GRAVYT OF SHARE ALLOCATIONS
t may not be in the same mould as the luxury E & 0 train for the rich and famous. Nonetheless, the Gravy Train of Special Share Allocations offers an express ride to instant wealth for a privileged few.
And lo and behold! Look who the passengers are - why, they are none other than the Ministers and other elites.
RAM examines the whole system, while covering his nose to keep off the unbearable stench ...
A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 2 afidah Aziz, the Minister for International had (FACB), at about the same time he received the Trade and Industry, is currently being inves Leader Universal shares. He would have made an imme tigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency diate profit of RM1 million on his FACB allocation. (ACA) for conflict of interest. This was Other beneficiaries of the bumiputra issue of FACB Rrevealed to Parliament in December by the parliamentary shares were Megat Fairouz (son of Megat J unid), Adnan secretary in the Prime Minister's Department. Rafidah is Shuaib (Megat's brother-in-law), Ainuddin Hamid (son alleged to have chaired a meeting in which shares were of Hamid Omar, the former head of the Malaysian allocated to her son-in-law, lawyer Fazrin Anwar. judiciary) and Faridah Abu Hassan (a leader in UMNO Rafidah has since stated that her son-in-law did not Barn's women's division). receive any special treatmentasaresultofhisrelationship Various issues emerge from this disclosure. How ,to her. The blunt minister went on to disclose that the could Rafidah chair the committee meeting which allo relatives of other prominent politician had also received cated shares to her son-in-law, immediately increasing special bumiputra shares. his wealth by five million ringgit? Why were shares also allocated to well-off relatives of other leaders of the government? Who else How could Rafidah has been .given multi-million ringgit bonuses through the special burniputra chair the scheme? committee meeting which allocated SPECIAL BVMIPVTRA shares to her ALLOCATIONS Issue of shares to bumiputras was son-in-law, a practice that began in the early seven immediately ties. A study at that time showed that increasing his bumiputras had a much lower share of national wealth compared to their per wealth by five centage of the population. million ringgit? The NEP scheme was designed to give burniputras greater control of the economy. Thirty per cent of all new shares being listed on the Kuala Lum pur Stock Exchange had to be reserved for bumiputras. These shares would be allocated by either the Ministry of In ternational Trade and Industry or the Ministry of Finance. The rest of the The others who benetited, according to Ralidah, in shares would be balloted for - even here, thirty per cent cluded the son of the Prime Minister, the brother of the of the successful applications in the balloting process has Deputy Prime Minister and relatives of various other to be burniputras. Cabinet members like the Deputy Home Affairs Minister, The scheme has no doubt helped to increase not to mention the son of the recently retired Lord Presi burniputra ownership of companies listed on the Stock dent and also a senior leader of UMNO Barn's women's Exchange. Many lower-income bumiputras have wing. benefited indirectly from the scheme, through their in Rafidah's son-in-law, Fazrin, was named in the al vestments in Amanah Saham Nasional and Amanah location of special bumiputra shares of Leader Universal Saham Burniputra. These investment trusts, managed by Berhad. He received 1.5 million shares of the company Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), have received some at RM6 each, when the shares were valued in the market of the shares allocated for burniputras. at that time at RM9.95. Today, the Leader Universal It is now clear the special bumiputras scheme was not shares are traded at RM13. At the time he was issued the ·just for the benefitoflower-income burniputras. Well-off shares, Fazrin would have made an immediate profit of bumiputras appear to have benetited more. RMS million. If he is still holding the shares, his protits Kampong Mat would only be able to afford a few todate would be RM10.5 million. hundred units of one ofPNB' s schemes. But businessman Similarly, according to Rafidah, 1.5 million Leader Basri of KL would not only have many thousand units in Universal shares each were issued to Dr Mahathir' s son, these schemes, but would also be directly getting for Mirzan, to Marzuki Ibrahim, brother of Anwar Ibrahim, himself shares from burniputra share allocations. While and to Adnan Shuaib, brother-in-law ofMegatJunid. Kamp<)ng Mat would make a few hundred ringgit in In addition, Fazrin was also allocated 4.2 million directly from the scheme each year, businessman Basri shares in another company, First Allied Corporation Ber- would make millions each time he successfully per-
Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 3 suaded the relevant Minister to pass a few million ant, auditor ande a clerk of MIC and Maika, it was bumiputra shares to him. claimed, got together and rewrote the accounts to make it seem as if the funds had gone to the education division, PERVERTED IMPLEMENTATION when in fact they had been diverted elsewhere. If the whole scheme was introduced to help under Fifteen months after these very serious allegations privileged bumiputras, why has it turned out that it were made by Samy Vellu' s former trusted aide, the ACA benefits the rich bumiputras more? has yet to make any final decisions on whether it will One reason, certainly, is that political patronage can proceed with charges against the Minister. Now the same be built up this way. If a Minister decides certain shares agency will consider whether there is a conflict of interest will go to a particular businessman who, as a result, on the part of Ratidaz Aziz. makes millions immediately, that businessman would To a layman, the presentsystemisripeall-thro·-311 ~'or owe the Minister a favour. Such favours can be repaid, conflict of interest and gross abuse. Isn't there a conflict for instance during elections, in the form of generous of interest when a Minister sits on a committee to allocate donations for campaigning, or through cushy director shares and one of those nominated is the son of the boss, ships offered when the Minister retires. the Prime Minister? No doubt another reason for the perverted allocation of bumiputra shares is that it makes your friends and CREDIBIUTY OF ACA family wealthier. The relevant Ministers can thereby Can tht>.fmdings of the ACA be credible? enjoy a warm feeling from helping out a son or son~in-iaw The ACAreports to the Prime Minister. The last thing establish himself in materialistic Kuala Lumpur, where the PM wants as he takes his party to the polls, is for this one's worth is determined by the car one drives and the agency to come out with a wlws 's wlw list of those who designer label on one's shirt. had received shares cheap and made instant millions as a The system is open to gross abuse mainly because the result of his ministers' decisions. whole allocation process is closed to the public eye. The It would seem highly unlikely that bumiputra shares shares allocated by Ratidah's ministry came to light only have been allocated to influential relatives only in the because of a court case earlier in the year. cases of Leader Universal and FACB. Dozens of com One of her ministry officials was charged with panies have had special bumiputra issues over the last few siphoning off shares for himself under this scheme. The years. For any of these, it could be quite possible that accused brought to light how Ratidah had allocated millions could have been made through getting the shares to her own son-in-law. This was picked up by the relevant Minister to pass some shares to the right person. Opposition who brought it up in Parliament. Like many government departments, the ACA might Had it not been for an official illegally misappropriat well come up with the conclusion which apparently·its ing the shares, the legal appropriation to the rich and boss wants. Ratidah may have to face court charges. powerful would have continued to be a secret of those Her offence would not really be that of making her who benefited from the scheme. son-in-law rich. That is really no worse than making the son of the PM, her boss, rich. Her real offence would be SAMY VELLU JOINED IN spilling the beans. Putting the Prime Minister and Deputy Although the purpose of these allocations is primarily Prime Minister in such embarrassing light just months to benefit bumiputras, some other shrewd politicians before the general election must certainly be unforgivable have figured out how other communities can also benefit. within the party. For that, she may have to face the Samy Vellu, leader of the MIC, convinced the Min consequences. istry of Finance that the Indians should also be helped out as their share of national wealth remains very small. He SYSTEM STINKS received 10 million shares when Telekom was floated in What stinks in this affair is not so much what Rafidah 1990. One million went to Maika, the investment holding did for her relative. The stench comes from the whole company of the MIC, while nine million shares of system. Telekom went to three obscure-companies. The only I tis wrong that a scheme implemented with the noble known qualitication for these thr~ companies being aim of helping the underprivileged ends up making the chosen to make a huge profit on Telekom shares is that rich richer. That this has happened with the knowledge they were nominated by Samy Vellu. of top leaders puts to question the integrity of the whole In September 1993, the ACA reopened their inves Cabinet. tigation on Samy Vellu regarding these shares. The leader It might have been excusable that shares were issued of the MI C claims the profits on the Tetekom shares made to rich bumiputras without the government knowing how by the three companies were all channelled to the educa wealthy these people already are. But when shares are tion arm of the party. Yet the former MIC public relation being given to a company director who is also the son of committee chairman denies this, issuing press statements the Prime Minister, or a trained lawyer who is the son-in and making police reports stating that under instruction law of the Minister in charge, the government clearly from Samy Vellu, he organised a cover-up. The account- knows they were issuing shares to people already inde-
A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 4 pendently well-off. much, apart from those whose names Rafidah slipped. ALIRAN has always strongly argued that the under These are some of the key issues that will be pressed privileged should be assisted. The NEP had the noble aim on government leaders in the coming general election. of improving the position of under-privileged Why are bumiputra share allocations made in bumiputras. But if the aim is to help those who are secrecy? What national interest is thereb~ served? Does economically disadvantaged, then the scheme should be it just save leaders from the embarrassment of letting the tailored to achieve just that There is no reason why rich public know which relatives have been made richer? bumiputras should become richer from schemes meant to W~ must the ACA and the Attorney-General repart to help poor bumiputras. the Prime Minister when it is his trusted aides who are There is also no reason why government schemes to under investigation? Shouldn't these agencies be inde- help the poor should focus mainly on just one community. Poor Malaysians of whatever ethnic background should be given assistance to improve their lives. Rich Why are bumiputra share Malaysians who exploit provisions designed to help the poor to pay for their next BMW are, quite literally, allocations made in secrecy? parasites. The matter is very depressing. Not just because of What national interest is thereby what has happened, but also given the prospects of put ting things right. served? Does it just save leaders The ACA reports to the Prime Minister. Its reports will not be made public unless it chooses to do otherwise. from the embarrassment of If there is any prosecution, it will have to be initiated by the Attorney-General, who also reports to the Prime Minister. Yet the Prime Minister's very son is one of letting the public know which those who has received bumiputra shares. The account the public gets may very well be the account the govern relatives have been made richer? ment wishes to give. But it is precisely the probity of government leaders that is in question. pendent, reporting only to the Agong, given the number CONFliCT OF INTEREST of times it is being made to investigate Cabinet Ministers? The conflict of interest arises not just with the relevant Legal proceedings to be instituted against the Sultans Ministers, but more importantly with the agencies can be initiated only with the approval of the Attorney entrusted to bring to book those who have committed General, a government servant. But when there are wrong-doing. proceedings against Ministers, should not these reports In 1988 the Prime Minister, it is claimed, forced the go straight to the King and the decision to prosecute be removal of the Lord President through a farcical tribunal. made independently, without consulting any political But if the executive itself has committed misdeeds, who leaders? Surely, this would come closer to striking a is going to remove it? balance in the powers of the Executive and the Rulers. No independent body can initiate a public hearing on the allocation ofbumiputra shares. If the matter is hushed ANOTHER HUSH-UP? up, the public will not know the truth and will continue The image of the government is sullied by Rafidah's to vote the status quo. disclosures. If the government would like to come clean, Licensing of the media is controlled by the govern it has to disclose who have benetited from bumiputra ment while some of the major media companies are share allocations since the scheme was implemented. majority-owned by parties making up the government. It has to allow the ACA to submit its report directly Thus the people will continue to be fed with stories of to the Attomey-Genent.l without tirst consulting the ministers doing a splendid job opening up new schools Prime Minister. And it has to allow the Attorney-General etc. and making wise comments about the progress of to decide whether to prosecute independently of consult Malaysia. ing the Prime Minister. What about revealing the truth? This is determined by If the AG decides not to.prosecute, then being a public the government servant, he has to explain to the public why not. We still do not know the truth about Telekom shares He must make all the facts known to the public. being allocated to the three companies nominated by Another hush-up will Seriously damage the clean image Samy Vellu. We await ACA's pronouncement on the government seeks to portray. whether there was conflict of interest in Rafidah making This is what is necessary but this is not what can be her son-in-law richer. expected - which is why the issue is so depressing. The We can't expect, under the present arrangement, ever gravy train with thick servings of shares to the rich and to know who else has been made richer, and by how powerful will continue to run .•
A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 5 HEART TO HEART
Iraq in the Aftermath The "Strangulation" by the UN embargo takes its biggest toll on children
By Michael V Viola '59, M.D.
here is only one way to get to ing the Bedouin charge on Damas Yet he is always pleased when the Baghdad. The fourteen-hour cus, shaped the West's view of the children return safely, and he ex Tdrive from Amman, Jordan. is Middle East after the First World pedited our border crossing. straight across the Syrian desert War. The western press ignored the The road from the border to Medicine For Peace teams first Turks' response to the Arab revolt a Baghdad is six hours of straight su made this trip in May 1991, immedi food embargo on greater Syria in perhighway through the desert, ately after the end of the Gulf War, which three-hundred thousand uninhabitable but for a few tribes of and we have been travelling this road Arabs, mostly children, died of star desert Bedouins. Immediately after every few months since. vation. Seventy-five years later, it the war, this road was difficult to The romance of the desert is was a different war, and again ~res traverse due to the craters and muted by the harshness of the jour of Arab children starved. wrecked vehicles left by Coalition ney fa- the sick Iraqi children who We reached the Jordanian-Iraqi bombing. Now the road has been usually travell with us. On one of our border at AI-Qassidya at mid-day. cleared, and all the craters and tri~ last winter, a team of five During the war and in the months bombed bridges repaired. The physicians and nurses left Amman at immediately following, a tent city of caravan picked up speed at this daybreak: with a caravan of trucks hundreds of thousands of refugees point, for it is wise to reach the out carrying six tons of medicine and sprang up at this border area. The skirts of Baghdad before sundown; two Iraqi children who had com refugees have all moved on now, and although theft was unheard of in Iraq pleted successful surgery in the the booJer was deserted except fa before conditions became so United States. A third child. two the guards and truckers. It was a desperate, anned robberies on year~ld Rania, died en route. She good spot to detennine how strictly remote roads are now frequent had traveled halfway around the the UN embargo was being en Towards evening, we arrived at wocld fa- surgery that, pri Allru MOIIIItlJ 1994:14 (12) P14• 7 Now, work out what the difference is today. See what I mean'? As far as literacy is concerned, we certainly have DOt come a long way. More than 20 per cent of Malaysians are illiterate after 37 The Editor years of independence - shockingly higher than the illiteracy rates in Sri ALIRAN MONTHLY Lanb, Thailand and, yes, even Viet P.O.Box 1049 nam and Bunna. ·1 0830 Penang In the field of secondary educa tion, less developed countries like Malaysia the Philippines and Sri I...ank:a are well ahead of us. Both these We welcome letters from readers. These letters may be edited for countries have more than 70percent purposes of space and clarity. The views may not be those of AURAN of their school-age population en MONTHLY. Pseudonyms are accepted but all letters should Include the writer's name and address. Letters should preferably be typewritten rolled in secondary schools, while with double spacing; If handwritten they should be legible. Letters Malaysia has ... surprise, swprise, should be addressed to the Editor, AU RAN MONTHLY. less than 60 per cent Just because a few privileged in dividuals can now affml private jets HIGH-FLYING of Renong, Ananda Krishnan of does not mean that the population CORPORATE Tanjung PLC, Tan Sri Vincent Tan has come a long way, Kadir. Rather, of Berjaya and Tan Sri Tmg Pek: it is a few individuals who have BIGWIGS Hiing of Ek:ran also own corporate come a long way. And their links jets either in their own names or in with privatisation cannot be ig Kadir Jasin startled me when he the names of their companies. nored. revealed (in Other Th9ts, New Sun Well, we.certainly have come a MtnTiwls day 1imes, 2 October 1994) that long way in a relatively short time." PENANG some of Malaysia's caporate high- How are these gentlemen able to affml expensive private jets when even the Otief Minister of Penang hasn't the means to pay the deposit on a jet? I don't really know. What I HOW TO IMPROVE do know is that all these gentlemen MEDICAL SERVICES have strong political connections IN OUR COUNTRY and have been linked to numerous privatisation projects. Our country is facing an acute Doesn't this prove that privatisa shortage of medical staff. I do not tion in Malaysia has benefited a few know whether the privatisation of privileged individUals and large cor the Health Service is going to solve porations'? Kadir Jasin himself has this problem. What we want is the certainly come a long way in a rela best possible health care at the most tively slot time, so much so that he affordable costs for ow people. Our could even stage mariagement aim and planning should be towards buyout of NS1P and TV3, with a this end. The following are the steps few others. the government can take: DliiiR Zllinudcln: Among .. But the vast majority of JM.D ...... hlgh .... Malaysians have not gained any • send more medical and para thing from privatisation. In fact, the medical staff, doctors, dental sur flyers are lilerally flying high. He gap between the rich and the poor is geons for specialilsed training on said, with obvjous pride: widening. Kadir, you can try a government sponsc:nd funds, so "But Datuk Tajuddin is not the simple test if you find this diffiCult that we have more specialists. only Malaysian jetting around il) his to believe. Calculate the difference • distribute hospitals especially own COI'pOOlte jet. Others like Tun between your salary and a produc into rural areas so that health care Daim Zainuddin, Datuk Halim Saad tion operator's three years ago. reaches the poor. The poor should Alllu MOiflltl] 19H:14 (ll) P~~p B not be charged but they should "a careful evaluation" of the Civil disregard for the professionalism of get the best possible treatment Service. the Civil Service. also. To further justify his As for his Assistant Minister • Treatment procedures e.g. government's action Tan Sri Yahya Hussein's statement, I and dialysis, surgeries e.g. heart Sakaran also issued the following my colleague are deeply disturbed surgery should be privatised and statement, and I quore hnn, "For this by• the subtle message it carried. supported by the government so government to be able to implement Bearing in mind that the that it becomes more available to its policies and bring development Kadazan/Dusun offiCers cOmprise a wider group of people at affor to the people we need civil servants the majority of those transferred, is dable cost. who can truly appreciate the aspira he implying then that we • private hospitals and clinics tions and needs of the Barisan (Kadazan/Dusun) are complacent should be encouraged to work Nasional administration". and thus easily influenced into com with government hospitals to His assistant minister, Yahya mitting malpractices? As a former provide better treatment at lower Hussein was himself not short of police offiCer and now a lawyer cost for the poor people. reasons for the transfer. .According cum-politician he should be more • Every patient should be charged to Yahya Hussein, the transferS were careful with his public statements. a ceiling price of not more than necessary to check complacency For so long politicians have al RM5,000 for any treatment pro and malpractices. ways been the judge and jury on the cedure and hospitalisation that Let us then ponder on the im performance of Civil Servants. I would normally exceed this plications of the statement of both think it is high time that this practice is stopped. Let the Civil Service take amount e.g. heart surgery n Alinul M(1lfllel1JJH:U (12) P.- J I CAN'T TAKE are Bumiputras) and the first year que example. A teacher was imme Bumiputras Faculty students. In diately transferred out because the IT ANYMORE view of the 'Lepak Culture' and the Education Department was afraid 'Bohsia Culture' that haunt our that the teacher would "box" his "\bte for the Barisan to show youths these days we should com headmaster. your gratitute"- so we're urged. plement UM HEP for Mr/Mrs/Miss· of one publication Address of your choice H you subscribe NOW (Tick one) ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 0 Songs of Humanity RATES 0 Thean Teik: The Other Side of Development COUNTRY AIR SEA MALAYSIA RM20.50 - 0 Dialogue on Democracy SINGAPORE & BRUNEI RM42 - ASIA PACIFIC RM54 RM46 EUROPE & EGYPT RM62 RM46 AM 1994:14 (12) ~ ------.i ------AURA,'\/ PL'HUC1TIONS ORDER FORM ALIRAN PUBLICATIONS PRICE "Liberty of thought means liberty to 0 Reflections on the Malaysian Constitution RM10.00 communicate one's 0 Aliran in Pictures RMS.OO 0 Nation on Trial RM12 .00 ·. thought." 0 NEP- Development & Alternative Consciousness RM12.00 Salvador de Madariaga 0 Challenges & Choices in Malaysian Politics & Society RM17.00 1886 . 1978 Spanish diplomat. writer. critic 0 The Human Being: Perspectives from Different Spiritual Traditions RM12.00 0 Whose War? What Peace?: Reflections on the Gulf Conflict RMS.OO AM 1994:14 (12) Mr/Mrs/Miss ...... Address ...... ·...... I enclose moneyorder/postal order/cheque no ...... dated ...... for the sum RM ...... • PIHH include 50 sen for blink commission for outstation cheques. • For loc.J ordera, pricu quoted are inclusive of postage. • For overaeas orders, prices quoted in US$. Add 20" of the total order for surface mail and 100" of total order for .,.il . ------··············----···························-·········································-' AURAN DISTRIBUTION BUREAU P 0 BOX 1041 10830 PENANG, MALAYSIA self off scot free. Such conduct on disturbing that the message underly the part ofEncik Zainur ought not to ing these statistics is that society not be accepted by other members of the only condones violeoce against Bar Council. women, but moresoever within the I cannot see how Eocik Zainur institution of the family. This is par can perpetuate his position in the ticularly signifteant in a •year which LATTER-DAY face of my charge against him. It has been designated as the Interna goes without saying the leader of the tional Year of the Family. ELIJAH* Bar must be one who acts with Throughout 1994, there have been responsibility and circumspection calls to uphold family values and to ThrL'L' honl'lrL'' int11•o 'lll>rt \L'ar' and upon being challenged does not preserve the family unit However, LTL';Itl'd a 'lil day and if the Assemblyman lives 32 mittee. In spite of generous km m- more away from the place of As f Allnut MOiflld1 1914:14 (12) PIJ6•12 ment allowance of RMS,SOO. He is Six Assemblymen had claimed claiming RM23,517.92 and S also povided with a maximum of more than RM20,000 in 1992, Veerasingam (Sungkai) claiming RMSO, AUtw. MDiflltq 19H:U (11) P..-13 RIGHTS LAND ACQUISITION T.. Land Acquisition (Amendment) Act 1991 was passed in Parliament in July 1991 despite strong reservations from many individuals and public interest groups who feared that th~ legislation would be abused. Soon after this, Aliran Monthly carried an article which articulated some of the controversial issues involved and warned that the Act could be used to displace 10,000 people in Johor for the second causeway and to facilitate the construction of more goif courses and country dubs across the country. We warned that even schools and places of worship would not be safe. Recent events have proved that many of those concerns were not unfounded. Many villagers e.g. those simple folk in Pantai Kundur in Malaeca and Kerpan in Kedah are fuming because they have been forced to give up their land in exchange for low compensation. And now the latest news is that the Bukit Bintang Girls' School in KL may be forced to relocate from its present premises to make way for "development". We reproduce our 1991 article in full. Alinut Molflltly 1994:14 (12) PGge U YOUR LAND IS MY LAND Controversy over amendments to Land Acquisition Act • Bar/san Naslonal fliPs recently voted In private land f AllnuJ MDIIIIIlJ 1994:14 (ll) Pap 15 than an administrative measure that depends largely on the im plementors or more cor rectly, the powers-that-be behind the implementors. It is difficult to take seriously the ruling party's pledge that the Act would not be abused given the government's Dr Ill: Low-income group Ghat•: Factoriee cannot be -Dr Ung: Act would stimulate past record of rough may not have a P'- to built on tr- rapid progr•s riding over the people's stay••• rights and wishes. A Chief Minister, in in the future. He was reported to have said that "in 60 his desperation to appeace his State, even gave his per years, the population would reach 70 million. While the sonal assurance that the State government would not land is not going to match the population increase ... abuse the provisions of the Act people especially the low-income group may not have a 1bere is scarce consolation in such personal assuran place to stay ... " ces given the transient nature of a politician's tenure and His deputy Ghafar Baba has explained the amend the fact that State governments are but an ann of the ment by way of the fact that "we must give jobs to our Federal government people ... factOOes cannot be built on trees, it must be on 1be amendments have also led to speculation as to land". He also complained of the delay caused by law the intentions of the government regarding its use. suits over land acquisition matters, while the president of Several quarters, including the Opposition parties, have the MCA Dr Ling Liong Sik announced that the Act claimed that one of the immediate purposes of the Act is would stimulate rapid progress. to enable the well-connected United Engineers Malaysia Despite those soothing words from the top brass, to acquire 26,000 hectares in Johor for the construction many MPs encountered diffiCulty placating their land of the $2 billion second causeway between the State and owning constituents. 1be pressure must have been Singapore as well as a $2 billion township. It is not lrnown tremendous for them to request a briefing from Ghafar how many landowners will be affected, but at least Baba during a break in the sitting of Parliament One can 10,000 people in 52 kampungs in the area will face only guess that their misgivings were either suffiCiently eviction. allayed by the "land does not grow on trees" wisdom of 1bere are also claims that the Act is to help pave the the Deputy PM or they experienced some painful ann way for various individuals to open more golf courses and twisting to tow the line, for 99 of them voted for the Act country clubs around the outskirts ofPetaling Jaya where on July 30. land had been previously acquired for public use. Some Those who have criticised the amendments say the say it is also immediately intended for Langkawi, an pevious Act was more than adequate for land acquisition allegation which must be causing the biggest landowner purposes. In Penang, for instance, large tracts of private on the island sleepless nights in his Penang mansion. That land have been acquired for the State Economic Develop these allegations, some of which have named important ment Corporation, which in tum has privatised the personalities in govenunent, have not been refuted, is property to the private sector for housing and other quite disturbing. development. 1be process may take a little longer as the Under such circumstances, it would be unreasonable government claims, but at least it is not so easily open tO to expect the Malaysian public to accept without qualms, abuse. Further more, say the objectors, most State that any land acquired in the future would be for public governments can easily tum to land reclamation as an good rather than for the private gain of favoured in avenue for future development, be it for low-cost housing dividuals or politically-controlled companies. or commen:e and industries. Once the government can acquire land without fulfll ing the test of public good, then such powers can be easily Safeguards and Guidelines abused for individual and private benefit. The ruling party has also spoken of safeguards in the When all is said and done, we have but OW"Selves to Act against abuse and deviations, as well as guidelines blame for voting in the MPs who voted for the amend- for its proper implementation. For one, there is no ments.. ' safeguards whatsoever which are apparent from the amendments. As for the guidelines, which have yet to be tAl/ran Monthly: Vol 11 (8)1 made public, they cannot be considered as anything more Allnut Mofllhly 1994:14 (12) Page16 RELOCATION OF BUKIT BINTANG GIRLS' SCHOOL Release details of take over The Education Minister today announced that the Govemment had approved relocation of the Bukit Bintang Girls' School (BBGS) to a more suitable site. The Minister had also said that BBGS was located in an important commercial area and therefore had to be shifted. A local company wUI take over the land of the school. It is clear from this statement that the main reason for the Government's decision to shift BBGS becaues of the prime land that it occupies. In the spirit of transparency, I call upon the Minister of Education to clarify the following questions: 1 What is the name of the company which has been given approval to take over the land where BBGS is situated? 2 What is the price paid by the company for the BBGS land and was there an Open Tender before the sale? 3 Will the Church on the BBGS be taken over by the company? 4 Was the Parent and Teachers Association of BBGS consulted before the Govemment approved to shift BBGS to another site? 5 Please give details of the proposed development of the BBGS's land by the company. 6 Where will BBGS be located in the future? Wee Choo Keong MP lot Bulcl Btltang 24 January l99S Alinue MolllltlJ 1994:14 (12) Pt~g•17 e BIG SPENDER According to French tourism officials, Malaysians were among the q, spenders in France last year. As a result, said the French official who revealed this interesting fact, the French would like to have more Malaysian ~itors. Money talks, as they are fond of saying, and it's clear the French are no less averse to it But we are wondering whether this notion that Malaysians are big spenders may have been grossly disD1ed by one particular Parisian showing spree of the wife of a Malaysian Minister. Her copious spending has been the talk -of-the-(Malaysian)-capilal. Awarmtly this PEDESTAL POLITICIANS wOOlan had spent close to RMl millioo while holidaying Big-shot politicians who nonnally would not spare in France last year stotly afttr her husband was involved the time of day for ordinary folks like us suddenly seem in a controversy of a social nature. to grow more caring and diligent as the general election Her lavish purchases were said kl include exclusive approaches. We begin to read of this Minister who sold furnishings for their new house (it must be a palace!), kWh in his childhood to suwJement the family income. designer clothers for herself and something like 40 pairs Or of the Deputy Minister who had to pick dwians for of shoes for her young daughter (perhaps she is rearing a pocket money as a youth. Others begin dressing down little Imelda Marcos!). But m A In" Moltlltly 1994:14 (12) Page 18 The Transport Minister claims that the gory and Politicians in Sarawak, it was reported, are using melodramatic advertisements against drinking are karoake and concerts to lure the village folk to attend their effective. HisdeclaraWn ofsuccesswasnotbasedonany ceramah and talks. SUPP, the ruling party in the stale, is Slalistics of declining accidents due k> drunken driving, said to be using such entertainment to great effecL In but the fact that people have come up to him expessing between songs and dances by singers and cultural troupes shock and anger after seeing the commercials. That, he brought in by the VOO>-seeking party, are e~ of says, shows the commercials are effective. Thank government policies and, of course, appeals fm votes. goodness, he is only in charge of the Transport Brainw~g the electorate with a retinue of song and Department and not lhe Statistics Departments! dance is not an entirely new concepL A similar approach Anyway, the commercials had better have some was used dming the fifties and sixties fm ea::h and every effect because they were said to have cost a bomb to election except that instead of karoakes, there would be mate. Unfortunately, the same effect does not seem movies. appan:nt in another of the minister's pet projects - That such soog-and-dance routines have succeeded car-pooling. Like that other lmtily- implemented in drawing the crowds is undmiable. The politicians are scheme of brealh-analysers, car-pooling was very anxious about support from these communities. The implemented without the necesay support and livelihoods of many longhouse communities seem to be enforcement back-up. Basically, the scheme depended in the balance between what they see as a traditional way on people's goodwill, which appears k> be in rather short of life and what the government calk development One SIJA)Iy in Kuala Lumpur where the traffic is the pits. immedialely thinks of the gargantuan Bakun Dam that Thus. the c.-pooling idea seems to have fallen ink> the will displace thousands of natives, namely Penans. pool where most groggy idea. end up. Many of them are confused about what is in sue fm Frankly, the number' of ~boos that have come to them and their children and are likely k> end up worse be associared with the MCA presidentoflale would have than they already are despite assurances by the sent most Ministers in truly democratic countries packing authmties. It's ttue that the longhouse communities their briefcaa and moving out of the Cabinet ckxx'. enjoy merry-malcing of the song, dance and wine type. Barely has the heat from the umpteenth aiqxxt blaze But lanoke-ing with politicians is quilie different cooled down, then he w• up and about, making excuses altogether. If they aren't careful, they may find that they fm the delay of the very expensive elecbic train projecL may be literally selling their votes fm a soog in the His fingerw A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 19 increasing their prices by ahefty20 sen, which WOib out to an inause of between 28 to 43 per cenL The publislas pleaded that the price of newspint had gone up phenomenaDy. It appeared that Malaysian publishers depended aDely m impoded newsp'int. Ufe is indeed full of irony. Millions oftonnes of lop cut down and we haw to impm paper! The Mona Pandey trial, as the pa~eCUtion of the alleged munlerers of the fmner Pahang assemblyman Mazlan Idris has come to be known, is really more than just about violence and crime. It is a vecy irderesaing stoy of man's greed fcx- money, position and power. And as the lrial pogresses. it would appear that politicians, in Ibis case UMNO Baru politicians, .-e pepued to go to the r. end to win COYeled posilions in the party. The tesdmony of Mona's husband has revealed a sbing ofpolitical przsonalities Slrefching from Pahang to Seatp llld seems to confinn the widely-held . that most Malay politicialw tum to bomohs :::::.'wcrldly souroes fcx- help to climb that slippery and treacherous ladder known as political power. Mazlan was JqXXted as being willing to pay RM2.S million fcx- a songlcok llld tongkat that he believed would help him become Menteri ~ of Pahang. He was appRntly determined at all cosls to win first the division c:hainnan 's post llld from there, the stale liaison c:hainnan 's posilion whk:h would guarantee him the MB's at. It must be lrUe then, all thole stories cRu1atina cUing the UMNO Baru election last year, of eatain figmes who spent up to a million ringit just to aecure the division chaimull's post. Surely, afta' that testimmy, any Merderi Des. seen wa1Da1 around in a songlcok and holding a tpngkat will nev. seem normal to us again. But the scariest part is that Ibis is the calibre of people aspiring to political leadership. People, mediocre at best, who tum tobomoh.r fcx- help to win elections and who are Jli'CI)Rd to spend millions of ringgit doing so. It is difficult to believe that aD Ibis effixt is fcx- the love of serving the rakyal . • ANIMA ORMAN A bus clrher in Nigaia thought the figure by the roadside was m ne1ope mel decided, fcx- the fun of it. todriwhis bus over the animal. But what he thought was an lllimaiiUined out to be a man, in fact, none other than a road safety official. It is sickening that people think it fun 10 run down animals Ibis way. And the person in question is clearly a sadistic man whose behaviour seems wcne dal my animaL • Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 20 that Malaysians lack depth in their analysis and thinking. The figures .e amunding k> say the least - 70,(XX) And now that the geneml election is coming around. duplicate names sbUck off the new electoral roll If not there is bound to be a whole load of propaganda that is for anything else, the figures have cast the greatest doubt enough to make one's stomach twn. In fact, apart from on the Election Commission's registration of voters. Two doing away with the licence fees, we demand that the possibilities for the large nwnber of this !D1 of bhmder government pays us compensation for the propaganda were offered by the Commission's secretary: First, it we have to endure on TV and radio dming general could be the would-be voters' fault in writing down the elections. wrong nwnber for their identity card. Second, the mistake may have been committed by Commission staff when keying-in the IC nwnbers ink> the computer. Both reaow would not have been so difficult to Poor Nazri. his wild saampede in a Olina shop over swallow if the nwnbers had not been so big. In fact, it the Rahim sex scandal appears to have blown his political amounts to an error rate of more than 10 per cenL Are chances for the momenL rust, he offered to step down our potenbal vo1ers such idiocs that they cannot even as UMNO Baru Youth chainnan and then, he announced write their IC nwnbers ccrrecdy or is the Commission that he would not be contesting the general election (as employing incompetent computer Slaff? Many people though the latter is for him to decide!). He obviously think the publems lie at source, namely with the kind of found out k>o late that he is just not one of Anwar's boys. people employed by the Commission to man the And what does it lake to be one of Anwar's boys. We registration centres that are to be found in coffeeshops are told that an important prerequisite is that you have to and even shopping malls. be a member of ABIM, the NGO which was the The registration officers, it is said, are appointed by springboard for Anwar's ascent to political position and the Disbict Office which, as we all know. are not the most pow«. ABIM is now an influential force on both national impartial of people when it comes to politics. In fact, and international issues and several ofits present and past many IX>s and ADOs are UMNO Baru members. and leaders were recently reported to be preparing to contest there are numerous examples of them later going on to the general election. contest elections. Yet the Commission appears reluctant At least six of them have been identified by the to point the fing« at them, prefening to blame the public non-mainstream media as electoral candidates and as if and even its own s1aff. to confirm the rumours, they have stepped down from Eatier on. it had been repOOed that more than 20,(XX) their positions in ABIM since the orpUsation's Wfel's had been transferred from their previous constitution bars members of political parties from consliluencies without their knowledge. The FJection holding office. In fact, it was said that Anwar had wanted Commission secretary declined to name the political to place one of them as chainnan of UMNO Baru Youth parties involved leading readers to immediately conclude after Rahim was shown the backdoor, but the idea was that the fraud must have involved the component parties apparently shot down by his party boss. of the ruling coalition. Thus, when Mahathir appeared to defend Rahim k would be very easy to investigale where these despite the wide public perception that he had slept with duplicate ICs originate from by tracing them back to the the 15-year-old, some people saw it as a major difference. registration centres and the clerks involved. But again, in saance between Mahathir's camp and Anwar's boys the Commission seems p;nlysed. It is inconceivable that since the latter were influential in pressing Anwar k> take the Commission, which is now often invited to observe a strong position against Rahim. elections abroad, cannot even come up with a more Meanwhile, Anwar has expressed gratitude over the convincing explanation for this foul-up. Pedlaps we need PM's declaration that there is no rift between them. He a new chainnan and qualified computer staff at the isafterall,Mahathir'sman. Wehavenodoubtaboutthat. Election Commission? but then, the real rift is perhaps not so much between Mahathir and Anwar as it is between Super Daim and (less-super) Anwar. A regional magazine in a aitical repcxt on Malaysia's privatisation, said among other Some consumers associations and trade unions have things that Daim's men have delivered the goods while suggested that the goyernment abolish the fees for projects given to Anwar's people have been less than television licences and we could not agree more given lacklustre. some of the fare now offered. We get an overdose of so-caiJcd entenaiMient pogrammes from America and then we .e accused of losing our lraditional values. Everyday, there is one gameshow or another- in fact, Another way in which Malaysians have shown there .e now even local pneshows - and we are told themselves to be big spenders in the most elitist of ways Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 21 is the demand f The debate over wheda Categ Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (12) Page 22 EDUCATION In these circumstances, it is crucial f Al.hul MolllltlJ 1994:14 (12) Pt16• 23 low cost alternative to Malaysians. especially mature because of their alleged inferimty in COOlmunication students seriously~ in the pursuit of knowledge, (read 'English language') skills ffi reached us since the conference. News reports in leading In the previous issue, we carried an article dailies in OUna, India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iran 'Rhetoric and Realities' by Dr Kua Kia among other countries provide further proof that our Soong which criticised several aspects of choice was a logical one. What is illogical is the suggestion that just because the.recent Just World Trust conference on we had invited Dr. Mahathir to a conference with a 'Rethinking Human Rights'. Dr Mahathir, specific objective, we endoole his position on each and who delivered the key-note address, did evecy aspect of human rights. By way of analogy, since not have the credentialS to grace a human some of the prominent speakers invited to our conference rights conference, Kua said. also happen to suwm gay rights, does it follow that JUST also advocates gay rights? As far as our conference JUST director DR CHANDRA was concerned. it was their detennination to expose the negative impact of Western global domination upon MUZAFFAR responds (below) by calling human rights - and not their stand on gay rights - that for a more holistic approach to the mattered. understanding of human dignity - an approach rooted in the belief in God. Using such a ._lanced approach which I have not ceased to point out, also encompassess economic, sodal and whenever the occasion arises, cultural rights, he argues that Malaysia's that there are certain human rights record, its blemishes shortcomings In the human included, is far more respectable than that rights situation In our country. of many other countries. Just a month before the conference I stated quite unequivocally in a local r. Kua Kia Soong's article ('Rhetoric and newspaper Interview that the R~~· AliranMoni'!JY 199414:11)onJUS~'s DRethinking Hu~ Rights conference contains Internal Security Act (/SA) Is numerous rnilconceptions and misinterp'etations which, wrong In principle.•• ifleft unchecked, would creaae a grossly distorted picture of the meeting and its objccti~. I have also argued for greater Invitation to Dr. ·Maluzthir public accountability and the The invitalDt k> Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to deliver the keynote address had a great deal to do with the need to accommodate alternative pimary focus of the conference. In the very fust ciicular Ideas within our political issued on the conference way back in Jooe 1994, JUST system. explained why any attempt to rethink human rights must begin with acritiqueofWestem global domination which Nw. not only shaped the character and content of human In any case my position and the position of other rights but baa allo generated adverse consequences fc:r JUST Trustees on various human rights issues in the human rightl and human dignity of five-sixths of Malaysia is crystal clear. Though JUST's primary foe~ humanity. Dr. MahadUr is one of the few wodd leaders is global politics, I have not ceased to point out, whenever who have been very concerned about this often neglected the occasion arises, that there are certain shcxtcomings in dimension of human rights. the human rights situation in our coun&ry.Just a month Hia preacnce - contrary to what Kua would like to before the conference I stated quite unequivocally in a think - was well received by the vast majority of par local newspaper intelview that the Internal Security Act ticipllntlas evinced by the avalanche of leUers that have (ISA) is wrong in principle. There have been other times What Is illogical is the suggestion that just because had invited Dr. Mahathir to a conference with a specific objective, we endorse his position on each and every aspect of human rights. in the last two Alirtm Monlhl~ 1994:14 (12) P11ge 26 from 60 per cent in 1970 to 85 per cent in 1993; by Holistic View extending and expanding health and medical facilities to It is not just the lack of ba1an<;e which is dismaying ; evecy n S. Jayassnkaran In Kuala Lumpur Tclekom Malaysia recently woo a recently awan:lcd a big fi~ slew of govern w:year coolmct to suwlY its ment-related licen teleJime ~ the nabmal phone ces and contracts mility decided l> widen the playing f Allnua MIMIItl1 1994:14 (12) Page 29 RND OUT WHY TAXI basis, with a standard f..-e scheduJe, may clear up the deep-rooted resent DRIVERS ARE ment of the drivers. UNHAPPY Allil Nod Ntlltll Exeo M,,., Aliran ca1Js on the government to lodt into why the taxi drivers in the 5 January 1995 Klang Valley 1R so unhappy that they have had k> resm to protest oction. PROTECT For many yea-s now, taxi drivers in the capital have been complaining INTERESTS OF of exploitative terms imposed by taxi FOREIGN WORKERS service comp;Mlies. Many of these drivers have to work long hours just A1iran welcomes the move by the to cover the payments for the pur Penang MIUC to ~n up its two chase/hire of their vehicles from centres to the m • Even though the Jice..fanners will be offeml shares in the new ANNOUNCEMENT company and cash as compensa • Erratum tion, they will lose control over the land and the decision making pocess. Where peviously they The paragraph appeaing below subtitle A WUD SILENCE oo were independent and self reliant, page 3of AM 1994: 14(10)(which featured the lead stay-READING they wiD now become de BETWEEN THE UNES) should read: pendent on a priva&e company "In fa:t, the silence maintained over the Rahim scandal made the and the stale f - Harriet Lamb helping poor people in developing Lady Chalker admitted, these wider The British government is countries. The case also sends the cmsiderations included the "hope of on the defensive over a strongest message that the govern arms sales". multi-million dollar ment cannot get away with such a Finally it was revealed that in flagrant abuse of power. 1988 the British and Malaysian aid-for-arrm deal with Fcr years the government had governments had signed an agree Malaysia. Campaigners misled Parliament and the public, ment which promised aid wcrth 20% argue that this is only one denying aid was used as a sweetener of the anns deal. Although Britain piece of a much bigger in the anns deal. But the questions subsequently moved to de-link the jigsaw. would not go away. Why was a two, no-one doubts that the aid and recool amount of scarce aid being anns remained entangled. pwnped into relatively rich Malaysia The use of aid to sweeten an anns to build Pergau? Why was Britain's deal breaks internationally accepted ampaigners have launched largest ever aid project assessed by guidelines and the government's an unpecedented legal chal two men in just two days - scarcely stated priOOties of giving aid to the Clenge to the British govern enough time to reach the dam site? poorest countries. The British public ment over its multi-million aid And certainly not enough time to have been rightly outraged that package fcr a Malaysian dam. The assess the dam's environmental im Malaysia now gets three times more Pergau dam is at the centre ofa scan pact about which concerns have aid per person than Ethiopia - where dal over secretive high-level links been raised. This was clearly more people face yet another famine. In between aid and a US$1.5 billion than just another bad aid project deed the money squandered on Per anns deal. A scandal that reveals It took a fonner top offacial at the gao would alm~t meet the UN' s damning evidence of the abuse of aid aid department, Sir Tim Lankester, target for the Rwandan refugee and the linking of aid and anns to uncover the stcry. Earlier this year crisis. wcrldwide. he revealed that he had refused to The impcxtance ofWDM's legal In a case to come bebe the High sign the cheque. The dam was, he challenge is underlined by evidence Court in London this November, the considered. "a vecy bad buy" that that the Malaysian case is mly one World Develqxnent Movement would actually cost Malaysian em piece of a much bigger jigsaw. Over (WDM) - a British campaign group somers over US$150 million. the past 10 years, aid to countries that on developemnt issues - will argue Studies, including by the Wodd do not buy British anns has fallen by that the government acted outside Bank and the Malaysian Power Ccr aima;t 12%. Yet countries that buy the law in spending US$360 million poollion, were recommending that British weapons have been rewarded of British aid oo the Pergau hydro Malaysia concentrate instead on gas with average aid increases of almost electric dam. Under the 1980 Over fued power stations. 20%. Often as in Indonesia. seas Development and Co-operation Sir Tim Lankester went further. Thailand and bdan, aid rises and Act, the primary purpose of aid must The project was, he said. "an abuse falls in line with the fortunes of arms be the economic development of a of the aid programme". But he was negotiations. COW'Itty cr the welfare Of its people. oveJTUled · by Fcreign Secretary So aid in Tanzania, the wodd' s The government has justified fund Douglas Hurd and Prime Minister, second J)O(l'eSt country but not a ing the dam oo any nwnber of John Map. They have justified their maja" buyer of British arms. has grounds - except Malaysia's decision on the basis of "wider cm stagnated Yet aid has doubled fcr development cr welfare. siderations", citing Britain's oil-rich Oman which is actually H successful, WDM would win diplomatic interests and the jobs at richer than Portugal, an aid OOnor! back the US$360 million fcr the aid stake fcr the British finns building Oman is, however, the third largest budget- to be spent where it belongs, the dam. As overseas aid ministfz buyer of British weapons. Or take Indonesia. It is not one of after the Gulf War, European Union ranged Counter trade terms nodded the world's pooo:st countries, and it aid to Egypt, an ally, was boosted by through. Aid was just one more bar certainly does not boast the good nearly 400%. Even at the height of gaining chip to pull out of the mini govenunent record which is another its famine, Ethiopia received less sterial briefcase when the bargaining stated priocity of British aid. Since European food aid than well-fed got tough. invading East Tunor in the mid Egypt. But global campaigns to stop Seventies, it is alleged that Indonesia And the pressures to link: aid and such abuse of aid are also being has killed 200, n Britain, we have suffered from a destructive polariza Ition between those who are interested in wealth creation and t~ose interested in wealth distribution; between those who espouse success and those who espouse the good society. This bas hampered our ability as a society to think and puU together. Hence th~ who may call atten ment When we are commanded to tion to continuing inequalities and love our neighbours • Otu'Selves, suffezing in our society, as I am wont that implies that we should not dis ''Wealth Is part of to do from time to time, are still regard ourselves but make sure that God's plan... automatically suspected in some in loving ourselves we fully love quarters of being opposed to busi other people too. ness and wealth creation; while The other drive is the respon A business which those who promote the need for sibility to love and serve our fellow falls to treat Its dynamic and competitive entelprise human beings. workforce as are automatically suspected in other As the commandment implies, quarters of a disregard for the inter these two drives are. not in fun respected human ests of the poor and needy; and even damental conflict, although they can beings will not of selfishness and greed. be in tension. After all, without secure their best God created human beings with · wealth creation, there will be no efforts and sustain distinctive skills. powers of memory wea!th to spend. We cannot solve the and ingenuity. Our ability to apply problems of poverty, under-educa morale" those skills to natural resources, to tion, sickness, hunger 81M:f un create things of use to ourselves and employment without harnessing all others, is God-given, part of his crea the ingenuity, enterprise and skills of tion. which businesses are capable. Moreover, it is inherent in the conunandrnent to love our ·neigh Buill on sand · bour as ourselves that we use OW' It is also important to remember skills to fashion from the world's that businesses are essentially social resowces new products which bring entities. They are about working comfort, p-otection and delight to with other people for other people. our fellow human beings. Wealth A business which is not run on creation can be abused in countless decent ethical lines will in the long ways but in itself it is a wooderful run forfeit the bUst and respect of the gift of God and part of his plan for society in which it opt23tes, and is us. built on sand. The m~ion of business needs to A business which fails to treat its hold two impOOant drives in healthy workforce • respected human balance. . beings will not ICCift their best ef FU'St, it must recognize the forts and susaain morale. reality of self-interest as a motivat I have emphasized dut wQidl ing influence on effort and achieve- creatioo is part of God. 8 plan. But God's plan is not limited to wealth 3. The mission of business must creation. It must !lelVe something not ignore the environmental and bigger and not become a god in it ecological implications of wealth self. creabon. From a Christian point of view, On our finite planet, we cannot at least three constraints need to be afford to leave out the environment in place. Christians, whilst acknowledging 1. We need to be aware of the the role of human beings as God's moral dangers of unbridled con co-creators, reverence the creation swnerism. itself. The Church needs to keep as We cannot pursue a concern with king, 'What concept of human na the salvation of human beingli as if "Business should ture is implicit in the consumer the rest of creation, and the effects of society?' what people do on the rest of God's have an eye on the For a . v~ of the individwal creation, were of no interest or ac Implications of our who is never satisfied with what he countThe affmnation of wealth own prosperity for or she presently has is at loggerheads creation and the environmental im with the Christian philosophy so perative of self-discipline and sus the weakest people splendidly stated by St Paul: 'I have tainability grow together out of our and countries" learned in whatsoever state I am to adoration of our Creator and his be content' handiwork. The former postulates that hap I sense a widespread recognition piness and the good life is achieved that a healthy and prosperoUs society through consumption; the latter that requires fmn moral foundations. JQSCSSions c·ome a poor second Otherwise, individualism and shop after our relationship with God and ping around for happiness can bring our relationships with each other. confusion, incoherence and pain. ··we cannot pursue a The kind of consumerism which If the desires and motivations concern with the forgets what really matters in life which drive the market economy, must be challenged. and may be encouraged by it, are salvation of human 2. The mission of business must de-coupled from a framework of beings as If the rest consider the interests of the develop moral goals, they can soon become of creation, and the ing world as well as that of the in demonic and desO'uctive. dustrialized nations. We need the ~ models of effects of what At the end of the 1980s, 23 per pominent Christian business people people do on the cent of the world's population lived who show through their whole lives rest of God's in absolute poverty'. And in a normal that they are committed to !lelVing year during the 1980s 14 million their fellow human beings, and that creation, were of no children died under the age of five. they understand as well as anyone Interest or account" It is always the weakest people and else that the most precious things in the weakest countries who go to the life cannot be bought and sold in any wall. market. The true mission business, from Opportunities a Christian perspective, is holistic, Business should have an eye on moral and of service to the com the implications of our own munity. ~ity f QUESTION Tuan Wee !l100 Koong- the Mmi the Minister can make the decision by himself. Never Y.ster of International Trade and Industry to state:- theless, since becoming Minister of International Trade and Industry, I have never used this power. On the • what are the conditions laid down by her Ministry f~ contrary, in canying out the allocations, a Committee was special share allocations made by public companies established administratively to assist me in making to bumiputras7 Please provide full details of these decisions based on guidelines which have been f~u conditions; lated. • on what basis did the Minister or her Ministry allocate Under the guide~ used by this Ministry, special 1.5 million shares in Leader Universal Holdings to bwniputta shares are allocated to bumiputta parties as her son-in-law, En. Fazrin Azwar, and were there follows:- other shares besides those in Leader Universal Hold • institutional investors that is Permodalan Nasional ings Bhd which were allocated to En Fazrin Azwaf? Berhad (PNB), Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera Please give the exact nwnber of shares, their respec (LTAn. Lembaga Urusan dan Tabung Haji (LUTH), tive prices and the date of each allocation; and Koperasi Polis Di Raja (M) Berhad, Investment • since 1992, who are the individuals allocated special Funds (Yayasan~ YayasanPelaburan) and Unit Trusts bwniputta shares in Telelrom Bhd, Tenaga Nasional (Amanah-Amanah Saham) at the state level; Bhd, Leader. Universal Holdings Bhd, MBf Capital • existing bwniputta shareholders of the company Bhd, MBf Holdings Bhd, Berjaya South Island Bhd, which is offering the shares or of its subsidiaries; and Hong Leong Credit Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, • the directors of the company which is offering the Lien Hoe Bhd, FIJ'St Allied Corporation Bhd, Kanzen shares. Bhd and Utusan Melayu Bhd7 Please give the names Besides that, the Ministry can, from time to time, give, of the individuals, the total shares which were allo and has given, consideration to bumiputta parties cated in each public company listed above and the proposed (diperalrukan) by the companies which are date of allocation. offering shares. These companies usually suggest bwniputta parties who have contributed towards the REPLY companies concerned ~ who have close business con MrSpeaker, nections with their companies. This is the case with the I wish to answer this queStin together with the ques share offers of Leader Universal Holdings Bhd, First tion put f~ by YB Tuan Haji Sukri bin Haji Mohamad, Allied Corporation Berhad (FACB), AP Land Berhad, YB Tuan Urn Kit Siang on 8 November 1994 and YB Industronics Bhd, PROPEL, Consolidated Farm Bhd and Tuan Itnhim binPa&dl MohalnedOft 14 December 1994, Malakoff Bemad. because these questions are related. . MrSpeaker, m the infoonation of the Honourable Members, I wish to clarify that in considering applications to special bumiputta share allocations which have been obtain special bwniputta share allocations, whether a made the responsibility of the Ministry of International person is related or the status of the individuals concerned Trade and Industry only covers shares which have been is not the basis of elgibility to obtain shares neither will issued by manufactwing companies licensed under the it affect the individual's eligibility to be allocated shares. lndusUial Coordination Act 197S and also non-manufac In this connection, En Fazrin Azwar was allocated l.S turing companies, but does not include insurance com million shares in Leader Universal Holdings Bhd based panies, banks and government companies which have on the proposal of the company itself. When the applica been privatised - the allocations f~ these are made by tion was being considered by the Committee, it was the Ministry of Finance. The powec to allocate special declared and noted in the Minutes of the Committee bumiputra shares is vested absolutely in the Minister and Meeting that he was related to me. Alinut MolllltlJ 1994:14 (12) Pare 38 Other bumiputra individuals who were allocated allocated to PNB and LTAT, each receiving 5,000,000 shares in Leader Universal Holdings are as follows: units, and 10,000,000 units for Koperasi Polis. This Min istry also allocated 5,000 units to each of the 1,800 No of shares burniputra companies/cooperatives registered with the (units) Ministry. Wan Ismail Wan Nik: 1,500,000 MrSpeaker, Marzuki Datuk Ibrahim 1,500,000 With regard to the list of companies which had of Mirzan Mahathir 1,500,000 fered shares since 1992, I wish to infonn that the share Mohd Harith Mohd Shariff 1,500,000 allocations ofTelekom Berhad, Tenaga Nasional berhad, Adnan Datuk Shuaib 1,500,000 MBf Capital Berhad, MBf Holdings Bhd, Hong Leong Credit Berhad and Hong Leong Bank Berhad were car For the infonnation of this House, other shares which ried out by the Ministry of Finance. were allocated to En Fazrin Azwar are 4,173,910 units in As for the share allocation of Lien Hoe Berhad, First Allied Corporation Berhad (FACB) based on the bumiputra individuals who were allocated shares are as proposal of the company itself. Special shares were allo follows:- cated based on the offer price ofRMl.OO per share. Other individual burniputra investors who were allocated No of shares shares in FACB are as follows: (units) Noor Asiah Dato' Mahmood 21,400,000 No of shares DYTM Tengku Mizan Zainal Abidin (units) lbni Sultan Mahmud AI- Mukhiafi Megat Fairouz Junaidi bin Megat Joned 14,804,365 Billah Shah 200,000 Nik: Kamaruddin b Ismail 13,760,875 Ainuddin Tun Abdul Hamid 5,217,390 Utusan Melayu Berhad did not make any special Faridah Abu Hassan 4,173,910 bumiputra share issue because the company is Aznan bJaya 4,173,910 burniputra-owned and has fulfilled the listing conditions Ahmad Sabri @ Ahmad Khordzai Hj Din 4,173,910 required by the KLSE. K.anzen Berhad, which was pre Abdul Razak b Ismail 4,173,910 viously known as Dreamland Holdings Bhd, offered its AhmadbMohd 4,173,910 shares to bumiputras during its floatation in 1987. The Dato' Mohd Adnan b Dato' Hj Shuib 4,173,910 company did not make any special share offer after 1992 which required the approval of this Ministry. • Besides these individuals, FACB shares were also Message from an old Red Indian chief Only after the last tree has been cut down Only after the last river has been poisoned Only after the last fish has been caught Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten. A limn Monthly 1994:14 (12) Page 39 A DAY IN PARLIAMEN1i SHARE ALLOCATIONS Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz enlightens Parliament Dr M: lie eon recelwcl1.111111111on ...._ • Why are shares allocated to ~:llebrollw R811Uh: tweon-ln-law NOelved 1.lllllllon ...... well-off relatives of leaders of ...... ,... • totel ol1.7 government? lllllllon ...... In 2 • If the whole scheme was Intro duced to help underprivileged bumiputras, why has It turned out that it benefits the rich bumiputra more? • There Is no reason why rich bumlputras should become richer from schemes meant to help poor bumlputra tt..nldO..:IIeeon lleget .lunlcl: tu. eon NDIIved 14.1milllon ...... NOelved l.llllllllon ...... Full story on page 38 Publlhld 11r Ahn Kl••••• Negera (Allin), 12.....,. PMI8I Azlz lnNm, 11100 Pula! Pinang, P 0 Box 1048, 10830 Puleu PlnMg, T.W:u:04-8415715;Prinlldby RP PrinllnSdn lhd,66, 66 a 70.11111inAllltem, 10460 Pula! Pinang lki paf'L'L declared in 1981 to highlight the 1~11iiL' \Oil\\ ilh \ it1iolic firL'. which takes place within the family killings of women under the dic hoot \011 do\\ ll tilL' L'IHIIL' ol 1 ~ unit however does little to allow this tatorship in Latin America, it has ll<>llllll\ . potential to flourish. Violeoce since been observed by women's against women generally, and groups globally to commenmorate .\~;1111 \Oil \\Ill LTL';i(L' 'IIH>h·: within the family in particular, need our struggle against all foons of Ill\ n L'' \\iII 'marl not be the reality if we put our minds violeoce against women. hut no IL'ar' \\iII llo11. towards this goal. We call upon all In Malaysia, the most prevalent .Jay a who are concerned, to regard and and overt forms of violence against treat the family as a place which is 1\C-\ L\ I.UMI'l 'R women are rape, incest and domes safe for and supportive of all people: tic violence. In the case of domestic women and children especially. It is violence, a revealing survey con not too late to inculcate the value of ,r/ofJoiioio,'oo 111.' 1/o•oi' ducted by Women's Aid Organisa mutual respect within the institution /IIIII\/'•'''' ,/ I•• ;,, , !I 111111 lr,/!1••1 ,,, l!lo ,,J tion shows that nearly four in ten .r/11 r/11/,ol/u, 11 ,'1{/i/l !t/r which we are taught to revere. Let's women over the age of 15 years have break the cycle of violeoce! been battered in our country. Fifteen per cent of adults believe that it is all T1111 Bt"' Hili right to abuse women, and another Spouspeno11, AIL WOMEN'S 72 per cent said that a man has the ACI'ION SOCIETY (AW..tM) right to beat his wife if she has been SEUNGOR unfaithful. Given that women are mothers, daughters and sisters, it is extremely ACCOUNT ABIUTY Assemblymen Make Exhorbitant Claims Nearly RM2 million claimed by Perak State Assemblymen over a period of 44 months