Tuesday, November 14, 2006

ADVICE FOR UMNO

"Don't use position to Lobby for Business". Read the DPM's advice to Umno Puteri leaders here yesterday. It is such a timely advice. Don't be fooled by the girly-pink colours of the young women's wing called Puteri, which literally means Princess. From when Azalina Othman Said fought to start it, it was bogged by talk that there would be those who might be tempted to use it to promote their own chances for lofty contracts instead of lofty ideals. For Najib Abdul Razak to caution them against abusing their positions, he must have heard something he didn't quite like.

Still, in my opinion, the same advice would have been better served to the Pemuda. Its deputy chief, Khairy Jamaluddin aka the Son-in-Law, was seen as using his position - both as deputy chief and as SIL - to get his hands on those ECM-Libra shares! If the head, which is supposed to do all the thinking, can't resist the temptation of the ringgit, the rest of the body can't be expected to be cleverer.

And come to think about it, shouldn't this advice be given to Umno as a whole. The party is today perceived as nothing much more than a platform for the Malay who wishes to lobby for business, small and big. Hence, the word Umnoputera. The leader of the Women's wing has still to satisfactorily explain why so many APs were given to her former Miti officers. The President of Umno has been accused by his predecessor for abusing his position to give his only son huge government contracts worth billions of ringgit. The President of Umno has also gone on record to insinuate that the predecessor had also abused his position to give his children contracts worth even more than the ones he awarded his only son!

If the advice is not going to be served to the Pemuda, Wanita and Umno proper, let's not hope that the princesses of the party won't look for their own princely kickbacks, too. It would only be fair.

25 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:06 pm

    Bro Rocky

    The UMNO leaders need only to advise Khairy aka as the famous Son-in-Law not to sue his position to make MONEY. If it is heeded then they can proceed with the other members at large.

    But there is no use in advising becuase Khairy will say he is unemployed and had lost RM200,000-00 onthe ECM Libra deal sohe is now a very poor man.

    The "Over Stay PM" has stated that there was no need for his son or Son-In-Law to declare their assets because they are good leaders. But in April 2005 "The Over Stay PM" told other MP and leaders that they and their next of kin must declare their assets.

    Since the over stay PM's son and son-in-law are exempted from declaring their assets then wahtever advice from the DPM will be lip service only.

    If UMNO is serious about wiping hte out hte abused of power then it will have to start from the "Over stay PM". He and his son and son-in-law have to immediately publicly declare their assets otherwise please do not insult our inteligence.

    Please do not think that we, Mlaysians are stupid. This is 2006. Over stay PM, please do not try Malaysians. If you carry with your stupidity and allowing your son and son-in-law to abused their power then come next General Elections you and yoour half past six cabinets will be out of office. Be forewarn!!!

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  2. Anonymous4:37 pm

    *TypicalProgrammer*

    It was nice to hear someone, anyone sounding off the greedy ones. You can bet that AAB wont make such a statement because it would just make him a fool. He would deflect from such comments because he knows his relatives are the direct recipient of such contract.

    I agree with rocky on is views about UMNO. I am non-Malay bumi, I made a joke about joining UMNO once to an UMNO member. He quickly shot down my suggestion saying I am unqualified to join because I am a not a Malay and should not reap the benefit UMNO bestow to its member. Its been a while since I heard people joining UMNO for the good of the countries.

    I believe Malaysia would be better off if UMNO did not exist anymore. Don't get me wrong, I believe it has contributed much to our country but at it's current state it has developed into a cancer instead. It would be better off if a new bumi institution emerge or if it is really necessary a new Malay institution.

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  3. Anonymous5:21 pm

    brother,

    these are platitudes. year in, year out before the party assembly, the umno president and deputy president need to remind party leaders and members about the ills and the evils of corruption. year in, year out, party leaders and members applaud the president and deputy president.
    after the applause dies, they all go back to their old merry ways -- to why they are in Umno in the first place --
    brother, i hate to disappoint you -- they don't make Umno members like they used to. and we are talking about a very very previous life time.

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  4. Anonymous5:25 pm

    this is an old tune. it is being re-played. over and over again. they all listen. many will not heed. why should they? they look above them and what do they see? senior leaders making so much hay while the sun shines. so, why can't they? why can't Puteri Umno leaders and members? You see them in their pink kain baju kurung or kebaya? check out their hand bags -- ferragamo, prada, LVs, Gucci. They all want a piece of that good life.
    and who's stopping them?

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  5. Anonymous5:29 pm

    welcome to the real world, brother.

    politics is just a platform. a vehicle. you and I will not join Umno. you - because you are a journalist and this is not the 40s or 50s when journalists are in the think of the fight for independendence. and me, because I don't believe in Umno leaders and members. I believe in the concept and struggle of Umno -- the United Malay National Organisation or Pertubuhan Kebangsaan melayu Bersatu.
    That is long dead.
    Pick out one Umno leader -- no. pick out 100 - from the top to the branches. Tell me what you see.
    I'll give you just one example -- Zakaria Deros.

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  6. Anonymous5:42 pm

    yes the whole Umno disciplines should emulate a good practice. once national interest issues raised they will start talk about Malay economics, social problems etc. but in their inner heart theres nothing than own stomach. umnoputera & puteri should shy themselves

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  7. Anonymous5:44 pm

    Boring le ucapan Najib, tak menarik langsung, ucapan Pak Lah nanti sure lagi boring punya. Zaman Pak Lah ni, persidangan UMNO sungguh membosankan, expect some to sleep.

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  8. Anonymous5:44 pm

    the whole nation must realised that umnoputera and puteri only care for their stomach and selfpride.

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  9. Anonymous5:47 pm

    Boring le ucapan Najib, expect some more boring speech from Pak Lah this coming Wednesday.

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  10. Anonymous5:56 pm

    i am praying that tun mahathir and anwar ibrahim join forces to back najib. that, or Tun Dr Mahathir and anwar ibrahim offer us Malays an alternative party to support.
    to me, Umno is becoming irrelevant to the Malays.

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  11. Anonymous5:58 pm

    now, why would i join Umno? to get rich, of course. if i want to make a difference, i'd join an NGO.
    in Umno, i know i can get make a head start in business. what was it someone said -- give a leg or something??? aah. something like that-lah.

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  12. NTR's advice is typical of UMNO grandstanding i.e. cakap tak serupa bikin.

    TypicalProgrammer- I absolutely agree with you on the irrelevancy of the present UMNO to the malays in general. It's 3 million plus members donot represent all other malays or bumis.

    As I've said before, donot vote for any UMNO candidates in the next GE. Take UMNO out of the BN equation. Let's see what AAB can/will do when his UMNO platform collapses.

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  13. Anonymous8:34 pm

    Saw the news on TV3? KJ just proved he's nothing better than a gangster (brushing too much with the Mat Rempits i guess) by blasting all the way against Tun Mahathir. Rafidah did the same as well.
    Maybe they think its fair for them to unleash their mulut lasers as Mahathir did before. But the fact remains- Mahathir was in power for 22 years and shaped Malaysia to what it is today. What is KJ and Rafidah...nothing..and it will remain that way.
    At least Hishamuddin was wise with his choice of words..now that's a man who will go far, a man whose brains think faster than his mouth.

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  14. Anonymous8:35 pm

    saudara,

    a prominent wanita umno leader once told me : You deserve the leader you get and the leader deserve the supporters he courts.

    so, if a leader buys votes, then those who vote for him deserve that kind of leader and he deserves that kind of supporters.

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  15. Anonymous8:44 pm

    khairy ought to be given 2 hard smacks while hishamuddin is to be applauded in the manner he presented his speech with reference to Dr M. khairy was just plain kurang ajar-he should learn a thing or on manners from his dad in law.if it is true that he did not do anything of what was accused of him then why retaliate? its goes to show that the old proverb of "siapa makan cili dia yang akan terasa" is so true after all!

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  16. Anonymous8:59 pm

    well, you know umno. and malays in general. they forget easily. i'm a malay, and i feel ashamed at whats going on. i found a good thing on youtube, bloody hilarious, the new umno song. in the lyrics, there's a line "tipu, terus menipu, kita tipu melayu..." can't be more accurate than that!

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  17. Anonymous8:59 pm

    sorry forgot the address for the youtube song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqhHWWeR7uw

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  18. Anonymous9:46 pm

    bro, what you see in pwtc this week is not about highligting the plight and bright of the malays but more of a congregation of would-be and soon-to-be malay contractors. heard over radio this morning, pak lah topping up rm600mil for small projects under RMK9. Candy for kids!

    first and 2nd day debate no ummph la!

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  19. Anonymous10:53 pm

    Salam to all,
    Najib's advise is like re-playing Hari Raya songs (or divali's or Gong Xi Fa Cai or Christmas songs) by Sinar fm or Light N Easy radio stations.
    Its nice to listen to and brings back nostalgic memories( same advise year-in year-out during UMNO conventions). But like the Hari Raya songs, everyone likes listening to it but nobody follows its messages.That is likely to happen to Najib's reminder.

    Like someone mentin in this thread, whats the point of joining UMNO if not for getting rich?

    But the UMNO delegates will be proud of themselves when they go back to their respective kampungs and towns. They thought they have done something good for the Malays and Malaysia.
    I say this to them: Pooodddaaahhhh!!!!

    Salam
    Ayub Tulakang

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  20. Anonymous7:19 am

    Kunang2

    1st and 2nd day debate memang tak ada UMPH because delegates dah kena UMPAN with the topping of RM6000 million for small projects under RMK9.

    Sedihnya bagaimana senang dan murahnya perwakilan boleh dibeli!

    Now you know why many here, like me, arent Umno members!

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  21. Can someone please remind me? Is UMNO the ruling government or Barisan Nasional? Did someone change the rules? So it seems that all these announcements about additional spending was made by 1 component of the ruling government, am I right? Do you hear this in, say....MCA meeting? MIC? Gerakan? . . .

    OK, I am not into politics, I do not really know, who can say what....so forgive me if I sound naive.

    What &^%$#( me most was the remarks made...'don't play the racial / religion card!' ...For F*&%$s sake, the statement, we do not believe in inter faith council clearly indicates that they are not willing to give other faith a chance! It is their way or the highway. . .so seeing it like this, perhaps that is why there is a brain drain, those who can think for themselves have already jumped ship. The one person (no points for guessing who) who has really fought back, is now recuperating from a heart attack, whilst all this right hand goons of the PM, think that they decide for the country. . .so what is happening to our GOVERNMENT?
    Insensitive . . these remarks make me sick! It seems that we (others who are not in UMNO do not have a say, that's what it seems to me)
    If we need a second bridge to Penang, what th f&^%s have two bloody platform have to do for the bridge??? Do you see the Japanese building bridges where they can have two, not one, viewing platform? . . .for Malaysia's sake, someone should tell them that it is OUR COUNTRY TOO!!

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  22. Anonymous11:52 am

    well....
    this is malaysia..
    Ini adalah kenyataan yg berlaku di Malaysia..
    Kuasa di dalam Umno digunakan sebaik - baiknya utk 'menangguk di air yg keruh'Di saat ekonomi semakin ditahap merosot..
    Kuasa digunakan sbg aset utk meraih undi dan memperdayakan rakyat..
    bukan setakat di dalam Umno shj..
    Jika kita melihat situasi di sekeliling..
    Saudara, adik,abang,isteri, anak, dan suku- sakat yg rapat akan diberi peluang utk meraih keuntungan. yg menjadi mangsa, adalah rakyat yg lain..
    tidak pada Pak Lah shj malah kesemua Ahli Menteri jika kita mencari setiap cabang perniagaan didalam Malaysia adalah di monopoli oleh ahli keluarga mereka..
    selidik lah jika anda inginkan jawapan yg muktamad...

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  23. Anonymous1:47 pm

    Sorry le ok, I am a pure Malay, but I must say this sorry state of affairs affecting our community.

    Umno has indeed become irrelevent to the country!

    It is only relevent to those who want to build mansions on land meant for squatters, ask Customs to close one eye to rules and regulations so that illegally sawn timber can be exported, buying ECM Libra shares, being involved in uranium deals etc..

    Umno is also irrelevent as is the ACA - a bunch of clowns sitting there in the name of tackling corruption. Its the same scenario - money politics in Umno and No Action by the ACA.

    So you continue breeding Mat Zakarias aka Gucci Zakaria, Close One Eye Mr Jasin MP and Menteri Besar Toyols who condone such action.

    Umno is only relevent to stir up the same old song every year in their AGM - go on Dr M bashing(shame and disgrace to Khairi and Rafidah), announcing increased development funds (shouldnt that be a govt decision and announced after Cabinet sits), asking for more Bumiputer equity, asking for more payouts and freebies, challenging other communities in multi-racial Malaysia not to challenge them....and so on.

    Its a pity but as the world is moving so fast, we Malays are sitting here fighting for stupid things that do not matter much internationally.

    Please wake up and look beyong the borders.....the real challenge is out there acrfoss the seas, not raising tensions with our fellow Malaysians.

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  24. macam mana boleh, if you are what you said you are. I salute you. You can see so clearly now, but unfortunately, most others lose their vision when they sit together with other ultra UMNOputeras. SOrry if it sounds like I am rude. My point is, you are absolutely right, but how do we get this point across? If it is raised by me, I AM MALAYSIAN (but reduced to having describe myself as Chinese....BUT I AM NOT FROM CHINA? , I will surely be put in Jail for inciting racial issues.

    ok before I lose my point...my point is, as a Malaysian, I seem to be displaced by my fellow countrymen. Yet when it comes to election, my vote counts! as does yours! so how is it that when it comes to the riches, some get preferred treatment? Our country's wealth should be used to help the poor....the poor, like the farmers, the rubber tappers, the fishermen, so many others.Actually, farmers nowadays a millionaires...poor people are those like me working my a$$ off paying my loans, which i cannot afford! Yet when we give all these handouts, you see a palace being built amongst squaters.....what does it tell you? Surely, it is the wrong person receiving it! Look around. It is happening blatantly. And the boss is making statements left right and center without addressing the problem.
    The time has come for us to evaluate ourselves. Is this what we want our country to be? Or should we join hands irrespective of race to rebuild our nation?

    Having stumbled unto this blog, I now make it a point to read this blog to get some fire in me going . .

    so, for now the analogy is like this
    Ahmad, Lim, Samy and Harjit have a company. The company makes a lot of money delving in multitude of business. Though they are partners in business, Ahmad assumes the role of CEO, through mutual consent. However, AHmad decides that the company should invest 600million to create opportunities whereby his clansmen can profit from it. Do you think it is logical that Lim, Samy, and Harjit agrees to it without any objections? If it was indeed a company's decision, it would have certainly been more appropriate if they held a press conference...dont ya think?

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  25. Anonymous11:04 am

    Hi Alliedmartster,

    Firstly, I cannot vouch for my countrymen, FYI, I am apolitical because I do not believe in Umno, no Pas nor any of the poilitical parties in Malaysia, as they are all based on race.

    I, as a Bumi from KL, studied in Victoria Institution, lived with my friends who were multiracial and open-minded. We ate in each others houses during all festivals. We did not ahve the "dont bring wet food" policy.

    I went on merit to a local u (but I must admit I got a full scholarship being a Melayu), but I did feel bad for my friends in the U who struggled to pull through.

    Today, Zakaria Gucci can build a mansion worth RM8 million because he is the favoured one among the favoured in Umno.

    How many Malays in Klang or Malaysia enjoy this??

    You walk into my kampung and see how poor the Malays are. They have been like that for decades. So who gets rich?

    The Malays who are linked to Umno, who enjoy patronage and who give patronage. They have become immensely rich. It is the political system that has bred this.

    Why arent Malays from PAS rich? Because they are not in the govt and cannot get the cake. But put them in government, what will happen?

    Look at the MCA and MIC. They are the same as Umno. Their ministers are filthy rich too, albeit quietly and park their wealth overeseas.

    But the Chinese and Indians continue voting them in for stability. Same with Umno - especially rural uneducated Malays continue voting Umno nincompoops and idiots into Parliament, where the debates are so shalllow.

    Why? because voters continue to want stability with the BN, hence Umno, MIC and MCA.

    My answer to you. Give them a shock in the next election. Vote some of them out, reduce BN majority, then you MAY see BN changing, Umno changing, MCA changing (look at SUPP in Sarawak - they are now going after each other's throats after they got wiped out in Sarawak).

    Same with MIC - deny the 100 per cent record Samy has been boasting.

    Right now, to be frank - Umno will continue using this weapon - race, Malay rights, social contract, religious autonomy on Islamic affairs etc, etc as weapons.

    Its a sad state, but its a fact.

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