Democracy is as depressing in practice as it is uplifting in theory. There have been so many corruption scandals in the past few years but political parties refuse to learn are back to their crooked old way
UMNO, on its part, is trying to keep up a brave façade though it is imploding internally. Mistakes of a few UMNO leaders can cost a lot of others their careers. The party campaign lacks strategy and its key leaders speak in arrogant, defensive tones. Not once have any of them admitted, “Yes, we have made mistakes. Malay politics has changed, UMNO need to change too.No,UMNO won’t say it because deep down, apart from a few MPs, most believe they do not need to change. They think the advisors, naysayers, Facebookers, Tweeters, investment banks and media-editors are simply ‘out to get them’. They believe real Malays is still with UMNO, and only the noisy upper class buzzes around like irritating mosquitoes. Enough chamchas exist to endorse this view. Hence all good advice is ignored. Internal or external suggestions will be met with “you new-age types don’t know politics” or “we know how to win elections, so shut up”.
Too simplistic, Ms. Shukri.Malays are not stupid. BN policies make them feel that they are inferior and must rely on government for their sustenance. NEP must be replaced by policies that can help to build a resilient, rugged and competitive Bumiputra community, not one dependent on handouts from a corrupt regime.
Let us start by giving them good education to enable to think and fend for themselves. UMNO Baru leaders must not be afraid of smart thinking bumiputras. We have enough of corrupt elite rule in this country. These bumiputras can be tapped for leadership roles in government service, business and research and policy making and execution so that we do not have to dish out RM7.2 billion in consultancy fees to private consulting firms. Meritocracy is the way forward because competition strengthens a people and makes them proud of themselves.
With smart Malays around, we would not be talking about Blue Ocean strategy without understanding what that means and what it takes to put such a strategy into practice. Ms. Shukri should look at herself first before insulting the rest of us. Otherwise, she would not be elected in GE-14
Yes, UMNO leadership is in denial. Sadly it is expected to remain so until after the 2018 elections. Maybe a jolt in the results remains the only hope for the party to undertake long overdue reforms.
For the RM7.2bilmoney that government has given in consultancy fees,The RM51.5 million is computed from the following companies, excluding some with cost unknown – they include McKinsey and Co, Hay Group, Ethos & Co, Alpha Platform (M) Sdn Bhd, Tarmidizi, Boston Consulting Group, Provectis and Vision Technology Computing.
These were only initial setting-up cost but to include the running, maintaining and the advertising cost that Pemandu took would be in billions. No wonder unelected Minister in PM’s Department Idris Jala, who also acted as CEO of the unit, defended and self-praised their department.we have done much more,”Mahathir retorted, when a reporter asked if he felt that in the country.Seriously, I think it is time to get tough with people like Pemandu chief Idris Jala. His greatest achievement is to spend government’s money lavishly on glossy consultant reports that no one reads, understands and implements.
If this is the case, then any idiot too can be prime minister, even a three-year old kid. Just put her in the PM’s Office’s nice cushy chair, and hire a bunch of consultants to do the real work.. Why the hell these idiots these unelected Minister is a mere waste of good money. The RM7.2 billion is used to pay for producing reports only. have given so little for us. Inspite of that we voters have done something,” losing his cool.Whatever that is recommended by these foreign consultants won’t be carried out because the ideas in those blueprints and what not are just way too sophisticated for the Malaysian minds and thus many of these plans fall flat.A good example is the education blueprint. The people in the ministry and the teachers in general, including many school administrators, don’t understand two hoots what it’s talking about.
Barisan Nasional (BN) ministers must think the bumiputras are stupid and not worthy of respect. Nancy Shukri, the de facto Law Minister, said that she defended pro-bumiputra policies because without them, social problems would be created when bumis, who are lagging behind, would resort to theft when they have no money.
First. She insults bumiputras by insinuating that they have no self-respect or dignity, and have no compunction about stealing.
Second. Despite their vast wealth, ministers and their family, friends and cronies of UMNO Baru and BN politicians, allegedly steal from the rakyat, everyday.
Scandals, all with political links, have been quietly swept under the carpet. They range from the Bank Bumiputra fiasco to the bail-out of companies belonging to the sons and daughters of politicians. Farmers were deprived when money intended to expand the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) was diverted. In 1974, news of the Baling hunger strikes, when Malay farmers were struggling to feed their families, was censored.
Nancy (left), who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, casually labels poor bumiputras as potential thieves. In the past, her peers also branded bumis as lazy, stupid and ignorant.
Last month, this government inadvertently said that Malays were easily confused, when a court ruling decided that the word ‘Allah’ could not be used by non-Muslims. It appears that the qualities which define the proud Ketuanan Melayu man are stupidity, arrogance, a state of confusion, laziness, ignorance and a propensity towards criminality.
Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards,” says an epitaph from the philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. It rightly belongs on the grave of this dying Barisan government that has destroyed our economy, with the traumatic collapse of On the Judiciary and Lawyers its latest achievement. The epitaph reminds us that we must not ignore history if we want to lead a reasonably predictable life in the future.One of the greatest lessons of history is that only an industrial revolution can make nation prosperous. Every country has done it this way. Only thus can a nation hope to provide jobs for the millions of young people.The key lies with decent individuals to move out of the dogged pursuit of material comfort and engage with politics. The right place to begin is one’s neighbourhood. When public spirited individuals engage in the community they help create new ‘habits of the heart’ in society. This was the great insight of Alexis de Tocqueville who wrote, Democracy in America, perhaps the best book on democracy. What impressed Tocqueville about Americans almost 200 years ago is that they were ‘joiners’ and engaged in volunteer activities for a few hours a week. By joining local clubs and social activities, they connected with neighbours. And when neighbours meet, what do they talk about? They discuss the condition of the roads, the schools, garbage collection and so on. Thus, civic life and ‘citizen’ are born.
he celebration held by the Tourism and Culture Ministry was attended by Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, Natural Resources and Environment Minister G Palanivel who is also MIC President, Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Aziz.
Najib said cooperation among people of various races would ensure a better quality of life for the present and next generations.
Nambikei or Tembikai, Najib?
“If the strength of an elephant lies in ‘thumbikei’ or trunk, the strength of a man lies in ‘nambikei’ or trust,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government was committed in fulfilling the pledge made in the 13th general election manifesto to improve the well-being of the Indian community. He said this could be clearly seen through a number of initiatives such as an additional allocation of RM50 million for Tamil school infrastructure announced in the 2014 Budget.
Najib said RM100 million was also allocated to improve Tamil schools performance and provide skills training for Indian youths as well as a RM50 million fund for the Indian Entrepreneur Development Scheme (SPUMI) under Tekun Nasional and loans under Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia.
Special attention given
He said many areas in the life of the Indian community were given special attention through various innovative approaches to bring about a positive change to the community.
“For example, from 2009 to 2013, the government has allocated RM560 million for Tamil schools infrastructure development nationwide.
“I am very impressed when informed of the Tamil Schools Future Action Plan that for the past five years the achievement gap among SJKT (Tamil schools) was reduced by 50 percent while the gap between SJKT and national schools is now less than four per cent,” he said.
He said the UPSR National Average Grade for SJKT increased from 2.58 in 2010 to 2.44 in 2011 with similar trends seen in Mathematics achievement from 92.5 percent in 2011 to 94.1 per cent last year while Science achievement rose to 87.6 percent in 2012.
On entrepreneurship, he said until October this year, more than 19,000 Indian entrepreneurs had received financial assistance amounting to RM227 million, including about 11,000 from Tekun loans amounting to RM137.3 million since SPUMI was established in 2008.
Meanwhile, about 30,000 people of various races attended the celebration which was arrayed with cultural events depicting the multi-racial society in the spirit of 1Malaysia as well as a tourism product.
Kumpulan Artis Kebudayaan Johor waxed the floor with a welcome dance followed by Temple Five Arts Troupe gyrated with Indian traditional dances before revellers were vowed by Permata Seni Tari children.
In the spirit of Deepavali, Najib completed the ‘kolam’ pattern.The Deepavali celebration started at 2.30pm with various activities such as Indian music, dance performances and a demonstration on ‘bunga malai’ or flower arrangement.
Various traditional Indian food and delicacies such as muruku, masalavadei, laddu, putu mayam and tosei were served to visitors including MegaFam participants from Singapore and China.
