Malaysia Boleh

[patricktee 0]

Recent article published in New Age ( Austrialia )

While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry

Michael Backman

November 15, 2006

MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy each of its two main races — the Malays and the Chinese — owns. It's an argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time Malaysia grew up.

It's a tough world out there and there can be little sympathy for a country that prefers to argue about how to divide wealth rather than get on with the job of creating it.

The long-held aim is for 30 per cent of corporate equity to be in Malay hands, but the figure that the Government uses to justify handing over huge swathes of public companies to Malays but not to other races is absurd. It bases its figure on equity valued, not at market value, but at par value.

Many shares have a par value of say $1 but a market value of $12. And so the Government figure (18.9 per cent is the most recent figure) is a gross underestimate. Last month a paper by a researcher at a local think-tank came up with a figure of 45 per cent based on actual stock prices. All hell broke loose. The paper was withdrawn and the researcher resigned in protest. Part of the problem is that he is Chinese.

"Malaysia boleh!" is Malaysia's national catch cry. It translates to "Malaysia can!" and Malaysia certainly can. Few countries are as good at wasting money. It is richly endowed with natural resources and the national obsession seems to be to extract these, sell them off and then collectively spray the proceeds up against the wall.

This all happens in the context of Malaysia's grossly inflated sense of its place in the world.

Most Malaysians are convinced that the eyes of the world are on their country and that their leaders are world figures. This is thanks to Malaysia's tame media and the bravado of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. The truth is, few people on the streets of London or New York could point to Malaysia on a map much less name its prime minister or capital city.

As if to make this point, a recent episode of The Simpsons features a newsreader trying to announce that a tidal wave had hit some place called Kuala Lumpur. He couldn't pronounce the city's name and so made up one, as if no-one cared anyway. But the joke was on the script writers — Kuala Lumpur is inland.

i-hate-petronas, the national oil company is well run, particularly when compared to the disaster that passes for a national oil company in neighbouring Indonesia. But in some respects, this is Malaysia's problem. The very success of i-hate-petronas means that it is used to underwrite all manner of excess.

The KLCC development in central Kuala Lumpur is an example. It includes the Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world when they were built, which was their point.

It certainly wasn't that there was an office shortage in Kuala Lumpur — there wasn't.

Malaysians are very proud of these towers. Goodness knows why. They had little to do with them. The money for them came out of the ground and the engineering was contracted out to South Korean companies.

They don't even run the shopping centre that's beneath them. That's handled by Australia's Westfield.

Next year, a Malaysian astronaut will go into space aboard a Russian rocket — the first Malay in space. And the cost? $RM95 million ($A34.3 million), to be footed by Malaysian taxpayers. The Science and Technology Minister has said that a moon landing in 2020 is the next target, aboard a US flight. There's no indication of what the Americans will charge for this, assuming there's even a chance that they will consider it. But what is Malaysia getting by using the space programs of others as a taxi service? There are no obvious technical benefits, but no doubt Malaysians will be told once again, that they are "boleh". The trouble is, they're not. It's not their space program.

Back in July, the Government announced that it would spend $RM490 million on a sports complex near the London Olympics site so that Malaysian athletes can train there and "get used to cold weather".

But the summer Olympics are held in the summer.

So what is the complex's real purpose? The dozens of goodwill missions by ministers and bureaucrats to London to check on the centre's construction and then on the athletes while they train might provide a clue.

Bank bale outs, a formula one racing track, an entire new capital city — i-hate-petronas has paid for them all. It's been an orgy of nonsense that Malaysia can ill afford.

Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is, Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 — that's just five years away.

So it's in this context that the latest debate about race and wealth is so sad.

It is time to move on, time to prepare the economy for life after oil. But, like Nero fiddling while Rome burned, the Malaysian Government is more interested in stunts like sending a Malaysian into space when Malaysia's inadequate schools could have done with the cash, and arguing about wealth distribution using transparently ridiculous statistics.

That's not Malaysia "boleh", that's Malaysia "bodoh" (stupid).

Michaelbackman homepage

The above article got our Minister fuming mad.

But instead of mad, why not take a close look at ourselves...

and c what is happening....

Is quite true that we malaysian has been spending too much,

and we have lots of "White elephat around"

and the recent budget of rm 400 million to built a pa****,

Time to examine ourselve... what happens when the oil well runs dry ???

Edited November 24, 2006 by patricktee

[audido 0]

The article is harsh but it does have truths in it. Our government isn't capable of handling criticisms, be it internally or from abroad. I think it's sad that an outsider can see the mistakes our country is making and our leaders are just turning a blind eye. We do things for the sake of doing. What other countries are doing, we want to follow..whether it's necessary or not. The phrase "M'sia Boleh" actually brings more harm than good to the country.

When our government wants to impose a new regulation, it does so without proper planning, never weigh the pros and cons, the consequences etc. When the rakyat makes noise, then only the government review or cancel their plans. It's a waste of time and rakyat's money. It's no wonder some rakyat no longer take the government seriously. As Phua Chu Kang would have said "Use your brain, use your brain..."

Pak Lah is doing a good job running the country now but he needs to have better control of the leaders he appointed in his ministries. Let them run loose and there will be no end to us being the laughing stock of the world. Maybe the world know M'sia better now but it's all for the wrong reasons...tht's sad.

[Aikzhou a.k.a IcEy 0]

Haha !! It looks like someone is faster than me by posting up this article! I was just about to stick it up in MYB when I notice Mr.Patrick Tee already done it.

Its a good read and its a reality of what Michael had written. I would appreciate to see further more opinions from our fellow MYB's on this article.

Kudos to Patrick for pasting it up

Truly,

ET a.k.a Aikzhou

[lordy 0]

I would like to quote this from Jeff Ooi as well

The article though offensive to some, it is just so true of us Malaysians making a mockery of our ownselves.

In every UMNO general meeting, the same Malay agenda is always being mentioned; the Malays have yet to achieve the desired target, warning to other races not to question Malay rights and etc.

At the same time, Pak Lah warned Malaysians not to play the racial card when the very Party he rules is the main culprit of all. At one end, the govt. mooted idea of the creation of Bangsa Malaysia. At the same time, Pemuda UMNO is asking for more rights and privileges for Bumiputras apart from preserving the current status quo. Isnt the current status quo of classifying its owns citizens as Bumi and Non Bumi is actually doing more harm in dividing the society than to unite it?

The globalised world awaits no one. Malaysia would indeed be left behind if we dont buckle up and accept that all these rights and privileges would actually do more harm than good. If UMNO felt that the Malays are always being left behind in Malaysia, then we certainly always will. Countries like Vietnam and China have no such privileges or rights accorded to their own citizens unlike Malaysia in according such privileges to Bumiputras.

At the end of the day, it boils down to hard work and perseverance in determining one's success. NEPs have only encouraged a get rich quick mentality from allocations of IPOs, APs, licences and etc. What sort of Bumiputra entrepreneurs have they created thus far? When would UMNO come to terms with the realities of the world?

A time would come that so called Malaysia "Boleh" is actually Malaysia

source : http://www.jeffooi.com/2006/11/malaysia_boleh_tak.php

----Comments---

I quite agree with views stated by Jeff Ooi and also Michael Backman. The world is progressing on a global economic scale and talking of trades with other country. Yet in our country, we are still bickering over how many percentage chinese, malay, indian or other ppl hold. We should be talking bout which direction to go globally, what kind of efforts to undertake by all instead of just once race.

I follow the recent umno delegates conference. They keep shouting about how poor their race is, how this how that, to take up the keris and defend malay pride. But deep down, i was thinking arent u saying to defend and give richess to umno ppl? 30 years after NEP, the poor malay is still poor. The ones got better are umno ppl who became MP, chairman of this or that company, etc etc. Sometimes u cant help but to think.. isnt it really Umno malay vs the other malays & other races?

Second of all, they talking bout equity share in the stock market and companies. And now they aim to increase their share to 70%. Its like talking that the govt should give them equity, money, land, power and other stuff so that they can get it to 70%.

I cant help but think.. if the non malay who worked their way to achieve 50% of the market share, shouldnt these umno ppl be working hard to achieve that too? Instead of relying on ppl or govt to give, why not just compete equally. Out there in the market place, color doesnt make a difference. What makes a difference is hardwork, sincerity, honest, trust and daringness.

If the recent umno conference is an indication of the future, and if i am not welcomed in malaysia, i am very willing to migrate to a country which treat other races fairly or where chinese are majority like in vancouver, auckland, toronto or hk. I also dont want to face the situation where i have to give or force to sell 50% share in my future business to a guy just bcos he is umno malay. I am willing to sell it, but i will move my operations overseas and start over again And then i will look at what they are doing from another country and laugh.

Btw to my malay friends, pls dont be offended. I am not angry at malay per se, but at what umno is doing to justify their discrimination.

Edited November 24, 2006 by lordy

[khai wen 0]

Well said all.

However, I didn't agree on the "30 years after NEP, the poor malay is still poor" part. If you read the Malaysia history, not the text books provided by the goverment. During early 50's Malaya total population is about 7 millions, about 3 millions is chinese. Malay is about 3.5 millions while the balance consist of Indians, other races. After the Malayan Emergency, war against Communist, Malaya population drop to about 6 millions, with 2.33 millions chinese.

During early 60's Singapore with a total population about 2 millions joined the Malaya federation with almost 80% chinese. But they left after 4 years in the new Malaysia.

Sorry, got a bit carry away from the topic. My point is, when you compare the population you can understand the Malay stay poor and Chinese get rich. In 2004 Malaysia total population is about 25 millions and Chinese is about 7 millions.

The chinese have less children and thus have more money to invest and educate their children. While the malay where most family still maintain large family.

Nowadays, most Chinese family have about 2 ~ 4 children. Malay still have big family with average about 4 ~ 6 children. No wonder they always "adu" no money. There is not much left after raising your kids.

Most Malays didn't even plan their finacial well, and they blame others for that. Chinese make sacrifces and have less children in order to have better life. If most Chinese remember ancient chinese ways, it's a good thing to have big family. Modern world have change Chinese mindset, but not the Malays.

Though there are many reason why Malay's wealth is much lower compare to chinese in person per capita. But I love to point this out to my Malay friends when they indicate Im much more well off than them. In the end, I make it a simple point by showing my RM300 phone and pointing their RM1,000 phone.

[tzewa 0]

OUCH! ...so harsh

[wave768 0]

atcually this article is write by a angmoh people.

but it is darn true for me.

Just proud to be a Malaysian la

[lordy 0]

i wonder which would be worst or lesser of two evil

1. Migrating and facing racism

2. Staying and facing race base politics and unfairness

[Aikzhou a.k.a IcEy 0]

Time and Global Market is not biased to any race. Its about unity and global competition.

Modern Chinese believe in smaller families because we have to work like s**t and 'donating' part of our earnings to the UMNO agenda. After 'contributing' to their cause, how much would we be left with... honestly, nothing much to shout about.

So modern chinese in Malaysia is having smaller family but surely with emphasis on education and quality of life. In fact, 80% of my friends (chinese) is already saving up money and once their kids are old enough to be sent overseas for SECONDARY HIGHSCHOOL education, they'll send them abroad. With that, once they grad from high school, they will apply for the university in that particular country. In short, never coming back to this darn forsaken land where some 'parties' are interested in only 'farting' their own race with nothin but false hope and daylight robbery of other races who have grown to consider this country their home.

Who knows.. maybe one day whatever the darn UMNO politician have said.. "YOU CHINESE GO BACK, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE" ... might just come true. Since you hate us chinese so much (while we have been very patient with your stupid NEP).. we might just take your word and leave this country.. that time... lets see who will have the last laugh. Not to be arrogant.. but the Malaysian Chinese is always two steps ahead of you UMNO Malays.

My writtin above do not mean I hate Malays. I have plenty of hardworking malay friends and these are the malays that i respect and care for as my friends.

Truly,

ET

[Diion 0]

errr...how many million r they going to use to build the new 'istana negara' d ar? n what's the point for doing that lol? to hv a better place for our 'ever so useful' king to live in? ishh...

Edited November 25, 2006 by Diion

[always~ 0]

i love the articles here....good read...totally agreed with them... our govt loves to dump taxpayers money into the sea....

[imzadi 0]

Who knows.. maybe one day whatever the darn UMNO politician have said.. "YOU CHINESE GO BACK, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE" ... might just come true. Since you hate us chinese so much (while we have been very patient with your stupid NEP).. we might just take your word and leave this country.. that time... lets see who will have the last laugh. Not to be arrogant.. but the Malaysian Chinese is always two steps ahead of you UMNO Malays.

My writtin above do not mean I hate Malays. I have plenty of hardworking malay friends and these are the malays that i respect and care for as my friends.

Truly,

ET

Do you see how some people can be offended by this sort of remark here?

[audido 0]

Who knows.. maybe one day whatever the darn UMNO politician have said.. "YOU CHINESE GO BACK, WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE" ... might just come true. Since you hate us chinese so much (while we have been very patient with your stupid NEP).. we might just take your word and leave this country.. that time... lets see who will have the last laugh. Not to be arrogant.. but the Malaysian Chinese is always two steps ahead of you UMNO Malays.

My writtin above do not mean I hate Malays. I have plenty of hardworking malay friends and these are the malays that i respect and care for as my friends.

Truly,

ET

Is this remark necessary? We Chinese do not have to be so arrogant and think that we are so much better than the other races. There is no need for us to be so high and mighty.

[lordy 0]

i love this country a lot. I would die for Malaysia. But i wont die for umno ppl, or for ppl who discriminate against certain races just to protect or gain more self interest. I am willing to fight for the oppressed, the down trodden, the poor, the innocent and weak, even if they are not my race.

Just to add, i am also aware of certain things and trends. Looking at it from the long term perspective, i cant feel but frustrated and dissapointed.

1. Education - it seem lower and lower. Even important happenings in Msia and the world has been omitted.

2. Govt policy in tenders- favouristism to certain affiliates of umno

3. Equity participation - they aiming for 70%. How will they get it? If they work hard to achieve it, by fair and square means, with sincerity and equal competition. Then it would be good

But in the past few years, the below items has been happening:

1. Company force to sell their shares to umno ppl

2. Company forced to merge to be under umno affiliated ppl

3. Company licenses withdraw to force them to sell or merge

4. Company force to ensure 30% of equity go to umno ppl or well connected malays

5. No chinese school been built in the past 10 years. Existing chinese schools either forced to relocated, close down or not supported by the govt

When all these things happen and go wrong, tax payers money are used to bail or save those companies.

I recently saw this trade exhibition organised by a govt entity. I dont see any chinese ppl exhibiting their products at all.

You can say i look at the bad things only, but thats bcos its these which are frustrating us.

I hold aikzhou's view as well. They can do whatever they want to, and we are not in a position to change their decision. If one day we are unwelcomed, then we can go to another country where we are welcomed or at least not discriminated against.

Edited November 27, 2006 by lordy

[Destiny 0]

But in the past few years, the below items has been happening:

5. No chinese school been built in the past 10 years. Existing chinese schools either forced to relocated, close down or not supported by the govt

When all these things happen and go wrong, tax payers money are used to bail or save those companies.

I recently saw this trade exhibition organised by a govt entity. I dont see any chinese ppl exhibiting their products at all.

You can say i look at the bad things only, but thats bcos its these which are frustrating us.

I hold aikzhou's view as well. They can do whatever they want to, and we are not in a position to change their decision. If one day we are unwelcomed, then we can go to another country where we are welcomed or at least not discriminated against.

Item no. 5 above isn't correct. I live in Bandar Kinrara and there was a chinese primary school built there about 5-6 years ago in BK2. Let's not jump to conclusion and make statements that aren't supported by facts. As a chinese, sometimes I do get frustrated with the way things are done here. I'm sure the Indians are as well...I believe some Malays feel the same way too.

It's easy to say migrate to another country if we aren't welcomed here. Are we so sure that we are welcomed in another country? Are we so sure we wont' be discriminated against in other countries? The grass may look greener on the other side but you won't know the truth until you have actually step on the grass.

If there are people who are not happy with this country, by all means leave. No one is forcing you to stay. If you feel there is another country out there that welcomes you more than your own homeland, by all means go there.

[Destiny 0]

I do agree on one thing...many government leaders do not think with their brains. They simply do things ... never plan properly before acting. And many have no common sense too. A very good example, Mat Rempits and UMNO. Even a 5 year old can tell you mat rempits are a menace to society.

[lordy 0]

Item no. 5 above isn't correct. I live in Bandar Kinrara and there was a chinese primary school built there about 5-6 years ago in BK2. Let's not jump to conclusion and make statements that aren't supported by facts. As a chinese, sometimes I do get frustrated with the way things are done here. I'm sure the Indians are as well...I believe some Malays feel the same way too.

From what i heard, that one is a relocated school. I can get its former name and exact location by making a few calls.

I do agree grass always look greener on the other side. We will certainly face racism.

But will we face the equity requirement, favourtism in tenders and projects? I am not saying i dont love this country. I just dont love those discrimination and requirements. If i am to leave, its bcos i dont like those discrimination. I rather being discriminated bcos i have no ability rather than bcos of what i am.

If we arent welcome any more, what will we do? Sit and die here unwelcome? What i am also saying, is i rather keep my options and choices open. And i rather have a more open mind towards where i can go if we arent welcome anymore.

Lastly, are you sure to say, one day u will not regret thinking about not migrating? Esp if the recent trend escalates instead of decreasing.

Edited November 28, 2006 by lordy

[Destiny 0]

Lastly, are you sure to say, one day u will not regret thinking about not migrating? Esp if the recent trend escalates instead of decreasing.

Well, I did once think about migrating...but it wasn't because I wasn't pleased with this country. I was very young and ambitious at the time and had this notion that working and living in a "kwai low" country is much better. I no longer think that way. I do know of relatives, former neigbours, friends who migrate to other countries only to come back again. I do know of a blogger who kept bitching about Malaysia but she's still living here, I wonder why.

For those who wish to migrate because of their dis-pleasure of this country, I wish them good luck. I don't regret thinking about not migrating though. That is not to say I'm very happy with what's been going on lately. Like I said earlier, many leaders have brains the size of a poodle. The lack of common sense among us Malaysians is really amazing. And of course, with the recent news of our space program and teh tarik, we are the laughing stock of the world. But hey, I'm thankful that M'sians are still able to co-exist with each other peacefully. I'm amazed that we haven't started killing each other.

[lordy 0]

well, i do respect ur wishes and respect your opinion in this matter.

I would say ur a very patient person. I do hope things get better, the leader have better common sense, and that all will be well. Thats what i do hope for. And i certainly see no harm in developing more options and choices in future. At the end of the day, its all up to our own preferences.

[bkk 0]

We dont need Michael Backman to tell us our govt. is half past six ! Tun oledi did darn it !

[lordy 0]

lolz... i think both oso la... except one is worst than half past six.. and the other a bit less than half past six..

[Marlene 0]

Oh did anyone mention that we're being discriminated against in education too? I attended Electrical engineering in UM and the pre-requisite for a chinese at that time is that u need to get minimum 96 points ( i.e. scoring 5As in ur STPM, where 1A = 18 points, 1B = 16 points etc...and are super active in co-curricular activities, 5 points for represting our country in sports, or being the president of a club etc ).

Oh, and guess what....there were too many chinese who qualified and not enough places, so some got kicked to courses not of their choice. Even the guy who got the best STPM results in the country was given only Mechanical Eng.

I don't know how they screen non-Chinese students, but can i say that their u get the the idea when at the end of 3 years of the course, ~ 30 out of 150 ppl got the degree....all of them were Chinese except for 1 Indian.

It really makes me mad to think that the govt has this crazy policy that discriminates against giving our young people based on races in education. I know lots of Malays who are given the opportunities to study abroad ( and i'm happy for them )....but should it be at the cost of repressing a significant portion of our country's intelligent ppl?

Oh yea...and we hear abt complaints in the mass media abt the brain drain and blaming the factors on disloyalty to the country, lack of research funds etc. All true to a certain extent....but how come no remembered the discrimination thingy?

[chica 0]

I don't know how they screen non-Chinese students, but can i say that their u get the the idea when at the end of 3 years of the course, ~ 30 out of 150 ppl got the degree....all of them were Chinese except for 1 Indian.

gosh wat a shame. i guess at the end of the day it all goes back to own effort lor. want ppl to spoon feed until when?

[lordy 0]

let me tell u a true story which happened in my secondary school. I was in the top class in our school. After PMR, the best performing students were all moved to the top class. All were chinese. A month or so later, 3 malay students joined our class from other classes. They got in bcos the principal (a malay) wants them to learn from the best students. In our exams, they always ranked the lowest, which isnt exactly fair in the first place to them. Bcos we got in bcos of excellence in education and exams. So they were measured in that base on how well they score. Of course they perform badly.

This malay guy, failed most of the subjects in the SPM. After the results got out, he got into MARA to study engineering.

So after a few years, we met back a former class mate who said he was in the same university studying engineering with that malay guy. He told us he managed to get into uni to study engineering, even though he practically failed physics, maths, chemistry from spm onwards.

So how is he doing now? We have no idea. No one heard from him ever since. But the moral of the story, even if u fail all ur maths, all ur exams, its still ok to study engineering bcos the govt will support u.

I feel very dissapointed at this. Our best brains find it so hard to get into local U, but the others got in with guaranteed places (as long as can score acceptably). So eventually, where do these ppl go? They go overseas bcos other countries offer them scholarships.

Look at Singapore and hong kong offering scholarships to malaysian who do well in exams. Those who cannot get into local U even though they scored well, will go for those scholarships.

A few years later, they govt will complain about brain drain and label those who dun come back as traitors and ungrateful to the country. I think they should look at what cause that to happen rather than looking at the effect of what happened.

If the govt practise full meritocracy, msia would already be on par with singapore and hong kong.

Edited December 1, 2006 by lordy

[chica 0]

i actually like the malays because they r such easy going ppl. but due to govt policies like this, malays feel tat they dun have to strive to achieve anything. they became so dependant. many that i've known r so contented living simple life earning 1-2k and having 5 kids. my malay staff when ask to fight for sales say she very bersyukur with her pay oledi!

while there is good in feeling fulfilled, there's huge problem in false fulfillment. some ppl even tell me that if all the malays were to work as hard and to achieve as much as us, then we will face greater competition. how long more does it takes for the govt to realise that they are slowly poisoning the very group of ppl they think they are protecting? or shud we, as non malay, silently pray that it will never happen so we won't have to compete with them?