The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Of double speak and broken promises Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:55 PM PST DEC 14 — I consider a leader only as good as the promises he keeps. And by far, our current prime minister is not up to that gold standard. If anything, the current actions show that he is perhaps flip flopping in order to survive an election. The first salvo came with the arrests of 13 suspected Islamists in Tawau under the Internal Security Act. This law is to be repealed and replaced with two new acts of law to counter terrorism, according to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's speech on Malaysia Day this year. In fact, it was also pledged that everyone would have their day in court and even that the new acts would not allow arrests based on political differences. Insofar as viewing and reading the news about these 13 individuals, they have yet to receive any form of legal representation nor has there been any explanation about what these Islamists were going to do. For all we know, it could have been another hostage takeover and kidnapping in Sipadan. As someone who personally wants the ISA amended, I am affronted by the simple fact that this action was contrary to what I was expecting from the Royal Malaysian Police. I would have thought that since this law would be repealed soon, a moratorium against its use should be implemented while waiting for the two new Bills to be read in Parliament and voted into law. Guess that did not appeal to the police or the home minister. The second instance of an empty promise came when our prime minister decided that it was time to also let the public voice out their opinions in the form of protests and gatherings, which, as Najib put it, "were in line with global standards." If this were the case, then I suggest we look at two nations: Egypt and the United States of America. Both are countries where there are protests taking place nationwide. While Egypt is seeing people killed and wounded, never is there a mention of a law that imposes an RM20,000 fine on persons taking part. As for the US and the ongoing "Occupy" movement, again, there is never a mention of the government having the ability to fine the protesters RM20,000 each. In fact, the only mention of monetary losses being brought to court comes from the private sector industries who claim to have lost revenue due to the protests. And I don't even see those having a chance in court. In fact, the recent act of the police pepper spraying protesters has caused these officers to be placed on mandatory leave since it was considered "police brutality." I personally do not see street protests as being necessary had the government and their agencies not ignored the signs leading to massive protests like Bersih, GMI or even the anti-PPSMI rallies. The truth is, our government and those linked to it were too slow. There was too much red tape, too much misinformation and, by far, too many efforts by the government and the authorities to pressure the public into bending to their will instead of negotiating a middle ground. And even when they wanted to negotiate a middle ground, it was the government's actions of disreputable double speak that got them into trouble. And now, case in point, Prime Minister Najib will once again have to face the pressure cooker prepared for him by his cousin, current Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. This was the same thing that happened time after time — during the cow head protest in my home town of Shah Alam, during Bersih 2.0 and, now, with these ISA arrests in Sabah. With all that in mind, I think it is time our prime minister considers this: Is your cousin truly helping you, or just screwing things up too close to an election? I am personally asking the prime minister to perhaps consider looking for a replacement for the home minister's post, because with the current pledges and actions taking place in that ministry, it truly looks far too much like it is headless. And with the scrutiny now being placed on the authorities with cases of police brutality and even murder, it is perhaps a valid point for him to consider a person who can rein them in. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:30 PM PST 14 DIS — Hanya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang berjanji mahu menurunkan harga minyak jika Pakatan Rakyat memenangi Pilihan Raya Umum ke 13 nanti. Bolehkah dia melaksanakannya dan bolehkah ia dilaksanakan? Kata seorang pakar ekonomi bernama, Profesor Amir Baharuddin, ia boleh diturunkan walau ada kesan lain dan ada banyak masalah yang terpaksa dilalui. Segala kesan dan masalah yang dibayangkan oleh Amir seperti gangguan atas dana pendidikan, kesihatan dan pembangunan, tetapi ia tidak sesusah beban yang dihadapi rakyat seluruhnya gara-gara kenaikan harga barang dan perkhidmatan yang tinggi. Apa yang Amir kata itu, itulah yang cuba dijaga oleh kerajaan yang ada, nikmat itulah yang cuba dipertahankan oleh kerajaan dan itulah tawaran dan janji yang hendak diteruskan. Tetapi kerajaan tidak dapat buat apa-apa tentang kenaikan harga barang bukan saja dari tahun ke tarun, tetapi dari minggu ke minggu dan dari hari ke hari. Sepuluh tahun dulu saya acap ke Turki. Nilai tukaran duit Dolar Amerika ke Lira Turki tidak sama dari jam ke jam. Nilai Lira turun mengikut jam. Untuk membeli satu-satu barang, tukar Dolar kepada Lira beberapa ketika sebelum membeli. Jika tunggu dua jam kemudian baru hendak dibeli, maka masa itu duit Lira sudah susut. Harga barang sebelah petang sudah tidak sama dengan sebelah pagi. Tetapi selepas Erdogan berkuasa Lira sudah stabil. Tidak perlu bawa berjuta-juta Lira untuk membeli sehelai baju kemeja, atau berpuluh ribu Lira untuk tambang teksi beberapa kilometer saja. Sekarang harga barang terkawal dan bayaran perkhidmatan juga terkawal. Sebelumnya orang tidak tahu bagaimana menghadapi keperitan hidup rakyat. Keadaan di Malaysia sekarang hampir sama dengan Turki dulu. RM100 sekarang tak dapat beli barang sebenyak yang dibeli sebulan dulu dan dua bulan dulu. Ikan jadi lauk termahal sekarang. Gantinya ayam atau daging. Ayam dan daging juga naik. Harga ayam bulan depan dijangka tak sama dengan harga sekarang. Semuanya berpunca dari kenaikan harga minyak. Naik saja minyak, pasti semua barang naik. Kadang-kadang tidak payah tunggu minyak naik, harga barang naik juga terutama dalam musim perayaan. Berbuih mulut menteri menjamin harga barang dikawal, tetapi ia tidak menjamin barang tidak naik. Kita menunggu bila pula minyak lain lagi. Demi menjamin cukup dana pendidikan, kesihatan dan pembangunan, kata Amir, tak apalah minyak naik sikit dan barang naik sikit. Tetapi rakyat kaya ada yang kurang kaya kerana kenaikan barang dan yang miskin kurang barang yang dapat dibeli. Nasihat kerajaan ialah berjimat-jimatlah. Perdana Menteri beri RM500 sekali kepada orang yang berpendapatan kurang dari RM3,000, dan RM100 kepada setiap murid tidak menaikan taraf hidup orang yang dapat duit itu. Janji untuk kami dapat hidup yang lebih baik tak nampak jalan. Dalam keadaan yang sudah putus asa atau hampir putus asa, Anwar menjanjikan untuk menurunkan harga minyak. Berikutnya hanyak barang bukan saja boleh dikawal tetapi boleh dikurangkan. Boleh buat atau tidak boleh buat, itu saja harapan bagi semua orang untuk dapat minyak lebih murang dan barang lebih murah. Mungkin tak murah sangat, tapi ada harapan untuk dimurahkan. Kalau dia tidak jadi Perdana Menteri, tiada angan-angan untuk mengurangkan perbelanjaan harian dan perbelanjaan hidup. Anwar pernah jadi Menteri Kewangan dan pernah bergaul dengan bapak kapitalis Amerika dan Eropah. Sejak 10 tahun lalu dia rehat sama ada di penjara dan di luar penjara. Semasa rehat itu dia nampak apa yang dia tidak nampak dulu dan apa yang tidak dibuat dulu dan tidak dapat dibuat dulu. Kadang-kadang apa yang dia hendak buat, Dr Mahathir Mohamad larang. Apabila minyak diturunkan, kos pengangkutan kurang maka kuranglah harga barang. Kemudian diikuti dengan kekangan rasuah. Lagi harga boleh distabilkan. Lepas itu ada pula gaji minima. Ringanlah beban rakyat. Kalau di Selangor gaji minima itu RM1,500, masakan untuk seluruh negara kurang dari RM1,000. Bagaimana dengan beban pendidikan, kesihatan dan pembangunan? Kalau sudah tidak ada rasuah, tiada pembaziran dan tiada penyelewengan, negeri yang ada minyak dapat pula royalti 20 peratus, masing-masing nampaklah masa depan yang cerah. Bukanlah lepas dia menang, tak ada langsung masalah. Tetapi dengan dia tidak menang, tiada harapan masalah boleh dikurangkan. Islam mengajar umatnya berhijrah bila berlaku kesempitan. Kita sempit sekarang, maka kita mesti berhijrah. Demokrasi pula memberi ruang yang luas untuk berhijrah. Pakatan Rakyat mengajak kita berhijrah. Najib dan BN tidak mahu berhijrah dan mesti tinggal di rumah yang susah. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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