How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Friday, December 17, 2010

What's wrong with agro-based economy?

We are one of the major problems. The usual leakages in implementation of government policies and brain drain as a result of discrimination led to poor results. People who are willing do not have lands while those with lands are not willing to work on them. Idle lands mean no productivity. We cannot escape from this basic fact.

Someone commented when forwarding an email:

"Note this: Malaysian government once complained of billions of Ringgit subsidies in food imports. Since Dr M's rule, University Pertanian have changed to University Putra - with very little actions in modernising farming.

Thus the priority have been WRONG all the time. Now poorer Msians suffer with inflationary costs of food. Some resort to robbery just to feed families...."

"Holland the size of Pahang (about 12% of Malaysia land mass) exports more in agriculture than Malaysia though much of its land is below sea level with expensive dykes to maintain whole year round. Yet Holland is number 3 in the world in farm exports at USD 55 billion last year, just behind giant USA and France. Holland population is about 17 million compared to Malaysia's 28 million."

Thus Malaysia has less people per area than Holland (Holland has about 5 times more). Malaysia has no land under the sea, unlike Holland. And Malaysia has no winter inhibiting plant growth.

How? Holland applies SCIENTIFIC methods in farming - its cow sheds don't smell, with much of shits reused as gases...

What happens to Bolehland's Universities' agriculture R & D?"

I wish to add that Holland has many residents cycling to work. Does it show that they are backward? They do not need tallest buildings to impress.

In Malaysia, I have heard of many cases of farmers selling cheaply fertilizers provided by government to middlemen, who made millions from reselling them. Cattle provided by government ended up in feasts instead. This must be one of the main reasons why our agricultural policies failed.

It would appear our success in plantations was mainly due to ideal natural conditions, good private management and foreign workers. It could have been much better. The reliance on cheap foreign workers have seen Malaysian companies planting oil palms in Indonesia instead.

The following news report suggests we prefer industrialization to agro-base economy. Yet, with the continual brain drain as a result of discrimination, our industries are mainly foreign companies taking advantage of tax and other incentives, without much transfer of technology. The car industry remains essentially assembly-based with poor quality controls, while South Korea has emerged as strong competitors much feared by even the Japanese.

Today's Star: No turning back to agro-base economy, says Dr M


Link

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