"BUAT pertama kali dalam sejarah, perjuangan ekonomi orang Melayu mempunyai platformnya yang tersendiri. Platform yang dimaksudkan ialah Gagasan Badan Ekonomi Melayu (Gabem). Sebelum ini pelbagai badan ekonomi Melayu memainkan peranan termasuk dewan perniagaan, persatuan kontraktor dan pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO). Penubuhan Gabem bukan mahu menandingi peranan yang dimainkan oleh badan-badan berkenaan sebelum ini sebaliknya adalah sebagai ‘payung’ kepada badan-badan ekonomi tersebut.Mengimbas kembali penubuhan Gabem, ia adalah hasil syor para perwakilan semasa Perhimpunan Agung UMNO 2005 yang mahukan parti itu memperhebat usaha memperkasa ekonomi bangsa, membasmi kemiskinan dan merapatkan jurang ekonomi antara kaum........"
"Ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) UMNO, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik yang tidak mempunyai jawatan dalam kerajaan diberi tanggungjawab memimpin Gabem...."
"Bagi Abdul Rahim, pelancaran peringkat zon itu amat bermakna kerana ia mempunyai hubung kait dengan pembangunan ekonomi wilayah itu melalui Wilayah Ekonomi Koridor Utara (NCER) atau Koridor Utara."
"‘‘Perasmian Gabem utara ini amat relevan dengan idea Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) mewujudkan NCER yang akan membuka peluang kepada usahawan Melayu mengambil bahagian dalam pembangunan ekonomi bagi wilayah terlibat,’’ kata Abdul Rahim kepada Mingguan Malaysia di pejabatnya pada Khamis lalu."
"“Kita ada mekanisme pemantauan. Dalam Gabem, kita wujudkan Jawatankuasa Pencegahan Ketirisan. Kita jemput mana-mana badan ekonomi Melayu, syarikat dan orang perseorangan yang mengetahui penyelewengan berlaku, ada bukti dan saksi, laporkan kepada Gabem supaya jawatankuasa ini boleh siasat. Kita tidak mahu tuduhan liar, sesuka hati, tetapi mesti ada bukti,’’ katanya."
"Jelaslah, Gabem bersungguh-sungguh mencapai matlamat yang digariskan bagi menggerakkan ekonomi orang Melayu. Namun Gabem tidak akan berjaya sekiranya orang Melayu tidak mampu mengikis sikap negatif - materialistik, individualistik, pilih kasih, hasad dengki dan iri hati serta tidak yakin dengan kaum sendiri."
Yeah, yeah....whatevrrrrr. There is so much noise in the article, can't really make out what it was supposed to highlight. But, that is what you'd expect from our newspaper reporters (although they proudly call themselves "Journalist", who are just writing verbatim from their voice recorders). You may want to read it for yourself at Rahim's website (ada website korang, ha....jangan main main). But do yourself a favour, just don't waste your time reading amateur articles by amateur reporters.
I really can't understand the purpose or function of this GABEM thing, although the article tries hard to cram all political good things in it. Its created by UMNO, but not run by UMNO? Its operated by UMNO but Rahim says its not politically connected? They are supposed to help the Malays economically in the North. Haven't they? SCOMI got everything there, SCOMI is Malay isn't it?
But the last paragraph of the article is interesting. Sort of, oxymoronic in a way. Materialistic, individualistic, nepotism. The Consultative Council (Majlis Perunding), why do they have all this very formal committee names... are filled by either UMNO people or GLC guys. What the hell do they know about the Malays at the lowest levels? These people are simply glorified wage earners. Yang pergi letak si Khairy kat situ tu apa hal? And Rahim says its not politically motivated organisation. The GLC guys are basically people who's days are numbered. They are all on contract, couldn't give a damn about long term issues. Dah 50, ambik duit EPF pencen le kita. Mesti ada orang ambik jadi puppet Chairman kat mana-mana public-listed kompeni kan?
Kita letak le Khairy kat situ, nanti Pak Lah datang le annual dinner kita. Kita pon kena be in his good books la kan...maklumle, nanti contract boleh sambung. Dapat main golf free lagi, first-class travel....yippee... Therefore, put on your best behaviour so that maybe Khairy over dinner with daddy-in-law can mutter some nice things. Apa la korang ni. Sudah la tu. Stop lying to yourselves and admit you cannot do anything to improve the economy of the Malays. Other people can, but not you guys in the "Majlis Perunding".
The Malays have no time to depend on your silly organisation. We are busy trying to make ends meet, or trying to run a business without the help of the government. Say what you like, but only a fraction of the Malays receive any funding from the government to run their lives.
Don't give me that all-too-boring rags to riches story about Syed Mokhtar, I just don't buy it. There are thousands of successful Malay entrepreneurs out there. Just because you don't know them, doesn't mean there aren't. The truth is, the are not known to you, because they don't give a hoot about wanting to know you. They are busy running their business. Keep that in mind, Mr GLC-President-On-Contract and Mr. Politician-Switching-Camps.
