Selangor: Life is Better after UMNO

You will remember last month, the UMNO president visited Selangor and proclaimed boastfully that he was confident in recapturing Selangor? He came with a thousand menacing and public peace-disturbing motorbikers in what was basically a show of force.

There is a famous quotation that says force works on servile natures, not the free. That would be an apt description of UMNO people at the moment. Their servitude and muted acceptance of the excesses of their leaders is mindboggling. It suggests a terrible affliction of mental blockage.

That is why Najib prefers the language of force and violence. He is a keen follower of the actress Katherine Hepburn who once retorted why tap on their hands with feathers when you can knock their heads with sledgehammers.

The need for UMNO in associating with disparage groups of dubious repute such as Perkasa, Motorbikers aka Mat Rempits, Martial Arts Groups and the shadowy Pekida, exposes the real bully in UMNO. UMNO is just a big bully organization who likes to intimidate people and threaten them with the use of force.

I have to say a big bully organization because the majority of UMNO supporters are rational and polite but duped masses. It’s the leadership that has corrupted the integrity of UMNO.

What Najib conveniently forgot was that he entered Selangor as leader representing the opposition in Selangor. Remember, UMNO is the opposition in Selangor. UMNO has 20 seats to Pakatan with 36 seats.

That immediately places what Najib said in its proper perspective. He had to offer some words of confidence and bravado to his paid audience to inspire them. To which I responded with an extempore rhymed quatrain (the Malay Pantun)-

One, two, three, four

Lima, enam, tujuh, lapan

Dato Najib cakap saja besor

Nak tawan Selangor tidak ada harapan.

But remind yourselves of his boasts. He challenged all and sundry to judge him by his track record and big ideas. His track record is littered with tales of controversy and corruption. His big ideas are generally the ideas presented to him by his well paid consultants. But because he challenged everyone to inspect his track record and big ideas, we will take him on.

Let’s take one record of achievement in Selangor which Najib will find it difficult to emulate.

Let’s talk about the only meaningful measure by which we judge an administration. How has the state government handled the economy? How is the performance of Selangor in this aspect thus far?

Selangor state assembly was told recently that the state government's revenue increased by RM200 million during the first six months of this year. The state's cash reserve stood at RM918 million at the end of 2010, RM1, 100 million at June 30, 2011.

 Investment has increased by RM557 million as at June 30, 2011 compared to RM668 million at December 31, 2010.  That’s 6 months( 2011)  compared to 12 months(2010). With the two sources combined it will be RM1, 760 million compared to RM1, 580 million for the same period in 2010.

In six months, the state government has managed to increase the state revenue by RM200 million and this is the best financial record over the last 28 years said Khalid Ibrahim. the last 28 years, it was UMNO who managed the state.

Najib should take a leaf from Khalid’s book as to how this was achieved. Khalid stressed that the state not only achieved revenue increase but also good financial management. Yes, good financial management is how we should judge Najib’s track record. He is a big spender out to please people.

Look at the Selangor government’s initiatives in its Micro Credit programme for instance. The Selangor government has distributed RM50 million to the people with sources generated from debt collection. The debt collected was grouped under the Mentri Besar Consolidated Account. The amount of debt collected also reflected the state’s civil service for efficient management of the state revenue.

Perhaps the Najib administration can emulate Khalid Ibrahim’s efforts in keeping score on who owes what amount to the government. The Selangor state has begun to digitally document details of debtors. The Selangor government has now digitalized its filing system. In particular Najib should learn the art of defraying the cost to any of his initiatives. In Selangor almost 2 million records have been digitized and the cost came from debt collection.

Will the mainstream media owned and controlled by UMNO dare publish these achievements so that people can judge the ideas and track record of Pakatan governments?