Initial thoughts on scenarios

1.       It appears that there is general acceptance of the mediocrity of the Malaysian economic growth story amongst the policymakers, and there is general readiness to embrace the change. Without the chest-thumping of politicians, “omphaloskepsis” or navel-gazing has turned to a somewhat muted and pessimistic outlook.

2.       So where to now? Ideas of a high-growth model to bring us out of the income trap has surfaced, though it is noted perhaps more of the rhetorics of grandeur it generates rather than any solid substantial plans as of this moment. Perhaps it is still early stages, but when government ministers seem to be preoccupied with their personal KPI setting for what they have done before, and rather mundane NKRAs that it’s looking at currently, who’s looking at what to do next? EPU and MOF seems to be focusing on hot to replace ‘loss’ of Bumiputra rights and what to do with a shiringking treasury. Personally, someone mentioned in the KMF recently that Stiglitz and Sen has proposed a different set of measures to look at growth and progress, and it should be one where the general betterment of the populace should be prioritized, and I do agree with this view wholeheartedly.

3.       Back to my own scope – tech and biotech. I’d think that our success in this area, with expectations of this being the focal point of the economic growth story, is important. While personally I think the expectations are rather overblown, mainly from the perspective that there has been limited domestic success models currently, and growth potential is curtailed by our lack of capacity amongst technocrats, scientists, investors, researchers and financiers.

4.       However, looking forward, success is predicated on three dimensions – execution capability, funding capacity and sustainable demand pipeline. We could perhaps draw four discrete scenarios across these soft drivers, (as opposed to predetermined hard drivers of ageing population, oil / gas shocks, etc):

-          Green: successful coevolution of the three critical development factors outlined above

-          Dry wells: progress on a global front, but we’re left further behind as we fail to leverage our execution and funding capacity-building

-          Desert: global pipeline dries up as countries ramp up their domestic focus in the face of sluggish global economic conditions, and while decoupling may not be realised, but effectively demonstrated through raised trading barriers

-          Status quo: we plod along, celebrate the little successes which come our way, overcome the little curveballs that gets thrown into our path ever so regularly by our regulators, partners and businesses

5.       Preparation across all four scenarios entails:

-          Continuous engagement and mobilization of the various entities and stakeholders in this Greening project\

-          Engaging private financiers and incorporating their acceptance of biotech as an asset class early

-          Remodeling and incentivizing local and foreign players to step up into the Malaysian-centric perspective

-          Finalising and creating buyin of LS subsectors that the country would need to participate in

Assortments

Taman Desa, Kuen Cheng and Menara IGB

1.       I’m impressed with the Chinese community’s strengths in business and finance after looking at these three, hardly iconic, but manifestations of their expertise and community teachings.

2.       Taman Desa is a township with heavy Chinese features – where trading and commerce in heavy services and machinery is all too prevalent, presumably began and continued since mid19th century. Kuen Cheng is a private Chinese primary school, whose buildings and layout is more reminiscent of a tertiary level malayish IPTS with some government backed institution, and MEnara IGB sits across TNB headquarters, where over 10 years it has grown to a fantastic self-contained commercial city generating revenue and with a high multi-storey building housing the IGB hq.

3.       The Malays would be hard-pressed to replicate this, but again, the question is, what is the inherent strength of the Chinese? I would hazard that it’s the community’s ability to stand on the shoulders of giants, to cooperate and to consolidate.

 

 

 

No more middle ground

1.       Take a look around Malaysia, and we can no longer be certain that peace can be sustained for any given time now. Although that previous remark seems to be too much of an alarmist note, I’m fairly certain the continued polarization of opinions in the political sphere will soon spill over to society. The signs are evident – Buah Pala, Beng Hock, Kartika and Section 23. It is a very worrying trend.

2.       The questions to ask will be: what now? The causes need to be diagnosed, and strong, willful action is required from everyone. Sanity has to be made to prevail.

3.       Causes are too many – misplaced tolerance to allow vernacular education, and thereby breeding suspicion and envy from the different races and preventing true assimilation to happen; continued racial-based politics where parties practiced racial-based assistance; policies that continued to breed segregation after almost 40(?!) years of the New (!?) Economic Policy, and misunderstandings on religiosity allowed to fester and create all these undercurrents of prejudice and hate.

4.       Singling out the NEP from the above list, I suppose it does have its merits in the first place, where Malay envy at the well-endowed economic strength of the Chinese culminated in the 13^th May tragedy. Listening to Mak’s stories, the fear that existed then could be felt for a long time to come, where even Abah was prepared to take up arms. The NEP was a necessary affirmative action tool to enhance the status of an economically marginalised majority. If we could agree that if there could be only one mandate of a government, then it is to dispense justice, and this was fully justified to elevate the level of a weak majority while preserving and not necessarily forcing the Chinese to give up their property.

5.       At some point in time, however, the policy has outlived its usefulness. The bitter truth now is that it has created a complacent and ineffective Malay-dominated government machinery – whose instincts after being honed on the NEP for so long is to shepherd resources, funds and energy to Malays, to the chagrin of other also marginalised peoples who now begin to question the integrity and honesty of the Government.

6.       While this almost certainly is a critical factor, the voice of the opposition to this is being shaped and led by an empowered Christian zeal. Tricia Yeoh wrote today on the issues relating to the ethnic problems in recent times, almost seemingly railroading readers and pinpointing all blame to Malays. She’s not alone. Almost all malfunctioning government machinery, MACC – despite it still being in its infancy, is being slaughtered mercilessly. All these biased comments spark an almost similar escalation of indignation from Malay “ultras” – who resent the fact that UMNO, the last bastion of the NEP, is under such savage attack and is now considering and already has in some respects scaled back the effects of the NEP.

7.       To people like Tricia, although they will almost certainly deny it – read the comments on the blogs, or follow Jeff Ooi who is not exempt from public scrutiny, it is quite clear they will place the blame on Malays, while promoting their own values. No matter that Malaysia was built on such Constitutional grounds that there will always be a Malay-Muslim polity at the very highest levels in the form of the Malay Sultans, Malays are the majority now and will be an even bigger majority in the near future judging by the birth-rates (notwithstanding the fact that some of the Malay babies end up in the tongs, flushed down toilets, but that’s another story) and many are uncomfortable with this secularist tendencies, the “educated” Malay liberals excepted.

8.       Meanwhile the objectives of the Malay Ultras are clear – create uncertainties on the political will to carry out further scaling back of the NEP or prepare to face their wrath. Opposition is unlikely to back down either, so thus, the war will be fought now on the societal battlefront.

9.       It’s time to stand guard, and pick your side. There is no middle ground in this battle.

 

 

 

sombre mood - mid-life crisis

On some days, when the mood really gets you down, there isn’t much that we can do. Today is such a day.

I’ll need to clarify my thinking on a number of issues.

JDC and position

1. Increased responsibility with this position in JDC. The objective must be clear from the onset – what do I hope to achieve. One, of course, is mardhatillah through subscribing myself as a haraki worker. Secondly, this is also a position where my role is best identified through negotiating the best position to do it in, and how to bring out the better facets of what I can contribute towards. In that respect, assertiveness is a virtue. Thirdly, scrap this personal developmental agenda, cos at this stage the output required far outstrips the need for development, although I am at no point in tome demeaning its potential benefits. It’s just that, in this mindset of achieving the best, tarbiyyah is to be achieved through the means available, so hence, academically should be through university courses or such like, physical through setting up networks, mental and spiritual through personal struggle against my own vices. Although, be on the lookout for role modeling and social support systems.

Pathing away – time for pause and reflection

2. motivation to continue work in this swf environment is fading away. If I don’t obtain an offer from B or cant finalise my exit options soon, I’ll be found out, or worse, I’ll find myself unable to handle the stresses with the gaping conflicts I’ll need to resolve within myself. Partly, I’d also need to overcome risks – particularly relating to financial support should this fail to work itself out. DBA is a nice getout clause though, one in that it provides a nice excuse to be out of the system, but the issue remains – what do I intend to do later? First things first is to face the cold hard truth, the dirty, naked facts of what is required to find the bloody hedgehog. This is a time for wisdom, not some ill-judged rash decision I’vebeen guilty on a number of occasions already.

Raya prep

3. This and other stuff that I’d need to do. Get your butt of the bloody chair and start doing some real work!

Insights

4. And then there is this insight, that not only is this CV masking deficiencies, it is a puton with its fancy titles and awards - but what counts most is what you do with it, what impact do you have upon society, etc! personal motivation to succeed is paramount, regardless of which perspective you take - the difference being as a muslim, the personal motivation is framed upon our religious beliefs.

Kartika, Whipping and Malaysia’s Image

1. This case has now brought about an international frenzy, and everyone seems to have something to say about it. It’s fair to say this is now an emotional issue and is being as a litmus test on Malaysia’s positioning and posturing on Islam and the basis of a Syariah-based administration. The PM is on record on saying it’s best to emphasise more on tarbiyyah rather than punitive punishment.
2. Let’s tackle the various concerns head-on, which are a) this is ‘barbaric’ and does not educate (b) this will create international outrage, (c) more intangibly, Syariah-law is subservient to civil law, and at the first opportunity to run it down, let’s all bloody do it!
3. For point (a) I suppose there could be an argument for this. Umar r.a. himself was reportedly had softened hudud laws where it would be more advantageous to do so. Here, what is the educational value that we seek to bring about here? Under the current circumstances, society at large will reject this punishment, and vocal Muslims will be at the forefront of this opposition and bring about a clarion call for non Muslims who abhor Islamic restrictions on their way of life an amplified voice against Islam. We’ve seen a similar dynamic, but on a much greater scale, with 9/11, and suicide bombings without a cause as seen in Jakarta.
4. As for international outrage, I would think there is very little to be worried about here. People have raised this issue of the backwardness of Taliban-style Muslim leadership when a Chief Minister wears his white turban and tunic for the past 19 years in the form of Nik Aziz, but yet this did not prevent them from hailing Nik Aziz as a paragon of virtue if it fits their political aims. Hypocrisy at its worst!
5. And going on from point 2(c) and point 3 is the ultimate danger in this. There is nothing wrong with Syariah law. But perceptions cloud our mind.
6. I would think that had this not been the punishment, it wouldn’t create this controversy, as once it has, there is no other option other than to execute it. Backing down would create impressions that we are not serious about Syariah law to regulate the lives of Muslims, although in its present form too, it is not reflective of the Syariah justice as it was intended to be. Khalwat cases are nothing more than soft slaps on wrists, rather than the heavy punishment meted out for zina, although in no way am I equating khalwat to zina here, just a comparison of the various forms of punishment which we take.
7. Kartika wanted it. Let’s not question her intention to do that. In the best of cases, she wants to repent and clear her conscience in this world. And if this is how she views her religious beliefs, then so be it. We don’t stop kavadi carrying devotees to self-mutilate themselves, although the trance-like state apparently prevents pain or scarrings to occur, but that is their religious belief and we will have to respect that. That should be the essence of Islam, and furthermore Islam in a multi-racial society.
8. Let’s prevent this frenzy to develop any further.

Oi Jeff! An Old Blogger is the New Goblog in Malaysian Politics!

I came across Zaid’s answer to Oi Jeff, and a very nice put-down in the very first sentence by calling him by his registered moniker, rather than the westernised sobriquet he would prefer to deny his true colours. (pun intended). And despite a very civilised and rational call here by JIM’s president, Oi Jeff has refused to apologise, and thereby rendering gullible voters who think this goblok of a blogger has his facts right. One of them even left a comment which said, “Oh Jeff will have additional non-public information.” Err… like how ISA is being justified? By the way, in this instance, he did, except that he had chosen to wage war against the extremism he sees in calling for Syariah rule. And the party this goblogger represents insists on maintaining their way despite transgressing the law, as per DAP Kedah’s support for illegal pig abattoirs right smack in Alor Star town.

Talk about narrow-minded, myopic, biased – and this is an elected representative as an alternative to BN? Pluhheaaaze… Oi Jeff – go back to repairing servers la…

Zaid’s statement is attached.

================================================================

Answering Jeff Ooi

Wan Muhammad Wan Ibrahim

YB Ooi Chuan Aun, Member of Parliament for Jelutong, better known as Jeff Ooi, is still campaigning to remove Mohd Razali Abdullah, a Penang Municipal Councillor from the OSC (One-Stop Centre) Committee.

Jeff Ooi had persistently cited Mohd Razali’s membership of Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), an Islamic NGO, as the reason for calling for his removal. To Ooi, Mohd Razali’s membership of JIM put him in a conflict-of- interest situation, alleging that he will put the Islamic interest before the interest of the Pakatan Rakyat and the people.. We assert that the Islamic interest would also serve the good interest of the people. We are confident that his Islamic credentials and professional experience will make him better equipped for the assigned responsibility.

YB Ooi was also reported to have said that Mohd Razali’s appointment was a “dangerous precedent”, alluding to JIM’s vision of a Malaysia that fully implements the syariah. If YB Ooi had not noticed, living by the syariah (Islam) would be the shared aspiration of Muslims not only in Malaysia but all over the world. We are perplexed as to why an appointment of a person that is true to Islam be a dangerous precedent. Islam had been around for so long that surely, peoples’ recent misunderstandings and prejudices against it would not efface its nobility or its relevance to society. This is the same Islam that built a modern civilisation which had great influence on the West. This was the safe haven that welcomed the Jews from the terror of the Inquisition. It would not be beyond the common man to understand and appreciate its beauty.

JIM will continue to advocate for the understanding of Islam as Islam is. We prefer to present Islam as a choice, work on building an acceptance and consensus while leaving it to the people to make their choice. Contrary to Ooi’s assumption, we believe our position has a stronger claim according to the Malaysian Constitution than the secular position he seemed to be championing.

As a responsible NGO we stand for preserving peace, upholding law and order and justice for all. We will continue to campaign for human rights and dignity, good governance (transparency, accountability, efficiency) and for the empowerment of the individuals and communities through effective participation in the democratic process.

Mohd Razali was a PKR appointee to the OSC committee, appointed on the basis of his political association and not for his NGO affiliation. As this is an internal matter, we urge the Pakatan Rakyat and the Penang Government to look into the underlying reasons for this very public spat. However, we expect Mohd Razali to be judged by his performance.

Zaid Kamaruddin

President

Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia

Press Statement

4 Ogos 2009

Jeff Ooi is now a DAP crusader fit to polish Karpal and LKS's shoes

It was only a matter of time wasn’t it? The extremist political group DAP, using Jeff Ooi’s self-anointed powers of information dissemination through his at one-time hit blog, is now using their political power in Penang to wage war with Islamic groups fighting Syariah.

These brainless DAP politicians, which I have blogged about for a bit previously and expressed my extreme regret for giving my vote to them (although thankfully that guy lost), and that includes Kit Siang, Karpal and others short-sighted, idiotic ideologues fail to realise is, if the Malay-Muslim dominated majority in Malaysia expresses their preference for Syariah rule through the democratic vote, then there’s just nothing they can do about it. Spouting rhetoric of over dead bodies and extremist organisations, endears them to their Chinese support base and alienates a huge segment who has given Pakatan Rakyat whole-hearted support in the last election. That’s PR by the way, for myopic DAP buggers, not DAP. Your votes are just incidental, or you can just focus your energies on the service centres in Jelutong, Melaka, Seremban and Ipoh Timur. You DAP guys are just popular in selected urban centres, and even in rural towns I know that apart from a small cadre of troopers and good organisation, nobody bothers two pennies about these blokes.

Jeff Ooi should resign, and Pakatan should really consider if they’d need to bring this burdensome carcass with them next time.