'Some of those named have been acknowledged as self-made men who made their billions by their business acumen. Some are there because they know who's who of the political elites.'
Dr M's son, Najib's brother among richest M'sians
Foo Wy Len: Where did the bulk of the RM60 billion stimulus package go to if not the share market? Looking at the list of the richest Malaysians, especially the new share market's heavenly kings, does anyone still doubt the veracity of the PERC report a few days ago?
What about the poor, the salaried people and the pensioners? With reports of energy tariff increase come March 1 and the scraping of the fuel subsidy comes this May, life for us will be really tough. And do you think these super rich care?
CTTEO: Some of those named have been acknowledged as self-made men who made their billions by their business acumen. Some are there because they know who's who of the political elites. The rest are there because they are the scions of the ruling elites.
Christ Follower: Of all the billionaires, I only admire Tan Sri Dato Lee Shin Chen. I personally know him as a very hard-working boss. Whenever he visit his Dynamic Plantation in the 90s, he really spent his time to check the estate conditions, and later as IOI CEO, he work extra to come to the present position which he gained from his own sweat. Work means business for him.
Aramsa: Dear Malay brethrens, the fact speak for itself. This is not mere coincidence as to how those politically connected to the elites, especially the prime minister, can acquire their wealth without the need to toil their whole life.
You have to ask yourself why you can't, however you try. There will be cronies who are vehicles for the elites to get wealthy, by hook or by crook. You should also look at the sons of a previous MCA president and ‘Semi Value'. You think about it before you cast your vote in the next GE (general election).
FairMind: The wealth of the Top 40 was assessed based on the value of their stakes in listed companies as at Jan 15 this year. It is noted that the list contains mostly of names of non-Malays. Umno has frequently been using this list to justify that the Malays are still poor. But this is grossly misleading.
A lot of high-level Malay politicians, ministers and non-Malay cronies are absent from the list simply because they have shifted the corruption money to outside Malaysia and put them mainly in cash in Swiss banks, landed properties, gold, etc, which is outside the scope of this survey.
'We won't play second fiddle to BN': Nizar
Yobama: I am glad that Nizar did not swallow the bait dangled by the BN pirates. Pakatan Rakyat should never allow itself to be used by the BN, even when they purport it to be for 'the good of the people'. Surely, the BN is not doing this for the people's sake, they only seek to profit from the 'mut'ah' (temporary) marriage.
If they were truly thinking of the people, they should have dissolved the state assembly and call for fresh elections - thereby returning the power back to the people. The 'ruler' must get the consent of the ruled in order to continue ruling.
Bosco Philip Anthony: The will of the people cannot be destroyed by the withholding of Pakatan elected assemblypersons' allowance. It will only strengthen the people's resolve to vote out the BN at the ballot box.
If Pakatan plays its cards right, the political situation in Perak will get even more interesting. Based on what is unfurling at the federal level, it is only a matter of time that the center will fall apart.
Truth: Politicians should always put the welfare of the rakyat above themselves and their party. Lately we've only seen the ugly sides of politics from BN and Pakatan Rakyat: both fighting and arguing over power, criticising and finding fault with each other's actions, regardless of the benefits to the rakyat. It's time all parties focus on the rakyat's welfare and contribute to a better Malaysia.
You don't have to be a menteri besar or prime minister to better the rakyat's lives. Just spend more time go to the ground and listen. Don't think that allocations are pre-conditions for elected representatives to reach and affect the rakyat. Lim Guan Eng said so in response to Tan Tee Beng's criticisms over lack of funds.
PKR, don't say one thing in Perak and something else in Penang. Lim Kit Siang has been serving the rakyat for decades without being either a MB, PM, or even, at times, an elected representative.
Abd Omar: BN chairperson Najib Razak, let both PKR and BN work for the people. Give the same privileges to every assemblyperson. They are there to serve Perak. The people will know that this money is coming from the federal BN-led government. This is the only way to "menang hati rakyat".
Tell your BN component party leaders to forget the old and, now, obsolete methods. Think of the future and realise that the voters of today are no more illiterate or ignorant. Look at how US President Barak Obama appointed Republicans to many important positions.
Jiminy Qrikert: Ousted Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin is right to impose those conditions for working with BN, so as not to play into the hands of thieves, robbers and other corrupted people.
Stand firm, Nizar, on your conditions so that the DAP-led Penang government's CAT (competence, accountability, transparency) principles are practised to ensure that these cancerous, corrupted bloodsuckers do not get any chance to ride on Pakatan's hard work, honesty and commitment to the rakyat. Keep it CAT all the way.
Cala: Nizar still emerges winner. Nizar might have lost in the fight at the Federal Court to regain his rightful post as MB of Perak. But he has emerged the sole winner in the hearts of the people of Perak.
Political struggles are never designed to be for the short term. It pays for Nizar to start thinking in the long-term basis. Let the immediate discomfort be a rallying point for Pakatan. Stay resolute in the quest to recapture the state government in the next general election so that the people can be better served.
1Malaysia not a political gimmick - Rais
David Dass: If 1Malaysia is to be taken seriously, the government should systematically dismantle, de-racialise and integrate each and every institution in the country.
There should be more non-Malays in the civil service and armed forces - there should not be a Malay Regiment - and generally there should be more non-Malay participation in all aspects of government. Children should learn about other religions and cultures. And no more race-based political parties.
Jbss: Get rid of all race-based policies, race-based recruitment into universities, colleges, civil services and the armed forces, race-based scholarships, raced-based awarding of contracts, political patronage, put in place merit-based awards, get rid of the Biro Tata Negara indoctrination camps, race-based licensing and permit approvals, race-based and colour-based enforcement of laws.
Otherwise, your 1Malaysia slogan rings hollow in the eyes of the rakyat, no matter how hard you try to convince others.
Lokman Salleh: You are right, Rais - 1Malaysia is not a gimmick. The gimmick portion is "Rakyat Di Utamakan". If BN is serious about the slogan, you should ignore the three frogs (the Jelapang, Changkat Jering and Behrang state assembly members) and call for Perak election. Secondly, you should also give Kelantanese their oil royalty.
Lim Chong Leong: 1Malaysia is an empty slogan as long as Ahmad Ismail remains in Umno and free of prosecution, cow-head protestors enjoy tea with the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Nasir Safar is not charged, Utusan Malaysia continues to spew hatred, and Rais thinks that Twitter is a western ‘evil'.
Black Mamba: Yes, it's not a political gimmick. It was DAP's Malaysian Malaysia copied by BN. BN need this terminology to survive through the next election. Alternatively they can say Malaysia for Malays and we ‘pendatangs' can return to our ‘motherland' as beggars and prostitutes. So if BN's right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, why bother with this rhetoric?
