Hantu Laut
I have always admired Lee Kuan Yew for what he did for Singapore and his zero tolerance against corruptions making Singapore one of the least corrupted nations in the world.Much of what Singapore is today have been the results of the foundation set by him.
His recent seemingly friendly tour of this country is much more than meets the eye.His visit is not walking down memory lane as the press made it out to be.As I have mentioned earlier in my article 'The Puzzling Visit of The Malaysian Malaysia Man', Lee has a mission, a fact finding tour of Malaysia's neo-political gambit, the resurrection of democracy and too much of it what he fears could be the beginning of the making of a true Islamic nation right on his doorstep.
Lee is a man who do not fully subscribe to Western-type democracy, which he has seen and experienced during his time fighting the communist menace, the harm it can do to a nation and its people, unprepared for absolute freedom. That's why Singapore has the same type of draconian laws as Malaysia but has not used it indiscriminately.Lee prefers to use the court to end his opponents political career.The end justify the means.The end results the same.It kills any opposition.
Why did Lee meet all those dignitaries and even more puzzling why did the Malaysian government allowed him such convenience when he is actually on an official visit to this country? One must not forget that Lee is still a member of the Singapore cabinet.
The only man who could read Lee's intention, is his match.... Mahathir Mohammad.He minced no word when he called Lee Kuan Yew 'little Emperor of a tiny Middle Kingdom'. Yes, this little emperor has come to reclaim Malaysia as its hinterland, which ex-Premier Abdullah has conveniently made available on the platter to Singapore.
Mahathir has a patchy relation with Lee during his twenty two years as prime minister.Both men don't see eye to eye.Both are authoritarian and want the best for their country.Lee was aghast with Malaysia's accelerated development under Mahathir, which do not augers well with Singapore status as the top service and financial centre in the region. The thought of losing Malaysia and Indonesia as its hinterland is frightening to Lee Kuan Yew at that time.
Mahathir believes in and prefers prosper thy neighbour policy. Lee, on the other hand, prefers underdeveloped and inefficient neighbours. Good for Singapore's business.
I remember when I was doing timber export in the seventies and eighties when Malaysian ports were still small, inefficient and not cost effective, we have to truck our timber from as far as Pahang and Kelantan to Singapore for shipments.Even with the trucking costs it worked out to be cheaper than sending to Pork Klang where frequency of ships calling the port was erratic and unreliable.Through Singapore port you can ship small volume at any time.For bulk cargo we usually charter the ship to the nearest port, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang or Port Klang.
With Mahathir things begin to change, he spared no effort to build better and world class infrastructures for the country.New ports,new airport,world class highways and other development that elevate Malaysia status to a developing nation.Now, Malaysia has many ports with good infrastructure.
Singapore, was in a way lucky because it already has the basic infrastructures of an entrepot left by the British and was the only well-managed and well equipped port east of the Suez, after the collapse of the port of Aden, which used to be the biggest bunkering port in the world when it was under British rule.
Take a look at some of the personalities whom Lee paid courtesy calls.Sultan of Perak, Lim Guan Eng of Pinang, Nik Aziz of Kelantan and the most perplexing of all Rosmah, the Prime Minister's wife.
The Sultan of Perak is embroiled in the Perak crisis, Lim is chief minister of opposition controlled state and Nik Aziz is spiritual leader of PAS whom I think he has no liking for.He came to pick their brains.
Lee is making a personal appraisal of the political situation in the country and trying to gauge whether Najib and the BN can hold the fort in the next general elections.I believe Lee has no personal liking for Anwar Ibrahim either, not if going by Anwar's culture of defiance and his reformasi movement of protests, demonstrations and civil disobedience.Lee Kuan Yew has no stomach for this kind of politics.
As I have said the most incredible was the meeting with Rosmah whom he said is working as a team with the husband.Where in heaven's name he gets the idea that Rosmah is working as a team with Najib? Who is the prime minister? She can provide moral support to her husband but has no business getting involve in matters of government. Lee has some kind words for her. Sincere or not, only he knows.Was the meeting to check out as to what kind of a woman Rosmah is? Lee is impressed with her charm and says both her and Najib are warm, positive and forthcoming.
Lee must be a grudging old man and is still sore. The least he could do is to pay a courtesy call on his old foe and let bygones be bygones.Mahathir, rightfully, must have been slighted by Lee's lack of statesmanship.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Economy, Mat Rempit And Boot Camp
Hantu Laut
The government stimulus package announced earlier seems not to have kicked in making it appears that it has not been implemented as vigorously as promised.In my article here I predicted export would decline by 20 to 30 percent in the first quarter of this year.
That' what I wrote in one of my posts in May 2009.Now, read this where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak admitted only RM2.6 billion out of the RM17 billion has been spent.
If the price of crude oil continue to rise beyond USD80 a barrel than the global economy may be in serious danger of not recovering as quickly as we wanted it to. If it doesn't recover within this year than Malaysia may be in for a longer and rougher ride.Exports will plummet to an alarming level.
The government need to liberalize more sectors of the economy for private and foreign participation. It also needs to encourage the growth of more high-tech industry and less labour intensive ones.
By now we should have done away with our image as 'sweatshop' for foreign investments and should seriously consider introducing minimum wage and better working conditions for those in the lower income bracket without which Malaysians would continue to shy away from these jobs and total reliance on foreign labour would continue to prevail.
I believe almost all Mat Rempits are Malay boys. Maybe, the government should seriously consider a special correctional boot camp for these troublemakers.They can't go home until the course is completed and must not have any contacts with parents, family or friends.The boot camp must be based on shock incarceration grounded on military techniques.
Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind.Unless, the government takes action now the menace and lawlessness of these youths would go beyond control.
The government stimulus package announced earlier seems not to have kicked in making it appears that it has not been implemented as vigorously as promised.In my article here I predicted export would decline by 20 to 30 percent in the first quarter of this year.
That' what I wrote in one of my posts in May 2009.Now, read this where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak admitted only RM2.6 billion out of the RM17 billion has been spent.
If the price of crude oil continue to rise beyond USD80 a barrel than the global economy may be in serious danger of not recovering as quickly as we wanted it to. If it doesn't recover within this year than Malaysia may be in for a longer and rougher ride.Exports will plummet to an alarming level.
The government need to liberalize more sectors of the economy for private and foreign participation. It also needs to encourage the growth of more high-tech industry and less labour intensive ones.
By now we should have done away with our image as 'sweatshop' for foreign investments and should seriously consider introducing minimum wage and better working conditions for those in the lower income bracket without which Malaysians would continue to shy away from these jobs and total reliance on foreign labour would continue to prevail.
I believe almost all Mat Rempits are Malay boys. Maybe, the government should seriously consider a special correctional boot camp for these troublemakers.They can't go home until the course is completed and must not have any contacts with parents, family or friends.The boot camp must be based on shock incarceration grounded on military techniques.
Sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind.Unless, the government takes action now the menace and lawlessness of these youths would go beyond control.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Is Malaysia A Failed State? Stupid!
Hantu Laut
To divert attention away from the internal problems of Pakatan, the leaders in Pakatan, whether it makes sense or not, must constantly and persistently attack Najib.Even if they sound stupid, it doesn't matter, because most of their supporters are easily misguided and would believe even if it is a load of crap.
Lim Kit Siang may be a veteran politician but either he is stupid, ignorant or think majority of Malaysians are stupid when he lambasted Najib and branded him as utter failure as PM and says the evidence of Malaysia becoming a failed state is everywhere.
This decrepit old bugger just simply shoot his mouth not knowing what construes a failed state or signs of a nation going that way.Malaysia is no where near to becoming a failed state, nor are there any signs that we are moving in that direction.Even some of Noam Chomsky's theory of failed states in his book 'Failed States' is not all acceptable definition of a failed state.It's merely his opinion.
What is a failed state?
A failed state is perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. To be more precise it must have the following attributes.
Top of the list of failed states are Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and Iraq.Even Pakistan is not yet considered a failed state but is showing strong sign of becoming one if the central government continue to be weak and could not handle the Taliban offensive.
The strongest sign that Malaysia could possibly become a failed state is if the leaders in Pakatan continue with their disinformation, raising of racial and religious issues and spreading of incendiary lies making the general public restive and creating potential development for civil disorder and violence.
Najib has only been in office for less than 100 days, it sounds terribly stupid of Lim to expect a wonder cure in such a short span of time.
To divert attention away from the internal problems of Pakatan, the leaders in Pakatan, whether it makes sense or not, must constantly and persistently attack Najib.Even if they sound stupid, it doesn't matter, because most of their supporters are easily misguided and would believe even if it is a load of crap.
Lim Kit Siang may be a veteran politician but either he is stupid, ignorant or think majority of Malaysians are stupid when he lambasted Najib and branded him as utter failure as PM and says the evidence of Malaysia becoming a failed state is everywhere.
This decrepit old bugger just simply shoot his mouth not knowing what construes a failed state or signs of a nation going that way.Malaysia is no where near to becoming a failed state, nor are there any signs that we are moving in that direction.Even some of Noam Chomsky's theory of failed states in his book 'Failed States' is not all acceptable definition of a failed state.It's merely his opinion.
What is a failed state?
A failed state is perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. To be more precise it must have the following attributes.
- loss of physical control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within its borders.
- erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions,
- an inability to provide reasonable public services,
- an inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community, and
- weak central government, ineffective control over its territories, widespread corruption, widespread lawlessness and sharp economic decline.
Top of the list of failed states are Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and Iraq.Even Pakistan is not yet considered a failed state but is showing strong sign of becoming one if the central government continue to be weak and could not handle the Taliban offensive.
The strongest sign that Malaysia could possibly become a failed state is if the leaders in Pakatan continue with their disinformation, raising of racial and religious issues and spreading of incendiary lies making the general public restive and creating potential development for civil disorder and violence.
Najib has only been in office for less than 100 days, it sounds terribly stupid of Lim to expect a wonder cure in such a short span of time.
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Federal Disease ?
Hantu Laut
It's unbelievable, it's so prevalent, it's almost like a disease, an epidemic of sort.
Over the past few years there had been a spate of defective buildings, sub-standard construction works and exorbitant costs overrun of many federal-funded projects.
Less than two weeks ago the roof of a stadium in Trengganu collapsed which fortunately didn't happen at a time when the stadium is hosting an event or there would have been many fatalities.
Today, it was reported that the three-year old Federal Administration Complex in KotaKinabalu sprung a leak from burst water pipe that damage computers, files and other equipment on the seven floor of the MACC (Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission) office.Less than a year ago cracks were found in most of the walls in all three blocks with big chunk of tiles falling to the ground.
The biggest bungle and probably a huge rip-off is the PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) project with cost overrun running to a mind-boggling amount of over RM12 billion.Even if you made the most stupid mistake it's not likely to be that stupendously expensive.Looking at the rogues gallery it appears to be one big MCA family involved in the project.
These are taxpayers money which rightly should be spent to benefit the people.
Najib needs to put his house in order if he wants to win the next general elections.
It's unbelievable, it's so prevalent, it's almost like a disease, an epidemic of sort.
Over the past few years there had been a spate of defective buildings, sub-standard construction works and exorbitant costs overrun of many federal-funded projects.
Less than two weeks ago the roof of a stadium in Trengganu collapsed which fortunately didn't happen at a time when the stadium is hosting an event or there would have been many fatalities.
Today, it was reported that the three-year old Federal Administration Complex in KotaKinabalu sprung a leak from burst water pipe that damage computers, files and other equipment on the seven floor of the MACC (Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission) office.Less than a year ago cracks were found in most of the walls in all three blocks with big chunk of tiles falling to the ground.
The biggest bungle and probably a huge rip-off is the PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) project with cost overrun running to a mind-boggling amount of over RM12 billion.Even if you made the most stupid mistake it's not likely to be that stupendously expensive.Looking at the rogues gallery it appears to be one big MCA family involved in the project.
These are taxpayers money which rightly should be spent to benefit the people.
Najib needs to put his house in order if he wants to win the next general elections.
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