Civil servants: Tony Pua is right

Tony Pua is right about the need to reduce the size of civil servants. By virtue of his position as a MP from DAP, his political opponents are obliged to, or even eager to, seize any opportunity to take a pop shot at him; turning a technical matter into a racist, counter-productive and down right detrimental course of arguments.

Let technical people make technical decision. For those with vested interest or with skewered intention, butt out! Then again these shallow minded people are unable to debate real issues with commonsense and can only resort to what they know best, which may not be the best for the rest.

Self cannibalization: the latest political tool to win at all costs

According to this report by China Press, which surely would not make it even to the dust bins of Utusan Malaysia  sub editors, an  interesting elector roll management trend” (to call it politely) has emerged in Seremban.

"110 Phantoms moved into 16 empty houses

Anthony Loke reveals yet again elector roll irregularities"

It's hard for me to say I'm sorry

Perhaps UMNO and BN think getting Lim Guan Eng to apologise represent a major coup. If UMNO BN thinks this represent a significant political triumph and would swing loads of votes from Pakatan, I am not fully convinced. If all politicians have to apologise for all private statement and personal opinion, then they would have no time to service the rakyat properly.

Do we not all have public and private opinion that differs? Do we not bitch behind clients/bosses/colleagues/spouse/relatives? If a Singaporean got robbed in Malaysia and bitched about it in Stomp, can UMNO BN be consistent enough to chase the Ah Beng down and demand an apology? If UMNO BN thinks Voyeurism politics is the way to go, then let’s make that an official election manifesto for voters to identify with.

Adakah DAP anti-Melayu? Ulasan karyaan Wan Hamidi Hamid

Sekian lama, UMNO sedaya upaya cuba menghumban apa sahaja kutukan dan fitnah sama ada menerusi Utusan Malaysia dan baru-baru ini Perkasa terhadap DAP. Kononnya DAP dalang rusuhan Mei 13 1969, DAP parti komunis, DAP anti-Melayu dan DAP anti-Islam.

Jika DAP memang dalang rusuhan itu, maka soalnya, apakah manfaatnya DAP berbuat demikian? Ia telah menyertai pilihanraya menurut peruntukan undang-undang dan telah mencapai kemenangan yang paling cemerlang ketika itu. Memang tiada masuk akal and tiada motif untuk DAP menimbulkan rusuhan. Hakikatnya siapakah yang telah mengambil kesempatan mengantung parlimen pilihan rakyat selama dua tahun? Perlukah parlimen untuk seluruh Malaysia digantung kerana rusuhan di Kuala Lumpur yang telah ditumpaskan dalam tempoh beberapa hari?

Siapakah yang menimbulkan rusuhan ini sampai sekarang belum kita tahu lagi. Apa yang saya tahu adalah semasa rusuhan tercetus, Lim Kit Siang berada di Sabah untuk berkempen di situ dan tanpa alat perhubungan canggih kini, masakan beliau mengetuai kerja-kerja keji itu?


Di Malaysia, walaupun seseorang itu disyaki membunuh, merogol, mencuri atau apa-apa jenayah pun, dia berhak mendapat peluang disiasat, membela diri dan menjawab tuduhan terhadapnya. Oleh itu, sebagai rakyat Malaysia kurun ke-21 ini, masyarakat Melayu tumpuan propaganda UMNO ini khasnya berhak mendengar suara daripada pihak DAP supaya dapat meneliti hujah kedua pihak untuk menentukan kebenaran.


Maka buku bertajuk “Malaysia Milik Kita Bersama: Perjuangan 45 tahun Parti Tindakan Demokratik” karangan saudara Wan Hamidi ini harus dijadikan rujukan di samping Utusan Malaysia, khabar Roket serta halaman facebook Roketkini untuk tatapan rakyat yang berhak memahami keadaan nan sebenarnya kerana ini akan menjadikan mereka pengundi yang lebih arif.

Saya membeli buku ini in MPH Wangsa Maju, harganya RM15 sahaja.

Halaman facebook "Roketkini"


Rangka buku ini disusun untuk membidas tohmahan dan fitnah selama ini dengan beberapa bahagian yang menerangkan sejarah ringkas DAP, prinsip perjuangan DAP serta cabaran semasa dan hadapannya, khususnya dakwaan bahawa DAP parti komunis, anti-Melayu dan anti-Islam.

Fitnah # 1: DAP parti komunis?
Berhubung dengan dakwaan bahawa DAP adalah parti komunis, saudara Wan Hamidi mengambil ruang besar untuk menerangkan asal usul fahaman komunis dan sosialis. Ringkasnya, falsafah dan perlembagaan DAP berdasarkan kepada fahaman sosialis dan puak sosialis ini adalah pecahan daripada golongan komunis akibat bantahan terhadap fahaman komunis yang radikal (umpamanya golongan macam Lenin dan Stalin). Pihak sosialis menitikberatkan nilai-nilai demokratik sosial, keserdehanaan dan perkembangan minda (intellectual progressive) yang menolak komunisme.

Setahu saya, Parti Komunis Malaya menyeru khalayak mengangkat senjata dan menolak sistem demokrais tetapi DAP melawan menurut peruntukan undang-undang dan menyertai proses demokrasi. Tohmahan UMNO bahawa DAP adalah parti komunis nampaknya jahil dan tidak berasas langsung sekali.

Pulau Pinang berjaya menarik pelaburan asing tertinggi antara semua negeri Malaysia dalam tahun 2010. Jika DAP komunis, sepatutnya DAP menolak semua pelabur dan pelancong asing seperti Korea Utara dan bukanlah meneruskan usaha memajukan iktisad Pulau Pinang berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip ekonomi terbuka dan pentadbiran nan telus.

Menurut buku ini, hakikatnya UMNO lebih intim dengan komunis daripada DAP.

m.s. 38 “Pada 28 Mei 1974, Tun Abdul Razak menjadi Perdana Menteri Pertama daripada Malaysia yang membuat lawatan rasmi ke China…bertemu dengan pemimpin komunis Mao Zedong…menandatangani perjanjian hubungan diplomatik walaupun pada masa itu China masih aktif membantu dan menyokong perjuangan PKM”

Ketika itu, Abdul Razak hendak dapat semula sokongan pengundi kaum Cina manakala China ketika itu masih terpinggir daripada hubungan diplomatik yang meluas maka masing-masing ada agenda sendiri bersandiwara.

m.s. 38 “Pada Ogos 2010, UMNO dan Parti Komunis China menandatangani memorandum persefahaman bersama untuk mengadakan program pertukaran belia…MoU ditandatangan di Beijing di mana UMNO diwakili oleh Setiausaha Agungnya Datuk Tengku Adnan Mansor…”


Fitnah # 2 DAP anti-Melayu?

Dalam menuduh DAP sebagai anti-Melayu dan cauvinis Cina tanpa bukti-bukti bernas, hairan juga UMNO tidak menuduh Malaysia Chinese Association sebagai cauvinis Cina dan Malaysia Indian Congress sebagai cauvinis India meskipun daripada nama pun kita tahu siapakah yang berlandasan segala-galanya atas soal kaum.

Petikan m.s. 93 “…selepas Mac 2008, isu Melayu Pulau Pinang yang biasanya timbul setahun sekali secara tiba-tiba ini menjadi terpinggir dan ditindas setiap hari…

Isu-isu hidup seharian serta persoalan kecekapan pentadbiran telah dipesongkan ke permainan perkauman dan hasutan….”

Hakikatnya,

m.s. 94 “Semenjak pelaksanaan Dasar Ekonomi Baru hingga tahun 1990-an Pulau Pinang telah dibekalkan dengan infrastruktur pembangunan khusus untuk Melayu melalui Yayasan Bumiputera Pulau Pinang, Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Pulau Pinang dan Koperasi Gabungan Negeri serta bantuan dana kepada …Dewan Perniagaan Melayu Pualu Pinang….”

m.s. 95 “..UMNO mempunyai lebih 50 tahun untuk membantu menyelesaikan masalah…namun mengikut kajian UMNO Pulau Pinang sendiri pada awal tahun-tahun 2000-an, walaupun ekonomu negeri berkembang, kedudukan orang Melayu dikatakan masih berada di takuk lama…”

Keadaan perniagaan untuk kontraktor-kontraktor Melayu bertambah baik setelah DAP mengambilalih kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang.

m.s. 97 “…Guan Eng mendedahkan fakta bahawa kontraktor mendapat 100% tender projek Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran, dan 98% projek Jabatan Kerja Raya …. Kontraktor bukan Melayu … hanya mendapat kontrak…2% sahaja…

Guan Eng membalas tuduhan (bahawa kontraktor Melayu dipinggirkan) …’urus tadbir dan sistem tender terbuka telah membuktikan bahawa kontraktor Melayu memang berjaya secara terbuka. Yang tak mampu saing hanya kontraktor UMNO yang lembik dan dayus sehingga bergantung kepada kabel politik UMNO dan hidup sebagai kontraktor kroni’.”

m.s.97, “Kecekapan, ketelusan dan keikhlasan urus tadbir kerajaan negeri telah diakui oleh Pengerusi Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia cawangan Pualu Pinang Datuk Mohamed Fadzill Hassan yang telah memohon maaf kepada Ketua Menteri dalam satu pertemuan di Komtar, George Town pada Januari 2011.”


Para pemimpin DAP memang ada membantu orang Melayu tetapi media-media kawalan UMNO tidak berani melaporkan usaha-usaha DAP ini. Kerana membantu gadis Melayu teraniaya, Lim Guan Eng telah dipenjarakan dan hilang kerusi parlimen dan pencennya. Belum pernah kita jumpa mana-mana pemimpin UMNO yang membantu sampai tahap ini.

Kerana Utusan Malaysia hanya minat dengan cerita dongeng oleh blogger seperti Big Dog yang tidak munasabah, usaha-usaha murni seperti bantuan Ahli Parlimen Rasah, YB Anthony Loke kepada keluarga Melayu tidak dilaporkan. Hasad Dengki dan fitnah diutamakan, usaha-usaha murni dan perikemanusiaan dibelakangkan. Itulah falsafah media kawalan yang kita harus tolak dan pulau.

http://lokesiewfook.blogspot.com/2009/01/bantuan-pendidikan.html







Fitnah # 3 DAP anti-Islam?

m.s. 75 “…pemimpin UMNO merasakan bahawa dengan mengutuk dan menfitnah DAP, mereka akan dapat menarik sokongan Melayu….mereka menganggap semua orang Melayu bersikap perkauman seperti mereka juga…..bagi DAP, setiap insan mempunyai hak asasi yang sama tanpa mengira latar belakang dan keturunan mereka. Atas prinsip ini juga DAP menghormati Islam kerana Islam sebagai Ad-Din benar-benar menjamin hak saksama antara manusia tanpa mengira warna kulit dna keturunan.”


Jika DAP benar-benar anti-Melayu dan Islam, mengapakan PKR dan PAS boleh bekerjasama dengan DAP menyertai pilihanraya serta mentadbir 5 negeri di Malaysia?


Sejauh manakah kejayaan propaganda UMNO bertujuan menjauhkan masyarakat Melayu daripada DAP selama ini? Saya rasa sekiranya suatu pembohongan diulang berkali-kali, ada juga orang yang akan percaya yang karut itu benar dan yang benar itu karut.

Namun mujurnya ada rakyat Malaysia yang kini pandai menafsir dan menilai samasa maklumat yang diberi itu patut diterima atau ditolak.



YB Teo Nie Ching, ahli Parlimen Serdang bergaul mesra dengan masyarakat Melayu di kawasan beliau


Menurut laporan China Press pada 20 Mei, seorang rakyat Malaysia yang penuh bertanggungjawab, Encik Sufaiya (terjemah terus daripada tulisan Cina, jika silap saya minta maaf) telah membawa perhatian ADUN Bukit Kepayang, YB Cha Kee Chin daripada DAP, kepada angkara pekerja Pos Malaysia Berhad membuang beribu-ribu surat ke dalam belukar. YB Cha telah memuji beliau sebagai seorang rakyat Malaysia yang patut dijadikan iktibar dan minta penjelasan daripada pihak Pos Malaysia.

Peristiwa kecil tersebut rasanya tidak dilaporkan dalam Utusan Malaysia, masakan hakikat seorang warga Melayu boleh berjumpa wakil rakyatnya daripada DAP untuk menyelesaikan masalah hidup seharian boleh dipaparkan dalam akhbar ini?

Saya rasa jika masyarakat Melayu hendak tahu jawapan nan sebenarnya, terus pergi jumpa dan bertanyakan pemimpin-pemimpin DAP mengenai pendirian mereka. Sama ada para pembaca rencana ini bersetuju dengan rumusan saya atau tidak itu tak penting tetapi apa yang penting ialah anda harus berkemampuan menafsir dengan rasional dan berdasarkan fakta, dan setidak-tidaknya bacalah buku ini sebelum membuat kesimpulan anda sendiri.

Bab 3: Memberikan kuasa dan daya kepada rakyat untuk membina keupayaan dan daya saing negara

Sila rujuk pendahuluan


Bab ini adalah yang paling sukar untuk saya karangkan kerana banyak cadangan nan bernas telah diutarakan. Saya cuba menulis sebahagian daripadanya serta meringkaskan cadangan-cadangan Belanjawan Alternatif (BA) ini supaya mudah dibaca dalam blog. Jika tidak, karangan ini akan menjadi sangat panjang lebar!

DAP dan seterusnya Pakatan Rakyat mengakui bahawa penghasilan dan pengekalan bakat (development and retention of talent) adalah penting untuk memajukan ekonomi Malaysia. BA ini menitikberatkan pelaburan dalam pendidikan, kesihatan, pengangkutan, kewangan, teknologi, keselamatan, sumber tenaga dan penjagaan alam sekitar dalam usaha menjadikan Malaysia destinasi pilihan utama pelaburan asing.

BA ini menetapkan bahawa Petronas berhak menggunakan 50% daripada keuntungan tahunannya untuk melaburkan semula membangunkan serta menjamin kesailan syarikat; bakinya untuk perbelanjaan kerajaan serta pelaburan kepada dalam bidang pendidikan dan peruntukan ini adalah tambahan kepada peruntukan nan sedia ada.

Secara perbandingan, menjelang May 2009, sebanyak 79% keuntungan Petronas telah diberi kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan BN namun kesan manfaat terhadap rakyat jelata tidak dapat dirasai umum.


Cadangan-cadangan BA dalam aspek pendidikan:

# RM1,800,000,000 untuk pembinaan 115 sekolah kebangsaan, 60 SRJK(C) serta 15 SRJK (T)

# peruntukan khas RM250,000,000 meningkatkan kemudahan asas di sekolah-sekolah luar bandar

# dalam usaha membasmi gejala buta huruf di kalangan pelajar, peruntukan RM160,000,000 untuk pemberian voucher buku bernilai RM100 untuk 2 juta orang pelajar yang pendapatan keluarganya kurang daripada RM1,000 sebulan (kerajaan BN hanya memberi potongan cukai untuk pembelian buku, untuk mereka yang mampu membayar cukai)

# peruntukan RM1,200,000,000 untuk meningkatkan kemudahan universiti tempatan serta dana penyelidikan RM200,000,000 untuk USM, UM dan UPM membolehkannya mencapai taraf sebagai “research university” (dan bukan sekadar menghasilkan lepasan-lepasan yang hanya menelaah nota pensyarah sahaja)

# RM800,000,000 akan diperuntukkan kepada pembinaan dan kerja naik taraf politeknik untuk manfaat para pelajar yang tidak berjaya memasuki universiti tetapi boleh mencari peluang belajar juga


Keselamatan

Menurut kajian BA, nisbah polis Malaysia kepada bilangan penduduk (1: 295) memang lebih baik daripada Jepun (1 : 550) dan Switzerland (1: 524) oleh itu bilangan polis tak cukup untu membanteras jenayah bukanlah sebab utama berleluasanya jenayah. BA menyarankan bahawa kajian akan dibuat dalam pembahagian jawatan pegawai polis untuk menambah bilangan polis meronda dan mengurangkan bilangan pegawai di bahagian nan tidak berperanan memerangi jenayah.

BA memperuntukkan RM500,000,000 untuk sistem mendaftar pekerja dan pelawat asing secara biologi untuk mengenal-pasti orang asing yang pernah ditahan. Sistem ini telah dibuktian berjaya di Singapura.



Pembangunan industri kewangan

Memandangkan betapa majunya industri perbankan Islam di Dubai dan Singapore, Malaysia tidak boleh ketinggalan lagi. BA mencadangkan pembentukan suatu jawatankuasa iaitu Pusat Kewangan Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre) yang merangkumi pegawai-pegawai kerajaan yang berkenaan serta pihak swasta untuk memajukan industri kewangan ini.

Memang adalah hakikat bahawa ramai pakar industri kewangan Malaysia telah meninggal Malaysia ke luar negara akibat peluang pekerjaan dan kerjaya yang lebih baik. BA mencadangkan bahawa syarikat-syarikat kewangan akan digalakkan memberi biasiswa berikat kepada pelajar-pelajar Malaysia yang berkelayakan melanjutkan pelajaran jurusan kewangan ke universiti-universiti terbaik di Amerika Syarikat dan Britain.

Kerajaan Persekutuan juga mencarumkan jumlah yang sama dengan biasiswa tersebut kepada pelajar untuk menggalakkan pihak swasta melaksanakan usaha membentuk kepakran rakyat Malaysia ini.



Pembangunan SME (Small Medium Enterprises)

BA ini mencadangkan bahawa kerajaan-kerajaan negeri diberi kuasa untuk memajukan kawasan-kawasan SME masing-masing menurut keadaan, kesesuaian serta kelebihan setempat. Ini sejajar dengan haluan pertama, “mendemokrasikan ekonomi dengan mengagihkan kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri” dan saya rasa ini akan mempercepatkan pembangunan kegiatan iktisad di luar Lembah Kelang.

Para pentadbir peringkat negeri akan rasa teransang oleh itu dapat berkhidmat dengan lebih berkesan. Cadangan dan rungutan para penduduk boleh dapat dilayan dalam masa yang lebih singkat oleh pegawai-pegawai yang lebih memahami keadaan tempatan.

BA memperuntukkan RM500,000,000 untuk mendirikan Pusat-pusat Kemudahan Awam (Common Facility Centers) dan pusat-pusat sokongan daerah (regional incubation support centres) untuk membangunkan usaha ini.

Di samping itu, kadar cukai untuk SME Malaysia akan dikurangkan daripada 20% kepada 18% dan diturunkan lagi kepada 12% untuk keuntungan RM200,000 yang pertama bagi tahun taksiran 2011. Bagi syarikat-syarikat baru, keuntungan RM200,000 yang pertama dan ke bawah akan dikecualikan daripada cukai pendapatan untuk 3 tahun yang pertama demi membantu ia berkembang.

Meskipun kutipan cukai akan berkurangan pada mulanya, tetapi BA yakin dengan adanya dorongan ini, pelaburan akan digalakkan dan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan akan diwujudkan maka faedah jangka panjang akan diperolehi.

BA ini memperuntukkan RM100,000,000 untuk memudahkan aliran kerja dalam jabatan-jabatan kerajaan agar menyenangkan pihak swasta berurus dengan kerajaan menerusi E-Government, Khidmat Singgah Setempat (One Stop Centre) dan sebagainya.

Bab 2: Rakyat didahulukan menerusi pengubahan struktur ekonomi serta pengagihan semula sumber

Sila rujuk pendahuluan

Inilah bahagian nan saya amat minati. Ia merangkumi banyak perkara dan apa yang menarik perhatian saya adalah usaha membasmi kemiskinan, membantu golongan berpendapatan rendah serta Akta Kontrak Awam Tak Adil (Unfair Public Contract Act).

Berbanding dengan agihan perbelanjaan pentadbiran BN untuk tahun 2009, BA ini bercadang mengurangkan 50% perbelanjaan kerajaan membeli barangan dan perkhidmatan, subsidi serta gran kepada perbadanan-perbadanan kerajaan dan menyalurkan wang tersebut terus kepada rakyat. Menerusi perbelanjaan ramai penerima wang ini, maka kegiatan ekonomi Malaysia akan bertambah ligat akibat kesan berganda (mulitiplier effect).



Usaha membasmi kemiskinan

Belanjawan Alternatif (BA) menyarankan peruntukan RM5,000,000,000 untuk tahun 2010 untuk membasmi kemiskinan tegar.

BA menyarankan bahawa garis ukuran pendapatan untuk menentukan golongan miskin akan dikaji semula dan diubah supaya lebih ramai golongan miskin akan layak mendapat bantuan. .

Buat masa kini, kadar pendapatan bulanan golongan miskin di Semenanjung adalah RM720, manakala Sabah adalah RM960 dan Sarawak adalah RM830.

BA menyatakan bahawa taraf kemiskinan itu perlu ditentukan menurut kos hidup setempat dan menyarankan perubahan perhitungan mengikut tempat tinggal. Definasi golongan miskin di bandaraya adalah mereka yang berpendapaan bulanan tidak lebih daripada RM1,200, manakalan untuk bandar atau pekan (contohnya Ipoh, Kuantan dan Muar) ianya adalah RM1,000 dan kawasan luar bandar adalah RM800.

Angka tersebut hanya merangkumi tahap belanja hidup seharian, bantuan tambahan akan diperolehi menerusi Dana Keselamatan Kemasyarakatan (Social Safety Net) yang bertujuan memberi bantuan kepada golongan miskin akibat kemalangan, keperluan perubatan serta pendidikan tambahan, kelahiran bayi baru. Kemudahan ini sehingga kini tidak wujud bawah pentadbiran BN.

Terkandang dalam perangkaan tersebut adalah anggaran belanja makanan seisi keluarga sebulan iaitu: RM750 untuk bandaraya, RM650 untuk bandar atau pekan serta RM550 untuk kawasan luar bandar

BA menyarankan usaha kerajaan Pulau Pinang membasmi kemiskian tegar akan dilaksanakan ke seluruh negara di mana untuk semua keluarga kemiskinan tegar, Kerajaan Persekutuan akan memberi bantuan tunai terus sehingga tahap ukuran belanja makanan tersebut dan usaha ini dijangka melibatkan perbelanjaan RM750,000,000.

Satu lagi rancangan menarik adalah peruntukan sebanyak RM1,070,000,000 sebagai Ehsan Golongan Usia Emas (Senior Malaysian Bonus) seperti berikut:

# Bayaran RM1,000 kepada orang berumur 60 tahun ke atas yang mempunyai pendapatan kurang daripada RM18,000 setahun dan tidak memiliki harta tanah bernilai lebih daripada RM80,000.

# Bayaran RM600 kepada orang berumur 60 tahun ke atas yang mempunyai pendapatan lebih daripada RM18,000 hingga RM36,000 setahun dan tidak memiliki harta tanah bernilai lebih daripada RM150,000.

Cara bayarannya adalah kredit ke dalam akaun KWSP dan boleh dikeluarkan serta merta.

Saya bersetuju kerana generasi muda kini telah mewujudkan kadar inflasi yang amat merumitkan hidup ibubapa dan datuk nenek kita.


Membantu golongan berpendapatan rendah

Bagi golongan gaji rendah antara RM900 hingga RM1,400; BA mencadangkan bahawa kadar caruman KWSP mereka dikurangkan kepada 5% supaya wang dalam kocek mereka bertambah.

Bagi golongan gaji rendah kurang daripada RM900; BA mencadangkan mereka tidak perlu carumkan kepada KWSP dan caruman majikan dikurangkan kepada 10% supaya mereka lebih senang mendapat peluang pekerjaan.

Sebagai pampasan, Kerajaan Persekutan akan memberi Imbuhan Gaji Berpatutan (Fair Wage Supplement – ini sedang dijalankan di Singapura) seperti berikut:

Pekerja berusia 45 tahun ke atas dan gaji kurang daripada RM900 sebulan akan dapat RM2,400 setahun

Pekerja berusia 35 tahun ke atas dan gaji kurang daripada RM1,400 sebulan akan menerima RM1,600 setahun

25% daripada jumlah itu akan diberi secara tunai dan selebihnya akan dicarumkan ke dalam KWSP untuk simpanan waktu tua

Imbuhan ini adalah 10% lebih tinggi untuk kawasan-kawasan kos hidup tinggi iaitu di Lembah Kelang, Johor Bahru (kubu kuat UMNO) dan Pulau Pinang

Suri rumahtangga yang tidak bekerja pula akan menerima bayaran RM1,500 setahun sekiranya gaji suami yang bekerja itu bergaji tidak lebih daripada RM3,000 sebulan.

Rancangan ini dijangka melibatkan peruntukan RM21,000,000,000 setahun dan memberi manfaat kepada 8.13 juta orang pekerja dan 3.8 juta orang suri rumahtangga




Akta Kontrak Awam Tak Adil (Unfair Public Contract Act)

Setelah mengkaji perjanjian-perjanjian dengan syarikat-syarikat tol, DAP mendapati syarikat-syarikat ini telah mengaut keuntungan nan amat besar daripada pihak awam. Perjanjian-perjanjian Tenaga Nasional Berhad dengan IPP juga menyebabkan TNB dipaksa membeli semua bekalan elektrik yang dihasilkan oleh IPP meskipun berlebihan dengan harga yang tinggi dan akibatnya pihak awam terpaksa menanggung beban yang boleh dielakkan.

Keadaan ini yang diwujudkan oleh pentadbiran BN adalah perkara yang rumit. Perjanjian nan telah ditandatangani mesti dikotakan meskipun perjanjian itu berat sebelah.

Walau bagaimanapun, DAP mencadangkan penumbuhan Suruhanjaya Perjanjian Awam (Public Contracts Commission) untuk meneliti dan mengkaji semula semua syarat-syarat perjanjian dengan IPP dan sekiranya IPP enggan menurunkan kadar elektrik mereka serta berkongsi risiko, Suruhanjaya tersebut boleh mencadangkan Kerajaan Persekutuan mengambil alih IPP tersebut berdasarkan syarat-syarat yang terkandung dalam perjanjian-perjanjian yang telah ditanda tangani.

Bagi syarikat-syarikat tol pula, setiap perjanjian itu berbeza. Suruhanjaya ini juga akan mengkaji kemungkinan mengambil alih syarikat-syarikat ini berdasarkan syarat-syarat yang terkandung dalam perjanjian-perjanjian tersebut. Umpamanya syarat mengambil alih tol LDP memerlukan belanja RM1,400,000,000 tetapi setelah diambil alih, kadar tol boleh dikurangkan kepada RM1.00 dan tempoh kutipan akan dikurangkan daripada 20 tahun kepada 10 tahun.

BA memperuntukkan RM25,000,000,000 untuk tujuan mengambil alih semua lebuhraya bertol termasuk lingkaran lebuhraya PLUS. Lain-lain pihak yang akan diamati oleh Suruhanjaya ini termasuk pembekal air swasta, syarikat-syarikat pengurusan hospital, stor-stor ubat kerajaan nan telah diswastakan serta syarikat-syarikat swasta yang diberi konsesi memeriksa pekerja-pekerja asing

Pada hemat saya, langah ini memang bertujuan memecahkan kongkongan monopoli-monopoli serta penerima konsesi ke atas rakayt Malaysia. Monopoli-monopoli serta penerima konsesi ini telah didirikan kerana hubungan politik dan bukan berdasarkan persaingan pasaran terbuka. Walaupun kita terpaksa menanggung kos tinggi memecahkan kongkongan ini pada mulanya, ia adalah kos akibat pentadbiran BN dan mungkin kesan baik jangka panjang akan melebihi beban buat masa kini.

Bab 1: Mendemokrasikan ekonomi dengan mengagihkan kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri

Sila rujuk pendahuluan

Anehnya, UMNO yang telah menerajui tentangan terhadap Penjajah British yang ingin memusatkan kuasa pentadbiran dan kewangan serta melemahkan kuasa kerajaan-kerajaan negeri dalam tahun 1946 menerusi Pembentukan Malayan Union, sejak medeka lagi menerusi pentadbiran Perikatan / Barisan Nasional telah meneruskan usaha pemusatan kuasa ini sehingga pendapatan Persekutuan bertambah daripada 4 kali ganda pendapatan semua kerajaan negeri dalam tahun 1990 kepada 12 kali ganda dalam tahun 2009.

Umpamanya, untuk tahun 2009, belanjanwan Kerajaan Persekutuan melebihi RM200,000,000,000 sementara belanjawan untuk Perlis dan Sabah hanyalah RM200,000,000. dan RM3,000,000,000. sahaja.

Bahkan menurut kajian Teh Chi-Chang dalam bukunya “The Budget – How the Government is spending our money”, belanjawan Jabatan Perdana Menteri telah melonjat lebih kurang 4 kali ganda daripada RM4,100,000,000 dalam tahun 2005 kepada RM14,000,000,000 untuk tahun 2009 di mana JPM ini bercampur tangan dalam urusan kementerian serta kerajaan negeri termasuk:

a)RM5,000,000,000 untuk membangunkan Koridor Ekonomi di Johor (Iskandar), Utara Malaysia (Merangkumi Kedah, Perak, Perlis dan Penang), Pantai Timur (Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang) serta di Sabah dan Sarawak. (Kerajaan-kerajaan negeri pula tidak nampaknya berperanan langsung)

b) RM258,000,000 untuk projek perumahan untuk angkatan tentera dan PDRM (bukankah itu perihal Kementerian Pertahanan serta Kementerian Hal-Ehwal Dalam Negeri?)

c) RM214,000,000 untuk usaha Penyusunan Semula Masyarakat (bukankah itu bawah pemantauan Kementerian Hal Ehwal Wanita, Kekeluargaan dan Kemasyarakatan?)

Bahkan Jabatan Perdana Menteri juga mempunyai peruntukan untuk Penyertaan Bumiputera Pulau Pinang (RM9,000,000), pembinaan mahkamah (RM114,000,000) serta pemberian kepada pembaikian dan naik taraf masjid dan sekolah agama (meskipun perkara ini seharusnya adalah bawah jagaan Sultan dan kerajaan negeri)

Menurut Belanjawan Alternatif (BA), keadaan ini melemahkan pentadiran negeri, mengkikis kuasa rakyat yang telah memilih kerajaan negeri, menghalang pentadbiran negeri yang lebih arif dan peka dengan keadaan setempat daripada bertindak serta menjadikan proses pentadbiran itu lembap kerana segala keputusan perlu dirujuk kepada Persekutuan.

Saya rasa ini adalah sebab utama mengapa Perdana Menteri Malaysia sekian lama nampaknya begitu berkuasa dan kemajuan iktisad hanya tertumpu di Lembah Kelang manakala ibu negeri lain seperti Ipoh, Seremban, Alor Setar, Kangar, Kota Kinabalu serta pekan-pekan lain nampaknya begitu kurang bermaya..


Apakah saranan BA untuk membetulkan keadaan ini?

1) Perjanjian Perkongsian Hasil Sumber (Tax Revenue Sharing Agreement)
2) Gran Penyamaan dan Pembangunan (Equalisation and Development Grants)
3) Kuasa Kerajaan Negeri Meminjam (Rights to Borrow)

4) Pilihanraya Majlis Setempat (Local Council Election)

Perjanjian Perkongsian Hasil Sumber

Sebanyak 20% cukai pendapatan perseorangan serta syarikat yang dikutip dalam negeri masing-masing akan dijadikan sumber hasil negeri tersebut. Ini menambahkan keupayaan kerajaan negeri masing-masing.

Saya rasa ini amat berbeza dengan pendekatan pentadbiran BN yang cuba menahan aliran sumber kepada kerajaan-kerajaan negeri khususnya negeri-negeri kawalan Pakatan Rakyat (umpamanya royalti petroleum Kelantan menurut undang-undang telah menjelma sebagai wang ehsan). Secara tersirat, ini menjadikan rakyat lebih berani membuat pilihan undi kerana tidak lagi bimbang akan dihukum atau pembangunan setempat akan tergendala akibat membuat keputusan mereka sebagai seorang warganegara yang waras, dewasa dan berhak memilih.

Gran Penyamaan dan Pembangunan

Kerajaan akan mengkaji keperluan negeri yang kurang maju dan memberi gran pembangunan menurut formula yang berdasarkan bancian kadar kemiskinan serta pendapatan purata peduduk negeri dan bukan berdasarkan haluan politik kerajaan negeri. Manfaatnya adalah sumber yang terjamin menyenangkan agensi-agensi negeri membuat perancangan untuk tempoh jangka panjang.

Ini bukan perkara luar biasa tetapi apa yang harus dan patut dibuat, tetapi tidak dilaksanakan sekian lama.Umpamanya di Indonesia, pengagihan gran untuk 434 daerah dan 32 negeri adalah menurut nisbah kepadatan penduduk, pendapatan per kapita dan beberapa bancian lagi.

Maka pihak BN tidak perlu khuatir sekiranya PR menduduki Kerajaan Persekutuan dan mereka hanya menduduki kerajaan negeri sahaja.


Kuasa Kerajaan Negeri Meminjam

Setiap kerajaan negeri dibenarkan meminjan sehingga 50% daripada jumlah hasil pendapatan janaan sendiri, dan pinjaman itu hanya untuk perbelanjaan pembangunan dan bukanlah perbelanjaan semasa (untuk mengelakkan pemborosan).

Dengan peningkatan sumber kewangan kerajaan negeri, maka kerajaan-kerajaan negeri akan diberikan lebih banyak kuasa dalam perihal pengangkutan dan kemudahan awam serta kebajikan masyarakat di mana adalah lebih mudah untuk kerajaan negeri dan majlis setempat mengambil tindakan berbanding dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan. Bahkan menurut Bab 3, peranan kerajaan-kerajaan negeri dalam pembanguanan ekonomi masing-masing juga akn dipertingkatkan.

BA ini menyarankan pembentukan Suruhanjaya Tanah dan Pengangkutan Kebangsaan (National Land Transportation Blueprint) bawah Kementerian Pengangkutan yang bertanggungjawab membuat rangka polisi dan garis panduan untuk usaha pembinaan jalan raya serta memastikan keserasian pembangunan sistem pengangkutan awam termasuk landasan keretapi, bas, teksi, basikal serta berjalan kaki. Walaubagaimana pun, kuasa merancang dan mentadbir rangkaian pengangkutan awam akan diletak bawah kerajaan negeri masing-masing.

Pilihanraya Majlis Setempat (Local Council Election)

BA ini juga memperuntukkan RM400,000,000 untuk mengadakan “undi ketiga” ini kerana adalah kaedah yang paling berkesan dalam merakyatkan and memantau perkhidmatan majlis ini.

Tafsrian Belanjawan 2010 daripada DAP Economic Bureau yang bertajuk “Mendemokrasikan Ekonomi Malaysia”

DAP telah membentangkan suatu Belanjawan Alternatif (BA) yang amat memberangsangkan minda saya dan saya ingin berkongsi apa yang saya telah amati setelah membaca BA sepanjang 152 muka surat ini.

Rumusan saya adalah BA ini boleh memanfaatkan rakyat jelata menerusi pendekatan serta falsafah yang amat berbeza dengan pendekatan pentadbiran Barisan Nasional yang hanya bercirikan:

i) meningkatkan hutang negara
ii) memboroskan wang Petronas
iii) mebih mementingkan perbelanjaan semasa daripada pelaburan untuk masa hadapan
iv) pengagihan pendapatan negara yang nampaknya tiada kesan langsung dan segera kepada rakyat
v) memusatkan kuasa kawalan sumber kewangan dan membuat keputusan di pentadbiran Persekutuan di Putrajaya.

Oleh kerana tafsiran saya ini berpanjang lebar, saya telah membahagikannya kepada 3 bab menurut 3 haluan utama BA ini.

3 haluan utama BA ini adalah

i) Mendemokrasikan ekonomi dengan mengagihkan kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri : tafsiran saya dalam bab 1

ii) Rakyat didahulukan menerusi pengubahan struktur ekonomi serta pengagihan semula sumber : tafsiran saya dalam bab 2

iii) Memberi kuasa dan daya kepada rakyat untuk membina keupayaan dan daya saing negara : tafsiran saya dalam bab 3

Pada hemat saya, perbezaan asas antara falsafah belanjawan ini adalah penyebaran serta perkongsian sumber khasnya kepada golongan yang berpendapaan rendah serta giat melabur untuk masa hadapan, berbanding dengan pendekatan BN yang kuat membelanjakan wang untuk perbelanjaan semasa serta penumpuan penerimaan sumber hasil.

Falsafah dan kematangan pemikiran yang terkandung dalam BA ini menyakinkan saya bahawa seandainya terdapat Kerajaan Persekutuan Pakatan Rakyat yang melaksanakan rancangan-rancangan BA ini, maka banyak manfaat akan dirasai oleh rakyat Malaysia. Mungkin pihak Pentadbiran Najib akan cuba mendapatkan ilham pula daripada BA ini.

The fate of 3 helpful witnesses

My friend recently got in a cab in KLIA and had the misfortune to catch a 70 year old cabbie in a foul mood. What he told my friend that got to me can be unprintable but he did mention a point that I find pertinent.

"When we read newspapers" he said, "read many stories and try to link them together to see what's developing."

Can't disagree with him. I got off my lazy ass, plow through some newspaper and decided to look at the fate of 3 helpful Malaysians in aid of the Malaysian legal process.

The first chap is Mr. Teoh Beng Hock. MACC officially declared that he is or was a witness in their probe and it is not of MACC's interest that he is dead. Well dead he is and he died in MACC premises. If this is how MACC treats helpful witness, then they are literally killing off their sources of information.

The second chap is Mr. Wong Chuan How, PA to YB Ronnie Liu. According to reports in Chinese newspapers, Mr. Wong received request for evidence from MACC. He duly prepared the relevant documents and waited at his service centre yesterday (Friday).

MACC officers arrive at 9am (bravo, a bunch of motivated civil servants for a change). 5 officers (a number considered necessary in MACC's SOP to confront one 50 year old man, I suppose?) went up to the office and requested Mr. Wong to follow them back to Putrajaya. Mr. Wong decided to follow Selangor Menteri Besar's instruction to get his lawyer to accompany him to the MACC office and in this case, it was YB Cha Kee Chin, ADUN for Bukit Kepayang.

In YB Cha's words, "Wong was very co-operative, had all the documents prepared and waited 'respectfully' in the location and at the time as instructed by MACC."

Mr. Wong wanted to lodge a report at Sungai Pelek Police Station before going to Putrajaya. A bit tedious but given what happen to Mr. Teoh and MB's advice, it sounds prudent and orderly to me. Anyway the MACC officers agreed with this.

Unfortunately, when Mr. Wong walked out of the office, the 3 officers who waited outside his office proceeded to grab him and in the ensuing struggle, injured Mr. Wong.

Here are some photos that Utusan Malaysia missed out:



We all know the value of co-workers communicating properly at work but the above is just SNAFU (Situation Normal All F...... Up)

I suppose if you are in the wrong you apologise but what did MACC do? Instead of fruit basket and flowers to hospitals, they upgrade Mr. Wong's status from being a witness to a suspect as according to the Star today, "MACC director of investigation Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull confirmed Mr. Wong's arrest".

Er...pardon my ignorance, a suspect would run when he sees the law, and not prepare evidence to incriminate himself, right?


The third chap is a certain Dr. Khairul. He is so certain and helpful in offering his professional judgement and conclusion that he voluntarily demonstrated in THAT inquiry how a sleepy Teoh Beng Hock could have opened up a window, wiggled and squeezed himself out out a window so that he could kill himself over RM2,400 on the day before his marriage registration.




However, the ever helpful doctor did acknowledge that there were no finger prints or shoe marks at the window where Teoh, who may have issues with committement as lamented in so many female magazine artles about men and committement, probably decided death was preferable to changing diapers and hearing the same woman nagging for decades to come.

I have 1 conclusion. I remember there was a talk about having a Witness Protection Act to be enacted. I suppose given the inconsistency with the 3 stories above, WPA is certain relevant and reliable. Cornerstone to a just society is built on many things such as sound laws being enacted, consistent, fair and swfit application of law as well as safety of witness who willingly come forward at their expense to make Malaysia a better and safer place to live in.

It is time we respect willing witnesses, guarantee them safety and dignity to work towards what Islam also advocates, Justice.

Gutter level cyber warfare

The internet has a brief and interesting history in Malaysian politics. Prior to 12th GE, the BN administration dismissed it as not creditable, irrelevant and of insignificance. An ex-minister famously dismissed bloggers as "consist of 70% unemployed women".

The nasty surprise in GE-12 has caused the BN camp to re-evaluate the role that bloggers have on Malaysian politics.

Immediately after the GE, some coverage was given to bloggers and some were even engaged by the until then skeptical and dismissive BN officials.

I am an avid political blog reader and commentator since 2004. I can feel the following transformation stages:

1) before GE-12, opposition leaders and anti-establishment bloggers are the predominant users. most of the posts written then, albeit with political agenda, are generally well supported by logical arguments; but

2) after GE-12, some BN leaders started to use blogs themselves. Ali Rustam, however, had so many negative comments that he had to declare his blog site "got hacked" and had to close it down. I also notice a lot more emotion andthe level of unsubstantiated sensationalisation has risen tremendously.

Poison letter, meanwhile, is a age old weapon used by irresponsible cowards to discredit some one. The "50 dalil" series is the classic example.

Sad to say it is human nature to believe more in scandalous allegations spread by anonymous cowards rather than believe someone who has the guts to put his head on the chopping block and speak the truth. The former fits the islamic description of "fitnah", right? If so, why so many defenders of religious integrity choose to rally to it blindly?

That's why I am disgusted by this recent gutter level cyber poison letter scheme:

http://rockybru.com.my/2009/08/loke-siew-fook-did-you-write-that-about.html

"This time, it is about allegations made over the weekend by some blogs that Loke, who is also MP for Rasah, had called the Sultan of Perak and son Raja Nazrin by some unsavoury names in a posting dated Aug 6 on the blog The Might of the Pen.

The blog has since been deleted. "

As Rocky himself mentioned, the blog has been deleted. I think there is a Malay proverb that spoke of throwing the stone and quickly hiding the hands behind the back. If the allegation is indeed true then why remove it?

Pretty obvious that someone is losing the battle and war in articulating about truth, justice and good governance, that someone has to fall back on what they know best. It is far easier to spread messages of hate and anger compared to messages of commonsense, compassion, reason and sound principles. Mind The NS state assembly is about a week or so away.

I wonder the commentators in that blog postings are hired cybertroopers or even the blogger himself or his friends.

I have spoken to YB Loke before and I have every confidence in him. To be frank, he is someone BN would fear - young, articulate, good command of Bahasa Malaysia, up and coming etc.

Base on this post below, which was sometime ago, would you believe YB Loke is a racist and lunatic?

http://lokesiewfook.blogspot.com/2009/01/bantuan-pendidikan.html

By the way, I really liked the post when I first read it and that's why I went looking for this piece the moment my blood started to boil. It is a small little gesture, something that most of us overlook and yet we all get lusty, excited and jumping on the bandwagon when there is nude photo, sexual acts taped, beers and pigs.

Malaysians love dirty linen, rumour mongering and scandalous untruth. This is the mentality that result in Malaysians being easily hookwinked by unscrupulous politicians and having our mindsets colonised by irrelevant "revealations" while the real issues get unnoticed.

We demand our MPs to fix drains, put up light poles and give handouts, which is not exactly their job. When YB Loke does that, hardly anyone gives a crap but when a cyber poison letter is out, everyone suddenly became a world class commentator so darn concern about him.

Also, look at the sequence....the 2 ex-Pakatan reps in Perak, accusations against Teresa Kok, Ronnie Liu and Khalid Ibrahim, invasion of privacy of Elizabeth Wong, the fishing trip in 7 offices...I will go to the bookstore and hang around the fiction session then for ideas....

p.s.

YAB Prime Minister promised us BN will change for the better to reclaim lost election ground. Well, ok. Let's benchmark this one. Last time out, someone(until now not accounted for and dealt with) issued a fitnah about Teresa Kok and loudspeakers. Despite the denial of officials of the masjid, the open refute by YB herself, S Hamid still ISAed her but released her after "investigation" - a laughable justification of reversed procedures.

o.k. YAB, show this tax payer some improvement this round, ok?

Cops probe report against Exco member with "underworld connections"

Maria J.Dass

The Sun

SHAH ALAM (July 16, 2009) : Police have begun investigations into reports against a Selangor executive council (exco) member following allegations that his office was being used as a base by underworld figures to conduct their activities.

Wangsa Maju PKR parliamentarian Wee Choo Keong, who made the allegations in a July 11 blog posting, was today questioned for two-and-a-half-hours by officers from the D7 (Anti-vice and gaming division) of the Selangor Police Contigent headquarters here.

Emerging from the building he told reporters that he was interviewed by two officers who recorded his statement and collected all documents relating to his allegations against the executive councillor.

At a press conference later Selangor CPO Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said investigations were being conducted under Section 233 of the Multimedia Act.

"The Commercial Crimes Department and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) have been tasked to work on this case," he said.

Asked why Wee was questioned by D7 officers, he said the Section 233 of the Multimedia Act allows the police to initiate investigations which are now being conducted by the CID and Commercial Crimes Investigations Department, but the case will be reclassified if the need arises.

"We will be calling more witnesses," said Abdul Khalid.

Wee told reporters that he had named the exco involved when he gave his statement to the police.

"I have given them all the relevant documents," he said but would not confirm if these included picture and videos.

"It is best you ask the police about this," Wee said, while declining to reveal the identity of the exco.

He said he had given a few names of informants and complainants to the police and they may be called in soon to provide more leads into the case.

Wee said he had been "advised" by friends not to play with fire (by raising the allegations against a fellow Pakatan Rakyat politician) but said these were risks that politicians had to take.

Asked about DAP's Selangor exco for local authorities and research and development Ronnie Liu’s challenge to him to ‘be a man’ and name the person concerned, Wee said: "Don’t push me too hard, I am a man that’s why I’m here speaking to the police."

"Why is he worried? I never named him and the other eight excos have not said anything either," he added.

Meanwhile, Liu at a press conference earlier said that he was ready face any interrogation from the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) pertaining to the allegations.

"What do I have to be afraid of, I am ready if they come, I have not done anything wrong so what do I have to be afraid of?" he told reporters.

He said he had yet to be contacted by the police or MACC officers on the matter.

"I have not taken any commissions, and all the expenditure of my allocations are stated in my blog- colourblind.org," Liu said.

"I am very transparent," he added.

It's shaken, not stirred

Is there a difference between a martini being shaken or stirred? Well, according to James Bond, there is; and here's the answer according to the Wiki:

Scientists, specifically biochemists, and martini connoisseurs have investigated the difference between a martini shaken and a martini stirred. According to a study at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario in Canada to determine if the preparation of a martini has an influence on their antioxidant capacity, the shaken gin martinis were able to break down hydrogen peroxide and leave only 0.072% of the peroxide behind, versus the stirred gin martini which left behind 0.157% of the peroxide. The study was done at the time because moderate consumption of alcohol appears to reduce the risk of cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, none of which afflict the fictional James Bond.

Andrew Lycett, an Ian Fleming biographer, believed that Fleming liked his martinis shaken, not stirred because Fleming thought that stirring a drink diminished its flavor.

Lycett also noted that Fleming preferred gin and vermouth for his martini. It has also been said that Fleming was a fan of martinis shaken by Hans Schröder, a German bartender. Some connoisseurs believe that shaking gin is a faux pas, supposedly because the shaking "bruises" the gin (a term referring to a slight bitter taste that can allegedly occur when gin is shaken). Others contend that Bond was only shaking because of the vodka it contained.

Prior to the 1960s, vodka was, for the most part, refined from potatoes (usually cheaper brands). This element made the vodka oily. To disperse the oil, Bond ordered his martinis shaken; thus, in the same scene where he orders the martini, he tells the barman about how vodka made from grain rather than potatoes makes his drink even better. This does not explain why Bond in the films still preferred his drink to be shaken rather than stirred, because beginning mostly in the 1960s vodka refined from potatoes was virtually replaced by vodka refined by grains such as corn and wheat or by other ingredients such as grapes and soybeans. Other reasons for shaking tend to include making the drink colder or as Bond called it, ice-cold.

Shaking allows the drink to couple with the ice longer thus making it far colder than if it were to be stirred. Shaking is also said to dissolve the vermouth better making it less oily tasting.

Now there you have it, the reason James wants it shaken and not stirred. You know, back in March 2008 at Wangsa Maju, at a thanksgiving dinner organized by Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong, guest Gombak MP Azmin Ali almost said the same thing in the context of the Ian Fleming phrase. That night the rain poured, fizzling out the satay flames, as the swelling crowd pulled in under the tents. It was then Azmin said in his speech to the captivated crowd that the newly elected PR MPs would 'mengegar' (shake) the Parliament rather than just stir it.

Fast forward to July 2009, the Selangor Government is now being shaken by the same guys. Between compatriot political camps it may be, but I wouldn't call it shit stirring in this case, because it appears that the shit is shaken not stirred. Yes, I must admit that the general PR supportors are shocked with the amount of dirty linen being laundered in the open; both BN and anti-BN think that the PR won't last long with the amount of bickering that's out in the open.

But I think it's ok. Issues being thrashed in the open keep things in check and in full view of the public eye. I think it is a healthy way of doing things. Some say scandalous political matters should be settled behind closed doors- however, don't you think there are pros and also cons to this. Over the years, too many matters have been settled behind closed doors. Those doors were so air-tight shut that we wished there was more transparency to it. The toll deals, the MAS buy-over, the Scomi scandal, the Lingam judicial case and the list goes on. The Constitution has been amended over 600 times, the word 'Allah' has been patented by the Government, the keris raised many times and the NEP is still around.

We were all betrayed by the people who purported to represent us. Would I subscribe to their manner of doing things which is sweeping the dust within closed doors? I won't. If there's something wrong, let's have it out because I want to hear about it.

Pemuda UMNO melarang aktiviti pendaftaran pengundi, perbalahan tercetus

Terjemahan Laporan Sin Chew Jit Poh 4 Julai 2009

Pendaftaran pengundi cetuskan perbalahan
3 orang cendera termasuk dua orang ADUN

Laporan di akhbar Sin Chew Jit Poh yang berkenaan

Ulasan foto

1. Pihak yang dipercayai daripada Pemuda UMNO ingin merampas meja dan mencetuskan perbalahan. Seorang pemuda berbaju hitam memukul meja dengan baton pengawal (nota penterjemah: mengapa polis tidak tangkap budak yang berbaju hitam ini? Mungkin terdapat berbezaan antara undang-undang di Perak dan Melaka)

2. Seorang pemuda diheret dan dipukul (rujukan lakaran garis merah) namun nasib baik seorang polis (berbaju jingga) sempat memberhentikan pengacau daripada terus membelasahnya.



Melaka 2 Julai: DAP Melaka menjalankan kerja pendaftaran di pasar malam dan ini menyebabkan rasa tidak puas hati di kalangan Pemuda UMNO sehingga mengakibatkan kekacauan dan perbalahan. Seorang pemerhati pun kena serang beramai-ramai dan dua orang ADUN DAP pula mengalami cedera ringan.

Perkara ini berlaku kira-kira pada pukul 8:45pm di Pasar Malam Melaka Baru. Ketika itu DAP sedang mengadakan aktiviti mendaftarkan pengundi dan Pemuda UMNO anggap ini sebagai mempolitikkan pasar malam dan membuat bantahan.

Salah seorang Ketua Pemuda UMNO yang hadir di situ adalah Naib Ketua Bukit Kadi Encik Mohd Jalani (ejaan mungkin tidak tepat kerana diterjemah daripada perkataan Cina) yang memarahkan pemimpin-peminpin DAP dan PAS di situ dan mengeluarkan kata akhir bahawa mereka mesti nyah daripada kawasan tersebut dalam masa lima minit, jika tidak beliau akan menyuruh pekerja majlis perbandaran merampas meja kerusi itu.

Namun demikian, sebelum genapnya 5 minit, Jalani dan rakan-rakannya pun bertindak, ahli-ahli DAP dan PAS pun segera menahan meja dan kerusi cuba elakkan dirampas. Kelihatan seorang pemuda memecahkan meja dengan kayu baton pengawal dan 4 atau 5 pemuda lagi bingkas mengheret dan memukul seorang lelaki yang sedang memerhatikan berlakunya kekacauan ini.

Dimaklumkan bahawa lelaki ini pun mengalami cedera ringan.

Ketika itu, ADUN Air Keroh Khoo Poay Tiong mengalami kecederaan di dua belah lutut semasa kerusinya ditolak manakala ADUN Kesidang Goh Liang San mengalami kecederaan otot tangan kiri apabila cuba “melindungi” mejanya.

Nasib baik terdapat polis dalam pakaian biasa di situ yang sempat memberhentikan tercetusnya perbalahan yang lebih parah dan mereka membawa seorang pemuda untuk siasatan lanjut.

Setelah berhentinya perbalahan, ahli-ahli DAP dan Pas pun beredar dari situ pada pukul 9:10 malam dan pergi ke balai polis untuk membuat laporan lanjut.

Laporan mengenai peristiwa yang sama in Oriental Daily: Gambar menunjukkan lutut ADUN Ayer Keroh yang tercalar

Nota penterjemah

1. Dakwaan Ketua Pemuda bahawa pendaftaran ini akan mempolitikan pasar malam; mungkin benar tetapi ini juga suatu perkhidmatan ADUN kepada orang ramai mengenali hak asasi mereka dan ini bukanlah perkara yang buruk. Bahkan SPR pun mengadakan tempat mendaftar pengundi di merata-rata tempat. MCA pun mengadakan aktiviti ini di Kondominium Platinum Hill, Taman Melati sebelum March 2008. Adakah SPR dan MCA telah mempolitikan pejabat pos, pasaraya, kondominium dan sebagainya?

2. Encik Mohd Jalani telah mengatakan bahawa beliau akan menyuruh pekerja Majlis Perbandaran merampas kerusi dan meja. Adakah beliau mempunyai jawatan dan kuasa yang berkenaan? Jika ya, saya mengkagumi betapa cepatnya pegawainya boleh sampai dan bertindak dalam masa 5 minit. Mungkinkah adanya bayaran Overtime yang lumayan? Cuba bandingkanlah dengan betapa cepatnya DBKL dan lain-lain Majlis Perbandaran lain bertindak dalam menyelenggarakan kawasan sekitar.

3. Saya berterima kasih kepada pihak PDRM yang sempat mencegah perkara ini menjadi lebuh parah. Syabas!

4. Dalam waktu DAP Kedah keluar daripada Kerajaan Negeri Kedah dan sindiran bertubi-tubi daripada pihak BN serta pada waktu UMNO ingin menjalin hubungan erat dengan PAS, maka pihak-pihak yang kononnya mewakili UMNO telah mencaci dan menyerang orang-orang PAS yang berdiri bersama orang-orang DAP.

5. Perbuatan menyerang ADUN boleh diibaratkan menyerang dan tidak menghormati pilihan rakyat di kawasan DUN tersebut. Maka saya terpaksa memilih ungkapan daripada RTM, “Ini Budaya Siapa"?

How to make yourself sound (read) silly and shallow

While Najib wax lyrics about 1 Malaysia and succeeded in improving his approval index mainly with Indians and visited China with his family (I have no information on who paid for the entourage), we have a beauty of a blog post from this gentleman who hails from my home state.

http://barkingmagpie.blogspot.com/2009/06/when-will-malays-learnthe-chinese-will.html


The gentleman claims that as Chinese (Lim Guan Eng) come into power, they will not share power with Malays. Before I finished reading half the article, I already surmised the following points:

1) in Malaysia, Chinese constitute only a quarter of the population and not all Chinese bother to vote and many of them are apolitical like the famed frog in the slowly cooked water but in a democracy, in order for any leaders to be in power, he has to please all sides;

2) the writer over looked the fact that LGE appointed a Malay while there is a Chinese, whose name I cannot recall, joining the boycott however; and

3) whenever there is a complaint by a Malay against a Chinese, it is too simplistic to say that it is a racial issue while the underlying and actual issues are neglected.


So if a Malay customer complains to the property developer of his condominium that the Chinese subcontractor built a faulty tap is a racial issue and not a quality issue?


Here's a quote from Khoo Kay Peng's blog

"I was told that the chief minister wanted to depoliticize the local councils by appointing civil servants who have the experience and expertise to helm the councils. Tan's appointment is supposed to usher in a new era of better local council services to taxpayers like myself."


In addition, he coined the term "YB BABI" and clearly this indicate he is crude, emotional, disrespectful to people and animals as well as unable to articulate logical arguments in a convincing and respectable manner hence turned into a ranting child throwing toys out of his tram.


His call sign read as follows:

"One of the most talkative species of birds I have ever known! One of my favourite friends that I am sharing this globe with!"

- there is a Chinese proverb that states the more you speak, the more wrongs you are likely to get


At least I agree with him on 1 count as, despite my lack of French, I get the message as he proudly proclaims himself:
ME VOY PA' MORON!
Update on 7th June:
Someone revealed the true identity of the magpie ... read on as I feel that I need not comment further....

http://malaysianunplug.blogspot.com/2009/06/melayu-babi-blogger-aka-barking-magpie.html

Citizen Soldier #3: Mr. Lim, you don't have to be in the party to fight a good fight

Mr. Lim was not a scheduled interviewee but I managed to bump into a real character with his own story.

Mr. Lim, I suppose, is slightly older than KH Lee. He is not a member of any political party and owns his own computer business. His son and son in law came into DAP HQ to help check on the printer problem.

“I supplied these machines to DAP at cost, not a single sen of profit.” < in my book, that's a form of donation / financial assistance > He beamed, and spoke in a gentle and unassuming tone of voice. “During the run up of last year’s general election, I approach all my customers and helped them to check their voters’ registration status F.O.C.”

Mr. Lim also PERSUASIVELY and VOCALLY advocate his choice to his customers. :-)

“There were some pensioners who were afraid of losing their pensions if they voted for the opposition. I explained to them the process of safe custody and destruction of the ballot papers. Only then they felt relieved. I also told those in civil service that they earn their salary through honest work that they put in and they do not owe their soul and democratic rights to those people who occupies seats for a few years.”

“I remember there was this 79 years old man who found himself being transferred involuntarily from Rahang to Chuah <note: the distance between the 2 places, if I am not wrong, is about 30km at least>. The old man was hopping mad and kept saying, ‘macam mana ini olang tua pun mau buli’. I told him that I will drive him there but the old man growled and told me not to bother, he will drive there himself.” For the record, Chai Tong Chai of PKR won in Chuah.

Mr. Lim told me in Chinese proverb that; “we need not heap more accolades on the successful ones but must learn to assist those who are in time of needs”. When Lim Guan Eng was released from his second ISA detention and trying to rebuild his life, Mr. Lim requested his business counterpart to let Betty Chew’s (Guan Eng's wife) law firm to handle their legal documentation eventhough the lawyer's office is in Melaka and not any Seremban firm.

“Can you guess who was their dispatch clerk?” he chuckled. “Lim Guan Eng! When he was made Chief Minister, I went to Penang and visited him in a function and YAB immediately recognized me and addressed me as ‘chin lang’ (dear relative). YAB is a nice man, very nice man.”

Citizen Soldier #2: Mr. WL Liew, a young man who speaks his mind

I am guilty of pre-judging him. As I was talking to Mr. KH Lee (CS # 1), I caught the sight of Liew in the corner of my eyes. Young lad, I thought, spiky hair, he must be delivering stationery supplies to DAP service center or coming in to complain that he lost his IC or something.

I was surprised when the State Assembly lady told me she brought him to be interviewed. I was also impressed by the logic and sense that he delivered over the brief session.

Liew only had secondary level education and I guess he is barely into his twenties. Yet he has joined DAP and judging from his rapid-fire delivery, he certainly have decided on his conviction and made more sense that some people who had more school hours than him. His dad was the co-founder of Mambau DAP hence it’s a family influence thingy. I suppose Liew is the fruit of KH Lee & comrades’ labour.

“Young people should come out and vote.” He started the ball or tongue rolling. “We must develop our interest and understanding in the going-ons in all political parties.” I wondered how many young and more educated people would bother.

“We must be analytical and critically aware when dissecting newspaper reports.” He added. I know that Chinese newspapers do carry relatively more objective and balanced reporting and to pick up messages between the lines is much more difficult to say, Bahasa Malaysia papers. From my discussion with certain DAP NS Assembly person, I realize that sometimes, even Chinese newspapers can be off from the mark even if their reports appear to be objectively written.

“DAP’s approach in fighting for their causes has always been civilized. We have peaceful gatherings to submit memorandums, unlike some who are taught to smash car windows.” If you do not know what he was taking a dig about, Lim Lip Suan, DAP member and Klang Municipal Councilor, had his car windows smashed a few times. Sore losers?

The longer he went on, the more I realized that this was a young man who has a keen interest in political development, able to analyze them critically and able to articulate his views in a passionate yet coherent manner.

“When those television news channels reported the events on 7th May, the broadcasters deliberately followed up with chaotic, but unrelated scenes of protest from overseas. What sort of impression and line of reporting is that? Was that designed to mislead?” he fumed.

“Some people are also unfair to DAP because I heard them talking that once DAP come into power, they will become corrupt. Come on, give us a chance! And do not apply double standards!”

He also pointed out that Pakatan Rakyat administration is superior as it resolved the land title issue in Perak within a year whereas MCA could only made matters worse after more than 50 years in power. As for Penang, he mentioned that while YAB Lim Guan Eng had not done anything spectacular, he did not come up with disasters comparable to his predecessors.

He also took to task a certain politician mentioning Chinese as ungrateful. “The Bumi and non-Bumi distinction is only going to muddle things up more as we searched for solutions to our national problems. At the end of the day, we are all Malaysians.”

Citizen Soldier #1: Mr. KH Lee, a stalwart since the beginning

Prologue

After introducing of the concept of Citizen Soldiers in my previous post here http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/05/citizen-solders-call-to-arms.html , I have decided to locate some of them and perhaps bring out their stories for sharing. I am convinced that I will find ordinary folks with ordinary and not so ordinary tales. I hope that you can relate to them just as I do, follow ordinary Malaysians who have came forward and do just a bit /or a lot more than most of us. I did not lead on to any one of them on what to say, I just told them to tell me their stories.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I started my quest by engaging the kind assistance of the friendliest State Assembly Woman I know and she introduced a few DAP members to me. I had an interesting couple of hours in DAP NS’s new HQ. The following posts are their voices.

Mr. Lee (no relation to the writer) will not strike you as someone out of the ordinary. You would not notice him in crowd but yet this gentleman who does not look his age – slightly over 60s, is no ordinary person.

Mr. Lee has been with DAP for more than 30 years and he is the current Secretary for Mambau branch. Back in 1974, spurred on by the land title and other issues faced by New Villagers in Mambau, Mr. Lee fought for and obtained the registration of a DAP branch in Mambau in order to fight for the villagers’ rights.


The villagers were initially scared to death fearing reprisals from the powers to be but owing to Mr. Lee and a few other stalwarts’ effort, DAP Mambau was registered after a few years. His target then was “to have 1 party member in every household in Mambau New Village” and today, 90% of the households in the New Village boast of a party member.

Mr. Lee was one of those arrested on 7 May 2009 in Ipoh for ordering a cup of tea and trying to drink it. When told the reason for his arrest was because he was within 500 metres from the State Assembly Hall as prohibited by the court order, he asked the arresting police officer how he managed to measure the distance correctly. The officer was dumbfounded but took him into custody anyway. After a 9 hours enforced hospitality and some photo taking for kenang-kenangan, he was released without charges.

Mr. Lee explained that there is nothing to be afraid of getting involved in politics as a participative citizen. “In fact, since in DAP, we always fight using and in accordance with the applicable laws of the day, we ended up learning more about our rights and provisions of the relevant legislation.” In fact, such awareness also ensure he enforces his right properly.

“For instance, many people here share the opinion that if they insure their car for, say, RM46K and in the event of total loss, they count their lucky stars if the insurance company would only pay them RM40K.” he said. “However, in my case, I refused to take the RM40K only, threatened to take whatever legal rights I was entitled to and the insurance company promptly paid up the entire RM46K I was entitled too.”

Many people would say that joining and struggling with DAP would damaged their prospect for financial rewards or livelihood but Mr. Lee provided a solid evidence to the contrary. He is a contractor for plumbing works and has extensive contracts with various reputable. “The developer for Taman Mambau Jaya is a MCA member and yet I got the contract for plumbing work for the whole housing estate.” He added, “although we have opposing political stand, when it comes to economics, we deal as businessmen and professionals.” Perhaps he was too modest to mention that he got the contract base on merit.

On a sunny morning in Mambau New Village, I watched Mr. Lee carried some hefty P.A. equipment for a DAP press conference to the luggage compartment of his Mercedes and drove off, I found myself no longer subscribing to the notion that one’s livelihood can be compromised by being a participative citizen in a democratic country be it in the establishment or opposition.

Livelihood of yours and mine (3)- Guan Eng: Penang has eradicated hardcore poverty

The Sun

Himanshu Bhatt

GEORGE TOWN (March 30, 2009) : Penang has become the first state in the country to eradicate hardcore poverty by arranging financial aid and economic activities for all 726 households registered under the hardcore poor category.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the initiative was successful partly because of the support of the private sector and social groups who chipped in to aggressively alleviate the hardships of the poor.

"Even though it is difficult, including facing bankruptcy, I am more willing to have the state becoming bankrupt to help the poor and be burdened than to be bankrupted by corruption," he said today.

The implementation mechanism, overseen by the Welfare Department, consists mainly of funding affected families to ensure their incomes are topped up such that they get at least RM500 every month. The department even helped some individuals set up bank accounts to receive the funds.

Lim said checking the state's poverty rate was one of the first things that he had given priority to after Pakatan Rakyat took control of the government in March last year. The state then took a whole year to conduct an exhaustive survey, with the help of socio-economic specialists from Universiti Sains Malaysia, to determine the exact number of hardcore poor. The figures are updated every three months, Lim said, adding that the state was planning to now eradicate general poverty as well, which is classified as income below RM700 a month.

Lim also said a total of RM2.2 million had been collected from the private sector, including philanthropists and charitable businesses, under an initiative called "Partners Against Poverty".

Lim said this in a ceremony to announce the successful eradication of hardcore poverty in Dewan Sri Pinang here. He also questioned what happened to a reported RM1.1 million allocation under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to help 22 hardcore poor in Penang. Penang Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh rebuked Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen for rejecting the state’s plea for funding to build a housing complex for about 300 homeless people.

Ng reportedly said the state should fund the complex by itself since the project was its own initiative.

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On one hand I am happy for the Penang hardcore poor for such a magnificent effort to address their problems within a period of little over a year. This is consistent with Lim Guan Eng's suggestion that money from Petronas can be pumped straight into the hands of the needy rather than channelled through a few main contractors then sub-contractors then foreign labourers then hardware dealers (provided the projects were actually completed). Like Nizar's administration in Perak, there is a swift solution to age-old problems.

On the other hand, I just hope that the CM can tone down a bit on the rhetoric. He need not be in GE mode now, does he? If he rather bankcrupt the State Government, then that would have huge implication on the staff on its payroll and all Penangites (rates paying or dodging regardless) depending on the proper functioning of the state government.

There should also be audited accounts for the receipt and application of the funds concerned. The CM should, consistent with his CAT philosophy, make the modus operandi of the scheme known to all. That'll be nice publicity and also let people in need to get in touch with the right channel. Some feedback from the recepients could give credibility to the CM's claim.

Anyway, I did a quick computation. 726 families @RM500 per month = RM363,000 per month hence RM4,356,000 per year. Donate a semi-detached house a month and you save over 700 hundred families. That shows the income gap between the downright have nots; and the haves a lot.

However, one figure is missing. How many of each household have? RM500/2= RM250 per head or RM500/10 = RM50 per head. Perhaps durex could donate some of their grade C products to aid combating abject poverty.

By the same token, Atlantuya was reported of asking form USD500,000 for whatever she did. That cums to RM1.8million or 4.96 months for the above exercise. If that report is true then that's one heck of price to pay.