Is the government into rethinking of global supply chain and state of the economy?

In the office today re-reading yesterday's The Star column by Anthony Dass entitled A need to rethink global supply chains, it reminded of a Chairman message for a PLC meant for their 2020 Annual Report.   

The Chairman wrote that the world is undergoing a transformtion of epic proportion due to the Corona Covid 19 pandemic. 

Contrary to the victorious chest thumping by politicians, civil servants, and public at large several months ago, he felt the world is not yet out of the woods. People are wary of other people around them and what used to work does not work the same way anymore.

Upon analysing the current social trend, he predicted trend towards remote mode of working, accelerated use of technology, roll back in globalisation, and need for self reliant and self sufficiency for goods and services. The world will be re-prioritising its needs.    

That is where he meets the view of Anthony Dass, who viewed the pandemic reversed globalisation and stiffled global investment and trade. FDI for 2020 to 2010 is expected to drop by 40%. Cross border M&A will continue to decline. 

No brake pulling on road maintainance investigation, Hajiji!

Its only 2 days after Dato Hajiji Mohd Nor took his pledge as Sabah Chief Minister and a day after an equally tumoultous conclusion prior to pledge taking by members of the consensus-ly agreed Sabah cabinet to the TYT Sabah Governor. 

Sabahkini 2 has already rervived the issue of the RM1.5 billion road maintainence contract from Sabah Road Work Department (JKR) yesterday. The election turning news portal that was years ahead of politicians in the fight to bring Dato Seri Shafie Apdal down wasted no time to whip the new cabinet back to this contentious issue. 

The federal constitution has provision that obliged the federal government to annual allocation for maintainance of roads according to a prescribed formula. 

Sabahkini2 was the portal that first revealed  the massive swindeling of fund for public's basic needs for proper roads happening under the eyes of former Chief Minister, Dato Seri Shafie Apdal and his Minister for Infrastructure, Peter Anthony in 2018. 

Will the independents displace UMNO candidates in 11 constituencies?

Campaign for the Sabah state election ended midnight last night. Any campaigning will only be online and last minute whispering reminders. 

Provision of transport as in Peninsular Malaysia is not widely practised in Sabah as it is physically limiting and political parties merely give supporters money to arrange their own transport. That money should be considered corruption as it is usually more than required. There could be bidding war between competing parties. 

In Sabah political circle, they are quite upfront and it means the practise is a norm and widespread, particularly in the rural parts of Sabah. The size of the so-called transport money and being the last to pay before polling could determine the outcome. 

Information received this afternoon Warisan has been aggressively dishing out transport money to add to their widespread and large posters, banners and flags. It is to compensate their overwhelming disadvantaged position in the campaign issue. 

Silterra: Selling local or foreign, where is Khazanah's national objective?

Back in November 2018, after the fall of BN government and under the early part of PH government, there was news report by Malaysia Reserve that a Chinese microelectronic producer selected Silterra as a key strategic partner to produce 8-inch wafer. 

Wafer is a thin slice of semi-conductor used for fabrication of integrated circuits and in photovoltaic, to manufacture solar cells. 

Despite facing heavy critique as one of the many big idea failures of Tun Dr Mahathir, the Khazanah-owned wafer fabrication plant in Kulim was being acknowledged by China for its 20 years experience for independently running a fabrication plant. 

It is a testimony of Malaysian can do spirit. Silterrra inked a technology transfer partnership with a Singapore based technology developer in December the same year. They are exploring for opportunities in new areas of application. 

Money pumped under Najib administration began to generate profitability. However, the accumulated losses left by Mahathir administration was in the billions and it haunted Khazanah. 

Sabah sovereignty should be main election issue

Last Tuesday, the Court of Appeal decided to dismiss the appeal by Tan Sri Musa Aman and the 33 state assemblymen against the dissolution of Sabah state assembly by Governor, TYT Tun Juhah at the request of Chief Minister, Dato Seri Shafie Apdal. 

His appeal will have implication on the constitutional power of the ruler. Sabah Governor status is considered as representative of the Council of Rulers. 

Musa is still attempting to stop the poll through the court for his pending appeals in his tussle with Shafie. However, the practical expectation is to resume the Sabah snap election as earlier announced by Election Commission (EC) for nomination tomorrow, September 12th. If decisions had or turned up otherwise, EC would still apply to the court to continue election as scheduled. 

Musa can continue his legal bid to salvage his pride. It was his mistake to call for the press conference that set off alarm for Shafie to immediately dissolve the asssembly. 

Going back to the people for new mandate is the solution. More so, political parties began to announce the number of seats they are contesting and their candidates.  

Shafie's move to dissolve the state assembly is anticipated. It was surprising and unbecoming of both Musa and Dato Hamzah Zainuddin to miss that. 

Also anticipated is Phillipines repeating their claim on Sabah. 

Syed Saddiq to quit politics

Despite scepticism over Syed Saddiq's intention to launch a youth party to contest for the upcoming 15th General Election, it created quite a buzz that over a wedding last weekend a young man was confidently claiming young voters will join in drove and support him. 

The young man must be a staunch believer as he gloated about how different, decisive, and independent young voters are in their political views and demands. 

However, that narrative is not new and not unheard off. Graduates returning from abroad 40 years ago were expounding the same civil libertarian virtues. Where there is progression in the youth thinking in the past, today's youth lacked any sense of history, continuity and consistency in their thoughts. 

Youth and new voters created the tsunami that brought the mighty BN down in May 2018, but in a year, they changed preference and gave the cue that led to the fall of PH in March. A bit more than 100 days, the sentiment and rationale seemed to have shifted. 

Young and new voters form more than 60% of voters. Syed Saddiq could make an impact should he be able to get his resources, organisation and message in place. Whether they could win any seats, it is yet to be seen, but to be a spoiler, his new party could do. 

Instead of downplaying Saddiq, Johor MB Dato Hasni Mohamed should ignore him. Hasni argued that BN could be a better voice for youth than the dedicated youth party  

Frankly, the youth party is merely a script and transitional phase for Saddiq to take sabbatical leave from politics and save himself from being charged for money laundering. Betcha he will suddenly show up with a letter of offer from Oxford University.  

Salam Maal Hijrah 1442 H