APOLOGISE? TO WHO?

APOLOGISE TO WHO?

TALE FROM THE KOPITIAM

Apologise to Dr M, Zainuddin urges Rafidah

ISA: Eh Samy and Ah Beng, you read what Deputy Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said to International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz?

SAMY: What did the mamak say?

AH BENG: What good can come out from his sengget mouth?

ISA: He asked Rafidah to apologise openly to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for her “disconcerting” statements on the approved permits (AP). Zainuddin said Rafidah should apologise to the former Prime Minister before the coming 56th Umno General Assembly. He said the replies by Rafidah on Dr Mahathir’s proposal that the names of AP holders be made public were rather hurtful.

AH BENG: What so hurtful?

ISA: He said that although Rafidah has replied to Dr Mahathir on the AP issue, she should do it in a respectful manner as he was, after all, the former prime minister. Zainuddin felt sad when Rafidah launched an attack against Tun Mahathir by disclosing his son’s name as an AP holder to import a Porsche.

SAMY: But Rafidah had said that she had explained “the real situation” to Dr Mahathir, who is Proton adviser, regarding the issues he raised relating to the local motor vehicle industry.

AH BENG: What is Mahathir's problem?

ISA: Dr Mahathir had complained that the large numbers of cars brought in under APs had led to unfair competition to our national car Proton.

AH BENG: What so unfair to Proton? Is he saying that if Proton cannot compete with foreign car makers, then the govt should banned all foreign cars or impose exorbitant taxes and duties so that we cannot afford to buy them and force us Malaysians buy the Proton cars at a very unreasonable high price? Is this what he called fair? Is he saying we Malaysians should be suckers and stay stupid for the sake of Proton?

SAMY: Ya lah! It is already 20 years since Proton was set up and if they are not able to compete with foreign cars, then it must be the fault of their management and we citizens cannot be made to pay unreasonably high prices in order to keep Proton alive. Don't suck our blood for the sake of Proton.

ISA: But you must know, the Proton project was Mahathir's dream. He wants Proton to be the International best car, maybe better than the Americans.

SAMY: Best car? I think if you asked all Malaysians, they would prefer to buy anything except Proton. So many of us appreciate Kancil and Perodua, but Proton, the window problem until now is still not solved; even my Proton is facing the same problem.

AH BENG: International best car? Even the people within Proton won't buy that car if given a choice.

ISA: Do you think Rafidah should apologise to Mahathir?

AH BENG: Apologise for what? The AP initiative was created by Mahathir and he should also be responsible for the outcome. He was PM for 22 years and he cannot absolve himself entirely. He cannot blamed that so few people were benefiting from the APs. It was the same for the last 24 years.

SAMY: Ya lah! Even his son gets a few hundred APs last year.

AH BENG: The objective of the APs is to help as many Bumiputras get into the automobil business by giving them an unfair advantage over the others within the same industry. That should not be the way to built entrepreneurs. If we are desirous of building the Bumis to become successful entrepreneurs, we must teach them and enable them with knowledge, skills and the use of the relevant tools and techniques and over a period of time, we should see to it that they had acquired the necessary competencies to be able to compete internationally and competitively. But we give them ecstasy and schizophrenic drugs - candu and marijuana and they now are totally reliant upon it to survive.

SAMY: The old saying cannot be wrong. Give them fishes and they eat for a day. Teach them to fish and they can feed themselves for a lifetime.

AH BENG: We reap what we sow and don't blame Rafidah. She has been doing what she was doing over the last 2 decades. If what she do is wrong, then Mahathir should also be responsible as he was her boss for umpteen years and had not removed her.

ISA: I think the AP problem is not a problem. The problem is Proton not being competitive and trying to blame everyone for their weakness.

AH BENG: Ya lah! In the first place, the AP system should not have been initiated. The Proton project should have been an assembly plant. We shouldn't try to stand 6 feet tall by wearing 10 inches high heel shoes; we will fall and then we blame the ground for not been evenly built.

SAMY: Why blame Rafidah? Don't blame Mahathir too. Blame UMNO and the Rent Seeking UNMO Youth system.

I weep for Malaysia......

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