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Thursday, April 30, 2009

PENGUMUMAN KETUA-KETUA PEMUDA NEGERI-NEGERI DAN EXCO LANTIKAN PEMUDA UMNO MALAYSIA


Kuala Lumpur -- Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia hari ini mengumumkan perlantikan Ahli Jawatankuasa tambahan Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia dan Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Negeri bagi sessi 2008-2011.Setiausahanya, Megat Firdouz Tan Sri Megat Junid berharap dengan lantikan ini, akan dapat mengeratkan kerjasama dan perpaduan di kalangan ahli-ahli Pemuda UMNO dari segenap lapisan masyarakat. Pada masa yang sama beliau berkata dengan perlantikan ini, mereka akan dapat menjalankan tanggungjawab dengan penuh amanah dan dedikasi bagi memastikan usaha mengembalikan sokongan orang Melayu khususnya golongan muda kepada UMNO dan BN menjadi kenyataan.


Berikut adalah senarai EXCO Lantikan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia :-


Sdr. Anis Hisham Abdul Aziz

Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kuala Selangor


Sdr. Abdul Razak Abd Rahman

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kota Melaka


Sdr. Khairul Azwan Dato’ Harun

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Pasir Salak


Sdr. Badrol Hisham Haji Zakaria

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kuala Terengganu


Sdr. Mohd Faizal Hj. Ramli

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Teluk Kemang


Berikut adalah senarai Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri-Negeri:-


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Kelantan

Sdr. Anuar Safian

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kubang Kerian


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Perlis

Sdr. Mohsin Mohd Yusoff

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Padang Besar


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Kedah

Sdr. Badrol Hisham Hashim

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Padang Terap


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Pulau Pinang

Sdr Norman Zahalan

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Bayan Baru


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Perak

Sdr. Maslin Sham Razman

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Kuala Kangsar


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Selangor

Sdr. Suhaimi Mohd Ghazali

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Sepang


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Wilayah Persekutuan

Sdr. Rizalman Dato’ Mokhtar

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Bandar Tun Razak


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Negeri Sembilan

Sdr. Mohd Helmy Din

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Rasah


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Melaka

Sdr. Karim Yaacob

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Bukit Katil


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Johor

Sdr. Mohd Fadil Muskon

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Air Hitam


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Pahang

Sdr. Abu Jimi Samat

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Lipis


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Terengganu

Saiful Bahri Baharuddin

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Marang


Ketua Pemuda UMNO Negeri Sabah

Sdr. Azman Hj Ruslan

Ketua Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Keningau

EVENT: 29-30 APRIL 2009 : FORUM & EXPO MINYAK, GAS & PETROKIMIA 2009

Forum & Expo Minyak, Gas dan Petrokimia 2009
PERDASAMA Forum & Expo Minyak, Gas dan Petrokimia 2009 (OGP) merupakan program yang pertama di Malaysia. Ini merupakan salah satu aktiviti dalam membantu ahli-ahli dalam perniagaan dan industri OGP ini. Selain daripada peneraju utama petroleum di Malaysia seperti Petronas, Exxon, BP, Shell dan sebagainya, PERDASAMA juga bekerjasama dengan persatuan OGP yang lain di Malaysia. Program selama dua hari ini termasuklah Forum dan Expo. Forum akan memfokuskan peluang perniagaan, prosedur-prosedur dan garis panduan dalam menjalankan perniagaan dengan syarikat-syarikat luar begitu juga dengan bantuan kewangan dan tawaran pinjaman dari badan-badan kewangan di Malaysia. Expo pula terdiri daripada para pempamer dari syarikat-syarikat MGP di Malaysia dan antarabangsa. Program ini juga meliputi sesi “Business-Matching” dan “Persembahan Syarikat”(Company Presentation) kepada yang berminat untuk mengembangkan lagi perniagaan mereka. Tema untuk program OGP ini adalah “ Forum & Expo Minyak, Gas dan Petrokimia PERDASAMA: Peluang-peluang Perniagaan dan Cara Perlaksanaannya”. Objektif - Menyediakan platform untuk syarikat-syarikat tempatan terutamanya kepada ahli-ahli PERDASAMA untuk berjumpa terus dengan pihak pengurusan kanan dari syarikat-syarikat OGP yang berpengalaman di Malaysia dan antarabangsa. - Memberi peluang kepada para pempamer untuk menunjukkan produk-produk dan servis terkini mereka yang menyokong industri OGP. - Membentuk satu rangkaian untuk bertukar-tukar idea dan berkongsi pengalaman di antara pedagang dan pengusaha tempatan dan juga antarabangsa. - Mengukuhkan persahabatan perniagaan diantara syarikat-syarikat tempatan dan antarabangsa. - Mendapatkan maklumat lanjut dan terkini tentang prosedur-prosedur bagi menjalankan perniagaan dengan syarikat- syarikat OGP. - Membuka peluang perniagaan kepada syarikat-syarikat tempatan terutamanya kepada ahli-ahli PERDASAMA dengan mengadakan sesi “Business Matching” bersama pembekal dan pengeluar antarabangsa dalam industri OGP. Forum Forum anjuran PERDASAMA yang akan diadakan di Dewan Tun Hussein Onn, PWTC ini memfokuskan peluang-peluang perniagaan kepada ahli-ahlinya dan kepada yang bukan ahli berkaintan industri OGP ini. Pada hari pertama, penyampai yang akan mewakili industri MGP utama di Malaysia dan antarabangsa akan memberi maklumat terkini tentang pembangunan terkini, peluang-peluang perniagaan, prosedur dan lain-lain terma dan syarat peraturan dalam menjalankan perniagaan dengan pihak mereka. Pada hari kedua, PERDASAMA telah menjemput badan-badan khas kerajaan seperti SMIDEC dan PNB sebagai badan kewangan untuk membekalkan maklumat yang sedia ada untuk membantu dan memberi pinjaman kepada syarikat-syarikat PKS dan kepada sesiapa yang berminat untuk mengetahui tentang cara-cara untuk menceburkan diri dalam industri OGP. Sesi “Business Matching” dan Persembahan Syarikat(Company Presentations)turut diadakan oleh syarikat-syarikat yang terpilih. Expo Expo yang akan berlangsung selama 2 hari di Legar Putra, PWTC pula akan membawa penyertaan daripada syarikat-syarikat OGP yang lain di Malaysia dan antarabangsa buat pertama kalinya di bawah anjuran PERDASAMA. Ruang legar ini memuatkan lebih kurang 50 ruang pameran untuk para pempamer dan saiz minima untuk tempahan ialah 9 meter persegi. Para pempamer ini akan mempamerkan produk-produk dan teknologi terkini mereka berkaitan industri OGP dan membentuk satu rangkaian bersama syarikat-syarikat tempatan. Ada sesetengah daripada syarikat-syarikat yang akan menertai pameran ini mencari rakan perniagaan tempatan. * Tempat adalah terhad! * Sebarang pertanyaan atau maklumat lanjut mengenai Forum & Expo Minyak, Gas dan Petrokimia 2009, bolehlah berhubung terus dengan pegawai kami yang bertugas iaitu Cik Suriati ( suriati@perdasama.org.my ) / Puan Nor Azana ( zana@perdasama.org.my )di talian 03-2095 2002 / 04 / 05 / 06.enquiry@myevents.com.my/ogp09 Muat turun brosur dan borang pendaftaran untuk Forum & Expo Minyak, Gas dan Petrokimia 2009 atau layari terus ke www.myevents.com.my/ogp09 .

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

COMMENTING ON TUN MAHATHIR'S SPEECH - THE BRILLIANT MALAYSIAN

Dear all,
An interesting speech by Tun Dr. M (see at the end) about the global financial crisis and lessons for Asia. .A complex issue indeed, yet Tun manages to put it in a very simple language for us laymen to understand. Just shows the quality of his mind, even at that age. The solution he proposes also are worth studying in detail.
Having that said however, I feel there is one fundamental error Tun made in his analysis! Tun attributed one of the causes (of the global financial crisis) to the Banks `power to create UNLIMITED money', plus stating that there is no `limit to how much loans (to asset/capital/ reserve?) that banks can offer.Tak percaya Tun did say that?I quote the following from his speech;
10. Although banks may lend 10 times more than the money they have, what is to prevent them from lending much more than this. And so the big American banks began to lend far more than 10 times..
28. Why did all these things happen? Mainly it is because of greed and too much power being given to the banks to create money..
43. ...... The new banks (after reforms) must be allowed less liberty to create money.
57. Once we know and understand the causes then we can plan to avoid them. Sub-prime lending, creation of too much money by the banks, lack of Government supervision, leaving central banks in the hands of the private bankers etc etc must be avoided by Asians.
62. Asians must therefore be prepared to develop new banking systems which would not be given the power to create unlimited money.... The loans must also be limited based on the assets owned by the banks. Loans in excess of this must be subjected to Government scrutiny and in big cases to Government approval.
COMMENTS :Why I said there is a fundamental error? Maybe Tun is not aware that banks are already regulated in the way how much money (through loans) that they can create. There is this thing called the "loan-to-deposit ratio". Plus other capital ratios for banks to conform.
1. A higher loan to deposit ratio indicates aggressive lending; a lower ratio indicates tight money. At the height of the dot com bubble (in the U.S), this ratio reached a frothy 105%. In 2004, it hit a low of 93.8%. Today, it stands at 98.6%, near the midpoint of its ten-year range. See http://findarticles .com/p/articles/ mi_m0EIN/ is_2009_Feb_ 2/ai_n31299916/
2. And very seldom is that ratio more than 100% for banks, whether in the U.S or throughout the world.
3. Plus there are other regulations like Tier-1 Capital Adequacy Ratio, Total Adequacy Ratio banks must conform to. For example, see http://www.straitst imes.com/ STI/STIMEDIA/ pdf/20081010/ SingaporeBanksCa pitalStrength. pdfThus it is not true that banks have the power to create unlimited money (as Tun claims), and there are already limits to how much loans (or risks) banks can offer (or absorb) which are imposed by regulators. And internally, banks also have their own policies/limits. Internationally, there is also Basel II. See http://www.federalr eserve.gov/ generalinfo/ basel2/default. htm
Perhaps Tun overlook those facts. Otherwise, good speech and interesting analysis.

Salam,

helmiehassan

speech taken from http://bigdogdotcom .wordpress. com/Tun Dr. Mahathir: Global Financial Crisis & Lessons for AsiaSPEECH BYTUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMADAT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DEVELOPMENT, BEIJING UNIVERSITY, CHINAON 29 APRIL 2009 —————-
"The Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century -Lessons for Asia
"SPEECH BYTUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMADAT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DEVELOPMENT, BEIJING UNIVERSITY, CHINAON 29 APRIL 2009 —————-

"The Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century -Lessons for Asia"
1. Firstly I would like to thank the National School of Development of Beijing University for this invitation to speak on the subject of the Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century – Lessons for Asia.
2. I must admit that I am not trained in finance and not even in economics. I am a doctor of medicine. My little knowledge about finance and economy came through my serving as the Prime Minister of Malaysia during which time I had to handle many financial crisis, the worst of which was the 1997-98 currency crisis. To handle that crisis I had to ask a lot of economists and financial people a lot of questions and of course I had to read a lot on the subjects. However not being from any economic school or financial institution, I was not constrained by the theories that are taught in such places. I could therefore strike out on my own and also do unorthodox things. Unfortunately I am not too familiar with the technical words which those learned in the subject use and I hope you will recognise the words I use instead.
3. I am afraid my views on the present crisis are also unorthodox as they are the results of my untutored mind analysing what is happening.
4. We talk of the Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century. But of course just as the 21st Century is a continuation of the 20th Century and before, the financial crisis is a continuation of the crisis we saw in the 20th Century and those before that. In fact the crisis originated from the systems formulated in the 17th and 18th centuries, almost exclusively by the Europeans.
5. The present crisis had its beginnings in the faulty systems devised for banking and finance in the 1700s. When it became impractical to use coins for payments due to their bulk and weight, paper money was introduced. Paper money has no intrinsic value. At first it was backed by precious metal like gold. Then Governments decided to go off gold. The paper money then became fiat money whose value was supposed to be guaranteed by Governments. But after the market was allowed to determine the value of money, the Government could no longer guarantee the value.
6. Unlike gold there is nothing to limit the issue of paper money. It was assumed that Governments through the Central Banks would exercise control over the printing of paper money.
7. But in America and in Britain until recently the central banks were privately owned. To compound the risk of too much currency being issued banks were actually allowed to create money, supposedly up to 10 times what they have on deposit and capital.
8. What this means is that banks can lend more money than they have. Imagine a business in which the companies can sell more goods than they have. There would be chaos. It would not be business at all. The companies cannot deliver what they have sold. The customers would feel cheated. But banks can lend more than what they have because they can create the money out of nothing. Apart from paper and ink there would be no raw materials needed.
9. Besides cheques were invented to represent money. Any amount of value can be written on the cheques and the banks can lend or accept the amount as written on the cheques. If someone borrows 10 million dollars it would really be impossible for the borrower to carry away 10 million dollars in paper money. They use cheques for this amount. Of course when dealing with a hundred million, a billion, or a trillion dollars, only cheques can represent this amount. No cash would be involved. When billions of dollars are given in bailouts no cash are involved. No money needs to be printed.
10. Although banks may lend 10 times more than the money they have, what is to prevent them from lending much more than this. And so the big American banks began to lend far more than 10 times. Very often they disregarded the ability of the borrowers to pay so that they could continue lending. For the banks their loans were regarded as assets in their books. The more money they lend, the bigger is their assets.
11. This is what led to the sub-prime problems. As the credit worthiness of their borrowers is not prime, the non-performing loans in the bank books started to balloon.
12. But to take care of this the banks decided to sell loans for housing to the insurance companies and the secondary mortgage companies like Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation) .
13. Originally set up and owned by the United States Government, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now privately owned but still enjoys Government support and privileges. They have access to cheap funds with which to finance their purchase of the mortgages undertaken by banks.
14. Their operations were not overseen by Government agencies and very quickly their purchases of the mortgages ran into billions of dollars.
15. When the housing loans by banks went bad, not only the banks and the insurance companies but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also could not recover the loans they had given to the banks.
16. Thus the collapse of the sub-prime loans pulled down not just the banks but the insurance companies like AIG and the mortgage companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
17. But the banks were not lending just for housing, they were also financing hedge funds and currency traders. These funds were allowed to borrow as much as 30 times the money invested with them. The banks loaned them this money out of the money they created not out of the cash they held.
18. The assumption was that if for a million dollars invested in the funds, they can actually invest 30 million dollars, the return on 30 million would be so big that the million dollar investor would get much more than he would expect if he were to go into the market to buy the one million shares himself.
19. The fund managers would of course take their cut after paying the interest on the bank loans. Again their cut on 30 times the invested money would be very considerable.
20. It was believed that investments in hedge funds and currency trading could never fail. The investors would get as much as 30 per cent return on their investments instead of the small interest on fix deposits or even the smaller returns from dividends paid to shareholders.
21. Millions of investors put their money in hedge funds and currency trading. It is estimated that 8000 hedge funds handle as much as 620 trillion dollars while the trade in currency was 20 times bigger than was world trade.
22. The sums are really enormous and the profits likewise. The investors numbering millions in the United States and Europe and some in Asia became millionaires, owning yachts and private jets. They contribute greatly to the high per capita incomes and Gross Domestic Products of their country. It is estimated that their contribution to these wealth indices amount to about 40 per cent.
23. But the investment by the hedge funds are not always profitable. Just as their profits would be 30 times more than the investments they manage, their losses too can be 30 times more than when investing in the original sum invested with them.
24. And when the loss occurs there is no way they can pay back the banks. The classic case was when the hedge from LTCM (Long Term Credit Management) collapsed totally; losing billions of dollars of the money they had borrowed and invested. They could not pay the banks.
25. It would seem that no matter which financial institutions or funds got hit, in the end the banks would be affected. And when the banks are affected all businesses would be affected. They would not be able to borrow enough money for capital or operations or payments. The banks would make margin calls when they get into trouble and when the borrowers fail they too would be unable to operate and to make money. They can be bankrupted and forced to close down.
26. The failures of the businesses would bring down the stock market which in turn would affect the businesses. In the end the whole economy would suffer and there would be a recession.
27. When such countries go into recession, the countries which depend on them as markets will also be dragged down. That is why the whole world has gone into recession or at least experience lower growth.
28. Why did all these things happen? Mainly it is because of greed and too much power being given to the banks to create money. Then there is this idea of free trade which is interpreted to mean freedom from Government supervision. Without Government supervision the players would abuse the systems. They would be motivated purely by greed.
29. This has been going on for decades. The great recession of 1929-1930 was due to the same kind of abuses. After that there were abuses which led to minor crisis and recessions usually of the poorer countries.
30. When the abuse involves only a bank or a few banks or a single hedge fund, Government would step in to cover up. As a result the failure of the systems and the abuses were not noticed. It seems as if the systems were working well.
31. But the failure of the sub-prime loans for housing was so huge that neither the banks nor the Government could have a cover-up operation. The banks just cannot balance their accounts. Once the banks' losses were made known, those institutions and funds which were linked to or dependent on banking business were also exposed. Their losses proved to be equally enormous.
32. Initially there was an attempt to hide the true amount. Thus it was considered that a few billion dollars in bailouts would be sufficient to achieve recovery. But once the full extent of the abuses were revealed the figures shot up to trillions of dollars. Simple bailouts are no longer adequate.
33. In 1997-98 when Malaysia experienced its crisis we resorted to bailouts. But the collapse of the banks and the businesses were not due to their abuse of banking practice. It was due to external factors – namely the devaluations of the currency by currency traders.
34. The economic environment was still largely intact. It was still possible to do business if the banks had enough money to lend. So when the Government recapitalised the banks, the banks could recover through normal business and pay back the money to the Government.
35. This time the losses are huge and are due to the banks themselves abusing banking privileges. It is not possible to recover the money lost through doing normal business. It would not be enough to pay back the bail-out money.
36. The loss can only be recovered if the banks are allowed to resort to the abuses they were indulging in before. Since they cannot be allowed to do this they will not be able to recover the huge sums they have lost. They would forever be indebted to the government. In fact the Government would own them. This is of course socialistic and not capitalistic.
37. Bailouts would therefore not be able to achieve recovery of the economy. Certainly there is no way for returning to the status or conditions prevailing before the crisis. The rich countries must accept that they would become poorer, or at least not be as rich as they were before.
38. Again I would like to cite the experience of Malaysia. By 1999-2000 the crisis was over i.e. we were no longer troubled by the deliberate devaluations of the Malaysian currency. But the Malaysian currency did not recover fully.
39. At the time when the crisis hit us in 1997 the exchange rate was 2.5 Ringgit to one US Dollar. It went down to 5 Ringgit to one US Dollar at its peak. Now the currency is stabilised at 3.8 Ringgit to one US Dollar.
40. This means that our per capita and GDP in US Dollar terms is lower than what it should be if our Ringgit went back to 2.5 per US Dollar. The per capita today is 6000 USD. It should really be 9000 USD if the rate is 2.5 per USD.
41. It will be the same for the US, Britain, the European and Asian countries affected by the crisis. Indeed the GDP and per capita of the whole world will remain down. We would all be poorer because of the crisis. Real recovery i.e. to be back to the status quo ante will take a very long time. In fact we would have to grow at one and a half times the pre-crisis rate to recover fully. This is unachievable.
42. What can to be done now is not to bail out the failed banks and companies. They should be allowed to go bankrupt. The bailout money should go towards compensating the people who had trusted these institutions, though not for them to recover their losses completely. With purchasing power partly restored they would be able to keep the new banks and businesses profitable.
43. Other people should be allowed to start new banks, maybe with Government support. The new banks must be allowed less liberty to create money. Their business must be subjected to Government scrutiny. They must not be allowed to set up subsidiaries in tax havens. Their accounts must be submitted to the Central Banks which must all be Government owned. They should be confined to financing real businesses and trade.
44. Mergers and acquisitions in order to become big and so dominate the business must be subject to laws like the anti-trust laws. Big companies are prone to practicing monopolistic business. And as we have seen they are very prone to abuses by their managements and employees. Their power tends to deter Government examination of their activities.
45. Currency trading should be limited to financing trade. There should be no speculation and short selling. Their business must be transparent. They should be allowed to borrow only a limited amount of money.
46. What are the lessons for Asia? In the first place Asia must not accept Western ideas and systems without critical examination. If after critically studying what is proposed by Western countries Asians find faults or weaknesses, it is better to reject them or modify them. Asians should actively promote their own systems.
47. Thus in 1997-98 the system allowed massive currency trading involving short-selling. The market it was said will determine the value or exchange rate. Government should leave the market free to determine exchange rates.
48. The idea was sound. Demand for a currency would depend on the trade of a country. If the country is prosperous and the country's currency would be needed in order to pay for the goods or the services exported from the country, then the value of the currency against a common trading currency such as the US Dollar would rise. The payment itself may be made in US Dollar but in the country the US Dollar should be converted to local currency. If the country imports more than the demand for the US Dollar would increase and the exchange rate would favour the US Dollar.
49. Unfortunately the market would create a degree of uncertainty. Predicting returns on prices and trade would be difficult as the currency might revalue or devalue when payments are to be made.
50. It is in order to minimise the effect of changes in the value of the currencies that hedging was designed. Hedging carries a cost that would affect the profits.
51. But currency traders deliberately selling huge amounts of the currency could devalue it at will. Apart from impoverishing the country, through devaluation a great deal of uncertainty would trouble businesses. Exporters and importers quoting at current exchange rates can easily lose if the currency is grossly devalued or revalued depending on whether they are selling or buying.
52. Malaysia faced with this dilemma in 1997 – 8 decided to fix the exchange rate by preventing currency traders from access to the Malaysian currency for trading purposes. In the eyes of the Western banks and financiers this was wrong. But fixing the exchange rate helped businesses to prepare their budgets and price their goods without fear of going wrong and losing money. In any case the original Bretton Woods agreement was about fixes exchange rates and not about the free market and floating currencies.
53. Malaysia was also advised by the IMF to have a surplus budget, to increase interest rates, to halve the time for declaring a loan non-performing, to let businesses in trouble go bankrupt etc. We rejected all these advise. We also refused to take International Monetary Fund loans as the condition was for us to surrender economic management of our country to the IMF.
54. As you may know by controlling the exchange rate and rejecting all the IMF advise Malaysia was able to recover much more quickly than the other East Asian countries. Today the whole world agrees that Malaysia did the right thing.
55. The lessons that we learnt from our 1997-98 experience was not to uncritically accept the advice of the so-called international agencies. They may know something but they do not know everything. Their one size fits all solution cannot always work.
56. In the present crisis we have to understand the causes. I have tried to identify these causes above. But there must be many more.
57. Once we know and understand the causes then we can plan to avoid them. Sub-prime lending, creation of too much money by the banks, lack of Government supervision, leaving central banks in the hands of the private bankers etc etc must be avoided by Asians.
58. Having seen the disastrous results of the Western banking, and their monetary and financial systems, we must not assume that if we recover than the systems must be maintained. Recovery does not prove that the system is right. Whatever the results we must critically examine the present system.
59. The present crisis is due to systemic failure. We must therefore change the systems. Minor changes would not suffice. All the systems must be subjected to close critical analysis.
60. If the West insist in retaining the present system with only minor cosmetic changes, Asians must be ready to reject them, if necessary. Asians must learn and convince themselves that they have the ability to formulate and develop new systems which will not be so easy to abuse.
61. Asian economies are very strong and will grow stronger with time. Their influence on world economy is enormous. Systems developed by Asians should therefore be taken seriously, and if good, should be accepted by the world. Asians must not forever be following the rules and systems developed only by the Europeans.
62. Asians must therefore be prepared to develop new banking systems which would not be given the power to create unlimited money. The banks must have new sets of regulations and new supervision by trained Government agencies. There must be distinct limitations to what the banks are allowed to do. Bank financing should be limited to real business and trade. The loans must also be limited based on the assets owned by the banks. Loans in excess of this must be subjected to Government scrutiny and in big cases to Government approval.
63. The world needs to trade and trade financing must not be monopolised by any particular currency. A special trading currency needs to be created and be owned by all the countries of the world. The currency must be backed by gold or by reserves held by every country.
64. There must be no trading in currency except in financing trade. The value of national currencies must be fixed against the world trading currency not against any other currency. Revaluation and devaluation must be by comparison to the world trading currency.
65. The hedge funds must be open to public scrutiny if at all they are to be allowed. Their borrowings from banks must be based on a small multiple of the funds they hold. No subsidiaries or operations must be done from tax havens. All transactions must be open to Government scrutiny and by the managers of the special trading currency.
66. A new international anti-trust law must be introduced to curb mergers and acquisitions. There must be no monopoly in any business. The international community must break all monopolies so that ownership is distributed worldwide.
67. The monetary system needs to be changed. Today banks can create alternative currencies through cheques, credit cards, traveller's cheques, entries into bank books, etc. This has led to more money being created than needed for trade. The excess money created is being used for all kinds of money make money schemes for the rich investors.
68. The exchange rates of the different currencies against each other must be fixed through a proper criteria. The market must not be allowed to play with exchange rates.
69. These are some of the suggestions that Asians can consider proposing to the world community. They need to be scrutinised and debated in a forum like the Bretton Woods. No country, Asian or European or African should be allowed to manipulate the forum through bribery, as is now being done by the rich countries.
70. This financial and economic crisis has taught us many lessons. It is not necessary to consider the European system as the best or the only one that can be used. Asians have the same capacity to think and innovate and they should be prepared to put up and defend their proposals for the world financial and economic reforms. But having said this Asians must as be prepared to hear and consider proposals coming from others.
71. In the end even after systemic changes the result will not be perfect. And so the monetary and financial forum must be maintained to examine and correct any shortcomings or failures, to curb any abuse.
72. I am not saying I have the solution or that my ideas are right and perfect. What I am trying to suggest is a change in mindset so that we can criticise and change even the most long-standing ideas. Only if we are prepared to do this can we put an end to repeating our mistakes over and over again.
ref: by Tun Dr Mahathir

BERITA : PEMUDA UMNO MALAYSIA ANJUR KHEMAH KERJA PERDANA 30 APRIL - 3 MEI

Oleh S.A Najmuddin
Kuala Lumpur -- Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia akan mengadakan 'Khemah Kerja Perdana' Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia, bermula 30 April sehingga 3hb Mei 2009 ini. Ketua Penerangannya, Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican berkata khemah kerja itu akan dihadiri seluruh Exco dan Ketua-Ketua Pemuda UMNO negeri dalam usaha membawa hasrat dan niat untuk memperkukuh agenda gerak kerja Pemuda di segenap peringkat. Menurut beliau pasca pemilihan UMNO yang lalu, ahli Pemuda di seluruh negara menantikan halatuju dan gerak kerja yang bakal dilaksanakan selepas ini. "Matlamat khemah kerja ini bertujuan untuk membina kesepakatan dan semangat kerjasama, membina 'esprit de corp' yang kukuh, menentukan gerak kerja Pemuda, memperteguh jatidiri dan membugar semula agenda latihan dan pendidikan politik seperti yang dikehendaki oleh YAB Presiden parti", katanya. Beliau berkata demikian kepada laman webPemuda dalam satu kenyataan di sini, hari ini. Tambah Reezal lagi, Ketua Pemuda UMNO Malaysia YB Khairy Jamaluddin dan keseluruhan saf kepimpinan akan menggariskan agenda gerakan yang menyeluruh. "Ini termasuk penyusunan dan penubuhan biro-biro yang selari dengan cita dan hasrat kepimpinan parti. Kita cukup yakin khemah kerja ini akan membawa hasil yang baik dan positif. "Lebih penting lagi, semua hasrat dan keinginan pelaksanaan gerak kerja ini mesti diturunkan kepada peringkat akar umbi dengan seberapa segera", ujarnya. Khemah Kerja ini juga kata beliau lagi dijangka menjadi platform perbincangan tentang pelbagai 'approach', mekanisme dan kaedah baru Pemuda dalam mendekati generasi muda. Beliau berkata selain itu, ianya juga bakal melahirkan komitmen Pemuda dalam menjadi 'catalyst' dan pemangkin usaha pemerkasaan parti akan dimulakan dengan seberapa segera.

SPEECH BY TUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD AT THE BEIJING UNIVERSITY ON 29 APRIL 2009


SPEECH BY TUN AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DEV., CHINA
SPEECH BY
TUN DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DEVELOPMENT,
BEIJING UNIVERSITY, CHINA
ON 29 APRIL 2009
----------------

“The Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century -
Lessons for Asia”

1. Firstly I would like to thank the National School of Development of Beijing University for this invitation to speak on the subject of the Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century – Lessons for Asia.
2. I must admit that I am not trained in finance and not even in economics. I am a doctor of medicine. My little knowledge about finance and economy came through my serving as the Prime Minister of Malaysia during which time I had to handle many financial crisis, the worst of which was the 1997-98 currency crisis. To handle that crisis I had to ask a lot of economists and financial people a lot of questions and of course I had to read a lot on the subjects. However not being from any economic school or financial institution, I was not constrained by the theories that are taught in such places. I could therefore strike out on my own and also do unorthodox things. Unfortunately I am not too familiar with the technical words which those learned in the subject use and I hope you will recognise the words I use instead.
3. I am afraid my views on the present crisis are also unorthodox as they are the results of my untutored mind analysing what is happening.
4. We talk of the Global Financial Crisis of the 21st Century. But of course just as the 21st Century is a continuation of the 20th Century and before, the financial crisis is a continuation of the crisis we saw in the 20th Century and those before that. In fact the crisis originated from the systems formulated in the 17th and 18th centuries, almost exclusively by the Europeans.
5. The present crisis had its beginnings in the faulty systems devised for banking and finance in the 1700s. When it became impractical to use coins for payments due to their bulk and weight, paper money was introduced. Paper money has no intrinsic value. At first it was backed by precious metal like gold. Then Governments decided to go off gold. The paper money then became fiat money whose value was supposed to be guaranteed by Governments. But after the market was allowed to determine the value of money, the Government could no longer guarantee the value.
6. Unlike gold there is nothing to limit the issue of paper money. It was assumed that Governments through the Central Banks would exercise control over the printing of paper money.
7. But in America and in Britain until recently the central banks were privately owned. To compound the risk of too much currency being issued banks were actually allowed to create money, supposedly up to 10 times what they have on deposit and capital.
8. What this means is that banks can lend more money than they have. Imagine a business in which the companies can sell more goods than they have. There would be chaos. It would not be business at all. The companies cannot deliver what they have sold. The customers would feel cheated. But banks can lend more than what they have because they can create the money out of nothing. Apart from paper and ink there would be no raw materials needed.
9. Besides cheques were invented to represent money. Any amount of value can be written on the cheques and the banks can lend or accept the amount as written on the cheques. If someone borrows 10 million dollars it would really be impossible for the borrower to carry away 10 million dollars in paper money. They use cheques for this amount. Of course when dealing with a hundred million, a billion, or a trillion dollars, only cheques can represent this amount. No cash would be involved. When billions of dollars are given in bailouts no cash are involved. No money needs to be printed.
10. Although banks may lend 10 times more than the money they have, what is to prevent them from lending much more than this. And so the big American banks began to lend far more than 10 times. Very often they disregarded the ability of the borrowers to pay so that they could continue lending. For the banks their loans were regarded as assets in their books. The more money they lend, the bigger is their assets.
11. This is what led to the sub-prime problems. As the credit worthiness of their borrowers is not prime, the non-performing loans in the bank books started to balloon.
12. But to take care of this the banks decided to sell loans for housing to the insurance companies and the secondary mortgage companies like Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation).
13. Originally set up and owned by the United States Government, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now privately owned but still enjoys Government support and privileges. They have access to cheap funds with which to finance their purchase of the mortgages undertaken by banks.
14. Their operations were not overseen by Government agencies and very quickly their purchases of the mortgages ran into billions of dollars.
15. When the housing loans by banks went bad, not only the banks and the insurance companies but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also could not recover the loans they had given to the banks.
16. Thus the collapse of the sub-prime loans pulled down not just the banks but the insurance companies like AIG and the mortgage companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
17. But the banks were not lending just for housing, they were also financing hedge funds and currency traders. These funds were allowed to borrow as much as 30 times the money invested with them. The banks loaned them this money out of the money they created not out of the cash they held.
18. The assumption was that if for a million dollars invested in the funds, they can actually invest 30 million dollars, the return on 30 million would be so big that the million dollar investor would get much more than he would expect if he were to go into the market to buy the one million shares himself.
19. The fund managers would of course take their cut after paying the interest on the bank loans. Again their cut on 30 times the invested money would be very considerable.
20. It was believed that investments in hedge funds and currency trading could never fail. The investors would get as much as 30 per cent return on their investments instead of the small interest on fix deposits or even the smaller returns from dividends paid to shareholders.
21. Millions of investors put their money in hedge funds and currency trading. It is estimated that 8000 hedge funds handle as much as 620 trillion dollars while the trade in currency was 20 times bigger than was world trade.
22. The sums are really enormous and the profits likewise. The investors numbering millions in the United States and Europe and some in Asia became millionaires, owning yachts and private jets. They contribute greatly to the high per capita incomes and Gross Domestic Products of their country. It is estimated that their contribution to these wealth indices amount to about 40 per cent.
23. But the investment by the hedge funds are not always profitable. Just as their profits would be 30 times more than the investments they manage, their losses too can be 30 times more than when investing in the original sum invested with them.
24. And when the loss occurs there is no way they can pay back the banks. The classic case was when the hedge from LTCM (Long Term Credit Management) collapsed totally; losing billions of dollars of the money they had borrowed and invested. They could not pay the banks.
25. It would seem that no matter which financial institutions or funds got hit, in the end the banks would be affected. And when the banks are affected all businesses would be affected. They would not be able to borrow enough money for capital or operations or payments. The banks would make margin calls when they get into trouble and when the borrowers fail they too would be unable to operate and to make money. They can be bankrupted and forced to close down.
26. The failures of the businesses would bring down the stock market which in turn would affect the businesses. In the end the whole economy would suffer and there would be a recession.
27. When such countries go into recession, the countries which depend on them as markets will also be dragged down. That is why the whole world has gone into recession or at least experience lower growth.
28. Why did all these things happen? Mainly it is because of greed and too much power being given to the banks to create money. Then there is this idea of free trade which is interpreted to mean freedom from Government supervision. Without Government supervision the players would abuse the systems. They would be motivated purely by greed.
29. This has been going on for decades. The great recession of 1929-1930 was due to the same kind of abuses. After that there were abuses which led to minor crisis and recessions usually of the poorer countries.
30. When the abuse involves only a bank or a few banks or a single hedge fund, Government would step in to cover up. As a result the failure of the systems and the abuses were not noticed. It seems as if the systems were working well.
31. But the failure of the sub-prime loans for housing was so huge that neither the banks nor the Government could have a cover-up operation. The banks just cannot balance their accounts. Once the banks’ losses were made known, those institutions and funds which were linked to or dependent on banking business were also exposed. Their losses proved to be equally enormous.
32. Initially there was an attempt to hide the true amount. Thus it was considered that a few billion dollars in bailouts would be sufficient to achieve recovery. But once the full extent of the abuses were revealed the figures shot up to trillions of dollars. Simple bailouts are no longer adequate.
33. In 1997-98 when Malaysia experienced its crisis we resorted to bailouts. But the collapse of the banks and the businesses were not due to their abuse of banking practice. It was due to external factors – namely the devaluations of the currency by currency traders.
34. The economic environment was still largely intact. It was still possible to do business if the banks had enough money to lend. So when the Government recapitalised the banks, the banks could recover through normal business and pay back the money to the Government.
35. This time the losses are huge and are due to the banks themselves abusing banking privileges. It is not possible to recover the money lost through doing normal business. It would not be enough to pay back the bail-out money.
36. The loss can only be recovered if the banks are allowed to resort to the abuses they were indulging in before. Since they cannot be allowed to do this they will not be able to recover the huge sums they have lost. They would forever be indebted to the government. In fact the Government would own them. This is of course socialistic and not capitalistic.
37. Bailouts would therefore not be able to achieve recovery of the economy. Certainly there is no way for returning to the status or conditions prevailing before the crisis. The rich countries must accept that they would become poorer, or at least not be as rich as they were before.
38. Again I would like to cite the experience of Malaysia. By 1999-2000 the crisis was over i.e. we were no longer troubled by the deliberate devaluations of the Malaysian currency. But the Malaysian currency did not recover fully.
39. At the time when the crisis hit us in 1997 the exchange rate was 2.5 Ringgit to one US Dollar. It went down to 5 Ringgit to one US Dollar at its peak. Now the currency is stabilised at 3.8 Ringgit to one US Dollar.
40. This means that our per capita and GDP in US Dollar terms is lower than what it should be if our Ringgit went back to 2.5 per US Dollar. The per capita today is 6000 USD. It should really be 9000 USD if the rate is 2.5 per USD.
41. It will be the same for the US, Britain, the European and Asian countries affected by the crisis. Indeed the GDP and per capita of the whole world will remain down. We would all be poorer because of the crisis. Real recovery i.e. to be back to the status quo ante will take a very long time. In fact we would have to grow at one and a half times the pre-crisis rate to recover fully. This is unachievable.
42. What can to be done now is not to bail out the failed banks and companies. They should be allowed to go bankrupt. The bailout money should go towards compensating the people who had trusted these institutions, though not for them to recover their losses completely. With purchasing power partly restored they would be able to keep the new banks and businesses profitable.
43. Other people should be allowed to start new banks, maybe with Government support. The new banks must be allowed less liberty to create money. Their business must be subjected to Government scrutiny. They must not be allowed to set up subsidiaries in tax havens. Their accounts must be submitted to the Central Banks which must all be Government owned. They should be confined to financing real businesses and trade.
44. Mergers and acquisitions in order to become big and so dominate the business must be subject to laws like the anti-trust laws. Big companies are prone to practicing monopolistic business. And as we have seen they are very prone to abuses by their managements and employees. Their power tends to deter Government examination of their activities.
45. Currency trading should be limited to financing trade. There should be no speculation and short selling. Their business must be transparent. They should be allowed to borrow only a limited amount of money.
46. What are the lessons for Asia? In the first place Asia must not accept Western ideas and systems without critical examination. If after critically studying what is proposed by Western countries Asians find faults or weaknesses, it is better to reject them or modify them. Asians should actively promote their own systems.
47. Thus in 1997-98 the system allowed massive currency trading involving short-selling. The market it was said will determine the value or exchange rate. Government should leave the market free to determine exchange rates.
48. The idea was sound. Demand for a currency would depend on the trade of a country. If the country is prosperous and the country’s currency would be needed in order to pay for the goods or the services exported from the country, then the value of the currency against a common trading currency such as the US Dollar would rise. The payment itself may be made in US Dollar but in the country the US Dollar should be converted to local currency. If the country imports more than the demand for the US Dollar would increase and the exchange rate would favour the US Dollar.
49. Unfortunately the market would create a degree of uncertainty. Predicting returns on prices and trade would be difficult as the currency might revalue or devalue when payments are to be made.
50. It is in order to minimise the effect of changes in the value of the currencies that hedging was designed. Hedging carries a cost that would affect the profits.
51. But currency traders deliberately selling huge amounts of the currency could devalue it at will. Apart from impoverishing the country, through devaluation a great deal of uncertainty would trouble businesses. Exporters and importers quoting at current exchange rates can easily lose if the currency is grossly devalued or revalued depending on whether they are selling or buying.
52. Malaysia faced with this dilemma in 1997 – 8 decided to fix the exchange rate by preventing currency traders from access to the Malaysian currency for trading purposes. In the eyes of the Western banks and financiers this was wrong. But fixing the exchange rate helped businesses to prepare their budgets and price their goods without fear of going wrong and losing money. In any case the original Bretton Woods agreement was about fixes exchange rates and not about the free market and floating currencies.
53. Malaysia was also advised by the IMF to have a surplus budget, to increase interest rates, to halve the time for declaring a loan non-performing, to let businesses in trouble go bankrupt etc. We rejected all these advise. We also refused to take International Monetary Fund loans as the condition was for us to surrender economic management of our country to the IMF.
54. As you may know by controlling the exchange rate and rejecting all the IMF advise Malaysia was able to recover much more quickly than the other East Asian countries. Today the whole world agrees that Malaysia did the right thing.
55. The lessons that we learnt from our 1997-98 experience was not to uncritically accept the advice of the so-called international agencies. They may know something but they do not know everything. Their one size fits all solution cannot always work.
56. In the present crisis we have to understand the causes. I have tried to identify these causes above. But there must be many more.
57. Once we know and understand the causes then we can plan to avoid them. Sub-prime lending, creation of too much money by the banks, lack of Government supervision, leaving central banks in the hands of the private bankers etc etc must be avoided by Asians.
58. Having seen the disastrous results of the Western banking, and their monetary and financial systems, we must not assume that if we recover than the systems must be maintained. Recovery does not prove that the system is right. Whatever the results we must critically examine the present system.
59. The present crisis is due to systemic failure. We must therefore change the systems. Minor changes would not suffice. All the systems must be subjected to close critical analysis.
60. If the West insist in retaining the present system with only minor cosmetic changes, Asians must be ready to reject them, if necessary. Asians must learn and convince themselves that they have the ability to formulate and develop new systems which will not be so easy to abuse.
61. Asian economies are very strong and will grow stronger with time. Their influence on world economy is enormous. Systems developed by Asians should therefore be taken seriously, and if good, should be accepted by the world. Asians must not forever be following the rules and systems developed only by the Europeans.
62. Asians must therefore be prepared to develop new banking systems which would not be given the power to create unlimited money. The banks must have new sets of regulations and new supervision by trained Government agencies. There must be distinct limitations to what the banks are allowed to do. Bank financing should be limited to real business and trade. The loans must also be limited based on the assets owned by the banks. Loans in excess of this must be subjected to Government scrutiny and in big cases to Government approval.
63. The world needs to trade and trade financing must not be monopolised by any particular currency. A special trading currency needs to be created and be owned by all the countries of the world. The currency must be backed by gold or by reserves held by every country.
64. There must be no trading in currency except in financing trade. The value of national currencies must be fixed against the world trading currency not against any other currency. Revaluation and devaluation must be by comparison to the world trading currency.
65. The hedge funds must be open to public scrutiny if at all they are to be allowed. Their borrowings from banks must be based on a small multiple of the funds they hold. No subsidiaries or operations must be done from tax havens. All transactions must be open to Government scrutiny and by the managers of the special trading currency.
66. A new international anti-trust law must be introduced to curb mergers and acquisitions. There must be no monopoly in any business. The international community must break all monopolies so that ownership is distributed worldwide.
67. The monetary system needs to be changed. Today banks can create alternative currencies through cheques, credit cards, traveller’s cheques, entries into bank books, etc. This has led to more money being created than needed for trade. The excess money created is being used for all kinds of money make money schemes for the rich investors.
68. The exchange rates of the different currencies against each other must be fixed through a proper criteria. The market must not be allowed to play with exchange rates.
69. These are some of the suggestions that Asians can consider proposing to the world community. They need to be scrutinised and debated in a forum like the Bretton Woods. No country, Asian or European or African should be allowed to manipulate the forum through bribery, as is now being done by the rich countries.
70. This financial and economic crisis has taught us many lessons. It is not necessary to consider the European system as the best or the only one that can be used. Asians have the same capacity to think and innovate and they should be prepared to put up and defend their proposals for the world financial and economic reforms. But having said this Asians must as be prepared to hear and consider proposals coming from others.
71. In the end even after systemic changes the result will not be perfect. And so the monetary and financial forum must be maintained to examine and correct any shortcomings or failures, to curb any abuse.
72. I am not saying I have the solution or that my ideas are right and perfect. What I am trying to suggest is a change in mindset so that we can criticise and change even the most long-standing ideas. Only if we are prepared to do this can we put an end to repeating our mistakes over and over again.

TEKS UCAPAN KETUA PEMUDA UMNO KETEREH - 'WACANA PEMBINAAN BANGSA SIRI 1'


27 April 2009, Bertempat di Dewan DK1, Politeknik Kota Bharu, Biro Pembangunan Usahawan & Profesional, Pemuda UMNO Ketereh telah mengadakan "WACANA PEMBINAAN BANGSA SIRI 1' yang mengupas isu-isu semasa yang mana siri pertama program ini bertajuk "CABARAN-CABARAN & PERANAN MAHASISWA DALAM MENGHADAPI KEMELESETAN EKONOMI MASA KINI SERTA ISU ORANG-ORANG MELAYU SEMASA'.

Siri keilmuan yang julung-julung kali diadakan ini dipengerusikan oleh Saudara Ahmad Helmie Hassan, menampilkan tiga ahli panel iaitu wakil daripada Universiti Malaysia Kelantan(UMK) serta UiTM Kelantan. Ketua Pemuda UMNO Ketereh iaitu saudara Muhammad Abdullah turut tampil menyampaikan ucapan penutup pada majlis yang dihadiri lebih 100 orang peserta tersebut. Berikut adalah teks ucapan Ketua Pemuda UMNO Ketereh dalam majlis tersebut:


TEKS UCAPAN:


Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera, salam penuh penghormatan.

Yang Dihormati dan Dimuliakan Tuan Timbalan Pengarah Politeknik Kota Bharu

Adinda saya, Saudara Ahmad Helmie Hassan, selaku Pengerusi Biro Pembangunan Usahawan & Profesional Pemuda UMNO Ketereh, merangkap Pengerusi Wacana Pembinaan Bangsa.

Yang Berbahagia, barisan Ahli-ahli panel Wacana Pembinaan Bangsa untuk kali ini,

Hadirin, sila beri tepukan gemuruh dan sekalung penghargaan buat:
Yang Berbahagia Prof. Madya Dr Mohd Rafi Yaakob
Yang Berbahagia En. Zulkarnain Yusoff
Yang Berbahagia En. Nor Hakimi Yusoff

Terima kasih saya buat Yang Berbahagia En. Iskandar, dari Bahagian Hal Ehwal Pelajar, kerana dapat mereliasasikan program ini.

Sahabat-sahabat saya, di Pemuda UMNO Bahagian Ketereh. Saudara Naib Ketua Pemuda.

Yang diraikan, adinda-adinda saya, Pihak JPP, pemimpin-pemimpin mahasiswa, pelajar-pelajar Politeknik Kota Bharu, nampaknya sungguh bersemangat mendengar ulasan-ulasan panelis kita tadi.

Seterusnya, hadirin dan hadirat sekalian, peserta-peserta wacana pembinaan bangsa ini.

Peribahasa Melayu, ’Manakan dapat sagunya, kalau tidak dipecahkan ruyung’.

Hari ini kita bersama-sama dapat berinteraksi dalam satu majlis ilmu, satu inisiatif yang terbaik, inisiatif Biro Pembangunan Usahawan & Profesional pimpinan sahabat saya Helmie dan penghargaan yang tidak ternilai saya buat Politeknik Kota Bharu, kerana telah memberi peluang untuk kami berinteraksi bersama-sama bakal pemimpin-pemimpin pelapis negara, bakal-bakal usahawan, bakal-bakal profesional, iaitu pelajar-pelajar Politeknik Kota Bharu. Tuhan sahaja dapat membalas budi baik pihak Politeknik ini.

Sudah menjadi tanggungjawab kami, pimpinan pemuda umno bahagian, bersama-sama politeknik dan komuniti setempat di Parlimen Ketereh ini, bergandingan memecahkan ruyung-ruyung yang ada di sini, agar dapatlah sekiranya kita bersama-sama merasa sagunya. Ada yang manis, ada yang masam, ada yang kelat. Tapi harapnya semuanya manis-manis. Semanis-manis, adik-adik yang ada di hadapan saya ini.

Hadirin & Hadirat sekalian,

Bersempena dengan Hari Terbuka Politeknik minggu ini, Saya juga ingin merakamkan ucapan tahniah kepada Politeknik, di atas kejayaan dan pencapaian yang telah diperolehi oleh pihak politeknik selama ini. Institusi pengajian tinggi seperti politeknik ini, barang tentu mempunyai jasa yang cukup mulia dalam memberi pendidikan dan ilmu yang cukup sempurna buat adik-adik sekalian, malah masyarakat setempat turut dan telah merasa tempias kenikmatan dengan adanya Politeknik ini. Kita dapat lihat, bandar Kok Lanas menjadi satu bandar satelit yang pesat membangun, bukan sahaja menjadi bandar ilmu, malah masyarakat setempat dapat berniaga, mengusahakan rumah-rumah sewa, kedai-kedai telekomunikasi dan photostat berkembang maju, malah saya yakin dengan adanya pimpinan yang kuat di Parlimen Ketereh kelak, kemungkinan kita bakal menerima banyak lagi limpahan pembangunan di bandar ini. Kemungkinan satu hari nanti, adik-adik dapat mengakses internet dimana-mana sahaja kelak. Hanya dihujung jari. Itulah untungnya jika kita mempunyai sebuah kerajaan yang kuat.

Adik-adik sekalian,
Pada tahun 1985 dulu, kerajaan Malaysia telah belanjakan lebih 800 juta ringgit untuk menghubungkan Bayan Lepas Pulau Pinang dengan tanah besar Malaysia melalui Seberang Perai. 800 juta lebih untuk hubungkan manusia di tanah besar Malaysia ke Pulau Pinang. Begitu juga pembinaan Jambatan menghubungkan Malaysia, iaitu melalui Bandar Johor Bharu ke Woodlands di Singapura, jambatan lebih satu kilometer itu menelan kos beratus-ratus juta ringgit malah berbillion-billion ringgit telah dibina oleh kerajaan untuk membina banyak lagi jambatan. Nilai wang yang amat-amat tinggi untuk membina sesebuah jambatan, kerana bukan sahaja teknologinya, malah impak yang besar dapat dimanfaatkan dengan adanya jambatan-jambatan ini.

Hari ini, sejarah turut terbina kerana, jambatan yang diilhamkan oleh Biro Pembangunan Usahawan & Profesional ini, telah berjaya menghubungkan antara komuniti setempat & pemuda-pemuda di bahagian ini dengan cerdik pandai cerdik pandai di politeknik ini. Anggaplah jambatan penghubung yang dibina pada hari ini, satu titik tolak hubungan lebih erat antara kami kepimpinan pemuda bahagian dengan pihak ilmuan di politeknik ini. Kami amat menghargai dan menyanjung tinggi budaya keilmuan yang kita hubungkan ini, serta memperbanyak lagi aktiviti-aktiviti seumpama ini, bagi merealisasikan ungkapan kerajaan selama ini menjayakan ’knowlegebase community’-masyarakat yang berilmu pengetahuan. Dapatlah sekiranya kita semua memelihara, memulihara serta menjaga sebaik mungkin jambatan yang kita sama-sama bina ini. Walaupun kosnya tidak semahal jambatan bengkok, atau jambatan sultan yahya petra, jambatan terbina hari ini lebih tinggi nilainya dihati kita semua.

Hadirin&hadirat sekalian,
InsyaAllah, pemuda umno ketereh akan terus memperhebatkan program-program ilmiah seumpama ini, malah saya difahamkan Biro Pembangunan Usahawan & Profesional akan lebih memperhebatkan program-program mereka, dan untuk makluman semua siri Wacana Pembinaan Bangsa ini akan diteruskan secara berkala pada masa hadapan. Mungkin akan membincangkan pelbagai lagi topik-topik menarik demi memastikan intipati-intipati yang terkandung dalam rukunegara dan perlembagaan Malaysia dapat difahami oleh kita semua. Usaha yang kecil ini bakal memberi impak yang besar kepada kita semua kelak. InsyaAllah.

Kesempatan ini, saya turut ingin mengajak hadirin dan hadirat sekalian, adik-adik di Politeknik untuk mengikuti Program Anjuran kita pada 2hb Mei, Sabtu ini. Program, ’Apo Kabar Adik Kakok’.

Sekali lagi terima kasih saya kepada pihak Politeknik Kota Bharu, barisan ahli panel- ahli panel yang hebat-hebat, adik-adik sekalian dan ucapan ’good luck’ saya untuk adik-adik menempuhi peperiksaan kelak. Semoga berjaya dalam setiap apa yang kita semua ceburi dan Moga Allah merestui dan meredhai segala usaha kita ini. Kepada Helmie, biro pembangunan usahawan dan profesional, serta sahabat-sahabat sekalian, teruskan usaha kalian, Insyaallah Allah sentiasa bersama-sama kita.

Sekian Terima Kasih. Wabillahitaufik wal hidayah. Assalamualaikum.

*Peserta-peserta turut bersemangat menyanyikan lagu WARISAN


WARISAN

Anak Kecil Main Api

Terbakar hatinya yang sepi

Air mata darah bercampur keringat

Bumi dipijak milik orang
Nenek Moyang kaya raya

Tergadai seluruh harta benda

Akibat sengketa sesamalah kita

Cinta lenyap diarus zaman
Indahnya bumi kita ini

Warisan berkurun lamanya

Hasil mengalir ketangan yang lain

Pribumi merintih sendiri
Masa depan sungguh kelam

Kan lenyap peristiwa semalam

Tertutuplah hati terkunci mati

Maruah peribadi dah hilang
Kini kita cuma tinggal kuasa

Yang akan menentukan bangsa

Bersatulah hati bersama berbakti

Pulih kembali harga diri
Kita sudah tiada masa

Majulah dengan maha perkasa

Janganlah terlalai teruskan usaha

Melayukan Gagah dinusantara 3x

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Artikel : Agenda Melayu VS Satu Malaysia

Masih hangat tentang isu berkaitan kabinet baru dan pelupusan MECD. Apa pun yang ada dalam benak pemikiran PM rasional di sebalik pelupusan ini, pastinya bukan untuk menghapuskan agenda melayu dan bumiputera. Pendekatan perlaksanaannya yang barangkali bakal mengalami perubahan.
Penulis yakin, agenda Melayu di bawah Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak akan terus dijayakan, tetapi semestinya akan disesuaikan dengan pendekatan konsep Satu Malaysia yang bakal diperincikan.
"Rakyat diutamakan akan merentasi seluruh lapisan masyarakat dan kumpulan etnik di setiap pelosok tanah air. Tidak ada sesiapa yang patut merasakan diri mereka tercicir atau terpinggir daripada wacana nasional".
Konotasi ‘Agenda Melayu’ hari ini sudah terlalu terdedah kepada serangan sinis dari pelbagai pihak termasuk sebahagian dari Melayu yang menganggap apa saja, asal datangnya dari pihak pemerintah ‘tidak relevan’ dan apa saja yang mereka bawa paling ‘up-to-date’.
Konotasi ‘Agenda Melayu’ sudah meninggalkan stigma yang secara tidak langsung akan membentuk tembok persepsi yang menyebabkan terhalangnya pembinaan konsep Satu Malaysia.
Orang Melayu tidak boleh lagi mengamalkan konsep ‘bertegang urat’ mempertahankan satu-satu konotasi yang melambangkan maruah dan kebanggaan orang Melayu, sehingga pengisian sebenar ke arah pencapaian agenda Melayu akhirnya hanyut begitu saja.
"Hanya disebabkan tidak sependapat dalam menentukan nama anak yang baru dilahirkan, anak tersebut akhirnya membesar tanpa ‘surat beranak’ dan telah menjejaskan seluruh masa depan mereka".
NGO atau pertubuhan melayu mempunyai berkebolehan luar biasa dalam hal-ehwal ‘bertegang urat’ tapi kosong dalam keupayaan untuk mengisi agenda Melayu yang telah tersedia diperuntukkan dalam perlembagaan sejak merdeka.
Hari ini, orang Melayu harus bertindak dan berusaha meletakkan diri mereka sebagai ‘beneficiaries’ sebenar kepada maksud tersirat agenda melayu yang bakal diterjemahkan melalui konsep Satu Malaysia.
Janganlah bising-bising…!!
Orang Melayu ni pun satu hal. Ada rumah banglo dan jadi tuan tanah gedaung, tapi bagi tau satu alam di mana tempat simpan harta, bagi tau kod kunci rahsia pada umum.
Akhirnya segala tok nenek pencuri dan penyamun senang-senang boleh masuk dan samun semua harta milik kita.
Ada juga kalangan orang Melayu sendiri yang memberi ‘kunci pendua’ keselamatan dan kedaulatan bangsa kepada bukan Melayu. Apa saja yang orang Melayu dan kerajaan lakukan untuk memenuhi agenda Melayu semuanya kena ‘intercept’.
Akhirnya agenda Melayu tersadai di tengah jalan dan ‘penyek-penyek’ dilanggar oleh kenderaan ‘multi-excel’ bukan Melayu.

Artikel : BN Wajib Berani Buat 'Keputusan Besar'


By Kamarulzaman Kamdias

Beberapa dasar dan pendekatan baru telah pun diumum untuk perlaksanaan.

Antaranya;
1. Konsep 1Malaysia.

2. Membebaskan 13 tahanan ISA.

3. Pembentukan dan penstrukturan semula Kabinet Malaysia.

4. Liberalisasi pasaran dan penghapusan ekuiti 30% pegangan tempatan.

5. Pengumunan hiraki kepimpinan lantikan dalam UMNO.

6. Mengumumkan pindaan perlembagaan parti – UMNO.

7. Mengumumkan liberalisasi sektor kewangan dan perbankan.

Melalui kenyataan-kenyataan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, jelas tiada yang terlebih penting melainkan sebarang keputusan kerajaan mesti memenuhi aspirasi golongan sasar – RAKYAT.
Semua maklum bahawa nyawa kesinambungan BN/UMNO, hatta Pakatan Pembangkang sudah berada di tangan rakyat.
Berdasarkan senario pasca PRU 12 dan siri Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK), rakyat lebih cenderung untuk mencabut nyawa BN berbanding dengan nyawa pakatan pembangkang.
Mahu tidak mahu, BN harus mencari jalan bagaimana nyawanya yang sedang berada di genggaman rakyat tidak dicabut oleh mereka pada PRU 13 nanti.
BN harus mencari jalan agar rakyat bertindak sebaliknya dengan membuat keputusan mencabut nyawa lawan mereka.
BN harus berupaya menukar persepsi rakyat dalam tempoh kecederaan ini. Tiga tahun bukanlah satu tempoh yang panjang. Jika BN gagal menukar persepsi rakyat yang begitu negatif terhadap BN, igauan buruk pasti akan jadi kenyataan pada PRU 13.
Perlu diingatkan berkali-kali, lagi dan lagi kepada para pemimpin BN….!
Kerajaan yang memerintah pasca PRU 1969 atau 13 Mei adalah ‘lebih kukuh sedikit’ berbanding dengan kerajaan yang memerintah pasca PRU 12.
Tetapi, pemerintah pasca PRU 1969 telah melakukan benda-benda ‘BESAR’ atas maksud ‘perubahan’ walaupun mereka tidak menyebut-nyebut ungkapan ‘BERUBAH’.
Keputusan-keputusan besar untuk ‘pemulihan negara’ telah dibuat dan akhirnya keputusan besar mereka ini telah berjaya menguasai semula pemikiran rakyat.
Akhirnya niat rakyat untuk mencabut nyawa kerajaan pada 1974 terbatal. Mereka kembali meletakkan pergantungan kepada kerajaan yang memerintah. Pemerintah pasca 1969 telah bentuk semula pemikiran baru rakyat dengan mengeluarkan produk ‘Prinsip Rukun Negara’.
Kemudian, pemerintah telah merangka semula pembentukan negara dengan rancangan menyusun semula segenap lapisan masyarakat meliputi kepentingan ekonomi, pendidikan dan sosio-masyarakat secara adil dan saksama dengan menawarkan produk yang dinamakan DEB.
Akhirnya, pemerintah telah mencari jalan untuk membentuk kerajaan mirip ‘kerajaan perpaduan’ seperti yang dicadangkan oleh sesetengah pihak kebelakangan ini.
Gerakan dan Pas telah diundang untuk turut bersama menterjemahkan kestabilan politik demi maksud pembentukan semula negara dengan membentuk semula barisan kepimpinan negara yang dinamakan ‘Barisan Nasional’.
Tiga perkara cukup besar yang belum pernah dilakukan, telah dilakukan oleh pemerintah ketika itu.
Tiga keputusan besar inilah yang menyebabkan ‘kepala rakyat’ kembali berpusing dan meyakini semula bahawa BN sajalah satu-satunya parti yang boleh memenuhi aspirasi mereka.
Bila orang sudah ‘yakin dan percaya’, apa kita buat pun akan kelihatan baik. Orang lain kalau buat dianggap salah, tapi kalau benda salah yang sama, kita buat, akan dianggap betul.
Tengok saja Anwar Ibrahim. Bila dia dapat ‘privilege’ dalam bab ‘yakin dan percaya rakyat’, apa juga tuduhan dan skandal yang menyelubungi pun akan ditolak mentah-mentah oleh rakyat. Sebaliknya orang yang ‘menuduh dan teraniaya’ pula akan menjadi ‘tertuduh dan dianggap menganiaya’.
Mampukah pemimpin BN lakukan seperti mana pemerintah pasca 1969? Atau sekurang-kurangnya mampukan pemimpin BN mendapat ‘privilege yakin dan percaya’ rakyat seperti yang dinikmati oleh Anwar Ibrahim?
Jika setakat pendekatan 1 hingga 7 di atas, masih ‘pre-mature’ dan belum berupaya untuk ‘memusing kembali kepala rakyat’ untuk membentuk persepsi ‘hanya BN satu-satunya parti mampu memenuhi aspirasi rakyat….
BN wajib tunjuk keberanian buat ‘keputusan besar’.

Pemuda UMNO Diminta Libatkan Diri Dengan NGO Bukan Sekadar Jadi Ahli Parti

Pekan -- Naib Ketua Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO Malaysia, Datuk Razali Ibrahim berkata ahli pergerakan itu tidak boleh sekadar menjadi ahli parti semata-mata sebaliknya perlu membabitkan diri di dalam pelbagai pertubuhan khususnya Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO).
Jelasnya dengan cara ini ahli Pemuda akan terdedah dengan masyarakat sekaligus membolehkan mereka memahami sebarang tuntutan yang diinginkan penduduk di sesebuah kawasan.
"Mereka (ahli Pemuda) perlu sertai aktiviti sampingan bagi mendekatkan diri mereka dengan masyarakat dan tidak hanya berada dalam kelompok sendiri. Ini akan memberian mereka nilai tambah.
"Pada masa yang sama kita juga bersikap terbuka untuk menjalinkan kerjasama dengan mana-mana jua NGO dalam sebarang aktiviti yang dijalankan", katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian selepas menyampaikan ucapan perasmian penutup program Perhimpunan Pemotoran Generasi Belia Benci Dadah anjuran Pemuda UMNO Pekan dan Pekan Pahang Motorsports Club (PPMC) di Taman Tasik Sultan Abu Bakar di sini, Ahad Petang.
Tambah beliau lagi program yang dianjurkan Pemuda Pekan dan PPMC ini adalah salah satu contoh kerjasama baik antara Pemuda dengan NGO dalam usaha memastikan anak-anak muda dihindari dari terjebak dengan aktiviti-aktivit tidak sihat.
Justeru katanya Pemuda akan membincangkan kaedah yang sesuai bagi membolehkan pergerakan itu dapat bekerjasama dengan NGO yang aktif bagi menampung keperluan yang tidak dapat dipenuhi oleh kerajaan.
"Pada masa ini, Pemuda memang terbabit dalam aktiviti sampingan seperti itu tetapi ia tidak khusus kepada NGO tertentu.
"Kita membincangkan kaedah yang sesuai bagi membolehkan pergerakan ini memberi bantuan dalam bentuk yang lebih tersusun kepada individu atau golongan yang memerlukan", katanya.
Sebelum itu pada majlis berasingan di East Coast Mall Kuantan, beliau turut melawat Kempen Hari Kesedaran Awam untuk Kanak-Kanak Autisme anjuran Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru Kanak-Kanak Autisme Kuantan.
Selain mengumpulkan dana persatuan terbabit mengadakan pameran dan jualan hasil kraftangan kanak-kanak autisme dan barangan cenderahati daripada Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru Kanak-Kanak Autisme.
Turut hadir Ketua Pemuda Umno Bahagian Kuantan, Mohamad Suffian Awang yang juga Presiden Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru Kanak-Kanak Autisme Kuantan dan Ketua Pemuda UMNO Pekan, Mohamad Jeffree Wahab.
Razali yang juga Timbalan Menteri Belia dan Sukan berkata, Pemuda akan menganjurkan kursus berkaitan kepemimpinan, disiplin dan jati diri bagi menilai kembali keberkesanan penubuhan biro di bawah pergerakan itu.
"Kita akan mengadakan sesi percambahan minda bagi melihat bagaimana Pemuda boleh membantu dengan membuat penilaian mengikut kes kerana masalah yang dihadapi di setiap negeri adalah berbeza serta memerlukan pendekatan berbeza," katanya.
Beliau berharap melalui pembabitan secara tersusun, Pemuda bukan saja mempunyai pengetahuan mengenai golongan yang memerlukan tetapi dapat menjalankan tanggungjawab secara lebih bersemangat.
ref:utusanonline

Friday, April 24, 2009

24 APRIL : PM UMUM SENARAI MT & PERHUBUNGAN NEGERI




Apr 24th, 2009 By administrator Category: Berita Utama
KUALA LUMPUR, 24 April – Mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi (MT) yang bersidang buat pertama kalinya hari ini oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sebagai Presiden baru telah membincangkan tentang langkah-langkah yang perlu diambil oleh UMNO dengan komitmen terhadap perubahan dan pembaharuan kepada parti, Barisan Nasional (BN) dan kerajaan.
Datuk Seri Najib memaklumkan bahawa UMNO akan meneruskan agenda parti dengan mengambil kira beberapa perubahan yang akan dibuat.
Dalam masa yang sama, beliau turut memberitahu bahawa ahli-ahli MT bersetuju agar Perhimpunan Agung UMNO 2009 akan datang diadakan khas bagi membincangkan untuk meminda Perlembagaan UMNO.
“Ia adalah untuk mewujudkan proses pemilihan dengan kaedah dan proses yang lebih terbuka, telus dan demokrasi,” katanya dalam siding media di Ibu Pejabat UMNO, Menara Dato Onn, di sini.
Lantaran itu, satu jawatankuasa ditubuhkan bagi mengendalikan cadangan-cadangan serta perubahan-perubahan yang akan dibuat dalam pemilihan akan datang berikutan sebelum ini, kepimpinan dipilih oleh sekitar 2000 perwakilan sedangkan ahli UMNO berjumlah lebih 3 juta ahli.
Dalam masa yang sama, Perdana Menteri turut memaklumkan bahawa MT juga mengambil kira perubahan-perubahan dalam kerajaan termasuklah pelaksanaan dasar liberalisasi serta pemansuhan Kementerian Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi.
“Walaupun pemansuhan kementerian tersebut dibuat tetapi tidak bermakna kita lepas tangan sebaliknya ia mengelakkan pertindihan supaya lebih fokus terhadap apa yang perlu ditekankan,” katanya.
Berkaitan perubahan dalam penstrukturan parti, Datuk Seri Najib memaklumkan bahawa beberapa perlantikan bersandarkan perlembagaan UMNO.
Senarai Tambahan Dalam Barisan Majlis Tertinggi UMNO 2008 - 2011
Setiausaha Agung - YB DATUK SERI TENGKU ADNAN BIN TENGKU MANSORBendahari - YB DATUK SERI HJ AHMAD HUSNI BIN MOHD HANADZLAHKetua Penerangan - YB TUAN HAJI AHMAD BIN HAJI MASLANWanita - YHBG DATO’ HAJAH KAMILIA BINTI DATO’ IBRAHIMPemuda - YB DATUK RAZALI BIN IBRAHIMPuteri - YB DR. WAN NORASHIKIN BINTI WAN NOORDIN
Tambahan
1) YB DATUK SERI UTAMA DR RAIS BIN YATIM2) YB DATUK SERI MOHAMED NAZRI BIN ABDUL AZIZ3) SENATOR MEJAR JENERAL DATO’ JAMIL KHIR BIN BAHAROM (B)4) YB SENATOR DATO’ RAJA NONG CHIK BIN DATO’ RAJA ZAINAL ABIDIN5) YAB DATUK SERI ABDUL KADIR SHEIKH FADZIR6) YAB DATUK SERI MOHD ALI MOHD RUSTAM7) YB TAN SRI RAFIDAH AZIZ8.) YAB DATO’ HAJI ABDUL GHANI OTHMAN9) YB DATO’ SERI SHAHIDAN KASSIM
*** Menteri Besar dijemput sebagai turut hadir
PENGERUSI PERHUBUNGAN NEGERI
1) PerlisPengerusi - YAB. DATO’ SERI DR. MD.ISA BIN SABUTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATUK ZAHIDI BIN ZAINUL ABIDIN
2) KedahPengerusi- YB DATO’ SERI MOHD SHAFIE APDALTimbalan Pengerusi – YB DATUK AHMAD BASHAH MD HANIPAH
3) KelantanPengerusi- YB DATO’ MUSTAPA BIN MOHAMEDTimbalan Pengerusi - YB SENATOR DATUK DR. AWANG ADEK HUSSEIN
4) TerengganuPengerusi- YB DATO’ SERI HISHAMMUDDIN TUN HUSSEINTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATUK AHMAD SAID
5) Pulau PinangPengerusi- YB DATO’ SERI DR AHMAD ZAHID HAMIDITimbalan Pengerusi - YBHG DATO’ HAJI ZAINAL ABIDIN BIN OSMAN
6) PerakPengerusi- DATUK SERI DR. ZAMBRY ABD. KADIRTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATO’ HJ AHMAD HUSNI BIN MOHD HANADZLAH
7)PahangPengerusi- YAB DATO’ SRI ADNAN YAAKOBTimbalan Pengerusi – YB DATUK HJ. MOHD SHARKAR SHAMSUDIN
8.) SelangorPengerusi- YAB DATO’ SRI MOHD NAJIB TUN HAJI ABDUL RAZAKTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATO’ NOH HAJI OMAR
9)Wilayah PersekutuanPengerusi- YB TAN SRI DATO’ MUHYIDDIN MOHD YASSINTimbalan Pengerusi - YB SENATOR DATO’ RAJA NONG CHIK BIN DATO’ RAJA ZAINAL ABIDIN
10) Negeri SembilanPengerusi- YAB DATO’ SERI UTAMA MOHAMAD HASANTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATO’ SHAZIMAN BIN ABU MANSOR
11) MelakaPengerusi- YAB DATUK SERI MOHD ALI MOHD RUSTAMTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATUK WIRA ABU SEMAN BIN HAJI YUSOP
12) JohorPengerusi- YAB DATO’ HAJI ABDUL GHANI OTHMANTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATUK DR HAJI ABD LATIFF BIN AHMAD
13) SabahPengerusi- YAB DATUK SERI PANGLIMA MUSA BIN HJ AMANTimbalan Pengerusi - YB DATUK SERI SALLEH SAID KERUAK

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

15-16 JUN : SIMPOSIUM KEBANGSAAN KEUSAHAWANAN ECER 2009 - ANJURAN UMK




Simposium Kebangsaan Keusahawanan ECER 2009 merupakan program anjuran bersama Sekretariat ECER-KPT-UMK dan tiga (3) Pusat Kecemerlangan ECER iaitu Pusat Kebudayaan dan Warisan, Pusat Latihan Keusahawanan dan Pengurusan dan juga Pusat Kerjasama Industri - Akademia. memandangkan potensi yang besar dalam bidang warisan, pelancongan dan agro industri yang masih belum diterokai dan diketengahkan, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan telah merancang untuk mengadakan program ini.
Program yang akan diadakan selama dua (15 - 16 Jun 2009) di Hotel Grand Riverview, Kota Bharu adalah bertujuan untuk:
membincangkan usaha membangunkan sektor agro industri, industri pembuatan, pelancongan dan industri berasaskan seni warisan di wilayah ECER dengan penglibatan universiti.
mengupas aspek dan cabaran para usahawan dalam memperkukuhkan prestasi, tadbir urus korporat, pengurusan kewangan dan pengurusan sumber manusia di dalam menguruskan perusahaan masing-masing melalui penglibatan tenaga pakar dari pelbagai agensi.
memberi pengetahuan serta peluang tentang prospek bidang perniagaan agro industri dan kraftangan kepada usahawan dan juga bakal usahawan, berdasarkan kepada penemuan produk dan teknologi baru dari IPTA dan agensi lain.
Menyediakan platform untuk ahli akademik dan pihak industri berjumpa dan berbincang bagi meningkatkan kerjasama di dalam bidang berkaitan, yang membawa kepada aktiviti keusahawanan.
Sepanjang program ini, lebih kurang 20 kertas kerja yang meliputi keusahawanan dalam bidang agro industri, pelancongan dan warisan akan dibentangkan oleh:
Ahli akademik
Penyelidik
Usahawan berjaya
Syarikat kewangan
Agensi kerajaan
Badan berkanun

'THE THINKTANKS' : KUPASAN ISU-ISU SEMASA, PERCAMBAHAN MINDA DAN KETAJAMAN INTELEK

BERIKUT ADALAH KUPASAN-KUPASAN SERTA PANDANGAN-PANDANGAN DIKELASKAN SEBAGAI 'THE THINKTANKS' YANG DIFIKIRKAN WAJAR UNTUK KITA RENUNGKAN BERSAMA. FIKIR-FIKIRKAN LAH!
21 April 2009
Dilema Pemuda Batu: Hasil Yang Diperoleh Bukan Seperti Yang Diharapkan
Posting sebelum ini menghuraikan bagaimana bezanya harapan Pemuda IKS terhadap Proton Exora dan hasil keluaran sebenar model kenderaan nasional itu. Ramai tertanya, mengapa buat posting berkenaan automotif sedangkan blog ini adalah blog politik. Sebenarnya, cerita Proton tu sekadar pembuka cerita kepada kekeluhan asal Pemuda IKS.Pemuda IKS cuma ingin mengaitkan cerita Proton tu dengan apa yang berlaku dalam Pemuda hari ini. Hasil yang diperoleh bukan seperti yang diharapkan. Hasil apa? Harapan siapa? Mari kita kupas satu per satu.Terdapat dua hasil yang ingin diketengahkan. Hasil pertama yang dimaksudkan adalah intipati perjuangan politik yang diagendakan hari ini. Hasil kedua pula adalah kesinambungan ke atas pemilihan pemimpin tempoh hari. Letakkan objektif posting ini pada peringkat umum dan tidak menyentuh mana-mana pihak. Namun, siapa makan cili, terasa pedasnya.Apakah intipati sebenar yang ingin kita perjuangkan? Kembali kepada asas perjuangan. Demi Agama, Bangsa dan Negara. Walaupun terdapat segelintir individu yang menyertai parti politik untuk kepentingan peribadi, masih terdapat mereka yang lurus dalam garis perjuangan. Ramai yang menyangkakan penyertaan terhadap UMNO akan menggiatkan diri dalam aktiviti kemasyarakatan. Tetapi zahirnya melihatkan kronisme.Apakah hasil terhadap pemilihan pemimpin yang menjadi tumpuan semua? Adakah kita menyokong seseorang kerana terikut orang lain atau ianya satu arahan ataupun memang ikhlas? Ini dipersoalkan kerana apabila terlantiknya seseorang itu selaku pemimpin kita, walhal semasa musim pemilihan kita langsung tidak mengenal erti budi dirinya, akhirnya kita meragui sifat kepimpinannya, keikhlasan hatinya dan arah tuju perjuangannya. Ini sering berlaku, menyokong seseorang tanpa siasat, dan kecewa dengan hasilnya.Harapan yang diberikan juga ada dua kategori. Harapan pemimpin kepada pengikutnya dan harapan pengikut kepada pemimpinnya. Ada pemimpin yang letih melayan anak buahnya yang "sembang lebih, tapi meeting tak datang" dan "datang kalau makan ada makan free". Ada pengikut pula yang bosan dengan ideologi kuno yang dibawa oleh pemimpinnya sedangkan dialah yang mengundi mereka.Perkara yang perlu ditegaskan di sini adalah harapan daripada golongan di peringkat akar umbi. Dan selalunya, perkara ini diambil remeh. Bak kata orang di peringkat akar umbi, "Siapa nak dengar suara kita? Diorang tuh sibuk dengan hal kat atas".Inikah caranya untuk kita menarik minat masyarakat untuk menyertai parti keramat ini? Mereka sudah mual dengan agenda, sikap dan budaya orang UMNO. Terpulang kepada kita untuk memperbetulkannya. UMNO perlu ada tarikan untuk menarik minat golongan muda. Ini juga salah satu punca mengapa orang yang sedia ada di dalam UMNO berputus asa dengan UMNO itu sendiri.Kita ada lebih kurang tiga tahun untuk memperkasakan UMNO sebelum PRU seterusnya. Kita nak tunggu musim pilihanraya ke nak gerak sekarang?
oleh Pemuda IKS pada 8:00 AM
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Is The Singapore Straits Times Out Of Touch?
As a patriotic Malaysian, I have never been too pleased with the Singapore Straits Times, what with its own brand of government propaganda that sometimes touches too raw a nerve to be considered neighbourly. However, I find this posting by Rocky interesting. In it Rocky questions whether the Straits Times is trying to put DS Najib and Tun Dr M at loggerheads with each other.
At the very least, the attempt could be to imply a cooler relationship than what has been captured by the Malaysian media, i.e. warmth to the discomfort of even some UMNO stalwarts!
However, my observation may be more damning for the Straits Times, as I wonder... HAS THE SINGAPORE STRAITS TIMES LOST TOUCH WHEN IT COMES TO MALAYSIAN NEWS? This observation is cemented by:
Evidence of hearsay that runs contrary to even non-MSM and blog related news in Malaysia; i.e. there is no hint of the incident described by the Straits Times of a closed door meeting between DS Najib and Johor UMNO, which would have included the TPM, TS Muhyiddin, who was backed by Tun Dr M in his recent party polls victory and a host of other sympathisers of either Tun or his ideas, where the scenic bridge was supposedly discussed.
The crooked bridge is not high in the agenda in Malaysia at the moment, just as the KL-SG high-speed rail connection is also not on the table. It would be silly for Singapore to think that its concerns and priorities are the same as ours. Of course, the Straits Times could be forgiven for being Kiasu...
The 2 UMNO leaders mentioned as 'reliable sources' are no longer at the hub of governance in Malaysia. Datuk Shahrir Samad is no longer in the Cabinet; he claims to have resigned after losing badly at the UMNO elections, but there were indications that his position in Cabinet was untenable from the moment DS Najib was to become PM. And DS Najib is his cousin!
The second UMNO leader mentioned, Datuk Nur Jazlan, also lost his insider knowledge with the departure of KJ and his other buddies from the Fourth Floor. Datuk Nur Jazlan unfortunately is also suffering from ridicule aimed towards him still for putting up his hand to be a candidate for UMNO's Deputy Presidency... he's seen as too young, inexperienced and still leaning on his father Tan Sri Mohamad Rahmat's political legacy.
Is that enough reason to question the Straits Times' credibility in reporting the goings on in Malaysia in the post-Pak Lah era? I supppose it was easier with Uncle Kali, Brendan and KJ around...
Posted by Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah bin Sanusi at 5:50 AM
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

THE PROTOCOLS OF THE LEARNED: Protocol No. 1
1. Putting aside fine phrases we shall speak of the significance of each thought: by comparisons and deductions we shall throw light upon surrounding facts.2. What I am about to set forth, then, is our system from the two points of view, that of ourselves and that of the GOYIM [i.e. non- Jews].3. It must be noted that men with bad instincts are more in number than the good, and therefore the best results in governing them are attained by violence and terrorization, and not by academic discussions. Every man aims at power, everyone would like to become a dictator if only he could, and rare indeed are the men who would not be willing to sacrifice the welfare of all for the sake of securing their own welfare.4. What has restrained the beasts of prey who are called men? What has served for their guidance hitherto?5. In the beginnings of the structure of society, they were subjected to brutal and blind force; after words - to Law, which is the same force, only disguised. I draw the conclusion that by the law of nature right lies in force.6. Political freedom is an idea but not a fact. This idea one must know how to apply whenever it appears necessary with this bait of an idea to attract the masses of the people to one's party for the purpose of crushing another who is in authority. This task is rendered easier of the opponent has himself been infected with the idea of freedom, SO-CALLED LIBERALISM, and, for the sake of an idea, is willing to yield some of his power. It is precisely here that the triumph of our theory appears; the slackened reins of government are immediately, by the law of life, caught up and gathered together by a new hand, because the blind might of the nation cannot for one single day exist without guidance, and the new authority merely fits into the place of the old already weakened by liberalism.GOLD7. In our day the power which has replaced that of the rulers who were liberal is the power of Gold. Time was when Faith ruled. The idea of freedom is impossible of realization because no one knows how to use it with moderation. It is enough to hand over a people to self-government for a certain length of time for that people to be turned into a disorganized mob. From that moment on we get internecine strife which soon develops into battles between classes, in the midst of which States burn down and their importance is reduced to that of a heap of ashes.8. Whether a State exhausts itself in its own convulsions, whether its internal discord brings it under the power of external foes - in any case it can be accounted irretrievable lost: IT IS IN OUR POWER. The despotism of Capital, which is entirely in our hands, reaches out to it a straw that the State, willy-nilly, must take hold of: if not - it goes to the bottom.9. Should anyone of a liberal mind say that such reflections as the above are immoral, I would put the following questions: If every State has two foes and if in regard to the external foe it is allowed and not considered immoral to use every manner and art of conflict, as for example to keep the enemy in ignorance of plans of attack and defense, to attack him by night or in superior numbers, then in what way can the same means in regard to a worse foe, the destroyer of the structure of society and the commonweal, be called immoral and not permissible?10. Is it possible for any sound logical mind to hope with any success to guide crowds by the aid of reasonable counsels and arguments, when any objection or contradiction, senseless though it may be, can be made and when such objection may find more favor with the people, whose powers of reasoning are superficial? Men in masses and the men of the masses, being guided solely by petty passions, paltry beliefs, traditions and sentimental theorems, fall a prey to party dissension, which hinders any kind of agreement even on the basis of a perfectly reasonable argument. Every resolution of a crowd depends upon a chance or packed majority, which, in its ignorance of political secrets, puts forth some ridiculous resolution that lays in the administration a seed of anarchy.11. The political has nothing in common with the moral. The ruler who is governed by the moral is not a skilled politician, and is therefore unstable on his throne. He who wishes to rule must have recourse both to cunning and to make-believe. Great national qualities, like frankness and honesty, are vices in politics, for they bring down rulers from their thrones more effectively and more certainly than the most powerful enemy. Such qualities must be the attributes of the kingdoms of the GOYIM, but we must in no wise be guided by them.MIGHT IS RIGHT12. Our right lies in force. The word "right" is an abstract thought and proved by nothing. The word means no more than: Give me what I want in order that thereby I may have a proof that I am stronger than you.13. Where does right begin? Where does it end?14. In any State in which there is a bad organization of authority, an impersonality of laws and of the rulers who have lost their personality amid the flood of rights ever multiplying out of liberalism, I find a new right - to attack by the right of the strong, and to scatter to the winds all existing forces of order and regulation, to reconstruct all institutions and to become the sovereign lord of those who have left to us the rights of their power by laying them down voluntarily in their liberalism.15. Our power in the present tottering condition of all forms of power will be more invincible than any other, because it will remain invisible until the moment when it has gained such strength that no cunning can any longer undermine it.16. Out of the temporary evil we are now compelled to commit will emerge the good of an unshakable rule, which will restore the regular course of the machinery of the national life, brought to naught by liberalism. The result justifies the means. Let us, however, in our plans, direct our attention not so much to what is good and moral as to what is necessary and useful.17. Before us is a plan in which is laid down strategically the line from which we cannot deviate without running the risk of seeing the labor of many centuries brought to naught.18. In order to elaborate satisfactory forms of action it is necessary to have regard to the rascality, the slackness, the instability of the mob, its lack of capacity to understand and respect the conditions of its own life, or its own welfare. It must be understood that the might of a mob is blind, senseless and unreasoning force ever at the mercy of a suggestion from any side. The blind cannot lead the blind without bringing them into the abyss; consequently, members of the mob, upstarts from the people even though they should be as a genius for wisdom, yet having no understanding of the political, cannot come forward as leaders of the mob without bringing the whole nation to ruin.19. Only one trained from childhood for independent rule can have understanding of the words that can be made up of the political alphabet.20. A people left to itself, i.e., to upstarts from its midst, brings itself to ruin by party dissensions excited by the pursuit of power and honors and the disorders arising there from. Is it possible for the masses of the people calmly and without petty jealousies to form judgment, to deal with the affairs of the country, which cannot be mixed up with personal interest? Can they defend themselves from an external foe? It is unthinkable; for a plan broken up into as many parts as there are heads in the mob, loses all homogeneity, and thereby becomes unintelligible and impossible of execution.WE ARE DESPOTS21. It is only with a despotic ruler that plans can be elaborated extensively and clearly in such a way as to distribute the whole properly among the several parts of the machinery of the State: from this the conclusion is inevitable that a satisfactory form of government for any country is one that concentrates in the hands of one responsible person. Without an absolute despotism there can be no existence for civilization which is carried on not by the masses but by their guide, whosoever that person may be. The mob is savage, and displays its savagery at every opportunity. The moment the mob seizes freedom in its hands it quickly turns to anarchy, which in itself is the highest degree of savagery.22. Behold the alcoholic animals, bemused with drink, the right to an immoderate use of which comes along with freedom. It is not for us and ours to walk that road. The peoples of the GOYIM are bemused with alcoholic liquors; their youth has grown stupid on classicism and from early immorality, into which it has been inducted by our special agents - by tutors, lackeys, governesses in the houses of the wealthy, by clerks and others, by our women in the places of dissipation frequented by the GOYIM. In the number of these last I count also the so-called "society ladies," voluntary followers of the others in corruption and luxury.23. Our countersign is - Force and Make-believe. Only force conquers in political affairs, especially if it be concealed in the talents essential to statesmen. Violence must be the principle, and cunning and make-believe the rule for governments which do not want to lay down their crowns at the feet of agents of some new power. This evil is the one and only means to attain the end, the good. Therefore we must not stop at bribery, deceit and treachery when they should serve towards the attainment of our end. In politics one must know how to seize the property of others without hesitation if by it we secure submission and sovereignty.24. Our State, marching along the path of peaceful conquest, has the right to replace the horrors of war by less noticeable and more satisfactory sentences of death, necessary to maintain the terror which tends to produce blind submission. Just but merciless severity is the greatest factor of strength in the State: not only for the sake of gain but also in the name of duty, for the sake of victory, we must keep to the programme of violence and make-believe. The doctrine of squaring accounts is precisely as strong as the means of which it makes use. Therefore it is not so much by the means themselves as by the doctrine of severity that we shall triumph and bring all governments into subjection to our super-government. It is enough for them to know that we are too merciless for all disobedience to cease.WE SHALL END LIBERTY25. Far back in ancient times we were the first to cry among the masses of the people he words "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," words many times repeated since these days by stupid poll- parrots who, from all sides around, flew down upon these baits and with them carried away the well-being of the world, true freedom of the individual, formerly so well guarded against the pressure of the mob. The would-be wise men of the GOYIM, the intellectuals, could not make anything out of the uttered words in their abstractedness; did not see that in nature there is no equality, cannot be freedom: that Nature herself has established inequality of minds, of characters, and capacities, just as immutably as she has established subordination to her laws: never stopped to think that the mob is a blind thing, that upstarts elected from among it to bear rule are, in regard to the political, the same blind men as the mob itself, that the adept, though he be a fool, can yet rule, whereas the non-adept, even if he were a genius, understands nothing in the political - to all those things the GOYIM paid no regard; yet all the time it was based upon these things that dynastic rule rested: the father passed on to the son a knowledge of the course of political affairs in such wise that none should know it but members of the dynasty and none could betray it to the governed. As time went on, the meaning of the dynastic transference of the true position of affairs in the political was lost, and this aided the success of our cause.26. In all corners of the earth the words "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," brought to our ranks, thanks to our blind agents, whole legions who bore our banners with enthusiasm. And all the time these words were canker-worms at work boring into the well-being of the GOYIM, putting an end everywhere to peace, quiet, solidarity and destroying all the foundations of the GOYA States. As you will see later, this helped us to our triumph: it gave us the possibility, among other things, of getting into our hands the master card - the destruction of the privileges, or in other words of the very existence of the aristocracy of the GOYIM, that class which was the only defense peoples and countries had against us. On the ruins of the eternal and genealogical aristocracy of the GOYIM we have set up the aristocracy of our educated class headed by the aristocracy of money. The qualifications for this aristocracy we have established in wealth, which is dependent upon us, and in knowledge, for which our learned elders provide the motive force.27. Our triumph has been rendered easier by the fact that in our relations with the men, whom we wanted, we have always worked upon the most sensitive chords of the human mind, upon the cash account, upon the cupidity, upon the insatiability for material needs of man; and each one of these human weaknesses, taken alone, is sufficient to paralyze initiative, for it hands over the will of men to the disposition of him who has bought their activities.28. The abstraction of freedom has enabled us to persuade the mob in all countries that their government is nothing but the steward of the people who are the owners of the country, and that the steward may be replaced like a worn-out glove.29. It is this possibility of replacing the representatives of the people which has placed at our disposal, and, as it were, given us the power of appointment.
Posted by paneh at 3:47 PM
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Defining Malaysian socio-political structure
April 21, 2009 by jebatmustdie
We have delved into what is actually democracy in Malaysia in the previous article. From the comments received, I believe most people do not understand what is democracy in the context of Malaysian social structure. Many have rubbished the analysis made by the astute commentator without even giving a viable anti-thesis to impress upon us their very own definition of what democracy is. What we had was a barrage of complaints over purported lack of freedom or examples of law abuses made by the government.
Some had erroneously defined democracy as the right of an individual to protest. To some extent, that is agreeable to the principles of democracy. But when the same individual decidedly trying to destroy the peace and livelihood of other individuals, then he or she is no longer prescribing to the concept of democracy. They have in reality, subscribed themselves to another form of social political structure - Anarchy.
Realistically speaking, no government is perfect. Even the great opposition governments in all 4 states are facing so many problems by which, their remedy is often slant towards the same style of governance of the ruling federal government. We have yet to see any feasible socio-political structure that suggests new type of social fabric for Malaysians to analyze in replace of the current social and political structure.
In this light, before anyone could jump into conclusion or trying to cough up new set of rules on how Malaysia should be, it is better for each one of us to learn what Malaysia is. We must learn the intricacies that balance each of the elements within our nation’s scope of existence.
Below are a few factors that must be known in order to ascertain the very nature of our society. There is no right or wrong in the degree factors as every country is unique with each other. I hope I had simplified this quite dry subject into something that is palatable to everyone.
1. Individualism vs. Collective rights
Individualism means the rights of an individual are more important than groups that they may belong to. It aims to let each person grow or fail on their own. Collective rights simply means that the rights of the family, group and country is much more important than the individual. It sees individualism as selfish and short sighted. I firmly believe that the US is number one here in the first category and followed closely by Great Britain and Australia. Malaysia and other Asian countries on the other hand are somewhere in the latter category.
2. Equal opportunity vs. Equal outcome
Equal opportunity means equality in the rights of individual in accessing prospects and chances for a better position in life. Everyone is entitled to get the same amount of opportunity regardless of their own social background and the overall outcome. Meanwhile, equal outcome seeks to find equilibrium in the outcome among everyone in the society. If in the pursuit to have equal outcome, any individual is being discriminated by an affirmative action, then the collective rights of the society take precedent. Most homogeneous countries take the first category while multicultural, and multiethnic countries fall in the second category. The multi-ethnic US unfortunately falls somewhere in the first category when instead they should focus on the second. As the result, their income disparity and unemployment rate between the variety of ethnics are high.
3. Sacred authority vs. Secular authority
Theocracy is one of a few factors that most countries are saddled with in recent times. It infuses religious hegemony in all aspects of the government and the free society. Secular authority simply means separating religion from governance. Malaysia and to a lesser extent, the US fall in between the two categories where religion are practiced unobtrusively and had permeated in everyday lives of the people whether in governance or in lifestyles. However, the laws of the land is largely secular. To simplify this further, the phrases ‘God Bless America’ and ‘In God We Trust’ are prevalent in the minds of Americans. This strong belief of a Higher Being is equally important in the mindset of Malaysians too. On the other hand, communist countries clearly separates religion from administration with very minimal religious overtones and references in their governance. At the opposite end of this communist countries are the pure theocratic nations of Saudi Arabia, the Vatican and Iran.
4. Social assimilation vs. Social segregation
Most of the countries in the world assimilate their citizens with a common unifying factor. National language, standardized culture or even one paramount religion are used as the based factors in determining the degree of assimilation in a particular country. United States lead the way of assimilating its people which goes as far back in the early 19th century when John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of the US, said that in the effort towards nation-building, “immigrants must cast of their European skin, never to resume it” and Horace Mann, a US early education reformer in the 19th century noted that national schools was built “with the need to make Americans out of Europeans”. Many other countries in Asia follow this approach such as Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Singapore and Indonesia. These countries opted either to have a common language or a standardized culture onto their people. If there were an assimilation index, or a scale on how to measure a country’s assimilation rate, then the most probable quantitative measure would be the degree of similarities of the main community and the ones with foreign ancestry.
5. Masculinity vs. Femininity
Each country has the unique peculiarity in the roles of gender among its people. Traditional gender roles are more prevalent among the males within Asian countries as opposed to the countries with western values. Men are generally considered aggressive and competitive while arguably, women are expected to be domesticated and more gentle. Countries which value masculinity over femininity include Japan, China, surprisingly Austria and Venezuela. Malaysia falls in this category too.
6. Meritocratic capitalism vs. Social obligation
Meritocratic capitalism can be summed up as ’survival of the fittest’. While social obligation simply means, the rich is subsidizing the poor. Many countries try to subscribe themselves to the first category although more and more countries such as the US, under the present President Barack Obama is indulging themselves in socialism in order to maintain social fabric by subsidizing the poor. It is ironic that the strongest economy in the world, which built its strength virtually through market capitalism is so fragile when faced with an economic crisis. In fact, it is more fragile than governments who had laid more importance in social obligation. Malaysia is categorised to be in the second category whereby Asian values of ‘prospering thy neighbours’ and strong, empathetic family ties remain the pinnacle of its culture. However, social obligation will only work should there is a strong centralised authority managing the government apparatuses.
Below is the web chart of the factors above:
Note : Theories partly composed from works of Geert Hofstede, Georg Hegel and Fons Trompenaars.
Posted in Socio-economy 1 Comment