Najib’s task..

Najib as the new Finance Minister should be more forthcoming on our economy and how the Government proposes to insulate us against the tidal wave of economic bad news. the Malaysian economy is an open one and we need to take immediate remedial measures. The recent move to cut the helicopter deal does not fall into the category of fiscal action that will help. It merely postpones the development/capital expenditure to a later date!

This points out that commecial paper creation and trading, the life blood of trade and commerce, is shrinking. The same is true for bonds and other forms of credit creation. Our interest rates, though low enough, may need to be adjusted down as has happened with nearly all our neighbours.

Given the current situation where the private sector is not going to take the initiative, and with banks not giving the full credit support that the private sector needs to operate optimally, that leaves only fiscal policy measures to safeguard and insulate our economy.

All unnecessary expenditure must be immediately put on the backburner while the Govt embarks on direct pump priming that will not only have immediate impact but will result in longer term value adding to growth. This means public works and infrastructure.

Agriculture, especially food production, needs to be prioritised; SMEs need further tax incentives while the services sector also needs to be pushed. Fiscal policy measures do not just mean tax measures. I am sure the FM knows the range of tools under his direct control. That means he should not wait until next year to review the budget that was just revealed in Parliament. That Budget was premised on conditions that do not exist any more and are unlikely to return.

Boosting the stock market may be confidence building but it would be of more value if the brokers margin call are mitigated with bank support so that the market freefall can he slowed down. Secondly, revenues were premised on prices of commodities before the financial and economic breakdown of the West. We have to adjust our cloth to fit the new cut.

Monetary policy measures including direct intervention by BNM, like the Fed Reserve in new credit creation, may be necessary if the banks are afraid to lend money. as mentioned earlier, institutional investors are not accepting or renewing commercial paper take up nor bond issues. Banks may be holding back on loan drawdowns. BNM need to monitor this and ensure the economy's lifeblood, that is credit, does not suffer from blockage or seizure.

Teresa Kok: Bukan apa yg dibuatnya, tetapi apa yg tidak dibuat...

Tindakan Teresa Kok mengemukakan saman ke atas seorang wartawan Utusan Malaysia dan akhbar itu sendiri berhubung rencana "Azan, jawi, JAIS, UiTM dan ba-alif-ba-ya" yang disiarkan tidak lama dulu menarik perhatian.

Sememangnya hak Teresa untuk mengambil tindakan itu dan lantaran menuntut ganti-rugi jutaan ringgit.    

Tetapi pada pendapat saya, yang menjadi persoalan di sini bukanlah sekadar apa yang didakwa dilakukan oleh ahli parlimen itu. Lebih penting ialah apa yang TIDAK dilakukan olehnya sebagai seorang wakil rakyat yang telah dilantik sah secara demokratik dan telah mengangkat sumpah untuk menjaga kesejahteraan negara.

Jika dia melakukan sesuatu yang melanggar peradaban keharmonian kaum, itu kes yang nyata. Bagaimanapun, persoalannya di sini apakah yang sebenarnya mencetuskan reaksi hingga membawa kepada keadaan sekarang ini?

Di pihak wakil rakyat itu saya bertanya sama ada dia sedar yang tanggung-jawab bukan sekadar berlandaskan apa yang dia lakukan, tetapi juga apa yang di TIDAK lakukan (omission).

Sebagai wakil rakyat dan ahli parlimen, dia seharusnya lebih berhati-hati menangani isu-isu yang boleh menyebabkan rasa kurang senang di antara kaum. Walaupun pada perspektif pemikiran liberalnya, tindakan, gesaan atau insiatifnya mungkin tidak berbahaya, tetapi persepsi masyarakat mungkin berbeza dan kebarangkalian membawa kepada masalah.

Dalam konteks ini Teresa perlu bertanya pada diri sendiri apa sepatutnya dia TIDAK lakukan...

Human rights: Practice what you preach

With so much rantings and accusations by people who see themselves as champions of every mode of freedom, one question begs to be answered.

Do we realise how in many instances the change must first be done right in our own homes?

Although many of us Malaysians hold high respect for the rights and freedom of others, sadly there are still those who do not practice what they preach.

One stark instance is the denial by some unscrupulous people who employ maids of different religious belief. How many times have we seen or heard complaints by these unfortunate maids that they were often denied the right to practice their religion?

It is true. There are employers who would not hesitate to force their maid to handle pork and forbid them from performing their prayers.

Our hearts bleed to hear all these, for here we are, beyond the confines of our private castles we would not hesitate to hit out at any perceived attempts to restrict free religious practice, although our observations have often been skewed and distorted by narrow perspectives.

While some may gladly allow their maids to practice their religious duties, there are still many others who, aware of the fact that the maids under their employment are Muslims but nevertheless take advantage of their youthful ignorance and abet in the degeneration of their religious duties.

So, employers...have a heart...dont do this to others if you do not want others to do the same unto you.

Shah Rukh Khan dapat datuk jugak...adoi!

Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam mengesahkan kedatangan aktor Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan untuk menerima anugerah Datuk pada November ini.

Ini jelas bertentangan dengan reaksi negatif ramai rakyat Malaysia yang mempersoalakan rasional di sebalik tindakan tersebut.

Sebelum ini, Mohd Ali berkata Penganugerahan Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) yang membawa gelaran Datuk kepada pelakon Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan adalah berdasarkan sumbangannya mempromosi negeri ini melalui filem lakonannya yang ditonton jutaan peminat seluruh dunia.

Beliau berkata Shah Rukh Khan pernah datang ke Melaka membuat penggambaran filemnya bertajuk "One Two Ka Four" di A Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah beberapa tahun lepas.

Shah Rukh Khan yang dilahirkan di New Delhi pada November 1965, adalah antara 758 penerima anugerah darjah, tauliah, bintang dan pingat kebesaran negeri Melaka tahun ini.

Pengumuman penganugerahan gelaran datuk kepada pelakon hindi itu baru-baru ini dikecam dan dikritik kuat oleh rakyat Malaysia.

Nampaknya suara hati rakyat tidak perlu dalam hal ini...

 

UMNO dominant or component parties weak?

Think again!

BN component parties should to appreciate Umno's strength that had enabled the coalition to form a government at the federal level and that they must use Umno's strength to strengthen themselves.

The idea that Umno is being too dominant in Barisan Nasional (BN) is ridiculous, says Johor Baru Umno division chief Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

He said that if BN component parties thought that Umno was dominant, they must understand why it was so.

"Is it because the component parties themselves are weak, and what would be the solution to it? he asked, adding that the matter should not be used by the component parties to cover their weaknesses following the last general election results.

Shahrir, who is also Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Minister, said Umno could not reduce its power for the sake of providing a so-called "level playing field" for the component parties.

"By doing so, it would lead to BN losing everything to the opposition," he said.

Shahrir said the perception that UMNO was too dominant was created by the opposition parties as part of their efforts to weaken the support, especially among the non-Malays, for BN.

The Johor Baru member of parliament did not rule out the possibility that communication problems among BN component party leaders had contributed to the perception problem and suggested that this situation be rectified.

Kontrak Sosial diterima?

Kolumnis Malaysian Insider, Wan Hamidi Hamid berkata tidak sesiapa pun mempertikaikan kontrak sosial antara kaum yang telah mewujudkan Malaysia merdeka lebih 50 tahun lalu.

Tanpa mengulangi segala perdebatan yang berlangsung sejak sekian lama berhubung perkara ini sama ada di media arus perdana ataupun media alternatif, apa yang diperhatikan oleh Hamidi jelas sekadar perspektif luaran.

Setelah menyorot hampir kesemua komen dan kritikan yang tersiar dalam Internet dan media arus perdana, rata-rata saya melihat ada golongan yang secara terang-terangan mempersoalkan kesahihan kontrak tersebut.

Kebanyakan mereka menafikan kewujudan kontrak itu sementara yang akur dengannya pula cuba mengikut arus dengan rasional beralas demi kepentingan sendiri.

Tidak...tidak benar sama sekali golongan bukan Melayu menerima kontrak sosial. Yang pasti dan nyata mereka bergerak menafikan kewujudan perjanjian tersebut.

Berdasarkan ini maka tidak timbul isu samada mereka menerima quid pro quo berkenaan seperti yang ditegaskan semula oleh Majlis Raja-Raja kelmarin.

Pemikiran cetek Raja Petra...

Dalam rencana yang disiarkan menerusi Malaysia-Today bertarikh 14 Oktober (sini), Raja Petra antara lain menulis, ''...cabaran kita sekarang ialah memastikan dasar-dasar Amerika Syarikat menggerakkan sistem antarabangsa ke arah lebih kesaksamaan, keadilan dan kesejahteraan...''

Walaupun sekilas pandang ayat berbentuk populis itu meletakkan Amerika dipersada terhormat pihak yang memperjuangkan hak asasi manusia, tetapi realitinya berbeza sekali...

Lihat saja nasib rakyat Iraq berikutan pencerobohan tentera dan lain-lain contoh kesan campur-tangan Amerika. Petikan di atas adalah daripada buku Barak Obama,'The Audacity of Hope' tetapi persoalannya kenapa perlu disebut bahagian itu?

Yang nyata petikan melulu Raja Petra atau sesiapa saja di antara pembantunya yang menyiarkan posting tersebut hanya mencerminkan kebodohan dan kecetekan pemikiran mereka. Mereka menelan bulat-bulat apa jua yang didatangkan dari barat, terutama Amerika Syarikat.

Saman Utusan: Hipokrit Teresa Kok!

Hipokrit!...itulah Teresa Kok.

Sekiranya dia mengaku jaguh memperjuangkan kebebasan akhbar seperti yang kononya diamalkan oleh Harakah, Rocket, Malaysia Today dan akhbar rasmi PKR, mengapa pula dia perlu saman Utusan Malaysia?

Rakyat jangan terus terpedaya dengan pembohongan Anwar

Naib Presiden Umno Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin hari ini meminta rakyat supaya tidak lagi mendengar pembohongan penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk meneruskan rancangannya mengambil alih kerajaan daripada Barisan Nasional (BN).

Beliau berkata rakyat tidak sepatutnya membuang masa untuk memikirkan kenyataan tidak berasas Ketua Pembangkang itu kerana terbukti bahawa dakwaannya untuk menubuhkan kerajaan pada 16 Sept lalu adalah tidak benar.

"Tidak perlulah kita membuang masa melayani pembohongan beliau dan sebaliknya tumpuan harus diberikan kepada usaha membangunkan ekonomi dan negara serta menangani kesan krisis kewangan global," katanya.

Katanya dalam keadaan krisis kewangan yang tenat di Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah, keutamaan kerajaan dan rakyat di negara ini ialah menangani masalah ekonomi serta meningkatkan aktiviti yang boleh mencergaskan ekonomi agar rakyat tidak begitu merasai kesannya.

You call that a Hari Raya wish?

'Hapuskan ISA, Lepaskan Hindraf; Hapuskan ISA, Lepaskan Hindraf' (Repeal the ISA, Release the Hindraf detainees). That was all the group of HINDRAF supporters said to Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the Hari Raya Eidul Fitri open house hosted by cabinet ministers at the PWTC recently. Only one among them wished Selamat Hari Raya.

This not the kind of greeting one conveys to a host on Hari Raya.

Following an outcry from many quarters, HINDRAF again turned the tables around by saying that they were wrongly reported by the media and threatened to sue the Home Minister as well as one of the main stream newspapers.

This always seems to be HINDRAF's favorite modus operandi – by using children and other convenient excuses to cover their true intentions.

All I can say to them at this juncture is "STOP IT." People are not blind. They can see where you are coming from all the time...

New York oil price falls below 90 dollars

The benchmark New York oil futures contract briefly fell below 90 dollars a barrel today in Asian trade.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for November delivery, was 3.91 dollars lower at 89.97 dollars a barrel in late afternoon trade before rebounding to just above 90 dollars.

London's Brent North Sea crude for delivery in November had already dropped below the 90-dollar mark on September 16.

World oil prices have fallen sharply from record high levels above 147 dollars reached in July, on concerns that demand is slowing during a global financial crisis, dealers say.

- AFP

Capital Flight: Anwar silap

Anwar menyangka dapat menjatuhkan kredibiliti ekonomi negara semasa mengambil bahagian pada satu forum di Hong Kong baru-baru ini.

Fakta yang dikemukakannya salah kerana pengaliran FDI dari Malaysia sebenarnya bukan boleh diertikan sebagai 'capital flight.' Ia adalah pengaliran keluar dana oleh syarikat-syarikat transnasional kepunyaan Malaysia sendiri secara terancang.

Ini membuktikan aliran keluar (82% atau A$10bil) dan masuk sebenarnya positif walaupun pengaliran keluar mengatasi pengaliran masuk.

Jika Anwar ingin menyerang kerajaan, dia sepatutnya mengingatkan dirinya dahulu bahawa dialah penyebab utama ketidaktentuan politik yang menyumbang kepada pengurangan pelaburan dari luar pada waktu ini. Malah diketahui Anwar telah mengadakan beberapa perjumpaan dengan para Pengurus Dana bagi memujuk mereka agar tidak melabur di Malaysia.

Ini jelas satu pengkhianatan nyata, semata mata kerana dia terlalu gilakan jawatan PERDANA MENTERI.