最輝煌的「成績單」- 檳州

择录一段刊登在今日东方日报的新闻:

檳城27日訊）檳州首席部長丹斯里許子根博士今日攤開其領導檳州18年輝煌的「成績單」，呼籲檳州選民繼續支持國陣政府，以便享有穩定、持續性及更高層次的發展。

該手冊以實質的數據，簡略了檳州在國陣政府執政下，過去在經濟、基本設施、人力資源培訓、工商業、旅遊業、農業、服務業等領域達到的成就，來讓全民作一個評估. 

許子根說，從經濟領域來看，儘管面對其他經濟強國的競爭，但檳州在過去連續3年的總投資額，也達到超過45億令吉，這是自1980年代后，檳州最好的成績。

他表示，在過去4年，檳州也推展多媒體超級走廊電子城，也積極開拓及推動新行業，如生物科技、醫療器材、醫藥旅遊等。

平衡推動各縣發展  

他說，州政府也平衡推動各縣屬發展，重大計劃遍佈州內各角落，如北海外環公路、日落洞大道、檳第二大橋、單軌輕快鐵等。「這些已完工或即將動工的大型計劃，是檳州未來享有穩定及持續性發展的根基.

他強調， 即使他上京后，也會在中央扮演更重要的角色，繼續推動檳州發展。他是在光大28樓召開新聞發布會時，這么表示。

出席者包括全體檳州行政議員，包括副首席部長拿督斯里阿都拉昔、檳州地方政府、交通道路管理、新聞及社區聯系委員會主席拿督丁福南、檳州公共工程基礎設施及道路委員會主席拿督郭家驊、檳州旅遊發展委員會主席鄧章耀等.

許子根表示，檳州少過0.3%的赤貧率、超過99%的區域水電覆蓋率，這些成就都是檳州領先大馬各州的實質數據。

他舉例，檳州在一項國際研究報告中，被遴選為亞洲254個國家中，居住環境最佳排名第10的城市，這就是國際界給予檳州的認同。

Flying colours

Someone mentioned that a candidate in a general election needs to have the stamina of a marathon runner, the body of a superman , the mind of a super genius and the smiles of a beauty queen.

Sun2surf reported today that Dr Koh Tsu Koon sleeps less than 4 hours a day since nomination day!!

But look at him, he is still so energetic and there is no sign of fatigue at all.

This photo from Sun showing The Penang Barisan Nasional (BN)  presenting its Progress Report Card which showed it passed with “flying colours” in terms of bringing progress and development to the state.

There is no doubt at all that Penang has progressed and developed so much under the CMship of Dr Koh.

Do not bet your future away

Oriental Daily, a vernacular press, reported today that some bookies are already at work in certain constituencies and collecting bets from voters.

As a non gambler,I cannot understand the mentality of these people. They can bet on anything and everything.

Please do not underestimate the effects in betting. This is a sure way where votes can be swung one way or other.

When a person put a wager of a hefty amount on certain bets, he would expect to win and hence he would vote in order for his bet to win. That would become his primary aim. He would also ask his family members and his friends to vote the same way as he does.

Whether that would result in a moron getting elected will be secondary to him; human being human, he would care for his own bet first.

If many people do the same thing and place bet in a similar trend, then it would definitely skew the result. Do not be surprised then that a moron get elected this way.

A voter should realise that his vote is very important. It is about voting in people who would form the government, the policies of which would shape the future of the country. If a group of morons get elected and form the government, what types of policies will there be? Ultimately, the one who suffer will be the people themselves.

Gambling in a casino is bad; but at least the one who suffers is the individual himself. But by betting in an election, not only the individual suffers , the whole nation will suffer as will the future generations.

So I would like to appeal to those would-be gamblers not to place any wager in this election. Do not let the bookies control the way they vote. Think of their own future as well as that of their children.

Gen Two Steps Up

The Star talked about the children or family members either taking over from their parents or campaigning alongside them in the coming general election (Gen Two Steps Up).  However this is not something new as it is a fact that our ex-DPM and ex-Minister of Education are the sons of our past national leaders.  The difference in this trend is that the current phenomenon happens immediately after their parents retired or resigned.  Some children are taking over their father’s seat while others will take on other constituencies.  Daughter-in-law is also emerging to sustain the political heritage of the father-in-law.  Whoever they are it is only wise if they continue to strive in the election to prove their own competence and qualification and not try to win influence by referring to the vast experience and expertise of their parents.  The public would like to see these children as new capable and politically knowledgeable leaders and not the children of so and so.   We hope they will be able to help the ruling government in the execution of their responsibilities in order to ensure peace, prosperity and stability.  In short we want effective leaders not just leaders for the party and government.  It does not matter whose children or what ethnic groups they belong to as long they are the citizens of Malaysia.

contributed by Ong Kin Suan

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A nonracial approach

Following the posting of the candidates list and the announcement in my own blog on the availability of the list, a few readers commented in my blog on the racial makeup of the the PGRM’s list.

I would like to stress that PGRM is a nonracial party and I would like to put forward my own personal viewpoint as to why this is the case.

In West Malaysia, we have race-based parties such as UMNO, MCA, MIC. We have also the multiracial parties such as PGRM (Gerakan), PPP, DAP, PKR…etc.

There is also a religion based party, PAS.

PPP ’s membership consists of mainly Indian members with a sizeable number of Chinese . In Parti Gerakan, Over 80% of its members are Chinese, with the rest mainly Indians, and a small number of Malays and other minority ethnic groups. PKR’s members are largely Malays, with a sizeable number of Chinese and Indians as well.

Many of these multiracial parties stress that they are non racial, even if their membership, due to historical or other reasons, is largely of one ethnic group only.

I would like to think that as long as a party fights for the interest of all races and not a single race, then it should be classified as nonracial, even if the majority of its members is of one ethnic group.

Take an analogy. I am a Chinese Malaysian but I believe in equality of all races, and I have always stress on the democratic socialist approach to tackle social, economic and political woes, and not a racial approach. I have always believe in the principle of a stronger person helping a weaker one, irrespective of ethnic origin. (Helping in this context means giving training and educational opportunities for the weaker ones to stand up and not spoonfeeding). That makes me a true blood Malaysian, and not a Malaysian Chinese anymore. You can call me Chinese Malaysian just to identify my origins, but I am definitely not a Malaysian Chinese.

If all Malaysians can think of themselves as Malay Malaysians, Indian Malaysian and Iban Malaysian….etc, and not Malaysian Malays, Malaysian Indians, Malaysian Iban……. or worse still, Malays, Chinese , Indians Ibans…..etc , then all of us would naturally adopt a non racial approach to things.

So coming back to multiracial parties, it is irrelevant whether the party membership is mainly of one race, as long as it fights for the rights of all Malaysians, it is a non racial party.

Whether its members are mainly of one race, its candidates are mainly of one race….. these are not important anymore.

Using the same logic, it is therefore also not important that out of the three senate posts that PGRM is holding, 2 are Indian Malaysians, namely vice president Dr Vijayaratnam and CC member Kohilan.

I remember D R Seenivasagam, the late leader of PPP of yesteryear. He was an ethnic Indain, but I would say he is the true example of a Malaysian, fighting for the interest of all races and earning the respect of all races.

Malaysian politics is now mainly race based. I believe that it will be a matter of time that a non racial approach be adopted, because only then can we really maximise our potentials and compete effectively in international arena and a globalised environment.

PARLIAMENT & STATE CANDIDATES OF PARTI GERAKAN RAKYAT MALAYSIA

Negeri Kedah 吉打
1	N11 DERGA德卡		Dr. Cheah Soon Hai	New 新
	(P008 POKOK SENA)		谢顺海	(1st time,首次竞选)
2	N29 SIDAM 西塘		Fong Chok Gin	Old 旧
	(P015 SUNGAI PETANI)		方卓仁
Negeri Pulau Pinang 槟城州
3	N14 Machang Bubuk 马樟武莫		Lee Kah Choon	New 新
	(P045 Bukit Mertajam)		李家全
4	N 17 Bukit Tengah 武吉丁雅		Ng Siew Lai	Old 旧
	(P046 BATU KAWAN)		吴秀丽
5	N18 BUKIT TAMBUN 武吉淡汶		Huan Cheng Guan	New 新
	(P046 BATU KAWAN)		范清淵
6	N22 TANJONG BUNGA 丹绒武雅		Chia Loong Thye	New 新
	(P048 BUKIT BENDERA)		谢隆泰	(1st time,首次竞选)
7	N24 KEBUN BUNGA 植物园		Quah Kooi Heong	Old 旧
	(P048 BUKIT BENDERA)		柯伟雄
8	N25 PULAU TIKUS浮罗池滑		Dr. Teng Hock Nan	Old 旧
	(P048 BUKIT BENDERA)		丁福南
9	N26 PADANG KOTA 巴当哥打		Teng Chang Yeow	Old 旧
	(P049 TANJONG)		邓章耀
10	N29 DATOK KERAMAT柑仔园		Ong Thean Lye	Old 旧
	(P050 JELUTONG)		汪天来
11	N30 SUNGAI PINANG双溪槟榔		Looi Swee Cheang	Old 旧
	(P050 JELUTONG)		雷瑞祥
12	N31 BATU LANCHANG峇都兰樟		Ng Fook On	Old 旧
	(P050 JELUTONG)		吴洑安
13	N33 AIR ITAM 亚依淡		Cheang Chee Gooi	Old 旧
	(P051 BUKIT GELUGOR)		章志伟
14	N35 BATU UBAN 峇都乌蛮		Goh Kheng Sneah	Old 旧
	(P052 BAYAN BARU)		吴竟诚
15	N36 PANTAI JEREJAK班台惹加		Wong Mun Hoe	Old 旧
	(P052 BAYAN BARU)		黄万河
Negeri Perak 霹雳州
16	N13 KUALA SAPETANG十八丁		See Tean Seng	Old 旧
	(P059 BUKIT GANTANG)		施天星
17	N18 AULONG 后廊		Ong Teng Boon	New 新
	(P060 TAIPING)		王庭文	(1st time,首次竞选)
18	N22 JALONG也廊		Cheah Chee Kuan	New 新
	(P062 SUNGAI SIPUT)		谢志君	(1st time,首次竞选)
19	N25 CANNING 桂和园		Vincent Hooi Wy-Hon	Old 旧
	(P064 IPOH TIMOR)		许伟汉
Negeri Pahang 彭亨州
20	N34 KETARI 吉打里		Dr. Ng Keong Chye	Old 旧
	(P089 BENTONG)		黄恭才
21	N38 Triang 直凉		Tan Tin Loon	New 新
	(P090 Bera)		陈天伦	(1st time,首次竞选)
Negeri Selangor 雪兰莪州
22	N22 Teratai 莲花苑		Lum Weng Keong	New 新
	(P100 PANDAN)		林永强
23	N34 BUKIT GASING 武吉加星		Dr. Lim Thuang Seng	Old 旧
	(P105 PJ SELATAN)		林传盛
24	N37 BUKIT LANJAN 武吉兰樟		Yong Dai Ying	Old 旧
	(P107 SUBANG)		杨带英
25	N48 KOTA ALAM SHAH哥打阿南莎		Ching Su Chen	Old 旧
	(P110 KLANG)		庄秀春
Negeri Sembilan 森美兰州
26	N21 BUKIT KEPAYANG武吉甲巴央		Chan Khee Voon	Old 旧
	(P130 RASAH)		郑启文
27	N24 SENAWANG 新那旺		Woo Ah Lek @	Old 旧
	(P130 RASAH)		Woo Siak Chee
			胡侠岐
Negeri Melaka 马六甲州
28	N15 BACHANG峇章		Ngo Kim Hua	New 新
	(P137 BUKIT KATIL)		吴金花	(1st time,首次竞选)
Negeri Johor 柔佛州
29	N03 Pemanis 柏玛尼	Lau Chin Hoon			Old 旧
	(P141 Sekijang)	刘清分
30	N48 Skudai 士姑来 (P162 Gelang Patah)	Teo Eng Tee@Teo Kok Chee张国智			Old 旧
31	N51 Bukit Batu 武吉峇都	Cheong Chin Liang			Old 旧
	(P163 Kulai)	张震亮

 

Too many of them?

I went to Singapore on a Sunday recently. I did not see many Malaysian cars driving in to Singapore. Why?? perhaps the stock market is not doing too well though GE fever is in town?

What shocked me most when I arrived at Orchard Road, the equivalent to Oxford & Regent St in London was that I saw sooo many foreign workers, everywhere!

We went to the ladies and I thought that I was in the Philipines! They were very loud, very happy and they were everywhere. One holding Coach handbag which looks so real and I am sure that it is a real one! And they dressed up quite OK-ly that I too wondered if they were wearing their own clothes and holding their own handbags?

And then I realized how fortunate we are, by having the luxury of building our own career in our home country, and still, complaining and comparing everyday. Cheaper foreign labour has not only improved our quality of life, but has allowed for better economic returns on our investments. ( At least many of us can outsource our domestic chores to them and we make better use of our time at our work place).

Perhaps we all should learn to appreciate them sometimes?

DAP ’s folly

Malaysiakini reported that one of the MPs from a opposition party, DAP, announced that she is not standing in her seat because of internal party problems. This is actually not surprising.

By all count, this MP Fong Po Kuan a very conscientious and hard working one and is well liked by her constituents as well as young bloggers all over the country. She would have little problem in defending her seat and her withdrawal has exposed once again the unhealthy internal politics of this particular party.

DAP would have been bigger than MCA if it has not sidelined so many of its capable leaders over the years. It would have been the backbone of the opposition in a 2 party system.

I have lost count of this: Dr Kua Kia Song, Lee Ban Cheng, Lee Lam Thye, Kerk Kim Hock, Sim Kwang Yang, Hu Sepang …..etc etc.

Last year I wrote an article in my own blog on “Shooting itself in the foot”, about how the former Selangor Chairman Ong C K , who is a personal friend of this blogger, was ousted.

In politics, it is often uncommone to see the head of a party becoming dictatorial and sidelining good leaders who are not yes men. By sidelining all these good leaders, the head can avoid diret challenges to him, and by creating factions using the politics of divide and rule, he would have consolidated his own unassailable position in the party. He would then have a free hand promoting his own preferred candicates, including his own children and cronies.

If the top leader cannot tolerate dissenting opinion within his party, how is he going to listen to differing views of the rakyat? I wonder.

I have written previously that :

 unfortunate that in Malaysia, we don’t have many real leaders who are selfless, who care for people or their members more than themselves. What we have are leaders who like to play “divide and rule”, creating factions so that no one faction dominates and so that the top leadership can rule without fear of being challenged. This so-called balancing act results in too much infighting and a waste of energy and resources, which can otherwise be used more productively in analysing national issues or servicing the electorate .

The Star quoted Wee Choo keong, who was also ousted from the same party, as saying that “young leaders should be careful if they wished to survive in the DAP where “selfsih and personal ambitions” were placed above principles and idealsfor the people.

With this type of opposition, it is not surprising that in Malaysia there is no credible opposition even after 50 years of independence; there is really little hope of a 2 party system, which would be ideal in a democracy, emerging in the foreseeable future.

Negotiation in Politics

The 2004 election was based on expectations, this one is based on the prime minister’s performance in the last four years, says a political analyst… Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced the dissolution of the Parliament…

And there we go all out to anticipate GE related announcements and what lies ahead on nomination and polling day.

We had a talk on the upcoming GE over lunch just now and someone asked:-

Do people vote for the party or for the candidate? How do candidates lobby for votes in a short period of time?

Some talked about negotiation skills. Like Gavin Kennedy, a famous negotiator mentioned, that negotiation is a process by which we obtain what we want from somebody who wants something from us. He said that preparation is the key to successful negotiation, no matter what it is about. Understanding what they want and trying to be as specific as possible. That enables you to make a decision of whether you are going to give up on something you have that they want in order to get back from them something that they have that you want. If someone wants to obtain something with your money ( money, time, service etc) and you want to obtain the goods ( votes and support), there is a prospect of negotiation. Whether or not it takes place depends on the temper, the temperament indeed, of the person you are trying to make the deal with.

Gavin claims that the basic rules of negotiation are universal, the same in every culture.

Does the above apply in our General Election?

Is there a space to bargain between the ruling coalition and the rakyat?

People before self

An elected office, such as that of a member of Parliament or State Assemly, is a responsibility and should not be viewed as something glamorous. It should be viewed as a responsibility to represent the people’s interest in either local or national mattes or issues.Politicians, either in ruling parties or opposition, should not view an elected office as something to get power or something to get rich. People’s interest should always come first, and elected office should be viewed as a position to realise the dreams and aspirations of the people, to achieve a liberal, fair , prosperous, clean and competitive society. If they are elected to an office, they should view their mandate as a heavy responsibility which should be carried out to the best of their abilities.

However, in the opposition camp, self interest seems to reign over everything else. First, there were stalemates in allocation of seats among the parties in certain states, and then latest news reports (not in Malaysiakini) mentioned that a local leader blasting an opposition party, DAP, for bringing in 3 outsiders to a front line state, Penang.

I really wonder whether these politicians have the interest of the people in their hearts.

This is the time when we can really see the bad traits of human surfacing. Friends can suddenly become foes; comrades become potential rivals; kniving each other in the back is not uncommon. It is greed, selfishness and personal glory that these people care about and drive these people to such extreme.

If these people care for their own interest so much even before an election is called, do you really think that they will work for the interest of the people when they are elected? I doubt.

If the parties cannot even decide on seat allocations, then how are they going to cooperate if they win the election? One really wonders!

Politicians, whether ruling or opposition, should always put people interest above self. The motto of Interact Club can perhaps be the guiding principles for these politicians: Service before Self.

Maybe I should change it to : People before self!

局外人的珍惜

我太太的一位堂姐刚从美国回来. 已有十几天了。 她去美国已有二十多年, 在哪儿落地生根, 嫁了’鬼佬’, 生了一女, 二十来岁。女儿与男友也陪堂姐一起到来探亲。

我本身最近很忙， 直到昨晚，才得空陪他们吃餐饭。 堂姐5年前有回过来，她觉得马来西亚不停的在进步中， 并觉得我们的生活水准，越来越好， 物质上已不输先进国家。精神生活上， 多姿多采， 远胜于美国。

我告诉他们，我国最近事情多多，人民对政府相当失望。尤其是市区住民，很多可能会在将到的大选中，投反对票。

Michael, 堂姐女儿的男友， 觉得惊奇。 他认为一个国家，在稳定中经济不断的成长，生活水准不断的提高，大部分的人民安居乐业， 这样的政府，相当不错，人民应该要好好的珍惜。 Michael 是一位经济学的硕士，正准备着博士论文，主修的是亚洲的人文经济， 对很多事情，都有独特的看法和论点。

我把我国最近所面对的，也就是我本身最不满的问题， 一一的告诉他们。 Michael 则不以为然。据他的分析，经济和通货膨胀, 是全球所面对的问题，马来西亚在经济成长和抗膨方面，都做的比很多国家好。我们的物价，比起很多地方，都便宜很多。而治安问题，则与经济方面有很大的连带关系。只要全球经济恢复高速成长，我国的经济也会更好，而治安和通货膨胀问题， 都会相对性的改好。

他认为在这重要关头，一个有经验和已受考验过的政府， 是应付问题的先决条件。 他最后说道：”Don’t be emotional and Treasure what you have” (不要情绪化， 要珍惜我们有的东西。)

在回家途中，我细细的回想这位局外人的一番话，不无道理。 满腹不满政府的情绪，渐渐地减少。或许，我应该要慎重的考虑，要珍惜我现在所享有的生活和稳定。

作者： 大人

A beautiful Malaysia

 a Malaysian street scene

A friend who knew that a group of us are starting a weblog commented that we may be wasting our effort in writing opinons in blogs and as well as sending letters to the media .

I asked him: do you think everything is alright and well in the country? He answered in the negative. Then I asked him, if you have a problem in your family, what do you do? He answered without hesitation: try to solve or fix the problem.

I said the key word is TRY to.

I said the country is just like our family. We are part of the country and the country is  our big family. If there is a problem, we try to solve or correct it. But do not sabotage it because you do not sabotage your own family. We can and should voice out our concern, our feelings, and suggest ways to improve on whatever that  we deem to be not proper and not fair. He replied that it would be futile to try to change the mindset of the people through writings and bloggings.

I answered that if we wish to see the beautiful scenery at the back  of a mountain, we would have no choice but to climb to the top of the mountain. We have to take the strenous steps, one at a time, to climb up. The journey will be tough and difficult, but if we don’t try , we will not reach the top and we will never get a chance to see the beautiiful scenery at the back of the mountain. If we don’t even TRY, how do we know whether we can succeed or not?

Similarly, I said, we should adopt the same attitude in whatever undertakings in our life. Climb every mountain and look for nice scenery.  We will discover that, by trying,   our life will be full of meaning in the end. Even if we don’t succeed in reaching the top of the mountain, we would have started a path for our posterity to climb the same way, and it would be much easier for them because we would have  cleared some of the most difficult path for them.

I used another analogy to convince my friend.  I said I am like a small candle. The flame may be weak and can hardly light up a small room. But if many candles can be lighted up, it can even be bright enough to light up a whole square.

The key is to do what you believe is right. The key is to take the first step to climb the mountain.

Young people, who is full of enthusiasm and idealism, should come forward to  voice their opinion. Through participation in politics maybe, or alternatively, through writings in their blogs or through joining NGOs. Each of these young men and women would be a candle, and together they are going to light up the whole world.

 I strongly believe that there is definitely light at the end of every tunnel.

Batu Ferringgi Beach

I believe in a beautiful Malaysia, where everyone would be fairly treated, where everyone would have equal chance, where everyone would be friends to every other one, where freedom and rights of all people will be respected, where every cent collected will go back to the people and where all Malaysians  will live happily ever after.

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