The Main points of my Youth Chief Speech at the Gerakan PNDC 2010 (4th December 2010)
1) Tahun ini merupakan kali pertama dimana Persidangan Perwakilan Pemuda & Wanita diadakan berasing daripada Badan Induk. Ini adalah atas sebab-sebab yg tidak boleh dielakkan. Oleh kerana tarikh asal NDC yg dirancang pd 6 Nov terjatuh pada satu hari selepas Deepavali, kedua2 Jawatankuasa Pemuda & Wanita telah mengambil keputusan untuk menunda Persidangan Perwakilan ini ke satu tarikh yang sesuai untuk semua wakil2 kami yang beragama Hindu.
Jika ada kesulitan atas sebab logistik, saya bagi pihak Jawatankuasa Pemuda meminta maaf terutamanya kepada Perwakilan dari Sabah kerana mereka terpaksa menukar rancangan perjalanan mereka yang asal. Semua ini boleh menunjukan bahawa kita mengambil berat atas semangat Satu Hati dalam Parti.
2) Pada tahun lepas 2009, dalam Ucapan Ketua Pemuda, saya telah mengambil tidak kurang daripada 40 minit dalam ucapan tersebut untuk menyentuh atas pelbagai topik semasa. Dan pada mulanya, saya pun merancang untuk membuat demikian untuk tahun 2010, iaitu menulis Ucapan saya mengikut reaksi topik2 semasa yang telah berlaku pada setahun ini.
Tetapi semua ini berubah selepas Tanggal 24 Bulan 11. Dengan ketinggalan seorang pengasas parti kami, mendiang Dr LimCE telah meninggalkan kesan yang begitu mendalam bukan sahaja bagi saya malah semua pihak dari atasan ke bawah parti kami. Dan jasa beliau tidak boleh dilupakan sebegitu sahaja, kami khasnya di sayap Pemuda mesti senantiasa mengingati pengajaran yang beliau telah bagikan kepada kami.
3) Maka, dengan idea tersebut, pada tahun ini, dalam ucapan Ketua Pemuda, saya akan membuat satu perubahan secara 180 darjah. Iaitu, jika dulu saya mementingkan isu2 semasa, pada tahun ini, saya akan menyentuh pada keseluruhan atas ideology perjuangan mendiang Dr LimCE.
4) A 180 degrees change will necessitate that we focus inward (rather than outward) – to Rethink and Re-Energise the ideals that the late founder has fought so hard for us.
I believe Dr LimCE's struggles can be categorised under 2 broad thrust – the first being, a political party must understand deeply what the rakyat wants. And secondly, to work with the Government to achieve those hopes and wants for the rakyat.
At this juncture, you may realise that I have changed the language of my delivery. This is not to downgrade the usage of our National Language in our NDC, as I have advocated last year that all delegates are encouraged to use Bahasa Malaysia in all their debates and speeches. But the intention is to retain the spirit of Dr LimCE's ideas especially those found in books that have written about him; that I prefer to deliver the rest of my speech in English. To take time to translate these important messages from English to Malay will only delay the urgency of it reaching the delegates soonest possible.
THE 1ST THRUST OF PGRM'S STRUGGLE
"A political party must understand deeply what the rakyat wants."
1) Suqiu 1999, Hindraf 2007
- We cannot just brush things aside
2) Malays voting for the PAST (spelt P.A.S.T.) – this is because UMNO have since the days of Merdeka been fighting for their rights.
Indians voting for the PRESENT – most of them are worried about bread & butter issues.
Chinese voting for the FUTURE – they are worried about the well being of their children and grandchildren.
The question is, are these 3 groups of people going to increasingly vote for the Past, the Present or the Future as the country move forward?
3) What do the Chinese want?
What do the Indians want?
Why not ask, what do Malaysians want?
(i) Honest Govt accountable to the people. No more Govt before the People. It should be the People before the Govt.
(ii) A Govt free of corruption & conflict of interest.
(iii) A clear seperation of Parliament, Executive & Judiciary with a system of checks & balances.
(iv) Institutions of Govt, Police, MACC, Election Comm, Civil Service to act independently & professionally.
(v) A society where workers can live in dignity, earning wages that can support their families.
(vi) Fair education and health services.
(vii) Independent & free media.
(viii) Basic rights to be protected. The freedom to associate. The freedom to speak up.
(ix) Equality of race. Fairness in religious treatment.
(x) Environment to be protected.
4) Another contentious issue. The NEP & NEM
- 3 years ago, Lim Teck Ghee on 30% bumi equity participation. Got fired left, right, centre. Some say 17%, others say 45%
- Because there was never a tracking system for the administration to ascertain when each milestone was reached.
- Because targets were never publicly made known & advertised (ie no public watch)
- Swayed too far away from the main aim of equal distribution and eradication of poverty but spend too much time & attention on achieving minor targets, eg 30% quota.
- To plug the leakages of dwindling bumi participation in PLCs, I propose the setting up of a Bumi Equity Unit Trust (similar to all the Amanah Saham schemes) to absorb exiting bumi investors so that bumi equity participation in PLCs will never be reduced. All IPOs approved by the SC already have a 30% bumi equity requirement, so how did it dropped to 17%. Leakages occur because unscrupulous bumi investors misuse the privileges to make a quick profit.
- We cannot stop people from making a profit, but when they do decide to take profit, they must also help the Govt to keep the bumi participation capped at 30%. So that when you have made your money, other deserving bumi investors can also buy those shares from the Bumi Equity Unit Trust and made their profits. This is call, "one stone kill two bird". Bumi investors can make money & the Govt can ensure that bumi participation is always at 30% or more!
- Another way to equalised the disparity between the rich and the poor, in as far as buying property is concerned, those who can afford to buy a property above RM500k should not be given any discounts. And what they have paid should go towards helping to subsidise bumis who cannot afford to even buy a low cost house.
- Car import AP holders, only a handful. APs should be liberalised and be given to other deserving genuine bumi businesses/entrepreneurs. To the extent of sharing their privileges by subsidizing other bumis who cannot afford to buy cheap transport vehicles.
THE 2ND THRUST OF PGRM'S STRUGGLE
"To work with the Government to achieve those hopes and wants for the rakyat."
1) The PM did on the day of the funeral of Dr LimCE wrote in the visitors book that DrLimCE was instrumental together with his late father Tun Razak in the formation of BN. Gerakan therefore in no small way, plays an important role in seeing the perpetuation and continuation of BN for the years to come.
2) Why did LCE decided to joint forces with the Govt when he could have been the State Govt on their own? Because if he worked alone, he could only have gone so far. Combine resources.
3) We always pride ourselves that we are the conscience of BN. We speak up not because we just want to make noise, but because we care about the future of BN.
4) It is no more intentional than coincidental that the BN Convention falls on the same weekend as our Youth & Wanita NDC. This shows and also signal to us that we need to focus on the original mission of BN.
We have seen the likes of Transformation Programmes – GTP, ETP. We must also have a BNTP (Barisan Nasional Transformation Programme), if we are to steer the country forward.
5) In 1974 when BN was formed, it was herald as a force to be reckon with and it got the mandate from the rakyat because the policies were fair and just.
- The Dacing symbol of BN – Fair & Just.
- How many years have we been using it without given much attention and have almost to the point of forgetting its significance envisaged by our forefathers.
- The Dacing also applies to the coalition of BN.
- The BN formula is not a "1+12" formula but a 13 Party Formula. That means we are here to share the powers & responsibilities together.
- Umno took Timbalan, S/U, Bendahari, Ketua Penerangan, etc.
- The 1st BN Sec Gen in 1974 was Michael Chen.
6) Return to the 1974 BN Formula – One Party One Vote.
7) Another important issue with the rakyat – is BN (the coalition as a whole) the Govt or are individual parties the Govt? If BN as a coalition is the Govt, then BN as a whole should set policies! – Education/Places of worship
THE JOINT COOPERATION OF PEMUDA & BELIAWANIS
- Promoting & providing equal opportunity to the young men & women members of the party.
- Providing choice to them to be active in the roles that they choose
