Crony Capitalism is Bad for the Country
Posted by Meramat Tajak
For thinking DB
Lets put it this way. Some of the Dayak who benefited from Taib’s family from employment or business relations, need not feel the shame, especially if they don’t understand what crony capitalism is. Neither should those poor laborers and Class F contractors feel any kinship with the crony politician and capitalist.
Those who has the intellectually capacity to understand crony capitalism but still singing praise of the present state government is well, above my simple mind to understand. Then again, maybe not.
Brilliant Mind and Wretched Soul do come together sometimes
I remember an observation from an ancient-looking professor that a man can be well educated, and absolutely brilliant in his enterprise, but it is still possible for him to be a wretched soul inside ; that has no moral compass and consider himself above god – and therefore would not subscribe to any ethical traditions – except those rationalize his actions and benefit him directly. Such creature would consider those who distinguish rights from wrongs and struggle to live by the right path – as weak mortals, and are trapped in their own righteousness.
The profs keen observation reminds me of the likes of Bernard Madoff, Ferdinand Marcos, Radoban Karadzic, and Menachem Begin – just to name a few. Notice the commonality among them ? To this day many would still believe in the “greatness” of these man, even as overwhelming majority had witnessed and experienced their evil deeds.
How so ? Evil is condoned by loyal followers ?
Crony capitalism does not exist in the criminal procedure code (lawyers can’t prosecute the crime). It doesn’t exist in the religious tradition (so no kutbah or religious pulpits would mention it).
Examples of how crony capitalism is bad
But make no mistake about it. The bad effect of crony capitalism is pervasive. Let me just mention one example, this way:
If anybody think SCORE will be a golden opportunity for our struggling Class F contractors, think again. Where would the billions in investment go to ? There can only be so many toilets and grassy fields to be trimmed, to be shared out among the Class F. (The question to be asked is not how much billions will be invested, but how much of that will be available for Class F to partake in ?!)
I believe RECODA would contract out even the maintenance of towers for transmission power lines to the crony. Each tower is worth about 100 thousand, and should well within the resource of Class F to maintain a few. But because it would be rather lucrative, the cronies will decide among themselves, perhaps in a game of golf – who will take up the “responsibility”.
Crony capitalism is bad governance
The long term effect of crony capitalism is all around us in Sarawak. It is bad governance. Bad economics. Public funds from our taxes, would not be spent efficiently. So while the poor Dayak masses may not get poorer, they will not get any richer either.In the worst case scenario, crony capitalism mix with political power, and will then do as they please in the name of greed, to trample on the rights of ordinary citizen, such as the Penan and Dayak NCR land owners.
Why not join the crony?
Of course, I can hear some readers would say, “why not join the crony ?” Not for me though : I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror. Its more than bad governance. I still remember my old professor’s observation.
Dayakbaru – we must not support crony capitalism. It is killing our country. Change We Must.
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Inspirational word from gkm2020
So DB show us the country in the world where it is free from cronism. You can’t find a kingdom with absolute monarchy that practice good gomen and infact they are more graspy as all wealth of the nation belong to them.
In democracy how you can get rid of your friends and yourself to get businesses while you are in power. After all the intention to race for the position is obviously for that purpose. There are no such case in the world politicians racing for top position merely want to sacrified their wealth and helping the poor.
If you do not take the opportunity someone else will do.
If you are not sure please ask Anwar how to handle the people. If you meet the chinese,indian,Dayak talk about subject that they have the interest in and infront of malay you tell them you will safeguard their ketuanan above the others. This is done no other than winning their heart to get their support.
Yes! You are correct and right again Dayaklama, this is not Utopia( perfect social and political system ). It is a sad situation Dayaklama, for most of us fellows dayak fail to see or stand on thier feet, to see and realise the real situation that is happening infront of their very eyes.
How can we absolutely blame the BN for our own weakness, our own short coming and our failure to develope our own NCRs land? We advised them to reflect thier own self at the mirror and stand in this world of reality.
Just because the BN agencies and their JV companies want to develope the ildle land of our NCR for palm oil plantation than they start to oppose it blindly and wildly.
Truly we do not see anything wrong with its. It purpose is 100% to upgrade and uplifting of our rural folks who are poor, less educate and naive.
Ask yourself what did I’ve contributed significantly to my beloved rural folks. None!
meramat terajak, so what is suggestion to those who are working with some of this crony companies? they got family to feed…
Talking about cronyism…
Ummmphhh… I got an SMS from a friend just now noting that IJ is now a Muslim convert! No wonder lah, he got tangled and drowned… L.O.L.!!!
Or, is this a rumour turned into a humour or vice-versa? Let’s get our spot lights on… (http://tiyungdayak.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/cow-act-2009/)
The signs of a failed state:
1. Economic and income disparities between the leadership and the masses. The masses are still cutting footpaths and log-bridges, the leaderships use corporate jets, Rolls Royce, Mercedes and BMWs, this is a clear sign that it is a failed state. If the leadership lives in palaces and the masses survive in leaking huts, the state has failed. If the masses complained on food crisis and shortages and the leaderships threw huge dinners and buffet, the state has failed. If the leaders talked about hardwork and sacrifices whereas they are ignorant of both, that is a failed state.
2. The state is an exporter of unskilled workers. All failed states in the world are exporters of unskilled workers. Indonesia under Suharto is the best example. Myanmar is another. Unskilled foreign workers in Malaysia are all export of failed states. Successful countries are exporters of highly trained workers and executives. We call them expatriates.
3. Low lever of literacy and among its population. If a state struggle to provide basic education, that is a newly formed state. But if the problem exists after 47 years, then it is clearcut sign of a failed state. Successful states like Singapore consider 1st degree and 1st diploma as the basic qualifications. If the majority of the masses are at the border of literacy, it is a failed state.
4. Numerous accolades accorded to the leadership. Again this is exemplified by North Korea, where the leader is not revered as the Great Leader, Great Deliverer and Visionary. A leader is honoured if the accolades come from the masses. If the accolades come on the basis of “I honour you, you honour me back” then such accolades are useless.
5. Leadership structure that follows linage and ethnics, a reminder of Hutus and Tutsi of Sierra Leone. They fought and killed each other. This is also the trait of North Korea. Everybody acknowledged Obama’s triumph as American’s president, a clear difference of skin and origin from previous presidents. North Korean leaders choose only their children.
6. If the state failed in check-&-balance, it is a failed state. A leadership with multiple roles missed the whole meaning of check & balance and this is a totalitarian state. A totalitarian state is a failed state. Even in successful monarchy, like Monaco, the treasury is separated from the defined duty of the king. No human being can claim to be free of temptation of fund diversion if absolute power is in his hands.
7. Leadership and power change never materialised. This is related to check & balance; there must be a change of power every now and then. If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, then power change is the only way to check this. This does not ensure absolute incorruptibility of the change, but it ensures a period of relative cleansing. UMNO limited the President to 2 terms. MCA is doing the same. Will it happen in PBB, SPDP, and PRS?
These are the 7 signs of a failed state – the seven deadly sins existing in any failed country. The extreme cases are in Myanmar, North Korea and Zimbabwe. Myanmar gained independent around the same period of Malaysia. When absolute power took over that was the start of a failed state where their citizens are prosecuted and thousands are working in restaurants all over Malaysia. When Korea split at the 17th parallel, the North had most of the economy whereas the South struggled to survive. Today South Korea is an economic power. Rhodesia was the ‘bread-basket’ of Africa when Ian Smith was the prime minister. Robert Mugabe and Joshua Ngkumo chased him out and then Mugabe removed Joshua and held absolute power until today. He successfully ruined the country’s economy, and that same bread that Ian Smith produced at 1 shilling is now equivalent to one month’s salary – a million (useless) shilling.
May God protects us from such failed state and helps us to remove leadership that failed.
LKY of Singapore also choose his son and run Singapore as it is belong to his family. LKY want to build his dynasty not crony capitalism.What’s is so great about country like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore,South Korea, Japan where everything is so expensive. There are price to pay if you wish to enjoy first world class facilities. Are we ready for that? There you can see people rushing around as if there are no tomorrow.
NOrth Korea is great as US also bow to her.Despite the economic sanction imposed on her, North Korea remain as strong as ever.
Change gomen will not terminate the vicious regress.
Lee Kuan Yew groomed his son into politics from an early age. But to have him taking over missed the point that when Lee Senior left in 1990 and Goh Chok Tong was the PM for 14 years. Goh CT retired (made a senior minister,) Lee Junior took over. In any case, Lee Juior is his son, no doubt, but what about other features in the 7 listed there?
Tun Razak did not groom Najib to be PM but now Najib is PM after 27 years of his father’s death. So you cakap apa?
When Lee was Singapore’s PM, he had different people as finance ministers: Goh Keng Swee followed by Hon Sui Sen, both were selected for their capabilities. Go and read Lee Kuan Yew’s book lah. Cakap-cakap also no point if you don’t want the facts to masuk your thick skull.
Are we ready for modernity?
The fact we are NOT ready and our leadership bankrupt of ideas – that is one of the issues in Dayak Baru. What protection has our longhouse against international issues? What industries can they rely on? I think there are enough postings here to suggest the only economy our people has is the “remittances from their children” economy. Yet they talk about grandiose projects. Bakun pun belum siap – delayed 9 years.
You have no facts lah friend, pandai no doubt, but pretended to be blur-blur.
ES: “1. Economic and income disparities between the leadership and the masses. The masses are still cutting footpaths and log-bridges, the leaderships use corporate jets, Rolls Royce, Mercedes and BMWs, this is a clear sign that it is a failed state. If the leadership lives in palaces and the masses survive in leaking huts, the state has failed. If the masses complained on food crisis and shortages and the leaderships threw huge dinners and buffet, the state has failed. If the leaders talked about hardwork and sacrifices whereas they are ignorant of both, that is a failed state. ”
–Exactly. When 0.001 percent of total Sarawak population sucking dry 99 percent Sarawak economy (few cronies plus their goons got it all), that is a failed stated indeed and simply perfect for the cronies to suck it dry.
ES: “These are the 7 signs of a failed state – the seven deadly sins existing in any failed country.”
–Another sign of a failed state:
8. Wise men become Yes-Men. Intellectual wasted. Like the knowledgable Dayaks choose to be remote-controlled by the Yang Dikasihi. For how wisely knowledgable the Tuai Rumah/Penghulu it’s all a phony scam leadership as Dayak land brokers for stupid fees. You know it’s stupid, it’s wrong yet you still support it just to get almost nothing. Likewise those professional Dayaks choose to serve Yang Dikasihi rather than fight it. Remember, Hitler used this ploy against the Jews by giving the choice to almost all the best, genius, intelletual German Jews at that time prior or during WW2: death or work for Hitler. Most of them agreed for fear of their life, helping the Nazi military developing advance weapons like V2 bombs, chemical bombs etc. But some refuse and sensing a terrible war under Hitler so they smuggled out quickly for safety to England or US. One of them is Albert Einstein. Einstein disgusted to his fellow scientist Jews choose to work for Hitler giving all their intelligence for evil use. Einstein said: “It’s like giving an axe to a madman”.
Dayaklama: “Are we ready for that? There you can see people rushing around as if there are no tomorrow….Change gomen will not terminate the vicious regress.”
–Dayaklama name already self-explain like BN logo or logo dacing: dacing as ancient/ kuno tool (can be tipu-tipu orang kampung, fake the adjusters) while the rest of the world long already use modern digital version lah.
Why did the ROMAN EMPIRE COLLAPSE? Maybe too big for our kampung Dayak heads.(That includes me)
To narrow the scope: WHY DO WE HAVE LONGHOUSES SPLIT INTO TWO OR THREE? Beats me! DL help!