NCER fun

The North Corridor Economic Region was launched yesterday, and one of the key features is specialization–Perlis gets to tinker with nature, Kedah and Perak grow those little seeds and Penang distributes them all around the world. Fun, except this are random allocations by our Dear Leader, having nothing to do with each state and region’s comparative advantage.

And that’s the bit about government-led regional development. What looks good in the press isn’t necessarily what’s best. Penang may well be suited for shipping out those super rice just like it is possible for it to be more efficient and cheaper to truck it down to Klang and Sepang, and ship or fly it off from there.

And to things like the government peevish liking of Perlis (it’s a Dutch diamond, you know), we are promised that in three short years we can see the fruits of NCER. Like big signs all over Butterworth and Kangar proclaiming NCER projects, like they do now in JB (within Malaysia’s first economic region).

The great Commission fight.

Apparently, ASEAN finally agreed that it would set up a human rights commission (they just stared viscously at Myanmar and they quickly came to a consensus). They just have yet to agree on what that commission would look like. Word has it the most popular proposal is a lone man wagging his finger in a dark room.

Myanmar apparently offers to supply the dark room.

Liberty for all… but pesky Mexicans

I was thrown this article far too many times, and decided it was high time for a fisking. It’s after the jump if you’re interested.

Update: It’s now really after the jump. Sorry for boring anyone.

Too much asked

Perodua, in response to knee-jerk Malaysian government proposal to scrap Proton cars older than 15-years old (of which there are probably four being driven around now), asks the government to carefully study the idea. Though the last time that happened… wait, when was the last time our government “carefully studied” any idea?

Shocker

Talks on the pretty much useless ASEAN charter hit a snag when none of them could agree on human rights. This, despite their work that stretches into the “wee hours of the morning” shows that the envoys would probably be just as productive as watching cock fights and feeling up Manila prostitutes.

The matter in contention, on setting up a human rights commission, is grammatical–old members want “shall”, new ones “may” and Myanmar, “never”. Though, should there be a human rights commission, it may well turn out to be the world’s most overworked one. What, with ASEAN members ranging from Singapore (where a family of six having a picnic would be an illegal gathering) to Vietnam (where there is a hunting season of Montagnards).

Oh, and Myanmar.

Blame game

Don’t just point fingers at teachers when things go wrong but come up with creative ideas to solve the problem, Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said. I agree. So currently, my most creative idea is to fire Hishammuddin and put Education under Rural and Regional Development Ministry.

The quality of education dished out would probably skyrocket. (Hishammuddin himself wasn’t educated by any of that 318,000 teachers–the “vast majority” of them, by the way, are “doing their job admirably”).

e-Government joy to Klang Valley

Like thumbing coded SMSes and sending it to 50sen-RM1.50/SMS numbers, so much so you would do anything for ten times more such services? Love government websites like this to the point you dream about 4,500 more of them? Fret not, eKL is coming soon, spreading joy from Hulu Langat to Nilai (yes, it extends beyond the confines of Selangor state boundaries).

And the point of this initiative?

Normah said the eKL initiative aimed to give a “push” to the implementation of the electronic government concept in the Klang Valley, which was chosen as the area was the country’s main business, financial and administrative centre.

The unit, she said, would propel Malaysia to be among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of global competitiveness for its public service delivery.

Good luck.

People vote: democracy

Najib claims Malaysia’s a democracy [paid subscription-full text after the jump]. Because Malaysians vote for Barisan National for the past 11 General Elections (including the 10 May 1969 one?) But heh, Saddam Hussein got his people to vote for him. Surely, he’s democratic.

Oh, and he invited critics to see how the opposition contests elections. I suggest we start with Machap. I mean, even North Korea is multi-party.

Destroying the nation, one blog at the time

Our Minister of Disinformation gave us a bit of advice: be wary of those un-inform political bloggers. We’re after all, conspiring with foreign powers to destroy the nation. I’m personally with Zambia, but Chile and Sri Lanka are big in the Bloggers-to-Destroy-Malaysia scheme. (Oh, and we’re “goblok” now).

Consensus… of UMNO

PPP, some random Indian party with an egomaniac leading it, wants more seats to contest from Barisan Nasional (National Front, somewhat like the British and French sort), the main ruling alliance. So Najib, our lovable deputy prime minister not involved in a certain Mongolian’s death, says that seats are allocated by consensus.

But PPP is in BN. And PPP claims that seats are being taken from it. Consensus? Perhaps Najib, who is not involved in a certain Mongolian’s death, does not know that consensus means everyone agrees. It’s easy to miss, when you’re Deputy Dictator.