Morgan – I have in my possession a copy of The Economist, from Thailand’s May ’92 uprising which makes the very point that what had started out as very “funny” demonstrations – that ever so-important “sanook” in Thai culture – had turned to tragedy. This time, I fear much worse.
It shouldn’t be funny of course, it should be sad – tragic even. Still, in the entire absence of knowing what shame is, Thais’ll just have to get on with funny.
The comment about Jumpol Manmai “gossiping” with Thaksin? (where did that come from?) as the two parted long ago, Jumpol was former National Intelligence Director when T was in govt. The issue of his falling from grace as I understand is about illegal activities catching him up, in this case land encroachment building a 16 rai (2.6 hectare) grand residence at Thap Lan National Park.
There has been much debate on Malaysia’s being on the verge of a failed state. To be fair, the 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6bn ‘donations’ have done considerable damage to the country’s image and highlighted its institutional weaknesses. The Najib-led government must do far more to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring an efficient and just economic structure in light of the twin disasters.
While pointing out Malaysia’s challenges is vitally important, one must however be cautious not to go to the other extreme by fearmongering and even demonizing the country without any substantiating evidence, as Manjit Bhatia has done which only ends up undermining his credibility.
Here are some interesting rankings for the readers who are quick to dismiss Malaysia as a vibrant economy to consider:
In the Best Countries to Invest In Report released last week, Malaysia is ranked No. 1, beating Singapore to the second place: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/best-invest-in. According to the website, Malaysia is the clear front-runner in this ranking, scoring at least 30 points more than any other country on a 100-point scale. The country is one of the top recipients of foreign direct investment, and its pro-business government offers a wide range of incentives to investors.
Last but not least, the Malaysian government is considered by the World Economic Forum as being the No. 8 in the world in terms of minimizing wastefulness in government spending, just five places behind Singapore (No.3), ahead of Hong Kong (at No.14, surprise! Surprise!) way ahead of China (at No.24) and Indonesia (at No.30) and far ahead of Thailand (at a distant No.108).: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2016-2017_FINAL.pdf
My point is, take the Najib government to task over its failures (and there are many) by all means, but one must do so with facts and statistics. However, if all the statistics released by Putrajaya are indeed as ‘rubbery’ as MB has bombastically claimed, perhaps he may as well question the validity all the international reports that tend to project Malaysia’s government policies in a relatively positive light.
Yes, I am a Malaysian living in Petaling Jaya. I am sceptical of Umno’s pledge to root out corruption but I am even more sceptical of those who make sweeping statements against a country without feeling a need to substantiate them.
When Christine Gray suggests that “Thailand has evolved into a powder keg of gossip and risk”, she is conflating the high-so and wannabe high-so with the 70 million people who make up the actual Thailand that people actually live in.
It’s a false conflation, of course, just as when a year ago almost to the day this same contributor to the false news network on New Mandala referred to the citizens of Isan as “pedicab drivers, sex workers and so on”.
No doubt there are people who look forward to the day when posting butt crack photos on Facebook will in fact constitute political discourse and noodling endlessly about a few thousand people as if they represent a whole nation will constitute scholarship of some sort.
But we don’t have to pretend that that day has arrived quite yet, even though their avatar is now ensconced in the Oval Office generating butt crack after butt crack and calling it politics.
I live in Malaysia, and I came from a small impoverished village in the east coast of Malayan Peninsula. And I totally agree with Norhisyam in this? Where do you live Peter? What makes you think you foreigners know more about Malaysia than Malaysians like Norhisyam and me? Typical white man superiority complex.
Given the circumstances, I think the Malaysian economy is doing better than expected. By rights, given the drop in global energy prices, we should have gone into recession as we did in the 1980s. On that basis, Malaysia is doing far better than I thought we would, especially since we had a consumption tax height right in the middle of it. Moreover, we’re still seeing trade expansion even as the rest of the region (China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, etc) went through a two year decline in trade growth.
However, that is not the same thing as presuming people are doing better than expected. Any economy is an aggregate of many different threads, some of which are blossoming, some doing ok, and some doing downright badly. As one Brexit complainer said, “That’s not MY GDP!”
I have a long list of things that we Malaysians need to solve/improve upon economically. But I prefer to work on solutions than presume the problems are insoluble, or depend on the dubious effectiveness of political change. And problem solving and long term solutions rely critically on correct diagnosis.
The narrative of the Malaysian economy should be driven by the evidence, not the other way around.
Bhumibol’s ability to manage the institution of monarchy skilfully has undermined his country in the longer term. Vajiralongkorn’s blatant abuse of the institution has given the country hope of ridding itself of it. The recent history of Thailand is a clear lesson to the world that monarchy is a curse on humanity. Monarchies the world over originate in the same way, when a population becomes accustomed to crawling to the family of a military dictator. They are founded on grovelling, one of mankind’s baser instincts.
I am looking forward to commentary about Malaysia by Malaysians or those who actually live there and not academic solipsism. The nation is in severe crisis and those unfamiliar with Malaysia do not realize the degree to which corruption and radical Islamization are destroying the nation. Just because Kuala Lumpur has high rises and is relatively clean does not mean the economy or people are in good shape.
The Duke of Edinburgh worked out how to combat boredom. He had had a promising military career which he was prevented from pursuing. He used his acerbic wit to help him deal with the situation.
One may dispute Nurhisham’s statistics and arguments, but he is doing his best to defend them. But where is Manjit Bhatia the so-called economist? I am looking forward to his rebuttals.
Yes deluded Thai person your monarchs are not vile venal base despots are they? Bumipol was a right wing fake sacred being who ordered the murder of many citizens…never forget 2010
Superb piece about the form of royal Thai lies and truth telling. Gossip actually is post truth but nevertheless full of risk and danger. Is everything permitted to those exalted but vile bodies ruling Thai society?
Thanks Ohn. I get it. The Defence Forces have all the authority with no responsibility and the government has all responsibility with no authority. They allow to happen what they want or can live with, so long as it does not affect their power base. Home Affairs carries the administration of the country under it through GAD and guess who runs all of that. The Defence Forces through their 2008 decreed constitution have mandated themselves a separate head of power that sits outside the state governance architecture, plus state governance architecture. The current world wide preoccupation with Rakhine State, has all baying for the blood of the government, whereas they are really the wrong target. Defence Forces through the CIC General Min Aung Hlaing is the person they need to direct some calls for accountability. It is a 2008 Defence Forces constitutionally mandated ‘disciplined democracy’. Sure there are some openings, but has land confiscation stopped? Have human rights abuses stopped? Are peop,e trying to be silenced through defamation cases, that ignore the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, using the Defence Forces USDP former government’s telecommunications law? is the bureaucracy sclerotic as some say? Yes.
The difference professional pen pushers is how the Hlaing Thar Yar workers eat their pathetic meagre sustenance going by the name of food. No amount of hoarse screaming has done any little difference whatsoever. All they end up with is “Demonstration fatigue”.
As for the Latpadaung farmers they do get occasionally shot and beaten up.
Students currently in jail or detention, same.
Yes, it’s all highly romantic. But short of fancy feel good photogenicity, again, nothing changed.
For Mr Nurhisham and Dr Yeh (former RAM, now Professor at Sunway – can he show us his publication record that made him a professor?) the Malaysian economy is ALWAYS doing very well.
It is never bad, there is never any reason for pessimissm. The government is always making the right decision!
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Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Morgan – I have in my possession a copy of The Economist, from Thailand’s May ’92 uprising which makes the very point that what had started out as very “funny” demonstrations – that ever so-important “sanook” in Thai culture – had turned to tragedy. This time, I fear much worse.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Thank you so much, I laughed like a drain.
It shouldn’t be funny of course, it should be sad – tragic even. Still, in the entire absence of knowing what shame is, Thais’ll just have to get on with funny.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
It is currently Sky fall – but Sky FALL is on the horizon.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
The comment about Jumpol Manmai “gossiping” with Thaksin? (where did that come from?) as the two parted long ago, Jumpol was former National Intelligence Director when T was in govt. The issue of his falling from grace as I understand is about illegal activities catching him up, in this case land encroachment building a 16 rai (2.6 hectare) grand residence at Thap Lan National Park.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
“rebels from the periphery and unruly monks”. They are certainly at the heart of Thailand’s current crisis.
Playing Malaysia’s number game
There has been much debate on Malaysia’s being on the verge of a failed state. To be fair, the 1MDB scandal and the RM2.6bn ‘donations’ have done considerable damage to the country’s image and highlighted its institutional weaknesses. The Najib-led government must do far more to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring an efficient and just economic structure in light of the twin disasters.
While pointing out Malaysia’s challenges is vitally important, one must however be cautious not to go to the other extreme by fearmongering and even demonizing the country without any substantiating evidence, as Manjit Bhatia has done which only ends up undermining his credibility.
Here are some interesting rankings for the readers who are quick to dismiss Malaysia as a vibrant economy to consider:
In the Best Countries to Invest In Report released last week, Malaysia is ranked No. 1, beating Singapore to the second place: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/best-invest-in. According to the website, Malaysia is the clear front-runner in this ranking, scoring at least 30 points more than any other country on a 100-point scale. The country is one of the top recipients of foreign direct investment, and its pro-business government offers a wide range of incentives to investors.
Also, when it comes to the Best Countries to Start a Business, Malaysia is just behind Thailand at No.2: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/best-start-a-business
Last but not least, the Malaysian government is considered by the World Economic Forum as being the No. 8 in the world in terms of minimizing wastefulness in government spending, just five places behind Singapore (No.3), ahead of Hong Kong (at No.14, surprise! Surprise!) way ahead of China (at No.24) and Indonesia (at No.30) and far ahead of Thailand (at a distant No.108).: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2016-2017_FINAL.pdf
My point is, take the Najib government to task over its failures (and there are many) by all means, but one must do so with facts and statistics. However, if all the statistics released by Putrajaya are indeed as ‘rubbery’ as MB has bombastically claimed, perhaps he may as well question the validity all the international reports that tend to project Malaysia’s government policies in a relatively positive light.
Yes, I am a Malaysian living in Petaling Jaya. I am sceptical of Umno’s pledge to root out corruption but I am even more sceptical of those who make sweeping statements against a country without feeling a need to substantiate them.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
When Christine Gray suggests that “Thailand has evolved into a powder keg of gossip and risk”, she is conflating the high-so and wannabe high-so with the 70 million people who make up the actual Thailand that people actually live in.
It’s a false conflation, of course, just as when a year ago almost to the day this same contributor to the false news network on New Mandala referred to the citizens of Isan as “pedicab drivers, sex workers and so on”.
No doubt there are people who look forward to the day when posting butt crack photos on Facebook will in fact constitute political discourse and noodling endlessly about a few thousand people as if they represent a whole nation will constitute scholarship of some sort.
But we don’t have to pretend that that day has arrived quite yet, even though their avatar is now ensconced in the Oval Office generating butt crack after butt crack and calling it politics.
Playing Malaysia’s number game
I live in Malaysia, and I came from a small impoverished village in the east coast of Malayan Peninsula. And I totally agree with Norhisyam in this? Where do you live Peter? What makes you think you foreigners know more about Malaysia than Malaysians like Norhisyam and me? Typical white man superiority complex.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Perhaps these night exercises were a shoot for a Thai version of the excellent James Bond movie, Sky fall ?
Playing Malaysia’s number game
George,
Given the circumstances, I think the Malaysian economy is doing better than expected. By rights, given the drop in global energy prices, we should have gone into recession as we did in the 1980s. On that basis, Malaysia is doing far better than I thought we would, especially since we had a consumption tax height right in the middle of it. Moreover, we’re still seeing trade expansion even as the rest of the region (China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, etc) went through a two year decline in trade growth.
However, that is not the same thing as presuming people are doing better than expected. Any economy is an aggregate of many different threads, some of which are blossoming, some doing ok, and some doing downright badly. As one Brexit complainer said, “That’s not MY GDP!”
I have a long list of things that we Malaysians need to solve/improve upon economically. But I prefer to work on solutions than presume the problems are insoluble, or depend on the dubious effectiveness of political change. And problem solving and long term solutions rely critically on correct diagnosis.
The narrative of the Malaysian economy should be driven by the evidence, not the other way around.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Bhumibol’s ability to manage the institution of monarchy skilfully has undermined his country in the longer term. Vajiralongkorn’s blatant abuse of the institution has given the country hope of ridding itself of it. The recent history of Thailand is a clear lesson to the world that monarchy is a curse on humanity. Monarchies the world over originate in the same way, when a population becomes accustomed to crawling to the family of a military dictator. They are founded on grovelling, one of mankind’s baser instincts.
Playing Malaysia’s number game
I am looking forward to commentary about Malaysia by Malaysians or those who actually live there and not academic solipsism. The nation is in severe crisis and those unfamiliar with Malaysia do not realize the degree to which corruption and radical Islamization are destroying the nation. Just because Kuala Lumpur has high rises and is relatively clean does not mean the economy or people are in good shape.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
The Duke of Edinburgh worked out how to combat boredom. He had had a promising military career which he was prevented from pursuing. He used his acerbic wit to help him deal with the situation.
Playing Malaysia’s number game
One may dispute Nurhisham’s statistics and arguments, but he is doing his best to defend them. But where is Manjit Bhatia the so-called economist? I am looking forward to his rebuttals.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Yes deluded Thai person your monarchs are not vile venal base despots are they? Bumipol was a right wing fake sacred being who ordered the murder of many citizens…never forget 2010
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Make sure that the writer of this article will ever come into Thailand as she is writing out of her fantasy and she is definitely unwelcome here.
Risk, gossip and retribution in Thailand
Superb piece about the form of royal Thai lies and truth telling. Gossip actually is post truth but nevertheless full of risk and danger. Is everything permitted to those exalted but vile bodies ruling Thai society?
Does the data reveal declining dictatorship in Myanmar?
Thanks Ohn. I get it. The Defence Forces have all the authority with no responsibility and the government has all responsibility with no authority. They allow to happen what they want or can live with, so long as it does not affect their power base. Home Affairs carries the administration of the country under it through GAD and guess who runs all of that. The Defence Forces through their 2008 decreed constitution have mandated themselves a separate head of power that sits outside the state governance architecture, plus state governance architecture. The current world wide preoccupation with Rakhine State, has all baying for the blood of the government, whereas they are really the wrong target. Defence Forces through the CIC General Min Aung Hlaing is the person they need to direct some calls for accountability. It is a 2008 Defence Forces constitutionally mandated ‘disciplined democracy’. Sure there are some openings, but has land confiscation stopped? Have human rights abuses stopped? Are peop,e trying to be silenced through defamation cases, that ignore the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, using the Defence Forces USDP former government’s telecommunications law? is the bureaucracy sclerotic as some say? Yes.
Does the data reveal declining dictatorship in Myanmar?
The difference professional pen pushers is how the Hlaing Thar Yar workers eat their pathetic meagre sustenance going by the name of food. No amount of hoarse screaming has done any little difference whatsoever. All they end up with is “Demonstration fatigue”.
As for the Latpadaung farmers they do get occasionally shot and beaten up.
Students currently in jail or detention, same.
Yes, it’s all highly romantic. But short of fancy feel good photogenicity, again, nothing changed.
Playing Malaysia’s number game
Does anybody in Malaysia believe in Mr Nurhisham?
For Mr Nurhisham and Dr Yeh (former RAM, now Professor at Sunway – can he show us his publication record that made him a professor?) the Malaysian economy is ALWAYS doing very well.
It is never bad, there is never any reason for pessimissm. The government is always making the right decision!