you, a lot of them have wised up. A lot of them DO deserve the credit, but no one accords them with it, because it is assumed that their success was due to an artificial boost in the form of "special rights".

They're sick of not being taken seriously; instead being disrespected by the others in Malaysia. Going abroad doesn't help much.

During my undergraduate studies in Malaysia, I took 4 semesters of German, planning to further my studies with a postgraduate degree in Germany. My German lecturer was very enthusiastic about my plans.

He suggested I get a scholarship after enrolling into a German university. He was confident that I'd get it. "Just remember to tell them that you're NOT MALAY, and have not been molly-cuddled with any of that special-rights rubbish," he advised.

So apparently, even the Europeans are aware of this nasty little scourge called the NEP. I thought it was only Thierry Rommel.

The poor Malays.

They can't get any respect here, and they can't get it abroad.

The only way out that I can see is to start anew, abolish the NEP and earn the respect based on merit alone.

But I have faith in some of my Malay friends. I'm sure they can overcome this. And I know that if they make the first step to stand on their own, the rest of us will start respecting them.

Related:
Malays Migrating? - Surind

Abdullah Stokes Racial Tension

I tried to stay away from this issue, but evidently I can't.


Penang is the first to set up government so obviously, it's doing a lot of trailblazing into a virgin territory of sorts. I find it impressive that Lim Guan Eng has set out to clean up his state immediately without sticking around to play PR games.

Obviously the Abdullah administration doesn't like it. So what does the head honcho do? Well, stoke flames of course. Try and incite racial tensions by implying Guan Eng is infringing on minority rights.

Let's dissect the news report of his lame rhetoric:

PUTRAJAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was warned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi not to make statements that could stoke racial tensions.

Lim, after his swearing-in as the new Penang Chief Minister on Tuesday, told reporters that the DAP-led state government would not practise the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Lim had also said that the NEP, which was introduced in 1971 after the May 13, 1969, racial riots to eradicate poverty and restructure society, was the source of “cronyism, corruption and inefficiency.”

I couldn't agree more. About time we stopped fooling ourselves that it has eradicated (or even come close to it) poverty.

Abdullah told Bernama in between meetings with top civil servants at his office here that the NEP had in fact benefited everyone.

“I would like to ask the DAP which community has been made poorer because of the NEP,” he said.

A very good question, Abdullah, which I can answer. The Malay community, of course. They have systematically been denied of equal education as the non-Malays by allowing them into sub-standard ones like matriculation instead of STPM.

This has created a domino effect, where they are forced to enter Malay dominated fields, such as government service or join the police, army, navy, air force, customs department, etc., where the salaries are very low.

Those who have managed to break into multi-national corporations are paid lower than their non-Malay counterparts because their skills are lacking and sometimes their command of the English language is left wanting.

Most are aware that they're not competent enough and have low self esteem. This kind of psychological distress is unnecessary.

Believe me, the NEP has done much more harm than good.

“The (Penang) state government must not try to create an atmosphere which can cause racial tensions,” warned Abdullah, who is also head of Penang Umno.

He also said that the new state government in Penang should not marginalise the Malays, who are the minority in the state, and other minority groups like the Indians.

“Do not marginalise the Malays. I want to ask Lim Guan Eng what his plans are for the Malays in Penang? What are his plans for the Indians in Penang? What are his plans for other minority groups in Penang?”

Now this is when yours truly gets royally pissed off. I have 3 words for Abdullah: GO TO HELL!!

I am warning you, Sir, do not drag the issue of Indians into this matter. The issue of Indians is the last thing on your mind unless you are intent on spraying more chemical-laced water or hurling tear gas on them for good measure.

I don't know about the Malays, but Indians would like to be treated merely as normal citizens with no additional, fringe benefits.

Indians are not retarded, so they do not need crutches and wheelchairs thrown at them under the disguise of 'help'. An equal policy, a transparent one will be enough to enable them to compete on equal footing. And they certainly do NOT need a 'special' plan based on skin colour.

The prime minister gave an assurance that the federal Government would continue to look after the lower-income groups in the state and would also continue with the special assistance programmes for the bumiputras.

Yeah sure. And pigs fly, too.

Of course, Abdullah's racist stance has obviously upset a few in Penang. However, UMNO could never be credited for being original. My personal take on that is because they ceased thinking a long time ago.

Nevertheless, a few have taken to the roads to demonstrate their protest against the non-practise of the NEP at Penang state level. Now these clowns have obviously no clue about the purpose of a protest, demonstration or rally.

BERSIH and HINDRAF took to the streets because for ages, their proposals and requests were made to deaf ears. So this disorganised little social gathering that UMNO put up (with the help of a few random banners) was unnecessary because Barisan Nasional controls the freaking media, after all!!

They also forgot their memorandum. :) Ah well.

It didn't perturb the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng who appeared not to have even batted an eyelash as he took it in his stride.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

Of course, it seems to have escaped Barisan Nasional that street protests "are not our culture".

Racial And Religious Divisions

Judging from some of the comments made by individuals about other races, it is so evident that the harmony and unity between races in Malaysia is nothing but a farce.

Obviously, the lack of communication is to be blamed. Only the Malays were able to say inflamatory things without fear of being arrested - the same could not be applied to the Indians and Chinese.

And so, a lot of us hid our hate and resentment inside, quietly gloating when the Malays fumbled and voicing our dissatisfaction within our own factions.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what the UMNO government wants.

It's part of the divide and conquer policy.

The Malays have been brainwashed into thinking they are stupid. That they cannot survive without their crutches, that is their special rights. And most of them fear that they will suffer if these rights are taken away.


But not all of them are stupid. In getting to know more people online, I have come to greatly respect some of my Malay brothers and sisters, who could probably take me on anyday when it comes to ability and intellect.

The problem with us Chinese and Indians is that we think the Malays are to be tolerated as inferior, not engaged as equals. This is where we screw up.

I could go on and on with a list of names: Haris Ibrahim, Raja Petra Kamarudin, Farish Noor, M. Bakri Musa, and now Noor Aza Othman. These Malays are aware that their kind are being manipulated and are finally speaking up.

I particularly like this piece by Noor Aza:

Umno stirring up racial-religious division

Noor Aza Othman Dec 7, 07 5:18pm
It seems like true democracy in Malaysia is continuously being tramped upon by the “penyangak” or crooks from the capitalist government, especially leaders from the main ruling party Umno. They use the minority Indians as scapegoats to justify such injustices.

As reported by Malaysiakini, Hindraf supporters are currently being charged by the Malaysian attorney-general for attempted murder and causing damage to public property during the Indian community’s peaceful protest on Nov 25 to highlight the plight of poor Indian communities and to demand equal rights denied under the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Out of the 99 convicted protestors mostly from poor communities, 31 of them are slapped with an additional absurd and unjust charge of attempted murder, and upon conviction the accused is liable to a maximum of 20 years jail. And yesterday, they have been denied bail unjustly.

The prime minister has also warned that the government will revert to using the Internal Security Act to prevent public protests. ISA provides for “preventive detention” without trial for an indefinite period. The Peoples’ Freedom Walk organised by the Bar Council on Dec 9 in conjunction with International Human Rights Day was forced to be called off.

Malaysian politics is dominated by divisively racist ideology. The ruling parties, especially Umno, has adopted the British imperialist’s legacy and exploited such manipulative divide-and-rule strategies in order to entrenched the capitalist class’ hegemonic power.

Umno’s ideology is based on the racist ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ to brainwash the Malay-Muslim majority ethnic group in Malaysia. The Malay race is automatically defined as Muslims in the Constitution whereas the ancient Malay civilisation originally consists of diverse religious faiths. For example, Balinese Malays were Hindus, Filipino Malays were mostly Catholic and so on.

Due to their currently waning power and influence amidst the non-Malay communities especially from the increasingly conscious younger generation, it seems that Umno leaders are possibly stirring up more racial-religious division and hatred. It is to continue brainwashing the Malay-Muslim masses to go on uncritically supporting such leaders. This is why a Malay ex-chief minister has made a racist and barbaric remark for the Malays to take out their parangs to defend the supreme ideology.

I believe if that we only break the barriers of our racial divide and without getting emotional or angry, debate these matters calmly, much could be achieved.

Do it with love.

Do it in the best interests of your Malay friend. They are also citizens of this country.

And they have such wonderful characteristics if you only get to know them. I have not met any race more hospitable. None as creative with decorations. The list goes on.

But right now, they're at the bad end of this sour deal and they don't know it. While we Chinese and Indians are able to compete on a global level, some of the Malays, due to their crutches are only limited to our shores.

Imagine how rotten that must feel.

ALL OF US, need to make a difference and a change. Not for ourselves at this present moment, but for our future.

Resolving The Malaysian-Indian Issues

I will post my response to this tomorrow.

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The Hindraf Campaign: A Critique – Dr. Kumar of Parti Sosialis Malaysia

Thousands of Malaysian Indians from all over the country are responding to Hindraf’s campaign. SMS messages are being amplified and sent out by the hundreds, petition forms are being signed, funds have been collected, and there is a massive mobilization to present a memorandum to the British High Commission on Sunday 25th November 2007.


All this highlights the extent to which Malaysian Indians have been neglected and marginalized by the policies of the Barisan Nasional government. It shows the level of frustration and resentment within the community.

Many friends and contacts have been asking what is the Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s stand on the Hindraf Campaign? Why is the PSM not organizing buses to support the program on the 25/11/07? The main points of the PSM stand are outlined below –

1. It is undeniable that Indians in Malaysia face racial discrimination.

- difficulty in getting government jobs;

- lack of special programs for Indian students from poor backgrounds;

- the poor state of many Tamil Primary Schools;

- absence of laws to protect the estate community when they are evicted in the name of development; Ditto for the peneroka bandar;

- insensitive handling of Hindu Temples which are demolished to make way for “development”;

- extremely insensitive handling of cases of Indian individuals caught in “inter-faith” situations for example Moorthy, Subashini, and others;

- the negative profiling of Indian youth by the police and other authorities as “gangsters” and the harsh treatment of these youth when caught by police;

These are just some aspects of the reality of Indians in Malaysia. Indians are made to feel that they are second-class citizens, and after 50 years of Merdeka they are beginning to resent it more and more!


2. Ethnic based mobilization is relatively easy to do. Malaysian society has been tutored in racial politics by the BN parties (as well as by some opposition parties also) for the past 5 decades. The vast majority of Malaysians think in ethnic terms. However ethnic based mobilization of Indians will not be able to overcome the racial discrimination that Indians face. At this point Hindraf is asking for

- Cessation of the Bumiputra policy

- Institution of affirmative policies for Malaysian Indians

- Monetary compensation from the British Government for “leaving us in this mess”!

These are emotive issues, and it is obvious that many Malaysian Indians have responded to them. But is even remotely possible that they can be attained by ethnic based mobilization of the Indians who make up only 7% of the population?

3. We should not forget that apart from racial discrimination, the majority of Indians face economic discrimination because they are workers in a system that favours the businessmen and the capitalists. About 70% of Malaysian Indians are workers. The problem they face as workers include

- low wages. In many factories the basic pay in RM 18 per day, which works out to RM 468 per month.

- There is no job security. Outsourcing, the widespread use of contract workers, and the easy availability of migrant workers all weaken the bargaining position of Malaysian labour.

- Labour laws are being tightened and being made more pro management;

- Low cost adequate housing is difficult to find.

- Prices of goods is rising faster than wages! Petrol, toll and now flour.

- Basic services – health care, education, roads, water - which used to be heavily subsidized are now becoming increasingly expensive;

The problems listed above are also experienced by workers of all races in Malaysia – even the Malays, who are the beneficiaries of the Bumiputra policies. Only about 20% of Malay workers have jobs in government. The remainder have to work in the private sector where they too experience economic discrimination as workers in a capitalist economy. Malays workers are not exempted from the problems of low wages, job insecurity, rising costs of basic services, etc.

4. It appears that that some sections of working class Malays are beginning to question the Bumiputra policy which has benefited the UMNO-putra and their cronies far far more than the average Malay worker. Consider the following -

- the Mat Rempit phenomena. Isn’t this, in part, an expression of the frustration and resentment of ordinary Malay youth who are having difficulties finding and holding jobs because of the low-wage and migrant labour policies of the BN government;

- more than 50% of the 40,000 Bersih demonstration on 10/11/07 was made of Malay youth who were not from PAS or KeAdilan. They turned up because they are fed-up with the government which is only helping a small sector of Malay elite.

- Anwar Ibrahim has been openly calling for the ending of the Bumiputra Policy which he claims only helps the rich UMNO politicians. He wants a new policy – the Agenda Baru - that is based on economic need and not on race. All poor Malaysians should get government help.

- PAS spearheaded the Protes Coalition which opposed the hikes in Petrol and Diesel prices. They are also active in the Coalitions against Health and Water privatization.

Anwar is an astute politican, and PAS does have close contact with the Malay community. Their articulation of such issues must mean that in their assessment, ordinary Malays are resentful of government policies that favour the rich.


5. The political choice facing Malaysian Indians is simple. Do we

1. mobilize ourselves as Indians to fight the Bumiputra policy and ask for affirmative action for Indians?

OR

2. Work towards a working class coalition that fights for a better deal for all ordinary Malaysians irrespective of race?

In other words, do we use ethnic based mobilization or class based mobilisation to fight the present state of ethnic discrimination of Indians?


6. Obviously 1000’s of Indians have jumped into the Hindraf bandwagon of ethnic mobilization. But the support of large numbers does not necessarily mean that that campaign is in the long term interest of the Indians in Malaysia. Nor does it mean that it is likely to succeed!

The PSM salutes all those who have thrown off their apathy to stand up for their rights despite the threats being made by the BN government in the media. However, action for action’s sake is never enough. Action must be guided by the correct analysis, and this is where we differ with Hindraf. Though Hindraf leaders have made sacrifices, and have shown courage, we believe that they are inadvertently playing into the hands of the “enemy”. Why?


7. Who are the major beneficiaries of the Bumiputra policy? Surely people like Najib, Hishamuddin, Khairi and other top UMNO leaders must be very uncomfortable with growing perception among the ordinary Malays that the Bumiputra Policy has been abused to make a small group of Malays filthy rich – all in the name of uplifting all Malays. These UMNO leaders are also worried about the coming elections for the people are frustrated with price hikes and corruption. Ethnic mobilization on the part of Hindraf would provide them with the perfect opportunity to

- resurrect the “Ketuanan Melayu” issue. They could use Hindraf’s demands to abolish the NEP as an example of how “lebih” the Indians have become, and of the importance to band together under UMNO for race and country!!

- Use some of the gangster groups associated with UMNO to provoke a racial incident that will come very useful for BN in the election campaign period. The old BN argument that we have to vote BN to avoid another May 13!


8. This does not mean that the PSM is advocating not fighting back when Indians are evicted or when houses and temples are torn down. Not at all. The PSM track record on this is clear – we have gone to stand with the people facing eviction and bullying by developers or the government in many estates and Peneroka Bandar kampungs. But we never have generalized this into an ethnic issue for all the reasons listed above.

This local fight-backs must continue whenever any community is faced with bullying by developers or government. But national level mobilization should be of all ordinary Malaysians (from all races) and not of Indians only!

We hope these brief explanations make sense to you. Do not retire from the struggle! Just reorient it to make it multi-racial and fight for the justice of all the ordinary people of Malaysia!

Rommel Soundly Criticises The NEP

Good ole Rommel makes a parting shot! :)

AP Interview: EU's outgoing ambassador says Malaysia is a virtual one-party state

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The European Union's outgoing ambassador has soundly criticized Malaysia, describing it as a virtual one-party state that discriminates against minorities and foreign investors by openly favoring the majority Malay Muslims.

Law Minister Nazri Aziz dismissed the accusations by Ambassador Thierry Rommel, who left his post Tuesday after 4 1/2 years, saying he is an outsider who does not understand the country. "I treat his opinion as uninformed and ignorant," said Nazri.

Yeah, Nazri would. Of course it probably escapes him that he's the very epitome of "uninformed" and "ignorant".

He is joined by another twit, who expresses himself in a more controlled manner by claiming Rommel acted outside his sphere of duty.

If I were the bloody government, I'd be falling over myself to appease the man. After all, he influences and advises the EU on dealing with Malaysia. I can't imagine a spotless report on Malaysia from Rommel, considering this flagrant inability to handle criticism.

Rommel's blunt message — in a recent interview with The Associated Press — comes as Malaysia and the 27-nation European Union are getting ready to start negotiations next year for a free trade agreement. Rommel's advice will heavily influence policy makers in the EU, which is seeking a broad relationship with Malaysia that includes democratic governance, rule of law, human rights, civil freedoms and fair trade.

In the interview, Rommel said the multiracial Malaysia, which takes pride in its ethnic harmony, is becoming polarized due to the Islamization of the society. He said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has allowed ethnic tensions to increase in the last four years he has been in office.

"There is a situation of increasing inequality in Malaysia," Rommel said. "Non-Muslims feel increasingly marginalized and (feel) their constitutional rights (are) jeopardized."

Rommel, whose outspokenness has irked the Malaysian government in the past, gave the interview on the condition that it would be released after his departure from the country to avoid further diplomatic trouble.

I'm sure he hasn't forgotten Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, who blamed her hypertensive woes on him.

Rommel was especially critical of a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays, who form about 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people. The Chinese are 25 percent and Indians 10 percent.

The affirmative action program, known as the New Economic Policy, provides privileges to Malays in jobs, education, business and other areas. It is also used to enforce mandatory Malay equity in companies and in awarding government contracts. Foreign investors have long complained that this amounts to protectionism.

"This is definitely a policy that is discriminatory, that is projectionist and which hinders fair competition and a level playing field," Rommel said, adding that foreign investors are also reluctant to come to Malaysia because the rule of law is not of international standards.

Rommel is certainly NOT the first person to say that. I've had the opportunity to personally exchange words with foreigners who have business interests in Malaysia. They echo his words.

Due to the general lack of meritocracy and subsequently, lack of standards, we are being seen as an incompetent nation.

And we can't do anything about it, much less voice our opinions. Heck, we can't even seem to vote effectively.

We only have one right - the right to "shut up"!

"You don't know as a foreigner, or a Malaysian citizen, where you exactly stand in terms of your rights," he said.

He warned that the NEP could jeopardize the proposed free trade agreement that both sides were hoping to conclude by 2009.

Rommel's comments echo that of Malaysia's weak opposition parties, who say that the NEP has become a vehicle of patronage for Prime Minister Abdullah's United Malays National Organization party.

The UMNO is the dominant force in the ruling National Front coalition, which also comprises smaller Chinese and Indian parties. Critics feel the UMNO will never dismantle the NEP because it would lose its power base.

Bingo.

"The country is not run by three political parties, it is run by one party - UMNO," said Rommel. The Chinese and Indian parties in the coalition "have no real authority and I think, no genuine input in decision making. UMNO runs this country like its own backyard. This is a one-party state," he said.

Bingo again. It's scary how perceptive Rommel is. Then again, there must be a reason why he is actually a powerful EU envoy who advises EU policy makers. And while I'm certainly impressed, I'm also worried about our economic future.

Rommel also said that in Malaysia the executive is "all-powerful and not accountable" while the judiciary remains beholden to the executive because the appointments are directly made by the prime minister.

"The parliament (is) useless. No fair elections, no freedoms. Police is unaccountable. Internal checks and balances? Forget it. So where do you find characteristics that (represent) democracy?"

Democracy? Dude, what are you talking about? We ain't a democratic country! We're a communist-dictatorship. And you haven't figured that out after 4 and a 1/2 years?? What's wrong with you??

Nazri, the law minister, defended the NEP, saying it has helped Malays rise from abject poverty in the last 30 years.

"Without the NEP, it will go back to square one. It will come back to a situation where Malays will be left behind again. This is a social contract for Malaysians to decide, not for foreigners to interfere," he told the AP on Tuesday.

That's right. When criticised, make personal attacks.

And it's very interesting to note that Nazri has such a poor opinion of his own race to assert that without crutches and a wheelchair thrown in, they're inferior to the Chinese and Indians in every way.

I'm surprised there is no outrage from the Malays. I'd throw a hissy fit if someone forced an affirmative-action policy down my throat.

But Nazri still has his yarn to spin.

"I don't think foreigners are concerned about this because whenever there is opportunity to make money, they will come," he said.

Nazri also dismissed complaints that Malaysia is becoming more Islamic. Critics have pointed at a string of recent court cases over religion, in which verdicts have generally favored Muslims. Many Indians, who are Hindus, have also complained that their temples have been torn down without warning.

"If Malays have become more passionate with religion, it is not necessarily a bad thing," Nazri said.

Passion isn't a bad thing. But violent fanaticism is.

EU And Malaysian Ethnic Policies

I was revisiting some old issues which cropped up some months ago and I found some quotable quotes. :)

In Malaysian trade minister slams EU envoy's view on ethnic policies on EU business, Rafidah exhibits the foot-in-mouth disease.

EU ambassador Thierry Rommel had said Malaysia's attraction to foreign investment had weakened because of the education and economic policies favouring bumiputras at the expense of other groups.

Rafidah's responses:

"Mr Rommel doesn't know Malaysia or he has not bothered to find out."

And have you, ma'am?

"... He has always had this problem with his attitude," Rafidah told an audience of industry leaders and diplomats.

Now, now. Getting personal, are we? You seem to have quite a bit of an attitude problem yourself, ma'am.

"I would like to dismiss Mr Rommel's views. It is totally unwarranted. He really raised my blood pressure quite high," Rafidah said.

Blood pressure? I think we have more of an interest in the country's economy than in your blood pressure, ma'am. If you don't mind.

Chinese Unhappy With NEP

So what's new?

Does it take the International Herald Tribune to tell us that or is it something we quite delightfully sweep under the carpet in favour of more important issues like which two people are displaying affection in public?

Or which transsexual is wearing a skirt?

When the economy is doing well, everyone can afford to turn a blind eye to the injustices. But when things don't look so good, people will either protest or pack up and leave.

I wonder which it will be this time.

After 50 years, you'd think there would have been some form of progress...