Senator S. Ramakrishnan , 4/4/2012

MCA president Datuk Chua Soi Lek says the number one enemy of MCA is DAP. He wants the MCA to wipe out DAP by getting the people’s support in Chinese community majority seats and emerge stronger. This statement by Datuk Chua Soi Lek reminded me of my often repeated comment to MCA Senators during Dewan Negara sittings. When I speak on Tamil/vernacular schools, a few UMNO Senators will interpose to say that students studying in vernacular schools do not get the opportunity to mix with Malay students. Vernacular schools should be closed and its existence is against the spirit of national unity. There was once an UMNO Senator during such debate told me not to speak on this topic but to move the next topic during my speech. Whenever I speak on Tamil school there will be one or two UMNO senators interposing with disagreement on the existence of vernacular schools.
 
There were occasions when one or two MCA senators speak on the problems of Chinese schools. Here too the UMNO Senators will interpose and criticize them for supporting Chinese schools. The poor MCA senator will not get any support from his fellow party man and UMNO senators will be able to overwhelm him. Outside the hall (Dewan) I have spoken to the concerned MCA senators on a few occasions that their enemy is not me from DAP but your comrades from UMNO. We agree on these issues but the UMNO senators are dead against this issue whenever you and I speak. But the MCA Senators will just smile and move away.
 
The blurred vision MCA president Datuk Chua Soi Lek has openly declared that the DAP is enemy number 1 and vow to work closely with UMNO/BN. He also added that the DAP uses “the Chinese fight against Chinese” strategy against MCA. Either he has forgotten or conveniently omitted the fact that MCA Chinese candidates have lost to the DAP Indian candidates. In the last election Mr Charles Santiago of DAP defeated MCA Selangor chairman in Klang parliamentary constituency. Similarly in the Seremban parliamentary constituency Mr John Fernandez defeated MCA Negeri Sembilan chairman. In Ipoh barat Mr kulasegaran defeated Mr Yik Pui Fong of MCA Perak. Therefore to say that DAP is deliberately planning the Chinese fight Chinese strategy is factually wrong and glazed with sinister motive.
 
The defeat of Chinese candidates of MCA and Gerakan by non Chinese candidates of DAP and PKR shows that voters have matured and has moved away from race based politics of BN. They are demanding more accountability, transparency, better governance and intolerance to corruption and bribery. The inability of MCA president to read and seize the expectations and demands of Chinese community shows the censure and dissonance of MCA. Therefore to redeem the dignity and pride of MCA, the party must leave BN and contest against BN and win the people’s mandate.
 
Chua Soi Lek also insinuated that a vote for DAP is a vote for PAS. The DAP has countered that with a vote for MCA is a vote for UMNO. Which is a progressive and people friendly party, UMNO or PAS? PAS has rejected Ibrahim Ali’s Perkasa and Hasan Ali’s Jati, which is spewing racial venoms to destroy the national unity and solidarity sowed and painfully natured by our founding fathers. But the irresponsible and power crazy UMNO holds Ibrahim Ali and Hassan Ali close and dear. UMNO is corrupted and arrogant but PAS is not. Therefore which is a better alternative for Malaysians? Chua Soi Lek has lost his plot and becoming increasingly irrelevant.         
 

The Prime Minister is busy going around announcing new plans for Tamil schools and new programs for Indian community. This is very different from past practice where the MIC president will be exclusively responsible for the Indian community. It was as though UMNO had outsourced the affairs and Indian community problems to MIC president. Whether it is Tamil schools, temples, economic or job opportunities all will be handled by MIC president. But under the leadership of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, all matters be it Tamil Schools, myskill, mydaftar, BRIM, KRIM for Indian community, all announcements are first made by him. But how much of the announcements are followed up and completed is another story. The MIC president merely accompanies and keeps company to the prime minister. The prime minister has a personal assistant for Indian affairs. Even the MIC president has to see the personal assistant to request for any allocation of funds or any other matters on Indian community. Chinese community too faces a similar shift in leadership and power base.
 
Therefore we can safely say that PM Datuk Najib Tun Razak is the de-facto president of MIC, MCA and other parties in BN besides UMNO. In other words UMNO president is the president of MIC and MCA. UMNO is the party that decides whether to and what to give or not for Indian and Chinese community. So now Indians and Chinese community come directly under the purview and ambit of UMNO, the very racist party that has marginalized and segregated these two communities. It is UMNO that removed all delivery mechanism for non Malays within the civil service and made the civil service UMNO centric. UMNO is very disappointed with the non delivery of Indian and Chinese votes to BN by MIC and MCA. These two parties are now sidelined and UMNO taking charge of the Indian and Chinese votes directly. It is for these reasons that PM Datuk Najib Tun Razak goes around and meet various segments of Indian community. UMNO has lost trust on MIC, MCA, PPP and GERAKAN.    
 
UMNO doesn’t know the needs of non Malays and they are not bothered to know either. To UMNO, Indians and Chinese are ungrateful for not supporting BN. MIC and MCA win because of Malay votes. Therefore Malays have scarified by voting MIC and MCA. That’s how UMNO thinks. UMNO has been good to Indians and Chinese but these comunities have backstabbed UMNO. Therefore UMNO has taken over the portfolio of Indian and Chinese affairs from MIC and MCA and wants to go alone for the GE13. UMNO feels confident of Malay votes and they think by throwing RM500 and some pittance, they can win back Indians. They have given up on Chinese votes. Both MIC and MCA are putting up a brave front that they can win back the lost votes. To UMNO money can buy votes. UMNO’s only weapon for the GE 13 is money, money and money. They have no qualms as to how they use money. They are judge, jury and prosecutor.
 
Post GE 12 has opened the thinking of all races and the unveiling of scandals after scandal of UMNO leaders has tremendous effect in the hearts and minds of Malaysians. UMNO is stuck to its same old game of money and fear. But Malaysians are more educated and want peaceful and prosperous multi racial Malaysia. Malaysians of all races are concerned with cost of living, quality of education, economic growth, compete with other countries, housing, public transportation and the rest. Unless UMNO changes, it will be changed. That seems to be the way forward. That’s the choice of voters in GE 13.For the first time UMNO is not in control but the people are. UMNO has lost the plot. It’s time to strike for a better Malaysia. Our destiny is in our hands.
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
 
2/4/2012   

Malaysians are increasing becoming indebted over the years. Generally the debt repayment of 30% (1/3) of household income is acceptable. The Malaysian household debt service ratio was 9.1% in 2006 and rose to 49.0% in 2009 but dropped slightly to 47.8% in 2010. This means that on average almost half (50%) of a household’s income goes to repaying debts.  Thus after paying off debt there is not much left to spend on food, transport, education, and for emergencies. Should any problem arise to the income earner or lose his job, the family will find it hard to make ends meet and loans may be defaulted. Malaysians have become very vulnerable to any slight changes to their income.
 
The ratio of household debt to disposable income is 140.4 % for Malaysia, one of the highest in the world; above that of Singapore at 105.3 %, USA at 123.3 % and Thailand at 52.7% in 2009. This means that the loans taken by each household in Malaysia is on average 1.4 times more than its household income. These figures indicate that Malaysian poor are at higher risk of not being able to service loan obligations. Increasingly more Malaysians are spending using borrowed funds. 34% of Malaysian workers earn below Rm720 which is below poverty level. Why have Malaysians become poorer despite the economic growth in the 80s and 90s and Malaysia being resource rich?
 
1.    Wages in Malaysia grew at the rate of 2.6% per annum for the past 10 years while inflation which is much higher even though the official average inflation rate is 2.77%. The household debt is rising yearly at the rate of 11.1% annually. Therefore, unless there is a rise in productivity, wages, and household incomes, this trend is not sustainable and can end up in a debt bubble like what happened in the U.S. 40% of Malaysian workforce are made of foreigners and their presence here depresses and stagnates wages of low income householders. Malaysia is one the few counties which do not have minimum wages.
 
2.    Malaysian government has privatized all essential service like toll highways, electricity, water, medical, postal service etc to UMNO cronies thus increasing the cost of service. Collapse of public transportation forced many to purchase cars which forced people take loans. Abandoned housing projects with developers going scot free made many indebted with loan to pay. No public housing policy for the poor. All policies are to enrich the developers and UMNO cronies.
 
3.    The BN government has hijacked the NEP to enrich the cronies and made the rich richer and poor poorer. Billions spent on failed projects like NFC, PKFZ, Tuna port Batu Maung and grants to built highways. Ttax payer’s money used to save cronies from bankruptcy which are all written off. It is said that during Mahathir’s era itself 100 billion of government money spent for cronies. RMI trillion take out of the country in the last 10 years. No investigation made public. Government spends taxpayer’s money without any accountability, transparency and due diligence. Billions and billions burnt without any effective results. Poor and weak Malaysians have to take care of themselves. Bribery and corruption increases cost of living.
 
4.    Government policies protect the rich employers and victimize the poor workers. Labor policies amended to remove workers rights and job security. The BN government is non consultative, biased against the poor and favors the rich. Unions were weakened and workers bargain power reduced. Racial segregation and cronyism deprived good workers opportunities and rewarded apple polishers.  Illegal migrant workers flooded the country competing with unskilled Malaysian workers. Earnings remain stagnant.
 
5.    Spending beyond their means by people was encouraged and banks made credit easy. People became poorer and banks and MNC/GLCs richer. Nation building and cultivation of positive habits by Malaysians was never the policy and priority of BN government. Bulk of government subsidies goes to Independent power producers, toll concessioners and cronies and not the poor.
 
As of 2011, the household debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 77.6 percent, according to Bank Negara Malaysia. That roughly translates into a household debt of RM662 billion. Malaysians need new thinking and better governance to save Malaysia and its people. It’s Time to change and make a difference for the present and future.
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
2/4/2012

After 55 years of rule, the BN government’s national debt is about to hit 55 percent of the GDP. Malaysia’s indebtedness has been increasing about 1% every year. But the deputy finance Minister Datuk Awang Adek Hussin still insists that our debt level is still manageable "It is not at a critical level at the moment. Our self imposed limit or threshold is 55 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)’, He added. The national debt level in 2007 was RM266 billion but increased to RM456 billion in 2011(53.8%). It is important to take note that the debt increased by leaps and bound after March 2008. With a population of 28 million, every Malaysian has to bear RM16000 of national debt. This is what the government can show after 55 years of uninterrupted continuous rule.
 
Beside If we were to take into account the debts guaranteed by the federal government, the total debt exposure of the federal government hit RM573 billion in 2011 (equivalent to 67 percent of the GDP). This is an alarming situation in view of the debt crisis in Europe and North America. How did the government land in this situation? Below are some of the scandals, unaccounted spending and corrupted practices of BN rule for 55 years that has brought the current national debts.
 
1.    Former Work Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu once said in the Parliament that the government has compensated a total of RM38.5 billion to 20 highway companies. RM1.3 billion have been wasted building the white elephant Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities on cancellation of the Malaysia-Singapore scenic bridge. After completing highway construction with taxpayer’s money the toll concessionaires collect toll from 30-60 years.   
 
2.    Former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that the Central Bank has lost RM30 billion in foreign exchange trading in the 1990s. Who was the manipulator behind it? (Second Finance Minister Nor mohamad yacub was in charge of Bank Negara’s Forex trading at that time)
 
3.    The Bank Bumiputra twin scandals in the early 1980s saw US$1 billion (RM3.2 billion in 2008 ringgit)
 
4.    The Maminco attempt to corner the world tin market in the 1980s is believed to have cost some US$500 million. (RM1.6 billion)
 
5.    Perwaja Steel resulted in losses of US$800 million (RM2.56 billion). Eric Chia, was charged with corruption for allegedly steering US$20 million (RM64 million) to a Hong Kong-based company
 
 
6.    Use of RM10 billion public funds in the Valuecap Sdn. Bhd. operation to shore up the stock market.
 
7.    Banking scandal of RM700 million losses in Bank Islam
 
8.    The sale of M.V. Agusta by Proton for one Euro making a loss of €75.99 million (RM 348 million)
 
9.    For the past 10 years since Philharmonic Orchestra was established, this orchestra has swallowed a total of RM500 million
 
10. The government has spent a total of RM3.2 billion in teaching Maths and Science in English over the past five years. Out of the amount, the government paid a whopping RM2.21 billion for the purchase of information and computer technology (ICT) equipments which it is unable to give a breakdown. The whole project was scrapped
 
11. The commission paid for purchase of jets and submarines to two private companies Perimeker Sdn Bhd and IMT Defence Sdn Bhd amounted to RM910 million.
 
12. RM 100 million on renovation of Parliament building and leaks
 
13. National Astronaut Programme – RM 40 million
 
14. National Service Training Programme – yearly an estimate of RM 500 million
 
15. Eye on Malaysia – RM 30 million and another RM5.7 million of free ticket
 
16. RM 4.63 billion, ’soft-loan’ to PKFZ
 
17. RM 2.4 million on indelible ink
 
18. RM32 million timber export kickbacks involving companies connected to Sarawak Chief Minister and his family.
   
  BAILOUTS
 
19. Two bailouts of Malaysia Airline System RM7.9 billion
 
20. Putra transport system, which cost RM4.486 billion
 
21. STAR-LRT bailout costing RM3.256 billion
 
22. National Sewerage System costing RM192.54 million
 
23. Seremban-Port Dickson Highway costing RM142 million
 
24. Kuching Prison costing RM135 million
 
25. Kajian Makanan dan Gunaan Orang Islam costing RM8.3 million.
 
26. Le Tour de Langkawi costing RM 3.5 Million
 
27. Wholesale distribution of tens of millions of shares in Bursa Malaysia under guise of NEP to cronies, children and relatives of BN leaders and Ministers worth billions of ringgits.
 
28. APs scandal had been going on year-after-year going back for more than three decades, involving a total mind-boggling sum of tens of billions of ringgits
 
29. Alienation of tens of thousands of hectares of commercial lands and forestry concessions to children and relatives of BN leaders and Ministers worth tens of billions of ringgits.
 
30. Travel around Malaysia and see for yourself how many white elephants like majestic arches, roads paved with fanciful bricks, designer lamp posts, clock towers, Municipal Council buildings that looks more like Istanas, extravagant places of worship, refurbishment of residences of VIPs, abandoned or under-utilised government sports complexes and buildings, etc! Combined they could easily amount to the hundreds of billions of ringgits!
 
31. Wastages and forward trading of Petronas oil in the 1990s based on the low price of oil then. Since the accounts of Petronas are for the eyes of Prime Minister only, we have absolutely no idea of the amount. Whatever amount, you bet it is COLLOSSAL!
 
There are many more scandals unexposed to the Malaysian general public. The UMNO BN government has not learnt any lessons and continues to spend as though they are born to rule this country. The recent 250 million sharizat NFC scam is another case where money was given just to spend the way sharizat and her family wants. No proper procedure and dateline to repay back?
 
Despite all these scandals and wastages, Indians in Malaysia are denied even basic rights. Therefore, is this the government that we want to leave behind for our children and grandchildren?  Register as voters and act now. it’s now or never.
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
27/3/2012

SRJK (T) Serdang a 50 year old fully aided school with 700 pupils is located near Putrajaya the administrative capital of Malaysia. PWD inspected the school in 2002 highlighting the leakage in the roof and the damaged wiring system. The school administration and PIBG sent several letters to the Selangor Education Department and Education Ministry seeking allocations for repairs. The appeal was ignored giving the standard reply of no more allocation. Then in February 2012 the ceiling in one of the classes collapsed and fortunately the fall was not sudden by which time the pupils in class were evacuated.
 
Even after the collapse, the Ministry of education couldn’t be bothered as to what happened. MIC deputy minister has to come and stand in for minister of education. Besides, there is no unit or department in ministry of education to handle the affairs of Tamil Schools. There is just one junior officer whose ranking is close to clerical level called organizer of Tamil Schools. He or she has no voice in the huge ministry of education. Tamil Schools are handled by MIC and not ministry of education. MIC which is the running dog of UMNO dare not open its mouth and ask anything that may irk UMNO. MIC leaders have no guts, wish and will to speak for Tamil Schools. The civil servants in ministry of education on the other hand are guided by National civics bureau (BTN) racial propaganda and the implementation and coordination Unit (ICU) of PMO’s bumiputra agenda. Tamil schools are outside the scope of their work. Where is the hope of improving Tamil schools? Penang and Selangor has banned BTN programs for their civil servants.
 
Each time the opposition MPs speak about Tamil schools, at least one UMNO MP will interject and question why Tamil and Chinese children want to study in Vernacular. UMNO MPs will say that we must all study under one roof to build national unity. Even after March 2008 election, UMNO backbenchers still sing the same rhyme.  Tamil Schools still exist because of the voting rights of Indians. A vote for UMNO is a vote against Tamil Schools and the Indian rights. Unfortunately vested interest of MIC leaders, blind their vision and they sacrifice the Indian rights and Tamil schools at UMNO’s altar. PM announces the building of Tamil Schools for political expediency not because the government cares about Tamil schools. Information on Tamils is given to PM by NGOs who care about Tamil language not by MIC or ministry of education.
 
PM announced that they have spent 440 million on Tamil schools between 2008 and 2012. PM must spell out how the money was spent if at all spent on Tamil schools. Why no allocation was made to the SRJK (T) Serdang? Only after the roof collapse, PM office decided to build new blocks in SRJK (T) Serdang. Who is following and implementing the announcements made by PM that 6 more new schools will be built. Definitely no one from ministry of education is listening what PM says. Eventually the building of Tamil schools will be passed to MIC who has no authority and allocation.  MIC should be honest enough to admit that Tamil schools are the unwanted orphans in ministry of education. PM office will only spend money to attract Indian votes. Unless Indians vote wisely, their fade will remain the same.
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
14/3/2012

MIC leaders keep repeating that Indian votes have gone back to Barisan because of the big turnout in MIC functions and by election results. Politics in Malaysia is no more static and not within UMNO’s control. Well when MIC provides meal, pocket money, hampers, entertainment and transport it is not surprising to get huge crowd. The way MIC leaders keep repeating this claim, it looks like they want to send a message to UMNO leaders that they are loyal and working for BN. This will keep them in the good books of UMNO which will reward MIC leaders with tokens and pittance. MIC leaders take pride in making such ludicrous claims. It is the same MIC that supported UMNO in eroding the Malaysian Indian’s basic rights. Their record for the past 55 years is nothing but betrayal, selling out and downright cheating the Indian community. Yet they can claim that Indians are returning back to BN. Indians all over the country don’t care a damn about MIC. Well the defacto president of MIC is Prime minister. He has his own personnel assistant to keep throwing goodies to Indian poor. MIC is just a front and eye wash to get Indian votes.
 
Prime minister came out with 1Malaysia campaign and gave them hope. After 3 years, Indians have realized that it’s an empty slogan of prime minister to deceive non Malays into voting for BN. Unfortunately a section of poor Indians who have very low financial stamina are vulnerable to vote buying. BN will always want Malaysian Indians to be poor so that they can buy their votes. MIC supported NEP abuses, UMNO robbing and plundering the wealth of this country. MIC supported the UMNO racist agendas like robbing of places in local universities, UMNO appointing racist in high places in government decision making bodies, Mahathir curtailing judicial independence and UMNO privatizing and robbing the money making government agencies. MIC has lost all moral right to represent the Indians.
 
Malaysian Indians have come a long way since 2008. They too have learnt like Kelantan voters. They will accept all goodies but not necessarily vote for BN. They have been deprived for many years what is rightfully theirs. So what’s wrong in accepting whatever given? In fact they should ask for more. But, whether they will vote for BN is a question mark. Voting is to determine the future government that will govern this country with fair and equal opportunities to all. The thinking among Indians now is for a change. Give opposition one or two terms. If they can’t govern, vote back for the other party. They are for two party systems. 55 years of marginalization and mismanagement of this country is enough. They want a political system that will safeguard their children and grandchildren. They regret for faithfully trusting MIC which ditch them and still trying to hoodwink that the Indians future is in UMNO’s hand. Many MIC leaders vote against BN rule too. It’s only those in position keep loyal to UMNO and continues to believe in BN lies for selfish resasons. For MIC leaders, what matters most is not fairness or equality but pleasing and keeping UMNO in good humor so that they will get favors and positions. 
 
Prime minister wants Indians to trust (nambikai) him. But he keeps those who betrayed that trust close to him and appoint them in high post. MIC leaders who plundered MAIKA holdings are still in high places and not in prison.  Corruption in police force will never allow Indians to come out of crime and gangs. MIC operates like an NGO organizing Ponggal and Deepavali functions and 1Malaysia dinner for Indians. So Mr. Palanivel, stop deceiving the poor Indians and support the new aspiration for 2 party systems of Malaysian Indians. Datuk keneth Eswaran who wants to create 50000 Indian entrepreneurs may show his great effort to secure Indian votes to Prime minister and his wife to get new business projects for himself. This is the type of BN Indian leaders they have. Indians are in the mood to change. It’s the only way forward.
 
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
 
8/3/2012

In Sept 2011 at the MIC AGM the party president Datuk G Palanivel made an announcement that 1000 matriculation seats will be offered to Indian students in private colleges and universities. When I raised this matter in senate the minister of higher education replied that there is no matriculation program in private colleges. My other two questions were:
1.     Are this matriculation programs recognized by MQ&A; and
2.     Why are these programs announced in political forums as a goody to attract votes and not provided as a right of Malaysian student
 
Both the questions did not get any response in the written answer sheet.  The prime minister, in his speech at the Ponggal Festival celebration in Kapar, Klang on 26/2/2012, said the number of Indian students in matriculation colleges in the country would be increased from 559 currently, to 1,500 in the 2012/2013 session. MIC was elated and singing praises for the Prime minister. 
 
From these announcements it is clear that offers to higher education centers to Indian youths are used as political bargaining chips in exchange for votes. This is in line with prime minister’s policy of ‘you help me I help you’. The more desperate the BN government is for Indian votes the more seats can be bargained. Therefore it is very important that Indian community or for that matter any minority community must stay relevant to the political development of Malaysia. Go for a political change to start new politics which is inclusive of us.
 
Building of Tamil schools are also announced in similar functions. There is no unit in the ministry of education that plans and implements any development or improvement for Tamil and Chinese schools. The information on the need for more new schools or relocation of existing schools is provided by NGOs who are concerned about mother tongue education. The ministry is only concerned about national type schools. Tamil schools are the unwanted orphans of ministry of education. The prime minister can announce the building of new schools but which units in the ministry of education that will ensure the schools are built. Eventually MIC and MCA will be given the responsibility to coordinate with various ministries to built or repair the schools. This is how the politically irrelevant MIC makes Tamil school subservient and docile. In the UMNO dominated and controlled ministry of education Tamil school have no representative to turn to. There will be one coordinator for Tamil schools in each state but this person is a junior ranking staff equivalent to a clerk who will subdued and will never raise any matter. This is how UMNO controls vernacular schools.
 
Prime Minister can make announcements in political platforms championing Tamil schools for political mileage. But nothing will be done by ministry of education. Tamil and Chinese schools survive because of the political pressure and voluntary work provided by NGOs. Tamil schools are here to stay and nobody can remove that. But Tamil schools must be more vocal, progressive and open minded to produce students who will do well in secondary schools. Therefore the greatest service Malaysian Indians can do to Tamil school is to throw out the BN government and get the new government to include Tamil schools in the mainstream education system. 
 
Senator S. Ramakrishnan
28/2/2012