Mahathir Mohamed and Hang Tuah : Both Are Not Malay

Kuching
Tuesday, 8th February 2011

Hang Tuah : Who Was He?

Before attending my primary education, I only admired those warriors from Panggau Libau such as Keling Aji Bujang Berani ,Apai Karung besi, Bujang Legan, Bungai Jawa @ Bungai Nuing,Kemping Padi,Laja Lau Mua,Manggi, Pandak Segatak, Pinang Ipung, Puntang Medang, and Renggan as my great warriors. But this was not last as after I studing malay History I admired Hang Tuah and his "Hang gangs" as my new warriors. The stories of the warriors from Panggau Libau had became a folklore stories to me.

And starting from year 1990, most Malaysians and inclusive myself, our minds were corrupted by the government mass-media with Mahathir Mohamad as the greatest Malay leader of the century.

But who are Mahathir and Hang Tuah and His "Hang Gangs"?

Mahathir as already known by all Malaysian was born and named as Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty @Mahathir Mohamed. Mahathir's father, (Iskandar Kutty) was a school teacher of Indian origin, specifically Malayalee (people who speak Malayalam), NOT to be confused with Malay, having migrated from the southern state of Kerala, while his mother was a Malay.

Therefore from the above fact we can conclude that Mahathir is not a true Malay...he is a mamak!

But what about Hang Tuah and the 4 "Hang gangs". Were they Malay? My reading from the internet prooved that Hang Tuah and the 4 "Hang gangs"  were not Malay. They were the Chinese warriors who were sent by the Emperor of China to protect Malacca from Siamese invasion.

Please read it below :

Findings of the team of scientists, archaeologist, historian and other technical staff from the United State, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Yemen & Russia

The graves of Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu and their close friends have been found and their skeletons had been analysed. Their DNA had been analysed and it is found that Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu etc. are not Malay, but Chinese (Islamic Chinese, just like the famous Admiral Cheng Ho). Malacca was a protectorate of China at that time, and the Emperor of China sent the Sultan of Malacca “yellow gifts’ as a token of his sovereignty. The 5 warrior brothers were believed to be sent to help protect Malacca and its Sultan from Siam (Thailand).

The Sultans of Malacca was directly descended from the Parameswara from Indonesia who fled to Tamasek (Singapore) and then to Malacca. The Malaccan Sulatanate family eventually spread and became the Sultanate of the other Malay states of Perak and Johor. Therefore, the Sultanate royal court and the aristocrats of the Malay sultanates are actually foreigners from Sumatra and Java. Hang Tuah and his friends were the protectors of the Indonesian aristocratic Parameswara family who came to Malaya around 1400 AD and claimed sovereignty of the land.

For confirmation please refer to The Federal Association of Arc & Research of Michigan, USA

John Chow’s notes:-

“Hang” is an unusual surname or name for a Malay. It sounds like s corruption of a Chinese surname.

In fact, Chinese names start with the surname first, and given names last. Malay names start with the given names first, and the father’s name last (as in Ahmad bin Yusuf which means “Ahmad, the son of Yusuf”). There is no surname in traditional Malay! There is no surname to carry forward to the next generation.

We also need to examine the genealogy. We know that Hang Tuah’s father was Hang Mamat. Here, we do not see a Malay name transmission. We see a name being carried forward. It is also noted that the placement of the name that is carried forward is in front. This indicates that the surname is “Hang”. It is the transmission of Chinese names.

We also know that Hang Tuah’s son is Hang Nadim. Again, the name “Hang” is carried forward, and yet again, auspiciously in front, as a Chinese name would be, with the surname in front. There is no indication of a Malay naming convention.

Note that Hang Nadim is also known as Si Awang (Malays would colloquially refer to others as “Si”. “A” or “Ah” is a common prefix for referring to others in Chinese. Thus, a person with surname Wang/Huang would be referred to as “Si Ah Wang” in Malaysia - Mr. Ah Huang) by the Malays.

Note that Hang Tuah’s mother is Dang Merdu. “Dang” would be quite an unusual surname for a Malay also. However, “Dang” or “Tang” is a common Chinese surname. Note that the name “Dang” is in front, signifying that this is a Chinese naming convention, yet again.

Some Malays will argue that “Hang” is an honorific term (Humba) for those that serve the royal courts. http://www.freewebs.com/suaraanum/0506b02.htm This argument is not tenable. Firstly, where is the precedence in sultanates that preceded the Malaccan Sultanate? Secondly, where is the evidence that this is so in succeeding sultanates? Thirdly, where is the evidence that this practice was carried out in the sultanate of that time? And has that Sultan given it to other court official and the royal family and their court officials and courtesans? Where is the evidence? Fourthly, since Hang Tuah’s father is called Hang Mamat, then he would have served the Sultan prior to Hang Tuah. But there is no evidence this is so. In fact, there is evidence that Hang Tuah was a very poor kid in the village. His father was not a high court official, and he was not brought up in the court. In addition, since if Hang Tuah’s father Hang Mamat had already served as a high court official, why must Hang Tuah be educated in Bahasa Melayu and court etiquette etc. again since the family is already indoctrinated in royal protocol?

"Dalam perbendaharaan nama-nama orang Melayu semasa zaman kesultanan Melaayu Melaka, tiada terdapat nama-nama seumpama Hang Tuah, Hang Kasturi, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir, Hang Lekiu, ringkasnya ringkasan yang bermula dengan ¡®Hang¡¯. Sejarah juga telah mencatatkan nama-nama dari bangsa Cina yang bermula dengan Hang, Tan, Maa dan Lee. Ia bergantung kepada suku kaum atau asal-usul keturunan mereka dari wilayah tertentu dari China. Kemungkinan untuk mendakwa bahawa gelaran ¡®Hang¡¯ telah dianugerahkan oleh Raja-Raja Melayu juga tiada asasnya. "

The last sentence loosely translates as, "There's the possibility to propose that the term "Hang" conferred as a honorific by the Malay Kings also has no basis."

Moreover, before the time of the 5 warriors with their close families during this close period of relationship with the Chinese, there are no Malays with this name.

Note that the Chinese ‘princess’ who married the Sultan of Malacca was called “Hang Li Po”. Here, we not only see the same name, but the name is also in front, indicating a Chinese naming convention. Hang Li Po brought along with her many servants and bodyguards from China who became the Baba and Nyonya's of Malacca - these folk exist to this day. Chinese who do not know how to speak or write Chinese. They have been totally ‘malayanised”. Babas are people of Chinese descend who have been malayanised to such an extent that they wear Malay clothing, eat Malay food (with some Chinese food), speak Malay, and do not speak or write Chinese. Malacca is famous for its Baba communities. The only thing that is Chinese about them is that they are of Chinese ancestry. If you say that Hang Tuah is a Malay in the same sense that these Chinese have been malayanised, then you might be quite right. However, at this present moment, we are arguing on the basis whether he was an ethnic Malay or an ethnic Chinese, in the sense of blood ancestry. .

There is an old Chinese tradition where warriors or servants in the royal palace were given or re-issued with surnames given by the emperor, to signify that they belong to the emperor, or to one of his offsprings. Therefore, it is possible that some very special bodyguards of the emperor or the royal family, have the same surname to signify that they are a unit formed especially to protect that one owner. Since the Princess Hang Li Po was given away in marriage to a strategic partner whose land the emperor wanted to ensure is safe and stable, he assigned a group of able warriors to the Princess Li Po, and he gave their families the same surname. This is not an unusual practice for the Chinese emperor.

As for Hang Kasturi having 4 characters in his name, it is unusual, but it does happen that some Chinese have only 2 characters, and some have 4 characters in their names. For example, my paternal grandmother had only 2 characters in her name.

In the GENEALOGICAL TREE OF THE ROYAL FAMILIES OF PERAK STATE you may note 4 things:-

1) Evidence that traditional Malay naming conventions do not carry the name of the father forward.

2) There is no surname to carry forward

3) Neither name nor surname are placed in front.

4) The genealogy of the early part of the lineage tree makes reference to Chinese ancestry:- “Putera Chedra China” “Puetra China” and then later “Paduka Sri Cina”

This proves there has been early Chinese links in the Malay/Indonesian races and aristocratic lineages.

One Malay argued that Hang Tuah was already in the service of the Sultan before Hang Li Po was sent to Malacca. However, there is not evidence of this. A probable reference is the semi folklore Hikayat Hang Tuah, whicjh is not very reliable as it has many contradiction to Sejarah Melayu. . From the Ming Dynasty chronicles does not mention Hang Li Po or Hang Tuah but did mention the trip of Sultan Mansur Shah.

It is even possible that Hang Li Po was a minor “princess” (ie. only a daughter of a court official) who the emperor ordered to be given away to marry a vassal sate in order to ensue loyalty and close diplomatic relation. The whole event was blown up to given the foreign king a big ego boost that the great Chinese overlord gave him his own daughter in marriage! (It is doubtful that the conservative Chinese emperors would give their daughters away to somebody living in a foreign land very far away). It has happened before in the history of China. For example, the Tibetans think that their King Sonten Gampo forced the Chinese emperor to give away his daughter in marriage in order to make peace with great big powerful Tibet. The story from the Chinese side is that the Chinese emperor tricked the egotistical Tibetan king into believing that the palace maid was a princess and sent her off with her retinue and gifts. It was a ‘diplomatic trick”. Therefore, it is possible that the Chinese court repeated the trick on Sultan Mansur Shah, and gave him a “Chinese princess” with many gifts for the Sultan. In the meantime, he sent some warriors to the Sultanate to help ensure peace, safety and stability in the region – all in China’s national interests. Protect your friends and your interests will be protected. Or it could have been a ploy used by the Chinese emperor and the Malaccan sultan to use this marriage of a “princess” to deter the Siamese kings from encroaching on Malaccan territory. Siam would not dare to invade Malacca whose sultan is a son in law of the mighty Chinese empire!

If Mahathir, Hang Tuah and the 4 Hang Gangs not Malay, then who is the real Malay warrior? Could it be Najib or Ibrahim Katak?

Sabah PKR’s state liaison chief Pajudin quits to join Umno

Kuching
Saturday, 5th February 2011

Problem-ridden Sabah PKR took another blow after its recently appointed state liaison chief Pajudin Nordin quit to join Umno.

Pajudin’s abrupt resignation from the party on Saturday further complicates the ongoing leadership turmoil in Sabah PKR where 18 out of 24 division chiefs had been calling for his removal almost immediately after he was made state chief on Jan 9.

He quit one day before PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is due to meet state party chiefs to resolve the dispute.

Announcing his move to join Umno before Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman at the latter’s Seri Gaya official residence late Saturday, the 42-year-old Pajudin insisted his move had nothing to do with the no confidence move against him.

“I am disappointed with (PKR supremo Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim and (party president Datin Seri Dr) Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“Their actions make Sabah PKR leaders look stupid. They say they respect the state but they have not done anything to resolve the problems faced by the party here.

“All Anwar and Wan Azizah have done is to make Sabah PKR irrelevant like how the party is elsewhere in the country.

“PKR has no direction, no real struggle and no credible leaders,” said Pajudin who joined the party in 1999 and was among the first of the party’s members in Sabah.

He said he did not receive any cooperation from Anwar and Wan Azizah in his efforts to strengthen Sabah PKR.

Pajuddin said more Sabah PKR division chiefs, disenchanted with Anwar and Wan Azizah, were likely to be resigning soon.

“On the other hand, I see the Prime Minister providing real leadership in the country as the Chief Minister is doing in Sabah,” he added.

Musa said he was not surprised over Pajudin’s intention to join Umno due to the turmoil in PKR in the state and nationwide.

“PKR has really lost its relevance,” he said, adding that he had been aware of Pajudin’s intention to join Umno for sometime.

“But we gave him time to make up his mind as to where his political allegiance lay.

“There was no coercion on our part. It was purely his intention after realising that the Barisan Nasional’s struggles are genuinely for the people,” Musa added.

Mupok Aku

Victoria and David Beckham are expecting a girl

Kuching
Saturday, 5th February 2011

Victoria was "over the moon" last night after being told she will give birth to her very own Baby Spice.

The pregnant star, who shot to fame as Spice Girl singer Posh, was reported to have wept tears of joy after her doctor said a hospital scan indicated she was expecting a girl.

She and soccer star husband David have been desperate for a daughter to add to their three young sons.

A close family friend told The Sun: "David and Victoria are over the moon. This will be their last child and to be told they are having a girl is the icing on the cake for the Beckham clan."

Victoria, 36, had a scan in January at a private hospital near her family home in Sawbridgeworth, England.
Victoria and ex-England skipper Becks, 35, are in Britain until the end of February. David is training with London club Tottenham Hotspur before returning to the US to start the season with LA Galaxy.

The couple's fourth child is due in the northern summer.

Victoria, mum to Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 5, has spoken frequently of her desire for a little girl. She revealed in one interview she could imagine "painting her nails, putting on make-up, and choosing clothes" with her.

But she seemed reluctant to get her hopes up. Last year she said: "Everyone keeps asking if I'd like a little girl and I think, if I'm lucky enough to have another baby, that would be great."

Posh has said this will be her last child and that four children were the perfect number.

The family source added: "Victoria is 36 and David is thinking about life after retirement. For them, with a sister for their boys - who are growing up fast - this is the perfect family.

"All their dreams have come true. They couldn't have wished for more."

Mupok Aku

Chinese New Year Trip to N25 Balai Ringin : Costly Kolok Mee and King Of Fruits and Closed Lachau Police Station

Kuching
Saturday, 5th February 2011

Taking the opportunity of long holiday, my son and I went back to my home town in N25 Balai Ringin to visit my mother.

Pricey Food  During CNY

On the way we stopped at Mile 10th for breakfast. I ate Nasi Lemak at one of the Malay stall in the eating oulet whereas my son ate his favourite kolok mee. When came time for payment, the nasi lemak and drinks were charged at normal price whereas the kolok mee was charged for RM 3.50 or RM 1.00 more, an increased of 40% from its original price. This stall was not the only one in Kuching that charged extra price for foods during Chinese New Year public holiday. Checking made by Bukittunggal found that all of the Chinese eating outlets were selling expensive food during the holiday. What was the government agency that responsible in goods price control is doing?

The King of the Fruits A Gold Mine For People Surrounding Lachau Bazaar

After finished our breakfast, we continued our journey to N25 Balai Ringin. We reached Serian at about 1.00PM. Most of the shops were closed except H&L Supermarket and a wet market. After buying some groceries and two kg of fishes we continued our journey.

First we planned to stop at Sg Tenggang town but when we reached there we found that all the shops were closed.

We then decided to proceed to Lachau town. When we reached Lachau, we discovered that most of the shops were closed. But the things which excited us most was the selling of the durians the "king of the fruits". Prior to the visit, I read in one of the posting in facebook which mentioned that the durians were sold at RM 10 per bunch consists of tree durians. Eager to buy the durians to be brought back to Kuching I asked one of the durian seller and was surprised to find out that one durian cost RM 15. This killed my appetite on durian instantly.

But I felt proud of the Iban in Lachau as they started to learn about entrepreneurship. It alright for me not to buy...after all I dont like durian..aha...

The Only Police Station in Malaysia That Was Closed During Public Holiday

After taking few photographs, I went to the eating outlet located at a row of shoplots developed by Donald Lawan the father of YB Snowdan Lawan, to meet up with Robert Dan the potential candidate for N25-Balai Ringin under SNAP ticket in the coming state election.

The only police station that is closed during Public Holiday..Such a Peaceful Town!

On the way to the shop, I saw a police station that really attracted my attention, its gate was closed and the padlock was locked. Police station is supposed to serve the people around the clock therefore must be opened for 24 hours. Throughout my experience this was the first time that I came across where the police station  is closed during the public holiday.

Since the police station is under the jurisdiction of Sri Aman police, therefore it is imperative that the officer responsible to investigate and find out the reason why the police station was closed.

Just to cut the story short, we left Lachau for my mother house at about 3.30PM

After 30 Years In Power Taib is Capable to Fulfill His New Wife With Financial Needs But Not Her Sexual Needs Even With the Help Of Viagra

Kuching
Saturday, 5th February 2011

After Looking at several photos of Taib with his new wife I just imagined how he could fulfill his new wife who is not yet reaching the age of 30s sexual life.
After more than 30 years in power, ransacking natives of their NCR lands, no doubt this great grand father is capable to fulfill his new wife with the monies that she needs.

After this, millions of Sarawakian monies will flow to Syria. Sarawakian especially the natives, if the people in Egypt can ousted their corrupt President, there is no reason that we the men of the headhunter cannot throw him from power.

Please see his photos with his new wife who is more suitable to be his "cucu" or grand daughter than as wife..

Mupok Aku

Tedwin Ngumbang Resigns From PRS to Challenge Jabu Numpang In Layar?

Kuching
Sunday, 30th January 2011

Last night a friend to Bukittunggal called informing that PRS strongman Tedwin Ngumbang or Ted as he is popularly call by his closest friends had resigned from PRS.

Tedwin, who is ‘special adviser’ to party president James Masing, said :

Taib ‘consistenty ignored’ Masing’s requests and demands which were in the interest of the Dayak community has compelled me to resign. I am uncomfortable to see PRS being bullied and ignored by Taib.

What the PRS president asks in the name and interest of Dayaks in letters to Taib, the chief minister does not reply. He just ignores them.

Tedwin is not the first leader from PRS that quits the party due to Taib bullying tactic. In year 2008, another leader Beginda resigned from PRS and joined PKR as he could not cope to see his party being bullied by Taib.

Tedwin's  Resignation Will Affect PRS Strength

But will Tedwin resignation affect the PRS strength? A friend to Bukittunggal also informed that Ted has joined SNAP. He made the official announcement to SNAP President Edwin Dundang after a SNAP symposium in Sibu recently.
In expressed his intention to SNAP President, Ted said said:

I cannot stand it anymore. I cannot stand to see how Taib treats PRS and Masing.

With Ted joining SNAP many people believe that he will brings his supporters with him. This for sure will affect PRS strength in the coming state election.

Who is Tedwin Ngumbang (or Ted)

Ted was one of those responsible for the formation of PRS during the leadership crisis of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) which led to its deregistration on Oct 21, 2004.

At the same time PRS was registered, claiming to replace PBDS.

And in the crisis of the newly formed PRS, Tedewin also played a leading role which led to the expulsion of Larry Sng from the party in April in 2009.

Commenting on Ted’s resignation, PRS secretary general Wilfred Nissom said that he expected to receive the former’s resignation letter this Monday.

Tedewin (Ngumbang) has a cause for which he has a strong feeling. We respect his decision to want to leave PRS in order to pursue his cause,”  Nissom said.

Jabu Beware Ted Will be Challenging You ?

With his resignation from PRS (A BN Component party) it is clear to me that he will be challenging Jabu in the coming state election, and if this happen Jabu political career is about to end.

Ted is going to be the strongest opponent that Jabu is ever going to face in the election. With so many issues surrounding  him such as the NCR Land Robbery , Cronyism   etc, this time round Jabu political career is going to BeeNd......

Hopefully with people like Tedwin Ngumbang joining SNAP will rejuvenate the  party strength to its level  as it was in the 80s...

Tenang By-Election Result : BN Defeated Pakatan Rakyat By 3,735 Votes

Kuching
Sunday, 30th January 2011

PR Beware You Have Lost First Election in 2011

Barisan Nasional has won the Tenang by-election by more than 3,000 votes, but the result fell far short of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's 5,000-majority target, spelling doom for non-Malay component MCA and its president Chua Soi Lek.

Umno's Azahar Ibrahim snatched 6,698 votes against PAS' Normala Sudirman who obtained 2,963 for a majority of 3,735 votes.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders, while disappointed, were at the same time elated at the obvious inroads made in the Chinese-majority areas, saying that it showed their coalition stood a good chance of breaking the BN's stranglehold on Johore in the next general election.

"The rain killed us. The BN has all the machinery and they used police trucks to ferry out voters from their own strongholds in the Felda settlements," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But it is telling that the Chinese who braved the rain voted Pakatan despite Soi Lek's anti-Islam campaign. He has to take responsibility for this and it serves him right. We hope the BN will learn a lesson and stop using racial and religious politicking. If not for the high commodity prices plus the election goodies from the government, Felda settlers may have voted for PAS while it is clear the Chinese have already accepted PAS no matter what MCA or Soi Lek says."

Disappointing win for the BN

Tenang voters were the center of attention on Sunday, but heavy rain and floods spoiled what could have been a blockbuster event. Amid allegations of serious vote-buying by the BN, the total turnout at the 5pm closing bell was 71.71 percent. This means that only 10,579 out of a total 14,753 voters came out to votes, far short of the 80 expected by the Election Commission.

DAP leaders had accused MCA Tenang chieftains of vote-buying at a Chinese school, showing the press pre-signed cheques by MCA branch chairman of Kampung Sawah Padi, Kok Yun Keong, who is also the village headman. The amount had been written out but there were no names stated.

In 2008, the Umno candidate retained the seat with a majority of 2,492 votes. But despite Sunday's bigger win, the result could not meet the DPM's target. Umno watchers say this will reflect poorly on him.

Other political pundits including Bridget Welsh, a political science professor at the Singapore Management University, have said the final outcome could have serious implications for the future.

"The results will point to new water levels and currents that are constantly evolving. One thing is certain, the political fortunes of both BN and Pakatan will be shaped by this quiet constituency," Welsh had said after visiting the constituency.

Meanwhile, traditional arch rivals - PAS and Umno - were pitted against each other in a straight and bitterly-fought fight.

Normala is a 38-year former school teacher, while the 39-year old Azahar is a former land administrator in Rengit.

Tenang is a state seat. It fell vacant after Umno's Sulaiman Taha died from illness last month. The electorate has 14,753 registered voters including 18 postal votes. Malay voters form 47.5 per cent of the electorate, Chinese 39.08 per cent, Indians 12 per cent and the rest are other races.

The Election Commission had forecast an 80 per cent turnout given that many of the town's residents who worked outstation were back for the Chinese New Year holidays. But the rain and the floods stopped many from leaving their homes.

There were 32 polling streams and 12 polling centres. Voting began at 8am and ended at 5 pm.

Tenang by-election fact-box

Constituency: N5 Tenang

Candidates: BN - Mohd Azahar Ibrahim, 39, former Rengit assistant land administrator; PAS - Normala Sudirman, 39, Labis Muslimat chief and former teacher

Incumbent: Datuk Sulaiman Taha (BN) (Sulaiman died on Dec 17 due to blood infection and complications from diabetes. He defeated PAS' Mohd Saim Siran with a majority of 2,492 votes in the 2008 general election)

District: Segamat

Total electorates: 14,753 (18 postal voters)

Voter composition: Malays 47.5 per cent, Chinese 39.08 per cent, Indians 12 per cent, Orang Asli and others the balance

Economic activities: Agriculture and business

Returning Officer: Md Asri Amir

Polling: Jan 30

Polling streams: 32

Polling centres: 12

Vote tallying centre: Labis District Council Multipurpose Hall

Postal vote tallying centre: Labis District Council.

With this result, I am doubt whether PR will be able to wrest Putra Jaya from BN in the coming general election.

Mupok Aku

Can Malaysia graduate?

Kuching
Monday, 24th January 2011

Malaysia is one of the developing world’s great success stories. Few countries outside of East Asia can match its development record. Since its independence over 53 years ago per capita incomes have risen more than eight-fold, and absolute poverty has been all but eliminated.

But it currently faces three key, interrelated challenges, some generic to upper middle income developing countries, others specific to Malaysia itself.

The first, how to graduate to the rich-country club, has been clearly articulated by the country’s Prime Minister, Tun Najib: ‘We are now at a critical juncture, either to remain trapped in a middle-income group or advance to a high-income economy … We now have to shift to a new economic model based on innovation, creativity and high value added activities.’

The second, shared by some of its Southeast Asian neighbours, is the country’s slower development trajectory since the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. Even before the current global financial crisis, which it has navigated quite successfully, economic growth in the 2000’s was about two percentage points below that of the decade 1986-96.

Particularly worrisome is the slump in investment, which has been stuck at little more than 20 per cent of GDP since the late 1990s. This is 10-15 percentage points of GDP lower than the country’s historic ratio. With savings remaining buoyant, the country’s external position has been transformed dramatically. In 2002, the country had net liabilities equivalent to 35 per cent of GDP. By 2008, this had been transformed to net assets of 20 per cent of GDP. Put simply, Malaysians have been finding overseas investment increasingly attractive, while foreigners have been less attracted to Malaysia.

The third challenge relates to the development of high-quality institutions to underpin a modern market economy in a country that has experienced continuous one-party rule for over half a century. Malaysia’s ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is in fact the world’s longest-serving governing party currently in power among all ‘quasi democracies’. Not surprisingly, elements of UMNO exhibit the problems of complacence and arrogance that one expects from entrenched one-party dominance.

Malaysia’s strengths are not to be underestimated. It has always been one of the most open economies in the developing world, to both trade and foreign investment. It has rarely had a severe macroeconomic crisis, in large part because of this openness. It derived a major early mover advantage from its adoption in the early 1970s of export oriented industrialisation through foreign direct investment, before it was fashionable to do so. Among emerging economy manufactured goods exporters, it has progressed from 15th ranked and 1.2 per cent of the total in 1969-70 to 5th ranked and 5.2 per cent of the total in 2006-07. It is a major player in the global electronics industry. In 2006-07, it accounted for 3.8 per cent of global parts and components exports, in East Asia behind only the highly industrialised economies of China, Japan and Korea.

But Malaysia is struggling to shift out of low-skill activities, where it is no longer competitive with lower wage neighbours. These problems have been exacerbated by its vigourous promulgation of one of the longest running affirmative action programs in the developing world. Designed to redistribute employment and wealth to the dominant Bumiputera – principally ethnic Malay – community after the nasty communal conflict of May 1969, the so-called New Economic Policy (NEP) and its successors played an important role in promoting racial harmony in the country where there are large differences in living standards across racial groups.

But these programs have created a culture of entitlement, and they have resulted in institutionalised leakages that permeate practically every aspect of Malaysian commercial, social, political and educational life. The programs to advance Bumiputera development have benefited spectacularly the politically well-connected within this community, through preferential contracts, share allocations, and general commercial advancement, while all too little has trickled down to the general community. The programs can hardly be justified as anti-poverty programs when the principal beneficiaries are already egregiously wealthy.

As a result, some of the country’s industry policies have backfired. Malaysia might have been expected to be the leading Southeast Asian automotive producer, but Thailand has become the ‘Detroit of Asia’ owing to Malaysia’s disastrous national car program. In addition, the ‘spillover’ benefits from the large multinational presence in manufacturing have been limited by the fact that Malaysia’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), that are predominantly owned by the ethnic Chinese community, prefer to stay small, below the threshold above which Bumiputera employment quotas become mandatory. The country’s public universities, once among the region’s best, have also slipped in East Asian rankings owing to these ethnic quotas as well as heavy bureaucratic control. The civil service is bloated and in need of reform, while there is a very large state enterprise sector that functions in a non-transparent manner and subject to little public accountability. Moreover, Malaysia has missed out on emerging service sector opportunities owing to the slow pace of liberalisation in that sector, itself a product of the very large presence of state-dominated firms and the NEP-preference schemes. And the country continues to experience a substantial brain drain as a result of the exodus of skilled professionals from the Chinese and Indian communities.

It is fashionable in Malaysia to attribute its current malaise to China, a country that is able to out-compete Malaysia in low-end and increasingly a sophisticated range of manufactures. While the ‘export similarity index’ (that is the composition of their exports) for the two countries is quite high, and thus there has some been some loss of market share to China from Malaysia in third-country export markets, the notion that the rise of China explains Malaysia’s current difficulties is untenable. That view overlooks the positive sum game for Malaysia from China’s rise. As a resource-rich economy, Malaysia has benefited from the general China-fuelled rise in commodity prices, for example its exports of palm oil and oil and gas. Similarly, commercial opportunities in tourism and education have been rising rapidly, with two-way investments rising very quickly. And Malaysia is a central player in the increasingly China-centred East Asian production networks that export to the world.

This article was first appeared in Asia Forum

Dayak Must Go back To basic By Joining SNAP

Kuching
Thursday, 20th January 2011

"The New SNAP in the making...Starting Point in SIBU"

Is PKR The Right Party For Dayak/Iban?

About three years ago I decided to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) because I could not find any party that fit to my struggle at that time. 
But lately I saw the party has diverted from its original struggle. Greed and power has become the norm among leaders in the party. The resignation of Zaid Ibrahim and Jefferrey Kitingan has weaken the party further. Thing became worst with both leaders forming-up their own party and NGO; Zaid formed Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (KITA) whareas Jeffrey Kitingan formed  United Borneo Front (UBF).


Just like UMNO, Internal bickering, politicking, back-stabbing, treason, sabotage have begun to rear its ugly head within the party. I don't have to go far to provide an example. During the party election in P202, one can see how the three candidates Jimmy, Ibi and Cubbold could not see face  to face with each others. 




Why Iban/Dayak Should Join SNAP


In December 2010, the same friend that influenced me to join PKR had talked to me about the plan by SNAP leadership to rejuvenate (as I preferred to call it, even thought the party leaderships called it rebranding) the party


At first I was not interested to join the party because  the party crisis in 1983 which resulted in the formation of the PBDS still very clear in my mind. Just like the majority of the dayak/Iban ( eventhought I was still studying in Form 3 at the time of the  crisis ) my family was the strong supporter of SNAP and its young aspiring politician Datuk Daniel Tajem. 

But with the new development especially with Datuk Daniel Tajem returned to the party by becoming its advisor, has changed my feeling towards the party. 


Other than that I have been looking at PKR as not very serious with Sarawak. The party is
more focused on the general election in the peninsula. It is not interested in Sarawak. If the party is not intetrested with us, why we should stay cling to the party?


I Urge the Iban/Dayak to Join SNAP


Most if not all the Dayak/Iban that are  in the PKR nowasaday are from the supporter of  the unregistered Malaysia Dayak Congress. Since SNAP has rebranding itself  similar to the MDC or PBDS. Romours have been flying around that SNAP is a BN tool to sebotage People Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) cooperation in Sarawak. I guarantee that SNAP presence will fill-up the vacuum left by PBDS. 


I hope that all partyless ex-PBDS members, all dayak leaders and supporters in PKR, DAP and PCM, and also to all the dayak in BN component parties to come together and join this new SNAP.

I am extending this invitation especially to Sdra Baru Bian (who himself was the strong supporter of the unregistered MDS) to join SNAP so as not to split the dayak strength. Let vacant  PKR  because the party is  more suitable for the Malay/Melanau.

Hopefully with this new SNAP, the interests of the dayaks will be assured off... 

Mupok Aku 

Lets Chase Dayak Away (LCDA) By Cobbold John

Kuching
Wednesday, 19th Jan 2010

Lets Chase Dayak Away (LCDA)

At first glance I thought the book which is authored by one of the Iban philanthropist cum politician from Balai Ringin Saudara Cubbold John is an anti-dayak book.

But after finishing reading the book I discovered that it was about the systematic robbery of  the NCR lands by  by The Sarawak Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA), and how a group of Iban from Sg. Tenggang fought their way out to defend their NCR lands from being robbed by the government agency that was created by Taib Mahmud and Jabu Numpang.

The book is divided into 31 chapters namely :

Chapter 1. Let's Chase Dayak Away (LCDA)

Chapter 2. What happen to the Dayak leaders

Chapter 3. Deadly Battle over NCR Lands in Pantu

Chapter 4. Ancient Graves of Forefathers completely Destroyed

Chapter 5. Harvesting Oil Palm Fruits From their Own NCR Land

Chapter 6. NCR Land owners in Ubah Pantu Getting Ready to go to Court Battle

Chapter 7. United We Dayak Stand

Chapter 8. Malaysia Day Robbery (September 16th, 2009)

Chapter 9. The Dayaks are Not Criminals

Chapter 10. Police Impersonator Strikes  Again

Chapter 11. Illegal Possession Of Native Customary Land

Chapter 12. Erecting of Illegal Structure On Public Road

Chapter 13. Gawai "Thanks Giving"  2009

Chapter 14. Dayak Against Dayak

Chapter 15. Finally Blood Is  Shed on NCR Land

Chapter 16. Dis-empowerment of the Natives

Chapter 17. Intrusion Into NCR Land Getting Serious

Chapter 18 Pelita will use the Penghulus and Tuai Rumahs.

Chapter 19. Tajem Urges Government of the day to Review Native Law

Chapter 20. Ubah Pantu NCR Land Owners At Risk of Losing Their Lands

Chapter 21. MACC Please Help Us

Chapter 22. The Brooke Government Has Surveyed Our NCR Land In Ubah Pantu

Chapter 23. The NCR Landowners of Pantu Going to High Court

Chapter 24. Three Dayak Farmers  Arrested By The Police For the Fourth Time

Chapter 25. Why Does Kim Loong Berhad Continue to Harass the Dayak Farmers

Chapter 26. Public Harassment and Illegal Arrest and Police Reports

Chapter 27. Abok Farmers Harvesting Oil Palm Fruits at their NCR Lands Arrested

Chapter 28. At the High Court Kuching June 7th 2010

Chapter 29. High Court Hearing Continues, August 9th now back to Sri Aman again

Chapter 30. The cries of the Interverners

Chapter 31. Trip to Kuching Again

Who Should Read This Book

This book is a compilation of the articles from dayak nation, broken shield and Bukittunggal to name a few , about the Iban struggle in defending their NCR lands out and inside the court and the explanation on the gaya baru JV of oil palm between land owners, LCDA and government appointed company.

This book thus must be read by all the Dayaks who own most of the NCR lands in Sarawak which have been affected by Taib Mahmud Politic of  Development.

Where and How  to Get the Book

As saudara Cubbold put it, at this moment the book is not for sale. But for those who would like to own the book can call saudara cubbold at Dayak Nation.

Mupok Aku