What Subsidy Reduction

Each time when the Government threatens to reduce “subsidies” in the face of impending decision and social disquiet to increase prices of petroleum products and other essential goods such as sugar, oil, cooking, rice etc. we find all sorts of irrational justification being advanced from some imbecilic senior politicians, economists and academicians. They try to paint such a gloomy picture about the huge subsidy that the Government is annually subsidising in bringing down or controlling an increase in the prices of these essential goods. They often try to compare our prices with neighboring developing countries without reference to the fact that the referred socio-economic conditions are so different from those in Malaysia.

Recent price hike of Gasoline 97 and sugar by 20 cents per litre and per kilogram was not good enough. Resulting from the increases, the price of Kopi-O has gone up overnight by as much as 20 cents per cup despite stern warning being given by the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives & Consumerism Ministry that action would be taken against recalcitrant traders. How long can the enforcing effort last? Soon the price increase would have been forgotten by the masses. After a while, they are reduced to toothless tiger.

Must the people be compelled to accept such subsidy reduction as proposed by the Government? And who are these economists and analysts who advocated for the removal of the subsidy? They do not really give you the reasons why such subsidies should be reduced, do they? One ridiculous BN politician even dared the Opposition to reduce the subsidy!

Why does not the Ministry concerned invite the rakyat to a public forum and debate? I am sure the Minister will learn more sense from the masses than from these academic economists and uninformed politicians.

The statement by one Prof Datuk Mohad Salleh of UTAR’s Bank Rakyat School of Business and Entrepreneurship that it would be unrealistic for the government to continue giving the subsidies. I just find that his statement is just as unrealistic and baseless as the unwarranted removal of the subsidy. He must realize any unnecessary and further inflation is likely to cause hardship to millions of low-income people in the country.

In my humblest of considered opinion, if only our government is prudent in its spending, there is no need to talk about subsidy removal or reduction. If the Finance Ministry is stringent and serious enough in guarding the national financial goal-post, our country would have saved more than RM100 billion a year which just vaporized before our eyes through fraud, corruption, tax-evasion, money-laundering and highly-inflated and bloated project and tender prices.

The Minister further reiterated that the huge amount spent on subsidies should go to financing projects that would benefit the people more, like poverty-eradication programmes and building homes for the people. How would the recent 500 Million Pound property purchase or investment in London ever benefit the people? If such allocation had reached the masses, the Malays would not have voted against them!

The advocates fail to realize that Malaysia is an oil producing country and is endowed with various natural resources. When the price of crude and commodities goes up, it means more revenue to the country! This would certainly be sufficient revenue to provide for and offset whatever subsidy that the government has budgeted each year.

There is no need in my view for the government to think of squeezing blood out of the marrow of the rakyat for the benefit of its cronies. It is time that she learns how to tighten her belt and bring in more revenue from its exports, overseas investments and services. It is time that the GLCs have to move their asses and go forward and compete in the global market to bring in more revenue to the country rather than taxing the people to feed and featherbed the UMNO cronies and bailing out the ill-performed GLCs.

Malaysia is rich enough for every body if only the government exercises due prudence in its budgeting, project planning and expenditure.

First on the list is the government must take a serious and genuine effort to eradicate fraud and corruption. Secondly, she must stop the practice of awarding infrastructural projects at incredulously bloated prices. Thirdly. the NEP must be abolished in favour of the highly proposed meritorious socio-economic policies for the people regardless of race, religion, creed and political affiliation. Fourthly, recruitment for the civil service must be put on hold for the time being in an effort to address the preponderant racial imbalance. Fifthly, enforcement and implementation of government policies and programmes must be adequately supervised by the respective Ministers. Sixthly, efforts must be made to restore the dignity of the judiciary, police and military. Seventhly, all public universities must address and arrest their declining standards and ensure that proffered courses meet the industrial needs and the industrial expansion programmes of the government.

Unless the above actions are taken, UMNO will be doomed in the next election. You can come out with beautiful slogans but you do not walk the talk. Insincerity, furtiveness and deception are your style of government. The masses are just fed up of you. So know when to exit gracefully.

You can deceive some people some of the time, some of the people all the time but not all the people all the time., Period.

Stop Stoking the Racial-Religious Card

The blog posted by BG (Retired) Mohd Arshad Raji calling the Minister of Home Affairs to take not only mean, serious but also strong action against Utusan Melayu (UM) for putting up recently the inflammatory, irresponsible and unconscionable article that the Opposition was colluding with the DAP to form a Government headed by a Christian PM and implicate that the constitution would be change to convert Malaysia into a Christian State.

The Editorial Board of UM should be given a stern show cause letter as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for deeming it fit to print the article knowing fairly well that it was not true and that it was based on hearsay and lies. If they were found guilty, the legal process must take its place to dismiss them and that the publication license shall be suspended for at least a year to show that the Government is serious in wanting to build or encourage to build a united, harmonious and peaceful nation among the all citizens of Malaysia regardless of their racial origin, religious background and beliefs.

As a national daily, Utusan Melayu has a great responsibility to ensure that what it reports is true based on facts and not based on irresponsible pro-UMNO bloggers like the Bigdog.com and Marahku.com

If I may add to what BG (R) Mohd Arshad that the Editorial Members of UM perhaps were too young to know what happened on May 13, 1969 and its aftermath that immeasurably had contributed to the socio-economic situation with which the country is facing today. Hundred of innocent lives were killed during the riot. Bodies were seen floating down the Klang River while many properties were torched, looted and gutted. With the curfew in place, many households had to tighten their belts since food were scarce and many could not go to the markets to buy their daily provisions. For months and years on end thereafter, the one-time peaceful and harmonious multi-racial setting in country had been disrupted and undermined. With the UMNO politicians continuing to stoke the racial-religious issues, they have caused greater divide among the people of Malaysia.

Don’t the UMNO ultra-putras have any iota shame about creating and causing a bad reputation for the country through their incessant imbecile and inane acts of racial and religious divisionism. By just going back the last twelve months, we witnessed and saw in place the Sodomy I & II episodes, the incriminating sex-video in TV3 probably engineered by the trievillate, the Alkitab issue and now the article attempting to cause a divide between the Muslims and Christians in Malaysia. This merely shows the blatant mental bankruptcy of UMNO leadership which seriously reflects badly on the competence and capability of the PM. And honestly, I am appalled at the silly and lame excuse of the Minister of Home Affairs – he is just not fit to be there since he is always afraid to make decision and when so confronted is seen to pander to these UMNO extremists.

Instead of putting the national resources to greater use and benefit, the UMNOputras continue to delve on projects that do not provide better socio-economic welfare and benefit to the people at large. They continue to dig their itchy fingers into the till of EPF and invest in properties in UK in anticipation of a meager returns for the workers of Malaysia. Besides, workers representatives were not consulted. How many people will remember that EPF owns such a such property in UK? Building universities, transport infrastructure, excavating treasures in the Malacca Straits, offering scholarships to foreigners in preference to amply qualified locals, granting citizenship to migrants from neighbouring countries, offering employments to foreigners, etc.

Look at the proposed MRT plan. I would have thought that the authority would have seen it fit by now to link the highly populous areas between KL and Subang – from Kampung Harun, all the villages along Old Klang Road, Taman Sentosa, Overseas Union Garden, Taman Desa, Taman Se-puteh to Chan Sow Lin Station via the Sungei Besi Airport which is going to be developed for the peoples enjoyment in the near future! The planners are more concerned with lining their pockets rather than to see the people of Old Klang Road enjoying the taxes that they pay over the past 60 years or so. We have been patient enough.

The Christians will never do a thing like what the Utusan Melayu portrayed. We are sensible and sensitive. Are you?

I am also appalled at the inertia of the Muslim clerics for not chastising their followers for doing such an evil and ignominious act which could have caused a greater division between the Muslims and Christians and if not checked may result in the whole country flaring up into a religio-racial conflagration.

The People of the Book – why are you doing these dastard and sinful things that divide rather than integrate? It is either that you do not know or pretend to know what is contained in their respective books or never attempt to look at them from day one. No wonder, there is so much trouble, disputes and killings and miseries in the world because people just do not know their religious teaching enough to appreciate what is harmony, unity and peace.

At the rate things are going on, the socio-economic situation of Malaysia will turn for the worse before it ever gets better. A model of racial tolerance so our leaders brag to our overseas dignitaries – my answer to that is bull shit for you just do not walk your talk. It is sheer hypocracies.

To create a united, peaceful and harmonious country, it takes all in the country to play a part. Malays cannot blame anyone for their backwardness. You are the one to blame for not seeing the signs of time of the bigoted government which lacks expertise, brain and competence; besides they lack self-esteem and is embarking on ostentatious projects that tend to enrich their pockets and not the rakyat. There is nothing to fear. There is enough for everyone in the country. So for heaven sake, take care of your people first and your pocket last and not the other way. You are killing the country’s golden goose.

Prices Are Going Up

The people in the streets are getting edgy, anxious and disappointed with the government for its failure to control prices of basic items like food, transport and housing.

We just received news that sugar is going to increase by 20 cents per kilo and gasoline 97 by another 20 cents.

What is the withdrawal of RM400 million subsidy compared to the million of ringgits that

Irresponsible Reporting by Utusan Melaya

The Home Ministry should haul up the Editor of Utusan Melayu for its irresponsible reporting that the Christians intended to turn Malaysia into a Christian state based on rumours from two blogs.

It is not that Utusan Melayu did not understand or know about the extreme sensitivity of the issue which smacked right into the core of racialism and religion. These two matters have been deemed seditious under the Sedition Act.

It is fortunate that the people of Malaysia are now matured enough to disregard the irresponsible report that appeared in the Utusan Melayu a couple of days ago.

The PM statement which appeared on the front page of The Star of 9th May 2011 came on timely. What he should lhave done as a concerned PM was to direct the KDN to investigate into the malfeasance of Utusan Melayu and take appropriate action against for violating the Sedition Act.

By letting Utusan Melayu off is tantamount to a dereliction of duty. Before long, it can be construed as part of UMNO long term plan to persecute adherents of other religions in the country. This is definitely against the the concept of 1 Malaysia.

The remarks by our former PM MM bordered on racialism. He as an elder should stop inciting one race against another. How could the Chinese have beneifitted much from the NEP? Remember they are merely getting the crumbs while the cheries have been reaped by the Malays. Check this up if my view is wrong.

Enough is Enough BN

To Whom It May Concern

This article is directed at those leaders concerned, political or otherwise, who have contributed to the sorry state of affairs with which Malaysia is presently facing or has been experiencing during the past 50 years under the rule of UMNO/BN.

The non-Bumiputras in the recent Sarawak State Election have spoken volumes of their deception, disappointment and frustration they they feel for the Taib Mahmud's regime and they wanted a desparate change of leadership.

It was not just the Chinese who have stopped voting for and supporting the BN Government. Besides the Chinese, I believe other tribes like the Iban, Dayak,Penans could also have contributed to the waning rakyat support of for BN candidates elected into the State's legislative Assembly.

The Opposition Coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, have certainly made great inroads into the State Legislative Asembly though they managed to secure 45% of the popular votes in Sarawak from which saw them succeeding in 16 State seats.

The results also imply and speak out against corruption, cronyism and nepotism and the NEP which had not been implemented justly and equitably among the various peoples of Malaysia. Wealth distribution is highly inequitably disproportionate.

Just because the BN in Sarawak lost 8% of the popularity votes, they are now putting the blame on the chinese for being ungrateful and for not giving them the support. What sort of rubbish is this? The Chinese and other races had been giving BN the support for the past 5 decades to reallise that they have been short-changed through the insiduous deceptive policies of the BN Government. And these policies are based on race and religion and not on meritorcracy. How can the country progress into an industrialised economy by 2020?

Let us be open about the whole situation. The past 40 years since the race riot on 13 May 1969 saw the Malays securing socio-economic dominance in the Banking, Oil Palm Estate, public transport, Petroleum, colleges and tertiary education, civil service, armed forces, police and biased administration of the country' several ministries and departments through fear and indoctrination and deprivation programmes.

Corruption has become a way of life among the political UMNO/BN leaders and civil servants. The Police, Judiciary and AG Department are virtually under the control of the Executive. Any issues or cases concerning race and religion are always taking a long time to resolve through the blatant abuse of the judiary appeal system up to the Federal Court. A case in point is the Allah issue and some of the conversion cases. Looks like the case has been relegated to res adjudica.

The main media in the country are in the hands of the Malays. They do not have to compete with the rest of the other citizens on securement of scholarship, education loans and entry into the universities, import licences,etc. The BN government in recent years have been squandering and plundering the natural resources and savings of the country. The forest has been raped and felled indiscriminately while the EPF savings have been used to purchase overseas properties which are likely to bring in meagre returns and of which most if not all congtributors will have hardly any chance whatesoever to use nor smell them. And these, investments are done without the workers' consultation.

A great dissatisfaction among the rakyat is the attitude of most if not all the UMNO/BN leaders who are noted to ignore and fulfill their pre-electoral pledges and promises. There were more concerned with amassing their own wealth to the general neglect of the welfare of the electorate. This is perhaps one of the major causes of the downfall of UMNO/BN. If they continue to conduct themselves in ways as mentioned, they would lose their fixed deposits in the next General Election. They will be decimated.

Now UMNO has set up or has encouraged to set up a shit-stirring organisation called Perkasa. The people in the country must recognise that they are just the voice of the UMNO scum-dogs. They are there to create chaos and disquiet through public protests aganist anything done by the Opposition from race to religion, from builidng of temples to churches and places of worships. In my opinion, they are just a bunch of political mat-rempits who are a disgrace to the society as well as anti-social organisation out to create and incite racial animosity among the people of Malaysia. So watch out for this group.

UMNO must stop the Utusan Melayu from churning out half truths and racially inflammatory articles without caring whether their news were true or not. Articles like "Chrisitans taking over the Country". If read by the masses will have the effect of fomenting interreligious animosity and hatred.

The people are tired of this form of politics and have seen through the avaricious, self-fish and highly discriminatory propensities of the UMNOputras of driving the other races to leave the country or relegating them into second class citizens.

It is also a known fact that the non-Malays have been paying their income taxes for benefits that they or their families and children do not fairly or rarely enjoy. This money is used to buy up successful companies of non-Malays and reduce their economic dominance. These GLCs gsenerated thus are then providing employment to the Malays and their losses are borne out by the tax-payers each year. Hos long can this happen or allow to happen? Until the country is bankrupt?

UMNO must change and transform itself to be relevant to the societal aspiratsions and expectations. If they continue to think otherwise of the people, they will one day find that the rakyat will erupt into a conflagation like Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, Jordan, Bahrain and Lybya clammouring for instant change of Government and leadership.

The people want Competence, Accountabilty and Transparency in your admininistration and governance.

High Time to Prop Up Our Education Standards

The past five decades saw the rapid proliferation and establishment of private and public institutions of higher learning.

In the 60s, there was only one public university in the country; that is, the University of Malaysia situated in Pantai Valley. Courses offered by the University were not countable. They inter-alia included Science, Arts, Education, Agriculture, Engineering. The Arts Faculty provided courses on History, Economics, Islamic Studies etc. The Medical Faculty started sometime in 1962 or thereabout.

The entry requirements were not less than the HSC. Preferable and fvorable consideration for admission was given to those students with four principal passes in the HSC. The standards and reputation of the University were well recognised and respected by overseas universities and Governments.

But within a matter of fifty years, the number of universities have mushroomed to about 40 or thereabout. This number comprises both public and private universities.

While the government is trying its best to provide its citizens ample opportunities to pursue tertiary education by setting up States' universities, she nevertheless neglected the important aspect of maintaining high standards in all the courses that they offer. Entrance to public universities in my view determines the ultimated quality of the graduates that they produce. Employers will be tbe best judges on this standard among the graduates.

Hundred of local graduates could not find proper employment in the private sectors as they lack communication and certain employable skills. Surveys have shown that the universities are not producing manpower that meet employers' job requirements.

This escalating unemployment figure is causing quite an alarm in the country. The Government cannot continue expanding the civil service to create jobs for the sake of job creation. The civil service is already overstaffed and an further influx will cause a state of redundancy.

It has been recently reported that the Government intends to set up another university in Pagoh and turn it into another education hub! Have we not enough of these hubs in the country?

The BN Government must stop setting up more universities in the country. We just cannot have sufficient local qualified personnel to fill the various vacancies in the universities.

We should embark on consolidation rather than expansion of existing institutions of higher learning. Firstly, the Government should do away with the Matriculation to provide Bumiputras virtually a backdoor avenue to get into the universities. We should retain the STPM to be the only determinant for qualification to enter the universities. In this way, we maintain at least quality of students in the public universities. Secondly, entry must be based on merits.

Thirdly, positions and promotions in the universities should be proffered to those who have not only the paper qualifications and seniority but also the relevant working experience regardless of race, colour or creed.

Forthly, passing mark must be set high so that those who pass the exams are assured of certain standards of achievement they have attained. Authorities should not interfere with the local universities authorities in determining their programmes, quality and stanards.

If the above steps are taken, perhaps we can see some improvement and progress in the near future.