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Sabah and sarawak were the poorest states when they joined Malaysia. Singapore refused to share its wealth (at that time USD400mil reserves and the second richest per capita income in asia after Japan) with the poorer states. Now you know that singapore was not the swamp that was single handedly built by Harry Lee, but was already a major trading post and economic power house under British rule.
The 9MP is moving correctly by investing in our human resources/R & D and with our divest natural resources, from the rainforest to aquatic marine life, bio-technology.

Once upon a time in China, people hopes there is a "good" emperor to take care of the people. But it end up, with 3000 years of recorded history, there is less than 5 emperor are consider good leader.

Isn't putting a hope in a few person is as rediculous as those people hoping for good emperor?

I will keep my finger cross.

moo_t,
How many lives do you have waiting for a good "emperor"? Better pray (crossing fingers won't do) that Pak Lah and the guys who are entrusted with the billions don't let all the juice seep into those cracks or drain off into sidestreams before we're ready, otherwise when (not if!) the global wave of the tsunami hits our shores...

well moo, if china's history is anything to go by, it's worth noting that it's often not the emperors per se that are the problem. the problems are often those people closest to the emperors - the eunuchs....

from today's Sun:
http://tinyurl.com/nvjnc

Moving plea for basic amenities
Zainon Ahmad

THERE are few orators among the MPs. Some, including a few deputy ministers, could certainly do with a bit more coaching in public speaking. A few make up for their elocutionary deficiency by either screaming, shouting and making sexist and funny remarks - all in the hope of getting the attention of colleagues and other MPs in the House.

But Jimmy Donald (BN-Sri Aman) got the rapt attention of the whole House when he rose on Wednesday to participate in the debate on the Ninth Malaysia Plan presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday.

And he isn't even tall. He wasn't funny and did not make sexist remarks. He was certainly no orator or public speaker. He did not scream nor did he shout. By all accounts, he is not an eloquent speaker. In fact, he spoke in a squeaky voice marked by a lot of hesitancy as if he was uncertain whether he was doing the right thing and after every pause mulled whether he should continue.

But the speech he delivered carried a powerful message. Even more powerful than the four-hour locution and harangue by powerful and seasoned public speaker Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang during which he controverted aspects of the government proposal and pointed out its many deficiencies.

What Donald told the hushed Dewan Rakyat was a powerful indictment of not only the Eighth Malaysia Plan but of all previous five-year plans to bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of Malaysians. He called for appropriate adjustments to be made under the 9MP. And when he finished, BN colleagues lined up to shake his hand.

It was clear to the other MPs that his unsophisticated delivery was a plaintive cry for help.

He said that in 1961 leaders such as Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak and Tun Ghazali Shafie were frequent visitors to Sabah and Sarawak to convince the indigenous people ? now generally referred to as bumiputras along with the majority Malays - there to support the formation of the new federation.

"But today, when referring to the various races in the country most of the time only the Malays, Chinese and Indians are mentioned by our leaders, including the prime minister," he said.

Jimmy, a three-term MP, said the official myopia regarding the indigenous races of Sarawak is also apparent in a number of forms where applicants had to tick one of the four boxes to indentify the racial group they belong to - Malay, Chinese, Indian and Lain-lain.

"Is that all that we are now - just Lainlain, class four citizens? If our ethnic names have already faded from official memory, what hope have we got when we apply for jobs with the government, for instance?"

"Maybe some form of affirmative action should be instituted for us minority bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak," said Jimmy, who was elected on a Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) ticket but joined the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) after his old party was de-registered.

He told the Dewan how several groups of indigenous people from his state were taken to the peninsula in 1962 to visit the various land schemes and traditional villages where there was piped water and electricity and were told that what they saw would be implemented in the rural areas of Sarawak with the formation of Malaysia.

Jimmy said he was so convinced that he made many passionate speeches on the radio asking the people to voice their support for the formation of Malaysia should they be approached by members of several international fact-finding teams, including the Cobbold Commission and the UN.

Today he is sad that many of the village heads who had helped to campaign for Malaysia had died without seeing piped water, electricity and proper roads reaching their villages. And he hoped he would not have to die first before these facilities reach the villages in his constituency. "But despite all this I am all for the Ninth Malaysia Plan," he said.

is this the same Effendi that was sued by his ex wife? If one cannot honors his agreement with his ex wife, can we honor him to run the country's plans..

JEFF OOI says: Your comment may be prejudicial. Not all marriages are made in heaven,and alimony claims has no bearing unto a person's holding of public office -- which is best left to the course of law to adjudge.

sorry...jeff pls delete my post

Hi Neil

Thanks for pointing out the article from the Sun “Moving pleas for basic amenities”.

The article has significant value, and highly relevant to this post. I would have missed it if not for your effort. Thanks again!

Mustapa Mohamed has done a commendable job as the government's czar in economic planning .He was vey hands on,knowledgeable and quite clear of the key issues and how the country should position itself in rising to the challanges of globilisation and the emergence of a new economic order.
As for Mohd Effendi Norwawi he is by and large unproven.Known for his flamboyance and extravagance we hope he is the right man to succede Mustapa.Any way he could be rest assured that we would be breathing close to his neck to ensure he would do his job well.