Malaysia has squandered an estimated RM100 billion on financial scandals under the 22-year rule of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, according to a new book about the former prime minister was the heading in Malaysiakini. Its strange to read about the man who is regarded as the Father of Modern Malaysia is implicated with squandering such a large sum of money!
According to Barry Wain, author of the soon-to-be launched 'Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times', direct financial losses amounted to about RM50 billion.This doubled once the invisible costs, such as unrecorded write-offs, were taken into account. The RM100 billion total loss was equivalent to US$40 billion at then prevailing exchange rates.Barry, who is a former editor of the Asian Wall Street Journal, says most of the scams, which included a government attempt to manipulate the international tin price and gambling by Bank Negara on global currency markets, occurred in the 1980s.
So Mr Clean is not clean after all,Aneh bin ajaib!
Politics have no relation to morals - Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Read more in Malaysiakini: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/118340
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Why Islam still is a taboo for non-muslims
Malaysia is not a country that lacks controversies from the Mongolian affair, multiple corruption stained projects, missing PI, dying detainees under police custody to body snatching at the hospitals. One that seems to make the headlines frequently is of conversions of non-Muslims under dubious circumstances.
Today a mother of two claims that she was unwittingly converted to Islam by state religious authorities when she was a child at the age of 7 while residing in a welfare home in Kepala Batas,Penang.
S Banggarma, whose Muslim name is Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah, said she discovered this when she went to register her marriage in 2000 when she was told that she converted to Islam in 1989!
She was born as a Hindu and her birth certificate stipulates that she was born on Aug 13, 1982 to plantation worker B Subramaniam and Latchumy Ramadu. She was apparently converted to Islam before a religious officer representing the state Islamic council in 1989. However, Banggarma could not recall the incident and claimed that she was always praying and living like a Hindu even while in the welfare home.
During the press conference, Banggarma also revealed that she was brought to the welfare home together with two of her elder brothers and a younger sister when they found them sleeping on the roadside in Kepala Batas by welfare officers.
I just could not understand how someone at the age of 7 years would understand about religion and why is that some overzealous religion officer could convert a child who is 7 years old? Is there a promise that if they do so, they are assured a place in heaven?
Until and unless the Muslim community does not stops such an act, the non-Muslim will forever be uncomfortable of Islam and the Muslim at large.
Today a mother of two claims that she was unwittingly converted to Islam by state religious authorities when she was a child at the age of 7 while residing in a welfare home in Kepala Batas,Penang.
S Banggarma, whose Muslim name is Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah, said she discovered this when she went to register her marriage in 2000 when she was told that she converted to Islam in 1989!
She was born as a Hindu and her birth certificate stipulates that she was born on Aug 13, 1982 to plantation worker B Subramaniam and Latchumy Ramadu. She was apparently converted to Islam before a religious officer representing the state Islamic council in 1989. However, Banggarma could not recall the incident and claimed that she was always praying and living like a Hindu even while in the welfare home.
During the press conference, Banggarma also revealed that she was brought to the welfare home together with two of her elder brothers and a younger sister when they found them sleeping on the roadside in Kepala Batas by welfare officers.
I just could not understand how someone at the age of 7 years would understand about religion and why is that some overzealous religion officer could convert a child who is 7 years old? Is there a promise that if they do so, they are assured a place in heaven?
Until and unless the Muslim community does not stops such an act, the non-Muslim will forever be uncomfortable of Islam and the Muslim at large.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Our Country's Best
Recently I received a mail from a friend which depicts how our top SPM Malaysian student fared in their University examinations overseas! Nur Amalina Che Bakri sponsored by Bank Negara Malaysia to do A-levels at the Cheltenham Ladies College and study medicine in the United Kingdom failed her second year medical study at the University of Edinburgh. What went wrong?
While passing and failing examination is part and parcel of a student’s life, yet this case is particularly alarming, as this student is supposed to be top echelon. I am not sure if this is an isolated case as I hear many among the JPA's scholars have failed either in their first year or the second year or eventually unable to complete their studies and return home! What possibly could be the reason? Is it because of their command of the English language or is that our school system do not produce quality students?
If the students who scores a number of distinctions (A's in Malaysia) in a public exam shoud be able to cope with the tertiary education anywhere in the world considering that they are top notch students from Malaysia. If Malaysia continues to embark on projects of the tallest and the biggest or just focus on plain numeric superiority instead of to challenge the students to think, provoke them to create their own opinions, there can never be an international leader in any field or industry emanating from Malaysia. If the present system could not produce one in the last 20 years I am not sure if it ever in the next 100 years? I doubt the present Minister or the Government have the political will to bring this change! Waste of public funds and by the way we don’t hear of Singapore scholars failing in their studies overseas. Bikin malu sama nama Malaysia! Satu lagi project BN!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Satu lagi projek UMNO/BN II
The STAR quoted that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is now set to probe the RM6bil Ipoh-Rawang electrification and double track rail project, which has a cost overrun reaching RM1.14bil. PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said the PAC was in the midst of determining the scope of the probe and shortlisting those who will be called up in the inquiry.He told The Star yesterday that the double track railway project, which was highlighted in the Auditor-General’s (A-G) 2008 report, was a handful of cases that the PAC would probe.
Asked why the committee planned to probe another project under the Transport Ministry, Azmi said it was not the ministry that was being targeted but big projects which incurred huge losses.“The public is asking questions on losses incurred and we have to do our job,’’ he stressed, adding that the A-G highlighted cases of mismanagement every year and cost overruns but there seemed to be no improvement.
Why is that only now he is doing his job, when he knew that every year it is the same story and by the what what was he doing all this while?
Lets see how the Malaysian government manages multi billion dollar projects;
1)The contract between DRB-Hicom and the Government was signed on April 2, 2001
2)The project however suffered problems which caused numerous delays, resulting in the government terminating the contract with DRB-Hicom and appointing UEM Construction Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of UEM (M) Bhd, to take over the project from 1 June 2005.
3) In May 2006 he government paid DRB-Hicom a sum of RM425mil as compensation for their termination.
4) Another sub-contractor Mitsui had also submitted a claim for compensation for being unable to carry out part of the project because of the delays to civil works with the government settling on an undisclosed sum in December 2006.
So, this is how the government runs "satu lagi project oleh kerajaan BN", I guess may be since the great Mahathir's period, the so called Bapa Permodenan Malaysia?
Asked why the committee planned to probe another project under the Transport Ministry, Azmi said it was not the ministry that was being targeted but big projects which incurred huge losses.“The public is asking questions on losses incurred and we have to do our job,’’ he stressed, adding that the A-G highlighted cases of mismanagement every year and cost overruns but there seemed to be no improvement.
Why is that only now he is doing his job, when he knew that every year it is the same story and by the what what was he doing all this while?
Lets see how the Malaysian government manages multi billion dollar projects;
1)The contract between DRB-Hicom and the Government was signed on April 2, 2001
2)The project however suffered problems which caused numerous delays, resulting in the government terminating the contract with DRB-Hicom and appointing UEM Construction Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of UEM (M) Bhd, to take over the project from 1 June 2005.
3) In May 2006 he government paid DRB-Hicom a sum of RM425mil as compensation for their termination.
4) Another sub-contractor Mitsui had also submitted a claim for compensation for being unable to carry out part of the project because of the delays to civil works with the government settling on an undisclosed sum in December 2006.
So, this is how the government runs "satu lagi project oleh kerajaan BN", I guess may be since the great Mahathir's period, the so called Bapa Permodenan Malaysia?
It is not an oil royalty
Did you all read or hear Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's claim that Kelantan is not entitled to oil royalty for the petroleum and liquefied gas extracted beyond the state's shores as state's waters was defined as waters located within three nautical miles from the low watermark or offshore. So there you go Kelantan and Terengganu, the payment that you receive is considered "Wang Ehsan" or 'compassionate payments' and not royalty.
If Kelantan and Terengganu are not worthy of receiving royalty then how about Sabah and sarawak as the oil production in Sarawak especially, is being conducted beyond the three nautical mile line? So will the government need to change it as ‘compassionate payments’ as the PM has reclassified the terminology!
The possible implication, could be that while oil royalty payments had to go directly to the Sabah and Sarawak state governments, ‘compassionate payments’ could instead be taken over and disbursed by federal government agencies which means that they will be at the mercy of the federal government.
According to the Petroleum Development Act 1974, 50 percent of the oil revenue from an oil-producing state is to be given to that state. I do hope that the leaders in Sabah and Sarawak do something about this or else it means that they are merely rubber stamps of the federal government. May be Sabah but sarawak with its CMS, not sureloh!
If Kelantan and Terengganu are not worthy of receiving royalty then how about Sabah and sarawak as the oil production in Sarawak especially, is being conducted beyond the three nautical mile line? So will the government need to change it as ‘compassionate payments’ as the PM has reclassified the terminology!
The possible implication, could be that while oil royalty payments had to go directly to the Sabah and Sarawak state governments, ‘compassionate payments’ could instead be taken over and disbursed by federal government agencies which means that they will be at the mercy of the federal government.
According to the Petroleum Development Act 1974, 50 percent of the oil revenue from an oil-producing state is to be given to that state. I do hope that the leaders in Sabah and Sarawak do something about this or else it means that they are merely rubber stamps of the federal government. May be Sabah but sarawak with its CMS, not sureloh!
Another bright spot in parliament
Flyovers, including those built along the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) were designed to last between 100 and 110 years said Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor."I might not be around to see it last but based on the ultimate design, the main structure can last for such a period."However, there are things beyond anybody's control like a natural disaster. In Mississippi, USA for example, a very strong bridge collapsed. But as far as the MRR2 in our country, there were only cracks," said Shaziman when answering a question by Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Another idiot Minister in Parliament goving excuses for their incompetencies!
Shaziman added that the government can take action against contractors of the project and it was up to the contractor to take similar action against the consultant.Now you see how the TaiChi the problem! Dai all you fellas are connected on thislah, if one of you fall the rest will fall as well like Domino! Cover up..cover up..just like your PM sounding supriced over the PKFZ scam!
Another idiot Minister in Parliament goving excuses for their incompetencies!
Shaziman added that the government can take action against contractors of the project and it was up to the contractor to take similar action against the consultant.Now you see how the TaiChi the problem! Dai all you fellas are connected on thislah, if one of you fall the rest will fall as well like Domino! Cover up..cover up..just like your PM sounding supriced over the PKFZ scam!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Mamak Speaks Again
Former premier Dr Mahathir today backed the proposal to introduce a single-stream school system in Malaysia, but lamented that the topic was still a taboo. “You cannot even talk about it (merging the three school systems) in this country,” said the 84-year-old former premier, adding that the Chinese educationists were “vehemently” against the idea. He cited
“They must be Chinese first, not Malaysian,”. Mahathir said that only Malaysia has the unique system of having different streams of education as other countries have only one stream despite having large migrant population. He cited United States, Canada and Australia as examples. He also pointed out that even Switzerland, which has three official languages, has an education system which provides for students to learn all three languages in the same school. He went on to say that is the reason why Malaysians cannot achieve unity!
Interesting that Mahathir is taking a swipe at MCA, wonder why? Anyway let’s ask ourselves whether the non-existence of one school system is the cause of disunity among the races or is it due to other reason such as government policies only meant for certain race? If only the government and its leader could wake up and see what they are doing to this beloved country in enhancing disunity! The 1 Malaysia concept will forever be a distant dream as long as this race based politics and partial affirmative policies are not eradicated.
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