Snippets - Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at www.chedet.com on September 8, 2008 3:56 PM

Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

1. There are only 365 days in a year. Take away 104 days of Saturdays and Sundays weekends and we have left 261 working days. But Malaysia is multi-religious and we must not work during Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali. But we must also not work on Wesak Day, Taipusam, Christmas, New Year, Federal Territory Day, various Muslim holy days and I do not know what else.

2. But we must not work on by-election polling day also. Then there is the Agong's Birthday and the birthdays of all the Sultans and Governors.

3. We seem to find more reason for not working. If the holiday falls on a weekend, then have a long vacation beginning the day before Saturday and the day after Sunday - four days in all.

4. I love all these. Kuala Lumpur is cleaner when people leave the city for balik kampong on Raya and Chinese New Year. It is exhilarating to drive on streets which are almost deserted.

5. But I ask myself are people like me, a pensioner being paid and not working? Or is the country on automatic - administrating itself? Or is it that there really is not much work to do that we can close up for one-third of the year?

6. We are still a developing country. Developing requires work. Rich developed countries can afford not to work. August holidays see the cities like Paris and London bereft of traffic.

7. I believe, but I may be wrong, that when you are trying to catch up with someone running ahead of you, you must run faster than him. We have this great ambition to become a developed country. If we move slower than our objective can we catch up? I think we cannot.

8. A developed country today and a developed country in 2020 is not the same. In 2020 it will be far more advanced and richer than in 2008. The developed status is not static. It is moving.

9. Even if it seem to be growing slowly percentage-wise, but its one percent is bigger than our 5 or 6 percent. Our base is lower. To catch up we must really grow faster.

10. Can we grow faster by not working? I think not.

11. Lets look at the implication of having holidays. If workers have to work on holidays they have to be paid twice their daily wage. If they work beyond working hours they have to be paid four times their wages. And many industries just cannot stop operating.

12. All these add up to higher cost of production and therefore we will be less competitive. For a trading nation which depends on exporting goods, raw material and services, the cost of our exports is important. We will not be competitive especially against low-wage countries. But not to worry. The Government will make us competitive by withdrawing subsidies and giving them back again under different headings in the budget or off-budget.

13. Its a bit early but I would like to wish everyone Happy Hari Raya. Please drive slowly. We want you to come back after a very relaxing 4 - 5 days holiday. Do not worry about unfinished work. It can take care of itself.

P.S. I think the Government and the private sector should consider retreats. It's not a holiday of course but comes very close to a holiday. Besides you can become a savvy agriculturist.

POHON MAAF (2)

As posted by Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at www.chedet.com on September 5, 2008 6:32 PM

1. I had hesitated about writing the Pohon Maaf article even. I thought I would surely be misunderstood. I would be accused of being a racist.

2. Sure enough, although many agree with me, some felt sad that I had become a racist, others merely use nasty words against me.

3. When the opposition did very well in the 2008 elections, foreign observers talk about a wind of change in Malaysia; about how racialism had been rejected, how Anwar, their favourite would soon take over the Government.

4. I had differed from these casual observers because I know that it was not rejection of racial politics which helped the opposition. It was simply disgust on the part of members of UMNO, MCA and Gerakan of the Premiership and leadership of Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Talking on the ground, this was quite obvious.

5. Far from the opposition's "win" being brought about by rejection of racial politics, it has actually enhanced racial politics. We talk more about race and racial interest than we did in the last 50 years.

6. The Malays are feeling the loss of their political base and the Chinese and Indians appear to be glorifying in the new political clout. As a result, subjects which we before regarded as sacrosanct are now brought up and made to be entirely in favour of the Malays.

7. Against this unfamiliar attack against them, the Malays are unable to counter. Their leaders have deserted them. In their frustration they tend to become abusive.

8. I am not defending nor do I like what Ahmad Ismail of Bukit Bendera said. It does not contribute to lessening the tension between the races. But I feel disgust at the inability of the present Malay leadership to manage racialism. It is degrading for the second highest leader in the Government to be apologising for every instance of improper behaviour by UMNO members.

9. The person who should apologise should be the culprit himself. If he refuses then he should face the UMNO disciplinary committee.

10. He may have a corruption case against him but suddenly making charges about his corruption smacks too much of abuse of power. The same thing has happened to the SAPP leadership.

11. It does seem that the Government of the Opposition parties are not unlike the present BN Government. Government agencies are being used for political purpose. I had admired Lim Guan Eng for his sound approach to problems. I feel sad that he has done what he has done.

12. It took a long time for me to live down the label as a Malay ultra. I had gained such strong support from the Chinese community in the 1999 Election when the Malays deserted me that I felt I was no longer regarded as a Malay ultra by the Chinese generally (the Opposition Chinese excepted). I was grateful for the Chinese support and I had many times publicly acknowledged that much of Malaysia's development was due to the dynamic Malaysian Chinese entrepreneurs and businessmen. But of course there are still Chinese who regard me as anti-Chinese.

13. I cannot please everybody. If I am again labelled as anti-Chinese and anti-Indian I really would not rebut. After all, my Cabinet colleagues and the people I helped to advance in their political career also condemn me.

14. Perhaps people should wonder why during the time of the previous four Prime Ministers, who were also Presidents of UMNO, there were no such utterances by UMNO members. And there were practically none from the non-Malays either.