Creating high value jobs: Malaysia budget vs S'pore budget

Creating high value jobs seems to be the second selling pitch of Najib administration after 1Malaysia. It is interesting to note that Singapore’s theme for their 2010 budget, according to their Finance Minister Mr. Shanmugarat, is “quality jobs higher income”. It will make interesting reading if a comparison is made.

The budget unveiled a master plan for the next 5 to 10 years to turn Singapore into a “world of opportunities” with total expenditure of S$46.4 billion (given total population of 3.7 million, it is approximately S$ 12,500 allocated per person; by comparison, 2009 budgeted government expenditure in Malaysia of RM220 billion shared by 28 million bumis and pendatangs (in jest) amounted to approximately RM7,800 person*).

* figures of Malaysia 2009 budget is derived from Teh Chi Chang’s excellent book entitled “The Budget : How the Government is spending OUR money


There are plenty of social aspect to comment about such as higher dependent relief for grand parents and parents, one-off topping up of CPF Medisave from S$200 to S$500 for all Singaporeans above 50 and allocation of S$200million each to citizen’s Medifund and Eldercare.

However, I am more intrigued by the budget’s effort to restructure and transform their economy which does not rely on natural resource, cheap labour or land mass. What ideas can Malaysia glean from them?


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Extract from the newpaper 23 February 2010 (front page news Subway sickos film upskirt video and post on internet")

Retrain, retool, restructure to recreate the S’pore super-value worker

Under the caption “SOFTWARE” I gather this mean mindset of the people

Retrain and retool the mind and mind set of Singapore bosses to workers : allocation of $S2.5 billion over 5 years for Continuing Education and Training.

# The Workfare Training Scheme (WTS)
Designated for low wage workers, if the employers send them for training, the government of Singapore will reimburse up to 95% of the payroll and course fee of the worker


Research: develop new ideas with the target that R &D make up 3.5 percent of GDP over next 5 years

# The Singapore Government to pump $2.2 billion into National Research Fund and will be boosted by another $S$1.5 billion

# S$450 million is to be allocated to government agencies over next 5 years to work with private-sector companies to help innovation driven companies to turn their R & D into marketable solutions. (the comparison is more stark when one think of the theme lobbying done by Malaysian chamber of commerce organized along racial lines)


Under the caption “HARDWARE”

Encouraging start-ups whereby innovative companies which can offer high value will be given room to enter into the economy and room to grow either via organic growth or mergers and acquisitions

# One-off tax allowance to defray up to 5% of acquisition costs, capped at $5 million.

# S$2.5 billion to be allocated as incentive for businesses to re-look at their work processes and re-design jobs to help workers create more value. (I like this, it allows existing companies to work smarter and better)

# Productivity and Innovation Credit^tax deduction for investment along the innovation value chain covering Research & Development, registration of intellectual property, acquisition of intellectual property, automation through technology or software

(note: While in Malaysia we have double deduction for approved research and reinvestment allowance^ for modernization of plant but, I stand to be corrected, registration and acquisition of intellectual property may be classified as capital expenditure and not tax deductible)

^ comparison

Singapore : Productivity and Innovation Credit lasting 5 years that will allow 250% deduction for expenditures on innovation focused activities such as R&D, intellectual property registrations or acquisition, employee training, automation and design

Malaysia : Reinvestment Allowance is available to companies engaged in manufacturing, processing and selected agricultural activities that reinvested for expansion, automation, modernisation or diversification.

RA can be claimed for 15 consecutive years and gives a company either 60% or 100% set off of qualifying capital expenditure against its statutory income.

- for Singapore, your tax credit is 2.5 times what you spent while in Malaysia, you can't fully claim whatever you have invested and the scope is much narrower




# National Productivity Fund
The Singapore Government is aiming to pump S$2 billion into NPF to provide grants to help enterprises with potential for large gains to innovate.



Under the caption “HEARTWARE” – I gather this mean mindset of the entrepreneur

#Nurturing better bosses

S$45 million set aside over 5 years for Spring’s Business Leaders Initiative which is an umbrella programme to attract young talent into SMEs and to groom the future generation of business leaders

#Nurturing start-ups

S$60 million over 5 years for successful angel investors by providing funds, mentor ship and access to business network and markets. (I think this, providing level playing field and unlike other places where opportunities are given according to relationship (guan xi), race etc)

An eligible angel investor who commits a minimum of S$100,000 of equity investment can claim 50% tax deduction on his/her investment at the end of a two year holding period.


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Turning to Teh Chi-Chang’s excellent write up again, the RM7 billion stimulus plan from Najib administration is spent on:

# minor projects, maintaining schools, roads and hospitals RM1.6 billion (what is the multiplier effect of this one? Negligible)

# skills training on tourism, health, construction, business outsourcing RM0.3 billion (a very small portion of the total)

# public transport system RM0.5 billion (I am still stuck in the jam)

# upgrade and maintain police station and army camps RM0.5 billion (when economy is down, why the solders need more houses?)

# build 25,000 low to medium cost houses (people are having trouble buying house for lack of income; not too much money chasing too little houses)

There is a glaring lack of capacity building and human capital focus. The only beneficiary I see is the contractors who are not subject to open tenders, hardware and construction material supplier and perhaps some foreign workers who repatriate our ringgit back to heavens knows where.


By comparison, an even better piece of work in “Democratising Malaysia’s Economy – Budget Strategies for Economic Transformation” by the DAP Economic Bureau, the “Communist-minded” DAP chaps (tribute to a recently independent Wakil Rakyat) came up with the following:

# Breaking up the federal monopoly of revenue and increasing the spending power, autonomy and power to borrow of the respective state government who knows their locality better (No more Penang buses runned by Putrajaya)

# Enactment of Unfair Contract Act to address the profiteering via lopsided public contracts such as the IPPs, toll concessionaires,

# Allocating 20% of Petronas surplus funds to building human capacity via a host of education and training schemes and cultivating brain grain and reverse brain drain.

# Expand on Centre of Excellence in Integrated Circuit Design to add value to human capital development and to bridge a link between research activities, institutions of higher learning, and SMEs based on the needs of the Industrial sector (read: try not to produce unemployable or ill-equipped graduates who waste more resource on re-training)

I am doing injustice to the above excellent and holistic budget presentation by quoting a few of the notables. I hope to write more on that some other day.

Give us a chance, PM asks Chinese

It seems that BN administration is banking on ruling by propaganda and advertising. From Mahathir's "Bersih, Cekap dan Amanah", to Badawi's "work with me not for me" and now Najib's "1Malaysia"

I remember this Malay proverb "Jangan ibarat ayam bertelur riuh sekampung"

If you are doing the right things, you need not advertise, we rakyat and tax payers can feel it ourselves.

Right now, what register in my mind is Malaysia getting unsafe, our purchasing power is threatened by rising prices (such as petrol, electricity etc) as well as a sense of dread on the impact of GST; as well as the constant accusation and name calling of non-Malays as pendatang, beggars, prostitutes and "certain irresponsible parties"; deflecting citizens claim for civil rights by calling such initiative as threatening one race's right, here is a gem of a plead that would nearly made me puke.


'Give us a chance’, PM asks Chinese

Since I am a "Chinese" (I prefer to call myself Malaysian) then I am entitled to respond since Najib asks me.

For us to trust UMNO and Barisan Nasional, we look at deeds and we look at the substance expressed by UMNO and BN. The actions and words must be consistent but it seems even Najib's No. 2 can be seen to be contradicting himself.

Muhyiddin under fire
21 Apr 09 : 8.00AM

FOR the week of 13 to19 April 2009, the Chinese media focused on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's controversial statement about the Chinese Malaysian community; reactions to the increasingly racist slant in articles published in Utusan Malaysia; and a Media Prima directive concerning the Altantuya Shaariibuu case.


Muhyiddin: BN has united the various races

PORT DICKSON, Oct 5 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will not allow any quarter to disrupt racial unity in the country and will promptly act against those who played up sensitive racial issues.

....................


"In BN, we want to focus on fostering racial unity. Alhamdulillah, the racial ties have been forged. If there are people who use racial issues to stoke anger and hatred, and thus create problems, we have the Sedition Act to deal with them so that they don't simply play up such issues."

Yeah sure, I am sure the Nasir chap, heroic Ahmad Ismail, Perkasa, Gapena and the jolly group of racial centric believers have their own opinion about the above as well and I would very much like them to publicised a holistic presentation of their nation building concept.

p.s. UMNO's sincerity might be assessed via this disclosure.


Gong Xi Fa Chai (Greetings and Prosper)? Can Malaysians Fa Chai?

Creating high value jobs is the most second advertised buzzword of Najib administration after 1Malaysia. Has anyone assess if the present administration has done the right things to move us towards that path?

In my humble opinion, the condition for creating high value jobs requires the following 3 basic conditions:

1) attracting the right industry and investors into the country
2) having the right type of human resource in the country
3) having the right commercial infrastructure and living condition for high earning professionals

How do we fare in the above 3 criteria above?

The Original Equipment Manufacturing market is now populated with much more lower cost destinations than 20 years ago and everyone knows the only way up for us is the right direction in the value chain.

We have been dabbling in oil and gas industry for 3 decades and along with financial service industry, these 2 are about the highest paying industry around but we lack a prominent presence in other lucrative business such as information technology (with the failed MSC and Cyberjaya), global logistics (PKFTZ) and high technology manufacturing like pharmaceutical products and robotics.

Come to think of it, our financial service industry lags behind that of Hong Kong and Singapore. We also lack research and development capabilities, tradition and inclination to develop new products, services, ideas and methods to keep up with an increasingly sophisticated and demanding global market. The most renowned creative people in Malaysia seems to be our battalion of Chinese musicians, product of SRJK( C ) who some people love to hate based on unsubstantiated allegations anyway.

We should be working hard on attracting the right kind of investor into Malaysia but I think our Deputy Prime Minister seems to be dismissive of rating reports intended for global investment community (I bet Perkasa is not among the intended recipient of the report).


PERC report is nonsense, says Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has dismissed a report by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), which claims that Malaysia is veering to­­wards instability, as “nonsensical



Sigh, the customer is always right, not the "cuss tumour"


Shell is one of the top employers in the world with their business records, tradition, willingness to promote corporate social responsibilities and yet when they choose to place their biggest refinery in Asia, they chose Pulau Bukom, an island off Singapore who has as much petroleum deposits as my condominium unit.


2) having the right local human resource would be 1 of the key reasons for foreign investors to come in. The right human resource can serve both as an effective work force and present a ready and lucrative market for the products and services produced.

At the moment, our English standard and university ranking is getting nowhere, we have laws against freedom of movement, speech and independence of thought by undergraduates, mass production of unemployable graduates who I wonder should be accorded a different and other more suitable status, UiTM undergraduates that seem to be bit sensitive about open competition and national policies that defeats the spirit of competitiveness, meritocracy and innovation.

While we poor millions and billions into human capital development, we seem to fail to retain the existing ones, losing talent, work force, our own consumer market and source of entrepreneurship


304,358 M'sians Migrated To Other Countries From March 2008 Till Aug 2009

(Bernama) - The Dewan Rakyat was today told that 304,358 Malaysians migrated from March 2008 till August this year.


Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay said the figure for 2007 was 139,696 citizens.“Among the factors for their migration were because of education, brighter career or business prospects as well following their spouses for Malaysians who married foreigners,” he said when replying to a question for Chua Tee Yong (BN-Labis) on the matter.


By and large, the pace of Malaysians is not as quick as Singaporeans let alone Hong Kongers. We are also not as effective and creative in our approach as the Americans and Europeans (A Swede told me that in his nation of 7 million, a guy there using pre-fabrication technology can build a stretch of road in a week when a bunch of Philippinoes would need 6 months to do – can’t verify if what he said was true but he was sober enough)


Do we have the right infrastructure to cater to the needs of high value professionals who work at great speed and relentless pace?



Investors put off by Malaysia’s high-cost, low-speed broadband

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Consumers in Malaysia pay some of the highest prices for broadband in the region, one major reason being the monopoly which state-owned Telekom Malaysia (TM) holds on submarine cable landing rights, a senior executive at a multinational company has asserted.


The living environment is also important to the high value investors and professionals whom many I believe belong to the category of “work hard, play hard”.

We need to protect them from crime and also traffic jams as their time is too valuable to be wasted in the only free car park in Kuala Lumpur. The productivity of our workforce and their quality of life also suffers as a result of this problem.

The recent social development in Malaysia includes apprehending non-muslim couples for holding hands, barging into the room of an American couple in Langkawi (no apologies or complimentary stay as far as I am ill-informed), church burning (I wonder what the investors of Christian faith think about all this), racist politicking (cow head boys etc) and a wonderfully proactive chamber of commerce chairman.

National Malay chamber sec-gen lodges report against Penang President

Written by Regina William, The Edge

The Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar has lodged a police report against Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMPP) president Rizal Faris Mohideen for allegedly threatening him and attempting to assault him at the Penang International Airport last Wednesday.

Abdul Rahim lodged the report at the Selayang police station on Feb 12.


Do we look as tasty as Hong Kong or Singapore for high value investors, professionals and their (decision making) spouse as a place to stay, work, play and bring up their children?

We have a lot to do and we do not have a lot of time. There are solutions but it has to come from inspired leadership with morale courage and some commonsense, the availability of which do not seem apparent to me

One last word for Dr. Mahathir whom I remember pouring cool water by saying creating high value jobs will push up cost of living.


Higher incomes result in higher cost of living, says Dr M


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — The people must be prepared to pay higher prices for goods and services if they want to enjoy higher incomes under the proposed New Economic Model, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir (picture) said today.

He said that the cost of living would have to go up under a high income economy as the government too would have to increase taxes and reduce subsidies.

“Without the cost of living going up, you cannot have higher income,” he told reporters when asked to comment on the New Economic Model.



Of course it does but Malaysia has sufficient land mass to have high earning high stress urban zones and other areas that hosts our agriculture sector and provide a less hectic and expensive living condition. Let's enable Malaysians to have a choice!

Anyway, the good Dr. did create a few high value positions occupied by Halim Saad, Tajuddin Ramli and a few people who knew each other well. The difference I would say, in the era of 2010s is that the creation process must be via level playing field, test of true capability of individuals and there has to be an aspect called the relative distribution of opportunities perhaps not fully considered by the good Dr.

Gong Xi Fa Chai (Greetings and Prosper)? Can Malaysians Fa Chai?

Racializing corruption

This country's institutions are getting more and more ridiculous.

Corruption is a criminal matter and in the aftermath of Teoh Beng Hock's incident, it is easy for commentators to point out that MACC appear to be a political tool.

Now I am absolutely flabbergasted by this,

MACC aims for support, speaks to the Chinese

MACC needs to public's support to combat corruption, not "Chinese support".

UMNO might need Chinese support, MCA might need Malay support, MIC might need ...I don''t know what they need, but MACC needs public support and independence.

I look at this development from different perspective to try and understand how this situation arises.

1) is MACC admitting that previously it has been pissing off the Chinese community by focusing on Chinese politicians?

2) if there is a solid case of corruption, MACC need not worry about pissing off the Chinese hence need to pacify them. You don't see PDRM launching an "Indian hears and minds road show" after Kugan's case garner spotlight.

3) in Malaysia, race base political gamemanship is the reality of life. MACC has openly declare it's participation into this arena hence is this an indication that MACC is very much a part of the political game and a tool when it's noble purpose is suppose to be combating corruption where this ailment cut across racial lines?

4) MACC appears to be suffering from want of leadership and sense of direction. Has this got anything to do with Badawi's last act of his premiership where the act was rushed through Parliament or has more to do with the instruction given by the MACC's new boss?

5) At the onset of Teoh Beng Hock's case, some bright brains commented that MACC is "a Malay institution,

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com.my/index.php/malaysia/33235-race-card-played-over-teohs-death-shows-umnos-desperation

Race card played over Teoh’s death shows Umno’s desperation
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Umno is not above playing the racial card when it comes to getting what it wants. Take the case of Teoh Beng Hock and the article written by New Straits Times Group managing editor Zainul Ariffin in the Berita Harian.Zainul likened the criticism levelled at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as an attempt by certain quarters to weaken a Malay institution.

It's no mystery or secret who these "certain quarters" he was referring to are and the question many opposition leaders and the public have been asking is this: since when did the MACC become a Malay institution

now MACC is running to Chinese community for support? What does Perkasa has to say about this? Is this the ground work for the next GE?

I just hope MACC focus on what it should be doing, banish corruption regardless of political affiliation, race, religion and what not. An act of corruption is an act of corruption. Period

There! He admit it himself!

If you need any more proof or admission that certain politicians speak with a fork tongue and are pure hypocrite.....

“I am not supporting Nasir Safar at all! I am supporting what he said. Let me just put it this way — there is a right forum to talk about Malay interests, and what Nasir Safar did was not right, talking like that in public^.

“If it was discussed behind a closed door session*, its normal, but he said it outside... what he said was not right,” said Rauf, who used to be the Umno Youth assistant secretary,” Rauf said.

^ so must talk cock in private? isn't it oh so good to come out of the closet, like Perkasa, BTN?

* closed door session but open to whom?

1Malaysia illustrated.

An open letter to Pakatan Rakyat and the Rakyat

I am writing this in an emotional stupour after reading the news about 5 judges ruling against Nizar as the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak. So perhaps I might not make a lot of sense.

Punters with no official capacity in coffee shops told me that they predict Anwar will end up with a conviction, posing a serious threat to the solidarity of Pakatan Rakyat, already under threat from the likes of Zulkifri Nordin, Hassan Ali and the few gentlemen up north plus some pretty partisan civil servants.

Will Pakatan rakyat crumble because of Anwar’s absence? Can Pakatan survive the exodus of those whose objective of being in Pakatan Rakyat is dubious in the first place? Can Pakatan Rakyat find a new leader amongst themselves to carry on?


Please do not let Teoh Beng Hock die in vain.

Please do not let those who braved the suffering from tear gas, physical assault and detention to make their stand known endured for nothing.

Please do not let the voters who voted for change felt they have backed a bunch of selfish, wishy washy and egoistic politicians.

Please do not let down those grass root people who worked hard, risked all and sacrificed time, career opportunities and comfort to contribute to the cause.


If Anwar is taken out of Pakatan Rakyat by imprisonment, then please agree on the composition of new leadership. It need not be an individual that heads all (we have that model already and it does not seem to work well all the time) but a council of leaders (and that would make chopping the head of the leader of the pack just a little bit harder).

Pakatan must carry on the good fight and bring bi-partisan into the reality of life in Malaysia. It is not a bad thing for the rakyat to have a choice. The Americans can choose between Democrats or Republicans; the Brits can alternate also between the Tories and Labour Party, so why can’t Malaysians have a choice?

For those good people in Pakatan Rakyat, please get the coalition registered, the basic principles agreed, kicked out those who do not embrace the noble principles we Malaysians yearn for. It would kill my spirit to see Malaysia being drag backwards when just almost 2 years ago, on 9th March 2008, the sun never shone so brightly as I trotted out to the swimming pool in my condo. I smiled at an Ah Pek and without a word spoken he understood and smiled back. Please do not let our hope, optimism and future fade away just like that.


I remember the dialogue in Rocky Balboa the movie to the effect that it does not matter how you got hit and fell but what matters is how you keep picking yourself up and keep going. Sun Yat Sen failed 10 times before kicking out the Manchurian dynasty. George Washington’s army suffered continuous defeat before emerging victorious and yep Alex Ferguson suffered a few bad seasons before creating the dominance of Manchester United in recent decades.

For those not so good people in Pakatan Rakyat, if you are a staunch defender of Opportunist Politics, Racism and Bigotry, you fit in rather well elsewhere. Please by all means.

For the rakyat of Malaysia, please for goodness sake grow up. VOTE! Assess the choices available to you. Great many among you equate your sacred vote to 5 years once goodie bag, dead man ang pow or whatever that really short charges you.

A Wakil Rakyat is not a santa clause, not a celebrity who attends weddings and funerals, not a back up plan for gaji buta municipal incompetents or a social worker.

They are supposed to assess and craft effective nation building policies. They are suppose to come up with smart ideas to move the nation to equal standing to the developed nations, not to look at your drains, fences, neighbour’s obnoxious pet (I heard that amongst complaints forwarded, some were against chickens and tortoise) etc.

If you have a complain, take it up with the municipal first before seeking the WR’s assistance.

For those people who march up to a Pakatan WR and threaten them that their vote would be lost next round if the WR do not entertain their unreasonable, trivial and selfish demands, please repeat the same threat to a BN WR and let me know the results of the 2 meetings.

For those arm chair critics and fence sitters, please engage the Wakil Rakyat, the PAs of WRs (excluding those who have access to trousers and KY jellies, you don’t want any trouble) and try to understand what sacrifices they are making and ask yourself whether you yourself are capable of doing the same thing.

For the good Wakil Rakyat, a little morale support, a little financial support goes a long way to help them deal with the sense of injustice, frustration and siege that you will never in your life time, can fully comprehend let alone take them up. Teoh Beng Hock lived with a salary of RM1,800 when he could easily double that by sitting before a desk in some big commercial organization and yet, what made him choose the path that led him to make the ultimate sacrifice. If Philippines have their Jose Rizal day, my household will have our own Teoh Beng Hock day!

Well I have said my piece. Ultimately, it is up to Pakatan Rakyat and the rakyat to decide. Please make a wise choice for yourself and your loved ones.

Stop hiding there is no place to hide anymore

I agree with Najib here.

Time for protection over, get used to it, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Malaysians must face new global realities and accept increased competition and removal of subsidies*, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

He said today that subsidies for industries must be restructured and gradually phased out to promote private investments.

“Giving freer rein to private initiative and market forces... has important consequences,” he said in a speech at an economic conference.

* where would the money go?

I agree Prime Minister but does Perkasa, UiTM and UMNO people agree with you on this aspect?

In a globalised economy, one must adapt to competition from abroad and yet day in day out we have this staple diet of Malaysian vs Malaysian, or Malays vs every other Malaysian. Faithfully and consistently upheld by Awang Selamat, Utusan Malaysia, Ibrahim Ali, BTN, blah blah blah...

The world does not owe Malaysia or Malaysian Malays for a living.

The sooner we face the world as 1 united nation the better. In the 1950's Malaya enjoyed windfall gains from sales of rubber during the Korean war. The Korean Peninsular was ravaged by the most potent weapons bar the atomic bomb and civil war of the most savaged kind (some of the tales I came across made my neck hair froze) and yet look at the Koreans now.

Pretty soon, China, Vietnam and Indian is going to overtake us.

As we aspire to be competitive, innovative and capable, the government must not forget its duty to assist the weak, disadvantaged and disable because I always held the belief that a government, elected or otherwise, has a morale duty to enable its citizens to live with safety and dignity.

While Najib says the nice things what are the right things to be done?

1) the government should take the lead - abolish the "protection" it afforded itself via ISA and OSA so as to be transparent, corruption free and walk talk and upright with no fear of being found dishonest

2) the citizens should aim for self-betterment - embrace new knowledge, language capabilities, technical capabilities, strive to become pragmatic or innovative etc. And NOT say/do stupid things like abolishing vernacular schools that gives Malaysia multi-lingual advantage, speaking English is funny , protesting against meritocracy etc.

The bottom line is, how much subsidy we can save and what do we gain from that?

Who's jumping ship now? What's happenin?

This article appeared in The Sun today. At the posting of this blog, several sites picked up the story as well. Thanks to a friend who alerted me.

Jeff clarified via a sms that he had been misquoted by The Sun and somehow The Sun had reported the story without speaking to Jeff. Wee Choo Keong is also surprised and shocked- he has no bone to pick with Jeff. I look up to both MPs- Jeff for his pioneering work in the socio-political blogosphere and Wee, for his fearless brazen attitude in the Parliament.

Now what's happening. It's ambiguous press reports like these that create havoc. What's the intention?

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5, 2010): Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong today demanded that DAP's Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi retract his statement that four PKR MPs will be crossing over to the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next 20 days.


Wee told a press conference that Ooi's statement had caused his name to be mentioned as one of the potential MPs to switch camp and he would like to categorically deny the accusation as he has no intention of joining any of the BN component parties or pro-BN parties.


He said DAP leaders play the "politics of tagging" whenever its leaders were faced with problems and they start a smear campaign to accuse others as being "BN agents, disgruntled politicians, jumping ships and etc" instead of addressing the real problems that have been highlighted.


"This is similar to the McCarthyism practised in America in the 1960s where most political problems faced by the power-that-be were said to be acts of sabotage by Communists.


"This style of low politics can carry on in the DAP, but must be stopped within the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) if we are serious in wanting to see a change of government in the 13th general election," he said.


Wee said Ooi has made a wrong political judgement if he thinks his "politics of McCarthyism" or "politics of tagging" will be able to divert public attention from the present controversies..


"It was most unexpected that Jeff Ooi saw it fit to drag me into the controversies by making irresponsible and unfounded allegations against me.


"I believe that due to the nature of his job and being a novice in politics, he had to do what he did.


"I do not like to sue politicians and newspapers but I am left with no alternative if Jeff Ooi does not retract what he had told theSun within 48 hours. I am sorry, Jeff Ooi, as I have to do what I have to do - just like you," he added.


theSun's Press Digest today reported that Oriental Daily had quoted Jeff Ooi as alleging that four PR MPs would cross over to BN in the next 20 days.


Ooi, who is also chief of staff to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, had named Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamad Hashim and Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng, adding that two more PKR MPs from other states would also jump camp.


The vernacular newspaper had also speculated that other than Wee, Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne might be crossing over the BN.


Ooi had said disgruntled PKR politicians were sabotaging the PR from within to kill two birds with one stone -- to test the leadership capability of Penang PKR Deputy Chief Minister Dr Mansor Othman and to create internal conflict in the state PR.


Left: Old Bloghouse pic. 


On Jan 29, Zahrain had criticised Lim as "dictator, chauvinist and communist-minded" and that PR should stop compromising with Lim as the latter had failed to deliver his general election promises.


On Wednesday, Tan also called for Lim to be removed as chief minister, saying the latter was a disgrace to the state and its people.


Wee today agreed with Tan that PKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali, strategic director and Batu MP Tian Chua, as well as vice-president and Subang MP R. Sivarasa, who were Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) leaders, should receive showcause letters and be probed under the disciplinary committee because of the status of the PRM.


He said these ex-PRM leaders did not appeal the High Court decision in July last year which ruled that PRM is still a valid party even after merging with PKR.


"The merger was a lie. These leaders must come out to explain to the public," he said.

Now Nasir say he is sorry IF you are pissed

So Nasir apologised and in consistent UMNO apology methodology too.

“I have clarified that I did not intend to make racist remarks or insult any races. But there those who feel otherwise and I have apologised for any offence.”
Another I am sorry if you are pissed. A qualified apology the most. Clarified to who?

“I would like to again openly apologise to all Malaysians for the remarks that are seen as racist. I really did not intend it that way"

Then by all means disclose your intention and state of mind as you performed your stunt then.

So Perkasa, are you still gonna backing up a slug of a fighter now? Ibrahim Ali called him a figther.

“People like Nasir are fighters so maybe he felt he had to say it,” he added.

Some fighter, this one.

If you look at the whole thing, it is nothing but just another smokescreen. Classic create a crises and solve the crises to gain a brownie point. But this time, a smokescreen that backfired. (Forgot to coordinate with your coalition partners perhaps? Some MCA and MIC attendees I heard left the 1Malaysia thingy in a huff, maybe lots of left overs for waiters and waitresses to ta-pau)

This stupid episode coincide with Teoh Beng Hock Inquest, Sodomy II, missing jet engines that pissed off Obama, PKFTZ, rumoured power grab in Selangor, religion terrorism (that maybe just another smoke screen as well).

Is this an attempt to try and appease both side of divide by its creator? Hishammuddin spoke of the reason for allowing Friday mosque protest before our own religious terrorism was "....dangerous if emotions are suppressed...". Gosh he was not talking about sexual addiction issues then and I am not talking about this as well (best wishes to Tiger Woods and John Terry...). Was there an itch somewhere that needed a scratch? A tension that needed release by a quick dash to the public loo.....

After 50 years of BN education system and social modelling, are Malaysians coming down to this gutter level of mentality and mannerism? Were we better when TV was still black and white with P Ramlee? If yes, then BN administration is responsible and accountable for this deterioration of environment.

When one's power hold is built on untenable contradictions and inconsistencies, there would not and will not be solid foundation for nation building.

The good thing that came out of this is that at least newspaper journalists have something to write about and an easier time to meet their deadline.

This little foray has further damaged Malaysia's image in the eyes of the world. For those who are still stuck in the time warp of 30 40 years ago, I wonder if they have the presence of mind to realise what they are doing to the image, reputation and future of the nation and rakyat.


Following up on Nasir Safar

Perkasa sticks to their guns, great.

"Now you are talking about Nasir Safar, but if you read Chinese newspapers, listen to the speeches, they are worse and look also at how DAP leaders dared to step on pictures of Malay leaders,”

Mind you, I have been reading Chinese newspapers like Sinchew, Nanyang, Daily Oriental, tabloids etc and none of them even come 200 miles close to the stupidity, provocative and ill-intention exhibited by Ibrahim Ali's idol.

Chinese newspapers should consider filing a joint suit for libel. Compensation can come in handy to defry operating expenses.

By the way, how does Ibrahim Ali come to this conclusion?

Of all places, the fler have to bark like that in a 1Malaysia event. There is a right place and a right time for something but then again there is no...what kinda politician is Nasir and I wonder how Najib picks his aide?

For any determined Malaysian woman of Chinese ancestory with or without financial issues, please check with any solicitor on the chances of successfully claiming damages from Nasir for calling her, her mother, her auntie, her sister, her sister in law, her granny, her best girl friend, her niece a WHORE. ;-P


Oh yeah, have you registered as a voter, and do you plan to vote next GE?

So Hishamuddin is opening a police file on him.

So is Perkasa going to hammer him for threatening a fellow Malay? I would support Perkasa coming out with their own GE manifesto and putting some candidates to run for poll. It would be interesting to see how they fare.

On Datuk Nasir Safar

‘’Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies”

"Indians in Malaysia have crossed the line. They force the government for 12 subjects in SPM. Don't force the government. We can anytime revoke the citizenship of the Indians in Malaysia."

with these few words, Dato Nasir Safar perhaps ensured iconic status amongst Ahmad Ismail brigade.

Base on the report here MIC and MCA are pissed but are we going to hear anything from Ong Tee Keat and Samy Vellu?

I am quite sure Dr KTK will stick Gerakan within BN coalition and not let this small matter of 1Malaysia Prime Minister Special Aide personal frolic went wrong.


"However, by acting swiftly to demand Nasir’s resignation within hours of his divisive remarks, the PM has contained some of the damage caused."

- in the first place why was he selected as a Personal Aide with Datukship to boot? I wonder what were the contribution, ability and track record that enable such a character to ensure these 2 accolade?

- the input of Datuk Nasir to Najib's policies and his remuneration package would make interesting public reading and I hope Najib can share with us. I am interested to know what kind of public servant my tax money was spent on.

- while pundits lament and predict demise of Pakatan Rakyat over the loose cannons such as Zul N and H, BN or UMNO specifically boast of the same talent genre and would you fail to notice these gene threads can be traced to UMNO, birth place of racist train of thought and irrational deductions?

Najib said UMNO is not a racist party, fine, what does the M stands for?

What about UMNO's stand? Anybody got any comments?

As for Perkasa, would they come out and back Nasir Safar? Should Perkasa demand Najib to retract Datuk Nasir's resignation? They should if they are what they claim to be. Notice Perkasa's stand on church attack? I do not hear even a whimper, come to think of it.