Saturday, August 04, 2007

WPI DAN PULAU BATU PUTIH BAKAL TERGADAI?

Kes Pulau Batu Putih akan diputuskan oleh ICJ November depan.

Desas desus sudah bertiup, kita mungkin kecundang dan Pulau Batu Putih yang strategik akan menjadi milik Singapura selama-lamanya.

Jika itu berlaku, Singapura sentiasa mengasak kita dan mereka lebih bersedia dari segala sudut untuk menjadikan kita sentiasa terundur.

Dalam keadaan Singapura sentiasa bersedia dengan pelbagai agenda 'Singapore Win', kita pula mudah lalai dan alpa.

Untuk membangunkan WPI, kita terpaksa menjemput Singapura duduk dalam Jawatankuasa Bersama Peringkat Menteri dua negara berdaulat untuk memajukan wilayah kita. 2,217 sq km tanah Johor akan 'diurus' bersama dengan Singapura, melalui Jawatankuasa Bersama.

Hikayat Munshi Abdullah mencatitkan, format seakan Jawatankuasa Bersama ini pernah ditubuhkan oleh Raffles. Rakyat Melayu diurus oleh Temenggong Husin, rakyat bukan Melayu diurus oleh Orang Putih.

Pelbagai konsekuen politik akan muncul kemudian. Pada waktu itu, kita sudah terlambat. Sama seperti isu penguasaan Singapura ke atas bekalan air yang membelit kita sekarang.

Mengapa tidak Pak Lah belajar dari Tun M yang telah melaksanakan program strategik Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas?

Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas adalah ancaman kepada Singapura. Ia bertujuan mengecilkan peranan Singapura dan negara kita mengambilalih sebahagian peranan dan kekuatan yang selama ini menjadi monopoli SIngapura selama beberapa abad.

Ia berjaya. Tanpa kerjasama Singapura.

PTP telah menerima kapal pertama pada 10 Oktober 1999 untuk operasi percubaan selama tiga bulan, ia telah memecah rekod menjadi pelabuhan yang paling pantas berkembang. Ia menguruskan 1 juta TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) kontena selama 571 hari operasi.

Dari hanya 20,696 TEUs pada akhir 1999, telah berkembang kepada 2.05 juta TEUs pada 2001, 2.66 juta tahun 2002, 3.87 juta TEUs pada 2003 untuk mengatasi kedudukan Pelabuhan Kelang. Port Tanjung Pelepas dengan itu menjadi pelabuhan terbesar negara kita.

Pada tahun 2004, ia meningkat 15.2 % lagi, menjadikannya pelabuhan yang ke 16 tersibuk di dunia. Pada 2006, ia menguruskan 4.7 juta TEUs.

Ia meletakkan dirinya sebagai pilihan kepada Pelabuhan Singapura.

Maersk Sealand, operator kapal kontena terbesar dunia, memindahkan semua operasi perkapalannya di Singapura ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas pada tahun 2000. Singapura menyaksikan kejatuhan 10% perniagaan pelabuhannya kerana tindakan itu.

Pada 2002, Evergreen Marine Corporation, pada waktu itu, syarikat perkapalan kedua besar dunia pula, memindahkan operasinya dari Singapura.

Sekilas fakta ini, membuktikan bahawa, pembangunan sehebat Tanjung Pelepas boleh dilakukan tanpa Jawatankuasa Bersama Peringkat Menteri dengan mana-mana negara asing yang memungkin pengaruh dan penentuan terma-terma yang boleh merugikan kita boleh berlaku.

Apa perlunya Jawatankuasa Bersama Peringkat Menteri dengan Singapura untuk WPI?

Apakah kita tidak mempunyai keupayaan merancang sendiri, seperti telah kita buktikan dalam kes Tanjung Pelepas?

Apa lagi jika bentuknya hanya untuk menjual tanah kepada Singapura?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Terbukti Pak Lah bukannya seorang pemimpin yang berpandangan jauh, lebih-lebih lagi dalam menangani masalah-masalah berkaitan jiran kita 'Singapura'. Oleh kerana mementingkan keuntungan ekonomi jangkamasa pendek Pak Lah dan menteri UMNO dan juga pembesar Johor sanggup mengadaikan Johor untuk rakyat Singapura.

Pelabur Singapura diberi keistimewaan kerana mereka mempunyai wang dan boleh membeli Johor. Apabila satu persatu tanah di Johor dikuasai oleh Singapura. Adalah tidak mustahil suatu hari nanti rata-rata Melayu Johor akan menjadi 'malukut di tepi gantang'. Untuk mendapat kediaman yang selesa, harganya tidak mampu dibeli oleh orang Melayu. Ratusan ribu ringgit manakah mampu dibeli oleh Melayu Johor. Akibatnya mereka semakin tersisih walaupun pembangunan material rancak sekali. Hakikatnya tidak ada pengisian yang sepatutnya. Pendek kata nikmat pembangunan diperoleh oleh orang asing. Yang kaya, yang berkuasa, yang berpengaruh adalah orang asing. Rakyat hanya diperingkat paling bawah dalam hieraki.

Jelas UMNO dan konco-konconya telah mengadaikan Johor. Sejarah dulu melihat bagaimana Sultan Johor, telah ditipu oleh British. Sekarang, pemimpin UMNO secara terang lagi bersuluh menjual Johor secara murahan kepada pelabur Singapura. Natijah UMNO bukan untuk menjadikan rakyat Johor rakyat yang produktif...tidak sebaliknya mereka disisihkan. Sudahlah tanah mereka semakin mengecil, kuasa politik mereka semakin berkurangan. Apakah ertinya merdeka jika rakyat Merempat di negeri sendiri.

Akibat terdesak, ingin material, sebahagian remaja menjadi rosak, mereka meragut, mencuri, menipu untuk mendapatkan wang. Johor sudah tidak selamat lagi. Pendidikan agama secara significannya telah terhakis. Jenayah berleluasa.

Tidak lama dulu rakyat Johor begitu marah apabila bekas presiden Singapura Lew Kwang Yu mengatakan Johor adalah bandar 'koboi' yang penuh dengan. jenayah. Pemimpun UMNO Johor mengaum...cuba menunjuk lagak..tidak seberapa lama kemudian memohon maaf. Hakikatnya apa yang dikatakan oleh bekas presiden Singapura itu adalah benar. Baru-baru ini rakyat memberontak, tidak tertahan dengan jenayah yang kian menular, endemic..menjadi penyakit kanser yang tidak lagi dapat dielakkan.

Kita tidak mahu phenomena Pak Kaduk tertawa tetapi kampungnya tergadai. Tergadai disebabkan ketololan pemimpin UMNO.

Unknown said...

Assalamualaikum,
Saya cuba mencari emel tuan t/tapi tak berjaya...saya cuba berkongsi artikel oleh Prof Taha Dlm ISNA.net spt alamat di bawah

http://www.isna.net/services/library/papers/fiqh/FiqhofMinorities1.html

tq
arman64bash@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

For a society to be prosperous as a whole, there has to be stability, and stability only comes when people see a better life ahead and a reduction in poverty. This is especially true when poverty is associated with a racial or religious group or country (for example, the US).

The roots of our success as a nation lie in our political stability. While this should not come at the expense of democracy, freedom of expression and transparency, it should certainly have as its goal, the alleviation of poverty.

The fundamental and admirable goal of the NEP was the alleviation of poverty associated with the redistribution of wealth. Most socially liberal people like myself have always leaned in favour of redistribution of wealth.

I have met very few people indeed that really object to the NEP being used to help lift the very poor from the kampung out of poverty and into modern society. However, most people I know object to the NEP as a vehicle for the already well off to get even richer.

Now Sabah has arguably more natural resources than peninsular Malaysia but Umno does not seem to be interested in articulating the equity case for the Kadazans and the other indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak as vehemently as it insists on bumi rights.

If an international panel of eminent sociologists, historians, economists and anthropologists, was formed to examine the bumi case, I sure that they would find it extremely difficult to justify it in the form peddled by Umno.

Indeed the panel might even say that the ethnic Indians and the poor urban Chinese have a better case for affirmative action benefits. Many of the affirmative action schemes have been transformed into racketeering ones with parasitic cronies traveling along the Ali Baba highway to become millionaires.

In consequence, the poor of all ethnic groups are more marginalised than ever. Also, not a few of these schemes have engendered a colossal waste of public funds contributed by taxpayers.

It behooves Umno to realise that other races also exist; that they too aspire to better their standard of living especially the poor non-malay bumis in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak.

Another serious question Umno, or its president Badawi should address is the question of ownership. Umno is still quarrelling that they only have 19 percent of the nation's economic cake.

But they never ask how much is owned by the Brunei, Iban, Kadazan, Kedayan, Orang Sungei, Orang Ulu etc, communities? Did Umno ever give shares to these groups of minority non-malay bumis? For instance, how many scholarships have been given by Petronas to non-malay bumis?

Umno or anyone else, not even a superpower, can stand-alone without depending on others. Umno, like everyone else is only a tiny part of the bigger whole, to which everyone must belong. Don't think that Malaysia belongs to Umno, much less the world.

So Umno, don't be too egoistic, think of others too so that you will get a better and balanced perspective. The world is not about Umno only. It is about every individual that occupies and lives in this world. We are all interdependent. Let us wake up to that reality.

Look at the leaderships both in Sabah and Sarawak. They have all made money for themselves at the expense of the rakyat and Umno continues to condone this. With chief ministers and others who spend millions at casinos - what can we expect?

For Umno Youth to cry for NEP revival without considering factors like transparency and accountability as its key indicators highlights their moral bankruptcy. Why did they not make the battle against corruption one of their major issues as this would have placed immense pressure on the government to act. Perhaps, the obvious fact remains that you need clean hands to take on such an issue.

What have the Sabahans and the Sarawakians got, the people at the grassroots level? Have their standards even in terms of education improved? We talk so much about Vision 2020 and the Malaysian spirit. The fact remains that unity is only as strong as the weakest link.

With the press under control and the Anti-corruption Agency beholden to the politicians, there is too much selectivity in the way issues are handled. Open up and you will find that there are enough Malaysians who will give you information about all the underground activities that are going on in various government-linked companies.

It is time that Dr Mahathir understands what he had done in providing economic progress without matching this with adequate openness, with regards to checks and balances, and space for democratic exchange.

Unless the government opens up, we will continue to be exploited by the greed of those in the administration. Come on, get real. The world is not only about Malaysia and Umno.

Anonymous said...

Malaysia has gone to the dogs. Not a day goes by without some report in the national dailies on the occurrence of armed robberies, bloody gang fights, child abuses, cold-blooded murders, gang rapes, road rage and snatch thefts.

And I don't think the government of Badawi is doing enough to tackle this social malaise. But to be fair to the prime minister, he had inherited these social ills from his predecessor, and one just cannot expect him to stamp out the problem in a matter of three or four years.

Back to the dogs. Some time ago, a young woman's body was found in a box. Some time ago, a young woman was walking back from work at night when she was shoved into a car and taken to a bungalow where she was allegedly gang-raped by some Africans.

Sound familiar? Remember the girl who was raped and then killed by the bus driver after a terror bus ride? There are countless others whose names I can't recall, but the graphic images of the violence perpetrated against these victims remain. And of course, the case last occasion of the young woman who raped and killed while out jogging.

Well, it is more than just fate. Fate is just an explanation for those events that led one to being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But what caused the brutal murder?

The two decades under Dr Mahathir saw rapid economic development. Spanking new highways were built, crisscrossing the country, the world's tallest buildings were built; new factories mushroomed overnight; illegal immigrants arrived in hordes; foreign direct investments flowed into the country, while the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange was turned into a virtual casino. Those were heady and wonderful times indeed.

When the stock market crashed in 1997, we cried foul; we blamed Soros for our financial sorrows. Did we blame ourselves? Of course not.

Who cares about ethics or values when you can make money at the expense of others? You want better roads? "No problem, we will give you better roads. Just pay your toll."

But at what cost? It was two decades of social havoc. Money or material wealth became (still is) the new God. Corruption, greed and ugly money, and race politics set in. Religious and social values became subordinated to the new God.

Anonymous said...

For a multi-racial country like Malaysia, the best way of ensuring national unity is through the education process. If students grow up together under a systematic national education process, they will one day end up loving the country more and respecting their counterparts better.

In other words, Malaysians have to be reminded that if they grow up under too many education systems within the national education policy, they shall end up being further polarised among ourselves.

No matter what the government does to bring about national unity in the country, it would only remain superficial and be a mere lip service if our children are still made to feel that they are being alienated by religion, race or origin.

Unfortunately, not many entrusted to ensure an impartial education policy to all Malaysians realise this fact. Some are too zealous and nationalistic in feelings that they only feel for their own kind and that only their group of people should be made to progress better in life at the expense of all other Malaysians.

As a result of this divisiveness in our education system, a case in point that has again cropped up is the university entrance debacle. Firstly, students are made to go through two examinations - matriculation and the STPM - in order to seek entrance into local universities.

Secondly, these two university entrance programmes are unequal in terms of the level of difficulty and duration. In other words, there cannot be genuine meritocracy if two benchmarks are used to gauge students performance - no matter what reasons and explanations the authorities come up with, to justify their claims that there is meritocracy in the system.

Hence, this has caused a lot of dissatisfaction among students and parents. Some feel that they are discriminated against just because they do not belong to a certain privileged class of people.

In the long run, therefore, how are these students going to feel about themselves in relation to the others who are more privileged within the nation? There is bound to be perpetual disunity in society.

Thus, the education system we are practising now, in many aspects has failed to make the people feel that they are all Malaysians - aggravating further the process of national unity……...

All students have to go through the same entrance examination and all should have access to any of the institutions found in the country irrespective of religion, race or origin.

Anonymous said...

Racism is an integral part of the Malaysian socio-political system.

Every year, there are stories of non-malay students with straight As who cannot attain scholarships or gain admission into local universities because of the racially discriminatory quota system.

Clearly, any affirmative action should be directed at the impoverished and marginalized communities such as the Orang Asli and all other communities in need - irrespective of their ethnicity. It is widely acknowledged especially by the ethnic minorities in Malaysia that the issue of racial discrimination and racism is the most critical yet unresolved problem in Malaysia society.

Today it is clear that beneath the normally tranquil surface of Malaysia society, dangerous tension and the potential for violence still lurk.

Racism is also rampant in the Malaysia society, although many of us don't realise that some of the words we tend to use are forms of racism. And every race in Malaysia is guilty of this.

With such mindset, it is hardly surprising that violence does not erupt when racial issues are raised. But the solution is not the ISA or banning the public from talking about it. The key once again falls to education.

Without any effort to educate the public, how else does the government hope that the attitude and mindset of Malaysians are ever going to progress beyond racism and begin to learn to accept - not tolerate - each other differences?

We have to learn how to communicate without needing to insult each other because the differences of our skin color.

Although racial acceptance and integration takes time, steps have to be taken now, in view of the fact that racial polarisation has only worsened in recent years. The situation will only improve if we continue to lobby the government to change its policies such as the race-based affirmative action to a policy based on income brackets.

This is to ensure that only the most deserving people are given special privileges and it should not be provided only to the malays.

There are poor people from every race. It is illogical and unfair to continue to provide support to those in the middle and upper classes of our society over those in the lower income group. It is also obvious that if the minorities were the only people to lobby the government, the dream of racial equality would remain as it is - a dream.

Even the government must see that good reforms are viable and necessary for the future of this country and its people. Have we Malaysians got our priorities right?

To attract successful Malaysians from abroad, high pay and incentive were generously offered yet there were few if no takers. Instead of luring home those from abroad (most of whom left because of the unfair system which still exists), wouldn't it be better to offer scholarships to deserving cases irrespective of race, with a bond to serve upon graduation?

And if our government is prepared to offer lucrative pay and tempting incentives, why can't it liberalise its system of promotions to encourage deserving people to stay on? In a few years time, we would have enough doctors, engineers, scientists and so on.

I can understand Barisan Nasional's reasons for continuing their self-serving policies, but by going along and not complaining, I get the impression most of us have also lost our common sense.

Anonymous said...

Our former premier Dr Mahathir has gone against strong criticisms to push through the national car project. The idea was commendable but the eagerness to show the world our capability as soon as possible proved to be short sighted.

The Proton adviser must have been miffed to see that after 20 years of government protection, the national car cannot compete with foreign models which have a better quality and a cheaper price.

Take note that Hyundai, now a respected name in Asian car manufacturers, started making its first cars, the Hyundai Pony, around the same time as Proton, and was also ably assisted by Mitsubishi during its early years.

Compare what this Korean upstart has achieved in the same time as Proton was allowed to lay languid behind protectionist taxation policies that priced the competition out of its market.

Hyundai is already producing not one, but two engines of its own design, has a model line-up that any manufacturer would be proud of and sells its cars successfully in the largest car market in the world - the USA.

We seemed to be more interested in form rather than substance in most of our endeavours, like tallest buildings (even if one is empty), more graduates (even if they still need lessons in English and other employable skills), a Formula One race track (even when we did not have a driver yet) and so on.

Brand name, like respect, has to be earned.

At times, I felt wrongly treated but gradually, I've taken it as fact of life. Over the years, I felt sorry for my father, a blacksmith for financially supporting my education through his hard work.

I wish to take the courage to voice out this is our 'tanah air' too. We have the right to be treated fairly regardless our skin color, religion or belief. When I studied in secondary school, I gave tuition classes to children from a rich family. I could easily tell them even with my young mind, that wealth has nothing to do with your origin.

During my work experience in Singapore, I found out that every employee in our company came from Malaysia, including our CEO. They had found a place where they could compete on equal grounds.

We cannot escape from the fact that the brain drain stemming from the lack of meritocracy is a factor to where we are today.

While I digress, our policy of luring Malaysian scientists back seems like a big joke. Time and again, for over 30 years, we overlooked Malaysians with potential because of the ugly race factor. After they made their name overseas, we want them back, offering extraordinary packages.

The real culprit for our foreign labour problem is productivity. Without higher productivity, there is no way one can start to move away from cheap labour.

A more productive general economy in specific sectors cannot only afford but also demand higher wages for services including for menial jobs.

However, without higher productivity in general, demand would be lacking and increasing wages would only lead to economic stagnation or destruction of those sectors.

NEP is the biggest drag on productivity in this country. It is the core of problem with subsidies, low labour productivity, low investment in higher productivity activities, addiction to cheap capital and its overemphasis on capital investment.

If you want to go to the crux of it, then the real truth is that our politicians are incapable of solving our productivity problem because of their politics. What that means is that the racial equation of our economy is a drag on its productivity.

Without that productivity, there is no way to end the addiction to foreign labour and the longer the drag is there, the worst the situation becomes just to keep the economy going.

Anonymous said...

The national parade will extol the greatness of nation history over these past decades.

But we need to create the space and the time for some serious discussions. It is about time that the nation stops to reflect in silence and prayer about the destiny of this tiny nation of 26 million citizens.

Over the past years, we have done well. Our development has brought great progress in terms of super structures, facilities, economics gain and amenities.

But lately, we are beginning to realise that despite all the progress we have attained, the country appears to be wallowing in a third world mindset and its many traps.

The on-going political fracas is not adding any solutions to the hour. While other regions are seriously battling the challenges of globalisation, we seem to be burning precious times and resources in slugging it out as to who is more right.

While the world appears to be divided on religious lines, we are unable to stand out as a beacon for all, given our more than four decades of experience as a multi-religious and multi-racial community. Instead we seem to be wasting too much time and energy debating on parameters that will only divide us further.

Our social fabric does not reflect the colours of material progress the nation has achieved. We litter, we hog the roads and break the laws. We cheat on the weights and quality of produce.

Reading is at an all-time low now so much that the cabinet has to address it. We do not spend on books and the prices are not getting any cheaper.

Our education system never seems to get out of its web of problems. The fact that tuition is moving ahead in a big way across the nation is a manifestation of how serious the problem is.

Our national drug problem has escalated to the tune of having some two million addicts. The rehabilitation centres are bursting at their seams. Snatch thieves and robbers are having a easy get-away while the citizens spend huge amounts on all kinds of security devices to the point, that we now live in homes barricaded with padlocks with metal grills from entrance to ceiling.

Corruption is taking on a new cloak. Traders shortchange. Imitation goods are going up in sales. Employees cheat on time. CD pirates thrive. Builders cheat on material quality.

We therefore need to ask: What good is all this so-called roads and buildings, infrastructure, developments, if our society has not matured in tandem with the growth? Of what greatness is our long history of peace if we are not able to go beyond the realms of religious tolerance?

What pride can we really take in the fact that the nation is a multiracial one when our politicians still sing along racial divides and we still call ourselves Malay, Indian, Chinese, or 'others' instead of Malaysian?

Let not our golden jubilee next year continues as another mere window-dressing.

Anonymous said...

The New Economic Policy (NEP) supplemented the 15 years special privilege provision enshrined in the Federal Constitution of Malaya. Having used up 13 years of the 15 years privilege provision, Umno asked for another 20 years to implement NEP.

The understanding then was at the end of 20 years in 1990, there would neither be the NEP nor the special privileges provision. Malaysians would all be equal.

That was a promise given by Umno leaders, and the component parties naturally thought that succeeding generations of Umno leaders would keep to the promise of the founding fathers.

It was raise malay equity to 30 percent of the national equity but it only achieved 19 percent. So why does the Umno Youth push for implementation of a failed policy?

That generation of leaders who framed the NEP had been more upright in setting a time limit of 20 years to implement a policy which they knew was biased against, and unfair to the non-malays.

The spirit of comradeship forged by the Alliance government was unfortunately, not appreciated by the younger generation of Umno leaders who felt that since Umno was the government, it could do what it pleased without a sense of justice and civility.

The question now is can Umno be trusted to keep its promises? Why keep comparing the income level between the races when the most fundamental issue is to offer help where necessary so that all the citizens can live happily?

We are already losing the competitive edge with the emergence of China and India as significant Asian markets in the 21st century. And looking at it based on the Approved Permits (APs) issue, I notice a pattern that indicates an abuse of the NEP with more than 25000 APs issued to three individuals.

The national education policy is changed according to the whims of the ministers concerned. People at the top just make decisions without considering the students. Several years ago, a basic degree programme could only be completed in four years. Currently it is three.

The rationale given by the authorities is that it is important to increase the number of graduates. Universities therefore become factories churning out mass numbers of graduates. Malaysia today needs high quality graduates, not a high quantity of graduates.

The NEP has been a convenient tool for producing Umno-only champions. That is the route to riches and power. Unfortunately, it is not the path to become a global malay.

It is foolish to deny that the racial undertones at the meet did not cause a measure of alarm among the non-malays in our country.

Why is it so hard to face facts? Why not just admit that all these hand-outs and demands for more and more quotas and concessions are just a shoddy attempt to enrich the few who are privileged enough to connect with those in power?

When exactly did the NEP and all those well-thought out schemes uplift the malays? When did they actually benefit the malay man-on-the-street? I see the kampung folk as poor as always.

It is a shame that the NEP had only succeeded in creating a bigger gap between the rich malay and the poor malay. Or is it more correct to say the elite malay and the ordinary malay? That is the reality of the plight of the malays.

And I certainly agree that after so many years of independence, it is sad to face the reality that sometimes, the non-malays are made to feel like we do not have a right to call ourselves Malaysians. When it serves their purpose, it is demanded that all of us show our loyalty to our country, whether by words or action.

If we do not agree, then we are told - If anyone doesn't like it, just get out of Malaysia.

Why is it that our government does not see that abject poverty also affects the Chinese and Indians? The marginalisation of the poor and disadvantaged regardless of their race, is simply morally wrong.

Just as there exist a gap between the successful and rich malays, there also is a huge gap between the rich Chinese and Indians and the ordinary folk.

Anonymous said...

It is a pity that after half a century of independence, we still frame our socio-economic and political questions and judgments in ethnic terms. There seems to be a competition to determine which is the most underprivileged ethnic group in order to justify government assistance.

Logically, the highly protected community will lose its competitive edge. It is surprising that our leaders do not seem to understand this and continue with their policies that keep adding new fields to extend the protection for the malays.

This suits the political leaders who think of only the next general election. The division of the electoral constituencies with the type of politics and parties in the fray suggest that they are a smart lot! It is just an art of clinging to power and enjoying all the perks that come along.

That the majority becomes weak and feels that they can't compete on equal terms, despite having the best educational institutions and opportunities for themselves, is just a natural result of our flawed policies.

To make it worse, we have a special meaning for 'meritocracy' in education which leads many to really believe that it is indeed through real meritocracy, that they are where they are.

The system that produced them has lowered the bar so much in order to make up the numbers that they cannot be compared to the quality of graduates of the past or to graduates from other countries today. No wonder they cannot get jobs.

They should not have been in universities and colleges in the first place. They would have been better off under vocational or apprenticeship programmes. The malay leadership of this country has failed them.

Yes, there are underprivileged groups but they span across all ethnic and religious lines. We can identify these groups by income and asset testing and they exist in every ethnic group - Malay, Indian, Chinese, etc.

The enemy is not the 'other' ethnic group. It is the glass ceiling that prevents the best and brightest in our communities from contributing to Malaysia in their chosen area of expertise. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, it is not malays competing with Indians or Chinese. It is Malaysia competing against the best and brightest from China, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and the tigers of Europe.

Ultimately, what matters is that there are no glass ceilings for any individual who has the talent and ability to excel in the area of his or her choosing.

We need to frame our policies based on merit and need, and not ethnic lines. However, this will never happen until we move our political system away from parties drawn along the old ethnic and religious lines.

Anonymous said...

salam.

terkadang-kadang dok pikir gak..bila la BN ni leh tewas dlm PRU?...bgmana pulak bila keadaannya bila mereka berasa hampir tewas dan tewas?...i'Allah aku mgkin berpeluang menyaksikannya berlaku,amiin.

asparagus

Anonymous said...

kenapa la aku dapat PM yang bodo macam ni