On Overspending and Self Deception.

 

Is the PM overspending his political ammunitions? His advisors must counsel him from moving too fast in too short a time. He does not need to be caught in Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening's:-

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

The PM marches to the beat of his drums. He has so far shown himself as nimble footed. But he must also be surefooted. But if he announces too many before they are even digested, then he will have overspent the arsenals in his munitions store. If he doesn't pace himself, he won't last 20 years as PM.

Take the case of One Malaysia. No one has yet provided a coherent exposition of what the concept of One Malaysia is. The Information minister has done nothing except cajoling people to understand the concept. What is there to understand, if it has not been outlined in detail?

If it's everyone to his own one Malaysia, then we have 26 million versions of One Malaysia. Will this mean the supremacy of the rule of law and democracy? That will mean, no one is accorded any inbuilt privileges. Does it mean the supremacy of Malays over other races? What about the constitutionally guaranteed position of Malays and their interests? These contentious issues must be ironed out. Until it is spelt out clearly, the concept is unnerving to Malays.

Will it mean, under the concept of One Malaysia, the government is committed to equality of opportunities? Seems to me, we have been belabouring ourselves demanding equality in outcomes which to me, is inherently wrong. Will the government then take the bold step is stating explicitly that equality in opportunities does not mean equality in outcome? In other words, the outcome of one's efforts will now depend purely on merits and not on enforced legislation.

As it is, One Malaysia is like the Islam Hadhari concept. Everyone knows Islam as do everyone, Malaysia. But the Hadhari and One are nebulous concepts. The PM can't expect people to interpret liberally what he means unless his ideological putar-alams come out with a clear exposition of what it is. Otherwise the concept will be like Siberia; everyone knows where and what it is, but no one wants to go there.

He has just announced the scrapping off a 30% almost mandatory requirement of Bumiputera participation in certain sub sectors of the service industry. That industry is a big contributor to GDP and perhaps the most accessible to Bumiputeras. Now that is opened up, it means Bumiputeras have to compete with others.

Is relaxation of the rule a sign of things to come?

When he announced the dismantling of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development, it was met with general disproval from Malays. It wasn't just a question of the abolition of a ministry, but one that is charged with assisting and developing Malay business community. The scrapping off was seen as de-emphasising of policies specifically aimed at the Malays and is seen as a step disowning Malay interests.

The boldest step yet is the liberalisation of the 30% rule in 27 services sub sectors. Investors do not require the mandatory 30% bumiputera participation anymore. MITI secretary general, Tan Sri Rahman Mamat, said the liberalisation was done in consultation with the players who expressed their readiness to compete in an open market.

Hurrah to that. Ok we will accept that. But just out curiosity who are the players? The big boys who made it good during the unfettered and jolly good days of NEP? Are they the putera bangsawans and UMNO puteras? Mukhriz is at MITI- his string of hotels will certainly benefit because he is ready to compete. He will enjoy a captive market.

The statement by the MITI Secgen must be scrutinised in more detail. While saying that the big boys are ready, he has also stated the liberalisation needed to be done because Malaysia has no choice. So which is it? Was the relaxation undertaken because the Bumiputera services industry players are ready or because MITI has no choice?

Was it a precondition to allow Malaysia in its trade negotiations such as the free trade agreements? That one of the loose ends the ministry needed to tie is this Bumiputera requirement. That if Malaysia does not liberalise, Malaysia cannot enjoy market access?

Eventually, the smaller bumiputera players will be reduced to peripheral participants in supplying the requirements of foreign firms based here. Yes, maybe they will supply trained masseuses, blind and not blind, maybe supply, as one sardonic commentator said- just nasi lemak to bigger industry players.

I hope we are not singing songs of praises forcing ourselves to accept the lie we are ready to compete in the services industry just because baby Mukhriz is there. That is the impression I get from reading some bloggers.