Filed under: thinking life style
“Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence”.
–Francis Jeffrey-(1773-1850)
RM380 billion were lost in “corruption and cronies practices” as estimated by Morgan Stanley economists for the last two decades in Malaysia. This is part of the fall out from the New Economic Policy.(NEP).
It is good to welcome dissenting opinions over the usefulness of NEP. If everybody thinks alike, then no body is thinking very much. There seems to be fear to even question the effectiveness of NEP in poverty eradication, since its implementation. .
A thinking society is a national asset.
An intellectually vibrant society will strengthen the peace in this nation, ..
He who will not reason is a bigot,
He who cannot reason is a fool,
He who dare not reason is a slave.
It is a pure intellectual blackmail to give the excuse that just discussing the NEP will cause racial tension
“A white paper should be published on the NEP. On what is written ,we can examine a fragile policy without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in our face…It is one of the few havens remaining where the collective Malaysian ’s mind can get both solid facts and data to see whether it is justified to continue a questionable policy. Truth is not afraid of cross examination and will flourish in sunlight of open discussion ”
NEP is not sacred, it is an act of man-made policy. It is not perfect and we are reaping the effects of a corrupt society :
· When people suddenly become prosperous ,they also become preposterous.
–Laurence J Peter
· When we lose our individual independence in the corporateness of a mass moment, we find a new freedom-freedom to hate, bully ,lie ,torture ,murder and betray without shame and remorse. Herein undoubtedly lies part of the attractiveness of a mass movement.
-Eric Hollfer-
· I think of all our human experience shows that no one with absolute power can be trusted to give up even in part.[Judicial scandal of 1988]
-Justice Louis D Brandels-
· I am convinced that when the intellectual history of our times comes to be written, the idea of race , both the popular and the taxonomic, will be viewed for what it is: a confused and dangerous idea which happened to fit the social requirements of a thoroughly exploitative period in the development of western man [ Colonial era in Malaya].
–Ashley Montagu-
· There is no more evil thing in this world than race prejudice…it justifies and holds together more baseness, cruelty, and abomination than any other sort of error in the world. –H G Wells-
· The more corrupt the state, the more numerous laws. –Tacitus (55-130?)
· The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be- -Lao-tzu (c.604-531 BC)
· Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.
–Honore de Balzac-(1799-1850)
· Laws are like cobwebs, for any trifling or powerless thing falls into them,they hold it fast; but if a thing of any size falls into them, it breaks the mesh and escapes. [building palace without permit]
–Anacharsis ( c 600 BC)
· Law and order are always and everywhere the law and order which protect the established hierarchy.[OSA, ISA] –Herbert Marcuse-
· Crime is contagious. If a government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself. –Justice Louis D Brandels-
· Charlatanism of some degree is indispensable to effective leadership
[strong government of Dr M’s reign 22 years]
-Eric Hoffer-
· The prejudices of ignorance are more easily removed than the prejudices of interest[NEP]; the first are blindly adopted, the second willfully preferred.
-George Bancroft-(1800-1891)
· If we believe absurdities we shall commit atrocities.
-Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) 1694-1778
NEP is a wrong prescription for eradication of poverty. It only strengthens those few in power. The masses are the victims. This cannot go on.
Listen to the famous words of Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France (1769-1821)
“Those who failed to oppose me, who readily agreed with me, accepted all my views, and yielded easily to my opinions, were those who did me the most injury, and were my worst enemies, because ,by surrendering to me so easily, they encouraged me to go too far…I was then too powerful for any man, except myself, to injure me.”
Let’s hope there are enough brave men in this country to speak up and save this
Lovely nation from going to ruin. Because,
. A free flow of information and opinions is society’s oxygen”
Johann P Fritz, director International Press Institute 2000
Filed under: thinking life style
How Pak Lah can out shine Dr Mahathir
The former prime minister has launched
Malaysia in the forefront of international
Limelight in many fields. What you need is money. Just RM 95 million and a RM1.3 billion arm deal with Russia will make us an instant space bound nation. The Petronas
Twine Tower is an all powerful statement of our status as a fast rising developing nation. But, will this construction project impress the wise and experienced political analyst ?
The former premier is a super achiever. He has done extraordinary things for this nation.
Malaysia has become famous in a short decade of two The economic report card scores high marks.
However, the greatness of a nation is not measured by what one single individual can do for the country.
Real greatness in leadership is not measured by what extra ordinary accomplishments in things like buildings, fame, all kind of records of physical feats, but is indicated by a leader’s ability to inspire ordinary citizen to achieve extraordinary things.
How can Pak Lah outshine and out perform Dr Mahathir ? During his reign as head of
Malaysia incorporate, his reputation has traveled far and wide. If Pak Lah is willing, Dr Mahathir’s “success” can easily pale into Insignificance compare to what is the ultimate measure of a successful leader.
Build a nation of thinkers.
There is no substitute for the ability to use one’s greatest asset, the mind. A sharp mind is a panacea for inferiority complex. A cure for low self esteem. An antidote for the need to ask for special privilege. A recipe to solve unemployment. A permanent solution to drug addiction. An answer to illegal motor cycle race. A solution to loitering and boredom.
How to develop the mind? How to cultivate the habit of using one’s thinking power?
1. The motivation to read, speak and write as a way of life.
Reading makes a full man, Speaking makes a ready man and writing makes an exact man.
A person’s earning capacity is an exact reflection of his communication skills.
The human mind needs mental food as much as stomach need physicalfood.. No mind can remain sharp and alert without constant stimulating and exercise.
2. Pak Lah, needs to encourage TV stations to promote reading as a life style. The days of using TV as a drug to dull the citizen’s minds and opium to entertain the bored and restless are numbered. It should be a new platform to promote discussion on national issues. Some other instructive, beneficial activity arising from TV is in order. The nation can read a book together, and invite feedbacks and comments from readers in TV show. Make a national hero out of debating exercise and contest. Give tax incentives to business and company that encourage the reading habit. The millions of fund save from having to treat the effects of social ill related activities and prevent youths from going astray by the drug, ecstasy pill and smoking culture is a great reason to channel our resources to reading. National resilience is the outcome of a commitment to constant disciplined reading.
He who does not read is no better than he who cannot read !! Malaysian average reading of two books a year is definitely a national mental disaster.
3. Use the press to promote the culture of expressing one’s thought rationally and in cool, level-headed manner is a cure for fear of riot among the races. We can celebrate our cultural, religious and traditional differences, only if all of us are at par intellectually. Get all Malaysians , especially the Malays to join Toastmaster International club meeting . They will be rewarded by cross pollination of ideas from other races. The willingness to learn is a key to greatness. The greatest obstacle to clear thinking is arrogance. Ignorance and arrogance are brothers and sisters.
4. .Set up a school for aspiring politicians. Let the best candidates win from this intellectual combat school. If there are enough training and exchange of ideas, and conflict management, the cream will rise naturally. Let the best man win should be the open policy and philosophy of the school. Good politicians are a crop of cultivation and not grown wild. Politicians should no longer be the scum of the earth. “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is Thought necessary”- Robert Louis Stevenson(1850-1894).
An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.
-Simon Cameron (1799-1889)-
He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything-that clearly points to a political career. –George Bernard Shaw- .
The days will come , hopefully, when such words of contempt will not be
associated with politics. Let’s hope Pak Lah will be the first PM in the
world to initial such a school.. Openness to new ideas is a passport to
growth and advancement. .
“ Every negative thought, every excuse, every doubt entertain in our quest to set up such a school to bring forth a new breed of state man, who is beyond financial corruption and abuse of power, is a down payment we already made for an obligation to fail. g The tender and fragile thought of such a possibility must be executed with determination and persistence.
A superstar cannot be produced over night, neither can a good state man be nurture instantly. The long journey of a thousand mile to begin the process of educating such a crop of ideal state man must start with the first step. Let’s just do it . Has Pak Lah the vision and courage to implement such a noble idea to reform politics and transform future leaders ?
It is all in his hands. The choice is his entirely- after all he is the Prime Minister.
Filed under: money politics
According to Transparency International Global Corruption report 2004.
Below are the estimated ill-gotten fortune amassed by various corrupt leaders
|
leaders |
country |
Amount embezzled in US$ |
|
Mohamed Suharto |
President Indonesia 1967-1998 |
15-35 billion |
|
Ferdinand Marcos |
President of Philippines 1972-1986 |
5-10 billion |
|
Mobutu Sese Seko |
President of Zaire 1965-1997 |
5 billion |
|
Sani Abacha |
President of Nigeria 1993-1998 |
2-5 billion |
|
Slobodan Milosevic |
President of Serbia Yugoslavia 1982-2000 |
1 billion |
|
Jean –Claude Duvalier |
President of Haiti 1971-1986 |
300-800 million |
|
Albert Fujimori |
President of Peru 1990-2000 |
600 million |
|
Pavlo Lazarenko |
Prime Minister of Ukraine |
114-200 million |
|
Arnoldo Aleman |
President of Nicaragua 1997-2002 |
100 million |
|
Joseph Estrada |
President of Philippines 1998-2001 |
78-80 million |
The list is by mean exhaustive. There are many other corrupt leaders waiting to join the infamous hall of fame. Most of the nations which have been plundered by their own leaders professed some kind of democracy. In practice it is more Kleptocratic in its economic manifestation. Kleptocracy is ruled by thieves. Government that’s corrupt in its management of public funds, designed to primary sustain personal wealth and political power of government officials and their cronies.
The question is why would anyone in his right frame of mind desire so much money? What is this abnormal obsession with money that drives an individual to commit such gross crime ? Insecurity? Fear of not having enough? Lust for wealth that closely associated with pleasure of being rich and powerful? By all stretch of reasoning there is no sound reason for anyone to desire so much cash. It is more to do with the feeling about money. Feeling has triumphed over thinking. Reason has been defeated. “The head never rules the heart, but just becomes its partner in crime.” Mignon McLaughlin.
All rivers flow toward the sea, yet the sea is not full. No matter, how fat one’s bank’s account is, ultimately, we all eat one meal at time, sleep in one bed, wear one pairs of shoes, drive one car, how much can one consumes, uses and spends in a normal course of a day? If there is a limit as to how much we can spend on our self, then, what is wisdom for wanting to have more? Any excess or extra cash that one does not need for personal daily living expenses, then become our saving for raining days.. How much saving does one need for raining days? The amount depends one’s security and feeling about how much is sufficient.
The rest of the excess wealth in whatever form in our possession, makes us a trustee or steward of our wealth.
No human being can tell the exact time and day of his death, many dies leaving a fortune behind. What does this mean? What belong to us, it confined to what we spend on our self. Nothing more or nothing less.
Accumulation of money for the sake of accumulation by any mean without purpose or reason is the principle of cancer cell growth. The body has been intoxicated until it has gone out of control without direction and objective.
“ if a man runs after money, he’s money mad;
if he keeps it, he is a capitalist;
if he spends it, he is a playboy;
if he doesn’t get it, he is never,do well;
if he doesn’t try to get, he lacks ambition;
if he gets it without working for it, he is a parasite;
and if he accumulates it after a life time of hard work,
people call him a fool who never got anything out of life”.
-Vic Oliver-
The mayor of Bangkok, Samak Sundaravej desperate to stamp out graft, was reported to use curse to fight graft. “ May those city officers who commit extortion from vendors run into disasters, have illness and die in their early days.” ( Reuters 2.2.2001, star)
Actually, there is no need to impose this curse, those who are involved in corruption, known or hidden can not escape the natural consequences of being a thief. Justice will catch its transgressor sooner or later.
Make a study of those who have amassed great wealth, see what happen to the their later generation. Have any of the high and mighty leaders of past history with their tainted wealth produced outstanding useful children with achievement in education, science ,industry or other worth while endeavor benefiting humanity?
In the final analysis, the ability to sustain moral fibre of a family down the generation is more reliable and lasting than mere riches without character..
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) lived at the same time as Benjamin Franklin, married a godly girl-an investigation were made of the 1394 known descendants who positively contributed to the wellbeing of society. From his children and their issues come the following record:-
- 13 college presidents,
- 100 lawyers,
- 65 professors,
- 60 medical doctors,
- 3 US senators,
- 75 navy and army officers,
- 30 judges,
- 100 preachers and missionaries,
- 60 authors of prominence,
- one vice president of USA,
- 80 public officials in other capacities;
- 295 college graduates,
- state governors , ambassadors to foreign countries.
Wealth that come through diligence, creativity and wisdom will bring blessings. Ill gotten wealth no matter how desirable is but a temporary illusion.
Filed under: thinking life style
Malaysia, my beloved country. By Jordan Tan
According to Microsoft Encarta 1993, Aristotle had a few definitions of type of government:-
Monarchy: government by a single individual
Aristocracy: government by a select few
Democracy: government by many.
However, these three types of rule has degenerated over the years and replaced by
Tyranny: rule by individual in one’s own self interest.
Oligarchy: government by a selected few for their own self interest.
Adhocracy: mob rule
In a Democratic Action Party’s forum one of the speakers, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, treasurer general of Party Keadilan mentioned that there are some 5000 people that benefit beyond measured by the NEP
By cronyism and or nepotism some 2000 in UMNO; some 1000 in MCA and remaining few hundred share between the smaller BN component parties such as Gerakan and MIC when government dishes out development projects.
Whether what the speaker said was just fact or fiction can be observed from the headlines in the newspapers.
Which companies get the most profitable and massive projects
Who are the rich individuals mention in multi million ringgit divorced settlements.
Prominent Individuals who throw obscenely expensive wedding ceremony.
Towering corporate figures who become instant tycoons from very humble beginning.
Young, wealthy famous children whose fathers are well connected with the ruling parties who can indulge in billion ringgit corporate deals.
The ever increasing chasm between the filthy rich and those who live in grinding poverty.
If this country continues to be ruled with this same political stubbornness and sickening fear psychology, the day will come when things will be out of control
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” -Thomas Jefferson( 1743-1826)
The excuse that the ruling party dishes out that we can’t handle press freedom as is practiced in western democracy is guarantee formula to produce a nation of mediocre intellectual incompetence. This lame excuse that we are not ready for invigorating democracy is just unacceptable. Without freedom of the press, dissenting views will not stimulate thinking and provoke public discussion on important public issues.
“Many politicians…are in the habit of laying it down as a self-evident proposition, that no people ought to be free till they are fit to use their freedom. This maxim is worthy of the fool…who resolved not to go into the water till he had learned to swim.
-Thomas Babington Macaulay(1800-1859)-
In the final analysis, after all the financial scandals of the past decades, from BMF, Maminco, Perwaja Steel, to United Engineers corporate rescue, the thinking citizens long ago already realize government is too big and important to be left to the politicians.
“ Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.” -Oscar Ameringer-
During the last two decades, a strong government has produced a legacy on politicians and government for us to ponder over:-.
The government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top.
-James Reston-
You cannot adopt politics as a profession and remain honest.
-Louis McHenry Howe-
When a fellow you knew in school attains some lofty public office, you’re glad for his sake-but somewhat apprehensive for the future of the country. –Bill Vaugham-
An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought. –Simon Cameron (1799-1889)
Politicians of our time might be characterized by their vain attempts to change the world and by their inability to change themselves . –George Faludy-
There is a myth that government can do the job cheaply because it doesn’t have to make a profit. –E S Savas-
Political campaigns are designedly made into emotional orgies which endeavor to distract attention from the real issues involved, and they actually paralyze what slight powers of cerebration man can normally muster. –James Harvey Robinson-
He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything-that clearly points to a political career. –George Bernard Shaw-
Public office is the last refuge of the incompetent. -Boies Penrose-
Every nation has the government that it deserves. There are some five million citizens in Malaysia who are not even registered as a voters. Whereas UMNO with some two million members is enjoying the seats of power in government. It is a pity the ordinary power of the voter is not mobilized for the betterment of this country. It is very easy to say the political power is in the hands of the people, even Nikita Khrushchev declared, “ The Communist system must be based on the will of the people, and if the people should not want that system, then the people should establish a different system.” .
In its March 2001 issue , Reader’s Digest paid tribute to a Philippines policewoman, Ligaya Cabal for bringing honor to the police force in her office. Fighting corruption in the police force, she bought dignity to her office. Joseph Estrada bought shame to the presidential office , he was charged for corruption while holding the highest office in the land. Lord Acton rightly said, “ There is no worse heresy that the office sanctifies the holder of it.”
It is the same every where, it is as if it’s the inherent right of government to lie to save itself.
If men and women of capacity refuse to take part in politics and government, they condemn themselves, as well as the people, to the punishment of living under bad government to borrow the word of Senator Sam J Ervin.
There is a choice before us, if we are not happy with the present political climate, we can do something about it. That is to stand up for our conviction and educate each one of us that the future of this country is in our hands.
We can make a difference no matter how small that effort is, because
“ All the darkness in world, cannot overwhelm nor suppress the light from the smallest candle that we light up”
Filed under: money politics
Money politics and emotional intelligence by Jordan Tan
Squeaky clean Singapore which received a higher score awarded by Transparency International has a lesson for us.
The lesson comes from the National Kidney foundation(NKF) scandal. After forensic accounting done by an international accounting firm, it was found that out of every $10 collected, only $1 is spent for dialysis. The chief executive, paid himself a salary of $800,000 a year besides other perks. If such financial misconduct can happen in Singapore, what about financial affairs in Malaysia conducted in the highest level by powerful politicians? After all, just as T T Thurai is a trustee of NKF money, the government of Malaysia is also the national trustee of entire country’s wealth and others resources. If smaller account involving public money of a charitable foundation can be examined and wrong doing rectified, what about massive fund of a country which amounted to billions, are the trustee of a nation ( the prime minister) immune from being cross examined? Is a elected representative above the law, when there is financial criminal breach of trust involved a nation’s money?
Is the official secret acts, designed to protect powerful politicians from being charged in the name of national security?
Clearly, the so called democracy is actually oligarchy(rule by a selected few for their own selfish interest) in its economic practice.
UMNO has 3.2 million members nation wide (Star 22nd Jan 2006) in number does not has a wide representation of the 16 million Malays. Kadir Jasin ‘s logic that Bumiputra equity should have 60% share in the corporate sector under the NEP is irrational. UMNO 3.2 million compare to 16 million Malays only represent 14.37 % of entire Malay community.
How the country’s money is spent is a very good indication of where the government’s priority is. Is it democracy or oligarchy?
- According to Asia Economic Review , 3rd quarter 2000 report, during Tun Mahathir two decades of rule, some RM380 billion were use to bail out financial troubled cronies in UMNO linked corporations. This estimated sum by Stanley Morgan economist under “corruption& crony practices” has never been publicly denied by Malaysian authority.
- Dr Edmund Terence Gomez in his article on Malaysian corporate bailed out mentioned: 15 corporate groups accounted for 20% of Malaysia’s entire bank loans during the economic crisis. Of the RM39 billion loaned out by banks for share acquisition, almost 45% were given to individuals. One company Renong (UMNO linked) accumulated debts(RM 20-28 Billion) constituting more than 5% of loans in the Malaysian banking system in 1998.
- Employee provident Fund were directed to invest 269.8 million in Halim Saad’s Timedotcom company.
- Anwar Ibrahim has alleged that less than 10 people linked to party leaders were jointly responsible for loans worth around RM 70 billion.
- DAP member of Parliament for Cheras, Tan Kok Wai has lodged a report against businessman Halim Saad and Datuk Anuar Othman for alleged criminal breach of trust, and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainudin for alleged abuse of power in the court case involving Metro Juara and Metramac. Some RM764 million was supposed to be paid as compensation to Syarikat Teratai KG(STKG). Datuk Fawziah and her mother were the shareholers of STKG who were the highway concessionaire.now known as Metramac. In 1990 Court of Appeal judge Datuk Gopal Sri Ram noted that Daim had said the government was in no position to pay the compensation. STKG was then bought over by Metro Juara for RM 97.5 million. Halim and Anuar were shareholders of Metro Juara. After this, the Government compensated the company. (Star 21st Jan 2006)
- Malaysian Air lines under TRI own by Tajudin Ramli which has a debt of RM9.4 billion were rescue by government by paying him RM8 per share when the market value was only worth RM3.per share.
The above are just a few examples of how financial decision were made benefiting a few rich men well connected to UMNO. Besides, a lack of transparency in how public fund has been spent, wasteful and meaningless expenditure were incurred in search of fleeting national glory. For example:-
How does the Malaysian’s grand plan to drape Egypt’s Great Pyramid at Giza with flags of world’s 57 Muslim countries benefit the average Malay?
The price of RM 95 million and the RM 1.3 Billion arm deal with Russia undertaken by Malaysian government to send astronaut to space to spin top and pull teh tarik just to raise Malaysia’s profile in the world is a ego trip that benefit foreigner.
As the number of auction low cost flats increase, and the number of low- price vehicles desperately looking for bidders , does the power that be read the handwriting on the wall? The masses are suffering as a result of financial indiscretion and mismanagement by the government. Social anxiety indicators such as number of car stolen, the number of rape cases, the frequency of snatch thieves, robberies, incident of corruption, the number of unemployed graduates, and the widening gap of income disparity between the few filthy rich and the majority of the dirt poor increases, can we still be proud of our so called ‘achievement’?
With all the riches we have in petroleum, commodities such as palm oil and rubber,
There is no reason for poverty in this land of abundance. Where have all the money Gone? Petronas since its operation 32 years ago has generated RM 500 billion in Revenue. Together with the RM380 billion squandered , there is a lot of money for every Malaysian.
Just use the RM 380 billion figure alone, let see what it can do:-
· To be equally share with the 3.2 million UMNO members- each will get
RM 118,750 ,000.00
· To be evenly distributed among the 26 million Malaysians each will get RM 14,615,384.00
· To be only given to the 16 million Malays each will get RM23,750,000.00
· Build 126 Penang second link bridges with RM 2 billion to spare.
The question before us, how to make sure such incident of criminal breach of trust does not repeat itself again in this country? In the case of NKF the culprit is exposed and face the full force of law and justice. What about the scenario in this country? Does anybody care? First, we must make sure that the politician in power is accountable for every action and decision he makes where money is spend . He must be worthy of the office he sits. Just having IQ is not good enough, he must also attain adequate emotional intelligence quotient (EQ). he must have a mature appreciation of money. His greed for money must be eliminated. His lust for money that belongs to the country’s coffer must be demolished from his mind. Money in the wrong hand will bring great economic suffering to this lovely land.
Unless the people who suffer learn to speak up, we are in for more suffering.
“ A silent majority and government by the people is incompatible”
-Tom Hayden-
“Every nation has the government that it deserves”
-Joseph Marie de Maistre (1753-1821)-
“If men and women of capacity refuse to take part in politics and
Government, they condemn themselves, as well as the people, to the punishment of living under bad government.” -Senator Sam J Ervin-
Do you feel as a person you can do very little to change things for the better?
|
Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do little. –Edmund Burke-
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it. -Albert Einstein-
|
Can you see, can you read and can you walk? You are better off than Helen Keller, yet despite her inability to see and hear, she has been an inspiration to the handicapped all over the world. Her life is an example than even a person who has so much disadvantage can still make a difference to the world.
|
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do. –Helen Keller- |
Remember, good always triumph over evil in the long run, light is stronger than darkness. Because
“All the darkness in the world cannot suppress nor overwhelm the light from the smallest candle.”
Let us all light that little candle that we have in our control. It is better to create that little light, that curse the darkness.
..
Filed under: thinking life style
A free flow of information and opinions is society’s oxygen”
Johann P Fritz, director International Press Institute 2000
Any patriotic Malaysian who cared about the future of this nation, should be alarmed by the government rejection of Asli report. One politician dismissed the 45% figure of Bumi equity in the corporate sector as rubbish..
The deputy PM assurance to give the EPU version of the 18.9 % Bumi corporate equity hopefully will be release soon. Remember,
Opinions founded on prejudice are always sustained with the greatest violence. –Francis Jeffrey-(1773-1850)
National issue like NEP is of such monumental importance, the entire nation should be educated, dissenting voice should invited to give feed back and constructive criticisms welcome. Educate us ordinary folk, convince us with your calculation. Show off your superior wisdom and higher reasoning. Treat us who differ with your views with respect. Let us reason together. Without this rigorous test of the soundness of this outdated policy, the nation will suffer further.
“Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive, easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.” Henry Peter, Lord Brougham (1778-1868)
A thinking society is a national asset.
An intellectually vibrant society will attract direct foreign investment.
Without reasoning and thinking the mind will decay.
He who will not reason is a bigot,
He who cannot reason is a fool,
He who dare not reason is a slave.
It is an intellectual blackmail by giving the excuse that just discussing the NEP will cause racial tension
“A white paper should be published on the NEP. On what is written ,we can examine a fragile policy without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in our face…It is one of the few havens remaining where the collective Malaysian ’s mind can get both solid facts and data to see whether it is justified to continue a questionable policy. Truth is not afraid of cross examination and will flourish in sunlight of open discussion ”
NEP is not sacred, it is an act of man-made policy. It is not perfect and we are reaping the effects of a corrupt society :
· When people suddenly become prosperous ,they also become preposterous. [Mini palace of Klang?]
–Laurence J Peter
· When we lose our individual independence in the corporateness of a mass moment, [such as BN] , we find a new freedom-freedom to hate, bully ,lie ,torture ,murder and betray without shame and remorse. Herein undoubtedly lies part of the attractiveness of a mass movement.
-Eric Hollfer-
· I think of all our human experience shows that no one with absolute power can be trusted to give up even in part.[Judicial scandal of 1988]
-Justice Louis D Brandels-
· I am convinced that when the intellectual history of our times comes to be written, the idea of race , both the popular and the taxonomic, will be viewed for what it is: a confused and dangerous idea which happened to fit the social requirements of a thoroughly exploitative period in the development of western man [ Colonial era in Malaya]. –Ashley Montagu-
· There is no more evil thing in this world than race prejudice…it justifies and holds together more baseness, cruelty, and abomination than any other sort of error in the world. –H G Wells-
· The more corrupt the state, the more numerous laws. –Tacitus (55-130?)
· The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be- -Lao-tzu (c.604-531 BC)
· Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught. [18 high profile corruption cases]
–Honore de Balzac-(1799-1850)
· Laws are like cobwebs, for any trifling or powerless thing falls into them,they hold it fast; but if a thing of any size falls into them, it breaks the mesh and escapes. [building palace without permit]
–Anacharsis ( c 600 BC)
· Law and order are always and everywhere the law and order which protect the established hierarchy.[OSA, ISA] –Herbert Marcuse-
· Crime is contagious. If a government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself. [every hour 8 cars stolen ,snatch thieves,robberies] –Justice Louis D Brandels-
· Charlatanism of some degree is indispensable to effective leadership
[strong government of Dr M’s reign 22 years]
-Eric Hoffer-
· The prejudices of ignorance are more easily removed than the prejudices of interest[NEP]; the first are blindly adopted, the second willfully preferred.
-George Bancroft-(1800-1891)
· If we believe absurdities we shall commit atrocities.
-Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) 1694-1778
NEP is a wrong prescription for eradication of poverty. It only strengthens those few in power. The masses are the victims. This cannot go on.
Listen to the famous words of Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France (1769-1821)
“Those who failed to oppose me, who readily agreed with me, accepted all my views, and yielded easily to my opinions, were those who did me the most injury, and were my worst enemies, because ,by surrendering to me so easily, they encouraged me to go too far…I was then too powerful for any man, except myself, to injure me.”
Let’s hope there are enough brave men in this country to speak up and save this
Lovely nation from going to ruin. .
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