Raja Nazrin defends monarchy against ridicule

KUALA KANGSAR, April 19 – The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah today said he would take on the primary responsibility of implementing all efforts to ensure that the institution of royalty which was core to the system of governance and nationhood in the country would continue to be protected.

“An offspring will not allow the dignity and sovereignty of a ruler to be ridiculed. As such the people must be conscious not to be hasty to throw the lamp away, as daylight too will end. “Let it not be that as night falls, people grope about directionless, blanketed in darkness without a lamp,” he said at the pledging of loyalty and awards ceremony in conjunction with the 81st birthday of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah at Istana Iskandariah here today.

He said the Malay rulers were not just symbols in the country but that the Malay Sultanate had an important role as the centre of strength for the people.

Raja Nazrin said the administrative system with Malay Sultanate as its core had been in place for more than 600 years and had succeeded in developing a great culture and civilization.

He said the wisdom of royalty aided the developmental process of intellectuality and from the palace emanated great works of art in writings.

“The Malay rulers are the symbols of sovereignty – the symbols of citizens’ strength – the umbrella for the country’s crown. The Malay rulers give identity to the nation. “People who understand the culture of monarchy, will understand the philosophy of royal administration, the role of rulers, especially the role and responsibility of holding up national identity,” he said.

He said the continuity of a race and the face of a nation depended on factors that gave it identity from the aspects of institutions, religion, culture and language.

“Actions of insulting institutions, ridiculing institutions, fermenting hatred towards institutions are early steps in the movement towards abolishing the institutions – therefore abolishing the original identity of the country’s race.

“During the Cold War, such steps came from groups who held on to left-wing political doctrine and were categorised as subversives.

“In the name of the Cultural Revolution in China and communist indoctrination in Cambodia and Vietnam, children were incited to extreme levels, hating and making enemies of their own parents; religious leaders were criticised and places of worship destroyed; some places of worship turned into places to breed animals; leading to anarchy that had to be paid with lives and blood; and the social fabric destroyed,” he said.

Raja Nazrin said the world now faced waves of globalisation – waves that hit all borders – to break down cultural walls and possibly drowning national history.

He said the younger generation which was being hit by the globalisation waves should be wise to balance claims of tradition and demands of modernity.

He said there were some who believed that to progress, focus must be on a progressive culture and they said that traditions and history would cause backwardness in a static culture.

“Globalisation actually brings waves of new colonialism to drown the traditions of a country, wiping out original identity.

“People must be aware that not all that is traditional hinders progress as tradition that is interpreted wisely and intelligently can function to bring progress.

“The cultural elements that have been factors of unity till this day are priceless social capital that should be defended,” he said.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and three others headed the the list of 800 recipients of awards and medals in conjunction with Sultan Azlan Shah’s 81st birthday. – Bernama

Numbers not important, effectiveness is

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional component parties should not be harping on whether they were well represented in Cabinet but should be more concerned about the effectiveness of the ministers appointed.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president Datuk Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg said although his party was disappointed that it only has one full minister in the new Cabinet line-up, it respected the decision of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“We had expected more but what is important is the effectiveness of the ministers.

“If you put ministers there who cannot work, there’s no point,” he told reporters after presenting offer letters to recipients of houses under the Rumah Rakyat Mesra programme at Wisma Sultan Tengah here Tuesday.

Barisan component parties unhappy with their representation in Cabinet should realise that the appointment of ministers and deputy ministers is the Prime Minister’s prerogative, he added.

PBB is represented by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah, Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib and Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Fadillah Yusof.

Abang Johari also said it was important for the Cabinet to ensure an efficient delivery system of projects and policies to benefit the people.

“As the Prime Minister said, it’s about putting the people first and not about making us ministers,” he said.

He added that Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s appointment as Rural and Regional Development Minister would be advantageous to Sabah and Sarawak as he knew the needs of the two states.

Dr M backs new PM

TAIPING - TUN Dr Mahathir Mohamad has openly given his approval to new Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, saying that the current government was for the people.

The former prime minister said his confidence in Mr Najib grew following his willingness to get up close and personal with the people by meeting the masses on his second day as Prime Minister.

'I have full confidence that Datuk Seri Najib can address the problems in the country. I am also confident that he will take Malaysia to new heights benefiting all the races in the country,' he told a crowd of thousands at Dataran PPP near here on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after attending a luncheon with civil servants and the business community here, Dr Mahathir said he would not accept any position in the Cabinet, including as Senior Minister, if offered.

'No, no, no. No position in Cabinet. No position at all,' he said, adding that he would just be sharing his experiences of running the government with the new leadership.

Dr Mahathir also hit out at critics who labelled Mr Najib's leadership as a return to Mahathirism. 'What is wrong with Mahathirism? The country developed in its 22 years under Mahathirism,' he said.

Asked if he would continue to be critical of the Government, he said he would only do so if the Government under performs. 'In the past, when the Government did not perform, I criticised. I also criticised myself. That's my habit,' he said.

Dr Mahathir was also asked if his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin should be in the Cabinet. 'I'm biased towards my son, so it is wrong to ask me,' he said.

He also hoped that Umno members who had left the party would return to the fold.

'Times has changed. The Government today is truly for the people. So I am urging those who had left Umno, please come back,' he said, adding that the present administration was taking steps to address the people's unhappiness. -- THE STAR/ANN

A story of countless missed opportunities

“Thank You, Pak Lah” is the title of The NST Supplement (April 2, 2009) to mark the end of another era in the history of our country. Badawi leaves office on April 3 and hands over the premiership to Najib Tun Razak. The government controlled daily published articles by individuals who are favorably disposed towards the former premier.

These articles are in general complimentary, bordering on sentimentality, romanticism, and sycophancy. Talk about foreign policy, for example, when we know he has no policy at all. Just ask those who have served him in Wisma Putra when he was Foreign Minister, and they will tell you that he spent most of his time holding court for his political supporters, not on building our relations with the rest of the world.

I have been very critical of the man, his politics and so-called policies, not so much because I am a member and a keen supporter of Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti KeADILan Rakyat and Pakatan Rakyat that he leads. My disenchantment with Prime Minister Badawi is because he lost a unique opportunity to make a difference to our country. His is a story of countless missed opportunities.

In March 2004 (on nomination day), I went to Jitra in Kubang Pasu Parliamentary constituency to support Johari Baharum of UMNO- Barisan Nasional against a PAS candidate, because I was taken up by Badawi’s Election Manifesto. Because of his election promises, I said to myself that he deserved my support. Most Malaysians agreed with me and Badawi won a resounding mandate and decimated the Opposition, even outperforming his predecessor, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, in terms of voter popularity.

Over the years since that historic victory, Badawi showed us that he lacked the leadership qualities and resolve or grit needed to carry out his election promises and in 2008, his political fortune took a nose dive and UMNO-Barisan Nasional was hit by a political tsunami, losing 5 states and the 2/3rd majority in Parliament. Badawi lost all credibility and goodwill he had. Eventually, he succumbed to pressure from UMNO to step down.

Malaysians, without any prompting from Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, saw that Badawi was ”long on talk and short on action”. He came in with bang and is now leaving with a whimper, probably remembered in our historical annals as the Prime Minister who blew the opportunity to bring about reforms he promised the nation.

On April 3, he hands over the fate and future of our country to a successor who is surrounded by scandals and allegations of corruption and abuses of power. Najib Tun Razak is very unpopular and most people believe that the new Prime Minister will likely resort to political repression and suppression of all political opposition to maintain his legitimacy.

In 1969, when I was a graduate student in Washington D.C. I remember that when President Lyndon Baines Johnson, the most unpopular President of that period (because of the Vietnam War) handed over his job to President Richard Nixon, I saw billboards in the Washington Beltway with “Thank You, Mr. President and May God Bless You”.

In keeping with that spirit, I say to Badawi, “Thank You, Mr. Prime Minister”. For all his errors of commission and omission, Badawi truly deserves our respect as our elected Prime Minister, at least for “trying his best” (!). God bless you, Mr. Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Utama Jeanne Abdullah!

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Din Merican, a former central banker, diplomat, regional director for Sime Darby Group, member of Anwar Ibrahim’s KeADILan’s back room team, and now a prominent Malaysian DJ blogger.