TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership): Kedaulatan Malaysia Dikorbankan Demi Perdagangan Bebas?
xBlog ☪ Cool Sociopolitical Blogs
TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership): Kedaulatan Malaysia Dikorbankan Demi Perdagangan Bebas? |
- TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership): Kedaulatan Malaysia Dikorbankan Demi Perdagangan Bebas?
- Laungan 'multiracialism' hanya retorik kosong semata-mata
- More Cases Of "Foot In Mouth" Disease
- the island storm
- love never wants to be easy
- Combating Anonymity or Anti Democrasy
- The Myth of The Lazy Native Still Lives
- Shaping of post-GE13 scenario by Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi - The STAR
- the ferry terminal 2
- the case for EC
- Why the covert approach in the TPPA negotiations?
- growing up pain
- the bus operators
|
TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership): Kedaulatan Malaysia Dikorbankan Demi Perdagangan Bebas? Posted: 13 Jun 2013 09:02 PM PDT (TPP) adalah inisiatif Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas (FTA) yang bakal melibatkan 12 buah negara dan secara terkini memasuki pusingan rundingan ke-17. Malaysia telah menyertai perbincangan TPP mulai Oktober 2010. Malangnya, rakyat Malaysia termasuk Ahli Dewan Rakyat tidak dimaklumkan mengenai kandungan perbincangan TPP. Pengecualian dari perbincangan, debat atau sebarang bentuk penyertaan , apatah lagi keseluruhan proses mendapatkan pengesahan Parlimen sebenarnya menafikan hak orang awam untuk mengawasi, meneliti mana-mana perjanjian antarabangsa -sama ada dua hala atau pelbagai hala yang boleh menjejaskan kepentingan dan kedaulatan negara. Walaupun Kerajaan dibenarkan untuk menandatangani perjanjian dan rundingan antarabangsa tanpa perlu mendapatkan kelulusan Parlimen, skala dan saiz TPP melangkaui mana-mana perjanjian lain di dunia. Selaras dengan matlamat Presiden Barack Obama untuk menjadikannya ‘perjanjian perdagangan’ abad ke-21 yang bernilai, TPP jauh melebihi kuasa dan kualiti perjanjian pelbagai hala yang telah dipersetujui di Pertubuhan Perdagangan Dunia (WTO). Hakikat ini sahaja sepatutnya sudah menjadi amaran bahaya supaya berhati-hati menangani isu tersebut. Kerisauan utama KEADILAN adalah kemungkinan Kerajaan akan menandatangani perjanjian TPP tanpa mengambil kira pendapat orang ramai, keprihatinan mahupun kepentingan rakyat Malaysia. Walaupun KEADILAN pada dasarnya menyokong FTA jika semua pihak terlibat dalam proses ini, di samping mendapatkan kajian dan pengesahan Parlimen, namun semua FTA mestilah berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip “perdagangan yang adil” yang tidak menjejaskan bidang sosio-ekonomi, alam sekitar, domain budaya, hak-hak pekerja, orang awam keselamatan dan keselamatan negara. Dengan itu, KEADILAN mendesak akan penubuhan satu kumpulan pakar kajian tahap Parlimen yang terdiri daripada pakar-pakar Malaysia dan seluruh dunia untuk meneliti tentang maklumat terperinci TPP dengan kadar segera. KEADILAN punyai alasan yang munasabah untuk mengambil berat. Ini adalah kerana dengan menyertai perjanjian perdagangan tersebut:- - TPP memberikan hak undang-undang lebih kepada perniagaan asing berbanding yang tersedia kepada perniagaan domestik melalui fasal dipanggil resolusi penyelesaian pertikaian “pelabur-kerajaan” (ISDS). Justeru, kami mempersoalkan niat kerajaan menyertai satu perjanjian yang memberikan kuasa kepada syarikat-syarikat asing untuk mencabar undang-undang negara dan peraturan-peraturan di luar mahkamah domestik. Mereka tidak lagi diperlukan untuk menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi menerusi undang-undang tempatan terlebih dahulu. Situasi ini sangat menakutkan kerana ia membolehkan syarikat-syarikat asing untuk memintas undang-undang dan peraturan-peraturan yang digubal untuk kepentingan orang awam terutamanya undang-undang yang berkaitan dengan sumber semula jadi, perlindungan alam sekitar, dan dasar kesihatan. - TPP mengandungi peruntukan berhubung pelanggaran berkaitan Perdagangan Hak Harta Intelek (TRIPS) yang terdiri daripada farmaseutikal asas sehingga maklumat dalam talian digital. Peruntukan ini akan menyebabkan peningkatan kos ubat-ubatan yang dibeli oleh Kerajaan kita, dan juga untuk penggunaan sendirian ubat-ubatan. Selain itu, beberapa peruntukan akan menghalang privasi, ungkapan dan inovasi di Internet sebagai Pembekal Perkhidmatan Internet (ISP) yang dikehendaki untuk memantau aktiviti harian pengguna internet, dan diberi kuasa untuk bertindak dengan cara melumpuhkan akses atau penjerut jalur lebar, lantas menghalang kebebasan bersuara secara langsung. Jikalau Kerajaan berhasrat menandatangani perjanjian TPP, kami menuntut kerajaan Malaysia memastikan jaminan dan keselamatan tertentu: 1) Memperkukuhkan undang-undang alam sekitar kita dengan piawaian antarabangsa untuk mengelakkan sebarang penyalahgunaan ekosistem. Satu kajian telah dibuat oleh Institut Peterson, yang menyatakan bahawa Malaysia bakal mendapatkan keuntungan yang besar melalui TPP. Walau bagaimanapun, ramalan tersebut tidak sesekali mengutamakan kesan perjanjian perdagangan ini terhadap jurang pendapatan rakyat atau pengekalan alam sekitar negara kita. Justeru, harus disedari bahawa TPP(terutama proses yang membawa kepada kesepakatannya) akan menimbulkan pelbagai risiko sosial, politik dan ekonomi, yang akhirnya akan menjejaskan integriti sebenar perjanjian TPP. Saya akan membuat satu usul di Parlimen bagi menuntut pembentukan Kumpulan Pakar Parlimen mengenai TPP – sebagai syarat bahawa badan legislatif harus dimaklumkan tentang sebarang perjanjian yang mengikat negara kelak. Hal ini adalah untuk memastikan perlindungan hak demokrasi Parlimen Malaysia, terutamanya peranan legislatif Parlimen dalam menyemak dan meratifisasikan pengesahan semua bentuk perjanjian. Ternyata, kebimbangan tentang kepentingan negara tidak boleh diremehkan. Kami tidak akan menerima jaminan membuta-tuli bahawa Kerajaan Malaysia akan melaksanakan tugasnya atas kegagalan menjamin kepentingan dan kedaulatan negara sepanjang perjanjian-perjanjian antarabangsa sebelum ini seperti pertikaian sempadan (territorial disputes) Pulau Batu Putih dengan Singapura dan Blok L dan M dengan Brunei; Perjanjian Bekalan Air dengan Singapura dan Perjanjian Tanah KTM Tanjung Pagar juga dengan Singapura. Saya akan terus memberi keutamaan kepada penglibatan dengan wakil-wakil Dewan Perniagaan kaum Cina, Melayu, India di dalam hal ini. Kami menerima dengan baik jemputan Kedutaan Amerika Syarikat yang menawarkan ruangan dialog dengan pelbagai kumpulan perniagaan dan masyarakat sivil di Malaysia dalam pemaknaan rundingan TPP. Saya berhasrat untuk mewakili kepentingan rakyat Malaysia dalam pusingan perundingan seterusnya yang akan diadakan di Malaysia dan akan membawa dengan saya wakil-wakil dari Dewan Perniagaan masing-masing yang jua berkepentingan. TPP ini mungkin dibentuk dengan semangat ‘Perdagangan Bebas’, tetapi adakah ia benar-benar ‘perdagangan yang adil’ buat Malaysia? Nurul Izzah Anwar |
||
|
Laungan 'multiracialism' hanya retorik kosong semata-mata Posted: 13 Jun 2013 10:52 PM PDT Retorik politik adalah biasa dan kalau kita sedar ia bertambah nyata dan mekar dalam situasi sekarang ini. Apabila situasi keseimbangan kekuatan sokongan diantara parti-parti kerajaan dan pembangkang segala retorik yang diungkapan dengan gah dahulu mungkin tidak terpakai lagi. Janji-janji untuk perpaduan kaum yang dilaungkan akhirnya tidak kemana juga. Ciri-ciri dan sentimen perkauman masih menjadi isu sebenarnya. Omong-omong setengah parti yang memperjuangkan semua kaum tidak juga wujud. Ia merupakan omong-omong semasa pilihanraya sahaja. Selepas pilihanraya rakyat baru sedar retorik kosong itu adalah perkara yang selalu berlaku sebelum ini. Dalam pada beretorik untuk berjuang bagi semua kaum, ketua sebuah parti di sebuah negeri berkata seminggu dua sebelum PRU ke 13, bahawa di negerinya tidak akan ada calon Melayu Islam. Pengumuman itu tidak salah, ‘content’ pengumuman tidak melambangkan parti untuk semua kaum dan agama seperti yang dilaung-laungkannya selama ini. Jelas parti itu telah berbohong. Persoalannya jika benar pun tidak ada calon Melayu dan Islam mewakili partinya, apa perlu menyebut Melayu dan Islam dalam kenyataannya itu? Bukankah parti itu parti memperjuangkan Malaysian Malaysia? Bukankah selama ini berucap dengan gah mengatakan parti itu bukan parti Cina dan sebagainya? Kalau benar parti itu parti semua bangsa tidak perlu menyebut tiada orang Melayu dan Islam sebagai calon dan sebagainya. Hanya sebut di NS calonnya adalah seperti berikut….dan sebutkan nama mereka sudahlah tanpa memberikan kategori yang mereka itu Cina atau Melayu dan Islam. Justeru perkauman tetap menjadi isu. Jika isu perkauman ini tidak juga dapat di selesaikan dan menjadi praktis kepada mana-mana pihak maka tidak salah jika bangsa-bangsa di negara ini memberikan sokongan kepada parti yang dikerumuni oleh bangsa masing-masing. Hasil dari permainan isu perkauman ini, maka jangan disalahkan jika berlaku syak wasangka diantara kaum dan politik boleh mengubah banyak perkara dalam negara ini. Jika ada parti yang menang besar dalam mana-mana negeri mengikut saluran perkauman, maka ia akan menjadi kecil jika parti-parti dari bangsa lain berkumpul dan bersatu untuk kepentingan bangsanya pada masa yang akan datang. Contohnya di Selangor, jika ada penyatuan diantara UMNO dan PAS dan beberapa orang wakil Melayu dalam PKR maka kerajaan Selangor akan berubah wajah. Mungkin seorang MB bernama Khalid itu akan menjadi Ketua Pembangkang memimpin DAP yang bakal menjadi pembangkang jika perkara ini berlaku. Kerajaan Selangor mungkin dipimpin oleh Dr Rani atau Azmin Ali jika Azmin bersama-sama mengumpulkan Melayu untuk mempertahankan bangsanya di masa depan. PAS dan Azmin boleh memberikan sebab yang sebenarnya retorik untuk semua kaum dan agama yang di sebut dalam pilihanraya lalu hanya lah permainan lidah yang tidak bertulang itu. DAP masih dilihat sebagai parti Cina kerana tidak ada seorang pun wakilnya dikalangan orang Melayu dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor. Saya menulis ini kerana ramai sangat yang menghubungi saya samada apa yang dikatakan oleh DAP selama ini itu betul-betul jujur atau pun hanya permainan lidah politik sahaja? Mereka beranggapan jika DAP sesungguhnya parti untuk orang Cina dan menempelkan beberapa Melayu sebagai ‘window dressers’ sahaja. Maka sudah sampai masanya orang Melayu membuat persediaan untuk mempertahankan maruah mereka dalam semua Dewan Undangan Negeri dalam negara ini. Kumpulan ini berpendapat jika DAP masih dengan bau Cinanya maka lebih baik pertahankan MCA sahaja. Setidak-tidaknya MCA telah lama bekerjasama diantara berbagai bangsa sejak mereka dahulu dan jasanya dirasai oleh semua bangsa apabila MCA adalah parti yang bersama-sama menyempurnakan kemerdekaan negara dahulu. Saya menghormati pandangan semua pihak dan kumpulan seperti inilah yang bertanggungjawab memusnahkan harapan Anwar Ibrahim untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri bersama Pakatan Rakyat yang sebelum pilihanraya lalu begitu ‘confident’ untuk mengambil alih Putrajaya. Mereka ini adalah dari kumpulan yang besar yang kita kenal sebagai kumpulan diatas pagar. Kita mesti ingat kumpulan diatas pagar ini merupakan kumpulan yang lebih berfikir dari bercakap kerana mereka bukannya ada kepentingan untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri atau Menteri Besar dan sebagainya. Kumpulan ini kebanyakannya adalah dari kaum Melayu dan mempunyai pengaruh besar sebagai penentu dalam mana-mana pilihanraya. Jika pandangan ini diterima baik oleh wakil-wakil Dewan Undangan Negeri di Selangor, maka kemungkinan kerjasama Melayu Islam dalam negeri itu akan mampu merubah segala-galanya dalam kerajaan Selangor. Bagi pendapat kumpulan ini jika DAP telah tidak menunaikan komitmen mereka untuk perjuangan semua bangsa maka tidak salah sebagai langkah mempertahankan kewibawaan melayu dan bangsa lain itu diambil. Ramai dikalangan rakyat sudah jemu dikelirukan dengan strategi yang halus untuk mendapatkan sokongan orang Melayu ini tanpa perlu memberikan 'reciprocal' terhadap sokongan Melayu itu. Bagi saya jika tidak ada pihak yang benar-benar serius untuk memperjuangkan isu semua bangsa ini maka elok kita bermain politik dengan isu bangsa terus-terusan. Senang begitu. Tidak payah memaparkan ‘hypocrisy’ buruk itu kerana akhirnya rakyat akan dapat menangkap sifat kita itu. Tidak salah rasanya jika saya nyatakan dalam posting saya semalam yang orang Melayu merupakan bangsa penentu politik negara ini. Baik buruknya orang Melayu yang akan menungkah arus jika ada arus yang cuba untuk mengeliru dan mempermainkan bangsa mereka. Kita cadangkan diforumkan dan diseminarkan isu ini selalu, dan saya akan dengan rela hati beserta dengan sesiapa yang mahu melakukannya. Kita bincang hal ini secara terbuka. Jangan berselindung lagi. Kita perlu mengambil sikap jelas. Hendak meneruskan perjuangan berbilang kaum, atau hanya perjuangkan isu kaum-kaum yang tertentu sahaja. Keputusan perlu ‘decisive’ kali ini. Jangan buat silap lagi. |
||
|
More Cases Of "Foot In Mouth" Disease Posted: 13 Jun 2013 08:04 PM PDT This is from The Star
Salute to the MCMC's Boss Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi who has voiced the view that we do not need even more laws to monitor the Internet. Why cant the Gomen speak to its own people first before making these silly pronouncements? Then when everyone complains their pronouncements suddenly become 'suggestions'. "Oh we were just making suggestions" It is just putting their foot inside their mouths. For the past 10 years the Gomen seems incapable of clear thinking. There is more to come. There may be a disaster waiting to explode in early August. |
||
|
Posted: 13 Jun 2013 06:59 PM PDT The island storm It lashes through The people watch The angry sound hear The agent of wind The covert action agrees The sea rising high The wind singing rock and roll The tall buildings and houses The direct hit and mind of fear The dried leaves flying high The telcos antenna falls The nearby cars smashed Death takes the destination The wrath of Nature It makes no distinction The island of storm The branding of its marks The people will get together In praying and forgiveness |
||
|
Posted: 13 Jun 2013 06:55 PM PDT Love isn't an easy thing It comes to you with its poetry brushes You get it on and floating away Living the world of its magic Love comes in with its smile The flow of the mind getting entangled You try to make it as you like Sometimes it turns around and bites Love never wants to be easy You are kept on your toes all day You think you have made it Suddenly you find you have lost The deception of the night The twinkling stars bright You think love has come The eyes bright the shadows hide Love has fooled many The rich and poor no colour to choose Love is colour blind The words will flow and lie Love the good and the bad It makes the mind going wild Into the bright star or the falling down You will not choose the way love goes |
||
|
Combating Anonymity or Anti Democrasy Posted: 13 Jun 2013 10:30 PM PDT  Berita Harian's frontpage headline yesterday reads: "Ghost" blogger banned. No more anonymous blogger? Afraid? No, just surprised. Why are we surprised and not afraid? Is it because when "ghost" blogger or anonymous blogger are banned, it would mean the end of our profession. It will mean us so-called elitist blogger, as some blogger wish to label us as, will not get to collect fee in the million ringgit a year for each blogger. Hope they reveal the paymaster correctly. We sure could use few hundred thousand to patch our old leaky air-con vent and put a deposit for a Lambourghini similar to the one bought by a condo dweller near Seri Pacific hotel. Afraid?  Off course, there will be those claiming we are brave because we are anonymous. But then again, we are not that anonymous. Many people know of us. Off course, we will never admit in a court of law if we ever need to be present. In fact, if we are anonymus, why is it someone told us of an attempt to sue us. Since our lawyer (quite famous and a mamak, mind you how good those lawyers of subcontinent origin are) told us there is nothing to be worried, we ignored any legal threat or summon. Maybe the chap said that to us because we are supposed to be pro bono. Just kidding bro.  If weapons do not get the better of us, there is always gout, asthma, etc waiting. Our only fear is if we are on the wrong side of the truth. Off course, it takes somebody to claim to fight for a cause and believe the truth has to be made known without batting an eyelid or flinching their eyeball or hint of uneasiness. We are not such somebody but not without our own noble causes and passion No Licensing  It is quite a surprise that such an important statement about banning anonymity is not reported in The Star. The report below: Thursday June 13, 2013Perhaps, it is reported in the News Straits Times. Frankly, we welcome the position taken by the Prime Minister. Self regulation or self discipline is the way to go. If there are bloggers or social media practitioners and commentators that got out of line, let the existing law takes it's course. We are quite sure the wayward ones will get back in line. Provide budget to MCMC, police and public attorney to monitor and enforce the law. There is nothing to stop them since MCMC can trace the IPs of all users. Anonymity  Can Blogspot.com verify if the names are genuine? If foreigners used to operating anonymously abroad decide to blog or comment when in Malaysia, are we to refuse them Internet access? If Blogspot.com refuse to cooperate because anonymity is an accepted practise on the Internet worldwide, will MCMC block out Blogspot.com sites totally?  Before attempting to answer, remember that the Bill of Guarantee of the Multimedia Supercorridor (MSC) guarantees no censorship on the Internet. Supposed with the smart thinking Ketua Penerangan UMNO, they still get to implement the ruling to use actual names. To be fair, will it mean that practise of using pseudonym is no more practise in newspaper article, poems, books, etc. Otherwise it is not fair to the bloggers and social media commentators. It affects the bigger majority of non political users of Blogspot.com.  This is a bigger matter than Blogspot.com. It is access and also investment. Google.com has a collaboration in developing a Malay search website. Will it mean the end of that collaboration and investment? How will the government make Blogspot.com to agree? Is it by getting Google.com to sign an agreement with the government for those criteria and term of usage in Malaysia to be acceptable? Or get Google.com to move their headquarter from the US to Malaysia, thus make them abide Malaysian cyberlaw and practise? One thing for sure is that combating anonymity for non political use will only anger the public towards government. Political news and discourse is only 10% (just a guess) of the purpose to use the Internet. Misses  We have the strange feeling that someone must have written a report based on a circulated text that was not used by the PM in his speech. It is supposed to not happen because any prior circulated text would request that they be check against the delivered speech. Should the remark be true, it will be a case of some adviser or speech writer that do not understand the subject they advise or wrote. If the government wants to address the excesses on the Internet by the opposition, other than using the process of law enforcement, they should understand how the opposition cyber propaganda works or they will be made a laughing stock. Keep in simple and effective. But then again, PM will not impose a licensing requirement on news portal. Let's leave it at that cause we can't give away any advice for cheap. We have to be true to the allegation that Rocky's gang got millions and millions and millions. The alleged amount seemed to be in the multiple of 45 times to the acknowledged million received to certain state outfit. Read it somewhere in one of the eastern blog. Strategy
With so much hype over Red Bean Army, we hope we will not be doing trend following like the rush to create bloggers after the 2008 general election. These days every other person want to start their own such army. Some are individual initiative. Some are UMNO initiated units. Some are component party units. Some are coalition unit. Some are agency units and that sounds like agent in 007 movie. Some are Ministry level units. It is laughable if we are to reveal of a Ministry that intend to hold a forum on Red Bean Army. We'll give a hint. Their scope of work is related to areas with limited Internet access. It really does not need a forum if politicians understand effective communication and know when to shut up and let professional civil servants and corporate men carry out their work. Before the regiment or batalion is formed, they are already talking about an army like the Allied forces. But, do they know what cyberwarfare is about. There is such task as understanding the terrain and opponent of such war. Prior to winning a war, one has to be capable at winning battle. The soldiers and the ranks have to be trained, capable and have some sense of strategy.  Red Bean or Green Peas or perhaps Blue Bonnet, the secret lies in the strategy. Any strategy need a clear objective or mission. Then it needs someone who understand how it works and how to orchestrate a war like Patton or Horatio Nelson or Sun Tzu, to lead. No time for theoretical first timer to act as General. They must be players themselves in order to be respected by the troops. And not General who tells the President that our blogs are highly ranked, dissemination is very successful and controlled 8 out of the 10 hot issues effectively, but yet say we lost out due to Red Bean Army. What a bummer!!! It should be someone who not only understand but had experience in both mainstream and non mainstream media. Smoke created by burning dry twigs has been used before as media although these days it will be more related to technology. There is also the matter of information and propaganda with it's different objective, time span effectiveness and characteristics. If proper strategy formulation is done, they should realise that they do not need too much infantry. Unless, someone has other reasons. Wink wink ... boy, that million could sure get us that dream house with indoor swimming pool, Merc and big bike. |
||
|
The Myth of The Lazy Native Still Lives Posted: 13 Jun 2013 08:54 AM PDT Utusan last Sunday have attacked again the Chinese, warning them that the community stands to lose much by voting the opposition in the recent general elections. It is indirectly part of a series of attacks meant to alienate and hurt the community by the conservative and the extremist side of UMNO who still today are unable to understand why the community behaves differently from their expected follow the herd mindset. This is more of brainwashing those who have not been enlightened by the actual truths and misleading them into believing that one community is behind all the problems. This is however in contrast with the so called "call of reconciliation" that Najib makes weeks before. The present set of problems faced by the country matches the hypothesis that I made a that there isn't going to be substantial changes despite promises by Najib. It's likely that it would be more or less a status quo with nothing to change more to appease the rural folks. One year ago, I have written my concerns in a posting detailing that it is high likely that the chances of change of government is unlikely because of one main factor excluding the gerrymandering factor: Malay votes. My view is that the cost of BN's win is acceptable but morally hollow. In the long run the ruling government will start to feel alienated with many voting for a refreshing change but with the smaller number of people were the eventual ones who decided on them forming out of the new cabinet / government. Base of the mindset and psyche of the Malay community, there are still those who are unwilling to change out of fear, uncertainty and victims of the fear mongering as well as the laziness of their attitudes / spiritual mentality. In the 1970s Mental Revolution analysis report, as again I've repeated over and over again:, the negative perception of the Malay community that many observers including former colonial masters noted is as follows: 1. Not truthful with themselves 2. Unpunctual 3. Looking for a quick buck using any means necessary sans hard work 4. Fatalistic attitude - always saying it is the fates of God vs working hard to decide their own fates 5. Spending very lavishly including having big feasts despite not having the sufficient budget to do so. 6. Getting emotional and sentimental too easily resulting in the inability to think logically and rationally. 7. Education that encourages submissive attitude with taking everything in without reasoning / questioning why. As emphasized again, the scathing remarks no longer confines to one single race, but instead has already extended to every Malaysian, given that the limited scope referred by the analysis was made more than 40 years ago. Let's put the first point above as example. Two days ago, Utusan has published a front line article saying that prices of cars have reduced between 2 to 11 percent on selected brands and models. Yesterday, car manufacturers, Volkswagen and Peugeout have denied this stating that the price still remained the same and not the one that was reported in the papers. Thus, was Utusan writing on their own imagination? And if people were expecting for a car reduction of 20% approximate across the board while it doesn't seem to happen now, it shows how the government is insincere. The real solution is to deduct a portion of the excess tax. Utusan claims that the Chinese are emotional and greedy. However, by using the Revolusi analysis it is actually most Malays, they themselves included are actually emotional and greedy. While the reasons of the voting trend for certain states like Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Teregganu were known, and explained and understood to me by certain people who are familiar with politics, other states however do not have that factor applied in this reasoning, but instead, the ignorance is bliss attitude still adopted by many of these people will eventually prevent Malaysia from reaching the idealized Vision 2020 that Dr. Mahathir wanted more than 20 years ago. Many ministers in the government over the more mature world would definitely quit on admittance of committing a malpractice in government administration out of their sincerity. Sincerity is a key issue that is taught in each religion across the world. But not in Malaysia. Ministers, even committing physical assault, and other practices in conflict of interest will never sincerely quit because of the fear of humiliation and trend of Malaysian obsession with personalities over national interests. The most often answer of why people in Singapore or other first world countries are socially more successful in every aspect is because of the emphasis of real nation building, with emphasis of religion factor out from day to day affairs. Some critics say that Turkey is like Malaysia today, but with one main difference: religion factor is out of the nation governance aspect. The New Economic Policy could have made many Malay and Bumiputera people richer by the time the original program period ended in 1990. Instead, there are still 40% of 29 million Malaysians are in the poor class catergory, while many are still unable to get a better pay with the salary market still stagnant. Had the policy got executed perfectly minus loopholes, we would have seen many people driving better cars, say Mercedes, got better houses with the percentage of the poor reduced to around 5%. Instead, we are still seeing situation of the 80s despite better facilities and improved technology. Criticism is very essential in every religion. Absolute control is equivalent to a man trying to play God is against the mission of man in the world. Menang tersorak, kampung tergadai - merely to hold on to 56 years of power, they unadmittingly brought in foreign workers from other states to vote in areas (videos recorded and put up on Youtube /facebook to prove it) at the expense of forsaking the national sovereignity. And when the disaster strikes, as what I have said sometime back, many people would eventually realize, but it will then be too late and the cost learnt from the disaster would be very very expensive and painful. |
||
|
Shaping of post-GE13 scenario by Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi - The STAR Posted: 13 Jun 2013 06:34 AM PDT Our nation’s destiny will be shaped as much by the realities on the ground as by the character and courage of our leaders. WHAT direction will Malaysian society take in the post-GE13 era is a question on many minds. The future is not for anyone to predict with certainty. The spirals of history do not have a pre-determined, dialectic path. What can be said is that our destiny will be shaped as much by the realities on the ground as by the character and courage of our leaders. Will they rise above the timberline to transcend race, religion, region and narrow partisan politics to persevere with an agenda for transformation? Or will they sacrifice idealism at the altar of expediency? Only time will tell. It is periods of changes that test the mettle of leadership. “Leaders of substance do not follow opinion polls. They mould opinion. Not with guns or dollars or position but with the power of their souls”. The rise of two major political coalitions is now consolidated. This supplies political unity to a society deeply divided along ethnic, religious and regional lines. The 2008 and 2013 general elections have legitimised the existence of a strong political Opposition. People have begun to believe that some check and balance in Government is necessary. In the recent elections, Barisan Nasional’s victory appears to be owed to three disparate groups – rural votes in the Malay heartland; lower income groups of peninsular Malaysia that benefited from Government handouts and Barisan’s safe deposit seats in Sabah and Sarawak. The Chinese and Indian components of Barisan failed to deliver and this has led some foreigners to comment (I believe prematurely) that Malaysia’s multi-ethnic coalition is near collapse. It may be difficult in the long run for Barisan to maintain its grip on its GE13 electorate because rural areas are shrinking. Rural to urban migration is widespread. The Malay community is the most prone to internal migration. In any case, PAS has captured some erstwhile Malay rural fortresses. As to the poor, if their socio-economic condition improves, they may develop new preferences. Therefore, Barisan needs a new orientation and new policies. Specifically, it needs to consider how far issues such as elite corruption and the perception that business opportunities are being monopolised by the political and administrative elite has alienated it from sections of the Malay grassroots. While ethnicity remains a potent factor, other dynamics seem to have emerged. Among them is the rural-urban divide. Areas penetrated by Internet appear inclined towards the Oppositon. On the non-Malay side, its withdrawal of support for Barisan is fuelled by official over-zealousness in the enforcement of Article 153 policies. There are a number of intractable religious issues, among them the recurringly painful one of conversion of minors to Islam when one parent leaves his religion to become a Muslim. Limited places in public universities, low representation in public services and the escalating cost of private higher education are also fomenting frustration. |
||
|
Posted: 13 Jun 2013 05:55 AM PDT The ferry terminal The people mingle around The night stars shining The bright lights blossom The shopping stalls The needs for tourists and locals The taxi drivers and illegal operators They hang around to pick up passegers The fast food outlets The ice cream parlour The sundry shops abound The convenience for the people The man with his small beg on his shoulder He moves to the fast food outlet ordering his drink Taking a slow sip eyes peeling the crowd He can't see anybody he knows.. The ferry boat arrive Anchoring at the ferry terminal The locals and tourists landed Walking briskly to the arrival hall The man looks up His eyes surveying the crowd The taxi and illegal drivers Pestering for their services The man gets up and stand around Looking for the woman he hopes she will come The same action and routines in his mind She will not come for him when the night sleeps |
||
|
Posted: 13 Jun 2013 01:36 AM PDT Pakatan election petitions Amno follow the mood The case for EC The entire lot has to go The trust has gone For the years complaints lodged EC never takes action The silly excuses come the way EC seems to work For the master warlord The way to fool democracy “I give you election what?!” By law EC has to answer The issues lodged must be known By morality and honesty The entire board has to resign |
||
|
Why the covert approach in the TPPA negotiations? Posted: 13 Jun 2013 02:40 AM PDT Source : Malaysiakini
MP SPEAKS The negotiations have always been covert and secretive back door deals involving trade negotiators who have the interests of big businesses at heart. The people do not matter. This includes ordinary Malaysians as well. I am talking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). The TPPA is a free trade agreement currently being negotiated by Malaysia and 10 other countries across the Asia-Pacific region. These countries include the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. In the next four weeks, trade negotiators from twelve countries will arrive in Kuala Lumpur for the 18th round of negotiations on the TPPA. This is not the first time that they would be huddling behind closed doors to hammer out details.
These hush-hush negotiations pose a huge challenge for Malaysia and its citizens, including the business community. It does not augur well for the administration of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak (right) and his self-styled claims of transformation – transparency and accountability. The TPP process in Malaysia, in contrast, is tightly controlled by the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti). In April 2012, I stood up in Parliament to ask the government about the risk of losing sovereignty under the TPP’s “investor-state trade dispute” mechanism. The then Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industries Mukhriz Mahathir casually reassured the Parliament that Malaysia’s interest is protected because “the government always had officers from the Attorney-General’s Chambers present during talks with foreign delegates”. ‘Mukhriz clearly does not understand’ Clearly, he did not understand the severity of implications arising from these trade disputes. The TPPA is more than a commercial or trade deal, although they are often guised as an instrument to improve trade on the basis of economic liberalisation. Once the TPPA rules and regulations are adopted by negotiating countries, it must be ratified by national governments or parliaments. Then, local laws must be changed to accommodate the new rules agreed upon. This will allow companies to sue national governments at international arbitration centres based in Washington and Geneva, thus undermining national sovereignty and public policy-making responsibilities of nations. In short, tribunal verdicts cannot be reviewed in domestic courts, and companies would be able to dictate policies to governments. The financial penalty or trade sanctions against elected governments meted out by these dispute arbitration centres are binding and severe. Trade sanctions can also be imposed against the countries’ exports.
On the issue of affordable medicine for example, the TPP may increase the cost of medicine as it contains aggressive intellectual property provisions which limit access to generic medicines. In the case of Malaysia, it’s still not too late for Najib and his government to make good on their promises of transparency and accountability. Next month’s negotiations will provide an opportunity for the Malaysian government to include stakeholders in the discussions. Najib must understand that the interest of 28 million Malaysians is at risk. As such, I call upon the government to:
Anything short of this would only mean that Najib’s ‘People First’ rhetoric is merely hollow.
Charles Santiago |
||
|
Posted: 13 Jun 2013 01:36 AM PDT She wants to die When she can't have her way She thinks with her suicide bid Everything will be smooth sailing She's too young to die If she ever wants to live She has to learn to be patient The growing up years will come Everyday the time will arrive She doesn't need to follow the trend She has to live with her constant limitations The growing up years of pain She wants to die When she can't have her way She should realize it is a stupid act She's too young to understand? The growing up pain Everyone will go through the maze Nobody should try for the short way There is nothing to gain |
||
|
Posted: 12 Jun 2013 07:12 PM PDT The transportation issues It seems it never goes away The hurrying crowd to go home On any festive holidays The advance tickets booking The bus operators sell The ticket counters will be busy The commuters will be in a hurry It is every festive routine Hari Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year The bus operators will smile ear to ear The commuters will be happy to go Now the bus operators demand The raise for the ticket sales Else there will be no advance booking The sardine package will be chaotic The Bee Anne government It will need a lot of time The commuters will be waiting The sardine package will come in |
The negotiations were initiated in 2008, but lawmakers have no idea as to what has transpired during these discussions. They have not been informed, despite repeated calls to do so from Parliament members, trade unions and business groups.
The trade agreement is comprehensive, in that it would involve establishing new rules and regulations from food safety, government procurement, financial markets and intellectual property rights, to medicine prices and Internet freedom.| You are subscribed to email updates from xBlog ☪ Cool Sociopolitical Blogs
To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. |
Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |