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Wednesday, November 30, 2022

How much is the pay to that MP in the Dewan ? At least RM25,700 per month each


Here’s a look at the pay and allowances our elected reps get, and it’s a pretty sweet deal.

I AM writing this week’s column on Monday, a public holiday, courtesy of our newest Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

We can thank YAB for it but let this be his last “playing to the gallery” crowd-pleasing act. It was a nice but unnecessary gesture. In fact, it was more disruptive, especially to businesses and schools, than helpful. 

Not everyone’s happy with sudden public holidays

Instead, what we need from Anwar and his government is hard evidence that they will be able to effect changes that can finally bring about Malaysia Baru. And it starts with how he assembles his Cabinet which he assures us will be lean and mean. But we also want ministers who are people of calibre, intelligent, efficient and with integrity.

On that, everyone – from politicians, commentators, academics and NGOs to retired civil servants and the public – has his or her take on it. Whether Anwar has had the time to watch or read the deluge of advice, suggestions and even veiled threats is something else. He’s keeping it very close to his chest; we don’t even know who his closest and most trusted advisers are.

Anyway, Aunty here will refrain from joining the “can I advise you something” cluster. Instead, inspired by Anwar’s promise to cut his and his minister’s salaries and allowances, I will take a look at how much our elected representatives are worth in terms of pay and allowances.

This is an issue that’s been close to my heart ever since I wrote a feature article published in The Star on March 31, 1989, in which I compared the rewards given to politicians versus civil servants.

Politicians were not entitled to pensions or gratuities until the passing of the Administration and Members of Parliament (Pensions and Gratuities) Act 1971.

That Act was repealed and replaced by the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980 [Act 237] which provides for pensions, gratuities, benefits and allowances.

Various people, including MP for Muar and former Youth and Sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, have raised the issue of pension entitlements and allowances for assemblymen, MPs and ministers, which Syed Saddiq claimed could exceed RM100,000 per month for some.

Both MPs and state assemblymen (adun) are paid salaries and enjoy many allowances and benefits. There is an even longer list of rewards for the PM, DPM and Cabinet ministers but due to space constraints, I will focus on what serving MPs get.

Now, there is no denying our elected representatives have a lot of work to do and they should be rewarded accordingly. But are they being over-compensated? What are these benefits and allowances?

You can find them in Statute Paper 235 of 1983 on the Official Portal of Parliament of Malaysia (bit.ly/malaysia_mp).

First off, an MP’s monthly salary is RM16,000. He/she also has a phone allowance of RM900 and a fixed travelling allowance of RM1,500 a month without the need to submit any claims.

An MP is also eligible to receive RM400 a day for attending Parliament and RM300 a day for official meetings, workshops, briefings, seminars, etc; a daily subsistence allowance of RM100 while on official duty within the country or RM170 outside Malaysia; food allowance of RM340 for every night spent outside the country; hotel charges of not more than RM400 a night, if the fixed allowance is not enough to cover all these claims.

There is also a “special payment” of RM1,500 a month for MPs who are not a member of the administration as defined under Clause (2) of Article 160 of the Federal Constitution, meaning he is not a minister, deputy minister, parliamentary secretary or political secretary.

If they travel by air on official business, they are entitled to business class seats and every month they get allowances for fuel (RM1, 500), toll (RM300) and entertainment (RM2,500).

They get a driver’s allowance of RM1,500 even if they don’t hire one, so they get paid for driving themselves. Extra benefits include getting a motor vehicle licence or a firearm permit FOC.

There are many other benefits like allowances for medical care, warm clothing, ceremonial and black tie attire; and loans for cars, housing and computers. All in, our MPs are pretty well looked after.

The above salary and allowances, which amount to at least RM25,700, while not really exorbitant, is still a very high income for most Malaysians. What’s more, MPs, after completing 36 months of reckonable service, get a pension after they turn 50.

That’s why it’s important we elect worthy persons to represent us in Parliament and state assemblies because we are their pay masters.

Besides, they are not expected to fork out any of this money to help their constituents. That’s where development funds and grants come in.

However, under both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan governments, whoever was in power discriminated against those in the Opposition in how funds for MPs were allocated.

In 2020, Pakatan government MPs reportedly received RM2mil for development, such as facilities for the community, another RM1.5mil for grants and donations, and RM300,000 to run their service centres. Sabahan and Sarawakian MPs got an extra RM500,000. Opposition MPs got a mere RM100,000 as development funds.

This is patently unfair. Citizens should not be punished for voting for who they want to represent them. Years ago, there were photos of roads being nicely paved in a Barisan constituency that ended right at the border of an Opposition-held seat.

That’s why there have been calls, including from Bersih chief Thomas Fann, that there should be equal constituency development funding. This can be institutionalised by new legislation to ensure the allocation of funds is dispensed by Parliament and not at the discretion of the Prime Minister’s Office.

One of the conditions of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government’s memorandum of understanding with Pakatan, signed in Sept 2021, was equal funding for all MPs. That should be still honoured and implemented under Anwar’s government.

If that is in place, we can judge how fairly, responsibly and with full accountability our MPs spend these precious funds for the betterment of their constituencies.

They must also show their attendance record, what they have raised or spoken on in the Dewan Rakyat. We can do that by making it mandatory for MPs and assemblymen to publish their report cards just before the annual Budget session in Parliament.

From my years as a journalist covering Parliament meetings, many MPs are seat warmers who hardly ever speak on anything, spend more time in the cafeteria and lounges and even leave before the day’s sitting has ended. That’s why the hall is often very empty, barely making the quorum of 26 MPs from the total of 222.

Fortunately, there are representatives who do take an active part in the Dewan Rakyat; who study new Bills and debate them; raise issues important to their voters and national interest and are really service oriented; they are on the ground and readily available to attend to the needs of their constituents.

These are the kind of dedicated, selfless MPs with integrity we want and we have no qualms about paying them well. Probably the finest example we have is former MP for Bukit Bintang Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. In the present generation of MPs, the one seen as Lee’s most likely successor is the much loved and admired MP for Segambut Hannah Yeoh.

I started this column by saying I won’t tell Anwar who to appoint. But in the best political tradition of backtracking, I will say I do want to see Yeoh appointed to a meaningful ministerial post in the Cabinet.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own. 

June H.L. WongBy June H.L. Wong

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Angry Malaysians are demanding ministers to take pay cuts as ...

One of the major reasons for this movement to even happen is the fact that many of these ministers - majority of them viewed as incompetent by Malaysians - have bloated salaries.

In 2020, it was revealed that on average, a Malaysian minister makes an average RM55,650 (US$12573) a month. Their salaries include travel, entertainment, housing, and car allowances. And if you're a people's representative, you enjoy additional salary increments.

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Monday, November 28, 2022

Shenzhou-15 crew to visit China Space Station, conduct 1st crew handover in orbit in China’s space history

 
 

 

 

The line-up of three taikonauts for Shenzhou-15 manned spaceflight mission,Zhang Lu,Fei Junlong,and Deng Qingming(from left to right). Photo: VCG

The line-up of three taikonauts for Shenzhou-15 manned spaceflight mission, Zhang Lu, Fei Junlong, and Deng Qingming (from left to right). Photo: VCG

China on Monday unveiled the line-up of three taikonauts for Shenzhou-15 manned spaceflight mission that is set to be launched on Tuesday night. The trio led by mission commander Fei Junlong with two space newcomers Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu are going to conduct a direct handover in orbit with the Shenzhou-14 crew at the China Space Station in construction, which shall mark a first in China's aerospace history. 

The upcoming Shenzhou-15 crewed spaceflight mission is not only the anchor-leg launch mission at the China Space Station construction stage, but also is the first one to embark on the next operational stage, Fei, the 57-year-old veteran taikonaut who visited the space as the mission commander in the China's Shenzhou-6 mission in 2005, remarked at a press conference on Monday at the Jiuquan Satellite Space Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province. 

The crew will carry out more experiments in orbit, operate, maintain and repair relevant equipment and above all execute even more challenging extravehicular activities, or known as spacewalks, with more complicated paths to take on, Fei said on Monday.

The Shenzhou-15 crew has undergone great amount of specific training, which made them very confident to deliver all the set goals and to successfully complete their space run, Fei said. 

Deng Qingming, 56, is among the first batch of taikonauts trained in China that includes the country's first astronaut Yang Liwei and also his mission commander Fei in the Shenzhou-15 mission. He has served as a backup for nearly 25 years, in missions such as the Shenzhou-9 and 10, but never got the chance to fly. This will be his first time ever in space. 

Zhang Lu, 46, also a new face, was selected in the second batch of taikonauts trained in China in 2010. 

Mission insiders told the Global Times on Monday that the two crews of six taikonauts will carry out the space station handover in a face-to-face manner for the first time in the country's manned space history and that is not only of symbolic significance but also carries great practical values to the overall development of the country's first permanent space outpost.

Sources with China's astronaut training system, told the Global Times on Monday that such feat would enable the predecessor Shenzhou-14 to introduce and share what their work and life would be like inside the space station with the new Shenzhou-15 crew directly, boosting the continuity and efficiency of the handover.

It would also help save the resources to set the space station combo from occupied state to unoccupied one and then back again. And the handover will be more target-oriented, especially for those ongoing experiments and space station maintenance work, the sources said. 

Having six taikonauts simultaneously onboard the China Space Station in construction, would also verify its performance under the full load condition, which would lay groundwork for future tasks where more payload technicians are needed for more complicated experiments, Song Zhongping, a space watcher and TV commentator, told the Global Times.   

By plan, the handover will last for a week or so, and after that, Shenzhou-14 crew will return to the Dongfeng landing site on Earth. 

As the temperature drops to somewhere near minus 20 C in Jiuquan around this time of the year, the launch of Shenzhou-15, which is via a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan center, also faces a special challenge of extremely low temperature.

According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the developer of the Long March-2F rocket, Shenzhou spacecraft had only been launched twice in unscrewed condition during the Shenzhou-1 and 4 missions in late November. Shenzhou-15 would be first one to be carried out with taikonauts onboard in the cold weather. 

However, the CALT explained that they have taken such unique challenge into consideration. They have also confirmed the two sets of the temperature system inside the rocket's nose cone, to make sure that the temperature of the propellant of the return and propelling module meets the launch condition. 

Major tasks of Shenzhou-15 mission

Major tasks of Shenzhou-15 mission

To-do list 

At a press briefing on Monday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Ji Qiming, assistant to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) director, said that Shenzhou-15 is the final launch during the construction phase of China Space Station, as well as the opening of the application phase of the station. 

They will stay in space for six months and return to the ground in May next year. The main objectives of the mission include verifying the space station's ability to support crew rotation and achieving the first in-orbit handover with the Shenzhou-14 members. 

According to the mission plan, the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft will conduct a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the space station combo at Tianhe core module's front port and then form a new combo of three space crafts and three modules. 

It will be the largest structure of the China Space Station to date with a total mass of nearly 100 tons. 

Major works across the Shenzhou-15 are categorized into six aspects, including the verification of long-term stays in the space station combo, the unlocking, installation and testing of 15 science experiment cabinets and carrying out more than 40 experiments in the fields of space science research and applications, space medicine and space technology, among others. 

They will conduct three to four extravehicular activities during the mission to complete extension pump set and platform equipment onboard the Mengtian lab module. 

The Shenzhou-15 crew will also verify the exiting of cargo airlock cabin and complete six cargo exiting tasks in cooperation with the ground. They will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-6 cargo craft and Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship. They will also have a work handover with the Shenzhou-16 crew in orbit.

Open for cooperation

After Mengtian lab module conducted successful transposition in orbit at 9:32 am on November 3, China Space Station has completed its T-shape basic structure assembly in orbit. China has conducted 11 space launches with perfect success rate within 20 months at the space station construction stage and the China Space Station is set to become operational within 2022.

Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, told the Global Times that the life support system of the China Space Station is one of the most advanced innovations onboard and shows China's space strength. 

Without the home developed life support system, the crew of three taikonauts would need to consume supplies weighing around 8 tons a year. But now it takes only 400 kilograms, as 95 percent of the supplies including oxygen and water, could be obtained with the help of the life support system, Zhou said. 

In addressing international cooperation as it related to the space station, Ji from the CMSA said a number of space science application projects China jointly selected with UNOOSA and ESA are being implemented as planned, and the relevant payloads will begin to enter the Chinese space station next year.

"We have always welcomed astronauts from other countries to enter the China Space Station to conduct experiments. We have received requests from several countries to send astronauts to participate in our space station missions, and we are coordinating with relevant parties and actively preparing for the training of foreign astronauts," Ji said.

On November 1, Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson with the Chinese Foreign Ministry, responded to media inquiries upon the successful docking of Mengtian space lab, the third and final part of China Space Station's three-module structure earlier that day, by saying that China always relies on its own capabilities in its manned space program, and at the same time actively engages the world. 

China's Space Station is the first of its kind to be open to all UN member states. So far a number of science experiment projects from 17 countries including Switzerland, Poland, Germany and Italy have been included in the selected projects of China Space Station, Zhao said. 

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Sunday, November 27, 2022

MALAYSIA MUST MOVE ON, Uncharted territory for Anwar

 

Great expectations: Anwar – pictured here receiving congratulatory calls from world leaders in the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya – will have to move fast to heal a nation sick of politicking. — PMO

 A New Prime Minister naturally brings new hope, but the goal remains the same - taking the nation to the top -Wong Chun Wai

Anwar finally made it through sheer effort amid chatter that a famous Muslim sage had foreseen his win and his Sungai Lolong house has good fengshui. - Joceline Tan

WE’RE clearly living in interesting but also strange times. When Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Prime Minister, it was also nomination day for two seats.

They were the Padang Serai parliamentary and Tioman state seats, where voting had earlier been suspended following the deaths of two contenders.

Fascinatingly, Barisan Nasional, which is a member of the Unity Federal Government, is pitted against Pakatan Harapan, which helms the government.

They will face off in these two places. It will be interesting to see Barisan and Pakatan’s sales pitches.In fact, there will be state elections in Penang and Selangor in seven months, where the two sides will need to outwit each other. And if there’s a by-election in Sarawak, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), which has joined the Federal Government, will find itself in the same awkward situation.

Just two weeks ago, Barisan was accused of being a corrupt coalition, along with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The slogan being bandied about then was a vote for Barisan equalled a vote for Ahmad Zahid, who faces a slew of corruption charges.

But in the past few days, he has been heralded as a saviour who made the unity government a reality. We’ve been encouraged to look at the “larger picture” – a tainted man is now rescuing us from PAS.

Suddenly, all is forgiven and forgotten. Barisan is no longer a party for traitors who sold their greedy souls for power.

There was despair earlier, when at one point reports circulated about Barisan being in the Opposition bloc.

Ahmad Zahid was also criticised by his rebellious ranks for Umno’s dismal performance, but they then found themselves labelled opportunists instead, for previously wanting to back Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as PM.

Ironically, Muhyiddin is the same guy who campaigned against Ahmad Zahid and corruption on his Perikatan Nasional platform. It worked perfectly, as Bersatu, along with PAS, swept the Malay heartland and crushed Umno’s vote bank, including in the Putrajaya parliamentary constituency, which fell to Perikatan.

Malay voters had obviously forgotten this was the same man who warned them about PAS.

But having 49 PAS MPs was enough to scare off many Malaysians. Not just non-Malays who voted overwhelmingly for Pakatan, but also many Malays, especially those in urban areas. 

 The fear of a “Green Tsunami”, as it’s now branded, with PAS theologians imposing its religious agenda, was just unpalatable for many.

For a while, those who gloated over Pakatan’s victory also privately wondered if it was a case of being careful what you wish for. They had presumed the rest of the country would share their political allegiance.

Pakatan was short of a simple majority while there was the possibility of Perikatan forming a Malay- and Islamic-centric federal government.

But God works in mysterious ways, goes the adage. Anwar, who was dismissed by many and seen as not fated to be PM, proved everyone wrong. He will turn out to be the best person to take on PAS MPs on the other side.

Anwar may not be a theologian, but he has credentials. He can quote Quranic verses with a smattering of Arabic, and he has plenty of Arab allies, too. Never mind his past controversies because we’re not voting for a priest or ulamak.

He is surely not an angel but a true-blue politician who will bend rules and principles. Ultimately, though, he’s the best of our lot.

It’s not easy to find a Malay leader who enjoys such strong support among non-Muslims.

But Anwar needs to work his charm on the conservative Muslims who voted for Perikatan. Like it or not, the number of combined votes earned by Perikatan, Barisan, GPS and GRS (Gabungan Rakyat Sabah) is much higher than those handed to Pakatan.

Meanwhile, PAS needs to take a hard look at itself to understand its optics problem. No party or coalition can hope to form a government by preaching to just one community or religion. It would be disastrous for multiracial Malaysia.

Politics is about selling hope, as Anwar successfully has done. The jury is still out on whether he will deliver on his promises to Malay-sians, so we’ll have to hold him to that.

Many of us who gave up on Malaysia and its politicians have found that, finally, we can recover what we’ve lost and still salvage the situation.

Certainly, our Rulers have placed their faith in Anwar as the man who, in the opinion of the King, can command majority support in the House.

His Majesty has allowed Anwar to put together a unity government in the shortest time.

Now it’s up to Anwar, as the 10th PM, to prove he can hold the fort and steer us through the many challenges ahead, especially the strong economic headwinds.

He needs to fix our education system at all levels, as it has progressively gone down the drain. It won’t and can’t be done overnight, but it must begin now.

There’s no time for vindictive politics or rhetoric, which scarred the 22-month Pakatan government in 2018 and led to unprecedented apologies issued by the DAP recently to close a chapter with GPS.

The lesson learned here is that politicians shouldn’t be arrogant or resort to burning bridges. After all, no one knows what the future holds.

Let’s hope we see younger Malaysians such as Rafizi Ramli, Hannah Yeoh, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Steven Sim, with a balance of experienced MPs from Barisan and GPS, in the Cabinet. Possibly even technocrats appointed to certain ministries.

It’s wishful thinking, of course. If only Nurul Izzah Anwar, Khairy Jamaluddin and Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz had won. And we hope for more women in the Cabinet.

Malaysia must move on. We are simply worn out from all the politicking.

There is little time for Anwar to celebrate. Time is not on his side. We want to see results, and quickly, too.

Congratulations Saudara Anwar Ibrahim and may you succeed in restoring Malaysia to its former glory.

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Anwar to unveil leaner Cabinet with lower ministerial pay; Leaner Cabinet on the cards

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Thursday, November 24, 2022

Anwar Ibrahim sworn in as Malaysia’s new Prime Minister

Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, and his wife Wan Azizah take part in the swearing-in ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, November 24, 2022 [Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP]


 Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim shows his inked finger after voting at a polling station during the general election in Permatang Pauh, Malaysia, November 19, 2022. /CFP

 Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim shows his inked finger after voting at a polling station during the general election in Permatang Pauh, Malaysia, November 19, 2022. /CFP

CLICK TO ENLARGE

 Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, won 81 seats out of  total 220 counted after the nation's 15th General Elections, which resulted in a hung parliament.

 PH won more seats,  Anwar becomes Prime Minister, a Muslim & Malay fitted to Malaysia's typical Race and Religion politics.

The 75-year-old was deputy prime minister in the 1990s and the official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018.

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Wednesday, November 23, 2022

From villain to ‘King Zahid’ to gain powers that corrupt absolutely


 villain

 "Are we supposed to forget what they said during the campaign? Whatever principles left in politics has been thrown out of the window” - Dr Azmi Omar. 

Ahmad Zahid has been caricatured as “King Zahid” and wearing a crown, with leaders of the two coalitions on their knees, begging for his support.

 Umno was painted as racist and corrupt beyond repair and Ahmad Zahid was vilified as a bandit, thief and kleptocrat.

Yet, both Anwar and Muhyiddin were going all out to get Umno onboard. It is unbelievable how principles have been compromised to gain power.

 A WEEK is a long time in politics and this could be the longest week ever as Malaysians wait to know who will be the next prime minister.

It is also a terribly confusing time with conflicting news reports about who has the magic number of 112 MPs as well as unverified claims that Pakatan Harapan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had been appointed the 10th prime minister.

Finally, Anwar himself cleared the air outside the Palace gates, quipping that the post was still “vacant”.

Anwar, looking every inch the prime minister he is aspiring to be, was upbeat and it is quite evident that Pakatan, as the biggest coalition with 81 seats, has been given first option to try to form a government.

It is not an easy task and Malaysians will be on the edge of their seats for a few more days.

The irony of ironies is that Barisan Nasional, the biggest loser, has become the kingmaker that both Anwar and Muhyiddin are desperately wooing.

Barisan, with 30 MPs, was deeply divided. Some wanted Pakatan, some preferred Perikatan Nasional and some wanted to accept the opposition role.

The Barisan supreme council, which met yesterday, decided that whatever happens, the coalition will move as one.

Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s stand is that the coalition is ready to be a responsible opposition.

“Let Pakatan and Perikatan proceed to form the government since they won the most votes. We are prepared to be the opposition and to check-and-balance the new government,” said the Rembau MP.

He said his coalition respects the democratic process and the fact that voters had chosen Pakatan and Perikatan.

The election results showed that voters did not want Umno in the government. They had given Pakatan 81 seats and Perikatan 73 seats.

Moreover, the Umno base had imploded in anger over their president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s earlier push to go with Pakatan.

The Umno base dislikes DAP and has been long weary of Anwar.

“We lost half our votes to PAS because we could not defend Zahid. We will lose the remaining half if we work with Pakatan and we will be swallowed if we join Perikatan,” said an Umno politician from Kelantan.

The advantage of going with Pakatan is that there would be no overlapping interests in terms of the support base.

On the other hand, being part of Perikatan has been compared with selling “goreng pisang” or fried bananas to the same Malay kampung, that is, fighting over the Malay market share.

The long and short of it is that voters, including the Malays, rejected Umno and it would be shameful to sneak back into government by the backdoor.

The fierce horse-trading has been a rude awakening for many Malaysians.

The party that Pakatan and Perikatan had condemned throughout the campaign was being courted as though it is a beautiful virgin bride.

Umno was painted as racist and corrupt beyond repair and Ahmad Zahid was vilified as a bandit, thief and kleptocrat.

Yet, both Anwar and Muhyiddin were going all out to get Umno onboard.

It is unbelievable how principles have been compromised to gain power. At least with Mahathir in 2018, they laid the cards on the table for voters to choose.

“But this time, they said no ‘kluster mahkamah’, they campaigned against corruption. We voted for one thing, but they were going to give us something else,” said Dr Thor Teong Ghee, the CEO of a charity healthcare centre in Penang.

Ahmad Zahid has been caricatured as “King Zahid” and wearing a crown, with leaders of the two coalitions on their knees, begging for his support.

It must be said that although Muhyiddin reached out to Umno, he drew the line on working with Ahmad Zahid.

In Perak, Umno and DAP supporters are still reeling with shock over the new Umno-Pakatan state government. The two parties were going at each other tooth and nail, but are now cuddling in bed.

“Are we supposed to forget what they said during the campaign? Whatever principles left in politics has been thrown out of the window,” said political commentator Dr Azmi Omar.

Just days ago, the Umno campaign had slammed DAP as racist and anti-Malay.

Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming, on his part, had jokingly told a ceramah: “Buy one, free one. Vote for Barisan, get Zahid for free.”

Now that the joke has become reality, Pakatan supporters are scrambling to do damage control and justify the U-turn.

“Democracy has a way of humbling those who talk big. Some say it is hypocritical but what we are seeing now is realpolitik,” said senior fellow at ISIS, Eddin Khoo.

Even PKR superstar and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli was not spared.

He had declared that he would be the first to speak out if Anwar tried to work with Ahmad Zahid. A photograph of him shaking hands with Ahmad Zahid at the Pakatan-Barisan meeting yesterday drew a flood of comments.

Putrajaya is a glittering dream and politicians will do anything to achieve the dream.

But the onus is not on the loser to help form the government. Barisan was rejected by voters, it belongs on the opposition bench.

The onus is on the big winners to work together and sort out the mess.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own 

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Tuesday, November 22, 2022

APEC 2022: Boosting global governance


 

 

Xi's landmark South-East Asia trip expands partnerships

Two multilateral meetings, close to 20 bilateral talks and a sit-down with United States President Joe Biden – President Xi Jinping’s six-day trip to South-East Asia has charted the way for global governance, expanded China’s global partnerships and steadied ties between the world’s two largest economies.

Xi travelled to Bali, Indonesia, from Monday to Thursday for the G20 Summit before attending the 29th Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok and visiting Thailand – the first time he has attended the events in person in three years. Xi returned to China on Saturday evening.

The back-to-back meetings held by Asian countries took place amid spillover from the Ukraine crisis, which fuelled global financial, energy and food crises, with some countries advocating division, confrontation and decoupling.

The world is again standing at a crossroads, and Asia has embraced a crucial moment in promoting global governance, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after the conclusion of Xi’s trip.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Xi’s proposals at the G20 Summit indicated that he has always kept the interests of developing nations in mind and maintained the outlook in his diplomatic activities that true development can only be attained with the common development of all countries.

At the summit, Xi said Beijing supports the African Union in joining the G20.

China’s support for multilateralism and its contribution to G20 cooperation is also evidenced in the fact that the 15 projects and proposals put forward by Beijing were included in the list of projects for pragmatic cooperation at the summit.

Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Brussels-based Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said Xi’s proposals at the Apec meetings were not only inspiring for the Asia-Pacific region but also for other countries around the world, especially in Europe.

“At a moment when the COP 27 is closing, Xi insists that his country will push further for green and low-carbon development.

“Every government in the world should approve of his words when he says protecting the ecological environment and tackling environmental changes is the common challenge facing all humanity.”

Raymund Chao, chairman for the Asia-Pacific region and China of professional services provider PwC, said Xi’s written speech delivered to the Apec CEO Summit has boosted the confidence of business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region in responding to risks and turning crises into opportunities. — China Daily/ANN

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President Xi has met a number of foreign leaders and delivered important remarks while attending the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, showing charm of major-country diplomacy. Check out the graphic to learn more:
 

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