Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 3,907 views
Updated: English version for this post here – Open letter to Tun Mahathir
Kehadapan Tun Mahathir,
Saya merujuk kepada artikel Tun bertajuk “Kaki Dalam Kasut” yang ditulis pada 20 Julai 2009 di laman web Tun. Izinkan saya berkongsi pendapat saya berkenaan apa yang ditulis oleh Tun.
2. Saya percaya penyoal berpendapat orang bukan Melayu berasa amat tertekan dan kecewa dengan “ketidakadilan” terhadap mereka di Malaysia (oleh Kerajaan yang dikuasai oleh orang Melayu).
Orang bukan Melayu mempunyai alasan yang kukuh untuk berasa amat tertekan dan kecewa dengan ketidakadilan terhadap mereka di Malaysia. Malah bumiputera bukan Melayu khususnya orang Asli dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak juga berkongsi perasaan yang sama kerana mereka turut tidak diberikan layanan yang sama seperti orang Melayu sedangkan mereka merupakan penduduk asal negara ini. Berapa banyakkah individu bumiputera bukan Melayu yang diterima masuk dalam sektor kerajaan dan syarikat-syarikat milik kerajaan seperti Petronas?
3. Saya tidak tahu samada penyoal ini pernah bertanya kepada tokoh bukan Melayu soalan yang sama iaitu perasaan orang Melayu akan keadaan di negara nenek moyang mereka yang mereka sudah jadi kaum yang secara relatif termiskin dan masih ketinggalan.
Tun, kata kunci di sini ialah ‘yang termiskin dan ketinggalan’ dan itu tidak mengira kaum Melayu atau bukan Melayu. Sekiranya bantuan diberikan kepada mereka yang berhak tanpa mengira kaum, warna kulit dan agama dan didapati majoriti yang miskin adalah orang Melayu, ianya akan diterima baik.
Tiada sesiapa akan mempersoalkan dasar sedemikian. Tetapi adalah salah untuk membuat dan memperalatkan sesuatu dasar yang memberikan keutamaan kepada sesuatu kaum tanpa mengira taraf hidup dan keperluan. Malah jika sesuatu dasar itu dilaksanakan dengan mengambil kira keperluan dan merit, majoriti orang Melayu secara automatis yang akan mendapat manfaatnya.
Sudah lebih 30 tahun DEB dilaksanakan dan masih yang banyak orang Melayu yang miskin dan ketinggalan. Bukankah ini memberi petunjuk bahawa DEB telah gagal dalam perlaksanaannya dan sesuatu yang drastik perlu dilakukan? Jurang antara yang miskin dan kaya semakin bertambah, di mana kekayaan hanya tertumpu kepada sekumpulan individu Cina, India dan Melayu.
Malah Tun sendiri ketika berkuasa banyak memberikan kontrak kepada rakan-rakan Tun yang bukan Melayu yang kini gah tersenarai antara individu-individu paling kaya di Malaysia. Mengapa? Mengapa Tun semasa berkuasa tidak memberikan kontrak-kontrak tersebut kepada orang Melayu?
Dan dengan menggunakan hujah individu-individu paling kaya di Malaysia adalah terdiri daripada mereka yang bukan Melayu, Tun beranggapan adalah patut untuk meneruskan DEB dengan memberikan keutamaan kepada orang Melayu dan menghukum orang bukan Melayu yang miskin dan ketinggalan? Bukankan intipati asal DEB adalah untuk membantu semua yang miskin dan memerlukan pertolongan ekonomi tanpa mengira kaum? Sejak bila DEB itu khusus untuk orang Melayu sahaja?
Oh ya, bukankah mengikut kajian antropologi dan sejarah, kebanyakan orang Melayu di Malaysia dan nenek moyang mereka sebenarnya berasal dari dari Indonesia, Thailand dan India? Malah China? Jadi negara nenek moyang mereka sepatutnya bukan Malaysia, sama seperti saya? Contohnya, Tun sendiri, Khir Toyo dan Syed Hamid Albar?
4. Jika beliau bertanya dan tokoh tersebut menjawab secara ikhlas, beliau akan dapati bahawa orang Melayu amat kecewa dengan kemiskinan relatif mereka sehingga terpaksa meminta-minta sepanjang masa dan juga ketinggalan dalam pelbagai bidang.
Apakah dengan adanya DEB sepanjang 3o lebih tahun ini, orang Melayu sudah maju dalam erti kata sebenarnya dan tidak ketinggalan dalam pelbagai bidang? Pernahkan direnungkan bahawa bilangan orang Melayu yang maju dan tidak ketinggalan sudah bertambah adalah disebabkan pengurangan aras pengukur atau ’standard’ serta pemberian kuota oleh kerajaan bagi membolehkan mereka diterima masuk menyertai bidang-bidang tertentu? Apakah ini boleh dianggap sesuatu pencapaian yang membanggakan? Bukankah ini menipu diri sendiri?
5. Mereka cuba yakin mereka adalah tuan di negara mereka tetapi mereka tahu sebenarnya mereka bukan tuan. Orang bukan Melayu yang menjadi tuan yang sebenar.
Apakah amat penting untuk orang Melayu dan bukan Melayu yang semuanya rakyat Malaysia berebut-rebut menjadi tuan yang sebenar? Mengapa PEMIMPIN-PEMIMPIN POLITIK Melayu seperti Tun begitu taksub dengan misi untuk menjadi ‘tuan’? Tun hampir betul dengan mengatakan (SEGELINTIR) orang bukan Melayu yang menjadi tuan yang sebenar walaupun sudah 30 tahun DEB diperalatkan untuk memberi keutamaan kepada orang Melayu. Persoalannya, mengapa ini boleh berlaku?
Orang Melayu memegang tampuk pemerintahan melalui Umno. Keutamaan diberikan kepada orang Melayu dalam perniagaan, ekonomi, pendidikan, peluang pekerjaan dsb. melalu DEB, tetapi yang masih menjadi tuan adalah segelintir orang bukan Melayu? Mengapa ini boleh berlaku? Bukankah itu sesuatu yang pelik dan aneh? Sedangkan yang berkuasa adalah orang Melayu dan dasar-dasar melibatkan sektor-sektor penting memberikan keutamaan kepada orang Melayu?
Dan Tun, sila perbetulkan kenyataan ‘orang bukan Melayu yang menjadi tuan yang sebenar’ dengan menambah ’segelintir’. Saya orang bukan Melayu dan saya langsung tidak merasakan diri saya adalah tuan.
6. Kerana mereka rela berkongsi negara mereka dengan kaum lain, kaum yang berasal dari tamadun yang lebih tua (4,000 tahun) dan lebih berjaya, hari ini yang sedikit yang ada pada mereka pun hendak dipisah dari mereka.
Tun, tolong jelaskan ‘yang sedikit yang ada pada mereka pun hendak dipisah dari mereka’. Kenyataan ini amat mengelirukan dan tidak bertanggungjawab. Keutamaan-keutamaan yang diperuntukkan kepada orang Melayu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak sudah termaktub dalam perlembagaan dan tiada sesiapa boleh mengubah dan meminda fakta tersebut melainkan dengan kuasa 2/3 parlimen.
Apa yang sering dipertikaikan di sini adalah layanan kurang adil dan perlaksanaan yang terpesong daripada peruntukan-peruntukan yang sebenar serta kecenderungan pemimpin-pemimpin politik yang cuba memutarbelitkan fakta yang ada mengikut tafsiran serong demi kepentingan masing-masing.
7. Fikirkan hanya berkenaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB). Agihan kekayaan korporat dalam DEB ialah sebanyak 30% bagi bumiputra (walaupun mereka adalah 60% dari penduduk) dan 40% bagi kaum lain serta 30% bagi orang luar. Tetapi setelah diusahakan selama 39 tahun bahagian yang terdapat bagi mereka ialah 20%, sedangkan yang terdapat bagi kaum lain ialah hampir 50%, walaupun mereka hanya 26% dari jumlah penduduk.
Terima kasih kerana berkongsi statistik ini, Tun. Ini dengan jelas membuktikan bahawa, dasar DEB yang dilaksanakan selama ini GAGAL! Sekiranya ia dilaksakanakan tanpa mengira kaum tetapi memandang kepada keperluan, nescaya yang mendapat paling banyak manfaat adalah orang Melayu kerana banyak mereka yang miskin adalah terdiri daripada mereka yang ‘60% dari penduduk’. Mengapa Tun masih degil mempertahankan perlaksanaan DEB yang telah gagal dan cuma menguntungkan segelintir individu?
Sejajar dengan logik Tun (putar belit statistik untuk menyokong hujah dan dijadikan ‘fakta’), saya merupakan penduduk generasi ke-3 di Malaysia, sama seperti Tun. Mengapa saya tidak boleh mendapat layanan yang sama seperti yang diterima oleh Tun? Saya tiada statistik rakyat bukan Melayu yang lahir di Malaysia yang merupakan generasi ke-3, ke-4 berbanding orang ‘Melayu’ yang berhijrah ke Malaysia, tinggal di sini dalam tempoh kurang dari 3 generasi tetapi mendapat layanan setaraf dengan penduduk asal? Contohnya, Khir Toyo? Syed Hamid Albar? Ramai warga asing di Sabah yang mempunyai MyKad dan berstatus ‘Bumiputera Melayu?’.
Rasanya kenyataan bahawa agihan kekayaan korporat sebanyak30% untuk bumiputra adalah kurang tepat, sebaliknya 30% untuk Umnoputra adalah lebih tepat. Jumlah keahlian Umno adalah lebih kurang 2 juta orang dan ini bermakna agihan kekayaan korporat 30% ini dinikmati oleh Umnoputra – mewakili hanya 7% daripada penduduk Malaysia. Setuju?
Dan adakah Tun dengan sengaja memanipulasi statistik yang menunjukkan sebahagian besar agihan kekayaan korporat itu tertumpu hanya kepada satu kumpulan individu sedangkan Tun patut sedar adalah satu fakta bahawa dalam konteks ekonomi dunia sekalipun, sehingga 80% kekayaan dunia itu adalah tertumpu hanya kepada 20% penduduk dunia? Malah senario ini berlaku di kebanyakan negara di dunia, dimana agihan kekayaan korporat sesebuah negara adalah dimiliki sekumpulan kecil penduduk negara tersebut, termasuk Amerika Syarikat dan Jepun. Kekayaan korporat adalah tidak relevan dan tidak menjadi isu untuk rakyat biasa seperti saya.
Lagi, adakah ia salah orang bukan Melayu mereka dibawa ke sini dan beranak pinak di sini? Mengapa ‘kesalahan’ yang dilakukan oleh orang lain (British) perlu ditanggung oleh orang bukan Melayu, khususnya generasi baru seperti saya? Orang bukan Melayu tidak mempunyai pilihan melainkan untuk mencurahkan bakti setia kepada negara Malaysia dan apa yang diminta adalah layanan yang adil dan saksama seperti yang telah diperuntukkan kepada mereka di dalam perlembagaan. Itu sahaja, Tun.
8. Nilai harta milik bumiputra pula berjumlah 15% sedangkan yang baki dimiliki oleh bukan bumiputra disebabkan harta di bandar bernilai lebih tinggi dari di luar bandar.
Adakah menjadi satu kesalahan menjadi kaya dan merupakan bukan bumiputera dalam suasana ekonomi yang berasaskan prinsip kapitalis dan pasaran bebas? Masih relevankan persoalan kaum dalam ekonomi global yang Tun sentiasa canangkan, umpamanya ketika mempertahankan PPSMI? Mengapa setelah sudah 50 tahun kerajaan BN (yang dipegang oleh orang Melayu) dan 30 tahun DEB dilaksanakan, kekayaan negara masih tidak sampai kepada penduduk luar bandar yang rata-ratanya orang Melayu? Adakah ini salah orang bukan Melayu?
Sekali lagi Tun cuba mengelirukan pembaca. Bukankah hatta di mana negara sekalipun di dunia ini, milikan hartanah yang bernilai tinggi di terutamanya di kawasan bandar adalah dimiliki oleh peratusan kecil daripada jumlah populasi? Perkara ini adalah benar dan ia berlaku di seluruh dunia termasuk negara-negara maju seperti Jepun dan Amerika Syarikat, bukan sahaja di Malaysia. Adakah Tun terlepas pandang akan fakta ini ataupun Tun sengaja buat buat lupa?
9. Tokoh bukan Melayu yang cuba duduki tempat Melayu (in the shoes of the Malays) jika ikhlas, akan rasa kekecewaan Melayu melihat hampir semua perniagaan dan perusahaan serta kekayaan yang diperolehi darinya dimiliki oleh bukan Melayu. Segala estet rumah mewah juga diduduki oleh bukan Melayu. Sikit benar orang Melayu yang tinggal di estat mewah ini. Lebih ramai yang tinggal di kawasan setinggan.
Ya Tun, mengapa? Adakah ini juga salah orang kurang Melayu kerana mampu terus bersaing dan memonopoli kekayaaan walaupun tidak diberikan tongkat ekonomi? Pernahkan Tun membandingkan taraf hidup orang Melayu yang kaya dengan yang miskin, dan orang bukan Melayu yang kaya dengan yang miskin, manakan yang lebih besar jurang perbezaannya?
Mengapa masih ramai orang Melayu yang tinggal di kawasan setinggan tetapi pemimpin-pemimpin politik seperti Tun hidup mewah? Mengapa anak Tun boleh mengadakan parti ‘house warming’ yang mewah tetapi masih ramai orang Melayu yang hidup merempat? Mengapa pemimpin politik seperti Zakaria Deros, Khir Toyo yang mampu membina istana indah berharga jutaan ringgit sedangkan masih ramai orang Melayu yang tinggal di rumah setinggan?
10. Mungkin semua ini disebabkan kesalahan orang Melayu sendiri. Mereka tidak guna peluang yang disediakan bagi mereka. Ada yang salahguna peluang-peluang ini pun. Tetapi jika seorang pengayuh beca diberi sejuta Ringgit, apakah ia akan dapat berniaga dan berjaya dalam bidang ini.
Betul. Mengapa peluang-peluang masih diberikan kepada mereka yang ‘tidak pandai, kurang mahir dan tidak layak?’ Apakah ini akan membantu mereka untuk berjaya? Tun, niat baik untuk membantu orang Melayu memang disambut baik dan berpatutan. Tetapi cara yang digunakan adalah tidak betul, seperti yang dinyatakan oleh Tun sendiri “jika seorang pengayuh beca diberi sejuta Ringgit, apakah ia akan dapat berniaga dan berjaya dalam bidang ini.”
11. Social engineering bukan hanya dilakukan oleh orang Melayu sahaja. Sosialisme dan Komunisme juga merupakan sejenis social engineering untuk mengurang atau menghapus jurang antara yang miskin dengan yang kaya. Mereka juga tidak berjaya sepenuhnya walaupun mereka mengguna kekerasan yang dahsyat. DEB dilaksanakan dengan berhati-hati tanpa kekerasan, tanpa rampasan dan sering dipinda apabila menghadapi tentangan dari bukan Melayu. Apakah persepsi orang Melayu terhadap DEB?
Tun, sekarang ialah tahun 2009, bukan 1959. ‘Social engineering’ perlu berubah mengikut realiti semasa. Jika kita asyik berbalik kepada sejarah kita dan hidup dibayangi masa lampau kita tidak ada maju. Adakah orang India Navajo perlu meminta supaya kerajaan Amerika Syarikat membuat dasar seperti DEB dengan alasan sejarah lampau?
DEB betul dilaksanakan tanpa kekerasan dan rampasan, tetapi ia juga secara sistematik telah menidakkan peluang ramai rakyat Malaysia hanya kerana mereka bukan Melayu! Berapakah bilangan rakyat Malaysia bukan Melayu yang bijak pandai diambil dan dimanfaat oleh negara jiran Singapura dalam membangunkan negara tersebut kerana mereka tidak diterima di negara sendiri? Bukankah ini satu pembaziran? Malaysia ‘membesarkan’, memberikan pelajaran dan tempat tinggal kepada mereka hampir 20 tahun, dan selepas mendapat keputusan cemerlang tidak digunakan dengan baik oleh Malaysia sebaliknya ‘diserahkan’ kepada negara jiran?
Tentangan orang bukan Melayu, malah juga oleh ramai orang Melayu yang tidak mendapat manfaat DEB adalah terhadap perlaksanaannya yang cuma membantu segelintir pihak. Merujuk kepada statistik yang dikongsi oleh Tun, jurang kemiskinan semakin besar dan bukannya bertambah baik setelah DEB dilaksanakan.
12. Lihat sahaja sejarah perjuangan Melayu. Pada Pilihanraya 1955, diwaktu mereka menguasai 82% dari kawasan-kawasan pilihanraya, mereka rela memberi sejumlah yang tidak kecil dari kawasan – kawasan mereka kepada kaum lain dan mengundi calon dari kaum-kaum ini sehingga menang melawan calon Melayu lain (PAS).
Bukankah itu sesuatu yang wajar dilakukan sejajar dengan konsep perkongsian kuasa antara kaum yang dicanangkan oleh Barisan Nasional? Saya memang tidak setuju dengan konsep BN yang memilih calon berdasarkan kaum, bukannya kebolehan dan kelayakan. Ini tidak harus dianggap suatu ‘pengorbanan’, sebalik rakyat Malaysia yang ‘terkorban’ kerana ramai calon-calon dan pemimpin-pemimpin dipilih mewakili mereka hanya kerana mereka adalah dari kaum tertentu, tanpa melihat kepada kemampuan individu tersebut.
13. Kemudian mereka anugerahkan satu juta kerakyatan tanpa syarat biasa kepada kaum lain sehingga peratusan rakyat Melayu jatuh dari 82% kepada 60%. Siapakah yang lain yang pernah lakukan yang sedemikian?
Tun, bolehkah Tanah Melayu (pada ketika itu) mencapai kemerdekaan daripada British tanpa persetujuan bahawa kerakyatan turut diberikan kepada kaum lain? Bukankah kerakyatan itu diberi dengan bersyarat di mana keutamaan-keutamaan akan diberikan kepada orang Melalyu dan bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak seperti yang termaktub dalam Artikel 153 Perlembagaan Malaysia? Mengapa Tun mengatakan ia diberi tanpa syarat biasa sedangkan Tun tahu itu tidak benar? Mengapa Tun masih mengungkit peristiwa lampau? 50 tahun orang bukan Melayu tinggal di Malaysia, masih tidak cukupkan untuk membayar budi orang Melayu menganugerahkan kerakyatan dengan syarat tersebut? Berapa lama lagi perlu diungkit isu ‘penduduk asal’ dan ‘pendatang’ ini, Tun? Setiap kali BN atau Umno merasakan ia akan hilang tampuk pemerintahan?
14. Pada ketika itu nama rasmi negara ialah Persekutuan Tanah Melayu. Apabila Semenanjung Tanah Melayu dicantum dengan Singapura, Sarawak dan Sabah, perkataan “Tanah Melayu” digugur dan cantuman negeri – negeri ini dinamakan Malaysia. Dengan itu hilanglah identiti Melayu dalam nama negara sendiri. Tidak pula mereka tuntut nama-nama lain digugur.
Tun, adakah ini relevan untuk dipersoalkan? Bukan masih ramai orang Melayu yang gah mengaitkan nama Malaysia sebagai Malay (Melayu) – sia? Mengapa sesuatu yang telah dipersetujui satu masa dahulu oleh semua pemimpin-pemimpin Malaysia, dijadikan isu oleh Tun?
15. Tidak seperti di negara-negara yang membenar hanya bahasa kebangsaan mereka sahaja untuk semua sekolah nasional, orang Melayu bersetuju bahasa Cina dan Tamil dijadikan bahasa pengantar di sekolah bantuan Kerajaan. Bahasa Kebangsaan (Bahasa Melayu) tidak menjadi bahasa kebangsaan seperti di negara-negara jiran dan di Eropah, Australia dan Amerika.
Bukankah ini juga telah dipersetujui oleh semua pemimpin-pemimpin – Melayu, Cina dan India ketika Malaysia mencapai kemerdekaan daripada British lalu dimasukkan dalam perlembagaan negara? Mengapa Tun perlu mempersoalkan isu ini? Bukankah ini adalah syarat supaya Bahasa Melayu diterima sebagai bahasa kebangsaan, satu ‘trade-off?’?
16. Dan banyaklah lagi korban yang dibuat oleh orang Melayu supaya kaum lain mendapat apa sahaja yang dituntut oleh mereka, demi keamanan dan perpaduan rakyat dan negara.
Berapa lama dan banyakkah lagi korban yang juga perlu dibuat oleh orang bukan Melayu supaya orang Melayu puas hati?
17. Apakah gamaknya perasaan tokoh yang meletak diri di tempat orang Melayu, terhadap semua korban ini? Apakah dia masih fikir yang orang Melayu harus korban segala-gala yang dituntut daripada mereka?
Apakah Tun fikir yang orang bukan Melayu tidak berkorban demi membantu saudara-saudara Melayu mereka? Apakah mereka berpuas hati ditidakkan banyak peluang mereka hanya kerana mereka dilahirkan bukan Melayu? Apakah perasaan Tun sekiranya Tun bukan Melayu?
18. Dengan rencana ini saya tetap akan di cap sebagai racist oleh racist bukan Melayu. Tetapi kalau mereka sanggup menerima yang benar, mereka boleh banding korban orang Melayu pemilik asal negara ini dengan korban mereka untuk kepentingan negara ini.
Dengan rencana ini, terbukti Tun masih berada di takuk lama. Tun masih berfikiran bahawa dalam era dunia globalisasi tanpa sempadan yang mencabar ini, isu dan politik perkauman masih sesuai diperkatakan? Mengapa Tun hanya menyentuh kepada pengorbanan orang Melayu? Mengapa Tun tidak menyentuh jasa dan pengorbanan orang bukan Melayu dalam membangun dan memajukan negara ini?
19. Saya berpendapat jika negara ini hendak aman dan maju, agihan kekayaan dan kualiti hidup semua kaum hendaklah adil (fair) walaupun tidak sama (unequal). Janganlah hendaknya mana-mana pihak atau kaum tanggung beban kemiskinan yang keterlaluan, sementara kaum lain hidup mewah. Mengumpan sokongan dengan mengambil hak satu kaum untuk diberi kepada kaum lain bukanlah caranya – lebih-lebih lagi mengambil dari yang kurang berada untuk diberi kepada yang sudah lebih berada.
Saya berpendapat jika negara ini hendak aman dan maju, kenyataan berbaur perkauman dan yang boleh membawa perpecahan harus dielakkan, terutama yang datang daripada pemimpin seperti Tun.
Agihan kekayaan dan kualiti hidup semua kaum hanya akan adil sekiranya ia berlandaskan keperluan, bukannya identiti kaum dan warna kulit. Tun membuat kenyataan yang bercanggah apabila menyatakan ‘mengumpan sokongan dengan mengambil hak satu kaum untuk diberi kepada kaum lain bukanlah caranya’ sedangkan Tun nampaknya cuba membuat hujah-hujah untuk menyokong perbuatan tersebut dari poin 2 hingga 18 dengan alasan ia adalah patut dan wajar kerana ‘orang Melayu lebih banyak berkorban berbanding orang bukan Melayu’.
Apakah tujuan Tun menulis artikel di atas dengan melagakan orang Melayu dan bukan Melayu yang boleh menimbulkan rasa curiga dan kurang puas hati antara kaum? Adakan ini membantu membina perpaduan negara ke arah suasana yang aman damai?
1. Di forum anjuran Gempita dan UMNO bertajuk Kedudukan Raja-Raja Melayu dan Orang Melayu dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia di Zaman Liberalisasi dan Globalisasi, saya ditanya oleh seorang pensyarah Melayu dari UIAM (Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia) apakah saya pernah fikir untuk meletak diri saya di tempat orang bukan Melayu (put yourself in the shoes of a non-Malay) bersabit dengan diskriminasi terhadap mereka di negara ini.
Oh ya, Tun masih belum menjawab soalan pensyarah tersebut, apakah Tun pernah fikir untuk meletak diri Tun di tempat orang bukan Melayu bersabit dengan diskriminasi terhadap mereka di negara ini.
Sekian,
Saya, rakyat Malaysia yang bukan Melayu.
Posted in Articles, BN-ism, Blogosphere, Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Democracy, Hypocrisy, Mahathir, Malaysia, Me, Politicians, Serious, Thoughts | 86 Comments »
Monday, March 31st, 2008 292 views
Quote of the day: I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.
Note: A very super duper long post. I crapped this out, picking opinions from here and there, added in some of my 2 cents.
I thought Umno-led BN learnt their lessons after their catastrophic lost on 8th March 2008. Guess I am dead wrong. Just like a leopard never changes its spot, some people will never change. If we thought that an electoral blow to the ruling government (read – Umno-led BN) would serve as a wake-up call, well we do better think again. We wished that BN leaders would no longer making stupid remarks and ridiculous statements, but they are forever singing the same tune. Only the foolish and dead alone never change their opinions.
Open Tender Doesn’t Guarantee Fairness, Says PM
BUTTERWORTH, March 30 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Saturday lashed out at the Penang state government for adopting a fully open tender system as it does not guarantee fairness to those who are financially weak to compete.
He said in principle the proposal by the state government to emphasise on equitability appeared to be good but this would actually result in only those who were financially strong benefiting from the system.
“The transparency, open tender and open bidding approach is certainly good and gives comfort to everyone but we have to remind them that not everything that is said to be equitable is fair. Actually, only the strong and those with financial capacity will derive benefits from it.
This guy seriously is a moron. Moron is really an understatement. Is it not getting a capable and financially sound contractor is the whole point of open tender? He should shove his head down the toilet bowl and let me do my business with his head in the bowl.
What is the moron implying? Well we know he was “speaking” for many Malay businessmen out there, fearing that the open tender will give more advantages to bigger companies mostly owned by non Malays. But, let us think for a while, are the Malay businesses so badly run that they can’t deliver good work within budget? Is he also admitting that the NEP has FAILED big time because after 40 years, Malays still have not gained the ability to do business properly? Is he further implying that the only way the Malays can do business is by inflating the costs and doing shoddy work and that only the Umno-led BN government is willing to accept this? It’s an absolute insult to Malay business people’s ability!! I hope my Malay friends in this country not to take Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s insult lying down!
Only the strong and those with financial capacity will derive benefits from open tender
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that what open tender is about? We certainly want the strong capabilities and those with good financial capacity to undertake projects right? If a company does not have the financial capacity, resources and expertise to undertake a certain project, then that company should not get that particular project. Surely, we can’t expect to award a gargantuan bridge building project to an unknown two-dollar company on the basis of fairness. What our PM is implying here? This is life man, the stronger ones prevail over weaklings. That is the very rule of the universe. I am here now because I won the swimming race with billions of my comrades 26 years ago.
Open tender allows competition which leads to better quality and lower pricing. This also reduces the amount of “under table money”. This is one of the reason contributing to corruptible practices. Not allowing open tender will allow those wolves in sheep coat to abuse the privileges.
Different type of services or goods requires different approach on tenders. In some areas close tender or invitation would be ideal if it involves highly technical expertise or when security of the nation cannot be compromised. This is exception to the general rules of procurement process.
Yes, even open tender can still be manipulated. Specification can be tailored to favor certain products that only certain company has exclusive right to import, but opting for open tender for procurement process is the first and most important step to ensure this country has a good accountability and transparency delivery system.
From Bernama
“Abdullah clarified that the New Economic Policy (NEP) was not merely for the Bumiputeras as it also assisted the Chinese and Indian communities because the policy was not racially biased. He said the NEP was a national approach implemented to eliminate poverty regardless of race, enable equitable distribution to the people including enlarging the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community (BCIC) and ensuring a robust economic growth to be enjoyed by all races.”
This PM must be talking to Martians. As far as I know, the NEP in Malaysia is only for one single race and that has been how it has been implemented and manipulated since 1972. He must be the PM of Mars since this is the first time I heard something like that. Either he thinks we are all stupid or he is from Mars and I am from Jupiter.
Heck, I do not think many Bumiputeras benefited from NEP. Who reaped the most benefits from NEP? Umnoputeras. Not Bumiputeras. Not Malays. But Umnoputeras, an elite class of Umno members. Aliran wrote a great piece on this issue:
Now, if one wants to know what the NEP really means to today’s Umno, Sarawak is a great place to learn about it – and the cabinet appointments only serve to underline that.
This is a state whose bumiputera – a majority non-Malay bumiputera – have seen the favoured grow rich while first the forest and now the land is literally being taken away from them. For these bumiputera, there is no NEP, instead lectures about changing their mindsets while their sources of livelihood are handed over to the well-connected, mostly apparently Chinese companies, but who knows the ultimate beneficiaries.
So, a first-term MP, son of the Chief Minister of Sarawak, is immediately given a deputy ministership, while long-serving Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu MPs are left out in the cold. Now, if anyone is interested in how politics and business are intertwined in Sarawak, just look up the Annual Report of Cahaya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMSB), a company laughingly referred to as Chief Minister & Sons Bhd.
Go along most major roads in Sarawak and you’ll see signs proudly announcing that the road maintenance is under CMSB. The proposed USD2 billion aluminium smelter is a joint venture with CMSB – and we can guess why Rio Tinto picked CMSB as a partner. The concrete and cement and steel for Bakun is from CMSB. CMSB’s tiny Bank Utama was allowed to do a reverse take-over of much larger RHB Bank – but unable to turn a profit out of it, it’s now sold to EPF. CMSB owns the former JKR construction arm. And so on – to the tune of doing business amounting to 10 per cent of Sarawak’s GDP. One company, owned by the Chief Minister’s family – and our Mr Clean had no problems appointing the first-term MP son to the cabinet.
Well, it should be interesting to see Suleiman Taib Mahmud’s asset declarations. But if the government means what it says – who believes that anymore – then it should insist on asset declarations covering the extended family of parents, siblings and nephews and nieces.
But it gets worse. The new environment minister is from Sarawak, as is the plantations minister. Guess which state has done more deforestation in the past ten years? Right, Sarawak. And for what purpose? Right, for plantations. Check and balance? Or, green light to go ahead and further dispossess the bumiputera of Sarawak, handing over the degraded forest to the same people who degraded it with terrible logging practices, so that they can plant acacia and oil palm? Look at the timber companies. Now look at the ones in plantation. They are the same – the Big Five – they call them. And the economy of Sarawak is being handed over to them: forests, plantations, shipping, hyper-malls, hotels, real estate, etc.
Rafidah Aziz deserved to go. But by all accounts she was a competent international trade and industry minister – she deserved to go not because she couldn’t do that job, but because she got too good at some other jobs.
Whover has replaced her, it should be fun. But even more of a joke is the deputy minister, a long-serving Orang Ulu MP, also from the CM’s party, whose only knowledge of international trade and industry is staring at oil palm and acacia plantations coming up all over the Baram. Now this is a man who dare not even talk with his constituents when they want to talk about the land issue. And he is going to represent us in those international forums facing the sharks?
Let me tell you, many villages in Sabah and Sarawak do not even have proper basic amenities like water, electricity and proper road access or even clinics with proper Medical Officer and yet Umno-led BN can proudly bullshit in the MSM about how much development they have brought to the people of Malaysia. You’ll be surprised to see the MP of these areas are all from BN, who so call talk cocks and scare the locals that only they can bring development and prosperity, peacefulness and stability (whatever that dumb BN election motto). The question is, where are the results though millions was said to have been allocated for the rural development of Sabah and Sarawak? Out of naïve-ness perhaps, the locals have been voting this BN scumbags into power, without realising that they are voting for them to give them license to cheat them under their own noses.
One can never deny the level of poverty here is quite bad and go visit yourself to the villages here and see their living conditions. The program “Bersamamu’ in TV3 highlights about the cases of hard core poor in Peninsular mostly but some of the cases highlighted in the program is just ‘chicken-feet’ if compared to the living condition in some of the rural villages in Sabah/Sarawak. But all these have not been highlighted by the TV program or even in the MSM. Why???
Another pertinent factor to ponder is on the NEP as mentioned above, and also regarding Bumiputera status. This NEP thing is supposed to help the local Bumiputeras, everyone knows that but why still many in Sabah and Sarawak still living under the poverty line? Most Sabahan and Sarawakians are Bumiputeras in fact but how come then the NEP does not have any effect on them?
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Khaled said he would bring the issue about bloggers to the Cabinet although he was not the minister responsible.
Bloggers, he said, seemed to have become a big problem to the government as they deliberately covered up the truth about the government and because of their influence, people often took their views as news.
His concern was when the mind of the people became deviated after reading the blogs and the irresponsible attitude of bloggers who thrashed out responses in favour of the government.
“We are aware of the influence of blogs in the last election compared to newspapers. The government has tried to answer to their views in the blogs but they then erase the response. (ROTFLMAO!!!)
“Some views, I see, invite response in the blog but some don’t, and there are responses that have been erased by the blogger. After four years being fed by with absurd stories showing as though the government is bad, surely it brings problems to the government.”
This Khaled Nordin sure sounds very dumb to be a higher education minister. No wonder or education standard is going to the drain. Bloggers telling lies? Come on, Malaysians are smart enough to know the truth now. Many socio-political bloggers know their stuffs well, at least better than this Khaled Nordin. Oh, I wonder why suddenly the government is making bloggers as they were the giant killers in the previous election. I thought most bloggers are uneducated housewives no? And how dare this nincompoop to imply Malaysians who did not vote for BN are stupid and easily deceived by bloggers!!
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today said his “biggest mistake” in disastrous elections was to ignore cyber-campaigning on the Internet which was seized by the opposition.
The powerful Barisan Nasional coalition suffered its worst-ever results in March 8 polls that left five states and a third of parliamentary seats in opposition hands.
The opposition, which was largely ignored by government-linked mainstream media, instead waged an enormously successful online campaign using blogs, news websites and SMS text messages.
“We certainly lost the Internet war, the cyber-war,” Abdullah said in in a speech to an investment conference.
“It was a serious misjudgement. We made the biggest mistake in thinking that it was not important,” he said.
“We thought that the newspapers, the print media, the television was supposed to be important, but the young people were looking at SMS and blogs.”
The comments are a major about-face for the government, which had vilified bloggers, calling them liars and threatening them with detention without trial under draconian internal security laws.
In line with promises to reform after the humiliating election results, Abdullah said the government would “respond effectively” and move to empower young Malaysians.
“It was painful … but it came at the right time, not too late,” he said.
Wahai BN, especially Pak Lah and the gang, you guys are missing the point. It was not the cyber-campaign by bloggers or what cybertroppers, facebook groups blab la bla that led to BN’s disastrous results in the recent elections. It was not the cyber-campaign that led to BN’s disastrous results as the Internet only gave an avenue for the rakyat to release some tension and to vent their frustrations. Cyberspace helped each Malaysian realise that they were not the only ones who felt distressed but there were others who were equally frustrated.
Even if BN has campaigned in cyberspace it would still lose many seats because the people are fed-up with the lies and corruption they hear. The Internet just made it easier for people to get information that mainstream media had suppressed all these years. Even if they had put up a strong cyber campaign, similar in line with their print media, tv and radio, the result of the election would still have been the same.
BN lost because of their arrogance and blatant unfairness – not because they did not engage in cyber campaigning. The young people are looking at both the print media and the alternative media.
Rest assured that truth prevailed over lies or mere propaganda and threats. BN could have used the Internet and cyber-network to the maximum and would still have performed disastrously.
Please give credit to the rakyat who can differentiate right from wrong and truth from lies. Whilst the Internet and cyber-network did not really topple the government of the day, they certainly aided the opposition to uncover and expose the blatant lies and scandals which were the main reasons BN performed badly.
It was not the cyber-campaign that turned the tide. Rather it was the lack of truth and accountability that did.
“It was painful … but it came at the right time, not too late,” he said.
I think it is too late, Pak Lah. Bloggers are very generous people, so instead for you to scratch your head coming up with post mortems why Umno-led BN performed so badly in March 8th poll with your limited brain matter, we did it for you. From Malaysia-Today:
A “ Medical” Perspective on Why the BN Lost in the Recent Elections
Posted by labisman
Saturday, 29 March 2008
With the thrashing that they got in the 12th.GE, the BN is now in ICU and they are doing a post mortem to find out what happened.
To help BN with this task, the following medical report has been prepared to identify the diseases / illnesses that have been plaguing it and how these ailments have caused this sickening organization to become so sick that major surgery is now being considered.
Diagnosis
Overeating – gorged themselves and ate too much of the people’s money
Heart failure – did not have a heart to really care about the rakyat
Rectal cancer and constipation – did not expel all the shit from the system
Diabetes – fondness for sweet things, i.e. saying sweet things to try and con the rakyat ( in plain English, lying )
Stroke – stroked too much of their own ego and became too arrogant
Overworking – too busy running here and there cutting deals for own benefit
Alzheimer’s – forgot to play the proper role of an elected representative
Obsessive-compulsive neurosis – obsession with cleaning, especially sweeping things under the carpet
HP6 – a mutation of the deadly H5N1 ( bird flu) virus which manifests itself in the form of idiocy or semi-idiocy, thus the descriptor “ half past six ( HP6)”. Many members of the BN are infected.
VD – Very Deaf. Did not listen to the grievances of the rakyat and did not heed the healthy advice and feedback from bloggers.
Color Bind – a form of visual impairment which is directly the opposite of being color blind. There is a fixation on color and everything must always be discussed in terms of “color” – Malay, Chinese, Indian etc.
Liver problems – failure to de-Liver on promises
“Inverted Cerebranus “ – a new form of disease where the cerebrum and anus are transposed causing highly irrational and objectionable behaviour, like brandishing ancient weapons and ranting racial slurs and threats
Prognosis
Not good and definitely a terminal case.
Chances of recovery are 1 in a gadzillion, about the same odds as Osama converting to the Jewish faith and becoming a messenger of world peace.
Cure
No known cure. Euthanasia recommended.
Suggest to drink lacquer – at least it will ensure a beautiful finish.
By Political doctor
That is all for today.Happy reading!!
Posted in Articles, BN-ism, Blogosphere, Boleh-ism, Bolehland, Bootlickers, Democracy, Election, Idiocy, MISC, Malaysia Today, News, Personal, Politics, Rage, Sabah, Sarawak | No Comments »
Thursday, March 13th, 2008 1,634 views
I am flabbergasted. For all the hard work and efforts rallying people around Barisan Rakyat, it only take 3 days for DAP, well I should say YB Lim Kit Siang to ruin it all. I am sure many of us aware of the debacle around the candidates for Perak Menteri Besar. The result is final; a candidate from PAS will be the MB. I quote :
“The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah has consented to the appointment of Mohammad Nizar, 51, who is Perak PAS secretary, as the state’s 10th Menteri Besar, after the three parties submitted three names – Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham, 47; Perak PKR treasurer Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, 52; and Nizar, for the post.
Mohammad Nizar, who won the Pasir Panjang seat in the election, said Raja Dr Nazrin Shah conveyed the Sultan’s consent when the three leaders met him (Raja Dr Nazrin) at Istana Kinta.”
Now, what LKS did after the decision was announced? He wrote a post in his blog saying the DAP central executive committee (CEC) has not given any approval for the formation of a Perak coalition by PAS and called for a boycott of the Perak MB swearing in ceremony today. I quote LKS is his typical confrontational style :
“The DAP CEC has given approval for the formation of a Perak coalition government headed by DAP or PKR but not by PAS.”
Lim said DAP leaders, members and supporters are shocked at the decision to appoint a PAS assemblyman as Perak MB.
“DAP is prepared to accept DAP chairman and assemblyman for Sitiawan Ngeh Koo Ham or PKR Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi as Perak Mentri Besar. “As the appointment of Mohamad Nizar as Perak Mentri Besar representing the third and smallest political party in the proposed coalition has not received the mandate of the CEC, DAP Perak assemblymen will stay away from the swearing-in ceremony for Perak Mentri Besar scheduled Thursday.”
Now, do we need a statement like this at this time? When all Malaysians is hoping the Barisan Rakyat (BR) consists of PKR, DAP and PAS to stand united against Barisan Nasional? Malaysians just want to see unity among BR above the rest.
I personally think LKS is getting old and probably lose his touch on reading the sentiments on the ground. He probably did it to please his hardcore Chinese supporters for fearing the backlash DAP will receive if DAP agree to the appointment. He probably think Chinese voters will take it as DAP is working with PAS, the very party that is advocating Islamic rule and law. But, I think LKS got it all wrong this time.
1. DAP Perak already announced that any decision by the Sultan will be honoured. In his statement, state DAP chief, Ngeh Koo Ham said :
“All parties within the coalition have jointly agreed on the submission of the three names for his decision.
“We would like to impress upon the people that all three parties have unanimously agreed to fully endorse whichever candidate is chosen,” he said at the Perak DAP headquarters.
So why LKS came out with this statement after the decision is announced? Any objection from DAP CEC should be done before the Sultan’s decision, not after. LKS should know better how important it is to honour an agreement, and now he is doing the exactly opposite?! And what happened to the approval given by DAP CEC for the formation of Perak coalition government on the 9th March 2008? :
“The DAP Central Executive Committee, at its emergency meeting in Penang on Sunday, 9th March 2008, had given approval for the formation of a Perak coalition government comprising 18 DAP Assembly members, seven PKR Assemblymen and six PAS Assemblymen.”
Who is hypocrite now? MCA? MIC? UMNO? It makes no different if DAP is going to pursue this path.
2. DAP is still haunted by the ghost of 1999 when DAP lose most of the seats it contested, and feedback from the ground was that the voters punished DAP for working with PAS, especially even after PAS announced its Islamic State Document (ISD). So could it be DAP still suspicious of PAS? Nah, if it is true that back then in 1999 election, the non-Muslim especially Chinese voters walked away because they distrust PAS, the sentiment among the voters in 2008 election is totally opposite!!! The winning factor for BR is due to PAS toning down on their Islamist agenda making it easier for non-Muslims to vote for PAS.
To be honest, without PAS, Barisan Rakyat can never have Kedah, Perak and Selangor! If it’s not for Non-Muslim, Chinese and Indian voters who voted for PAS against UMNO, we wouldn’t have gotten so many states. And PAS has toned down their Islamic agenda so why DAP is still suspicious of PAS? DAP never able to do much dent to BN until now, until BR coalition is here. DAP on its own can dream on to wrestle those states from BN. It is PKR and PAS extra seats that give BR the majority in both Perak and Selangor. DAP only win in their traditional strong seats, plus few new seats in these 2 areas. I would say thanks to PKR acting as a middle man between PAS and DAP. And thanks to PAS for toning down their Islamic state rhetoric. Now, what DAP did to BR?
Like I said, LKS totally misjudge the voter’s mood this time around. What he wants? Losing relevance to a small group of narrow minded Chinese supporters or risk losing a majority support of a country?
3. By issuing this statement and boycotting the swearing in ceremony, it reinforces the perception of Malays that DAP is still Chinese chauvinist party, never change. Always crapping about all Malaysians Malaysia party, but the action proves otherwise. Cakap tak serupa bikin. Now, thanks to BN, UMNO has more bullets than they need to blast DAP and the coalition of BR. Read MSM today, The Star, NST all front page. Is that what you want? On top of that, the biggest mistake by LKS is, this will be interpreted as DAP showing disrespect to the Sultan. Not going to the swearing in ceremony of the MB would look like a mark of disrespect to the Sultan’s invitation. That is a very serious offence. This very approach will indirectly read by people on the ground especially the Malay voters as vehemently insult the Sultan. And the decision was made by Raja Nazrin Shah, a royalty that has his heart for the people. He is much a wise and very highly educated man, so we should trust him to know what he is doing.
My take is LKS opposes and boycotts certain issues too quickly sometimes, and his in your face attitude and propensity to shout too much actually does more harm than good. I hope I am wrong. I hope this is just another sandiwara, wayang just like the Fong Po Kuan nomination fiasco the other day, who by her abstaining from DAP nomination, tricked BN into endorsing her performance in the parliament. Anyway the damage is done. MSM is having a field day publishing this, BR especially DAP need to work harder to gain and maintain the confidence of the very people that voted them to office.
ps : I actually not intended to post this up, I have another post for today but I feel I need to say something as a supporter of Barisan Rakyat, I dread to see any of them making the wrong move.
Pss : I lost all my phone contact numbers due to some stupid problems with my mobile. I hard formatted it, so everything is gone. Those with my numbers, please send me a message with your name ? Thank you!
Updated 11.15am :
Okay, he apologized, read it at Malaysiakini and his blog. Anyway, damage is done, now let’s move on.
Posted in Barisan Rakyat, DAP, Lim Kit Siang, PKR, Politics, Rage | 14 Comments »
