5/22/2018

The Mahathir Dilemma

After half a century since he wrote the Malay Dilemma, today Mahathir is faced with a new dilemma. Everyone knows that he has an axe to grind against Singapore. Now he also has an axe to grind against Chinese investments in Malaysia, deals that were signed by his foe, Najib Razak. He has so many reasons to pick on these projects and to tear them to pieces unless he could renegotiate new terms to his benefits. Oops, I mean to Malaysia’s benefits.
 

Now, why would these two axes become a dilemma to Mahathir? The Singapore axe is simple to understand. He cannot tahan Singapore’s success and be better than Malaysia, putting personalities aside. He had done many things in the past to cripple Singapore’s progress, like the crooked bridge, not selling sand and water to Singapore even when water is falling free from the sky, and sand dredging from Malaysian rivers would have served dual purposes beneficial to Malaysia. No deal if things benefit Singapore even if Malaysia stands to benefit as well.
 

Now look at what China is doing in Malaysia. The grand plan is to make Malaysia the new transportation hub to replace Singapore, his arch enemy. Malacca or Port Klang would be developed to replace Singapore and become the most important and busiest port in this part of the world. Would that be nice?
 

But the Chinese plan was negotiated by Najib and all the benefits and credit would go to Najib as well. Killing the plan would be good to Singapore as the net effect would be to kill off the competition from Port Klang and Malacca as the alternatives to Singapore. But not killing the plan would mean he has to go along with it, with Najib’s initiative to court Chinese investments, sanctioning the work of Najib. Though this would make Malaysia a new trade and transportation hub as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, he could not gain anything from it. People would say it was all the contribution of Najib.
 

There is also the HSR to Singapore. Mahathir may also want to drop this project as it would benefit Singapore more than Malaysia, allowing Singapore to be in the link of the BRI. To him, just like selling water and sand to Singapore, as long as it benefits Singapore, it is no go.
 

The Mahathir Dilemma is to support the Chinese BRI that would have transformed Malacca or Port Klang as the biggest and busiest port in the region, to replace Singapore, or to kill it and let Singapore to continue as the transportation hub in the region, with Malaysia playing second fiddle. This way, his action would actually benefit Singapore instead of killing Singapore. What would he choose, to kill the BRI and Chinese investments, or to kill Singapore?
 

This could be the making of his new book, The Mahathir Dilemma.
 

Mahathir has many other dilemmas to deal with and to write about. What about his pro bumi Malay Malaysia and his new Malaysian Malaysia slogan?

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kindly don't think that Dr Mahathir is an Ah Gong or stupid old fellow. He would consult all his advisors ( elderly council of rich & wish fellows) before deciding what's good for Malaysia Lah. He would ensure that the country reserves & debt r settled before deciding new negotiations with Sinkieland, China & rest of the world. Dr Mahathir is wiser than that Loony chap who greed meet no barriers.

Anonymous said...

Visiting Mahathir and Anwar without visiting his good friend Najib is bad taste.

Virgo49 said...

Aiyo, Chinese Saying : Wak kuek chick kuek, wah ark chiak ark.

Simple ball carrying side the One now in Power.

This role is a Natural to him.

Think Mathtahir is now a more mellow man.Aiyo, mellow at this age left one and a half screw to the coffin.

WISE Choices renegotiate with Xi and claimed Credits. China is now the Main Financial Leader of the World.

One stone kills two birds.Prospects for Malaysia and kill Sinkieland at the same time.

Opportunity don't come easy. Cannot kick the Father kick the Son.

Also, Mathtahir also dislikes the American's and the Whites.

Remembered their Ringgit crises by George Sorrows, oops Soros.

So wise to team with Xi.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

I think the first quarrel with China from SE Asia is going to be with Mahathir. He is no fan of anything Chinese. At 92, he really has nothing to lose.

China may lead the world or at least lead in Asia where money is concerned. However there are the rich Arab states---which also have tons of money for "foreign investment". Malaysia has courted many Arabs over the years---immigrants who now make Malaysia their home.

Mahathir can fuck China off, and still get foreign exchange, no problem. It'll piss of the USA, and it's ass-lickers like Singapore. But do you really think Mahathir will care? Of course not. He probably is looking for a win-win situation where Singapore is sacrificed like a lamb at Al Fitr.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. Dr M, don't forget is openly anti Semetic. So in The Malay Dilemma, he walloped the Chinese, and recently he walloped the Jews.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/malaysias-new-92-year-old-prime-minister-is-a-proud-anti-semite/

As I said before, people who are still alive at 92 years old really, literally don't give a fuck whether you like or agree with them.

SSO said...

Mahathir's next book shall be "The Malaysian Dilemma" instead of "The Mahathir Dilemma".

Anonymous said...

Hard Facts:-

Matland will still be independent nation(s) in 100 years --- either still whole country or 2 or 3 separate states.

Sinkieland will confirm lose independence within next 100 years --- will be a vassal city of another country.

Anonymous said...

Once Anwar be in PeeAm, it will be written as " The Little Red Dot's Dilemma".
Based on Anwar visiting the ex leader of Indo Habibi, it doesn't bodes well for Long san of Sinkieland who ask him come over there write a book, it will never be Mahathir's Dilemma anymore, but Sinkieland's nightmare. Anwar, the Tiger that has just been let off from the den maybe would write ' How to skin the Southern neighbor cat & Rise of Malaysia Economy -- the Anwar's way--vol 1.0' Akan datang.

Virgo49 said...

Last time when Anwar was the acting PM, he imposed Capital Tax on Properties purchased and sold in Matland retrospectively.

Maybe at that time under Mad Hater's instructions. Singaporean property owners were hit badly by him. Their Laws can be retrospect.

This time as Pee Am, he gonna not be on friendly terms with Sinkieland as Sinkies Leaders don't even hue him.

Likewise now they no hue Najib.

Only carry the present job Powers.

So Anwar will not forget that.

SSO said...

@ 11:12 am:

Correct assessment. Singapore cannot survive as an "independent" nation for long.

Contributing Factors:

Due to high probabilities of regional developments that will severely affect the viability of Singapore as an independent state.

Due to mismanagement of the economy caused by lack of foresight and miscalculations.

Due to a severe lack of a wise and competant leadership and altruistic supporting leaders. Leaders inculcated with values and motivation based on instant millionaire monetary rewards are most likely to be fly-by-night, fair-weather mercenaries rather than sincere nationalistic altruistic leaders.

Due to a meek, subservient kia-si and kia-su cowardly citizenry, socially engineered to support the early days of independence but failed to encourage to evolve into a more flexible, pliable, innovative and creative human resource that can easily compete with 1st world talents.

Due to dwindling local, foundational-core, angle population, which has been deliberately weakened over prolonged period through social engineering.

Due to reckless, overwhelming import of new citizens and residents who are of diverse, disharmonious, culturally and habitually conflicting die-hard attitude, behavior and character.

Due to the total collapse of the infrastructure being unable to support the madly enlarged population.

And so on ....

Anonymous said...

hsr can make.99 yrs must
break.

Anonymous said...

@11:12 am

Since S'pore cannot survive as independent country in next 100 yrs, then no point spending so much $$$$$ on property --- who knows in future what the conquering country or merged country will do.

Better to get the cheapest possible flat here (can bargain down those desperate HDB older than 40yrs) and focus on investing in international dividend-paying blue chips or overseas freehold properties or both. At least you know your descendants got something that will continue to provide income for life (dividends or rentals).

Anonymous said...

yeh..i already stop buying
4d.

Anonymous said...

Stay in Johore and work in Singapore.

Buy a cheap house or rent a cheap condo unit in JB. Buy a Malaysian car to be used in Malaysia.

Buy a cheap motorcycle for conveying you to and fro work.

Save as much as you can every month. Use half of that saving to invest and the other half to start a new business in JB.

Once your more than two streams of income, you should start buying propedties in other countries for your children.

Anonymous said...

826 a clever and workable solution to beating the Sing system.

Anonymous said...

8.34pm, don't encourage 8.26 cause by buying a cheap place to stay and work in sg mean likely going back to jb late at night. Believe me I grow up in jb, the crime situation there quite bad. Once I left my house there vacant for few months, at night group of men went into the compound and started to remove anything that is metal for sake as scrap metal including my window grill. Many of my relatives were also victims of crime there. The better housing estate, most owners kept 4 or 5 dogs each. So he may Kena robbed or killed one day. This type of money can not saved Kar so at least stay in a guarded condo and don't be a cheap skate then Kena even robbed and sodomised 😰😰😰😰😰

Anonymous said...

Lau Goh n Loongie scheme to peg min pay to always highest paid executives are really bullshit of bullshit pay scheme. No one can stay on top of the foodchian all the time, some even can go down n lose lots of capital n wealth. That is real private sector. Latest example former NMP n Hyflux founder Olivia. For some shameless without backbone yet claiming its pubic service for people....chio see lang.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@ 826 & 1213

Johor is not so bad anymore lah. I'm a frequent visitor and occasional resident.

OK some areas around town (JB) might be still a bit "rough", but if you head to Iskandar, most of the estates are gated communities with fake security uniform-wearing cheap Nepalese imports...which is better than nothing.

My Singapore friends, and expats who have moved over after seeing the light of costly Singapore living buy Malaysian cars. They also hire Malaysian drivers for aroud RM 2000 per month (~SGD700) who drives their Big Luxury European Malaysian-registered car into Singapore when required. Even after paying all the charges they are economically WAY AHEAD. They pay less for the car. They pay less for insurance. They pay less for fuel, maintenance and servicing.

Having a Malaysian driver means they can be dropped off and picked up at the door of their location---no parking or walking from carparks.

Moving to Johor gets easier and easier.

Virgo49 said...

Hi Anon 6.46

Hyflux once time praised to Sky High.

Now filed for BANKRUPTCY.

So, what's goes Up and Also Goes DOWN.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Does anyone know if someone like Carson Block walloped them? I hope he did. Last time he raided a Singapore govt company, it cost them BILLIONS. He lost, but he kicked their ass :-)