All posts by chedet

UMNO

TUN MUSA

152 Comments

1. My very good friend, colleague, former Deputy President of UMNO and Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Musa Hitam blames me for the failure to achieve Vision 2020 (read here). It is all because I failed to groom successors at all levels.

2. My first failure was Tun Musa Hitam himself. He could not wait for me to retire. So he resigned after 5 years being with me as my deputy, in a Government his boys called the MM Government.

3. He believed the UMNO Supreme Council would throw me out and appoint him as President. The Council decided to persuade him to return as DPM and Deputy President. He came back as Deputy President.

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UMNO

CORRUPTION IN MALAYSIA

180 Comments

1. There has always been corruption in Malaysia but for years after independence the scale was small. A country where corruption is rampant can never be developed. But Malaysia developed at a good rate.

2. At the time of independence Malaysia was a poor third world country. All development work was done by the Government through the JKR (Public Works Department) with its own staff.

3. But as Malaysia developed rapidly the Government machinery was unable to cope with the development of infrastructure such as roads and railways, Government offices and buildings and staff housing, generation of power and water supply, ports and airports, telecommunications etc. So contracts had to be given to the private sector.

4. The contest for contracts by the private sector created opportunities for corruption. The bigger the contracts the bigger would be the amount of illegal gratification offered.

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Proton

PROTON

128 Comments

1. Recently, I officiated the first firing of the new engine for Proton. It is not often that an automotive company produces a new engine. Proton’s Campro engine is now more than 10 years old. Obviously it is no longer suitable for today’s cars. So the production of a new engine for Proton is something to celebrate.

2. But unfortunately journalists do not see the significance of this event. We used to export quite a lot of Proton cars to the UK. But since the introduction of new emission and fuel efficiency standards we have not been able to sell any Proton cars in the UK. The development of the new Proton engines by our engineers working with RICARDO of the UK is going to make us once again able to meet the conditions in the UK and Europe. We hope to export our cars to these countries once again.

3. Incidentally the engine will only be used after rigorous testing including running for five million kilometers. It will not be until late 2017 before their installation in Proton cars. After that there will be more tests for each model. Producing a car takes a lot of time.

4. Proton is aware of the negative perception of its cars in the Malaysian market. This is especially among owners of imported cars. Nothing can persuade them to buy Proton cars. Certainly pride in a Malaysian made car is not with them.

5. But the cars we produce now are not like the cars we produced before. They are much improved and often have more features than other
cars in the same category. In fact the low-priced Protons have features normally found in higher-priced cars.

6. The Iriz 1.6 automatic has six airbags, doors which only open after the second pull, will not slide back when the foot is lifted from the brake on slopes etc.

7. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. And so it is with Proton’s new cars. You need to drive them to know their capability. I drive the Iriz and the Suprima S and believe me I enjoy driving them. The Iriz especially has electric powered steering. It is very light. It responds quickly to the accelerator.

8. I think Proton cars deserve a test drive by Malaysians. Tell us about your experience. Criticise these cars. We want feedbacks so we can further improve the cars.

9. I am not an engineer although I know something about engineering. Believe me it is not easy to design, build, test and produce cars. If you are familiar with jigsaw puzzles, you will understand the problem faced by our engineers and assembly workers as they put the parts together.

10. There are 4000 parts to be designed, calibrated, manufactured and put together. We are the only developing country in the world that can do all these. I think our workers and engineers deserve to be tested if not supported.

11. We are not the cause of car prices being high. What support we get from the Government is also given to other companies because of local content. We have almost 90% local content; so we pay less excise duty. But since its founding Proton has paid more than 24 billion Ringgit in taxes while receiving only 14 billion in excise duty cuts, not cash. Yes, we have received a part of the research and development grants the industries have been promised.

12. Taxes on motor vehicles are what caused the prices to be high. But Government need to tax motorists because of the roads and other infrastructures that Government has to provide.

13. It is important to remember that when you buy foreign cars, money will flow out of the country to sustain their economies, to benefit their workers.

14. When you buy a local car, money stays in the country, workers earn money, dealers and agents and their employees enjoy the business they do and the local economy grows. Thousands of families enjoy a good life.

15. Assuming that all local industries are closed, few will have money to buy imported things. We will revert into being a failed third world country.

16. Malaysia is a trading nation i.e. we export and we import. If imports exceed exports we will not grow and prosper. All the countries which export cars to Malaysia protect their markets so that Proton cannot enter them.

 

UMNO

MALAYSIA’S SHAME

131 Comments

1. There was a time not so very long ago when Malaysia was admired for successfully raising itself from an impoverished third world country into a stable newly industrialised country. No one doubted that its announced intention to become a developed country by 2020 would be achieved.

2. But today when we go abroad we are asked, “Hey, what happened to your country.” Some mention 1MDB and the corrupt Government which has lost billions of dollars. Many comment on the lavish lifestyle of the Prime Minister.

3. They asked these questions because reputable foreign newspapers publish stories about 1MDB, about the Prime Minister having appropriated to himself billions of dollars, about huge amounts of money in his private accounts, about his lavish life-style. No Malaysian Prime Minister can afford the grand wedding that he had for his daughter.

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Legal

AG TO AG

48 Comments

1. Following upon the Malaysian A.G.’s (Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali) decision that the report of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission showed there were no wrong doings by the Prime Minister in relation to the 2.6 billion Ringgit and 42 million Ringgit in his personal accounts, perhaps coincidentally, the French legal authorities have initiated legal action on the payment of so-called consultation fees to companies under the control of Razak Baginda, a close associate of Dato’ Sri Najib. Then the Swiss A.G. released a media statement against former officials of the state-owned fund 1MDB and persons unknown, on suspicion of bribery of foreign public officials (Article 322septies of the Swiss Criminal Code – SCC), misconduct in public office (Article 314295 SCC), money laundering, (Article 305bis279 SCC) and criminal mismanagement (Article 158 SCC). The office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has requested the Malaysian Authorities for mutual assistance. This request for mutual assistance now puts the agreement in principle between Malaysia and Switzerland into concrete forms.

2. Investigation by the Swiss A.G. has revealed serious indications that the funds have been misappropriated from Malaysian State companies.

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Legal

QUO VADIS MALAYSIA

76 Comments

1.​In Malaysia the Attorney General decides if a law has been broken or not. That decision is in fact a judgement. The A.G. is both a judge and a prosecutor. This in itself is an injustice.

2.​I admit I was not shocked when the A.G. decided that the report by the MACC does not show that the Prime Minister has committed any criminal act when 2.6 billion Ringgit is found in his private account or a further amount of 42 million Ringgit was also in his account. I had already said it would be his decision.

3.​Merely having that amount of money in a Prime Minister’s account is already wrong even though it may not be criminal. But now the A.G. declares that the money was a gift from the Saudis.

4.​It seems there was a letter by a Saudi stating that a sum of US$ 681 million or RM2.08 billion was a donation for the PM’s contribution to the fight against Islamic terrorists. Who is this Arab, how does he have the huge sum of money to give away, what is his business, what is his bank, how was the money transferred, what documents prove these. Just a letter from a deceased person or some nonentity is enough for the A.G.

5.​Then he goes on to say that the balance of US$620 million or RM2.03 billion has been returned to the Saudis. How and when was this done? We are told the balance is frozen by Singapore. Can Singapore explain the unfreezing and the delivery back to the Saudis? Or does Singapore also believe in the free gift story, the letter and the Saudi admission.

6.​Singapore is a financial centre. Can it be so gullible?

7.​Then the A.G. concludes that there is no case for Najib to answer. He also directed MACC to close the case and cease investigation.

8.​I thought the MACC is an independent body. Now it seems it is subordinate to the A.G. and it takes orders from him. No wonder Malaysia is included among the ten most corrupt countries in the world. The Anti-Corruption Agency is not free.

9.​I was right when I predicted that the A.G. will reject the report by the MACC as he did with the report by Bank Negara.

10.​A lot of people must know the contents of both reports. But they have all seen what can happen even when someone lodges a report to the police. And they are scared.

11.​I am scared too. In Malaysia today laws and rules no longer protect the people. The OSA for example is used to prevent reports from reaching the people. On the other hand people are now exposed to abuse of the OSA and they may end up in jail. Even the ISA did not frighten people as much.

12.​Quo vadis Malaysia.

 

VERSI BM

QUO VADIS (KE MANA ARAHNYA?)

1. Di Malaysia, Peguam Negara yang memutuskan jika sesuatu undang-undang dilanggar atau tidak. Keputusan tersebut merupakan satu penghakiman. Peguam Negara bertindak sebagai Hakim dan Pendakwa Raya. Ini dengan sendirinya satu ketidakadilan.

2. Saya mengaku saya tidak terperanjat apabila Peguam Negara memutuskan laporan oleh SPRM tidak menunjuk YB Perdana Menteri telah melakukan perbuatan jenayah apabila RM 2.6 bilion dijumpai di dalam akaun peribadi beliau atau selanjutnya jumlah RM 42 juta juga didapati di dalam akaun beliau. Saya telah menyatakan Peguam Negara akan membuat keputusan yang sedemikian.

3. Hanya dengan mempunyai sejumlah wang berkenaan sahaja di dalam akaun Perdana Menteri adalah menjadi satu kesalahan walau pun ianya mungkin bukan perbuatan jenayah. Tetapi kini Peguam Negara telah mengistiharkan wang tersebut merupakan hadiah Dari pihak Arab Saudi.

4. Kononnya terdapat sepucuk surat dari Saudi yang menyatakan bahawa wang berjumlah USD 681 juta atau RM 2.08 bilion adalah hadiah kepada Perdana Menteri atas sumbangan beliau melawani pengganas Islam. Siapakah gerangan Arab ini, bagaimana beliau mempunyai wang yang begitu banyak untuk diderma, apakah jenis perniagaan beliau, apakah maklumat perbankannya, bagaimana wang berkenaan disalurkan, apakah dokumen-dokumen bagi membuktikannya? Hanya sepucuk surat dari individu yang telah meninggal atau badan-badan yang agak samar latar belakangnya adalah memadai untuk Peguam Negara.

5. Kemudian beliau menyatakan bahawa baki USD 620 juta atau RM 2.03 bilion telah dipulangkan kepada pihak Saudi. Bagaimana dan bila ini dilakukan? Kita dimaklumkan baki berkenaan telah dibekukan oleh pihak Singapura. Bolehkah pihak Singapura menjelaskan pembatalan pembekuan dan penghantaran semula kepada pihak Saudi? Atau adakah pihak Singapura juga mempercayai cerita sumbangan percuma, surat berkenaan dan pengakuan pihak Saudi?

6. Singapura adalah sebuah pusat kewangan. Adakah negara tersebut begitu mudah mempercayainya?

7. Kemudian Peguam Negara memutuskan bahawa tidak ada kes terhadap Najib. Beliau juga mengarahkan supaya pihak SPRM menutup kes berkenaan dan memberhentikan penyiasatan.

8. Saya fikirkan pihak SPRM merupakan badan yang bebas. Namun kini kelihatan SPRM berada di bawah bidang kuasa Peguam Negara dan menerima arahan dari pihaknya. Tidak hairanlah Malaysia termasuk dalam senarai antara sepuluh negara yang paling korup di dunia. Badan pencegah rasuah tidak bebas.

9. Adalah bertepatan apabila saya meramalkan bahawa Peguam Negara akan menolak laporan dari SPRM seperti mana yang berlaku dengan laporan dari Bank Negara.

10. Ramai orang semestinya telah mengetahui isi kandungan kedua-dua laporan berkenaan. Walau bagaimana pun mereka telah melihat apa yang boleh terjadi apabila seseorang membuat laporan kepada polis. Dan mereka berasa takut.

11. Saya juga takut. Hari ini undang-undang tidak lagi melindungi orang ramai. Sebagai contoh, Akta Rahsia Resmi kini digunakan untuk menghalang laporan-laporan dari diketahui umum. Sebaliknya orang ramai kini terdedah dengan penyalahgunaan Akta Rahsia Resmi dan risiko dimasukkan ke penjara. Sehinggakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri tidak memberi ketakutan yang sedemikian kepada orang ramai.

12. Quo Vadis Malaysia (Ke mana arahnya Malaysia?)

Economics

THE TPP

94 Comments

1. The International Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister says it will take two years to amend 26 laws to meet TPP requirements.

2. This is a clear admission that the TPP limits Malaysia’s freedom to make laws deemed necessary for the country. These laws have been passed by the Malaysian Parliament apparently because they were considered essential and god for the country. But now they have to be amended because the TPP is apparently more powerful than our elected parliament in determining what laws Malaysia should have.

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Popular

TUN RAZAK

37 Comments

1. It is difficult to think that 40 years have passed since the demise of Tun Razak, the much respected and beloved second Prime Minister of independent Malaysia .

2. Watching the T.V documentary on his life and times, I cannot help but feeling sad. Those were great days. Leaders then were dedicated, bent on developing the country and tackling the disparities in Malaysian society. It was Tun Razak who introduced the New Economic Policy.

3. He broke away from the apron-strings of the British Commonwealth past, and visited Russia and China. The winds of change blew strongly.

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UMNO

DISMISSALS AND REPLACEMENTS

41 Comments

1. The Malaysian Insider recently reported the MACC Chief Abu Kassim might be replaced, basing it on “source”.

2. Abu Kassim has some health problem but he himself says that he hopes to retire at 60, the mandatory retirement age. Obviously he does not think that his health would force him to retire any time soon.

3. Government has certain procedures for sick employees to retire before reaching retirement age. A Medical Board will have to be set up to examine the health of the person who seeks to retire early.

4. The Board will issue a proper medical report on the state of the person’s health and certify his being unfit to work.

5. If the officer’s appointment is at the pleasure of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, then the certificate must be produced for the Agong to agree to his retirement, and for his signature.

6. There is doubt whether in the case of the former A.G. Tan Sri Gani Patail the procedures were followed. When he was retired the PM stated that it was for health reasons. Gani himself denied this although he was suffering from kidney failure. A kidney failure person can work for quite a considerable length of time. It is not a cause for early retirement.

7. And now Gani is reported to begin a career as a lawyer. Obviously he is fit to work.

8. The question is whether the MACC chief will also be retired prematurely for health reason? It is known that the MACC has submitted its report to the AG. The AG says he would act without fear or favour. But he requires time as the report piles up to his height. How much time? Or is the AG to determine whether there is a case for the judges to judge or will he be the judge and dismiss the case as indeed he had done with the Bank Negara report.

9. There is currently a deficit in terms of trust in the present Government and its institutions. There are many reasons for this deficit. Saying that everything is fine will get the Government nowhere. Deeds count more than words.

10. The removal of Tan Sri Abu Kassim will only convince the people that all that is being said against the Government is true, that it exist merely to prevent the rule of law being applied to the leadership of the nation.

VERSI BM
PEMECATAN DAN PENGGANTIAN

1. The Malaysian Insider baru-baru ini melaporkan bahawa Ketua Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Abu Kassim mungkin diganti, berdasarkan pada “sumber”.

2. Abu Kassim mempunyai beberapa masalah kesihatan tetapi beliau sendiri berkata bahawa beliau berharap untuk bersara pada 60, umur wajib persaraan. Jelas sekali beliau tidak berfikir bahawa kesihatan beliau akan memaksa beliau untuk bersara dalam masa terdekat ini.

3. Kerajaan mempunyai prosedur tertentu untuk kakitangan yang sakit untuk bersara sebelum mencapai umur persaraan. Suatu Lembaga Perubatan perlu ditubuhkan untuk memeriksa kesihatan sesiapa yang meminta untuk bersara awal.

4. Lembaga ini akan mengeluarkan laporan perubatan yang sewajarnya mengenai keadaan kesihatan orang itu dan mengesahkan beliau adalah tidak mampu untuk bekerja.

5. Jika pelantikan pegawai itu adalah atas titah Yang di Pertuan Agong, maka sijil perakuan hendaklah dikemukakan kepada Agong untuk dipersetujui persaraan itu, dan menandatanganinya.

6. Wujud keraguan dalam kes bekas Peguam Negara Tan Sri Gani Patail sama ada prosedur ini telah diikuti. Apabila beliau dibersarakan, Perdana Menteri menyatakan bahawa ini adalah atas sebab-sebab kesihatan. Gani sendiri menafikan ini walaupun beliau mengalami kegagalan buah pinggang. Seseorang yang menghidapi kegagalan buah pinggang boleh berfungsi untuk tempoh masa yang agak panjang. Ia bukan satu sebab untuk bersara awal.

7. Dan sekarang ini Gani dilapor akan memulakan kerjaya sebagai seorang peguam. Jelas sekali dia berkeupayaan untuk bekerja.

8. Soalnya ialah sama ada Ketua SPRM juga akan dibersarakan awal atas sebab kesihatan? Telah diketahui bahawa SPRM telah mengemukakan laporannya kepada Peguam Negara. Peguam Negara berkata, beliau akan bertindak secara adil dan saksama. Tetapi beliau memerlukan masa kerana laporannya tebal bertimbun sehingga ketinggian beliau. Berapa banyak masa? Atau adakah Peguam Negara yang akan menentukan sama ada terdapat kes untuk hakim mengadilinya, atau beliau sendiri nanti akan menjadi hakim dan menolak kes itu sepertimana yang dilakukannya dengan laporan Bank Negara.

9. Buat masa ini terdapat defisit dari segi kepercayaan terhadap Kerajaan masa kini dan institusinya. Terdapat banyak sebab-sebab defisit ini berlaku. Dengan hanya menyatakan bahawa semua adalah baik tidak akan bawa Kerajaan ke mana-mana. Tingkah laku adalah lebih baik daripada kata-kata.

10. Penyingkiran Tan Sri Abu Kassim akan hanya meyakinkan rakyat bahawa semua yang sedang dikatakan terhadap Kerajaan adalah benar, bahawa ianya wujud semata-mata untuk mengelakkan kedaulatan undang-undang dikenakan kepada kepimpinan negara.

 

Economics

TPPA

172 Comments

1. The Government could not care less for whatever opposition that is voiced by anyone in Malaysia or abroad against signing the TPPA. It will go ahead and sign.

2. The MITI Minister assures us that we can get out of the agreement anytime we want.

3. Yes indeed we can. But it is not going to be easy and the cost would practically bankrupt us.

4. In the TPPA agreement companies can sue Government for loss of profit including future profit if Government action results in the loss.

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