The beautiful Faezah Elai did well to potray Toh Puan Rahah, the mother to the current Prime Minister, Dato Najib Tun Abdul Razak and as the pillar of strength in Tun Abdul Razak's life and family in the movie Tanda Putera.

After the family's outing to see Tanda Putera on Saturday, Faezah's Elai's beauty must have made Toh Puan Rahah the family conversation over the weekend.

It's a family tale recently revived that our late father's elder brother, Mohd Amin was besotted with Toh Puan Rahah that he wanted to seek her hand in marriage.

During our visit of a sickly aunt in Klang, our uncle told us that late Amin knew her from Toh Puan Rahah's brother.


Off course, youngest Toh Puan Rahah went on to marry a future Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak and gave birth to the present Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The sister immediately above her, Toh Puan Suhaila married Kaptan Hussein Onn, who replaced Tun Razak to be the third Prime Minister of Malaysia and later known as Tun Hussein Onn.

The third trio of "The Three Swan" was the second child, Datin Fakhriah who married the former Yang Dipertua Majlis Perbandaran Johor Baru, Dato Abdullah Ahmad.

One of her son, Nikmat Abdullah was our classmate at primary school where we used to congregate at his home in Stulang to play football. He was a former Citibank banker who undertook several corporate exercises and was the socialite that was formerly married to newscaster Betina Chua Abdullah.

Antara Dua Darjat


Back to Amin.

Mother said it was almost a case of "Antara Dua Darjat", a famous P Ramlee movie and end up tragically for Amin. The last movie Mother went to see at a cinema was P Ramlee's 1956 film, "Anak Ku Sazali" before becoming an Ustaz and later Imam's wife. 

The family story is sketchy and for all you know, it is a case of tepuk tangan sebelah or an unanswered love.

Our arwah uncle could be just "syok sendiri" to "anak perempuan Dato Haji Noh yang paling lawo" (Dato Haji Noh's most beautiful daughter), described a source related to the family of Allahyarham Tan Sri Noah Omar.


Tan Sri Noah is our Prime Minister's late grandfather (mother side) and his is seldom known in Johor by the nicname Haji Noh Beirut or Dato Haji Noh Beirut. He went to study at the Syrian Protestant College (now called the American University) of Beirut in 1914-19 in the thick of the World War 1. {Wikipedia source here] 

Wikipedia Internet source here claimed that Muarian Tan Sri Taib Andak, the man given the responsibility to start Felda by Tun Razak, was the person to introduce Tun Razak to Toh Puan Rahah. At the time, she was attending secondary school in Johor Baru.

Before we get to far diverted by side story again, we return back to the story of Amin.

He was a very studious kampong boy and eldest child to our grandfather school headmaster. As our late grandmother would describe, Amin would study with a small kerosene lamp till late into the night. In those days of early to bed and early to rise, staying up late till midnight is not common.


Amin managed to enter into the prestigous Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris (MPSI) in Tanjung Malim. Maktab Melayu Kuala Kangsar was only meant for sons of royalties and noblemen.

For commoners, MPSI was it. Today, the college is known as Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

It was said that Amin was in the same batch with the late Tun Ghaffar Baba.  According to this blog source here, Ghaffar Baba studied at MPSI in 1946-49. One of aunt remarried to a retired police officer from Kuala Pilah and he was related to Ghaffar Baba. Oh brother... we are distantly related to Tamrin.

According to our uncle in Klang, together studying in the same batch at MPSI is one Abu Rais bin Mohamed Noah. In the book "Tan Sri Mohamed Noah: A Tribute" commissioned by Noah Foundation, Abu Rais is the only son and third out of five children to Tan Sri Noah. This is contrary to Wikipedia source that claimed Tan Sri Noah had 10 children.

Presumably, Amin befriended Abu Rais and on holidays may have been invited to Tan Sri Noah's home.

UMNO formation

According to two sources on Tan Sri Noah (both compliments from Dato Hishamuddin); Noah Foundation and another "Tan Sri Haji Mohamed Noah: Tokoh Dua Zaman" written by Zabha, he had returned to Muar in 1941 after serving as the Deputy District Officer for Mersing and First Class Magistrate.

It was during the early part of Japanese Occupation and upon his return to Muar, the Japanese appointed him as Magistret. Few months later he was transferred to Batu Pahat and stayed there till the end of the World War II.


MPSI was the hotbed of Malay Nationalism and Amin involved himself in political activism. It is not confirmed but some uncle said he was involved in the formation of UMO. To what extent, the details is not known.

UMO was launched in a rally on the field in front of the Kelab Melayu Batu Pahat after Friday prayers at the end of 1945.

While Amin was active in UMO, there are other family members in our kampong Mukim Bagan Batu Pahat that were involved in various political organisations like API, KMM, PKMM, etc. None joined the communist rebel and most eventually supported Dato Onn Jaafar's UMO and subsequently UMNO.

UMO was initiated by Dato Onn, the then District Officer of Batu Pahat at the time.

Right after the racial clash settled, Harold MacMicheal was sent to Kuala Lumpur to start to the formation of Malayan Union on October 11 1945.


The racial clash arised the atrocities of Bintang Tiga (MPAJA) communist on the Malays particularly. The Malays led by the famous panglima Kiyai Salleh retaliated and attack each of their areas. The communist retreated into Bandar Penggaram.

If not stopped by Dato Onn Jaafar, our kampong folks, orang Bagan had amassed 1,600 people to search and massacre the hiding Bintang Tiga.  

The Malayan Union plan was to strip the sovereign power and forcing the Malay rulers to accept Malaya to be placed under crown colony. The rulers were threatened with treason charges for cooperating with Japanese during their occupancy.

Malaya existed as sovereign Malay states but Malayan Union would dissolve all this states and legally turn Malaya into a British colony.


At an evening in November 1945, several men led by Onn Jaafar, Syed Abdul Rahman bin Ahmad, Syed Alwi Alhady and Haji Anwar bin Haji Abdul Malik congregated at Tan Sri Noah's house at Jalan Sultanah, Batu Pahat to discuss and strategise ways to oppose Malayan Union.

Haji Anwar, later Tan Sri Anwar, is the father to former Securities Commission Chairman, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar and Sister in Islam activist and writer, Zainah Anwar and also nephew of Tan Sri Noah. When Dato Onn became Menteri Besar, he was his Private Secretary.

Wikipedia source here wrote that the idea to unite all Malay parties into one party was his.

UMO was the vehicle for the plan. 


At the first National Malay Congress at the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kuala Lumpur on May 1-4 1946, at the suggestion of Pendita Zaaba, it was proposed that the word "kebangsaan" (national) inserted and UMO was changed to UMNO.

Naturally, Batu Pahat became the first UMNO Division in Malaysia. Other than being the district in Johor where UMNO was started, it is at the Dataran Batu Pahat that the first demand was made on the British in 1952 to stop pussy footing and determine the timeline for Merdeka.

It was Pak Lah's grandfather Sheikh Abdullah Fahim that later determined August 31st 1957 as the right and auspices date for Merdeka. 

And the rest is history.

Lost in Love


Returning but again to the story of Amin, he may have visited Abu Rais and his involvement with UMO  found his way to Tan Sri Noah's home at Jalan Sultanah Batu Pahat.

And, he may have continued to visit Tan Sri Noah when he moved back to Johor Baru in September 1949 to assume the position of Yang Dipertua Jabatan Agama Johor.

Between July 1947 to September 1949, Tan Sri Noah was the District Officer of Segamat. This was the position he was supposed to deputise in 1942 but refused when he got into a disagreement with then Menteri Besar Ungku Aziz and decided to return to Muar.

While Amin was at MPSI, our father was beginning life as a teacher at Maahad Arab Schol in Johor Baru. The school was on top of a hill at Wadi Hana and Tan Sri Noah's home was nearby.

Perhaps father and his brother Amin may have regularly visited Tan Sri Noah's home. Arwah Father always mentioned the name Tan Sri Noah with great respect and gratitude. He may helped father but for what, we do not know.

Uncle Amin may have become a familiar face at Tan Sri Noah's household that he may have chance on an opportunity to lay eyes on the lovely young Toh Puan Rahah across a crowded room and fell head over heal in love.

Those days it is not easy to meet girls and going on dates were impossible. Any courting or socialising was done under parental supervision and their watchful eyes.  

Amin requested his father to "masuk meminang" (seek engagement). As told by our uncles, grandfather's response was, "Kau gila ke nakkan anak Dato Haji Nor" (You must be mad for wanting to marry the daughter of Dato Haji Noh).

In the munakahat (matrimonial) practise in Islam, there is a criteria called kufu.

It is acceptable to reject a proposal for marriage for differences in kufu between man and woman. For instance, the men's proposal can be rejected if he is of lesser occupation, status, wealth, etc than the woman. It is more out of practicality than a rule.


While Amin had the confidence, his kampong school headmaster father must have felt too inferior to the thought of Tan Sri Noah as his besan. He knows his station in life.

In Batu Pahat, Tan Sri Noah is known and respected as a Magistrate, founder of UMNO, and later Yang Dipertua Jabatan Ugama Johor.

He came from a long line of aristocrasy as the son and grandson of the respected and influential Orang Kaya Muar and Orang Kaya Joned. That must be where the name for Jalan Joned in Muar came from.

His lineage goes back to the Raja Chempaka Bugis and his family carries the title Orang Kaya for administering the district of Padang in Muar. They were an influential family in the era of Maharaja Abu Bakar of Johor (1862-1895).

Young Amin's love for young Toh Puan Rahah could not be consummated.

Cross marriages

In those days in Johor, royalties and aristiocrats tend to marry among each other. If one bother to check, all the famous leaders of Johor are linked to each other by marriage. It is a method of creating an institution for political stability.


In the movie Tanda Putera, Tun Dr Ismail was Tun Razak's preferred Deputy and second man. They also have family ties.

Tun Dr Ismail also came from the same Raja Chempa Bugis Bukit Mor, Muar. Dato Haji Noh Beirut came from the Daeng Seriwa Raja (Bendahara Melaka) lineage, while Tun Dr Ismail came from the brother's, Daeng Indra Perma lineage.

Dato Onn Jaafar and Dato Haji Noh Beirut together formed UMNO and were grandfathers to Dato Hishamuddin.

The family of Dato Jaafar as taken from the book "Legacy of Honour"

Dato Onn has family linked to the royal family of Johor. His father, Dato Jaafar was the first Menteri Besar of Johor (1886-1919).

He had taken his mother, Rogayah Hanim as his forth wife.

Rogayah Hanim was two Turkish sister presented to the Maharaja Abu Bakar by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Maharaja Abu Bakar married the elder, Khadijah Hanim and his brother, Ungku Abdul Majid married Rogayah. That marriage borne Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz. 

Before marrying Dato Jaafar, she was married a Singaporean businessman, Syed Abdullah Muhsin Alatas. That marriage borne a son Syed Ali (father to two great scholar of Malaysia, Prof Syed Hussein and Prof Syed Naguib).

Syed Abdullah divorced her before moving to Indonesia because the royal family was uncomfortable to see their off-spring moved away.


Rogayah was a one woman legacy to Johor aristocrasy.

It was during Dato Onn's tenure as Menteri Besar that the family of Tun Dr Ismail bin Abdul Rahman was expelled to Singapore and for a while led a life as fisherman. [Read the book Reluctant Politician].

To reunite the Johor aristocrasy family, Sultan Ibrahim encouraged Tun Dr Ismail's father Dato Abdul Rahman Yasin to marry the sister of Dato Onn, Kamariah after Ismail's mother, Zahara Abu Bakar died. [Read in Wikipedia here]

When Dato Onn quit UMNO, the Rahman brothers was brought in by Tunku Abdul Rahman to neutralise his politics. Family is family, politics is forever the art of possible.

Dejected Amin left his family in kampong and moved to teach in Sri Gading, Batu Pahat to nurse his broken heart. He later fell ill and died after few years of depression. Father attended to his brother.

So happen, our family has a not too distant family ties to current Member of Parliament for Sri Gading and Deputy Minister, Dato Aziz Kaprawi. We are not sure how the family link is but it is best to ask the old folks and cousins helped by Aziz. 

Most of nephews and nieces could not believe this story of Amin.

Few years ago, an aunt revealed that it was serious. Toh Puan Rahah had personally came to visit our grandfather's family in kampong under the guise as a friend of our eldest aunt but only few knew that she was the endut (sweatheart) of their eldest brother.

If one had watched P Ramlee's "Antara Dua Darjat", it is hard to believe that a daughter of an aristocratic family would be allowed to travel and move around freely.

House Speaker 

 

But then, Tan Sri Noah was a leader close to the people. As District Officer of Segamat, he took the effort to traverse the jungle to visit the Orang Asli.

Although he came from an aristocratic family, he was raised with traditional values and had family ties in the kampong. His mother was from a well known family and daughter of a Kadi from Kg Parit Sakai.

Upon the death of his father, Orang Kaya Omar, she remarried a religious school teacher and young Tan Sri Noah received good religious upbringing from his stepfather. He received formal religious education and went to Sekolah Arab. 

However, we have no answer as to why he took up the chairmanship of a gaming company Genting Berhad. But then the idea of building hotel resorts on a hill was his idea. He had his partner, the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong execute the plan.

Perhaps, the fact that Genting is known as a gaming company and not as a gambling company would be a probable answer. Whatever the wisdom behind Genting, he is best remembered for his contribution. 


Tan Sri Noah's career in politics begin after his retirement from the Johor Civil service. He won the Johor Baru Timor seat in 1959 to become a Member of Parliament and later became Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and subsequently Speaker of the Dewan Negara.

Darjat (status) alone got nothing to do with his success. He had started working life as a clerk and worked his way up through hardwork and continuous learning to become a Magistrate.

Maybe there was no "Antara Dua Darjat" and there was no such affair. It was fated that Toh Puan Rahah married a great man that we, nephew of Amin, idolise so much for his sacrifice and contribution towards nation building.

Some of the cousins were saying, "If Wak Amin were to marry Toh Puan Rahah, he could be PM and our cousin be the present PM. Instead of Hishamuddin, it could be one of us cousin that is Minister."

In my mind, "Isy ... Jawa tak sedar diri." The social structure then would not have made it possible but it is very much possible today.



Edited: 3/9/2013 9:30 AM

Petrol Ron 95 and diesel was raised by 20 sen yesterday.

Naturally, everyone is up in arms and complaining. The opposition will use this opportunity to the hilt. Remember we told you blah blah blah UMNO UMNO UMNO ...

On the other side, the government through the media - mainstream and alternative -  will try to "explain" their action.

Both way, it is recycled materials.  Boring .....

So we will make this brief discussion fun with whassapp images received in the last 24 hours since we left the Minister of Finance II session with the mainstream media prior to PM's press conference at 6 PM Monday.

The same kids from the P Ramlee movie:



From our point of view, there is a bigger issue than just rising petrol hike. 

According to the Minister of Finance II, the subsidy bill is too big and something must be done to reduce it. So the petrol hike is about cutting the amount of subsidy.

Then he goes on to use the same set of arguments everytime there is rise in pump prices. Market is no more as it used to be at USD10-15 per barrel and it is now at USD80-100 per barrel.


Our oil prices is still okay as compared to other countries.


Then he went to say it is not so bad. The only problem is there will be profiteering in which retailers will use it as an excuse to raise prices although the transportation content is not significant enough to raise prices.


The Minister acknowledged that but he didn't say anything much. YB Dato Bung Mokhtar used that same argument and got whacked.

It means that there is nothing that can be done but enforcement by Ministry for Domestic Trade. Problem is traders do not care. The moment the enforcement officer leaves, they are back to their ways.


So far some argued that raising pump prices is common, so it is part and parcel of economic life.

The political argument was used. What is the big deal when water surcharge in Penang increase by 100%?

If one wants to get cheaper petrol, go to Kelantan, Penang and Selangor. An argument used to counter Pakatan Rakyat. If Pakatan Rakyat thinks they can reduce pump prices, show it now.


The argument clincher to all this is that Najib had said there will be no increase in petrol after the general election. The past newspaper cutting has resurfaced....


The mainstream newspapers was no help.



The Star, Sinar Harian and for all likelihood, The Sun and Malay Mail are critical.




Utusan Malaysia's frontpage headline, and reports by Astro Awani and Bernama were neutral.





Only Berita Harian, New Straits Times and TV3 helped out to give  the government point of view.

One SMS received from Dato Akbar Ali gave an empirical explanation:

Isu kenaikan harga RON95:

1. Dlm isu ini tdpt 3 pihak utama: (a) pengeluar (b) pengguna - termasuk saya, dan (c) kerajaan.

2. (a) & (b) menjaga kepentingan masing2 yg berkonflik (maka tak hairan klu mereka tidak memahami satu sama lain) manakala (c) perlu mengharmonikan kedua2nya, di samping menjaga juga kepentingannya (agar kekal berkuasa).

3. Pengguna melenting sbb harga RON95 naik 20 sen (10.5%). Kehendak pengguna: turunkn lg harga.

4. Pengeluar menuntut kenaikan sekitar 30 sen sbb sejak setahun lalu kos tlh meningkat 15%.

5. Kerajaan cuba mengharmonikan kedua2 pihak ini dgn membenarkan kenaikan 20 sen itu (Kerajaan tak janji harga petrol tak dinaikkan sampai bila2). Pengguna bayar sikit manakala pengeluar dipaksa menerima keuntungan yg lbh rendah.

6. Kerajaan tidak bersedia membayar tambahan 20 sen dgn menambah kos subsidi sbb ia akn lbh menguntungkan orng kaya. Kos perbelanjaan pengangkutan (penggunaan) mereka lbh tinggi (15.9%) banding yg berpendapatan rendah (12.3%).

7. Tindakan kerajaan itu mampu menjimatkan RM1.1B pada tahun ini & RM3.3B setiap thn akan datang.

8. Pd umumnya, purata kos petrol isirumah hanyalah 9% drp jumlah perbelanjaan isirumah.  Ini bermakna kenaikan kos hanyalah 1% setahun. Bagi mereka yg berpendapatan rendah, ianya adalah lbh rendah lagi.

9. Kenaikan ini akn menyebabkan kos pengangkutan melompat 10% dan inflasi pasti akan berlaku spt pd 2008 tp pada kadar yg lbh rendah.

10. Sebaik2nya Kerajaan turut mengumumkan langkah2 mengurangkan beban rakyat (ini janji BN!) akibat kenaikan ini semasa mengumumkan kenaikan harga tersebut, termasuklah apa yg hendak dibuat utk rakyat berhubung dgn  wang yg dikatakan dapat dijimatkan berbilion2 itu! 

Candidate for Deputy Pemuda UMNO Chief, Lokman Noor Adam SMS an argument below but felt it is troublesome to the rakyat:

Kepada yang terima broadcast dibawah, jangan lupa baca pesanan saya di penghujung mesej ini.

Harga petrol di Malaysia dalam masa 23 tahun - sejak 1990)
Sebelum 90 - RM 0.89
Tahun 1990 - RM 1.10 (kenaikan RM 0.21)
01/10/2000 - RM 1.20 (kenaikan RM 0.10)
20/10/2001 - RM 1.30 (kenaikan RM 0.10)
01/05/2002 - RM 1.32 (kenaikan RM 0.02)
31/10/2002 - RM 1.33 (kenaikan RM 0.01)
01/03/2003 - RM 1.35 (kenaikan RM 0.02)
01/05/2004 - RM 1.37 (kenaikan RM 0.02)
01/10/2004 - RM 1.42 (kenaikan RM 0.05)
05/05/2005 - RM 1.52 (kenaikan RM 0.10)
31/07/2005 - RM 1.62 (kenaikan RM 0.10)
28/02/2006 - RM 1.92 (kenaikan RM 0.30)
04/06/2008 - RM 2.70 (kenaikan RM 0.78)
01/09/2009 - RM 1.80 (Turun RM 0.90)
16/07/2010 - RM 1.85
04/12/2010 - RM 1.90
03/09/2013 - RM 2.10 (kenaikan RM 0.20)

Zaman era pemerintahan Tun Dr Mahathir selama 13 tahun (1990 - 2003) harga minyak naik sebanyak 46sen.

Zaman era pemerintahan Tun Abdullah selama 5 setengah tahun (2003 - 2009) harga minyak naik sebanyak 1.38sen dan turun sebnyk 90sen.

Zaman era pemerintahan Dato'Seri Najib TunRazak selama 4 tahun (2009 - 2013) harga minyak naik sebanyak 25sen.

P/S Rakyat perlu sedar bahawa harga ini dipengaruhi oleh harga minyak dunia. Zaman 90an, harga minyak dunia hanya USD 15-25 satu tong, itu sebab Anwar mendabik dada zaman beliau menjadi Menteri Kewangan harga minyak hanya RM1.10 seliter. Tapi  zaman Pak Lah, harga minyak dunia naik hingga USD 143 satu tong. Harga minyak hari ini sekitar USD110 satu tong.

Anwar boleh janjikan bulan dan bintang pada rakyat, cuma mari kita guna akal kita...bolehkah Anwar turunkan harga minyak 50sen (Kos RM10.5b) dan dlm masa yg sama nak naikkan royalti minyak Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah dan Sarawak dari 5% kepada 20%. Bagaimana mungkin Anwar boleh tunaikan janji tambahkan subsidi minyak 50 sen jika dlm masa yg sama dia buat janji bg royalti minyak 20% yg pasti menggurangkan pendapatan negara.

Sebelum buat janji baru, tunaikanlah dulu 85% janji lama yg dia buat tahun 2004 di SgorBersambung........

Apapun alasan diiberikan untuk menghalalkan kenaikan harga RON 95 dan Diesel kali ini,  saya tetap kecewa dengan kerana buat pertama kalinya, kita telah secara jelas melanggar perjanjian bahawa usaha akan dilakukan untuk menggurangkan beban rakyat.

Memang sukar untuk mengambil keputusan berat ini, namun saya masih mengharap YAB Perdana Menteri dapat mencari solusi bagi mengembalikan subsidi untuk Ron95 setidak-tidaknya kepada golongan yang berpendapatan RM5,000 kebawah.  Samada memberikan vaucher subsidi petrol tambahan atau pemberian fleet card untuk golongan ini, semuanya terletak pada kebijaksanaan beliau.

Lokman Noor Bin Adam
Exco Pemuda UMNO Msia

Positive feedbacks from Dato Akbar and Lokman.



Another positive feedback and with a humpurous tone from MyMassa here. Surely PM did not raised pump prices to teach Liverpool for beating Manchester United.


MyMassa felt that the culprit that pressured PM to raise pump prices was PEMANDU. In the presentation, they mentioned that we had delayed the subsidy rationalisatioon plan by 3 years.

PEMANDU have been a vocal advocate to cut subsidies and it was Dato Idris Jala that mentioned Malaysia will be bankrupted and be like Greece when he first started PEMANDU. Below is what he think two years ago:


This is the point we are reiterating and it is a bigger issue than just rising pump prices. It is the neo-liberal ideas of doing away with subsidy which is the hallmark of PEMANDU thinking.

Proponent of nation building agenda like us see subsidy as a way a nation shares it's wealth with the rakyat, way of helping the less fortunate and those in need of help, and a social reprogramming tools.

But, neo-liberal view subsidy as distortion to free market and reduce competitiveness in the global market, In other words, neo-liberal is only interested in the interest of Multinational Corporation and big businesses. They worry what other western countries say.

One way of dealing with it is to be ready and not be dependent on subsidies. The Malay word is berdikari from the shortening of berdiri atas kaki sendiri.



In facing the pump hike, resort to ways of cutting down usage and be economical. Whether pump price is rising or not, it is still a positive attitude that all should adopt. Bloody hell, these ar really funny insults.


From the political view, it is bad news because people will not take it likely when there was denial but it turned out true. It will make people believe in rumours which they conclude usually end up true.

Already PM is made fun off by the opposition.






BR1M program is also made fun off. PM said to compensate for the, BR1M will be raised. But it is only serves the lower income group, as some argued in our whassapp. What about the badly squezed middle class?

For nothing, Datin Seri Rosmah, which has no executive power to determine such decision, is being villified for nothing.



Even Barisan Nasional and UMNO is being criticised.



This opposition does not give UMNO a break. Please la ... they are busy with their Raya Open Houses and bersilat to win seats in the party election.



Problem is can we rely on Anwar to solve the problem?


Still fresh in our mind was Anwar's shallow understanding of economics in his debate with Dato Ahmad Shaberry Chik.

Till today, oil price have gone up, up and down but still up, Anwar still offer to the people to bring down pump prices by 50 sen the day Pakatan Rakyat won. It sounds like another Kampung Buah Pala promise.

His argument on IPP is decades out dated. Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with TNB has long changed and YTL's fixed prices is no more a comfortable profit margin. Tan Sri Ani Arope gripe are no more there.

DAP is making an issue of it using corruption, leakeage and etc but guess who was jamming the pump stations with their long queues?



90% are Chinese. Doesn't matter la... they are more concern with saving money. Good for them,


Yes, we have no choice but to face the reality of rising oil prices and the need to redeploy the never enough financial resources to more productive and economic multiplying activities to achieve the target of the high income model.

But, why not give the comfort to the rakyat that the big bosses and Menteris would set a good example by reducing their luxurious perks. UMNO will end their wasteful Raya Open houses tradition and keep it simple and efficient.

For the last 24 hours, every common man in the street like taxi driver, retail shopkeepers, train commuters, etc. that we meet with and ask their view on the pump hike are so sarcastic and pointing fingers at corruption, orang besar-besar, excesses, etc.

The big bosses in Putrajaya can say it is only perception and there is no way of handling perception. There is a way if the Government and leaders show some earnestness.

The real Dato Najib is sensitive to happenings on the ground if he i made known.

Government must explore some austerity drive to reduce government commitment in luxury projects not necessary in times of subsidy rationalisation like new Menara PNB, new Razak Exchange, and other glut contributing property projects.

Resource depleting government activities like PEMANDU and Talentcorp should be scrapped immediately. It will help revive morale of Government servants and gives hope to the really good people in Government.

Let economic planning work be done by real economist and planners at EPU. Not PEMANDU and their exorbitantly paid Consultants which are without necessary and sufficient experience and capability. How come a 2-3 year work experaince chap could be paid a JUSA C level and fly around in Business Class?

Since Dato Wahid Omar did mention in his earlier press statements as Minister that he will look into improving delivery system, thus why the need to have two outfits to look into delivery of public sector?


For that feedback, will we get a Pingat Kewangan Negara?

Anyway, here are more funny pictures on the pump prices....





Sialan betul ....

Malaysia was built over more than 50 years through pragmatism and not by adhering to any ideology. 

Our forefathers picked on the best part of communism and capitalism. Even the Islam that we practise is not as per the political Islam ideas that is being popularised in the Middle East and that is now failing for whatever reasons.

Neo-liberal ideas has spread itself into government, business naturally, GLCs, BN, DAP, PKR, PAS, etc. It believes in a laisse fairre economy. A capitalist free market economy will not allow the lower economic class Malays, Kadazan, Bajau, Iban, poor Chinese, Indian, etc the chance to  move up the economic class.

It is a pipe dream to say that one born with insufficient capital can work their way up through educaton and by having super genius mind. It needs support, assistance and to be nurtured by a system that is fair and just. Market mechanism is NOT fair and just. It is never far sighted. There must be some sort of intervention.

Being trapped in this neo-liberal ideology is dangerous. Neo-liberalism is the completion of political liberalism or just plain liberalism which has the hidden intention of neo-colonialism. 

The way forward is to think in accordance to nation building approach. It is THE way to keep us forever Merdeka!

Don't get us wrong.

Despite it is politically not good timing, the subsidy rationalisation was necessary. This is talking strictly on the issue of subsidy and nothing else.

If there are effort to take the trouble to explain things, people will not be so angry.

Problem is there is this tendency to do things without considering the ramification and not bothered to put in place a course of actions to mitigate the expected outcry.

The attitude that some of our Ministers and high government officials take is not bother to manage the public perception on the government and PM.

Why bother with the irrational public is their attitude. As long as they do their work, let whoever that has to deal to deal with it. 

Shot yourself on the foot again, the title song by techno-rock group, Skream & Example below:


Not exactly our genre of music but it is not bad and lyrics here kinda cool:

Never should have listen to the serpent
You shot yourself in the foot again

Tell it properly


Malaysia's annual budget for 2013 was RM250 billion. [Read FMT here.] Fuel subsidies alone is RM28.3 billion or 11.3% of our budget. High or not to other countries, it s substantial.

Frankly, fuel subsidies is not productive subsidies but it is made necessary because outside Klang Valley, public transportation is B A D bad, thus personal transportation is a necessity. Public is also dependent on cheap fuel and too used to the USD10-15 per barrel lifestyle.

Government kept telling they will have the people's interest in their heart always but this is bad for the middle class pocket. The lower income one have BR1M to buffer but middle class. Point taken but look at it another way.

If global economy come tumbling down with an impending war on Syria, such subsidies is burdensome. When the nation's economy is in bad shape, it is in no position to be rakyat friendly. To make us commit to rakyat didahulukan now, we end up unable to be rakyat-frendly forever.

There have been lots of exchanges of arguments on the petrol hike, pro- and con-, and for or against. Problems is it is mostly stale recycled arguments. End result is people will be angry and they will justify their anger in whatever way, including lying and making wild accusation. Something hit their pocket ma....

Certainly telling the people that they lower income group will be buffered by increase in BR1M help but what about the middle income group? Mind you, they are opinion leaders and biggest voters. So giving money does not cool anger.

By increasing BR1M from RM500 to RM1,000 to 3 million people, you end up spending more by RM1.5 billion. After trying to be politically pleasing, the net effect is peanuts.

The cut in subsidies by RM3.3 billion will end up having retailers profiteering to increase prices.

Subsidy rationalisation is quite a politically contradictory term in these days of Rakyat didahulukan and everything rakyat but equally neo-liberal Pakatan Rakyat. Since it is subsidy rationalisation, we shouldn't pretend that it is not and try to rebrand it.

Why not show some earnestness on the part of government to undertake some austerity drive in line with the increase inconvenience faced by the rakyat? The idea to review and better still, close up PEMANDU as per the conversation between the Top Official and mainstream blogger in Rocky Bru's posting yesterday here is worthy of consideration.

The construction of Razak Exchange and Menara PNB is bad timing in view of an impending or perhaps, already a glut in commercial office properties, it is wasteful.

Cut the perks of Ministers and high officials so that rakyat do not think that pump prise increase is not meant to sustain the lifestyle of the rich and upper class. Cukup cukup la this Raya open houses.

PM can sell or end the lease of that controversial private jet leased by Pak Lah. A smaller private jet is sufficient. Whoever going with the PM's entourage abroad, go by commercial and take MAS!

Government should scrutinise the spending by government corporations or GLCs. Talk to the rakyat and they can tell how much waste the government can cut. Surely, this will go down well with the rakyat and it shows some earnestness by government and our leaders.

The rational rakyat will understand when the breakdown of transportation and oil price in their normal daily goods and services is only small, they will understand. They will not vent out at the government when Hameediyah restaurant, Penang was profiteering to raise their famous RM11 per plate beryani to RM12.

Rakyat will realise that our pump prices is still relatively low compared to other oil producing nation like Britain and Abu Dhabi.

Extra effort


In some occasion, there are those concern never bother to take extra trouble to check and some do check but still take the risk and end up in controversies. Subsequently, it is only menyusahkan (troubling) everyone by asking to tolong defend and counterspin.

Endless possibilities slogan is a case in point. Not to rub it in after the cancellation but if one bother to google and search on You Tube, one would have found the Mongolia and Israel link. Dahlah kita lembab at countering spins by opposition.

Remember how unnecessary the whole APCO episode if the person who made the decision bother to stay away from the Israel linked company.

It is also unnecessary that Tok Pa have to get a frontpage in last weekend's Mingguan Malaysia with the caption openly say "Saya tak akan gadai negara." Such assurance is unnecessary if government had made all necessary effort to make rakyat not distrust the government.

The world is now a global village and the issue raised on the confidentiality of TPPA in New Zealand, Australia, and elsewhere will be known to the public and equally or if not faster, than the authorities.

At first we say the matter cannot be disclosed and now it turned out, it can be.

Don't blame us for being critical when government and JJ is so overzealous in trying to please and emulate American President Obama.

On the Jalan P Ramlee temple, please la ... don't get bloggers to spin lies. The shop next to the temple used to be one of our regular teh tarik spot when working within the golden triangle.

The shop and small temple have been in existence since we can remember coming to that area in the early 1980s. There is no such attempt by the temple to deceive DBKL by changing it to look like a shop.

Last time, Pakatan made an issue on the destroying of Hindu Temple, Then wehn they are in power, they were also smashing temples. Back in the 80s, Anwar was involved in a temple dispute that end up wasting away the life of a PAS member.

Both side are guilty of poorly managing the Hindu temples. This is not a new occurence but what is the problem with discussing and finding an amicable solution to move the temple somewhere else? Why can we find the peaceful solution to deal with it?

One neighbouring country have this problem but it never became an issue. In the case of the Jalan P Ramlee temple, Minister pergi sibuk nak kasi komen. Should have left it to DBKL to answer.

And MIC Youth Chief was demonstrating outside. Instead of solving it, he just makes it worse with politics.

Insecure


Lastly, was reading a written piece to whack at blogger Syed Akbar and it seem to be a concerted effort by bloggers using materials by PMO.

Syed is just a lone blogger with a view of his own and they agree that he is entitled to one. Yet the might of the Prime Minister's Department was used to blow away an insignificant pro-BN blogger when they could not do so with the lying, slandering and twisting opposition.

They are really in a pathetic state of affair!

Perhaps stupid is too harsh a description but the many issues were raised and pointed out was ignored and simplistically brushed with a single stroke as trying to topple the PM. All along, it was about few incompetent officers and advisers that is messing up the leadership and party owned by millions.

True and agreed, Syed should not be name calling and hope he stop, but to say the Malay culture entails us to be subtle is pure nonsense.

That are times a Malay man has to be direct and forthcoming. It is particularly so when there are persons around who are intelligently challenged, culturally inapt, and does not know their station in life to understand subtlety. More so, when as host, the person failed understand that his station is at the wall and not seated.

Sure it is good to be engaging the PM but his schedule is too busy. He couldn't fulfill a promise to do a serious engagement regularly. One can't expect bloggers to wait for years to discuss an issue with the PM first before writing his views openly.

Media officers are supposed to be aware of the diverse opinions and views being expressed everywhere and relay an honest feedback to PM. No wonder there are those who think they won 8 out of 10 cyber-battle with the oppositions.

If yesterday's interlude and comment here, which Touch&Go on TPPA, was critical, today's posting is highlighting that there are some hint of progress from the government side.

Before, the MITI and government were defensively abiding to "directive" to keep details of the negotiation confidential. They realised that the public today are vocal; have their own mind and wants to know. MITI Open Day was exemplary in responding to such needs.

If only it is not held too early in the morning.

Dato Mustapha Mohamed met some of us and gave his "will not sell the country" commitment. He also refuted JJ got anything to do with TPPA. The negotiation started in 2010 and JJ was only made Ambassador a year after Najib became PM in 2009. Not enough time.

Tok Pa's commitment and statement from Deputy Minister, Dato Ir Hamim Samuri [read here] that Malaysia will not sign TPPA in October does not mean trust have been fully restored [Read back TPPA: Problem of trust and delusion].

There will be those that believed when push come to shove, Tok Pa will be back as a "Saya yang menurut perintah" government servant. But, a New York Times editorial dated September 1st made us believe ... not this time.

The Hazard of Free-Trade Tobacco

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
The New York Times

Give thanks to Malaysia for heading off, at least temporarily, an American effort to weaken the ability of countries to impose stiff rules on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products within their own borders. The Malaysian proposal to preserve that ability led to a stalemate at a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade meeting in Brunei last week and forced the deferral of the issue to future meetings.

The United States and 11 countries bordering the Pacific Ocean had been engaged in the latest round of negotiations over a treaty intended to lower tariffs and other barriers to commerce. One of the issues was whether tobacco should be included in such a treaty or “carved out” so that health considerations could take precedence over expanded trade. The issue pits health advocates against the tobacco industry and other commercial interests.

On public health grounds, tobacco ought to be excluded from whatever rules are designed to increase trade in agricultural products. Reducing trade barriers to tobacco, a uniquely dangerous product, would serve to increase tobacco consumption and lead to many additional deaths on top of an already high total. Tobacco killed an estimated 100 million people in the 20th century and is projected to kill 1 billion people in this century unless strong action is taken to mitigate the damage. A carve-out from trade rules is only one tactic, but it could save millions of lives, especially in developing countries vulnerable to the industry’s pressure.

The United States, which in advance of the meeting had favored a relatively strong proposal to protect a nation’s tobacco control measures from being challenged as violations of trade agreements, offered a weaker proposal in Brunei. The American proposal simply refers to other international agreements that allow exceptions for public health and requires health officials from the 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries to consult each other before making trade challenges. It would not prevent the challenges from moving forward.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a strong advocate of tobacco control in this country and abroad, rightly denounced the American proposal as “weak half-measures at best.” The proposal leaves the door open for multinational tobacco companies to challenge legitimate tobacco control measures, as they already have in several countries in recent years.

Malaysia countered by proposing a complete carve-out of tobacco control measures that would protect a country’s ability to set its own rules for marketing, advertising, banning or taxing various tobacco products, among other control measures. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and several other medical and patient advocacy groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, applauded the Malaysian proposal. It would protect countries from the burdens and costs of fending off trade challenges and from potentially stiff financial penalties if they lose. And it would remove the danger that some countries might not enact strong tobacco control measures in order to avoid any possibility of challenges.

American trade officials need to toughen their stance when Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations resume. They should be siding with the public and those concerned about public health, not the makers of products known to be lethal and highly addictive.

Thanks to Malaysia's stance, even the pro-business NYT agree with Malaysia's tactical ploy to extend the TPPA negotiation.

Bumped into MTEM's Mohd Nizam Mashar two days ago. As someone so cynical and vehemently opposed to TPPA, his response when ask to comment on positive progress of TPPA was "There are still efforts to push for the TPPA."

Will not be surprise that the money-myopic and indifferent to nation building PEMANDU and their overpaid and party animal staff are pushing for it. Their argument is predictably trade.



They only see benefit of trade which mean money masyukk and interest of big business taken care. Anyone remember PEMANDU's NKEA never bothered about SMEs at the early stage of planning?

This "banana, yellow outside orang putih inside" will not see that it is not the orang putih that prospered the country but the Asians:


China in particular...


Yet China as our leading trade partner is not part of this American championed TPPA. If trade is the reason, why be involved then? Ivy Leaguers and Ox-bridges can be so sloppy.

It is the American - which was not part of the initial four countries in the TPPA but their yellow banana proxy, Singapore is there - that wanted to insert non-trade related items in the negotiation list below:


It is items in 14-21 that is stalling completion of negotiation.

The "Mat and Minah Liberal together with Sarong Party Girls and Boys of Kelabit-led" PEMANDU cannot appreciate the implication to nation building.

It is now in the 19th round of negotiation in Brunei and Tok Pa promised to update the public.

Sources claimed that it was Malaysia's effort and voice in the negotiation that opened the eyes of other countries to the American and their proxies conniving tricks and ploy. They are watching, listening and likely to follow us. If we pull out, TPPA can fail.


Yes, it is restoring some trust but more, much much more is still needed.

For one, it can be restored with a more experienced and capable negotiation team. NOT by a team that treated TPPA negotiation as "learning experiance." NOT by a team too overzealous in highlighting the trade benefit but did not see the full implication beyond just Bumiputera policies. NOT fumble in the past to agree to an FTA that allows for automobile in exchange for vegetable. And NOT over anxious to agree to an FTA because "my promotion depend on this."

This the Minister was told, both Minister and his Deputy.

Former Director General of the Department of Statistics, economic planner and activist, Senator Dato Akbar Ali called for widening the net on tax collection on groups still running away from taxes. To quote from his blog Darah Tuah here, he suggested: 

1.8 Memperluaskan jaringan kutipan cukai ke atas kumpulan yang masih berjaya melarikan diri dari dicukai.

Given the much talk on crime and gang war, one such group is the criminals and their black economy. They do not pay tax. However, chasing after criminals is not the scope of our tax collectors.

Nevertheless, the government should look at another area to raise tax and that is the insuficiently taxed rich. While the wage earner have to pay tax, Malaysia has been too friendly with the asset rich wealthier class. Our stock market capital gain is non taxable, property gain tax too weak, inheritance tax abolished, and basically, their wealth is not sufficiently taxed.  

There should be so form of Robin Hood Tax. [Read about this movement in the UK here]. Will MNC and big business friendly PEMANDU ever recommend such a proposal?

Black Economy

The black economy is covered here because it is big and made many wealthy from the business of crime.

According to a former police high official (name won't be mentioned), black economy is as high as RM400 billion a year. Malaysia's nominal GDP for 2013 is forecasted by EPU here at RM1 trillion. Our total import and export is estimated to be RM1.3 billion for 2013.

Unless IRD has their own Eliot Ness that went after Al Capone for tax evasion, that way of "raising government revenue" is best left to MACC and police. Better still should Latheefa Koya, Surendran, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh and Lim Lip Eng wish to cooperate rather than collaborate.

Transaction in the black economy is all cash and COD. There is no record of their transaction. For law enforcement officer to stop such activities is the Money Laundering Act  or AMLA. It is supposed to be  crime for one not able to account for their wealth and cash in their bank account.

But, our judges seemed to be more concern with saving the criminals. Unlike in other places like Singapore and China, our judges insist on specific act of crime be established with the requirement evidences. 

Rich gangster hire professional lawyers, tax experts and some have law enforcement officials in their payroll. Corrupt official makes it difficult for any charges to be made but black economy operator usualy have money cleansing operations.

One way is to have business outlets.

Cash is funneled through such enterprises and transactions created. The best is entertainment centres but retail businesses is also used. Do not be surprise if one see huge business or retail outlets that is seldom visited or little transaction but yet can sustain for many years.  

As far as criminals are concerned, the law enforcement and attorney office should be dedicated to wipe out the black economy. It distorts the economic fundamental. There is no way a Bumiputera retailer with government assistance and help could compete with their retail competitor whose core business is in the bleaching of underground money.

That is why those opposition leaders are so concerned with the human rights of criminals.

Stock market


The main source of income on the lesser economic being is their salary and that is being taxed. But, the rich get their income from their wealth and mostly in the form of asset.

The paltry return from fixed deposit, which is the most popular savings and investment mechanism for most Malaysian, are taxed but capital gain on the stock market is not taxed. Furthermore, too much leeway and concession given to encourage stock market investment that it goes out of whack from fundamental characteristics of stock market.

The only return the investing public get from listed companies is dividend but it is insignificant and like fixed deposit, it is taxable.

The rich public listed company owners gives out paltry dividend despite improvement in company performance and only concerned with getting prices of stock up. When shareholders complain on the low dividend payout, they are told to sell and take the capital gain.


This is the reason dividend yield is not so important in valuation of Malaysian public listed companies' shares. Thus, making Malaysian market highly speculative.

Pity those Gen Y who just read Graham & Dodd's and wear by Warren Buffet method, to only realise that stock market prices rises not so much on fundamentals but information not publicly available.

Who is to know ahead that Sensol share prices exploded last Monday because Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop's son was appointed chairman?   

Property Gain


Off late, property prices have skyrocketed too fast.

Was told recently of a high priced property near KLCC that went double in less than 5 years. Some may argue that it is a question of supply and demand. Land is getting limited so it is a question of limited supply.

That is only part of the picture. Another is the factor speculation. Financing have been quite abundance for second home, third home and so on that the rich buys high priced properties for capital gain. Like our stock market, our property gain tax is too lenient.

Correct us if we are wrong. Over time, property gain tax have been on the decline. At one time, property gain tax is only levied for properties held after 7 years but it is now 5 years.

As a result of the artificially inflated demand for high priced property, developers are going more into that sector of the development market. Even state development agencies like in Selangor and Penang are jumping into the same bandwagon.  

This is coming at a social cost.

Lesser number of affordable homes for rakyat that federal government have to step in using outfit like PR1MA.

PKNS to introduce more Datum Jelatek like project to drive out the existing population

PKNS is heard planning to expand the concept of the controversial Datum Jelatek development to buy low cost plats and apartments in Ulu Klang area to be redeveloped into condominium. The business model used means the housing needs of foreigners are more important than locals.

The plan by PKNS is intended to change the political demography of three Parliamentary areas of Gombak, Setiawangsa and Titiwangsa. If true, the Malays working for PKNS is helping DAP to be more dominant.

Too much money in the banking system is channeled into this easy to make money property venture and high degree of expose to speculative investment.


Since there is little political will to stop free market and the interest of developers groups like REHDA as championed by the Developers' Association of Penang (DAP) [read The Mole here], profit or revenue from sales of high end properties be taxed heavily.

Capital gains from property appreciation must be taxed without exception. Or property transaction at above a certain price must not be exempted from property gain tax. Otherwise, the tax structure favours the rich.  

Many in the upper echelon of the economy and politics will not agree but Innerblog here has a good logic. We reproduced it with some editing to be more politically correct, below:

When government spent on road and infrastructure within the town centre, the land value would increase tremendously thus indirectly land owners, should be taxed with betterment levy.

The benefits from the increase in land value are wiped out by the owners when they sell development units at high value, which for some properties, ballooning to million of Ringgit.

The government is losing on two folds, one, the burden of infrastructure cost is spread over to all rakyat, including people in the campaign who made money from the government’s work, thus unfairly causing hardship to comparing people at large. Two, the town population is laughing with tons of money with the help of government.

In cases where property falls in value due to the government or the local authority’s bad policy, the landowners on the other hand seek compensation due to the likely lost in the capital value of the bad policy or the infringement to their land.

Property owners in areas like Bangsar should pay for betterment and infringement levies

Both betterment and infringement levies may be useful to reduce property price in the city centre, and is a potential avenue to increase government’s revenue.

The high price property owners should pay for the cost of the government projects that benefit their land in the city centre.

It’s time the government blows back the capital expenditure on infrastructure that beautifies their homes and business premises in the city by taxing them on the betterment levy. The kampung folks do not directly enjoy the beautification projects and good infrastructure in the city centre.

Social justice


Capital gain tax from stocks should be channeled to government coffer. Money made from selling property to foreigners and rich should be taxed more to be channeled to programs to provide homes to locals and those in the lesser income.

Malaysia is believed to have had inheritance tax but it has since been abolished. It is time we reinstate such a tax. There can be exemption for wealth that have been plowed into productive ventures that is beneficial for the nation, truly charitable cause, and increase our scientific and intellectual capability.

The problem with the rich in Malaysia is that they are too kedekut to do such a thing. They favour the Yahudi banking system that is based on banks and insurance system that stay away from risk and preserve the wealth of the rich. They even have protection against god sent calamities.

The wealthy hide their expenses and asset in companies, thus get tax exemptions and pay lower tax. They can afford tax consultants to help avoid taxes and use of off-shores tax havens. Such loopholes need to be covered.

In Islamic economy, state have power to take back unproductive land. Off course, such law cannot be used but the concept in zakat is applicable. Unproductive capital idling in investment instuments that does not increase productivity, increase economic capacity and create jobs should be heavily taxed.

The rich have roles and responsibility to society. Investing and contribution is some ways to contribute. If they refuse to do so, then tax their money.

PEMANDU is so used to shocking the nation with their claims, statistics and projection to sell their wares. When being shocked, it took them weeks,  if not months, to respond. [Read Rocky Bru here and Kuala Lumpur Post here dated July 5th, 2012]

Idris Jala's reply for PEMANDU is merely a standard denial. It dismisses allegations and claim this and that without highlighting where the allegations are wrong. Basically, it has no news worthy substance.

It is his defense of Farah Intan, his claims are questionable.

Under attack

PEMANDU did try to answer their detractors through the Omar Ong friendly The Chronicles and Dato Idris Jala's series articles in The Star but it was only explaining and as said, it is not answering allegations and expose.

Why The Star which Helen Ang have continually exposed to be the mouthpiece of DAP? Is it because PEMANDU is only interested to tell their side of the story to their converted left-leaning and liberals?

Since Syed Akbar's damning posting on August 29th [read here], there was another set of expose on a staff of PEMANDU by The Benchmark here and Syed Akbat here that shocked PEMANDU.

The "establishment' attempted to fight back the few pro-UMNO bloggers questioning the integrity and competency of PEMANDU. These campaign have catched on and political columnist like Joceline Tan have touched on the PEMANDu attack in her recent column [read here.]

Their pathetic attempt was to label bloggers attacking PEMANDU as anti Najib.

Syed Akbar, who denied he has burned his bridges with Najib [read here], answered back by exposing PEMANDU Twitter promoting pro-opposition Loyar Buruk group. It also affirm PEMANDU staff's neo-liberal leaning and disloyalty to Najib.  [read here]

Idris Jala's first page reply below:


It is all denial and claim they have system and process in taking in staff.

Idris Jala basically try to say that as an organisation that is supposed to improve performance delivery that they are practising the system they believe will improve performace delivery. But unfortunately, they used the quantitatively skewed, mechanically driven and now much discredited KPI system.

Note the part they are 100% committed to delivering results for the government. Are the words of Idris trustable?


Did Idris Jala delivered the results for MAS when he chopped 3,000 staff under MCC and ridiculously rehired back 3,000 know nuts about aviation newbies? No... he had an operational loss but lied to say MAS had record profit. He was subsequently fired after our expose.

Did he really did turnaround when he was in Shell? No... he was merely doing textbook turnaround to butcher staff that he is known as Butcher from Shell. True turnaround specialist are operation man who knows how to truly cut wastage and improve efficiency.

Defending Farah

Idris defended Farah gallantly:


Still very much standard reply devoid of information and details to say Farah had conducted herself to the rules and regulations all staff of Prime Minister's Department supposed to adhere.

Someone conversant in the code of conduct for civil service can easily debunked that claim to defend her personal conduct outside office. There are many civil servants in our family!

Commendable KPI?

Idris claimed her performance have been KPI-ed as commendable. Is it really so?



The promiscuosly pictured Farah Intan is a Senior Analyst in charge of crime. She must have been a party to the process to recommend Emergency Ordinance and Internal Security Act was abolished to pacify the opposition and pro-opposition NGOs before the general election.

Farah was not the PENASIHAT but since Transformation is the agenda of PEMANDU and political transformation is also on the menu. Abolishing EO and ISA was also intended as part of political transformation.

Sources confirmed to this blogger that Dato Omar Ong, the hidden hand behind and with office at PEMANDU, convinced the Prime Minister to do so. Farah may have helped prepared the paper and talking points.


To know how commendable Farah is, read this Bernama report, below:

K'jaan cadang pasang EMD pada penjenayah SOSMA bulan depan

10:04PM Ogos 24 2013

Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) bercadang menggunakan peranti pengawasan elektronik (EMD) ke atas penjenayah tertentu yang ditahan di bawah Akta Kesalahan Keselamatan (Langkah-Langkah Khas) 2012 (SOSMA) pada akhir bulan depan.
  
Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail mengesahkan bahawa kerajaan telah meluluskan pemasangan EMD bagi mengesan suspek jenayah terancang dan kejam bagi memastikan mereka tidak melakukan jenayah lain semasa dalam jaminan.
  
"Bagi saya, adalah lebih baik jika EMD ini dapat dilaksanakan dengan segera," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan ucapan khas di Forum Pencegahan Jenayah di Petaling Ja;ya hari ini.
  
Abdul Gani mengulas komen penganalisis kanan Unit Pelaksanaan dan Pengurusan Prestasi (Pemandu), Farah Intan Burhanudin, bahawa peranti itu akan digunakan terhadap suspek yang ditahan dalam Ops Cantas.
  
Dalam forum itu, Farah Intan berkata peranti tersebut, yang digunakan di banyak negara termasuk Amerika Syarikat sejak 1994, akan mengurangkan risiko pesalah berulang dan memainkan peranan penting dalam penguatkuasaan polis secara berkesan.

"Peranti itu juga kos efektif dan mendorong kepada pengurangan masalah kesesakan dalam penjara," katanya ketika membentangkan inisiatif semasa dan masa depan Pemandu dalam membendung jenayah.
  
Dalam ucapannya, Abdul Gani berkata Malaysia tidak memerlukan undang-undang pencegahan bagi membendung jenayah serius kerana negara mempunyai pasukan polis yang bagus untuk menangani jenayah dengan berkesan dan cekap.
  
"Saya mempunyai kepercayaan penuh terhadap polis untuk melakukan tugas tanpa memerlukan undang-undang pencegahan. Ini terbukti apabila mereka (polis) membuktikan kemampuan mengendalikan jenayah sejak beberapa minggu lepas.
  
"Oleh itu, saya mendapati sukar untuk alasan secara rasional sebab-sebab mengapa kita perlu memperkenalkan semula undang-undang seperti Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dan Ordinan Darurat (EO)," katanya.
  
Walaupun undang-undang pencegahan baru akan dibentangkan di sesi Parlimen akan datang, Abdul Gani berkata Jabatan Peguam Negara akan mengkaji semua sebarang pindaan dan input daripada pelbagai pihak.
  
Beliau berkata jika negara benar-benar memerlukan undang-undang pencegahan bagi membanteras jenayah berat maka satu kajian menyeluruh dan cadangan terhadap undang-undang ini perlu dipertimbangkan secara teliti.
  
Memetik kes penjenayah kejam Botak Chin pada tahun 70-an, Abdul Gani berkata Peguam Negara ketika itu berjaya menyelesaikan kes itu dan mensabitkan hukuman ke atas penjenayah itu tanpa menggunakan undang-undang pencegahan (ISA atau EO) tetapi hanya menguna pakai undang-undang biasa.
  
Ditanya pendirian beliau memperkenalkan semula EO, beliau berkata: "Pendirian saya tetap sama."

Read on in Malaysiakini here.

Two and half year in PEMANDU and she is deliveraing a presentation in a seminar as though she is an expert? Gani Patail was giving government and PEMANDU a hand but in an earlier report by NST, there were mixed opinion. Read below:

13 August 2013

Pemandu to study usage of tracking devices

By ADIB POVERA AND BALQIS LIM | news@nst.com.my

CRIME PREVENTION: Govt mulling its use on recidivists at early stage

KUALA LUMPUR: THE Performance and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) is conducting a study on the effectiveness of the electronic-monitoring device used in several other countries  to  reduce crime.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri said Pemandu was studying the models adopted by the United States and other countries, which had used electronic devices on prisoners under parole and repeat offenders.

"Pemandu is looking into the matter.

"The unit will study the systems used in other countries, such as the US and Singapore, to understand how the device can help to curb crime.

"We will make a complete analysis to decide if we should go ahead with introducing the electronic-monitoring device."

Nancy, however, said should the government proceed with the implementation of the tracking device, it would be applied to recidivists during the initial stage of implementation.

She was commenting on the government's plan to fit tracking devices on former Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees, many of whom were linked with the recent spate of murders.

The approach was one of the options considered by the government in managing those with a tendency to commit serious crime, apart from the proposed legislation of tougher laws to prevent crime.

The proposal received mixed reviews from legal experts and criminologists.

Although the plan to fit detainees with tracking devices is seen as an innovative approach, experts doubt its effectiveness against hardcore criminals and gangland members.

Senior lawyer Ragunath Kesavan said the tracking device would be an useful tool in tackling serious crime.

"The device would allow the person detained to only go to specific areas."

On opinions that there were no laws to allow the government to slap prisoners and detainees with the device, Ragunath said it was not necessary.

"The court is entitled to enforce the admission to set bail and is allowed to specify the terms and conditions of bail to the detainees.

"Therefore, no laws are required to make them wear the tracking anklets," he said, adding that no human rights issue would be violated if it was related to criminal proceedings.

Another senior lawyer, however, had reservations about the system. Yeo Yeng Poh said in the US, the device would be used on those who had been convicted or are undergoing parole.

"Individuals under house arrest or under parole and those who are sentenced but requested to serve their terms outside prison are often required to wear the ankle monitor.

"But here, if the government is linking the detainees with serious crime, they should not just be made to wear the tracking devices, but should instead be charged with the crime."

His views were supported by prominent criminologist Associate Professor Dr P. Sundramoorthy.

"I know that the devices have been used in Singapore and the US.

"However, I believed the device would only be suitable for first-time offenders and those who commit non-serious crimes.

"I do not think the device would help to reduce organised crime."

The views by lawyer Yeoh Yong Poh and criminologist Associate Professor Dr P Sundramoorthy is also shared by former Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan. Without EO and ISA, that device cannot be lawfully applied.

Musa was asked of the EMD in a close door function. He said that he had proposed this when he was IGP when there were legal provisions to do. He said, "Sekarang apa ada cerita?"

Upon checking with several police officers at Bukit Aman, there said PEMANDU did not consulted with the police. This PEMANDU Senior Analayst proposed to the government without consultation with the police.

Why?

The policeman suspected that it will be like IES, which was linked to Omar Ong.

No consultation made with the releveant party and we, policeman and Road Motor Vehicle, are directed to implement it and when it failed, government will takeover from the two companies.

Is it true Omar have interest in the two companies, Mustapha Ong? He has been going around town telling his son has interest in the company.

The sceptical police high official said PEMANDU will direct us without consultation to implement and there will be someone getting some "Chinese businessman" to supply for cheap and sold at inflated price to government officers by supplier.

He added on, then the "Chinese businessman" will help release EMD-ed gangster for a price and the whole program would be made meaningless.

Already murderers had outstmart the device. Read here. 

If Farah had not consulted the police or Musa Hassan, wonder where did she get the idea of EMD.

From a movie?

Or by plagarising Musa Hassan proposal and claiming as her's?


Or while under intoxication on the streets of Kuala Lumpur or from too much cocktail by the beach?

Personal conduct outside work does affect work performance. Itu pun tak faham ke Idris Jala? Tak habis-habis kaki kelentong....

Bet if presurred to reveal amount consultancy fee, it will be the same style of answer. PEMANDU yang perlu ditransformasi dari menjawab stail lama.

For the past few years and on many occasions, Najib had given assurance that he will not foresake the Malays and Bumiputera. This time assurances and promises are not sufficient and they want more than that.

Bumiputera will not hear of excuses to do things quietly.

Not even an article from Beruang Biru to ask "Apa lagi rakyat mahu? can help relieve the demand for remedial action. Definitely not with a spin by listing all that PM has umum, lancar, perkenal, ilham and rasmi. To debunk, ask: has it delivered?

There is an SMS circulating:

Dijemput datang beramai-ramai ke Majlis Pemerkasaan Ekonomi Bumiputera pada Sabtu, 14 Sept 2013 di DATC UITM Shah Alam. 830 pagi - Forum: Tan Sri Dr Wan Zahid & Prof Dato' Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali. 1030 pagi - Pengumuman khas Agenda Ekonomi Bumiputera oleh YAB Perdana Menteri. Terbuka kpd orang ramai. Menteri kabinet & pemimpin Bumiputera akan hadir. Mari bersatu & tunjukkan sokongan kpd Agenda Bumiputera. Sila forward SMS ini kpd kawan-kawan.

Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of EPU, Dato Abdul Wahid Omar gave a broad outline of the area to be covered. [Read Utusan Malaysia here.]

But this morning at 10 AM, it is the deadline for all related agencies to submit their immediate plan of action to EPU.

Since it looks like a rush job, we'll pass up on the event. At 8:00 AM, it is too early for bloggers. Secondly, there is more fun and satisfaction to hear great jazz performances at the KL International Jazz Festival 2013 by Lee Ritenour, Ezra Brown, Rudresh Mahanthappa, etc.

Sceptics

There are sceptics like Dato Abdul Kadir Jasin who does not believe that the Saturday announcement will amount to anything. [Read here]

Although hopeful, his previous postings have been highly doubtful of Najib. He seemed to view Najib as incapable of appreciating the sensitivity of the Malay cause and the rakyat on the ground at large.

Perhaps, it is out-dated thinking in today's neo-liberal times. The common thinking these days seemed to be that anything that is from the past and working well, including initiatives by Tun Abdul Razak, is out-dated.

Najib have made many mistakes for listening to the advise of his key  adviser, neo-liberal Dato Omar Ong.

It was Omar Ong who advised and persistently insist Najib abolish the Ministry for Entreneurship Development.

Omar Ong also got Najib to abolish the Bumiputera shareholding requirement for public listing by introducing Ekuinas. 

Najib only realised later that the Malays are not happy.

At the second opportunity to deliver the key note speech at the UMNO General Assembly, Najib made attempt to appease the UMNO members. Our sources claimed PM's key advisor, Omar Ong scolded him for "going backward."

Until Najib dissociate himself from Omar Ong and get honest and hardworking people to help him (repeat: honest and hardworking), he will continue to be caught in a crisis of confidence.

Economy is claimed to be good and much of Malaysia's accolade highlighted by the media, but why is the ground not happy?  

Dismantling


When Ekuinas was established, management did not want to play the social role of replacing the lost Bumiputera shareholding. They wanted to do Private Equity and Venture Capital but with Government money.

Ekuinas was buying up Chinese companies and providing exit for Chinese companies and most recently Indian companies. [Read Din Turtle here.]

When Ekuinas eventually exit from their investment, Ekuinas's so-called Bumiputera stake will eventually get diluted and it does not increase bumiputera presence in PLCs. Will Ekuinas be used to increase equity participation of Bumiputera?

As pointed out to now Dato Abdul Rahman when there was only few tables and chairs at Ekuinas office,  Bumiputera that started the business will neither benefit from Ekuinas's so-called professional management and equity participation. Nor will they at exit point.

So, Ekuinas was never about developing Bumiputera entrepreneurs but another aimless Government institution. Most likely, it was Omar Ong hoodwinking the Bumiputera business community. 


There is then Khazanah Nasional that was initiated by Tun Dr Mahathir but Tan Sri Nor Mohamaed Yakcop turned it into another Temasek.

Nor Yakcop must have been fascinated with KPI and quantitave scoring system from books he read that he thought he can improve profitability and efficiency using those.

However, Khazanah's KPI did not spell out anything other than profitability and efficiency.  

Nor Yakcop turned Khazanah into another Temasek by using Tan Sri Azman Yahya at Danaharta and Banks to 'steal' companies off the hands of Malay entrepreneurs like Tan Sri Halim Saad and Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli.

Coercion, deception and fraudulent means was also used.

Despite being under private hands, the Halims and Tajuddins gave employment, passage for professional career, and contracts and subcontracts to Bumiputera entrepreneurs.

But Khazanah only talk of "nature and nurture" at forums and seminar but nothing comes out of it. Not only is there no Bumiputera empowerment programme, existing Bumiputera staff were disempowered.

It was a dismantling exercise.

Education and Employment denied

Since then, Malays and Bumiputera have been on the slide in education - enrollment in University plummet, admission into strategic subjects down into the teens in percentage, and scholarship allocation minimised by the liberal policies for Chinese application of government scholarship.


In the PTPTN program, there have been scams done by the Chinese-run Universities that Najib's administration failed to realise.

It is beneficial to oppose the existing Government.

Najib must seek ways to be more relaxed on PTPTN repayment in view of the difficult employment situation. Pay one must, just like what others had to repay dearly for foreign education. It is a matter of responsibility but give them some breathing space.

While local students are made to pay, the Chinese students receiving scholarship for foreign Universities tend not to return but worked abroad.

Some hare-brained established Talentcorp to spent millions to entice unpatriotic Malaysians to return and work with better pay and AP to bring home cars at the chagrin of the other patriotic but less paying Malaysian employees.

Experienced Bumiputera Managers removed by Omar Ong to be replaced by outside Chinese

Since no more Bumiputera policies allowed, discrimination in employment by GLCs and Chinese owned corporations have become rampant and open. For instance, the requirement to know Mandarin.

As soon as Omar Ong managed to remove Tan Sri Hasan Merican and got himself on the Board of Directors of Petronas, the former Petronas Manager personally ensured Chinese are brought into Petronas and Bumiputera mangers are systematically removed.

By adopting Malay, he earned him places into Sekolah Menangah Sains Muar and later scholarship to study in Oxford. But, Omar Ong was never thankful to the Malays and in turn, was vengeful.


It is heard that there are "directive" instructing Petronas, Khazanah and PNB companies CEOs to bring in Chinese management and officers and pay market value despite the existing capable Malays are being underpaid.

When Dato Idris Jala retrenched 3,000 MAS staff (majority Malays), he rehired 3,000 aviation newbies and some getting two to three times more than existing pay structure. That is not turnaround but no common sense.

His years at Shell made him a racist who pigeon hole people's ability by their race and stereotyped fellow Bumiputera as one.

This discriminatory practises by Bumiputera leadership and management towards Bumiputera had led to an exodus of Malays with expertise to go abroad. They felt their sacrifice for the nation was unappreciated. Government seemed to appreciate the unpatriotic Malaysian.

If the Government is puzzled by the waning support for BN from middle class malays, do not look too far.

Failing Entrepreneurs

Without any effort to reverse existing discriminatory policies, some Ministries resorted to half measures of  encouraging untrained and inexperienced Bumiputera graduate to pursue entrepreneurship.

Their destiny is only expected without efficient system support and capital backing them.

How are they to survive when major government projects were given to non Bumiputera with no opportunities for existing Bumiputera players to subcontract.


In addition, there are rampant practise of GLCs like Putrajaya Holdings having biasness in favour of  Chinese companies like Sunway and WCT to make life easy for them. Suspiciously, there are cases of payoff and unfair tender practises involved.

Najib initiated effort like TERAJU and promised Malay contractors subcontracting work in projects like the new Menara UDA and RM40 billion train project.

But, UDA Chairman Dato Nurjazlan preferred a turnkey subcontract to a Chinese group. He was just plain lazy to soil his hands.

Coat and tie does not make you clever, Husni

Previous EPU Minister chose a "cari makan" analyst type and non-activist to be CEO of Teraju. Industry sources claimed Dato Husni Salleh failed as a Venture Capitalist and had to look for another job.

Husni was supposed to identify and assist Bumiputera contractors for the train project but he was too stupid to know he was duped.

Out of 20 Bumiputera companies short-listed, he could not spot that only two are genuine while the rest are Ali Baba companies. [Read here.] Bumiputera ended getting only RM18 million subcontract works. This information came from sources in the Persatuan  Kontraktor Bumiputera.

Yet Husni tried to lie by saying that 40% of the train contract was given to Bumiputera. That 40% was Syed Mokhtar's MMC and as a main player, that cannot be considered as part of subcontracting program for Bumiputera.

Now that Government is giving another RM160 billion for rail programs, how much more peanuts will the Malay monkeys be given as subcontract? Thanks TERAJU!

That is not the end. It is heard Husni is involved in putting together the program to announce Polisi Memperkasakan Bumiputera. May God help the PM.

All the while, Husni claimed that TERAJU is involved in data collection and analysis. That is also another lie. The truth is TERAJU's work is done by PEMANDU and MacKinsey. Some of the work are done by our network of "friends."

Husni only knows dog shit stock analysis. Not socio-economic analysis. Furthermore, he had always been indifferent with the plight of the Bumiputera and never involved himself before this.

Physically displaced

PKNS's Datum Jelatek project to displace malay voters out of malay area

If that is not bad enough, Bumiputera are being physically pushed and displaced by government policies, both BN and Pakatan Rakyat, in favour of big developers for high priced developments.

In areas like Pulau Pinang and Selangor, Bumiputera are being displaced in wholesale for political reasons and strengthen DAP Chinese stronghold of power.

There is supposed to be a housing program to help the rakyat owned affordable homes by PR1MA.

One feedback received claimed that a private Bumiputera developer can deliver an adjacent product at cheaper and better quality than Dato Jamaluddin Jarjis's PR1MA project.

Unfortunately, this psychotic former MOF II is also involved in formulating policies for Bumiputera. What can one expect of him when PRI1MA awarded a whole RM1.5 billion contract to a single Chinese company and linked to Sunway. Read in OutSyed the Box here.

The inferring ones

JJ is making a mess everywhere with his own gung ho ways which is more interested to bodek PM.

He is interfering in every other Government Departments and Agencies by telling the head to answer to him. By selling the Prime Minister's name, he is scaring everyone to get his clearance before doing anything.

It is as though PM had empowered him but actually JJ wants to come out as a hero to bring good ideas and proposal to PM himself.

Ole cheap trick, JJ!

Systematic denial

The New Economic Model is supposed to be bring about high income and inclusive.

However, it looks like only the GLC CEOs and top corporate management position holders benefit with multimillion salary and perk deal.

This is despite playing safe with only bottom line to think about, no social responsibility to bear, and  taking no or infinitesimal risk.


Seminars, forums and discourses had discussed the Malay agenda. Resolutions and proposals have been submitted to the Prime Minsiter but it was ignored by the previous EPU Minister and Khazanah.


PEMANDU and their coterie of foreign consultants played the role to block such effort to restructure society.

In a just society, there is supposed to be no race or social grouping that dominates and monopolises any aspect of economic, social, education, employment and political life.

The majority Chinese management of PEMANDU refuse to cooperate. For example, the NKEA excludes the Bumiputera agenda, SME and construction sector. 

Sabah dan Sarawak Bumiputera are not just display for tourists

In 'fixed deposit' Sabah and Sarawak, there seemed to be a systematic denial.

Poverty is still in existence and at large, basic infrastructure of road, water, and electricity is limited, inaccessibility to education remains, healthcare is rudimentary and various basic problems still prevail to the Kadazan, Bajau, Iban, and all the 60 sub-ethnics.

Money have been disbursed to Sabah and Sarawak but implementation and delivery still a problem at large. There have been systematic leakage from the top.

The plight of Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak is made worse by the liberal and tolerant culture of Sabah and Sarawak which made Chinese totally dominating the economy.

Rush job

There is many more discriminations and leakages in the Bumiputera empowerment programs. Abuses by well to do Bumiputera families and top government officials are rampant.

After the election, many complains have been made to Najib on his policies as advised by his coterie of "Advisers" and officers that had neglected Bumiputeras.

Many still giving Najib a chance and hope he will change. Much is expected of the Saturday announcement.

Six major areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship, property ownership, and GLC management change will be carefully combed and scrutinised by Bumiputera intellectuals. Special attention will be given to effort to uplift significantly our Bumiputera brothers and sisters in Sabah and Sarawak.

The substance of each announcement will be assessed and no Wow! factor will easily divert the critical and analytical minds. The policies must be inclusive and not neglect other sections of society. Social justice must be the prime consideration and not corporate greed.

Thus far heard, PM has gone through the first discussion on his speech and he is not quite happy. Many involved have failed to meet the Prime Minister's expectation.

Strangely, a Chinese was asked for input by a certain PMO "adviser" to define Bumiputera for PM's speech.

Thus far, proposals that reached EPU have been only medium and long term. It only means leg dragging by government agencies. Till 10 this morning (Thursday), agencies are still being whipped to throw in immediate to execute programs for EPU.

TERAJU is being left out from giving any proposals. It is like PEMANDU and MacKinsey doing the work. What do expect from neo-liberals orang putih minded?

The fear now is the announcement seems to be a rush job and not a think through effort. The announcement could be only a broad brush stroke or even rhetorical. Kesian Najib but problem is he still rely on the same bunch of opportunists and incompetents around him.

Hope he makes it through because we are going to enjoy 12 hours of non-stop Jazz....


Political implication

If he does not deliver, Najib must have heard that PAS and PKR are courting Malay intellectuals to find areas to champion and attract Malay voters. Current approach to marginalise Bumiputera will not gain them any political ground.

The last election proves that without Malay and Bumiputera votes, Pakatan cannot takeover government.

Thus, they are taking the religous flank to bite into support of Iban, Bidayuh, Kadazan, and other non Muslim Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak. Problem is it can only be championed by DAP and they dare not contest inland.

Even Lim Guan Eng had privately said he can’t wait to see his father kick the bucket for him to take DAP to a non chauvanistic and racialist approach. Don't ask us how we know that.

For UMNO and BN, fear factor will not work in the upcoming GE14. Voters will be more mature.

The emphasis is on political product and it's deliverability. No more political promotional and campaign gimmicks by shallow brained branding experts.


* Edited 13/9/13 8:00 AM

Alhamdulillah, syukur ke hadrat Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala kerana dengan izin-Nya jua kita dapat berkumpul pada pagi ini, di Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor, Kampus Induk Universiti Teknologi MARA, sebuah institusi simbol serta perlambangan kepada perjuangan Melayu dan Bumiputera yang tiada pernah hentinya.

2.    Terlebih dahulu, saya, bagi pihak Kerajaan, merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada rakyat Malaysia, terutamanya masyarakat Melayu dan Bumiputera yang telah menunjang, mandat serta kepercayaan kepada Barisan Nasional pada Pilihanraya Umum Ke-13... untuk terus menerajui kepimpinan negara. Apa yang lebih mengharukan adalah, UMNO sebagai parti tonggak kepada Barisan Nasional, telah berjaya menambah kerusi Parlimennya daripada 79 kepada 88.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

3.    Ini membuktikan, walau apapun rintangan, sekali apapun tohmahan, Kepimpinan Transformatif UMNO, bersama parti-parti komponen Barisan Nasional yang lain terus kukuh, terus kental dan terus ampuh bertahan, sebagai parti pilihan rakyat, bagi tempoh 5 tahun akan datang,.... demi meneruskan agenda Melayu dan Bumiputera di tanah air tercinta ini.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

4.    Setelah selesai Pilihanraya Umum yang lalu, kita mendengar pelbagai rungutan, pelbagai keluh-kesah serta ketidakpuasan hati, yang dibangkitkan oleh masyarakat Bumiputera, tentang nasib, masa depan dan halatuju, bersama anak-anak cucu mereka, di bumi tanah tumpah darah kita.

5.    Sememangnya, kita mendengar rintihan tuan-tuan dan puan-puan. Kita juga, menyelami denyut nadi serta resah gulana tuan-tuan dan puan-puan......, Yes... indeed!!!... we hear you... we hear you loud and clear.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

6.    Sejak negara mencapai kemerdekaan, tanggal 31 haribulan Ogos tahun 1957, rakyat telah hidup dalam keharmonian, bersatu padu, membina negara. Pada 16 haribulan September 1963, Sabah dan Sarawak pula bergabung bagi membentuk Malaysia. Alhamdulillah, penyatuan ini, membawa sejuta rahmat kepada kita. Lusa, dengan izin Tuhan jua, kita akan menyambut genapnya lima puluh tahun, perayaan jubli emas Malaysia, yang InsyaAllah akan saya hadiri di Bandaraya Kuching dan Kota Kinabalu.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

7.    Menyonsong populasi negara, pada tahun 1970, Bumiputera berjumlah 6.1 juta atau 56 peratus penduduk. Orang Melayu terdiri daripada sembilan suku kaum utama, orang asli pula terbahagi kepada 18 kategori, Bumiputera Sabah sebanyak 40 suku, manakala di Sarawak terdapat sejumlah 60 etnik.

8.    Semasa Perhimpunan Agong UMNO Tahun 2010, saya sebut bahawa Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu, Banjar juga disebut Melayu, Minangkabau memang Melayu, keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu, Jakun dan Sakai asli adalah Melayu, Arab dan Pakistani semua juga kira Melayu, malah muallaf bertakrif Melayu, waima.... Mamak dan Malabari pun....... dah serap ke Melayu.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

9.    Banci Penduduk dan Perumahan 2010, menunjukkan Orang Melayu dan Bumiputera Islam berjumlah 59.7 peratus. Manakala Bumiputera Bukan Islam pula, 7.6 peratus bilangan daripada rakyat keseluruhannya.Unjuran terkini, setakat 2012, menganggarkan warganegara Malaysia, adalah seramai 27.4 juta orang, yang mana Bumiputera adalah 18.6 juta atau 67.9 peratus.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

10.    Sejak Merdeka, semua perancangan serta dasar ekonomi Melayu dan Bumiputera oleh pihak Kerajaan telah digubal berasaskan perhitungan komposisi masyarakat majmuk tersebut. Secara prinsipnya, perkara dan amalan ini telah diterima pakai sebagai satu kontrak sosial sejak sekian lama oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia, seperti mana dipersetujui oleh bapa-bapa pengasas negara kita terdahulu,  dilindungi, dan dimaktubkan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan melalui Perkara 153, Perkara 160 kurungan 2, Perkara 161A kurungan 6 sub kurungan a. Juga Perkara 161A kurungan 6 sub kurungan b.

11.    Makanya, Melayu dan Bumiputera sebagai teras kepada agenda nasional tidak  boleh dinafikan oleh sesiapa. Sesungguhnya, sebarang prakarsa bersifat nasional yang tidak mengambilkira atau mengabaikan agenda Melayu serta Bumiputera, adalah tidak adil dan tidak saksama.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

12.    Perkara ini sangat mustahak untuk difahami dengan baik-baik oleh semua pihak bahawa kita sentiasa menginsafi dan beringat-ingat tentang Agenda Bumiputera sebagai Agenda Nasional. Ini kerana, jika sekiranya kaum majoriti Bumiputera tidak dibela dan berasa diri mereka terancam atau dipinggirkan, negara tidak akan mengecapi keamanan, kestabilan, dan kita tidak mungkin mencapai impian menjadi negara maju yang sejahtera dan sentosa seperti yang didambakan pada tahun 2020.

13.    Hatta, sejarah telah membuktikan dalam pembangunan ekonomi negara terutamanya sejak Dasar Ekonomi Baru dilaksanakan, bukan sahaja orang Melayu dan Bumiputera, bahkan semua rakyat Malaysia berkongsi nikmat, meraih manfaat bersama, hasil daripada pembangunan ekonomi negara. Jelasnya, ini telah kita lakukan bukanlah dengan mengambil, atau menidakkan hak sesiapa, tetapi sebenarnya melalui penciptaan kekayaan baru dan penjanaan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang mampan.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

14.    Tawarikh dunia juga telah menunjukkan bagaimana jika sesebuah Kerajaan itu gagal memainkan peranan pro-aktif sebagai pengimbang sosioekonomi secara adil dan saksama, antara mereka yang memiliki dan tidak memiliki, antara pemodal dan pekerja, antara tuan punya tanah dan penyewa, antara pekerja kolar putih dan kolar biru, telah dan sedang membawa malapetaka.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

15.    Jika dihimbau kembali, Dasar Ekonomi Baru yakni DEB telah diperkenalkan pada tahun 1971, oleh Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak, Ayahanda saya, untuk menangani isu ketidakseimbangan sosioekonomi antara etnik dan pembasmian kemiskinan berikutan tragedi 13 Mei 1969.

16.    Begitulah Dasar Ekonomi Baru telah berlangsung di antara tahun-tahun 1971 hingga 1990. Semenjak tahun 1965 sehingga tahun 2010 pula, sebanyak 10 Rancangan Malaysia, 3 Rangka Rancangan Jangka Panjang telah dilaksanakan.

17.    Dasar Pembangunan Nasional pula, melewati tempoh-tempoh tahun 1991 sehingga tahun 2000. Kemudiannya, Dasar Wawasan Nasional merentasi tahun 2001 sehingga 2010. Dalam pada itu, saya juga telah melancarkan Dasar Transformasi Nasional, semasa membentangkan Bajet tahun 2010, sebagai paksi pengukuhan dan pemangkin untuk mencapai Wawasan 2020 kelak.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

18.    Sejak merdeka, Kerajaan telah mewujudkan pelbagai instrumen dan institusi demi Melayu dan Bumiputera, antaranya, Bank Bumiputera, Lembaga Urusan Tabung Haji, MARA, FELDA, RISDA, FELCRA, UDA, PERNAS, DARA, JENGKA, KETENGAH dan KESEDAR. Perdana Menteri Ketiga yakni, Tun Hussein Onn pula telah menubuhkan Permodalan Nasional Berhad dan melancarkan Skim Amanah Saham Nasional.

19.    Seperti yang kita maklumi juga, kepentingan Bumiputera telah diperkukuhkan lagi oleh Perdana Menteri Keempat, yakni Tun Dr. Mahathir melalui Dasar Penswastaan dan Wawasan 2020, yang menjadi landasan perjalanan negara kini. Perdana Menteri Kelima pula, Tun Abdullah telah mewujudkan Koridor-Koridor untuk merancakkan pembangunan ekonomi wilayah.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

20.    Sejak saya mengambil alih pentadbiran negara, Kerajaan telah melancarkan Model Baru Ekonomi, yang bermatlamat untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara maju berpendapatan tinggi, dengan pertumbuhan yang saksama, menyaksikan masyarakat Melayu dan Bumiputera setanding dengan masyarakat lain pabila fajar negara maju menyinsing kira-kira tujuh tahun lagi.

21.     Selain itu, secara dasarnya, Model Baru Ekonomi memperkenalkan pendekatan pembangunan secara inklusif berasaskan prinsip pertumbuhan dengan kesaksamaan atau growth with equity, bagi mempastikan semua masyarakat di Malaysia memperoleh manfaat daripada pembangunan ekonomi dan kekayaan negara.

22.    Manakala, Rancangan Malaysia Kesepuluh, bermula pada tahun 2011 yang lalu hingga 2015 nanti, bertujuan untuk menyediakan peluang yang adil kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira etnik mahupun latar kedudukan geografi, untuk terlibat sama dalam semua aktiviti ekonomi. Ini, adalah berasaskan kepada prinsip mesra pasaran, berasaskan keperluan, telus dan meritokrasi. Akan tetapi meritokrasi yang kita maksudkan di sini adalah persaingan dalam kalangan Bumiputera.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

23.    Kerajaan juga telah memperkenalkan Program Transformasi Kerajaan dan Program Transformasi Ekonomi bagi membentuk satu ekosistem pembangunan ekonomi negara yang teguh dan berdaya tahan. Hasil pelaksanaan program transformasi, pertumbuhan ekonomi negara terus mencatat pertumbuhan yang kukuh dalam situasi ekonomi global tidak menentu. Pada tahun 2011 dan 2012, kadar pertumbuhan ekonomi negara berkembang masing-masing sebanyak 5.1 dan 5.6 peratus.

24.    Apa yang ingin saya tegaskan di sini, pertumbuhan secara berterusan begini, adalah amat penting, kerana, pertama, dengan adanya pertumbuhan, barulah kita dapat mengagihkan kekayaan negara kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia.

Tuan-tuan dan Puan-Puan,

25.    Melalui perancangan ekonomi yang rapi dan bijaksana, taraf hidup Bumiputera telah meningkat. Misalnya, pendapatan purata bulanan isirumah Bumiputera telah naik daripada 172 ringgit pada tahun 1970an kepada 4,457 ringgit pada tahun 2012 atau hampir 2,500 peratus dalam jangkamasa 42 tahun.

26.    Kadar kemiskinan Bumiputera pula, telah berkurangan daripada 64.8 peratus dalam tahun 1970an kepada 2.2 peratus pada tahun 2012. Pemilikan ekuiti syarikat korporat Bumiputera juga telah meningkat daripada hanya 2.4 peratus dalam tahun 1970an kepada 23.5 peratus pada tahun 2011.

27.    Selain itu, kecuali dalam beberapa sektor guna tenaga tertentu, bilangan tenaga kerja Bumiputera dalam kategori profesional, terutamanya golongan bertauliah seperti doktor-doktor perubatan, para jurutera dan para peguam sudah menghampiri peratusan komposisi kaum.

28.    Ini membuktikan, Dasar Ekonomi Baru, sebagai langkah awal telah berjaya menangani jurang antara kaum dalam usaha membangunkan sosioekonomi masyarakat Bumiputera. Jelasnya, sepanjang lebih 4 dekad, masyarakat Bumiputera telah melalui Fasa Pertama Transformasi.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

29.    Namun begitu, Kerajaan sedia maklum bahawa masih wujudnya jurang ketaksamaan pendapatan antara etnik. Sebagai contoh, pada tahun 2012,  pendapatan purata bulanan kaum Cina lebih tinggi berbanding Bumiputera pada nisbah 1 kepada 1.43 kali ganda.

30.    Dalam konteks pemilikan ekuiti syarikat korporat pula, kita masih belum mencapai sasaran sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus. Effective control kita ke atas syarikat korporat terkini hanyalah pada sekitar 10 peratus. Kerajaan juga faham bahawa penglibatan masyarakat Bumiputera dalam aktiviti keusahawanan masih tidak signifikan dan majoritinya hanya berada pada tahap usahawan kecil dan mikro.

31.    Lantaran yang demikian, Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan....... atas sokongan dan dokongan yang diberikan oleh orang-orang Melayu dan Bumiputera, pada Pilihanraya Umum Ke-13 baru-baru ini...., maka, .... pada hari ini........, Kerajaan memutuskan untuk membuat satu anjakan besar bagi melaksanakan strategi-strategi serta pendekatan-pendekatan yang konkrit lagi tuntas.

32.    Perjumpaan penuh bermakna dan bersejarah ini, kita namakan sebagai  Majlis Pemerkasaan Ekonomi Bumiputera. Segalanya ini, kita perbuat, demi membela untung nasib orang-orang Melayu dan Masyarakat Bumiputera, dari dulu, kini dan selama-lamanya........  Pemerkasaan Ekonomi Bumiputera ini memberi fokus kepada lima strategi utama.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Fokus Pemerkasaan Pertama : MENDAYA MODAL INSAN BUMIPUTERA

33.    Seperti kita maklumi, modal insan merupakan aspek terpenting dalam membangunkan sesebuah masyarakat. Kerajaan sebenarnya telah berjaya menempatkan secara signifikan pelajar Bumiputera di institusi pengajian tinggi awam dalam negeri dan luar negara. Oleh itu, fasa seterusnya adalah pemerkasaan modal insan Bumiputera yang menjurus kepada pemadanan kelayakan dan kemahiran tenaga kerja dengan keperluan pasaran.

34.    Untuk tujuan itu, pertamanya, bagi golongan remaja yang rendah pencapaian akademik dan tahap kemahiran, Kerajaan akan memperbanyakkan program peningkatan kemahiran bagi menyediakan peluang kedua supaya mereka memperoleh lebih banyak ruang untuk mendapat pekerjaan.

35.    Dalam aspek ini juga, program re-skilling akan dipergiatkan. Untuk tujuan itu, peruntukan tambahan akan diberikan kepada GiatMARA bagi memperoleh peralatan berteknologi terkini untuk mengendalikan program latihan. Manakala bilangan program latihan yang dikendalikan oleh Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara juga akan ditambah dengan mengamalkan pendekatan latihan dua syif.

36.    Kedua, kepada golongan graduan Bumiputera yang mengganggur pula, Kerajaan akan menggiatkan lagi program latihan bagi mengatasi masalah kebolehpasaran, agar bersesuaian dengan keperluan industri. Untuk tujuan tersebut, program-program seperti Skim Latihan 1Malaysia, Graduate Employability Management Scheme dan Program Peneraju Skil akan diperluaskan untuk menambah bilangan penerima faedah.

37.    Ketiganya, bagi menambah bilangan Bumiputera berkelulusan tinggi, agensi berkaitan seperti Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam dan MARA akan memperluaskan Program Pendidikan Lepasan Ijazah bagi memenuhi keperluan pasaran terutamanya dalam bidang-bidang kritikal dan berteknologi tinggi.

38.    Keempat, dalam melahirkan lebih ramai golongan profesional Bumiputera, Program Peneraju Profesional di bawah Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera serta program-program seumpamanya akan diperluaskan. Ini akan membantu mereka memperoleh pengiktirafan sebagai tenaga kerja profesional dan bertauliah, terutamanya dalam bidang-bidang kritikal seperti akauntan, doktor pakar, arkitek, jurutera dan ahli sains aktuari.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Fokus Pemerkasaan Kedua : MEMANTAPKAN PEMILIKAN EKUITI BUMIPUTERA DALAM SEKTOR KORPORAT

39.    Sehingga kini, had maksimum bagi setiap individu dalam pelaburan Amanah Saham Bumiputera adalah sebanyak 200 ribu ringgit. Justeru, bagi menggalakkan penyertaan, terutamanya golongan menengah Bumiputera dalam pemilikan saham, sukacita saya mengumumkan Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 atau ASB2 akan dilancarkan oleh Permodalan Nasional Berhad, dengan suntikan sebanyak 10 bilion unit saham.

40.    Ekuinas pula akan diberi tanggungjawab untuk mengambil alih peranan sebagai peneraju program Skim Jejak Jaya Bumiputera. Program tersebut akan ditransformasikan melalui ekuiti dan kepakaran pengurusan, bagi membimbing syarikat-syarikat Bumiputera supaya dapat disenaraikan di Bursa Malaysia.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Fokus Pemerkasaan Ketiga : MEMPERKUKUH PEMILIKAN ASET BUKAN KEWANGAN BUMIPUTERA

41.    Bumiputera masih lagi ketinggalan dalam pemilikan aset bukan kewangan seperti rumah kediaman, premis industri dan kompleks komersial. Sebagai contoh, dalam tahun 2012, transaksi rumah kediaman yang direkodkan oleh Pusat Maklumat Harta Tanah Negara, menunjukkan hanya 36.3 peratus transaksi rumah kediaman melibatkan Bumiputera dengan nilainya hampir 18 bilion ringgit atau 26 peratus.

42.    Pada sudut lain pula, banyak aset bukan kewangan seperti hartanah dalam kalangan masyarakat Bumiputera Islam, yang tidak diuruskan secara teratur atau terbiar menyebabkan nilai aset berkenaan menjadi rendah. Justeru, bagi mengoptimakan nilai dan manfaat aset berkenaan, sebagai permulaan, Yayasan Wakaf Malaysia akan diperkemaskan, untuk ditukar taraf menjadi entiti Wakaf korporat.

43.    Peranan institusi-institusi hartanah seperti Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad, Majlis Amanah Rakyat dan Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad  akan diperkukuhkan bagi membangun atau memperoleh hartanah komersil dan industri, terutamanya di lokasi strategik di seluruh negara.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

44.    Di samping itu, kerajaan menyedari tahap kemampuan masyarakat Bumiputera untuk memiliki rumah adalah rendah dan ditambah lagi dengan harga pasaran rumah yang semakin meningkat. Ke arah memperkasakan pemilikan aset hartanah, bagi menjana kekayaan Bumiputera, kerajaan melalui Syarikat Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia atau PR1MA serta Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad dan dengan kerjasama Kerajaan-Kerajaan Negeri, akan memperbanyakkan pembinaan rumah mampu milik kepada Bumiputera di seluruh negara, termasuk Sabah dan Sarawak.

45.    Manakala menurut perangkaan, 58 peratus daripada 72 peratus penduduk Malaysia yang menetap di bandar adalah Bumiputera. Namun, Kerajaan tahu, peratusan pemilikan hartanah Bumiputera di kawasan bandar adalah kecil. Maka, tanpa intervensi Kerajaan, bagi membetulkan keadaan ini, kedudukan pemilikan hartanah Bumiputera semakin meruncing.

46.    Lantaran itu, peranan UDA Corporation akan diperkukuhkan untuk membantu membangun hartanah termasuk rumah kediaman, kompleks dan ruang perniagaan, bangunan industri dan perdagangan di kawasan bandar.

47.    Bersabit hal ini juga, saya akan mengarahkan GLC dan GLIC yang terlibat dalam perniagaan hartanah untuk memberi penekanan kepada pembangunan hartanah Bumiputera terutamanya perumahan, rumah kedai dan premis komersial.


Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Fokus Pemerkasaan Keempat : MEMPERHEBAT KEUSAHAWANAN DAN PERNIAGAAN BUMIPUTERA

48.    Sebagaimana kita maklum, perniagaan dan keusahawanan merupakan aktiviti ekonomi terpenting bagi menjana pendapatan dan kekayaan. Walau bagaimanapun, penglibatan Bumiputera dalam kegiatan tersebut masih rendah disebabkan terdapat beberapa kekangan yang dihadapi termasuk teknologi pengeluaran yang lapuk, kekurangan akses kepada dana dan modal serta pasaran produk yang terhad.

49.    Dalam mengatasi isu akses kepada dana pembiayaan bagi usahawan kecil dan sederhana pula, peranan agensi pembangunan usahawan Bumiputera seperti Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, TEKUN Nasional, MARA dan PUNB akan diperkuatkan supaya bilangan usahawan Bumiputera yang menerima akan bertambah, termasuk di Sabah dan Sarawak.

50.    Sehubungan itu, sukacita saya umumkan, tambahan pembiayaan pinjaman Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia sebanyak 300 juta ringgit untuk tempoh lima tahun. Bilangan sahabat Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, yang majoritinya wanita, disasarkan meningkat daripada 350 ribu kepada 500 ribu orang pada tahun 2015 kelak.


Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

51.    Pada kesempatan ini juga, saya mengumumkan, dana tambahan sejumlah 700 juta ringgit kepada TEKUN Nasional. Bilangan usahawan TEKUN Nasional juga dijangka akan meningkat daripada 270 ribu pada tahun 2013, kepada 370 ribu pada tahun 2015.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

52.    Bagi menyahut keluhan usahawan yang mengalami kesukaran mendapatkan akses ke pasaran, maka, kerajaan akan mengarahkan semua Kementerian dan GLC mengukuhkan sistem pembangunan vendor Bumiputera. Pemilihan vendor mestilah berasaskan meritokrasi di kalangan Bumiputera. Barulah usahawan Bumiputera dapat dipupuk menjadi berdaya maju dan mampan.

53.    Seiring dengan itu, saya juga mahukan jangka masa kontrak dan konsesi vendor disesuaikan dengan tempoh bayaran balik pinjaman bank agar projek mereka dapat dijalankan dengan lancar.

54.    Berkait dengan pemerkasaan Program Pembangunan Vendor atau VDP, PETRONAS hendaklah melonjakkan program VDP-nya, bagi mengukuh rantaian bekalan sektor minyak dan gas. Tenaga Nasional pula dalam sektor tenaga, manakala Telekom Malaysia dan AXIATA dalam sektor komunikasi, UEM dalam sektor pembinaan serta Sime Darby dan Felda Global Ventures untuk sektor perladangan.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

55.    Dengan Pemerkasaan Ekonomi Bumiputera ini juga, saya mahukan semua Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif di GLC menetapkan sasaran ke atas penyertaan Bumiputera termasuk perolehan yang dianugerahkan kepada vendor. Ini wajiblah dimasukkan sebagai Petunjuk Prestasi Utama atau KPI kepada CEO atau Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif syarikat masing-masing.

56.    Sehubungan itu, suka saya kongsikan dalam sektor minyak dan gas antara sekarang sehingga tahun 2017, PETRONAS sedang dan akan menjalankan beberapa projek utama dalam sektor upstream dan downstream. Melalui projek-projek tersebut, kita merangkakan supaya syarikat-syarikat Bumiputera mendapat manfaat daripada kontrak yang bernilai 20 bilion ringgit setiap tahun untuk kerja-kerja perkhidmatan di sektor upstream dan downstream.

57.    Jangka hayat kemudahan-kemudahan ini selalunya mengambil masa selama 25 tahun atau lebih. Dianggarkan sekurang-kurangnya 22 skop kerja kritikal bakal diwujudkan dan dapat memberi manfaat kepada syarikat-syarikat Bumiputera.

Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan,

58.    Bagi menangani isu rantaian perbekalan pula, Kerajaan melalui GLC dan GLIC, akan membangunkan sekumpulan usahawan Bumiputera yang akan melibatkan diri dalam aktiviti berkaitan pembuatan dan perindustrian yang berpotensi dan mempunyai nilai tambah tinggi.  Dalam konteks ini, GLC dan GLIC akan menerajui usaha untuk mewujudkan beberapa konsortium syarikat Bumiputera dalam sektor-sektor yang terlibat.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-puan,

59.    Program Penswastaan, secara umumnya, telah berjaya menjadi pemangkin bagi mewujudkan individu dan syarikat Bumiputera yang berjaya. Oleh itu, untuk merancakkan lagi program berkenaan, Unit Kerjasama Awam Swasta atau UKAS akan mengambil inisiatif untuk mengenalpasti secara terpilih mana-mana perkhidmatan Kerajaan yang berdaya maju untuk diswastakan kepada Bumiputera.

60.    Sebagai langkah untuk mempastikan peluang syarikat Bumiputera untuk memperoleh kontrak serta sebagai persediaan untuk bersaing pada masa hadapan pula, dasar Carve-out akan diperluaskan kepada projek-projek besar lain di bawah kementerian serta GLC dan GLIC. Dasar ini telah berjaya dilakukan di dalam projek MRT di mana sebanyak 47 peratus atau 9 bilion ringgit telah dianugerahkan kepada syarikat Bumiputera terpilih secara meritokrasi.

61.    Sebagai contoh, empat projek tambahan yang telah dikenalpasti untuk menyertai program ini ialah Projek Menara Warisan Merdeka, Bukit Bintang City Centre, MATRADE Exhibition Centre dan Program Pembangunan Institut Penyelidikan Getah Sungai Buloh.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

62.    Demi kelangsungan agenda, kita wajar membina satu Komuniti Baru Entrepreneur Bumiputera yang mempunyai daya tahan, daya saing, daya juang, inovatif dan berani mengambil risiko. Mereka juga perlu mempunyai minat yang tinggi serta passionate dalam menyertai bidang-bidang baru berasaskan pengetahuan atau knowledge based economy seperti teknologi maklumat, bioteknologi dan teknologi hijau.

63.    Untuk tujuan ini, satu skim pembiayaan baru lagi unik dinamakan sebagai Skim Permulaan Entrepreneur Baru Bumiputera atau ringkasnya SUPERB akan diperkenalkan. Skim ini bertujuan untuk membantu syarikat start-up. Bagi tujuan itu, dana sebanyak 100 juta ringgit akan diperuntukkan dalam tempoh tiga tahun.

64.     SUPERB ini akan menyediakan kemudahan geran sehingga 500 ribu ringgit kepada entrepreneur baru yang kreatif dan inovatif dalam bidang-bidang strategik yang mempunyai potensi masa hadapan yang besar.

65.    Pemilihan entrepreneur-entrepreneur Bumiputera ini adalah berdasarkan merit dan akan dibuat oleh sekumpulan panel entrepreneur di kalangan mereka yang telah berjaya. Di samping itu, entrepreneur baru yang terpilih akan turut mendapat perkhidmatan mentoring daripada entrepreneur yang sudah berjaya tersebut.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

Fokus Pemerkasaan Kelima : MEMANTAPKAN EKOSISTEM PENYAMPAIAN PERKHIDMATAN

66.    Sebagaimana yang saya sebutkan, Kerajaan mendengar luahan rasa yang dilontarkan oleh masyarakat Bumiputera berhubung tahap penyertaan dalam program pembangunan sosioekonomi. Oleh itu, bagi mempastikan agenda pembangunan sosioekonomi Bumiputera dapat dilaksanakan secara efektif, sistem penyampaian akan diperkemas dan diperkejap untuk mewujudkan ekosistem yang cekap, komprehensif dan konstruktif.

67.    Untuk itu, Unit-Unit Pembangunan Bumiputera atau UPB akan diwujudkan di semua kementerian. Unit Pembangunan Bumiputera ini bertanggungjawab bagi merangka cadangan dan melaksana inisiatif Agenda Bumiputera.

PENUTUP

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

68.    Menjiwai kepentingan dan perjuangan Bumiputera, saya ingin memetik Tujuh Wasiat, oleh Sembilan Raja-Raja Melayu, semasa memperkenankan perjanjian kemerdekaan untuk menubuhkan sebuah Persekutuan.

Bahawasanya:

“Kami isytiharkan dan kami simpan untuk kamu dan kami benarkan kamu isytihar dan simpan untuk anak cucu kamu, selain gunung-ganang, tasik dan hutan simpan, Tanah Simpanan Melayu sehingga nisbah 50 peratus, selebihnya kamu rebutlah bersama-sama kaum lain”.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

69.    Wasiat ini sangat terang lagi bersuluh. Ia telah menyatakan tentang ekuiti dan pemilikan orang Melayu dan kemudiannya diperluaskan kepada Bumiputera, melalui kebersatuan Sabah dan Sarawak pabila Malaysia dibentuk 50 tahun yang lalu.

70.    Kendatipun begitu, bagi pihak Kerajaan, secara tulus ikhlas saya meminta kepada semua pihak, agar jangan bersalah sangka atau sesekali bersalah faham, tentang pemerkasaan ekonomi Bumiputera ini. Sesungguhnya, inisiatif dan haluan besar ini, kita lakukan bukan dengan jalan memintas, tidak dengan cara mengambil hak orang lain, mahupun menafikan kepentingan sesiapa.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

71.    Certainly!... We are doing what is fair,... we are doing what is right..., and we are doing what is equitable. Maknanya, kita tidak mempunyai apa-apa nawaitu, atau sekelumit pun rasa prejudis terhadap bangsa-bangsa lain.

72.    Sayugia, yang tertanam di benak sanubari saya dan kerajaan, adalah hasrat murni untuk terus gigih mencipta serta menjana kekayaan baru. Semoga nikmat dan kemakmurannya, dapat diraih serta dirasai oleh semua golongan sebagai rakyat Malaysia secara adil dan saksama.

73.    Bahkan, kerukunan kita telah diiktiraf pada tangga ke-20 sebagai negara paling stabil dan aman di dunia..............., Begitulah istimewa dan uniknya Malaysia.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

74.    Pucuk pangkalnya, hendak saya pertegaskan bahawa kita adalah kerajaan yang berhemah lagi bertanggungjawab, ke atas seluruh lapisan rakyat, tanpa mengira apa jua latar belakang samada Bumiputera atau bukan Bumiputera, Islam mahupun bukan Islam.

75.    Kita juga tidak seperti sesetengah pelaku politik, yang tidak sudah-sudah menyalakan api perkauman sehingga menggerun dan memesongkan pemikiran rakyat.

76.    Suka tidak suka, seandainya tidak berhati-hati dan terpengaruh dengan sentimen pihak luar, melalui dalang dan petualang dalaman ini, maka, tempiasnya akan terpercik kepada kita. Sekiranya dibiar dan tidak dibendung, Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara bangsa yang berdaulat lagi merdeka pada akhirnya akan musnah dan membungkam.... Barang dijauhkan oleh Allah jua.....

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

77.    Sebagai mana di awal ucapan tadi, saya menyatakan kita berhimpun di sini bukan untuk saja-saja, kita berkumpul di sini bukan untuk suka-suka......... Seperti slogan yang popular, UiTM Dihatiku.... makanya, Universiti Teknologi MARA ini sangat dekat di hati kita, sebagai sebuah institusi Bumiputera yang cukup membanggakan.

78.    Bahkan....., masih segar lagi dalam ingatan, sewaktu saya berucap sebagai Timbalan Presiden UMNO, pada Perhimpunan Agung tahun 2005........., saya telah mengumumkan supaya enrolmen pelajar UiTM ditingkatkan daripada 100,000 kepada 200,000  menjelang tahun 2015. Kini,...... Alhamdulillah, bilangannya sudah pun mencecah 180,000 orang.

79.    Pagi ini pula........., saya ingin mengumumkan hasrat peningkatan enrolmen pelajar Universiti Teknologi MARA ini kepada 250,000 menjelang tahun 2020. Penambahan ini juga termasuk penubuhan beberapa lagi kampus baru di seluruh negara.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

80.    Demi Melayu......, Demi Bumiputera........, Saya ingin mengumumkan penubuhan Dana Pendidikan MARA yang berjumlah 1 bilion ringgit bagi membiayai keperluan program latihan, pendidikan, keusahawanan, penyelidikan dan  pembangunan serta inovasi. Dana ini berbentuk Matching Fund  nisbah satu kepada satu antara MARA dan Kerajaan yang disalurkan secara berperingkat.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

81.    Kita juga sedar, masyarakat Bumiputera meletakkan harapan yang tinggi kepada TERAJU bagi menakhoda agenda pembangunan Bumiputera. Kini, untuk membestarikan lagi TERAJU, sebagai sebuah badan yang unggul, ia akan diletakkan langsung di bawah saya sendiri sebagai Perdana Menteri, dengan diketuai oleh seorang ............................................

82.    Sebagai memenuhi hasrat kita untuk mewujudkan Komuniti Entrepreneur Bumiputera, sukacita saya umumkan bahawa Institut Keusahawanan Negara atau INSKEN kini, akan diletakkan di bawah seliaan TERAJU. Begitulah juga Skim Permulaan Entrepreneur Baru Bumiputera atau SUPERB yang baru saya wujudkan tadi.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

83.    Sebagai payung dan kemuncak strategi pemerkasaan ini, sebuah council yang dipanggil Majlis Ekonomi Bumiputera atau MEB akan ditubuhkan bagi menggantikan Majlis Tindakan Agenda Bumiputera. Majlis Ekonomi Bumiputera ini akan dipengerusikan sendiri oleh saya dan Timbalan Pengerusinya adalah YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri dengan keanggotaan beberapa menteri berkenaan. Keahliannya pula bersifat kompak, di mana pelbagai badan bukan kerajaan dan pihak-pihak yang releven akan diundang. Majlis yang penting ini, akan bersidang sekurang-kurangnya sekali sebulan dan jika perlu lebih dari itu.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

84.    Maka, berpasak dan bertunjang dengan Majlis Ekonomi Bumiputera ini....., kepada orang-orang Melayu dan Bumiputera, usahlah berbimbang-bimbang dan bergundah-gundah, kerana,...... selagi ada bulan dan bintang,.......... selagi hayat dikandung badan,............. survival Melayu dan Bumiputera tetap menjadi keutamaan dan pelita perjuangan kita sampai bila-bila.

85.    Akhir kalam, saya berikrar akan terus beristiqamah memperkasakan ekonomi Melayu dan Bumiputera. Mudah-mudahan dengan izin dan ketentuan Allah jua, semuanya akan tercapai.

HIDUP MELAYU........ HIDUP BUMIPUTERA........ HIDUP MALAYSIA.......

Analysis and comments to come later, In the meanwhile, John Dip SIlas Trio from Raffles Institution, Singapore ....

Today is September 16th, 2013 and it's Malaysia Day. It is the celebration to commemurate the 50th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia.

For decades, Malaysia Day was not given significance but it changed during Tun Abdullah's administration. On September 16th, 1963, Malaysia was declared, which is a federation of Malaya (or Persekutuan Tanah Melayu), Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore (later kicked out).

Some months back during the Lahad Datu incursion by Suluk from Phillipines, this blogger met a Sabahan politician and expressed our disappointment with the in-denial attitude of Sabah academician to the myth of the 20-points agreement propaganda by Dato Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. [Read on the 20-point agreement here.]

The politician agreed and felt someone should "debunked" this myth once and for all. And, he agreed with us that Sabah have been "crying wolf" for too many times that it has become self defeating.

With the hope that Sabah stop the endless blaming of the federal government to look inside to SWOT themselves and move on, we attempt to layout our few months of information gathering on this auspicious Malaysia day.

Jeffrey's propaganda

As recently as June 2012, there are voices that have debunked the existence of such agreement. Then Sabah State Legislative Speaker, Salleh Keruak dismissed the existence of such 20-point agreement. It was also later reiterated by former Sabah Archives director Tigabelas Zainal Abidin.

Since 1987, former Chairman of IDS, Dato Dr Jeffrey Kitingan have been making such claims and accused the federal government of renegating on the agreed terms. This became a contributing factor in the rise of PBS from 1985 to it's fall in 1994.

Jeffrey's view can be heard in this 2011's 1-hour video explanation below: 


He went overboard in his struggle and was arrested under ISA in 1992 for working covertly to secede Sabah out of Malaysia through millitary means. Off course, his supporters denied but it is an open secret and a blog exposed he had a paramillitary traning camp in the Phillipines.

There have never been such an agreement but a series of discussions, fact finding missions and surveys by various committees preceding the United Nation visit prior to signing of the Malaysia Agreement. Everything agreed have been stated inside the Constitution of the Federation of Malaysia.

IGC

Of late, many of those proponent of the 20-point agreement agreed with us that there is no such 20-point agreement. They explained that it was only points agreed in the Report of the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC).

IGC refers to a committee established to study and prepare the new Constitution including the protection of teh interest for North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak. The committee comprise of four parties - Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Britain. The Chairman of the committee was Lord Landsdowne and Deputy Chairman was Tun Abdul Razak.

IGC was formed after the Malaysian Solidarity Consultative Committee (MSCC) was established and four  times between August 1961 to February 1962 and Cobbold Commission in early 1962. The first meeting was held on August 30 1962 in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).

Five sub-committees was formed to look into areas on Constitution, Fiscal, Legal and Judicial, Public Service and Departmental Organisation. A report was prepared on the finding and recomendation to be submited in August 1962. It was completed and signed on February 27 1963.



This is after Legal Council of North Borneo agreed with the decision of Britain and Malay to form Malaysia on September 1962. And Sarawak agreed on September 26, 1962.

In August 20, 1962, five Sabah political parties submitted a memorandum to the IGC. It contained 20 terms of condition to protect the interest of Sabah. Sarawak also followed with 18 conditions which was invariably similar but not as detailed to Sabah's 20 points.

Few conditions were modified or rejected during the subcommittee and IGC meetings.

In mid 1963, the United Nations send a delegate as observer upon studying the various reports - Cobbold, MSSC, and IGC.  The were sent to see the public's approval in accordance with the Manilla Accord June 1963 which arise from disputes raised by Phillipines and Indonesia.

The pro-Malaysia Sabah Alliance party 131 seats to 6 seats by Independent in the May 1963 election. While in Sarawak, the UN Mission found 73.3% (400) of the 429 representative agreed to formation of Malaysia .

Delayed for the 31st August schedule to fulfill UN Mission. the Malaysia Agreement for the formation of Malaysia was signed on September 16, 1963 after undergoing a tedious and thorough consultation by all parties involved at state level or people level.

Disputes


For political reasons, Jeffrey concocted a series of issues to all the 20 points memorandum and called the issues raised in the memorandum as agreements. Jeffrey original complains in 1987 and the rebuttal are as follows:

1. Jeffrey rejected the application of Islam as religion of federation for Sabah. 

He argued that there should be no state religion or official religion using records from finding of the Cobbold Commission, MSCC, and IGC.

However, the memorandum of MSSC chaired by Donald A Stephen and represented by all states mentioned in 31.1 that the committee was satisfied to accept Islam as religion of the federation as long it does not endanger the freedom to practise religion and the constitution of Malaysia provided guarantee for other religion to be practise in peace and harmony.

Cobbold Commission report dated June 21 1962 mentioned in page 39 that there was acceptance as long as there are no barriers and full freedom to practise other religion.

IGC report mentioned in para 15(1) that the article 3, and 11(4) on the status and conduct of Islam as religion of the Federation not be modified.

2. Jeffrey insist that English to be the official language of Sabah.

He accused Tun Mustapha for changing the status and position of English with the introduction of 11A in the state constitution which was in line with amendment of the Parliament Act to end and limit use of English for official use in Sabah prior to the National Language Act 1963/67.

MSSC memorandum agreed that the federation should have a single national language. They were satisfied with the 10 years allowance of ENglish as official language before National language is used in full.

Cobbold Commission left it to the Borneo state to decide when the representative legislative bodies are in place.

There is no clause to end or limit use of English but can be changed after 10 years of Malaysia Day. As far as Tun Mustpaha's amendment in 1973, he did not enacted a specific Enactment to enforce Amendment to the National Language Act of 1983.

Jeffrey was being parochial.

3. Jeffrey claimed that Malaysian Constitution was temporary till an agreed new Constitution was drafted. 

Cobbold Commission viewed it as impractical and it is sufficient by adopting the Constitution of Malaya with specific amendments. Mentioned also that the entry of Sabah and Sarawak into the Federation was as states of a Federation, however certain autonomy and protection be guaranteed. 

IGC specified that any change or modification to the state's area of autonomy or protection must be with state agreement. The areas are immigration, citizenship, representative to federal parliament and High Court of Borneo. Also the division of executive and legislative powers involving area of legislative power, financial and matters of religion, language and special position of pribumi.

Malaysian Agreement provided in para 66 for the special protection for Borneo states and provisions for autonomy and protection have been provided for in the Constuitution!

4. Jeffrey dispute the need to mention the Head of State not eligible for election as Head of Federation.

The ulterior motive of Jeffrey was to see the Head of State be appointed as Yang Dipertuan Agong. The issue was raised by certain members of the Sabah community but Cobbold Commission do not see how it could be fulfilled without disrupting existing arrangement in Malaya.

Since being practise, the Council of Ruler have appointed only Sabahan as Head of State and is represented on the Council of Rulers.

5. Jeffrey insisted that Malaysia was not Melayu Raya.

It was a mistranslation of the times. Melayu Raya (or Indonesia Raya) was a coalition of between Malaya and Indonesia mooted by the Malay left wing groups to detour the on-going independence consultation between the British, rulers and subject. 

Cobbold Commission acknowledged the opposition to the name by certain members of the non Malay and non Muslim community. In the Malaysia Agreement, the name of the federation in Malay and English was defined as Malaysia.

Jeffrey intention to raise this as issue was to incite hatred against Malay, Muslims and Federal government.

6. Jeffrey raised the issue of entry from other part of Malaysia is the prerogative of Sabah government. 

This has been adhered to and in line with the various reports.

Jeffrey's view was merely an expression of his fear and jealousy to the entry of Malaysian from other states into Sabah. His paranoia is that non Sabahan would marginalised the Sabahan in areas of economy, politics and social.

It was also to politicise the illegal immigrant problems from Phillipines and Indonesia of the times. He had insidious intention to demand Sabah sole power on immigration.


7. Jeffrey claim "no right to secede from the Federation" clause in the 20-points agreement is not  absolute. 

The can be easily dispelled because the five political parties that submitted a memorandum to IGC to include that clause.

Although there was a proposal to include the condition for the right secede, the Cobbald Commission rejected it on the ground that it is divisive and destabilising for the new federation state. If the decision to join, it must be made wholeheartedly and without doubt.  

Jefrey was merely raising it for his intention to secede and to politicise his secesion intent by accusing the federal government did not provide for Sabah's economic well being and progress. Oil royalty issue was conveniently used.

8.  Jeffrey accused federal government as resisting borneonisation of civil service

He accused federal government controls pension and power to approved promotion to resist. However, para 24(9) of the IGC requested that the federal government will accept responsibility for the pensions payable by the governments of Sabah and Sarawak.

Power to create position and inclusive Division III of Borneo establishments is the constitutional prerogative of the federal government and is in line with state constitution.

Though it is obviously in line with the requirement of the times, among others he claimed there had been an intentional attempt by the Federal  Department to increase the number of Departments and Agencies by four fold.

9. Jeffrey insist on preserving British Officers

He insisted on this till local can replace these British officers.  This issue and Borneonisation issue are just grouses by some locals and in particular Kadazan that claim federal gvernment intentionally place Semenanjungs in key positions.

Filling up of federal positions has always been based on increasing efficiency and fulfilling the rakyat's aspiration and expectations. It has never been in accordance to requirement for 'anak negeri'. A Sabahan can fill the position at the highest level in the federal gvernment like the Attorney General.

10. Jeffrey claimed there had been abuse in giving up citizenship

This issue is closely related to the current on going RCI .

As had been replied before, the currrent allegations has not been because it is not done in accordance with the Cobbold, Commission, MSSC, IGC, and Malaysia Agreement, but abuse by some members of the government officers.

Others issues raised by Jeffrey relate to tariff and finance, special rights of Pribumi, state government, Parliament, education, protection federal government, representative in Parliament, title of Chief Minister, state name of Sabah, and land, forest and local authorities, etc.

We do not see any need to elaborate since it is generally operational in nature and the more critical matter have been answered. In Jeffrey's 2011 video, he has dropped many of his earlier claims and what's left is jealousy and shallow politics. 

It has always been about his insular thinking as reflected by the "Sabah for Sabahan" slogan he coined for the PBS administration.

Sabah need to move on and not be duped by unsubstantiated claims. They have to realise that they themselves contributed to the mistakes of the past. It is best to stop politically motivated finger pointing and take charge on the destiny of the state.

This was the picture of the three contestants for Ketua Pemuda UMNO post during the debate on the night of February 17th, 2009.

By virtue of the 66 Divisional nominations received, Dato Mukhriz Mahathir was seen as the favourite over then Deputy Pemuda UMNO Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin (47 nominations) and Dato Seri Dr Khir Toyo (43 nominations).

However, casting was made and after what Tun described recently as a long 7 hours to count 700 votes, Khairy came out the winner at 304 votes with Khir Toyo at 254 votes and Mukhriz at 232 votes.

By the fickle fingers of fate, Khairy remained on as Member of Parliament for Rembau and was not appointed into any position except later as Chairman of PUNB. Khir Toyo became a victim of the heated contest.

Only Mukhriz secured a position after the contest as Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry.

Son-in-law

Despite much lobbying and even using Pemuda UMNO exco members to lobby, Khairy had to win his second term as MP before getting the much wanted position of Minister of Youth and Sports in 2013. It was a position he viewed as the strategic in building his path to Premiership, but this time, no more the 40 year age target.

Few days ago, "Chief", the title this 37 year old Ketua Pemuda is being addressed by fellow Pemuda UMNO, was reported by The Star to have expressed his vision and plans for his second term as Pemuda UMNO Chief.

Khairy viewed it as inappropriate time to expressed right wing sentiment and he would like to "change the DNA of UMNO Youth from being mostly right wing and Malay-centric to a more centrist wing."


That is the approach Khairy wanted for Pemuda UMNO movement to take on issues raised and solution seek. To change the DNA, it is a not so subtle but sophisticated way of saying to throw away the Malay character of UMNO Youth. 

Ever since assuming the Ministerial post, Khairy has position himself to be regularly covered by mainstream media to express himself, including his personal views. He continued his liberal stance criticism of Perkasa, when the Ketua Wira Perkasa accused PM for betraying the Malays and called for his resignation.  

Categorising UMNO as right wing and himself as centrist is flawed. In term of the struggle to protect Malay interest and acceptance and cooperation of the other races, UMNO had always been centrist.

By comparison, PKMM had a rather more right wing worldview despite the inconsistencies in many areas.

PAS's past is more right wing in their Islamic view and opposition to UMNO's cooperation with non-Malays and non-Muslims. Like opposition PKMM, PAS had always been consistently inconsistent in their persistance to maintain views diametrically opposite to UMNO.

That attitude seemed to have no bound with Anwarinas faction holding control on the party as PAS transgress issues of faith to embrace the chauvanistic Chinese centric and evangelistic DAP as coalition partner.

To centralise the already central positioning of UMNO, Khairy has mistakenly acknowledged his left leaning liberal stance.

Despite opposition by members of Pemuda exco, Khairy insisted in appointing a DAP supporter, promoters of DAP "evangelist" politicians, and former reporter to Malaysiakini and The Star, Regina Lee as Press Secretary.

Khairy confirmed also an open secret for a neo-liberal agenda.

Almost all of those within Khairy's political circle and corporate boys placed in GLCs during the time of Tun Abdullah's administration share a common politico-economic theory favoring borderless free trade, privatisation, minimal government intervention in business, reduced or no public expenditure on social services, etc.

It means last Saturday's announcement on Polisi Memperkasakan Ekonomi Bumiputera (PMEB) is frown upin by neo-liberalists. Khazanah is dragging it's feet by requesting for it to be stated in their KPI.

One will expect Khairy's fellow neo-liberal and International Malaysian Forum member from his Oxford days, Dato' Omar Ong is expected to abuse his close relation with the Prime Minister, influence in PEMANDU and Petronas to sabotage it's implimentation.

While neo-liberalism stemmed from a liberal political movement that begin in the 1960s for the concern for social justice, they are diametrically oppose to any form of government intervention like New Economic Policy, Malay Agenda or PMEB are opposed.

Under Khairy as "Chief", Pemuda UMNO has been silenced to react to criticism and insults levelled at the Malays and Islam. He was criticised as being responsible for the turning Pemuda party political machinery into a lull.

Khairy's generosity to buy influence and shower his supporters with contracts, business and financing opportunities at the time of his father in law only made the movement fat and lazy. Money is demanded before any plan or assignment laid out and seldom it is not carried out effectively.

The same malaise has spread to the Puteri wing.

This has inspired Akramsyah Mammar Ubaidullah Sanusi, son of Tan Sri Sanusi Junid to take up the role of David in this battle against the Goliath Khairy.

Decades ago during their student days in London, he succeeded to halt Khairy, Omar Ong and the rest of the IMF team from taking control UKEC.

This time it will not be easy for Akram to win over a full Minister, two term MP and incumbent. Khairy has endeared himself as Minister for his tough  stance against Sports Association's bureaucrasy and politics.

Our money is for Khairy to win but the support for Akram will be indicative of UMNO's future role as torchbearer of the Malay movement.

Peasant's Son

When Khir Toyo ran for Ketua Pemuda in 2009, it is believed not to be the position he aspired for. As the Menteri Besar that was blamed for the loss of Selangor to Pakatan Rakyat, UMNO would not give him a chance to win one of the three Vice President positions.

From day one when Khairy had his ambition to be Ketua Pemuda UMNO after the free passage in 2004, his gun was set on Khir Toyo as possible competitor.

From that year onward, the Menteri Besar-ship of Khir Toyo was under constant attack. The media, particularly TV3's Karam Singh Walia, was constantly harping on environmental issue in Selangor. Khairy hired a helicopter to photographed the house under renovation.


The pictures came out in an anti-Khairy blog which was widely believed to be operated by Khairy's cyberteam. Though competing, Khir's team are friendly with Mukhriz's team.

Khir had expressed interest to run for Ketua Pemuda. He was aligned to Najib and supposedly replace Dato Hishamuddin as he pursue for Vice Presidency. However, Mukhriz announced earlier and immediately after a forum at the Singgahsana Hotel.

Khir's boys believed that a Khir would have made it in a Khir versus Khairy race but Mukhriz versus Khairy would give the seat to Khairy. Thus for the intense attack by Khairy's friendly media against Khir Toyo.

While many UMNO leaders in Selangor blamed Khir for Selangor's lost, they forgot that media bombardment on Khir for many years was impossible to defuse come campaign time. the real reason. Khairy's overzealous attack towards Khir was responsible for Selangor's BN downfall.

The picture on Khir's new home did not end with Khir's lost. Subsequently, the picture got the attention of DAP's Sekinchan assemblymen, Ng Sue Lin and he made a drama out of the house.

It also attracted the attention of MACC. Khir Toyo was charged not for corruption but a sort of "conflict of interest offense." The house seller had a business with the state government thus Khir cannot have any transaction with him.

Though he had not done any favour and no state contract was awarded to seller, the fact that Khir had once viewed the house was considered as an interest to buy the property.

Khir was charged under a section of the penal code that guide the conduct of civil servant. It can be considered as a minor law to because effectively, Khir cannot do business or enter into any transaction with three quarter of the state population.

Co-incidently, this came about at a time Najib was supposed to sweep a new corrupt free broom. Khir's boys felt Khir was being fixed because a Minister close to Najib had gave assurance that his case is minor and it will not be a major problem.

There was no act of corruption but technically, Khir's path ahead is difficult. He seem destined for a 1-year imprisonment. He lost at the High Court and Court of Appeal. The appeal at the Federal Court level is still on-going.

Although still lending his hand here and there, his political career is furthest in his mind now. If losing his position as MB to become Opposition Leader and losing the Ketua Pemuda contest was a setback, luck has not turnaround for this capable but stained young leader from a humble background.

Khir was the fifth son of a Javanese immigrant family. His father was a padi farmer at Sungai Burong Tanjung Karang Selangor. Even while in University, Khir would return over the weekend to lend a hand in the sawah.

Upon graduation, he was worked in government clinics as dentist before opening a practise in Kajang.

Khir was active in UMNO and rose to become an exco member in the Pemuda UMNO led by Dato Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and subsequently replaced by Hishamuddin upon Zahid's resignation.

It is believed his name was suggested by then UMNO Youth Treasurer, Dato Mokhzani Mahathir to replace Dato Abu Hassan Omar, who had to resign as Menteri Besar, in 2000. The ANSARA boys had some minor roles in getting the unknown Khir cleared for the hottest seat in Malaysian politics but it best left untold.

Upon prosecution, Khir return his Selangor Datokship and vacate the position of Opposition Leader. He had also vacated the position of UMNO Divisional Head of Sg Besar. In the last election, a young leader, Budiman ran for his Sg Panjang Burong state assembly seat.

In our opinion, Khir is a brave, street-smart, and innovative leader. He has done his time for his past mistake and perceived arrogance. The fingers of fate could not stop his continued misfortune and it will be a big loss.

We seldom asked: If he had been from the bangsawan class and not son of a Jawa, would his fate had turned around for the better? It is not full vindication but the Minister close to Najib that failed Khir is in trouble with the ground.

Great leader's son

A close friend told Khairy that he was lucky to have a father-in-aw as Prime Minister. He replied that Pak Lah is only a father-in-law, thus he is not as lucky as other Prime Minister's son like Najib, Hishamuddin and Mukhriz. He cannot get the same treatment and "benefit" as the real son.

However, during the administration of Pak Lah, Khairy was more powerful and influential than any sons of Prime Ministers. He was also mean and merciless as happened to Khir.

Khairy had repeatedly tried to fix Mukhriz with disciplinary actions. The then Ketua Pemuda, Hishamuddin had to do deft juggling act to keep the movement peaceful and please his sleepy boss.

When Mukhriz ran for Ketua Pemuda Kubang Pasu, he had set-up someone and the divisional leaders support to blocked him. During the genereal election of 2008, Khairy sent sabotagueurs to divert Mukhriz's campaign at Jerlun. 

As a son of a Prime Minister, it is not fair to claim that Mukhriz had an easy political career. His status in life rose with his father's long tenure as Prime Minister but his was not of bangsawan breeding.

His political luck only turned for better with the rise of Najib as Prime Minister. Mukhriz was appointed Deputy Minister for International Trade. he was assisting a friendly and experianced Minister, Dato Mustapha Mohamed.

Not used to be taking things easy, he took up the challenge to run in a PAS stronghold seat of Air Itam as state assemblymen. Many believed that he was sent there to be slaughtered but he survived and win it handsomely.


That move enable him to topple Azizan-led PAS government to assume the position of Menteri Besar.

Contrary to the opinion of many others that Mukhriz should focus himself in his new position as Menteri Besar, State Liaison Chief and be contented to be appointed on the UMNO Supreme Council, this blogger had expressed the opinion that he should go for the Vice Presidency.

This is despite the fact that he is not head of any Division and basically was temporarily in Jerlun before this.

The main reason is that the window of opportunity is presenting itself and there is no time to be humble and calculative. He will be tasked with many big responsibilities to cope but we view that he is capable of handling it.

While his old man is around, Mukhriz should take that opportunity to use his influence. At 49, there is not much time left. Obama is President in his 40s. Any later, others will surpass him.

For Mukhriz, winning and losing is not an issue now. By running for VP now, he is basically in the play and it is like staking his claim for the future.

It could put Khairy edgy and restless to remain as Ketua Pemuda forever. While Najib, Hishamuddin and Zahid rose from the Ketua Pemuda position, that position was once a jinxed from moving forward. Many Pemuda leader had their political career stunted after their Pemuda days.

But, if he wins, he has taken a huge lead and things will certainly be interesting.

Over the weekend, an SMS invitation reached us of Kedah UMNO announcement for UMNO election at the MB's official residence at 4 PM Thursday.

Thus far, the state assemblywoman for Sg Tiang and Ketua Wanita Pendang, Dato Suraya Yaacob is running for Deputy Chief of Wanita UMNO. State Assemblywoman for Bandar Baharu, Ketua Puteri kulim Bandar Baharu, and Exco Puteri Malaysia, Datin Sabrina Mohd Nor is running for Deputy Chief of Puteri UMNO. Akram, whose yet to make his official announcement, is a Branch Pemuda Chief from Langkawi.

The SMS ended with "Berani Berubah!" During the Ketua Pemuda election of 2009, Khir was contesting on the slogan of "Pemuda Berani", and Khairy was as "Setiakawan." Mukhriz's was "Berani Berubah."

Mukhriz maybe a popular personality but is it good enough to win him a seat among the Vice Presidency?

With the three existing VPs not looking like credible possible successors and other candidates are late in their age, UMNO must give the President another layer of leaders for future succession.

If the leaders are gentleman in their attitude, contest should not split UMNO. This is the time to move forward for UMNO's survival and the choice is for the members to determine. The fate of the party lies in those fickle fingers to make the hard choices.

By the time we reached home to Kuala Lumpur from Alor Setar, the whole world probably know by now that Dato Mukhriz Mahathir has announced his intention to run for UMNO Vice President.

In fact, while the event to introduce the candidates from Kedah for national level UMNO position was ongoing, our Blackberry was constantly receiving messages from SMS, BBM, email and Whasapp anticipating Mukhriz to announce his intention to run.

Similar to the discussion on Twitter, blogs and Facebook, everyone seem to be in unison to say that two VPs are shakeable and it will be a one two and three for so, so and so.

All we can say is Mukhriz has a chance like everybody else.

While walking to board our return Firefly flight back at the Alor Setar, we asked of his chances with one Ketua Bahagian.

The Dato shared his confidence and it's something worth pondering over. 

He believed Mukhriz is an already accepted brand associated with another long proven 22 years in office brand. It does not matter whether he had not won any Ketua Bahagian post or lost in the Ketua Pemuda race, he has an image of himself and it is closely associated with good values.

He believes that Mukhriz is basically recognisable to the younger and more inclusive voting UMNO members so he does not need to campaign to hard to introduce himself. All he need is to keep his message continually heard.

It helps that Mukhriz as a product was accepted not only by the PAS controlled Air Hitam state assembly area but contributed to return UMNO back in power in Kedah. From losing the  youth leadership in UMNO, he rebounded to be Kedah Menteri Besar and state liaison chief. Everybody loves a winner.

Thus far, he is putting the right foot forward in Kedah. Furthermore and this matters to UMNO, Mukhriz never betrayed the party.

The Ketua Bahagian said there are some "wahyu" from above giving orders to maintain status quo but with 130,000 UMNO members voting, how is he to stop what members will vote.

He said the number of votes will be electronically keyed-in and collated at the state level before compiled and added together at national level. There is no electoral colleges by division basis as what we understood it to be earlier.

He see it that the young will not want to elect those old tired, tainted and fell out names. They will wish to be associated with those they can closely relate to and Muhriz can spring a surprise.

Off course, campaign is important but as he see it, all Mukhriz need to do is to keep his message fresh.

In his acceptance speech, there is a new energy and dynamism in his tone of speech. Pardon us because we still remember how he would endlessly stammer with many ah... in his speeches. His political secretary, Dato Azimi Daim must have something to do.

One message that he said was and it is in line with his new Berani! Berubah! war cry, UMNO must face up to the facts that the Kit Siangs, Anwars, Karpals, Nik Aziz and Hadi will make way in the next election.

The opposition have young ones to be the faces of the parties and UMNO have no choice but keep up with the changing times. 

By GE14, there will be 3 million new voters and 60-70% of voters are those below 40 of age. This new profile of voters will want to be associated to those leaders of their own than those leaders admired by their parents and grandparents.

That generation has no tolerance to excuses for inefficiencies, mismanagement and corruption. They do not easily give their loyalties except to those they respect or have high regards for. 

It will be tough for those verbal incompetents, constant blunderers, and thievish ones.

Few months back and in the midst of much speculation as in whose who will be running in the next UMNO election, we bumped into Firmansyah Muhammad or commonly known as Dax within the Khairy circle at Bangsar.

He was invited to join us temporarily for a drink before running off to get dinner for the family. It must have been the time we posted the article "This rubbish about no contest" in June 2013. At times, we the so-called pro Mahathir bloggers does not blindly follow the boss.

Anyway, over latte and capacino, we shared with Dax our reservation to this orchestrated attempt to not have the position of President and Deputy President be contested or challenged.

Sure it is understandable for the party to maintain some level of stability but when considering that it has been a while since there had been a free to contest environment in UMNO, it will not auger well for plans to undertake the planned political transformation.

Yes ... blame it on Tun Dr Mahathir and also Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim but let us not forget that Mahathir faced some bitter and long drawn political battles that the affair of government may not have being given as much attention than it should during those fights.

Recalling back, Ketua Wanita UMNO, Dato Shahrizat had just responded to talk of Dato Azalina Othman's intention to run for Ketua Wanita by saying she is open to being challenged. Or was it one confidante of the Ketua Wanita that said so.

So we told Dax to present Khairy as someone magnanimous, gentleman and willing to embrace democrasy by saying the same message.

Off course, he will be extra careful to take the advise from two Mukhriz supporters. We assured him that Mukhriz is not going to come back and run for Ketua Pemuda. At 49,  he is older or if not, as young as the American President.

He has to turnaround a PAS-messed state and consolidate himself. So this sudden announcement is a surprise.


Never then did we know of a messenger of Mr Forewarn was sent to ask Mukhriz to try the Ketua Pemuda position again.

Sly man .. sly for him to do so when he conveniently pretend to slip his votes out of his hand and it was seen by other Pemuda delegates queuing to vote. All these years, he goes around pretending to be another person.

To another group, he said one thing. And another, different thing. Giving assurances and guarantees that he never kept. On his job, Mr Forewarn failed and seldom made a mockery of government and party. Tired of his amaran and mintak maaf, then blame others for making his hands tight. 

Yet his intention can be so jahat.


We assured Dax also that other possible challenges either does have testicular gumption or is a wisp of a finger for Khairy. Thus for Khairy to say he is willing to be challenged is good for UMNO's future development as a more politically mature outfit.

Dax may have bought into it and Khairy actually said he is willing to be challeged two days later. While he was in Shah Alam last night and working overtime to convince two Pemuda boys for supports, which he does not really have to work that hard, he could be thinking what have I got myself into.

Do perish such thought. Just short of a mubahalah at a surau in Permatang Pauh, sumpah lillahi taala, it was no set-up. We see no one would run for Ketua Pemuda and never did we thought big mouth and stomach Akram would run for Ketua Pemuda.

We had no hands in Akhram's announced candidacy yesterday. Watch the You Tube of the PC below:


We did present ourselves at his makeshift operation centre in Bangsar for the press conference which happen to be not too far from our regular "office"  in Bangsar.

In fact, we also had nothing to do with his decision and campaign although we drove Akram to Sg Besi for Utusan Online interview last night. See it here.


Candidate didn't have a car to bring him over so an old shaky Proton Iswara was just fine. Frankly, the candidate is still putting his act together.

Hardly compares with incumbent's campaign that include a complimentary words from Yasmin on LiteFM to remind of his paper scroll. Hurrah for our Minister whose a one third philosopher, one third political scientist and one third economist from Oxford.

Surely he did not abide to tradition for quarterly entry for he now has two beautiful kids. Unfortunately he has to work harder because Akram will have, in few months more Insya Allah, six.

There are many versions to what made Akram run but one version believed to be nearest to the truth was a challenge by one Dato during his family's Raya open house. When he told the Dato that he would merely wants to contest for Exco Pemuda, he was given a rude shock from the Dato.

"Abis ...mu nak kerja sedio tino bila boss mu maghi Kedah?"

It was a crude way of saying why be errand boy when you can become a leader. Literally, the Dato said in a Kelantanis accent to not to be a pimp for the boss.  However, that incident is the part of the "art" side of political analysis and it shows the role of elders in building up the party.

We tend to be believe that the scientific explanation lies with Khairy's remark in The Star here that inspired Akramsyah to take the gauntlet of Hidup Melayu!

Extract of the report below:

Khairy Jamaluddin, who looks set to be returned unopposed as Umno Youth chief, will use his second term to cultivate a more centrist approach for the wing that has traditionally been a pressure group.

He said that being vocal in expressing right-wing sentiment in defending the interests of the party was no longer appropriate.

“I am trying to change the DNA of Umno Youth from being mostly right-wing and Malay-centric to a more centrist wing that focuses on issues and their solutions,” Khairy said in an interview.

ANSARA boys can be reckless in their risk taking and spontaneous but he has caught the imagination of others for his brevity. It is unlike another ANSARA.

Thus far, the mainstream media is playing this contest as an ideological battle. And, if it is so, than let's have a fair, clean and gentlemanly contest. Akhram and Karim is not likely to win but let this contest be a precedent of what is to come in UMNO.

Let the contest be about the content and not some shallow arguments like this one here. We will not lose a state for a party job this time, ok?

To discredit someone, do so with credible. Akhram has great credential professionally, volunteer organisation and regularly invited for TV Talk show of serious contents. It means he can do and had done it. Khairy should know if he can recall UKEC.

We can question about Khairy's credential and UMNO Youth in effectiveness. BN Job Fair can be questioned as not a deliverable of a political party. We can go on and on. Surely we can put the whole Khairy campaign team on the defense.  

At this late age, we like to see not just winners and losers but what can be gained from the discourse or in this case, contest


Thus it is annoying to see numbnuts trying to play cheap smear tactic of finger pointing the MAYC debacle towards Akram with a police report last Tuesday.

There is a rumour being spread that they are going to do a report to MACC. If so there is going to be an MACC report, Akhram's father Tan Sri Sanusi already express much delight.

He certainly welcome a thorough investigation on an organisation that was build from his toil. Under 70 year old Tan Sri Syed Hamid, he had not held an AGM for more than five years and an audit report was made for 5 years and not annual one.

Strangely, the auditor mentioned that they were not allowed to enter the premise to inspect documents. There is suspicion that association asset is at stake.

This attempt to smear Akram only serve to smear the previous Minister in charge of Youth by saying he failed under his watch and would serve to drag the current Minister into an unnecessary controversy left by his predecessors.  

Thus it is strange for Khairy's loyal man, Brojinggo to be raising the few year old MAYC debacle now.


One wonder why a 70 year old with grandchildren and all still messing around in a youth movement? Lost youth perhaps?

Read Syed Akbar here.

So Dax ... let it be a clean contest and about bring UMNO forward with strengthen old struggle and values and/or western defined centrist value.

... or incumbents?

On TV3 evening news yesterday, UMNO President, Dato Najib was quoted expressing concern for money politics and abuse of power. But, with the electoral college system of voting, that call could fall on deaf ears.

The delegates at Cawangan have long heard rumours of Division delegates returning home with money in their suitcase after a party contest. The casual talk at coffeeshop and coffeehouse is that it  is time for them to taste the Government program to "merakyatkan ekonomi." A trickle down effect they say.

But, for 60-70 thousand? Too much isn't it to buy votes.

From the many chats last night we had, they claimed that is not Najib's biggest worry. Sometimes we wonder how do they know but they said Najib is more worried that cousin brother, whose been there for him, might not make it.


The title Menteri Amaran Dalam Negeri created by Husin Lempoyang in January 2010 [read here] is creating more damage than just a tease meant to forewarn him how the ground is looking at him. Naughty ... this Husin Lempoyang. Wonder who he is?

As we see it, Hishamuddin will be in trouble because he has rubbed off many groups and factions the wrong way. For one, he is not likely to get Wanita UMNO support. There are many other leaders in which he promised but delivered differently.

As we wrote yesterday, "To another group, he said one thing. And another, different thing.

Giving assurances and guarantees that he never kept.

On his job, Mr Forewarn failed and seldom made a mockery of the government and party. Tired of his amaran and mintak maaf, then blame others for making his hands tight." 

Although we do not quite believe it, another of the President's man is said to be shaky.

There have been many failed rural projects in Sabah and Sarawak that found it's way into the 2010 Auditor General report. Indiscretion of rural budget would be scorned at as misusing fund meant for the poor.

At one time, this blog also had raised about leakages in MARA and MARA Inc.

Dato Shafie Apdal may have been regularly teased as lanun for his Bajau Laut roots but it requires substantial proof. Diverting fund from government projects require a colluding group of high government officers for leakages to happen. It usually leaves paper trail.

Our preference for a VP from Sabah is for one of the Aman brothers but one must admit to the fact that to win VP, one must have national level standing and prominance.

This is a natural handicap for Sabahans who tend to be indifferent towards national politics. Perhaps, Sabah politics is exciting enough than for them to meddle in national politics.

Campaigning or promoting??

Politically, Shafie has the national standing than other Sabahans, except perhaps Dato Anifah Aman. While some say, his power base in Sabah is only in Semporna and Tawau, he has support in other Semenanjung states. His wife or some claim wives are from Semenanjung. He is entitled to, okay?

It is an added advantage to lead a Ministry that can trickle down assistance to the rural folks.

Furthermore, Sabah is a strong supporter of Najib and even Datin Seri Rosmah has wide appeal there. The Aman brothers will lend support if Najib request. Off course, how it will be translated to vote is another story.

For someone to say Najib is concerned for Hishamuddin, it is a rather simplistic assumption. When Dato Mukhriz met PM to seek his "blessing", he was open to Mukhriz exercising his democratic rights. [Read Bigdogdotcom here]

One can't see him protecting Hishamuddin if he could finally appoint Khairy as Minister despite him unable to deliver the youth votes he was assigned to. It is inevitable and rumours of Pak Lah threatening to pull out 10 BN MPs need more details to be credible.

If there is truth that there had been many horse trading behind close door to make way for Hishamuddin's passage, why did Dato Ali Rustam filed his borang yesterday in the late afternoon?

Don't tell us someone decay on a deal to place him as PNB Chairman but gave him PUNB instead.

His late filing was merely a great attention grabber. People close to him was spreading rumours of him being given UMNO Secretary General position in exchange for pulling out from the race.

Heard fast one were made on Tan Sri Isa Samad too.

Rumours have been spreading all of last week of FGV CEO's office being raided by MACC last Friday. Among others he is being investigated for accepting salaries from both PEMANDU and FGV.

Isa maybe short but let's not be too fast to accuse him of having long hands. Isn't it convenient that all this police report and MACC raid by MAYC and on FGV come about during UMNO election time?

Surely all this complains, accusations and talks would disappear in four weeks time. 

If we had wrote "This rubbish of no contest" and express ourselves for a clean contest in "Akram wants Pemuda to continue to carry the "obor"", these are glimpses of what we meant as ungentlemenly conduct.

When Isa and Ali Rustam announced their candidacy, the responses from the incumbents were more or less "the more the merrier."

Isa should be given a chance to contest because he was victimised when he won the Vice Presidency during Pak Lah's administration.

Ali may have lost in the last general election but he is entitle to contest. What more he is a former Vice President himself and were together with Tan Sri Muhyudin as Vice Presidents when Isa was  suspended.

When rumours of Dato Mukhriz intention to run for Vice President surfaced, Zahid responded to say those he wish to run should get consent from the Prime Minister.

We are not interested to rundown front runner Zahid and believe he deserve to get the highest votes. If Zahid had gained himself significant ground at expense of Hishamuddin when he made the remark "tiada lagi amaran" upon assuming the Home Minister post, praise Allah for his humble background was able to make him understand the ground better.

Thank his lucky star that PM did not thought of Hishamuddin's political fortune when he switched their positions and he seized the opportunity well. Zahid deserve to win big and stay ready to replace Tan Sri Muhyuddin when he retire at his own accord after clearing his task.

However, that was an unfair thing to say and borders on ill intent. There is no issue of Zahid being desperate and most vulnerable with Muhriz entry into the foray as claimed by some numbnuts in Tian Chua's Malaysian Chronicle here. Even if directed to do so, Zahid does not need do so.

Our concern is Zahid's remark cast a negative image on UMNO as though it is still stuck in the ice age. In this UMNO election, we are most uninterested in who will win or lose but to see that UMNO project a change in attitude and show some development in political maturity. Otherwise, den tak boleh tolong.

It includes none of the cheap tricks. One such tricks is for someone to get Dato Zaid Ibrahim to give complimentary remark of Mukhriz, thus create a negative association of him. [Read MI here] Hope Dato Ahmad Shabery Chik's boys was not up to it.

In a democrasy, everyone has rights to stand for a position and it is feudalistic to seek consent to exercise their democratic right. Restu or pay respect yes, but permission, no such thing!



Prior to the submission of borang yesterday, there was a press conference held by all the incumbent Vice Presidents.

They said they worked well together and complimented each other thus in not so many ways were saying, they hope they could maintain status quo. Hishamuddin said they work well together to organise previous UMNO General Assemblies.

Wow! It is expected to be tedious but didn't know organising an UMNO General Assembly is insurmountable task these days. 
  
And the three of them said they are proposing and seconding each other's borang. It is a pathetic and artificial. It is a great act of camarederie but why not they propose and second the borang for Ali, Muhriz and Isa.

Surely not, because their intention is to prop up someone among the incumbents. The term used in UMNO is berakit (rafting). Someone's popularity is used to lift another up.

In the entertainment world, creating a rumour of an affair with a beautiful young starlet help to gain attention for the male artistes, even an ugly duckling, thus the popularity brings in job. In no time after the male artiste gets much gig, one will hear a dramatic lover's quarrel but usually end amicably.   


It is in accordance to the UMNO election rule but such act will be openly criticised in a matured democrasy.

It is an attempt to deceive the voters and create a false perception to overshadow the poor credential of a particular candidate. It is tantamount to an abuse of power to use the party machinery and rule they are involved to developed for their own advantage.


For UMNO, it brings back the old game led by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to fortify himself to move for Deputy President and later, put the chess board together to seize power from Tun Dr Mahathir.

In 1993, Anwar led a Team Wawasan of himself running for Deputy President, Muhyiddin, Najib and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib for Vice Presidents, and Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik for Youth Chief. 

Anwar defeated the late Tun Ghaffar with his blietzkrig attack that denied Ghaffar minimal nominations. Muhyiddin came out first, Najib second and Muhamad third to oust Tun Abdullah and beat Tan Sri Sanusi Junid. Rahim beat Isa Samad.

Soon after, Anwar started to killed off his fellow Team Wawasan, starting with Rahim and Muhammad. Najib became competitive in his pursuit of Muhyiddin that Muhyiddin was knocked off  in the subsequent UMNO election.

Theory was it was to deny him out of the Anwar's succession plan. When he was voted back in when Pak Lah became President, it was not made easier as he came third. Many believed he would have made Deputy if Dr Mahathir had not stepped in.

Team Wawasan became a beginning for more divisiveness in the party. If this manouvre by the three incumbent Vice Presidents is to create Team Wawasan II, then it means a turmoil is to come after the UMNO election.

Only different is, it is not about positioning for the Presidency but to replace Muhyiddin when the time comes.


By right, each candidate has to operate by each one because the voters are not balloting a team or faction by individuals. By campaigning as a team, it mislead the voters and denies other capable leaders a place in the party top leadership.     


Recall back to our posting here of the need for UMNO to rejuvenate itself. Not so much as putting in high places of young people before the fruits is ripe but new bloods.

By age, Najib is now 60 (born 1953), Muhyiddin is 66 (born 1947), Zahid is 60 (born 1953) and Shafie is 56 (born 1957). Only Hishamuddin is the ugly duckling at 54 (born 1961) that was supposed to bloom into that beautiful swan. 

Mukhriz is born in 1964 and now 49 of age. Isa is 64 (born 1949) and also Ali (born 1949). Does it seemed too many 60 something around?

By the look of it, Mukhriz's age may represent a more possible challenge to Hishamuddin's premiership ambition. That is unless Khairy appear later to deny Mukhriz again. But that is still many more years to come.

If Mukhriz gain entry now, be it at Hishamuddin or Shafie's expense, they will have to contend with the Khairy factor later in the process to return in the running. However, it is not as easy as what thinks for Mukhriz to replace Hishamuddin.


The ground can talk of losing confidence with Hishamuddin for their unhappiness with government decisions relating to politics and security.

They can be fed-up with his endless amaran and yet no decisiveness when comes the time to action, it is disappointing or too late. Not to mentioned, controversies he created himself.

Bloodline is important in feudal UMNO 

Performance as Minister is only part of the consideration. Relationship, affiliation and past or present favours is another.

However that works with limited 2,000 over voting delegates. This time around it is difficult to predict the factor/(s) to be considered by the 130,000 branch level delegates.

Whatever it is, Ali Rustam is miles ahead of everyone with his personal "touching." He has reached every other divisions in the whole country and met elders and head of states.

So it may not be about Hishamuddin and Mukhriz but Hishamuddin and Ali. Do not discount Isa's Felda network.  

Nevertheless, Hishamuddin does not have to be looking so desperate. You are an incumbent la...

Last week, UMNO President Dato Najib Tun Abdul Razak announced plans for economic empowerment of Bumiputera. [Read again here]

Every other person was complaining of nothing new. One of our concern was no serious effort to address past problems of leakage, inefficiency and sabotage on past empowerment programs. Leakage and inefficiency tend to be blame on government machinery.

Najib's intention to improve delivery is understood and appreciated. Only problem is the PEMANDU outfit. The other choice to PEMANDU is to leave it to the civil servant to independently run government machinery.

True, we have been a strong advocate to abolish PEMANDU and return the role to EPU, but it is not a blanket endorsement for all because had there not been for privatisation, JKR would still not complete the North-South Expressway yet.

The case we like to bring up is a case of leakage involving a recent tender for a Ubiquitous System for Jabatan Kastam dan Eksais Diraja (Customs). The underlying problem is clear and it is ubiquitously morally wrong.

MACC should be alerted because it has corruption, kickbacks, collusion and abuse of power written all over.

When we exposed how policies and procedures was abused by big names being bandied to be associated to Najib in the tender for Accrual Accounting System for Accountant General Office [read here], wonder whether MACC have made a raid on Ministry of Finance.

If not, this Customs tender involved some big names, big money and abuse have been allowed to go on for too bloody long time. It is killing competitiveness, making a mockery of market friendly affirmative action, and any rhetorics along capacity or nation building.

One way to address is to raise level of morality and sense of responsibility. As our late sifu used to say, one cannot operationalise morality but only set policies and procedures.


Customs have an on-going system, doing well since 1992, and can be upgraded, but decided to change it into a system called Ubiquitous system. Not sure the technical meaning but ubiquitous means "present in all places and at all times".

The tender is Pembangunan Projek Sistem U-Customs for jabatan Kastam dan Eksais Diraja Malaysia. Tender date closed on March 11, 2013.
 
As usual in any IT tender, interested companies would shop around the world for systems solution. Everyone involved could basically know who has been shopping for what. With some effort, one can know how many have approached the most powerful solution Artiquator, the only use in France Bull system, Korean Posco and Microsoft.

Before awarded, the user, Customs would determine which system and technical package meet their requirement and interest them.

They would also ascertain company knowledge and ability to understand the Customs process, have technical experience, and capacity and commitment level. Having a Artiquator system solution but no technical experience in the Customs process is not necessarily an advantage.

There are also issues of financial capability and obviously cheapest tender price


Then all these is passed to Ministry of Finance. Prior to reaching the Tender Committee chaired by  Najib, the papers and documents have to be sent to a committee of Little Napoleans.

The Little Napoleans will would vet through Customs review and make their own recomendation. It would be usually strange for user comment to be far different from the Little Napoleans'.

Usually Najib and the Committee of top level government officers sometimes including MoF II would merely approve as recommended by the Little Napoleans. No story of Rosmah interference through husband or politician making a quick buck.

Members of the Tender Board are:

1. YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Hj Abdul Razak (Chairman)
2.  Tan Sri Irwan Siregar (KSU)
3.  Dato' Mat Noor Nawi (TKSP-Dasar)
4.  Datuk Nozirah Bahari (TKSP-Pengurusan)
5.  Dato' Fauziah Yaacob (TKSP-Sistem & Kawalan)
6.  Dato' Hashimuddin Mohamad (Setiausaha Bahagian Perolehan Kerajaan)

In this tender exercise, Company Coded 1/21 (as per list above) at RM317.8  million had won. In term of pricing, it is numbered 4. While in term of technical, we found out it is numbered 4 with their Microsoft base system.

It is still no issue. The question to ask is is are there companies in a better positioning than number 4?

As far as our source found, there are at least 2 companies with better technical AND pricing position than number 4. But it is not about promoting other companies, but questioning why Company 1/21 got it.

It means a system of policies and procedures is in place but there are leakages or abuse of power or collusion going on from the breakdown of individual morality. These are the pengkhianat bangsa dan negara!

Our source also found that there is Company Coded 10/21 at number 2 technical position (two step higher than number 4) but pricing is number 5.

At number 5, it is RM28 million higher at RM345 million than the winner Company 1/21. If Customs and MoF is willing to spend more for a superior system and chose company 2, it is still acceptable. Heard it was the Artiquator system.

Company 1/21 is a tight financial condition and have too many big projects in hand with tight deadlines. It is not too sure they can deliver as promised in 2 years time. But why was the company given and recommended by these Little Napolean of questionable morality?


Calling calling MACC ...

The Little Napolean is hiding inside a committee for contracts more than RM30 million, below:

1.  Datuk Nozirah Bahari (TKSP Pengurusan and Chairperson)
2. Dato' Noorrizan Shafie (Setiausaha Bahagian Dasar Saraan, Wang Awam & Khidmat Pengurusan)
3. Wan Omar Wan Abdul Ghani (Ketua Seksyen Perolehan Kerajaan)
3. A repreentative from JKR
4. Hj Mohamad Jusoh (Ketua Seksyen Kewangan)
5. Ahmad Zaki Mohamed Rayes (Ketua Penolong Setiausaha)

The one processing the papers are Haji Mohamed Jusoh and Ahmad Zaki. Haji Mohamed heads the secretariat and Ahmad Zaki as assisted him.

Off course, we know Company 1/21. Drum roll please ....

.... the company is Brilliance Information Sdn Bhd (374044-H). The office is at 16, Jalan Meranti SD 13/5, Bandar Sri Damansara. Kuala Lumpur. It is a RM2 million paid-up company. Directors and shareholders are Asmar Haiza binti Ishak and Salehodin Majid.

It is in the business of retailing and distribution of soft and hardware computer peripherels and related products and services. They are currently implementing the GST system for Customs.

The link man for Brilliance with Ministry of Finance or their Chief Lobbyist is a retired Deputy Director General of Public Service Department (or TKPPA) by the name of Dato' A. Wahab bin Mulajat.

Other than doing lobby work for big projects for big companies, this Dato is CEO Wafada Technic & Consult Sdn Bhd. Check out the Directors and client here.

He also supplies X Ray scanner and it's maintenance to Customs.

It should be a conflict of interest to have a former civil servant do lobby inside but there is no such law against it. Politicians can be imprisoned for having transaction with someone having transaction with government but civils servant can do transaction with the government they used to be employed to.

Since it is fine and the bloody lawyers and judges only under law and not ethics, let's not take this any further. So why did they manage to get such preference by 'orang dalam'?

Here is something else, Brilliance was initially never made it in the initial technical evaluation, supposedly by Customs.

Their systems used microclear product developed during father President George Bush for the Kuwait Iraq war. Apart from Kuwait, the product was used in Pakistan but scrap due to non performance. The Pakistani government is suing them.

More question, how did they get to be number 4 by MoF subcommittee?

Something smells funny right?

It is found that Brilliance had a revenue of RM21.3 million and PAT of RM9,438 for year ending March 2012. With a big project in hand, no increase financial capacity from previous project and only paid up capital of RM2 million, Brilliance does not have the means.

Korek punya korek, we found out that they have link with one Dato Mohd Jimmy Wong bin Abdullah who is a member of the Board of Director of MYEG.com. Read here.

There are very old and serious issue with MYEG.com which we regretted for not exposing it during the time of Pak Lah.  We had some serious information on the crap behind MYEG.com but decided not to since it is not gentlemenly to whack on a fallen man.

We had met and heard Dato Dr Norraesah spoke in seminars and forums, thus we had given her high respect as an academician. Man are we suckers for academicians.


MYEG is the undisputed e-government provider in Malaysia. There are no competitors that can go near the company.

It is the sole concessionaires as the online government transactional services for the Malaysian community through its Electronic Government (E-Government) Initiatives. Riding on the government developed GITN, MYEG had access to database to enable transaction.

Initially, it was to collaborate with two other companies licensed to provide e-Government. But they used their monopolistic access to database to "kill" one competitor.  The other company was planned to collaborated with them and naturally did a golden parachute out.

This was all done within the political-civil servant insidious collaboration of anak menakan Pak Lah, Dr Noraessah (7 million shares), former UMNO Youth Tanjung, Dato Dr Munir Shah Raja Mustapha (209 million shares) and former MAMPU Director Gneral, Tan Sri Dato Muhammad Rais bin Karim (3.2 million shares).

e-Government was the project under MAMPU. Is it not a conflict of interest for Tan Sri Muahmmad Rais to be Director and holds few million shares? How could a member of the Board of PERKIM be doing so unethical and nearing corrupt like this? Does he have no conscience?

If one felt we should close one eye and let Bumiputera businessmen have their big break, look at the member of Directors again here.

It's Managing Director is Singaporean Wong Thean Soon. He holds 209 million shares.

Melayu get shares for selling influence but do nothing. Did not get knowledge, skill and management experiance...  WTF! Please do not vote for Dr Norraessah for Majlis Tertinggi UMNO.

Furthermore, what the duck is a Company with Singaporean as founder and most likely major and controlling shareholder be awarded access to all information with regard to our Government and citizens?

This is not only leakage in a system but a security risk. Didn't anyone in Government and politics ponder to understand that risk during Pak Lah time?

Pak Lah, Singapore, monopoly contracts and unsavory practices... Asal Bukan Khairy (ASK)

This is not because candidate no 60. Tun Faisal Ismail bin Abdul Aziz did us a favour before, thus it is time to return it back. Hardly so, because it is not about defending Tun Faisal's right to run but also of many others.

For some strange reasons, many have been denied to exercise their rights to run in UMNO's election by the power establishment using questionable technicalities, threats and sabotages.Thought that PM wanted to have the minimal requirement as possible so that the requirement to run for office is not  stringent and hindrance for new leadership talent.

UMNO need fresh new talents to rejuvenate the party, but the old and tainted ones just refuse to go away.

One would have expect someone with a Tun to be given some respect and passage to run but it is not the case for two time Pemuda UMNO exco member, Tun Faisal to run for Majlis Tertinggi.

Not known to many, Tun Faisal was involved in the Committee to amend the UMNO Constitution. So he has some knowledge of what he is doing.

Prior to submitting his borang, Tun had enquired with Dato Tengku Adnan, Dato raof and even Tan Sri Tajol Rosli. All said he is qualified.

But yesterday, he was rejected from running for the technical reason that he was never a member of any Divisional Committee. Isn't being two term member of central Pemuda Exco of a higher hierarchy than a one term Divisional Committee?

This is truly ridiculous because if someone decide to play a role in Pemuda, that would mean he is denied a role later for Supreme Council unless he hold another post at Divisonal level. It defeat the purpose in terms effectiveness to hold too many positions in the party.

This is not in line with the Presidents wishes and aspirations.

At 41, Tun Faisal seemed too late to play mainstream politics in UMNO. Obama became President at age of 48, thus to be denied access at age of 41, what cock are we talking of rejuvenation?



Hopefully that is the line of arguments our blogger friends supporting Tun Faisal should use. Not by comparing with Akramsyah.

It seems he never had been an AJK Bahagian member, so they said why is he allowed when the position of Ketua Pemuda is de-facto Vice President UMNO and sit on the Supreme Council.

This is a negative way of arguing. To fight for Tun Faisal, it is not by denying others. Ketua Pemuda is only de-facto and not the f*cking Vice President per se. Their position on the Supreme Council is by virtue of the position and not being contested.

Let all contest.

Talking of Tun Faisal's age, by right It is a bit too old for those in their 40s to be in Pemuda. The right age for the Youth Wing should be 30 or perhasp 35, to make way for KJ, and below.

How embarassing isn't it for Malaysian youth delegates to go abroad and see the youth abroad is truly young. While Malaysia had Tan Sri Hamid led MAYC at the age of 70 with a cucu tagging along and Dato Ali Rustam used to lead belia 4 B in his late 50s. 


In Gombak, there is much talk and resistance to Son of Mahaguru Silat Omar Din, Megat Zulkarnian running for Ketua Bahagian. He is in his forties but they are saying he should wait in queue. So wait till he is 60?

He could lose so why all the fuzz to deny his rights? Even if he is to be made a laughing stock, let him run and play fair. 


One excuse going around against Mukhriz is also that he is too young. Bloody hell .. he is 49, just few years younger than Obama at 52. Tun Razak, Dato Najib, Tan Sri Isa Samad and many others were assuming post in their 20s then!

Something really upsetting was this talk that UMNO Secretary General, who is supposed to be non-bias and neutral, complained on stage of the many candidates for Vice Presidents.

At one time, we used to have more than six, eight to be precise, so what is the problem.

His problem is he claimed that Dato Najib wanted status quo and only existing Vice Presidents should be endorsed. If that is the position, why don't they make it official that all the VP post should not be contested?

Read The Unspinners posting last night here.

How is the party election process is to be trusted if this is the attitude of Tengku Adnan? Not only that, he was trying to meddle in the election at several Division.


That posing mentioned about Seputih Division. Last night, the talk at Pan Pacific was of Dato Izudin Ishak of Setiawangsa Division being threaten to withdraw fromm contesting against incumbent Naib Ketua Bahagian and MP, Dato Fauzi.

They claimed Tengku Adnan threaten to pull the plug on his membership on several Board of Directors. One live on crutches and you stop standing by your own two feet. But why such threats?


This talk of threat and coercion is also being heard to happen on Dato Hamidah. She is supposed to run for Naib Ketua Wanita and strongly believed to win.

Talk is she is being threaten with an MACC investigation by someone who is not PM and not in charge of MACC. As an independent Commission, no bloody politician should be telling MACC how to do their job!

[CLARIFICATION: So that no one have wrong impression on Hamidah, there is no ongoing investigation or issue to investigate her. We checked with certain sources.

Our sources also said there is no link between the 1Azam case that is under investigation by MACC with Dato Shahrizat. However, the 1Azam case involved a PEMANDU officer in the Ministry. A posting to come ....]  

It seems ada udang sebalik batu and one can read on Tenggara blog here. If this is true, it is destroying the backbone of UMNO.

These is just a few blatant cases involving few personalities we know. In the branches and division, more such practises is likely happening.



For instance, upon the knowledge of Dato Maznah Mazlan is to run for Ketua Wanita UMNO, two country bumpkin ran against her at Naib Ketua Bahagian level.

It is undeniably the hands of Ketua Bahagian, Dato Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis to cantas her. The two blokes are his men!

It is not so much as JJ supporting Dato Shahrizat against his own Wanita Bahagian but just his usual psychotic self insisting everyone kow tow to him.

On the other, so many speculation is going around and opposition would only glee in gladness if more wild stories on Dato Shahrizat and 1Azam investigation spread.



These are two sabotages happening.

Please la ... let's move forward. Cut all these craps. Sick....








Final word... all the best also to our friends Raihan running for Ketua Wanita and Dato Suraya Yaacob running for Naib Ketua Wanita.

Dato' Hishamuddin is stretching himself as much as possible to get support from Wanita that he gatecrashed a Wanita do in Kluang Johor with incumbent Ketua Wanita UMNO, Dato Shahrizat Jalil.

The Utusan Malaysia here reported a glowing story on Hishamuddin's support from Johor. That is not the story and it is expected of Johor UMNO to give and Hishamuddin to get support from UMNO leadership of Johor.

They wouldn't exactly shame themselves and their "local" boy made good. But there was more than what was said.

In the report, the Ketua Wanita UMNO Johor, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain said the movement will support candidate that was brilliant in their task.

In padded words, she said she see no reason why Wanita UMNO Johor would reject Hishamuddin. We do not have the exact quote but Utusan reported as below:

“Saya tidak nampak mengapa Wanita UMNO Johor perlu menolak Datuk Hishammuddin, beliau telah melaksanakan tugas dan tanggungjawabnya dengan cemerlang dan harus disokong," katanya.

"Pada kami, perjuangan ini mustahak dalam mengambil kira siapa yang nak disokong, ini perjuangan bersama dan Wanita UMNO ambil kira siapa yang bertanggungjawab mengarusperdanakan wanita..., jadi faham-faham sajalah."

Blogger WZWH had the story here and here.

According to the blogger, there was a dinner and event for 5,000 "community" leaders getting an audience with his highness the Sultan of Pahang at the Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan last Saturday night.

It can be considered an auspices event since his majesty's 83rd birthday is drawing near and this year is the 40th year as ruler of Pahang.

In his royal addresss, his highness reflected on the nation's history from independence till today and expressed concern on the future of the Malays in the light of certain elements in the nation dare to question Malay 'sovereignty', Malay rights, Islam etc.

His majesty expressed hope that Pahang continue to prosper, rakyat taken care and Malay politics able to face such challenges.


However, before the posting by WZWH, an SMS reached us to tell us that the event was more than just the Sultan's address. The "community" leaders invited to the Istana were UMNO branch delegates that will vote in the UMNO election.

The whole thing was about campaigning for a Vice President candidate and it was openly expressed.

The only information we have on the Vice President candidate is that he has family link to a member of the royal family and his family member organised the event for his benefit.

Our concern is to what extent that SMS has spread because it would disgrace the Sultan by putting his highness in the precarious position for intervening in rakyat's political affair.


During the Galas by-election, Rockybru wrote to pre-empt a royal intervention in a by-election campaign here. He linked it to an article by Bigdogdotcom here which caution the rulers from being used as political tool.

In the last general election, there was also concern on a Sultan direct involvement to campaign against a rival royal family candidate. 

On a matter of fundamental significance, the ruler as sovereign should stay above politics, more so in intra-party politics.

It is enshrined in the constitution and agreed prior to independence that Malaysia will be a democratic country and the Malay rulers have agreed for people rule.

Rulers role are clear in the constitution thus for such an SMS to claim Sultan campaigned for a Vice President candidate is highly improper.

If the Vice President candidate really had used his family link and Istana connection to gain influence of delegates to vote him, he has abused his position and broke party election ethics.

There implication of his action is that it gives the wrong message to the Istana that people are not capable of self rule and it requires Istana intervention to enable the people make the right decision to vote him back.

Since Malay interest and rights are not defended and compromised by some political leaders, we might as well  revert back to total monarchy system and return power to the Sultan to rule and administer the country.

This is not criticising to bring him down but a matter of fundamental importance in governance.

The Malay rulers are clear in  their understanding of their role in administration. The sovereign is above partisan politics and intra-party politics, including internal party election.

It would be a shame and a major embarassment that an UMNO leader does not understand his place and role in the constitution.

"At the peak of CPO price, value of land for oil palm plantation of similar acreage never reached half of United Pontian Plantation (United Pontian) valuation," said one old hand Sabah-based corporate player with confidence.

Before anyone make the presumption to accuse us of raising this issue to sidetrack Tan Sri Isa Samad's second attempt for UMNO Vice President, do keep such thought within their own chicken coop of shallow political game with endless conspiracies and money inspired motivations.

To understand that there was no malice intended, this blog debunked certain perception against Isa and promoted him to run at the Bagan Pinang by-election and turnaround BN's fortune. And this blog also chorused the defense of Felda Global Venture (FGV) listing.  

So it is not about UMNO party election but concern for the promised future generation of Felda in the FGV listing. Concern on the presence of Emir Mavani in FGV went back earlier to June 2013 [read back here]. This is just about being persistent.

Again, it's got nothing to do with UMNO election.

Eyes wide open

As far as we are concern, Isa is an old hand and quite capable of handling his political affair. With his common folk touch, he has put side issues made against him as another poison letter of the past. [Read Utusan here.]

The answer to those trying to sweep things under the carpet is persistency. 

The Malay has a proverb. "Seekor kerbau membawa lumpur, semua terpalit." It means a buffalo carrying mud will taint all others with mud. This is not a buffalo one is talking about but a koliang taik palat, as the Minang would say.

If that is not crude enough a message, please be reminded: If Emir Mavani's shit hit the ceiling, the whole member of the Board of Directors and other stakeholders of Felda will have shit splashed all over.


If anything happen to Isa politically, it is merely collateral damage. Isa's campaign for VP is number-focused for the Felda-linked divisions.

However, the implication of Emir Mavani's action could politically affect UMNO's Felda electoral stronghold. Using simplistic excuse like it is collective decision and such will be not sufficient because it is recycled argument.

Something to be concerned off for the GE14. 

Nevertheless, there are those who believed that Isa is merely a pensioned school teacher and an innocent bystander. His presence in Felda and FGV is political. It is the CEO Emir Mavani that is the culprit.

Unfortunately, the law and public does not read it that way.

The word fiduciary duty in the Company Act makes no exception for retired teacher.  What more, Isa has stopped teaching at SDAR ever since we left Seremban to study in the US more than 35 years ago. He is known more as a former Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

Few information has surfaced to indicate that Isa may not be such an innocent bystander. It was recently made known to us that there was a gentleman agreement to give grace to Emir to resign within six months but was stubbornly ignored by Isa.


Furthermore, Isa was accused of being mean and vindictive towards bed-ridden and hospitalised former CEO Tan Sri Sabri for blocking the FGV's the Papua New Guinea deal. The Company Secretary made a false report to Bursa Malaysia to cover-up. [Read in Rockybru here].

In addition, it has come to our knowledge that the previous Company secretary and a Board member were removed for cautioning the Board member on certain issues. But, this is covered up by not updating of FGV's website of recent board changes.

It is expected upon Isa to do and decide with his eyes wide open. Thus it means, Isa has to answer for it and not swipe it off as another poison pen letter. Again and again, it is strictly business and not politically motivated.

Super-premium acquisition


Enough on Isa. Let's get to the fact of the matter.

On July 17, FGV launched a takeover of Pontian. They offered RM140 per share which values the entire company at RM1.2 billion. This offer was 56% higher than the RM90 per share made by TSH Resoources (TSH) and the Lee family of Seremban last year but payable in cash and shares.

Pontian owns more than 16,000 hectare oil palm estate land in Lahad Datu, Sabah and Kukup, Johor.  

This attracted opposition by Bigdog who argued against it here. He managed to get the attention of Utusan Malaysia which reported on his piece on July 22nd here. The argument will be discussed later. 

On August 7th, The Edge here reported the major shareholder, Chairman Dr Chen Man Hin agreed to seel and advised other shareholders to sell too. It was reported that FGV had managed to get an irrevocable undertaking from the TSH and the Lee family to sell their 23.81% stake.

Although it was initially doubtful that the deal could go through because of the fragmented shareholding, The Sun reported on September 18th here that FGV managed to successfully acquire 98.81% in Pontian.

Nevertheless, FGV did extend the closing date till October 1st and it expired last week. 

The initial argument against FGV was that:

• At RM90 per share, the offer by TSH at Price Earning ration of 14 was relatively expensive, earning wise. It is not a listed company to warrant such high PE.
• CPO was at RM2,300 per ton at the time of TSH offer but now cheaper.
• FGV could be biting more than it can chew. At the time of offer, FGV had just announced 2 weaks earlier the plan to spend RM283 million for the development of oil palm plantation in Kalimantan over the next 5-6 years.  

In Focus Malaysia issue dated July 13, 2013, Hwang DBS Vickers analyst, Quah He Wei view that the land value of the FGV offer works out to be RM74,800 per hectare.

Using Enterprise Value, the sector average for EV/hectare is RM51,000 per hectare. Thus RM74,800 per hectare is too pricey. Pontian is also worth only RM825 million.

CIMB analyst Ivy Ng felt Pontian's palm oil tree are at their prime or past their prime, thus it means FGV will have to pump more money. She too agree that the PR is to high.

Read the extensive article on analysts' views here.

In defense

Since the vendor is former DAP Chairman, Dr Chen Man Hin, it is not coincident but convenient for The Star, Sundaily, and perhaps other English business newpaper are defending the valuation of Pontian.

Any deal involving a Government or Malay owned corporation would usually attract the harshest critic from the Enlish and business media but not this one. 

These days it is the general Chinese thing to defend anything Chinese, rightly or wrongly. SInce it involves a fellow DAP, weve yet to hear anyone from PAS making an issue out of it. Hai O! To the Boss!

From The Star article dated August 3rd here, we extract below:

When Felda first announced its acquisition in Pontian on July 18, Felda explained that the offer price of RM140 per Pontian share represented a price-earnings multiple of approximately 21.8 times based on the average earnings per share of Pontian of RM6.43 for the past two financial years ended Dec 31, 2011, and 2012.

Pontian also has net asset per share of RM47.87 and RM44.91 respectively for 2012 and 2011.

Pontian delivered revenue of RM262.18mil and RM174.96mil in 2011 and 2012. Net earnings was RM84.44mil and RM46.35mil respectively during that period.

Thus, at RM140 per share, Felda would be acquiring the company at 2.92 times book value.

Minus the RM256 million cash, the land cost works out to between RM65-67,000 per hectare. Emir claimed here IOI paid RM80,000 per hectare for Unico-Desa plantation land in Kinabatangan dan Lahad Datu. FFB yield in Sabah is higher than in Peninsular.

To quote from The Star here, below:

A plantation analyst contacted explained that the value of a plantation company was more accurately depicted on its price per hectare. In the case of Pontian’s land, it would be RM75,000, which is fair for a brownfield.

“Brownfield land typically starts at RM60,000 and above depending on where it is, and the age profile of the trees,” said this plantation analyst. She feels that the RM140 price is fair. In fact, she felt that TSH was underpaying when they offered RM90 per share the year before.

There is also an unpolish diamond in the form of Pontian's plantation in Kukup, Pontian which is within proximity of Tuas highway for future development in Iskandar, Johor. How big and significant can it be for the future?

More questions


No one wins but the owner in an issue over valuation. Valuation is a subjective matter.

However, FGV is a politically sensitive shares and dicey arguments puts the government and ruling party in a difficult situation, politically.

In this case, FGV is allowing Dr Chen Man Hin an exit into their lifelong investment. Who knows, it could be meant to finance DAP for the next general election.

If that is what the ruling party BN is comfortable, so be it. Isa can tell the politcal grassroot that the Pontian deal was to pave the way for an UMNO-DAP peace initiative. He may have sense it is not easy for Mazlan Aliman to make an issue since he is buying from former DAP Chairman.

Being able to kelentong the grassroot does not mean it will help to clean any tainted image for being associated with Emir Mavani and one Dato Chinese man in the Investment Committee. FGV website is not transparent to rveal who are the members of the Investment Committee. 



Nevertheless, there is an important point that has not been considered by all these analyst and FHV management. Land prices for palm oil plantation is cyclical and subjected to the vagaries of the CPO market.

When TSH made the RM90 per share offer, it was almost exactly one year in mid September 2012.



From the chart above, it was about the time before CPO plunge from RM3,000 per metric tonne level to the RM2,300 per metric tonne level.

CPO reached it's peaks of the last cycle at RM3,933 per metric tonne at around February 2011 and RM3,604 per metric tonne at about April 2012.


In the previous CPO cycle, the peak was RM4,099 per metric tonne in 2008.


This year CPO prices is still the doldrum. See chart above. Experts say it could fall another 13% and hit down to RM2,000 per metric tonne in 2014. Read in The Star here.

We are not comfortable to hear newbies Emir Mavani make such optimistic comments and reported  in Sun here, below:

He is predicting crude palm oil (CPO) prices will pick up in the first quarter of next year to the RM2,400-RM2,500 per tonne levels.

"If soybean prices go up higher, there is a chance of CPO prices following suit," he said, adding that CPO prices are now hovering at RM2,350 to RM2,370 a tonne and will remain at the level for the next two months.

Not only the timing for such high price does not tally with current market price of CPO, FGV may have bought Pontian at too high in  the top. A further fall in CPO will only cause devaluation in assets.

Why then did FGV commit RM1.2 billion or 34% of the 3.5 billion raised via public listing to merely increase landbank by 4% and increase in projected earning for 2014 by only 3.55%?

[Addition: 5:00 PM] 

On top of that, the whole deal was transacted in cash, the whole RM1.2 billion sum? Perhaps, being just listed, it is too early to go back to the capital market for funding. But, there is always the bond market and banks. 

Any corporate finance man knows the benefit of leveraging to increase capacity to invest.  

More concern.


Emir Mavani said FGV will use the remaining RM2.6 billion of funds raised for acquisition of at least 5,000ha of land in Myanmar and Cambodia for rubber plantation.

FGV is the biggest palm oil plantation in the world. Why the hurry?

If the game he is doing to give RM100 per tonne discounts to Felda IFFCO [read Bigdogdotcom here] is any indication, MACC should come in to raid FGV. It smells kickback and the many hurried acquisitions smells kickback too!

Too many funny story from this CEO from PEMANDU. Not just about being a cheapskate to take two salaries at one time.

He certainly look good in shorts and slippers ... like a prison inmates!

It is odd to categorise Dato Suraya Yaacob as underdog in the contest for Naib Ketua Wanita UMNO. The reason being the incumbent Ketua Wanita Chief, Dato Shahrizat Jalil is supporting and promoting Dato Azizah Md Dun.

As far as her credential within UMNO, Suraya is already and is in her first term as member of the Wanita UMNO exco. She was the first alumni of Puteri UMNO to make it into the Wanita UMNO leadership line-up.

It is an open secret that she was supposed to takeover the helm of leadership from Dato Azalina Mohd Said but Pak Lah was smitten by Dato Noraini Ahmad's soft feminity and interfered to endorsed her. From where Suraya stand now, there is no love lost between them.

It bodes well of her leadership potential and perseverance.

Shahrizat's rationale

Left to right: Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nor (KSU), Dato Rohani Abdul Karim and Dato Azizah Md Dun (Deputy)

Shahrizat's  rationale is fairly simple and sellable to Wanita branch delegates voting this weekend. Azizah is a "Minister" and as Deputy Minister for Ministry of Woman, Family and Community Development (MWFCD), she could compliment the role of Wanita UMNO.

It is the Ministry that Shahrizat used to head as Minister but is now filled up by Dato Rohani Abdul Karim of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu from Sarawak.

Critics felt it was Shahrizat's ploy to peek into the happening inside the Ministry. If she gets her second Senatorship term and clear her name on the NFC in the court and the financial related issues, she could lobby to get back the Ministerial post.

Currently, Shahrizat is the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister to oversee the development of women entrepreneurs and professionals and Chairman of Yayasan Kebajikan Negara.

These appointments are said to have created dissatisfaction with current Women's Minister, Dato Rohani and PBB. It is reflected in Rohani's statement to deny Shahrizat is Adviser to the Ministry [read The Star here.]

The harshest critics claim Shahrizat was positioning to make herself indisposable by giving support to a candidate that is not neither popular and have a strong home base nor a potential Wanita Chief able to replace Shahrizat.

The basis for such accusation was the exact situation that forced Dato Najib to retain her Ketua Wanita position and only accept her resignation for Minister when the NFC saga broke out in 2011.
Former Naib Ketua Wanita, Dato Kamelia Ibrahim was not seen as a capable successor.

Shahrizat should not be blamed for it.

In 2009, Kuala Kangsar Division Kamelia won the post as Naib Ketua Wanita uncontested.

No other candidate surfaced to challenge Kamelia when Shahrizat shifted her slot from Naib Ketua Wanita to attempt to take on mighty Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz for the Ketua Wanita.

To be fair to Shahrizat, she needed Azizah's presence in government to enable allocation, assistance and government program to 'conveniently' coincide with Wanita's welfare cum political program. It is not of a major consideration to idealist but it is politically pragmatic.

The major limitation of Azizah is that she is not quite accepted by her "jemaah" as Sabah Wanita leader, Dato Armani. 

In Islam, being a leader is like leading a jemaah prayers. It is not one's ability to memorise surah and have great voice but acceptance of the jemaah to enable one to assume leadership.

So far she has no ambition and agenda. On stage, Azizah only talks of assisting Shahrizat.   

Succession plan


Another pertinent point is age. In terms of age, Azizah is already 58 and only 2 years younger than Shahrizat. While, Suraya is 44 years.

Suraya has openly support Shahrizat's leadership and denied is in a tag team of Puteri Alumni with Azalina. She is quite realistic enough to understand that the Puteri hierarchy does not hold any water in Wanita.

Azalina had earlier expressed interest for the Ketua Wanita post but pulled out. Azalina tested the market and realised she "cannot go" to opt for a strategic withdrawal. She gained Shahrizat blessing for MT contest and a corporate chairmanship position awaiting.

At 44, Suraya is at the right age to be the next layer of Wanita leadership. It is only right that she is nurtured and allowed to understudy Shahrizat.

In the US, Obama was inaugrated President at 48 and started campaigning at the age of 46.

Hillary Cinton was tasked as First Lady of Arkansas to reform the state education system at the age of 44. By 47, still as first lady, she was working to put together a national healthplan. She could only pursue her own political career to became Senator at 53, after husband Bill ended his Presidency.

Wanita needs a succession plan and Suraya conveniently fits that plan. 

On the basis of credential, there is no significant difference between Azizah (58) and Suraya (44). Both are trained as lawyers but when their resume are compared here and here, Suraya has time n her side.

At a much younger age, Suraya has comparable experience but wider scope of work then Azizah. Unless, she has serious weakness, doesn't she deserve to be groomed for the future of Wanita UMNO leadership?

In Suraya, lies fresh and new perspective of politics from her understanding of the her's and lower  generation. By GE14, say in 2017, Shahrizat will be 64, Azizah will be 62 and Suraya 48. Who will the younger profile voters relate to?

Process of change


Some may dispute the simplified description but face the reality. Wanita UMNO is saddled with the image of being a wing for Makcik-Makcik and old woman. That will not auger well for Wanita wing and UMNO.

During the time of Rafidah, her prominence as Minister for Industry and International Trade, both locally or internationally, lifted the image of Wanita UMNO. Her leadership team reflected an attempt to shift the Wanita UMNO image from wife and homemaker image to career women, professionals and businesswomen. 

In that pursuit, Rafidah may have neglected the original segment of Wanita that toil the campaign trail to win the party, election in and election out. After being long as Ketua Wanita, Rafidah became insensitive to this majority segment of Wanita and her iron fist and vindictive nature had it's toll on grassroot Wanita.


Eventually, that dissatisfaction percolated and Shahrizat seized the moment to challenge and win. Rafidah is not as invincible as perceived. She had lost the post before to Dato Siti Zaharah Sulaiman in 1996 and sit out as appointed member of Supreme Council in 1996-2000.

One mistake of Rafidah was to allow an aspirant to gain a stronghold on Wanita's powerbase and political pipeline and that is the position of Women's Ministry..

Shahrizat had appeased the Makcik-Makcik segment of Wanita UMNO and able to unify them with her charm and charisma. Her critics may not agree but that is the reality on the ground.

Today, the so-called Rafidah faction has only about 30-40% support. Unless she can create a groundswell and wave effect similar to Dato Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and to a lesser extent Dato Mukhriz Mahathir, Dato Maznah Mazlan is a "classic dark horse" at best.

By the way, Maznah is also 60. 

Shahrizat was cleared by MACC for NFC and no signs of her being legally implicated to 1Azam.

Only the vicious UMNO rumourmongers presumed the involvement of her former political secretary Dato Suhaimi Ibrahim and "no boss not know what their pol-sec does."

Transformation


Despite being tainted, Shahrizat remained strong and looks like to win. It is time for her to create a legacy after solving the divisiveness within Wanita from the aftermath of Rafidah's long tenure.

These days, most UMNO leaders tend to be taken in by the idea of branding promoted by two marketing corporate man, Dato Farid Redzuan and Dato Shazally Ramli.

They never realised that branding is only a mere option in the one of the 4P of marketing and that is promotion. There is the more important aspect of product, pricing and place (network and distribution) to look into.

Branding also only serves the purpose of marketing products and services but not marketing politics. It has failed under Pak Lah in GE12 and Najib GE 13.

What more when Wanita UMNO now realised that reception to their door-to-door and face-to-face campaign are beginning to be lukewarm.

One is believed to be the tainted image of Shahrizat and that only she can address and manage the perception. If it remains negative, the brutal reality is she has to go.


Another is the changing age profile.

Younger profile voters are more comfortable to be interacting and associating with the younger politicians than the Makcik-Makcik.

The young, more educated and university students will be comfortable to be associated with the Nurul Izzahs, Hannah Yeohs, Jenice Lims and even the sinful living Eli Wongs than most of the current line-up of Wanita UMNO personalities.

Wanita UMNO politicians and leadership need to appeal to the young by stimulating and intelligent interaction. They need to carry themselves to exude an air of trust and confidence of voters towards them.

It was crude for us to describe Azizah as a pintu bilik air reput (decayed wooden bathroom door) in a previous posting here.

The need for such shock treatment is necessary to drive the point that Wanita needs to get out of that set image. Perhaps a better perspective is choosing between Camilla Parker Bowles and Princess Diana.

Wanita UMNO has to be creative and not keep repeating the same thing and doing the obvious. They need to interact more and sharpen the political intellectual prowess.

The game is no more about servicing only UMNO members but to enable non-UMNO members to be comfortable with UMNO. They have to reach out across boundaries. Otherwise, cold front awaits approaching Wanita UMNO campaigner or social worker.

The win or lost in an election lies with the atas pagar or undecided voters. In a tight race, securing UMNO supporters votes is not sufficient. One needs the non-Malays, non-UMNO and at times, even opposition supporters votes to win.


Imagine Shahrizat working on the support of the traditional voters and older folks, while her Naib address the younger and majority profile of voters. Wanita cannot leave it to Puteri or Pemuda to appeal to the young.

If the intention is to win GE14, political logic says either Shahrizat or Maznah needs Suraya to compliment them and not Azizah.

Stay in the horse stable, Camilla!

HARI Sabtu esok akan berlangsung mesyuarat Perwakilan dan Pemilihan Pergerakan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri UMNO peringkat bahagian secara serentak. Pemilihan bagi jawatan-jawatan utama dan Exco Pergerakan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri UMNO Malaysia juga diadakan serentak esok.

Pemilihan kali ini memberi lebih ruang untuk proses demokrasi berlaku kerana pemimpin yang dipilih bukan lagi di tangan sekumpulan perwakilan seperti dahulu. Jika sebelum ini, saf kepimpinan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri UMNO pusat hanya ditentukan oleh hampir 1,000 orang perwakilan, kini pemilihan ditentukan oleh lebih 10 kali ganda jumlah perwakilan sayap masing-masing.

Kini pemimpin ketiga-tiga sayap UMNO mesti berani dan yakin pada perjuangan diri kerana mereka dalam suasana yang boleh 'makan diri sendiri' apabila memilih langkap yang tidak diterima akarumbi. 


Terbuka dan demokratik


Cara pemilihan kali ini membezakan pemimpin UMNO yang lebih jujur dan ikhlas berbanding dengan pemimpin pembangkang.

UMNO jauh lebih terbuka dan demokratik berbanding dengan DAP, PKR dan Pas yang sekadar melaungkan keterbukaan, namun tidak berani memberi kuasa kepada akar umbi untuk memilih pemimpin.

Lihat kekecohan pemilihan Jawatankuasa Eksekutif Pusat (CEC) DAP pada Disember 2012 hingga keputusan pemilihannya dibatalkan. PKR pun sama apabila pelantikan Ketua Umumnya langsung tidak dipilih ikut proses demokrasi. Begitu juga Pas yang mana kuasa utama ada pada Mursyidul Amnya.


Dalam soal memilih pemimpin, UMNO dilihat lebih terbuka. UMNO meletakkan kepercayaan kepada perwakilan yang terdiri daripada pelbagai peringkat golongan dalam UMNO.

Empat tahun lalu (Oktober 2009), perwakilan Perhimpunan Agung Khas UMNO meluluskan pindaan perlembagaan iaitu 146,500 perwakilan bakal menentukan kepemimpinan parti itu. Serentak pindaan itu sistem kuota dihapuskan.

Sistem kuota yang diguna pakai sebelum ini dilihat antara punca amalan rasuah dan lebih memihak kepada individu tertentu terutama penyandang jawatan.

Penghapusan sistem kuota itu memberi mesej kepada umum bahawa UMNO serius untuk berubah dan memberi ruang sebebas-bebasnya kepada ahli parti untuk memilih pucuk pimpinan mereka daripada peringkat cawangan, bahagian hingga Majlis Tertinggi (MT).

Pemilihan pemimpin peringkat sayap UMNO - Pergerakan Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri - yang bermula esok dan diikuti seminggu kemudian pemilihan peringkat bahagian dan MT jelas menunjukkan pimpinan parti itu kelak adalah pilihan akar umbi.

Pemilihan kali ini juga memberi lebih ruang untuk proses demokrasi berlaku kerana pemimpin yang dipilih bukan lagi di tangan sekumpulan perwakilan seperti dahulu.

Masa depan


Bermula esok dan kemudian pada 19 Oktober nanti, perwakilan UMNO akan menentukan saf kepimpinan parti di semua peringkat, dengan agenda utama ialah memastikan calon yang dipilih perlu bekerja keras untuk mempertahankan UMNO sebagai tunggak utama Kerajaan Pusat dan pembentukan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Jadi ruang pemilihan yang besar ini harus dimanfaatkan para perwakilan untuk memilih pemimpin yang benar-benar layak dan diterima juga oleh rakyat untuk menerajui peringkat pergerakan sayap, MT dan bahagian UMNO.

Pertembungan beberapa penjuru dalam merebut jawatan utama dalam Wanita, Pemuda dan Puteri membuktikan UMNO mempunyai banyak bakat pelapis yang sedia untuk menawarkan khidmat dan bakti kepada orang Melayu dan rakyat negara ini secara keseluruhannya.

Banyak pihak melontarkan pandangan bahawa pemilihan UMNO kali ini sangat penting kerana ia adalah landasan dalam menyediakan pemimpin untuk menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU-14).


Tentu sekali, umum akan melihat siapa pilihan akarumbi UMNO untuk melihat petunjuk samada UMNO sudah berubah, atau sensitif dengan kehendak semasa. Pandangan orang luar yang bukan ahli UMNO akan menentukan sokongan masa depan ketika PRU14 kelak.


Ada ahli UMNO dan orang luar mahu lihat halatuju perjuangan UMNO. Jika beralih arah tuju perjuangan, untung nasib UMNO pun akan dialihtujukan.

Ramai pihak mahukan UMNO dan sayap-sayap kembali kepada menjadi suara yang tidak lagi apologetik dan takut tapi terus kekal berani, tegas dan kental dalam memperjuangkan kepentingan ummah, bangsa dan negara sambil mengimbangi hak-hak pihak lain.



Ada pihak melihat bahawa keadaan dan suasana sudah berubah dan pendekatan UMNO harus berubah kepada pendekatan yang lebih pragmatik dan sesuai dengan suasa sekeliling. Ini terselindung disebalik seruan untuk dipilih mereka yang sudah berada dalam sesuatu jawatan, maka mudah mereka menunjukkan pretasi.

Realitinya prestasi yang ditunjukkan bukan pencapaian UMNO tapi untuk pihak lain. Suara mereka membisu dan tidak kedengaran apabila hak dan kepentingan Islam dan Melayu yang tersurat dan tersirat dipersoalkan dan diperlecehkan.


Jika terus dibiarkan keadaan, akan bertambah angkuh dan kuat suara-suara sumbang hingga rakyat mudah dilencungkan pemikiran. Maka suara politik Melayu perlu kedengaran dan tidak hanya diserahkan kepada suara luar dan berkecuali. Lama kelamaan kredibiliti UMNO juga terhakis.

Buat perwakilan yang akan mengundi besuk, ingat bahawa undi anda adalah rahsia. Maka anda tidak terkongkong untuk membalas budi atau dibeli tetapi letakkan pilihan untuk menguatkan parti demi kesinambungan parti.

Dikala parti UMNO berada dipersimpangan jalan, anda perlu memberi pertimbangan besar kepada penerimaaan pengundi untuk memastikan sokongan kepada UMNO akan berterusan dengan barisan kepimpinan baru yang akan menjadi tarikan dan mengguatkan kepercayaan rakyat kepada UMNO.

Selamat bersidang dan mengundi. Gunakan kuasa itu dengan bijak dan berhemah. Ingatlah masa depan UMNO di  tangan anda.