Mr. Prime Minister Sir, I beg to differ.

In response to the maiden speech made in Johore during the launching of Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandariah on 13^th June 2007

By A.G. Mustakim

“Let me stress that this is my idea. It did not come from anyone else. It is my own vision & plans to create this super corridor in South Johore to make it the nation’s premier growth centre”. Mr. Prime Minister Sir, I beg to differ. No matter what your advisors or backroom boys have told you. You did not do anything new; the Development Corridor Concept has been in our five year national plan since 1970. As the saying goes “plagiarism is the highest form of flattery”.

Perhaps all your advisors or boys did not read or understand the history of this country; after all they are mostly Oxford trained. Talking about history lets rewind this story back to the 1970’s. It was right after the 13^th May incident and the Malaysian Premiership has just been taken over by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein from Tengku Abdul Rahman. This is the period of the first Outline Perspective Plan (OPP 1970 – 1990), a development goal for Malaysia to achieve in 20 years. Yes, no point in guessing, this is the birth of the New Economic Policy (NEP). As caveat, the Sabahans and the Sarawakians did not enjoy any special preference during the NEP period. Even when our rights are protected in the Malaysian Constitution, the reality is that enforcing the Constitution is subject to the whims of the delivery system. Sabah and Sarawak were marginalized from the national main stream development right from the start. In order for us to get any Federal funded projects and programs we have to give concessions to Malaya.

I have a whole lecture series on these issues, so I will not waste yours or my time to dwell on these issues at this point in time.

The first OPP long term plan have 2 main objectives, firstly to eradicate poverty irrespective of race and geographical location (this is where the Regional Development Concept were to play its part) and secondly, to restructure societies such that they will not be identified by economic function.

The first five year plan within the OPP was the 2^nd Malaysia Plan or RMK2. If anyone cares to read this plan, Regional Development Planning Concept (RDPC) was introduced. This should not be confused with the the Regional Development Authorities (RDAs) that is found mostly in the East Coast States of Malaya. The RDAs were formed as part of the industrial dispersal strategy and New Land Development strategy. The idea of RDPC covers an area larger than RDAs. All together there exist 6 Development Regions, supposedly to address economic imbalance in Malaysia:

• Southern Region which is made up of Johore only;

• The Central Region made up of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor;

• The Eastern Region made up of Trengganu, Pahang and Kelantan;

• Northern Region made up of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak;

• Sabah Region covers the whole of Sabah;

• Sarawak Region covers the whole of Sarawak.

At a glance we see a lot of similarities between the Regional Development Region and the current Corridor Development. Therefore, is the Corridor development a new thing or just old wine in new bottle? So who is copying who? Therefore Mr. Prime Minister Sir, I beg to differ at your claim that the Corridor Development is your idea or that it did not come from anyone else.

Now, if these plans have existed since 1970, why was it not been properly implemented? What difference does it make then and now? Or is it your intention just to create the feel good mood which will only last until the election is over, and then everything is back to business as usual.

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written by Lim Lim, February 10, 2008 | 21:01:52

ask any right minded malaysian,this suck is where he is today not becos he posesses any righteous charisma of a top gun or stateman,it is becos he has poked his head into the right.....!! (u name it for him)

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written by asguard, February 11, 2008 | 12:11:51

Well... the monkey should be staying in forest rather than giving comments about state affairs of Sabah... since he has monkey brains.. should remained in the jungle ...

MR Prime

Now, if these plans have existed since 1970, why was it not been properly implemented? What difference does it make then and now? Or is it your intention just to create the feel good mood which will only last until the election is over, and then everything is back to business as usual.
……………………………………………… ……………………………………………… …………………
Ini corridor thing action saja! It is part of the RMK5 thing. Kalau RMK5 lain, corridor lain, Malaysia mana ada wang?

Dollah is interested only to show the development mock-up replica placed on the table for the feast of the haprak TV1 and TV3. Bila rakyat tengok dalam TV, “Huh! Dollah terror le, dia punya project ada keretapi roda getah, masuk laut, keluar atas gunung!”
Ini serupa cerita itu Mamak Kutty bila dilancar itu Cyberjaya dulu. Sekarang pergi tengok apa ada? Lalang penuh tepi jalan banyak la!
Begitu juga itu WETLAND Dengkil – Floridan everglade of the east!. Puh! Tapin apa ada? Buaya kurus tak cukup makan ada la!

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written by oknyua, February 12, 2008 | 14:54:22

I can only guest that his boys found the "corridor" papers all dust-covered and got excited over it - after all they were not born then. Then they put the papers into "power-point" to make it impressive - not forgetting getting a consultant firm to do it, paying them a few million.

What is obvious now, if the papers were presented in 1970, found (re-discovered) in 2008, it will take another 38 years before someone dig it up again because I don't have the slightest belief that AAB is capable of implementing it. If Tun Razak can't do it, what makes AAB better?

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written by Flex Tan, February 12, 2008 | 17:22:43

"..... THE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR CONCEPT has been in our five year NATIONAL PLANS SINCE 1970S. As the saying goes “PLAGIARISM (COPYING)IS THE HIGHEST FROM OF FLATTERY (CHEATS/ LIE TO ONESELF)”.

AAB'S ANSWER: ERR ... LET ME LOOK INTO MY NOTES.

THEN HE ANSWERED BACK: WHO IS YOUR PM NOW ??

HAHAHAHAH

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written by Debbie, February 12, 2008 | 18:52:56

nobody is going to waste this guys time...coz he is always snooozing...siesta time every 20 mins..so dont bother yrselves

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written by Nonama Nomane, February 12, 2008 | 22:53:03

“plagiarism is the highest form of flattery”
Bukan plagiarism tapi revised and update version.
Sebab author dah tak ada, so AAB pun claim stake lah.

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written by Badaksumbu, February 13, 2008 | 01:02:12

Bukan revised or updated version, tapi hijack which can amount to stealing dia kena permission dulu from the author before allow to revise or update.Shortly means these people don't read or if they read they can't remember, that is why they forget everything easily after general election.