When Diplomat Speaks Like Politician
A Kadir Jasin
[Anonymous comments will not be posted. Please use your real name or a suitable pseudonym. Please avoid seditious, defamatory and libellous statements. And, if possible, don’t call anybody bodoh (stupid) ok!]
I lOVE this man. He’s a hardworking diplomat. He can read human’s heart. He speaks highly of the country where he is based. And he sounds like a politician.
Though most of his statements are made in the Malaysian territory – Johor Baharu to be exact -- he was always full of praises for Singapore, the country where he’s based.
In his latest – quoted by Bernama – he described as baseless allegations that the formation of a joint Malaysia-Singapore (Ministerial) Committee to oversee the cooperation in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) would affect Malaysia's sovereignty.
I am talking about Malaysia’s envoy to Singapore Datuk N. Parameswaran. I know he’s a nice man. He’s even honest about what he’s saying and earnest about wanting to make IDR a success. I thank him for all that.
But he’s a career diplomat. He’s not a politician-turned-diplomat. As such his statements sound too political to my liking.
Or is he sounding like one because our politicians, especially those representing Umno, are not saying enough to comfort us that we are not selling out to Singapore?
Parameswaran said Singapore was not interested in meddling with Malaysia's internal affairs, more so dictating on how to manage the IDR, adding that the committee would only cooperate on technical matters.
"Singapore hasn't expressed any intention to give ideas on the IDR. But we're ready to share our expertise, for example, in river clean-up with Malaysia," he said. [This a direct quote from Bernama.]
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the formation of the committee after holding an informal meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in Langkawi on Tuesday.
"If there're those who have that kind of thinking, it means that they don't know the truth. There's no reason why the committee should get involved in Malaysia's affairs. And they (the committee) don't intend to do that," Parameswaran told reporters after accompanying members of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce on a visit to the IDR.
In all fairness and openness, I must admit that I am one of those Malaysians who “don’t know the truth” and I harbour some measure of suspicion that Singapore is indeed meddling in Malaysia’s affairs.
I am saying this not because I hate Singapore. As I have said many times before, I even enjoyed my occasional visits to the island. I am saying this now because I believe in what our government has been telling us.
Dear Mr High Commissioner, did our government, our Prime Minister and our Cabinet not tell us that we could not proceed with the construction of the crooked bridge in our territory because Singapore objected to it?
If that’s not meddling, than what is it? Don’t tell me that it’s about the water mains, about the telephone cables and the way leave agreement?
If we can open our hearts and our territories to Singapore to site its reservoirs, to buy our raw water dirt cheap and now we are offering them a piece of prime real estate, why can’t they be more magnanimous towards us?
That, Mr High Commissioner, is because we a suckers for kind words, for friendly back patting and for praises. Singapore, from the diplomatic standpoint, is good at all that.
I have met and chatted with Singapore leaders. I even interviewed some of them including the Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, exclusively for the NSTP Group when he was Prime Minister. Yes, Mr Lee can be extremely charming if he wants to.
When my successor, Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad aka Kok Lanas, and his team of editors interviewed LKY 10 years later, Lee’s first statement was to recall the interview he had with me. That’s his way of dancing into your heart or putting you down.
So Mr High Commissioner, it would be wise, when dealing with Singapore, to temper our enthusiasm and our sense of trust a tiny weenie bit.
How sure can you be that Singapore will not use this open invitation to open another front to “impose” its will on the friendly, unsuspected Malaysians?
Anybody who is remotely familiar with the modern history of Singapore -- one that is lorded over by LKY as its supreme leader -- knows that Singapore survives and thrives by opening and closing fronts.
Mr High Commissioner, I don’t blame you for speaking favourably of Singapore. You’re based there and, as a diplomat, you don’t say nasty things about your host country.
Anyway, if I, in any way, offend you or misread you, feel free to respond. I still practice the right of reply. My plea to you, don’t use your vast influence to add to the chorus calling for the punishment and banishment of troublesome bloggers like me.
We are living in Malaysia where, despite our many races, religions, economic classes and myriad of problems, are much freer than in Singapore.
Just a thought Mr High Commissioner, we have 30 ministers. If they can’t help the PM to develop IDR, do you sincerely believe that one Singapore minister can?
Unless, of course, the Singapore minister is so good and so sincere that he could single-handedly bring droves of Singapore investors to buy up this prime corner of the old empire of Johor.
Unfortunately Mr High Commissioner, you didn’t sound so convincing when asked about the jambatan bengkok. You said: “Let both prime ministers talk to each other. And when they're more confident, they can discuss the difficult issues."
There we go again. No big “yes” from Singapore, no crooked bridge on our side of the land. And you say Singapore is not meddling?
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, speaking to the Press in Kuala Lumpur, said that there were no specific negotiations on outstanding bilateral issues at the Langkawi meeting.
I rest my case. Jakarta is waking up. And I have to make sense of blogging to a group of traditional media marketing people who are assembled here under the banner of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) Malaysia.
A Kadir Jasin
[Anonymous comments will not be posted. Please use your real name or a suitable pseudonym. Please avoid seditious, defamatory and libellous statements. And, if possible, don’t call anybody bodoh (stupid) ok!]
I lOVE this man. He’s a hardworking diplomat. He can read human’s heart. He speaks highly of the country where he is based. And he sounds like a politician.
Though most of his statements are made in the Malaysian territory – Johor Baharu to be exact -- he was always full of praises for Singapore, the country where he’s based.
In his latest – quoted by Bernama – he described as baseless allegations that the formation of a joint Malaysia-Singapore (Ministerial) Committee to oversee the cooperation in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) would affect Malaysia's sovereignty.
I am talking about Malaysia’s envoy to Singapore Datuk N. Parameswaran. I know he’s a nice man. He’s even honest about what he’s saying and earnest about wanting to make IDR a success. I thank him for all that.
But he’s a career diplomat. He’s not a politician-turned-diplomat. As such his statements sound too political to my liking.
Or is he sounding like one because our politicians, especially those representing Umno, are not saying enough to comfort us that we are not selling out to Singapore?
Parameswaran said Singapore was not interested in meddling with Malaysia's internal affairs, more so dictating on how to manage the IDR, adding that the committee would only cooperate on technical matters.
"Singapore hasn't expressed any intention to give ideas on the IDR. But we're ready to share our expertise, for example, in river clean-up with Malaysia," he said. [This a direct quote from Bernama.]
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the formation of the committee after holding an informal meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, in Langkawi on Tuesday.
"If there're those who have that kind of thinking, it means that they don't know the truth. There's no reason why the committee should get involved in Malaysia's affairs. And they (the committee) don't intend to do that," Parameswaran told reporters after accompanying members of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce on a visit to the IDR.
In all fairness and openness, I must admit that I am one of those Malaysians who “don’t know the truth” and I harbour some measure of suspicion that Singapore is indeed meddling in Malaysia’s affairs.
I am saying this not because I hate Singapore. As I have said many times before, I even enjoyed my occasional visits to the island. I am saying this now because I believe in what our government has been telling us.
Dear Mr High Commissioner, did our government, our Prime Minister and our Cabinet not tell us that we could not proceed with the construction of the crooked bridge in our territory because Singapore objected to it?
If that’s not meddling, than what is it? Don’t tell me that it’s about the water mains, about the telephone cables and the way leave agreement?
If we can open our hearts and our territories to Singapore to site its reservoirs, to buy our raw water dirt cheap and now we are offering them a piece of prime real estate, why can’t they be more magnanimous towards us?
That, Mr High Commissioner, is because we a suckers for kind words, for friendly back patting and for praises. Singapore, from the diplomatic standpoint, is good at all that.
I have met and chatted with Singapore leaders. I even interviewed some of them including the Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, exclusively for the NSTP Group when he was Prime Minister. Yes, Mr Lee can be extremely charming if he wants to.
When my successor, Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad aka Kok Lanas, and his team of editors interviewed LKY 10 years later, Lee’s first statement was to recall the interview he had with me. That’s his way of dancing into your heart or putting you down.
So Mr High Commissioner, it would be wise, when dealing with Singapore, to temper our enthusiasm and our sense of trust a tiny weenie bit.
How sure can you be that Singapore will not use this open invitation to open another front to “impose” its will on the friendly, unsuspected Malaysians?
Anybody who is remotely familiar with the modern history of Singapore -- one that is lorded over by LKY as its supreme leader -- knows that Singapore survives and thrives by opening and closing fronts.
Mr High Commissioner, I don’t blame you for speaking favourably of Singapore. You’re based there and, as a diplomat, you don’t say nasty things about your host country.
Anyway, if I, in any way, offend you or misread you, feel free to respond. I still practice the right of reply. My plea to you, don’t use your vast influence to add to the chorus calling for the punishment and banishment of troublesome bloggers like me.
We are living in Malaysia where, despite our many races, religions, economic classes and myriad of problems, are much freer than in Singapore.
Just a thought Mr High Commissioner, we have 30 ministers. If they can’t help the PM to develop IDR, do you sincerely believe that one Singapore minister can?
Unless, of course, the Singapore minister is so good and so sincere that he could single-handedly bring droves of Singapore investors to buy up this prime corner of the old empire of Johor.
Unfortunately Mr High Commissioner, you didn’t sound so convincing when asked about the jambatan bengkok. You said: “Let both prime ministers talk to each other. And when they're more confident, they can discuss the difficult issues."
There we go again. No big “yes” from Singapore, no crooked bridge on our side of the land. And you say Singapore is not meddling?
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, speaking to the Press in Kuala Lumpur, said that there were no specific negotiations on outstanding bilateral issues at the Langkawi meeting.
I rest my case. Jakarta is waking up. And I have to make sense of blogging to a group of traditional media marketing people who are assembled here under the banner of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) Malaysia.
83 comments:
Dato',
I believe the intention to open invition to our neighbour is showing that our economy & marketing arm is not as good as projected. As far as i know malaysia have not been practising open up national project for a foreign national to take part directly except multinational private company.(correct me if wrong)
We all know our neighbour have lots of money yet too little place to spent due to limited natural resources, it is very logical to attract their money to malaysia. However it will be dangerous to be too generous in the offer as money/economic and political power is coming back to back basis.
I not too resist to see Our neighbour taking part to make our national project a succes but please show some good faith action first by resolve outstanding issue like CPF and water agreement. What will our neighbour lost if Malaysia are so kind enough to let them have our share of economy?
I'm admiral of Pak Lah in the sense of his personality and intergrity but I feel he is surrounded by too many "bad apple" which directly influence the national interest.
salam dato'
terima kasih di atas posting terbaru anda.
bingung saya, bingung kita, bingung kami. entah apa lagi yang akan berlaku lepas ni?
ni dah nak tergadai tanah dah...Pak Lah, Pak Lah..apa nak jadi ni?
saya berdoa agar Tun M sembuh sedia kala, dan saya mohon agar beliau sihat kembali dan dapatlah beliau tolong bukakan mata rakyat Malaysia ini.
saya pasti, ramai menteri yang mungkin kurang bersetuju dengan keputusan Pak Lah, tapi rasanya ramai yang tak berani lawan bos.
"Allah selamatkan negara kami ini" ehhh..mana cukup berdoa saja....usaha kena ada, para bloggers seperti dato' pun tengah berusaha untuk menerangkan mata mata yang selama ni kelam. terima kasih para bloggers, kerana saya mengandaikan jika saya tidak lalu nak baca blog-blog anda, maka sampai sudah saya tak tau ujung pangkal berita.
semoga Allah memberkati usaha anda semua, rock on bloggers!
ps: apa dah jadi dengan disaster-fund utk mangsa banjir? kan berjuta-juta RM dah dikutip? kerajaan dah bagi kat mangsa-mangsa ke? curiouss...
Dato Kadir yg dihormati,
Izinkan hamba mencelah. Kekalahan Calon Parti keadilan Rakyat memberi sinar baru kepada Anwar Ibrahim. Ibarat pelangi semasa hujan renyai. Ini memberi petanda yg Barisan Nasional bakal merundum pada pilihan raya yg akan datang ini. Rakyat Ijok akan menjadi semakin muak dengan tipu daya BN. Jangan salahkan rakyat di ijok. Bukan semua mereka mampu digula2kan sesuka hati. Hanya segelintir manusia yg dungu saja yg senang makan rasuah. Tamak haloba yg bakal mengundang malapetaka.
Dr. Mahathir memang pejuang. Anwar Ibrahim juga pejuang. Sekarang ini mereka berjuang berhabisan menentang salah laku kuasa dan rasuah. Rakyat sebenarnya banyak bersatu padu dibelakang mereka. Tuan Guru Nik Aziz selama ini tidak henti-henti berdoa supaya kerajaan jahat dikalahkan.
Nik Aziz, Mahathir mahupun Anwar Ibrahim sebenarnya masih jauh dari kekalahan sebenar. Mereka menang moral dalam perjuangan menentang keadilan. Rakyat semakin hari semakin sedar. Siapa sebenarnya musuh dlm selimut. Perjuangan menentang rasuah semakin hari semakin bertambah. Gelombang ini akan menghempas pada pilihan raya akan datang nanti. Ramai yg bersikap Optimis.
Ustaz Hadi Awang dan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah bakal memberi aspirasi baru.Kita harus bersama mereka.Usah ketinggalan.Membenteras rasuah satu JIHAD.
Kerja Dato' Kadir ini pun boleh dianggap JIHAD. Sekurang2nya Dato' A Kadir Jasin berani berterus terang dengan pandangan ikhlas beliau. Dulu...dulu punya cerita. Sekarang....masa untuk bersatu padu menentang segala bentuk kezaliman.
Jangan lupa kekuatan yg ada pada ibrahim ali di kelantan. Ibrahim pasti akan mengeluarkan segala daya kekuatan beliau bagi mempertahankan air muka beliau yg telah dijatuhkan semenjak lama dulu. Kenapalah agaknya UMNO kurang menghargai tokoh2 Veteran yg telah banyak berjasa. Ku Li dulu telah lama mereka masukkan kedalam bakul sampah. Ibrahim Ali harus mengenggam erat tapak tangan TOK GURU Nik Aziz bagi mempertahankan kerajaan melayu islam kelantan. Bertahan habis-habisan. Ketokohan Anuar berpidato tak akan dapat menembusi karamah tok-tok guru di kelantan.
Akhirkata semoga Terengganu dan Kedah dapat direbut Mahathir, Anwar, Nik Aziz, Wan Azizah, Syed Husin Ali dan rakyat Malaysia yg benci RASUAH.
BUNGA TOMAN
The bridge between Singapore and Malaysia affects both countries. It is a joint project so needs the cooperation of both countries. Singapore did not protest bridges built entirely in Malaysia such as Penang bridge. If they did, then you are justified in saying they are meddling. But a bridge between two countries needs both sides to agree, not just one.
As for Malaysia being a friendly country, that is only your perspective. If you were in Singapore, you would feel differently. You would feel quite fed-up about threats to cut off water supply as well as being made the target of racist attacks by Malaysian politicians.
And not to mention the fact that the tiny island with no land and no natural resources was kicked out of Malaysia to fend for itself. This is something they will remember for a long long long time.
Maaf Dato’, saya dah lupa apa janji mereka pada kita tentang kamajuan dan kehebatan Iskandar Development Region (IDR) .
Dulu mereka kata mereka telah memperbetulkan pengurusan Proton, tapi kita baca Proton selalu rugi !
Mereka kata mereka akan memerangi rasuah , tapi indek antarabangsa menunjuk kita lagi teruk.
Senarai janji mereka terlalu banyak ..
Mereka melaungkan cara hidup Islam yang lebih sempurna , modal insan dan entah apa lagi , tapi Dato’ tengok sendiri cara hidup mereka dan wakil2 mereka.
Mereka kata ekonomi kita diperingkat terbilang, mencecah trillion, bursa saham mecatat rekod tertinggi .. dan mereka kata rakyat lebih gembira sekarang. Adakah mereka cakap mengenai kita atau mereka ?
Anyway Dato’, IRD akan jadi macam kelab EPL ARSENAL … kelab Inggeris tapi nak cari seorang English player pun susah … janji jadi champion !
Tengok gambar Tun & isteri dalam suratkhabar today … doa saya semoga Tun betul2 sembuh!
spot on the dot article.
I wholeheartedly agree with AKJ that we have to be wary of the island republic in everything that we do in our relationship with its government. Being the kiasu that they are they will always try to get the better of us.
This does not mean that we cannot cooperate with them. Being close neighbours and mutually needing each other we need to have good relations with them. Problem is they will always try to get the better of us.
Just take a look at their reclamation works especially on Tuas, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin, Pulau Serangoon dan Punggol and others which had affected usage of the port of Tanjung Pelepas and Pasir Gudang. The reclamation work could obstruct ships headed for Tanjung Pelepas port, just half an hour's sailing time from Singapore Port.
But they insisted that the reclamation did not affect us but common sense tells us otherwise for whenever a waterway is narrowed water flow is going to be swifter. Don't tell me that such reclamation works are not going to affect us.
Indonesia is now wise to the ways of the republic and so is Thailand.
But now there are reports that Malaysia has already allowed the republic to import granite and granite chips from us. If this is true I wonder how this can come about and who is the beneficiary.
The republic is also known to always put their interests first and foremost. I don't blame them for this as this is their right just as we also have the right to put our interests first and foremost. What we need to do is not be too open hearted with our defences down when dealing with them especially knowing that they will always try to get the better of us.
Just take a look at the outstanding issues that we have with them which continues to be held in abeyance. They will not want to be seen as giving us an inch for to them this shows weakness on their part and this is anathema to them.
Dato'
Perhaps, just perhaps, our beloved PM just being nice to outsider because of Visit Malaysia Year? Or may be, before VMY is running out, can we ask Khiry to ask PM to ask Adnan to bring Spore's PM to go around Peninsula; see what he can do. Clogged drain anyone?
Our PM KHOWS what to do. That's exactly why he was saying all along that Malaysia is on track for 2020. He is just doing it HIS WAY, I guess. And yet funny (very2), others who are working towards it are in total darkness?
Off course the Singaporean ministers are better than Malaysian ministers. They do the bets for their country. Ours, well your guess is as good as mine. Look how they have developed Singapore and how they plan ahead. Here we are discussing about leaks in parliament of all places and our MPs are keen in women periods.And how many ministers do they have,look at ratio lo. Ours is XXXL , world class in terms of size but yet they can't get things done..otak 'bocor' ka? So how?
BTW who is the one 'selling' the country...not the high commissioner, he is just a pawn..who..lets not ask what race he is?? Our leader(s) memalukan semua rakyat Malaysia..tak apa..makanlah durian..
KJ where are you singapore educated(secondary school) 'gempur' man to defend the honour of the country and the malays? Mengapa tak gempur bila negara digadaikan dan dimalukan oleh pemimpin negara yang perlukan pertolongan orang asing untuk mentadbir dan membangunkan tanah air sendiri????
the 1st rocky
In part, Sdr Sarjan Low, said: "I'm admiral (an admirer?) of Pak Lah in the sense of his personality and intergrity but I feel he is surrounded by too many "bad apple" (apples) which directly influenced the national interest."
My thought for a Sunday morming; we can make tempoyak out of bad durian, but what do we do with bad apples?
Maybe in Malaysia we should surround ourselves with durians than the imported apples!
Sdr mr_abs, antara lain berkata, "Saya pasti, ramai menteri yang mungkin kurang bersetuju dengan keputusan Pak Lah, tapi rasanya ramai yang tak berani lawan bos."
Semalam saya bercakap dengan seorang eksekutif Cina (Malaysia). Saya kata jadi Cina dan India lebih selamat. Mula-mula dia terkejut dan bingung.
Tapi bila saya minta dia perhatikan kalau ada usahawan Cina dan India tersingkir apabila Perdana Menteri berkutar dan lihat pula usahawan Melayu, dia baru sedar.
Apabila Perdana Menteri atau Menteri Besar bertukar, orang Melayulah yang paling banyak tersingkir. Sebab itu Melayu tak berani bersuara. Tapi lihat Samy Vellu dan Lim Keng Yaik. Mereka lantang bersuara, hantar memo dan sebagainya. Menteri Umno kena kata "yes sir" kalau tidak terseksa.
Sdr D!qgital Studio, antara lain, berkata: "Mereka kata ekonomi kita diperingkat terbilang, mencecah trillion, bursa saham mecatat rekod tertinggi .. dan mereka kata rakyat lebih gembira sekarang. Adakah mereka cakap mengenai kita atau mereka ?"
Ini adalah perankaan kasar. Di Bursa pun hanya sebahagian kecil saham yang kukuh saja naik.
Ekonomi kita mengalami masalah pembahagian. Kekayaan bermain di atas sahaja. Sebab itu banyak yang tambah susah.
Sdr (Datuk) Rejal, you know Singapore better than I do. You're a pain in the rear for Singapore when you were editing the BH.
Today everybody (in power) has become Singapore lover. Or at least they are not speaking up. They are elegently silent.
My only question this week is: Is Pak lah so cheap that he can be bought (only) with Balik Pulau durians?
Aiyoo Pak Lah..come on! At least get that bridge up! Or naikkan tarif air ke Singapore.
I wonder if Pak Lah's Advisors are to be blamed in this bad deal?
I dont see anything wrong with doing business with Singapore. Our problem is that we are scared of everything, we are scared we will end up losers. Are we afraid of even our shadows? For god's sakes, we are in the 21st century, the age of globalisation. But we seem to live in the past, hunkered down in our bunker and watching the world go by. We seem lost in our tunnel vision and looking at life from one window (with apologies to Scott F. Fitzgerald). We are afraid to let our children master English, the language of globalisation, the language of science, the language of commerce and of course, the language of CNN, Aljazeer and BBC. Our stupidity and inability to think ahead has cost us dear. You know what, the main losers are Bumis. Need I say more.
It's our fault to want our PM to run when what he is really capable of is to engage in small talk and chit chat the whole evening away. Now tat he start thinking big as to develop IDR we are in big trouble. Singapore with their kiasu ways ready to undermine us poiltically and economically will gain even more bargaining chips. Urgh... let's stop whining, but don't push him to do things. Doing nothing is probably the best decision, until we find another Tun.
Datuk,
Your comment regarding the completely opposite situation of the malays and other races in the country in relation to the govt of the day is very true: The malays depend on their cronies for existence - this means the people they support, and they don't normally change their allegiance.
Other races are of course smarter -they support the govt of the day. So ytl (just to give an example)will keep getting the lucrative contracts no matter who is in power. Our contractors on the other hand will be high up in the sky one day and in the dumps the next.
Melayu mudah lupa.
Melayu mudah termakan gula-gula.
Melayu cekik sama sendiri tapi cukup baik dengan orang lain...
I do believe in the saying -Everyone has a price-. And some are cheaper than the other.
Sdr Nstman,
Maybe you are right.
Maybe the Malay Rajas and their orang istana were told the same thing, maybe not globalisation per se, but something unfamiliar but sounded nice that made them:-
1. To allow the Portoguese to settle in Malacca;
2. Singned the Pangkor Treaty with the British;
3. Sold Singapore to Raffles; and
4. Almost accepted the Malayan Union.
Orang Melayu, yang dia tak faham itulah yang dia suka.
Bila tak faham, maka dia taklah tahu harga dan nilai, termasuklah harga diri.
Cakap tentang globalisasi, geng yang duduk mencarut, merapu dan menyindir wanita di Parlimen tu faham ka?
Inilah jenis pembesar yang dulu gadai tanah air kepada penjajah kerana nak beli sepasang kasut atau sebuah kereta!
Sdr Ali said: "I do believe in the saying -Everyone has a price-. And some are cheaper than the other."
And I think the Malays are cheaper to buy than others in this beloved land of ours.
Dapat jadi chairman atau director dak ok, dak seronok macam nak mati. Kalau syarikat haram pun tak apa.
Terima kasih
Datuk,
Fully share and support your sentiments here.
My advice to our dear Mr. High Commissioner regarding berating bloggers: Don't even think it . You have been duly warned.
geng2 yg mencarut kat parlimen tu memang tiada perasaan hormat terhadap wanita. inikah mentaliti wakil rakyat tahun 2007. Cakap macam manusia bermoral rendah. Rakyat bagi amanah kepada mereka untuk menyuarakan keadilan rakyat di parlimen, tapi mereka cakap macam manusia tak berakal. merapu tak tentu pasal. Memalukan org melayu islam je manusia seperti ini. kalau mat rempit yg berlajar kat sekolah setakat PMR kita boleh la juga faham, ini wakil rakyat yg cakap macam manusia low mentality. Apa cerita???
Sungguh menghina satu makhluk yg bernama wanita. Letak jawatan laaa...
BUNGA TOMAN
"Singapore hasn't expressed any intention to give ideas on the IDR. But we're ready to share our expertise, for example, in river clean-up with Malaysia," he said.
Is there a misqoute here?
is param ready to share his or singapura's expertise?
but actually what I wanted to ask you, datuk, are:
is it true then singapura will be the 'middle man' selling foreign business to us?
what about OIC and ASEAN participation?
I do support the IDR but I would rather have it on an international scale and not just singapura's participation.
Perhaps it is already on Abdullah's mind.
Amboi nstman...don't forget even the americans and europeans have their own trade blocks and FTAs (which will only work on their terms).Globalisation lah konon!
Kita ini bukan globalisation.Kita ini semuakasifree.
English as a global language is a myth.Go outside the English speaking world, it has no value whatsoever.I was in Spain, France, Turkey,China, Japan, Arab world..wough..all my years of English meant NOTHING.
there's nothing wrong to do business with singaporeans, even JV with them. but please, read again the posting datuk in his blog. we have our own interpretations, so do u, so does datuk and so do others.
knowing that most of these so-feel-good-atmosphere, and suddenly the informal meeting between our PM with our neighbour PM popped out and what surprised me the most was this issue! it's a big decision made in the informal meeting? O.M.G!
so, now, our neighbour ministers can make decisions? or even object them? hey, this is our land!
nstman,
what makes u think or even others think our gov can do "good" business with their "gov"? example please?
raw water? EPF? come again? sorry? pulau batu putih? there's another pulau, pulau pisang? ah yes? tu, tanah KTM? oh yes, reclamation land also?
speaking about this penambakan, datuk, it is understood that if this reclamation is done, i do think that their territory will become larger, does this effect their borders too? as far as i'm concern, their territories will become larger, thus their land will become closer to our land. it involves our security issues.
and yes, this is 21st century, it's a modern world, wow! modern! we can do business and sell our land to foreigners! nstman? is that what u called globalisation?
kesian dengan orang orang kat luar sana, org busy dengan hidup masing2, dan saya berfikiran, berapa ramaikah yang sedar tentang perkara ini? dalam news, it sounds so damn good about this partnership for IDR, tapi sebaliknya, so much things happened.
we can't blame our neighbour's ministers, they are way too smart. that is something that we should learn from them.
and i come to one big question;
adakah menteri kita terlalu dungu? atau menteri mereka terlalu pandai?
MISTERI NUSANTARA BETUL!!! (",)
History will be repeated again..
Pak Lah, Pak Lah..
Perhaps, in the future, the whole Johor will be sold to the singapore..
who knows???
Dato'
I have read and re-read your comments.
The angst among Msian politicians (especially those of the Umno ilk) and retired journalists (that's not a below-the-belt statement!) is, I think, that they are resentful how Spore has become an economic power in its own right, after it was summarily ejected from Msia.
I had posted earlier about the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007 survey in which Spore is ranked 2nd in terms of competitiveness amongst 55 economies, while Msia is ranked 23rd. Why not face the facts squarely and tell us why this is so?
Or explain away the fact that Spore hosts more than 7,000 MNCs (multinational corporations), many of whom have their regional HQs in the republic.
Or tell us just how is it that Spore has spotted the winning emerging sectors of petrochemicals, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and high-end financial services and made the republic a regional centre of talent and expertise.
Just today, I read that our RELA has managed to nab another Indian national - this time a software professional working in Msia - for being without his passport in a public place. The Indian High Commission has protested to the Msian govt about this. This was the 2nd incident in the space of a couple of weeks involving Indian nationals and RELA. What will the global Indian diaspora (who are linked by the Internet, and who have an estimated collective wealth of US$1 Trillion+) think of Msia as a place to invest in or to live in or to set up companies in?
No, Dato' - ask yourself why Spore has close to US$200 billion in foreign reserves while it's Temasek Holdings manages assets in excess of US$100 billion? All this from an economy that was turfed out of Msia?
It's sad when the politics of envy cloud otherwise rational discussions. And the opinions of Spore that are being bandied about in Msia by various quarters are symptomatic of this bankrupt thinking.
Salam.
Datuk..bagi yg tak faham kenapa kita tak suka dgn apa2 perundingan baru atau kerjasama dgn singapore bolehlah dinyatakan dalam satu cerita.
Dulu satu tanah 2 orang tingal. Bila berpecah...satu orang ada sumber air dan satu orang tak ada. Maka dirundingkan yg si A ada sumber air akan jamin bagi bekalan air. Memandangkan ini sumber air dari negara A maka B setuju dikenakan caj atasnya.
A kata akan kenakan caj dan akan di kaji selepas setiap 10 tahun. Cuma disebabkan kita baru nak kaji selepas 11 tahun....maka B katakan sebagai A tak ada hak nak kaji semula....so orang yg kita beri pengecuali harga baru air setahun nie bukan saja tak berterima kasih malah nak memperbodohkan kita....maka..layakkah kita nak buat sahabat dan membangunkan tanah bersama di kawasan A?....
Adakah sentimen semudah ini tidak difahami oleh paklah, shshrir dan orang2 yg seangkatan dengannya?...
Bila hati dah buta, mata dah rabun dan telinga dah pekak, cakap la apa pun, tak jadi apa-apa. Bak kata orang tetua: rebus tak empuk, panggang tak masak, jemur tak lekang. Dah sebati.
Macam tu jugak bila ada orang cakap pasai ketulusan hati singapura. Saya anti kerajaan singapura, bukan rakyatnya. Rakyat marhein singapura seorang pun tak pernah sakiti hati saya. Tapi pembesarnya dan polisi negaranya yang membuatkan saya benci. Orang lain jangan ikut la. Biaq la saya sorang ja yang benci.Hehehehee...
Kalau sudi dan ikhlas nak tolong msia, kasi setel la dulu kes batu putih, tanah ktmb, duit pekerja2 Malaysia di CPF, ayaq dsbgnya. Then, baru kita cakap pasai syer di SJER.
Duit.. Aik!!! heran jugak aku.. mana pi duit untung Petronas? Takkan dah abis taja F1 kot? Duit dalam EPF simpan buat apa? Pi la bangun SJER guna duit tu kalau confident sangat dengan projek tuh. Pasai apa pulak nak pakai duit Singapura? Ka duit2 tu dah abis hangpa sapu? Tinggai on paper ja ka?
Tapi kalau dah bingai tak makan di ajaq, memang susah la nak ubah. Cakap la apa pun, depa buat muka 'derk' je. Sama ada bodoh, jahil atau memang benak tak makan di ajar, aku tak boleh nak pasti.
Kalau sincere la kan, awatnya belanjawan singapura untuk beli peralatan ketenteraan tinggi gila? Cuba la pikiaq yang tu sudah la.. Dia nak lindung negara dia daripada siapa? Kita? Indon? Australia? Nu Zilan? Fiji? Who?
Hurm.. may the force be with us!!
Dear Dato' and all,
I don’t blame PM aka Pak Mentua for being so submissive to Singapore. He’s suffering from the Post-Foreign Minister Syndrome. He thinks he’s still FM. He thinks he has to be nice to everybody like FM should. Shake hands, hugs, plays golf and sings praises.
He has not make IDR a success because he said from the very start “this is my original idea”. He may not read a lot and know a lot. But he knows enough that Singapore has a lot of money. Anyway his SIL and Dato’ Kallimullah Hassan must have told him to be friendly with Singapore because Singapore is rich. His SIL went to school in Singapore. Kalli was a Singapore reporter. His daughters studied in Singapore and he went to Singapore for spinal operation just now.
Yes Singapore has money because all the Indonesian cronies of Suharto, those 5 per cent Indon Chinese with Javanese names, brought all their riches to Singapore when democracy came to Indonesia. These people don’t believe in democracy. That’s why they brought their money to Singapore, a one-party capitalist dictatorship that uses the law to bankrupt every opposition politician.
Malaysian tycoons also keep a lot of their money and corporate wealth in Singapore. They exported goods through Singapore and kept the income there. That's why our reserves is not as big as it should be. By right we should have US$200 billion by now.
Now people like Robert Kuok even de-list their companies from Bursa Malaysia and list them in Singapore. With the same money they made in Malaysia, which they now keep in Singapore, they can do another round of asset building in Malaysia by buying up IRD and other projects. So actually it’s not Singapore’s money at all. It our money and the money “robbed” from poor Indons that is going to be use to gobble up Pak Lah’s IDR.
This is what globalization is all about. Robbed the poor (in Malaysia and Indonesia), enrich the rich (in Singapore and Hong Kong). Use the same blood and tears money now kept in Singapore banks to buy new assets in Malaysia and Indonesia.
When money moves in and out of the country, who gets the commissions? The banks , CIMBs, the ECM Libras and all other middlemen. So now you know why these people love globalization and free trade so much and our PM aka FIL doesn’t mind been seen as Singapore’s sidekick, money and more money.
Dear coffeeshop economist,
That's a long tirade. What, precisely, are the points you are trying to make?
A few simple questions, ya?
(1)Why is Spore ranked #2 in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007 Survey when Msia is ranked only #23 (out of 55 economies)?
(2) Why is it that major IT and semiconductor companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, Dell, Hewlett Packard, AT&T, Nortel etc have sited their regional or Asia-Pacific HQs in Spore instead of Msia (after all, we have the MSC, no?).
(3) Why is it that the top 4 Indian software companies - TCS, Wipro, Infosys and Satyam - have located their regional HQs in Spore, the MSC notwithstanding?
(4) Why is it that close to 100 hedge funds and private equity firms have offices in Spore, and use Spore as a base to cover the region?
(4) Why is it that the Labuan International Offshore Financial Centre is unable to challenge Spore as a preferred base for financial institutions, private banking and asset management?
(5) Why is Spore pulling out all the stops to make itself into a "global city" and a preferred location for talented people from all over the world while KL is regressing into becoming a 2nd tier city?
Simple questions demand straight answers. No convolutions.
Or is that too much to ask?
Datuk,
Perhaps I'm still not clear with the true facts of the IRD and Singapore's involvment.
I however cannot help but feel the irony that this Iskandar region will eventually not come under the "jajahan dan takluk" of Sultan Iskandar himself.
The vision of His Majesty the Sultan of Johor in his robe being conferred the Doctor of Laws by the NUS still lingers in my mischeviuos memory.
I'm also reminded of a program called "The History of Singapore" on cable television depicting the Sultan (from that era)signing a document giving away Singapore to the British for a certain mode of transaction, and Lee Kuan Yew overwhelmed with sadness, speechless during a press conference when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia in the same program.
I also remember in one of my warong outings with my kampung buddies when one of them said, "satu hari nanti, Singapura akan menjadi milik Malaysia kembali." My spontaneous response to it was, " Silap haribulan, Malaysia yang menjadi milik Singapura."
Today I ask myself quietly, "Mungkinkan haribulan sudah mula tersilap? Barang di jauhkan Allah SWT.
thegreatteadrinkerdownsouth,
I guees your questions have been answered by AKJ in his article. Lousy, sleepy, easily manipulated leaders, high commisioners etc. Simple answers for simple questions!
Hantu Gigi Jarang
Salam Datuk bab ni bagi saya jawab...
Dear teadrinker;
This is my opinion and answer on your question (2) and (3)... :)
2) Why is it that major IT and semiconductor companies like Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, Dell, Hewlett Packard, AT&T, Nortel etc have sited their regional or Asia-Pacific HQs in Spore instead of Msia (after all, we have the MSC, no?).)
Firstly singapore are small and all the house or company can be link by broadband...for testing matter on IT product singpore is the best to be "tikus testing" on new product...broadband,ip phone or etc the infra are there just test it and wait for the feedback..(because infra dari zaman british lagi semua dah ada) if can test nuclear pun I prefer singapore :)One more thing mostly all of this company are back by Israel... but mr teadrinker why signtel put theirs customer services center in KL...see the trend OCBC and other are following it.
(3) Why is it that the top 4 Indian software companies - TCS, Wipro, Infosys and Satyam - have located their regional HQs in Spore, the MSC notwithstanding?...because Malaysia is Islam state (sorry no offend) and one more thing it easy to support or testing their product singapore small so senang nak testing(same answers for you sir).But nowdays alots of this big company are going back to malaysia like cyberjaya to accomodate thier user and online support.About MSC is just not about foreign IT company is about Malaysia IT company...born in Malaysia...maybe u don't realize there are lots of in house bumiputera company developing own sofware and security system for islamic country. This country are blomming and selling theirs product in Malaysia and Islamic country ...want to know why because most the internet security system are own by Israel(exp checkpoint)..because of the MSC and Tok det vision bumiputra are progressing very high in this IT section...example Brontok virus the best antidote come from melayu johor (jual RM10.00 je siap sedekah)not from symantec... using all over malaysia and world... firewall also have bumiputra company and u can compare their product with cisco more better...this is my opinion and experience in developing IT product...support open source and bumiputra IT product...because we are know charging full force idup Tok det sorry english tunggang langgang tapi nak kencing gua mcm raja melayu dulu tak dapat la...:)
Dato',
Benarkah PM tidak tahu semua ini?
Benarkah keputusan PM dipengaruhi oleh orang2 sekelilingnya?
Tidak sedarkah PM tentang tipu daya Singapore?
Mungkin kita semua yang tertipu kerana menyangka segala tindakannya adalah hasil buah fikiran orang2 di sekelilingnya. Fikir2 lah.
Datuk
Why do Hamas does not get the support from the outside other than Iran - perhaps - and Fatah gets the dough and Israel gets away from all the atrocities and Iraq was invaded for 'WMD' which is still there but not found?
Simple answer will do, Datuk.
can not tahan lagilah. Got to go to the loo.
Hey why wolfie gets canned for getting an Arabic name girlfriend some good pay raise la, Datuk AKJ, and that when Ethics committee cleared his proposal?
Why la?
Sdr Red84,
Why Hamas does not get the support from the outside world other than Iran?
The fault lies with the Muslim world itself. It has been rendered powerless by propaganda and subjugation.
Muslims are no longer capable of uniting.
It's this anger and sense of helplessness that's fueling radicalism and militancy. In the absence of a legitimate global Muslim leadership, a fringe movement like al Qaeda is becoming mainstream and a “leader” like Osama Bin Laden in better than no leader at all.
The Fatah movement gets the dough because it’s the better of the two evils in Washington’s eye. Israel gets away with all the atrocities because it controls Washington DC. Iraq was invaded not because it was alleged to have weapon of mass destruction (WMD) but because it has what it takes to power western mass transportation (WMT) that is oil.
Hey why wolfie gets canned for getting an Arabic name girlfriend some good pay raise la.
Wolfie is a key warmonger in the Bush neo-conservative White House. Randy Wolfie was the architect of the invasion of Iraq.
And what could the World Bank Ethics Committee do other than clearing Wolfie?
Wolfie is a Bushy nominee and the WB is under the spell of the US.
Sdr Red84 and other, it’s ok to visit the loo regularly now. Hot weather plays trick on the digestive system and the urinary tract. Drink a lot of water and cut down on hot oily food.
Thank you.
"Just a thought Mr High Commissioner, we have 30 ministers. If they can’t help the PM to develop IDR, do you sincerely believe that one Singapore minister can?"
I sincerely believe HALF of a Singapore minister can.
Ello teadrinker,
Too much tea aah you? Don't think if a country is number 1 this and that, it will not go down one day.The world will support Spore cos' it's secular and supports the world (by that I mean powers that be in the West.Kata pendek USA lah)Who wants to work with a majority Muslim state? Who wants to shift its power and economic dominance?
One simple question...if Spore is so good, why is Msia (which is so bad in your eyes)so important to Spore? Cuba calculate sikit.
Panggil balik itu Parameswarang.Aku pun boleh jadi duta kalau mahu bodek host country. Ini diplomasi durian ke atau diplomasi manggis.Isu jambatan,air dan macam2 you tak boleh settle mau cakap libih.You can get honorary permanent resident of Singapore bila you sudah pencen ka?
Thank you to all for responding to me comment posted by Datuk. I still think there’s nothing very special about the Singapore success formula than taking advantage of its weaker neighbours although some great tea drinker thinks otherwise.
Whether trading in rubber, tin, timber or cloves and today in electronics, Singapore has always taken advantage of its weaker neighbours by offering what most of them don’t have, that is cheap money.
Singapore has a lot of this cheap money because it sucks the revenue of its neighbours by playing the middleman role. Or shall I say the lawful version of along. This is the money I was talking about; the billions that the Nanyang Chinese made in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and the Philippines that they siphoned off to Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Zurich because for many of these tycoons their loyalty follows their money.
That is why I am in favour of helping the poor Malays, Chinese and Indians who are loyal to Malaysia because they cannot go anywhere else. The rich Chinese, Indians and even Malays can buy and sell their loyalty. I am speaking on behalf of the majority. Although I am well enough to migrate, I won't because I love this country.
I love the tea and the roti canai.
We can also be competitive if we just do things for money like Singapore. Forget about democracy, forget about races, about the poor and the about religion. Have a one-party PAP-type dictatorship. But that is a formula for disaster.
We are becoming less competitive not because Singapore is very competitive. We are losing competitiveness because too much cakap tidak serupa bikin. That’s why. Selling out to Singapore will not make us competitive if the price is resentment and instability.
Remember, Singapore had never wanted to be independent. All that it wanted was to be rich. So sovereignty was never very important to LKY. He only wanted personal power. He was coaxed into joining Malaysia on the promise of power and huge economic hinterland. Once in Malaysia he sought to undermine it so that he could have the political power to match with Singapore’s economic power. When Tunku kicked him out, he shed the crocodile tears.
Today, on the anniversary of our 50th year of Merdeka, some people want to sell the country off to Singapore for what? For the success of one project or for the ego of one man?
LKY will buy us all the tea that we can drink till out stomach is bloated for as long as Singapore continues to lord over our wealth and our future. Think!
Dato dan Bloggers,
Tulisan dari Sdr/sdri orgbiasa menarik perhatian saya. Maka inilah pula pandangan saya...bahawa
saya sentiasa berharap pandangan saya kepada kepimpinan Pak lah dan barisan pembesarnya adalah 'silap dan salah'. Saya sentiasa berharap agar Pak Lah dan barisan pembesarnya itu sentiasa benar dan selamanya benar. Ini kerana sebarang kesilapan Pak Lah dan barisan pembesar itu risikonya terlalu besar untuk ditanggung oleh generasi kita di masa hadapan. Sebarang kesilapan yang tidak mudah-mudah boleh diampunkan walau di pagi hari raya pun.
Kerana itu saya merasa begitu khuatir kalau-kalau Pak Lah tidak menyedari risiko berurusan dengan Singapura yang terkenal dengan putar alam itu. Pak Lah mungkin ikhlas dengan dasar untuk menjalin hubungan baru yang lebih mesra tetapi sehingga kini sejak hampir empat tahun yang lalu beberapa isu tertunggak masih ditakuk itu juga.
Bahkan kita semakin banyak memberi peluang kepada Singapura untuk meneroka tanah-tanah kita pula. Pulau Pisang, Pulau Batu Putih adalah contoh yang jelas di mana kita 'berkongsi milik'.
Mungkinkah suatu hari nanti kerana dasar berbaik ini penduduk di Johor berpeluang untuk mengundi dalam pilihanraya Singapura???
Di zaman Tun Dr. Mahathir beliau mengangkat mesej yang jelas bahawa Singapura lebih memerlukan Malaysia tetapi sebaliknya hari ini Malaysia dibuat lebih kecil dari Singapura.
Saya berharap saya silap...
Terimakasih
today the goverment announced a hefty pay rise amongst the civil servant. congrats do they deserve it??????? don't be judgemental most of them are. but some " little napoleon " we just consider its your rezeki. but what concerns me the most is this an ultimate signal that general election is around the corner ????????
wartawan dapur
Salam dato
Coffeeshoppe economits...I like your point of view ...u sure got what it need as coffeeshop economist..keep it up bro..kan baguih warung-warung pak amat,ali.ramlah kaa di felda atau ceruk -ceruk kampung ada peminat tea & roti jala yang duk sembang petang sambil main aji/kapit...berbicara seperti coffeeshop economist :) 50 tahun merdeka hadiah kerajaan malaysia pada Kakitangan kerajaan..baguih..seronok la par-par tu...tahniah jgn boros beb
I remember LKY once quipped that Habibi "reminded" him that Singabore is but a tiny red dot in a sea of green.
Our government always like to say that we are friendly to Singabore. But are we, REALLY?
If only we could be as business-like as the Singaboreans...
Damn.
Dear coffeeshop economist
All the "vitriol" that you have come up with is merely, I think, blowing smoke and avoiding the hard facts. Which is that Spore is successful, influential and respected, whilst Malaysia, 50 years after Merdeka, is still trying to find its way amidst the great game of globalisation.
Yup, globalisation. The concept that doesn't give a fig about one's race, religion or the supposed bad hand dealt one by history. Its all about competitiveness, talent and performance - as individuals, economies and nation-states.
Just this week, the Spore Foreign Minister is visiting Libya and Yemen to boost bilateral investment and trade links. Libya and Yemen?
And Spore is negotiating a FTA with the Gulf Co-operation Council. You know, all those Gulf states awash in petrodollars looking for good investments and management.
And, horror of horrors, Emirates Airlines has more flights per week to Spore's Changi Airport than to KLIA! Those Gulf ingrates! Couldn't they at least support a fellow Muslim state?
But, I digress. What to make of the fact that Citibank has hundreds of IT professionals (a fair number of whom are expatriate Indians) in its data centres in Spore that services the bank's global operations?
And that Standard Chartered Bank has just signed up to lease 24 floors in a glitzy highrise office complex in downtown Spore to house its regional HQ and a few of its global business functions.
Hmm.....they must all be blind to the attractions of neighbouring Malaysia! Or wilfully determined to ignore the siren call of Bolehland!
Dear Coffeeshop Economist,
Gua tabik lu.This is what we call a learned man/woman.Ada knowledge AND wisdom.Do you have a blog?
Which kopitiam you frequent?
Sdr Stevie Chan,
Thor chair-thor chair!
You are very right!
The problem is:
we are doing it Malaysian-style, ma.
I am sure you are as wonderful as Stevie Wonder the singer.
Slaap leker, mijnheer
ello teadrinker,
money isn't everything.Where do rich Sporeans go to lilaks? (relax) Genting! Penang! Cherating!JB!
Msia and the Arab world do deals also but we don't announce.Now Chinese-owned companies start to employ muslims to get better deals with their Arab counterparts.Do we make noise over this? How many Malaysian Chinese-owned companies are in the Middle East, cari makan (their wives staying at home look after kids despite having US degrees, etc for the sake of money)
We don't need to rush development.You know what they said about peaking early. :))
Sdr/Sdri para pembahas dan pelawat sekalian,
Thank you for your participation.
I think all of us have a point here. We want the best for the country and, more so, for the average rakyat.
Both the Teadrinker and Coffeesdhop Economist have a case. They differ in approach.
Teadrinker, I believe, is taking the simple straight forward today's craze, which is globalisation and openess.
To him, the bottom line is what matters. He's taking the business approach.
The Coffeeshop Economist, on the other hand, is taking the socio-economic/political approach.
He too wants progress and good global ratings for Malaysia but not to the extent of sacrificing kedaulatan negara.
He favours growth with distribution instead of the winner-take-all commercial approach.
As for whether Singapore has changed from its winner takes all policy to a neighbourly ones because it's supposed to be closer to Putrajaya, we will have to wait and see.
I have my doubts.
Thank you.
Salaam, Dato'
You are right in your summary of the debate between the coffeeshop economist and myself.
You will note that I posed 5 questions to coffeeshop economist. I have yet to see his answers. The only thing I see is a diatribe about funds from supposedly "disloyal" Malaysians & Indonesians being parked in Spore.
I suppose, given his logic, that Arab funds parked with Spore's private bankers, hedge funds and private equity outfits are from "disloyal" Arabs who should be contributing to the rebuilding of Palestine & Lebanon?
My question is whether a measured "socioeconomic/political" approach to Msia's development will work, given the urgency of the competitive pressures in the region.
Simply put, why should a foreign investor put his money in Msia, when he can go to India, China, Vietnam, S Korea or Spore?
FDI statistics don't lie. And Spore is the 3rd biggest recipient of FDI in Asia, after China and Japan.
But, of course, all this is ephemeral to the likes of the coffeeshop economist! As it appears to be to many in govt.
wow!...i just realized we are nation of fools, govern by greddy incompetent types.
Tak lama lagi, ini High Comm pun dapat Doctor of Laws from the NUS!!
I wish I am like the tea and coffee drinker who are global in outlook and play with the international crowd. Who judged only base on merit, who invest only base on performance.
But I can't. I am stuck here in beloved Malaysia cajoling all the 'stupid' Malaysian to improve themselves. Try to undo the damage that the academician and the politician has done to the young generation. Maybe if I work hard enough, if I pray hard enough, maybe then our stupid Malaysian can start talking to the global crowd.
Maybe only then we will be at ease both with the stinking belacan and stinking cheese.
Sdr/Sdri para pembahas dan pelawat yang dihormati,
While we are discussing issues, agreeing and disagreeing, our propaganda minister, has this to say about people like us (The Star, May 23):
Zam: Few people read blogs
KUALA LUMPUR: Political web blogs have a very small following of about 20,000 people, Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said.
“Only that number out of the 11 million Internet users in the country are actively involved in political blogs. The political bloggers just write for each other to read; they are not a threat,” he added.
Zainuddin reminded bloggers of their responsibilities in maintaining harmony among Malaysia’s multiracial society.
“They should not try to incite the people,” he said after launching the Malaysian Press Institute’s (MPI) new logo and witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the institute and the United Kingdom’s Thomson Foundation.
The foundation works to-wards improving communication around the world.
MPI was represented by its acting chairman Datuk Chamil Wariya and Thomson Foundation by its head of regional partnerships Russel Lyne.
He said bloggers, being the so-called “citizen journalists,” must not abuse the freedom given by the Government and must be responsible in their writings and actions so as not to jeopardise unity among the people.
Zainuddin advised the public not to be influenced by the negative views of certain bloggers about the Government.
Earlier in his speech, Zainuddin said media practitioners and bloggers had their own roles in developing the nation through their writings.
“Lately, I found that most of the bloggers have the tendency to question the basis of the social contract which had been agreed upon by our forefathers,” he said.
On the publication of a book on May 13 by former Petaling Jaya MP Dr Kua Kia Soong, Zainuddin said the book would only serve to arouse anxiety among multiracial Malaysians.
“Some issues raised in the book can harm the social contract that has been well-received by the Malays, Chinese and Indians,” he added.
[Footnote: What I've to say about this pembesar, I said it in my msg to Rocky's Bru.]
Dato' mengenai komen Zam :
"Political web blogs have a very small following of about 20,000 people."
Bagi saya yang penting bukan berapa ramai pembaca tapi siapa pembaca blog tersebut.
Hujah Dato' dan pembahas semua banyak membuka minda saya.
Syabas untuk semua !
dato' n others....
saya dapat membuat kesimpulan, otak menteri negara jiran memang bergeliga...postive things from them are something that we should learn....kiasu itu bagus, tapi biar berpada-pada.
another conclusion;
menteri kita kurang pandai,
menteri mereka pandai...
walaupun tak semua, tapi mereka mereka yang selalu buat statement dalam paperlah yang bikin
"kerana nila dua tiga titik, rosak sekontena susu"
saya yang kat malaysia timur pun dah banyak dengar berita berita yang kurang enak..apatah lagi saudara-saudariku yang berada nun di smenanjung....
melayu mudah lupa? benar!
Dato' Abdul Kadir,
It will take good marketing and negotiations to convince the world and not just the Arabs to have a better opinion about this nation's stability - economic and social - if not the advantages of investing in this country. And we need the political will to do so and more than able diplomats, too.
I notice that the Kuwaiti Finacial House is here and I do believe that soon there will be other Arab investors and non-Arab clamoring at our doorstep.
It would be interesting to understand why Arabs - wealthy ones - like to listen to what Americans, British, German, French, and the Dutch have to say and not Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Russian.
We have a long way to go and it is good to have Singapore as a yard stick and it would be wonderful to be competing in the premier league of the developed nations. only we do not let ourself to be spoon fed by others with vested self-interest that outstripped the benefits that they offer.
There is the Brand Malaysia and the Bangsa Malaysia still in the works and believe me, it is easier said than done. In a way, it would look like we are racing with only a rather and incomplete car with other better equipped cars, for now, not that we lack the courage or the will to compete.
Did Singapura have a bloody May 13th and untimely death of able leaders to content with?
Which leads us to the question of continous great leadership and not just continual good ones. We complain of the stewardship of Abdullah and soon we will have to content with Najib or someone else. Do we groom our leaders well for that matter?
Datuk AKadir Jasin
Salaam
I came across this article while trying to get to British wanting the extradition of a Russian in connection to a murder of an ex-FSB agent in London.
I find it very interesting and quite educational, really.
Obstacles to peace: Water
By Martin Asser
BBC News
The BBC News website is publishing a series of articles about the attempts to achieve peace in the Middle East and the main obstacles. Today, Martin Asser looks at the central issue of water.
Israel and the Palestinians' main water resources
The Arab-Israeli dispute is a conflict about land - and maybe just as crucially the water which flows through that land.
The Six-Day War in 1967 arguably had its origins in a water dispute - moves to divert the River Jordan, Israel's main source of drinking water.
Years of skirmishes and sabre rattling culminated in all-out war, with Israel quadrupling the territory it controlled and gaining complete control of double the resources of fresh water.
A country needs water to survive and develop.
In Israel's history, it has needed water to make feasible the influx of huge numbers of Jewish immigrants.
Therefore, on the margins of one of the most arid environments on earth, the available water system had to support not just the indigenous population, mainly Palestinian peasant farmers, but also hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
In addition to their sheer numbers, citizens of the new state were intent on conducting water-intensive commercial agricultural such as growing bananas and citrus fruits.
Shared water
Israel says the 1967 war was forced upon it by the imminent threat of hostile Arab countries and there was no intention to occupy more land or resources.
But the war's outcome left Israel occupying an area not far short of the territory claimed by the founders of the Zionist movement at the beginning of the 20th Century.
In 1919, the Zionist delegation at the Paris Peace Conference said the Golan Heights, Jordan valley, what is now the West Bank, as well as Lebanon's river Litani were "essential for the necessary economic foundation of the country. Palestine must have... the control of its rivers and their headwaters".
Those resources - the West Bank's mountain aquifer and the Sea of Galilee - give Israel about 60% of its fresh water, a million cubic metres (1 MCM) per year.
Heated arguments rage about the rights to the mountain aquifer. Israel, and Israeli settlements, take about 80% of the aquifer's flow, leaving the Palestinians with 20%.
Israel says the proportion of water it uses has not changed substantially since the 1950s. The rain which replenishes the aquifer may fall on the occupied territory, but the water does flow down into pre-1967 Israel.
But the Palestinians say they are prevented from using their own water resources by a belligerent military power, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to buy water from their occupiers at inflated prices.
Moreover, Israel allocates its citizens, including those living in settlements in the West Bank deemed illegal under international law, with between three and five times more water than the Palestinians.
This, Palestinians say, is crippling to their agricultural economy.
With water consumption outstripping supply in both Israel and the Palestinian territories, Palestinians say they are always the first community to be rationed as reserves run dry, with the health problems that entails.
Fruitless discussions
Not surprisingly, during the era of Arab-Israeli peacemaking in the 1990s, water rights became one of the trickiest areas of discussion.
They were set aside to be dealt with in the "final status" Israel-Palestinian talks, which were never concluded.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlement activity continued in some of most sensitive water areas in the West Bank, despite Israel's undertaking not to act in ways that prejudice final status talks.
Stalled negotiations on Syria's dispute with Israel over the Golan Heights - occupied by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1980 - also foundered on water-related issues.
Syria wants an Israeli withdrawal to 5 June 1967 borders, allowing Syria access to the Jordan and Yarmouk rivers. Israel wants to use boundaries dating back to 1923 and the British Mandate, which give the areas to Israel.
By contrast, the Jordan-Israel treaty of 1994 produced notable agreement on use of wells in the Wadi Araba area in the south and sharing the Yarmouk in the north.
In the 21st Century Israel has tried to solve the Palestinian problem unilaterally, pulling troops and settlers from Gaza and building a barrier around West Bank areas with the largest concentration of Palestinians.
Although Israel says this is a temporary security measure, the barrier encroaches deep onto occupied territory - especially areas of high water yield.
Better future?
Middle Eastern rhetoric often portrays the issue of water as an existential, zero-sum conflict - casting either Israel as a malevolent sponge sucking up Arab water resources, or the implacably hostile Arabs as threatening Israel's very existence by denying life-giving water.
Former UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali may not have been right when he said in the 1990s that the next war in the Middle East would be about water not politics, but a future war over water is not out of the question.
Demand for water already outstrips supply, requirements are rising and current supply is unsustainable.
Hydrologists say joint solutions need to be found, because water requirements are interdependent and water resources cross political boundaries.
That necessitates improved conservation and recycling by both sides.
Improving the political atmosphere would allow supplies to be piped from neighbouring countries. Also crucial, experts say, are investment in desalination and other technical advances.
Such solutions are desperately needed in the medium to long term. In other words, Israel and the Palestinians must work together, because they cannot survive as combatants.
Photo journal: Water use
In the 1967 war Israel gained exclusive control of the waters of the West Bank and the Sea of Galilee, although not the Litani.
REPLENISHABLE RESOURCES
Sources in million cubic metres per year:
Sea of Galilee - 700
Mountain Aquifer - 370
Coastal Aquifer (Gaza) - 320
Other - 410
Israeli allocations:
56% agriculture
38% household
6% industry
(Source: Israeli government)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6666495.stm
or rather when a son of a diplomat behaving like a full fledged politician.
or rather when Sungai Tong FC vs Sungai Manik FC become the highlight of 50 year celebration.
or rather when any negative comments on singapore will be deleted by the mainstream media.
or rather when someone call it a day, rest before it is getting too late!!
eh red84..are you in the wrong blog or what? We are still talking about Spore, surely? I thot there'd be some connection between war for water with the Spore bridge or something.
Can anyone suggest me any other blogs on the Spore blues?
Sdr/Sdri para pembahas dan pelawat sekalian,
Following is the PM's response to fears of meddling by Singapore in IDR as reporeted by The Star:
PM: No meddling by Singapore
SAODAH ELIAS
TOKYO: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has brushed aside fears expressed by some quarters of Singapore meddling in the development of the Iskandar Development Region (IDR).
He said the fears arose after Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong inadvertently used the word consultative committee at a press conference in Langkawi last week.
Abdullah and Lee had agreed to set up a special ministerial committee to discuss areas of co-operation including the usage of smartcard for easier travel between IDR and Singapore and the promotion of tourism.
A minister will be appointed from each country to sit on the committee.
“That (Lee’s announcement) was a mistake, a slip of the tongue. I have clarified the matter,” he said in reply to a question by a Singapore journalist who had asked him to comment on reports that Johoreans were fearful of Singapore’s involvement in the project during the 13th Nikkei Conference here yesterday.
After that announcement, Abdullah said, the people of Johor were worried that it would mean that any decision that needed to be made with regards to the IDR would have to be referred to Singapore for approval.
“But that is not correct. That will never happen,” he added.
Invitation To A Go-Piss
(Buat Orang Kampong)
Rombu bergaram
Rombu rambo
testosterone pun ada
Sdr Orang Kampung
gue susun jari sepuluh
sama lu
gue ini bukan lah pandai
sangat
cerdik sedikit
mabuk tuak samsu
kepala batas
bukan kacip fatimah
mana ubinya, bu?
bawah go-piss tu!
gua gendong lu, bu?
mahu?
Datuk
Dengan Izin:
Buat Sdr Orang Kampung - satu lagu
Learning to Fly - Pink Floyd (Lyrics and Chords)
ARTIST: Pink Floyd
TITLE: Learning to Fly
Lyrics and Chords
Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reel
A fatal attraction is holding me fast
How can I escape this irresistible grasp
/ G - - - / Em - - EmD / :
{Refrain}
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted
Just an earth-bound misfit, I
/ C - Am - / F - / C D G - - - /
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladen, empty and turned to stone
A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
/ C - Am - / F - C - /
{Refrain}
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer
My grubby halo, a vapor trail in the empty air
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night
There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
{Refrain}
Note:
Red84:
Tongue-tied and twisted
Just an earth-bound misfit, I
Dato'
"Najib leads roadshow to raise Malaysia's profile".
Imagine my surprise when I read this headline in the Spore Straits Times today.
It appears that the DPM will lead a high-level delegation to Spore next week to raise Msia's international profile.
The report said that the DPM will meet about 50 top-tier fund managers. He will also dine with 7 or 8 heads of Spore's top GLCs, including Temasek Holdings and the Govt of Spore Investment Corp (GIC).
The DPM's team will include 2nd Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Bank Negara deputy governor Ooi Sang Kuang and Datuk Azman Mokhtar, managing director of Khazanah.
The roadshow in Spore will be sponsored by investment banks ECM Libra Avenue and Credit Suisse.
The 50 top-tier fund managers will come from Hong Kong and the US, amongst other countries, and are reported to control about half of the world's investment and hedge funds.
It is understood that the DPM will use the roadshow in Spore to highlight the IDR as well as the soon-to-be launched northern and eastern economic corridors in Msia.
Note to the coffeeshop economist: Why is the DPM having to go to Spore to meet these top fund managers? Surely they can come meet him in KL?
The simple answer is that most of these hedge funds, private equity funds and investment banks have their regional offices in Spore. Not in KL. Which shows how far behind Msia is in the race to be a regional financial and banking hub.
And why is the DPM meeting privately with the heads of Spore's top GLCs, including Temasek and GIC. Again, the simple answer is that they have substantial funds to invest in the likes of the IDR. And if they choose to invest in the IDR, then it is an imprimatur or green light to the rest of the foreign investment community that the IDR is worthy of serious consideration.
See, that is what is meant by "economic clout". Something that Spore has in ample measure.
And that is something that is unpalatable to a lot of people in Msia, because it leaves a sour taste in their mouths.
Thank you Thegreatteadrinkersownsouth,
for your comments and bringing these things to my attention.
Alor, Datuk et mes amis!
In Malaysia we will say that
'Najib Has Done It Again'
This piece of news is not that unpalatable to a Malaysian as neither is the news of
"Singapore's state-linked investment firm Temasek Holdings is under investigation in Indonesia for alleged monopoly practices in the telecoms industry"
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/070524/33/p/18xmp.html
nor that of
"Lee compared the relationship between Southeast Asia and India to Turkey's bid to join the European Union, to which new French President Nicolas Sarkozy is staunchly opposed because most of its territory is in Asia."
http://au.biz.yahoo.com/070524/33/p/18y78.html
and neither, too, is that fact that a Singo-phile is proud of Singapura.
What is unpalatable to me is shoving everything-singapura-does-we-must-follow and singapura-knows best-what-is-good-for-Malaysia
down my throat
and
that Najib will be President of UMNO.
Regardez-vous
Datuk,
Salaam
Ampun!!!
Dan dengan izin
Dedicated to Mohd Najib bin Toh Puan Rahah;
Mother
Mother do you think they'll drop the bomb?
Mother do you think they'll like this song?
Mother do you think they'll try to break my balls?
Mother should I build the wall?
Mother should I run for president?
Mother should I trust the government?
Mother will they put me in the firing line?
Mother am I really dying?
Hush now baby, baby, dont you cry.
Mother's gonna make all your nightmares come true.
Mother's gonna put all her fears into you.
Mother's gonna keep you right here under her wing.
She wont let you fly, but she might let you sing.
Mama will keep baby cozy and warm.
Ooooh baby ooooh baby oooooh baby,
Of course mama'll help to build the wall.
Mother do you think she's good enough -- to me?
Mother do you think she's dangerous -- to me?
Mother will she tear your little boy apart?
Mother will she break my heart?
Hush now baby, baby dont you cry.
Mama's gonna check out all your girlfriends for you.
Mama wont let anyone dirty get through.
Mama's gonna wait up until you get in.
Mama will always find out where you've been.
Mama's gonna keep baby healthy and clean.
Ooooh baby oooh baby oooh baby,
You'll always be baby to me.
Mother, did it need to be so high?
(PINK-FLOYD-LYRICS.COM)
I can't keep it in me any longer, Datuk. Maybe it will be the best for me should Najib becomes the President of UMNO that I leave the country.
If he says that the grassroot of UMNO is for him and yet he is so afraid that the grassroots won't fight for him and he still wants the president's chair then I know he is not worth it. Thus, Datuk, my 'illogic displeasure with him bordering on hatred' and that is not healthy. The country is not big enough for the both Najib and I but the world is.
Tun Mahathir was banished for what he believed.
I have said my say; and so I have nothing further to say. Hey, I have done what is needed and the good thing is it's my ticket to freedom.
Thank you and wassalaam
Datuk and fellow debaters, thank you for responding to my “ranting”. I respect your views and your stance. I know some of you are congenital Singapore and LKY lovers. You’re born to love the Singapore town and LKY!
I am not because I read the Singapore Story. Too many people are sold on LKY’s greatness, but not the Chinese. I mean the Chinese as the citizens of China.
They kicked Singapore out their country after LKY failed to recreate mini Singapore in China. Singapore’s mini Jurong failed. The Chinese could not stand LKY’s holier-than-thou lecturing of the world. In China, Dr Mahathir is the hero not LKY.
If Najib want to go Singapore, I have no problem. I know some ministers and junior politicians went to Singapore for R&R. But if DPM wants to go there to work, I have no problem with it.
If ECM Libra Avenue wants to arrange the visit I have no problem also. After making the easy buck by acquiring Avenue Asset cheaply from the Malaysian people, it’s time for Mr Kali and the gang to pay back. I hope they are not charging Najib or the Government for organizing the trip. Tengku Sharifuddin can you check on this?
But can ECM Libra Avenue accept fact if Najib does better than his boss in convincing the investors. I hope the trip is not meant to “trap” Najib or for ECM Libra to make quick money. Maybe Mr Kali will take the opportunity to consult his Singapore doctors on the condition of his spinal column.
Yes Red84, in the eyes of God, we are sons and daughters of our mothers. We can only be truly sure of the women who bore us.
Have a great tea-drinking weekend and pray that Bursa Malaysia recovers next week so that the PM can continue to enjoy the feel-good syndrome.
You are so naive teadrinker not to know the real reason why the meeting is held in s'pore!
Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin
Salaam
Dengan Izin
A Most Wonderful Song: Al-Kahfi
(for Me, My Friends, Lee Kuan Yew, Teadrinker And his Ilks)
018.032
And set forth to them a parable
of two men
for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines
and We surrounded them both with palms
and in the midst of them We made cornfields
018.033
Both these gardens yielded their fruits
and failed not aught thereof
and We caused a river to gush forth in their midst
018.034
And he possessed much wealth
so he said to his companion
while he disputed with him:
I have greater wealth than you, and am mightier in followers
018.035
And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself
He said: I do not think that this will ever perish
018.036
And I do not think the hour will come
and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find
a returning place better than this
018.037
His companion said to him while disputing with him:
Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust
then from a small seed
then He made you a perfect man?
018.038
But as for me: He - Allah - is my Lord
and I do not associate anyone
with my Lord
018.039
And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden:
It is as Allah has pleased
there is no power save in Allah? If you consider me to be inferior to you
in wealth and children
018.040
Then maybe my Lord will give me
what is better than your garden
and send on it
a thunderbolt from heaven
so that it shall become
even ground without plant
018.041
Or its waters should sink down
into the ground so that
you are unable to find it
018.042
And his wealth was destroyed
so he began to wring his hands
for what he had spent on it
while it lay having fallen down
upon its roofs and he said:
Ah me!
would that I had not associated anyone
with my Lord
018.043
And he had no host to help him
besides Allah
nor could he defend himself
018.044
Here is protection
only Allah's the True One
He is best
in reward and best in requiting.
018.045
Set forth to them the similitude
of the life of this world:
It is like the rain
which we send down from the skies:
the earth's vegetation absorbs it
but soon it becomes dry stubble
which the winds do scatter:
it is Allah who prevails
over all things
most true is Allahul-Azeem
and His Rasuul
Dato'
Jika kita halusi sebagai jiran kita di kepulauan yang telah kehabisan bumi itu, mungkin projek perbandaran mega ini adalah peluang terbaik untuk survival Negara bandaraya ini. Ia boleh memprojekkan kedaulatannya menyeberang selat - agaknya ini adalah neo-kolonisma melinea baru. Majulah Singapura akan dapat diperkasakan setelah hampir terancam oleh Jabatan Bengkok tempoh hari.
Kita pula mempunyai peluang untuk berbangga dengan kejayaan kita membangunkan perbandaran yang terancang. Seperti kata Dato', jika kita tidak berwaspada kita akan tewas tanpa disedari sepertimana uang digambarkan oleh orang tua kita dulu melalui kerektor Pak Pandir yang "menang sorak, kampung terhadai". Cuma kali ini kampung yang tergadai adalah jauh lebih besar!
Teruskan perjuangan dengan pena Dato' walaupun tersentuh atau menyentuh Pembesar-pembesar kita maupun yang bergelar atau tidak.
To PJ,
From my point of view, we have to look at all angles in the crooked bridge fiasco. The causeway needs to be replaced by a bridge to cope with ever increasing traffic and allow better water flow in the straits, among other reasons. A bridge will smoothen Singaporeans' entry into Malaysia, making the idea of shopping/vacationing in Malaysia more attractive. Malaysia (esp. Tanjung Pelepas Port) will also benefit greatly with the crooked bridge because ships can cut through Tebrau Straits instead of circumventing around Singapore, and save 6 hours of sailing time. But we all know that Singapore is not going to agree over this. What did they do? They meddle.
Is it wrong to do something that's beneficial to Malaysia in our own territory? The bridge would've driven Johor's economy through the roof, I don't think IDR is necessary :). So, you can't just simplify this problem into "building a bridge has to be agreed upon by both countries" problem. And don't even let me get started on the water agreement.
Please recheck your facts regarding Malaysia-Singapore's history and relations. During the uprising of the communist, PAP or more specifically LKY needed the support of Malaysia to suppress it because they had no power to stop it. Now, Malaysia didn't even want Singapore in the first place, but the British wasn't going to let a communist island formed just across the straits. So, with cunning tactics, LKY got Singapore into Malaysia and Malaysia helped greatly to quash communism and maintain the power in PAP's hands. But guess who started to play the racial card, and created major unrest bordering to chaos that Tunku had no choice but to separate Singapore to maintain peace? That's right people, LKY!
(I like to think that being rejected by Malaysia still play into their psyche and made them kiasu :)
Since even before Malaysia took Singapore in, Singapore was a sovereign country so there's no argument that Singapore was "kicked out of Malaysia to fend for itself". Furthermore, could you claim that after what LKY had done? This is something Malaysians will remember for a long long time.
Lastly, I believe our government is not taking us into the right direction. I thank you Datuk for speaking from the rakyat's point of view before it's too late, or is it?
-Redzuan Rahim-
Use a binocular to look at others and use a microscope to look at ourselves.
The fact remains clear that there PAP are doing all the right things and our BN are doing all the wrong things. Dream on vision 2020…..is too late!
From a always late Mat Rampet.
what is Vision 2020?
Hey mutt!(?)
If I may ask?
that you say
we are too late
oh me, oh my
and what a game we play
moving the finishing line away
from 66 to 69 - haaah the
bloody soggy frenchy fry me joke
what! again?
another parrot on the loose
flew in from across
the old causeway
shoooh!
where is that hud-hud!
where is that hud-hud!
where's my glasses, dude!
Quick!!!!
where's your heart, dude?
A comment said that Malaysians are jealous of Singapore (although I remember reading somwhere that some study or poll found the opposite; we don't know the sample though).
Of course we are jealous. Siapa tak nak tahap keberkesanan dan dengan izin, efficiency yang agak ketara di Singapura? Siapa yang akan menolak sistem pengangkutan awam yang bersih, telus dan moden? Siapa yang akan memilih untuk senantiasa berjaga-jaga apabila berjalan waktu malam ataupun siang berbanding keselamatan yang boleh dilihat dan dinikmati?
Apa orang ada yang lebih bak kita mesti mahu punya; ini naluri mausia lah!
But a friend of mine succintly described the Malaysia - Singapore anomaly:
Foreigners are the biggest group of people confused about the difference between the two countries, especially given their proximity.
The moment they cross over Tambak Johor either by bus, train or other land based transport, the difference is too damning! From the clean, efficient, organised and structured environs of Singapore, within minutes they are transported back in time.
Malaysia it seems, never matured. Dirty, inefficient, chaotic and unstructured in its approach to many things (and some of this we sell as the Truly Asia feel!) Gasp!
Jangan salah faham. Dalam saya memuji Singapura ianya bukanlah sebuah negara yang, dengan izin, perfect. Lawatan saya kali terakhir awal bulan ini menunjukkan saya mengenai bebeapa kelemahan mereka.
Tetapi yang pasti (a phrase made famous by Malaysian journalists especiall in broadcast), keburukan mereka kurang berbanding kekuatan; kekurangan mereka sering diatasi berbanding dilindungi; kekuatan mereka amat kukuh dan mempunyai nilai ekonomi.
Kalau setakay Malaysia nak melaungkan Cemerlang, Gemilang & Terbilang sahaja, baik jangan membazir masa. Polisi bertandan tandan, guna-pakai tidak kesampaian.
Someone commented that we are afraid of our own shadows; spot on. When we go out to buy foreign companies, we kick-ass! We shout loud!
But when people buy or want to buy our companies, we become suspicious.
Kalau nak menerima globalisasi, terimalah sebulat-bulatnya. Kalau nak membentuk hala-tuju globalisasi, jadi pembentuk, bukan pengikut.
Isu bahasa? Tak salah menguasai bahasa Inggeris. Kalau pun di Arab Saudi, Sepanyol, Perancis dan Jepun bahasa Inggeris tiada nilai dominasi, ia tidak bererti menguasai bahasa Inggeris tidak penting.
If your mastery of English got you nowhere in those countries, one, one will have to assume you spoke zilch there or they spoke a common language with you other than Englis , and two, in business then how would you conduct the transaction if you didn't have the common language? Unless you aspika de languayj no, eet ees deefeecolt yes?
Before anyone says, "Well mate, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen", i.e. migrate, why not?
Then others will say, "Ya, migrate lah. Then you get treated like second class citizens in a foreign country that don't truly accept you".
My mom made the point:
"I'd rather be treated badly in a foreign country where I am a pendatang, than be treated as a pendatang in the country where I am a citizen of birth".
Think about that.
Salaam, Dato'
I am reminded that a conference called the "World Islamic Economic Forum" is currently being held in KL.
The objective of this conference, as I understand it, is to discuss ways of promoting economic co-operation between Islamic (Muslim) countries.
Never mind that the title of the KL conference closely resembles the "World Economic Forum" conferences that are held in Davos, Switzerland annually.
What the KL conference should discuss is why Islamic countries are lagging so badly in terms of international competitiveness.
Look at the World Competitiveness Yearbook Competitiveness Scoreboard 2007 which ranks 55 economies in terms of competitiveness, using a detailed set of criteria.
The top 10 countries/economies are:
1. USA
2. Singapore
3. Hong Kong
4. Luxembourg
5. Denmark
6. Switzerland
7. Iceland
8. Netherlands
9. Sweden
10.Canada
For members of the OIC, Malaysia is ranked 23rd, Jordan 37th and Indonesia 54th. No other member of the OIC makes it to the list of 55.
Sad, isn't it? When are the OIC member countries going to walk the talk on increasing their international competitiveness?
Oh, and by the way, Australia is ranked 12th, Mainland China 15th and Israel 21st.
"What the KL conference should discuss is why Islamic countries are lagging so badly in terms of international competitiveness."
wish you were here, teadrinker.
thank you, teadrinker.
man, you're one hard working dude: meaning: gotta massage my brains with stones some more, Datuk.
halaassss!
Datuk
Salaam
Yup and a yippy yi-yea!
but by your leave, Senor Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin.
I thought of claiming spot no.77 - but hey! You win some, you lose some; that's life. If you win more than you lose, be thankful.
Time To Go! (On A Holiday!)
(and it is not without pleasure having read all those comment postings and especial are Teadrinker's and Singaporean Parrots')
So these couple of songs as adieu from - and to - me to you. For those of you that are driving: Drive Safely!)
Wish You Were Here
(Waters, Gilmour) 5:17
(For Thegreatteadrinkerdownsouth)
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade
Your heros for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.
http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/wish-you-were-here-wish-lyrics.html
Reminding me of Hostel Perindu 2, Shah Alam)
En voor mij:
Comfortably Numb
(Gilmour, Waters) 6:49
Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?
Come on, now,
I hear you're feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again.
Relax.
I'll need some information first.
Just the basic facts.
Can you show me where it hurts?
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain you would not understand
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.
O.K.
Just a little pinprick.
There'll be no more aaaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working, good.
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on it's time to go.
There is no pain you are receding
A distant ship, smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying.
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown,
The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.
http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/comfortably-numb-wall-lyrics.html
(Remembering college days(Rue Midi), the white snow and the winter cold.
Ahh, Spring and Autumn and Abdul Rahman bin Mohamad Yusuff - Mann, who is in Switzerland)
Thank you and salaams
rb amero,
the world did not begin with English and will definitely NOT end with English.Globalisation also did not and will not end with English.You are talking like it is the be all or end all while most of the affluent world have 3-4 languages to do business with, you are happy to be stuck with one language (English).In fact inilah mentality kita rakyat Malaysia.And o one said don't study English.Most open-minded people say don't stop at English.
On being treated bad in your own country: it's an ongoing propaganda.Why do you think only YOU are victimised in this country?
Who are you comparing yourself with? Which Malays? What yardstick you use?
Ask yourself if it's a class problem or a race one.
Is this racial prejudice passed on? It takes two to tango and coins have two sides.
Dear red84
Your point being what, precisely?
A perpetually paranoid Singapore vs a semua ok Malaysia?
Like they say, you pays your money and you take your chances.
Only, in this case, more people (and companies) seem to prefer to pays their money and take their chances in Singapore.
I wonder why that is? Perhaps it is some fundamental truth that my feeble intellect hasn't grasped!
Are you a singaporean, yob?
OrangKampung,
No the world did not start or will end in English; and if I sounded like it is the be all and end all, my apologies.
My point was many people are against the mastery of English here, on the pretext that the national language will be forgotten. Another case perhaps of misplaced fear. Those that propogate this only give more fodder for those keris-yielding politicians.
No, don't stop at English; my 2 daughters and I in fact agreed only last week to take up Spanish during the year end break. Si habla Inglais?
Never too did I say that I am, or my race is the only one victimised. I didn't even use the word victim because I don't see it that way. I see it as unfairness, that the superior race of UMNOPUTRA gets the pick of the pie. Certainly not victimised; only people who think the land owes them a living think that. Perhaps its time to look at the three fingers pointing back?
In this multi-racist... ooppss... multi-racial country of ours, I am an equal-ooportunity racist: I will be racist against my own race if necessary.
Dah bagi berpuluh tahun pun tahu ambil saja; suruh berdiri sendiri terhoyong-hayang, lopeh tu nak dicanang ko soluroh dunio yang kito ni buleh itu, buleh ini.
Hampeh yo... mongabihkan boreh yo.
Tak ado bangso lain dalam dunio ni la, kok dapek de naik ko puncak Gunung Everes tu, di canang canang yang "orang kito buleh, bangso kito buleh". Co ekau pikerkan. Ado tak?
Bangso ni ajo yang camtu. Sobab ae?
Ongputeh kato "inferiority complex" la.
Yang takdo kaki naik Everes tu ontok yo de. Yang pompuan, yang umo sotahun jagung boronang English Channel tu tak lak tokinjo kinjo molompek kato, "eden dah buek dah, eden buleh".
Dio buek, dio sonang, dio banggo. Sobab ae? Hari hari orang lain dok buek yang samo, buek apo den nak topokik pokik?
rb amero,
I'm sorry..I don't speak/read dialect.Can you translate that into English or Spanish or German or Arabic? :))
Truth be told, we shoud stop whining.Just do your bit..wake up and change whatever you can.It could be giving a ride to your poor neighbour's child or making it a habit to feed the poor, etc.Why must the government do all? We never voted for it anyway.
Orang Kampung,
The long and short of it all? Malays are the only race I know that does these feats (swimming, climbing or whatever) on the name of their race. Then they shout loud "Melayu boleh".
Boleh apa?
I agree with you that we shouldnot depend on the government for everything. My problem? If the basic stuff that they must give society (like safety etc) pun tak boleh nak harap, buat apa nak harap benda lain.
Cheers!
Datuk Abdul Kadir jasin
Salaam
The posting(see below) was based largely from materials from
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Translations of The Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Three Translations of The Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side
Translator: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Translator: Marmaduke Pickthall
Translator: Mohammad Habib Shakir
Release Date: October 27, 2005 [EBook #16955]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRANSLATIONS OF THE KORAN ***
A Most Wonderful Song: Al-Kahfi
(for Me, My Friends, Lee Kuan Yew, Teadrinker And his Ilks)
018.032
And set forth to them a parable
of two men
for one of them We made two gardens of grape vines
and We surrounded them both with palms
and in the midst of them We made cornfields
018.033
Both these gardens yielded their fruits
and failed not aught thereof
and We caused a river to gush forth in their midst
018.034
And he possessed much wealth
so he said to his companion
while he disputed with him:
I have greater wealth than you, and am mightier in followers
018.035
And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself
He said: I do not think that this will ever perish
018.036
And I do not think the hour will come
and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find
a returning place better than this
018.037
His companion said to him while disputing with him:
Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust
then from a small seed
then He made you a perfect man?
018.038
But as for me: He - Allah - is my Lord
and I do not associate anyone
with my Lord
018.039
And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden:
It is as Allah has pleased
there is no power save in Allah? If you consider me to be inferior to you
in wealth and children
018.040
Then maybe my Lord will give me
what is better than your garden
and send on it
a thunderbolt from heaven
so that it shall become
even ground without plant
018.041
Or its waters should sink down
into the ground so that
you are unable to find it
018.042
And his wealth was destroyed
so he began to wring his hands
for what he had spent on it
while it lay having fallen down
upon its roofs and he said:
Ah me!
would that I had not associated anyone
with my Lord
018.043
And he had no host to help him
besides Allah
nor could he defend himself
018.044
Here is protection
only Allah's the True One
He is best
in reward and best in requiting.
018.045
Set forth to them the similitude
of the life of this world:
It is like the rain
which we send down from the skies:
the earth's vegetation absorbs it
but soon it becomes dry stubble
which the winds do scatter:
it is Allah who prevails
over all things
most true is Allahul-Azeem
and His Rasuul
1:08 PM
I have based it on that of Translator: Mohammad Habib Shakir
with some changes. You could say the credit goes to him.
My apologies to Mohammad Habib Shakir and all those who read it.
Salaam
Red84
Salaam, Dato'
Please be informed, in case that you don't already know, that Janadas Devan (the son of a late former President of Singapore) has written a stinging op-ed piece ("The paranoia of suspicious minds") which is published in the Spore Straits Times today, June 1.
He has postulated the thesis that the root of Spore's bilateral problems with Malaysia and Indonesia is caused by a disconnect between the thinking of Msian and Indonesian leaders (such as Pak Lah and SBY) and what a large segment of their population feels.
And, Dato', he has specifically criticised you in his commentary. I quote:
"It is impossible to believe that educated Malaysians do not know that a 'consultative' body cannot possibly have executive powers. After all, Malaysia itself has had consultative bodies before - including the famous National Consultative Council (NCC). That was formed in January 1970, in the aftermath of the 1969 race riots, to involve various groups, including opposition parties, in the effort to find 'permanent solutions to our racial problems', as a contemporary report put it.
"Everyone, including opposition politicians, knew the NCC had no executive powers. That was vested in the National Operations Council, led by then-deputy prime minister Tun Abdul Razak. He was prepared to consult all and sundry, but nobody doubted that his willingness to do so did not imply his ceding control over 'operations'. No Malaysian, not even the non-English speaking ones, confused the National Consultative Council with the National Operations Council.
"So how is it possible for someone like Mr A. Kadir Jassin, a former group editor-in-chief of Malaysia's New Straits Times Press, to suggest that the Malaysia-Singapore JMC (Joint Ministerial Committee) may affect Malaysia's sovereignty? It cannot possibly be because he thinks Mr Lee's (Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong) use of the word 'consultative' means that the JMC will be a bilateral 'operations council'. Mr Kadir, a crisp writer in English, is too smart to believe such nonsense.
"But he, like many other in Malaysia, have raised this canard because, one, it carries a political percentage on the ground, and two, because they genuinely fear globalisation. The ridiculous fuss over the JMC's purpose is a stand-in for a generalised fear tht the policies that must be put in place to ensure the IDR's success will threaten entrenched privileged domestic groups......
"Prime Minister Abdullah and his senior colleagues understand what is at stake. They know that China and India are breathing down Asean's neck. They have a clear-sighted vision of how the IDR should succeed. But that understanding, knowledge and vision run counter to what plays on the ground. This is a contradiction that Singapore cannot possibly resolve, no matter how much goodwill it manifests. The IDR, if it thrives, will benefit both countries, but only Malaysians can ensure its success......"
Well, Dato' - can we expect a suitable riposte from you? Something that will be published unedited and unexpurgated in the Spore Straits Times?
And, for the record, do you "genuinely fear globalisation"? Maybe this is another canard which you should forcefully rebut?
Assalaimualaikum Dato,
Saya sangat berharap Tun Mahathir dapat kembali kepada arena politik dan menjadi Presiden Umno semula agar Tun dapat memperbaiki kepincangan yang sangat berat.Saya rasa rancangan ini tidak mustahil
Post a Comment