Pak Lah - Man Of The Moment
Yesterday morning, I managed to catch Pak Lah's opening address to the UMNO General Assembly, on TV. Even though I'm not an UMNO member, but the UMNO president's annual address to his party is an event which I never miss every year.
It helped that in most previous years, it was the hard- hitting Dr. Mahathir that was speaking. Truth be told, I didn't think very much of Pak Lah's General Assembly speech, last year - it was quite colourless.
But I must admit, this year took me by surprise.
Amidst all the controversy surrounding money politics, the suspension and removal of Tan Sri Isa Samad as one of the UMNO Vice Presidents, the contentious Approved Permit (AP) issue and the bold disclosure of the AP list by the PM's Office - Pak Lah stepped up and outlined his vision for the Malays and Malaysia.
Most times, UMNO leaders conveniently play the race card, that it's mind-numbing. Or not, the cakap tak serupa bikin card, like when most UMNO leaders talk about anti-corruption.
I've always wondered when I would able to see an UMNO leader call a spade a spade, in an UMNO General Assembly and outline a vision for the future, which would be necessary for the survival of the Malays, in the globalized world. But I guess, I just never expected Pak Lah to be that person.
The President of UMNO admitted the failure of the NEP came from the weakness of the implementation and the abuse of the privileges by the Malays, themselves. He reminded the assembly that the elected power given to UMNO and the Government is an amanah (a trust) given by the people.
He criticized UMNO leaders that were fond of overspending Government monies indiscriminately (monies that we don't really have and which shall burden future generations) and fond of propping up "fake development" for the people.
He pointed that Government coffers are not bottomless and it is not sustainable in the medium to long term, for the Government to keep pumping projects and subsidies, to prop up the Malays, and sometimes other Malaysians too.
He reminded everyone that the main thrust of the party is about work, and not just talk. He admonished those who used money to buy positions within the party and who became members of UMNO, not to serve the people, but to procure business projects for themselves.
He lambasted those who had received Government shares, projects and licenses, allocated specifically for the Malays for them to build up their capacity, in business - but instead, the recipients had sold them off for "easy money", to other Malaysians. (And it gets even worse, when some of the opportunities and privileges were accorded to so few, like the APs were).
These are "leakages" that have defeated the Government's objectives of creating a genuine Bumiputra Commercial and Industrial Community and to achieve the 30% target of corporate equity to be held by the Malays.
(Currently, it's at about 19% - which means that to achieve the NEP targets by 2020 - we would have to achieve a Malay corporate equity growth of 0.8% per annum. It's achievable - that's below the rate which we achieved in between 1971-1990, when Malay corporate equity grew from a mere 2% to 19%)
He encouraged the Malays who are already capable to stand up on their two feet, to compete and allow for the Government's resources to be better channelled, to address the poor and the underprivileged. He pointed out that when scholarships are given to the privileged and economically undeserving, we are depriving those that are truly deserving of Government assistance.
He strongly encouraged UMNO members to stamp out money politics and corruption within the party.
He said: "If we cannot stamp out corruption within UMNO, no one will believe in our efforts to stamp out corruption within Government and the country". How very true - the public has grown a second skin of cynicism, when it comes to corruption within UMNO.
And then he said something which I never thought I would never hear an UMNO President say - that by 2020, there will be no more NEP to support the Malays and the situation by then, has to be "saksama" (in this context, meaning equal and fair to all races).
This had always been somewhat implied by Vision 2020 (by setting the targets of the NEP (for instance the 30% Malay corporate equity holding) to be achieved by then), but having it said by the UMNO President and Malaysia's Prime Minister, means that it is carved out in stone. At least, during the Abdullah administration.
He said this was necessary, as the objective was to create a better reality, for our future generations - where wealth was equitably shared and where all Malaysians shall compete, on an equal basis. And Pak Lah rightly recognized that the ability to compete is essential, to survive in the globalized world of today and tomorrow.
The NEP has only 14 years left before the new realities set in by 2020 and there is much to do. And Pak Lah reminded everyone to work even harder and to make that "leap".
It's a historic moment, actually. You can sense that this is a fresh approach in UMNO - party that has been so used to the influence of wealth and patronage, since 1985, at least. The hall was silent, paying rapt attention to President's speech - some are strongly supportive and some visibly uncomfortable, at the radical changes proposed.
I've waited a long time for this. An UMNO President and a Prime Minister that is bold enough to tell the Malays the truth, about themselves and about the realities of the globalized world we live in, today and the importance of adapting, competing and surviving. And hopefully, has the courage to lead them there.
UMNO needs a reorientation. It must begin to attract more of the right sort of people - people who are there to serve the Malays and the country, not themselves. People who are nationalists, but not bigots. People who shall work to preserve this country for the long term and not abuse and pillage it, senseless, for the present.
If Malaysia and the next generation is to have any chance at all, of making this a better country - we have to allow them the opportunity to be true Malaysians, not defined by race, not divided by religion, not distinguished by crutches and subsidies, not competing so much with one another but collaborating to compete with other countries.
I'm quite convinced that if the best of the Malays, Chinese, Indians and other Malaysians were to collaborate together (without boundaries of race) against outside competition - we'd give anyone in the world, a run for their money.
And 2020 is the date for that change - and it's my generation, "the baby boom" generation, those born between 1967-1978 that will be in leadership, at that time. Running a youthful country, where the median age of the citizens, is expected to be 28 years old.
Hopefully, if we can make that "leap", by that time, our children and grandchildren will live and experience a truly Malaysian reality, that would not have been possible for us. That's something that's worth fighting for and dying for.
Walk on and lead us, Pak Lah. God be with you, and so shall we be, for the benefit of the next generation. InsyaAllah.
It helped that in most previous years, it was the hard- hitting Dr. Mahathir that was speaking. Truth be told, I didn't think very much of Pak Lah's General Assembly speech, last year - it was quite colourless.
But I must admit, this year took me by surprise.
Amidst all the controversy surrounding money politics, the suspension and removal of Tan Sri Isa Samad as one of the UMNO Vice Presidents, the contentious Approved Permit (AP) issue and the bold disclosure of the AP list by the PM's Office - Pak Lah stepped up and outlined his vision for the Malays and Malaysia.
Most times, UMNO leaders conveniently play the race card, that it's mind-numbing. Or not, the cakap tak serupa bikin card, like when most UMNO leaders talk about anti-corruption.
I've always wondered when I would able to see an UMNO leader call a spade a spade, in an UMNO General Assembly and outline a vision for the future, which would be necessary for the survival of the Malays, in the globalized world. But I guess, I just never expected Pak Lah to be that person.
The President of UMNO admitted the failure of the NEP came from the weakness of the implementation and the abuse of the privileges by the Malays, themselves. He reminded the assembly that the elected power given to UMNO and the Government is an amanah (a trust) given by the people.
He criticized UMNO leaders that were fond of overspending Government monies indiscriminately (monies that we don't really have and which shall burden future generations) and fond of propping up "fake development" for the people.
He pointed that Government coffers are not bottomless and it is not sustainable in the medium to long term, for the Government to keep pumping projects and subsidies, to prop up the Malays, and sometimes other Malaysians too.
He reminded everyone that the main thrust of the party is about work, and not just talk. He admonished those who used money to buy positions within the party and who became members of UMNO, not to serve the people, but to procure business projects for themselves.
He lambasted those who had received Government shares, projects and licenses, allocated specifically for the Malays for them to build up their capacity, in business - but instead, the recipients had sold them off for "easy money", to other Malaysians. (And it gets even worse, when some of the opportunities and privileges were accorded to so few, like the APs were).
These are "leakages" that have defeated the Government's objectives of creating a genuine Bumiputra Commercial and Industrial Community and to achieve the 30% target of corporate equity to be held by the Malays.
(Currently, it's at about 19% - which means that to achieve the NEP targets by 2020 - we would have to achieve a Malay corporate equity growth of 0.8% per annum. It's achievable - that's below the rate which we achieved in between 1971-1990, when Malay corporate equity grew from a mere 2% to 19%)
He encouraged the Malays who are already capable to stand up on their two feet, to compete and allow for the Government's resources to be better channelled, to address the poor and the underprivileged. He pointed out that when scholarships are given to the privileged and economically undeserving, we are depriving those that are truly deserving of Government assistance.
He strongly encouraged UMNO members to stamp out money politics and corruption within the party.
He said: "If we cannot stamp out corruption within UMNO, no one will believe in our efforts to stamp out corruption within Government and the country". How very true - the public has grown a second skin of cynicism, when it comes to corruption within UMNO.
And then he said something which I never thought I would never hear an UMNO President say - that by 2020, there will be no more NEP to support the Malays and the situation by then, has to be "saksama" (in this context, meaning equal and fair to all races).
This had always been somewhat implied by Vision 2020 (by setting the targets of the NEP (for instance the 30% Malay corporate equity holding) to be achieved by then), but having it said by the UMNO President and Malaysia's Prime Minister, means that it is carved out in stone. At least, during the Abdullah administration.
He said this was necessary, as the objective was to create a better reality, for our future generations - where wealth was equitably shared and where all Malaysians shall compete, on an equal basis. And Pak Lah rightly recognized that the ability to compete is essential, to survive in the globalized world of today and tomorrow.
The NEP has only 14 years left before the new realities set in by 2020 and there is much to do. And Pak Lah reminded everyone to work even harder and to make that "leap".
It's a historic moment, actually. You can sense that this is a fresh approach in UMNO - party that has been so used to the influence of wealth and patronage, since 1985, at least. The hall was silent, paying rapt attention to President's speech - some are strongly supportive and some visibly uncomfortable, at the radical changes proposed.
I've waited a long time for this. An UMNO President and a Prime Minister that is bold enough to tell the Malays the truth, about themselves and about the realities of the globalized world we live in, today and the importance of adapting, competing and surviving. And hopefully, has the courage to lead them there.
UMNO needs a reorientation. It must begin to attract more of the right sort of people - people who are there to serve the Malays and the country, not themselves. People who are nationalists, but not bigots. People who shall work to preserve this country for the long term and not abuse and pillage it, senseless, for the present.
If Malaysia and the next generation is to have any chance at all, of making this a better country - we have to allow them the opportunity to be true Malaysians, not defined by race, not divided by religion, not distinguished by crutches and subsidies, not competing so much with one another but collaborating to compete with other countries.
I'm quite convinced that if the best of the Malays, Chinese, Indians and other Malaysians were to collaborate together (without boundaries of race) against outside competition - we'd give anyone in the world, a run for their money.
And 2020 is the date for that change - and it's my generation, "the baby boom" generation, those born between 1967-1978 that will be in leadership, at that time. Running a youthful country, where the median age of the citizens, is expected to be 28 years old.
Hopefully, if we can make that "leap", by that time, our children and grandchildren will live and experience a truly Malaysian reality, that would not have been possible for us. That's something that's worth fighting for and dying for.
Walk on and lead us, Pak Lah. God be with you, and so shall we be, for the benefit of the next generation. InsyaAllah.
posted by Stingrayz | 1:04 PM
6 Comments:
And then he said something which I never thought I would never hear an UMNO President say - that by 2020, there will be more NEP to support the Malays and the situation by then, has to be "saksama" (in this context, meaning equal and fair to all races).
Did you actually mean to write no more? The implication of the sentence makes it necessary for me to point it out.
Btw, this entry is a good analysis of the Speech. Me, being the ordinary grassroot employee, couldn't afford to catch it Live, and had a night class which ended at 11pm that stopped me from catching the repeat.
Wow! You're sounding refreshed and optimistic!
I'm glad that Pak Lah decided to follow up on the matter of the Malay crutch. Saw a glimmer of it at the big PROMUDA do before he took office and I remembered thinking to myself, did I hear him right? Looks like I did! Good for him!
Sorry, I work in a operational policy-related capacity in a statutory body.
It'd take more than one fiery speech to get me out of my present funk- two years of having to bite my tongue has taken its toll.
But nice to see someone so optimistic and driven, who still believes in the system.
Voice:
Thanks for the correction. Have made the amendments. :)
Najah:
Thanks. Yes, have bounnced back a little,...but the big leap has yet to come. ;)
Nads and Zsarina:
It's nice to be identified as an optimist, for once. Haha!
I'm a great believer that all things good, begins from a brave and principled leadership.
I know the road ahead is still fraught with so many challenges, but having a good, moral leader with the right intentions, is a good start.
But as good citizens, we all have to play our parts, as well. The PM is carrying out his "amanah" (whilst risking his political career and his legacy in UMNO) and so should we.
It's not about whether I believe in the system.
It's about whether I believe I should give up on it and compromise future generations, resulting from today's excesses.
Win or lose, is not a matter for me to decide - only God knows better.
The battle for constructive change in a society, happens at every level, macro or micro. And we shall all be held accountable for what we lead.
Hope, is a bit like faith in God - you will be incomplete as a person, without it.
I am a bit like Zsarina I think. Bila bikin serupa cakap, baru I will be convinced. :-|
Personally, I think pessimism gets us nowhere, fast.
We've all seen our fair share of hard knocks, and I think Sting (cooler than being called Ray eh?) has seen quite a few up close. I've seen some as well, but there's really no point in measuring who has seen what and how much. Some people lose faith at one lost battle, some never do throughout several wars... At the end of the day, it's all a matter of faith.
I agree with Sting - the amanah is ours just as much as it is Pak Lah, and imagine carrying that amanah with the burden of pessimism.
On another note, I don't think we should underestimate the role one fiery speech can make. Lots of great quotes off various "fiery" speeches has inspired generations before us, why not this one?
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