My Miscellaneous Page

Kenapa Kuan Yew edar suratnya kepada media?

AGAK melucukan membaca tajuk akhbar muka depan semua akhbar perdana hari ini yang memberi gambaran sekali imbas kononnya Lee Kuan Yew telah memohon maaf kerana menuduh kita meminggirkan warganegara berketurunan Cina.

Tetapi apakah benar dia telah memohon maaf? Saya kira inilah satu-satunya contoh di mana yang memohon maaf sebenarnya tidak berbuat demikian.

Apa yang dia lakukan hanyalah memohon maaf kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad kerana kenyataannya di hadapan hadirin ke persidangan Bank Dunia/Tabung Kewangan Antarabangsa di Singapura pertengahan bulan lalu telah membuat Perdana Menteri ‘tidak selesa’.

Membaca suratnya sekali imbas pun boleh memberi gambaran bahawa dia bukan saja tidak mohon maaf kerana membuat tuduhannya bahawa warga keturunan Cina di Malaysia dipinggirkan tetapi telah menguatkan kembali tuduhannya itu. Malah dia telah menuduh Malaysialah yang memulakan tuduhan demikian dengan mengatakan bahawa Melayu Singapura dipinggirkan.

Kita tidak kisah terhadap sebarang pendiriannya, tetapi apabila menyuarakannya di khalayak ramai dan di depan audien antarabangsa pula, tentunya ia bertujuan memburuk-burukkan kita dan kita tentunya tidak boleh berdiam diri.

Dan dia telah mengedarkan pula suratnya itu yang merupakan balasan kepada surat peribadi daripada Pak Lah. Mengikut tatatertib hubungan antarabangsa serta protokol hubungan antara negara, pengedaran surat begini tidak sepatutnya berlaku.

Sebaliknya Kuan Yew telah mengedarkan suratnya itu kepada akhbar sebaik saja mendapati suratnya itu telah diterima Pak Lah. Apakah tindakannya itu tidak menunjukkan betapa tidak hormatnya dia kepada Pak Lah dan kerajaan kita? Apakah dia mahu menunjukkan bahawa dia tidak langsung hiraukan protokol dan etika dalam hubungan antarabangsa dan hubungan dengan kita?

– REJAL ARBEE,

Kuala Lumpur.

Kajian orang Melayu kuasai 45% ekuiti ekonomi tidak tepat – Abdullah

PUTRAJAYA 5 Okt. – Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata, kajian Institut Kajian Strategik dan Kepimpinan Asia (ASLI) mengenai orang Melayu yang dikatakan sudah menguasai 45 peratus kekayaan ekonomi di negara ini adalah tidak berasas.

Sambil menyifatkannya sebagai tidak bertanggungjawab, Perdana Menteri menekankan beberapa asas yang digunakan untuk kajian itu adalah tidak betul menyebabkan kesimpulannya juga tidak betul.

Beliau berkata, ini kerana kaedah yang digunakan oleh sekumpulan penyelidik dari badan bukan berteras keuntungan itu hanya melibatkan 1,000 syarikat sahaja.

Sebaliknya, beliau berkata, maklumat dari Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU) dan dokumen kerajaan semasa pembentangan Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9) lebih tepat kerana melibatkan kajian 600,000 syarikat di Malaysia.

Pemilikan ekuiti bumiputera kini ialah kira-kira 18 peratus.

“Ia adalah asas yang besar untuk mendapatkan maklumat dan kalau cakap pasal hal syarikat penama, ada 300 lebih dan syarikat penama (nomini) ini bila dibuat kajian, jelas didapati 60 peratus adalah syarikat bukan bumiputera.

“Syarikat penama yang milik bumiputera hanya 13 peratus. Jadi bila maklumat dah tak betul, bila asas tak betul maka bagaimana kesimpulan yang dibuat itu menjadi betul,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Badan Bertindak Pelaksanaan Negara (NITF), di sini hari ini.

Abdullah mengulas kajian ASLI bertajuk Pengagihan Ekuiti Korporat – Arah Aliran Lalu dan Polisi Masa Depan yang mendakwa bumiputera sudah mencapai ekuiti ekonomi dalam negara sehingga 45 peratus – melebihi sasaran 30 peratus yang ditetapkan dalam Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB).

Persoalan mengenai perkara itu turut dibangkitkan oleh Awang Selamat di dalam ruangan pojok Bisik-Bisik Awang Selamat Utusan Malaysia yang tertanya-tanya bagaimana ada pihak boleh membuat kesimpulan bahawa orang Melayu kini menguasai 45 peratus ekonomi negara.

Perdana Menteri berkata, sekiranya kesimpulan itu digunakan sebagai asas perbincangan oleh satu badan pemikir yang terkenal seperti ASLI, maka ia akan menimbulkan pelbagai reaksi.

Kenyataan itu, tegas beliau akan menimbulkan banyak persoalan dan akhirnya berlaku tuduh-menuduh.

“Kesimpulan yang dibuat tidak betul dan itu adalah satu tindakan yang boleh saya anggap sebagai tidak bertanggungjawab,” katanya.

Pada sidang akhbar itu, Perdana Menteri menegaskan syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) bukan syarikat bumiputera, sebaliknya ia adalah syarikat kerajaan dengan semua keuntungan diserahkan kepada kerajaan dan perbendaharaan.

“Keuntungan itu akan dimasukkan ke dalam dana yang akan digunakan untuk keperluan negara dan rakyat, bukan untuk keperluan bumiputera.

“Itu adalah satu perkara yang perlu diambil kira. Kalau orang anggap GLC ini semua syarikat bumiputera, itu tak betul. Siapa kata GLC syarikat bumiputera. Itu kenyataan salah yang menimbulkan reaksi tidak baik nanti di kalangan bukan bumiputera,” katanya.

Khairy urged to prove sincerity

By NG CHENG YEE

Thursday October 5, 2006

chengyee@thestar.com.my 

PETALING JAYA: The MCA Youth has urged Khairy Jamaluddin to prove he has no intentions of hurting the feelings of the Chinese community.  

MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said Khairy, who is the Umno Youth deputy chief, should also ensure he did not repeat remarks that would offend the community. 

“We will continue to observe and will explain to the grassroots and listen to their views,” he told a press conference after launching the 8th Yamaha Balik Kampung Safety Campaign here yesterday. 

KICKING IT OFF: Liow and Road Safety Department director-general Suret Singh helping motorcyclist Sukster Singh put on a safety vest at the launch of the campaign in Petaling Jaya. On the left is Malaysia Motorcycle & Scooter Dealers Association president Wee Hong.

“Problems cannot be solved in a single meeting. We need more time, sincerity and action to show that the statement of a particular person has been misconstrued before the truth can be revealed,” he said.  

Several Barisan parties criticised Khairy for his remarks in August that non-Malay parties would take advantage of a weak Umno. 

Liow said no one should be allowed to jeopardise racial harmony. 

On whether he agreed that Khairy’s statement had been misinterpreted by the media, Liow said Khairy should straighten things out with the media himself. 

He said the MCA Youth would work with other parties within the Barisan Youth movement to boost unity. 

He said he had clearly voiced the views of the MCA’s youth central delegates and the gravity of the matter. 

“We have told him (Khairy) that his speeches had hurt the feelings of the Chinese and he (Khairy) told us that he never intended to do so. 

On how Khairy should prove his sincerity, Liow said: “We will see.” 

Earlier at the launch of the road safety campaign, Liow said he hoped the campaign, which provided a scientific explanation of dangerous situations, blind spots, the right way of wearing the helmet and using brakes, would educate and change the attitude of motorcyclists.  

The campaign is jointly organised by the Malaysian Motorcycle and Scooter Dealers Association, Youth and Sports Ministry, Road Safety Department, Hong Leong Yamaha Motor, Litrak, P&O Insurance and KHI Helmet. 

Starting yesterday, technicians from Hong Leong Yamaha Motor would be offering a free 15-point safety check for motorcycles at over six locations along highways in Ipoh, Penang, Johor, Malacca, Pahang and here. 

Liow said the total number of accidents nationwide from January to August last year was 214,000, and it had risen to 222,000 this year.  

Cabinet backs PM’s decision

Thursday October 5, 2006

PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has backed the Prime Minister’s decision to reject Lee Kuan Yew’s remarks that the Chinese community in Malaysia is marginalised. 

At its weekly meeting yesterday, the Cabinet felt that Lee’s reply to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was just an explanation and not intended to be an apology. 

However, the Government would not pursue the matter as the Cabinet felt that the Singapore Minister Mentor “was set in his views,” Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said. 

Lee struck raw nerves in Malaysia and Indonesia after he told an international forum that Singapore’s neighbours had problems with their successful Chinese and systematically marginalising them. 

“The Cabinet discussed the Government’s position and we listened to the explanation given to the Prime Minister. He also explained to us what he had said at the press conference yesterday. 

“What the Prime Minister said is the Government’s position,” Syed Hamid told The Star.  

Abdullah on Tuesday gave an icy response to Lee’s letter explaining why he made the remarks at the forum on the sidelines of the recent International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in the island republic. 

While taking note of his explanation, the Prime Minister had told Lee not to repeat such statements. 

Syed Hamid said the Government hoped Lee would not cause more “discomfort” to Abdullah.  

Lee’s comments has not hurt ties with Singapore

By MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR and IZATUN SHARI

Friday October 6, 2006

PUTRAJAYA: Lee Kuan Yew’s remarks on Chinese in Malaysia being marginalised is not affecting bilateral ties between the two countries at the moment, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. 

“Apart from this issue today, (relations) are still the same. I do not see any other effect at the moment. This is the only problem that we are facing now,” Abdullah said when asked about the state of bilateral relations with Singapore following Minister Mentor Lee’s remarks at an International forum that Singapore’s neighbours had problems with their successful Chinese and systematically marginalised them. 

Abdullah refused to answer any questions relating to Lee’s reply to his letter seeking an explanation for the remarks.  

Lee’s reply elicited icy response from Abdullah.  

The Prime Minister said the Cabinet on Wednesday backed his stance. 

“I am not making anymore statements. You can’t control what people want to say or what not to say,” he told reporters after chairing the National Implementation Task Force meeting at the Prime Minister’s office here yesterday. 

Abdullah also dismissed a question that he would be calling for a snap general election this year. 

“Why should I? You give me a reason why I should do it?” he said. 

“Why should I seek another big mandate? The mandate that I have is a very big mandate, I still have time to deliver what I promised the people.”  

There has been speculation that the Prime Minister would call for an early general election following his announcement that the Umno polls scheduled for next year would be deferred until after the general election. 

In Kota Baru, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia does not consider Lee’s apology to be sincere as he only said sorry on the basis that his remarks had caused an undesirable effect to bilateral relations.  

PM: Report on equity wrong

By SUSAN TAM

Friday October 6, 2006

 PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has dismissed the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s (Asli) Centre for Public Policy Studies’ report on bumiputra equity as inaccurate. 

“If the information used (in the survey) is wrong, how could you get a correct conclusion? It will be wrong,” he told reporters when asked to comment about the report, Corporate Equity Distribution – Past Trends and Future Policy, yesterday. 

The report, citing statistics from the Bursa Malaysia Corporate Equity’s 2005, estimated the amount of bumiputra equity ownership at 45% of the RM715.4bil worth of stocks on the stock exchange, or RM325.08bil.  

However, the Government’s estimate of bumiputra equity ownership in the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) was only 18.9%. 

Abdullah said the information used by the Economic Planning Unit for government documents involved 600,000 companies in Malaysia . 

It was reported that Asli had cited information from a sample of 1,000 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia to substantiate its findings. 

“If this conclusion is used as a discussion point in a forum by a well-known think tank like Asli, this will result in reactions that are, in my view, not good. It will raise many questions and allegations,” he said, adding that to present the report, which was incomplete, was irresponsible. 

“Government-linked companies (GLCs) are not bumiputra companies. These are government companies, with their profits given to the Treasury, and the funds are used for the people and country,” he said. 

It was wrong for people to assume GLCs were bumiputra-owned and this would result in unpleasant reactions from non-bumiputras, Abdullah said. “It could incite anger.”  

The debate on bumiputra equity came about after Asli published a report earlier this year that the New Economic Policy target of 30% had been exceeded. 

He said there were more than 300 nominee companies. “If you conduct a survey, you would discover that only 13% was bumiputra-owned, with some 60% owned by non-bumiputras,” he said. 

On the fifth meeting of the National Implementation Task Force (NITF), Abdullah said more than 50 projects had been tendered, and by the year-end the figure would reach 200. 

Commenting on the bumiputra equity issue, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government had a different mechanism for gauging the level of the group’s equity in the economy. 

Disputing the Asli report, he said the position of bumiputras was relatively low. 

“We do not want it to become a polemic issue. There are various measurements to gauge the level. We base it on the par value of the bumiputras, not on the share value of big companies,” he told a press conference during a half-day working visit to Kelantan.