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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

aman

THE KING AND THE CHIEF SERVANT

Fenomena yang sedang melanda Malaysia ni dipanggil "government formation deadlock". 

"Deadlock" ni boleh berpunca daripada samada (1) "hung parliament" iaitu keadaan selepas PRU di mana tiada parti mempunyai majoriti yang cukup untuk membentuk ("form") kerajaan dan pada masa yang sama tak nak bergabung, atau (2) "coalition breakdown" iaitu gabungan parti-parti yang telah membentuk kerajaan mengalami perpecahan dan parti-parti dalam proses perundingan semula untuk "re-form" kerajaan balik. 

Keadaan pertama macam Israel sepanjang tahun lepas. Walaupun 2 kali PRU diadakan, kerajaan Israel masih tak dapat dibentuk sebab kedua-dua parti yang dipimpin oleh Benjamin Netanyahu dan Benny Gantz tak dapat majoriti. Tapi dua-dua nak jadi PM. So kenalah buat PRU kali ke-3 pada minggu depan. Netanyahu sekarang kira "caretaker PM" je.

Keadaan kedua macam Itali. Pada September tahun lepas, kerajaan gabungan parti "Liga Utara" (Lega Nord) dan "Gerakan Lima Bintang" (M5S) tumbang selepas setahun memerintah. Lega tu parti orang utagha, M5S parti orang selatan; ideologi pun tak sama (Lega right-wing populist, M5S left-wing populist). Tapi disebabkan dua parti ni je yang dapat undi paling banyak dan dua-dua pun anti parti pemerintah lama (Parti Demokratik) yang dapat undi ke-3 banyak, so terpaksalah mereka bergabung. Tapi akhirnya gabungan Lega-M5S ni berpecah juga, Lega kena tendang jadi pembangkang balik, dan M5S terpaksa ajak Parti Demokratik yang dicemuh selama ni untuk membentuk kerajaan. 

Deadlock ni benda biasa je sebenarnya. Kat negara maju selalu berlaku, dan masalah deadlock mereka lagi lama: Sweden pada tahun 2018-2019 ambil masa selama 133 hari untuk diselesaikan, maksudnya 133 hari tak ada kerajaan. Belanda pada tahun 2017, 208 hari. Yang paling lama Belgium dari tahun 2010-2011, 541 hari. Kita baru 2 hari je, rileks. 

Kita boleh rileks sebab walaupun dalam keadaan "deadlock" dan tidak mempunyai kerajaan, negara masih dapat berfungsi seperti biasa dengan adanya ketua negara ("head of state") dan penjawat awam ("civil servant"). Kalau ada "twin pillars" ini, insya Allah, negara tak huru hara. 

Kerajaan tak ada, negara masih ada ketua. Kalau tak ada ketua, baru kita panggil keadaan "stateless" atau "anarchy" (an = tiada, archy = ketua). Bagi negara demokrasi berparlimen ("parliamentary democracy") yang ada raja, raja lah ketua negara; yang tak ada raja, presiden lah ketua negara. 

Negara yang ketua negaranya juga merupakan ketua kerajaan (seperti US, Turki, Indonesia dan Filipina), kita panggil sebagai demokrasi berpresiden ("presidential democracy"). Negara-negara ini tak ada PM. Yang macam Perancis, Rusia dan Korea Selatan pula, ada PM, tapi ketua kerajaan ialah presiden, kita panggil demokrasi separa-presiden ("semi-presidential democracy").

Bagi demokrasi berparlimen yang tak ada raja seperti Israel, Itali dan Singapura, presiden mereka memainkan peranan ketua negara sama macam raja di negara yang mengamalkan sistem raja berperlembagaan seperti UK, Sweden, Belgium, Belanda dan Malaysia. 

Apabila berlaku "deadlock" pembentukan kerajaan, ketua negara akan bertindak sebagai penimbangtara ("mediator") antara parti-parti yang berkonflik, berdasarkan kuasa yang diperuntukan oleh perlembagaan. Macam dalam krisis Israel dan Itali, presiden dari kedua-dua negara masing-masing panggil ("summon") ketua parti yang berkonflik untuk mencari penyelesaian kepada masalah. 

Tapi kalau dibandingkan antara presiden dan raja berperlembagaan, selalunya raja berperlembagaan dapat memainkan peranan penimbangtara dengan lebih baik. Selain "above politics", raja juga mempunyai prestij untuk memerintahkan supaya parti-parti yang berkonflik dapat berkompromi. 

Presiden yang dilantik dari kalangan orang awam kurang prestij tersebut, malah nak cari orang awam yang betul-betul neutral untuk dijadikan presiden pun bukan senang. Presiden kat Lubnan dan Iraq bukan saja gagal memainkan peranan penimbangtara, malah membuat keadaan bertambah haru. 

Presiden Lubnan ialah seorang Kristian Maronite, so ahli politik Muslim dan Kristian Ortodoks mana nak dengar cakap dia. Kat Iraq kedua-dua Sunni dan Syiah tak nak layan presiden sebab presiden ialah seorang Kurd, dia pun ada politik dia sendiri, macam mana nak bertindak adil.

Kita kira bertuah sebab mengamalkan sistem raja berperlembagaan ala British. Bukan nak kata penjajah British tu bagus, tapi sistem yang mereka cipta tu mencapai keseimbangan antara "raja yang pasif" (raja yang tak ada peranan dalam politik macam maharaja Jepun) dan "raja yang aktif" (raja berkuasa mutlak macam Sultan Brunei). Sistem British mengehadkan kuasa raja, tapi pada masa yang sama memberi raja "hak" yang cukup kritikal untuk menyelesaikan masalah yang timbul daripada demokrasi. Hak tersebut dirumuskan oleh Walter Bagehot dalam "The English Constitution" (1867) sebagai "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn". 

Dan satu lagi sistem yang kita warisi daripada British ialah sistem perkhidmatan awam tetap ("permanent civil service"). Penjawat awam tetap ialah penjawat awam yang dilantik atas merit (menerusi peperiksaan dan saringan khas) oleh badan khas (seperti suruhanjaya perkhidmatan awam) bukannya atas perlantikan politik. Cuma kat Malaysia kekadang orang panggil lantikan politik sebagai penjawat awam juga, orang jadi keliru. 

Ciri utama penjawat awam tetap ni ialah mereka kekal walaupun kerajaan bertukar, sebab tu dipanggil "permanent". Kalau dalam Bahasa Inggeris, ketua setiausaha (ketua penjawat awam di setiap kementerian) dipanggil "permanent secretary". Kat negara demokrasi berpresiden seperti US tak ada sistem macam tu. Tukar kerajaan, tukar semua staf (kecuali kerani dan diplomat). Dan uniknya sistem yang dicipta British ni ada satu ketua kepada penjawat awam iaitu "cabinet secretary" (ketua setiausaha negara di Malaysia). 

Sistem perkhidmatan awam tetap ni dicipta oleh British pada pertengahan abad ke-19 selepas mereka perasan ketidakstabilan yang ada pada demokrasi berparlimen. Anytime kerajaan boleh tumbang, so kenalah ada sekumpulan orang yang akan menjalankan tugas pentadbiran sementara ahli-ahli politik berkelahi. Kerajaan bertukar ke, tak ada kerajaan ke, penjawat awam ni tetap akan mentadbir negara, cuma tak ada dasar baharu lah. 

Dan untuk memastikan pentadbiran negara jalan dengan lancar, penjawat awam ada tatacara khas dia. Bagi orang yang tak faham konsep penjawat awam tetap ni, mereka akan kata penjawat awam ni "deep state" "kaki sabotaj" sebab tak nak mengubah tatacara mereka ikut kehendak semasa.

Dan kalau di UK, penjawat awam tetap ni dipanggil sebagai "His/Her Majesty's Most Loyal Servant", sebab peranan mereka adalah untuk melengkapi peranan raja berperlembagaan, dan kesetiaan mereka adalah kepada raja dan negara. Dulu pun ada frasa "saya yang menurut perintah". Orang selalu ingat perintah tu bermaksud arahan, sebenarnya, "perintah" hanya boleh datang daripada ketua negara.

Demokrasi memang bersifat "chaotic" dan sentiasa "in flux". Siapa game siapa, siapa khianat siapa, semua tu tak penting. Yang penting, walaupun negara berada dalam ketidaktentuan politik, negara kita masih berada dalam "safe hands" dua hero yang sedang memastikan negara berada di landasan betul: Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong selaku ketua negara, dan Yang Berbahagia Ketua Setiausa Negara selaku ketua penjawat awam. Temubual yang dikendalikan oleh YDPA dan disaksikan oleh KSN pada hari ini cukup simbolik dalam menggambarkan peranan "twin pillars" ini. 

Di waktu-waktu krisis macam inilah baru terserlah peranan penstabil mereka yang selama ini dilepas pandang dan "take for granted". Daulat Tuanku.

**OK baru aku faham apa yang berlaku kat Malaysia. Sambung memantau Trump-Modi.

Sunday, May 13, 2018

aman

A PLEA TO RAFIZI AND PKR

write this letter to humbly request that you and your party to give Tun Dr Mahathir your one hundred percent support for at least two solid years to make things happen. Please allow him to use his wisdom to choose who should be his cabinet members and supporting teams. 

His decisions will not be perfect and will not make everyone happy. However, giving him full support PAKATAN HARAPAN will remove uncertainties, provide hope and create a steady platform for renewal. 

The mood of the country today is that we want less politics and more real work. We want a united front to solve real issues not political party disputes. 

Please note that the majority of us who voted for Pakatan Harapan do not belong to any of your component parties. As such WE DO NOT CARE WHICH PARTY GETS WHICH OR HOW MANY CABINET POSTS. What we want is a FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP THAT ARE ABLE TO PUT THINGS INTO PLACE. 

Furthermore, I would like to bring to your attention that the majority group of voters who gave Pakatan Harapan the numbers needed to win did not vote for PKR, DAP, BERSATU or AMANAH. 

We voted for Pakatan Harapan lead by TUN. So, if one of the component parties have more MPs/seats than the other is completely irrelevant to us voters. We want all of you to be humble and work as ONE.

Thank you.

Anas Zubedy
Kuala Lumpur

Wednesday, May 02, 2018

aman

Choose Pakatan Harapan, Rafidah urges Malaysians


KUALA LUMPUR (May 1): Malaysians should reject Barisan Nasional and pass the mandate to administer and care for this country to the Opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan instead, urges former Minister of International Trade and Industry Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.

In a Facebook post this afternoon entitled ‘Apa erti PRU 14 bagi Rakyat Malaysia?’ (What is the meaning of GE14 to the people of Malaysia?), Rafidah, who is also a former Wanita Umno chief, likened the country to a home with its multi-ethnic citizens as the owners, while BN is the contractor who was given the job to care for it in the past.

But BN under “Najib & Co”, said Rafidah, referring to the caretaker government’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his colleagues, have failed to take good care of this “home”, resulting in the country becoming a laughing stock in the eyes of the world now and shaming its people.

The veteran Umno leader said this after listing six reasons why BN should be rejected in GE14, with “the most glaring” being the wrongdoings related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd or 1MDB.

“The whole world knows the details and inner workings of 1MDB’s operations and the connections with certain parties. Other countries have taken actions on those found guilty over certain aspects related to 1MDB. But in Malaysia, the status is still ‘no case’, ‘not related’, etcetera. There has been no clear or reasonable explanation given by any parties. Documents have been classified secrets, indicating lack of transparency,” she said.

She also claimed that there has been interference in the probe of 1MDB, with investigating officers being changed, while the Speaker in Parliament has repeatedly stopped queries regarding the strategic investment fund.

Among the other reasons she cited were economic development that is below expectation — despite the growth seen in terms of statistics, she said the people are having problems supporting themselves in the face of rising prices of goods — the loss of foreign investors’ confidence, the country’s worsening debts, and the falling integrity of public institutions.

“It is obvious that the contract we gave them (BN) in 2013 should not be extended. Our home has not been cared for well. It’s obvious that some assets that are really strategic and valuable have gone missing. The country’s debt keeps rising. The world has named the administration of this country a ‘kleptocracy’, which is a ‘rule by thieves’,” she said.

So the “contractor” needs to be changed, she said, to a new one with a manager that has a proven track record.

“Malaysians don’t have to be sentimental to terminate the old contract. Our home is getting damaged and has been invaded by destructive pests. We need the efforts of a new contractor to repair it now.

“Don’t wait till our home, which has stood firm and magnificent for so long, collapses. Malaysians should change the contract[or] to administer our beloved country. Give that amanah (trust to administer the country) to Pakatan Harapan," she added.

To read her Facebook post, go to https://www.facebook.com/rafidah.aziz.315

Friday, January 19, 2018

aman

Jangan baik sgt, selfish bertempat




Kembara sufi yang di tuduh cuba seludup duit melalui client dia tu patut di jadikan pengajaran buat traveller-traveller yang selalu singgah di airport.. issue ini berat... bukan isu kecil... nasib baik duit kalau dadah?

Ade beberapa isu di airport yang pernah berlaku untuk kita jadikan pengajaran di masa depan. Nampak remeh tapi bila kena batang hidung dan nampak tali gantung nak senyum pon tak lalu bang...

1. Jangan terima kiriman dari orang lain yang tak pasti hujung pangkalnya...apa lagi yang sudah siap di bungkus.. kalau barang2 baru yang di beli sebaiknya anda bungkus sendiri...supaya tidak ada benda-benda terlarang di bawa bersama melintasi border control..

2. Jangan combine bag dengan travel buddies yang baru kenal kat group2 travel.. biar la check in asing2 dan bayar lebih.. kita tak tau apa yang ade dalam bag kawan tu... kecuali travel buddies anda jenis boleh share spenda ngan anda ok la...

3. Jangan pernah biarkan begpack anda tidak berbalut/ tanpa raincover.. boleh membuatkan anda kehilangan nyawa... kerana ada sindiket yang akan menyelitkan barang2 terlarang di beg anda... kalau anda lepas beg anda akan di curi.. kalau anda xlepas anda mungkin akan ke dalam dan mungkin akan jadi banduan akhir...

4. Jangan berbaik hati offer anda punya space luggage untuk orang2 yang overweight luggage yang berada di depan or di sebelah anda... kalau nak tolong die beri duit lebih baik untuk keselamatan anda dari beri space luggage anda... even telebih 1 2kilo jgn la bagi depa checkin beg bawah nama anda... kalau 1 2kilo tu semua ganja tak pasal2 masuk bawah akta 39B = mati

5. Jangan pernah pegang barang orang lain semasa di airport... kalau ade orang mintak tolong suruh je dia letak dekat pondok polis,kaunter information atau mana la yang selamat untuk bag dia, yang penting bukan di tangan anda... walau yang mintak tolong tu maria ozawa sekali pon tolong la jangan pegang kan.

6. Kalau anda berada di surau dan kasut anda hilang, jangan pakai kasut yang di tinggalkan di surau tersebut, mungkin kasut itu dah di selitkan dadah dan cuba menjadikan anda keldai untuk melepasi border control.. kalau anda lepas akan ada orang yang pulangkan kasut anda dengan alasan tertukar semasa di surau...

7.jangan pernah tinggalkan beg anda tanpa pengawasan, bawak saja kemana anda pergi walau ke toilet sekali pon takut di masukkan benda2 terlarang oleh sindiket2 tertentu...

Ada kisah benar, pasal seorang pemuda yang mana beliau sudah arwah di tali gantung.. semasa di airport berhampiran tandas seorang lelaki tergesa2 hendak masuk ke tandas (macam org cirit)dan meminta dia pegang briefcase dan terus berlari masuk ke toilet, kurang dari 5minit pemuda itu telah di kepung dan ternyata di dalam briefcase itu adalah dadah... lelaki yang lari ke tandas tu dah hilang entah kemana..

Ps:- cerita ini di ceritakan oleh sepupu pemuda itu, kalau cerita ini tipu ambil je pengajaranya bukan persoalkan kerja polis..

Apa-apa hal, happy traveling guys... stay safe... jangan baik sgt, selfish bertempat..


Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1792962750735045&set=a.142410615790275.18846.100000640113011&type=3&theater

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

aman

What’s your alternative to Mahathir?






By Mariam Mokhtar

There are times in life when you have to make tough decisions. Not every decision can be perfect, and you would be naive to think that each comes with a cast-iron guarantee. The most important thing is that you tried your best.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has teamed up with the opposition coalition to try and regain control of Malaysia. His party, PPBM, has managed to unite the leaders of PKR, DAP and PAS-breakaway party Amanah.

While news of Mahathir’s resurgence has upset many Umno-Baru supporters and definitely Prime Minister Najib Razak, many other Malaysians are also displeased with the “new” Mahathir-Pakatan Harapan (PH) line-up. They have threatened not to vote in GE14 because they claim that voting for Mahathir would be a jump from the frying pan into the fire.

Their anger is manifold. They say Mahathir’s policies sowed the seeds of disunity. They claim that PH can win on its own, without Mahathir. They dismiss the projection of Malay loyalty to Mahathir and claim that this may be overstated. They are also angry with the infighting among opposition parties, which seem to be busy trading blows with one another instead of bringing down Umno-Baru.

Are the Malaysians who will not vote in GE14 justified in staying at home, or are they being selfish and irresponsible?

Are they content to do nothing? Are they happy to live with high prices, corruption, incompetent civil servants and rising racial and religious intolerance for another five years?

One human rights activist and political observer disagrees with people who threaten to refrain from voting in GE14 just because they are displeased with Mahathir. He said, “Idealism is a luxury we cannot afford when the house is on fire.”

Like it or not, we are all Mahathir’s children, metaphorically. He was Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister, and ruled with an iron fist for 22 years. He opted to resign in 2003 rather than overstay his welcome. His policies have affected all of us, in one way or another.

As a result of his ketuanan policies, the potential of the non-Malays was not fully realised. The Malays were rewarded, irrespective of their worth. When Mahathir left office, he also left a divided nation. He may have resigned, but it was alleged that he kept a close eye on various issues from a distance.

So, what do Mahathir’s detractors want? There is little point in moaning and not offering a solution. Spoiling their vote is akin to giving Umno-Baru/Barisan Nasional (BN) the vote. Abstaining from voting is, again, like giving Umno-Baru/BN another five years of power.

Malaysia is at a crossroads. The opportunity to overthrow 60 years of misrule will never present itself again, because if change does not happen after GE14, chances are that our descent will accelerate.

Mahathir has added to our momentum for change. We should capitalise on that. Many of us abhor his policies, but GE14 is not about us. It is about getting Malaysia back on its feet.

Perhaps the people who reject Mahathir can share their alternative plan for defeating Umno-Baru. What is their Plan B?

Malaysians needs to be reminded that if they vote for change in GE14, they can easily vote for another party in GE15 if PH under-performs.

Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2018/01/10/whats-your-alternative-to-mahathir/#sthash.wXZZmPRn.gbpl

Tuesday, January 09, 2018

aman

Can we exist without a box?



Existentialism for the day:

Can we exist without a box?

Can we ever ignore the existence of the box?

If we ignore the box, do we exist?

Can we physically be in the box but tell our mind that the box doesn't exist?

Seriously, the phrase "thinking outside the box" has been so overused so much so that it has lost its meaning and glitter.

"Thinking without the box" is nothing but a meaningless derivative of that phrase.

But let us analyze it anyway.

To think outside the box, we must first know the box. What is the box? How does the box make us think? Why must we not think within the box?

Only then we can think OUTSIDE the box.

And be free of the box.

But in doing so, the box is still there. It is just that we are outside of it.

To think without the box is an impossibility. Because without the box, there is nothing. Only a vacuum.

And we can't exist in a vacuum.

In the context of an organization, the rules and regulations set by the management is the box.

To implore the staff to think without the box is to ask the staff to ignore the existence of the rules and regulations.

Now that, to me, is dangerous.

I wouldn't say so. But then, that's just me being me.