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Rightways: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad
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Show of support: Anwar surrounded by supporters as he arrived at the Youth Empowerment Fair at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here yesterday. He called on Malaysians to stop corruption, racism and religious bigotry. — Bernama
(LIVE) Anwar Ibrahim: Sesi Dialog Anak Muda Temu Anwar 2023
Rangkuman Program Youth Empowerment Fair 2023 di Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre KLCC.
KUALA LUMPUR: It is time for Malaysians to unite and back the current leadership to end corruption as well as racial and religious bigotry, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Remember, I need the full support of every Malaysian. It is time for Malaysia to chart a new history.
“No more corruption. Stop racism and religious bigotry. Let us work together,” Anwar said to a standing ovation during a youth dialogue session at the Youth Empowerment Fair at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here yesterday.
Anwar said it was heart-warming that youth at the dialogue session supported his stand.
“When I look at the innocent faces of youth, who were full of support, I’m telling you, you made my day. I love you guys,” he added.
Earlier, the Prime Minister said it was fine for students to be involved in political activism as long as they did not end up as lackeys or staunch party loyalists.
“You want to be an activist? Okay, but don’t be a ‘macai’ (lackey) or ‘walaun’,” he said.
Walaun is a colloquial reference which describes individuals who are staunch PAS loyalists.
Anwar also spoke about his experience as a student activist, which landed him two years in the Kamunting detention centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after he protested against rural poverty.
He said the silver lining in his imprisonment was that he began reading books.
“I started reading books that I didn’t read when I was at university. That is why I got a little smarter,” he added.
Without naming names, Anwar also said a certain desperate leader who had fallen out of power had resorted to manipulating sensitive public issues.
“He also resorted to religious bigotry without any understanding,” he said.
The premier warned that stern action would be taken against those who stoked racial and religious flames.
“For those expressing their opinions, we will protect your rights.
“But those who are playing up racial and religious issues, dividing the people, and instigating violence – I will take stern action,” Anwar said.
Last Friday, after chairing a Cabinet meeting, Anwar said he had ordered security forces to be on high alert against those stirring up racial and religious rhetoric ahead of a planned “Malay Proclamation” gathering that was to be attended by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The gathering was called off after its organisers failed to secure the venue for the second time. They were also rejected for a third time yesterday.
At the dialogue yesterday, Anwar fielded questions from youth in the session moderated by actress Amelia Henderson.
Various issues were raised, and he committed to addressing them, including the monopoly of Touch ‘n Go in the highway toll collection system.
“Touch ‘n Go has operated for more than two decades, and there were no convincing developments in its system.
“We will reconsider the Touch ‘n Go monopoly,” he added.
Other issues raised were the need to improve the public transport system and cannabis legalisation, to which he said he would consider all views.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he wants to put a stop to racism and religious bigotry in the country. -BERNAMA PIC
Saya orang Melayu....but seriously Tun just where are you going with this?
If this is from Muhyiddin...yes. From Hadi? Also, a yes. ....but surely you would have more sense than to invite Malays to this event to proclaim that the Malays "menghadapi kemungkinan hilang kuasa".
I am 75 Tun...and never in my life have I ever thought that the Malays "menghadapi kemungkinan hilang kuasa". Never ever...and it would be disingenuous...maybe even treasonous of you to suggest that the Malays now "menghadapi kemungkinan hilang kuasa". And the only reason for you to want to create these kinds of mischief is for personal political gain. Using race to further your own political gain, must surely be treason because it brings back shades of May 13 and the killing fields that came with May13.
Are there Malays who will be with you in this endeavor to take back Malaysia from the non Malays? For sure there will be.
Will there be Malays who can be whipped up into a frenzy of hate and loathing for the non-Malays to the extent that they will resort to physical violence to put the others in their place - as pendatangs to their Tanah Air? For sure there will be as there were, during May13.
The line between love and hate among the Malays and the others in this wretched country of ours, alas, is so thin and fragile because that is how you have wanted it to be. And all it takes to take racial balance over the edge is for some Malay leader to do what you are doing now....ask the Malays to rally together because the Malays "menghadapi kemungkinan hilang kuasa".
The Malays are not losing political power. *You, Tun M have lost political power. *
The Malays have not lost their dignity.
*You have lost your dignity, Tun. *
The Malays have not lost their self-respect. You have lost yours.
Personally, I am so, so disappointed by the things you have done after you lost your seat and your deposit in Langkawi. And, not only you, but everyone else in your Pejuang has also lost their seats and their deposit in GE15.
So now there is only Putra and PAS left for you to go to. Damm dignity, damm self-respect and damm any trace of self-worth that you might still have left within you. You have now gone crawling to Hadi not to ask for help, but to beg. To beg Hadi to throw you a lifeline to save you from downing - drowning in a pool of political irrelevance that you are already drowning in.
Hadi better help you Tun because God will surely not!
Casting whining and whinging aside, it's time we pull our socks up, put our best foot forward, and show the world what Malaysia is all about.
IT’S time for Malaysia to change its narrative. For a start, our leaders must end the hyperbole of how the previous Barisan Nasional government stripped and looted the country’s wealth.
We generally know enough about the financial crime of the century, the hunt and arrests of those implicated in the cases.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, are facing a barrage of corruption and money laundering charges, and they are expected to spend the next five years in court.
The main character, the infamous Jho Low, and his family, are on the run, and it’s a given fact that the long arm of the law will eventually reach them.
A corrupt government has collapsed, and it’s now coming to a year since the new federal leaders took charge.
Malaysia can’t continue telling the world how we’re a troubled country with a deep financial hole, and neither should we keep contradicting our stand.
We can’t be saying we’re near bankrupt one day, and the next, concede that our economy is in good shape.
The Pakatan Harapan government marks its first year at office in May. So, its ministers can’t still be whining about inherited problems of a 60-year-old government forever.
Many of the current leaders, including the Prime Minister, were part of the system, and in the case of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he was at the helm for 22 years, lest we forget.
Admittedly, an eye-watering amount of money has been pilfered, so, the government needs to retrieve what’s stolen.
Ironically, PH was elected to fix these problems.
Malaysia can’t seem like an attractive business proposition with our troubled nation in full parade, especially when investors have many countries to choose from.
The country’s economy for the next two years will be turbulent, but forming the Economic Action Council is a good start to indicate that we intend to tackle the issues together, with public and private participation.
The Prime Minister has made the right move, but the EAC must run fast to come up with confidence-building measures.
Against the backdrop of a challenging environment for global equity markets and a US-China trade war, Malaysia has continued to tread on a steady economic path. It’s slower than we want to, but at least a recession isn’t looming.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng must continue his positive tones, as he has finally been doing, to renew confidence both locally and internationally.
The idea of revenue through taxation should be canned, but grumblings among the small base of individual taxpayers is ringing out loud.
It’s unfair to keep scrapping for crumbs from these taxpayers. A more progressive tax regime should be in place. Give it a name if necessary, but importantly, a firmer consumption tax is required because it will be fairer. It’s simple, if you don’t spend, you don’t pay.
In a way, it needs to be balanced out since individuals can’t be paying both income tax and consumption tax.
Lim has taken the right direction to keep selling the messages of how Malaysia has introduced policies and measures to invigorate the capital market.
“Our stock market has remained resilient in comparison with our peers in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.
“Amidst large capital outflows among emerging markets and Asean countries this year, the FBM KLCI benchmark index registered a year-to-date decline of 5.8% as at end-November, compared with other Asian markets that have experienced declines ranging from 9.1% to 22.7%.
“And, we are the second-best performing stock market in the Asia Pacific region,” he said recently.
There is other good news which we’ve yet to shout out loud enough for, like Malaysia currently ranking 15 from 190 economies in its facilitation of commerce, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings.
Malaysia’s ranking improved to 15 in 2018 from 24 in 2017. Ease of Doing Business in Malaysia averaged 18.18 from 2008 until 2018, reaching an all-time high of 24 in 2017 and a record low of 6 in 2013, it was reported.
Although we may have lost crucial time, we still have a year to make Malaysia look good because two major events take place next year.
Highlights for 2020 include Malaysia celebrating Visit Malaysia Year, and hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders’ summit, some 22 years after doing so for the first time.
Let’s do it right and make Malaysia proud. It’s not just an occasion befitting Dr Mahathir, but all Malaysians as stakeholders.
The government’s proverbial tale of empty pockets isn’t an excuse anymore. It just doesn’t work that way. If we need to spend, we need to find the money, because we expect a return on investments.
We need to finance-telling a good story internationally, it’s that simple.
However, the lack of momentum to galvanise the nation hasn’t been motivational.
The world doesn’t want to keep hearing our negative stories and neither do Malaysians.
Tell the world we have fixed it and now we’re on the road again.
Come May, and it’ll be crunch time for underachieving ministers.
Everyone invariably tries their best, but those who are unfit just shouldn’t get the nod. After all, the last thing PH needs is painting a picture of a failed administration, but the coalition should be wary of many Malaysians believing the Barisan government fared better.
It’s unfair how some ministers are passing the buck to the PM because they lack the confidence to decide or are just indecisive because the responsibilities of their portfolios exceed their ability.
Visitors to Dr Mahathir’s office have noticed the growing mountain of uncleared documents, which is surely too much a task for anyone, what more a 93-year-old man.
We need to take advantage of the new Malaysia to construct a fresh national narrative which emphasises Malaysia and Malaysians.
There is a need to build national pride over the coming years, one which makes trust and integrity its main framework.
A shared vision beyond 2020 is crucial. Also, to bring Malaysians together and not let race and religion hijack the national discourse.
The question now is, do our leaders have the gumption for this, or will they just let New Malaysia be another piped dream?
By the time world leaders take the stage in KL, Malaysia should be ready to display a new sense of direction, purpose and plan.
Wong Chun Wai
Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 27 years in various capacities and roles. He is now editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer.
On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.
Every bit of money that was borrowed by 1MDB had Najib's signature, says PM
It is impossible for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak not to know of transactions related to 1MDB when his signature was on the documents, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The Prime Minister said he could not believe his predecessor’s claim that he knew nothing about money from the state fund ending up in his personal account.
“Who wants to believe him (that he didn’t know), when he signed (his name)?
“Every bit of money that goes in and out of the first borrowing of RM42bil, all (had) his signature,” said Dr Mahathir.
The amount refers to the total debt accumulated by 1MDB, a fund which was, in fact, founded by Najib in 2009.
“If he doesn’t know, it must be that he doesn’t understand what a signature means,” Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying in an interview with the Malay Mail yesterday.
Dr Mahathir described as “ludicrous” for someone to direct RM2bil to be transferred into his account, while refusing to be informed of the transaction.
“This cannot be. Because I have to sign to use the money.
“To use the money, I have to issue cheques. Najib always assumes that people are stupid,” Dr Mahathir added.
It was previously reported that about US$700mil (RM2bil) was allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB into Najib’s personal account.
In a Reuters report on Wednesday, Najib blamed his advisers and the 1MDB board for keeping the alleged embezzlement information from him.
He said he did not know if hundreds of millions of dollars that moved through his personal account was from 1MDB, and if money from the fund was eventually laundered to acquire assets globally, including yachts, paintings, gems and prime real estate.
To this, Dr Mahathir said the Government had all the information on Najib’s alleged involvement in moving the 1MDB money, and that it knew how much money had gone into Najib’s account.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister disclosed that the authorities had “an almost perfect case” against Najib for embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and bribery.
1MDB had fallen RM42bil in debt since its inception in 2009, and Dr Mahathir had been at the forefront raising questions on it over the past three years. -The Star
Najib: If I was informed about the troubles the fund was in, I would have acted
He does, though, have explanations for the vast sums of cash, luxury handbags and jewellery recently seized from his homes by the Malaysian authorities.
Speaking to Reuters in his first sit-down interview since his shock May 9 election defeat, Najib said his advisors and the management and board of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), had wrongly kept the alleged embezzlement of funds a secret from him.
Newly-elected Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad told Reuters on Tuesday that the authorities have “an almost perfect case” against Najib on charges of embezzlement, misappropriation and bribery linked to 1MDB.
Najib, in some of his most extensive comments yet on the 1MDB scandal, said he did not know if hundreds of millions of dollars that moved through his personal account was from 1MDB, and if money from the fund was eventually laundered to acquire assets globally, including yachts, paintings, gems and prime real estate.
“I’m not party to the yacht, the paintings...I’ve never seen those paintings whatsoever,” said Najib.
“I was not aware of these purchases. This was done without my knowledge. I would never authorise 1MDB funds to be used for any of these items. I’ve been in government so long, I know what’s right and what’s wrong,” Najib said in the interview held at a luxurious sea-facing private villa in a five-star hotel on Pulau Langkawi.
He blamed 1MDB’s board, saying it was incumbent upon them to tell him if something was wrong.
Relaxing in a black T-shirt and brown pants, Najib said he was enjoying golf, food, and time with his family.
The family booked the villa to celebrate Hari Raya holidays together. Najib’s children, including stepson Riza Aziz, a Hollywood film producer, were with him for the week, his aides told Reuters.
Malaysian investigators looking into 1MDB say they believe that Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor have amassed vast amounts of wealth and property using funds from the state fund.
Rosmah briefly appeared at the interview but Najib said she would not take questions.
Nearly 300 boxes of designer handbags and dozens of bags filled with cash and jewellery were among the items taken away by police in raids at properties linked to Najib’s family.
Items included Birkin handbags from the luxury goods maker Hermes, each worth up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Najib said the public seizure of handbags and other luxury items created a negative perception but most were gifts given to his wife and daughter and had nothing to do with 1MDB.
“Yes these were gifts, particularly with my daughter’s they were tagged, they were actually labelled: when, by whom,” adding that a lot of them were wedding presents.
Najib said his son-in-law Daniyar Nazarbayev, the nephew of Kazakstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev, also gifted many of the handbags to Rosmah.
“People might find it hard to understand, but my son-in-law for example, he gets Birkin from his source, five or six at one go,” he said.
“His family has got some means, so it has nothing to do with 1MDB if it comes from Kazakhstan.”
US prosecutors have alleged that more than US$4.5bil (RM18.02bil) of 1MDB funds were laundered through a complex web of transactions and shell companies. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has filed several lawsuits to claim about US$1.7bil (RM6.8bil) in assets believed to have been stolen from 1MDB.
Some of the assets sought include a Picasso painting, luxury real estate in South California and New York, shares in a Hollywood production company and a US$265mil (RM1.06bil) yacht, and more than US$200mil (RM800.9mil) worth of jewellery – including a 22-carat pink diamond pendant and necklace.
Najib said this jewellery set was also meant to be a gift for his wife but she never received it.
“And until today we do not know...she says the item is not in her possession,” Najib said.
In the interview, Najib for the first time also spoke at length about Low Taek Jho, a Malaysian financier better known as Jho Low.
US and Malaysian investigators have named Low as a key figure who benefited from 1MDB funds.
Najib said he felt that Low’s connections in the Middle East, particularly with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, could be helpful in pulling in more investment to Malaysia from those places.
But he said he had never instructed Low to get involved in 1MDB, and had no control over what he did.
“I didn’t give him instructions, but he volunteered to do certain things, which he thought would help 1MDB. But whatever he did ultimately is the responsibility of the management and board.”
Malaysia is seeking to arrest Low, believed to be residing abroad, for his involvement in the 1MDB scandal.
He described Low and Najib’s stepson Riza as friends but said he was not aware of any dealings involving 1MDB funds in Riza’s Hollywood production company, which produced The Wolf of Wall Street among other movies.
When asked if he was still in touch with Low, Najib said:
“We have cut off communication again. I don’t know where he is.”
Low’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Najib has consistently denied any wrongdoing in 1MDB. He has said US$681mil (RM2.72bil) transferred into his personal bank account was a donation from Saudi Arabia, and not as US lawsuits have alleged misappropriated funds from 1MDB.
Najib said he had been given assurances from the late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud that Saudi Arabia would be sending a donation.
“All I knew, I accepted at face value that this is coming from the Saudis, from King Abdullah at his behest, at his instruction,” Najib said. – Reuters
Najib: I did not benefit from 1MDB in any way
His say: ‘If anyone is found to be on the wrong side of the law, let the legal process take its course.’
LANGKAWI: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has denied that he benefitted from 1MDB, adding that he believed that the sovereign fund had been created to do “something good for the country”.
“If I knew there was going to be misappropriation of funds, if that was my knowledge, I would have acted,” he said.
To a question if he blamed the 1MDB board for the fund’s troubles, he said:
“No. I am saying as a general principle, if they are in the know that something is not right, then it is incumbent upon them to tell me. It is the fiduciary duty of the board and the management to do the right thing. I expect them to do the right thing and to follow the law.”
He also said that they had no control over what Jho Low – who has been named the main suspect in the 1MDB investigation – did, adding that he could not pass judgment.
“But there are certain things which he may or may not have done. But I am right to say that investigations should proceed and if anyone is found to be on the wrong side of the law, let the legal process take its course.
“No, he was not working on my behalf. All those items he never invoked my name but he did say he was acting for someone else,” he said.
Asked who Low was acting for, Najib said: “You have to ask him that.”
He also said that he had not talked much about the 1MDB allegations because all these things happened out of Malaysia and that there were some “international ramifications” if he were to name certain prominent individuals who might affect the country’s diplomatic relations.
“I would also like to place on record that (his step-son) Riza has done very well – the movies, the box office sales has reached beyond RM3.2bil. So, it is not abusing concern. It is a profitable concern. But source of funding is subject to investigation. I think we will leave it at that.”
On RM2.6bil that was moved into his personal account in 2013, he said with the general election coming then, he had not wanted to get funding from companies as they would expect something in return eventually.
“If I have a source of funding, I could fund the elections and I could also do a lot CSR (corporate social responsibility) work without being obligated to anyone. That was my real intention you see. And I assumed everything was fine,” he said, maintaining that the RM114mil ringgit allegedly seized during investigation into 1MDB to be “genuine donations because the raid happened just two days after the 14th General Election. As president of the party, I had to prepare for the elections, and elections are very expensive affairs.
“Because donations are made in cash in election times. You don’t send cheques during election times, because people want cash. That is when monies are disbursed accordingly.”
On Barisan Nasional’s defeat in the elections, Najib said he saw part of it coming but that he did not expect it to be this catastrophic, blaming it on Opposition’s allegations that changed public opinion.
On the reopening of the Altantuya Shaaribuu murder case, he said the case had already been dealt with and denied that there was any evidence that he had ever met her.
“There are no records, no pictures or witness to say that I even knew her. It was subject to a proper trial and my name didn’t come up during the trial whatsoever.
“I’m on record to have sworn in a mosque in the name of Allah that I had nothing to do with the case.” - The Star
Related :"
Najib’s former aide remanded in 1MDB probe (updated)
Earth-shattering news: The aftershocks of the
general election are not over by any means. Voter turnout declined by
8.84 percentage points from 84.8 in 2013 to 76 this time around.
MOST Malaysians, including myself, went to bed in the early hours of Thursday morning after hearing the news that the Pakatan Harapan coalition of four parties had won a simple majority of 113 seats out of the 222 parliamentary seats contested in the 14th General Election.
It was earth-shattering news that the Barisan Nasional that had ruled Malaysia for 61 years is now in opposition.
The 92-year-old Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has just been sworn in as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia, after having served 22 years as the fourth Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003.
In 2016, Dr Mahathir quit Umno and came out with the former Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to form Parti Pribumi.
The Pakatan coalition comprises Parti Primbumi, Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara. The last comprises a faction that split off from PAS.
Going forth, there will be a period of political crossovers in which each party tries to bolster its majority at the parliamentary and state levels.
The aftershocks of the general election are not over by any means. My preliminary analysis of the published and available data on the elections showed that voter turnout declined by 8.84 percentage points from 84.8% in 2013 to 76% this time around.
Despite this, the total votes cast in the Parliamentary election were 11.93 million, or roughly 671,000 more than 2013. Out of this, Pakatan got 5.24 million or an increase of 1.25 million votes (over the votes cast for PKR and DAP in 2013) to 43.9% of total votes cast.
In essence, Barisan had a swing against it of just under one million votes to 4.24 million or 35.53% of the total votes cast.
In addition to the rejection of the past government on issues that include the 1MDB scandal, three key trends can be discerned from this year’s general election, which was orderly and surprisingly quiet on polling day, since there were few of the usual rumbustious rallies that followed past elections.
The Malaysian electorate has become mature, learning to be cautious and yet bold in voting for change.
First, it was clear that the urban voters swung decisively to the Pakatan coalition. This trend was clear for quite some time, as the urban population increased with the rural-urban drift.
Umno has traditionally depended on the rural vote for its support, but relied on its urban partners, the MCA, MIC and Gerakan to bolster the urban vote.
This time around, the MCA, MIC and Gerakan were almost wiped out at the polls, with the MCA and MIC party leaders losing their seats and Gerakan winning no seats at all.
This meant that the decisive gains were achieved in the more densely populated states in the West coast of Peninsular Malaysia, particularly with stronger majorities in Penang and Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor.
The last was the birthplace and stronghold of Umno, but this time round, even the veteran MP for Johor Baru Tan Sri Shahrir Samad lost heavily.
What was pivotal was the voting in Sabah and Sarawak, which together carried 56 Parliamentary seats and were considered safe “deposits” on which Barisan could rely to carry a majority.
In the end, Pakatan and its ally, Warisan took 24 parliament seats.
Secondly, PAS, the Islamic party that focuses largely on religion, dropped a net of three Parliamentary seats, but took back Terengganu, so that it once again controls two states (Kelantan and Terengganu).
It was clear that the breakaway faction Amanah was not able to draw away sufficient hardcore votes to weaken PAS.
The PAS support amounted to 2.01 million or 16.88% of total votes cast, an increase compared with 1.63 million votes or 14.78% in 2013.
What the rise of Pakatan means is that the urban Malay voters had elected for a change of government and improvements in economic livelihood rather than voting along religious affiliations.
The non-Malay vote, on the other hand, were put off by PAS push for hudud laws and were uncomfortable with Umno’s flirting with PAS on areas touching on religion.
Third, what this general election has done is to bring more new faces and talent into the political arena.
One of the weaknesses of multi-party politics is that under conditions of uncertainty, the tendency was to rely on recycled politicians, rather than experiment with younger professionals.
The new government has the opportunity to engage in generational renewal by bringing in younger leaders from more diverse backgrounds into positions of authority on change at all levels.
Time is of the essence, as Dr Mahathir has promised to stay on as Prime Minister for two years, before passing the baton to Anwar who will be 73 by then.
Nothing would signal more the restoration of the rule of law than the immediate release of Anwar from jail.
To safeguard his legacy, Dr Mahathir has now an unique and historic opportunity to address many of the issues that festered when he was Prime Minister for the first time. If the rule of law has weakened, it was partly because of the controversial steps he took to intervene in the legal institutions in the 1980s.
He needs to strengthen the very institutions that protect the rule of law which he now upholds.
On the economic front, he has inherited an economy that has grown by 5.9% last year, but as the saying goes, the GDP numbers look good, but the people feel bad.
With oil prices back up to over US$70 per barrel, and Malaysia as a net energy exporter, the economic winds are favourable for making the necessary tough reforms.
Cutting GST may be popular, but one has to look closely at the fiscal situation more prudently for the long haul.
How to create good jobs in an age of robotics, even as more youth enter the labour force, is a pressing challenge not just for Malaysia, but throughout the developing world.
On the foreign affairs front, Malaysia will have to navigate between the growing tensions between the United States and China.
Given his feisty style, Dr Mahathir has not been known to mince his words about what he thinks about the South China Sea or for that matter, where Malaysia stands as a leading voice in the South.
In her unique way, Malaysia has voted for a generational change, but with the oldest leader managing that transition. Most new governments find very short political honeymoons, as expectations are now high on delivery. It is always easier to oppose than to propose and implement.
How smoothly that transition occurs will have huge impact not only on Malaysians, but the region as a whole.
By Andrew Sheng who writes on global issues from an Asian perspective.
MALAYSIA’S
poor handling of public finances is a subject matter that has very
often lit controversy. It is not only during the Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak government but stretches back to the days of our new ‘old’ Prime
Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
BUTTERWORTH: Six pledges and 60 initiatives – that’s what the Barisan Nasional will be armed with as it attempts to wrest Penang from the clasp of the Opposition.
In its “Save Penang” manifesto launched yesterday, the coalition listed resolving flooding, overcoming traffic congestion and halting hillside development as the top priorities.
State Barisan chairman Teng Chang Yeow said if it regained power in the state, the controversial undersea tunnel project to link the island to the mainland would be scrapped.
He said further land reclamation at Permatang Damar Laut and Gurney Drive would also be barred.
Teng also announced that areas 76m above sea-level would be declared permanent forest reserves to protect the hills.
On flooding, he said the Barisan would resolve the problem within three-and-a-half years, by installing water pumps and floodgates and implementing a Penang Flood Mitigation Plan.
Another priority was to build 65,000 affordable houses within five years, introduce rent-to-own housing scheme, set the price of a low-cost home to RM40,000 (including a free carpark) and between RM80,000 and RM120,000 for medium-cost units (including free carpark).
The other priorities were listed as economic development, people’s welfare, and tourism and heritage.
Among others, the Barisan pledged to remove toll charges for motorcycles, abolish the water surcharge, provide a special fund of RM2,000 to couples who tie the knot for the first time, provide school bus subsidy to eligible families, provide free parking at council roadsides and residential areas, and allocate RM15mil annually for national-type, religious and private Chinese schools.
The Barisan also pledged to abolish postage charges and other charges for bill payments, provide free water to hardcore poor, reintroduce traffic wardens in school areas, and not to increase water tariff for residential areas within five years.
Thousands of Barisan leaders and members who attended the launch cheered when Teng fired salvos at the DAP-led state government, claiming its leaders made 51 false promises over the last 10 years.
Also present were state Umno chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman, state MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng, state MIC deputy chairman Datuk M. Nyanasegaran and leaders of Barisan-friendly parties.
Teng (middle) getting waves of support as he
launches the Penang Barisan Nasional manifesto at The Light Hotel in
Seberang Jaya, Penang. With him are Penang Umno liaison committee
chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman (on Teng’s right) and Penang MCA
chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng. — Photos: ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
Flood Mitigation plans among BN manifesto
BARISAN Nasional will get allocation from the Federal Government to alleviate flooding woes in Penang within three and a half years if it secures the mandate from the people.
Penang Barisan chairman Teng Chang Yeow, a former state exco member, said detailed infographics would be required to come up with an action plan as well as a drainage masterplan to resolve the problem.
“We have experience in formulating flood mitigation plans in the past.
“From there, we will take the matter up to the Federal Government to negotiate for the amount of funds needed.
“We also have an emergency manual outlining
standard operating procedures for a state to manage when struck by
floods, and this goes in tandem with the Federal Government’s guidelines
to create a clear chain of command.
“We noticed that in recent years, places in Penang that had never been flooded suddenly experienced floods.
“This is due to poor planning, lack of drainage and failure to identify hotspots.
“The people have suffered because of poor coordination and help could not reach them in time,” he said at a press conference after unveiling Barisan’s manifesto at a hotel in Seberang Jaya.
Commenting on the pledge for 50% of Penang island city councillors and Seberang Prai municipal councillors to be appointed from independent bodies, he said the representatives could join the planning committee to give their ideas.
Teng said that although landowners had the right to plan projects, those staying next door could voice their views including objecting to the projects if they were affected.
“But today, planners are not planning.
“Instead, politicians are doing the planning,” he said.
Teng said planning should be lefit to planners with expertise while politicians should only make policies.
'Can fulfil promises'
Teng: Penang will receive more allocation if voted into power
DESPITE being an Opposition state, Penang has received RM2.08bil as allocation from the Federal Government between 2013 and 2017.
Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the amount was the highest among the northern states.
He said Kedah received RM1.76bil followed by Perak (RM1.25bil) and Perlis (RM360mil) during the same period.
“We can fulfil all our promises in the manifesto. The state will receive more allocation if we win the state from Pakatan Harapan,” he told reporters after launching the Penang Barisan manifesto at a hotel in Seberang Jaya yesterday.
Asked why the monorail and LRT projects which were in the 2013 manifesto were missing from the present one, Teng said the people in the state had rejected both projects as Penang Barisan was not voted into power then.
“However, we are open to consultation with the people and those from the civil movements to revive such projects if we are voted into power in the upcoming general election,” he said.
On another matter, Teng said Penang never had it easy during the 22-year tenure of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“Penang was bypassed most of the time when it came to development projects.
“It was difficult for then Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to get allocation for projects in Penang as the funds would not come.
“Dr Mahathir, for reasons best known to himself, did not allocate sufficient funds for Penang and most of the time we were bypassed,” said Teng, who was once a state executive councillor.
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- By K. Suthakar, Lo Tern Chern, and R. Sekaran, The Star
Barisan Nasional Youth volunteers posing for a
group photo at the recent Penang Barisan Nasional manifesto launching
ceremony at The Light Hotel in Seberang Jaya, Penang. — Photos: ZHAFARAN
NASIB/The Star
