Badawi’s disappointment with Bumiputeras

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today expressed his disappointment that Bumiputeras had yet to achieve 30 percent equity in the local economy due to their weak business management.

He said it had been the government’s objective and “obsession” since the implementation of the New Economic Policy, to see to the achievement of 30 percent equity by the Bumiputera community. But this had not been achieved, he lamented.

“I don’t have to go into length about this (the failure) as the Bumiputera business community is even more aware of it,” he said in his speech at the Malaysia Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM) Entrepreneur Awards presentation, here.

Abdullah said the building of human capital emphasised the development of a group of professionals and capable Bumiputera managers.
“We need those who have the capability to create value and enhance the Bumiputera equity. These are the people we want,” he said.

Abdullah said he wanted Bumiputera companies to follow successful companies like Petronas, which had good management and was recognised overseas as among the Seven Sisters or the seven major oil and gas companies in the world.

Source: Bernama

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NEP spawned corruption, cronyism, ethnic discrimination, widened intra-ethnic disparities

These people don’t want to work, they don’t want to learn

Badawi tells Umno members not to always ask for allowance

NEP spawned corruption, cronyism, ethnic discrimination, widened intra-ethnic disparities

In Malaysia, the NEP itself has given rise to a new ethnic-Malay middle class, but critics point out that it has also spawned a culture of corruption, cronyism and ethnic discrimination. Intra-ethnic and regional disparities have also widened. With the advent of neo-liberal policies in the late 1980s and 1990s, its effectiveness as a tool for wealth redistribution has been widely questioned.
Critics argue that the NEP has instead been used to promote the interests of the rich and entrench the ruling United Malays National Organization, whose politicians are loath to compromise on it. Not surprisingly, non-Malays who feel that the NEP discriminates against them would also like to see the back of this policy, and in general tend to welcome greater economic liberalization.
One Indian-Malaysian medical specialist who complained about discrimination in education and government jobs observed that middle-class non-Malays are caught between the status quo and full-blown liberalization.

Source: Asia Times

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Nazri, a POOR role model for our students

Nazri teaches :

1. Instead of formulating arguments, which is a total waste of time, debaters should simply scream at their opponents at the top of their lungs, the louder the better.

2. According to the minister in a rousing parliamentary speech last week (available on YouTube), Singapore is not a country. Yes, you heard that right. Singapore is not a country.  

When faced with questions from the leader of the Opposition, Lim Kit Siang, regarding Malaysia’s slip down Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Nazri exploded with a reply that was as rich with insults as it was with new definitions of nationhood.  

He shouted “stupid, stupid, stupid”, etc, at Lim innumerable times. Lim’s comparison of Malaysia with Singapore led to Nazri’s amazing statement that the island republic was not a real country. 

Source: Brave New World by Azmi Sharom in The Star

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Nazri’s exemplary Parliamentary language

Nazri says Malaysia’s image not affected by ‘bocor’ remarks

Nazri says Bung Mokhtar, Mohd Said Yusof should not apologize to Fong, blames press for highlighting the issue

Nazri said Bung Mokhtar’s ‘bocor’ remark is not offensive

How this minister behaved in the august house of the parliament

Najib expounds "Glokal"

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reminded Malays to hold firmly to the “glokal” concept, telling them that while they excelled on the world stage they should not forget their place of origin.
He said Malays who sought and achieved success elsewhere, including overseas, should not forget the village they came from and should find ways to “return the favour”.
“After we have travelled far … when the time comes, we should return the favour to our place of origin.
“As the saying `Think Global, Act Local’ goes, even when our thoughts have reached out to the whole world, our actions must be locally oriented,” he said at a Family Day organised by the Kelab Anak Wawasan Pekan for Malays from Pekan, Pahang, who had excelled elsewhere.
The “glokal” concept encapsulates a Malay who is recognised for his mental ability and values at the international level and having a role on the world stage but who is, at the same time, great in the country because of his success and resilience rooted in Islam, the Malay culture and natural heritage.

Source: Bernama

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Definition of glocalization:

Glocalization, a neologism and contraction of globalization and localization, entails one or both of the following:*The creation of products or services intended for the global market, but customized to suit the local culture.*Using electronic communications technologies, such as the Internet, to provide local services on a global (or potentially global) basis. Craigslist and Meetup are examples of web applications that have glocalized their approach.

Source: wikipedia

Najib’s other bright ideas:

Najib tells civil servants to reframe mind and increase productivity by working longer hours

Najib outlines 3 main factors for skilled and ‘holistic’ Malaysian

RM800,000 spent, but no sign of sports centre works

Is the UK High Performance Sports a waste of tax money ?

Najib’s 5 ways to accelerate the Malay mind

Najib: There should be consensus on sensitive economic data

Najib proposes another regional something

Najib’s other regional idea

Jamaluddin Jarjis says he has apologized to Sheena Moorthy although Sheena says she has not received any apology

M. Kulasegaran (DAP – Ipoh Barat) started the ball rolling when he claimed that Dr Jamaluddin had yet to personally apologise to student Sheena Moorthy, who was supposedly the target of insulting remarks made by the minister during a trip to the United States. 

Dr Jamaluddin stood up and told Kulasegaran to stick to debating the National Measurement System Bill 2007, but that did not stop the MP. 

.. This irked Dr Jamaluddin, who stood up and shouted: “Stick to the bill.  

“If you are brave enough, let’s talk about this outside.”  

Later, during the winding-up, Dr Jamaluddin introduced the country’s two astronaut candidates, who were sitting in the public gallery. 

Several MPs then praised the two and urged them to share their experiences with young Malaysians. 

At this juncture, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang criticised Dr Jamaluddin for objecting to Kulasegaran’s points but allowing discussions on the astronauts to continue although the matter had nothing to do with the Bill. 

“You should personally apologise to Sheena. I received an e-mail from her sister that you have yet to apologise to her,” Lim said. 

To this, Dr Jamaluddin retorted, “You are like an old newspaper. I have already apologised.” 

Source: The Star

 

Technorati tags: jamaluddin jarjis

Umno rushes to protest Thierry Rommel’s remarks on NEP

Syed Hamid, Hishammuddin:

Malaysia will send an official protest note to the European Union over the remarks made by its ambassador Thierry Rommel, which Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar has described as an interference in the country’s internal affairs. 

“Ambassador Rommel will be summoned to the Foreign Ministery to meet a Wisma Putra official. Our ambassador in Brussels Datuk Kamal Yan Yahya will also meet with the European Union external affairs officials and ask them about Rommel’s statement,” Syed Hamid told Malaysian journalists here yesterday. 

He said Rommel, the head of the European Commission delegation to Malaysia, had failed to understand his role as a diplomatic envoy which was to promote relations and not to cause problems. 

“Furthermore, his statements are inaccurate.  

“How can he say that foreign investors have lost confidence in Malaysia when our capital and equity markets are growing at a very fast pace?” the Foreign Minister said. 

On Friday, Rommel was quoted by AP as saying that the NEP was discriminatory and amounted to protectionism against foreign companies.  

He added that the Government was using the NEP as an excuse to practise “significant protectionism of its own market,” including the automotive sector, steel, consumer goods, agricultural products, services and government contracts.  

In Kuala Lumpur, Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein described Rommel’s remarks as arrogant and extreme.  

He said Rommel had made a statement that was out of his duty as the head of the EC delegation. 

“He should not interfere in the internal administration of the country,” he told a press conference at the Malaysian Red Crescent Society an-nual general meeting yesterday. 

Source: The Star

Najib

Malaysia has warned the EU ambassador here not to meddle in its affairs after remarks criticising affirmative action policies that favour the country�s majority ethnic Malays. Weekend news reports said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said the envoy, Thierry Rommel, should not comment on internal politics.
�An envoy should not make any comments pertaining to the policies of the country he is attached to,� Najib said, according to the Star daily.
�This can be construed as trying to interfere in the internal administration of the country,� he added.

The News (Pakistan)

Thierry Rommels says Malaysia’s affirmative policies are about protectionism and discrimination

Thierry Rommel had on Thursday criticised Malaysia’s affirmative action racial quota policy favouring Malays and indigenous groups known as bumiputras, saying it was detrimental to the country and could hinder a free-trade agreement.

He told AFP on Sunday that he had yet to receive an expected formal note of protest from the government, but said he was only thinking of the economic impact of Malaysia’s affirmative action policies.

“It is not my intention to meddle in internal affairs. The rationale to which I brought up the bumiputra policy was in relation to FTA negotiations. The thinking was economic and nothing else,” he said.

He said Malaysia’s affirmative action policies were “about discrimination and protectionism” which would make trade negotiations with the EU “not so easy.”

“What is the big shock in saying that international trade negotiations often have implications into domestic adjustment?” he added.

Source: EUBusiness

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EU says Malaysia’s ethnic policies a barrier to trade

A European Union envoy Thursday said Malaysia’s racial quota policy favouring the majority ethnic Malays is detrimental to the country and could hinder a free-trade agreement.

EU ambassador to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel said Malaysia’s attractiveness to foreign investors has weakened as a result of the affirmative action policies for the majority ethnic Malays or “bumiputras”.

“As far as Malaysia is concerned, this New Economic Policy — the bumiputra policy — is a stumbling block. Malaysia is already paying the price in losing out in FDI in relative terms,” Rommel said.

“Protectionism in public procurement is rising. That protectionism is expanding and the scope for competition and efficiency is narrowing … Malaysia is marginalising itself,” he told reporters.

Rommel said the bumiputra policy was detrimental to Malaysia’s human capital development due to its “pervasive impact” throughout the public education system.

Malaysia since the 1970s has retained the policies in order to close a wealth gap between Malays and the minority Chinese community.

Rommel also criticised Malaysia for delays in negotiating a deal which could be a precursor to a FTA, adding that the country is lagging other members of the Association of South East Asian nations (ASEAN).

“We’re waiting impatiently for Malaysia to join the ASEAN movement (to have these talks). It is running behind. They have said let’s start the negotiations but it’s not been followed up,” Rommel said.

Source: EUBusiness

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Inefficient Puspakom hikes fees

Commercial vehicle owners are not happy with Puspakom’s fee hike saying its service had been poor and inefficient.

»Sometimes, we have to wait a whole day to get our vehicles inspected« ER SUI SEE

Pan Malaysian Lorry Owners Association president Er Sui See said that Puspakom had no grounds to increase the fees. 

“Sometimes, we have to wait a whole day to get our vehicles inspected. 

“Their machines are also obsolete. You bring a lorry with ABS (anti-braking system) and they will not be able to test it,” he told The Star. 

On Tuesday, Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Ahmad Mustapha Abdul Rashid announced that commercial vehicle owners would have to pay between RM10 and RM15 more from next month for the checks.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohd Ashfar Ali asked what extra value Puspakom had added to their service. 

“The queues are still long. The Government asked us to justify each time we ask to increase our fares. So Puspakom has to justify to us too.” Federal Territory and Selangor Taxi Operators Association president Datuk Aslah Abdullah was also unhappy, saying that Puspakom should not hike the fees. 

“If they say they need the funds to provide better services, then we will only provide good service if we get to increase our fares. How do you expect us to accept this approach?”  

Source: The Star

EU’s envoy blasts Malaysia’s privileges to majority Malays

Europe’s top envoy to Malaysia Thursday urged the government to roll back its affirmative action policy for majority Malays, saying it is discriminatory and amounts to protectionism against foreign companies.

In unusually frank comments that ignored diplomatic niceties, Thierry Rommel openly criticized Malaysia’s 37-year-old New Economic Policy, or NEP, that gives a host of privileges in jobs, education, business and other areas to ethnic Malays.

“In a dominant part of the domestic economy, there is no level playing field for foreign companies,” Rommel, the ambassador and head of the European Commission Delegation to Malaysia, said in a speech to local and foreign businessmen.

Ethnic Malays and other indigenous groups, known as Bumiputras, comprise more than 60 percent of Malaysia’s 26 million people. The government says they have a disproportionately low share of the corporate wealth compared to the minority Chinese, and need the NEP to increase their standard of living.

Rommel said the government is using the NEP as an excuse to practice “significant protectionism of its own market,” including the automotive sector, steel, consumer goods, agricultural products, services and government contracts.

Malaysia claims these are “infant” industries that need to be protected but “in reality .. it is the Malay-centered Bumiputra policy that drives protectionist policies,” Rommel said.

As part of the NEP, all public-listed companies are required to allocate 30 percent of their shares to Malays. Companies without Malay directors or employees are excluded from lucrative government contracts. Employers have quotas for hiring Malays.

Eric Reuter, sales and marketing director of freight forwarder ABX Logistics, said the Belgium-based company has a 51 percent Bumiputra partner and is required to work with local companies on government-related projects.

The limitations have eroded his profit margin, he said.

“We cannot be as flexible as we want to be and chances that corruption comes into play is higher. It is an interruption to the free market,” Reuter told The Associated Press.

Besides foreigners, minority ethnic Chinese and Indians also see the NEP as a discriminatory tool. Many Malays also have complained the policy has benefited only a few well-connected people.

NEP was started in 1970 when the Malays’ corporate ownership was 2 percent. The aim was to raise it to 30 percent by 2010, from 19 percent now. Chinese, who form a quarter of the population, control 40 percent of corporate wealth.

Rommel stopped short of saying the NEP should be scrapped but told reporters separately: “We (in Europe) have bitten the bullet on a number of sensitive issues, why can’t you?”

He warned the NEP could “lead to problems” in free trade negotiations between the EU and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Malaysia is a key member.

The two groups agreed last month to launch free trade talks, which could raise ASEAN’s exports to the EU by up to 20 percent, Rommel said. Senior officials are expected to hold their first meeting in Vietnam next month, he added.

Source: International Herald Tribune, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Houston Chronicle

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