Can We Compare Apple with Orange when Both Are Fruits?

Nearly every budget, this never fails to happen.  Malaysians, so eager to compare their new-found knowledge of the world, sought to impress their other less-read compatriots, start to lambast the government for not managing the civil service workforce and claiming that the proportion of civil service that we have today is unrealistically high and not manageable in the long run.

We are often compared to our neighbour, Singapore (1 to 71.4), our former colonial master, the UK (1 civil servant to every 118 citizens) and a few other nations as seen in this screen-capture.  What more, this was shared by Dato' Seri Nazir Razak, the Prime Minister's own brother.

Pengkajian Semula Program MRCA Malaysia

"Ingatkan panas sehingga ke petang, rupanya hujan di tengah hari", pepatah Melayu yang paling tepat menjelaskan perasaan ramai pengkaji sektor pertahanan negara apabila Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein mengumumkan bahawa program MRCA tidak akan diteruskan semasa LIMA 2017. 

Laluan Penuh Ranjau
Program MRCA yang asalnya diumumkan sekitar 2003 - 2005 (saya tidak berapa ingat bila) bertujuan untuk menggantikan pesawat pemintas tersohor MiG29N TUDM.

Program tersebut ditunda buat pertama kalinya semasa ekonomi dunia mengalami kemurungan yang teruk pada tahun 2008 akibat krisis subprime di Amerika Syarikat yang telah menjangkiti seluruh dunia. 

Relook into Malaysian MRCA Programme

"Ingatkan panas sehingga ke petang, rupanya hujan di tengah hari", a Malay proverb which best encapsulate the feeling of many defence watchers when the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced that the MRCA programme will not go through during the LIMA 2017. 

The Programme's Hiccups

The MRCA programme which was first announced circa 2003 - 2005 (I can't really remember when) was intended to replace the venerable MiG29N Fulcrum interceptor for RMAF. 

The programme was first deferred when the global economy had went into a severe recession in 2008 due to the subprime crisis in the US which had unfortunately infected the rest of the world. 

The Price of Unbridled Capitalism

For the sake of this article, I had bought this pack of 4 traditional moon cake for RM9.  I bought it at a roadside stall operated by a woman at the location next to Wangsa Maju LRT for at least the last 10 years.  While I paid for the moon cake with a piece of RM10 note, my mind was distracted, thinking how I should write begin this article on capitalism and human greed.  The trader took note of my distraction, and did not return my change, claiming she had returned it to me.

We Never Learn from Our Past

Malaysia never learns from painful experience.  That is what I felt when I read the news that Special Branch had arrested 7 FTF (foreign terrorist fighters) working as security guards in Kuala Lumpur for the last 2 years.

All 7 FTF were believed to be affiliated to Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and to a further extent, Daish.

All 7 are believed to have came to Peninsular Malaysia using forged MyKads.

Note that these 7 are different from the 9 arrested between 1 July to 30 August, for plans to distrupt the National Day celebration and SEA Games.

PM Visit to Washington DC

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak had just touched down in Washington D.C., as he prepared to be the first ASEAN leader to visit current sitting US President, Donald J Trump after his inauguration on 18 January early this year.

Source - PM Najib Razak blog

What would his visit entails to? Let's see what is it in for DSN, and to that extent, Malaysia.

Myanmar Humanitarian Crisis

1. Malaysia has been helping Rohingyans by providing food and shelter to Rohingyans since 1990's. Rohingyans in Malaysia can be found in large concentration in Selayang area.