Malaysiakini :: Letters
Malaysiakini :: Letters |
| Bersih waging war against rulers, or Umno? Posted: 01 Jul 2011 01:01 AM PDT In a desperate clamp-down against the tidal wave support for Bersih 2.0, some 30 PSM activists have been detained by the police. The charge or alleged crime is that these citizens are waging war against the Agong. That act by PDRM is not just pathetic, and just a desperate tactic. It is seriously and by all accounts an insult to our rulers and the YDP Agong in so far as the PDRM have cited the very subjects of the rulers with a very insulting charge that indirectly threatens the rulers as much as his majesty's concerned subjects. Blogger Zorro-Unmasked has in response to this despicable insult by PDRM done some investigative journalism and dusted from the archives of the faithful pro-Umno/BN's mainstream media, statements made by Umno and BN leaders and politicians that not only insults our revered rulers but is also tantamount to having waged a real war on Malaysia's sovereign rulers. Reproduced here is the archive works by Zorro-Unmasked: "The leaders have warned the rulers many times about ethics and told them that they could not continue doing certain things. It is not necessary to talk further. We have talked with the rulers many times before and it is time for action." Now if this is not an intimidating threat against our revered rulers then what is it? "If rulers interfere in politics and it is proven, we want the Parliament to declare the election is illegal and cancelled. In business, if rulers' involvement is proven, we should assume the business is illegal." Now, if the above quote is not a direct threat and confrontation with our sovereign rulers, than what is it? "I would like to ask, how insulted do you feel when the Sultan of Kelantan does not invite our menteri besar to give a speech on behalf of the people each time His Majesty celebrates his coronation day whereas the people had chosen the menteri besar through their rights." Now again if the above statement or charge is not a direct insult and challenging His Majesty's jurisprudence, independence and sovereignty then what is it? "A ruler will enjoy the respect of his people even without the immunity but with the conduct that is appropriate with his office. Though the issue is a bitter pill to swallow, our rulers must accept the fact that immunity is not God given." If this is not an insult and slap on the face of our revered rulers then pray tell us what is this? Certainly this statement above is a blatant threat and attack on our sovereign ruler and an accusation leveled at the rulers. Bersih 2.0 which aims to flush clean the tainted, undemocratic and vested-interest politics of Umno and BN, is also to champion our rulers and protect their sovereign status that obviously, going by the derogatory and threatening statements made by politicians in the past, has jeopardised Malaysia's sovereign democracy. The main stream media that are having a field day today in pitting the rulers' subjects against their very rulers should have the 'guts' - as challenged by the prime minister the other day, to re-print the insults traded at our rulers by the Umno/BN politicians. Our rulers in their wisdom know that they have their loyal subjects with them. Our rulers must therefore act and act now. |
| Subsidy cuts only to cut wastage and inefficiency Posted: 01 Jul 2011 12:10 AM PDT Referring to the article 'Gov't misled public over RM74 bil subsidy burden' that was published yesterday on the government misleading the public over the subsidy burden, we have come up with a rebuttal based on what was mentioned in the article as follows: The RM74 billion subsidy bill definition was clarified in the Performance Management & Delivery Unit's (Pemandu) press statement on June 9, 2010. The definition of subsidy in accordance to the Subsidy Rationalisaton Lab coordinated by Pemandu on Feb 2, 2010 over a 6-week period, was based on definition by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) 1996. The subsidy lab took a macroeconomic approach, which included both direct and indirect subsidies as a necessary measure to increase competitiveness and remove distortions in the market. Some of these defined subsidies include contract obligations, financial support and rebates, assistance to MoF Incorporated companies, cost-based financial assistance which includes emolument for education & healthcare. Education and healthcare services are recognised by the government as public goods. The subsidy rationalisation the lab's recommendation was designed only to reduce wastage and eliminate inefficiencies in areas related to public goods. For example, removing subsidies for foreign students in the areas of education and in the case of healthcare, ensuring that the poor in the rural areas will continue to receive free treatment while maintaining the outpatient treatment cost in government clinics in urban areas at RM1, which incidentally has not been reviewed since 1984. Based on the rakyat's feedback through our open day and opinion polls, the government has taken steps to rationalise subsidies gradually and over a longer period of time, with the immediate focus being sugar, fuel and energy. Lee Yip Cheong |
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