Friday 10 April 2009

THE FOX SHOWING ITS TAIL TOO SOON IN MALAYSIA?

Straight after Prime Minister Najib got sworn in, Tun Mahathir rejoined UMNO, the ruling party in Malaysia. As an outsider, and having read about Tun M's resignation from UMNO and his constant attacks on Badawi, Najib's predecessor, one can't help but conclude that Tun M had an active and pro-active part in forcing Badawi to resign prematurely.

Among the reasons cited for Badawi's incompetence, the most striking was that of corruption and his enriching of his family through his son-in-law, Khairy. But didn't Tun M also practise his patronage system when he was in power, helping to dole out government contracts to his trusted aides and supporters?

Already my business friends in Malaysia are talking about the changing of guards in Malaysia and starting to recall long lost contacts - aligned with the Tun M clans but sidelined when Badawi came to power.

I believe what the Chinese say about "crows are all black in this world". Have you seen a white crow in your life? Have you come across a "clean" and objective politician or minister in Malaysia who will award a government contract to the most competent with the "best value for money to the Malaysian people" tender bid? Where do the funds for UMNO's campaigning come from?

They don't seem to have much of a choice I don't think. Even the Americans - touted as the most democratic nation in the eyes of the Western world - have to take heed when dealing with donors of their political campaigns. Look at what happened to the awarding of security contracts to private firms for Iraq etc. It's not proven; but somehow the fishiness smells in each and every living room of discerning folks there. Maybe that's why Obama was voted in.

Through all these ramblings, I really have no solution as to how politicians can resolve their "chicken and egg" scenarios in this part of the world or in the affluent Western worlds. I just feel like politicians invent their benchmarks along the way. And what fits them best is what they will promote - maybe even pass into law - and us common folks are looked after with the occasional doling out of benefits or tax breaks or populist initiatives. Look at what's happening to the trillions of dollars spent in the USA now to get the economy back on track while making the voters happy (somewhat).

Crows are black, no matter which sky you're looking up on.

THOSE GENTLE RED SHIRTS OF THAILAND

Can't help but notice how the Red shirts compare with the Yellow shirts of the PAD in Thailand. Basically I think they're being too gentle. But that could be because they know that the Yellow shirts have the upper hand due to support from the old elites in Bangkok and the army.

That shows - maybe - that Thaksin is prepared to mobilise the masses for political gains or perhaps to protect democracy in Thailand - but is not prepared to make the masses suffer through economic deprivation like what the PAD did when they closed off the airports in Bangkok some months ago.

To an outside observer, the PAD don't seem to give a "hoot" as to what the common folks in Thailand feels or have to suffer by their actions. They have no qualms whatsoever in paralysing the tourism industry to achieve their political agenda. From what happened a few months ago, it seems like their efforts at paralysing the economy had a swaying effect on the judiciary in disqualifying a Prime Minister, and hence scaring off otherwise Thaksin loyalists to defect.

Now that Thaksin has raised his stakes in daring to attack the one behind the coup two years ago and the one backing the Bangkok elite and the PAD - it's General Prem I'm referring to in case you haven't been following Thai politics - it's anybody's guess as to what can happen to Thailand over the next few weeks. Thaksin is far away in exile. But what he can garner in the form of resistance to the government and the institutions propping up the government is anybody's guess. Even if the government accuses him of "les majeste", he's in exile and nothing can be done. He already has a considerable amount of assets frozen in Thailand as a result of corruption accusations, and has lost Manchester City, so what else can he lose?

The Chinese like to say that if you force a dog into a dead end lane, be prepared for the consequences. Is this beyond the UK-born Premier Abhisit who looks like he's of Chinese-origin although not necessarily have had the benefit of traditional Chinese Confucianist teachings?

Whatever, I thought! It's Thailand. My friends in business there tell me that Thaksin has been too greedy, not unlike the friends in Indonesia who used to lament about the Suharto clan trying to gobble up every deal up for grabs in Jakarta.

For those of you who are purists and idealists, maybe this is a lesson - at least in Asia - in that politics is not always about equality and welfare for all citizens rich or poor. Politics seem to be about power followed by wealth followed by more power! And that's before we look at what's happening in Taiwan and Malaysia.

So for those of you in the West who are used to your Western ideas and ideals about democracy, these are interesting times for you to chart in your history and economic journals.