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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Thursday 1 April 2010

The promises of NEM-1


I have yet to pen my 2nd part of the NEM, we already hear SP Setia is keen to develop the land mentioned by the PM. Lu orang ingat lu satu orang sahaja tau bikin itu semua? For completeness, wont you be interested in developing the RRI 's land in Sungai Buloh and since the area around Jalan Stonor is also near Kampung Bharu, why not develop Kampung Bhary too. And KTM has plenty of land that can also be developed. Take that too.
So Mr. Amir Sham- will you go to the PM to say lets impose a moratorium- some sort of agreement between gentlemen thieves, the super league construction and developments companies will stay away from government contracts for the next 5 years? Do it my man. Otherwise, the NEM isn't implemented yet, it s already looking like the models of old.
This is the main point really. I have written many times about how we give in and buckle under ascriptive norms and reject achieved norms. We do thing out of habitual and conditioned thinking. We have policy makers and decision framers banking hopes of economic development on groups with ascribed status and qualities. That's probably because the decision makers and policy framers are themselves deficient in the first place. Let's begin by having a first class civil service that believes in dedication, professionalism and capabilities. Wed don't have civil servants in the mold of the late Zain Azrai or Tan Sri Thong Yaw Hong.
Thus we think GLCs, because of what they are, are capable of driving the economy. This is a wrong belief. GLCs have become a refuge for thieves and freeloaders. They have become a sad excuse for people to plunder from the state coffers. Mostly, they are not accountable for anything.
Don't take my word for it. Look at the information below:-
The GLC that is Malaysia's public face- MAS.
Two bailouts of Malaysia Airline System RM7.9 billion. At a time when MAS incurring losses every year, RM1.55 million used to buy three paintings to decorate its chairman's office.
The bailouts of GLCs.
Putra transport system bailout which cost RM4.486 billion STAR-LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion National Sewerage System bailout costing RM192.54 million Seremban-Port Dickson Highway bailout costing RM142 million Kuching Prison bailout costing RM135 million Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam bailout costing RM8.3 million
Then there are those bloodletting and haemorrhaging projects.
Le Tour de Langkawi bailout costing RM 3.5 Million. Wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in Bursa Malaysia under guise of NEP to the Puteras in the Bumiputeras and Ministers worth billions of ringgits. Out of the RM 54 billion, only RM 2 billion is left. It would be interesting if we could do a profiling of the recipients of the RM54 billion.
APs scandal have been going on year-after-year going back for more than three decades, involving tens of billions of ringgits . What has happened to the condemnation of Tun Mahathir on the AP scandal? Since the exit of Rafidah Aziz, this issue has quietened down.
Alienation of tens of thousands of hectares of commercial lands and forestry concessions to children and relatives of BN leaders and Ministers worth tens of billions of ringgits
Look at the wasteful application of public money. Go to Kuala Terengganu to see for yourself how many white elephants like majestic mosques, roads paved with fanciful bricks, designer lamp posts, clock towers, Municipal Council buildings that looks more like Istanas, extravagant places of worship, refurbishment of residences of VIPs, abandoned or under-utilised government sports complexes and buildings, etc! Combined they could easily amount to the hundreds of billions of ringgits!
Where has the PETRONAS money gone?
Since 1997, PETRONAS has handed out a staggering 30 billion ringgit in natural gas subsidies to IPPs who were making huge profits. In addition, there were much wastages and forward trading of PETRONAS oil in the 1990s based on the low price of oil then. Since the accounts of PETRONAS are for the eyes of Prime Minister only, we have absolutely no idea of the amount.
Please take a look at all the GLCs in this country. Most of them are headed by second raters (sorry to be blunt) and those left behind when the first raters joined the private sector or ventured out on their own. We are left behind with non business graduates, who have no inkling about management and businesses but are given authority to do business on UR behalf.
So when the PM is sending signals that GLCs including SOEs (State Owned Enterprise) slowly retreat and let the real boys do business, I hope menteri besars of states in Malaysia will get the cue. Those GLCs on life support machines must be cut off from their misery. Spare us the agony.
Then we also apply the same approach when sizing up individuals. We think we can pick and chose winners. We ascribed to them an extraordinary prowess and capabilities based solely on who they are. The Puteras of the bumiPUTERAS.
By that we mean, we infer a person's capabilities solely on the basis of who she or he is. Hence for example, Mukhriz Mahathir is presumed to be excellent because the father was the previous PM. Somehow; we believe that skills and abilities are transmissible through genes. As another example, we believe that Hishamudin Hussin is good because the father was also at one time, a prime minister and that he is sure to inherit the lineage. This ignores the fact that he is there because he has only one qualification- that of being cousin to the PM. As soon as he opens his mouth, or esteem about him crumbles.
It is also a sign of backward countries and hence by implication low income countries that they move along ascriptive values. Advanced countries move along on achieved principles.
So it is heartening that this PM wants to carry out policies that embrace competitiveness, merits and capabilities. These are values consonant with achieved values.
Advanced countries which are also high income countries develop and expand and prosper on the principles of achieved norms. Those economic agents, leaders are chosen on the basis of what they can do which depend on their acquired skills and expertise.
You build a high income economy on the basis of achieved norms- on what you are capable and able of doing NOT on the basis of presenting yourself as who you are.
You see, the government has to set its house in order first. By that I mean it must regain the trust and confidence of the people. This government is suffering from one malady that many people are afraid of saying it loud and clear. It suffers from a crisis of confidence. The people must be confident that the government will carry out what it pledges. They are less interested in what the usual suspects say immediately following the speech of the PM- whether he/she is the boss of ISIS or any other think thanks.

16 comments:

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 11:41  

Dear Sir,

No one dares to list the recipients of the 54billion fund under disguise of NEP. If they government of Najib do not list them. We will show them the way out in the next GE, say good bye to them, Dato.

If they want to lead the nation, please govern as the peoples' wish. Its the peoples' power that can change.

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 12:24  

Dato'
Sound very angrified one!!!
Sabar tok... we know that and have been an issue that it is about political will, leadership and vision!!!
Is PM in control or it is all bullshits by those apple polisher and sycophants around him.
Same vicious cycle....dari penyamun kepada pencuri akhir nya jadi perompak!!!
PM seems to be so ignorant of his environment and the best think to do now is to let him fall or Malaysia will be destroyed. The choice is now with you, me and the masses.
Orang Pahang macam Dato' can think but so sorry that orang Pahang yang berkuasa cannot think.
HidupAK47!!!

Donplaypuks® 1 April 2010 at 13:30  

With regards to AP's, I believe that PM Najib actually said that it would be phased out by 2010, but DPM "I am Malay first, screw 1 M'sia" has been publicly and privately championing extending the tenure of the 4 AP Kings (some of whom do not have showrooms) to 2020!!

It was also recently disclosed in Parliament that many YB's/Aduns etc. also received free AP's in 2009.

At $30,000 per AP, WE, 1 M'sia Rakyat, have been subsidising a few "rent collectors" to the tune of at least $3 billion annually, and that's a minimum of $30 billion over the last 10 years!! In S'pore, the man in the street has to bid openly for a CoE for a car!!

Why on earth does Najib surround himself with DPM's and aides who continue to backstab and undermine from within his plans to unify the nations and chart new economics?

But then, you were spot on when you said that this Govt suffers from a crisis of confidence, and not least, the PM himself. He has has a credibility problem/ question mark hangover from his days at MINDEF, in particularly the incidents involving Razak Baginda and Altantuya murder, Scorpene Submarine and Sukhoi Jets $500 million each "not a commission" contracts!

dpp
We are all of 1 race, the Human Race

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 13:34  

Dato'

UMNO Land Brokers are already out in Droves Chasing after the Ah Chai Developers.....

Imagine at RM750 to RM1000 per square foot, how much an UMNO broker can make!!Millions.




Joe Black

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 13:52  

The country is destined to be on the decline because the future is always a result of the past actions and attitudes. We had it for our past complacencies and mediocre efficiencies. Lack of strong and capable leaders both in the political and civil services slowly but surely push us down in the world ranking in most of independent surveys.

The PM knows that his govt needs to change but his idealisms were not met with enthusiasm but resistance from his party's elders,warlords and members.The `poitical will` to change
is slowly replaced to `political survival`.

Before things change for the better, it needs to follow its natural course......go down deeper and be replaced by your competitor or do the BOLD and CORRECT things for the sake of nation and rakyat.

Blower 1 April 2010 at 14:08  

salam datok

you knew the 'gentlemen thieves' and yet still you defend the 'godfather thieves'

anyway datuk....keep on writing...it's mind opening and eye revealing

huhuh

ummmnooooMalaysian 1 April 2010 at 14:20  

You are still in UMNO so why can't you do something?

Masam Manis,  1 April 2010 at 15:43  

Dato,

I have seen and read plentiful of discussion and writing in the blogosphere. Strangely, I don't see much written in the MSM after the announcement for a very important subject. What we hear from the politicians are their infighting, scandals and more politic stabbing.

For me I am worried about out EPF money to be invested overseas. Temasek has lost more than USD 10 billions in their failed investment in Merrill Lynch , Barclay and UBS during last financial crisis.What assurance can Govt/EPF give to the public that this will not happen to us.

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 20:33  

Dato'

You are talking on the maladies in a classic case of a third-world country. Very susah lah to bring it up to a level with some semblance of a high-income economy.

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 20:47  

dato
My comment on the electricity and broadband issue got censored for very obvious reasons.Nevermind.Lets move on.
You sound angry today.You should be.In fact you sound like many sensible malaysians who have been constantly pointing out what u have written in your blog entry today.Satu Malaya sudah tau kecuali Yang tak mau tau dan buat tak tau!
Do something lah dato.Anger wont get you anywhere.Action does.You are in UMNO for goodness sake.

Anonymous,  1 April 2010 at 21:53  

Well pissed, Dato'.
More info here on MAS @

http://masliberators2009.blogspot.com/

MAS still bleeding RM 1 billion annually and the current top management including the flying buffet Chairman still got no clue how to fix it.

More details in due time.

SPINNING GASING.

kuldeep 1 April 2010 at 23:14  

>airasiaX not happy cos MAS blocking their Sydney Route...
>MAS says no choice cos govt wants them to buy that big big Airbus n if Sydney is compromised by cheap tickets ,it doesn't make sense to hv such big load planes...
>The AirBus agents is not too unhappy.

Anyone can resolve this conundrum rather then think its another condapeople.

flyer168 1 April 2010 at 23:27  

Dato',

I am sure everyone agrees with your assessments/suggestions/proposals....

Looks like all your enthusism to try to work out the "Ideal" New Economic model for UMNO is slowing being undermined.

If the PM & his Party/Government has no POLITICAL WILL to restore that Westminster style Democracy with the Rule of Law, inline with our original 1957 Constitution, in tackling the Justice system issue, Transparency issue, Human Rights issue, Corruption issue, Ketuanan issue, etc which forms the "Fundamental Basis" of our Policies Domestically & Internationally....

Then, it just becomes another of Najib's "Syok Sendiri" Rhetorics....

Even Susan Li, the Hongkong Bloomberg interviewer was not impressed with Najib's "Jaguh Kampung" Storyline & response...

Wasted her time listening to him repeating himself so she just cut him off, as he would have made an ass of her.

He does not have any "Intelligent Leadership Charisma" & looks more like a "Despondent begging for Business" being interviewed rather than the PM!

Question, is it UMNO/BN, or Malaysia that is "Destroying Itself" or rather the Leaders, their Cronies & Little Napoleons with their "Biased Systems" within UMNO/BN that is "Destroying" UMNO/BN & Malaysia?

This is a nation Malaysia for All Malaysians....but it is the Leaders, their Cronies, Little Napoleons & their Biased Systems that have destroyed the very fabric of our "Once Great Multi Racial, Multi Cultural, Multi Religious nation" Pre 1969 under Tunku & Perikatan "UMNO Original"/MCA/MIC.

To improve our nation's Image, Crediibility, Westminster Style Democracy with the Rule of Law, Transparency, Justice System, Corruption, etc., our Political Leaders must have the "Political Will" to benchmark itself with the "Best Practices" & "Successful Models"....not with the Pariah 3rd World nations like Zimbabwe, etc....

53 years since Independence from the Colonial Rule in 1957, into the Ketuanan Rule since 1969 which has been "Abused/Corrupted/Eroded" to the level we are in now & we still are in "Denial" in 2010 like Ibrahim Ali....Bodoh Sombong/ Stupid & Arrogant?

I also want to share this with you.....

http://www.malaysia-today.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29632:lkys-old-speech-made-in-1965-vs-najibs-1malaysia&catid=18:letterssurat&Itemid=100129

LKY's Old Speech made in 1965 (35 years ago!) vs Najib's 1Malaysia

TRANSCRIPT OF A SPEECH MADE BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. LEE KUAN YEW, AT THE SREE NARAYANA MISSION IN SEMBAWANG ON 12TH SEPTEMBER,1965.

Cheers.

Anonymous,  2 April 2010 at 00:22  

aiya, who is the deputy minister that try to legitimise Perkasa?

you gys fight, the mahatir family continues to plunder the country.

Anonymous,  2 April 2010 at 02:24  

"As soon as he opens his mouth, or (all?) esteem about him crumbles."

haha, what a bullseye description of this laughing jackass of a minister. cousin or no cousin, he is an albatross around najib's neck.

lovemykris.

Anonymous,  2 April 2010 at 12:18  

My neighbor and his wife are lifetime senior employees of MAS. Both are driving the latest 3 series BMWs, apparently company cars. Doesnt sound like a company thats bleeding money...

lovemykris

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