12
Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688
speak up!
Heed the messages of change
UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s
maiden speech at the party’s general
assembly on Wednesday is a far cry
from his rhetoric at last year’s assem-
bly which seemed to pander to the
gallery and alienate Malaysians who
have had enough of shallow politicians
who thrive on the race card.
Right-thinking Malaysians should
embrace the Youth chief’s call for the
aspirations of 1Malaysia to be recog-
nised where one’s ethnicity, religion
and background must not be a factor
in an individual’s success.
Khairy uttered the words which
were on the tip of the tongue of many
Malaysians for a long time when he
said that the national agenda should
not be based on the narrow concept
of Malay dominance but instead on
Malay leadership. However, judging
by the muted response of the wing’s
delegates, the Youth chief seems to
be alone in his call for Pemuda to re-
form and be all-encompassing of the
nation’s multi-ethnicity. This does not
augur well for the party which is trying
to gain lost ground following the shock
election results of last year.
In perspective, what is discussed
at the Youth stage could be even
more important than the presidential
speech as it is a peek into what the
future holds for the ruling party and
Malaysians in general.
As Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd
Najib Abdul Razak stressed in his own
thesun says
maiden presidential speech yesterday,
Umno embraces Malaysians irrespec-
tive of colour or creed.
That the general assembly is end-
ing a day before Deepavali can be
perceived as holding out the olive
branch to the Hindu community who
were slighted that last year’s assembly
was held on the Festival of Lights.
Khairy was spot-on when he said
Umno cannot rely on hollow rhetoric
and methods that only capture mo-
mentary media attention and pander
to the emotions of party members.
His developing maturity and ac-
ceptance that Umno must change or
die hopefully stirred something in the
hearts of the next generation of lead-
ers which is duty-bound to continue
with the sound policies of the present
leadership.
But while Malaysians applaud and
take comfort from the softening stance
emanating from the rostrums of Dewan
Tun Hussein Onn, there is a restrained
discomfort that many delegates are
finding it hard to come to terms with
Umno’s perceived new direction.
Whether they like it or not, they
should take heed of the advice of their
party president that Umno must be
seen as an inclusive party which put
the people’s interests at the forefront.
Otherwise, with the new political cli-
mate and new breed of voters, fears
that Umno is on its last lap may ring
true.
TELLING IT AS IT IS theSun | FRIDAY OCTOBER 16 2009
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
General Manager, Advertising and Marketing: Charles Peters
Senior Manager, Production: Thomas Kang
Senior Manager, Distribution Channels: Joehari Abdul Jabbar
Fax: 03-7785 2624/5
Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production), Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga- Fax: 03-7784 4424
tions) Email: advertise@thesundaily.com
Reduce discretionary powers
I AGREE with “Discretion is the creator of prob-
lems” (CitizenNades, Oct 7). When discretionary
powers are given to civil servants there is always letters
letters@thesundaily.com
the risk of abuse.
The way forward is for processes to be simpli-
fied and made transparent and the procedures and mechanisms to handle discretionary considera-
time-lines to be clearly established. tions. This should be deliberated at a senior level
Incomprehensibly, the approving authorities in and ideally be considered by a committee.
Malaysia are neither accountable nor responsible Furthermore, the authorities have enforcement
Right- for their approvals. If that is the case, I advocate powers and the right to withdraw any licence and
thinking that such approvals should be changed to pre- approval if the conditions are flouted.
Malaysians scriptive procedures. All conditions that need This leads to renewals. Licences should be
should to be complied with should be established and renewed upon payment of renewal fees. The
published. The applicants and the relevant pro- authorities can withdraw the licence later if the
embrace fessionals where necessary should be made to licensee flouts the conditions of the licence and
the Youth declare that the submissions complied with all the refuses to remedy such transgressions.
chief’s call prescribed conditions. There are also situations where a business
for the A period of say 14 days should be given to the licence has expired but the renewal is pending
authorities accepting the application to respond; and the operators live in fear of being harassed
aspirations
if there is no response the application is deemed and threatened with closure. A perfect recipe for
of approved. If the application and declarations are corruption.
1Malaysia wrong, a re-submission fee should be imposed to
to be ensure that the second declaration is true. Zhang CG
recognised To complement this system, there must be Via email
where
one’s
ethnicity,
PKFZ probe must go on
religion and “CONTINUITY in PKFZ probe crucial” (Down2Earth, outcome of the EGM. After this lesson dished out
Oct 13) refers. PKFZ is not an MCA issue for Datuk to Ong for trying to be gung-ho in trying to expose
background Seri Ong Tee Keat to own and seek justice for all the truth behind the scandal, do you think the next
must not but is a Malaysian issue where the people’s money transport minister or for that matter anybody else
be a factor has been siphoned off by corrupt politicians and in the cabinet would want to deal with PKFZ?
in an businessmen; yet, why have the rest of our political Will your paper carry on this battle on behalf of
leaders chosen to remain silent over the scandal all Malaysians who want to see justice served and
individual’s and distance themselves from it? bring the people behind the scandal to book?
success. The cheerleaders who celebrated MCA EGM’s
vote of no-confidence on Ong were probably Kalai
behind the third force that ultimately decided the Via email