My Response to Common Malaysian

Common Malaysian said...

I have been following the GTP and firmly believe that Idris Jala is not serving anyone’s agenda. I am glad that Najib has started an effort so big to reform the state of our affairs, unlike any of his predecessors.

It is good that the PM has finally recognised the need to fix the foundation and from there work towards building a high income economy in the long run.

The GTP is meant to give the people better access to improved public service delivery and address the social development of the country. Agreed that it is a little delayed but nevertheless, it is happening. The transformation programmes are exactly what we need as all Ministries have specific KPIs to achieve. If they don’t achieve what is promised, they have too much to lose, especially after they have witnessed the power of the people at the polls during the last election.

June 21, 2011 6:42 PM

Fi-sha says,

Dear Mr./Ms. Common Malaysian

Firstly, I must apologise for my very late response. Like love has reasons which reasons cannot understand (Blaise Pascal), I didn't know why I was hesitant to respond (when I am, by nature, a tempestuous person).

Secondly, let me express my gratefulness in finding your words on my “YES” post. You certainly made my day for now I have found some zeal to write (certainly not on such trite matters, definitely). Thank you for the enlightenment (and merci to those who have been kind enough to steer Mr./Ms. Common Malaysian’s wheels to my kick-some-heels post).

Let's get back to business in hand shall we?

Yes, Sir/Madam, Idris Jala of PEMANDU is not serving anyone’s agenda – not those in power nor those outside the corridor of power (that is us, common Malaysians). It's a zero-sum-game set-up that spent RM63.9 M hard-earned public funds (and we are still counting) to hire consultants for PEMANDU and to organize 3 Open Days for GTP and ETP initiatives while our economic competitiveness ranking in 2011 slumped by 6 slots to 16, our Corruption Perception Index score dropped from 5.1 in 2008 to 4.4 in 2010 and our Democracy Index fell from 68 in 2008 to 71 in 2010, just to name a few.

I sense your eyes rolling in disbelief seeing how I attach such non-performing results to Idris Jala's 'economic lab' as you may think it is not at all fair to put the blame of such deteriorating ratings to 'a new boy on the block' like him.

Unfortunately, he isn't a new boy after all. The news of Air Asia-MAS shares swap , that was finalised early this week, opens Idris Jala's cans of worms (now I know why i delayed this response). The 'demise' of MAS reflects his short-sighted business acumen and poor management style. Just read what Gomen Man wrote in TMI yesterday, asking him to return the millions! If he was ever good, he was good at 'sweeping everything under the carpet'.

Confucius says that, "Success depends upon previous preparations and without such preparation, there is sure to be failure". Now that he heads PEMANDU, I am more worried than ever as eloquently explained by En Ali Kadir today, questioning the accountability of the office holders, who are being rewarded for their mismanagement, and the deplorable opinions we sought from the highly-paid consultants - over and over again - only to fail us, common people, miserably.

Like a good marriage, success of any plans relies heavily on our willpower to undertake the responsibilities (not merely status and position). If there's a will, there's a way, they say. so, if there's a goodwill towards us, the common people, there is definitely numerous good ways to deliver and most of the time, they don't cost a bomb!

Dear Mr./Ms. Common Malaysia, i personally feel that PEMANDU is useless, especially to common people like me. I don't think you are common enough to see and feel the real hardships face by millions of Anak Bangsa Malaysia in their Ibu Pertiwi, day in, day out (UK riots shed some light of what will happen when these people are left unattended for by the Government).

If you think you are, tell me why Idris Jala has the heart to say that, "GST is a way to fund the poor" when the real problem is lack of enforcement by the government to prevent rampant tax evasion and bloated subsidies structure to IPP, amongst other glaring 'holes in our pockets'?

Please, I must insist, that you assist Idris Jala and his PEMANDU people to visit YES website before they bring our Ibu Pertiwi to its knees (Oh, did you read about Italian Police raided Moody's and S&P's Milan Office?).

I wish you and your loved ones a ma'rifah Ramadhan. While we agree to disagree, I believe we both want the best for this Ibu Pertiwi. Let's not lose hope on that, shall we?