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Sakmongkol ak 47

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Thursday 18 June 2009

Hand-in-Hand to the Kitty?

I read an interesting post in The Nation- a Thai Newspaper in its on line version. It said:

Of the total loans, Bt500 billion will be earmarked for mega projects under the jurisdiction of the Bhum Jai Thai Party. The remaining Bt300 billion will be shared by the Democrat and the Chart Thai Pattana parties.

This is a novelty. The nation's fund is divided between the holders of power. Maybe this gives a new meaning to unity government. We are united in appropriating funds to be given to the people. Since the fund is divided between the various stake holders that should minimise disagreements and quarrel.

The handsome Thai PM, who recently visited Malaysia, Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij are slated to make passionate pleas for the legislative passage to authorise the government to borrow Bt800 billion to overcome the economic downturn.

They will then divide the loan amount between members of the ruling national government.

How's that for the basis of unity government? Perhaps, Thai people understand their own politics better. It seems to me that will be a classic case of dividing the spoils of war among the victorious buccaneers.

But then, maybe we can modify the above approach. Let's start with our own stimulus package

If we want a unity government- not a government united under anyone's hegemony, why not divide the recent stimulus package amount under the various political parties? In any case, all our leaders say, their priority's priority is people first.

Let's test this statement. Let us recognise that not all the people subscribe to UMNO politics. In this country, people now have many political affiliations.

At the heart of a unity government is the welfare of the people, irrespective of political affiliations, ethnicity, religious denominations etc. You cut through all these dividing boundaries, with economics. Give money to various political parties and let them take care of the people.

Divide the stimulus among UMNO, PAS, DAP, PKR and see who can best apply the money. Let us accept these suggestions, just like the overtures from PAS as sincere too. Let have unity in diversity.

Can we find a rationale behind the above proposal? In theory it's called limiting the scope of government. Milton Friedman writes about this in Capitalism and Freedom. I am interested in the second principle he pointed out which is as follows:-

The second principle is that government power must be dispersed. This is to avoid the tyranny of the status quo. If government is to exercise power, better in the state than at national level, better at the district than the state.

The above modified version of what the Thai government intends to do, appear to me to be the political application in the art of limiting the scope of government. It is trying to reduce the domination of anyone political party. It will be practical interpretation of One Malaysia, Performance Now and People First aspirations.

8 comments:

Fi-sha 18 June 2009 at 08:10  

Salam

Good morning Datuk Sak

Thats what we called delegation. It not only empowers the people we trusted with the power and resouces to carry out the responsibilities, that also enables the leaders to concentrate on better strategies to leverage on the resources available and tackling the problems in hand - STAT.

Thanks for sharing Datuk Sak.

“We must always seek to ally ourselves with that part of the enemy that knows what is right” -Mahatma Gandhi

kuldeep 18 June 2009 at 09:41  

How do u divide the spoils?By seats?by votes secured?

Anonymous,  18 June 2009 at 10:59  

What you are suggesting runs directly OPPOSITE 180 degrees to what is the reason for the entire existence of UMNO.

Enrichment of the UMNO leadership and their appointed Malay cronies.

Why in heavens sake would they even want to give up a single Ringgit!!

tarapapa yeh,  18 June 2009 at 12:31  

maybe the govt should start by handing over the peruntukan directly to kelantan state govt, instead of upp.

i was surprised when i heard dr mujahid said that opposition mps are not getting the same peruntukan (if any) as govt mps. and kj said that can be discussed if they can resolve 'the trust' issue.

why not start by giving people what's due to them first.

Hamba,  18 June 2009 at 12:35  

Yawn...Such as nice dream, sadly we all know not in a million years will UMNO do this.... Remember the Terengganu oil royalty case? That was something with black and white agreement and was adhered to when UMNO was in control of the state but when Terengganu was lost to PAS suddenly there was no agreement at all and UMNO ( Mahadey) manage to twist it around, steal it, con it and then the very small trickle that reached the actual rakyat was called 'wang ehsan'! These people are those supposedly cares so much for the rakyat and came out with the 1Malaysia slogan? You must be dreaming! A nice dream but still just a dream. Wonder what was the reason behind the Perak Coup? Najib cares so much for the rakyat, maybe? I don't think so! I rest my case!

ajoyly 18 June 2009 at 23:58  

Then it will be Win Win for all political parties but Loss Loss situation for taxpayers.

To arrest this condition, a new political party has to be formed, aptly called, Taxpayers United.

Its sole objective is, Return Country's Wealth Back To The People.

How? Through tax refund.

Just a thought to brighten the day. Nothing serious! But good for a laugh.

Suci Dalam Debu 19 June 2009 at 07:18  

When UMNO delegates meet at an assembly, they shout about Ketuanan Melayu.

When they meet in small groups, they whisper about contracts, wang ehsan, money & more money.

When they get the contract, they will Up it and then Sub it and the cycle repeats a couple of times.

MAAC is just a toothless tiger or more aptly a useless fat cat.

Anonymous,  19 June 2009 at 07:52  

Dato' Sak,
Agree fully with what Hamba said.
They fought battles to be in power to enjoy the spoils of war. Why should they share them? It is just not their kind to share. If they were to share, it will be among their cronies only.
PZ

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