Did the Budget 2011 address the widening income gap?

Senator Dr. S Ramakrishnan,

The much awaited budget 2011 was tabled in parliament on Friday 15th Oct, 2010 with the promise that we are on the path of transformation. Earlier the 10th Malaysian 5 years plan was launched with specific target of attaining high income economy. With all the high growth from 1990 to 2007, the middle 40% and the bottom 40% of household’s income level recorded only a moderate growth.

A World Bank study found that the wage trend in Malaysia has recorded only an annual 2.6% growth during the past 10 years. A study on wages initiated by the Human Resources Ministry reveals that almost 34% of about 1.3 million workers in the country still earn less than RM700 a month. Malaysia’s gini coefficient grew marginally from .456 in 1987 to .459 in 1997 but dropped slightly to .441 in 2007. Malaysia is 101th out of 127 countries in terms of gini coefficient. Looks like Malaysians are caught in the low income trap unless some drastic step is taken.

Did the budget 2011 outline any strategies to uplift the lower income group to higher? Minimum wages is once again postponed and left with the wages consultative council. Looks like the government really dragging its feet on minimum wages. No political will due to the pressure from Malaysian employer’s federation not to yield to workers demand. Only security guards got a confirmation of minimum wages between RM 500 to RM700 that is below hardcore poverty limit of RM720. How to increase productivity of lower wage earners?

As for education, funds are allotted to principals of high performance schools. How is high performance measured when UPSR and PMR are converted to school based examinations? The prime minister has pleased his wife with his generous allocation of RM111 million to PERMATA, his wife’s pet project. How inclusive is PERMATA in recruiting staffs and students of all races be in estates, squatters, new villages or kampong is yet to know. RM250 million for Chinese, Tamil, missionary and Religious school but no details are given. The devil is in the details. RM576 allocated to develop teachers competency. Billions were spent to teach mathematics and science in English. But after 7 years the whole project shelved. A further RM 213 million allocated to enhance BM proficiency and recruit 375 UK and Australian teachers to teach English. All these measures will upgrade the quality of education is yet to be seen.

Talent attraction measures are all about increasing the number of PhDs and upgrading lecturers and implementing skill programs. All these initiatives must be market driven to meet the market needs. It is important to reevaluate the effectiveness and results of all the various programs implemented and conducted in the past years. Lots of money was already spent on training programs. Graduates upon completing university studies need retraining. We need state of art training, forward looking attitudes and proactive initiatives. Real quality researches are not promoted in Budget 2011. Why not develop and nurture local talents. If only the government remove the racially colored glasses they can see talents within the country in estates, urban squatters and new villages. 50% of engineers and doctors in Singapore are from Malaysia. All the government has to do is provide scholarships to all students who excel in their public examinations. Gave them equal opportunity and promoted them fairly while in government service. There will be abundant of talent.

Having said all these, this budget is like any other earlier budget about awarding projects. Construction industry as usual is the main beneficiary. Tallest building and many more projects awarded to GLCs and cronies but nothing to ordinary SMEs and small time businesses. No innovative ideas to reduce traffic jams besides MRTs to be completed in 10 years time. This budget doesn’t seem to be transformational and evolutionary nor is it 1Malaysia in character. It’s all rhetoric with little substance to reduce the income gap.

One held over teen's rape and murder

TELUK INTAN: A 21-year-old man has been arrested over the rape and murder of teenager M. Divya Barathi, whose body was found in a drain in the Rubana oil palm plantation, 8km from here, last Friday.

Hilir Perak district police chief Assistant Commissioner Goh Kok Liang said the suspect, who was picked up from his house at the same estate early yesterday, has been remanded for a week to facilitate investigations.

Goh said police had also released a 16-year-old student from SMK Horley Methodist (ACS) here, who was allegedly the victim's former boyfriend.

"We recorded his statement and initial investigations revealed that he was not connected to the case."

As investigations intensified, family and friends of 16-year-old Divya Barathi were still coming to terms with her murder.

They felt that Divya Barathi would have been alive today if she had only listened to advice and not used the shortcut through the plantation.

Her mother, P. Letchumany, 35, said her husband would usually pick up Divya Barathi when the bus dropped her off at the guardhouse at the entrance to the estate.

"The guard would call and inform my husband and he would pick her up on his motorcycle," she said.

On Thursday, the day before she was murdered, Divya Barathi had walked from the guardhouse by herself until someone spotted her and informed her father.

Her father, K. Murali, 43, a security guard at the estate, immediately got on his motorcycle and picked her up.

"She didn't like to trouble her father, and now she is gone."

Murali, who was holding on to his daughter's biodata book when met at their house, said he wished he had known his daughter better.

"I didn't even know her favourite colours... now I know it's black and red."

Recounting the day his daughter went missing, Murali said he had been up all night looking for her since 7.30pm.

"I called her best friend, Miena, and she told me that she had reached home by 5pm. I quickly got my friends and family together to look for my daughter. We also lodged a police report."

He said the search party had passed by the place where her body was eventually found several times.

"We shouted out her name all around the estate but she was eventually found just 100m away from my front door.

"I saw her mud-covered body and the way her killers tried to hide it with leaves. It just broke my heart and I collapsed," he said, adding that his friends carried him home.

"If she had fulfilled her dream to be a teacher, she would be have been a role model to her sisters.

Murali has three other daughters, aged 3, 6 and 12, and an 18-year-old son.

Meanwhile, Divya Barathi's classmate and best friend, R. Miena Lochani, 16, said she was the last person to be with her before she was murdered.

The two girls had attended a study session to revise for a Bahasa Malaysia paper on Monday. The two took the bus home around 4.30pm.

"When the bus reached my stop, I asked Divya Barathi to come with me as her father could pick her up from my house. That's what she usually did if we had to stay back at school.

"Divya Barathi refused. She said her father had just received a bonus and she wanted him to buy a gown which we had been eyeing. We had planned to get matching gowns for Deepavali," Miena said when met at her house in Taman Maju Indah here yesterday.

Miena, who broke down during the interview, said she should have tried harder to make Divya Barathi come home with her.

"I couldn't concentrate on my exams. I keep seeing her face. I just can't believe that my best friend is dead."

Muhyiddin: End race debates now

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 – Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tonight called for an end to racial debates and warned parties not to question Malay and Bumiputera special rights, as laid out in the Federal Constitution.

“Racial debates must stop, not tomorrow or the day after, but now. Let there be no groups that question Malay and Bumiputera special rights,” Muhyiddin (picture) told some 2,400 Umno Wanita, Umno Youth and Umno Puteri delegates at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

“Debates about racial issues without limits can incite provocation that will ignite racial sentiments. Surely we do not want a spark of anger to set off an explosion that destroys all the peace, prosperity and unity we have built.”

“Umno’s reluctance to openly condemn allegedly racist statements by two school principals and a National Civics Bureau (BTN) official have sparked intense public debate in recent months over the party’s commitment to the prime minister’s inclusive 1 Malaysia concept.

Reprising his role as defender of Malay rights in Umno’s two-faced strategy to appease Malay and non-Malay voters alike, Muhyiddin stressed that Malaysia’s rapid progress owed much to the “social contract” hammered out by the country’s founding fathers.

However, the party deputy president denied that Umno’s fight to uphold this “inclusive” social contract agreed upon by Umno, MCA and MIC following independence was racist, as detractors have claimed, arguing that the social contract guaranteed minority rights as much as it did Malay rights.

“Racial rights... are fought for within the framework of understanding that all races are guaranteed rights and equal treatment,” he said.

“In this context, the race-based politics practised by Umno is not a form of racist politics. Racist politics means we only place importance on our own race and oppress other races.”

Muhyiddin said that, while the Malay ruling party has never lost sight of its struggle to uplift the Malays, it also understood that sharing political power and economic spoils between races was the best way to ensure peace and prosperity in multi-racial Malaysia.

Cashing in on Umno’s track record at the helm of Barisan Nasional (BN), Muhyiddin said the party’s success in steering the country away from the violent racial conflict which marked other nations as proof that it was as pragmatic as it was idealistic when it came to fighting for Malay rights.

“History bears witness that, when Umno leads, not only Malays benefit, but other races as well,” he said.

The Pagoh MP hit out at Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for not being equally principled, claiming the power-hungry opposition coalition was “like a chameleon” that only knew how to play to the gallery for short-term political gain.

Zaid says ‘unworthy’ to focus solely on saving Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 – Datuk Zaid Ibrahim asserted today that securing justice for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should not be PKR’s sole struggle as it was “unworthy” to become a “one-issue party”.

The maverick politician, in what appears to be a part of his campaign strategy for the PKR deputy presidency race, wrote in his blog today that the party needed first to fix itself before thinking about fixing the nation.

“Our coalition partners deserve better from us. While we need to secure justice for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, there are so many more injustices facing the people of this nation that require our attention,” he charged.

He added that the party needed to pay attention to those they sought to represent, reminding members that the people were clamouring for economic and social justice and the right to be treated with respect and dignity.

“It is unworthy of us to reduce this party to a one-issue party. It is unworthy for those we seek to represent.

“We are not merely the party of reformasi but also of reform. My interest is in that future,” he said.

The former Umno minister’s latest dig at PKR is one of many criticisms he has been slinging at the party of late.

Zaid (picture) had once warned that PKR would turn into a second Umno if its present pool of leaders were not changed.

He also rejected outright Anwar’s warning to bypass Umno-owned media like Utusan Malaysia and insisted that the paper’s relentless attacks against the PKR de facto leader could have stemmed from the boycott.

He has also made explicit insinuations that supporters of Azmin Ali, his leading contender in the three-way deputy presidency race, were responsible for the hurdles he was facing in his tilt for the number two post.

Already, Zaid has been seen as entering the deputy presidency race alone but his latest judgement on PKR may further widen the growing chasm between himself and the party’s top leadership.

Despite this, Zaid continued to hold his ground today and insisted that his bid for the deputy president’s post was not about positions or power play.

“It isn’t about who is next. It is about what is next,” he said. He reminded members that the party was the first in the country to hold direct elections, pointing out that this meant that every member’s vote counted.

This, Zaid stressed, allowed them to elect leaders based on principles and not just “blind loyalty”.

“While other candidates harp on their ability to protect Anwar, I believe he has mustered the best legal team to protect him.

“I, too, care about him and his family but above all, it is the struggle and interests of the people that is paramount.

“And I know that the party members will be able to make that distinction,” he said.

Waiting for a social budget

By Maclean Patrick - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT What is it about budgets that seem so not right?
Probably because we all come up with one, yet keeping to it seems almost close to impossible. A budget also reveals how much money we are willing to spend and especially in a government budget, no figure is good enough to satisfy all the demands from the voting public.

The yeas and nays will prevail long into the night; often times it seems we talk too long and too much about the budget than in actually carrying out the plans the money was set apart for. This we leave to the wise August House, as the voting public wait and watch to see if the money allocated ever reaches the masses.

And this is the problem I see in this budget. How much will actually reach the masses?

With all emphasis that Budget 2011 is a people’s budget, it is still, at the root of it, a development budget.

Huge amounts of taxpayers' money is allocated to build and create industrial areas, holiday resorts in remote areas, even a 100-storey mysterious “Warisan Merdeka” costing RM5 billion, to name a few.

A large part of the money is to be channelled into brick-and-mortar projects and vaguely named ideas intended to lift the income of the public. Money in the pocket is always a good thing for a select few who corral the bulk of the building projects in Sarawak.

What is needed, for Sarawak and the nation in general, is a social budget.

A budget that is weighted towards uplifting the general public and creating opportunities for all to excel. Though Budget 2011 has glimpses of a social budget, some areas are left to the imagination of lay people like us to cipher.

For example, the implementation of the 1Malaysia Training Programme by Community Colleges, National Youth Training Institutes, Giat Mara and Industrial Training Institutes to commence in January 2011 with an allocation of RM500 million.

It sounds like money well spent with emphasis on training and education, yet the biggest question is, what is the 1Malaysia Training Programme?

The mysterious project

And then, there is this mysterious 100-storey Warisan Merdeka costing RM5 billion. Is this a landmark to show-case Malaysia or a mere attempt at leaving behind a monument to one’s own name? Because, RM5 billion can be put to better use, building basic infrastructure in the interior of Sarawak. What or how would Project Warisan Merdeka benefit the people? A radical idea would be to take RM27 million and turn the roughly 27 million Malaysians into millionaires by giving each and every Malaysian a million ringgit. And RM27 million is a small fraction of the RM5 billion allocated to create a landmark. Are not the Petronas Twin Towers good enough?

And if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's ultimate goal is to increase the income bracket per Malaysian, then why was minimum wage left out?

No doubt it will increase the over-head for the government in terms of basic wages for its civil servants but in the long run, it puts money directly into the hands of working Malaysians. It would encourage Malaysians to seek employment, since the benefits of working are clearly visible in the form of ringgit notes in their wallets.

But putting money into the hands of everyday working Malaysians is not enough, when the cost of living is on a continuous rise. This in itself is pushing more and more Malaysians into a state of financial inadequacy. Rural folks in Sarawak feel this pinch the most, as the cost of products rises the further inland you go. Looking through the budget, there was no mention of the fuel subsidy. And no news is bad news indeed.

So what good is a people-friendly budget when it leads to a higher cost of living? The budget may create an atmosphere for better living but at a price few Malaysians will ever be able to afford. And this is the irony hitting those living in Sarawak.

We may have the best-looking buildings or cheapest tolls, but they are only confined to Peninsular Malaysia while those living in the longhouses of rural Sarawak struggle to keep their native lands from being raped by timber companies making a quick buck.

For right now, try explaining the need to spend RM5 billion on a new landmark when seven longhouses in the Sebangan/Sebuyau area are fighting for dear life to keep their lands from being plundered by a company with ties to the current establishment.

What use is a people-friendly budget when the Land and Survey Department and the Forestry Department seem to contradict each other on the status of the Sebangan/Sebuyau native customary lands?

What is really needed is not a people-friendly budget, which is friendly to people in the construction business but rather a social budget that puts taxpayers' money back into the hands of taxpayers.


It is too soon to rejoice over the fact that Malaysians can now own more than one handphone, but I would rejoice at the end of 2011 when I can clearly see in actual numbers and figures that Malaysians are truly high-income earners.

Maclean Patrick is a webmaster in Sarawak

Muhyiddin: Umno will not be apologetic on Malay rights

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin told delegates at the party's annual general assembly today that there is no need for his party to be apologetic when defending Malay and Bumiputera rights but insisted such posturing is not racist.

The rallying call was made amid strong words by party president Najib Tun Razak earlier today that the party must strive to reclaim its "centrist roots" as it struggles to fend off accusations that Umno, which has helmed power since independence in 1957, thrives on communal politicking.

Calling it "inclusive Malay politics", Muhyiddin said facts have shown that the country and non-Bumiputeras have prospered under Umno's leadership which he claimed is based on the principle of fairness and justice.
"We don't have to be apologetic when we fight for the rights and interests of the Malays and the Bumiputeras," he said when opening the assemblies of Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings simultaneously .

"History has shown that when Umno leads, not only the Malays prosper, but all races too. It is also not necessary for us to be apologetic to defend the identity of the Malays, to be proud as Malays... as long as we are fair to all races," he added.

Extremism and 1Malaysia

Umno is currently forced to work hard in regaining the non-Malay votes after its dismal electoral performance in the 2008 general election when the Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition with the Malay party as its lynchpin, lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in decades while four states fell into the opposition's hands.

A major outcome of the historic election two years ago was the exodus of non-Malay votes towards the opposition. It also witnessed the crash in investor confidence in the economy. Shoddy fiscal discipline and Umno-encouraged Malay patronage have been blamed for the slow erosion of Malaysia's once competitive edge in the global economy.

Najib has been on the offensive charm ever since he took office in April 2009, crafting themes to appease the non-Malay votes like 1Malaysia and vowed to play fair by opening up the economy for more non-Malay participation.

But observers say the stumbling block to his reform efforts -- for Umno and the government -- remains within his own camp. Hawks within his own party and right-wing groups like Perkasa have raised doubts if Najib can see through the implementation of his reform efforts.

Muhyiddin blamed Umno's difficulty to regain lost non-Malay support on the extremism of "certain quarters" who are growing louder in questioning the special position and rights of the Malays. The swipe is believed to be targeted towards not just the opposition, but right-wing groups like Perkasa.

"Even though generally the race relations in this country remains good, there are still some voices who question the special rights of the Malays, the Bumiputeras and the rights of other races. If this is not managed well, it will create a situation in a multi-racial society that their rights which are protected by the Federal Constitution are corroding".

He then blamed the ongoing open debate on race as the reason behind the difficulty in achieving national unity.

"The distrust between the races must be contained immediately. The racial debate must be stopped, not tomorrow, not the day after but now. No one should question the special rights of the Malays and Bumiputeras or the rights of other races," he said.

Protecting the rights of other races will not in anyway affect Umno's struggle for the Malays, Muhyiddin said.

In a move seemingly aimed at appeasing the delegates, he reiterated that Umno will not abandon its clarion call to protect and defend the special rights of the Malays.

Race-based policy to continue under NEM

The heated debate on special Malay rights has taken centre-stage recently when Najib announced his intentions to open the economy amid widespread admission by government leaders that the race-based affirmative action under the New Economic Policy has failed.

This will be carried out under Najib's supposedly neo-liberal New Economic Model (NEM). The Malay electorate, however, has not swallowed the proposition well, especially among Umno members who have benefited from the old economic regime.

Fear of losing its Malay votes which form Umno's power base has prompted Najib to maintain the race-based affirmative policy albeit at the expense of investor confidence, which has been shaken by fear that Najib lacks the political will to carry out reforms.

The hardest battle remains to convince his own party members that the Malays will not be forsaken under the NEM. This was echoed by Muhyiddin who assured Umno members that the race-based affirmative action will continue under the new model.

"Affirmative action will continue under the NEM. Umno will never back away from its founding principle to enhance Malay and Bumiputera economy. We will not be apologetic to fight for a fair economic distribution to the Malays and the Bumiputeras."

Battle of will keeps Hulu Selangor PKR on edge

By FMT Staff

PETALING JAYA: The status of the Hulu Selangor PKR division continues to be mired in uncertainty following a battle of will between the winner of the divisional elections and the party leadership.

Party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is insisting that fresh elections be held in the division, claiming that the polls conducted last month was invalid due to discrepancies in the total number of votes cast.

However, Nazar Yakin, who won the divisional chief post last month, is against the idea. He argues that the party's decision to declare his victory invalid was mooted in “a ploy to ensure someone else who is close to the leadership wins”.

“I agree that there were some discrepancies in the number of cast votes but that could have been solved on the day of the divisional election itself. The election officers knew there were extra number of votes but they still counted.

“Would they have declared the process to be invalid if someone else apart from me had won?” he asked.

In the contest, Nazar defeated six other candidates, including his closest rivals Radzali Mokhtar and Khalid Jaafar, a loyalist of deputy president aspirant Azmin Ali. Nazar had won by a slim 37 votes.

Nazar's team had then backed Zaid Ibrahim for the deputy president post. However, their victory was shortlived as Saifuddin announced that fresh elections should be held, even before the party's election committee could rule on Nazar's appeal.

Pact among rivals
To counter the decision to hold fresh elections, Nazar, working on the advice of certain election committee members, sought to gain the cooperation of all the contenders for the division's chief post to agree to abide by the results of the original election.

Last night, Nazar and his two closest rivals signed a pact to allow the former to be the divisional chief.

“However this morning, one of the signatories has indicated that he wants to pull out so that he can contest and win the divisional chief post,” a source close to the deal told FMT.

When contacted, Nazar said that the pact was signed and it was not possible for anyone to pull out now.

He added that he would be submitting the agreement to PKR headquarters soon so that fresh election need not be held.

“This is also what the PKR members in this division want. Let's not hassle them further by asking them to come out again to vote. They have done their democratic duty and I don't see any major issues with the conduct of the election. Let the results stand and let us concentrate on winning this seat back in the next general election,” said Nazar.

Another contender who fared badly in the last round is also hoping for fresh election so that he can win this time around. This contender also refused to be part of the pact.

“He is making his visits to the estates in particular, urging the Indian party members to vote for him. He is playing the race card,” a local community leader told FMT.

State exco's unseen hand

The community leader, who openly supports Nazar, said the Indian contender seemed to have the backing of Selangor state exco member Dr Xavier Jeyakumar.

“It looks like Jeyakumar wants to take advantage of the uncertainty in Hulu Selangor to strenghten his own base. As state exco in charge of estates, he carries weight among the party members in the estates,” the community leader added.

When asked for comment, Nazar said he was surprised by the move of the contender to play up the race cards to win fish for votes.

“He performed terribly last month. He had no support. Now he wants a re-election because of the so-called support from Jeyakumar. The party should not allow this. Enough of politicking. Let me and my team get on with our work,” he said.

FMT also learnt that Nazar's appeal to let the results stand, especially with the agreement he has inked with his rivals, will be decided by the election committee headed by Molly Cheah.

“However, the question remains if the committee is independent, especially when two of its members are close relatives of Jeyakumar.

“Will Cheah be able to decide without being influenced by party leaders who have their self-interest (to take care)? And will the party agree with Cheah's decision?” asked an aide to Nazar.

Hulu Selangor is seen as a prized division as it has the largest number of members – almost close to 8,000.

Forget Manmohan, let Najib open Little India

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

IPOH: The Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) Youth wing does not want Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to open the “Little India” in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

According to MMSP Youth, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin was more qualified for the task.

The wing's chief N Ramu said Manmohan was not the right person because of his government's failure to protect the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

“We feel the New Delhi administration virtually did nothing to protect Sri Lankan Tamils. He just folded his hands and watched thousands of Tamils being killed.

“His government’s non-action has seriously hurt the sentiments of Malaysian Tamils, who make up 85% of Malaysia's Indian population,” he added in a statement.

Urgent action

Ramu pointed out that even though numerous reports from the United Nations and independent human rights groups called for urgent action to save the Tamils, “Manmohan was voiceless, action-less and care-less to save the besieged community”.

“He simply ignored and neglected his duties to intervene and stop serious violations of human rights taking place right at his doorstep.

“Until today, thousands of Tamils are suffering without shelter, food and safety but India’s political leadership remains deaf, dumb and blind,” he said.

The Youth wing plans to submit a protest memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

Given Brickfields' strong link with the Tamil diaspora, Ramu said Manmohan opening the township would draw condemnation from Tamils around the world.

“We hope Manmohan would self-restrain from officially opening Little India to avoid hurting Malaysian Tamils' sentiments,” he added.

Where is Sulaiman?

Annointed successor no longer? Sulaiman Rahman Abdul Taib had received his father's blessing to take over his seat

Kuching is once again awash with rumours about the health of the ‘heir apparent’, the Chief Minister’s son Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib.  Because government controlled newspapers dare not allude to what has clearly become a serious problem, Sarawak Report regards it as its duty to demand that the Taib family explain to the constituents of Kota Samarahan what has happened to their elected representative to the Federal Parliament?
Sulaiman, who was elected to his father’s old seat in 2008, resigned from his post as Deputy Tourism Minister back in December last year for what were described as ‘personal reasons’.  The speculation at the time was that he wished to return to Sarawak to begin taking over as Chief Minister, which is clearly his father’s keen desire, if only to protect the family fortunes.
Disappeared!

101 Harrison Street, San Francisco - Rahman lost this whole office block through early mis-management of the property company Sakti

However, the truth is that young Sulaiman had spectacularly under-performed in his role as Deputy Tourism Minister, as with nearly every other role that has been conferred upon his youthful shoulders.  Sarawak Report detailed in previous posts how he failed to manage the property companies which his father bestowed upon him in the United States and it is common knowledge that he was later removed from the Board of RHB Bank owing to his non-performance as well.
Indeed, far from coming back to Sarawak to take over, Sulaiman has now disappeared entirely from public view.  Opposition MPs point out that he is in fact the only MP who has not put one foot inside the Federal Parliament building for the entire past parliamentary session and they are criticising him, quite rightly, for failing to perform the job he is paid by the public purse to do, which is to represent his constituents.
The DAP member Charles Santiago has told Sarawak Report that he will be raising a question in Parliament shortly if an announcement explaining Taib’s absence is not made.
Is Sulaiman suffering from a life-style related disease?

Sulaiman Taib - famously fun-loving

This brings Sarawak Report back to the rumours.  Why not announce it if he is ill, when people would surely sympathise?  The failure to explain the situation is giving unfortunate credence to the widespread and powerful rumours that the MP may be suffering from a self-inflicted, lifestyle disease. 

This would indeed be tragic for the Taib family, but in their public position they cannot conceal it if he is no longer able to carry out his duties.  Neither should a party like BN, which whips women who have a drink and bans homosexual activity on the pain of decades of imprisonment, seek to hypocritically conceal matters when one of its favoured sons falls foul of its own prohibitions. 

So, if Sulaiman is not ill could the family please retrieve this previously high-profile dilettante back out of the closet?  Conversely, if he is ill and being treated in Canada (as insiders suggest)  it is their duty to tell us that he is and what for.
History of debauchery has fuelled rumours

Come and join the young Taibs and their cool friends for a party! - A facebook invitation

Meanwhile, the weighty silence is causing onlookers to start to reach their own conclusions about Sulaiman’s condition and to reflect on the lifestyle of the youthful multi-millionaire.  It has led many people to remind themselves and each other that money, by which the Taibs set so much store, is not always an unmitigated blessing or the solution to all evils.

In fact, thrown at a young person in unlimited quantities money is a very dangerous commodity and Taib’s largesse towards his own family may very well have sown the seeds of their destruction. 

The Chinese wisdom that it is the first generation that makes the money; the second generation that enjoys it and the third that destroys it (along with themselves), appears to have skipped a generation in this extreme case, straight to the final scenario.

The next generation - this is how Taib nephew, Yakub Tufail promotes himself on facebook.

For it is not just Rahman Taib who has been raising eyebrows.  Other younger family members have also clearly been failing to provide the example of ‘good muslim behaviour’ so strictly demanded of others by their parents, as photographs on this page bear out.

Spoilt?

‘Rahman’, as he was known in the United States, seems to have picked up his ’brat pack’ lifestyle during his college years when he lived unsupervised in San Francisco (North America’s liberal, ‘gay capital’).  The recently deceased Ross Boyert, who was brought in to manage the family’s US properties, which the young Taib had proved spectacularly unable to do, testified to Sarawak Report that the boy was an unconstrained consumer with hedonistic tastes.

At least it's her husband! Is Taib niece Anita Tufail a good Muslim wife?

Fast cars, fancy clothes and night-clubs were his focus, according to Boyert, along with all the dangers that went with it.  Boyert testified in his letter to his father Abdul Taib Mahumd (see previous story) that the concerns among American business associates were that Rahman was siphoning the money his father had given him to manage various properties into fuelling this lifestyle.
He informed Taib how Sean Murray’s brother-in-law, a contractor, had looked in Rahman’s bank book and spotted a balance of US $4 million, even though the boy had said that his father had provided nothing to pay for much needed renovations to a key office block.  Managers were forced to find loans instead.

 “Previously, Nicholas, in an attempt to allay my fears about our dire financial condition, had offered that while staying at the Presidio residence he peeked in Rahman’s check book noting a balance somewhat over $4,000,000. I relayed this breach of confidence to Rahman.”  (excerpt from Boyert letter to Chief Minister Nov. 2006)

Leaving under a cloud
Boyert also told Sarawak Report that the young Taib had left San Francisco under a cloud.  Unseemly photographs and an ‘extortion attempt’ had been involved, he alleged.  The incident had provoked such a furious row with his wife Anisa, the daughter of Deputy Chief Minister George Chan, that Rahman had picked up a fire extinguisher and smashed it into his hundred thousand dollar Bugatti.  Ross had to take the car to have it fixed and after this episode he rarely communicated with Rahman who left the United States.

TV Presenter, Avaa Vanja Ramli - Sulaiman 'punched, pushed and strangled' her when she complained about another mistress

However, rumours of continuing bad behaviour and serious ill-treatment of his wife have followed Rahman back to Malaysia.  Famously, in 2003, Rahman entered a popular K L bistro with one mistress only to be confronted by another, a jealous Pop TV presenter, Avaa Vanja Ramli.  He allegedly responded by viciously attacking the girl, a tendency for which he has a bad reputation. 

The incident faced a news black-out in Sarawak, but KL Police confirmed that a report had been lodged for assault, which detailed that the woman had been kicked in the abdomen, punched and strangled. One Senior Assistant Police Commissioner told the press that, following a ‘thorough investigation’ the police were recommending that the perpetrator be  ‘charged with assault’.  However, in true Malaysia style, the DPP’s office failed to prosecute the open and shut case, backed by the evidence of numerous witnesses.  Many might say that such special treatment does not encourage future good behaviour by spoilt youths.
Is even the Chief Minister now ignoring the existence of Sulaiman?

Guests celebrate in style at a Taib family wedding - the divorce was 3 months later!

So is the Member for Kota Samarahan now reaping the bitter fruit of his own excesses?  There is evidence that the once favoured successor has even been written out of his father’s financial affairs – the very heart of what matters for the Taibs.
In August, when the DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen exposed the scandal of Taib’s offer of cut-price development land near Kuching Airport to a company owned by his own children, he revealed the purchase had been conducted by the company Monarda SDN BHD. 

Monada, had come under the control of the Taibs in March and the licence was granted in May.  However, shares are only actually directly held by 3 of his 4 children,  Jamilah, Mahmud and Hanifah.  The forth family shareholder is his daughter-in-law Anisa and not Sulaiman her husband. 
This leaves us to wonder whether even the Chief Minister has finally also come to the conclusion that his son is no longer able to run his own family’s corrupt affairs, let alone those of the State of Sarawak?

Backlash over mega-tower

(AFP) - THE Malaysian government's proposal to build a 100-storey mega tower in the capital has triggered a backlash from the opposition and on a fast-expanding Facebook petition.

Plans for the tower, to be built by 2020 at a cost of US$1.6 billion (RM5 billion), were unveiled by Prime Minister Najib Razak during last week's budget speech, which included a number of major infrastructure projects.

The building, named 'Warisan Merdeka' or 'Heritage of Independence', would be the tallest in Malaysia, dwarfing the iconic Petronas Twin Towers which were the world's tallest buildings at 88 storeys when completed in 1998.

Mr Najib said that such projects exemplify the spirit of 'Malaysia Boleh' or 'Malaysia Can!', a national campaign conceived by former premier Mahathir Mohamad, a huge advocate of mega projects.

Mr Mahathir, whose own schemes included the Proton national car and the multi-billion-dollar administrative capital Putrajaya - both of which have failed to thrive - has warmly endorsed the new skyscraper.

But a Facebook page created last Saturday, to which more than 9,600 people had signed up by Tuesday afternoon, has seen an outpouring of criticism from Malaysians who say the money would be better spent elsewhere.

Angry comments

A sampling of angry comments from Malaysians:

'Malaysia needs better education, better health care, better public transportation, safer neighbourhoods, cleaner water, but not a taller building.

'We don't need another white elephant!' said the page, which about 600 people were joining each hour.

'I will support this project if you give me the contract!' - Facebook user named Chee Chuan Tat, referring to endemic crony capitalism linked to the Barisan Nasional coalition.

'It's taxpayers' money, and taxpayers say NO.' - Adrian Matthew Yee.

'What the building will do is to destroy the character of the area while creating a traffic nightmare for all.

There are more than enough office spaces in downtown KL and this will cause a glut of office space, becoming a white elephant like many of the other government projects.' - Opposition lawmaker Fong Kui Lun, in whose constituency the building would be located near the city's chaotic Chinatown, said it would be an eyesore and totally unsuited to the crowded downtown district.

'The country does not need another mega project as the era of mega projects is gone and most Malaysians are not impressed by them any more.' - Tony Pua, also from the Democratic Action Party which is part of the opposition alliance, said. -- AFP

Madam, may I be excused from jury duty? I’m related to the…

By Haris Ibrahim,

In a PKR divisional election in Selangor, things got so bad that some people had to be hospitalised with broken bones.

As it turned out, those in hospital lost the election.

Police reports were lodged.

Complaints were lodged by the vanquished with the central election committee under the stewardship of Dr Molly Cheah.

The complaints, it would seem, were considered,whereafter the committee upheld the results of that election.

A decision well within the purview of that committee, you would think, and all perfectly in order.

Things, though, are not always as they seem.

A man and his wife sit on that committee, I am reliably informed.

The man, I am given to undertsand, is related by marriage to the victor in that rowdy election.

Was this nexus disclosed to Molly and the rest of the committee?

Was it disclosed to the complainants?

Did man and wife recuse themselves from the deliberations and the decision by the committee on the validity or otherwise of the election results?

Until these questions are adequately answered by Molly so as to put to rest any reservations about the propriety of the decision of her committee, can someone please remind me what the ‘K’ in PKR stands for?

And, for the avoidance of any doubts on the part of the central election committee, I am referring to the Kota Raja divisional elections

Rakaman Perbahasan Bajet 2011-Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Ihsan Tv Pas

Sources: U.S. finalizing aid package to help Pakistan fight extremists

Washington (CNN) -- The Obama administration is putting the final touches on a security assistance package totaling as much as $2 billion over five years to help Pakistan fight extremists on its border with Afghanistan, senior U.S. officials and diplomatic sources tell CNN.

The aid is expected to be announced later this week when Pakistani officials are in Washington to hold high-level talks.

The package aims to address Pakistan's insistence it does not have the capability to go after terrorists, and needs more support from the United States, the sources said. The aid will help the Pakistanis purchase helicopters, weapons systems and equipment to intercept communications.

It falls under the United States' Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, which provides grants and loans to countries to purchase weapons and defense equipment produced in the United States. It also includes more counterinsurgency assistance to Pakistani troops and a program allowing members of the Pakistani military to study at American war colleges.

The $2 billion package is on top of billions of dollars the United States already gives Pakistan in military aid and a $7.5 billion aid package over five years in non-military counter-terrorism assistance approved by Congress last year.

"They key is to beef up their ability to go after militants, it can't be diverted to other threats," one senior U.S. official said.

Pakistan has long claimed its military is geared toward defending itself against threats from countries like India, and does not have the kind of equipment it needs to fight insurgents. U.S. officials said they recognize Pakistan's current military hardware is not perfectly suited toward such operations, but made clear the new aid must be directed toward fighting extremists, rather than India

"We recognize they need different kinds of capacities and more of them to handle extremists form within their own border," one official said. "They do need more capacity and the kinds of capabilities that are geared toward fighting extremists, rather than a major land conflict."

U.S. officials acknowledge the Pakistani military is stretched thin since this summer's devastating floods, and has had to divert resources from the fight against extremists to conduct relief efforts. They hope the new security assistance will address the military's resource limitations so they can redouble efforts to go after militants.

"There is an expectation with that capacity comes a greater effort," a senior official said.

The aid comes on the heels of a White House report sent to Congress earlier this month which uses unusually tough language to suggest the ally is not doing nearly enough to confront the Taliban and al Qaeda, despite repeated Obama administration claims in public that Pakistan is working hard to crack down on militants

The White House assessment, obtained by CNN, is particularly tough on Pakistan's inability to make gains in South Waziristan, where many analysts believe key al Qaeda leaders have gained a safe haven to use as a base to plot terror attacks against Western targets.

The report notes that from March to June, the Pakistani military "continued to avoid military engagements that would put it in direct conflict with Afghan Taliban or [al Qaeda] forces in North Waziristan. This is as much a political choice as it is a reflection of an under-resourced military prioritizing its targets."

"The capacity issue is very real," another senior official said. "It's not like they could just go into North Waziristan if they wanted to and succeed. There is an issue of political will but the capacity issue remains extremely important."

The official said the multi-year assistance package is designed to provide the Pakistanis with "an issue of predictability and consistency" in U.S. military assistance, which has typically been done on a year-to-year basis. Pakistan has long voiced concerns the United States is not going to remain engaged with the region over the long term.

"We need to demonstrate we are in it for more than six months to a year. This offers a time horizon and allows them to chill out about that," the official said.

Even with the harsh White House report, U.S. officials do acknowledge that Pakistan has made some progress in combating terrorism, noting the country has suffered thousands of casualties as a result of its campaign against extremists in its tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. Suspected U.S. drone strikes have also increased in Pakistan, killing dozens of high-level militants in the tribal areas. Although the U.S. does not comment on drone strikes, Pakistani officials have said they could not be done without Pakistani cooperation.

While in Pakistan in July, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Pakistani government has become "very serious" about fighting the violent extremist organizations within its borders.

At the time, Clinton alluded to the security assistance being announced this week, while telling reporters the United States was "working on a multi-year package with the Pakistanis."

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pakistan's military chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, are leading a Pakistani delegation arriving Tuesday for the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, three days of meetings starting Wednesday with Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The talks address all facets of the relationship between Washington and Islamabad, but counterterrorism cooperation will be a major aspect of the talks.

"Pakistan has taken aggressive action within its borders. But clearly, this is an ongoing threat and more needs to be done," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday. "That will be among the issues talked about."

DAP wants HRP to clarify its political stand

(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia's (HRP) must decide whether it supports Pakatan Rakyat or BN before negotiations for cooperation can be made for the coming general election.

In stating this DAP national labour bureau chief A Sivanesan (right) said that the HRP president, P Uthayakumar, since his release from ISA detention, had been attacking Pakatan and blaming it for every incident that has affected the Indian community.

"Why is he only targeting Pakatan political leaders especially DAP and not Umno-BN or MIC? Is there a hidden political agenda for this biased stand?," asked the state party vice-chief.

"Has he forgotten that it was DAP that stood by him in his hour of need like during his ISA arrest at Kamunting Detention Camp when DAP lawyers like Karpal Singh took on the legal battle to free him?," reminded the DAP Sungkai assemblyperson.

He also took the HRP leader to task for calling party supremo Lim Kit Siang a racist. Sivanesan said in May 14, 1992, Kit Siang was suspended from Parliament for eight months for championing the rights of 66,000 MIC shareholders which had allegedly been hijacked by three companies of MIC.

He reminded HRP that Kit Siang is a man for all political seasons and for all races.

"Now Uthayakumar chooses to field his members at Pakatan areas which are held by Indian politicians. Why not make the same political stand to contest in BN-held areas?," asked a puzzled DAP leader.

"Why the hesitation of Uthayakumar to criticise Umno-BN which had kept the Indian community in the dark ages without giving them equal rights for the past 53 years?," he queried.

Stop harping

He said that Uthayakumar must stop harping on the Nov 25, 2007 incident when members of the now-banned Hindraf had taken to the streets to demonstrate makkal sakthi (people's power), which drastically changed the political landscape of the nation.

Sivanesan explained that both DAP and PAS are long-established political opposition parties that had weathered the brutal political might of Umno-BN including tasting ISA detention, before Uthayakumar (left) came into the political arena as the new kid on the block.

He said that four out of the five Hindraf leaders who were detained under ISA are now backing Pakatan with Uthayakumar the lone wolf against Pakatan.

He advised the HRP leader not to take a racist stand on Indian issues in a multi-racial country like Malaysia as now more people, especially the young voters, are advocating for a non-racial stance.

The Human Rights Party, as befits its name, should reflect all Malaysians irrespective of race or religion, and only then, can they make any impact in the political arena, he reasoned.

He asked the HRP leader what had happened to the Parti Reformasi India Malaysia (Prim) that he formed when he walked out of PKR in 1999?

According to Sivanesan, Prim was not a registered party just as HRP is now (HRP is awaiting recognition from the Registrar of Societies).

He claimed that HRP, with its racist stand, is fast losing support among the Indian community as seen in the lukewarm attendance of Indians at HRP functions.

As for the peace talks that HRP wants with Pakatan for the forthcoming general election, Sivanesan said, "Uthayakumar must come with clean hands, expecting nothing, put his views across but don't demand and seek cooperation for the mutual benefit of all Malaysians."

Selangor to proceed with temple in Section 23

A protester holds the severed cow-head as the group makes its way to the Selangor state secretariat after Friday prayers.

SHAH ALAM, Oct 19 — The controversial relocation of a Hindu temple to Section 23 here which sparked off a racially-charged cow-head protest one year ago will proceed. 

State Welfare executive councillor Rodziah Ismail said the decision to proceed with the relocation was made after taking into account the views of all parties, including the Sri Maha Mariamman temple management.

“We have decided that the temple will be relocated to Section 23, Shah Alam. The temple management has also agreed with this decision and we hope all parties including those staying in Section 19 will accept this decision,” she told The Malaysian Insider. In September last year, the Selangor government’s decision to relocate the temple was met with heavy protest by the predominantly Muslim community of Section 23.

Protesters stomping on a severed cow-head in front of the Selangor state secretariat.

The residents instead urged the temple to be moved to the originally proposed site in Section 22. 

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim was forced to temporarily shelve the relocation of the 150-year-old Sri Mahamriamman temple to Section 23 after a state organised town hall meeting was hijacked by protesting residents.

“Construction on the temple in Section 23 is scheduled to begin early next month and we expect it to be ready in early December. I hope that the construction will run smoothly without any interruption,” Rodizah said.

She added that a meeting with residents at Section 19 will be held to explain the state’s decision.

The Selangor State government heckled by protesters during a town hall meeting held last year.

“We will explain to the people here (Section 19) to inform them of this decision. It is important that they know what the status on this issue is,” she said. 

The Malaysian Insider understands that the temple will be constructed in an industrial area far from residential areas of Section 23.

When The Malaysian Insider visited the middle class neighbourhood last year, the faded graffiti on the zinc fence surrounding the disputed site reflected the feelings of residents.

“We object to this temple”, “Pakatan Rakyat cannot be trusted” and “Rodziah babi” were written on the fence. Rodziah Ismail is the Batu Tiga state assemblywoman, which covers the area, and an executive councillor in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.

The Malay residents said that the cow-head protest underlined their anger and frustration against a government unwilling to heed their views.

They argued that the location was not strategic because it was unsuitable for a temple to be built in a predominantly Muslim community.

Graffiti near the proposed site of the temple makes it clear how residents here feel.

In July, 12 cow-head protesters were fined RM1,000 each for illegal assembly by the sessions court in Shah Alam. Two of the protestors were fined RM3,000 for sedition while one of the two was also ordered to serve a week in jail. 

Eyzva Ezhar Ramly, 31, was charged under the Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act 1948 for “inciting racial animosity with carrying a cow-head”  along with the other accused, Mohd Azmir Mohd Zain.

Mohd Azmir was also charged under the same act for carrying and stepping on a cow-head with “the intention to create racial tension”.

Cows are considered a sacred animal to Hindus.

Mohd Azmir was fined RM3,000.

Four others who were also originally charged under the Sedition Act were given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

No end to the deficit, yet

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today

PETALING JAYA: Local economists have expressed worries over Malaysia's ability to reduce the deficit to 5.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) next year – a slight 0.2% decrease compared with 5.6% in 2010.

The Federation of Chinese Assocation Malaysia (Huazhong) deputy secretary-general Dr Chin Yew Sin said the government would need to do more to cut down the deficit in the next four years.

"We presumed the deficit would go down about 0.5%, but this time it was only reduced by only 0.2% (to 5.4%) and I am quite worried about this," said Chin, who is also an economist and professor of Zhongnan University of Finance, Economics, Politics and Law .

He said that Budget 2011 unveiled by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently aimed to cut the deficit to 2.8%- 3% by 2015 but the country would still be 2.6% short of its target.

"This means that from now till 2015, we need to cut the deficit by about 0.7% every year. Hopefully in the next four years there is no economic crisis," he said.

Chin added that the government's failure to reduce spending could be attributed to its projects launched such as the Government Transformation Plan and KPI (Key Performance Indicators), which incurred high administrative costs.

Malaysia has been in deficit for the past 14 years and had only once been in fiscal surplus during the "economic boom years" between 1993 and 1997. However, the country reverted to budget deficit in 1998 in the wake of the Asian financial crisis.

Chin was, however, positive about Budget 2011, which he described as "inclusive and comprehensive”.

"I think Budget 2011 is good as it focuses on the country's infrastructure to spearhead our economy. During former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's time, only 40% was spent on infrastructure and 60% on human capital. Now Najib has reversed this by spending 60% on infrastructure," said Chin.

He said that the construction industry has the ability to spur other industries, including steel and food, as well as small and medium enterprises and small and medium industries; this in turn can stimulate economic development.
Broader tax base needed
Meanwhile, RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd's head of research and chief economist, Lim Chee Sing, said that there seemed to be "no light at the end of the tunnel" as far as the deficit is concerned.

"Obviously, 5.4% was less than expected. This is the 14th year that we are in deficit. Look at the other countries in the region; their deficit is between 1% and 2.5%. So if you say that we are comfortable, I would say I don't think so," said Lim.

However, he said that the government was also facing constraints and the measures taken were seen as "prudent".

"I would say that the budget is setting the pace towards transformation. The government aims to strike a balance between fiscal consolidation and the need to sustain spending to cushion the economy against the risk of a sharper slowdown in the global economy," he said.

Lim said the country needed more concrete measures to balance the budget and grow revenue and he suggested two approaches.

"First, you need open and transparent procurement policies... open tenders can save you a lot in costs. Secondly, you also need to reduce subsidies, although the government has undertaken measures to reduce subsidies so that the country would not turn into a very subsidy-dependent economy," he said.

Lim also suggested a broader tax base.

"Currently, our tax base is very narrow. Only 10% pay taxes; we need to broaden it," he said.

PKR to contest in Batu Sapi

By Rahmah Ghazali - Free Malaysia Today

FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today announced that PKR will contest in Batu Sapi, Sabah, after achieving a consensus with Pakatan Rakyat top leadership.

Anwar, who is also the PKR de facto leader, said that the decision was made as the seat was originally allocated to PKR during the last general election. But the party opted out as it could not field a candidate.

"Pakatan in Sabah has met and decided that PKR candidate will represent us in the by-election," he said.

Asked about another opposition Sabah-based party Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) which has also expressed interest to join the fray, Anwar said that he preferred a "straight fight" with Barisan Nasional (BN).

"I hope they (SAPP) will not contest because we would like a straight fight with BN," he said.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has announced that Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) will represent BN in the by-election.

PKR candidate to be known soon
Anwar, who is also the Permatang Pauh MP, said that the party will announce its candidate "soon".

While PKR is still in the midst of its selection process, BN is almost set to name PBS vice-president Thien Yui Fun as its choice.

Thien, a former Sungai Sibuga assemblyman, and several back-up candidates have been picked by PBS, pending a greenlight from Chief Minister and state BN chairman Musa Aman.

BN is scheduled to officially name its candidate this Sunday.

The seat, comprising 24,047 ordinary voters and 1,535 postal voters, fell vacant following the death of incumbent Edmund Chong Ket Wah in a road accident on Oct 9.

The Election Commission has fixed the by-election on Nov 4, with nomination taking place on Oct 26. The Batu Sapi by-election will be held simultaneously with the Galas state seat by-election in Kelantan.

PM 'disappointed' with Rais

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is apparently disappointed with Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim for lodging police reports against several bloggers.
According to reports in several blogs, the prime minister had mentioned this during his speech at a meeting with a group of bloggers yesterday at his residence in Langgak Duta.

The premier, who used the term “terkilan” (disappointed), said that a dialogue would have been a more reasonable approach.

“He said he will personally ask Rais to explain what many saw as an unnecessary action taken when other means of finding a solution could have been conducted,” stated the Barking Magpie blog.

Rais had filed the police reports against blogger Ahirudin Attan, who runs the popular Rocky's Bru blog, BigDog and TnT.

The reports were related to the allegation that Rais' son was one of the beneficiaries of the ministry’s RM1 billion grant to improve broadband access within the nation.

'Rais needs a doctor to save him'

Another blog, Apanama, also reported that Najib had expressed disappointment with Rais, and warned that the latter's political future could be at stake.

“Our friend Dr Rais Yatim appears to be in trouble and may need the services of a real (I mean medical) doctor soon. He might also need a 'political' doctor to save his career, apart from the dumb spin-doctors who have successfully dragged him into the pit.

“Rais's decision to lodge the police reports could just be one of his biggest mistakes in his tenure as a minister and politician in Malaysia,” read the posting.

Meanwhile, Ahirudin said the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which falls under Rai's ministry, had called him for another round of investigation relating to the matter.

“I doubt they're meeting me to return my (siezed) laptop, though,” he said.

Clouds over Budget 2011

By Stanley Koh - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT Most Malaysians do not live in Cloud Cuckoo Land, but a privileged few may find themselves working in the clouds after 2015, assuming that the RM5 billion 100-storey Warisan Merdeka can attract occupants.
The Malaysian mood was hardly euphoric after the government released details of Budget 2011 last Friday.

In fact, some four million tobacco addicts were already in a foul mood even before Budget Day, with holes burnt into their pockets. They had been ambushed a couple of days before by a 70-sen rise in the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes. The attack was so sneaky that many non-smokers thought there were no sin taxes this time around. Other vices like gambling and drinking were virtually untouched.

It does not seem to matter to the government that such a high price for such a common habit would encourage smugglers and black marketeers. In 2009, the high level of illicit trade on contraband cigarettes cost the government RM1.5 billion in evaded taxes and duties, calculated over a two-year period. This is almost equivalent to the yearly bonus paid to civil servants.

It remains to be seen whether this drastic move will discourage the expanding population of smokers. However, one thing is certain — the smoking population will try to blow away the BN government in the next election.

But the disturbing signals emerging from the budget are not just about smokes and clouds.

“Want not, waste a lot,” a Malaysian remarked cryptically in response to the budget announcement.

The sarcasm is well placed for stating what has become obvious. More and more Malaysians are becoming aware that their government has, for decades, been guilty of wastage, leakage, excess and corruption.

Many find it alarming that 76.2% (RM162.8 billion) of RM211.98 billion is for operating expenses, leaving only RM49.2 billion for development purposes.

Innovative route?

Cynics see an ironic twist in the budget. It contradicts officialdom’s acclaimed political will to transform the nation and place its fiscal direction on an innovative route.

The foundation for Vision 2020 was supposed to be have been laid years ago. Are we re-starting all over again?

Criticisms of misplaced priorities and fears arising from lack of transparency and accountability, which were once seen as opposition rhetoric and the loud talk of activists who wanted to appear intelligent, are beginning to make common sense to common folk. After all, sordid stories from the National Auditor’s Report have become annual fare for any Malaysian who reads.

Indeed, the Najib version of the Tower of Babel is not the only obscenity assaulting the sensibilities of those who wonder how it would address the real needs of the nation and the many hardships Malaysians are heir to.

Why, for instance, must the Prime Minister’s official residence require a colossal allocation of RM65 million when, not too long ago, a modest allocation to upgrade and renovate the Penang Chief Minister’s official residence was shouted down and criticised?

How much was allocated to do the same for the residence of the Menteri Besar of Kelantan, another non-BN state?

Does the budget address the hardships of the urban poor? Does it make any sense to say that a 1% increase in the service tax will reduce the cost of living?

What happened to the New Village Master Plan approved some time ago? How much is allocated to it?

Will mega projects result in a reduction in the number of foreign workers?

Apparently, the nation is beset by problems to which no one knows the answers, not even the so-called experts, economists and financial planners.

Grand corruption

Despite all these, the budget has some supporters like Ryan Cheong, 33, a software engineer. “I find this budget impressive, in fact better than last year’s,” he said.

“It has more variety — like the incentive for fresh graduates to buy houses for the first time. But there are also many neglected areas, like rising medical costs, and the concerns of retirees.

“But the exemption from paying the 10% deposit helps a lot, especially for those with a take-home pay of around RM2,000.”

But even Cheong expressed disapproval of the Warisan Merdeka, as did engineer Wong, another Malaysian interviewed by FMT.

“We can do better things with that kind of money instead of just creating an icon,” said the 53-year-old.

There are also concerns that the budget will not be closely monitored and may not achieve the objective of transformation and bring about a high-income society.

“Generally, Malaysians lack confidence in the implementation of budgetary allocations unless there is greater political will from the government to adhere to the principles of transparency and accountability,” MCA leader Yap Pian Hon said.

Fear of mismanagement of public funds keeps haunting the Malaysian public. Remember the 2006 Auditor-General’s report about a RM32 screwdriver set bought for RM224, a RM160 pen for RM1,146, and a RM50 carjack for RM5,700? Or an even more shocking RM290 million spent by the Customs Department for an outdated user-hostile information system?

Malaysians are reminded of overpriced goods and services, unauthorised payments, wasted equipment, shoddy implementation of projects and kickback money.

Real transformation can come about only through perspicuous political commitment. M Veera Pandiyan, deputy editor of New Media (mStar Online) was correct in quoting Transparency International: “Ending the pettier forms of corruption in the bureaucracy is almost impossible if grand political corruption persists.”

Stanley Koh is a former head of research at MCA.

Listen to the people, former Japanese minister tells Barisan

By The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno and Barisan Nasional will collapse if they put party interest before that of the people, said Yale University senior fellow Kotaro Tamura.

Tamura said Umno should take heed of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan’s fall from grace last year, after being in power for half a century.

Like Umno, LDP enjoyed a landslide victory several years ago.

But, it suffered massive defeat in last year’s election,” he said at the international forum on “The Creation of Global Citizen: Media Liberali­sation And The New Political Realities” yesterday in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly.

Tamura, a former LDP minister, said the party became too arrogant after the landslide victory in 2004.

There were a lot of signals from the ground reflecting public unhappiness over certain policies.

“People were anxious because the economy remained stagnant for two decades. But the party did not address the concerns,” he said.

The regime change last year posed a painful lesson for LDP, said Tamura who later joined the Democratic Party of Japan. Similarly, people in Malaysia had expressed their dissatisfaction in the 2008 general election. The future of Umno is at stake if it did not address the root causes of the people’s frustration, he said.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported about calls by Umno Overseas Club urging party leaders to make greater efforts to explain to students and Malaysians overseas the actual meaning of 1Malaysia.

California Umno Club chairman Muhammad Danial Zuraidi said although there were briefings on the concept given to club leaders, none was organised for other Malaysians abroad.

Moscow Umno Club chairman Muhammad Akmal Salleh said such explanations would ensure that the concept would not be misinterpreted.

He said Malaysians residing overseas obtained most of the information on government policies, including the 1Malaysia concept, through the Internet, where their validity could be disputed.

“Actually, many of our own members and Malaysian nationals living abroad still do not understand the 1Malaysia concept, so I hope the Government or Umno can explain what is actually happening in Malaysia,” he said.

Top law student at Cambridge University is Malaysian and latest example of costly brain-drain which Najib’s 2011 Budget has done nothing to resolve for country to become high-achieving and internationally competitive

By Lim Kit Siang,

Congratulations to Ipoh-born 23-year-old Tan Zhong Shan who has emerged as the top student in his final-year law examinations at Cambridge University.
In a report headlined “Malaysian is top law student at Cambridge University”, the Star today reported that Tan obtained a first-class honours in the Bachelor of Arts (Law) in June this year at Queens’ College, which is part of the university, one of England’s oldest and most prestigious.
The report said:

“He even scored the ‘Slaughter and May’ prize given by the university’s Law Faculty – an award given to those who achieve the best overall performance in the final-year law examinations.
“Other coveted prizes he bagged include The Norton Rose Prize for Commercial Law, the Clifford Chance Prize for European Union Law and the Herbert Smith Prize for Conflict of Laws.
“Queens’ College dean Dr Martin Dixon said Tan definitely stood out among the students there.

“ ‘He is probably the best Malaysian student I have seen in the last 10 years,’ said Dr Dixon, who taught Tan on Land and Equity for two years.
“’He is the most able, dedicated and one of the most likeable students I have taught in more than 20 years at Cambridge.’”

However, Tan is the latest example of the failed Barisan Nasional policies resulting in the costly brain-drain in the past four decades which Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 2011 Budget has done nothing to resolve for the country to become high-achieving and internationally competitive.

This is because Tan is one of Malaysia’s “best and brightest” sons and daughters we have been losing to other countries in tens of thousands every year because of unfair Barisan Nasional education and nation-building policies – whether by directly driving them abroad to pursue secondary, pre-university and university education or pushing their parents to join the migration wave in earlier decades.
This is obvious from the report citing Tan as an ASEAN scholar awarded by the Singapore Ministry of Education after completing his A-levels at the Temasek Junior College in Singapore.

In the 2011 Budget, Najib announced “Intensifying Human Capital Development” as one of the four budget strategies, disclosing that the Government will establish a Talent Corporation in early 2001 “to attract, motivate and retain talent human capital from within the country and abroad”.
Although this is also the emphasis of the New Economic Model to “save” the country from the decades-long middle-income trap and from becoming a bankrupt nation in 2019 and instead to transform Malaysia into a high-income developed nation in 2020, there is nothing in Najib’s 2011 Budget to demonstrate that the government is at last serious and has the political will to address and end this grave problem of brain drain.

What is there in the 2011 Budget to convince Malaysians that the budding Tan Zhong Shans in the schools in Malaysia, who can become top students in the world’s top universities, will not be driven from Malaysian schools and universities to foreign ones by unfair BN policies only to benefit other countries eventually?

The Najibonomics of the 2011 Budget is just a throwback to the old Mahathironomics of mega-projects like the proposal to build a 100-storey RM5 billion Najib Tower rather than to create a new architecture of Malaysian talents fully able to retain and utilize the contributions of the best and brightest of Malaysians – who can compare and compete with their peers in other parts of the world.