马华328特大 重选成绩

今天的马华，四不象。

NEM or NEP?

Najib unveiled the New Economy Policy Model this morning yet the impact towards Malaysia's financial market is minimal, up only 0.01% to 1319.35. With all the hooha prior to the announcement, I can't help but wonder why is the market not taking it more positively? I spent 15 minutes to go through the PM's keynote.

Very ambitious goal, I would say. Or maybe it's just a wishlist, to double the dollars per capita annual income to USD15,000 within 10 years, albeit it is not entirely impossible as Singapore had achieved this in the 90s. The question is HOW are we going to make this a reality? Just by privatising a few GLCs and gazetting a few parcel of lands for development? Come on!

However, one thing is sure to stay. There will still be two groups under the 1Malaysia umbrella, the Bumiputera and non Bumiputera, as mentioned repetitively in the keynotes.

"For instance, one important consideration will be developing a competitive and transparent tender process, with set and clear rules for the whole Bumiputera community, made of both Malay and other indigenous groups. This is set out as a common-sense enhancement of our policies for a new economic reality and where Inclusiveness is a key component in our new economic model. In practice, this approach will mean greater support for the Bumiputera, a greater support based on needs, not race. The Bumiputera segment still forms the majority in the vulnerable groups by any measure, and while our new approach will help those on low-incomes from any group, it will still largely benefit the Bumiputera community and at same time provide for the disadvantaged of other communities."

"The NEAC report sets out its view that the previous mechanism that concentrated on target setting should now focus on structured and dedicated capacity building investment that allows the Bumiputera to take advantage of new opportunities in the economy. In addition, fair access and opportunities to retraining, upgrading of skills and ability to gain employment will also be emphasized for all Malaysians."

"...transparent process will be implemented to ensure that potential private sector bidders meet a minimum set of criteria, including financial standing, track record in business expansion and management excellence, and that their proposals help grow the Bumiputera and 1Malaysia causes."

NEM replacing NEP. Same script, different title.

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!)

Check Out What Uncle Bill Is Up To

http://www.thegatesnotes.com/

Why I think Iskandar Malaysia Tak Boleh

Here, you will listen to how the (3rd) CEO of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Ismail Ibrahim is grilled on The Breakfast Grille (BFM 89.9). ~lol~



Iskandar Malaysia has obtained RM56bil investment since 2006 to date, which has exceeded the targeted RM46bil. The way I hear it, there are 10 reasons that the Iskandar project will end up like our mega projects in KL like Cyberjaya.

1. Lack of focus and the IRDA is branding on nothing. It has no plan.
2. We are merely copying what Singapore has been doing with all those creative industries mentioned (IT, entertainment, filming, animation) and we have no edge against Singapore. Medical tourism? How can you succeed when your MPs, Ministers and Sultans go to Singapore for medical treatment? My point is with Singapore in the vicinity, it's checkmate for Iskandar Malaysia.
3. Infrastructure wise, we are not ready. Broadband bandwidth of only 1Mbps, how to support those creative industries?
4. Manpower wise, we are only starting to develop now? And for my friends who had proudly graduated from the local universities and colleges (including me), you know how much we weight. You've been there, you know what kind of graduates our higher education institutions are capable of producing.
5. Cybercity in Kulai? Look at Cyberjaya, no Mc Donalds? Pffft. History in the making.
6. Create higher income society? Just crossover the Causeway lar.
7. Khazanah-linked FDIs - Come, I am paying you guys to f*ck me!
8. Downstream manufacturing -> upstream manufacturing -> manufacturing intensive to service sector intensive. Our neighbour used 30-50 years to make the shift, what makes you think we can do it within 10 years? Some more with so many competent competitors in the region.
9. Friendster coming in, yey! But, do you still use friendster these days?
10. Our dear Ismail Ibrahim himself has so much doubts that he uses "perhaps" and "hope" so many times in his response. It's like saying, "Insya Allah, maybe one day perhaps hopefully Iskandar Malaysia will make it." And if you listen carefully, he keeps beating around the bush without convincing facts and figures.
    
    

More merry-go-rounds here:

Down and Out of Luck

I believe most people have played Loose Deuces or Chinese Poker before, in mandarin we called it "锄大地" or "大老二". It's a strategy card game which requires utmost wits, patience and sometimes, deception. And of course, you will need some luck as well - because whether you are able to win the game largely also depends on the card combination you get each round. As the adage goes, "No morning sun lasts a whole day", one will not get royal flush, full house or three of a kind all the time. What happens when you get a handful of lousy cards?

Continue to play lusterlessly? Or simply throw in the cards and pass the round?

I remembered Andy Lau said in one of his gambling movies, "One should never give up no matter how bad your tiles variation (mahjong) is." One can continue to play whole-heartedly (with perseverance) and still enjoy the game. In the end, if you happen to win the round, congrats! If you lose the round, laugh off with a big heart. There is always the next round.

It is the same in life, it will not be a smooth sailing journey. You may be down and out of luck during certain stages of life. You may be at odds with your best friends, you may not get to enroll into the ivy leagues that you preferred, you don't get along with your bosses, you are retrenched during the recent financial crisis, you may be on the brink of bankruptcy and worst, because your first child is coming along...Life seems meaningless and could progress no more.

Hang on!

This is as if you have a lousy hand right now. Maybe something good will come along the way, maybe you will get the tiles you need to win later on. Who knows? And even if you can't win this round, try your best not to be cleaned out as the saying goes, "where there is life, there is hope". And when the worst happens, there is still the next round!

So when shit happens, like in your work or relationships, you can blame heaven and earth, and relinquish to fate. Doth lurk and plain. Or you can take this opportunity, lick your wounds, prepare yourself for the next opportunity to come.

My mentor once told me that we should maximize our experience in whatever we do.

Even if your supervisor is a dork and does not appreciate your talent now, don't revolt (if your boss can't take it when you feedback in a tactful manner) or harp on a discordant tune or be de-motivated. It's like passing the winter in a torpid state. You don't fight winter heads on. Instead, maximize your learning, lie low and wait to grab the next opportunity on the way.

My mentor actually practices what he preaches and is happy like a bird these days:p

Then again, if (you anticipate) all effort is futile, you may want to shuffle the deck (tiles) and start all over again (elsewhere).

大学学费没必要上涨

摘自联合早报：

据新闻报道，三所公立大学，新加坡国立大学、南洋理工大学和新加坡管理大学一起宣布调高今年入学新生的学费。

　　新加坡国立大学今年入学的学生学费将调涨4%至10%。据国大网站说明，去年入学学生延迟一年的学费调涨措施将在今年开始推行。这意味着对许多学生而言，真正的调涨不止是4%至10%，而是8%至21%。

　　去年法律和药剂系外的学费是6360元，法律和药剂系则是7340元。调涨过后，法律和药剂系外的学费将是6890元，而法律和药剂系将会是8890元。

　　尽管涨幅和实际上涨数额都并非很巨大，但这次上涨是否有必要值得质疑。根据国大年度报告（截至2009年3月），国大的赤字为5.89亿元，累积的盈余(accumulated surplus)则是16亿元。在2008年里，国大盈余多达1.83亿元，但投资竟然亏损6.77亿元。我们由此推论，这表示，国大庞大的赤字是因巨大的投资亏损导致。

　　自2009年3月以来，全球股市（以MSCI世界指数为指标）都涨多跌少，至今已回升将近75%。既然如此，累积了16亿元盈余的国大，在投资亏损方面的账面亏损也已大为缩减，真的有必要调高（8%-21%）新生的学费吗？

　　我国刚刚从严重的经济衰退中复苏，还有6万余名失业的国人。再者，实质工资也在2009年下降了3.2％。难道不应该谨慎考虑在短期内提高学费吗？最近我们不也调高了服务和管理费（service and conservancy charges）、理工学院及工艺教育学院的学费吗？

　　国大拥有15.6亿元的“捐赠基金”（Endowment Fund)，大学只用这个基金来投资，而上述的投资盈余是不用来投资的。难道国大竟在一年内损失了大约43%（6.77亿元亏损除于15.6亿元）？但即使如此，就如上述，这些账面亏损可能已缩减至约四分之一。据我们调查，2008年里，国大的投资亏损也仅为640万元。

　　我们也用上述数据和南大的基金做个比较，根据南大2009年同期的年度报告，南大赤字为1.3亿元，累积盈余有15亿元，投资亏损有2.76亿元。同理，也不见得有调高学费的必要。

纳吉的新经济模式和李光耀的政绩

在他的回忆录《李光耀回忆录》（1965-2000）一书中，新加坡内阁资政,前总理李光耀写道：“正当世界经历非常大的政治和经济变化的时候，我们的人均国内生产总值已从1959年（我就任总理时）的400美元，增加到1991年（我卸任时）超过1万2200美元。1999年则是2万2000美元。”

　　以购买力平价（Purchasing Power Parity）来衡量，新加坡在2009年的国内生产总值是3万7597美元（世界银行数据）。相比之下，马来西亚根据同样来源的人均GDP在同年是7221美元。

　　马来西亚有许多自以为可以媲美萨缪尔森（Paul A Samuelson）或傅利曼（Milton Friedman）的经济学家、像马哈迪和巴达威等以为自己比美国前国务卿基辛格有过之而无不及的政治人物、和被巫统-国阵形容为特别能干的财政部长。然而，马来西亚按购买力平价计算的人均GDP增长，还是像乌龟爬行的速度一样慢。

　　马来西亚的经济表现，不仅同全球平均9054美元的人均GDP相形失色，而且几乎只是新加坡在20年前，即1990所取得的水平的不到一半。

　　马哈迪在出任首相和作为马来西亚的经济奇才10年后，于1990年大谈“这个和那个经济模式”。

　　的确，马哈迪时代目睹了巫统-国阵领导的政府在建造具代表性基建的狂热。如果可以的话，马来西亚要拥有“最高”、“最大”，“最长”和其他“最……”的基础建设。

　　在这段期间，新加坡也在积极进行标志性的基建项目。但马来西亚大事兴建基础设施的作法和理念同邻国有相似的地方吗？ 贫穷依然存在：新加坡建设基础设施的目的是促进经济发展。她的领导人没有要建立“最高”、“最大”、“最长”和其他“最...”的基建来让世界注目的野心。新加坡一向强调的是争取全球最好的表现、经济增长、GDP、生活水平和人均国民收入。

　　新加坡可能有兴建一些用来炫耀的建筑物，比如亨德申波浪桥（可能是世上最高的行人天桥）和新加坡人称为“榴连”的滨海艺术中心，但这是因为政府已经让人民的收入有了稳固的基础。

　　逻辑很简单：如果社会上大多数人的生活依然贫困，拥有世界上最高的建筑物、第三长的桥和其他所有的“最...”的基建又有什么意义呢？

　　这也就是说，巫统—国阵政府在经济上轻重不分。这正是我们同新加坡不同的地方。
　　回顾新加坡所取得的成功，李光耀说：“从物质方面来看，我们已远离第三世界所面对的贫困问题。然而我们还需要多一代人的时间，艺术、文化与社会行为水平才能同我们所发展的世界级基础设施相称。”

　　同人民行动党领导人比较，巫统-国阵领导人明显的是背道而驰。巫统-国阵领导人强调形式，新加坡领导人注重的却是实质。新加坡领导人先建立坚固的基础和外墙，巫统—国阵领导人却迫不及待先兴建顶盖（体育场和学校的屋顶倒塌也就不足为奇了）。

　　作为新首相，更重要的是作为新财政部长，纳吉可能突然领悟，即使他的政府兴建了高达火星的摩天楼，只要人民的收入增长非常缓慢，政府也不能得到人民的支持（尤其是在当前的政治情况下）。

　　政治奇迹：作为第13届全国大选的策略，纳吉推出了将同“第10个大马计划”合并及即将实行的新经济模式。然而，计划却突然难产，原因据说是因为需要进一步修订。

　　据纳吉说：“新经济模式可以让我们不是渐进而是大幅度地取得更高水平的生产力。一旦达到目标，我们就可以支付工人较高的薪金。”

　　我不知道新经济模式是否同愿景2020、现代回教和其他同时期提出的概念类似，但根据以往的经验，看来应该是如此。新经济模式的目标之一，是废除马来人的津贴和扶持他们的政策。这让一个自称马来咨询委员会的新组织找到了抗议的理由。委员会认为马来人必须得到协助（似乎其他种族都是富裕的）。

　　纳吉若延迟推行新经济模式，就意味着他仍然受到巫统马来人政治的困扰。那么，新经济政策只是让人们看清楚巫统-国阵急着要恢复马来人和其他种族信心的政治花招。

　　纳吉的用心可能是好的，但他有没有足够的智慧、能力和领袖魅力，来创造政治奇迹和在一夜之间提升人们的收入？新加坡可是用了半个世纪的时间才达到这个目标的。（从纳吉当国防部长时的表现我们就可以略知一二了）。

　　纳吉有没有李光耀至少一半的能力来改善人们的收入？

　　基辛格在回忆录的读后感中写道：“每一项伟大的成就在实现以前都是个梦想，他（李光耀）的梦想是建立一个国家，不只求生存，更要出类拔萃，成就过人。他要以超凡的智慧、纪律和创意，替代天然资源。”

　　巫统—国阵领导人可能有梦想，但他们在多方面的不足却让他们的大计划沦为空谈，无法付诸行动。

原载马来西亚回教党党报《哈拉卡》（Harakah）。

Can't wait to see it

How time flies...It's already been a year. Heads up, we are getting the keys in April:) Keeping my fingers crossed that the Dispersal Link would soon be up and running.

And, a few more gray strands will grow on my head now.