[ Laman Ehwal Semasa ReformIS ]
Date: 07 Sep 1999
Time: 20:22:14
Remote User: -
'The Malaysian'
Hatred as a campaign tactic: Ask Ku Li Yesterday, Dr Mahathir, campaigning in Pahang, claimed that Umno and the BN had never resorted to the use of hatred and to spreading mistrust between Muslims and Christians. Dr Mahathir has always been somewhat economical with the truth when it suits him, and he hopes that most of us will have somewhat short memories. But in this instance, who can forget that infamous photograph circulated two nights before polling day in the 1990 elections -- the one with Tengku Razaleigh in a Kadazan headdress, with two crossed sheaves of padi. Like the dirty deed that it was, it was distributed on the Thursday night, Friday being the last day of campaigning, with the message that Ku Li had sold out to the Christians. Perhaps Ku Li will now swear and deny that it was indeed the use of hatred?
Keeping promises? "The people know that the BN will not promise something that it cannot deliver," declared Dr Mahathir in a meeting with Pahang BN leaders Sept 6. Meanwhile, over the weekend, the people of Penang were too busy with floods -- the second in as many weeks -- to think about anyone's promises of anything. Still, many will recall that the present BN government in Penang, proud of its economic achievements with the Free Trade Zone, promised that it would uplift the quality of life of the people. Penang didn't use to flood as much, as often, or as badly.
The past five years have been a record of sorts -- perhaps something for the Guinness Book of Records? Despite promises, it is clear that the pace of hill cutting and clearing has actually increased, with consequences that are now clear to all. Part of the reason for this is the extent to which the Penang state government has become captive to developer interests. In one area in the island, however, it is not even a matter of recent promises. The residents of Jalan P Ramlee will recall the many promises made over decades -- and will also recall the floods they have had to endure over as many decades. Umno-types will bisik-bisik that this is because Penang is not headed by an Umno CM. But how then to explain Thean Teik Estate? And now, even Jalan Masjid Negeri, the former Green Lane, floods like it didn't use to.
But credit where credit's due. Penang people love their waterfall gardens. So the Penang state government decided to replicate waterfalls all over the island. In Paya Terubong alone, 15 new waterfalls sprouted up; unfortunately, they are not sustainable. Meanwhile, Abdullah Badawi told the Penang state government to re-submit the plans for the Sg Kulim/Sg Perai flood mitigation for immediate consideration. The plans were shelved last year because of the economic crisis. The project is estimated to cost a paltry RM40 million. Evidently, economic crisis was not too serious for the hundreds of millions expended on Putrajaya, but it was enough to shelve a RM40 million project which would have improved people's quality of life. Or is it, as Dr M says, we only do 'mega' projects in this country; and RM40 million would hardly count as 'mega'.
Common goal and aspiration -- who is Dr Ling kidding Saturday, in Segamat, MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik alleged the opposition could not manage the country well because each wanted to realise their own aspirations without considering the people's interest. Instead, he alleged that the BN has shared a common goal and aspiration of serving and striving for the people for more than 40 years. Yet another case of someone with a very selective memory and with great economy towards the truth. Ask Lim Chong Eu what happened to him; ask Lim Keng Yaik how he ended up in Gerakan.
Wasn't Operasi Lallang the direct outcome of both the MCA's and Umno's actions in each trying to be racial champion? We have not yet forgotten, even if Ling has, what happened in September and October 1987 -- when Lee Kim Sai was doing some inflammatory stuff, only to be joined by Najib with his proposed perhimpunan raksasa. Of course, as usual, when the leaders who light the flame are from the BN, they get away with it -- it was the poor NGO-types who got detained. But on one matter, he speaks the truth. Indeed the leadership of the BN share a common goal and aspiration -- how to get rich and how to help their children get rich!
Blame it on the crisis The crisis, like foreigners, can be very convenient -- they can be blamed for anything as and when convenient. Now the crisis can even be blamed for the poor price of palm oil and rubber. MCA president Dr Ling said precisely this when he met Felda settlers at Chempelak on Sunday. Felda settlers have become a great concern as they command a lot of votes and have become increasingly dissatisfied as the price of fruit has dropped from RM400 per tonne to under RM200 per tonne. And while Felda continues to make handsome profits, expenditure on settler welfare has become more and more inadequate; Felda is now a corporation. Dr Ling said settlers should consider that the drop in prices of natural resources was partly caused by the economic crisis but said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad had saved the country through his wise management and leadership. Everyone knows that the price of palm oil was at a record during the height of the crisis last year -- at one point pushing RM2400 a tonne. More, we've been told the crisis is over, so how can the crisis be responsible for the precipitous fall in price -- palm oil is now around RM1200 a tonne.
This is a minister in what he claims to be the only party which can manage the country? But one can rely on Dr Ling to come out with a nice phrase. He told the settlers that to improve their livelihood, "settlers must accept that they be friends with the winds of change". One can also rely on him to state to obvious and come out with the 'best' advice. Saying that "settlers should not depend totally on oil palm and rubber resources as the drop in prices of these produce could affect their income" he urged them not to rely solely on rubber and oil palm but to plant cash crops or venture into cattle rearing to supplement their income. First, rubber and oil palm are cash crops. Secondly, what does he want them to do, chop down some of the trees in order to plant other crops? And this is the man who said, "Voting for the opposition would only spell trouble." It's more like people cannot afford to vote the BN.
Correction We believe in freedom of interpretation of the facts, but we also believe that, to the best of our ability, we have to get the facts right. In yesterday's The Malaysian, we reported Bank Negara had directed that all preliminary agreements for the forced bank mergers had to be completed by Sept 11. Bank Negara has issued a denial and stated that the target date remains Sept 30. This does not alter the other arguments in the report. We' ll carry further developments as they arise.
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