Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Political, Economic Reforms – the Japanese Lesson


A Kadir Jasin

REFORMING politics, as the Japanese experience shows, isn’t easy. The Japanese started theirs in the 1990’s and only now it’s beginning to show results. Reforming the economy is even harder.

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The Peoples’ Declaration (Deklarasi Rakyat) and the emerging opposition consensus have agreed that reform is one of the key elements in their struggle.

Part 37 of the Peoples’ Declaration states: “We call upon all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion, political affiliation, creed or parties, young and old to join us in saving Malaysia from the Government headed by Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak, to pave the way for much needed democratic and institutional reforms, and to restore the important principle of the separation of powers among the executive, legislature and judiciary which will ensure the independence, credibility, professionalism and integrity of our national institutions.”

In Japan’s case, the reform greatly affected the fortunes of political parties, especially the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It weakened the party in the initial stages but provided it with a glimmer of hope for long-term stability.

There is an uncanny similarity between LDP and Umno. The former came into being in 1955 through a series of mergers of post-WW2 parties and immediately gained power. Umno too was formed after the war – in 1946 – and in 1955 monopolised the results of the Malayan Legislative Council election.

The LDP stayed in power until it lost control of the lower house of the Diet (Parliament) in 1993 amidst of internal squabbles over reforms.
The Diet comprises the lower and upper houses, both on which are elected by the people.

In 1991 I visited LDP’s headquarters in Tokyo to talk to Tsutomu Hata who was tasked with reforming the party and wrote a report for my then newspaper New Straits Times.

(Last week, at the invitation of Gaimu-sho, the Japanese Foreign Ministry, I visited Japan as a social media journalist and had the opportunity of revisiting the Japanese economic and political scenes, among other things.)

The party reforms were to be carried out in the context of the overall political and electoral reforms. Immediately he became unpopular with the party’s warlords and interest groups affiliated to them.

Then, the LPD politics was about personal power, legacy and patronage. Many MPs were third generation aristocrats and they used their position to make money by dispensing patronage. They were individually powerful but party structure was weak and rudderless. Cash was king.

It was widely known that many LDP warlords were affiliated or linked to the Japanese underworld, the Yakuza, and Prime Ministers did not last more than three years on average due to infighting.

We now see in Umno a similar trend – warlords, patronage and money politics. More recently the party has edged towards autocracy and is backed by organised intimidation in the form of the Red Shirts.

The Price of Reforms

The 1994 political reform in Japan made election more universal, the party structure more dominant and the cost for aspiring politicians to join the fray lower. But it costs the taxpayers more.

The year before the LDP lost the lower house election partly due to squabbles over the reforms. There were considerable opposition by the warlords and the interest groups affiliated to them like the construction business, farmers and municipal workers.

Several reform-minded LDP leaders like Hata, Morihiro Hosokawa and Ichirō Ozawa left to form the Japan Renewal Party. They joined minor parties to form a coalition government at the end of 1993 with Hosokawa as Prime Minister.

The LDP lost the 1993 lower house election due largely to internal squabbles and the economic hardship brought about by the ending of the so-called miracle economy as well as an insider trading and corruption scandals that forced many prominent politicians to resign a few years earlier.

Unprepared to govern, the opposition soon found itself in crisis. On 28 April 1994, Hosokawa resigned and Hata became prime minister. However, when a coalition partner, Japan Socialist Party defected, Hata lost the majority in the Diet. Rather than facing a vote of no confidence, he resign in June, after ruling for mere nine weeks, allowing the LDP-led coalition to claw back to power.

The LDP remained in power until 2009 through a series of wobbly coalitions and amidst continuing internal squabbles. In the meantime the economic situation worsened and Japan suffered the longest deflation ever in the history of a developed economy.

In the 2009 election, the LDP was roundly defeated – easily the worst defeat of a sitting government in modern Japanese history, and also the first real transfer of political power in the post-war era.

But once again the fractured oppositions fumbled and the weak LDP successfully made a comeback in the December 2012 general election. It won a landslide victory.

According to a New York Times report of Dec 16, 2014 the voters gave power back to the conservative party in a chaotic election crowded with new parties making sweeping promises, from abolishing nuclear power after the Fukushima accident to creating an American-style federal system. The LDP and its coalition partners prevailed with their less radical vision of reviving the recession-bound economy and standing up to China.

The popular nationalist Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe (corrected), has been promising the Japanese people that he would extricate the economy from the two-decade deflation and put it back on the growth path.

Given the weak economy the recovery options are limited. Abe is banking largely on a successful monetary policy. The Bank of Japan (BoJ) had been tasked with raising the inflation rate by two per cent annually, which it had so failed to achieve.

The Japanese people are not spending because they have no confidence in the recovery plan. They would rather keep the money in the bank and not earning any interest.

A Lesson for Malaysia

Japan’s political and economic experience is a useful lesson for Malaysia. The parallel between their ruling parties – the LDP – and Umno is uncanny. What LDP has been forging with its rivals for decades in order to cling on to power, Umno is trying out with PAS.

But our opposition parties have yet to rise sufficiently strongly to change Barisan Nasional’s hegemony. They are showing signs of wanting to put up a stronger challenge at the time when Umno appears to be sidestepping its traditional allies and favouring PAS instead.

If the oppositions are serious about gaining power and reforming the country as was set out in the Deklarasi Rakyat, they must first unite and take on the BN in a straight fight in the coming general election and lay out a credible reform programmes.

The reforms must not only address the electoral system but equally important is to restore and strengthen state institutions like the police, Attorney General’s Chamber, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Public Account Committee and Bank Negara, which have all been severely compromised following the multibillion ringgit 1MDB scandal and to revive the flailing economy.

Wallahuaklam.

26 comments:

  1. Hudhud8:53 AM

    The Japanese economy is stuck in deflation because it is an aging society. It will remain so unless they take drastic actions to bring in foreigners into their society to help stimulate the economy again. But that is very unlikely. Somehow its in their nature and culture that they find difficulty to accept foreigners as part of their society. Their sense of maintaining and persevering the purity of the Japanese race is very strong in them.

    Cash is king and the practice of patronising is quite common in the world. Even the US has its own version with the practice of lobbying which has become an industry on its own. But in malaysia the practice as demonstrated by (Datuk Seri I Mappadulung Daeng Mattimung Karaeng Sandrobone Sultan Abdul Jalil) Mohd Najib Abdul Razak is done by stealing the rakyat’s money on an unprecedented scale unmatched by anyone, anywhere in the world.

    One big different that I can see in the Japanese is that they have to honour to admit any wrong when caught. They may be crooks, but honour is very important to them. Here, we have no shame no honour! Even when caught, even when exposed by the whole world, they still have no shame, no honour. Najib still can go round the world and show his face. In Japan such a person will be regarded as the lowest of the filthiest scum. Even the lowest grade yakuza would be shameful to be seen near him.

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  2. When the DPJ won convincingly against the LDP, the main reason seen by many was its pledge on the (removal of/repositioning of) Okinawa base. It failed.

    This is a lesson too; if you are going to pledge something (solve 1MDB issue, GST etc), make sure you walk the talk.

    Naj

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  3. awang batuburok9:08 AM


    Salam Dato,

    Selamat kembali ke tanahair tercinta.

    Masa yang ada sudah terlalu suntuk menjelang PRU14. Visi dan misi Pakatan Harapan yang telah terbentuk perlu diperkasakan dan diperjelaskan kapada rakyat dengan segera. Perbedaan pendapat dalam perkara remeh-temeh perlu ditangani dengan bijaksana. Lupakan lah parti yang tidak mahu bekerjasama dan bersandiwara menipu pengikut dan ahli-ahli dengan retorik retorik kosong yang tidak mementingkan kebajikan dan masa depan rakyat dan negara.

    Perjuangan dan misi Deklarasi Rakyat perlu diteruskan, kita tiada pilihan lain selain dari menukar kerajaan yang telah gagal segagalnya pada hari ini....Lawan Tetap Lawan!!!

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  4. Kadiag, salaam dan alhamdulillah hang selamat balik Malaya.

    Minggu hak belalu ni, banyak benda belaku, antaranya ada laporan sorang 'pengamal' perubatan diMelaka caj seorang pelanggan dia Rm 32,000 untuk rawatan, last aku baca 'pengamal' ni ada kad hospital dia sendiri menjalani rawatan 'mental'....
    Sorang budak yg dijinjing ataih bahu pak dia jatuh tangga begerak (eskelator) diPineng dan teruih koma.
    Sapa ka pulak taok ulag dlm kolam beberapa budak pompuan tengah dok jalani 'latihan' ka apa ka...
    Dan pagi ni TV Singapo lebih korang kata deCaprio 'setuju' nak pulangkan balik apa2 yg dia 'terambik' dari duit yg dipercayai disonglap dari 1MDB.

    Nampak Kadiag pada kulitnya memang banyak pesamaan atau 'parallel' antara Malaya dan Jepun, antara pati United Malay di sini dgn pati Liberal Demokrat diJepun...antara gengster Yakuza dgn baju merah.... tapi tu dari segi strukturnya Kadiag.

    Dari segi 'dinamiks' nya Kadiag, misailan antara jatidiri orang Jepun dgn orang Malaya, rasa aku laa, jauh langit dgn bumi.... hampiag 50 taun dulu aku dok diJepun, sekali tu ada orang hulog kad aku sebijik karipap, aku tepandang ada beberapa bijik nasik telekad dikulit karipap tu, aku pon tanya kat member Jepun aku..... apa pasai ada nasik telekad kat kulit karipap ni..? Kawan aku jawab, cuba hang nengok betoi2... aku pon tengok, ropa2nya, nasik yg lekad kad kulit karipap tu diletak dgn sengaja, diukiag dlm bentuk burung layang2 haluih, dgn kepak sayap tebukak.

    Dari segi penguasaan sains, teknologi, 'precision' elektronik, kejuteraan, perubatan, kesenian, pengamatan isi al Qur an, rasa timbang rasa, rasa pertanggungjawaban, 'harakiri'..dan banyak lagi.. Kadiag, hang banding saja dgn rasa malu atau tidak malu anak dan menantu Rahah, anak Said Keruak...pon aku rasa dah cukop. Bukan nak mengata atau mengumpat sesapa Kadiag, aku pon turut dizolimi..macam mana pon, mintak maghap no.

    Aku

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  5. klukmluk9:37 AM

    reform is not enough. there needs to be a purge. one dumb guy who is rich due to his position has corrupted how many generations down the line? at least 1 at most 3 or 4. according to ibnu khaldun, there will be 6/7 generation before this line cleans itself up due to being stupid. but if the head is always in place and doesn't fall (i.e replacing a corrupt head with another equally corrupt head) then this will go on and on.

    besides, the schools and unis are geared to breed sheep. you have no freedom in this country. there is "supposed freedom". we need a speaker's corner ala the one they have in hyde park. students should be allowed to align themselves with politics only then they start to learn (be it good or bad).

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  6. Salam Datuk

    "Reform" is easier said than done. Are we ready for "Reform"?...in term of political maturity and mental preparedness of our people. Our Malaysian society is still very much entrenched along racial lines...and lately among the malays, the religious cracks is becoming visible. Some of the extremist is taking advantage of these cracks...and unfortunately...our society who lack knowledge or failed to acknowledge others are gullible to the so called "perjuangan".

    We failed to see the obvious and succumb to the widespread lies and wrong doings of those in power. For us to do "Reforms", we must first let the people be "informed" of the shortcomings and injustices in our system. Clear cut separation between the Legislature, Judiciary and the Executives is a must while at the same time clear restrictions is to be spelled out.

    But whatever we do...most importantly is "INTEGRITY", then the others will follow: Clean, Transparent and an Honest Government must be in place. We, the people must first reform ourselves...make corruptions our number one enemy.

    If we failed to look at ourselves and always put the blame on others...we are definitely doomed for failures.

    Every one wake up!....get rid of corruptions at all cost.

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  7. sukasamasuka3:06 PM

    Datuk,

    Selamat sampai ditanah air dan moga2an sehat la selalu.

    It's good to know Datuk penned these few words of caution upon arriving home, that "REFORMING politics, as the Japanese experience shows, isn’t easy. The Japanese started theirs in the 1990’s and only now it’s beginning to show results."

    1. I don't think its going to be easy either as the Malayan oppositions are still living in the distant past...thus, they shall remain as the Oppositions...what is wrong with that?...it's still a job.

    2. Muhydin is not a fighter...he is a lover....forget about him if reforming politics isn't easy...let's move on...so if there is no young Malay opposition leader, go and get a Chinese one...it makes no difference...as we are still the Opposition after PRU14.

    3. The Sabah opposition front will swing either way...think about it.

    4. Sarawak opposition front is as good as dead.

    5. I would like to congratulate the PM Najib for a landslide victory in the coming PRU14!

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  8. sukasamasuka4:10 PM

    Datuk,

    "In Japan’s case, the reform greatly affected the fortunes of political parties, especially the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It weakened the party (LDP) in the initial stages but provided it with a glimmer of hope for long-term stability."

    1. Since Datuk was in Japan, so Datuk could see something like that will happen to UMNO..."a glimmer of hope for long-term stability" after its downfall in the PRU14.

    2. I see different thing.

    3. To me, if ever...a new government is to be formed after the PRU14, there is a glimmer of hope...that one day...we Malaysian will be able to have a two party system which is anytime a better alternative to the current one-party rule.

    4. Then...and only then we have matured into a democracy...with shadow cabinet and all, where the economy will be better managed.

    5. But, the opposition warring warlords have not even moving an inch, let alone wanting to form a new government...so, why don't we settle for BN first until such time will come.

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  9. sukasamasuka9:11 PM

    Datuk,

    "Reforming the economy is even harder."

    1. Reforming the economy is definitely harder than reforming the the various national institutions as spelt out in Part 37 of the Peoples’ Declaration. Part 37 requires strong political will...only two persons come to mind...Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim...there is no one else for that matter.

    2. It is naive to even think of an economic reform without first getting to form the government, simply because of the entrenched politic about personal power, legacy and patronage, quite similar to that of Japan's LDP as you have correctly pointed out.

    3. The best economic minds are not with the Oppositions, but working with the current government because of patronage...a simple example would be a glaring absence of the best economic minds from our local universities...sadly, all of them churning out same stuffs as the establishment simply because they are not independent. So, at the moment, Dahalan of EPU is definitely better than any top economic professor in the country...as for me, I only know one so far, nothing but the aging Royal Professor Ungku Aziz...sadly, not even her daughter, Zeti, come any closer despite her so-called "international" recognition of some sort.

    4. But, if the opposition is willing to put together young people like Rafizi, Lim Guan Eng...perhaps there is a glimmer of hope...let the young minds work this economic reforms by coming out with new economic agenda....leaving the elders to sort out the political differences.

    5. At the street level...for the villagers, common salaried blue workers, farmers, fishermen etc...just present simple plans:

    - 2 million new jobs in 5 years.

    - To reduce cost of living by 20% by introducing food subsidies, eliminating GST, cheaper petrol, cheaper public transport and cheaper rent.

    - Free education up to University. Abolish PTPTN.

    - Cheaper housing scheme for the young and first time buyers by developing new areas.

    - Stop banks from issuing credit cards to those earning RM7,000 and below. Give a new IGP six month to clean up Ah Long, or get fired!

    - Freeze salary increment in public sectors (very unpopular move, unless Ministers for the new government are willing to declare cutting salary by 35%-50%).


    Please get guidance from Tun M...he is there to help us.

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  10. Salam Datuk,

    Beza kita dan Jepun ialah kita pelbagai bangsa, jepun satu bangsa saja.

    Kita tidak akan mampu bersatu selagi kita tidak digelar sebagai satu bangsa Malaysia. Selagi kita mengangkat perjuangan sesuatu kaum sebagai teras utama, selagi itulah tidak boleh kita samakan dengan negara jepun.

    Masalah kita? status quo, second class citizen, sekolah pelbagai aliran, artikel 113, dwi perundangan...

    Datuk orang lama, datuk lagi faham dari saya generasi muda ini. Mohon tunjuk ajar.

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  11. sukasamasuka10:35 PM

    Datuk,

    "Unprepared to govern, the opposition soon found itself in crisis. On 28 April 1994, Hosokawa resigned and Hata became prime minister. However, when a coalition partner, Japan Socialist Party defected, Hata lost the majority in the Diet. Rather than facing a vote of no confidence, he resign in June, after ruling for mere nine weeks, allowing the LDP-led coalition to claw back to power."

    1. The fall of Pakatan Rakyat Perak government in 2009 was due to the defection of two PKR assemblypersons and a DAP assemblyperson.

    2. But, Sabah went through the most number of ruling party changes with BN-Usno being toppled by Berjaya in 1976, and PBS taking over in 1985, followed by BN-Umno in 1994 through defections. Thus, Seri Musa Aman is the 14th chief minister of Sabah, while Adenan Satem is Sarawak’s fifth. Lim Guan Eng is only Penang’s fourth chief minister.

    3. To Sabahan, changes at Federal level is no big deal...even to Sarawakians for that matter...local parties can just switch allegiance if need be...perhaps the term "katak" or party hopper has the origin here...especially when Cash is King...because the local mentality is that political power is local, not federal...power is money!

    4. Thus to Sabahan in general, they don't really care if the new government is DAP, Semangat 46, BN, Bersatu, Pakatan or what have you, as long as local ruling party is local...unfortunately, UMNO Sabah is not local...or shall we say, a party full of shits with its "janji janji orang Malaya"????...it is a party of orang Malaya,you know, run by a local Sabahan of non-bumiputra origin...supported by Bugis voters (non-bumiputras)...excuse me, I am not the one who say this.

    There is an exception to the rule...if PAS form the new federal government...sayonara Malaysia.

    5. So let me borrow your own very words Datuk...Arigatou gozaimasu and sayonara for now, UMNO Sabah.

    So what are you waiting for, you bloody fool West Malaysian oppositions?...still sucking your thumbs...before we piss off with you guys!...we can't wait for you forever you know, if can your get your act together, get lost!...for heaven's sake...seriously, I don't know what the fu*** you people doing there...hello?...anybody there?...

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  12. sukasamasuka11:31 PM

    Datuk,

    This is to address Mr. Hadi of PAS.

    1. Mr. Hadi, Sir...you may convert the whole of West Malaysia under the Syariah Laws...if the Malays in West Malaysia want it, fine, no problem.

    2. As for Malaysia, however, it is a different matter...you see, Mr. Hadi, it is a nation of 3 state-nations of West Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. When we "get married" sometime in the past, we have our "Akad Nikah" agreed upon and signed by six parties, none from PAS because PAS was not born as yet.

    3. The The British Government, the Federation of Malaya Government, the Government of North Borneo (Sabah), the Government of Sarawak, the Government of Singapore and the United Nation...agreed to form Malaysia...with conditions...known as the 20 Points Agreement for Sabah...18 Points Agreement for Sarawak...

    Now, lets read one or two so you can understand each other.

    4.

    The 20 Points Agreement (Sabah)

    Point 1: Religion
    ...there should be no State religion in North Borneo, and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to North Borneo.

    (Comment: sorry, no hudud in Sabah unless you can convince Dahalan, Keruak , Anipah and Musa...please go and see them...they can make jokes too you know)

    Point 2: Language
    c. English should be an official language of North Borneo for all purposes, State or Federal, without limitation of time.

    (Comment: who change this?)

    Point 18: Name of Head of State
    Yang di-Pertua Negara.

    (Comment: today it is called Yang di-Pertua Negeri....someone has changed it to negeri?...why?)

    5. Don't be fooled by PM Najib...Sabah is not a Terengganu, you know...no one can pass your Hadi Bill in Parliment except the fools and your kind...so, please la Mr.Hadi...Tun M is not lying when he said no hudud because he knows what is going to happen to Malaysia...he was our PM for 22 years...please, I would like you to be considerate and be with Tun M...please listen to him. He is a good man.

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  13. Zed-859:10 AM

    Sallam Dato’

    Antara ciri-ciri penting negara Jepun adalah negara ini adalah negara maju. Jenama dari Jepun terkenal di seluruh dunia, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi untuk kereta. Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi, NEC, Sharp dan Sony untuk barangan elektronik.

    Untuk industri perubatan, setahu saya Takeda. Untuk barangan pakaian, jenama kasut “Asics” sekarang ini sudah setanding dengan Nike dan Adidas.

    Untuk industri pemakanan, Sushi King sekarang sudah banyak di merata Malaysia.

    Negara kita belum sampai tahap kemajuan negara Jepun.

    Mengikut pembacaan saya dalam kitab Psychology. Perkembangan seorang manusia bergantung kepada 2 perkara iaitu “Nature” dan “Nurture”

    “Nature” adalah asal usul keturunan. Ada manusia yang memang dilahirkan dengan kemampuan dan kepandaian tertentu.

    Mengikut cerita orang cina, saya dulu sekolah rendah cina, orang Jepun berasal dari tanah cina. Maharaja cina mengarah orang yang paling pandai dalam negara untuk mencari ubat supaya raja boleh hidup selama-lamanya.

    Orang cina yang terpandai ini berhijrah dan lari ke Jepun kerana tahu mustahil untuk dapatkan ubat ini. Boleh jadi inilah sebabnya orang Jepun pandai kerana faktor keturunan.

    “Nurture” adalah asuhan atau pembelajaran. Orang Jepun bersungguh-sungguh dalam ilmu pengetahuan dalam bidang kejuruteraan mekanikal, elektrikal dan Sains.

    Saya pernah tinggal di UK dan pernah ke Library Birmingham, Liverpool dan juga pernah ke library Singapura.

    Kalau di Library Birmingham dan Liverpool, buku agama Islam sampai 2 rak walaupun bukan negara Islam. Saya rasa library daerah saja di UK, jumlah judul bukunya boleh mengatasi perpustakaan negara kita. Kalau di Singapura, library selalu penuh sampai orang duduk di lantai. Library Singapura besar, 4 tingkat dan moden dengan komputer, bilik senyap, alat multimedia, bilik kelas dan lain-lain.

    Kalau library di kampong saya, JB, air con ditutup supaya jimat letrik. Kalau saya pergi, saya terpaksa pakai baju yang tipis-tipis supaya tidak kepanasan.

    Macamana “Bangsa Johor” hendak maju kalau library tak setanding dengan standard semasa. Kemajuan dalam bolasepak tidak bermakna tamadun kita meningkat sepertimama Nigeria dan Cameron.

    Minta maaf saya katakan dalam bab “Nurture” ini atau pembelajaran, kita sangat lemah. Saya tengok yang datang ke library bukan kerana hendak membaca tetapi tempat berjumpa dan bersembang.

    Yang patut kita sibukkan bukanlah bahasa Malaysia atau Bahasa Inggeris atau sekolah cina atau sekolah melayu tetapi yang paling penting adalah semangat untuk berilmu itu sendiri yang amat ketara kurang dalam masyakat kita.

    Inilah bagi saya punca kepada segala masalah yang ada.

    Sebab itulah orang melayu selalu sangat dibodoh-bodohkan oleh pihak tertentu.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Zalman A11:30 AM


    'KUALA LUMPUR: Shafie Apdal’s new political party, Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), has “absolutely no future” as the name itself implies it is from the past, said Umno minister Nazri Aziz.

    “So if they want my help, as a minister who is in charge of heritage, I can register them as a warisan (heritage),” the tourism and culture minister told FMT.

    Warisan was approved by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) earlier this week, with Shafie as its president, assisted by Penampang MP Darell Leiking, former Sabah DAP secretary Junz Wong, and former PKR member Loretto Padua Jr.

    Darell, Sabah PKR’s sole lawmaker, resigned from the party to join Warisan, in a move which he described as necessary so that he could focus more on state issues.

    Nazri, however, felt that by taking members from other opposition parties, Shafie has taken a dangerous path because multi-cornered battles in the next general election were bound to take place.

    “Darell was representing PKR in Penampang. But come the general election, PKR will surely place its own candidate there.

    “BN will contest there and Darell as the incumbent will not back out from his seat. We all know that in a three-cornered fight, BN will definitely win.

    “So that’s good for us. Warisan has no hope,” he said.'

    So what is the solution?

    Winnability.

    PKR makes way here.

    That is what "coalition" is about.

    Shafie must unite all anti-BN parties in Sabah.

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  15. sukasamasuka3:03 PM

    Datuk,

    1. I read this article not once, but few times because I am a slow reader...and, strangely, it suddenly dawn on me that there is a subtle message...a cryptic one, I think...that Datuk is trying to pass it on.

    2. As a person of great standing, I am sure Datuk is moving around with people at the corridor of power...and, could see what would be happening in the future after PRU14.

    3. Rightly so, that the message is clear that it will be a turbulent time for Malaysia, if we were to learn from post-LDP Japan...it will be because we have not experienced democracy ala Westminster, Canada, the US, Europe, where the changing of government is the norm for the betterment of their society as a whole.

    4. It will never happen in Malaysia, simply because UMNO has brainwashed the Malays for years that UMNO is Malay...and Malay is UMNO...UMNO is the defender of Islam, and without UMNO Islam is gone to the dog...this physiological propaganda creates extreme fear and uncertainty for the Malays in general...and, it is not easy to dismantle it.

    5. The hope for Bersatu and the Oppositions is the young...they have less of these post-UMNO traumatic experiences...but, they need jobs, free educations and cheaper cost of living...all these will make the country stable post-BN era because the young need jobs more than anything else.

    ReplyDelete
  16. sukasamasuka3:50 PM

    Datuk,

    Zed-85 9:10 AM ada berkata..."Yang patut kita sibukkan bukanlah bahasa Malaysia atau Bahasa Inggeris atau sekolah cina atau sekolah melayu tetapi yang paling penting adalah semangat untuk berilmu itu sendiri yang amat ketara kurang dalam masyakat kita."

    Aku ingin tambah sikit sebab perkara ini memang penting sekali untuk kita Zed.

    1. Yang aku nampak bila kerajaan menukar dari Bahasa Inggeris kepada Bahasa Malaysia pada suatu ketika dulu...anak-anak Cina terus attend Bahasa Tuition class dengan bersungguh2 sekali...anak2 Melayu kita masih macam biasa, pergi mengaji...itu la sampai sekarang kita Melayu masih ketinggalan...bukan Melayu bandar macam kamu Zed, tetapi Melayu dikampong2 macam kami.

    2. "semangat untuk berilmu itu" pada orang Melayu berkisar dalam ilmu keagamaan sahaja...siang dan malam...itu la ceramah agama sangat laku....sedap didengar...walaupun jalan ceritanya sama saja mcm wayang hindustan...tetapi memang seronok.

    3. Aku tidak tau apa yang berlaku di Semenanjung, Zed...dan kurang faham kenapa Bahasa Inggeris dianaktirikan olih UMNO....mungkin Datuk lagi faham pasal isu ini...tetapi, minta maaf saja la BM kita tidak kemana pun...sistem pembelajaran kita siok-siok sendiri saja...bukan kena iktiraf dunia pun...

    4. Besar la harapan aku ini...selepas PRU 14 nanti...sistem pembelajaran Bahasa Inggeris...macam zaman2 Datuk dulu la, pelajar Senior Cambridge ke Datuk?...dapat dilaksanakan di Sabah, bukan untuk orang tua mcm aku, tetapi demi anak cucu cicit aku.

    Aku menaruh harapan yang besar bahawa pemimpin2 muda di Warisan Sabah...seperti Darrel Leiking (exPKR), Junz Wong (exDAP)...tidak akan menghampakan permintaan orang macam aku.

    5. Aku tau UMNO tidak dapat melaksanakannya..."janji2 kosong orang Malaya" saja tu bos ku.

    Kesian juga kita dengar si Adenan Satem pura-pura marah di Sarawak tentang Bahasa Inggeris...bukan PBB ke yang memerintah Sarawak selama ini...PBB bodoh!...PBB bahlol!...PBB pembohong!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Zalman A3:53 PM


    "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) is not investigating 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Paul Low said today.

    In a parliamentary written answer to Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), Low said that it is the police that are investigating 1MDB.

    Sim had earlier asked if MACC had called up Low Taek Jho and Riza Aziz in their 1MDB probe.

    “MACC is not investigating 1MDB but the investigation is carried by the police,” Low said."

    a) How did the case get closed? The 24-hour replacement CANNOT order that the MACC "close a case". He has no legal right to do so. If any additional evidence was found, they can continue.

    b) Can the MACC disclose what were its recommendations after the last round? Why did they want to appeal the 24-hour replacement's "decision"?

    The Sabah water scandal is less than 10% of the amount that both DOJ and Swiss allege is stolen from 1MDB.

    What happened to your duty, MACC?


    ReplyDelete
  18. Zalman A4:44 PM



    Luqman Al-Hikmah versus Najib Al-Kebas


    In defending his hideous corrupt act with 1MDB, Najib points with pride to the BR1M grants to the poor. Caliph Bakar gave every man, woman and child twenty durham annually, long before economists advocated guaranteed minimum income.

    Credit Najib for implementing a good idea. However, lest it be forgotten he has also burdened Malaysians with the Goods and Services Tax. GST is the least progressive of taxes, meaning, the poor bears a disproportionate burden.

    The 2016 budget for BR1M is RM4.9 billion; the government estimates raking in RM5.6 with GST. The ledger does not favor the rakyat, especially the poor.

    If 1MDB funded BR1M, as Najib intimated, consider that the American DOJ alleges an estimated over US$3 billion (in excess of RM12B) have been corruptly siphoned off from that sovereign fund. Thus while Najib gives away RM4.9B in BR1M, Malaysian Official 1 has kebas (swiped off) over RM12B from 1MDB. The ledger again favors him to the tune in excess of RM7B.

    So unlike Luqman Al-Hikmah, we have Najib Al-Kebas. Loyalty to Al-Kebas would be the worst attribute in a Malaysian.

    www.bakrimusa.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. sukasamasuka7:18 PM

    Datuk,

    "Thursday, October 20, 2016...Teaching colleges to close?...Kota Kinabalu: Two renowned teaching colleges which have produced thousands of teachers over the last 53 years may soon shut their doors for good. "

    - Gaya Teaching College was established in 1963. It was opened by the British North Borneo Governor Sir William Goode on July 4 and its first Principal was J.E. Todd. The college was built to meet the need for English teachers in Malay and English Stream Schools at the time, where it also pioneered the training of teachers in English, Malay, Chinese, Math and Science for primary and secondary schools until today.

    -The Keningau Teaching College was constructed in 1982 and started enrolling trainees in 1985 after the need for a teachers institute in the Interior Division.

    -Any closure is expected to affect hundreds of staff, and thousands of trainee teachers undergoing their studies there, as well as slow down the 90:10 transition Sabah teachers serving the State carried out by the Education Ministry itself.

    (http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=113534)

    1. So, Tun M was right when he said no money in the Budget 2017...so, the first casualty are the two Sabah's teacher training colleges.

    2. But, Tun M was wrong this time...PM Najib has lot of money...to rebuilt the existing park with RM650 million of taxpayer's money!

    3. So, back to you Darrel Leiking, the Deputy President of Warisan, Sabah...being young and educated...what is your plan?

    4. As a reminder...in the Sabah 20 Points' Agreement which state clearly that as per the "Point 15: Education...The existing educational system of North Borneo should be maintained and for this reason it should be under state control."

    5. Why PM Najib and UMNO want to close the two colleges???

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sulaid12:08 AM

    As Salam Datuk,
    Saya perhatikan yang kita asyik berbahas dan kadang kala melontarkan beberapa soalan mencari pencerahan kepada kekaburan tetapi mengapa persoalan yang kita kemukakan tidak berjawab, berlalu begitu sahaja. Sepatutnya Datuk sebagai wakil kepada parti PPBM (Bunga Raya) mengguna ruang yang ada ini memberi pencerahan supaya kami dapat membuat penilaian untuk menyertai parti ini. Penyertaan sebagai ahli parti atau penyokong parti tidak boleh bersandar kepada isu semata mata.
    Soalan berkaitan dasar dan ideologi parti perlu pencerahan terutama yang melibatkan kerjasama dengan pembangkang.





    ReplyDelete
  21. 1. Pembahas Sulaid, antara lain, berkata: "Sepatutnya Datuk sebagai wakil kepada parti PPBM (Bunga Raya) mengguna ruang yang ada ini memberi pencerahan supaya kami dapat membuat penilaian untuk menyertai parti ini."

    2. Sebagai penjelasan, saya bukan wakil PPBM. Ya, saya simpati dengan mereka. Itu pun kalau mereka berjalan atas landasan yang betul dan berjuang dengan ikhlas.

    3. Saya menyokong mereka sekiranya mereka serius membentuk persefahaman yang jitu dengan parti-parti perjuangan yang sehaluan bagi menggantikan Barisan Nasional dan mereformasikan sistem politik serta pentadbiran negara.

    3. Dalam kepasiti apa sekali pun saya tetap kritikal terhadap PPBM dan semua parti seperjuangan sekiranya mereka lupa kepada janji dan ingkar kepada ikrar.

    4. Sehingga ada satu ketetapan yang lebih luas, saya hanya boleh merujuk pembahas Sulaid dan sesiapa juga yang berminat mengenai PPBM kepada alamat berikut: https://www.facebook.com/bersatu.org/

    5. Kalau para pembahas berasa PPBM mempunyai peranan dalam usaha kita menerokai masa depan yang lebih baik dan terjamin bagi negara kita Malaysia, sila beri sokongan, teguran dan tunjuk ajar agar ia menjadi wadah perjuangan yang sempurna.

    Wallahuaklam. Terima kasih.

    ReplyDelete
  22. sukasamasuka7:35 AM

    Datuk.

    "2. Sebagai penjelasan, saya bukan wakil PPBM. Ya, saya simpati dengan mereka. Itu pun kalau mereka berjalan atas landasan yang betul dan berjuang dengan ikhlas.

    3. Saya menyokong mereka sekiranya mereka serius membentuk persefahaman yang jitu dengan parti-parti perjuangan yang sehaluan bagi menggantikan Barisan Nasional dan mereformasikan sistem politik serta pentadbiran negara."


    Saya sokong dan setuju dengan Datuk 100%...kalau bolih 101%...terlebih sikit pun tidak apa...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sulaid8:38 AM

    As Salam dan Selamat Pagi Datuk,

    Terima kasih banyak banyak atas pencerahan yang diberi. Sekarang faham lah saya akan kedudukan Datuk.
    Tapi kerana Datuk ada " chemistry " dengan Dr M, sampai sampai kan lah juga apa yang kami utarakan bila bersembang sembang tu.

    Terima Kasih.

    ReplyDelete
  24. sukasamasuka2:19 PM

    Datuk.

    "The reforms must not only address the electoral system but equally important is to restore and strengthen state institutions like the police, Attorney General’s Chamber, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Public Account Committee and Bank Negara"

    1. I am sure there are best practices in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada that can be legally adopted for Malaysia in order to restore and strengthen state institutions.

    2. On the hindsight...the new Bersatu-led Government can institute "check and balance" into the system...or shall we say, walk the talk.

    3. The new Bersatu-led Government must submit three names ...collectively by consensus, rather than the sole prerogative of the largest party in the coalition...for the post of Prime Minister to Agong for his deliberation and consideration.

    4. The new Bersatu-led Government must submit three names...collectively by consensus, rather than the sole prerogative of the Prime Minister... for the various posts in key state institutions to Agong for his deliberation and consideration.

    5. The tenure of office for both the Prime Minister and the key institutions shall be limited to two terms and one term respectively...as we can no longer afford to have corrupt, stupid and arrogant officials continuously paid by taxpayer's money.

    ReplyDelete
  25. haji ahmad3:13 PM

    Haji Ahmad

    Salam Dato,
    Jika Dato melihat kaitan antara politik LDP di Jepun dengan umno di malaysia, saya pula cuba melihat apa yang berlaku di malaysia seperti di zaman akhir dinasti uthmaniah di mana di akhir dinasti itu, pemerintahnya berselindung atas nama Islam untuk berkuasa tetapi cara hidup mewah tidak sejajar ajaran Islam, timbul kegilaan terhadap bunga tulip lambang kemewahan, kemunculan suara autonomi atau kemerdekaan daripada dinasti yang lebih kuat, gejala rasuah berleluasa, pemerintah cuba memenangi hati rakyat dengan membina infrastruktur asas, suara untuk perubahan sistem politik terutama di kalangan golongan muda yang semakin kuat, sebelum mustafa kamal ataturk muncul....semoga kita semua dapat belajar dari sejarah sebab piem dan umno tidak mungkin mahu dan akan belajar.

    ReplyDelete
  26. AsSalam Datuk .

    A lesson for Malaysia ? ... Yes.
    Kalau reform itu nyobabkan parti lomah dah negaro huru haro dan tak tontu halo takyah lah ...
    Kalau nak jatuhkan kerajaan caro Arab Spring .. takyah lah...
    Takdo yang mendatangkan kolobihan yang baik parti dan negaro .

    LDP dan Umno mano ado parallel . LDP keseluruhan etnik oghang jepun . Umno mewakili etnik melayu , merangkumi 55% penduduk Malaysia .
    Mungkin parti LDP itu seiring dongan parti BN .. tapi hanyo setakat itu sajo sobab BN tu multi etnik .

    The need and want jauh bezo antaro oghang jepun dan oghang malaysia.
    Jugo the need and want antaro etnik melayu , cino , india , iban , kadazan dll pun jauh berbezo .

    So , transfomasi mesti caro kito , malaysia , yang dah proven berjayo .
    Kito bolih belajar tontang mereko ..tapi tak semesti perlu ikut mereko .

    Dari suasano multi need n want dari multi etnik di negaro kito ni .. fomula yang sedio ado ni sudah proven efektif ... mungkin tak perfect tapi at least every etnik get their share lah ...

    Yes ... kito dah belajar ..

    Waghih

    ReplyDelete