The Truth Hurts But Lies Are More Painful

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Like the scanner at the Customs checkpoint in Port Klang and the CCTV in the Miri lockup, the government machinery is not only malfunctioning but on the verge of a complete breakdown. This has resulted in little remaining of systems and structures related to governance. - Malaysiakini, Jan 24, 2021

The personal rights and beliefs of a section of citizens have been impeded and trampled on with total disregard to what is stated in the constitution. Instead, the clauses are interpreted to their own whim and fancy. Today, the country is at crossroads with each holding forth his or her own skewed views. - Malaysiakini, Dec 20, 2020
These excerpts are from commentaries written within a span of five weeks. It bluntly replicates the state of the nation and many other underlying issues. After five months, have we seen any change?
Zilch. Zero. Nought. Nothing. Nil. As a matter of fact, the situation has deteriorated, plunging the country into unknown depts resulting in its citizens feeling a sense of gloom and doom.
Fellow columnist Mariam Mokhtar who is based in London sent me this message last night: “Hi Nades, how are you. Are things really getting bad? A few months ago, I thought they could get any worse. They proved me wrong.”
The backdoor government continues to (wrongly) remind us that good times are ahead. Everything is hunky-dory, they say but beyond the erroneous facts and figures presented is the bitter and hurtful truth compelling the prime minister to make some admissions.
“We don’t have much money,” he declared. But wasn’t he the one that proclaimed the Emergency and declared that there’s no need for Parliament to approve expenditure?
Last year, the finance minister proudly announced that the government had enough money to fund economic packages worth RM340 million. He also declared that the economy will grow 6.5-7.5 percent this year, the unemployment rate to drop to 3.3 percent from 4.2 percent this year, and domestic demand to rebound to 6.9 percent in 2021?
Were these figures plucked from thin air because these forecasts are woefully being proved wrong. The figures from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) show that net foreign direct investment fell 56 percent to US$3.4 billion in 2020.
Malaysia's economy contracted 5.6 percent last year, marking its worst performance since a 7.4 percent fall in 1998 during the Asian Financial Crisis. Net foreign investment totalled RM13.9 billion in 2020, down from RM31.7 billion the previous year, according to a report published by Mida.
A small consolation, though. The report said: “Malaysia’s lower net FDI inflows in 2020 are not necessarily an unfavourable sign when taking into consideration the global investment landscape and the uncertainties that prevailed during the year.”




But Senior Minister Azmin Ali is singing a different tune, claiming the government is more selective since it is trying to reduce its dependency on foreign labour while gunning for more quality investments.
“We are now more selective in terms of investments coming into our country. We no longer want labour-intensive industries coming to Malaysia because we do not want to be over-dependent on foreign workers.
“We would like to welcome foreign investments that can create value (for) the local players. We do not want any future investments that are tied to labour intensive [industries], that is not our priority now,” The Edge quoted him as saying.
Last bastion
When the chips are down and the state’s coffers running dry, beggars can’t be choosers.
Adding to the financial woes is a bigger problem simmering openly unabated. Racial and religious tensions continue to cause anxiety. Race and religious relations are at their lowest ebb. Recalcitrant politicians aided by equally wayward civil servants are making efforts to destroy even the little of the fabric that still binds all Malaysians.
Just when we thought the last bastion of unity – sports – is still holding strong, the headmaster of a secondary school, by the stroke of a pen, attempted to destroy what was and still remains the mainstay of uniting the various races.
More than 10 years ago, I was compelled to visit my alma mater – the Klang High School - after complaints from former schoolmates that the headmistress closed down all non-Muslim religious associations in the school.
Did the guru besar act on their own volition? The Selangor Education Department defended her by saying she misinterpreted its circular. But how come other schools did not misunderstand the circular?
In the case of the SMK Dato’ Bentara Luar in Johor, the headmaster issued a notice to Form 1 students, requesting them to each pick three co-curricular activities. However, it controversially restricted certain activities to certain races and genders.

Educationist A Vaithilingam
Veteran sports official and educationist, A Vaithilingam, who was in charge of sports in Selangor Education Department related the problem he faced when headmasters of Chinese and Tamil schools sought permission to have their own competitions without involving national schools.
He recalled explaining to them that this was a policy matter and that he had no power to decide and so referred it to the state director of education.
“Although he was not in favour, he then referred it to the Education Ministry which decided against it. I believe they were not in favour of communal-based activities. Secondly. the then structure of the Malaysian Schools Sports Council at district, state and national level covered all schools irrespective of the medium of instruction,” he said.
What happened to old and trusted system of seeking approval? Have they been erased for political expediency?
The Johor school's decision has been reversed by the intervention of the ministry but both these instances illustrate the role of the 'little Napoleons' in our midst.
These incidents exemplify situations where civil servants are vested with so much power they become warlords and zealots out creating their own empires.
If individuals are authorised to issue such unacceptable and idiotic diktats without consultation with policymakers, then we all have to feel sorry for this country. - Mkini

R NADESWARAN laments that the prime minister's promise of a “government for all Malaysians” has taken a different direction. Comments: [email protected]
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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