THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO THE TOP

Many who came to the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) on Monday night went back dissatisfied and disappointed, as most of them had expected the supreme council meeting would expedite the party’s election.

A journalist with a foreign wire was convinced that the meeting would touch on the matter as “the supreme council members were only informed about the meeting at the last minute.”

“After all there are several calls for the party polls to be expedited as the long campaigning period will drain resources, energy and funds,” he said adding that it would also affect productivity and bring about more money politics and politicking.

A close aide to a supreme council member said the meeting barely touch on the matter, as

“it only discuss the re-branding of UMNO”.

There is no doubt that the long campaigning period had its negative reaction.

For example, of late, attacks had been made against Najib Tun Razak, the man slotted to lead the nation by March next year.

Libelous and slanderous statements and news reports had been published about the deputy prime minister. The latest was a report on Malaysiakini, which published the so-called Najib’s manifesto.

“The fake manifesto is nothing more than an attempt to tarnish Najib as other moves have failed,” said a political observer.

The moves, he added, included to tie Najib with Altantuya case and the Eurocopter deal.

“The longer the campaign period would mean more attacks on Najib,” he said, adding that the opposition would also took the opportunity to weaken UMNO by trying to damage his reputation.

The opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, he said, would not be sitting still as besides Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib is among his main targets.

His people has started the ball rolling. On Tuesday, PKR Youth leader Badrul Hisham Shahrin, leading a group of five, had lodged a police report against Najib for corruption.

“It is only an accusation and would not stand up in court but still it is an attempt by Pakatan Rakyat to tarnish Najib,” added the political observer.

A former political journalist is in view that the party polls should be held earlier as the longer it takes the more damage would be created against the party.

“The rakyat wants change, and the changes should be made as fast as possible. UMNO’s credibility has been at stake for a long time and the changes could help the party to restore its honour,” he added.

He said that Najib share the same fate as his father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

The second Prime Minister had managed to restore UMNO after the party went through a “weak” period during and after the 1969 general election. During the election Perikatan had failed to secure the two-third majority.

And now Najib is also following his father’s footstep . . . but in a longer and more winding route to the top. – Oct 22, 2008

Budget 2009: Reduced road tax a 'drop in the ocean'

KUALA LUMPUR: The government may have reduced the road tax fees for buses and taxis to just RM20, but operators are still unhappy.

Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB) executive director Tengku Hasmadi Tengku Hashim said the reduction was "just a drop in the ocean" and does not really help bus operators.

"The impact is very small, it's peanuts. Every month, KTB spends RM3 million on diesel alone. This is apart from the subsidised diesel. So, a RM280 reduction does not help us."

Road tax for express buses cost RM300 previously.

Tengku Hasmadi said the government should instead look into the diesel quota subsidies which would be more beneficial than a reduction in road tax.
Taxi Operators Association chairman Datuk Aslah Abdullah said instead of reducing the road tax, the government should have just scrapped it.

"Why do we still have to pay road tax when the government has increased the price of petrol and diesel? They should just abolish road tax."

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali also touched on the road tax standardisation.

"The government needs to clarify this. Will the stage buses have to pay more now?"

Stage buses were previously charged RM2 for road tax.

However, all the key players in the public transport industry welcomed the proposed Public Land Transportation Commission, describing it as timely.

"The public has suffered for a long time. It's about time we have a proper commission to improve the public transport service," said Aslah.

He said there should be no further delay in implementing the commission.

"The government now realises that putting everything under the current 13 agencies does not work," said Ashfar.

On the RM3 billion soft loan, Ashfar hoped that Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd would be lenient and would not impose stringent restrictions on bus operators.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd intercity services general manager Sarbini Tijan welcomed the move to provide efficient public transportation services which he said would benefit the low-income group.

Rangkaian Pengangkutan Intergrasi Deras Sdn Bhd (RapidKL) executive director Suffian Baharuddin appreciated the measures taken to develop new public transport infrastructure.

The Federation Of Malaysian Consumers Association chief executive officer Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman lauded the government's focus in Klang Valley and Penang where traffic congestion was at a peak.