This year May Day coincides with the last day of the KL International Book Fair. The fair ground is packed with visitors.
However, workers who intended to celebrate their day out in the city were again stopped by the Police! It is sad that Workers are not even given the space to celebrate the way they wish...
http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/40117-may-day-rally-proceed-despite-police-arrest
Our national news agency reported the same news with dilution, not even mentioning the May Day event:
http://www.malaysiandigest.com/news/22159-18-held-at-protest-over-price-increases.html
What can we say, year after year, the workers have no chance of bettering themselves!
More depressing write-up here:
http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/macc-the-destroyer-of-our-public-institutions/
Change we need, soon please!
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Bang Goes the MCA?
I have never been an admirer of MCA since the day I was introduced to politics by my late Father!
I could remember the day I was in USM arguing with the Chinese Language Society office bearers that Chinese Malaysians need a multiracial party to protect their rights. They did not agree. I further stated that Chinese Malaysians could only claim their rights once the Malay Malaysians are split into two major parties. They, of course, thought that I was day-dreaming! UMNO had seriously broke twice, if we do not consider PAS as a split. Once with Kuli's 46 and now with Keadilan's Anwar Ibrahim!
Off the Edge (OTE) Oct 08 issue carried an interesting feature as per title of this posting. Four
MCA leaders were interviewed.
Chua Jui Meng
My vote (not as the MCA Pres, but the performance of the four in the feature) goes to Chua Jui Meng. I was surprised that he gives credit to one President whom I disliked most, Ling Loing Sik! Ling set up Insap think tank with Prof Lim Teck Ghee as on of the members. To side track, I could not recall MCA defending Prof Lim openly when he was slaughtered by UMNO over calling bluff the government's statistics on the percentage of Malays equity ownership in support of the failure of NEP! Two interesting stupidities here: MCA failure to appreciate the brains who helped the party, and UMNO admitting its failure over NEP as the ruling party !
Back to Chua JM, he spoke in the Parliament for two hours before he was stopped abruptly by the Speaker over UMNO's declaration to extend NEP beyond 1990. Instead of been sacked by Dr M, the latter set up the National Economic Consultative Council (NECC) in which he was an active member. As a result, Dr M presented the National Development Policy to replace NEP, which saw the liberalisation in economy and education post 1991.
He blames the present outcome squarely on Ong Kah Ting, my inference. UMNO youth (Hishamkeris & KJ SIL), endorsed by UMNO (lame Pak Lah), post 2004 was vocal in reviving NEP instead of rewarding the Rakyat for supporting BN. MCA kept quiet; hench its downfall in 2008. It is also interesting that he talked about debating NEP with KJ in 2005 and telling him that the government statistics needed to be relooked. Khairy agreed with him for a review, but MCA never followed up on that.
Chua also talked about other illnesses such as corruptions in UMNO, negotiated tenders for government projects, ineffective ACA and the Societies Act which prevented governing political party members from having recourse of law against acts of injustice by their leaders, a case of party above the law of the nation!
Chua's conclusion: MCA must change! To the last question 'To pull out of Barisan?', Chua said, 'If it comes to the crunch and UMNO refuses to change, we cannot be pulled down by a party that refuses to change. Even an animal knows how to fight for its survival.'
Ong Tee Kiat
Though I personally think that Ong would be the best person to lead MCA now, I am disappointed with this interview. There is too much talk on the service centre the Michael Chong-style, though the OTE is of the opinion that complainants should be able to avail themselves to the services of the government itself.
Ong also mentioned briefly on his role in NECC, that MCA insisted that we must go for merits and needs, and not ethnicity. However, certain quarters (I am disappointed that he failed to name them) seem more keen to resurrect past practices of the NEP days in recent years.
On the question 'should the MCA pull out of BN', the first question of the interview, Ong replied, 'Opting out is one of the options but not the only option'.
I was hoping that Ong could have given a better overview on his refreshing view on MCA going multiracialism.
Chua Soi Lek & Fong Chan Onn
There are nothing to shout about for these two... more comments later may be.
Conclusion
MCA is at the mercy of UMNO unless one leader, preferably the President, needs to speak the language of the grassroots loud and clear, whether MCA remains in BN, be an independent or just join the Pakatan Rakyat.
I could remember the day I was in USM arguing with the Chinese Language Society office bearers that Chinese Malaysians need a multiracial party to protect their rights. They did not agree. I further stated that Chinese Malaysians could only claim their rights once the Malay Malaysians are split into two major parties. They, of course, thought that I was day-dreaming! UMNO had seriously broke twice, if we do not consider PAS as a split. Once with Kuli's 46 and now with Keadilan's Anwar Ibrahim!
Off the Edge (OTE) Oct 08 issue carried an interesting feature as per title of this posting. Four
MCA leaders were interviewed.Chua Jui Meng
My vote (not as the MCA Pres, but the performance of the four in the feature) goes to Chua Jui Meng. I was surprised that he gives credit to one President whom I disliked most, Ling Loing Sik! Ling set up Insap think tank with Prof Lim Teck Ghee as on of the members. To side track, I could not recall MCA defending Prof Lim openly when he was slaughtered by UMNO over calling bluff the government's statistics on the percentage of Malays equity ownership in support of the failure of NEP! Two interesting stupidities here: MCA failure to appreciate the brains who helped the party, and UMNO admitting its failure over NEP as the ruling party !
Back to Chua JM, he spoke in the Parliament for two hours before he was stopped abruptly by the Speaker over UMNO's declaration to extend NEP beyond 1990. Instead of been sacked by Dr M, the latter set up the National Economic Consultative Council (NECC) in which he was an active member. As a result, Dr M presented the National Development Policy to replace NEP, which saw the liberalisation in economy and education post 1991.
He blames the present outcome squarely on Ong Kah Ting, my inference. UMNO youth (Hishamkeris & KJ SIL), endorsed by UMNO (lame Pak Lah), post 2004 was vocal in reviving NEP instead of rewarding the Rakyat for supporting BN. MCA kept quiet; hench its downfall in 2008. It is also interesting that he talked about debating NEP with KJ in 2005 and telling him that the government statistics needed to be relooked. Khairy agreed with him for a review, but MCA never followed up on that.
Chua also talked about other illnesses such as corruptions in UMNO, negotiated tenders for government projects, ineffective ACA and the Societies Act which prevented governing political party members from having recourse of law against acts of injustice by their leaders, a case of party above the law of the nation!
Chua's conclusion: MCA must change! To the last question 'To pull out of Barisan?', Chua said, 'If it comes to the crunch and UMNO refuses to change, we cannot be pulled down by a party that refuses to change. Even an animal knows how to fight for its survival.'
Ong Tee Kiat
Though I personally think that Ong would be the best person to lead MCA now, I am disappointed with this interview. There is too much talk on the service centre the Michael Chong-style, though the OTE is of the opinion that complainants should be able to avail themselves to the services of the government itself.
Ong also mentioned briefly on his role in NECC, that MCA insisted that we must go for merits and needs, and not ethnicity. However, certain quarters (I am disappointed that he failed to name them) seem more keen to resurrect past practices of the NEP days in recent years.
On the question 'should the MCA pull out of BN', the first question of the interview, Ong replied, 'Opting out is one of the options but not the only option'.
I was hoping that Ong could have given a better overview on his refreshing view on MCA going multiracialism.
Chua Soi Lek & Fong Chan Onn
There are nothing to shout about for these two... more comments later may be.
Conclusion
MCA is at the mercy of UMNO unless one leader, preferably the President, needs to speak the language of the grassroots loud and clear, whether MCA remains in BN, be an independent or just join the Pakatan Rakyat.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
1MALAYSIA
Najib sets up his site today, click here.
I have written three comments to him using my REAL name, email address and mobile number, with the subject called ISA.
FIRST
PLEASE USE YOUR POWER, if you still have any, TO RELEASE RAJA PETRA & TERESA KOK.
The Malaysians have lost faith in you & the UMNO gomen.
SECOND (After I found out that the comments are not published in the site)
I have just sent you a comment on the above subject.
Are you going to publish my comment in your web site? If YES, TERIMA KASIH! If NO, I feel I was cheated!
Please comment on my comments!
THIRD
This is my third comment. I am happy that you set up a website. This is not too late, because if you lose your job as the DPM, you will be able to play with the website all days & nights, you will then know why Dr M has all the time to write web to scold people. My advice is, don't scold RAKYAT like me, but play lah some games like "counter strike"!
I have written three comments to him using my REAL name, email address and mobile number, with the subject called ISA.
FIRST
PLEASE USE YOUR POWER, if you still have any, TO RELEASE RAJA PETRA & TERESA KOK.
The Malaysians have lost faith in you & the UMNO gomen.
SECOND (After I found out that the comments are not published in the site)
I have just sent you a comment on the above subject.
Are you going to publish my comment in your web site? If YES, TERIMA KASIH! If NO, I feel I was cheated!
Please comment on my comments!
THIRD
This is my third comment. I am happy that you set up a website. This is not too late, because if you lose your job as the DPM, you will be able to play with the website all days & nights, you will then know why Dr M has all the time to write web to scold people. My advice is, don't scold RAKYAT like me, but play lah some games like "counter strike"!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Petrol Price Up Again!
[I find this article simple, direct and meaningful. It is written by YB Fong Po Kuan (冯宝君), MP for Batu Gajah. http://pokuan.blogsome.com/ ]
Petrol and Diesel Hike, “For the Best Interest of the People” - Suggest PM and Ministers Cut Their Own Pay and Allowances
I received a call about 11 pm yesterday and he asked, “What does the deny 2/3 majority in Parliament means? Why did the petrol increase by 40 percent?”
I told him that I am equally unhappy too with the petrol hike. Then, I explained that BN is still the government of the day and petrol is a matter under Federal government. He then asked, “The government do not need to go through Parliament for the increase of the petrol?” I said , “No, because this does not requires the passing of law, for the increase.” I also told him that Lim Kit Siang will hold a protest in Ipoh the next morning. (today)
I am expecting the same remarks will be made by the leadership of BN. Let me start by listing these few familiar lines:-
1. Change lifestyle
2. Spend wisely
3. The petrol is still cheaper than other countries
4. The government could not be further burden by the subsidy
What has happened to the RM 4.4 billion, an amount of subsidy which would be saved (we were told), when the increase of 30 cent in February, 2006 was announced? Please let me know if the public transport system has improved?
What about BN leaderships spending lifestlye? I am only concern of public funds, your money and my money.
Look at how they spent
1. RM 100 million on renovation of Parliament building and leaks thereafter;
2. National Astronaut Programme - RM 40 million;
3. National Service Training Programme - yearly an estimate of RM 500 million;
4. Eye on Malaysia -RM 30 million and another RM5.7 million of free ticket
5. RM 4.6 billion, ’soft-loan’ to PKFZ
6. RM 2.4 million of indelible ink
Where have the profits made by Petronas spent? Can we get a specific figures for specific projects which were for the interest of the public at large?
I am also expecting the Minister of Consumer appealing to the traders not to increase the prices of their goods, then, we will see the Minister making his rounds in the market. This will be followed with action taken against traders.
Other public transport may be requesting for charges to be increased.
We may read something along this line too in the next few days, “which is better, increase 78 cents at once or 40 cents twice in a year? ”
Why are we reacting angrily to this hike announcement? I am not an economist. I am not trying to be unreasonable by refusing to understand. Is just that I am not convinced that what the minister’s collective decision is “for the best interest of the people.”
Is the PM and Ministers willing to have their pay and allowances cut? Is the PM and Ministers willing to reduce their visits to overseas? Perhaps, cut down on the number of delegations? Also, stop holding meetings in 5 stars hotel.
It is about poor governing, lack of transparency and accountability. Oh! I should not miss out this important factor, - Leadership Crisis.
Petrol and Diesel Hike, “For the Best Interest of the People” - Suggest PM and Ministers Cut Their Own Pay and Allowances
I received a call about 11 pm yesterday and he asked, “What does the deny 2/3 majority in Parliament means? Why did the petrol increase by 40 percent?”
I told him that I am equally unhappy too with the petrol hike. Then, I explained that BN is still the government of the day and petrol is a matter under Federal government. He then asked, “The government do not need to go through Parliament for the increase of the petrol?” I said , “No, because this does not requires the passing of law, for the increase.” I also told him that Lim Kit Siang will hold a protest in Ipoh the next morning. (today)
I am expecting the same remarks will be made by the leadership of BN. Let me start by listing these few familiar lines:-
1. Change lifestyle
2. Spend wisely
3. The petrol is still cheaper than other countries
4. The government could not be further burden by the subsidy
What has happened to the RM 4.4 billion, an amount of subsidy which would be saved (we were told), when the increase of 30 cent in February, 2006 was announced? Please let me know if the public transport system has improved?
What about BN leaderships spending lifestlye? I am only concern of public funds, your money and my money.
Look at how they spent
1. RM 100 million on renovation of Parliament building and leaks thereafter;
2. National Astronaut Programme - RM 40 million;
3. National Service Training Programme - yearly an estimate of RM 500 million;
4. Eye on Malaysia -RM 30 million and another RM5.7 million of free ticket
5. RM 4.6 billion, ’soft-loan’ to PKFZ
6. RM 2.4 million of indelible ink
Where have the profits made by Petronas spent? Can we get a specific figures for specific projects which were for the interest of the public at large?
I am also expecting the Minister of Consumer appealing to the traders not to increase the prices of their goods, then, we will see the Minister making his rounds in the market. This will be followed with action taken against traders.
Other public transport may be requesting for charges to be increased.
We may read something along this line too in the next few days, “which is better, increase 78 cents at once or 40 cents twice in a year? ”
Why are we reacting angrily to this hike announcement? I am not an economist. I am not trying to be unreasonable by refusing to understand. Is just that I am not convinced that what the minister’s collective decision is “for the best interest of the people.”
Is the PM and Ministers willing to have their pay and allowances cut? Is the PM and Ministers willing to reduce their visits to overseas? Perhaps, cut down on the number of delegations? Also, stop holding meetings in 5 stars hotel.
It is about poor governing, lack of transparency and accountability. Oh! I should not miss out this important factor, - Leadership Crisis.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
An Email to Chandra Muzaffar
[On 24 April 2008, I wrote an email to Dr Chandra Muzaffar. There is still no response from him a month later by now. Reproduced here my letter and extracts from two related articles.]
Dear Prof.,
Greetings from Poh.
I read with interest your article THE 2008 MALAYSIAN ELECTION - AND THE BN DEBACLE . [Please read Dr Chandra's article here]
I would like to refer to Q3 and your answer and offer my humble comments.
Though your analyses of the dissatisfaction of the various ethnic groups are reasonable, I find that the key issues in the last election are not these. I used to think like this before the election. However, as I talked to more and more people of various groups and walked the ground a bit during the election period, I find that these issues were not the main ones bothering the general mass. I was surprised to find that my original analyses were out of date and out of place!
The Rakyat as a whole was angry at how the leaders of each ethnic group could be so ethno-centric to stir up their respectic community's hatred; when they are actually the leader of the NATION! How can we have Ong fighting for Chinese schools; Samy claiming that Indians cannot do without him, and Hisham threatening the non-Malays? They are national leaders who should be MALAYSIANS in perspectives, words and actions!
I was surprised but definitely happier that more and more common people are having an alternative perspective of seeing the various issues from the NATIONAL point of view. The opposition parties under Anwar had capitalised on this perspective well for their political gain.
I am very interested to know exactly how big the relative proportions of the rakyat having these two opposing perspectives, ethnic vs national. Perhaps you should scrutinise what the various surveys including those by Merdeka Centre and write about this with your personal strength as the leading political scientist.
Politics has been my personal passion and you were one of my earliest teachers, thanks for the lessons and Terima Kasih for your time.
NB: the article in theStar, Sunday March 30, 2008, How the tables have turned, Sharing The Nation, By ZAINAH ANWAR is quite reflective of what the general public thinks. [Please read Zainah's article here]
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=sharingthenation&file=/2008/3/30/columnists/sharingthenation/20776545&sec=Sharing%20The%20Nation
Rgds,
Poh Swee Hiang
Dear Prof.,
Greetings from Poh.
I read with interest your article THE 2008 MALAYSIAN ELECTION - AND THE BN DEBACLE . [Please read Dr Chandra's article here]
I would like to refer to Q3 and your answer and offer my humble comments.
Though your analyses of the dissatisfaction of the various ethnic groups are reasonable, I find that the key issues in the last election are not these. I used to think like this before the election. However, as I talked to more and more people of various groups and walked the ground a bit during the election period, I find that these issues were not the main ones bothering the general mass. I was surprised to find that my original analyses were out of date and out of place!
The Rakyat as a whole was angry at how the leaders of each ethnic group could be so ethno-centric to stir up their respectic community's hatred; when they are actually the leader of the NATION! How can we have Ong fighting for Chinese schools; Samy claiming that Indians cannot do without him, and Hisham threatening the non-Malays? They are national leaders who should be MALAYSIANS in perspectives, words and actions!
I was surprised but definitely happier that more and more common people are having an alternative perspective of seeing the various issues from the NATIONAL point of view. The opposition parties under Anwar had capitalised on this perspective well for their political gain.
I am very interested to know exactly how big the relative proportions of the rakyat having these two opposing perspectives, ethnic vs national. Perhaps you should scrutinise what the various surveys including those by Merdeka Centre and write about this with your personal strength as the leading political scientist.
Politics has been my personal passion and you were one of my earliest teachers, thanks for the lessons and Terima Kasih for your time.
NB: the article in theStar, Sunday March 30, 2008, How the tables have turned, Sharing The Nation, By ZAINAH ANWAR is quite reflective of what the general public thinks. [Please read Zainah's article here]
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=sharingthenation&file=/2008/3/30/columnists/sharingthenation/20776545&sec=Sharing%20The%20Nation
Rgds,
Poh Swee Hiang
Thursday, May 1, 2008
May Day & V David
Today is the May Day!
One personality whom I know as a First Class Politician while growing up is V David, and I am glad that Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) writes about him in Malaysia Today, May Day 2008, the day I start this blog!
I admire V David for three reasons:
- He has a humble beginning but serves the nation proudly
- He is instrumental in developing the multi-racial politics in the earlier part of Malaysia especially in parties namely Gerakan and Pekemas
- He speaks a simple language the men in the street particularly the workers understand!
Below is an extract from RPK's column "No Holds Barred" entitled V. David, the man who made ‘May Day’ possible, Thursday, 01 May 2008. This extract was written by K George in Aliran Monthly Vol 25 (2005): Issue 6, a magazine that I have been subscribing and I could even now remember reading it back in 2005! If you wish to read the whole article, click here.
Please read on:
Youngest MP at 26
In the 1959 General Election, David, already a member of the Labour Party, which formed a coalition with other opposition parties known as the Socialist Front, contested and won, becoming a Member of Parliament for Bangsar as well as Selangor State Assembly member. At 26, he was the youngest Member of Parliament – bold, vigorous and committed.
By mid 1960s, the registration of the Labour Party was cancelled. Its leaders like Dr Tan Chee Khoon, Veerappan, Tan Pock Kin, David and others decided to seek the registration of another party. I was then the General Secretary of the Federation of Armed Forces Civilian Staff Union as well as Vice-President of the MTUC and of CUEPACS. Like David, I too believed that trade unions had to involve themselves in politics. It was not an unusual phenomenon but a fact that was visible all over the world.
I was invited by the group to join and help with the formation of Gerakan. It was during this period that I grew closer to David. I am proud to claim that both of us knew what poverty was and that our commitment to struggle for the welfare of workers became a passion. David stood on a Gerakan ticket in the General Elections in 1969 and was elected to Parliament as MP for Datuk Keramat in Penang. However, being a civil servant and father of three young children, I decided to carry on with my job and union activity.
Gerakan became a very popular party and received multiracial support. In the May 1969 General Election, the party captured the state of Penang and formed the government with Dr Lim Chong Eu as Chief Minister. But within two years, it was embroiled in a leadership crisis, resulting in Dr Lim taking full control of Gerakan. Professor Alatas, Dr Tan Chee Khoon, David and other leaders left Gerakan and formed Pekemas, which contested in the 1974 General Election. Out of over 90 candidates, only Dr Tan Chee Khoon retained his seat as the MP for Kepong constituency. Pekemas did not last long. Subsequently, David joined the DAP.
He was elected to parliament on the DAP ticket in 1978 for Damansara and was successfully returned in 1986 and 1990 for Puchong. But in 1995, David did not contest because of health reasons.
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