Thursday 4 November 2010

Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik negeri sendiri.

I have not been blogging for some days now, actually have been travelling to Bangladesh since last Monday arriving at Dhaka International Airport early Tuesday morning. After a short sleep in Dhaka my group travelled by road and speedboat for almost 9 back breaking hours to Mongla Port for a technical visit to assess possible dredging opportunities there. Spent a night at Mongla before returning to Dhaka and another agonising travel by road and speed boat for another 9 hours before reaching Dhaka. Flight back to KLIA on Friday early morning. Can't wait to go back home, certainly Malaysia is a fantastic place and you realise it more if you visit other countries for work not for holidays.


Seems not much has happened in the days I am travelling in Bangladesh, read that Hillary Clinton visited KL and had much good words for Malaysia, I am glad, at least there are people who matters who are actually appreciating what our Government had done for our country.


In the midterm elections in the US apparently the Republicans gained control of Congress but the Democrats still retained control of the Senate. I think what that means is that President Obama will find it more difficult to pass laws that his administration wants to be passed. Any which way Israel will still get special treatment from the US Government and the Palestinians will still not have a state in years to come.


interesting read:


Washington Post .... Around the world, concern over the global impact of U.S. elections


UK Guardian..... US midterms leave Democrats bruised and battered – but not beaten
It's not too late for President Obama to win back the disenchanted middle ground


So much for the American elections, back home in Malaysia the by-election in Galas and Batu Sapi are dominating headlines, I will only know the results when I arrive in KLIA in the morning of Friday 5 Nov 2010. I predict BN will regain Galas and retain Batu Sapi. The result will not give much indication on the next GE13 though, which I suspect will be called after the next Chinese New Year Celebration.


PM Najib needs a new mandate and he cannot wait more than two years after becoming PM to call for elections. He will also need to call in new faces in his Cabinet minus the Ministers from Abdullah Badawi's old cabinet to carry out his plans.


The next elections will be tough on the BN as indications are that the Chinese votes are more leaning to the Opposition especially for the DAP but BN will pull through because DAP's main partner, as the PKR current elections showed that it is not ready to run anything as its elections showed how clueless its administration is and compounded  by Anwar Ibrahim still insisting on being unelected defacto party leader. PAS will also be wary of DAP/PKR after YB Zul's revelation in parliament of the unholy pact between the two which PAS probably knew but was not officially informed. 


Also, the good news is Samy Vellu will hit the road in January next year and with that MIC, will, I hope get better support from the Indians. Any which way the days of BN hegemony winning 2/3rd majority is all but gone. 


Some people says its good for our democracy, I think it leads to too much politicising of anything that can be politicised and it will be difficult for Government to plan and implement policies necessary for our country to move forward. Sigh, I am just remembering the good old days when Dr Mahathir was Prime Minister. Sure miss the grand old man.


Posted in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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