Satu Kejutan Kalau Anwar Jadi MB Selangor

A Kadir Jasin

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MUTAKHIR - Menteri Besar Selangor, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim mengumumkan hari ini yang Ketua Umum Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) merangkap Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen, (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, akan bertanding kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri Kajang.

Ini mengukuhkan lagi ramalan beliau akan mengambil alih jawatan Menteri Besar Selangor (sekiranya menang). Abdul Khalid berkata, buat sementara waktu ini beliau akan terus menjalankan tugas MB.

POSTING ASAL

SEKIRANYA tepat ramalan media massa mengatakan (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, akan bertanding pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Kajang dan seterusnya mengambil alih jawatan Menteri besar Selangor, implikasinya sangat menarik.

Hal ini menjadi bahan spekulasi hangat berikutan pertemuan panjang (dikatakan empat jam) antara Anwar dan Menteri Besar Selangor, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, dan peletakan jawatan Ahli Dewan Undangan PKR Kajang, Lee Chin Cheh.

Saya menganggapnya sebagai sesuatu yang memeranjatkan dan mungkin tidak semestinnya baik bagi Anwar, PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat. Pandangan lanjut saya seperti berikut:

1. Akhirnya Anwar terpaksa mengaku bahawa krisis kepemimpinan Kerajaan Selangor yang berpunca daripada perebutan kuasa antara Abdul Khalid dan Timbalan Presiden PKR, Mohd Azmin Ali, sudah sampai ke peringkat hidup mati.

2. Krisis itu mungkin tidak meruntuhkan kerajaan PR Selangor, tetapi akan melemahkannya.

3. Ia akan melemahkan kedudukan PKR sebagai perantara PR dan menyebabkan DAP dan PAS memikirkan semula pergantungan mereka kepada PKR sebagai perunding.

4. Walaupun Anwar sangat akrab dengan Azmin dan percaya kepadanya, namun beliau tidak dapat memberikan jawatan MB kepada Azmin selagi Abdul Khalid ada dalam DUN.

5. Walaupun Azmin adalah Timbalan Presiden yang telah bersama Anwar hampir tiga dekad, namun dalam parti beliau mempunyai musuh dan Abdul Khalid ada pengikutnya sendiri.

6. Di kalangan Adun dari PKR, DAP dan PAS, sokongan terhadap Azmin berbelah bagi. Mungkin lebih ramai memihak kepada Abdul Khalid, khasnya di kalangan Adun DAP.

7. Bagi Anwar pula, sekiranya beliau mengambil langkah luar biasa itu, matlamatnya tentulah bagi menyelamatkan kerajaan PR Selangor dan menyekat perebutan kuasa antara Abdul Khalid dan Azmin di Selangor daripada merebak ke peringkat nasional.

8. Di segi imej, Anwar membuat pengorbanan besar kerana matlamat beliau selama ini – bermula dengan penyertaannya dalam Umno pada tahun 1982 – adalah menjadi Perdana Menteri.

9. Antara menjadi PM dengan MB Selangor, bezanya sangat besar dan mungkin mencetuskan banyak reaksi negatif. Antaranya ialah beliau bukan kelahiran Selangor dan usianya (66 tahun) adalah agak lanjut bagi seorang MB.

10. Beliau pasti dituduh oleh musuh-musuhnya sebagai telah mengaku kalah dan tidak yakin lagi boleh menjadi PM.

11. Sebaliknya, dengan pilihan raya umum (PRU) masih jauh (kira-kira empat tahun setengah), Anwar mempunyai masa bagi membuktikan kemampuannya mentadbir dan ini boleh menjadi modal untuk PRU.

12. Dan Anwar tentu sedar bahawa ada seakan-akan satu sumpahan ke atas jawatan MB Selangor. Boleh kata tidak ada MB Selangor yang tidak dilanda masalah, kontroversi dan penghinaan.

Wallahuaklam.

Lay Off Hollywood's Riza Shahriz

A Kadir Jasin

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A GLOBALLY successful Malay businessman chided me and told me to tell other writers and bloggers to stop running down the Malay Hollywood film producer, Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz.

He said when Malaysia Chinese and Indians made it big in the world, nobody complained, including the Malays. Instead they were praised as being capable.

He then reminded me of some of the Chinese and Indian businessmen (and women) that we both know from the early days of their business involvement.

He said all of them benefited from government’s assistance in one way or another.

As an example, when Ananda Krishnan made a name for himself (and Malaysia) by organising Sir Bob Geldof’s Live Aid in 1985, he was treated like a hero.

“Nobody complained that he was once a Bank Negara and Petronas director, and traded Petronas crude oil, that his mutual fund, Minsec, went bust, received massive government franchises and was a good friend of Tengku Razakeigh Hamzah and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Nobody complained that K S Liew (Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, President & CEO of SP Setia Berhad) become a global property developer by riding on PNB’s investment and influence.”

Some Chinese companies and investors were even rescued from bankruptcy by the government via cash injections and awards of contracts. Back in the late 1980’s, depositors of the Chinese-owned deposits taking companies (DTCs), almost all of whom were Chinese, were rescued by the government when these companies became insolvent due to fraud.

So, said the Malay tauke, lay off Riza Shahriz and let him be.

Hollywood Film Producer Riza Shahriz

I asked him if he knows Riza Shahriz personally. He said, no. But he said he is impressed with his success in Hollywood and told me that the former banker would be funding another mega biopic, most likely on George Washington, the first US President.

“If he is successful because he is good, hardworking and the money is his, let him be. We want more successful Malays like him,” said the businessman.

So, out of respect for him, I shall not say more about Riza Shahriz except to restate that he co-produced the Oscar-nominated film, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, reputed to own opulent homes in the US and is the son of the Prime Minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor (read here).

Another businessman friend – this time a Chinese – told me recently that many Chinese business empires around the world would not survive beyond the third generation.

He said some had in fact disintegrated due to internal squabbles and bad management while others are facing “revolt” from third- and fourth-generation shareholders who want to cash out and strike on their own.

“These are young ambitious western-educated MBA’s. They own two or three per cent of the shares in conglomerates founded by their grandfathers.

“They have little voting power and no say in the management. But their small share could be worth millions. They want to sell and start their own businesses,” he said.

So maybe investment funds like the EPF, PNB, Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera, the LTAT, Tabung Haji and the private sector mutual funds may want to look into this up for sale shares and assets.

It has happened in the developed economies, where old iconic family businesses had either died or became publicly-owned companies with founders’ descendants holding minority shares and board appointments.

As for my latest book, “Mohd Najib Selepas Tsunami Cina”, which is bi-lingual, I apologise to readers for the difficulty in buying it. No large, chain bookstores, except the MPH, are willing to sell it. So I have to sell them through small, independent bookshops. The book is also available at BERITA PUBLISHING, No 16-20, Jalan 4/109E, Desa Business Park, Taman Desa, Jalan Klang Lama, KL. If you buy direct, you get a 20-per cent discount. Thank you.

Three Scenarios On Future of PM­­

A Kadir Jasin

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THE Kedai Kopi Assembly (KKA) continues to sit at several coffee shops with different sets of members. A few were planned but most were impromptu.

Two planned sessions took place. One involved a minister and the other an adviser with ministerial status to the Prime Minister.

I am not sure if this sudden interest by the government people to join the KKA has anything to do with my posting entitled “Tangani Berita Bukan Bunuh Pembawanya” (baca di sini) on Jan 14.

Since I have not updated the KKA for a while, this posting will be somewhat long. Please bear with me.

Let me begin by recalling who attended these sessions and where they were held. A lunch session at Raju involved a public sector economist who helped me create the Kangkung Index and a Malay executive with a listed non-Khazanah GLC.

They were both concerned about the economy and politics of the country. They better be. They are young and their children are still small. If we mess up, they and their children will suffer. Even though they are middle class, still they feel the pinch of government-mandated price increases.

We were later joined by a former Umno MB who voiced his concern over the likely negative impact on Umno of the growing “independence” of some Malay rulers. Their involvement outside the purview of the royal duties and privileges are already affecting relations with Umno.

I am told by a member of the Umno Supreme Council at one of the KKA sessions that, at a recent meeting of the Umno Political Bureau, chaired by its President (Mohd Najib), this concern was raised.

Rise of Communalism in the Media

Another lunch session, an impromptu one, was held at Seri Kembangan. An irate private sector Malay executive told me that the newspapers – Malays and English – are becoming more communal and sectarian in their contents.

He said, being a Penang born, he was introduced early to The Star. He now feels that many Chinese writers of the MCA-controlled newspaper are anti-Malays. I told him that I know one or two of them because they once worked with me in the New Straits Times.

He said he feels the growing Chinese communalism on a daily basis because he was one of a handful of Malays in an otherwise Chinese-dominated European packaging company.

He may not be wrong. Number one, since the MCA’s dismal performance in the last May general election and its non-participation in the government, The Star has become bolder and less pro-government. Also the paper, like most mainstream newspapers, is fighting to stop readership decline.

Number two, not only Chinese-educated Chinese have become more strident in their political views, as manifested by their wholesale shift to the Pakatan Rakyat/DAP in the last GE, the English-educated, liberal-minded Chinese have also become more communal in their views.

Then again, why should a Penang Malay like him be surprised and upset with the views and actions of the Chinese, when there are liberal Malays who are siding with the church in the ongoing debate and action concerning the exclusive use of Allah by the Muslims in the Peninsula?

On this issue, all KKA sessions were unanimous that the apparent inaction of the Prime Minister and his rather inelegant silence are a cause for concern.

If he believes that his inaction and silence (except to appeal for calm and wait for court decision) will make the issue go away, he is dead wrong.

He cannot “main selamat” (play safe) forever. He has been PM for more than four years and his “main selamat” trademark does not serve him anymore. He should abandon it and start taking position in order to serve the people.

One delegate at a meeting at Killiney Kopitiam in Damansara Utama quipped: “Did the TV not show the PM giving away flat screen TVs to flood victims in Pahang?”

Hmm…., flat screen TV sets to flood victims? What I read in the paper is TV sets were sent to evacuation centres to allow flood victims to follow flood development and get some entertainment.

PM and Ministers Not Communicating Well

As for other issues, I impressed upon the PM’s adviser that in today’s day and age of instantaneous communication and of citizen journalism, leaders must be careful and thoughtful about what they say.

The “kangkung price has fallen but why don’t they praise the government” statement is certainly way out of sync. Not the mark of a thoughtful and concerned leader.  Similarly a minister telling consumers to change their taste by eating fish or beef if chicken is expensive or an Umno leader telling Malaysians to migrate if they are not thankful to the BN for bringing peace and progress to the country. Daft.

The kaki lawak quipped: “Depa mabuk ketum kot.” (High on the sedative effect of the ketum (Mitragyna speciosa) leaf. It seems ketum is good for treatment of anxiety.)

The session with the adviser also agreed that the PM’s plan to empower the Bumiputera economy might not work unless done inclusively within the larger national economy. After all inclusiveness is his clarion call under the New Economic Model.

The Bumiputera portion of the economy is too small to support the Bumiputeras who make up over 60% of the population and who are also the poorest. The GLCs and GLICs are not big enough to support the Bumiputera population.

I repeated my statement to the adviser that the PM should summon all the tycoons – Malays, Chinese and Indians – who had and are still receiving billion-ringgit contracts, concessions, franchises, licences, subsidies and cheap loans from the government to a big meeting akin the disbanded Malaysian Business Council (MBC) of the Mahathir era.

There he tells them that he knows the Chinese did not support the BN in last year’s GE and that they caused the "Tsunami Cina". Unfortunately for them, the BN won thanks to the rural Melayu and the natives of Sarawak and Sabah. Tell them too that he knows some of them have been helping the opposition, unless of course he is ignorant of that fact.

Ask for their help to enhance not only the Bumiputera economy, but also the economy of all poor Malaysians – the bottom 40%. Ask them about the racial composition of their staffing, their supply chain and their CSR activities. Ask them for their plans to make their employment and supply chain truly 1Malaysia instead of communal.

As for the meeting with the menteri, I told him that even the subsidy withdrawal and reduction could be defended and their effects on the rakyat minimised had that been done thoughtfully and in a staggered manner.

The PM should be listening more to crying pain of the people than the market-driven advisers who are spooking him with rating downgrades. An executive of a domestic rating agency told me at one of the KKA sessions that rating agencies are often wrong in their predictions.

 

The government and its mainstream media have failed to explain to the people that subsidy is not sustainable and has to be done away with gradually, giving the market and the consumers the time to adjust.

We had done this in the past and the people understood. But lumping them together at the end and the beginning of the year, when the rakyat needed money for their children’s schooling, is an insensitive.

The meeting with the menteri discussed issues faced by the people and the future of Umno. He said he visited several pasar malam and pasar tani and found that prices were generally stable but the price of kangkung had risen since the PM said its price had fallen by 50%. Maybe traders think its price is too low.

He asked me what I think of the PM’s leadership and his future. I told him, my observation suggests that there are three sets of scenarios. One is for the PM to change and do the right thing to ease the hardship of the people. Two, for him to be removed if he does not change and three, he remains, nothing changes and the BN faces the risk of being thrown out at the next GE.

Finally, a nasi padang lunch in Kampung Baru with two clever Melayu (both economists). One, as I said before, is French-trained. His buddy is LSE-trained. They were the authors of my Kangkung Index.

I asked them if the PM is on the right track in managing the economy and what will his deficit reducing and debt curbing policy do to the economy?

They both proclaimed themselves Keynesians and said at the current 4% to 5% per annum GDP growth, the economy is on autopilot. It does not require a lot of government interference.

As Keynesians, they told me the role of the government is to take care of the welfare of the people via economic growth, employment and wealth creation.

Constricting government expenditure and at the same time limiting private consumption via higher consumer prices will not contribute towards higher growth, more jobs and greater wealth.

What will then happen to the jobseekers and the people who survive on the fringes of the economy?

It is understood that unemployed Bumiputera graduates alone now stands at around 51,000 representing an increase of 30% since 2009 – the year Mohd Najib became PM.

So should we not be worried? As for me, I am totally disgusted that almost half of cabinet members were abroad during the year-end, when thousands were flooded out of their homes?

I was told that those ministers who stayed back had to become caretakers to multiple portfolios. One had to be answerable to more than 10 ministries at a time. No wonder the PMO was so secretive about the PM’s whereabouts.

Can they PLEASE not do this ever again? Or they just don't care.

POST SCRIPT: A million apologies for neglecting to mention that the KKA also held a session at the upmarket Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC) attended by two irate seventy something private sector Tan Sris and a younger, defensive Tan Sri. The older Tan Sris had some pointed messages they wanted the younger Tan Sri to bring to the attention of the PM because the latter is said to have the ears of the big man. Like the younger KKA delegates, they too are worried about the future of the country. All the three Tan Sris had served under the PM’s father.

Wallahuaklam.

No Excuse Is Better Than Bad One

A Kadir Jasin

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UPDATE - THIS is no gaffe, no faux pas. This is the King's order:

"The word Allah is exclusively for Muslims. Non-Muslims must respect this and are banned from using the world." - The Star.

I say: "Charge those who disobey, non-Muslims and Muslims, with treason." Period.

The government should stop making excuses.

ORIGINAL POST 

AS world leaders have found out, they do not have to employ billion-ringgit international advisers and scriptwriters to come out with memorable quotes.

Many were made famous by gaffes than well-planned and well thought out quotes and words of wisdom.

Well before our Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, became world famous (picked by world media) by asking “why don’t they thank the government now that kangkung prices have fallen?” other world leaders had also became famous with their faux pas.

Among them:

US President George H. W. Bush (Bush Senior):

“I do not like broccoli, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”

He was laughed at as well as criticised because broccoli (like kangkung) is rich in vitamins and Western parents make a point of feeding it to their children. Children don’t like it.

My mom and dad were too poor and ignorant to be introduced to broccoli, but thanks to our past leaders who developed this country, most us can now afford and enjoy broccoli.

President Ronald Reagan (like our dear Pak Lah) was famous for falling asleep at meetings and functions. Being a film star that he was, he joked about it:

“I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of a national emergency, even if I’m in a cabinet meeting.”

With political leaders being increasingly accused of breaking the law, the saying by Richard Nixon might be a source of false assurance. He said:

“When the President does it, that means it’s not illegal.”

He was wrong. Nixon was found guilty of the Watergate break-in scandal and resigned in 1974 rather than facing impeachment.

The fortunes (and misfortunes) of world leaders, past and present, are caused by the things their wives say and do.

The most famous (or infamous) was that of Marie Antoinette, the consort of the last King of France, Louis XVI.

The story (not necessarily history) has it that when told that the people had no bread to eat, Marie Antoinette supposedly replied: “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.” (Let them eat cake.)

For her extravagance and insensitivity, she and Louis paid with their heads, literally. They were executed using the guillotine in 1793, a year after the French republic was proclaimed.

The famous French writer, Jean-Jacque Rousseau, wrote:

“Enfin je me rappelai le pis-aller d’une grande princesse à qui l’on disait que les paysans n’avaient pas de pain, et qui répondit : Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.”

(Finally I recalled the stopgap solution of a great princess who was told that the peasants had no bread, and who responded: "Let them eat brioche (cake).")

Paid a heavy price for dismissing the people

But Rousseau's assertion was disputed by Zhu Muzhi, president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, that the French writer’s version was an alteration of a much older anecdote:

"An ancient Chinese emperor who, being told that his subjects didn't have enough rice to eat, replied, 'Why don't they eat meat?'"

It was attributed to Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, who was “developmentally disabled" and died of premeditated poisoning.

Back home in “modern” Malaysia, a minister was recently quoted as saying: “...if chicken is expensive, change your taste, eat fish and meat instead.”

No need to humour that minister by mentioning his name. The man could be so out of touch with reality that he didn’t know beef is more expensive than chicken?

And before more Malaysian leaders put their foot in their mouth, causing disgust and shame to all of us, may I quote a gem from President George Washington, the first President of the United States, as a reminder? He said:

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.”

Wallahuaklam.

Kangkung Index Is Possible

A Kadir Jasin

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THE PRIME Minister, Mohd Najib Abdul Razak’s kangkung story has been so widely discussed, lampooned and satirized that I need not add a word more.

Bloggers, their debaters, the news portals, the facebook and twitter account holders have done such a fine job that it leaves no room for me to put in my two cents worth of thought.

Still I do not want to miss the opportunity to contribute my two cents worth of something in praise of this humble plant.

So let me talk about kangkung and what we can do to honour it. Wikipedia’s entry describes kangkung (Ipomoea aquatica) as a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. It is found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, although it is not known where it originated. This plant is known in English as Water spinach, River spinach, Water morning glory, Water convolvulus, or by the more ambiguous names "Chinese spinach", "Swamp cabbage" and "Kangkong" in Southeast Asia.

By what name it goes, kangkung is easily the most widespread plant and the most loved vegetable in our country. It is so popular that it inspired a song aptly called “lenggang-lenggang kangkung”.

Kangkung is easily grown on the ground or in pots. But there is a species that grows wild in rivers, streams, irrigation canals and ponds.

Wild Kangkung is Free

And since the PM linked the falling price of kangkung to the cost of living and the fact that the government deserves to be praised for it, my brain went into overdrive thinking how to scientifically validate his assumption.

So I asked my young French-trained Malay economist if a cost of living or inflation indicator could be developed around kangkung price to create the kangkung index? To make it sound clever and classy, we can choose to call it Ipomoea Aquatica Index. 

And since kangkung is also consumed in many Asian countries, it can even be treated as the Asian version of the Big Mac Index to compare purchasing power parity of their respective currencies.

I had rejected from the outset the temptation to call it “indeks tipu” (cheating index) although among the Johorians, I was told, kangkung is sometimes called sayur tipu (cheating vegetable). That’s because it may look a lot when fresh, but once cooked the mass is greatly reduced.

My French-trained economist friend told me he consulted his economist friend and together they come up with the following explanation (in the Malay language). See how linguistically versatile some Malaysians are?

“Indeks Kangkung

“Baru-baru ini seorang VVIP telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bertanya kenapa rakyat tidak berterima kasih kepada kerajaan atas kejatuhan harga kangkung. Kenyataan beliau boleh ditafsirkan sebagai beliau percaya kos sara hidup telah turun kerana harga kangkung telah turun. Oleh yang sedemikian  mungkin kita boleh jadikan harga kangkung sebagai indikator untuk kos sara hidup untuk mengantikan CPI [Consumer Price Index]. Kita akan cipta satu indeks baru berdasarkan harga kangkung yang akan kita namakan ‘Indeks Kangkung’.

“Bagaimana indeks ini berfungsi?

“Kita akan ambil harga kangkung dari permulaan tahun 2013 sehingga 14 Jan 2014.  Kita akan lihat perubahan pada harga kangkung untuk menentukan sama ada kos sara hidup telah naik atau turun pada tempoh itu. Dari carta di bawah, indeks kangkung menunjukkan bahawa kos sara hidup telah menurun sebanyak 50% dari awal tahun 2013. Ini menunjukkan bahawa kenyataan VVIP itu tepat sekali, dan rakyat harus bersyukur atas pencapaian yang memberangsangkan ini. Indeks ini boleh dikemas kini setiap minggu.

Sumber daripada FAMA

“Namun dari segi implikasi kepenggunaan, indeks ini amatlah terhad. Berdasarkan data mutakhir daripada Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia, perbelanjaan untuk makanan dan minuman adalah lebih kurang 20.3% daripada perbelanjaan purata bulanan untuk setiap isi rumah. Dari angka tersebut, hanya 10% digunakan untuk membeli sayur-sayuran. Ini bermakna, hanya 2% daripada perbelanjaan purata total setiap isi rumah digunakan untuk membeli sayur. Peratusan sebenar mungkin lebih rendah sebab bukan semua isi rumah makan kangkung sahaja.

“Rumusannya: Walaupun harga kangkung sudah turun, ini tidak bermakna kos sara hidup juga sudah turun.”

Nah, siapa kata budak Melayu tak faham ekonomi? Macam mana pun, adakah kita masih ingat “sarung index” Pak Ungku? Takut-takut ramai dah lupa, tetapi unjurannya masih satu realiti?

  

The Son Remembers

I am also tempted to join the debate on Mohd Nazir Abdul Razak’s remembrance of his father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

In his widely published article, this prominent banker, among other things wrote:

“My father made it abundantly clear that while Seri Taman may be our home, the house belonged to the Government and, hence, to the people.

“Anything spent on it would have to come from public funds; and there was no way he was going to allow the state coffers to be depleted on something as frivolous as a swimming pool. 

“What will the people think?” he thundered.

“As the custodian of the nation’s coffers, his frugality was legendary.”

Hmm…, I don’t think I can add anything to that. His message is loud and clear.

  

GM Sacked Azmin as SEDC Director?

That’s what the Menteri Besar, Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, was reported as saying. He said PKR deputy president, Azmin Ali (his mortal enemy) was actually dropped from the PKNS board by its General Manager, Othman Omar.

This is worse than mind-boggling. A GM can sack or drop a board member, who is the number two in the PKR, just like that? Phew!

But today, the PKNS issued a press statement saying that Azmin’s removal was the decision of the Selangor state government.

It said, under clause 4(1) of the Selangor State Economic Development Corporation Enactment 1964, only the exco had the power to appoint or remove board members. The PKNS General Manager does not have such authority, it said.

It said it issued a letter to Azmin on Jan 8 informing him that the Selangor Exco, which met on Nov 13, had decided to terminate his position as a board member. The decision was confirmed on Dec 4.

I don’t blame you if you are confused. Even the PKR Ketua Umum, Anwar Ibrahim is confused and so he ordered that Azmin be reinstated.

He told a press conference that Azmin’s removal did not adhere to procedures. He said only the Menteri Besar or exco had the power to remove Azmin from the board.

"The General Manager does not have the power to release the letter (removing Azmin from the board).

"To me, Azmin's position in PKNS remains as his removal did not follow the correct rules," he said.

He added that Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had stated that he did not release the letter to remove Azmin from his position.

Now, who is lying and who is not telling the truth?

Oh la la!

Tangani Berita Bukan Bunuh Pembawanya

A Kadir Jasin

[KOMEN anonymous DAN KESAT tidak akan disiarkan. Sila guna Google Account, OpenID atau Name/URL untuk mengulas. Boleh guna nama samaran.]

SAYA tidak kenal Ibdillah Ishak. Saya mengenali beliau hanya daripada portal berita dan blog. Dikhabarkan yang beliau adalah Pengerusi Biro Media Baru, Pemuda UMNO Malaysia.

Saya kenal Khairy Jamaluddin sejak beliau pelajar universiti lagi dan juga kerana saya kenal ibu dan bapa mentuanya. Sudah bertahun-tahun tidak berjumpa belia. Hanya mengikuti jejak beliau melalui media massa.

Ketika saya di New Straits Times, kita membantu kumpulan beliau (Ethos) mencetak beberapa keluaran majalah mereka. Saya turut menjadi penceramah kursus "Students for Vision 2020" yang melibatkan kumpulan beliau (termasuk Haji Omar Ong) pada awal 1990-an. Mereka dimentorkan oleh Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Tun Daim Zainuddin dan Allahyarham Tan Sri Dr Nordin Sopiee.

Berkenaan Ibdillah, daripada apa yang saya baca (dan sekiranya berita itu benar dan tepat) maka bolehlah saya katakan yang beliau nampaknya faham peranan media baru dan kaedah yang wajar digunakan bagi menarik sokongan. Begitu juga Khairy.

Saya membaca tulisan seorang penulis yang memakai nom de plume Wenger Khairy dalam posting pada 10 Januari bertajuk “Ibdillah dan PMO Harus Melawan Balik Serangan Blogger” dalam blog The Rembau Times.

Antara lain Wenger Khairy berkata:

“Kami juga bersetuju dengan pandangan YBhg Sdr Ibdillah yang melahirkan rasa kurang senangnya dengan gelagat bloggers pro UMNO yang suka meminta upah untuk menjatuhkan pemimpin dan personaliti awam. Bloggers pro UMNO juga tiada pernah merasa bertanggung jawab terhadap kesan posting-posting mereka yang dipenuhi dengan adegan lucah, seks dan pekara-pekara (sic) yang tidak sehonoh (sic).” (Baca laporan penuh di sini).

Pemerhatian penulis tepat. Ada blogger pro-Umno atau yang bekerja untuk Umno atau pemuka-pemuka Umno yang sangat peribadi (personal) dan keterlaluan serangan mereka. Malah ada yang boleh dikategorikan sebagai lucah.

Ia mesti ada kebenaran kerana beberapa hari selepas itu, Khairy menyuarakan sentimen yang serupa dalam temu ramah dengan Berita Harian Ahad 12 Januari.

Antara lain beliau berkata: “.....itu membuktikan strategi media sosial yang kita gunakan selama ini membuktikan ia tidak berkesan, cakap dalam kelompok sendiri, masih syok sendiri, sedangkan pembangkang lebih kepada sasaran mendekati masyarakat umum. Saya akui, strategi lama itu tidak berkesan.” (Baca di sini).

Mengapa Hal Ini Berlaku?

Pertama, sebagai blogger yang bekerja untuk parti, ketua-ketua parti dan isteri mereka, tugas utama adalah menyokong parti dan ketua-ketua parti yang menggunakan khidmat mereka.

Kedua, bukan semua blogger politik ada pengetahuan dan pengalaman dalam bidang kewartawanan, penulisan dan komunikasi. Majoriti adalah aktivis parti yang bukan wartawan atau penulis.

Ketiga, oleh kerana mereka tidak berpengetahuan dan berpengalaman dalam bidang kewartawanan, penulisan dan komunikasi maka mereka kurang arif mengenai undang-undang, etika dan psikologi komunikasi.

Keempat, bukan semua blogger yang khidmat mereka digunakan oleh parti-parti politik terdiri daripada orang berpendidikan tinggi atau berpengetahuan luas dalam bidang politik, ekonomi, pengurusan dan pentadbiran.

Bukan Mudah Jadi Blogger Bartanggungjawab

Sebenarnya bukanlah mudah menjadi blogger makan gaji yang baik dan bertanggungjawab. Bebannya boleh dikira berat.

Pertama, kebebasannya  terhad. Dia hanya boleh menulis rencana (posting) menyokong majikannya. Kedua, rencana yang ditulis hendaklah cukup baik untuk menarik minat pelayar Internet dan diyakini.

Ketiga, dia kena baca komen-komen yang dihantar sebelum disiarkan. Dan keempat, dia perlu berbahas dengan para pengulas bagi menjawab hujah yang tidak positif terhadap majikannya.

Tetapi tidak adil menyalahkan blogger saja. Turut menjadikan sfera blog kita tidak sihat adalah pembaca yang menghantar komen. Sebenarnya merekalah yang lebih banyak menyebabkan unsur negatif membanjiri dunia blog kita.

Mereka ini terdiri daripada tiga kelompok utama. Pertama pembahas bebas tanpa afiliasi politik. Kedua pembahas bebas yang pro parti-parti politik tertentu. Dan ketiga pembahas yang ditugaskan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu, khasnya parti politik, untuk berbahas dalam blog. Di kalangan mereka ada kakitangan awam, pengamal perhubungan awam, petugas parti politik dan orang yang diupah khusus untuk berbahas yang kerap disebut sebagai cybertrooper atau laskar siber.

Dalam konteks inilah saya melihat saranan Ibdillah dan Khairy sebagai penting dan wajar diberi perhatian.

Blogger Perlu Diberi Peluang Belajar

Kalau saya boleh menambah, saya sarankan agar Umno dan mana-mana parti politik juga yang ingin menggunakan khidmat blogger secara berhemah, bermaruah dan membina selaras dengan cita-cita kita menjadi negara maju dan bertamadun tinggi agar mengambil langkah berikut:

Pertama, menaja blogger-blogger bukan wartawan untuk menghadiri kursus asas penulisan, undang-undang dan etika;

Kedua, blogger-blogger politik hendaklah menjawab hujah-hujah lawan dan bukan menyerang peribadi mereka, apatah lagi memfitnah; dan

Ketiga, blogger politik tidak akan dapat meyakinkan khalayak dan menarik sokongan kepada parti atau majikan mereka kalau mereka gagal mematahkan hujah lawan mereka dengan mengemukakan hujah yang kukuh dan bernas.

Kaedah membunuh pembawa khabar (messenger) tidak akan berkesan kalau khabar (message) yang dibawanya tidak dipatahkan. Pembawa khabar mungkin terkorban, tetapi khabar yang dibawanya akan terus tersebar.

Saya harap berita Ibdillah hendak “engage” (berbincang) dengan blogger bukan sekadar indah khabar daripada rupa. Kalau Pemuda Umno dan Puteri Umno yang mewakili generasi celik ICT dalam Umno tidak berani menjalin saringan dengan blogger dan pengamal media baru, mereka dan parti mereka akan ketinggalan.

Sejak saya membuka blog ini pada tahun bulan Mac 2006, saya boleh bilang dengan jari orang politik, wakil kerajaan, kementerian dan agensi yang membuat jaringan dengan saya sebagai blogger.

Seingat saya, hanya dua orang menteri, iaitu Mustapa Mohamed dan Ahmad Shabery Chik yang menjemput saya berbincang dalam kapasiti saya sebagai blogger.

Manakala di kalangan agensi kerajaan pula, hanya Khazanah Nasional Berhad (mengenai TPPA) dan Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (MACC) yang mengiktiraf saya sebagai blogger. Hanya Mustapa dan MACC sahaja mengadakan pertemuan terancang dan berkala dengan blogger.

Khusus mengenai blogger Umno, sama ada yang mendapat upahan atau yang menyokong parti secara sukarela, kini muncul trend di mana ada antara mereka yang saling serang-menyerang dan sabotaj-mensabotaj.

Ramai blogger wartawan dan bukan wartawan menyedari bahawa pada akhir-akhir ini ada pihak yang membuka blog tanpa nama (anonymous) yang nampak seakan-akan blog Pakatan Rakyat, tetapi kandungannya adalah memburuk-burukkan Umno dan orang Umno sendiri. Kegiatan ini lebih rancak ketika pemilihan parti.

Jika benar sangkaan bahawa ini adalah kerja beberapa orang “handler” pemimpin Umno sendiri maka aliran ini sangat berbahaya kepada Umno dan kerajaan.

Pentingnya Latihan dan Etika

Selama 24 tahun saya di New Straits Times Press (1976-2000) latihan dan “mentoring” adalah antara keutamaan saya. Alhamdulillah, hari ini ramai penggiat media adalah mereka yang saya anggap sebagai anak buah dan anak didik.

Kita ada dua modul latihan. Satu dipanggil Pre-Entry Training Scheme (PETS) yang berupa versi kita untuk Program Graduan Menganggur yang dilancarkan oleh kerajaan ketika krisis ekonomi pertengahan 1980-an.

Kita memberi latihan kewartawanan kepada lulusan sekolah menengah, pemegang diploma dan graduan. Mereka diberikan elaun bulanan. Selepas tiga bulan, yang cemerlang diambil bekerja dengan NSTP dan STMB (TV3) manakala yang lain menggunakan sijil yang kami keluarkan untuk mencari kerja. Boleh dikatakan semua mendapat kerja.

Ramai pelatih PETS kini mendudiki tempat penting dan kerusi panas dalam banyak pertubuhan media massa, pejabat menteri, kementerian dan syarikat swasta. 

Program kedua dikenali sebagai Writers’ Blog. Melaluinya kami melatih remaja semuda 12 atau 13 tahun menulis. Saya amat bangga dengan kejayaan ramai daripada mereka.

Hari ini, ada yang menjadi penulis dan penerbit filem, personaliti TV, filem, muzik dan pengiklanan seperti Amir Mohamad, Nadiah Hamzah, Syarifah Aleya, Kassandra Kassim, Syarifah Armani, Angeline Ong, Joe Flizzow, Rina Omar, Fariz Azlan dan banyak lagi.

Malah yang menjadi profesional bidang lain pun terus menulis seperti Dr M Murali. Kemudian Tan Eng Seng yang khabarnya menjadi salah seorang Vice President di Sime Darby, Ariff Salman (Agensi Angkasa Lepas Amerika, NASA) dan Johan Rozali Watooth (akauntan).

Malangnya program dan projek tanggungjawab sosial korporat (CSR) ini dimatikan atau dibekukan apabila Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menghantar pasukannya untuk mengendalikan NSTP/TV3 ketika beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri.

Dalam konteks latihan dan etika inilah saya menaruh harapan kepada orang seperti Khairy dan Ibdillah untuk mengembalikan kewarasan, etika dan ketamadunan kepada dunia penulisan dan pemikiran, khususnya dalam sfera blog Umno dan pro-Umno.

Hanya dengan itu sahaja saluran baru ini dapat dimanfaatkan demi agama, bangsa dan negara. Kebimbangan saya ialah mungkin bukan dalam penggunaan blog saja Umno dan kerajaan bermasalah. Percubaan menggunakan Facebook dan Twitter pun mungkin belum mencapai matlamat yang diharapkan sebaliknya membawa padah menjadi senjata makan tuan.

Wallahuaklam.

No Need For MCA to Join Cabinet

A Kadir Jasin

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SEVERAL delegates to the Kedai Kopi Assembly (KKA) felt that we are spending too much time discussing about the goings-on in Umno and the government.

They also noticed that discussions on Umno and the behavior of some Barisan Nasional leaders are causing a lot of anger among government supporters. They are now accusing the KKA of being a conspiracy to bring down the government.

The kaki lawak asked: “Are we that strong to bring down the government?”

So, the KKA decided to shift our focus away from Umno and discuss the future of the BN's Chinese parties. The KKA believes the BN is as strong as its weakest component party and members are unanimous that both the MCA and Gerakan are weak.

The hopeful sign is both are now under new leadership. The expectation is for these new leaders to propose new ideas, not only to strengthen their parties, but also to help the country prosper and make it a good place for all to live.

The clamor among the new MCA leaders for the government to work harder to curb and erase corruption and improve transparency is lauded. But there is nothing new to the call.

Everyone has been telling the government same thing and government has been assuring the people that it is fighting graft. It even produced statistic to show it is serious and that it is winning.

The rakyat, especially the BN supporters, are expecting more than just the war against corruption from the new MCA leaders. Repeating the obvious is boring.

Claiming that the civil servants are corrupt is too sweeping a statement. MCA should do a proper study and come up with facts and figures if they want people to believe that they are serious.

Tell the Truth About Graft

The new MCA leadership must admit that to commit a corrupt act you need a giver and receiver. Who normally gives?

There are 1.4 million civil servants among the 28-million inhabitants of the country. To be a corrupt-free country, we have to educate not only the 1.4 million civil servants, but also the 28 million Malaysians on the evil of corruption, abuse of power and wastage of public funds.

The KKA feels that it would help if MCA say they will tell the Chinese-based Chambers of Commerce, trades associations and guilds to stop practicing bribery.

Who does not know that contractors and developers are the biggest culprits? The MCA should tell them to stop bribing the local councils, land offices and regulatory authorities.

MCA and Gerakan should be in the forefront in stopping these people from practicing corruption. Then only will the people take them seriously in their fight against corruption. The clean up must start with the MCA members themselves.

Surely people still remember that two ex-MCA Ministers were charged in court with CBT. Go all out and fight corruption if the MCA wants to win back Chinese support.

MCA wants to call EGM to decide whether it should go back to cabinet. If it has nothing to contribute, better stay out, continue to support the government from outside. No need to waste time and money on the EGM

If MCA cannot contribute anything new to Cabinet, better stay out and criticize the government if it does the wrong things. In that way the MCA can gain some credibility and hopefully by GE14 can win a few extra seats for the BN.

As it is, the Cabinet is already huge and government has just announced cost cutting measures. So there is no need to enlarge the Cabinet just to accommodate the MCA. The New leaders must first prove that they can contribute.

No point in saying GST rate should be 4% instead of 6% as the government is proposing. The MCA has many businessmen and economists. Let us know the basis why they want the reduction. At least the government has argued that it needs money and the 6-per cent rate can help avert financial crisis.

Help the Rakyat Own Houses

The Chinese control the economy. We all know that most developers are Chinese. We also know that prices of properties are skyrocketing. Why don’t the MCA do something?

Sit down with the developers to find ways and means to reduce prices. When developers say houses around RM1 million are cheap compared to other countries, MCA just keep quiet, as if in cahoots with them.

In other places like Hong Kong, Singapore and Macao land is scarce but their incomes are very high compared to us. The MCA cannot pretend that all Chinese are rich.  True there are some Chinese who can afford multi-million ringgit houses, big cars, private jets, helicopters and yachts, but the majority can't afford expensive houses.  Some are still as poor as the Malays and Indians. What is the MCA doing about it?

Surely there are engineers, architects and quantity surveyors who can help the MCA to work out cost and show just how expensive properties have become due to speculation and profiteering, and how the majority of rakyat have been priced out of the housing market.

MCA would be doing a great service to the people by showing them just how greedy developers have become.  They keep demanding for higher density, resulting traffic jams, parking problems and social issues.

The MCA does not have to be in government to do good deeds for the rakyat. It can come up with convincing arguments to help rakyat to survive in this difficult time and win back their confidence. Then only will there be a fighting chance to win back the Chinese votes.  Bring forth fresh ideas to gain respect and support.