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SAMY, TAKE ME TO COURT

REFLECTIONS AFTER SABAH ELECTIONS

DON’T SACRIFICE OUR SCHOOLS

» Bank Negara Govemor Tan Srl Jaffar Hussein

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%4 Why has the ringgit been weakening at a time when our economy is growing at an impressive rate?

Some analysts believe that Bank Negara has Intentionally weakened the ringgit to camouflage more huge foreign exchange losses which were incurred in 1993.

RAM expJores the recent moves by Bank Negara In the financial markets.

Letters.. ••12 ; Thinking aHowed ... 19; Heart to heart...23; Samy, take me to court. .. 24; Why are we sacrificing our schools in the name of deve1opment? ... 27; Health loses out to arms trade... 29; Housing for the poor. .. 31; Current Concerns... 33; Hotel Metropole: Parti Gerakan responds... 40

Alira11 Monlhly 1994:14 (J) Page 2 n the middle of December, our for ships by MISC and aircraft by By pushing the ringgit down, currency stood at 2.55 ringgit for MAS. Export growth has tapered off Bank Negara is thus able to make its Ione US dollar. By February, the from a heady 30% in early 1993 to a fmancial position (foreign reserves local unit had fallen by more than more moderate 12%, but is still very translated into ringgit terms) look 7%. As the ringgit declines, more credible given the weak economies better. Some believe that the central ringgit is required to be exchanged of Japan and Europe. bank needed to make these cosmetic for foreign currency. In February, at adjustments to offset massive losses its weakest point so far this year, as BNM SEUJNG RINGGIT? in foreign exchange (forex). In 1992, much as 2.79 ringgit was needed to Ifit isn't economic fundamentals Bank Negara lost RM12 bn (includ­ convert to one US dollar. Since then that have pushed the ringgit lower, ing positions that had not been the ringgit has risen slightly. but still what is the explanation? cleared out). The central bank should remains more than 6% have learnt its lesson and lower than its levels in ceased dabbling in forex. mid-December against Instead, some believe that most currencies. Bank Negara' s bigger los­ Why has the ringgit ses in 1993 were com­ fallen? Economic fun- parable to 1992. damentals of the The truth about Bank country have not Negara's losses will only deteriorated. Latest be known when it releases figures indicate that the its report some time at the economy grew by 8.1% end of March or early in the third quarter of April. But if it is true that 1993, one of the fastest ...... ~. the central bank has lost growth rates in the substantial amounts yet world. Projections of IJ Si$l± &Bl I 21 1 I again, it would explain economic growth for why the central bank 1994 are being revised would want to push down up by most economists u the ringgit in an attempt to to about 8.5%. if it is true that the make its financial position Inflation has been central bank has lost appear better than it is. capped at under 4% for After the ringgit feU at most of 1993. Of late substantial amounts yet the end of last year, there higher food prices have was an initial rally in the resulted in inflation again, it would explain why currency in t11e first few figures being slightly the central bank would days of 1994 that saw the higher. But this can be ringgit recover about half attributed to Chinese want to push down the of its losses. International New Year and Hari currency speculators, Raya falling just one ringgit in an attempt to spotting that the ringgit month of each other, had fallen but not due to resulting in a rather high make its financial position any substantial change in but temporary increase appear better than it is." economic fundamentals. in demand for foodstuff. appear to have come in to After the festivities are buy the ringgit in anticipa­ over, food prices should tion of a recovery in the come back to normal and overall It appears that in the last week of currency. inflation for 1994 is not likely to be 1993, Bank Ncgara sold quite large However, they were in for a higher than 5%. amounts of ringgit to commercial shock. Beginning January and until Our trade balance has improved banks. This pushed the currency to a February, Bank Negara announced a from a swplus of RM8.6bn in 1992 low at year-end when the central series of measures to reduce specula­ to an even larger swplus of RM 11 bn bank revalues its currency positions. tion in the ringgit. In effect, Bank estimated for 1993. Although of late A lower ringgit means that foreign Negara made these speculators lose there has been higher growth of im­ currencies held by Bank Negara out on interest when they bought the ports, much of this is due to orders tr.mslate to higher ringgit amounts. ringgit.

Alira11 Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 3 Currency players who buy a cur­ worth of Malaysian bonds, issued by b~. these speculators add li­ rency would m gcner..tl expect some the Ministry of Finance as well as quidity to the banking system. Local interest payment in holding that cur­ Bank Negara, which will mature in banks get excess funds through rency, through parking the funds the coming months. foreign speculators converting their with local banks. One of the ad· When these bonds are repaid, the currencies into ringgit and parlcing vantage of holding this ringgit with our ringgit was that it offered banks. relatively high interest Too much funds rates. A currency player being held by the banks could borrow US dollars leads to lower interest and pay an annual inter­ )::;;~~==~ rates. Each bank quotes est rate ofabout 3% while ill , slightly lower interest converting it into ringgit rates for those who want he would earn about 6% to park funds with it, ef­ through keeping the fectively telling the cus­ funds with local banks. tomer, or foreign Thus he could potentially speculators, to go else­ make double-barclled where. With all banks profits· from the interest doing this. interest rates rate dtfTerential as well as comedown. potential exchange rate Bank Negara, how­ appreciation of the local ever, does not wish to see currency. interest rates come ofT too much as this could RESTRICTIONS spark inflation. Lower in­ TO CURB terest rates may boost SPECULATION "The net effect of lower consumer spending as in­ Instead, beginning interest rates is to increase dividuals find they have February 1994, Bank to JX.IY the banks less on Negara required local both consumption and their borrowings and thus banks to distinguish the increase their credit card accounts of locals and investment expenditure. spending, take up more foreigners. Those of for­ And when spending goes hire-purchase loans to eigners would not eam buy higher priced items any interest unless they up generally so does etc. were for investment in In addition, manufac­ manufacturing or related inflation." turers may find that lower to tr.1de. Some foreigners interest rates make more foreigners who no longer see any investment projects look viable as it were even charged negative interest viable shorHerm investments in the costs less to finance these projects. as tJle local banks were made to incur country. will be likely to repatriate a small cost in holding these funds. their funds. This would mean further Thus. these companies take up more Thus, the lure of higher interest loans and increase their investment selling of the ringgit which could expenditure. rates for holding ringgit was keep the currency soft for the com­ eliminated. ing months. The net effect of lower interest In addition, becau~e the central rates is to increase both consumption bank made it clear tt did not en­ CONTROLLING and investment expenditure. And courage foreigners taking positions INFLATION when spending goes up gcnem.lly so in the local currency, some who had Why should Bank Negara be so docs inflation. Prices get marked up owing to increased demand. ringgit positions appear to have sold concemcd about foreign speculation Til us, foreigners buying massive out. This selling of the ringgit. at a in the ringgit? After all, most of the amounts of ringgit and parking it time when other speculators were foreigners are buying ringgit, show­ discouraged from buying, resulted in ing faith in the currency and, thus with local banks put downward pres­ sure on interest rates and could spark the ringgit weakentng in January on­ indirectly, our economy. wards right till February. higher inflation. Foreign investors arc believed to However, by buying ringgit and To offset this, Bank Negara has be still holding billions of ringgit keeping the funds in Malaysian withdrawn funds from the domestic

Alira11 Mcmthly 1994:14 (J) Page 4 banking system, through borrowing the local currency may have given previously he was making a profit ringgit from the commercial banks. Bank Negara officials added margin of 10%, then because of the But the central bank has to pay inter­ motivation to get even with these higher cost of imports which make est on these borrowings and the cost international players. up most of his overall cost, he may to Bank Negara is thought to total up find that his profit margin has effec­ to more than a few billion ringgit. IMPACT ON tively disappeared. Thus, one way of dealing with MALAYSIANS The importer will have to mark the problem of declining interest Does all this matter to ordinary up the price of his products. Instead rates is simply to make it difficult for Malaysians? After all a 6 to 7% of paying RM65,000 for a new Nis­ foreigners to buy ringgit and put in depreciation of the local currency san car, buyers may fmd that the our banks. does not sound like very much. But price of the car has been increased to though the percentage change in the SQUEEZE THE RM72,000. For the importer, the value of the ringgit may be small, the higher prices are not necessarily a SPECULATORS implications are large. good thing as it would affect sales. Apart from the economically Exporters no doubt are very And for ordinary Malaysians legitimate concern for inflation, happy. By converting their foreign who consume various types of Bank Negar.t's measures may have revenues, they get more ringgit foreign products, be it cars, been intended partly to teach a lesson when the exchange rate is lower. television set<; or rice cookers, the to currency speculators. Like many This can add very substantially to prices of these products will be other central banks, Bank Negara their profit margins. higher. It will also cost us more in may well have the view that these Because the international market ringgit terms to send our children speculators, who play in the billions, place is competitive, export margins abroad for education or to pay for a often push a currency way off what are usually very fine and seldom foreign holiday. it is really worth. By imposing these more than 10%. Say, an exporter was measures, Bank Negam sends the previously making 10 sen on every INVESTMENTS MAY signal to these speculators not to play ringgit of exports. Now that the SUFFER around with the ringgit. ringgit has fallen. he would get a On a macroeconomic scale, the One investor who is thought to further 6 sen through the lower ex­ impact of the lower ringgit may also have lost sizeably in the last couple change r.tte, and his margin would undermine international confidence of months because of the in our country. To the ex­ measures introduced by tent that foreigners invest Bank Negam is George tilt the ringgit decline here to manufacture Soros of the US. Soros is persists, foreign investors· goods for the local believed to have bought market, they will find that over a biJJion ringgit may lose confidence in the their ringgit profits, when early in the year an­ converted to their home ticipating that the weak­ currency and reduce their currency, translates to a ness of the ringgit was lower amount. only temporary. investments locally." If the ringgit decline It is the same Soros persists, foreign investors increases to 16 sen per ringgit of who a year and a half back sold the may lose confidence in the currency British pound very heavily and then exports (assuming there is no ele­ and reduce their investments locally. added to the crisis of the pound by ment of cost which has increased). Given that investment, both from making public statements. which i.e. his profits from exports goes up foreign and domestic sources, is the were carried by the international 60%. main engine of economic growth, media, that the pound was over­ Some exporters may decide to this would have very dire conse­ valued and would fall below its ex­ maintain their prices in ringgit terms. quences for the economy as a whole change rate band against the other and lower their international prices in the longer term. European currencies. Soros was to expand their exports in existing In the shorter-term, capital in­ right and made a huge profit. and new markets. flow by foreigners into the stock It is believed that, at that time, Conversely, importers suffer. market will also be affected. For­ Bank Negam had a large position in They have to pay more in ringgit eigners who invest in Malaysian sterling and thus took a massive loss terms for their imports. lf the Nissan shares will not be happy with a when the pound was devalued. distributor finds that the ringgit has weaker ringgit as this undermines Being burned abroad by currency fallen by 10% against the yen, and the profits they make in our stock speculators who then try to play with

Alira11 Mo11lhly 1994:14 (3) Page 5 market when convened back into shares and bonds as weU as invest­ through itself taking positions, i.e. their home CWTency. ment in physical machinery etc, will speculating, on other cWTencies, • The perception by some that be affected. then it should be made clear who Bank Negara is determined to keep So as not to affect the confidence authorised these positions and what the ringgit down will discourage of foreign investors, Bank Negara the controls were to enslU'e that los­ foreign inflow of funds into the local should make clear that from hereon ses were minimised. market and is part of the The question then arises explanation why our why should our central bank shares have been weak "The country cannot allow be speculating in the foreign since the middle of the central bank to exchange market at all? The January. country cannot allow the A weak stock market squander our foreign central bank to squander our means Malaysian flffns foreign reserves by taking will be able to raise less reserves by taking bets on bets on other currencies. capital through the market other currencies. This This would be especially (either through rights is­ hypocritical when the sues or by being floated). would be especially central bank's stated objec­ This in tum will affect the tive for its recent measures decision of these f ums to hypocritical when the is to deter international cur­ expand their facilities or central bank's stated rency speculators from invest in new areas. playing around with the Again, lower investment objective for its recent ringgit. affects the growth poten­ Being the central bank. tial of the economy. measures is to deter Bank Negara's primary Overall, the measures responsibility is to monitor of Bank Negara arc posi­ international currency banks operating in tive in just two respects. speculators from playing Malaysia and manage the viz making it easier to monetary position of the control inflation by main­ around with the ringgit." country through issuing taining interest rates and currency and government by allowing exporters to it will allow the ringgit exchange rate debt. earn bigger profits and/or expand to be determined by market forces. Bank Negara's measures should their export sales. instil confidence in this country. By But on the negative side, the FURTHER FOREX introducing measures to control lower ringgit affects importers, LOSSES? speculation in the currency, one after makes the price of imported goods But more importantly, if the another over a period of about six more expensive for Malaysians. af­ forthcoming report of the central weeks, tlle bank has seemed fects the stock market, and indirectly b:mk shows that once again it sus­ amateurish. also affects investment in manufac­ tained huge foreign exchange losses, Worse, if it has incurred yet fur­ turing etc. by (oreigners in this a t11orough investigation should be ther losses in forex, confidence of country. undertaken by an independent team foreign investors in the Malaysian So long as Bank NegarJ's to understand why these losses were fmancial system wiU be under­ measures are perceived to be only incurred. mined. A thorough examination of short-term, the negative consequen­ the bank should then be undertaken. Some losses by the central bank ces are not great. If investors per­ Government investment decisions are understandable and can be ex­ ceive that our central bank is only should be separated from the body cused, e.g. due to costs of borrowing acting to check currency speculation that controls the financial system, funds from commercial banks to that has gone out of hand and the the way it is in Singapore. maintain interest rates, or due to un­ restrictions will soon be withdrawn, The Finance Minister cannot foreseen devaluations of some investments in the country will not allow resources equivalent to what it foreign currencies held by Bank be affected significantly. costs to bu1ld two or three North­ Negara as part of its international But if the measures are kept in South Expressways to" be reserves. force for long and Bank Negarn con­ squandered each year by the central tinues to keep the ringgit weak, in­ But other losses are not ex­ bank punting on currencies. • vestment in this country, both in the cusable. In particular, if the central March 20, 1994 form of financial investment in bank has lost substantial amounts

A/iron Mo11tllly 1994:14 (3) Page 6 ELECTIONS

Reflections on the Sabah Elections: WHAT ABOUT THE VOTERS' MANDATE?

The electors of Sabah elected a government of their choice to govern Sa bah for the next five years.

But their will was frustrated by the dishonourable conduct of the elected assemblymen who betrayed their trust and aborted a duly elected government.

Should defections be outlawed and elected assemblymen be disqualified thus forcing them to face their electorate once again in a by-election -as is the case in India?

ANIL NETTO reflects on the outcome of the recently concluded elections and the subsequent turn of events.

Sakaran Dandai: Became CM through Pairin: Victim of betrayal the betrayal of some PBS assemblymen.

Aliran Monlhly 1994:14 (1) Page 7 he people of Sabah voted in the UMNO Baru chief in Sabah took that party subsequently defect to the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) over the reins as the new Sabah Chief another party thus causing the vic-· Tat the recent Sabah state elec­ Minister. The BariS311 was once torious party to lose its majority. it tions but the Barisan Nasiorol coali­ again in command in Sabah. amounts to nothing short of a tion formed the new state betrayal of the voters' mandate. government. This is democracy, VOTERS' MANDATE Malaysian-style. IGNORED The Barisan managed to form But what about the people of the state government following a Sabah? What would they make of all trickle of defections from the PBS this? In the tussle for power, their which suddenly turned into a stream wishes have been all but ignored. and then a torrent. Three new parties They voted for a PBS government. led by former PBS stalwarts were They were not entirely satisfied with formed overnight, seeking admis­ the PBS' performance; so they sion into the Barisan -the Parti Ber­ hedged their bets by sending a strong satu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), the P'Jrti Barisan opposition into the assemb­ Demokratik Sabah Bersatu (PDSB) ly. But whm have they got now? A and the Parti Demokr:llik Sabah powerful Barisrul government and a (PDS). severely depleted PBS in the opposi­ The PBS, whose wafer-thin 25- tion. So much for government of the 23 majority was initially boosted people, by the people, for the people. with the appointment of six What a mockery of the electoral nominated MPs, soon found its posi­ process! In a parliamentary tion undermined by the spate of democratic system such as ours, cross-overs. voters are likely to vote on the basis Joseph P..tirin Kitingan, the Chief of party manifestos. They realise that Minister under siege, had his back individuals on their own cannot form against the wall. He tried vainly to a government. Only a political party get the state assembly dissolved to can translate its manifesto into call fresh elections but the Governor government policy. The people refused, arguing instead that it was know th is. That is why independent not necessary as elections had just candidates, however noble their been held. · intentions and however well-known With no more cards lert to play, they may be, invariably lind them­ P:lirin then conceded defeat gra­ selves getting thumped at the polls. ciously afler having led the state for So. if the people collectively vote nearly nine years. Sakar.m Dandai in a political party into power and then elected representatives from ~IIi •ILOPMEtty OF •A RIA RESORt ~NTAI DALII, IUARAN DAUT lEACH IESOIT SDN fll: 235741/235734 'IND.

PBS defector• from TOP: Joseph Kurup; Jeffrey Kiting an Only the Barisan can bring about development? Bernard Dompok

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Pate 8 ANTI-HOP LAW NEEDED for power and position and precious What's going to happen to tlle Nobody is denying the right of little to do with following the wishes PBS now? Has Dr Mahathir seen the election candidates to switch parties. of the people who elected them in the last of Pai.rin, his nemesis in the past? But do it before the elections, not frrst place. Of course, the official The PBS maybe in thecoffm but it's after. If you know that only the chorus of explanation is: (altogether certainly not clinically dead. Not Barisan can bring 'development' to now) "Only the Barisan can bring with Pairin still at the helm of the Sabah, then you should not have about development." party. As paramount leader of the stood under a PBS ticket Kadaz.an community, his and a PBS manifesto. You The logical and honourable influence over the people should have contested thing to do is to vacate your cannot be uderestimated. under the dacing symbol He conducted himself with with the Sabah Baru vision seat and let the people decide dignity during the election and let the voters decide once again. After all, it is their drama, kept his cool and on that basis. thus gained a large meastire Supposing, you dis­ opinion which counts, not of sympathy not only from cover that the Barisan is yours. They decide which party Sabahans but from all the only party which can they want to rule the state, not Malaysians. bring about development Only tlling, a new ele­ in Sabah, but it is too late, you. ment is present in Sabah you have already been politics now-UMNO Baru, elected on a PBS ticket. What do you Another way of looking at it is witll its unlimited funds, its do then? The logical and honourable that perhaps the PBS docs not machinery and its monopoly of the thing to do is to vacate your seat and deserve to be in power with so many media. Having tasted power in let the people decide once again. of the party's leaders having Sabah. UMNO Baru will not relin­ After all, it is their opinion which betrayed the mandate given by the quish its grip on tlle state easily. counts, not yours. They decide people. Wreaked as it has been from Will P..tirin opt to dissolve the which party they want to rule the the squabbling within the party and party in tlle ncar future? It's hard to state, not you. the various power struggles, the say but having lost everything, he I don't know ... all this leaves a writing was on the wall. The party has nothing to lose by keeping tlle very bad taste in the mouth. Elec­ was falling apart at the scams. party alive to fight another day. tions have become meaningless if It was just a matter of time. The In fact, if tlle PBS were to put up the verdict of the people can be ig­ PBS of 1994 was entirely different candidates in parliamentary con­ nored so easily. The only remedy is from the PBS of 1985. Gone was t11e stituencies in the coming gener.ll to bring back the anti-hop laws so idealism and the youthful energy election, it will probably do fairly that we will be rid of hoppers once which char..tcterised the PBS leaders well since the people will have noth­ and for all. at tlle birth of t11e party. Gone was the ing to lose by sending PBS Opposi­ Altematively, candidates should buming enthusiasm of the people for tion MPs to Parliament. At tlle state openly and solemnly pledge on their a party which symbolised a new level, however, with the rcdeli.nea­ word of honour at t11e start of ilie bi.nh and a promise to shape their tion of constituencies looming, the election campaigns iliat they will not own destiny. PBS will probably find itself stuck in betray the trust of the electorate, iliat Meanwhile, we sit back and the opposition for a long time to they will remain true to the pm1y that watch ilie antics of the 11\fcc fonner come. nominates them and that they will PBS strongmen Joseph Kurup Meanwhile, ilie Barisan will do vacate their seat if they decide to (PBRS), Jeffrey Kitingan (PDSB) its best to pump federal funds into change their party afliliation. Every and Bernard Dompok (PDS), as t11ey t11e state to show the people what it time they address a rally,they should try to outdo each other in t11cir bid to can do in terms of development for begin with thts pledge. clinch tlle remaining Deputy Chief Sabah. But tlle question remains, is Minister's post which ultimately development the only thirrg tllat DECLINE OF THE PBS leads to the ChiefMinistership under Sabah.ans want? What really made the PBS as­ the rotation system. The Barisan has Besides, who will actually gain semblymen defect'! For the first few asked them to merge ilieir three par­ most from these development of them .... you know and I know ... no tics together. Sorry guys, two of you projects? In Sarawak and the penin­ need to put it down in black and will be disappointed. sula, the people who have gained white, is there? It also had something most are ... oops, that's anotller to do with ilie unquenchable desire WHAT NEXT, PBS? story! •

A/iran Mo11th/y 1994:14 (3) Page 9 Dtr'id A1111to111 PEI'A.UNG JAYA

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 10 A/iran Monthly 1994:14 {3) Page 11 LEIIERS Sayyidina Othman. He was carry­ ing out his duties of state when his. son walked in. Sayyidina Othman immediately put out the lamp and asked his son what he wanted. The surprised son asked. "Father, why have you put out t11e lamp. It is dark". Replied t11e Great Caliph, "Son, this lamp belongs to the state, and since you wish to talk to me on private business, I cannot misuse state. property for that pur­ pose". God save our nation. SABAH POLLS: political groups. Both the Barisan Abdullah Ahmad and the PBS are to blame though KUAULUMPUR A BETRAYAL OF our castrated media gave the im­ VOTERS' MANDATE pression that only the PBS was to blame. 1l1c defections from the PBS I knew Brother Anwar during MALAYSIAN which allowed the Barisan to form his ABIM days. He used to be ELECTIONS: the state govcmmcnt is nothing very, very critical of corruption, but a betrayal of the voters· trust. the misuse of power by the elites ONE-MAN-ONE-VOTE? Let me reiterate: the people and the erosion of human rights. voted for the PBS to form the When he joined UMNO, he told state gO\ ernment. Nothing that his friends that he wanted to I anticipate that your next issue the Barisan or the former PBS as­ change UMNO from within. But will give prominence to the results semblymen who defected can say sad to say, UMNO hac> changed of t11e State Elections in Sabah. or do will alter that simple fact. him. What he heen no Today, there is nothing to stop his quest for power. ugly incident. But the politicians the election commission from In case Brother Anwar does have succeeded in dividing dmwing up rural constituencies as not know, I would like to tell him Sabahans into religious, ethnic and little as one tenth or one twentieth about t11e great Caliph of Islam, of urban constituencies.

A/iran Monlhly 1994:14 (J) Page 12 What sort of democracy are we Sabah but throughout Malaysia practising that we only elect legis­ must have lost all sense of shame lators to the Lower House (Dewan and "sportsmanship". They behave Rakyat) while the government ap­ like young children fighting for points Senators. Local Councillors something whkh is not theirs. and City Councillors. The ugly face of money was Is it not time we have elections revealed when three PBS stale as­ for the Upper House, semblymen crossed over to the Municipalities, Town Councils Barisan, thus paving the way for and Local District Councils? the fall of the PBS government in MaJStrly Sabah which came into power Anwar: Changing UMNO from within? KOTABARU wilth a simple majority. I will never trust any politician Further, the Election Commis­ in future, especially those who sion was so over zealous in draw­ have proven themselves capable of ing up new constituencies that it BARISAN SHOULD manipulating the law and the clid its delineation exercise even ACCEPT SABAH people just to fulfil their personal before it was due. The 1992 ambitions. It is a shame for amendment was aborted because it VOTERS' VERDICT Malaysia that Pairin was not al­ was illegally conceived! lowed to run his government Either Baris:ul legislators do I fail to understand the attitude peacefully although his party won 110t understand the full implication ofthe Barisan and its leader. Even the elections. of the acts of parliament they had after the PBS had won the Sabah Furthermore, the BN managed passed. Or they simply could not Elections, they are being made to to secure 23 seats during the 18-19 care less. For if they had cared look like the people's enemy. February election probably due to enough they would have goaded This is what the people want phantom voters as claimed by the law enforcement agencies and I would advise the Barisftn to Amir Kahar. I was told that (Barisan Appomtecs) to enforce accept it. The Barisan should hundreds if not thousands of for­ these acts of parliament and by­ realise the opposition are not the eigners. mostly Indonesians and laws. Likewise, they do not under­ people's enemy nor is the Barisan Filipinos, illegal immigrants were stand what "one-man-one-vote" is the people's champion. The use of forced to vote for the BariSUil. all about because no one dared to money and religion is fa')t .becom­ They were threatened with depor­ comment! So what docs the Law ing Barisan 's way of life. tation to their own countries if Minister mean by one-man-one­ Let God bless the innocent and they failed to support the Barisan vote? may I say that people may be candidates. The police and the Next the Law Mininster. to blind and greedy but God is not. ACA must investigate these allega­ please his boss. appc~u-ed with There is always the Judgement tions. statements like "Such practice Day for everyone. Yet I wonder if the police and may not be in line with the Federal To Datuk Pairin Kitingan, may the ACA will do a proper job! In Constitution". And Sa bah UMNO God look over you. India, Narasirnha Rao came into Baru legislators replied "We will Conscious Malaysian power without even a simple look into the maller". KUALA LUMPUR majority and after almost three What is there to look for? Do years, he still survives. India's anti­ they not know that our legislators hopping law prevents an MP from are appointed by the FederaJ and crossing over to another party but State governments? SABAH ELECTIONS: if one third of the total number of I am referring to legislators of DISAPPOINTED MPs cross over to another party at the Upper House - Senators/Mini­ the same time then it is okay. sters without mandate! So if the OVER BN'S Here the BN fl.l'St encourages Federal Constitution allows State UNDEMOCRATIC three PBS state assemblymen, just ~mel Fc~ral governments to ap­ to create havoc and shake Pairin. point Senators (all Senators arc ap­ METHODS Then more were lured. What a pointed) why is he questioning the shame! We must pass a law in our Sabah practice"! Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the parliament, preventing MPs and entire BN govemment not only in state assemblymen from crossing

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 13 over to other parties after winning change in the political climate at PAS in Kelantan by the ruling their scats. If the requirement need­ its 'birth·, it has gone down the Barisan Nasional coalition (which_ ing at least one third of the total same path of power which cor­ is in effect UMNO Baru for the number of MPs and SAs to cross­ rupts the core. For how else can other component party leaders are over at the same time to the same one explain the flight of leaders just following Big Brother). party is enforced, then we can be out of the party which led to its The ordinary rakyat in those reasonably sure that these MPs 'demise'!! two states are suffering because and SAs are not crossing-over Frustrated. because the events the country's leaders don't practise merely for the sake of personal indicated the extent that the what they preach. Yes, we've gains. But that too sounds un­ powers-that-be will go to achieve heard the oft-stated comment that democratic. The best thing to do is their objectives. To them, it seems democracy has to be tailored to for an MP or SA to quit his seat that the ends justify the means. our Malaysian needs but, why not and seek the people's mandate The polarisation of the diverse ban all opposition parties in the again to justify his cross-over. This ethnic groups in Sabah has wor­ first instance if the country's will make elections more serious sened. Yes, all of them are claim­ leaders cannot swallow the fact and meaningful. The people too ing to be united under the Barisan that the majority of the rakyat in will begin to think more seriously Nasional umbrella - but I think if those two states feel that opposi­ and vote more wisely. In the long only they are honest with themsel­ tion parties are a better alternative run, our country will benefit. ves ... well, need I go on? to the previous BN state govern­ All Malaysians, especially the I do not wish to take a moralis­ ments. voters, should demand honesty, tic stand for, being very much a No doubt, I agree that it is responsibility and justice from our worldly man myself, I do not think human nature to favour one's kin leaders. Malaysians, irrespective I would have been able to resist and no one is asking the federal of our cultural, religious and eth­ the temptations which the PBS government to grant special nic backgrounds must strongly state assemblymen who defected privileges to the two opposition­ condemn the drama that was must have faced. led state governments. But I think created by Barisan leaders (with But my inner being detests ab­ fair play should prevail at leasL Mahathir and Anwar as "hidden" solutely those temptors who, Don't put obstacles in their paths directors) which ultimately top­ without the blink of an eye, can and withhold development funds pled Joseph Pairin's government. tum around the next minute to which are due to tax-paying We must show our diss:ltisfac­ pronounce moral judgements sup­ Malaysian citizens. tion and disappointment through posedly for the good of the nation I don't have the facts but that's the ballot boxes, as the general or the world at large. my perception of how badly election is just around the corner! Loyal Malaysian treated the two opposition-led So, Barisan,l'm sorry, this PENANG states are. r m also aware that time no votes for you as I can't Pairin 's conviction for corruption, tolerate your bullying tactics. the flight of leaders from the PBS We want a CLEAN AND indicates that all is not well in the HONEST ELECTION! "I WISH JOSEPH PBS. But, nonetheless, I wish him Disappointed PAIRIN AND PBS and his party well and I hope that PENANG my premonition of their demise as WELL" the state government will not come true. By the time this letter is pub­ Feeling Malaysian SAD AND lished, the Sabah state elections PENANG results will already be known. If FRUSTRATED OVER events as depicted in the PBS' MISFORTUNE mainstream English media are to be believed, the PBS will be the MAHATHIR, SU E As a moral supporter of the opposition party by now. PBS since its inception. I followed I am no hard-core opposition SUNDAY TIMES AND the recent events to its 'death' with party member but an ordinary CLEAR YOUR NAME! feelings of sadness and frustration. thinking Malaysian. I feel a strong Sad. because despite it holding sense of disgust at the injustice Prime Minister Dr Mahathir out a promise of bringing about a meted out to the PBS in Sabah and Mohamad urges Malaysians to

A/iron MonJhly 1994:14 (J) Page U continue to abide by the law to Heads of Government Meeting Unfortunately, this has not hap­ prevent chaos in the country. He (CHOGM). pened due to the implementation says the people should accept and It is only a favourable judicial of the SBB. I have lost all hope respect all the machinery estab­ pronouncement against The Sun­ though I have tried rational ways lished to enforce the law. day Times which can vindicate to make an appeal but to no avail. He adds that those who felt him. Surely, The Sudnay 1imes Being in a remote area in Sabah, they had been denied justice could will have to justify the allegations communication facilities are not resort to the courts but they must of corruption against the PM, and easily available. I do not have any accept the court's verdict although if it cannot, his national and inter­ body /union to represent me. So I at times they might be dissatisfied national stature will be enhanced have decided to write about my with the decision. ten-fold and Malaysians can once predicament to Aliran. Nobody can argue with the again walk tall. Allow me to explain what I PM's noble sentiments. However, Dr Mahathir should emulate have done. when I passed my ex­ the Malaysian Government's Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who amination ( 1990 STPM results record shows it has persistently has spared no one when it comes were out in March 1991), naturally used Parliament to overcome to assailing his reputation. He has I applied for a higher salary scale. decisions unfavourable to it. initiated l~al action in court and I received a reply stating that I In 1979, when the Privy Coun­ has up to now succeeded in all his should wait to be confirmed in my cil ruled the Essential Security cases. post before I could be eligible for Cases Regulations, 1975 uncon­ Dr Mahathir should not be a salary change. stitutional in the case of Teh afmid of a judicial pronounce­ I applied again in August after Cheng Poh v Public Prosecutor, ment. I am of the considered view I received my confirmation letter the Government passed the Emer­ he should not delay initiating legal in late July 1991 but, to date, I gency (Essential Powers) Act, action against The Sunday Times. have not yet received a reply. 1979 to validate what had been in­ He should not give the impression Then in March 1992, a clerical validated by the Privy Council he is afraid of a court decision. team from Kota Kinabalu came to which was then the highest court It is in the national interest that my school and I highlighted my in the country. This resulted in the he acts fumly and swiftly to clear situation - whether I would be execution of at least fifteen people his name. eligible for a higher salary scale. I in the country for arms offences Karpal Singh was assured that there should be since the law was made retrospec­ MEMBER OF PARliAMENT no problem and therefore I signed tive and Teh Cheng Poh"s case the SSB form. was a test case. I applied again going through Of late, decisions of the High the same procedure but I received Court, and even the Supreme UNJUST a reply that I was not entitled to a Court in habeas corpus cases have higher salary. been ignored with the re-arrest of IMPLEMENTATION I have appealed to the Educa­ persons released from detention in OFSSB tion Ministry to reconsider my ap­ successful habeas corpus applica­ plication but to date there has been tions and appeals. Court decisions I have been subscribing to the no reply. ought to be respected by all parties A/iran Monthly for a year and am What I would like to highlight concerned, including the Govern­ renewing my subscription for is that the implementation of SSB ment. another year. I find A/iran Monrhy did not foresee a situation like this It is only in a court of law informative. It provides alternative which affects the lower income where one can clear his name. Dr views and facts- there are always group. There now exists a form of Mahathir's own predicament is a different views about an issue. discrimination for people like me casse in point. I am writing to highlight an who have the STPM but are put on The Sunday 1imes in London issue which I feel is a social injus­ a lower salary scale. It is ironic has defamed Dr Mahathir with al­ tice and discriminatory. It is an that this should happen as it was legations of corruption against oversight in implementing the not foreseen. Why is the NUTP him. Dr Mahathir is a respected SBB (Sistem Saraan Baru) policy. silent on this matter? Is it t>ecause leader in the Commonwealth. He This is what my situation is only a minority group is affected? will not be able to hold his head like. I passed my STPM examina­ I fully understand that all high at the next Commonwealth tion in 1990 thus making me government policies are meant for eligible for a higher salary scale. the betterment of society and there-

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page IS fore anomalies and weaknesses • div1dcs rather than unites us, RESTRICTIONS ON should be remedied. fashioning public debate into a bat­ ALCOHOL V Sureshcharulra tle waged between extremes­ delineatiOn of conflict rather than CONSUMPTION IN SIPITANG, SABA/I a search for consensus. CAMERONS • heightens our anxieties and intimidates us by depicting the An Open Letter to PRESS FREEDOM, world outside our personal ex­ Chan Kong Choy, MP perience as one of turmoil, ex­ for Lipis and Deputy MALAYSIAN-STYLE ploil8tion arid violence. • debases our values and fuels Minister for Culture, To support his contention that our dissatisfaction by promoting a Youth & Tourism press freedom is also practised in superficial, materialistic, self­ Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister centred, and self-indulgent life­ I understand you are very tired Anwar Ibrahim cited the opposi­ style- a way of life that is beyond because you have been atl8cking tion papers I farakah and Rocket. the reach of a growing number of the DAP regarding the Hukum How on earth can Anwar use our citizens. Hudud in Kelantan. especially these two newspapers as examples * erodes our sense of self­ over the ban on consumption of of press freedom? He knows jolly worth and promotes a sense of in­ liquor in public places. (Kclantan well that the govemment has adequacy by constantly is waiting for the 'green light' banned the sale of these confronting us with images of newspapers to the public and has Jives more powerful, more beauti­ restricted their circulation to party ful, more successful and more ex­ members only. So much for press citing. freedom in Malaysia. Our mass media has successful­ Get Serious ly conditioned our lives with Sf/All AI..AM regular doses of controlled news­ to be absorbed whole-heartedly, to make us tolerant of indiscretions Hudud law concerning alcohol: VB and submissive to unjust and Chan Kong Choy would do weiiiO ... not, hear not and speak not. MALAYSIAN MEDIA draconian laws and servile to the PROMOTING DECAY powers-that-be. N S Surulram from Parliament to pass the law). But, silently, the same law KUAlA LUMPUR It is my view that our values (partly) IS being practised in and cultural malaise may be main­ Cameron Highlands, Pahang. Yes! ly due to our mass media - a In your own constituency (Lipis)! product of our scientific and tech­ What have you to say? nological virtuosity. IS OUR PRESS Are you going to oppose. as The Malaysian media has be­ FREE? you did in Kelant..'ln? Don't. If you come the most powerful deter­ oppose. you will be in trouble. Just minants of our culture, yet we I have one question to ask the follow the famous traditional three make tittle attempt to control or Prime Minister: If our vernacul:lr monkeys. i.e. see not. hear not and direct the media in our best long newspapers are really free, as speak not. term interests. Indeed the style of claimed by some quarters in the The DAP used to sny that the our culture dictated by the popular recent row w1th the British, why MCA is controlled by UMNO media. virtually guarantees that do these newspapers have to apply Baru. If you want to prove this we fail to address effectively the for new licences from the govern­ wrong. come on YB, speak up many serious problems we have or ment every year? against the Pahang government as face . Who're You Kidding? you did against the Kelantan For all their value and power PAHANG government. as instruments of mass education I don 'tthink you have the guts and entertainment, our media: to accept this challenge. And also I • fails to project a coherent like to advice you not to attack the and internally consistent DAP or the Kelantan government Malaysian view.

Aliran Monlhly 1994:14 (3) Page 16 because you are pnctising the ment should protest to the just take the editors and the paper same thing in your own constituen­ AusLr:Jiian Government for its un­ concerned to court, just like Lee cy. Just keep quiet about this mat­ warranted interference. Kuan Yew has done before? ter. Finally, I hope the judicial in­ Though I'm a man of small J Apalasamy quiry by the Auslr:llian Govern­ means, I will be all too willing to CAMERON HIGHLANIJS ment into its spy network will contribute to a fund to take care of shed more light on these bribery al­ legal costs (weU, if that's the legations. restraining factor). I have no doubt OngEuSoon all Malaysians will be only too AUSTRALIAN PENANG willing to chip tn to clear our GOVERNMENT leaders' names! Or perhaps there are skeletons in the closet which SHOULD our leaders arc afraid will be ex­ INVESTIGATE ASIS SET UP LEGAL posed in the ensuing legal battle? It is poetic justice to see the BRIBERY FUND TO ClEAR powers-that-be being subjected to ALLEGATIONS PM 'S NAME the same treatment by the English media that they mete out to the op­ I view with concern the allega­ Is the state of harmony be­ position here. tions made by former field agents tween the diverse people of this Loyal Malaysian of the Auslr:llian Secret Intelligent beautiful country of ours strong PENANG Service (ASIS) in the Sydney enough to withstand the adverse based Sunday Telegraph that forces of ethnicity and religion clandestine payments were made when manipulated by un­ to senior opposition politicians in scrupulous politicians? I don't MISREPRESENTING Malaysia for cla-;silied informa­ have the specifics but unbiased tion. reviews have pointed to the THE POSITION OF Since the allegations have polarisation of the people in Sabah THE ORANG ASLI serious political rdlllifications. it is as a result of the recent elections. only proper for t11e Canberra The powers-that-be use the no­ In his speech to the UN Com­ Government to clear the air by set­ tion of a united Malaysian race mission of Human Rights on 16 ting up an inquiry to find out who only when it serves their purpose. February 1994, the government these politicians were and when But at the same time, they resort to representative to the Commission, and where the reported pnyments ethnic and religious classification Datuk Musa Hitam, said, among took plnce. to enhance and perpetuate their other things, that a "preservation­ The refusal of the Austrnlian political power. How can the in-reservation" policy would leave Government to confirm or deny .Malaysian dream ever be realised? Or.mg Asli out of the mainstream these allegations on the pretext I pride myself as a loyal and will turn them into objects of that the Govenunent never com­ Malaysian but by subscribing to curiosity for tourists to gawk at. mented on its intelligence mailers the more stringent tests of truth In equating Orang Asli reser­ is a serious injustice to the opposi­ and justice. I find myself more and ves with the ghetto-like "reserva­ tion parties in Mala)sia. Details more unable to embrace our tions" for indigenous peoples in regarding the bribery should be government's actions wholehear­ other countries, Datuk Musa has disclosed to the public to clear the tedly. Does this make me disloyal? cleverly attempted to disguise the names of innocent politicians. I don't think so but that's not the just demands of the Orang Asli for Critics of the Malaysian position of the powers-that-be. title to their traditional lands. Government arc always accused as Any dissent seems intolerable and Orang Asli are not asking to be stooges of foreign countries. The the government docsn 't seem to be placed in reservations. They want allegation, if not thoroughly inves­ serious about producing a genera­ their traditional lands to be tigated, will be used by some un­ tion of thinking Malaysians. gazetted as Orang Asli reserves so scrupulous politicians against the Take the current action against that there is at least some security opposition. British companies. Why cause suf­ of tenure to it. With pennanent tit­ If the allegations arc true, ac­ fering and anguish to the innocent les, they would be able to develop tion should be taken against the workers'! Our PM knows he has their land and, it follows, their culprits. The Malaysian Govern- been wronged. Why doesn't he community as well.

A/iran Mo111h/y 1994:14 (3) Pate 17 As testimony of the soundness be found in all occupations, con­ debated. It is indeed fundamental of this line of argument, they fre­ sume the same level of goods and that Sasa has this access to justice. quently tum to the example of foods ~others, live in the same Science and technology has their neighbours who were granted type of houses, and be equal vic­ developed. And rcconstrucl..lve numerous rights under the Malay tims of modem living? Or must sw-gery is possible for transexuals Reservation Lands policy. they give up their identity and be to undergo. But ow-laws remain Nobody, I am sure, would equate like others first? archaic and do not reflect current setting aside reserved land for For many Orang Asli, they un­ realities and forms of rape or Malays with a policy of "preserva­ doubtedly feel that they are part of sexual assault tion-in-reservation". the mainstream. How else can you Sasa has undergone such a Fw-thermore, rationalising that explain all the problems they are surgery and has a vagina. we do not want Orang Asli in facing today - from intruders, from Gynaecologists at the University reservations to be made tourist ob­ exploitative middlemen, from Hospital and the Kuala Lumpw­ jects fw-ther disguises the reality. mainstream values, from land­ General Hospital, after a medical While we can argue as to why the grabbers. and from unsympathetic examination, agree that she has a Orang Asli, unlike the other com­ officials. vagina and is capable of penetra­ munities. should be singled out for Unfortunately, the desire to tion and sexual intercourse. protection from the glare of protect and retain their tr.tditional We recognise 1t is a fust case tourist<;, t11e reality is that it is lands is often confused as unwill­ in the country. It IS all the more im­ often the authorities who are out to ingness to accept integration and portant that such a case be heard maximise the Orang Asli as tourist­ modemisation. And Orang Asli are in court so that we can begin to pullers. asked to change their way of life move forward m meting out jus­ For example, the huge while the authorities are allowed tice within new realities and espe­ signboard at the entrance to Tasik to perceive things their way. cially to transexuals in the country Cini has a prominent portrait of a Colin Nicholas and globally. traditional Orang Asli using the Coordinator, COAC We are happy that the Minister blowpipe. And in Sungai Ruil, of Justice. Datuk Syed Hamid Cameron Highlands the Semai are AI bar recognises that the case be discour.tged by the JHEOA from treated differently. It is a special growing vegetables on their land SASA'S RIGHT TO case not only in that it involves an for fear that the village will loss its ex-transexual but it involves of­ tourist appeal, as advertised in the BE HEARD AND ficers of the Police department and official brochures. And in Endau­ ACCESS TO JUSTICE the Immigration department Rompin, the Orang Ash village of Rape is a henious crime The Sunday Mml's report Karnpung Peta is set to become against gender. It is even worse (6.3.1994) titled "Loophole in law the gateway to U1e national park. when such a crime is allegedly over sex change" states quite clear­ And when Or.lilg Asli in PerJk committed by tJ1e \Cry custodians ly that the three persons, a police wanted to conduct ceo-trails for of the law. It cannot be treated officer, an immigration officer and tourists, U1ey were again dis­ lightly and dismissed over a techni­ a recruiting agent who allegedly couraged since tourists would t..1ke cal question. We support the Law had raped an Indonesian woman, pictures of their living conditions M1n1stcr's call that this case not be an ex-t.mnsexual. may go scot free and exploit it overseas. treated lightly and that the persons because the cw-rent rape law does Datuk Musa Hllarn also made accused of the crime do not go not state that only a woman can be it seem that, for the indigenous scot free because of technjcality. raped. TI1e chromosome tests from peoples. it was a case of having to We therefore w-ge the govern­ Singapore indicate that Sasa was decide between the preservation­ ment to charge the three persons born a male and therefore recogni­ in-reservation policy or in moder­ accused of rape and let ow- courts tion is given to her as a male. nising them, that is, making them decide on the course of justice. Tenagamta views with great part of the mainstream. Rape is happenmg too often in ow­ concern the Attorney-General's of­ Again, the fallacy of Orang country. And such a crime must be fice pos1ll0n on the case. The argu­ Asli not bemg already part of the treated seriously and steps taken to ment is based on a technical mainstream is bandied about. reduce such a heinous crime maHer which can indeed be chal­ What must Orang Asli be, or do, in against the people. lenged in a cow-t of law. And Sasa order for them to be integrated should have the right to access to a Irene Fernandez with the mainstream? Must they court of law and have her case TenaganiJa, KUALA LUMPUR

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 18 DISCO BABIES rupture. An interesting question concern.~ a local report that •quoted foreign defence exp<.'Tis a.~ being surprised at the What a reversal of fortune<: rhc p:lSt few weeks have turned ~11rns which we had paid for the weapons. out to be! It has been quite amusing to watch the "tuansM grovellrng at the feet of the natives. And to think that it was We were reported to have paid twice whallhe weapons tl1e otl1cr way around only not so very long ago. Is this what actually cost and we are tailing about billions of ringgiL they mean by paying for the excesses of an earlier Does ~at mean taxpayers arc paying more than necessary? generation? Once again, Mahath.ir has made the British feel Why dJd we agree to buy at such a ridiculously high price? what it's like to be at the short end of the stick. Sw-ely we have our own defence consultants to advice us?

Mal1aU1ir's ban on Briti~h contracts sent him straight into But the question that's itching at the tip of our tongues is: Is the headlines of ncwsp:tfX'r>; all over. TI1e lordly British. it there sonx:thing fishy going on? Ann.~ purcha.-.es, from seems, have rarely b.:cn treated this way. The episode also mega items to spare parts, in so many countries are exposed tl1e Briti.J1 govenuncnt to be the world-class notoriously riddled with shady deals that often lead to high ~1ypocritc that it is. It is prcp.lrCd to hand over aid- though places and even next-of-kins of those in high places. mthe form of "soft loans"- for billion-bucks :unlS deals but Shouldn't this be something the media ought to be sl-Tcanls like a banshee against aid to countries wit11 poor investigating in its so-called watch-dog role. hwnan rights records. Actually, this is not the ftrSt time that we have been rattled Still, those at home could not help wondering at the extent by British reports of alleged kickbacks in the purchase of to which the national leadership is prepared to go when the military equipment by Malaysia. In 1989. a British issue affects U1e pride and fuclings of one man. One wishes newspaper claimed U1at the sale of about one billion pounds tl1c national leadership would be just as moralistic and of weapons to Malaysia involved kickbacks to members of Uilcquivocal on issues to do with hwnan rights, justice, the Malaysian royal family as well as Umno. p~nciplcs and other equally noble issues. For instance, why d1d we not act similarly when Britain stood in the way of When asked in Parliament why the goverrunent did not sue drastic action again<;~ the Serbs in Bosnia? the paper, Dr M replied: "Why should we give credence to the accusations by taking the paper to court?" Arc we not just a.s outraged by what happened in East Timor, an issue for which we were like mice, scuttling to apologise How sltange! One would think that by not defending one's for a television SCf(.,'Ciling of a documentary on the E~<;t innocence, one would be giving credence to the reports. 1be Timor isc;uc? What about Bum13, a country whose v~<;t other interesting thing about UlC present ban is the WJCven, mineral, forests and precious gems resources seem to have even confused respon.<;e, on the part of those concerned. blinded us to tl1c military's gross abuse of the people's Following the announcement, all those who were in the habit dcmocr.1ctic rights? ofdancing to the PM' s IWlC, tried their damcst to outdo each otlx:r on the dance floor although they were not very sure about the stl--ps. Moreover, the media whid1 has again sw1g and danced so obediently master's tunc, seems just ac:; blind to otl1cr toiL~; Some like the chainnan of MARA, Senator Nazri, fell fiat crucial questions tl1at have surfaced over tl1is diplomatic on their high noses for too zealous a dance style. Others like

A/iran Mo11thly 1994:U (J) Page 19 Tok Mat were not sure whether to take to the floor since they (and waste), among other things, huge amounts of water. knew only a limited number of dances. Tok Mat was But then everyone knows that turning Langkawi into a reported as saying that we would still be buying British fantasy island for tourists was grounded in political shows. The Deputy Minister of Education declared that reckoning rather than any kind of sound planning. twinning programmes with British educational institutes would be reviewed. Anyway, one would think that since water is definitely going to be a problem on the island if development is intensified, Only Sabaruddin Chik stuck to his guns and declared that wouldn't it be more logical to control the growth. to let it to Malaysia would have no qualms about pocketing U1e foreign grow only to an extent compatible with the water available? exchange brought in by British tourists. AnyUring, anyUring After all, tourists are looking for natural beauty rather than for tourism! The wild stamping on this dance arena by the man-made structures. name of politics was more reminiscent of a herd of cows blinding following an enraged leader than a concerted effort Besides, bringing water in isn't going to help tourism very in protest against U1c slurs cast by ilie British press. much. It would only hike up the costs of things and make the island much less competitive than tourist spots But then again, one can hardly blame iliese chaps for ilieir elsewhere, that is, Wlless the cost is to be borne by taxpayers ungainly lack of coordination in this. How else would you outside of Langkawi ... now that is a frightening thought expect them to behave? They arc reportedly Yes-Men, quite We are wondering whether Daim got this wild idea of a unused to protest or dissent of any sort.. submarine pipeline from the chap who is also developing (or should we say destroying?) another island elsewhere. • • ANOTHER MALACCA IN THE MAKING? POOR FOOLS Three businessmen were recently poorer by RM500,000 because they believed that an "African witch doctor" could multiply that amount to an astounding sum of RM8 million. TI1ey put their money in a suitcase which was chanted over by this "witch doctor". But when they opened it two weeks later, their money had turned into noiliing more than a bottle.

What is very obvious about these iliree businessmen is their exu-eme groed. They wanted to grow rich wiiliout having to work for it However, apart from being greedy, iliey must also be sinlpletons to have fallen for a ploy as stupid as that Surely their mothers must have told them that money does not grow on trees. What made them think then that it would grow in a suitcase?

It is amazing how in iliis time and age, people can still fall for scams like this. Such people, according to a well-known intellectual in the country, belong to the species of fools in Daim Zainuddin: Submarine pipeline to boost tourism? our society. But according to iliis intellectual, some fools are not so easily detectable.

A submarine pi pel me to supply water to Langkawi is being There are the ''covertly disguised fools" whom he suggests studied, said Daim Zainuddin, U1e man speculators still love are not difficult to be found in the member of parliament, to hale. Apparently, Langkawi is likely to face a shortage of the cabinet minister, the lawyer, U1c physician, the water because of its TafJd growth. Truly, tlris makes no sense economist and a host of others whose membership to the for a man reputed to be the most brilliant businessman in the species of fool tends to be camouflaged by ilieir training and COWl try. education.

Surely feasibility studies would have shown U1at Langkawi TI1ey are not always easy to identify but he says that traces was not the wettest place in the world and hence not quite of fools can be found in published policy documents, suitable to be developed as a resort for hotels, restaurants speeches of MPs, press reports and government and other playthings since the rich and leisurely consume administrative policies. He was obviously referring to

A/iran Mo11tltly 1994:14 (3) Page 20 politicians. But some politicians do not need to leave printed Perhaps, they could contribute 10 per cent or more of their docwnents to reveal their true selfs. lbcy open their mouths "profits" to worthy causes. 1bat would help to put an end to and all is losL the sardonic looks and snide remarks from members of the public whenever certain politicians are referred to asMrTen Perhaps that's why there is this saying: Scratch a politician Per Cent or even Mr and Mrs 20 Per Cent in the c::asc of a and fUlda fool. And was that what led that Fabian wit George rather notorious politician and his even men: notorious wife. Bernard Shaw to say: He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything. That clearly points to a political career. • • SABAH POLmCS: "GREATER SLEEPING ON THE JOB? LOVE HATH NO MEN THAN The lnfonnation Minister must have been asleep all these THESE, THAT THEY LAY DOWN years - probably dozed off while watching TV. It appears that he has just become aware that hotels have all this while THEIR FRIENDS FOR THEIR been blatantly flouting the Broadcasting Act 1968 by OWN POLinCAL LIVES screening video shows for the amusCinent of their guests. Incidentally, the origins of this Act goes back to the colonial Poor Joseph Pairin Kitingan! IDs men have lbandoned him days when the regime sought to control our minds in the like rats from a sinking ship. And indeed, his sbip of state name of protecting our freedom. has sunk as surely as the Titaruc did that dark and fieezin& night so many years ago. And if tho9c who !CWTied u fast Hotels, especially the posh ones have been doing this for as they could from the sunk ship object to being called rats, uptcen years and it is strange why the government is only then they ought to remember that when a ship goes down, taking action now. The give-away may lie in an interview men are not known to be the ftrSt to leave. given by Tok Mat to Bemama. He said hotels need not worry about the ban since there would be sufficient TV Most of the deserters backed their actions by spouting their progran11nes to entertain the guest with the advent ofTV4 deep desire for better state-federal relations and sudden and the Satellite Network Services. Surely the man on the confidence in the BN, all face-saving words that Mdly hill can't be uying to build up an audience for these two new disguise their greed and sense of self-perpetuation. It was networu? obvious that once again, the politics of telf-inlercst and opportunism had prevailed in Sabah. The wishes of the voters had been cast aside and lnmpled by the deserters' baser instinct for political survival.

• This was perhaps best illustrated by the defection of the fonner Qlief Minister's very own flesh-and-blood, Jeffrey Kitingan, a politicaJ betrayal that would be tough to match MR TEN PER CENT in the near future. Some of !hose sickened by these evcnls have blamed the federal government for lurinJ the PBS One thing about the MB of Negri Sembilan. He is never leaders with "Swiss carrots". The federal government, they short of novel ideas for his stale though his ideas are say, was so ol:lssessed with eliJninatina Pairin lbat it was deflllitely less novel than his counterpart in Malacca. The prepared to go to any means to form the state JOVCIIlDlCill. MB was recently quoted as urging the private medical centre minus Pairin. to contribute some of their profits towards !>etting up preventive health care and cornmwlity programmes. This is Others were revolted by the way these politkans switched a noble idea that private health practitioners ought to take alliances quicker than the weather changes. It has brought a on as a challenge. Titey are said to make tOIUlCS of money. certain hoUowness to their earlier campaign claims of So do lawyers and other professionals. fighting for the people's causes and working for the good of the people. Yet others say Sabahans have only their own guUibity and stupidity to blame. They elected these very But it is said that the odter occupational group which makes people and since they made the bed, they would ha-re to lie just as much, if not more, money are politicians. How else on it, so to speak. would they be able to run political can1paigns not only during gcrx:ral eJections but also during party clcctions'l In Still, one cannot help but feel sorry for the way the that case, politicians too, ought to contribute a porlion of man-in-the-Sabab-street have been completely ignored their "profits' towards conllllunity causes. during the past few weeks of horse-trading and cross-oven.

Alira11 Mo11thly 1994:14 (3) Page 21 It was as if they did not exist and lhat the votes they cast in NEW USE FOR OLD those two days in February were for fun. The electoro~te voted for the party as much as the person and, in that sense, POUTI ClANS those who have rushed to jwnp on the BN wagon have betrayed the trust placed in them by the voters. Titey have Americans have found a new use for old politicians. made a farce of the election. Over-the-hillpoliticiansorthosebootedoutbytheelectorate have been recycled as TV &alk-show hosts, roles they have And after the dust from all that leaping-over-the-fence has fitted in so effortlessly that some people are kicking settled down, the turncoats would be too bu~ trying to themselv~ for not thinking about it earlier. The former cement their own positions and aeating their own power mayor of New Y 01t. Ed Koch. for one. has taken to this like bases to have time for the people in whose name they won duck to water. Why, you uk? Because all they have to do political offiCe. And of colll'9e, there will be a scrambJe for on these shows is talk and isn't that what politicians do best timber concessions - the jewel in the crown coveted by so - talk. talk. talk and little action. many. Surely after all this, only fools would betieve that those who aspire to political office in Sabah do so out of But, not all politicians may waDI to host such shows since it concern for and commitment to the people. docs involve some intelligence and a fair amount of general knowledge. One would imagine that given the *ills lhat Politics has been described a.<> a blood sport. In the case of some oflhem have picked up singing at the countless dinners Sabah, it is a sport in which blood i.<> no longer tltick~-r than lhey throw or are invited to, they may instead want to water. And if Malaysia is a limited democracy, then Sabah consider a singing career, or for that maher, dancing for a must be an Wllim.ited mockery. living since they do quite a bit of both in the course of their political career. • • DARK AGES NOVEAURICH How embarassing! There was the mighty BN promising everything undo" the sun to Sabahans, from electricity and A regional magazine recently carried a proflie story of this water to a national university. And back home in the fabulously wealthy Indonesian tusinessman with interests peninsula was a village of some 200 population which was in the arts as weU u the mystical. It wu a curiously still without electricity, where the children had to study by inleresting story for the way this chap made his pile lypi(aed candlelight and where life virtuaUy comes to a standstill after so well the get-ridl-fast path of so many businessmen in dusk. certain Asian countries today.

This wu no remote village deep in the forests or accessibile The man made his millions selling agricultural equipment only by shallow-bottomed boats as in Sabah. Ths wu a to the Judonesian government and is now set to make more village near Tapah, Perak. The villagers had written to millions in partnmhip with no less than one of President almost every big-shot dtey could think of-Datuk Seri Samy Subarto's most business-minded children - Tommy Vellu, their MP Datuk K. Kumaran and their state Suharto. Both of them have bought up a company assemblyman Datuk Ong Ka Chuan. And still they nwwfacturing a brand of cars that only the most wealthy of conlinued to tive in the dark. society can afford It is quite a mind-boggling investment. costing US$50 million, especialJy given the fact that the However, after a newspaper highlighted their plight in the average Indonesian cannot even afford a bicycle and have midst of the Sabah State elections, their MP was forced to to selllheir labour for pittance in foreign lands. spring to action. Tile problem it seems is that Tenaga Nasional will not supply eb.:tricity to the area unless the Anyway,like all rich men who have made more money than residents can come up with the fee of RMSO,OOOO. I suppose lhey know what to do with, the chap is now dabbling in that's what happens when you change a public monopoly to music and odu artsy things. And he claims to be also a private monopoly. interested in spiritual dcvelopmmt, in being nationalistic and in the green movement that he tries to promote through Still, it seems outrageous that the villagers should be denied mu.<>ical concerts. Yet his home is decorated by a humongous such a basic utility just because of RM80,000 whid1 their painting of tigers being slaughtered (environmental?) and of representatives could have easily raised - whether by himself in a safari suit lording over a tiger. Such are some pcslering the Treasury or by singing karaoke. This is a case ofdJC gross contradictions of Asia's new rich. of sheer bungling, incompetency and could-care-less -byNNP attitude on the part or dle political representatives.

A/iran Monthly /994:14 (3) Page 22 HEART TO HEART W!at com9s from th9 hps f9tJch9s the 9llf, what com95 from ths h8att rt~achss ths h9lllt • -Arab Provwb ''Do you understand what I am saying, Ben?''

was watching with some dismay there are those, like Ben's new A big challenge lies ahead for and a little amusement how a neighbour, who mixes everything Ben's parents especially when he Iguest at my friend's house-warm­ up. enters those self-conscious teen­ ing party was t

A/iran Muulhly 1994:14 (J) Page 23 ACCOUNTABILITY ''SAMY, TAKE ME TO COURT" Dares MIC Public Relations Committee Chairman

There was little mincing of words when Subramaniam (also known as Barat Maniam), Chairman of the Public Relations Committee, called his second Press conference held on 19 March 1994 at the Swiss Garden Hotel In Kuala Lumpur. "I have come out with this statement to prove that Samy Vellu is a thief. He has stolen [Telekom] shares from the Indian community," he declared.

Futhermore, Subramaniam claimed Samy Vellu had received 3 million Tenaga shares which were only declared as belonging to the MIC after the ACA investigation commenced. Dato Seri Samy Vellu is also charged with supposedly receiving a Singaporean six million dollar contribution for the party which was not minuted or given a receipt by the party.

RAM has this story to tell us ...

Maniam

Aliran MonJIJy 1994:14 (3) Pog1 24 t the press conference. Sub­ to be rewritten. Rewriting the ac­ of the proceeds from the disposal of ramaniam furnished details counts took three or four days in Telekom shares. Aon the events following the Samy Vellu's house [while he was One cheque is from APC, the ACA raid on Advance Personal still abroad). There were about six or company raided by the ACA which Computers (APC), one of the com­ seven people. When Samy came had received Telekom shares under paniesSamy Vellu had nominated to back from abroad he had to sign instruction from Samy VeUu. The receive Telekom shares allocated to some vouchers." other cheque is from Sothinathan, the Indian community. Samy Vellu But, as Subramaniam points out. the director of both APC and SB itseemsspoketoSubramaniamfrom even after rewriting the books, there Management (one of the other com­ the United States as soon as he heard were still things that would look panies that Samy Vellu had of the raid. fishy to an outsider. Samy VeUu had nominated for Telekom shares). "Samy VeUu was in tears on the to explain to the authorities what had According to Subramaniam, phone. He was crying to me. I was happened to the proceeds from the these cheques, both dated 3 April shocked. That was the time I disposal of Telelcom shares which 1992, were banked initially in a fixed suspected that something had gone had been allocated for the Indian deposit favouring Samy VeUu. But on the same day, Samy Vcllu cancelled the fixed deposit and transferred ... Samy Vel/u it seems spoke to the money to his current Subramaniam from the United States as account. It appears that Samy soon as he heard of the raid. Vellu's explanation for these cheques is that they were put into his per­ "Samy Vellu was in tears on the phone. sonal account so that he He was crying to me. I was shocked. could himself prepare a draft to pay for 3 million That was the time I suspected that Tenaga shares that were alloted to him as leader something had gone wrong. I believe he of the Indian com­ munity. Although the was in tears because he knew he was Tenaga shares were car­ finished. All his misapropriation of the marked for both MIC and MIED. Samy Vellu shares were coming to light." was going to pay for them initially from his own account and thus wrong. I believe he was in tears be­ community. Part of Samy's explana­ needed the funds derived from the cause he knew he was finished. All tion was that RM2.4m had been sale of the Telelcom shares. his misapropriation of the shares received in cash by the MJC educa­ Samy Vellu had to say that.MIC were coming to Light." tion ann. MIED. and MIED were the beneficial What followed, according to "Can you imagine any organisa­ owners of the 3 million Tenaga Subramaniam, is a cover-up that in­ tion, company. group or even politi­ shares. But, notes Subramaniam in itially left the ACA with the con­ cal party.that would operate in cash. his Press statement, "the purchase or clusion that there was no case against receiving Ringgit2.418 million, dis­ the lNB [i.e. Tenaga] shares was Samy. bursing cash 2.418 million. Nobody clearly intended for his own gain. At "Tile entire accounts submitted would operate in cash. This itself no material time was the Central to the ACA [dunng its initial inves­ clearly tells you that there is some­ Committee of the MIC or its mem­ tigation) were all fabricated. It hap­ thing wrong." bers informed that the Ministry of pened in front of my eyes. I merely CHEQUES TO SAMY Finance had alloted 1NB shares for acted on Samy Vellu's instructions. the MIC. It was only after the ACA He asked me to coordinate the ac­ What appears particularly damn­ had commenced investigations did countant, the accounts clerk, auditor ing arc two cheques totalling Dato Samy Vellu state that the 1NB and the other people who are in­ RM3.59 million that were bankoo shares were for the MIC. This was an into Saroy Vellu's personal account. volved in this whole exercise. So I afterthought meant to extricate him­ Subramaniam alleges this to be part had to coordinate. The accounts had self from criminal prosecution."

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (J) Page 25 According to Subramaniam, the lions following fresh evidence that 1NB shares were in Samy Vellu's had come to lighL house for about two to three weeks. Subramaniam's statements ap­ The Minister, it seems. bought the pear to have been part of the new shares on 4 April 1992 and the evidence. scripts would have been delivered a Since then there has been no an­ few days later. After the ACA inves­ nouncementontheACA'sfmalcon­ tigation commenced some two or elusion. three weeks later. Subramaniam was The charges being made by Sub­ instructed to take the 1NB scripts ramaniam are very serious. Surely from SamyVellu'shouse totheMIC the MIC should take seriously his hcadq uartcrs. written statements and conduct its "I know t.he sorrow in him when Samy: Is the Minister of Energy own investigation on whether the he was losing the three million 1NB telling the truth? President or his PR man is telling the shares which arc worth so many mil­ truth. lions." vestigation in April 1992 on whether The party leader, whose name is there was anything criminal when now smirched, has to decide if he NO RECEIPT FOR S$6 nine million Telekom shares that will seek to clear himself of these MILLION were allocated to the Indian com­ allegations by suing Subramaniam. The RM3.59 million received munity went to companies The police have to decide from the saJe ofTclekom sh.ws was nominated by the MIC President whether to charge SMly Vellu, the not enough to pay for the three million Tenaga shares which cost a totaJ ofRM14.4 million. if the President of the party had According to Sub­ received a contribution of S$6 million, r.unaniam, Swny Vellu says he received Sin­ should he not have informed the party gaporean six million dol­ lars as a contribution to immediately and have obtained a the MIC which was used to part-finance the ac­ receipt. quisition of Tenaga shares. But, ruiks Sub­ If something had happened to Sa my ramaniam, Lf the Presi­ dent of the party had Vellu in the mean time (until the ACA received a contribution of S$6 mtllion, should he investigation a month later when all this not have informed the was revealed}, the party would have party immediately and have obtained a receipt. had no claim to the funds that had been If something had happened to Samy Vellu put under Samy's name, or the shares in the mean time (until that had not been registered but were in tlle ACA investigation a month later when all this Samy Vellu's house. was revealed), the party would have had no claim to the funds that had been put under Samy's name. or the rather than to the investment arm of Minister of Energy, Teleeom­ shares that had not been registered the party. Maika Holdings. munications and the Post, of but were in Samy Vellu's house. After initially announcing that criminal breach of trust and corrup­ their investigation cleared the name tion, or to charge Subramaniam with AWAITING THE TRUTH of Samy Vellu of any wrongdoing, perjury. The Anti-Corruption Agency in September 1993 the agency an­ The Malaysian public awaits the (ACA) originally commenced its in- nounced it had reopened investiga- truth .•

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Pag1 26 DEVELOPMENT

Why are we sacrificing our schools in the name of development?

struction site had crashed down into matl.CI1 Has the Selangor Govern­ Moves are afoot to shin the school compoWld. ment said anyiliing? ~the Depart­ well-established and A teacher at the school said she ment of ilie Environment taken a well-known schools to heard a loud crash while she was position? And what about ilie Minis­ teaching at 11.00 am that Friday. She try of Local Government and Hous­ make way for said: "We were so worried about ing? money-making what had happened. Many teachers This is an extremely serious and 'development projects' - a have even threatened to ask for a fundamental mancr. The safety of move which has upset transfer for fear of the building-.col­ about 2.500 children, teachers and many Malaysians. lapsing as it is built on a hillslope." oilier staff of ilie school is at stake. The teacher added: "For the past Their lives are being endangered. the Moving and shifting our two years we have to put up with the activities of ilie school have been schools in the name of noise and other disturbances from disrupted, and the schooling of ilie development can only the condominium project." She also children has been interrupted. reported that pieces of tiles and This means iliat the interests of show that we have the debris had fallen into the school ilie school children are being wrong sense of grounds, creating holes in ilie ceiling sacrificed in ilie name of development. and dirtying ilie grounds. The roof 'development' so iliat some people was leaking. can make lots of money. Isn't education one of the "During rainy days, mud from This also means that even after most basic and important ilie top rushes down to ilie class­ ilie whole Gasing Heights project pillars of education, asks rooms and the students have to clean has been completed, the children. FAN YE\ VTENG. up the mess," she said. teachers and oilier staff of the school The school. which has 2.500 stu­ will still have to use ilie school wiili dents. teachers and staff, has stopped a constant sense of fear and worry all activities in t11e workshop which about ilicir safety. Because ilieques­ is just below the condominium tion always at ilie backoftheirminds project because ilie teachers fear for would be: How safe are ilie six high­ n the wake of the recent Highland ilie safety of the students. rise blocks on ilie hillslope just Towers tntgedy, the press has The condominium project, above iliem. Ihighlighted how some schools in known as Gasing Heights. involves Is this ilie way our children have the country have been adversely af­ six blocks. to be built over three to go ilirough ilicir schooling? Are fected by construction projects. phases. Each phase has two blocks. these ilie circumstances under which For instance. it was reported in a The second phase is nearly com­ our teachers have to teach? newspaper that teachers and pupils pleted. The ground work on the third of the Taman Pctaling Secondary pha~ has started. Not An Isolated Case School in Pctaling Jaya were con­ Serious Questions cerned over the con~truction of a The above is not an isolated case condominium in Bukit Gasing. The There are a few very serious in which a school has been sacrificed condominium is being built just be­ questions to be asked in ilie public to ilic interests of so-called hind the school. interests. How on earch could the ·developers·. There are similar cases According to the same English­ Petaling Jaya Municipal Coucil ap­ in oilier parts of ilie COWltry. language newspaper, on December prove such a project so near a In Ipoh, a convent secondary 3. 1993,that is, eight d.tys before the school? Have the school auiliorities school is being ilireatcncd by a huge condo collapse at Ulu Kelang - a officially protested? Has ilic Minis­ commercial project Wlder construc­ cr.me from t11e Bukit Gasing con- try of Education said anyiliing on ilie tion.

Alira11 Mo11thly 1994:14 (3) Page 27 In Seremban some old, estab­ have their own individual per­ lished schools have been told to "When the sonality and identity - acquired col­ move out to make way for" develop­ Mentri Besar said lectively by pupils and teachers after ment projects". In a statement pub­ that old schools many years of aspirations, trials, lished in an English-language challenges and achievements newspaper on July 9, 1993, Negri would have to make together. Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Haji way for Most of us look back to our Mohamed lsa said that there was no 'development' school days as some of the best days place for sentiment and old schools of our lives - not only when we would have to make way for projects, was he learned our lessons on the various "development projects". implying that subjects in order to pass examina­ The Mentri Besar said: "Many tions; but also when we formed im­ old schools especially those built schools were not portant relationships with our during the colonial days are now lo­ development classmates, schoolmates and cated right in the centre of town. TI1e projects?" teachers; and experienced the chal­ noise and distraction of being in the lenges, frustrations and triumphs of centre of town is not conducive for friendly competitions in the various studying." societies and sports. On the face of it, Tan Sri Haji ways been told all these years that Most of us. whenever we go past Mohamed !sa's statement seems to our schools are the most important our old schools, feel a deep sense of make sense. Schools should not be investment for a united country mar­ fondness. pride and nostalgia for all distracted by noise. However, on ching towards progress and achieve­ the things we did and learned and the deeper examination, his statement is ment. bonds of friendship we formed there. odd and even contradictory. Then. why are our schools - Our schools are part and parcel of The pertinent question is: Why some of ttJe oldest and best- made to our identity, our personal and group did the authorities, in the ftrst place, move to make way for money­ development. and our cultural being. allow tr.lflic now. businesses and making projects? Why do con­ Generations of people will have activities in those parts of the town dominiums have priority over such links and such a sense of to increase to such an extent that they schools, to the extent that the safety belonging. identity and continuity have become noisy and distracting to of school children. teachers and cut off if and when they cannot fmd the schools? Shouldn't the other school staff is being com­ their old schools anymore. It is all authorities take special care to promised? very alienating. Of course the prohibit no•sy and distracting ac­ Moving schools a few miles out authorities can say that the old tivities near areas where the schools of towns and cities in the name of schools are now in new buildings on are situated, so as to protect the 'development' is not the answer. In new sites. But new buildings and suitable and quiet teaming environ­ 20, 30 or 40 years' time, these same new sites are no compensation. ment'! schools might well be told to move We cannot really claim to be a When the Mentri Besar said that out again, of course again in the caring society if we do not care about old schools would have to make way name of 'development' - with the our old schools, with their records, for "development projects". was he same arguments of population and their traditions and their respective implying that schools were not traffic congestion, noise and distrnc­ distinctive identity. development projects? This is very tion. In many other countries, schools, odd. Highrise modem hotels. high­ And it can go on and on. Instead colleges and universities that are a rise condominiums and huge shop­ of congestion. noise and distraction few hundred years old arc respect­ ping complexes are considered as being moved out or not allowed to fully preserved and continued to be "development projects". for which move near and into school areas, used as places of learning and re­ established schools must make way. schools. pupils. teachers and other search. They are not moved around Isn't education one of the most school staff will have to keep on by money-making 'development basic and important pillars of moving. This is absurd, and unfair to projects'. development? Aren't our schools the schools, the pupils, parents, Moving and shifting our schools one of the most vital social institu­ teachers and other school staff. in the name of development can only tions in our country - places which Uprooting old established show that we have the wrong sense are entrusted with the preparation of schools and moving them to other of development- that money is more our children for good citizenship, places can also be unhealthy educa­ important than people, knowledge, skills and knowledge, and as leaders tionally, socially and psychological­ skills and our social identity and of the future? I thought we have al- ly. Schools. like other institutions, memory•

Aliran MunJitly /994:14 (3) Page 28 HEALTH

Health loses out to arms trade

adjustment programmes designed was anns. Three quarters of British Many developing countries by the International Monelary Fund exports of arms in 1991 went to the including Malaysia, spend and World Bank in return for debt Third World. In 1985 world mililary more money on "Defence" rescheduling. The structural adjust- expenditure topped US$1,(XX) bil­ than on Health. DR B lion, a sum greater than the com­ "Ten years ago... the bined GNP of China, India and al.l GUNASEKARAN looks at most dynam1c African countries South of the some of the factors transfer of Sahara. The annual budget of the contributing to this sophisticated World Health Organization amounts unhealthy situation. to on.ly three hoW'S of spending on equipment and arms. And despite the rhetoric about technology from rich restraint after the Gulf War, the to poor countries United Slates earned US$41 billion Average spending on anns per was arms... " from arms in 1991 ( 10 per cent of all capila in the Third World is US$38. exports). Half of all scientists in the compared with average spending on ment programme package includes developCd world are involved. health of US$12. Much of the trade liberalisation, devaluation, the directly or indirectly, in arms tech­ weaponry is wielded by entrenched removal of government subsidies nology. elites against the deprived masses of andpricecontrols, "costrccovery"in their own countries. health :md education, privatisation, a Less Money for The 1980s brought a global credit squeeze ru1d increased interest Health in Malaysia economic crists generated by huge rates. Up to July 1993, thirty six This year health will receive a rises in oil prices and mpidly rising governments have initiated a total of smaller share of the budget The Na­ interest rates and made worse by 241 programmes. tional Budget for 1994 released by deterior..1ting prices for Third World While structural adjustment has the Finance Minister in October exports, protectionism in in­ meant a systematic slashing of 1993 allocated less money for health dustrialised countries, drought. civil budgets for health, education and so­ when compared to 1991, 1992 and war. poor leadership in some cial services, there has been no insis­ 1993. The lower allocation for countries (which put military spend­ tence that military expenditure Health in 1994 reverses the trend of ing before poverty reduction) and should likewise be reduced. This a steady increase over the previous the explosion of AlpS. Countries in telling omission reflects the enor­ years. (see figure). Compare the al­ economic recession were expected mous profits that the global arms location for Health with the alloca­ to pay more and more in debt servic­ industry generates in the West tion for Defence. The comparison ing. Most countries failed to meet the Ten years ago the Brandt Report shows that Health has a lower al.loca­ dem~mds. noted that the most dynamic transfer tion as a perccnlage of the total Na­ The industrialised North ofsophisticated equipment and tech­ tional Budget compared to re~;pom.lcd by demanding structural nology from rich to poor countries Defence.

Allocations for Health and Defence As% ofNational Budget

1990 1991 199l 1993 1994

HEALTH 5.0 5.4 5.8 5.8 5.2

DEFENCE 8.5 11.4 10.8 11.6 ll.S •

Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (3) Page 29 r•• • • • • • • •••••••• • •••••••••••••• • ••••••••• • •••• •••• • • • • • • • • •••• • ••••••• • • • • ••••••••• • ••••• •••••••••• ••• • ••• • • • A.UI< \\ .\10.\11/1) .\l U\CI

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Alira11 MonJhly 1993:14 (J) Page JO HOUSING Housing for the Poor The Spirit is willing but the will is weak?

nwnber of squatters, especial.ly in AFFORDABLE HOUSING A yawning gap exists the Klang VaiJey,should be reduced As one who has taken up the between target and if not eliminated. cause of the squatters during my implementation in housing Last year's sllitistics obtained by tenure as a former MP. I have to state the Ministry revealed that of the 2.9 categoricaiJy that the most effective for the poor, says LEE million population in the Klang Val­ LAM TIIYE, who is answer to the squatter problem lies ley. 13 per cent were squatters. The in the provision of adequate low

A/iran Monlhly 1994:14 (J) Page 31 in the hope that they can be compen­ units might reach 84.2 and 220 per On the other hand developers sated when eviction arises. cent respectively. have responded by stating that the There are also others who build As with all previous plans, the high cost of land and construction if squatter houses to rent out to those Sixth Mafuysian Plan is unlikely to preventing housing developers from who are m desperate need of ru:com­ achieve its l!lrget of providing building low

Alira11 Monthly 1994:14 (J) Page 32 conviction for contempt of court, in certain instances. A person who out of con­ science exercises his right of freedom of expression to ex­ CURRE~I~f pose an injustice for the good of society despite a court order CONCERNS and is subsequently charged with contempt of court, should not be seen in the same light as someone who is convicted for fabricating accounts or cheat­ ing the public of what is right­ fully theirs. Only the latter category should be automat­ ically barred from holding public office. We should have a list of such serious offences which ar~ universally accepted as making the offending party to­ tally unfit for holding office. People like Gandhi and ·Martin Luther King, who out of moral conscience deliberate­ ly defied bad laws to bring about change, actually con­ tributed to society despite run­ POLITICS & sociated with the right of ex­ ning foul of the law and the MORALITY pression and parliamentary courts. Nobody can argue that democracy must not be people like them are not fit for Aliran expects a high sacrificed for political ex­ public office by virtue of being standard of moral rectitude pediency. It is not uncommon convicted in court. from people holding public of­ for a ruling party to use its It is also important to fice or seeking to hold such of­ absolute majority in parlia­ uphold the independence of fice. It is only when this quality ment to amend and introduce the Judiciary so that all is transparent and obvious in laws to serve partisan pur­ politicians will be treated such people that we can place poses. equally before the law, ir­ a high premium in such Parliament must be seen as respective of whether they are values. It is only when such a body that is genuinely con­ from the government or the op­ people stand up as beacons of cerned with safeguarding and position. Related to this are virtue and righteousness that promoting universal values the powers vested with the At­ they can inspire the nation and and humanitarian concerns torney-General. Since the post transform the people into ac­ and not as a tool for oppressing of A-G is an appointed one, cepting such lofty standards of and suppressing free flow of many perceive the A-G to be morality. ideas. beholden to the government of While Aliran is happy that Perhaps parliament was the day. focus is now being directed to a ware of this responsibility Can we then be certain that emphasise the virtues of in­ when it passed laws that the A-G will also prosecute tegrity and character, this would permit a person to hold without fear or favour govern­ must not be used as an excuse office if he was fined less than ment politicians suspected of to silence legitimate dissent. $2,000 or imprisoned for less wrongdoings? The courts and ISA must not than one year. If there is any element of be seen as effective weapons to It would be wrong for ex­ doubt over this, then we will go after the opposition. ample to equate a conviction have a situation where only op- The larger moral values as- for sedition or treason with a

Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 33 position politicians are likely which is controlled or owned for under the Federal Con- to be disqualified from holding by the government and stitution. _ office upon conviction, while government parties, which It is difficult not to be cyni­ the fortunate politicians from makes it extremely difficult for cal when we consider the fate the government of the day evidence to be unearthed by of the indigenous people in would not be likely to even face investigative journalism. Malaysia. prosecution charges. This then is the crux of the To them land is their life. The infamous so-called por­ problems. Before we can even Without this land there is no nography tape involving the think of disqualifying life for them. former Deputy Speaker is a politicians who have been con­ What rights does the case in point. In spite of al­ victed in court, we must first Federal Constitution confer on legedly incriminating evidence ensure that existing laws are them with regard to their being in the hands of the fairly applied to all politicians land? police, inexplicably such "con­ irrespective of their political Even if land is gazetted as crete evidence" was ordered to affiliation. For this, we need a Orang Asli reserve, the Orang be destroyed. Then suddenly truly independent judiciary, Asli do not hold permanent we found ourselves in the an Attorney-General of the title to it, whether individually ridiculous position of having highest integrity and a more or as a community. As such, the no evidence to prosecute. courageous and freer mass Orang Asli do not legally 'own' Then there was the media. Let's not even think of their land. notorious case of the BMF amending any laws until we Why are no titles given to scandal. Why were charges not get that straight. their current lands? preferred against the principal P Ramakrishllllll In spite of having lived for personalities involved in the Pi"tsident centuries on the land - a loss of billions of dollars, heritage bestowed to them by 23 Fl!bruary 1994 despite the fact that the past generations - they have Ahmad Noordin committe of no legal rights to the land and inquiry had presented a prima fall prey quite easily to the log­ facie case of corruption against The Orang Asli ging lobby which displaces these individuals allegedly in­ Should Have A Say them from their land. They be­ volved in the scandal'? Was the come victims to the avarice of government afraid that the In Their Development the powerful and influential truth would be out? Would Just because certain rights people in the logging industry. evidence adduced in an open are enunciated in the Federal It is therefore not surpris­ court of trial have implicated Constitution it does not neces­ ing that a number of Orang the roles of certain politicians sarilly lead to the conclusion Asli areas have been re-clas­ in this sordid affair? that these rights exist in sified for non-Orang Asli pur­ Why was not Dr Jeffrey reality. poses, sometimes without Kitingan and the other There is a wide chasm be­ Orang Asli knowledge, consent Sabahan ISA detainees tween pronouncements and or compensation. charged in an open court in facts. When we talk about in­ spite of the claim that there The Federal Constitution tegrating and modernising the was "concrete evidence" to sup­ also provides freedom of Orang Asli, they cannot be port their role in wanting to speech, freedom of assembly, blamed for responding suspi­ take Sabah out of the Federa­ right to trial etc. But why do ciously. When we talk about tion? It is a treasonable offence we have the OSA, the Police integrating, very often we and yet, just before the Sabah Act, the ISA and numerous mean uprooting them from State elections, Jeffrey Kitin­ other undemocratic legisla­ their land and their environ­ gan and the others were tions which either curtail or ment and introducing them to released unconditionally - the deny the rights promised in a way of life that thrtmtens "concrete evidence" not the Federal Constitution? their culture, religion, lan­ withstanding. If we understand this guage and livelihood. In this regard it is impor­ reality, then we can appreciate As one Dayak-Kelabit tant to note the existence of the the rights of the indigenous leader put it, "We want OSA and a muzzled media people in Malaysia as provided development, but how can we

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 14 of information from both sides you are still left in the dark as to whose version tells the truth. What we do know is that if the British media are lying then we can file a libel suit against them. At the same time, if we are in the clear we should not hesitate to form a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the alleged top-level cor­ ruption. Aliran disagrees with Dato Sri Ling Liong Sik when he said that we do not need to form one because the British Orang Asli: Prey to the logging lobby media would still continue to defame Malaysia. We fail to see the logic in his argument. accept the kind of development no document however beauti­ We can put a stop to specula­ which demands us to fors.ake fully worded or any outside tions and allegations if we and forgo our rights to our body however well intentioned come out clear as a result of the land?" can guarantee the rights of our inquiry. Otherwise, every con­ There is a lot of contradic­ own indigenous people, if we cerned citizen would be tion, wanton wastage and do not have the sincerity of wondering why the Malaysian utter disrespect in our purpose, a sense ofjustice and government has retaliated by development, which the Orang the political will. not awarding government Asli who dwell on the land and P Ramakrishnan tenders to Britain in the first the forest in harmonious President place. A government that upholds relationship, find it difficult to 25 February 1994 comprehend. To them it is no high moral values and strives development which ravages to be in the fore-front of tech­ the land, rapes the environ­ nological progress should not ment, pollutes the rivers, What "information be afraid to provide accurate blasts the hills and flattens explosion"? and honest information to the everything. world so as to breathe soul into It is unfortunate that the Time and again we have the so-called "information ex­ decision-maker::; always deem learnt that we are living in an plosion." to know everything. The era of "information explosion." Dr Hamima Dona Mustafa recipients are never consulted Milestones in information Assistant Secretary whether they are the blind, the technology have made this 1 March 1994 deaf or the Orang Asli. It is possible. always assumed that Yet, how much has this recipients have no rights or phenomenon helped us become mind to think. a better and accurately in­ Bakun Dam Project­ It may serve some useful formed citizen? Urgent Answers purpose to recognise the need Take, for instance, the furor fo r Orang Asli to be par­ that is presently developing Required ticipants in the decision­ between Malaysia and Britain. Ali ran has had serious mis­ making process when If you listen to the British givings about the award of the programmes are designated Broadcasting Corporation Bakun Hydro-Electric Project for them. The Orang Asli (BBC) you get one aspect of the to Ekran. These misgivings would know better"' hat is best story, whereas if you follow the have turned to alarm in the for their community. Malaysian media you get yet light of Datuk Ting Pek Finally, it may be another aspect. Khiing's recent press state- worthwhile to remember that Even if you weigh the bits

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 35 ments which display what can point Ekran not unsurprising­ ticular, the issue of resettling only be described as a distress­ ly lost interest in SESCO. some 15 communities of rela­ ingly cavalier attitude towards Several questions must be tively small indigenous. what will be the country's big­ answered by the Federal and minorities comprising some gest project to date in en­ State Government: 7,000 - 8,000 persons. gineering, environmental and (1) Were bids called for the It is evident to any human terms. project? If so, when were bids reasonable observer that to ex­ Our misgivings and alarm called and how many were pect that the EIA will be ready centre upon two major con­ received? in less than four months can cerns: (2) What were the criteria only mean one thing: We must * the procedure or lack of used in the award of the be prepared to accept rushed procedure followed in the project? and shoddy work. Or is Ekran award of the project to (3) What are the terms of so confident of its political Ekran; the award? clout as to expect that it will be * Ekran's attitude towards (4) Did the awardee, Ekran, allowed to proceed whatever the project, especially with submit any engineering plans the quality and findings of the regard to the project's poten­ for the proposed dam? EIA? Is the EIA, then, a mere tially serious and explosive en­ (5) Did the awardee, Ekran, formality to meet the letter, vironmental and human submit a serious resettlement but not the spirit, of the law? consequences. plan for the people affected by Finally, Aliran notes that In the first place, evidently the project? on February 14, earth tremors, the award of the project to Our second major concern measuring 5 on the Richter Ekran was a late development. is Ekran's credentials and scale, were recorded in the In the Mid-term Review of the credibility to undertake the Rejang valley, with its Sixth Malaysia Plan, publish­ country's largest engineering epicentre apparently in the ed only in December 1993, it project to date, one with poten­ vicinity ofKapit. was stated that Bakun would tially extremely serious en­ As this is apparently the be developed by a company vironmental, safety and first recorded instance of earth under the Minister of Finance human consequences. tremors in the middle Rejang Incorporated. Whatever benefit of doubt valley, Aliran calls upon the Furthermore, in the last we were prepared to grant authorities to ensure that sitting of the Sarawak State Ekran has been completely careful seismic studies of the Assembly, the State As­ eroded by Datuk Ting's recent Bak un area are conducted to semblymen and the public statement that the environ­ determine the possible impact were given to believe that the mental impact assessment of seismic activity on the dam, project was still going to be (EIA) will be ready by June as well as to determine the pos­ implemented under a com­ (NST 24/2/94). sible impact upon seismic ac­ pany to be incorporated by the To the best of our tivity of the massive body of Federal Government in which knowledge, consultants have water that the Bakun dam will the Sarawak Electricity Supp­ not even been appointed. To create. This is especially criti­ ly Corporation (SESCO) would expect that an EIA covering an cal in the light of theories of be a major partner. There immediate area larger than "hidden faults" as the cause of wasn't any indication what­ the size of Singapore island recent earthquakes in other soever that the project was to and an affected area stretching parts of the world. be privatized. along Malaysia's longest river Without wishing to be alar­ Indeed, Ekran's own moves is, to put it mildly, ludicrous. It mist, 1t is evident that damage to obtain a major interest in would be laughable if the im­ to the dam caused by seismic SESCO indicates that Ekran plications were not so frighten­ activity would be a national itself thought the project was ing, especially for the people calamity vastly overshadow­ going to a concern in which who will be displaced by the ing the collapse of Highland SESCO would be a major project. Towers. partner. Such a cavalier attitude to The Executi11e Committee Suddenly, to everyone's a very serious initial com­ 3 March 1994 surprise, the project was ponent of the project bodes ill awarded to Ekran, at which for other aspects of it, in par-

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (J) Page 36 Hotel Metropole: Parti Gerakan responds ... No Conflict of Interest e arc glad that the the MPPP as this was approved ::1t a Why did Dato' Tan as YDP Metropole issue has been full Council meeting in the presence decide to formally approve the Whighlighted in your jour­ of reporters and the public. The heritage guidelines for Jalan Sultan nal. It is an important issue for MPPP cannot be blamed for the in­ Ahmad Shah in late October 1993, Penangites as it relates to Penang's complete and erroneous reporting in just over a month before the comple­ planning and development policies some newspapers. tion of the sale to Dolphin Square which affect the future character of and 8 weeks before Metropole was the City of George Town and the • In describing the initial conser­ hastily demolished on . a public State. vation guidelines presented by the holiday? Most of the information has been Council to the NGOs back in 1989, If it was indeed administratively reported before and is in itself not the writer noted that the 20 buildings difficult to postpone the tabling of controversial. However, the con­ listed then were "farshortofwhat the the heritage guidelines, why was no clusions dra"'n b)' Lhe writer seem to various groups wanted" implying attempt made to exclude Metropole be more an echo of the DAP's al­ again that the Council was already from the protected list • after aU, legations rJthcr tkm a logical out­ anti-heritage at the outset. The truth there were already sever-ill amend· come of the facts. We maintain that of the matter was that "what the ments made to the original list of 20 such allcgation:i of conflict of inter­ vari6us groups wanted" was far from buildings when it was approved est twdJy fit the facts and we would unanimous and while 20 buildings without any public protest. like to question the author's con­ were too few for the PHT and CAP, Finally, there is the question of clusion based on the information for many others who were pro the selling price of Metropole; Mr given in the article. development, representing the inter­ Lim Kit Siang has asserted thatat9.5 The main conclusions suggested ests of landowners and developers, it million for 7 J ,000 sq feet, working are that the Council and in particular was certainly too many. outtoRM134persq foot,itisgross­ Dato' Tan have all along been anti­ • The initial dealings between ly overvalued, in view of the heritage because of his interest in Dato' Tan and Cempak:l Sdn Bhd, a protected heritage building on site. Hotel ~tei.IOp(: le and that sub­ private company headed by some Mr Lim's "expert" valuation puts the sequently he ath.:mpted to make a P:uti GRM leaders. and later with fair price at RM3 million or RM42 deal with the prl!sent owners Dol­ Dolphin Square were open and com­ per sq foot! We do not know how phin Square Sdn Bhd to enable him pletely legitimate business trans:lc­ this was anived at. However, we do and his G~rak:m colleagues to max­ tions unless it can be proven there is know that the valuation of real estate imise their profits. We shaH deal a conflict of interest with the politi­ is a complicated process taking into with these allegations one by one: cal and Government positions held consideration a multiplicity of fac­ •lllc Pcnang Heritage Trust has by the directors of the flrsttwo com­ tors. In any case, Mr Lim may not declared th:lt RM50,000 is hardly a panies. So far, allegations of col­ know that heritage properties with sufficient d.::tcrrcnt to developers lusion are not only unproven but "spare" land have considerable demolishing protected heritage highly improbable as we explain development potential even if the buildings. TI1is may be true but the below. building is protected. In Singapore. amount is the maximum penalty • The sequence of events be­ such properties have increased in allowed by the T0\\'11 and Country tween the purchase by Cempaka in value up to 200 to 300 per cent as Planning Act enacted by the Feder-..U June 1993 and the fmal demolition awareness of heritage architecture Government under which the MPPP of Metropole on 25 December 1994 has grown. Not surprisingly. we operates. ll1is surely is not a sign of is seen by the writer as 'evidence· of have yet to meet a professional weakness on the part of the MPPP. collusion between theGerakan Party valuer who agrees with Mr Lim's • It h:ls been alleged that the and the Dolphin Square. Ifthere was claim. Clearly Mr Lim, in his usual MPPP has "not acted with indeed collusion between the parties style, has based his assertion on a tr.msv.U"Cncy" when the buildings concerned, any logical person series of unsubstantiated assump­ along the Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah should a'ik several questions before tions in order to gain some were C:ltcgonscd. ll1is was certainly sharing the conclusions made by the desperate_!r needed political not due to the secrecy on the part of writer: mileage. •

A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (3) Page 37 ALIRAN CLARIFIES

P Choong' s response to the article "Now you see decided to ask the German Government to release me." it, Now you don't!" provides another pen;pective (New Straits Ti~s. 23 February 1994). S on the controversy SWTounding the demolition of Koenig, who left the Council in early 1993, had Hotel Metropole. Such debate and dialogue is healthy as retwned to Malaysia to meet his successor but was the public will have the opportunity to gauge for Ulem­ surprised they had not yet filled the post although the selves v.hether enough is being done to protect heritage German Government had proposed sever.ll names. buildings in the country. Koenig's observations are particularly revealing as Unfortunately, Choong has chosen to dismiss the they shed some light on the attitude of some landowners, article as a mere echo of DAP allegations. For the record, councillors and politicians towards the whole conserva­ the article attempted to describe both the partisan and tion brouhaha. Excerpt'> from the NST report non-partisan reaction to the scandalous demolition of He (Koenig) said the landowners used 'Mafia-style' Hotel Metropole. tactics to 'bulldoze' conservation plans rrwch to the Of course, Lim Kit Siang of the DAP w.LS one of the exasperation of those who were sympathetic to the cause. most vocal on the issue and the article in AM 1994: 14(1) Koenig ... said the Germans also helped the Council alluded to the political factors which may have triggered prepare heritage inventories in which Jalan Sultan his outburst Ahmad Shah was selected as a pilot project/n that invm­ But he was not the only one who condemned the tnry. IlL said 36 bmldings were identified for conserva­ demolition. Many, many other individuals and pubhc tion.llowever, only 12 heritage buildings remain on the interest groups in Penang, with no connection to the DAP, list tvday. also expressed outr:lge. The article devoted considcrJble "These buildings are slowly being deleted from the space to the constructive views of Ahmad Chik. the list owing to pressure from landowners and the im·oh·e­ Acting Secretary of the Penang Heritage Trust (PHn. mtnl ofpoliticians sympathetic to landowners. His colleague, PHT President Nazir Ariff. on the other 'The Council's planning department would make hand, did not mince his words when he was quoted in proposals but cowJcil/ors would nomwlly water it down Utusan Konsumer as having said: "We are left with the or simply ignore it." impression that the State and the Council make farsighted Although a lot of hard work was put in for w·ban plans but most times it appears that these are set aside in conservation, nothing ever materialised and thus conser­ a biased fashion to accommodate vested interests." mtion did not progress. Not mentioned in the article were the highly critical These eye-opening comments tell us that something views of the Consumers Association of Penang also is definitely amiss. published in Utusan Konswner: Alas. from what has What is puzzling is that Choong has attempted to put happened 10 1/ote/ Metropole. we are forced to ask, does words into our mouth. We did not use phrases like the MPPP (City Cow1ci/) take itself and what it professes ·conflict of interest' and 'evidence of collusion'. seriously? We did not say that Tan Gim Hwa attempted to make "Unfortwwtely, the MPPP has slwwn very lillie sen­ a deal with Dolphin Square to enable him and his Gerakan sitMty to or appreciation for public opinion and public colle:1gues to maximise their profits. We did not say that im·oh·ement in this area, and to a certain extellltllis helps the maximum penalty ofRMSO. allowed by the Town to explain why there is a lack ofpublic accoumability on and Country Planning Act was a sign of weakness on the the part of the C01UJcil." part of the Council. Perhaps the most authoritative insider's account was It was not we who said that the MPPP had not acted from Alexander Koenig, a German expert who worked with trJnsparency. The PHT made this statement. But as the Council's conservation consultant from 1990 to strangely, Choong went on to connect this lack of early 1993 under an agreement between the Gem1an transparency to a specific Council meeting which ap­ government agency for technical cooperation, GTZ and proved the categorisation of heritage buildings. The PHT the City Council. statement, as we read it, was merely a general observation We met Koenig for a chat recently and he was ob­ about the conduct and commitment of the Council viously disillusioned with the whole conservation hoo-ha towards conservation. in Pcnang. Koenig's views were also reported in the local Choong also seems unhappy about the part where we Press. "After several attempts to promote conservation said that the 1989 list of 20 heritage buildings was "far and getting my ideas shot down by local politicians. I short of what the various groups had wanted." He argued

Aliran Monlhly 1994:14 (J) Poge 38 that the landowners and others who were pro-develop­ Footnote: ment felt that 20 was too many. Naturally, those "who In our arucle we wroce that 'Land Offrct rtcords were pro-development. representing the interests of land­ show tiUJJ Ban Hin uc Bank. provided the rtquirtd owners and developers" would surely not be interested in furDTKing to Dolphin Squan. BID.. Bank has since conservation and heritage. For these people, the ideal written to us [AM 1994: 14(2)] pointing out that Dolphin number of buildings to be conserved and protected from Square was never at any point of time lhe bank's customer the onslaught of "development" would probably be zero! and no money had been lent to them. The article went on to trace the sequence of events We must apologise for drawing the wrong con­ leading to the tragic Christmas-day demolition of Hotel clusions from lhe Land Office records. (See extr:let MetrOpole. At no point was it implied that the dealings below) were not open and completely legitimate business trans­ What was actually recorded in lhe Land Office per­ actions, neither was it suggested that they constituted taining lO the sale of Hotel Metropole was 'Lim Boo evidence of collusion. Chang ~guam tr~Lmbuaturusan pinjaman dengan Ban All that was saJd was: "Politicians, the ones supposed Hin Let Bank sebelum tanah tersebut dijual u Dolphin to protect these butldings were intimately involved in the Squart Sdn Bhd.' From this swement. we wrongly sale of the hotd to the developers" and "scverJ.I deduced that lhe 'pinjaman dengan Ban Hin Lee Bank' prominent Gerakan politicians were involved in the even­ was to fmance lhe sale of Hotel Metropole lo Dolphin tual sale of the property to Dolphin Square." Square. Can ::.r.rone dt~>pute this? Cempaka Sdn Bhd, a com­ pany dommated by directors who were prominent Gcr..,.:lll personalities? It contrOlled Hotel MctrOpole Sdn HOTEL METROPOLE Bhd. and sold the property on which stood a protected Lot 1064 Sec 13 Daer.lh Timur La.ut, Bandar Geor­ hentage butlding to Dolphin Square Sdn Bhd,the 'shell' getown company which promptly demolished the hotel. Luas 70839 sq ft Sure I). we cannot allach any resposibility for Hotel Metropole .Sdn Bhd jual ke DOLPHIN wh;..,e\er personal conclusions readers may draw for SQUARE SDN BHD pada 4hb Dis 1993 11.10 pagi themselves after studying the facts and the chronology of dengan harga RM9.500.00.00 e\~1 .I.S. Fail pindahmilik tanah J ilid 761 Folio 46 Perserahan Choong has also disputed Lim Kit Siang's valuation No 18650193. of tt.c propcny at RM 3 million compared to the actual DOLPHIN SQUARE SDN BHD buat satu kaveat selling price of RM 9.5 million. We shall leave it to Lim pada llhb Jun 1993. Kavcat Jilid 342 Folio 29 ada to comment on this as it was his personal opinion. If he bulimya. cares to respond,Aiiran Mvmhly would surely extend the DOLPHIN SQUARE SDN BHD at 60 Pengkalan same courtesy to him as it has to Choong and provide Lim Weld 10300 Penang. the space to explain how he arrived at his valuation. Soon Siew Hoong & Lim Khcng Guan adalah pcn­ Let us clanfy that the main objective of our article garah syarikat yang menandatangani bagi pihak was to stress how imponant it was to have a proper Mctropole. conservation pohcy and a sense of commitment to go DOLPHIN SQUARE SDN BHD kcna bayar along with it. RM354,CXX>.OO bayaran DUTI dibawah but.ir.ln 32(A) Equally, we wanted to emphasise that the people of Jadutt.l pertama Akta Setcm 1949. Penang and elsewhere in Malaysia are becoming more Pcngarah Pertama DOLPHIN SQUARE SON BHD and more aware of the concept of public accountability. adalah Tan Khoo Lean (F) IC 4408292 yang beralamat Needless to say,they expect a greater degree of account­ di 1-T Jalan Dclima,lslandGlades.ll700Pulau Pinang abiliry from their councillors and elected representatives. dan Ang Lay Hwa JC 5252627 yang beralamat di 385 To end on a positive note, it was heartening to read in Data Krarnat Road Pulau Pinang. the papers that the City Council has just identified a few DOLPHIN SQUARE SON BHD incorporated on more buildings for conservation and has set up a special 30th Jun 1992 capital RM25.000.00 heritage advisory committee comprising the various Peguam yang terlibat: groups interested in conservation. Ghazi & Lim alamat 10, 1st Aoor, Bishop Streel We hope that this was not done just to pacify the Pulau Pinang. taxpayers in Pen an g. many of whom are still furious over Lim Boo Chang peguam membuat urusan pinjarnan the demolition of Hotd Metropole. Indeed, much more dengan Ban Hin Lee Bank scbelum tanah tersebut dijual needs to be done to protect our heritage and to restore the ke DOLPHIN SQUARE SDN BHD. people's shattered faith in the Penang City Council.• Extract from the Land Office:

Alira11 Monthly 1994:14 (3) /'age 39 HERITAGE

0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

In the previous issue of Aliran Monthly, we published an article about the demolition of Hotel Metropole, a heritage building in Penang. In this article, DRS P CHOONG, the Secretary to the Penang Gerakan's State Working Committee argues that allegations of conflict of interest and collusion in that article are not only unproven but highly improbable. See page 37 ...

Metropole burning: No •ttempt to exclude it from the protected lisl

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