Malaysian Government Structure Options

[Iron Malayan]

no power at all? not even veto?

Not even a veto.

[flipcombatmedic]

no power at all? not even veto?

Not even a veto.

things y'all learn from the brits.

[Protoculture]

Well, Kings are well-known to block & ditch democratic process if they were allowed real power!

Look at Nepal mess ... the tyrant king abolished EVERY democratically elected Govt. like he changes his clothes ...

Or Saudi Arabia King, where none of its citizens can even vote ... not even to elect town mayor ....

Its better to let ordinary citizens wield real power on the fates of democratic Govt.

[Iron Malayan]

Ya. Democracy rulez. (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/hump.gif) (IMG:http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/style_emoticons/default/dumbells.gif)

[flipcombatmedic]

to me it just don't feel right though, i mean to have a monarch (whatever it is) even though they don't have any power. to me not unless it's a dictator, which is just a civilian put in power, but once you start having somebody with a "divinity" of rule, even without power, it just don't sound right and equal to me. oh well maybe because i'm filipino.

[Iron Malayan]

Hmm. Having constitutional monarchs is no big deal really.

[flipcombatmedic]

sure because they have no power. but it's the principle, continuation of an unequal semi "divinity" affinity of a monarchial tradition. to me any "title" that is non civilian granted, or post, that is either hereditary or permanent is undemocratic. but oh well whatever works right. all philosophy it's all different everywhere.

[no future countr...]

I think our national leaders have no moral right to call for national unity and integration so long as Barisan Nasional remains a coalition of mainly racially based parties.

This charade has been going on since Independence under the Alliance. Either do away with such parties or just live and let live. Any call for unity is just being hypocritical.

The prime minister has said that Umno must gain political strength. Already in full control of the country, Umno is still not satisfied. The prime minister, no less, has been harping on Umno's strength and the need to maintain its political hold.

If this is the case, why do we need the national service programme just to inculcate national unity and racial interaction? What about leadership by example? How do you expect the students to believe in the programme when their leaders have not integrated politically?

Why is our country so concerned with national unity and integration? Is there an external threat? In our progress towards developed nation status, race and religion should not be part of the government's patronising policies. Fourth-seven years after Independence, we are still worried about which race is dominating or losing its dominance.

Meanwhile, the MCA, MIC and other coalition party leaders are happy to be part of the power- sharing arrangement even though there is no real power to share. The MCA president has to be one acceptable to the Umno president, not one whom is a real democratic choice of MCA.

The MIC president has been involved in the privatisation of most public utility companies. His immense wealth and power within his party ensures there is no competition for his position, and his successor will be one of his choices, subject to the approval of the Umno president.

The Gerakan president cannot even make a statement about religion in schools without censure from the prime minister. Is this 'BN power-sharing' or 'Umno-powered sharing'?

Why can't the public see for themselves what actually happened? How else can we be more transparent?

Malaysia has still a long way to go as far as true democracy is concerned.

This post has been edited by no future country: Jul 21 2005, 05:37 AM

[low class countr...]

For a society to be prosperous as a whole, there has to be stability, and stability only comes when people see a better life ahead and a reduction in poverty. This is especially true when poverty is associated with a racial or religious group or country (for example, the US).

The roots of our success as a nation lie in our political stability. While this should not come at the expense of democracy, freedom of expression and transparency, it should certainly have as its goal, the alleviation of poverty.

The fundamental and admirable goal of the NEP was the alleviation of poverty associated with the redistribution of wealth. Most socially liberal people like myself have always leaned in favour of redistribution of wealth.

I have met very few people indeed that really object to the NEP being used to help lift the very poor from the kampung out of poverty and into modern society. However, most people I know object to the NEP as a vehicle for the already well off to get even richer.

Now Sabah has arguably more natural resources than peninsular Malaysia but Umno does not seem to be interested in articulating the equity case for the Kadazans and the other indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak as vehemently as it insists on bumi rights.

If an international panel of eminent sociologists, historians, economists and anthropologists, was formed to examine the bumi case, I sure that they would find it extremely difficult to justify it in the form peddled by Umno.

Indeed the panel might even say that the ethnic Indians and the poor urban Chinese have a better case for affirmative action benefits. Many of the affirmative action schemes have been transformed into racketeering ones with parasitic cronies traveling along the Ali Baba highway to become millionaires.

In consequence, the poor of all ethnic groups are more marginalised than ever. Also, not a few of these schemes have engendered a colossal waste of public funds contributed by taxpayers.

It behooves Umno to realise that other races also exist; that they too aspire to better their standard of living especially the poor non-malay bumis in the interior of Sabah and Sarawak.

Another serious question Umno, or its president Badawi should address is the question of ownership. Umno is still quarrelling that they only have 18 percent of the nation's economic cake.

But they never ask how much is owned by the Brunei, Iban, Kadazan, Kedayan, Orang Sungei, Orang Ulu, etc communities? Did Umno ever give shares to these groups of minority non-malay bumis? For instance, how many scholarships have been given by Petronas to non-malay bumis?

Umno or anyone else, not even a superpower, can stand-alone without depending on others. Umno, like everyone else is only a tiny part of the bigger whole, to which everyone must belong. Don't think that Malaysia belongs to Umno, much less the world.

So Umno, don't be too egoistic, think of others too so that you will get a better and balanced perspective. The world is not about Umno only. It's about every individual that occupies and lives in this world. We are all interdependent. Let's wake up to that reality.

[Iron Malayan]

^^ Any UMNO members here ?

[Derrickzxc]

Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda, LOL SO many of them..respect wei lol....

[Iron Malayan]

Nine royal lines in a small country. So far no problem.