Have We Been Colonised? Part 1

May 6: Two days after the last general elections, as a big thank you for the solid endorsement of Sabahans for the Barisan Nasional, it was announced that the price of low-cost houses in large towns would be increased from RM32,000 to RM42,000.

Money politics is old hat in Sabah. In that elections, the price of a vote reportedly included sacks of rice, zinc sheets, fibreglass water tanks, generator sets or just a good old RM100 note. But as the old adage goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch. In effect, for an initial investment of RM100, the politician later manages to force a Sabahan voter to cough up an extra RM10,000 for a basic roof over his head. Indeed, politics must be the best form of business in this country!

Perhaps it was pay back time to the shadow bosses, those businessmen and developers who bankroll politicians. One might even ask, did Sabahans elect wakil towkay or wakil rakyat? What, one wonders, are the heavenly rewards for the six PBS state assemblymen who crossed over to the Barisan on Easter Day in "a plan of God for the resurrection of development"?

Urban West Malaysians, especially the non-Muslims, were definitely more "educated". What? Sacks of rice? Zinc sheets? We didn't accept all that old-fashioned stuff in exchange for our votes. The Mahaguru of political silat promised us loftier things like development, progress and stability.

Indeed on Aug 8, 1998, two years before the elections (and three weeks before Anwar Ibrahim's sacking) Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad pledged that Malaysians would, "in the near future", be given a minimum wage of RM1,200 a month if the people were "united with the government" in reviving the economy.

He said then that there was a plan to increase salaries but without resorting to industrial action such as strikes; adding that the country was lucky to have such a "disciplined" workforce. Five months after the elections, the story is different. On May 1, 2000, as a Labour Day reward for the loyal support of such "disciplined" (read: docile and obedient) workers, Dr Mahathir announced that he had been, in effect, misquoted on the RM1,200 minimum wage thing.

Now, if ordinary mortals such as you or I were misquoted, we would call up the newspapers straightaway so that a correction could be printed the next day. But, when the political silat is at Mahaguru level, it takes one year and eight months to clarify matters. Zainal Rampak, president of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has implicitly accused the Prime Minister of going back on his word and is threatening a picket to press for workers' rights.

What does all this mean? Well, in backwater Sabah, price hikes are crudely announced three days after elections. But for supposedly smarter, more sophisticated West Malaysians, promises, or at least public relations impressions of promises, are only broken five months after the rakyat have voted for "development". We are like clever Americans who were told by Bill Clinton that "oral sex is not really sex". Right. And RM1,200 is not really RM1,200.

After all, since Umno leaders wear smart western suits, shirts and ties, they sure look more "advanced" and "moderate". We brainy people of the Peninsular know that people who wear that ulama skullcap and gown stuff must be radical, fanatical and maniacal in every aspect.

Of course, the moment party politics is mentioned, this article will be dismissed as the draft copy of an opposition ceramah. It is not. But it does scrutinise what Malaysians elected into power last November. Or are we so stuffed with curry chicken rice and so weary with traffic jams that we have half-forgotten that any government, whether Barisan Nasional or Barisan Alternatif, must be held accountable for its promises and actions?

So tell you what, let's have a look at the great development and progress that has been happening over the past one month - hey, as reported in the mainstream pro-Barisan newspapers and not some crazy, untrustworthy and biased-for-the-rakyat website. We start by examining the bright future of our health services.

Profits first, health second

On April 11, the Barisan government announced the establishment of a national welfare trust fund with contributions from the private sector and individuals to finance healthcare costs for the poor. Is this the sugar-coating meant to cover an upcoming bitter pill of hospital privatisation?

Whatever it is, the move is surely in line with the caring society concept: where the government gradually abandons its responsibility to care for the poor and throws it over to caring society. The trust fund looks good on the surface but, in reality, the wakil towkay are declaring: "Hey, there isn't enough public government money to care for the poor. It's not our job. It's the job of society. Yes, that means you, the Ali, Ah Chong and Muthu in the street."

As Health Minister Chua Jui Meng proudly related, "I was inspired to set up the fund after a visit to the Mayo Clinic in the United States where an individual donated her life savings to the non-profit clinic." You Barisan supporters out there. Are you ready?

And why does the government lack money for poor patients? Why is it that the public healthcare system is being left to rot slowly as talented but underpaid and severely overworked doctors/nurses leave for private hospitals? Why do kidney dialysis patients have to go begging in the newspapers for money in this great Formula-One-World-Record-Breaking-Malaysia-Boleh country of ours?

Read the article "Private healthcare, public expense" (Malaysiakini, April 1) written by a government doctor about how tens of millions are used to feed parasite cronies in the almighty name of privatisation. Well, what the hell. Government hospitals are only for losers. The progressive Barisan voter is a winner who can afford to use private clinics and hospitals. But hey, here's the news. The quality of your healthcare even in the private sector is being compromised because new parasites known as Managed Care Organisations (MCOs) have latched onto them.

On March 30, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) complained that MCOs have ordered doctors not to exceed RM30 per patient when treating chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. MCOs have threatened doctors with removal from the panel if they did not cut costs.

"It appears that MCOs want healthcare costs to be reduced at the expense of treatment quality and the well-being of patients," said MMA president Dr P. Krishnan. Moreover, even in emergency cases, MCOs do not allow things like X-rays and ECGs unless there is prior approval. They are also pushing their own drugs and insisting that doctors prescribe them.

"It is a dangerous trend for MCOs to give out their own drugs," added Dr Krishnan. So what's new? Once again, it's profits first and the rakyat second.

Who is sucking out the money? For centuries, healthcare has been a simple matter between doctors and patients. What is the Health Ministry's motive in allowing an extra layer of politically-connected middlemen to come into the picture?

Service or commodity?

Two basic questions have to be answered. Is healthcare a responsibility of the government or a financial burden that they must shake off through privatisation? Is healthcare a service for 20 million Malaysians or a commodity to enable a few millionaire Datuks and Datins to go on shopping sprees in London?

Why is it that nowadays the term "health industry" is used instead of "health service"? Even health insurance is being plundered for profit. After years of study, the Health Minister admitted two months ago that the National Healthcare Financing Scheme (NHFS) is still far from reality. The NHFS was supposed to cover the medical costs of all Malaysian in a fair, equitable manner. This is called non-profit community health insurance, something that countries like Australia have. Everybody is covered from womb to tomb and pays the same premium regardless of age, sex or health condition.

But Malaysian health insurance schemes, MMA president Dr Krishnan, pointed out in an analysis in The Sun on April 2, are a for-profit risk-based system. What that means is that if you're already sick, or too old, (read: unprofitable) sorry you Barisan supporter, no insurer is going to cover you. And even though complications from pregnancy are the number two cause of hospitalisation in government hospitals, sorry Mrs Malaysia Boleh, insurance tak boleh cover you.

Has the community-based NHFS been sacrificed because of political pressure from the for-profit insurance companies? Has there been ugly scheming over our insurance schemes? Five months after the general elections and wow(!) what a lot of development and progress has been reported.

More than two years ago, the medical examinations of foreign workers were privatised away to Fomena, which, so what's new, charges more than normal doctors do. Have they done their job well? If so, why is it that the current outbreak of malaria in Penang started from foreign workers? Hello. We've gone beyond talking about money here. It's lives.

Is the decline of the public health system not linked to previous outbreaks of cholera in Penang and Coxsackie (they're not even sure it's that virus) in Sarawak? People died because the Health Minister gave the wrong advice for the wrong virus, saying it was OK to keep on pig-farming with long sleeved-shirts and mosquito repellent. Confidence has dropped so low that despite assurances to the contrary, Sarawakians recently rushed to check up on hand, foot and mouth disease just as they (at least the rich ones) evacuated their children from the state during the Coxsackie episode.

What is the Barisan government's response? Hip Hip Hooray Malaysia Boleh! Don't think negative! Before elections, remember how we have climbed Mount Everest, parachuted a Proton Wira on the North Pole and sailed solo around the world.

But why is our public health system bleeding? Let's face it. Ultimately it's all about power. If, hypothetically, the Americans conquered Malaysia one day, it would not be surprising if they gave out special contracts and privatisation deals to friends and cronies from the US of A. Nobody would be surprised if our natural and labour resources would be exploited for American benefit. It's the kind of thing that happens to banana republics. There is a term for this. It's called colonisation.

Only problem is, when it's done by the white guys, it's condemned by our magnificent Third World champion as unfair, unjust, imperialism, racism, etc, etc. But when local parasites suck the economic juice out of Malaysians, it's called preserving National Unity. Great.

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May 8: Of course, the term colonialism is not often used when it's locals ripping off other locals. It's like apartheid. It only happens when whites oppress blacks. These terms don't apply when Javanese suppress Achehnese or when Burmese oppress Karens.

But look at the substance. Has any major sector of our economy not been exploited by our new in-house colonial masters from the Barisan Nasional? A lot of criticism has already been directed at the shitty strategies of the Beautiful Water Consortium and the business climax of water suppliers Puncak Niaga in 1998 (when Klang Valley taps went dry). In both cases lousy service went public while profits were privatised.

Petronas used one billion (of the public's) ringgit to bail out a shipping company owned by one of The Sons while the EPF has poured billions (again, of the public's) ringgit into questionable purchases on the stock market. These are the old stories.

Public transport, too

Let's not forget the less spectacular cases. Back in 1997, the bus companies of Kuala Lumpur were forcibly merged so that "public transport could become more efficient". On paper it sounded great. Under one consortium, busier routes could cross-subsidise the less profitable ones thereby improving services. Moreover, since we are a Maju Jaya country, we need buses that look new and shiny.

However, the reality was painful. On the first few days of the takeover, thousands of commuters turned up one or two hours late for work because Intrakota wanted to "optimise" (read: minimise) the number of buses that it had to provide. To add insult to injury, the ticket price was increased from 60 sen to 90 sen.

Three years later, commuters still have to stand and wait for Intrakota buses longer compared to the old mini-buses. And on top of it, the crony-controlled company is still whining about making losses (just like Parkmay, another crony-controlled forced consolidation of bus companies). How is it that mini-buses could provide a faster, more frequent and cheaper service and still make profits? What the hell is wrong with Intrakota?

The answer is self-evident. There is a parasite somewhere in the system sucking out money. There was also a conflict of interest, because Diversified Resources Berhad, the company which owns Intrakota, also wanted to sell more Proton cars. And since selling cars is more profitable than selling bus tickets...well what more needs to be said?

Remember that Barisan political attack advertisement before the elections? "Don't gamble our future". Now that Perak has given a solid mandate to the Barisan Nasional, on April 15, it was announced that the state government is considering merging all of Ipoh's bus companies into a single consortium "to further improve public transportation and ease congestion".

It sounds chillingly familiar. After KL's experience, we are entitled to ask: Will Ipoh's public transportation be colonised by a crony monopoly?

'Semua sapu'

In the past one month, what other reports have we heard about the Barisan's fantastic progress and development? Well, drum roll please, are you ready... it's time to privatise road-tax collection! (trumpets on cue).

On April 16, the Pan-Malaysian Lorry Owners' Association asked for an assurance from the government that the new privatisation, by June 1 as sources have it, would not result in additional charges.

"I hope it will not be like the privatisation of vehicle inspections to Puspakom," said the association's president Er Sui See diplomatically. He explained that Puspakom had broken its promise that any subsequent vehicle inspection within one year would be free. But Er, the trouble is, road-tax collection is being privatised to the same guys - a subsidiary of Puspakom.

Yes, road tax, can you believe that? Every part of the government that makes money (for the rakyat) is ripe for privatised exploitation. Semua dia orang mau sapu.

What's next? Public hospitals and the smart schools? Hey, how about the collection of cukai tanah and traffic compounds? Tell you what, why not privatise the police force and the judiciary as well?

The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council collected good money from easy-to-use parking coupons. Money which can be used to alleviate floods, provide day-care centres for babies and improve playgrounds right?

Wrong. Even the parking system has been privatised to some crony in the expensive and inconvenient Park and Display system - on Jan 1, one month after the elections. Will there be any part of the government left unprivatised? Sure, all those departments that don't make money. The rakyat will still be paying taxes for those. So even if the opposition wins the next elections, so what? Ha, ha, ha, they'll only get an empty shell!

And what about KL International Airport? First of all, there is the dubious need to sink RM9 billion in a spanking new airport when Subang could have been expanded. One fabulous reason given was that our super caring government did not want to evict squatters from land reserved for Subang's expansion!

Fine, billion ringgit wastage does not count. After all it's the government's money, not ours, right? What really irritates us wise voters is the need to pay a few ringgit extra for taxis home from KLIA because Airport Limousine Malaysia Bhd has grabbed this economic sector, disallowing competition from other taxis.

Such gimme-gimme-the-money privatisation contracts are, after all, the way that the Entrepreneur Development Ministry "develops" entrepreneurs to face global competition. But yet another Intrakota situation developed. This time, instead of buses, the number of taxis had been optimised (read: minimised) from 1,500 down to 757 so much so that in early April, many passengers ended up waiting for hours for a ride at KLIA.

Finally, on April 8, the Entrepreneur Development Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz had to salvage the situation by blaming the taxi monopoly. "The situation is disappointing, especially when we have a world-class airport that is not supported by good transport services," he said.

Housing rip-off

Ah, private profit, public hassle, what's new? Housing is another area ripe for exploitative profits.

By right, it should be regarded as an essential item, just like rice, sugar and condensed milk. Like healthcare, it should be a basic human right, a service, not a commodity to fatten Datuks and developers.

Some sort of price control should have been instituted so that the right of everyone to own one lousy house takes priorty over the right of some millionaire speculator to buy up 10 bloody houses. After all, our Third World champion is always talking about how Asian human rights are all about providing "economic rights" like food and jobs rather than "political rights" such as free speech.

The BN practises what it preaches by allowing its developer friends to hold Malaysian housebuyers hostage by collecting money first before laying a single house brick - instead of the build-first-sell-later system practised in Australia ("You bloody well prove that you can do it first mate" in Ozzie-speak). And when their developer friends abandon projects, the same BN politicians make pious statements in the media about the need for "tough action against errant developers".

It continues to allow Sing-dollars to buy up empty condos to "goreng" prices upwards while Malaysians struggle with meagre low-cost housing. This struggle came to a boil recently in Penang.

The state government had three years to prepare for the repeal of the Rent Control Act. But while luxury condos continued to be built, why didn't the government strictly enforce the requirement that 30 percent of all housing development should comprise low-cost units?

Last month, we have heard all about how double-storey shophouses in Georgetown are partitioned into 24 cubicles, with each family living here for RM60 a month. Imagine the toilet-sharing. Sometimes the roof, or even the whole first floor has collapsed and only plastic sheets keep out the rain. Well, congratulations to Penangites for their solid support of the BN. What a solid future theyhave ahead with them!

After all, remember how Penangites were thanked for voting Barisan back in 1995? By having their airport yanked away to Kedah. Ironically, only the economic crisis had sufficient power, not Gerakan or MCA, to save Penang's airport.

During the recent elections, the powerful Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon promised that the rent decontrol issue would be resolved. Maybe the BN thought that Penangites are such an easy going lot that with some good char koay teow in their bellies, all would be forgotten. They hadn't bet on a group called Save Ourselves (SOS!) rising up to demand that the state government keep their lousy word. Still, instead of lending money to poor tenants to buy low-cost flats, the state government is giving a RM100 million loan package for landlords to do renovations!

Well, Malaysia Boleh (!) reward the shadow colonial masters, those businessmen and developers who bankroll and finance politicians. One might even ask, did Penangites elect wakil towkay or wakil rakyat?

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May 9: The most basic trait of a coloniser is to exploit workers. The Dutch squeezed the max out of Indonesians while the French did the same to Vietnamese. But Malaysia has already Merdeka from the British, you say.

Well, let's look at more of the great progress and development under the Barisan Nasional colonisers, as reported in the past month. The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has been pushing for a minimum monthly wage of RM1,200 for some time now.

On April 16, its president Zainal Rampak pointed out, "The government's National Household Income Survey found that the gross household income for a family of four to six persons was RM460. How on earth can a family survive on such a paltry sum at today's cost of living?"

He pointed out that the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and even East Timor already have laws on minimum wages (at meagre levels). Why not Malaysia?

Forget about the welfare of lowly workers, since they don't count except during election campaigns. Even on economic arguments, there are solid reasons for a minimum wage. On April 18, Prof P. Ramasamy, a political science lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, listed some of them:

One, higher salaries will improve workers' purchasing power and boost consumer spending. This will stimulate economic growth. (After all, Danaharta and Danamodal have allocated hundreds of millions to take over tycoons' "bad loans" in order to restart economic growth.)

Two, with a minimum wage, employers will prefer to hire locals instead of foreigners (those workers repatriate some RM5 billion home every year).

Third, and most importantly, this is the way to move into high-tech industries, by creating a climate of highly paid, highly trained and highly productive workers.

This is the way that Singapore developed into a First World country. A policy of deliberately increased wages was pursued in order to phase out low-tech sweatshop factories and attract quality high-tech industries. Even Dr Mahathir admitted two years ago (in Aug 7, 1998) that, "We believe that a worker should earn at least RM1,200. It is in our plan for Vision 2020. It is important for workers to be compensated fairly because they have to spend (on family and other commitments). When workers spend, others will benefit."

Well, that was before the elections (and just before the Anwar sacking). Five months after the elections, on May 1, the Mahaguru of political silat now says, "Some had said I myself wanted to set a minimum wage of RM1,200 a month. What I actually said was, I wish to see workers get at least RM1,200 a month arising from the increased productivity of the workers themselves and the employers."

Right. Bill Clinton says oral sex is not really sex and Dr Mahathir says RM1,200 is not really RM1,200. And Dr Mahathir isn't even a lawyer.

So let's see who's in favour of a minimum wage. The rakyat who sweat it out everyday. Who's against it? The big towkays and big Barisan leaders who "develop" the Malaysian economy by hiring cheap Bangla and Indon workers, thus enabling themselves to splash RM150,000 on the latest BMW and Mercedes Benz autos. Hah! Buy Malaysian.

And why are they against it? Because they say a minimum wage will contribute to national inflation. Sure, when workers have more money, the price of the teh tarik will rise from 80 sen to RM1.20. That's dangerous inflation!

So, these are the politicians who claim to represent your interests. Another reason, given by the Mahaguru himself, is that higher wages for struggling workers will mean a "higher cost of production" which will erode our "national competitiveness" for foreign investors. Nope, for the nation's sake we can't afford to give hand-outs to workers.

Yes, we need to help the foreign colonisers exploit Malaysian workers. And certainly, million ringgit handouts to crony local colonisers do not result in a "higher cost of production". Perhaps Malaysia is equally "nationally competitive" with Indonesia and the Philippines when it comes to under-counter payments.

Broken promises

"Independence. Unity. Progress". That was one of the BN slogans in the elections. Yeah. Independence from foreign powers. Unity under local colonisers, who then "progress" in their golf clubs.

Broken promises are nothing new to Sabahans though. In the 1994 state elections, the BN, then spearheaded by the new found Messiah of reformasi, Anwar Ibrahim, had promised Sabah Baru. This was a wonderful Wawasan where, get this, poverty would be wiped out by the year 2000! Because the majority of Sabahans didn't buy the fancy slogans (the opposition PBS won the elections), the BN went ahead and bought over the state government. But what's the return on such "investments"?

On Feb 12, the Sabah Government Teachers Union pointed out that at least 1,000 kampungs in the state, especially in the interior, have no proper hostels in their schools. As a result, students, even those in Standard One, have to hike for hours to and from school - many of which do not even have electricity. All this after almost four decades of "Independence, Unity and Progress".

The case of Sekolah Kebangsaan Rungus-Nahabah, Tuaran, highlighted on Feb 11, is a typical example. After the Chinese New Year holidays, 22 children, some barefooted, aged between seven and 12, started out from their kampung at 5am, hiked for an hour for 4km over a steep hill of the Crocker Range to get back to school. Living conditions at the rundown hostel include 10 children cramming into a room measuring 2m by 3m while meals consist of rice cooked over firewood.

The irony of ironies is that this case emerged only after a media stunt by the area's BN Member of Parliament Wilfred Madius Tungau. He, along with seven other newsmen had to hike for two days to reach the school. It seems that even BN MPs have to go begging in the media for help.

Whatever happened to the Barisan's own Sabah Baru? Or are ordinary BN MPs merely a front controlled by the real puppetmasters? Well, who cares? We have the world's tallest building. That's our national priorty.

That's how our colonial leaders fool us into thinking that we are now an advanced country. During elections, each time the Twin Towers are flashed on TV, we sort of forget that the education system is rotting. On the street, as we gaze upwards worshipfully at the Twin Towers, we overlook - literally - that each time it rains in KL nowadays, the floodwaters from down below are rising above our feet.

As our foundations of public healthcare, public housing, public transport, public education and hell, even our damn public drainage system, slowly crumble beneath us, our Number One fear is that Terengganu has taken away our right to donate money to the Empat Nombor Ekor towkays. Instead, we have flourishing private hospitals, private condos, private cars, private tuition, private schools and who knows, one day even the Department of Drainage and Irrigation will be privatised away - for some Datuk's private profits.

Solid investment

Education is the true measure of a nation's development, not mega skyscrapers built by foreign brains. Germany and Japan were smashed into rubble during World War Two, but with their brainpower of engineers, scientists and technicians, everything was rebuilt in 10 years. As for Taiwan, it became the world's leading computer manufacturer after Taiwanese high-tech graduates returned from the United States in the 1980s.

And Malaysia? In 1957, our standard of living was second in Asia only to Japan. That's right, like our football, back then we were ahead of Taiwan and Korea.

And now? Relax, don't worry. Under the BN, we have invested solidly in the future through education. We have improved our schools by promoting the "best" teachers under the colonial SSB (Saya Suka Bodek) system. Yup, we're all set for the K-economy.

Teachers have long known that our education system is wasting away. Finally, on Jan 21 this year, the new Education Minister, Musa Mohamad, publicly admitted this, citing non-dynamic (read: lazy) school headmasters, unprofessional teachers, indisciplined students, overcrowded classrooms, unsatisfactory teacher-pupil ratio, poverty-stricken rural schools and non-relevant curriculum.

"It's time to stop the rot in the education system," declared Musa then.

The latest blow against the education system was reported on April 16, that 20,000 teachers pursuing long-distance degree courses with local public universities have been told that they will not be promoted. They are now being asked to sign a declaration: "I promise not to request/pressure the government to appoint me as graduate teacher."

What a sick joke. Can the dignity of teachers be pushed any lower? Whatever happened to all those lofty exhortations by the Education Ministry for teachers to upgrade their skills? Well, no one can say that the new "technocratic" Education Minister is doing nothing.

On April 18, Musa announced that no effort will be spared to redeem the honour of the teaching profession which had been "eroded by its anti-government members". So for the coming Teacher's Day on May 16, the theme is: "Unity Towards a Respectable Teaching Profession".

Yes, we must unite! Unite against the white man waiting on our doorstep to colonise our country! Unite against the external imperialists and oppressors! For we the Malaysian people have the sovereign right to our own internal colonisers, thank you very much!

Sabahans have long complained about being a sort of small-time Aceh, colonised by Peninsular overlords. Government positions, Felda lots, petroleum revenues and what nots seemed to be benefiting outsiders more than Sabahans. But with the current reign of robber-baron policies, it can be argued that all Malaysians are now being ripped off in one way or another.

To support colonialism, you need colonial-style "stability" and "security". And thus oppressive laws first laid down by the British imperialists, such as the Sedition Act and the Internal Security Act are not only alive and well today, but have been tightened.

But we aren't just copycats. As a testimony to the "freedom" and "independence" of our people, we have, on our own steam, added great new laws. Any university student who puts up a poster without permission may be expelled (the University and University Colleges Act amendment in 1974) and billion ringgit deals involving public money can be declared a state secret with a rubber chop entitled "Sulit" (the Official Secrets Act amendment in 1986).

On April 19, Bernard Dompok, the amphibian who leaped from PBS to BN in 1994, announced that a special security committee will be formed because "opposition leaders have received secret government documents, information on tenders and government transactions with banks". Among the "security" leaks were the revelations by KeADILan on alleged corruption involving International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz and former Malacca chief minister Rahim Tamby Chik.

Oh yes, it's good to hear those holy words "national security" again. Whose security? Your security? The police can't even guard Pulau Sipadan from Filipino pirates (even though Lahad Datu and other coastal Sabah towns have been attacked before).

Is your house or condo safe from burglars? Nowadays, because the colonial authorities need their cheap foreign labour, even with private security guards, your home is not secure. Whose security? Is your car safe from thieves? The New Straits Times has reported how the thieves' "connections" in the Transport Department has enabled them to re-sell and re-export "blacklisted" Pajeros, Mercedes Benzes and BMWs. Black turns to Snow White, and you the loyal BN voter become one of the Seven Dwarfs!

Whose security? Petaling Jaya's SS2 area is well-known for snatch thefts even though there is a police station right smack in the middle of it!

Where are all the policemen? Are they too busy with tear gas and water cannons at Masjid Negara, guarding the national economic security of local colonisers? Sure, if you're an urban professional driving a Toyota Camry or Honda CR-V and living in Malaysia's Beverly Hills of Damansara Heights you figure, "It's OK, as long as I'm a subcontractor of the local colonisers, I can still keep my head above the rising floodwaters."

But guess what? Even the residents of Damansara Heights can't stop the SPRINT highway from roaring through their quiet, posh neighbourhood. In the new Malaysia Boleh, everything also can. Who cares if the rules of urban planning are broken? Who knows when a 15-storey condo will pop up behind your dream bungalow's kitchen window?

If you support the colonial system now, one day that system may inflict the arbitrary Land Acquisition Act against you - especially if you're not in the right political faction or "camp" at that time. Chances are, that system will bleed you white when yes, schools, are privatised. Hello, if they can privatise shit tanks, garbage trucks and road-tax collection, you think they can't privatise schools?

The big question is: Why not support a better, fairer system that protects everyone's economic rights? If you think that all this is just opposition propaganda, well listen to what Dr Mahathir himself said only on May 5: "(Umno) members now are more interested in wealth and jostling for positions than in upholding the party's original spirit." Of course, Umno is now going on a public relations blitz, a supposed all-out battle against money politics. Trouble is, we've seen Mahathir cry before at the general assembly over this topic. Even if they are really serious this time, it's another example of a typical Anti-Corruption Agency clean-up - only from the waist down.

The crony privatisations and money grabbing still goes on at the top but now the big boys don't have to share the spoils with ordinary delegates down below! It's all being centralised by the puppet-master.

Have pity on those poor ordinary Umno delegates. No more Rolex watches, no more London trips. Whatever has happened to their "democratic" rights of getting handouts?

If the opposition were elected into power and had committed just 10 percent of these sins, there wouldbe howls of protest from "progressive" Malaysians. I certainly don't agree with PAS on their strictness over pubs, girlie hair salons and snooker parlours. But I do wonder, are these minor entertainment rights worth holding on to while the country is being sucked dry by our current colonisers? Why don't we just drink at home with friends? What's wrong with a normal barber? Okaylah, if we have to line up separately at the supermarket, so what?

When the "dictators" in the DAP don't agree with PAS on such bans, that's the BN's proof (aha!) that the opposition cannot unite. The BN is of course united. United in exploiting ordinary Malaysians. The ppposition, on the other hand, claims and promises that it is united in giving people a better deal, fighting for their rights, ending corruption and doing away with colonial laws like the ISA and OSA.

Fine, you're a wise voter. You don't trust Anwar Ibrahim. What about other politicians who have remained in the opposition all their lives even though they could have collected share allocations, company directorships and country club memberships years ago by hopping over to the Dark Side? Fine, you don't like PAS. But at least you have to admit that, unlike "moderate" secular parties like PBS, not a single PAS MP or state assemblymen could be bought over by the BN after the recent elections. Yeah, that's what we call fanatics right? Even if the opposition did just one quarter of the agenda that they are united on, it'd be great for Malaysians.

But, for the BN, that kind of unity doesn't count. The BN kind of unity is maintained by force. By repressive laws that ensure national security is preserved. So that national economic priorities can continue. And when the opposition questions such colonial economics, they become "deviationists" who are a threat to national unity. What does that mean? That we must believe in "ein volk, ein reich, ein Fuehrer" (one people, one country, one Maharaja)?

We don't like religious fanatics but we don't seem to mind money fanatics. Whether it's Medical Colonisation Organisations or road tax Pass-Back-Kom-isyen, nothing seems to be safe from these vultures. These guys are fanatical about getting their BMWs and overseas villas - without doing any real work. Remember, all these are the highlights from just the past one month! But one has to admit, statistically speaking, this may not be a fair representation of the whole year's trend. Perhaps this has been a bumper month when more news than usual has leaked out about such parasitic activities. After all, it's been five months since the elections. Yup, this is the time for the BN's big "Terima kasih" to the voters.

P.S. So what? In 1990 Tengku Razaleigh's cross made voters forget everything. In 1999 when a few youths kicked the TV3 station wagon, all was forgotten, even though the newspapers did report that they were paid RM20 each to do it (by whom?). In 2004, what will it take? Some picture of men and women lining up separately at the Terengganu supermarket

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