Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Let Us Not Do Mischief , Let Us Not Be The Jews Of Israel

The Zionists have for at least the last 5 decades done great wrong to humanity. It is the more ironic that a people that rose from the ashes of Nazi’s Germany who themselves were at the receiving end of a great wrong is now doing exactly what has been done onto them.

The only difference being the choice of victims. If the Zionist regime inflicted this pain on the Germans, there might be some justification. But no, they choose to oppress a people who have no means of defending themselves, a people who are weak and divided.

Both the Germans and the “Jews of Israel” chose to show their full might onto those who are weak.

Precisely because the Arab people are weak and the Zionists are strong, they choose to capture, jail, torture, humiliate, rape and murder them including women and children.

Lest we forget, the exact same thing was perpetrated onto the Jews during the Nazi era.

We would have thought that a people who were greatly wronged in the past would lead mankind to be more morally upright. Instead they themselves have turned out to be exactly the same as their tormentors and worse. Indeed they have not learnt from their past experience. When a people is tormented and killed, just when we thought that they would be humbled by the experience, they then turned around and became more arrogant and cruel than their tormentors and killers.

These verses from the Quran (Chapter 2) seems prophetic. It befits what Israel is doing onto mankind :

8 Of the people there are some who say: "We believe in Allah and the Last Day" but they do not (really) believe.
9 Fain would they deceive Allah and those who believe but they only deceive themselves and realize (it) not!
10 In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease and grievous is the penalty they (incur) because they are false (to themselves).
11 When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth" they say: "Why we only want to make peace!"
12 Of a surety they are the ones who make mischief but they realize (it) not.

Indeed, they destroy lives, infrastructure, homes, oil depots, roads, bridges and everything in their path including houses of worship and they only claim that they are doing so to secure lasting peace. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

And this from chapter 5

64 ……… Every time they kindle the fire of war Allah doth extinguish it; but they (ever) strive to do mischief on earth. And Allah loveth not those who do mischief.

And from chapter 28

77 "But seek with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee the Home of the Hereafter nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good as Allah has been good to thee and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief.

Indeed, seek not mischief in the land! Years of rebuilding Lebanon from the ashes of war has come to naught after the relentless month of bombing. Millions of man-hour were required in rebuilding Lebanon until it managed to attract tourists again on its soil like it used to before and now everything is back to square one.

This utter destruction inflicted by the Jews of Israel causes great wastage. All of this effort to cause destruction can be better channeled towards creating a better place for mankind. Surely it is better to put in the effort into building something beneficial to mankind than to put in the effort to cause destruction.

Let us not follow in the footsteps of the “Jews of Israel”. Let us put in the efforts to create something that benefits mankind. Let us spend our energy and money in a way that benefits mankind. Let us do good as instructed by God Almighty. Let us not collude into causing destruction. Let us not do mischief on this earth. Let us not be the “Jews of Israel”.

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Parkway Poser

Parkway, a US-controlled Singapore listed company (now with 5% stake held by Government of Singapore Investment Corp) bought 31% into local healthcare group, Pantai Holdings in September 2005, enabling to have a controlling stake in the entity.

The problem emerges because Pantai indirectly holds the government’s 15-year concessions for healthcare services through its subsidiaries Fomema and Pantai Medivest with a structure that must be 30% bumiputera owned and at least 50% Malaysian held “until such time the company is listed”. But the problem is in its interpretation ie whether this should apply to the holding company not just the concessionaires.

In April 2001 Mokhzani Mahathir sold 32.85% in Pantai to Datuk Lim Tong Yong. And in September 2005, Datuk Lim sold his stake to Parkway. Datuk Lim is a Malaysian.

While Abdullah Badawi has recently reiterated that this is a problem, the questions is: Why is this a problem now and not in September 2005? If it is to be a problem, the government should have brought up the matter then and not now.

While Abdullah may lament that a Singapore based company with US interests is controlling Pantai, it does not stop the government from rewarding Parkway with another project : appointed as the consultant in the development of SJER’s mega medical hub. Was there even a tender out on the project?

So it seems to suggest that whilst Parkway controlling Pantai could be a big No-No just at this moment, to be appointed as the consultant for the setting up of a mega medical hub in South Johor is a Yes-Yes scenario. The questions are :

1. Which is more lucrative: Pantai or SJER.
2. Why another Singapore based company is appointed the consultant for this mega project?

Is the government selling another piece of Malaysia yet again, to Singapore?
What is so special about Singapore or Singapore based companies?
Do we lack our own consultants in developing such projects?
If we throw away opportunities to foreign companies, how are we ever going to learn to manage our own in the future and how are we going to increase or add value to our own human capital and potential? Does this not go against what the government is preaching?

You be the judge.

To Be A Leader, Being Intelligent Is No Longer A Necessity?

One certainly does not have to be the most intelligent person to be the leader of a nation. That is the take we receive from current leadership philosophy in Malaysia.

We can ask a long list of questions, however, in the end we are quite sure that this philosophy will be upheld to be true : by ministers and MPs, not necessarily the people or rakyat.

We may only ask one question and the answer would be revealing : given identical qualities between a less intelligent leader and a more intelligent one, whom would the rakyat choose if they had the choice?

Intelligence vs Popularity :

Must we agree with the opinion that being the most intelligent among the Members of Parliament will not help in governing the country?

Can we say that intelligence does not help us in making a more correct decision? Are we also saying that intelligence does not help an individual to be more morally upright, to allow him to evaluate situations better and quicker, to allow him to read a given problem more accurately, to better judge individuals, to allow him to articulate his thoughts more precisely and to better protect his own people when under threat?

Are we really saying that a better criterion for clearer decision making is not one’s intelligence but perhaps one’s popularity as a leader, especially if ¾ of the voters voted him into office or some other wooly criteria?

In essence, this is what is implied − popularity, at the end of the day is a better quality for better decision making. Since we the voters have placed our confidence in a leader to make the tough decisions on our behalf, the only thing we must do is lay back and let it take its course. A leader cannot be wrong because 75% have given their support for this man to make the decisions for them for the next 5 years.

When the vast majority of voters cast their votes, they certainly are not weighing in how intelligent the MPs to be are but how popular they are with their constituents. It is clear that popularity is more vital in decision making process.

Surely our constituents are not unintelligent. When voters vote an MP into office, they have obviously weighed into the equation what qualities are required to make a good leader : popularity.

Popularity is at the heart of any democratic society. A popular leader is the one that gets elected, not an intelligent leader. Therefore, popularity is a greater asset to a leader than his intelligence.

Intelligence too does not help a person to make a quicker decision when a decision is urgently needed. What helps a person make a quicker decision is an impending threat that something sinister is about to happen to the decision maker if the decision making process will take another few months and the people are growing restless.

A less intelligent leader can also make a super quick decision. Of course a super quick decision by a less intelligent leader is identical to a super quick decision by an intelligent leader.

A Less Intelligent Leader Surrounded By Intelligent Advisers.

Is it better to be a less intelligent leader surrounded by top graduates?

We are sure that it is not difficult to select the right kind of advisors, all of the time. It is easy to determine if these advisors will work for the betterment of the nation, not their own purse or personal benefits.

Would an intelligent leader surrounded by less intelligent advisors ultimately feed the country to the dogs?

Is it really better to have intelligent advisors to advise a less intelligent PM because the PM can rest assured that these advisors will give their unadulterated advice? Would these advisors always look after the rakyat’s interests?

Would the best option be in having an intelligent leader equal to that of his advisors?

And ultimately, is it really better to appoint a smart advisor without the necessary experience? Can intelligence ever replace experience? Would a person with experience in any given area give better advice than a person who is intelligent but without any the necessary experience?

You be the judge.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Blogging On Malaysia

This is my first attempt at blogging my thoughts on current issues related to Malaysia.