Our Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Needs a Serious Reform

Reform the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in line with the best global parliamentary practices.

I have just completed the 5th Westminister’s Workshop organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for Public Accounts Committees in Malta over the past week.

It was a highly fruitful session where PAC members from across the Commonwealth discussed best practices to ensure greater effectiveness, particularly towards the objective of making the Government more transparent and accountable when spending public funds.

There were several key take aways which I thought was highly relevant for Malaysia as I’ve discovered how Malaysia’s PAC lags behind many of our peers in terms of reforms and effectiveness.

For a start, 67% of the Commonwealth PACs were chaired by members of the Opposition, as opposed to members of the governing party. Some of these countries practise this rule as a convention, while others have that clearly stated in the Standing Order or the law.

The obvious reason for this practice is to ensure that there will be greater scrutiny of Government expenditure. An elected representative of the governing party will naturally and inevitably be saddled with the conflict of interest of not wanting to make the ruling coalition look bad. On the other hand, the PAC chaired by an Opposition member will offer the necessary check and balance for the committee where the majority remains with the ruling party.

Unfortunately for the Malaysian Parliament, the historical convention has been for the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to elect one of its own to chair the committee despite frequent pleas by the Opposition to adopt the global best practice. It appears that while the BN government is happy to cite global practices as a reason to adopt a policy like the Goods and Services Tax, when it comes to issues relating to democratic norms, it would prefer to turn a blind eye.

Fortunately in Selangor, we even passed a Bill to automatically appoint the Opposition leader as the PAC Chairman. But we were left stunned when the then Opposition Leader then resigned from his position, leaving the Opposition bench in a limbo. It is hence clear that BN would rather sacrifice any role to check and balance the Government, than to take part in any proceedings to ensure transparency and accountability in the governing administration.

Secondly, I have discovered that some three quarters of Commonwealth countries hold their Public Accounts Committee hearings in public today, in full presence of the media. Ironically, nearly all of the African Commonwealth contingent practised public hearings despite their often derided “less developed” status.

If the Parliament proceedings today can be open to the public, why should the hearings of a committee within the Parliament be conducted in closed doors. Exceptions are granted when sensitive national security matters are discussed but that is certainly not be the norm.

For example, why should the hearings relating to the 1BestariNet, the National Feedlot Corporation, the KLIA2 project or the on-going 1MDB inquiry not be made public because they do not touch on any national security matter. They could of course turn out to be highly embarrassing and detrimental to the reputation of particular Ministers, but that should not be the concern of the PAC.

In addition, the public scrutiny of the proceedings will ensure that the appointed members of the PAC will be more diligent in carrying out their duties.

Finally, as I’ve argued in my statement earlier this week, we should make the National Audit Department an independent office under the auspices of the Parliament and not a Department reporting to the Finance Minister. This will ensure and protect the independence of the Department regardless of which party is in Government, and who are the Ministers.

The UK National Audit Office for example, is fiercely protective of its independence, asserting that “we are not civil servants and do not report to any Minister”.

The Auditor-General of Malta on the other hand, is not only an “officer of the House of Representatives”. He is “appointed by the President acting in accordance with a resolution of the House of Representatives supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the
members in the House”.

In line with the discussions of proposed reforms led by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, I would like to call upon the House Committee which is meeting tomorrow on 8 June 2015 to also adopt the above reforms to the PAC. This is to ensure that we become a truly world class parliament, and not a rubber stamp, where Malaysian democratic rights are oppressed by the Executive which tramples on the sanctity and role of the Parliament.

Tony Pua

Read more!

Dato' Seri Najib's “Kangkung” Economic Model With 1MDB

Dato' Seri Najib Razak is practising “kangkung” economics by awarding lucrative
multi-billion contracts to qualified parties who are not the lowest bidders.

On 28th February, the Energy Commission (EC) confirmed weeks of alleged “baseless speculation”
that 1MDB will be awarded the new Independent Power Producer (IPP) 2,000MW coal-fired
power plant concession. The project is said to be worth RM11 billion.

Read more!

Ismail Sabri and KR1M Victimises the Poor

Pakatan Rakyat MPs are the real heroes fighting for the interest of Malays and poor Malaysians by exposing the substandard and illegal products being peddled by BN Ministers as “cheap” and “quality” products comparable to branded goods

Pakatan Rakyat members of parliament have over the past 2 weeks exposed the fact that many of the goods sold in Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) were not only substandard, illegal and unhealthy, many of these products were also not cheaper than products sold in existing hypermarkets.

We were criticised by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister, Dato’ Ismail Sabri as being unfair by not comparing “apple to apple”, that is we should not be comparing 1Malaysia products with house-branded products from Tesco, Giant or Carrefour.

However, we have proven that the comparison was indeed not “apple to apple” for products such as the “oyster sauce” because the sauce from Tesco contained real oyster extracts, the 1Malaysia product had only flavouring and no oysters.

At the same time, the comparison of 1Malaysia milk powder with that of Nestlé’s Nespray 1+ demonstrated not only a far inferior product but also the fact that the latter was 24% cheaper than the former. The 1Malaysia milk powder was short of at least 15 legally required vitamins and minerals, deficient in calcium and iron and provided a 802% overdose of Vitamin A, putting at real risk our very young children.

Instead of facing up to the problems, Dato’ Ismail Sabri has chosen to go on an inflammatory rant calling Pakatan Rakyat MPs, DAP and myself racists for allegedly being anti-Malay in our exposés.

Dato’ Ismail Sabri said on his Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1631334090) and Twitter on Tuesday 15th November 2011 that

“tony phua DAP ni masih tk habis2 menfitnah KRIM. kini dgn tuduhan tdk berkualiti. semlm isu ini tlh dijwb oleh Mydin & pembekal IKS. jelas agenda DAP yg ingin menguburkan KRIM yg rata2 supplier nya terdiri dari IKS bumiputra. Rata2 pembeli nya terdiri dari gol berpendapatan rendah bumiputra. Mydin pun bumiputra. malangnya ada bumiputra spt nurul izah & zulkifli 'menyalak' bagi pihak DAP..”

The racist accusations made by the Minister is not only completely baseless, it is the complete opposite of what the Pakatan Rakyat MPs are trying to achieve. By exposing the list of poor quality and illegal products which do not meet the minimum legal standards set out in the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985, it is Pakatan Rakyat that is truly fighting for the interest of the mostly Malay consumers at KR1M as well as other poor Malaysians.

If not for our exposés, many Malays and other poor Malaysians will still be consuming poor quality oyster sauce, evaporated millk, ice-cream, sardines and fruit jam sold at KR1M. What is worse, if not for Pakatan Rakyat highlighting the shocking deficiencies of the 1Malaysia children’s milk powder which resulted in the product’s withdrawal yesterday, a whole generation of Malay and poor Malaysian children might end up suffering from malnutrition, disease and poor physical development.

It is the BN Ministers like Dato’ Ismail Sabri who are more than willing to sacrifice the interest of ordinary Malays and Malaysians by giving unsubstantiated “guarantees” on the quality of KR1M products and pander to the monetary and vested interest of certain businessmen.

The fact that Dato’ Ismail Sabri’s ministry is going to subsidize the KR1M stores to the tune of RM40 million in 2012 to sell some of these products to ordinary Malaysians without first ensuring strict quality control over the products shows that BN Ministers are only keep to score political goals with KR1M. They are not at all interested in the welfare of Malaysians, especially the Malays, who will suffer the most.

Read more!

MRT: Bumi Quota

MRT Bumi quota shows NEM like NEP, say Pakatan leaders
By Boo Su-Lyn August 24, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The 30 per cent Bumiputera quota for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction packages shows that the New Economic Model (NEM) is no different than the New Economic Policy (NEP), Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers charge.

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana) said yesterday that the nation’s largest construction project ever will have fixed reservations for Bumiputera.

The MRT is due to begin operations in January 2017.

“This proves beyond doubt that the NEM is not in the least bit different from the NEP,” DAP publicity chief Tony Pua told The Malaysian Insider last night.

“All the associated problems arising and related to the NEP over the past few decades — such as declining competitiveness, brain drain — will continue to be aggrieved, if not made worse, by such policies,” added the Petaling Jaya Utara MP.

Abdul Malik Azman, Prasarana’s head of the MRT Procurement Management Department, told The Malaysian Insider that the quota was part of the government’s “national agenda”.

The Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also Malay rights groups had previously demanded Prasarana’s stringent contractors requirements were relaxed so that more Bumiputera companies qualified.

Read the full article at The Malaysian Insider here.

Read more!

Najib "In Denial" over Brain Drain

The Talent Corporation is doomed to fail given that Najib is in denial over the World Bank Report on ‘Brain Drain’ in Malaysia

The Prime Minister, Najib was extremely quick and swift to “refute” the conclusions of the World Bank Report on “brain drain” in Malaysia without providing any substantive evidence in doing so. He first denied that the New Economic Policy (NEP) which dictated priority for bumiputeras has led to brain drain. At the same time, he also denied that the NEP and brain drain has resulted in a drop in investment flow into the country.

Najib is obviously in denial because it was his very own “Government Transformation Programme” (GTP) which stated in no uncertain terms that

“An unintended outcome of the National Economic Policy (NEP) was a sense of deprivation, discrimination and even resentment felt by the non-Bumiputeras, which was attributed to the over-zealous attitude and approach in implementation by some officers in certain agencies. There has also been a widening of the income gap within the Bumiputera community, leading to rising discontent amongst certain segments of that community. These factors have pushed many Malaysians, especially professionals, to work and reside overseas, in economically more advanced countries with attractive pull factors such as higher income, wider exposure and opportunities, better quality of life and education for their children. May have chosen to settle permanently, and there are signs that this brain drain has become increasingly serious. It is imperative that these issues […] are addressed, as not only is our economy’s competitiveness, stability and sustainability at stake, but continued widening and rising disparities will jeopardize national unity.”

Is Najib now saying that the GTP got it completely wrong?

Is he also saying that World Bank study which conducted a survey on the three top reasons for brain drain in Malaysia where 60% cited “social injustice” as the key reason for brain drain?

Najib has also dismissed the role of NEP and brain drain on our foreign direct investment (FDI) by citing the statistics that FDI had increased to US$9 billion in 2010 from US$1.4 billion in 2009.

Firstly, the fact that a student improved his Mathematics score from 10/100 to 50/100 isn’t something to be celebrated joyously. 2009 marked the 2nd lowest FDI Malaysia has received over the past 20 years, and making an improvement over the sum doesn’t sudden make Malaysia a super attractive FDI destination.

But more importantly, the World Bank Report conduct studies based on trends in Malaysia’s FDI over the past 20 years, and not just the year where we “improved” the most. For example, by comparing FDI over a 3-year period between 2007-2009 and 1990-1992, the World Bank showed that we were the only country in the region where FDI has declined and significantly so (Figure 1.57)! Malaysia’s FDI dropped by 35.5% over the period while all the other countries increased – Indonesia (+23.3%), Philippines (+51.6%), Singapore (+53.8%) and Thailand (+119.0%).

The World Bank Report also conducted was a hypothetical model where it measured Malaysia’s potential relative to performances of other countries in the region (Table 1.1 of the World Bank Report, pp46). It was determined that had Malaysia retained its talent as well as implemented an open investment policy regime, our FDI should be closer to US$15 billion instead of only US$3.8 billion for the 2007-2009 period, or more than 5 times our actual achievement. This proves the severe under-achievement of our potential under the BN administration.

Despite denying the role of NEP on brain drain, Najib did acknowledge that brain drain is indeed a serious issue which needs to be addressed and hence the setting up of Talent Corporation. However, if Najib and the BN administration is steadfast in its refusal to recognise the impact of “social injustice” on talent leaving the country, then all the efforts by Talent Corporation will all go to nought.

Talent Corporation will suffer the same ignominy as the “Brain Gain Programme” under Najib’s predecessor, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which failed miserably in attracting returning and stemming the massive outflow of talent. Najib’s instant denial of such a comprehensive and rigourous study by World Bank, and even forgetting about his own GTP is a harbinger of Talent Corporation’s fate.

Read more!

Limp reforms fuelling brain drain

Pakatan: Limp reforms fuelling brain drain
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal April 29, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — The government’s failure to see through announced reforms were partly to blame for the country’s chronic brain-drain problem, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers claimed today

Opposition leaders today said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s inability to deliver on promises of equality and a “needs-based” economic model, coupled with his “conceding” to ultra-Malay voices within his own party will only result in Malaysia being mired in the middle-income trap.

“Najib is not addressing the critical issues affecting talent in leaving the country... His message of inclusiveness is lost in translation as existing policies are discriminatory against the non-Malays in the country. This has been verified by the proportion leaving the country,” DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua said today.

According to a World Bank report yesterday, more than one million Malaysians currently live abroad. The report stated that policies favouring the majority Malays were contributing to the country’s brain-drain while holding back its economy and limiting foreign investment.

Today, Pua said Najib’s “U-turn” over his heavily-publicised New Economic Model (NEM) has left little room in the country’s competition for talent.

“The fact is these policies do not encourage competition and a poor economy will deter prospective talents from staying. He has failed in an attempt from moving from a race-based culture to a needs-based,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider.

In a Bloomberg news service report, World Bank senior economist Philip Schellekens was also quoted as saying that foreign investment could be five times the current levels if the country had Singapore’s talent base.

“Migration is very much an ethnic phenomenon in Malaysia, mostly Chinese but also Indian,” Schellekens told Bloomberg in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Governance issues and lack of meritocracy are “fundamental constraints” to Malaysia’s expansion because “competition is what drives innovation,” he said.

For the full story, read it here.

Read more!

Malaysia's brain drain

Malaysia at economic crossroads as it fights the great brain drain Kuala Lumpur government announces new strategy to try and retain its brightest sons and daughters from emigrating

Dustin Roasa in Kuala Lumpur
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 April 2011 18.47 BST


Sheng Cai Lim is a skilled and experienced IT professional, an asset to a country that aspires to grow into a fully developed nation by the end of the decade. There's only one problem. Lim, 29, isn't sure he wants to stay in Malaysia.

Lim says it's 50/50 that he'll leave. "I'll likely go to Singapore for a few years, and then after that maybe Canada or New Zealand," he said. He's on a six-month sabbatical from work and recently registered with head hunters who place candidates abroad. "My friends overseas wonder why I'm still in Malaysia. They say there are better opportunities abroad," he said.

If Lim does make the move, he'll join the 1.5m Malaysians, or 5.3% of the population, who live and work outside of the country, according to the World Bank. By moving to countries such as Singapore, Australia and the UK, these migrants are creating a considerable brain drain that threatens the country's economic progress.

"Brain drain is hurting the country's drive to move up the value chain," said Dr Ooi Kee Beng, senior fellow at the Institute of South-east Asian Studies in Singapore. "The fact that Malaysians fill many of the top and middle management posts in the region, from Shanghai to Singapore, tells us that the country is bleeding talent."

The problem has been getting worse in recent years. More than 300,000 Malaysians left the country between March 2008 and August 2009, compared to nearly 140,000 in 2007, the deputy foreign affairs minister, Tuan A Kohilan Pillay told parliament. Many work in key sectors such as finance, technology and engineering.

Two factors are driving the exodus, said Tony Pua, MP and member of the opposition committee on the ministry of higher education. "First, there's simple economics. You can make more money overseas," he said.

The other cause is the country's race-based affirmative action policies, Pua said, which favour ethnic-majority bumiputra, or sons of the soil, over minority Chinese and Indians, who make up 24% and 7% of the population, respectively.

"The two problems exacerbate each other. The economy has not been growing, and there's an increasing demand for a bigger piece of the pie among bumiputra. As a result, the government is more prone to implement policies that favour them, and minorities feel excluded. It's a vicious cycle," Pua said.

Malaysian law provides bumiputra benefits such as rebates on property prices, quotas for university enrolment and civil-service jobs, and preferential treatment for government contracts, among other advantages. The laws, which were enacted in 1971 in an attempt to redistribute wealth in the wake of race riots in 1969, distinguish Malaysia from other Asian countries with brain-drain problems, such as the Philippines.

In interviews with Malaysians living in Kuala Lumpur and overseas, frustration with these laws and worries about rising racial tension and Islamic conservatism have led many to reconsider their futures in their country of birth.

"Malaysia is a very controlled and fanatic country," said Janath Anantha Vass, 29, an ethnic Indian accountant in Kuala Lumpur who plans to move to Australia. "Melbourne suits my lifestyle the best, and I feel that's the place for me."

The Malaysian government is attempting to respond to the problem with an array of programmes, including 1Malaysia, a campaign designed to ease racial tensions. In January, Prime Minister Najib Razak launched the Talent Corporation, which seeks to lure back skilled Malaysians. But many are sceptical that these programmes will address the systemic problems driving brain drain.

"I'm not sure how effective Talent Corporation will be. Past programmes like this have not worked, and I'm not sure how this one is different," said Evelyn Wong, an ethnic Chinese economics student at Scripps College in California, who blogs about brain drain.

But Dr Kim Leng Yeah, an economist at Ram Holdings in Kuala Lumpur, said Talent Corporation did at least demonstrate the government's willingness to address the issue. "There has been a lot of public scepticism," he said. "But it is a proactive move." Representatives at Talent Corporation declined to comment.

As Lim, who is ethnic Chinese, considers his future, he has spent time thinking about his place in multicultural Malaysia. "I do realise that I am a minority in this country," he said. "My family is encouraging me to leave. They say, 'Malaysia doesn't want us anymore, so why stay?'"

And while he hasn't given up on eventually returning, he would have to see significant changes before doing so. "It doesn't feel like the country is mature enough to tackle its problems right now. When we are ready to face our problems, I'll be ready to come back," he said.

Read more!

NEM No More?

A confluence of criticisms by a member of the National Economic Action Council (NEAC), a former Minister and the former US Ambassador to Malaysia, together with an announcement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak himself have confirmed the death and irrelevance of the New Economic Model (NEM). Instead, the Government has chosen to extend the lifespan of the New Economic Policy (NEP) with no expiry date in sight.

Reluctant NEAC member Datuk Dr Zainal Aznam Mohd Yusof argued that Najib’s administration has “insufficient political will” to implement the required reforms, and this has resulted in the canning of proposals such as the “Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)”.

Similarly, the NEM Part II which was intentionally “watered down” reintroduced the NEP’s 30% bumiputera equity target, which was originally rescinded in NEM Part I. Instead the NEM Part I had proposed the “deliberate shifting of affirmative action towards moving down to the bottom 40 per cent.”

Datuk Dr Zainal also added that the appointment of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad as the chairman of FELDA with his “track record of graft had raised alarm bells. It was a sad day when Isa was appointed chairperson of Felda.”

At the same conference, former Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir also lamented that “if the founding fathers could see what is happening now, they will turn in their graves. Corruption is everywhere, you have to bribe people to get things done. Cronyism is everywhere.”

In a reference to Najib’s plans such as the NEM, GTP, ETP etc., he added that “there are beautiful statements (made), but they do not reflect the real state of affairs.”

Similarly, former ambassador to Malaysia, Mr John Mallot wrote in his Wall Street Journal column that “although Mr Najib held out the hope of change a year ago with his New Economic Model, which promised an ‘inclusive’ affirmative action policy that would be, in Mr. Najib’s words, ‘market friendly, merit-based, transparent and needs-based,’ he has failed to follow through.”

What is perhaps most damning for the NEM is Mr Mallot’s prognosis that Malaysians “will continue to vote with their feet and take their money and talents with them. And foreign investors, concerned about racial instability and the absence of meaningful economic reform, will continue to look elsewhere to do business”.

The Prime Minister himself, has chosen the very same day to hold a “Bumiputera Agenda Supreme Council” meeting and announcing the setting up of “Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera” to drive and co-ordinate bumiputera economic participation. This confirms the criticisms that Najib is placing the race agenda above the original intention of the NEM, which was to steer affirmative action programmes towards the bottom 40% of income earners of the population.

Najib is now proving to be a failed reformer, with his much vaunted “Najibnomics” turning out to be nothing more than an endorsement of the controversial NEP which favours the influential elite and a copycat of Mahathir’s mega-projects and privatisation policies of the 1990s.

The concerns raised in the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the NEM Part I on the NEP increasing the income disparity between the rich and poor, the sense of discrimination dissatisfaction between races as well as the resulting brain drain will only worsen as a result. While the major infrastructural spending spree will lead to short term stimulation of the economy as happened in the 1990s, history will only repeat itself as we suffered a decade of real income stagnation and falling competitiveness in the 2000s.

It is most unfortunate that the Prime Minister has chosen to pander to vested political interest of race-based extremists groups such as Perkasa, and forsake his opportunity to make his mark by embarking on genuine reforms on Government policies which will reverse the decline in our economic competitiveness.

Read more!

Hadi v Pua?

Utusan Malaysia had a field day claiming that Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, PAS President specifically opposed my position with regards to the "controversial" suggestion at the Selangor state budget dialogue to remove discounts for luxury properties for bumiputeras.

UMNO's Muhyiddin and MCA leaders joined in the fun by claiming that Pakatan is inherently unstable due to policy or opinion differences. MCA's criticism's quite funny because, they don't have any opinion on any issues deemed controversial and will just submit to UMNO's views.

But before, we get into the act of throwing daggers at one another, here's a relook at what exactly Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said, as reported by HarakahDaily. In fact, if you don't trust the reporting by Harakah, then view the interview video for yourself here.

Hadi: Race-based policies to help poor un-Islamic
Harakahdaily

KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 9: PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang has reiterated his stance that any policy to help the poor should not be race-based, and similarly the issue of giving discount for properties should be looked at in the same perspective.

Commenting on a proposal by Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua to abolish Bumiputera discount for luxury residential properties above RM500,000, Hadi said although the suggestion was yet to be discussed, it was agreed that the focus should be on helping the poor regardless of race and address the mismanagement of the economy.

“We have yet to discuss anything on it in Pakatan Rakyat. We need to discuss it in the top leaderships council,” Hadi told reporters at a launching event of his latest book in Terengganu.

On whether he agreed that the current practice of giving discount to Bumiputeras even for high-end residential and commercial properties should be abolished, Hadi stressed that discounts for purchase of properties should be extended to all Malaysians and not just Malays.

“What’s happening today is that it did not reach the target group, it only benefited UMNO leaders,” he said.

'Not at the cost of others'

Saying it was understandable that most of the lower-income group were found among the Bumiputera who formed the majority in the country, Hadi said it helping them should not be at the cost of other communities.

“We need to consider the majority of the people who is plagued by poverty.

"At the same time, we (Muslims) must help other races which are also poor and in need of defence,” he added, saying it was wrong for Muslims to oppress other races while protecting the interest of the Malays only.

He further pointed out that the root of the problem could be found in Barisan Nasional's mismanagement of the economic system.

“I cannot understand the principles and the economic system adopted by the Barisan Nasional.

"We have a lot of subsidies, but there are too many mismanagement and leakages – hence, the problems are not subsidies but poor management."

Hadi also said Pua's suggestion may have stemmed out of unhappiness such mismanagement.

“Maybe he is not pleased with the management (of Bumi’s discount) but we need to look into implementation," he said.

Earlier, Hadi's statement appeared to have been taken out of context, with UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia reporting that he supported the practice of giving discounts for Bumiputeras to purchase high-end properties.

Read more!

Umno Incapable of Change

Ever since I had first suggested certain reforms to the Selangor state economic policies to create a more business-friendly environment to attract more investors as well as to become more equitable to the poor and less fortunate in the state, I've come under daily attacks by Umno leaders as well as their mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia.

The attacks have culminated in all 22 Umno Youth divisions in Selangor filing police reports against me yesterday, charging that my suggestion was "dangerous, sensitive and provocative while inciting hatred and dissatisfaction against government policies" and of course, "threatening public order and peace".

The suggestion, one of many proposed, which triggered the uproar among the Umno leaders was to abolish bumiputera discounts for luxury property purchase, and that savings from such a move be better utilised for corporate social responsibility programmes for the poor.

The Prime Minister himself has proposed in the New Economic Model (NEM) as well as the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) that affirmative action programmes will be reformed to be "market-friendly and merit-based" and will be focused on the "bottom 40% lower income earners".

I would have thought that my proposal was completely in line with both the NEM and 10MP proposed by the Government. Why should the Government impose a policy to continue to subsidise those who can already afford a property costing millions of ringgit?

The police report by Umno Youth proves beyond reasonable doubt that Umno and its youth wing, despite the loud reform rhetoric by the wings' leaders to be inclusive, progressive and focused on the poor, the Party is only interested protecting the interests of those who have benefited lucratively from their connections to Umno.

The Umno President as well as the Umno Youth Chief have been doing the song and dance on how their party's capable of change and reform, like their slogan in the Hulu Selangor by-elections "BN Mampu Berubah". However these are proving to be empty rhetoric, for its now demonstrated clearly that Umno leaders are only interested in upholding 'ketuanan Melayu', even if it is at the expense of public policy, principles of social and distributive justice as well, as well as the greater needs of the poorer bumiputeras.

The police report by Umno Youth is completely frivilous and childish, and the party that is really "dangerous and provocative" is Umno itself.

I will not be threatened by the report for making positive suggestions to improve both the economy of the state as well as the welfare of the poor. I strongly believe that the majority of the population, including the majority of bumiputera community will understand and support the proposals to promote greater equity for bumiputera and Malaysians.

Read more!

Will NEM Fail Like NEP?

Judging by the targets set by the Government itself, that is to achieve 30% bumiputera equity, the New Economic Policy (NEP) has been proven to be a complete failure over the past 20 years as according to government data, bumiputera equity ownership has remained at 19.4% in 2006 compared to 19.2% 20 years ago in 1990, after hitting a peak of 20.6% in 1995.

The recent Government Transformation Programme (GTP) document has quoted and concurred with Tun Musa Hitam where he asked whether “our redistributive economic policies are indeed holding us back competitively... Race-based economic policies do not sit well with the realities of globalisation and free trade.”

In addition, the GTP Roadmap specifically highlighted the fact that

• “another outcome of the NEP was a sense of deprivation, discrimination and even resentment felt by the non-Bumiputeras...”
  
• “there has also been a widening of the income gap within the Bumiputera community, leading to rising discontent...”
  
• “these factors have pushed many Malaysians, especially professionals, to work and reside overseas, in economically more advanced countries with attractive pull factors... there are signs that this brain drain has become increasingly serious.”

The above are clear admissions by the Government that despite the initial success of the policy during the 1970s and 1980s, the NEP has failed over the past 20 years, and hence there is an absolute need for a “New Economic Model” (NEM) as proposed by Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.

Pakatan Rakyat and DAP has been consistent is seeking a new economic agenda which is founded on merit and competition, supported by affirmative action based on needs and not race, and we are pleased that at least on paper, the Government is finally coming around to these principles.

However, the perpetual delays in the proposed NEM since the end of last year has raised serious concerns that the policy will really become a transformative economic policy which will raise Malaysia out of the doldrums.

Over the past few months we are seeing increasing pressures from race-based vested interest parties such as Perkasa and Malay NGO Consultative council which has caused the Government to waver in its original goals of the NEM. In fact, Deputy Minister of International Trade & Industry, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir specifically pointed out that the NEM “would have the spirit of the New Economic Policy” earlier this month while many other Ministers have issued vague and conflicting statements on NEM causing further confusion.

We would like to reemphasize the fact that with an economic policy founded on merit and competition, supported by affirmative action based on needs and not race, is the best policy not only to revive Malaysia's economic fortunes, but also to uplift the plight of the poor of whom the majority are bumiputeras. We believe that any affirmative action policies based on race, such as the NEP will only result in the wealthy and more influential of that particular community benefiting from such policies, while the vast majority of the community would not benefit proportionally as proven by NEP's failure over the past 20 years.

Hence, we would like to call upon the Prime Minister to not allow his landmark NEM to become derailed into meaningless oblivion by becoming in essence the extension of the NEP, an fate suffered by the 2 previous policy replacements to the NEP, the National Development Plan (NDP) in 1991 and the National Vision Policy (NVP) in 2001.

Read more!

What's EKUINAS?

One of the curious development last year as the Prime Minister removed the 30% bumiputera requirement for public listing on Bursa Malaysia, was the set up of the RM500 million EKUINAS fund to specifically promote bumiputera participation in the local economy.

What I couldn't fully understand was how a RM500 million fund, almost fully funded by the Government, taking equity interest in various companies would actually promote or increase bumiputera participation.  So I asked the following question to the Prime Minister in parliament:

Tony Pua meminta Menteri Kewangan menyatakan bagaimana dana Equinas dapat meningkatkan penyertaan bumiputera dalam ekonomi sedangkan ia dibiayai oleh kerajaan dan bukan daripada pelabur bumiputera. Apakah perbezaan antara Equinas dengan dana pelaburan kerajaan seperti 1MDB, Khazanah dan lain-lain? 

The following was a fairly long answer, which again, did not answer the crux of my question.

Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS) ditubuhkan dengan tujuan meningkatkan penyertaan Bumiputera dalam ekonomi secara bermakna dan berkesan.  Ekuinas merupakan syarikat government linked private equity fund management yang bukan sahaja mengurus dana daripada sumber Kerajaan malah menjana dana dari sumber luar.  Ekuinas mempunyai empat fungsi utama iaitu:

i. menggalakkan penglibatan berkesan dan berkekalan Bumiputera dengan menguasai pemilikan dan pengurusan syarikat dalam sektor korporat;

ii. mengenal pasti usahawan Bumiputera yang berpotensi serta membina keuppayaan usahawan Bumiutera sedia ada untuk terlibat secara efektif dalam sektor pertumbuhan strategik berasaskan meritokrasi;

iii. mewujudkan usahasama tulen di antara Bumiputera dengan bukan Bumiputera dalam sektor strategik; dan

iv. meningkatkan tenaga kerja Bumiputera terutamanya dalam kategori pekerjaan pengurusan dan professional.

Melalui penekanan kepada aspek penguasaan dan pengekalan pemilikan ekuiti, Kerajaan yakin Ekuinas mampu menjadi mekanisme yang berkesan untuk meningkatkan pemilikan ekuiti Bumiputera.  Prinsip pemilihan investee company yang berasaskan meritokrasi dan ketulenan juga akan menyumbang kepada peningkatan pemilikan ekuiti Bumiputera yang lebih bermakna.

Ekuinas merupakan anak syarikat milik penuh Yayasan Ekuiti Nasional iaitu sebuah tabung amanah yang diwujudkan untuk kepentingan Bumiputera, sama seperti Permodalan Nasonal Berhad yang merupakan anak syarikat milik penuh Yayasan Pelaburan Bumiputera, sebuah tabung amanah yang diwujudkan untuk menggalakkan penyertaan Bumiputera di dalam pasaran modal.  Ini berbeza daripada 1Malaysia Development Berhad atau Khazanah Nasional Berhad yang dimiliki sepenuhnya oleh Menteri Kewangan Diperbadankan.

Maybe I'm a little thick, but with the above answer, I'm still completely clueless on how Equinas can help individual bumiputeras, and on how it sources funds other than from Government.

Read more!

NTV7 Point of View: New Economic Policy

I was on the NTV7 "Point of View" programme a few months back discussing Malaysia's New Economic Policy. Have a listen ;-)

Interestingly enough, this episode was never made available on the NTV7 website which carries electronic versions of all previous episodes ;-)

Read more!

Najib, Meritocracy, Quotas & The NEP

At a dinner organised by the MCA and the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCCIM), the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has not only announced a new “National Scholarship” category that will be based on merit, but more importantly he had also hinted at removing quotas in all economic sectors in Malaysia by admitting that “having quotas is not the right way and is not good for Bumiputeras”.

We fully supports all efforts to improve the economic livelihood of all poor bumiputeras and Malaysia, and believe that the quota system as has been implemented under BN's New Economic Policy (NEP) has failed the bumiputeras for it has promoted a rent-seeking culture, and entrenched cronyism and corruption among its politically connected beneficiaries.

Therefore, we are willing to provide full support to the Prime Minister to eliminate the inefficient and ineffective NEP quota system, and in its place promote meritocracy, not only for scholarships, but in all sectors including education and the economy. The policy on meritocracy should be complemented with an affirmative action policy based on needs, and not race.

However, the goodwill and sincerity of Najib's statement is put to question when on the very same evening, his Deputy Prime Minister, continued to stir Malay racial sentiments with the clarion call that “Umno will fight to the last drop of blood to protect Malay rights” in his speech in Pagoh, Johor. Taken together with the Prime Minister's own persistence in Malay and Muslim unity talks with PAS, raises the question as to whether the Barisan Nasional government is continuing the policy of singing a different song to a different racial audience.

This divide and rule concept also clearly flies in the face of the 1Malaysia concept being preached by Najib, as UMNO continues to place Malay unity and Malay rights above everything else under its “ketuanan Melayu” concept where all other BN component parties and ethnic groups are subjugated to the authority of UMNO.

We would like to call upon the Prime Minister to put his words into action by delivering a Ministerial statement in Parliament to call for the removal of the quota-based New Economic Policy and to replace it with a New Economic Agenda which promotes meritocracy and a needs-based affirmative action policy to help all poor, regardless of race, creed or religion.

I'm sure Pakatan Rakyat will give the Prime Minister our full support in Parliament to ensure that such a New Economic Agenda bill is approved as the new economic paradigm for Malaysia. We believe that a just, fair and equitable economic foundation will serve the interest of all Malaysians and will be the best approach to improve the competitiveness, competence and livelihood of the bumiputeras.

Read more!

Services Sector Liberalisation - All Hype?

I've said my piece with regards to the "much welcomed" services sector ownership liberalisation announcement by the new Prime Minister last week. There was always the question of whether the announcement made, meant more in form, than in substance.

Well, within just a week, the new seemingly influential (lots of statements recently) Deputy Minister for International Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has official confirmed that it's all just hot air, no more, no less. In a report by The Edge Financial Daily today, Mukhriz not only stated his intent to "defend and promote" the New Economic Policy, he said that the recent "liberalisation" measures announced by Najib was a move to "synchronise what was already happening in the service industry".

Before the prime minister announced the liberalisation of the service industry, meetings were held with bumiputera NGOs and trade organisations to ensure that they were ready to open up the markets...

From the feed back obtained, we realised that the markets were already open. Only the policies at that time were not synchronised yet." (emphasis mine)

So it was all pretty much a public relations sham. These sectors were in reality already unimpeded by ownership restriction constraints. Hence what Najib announced will have very very little real impact on the industry, if any at all.

Read more!

Auction APs!

We fully supports the call by the new Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to abolish the current policy of dishing out approved permits (AP) to certain connected parties for the purposes of importing foreign cars.

Based on earlier numbers which were disclosed in 2006 after the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad attacked Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz on her role in favouring retired MITI civil servants, 33,218 APs (or 50.1% of total of 66,277 APs) in 2004 and 28,283 APs (or 41% of total of 68,330 APs) in 2005 were awarded to the trio of the late Tan Sri Nasimuddin SM Amin, Datuk Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim and Datuk Mohd Haniff Abdul Aziz. In 2005, some 80% of the APs went to 20% of the companies, many of which were inter-related.

The award of these “free” APs to these individuals and their companies gave them the opportunity to amass RM1.8 billion within two years. It raises the obvious question as to how such discretionary issuance of APs will help achieve its objective of “creating a class of bumiputra entrepreneurs or uplifting the economic position of the bumiputras” as quoted in a reply to me based on a parliamentary question I raised last year.

Hence, we support the call by the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Car Dealers and Credit Companies Association to open up the AP scheme for public auction to everyone, with possibly 30% restricted for Bumiputra participation.

The DAP has been calling for the current AP scheme to be abolished since it first reared its ugly head and in our proposed national budget for 2008 presented in 2007, we have called for an open auction of the APs which could raise up to RM1.5 billion annually for the treasury based on an estimated 50,000 APs issued at a conservative market value of RM30,000 each. These funds could be channelled towards public causes such as overhauling our miserable public transportation system and facilities which our new Prime Minister witnessed for the very first time yesterday.

The availability of funds are of even greater importance to the government given the necessity to expand public expenditure in light of the global economic crisis, which is hampered by the sheer lack of funds due to the shrinking petroleum-related revenues.

I'd like to reiterate our call to support the above reforms, and will certainly take a common stand with Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir on this issue in the interest of openness, competition and transparency.

Read more!

Services Sector Liberalisation - An Improvement?

We would like to welcome the new Prime Minister's announcement on the selective liberalisation of 27 sub-services sector in Computer & Related, Health & Social, Tourism, Transport, Sport & Recreational and Business Services.

It is a commendable baby step forward to demonstrate Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's commitment to unwind some of the suffocating policies and regulations imposed and expanded under the pretext of the New Economic Policy (NEP). These policies have certainly resulted in a slower pace of foreign and local investment growth compared to our regional peers since the 1980s as they reduced the attractiveness of Malaysia as an investment destination.

However, we would like to emphasize the fact that this is only a baby step forward and will achieve little impact if they are not followed by further concrete actions.

1. Firstly, the list comprises only of very selected sub-service sectors, even those selected such as “Beverage Serving Services” comes with conditions such as “for services provided in 4 and 5 star hotels” only. They also cover the Computer & Related services industry (6 sub-services sector) where many of the multinationals have already circumvented equity conditions by acquiring the Multimedia Super Corridor status.
   
   There are hundreds of sub-service sectors classified and we certainly look forward to further liberalisation of ownership constraints, especially those imposed on Malaysians themselves.
   
   
2. Secondly, will the liberalisation of ownership mean that these companies will be exempted from bumiputera equity requirements imposed by Bursa Malaysia as a condition for listing on the local stock exchange? By liberalising ownership but not their ability to raise funds locally will only serve as a handicap for these companies.
   
   Furthermore, the liberalisation of bumiputera ownership conditions on the local stock exchange will certainly go a long way towards reviving our financial services sector from its current doldrums, making ourselves relevant in the region again.
   
   
3. Thirdly and more importantly, the above “liberalisation” only deals with the ownership or supply aspect of the relevant sectors. It does not however deal with the more critical demand aspect of the industry which are still very protected directly and indirectly.
   
   Government agencies and government-linked companies (GLCs) are severely constrained by the Finance Ministry guidelines on procurement. They are only allowed to procure goods and services from companies which are registered with and possess approved classifications from the Finance Ministry based on strictly bumiputera ownership controls.
   
   In GLCs such as the banking sectors, there is even the written and unwritten rule that legal firms engaged by these banks must have at least 50% bumiputera partnership, despite the professional nature of such services. Hence the so called liberalisation of legal services to foreign firms in the Islamic banking industry will not make major headways to the sector.
   
   These persisting barriers to entry will continue to discourage investments in these sectors. Why would these investors consider setting up operations when they have no opportunity to offer the services to the Government and the GLCs, which combined, is the single largest consumer of services in Malaysia.

Hence, the liberalisation of supply-side constraints without the corresponding reforms on the demand-side is akin to clapping with a single hand. We look forward to the Prime Minister announcing further measures in the shortest possible time to ensure substantial success of the above liberalisation exercise.

Read more!

30% Bumiputera Rule Misguided

PAS Youth's recent outburst against the abolition of 30% bumiputera requirement for public listed companies is misguided despite being well-intentioned.

PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said that the 30-percent equity must be retained and defended "even if the target has been reached". According to him, "before 1969, the equity of the Malays was almost nil and after 40 years, it is only at 19 percent. If this continues, we need about 20 more years to achieve the 30 percent target."

Firstly, as stated, bumiputeras have failed to achieve the target fo 30% equity despite nearly 40 years of NEP only proves that achieving equity through regulation will not achieve the objective increasing the wealth of bumiputeras in the shortest possible time. In fact, the 19% wealth ownership target, if accurate, has remained stagnant since the 1990s.

Secondly, for bumiputeras to achieve not only 30% of the nation's wealth, but also a meaningful 30%, it is critical for the capital markets to be liberalised to attract global capital and its corresponding talent and economic effects.

Our goals of becoming the regional financial centre since the 1980s lie in tatters as we lose out to many other financial centres in the region. The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange as late as 1993 was the 2nd largest stock exchange in Asia-Oceania region ex-Japan, but today we have fallen out of the top 10, losing to financial markets in Singapore, India, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

As a result, not only are foreign companies not interested in the Malaysian stock exchange, Malaysian companies are similarly heading offshore to more attractive financial markets. Ultimately, the losers are Malaysians themselves.

Hence, taking progressive and deliberate steps towards liberalising the financial markets will allow for a more dynamic economy accompanied by greater wealth creation. It will ultimately benefit the bumiputeras as they form the majority of the population. A more liberal market will also catalyse a more productive workforce who will in turn be able to compete on an equal footing in a globalised economy.

Similarly, PAS is misguided in its response to the appointment of Low Siew Moi as the acting General Manager of Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) as the Selangor Menteri Besar has stated clearly that she is the most qualified person to fulfil the role at this point of time. By that, it means that she will be able to manage PKNS is the most effective and efficient possible manner, which will ultimate benefit the coffers of the state.

Given the people-centric nature of the policies of Pakatan Rakyat government, the poorest in the state, most of whom are bumiputeras will benefit most from such gains.

The race of the general manager should not be in question at all. It is disappointing that objections have come purely from a racial, and not from a qualitative perspective. PAS in these instances, should not miss the woods for the trees.

Read more!

Remember the Controversial 'APs'?

I have received a formal reply from the Minster of International Trade & Industry (MITI) on my parliamentary question with regards to "approved permits" for import of vehicles into the country.

My question was:

1. ...jumlah "Approved Permit (AP)" kereta impot yang dikeluarkan pada 2007 berbanding dengan tahun-tahun yang lalu; dan
   
   
2. apakah anggaran jumlah AP yang akan dikeluarkan pada tahun ini dan adakah MITI bercadang melelong AP supaya hasil yang dikutip Kerajaan dapat ditingkatkan.

The reply from the Minister was as follows:

Bagi tahun 2006, jumlah AP yang dikeluarkan ialah 38,545 unit berbanding sebanyak 57,267 unit pada tahun 2005. Manakala bagi tahun 2007, sebanyak 27,838 unit AP kenderaan telah dikeluarkan.

Untuk tahun 2008, berdasarkan jumlah pengeluaran kenderaan tempatan pada tahun 2007, anggaran jumlah AP 2008 ialah 44,168 unit iaitu berdasarkan had bumbung peruntukan AP kenderaan 10% daripada jumlah pengeluaran tempatan bagi tahun sebelumnya.

Buat masa ini, Kerajaan tidak bercadang untuk melaksanakan kaedah lelongan atau tender terbuka Permit Impot (AP) kenderaan. Ini adalah kerana antara matlamat pemberian AP adalah bertujuan untuk menggalakkan dan memberi peluang kepada usahawan Bumiputera bergiat dalam sektor automotif tempatan. Sekiranya kaedah lelongan atau tender terbuka dilaksanakan, hanya sebilangan kecil usahawan Bumiputera yang mampu membida harga lelongan tertinggi. Ini akan menjejaskan peluang pelaburan sedia ada seperti bilik pameran dan tenaga kerja.

It is disappointing that the government has not decided to make the award of APs a more transparent process which is fair and equitable, while at the same time denying valuable funds which can be raised via auction for the national coffers to help the poor and needy. Based on a conservative market valuation of each AP at RM25,000, an open auction will raise more than RM1.1 billion for the country.

The Minister's excuse that a tender system will not benefit the bumiputera businessman and will only benefit those who are already wealthy is totally unacceptable. Based on past records, APs were largely issued to 4 prominent businessmen popularly known as the "AP Kings". In 2005, it was announced that 80% of the APs went to 20% of the companies, many of which were inter-related.

It can hence be argued that the current opaque policy of awarding APs is subject to abuse and is more likely to create an inequitable distribution of APs. Assuming that the AP is limited to bumiputeras, an open tender by qualified bumiputera companies will provide better opportunities for them to compete and grow. To say that only the richest will succeed in the bidding is also wrong because, bidding too high will not be profitable for the businessmen. Hence it's about bidding smart and not bidding high.

It is important that in our pursuit to raise the number of successful bumiputera entrepreneurs, that they are not created via handouts. The AP system should hence be reformed to encourage the competitive spirit amongst bumiputera entrepreneurs, and not instead serve as a barrier to competition.

Read more!

New Economic Policy Rhetoric

I'm kinda late blogging this issue, as the matter was discussed and a ruckus was created in Parliament last Thursday morning in Parliament. You would have read all about it here (Malaysiakini) or here (The Sun).

The question from REMBAU was:

...adakah kerajaan bercadang untuk mengubah polisi yang telah digubal berlandaskan semangat Dasar Ekonomi Baru, terutamanya yang menolong kaum bumiputera sejajar dengan desakan pembangkang untuk menolak dasar ini.

The replies from the Government, which has been asked numerous times on this issue in this session, of which written replies has been provided has been standard and rhetorical and does not at all address the issues at hand. To quote some of the standard replies provided, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Senator Datuk Amirsham A Aziz stated that:

DEB telah digubal pada awal 1970-an dengan matlamat utama iaitu untuk mencapai perpaduan nasional dan pembentukan negara melalui strategi serampang dua mata.

Pertama, pembasmian kemiskinan tanpa mengira kumpulan etnik dan kedua, penyusunan semula masyarakat bagi menghapuskan pengenalan etnik mengikut fungsi ekonomi. Semangat DEB kemudiannya telah diterapkan dalam dasar-dasar ekonomi selepasnya iaitu Dasar Pembangunan Nasional, Dasar Wawasan Negara dan Misi Nasional di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan bagi menangani masalah jurang sosial ekonomi antara dan di kalangan kumpulan etnik bandar dan luar bandar.

I won't quote the entire thing but you can read the rest of his "standard" reply here from the Hansard. The government has never responded to the issue that the problem and objection with the DEB doesn't really lie with the "noble" objectives but with its discriminatory practices and overzealous implementation.

Anyway, the whole episode got "politicised" when REMBAU asked in his supplementary question:

Ahli Yang Berhormat daripada bahagian yang juga Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang telah berikrar untuk menghapuskan Dasar Ekonomi Baru daripada pentadbiran Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang kerana DEB ini, “Breeds corruption, cronyism and systematic inefficiency”, dengan izin.

Saya hendak bertanya Yang Berhormat Menteri, adakah adil untuk Yang Berhormat
Bagan membuat rumusan umum seolah-olah rakyat yang mendapat faedah daripada DEB, yang miskin tidak kira kaum, berjuta-juta pelajar dan profesional bumiputera termasuk Yang Berhormat Menteri sendiri yang menjadi produk DEB, yang menjadi ketua pegawai eksekutif bank yang terbesar di Malaysia seolah-olah kita semua ini kroni dan kaki rasuah. Adakah ini kenyataan yang adil, Yang Berhormat Menteri? Adakah ini adil?

That was when the Minister started reading his 2-page prepared text which clearly demonstrated that the answer was prepared in advance, making a mockery of the parliamentary question time. There was obvious collusion between REMBAU and the Minister, to attack BAGAN on his statement to eliminate the corruption and cronyism associated with the New Economic Policy.

Datuk Amirsham started his reply with

...saya berpendapat kenyataan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang itu tidak tepat dan langsung tidak memahami objektif DEB... Kalau itu kesimpulan beliau tentang DEB, maka sesiapa sahaja yang mendapat bantuan melalui DEB sama ada dalam bentuk pinjaman, peluang pekerjaan, peluang perniagaan, biasiswa dan lain-lain itu adalah kroni dan kaki rasuah...

An answer like that from a so-called technocrat and professional Minister certainly deserves, in my opinion, the heckling from the opposition members he received subsequently. IPOH TIMUR rightly asked, "Panjangnya jawapan tambahan, siapa sediakan?" You can watch the video here.

I had stood to ask an additional supplementary question, but the opportunity went to BATU KAWAN [Prof Ramasamy]. I had wanted to ask the Minister:

Bukankah satu dasar yang memberikan tumpuan khusus kepada membantu golongan miskin jauh lebih berkesan membantu kaum bumiputera yang kurang berkeupayaan berbanding dengan DEB yang memberikan tumpuan mengikut bangsa, kerana ramai yang diberikan bantuan kerajaan bukannya golongan miskin kaum bumiputera, tetapi kaum UMNOputera yang telah kaya-raya, dan yang menerima manfaat yang lumayan sekali?

It's a question I hope to get the opportunity to ask one day in Parliament, as I would really like to hear the answer from the Ministers involved.

Read more!