Turtle's view on NEM

Three short comments on PM's speech:-

1) Declaration of intent is quite clear : (1) High income nation (2) Sustainability (3) inclusiveness

2) Articulating of what we want is also quite clear : (1) Market based (2) Merit based (3) Transparent (4) Needs based

3)"Government knows best" is over. Well said!

After browsing through some blogs, the constant area being attacked is credibility -

Can the government walks the talks?

Can the government continue to plug the leakages?

Where are RM52 billion Bumi shares, asks Guan Eng

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal | The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng wants the government to investigate why RM52 billion worth of shares in public listed companies allocated for Bumiputeras under affirmative action policies were no longer in their hands.

He told reporters in Parliament today that the fact that the shares were no longer in the hands of Bumiputeras was an act of betrayal.

The Penang Chief Minister suggested a Royal Commission be set up to investigate such leakages.

He said that out of RM54 billion in shares allocated for Bumiputeras, only RM2 billion were still in their hands.

“According to a Bernama report, the Prime Minister had been quoted as saying that of the RM54 billion in shares allocated, only RM2 billion worth of shares were left in the hands of Bumiputeras,” said Lim.

“There is a leakage of RM52 billion which is not in the hands of the Bumiputeras. This is a betrayal. The government has to arrest and take action against the people who have hijacked the money,” he added.

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2010/03/29/where-are-rm52-billion-bumi-shares-asks-guan-eng/#more-7823

Lim Kit Siang argued that the lack of political will to translate these ideals into actions will be an issue

Unless there is a political will to admit that the chief cause why Malaysia has become internationally uncompetitive, plagued by multiple problems such as brain drain, galloping corruption, falling FDIs and crisis of confidence in key national institutions as compared to neighbouring countries is the NEP – its abuses and in particular its perpetuation after 1990 – nobody believes that the Najib administration has the political will to craft and implement a New Economic Model fundamentally different from the NEP.

http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2010/03/30/najib%E2%80%99s-nem-has-not-been-able-to-come-out-of-the-long-shadow-cast-by-the-perkasa-inaugural-congress-which-was-attended-by-several-umno-deputy-ministers/#more-7828

The government countered critics by demonstrating their commitments by:-

1) Listing two units of sizeable subsidiaries of Petronas, Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad, CTRM Aero Composites Sdn Bhd, Nine Bio Sdn Bhd and Innobio Sdn Bhd.

2) Corporatize MIDA

3) Khazanah Nasional Bhd will divest its 32% controlling stake in Pos Malaysia Bhd

4)several parcels of land in Jalan Stonor, Jalan Ampang and Jalan Lidcol in Kuala Lumpur have been identified to be tendered out for development by the private sector

These actions are a bit more on the "hard or materialistics" side but not on the "soft or intellectual" side. If we look at numbers of PhDs in South Korea and Taiwan or India and China, you will understand why they are widening the gap of technology leadership.



It's a shame, in contrast, if we read this:-

PUTRAJAYA, March 17 2009 (Bernama) -- The Higher Education Ministry has received 16 applications to pursue doctorate degree under a special scheme announced in the second stimulus package last week.

Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said no applications received for the master's degree so far.

There was no closing date for the programme but candidates would have to fulfill the stipulated criteria before their applications could be considered, he added.

"The programme will go on until the number is filled. I believe the number is sufficient," he told reporters after tabling the progress report of the Second National Higher Education Strategic Plan here today.

Under the stimulus package tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the government would provide a fund of RM20,000 each to students pursuing doctorate degree and RM10,000 for the master's degree.

Some 500 places would be provided for the doctorate degree and 10,000 for the master's degree.

Khaled urged students to take advantage of the programme.

He also hoped that more students would apply for scholarships to become academic staff in universities.

There would also be new programmes to be implemented within the next six months to strengthen teaching and learning in universities and polytechnics under the strategic plan, he said.

He said the ministry would also submit the tentative structure of the soon-to-be set up Malaysian Research Institute, which is aimed at assisting all centres of excellence to carry out research and development.

-- BERNAMA

Only 16 people apply but we have 500 slots available? Malaysia boleh!?!

Change has to be driven from inside out and not vice versa. While I'm still giving them a benefit of doubt, they had better hurry up.