Revamp Local Councils by Elections?

Local council elections may not be the solution. You elect only the 24 councillors, who are not the ones running the show. They are rubber stamps. One or two fellows will or may speak up against the Pengarah, but everything would already have been set. They give it to the YDP, who chairs the meeting, and it’s all over. Majority rules, lulus, it goes through. The 24 people cannot penetrate the system of the council staff; the problem is them. People think when I’m talking about local government, I’m against councillors. No, the councillors are rubber stamps, and powerless.

Because [for example], if there is a new market, there will be, say, 100 lots to be allocated to poor, petty traders for RM20. But these fellows will take [these trading permits] en bloc, 20 to 30, and rent it out at RM200 to RM300 to the petty trader. The parking lot will be controlled by their kuncu-kuncu, their people. The interest is their interest, not the public interest.

So local government must be elected – not just the councillors, even the Pengarah level, YDP; the whole lot have to be elected, who can then be told, ‘You are not functioning.’ Or Federal Government takes control. Put local government under a jabatan (department), and put one minister in charge of local government. Take away all these little Napoleans. Then it can function.

Future of PPP in BN

The future of PPP, whether inside or outside BN, is going to be the same: the party will continue to be popular and gain in popularity. It will be the party of the future.

Because in all developed countries, a two-party system will eventually emerge. Either you work, or I vote in the next party.

I think after Tun Mahathir’s time, BN has become too comfortable. You make every decision, then you come to the meeting, it’s all done. Then we hold press conferences to say it’s all set, everything’s okay, we have agreed. Now I realize that that’s what’s been happening. We can’t talk, don’t talk. We zip our mouths. Why? Respect. We give respect. We want peace. We want to progress. We want to prosper. So, we make friends and we be there. But if you’re constantly being left out …..

Some people have asked me, ‘Why are you talking about seats only now and not when you became president of PPP? I became president in ’93, [general] elections were held in ’95. There was only one new Parliamentary seat available then. I asked for the seat.

Originally, I think Tun Mahathir had in mind to give the seat to us. Then I think something happened and it went to MIC. I thought okay, and the PM advised me to hold on. In the ’99 [general elections], because of the Anwar issue and Keadilan, Tun Mahathir wanted to maintain status quo [to ensure a] Barisan win. It was also my paramount interest, so I said okay. And, of course, he later made me a Senator, brought me into the Cabinet.

Then he retired, and came [the general elections of] 2004. There were 25 Parliamentary seats and 63 state seats. I didn’t know when, how it was divided or where it all went. All I was told was that PPP had no seat – of course, I was willing to work – and then came the Taiping Parliamentary seat and one state seat. I began to realise …

When I was new as the President, we were building the party. Now, we’ve got half a million voters. I think that’s a big strength. We’re a political party; if you don't get your seat, that’s a problem. And this one seat they’ve given us …

This MP who has another seat, YB Tan (Lian Hoe), in Bukit Gantang, instead of working in her constituency, is attending to functions in Taiping and holding open houses there. She went to the by-elections in Batu Talam, posted up a letter that apparently said BN have made her in charge of Taiping. Where is Barisan ethics?

Barisan component leaders should have dignity – look, the PPP is now back; we are strong. We should talk about allocation seats.

When [Dato Seri] SP Seenivasagam, the [party] leader, died (in 1975), there was no leadership and there was crisis. Our 4 seats in Parliament, 12 state seats and 16 council seats in Ipoh municipal council were held in trust for PPP by the BN. So now, let’s see the honour, the true picture of Barisan integrity, Barisan transparency and Barisan Unity.

Real prospects of BN

Extracted from Off The Edge magazine: April, 2007

Presently, we usually talk about unity on the surface level, as eyewash, to keep people quiet. In short, I don’t think any of them (BN leaders) are sincere when they talk about unity and multiracialism. So since I became President (of the People’s Progressive Party, or PPP) in 1993, I’ve been taking the opportunity to speak in political forums about it, [such as] at the PPP’s annual general meeting.

I am very convince, very, very convinced that we need to turn into a multiracial society. We must, we should. The question is whether it is possible. I think we can keep asking questions, but it must happen in order for Malaysia’s survival and to be a successful country.

Now, we have a brand – it seems to be, to visit Malaysia is to visit Asia. The whole of Asia is in Malaysia; if you visit, we are there. And if we are not a multiracial society, if we are still segregated into this race-based thing, then we are bluffing the whole world.

So let’s get real; let’s put our brand into practice. We can’t portray one brand [to the rest of the world] and here, be something else. The real problem is, there is no sincerity, especially among politicians. Outside of their party, they talk about multiracialism. But when they hold their [general assemblies], they continue shouting ‘Hidup Melayu’, ‘Hidup Cina’, Hidup India’. At these [political gatherings], they feel like they are in their own cave or in their own castle, and they talk only about their tribe, their clan, to promote themselves. But they don’t realize they’re just a small castle in the whole country.

The BN is a loose coalition; we say we are of all races, we give opportunities to everybody. But when it comes to policy decisions and many other things, you go back into your own cocoon; you only talk about your own religion and your own race. And you forgot about Malaysia. Right ? I go to London and I am Malaysian; I go to China and I’m Malaysian; I go to India and I’m Malaysian; I go all over the world, I’m Malaysian. But why is it when I come back to Malaysia. I am an Indian? That’s still the general feeling.

We must shed this shelf-image. We have no choice. If Malaysia is not going to become a truly multiracial country, we cannot use the phrase ‘Malaysia, truly Asia’, and neither can we succeed in the future because the more everybody talks just about their own race, we can never be a united cause.

If BN doesn’t become one party, it will be a failure in the future. It is the beginning to be a failure.

But for PPP, there is an opportunity. Of course, the trend seems to be that if you’re an Indian leader, okay, the Indians will fall behind you; if you’re a Chinese leader, Chinese behind you; Malay leader, Malays behind you. We must look for good leaders.

But who’s a good leader who can head all of us? It doesn’t matter if it is Chinese, Indian or Malay. We need a leader who can lead this country into the future. And I think we should consider the statements made by [HRH] Raja Nazrin (the Regent of Perak) in an interview in 2006. He said, ‘We need mature and responsible leaders and role models who are serious about bridging the divide of race and religion.’ Fantastic! We need a million leaders who can think like him, speak like him. Then we can progress.

Now is the right time ……

Preface (Mukadimah)

Well, I guess the first thing in blogging would be to encourage and say a BIG WELCOME to my http://mkayveas.blogspot.com weblog and feel free to visit and comment in my blog.

Dare I say, the next thing to do is to tell what I am trying to do in my Weblog. Basically I will be sharing my thoughts and view point about certain issues or concerns. This issues and concerns are to be translated into discussion and coming out with an opportunity for improvement. It is something like what the Japanese are doing in Kaizen philosophy. Kaizen simply means continuous improvement by brainstorming or sharing thoughts without fear of being reprimanded or framed as stupid or crazy.

So please feel free to share your constructive comments and opinions with me and I will try my best to answer them.

My simple rule is even if it is a bad opinion we will strive to understand what the other person is saying and ride on their ideas and improve it further.

The ultimate aim is to come out with a constructive solutions rather than destructive outcome like obscenities and vulgar words. Of course, any vulgarism in your comments will be censored before publishing.

God Bless Malaysia

PS:
Please feel free to visit PPP blog:
http://voiceofcommunity.blogspot.com