Good news. Bernama has a story [read here] about Malaysia being a net exporter of coconuts by 2020, irrespective of whether we'd achieve the desired developed nation status by the year.
Mr FF, who alerted me to the piece of good news, remarked: "At least we won't be a banana republic!"
Read this from The Guardian UK
ReplyDeleteActivists walk out as Blair addresses TUC
Matthew Tempest and Hélène Mulholland
Tuesday September 12, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
Tony Blair's farewell speech to the TUC was met with a walkout today by disaffected union members, some carrying placards calling for the prime minister to 'go now'.
Delegates from the RMT and firefighters' union the FBU - neither of them affiliated to the Labour party - were believed to be behind the pre-planned demonstration.
The walkout was believed to number around 30 delegates, which was immediately condemned by Gordon Brown.
He said: "I want to praise Tony Blair's speech, and I condemn those who walked out when they had the chance to listen and ask questions.
"I urge all trade unionists to support the reform agenda set out by Tony Blair and agreed by the whole government."
Mr Brown is due to address union leaders at a private dinner in Brighton tonight.
The prime minister's address dealt with the themes of mass migration and the terrorist threat, but Mr Blair was met by boos and catcalls from some members as he took to the stage at 2.45pm.
In a charged atmosphere in the Brighton centre, the PM was also greeted with polite applause as well as boos when he stood up to speak.
Bob Crow, the leader of the RMT, was one of those holding banners.
Mr Blair said: "Those who protest are perfectly entitled to do it, but you are doing precisely what those who do not want a Labour government want. Not very sensible."
Halfway through his speech Mr Blair was interrupted as he defended the current role of UK troops in Iraq. The PM told union members holding up "Troops Out" banners that they should be backing their fellow trade unionists in Iraq.
As the heckling grew louder, a clearly angry Mr Blair said: "It's warming up. You were warm already, I'm just getting there."
The speech was the most visible hostility to the PM at a public meeting since he was slow-handclapped while delivering a speech to the Women's Institute six years ago.
Mr Blair, looking uncomfortable and at times angry, said to applause: "However difficult it is, however fraught our relations from time to time, make no mistake ( sound like bush ) - I want the TUC to go on being addressed by a Labour prime minister not to addressed again by a leader of the opposition."
For 18 years, the Labour leader had "no power to do anything" other than oppose, he reminded them.
Mr Blair concluded his half hour speech with a call on the unions to participate in the policy debates ahead in the Labour leadership contest - although he gave no further clue as to when he might step down.
He made passing mention of the "politicking of the previous two weeks".
The prime minister said: "Organised labour has a crucial role to play. It is exactly where modern trade unionism should be."
Mr Blair received 23 seconds of polite applause from delegates when he finished his speech.
"If you ever think you'll get a perfect government, you won't," he concluded to delegates at the end of half an hour of largely hostile questioning.
He ended by reciting the government's record on introducing the minimum wage, the OAPs' fuel allowance, the sure start programme, record numbers in employment and record investment in public services.
He concluded: "I want to see a Labour government continue in government. It's a darn sight better than wasting our time in opposition - that is the brutal truth."
Mr Crow, speaking outside the chamber, claimed that all the questions to the PM had been "vetted" in advance yesterday.
Rocky!
ReplyDeleteThe thing that I dreadest the most may just become a reality during my lifetime. Not only that Malaysia will become a "banana republic", Anwar Ibrahim already suggested the bumi-status to be done away with, he has alwasy been an ardent advocate of a Republic, to do away with the Sultanic system of Malaysia. He wants MAlaysia to be "the Republic of Malaysia" before he dies.
Now we are going to be a net exporter of coconut, like one export product of banana in many latin and central American countries that are being controlled by big multi-national corporations, namely the US, Malaysia will be heading for the same sad road where everything in this country will be controled by the US proxy, Singapore, where we wil be allowed to export coconut, while the rest of our precious commodities will be in foreign hands.
Rocky! the income from coconut will be shared by the corrupt clique who will be in charge of Malysia, where they will spend time at the many casinos which by this time will be main feature of the Republic of Malaysia.
Rocky! I have no desire to write anything after this because Morons are not capable understanding complex issues affecting them!
here we go again - a few years ago agriculture minister muhyidin yasin said malaysia will be able to export rice "in a few years". I wrote to the papers saying that if the govt officers start to believe him they will start spending money for something that will never come about.
ReplyDeleteI asked: what's going to change? why after spending millions developing muda scheme and giving fertilisers to farmers our sufficieny in rice production remain 60%, after generations of padi planting.
Why don't we accept the fact that there's something structurally wrong with our (Malay) agriculture mentality and attitude. Pouring millions more will not change this, unfortunately.
Just go to sekinchan and see how padi is planted and looked after there by a small group of farmers.
Then go to cameron highlands and see how the farmers there slog on their farms to enable them to export their vegetables, without govt help.
Want to export coconut?
bagus...inilah dipanggil kemajuan and industrialisasi. in the end jual coconut.
ReplyDeletegreat in terms of intellectual property, nation building, prosperity, indigenous technology.
for a start, plant coconut trees all over putrajaya, multimedia corridor, to and fro klia, at the area where the unwanted bridge was supposed to have come up. can convert malaysia airlines to official coconut carrier, convert proton plant into coconut harvesting facility, etc.
how bout petai? good potential here. durian?
dulu keropok now coconut. ha ha ha. vely vely ambitious one maraysia.
Now I understand the title confered to Pak Lah as Bapa K-ekonomi (K stands for kelapa).
ReplyDeletehey,bro.
ReplyDeletewe might as well be -- (banana republic): we meet all the requirements.
InMine said... "Now I understand the title confered to Pak Lah as Bapa K-ekonomi (K stands for kelapa)."
ReplyDeleteLOL @ "K stands for kelapa".
[ketawa bergolek atas lantai]
anakhujanbatu
anakhujanbatu
ReplyDeletesebenar nya, "kepandaian" Pak Lah terhad, terbatas. Itulah dia boleh bercakap pasal buah kelapa, buah manggis.
Wartawan2 beritahu saya, mereka kesiankan Pak Lah sebab jawatan Perdana Menteri adalah terlalu berat untuk beliau. Itulah dia memperbesarkan Cabinet -- sekarangkan banyak portfolio2. Lawak wartawan:
Pak Lah: Eh, Abu (konon nye nama seorang Menteri), lama tak jumpa
Menteri Abu: Ada Datuk Seri. Mesyuarat Kabinet semalam.
Pak Lah : Ya ke? You dalam Kabinet I, ke?
***
if you must know. Kalimullah never thought highly of Pak Lah.
ReplyDeleteKalimullah is not intelligent. he is cunning. He could see Pak Lah's gullibility. He could see the fool in Pak Lah.
Pak Lah is a nice guy and trusting. But I agree. he is not a good Prime Minister.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteanakhujanbatu
sebenar nya, "kepandaian" Pak Lah terhad,
===================================
Right. Got this from
http://n32.blogspot.com/
...got an SMS (a fictitious one I suppose) from a CIA agent who managed to pick up their conversations. Perhaps it would be of interest to us all. Of course the critical ones have to be dropped for security reasons.
As both leaders sat down at the posh Oval Office, Bush made the first move by asking Pak Lah:
So how is Malaysia today?
Without much hesitation Pak Lah replied:
That website is a pain in the ***. But I thought they were being funded by your people in the CIA, are you still funding them
Bush frowned not knowing what the hell the PM was talking about, but when on to ask the next question:
I am afraid I have not much time, as other leaders are waiting outside. Do you require any aid from us Mr Prime Minister?
Pak Lah smiled and confidently replied:
AIDS in Malaysia is under control Mr President, we got rid of Mahathirs daughter as its head, now it OK. Please dont give us any more AIDS Mr President, please.
Bush scratched his head, not wanting to embarrass the PM he moved on:
Southern Thailand is becoming very volatile a threat to peace and stability in your region. Im sure you are told of the incident in Haadyai.
Pak Lah happily replied:
Oh yes Haadyai is a lovely place, heaven to some. They have lots of entertainment there. Massage parlours and .......
Immediately Bush cut him off and angrily shouted:
I meant the bomb incident there Mr Prime Minister!
Pak Lah softly replied:
It was not my son. Nuclear centrifuge they say was supplied by my son. No he is not into making bombs Mr President not him nor his company nor his associates.
Bush was so frustrated, and he asked:
Have you got a hearing problem Mr Prime Minister
Dollah nodded and said:
I am waiting for the hearing
Bush retorted:
What hearing?
Dollah replied instantly:
The one where Anwar is suing Mahathir for defamation.
With his patience almost gone Bush asked:
Are you really in control Mr Prime Minsiter?
Hesitantly Pak lah replied:
Yes I am with my son and son in law, we are all in control, which you dont have to worry Mr President.
To which Bush shouted:
Next leader please!
Dollah stood up and shake the Presdients hand:
Thank you so much for your time.
Later outside the Oval Office, TV3, Bernama, NST and all their spin doctors crowded around Dollah for a brief press conference.
A reporter questioned:
How did the meeting go Pak Lah?
Pak Lah looked him in the eyes and said:
Suatu perjumpaan yang sangat pepenting dan bermakna.