In an illuminating piece that appeared in NSTOnline on 29th May, 2009, Dr Salim Argoes wasted no time getting to the points that needed to be made.
In his opening sentence, this is what he said :
Dr Salim then addressed the contention by certain quarters that Bahasa Malaysia can be a unifying factor, first noting that language can also be divisive, and then made the following all-important observation :
If Dr Salim’s right, and I think he is, where did Mahathir go wrong with his Vision 2020 such that he failed to put in place all that was necessary to establish “a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny” ?
In my view, Mahathir did not pay heed to his own observation in that famous Vision 2020 speech of his that this united Malaysian nation that he urged us to forge “cannot be in place so long as there is the identification of race with economic function, and the identification of economic backwardness with race”.
Mahathir did nothing to undo the years of race-based divide-and-rule.
What did he do?
Responding to Part 1 by way of comment, Paul Warren remarked :
“Haven’t you heard of such a thing as “shiok sendiri rhetoric?” Mahathir was full of it for a long time. Epitomised by such things as all his megalomaniac building programmes such as starting with Daya Bumi and ending up with the Twin Towers!!”
I don’t know about the ‘shiok sendiri’ part but, yes, if you take cognisance of Mahathir’s megalomaniac building programme, then you begin to get a sense of the old man’s Vision 2020.
Malaysia attaining developed nation status by 2020 meant putting in place all the outward trappings ordinarily associated with such a nation.
And the heightened consumerism which ordinarily accompanies a growing middle class.
As an oil-producing nation, we certainly had the resources to build, build and build.
And build Mahathir did.
Bakun.
KLIA.
Putrajaya.
We had the resources, so why did not the Mahathir regime build universities in every state and make education free at every level, set up more dialysis and cardiac centres throughout the country and make such treatment accessible to all at no charge?
As Farish Noor put it in his ‘My ideal politician’, ‘Rather than more bridges crooked or otherwise — built by crooks or otherwise — airports, shopping malls and monuments, we need to build some Malaysians first’.
Why was not the salary scale of those involved in the teaching profession at all levels significantly upgraded so that our children would be taught by the very best that money can buy?
Just one reason.
The jiwa of the man behind Vision 2020 was not in sync with that of the ordinary Malaysians who struggle to make ends meet.
And so, I ask again, what is the difference between Mahathir’s Vision 2020 and Najib’s 1Malaysia?
Is there such a difference between Mahathir and Najib that we should be encouraged to believe that, whilst Mahathiir had little impact in taking us anywhere near the Bangsa Malaysia he spoke of, with Najib, it will be otherwise ?
hamzah
July 1, 2009
…”Not just sharing the existing cake, but the cake must grow, so that these people also have the opportunity to grow…”
unfortunately, it’s abt % of the cake and no attention is being paid to enlarge the cake 😦
ktteokt
July 1, 2009
In the first place, even the “name” of our NATIONAL LANGUAGE cannot be fixed. It was first BAHASA MELAYU which afterwards changed to BAHASA KEBANGSAAN and we even had a song on that (BAHASA JIWA BANGSA if you remember). Then it became known as Bahasa Malaysia and later on it was called BAHASA MELAYU again. So which is which?
masakini
July 1, 2009
Spot on Haris. It makes me utterly sad that the former PM lived in a world of grandeur. With vast resources at his feet, he felt it fit to waste them on non-human capital, ignoring in many ways the much needed investment on human capital and also as you pointed out, a lot lot more could have been done with that money to give a better life to Malaysians.
It is little wonder that the man screwed up the nation. Almost everything took a regressive step and most have not recovered as yet from the years of abuse and misrule.
4RAKYAT
July 2, 2009
there’s no ‘money’ to be made in ‘sharing wealth’ across the board. bread and butter issues dont excite (corrupted) politicans. it is also not ‘sexy’.
so they built all those monuments. kick-backs, u see?
4RAKYAT
Jayenjr
July 2, 2009
Dear Haris
The reason why Najib’s vision is going to get us nowhere except further down the road travelled when TDM was helming, is simply for the fact that Najib has not, and most certainly will not, do anything to address the one thing that continues to rob this nation of its soul, and that is corruption.
Everything that has failed – and divided – this nation has its roots in this utmost evil. And the pleasure of it has so permeated our UMNO/BN politics, that I just don’t see Najib reforming.
His recent announcement of removing the 30% quota for BSKL listing means little, if he never addresses the issue of crony capitalism plus the corruption associated with it. Wasn’t the NEP envisioned as a tool to ensure equitable & fair distribution of wealth? Well, ask the AP Queen, Daim, and of course,our dear ex-ex PM….
If, such a noble policy can be hijacked to the extent to what it represents today, then what’s the use of another policy, when those in power don’t address the parasites that caused the system to be in ICU today?
I’m sorry. But when Obama, or Kevin Rudd, or Lee Hsien Loong, or Putin, want to get down to business, they lay down the plan with clear & measurable action oriented tasks that meet the goals stipulated. For eg, Obama’s administration imposed high taxes on the AIG execs who took bonuses from the bail-out funds.
Our PM?
His idea of national unity is doing a joget session with bored civil servants.
This man is leading our country?
anna brella
July 2, 2009
Do you not think that Malaysians are now exactly where the good doctor really intended and wanted them to be?
Has anyone read that letter which a young Mahathir was supposed to have written (sometime in the late sixties/early seventies I think it was) to PM Tunku Abdul Rahman about the reforms that were needed in UMNO and the country then?
That letter is an amazing feat of breathtaking spin in which Mahathir appeared to be an inspiring aspirational politician, saying all the right things in the right, sugar-coated way. Then when everyone in UMNO believed him and he finally won power to do all those right/inspiring stuff he wrote about in that letter, he went and did exactly the OPPOSITE!
Now do you see why Malaysians will never get to that…er….”1Malaysia” united position as long as he is the real master psychologist/puppeteer behind UMNO/BN and the rest are merely performing to the same deviantly shrewd and psychologically scripted wayang kulit screenplays?
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
Antares
July 2, 2009
Mamasan 2020 was really about kePIMPinan melalui tauladan – Mamathir relished playing Madame M in a Malaysia he envisaged as a 5-star bordello catering to the consumerist lifestyle of nouveau riche Umnoputras (& their sycophantic cohorts in the MCA & MIC). In short, the Great Visionary Leader SQUANDERED the nation’s oil wealth and betrayed the trust Malaysians placed in him for 22 years. And still the bugger isn’t satisfied!
Sharing
July 2, 2009
MACC Act http://www.parlimen.gov.my/billindexbi/pdf/DR212008E.pdf
the “Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission” Bill http://www.digitalibrary.my/dmdocuments/malaysiakini/916_SIAP%2011032009.pdf
will help to build more dictatorship!
1. PM is granted the sole dsicretion to appoint the Head and Set-up with consent from Agong instead of the Parliament.
2. PM can amend the Schedule and set up Rights & Regulations.
3. The Heads has power to adjust their operation or set-up. The Bill is suggesting something similar to a Court!
4. It is a overlapping or duplication of the Disciplinary Council of the Department Concerned. Skipping MACC, so that MACC will also be INDEPENDENT!! – A Step towards Secret Police
5. The officers are protected under “Authority Protection Act” and ……
THEY ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE CONSTITUTION, and the Parliamnent as well as Court towards a Police State!
GOD BLESS MALAYSIA!!
freemsian
July 2, 2009
let me also hint you why Pakatan Rakyat will fail.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/31080-dap-pulls-out-from-kedah-government
http://www.malaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/31057-hadi-awang-against-removal-of-30pc-bumiputera-equity-requirement-says-malays-still-weak
Paul Warren
July 2, 2009
We can say Najib is teasing us with his 1Malaysia. We can say he is not serious about it. Or we can say that his 1Malaysia, is ill conceived and destined to fail.
Whatever. to analogise, if we, the people, are like quick sand and Najib is the human being who is testing his feet in quick sand. I would rather, allow him a little more leash to test a little further and put his foot in. then we swallow him whole.
I mean, even as he is teasing us, if we, the people, are going to be warning him of the dangers or that hey, we’re quick sand, stay away from this, no one is going to achieve anything.
1Malaysia is not fully defined. It is evolving by the day. We, Anak Bangsa Malaysia, know what it is we want. We can see that in 1Malaysia there are some things there that align with our thoughts. So what if it is called 1 Malaysia. so what if we call it Anak Bangsa Malaysia. So long as when you unravel the package, you find the same contents inside, why not?
The fact that 1Malaysia has no content can be seen in the unceasing posturing by various UMNO leaders and Utusan Malaysia to give it meaning and content. Everyone wants his skewed definition or wants to ensure that what he does not want does not get into the definition.
We have the People’s Declaration. Tell me, does it not fulfill whatever it is that 1Malasyia is supposed to envisage? I’d accept 1Malaysia without a blink so long as the People’s Declaration is in there in its entirety and we don’t have waivers and exceptions that blunt any of it.
Thurai
July 2, 2009
Why don’t we give the Prime Minister the chance he asked for? So far, he seems to be doing alright.
The
July 2, 2009
/// Mahathir did not pay heed to his own observation in that famous Vision 2020 speech of his that this united Malaysian nation that he urged us to forge “cannot be in place so long as there is the identification of race with economic function, and the identification of economic backwardness with race”. ///
The answer is simple – hypocrisy and megalomania.
Vision 2020 was never about developing Malaysia economically, socially, culturally and all other socio-economic aspects. It is about building up one megalomania’s legacies. And one’s bank account.
Building up people and software requires more effort and less money can be made. Building schools is small change and how much commission can you squeeze out of schools? (Yes, they tried that in the procurement of computers for schools). But building multi-billion ringgit white-elephant projects means commissions in the hundreds of millions.
Dr M has some good and original ideas. Unfortunately, those that are good are not original, and those that are original are not good.
Take Vision 2020. It was adopted and adapted after Goh Chok Tong announced in 1984 the Vision of Singapore achieving Swiss standard of living by the year 2000.
Take Multi-media Super Corridor. It was cut and pasted from Singapore’s “Intelligent Island” concept. Not just a corridor, super or not. But wiring up an entire island.
Take Biopolis and Fusionopolis. What was Malaysia’s response – Life Science Valley or some other rip off idea that I can’t remember.
Those were the megalomania bits.
Now the hypocrisy bits. TDM is known for saying one thing, and doing another. To him, they are just sound bites – catchy phrase and motherhood statements. Some are even sensible, but never implemented or implemented badly.
Some choices examples of this man’s hypocrisy:
“Prosper Thy Neighbour”. Right after this utterance, he spent the rest of his political life (and even now) doing his darnest to screw Singapore and to make sure that Singapore die economically.
“Malays are gentle and polite; Westerners are kurang ajar and uncouth”. And then he goes bashing Jews, US, Singapore, Bush, Clinton, Paul Keating, George Soros, and of course Lee Kuan Yew. Not very Malay – is it? Maybe we can excuse him because he is not truly a Malay. And Keating was exasperated enough to call him a recalcitrant.
Crying at various UMNO gathering, and inveighing against corruption. Can you imagine a bigger hypocrite than that? Crocodile tears – or more like a buaya.
And his idea of achieving Vision 2020? Around 8% GDP growth per year with ZERO inflation. Now, tell that to any economics 101 student – sustained high economic growth AND zero inflation, and they will ROTFLMAO. No wonder Malaysia is in such a state.
chiew ka 4...!
July 2, 2009
We, the rakyat Malaysia have got “NO” issues on race. We all grow up knowing “very” well we are in a “multi racial” country.
Yes….????
It is the politicians (goverment & opposition) fault that race issues are “played” by them…!
They are the ones that started it…!!!
It’s always the rakyat that “suffers” in the end…!
Let us “NOT” be sucked in by their “wants & greedy needs”………!!!
jaytan
July 2, 2009
So far it is only rhetoric. I wouldn’t get excited over some words (and numbers). I need to see changes in policies, new directions and concrete action . . . We have been teased too many times.
Bigjoe
July 3, 2009
Interesting to note you post this on the day after Najib made his biggest move yet against the NEP. Not that I think that even his latest liberalisation move is worth much but to come back to your point about vision 2020 and 1Malaysia, what is it that Najib don’t get and what would be the fallout of that ignorance?
What if Najib got it wrongon liberalisation move? At a period of greatest economic and social challenge, he is taking some steps but is it enough? Make no mistake, Najib is making all these liberalising move because his own personal political liabilities cannot afford him not to. He is essentially spending his political credits with UMNOist to invest in liberal side of the country. The issue is will the investment pay off?
The key really lies still with UMNO warlords. If Najib’s liberalisation pays off for most warlords, then he will win. Conversely, if his moves does not pay off for the warlords he will lose. But this time, its not with the traditional warlords. Its a much larger group, namely some 60,000 or so that will vote for him if he gets his way with UMNO constitution. That is why his moves has much wider implication. The problem is the larger UMNO-community is ready enough to benefit from his moves?
Take for example the IPO share thing. Its clear it will benefit more bumis – the issue is will more bumis take advantage of it? If you go by sale of ASN shares, it should. So he is no dummy…
But if you look at scholarship, its going to be pretty bad because its not the Chinese they have to worry about but the Indians who will add with the Chinese prowress to push aside a lot of the not really top students.
So in the end, the result is a mix bag and basically what will the reaction be when its a mix bag? Can he hold on to power if the result is a mix bag i.e., no one is particularly happy and everyone got a complain..
That is the big picture Najib may not see…
Tham Chee Keong
July 6, 2009
Najib’s 1Malaysia WILL fail, why?
1) All Malaysians since 1969 were clearly differentiated and engrained into minds of specific children in terms of Race, Religion & Place of Origin that Malaysia belongs to them.
2) Enforcement of Dominance of a specific race over other races in all areas / sectors of society from childhood till retirement
3) The Economic Pie has not expanded to correspond to population growth while corruption is prevalent.
Warrior 231
July 7, 2009
Hmmmm….taking longer to put them posts up. must be taxing on the grey matter, eh?. Anyway, the punchline is not in the post which is pure hogwash and does not even deserve a decent response except a hearty guffaw…the punch is in the lines that make up the reams of mindless comments this blog trawls in by the buckets from its besotted affociandos trapped in ennui in a sea of iniquity ….from monuments to the national language to old moldy letters and cakes….hahahahahahahahahaha…this is jokers paradise come alive…………hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha……
treading the treadmill running in statis……….that sums up this blog….hahahahahahahahahaa…..but me, thulukan the donkey and kaka the crow love to lap it up, it keeps the blues and greys away…….hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…LOL. You are a born clown, haris..thanks for the major tickle anyway……..hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaha …LOL. Thulukan and Kaka send their regards too…
Warrior 231