TR EMERITUS

By G Manimaran from The Malaysian Insider Umno must remain decisive for the coming general elections as its allies in Barisan Nasional are still weak two years after the unprecedented losses in Election 2008, Datuk Seri Najib Razak advised his party colleagues over the weekend. It is understood that the Umno president told divisional leaders at a retreat that they cannot completely rely on the component parties to face the 13th General Election on their own including the decision on candidates to be fielded. “Datuk Seri Najib said Umno cannot completely allow the component parties to decide on everything as they have internal problems and are not that strong,” said a divisional leader who attended the Umno retreat in Janda Baik on Friday and Saturday. The prime minister, who is BM chairman, briefed all divisional leaders in the two-day retreat after listening to report cards and future strategies tabled by state leaders. The leaders also listened to briefings from guests including Senator Tamura Kotaro, who is from the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan that lost in 2007 and 2009 after staying power since World War 2. The Malaysian Insider understands that Najib explained the difficulty for BN to select its candidate for last week’s Hulu Selangor by-election due to objections from various quarters within and without the coalition. In his speech, the BN chairman gave reasons behind the coalition leadership rejecting four-term MP Datuk G. Palanivel’s candidacy despite a strong endorsement from MIC president Datuk Seri G. Samy Vellu. This lead to a compromise candidate, MIC information chief P. Kamalanathan, being named the BN Hulu Selangor candidate two days before nomination day after Samy Vellu and MIC gave their nod following protracted negotiations with Umno. Kamalanathan won the seat with a 1,725 majority, reversing the 198-vote loss by Palanivel in Election 2008. “Datuk Seri Najib said he took that course based on the needs of the grassroots although the party president (MIC) had the right to name anyone he wanted. “Because he had to think of BN’s future, the Prime Minister said he had to make the decision (although it was unpopular with some) ,” the divisional leader told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity. This is the first time that Najib as prime minister and BN chief had to reject a proposal by a component party leader especially MIC. Although the prime minister, who took office in April 2009, had gone against MIC’s wishes last October when he graced the inaugural congress by the Makkal Sakti Party. Apart from MIC, the other BN component parties that lost badly in Election 2008 are MCA and Gerakan, which appear to be still recovering from the electoral debacle. MCA just had its second party election in as many years to overcome a festering year-long leadership crisis while Samy Vellu is still dithering on his decision to leave the MIC presidency after being there for more than 30 years. MIC suffered the most in Election 2008, only winning only three out of the nine parliamentary seats it contested. Samy Vellu, who had lost the Sungai Siput seat in Election 2008 and has been facing calls to quit his party post, promised voters in last week’s Hulu Selangor by-election that he will resign in 14 months time. It is understood that Najib said he will have to make changes to the coalition, founded by his father Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in 1974 in the aftermath of the May 13 riots. “Datuk Seri Najib said if they cannot make the changes, we have to do it ... ,” the divisional leader told The Malaysian Insider when referring to the question of seat allocation and candidates named by component parties. Najib also asked Umno leaders to ensure programmes are carried out to widen support for the coalition that has ruled the country since Merdeka in 1957 when it was known as the Alliance. “The president wants Umno to identify appropriate programmes and activities to increase support in the coming general elections,” the divisional leader added. - The Malaysian Insider  Read More →

During a speech made at a May Day Rally on Saturday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong claimed that "more than 100,000" new jobs will be created if the Singapore economy grows by 7 to 9 percent this year. It is not known if the majority of these so-called new jobs will go to Singapore citizens or foreigners including PRs. PM Lee was quick to add that a "higher inflow" of foreign workers is "inevitable" and "some proportion" of the new jobs will go to foreign workers on employment or work passes. "I hope Singaporeans will understand this: If we want the buoyancy and bonuses which go with high growth, then we must accept a temporary inflow of foreign workers," he was quoted as saying in the Straits Times. That's hardly good news for Singaporeans who have to face stiff competition for limited jobs with cheaper foreign workers who are often willing to work for long hours under harsh conditions. In other countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, foreigners are strictly employed only in sectors where there is a dearth of local workers. In addition, all prospective foreign workers have to pass a compulsory basic English proficiency test IELTS before they can even find work there. There are no such restrictions in Singapore whose ultra-liberal immigration and labor policies make it a magnet for foreigners seeking a better life elsewhere. There is even a EPEC scheme which enables graduates from selected foreign universities a year to find jobs in Singapore. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the relentless influx of foreigners has depressed the wages of ordinary Singaporeans, increased the cost of living, decreased labor productivity and led to an overall decline in the standards of living. A certain percentage of the PAP ministers' multi-million dollar salary package is pegged to GDP growth - the higher the growth figures, the more money they bring home. GDP growth can be artificially inflated by importing large number of cheap foreign workers to bring labor costs down, thereby increasing the output in the process. Prime Minister Lee earns over $3 million dollars a year, or more than 5 times the annual salary of U.S. President Barack Obama. He is expected to get a hefty 8.8 percent pay rise this year on the back of the improving economy.   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us  Read More →

In a sign that the next general election is looming near, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced today during his May Day Rally that the employers' CPF contribution will be increased by one percent to "sweeten" the ground. The increase will occur in two stages - 0.5 percent in September this year into the Medisave Account and 0.5 percent in the Special Account next year March. The paltry increase is of scant consolation to Singaporeans whose wages are lagging behind that of inflation, especially that of public housing. As most Singaporeans use their CPF ordinary account to finance their HDB flats, the 1 percent increase in the Medisave and Special accounts will be of little use in assisting them in paying the housing loans. PM Lee claimed that CPF is "fundamental" to Singapore's system of social safety nets since it gives each Singaporean a saving accounts to meet the housing, medical and retirement needs for himself and his family. "With wages rising, we should take the chance to raise CPF contribution," he was quoted as saying in the Straits Times. With the bulk of Singaporeans' CPF tied up in their housing loans, many have few savings left to support themselves financially during their twilight years. Though Singapore has one of the highest GDP per capita income in the world, its citizens enjoy few social welfare benefits from the PAP government. Singaporeans are constantly exhorted by PAP leaders to work for as long as possible while remaining "cheaper, faster and better" at the same time to compete directly with the hordes of cheap foreign workers brought in by the PAP. The meager increase in the employers' CPF contributions are unlikely to improve the lives of ordinary Singaporeans in the long run. Not many Singaporean has that much money in their CPF account like PAP minister Lim Swee Say who once boasted that he "feels very rich" whenever he checks his CPF account.   Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →