vox populi small thumbnail 'Every single step that Najib takes is being closely watched by the people. As long as a gap exists, no amount of exhortation will help bring back the lost confidence.’

Your concerns are my concerns, Najib tells Chinese

Abil: How to trust PM Najib Razak when he says something and does another. His New Economic Model (NEM) implementation is still on the table, having been ‘outlawed’ by Perkasa.

He wants the private sector to engage both bumiputera and non-bumiputera participation, but when it concerns public sector employment, it is still one way - for bumiputeras.

Cala: Najib keeps mentioning about his wishes and idealism as contained in the 10th Malaysian Plan. As the PM, he should appreciate better than the rest of us about the concept of walk the talk.

How could you march forward and expect your followers to follow you when they have no confidence in what you say to them? The case in point is about good governance. Can Najib tell us that under the 10th MP there is a commitment for the administration to be "transparent, accountable and open" in its governance?

Looking from the people's perspective, there are the four cases handled by its instruments: the TBH (Teoh Beng Hock) inquest; Sodomy II; Boustead’s RM1.3 billion submarine maintenance contract ; and N Tharmendran's alleged torture by the Air Force. Where these things mentioned in the 10th MP?

Every single step that Najib takes is being closely watched by the people. As long as a gap exists, no amount of exhortation will help bring back the lost confidence.

Myop101: Najib, we are not your cows for milking whenever you want your daily recommended level of calcium. Put it this way: put the policies you claim you want to put in place in action - for example, make the civil servants treat us with dignity and respect, and walk the talk with the GLCs which are grabbing every government project without an open, transparent and accountable tendering system - then we talk.

Meanwhile, we are happy to divert our wealth and skills outside this country to better opportunities elsewhere.

TSC: Liar. Najib, don't think that a few nice words from you can win Chinese votes. We don't see any real effort from you to change Umno. Even your deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, is up to his ‘ultra-Malay protector’ antics. With this type of deputy, what can you really do to allay Chinese concerns?

In addition, you have not improved the livelihoods of the majority of Malays, since you are so busy protecting the gravy train of Umnoputras and your cronies.

Chritopher Loi: "I have been entrusted with the responsibility to chart the best possible future for all of us."

We didn’t pick you, Mr PM. The one-sided ‘Umno-first, BN-second’ system picked you.

Jefferson76: Dear Najib, please seek a mandate from the people before you say words like "I have been entrusted with the responsibility to chart the best possible future for all of us." The people haven't entrusted you to do anything. You grabbed power for yourself and for your crony friends and family members.

JOE: Can anyone trust a PM who gave his solemn word to Teoh Beng Hock's family that he will “leave no stones unturned”, and then does nothing to hold the attorney-general accountable for making a mockery of the inquest by suppressing the so-called 'suicide note' for almost a year?

This PM will say different things to different people but can't be counted to keep his word. He is only interested in votes and cares little about people. Looking at the way Teoh Beng Hock’s family is being jerked around by the AG and Malaysian Anti-Corruptiopn Commission and by Najib's cruel and heartless administration, it's impossible for any Malaysian to trust this PM.

A PM who can't be trusted to keep his promise ain't worth a dime.

Artchan: Until Najib understands that the participants are there to give him face, and not think that they support every word he says, he will be forever trapped into believing a few nice words will get the Chinese licking out of his hands. ‘Cakap tak serupa bikin’, and the Chinese know that.

Singa Pura Pura: Thanks for the offer, PM. But you have still not come to the realisation that it has all gone beyond pacification, reward and all other forms of back-scratching.

This country will have a two-party system in which one checks and shadows the other - a new order where basic democracy resonates from the chambers of the attorney-general and the chief justice, down to the office of the IGP and the orifices of the local police stations and the other government departments.

IMF wants gov't to take 'decisive' action on NEM

Chan Chee Khoon: Malaysia reportedly has the most unequal income distribution among Asean countries. But beyond poverty reduction (a threshold concept), neither the NEM nor the IMF seem to be concerned with reduction of income inequalities (a gradient concept).

A minimum-wage policy is a good start, but it should go beyond that to include more progressive taxation as well as other policies to reduce income inequalities. A more egalitarian income distribution could boost domestic aggregate demand (the domestic market), and hence reduce our export dependence.

Patriot: I wonder if IMF has an office here. If not, you know who is going to be the target of a strong protest for making such a valid observation.

NEM was moved with good intentions to 'salvage' the country from an economic collapse or disaster that may happen in the near future. However, in this country today, if everything no matter how good or constructive it is, is looked in a racial or religious context, you can never have any economic lift-off.

The IMF's advice must be looked in a positive manner and not as something out to undermine the country. If the administration does not change, then change the administration through the ballot box.

DannyLoHH: Fat chance that the Umno regime will listen to IMF. I am waiting for Perkasa to tell IMF to back off and saying things like IMF is nothing but a scheme by the West trying to re-colonised Malaysia. These people do not have the welfare of the country and its countrymen at heart. They are only concerned about their 7 percent discount for their multi-million-ringgit palaces.

Freemsia: PM Najib needs the support of his Umno members (with many backing Perkasa) to stay in power. IMF hopes PM Najib will reform elements of the NEP (which will disadvantage his Umno members but increase the country's competitiveness). Will PM Najib be willing to make the right decision rather than the popular decision? It looks like we will find out soon enough.

DOC:

I suggest Mr PM seriously look into the recommendations made by IMF. At the rate the Malaysian economic is going due to it being managed or should I say mismanaged by Umno/BN, Malaysia in the near future may need a massive bailout from the IMF.

If that should happen, Umno’s “balls” would belong to the IMF.

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