Our Thinking Allowed column looks at ‘lawatan sambil belajar‘, political frogs, buy-elections and 1Malaysia. Enjoy!
A classmate of mine always maintains that among professionals, lawyers have the most interesting job. They deal with crooks, rapists, prostitutes, murderers, smugglers, robbers, conmen, kidnappers etc. etc. While doctors deal with sick people and accountants deal with dry figures, the lawyers are doing fun things.
The BN government at both state and federal levels are doing fun things through their endless “lawatan sambil belajar” overseas trips. Under Toyo a “lawatan sambil belajar” trip for assemblymen to Egypt included a visit to an entertainment club to see belly-dancing! Remember, the Umno chap giving the thumbs up sign standing in a pig-sty when a delegation went to study pig-rearing overseas! Then we had an entourage going to the USA and Disneyland — to study what we do not know. Then Toyo’s wife as President of Balkis took all the spouses of Exco Members and Assemblymen on many “lawatan sambil belajar” overseas with funding from state coffers.
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Then a terrified BN packed off some 50 members of the BBC to Taiwan as 16 December 2008 approached. Now Trengganu is sending a large delegation to China to attract FDI. We have trade attaches in every overseas embassy. Is it not their duty to do the needful to attract foreign direct investment?
Political frogs
It is profitable to be a political frog in Malaysia. In addition to the obvious reasons, they get to go places with the high and mighty. Nazri took Zaharin and family to the US for a forum that was a fiasco. Then Najib took Zaharin and his family to the US when he went to meet Obama. Some political frogs are honoured with titles. Hee, a DAP Assemblywoman who defected to the BN, has been honoured with a Datukship by the Sultan of Perak for services rendered to the state! I have no doubt that those who betrayed PKR before the Hulu Selangor by-election are bound to be amply rewarded. If they are in the employ of the govrnment, their rise in the civil service will be meteoric. If a political frog is, say a doctor, he may become the Minister of Health or at the least, end up as the director of a hospital.
Asking the right questions
The Hulu Selangor by-election demonstrated to what immoral and unethical levels the BN can sink to win the by-election. BN wanted a victory by hook or by crook — more by crook actually. Millions were spent to provide the “goodies” — cash, school uniforms, bicyles, food, accelerated land titles etc. etc. It revealed that the BN could not care less about means and ends. To the BN the end justices the means. The BN is not accountable. Indeed, they indulged in the bribery of the electorate in an open and transparent manner! The EC does not take action and so the BN indulges in corrupt practices with impunity.
Let us take two examples of gross negligence and dereliction of duty. The BN has held the Hulu Selangor seat for more than 50 years. MIC MP Palanivel held the seat for four terms. The Tamil school has been in a terrible state of disrepair for a long time. Only now it has been supplied with piped water. Where did all the money for the so-called development go? Who siphoned off all the money for over fifty years? What did the BN MP do for the constituency?
Next, the photos of the condiiton of the Chinese school would break anybody’s heart. Where did all the money in the form of school grants go? What was the BN MP doing all these years? Did the MCA not know about the condition of the school? What meaning does the mantra that MCA protects the interests of the Chinese have?
Dear Malaysians, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening day by day. The money meant for the poor Malays, Chinese and Indians is not reaching them. Ethnic-based political parties like Umno, MCA and MIC create what is seen as opportunities for crooked politicians to masquerade as champions of their respective ethnic group and hijack funds to enrich themselves, their families and their cronies. Stop this plunder of the nation’s wealth. Stop it. You have the power to do so.
1Malaysia a hoax!
When Najib announced his 1Malaysia which was trumpeted as the solution to our ethnic woes by the government-controlled print and electronic media, I knew it was a well-designed trick to fool Malaysians. With Umno constantly playing the race card and harping on Ketuanan Melayu, Malay hegemony, Malay supremacy and Malay superiority, how could 1Malaysia hope to succeed?
The objective of 1Malaysia as defined by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap is to create a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself a Malaysian first, and by race, religion or region second.
Muhyddin exposed Najib’s 1Malaysia as a hoax when he insisted in Parliament and outside that he is a Malay first and Malaysian second! Those who had fallen for the BN’s 1Malaysia dishonest trick were stunned beyond belief. The cynics who had seen through 1Malaysia as a force were vindicated.
Najib, your 1Malaysia is a non-starter from the beginning and with you supporting Muhyddin’s stance you can bet that 1Malaysia is as dead as a dodo. Just as well.
Tota
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