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Statistics of Penang civil service employment

November 14th, 2008
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The Star had a mild version:

The Penang government will ensure all races have the same rights and opportunities to join the public sector and that the recruitment of state employees is not dominated by a particular race.

Deputy Chief Minister II P.Ramasamy said that as of Sept 30, 7,092 people worked for the state government, its statutory bodies and local authorities and, of the total, 81.95 percent were Malays, 12.92 percent Chinese, 5.05 percent Indian and 0.08 percent other races.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN-Penaga) said that to be fair, the state government should also ensure the Malays were given the same opportunities to join the private sector which was dominated by other races

But Malaysiakini provided the explosive parts (excerpts below):

The fireworks started when Deputy Chief Minister (II) Dr P Ramasamy accused the Umno-controlled Public Service Department (PSD) of ‘tearing up’ job application forms submitted by non-Malays.

According to the former UKM lecturer, this was among the tactics employed by the Umno-dominated government to stop non-Malays from joining the public service and to ensure that the government sector is controlled by one community.

“It’s a lie that non-Malays lack interest in joining the government sector. The truth is they were denied the chance to join,” he said in response to a written question.

“There are instances when government officers have torn application forms of non-Malays,” he added, drawing flak from the opposition.

However, the deputy chief minister insisted that his argument was based on facts unearthed during his own research on the lack of non-Malay participation in the public service.

According to statistics disclosed by Ramasamy, the public service sector in Penang has a total of 7,092 employees, with 5,812 Malays (81.95%), 916 Indians (12.92%) and 358 Chinese (5.05%).

The state public administration has 2,886 Malays (92.16%), 165 Indians (5.27%) and 79 Chinese (2.52%).

Statutory bodies have 191 Malays (71.54%), 46 Chinese (17.22%) and 30 Indians (11.24%), while local municipalities have 2,735 Malays (74.1%), 721 Indians (19.5%) and 233 Chinese (6.3%).

Later, Ramasamy explained to the House that the state government would conduct a study to implement a new policy to rectify the ethnic and gender imbalanaces in public employment based on meritocracy.

To a question by Umno’s Azhar Ibrahim (Penaga) on whether a similar plan would be extended to the private sector, Ramasamy assured the state government’s commitment to wipe out racial and gender discrimination in all sectors.

When Azhar demanded for the state government to unveil its plan in the next assembly sitting, Ramasamy hit back that the opposition was not qualified to give a time frame for the new Pakatan government to resolve an issue.

Hmmm..quite an arguement!

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Perak EXCO doesn’t know MIDA!

November 13th, 2008
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I nearly fell of my chair when I read the following:

State Industry Development and Information Committee chairman Tai Sing Ng (PKR-Kuala Sepetang) bore the brunt of it when he was ticked off by Datuk Ramly Zahari (BN-Manong) for not knowing what was Mida (Malaysian Industrial Develop­ment Authority) as it was under Tai’s portfolio.

Ramly asked a supplementary question on whether all foreign direct investments (FDI) into Perak was approved by Mida.

Seeing Tai’s puzzled look, Ramly asked Tai whether he knew what Mida was.

When Tai said he did not know, Ramly said: “Don’t know? Sorry.”

How in the world can an EXCO don’t know what is MIDA? Students learn in school itself. Worse still, this guy is the EXCO in charge of Industry Development in Perak. Like this means can close shop soon!

I label this under Crime!

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30 percent Bumiputra ruling relaxed

November 13th, 2008
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A bit of good news in that the ruling of needing to have 30 percent equity for those planning to list in Bursa Malaysia has been relaxed. The company must show proof that the allocation was not fully subscribed after two levels of offering exclusive to bumiputras. After that, it can be opened to general public (which of course include the bumiputras as well).

Companies seeking listing on Bursa Malaysia can now open their shares to the public if all efforts to get the 30% bumiputra equity participation fails.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said while the 30% bumiputra equity participation policy was being maintained, the shares could be offered to the public through the initial public offering (IPO) balloting process, should they not be fully subscribed.

“There is a change in the way it (the policy) is being implemented,” he told reporters after a briefing by the Securities Commission (SC) here yesterday.

“This is part of our efforts to make our capital markets more competitive.”

He said there would now be two tiers for bumiputras to acquire their 30% equity.

The first tier was through International Trade and Industry Ministry-approved bumiputra institutions and the second would be the bumiputra public.

If the 30% equity was still not taken up, it would be opened to others.

“In the event the allocation is not fully subscribed by the bumi public as well, then the company concerned would be deemed to have fulfilled the 30% bumiputra NDP (National Development Policy) requirement,” he said.

“So this takes out the element of uncertainty.”

When asked if this would jeopardise the bumiputra equity in the long run, Najib replied:

“I don’t think so. Actually, this will allow bumi individuals to participate as well.”

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Penang Tennis tragedy

November 13th, 2008
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I still can’t believe that they allowed a field at historical site to be tarred and turned into temporary tennis court. Since Arianna Teoh’s company couldn’t fork out the money (as claimed by the foreign company), the star tennis players won’t be coming it seems. So, now the company is facing loss of millions AND expected to restore the field. A bailout in the happening?

Worse still, the bank guarantee of RM2 million was waived and rental fee of RM200k was not paid to MPPP.

Endorse also, use common sense a bit la! Cannot be naive like this!

The seats are up, the court is ready, but with the Kings of Tennis event, scheduled to be held at Esplanade here scrapped, organisers are looking at massive losses estimated at RM17.5mil (US$5mil).

The grass on the field near the historical Fort Cornwallis was dug up and the surface tarred before the tennis court was laid. Now, the organisers have to return the field to its original condition.

The three-day tournament was scheduled to start tomorrow and feature former world number one players like Pete Sampras, Mats Wilander, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.

However, the Swedish-based producers decided not to send the players to Penang after the local organisers allegedly failed to pay the promised funds.

Yesterday, the makeshift ticketing booth outside the Penang City Hall building remained closed while construction work had stopped.

State Tourism Development, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Danny Law Heng Kiang expressed regret that the event had been cancelled.

“Tournament organising chairman Arianna Teoh called me on Tuesday night and insisted that the event would go on. But I am resigned to the fact that the international players will not be coming to Penang.

“The state government should not be held responsible for the cancellation as we only endorsed the huge project, and were not partners in organising it. The initiative was taken by a private organisation, with the state authorities only helping them get the venue,” said Law.

He revealed that the state had waived the RM2mil bank guarantee needed for the organisers to set up the structures at the Esplanade Heritage Site. A check with the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) office also revealed that the RM200,000 rental for the usage of the Esplanade field has not been paid.

Law said the council would get tough on the organisers if they failed to keep their agreement to restore the venue to its original condition after the structures are brought down.

“Even with the cancellation, the organisers are responsible for the restoration of the field. If they don’t comply, action will be taken against them.

“The Kings of Tennis event is a good lesson for the Penang government to be more careful and we will not simply endorse future projects in the state,” added Law.

Meanwhile, Gerakan Youth Tanjung Division chief H’ng Khoon Leng, who visited the venue, hit out at the state government for not checking the organisers’ background before endorsing the project.

“It is a big embarrassment. I am also shocked that the MPPP allowed the organisers to destroy the field at the heritage site to put up the venue,” said H’ng.

Teoh, a former Miss Malaysia, could not be reached for comment.

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Anyone can be PM says Mahathir

November 12th, 2008
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Well, we have to agree that anyone can be a PM because Mahathir himself is a living proof. In fact, I have mentioned that all our PMs are of mixed ancestry. None of them are actually pure Malay (if got such a thing).

But he is smart enough to highlight that the person must command the majority of the house (Dewan Rakyat). In current scenario, its only UMNO because they conquered most of the seats. So, in order to change the PM, another party must take over. For sure MIC, MCA, etc. are out of the question. In fact any other BN coalition member cannot be considered because among them, UMNO stands in most seats. So, that leaves us with the opposition coalition – which because it consists of only 3 parties – are quiet evenly represented. Thus any leader from PKR, DAP or PAS can be Prime Minister if they win the next elections or manage to command majority support from current MPs.

Thus it is clear that under BN, a non-Muslim can never be a PM unless UMNO changes its membership rule.

Under PR, PAS has firmly said that it would only support a Muslim Malay for PM post if the PR takes over the government. Thus, its very difficult for PKR and DAP to go for it by themselves and take over the government.

So, when can we see a change? When the rakyat can accept the idea. We cannot depend on politicians because once they sense the rakyat are changing, these politicians will do anything and everything to cling on to their powers.

It does not matter if the Prime Minister is Malay or non-Malay, as long as he enjoys the trust of all Malaysians.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said there was no
specification in the country that a Prime Minister must be a Malay.

“But when you talk about having a non-Malay as a PM, you are being
racist yourself because you shouldn’t ask the question if one is Malay
or non-Malay.

“If he is acceptable to all Malaysians, yes, he
can become PM. The specification is that he must be the leader of a
majority party and if he can be such a leader of that majority party.
Don’t ask if he is Malay, Chinese or Indians,” he told reporters after
delivering a keynote address on “Bangsa Malaysia” at the Perdana
Leadership Foundation on Wednesday.

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