The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 02 Apr 2013 05:16 PM PDT
APRIL 3 ― If the prime minister's strategy is to wear everyone down by keeping the whole country in constant anticipation of an election "around the corner", then he has at least succeeded in one thing during his four years in office. Malaysians have been waiting for the dissolution of Parliament for more than two years now. We've heard every prediction, every possible nomination-polling day combo, along with every corresponding rationale. In the last few weeks, dissolution rumours have intensified so much that a new one would make its rounds on a daily basis. None has, of course, come true. Every predicted date has come and gone. Last week, we witnessed for the first time in history the automatic dissolution of a state assembly ― Negri Sembilan ― with Pahang set to go next week. Yet there is still no sign of a general election. In any case, it really doesn't matter anymore. Najib's joker in the deck had always been his prerogative to call for a snap election ― and there were opportunities aplenty over the last two years when the opposition would really have been caught unprepared. However, this late into the game, the element of surprise has all but disappeared as Parliament is due to dissolve automatically at the end of this month. Whatever Najib's reasons are for delaying the polls, it is very clear what he intends to do in this final lead-up. In the last few weeks, the prime minister has been criss-crossing the country making announcement after announcement of gifts and goodies for nearly everyone possible. Most notably, government servants across the board were treated to a pay rise while a salary rationalisation exercise for the armed forces and police personnel was hastily implemented and backdated to the beginning of the year. This is in addition to two other salary increments that the 1.4 million-strong civil service is due to receive this year. Besides direct government servants, 40,000 employees of federal agencies also received good news in the form of improved perks such as a new pension fund, a provision for fixed allowances and gratuity for retirees, and the streamlining of EPF contributions. And then we have bonuses galore for the staff of various government-linked corporations such as POS Malaysia (RM500 bonus for all employees, additional insurance coverage for their families and free laptops for their children), Telekom Malaysia (RM500 bonus for all 26,000 employees), Permodalan Nasional Berhad (an extra month's bonus and RM1,000 in the form of unit trusts for children of employees) and Petronas (RM1,000 "token of appreciation" for all 4,000 employees). And this is on top of the latest round of RM500 hand-outs to seven million low-income households and individuals courtesy of BR1M 2.0. I believe it is safe to say that this is the most amount of money ever spent in a single election campaign. Unfortunately for Najib, this desperate "Santa Claus" strategy, coupled with the inordinate delay in calling for the polls, has only reinforced the perception that his government is on the verge of losing power. Everywhere from mamak shops to hotel lounges, the general consensus is that the prime minister is postponing the dissolution for fear of losing. Whether such a hypothesis has any basis or not does not matter ― the perception is a pervasively negative one. Some rumours on the ground even go so far as to suggest that Najib is planning to suspend elections indefinitely, citing conspiracy theories revolving around the use of the Lahad Datu insurgency as a pretext for declaring a state of emergency. This is, of course, an unlikely prospect, but the fact that such whispers seem to grow louder as every day passes speaks volumes of the people's confidence in the prime minister. Meanwhile, it also doesn't help that the grand old man of Malaysian politics himself has made known his own annoyance by declaring in no uncertain terms that, were he still in power, the general election would have been called last year. To compound Najib's predicament, this unusual delay has now descended into ridicule in the online and social media circles. Sarcastic Twitter hashtags and Facebook posts are now a dime a dozen, as everyone cannot resist making fun of the dissolution that never seems to come. Whatever Najib's rationale for delaying the polls may be, it cannot possibly overcome the surge of negative popular perception that has built up as a result of his indecisiveness. It has now become a running joke, and with automatic dissolution less than a month away, Najib has basically lost whatever legitimacy he has ever had, notwithstanding the fact that the he is a prime minister without his own mandate. That said, it is worthwhile to note that this delay that we are witnessing, while unprecedented in Malaysia, is not wholly uncommon in the Westminster system on which ours is based. In the history of the British Parliament, only three times has a peacetime government left it until within a month of automatic dissolution before calling for elections. The three governments in question were those of Alec Douglas-Home, John Major and, more recently, Gordon Brown. All three cases saw embattled prime ministers who inherited governments in decline after prolonged stints in power (three terms in the case of Douglas-Home's and Gordon Brown's governments, and four in the case of Major's). All three elections ended in defeat for the incumbents. The lesson to be learnt from the British experience is that dragging an expired and besieged government into polls does not usually end favourably. Especially when the electorate has been dragged along for too long. So when will the thirteenth general election be? It really doesn't matter anymore. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist | |
| Posted: 02 Apr 2013 05:10 PM PDT
APRIL 3 ― The past two weeks were spent attending a number of forums on the state of the Malaysian economy post GE 13. How will Malaysia face an economic transition? And there were a lot of promises. I was privy to a research report that said the following: Pakatan Rakyat has plans to stimulate local investment and domestic demand and attract foreign direct investment (FDI); create a "people's economy" to ensure more equitable economic distribution; ensure opportunities of training and education; reversing brain-drain, and so forth. Barisan Nasional's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) targets a total of RM1.4 trillion in investments between 2010- 2020, of which 92 per cent is expected to come from the private sector. National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) such oil and gas, palm oil, financial services, wholesale and retail, tourism, business services, electronics and electrical, communications and infrastructure, et al are designed to be economic growth drivers and to jumpstart private sector investment. Both sides also emphasise on meritocracy. Either way, depending on who you swing for, and what mood you're in, it all looks good. What I am wondering is how all of this will translate into the real economies of the country. Two examples of the realities of working and eking out a living in Malaysia:
ii. An ikan bilis seller working out of a market was eaten up by not competition, but by the solidarity of other ikan bilis sellers who were not of his race. Former seller sold superior ikan bilis, while the rest sold average anchovies. Will entrepreneurial racism be eradicated, especially at these levels? (b) Will these policies also change the work culture of Corporate Malaysia where scions and connected employees are employed and well regarded, compared to more able and capable but less connected Malaysians? This is something that was brought up again and again by many professionals I have spoken to. I have a soft spot for small businesses and I frequent a small sundry shop near where I live. The owner is the second generation of a Chinese family which runs it. I get my brooms, spices, almost everything I need to keep my life running here. This morning, I asked her, whether such a business sustained her family. She laughed. "Owning a shop like this, you survive-lah! You don't lead luxury (luxurious) life!" I asked her what she thought of the government's initiatives such as the ETP, GTP and Pakatan's policies. "Such policies affect only those of a certain income bracket," she shook her head. "Same like the housing Bumi discounts. Not all Malays are eligible for that. You have to buy a house of a certain amount, and you have to have a certain income." She pointed to the sugar sold in her shop. Did I know that the margins were small? If traders like her raised the price, they'd be in trouble. "This country creates wealth only for the privileged." She shrugged. The sundry store her family owned was all she knew, and she'd be surprised if they lasted a few more years. "The big supermarkets like Tesco are killing us. How to live?" *** Reading my colleagues' feature on the credit card crisis was not a good way to start my morning. But this is a reality that does not just concern lower income professionals and fresh graduates. Even professionals in mid-career who are NOT spendthrift find it hard to survive. This on TWO incomes. I have one or two friends who had cancer and insurance refused to cover them. They tanked their savings and had to max out their credit cards to pay for their medical expenses. Because they fall under a certain income level, they can't use facilities. Even if one does not use his credit card at all, he may have no choice but to use it during an emergency. Our pay has not risen in years. This, despite rising costs of living and added work stress. The cost of raising a family and schooling children in government schools is very high. So we take on second jobs, supplement our incomes in various ways. I know a couple of women who are educated and work at white collar professions, and who have taken a route many will tut-tut at: mistressing or becoming a high-class companion. Polygamy is a business transaction, and not all of these women marry men of money and power. A friend told me this, "Janji dia bayar api, household expenses, sudah." When you think about it, even marriage these days is a business proposal! How to survive-lah, we ask? Perhaps the best advice came from the sundry shop owner: You just have to make your own way. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist |
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