What is the enigmatic Daim up to?

The latest Zunar caricature on Malaysiakini poked fun at Tun Daim.

He was depicted as a go-between the PM and Cabinet members, but "no position, got power", "power over khazanah", and "power to do business deal with China government".

Public must begin to realise, and PH leaders and politicians is beginning to express their bottled up frustration.

Zunar's caricature coincide with a new episode of Nurul Izzah's frustration and giving up on politics.

It may not be anymore about not getting parental blessing to marry a Mat Salleh as one rumour is going around.

She has continued by mentioning a former dictator in announcing her retirement from politics for GE15. Conveneintly, she used the extension of Dato Ronald Kiandee as PAC chairmanship as excuse to reiterate her stand.

There are exchanges surrounding her latest statement. Naturally, the pro-Azmin supporters are vocal and even Azmin defended Mahathir.

This time around Tun Dr Mahathir responded with a simpleton political answer that he too is frustrated with PH government. The old man realise Nurul's statement is attacking him and could appeal to grassroot.

Anwar came out to reply to Azmin but in typical Anwar fashion to cover all angle, he defended Nurul right to express herself and reiterate his family support for Mahathr. Behind the scene, Anwar is complaining Mahathir is back to his old habit.

Anwar's old habit in his attack of Mahathir is to point the gun at Daim. Whether he has it or not, like 916, he confided to an MP that he has 125 seats. The MP then said, if you are serious of wanting to be PM, then take the DPM post from his wife.

"No, I do not want to quarrel with Mahathir again," Anwar allegedly said.

The MP responded, "If you do, he will send you in again. Unlike Najib, he does not care whether you did anything wrong".    

Apparently, Anwar is doing something. He is expected to make his move after Raya at the time Mahathir should be doing a cabinet reshuffle.

There is speculation and Mahathir's confidante, Dato Khairuddin Abu Hassan warned of something to happen and it could be between May to October. Reggie Jessy believed it will be a mass defection from PH.

Since December's posting, Daim begin to reappear in the public sphere again after a brief hiatus upon completion of CEP finding. Heard he has been doing a bit of travelling and working on top of his regular visit to his dialysis centre.

Daim reappeared at an event in UTM Johor. There was a comment made on politicising of education, but the more interesting from a political and economical standpoint was his view on Malay's insecurity. An extract from Malaysiakini is reproduced below:

Today, there is one Malay graduate for every 20 Malays. Despite being more educated and having a large educated segment, we are still unable to convince ourselves that Malays have nothing to fear in this country. Are Malays thinking strategically, critically and logically? It looks increasingly obvious every day that the Malays are thinking with their emotions instead of with their intellect. We must ask ourselves – what is happening to us?

We have allowed our emotions to run wild and influence the way we see others. We watch ghost movies at the box offices. When Mastika stopped writing ghost stories, circulation ended and now there is no more Mastika. Now instead of reading about ghosts in Mastika, we are seeing ghosts around every corner.

Instead of depending on logic and facts, we prefer to buy into the racist rhetoric of politicians with dubious reputations.

Since I am talking to academicians, I would like to pose this question to you: what role should you be playing in injecting some logic and fact into the Malaysia narrative? Do you intend to go along with the emotional flow or do you see it as your academic duty to question the irrational narratives that are being shoved down the Malays’ throats?

Do you as “the educated” speak honestly and bravely about what is happening or do you simply pretend that this growing racism is justified?

That is naturally music to their ears of those who view the Malay narrative as limited and shallow.

The praises on Daim do get overextended into realm beyond his discussion on education and Malay mindset such as Christchurch massacre and bordering on political critic of UMNO and PAS cooperation.

DAP's Prof Dr Tajuddin Rasdi expressed surprise to hear the view to come from a successful businessman that came out of Malay patronage to be talking within Malaysia-Melayu construct as oppose to the usual Melayu-Malaysia one.

Actually. there is no different in Tun Daim's thinking as this extract from Berita Harian report showed:

KUALA LUMPUR: Penggubalan dasar ekonomi Melayu baharu yang berteraskan pertumbuhan, menjamin kesaksamaan dan perkongsian kemakmuran, bertujuan memperbaiki keadaan bagi memastikan masyarakat Melayu dan Bumiputera lebih maju dan bersedia mendepani cabaran ekonomi semasa.

Bekas Pengerusi Majlis Penasihat Kerajaan, Tun Daim Zainuddin, berkata ini kerana Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) yang sudah dilaksanakan sejak 50 tahun lalu belum mencapai sasaran.

Beliau menegaskan dengan masa yang semakin suntuk, dasar itu perlu dipercepatkan bagi memastikan lebih ramai golongan kurang bernasib baik dibantu, sekali gus berupaya menikmati kejayaan.

“Kesilapan lepas kita ketepikan, yang baik (DEB) kita ambil, kita mahu meningkatkan kemajuan supaya lebih ramai golongan kurang bernasib baik dapat menikmati kejayaan bersama,” katanya.  

Beliau berkata demikian pada sesi temubual eksklusif TV3 bersama pengacara Ally Iskandar yang disiarkan Malaysia Hari Ini (MHI) pagi tadi.

Pada bahagian pertama temubual berkenaan, Ally bertanyakan sama ada penggubalan dasar ekonomi Melayu baharu dilaksanakan seolah-olah DEB yang digerakkan sebelum ini gagal membantu Melayu dan Bumiputera.

Mengulas lanjut, Daim berkata dasar baharu itu juga bermatlamat untuk membantu golongan berpendapatan rendah dalam kalangan peneroka, pesawah, nelayan dan petani yang memerlukan bantuan.

Beliau berkata, untuk itu, kerajaan akan menggalakkan kaedah pertanian dan penternakan moden yang mampu menjana hasil lumayan selepas kaedah lama dilihat kurang berjaya.

Read the lines highlighted in red with scepticism.

Daim is a businessman and his politics still return back to business interest. He is up to something.

The media's only coverage of the event is about MAS. In the interview, Daim spoke about breaking up monopoly and those interested could take up the assets.

It is privatisation 2.0 as it is being dubbed now. While UMNO critics is turning back the table to call it in return, "jual negara".

As Zunar's another cartoon depicted, "they" are in a hurry to further plunder the country.

Mahathir too sort of repeated Daim in telling a civil service event that the government need 3 years to revive the economy as he seek more patiance.

And voters were told PH will make peoples' life better than during Najib's term. People are not convince and expect more charges on Najib.

The extract from Sundaily report of the event:

Dr Mahathir said the cooperation of the civil servants is necessary for them to understand the problems the country faces, including the over RM1 trillion debt that has made the country’s financial situation most difficult.

“That’s why we were forced to cancel mega programmes that the previous government initiated, scheduled or implemented. We have had to reduce the expenditure on these huge projects. If we were to terminate the old contracts, we will have to pay compensation,” he said.

He said a portion of the country’s income had to be used to pay the country’s debt, which caused the government to pay lesser attention to national development.

“I hope we can be patient. If we cooperate in an atmosphere of peace and calm, then we can restore the financial position and develop our country.

“It is not easy to pay off an RM1-trillion debt. All the people, including government servants, have to tighten our belts a little so that we can reduce the normal expenses and pay the debt,” he said.

“Insya Allah (God willing), we will be able to settle out debts and, after that, the government income will rise and can be used to help with the cost of living of the people, especially those working with the government,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said a high income will mean nothing if the prices of goods rise more than the salary increases.

“For us, what is more important is to provide a salary that can buy more than before ... it is for this reason that the present government is reviewing the country’s financial procedures,” he said.

Kerala Express

Daim once criticised the current cabinet, which was described by Zunar's earlier caricature as under him in the current organsational structure, as "PH Ministers are "L" license driver".

It justify his role with China. Without mincing his words, Mahathir openly mentioned Daim is assigned to restart negotiation with China on ECRL.

He could have said it in any other way to save face of Lim Guan Eng but he did not. It was left to Guan Eng to save his own face and concur with Daim's appointment.

CGTN viewed this positively after confusing statements coming from Mahathir and Guan Eng.

The ECRL project was approved by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in October 2016 at the cost of 55 billion Malaysian ringgit (13.5 billion U.S. dollars). The new ECRL deal, with cost savings of about 10 billion Malaysian ringgit (2.45 billion U.S. dollars), would have new commercial elements that would have a greater impact on Malaysian companies and people.

Guan Eng claimed the project would cost up to RM80 billion by a "decimal error-like mistake" of imputing financing cost into project cost.

While Mahathir used to claim the project cost should be below RM10 billion but have since claimed it as RM130 billion.

Daim said it will be finalised by April with a savings of RM10 billion. A BN MP from Pahang kissed Mahathir's hand for the revival of the project.

But, what is the final cost and in typical Mahathir fashon, which crony will benefit?

South China Morning Post quoted a Dr Ngeow Chow Bing of University Malaya’s Institute of China Studies said the reduction is unclear and Dr James Chin of Tasmania University questioned whether they were "hidden" elements. 

There is also the reaction of the appeared obsession against cronyism of Tony Pua and Guan Eng to the finalised figure from Daim?

If the figure end up, to be no more and no less than RM55 billion save for the reduction, it will be fodder for Bossku's facebook.

Bear in mind, Jack Ma has told Lim Guan Eng and Tony Pua that Alibaba.com is not investing in Malaysia. It means China lost interest in Malaysia.

At the end of it, Daim never lose. He will end up with the money. -anotherbrickinwall