RK Anand
Dr Mahathir Mohamad is puzzled why he has been branded a dictator and asks for proof.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who celebrated his 87th birthday recently, cannot fathom being branded a dictator and pointed to others who were more deserving of the title such as Adolf Hitler.
In his latest blog posting, the former premier lamented that such labels, given with basis or otherwise, were difficult to erase and remained with a person for a lifetime.
“So labels are essential in politics, especially those which run down an opponent. Whatever you do, the opponents will not cease using the labels,” he said.
“When I was prime minister, I was given numerous titles. ‘Mahazalim’, ‘Firaun’ and ‘dictator’ were among the titles invented by my political foes,” he added.
Mahathir had been accused of ruling with an iron fist as critics claimed that under his 22-year watch, the independence of key institutions such as the media and judiciary was shackled.
The doctor-turned-politician’s tenure was also marred by the Internal Security Act crackdown on opposition politicians and activists as well as allegations of widespread corruption.
Mahathir had denied the alleged transgressions and claimed that whatever bank balance he had, resulted from his savings.
But what dealt an indelible taint to his reputation both here and abroad was the sacking and jailing of deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.
It is said that the latter’s successful smear campaign had led Mahathir to despise him.
Look at Mubarak
The former premier said that when he is interviewed now, the questions posed indicated that those fielding them believed the labels used to describe him, especially that he was a dictator.
“What have I done that equates me with the qualities and actions of a dictator?” he asked.
Travelling as far as Egypt to substantiate his argument, Mahathir cited the rule of Hosni Mubarak who was accused of massacring thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members and amassing a wealth amounting to US$70 billion.
The former premier recounted that when he was in Cairo during the Mubarak era, streets were vacated for the president’s motorcade and armed troops lined the sidewalks.
“Mubarak’s enemies were not allowed to be political, they were often arrested, imprisoned without trial and eventually vanished. During the 30 years that he was president, the post was never contested by anyone else and he obtained 99% of the votes.
“There was no press freedom nor freedom of expression… Mubarak could elect anyone to be a minister and terminate their services whenever he wanted,” Mahathir added.
The former premier also listed the names of several other dictators such as Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Ferdinand Marcos, Nicolae Ceauşescu, Muammar Gadaffi and Saddam Hussein.
“I want to know from the visitors to my blog, what is it that I have done as prime minister which can prove that I am a dictator,” he said.
Some people commands zero respect from the transparent, democratic parts of the world. Often the mere appearance or utterance of someone can be nauseating, especially someone detested in the international community; self-aggrandizing, super-racist, boosts apartheid, with no consideration for human-rights & equality. How can one race have special privilege? All citizens are equal in a democracy and in the eyes of God. Corrupt Malaysian leaderships cannot attract men of integrity; neither can they enact & foster laws to maintain high moral standards, transparency, performance & success in governments like leaders in of NZ & Singapore. Alan Newman, NZ
Comment by Alan Newman. NZ — July 20, 2012 @ 9:16 PM |
14/2/2011 Financial Twitter: … But if you think Hosni Mubarak is the richest man on earth, wait till you hear what has former dictator Mahathir Mohamad plundered. ….Using the same rule of thumb that Mubarak “earned” about US1 billion to US2 billion annually, Mahathir’s wealth easily top US$22 to US$44 billion over his 22-year of iron-fist rule. However Malaysia has more natural resources than Egypt and economically, Malaysia is richer although not necessary less corrupted than Egypt. Just like Egypt, corruption in Malaysia is so entrenched that every institutions are tainted – from the monarchy, judiciary, executive, legislature to the lowest ranking policemen on the street. Hence Mahathir is easily worth more than that.” Why do you think Mahathir’s sons are directors of 200 companies and drive some of the most expensive cars in the world? eg the Ferrari Enzo & the RM5.5million Bugatti Veyron…
Comment by Alan Newman. NZ — July 20, 2012 @ 9:12 PM |
What has the ex-Malaysian PM got, to be proud of? Has he left a Malaysian legacy respected, successful and uncorrupted like his next door Singapore? True religion, humanity and morality have no room for plunder & racism. It’s only him glorifying himself, the World Community hasn’t a rice grain of respect for him. Lim Guan Eng is many times more admired. Malaysia has neither transparency (non-corruption) nor real human rights, neither freedom of the media nor true democracy. The blacks are only 14% of US population, if Obama can be US President, a Chinese or Indian can be a Malaysian PM…think about it! How tragically you’ve been treated.
Comment by Alan Newman. NZ — July 20, 2012 @ 9:09 PM |
After Mahathir, African Apartheid is rampant in Malaysia. It has neither transparency (non-corruption) nor real human rights, neither freedom of the media nor true democracy. eg: 99% of National Oil Petronas’ staff are Malays (only 50% of the population – Wikipedia). ‘Bumiputra’. How can a race be treated superior to another, especially when they work the least. The crime of apartheid is defined by the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as inhumane acts of a character similar to other crimes against humanity” committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.”
Comment by Alan Newman. NZ — July 20, 2012 @ 9:07 PM |
He will be remembered as one who presided over the period that brought astronomical corruption, nepotism, financial losses, racism and apartheid to Malaysia. Some politicians are righteous, infallible, great and God-like…only in their own distorted & deranged minds. From an impartial, democratic, transparent 3rd country. We see too clearly. Let me ask him & UMNO leaders, with their undemocratic antics and multi-billion squander and losses, how long would he and UMNO leaders last in US, UK, Can, Aus & NZ before being brought to court? 55 years or 5 weeks?
Comment by Alan Newman. NZ — July 20, 2012 @ 9:06 PM |
Father of Corruption / Mahathief / Mahadog / Fake Malas … all can fit
Comment by tigeryk — July 19, 2012 @ 7:59 PM |
If he ever maintain a diary of what he did all those years and days, slowly read through the lines, honestly he will find out the meaning of the word “Dictator”, then slowly think of the impacts and consequences of his ruling tactics on today Malaysia and general society problems, not difficult at all to find explaination to the meaning of Dictator. He planted too many BAD TREES that we tasted the bad fruits today.
Let us believe one thing for sure, Malaysia will be cured and healed, the evils and devils will all be sent to their deserved destination
Comment by Anak Malaysia 2020 — July 19, 2012 @ 3:33 PM |
Mamak, if you don’t no what is meaning of dictator, let me explain to you. A dictator means this bastard controling everything by himself, do what ever he like, against the law of country, 3 portion of power of our perlembagaan is under this bastard hand, just like you when you are PM last time. No neccessary to be as bad as Hitler or Saddam Hussuen. At least you are smartter then all other dictator, because you know how to cover your back side, not easy for those normal people to identify. But, today is different. All bad things that you have done to this country will be expore out after PR take over Putrajaya. Please enjoy your life for another few more months, then we visit you in Penjara Pudu !!!
Comment by Mike- Johor — July 19, 2012 @ 1:51 PM |
LINKS TO INFORMATION ON HOW MALAYA USED SABAH & SARAWAK OIL & GAS MONEY
22 July 1963 is supposed to be Sarawak’s Independence Day but by 16 September it was annexed into Malaysia under Malayan rule. The British like to look good despite many sly dirty tricks to cheat colonial subjects everywhere. So we remained a colony.
The Malayanization (instead of Borneonization) process began right away and by 1974 the Petronas Development Act was passed to seize control of Sabah and Sarawak oil.
Sabah CM Harris Salleh and Sarawak CM Rahman Yakub and dirty nephew Taib were the traitors who signed away our oil rights.
As a reward- they may be receiving secret royalties through unaccountable companies getting Petronas contracts. They were “smart arses” and would have asked for something in return (including the freedom to strip our timberland) We do not have the facts- yet.
These are video links courtesy of Reuters on where our money has gone- it may not include money into the pockets of the UMNO members like Mahathir and the abovenamed crooks.
VIDEO on Petronas: link.reuters.com/zav98s
GRAPHICS links:
Map of Petronas holdings worldwide: link.reuters.com/huk78s
Petronas capital expenditures and revenue by region: link.reuters.com/muk78s
Petronas payments to the Malaysian government: link.reuters.com/kuk78s
Comment by ANTI-MALAYAN COLONIALISM — July 19, 2012 @ 12:36 PM |
SORRY Links didn’t appear above
VIDEO on Petronas: http://link.reuters.com/zav98s
Map of Petronas holdings worldwide: http://link.reuters.com/huk78s
Petronas capital expenditures and revenue by region: http://link.reuters.com/muk78s
Petronas payments to the Malaysian government: http://link.reuters.com/kuk78s
These show where most of the oil revenue being 60% from Sabah & Sarawak disappears instead of being sued to “develop” the 2 colonies.
Comment by ANTI-MALAYAN COLONIALISM — July 19, 2012 @ 12:41 PM |
To me, there are no less than two categories of the term, “DICTATOR”, and can be expressed as follows:
1. A dictator is a leader who has complete power in a country and has not been elected by the
people; and
2. A dictator is an elected person through democratic process, who gives orders and behaves
as if he has complete power.
In the Malaysia’s political context, Dr. Mahathir’s iron fist rule for 22 years could also be said to fall in the second category as stated above. He had all the qualities and actions during his tenure of political office that has led him to be branded as a dictator. Not only the political opponents and activists have bestowed
upon him such title but so did many a malaysian having the same opinion.
I don’t have to equate him with other dictators as mentioned in the above article but is suffice to say that he had all the qualities and actions during his 22 year rule such as:
1. He, together with the previous prime ministers, were responsible for the demolition of Sabah
and Sarawak 18/20 points Agreements and the degradation of Sabah and Sarawak into
12th and 13th states of Malaysia, and treated the leaders in both states as puppets;
2. Major cracked down on political foes and activists and even to such extent as to silence the
majority using draconian laws at his disposal;
3. Gross abuses of power and massive corrupt practices which have given birth to nepotism and
cronyism and enslavement of the common people with regards to their psychological and social
needs;
4. Malaysians had been deprived of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly;
5. Advocate of rubber stamp parliament (lower and upper houses);
6. Advocate of racism and gutter politic; and
7. To reinforce his dictatorial rule, he introduced mass i.c. project in Sabah and had myriads of
illegal immigrants issuing with mykads in order to vote for his ruthless regime and a great traitor
to the country;
If the above few explanations do not fit in the dictator’s list, how should we call him then? Authoritarian, Autocrat and or even King Pharoah! It’s good to ponder.
Comment by Justice Lover — July 19, 2012 @ 12:00 PM |
Proton – the crime against Rakyat! (and Dr Mamak enjoying it!)
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“Proton cars – The extra Ringgit you have to spend will be worth it.” – Dr Mamak said. REALLY HUH??????
PROTON CARS
07 Feb 2012 14 Written by chedet Dr Mamak
1. I stopped using Proton cars after I stepped down. I wanted to enjoy the superior quality of the high-end European and Japanese cars.
2. Proton was known for its cheap cars. The assumption is that it can never produce cars of quality as represented by European, Japanese and even Korean cars.
3. The people at Proton are unhappy over this reputation. They feel it is wrong to think that they cannot produce high end cars. It is just that the company policy was to produce run-of-the-mill cars. The Malaysian public expect Malaysian cars to be cheap. Cheap cars just cannot have the quality and the features of the more costly imports.
4. Proton people want to show that given the support they can produce quality cars.
5. The other day I test drove their latest model on the test track at Shah Alam. I can verify and assure Proton customers and Malaysians generally that this new model can match any of the Japanese or European quality cars. It was such a pleasure to drive. A foreign friend who knows cars, tested the car and says it is up to the standard of the up-market cars from Europe.
6. This car uses hot press steel body which is stronger than cold press. It has a 1.6 liter turbocharged engine equal to a 2.0 liter engine power. The engine complies with Euro-five standards.
7. A whole list of feature has been incorporated. This includes Vehicle Seek Lamp, Wiper Auto Speed, Auto side door folding mirror, Push Button Start / Stop, Sensors for Automatic Wiper and Headlamp and GPS Antenna for Navigation System.
8. Additionally it has Impact Sensing Door Lock, Continuous Variable Transmission, Security Alarm System, Immobiliser and Central Locking.
9. The automatic version has Shift Lever with Tiptronic Mode and Paddle Shifter on Steering Wheel for seven gear changes. ABS to prevent skidding and BA (Brake Assist) to increase brake pedal force.
10. There are many others features which enhances the performance of the engine and driveability of the car.
11. There will be several models with less features than I describe. But they are all superior to the other Proton cars.
12. Naturally the price would be higher though probable cheaper than imports with similar features and quality.
13. I believe this is a great car and Proton can be proud of it. Malaysians can be proud of it too. The extra Ringgit you have to spend will be worth it.
14. The car will be available in three months time.
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Proton PREVE list of quality problems found so far:
1.Proton PREVE poor front lower-arm, tayar tercabut after accident:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/khalid88/IMG-20120420-00234watermark.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/khalid88/IMG-20120420-00233watermark.jpg
2.Proton PREVE dashboard button tercabut:
http://s13.postimage.org/re3ey7qlj/IMG_2761.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/afRlh.jpg
3.Proton PREVE poor, shit weldings:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/Raspberrynet/spotweld.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/545183_3792711575980_1222865772_33658222_1464133013_n.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/ericmaxman/IMG_20120418_170545.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/ericmaxman/IMG_20120418_170604.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/ericmaxman/IMG_20120418_170618.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h280/ericmaxman/IMG_20120418_170630.jpg
1st picture = welding pass
2nd picture = welding fail and also QC fail , i cant believe proton QC will release the car like this
3nd picture = welding pass (2nd grade) , welding location abit low and temperature too high
4th picture = welding fail send back for repair , that why you see 2 time welding on the same place.
judging from the photo it shows that:
1. yes it is spot weld, nothing wrong with that.
2. the quality of spot weld is not acceptable by JIS body shop standard (pre assemble the metal part before send for paintworks)
3. 1 of the photo clearly shown misalignment of the 2 panels, should the panels involve mechanical movement, ie window glass railings, this may distort the movement thus case premature power-window issues.
4. the poor welding finishing may cause water ingression and develop rust in future (as you can see on top right photo, there might already be some rust mark there)
4. Proton PREVE plastic auto gear knob cracked easily:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7090/7321438418_382f52372e_z.jpg
Notice the plastic latch….it is to hold the cap…circled red
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7321438792_77494dbc61_z.jpg
This is the cap. check out the plastic. Very thin right? It broke then the whole cap came out…
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni2KKucrL5A
5. Proton PREVE side mirror folding problem (breaching window):
http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa437/freaz89/Photo8-06-12195145.jpg
6. Proton PREVE power window design problem (again as usual!!!!):
Notice the power window carrier wall become ‘bumpy’ / kembung upon winding up and down
7. Proton PREVE angry buyer with sticker:
Kalau tak mampu buat kereta berkualiti tutup saja Proton
http://static.lowyat.net/uploads/attach-57/post-21857-1342147816.jpg
http://static.lowyat.net/uploads/attach-57/post-21857-1342147755.jpg
8. Tak sampai sebulan Enjin Bocor
http://static.lowyat.net/uploads/attach-57/post-21857-1342147774.jpg
9. GPS rosak tiada penyelesaian
http://static.lowyat.net/uploads/attach-57/post-21857-1342147765.jpg
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Other Proton models problems:
List of Proton problems complaints from Aduan Rakyat:
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/category/kenderaan
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/proton-persona-baru-mengalami-masalah-ecu-box
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/kerosakan-serius-pada-proton-persona
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/proton-saga-flx-enjin-mati-secara-mengejut
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/kerosakan-enjin-cvt-saga-flx
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/masalah-enjin-campro-proton-saga-blm
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/masalah-enjin-kereta-proton-saga-blm-mula-rosak-setelah-dua-bulan
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Kerosakan serius pada Proton Persona
January 16th, 2012 |
http://www.aduanrakyat.com.my/kerosakan-serius-pada-proton-persona
Di sini saya ingin melahirkan rasa tidak puas hati yang amat-amat sangat kepada Proton dan seluruh pihak yang berkenaan. Untuk pengetahuan, saya baru sahaja membeli Proton Persona H-Line (full spec) tapi setelah saya membeli kenderaan tersebut, hanya beberapa kali sahaja dapat digunakan.
1700 km : Kerosakan pertama telah berlaku dimana kenderaan telah mengeluarkan pelbagai bunyian serta keroasakan pada brek dan penjimatan minyak. Hasilnya, terpaksa tinggal beberapa hari dengan penyelesaian yang diberikan kononnya kereta lain pun mengalami masalah yang sama. Juga telah ditipu oleh Pusat Servis Mutiara Damansara (3S center kononya yang perkhidmatan macam hampas) kononnya telah menukar dashboard tapi sebenarnya tidak.
3400 km : Kerosakan sama berulang kembali dan sekali lagi menghantar ke Pusat Servis Mutiara Damansara (3S center kononnya). dapat kembali kereta dengan masalah lain pula yang timbul dan ruang dalaman kenderaan bercalar teruk.
8100 km : Kerosakan sama berulang kembali beserta dengan kerosakan baru lagi yang muncul dan tidak dibaiki tetapi ditipu kononnya dibaiki.
10000 km : Hantar lagi ke Pusat Servis Mutiara Damansara untuk tukar dashboard serta barang yang bercalar beserta dengan timbul juga masalah baru.
Boleh dikatakan sepanjang proses menghantar ke pusat servis mutiara damansara, perkhidmatan cukup-cukup mengecewakan dan masing-masing seolah melepas tangan. Tidak lag masuk terpaksa tinggal kereta sehingga kadang-kadang 4 hari untuk baiki.
Berikutan daripada masalah ini, saya telah membuat laporan kepada banyak pihak dan masing-masing lepas tangan. Telah menelefon kononnya Branch Manager Mutiara Damansara tapi tinggal harapan palsu kerana mereka ini takkan panggil balik customer. kalau saya call pun untuk beberapa kali tiada jawapan.
Saya juga telah membuat aduan kepada pihak-pihak yang berkenaan yang kononnnya membela pengguna pun sama juga tidak melayan.
Antaranya saya telah membuat aduan kepada NCC, jawapan yang diberikan asyik sedang memproses aduan tanpa ada apa-apa jawapan daripada mereka selepas itu.
Juga telah membuat aduan kepada KPDNKK juga cukup mengecewakan kerana katanya hanya boleh menerima aduan tapi tidak boleh mengambil apa-apa tindakan.
Yang paling mengecewakan ialah merujuk kepada Tribunal Pengguna dan jawapan yang diberikan tidak dapat menolong kerana nilai harga kenderaan itu sendiri. Saya cuba meminta nasihat daripada mereka namun jawapan yang diberikan adalah sama ditambah lagi “kalau encik nak ambil tindakan pergilah cari peguam, masuk mahkamah”.
Sekarang saya tidak tahu lagi kemana harus untuk mengadu seolah-olah pengguna tiada kuasa langsung. Dimana hak kami? Cuba bayangkan lah, saya terpaksa bayar bulanan untuk benda yang saya tidak guna. Dimanakah Proton yang cakap berapi kononnya nak berikan perkhidmatan yang terbaik? Kerana kereta sayan yang bermasalah, terus aduan saya tidak dilayan dan dibakul sampahkan.
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From Oriental Daily mandarin news (Google-translated), 26 June 2011
Kuala Lumpur — Proton announced that the company will stop producing Savvy, which has been in the market for almost 7 years, claiming that the compact car is tarnishing the company’s image due to the extremely poor quality.
Proton’s Managing Director Dato’ Seri Syed Zainal described Proton Waja 1.8L and Savvy 1.2L produced from the collaboration with Renault as a painful lesson.
Launched in Jun 2005, Savvy is to take over the Tiara as Proton’s new compact car model.
Savvy’s quality tarnishing company’s image.
Syed Zainal admits that Proton’s car have quality problems, the decision to retire Savvy is because Savvy’s quality is tarnishing Proton’s image.
Syed Zainal told reporters when attending 2011 GLC Open Day that retiring Savvy does not mean the model is defective, Proton also will not recall all the Savvy that are sold.
Savvy is using the Renault made D4F engine while Waja 1.8L is using F4P engine but owners of the vehicle has been complaining about the problems that had, today a participants inquire Syed Zainal about the complains, hoping that Proton pay attention to the issue.
Customer complains are decreasing
Syed Zainal pointed out that Proton is not a flawless company but the complains they received for the past 5 years has been decreasing.
He stated that when some Malaysians criticize the quality of Proton cars, it is all based on their own personal impression and rumors, some of them never even drive a Proton before.
He mentioned that Proton cannot be blamed for the problems with Proton cars because all the parts are supplied by suppliers.
“Please do not put the blame on Proton, Proton makes 700 cars per day, that’s 1 car every 98 seconds, we do not have the time to check on Proton parts.”
Earlier, Syed Zainal Abidin in his speech mentioned that Proton will emphasise on “Cheap selling price with cheap maintenance parts” principle to prevent having problems with expensive parts for cheap cars.
He stated that proton has been planning to move the company’s market to foreign country. The target is to increase Proton’s foreign market share to 72% by 2016. Currently foreign and local market are equal.
“UAE, India, China and Middle Eastern country is our targeted foreign market.”
Syed Zainal stated that Proton is facing a shortage of qualified personnels instead of planning and funding when moving to foreign market.
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Our cars are costing us our homes
Food for thought
By DATUK ALAN TONG, The Star, Saturday July 14, 2012
Our cars are costing us our homes
Car and home costs relative to fresh gradautes’ salary
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7566153250_fbae50ddd8.jpg
WHEN I first started my job as an architect in the 1960s, I was on a three-year contract with a monthly salary of RM628. I bought my first car, a Peugeot which cost RM7,724, equivalent to approximately one year of my salary. The car became my reliable companion for 14 years. Those were the good old days, when a car could be bought with just one year of a fresh graduate’s salary.
Circumstances have since changed. Today, for a fresh graduate to own a car in Malaysia, it will easily cost him four years of his salary to purchase a foreign car, and even a local car costs around two years of his salary. If we take into consideration his living expenses and other commitments, it may take him even longer to settle his car loan. Hence, it has left him with very little option but to take the maximum car loan financing tenure of nine years.
In the table illustration below, a fresh graduate in the Washington D.C. earning about RM11,000 (about US$3,500) per month can easily buy a Japanese Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla worth RM50,000 as it is only 0.4 times of his yearly salary.
On the other hand, a fresh graduate in Malaysia earning about RM2,500 per month needs to pay RM120,000 if he would like to buy the same type of car. It costs him four times his gross yearly salary. This ratio is 10 times higher than his US counterpart.
For youths in Malaysia, buying a car is more expensive both in real terms, and in terms of debt-to-income ratio. In reality, it means they have to either purchase a car with lower price tag or commit to a longer term loan to own a car, which cost them the opportunity of owning a home.
This situation requires our youth to choose between buying a car or a house first, and many have committed to own a car first, considering our public transportation system is still in the process of being improved.
Many fresh graduates in Malaysia who start to serve their car loan tend to delay their plan of purchasing a home.
Unfortunately by the time they can afford to purchase a home, be it three, five or nine years later, the price of a property would have escalated due to among other things, inflation, higher construction cost and higher land prices.
While it may be safe to say that their salary would also increase, generally speaking the increment may not aligned to the rate of inflation. In most cases, owning a home will be a huge debt lasting 30 to 40 years of housing loan repayment.
What can be done differently to change the circumstances? Is there a better way for them to financially plan their future? These are questions that Malaysian youths ought to consider before purchasing any big-ticket items.
Let’s look at the table again. It also lists the median price for three-bedroom apartments in the suburbs of these cities. The median price of an apartment in the Klang Valley is around RM300,000, equivalent to 10-year gross income of our fresh graduates. The affordability level is more favourable compared to other Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Thailand. The prices of same size apartments in Jakarta and Bangkok range from RM350,000 to RM400,000, and costing their fresh graduates 13 to 18 years of gross yearly income to purchase a house.
Therefore, when it comes to the question of home affordability in Malaysia, we are blessed compared to our regional peers.
However, there are many factors that contribute to the challenge for our youths to own a house. Two primary factors are the additional financial commitment of purchasing a car, and the relatively lower income level in our country compared to our Western counterparts.
When fresh graduates spend a substantial amount of their salary paying for a car, they are left with little savings to own a house, and their house affordability level decreases over the years as prices rise due to inflation.
Clearly the income level of our graduates has to rise, to enable better quality of living and higher affordability level, which is the current government’s focus to make Malaysia a high income nation by 2020.
Perhaps it is also time to re-look at our national car policy and how it has affected the house affordability level in Malaysia. From the numbers above, it is clear that our cars are costing us our homes.
> FIABCI Asia Pacific chairman Datuk Alan Tong has over 50 years of experience in property development. He was FIABCI World president in 2005/06 and was named Property Man of The Year 2010. He is also the group chairman of Bukit Kiara Properties. (email at feedback @bukitkiara .com)
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — July 19, 2012 @ 11:27 AM |
Mahathir vs the Malay Sultans
By HUZIR SULAIMAN, The Star
In the concluding instalment of the three-part series, Ruling the Rulers, our columnist looks at the outcome of Dr Mahathir’s 1983 standoff with the Sultans.
BY October 1983, Malaysians were becoming aware that a constitutional crisis was in full swing. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1983 had been passed by both houses of Parliament, but the King, under pressure from his fellow rulers, was refusing to give his Royal Assent to it.
The bill would remove the need for the King to assent to legislation, and would similarly do away with the need for Sultans to assent to State laws. It would also take away the King’s power to declare an Emergency and give it to the Prime Minister.
The Rulers publicly rejected these amendments after a meeting in Selangor on Nov 20, 1983. When the public became aware that a storm was brewing, Dr Mahathir’s administration initiated a propaganda war to put pressure on the Rulers.
There took place a “series of illegal public rallies held by Umno in Alor Star, Bagan Datoh, Seremban, Batu Pahat, Malacca, for the Prime Minister with reports of officially inflated crowd figures?.” as Lim Kit Siang would later describe them in the Dewan Rakyat.
These rallies, staged in order to generate sympathy for the Government’s cause, were illegal in the sense that police permits were neither sought nor granted.
Whether or not the crowd figures were inflated by the Umno-aligned media – it is true that they generally reported these events in positive terms – it is clear that the 1983 rallies were exciting evenings, with republican sentiments on everyone’s minds, if not exactly on their lips. One of the most arresting images in Rais Yatim’s Faces in the Corridor of Power is a photograph of two youths at one such rally. They are wearing T-shirts bearing Dr Mahathir’s picture and the words “DAULAT RAKYAT”.
Although the Prime Minister denied wanting to abolish the monarchy, at these rallies “the historical moment of unfolding Malay nationalism was relived as a continuing battle of Malay popular sovereignty against royal hegemony,” as Khoo Boo Teik writes in Paradoxes of Mahathirism.
At a rally in Alor Star on Nov 26, Dr Mahathir declared that “It was the rakyat who had protested against the Malayan Union after the Second World War; it was the rakyat who wanted a democratic system that would enable them to choose their own leaders. It was always the people who had fought for their destiny.”
At the largest rally, in Batu Pahat, Dr Mahathir told the crowds, in a thinly veiled dig at hereditary rulers, “We weren’t born Ministers ? We’re up here because we were chosen by all of you.”
The propaganda war continued, with tales of royal extravagance and impropriety emerging. The Government leaked the fact that they were compiling dossiers on the Sultans. RTM announced they were preparing a year-long TV series on the Rulers and the Constitution.
Yet pro-royal rallies took place too – especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, where Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was rumoured to be responsible for them – and they drew large crowds, although they went unreported by the media.
Upping the ante, the Umno Youth executive council called for the Government to gazette the Constitution (Amendment) Bill without waiting for the King’s assent, effectively daring the Rulers to challenge it in court. Dr Mahathir did not immediately adopt this strategy, but held this “nuclear option” in reserve while behind-the-scenes negotiations continued with the Rulers.
Public opinion was divided over the issue. Rural Malays tended to support the Rulers; urban Malays, while not uncritical of Mahathir’s strategies and motives, were more ready to accept egalitarian ideas.
As for the Chinese community, R.S. Milne and Diane K. Mauzy note in Malaysian Politics Under Mahathir that “One might have expected that, since the rulers and the Agung were symbols of ‘Malayness’ the Chinese would feel little loyalty to them. Paradoxically, they were quite pro-royalty, because they did not really trust Malay politicians. Indeed, they viewed the Agung and the rulers as protectors of their vital interests.”
There seemed to be no way out of the impasse except by compromise – which is what happened. The Rulers agreed to the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 1983 on the condition that many of its provisions were modified or repealed immediately with the introduction of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1984.
The new bill, passed in January 1984, meant that the King could now only delay a piece of non-money legislation for a month. It then had to be sent back to Parliament with his objections. If the King still opposed it in the form in which Parliament then passed it, he could only delay it for another month before it was gazetted as law.
The King could therefore only delay legislation for up to two months before it became the law of the land.
But this principle was no longer extended to the State level: Sultans still needed to assent to State bills before they became law, which was an important symbolic victory. Most importantly for those who feared Dr Mahathir’s supposed plan to concentrate power in his own hands, the bill removed the proposed ability of the Prime Minister to declare an Emergency by himself, and restored it to the King.
Nonetheless, Dr Mahathir saw himself as having won, declaring at a victory rally in Malacca that the feudal system had ended. He had brought his theatrical, confrontational, unapologetically antagonistic style to a high-stakes arena and had, by some accounts at least, triumphed over the Malay Rulers.
He quickly moved to consolidate his gains. Stories had been circulating that the head of the army, Jen Tan Sri Mohd Zain Hashim, was opposed to Mahathir’s approach and believed the armed force’s loyalty lay with the Rulers. Mohd Zain took early retirement. This was followed by a reorganisation of the army and some 500 other early retirements and dismissals.
When the independent-minded Sultan of Johor took over as Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1984, some feared (and some hoped) that royal activism would reassert itself.
As Roger Kershaw writes in Monarchy In South-East Asia: Faces of Tradition in Transition, “From the beginning, the Agong had made no secret of his contempt for Mahathir on the grounds of his mixed blood, calling him, to his face, ‘Mamak’ (a derogatory nickname for those of Indian Muslim ancestry). [?] But Dr Mahathir had proved more than a match for this difficult sovereign. Having got the measure of the King’s essential vanity and exhibitionism, he prudently pandered to it, even to the extent of placing a more convenient Royal Malaysian Airforce helicopter at his permanent disposal?.”
Through this and other measures, Dr Mahathir maintained good relations with the new King, enlisting him in his 1987 move against the judiciary, the effects of which are still felt today.
The Prime Minister’s campaign continued. He silenced the Rulers over the issue of the 1987 ISA detentions; staged a hostile debate on the monarchy in the 1990 Umno general assembly after the loss of Kelantan to PAS; removed the Rulers’ immunity to prosecution following the constitutional crisis of 1992-93; stripped away their flights, outriders, and special hospital wards; and in 1994, with little opposition, finally removed the need to obtain the Rulers’ assent for State laws.
Looking back, we can see how the bars of the yellow silk cage began to go up in 1983, closing in year after year.
Should we find it surprising, then, that after 25 years the tigers within should want to break free? Can we not understand that the Rulers might want to regain what has been lost?
And here is the hardest question of all: without giving up our democratic ideals, in a cynical and disloyal age, can we find a way to let our Rulers rule?
(Huzir Sulaiman writes for theatre, film, television, and newspapers.)
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — July 19, 2012 @ 11:14 AM |