PM Badawi's threats to Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik not to 'kacau' or face the 'consequences'

ARTICLE BY COLIN NATHAN

I was completely disillusioned Monday night watching PM Badawi's threats
to Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik not to 'kacau' or face the 'consequences' and
this is serious.

Keng Yaik questioned why after 36 years, Bumi equity ownership was still
18.9%. (It was 20% in 1990) Clearly stating that he accepted the figure,
he merely wanted to know the methodology used to arrive at the figure.
Badawi's reaction is blatantly dishonest. In 2004, Morgan Stanley issued a
report that estimated that over 100Billion US Dollars (360 Billion
Ringgit) had been lost to Malay patronage in the 20 years preceeding 2003.
(1984 to 2003)
One economist estimates that in the 36 years of it's existence, the NEP
has been used to channel over ONE TRILLION RINGGIT to the Malay community
through ASN, ASB and all related Govt policies.

Since 1970, the Govt has used the NEP to covet education, employment and
every other conceivable benefit to the Malays. These measures have largely
been successful with all the top posts in GLCs, Government, Universities,
Public listed companies and practically every single area that the Govt
has any control over being reserved for one race. No company may be listed
with a lower than 30% Bumi equity but there is absolutely no problem if it
is otherwise. Some industries have a mandatory 51% Bumi ownership and some
industries are reserved exclusively for them. Petronas for example only
employs and awards contracts to Malays.

ALL Govt and Municipal contracts are reserved to class 'F' Bumi
contractors. All the proposed projects under the 9th Malaysia Plan thus
far are reserved for 100% Bumi owned companies. Even open tender projects
are awarded to Malays even if their prices are higher with inferior
materials. Micro business loans, business licenses, discounts on property
purchases, new Govt employment, EVEN LICENSES FOR HAWKER STALLS are
reserved for one race. The list goes on and on and the summary is that the
Malay now believes undoubtedly that he is racially privileged.
ASLI's figures of 45% are opposed to the Govt's 18.9% because, firstly,
equity value is calculated at par value. For example, if you held 1,000
Maxis shares RM 5/- each, the Govt says that it is only worth RM 250.00 as
these shares are at a par value of 25cents each. If you owned a company
with a paid up value of RM 2/- but conducted millions of Ringgit worth of
transactions, the Govt values that company at RM 2/-.

The chief setbacks of the abuses of NEP are rampant corruption and
cronyism, worsening racial polarization, unrelenting brain drains, warped
educational system, thwarted economic competitiveness, ineffectual
bureaucracy, retarded economic growth and perverted social values. Such
anachronistic and regressive policy has no place in the present
globalizing world, and for that matter, in any civilized society.

PM Badawi recently intensified the imprint of the perverted NEP philosophy
by prohibiting inter-religious and inter-racial discourse which would
otherwise have contributed to greater understanding and harmony among the
races.

Consider the hegemony this has created........

The Jasin MP's saga of cheating millions from Customs over timber imports
went unpunished. APs are reserved for Bumis only and despite the millions
that each of them make year after year, a senator's son has the audacity
to clone the APs several times and the whole thing gets swept under the
carpet. A Port Klang councilor buys a 43,000 sq ft plot of land set aside
for low cost housing valued at 1.8 million Ringgit for only 180k Ringgit
and builds a palace without any approval. He gets fined RM 5,000 and still
has 30days from today to submit his building plans. Yesterday, despite all
the bad press this issue got, the Selangor state Govt confirms his
position and that of his son and daughter-in-law as councilors. The
message is clear. Power has shifted from the people to the executive.
The whole issue of Bumi chauvinism started at last year's UMNO assembly
when the very very vocal UMNO Youth leaders stated in short that 'It's our
turn to be rich.' This greed is not going to end. We as a nation of loyal
citizens have to put a dent into this rubbish for the sake of our
children. We need a stronger opposition. By sending a threat to Datuk Seri
Lim Keng Yaik, Badawi has betrayed us all. Remember this at the next
general election.

We need a change in Govt. We need a stronger opposition. We need to
send a message to the powers that be that we will not accept second class
status for our children.

Colin Nathan