What Is Syed Hamid Up To?

By Syed Akbar Ali

I was watching the History Channel tonite. They showed the 1973 Yom Kippur War between Egypt, Syria and Israel. They just said that 10 days before Egypt's surprise attack across the Suez Canal to retake the Sinai Peninsula from Israeli ocupation, King Hussein of Jordan had secretly met with Prime Minister Gola Meir of Israel and told her of the impending Egyptian attack.

Now why would an Arab do that to his brother Arab? Why would a Muslim do that to his brother Muslim? And here we are 'fighting' for Palestine, collecting 'tabung Palestin' and so on.

On an unrelated topic (possibly only), I am NOT a Pakatan Rakyat supporter but today there is some very surprising news.

The Star had a newsflash about it and the Malaysian Insider also says it quite well:

"TAIPING, March 31 – Campaigning for the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections has run into a bizarre roadblock, with the police stepping in to dictate what PKR cannot say or do in the intense battle to win votes.

They must not mention (a certain deceased person's) name and the Perak Sultan's decision in their campaigning.

The order (if you can call it that) was issued by the Home Ministry and covers all 3 by-elections, Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said today.

Then it also becomes more curious

"The same restrictions do not apply, apparently, to Pas, who have only been told to stop their ceramah by 11pm"

First of all, there was no such thing in the Kuala Terengganu By Election or the Permatang Pauh By Election. So what is the wisdom in making this type of 'restriction' now? Why now, in the Tri Elections?

And how come the ceramah permits for PAS do not mention the same thing? If what Malaysian Insider says is true, then it really tak masuk akal.

Secondly, the Malaysian public is not so childish. Surely people will see through this as an action that is designed to benefit one party. It will most likely cause people to be angry with the ruling party. In short it will most likely backfire and negatively impact on the BN's chances to win in Bukit Gantang.

So what exactly is Syed Hamid Albar's intention in making this type of "order", 'ruling' or whatever they call it? Does the BN really need this type of crutches in Bukit Gantang? Malu lah.

Thirdly, the mention of that deceased person's name has been going on for over two years already. So what is the big deal now? It has to be dealt with head on. There are people on the ground who are prepared to campaign without such crutches. This type of "order" only makes their job more difficult.

Dato, people will make fun of the troops. You are making their jobs more difficult. The Pakatan boys will go to town with it.

In the past, and quite unfortunately, the public has had cause to be embarassed by Syed Hamid's performance as Minister. His appearance on the BBC's Hardtalk program was one example. The brother keeps coming up with curious ideas like this. He also lost a bid for a Supreme Council seat last week.

The flip has been made. Can it be flopped back? Thursday April 2 is supposedly the last day for the Prime Minister in his job. By convention, if the PM resigns, the whole Cabinet should resign too. Will this be the final flip flop? Boleh cepat sikit tak?

Najib’s 100-Day Action Program?

By Syed Akbar Ali

Well even the title sounds good. 100-Day Action Program. When I first heard about this it got me excited.

(I think everyone can get a little excited too) Why? Well, simply because the last PM never even got to taking off his warm up jacket, even after five years in office. Between his permanent snooze, new honeymoon and rubbing shoulders (literally) with film stars he did not get a “Round Tuit”.

Those whose business it is to sniff out what the 6^th Prime Minister will be embarking upon, have come up with a list of things they think Dato Najib will be doing in the first 100-days in office. It appears to be that Najib has some solid plans.

For easy reading here is an itemized list. My comments in blue.

1. Najib will move fast to undertake major reforms, an extensive plan has been prepared, to be implemented within 100 days

(If so this is good. Najib should make a declaration, so that the whole country can track the changes and give feedback. It will go a long way towards confidence building).

2. Within a week of taking office (on 3^rd April?) Najib will name a new Cabinet which will be "leaner" than Abdullah's bloated Cabinet.

(We certainly do not need two education ministers, two internal security ministers and a minister to turn off the lights in Parliament)

3. Several ministries could be restructured and streamlined. The Education and Higher Education ministries could be merged back. The same may apply to the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Security.

4. The Prime Minister’s Department, which oversees law, parliamentary affairs, internal security and home affairs will also
be restructured.

(Please get rid of the 4^th Floor type mentalities and the 4^th floor type situations. The people voted for the Government, not for a bunch of sleazy ‘con’-sultans who sit there and hijack taxpayers funds. Talk is one 4^th floor guy recently got married. His father-in-law gave him a wedding present, an RM18.0 million house! Apparently the father in law gets contracts through the ‘PMO’ – Prime Minister’s Office! All this crap has to go the way of the Dodo)

5. An Energy Ministry will be created to handle all energy issues, including oil and gas, electricity and even alternative energy.

6. Radically restructure the country's economy and the GLCs to make them more efficient and to wean them off dependence on the Government

7. GLCs : GLCs are to be made more competitive and to be weaned off the state.

(I think the GLCs will certainly resist this. They just cannot survive without the mollycoddling. I really cannot imagine TNB, Khazanah and some of the others even beginning to contemplate competing in the market).

8. Management at top GLCs especially plantations-to-property conglomerate Sime Darby will be changed.

(There has been some unhappiness at the way Sime Daby was involved in the Labu LCCT. The unsuccessful IJN takeover also created plenty of negative publicity for the Government)

9. Najib wants to move Malaysia away from its heavy dependence on electronics exports, which account for almost 40 percent of the total, and commodities and oil and into the higher-value services sector.

(To me this is the most exciting news of all. I have always felt our country can be more intensely technology oriented and manufacturing oriented. We can also be more aggressive into upstream and downstream agriculture. We are certainly one of the smallest rubber end-products manufacturers in the whole world. Even Poland makes more high technology products out of rubber than we do).

REFORM UMNO

10. Reform of UMNO is key if both Najib and the BN are to survive.

11. Four chief ministers in government-controlled states will likely be replaced.

12. Najib will also oust long-serving federal ministers to boost performance.

(Any replacement is good news. Najib must not stutter here. We need a clean slate, an almost completely new team. The corrupt, the lackluster, the actors, the clowns, the controversial, the scandalous must all be let out. Be gone.)

Having said that I hope Dato Najib also does not appoint any folks to the GLCs, to the Cabinet and other posts who have weak or negative public perception. We know who they are and if these folks are appointed, it will be that much more difficult to turn things around : for the country, for the BN etc. )

New Cabinet Before Or After The Three By Elections.

By Syed Akbar Ali


15 candidates have signed up to run in the Bukit Selambau By Election. It would have been 25 but some folks had to travel to Bukit Kayu Hitam for the weekend, some are away on business and a few more may have gone fishing in Pedu.

In Bukit Gantang it is down to a more sensible three candidates whereas in Sarawak it is a straight fight between BN and Pakatan.

The free for all in Bukit Selambau mirrors the Indonesian General Elections which will be held soon. There are so many candidates in Indonesia that the Ballot Paper for Bapak Presiden alone may be as large as a dining table.

At the Propinsi (Province) level, it is even more crowded. There are hundreds of candidates in each Kabupaten in each Propinsi vying for lesser positions.

What does it mean? It means the people are not convinced anymore with the existing political parties and the existing power structures. Since no one else appears convincing to them, almost everyone feels that they can be the better candidate. Hence the huge crowd at the audition.

The change that we want to see is not just in UMNO but in the country. The reason why the people (everyone Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans) want to see UMNO enact direct election of UMNO office bearers is because this will accelerate change in the still ruling party which will hopefully translate into something better for the country as a whole.

If people (Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans) want to see the bonus votes system in UMNO removed, or the tenure of the president limited to two or three terms, again it is because the people (Malays, Chinese, Indians, Dayaks) do not want to see the same entrenched faces in power for 10 years, 15 years and 20 years. Our country is way beyond that phase in its progress and development.

The change of the team in UMNO yesterday is a major first step in this direction. The suggestion by Najib that he will undertake further changes in UMNO is crucial. Najib must do what he has promised and do it quickly.

But the country is now faced with an unprecedented three simultaneous By Elections - Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai on April 7th 2009.

Abdullah Badawi lost five States, the two thirds majority in Parliament plus the Permatang Pauh and Kuala Terengganu By Elections. Dato Najib is therefore under severe pressure to recoup some of Abdullah's losses by winning back some 'maruah' on April 7th.

The feeling on the ground everywhere is that people have been given the short end of the stick by the politicians for far too long. People now want to see real change and they want to see it yesterday. Not tomorrow.

It is imperative that Najib name his new Cabinet BEFORE April 7th. Lets not keep the people guessing and wondering longer than absolutely necessary that real change is coming. The situation now is such that people who are kept guessing and wondering will get even more fed up with the BN. It will not be easy to win over their confidence.

And there must be real honest change in the Cabinet line up. The people who have lost in the recent UMNO elections (perhaps with the exception of Dato Rais Yatim) will not be too sorely missed by the general Malaysian public (I am referring to the Malaysian public who will be voting in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai, not all of whom are UMNO members).

Unfortunately even among those who did win, the likes of the Mat Rempit boss and his boss Khairy Jamaluddin just do not enjoy rave reviews among the voting public. Perhaps it would be better for the BN if both these characters went on holiday somewhere to celebrate their "extremely very hard fought" UMNO victory and not show their faces at the By Election campaigns.

Najib may face timing and administrative hurdles to name a Cabinet before April 7th. Of course if the Prime Minister is more sensible under the present circumstances (I wanted to say threat) of the three By Electi0ns and throws in his towel (not literally ok) say tomorrow Monday 30th March 2009 instead of the "promised" Thursday April 2nd 2009 (sans another flip flop we hope) it may give Najib an extra three days to sort things out.

But the Prime Minister may be hard put to see the greater interests involved.

There is the suggestion that Najib wait until after the By Elections before naming his new Cabinet. As I said, that only keeps the voters guessing about what sort of Cabinet is forthcoming. Uncertainty is a bad thing when people have to make a tick on a ballot paper.

New Cabinet Will Determine Outcome Of Three By Elections

From Bernama March 28, 2009 13:34 PM


Power Transfer: Abdullah To Seek Audience With Agong Thursday

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will seek an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin on Thursday (April 2nd) to convey his intention to relinquish his post as the prime minister.

Abdullah said the official date for the handing over of power to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would be fixed once the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had given his consent.

"After I obtain His Majesty's consent, the date for the official handing over of power would be set," he said in his winding-up speech, his final as the Umno president, at the Umno General Assembly here today.

"I am hereby handing over the Umno leadership to the new president Datuk Seri Najib and may Umno is blessed under his leadership," he said.

Najib, 55, who won the Umno presidency unopposed, took over the post from Abdullah, who held the presidency since October 2004.


That is good news indeed. Out with the old, in with the new. People in the know are saying that Najib will be sworn in on Friday April 3rd 2009.


They also say that Najib will chair his first Cabinet Meeting on Saturday April 4th? On a Saturday? We really hope it is the new Cabinet that Najib will chair on the 4th.


Well just three days later on Tuesday, 7th April there are by elections in three places - Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang and Batang Ai.


Whether the new Cabinet is in place or not and just who is a member of the new Cabinet will determine greatly if the BN has a strong chance of winning in any of the three by election seats that are up for grabs.

The people really, really dont want to see the same old faces in any new Cabinet. I certainly hope Dato Najib does not bungle this very first and most important step.

A Model Arab Nation?

A Saudi woman holding a child checks out lingerie at a store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, March 25, 2009. A group of Saudi woman launched a campaign Tuesday aimed at bringing in female sales personnel at lingerie stores. Only men are allowed to sell underwear in almost all stores in this ultraconservative kingdom, making the experience of shopping for intimate apparel for most women embarrassing.

By Syed Akbar Ali

Part 1 : Saudi row over undies.

The following (truncated) is from AP, which also appeared in today’s Star.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- .Now a group of Saudi women - sick of having to deal with male sales staff when buying bras or panties, not to mention frilly negligees or thongs - have launched a campaign this week to boycott lingerie stores until they employ women.

It's an irony of the kingdom's strict segregation of the sexes. Only men are employed as sales staff to keep women from having to deal with male customers or work around men.

Under Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic law, women are required to cover themselves head-to-toe in black robes in public. But in the privacy of their own homes - and bedrooms - they can wear whatever they want, and sexy undergarments are popular.

But buying them is another story. Fitting rooms are banned in the kingdom - the idea of a woman undressing in a public place with men just outside is unthinkable. So a woman is never sure she has chosen the right size until she gets it home.

The aim is to push for implementation of a law that has been on the books since 2006 which says only female staff can be employed in women's apparel stores.

Not all women support the idea. At the Riyadh lingerie shop on Wednesday, one woman - only her eyes visible through the black veil covering her face - said she is suspicious of women-only lingerie shops.

"Bad things happen there," she said. What might that be? Women can sneak a picture of you changing with their mobile phones, she replied and refused to give her name.

Well it’s a pity that ‘bad things happen' at women only lingerie shops too. I think these folks need serious counseling. Here is Part 2 to this post:

Part 2 : Hanging out at the Mall

I really think these folks need serious counseling. There is something terribly wrong about their culture and what they are taught when they are young.

Is this the type of culture that some people here really want to emulate? Some serious confusion is going on.

Gangster Culture at UMNO Youth?

By Syed Akbar Ali

We heard about the fracas at the UMNO Youth session of the UMNO General Assembly but we did not know how serious it was until a friend called me this morning and told me to read today’s Sun newspaper (the paper that’s ‘Telling It As It Is’).

Under the heading “Unruly campaigners shamed party: Adnan” (Friday March 27 2009, pg 2) the paper said :

“unruly campaigning by UMNO Youth has marred the image of the party, UMNO Secretary General Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said.”

“We therefore urge police to take strict action against rowdy campaigners who defied our instructions that there should be order”

.

The incident broke out soon after newly-elected Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin took to the stage to deliver his victory speech. As Khairy spoke, scores of supporters shouted “KJ, KJ, KJ” to which rival supporters responded “Rasuah, Rasuah, Rasuah (corruption)” which raised the heat and tension.

The cries then got louder and supporters of Dato Mukhriz Mahathir, a losing contender for the Youth chief race started shouting ‘Mukhriz, Mukhriz, Mukhriz’. Khairy’s supporters closed in and a verbal war erupted.

The opposing supporters started pushing one another and nearly came to blows, when the police arrived. Scores of women watching the UMNO proceedings on a giant screen fled the concourse area on sensing danger”

Abdullah Badawi the ex-president of UMNO and soon to be ex Prime Minister has said the following (quoting the Utusan Malaysia today) :

Perlu berani berubah – Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR 26 Mac – Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi meminta ahli- ahli parti itu menanam keazaman ‘untuk berubah’ sambil disusuli dengan langkah berani melakukan perubahan dalam diri sendiri jika mahu melihat UMNO dan Barisan Nasional (BN) terus berkuasa pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

I seriously think that among the first things we must berubah is this culture of gangsterism and hooliganism which has become more entrenched in UMNO, particularly the Youth, since Abdullah took over the party.

This is the year 2009, the 21^st century and we are not lawless Afghanistan or Bangladesh or Zimbabwe. It is disgraceful to our status as a civilized people that there are people who choose to behave in such manner.

Many things have not produced results in this country : our education system, our religious indoctrinations and our socio-cultural habits. The fracas at the UMNO Youth is just one symptom of this failure. Before any work can be done to repair this situation, there has to be honest and serious thinking. We sincerely hope the new UMNO team will embark on this.

The New UMNO Team Is In

By Syed Akbar Ali


Its 11.10 pm now, Thursday March 26, 2009. The news has come out that Najib Tun Razak is now president of UMNO. Tan Sri Muhyuddin Yassin is now Deputy President. Shafie Apdal, Zaid Hamidi and Hishamuddin Hussein are now Vice Presidents.


It is also significant that Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib did not make it to the Deputy Presidency. Reports earlier said Muhyuddin received 1575 votes as opposed to 916 votes for Mat Taib - a margin of 659 votes.


This election is also significant by the people who did not get elected. Other than Mat Taib, the other significant losers include Shahrir Samad, Azalina Othman, Adnan Yaakob, Ghani Othman, Mohamad Hassan and Isa Samad.


The new UMNO team is in. There is not a moment to lose or to be wasted. The new team must start working now. First put the party in order quickly. With the exception of a couple of not so good apples elected into office, the party and the public in general is happy with the outcome of these UMNO elections.


More importantly the party members and the public are happy to see the backs of some of the candidates.


The biggest change of all should be in the composition of the new Cabinet. The new leadership must be really bold and aggressive. This is the only chance the party has to put things together again. Party elections do not determine General Elections. Who is appointed to the Cabinet will certainly affect the fate of the country.


Since Dato Najib is now officially party president he should also be free to determine the course of the remainder of this UMNO General Assembly.

Good Decorum in Parliament

By Syed Akbar Ali.

A learned Yang Ariff sent me this video clip. What really catches my attention is the decorum. Since we say we are an Islamic country, can we be as civilised as the folks in this video?

Believe me, our MPs are equally educated (well most of them) and they can also be as equally eloquent. As for the content of the complaint, I think Prime Ministers and Presidents the world over are subject to the same grilling and critique.

UMNO Youth Results

By Syed Akbar Ali


This is how I look at the UMNO Youth results.


It was an election. We are assured it was free and fair. Lets just accept that. The people who voted were UMNO Youth delegates, they appeared intelligent enough. I guess all of them could read, write (they also sang) and do whatever else that UMNO Youth does. They knew what they were doing.


They gave the highest number of votes to the guy who was found guilty of "money politics" by the party's disciplinary committee. In the party, money politics is generally understood as using money to buy influence or votes.


They gave the second highest number of votes to the guy who was investigated for 'money politics' but then found innocent. This was the same guy who promotes an Indonesian soy based food product as a facial treatment for men.


Finally they gave the lowest vote to the guy who was neither investigated for money politics nor consumed much soy products as a facial treatment.


Now according to the 'loudness of applause' popularity rating as well as general on the ground popularity, the guy who consumes quantities of Indonesian soy products as well as the guy who is not known to consume much Indonesian soy products have generally enjoyed much popularity.


The guy who was perceived as not enjoying popular support has secured the highest number of votes.


I think this has perplexed many party members and party supporters, to a considerable extent. I think the party must realise that at a time when its popularity is still at an all time low, and when it is supposed to be making strenuous effort to turn things around, the general support and good will of party members is very important.


The party members have always decided the party's own fate through party elections. The party was so strong, that in the past the party's 3.0 million members have also significantly decided the fate of our General Elections. But the latter is no more the case now. Since March 08, the voting public quite independently decides the outcome of the General Elections and hence the fate of the party too.


The incoming party leadership must take stock of this situation carefully.

For those who are interested, please read Kadir Jasin's take on the UMNO Elections here .

No Hitler Persona?

By Syed Akbar Ali.

I think a large number of Malaysians watched TV last nite listening to Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak speaking at the UMNO Assembly (the joint opening of the Wanita, Youth and Puteri Sessions).

I was quite at a loss this morning how to start my Blog comments on Najib’s speech when my brother in law smsed and said “No Hitler persona?” It brought a quick smile to my face. After all the bitter criticisms and ‘do or die’ styled antics directed at Najib by the Opposition I think parts of the Malaysian public was primed to see some sort of a Hitler walking to the podium last nite. They were disappointed.

There was much comment about Najib’s style of delivery. His handlers should get as much feedback as possible from people and inform the Boss. But the speech was long enough and had many points that will impact on UMNO, the BN and the country in the soon to come future.

Najib mentioned right off that this was the party’s first General Assembly since the March 08 General Elections. To me it was a reminder that the party refused to have a proper postmortem of the General Elections until now. That was another reason why Najib is now poised to assume the party’s leadership.

He then quoted three relevant verses from the Quran to remind the party that UMNO can lose power just as easily as it has gained power. The second verse he quoted reminded UMNO that God will not help a people until they helped themselves first. And the third verse gave hope, despite all the wrongs and all the ills, do not despair for God is Forgiving and Merciful. So work towards repairing the party and moving forward.

He said the right things about money politics. But rhetoric has never helped UMNO in this regard. Najib’s suggestion that the party’s election mechanism be changed holds much greater promise to eradicate money politics and perhaps forever change the way the party is run. Najib has suggested that the power to determine the future of the party be expanded (to say 50,000 members) and not just concentrated in the hands of 2600 individuals. He also said that the quota system must be reviewed (meaning abolished?).

A more significant point, in my opinion, was Najib’s remark that UMNO put a stop to the practise of preventing talented people from progressing in the party. The fact is down at the Cawangan levels, university graduates and successful people are prevented by the local party yokels from even joining the party. The net result is that at the Cawangan levels, especially in the small towns and kampongs, the Cawangan boys are often the local goons. I met some of them at the Permatang Pauh by elections. No wonder UMNO is losing so much support.

Then Najib told UMNO not to ignore the New Media – the cyber sphere. He is of course referring to the Blogs and the Online newspapers. Some of the online newspapers like Malaysiakini and Malaysian Insider were not allowed into the General Assembly. Despite that the first analysis of Najib’s speech appeared on Malaysian Insider within minutes of him concluding his remarks.

UMNO must realize that the ‘strength’ and lets say ‘shock value’ of the cyber sphere is simply because in this country not all the news is fully and truthfully reported in the mainstream media or MSM. (For example it is most likely that you will never read my type of analysis in any of the MSM). The people are fed a staple diet of stale, censored, filtered, watered down spin which does do much for anyone except insult their intelligence.

We have over 90 universities and hundreds of colleges in this country. We produce tens of thousands of university graduates every year. People are becoming more educated. We have the Internet in this country. And we ignore all this and insult peoples’ intelligence by trying to control their access to information. Please wake up.

UMNO and the BN could get away with it before the advent of the New Media but the fact is more people read the Blogs and cyber sphere than the mainstream media. The only way to neutralize the ‘shock value’ of the New Media and its capacity to influence voters is to free up the mainstream media.

Will UMNO allow this? To me this is a silly question. Does UMNO have any other choice? Harakah and the other newspaper have been banned for three months but the online versions are still flying high. People still have access to the Internet.

Najib then said the right things about the English language. It looks like the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English will stay. This was a brief and bold statement by our future Prime Minister. Hishamuddin Hussein has perhaps been spared the agony of deciding on this matter later – and perhaps permanently too.

Najib’s final plea was relevant. He said matter of factly that he will be taking over the leadership of the party and the country. He asked the voting delegates to give him a strong team which has loyalty, integrity and ability. Will the delegates do that? We will find out by tomorrow (Thursday) night.

To conclude, Najib is no Hitler.

A Little Islamic Crisis In Australia

By Syed Akbar Ali


Sheikh Hilali recently said that women who did not cover themselves were like 'fresh meat'. Oh well. He has made it to the news again.

Listen to the Sheikh. Also listen to the Australians.

Good Omen Beginning 24th March?

By Syed Akbar Ali

Today is March 24th 2009. I bill it the first day of "Anno Najib" - the "Year of Najib" who takes over the leadership of UMNO within the next 48 hours and with it the Premiership of the country.

Well first of all I turned on TV1 early this morning to catch up on the UMNO General Assembly News. True enough there was some news about preparations for the Assembly. What caught my attention was the newscaster, a young Indian boy by the name of Terence Dass letting fly in Malay about the caterers, security and stuff for the UMNO Assembly.

What was even more interesting was that Terence was wearing a baju Melayu suit, complete with songkok. Looked the regular mamak! Way to go Terence. Then the morning show turned to a Chinese kindergarten where multi racial tots were singing Negaraku, learning Mandarin and stuff. Dont write off the country just yet OK?

But very early this morning a little bird smsed me the Economic Indicators from last nite. Maybe the recession is over. Here is the good news:

1. Dow Jones up 497 points to 7775. A 6.84% hike

2. S&P up 54.38 points to 822. A 7.08% hike

3. Nasdaq up 98.5 points to 1555. A 6.76% hike

The S&P capped the steepest 2 week gain in 71 years, since 1938!

4. Geithner announced a US$1.0 trillion Government and private sector plan to buy up toxic loans in the US.

5. Mark Mobius a Wall Street fortune teller says a new bull market has begun.

6. Treasury Bills (US Government bonds), Gold prices and the US Dollar fell : in the present scenario this is a good sign meaning people are less panicky.

7. For Malaysia, CPO prices went up to RM2030 per tonne and the Ringgit strengthened to RM3.632 against the Dollar.

Seeing that the present predicament is purely financial, my view was that the 'Recession' would last 12 to 18 months. That was about three months ago. The trick is where was the starting point.

Eminent fortune tellers like Nouriel Roubini predict 18-24 months but Roubini starts his clock from the subprime bubble LAST year.

I think we can start the clock again from now, March 24th, with Obama and Geithner taking real steps to turn things around in the US.

Again the problem is largely a financial play. With the Internet, instant communications and the super high velocity at which information is gathered and disseminated, I think this crisis will sort out in double quick time.

Lets work hard to make it happen folks - if we all pull in one direction, we can really make it go away.

This should make it easier for the incoming Administration in Malaysia, they can focus better on the critical tasks at hand, turn our country around and move things forward.

The deification of stupidity

By Syed Akbar Ali

The deification of stupidity by AC Grayling

The Guardian, UK

Friday 20 March 2009 19.00 GMT

The original article by AC Grayling in the Guardian newspaper can be viewed here.

Here is the truncated version:

i. If the OIC succeeds in turning criticism of religion into 'defamation', freedom of expression will be eradicated

ii. Facts speak for themselves. Omid Reza Mir Sayafi, 29, a journalist and blogger, has taken his own life in Evin prison in Iran, where he was serving a two-year sentence for "insulting Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamenei", and awaiting further trial for "insulting sacred values", which would have meant more years in prison.

iii. Safayi is yet another victim of religion. If the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has its way, it will become impossible to make such a remark.

iv. At the United Nations Council on Human Rights in Geneva, the OIC is trying again to have "defamation of religion" banned. The aim is a universal gag on free speech, blocking the right of anyone to criticise the too frequently negative effects of religion on individuals and society.

iv. If it succeeds in turning criticism of religion and its main beneficiaries into "defamation", we might not be free to express our condemnation of a sentence just handed down in Saudi Arabia against a 74-year-old woman, condemned to 45 lashes, three months in prison, and deportation to her native Jordan, for having two male visitors in her home who were not relatives.

v. The OIC dislikes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the very good reason that religion, not excluding their version of it, is a systematic violator of human rights, not least the rights of women – who are one half of the world, a fact the OIC does not notice, or if it does it applies religious arithmetic to solve the problem: one woman is worth half a man. The OIC is trying to change the Universal Declaration of Human Rights accordingly.

vi. How is this to be done consistently with the right to believe stupid things? By entrenching, and making effective, the principle that whereas you can believe as many stupid things as you like, you are not free to act on those beliefs in ways that harm others.

My comments:

The OIC has always been a quite ineffective and lethargic organization. Maybe the OIC’s greatest contribution to efficiency is that whenever they meet, the whole world can view their ineptitude on one stage, all at one time.

In this late day and age where people are already beginning to ponder beyond nation states, beyond physical boundaries and the whole world is unstoppably reducing itself into mere neighborhoods, they have not even sorted out the basics of their confusion.

Grayling is right when he says that ‘you can believe as many stupid things as you like, you are not free to act on those beliefs in ways that harm others’.

But these people just do not seem to understand really basic things like this. A highly educated Muslim brother I met the other day echoed my second book ‘Malaysia & The Club of Doom – The Collapse of the Islamic Countries’.

He said that led by nonsensical thinking, the Islamic countries are on the verge of imploding upon themselves. He feels that we are now seeing their last gasps and their wild thrashing before they are permanently seized by intellectual rigor mortis.

And it is a certainty, a definite certainty, that if they are not wiped out by their own confusion, infighting and bickering, the Islamic countries will continue to attract the negative attention of others. They are doomed.

Tun Dr Mahathir : Melayu Dalam Cemas

I have extracted the following speech by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad from Big Dog's Blog.

Tun Dr. Mahathir: Melayu dalam cemas, perlu tolak rasuah & usaha keras untuk ubah nasib dalam cabaran globalisasi


UCAPAN OLEH
YABHG TUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
DI PERHIMPUNAN DAN SIDANG KEMUNCAK PRIBUMI PERKASA NEGARA
DI KOMPLEKS SUKAN TNB, JALAN BANGSAR,
KUALA LUMPUR
PADA HARI AHAD, 22 MAC 2009

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1. Terlebih dahulu saya ucap terima kasih kepada penganjur perhimpunan ini kerana menjemput saya dan memberi peluang kepada saya untuk berucap kepada hadirin.

2. Saya yakin ramai daripada kita yang hadir, terutamanya orang Melayu dan bumiputra lain, hadir kerana kita berasa kita berada dalam keadaan cemas, keadaan yang merbahaya, keadaan terancam.

3. Kenapa tidak? Kita kini diserang berkali-kali oleh berbagai pihak.

4. Ramai daripada orang lain berkata Melayu adalah kaum pendatang.

5. Melayu mengamalkan apartheid ala kulit putih Afrika Selatan.

6. Melayu tidak adil, suka menidakkan hak kaum-kaum lain.

7. Melayu sudah cukup kaya dan tidak perlu dasar Ekonomi Baru lagi.

8. Semua peluang perniagaan dan pelajaran diberi hanya kepada orang Melayu.

9. Kuasa politik dibolot oleh orang Melayu dan lain-lain.

10. Berhadapan dengan tuduhan dan tohmahan ini Melayu sekarang tidak boleh mempertahankan diri, bahkan tidak boleh bercakap berkenaan dengan bangsa mereka tanpa dituduh sebagai racist. Mereka harus terima sahaja semua tuduhan/tohmahan ini dan berdiam diri atau bersetuju sahaja. Mereka juga boleh tambah tokok kepada kecaman ini dan mereka ini akan dianggap liberal dan disanjung tinggi oleh orang lain. Sebenarnya orang Melayu sekarang berada dalam ketakutan, tidak mempunyai pemimpin yang sanggup pertahankan mereka. Sebaliknya pemimpin mereka mengerohkan lagi keadaan dengan memohon maaf walaupun kesalahan dilaku oleh orang lain.

11. Demikianlah situasi yang mereka hadapi sehingga mereka berasa mereka bersalah, tergamam dan tak dapat berkata apa-apa.

12. Keadaan hari ini lebih merbahaya daripada keadaan semasa British merancang untuk menakluk negeri-negeri Melayu dengan perancangan Malayan Union. Pada masa itu kita boleh cakap berkenaan Melayu dan tidak ada sesiapa yang akan tuduh kita sebagai racist. British pun tidak panggil kita racist. Mereka akui memang pun hak orang Melayu menuntut negeri-negeri Melayu sebagai hak orang Melayu. Semua perjanjian berkenaan dengan negeri-negeri di semenanjung mesti dibuat dengan Raja-Raja Melayu. Tidak ada siapa dari kaum laim yang berhak membuat apa-apa perjanjian.

13. Sekarang orang Melayu tidak pun boleh berkata negeri ini negeri Melayu, tidak boleh sebut negeri ini dikenali sebagai Tanah Melayu. Negeri Jepun boleh dikatakan negeri orang Jepun, negeri Korea – negeri orang Korea, negeri China – negeri orang Cina, negeri India – negeri orang India. Tetapi negeri Melayu – bukan negeri orang Melayu. Dahulu mungkin. Tetapi tidak sekarang. Sekarang Malaysia, hak orang Malaysia dan bukan hak orang Melayu. Kesanggupan dan kerelaan orang Melayu berkongsi milik negara ini tidak sedikit pun dihargai. Pemberian satu juta kerakyatan oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra kepada kaum lain tidak dihargai bahkan tidak diingati, dilupakan dengan begitu sahaja.

14. Orang Melayu dikatakan kaum pendatang di negaranya sendiri. Dan kaum pendatang lain tidak boleh dipanggil kaum pendatang. Jika sesiapa berbuat demikian, mereka mesti minta maaf. Tidak perlu sesiapa minta maaf jika berkata Melayu kaum pendatang.

15. Namun saya memberanikan diri untuk bercakap sedikit berkenaan orang Melayu di Malaysia walaupun akan dituduh sebagai racist. Saya beranikan diri kerana sesungguhnya orang Melayu berada dalam keadaan cemas, dilanda oleh bermacam-macam masalah dan ancaman. Jika orang Melayu tidak dibenar bercakap berkenaan masalah mereka, maka mereka mungkin jadi kaum yang terlucut hak (dispossessed) di negara mereka sendiri. Bahaya ini benar kerana kita sudah lihat tekanan dan kehinaan terhadap bangsa kita apabila mereka dijadikan bangsa minoriti di wilayah yang dahulu adalah sebahagian daripada negeri-negeri Melayu.

16. Keadaan ini boleh berlaku kepada orang Melayu bukan sahaja kerana orang lain tetapi kerana orang Melayu sendiri. Mereka suka membinasakan diri mereka.

17. Mereka tidak mahu merebut peluang yang disedia bagi mereka. Tempat di universiti tidak diambil. Peluang perniagaan diselewengkan. Belia Melayu tidak ingin belajar, lebih berminat dengan melepak atau jadi Mat Rempit.

18. Majoriti daripada rakyat Malaysia yang terlibat dengan dadah terdiri daripada orang Melayu, yang mendapat penyakit HIV Aids kebanyakan adalah Melayu, kes rogol dan jenayah lain juga ramai orang Melayu.

19. Yang gagal dalam perniagaan juga Melayu, tidak bayar hutang Melayu, tak selesaikan kontrak juga Melayu.

20. Gejala jualan AP pun melibatkan Melayu.

21. Kita tak suka dengar semua ini. Kita malu. Tetapi jika tidak disuarakan masalah tidak akan hilang dengan sendirinya. Orang lain tahu juga. Lebih baik malu jika kita dapat sedarkan beberapa kerat daripada kita dan mereka mengubah tabiat supaya tidak melakukan yang salah lagi. Yang lain tak malu tak mengapa. Tak mungkin kita dapat sedarkan semua. Yang kena akan terus kena.

22. Dasar Ekonomi Baru dibentuk supaya dalam jangkamasa 20 tahun kita akan dapat bahagian kita sebanyak 30%. Tetapi sekarang sudah hampir 40 tahun. 20% yang dikatakan kita dapat pun dapat kerana badan-badan yang mewakili Melayu, bukan orang Melayu sendiri. Kita hendak supaya DEB diteruskan. Apa gunanya jika kita tidak mahu guna peluang yang diwujudkan? Apakah kita mahu DEB kerana nak jual AP, kontrak, lesen dan sebagainya? Lebih baik DEB tidak diteruskan dan kita tidak dapat selewengkannya. Sekurang-kurangnya kita tak akan malu kerana pelbagai ejekan yang akan dibuat kepada kita.

23. Kita bernasib baik kerana dalam bidang politk kita cekap, kita kuat, kita dapat menguasai Kerajaan selama 50 tahun. Walaupun Melayu berpecah kepada beberapa parti, bermusuh sesama sendiri, tetapi majoriti Melayu masih dapat kekalkan kuasa mereka. Mereka dihormati dan disegani.

24. Tetapi itu pun sudah terlepas daripada genggaman kita. Sekarang kita tidak kuat lagi. Parti Melayu yang terkenal sudah kalah dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-12. Parti Melayu yang menangpun berada dalam ketakutan jika parti rakan mereka menolak mereka. Sekarang orang tidak lagi hormat kita. Apa sahaja yang dituntut orang lain, baik yang menang, baik yang kalah akan kita layan. Kita yang perlu hormati orang lain. Tersilap sikit kita minta maaf bagi pihak semua bangsa Melayu.

25. Sesungguhnya pemimpin kita yang perjuangkan kemerdekaan, yang menebus maruah kita sudah kita khianati. Mereka berjuang bermati-matian supaya kita hidup bahagia. Mereka korbankan apa sahaja yang ada pada mereka. Pemimpin Melayu hari ini, pengikut –pengikut mereka tidak tahu mengenang budi. Mereka khianati pejuang-pejuang dahulu dengan melupakan perjuangan asal kerana utamakan kepentingan diri sendiri. Biar bangsa hancur asalkan dapat kemenangan bagi diri sendiri, dapat jadi Menteri, Perdana Menteri, dapat kontrak, dapat duit.

26. Kononnya nak jadi Perdana Menteri termuda. Bukan nak majukan bangsa dan negara, hanya jawatan tertinggi untuk diri sendiri seawal mungkin. Dengan apa cara sekalipun, halal atau haram, tak mengapa asalkan boleh jadi Perdana Menteri termuda.

27. Jika kita sudah sanggup jual bangsa kita, kita jual untuk dapat duit sedikit, untuk jawatan kecil dan besar, untuk isi temolok kita, alamatnya apa? Yang dikejar tidak akan dapat, yang dikilik akan berciciran. Lepas itu kita tidak ada apa-apa yang boleh diraih lagi. Semuanya akan dikuasai orang. Pada masa itu kita jadi hamba sahaja, kita akan meminta-minta sepanjang masa.

28. Ada pula yang dibawah bertanya, orang yang mereka sokong dapat jadi Perdana Menteri, Menteri, Menteri Besar – dapat kereta, dipanggil Yang Berhormat, elaun besar, terbang sana, terbang sini.

29. Kita dapat apa? Duduk di takuk tu juga. Lebih baik kita ambil sedikit bagi diri kita, sementara ada peluang.

30. Salahkah kalau kita terima duit sedikit? Mungkin kita tidak undi orang yang menyogok. Dia bukan tahu. Tetapi Tuhan tahu. Kamu membuat sesuatu yang haram. Kamu bukan sahaja jual bangsa. Kamu menolak agama kamu yang melarang, yang mengharamkan perbuatan kamu. Kamu berdosa.

31. Tapi tak mengapa. Masih muda, tak akan mati lagi. Bila dekat nak mati pakai kopiah putih dan sembahyang kuat-kuat.

32. Tetapi yang haram, haram juga. Kalau makan daging bibi haram, makan duit rasuah lebih haram, kerana ia akan binasakan bukan kita sahaja, tetapi kaum bangsa kita yang semuanya beragama Islam.

33. Pengundi salah, samada undi penyogok atau tidak. Salah kerana sudah terima jenayah rasuah sebagai budaya kamu. Apabila rasuah dibudayakan, percayalah bangsa dan negara mungkin dijajah oleh penyogok secara langsung atau tidak langsung. Bangsa akan dihina oleh dunia, akan dipandang rendah, akan dipermainkan orang. Akhirnya yang makan suap, mereka sendiri akan jadi mangsa, mereka sendiri akan terpaksa hulur untuk mendapat apa yang sebenarnya hak mereka. Inilah nasib bangsa yang menjadikan rasuah sebagai budaya biasa.

34. Sesungguhnya Melayu mudah lupa. Kita lupa betapa kita dijajah dahulu, kita terpaksa panggil tuan orang yang menjajah kita, orang yang menghina kita. Tak boleh cakap berkenaan ketuanan Melayu. Kamu jadi hamba dahulu, bukan Tuan, layak hanya untuk tanam padi, tangkap ikan, jadi kuli orang, bawa kereta orang, tukang masak orang.

35. Selama 450 tahun kita dijajah, hidup sebagai hamba, dianggap tidak layak mentadbir negara sendiri, tidak layak merdeka.

36. Kita terpaksa letak diri kita dibawah naungan negara-negara jiran yang lebih kuat.

37. Tiap tahun kita usung bunga emas dan perak untuk dipersembahkan kepada negara penaung-penaung kita.

38. Kadang-kadang Raja kita pun pergi bersama, untuk membukti kesetiaan diri dan negeri kepada negara penanung.

39. Kata orang Kedah “Terkerempun-kerempun” apabila berhadapan dengan orang asing. Mungkin ramai yang tidak faham. Tanyalah orang Kedah. Itulah “body language” kita dahulu walaupun hari ini ada juga, tetapi pada Raja yang tak bertakhta.

40. Saya biasa lihat seorang orang tua Melayu berbasikal di tendang jatuh oleh askar Siam semasa Kedah diberi kepada Siam oleh Jepun. Kesalahan orang tua ini ialah kerana tidak berhenti dan menghormati lagu kebangsaan Siam.

41. Saya biasa lihat orang Melayu ditempeleng dan disuruh panjat pohon kelapa seperti kera oleh Jepun. Inilah nasib orang yang tidak merdeka, tidak memerintah negara sendiri. Boleh ditendang, boleh ditempeleng.

42. Dan yang lihat diam sahaja, tak dapat buat apa-apa, termasuk saya. Dalam kehinaan ini muncul kesedaran dan semangat untuk menebus balik maruah bangsa. Dan bergabunglah orang Melayu untuk menangkis rancangan Malayan Union British, untuk mengekalkan perhambaan orang Melayu. Tidak siapa yang bertanya “apa yang saya akan dapat bagi diri saya” pada ketika itu. Yang kita tumpukan ialah untuk membebaskan bangsa dan negara daripada dijajah dan dihina. Kalau dalam proses ini kita terkorban, atau kita berada seperti biasa, itu tidak mengapa. Yang kita utamakan ialah maruah bangsa kita, tidak lagi akan ditendang, tidak lagi akan ditempeleng – tetapi akan dihormati oleh kawan dan lawan.

43. Sekarang kita merdeka. Perjuangan pengasas negara telah berjaya. Kita tidak akan ditendang dan ditempeleng lagi. Kita bebas daripada kehinaan. Memang pun keadaan terhormat ini sudah menjadi perkara biasa bagi kita. Bagi ramai dari kita ia datang bergolek. Ia datang melayang. Ia tidak akan dipisah dari kita.

44. Perjuangan orang dahulu adalah perkara lama, tidak perlu diingati. Yang jelas kita sudah merdeka, dapat pelajaran dan kaya sedikit. Soal tendang, tempeleng, itu cerita lama. Pepatah Melayu berkata sekali merdeka, selama-lamanya merdeka. Apa pun kita buat merdeka tetap merdeka. Sekarang ialah masa untuk kita “enjoy”. Kita kecap sepenuhnya nikmat yang ada pada kita.

45. Apa dianya semangat ke-Melayuan? Apa relevannya? Bukankah kita sudah berjaya? Hendak semangat buat apa lagi? Masuk parti untuk apa? Perjuangan sudah selesai dengan jayanya.

46. Tidak bermakna masuk parti jika tidak dapat sesuatu bagi diri sendiri. Kita sokong orang dapat jadi Yang Berhormat, jadi Menteri, dapat peluang raih duit kerajaan dan lain-lain. Kita tak bolehkah dapat sikit bagi diri kita?

47. Tetapi benarkah kita akan merdeka selama-lamanya? Memang benar. Walaupun kita tidak buat apa-apa untuk mengekalkan kemerdekaan, bukankah sudah 50 tahun kita merdeka? Apa yang hendak dikhuatirkan? Lima puluh tahun, 100 tahun lagi pun kita akan merdeka walau apa pun kita lakukan. Takkanlah kerana kita ambil 100 Ringgit duit sogokan maka akan hilanglah kemerdekaan kita? Kita boleh sembahyang hajat dan terima 100 Ringgit lagi. Orang lain terima lebih daripada kita., katanya satu juta. Masih kita merdeka. Tidak benar kerana sedikit rasuah kemerdekaan akan hilang.

48. Tetapi ingatlah penjajahan tidak selalu berbentuk penaklukan secara langsung. Penjajahan boleh berlaku walaupun kita miliki pemerintahan sendiri. Ia boleh berlaku apabila pemerintah kita yang dipilih dan diberi kuasa oleh kita sudah menjual diri mereka kepada orang lain, samada dari dalam negeri atau dari luar. Atau takut jiran marah.

49. Pemerintah yang mengikut telunjuk orang lain bukan bebas lagi. Pemerintah yang menjadi pemerintah melalui rasuah akan benar diri mereka disogok kerana perlu mendapat kewangan yang cukup untuk membeli sokongan lagi supaya kedudukan mereka sebagai pemerintah akan kekal.

50. Untuk mendapat sogokan yang cukup mereka akan sanggup ikut arahan penyogok. Dengan perkataan lain mereka akan jadi alat pada penyogok.

51. Kepentingan penyogok tidak sama dengan kepentingan kita, atau kepentingan bangsa dan negara.

52. Kita sudah lihat hanya kerana hendak kekal sebagai pemerintah, ada yang sanggup layan apa sahaja arahan, tuntutan, desakan oleh pihak yang menentukan jawatan bagi kita. Kalau pun apa yang dituntut merugikan orang Melayu, itu tidak mengapa asalkan kita dapat jawatan, walaupun sebagai “figurehead”, patung sahaja, tidak berkuasa pun.

53. Jika kita terjemah keadaan ini kepada jawatan yang didapati kerana disogok apakah yang tidak sanggup kita buat? Jual bangsa, jual negara pun kita sanggup.

54. Apabila kita sudah jual bangsa dan negara apakah kita merdeka lagi? Sudah tentu tidak.

55. Justeru itu tidak benar kepercayaan kita bahawa sekali merdeka selama-lamanya merdeka. Pada permukaannya kita merdeka tetapi pada hakikatnya kita sudah kembali dijajah. Apabila kita kembali dijajah maka kita sudah khianati pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan kita dahulu.

56. Itulah kenyataan yang sebenar.

57. Melayu mudah lupa. Kata seorang ahli falsafah; “Mereka yang lupa akan sejarah mereka akan didera dengan mengulangi kesalahan mereka berkali-kali”.

58. Inilah hasil daripada mudah lupa. Kita lupa bahkan kita tidak suka diperingati akan sejarah kita. Apa kena-mengena peristiwa 50 tahun dahulu? Apa kena-mengena dengan kita akan kemiskinan Melayu, dengan kedaifan mereka dalam bidang ilmu dan profesyen di masa dahulu? Itu dahulu, ini sekarang. Sudah tentu sejarah penjajahan kita dahulu tidak ada kena mengena dengan keadaan kita sekarang. Tidak ada pelajaran yang akan kita dapati daripada sejarah 100, 500 tahun dahulu. Itu semua cerita dongeng.

59. Apa yang kita lakukan sekarang, kita lakukan kerana kita sudah merdeka dan selamat. Buatlah apa pun kita tetap selamat, tetap merdeka.

60. Jadi penagih dadah, jadi pelepak, jadi “Mat Rempit”, jadi penjenayah pun tak mengapa.

61. Bukankah kita yang memilih dan membentuk Kerajaan? Kerajaan perlu bertanggungjawab terhadap kita. Jika kerana amalan buruk kita, sesuatu yang tidak baik menimpa kita, bukankah menjadi tanggungjawab Kerajaan pilihan kita untuk menyelamatkan kita?

62. Jika kita diserang orang bukankah menjadi tanggungjawab Kerajaan yang kita pilih untuk menangkis serangan ini?

63. Jika kerana Kerajaan yang kita pilih terdiri daripada orang yang sogok duit pada kita dan mereka pula disogok oleh orang lain dan mereka berasa lebih terikat kepada yang menyogok mereka dan kurang bertanggungjawab kepada kita kerana sokongan kita mereka dapati kerana kita terima sogokan, apakah yang dapat kita buat? Tak banyak. Hanya menerima sahaja.

64. Akan menjadi lebih buruklah nasib kita sepanjang masa.

65. Hakikat yang sebenar ialah sokongan kita, undi kita yang kita jual tidak lagi mengikat mereka yang kita pilih untuk jadi Kerajaan.

66. Mereka akan anggap balasan kepada sokongan kita sudah pun dibuat melalui wang sogokan daripada mereka.

67. Sesungguhnya nasib kita ada di tangan kita. Jika nasib ini tidak baik kitalah yang harus berusaha untuk memperbaikinya. Ingatlah, Tuhan telah berfirman yang Dia tidak akan mengubah nasib sesuatu kaum melainkan kaum itu sendiri berusaha mengubah nasibnya.

68. Apakah kita sedang berusaha untuk memperbaiki nasib kita? Tidak ternampak satu pun usaha ke arah ini. Yang kita lihat ialah perbuatan merosakkan lagi keadaan nasib yang sudah buruk ini.

69. Kita tahu yang kita lakukan bukan untuk memperbaiki keadaan. Tetapi kita lakukan juga untuk kepentingan semasa kita. Masa depan soal lain.

70. Pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan telah pilih demokrasi sebagai cara kita memerintah. Kenapa?

71. Sebabnya ialah kerana mereka percaya majoriti daripada rakyat tentulah bijak dalam amalan mereka, tentulah tahu antara yang baik dengan yang buruk, tentulah bijak semasa membuat pilihan.

72. Pengasas kemerdekaan percaya majorti akan tahu pilih apa yang baik bagi mereka. Sudah tentu mereka akan menolak orang yang hanya bergantung kepada sogokan untuk dipilih.

73. Tetapi mereka tidak sangka pewaris mereka, sebilangan yang tidak kecil akan tolak kebaikan dan mengutamakan sogokan untuk menentukan siapa akan memerintah mereka.

74. Pejuang kemerdekaan yang sedar betapa sukarnya bagi orang Melayu mendapat peluang dan bantuan dahulu dan dengan kerana itu Melayu tidak berjaya.

75. Dengan kesedaran ini mereka merangka untuk mengadakan lebih banyak peluang dan sokongan kepada bangsa mereka supaya bangsa mereka boleh berdiri sama tinggi dan duduk sama rendah dengan kaum-kaum lain, bahkan dengan bangsa-bangsa lain di dunia. Mereka percaya semua peluang dan sokongan akan direbut oleh pewaris daripada bangsa mereka.

76. Ya, mereka ini kebanyakan sudah tidak ada, sudah tinggal kita. Tetapi jika mereka ada apakah perasaan mereka? Tentulah mereka akan kecewa dan hampa amat sangat kerana segala-gala yang mereka ilhamkan sudah dipermainkan oleh pewaris mereka, tidak dihargai oleh pewaris mereka.

77. Mereka melihat bagaimana peluang dan bantuan disalahgunakan atau ditolak dengan begitu sahaja. Sepatutnya dengan peluang belajar di semua peringkat bangsa mereka sudah jadi bangsa yang berilmu. Dengan peluang berniaga mereka sudah jadi kaya, atau sekurang-kurangnya tidak miskin.

78. Tetapi tidak. Peluang bukan sahaja tidak direbut tetapi peluang digunakan secara yang boleh merosakkan bangsa. Mereka lepak, mereka jadi Mat Rempit, yang lakukan jenayah yang kadang-kadang menyebabkan kematian mangsa mereka.

79. Diberi peluang berniaga, diberi modal, diberi latihan tetapi kerana ingin kaya cepat mereka memperdagangkan peluang, kontrak, lesen, permit dan sebagainya.

80. Modal mereka guna untuk belanja bagi memenuhi nafsu, hutang mereka tidak dibayar. Kerana kelakuan beberapa daripada mereka, bangsa mereka dicap sebagai bangsa yang tidak beramanah, dan tidak boleh dilayan, tidak boleh diharap dengan duit ringgit.

81. Dan banyaklah lagi perbuatan mereka yang tetap mengecewakan pejuang bangsa dahulu.

82. Kata mereka, jangan buka pekong di dada.

83. Malu kata mereka.

84. Tetapi tidakkah lebih malu apabila mereka lakukan apa yang telah saya sebutkan. Tak buka pekong pun busuk juga. Biarlah pekong di dada dibuka supaya kerana bau terlalu busuk kita akan cuba melepaskan diri daripadanya. Jika tidak ia akan menjadi lebih busuk di dalam dan akan bunuh kita.

85. Semua yang disebut ini menjadi pengkhianatan kepada pejuang bangsa dahulu. Kerosakan kerana ini lambat laun akan merosakkan masa depan kita.
86. Tetapi yang terdahsyat diantara amalan buruk kita ialah rasuah, terutama rasuah politik. Politiklah yang dapat memberi kuasa walaupun pada yang lemah dan miskin. Politik kita sewaktu perjuangan untuk kemerdekaan berjaya memberi kekuatan kepada Melayu sehingga mereka yang daif ini dapat mengalahkan kuasa besar dunia. Hanya dengan bersatu dan bertindak bersama, hanya dengan pendirian yang tegas kelemahan dapat diatasi dan kejayaan dicapai. Sesungguhnya kuasa politik kuasa ajaib.

87. Selagi ada kuasa ini kepada kita, percayalah kita akan dapat pulih segala-galanya, kita akan dapat mengatasi kelemahan kita, kita akan dapat tentukan masa depan kita.

88. Tidakkah kita lihat bagaimana daripada bangsa yang dijajah dan dihina, kuasa politik sudah mengubah nasib kita demikian sehingga kita dianggap sebagai contoh kepada bangsa-bangsa lain di dunia.

89. Bandingkan negara kita 50 tahun dahulu di waktu kita mencapai kemerdekaan dan negara kita sekarang. Negara dagang yang ke-17 terbesar di dunia. Kemiskinan dikurangkan daripada 70 peratus kepada lima peratus. Bandar sebesar bandar di negara maju, penuh dengan pencakar langit. Bekalan air, api dan kenderaan yang terkini.

90. Pendapatan per kapita yang 20 kali lebih tinggi dari 50 tahun dahulu dan lain-lain.

91. Semua ini adalah hasil kuasa politik semata-mata. Kerana kuasa politik, negara berbilang kaum, ugama, budaya dan bahasa dapat distabilkan. Dan sesungguhnya kita sudah dapat berdiri hampir sama tinggi dengan kaum-kaum lain dan bangsa-bangsa lain.

92. Tetapi sekarang kita lakukan perbuatan untuk menghakis dan menghapus kuasa politik kita.

93. Kerana wang yang sedikit, kerana 100-200 Ringgit kita jual kuasa politik, kita serah nasib kita kepada perasuah, perasuah yang akan jual bangsa dan negara.

94. Apakah akan jadi kepada kita apabila kuasa politik terlucut daripada kita? Apakah kita akan terus merdeka? Saya fikir tidak.

Tuan-Tuan dan Puan-Puan,

95. Perhimpunan Melayu hari ini memang menjadi hak bagi kita kerana kita menghadapi masalah-masalah yang besar-besar, bukan satu tetapi banyak masalah.

96. Kita semua berasa cemas. Di mana-mana sahaja orang Melayu sedang berhimpun untuk membincang masalah mereka, kecemasan yang mereka rasai.

97. Jika pada hari ini kita dapat menyedarkan akan musibah yang sedang dan akan timpa keatas kita, jika kesedaran ini akan menyebabkan kita bertindak keras terhadap mereka diantara kita yang mencetuskan masalah ini, jika kita dapat bandingkan gejala rasuah yang menjadi ancaman terhadap kita yang terbesar sekali, maka ralatlah perhimpunan ini, berjayalah perhimpunan ini.

98. Saya tak salahkan orang lain. Saya salahkan kita sendiri. Tak mungkin orang lain menguasai kita jika kita tegas dan tidak membenarkan mereka.

99. Maju mundurnya bangsa kita terpulanglah kepada kita. Ingatlah Tuhan tidak akan ubah nasib kita melainkan kita berusaha mengubah nasib kita sendiri.

100. Oleh itu berusahalah mengubah nasib diri sendiri setelah kita berhimpun di sini untuk membincang masalah yang kita hadapi. Saya percaya perbincangan kita akan membuahkan pemikiran dan tindakan yang boleh menyelamatkan kita.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Terima kasih.