September 3, 2012
Random Thoughts of Pak Kadiak: Election and Stories from Open Houses
by Dato’ A Kadir Jasin
I was asked at a Hari Raya open house if I had stopped my blog. If you are a regular reader, you know I have not. But not everybody is a regular reader. It is, however, true that I sometimes do not update as often as I should. I told the enquirer that I have not and, insya-Allah, I will continue writing for as long as I live.
Another asked me to predict the likely outcome of the coming general election. I said, bring me a spring chicken, a young cockerel, two katis of sugar and two katis of salt. Another person listening in on the conversation added, some kemenyan (incense). These are articles that a Malay bomoh — medicine man — would usually require as pengeras. They are both gifts and ingredients that would supposedly make the portion or the mantra more potent.
On a serious note, I think if the Barisan Nasional retains power, it is 
not so much because it is strong or popular, but because the Opposition is in disarray — like what former Prime Minister Tun Dr Matahir Mohamad was recently reported as saying, “better the devil you know than one that you don’t.”
At the state level, the DAP looks safe in Penang. PKR is under threat in Selangor. Its repeated show of disrespect for the Sultan and open squabbles between Mentri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Deputy President Azmin Ali could weaken Malay support and put off the non-Malays. PAS is safe in Kelantan, but its control of Kedah could be under threat due to internal problems and the continued poor health of the Mentri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak. Perak is not safe for the BN while Negri Sembilan and Johor could came under attack by the DAP and PAS. Sarawak and Sabah may no longer be the BN’s safe havens.
The economy and discrimination
Another open-house visitor, a former CEO of a now-defunct Malay conglomerate, said the job market is shrinking, the government and the GLCs are no longer giving preference to the Bumiputeras and the discrimination against Bumiputeras is spreading in the non-Bumiputera-controlled private sector.
He pointed out that while tokenism by Chinese businesses is well known, now he observes the Indians are doing likewise. He said Malaysian Indian restaurants, including the Indian Muslim ones, are paying more to expatriate Indian workers and other foreigners (salaries, government levies, free food and accommodation) and discriminate against local workers on the pretext that they are choosy and lazy.
I came across such a situation in my dealing with a locally-incorporated US-owned bank. Since I make a point of not defaulting on my credit card payment, I receive regular telephone calls asking if I want loans on my cards. I observe that Chinese officers (who regularly address me as “Encik Kalio or Kadio”) would offer the highest amount, the Indian officers came second and, on very rare occasions, a Malay officer would also chip in and she offered the lowest sum.
I can only conclude that the Chinese executives enjoy a higher level of authority to give out loans compared to their Indian and Malay compatriots. And as for the Chinese officers calling me “Encik Kalio or Kadio”, I can only conclude that they were Chinese educated.
Fear of PERKASA
Then there are my non-Malay doctors and non-Malay ex-military officers who 
are curious and, at the same time, worried about the power and influence of PERKASA. They think PERKASA is sabotaging Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia agenda.
I think they hold such a view because they were so used to seeing the Malays rallying almost exclusively behind UMNO and PAS. The two Malay-based political parties in turn speak on their behalf.
I asked them to consider what gave birth to PERKASA and the Malay Consultative Council (MPM), and why so many Malays, including professionals and intellectuals, are now rallying behind these NGOs and the maverick politician Ibrahim Ali? Why do they choose to voice their concerns and demands via Ibrahim and not Najib, Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS president) or Anwar Ibrahim (the supreme leader of PKR)?
The formation of PERKASA and MPM was the response of the Malay masses to what they perceived as rising non-Malay chauvinism and extremism following the 2007 Hindu Rights Action Front (Hindraf) illegal demonstration and constant demand by Chinese NGOs like the United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong), the United Chinese School Teachers’ Association (Jiao Zong) and the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia on Chinese language, education and economy.
The Malays, including those affiliated to UMNO, are rallying behind these NGOs because they feel that UMNO and PAS are longer protecting and promoting their rights and interest.
And, without fail, the question they begged me to answer — which I dare not — is, who is making the decisions in Putrajaya. Wallahualam, only God knows. — kadirjasin.blogspot.com
Wow, racism disguised as chauvinism.
When the world is openinsg up, we have idiots like them trying to close Malaysia down.
When a bank officer offers you a higher limit, it’s because he’s Chinese.
How logical. Hmm…..
And it’s not because he worked hard to have a higher authorised limit.
Carry on then, and destroy the Malay race by telling them they have been given special rights by Allah swt, but only in Malaysia, ok?
It is not often that I post commentaries from my good friend, Dato’A Kadir Jasin, Malaysia’s award winning journalist.Why? He is a mainstream journalist.This one, however, is very interesting because it contains his “bomoh” views about the likely outcome of the next GE-13. The Opposition is weak because of internal bickerings, especially in PKR, says Pak Kadiak and so UMNO-BN will win by default.
But the Kedah sage says that he is afraid to answer this question: “who is making the decisions in Putrajaya”? I think I will refer to this to our Kedah born New Yorker, Mr. Bean, Clf, Frank, Tok Cik and Semper Fi the ex-marine. He has the answer.–Din Merican
“Who is making the decision in Putrajaya”??
Who is asking? Is it the prosecutor asking a witness for the prosecution? That is a leading question and is not allowed in examination in chief. So the prosecutor may want to re-phrase his question.
I used to read Kadir’s writing in other thot a lot before. However it seems that Kadir was merely polishing apples especially Apanama Che Det. Apanama will make a short announcement and Kadir will take it to town. If Apanama farts Kadir will make sure everyone knows about it. Thus was Kadir the mainstream (NST) and award winning journalist.
I always thought that Kadir was a poor journalist till Apanama revealed the list of cronies that got millions of shares in GLCs and other IPP. Kadir’s name was right at the top. So no wonder he was able to be Apanama sage. Sorry Din, we’re talking about your good friend here.
So nowadays I won’t read his writings. period.
I’ll put it context of this writer’s insinuations of ‘reverse discrimination’.
Supposing i were a Malay ‘capitalist roader’ and i want my business to flourish. I would tend to hire underlings who have an aptitude, will and technique to expand my business – whatever it takes. So who would i hire? A person who’s motto is “Pak beh see (i.e Hokkien for beat also cannot die)”; or a fella whose aim in life is “Tayang mahu, menang tak mampu.”
The reverse discrimination is most rampant among the entitled Malay business enterprises whose ethics is summed up by ‘Who they know and not what they know’. The average Malay are a feudal lot, with egalitarianism and social hierarchy based not on merit and ability, but on sycophancy, celebrity and power..
The proverbial Ali-Baba syndrome is a disease brought about by the ‘expeditiousness’ policy, that assumes a continuously expanding economic ‘bubble’ pie. These cannot survive in a competitive environment due to the inbreeding that began with the hijacking of the NEP, by a social engineering Cretin – namely Octo and his coterie of carpetbaggers. Instead of training technocrats and rewarding efficiency, meritous and ethical conduct – they preferred dullards and lackeys.
How else to keep the unthinking peasants in their place and to do their bidding? Has anything changed? Was there as paroxysm of enlightenment shining down upon them from the heavens? Or are the bells now tolling?
So who’s in power in PutridJ? Whoever who thinks he’s mampu, while in actually he’s better off mampus.
My sympathies, to those who feel insulted, but nothing more.
I am surprised that Kadir Jasin has come to the conclusion that ‘so many Malays, including professionals and intellectuals, are now rallying behind these NGOs and the maverick politician Ibrahim Ali. Why do they choose to voice their concerns and demands via Ibrahim and not Najib, Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS president) or Anwar Ibrahim (the supreme leader of PKR)?’.
Kadir Jasin has painted Perkasa larger than any political parties with Malay followers. On second thought, it is really not surprising. Kadir Jasin is still besotted with Mahathir; the patron of Perkasa. A propagandist will always remain one even if he is an ‘award winning’ journalist.
Very trite so-called political commentary.
The random thoughts are carefully formulated but badly disguised, it is easy to discern that he is a mainstream journalist. The malaysian mainstream journalists are a special breed with loyalty mainly for the ruling party.
most ruling parties have a right wing and left wing groups to cater for their members who fall in these categories. you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know why PERKASA was formed. Know why people have rottweiler, doberman or alsation dogs? the perkaso’s role is to intimidate the public and tell them of things to come if they don’t vote in the present government.
Pak Kadiak failed to mention that without electoral reforms UMNO-BN will be sure to win. even if by fluke PR were to win, PERKASA, RELA, military and Police would be called in to help maintain the status quo. if these don’t do the trick….. the Perak way?
Din,
Well, like it or not, Kadir Jasin is more natural journalist as compared to all other mainstream journalist including Wong chun wai. Perhaps, it’s because he’s retired. He’s entitled to his opinion. We just got to disagree with him when he’s wrong.
Jamal,
Perhaps, Kadir is under the illusion that Perkasa can act like the tea party in the states. Bean can share more on this. Than to remind us on the fear of some folks whenever they wath kojak lollipop sucking. Is more than that, bean? I prefer theo kojak than Callahan when it comes to policing. Harry disregards the rule entirely with happy shooting mentality, while theo though may bend the rule, believes in the system as well as team work. That’s why I say perhaps anwar can use his phrase : who loves ya, baby & end it with I am the one.
Reeperbahn,
Let’s hope that something good would save the day.
Hope we can face ” truth ” together & not be one sided as Malaysians. In the previous thread, Zairi Khir Johari says : Economic equality for Malays in exchange for political equality of the non-Malays that was indeed the objective for the “special position ” being institutionalized – as a temporary, or stop-gap measure….
But the insinuation by Zairil was ” suspect” : “….resulting in the precarious situation in which there ARE Malaysians who are considered ” more ” Malaysian than others…”
As a Malaysian, i personally do not subscribe to Perkasa;s Rhetotics of Intimidation, No ! But, what i can infer from Kadir’s piece, which we have to agree, is to view it as a ” Symptom ” of Malay-Malaysians’ desperation expressing itself in so-called desperate expressions, viz : that the general Malay populace ( excluding those who hijack Art 153 to enrich themselves ) h ave Not been able, even after 50 years , to compete let alone to close the Economic Gap, – period
Ziairil quoted Prof Tariq Ramadan : ” Malaysia is multi-racial society built on mutual mistrust ” which persist until this very day – whilst non-Malaysians are given or have achieved in the ” polical franchising ” to whatever degree – a lot of bickerings – , the Malays are expressing their Symptoms of ” fear ” that their Economic Dispairity is getting wider & wider… i tend to agree that this ” failings ” are by their own Default, but they are also questioning Sincerity of ” other” Malaysians to train & impart real hard Economic skills, over which the Nons are holding the tight grip.
This ‘ reverse discimination” posed by CLF cuts both ways, b’coz of Mutual Distrusts, that;s long & short of it all…
Hope we can face & break the impasse together…..
I doubt that Pak Kadiaks article deserves much deep reaching thoughts and comments.
Hope we can face & break the impasse together…..- Abnizar
in order to face and break this impasse we should have an administration that is neutral to all races. on the otherhand how can you be neutral if a certain portion of the citizenry are to be endowed with special rights?
the ‘other malaysians’ would willingly impart knowledge and skills to the malays if we had an even playing field and if the malays were to exhibit diligence and appreciation, which usually is not the case. they are meant for something better.
the mass import of quest workers into malaysia was to fill the low-end job market and to fill the pockets of omno cronies. so why is Pak Kadiak blaming the indians and indian muslims for employing bangladeshis, indonesians and indians?
is it something like vision 2020 when malaysia would be like saudi arabia? we malaysians will be the high income group, shaking legs and earning good and all the real work done by imported workers?
we still can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel
Well, there’s no better teacher than adversity itself, Abnizar.
Handicaps do not exist indefinitely in the game of life, unless the ‘race’ refuses to grow up, prefers to remain maimed and dependent.
Too Entrenched, both sides ! One side entrenched in its Politics, and do what may, they dig in deeper. The other side, too deeply Entrenched in the Economics stranglehold, that they feel unable to ” PENETRATE” the barrier, and so Powerfull people in Politics hijack Art 153 for Self-enrichment which only benefits the ” chosen few “.
To enrich themselves, these few do the Crony system in which they have made the so-called Ten (10) Malaysian Billionaires, one of them is BUMI. All as ” Conduits ” to enable them to rake-in the 10% * ( G, Soros says 20%) ! Of course, it trickles down the line in smaller amounts in the BN/UMNO Hierarchy of Entitlement – And, that’s ” Economics” for them…..