Find People's Fault First, Performance Later

For the first few months governing one of the richest states in Malaysia, the Selangor government was only keen to search for and catalog Khir Toyo's follies and fumbles. Even their very own brethren were tainted in money politics and insider dealings resulted in the departure of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's special officer.

Enter Eli Wong, the state assemblyman and State Exco, whose nude pictures taken by dear boyfriend were released on the internet. Eli was pressured to step down even by party mate YB Zul Noordin, Kulim. Eli took a long holiday before being offered to continue working with the State Government by Tan Sri Khalid. Not to anyone's surprise, Pakatan Rakyat accused Barisan Nasional for orchestrating the whole episode instead of dear boyfriend (his boyfriend is still missing).

Perak is similar. After losing 3 State Assemblymen to Barisan Nasional, they've been adamant to tear the current Perak Government down through the courts with petty issues. DAP has been attempting to attack every technical & legal avenue possible; failing to recognize that all of this had started with their own 3 jumping ship (Pakatan should seek clarification from its defacto leader as to the status of the other 30 MPs ready to abandon the BN ship). The attacks included blaming the Sultan of Perak for misinterpreting the state constitution in his Majesty's decision to ask Nizar to step down as Menteri Besar.

Because they were locked out from the State Govt office, the disbanded Pakatan Rakyat "Exco" led by Sivakumar convened a meeting under a tree to extract more sympathy votes for their struggle. A plaque dedicated to the "tree of democracy" was built but later vandalized. To add salt to the wound, the Ipoh Municipal decreed that the plaque was erected illegally.

In Penang, the Deputy Chief Minister, Fairuz, was asked to resign due to his intention to further his studies (why did he contest in the first place knowing that he would want to go to grad school during his tenure?). Fairuz was allegedly involved in some dealings concerning state quarry projects. Lim Guan Eng was furious that he was not notified of Fairuz' resignation (Isn't he the Chief Minister)? Anwar later apologized to Lim Guan Eng. Meanwhile, Fairuz had threatened Pakatan Rakyat that he would expose their treasured secrets if his name was not cleared. The MACC then had cleared his name.

All kinds of drama in "Makkal Sakthi" movement. Find People's Fault First, Performance Later. The clock is ticking. General Election is around the corner. Get ready.

This is the real "People First, Performance Now". Please take note.

U.S. Said to Seek a Chrysler Plan for Bankruptcy

"The company faces a deadline of April 30 to come up with a viable business plan supported by its creditors, the United Automobile Workers union, and Fiat, the Italian car company that wants to acquire a stake in Chrysler".

>> Why would Obama inject massive public funds into private companies without nationalizing them first and changing out current management? Fiat intends to purchase the ailing US auto, but Congress once blocked China from acquiring Unocal. Incoherent US policies.

To PKR: This is no Chess Club

Wan Azizah stepped down last year to make way for hubby, the de-facto leader of Pakatan Rakyat. A by-election was in order due to the resignation. The PR coalition is supposedly gaining momentum, on its way to seize and conquer Putrajaya. After failing his bid to declare a new government on Sept 16 last year, Anwar decided to change the take over date to Hari Raya Qorban. Hari Raya Qorban had passed, and Anwar was still the opposition leader. Maybe it was the wrong date.

Then, Arumugam, State Assemblyman of Bukit Selambau, Kedah, caught with some scandal resigned, making way for another by-election. He had claimed that there was pressure to make him switch camp, a promise of great wealth & fortune if he packs and joins BN. Fortunately, PKR retained the seat.

Now, the Deputy Chief Minister Fairuz, previously claiming to further his studies, has resigned, suspected of being involved in multiple corruption cases concerning quarry management and other projects in Penang. His resignation will force the voters to come out once again. Fairuz is now threatening PR to clear his name, lest be exposed of its inner dealings that I reckon the public would have an interest on.

With all the money being spent on by-elections, when will it stop? If Fairuz were to be trialed and convicted with a crime, the seat should be left vacated until the next general election. We are not in the right economic environment to be spending resources on by-elections everytime some inconsiderate YB resigns (deaths are acceptable of course but they raise the question of health screening among YBs). There should not be any correct economic environment in the first place to justify such practice. Are we to condone these leaders vacating a seat like it was the Chess Club?

The Malays are known to possess a trait of being "kesian" (having sympathy for someone), according to the late Senu Abdul Rahman. He would have said "kesian dia".

On Hudud (again)

Had an open discussion on facebook recently on race-based politics. The premise of the debate was to discuss whether race-based politics was the main ingredient of the declining support for BN. I begged to differ as both sides were equally 'guilty' to some degree of advocating race-based politics, which is not something treachery or destructive, it's just the nature of the landscape in our country.

Although PAS' islamic approach is noble, I really can't accept the rhetorics behind boycotting Western concert, depicted to be "maksiat" or evil. It's no different than our "Jom Heboh" concert or watching MTV, HBO. No consistency there in their stand. We know they got a big bashing from DAP on Hudud, and they retracted the stance soon after.

On Penang development under Gerakan for 18 years vs how DAP is running it now, well, I do not have enough data to make any convinction, but it may seem that people are saying DAP is doing a better job. Guan Eng perhaps is trying to leave the shadows of his father who seems to be more extreme in his approach. Is it really UMNO's fault if Gerakan lost control of the island?

On a different note, YB Eli has accepted the offer to continue working. I think that's acceptable seeing that it's actually a blatant invasion of privacy. What if photos of a leader caught in the act of sodomy were released, hypothetically? Would it be an invasion of privacy or do you think resignation is in order? During Genghis Khan's reign, sodomy was punishable by death.

Explaining the National Economic Policy

NEP, one of the double-edged swords in Malaysian political landscape, champion it and you lose the support for the non-Malays, abandon it and the Malays shirk away. What is the right balance? No one knows. However, we cannot dismiss the fact that the policy has increased Malay holdings in the market up to 19%, increased the number of Malay professionals, reduce poverty through multiple agencies created under the purview of NEP, creation of universities and so on. Tan Sri Sulaiman Mahbob argues that the policy, although perceived by many as benefitting the Malays only, benefits all in the context of project distribution and eradicating poverty. When projects are given out by the government, because the chinese holds a major stake in the construction business and supplies, not only the malay companies given the award would benefit, but the spill over effect reaches others.

MCA Retaliates Soon After MIC's Discontent

MCA firing away at Tan Sri Muhyiddin's statement on Sunday on why the Chinese voters went the other way.

Press Statement issued by MCA Spokesperson and Central Committee member Sdr. Lee Wei Kiat in taking exception to remarks by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Bukit Gantang that “(sokongan kaum Cina) mencatatkan penurunan, macam tidak ada penghargaan terhadap apa yang kita lakukan (the drop in Chinese support is like as if there is no appreciation towards what we (BN) are doing)” as reported in Utusan Malaysia on 12 April 2009.

From grievances with vernacular education, Malay special privileges to award of contracts and "preferential" in the civil service and police force. Harping the tunes of opposition? Well, then we'd have to say, how about monopoly in businesses and market domination, discrimination in the private sector for mandarin-speaking candidates, opposition to streamlined education system, ignoring the social contract, side stepping power sharing concept, allowing seats to be held by MCA in malay-dominated areas, 18 years of non-progression for the malay community in Penang.

The blame game continues.

Losing Sight Of Priorities

Here we go again. Just when PM is making progress with naming his cabinet and getting the ball rolling, both sides are clamoring about who's not supposed to be in his cabinet and who should and why MECD was abolished? The agencies and bodies under the former MECD has been re-organized and absorbed into several ministries, including Rural Development and MITI. Imagine detractors trying to crucify PM if and when logical merger is done, say between MOA and Ministry of Plantation and Commodities, "Who will protect palm oil?!". The whole idea of streamlining is to enhance efficiency and minimize overlapping. While I may think that more could have been done, but that's PM's prerogative and the dynamics of power sharing in BN would dictate a higher importance than rational cabinet downsizing.

The pressure is not coming solely from the Opposition, but pro-government entities. Even MIC is threatening to pull out, albeit being slaughtered in the last GE (remember Kayveas threatening to pull out from the coalition also?). Securing seats in the cabinet does not equate to having the ability to help the Indian community. The president of MIC should resolve outstanding issues such as Maika Holdings failure to disburse dividends, allegations of funds mismanagement and reforming the election mechanism in the organization, not lobbying for cabinet positions.

Welcome back, Mahathirism - Malaysiakini

>> In the US, the democractic party is nothing similar to our coalition formula. Obama also made some follies when selecting 2 members who did not pay their taxes and bringing in old faces from the previous Clinton administration. Of course US democratic system is exemplary where cabinet appointments and some 7000 political appointments must be agreed by Congress.

The composition of the PR is nothing different than that of BN. If PR is saying they are more race-blind, then why is PR endorsing Hindraf (clearly a racist hate group), why did PAS say it's haram to vote for non-muslim candidates and then flip flop on that, DAP is clearly chinese dominated, PAS with Malays, etc. So if they're so full of it about race being immaterial, prove it by forming a one-party system and open election among the races.

And no, America is not the land of the free if you have names similar to suspected terrorists and you get locked up at the airport for having beards and wearing kupiah. Gitmo?

Quoted from Malaysiakini
New cabinet - 'Welcome back, Mahathirism'
Apr 11, 09 11:20am

‘By not giving Khairy any post, Najib is just inviting trouble. To rub salt into the wound, Mukhriz is deputy minister of Miti.’

On Najib names his new cabinet

Sivaraman: Same old, same old. By not giving Khairy any post, Najib is just inviting trouble. To rub salt into the wound, Mukhriz is deputy minister of Miti. Welcome back, Mahathirism.Malaysia Boleh: ‘Of the ministers, 16 are from Umno, MCA (4), MIC (1), Gerakan (1), PBB (1), Supp (1), PBS (1) and Upko (1).’ Well, can we see any changes here? It is safe to say ketuanan is still being practiced. Look at the ratio, it is just like my working place. Seventy-five percent bumis, 20% Chinese, followed by rest of us at 5%. It just so disheartening.Fifty years ago my father saw this and now I’m still seeing it and so will my children. Well, PKR, it’s time to change. Hear me and hear the people - ‘go for it’.

Rachel Loo: With the new cabinet line-up, I see Bernard Dompok has been retained as a minister. As such, perhaps our YB can now persuade our new PM, in line with his vision of ‘1Malaysia’, to declare Good Friday a public holiday for the Christians in West Malaysia just like in Sabah and Sarawak. Is Bernard Dompok only representing the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak or is he representing all Christians in Malaysia ?

Sang Kancil: Saudara Najib finally managed to get all his men into the system, one which will face a real challenge from the rakyat. If we analyse it properly, some of the senators and MPs who were selected to hold a minister’s or deputy minister's post are basically losers. Meaning to say, they are ‘rejects’. They were either rejected during the 12GE or during the Umno elections recently. Is this what we call democracy? Getting someone rejected by the rakyat into the cabinet is totally unwarranted. Perhaps the BN machinery is punishing the rakyat for not giving them absolute power during the 12GE. Anyway, we the rakyat, are not really worried or bothered about this too much. After all, this may be the last BN cabinet in Malaysian history.

Rahmanizan: Do you know Obama took more than 30 days to find the right people to form his cabinet? Everyone that was short-listed was checked and scrutinised to ensure that they are clean and did not come with any baggage that could put his administration in bad light. He looked for the best, the most capable, the most qualified and ones that were highly regarded to assume their respective posts.And now compare that to Najib's administration. Najib selected his cabinet in just six days and what do we have? Pure politicians! They were selected because they are heads of BN component parties or the leaders of each of the parties’ wing or Umno loyalists. The selections were made purely to appease the political parties.Now you see why America is named the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave whereas Malaysia is Bolehland.

Great Start with Cabinet - Now Some Tough Work

Now that the cabinet has been assembled, it's time to get some government work done. The main issues of interest to me and colleagues alike:

FINANCE! No surprise there with Dato' Najib still holding on to the most crucial portfolio in our trying times. Where is our second Fortune 500 to kick in more revenue for the country? We cannot be dependent on oil as the main revenue stream forever. What is our stand on continuing fuel subsidy? Should we scout around for great acquisition opportunities overseas, i.e. GM, GE? The new wave of GLC bosses would definitely determine whether Dato' Najib's ambition to put us back on track would materialize. How about reactivating vital economic projects, i.e. Bridge to Singapore? Shelf the second bridge project in Penang, is it really a necessity now? What of our bad investments via CTRM in the US and such? Hmmmm Tenaga made some big losses there last year, what's your plan sir?

Home: Dato' Hisham will face the enormous task of lowering crime figures, studying the ISA to be more "acceptable" to the general public, cracking down on the increase of foreign labors. As much as we want this to be a free country for press and media, hate groups such as Hindraf should be banned and locked up for good. Need to increase the number of cops and their salary. ISA is a required component of national security.

Defence: Dato' Zahid, please get our radars up and running, attempt to reach the impossible level of getting a 1:1 ratio of pilots to planes, define a defence doctrine, cease irrational procurements, increase the number of soldiers and their salary. Please cease the usage of military assets for NGO use. Perhaps getting our Navy in more engaging roles internationally like the recent escort mission in Gulf of Aden. RMC new campus and IB program still on?

Transport: What of the government's promise to add a perpendicular line to the current LRT track? The greatest challenge is overcoming bureaucratic hurdles of coordinating with multiples agencies and government bodies to get this going. I hope Labu airport is off the table for good. what of the national physical plan?

MITI: Mainly to finalize the FTA with the US, obviously to ensure that our interests are protected against giant congolomerates eating up mom & pop setups, regardless of what they say about how rewarding capitalism is. Malaysia Kitchen project should be continued and expanded. Need to boost our exports before it really hurts us dramatically, source for new emerging markets in South America and Middle East. What of APs and the national automotive policy? When are these being phased out?

MOSTI: Please don't send another space tourist, purchase exorbitant space suits and capsules. Continue to strengthen MDeC and Biotech Corp in facilitating home grown companies to capture a better slice in the market overseas. MOSTI has been busting their budgets for years. Need to be able to manage their finances better.

Sports: Please don't over-promise and under-deliver. For this one term, focus on a few projects, please do not use public funds to procure facilities overseas. If the football team makes it somewhere regionally or globally, it'll be a good enough term/KPI. Avoid being too ambitious. Study viability of getting more involved in increasingly popular sporting events among youths, i.e. paintball, futsal.

Foreign Affairs: The continuous battle to settle border disputes must continue full steam ahead. Study the possibility of retaking Pulau Batu Putih at all cost to boost political morale! Bridge to Singapore?

Rural Development: Since a Sabahan is leading this ministry, we should not hear any more complaints about not having water and electricity in schools and homes. Sabah is one of the biggest recipients of federal funds and now one of three vice presidents of UMNO is the minister of rural development. So, let's see some work done.

Agro: OK, now that Agro bank has been 'commercialized', why is it still difficult to extract loans for small & medium farmers? Easy for the big congolomerates to say, they're getting the juicy stuff. Should study Yunus' microcredit program in Bangladesh. The target for this ministry should be 'self-sufficiency' for food supply.

Energy, Green Tech & Water: Is Peter Chin up to it to assess the viability of alternative energy and fuel replacement initiative? What is the commercial viability of biofuel, wind farms, nuclear, geothermal and such for the country? Wasn't nuclear discussed at some point of time last year?

Plantation and Commodities: How is it that our island neighbor has the biggest asset base in palm oil but we've got all the land?

Above all, Dato' Najib has stressed on minimizing formalities. No more red carpets, trips to Disneyland, RM100k watches for anniversary, tonnes of billboards with minister's face next to PM and TPM, etc. Watch your budgets like a hawk. Study the auditor-general's latest report and fix the flaws pronto. These are robust KPIs to monitor. Kick out ministers resting on their laurels.

New Cabinet
Marina's take
Datuk Kadir Jasin's view

When the Church Does Not Get Separated From State

Is this revelation of what's happening in the Israeli Army shocking to the general public? We've heard about it getting publicized but not to this extent. It is now clear that a faction within the government wants to exterminate the "gentiles" from "Jewish land".

Am quite surprised this was published by a renowned Western media, seeing most of the time the obvious lob-sided reporting covers a wide array of stories exclusively about Muslim extremists obsessed with killing infidels by strapping themselves to loosely-wired bombs.

"We are the Jewish people, we came to this land by a miracle, God brought us back to this land and now we need to fight to expel the non-Jews who are interfering with our conquest of this holy land"

Kabinet Baru

Kita sekarang menanti pengumuman kabinet baru oleh Dato' Seri Najib, Perdana Menteri Malaysia ke-enam. Umum tertanya-tanya, adakah pembentukan kabinet baru oleh Dato' Najib akan mencerminkan hasrat beliau untuk mengubah persepsi dan tanggapan umum mengenai UMNO dan kerajaan Barisan Nasional?

Ramai tokoh-tokoh UMNO yang kalah dalam pemilihan UMNO baru-baru ini, antaranya menteri-menteri kanan seperti Dato' Seri Khaled Nordin, Dato' Seri Utama Rais, Dato' Shahrir, Dato' Seri Azalina dan 4 Menteri Besar. Dato' Seri Sharizat, walaupun kecundang di parlimen Lembah Pantai, telah menang dengan majoriti yang besar sebagai Ketua Wanita. Sama juga dengan parti-parti komponen yang mana kepimpinan mereka kecundang di kerusi Parlimen masing-masing dalam PRU-12.

Kerana dunia dilanda wabak ekonomi yang perit, Dato' Najib perlu menubuhkan pasukan ekonomi yang terbaik dan terhandal tanpa mengira jika ada jawatan di dalam UMNO dan mengaktifkan semula Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi dibawah nasihat pakar-pakar ekonomi, "industry captains" dan negarawan seperti TDM. Kerana darurat ekonomi yang sedang melanda kita, saya fikir Dato' Najib akan kekal sebagai Menteri Kewangan untuk menumpukan sepenuh perhatiannya dalam kedudukan khazanah negara.

Kabinet baru di bawah pentadbiran Dato' Najib mungkin akan mirip seperti yang berikut:

TS Muhyiddin: TPM & Menteri Dalam Negeri

DS Zahid Hamidi: Menteri Pertahanan

DS Hisham: Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (kedudukan yang penting untuk menilai dan mengukuhkan kedudukan ekspot negara ekoran ekonomi yang merudum di arena global, juga mengkaji semula FTA dengan Amerika Syarikat).

DS Shafie Afdal: Menteri Pertanian (dengan gabungan Kementerian Perusahaan Perladangan dan Komoditi), sesuai dengan fokus kerajaan membangunkan Sabah yang berasaskan pertanian dan Sarawak sebagai jelapang padi baru negara.

DSU Rais: dikekalkan Menteri Luar (fokus untuk mendapatkan semula Pulau Batu Putih, menyelesaikan isu Limbang dan lain-lain "border disputes"), walaupun kalah dalam pemilihan sebagai Naib Presiden UMNO, kearifan beliau dalam undang-undang dan kalibernya sebagai menteri kanan masih diperlukan Dato' Najib.

DS Khaled: Menyambung kerja Dato' Shahrir sebagai Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan HEP, memberi pendedahan langsung kepada rintihan rakyat mengenai inflasi dan harga barang terutamanya isu harga dan subsidi petrol.

Tok Pa: Menteri Pelajaran (fokus untuk meneruskan PPSMI). Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi juga digabung semula dengan Kementerian Pelajaran supaya ada "continuity" apabila polisi-polisi kerajaan dilaksanakan di sekolah-sekolah.

JJ: Mungkin kembali sebagai Menteri Kewangan II.

Shaziman: Kekal di Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi, MOSTI digabungkan sekali untuk menyelaraskan pentadbiran ICT dan multimedia yang bersangkut paut dari segi infrastruktur.

Dato' Saifuddin: Kenaikan dari timbalan menteri ke menteri penuh kerana memenangi kerusi Majlis Tertinggi dan terkenal dengan penglibatan dalam NGO. Kementerian ini juga patut digabungkan dengan Kementerian Sumber Manusia untuk memantau isu pekerja asing. Isu ini berkaitan langsung dengan pembangunan usahawan dan latihan semula penganggur.

Dato' Sri Zin Mohamed: Kekal sebagai Menteri Kerja Raya (fokus dalam menyelesaikan masalah pembangunan di lereng bukit dan konsesi tol).

Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat: Kekal sebagai Menteri Pengangkutan.

Dato' Sri Ng Yen Yen: Menteri Pelancongan.

KJ: Timbalan Menteri Belia dan Sukan (sesuai dengan penglibatan beliau dalam arena bolasepak negara)

Dato' Mukhriz: Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran (memberi pengalaman kpd beliau sebagai saf kepimpinan akan datang dan mengatur strategi bagi pendidikan satu aliran untuk masa hadapan, satu elemen penting "One Malaysia")

Tan Sri Nor Mohamed: Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri utk portfolio EPU.

Menteri Kesihatan: Perlu seorang profesional dari bidang kesihatan, mungkin dari IJN.

Timbalan menteri yang akan menjadi menteri penuh: Idris Haron, Lajim Ukin, Latif Ahmad.

Menteri2 lain yang akan kekal: Ismail Sabri.

Pilihan ketara untuk wakil wanita dari UMNO ialah Dato' Seri Sharizat. Kerana beliau gagal memenangi parlimen Lembah Pantai, tetapi menang besar sebagai Ketua Wanita, Dato' Seri Najib akan melantik beliau sebagai senator dan Menteri Pembangunan Masyarakat dan Luar Bandar (gabungan 2 kementerian). Ketua Puteri Rosnah mungkin diberi Timbalan Menteri untuk menambahkan perwakilan wanita dalam kabinet.

Apa yang disampaikan hanyalah ramalan saya. Ini semua terpulang kepada saiz dan bentuk kabinet baru.

Rujukan:

Ahli2 Majlis Tertinggi UMNO 2009

Kabinet sekarang

Politics and economics under Najib - The Nut Graph

Apa komen PAS?

Nyata bahawa PAS mempunyai perkongsian yang kecil dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Bukan sahaja konsep negara Islam dan Hudud ditentang oleh rakan-rakan seperjuangan, sekarang PAS berdiam diri apabila Nga Kor Ming memetik ayat al-Quran dalam ceramah beliau. Komen Karpal mengenai hudud "Over my dead body". Apa komen orang-orang kuat PAS? Apa pendirian PAS apabila YB Zul Nordin mengetuai demonstrasi membantah tindakan Majlis Peguam mengadakan forum mengenai memeluk agama Islam?

Apa pula komen PAS mengenai ketua umumnya, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, yang kononnya telah membuat pengumuman penting mengenai satu pengumuman yang penting (announcing an announcement) jika menang di tiga-tiga pilihanraya kecil? Adakah ianya pengumuman sama pengambilalihan kuasa dari kerajaan seperti yang diumumkan tahun lepas? Mungkin tarikhnya telah bertukar ke April 16 2009. Komen Karpal mengenai Anwar "Anwar unfit to become PR leader".

Kenapa PAS bertukar sentimen mengatakan TDM akan ditelan kemarahan orang, tetapi sebelum ini mempelawa TDM masuk PAS apabila Tun keluar dari UMNO?

Caturan Baru - Pendapat Saya

Jika pembangkang merasakan kepulangan TDM sebagai satu isyarat bahawa UMNO itu sudah lapuk dan ketandusan idea, fikir semula kedudukan Lim Kit Siang dan Karpal dalam percaturan mereka. Kehadiran Tun Mahathir dapat menyemarakkan semula semangat perjuangan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional di bawah kepimpinanan Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke-enam. Mereka tahu kedudukan terancam jika UMNO tidak lagi berpecah dan kukuh dibawah kepimpinan Dato' Najib.

Yang penting sekarang ialah percaturan Dato' Najib dalam memilih ahli-ahli kabinet supaya agenda "One Malaysia" beliau dapat dilaksanakan dengan baik. Rata-rata masyarakat menyuarakan bahawa ini akan menunjukkan samada Dato' Najib betul-betul inginkan reform dan bukan semata-mata retorik.

Saya fikir penyelarasan portfolio-portfolio dalam kabinet sesuai dengan peredaran masa.

• Kementerian wilayah persekutuan perlu dimansuhkan kerana berlaku 'overlap' dengan peranan DBKL, Perbadanan Putrajaya dan Labuan.
  
• Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi elok kalau digabungkan semula supaya ada keseragaman dan 'continuity' dalam polisi-polisi pendidikan nasional khususnya PPSMI. Jika inginkan continuity, DS Hisham patut diberi peluang melancarkan perjalanan PPSMI sebelum diberi kepercayaan di kementerian yang lain.
  
• Kementerian Pertanian dan Asas Tani dan Kementerian Perusahaan Perladangan dan Komoditi juga patut digabung dan diberi fokus untuk menjayakan projek kerajaan berteraskan "self-sufficiency" dalam pengeluaran makanan dan justeru mengurangkan jumlah impot negara.
  
• Eloklah juga jika Dato' Najib fokus dalam tugasnya sebagai PM dan melepaskan portfolionya kepada yang layak. Mansuhkan kedudukan Menteri Kewangan II. Tidak salah jika beliau menobatkan seorang tokoh korporat untuk peranan ini.
• Peranan Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Innovasi dan Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi perlu diteliti juga. Ini kerana ICT yang diterajui oleh MDeC berada dibawah MOSTI tetapi pentadbiran multimedia di bawah MCMC terletak dalam bidang kuasa Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi.
• Mansuh jawatan Menteri di Parlimen untuk menunjukkan "separation of powers" dari bahagian eksekutif di Parlimen
• Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan patut digabungkan sekali dengan Kementerian Sumber Manusia kerana fokusnya yang agak serupa. PATI juga patut ditadbir dibawah kementerian yang baru ini. Hasrat kerajaan untuk mengurangkan bilangan pendatang asing dan melatih semula penganggur2 di negara dapat dilaksanakan dengan lebih berkesan di bawah satu kementerian. NEP dan juga hak keistimewaan juga patut dipantau oleh kementerian baru ini supaya implementasinya teratur dan tiada ketirisan atau salah guna keistimewaan seperti penjualan kontrak semula dan sebagainya.
• Kementerian Kesenian, Kebudayaan, Warisan & Perpaduan Negara, Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga & Masyarakat dan Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar digabungkan menjadi Kementerian Kesenian dan Pembangunan Masyarakat. Kementerian bukan sahaja akan bertanggungjawab dalam soal warisan dan kesenian, tetapi khusus dalam pembelaan masyarakat dan komuniti. Ketiga-tiga kementerian saya fikir mempunyai teras yang agak serupa.
  
• KDN tidak perlu lagi dipecahkan dua. Yang penting ialah untuk meletakkan seorang tokoh yang mempunyai integriti tinggi dan kepercayaan rakyat. Kerana kementerian ini dianggap sangat berpengaruh dan berkuasa, perlulah seorang yang tahu undang-undang dan dapat berkerjasama dengan pihak PDRM dan sebagainya dengan mesra dan profesional. Tokoh ini juga harus cekap dan fasih dalam menjelaskan polisi-polisi dan tindakan-tindakan kerajaan. Pertelingkahan antara PDRM dan kementerian yang kita saksikan sebelum ini tidak patut diulangi.

Bagaimana pula dengan reform dalam UMNO?

Nota 1: Apa muslihat MCA untuk menggesa Dato' Seri Najib supaya diwujudkan jawatan TPM II? Mana lagi penting, jawatan TPM atau supaya calon2 MCA yang ramai tumbang dalam PRU12 kerja keras untuk mengembalikan kepercayaan rakyat?

Syabas Dato Najib!

Tanpa membazir masa, Dato' Seri Najib, Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang ke-enam telah mengumumkan bahawa beliau akan melepaskan 13 tahanan ISA dan memberi semula kebenaran cetak kepada dua akhbar yang telah digantung lesen mereka. Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri itu juga akan dikaji semula supaya mekanismanya lebih relevan dengan perkembangan masa.

Ini menunjukkan 'signal' yang nyata bahawa DS Najib komited untuk memenangi semula kepercayaan rakyat terhadap kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Langkah seterus DS Najib ialah untuk membentuk kabinetnya yang baru, termasuk hasrat Dato Seri PM untuk menyelaraskan beberapa kementerian supaya lebih efektif dalam mentadbir negara. Justeru bilangan menteri akan berkurangan dan Dato Najib akan diperhati semua akan pilihannya untuk mengisi kekosongan kabinet. Ramai yang tertanya siapa yang akan dikekalkan dan siapa akan dilepaskan. Itu lumrah apabila pertukaran kepimpinanan berlaku. Kita berdoa agar Dato' Najib membuat pilihan yang mantap dan menyingkir pemimpin2 yang kotor dan tidak berkeupayaan.

Jawatan Menteri ini sepatutnya tidak dianggap sebagai sagu hati kepada sesiapa yang telah memenangi jawatan2 dalam parti tetapi harus diberi kepada mereka yang mempunyai kaliber untuk menerajui kementerian tertentu. Banyak isu yang telah timbul sejak kebelakangan ini terutamanya dalam konteks kestabilan politik, ekonomi, projek2 yang diluluskan dan selepas itu dibatalkan kerana desakan ramai, kehilangan pulau kepada jiran dan sebagainya. Oleh itu, pilihan sebagai Menteri lebih penting diberikan kepada mereka yang akan menjalankan tanggungjawab dengan sempurna, bukan sekadar memberi 'reward' kerana setia kepada parti atau telah menang apa2 jawatan.

"Double Standard" Anwar Dalam Kes Elly, Arumugam Terbongkar

"Double Standard" Anwar Dalam Kes Elly, Arumugam Terbongkar
Posted on Tuesday, March 31 @ 15:58:27 MYT

Oleh Adnil Mohd

Bukit Gantang -- Bekas Setiausaha Pemuda dan Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Lokman Noor Adam mendakwa Penasihat PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sehingga kini tidak mahu Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Bukit Lanjan, Elizabeth Wong melepaskan jawatan disebabkan peranan penting Elizabeth kepada parti itu.

Lokman yang kini Exco Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia seterusnya mendedahkan pada tahun 2003, Anwar telah menghantar pimpinan kanan PKR ke Washington DC untuk mendapatkan dana daripada George Soros bagi menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum ke-11 ketika itu.

Menurutnya, pertemuan itu telah diatur Tian Chua dan pimpinan PKR yang menghadap George Soros ketika itu ialah Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Azmin Ali dan Khalid Jaafar.

"Bagaimanapun Tian Chua tidak ada pada pertemuan itu sebaliknya beliau menghantar Elizabeth Wong untuk menguruskan pertemuan berkenaan.

"Pertemuan mereka terbongkar apabila berlaku pertengkaran di antara Azmin Ali dan Elizabeth setelah Azmin tidak membenarkan Elizabeth memasuki perbincangan tersebut kerana khuatir ada pihak luar yang mengetahui tindakan mereka menagih dana dari Soros", katanya.

Beliau mendedahkan perkara itu ketika berceramah ‘Kenapa Harus Tolak Pas’ di sini, Isnin malam.

Kata beliau lagi, perkara tersebut dimaklumkan oleh Ezam semasa mesyuarat 'inner circle' mereka.

Tegas beliau hakikat berkenaan jelas membuktikan “double standard” Anwar dalam berdepan dengan krisis dalaman parti tersebut.

"Saya katakan begitu kerana apabila bekas ADUN Bukit Selambau terlibat dengan masalah moral (perempuan simpanan) beliau segera desak agar ADUN tersebut meletakkan jawatan.

"Namun bila berdepan dengan kes Elly, Anwar mempertahankan Elizabeth habis-habisan sungguhpun ADUN berkenaan didakwa menghadapi masalah ketagihan rokok, arak dan yang terkini masalah gambar bogel serta hubungan dengan pemuda Islam (Helmi)", katanya.

Lokman seterusnya menambah Anwar masih tidak mahu Elizabeth meletakkan jawatan kerana Elizabeth adalah ‘jambatan’ kepada dana yang diberikan kepada PKR dari pihak asing yang mahu mengkucar-kacirkan negara.

Pada 1997, George Soros dilabel sebagai penyangak mata wang yang menyebabkan ekonomi negara merundum dan ekonomi Asia juga turut tergugat.