PM slammed for chickening out on new economic model

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I’m  firm on my stance that the PM’s greatest enemy and stumbling block to his reform is none other than his own party and now his fighter-dog Perkasa. If he succumbs to this temptation, he does at his own perils and may not live long enough as the President, to see the destruction of the party he pledged and vouched to revive. The flip-flop on the NEM now stands as  a classic testimony. Follow this early critique on the NEM and more is to unfold as the parliamentary session and debate looming near – Dr Dzul.

Wong Choon Mei – Harakahdaily KUALA LUMPUR. Mac 8: Pakatan Rakyat leaders have challenged Prime Minister Najib Razak to explain why there is so much delay in the announcement of his pet project – the New Economic Model – with which he had hoped to revive confidence for the country and himself after a series of political bllunders.“Why is he chickening out? This is the second or third delay,” PAS strategist Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told Harakahdaily. “He promised to bring it to Parliament at the last sitting. Now it looks like Pakatan will have to ask him in the coming sitting, why is he procrastinating on urgent reforms badly needed by the economy?” NEM vs NEP Already presented to the Cabinet twice, the NEM – set to replace the New Economic Policy – was to be launched later this month. But the buzz in the market is that it has once again been pushed back and may now be announced together with the 10th Malaysia Plan in June. Clearly, the 57-year old Najib may be finding the going tougher than expected. For the NEM to be able to turn Malaysia around, Najib has to drastically raise competitiveness – a move he may be unready for. “To bring out the NEM, he has to deconstruct the NEP and reconstruct a brand new set of economic guidelines and tools,” Dr Dzulkefly said.

Make Democracy The Only Game In Town

Civil Society Joint Statement on the 2nd Anniversary of March 8 2008 General Elections March 8, 2010

Make Democracy the only game in town

Two years ago, Malaysians wrote history by weakening UMNO/Barisan Nasional’s electoral one-party state. For the first time since independence, the ruling coalition lost its two-third parliamentary majority and a total of five states were ruled by the opposition parties.

As a result, Malaysians have benefited tremendously from the vibrant competition between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat. As Pakatan Rakyat advocates “Ketuanan Rakyat” and values like competence, accountability and transparency, Barisan Nasional under Prime Minister Najib Razak has responded with his “1Malaysia” campaign and “Government Transformation Programme”. In brief, Malaysians are enjoying the bonus of democratisation.

Malaysia’s exports jump 37 percent in January

(True to what i’ve said (“Benarkah Ekonomi telah Pulih?), on the economy coming out of recession essentialy propelled  by higher demands ie export in E&E, chemical products, petroleun products etc. However, let not this ‘recovery’ and ‘technically out of recession’, again delude us and made us oblivious of the critical need to redress fundamental and structural issues of our economy if we really want to see a new model and a vibrant economy in place for the nation).

Malaysia said Friday its exports, the mainstay of the economy, jumped 37.0 percent year-on-year in January as the economy emerges from recession.

The trade ministry said in a statement that shipments rose to 52.45 billion ringgit (15.6 billion dollars) while imports were up 31 percent to 39.52 billion ringgit, producing a surplus of 12.93 billion ringgit.

THE DISCOMFORT OF SITTING ON THE FENCE

by Gyoh Keat Peng (In the midst of the current agony and tribulation, i’m taking liberty to upload this piece by this enlightned mind and dedicating it to my comrades in PKR and the entire fraternity of Pakatan. It’s ineed therapeutic and consoling.

Of all the places one can think of, the fence must be about the most uncomfortable place on earth to sit (or perch) on. To sit on the fence for a while may be alright but certainly not for long. Fences will poke and scratch us in our most tender parts of the human body. Sooner than later, you will find it better to get off the fence and take your rightful place on firm ground.

It is for me to decide to get myself off the fence. Getting off the fence constitutes a conscious decision on my part as an adult person where I wish to place myself, that is, on which side of the fence I wish to be. That is a decision I make for myself. Nobody can or should do this on my behalf.

Ekonomi Negara Sudah Pulih?

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, AJK PAS Pusat.

Pengumuman dibuat oleh YAB PM DS Najib beberapa hari lalu bahawa ekonomi telah pulih tentunya merupakan satu berita gembira. Dalam suku terakhir tahun 2009, ekonomi mencatat pertumbuhan sebanyak 4.5%, meskipun mengalami penguncupan sebelumnya; penguncupan tiga suku sebelumnya, iaitu 6.2% pada suku pertama, 3.9% pada suku kedua dan 1.2% pada suku ke tiga.

Bagi tahun 2009, ekonomi negara mencatat penguncupan sebanyak 1.7%, iaitu lebih rendah daripada penguncupan 3% yang diunjurkan sebelum ini. Untuk pengetahuan umum, pertumbuhan adalah sebanyak 4.6% dalam tahun 2008. Ekonomi telah pulih tegas Najib dan pimpinan kerajaan seperti Menteri Besar Pahang yang kurang arif tentang ekonomi lantas menyebutkan bahawa ini semua adalah kerana kebijaksanaan Najib mengurus ekonomi negara.

Pakatan bets on GST to muscle BN out

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

SHAH ALAM, Feb 25 — An anti-goods and services tax (GST) forum held by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) here last night marked the coalition’s aim to use the issue to edge its rivals out come the next general election.

The forum was held to educate voters on the GST, something PR has been harping on ever since the Najib administration announced its plan to use the GST as a way to increase the efficiency of the country’s tax system.

At the forum, PR leaders argued that the implementation of a GST system to replenish the national coffers racked by a rising federal debt, believed to be more than RM300 billion, would burden voters especially the poor.

Their argument centres around three major points: the cost of its implementation given the government’s exorbitant debt, inability to regulate the complex system as evident in widespread corruption, and income stagnancy.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said with the old sales and services tax system, only some 1.5 million of the total of 12 million workers are taxed but its replacement with the GST will mean everyone, including poor workers, will be affected.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim argued that GST can only be implemented if the income gap is not as wide as that in Malaysia.

He also said that a GST is only viable if the tax rate was set at 15 to 20 per cent as in the case of other developed nations with GST bearing the cost of its implementation

Malaysian PM’s wife denies framing opposition leader

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 2/21/2010.

The wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said she was not involved in framing sex charges against opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim which he says is an attempt to kill his political career.

Anwar, a former deputy premier who is battling charges of sodomising an aide, claimed Thursday the sex charges were masterminded by Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor to destroy him and undermine a resurgent opposition.

Rosmah told state news agency Bernama over the weekend that she was not a “hidden hand” influencing her husband’s political career.

“It is not something that I am sensitive of as it is not true,” she told Bernama.

Dzulkefly warns PAS against taking caning bait

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — PAS strategist Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad described the recent Syariah caning of three women for illicit sex as politically-motivated, cautioned his party against being baited in the issue by rival Umno.

The Kuala Selangor MP said Islam true teachings meant a system of justice and fairness for all without cruelty and corruption, adding those caught for any offence must be able to exhaust all avenues before getting punished.

“It is obvious the canings are politically motivated. PAS and Pakatan must not allow itself to take the bait,” Dzulkefly said in a statement released in the PAS party organ website Harakahdaily when commenting on the caning.

Also on Sunday February 21, 2010

(PAS man: Umno trying to put on Islamic face)

Mampukah Najib Mendepani Tuntutan Era Politik Baru?

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat.

Telah penulis catatkan beberapa kali bahawa Umno gentar serta gusar dengan Politk Baru. Benar bahawa PRU ke-12 telah menyaksikan penghakisan sokongan Umno/BN paling parah dalam sejarah politik pilihanraya. Tetapi kesemua itu tidak sepenting satu hakikat yang sering menerjah mereka. Hakikat wujudnya satu lagi koalisi yang disifatkan sebagai ‘kerajaan dalam penantian’ atau ‘government-in-waiting’.

Kalau ada yang marah bahawa penulis terlalu ghirah untuk memerintah kerajaan Persekutuan, penulis sayugia perjelaskan. Penulis tidak kata perubahan besar pasti berlaku pada PRU ke-13 ini. Tetapi potensi untuk perubahan berlaku amat  besar kedepan ini.  

Nah, ini hakikat baru yang tidak pernah terjelma dalam telahan unjuran politik negara. Satu dekad lalu, sebutan ini hampir asing bahkan satu dongengan. Tidak ada parti dan kerajaan yang layak memerintah kecuali kerajaan Umno/BN mungkin sampai qiyamat. Kalau ada pun ‘kerajaan pembangkang’, satu istilah paradoks, ia hanya terbatas di negeri pantai Timur, Kelantan dan Terengganu sahaja.

Bagaimana ia menjadikan satu realiti adalah akibat perubahan yang berlaku selepas topografi atau landskap politik negara terus berubah setelah tsunami politik melanda ganas negeri-negeri Umno/BN di pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia.

Politik Baru berkehendak untuk mendefinisi semula pelbagai tata-orde perhubungan politik; amalan federalisme dan gelagat cabang legislatif  serta kualiti perbahasan di parlimen, kerancakan persaingan media mengolah lambakan isu dalam usaha mempengaruhi pemikiran awam di pasaran bebas pertarungn ide.

PAS jangan terperangkap hukuman sebat wanita

Hazayani Zakaria

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Feb: Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad meminta parti itu tidak terperangkap dengan isu hukuman sebat yang sedang dimainkan Umno Barisan Nasional untuk menunjukkan mereka lebih ke hadapan dalam menonjolkan agenda Islam.Dzulkefly ketika diminta mengulas mengenai hukuman sebat yang dikenakan terhadap tiga wanita dan empat lelaki yang melakukan kesalahan jenayah syariah pada 9 Februari lepas berkata, Umno ketika ini  sangat tertekan untuk meraih sokongan rakyat menggunakan isu ini untuk menunjukkan bahawa mereka komited dengan Islam. Malaysia ditanggapi umum, khususnya media Barat, sedang mengalami proses Islaminisasi yang serius.”Saya melihat ada semacam perhitungan politik di sebalik penonjolan perkara (hukuman sebat) ini. Kita jangan terperangkap dalam kerangka pemikiran dan tindakan mereka (Umno-BN) ini.