Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Grovelling To The West, Malaysia A Failed State?


















Hantu Laut

The following is Anwar Ibrahim interview with the 'Diplomat'.The article was undated but I believe the interview must have been quite recent.

Before you go any further let us examine what construes a failed state.

From Wikipedia:

The term failed state is often used by political commentators and journalists to describe a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. In order to make this definition more precise, the following attributes, proposed by the Fund for Peace, are often used to characterize a failed state:

Common characteristics of a failing state include a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory; non-provision of public services; widespread corruption and criminality; refugees and involuntary movement of populations; and sharp economic decline [1].

Afghanistan is half a failed state.

Pakistan almost a failed state.

Somalia is a failed state


Has Malaysia any semblance of the abovementioned attributes?


ANWAR IBRAHIM INTERVIEW

The Diplomat

Let’s start by talking about the current situation in Malaysia. In a recent interview you described it as being almost a failed state, particularly in the context of its neighbours. What makes you say that and what in your opinion has caused that situation?

The issue of governance and in terms of failing to deal with the issue of endemic corruption, the judiciary is still questionable, so their decisions and independence and the absence of control; the media is so pervasive. For example, in the latest campaign there is a resurgence of the communist party. These are signs, you know, that [Malaysia] is becoming so authoritarian and so repressive. Why is there a need now to have a massive campaign in the government-controlled media – which is entirely, fully controlled by them – to suggest that there is a resurgence of communism?

There has also been a great deal of talk in Australia in particular about this being the Asia-Pacific Century. Do you agree with that? How do you see Malaysia benefiting from any possible shift in global economic and political power?

Well, I don’t have an issue against that, in terms of there’s a need to fortify and even strengthen the economic cooperation within the region. I think we should be all-encompassing in the region. So I think that now there has been eagerness, particularly in the light of the latest financial and economic crisis. But we have to move on first by putting our own house in order. Yes the impact is felt by all countries and the countries have to take measures with these stimulus packages, but the way it is being done is questionable. It must be transparent. And [in Malaysia] we have to look at how it’s being done in Malaysia compared to China. China focussed 40 per cent [of its stimulus] on infrastructure in the earthquake-affected areas; another 30 per cent on rural infrastructure…

I am no great friend of China, but still there are issues that I think we have to look [at] and study. Now compare this to Malaysia. Out of the $70 billion so-called package, the funds allocated for infrastructure per-say is only $15bn. But I charge there are embellishments to push the figure upwards: $10bn for the stockmarket; another $15-20bn for bank guarantees in case there are problems. So you are not talking about a proper stimulus package; we do not know where it is spent or how it is going. Even at a time of crisis, I would use this creative destruction because you can use this to improve and build anew, not to fortify and strengthen the auxiliary and corrupt practices.

So is there a real danger in your eyes of Malaysia slipping behind its neighbours, particularly in light of the current global financial crisis?

In terms of the fundamentals, I must admit that Malaysia is on a much stronger footing, partly because of better infrastructure and the financial services. In light of the last crisis of 1997-98, I think some of the measures have been adopted to strengthen the position of the financial institutions, including the banking sector. That I concede, and I think is something positive that will help us. Similarly there are a lot of reserves, which are quite strong, although, I think, slipping really fast.

Our concern is more with the issue of governance. If you fail to improve the institution of governance, including the casting of an economic policy and preparedness to move so that Malaysia becomes more competitive, then we will certainly lose out. In some sectors we have lost out even to Indonesia and Thailand, to China, of course, and even Vietnam now. So I think that we have to depart from the obsolete economic policies. Now I think some positives measures have been implemented – in the services sector, for example. But liberalising and bringing in foreign investors [counts for nothing when you] fail to deal with the more substantive issues, like the need for affirmative action. Then these policies can never be fully endorsed by the general public.

I am for the market economy and for liberalisation, but we cannot ignore the grinding poverty and we cannot ignore the importance for affirmative action based on need, not on race. And more important still, the need to strengthen the system of government; the judiciary mustbe independent. The media must be free. How do you then evaluate and assess the success of policies if the statistics are all questionable. The government says ‘Our growth is two per cent, inflation is 2.5 per cent.’ [But those figures are] generally not well accepted. The people still have doubts and questions and are cynical, and this is dangerous in a modern government.Read more..

13 comments:

FMZam said...

HL,

I don't have to read your lengthy posting just to agree or disagree with you on Anwar's claiming Malaysia a failed state, to me as he was able to answer the interviewer to that length, than who cares if we want to believe him, for we have been believing all these while, since 52 years ago, that Malaysia is a failed state, even without anybody telling us.

eddy said...

Malaysia a failed state? So Anwar and his clueless election pact of DAP,PKR and PAS will be the saviour of Malaysia from being a failed state? Anwar could not even save PKR from breaking up at the seams...he could not even save himself from the second sodomy charge against him besides delaying the inevitable trial..Hmm...the mind boggles.

SM said...

HL,

Of course Malaysia is a failed state! Just a matter of time before it "implodes"!
We don't need Anwar to tell us that! I have come to realise that the PR needs to keep him in the side-lines as an "advisor" (or whatever) & nothing else. We need the likes of Zaid & Guan Eng to take over. Anwar is beginning to show that he still retains too much of UMNO's training to change!

gram.kong said...

eddy,
Just look at FMZam's reasoning.With this kind of mentality the country would be in serious trouble.

The Philippines is a good example of people's power gone wrong.Nothing has changed as far as corruptions are concerned.One corrupt regime gone,another corrupt regime takes over.

Are there less corruption now in the Philippines? Maybe FMZam and the likes of him can answer the question.

Do you truly believe there wouldn't be any corruptions when Pakatan takes over the government?

Just look at Anwar, he doesn't care whether this country go to the dogs.What's the point of regularly going overseas to smear the country's name to the extend of calling it a failed state.

The Western media love him because of his foolishness, he easily falls prey to their media propaganda.They love this kind of story, especially if it comes from a renowned person.

If you want to fight a political battle,fight it on you own turf.

FMZam said...

Ha..ha..ha..HL, I begin to like you maybe because I am as Hantu as you or you are as me...he..he..he

A hantu like you been living for 52 years with UMNO and being as corrupt as them is asking if Pakatan would not be corrupt, that kind of your mentality is far more dangerous than my kind for we have not being corrupted yet to say about a "remote situation", while you have been enjoying living under a corrupt regime for so many years in the "real situation" to worry about future.

Why HL, is UMNO's corruption so different with that of other countries, why not compare with Singapore that is just next door? Why not compare us with countries that fight corruption to stay on top of least corrupt country?

Then if your mentality is to be the "best of the worst corrupt country", that to us all the people of Malaysia, you are really one hantu we must fight like hell.

En Garde HL!

SM said...

Gents,

I'm sure what I'm going to say will probably "piss" a few of you but since we are discussing these topics in an open & "matured" (?) manner, I guess it will be ok.
I have come to realise why UMNO will "always" be supported. Even though they have proven to be corrupt to the core (the list of wrongs they have done in past 5 decades is too long to go into)!
It's the NEP! Tomorrow if Najib abolishes the NEP, just watch, the Bumiputra population will abandon UMNO & BN like a sinking ship!
The PR has only been in existence for what...two years (or less)? Do you think they will make mistakes? That's a "no brainer" bah!
Face it, the majority of Bumiputras are happy to keep voting for the BN & UMNO (even though they know how corrupted these crooks are) as long as they keep having this "unfair" advantage.
The arguments I keep hearing just don't hold water anymore! Help those in need by all means but STOP playing the race card & STOP taking about the Malays being backward because of the British, etc, etc (that was more than 50 years ago man!) & stop saying the richest man in Msia in Chinese...so? There are Chinese & Indians who are poor too (especailly the Indians. But then the argument will be the Indians have the most amount of Professionals or some such crap. We are talking about the common man who's trying to make ends meet).
1-Malaysia?! Ya rite...how can you talk about 1-Malaysia when you take from 1 race to give to another race (or maybe that's what 1-Malaysia really means!)? Face it, as long as we have the NEP over our heads, we will never have 1-Malaysia.
Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings.

gram.kong said...

FMZam,

Why should I compare with Singapore, we are as good as them if not better.Three decades ago Malaysians flock to Singapore for holiday and shopping.Today, it's the reverse.

I live in S'pore for 10 years, it's a nice,clean and functional city, but it doesn't have the aurae of the state of homeliness, I wouldn't want to live there for the rest of my life.

There are just as many Singaporeans migrating to the West as Malaysians, so it is wrong to say only in Malaysia, the brainy ones are leaving.Out of 10 Malaysians that leave the country, maybe, only 3 with brains, the rest are lazy ones who migrate because they want free education for their children, free this and free that.There are some who failed in the West, came back, not publicised.

The grass is always greener on the other side, sometimes it is not.

SM said...

HL,

Just look at what you said to FMZam! You are actually describing the Malays in Malaysia...i.e. free education, free this & free that...they can't / don't want to compete on an even playing field!
Singaporeans migrating to Msia?! Where on earth did you get that one from?! Even the Malay Singaporeans don't want to migrate to Msia!
Indonesians migrating to Msia ...yes...after one generation they become Bumis (despite the fact that a lot of the Non-Malays have been in Msia for Generations)!
Malaysians who migrate are fed-up with the Racist / unfair treatment that their children will face...they know thay won't get free this & free that BUT they know that their children will compete on an even playing field...Come on man...at least have the guts to state the truth!
You can lie to yourselves BUT for how long?!

gram.kong said...

SM,
Where the hell did you get the idea that I said Singaporean migrated to Malaysia,I said to the West as Malaysians do. Maybe, my mistake,my sentence was incomplete, but I know those who read it, know what I meant.

You are too smart to think otherwise.I think you are just splitting hairs, being an intelligent person you should know the gist of what I say.

Anyway, many year ago, I do know a few of my Singaporean friends doing business here applied for PR and some of them got it.To say Singaporeans would not consider residing here, is not true, it is just that the number is small at the present but it will grow, as long as Pakatan don't come to power.

Singaporeans also migrated to the West because, they, like some Malaysians, were also disillusioned with their government.They always think the West is always better till they get a dose of the white man's discrimination.

They can only live within their own community as safety in numbers.That's way you have China Town and other Asian communities living in their own enclaves, finding comfort and security among their own kinds.

You say smart Malaysians left this country because they were not given opportunity here because of discrimination against non-Malays.Tell me, how many smart Malaysians that left this country have really hit it big in the West.If you can just give me names on the fingers of your two hands than I agree with you we are fucked.

Who are the richest men in this country, aren't they the Chinese.

Yes,I agree the Chinese become wealthy through hard work, but no matter how hard you work if the government want to make life hell for you, hard work alone is not going to help you prosper.It is,thereofore, unfair to say non-Malays have no opportunity in this country.

You be surprised how much Singaporeans invested in Malaysia.For many years they have been the leading investors.In 2007 they were the biggest investor in Malaysia with FDI totalling RM55.7 billion,US came 2nd with RM49.2, Japan 3rd with RM33.7 and Netherland 4th RM20.3.

Tell me, how come Singaporeans,Americans, Japanese and the Europeans have more confidence in this country than people like you and Anwar Ibrahim who goes around talking cock to the Western media, running down this country as if we were already as fucked up as Zimbabwe or even worse, a failed state like Somalia.

He is only making a fool of himself and a laughing stock to foreign investors, who didn't give a shit of what he says about this country.They still come to invest because they know Malaysia is still a good risk.

Getting free this, free that in the West? Yes, once you become citizen, you enjoy the same privilege as the natural citizens.

In Australia and Britain, you children get free education up to tertiary level,free medical care and they give you the dol if you have no work.

In the US they have affirmative actions for the Indians.

Do you know what affirmative actions in the US is all about?

They put them Indians on the reservation,gave them casino licence, allowed them to make their own moonshine and that, my friend, is affirmative action in the US.Let the Indians gamble and drink themselves to dead.

SM, I am dead serious, if Pakatan wins the next general elections, which I hope they wouldn't,this country would be really fucked.

They are not made to govern, they are made to squabble,and if they win,the squabbling will intensify.

That's my honest opinion.

Anonymous said...

Pakatan Zombie takan nampak strategi Anwar, buat masalah, datang sebagai penyelamat, itu taktik asal dia. Senang dan mudah. Ada seorang komentar diatas mengatakan bahawa BN akan terus berkuasa sebab orang Melayu nak NEP. Dia tak nampak sebab dia terlalu taksub dengan sifat rasis dia, ini bukan soal NEP, ini soal kebaikan masa depan negara. Please-lah, kau boleh percaya negara akan maju dibawah PR? Cakap senang lah, itu salah, ini salah, tapi nak majukan sebuah negara bukan boleh pakai KY Jelly saja dan bakat selak kain saja, perlukan lebih dari itu.

Dan satu lagi pasal Singapura, Singapura dah jatuh dah, bukan hebat macam dulu, malah ramai orang Singapura kalau boleh hendak lari dari negara itu. Kalau tak percaya, pergi saja lawat blog-blog mereka. Sekurang-kurang orang Cina kat M'sia jadi 2nd class citizen kat negara sendiri, tapi di Singapura, rakyat sendiri jadi 2nd class dan yang 1st class adalah foreigner/PR, lagi sedih woh!

-Koko

gram.kong said...

SM,
Sorry for any typo error or mispelling.

SM said...

HL<

Thanks for your explenation & sorry if I "read" your comment wrongly but yes, it was incomplete & could have been taken in either context.
I can actually count on both hands friends & relatives who have migrated to the US, Spore, NZ, Australia & Canada.
Guess what? Most of them are Non-Malays BUT there are a few who are Malays (a close friend of mine is in the UK & she is not only pure Malay but extremely brilliant! & she can't bring herself to come back to Msia as she can't stand the discrimination she sees here. She has got a Masters in Engineering & she is currently in her Final year for Medicine! Msia can't afford to lose people like her. A close Malay friend of mine has a sister & her family in Australia they are all Malay Msians but they don't want to return as they say they do not see discrimination in Australia & they see it in Msia. So they want their children to be brought up in a societhy that judges you on your achievements & not on the colour of your skin).
As I said many times, I don't give a hoot if DSAI becomes PM or the Pakatan takes over the country...all I'm asking is that the Government that's in power stops this racial crap. Of course the richest men in Msia are Msian & yet again this is an excuse to discriminate? Come on...poverty knows no Racial quota!
Najib has to prove to me (& Malaysians) that 1-Msia is really what he says & NOT just an expansive Marketing Slogan!

Y1 said...

HL, I will accept that PR is not ready yet to govern. But I do not want BN has unfettered power. It is simply unspeakable how much abuse of power over the years. I want a strong opposition. I hate it when BN steamroll over many issues. We have (at least I have, and many others too) lost confidence in the judiciary and the law enforcement agencies. I hope to see independence of each executive branches. There must be check and balance. That is my prayer for my country.