Saturday, August 30, 2008

Of Conduct Unbecoming

Hantu Laut

I am not going to walk, touch or talk on the subject of the Budget.Too many have commented, some with hardly a full sentence.We should leave it to the experts to dissect it and come to their own conclusion.This is an imperfect world and just like beauty,imperfection too is in the eyes of the beholder.

It would be foolish to think that the oppositions would have nice words for Abdullah's budget. Anwar Ibrahim although was a former finance minister chose to play to the gallery by saying Malaysia is the only oil-producing country that have a deficit budget.It's pure posturing and grandstanding.He should know what he says meant nothing in macroeconomic terms. There are many other indicators that determine the economic health of a nation, like balance of payment ,external debt,GDP growth and many others that are the essentials.

The United States had been on budget deficit for umpteen years and yet it is the wealthiest nation on earth.Of course there are differences between the U.S. and Malaysian economy, but overall the principles should be the same.

Anwar only tells you one side of the story.He didn't tell you that Malaysia consumed almost three-quarters of its oil production,some directly and some through import replacement, therefore, the net surplus is the quantity exported which is not by any measure considered huge and put Malaysia in the league of oil-exporting nations.If you don't have over a million barrels a day you are considered a non-entity and can't even enter the exclusive club---OPEC.

Oil is not Malaysia's staple export.To look at as a cash cow as suggested by Anwar Ibrahim is foolhardy.

I do agree wasteful spending and corruptions had some adverse effect on the economy but it is not anything dissimilar from the time he was deputy prime minister and finance minister when he had the chance to do something about it but chose not to for well known reasons.

Across the South China Sea, on the other side, in the 'Land Below The Wind' former Chief Minister and former President of LDP Chong Kah Kiat said what the people are witnessing today are leaders who once were lavishly praising the BN leadership barely four months ago, but now condemning the same publicly.

Without mentioning any quarters by name he said "It incredulous.Before we see them hugging and hovering around our PM and DPM and talking highly about them".He said the rakyat have good memory and remember what they have said earlier.

I couldn't agree more with Chong of the low moral standard of some of our politicians.Some of them think they can fool the rakyat with their audacious rhetoric.Some pretend not to remember the abuse of power and corruption they indulged in when they were in power and have the audacity to accuse others of the same.

In Sabah the President of SAPP had questioned Chief Minister Musa Aman on the fresh injection of capital of RM200 million into Amanah Saham Sabah to revive its unit share price.Many Sabahans lost their whole life-saving in this badly managed State investment arm.

The whole of Sabah knew the huge losses at ASS occurred during Yong's time as Chief Minister. This is also the very same man who did nothing about the illegal immigrants during his tenure as Sabah Chief Minister and is now harping and howling at the Prime Minister and accusing him of not doing anything about this long standing issue and ordered his MPs to pass a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The only chief minister that had taken action against illegal immigrants was Chong Kah Kiat.

Some politicians seemed not to have any sense of shame and don't give two hoots of what people think of them as long as they can satisfy their greed.It's telling on your character if with the blink of your eyes you can flip over your tongue and say something in complete contradiction of your earlier statement.

The MPs of SAPP have attempted to remove the PM but failed to do so and the party is still in the BN.

There are two things Yong Tet Lee can do, he either take SAPP out of the BN or failing which, he should resign from SAPP.

That should be the way of an honourable man.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, when an apologist of Abdullah like you always tries to blind the readers (though very few here) by refusing to look at the budget from many angles as well like how he ballooned operational cost in 4 years by 92% (the highest in the world) yet he has achieved nothing to justify that, and makes it go up by over 45% in one year, unprecedented in the world, or question his buffoonery in saying he has lowered the prices of microwave as if the majority of Malaysians use microaves or coconut biscuits (u know even Sabah and Srwak don't have much elecricity), or he dubiously makes the budget of his office balloon by 400% to buy UMNO division leaders and BN MPs, then I must say you must be overreaching yourself. It is interesting that while you launch scathing attack against certain politicians saying they don't know what the people are "thinking of them", (I like how one person's view becomes the "people"), one wonders whether you are thinking people are so easily manipulated as to get hoodwinked or for them to fail into not seeing the total failure of the man you pussyfoot. Look at yourself also before you talk on behalf of the "people" Ha ha ha!

The only part that makes this budget good is the raising of the poverty tag line for many families which by like 250-300 RM, but which will not help them much due to inflation. The other part is the increase for the education sector, but would you have the temerity to tell anyone that education is working under Abdullah and that he is preparing youngsters for the market? Heavenly no. Under his watch, the education sector collapsed. When he took over and today, compare where our universities are and the mentality of UiTM buffoons.

You also fail to know (or ignore) in the hope of thinking the people don't know much that 45% of the budget comes from the Sabah, Swak and T'ganu petrol, yet he is spending that stupendous money on operational costs for non-exsistent projects while 70% Sarawak doesn't have clean water.

Did he address efficieny to sustain productivity? Did he address FDI to get jobs for the thousands being churned out by UiTM and other Unis? Did he address institutional reform to draw investor confidence? Note that he was the one who said in March that investors don't like to invest in Malaysia bcoz they don't trust the judiciary. Did he adress transparency to stop the unequalled wastage that ballooned his operational cost in 4 years by 92%, the highest in the world?


I think much as you may destest certain elements, you lack objectivity and honest reach. No wonder you are not generating lively debate that touches on reality and what the majority know.

gram.kong said...

sabah son,
It is not hard to tell where you come from and who sent you here.

First,did I, anywhere, in my article defended or agree with Abdullah's budget in toto ? Read my preamble.

If you care to read with unbiased and open mind, you wouldn't be splitting hair and defended your politician hero,which is not hard to tell which one of the two.

The issue here is not Abdullah or Abdullah's budget, it is Anwar's hullabaloo of the budget and the moral issue of Yong Teck Lee.No where have I defended or supported Abdullah's dismal performance or glorified his political shrewdness,which sad to say, he hasn't got any.

Quoting figures without giving your source of information is pathetic. Who would know what you quoted is the truth or just a figment of your imagination, unless you can give your source for others to check.

"Look at yourself" Wow!That's what we tell our friends in secondary school when we got really mad and have nothing more intelligent to say to fight back.

You may not be aware and sadly most politicians in this country are the same, they chose to ignore that they are accountable to the people for whatever they do or say.

Once you hold public office you become public property and you are subject to public scrutiny.

I and every Malaysians including you have every right to criticise not only those in government but also those in the oppositions.

A lawyer friend once told me the test of a good lawyer is if the agreement he prepares become unchallenged in court.

I have more than enough visitors who make comments from time to time, but looks like you are the only odd man out here today.As they say"great men think alike, only fools differ"

I do not need hundred of comments that's tend on apple polishing and gives no intelligent discourse.

Just go to Chedet's blog and see for yourself the hundreds of comments that did nothing else but carry his balls and none of them have had the honour of getting his response.Go to the other top blogs the story would be the same,it's kind of I scratch your back,you scratch mine.

If those are what you called lively debate, than the Oxford Union needs a complete re-education in art of debating.

It looks like we have different moral values when come to politicians.I still stand by what I say, Yong Teck Lee should either pull SAPP out of BN, failing which he should resign from the party.

Have a good day.

Anonymous said...

HL,

I agree with what you are saying. HOWEVER, sorry, I fail to see the point of your article, unless you are saying that the "lot of our Politicians" are a bunch of crooks (of which I also agree!).
Honestly, I hope, DSAI gets enough MPs to "jump" ship". Then, Bodohwi will be forced to call for Snap Elections (i.e. if our Agong agrees).
Then maybe we can see for sure who the people really want to lead Malaysia.
My guess is that the BN will be severly trounced the next time around!

Anonymous said...

Hantu,

The trouble with you is that whenever someone gives his/her opinion, you run to the cave and shout that he has been sent. Can I say that you were sent? Don't you think I have an opinion and my concerns as a Malaysian, informed citizen? And do you think I need to be paid to visit your blog or come along it? Do I need to be sent to drop a comment on a national issue that concerns my future and that of my children? (In fact, I came along the blog while reading my friend's personal blog). Anyway, I simply handled the budget and never went to politics be it the one that concerns Anwar or Yong. Can you show me where I supported Yong, Lim Kit or Anwar in my comment concerning politics? I simply handled the economy and stated the facts mentioned in the budget. The fact is while blaming Anwar or Young and all other opposition leaders who castigated the budget, you didn't show where Andullah went wrong. People can't bark simply for no reason. Ditto, if you call that objectivity and if when people laugh at that ingenuity, they turn out to be "assassins" sent out, then there is nothing I can administer to treat your soul that's gripped by fear or suspicion.


You requested that I show my sources when I commented on the budget.

1. I did mention that the PM increased 3 fold his Dept's allocation for no apparent reason rather than buying UMNO Division leaders and BN MPs with projects and etc. Is it a lie that he did increase that? Here is what DAP MP and Chief Strategist Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) said about this worrying phenomenon.

"Another interesting thing to note is the development allocation for the Prime Minister’s Department has increased tremendously from RM3.6 billion last year to RM10.22 billion this year. This is a fund to buy over the MPs and to do politically linked works." For other useful input by other professionals, pliz visit the Malaysiakini link below:

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/88856

I told that you the PM has increased in a mad manner the spending while showing no concrete results and that most of this money (45%) comes from T'ganu, Sabah and S'wak's petrol. This causes grave danger as the credit ratings and currency will be at serious risk.

Bloomberg had an article on this:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a.r4678RYnZ8&refer=asia


I told you that the PM has increased the operational cost in 4 years by 92% which means utter madness yet he has performed nothing and built no magnificent projects, after all, he has shelved all Mahathir's projects. Note that a report released by the Auditor Gen. has showned excessive, unprecedented and an anaccounted for massive wastage in just report 3 days ago. Who is responsible and wher does the money come from? DAP Economist Tony Pua has to say this:

"Even more worrying is the fact that most of the government's revenue is sourced from the petroleum sector. Last year, the estimated contribution of the sector to our government's coffers was 37%, but for 2009, this is estimated to increase to 46.4%.In just a short period of four to five years, government operational expenditure has increased by 91.5% or RM73.7 billion. This raises the question as to what the government is spending its money on which requires such substantial increase in operational expenses?"

For comprehensive article, visit the link below:

http://m.themalaysianinsider.com/articles.php?id=8299

There were other issues that he raised like transportation, the fact is you read the 2006 budget, the same input was repeated again because despite raising the fuel prices twice, he has delayed the action to implement what he has promised. For example, transportation in Selangor (rail), in his 2006 budget, he mentioned that he will finish by 2010, what happened? He slept on the job. Expenditure increased and now he says he will finish it by 2012. What do you call that? No wonder Yong says the man can't keep a promise.


I talked about the man providing some incentives like price reduction for some food and appliances, but who uses those appliances and who eats the food he has targeted? I will leave that explanation to fellow blogger and mum, Lilian, I hope you read:

http://www.chanlilian.net/2008/08/29/i-dont-mean-to-perli-pak-lah-over-the-budget-2009-but/



He talked of transportaion allowance for Sabah and S'wak civil servants twice a year, look how lunatic he is. He fails to control inflation, increases expenditure for non-exsistent projects widening the deficit, fails to account for the spending and thus makes people meet higher prices for food and transport. So how does it help in anyway?

Then finally I raised the most important question that without being raised, the whole budget's success and the future success of the project becomes one of doubt: reform. That's why I raised these pertinent questions which I believe without him answering, what he has presented is in vain.

Did he address efficieny to sustain productivity? Did he address FDI to get jobs for the thousands being churned out by UiTM and other Unis? Did he address institutional reform to draw investor confidence? Note that he was the one who said in March that investors don't like to invest in Malaysia bcoz they don't trust the judiciary. Did he adress transparency to stop the unequalled wastage that ballooned his operational cost in 4 years by 92%, the highest in the world?

P.S.

There is nothing political here but the truth and objectivity. Must you lash at Yoing day and night while pretending that every other person is an angel, specially the ones you praise? Yong has concerns and if he was wrong yesterday, he can be right today. Which religion tells us that we shouldn't change for the better if we can? Blaming Yong and leaving Abdullah is an act of simplicity that deserves no comment. Blaming the opposition for the sole reason that they raised doubts about the budget and the future saying they are "unbecoming" and exonerating the man at which the buck stops at his door is quite laughable. Finally, no one needs to be paid to be a concerned citizen who cares for his/her own future and that of his motherland.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

HL,

By the way, since we are talking about unbecoming conduct, what are your thoughts on that UMNO idiot Ahmad whatever who siad that the Chinese are just squatters here & thus can't have equal rights?
Worse still, si Bodohwi who who defended him by saying that he (Ahmad) did not mean it? Just imagine if an Opposition Politician said such a thing...he would be under ISA now!
Goes to prove after 51 years of Independence, UMNO still consider the Chinese & Indians as "Pendatang"!
Do we want such a Racist Party to lead us? NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I like to respond to Sabah Son comments.

(1) The balloning of operational cost in 4 years is largely due to increase subsidies paid by the government to alleviate people's misery. In addition, it was caused by Abdullah's 4 consecutive years of people - centric budgets. Contrary to popular believe, government subsidiy bill actually went up in real and absolute terms despite reduction in fuel subsidies. Hence more allocation for operational budget (belanja mengurus) in which category subsidy falls into.

(2) Over dependence on oil proceeds has been an economic phenomenon in Malaysian budget since day 1 of independence. It was like that under Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir and DS Anwar Ibrahim! Nothing new there. So to blame Abdullah entirely is not right.

(3) Budget for Jabatan Perdana Menteri is meant for many areas. From Islam development, to judiciary, to parliament and a whole array of functions under JPM's purview. But dont worry, every line of expenses under JPM's budget will be scrutinised in Parliament by both opposition and govt MPs when it is debated at "committee stage". To say the JPM budget is to buy UMNO division heads and BN MPs is not correct.

(5) By the way, MPs receive allocations to do small projects in their constituencies (ie projek jalan kampung, bekalan air luar bandar, penebatan sungai etc etc). That money come from JPM's budget thru ICU - the Implementation and Coordination Unit, an agency under JPM. IN addition, some contingency expenditures (ie. flood reliefs, emergency repairs on roads and bridges due to unexpected events such as floods, landslides etc.) fall under JPM's budget.

Again, for those who are uninitiated, I must reiterate that every expenditure of the budget is itemised and will be debated line by line in parliamentary committee. Most of the questions by Sabah Son will be answered.

Cheers!

uzbek65@yahoo.com

gram.kong said...

sabah son,
My apology if you are not aligned to any politicians.I shouldn't have said that.Likewise, I do not side with any politician.

I write on issues, not personality. You certainly read me wrong when you accused me of defending Abdullah.I have clearly mentioned in my header that this is a non-aligned blog.It will remain that way for a long time to come.

It is not fair to jump to conclusion just by reading one article.Badawi and his government have had the same treatment as far as issues are concerned.I don't indulge in personal attack.

You can read my article in Asia Sentinel "Badawi's State Of Euphoria" and other articles.Scroll down the page, it is on my side bar.

I have written more on issues against Badawi and the government than against Anwar and Yong and it wouldn't be the last as long as they are active in politics.

gram.kong said...

sm,
I will continue to write on issues irrespective of where they come from, government or opposition.

Don't forget Anwar,Yong,Badawi and the rest of those who had come under the auspices of 'ketuanan Melayu' are 'cutted from the same cloth'.

Have you seen me writing against Lim and the DAP.The reason why I didn't is because I believe they have not sinned against the people yet.

I too believe if there is fresh election and with the current mood of the people, the BN would have serious problem keeping the government.

gram.kong said...

sm,

I must have missed that.I must say if there is anything worst it would be a racist moron, they become stupidly dangerous,and for the PM to defend him that would really be conduct unbecoming.

If that is so than I would be in a worse position.My grandfather is not from this country but married a local woman.I am second generation here. Many Chinese have probably lost count how many generations they are,wouldn't that make them more Malaysians than some of the new Malays?

Anonymous said...

HL,

Yup, I fully agree. Since I am of Portugese descent then, my forefathers came in 1511. I guess that makes me more Bumiputra than a lot of those whose forefathers came from Indonesia a few generations ago & are now considered 100% Bumi (e.g. ex-Selangor MB Khir Toyo).
The best bet for all of us in Malaysia is to stop this Bumi / Non-Bumi crap (which is just continuing to divide us) & start focusing on the people who need the most help (i.e. Need-based not Race-based).
The DAP have been pushing for this for years. Sooner than later we have to face the facts that we either get up & "smell the coffee" or we will not only be Un-competitive (the Brain-drain is alive & well!) but also Investors will continue to abandon us (they are have alreday started to do that).
It is sad that after 51 years of Independence, we are more divided than ever!

Anonymous said...

When the whole sum of money includes that ripped away by Amin Shah, and the commission gained by Razak Baginda and perhaps all the likes of it, no wonder we always have deficits

Anonymous said...

oil income for malaysia is no small feat contributing more than 40% of the budgetary revenue. I shudder to think if oil prices drop to US$30 again. where are we going to fund the huge gap due to exponential growth in operating expenses under the spendthrift Badawi regime. you think this is not serious when budget deficits rose amidst substantially higher revenue from volatile oil prices. Red flags are all over the place as far as economic management is concerned unless one does not want to see it for political expediency.
Hantu, you have any answers for that? hey, i am not politicsing the matter though I will tell you that I truly believe that this govt sucks.

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