Langkawi International Dialogue
Aug 7th, 2007 by Tian
Smart partners: M&M
Malaysia is hosting Langkawi International Dialogue (LID) for the eighth times since Dr Mahathir started the so-called “Smart Partnership” discussion.From 1995 to 2004, under the helm of Mahathir, LID had been promoting the philosophy of “smart partnership”.
We see many heads of state and bureaucrats attending LID year in year out. Mahathir must be very sad that after nearly ten years, the third world nations in this partnership were not getting smarter.
Mahathir launched LID with the clear intension of defying the global trend. He hoped that LID would be his platform to extend the concept of Malaysia Incorporated to the global stage. He was imagining third world leaders would imitate Malaysia’s “success” story and hailed him as the model leader of the developing nations. We can get a glimpse of Mahathir’s combative spirit from his opening speech on the 2nd LID 1996.
All these fell silent after 2004. New PM Abdullah seemed more interested in Islam Hadhari than smart partnership or Malaysia Inc.
This year the Langkawi International Dialogue re-emerged with a different concept. LID 2007 carries the theme “Poverty Eradication through Human Capital Development and Capacity-Buildingâ€. It is held at the Langkawi Berjaya Beach and Spa Resort from August 6 to 8.
Among 500 participants are 42 heads of government. Some of them are regular visitors, this include Zimbabwe President Mugabe. The visit of this dictator has been fully paid by Malaysian taxpayers.
It is said that the focus of LID 2007 is to explore possible solutions to eradication of poverty. After more than a decade of smart partnership as a means to advance the economy, the countries that have repeatedly attending the dialogue still can’t take off from the basic problem of poverty?
Is human capital development going to make any difference?
Why not introducing a new theme” “Combat poverty through eradicating dictatorship”?
Smart partners: Mugabe & Pak Lah
There has always been a continuous flow of meetings/dialogues/ conventions either at the local or international stature being held in Malaysia annually. These meetings are in nature extremely beneficial provided those who attend it will be able to implement or consider the issues strongly and pass it on. But in most circumstances that is not the case and at the end of the day, it is the rakyat which will have to pay for these extravagance.
Much will have to be spend or has been spend in the past to host these dialogues of international stature here in Malaysia. Even special purpose convention centres are being build to cater for these events but left to rot when the event ends with no local event management company able to use it due to high rental costs or the venue too big for their specific event. We also tend to find equipments missing or not functioning at all at these specific locations after some time of neglect. When there is a need to use these special purpose build convention venues, the government have to fork out more money to undertake repair work which is a waste of resources as it will still return to the state of neglect when the convention is over.
The public should be well informed as to how much was spend in terms of organizing these events and whether what are the benefits derived either internationally or locally. If there are no inherent need or benefit then the government should stop sponsoring or initiating these events especially those with international stature to avoid un-necessary spending and waste. For example with LID which is held rather frequently has never generated any sort of benefit for the nation or even the participating countries when the Malaysian government had to fork out millions of ringgit for hotel accomodations, venue rental, souvenirs, VVIP treatments and so forth for the participants who would usually be accompanied by a delegation of people who expect fabulous and uncompromise treatment. However, these treatment are never reciprocated whenever Malaysian officials visit their country as most of them can’t afford it in the first place.
I think it is high time our government realise that we should stop these kind of resource wasting activities and channel the money to better use for the good of the rakyat. Eventhough, perhaps in the eyes of the government the money saved is only a small meager amount, yet especially for those in the rural community, the savings of 1 or 2 million channel to rural projects would be a huge benefit for many in the rural setting.
Another example, is the issue of the position of Secretary General for the Commonwealth secretariat which Malaysia is lobbying. I do not think there are any benefit for Malaysia to lobby such a position as the Commonwealth has no role to play nowadays in the international scene. The Commonwealth is a body which reflects the remaining vestige of the British Empire and has never had any influential authority at the international level. I suppose perhaps the Malaysian government is interested to lobby the position for the mere sake of edging out Datuk Seri Rais Yatim from his current Cabinet position to which he is clearly fighting to cling on till the very end.
With 50 years of achieving independence, I do not think Malaysia has reached the level of real nationhood nor independence. We are still fighting for our ‘independence’ even now not from the Colonial masters but from the elements which is destroying the fabric of our nation, a government which has loose its common touch and links with the rakyat. This year I will not be celebrating our nation’s independence but will mourn instead for those who had sincerely fought for our nation’s independence yet it was taken for granted and destroyed by the present administration. Leaders of yesteryears will not be remember for what they did for this nation of ours this Independence day but will be laughed at for delivering the nation to the hands of the few privilege ones to reap what was sowed by them for the rakyat but taken by the few.
Wednesday August 8, 2007
Mamudkutty is still halucinating…….
Dr M: Charge Western nations( Tun Mamudkutty)
LANGKAWI: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has suggested that countries should start charging developed nations for the intellectual properties “that have been robbed from us.â€
The former prime minister told delegates at the Langkawi International Dialogue that developed nations did not pay a single cent when they “whisked away†brilliant students but poor countries had to “empty their pockets†just to get drugs for HIV/AIDS that they could not afford.
Dr Mahathir took the microphone to air his views after a delegate had expressed frustration over difficulties in getting hold of drugs for HIV/AIDS because they were “too expensive for less developed countries in Africa to provide to the millions of sufferers.â€
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi then said that he would like Dr Mahathir, who was a delegate at the LID, to say a few words “as he is experienced in dealing with the issue.â€
Dr Mahathir went on to say that if companies from developed countries claimed that drug prices had to be high to compensate for their research work, then poor countries should also ask for compensation for the “loss of our brilliant students, our Intellectual Properties (IPs), to them.â€
“As always, I have a radical solution,†he said and drew laughter from the Prime Minister and the floor.
“They (companies) say millions of dollars were spent on research, experiments and what not until the right drugs for HIV/AIDS were found. They claim that they need to recover the expenses by fixing a high price for the drugs. Fair enough.
“But our countries spent money educating our people, right from kindergarten to university and after spending that much of money, only a handful are brilliant.
“Yet, they come and grab our IPs to work in their countries without paying us anything, whereas for their IP, we have to pay and the poor cannot avail themselves of the drugs when it is they who really need them.
“It would be good if we can work together and apply whatever little pressure. A lot of little pressure can make big pressure. We have to keep on hammering on this,†he said.
Dr Mahathir said he had spoken on the matter during his visits to many countries but was met with “absolute silence.â€
This is the result of given a Madman too much power for 22 years.
With his NEP policy he is the main cause of the brain drain…look at him twisting and hallucinating!!!!!
The former prime minister told delegates at the Langkawi International Dialogue that developed nations did not pay a single cent when they “whisked away†brilliant students but poor countries had to “empty their pockets†just to get drugs for HIV/AIDS that they could not afford
Judging from the photos of those two gentlemen, one can conclude that the Forum/Seminar must be ‘fruitful, exciting,money well-spent etc etc”
Yes, the motto of the dialogue ought to be “Eradicating Dictatorship”. It’s a case of throwing good money after bad money which the expenditure committee must answer to the tax-payers.
Money should be spend wisely and fairly else where!
Sun Pg2 - Mohd Mohd Taib sees a `situation more explosive than May 13`.
Seems to me he would be the main culprit thru his heading the UMNO Kelana Jaya Division.
Apa guna buang masa dan wang untuk “dialogue” seperti ini. Dua daripada pemimpin-pemimpin nampak nya sudah bosan lah.
Lebih baik buang wang into kepada masyarakat !!
sic semper evello mortem tyrannus