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Thursday, November 12, 2020

Trump, Hitler, Malaysian politics & Stupidity of Pakatan government

Malaysiakini:



Trump, Hitler and Malaysian politics

by Andrew Sia

COMMENT | Do you like fairy tales? Here’s one -- the evil wizard Donald Trump has been defeated and America lives “happily ever after”. The End.

But hold on. We know that life and politics don’t work out that way. Trump may have lost but Trumpism is still very alive -- in fact, half of America voted for it. Can we in Malaysia learn some lessons from this?

The Conman-in-Chief was just the symptom of a deeper disease - mainly of inequality - that has plagued the country for decades. Real wages for ordinary Americans (after adjusting for inflation) in 2018 had not gone up in 40 years (yes, forty!) even though GDP and corporate profits have soared many times over.

Hilary Clinton lost the Democrats’ “blue wall” (of industrial states such as Michigan) in 2016 because her husband had promised back in the 1990s that free trade deals like Nafta would bring many high-paying jobs. Instead, factories closed down and jobs went overseas.

Small towns were devastated - the only work available was to flip burgers - and in the despair, many turned to drugs (the opioid epidemic). While it’s easy to dismiss all Trump voters as irredeemable racists, we easily forget that they were also driven by bread and butter issues.

What about us? History does not repeat itself directly, but it does rhyme. In 2018, half of Malaysians earned below RM2,000 per month -- thanks to the national policy to bring in cheap foreign labour.

Given that situation, was it politically wise for the Pakatan Harapan government to cut certain subsidies to the poor, who were mainly Malays? Especially, when Harapan got only about 20 percent of the rural Malay vote in the 2018 general elections?


While the reason for cutbacks was supposedly the high national debt, money was still found to pay RM4.7 billion in GST arrears to companies. (In fact, Lim Guan Eng now says the government should drop the “obsession with controlling the country's deficit” and borrow even more money to help companies save jobs and deal with the economic impact of Covid-19.)

Could that RM4.7 billion have been repaid in instalments instead, to allow more subsidies for the B40 poor? And to fulfil the Harapan manifesto promise to defer PTPTN student loan repayments? Whose interests were more important? That of big companies? Or poorer folks?

Was it wise for Harapan to try and run Malaysia as an efficient company, rather than consolidating Malay support? While we may criticise the current backdoor government for many things, at least they know how to use goodies to bolster their voter base, as can be seen in the latest national budget.

And why is the Harapan Selangor menteri besar still hell-bent in 2020 on chopping down forests in Kuala Langat and Bukit Cherakah? How much influence do rich donors have over our politicians - from both sides? Why didn’t the Harapan Federal government reform political funding as they had promised in their manifesto?

Let’s return to Trump. How could Americans support a leader who lies non-stop, who had molested women and cheated a long list of people?

It was his evil genius to recognise (and then exploit) all the pain and despair of the American working class, while Democrat politicians, including former President Obama, seemed “out of touch” as they spoke of bright futures.



Politicians (of both parties) had been legally bought over by rich campaign donors which is why no Wall Street boss was ever punished by Obama even though their greedy market manipulation had led to the 2008 global financial crash.


Desperate people

Ordinary Americans lost hope in the promises of pro-corporate “normal politicians” and The Establishment. So when Trump demonised “the system” -- including the mainstream media as “fake news” -- many believed him.

The man himself had been a multiple bankrupt and business failure but desperate Americans wanted to believe Trump had magical businessman “superpowers” as portrayed in reality TV show "The Apprentice". Angry voters trusted his promise to be The Saviour from “the swamp” of Washington politics that favoured the rich.

No other politician - Republican or Democrat - talked like he did. Trump successfully tapped into a deep seam of resentment and cynicism with the status quo, nevermind that he himself was a billionaire who was part of that same swamp. He rebranded himself as the “blue-collar billionaire” who drove trucks and wore miners’ hats.

The D in Donald also symbolises his mastery of The Art of Diversion and Distraction, especially to make most poor whites think that their “real enemies” are Muslims, blacks and Mexicans, rather than the big corporate bosses who had sent their jobs overseas.

Trump has some chilling parallels to Adolf Hitler, a man who also capitalised on economic devastation (of early-1930s Germany). Here was someone who promised to “Make Germany Great Again” and who blamed the country’s problems on the Jews.

As traditional politicians seemed helpless, people were willing to overlook Hitler jailing his opponents (just as many Americans were willing to overlook Trump advocating violence). Desperate people who see no other solution tend to flock to strongmen fascists who promise to “rescue” and “restore” the nation.

In Hitler’s case, he skillfully exploited fears of chaos (including a huge fire at the German Parliament suspected to have been set up by the Nazis themselves) to win 90 percent of a plebiscite vote in 1934 to become the ultimate leader - The Fuhrer.

So what lessons can be learnt for Malaysia?



Just as Democrats are bewildered that so many Americans “still support” Trump, many Harapan supporters are exasperated that “they” (certain voters) still support a former prime minister who has been convicted, and sentenced to 12 years jail, for corruption.

And how could PAS, which claims to be “Islamic”, support such people? Maybe there are similarities with how Trump captured 75 percent of the votes of white (though not black) “born again” evangelical Christians.

Were these evangelicals more interested in white identity politics than the genuine Christian values of love thy neighbour, welcoming refugees, helping the poor and caring for the sick? Similarly, is PAS under Abdul Hadi Awang more into “Malay nationalism” than Islamic teachings of assabiyah that prohibit racism (which were highlighted by Tok Guru Nik Aziz)?

Many of the problems and poverty of Malaysians can be traced back to decades of corruption and money politics. But it is the evil genius of certain politicians to divert voters’ anger and frustration onto a certain non-halal race which their cyber troopers call “DAPig”.

Don’t look here! Look there! Yeah, sure we’ve been busy siphoning the system but it’s “them” who are your “real enemies”. We are your “saviours” and “protectors” -- even though we take a huge chunk for ourselves. Hey, maybe it’s “protection money” eh?

The failure to fulfil crucial parts of the Harapan manifesto, slippery political frogs making governments fall, the more recent backroom deals by Anwar Ibrahim with Umno and the attempt to declare an emergency - all these make us distrust “the system” more and more.

The long-term danger is that people will become totally disillusioned with politicians from both sides. And then, when a major economic crisis hits us, people will run to a strongman fascist to “rescue” them - someone like Trump.


ANDREW SIA is a veteran journalist who likes teh tarik khau kurang manis. You are welcome to give him ideas to brew at tehtarik@gmail.com.


13 comments:

  1. i dun know what trump did that cause so much hatred, did he go against the america law and constitution? did he set up any racial policy? did he implement any trade license n university enrollment quota policy?

    the only trump naive deed i can think of is when he call emperor xi his buddy, n import wuhanvirus from ccp land.

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    1. There, there...don't bother your pretty dangdut head about such stuff...of course you wouldn't 'know what trump did that cause so much hatred', wa ka ka ka ka

      Please go play far far away and only emerge here when you want to rant against China LOL

      Delete
    2. "dun know what trump did that cause so much hatred, did he go against the america law and constitution? did he set up any racial policy? did he implement any trade license n university enrollment quota policy?"

      That's why that disc of light u viewed under that farted filled well is all the sky u know!

      Delete
    3. so both jerks cant even show one instance where trump is a racist?

      trump reject socialism ie nep, while biden want black university enrollment follow our metrikulasi n quota system, so pray tell who is the racist?

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    4. So simple!

      犬养mfer, don't u know that a katak is a katak - Formosan ke, American keep, samax2 juga!

      AGAIN, the fault lies with the system, not the person. But, expecting a know-nothing to distinguish syndrome & cause is way way too much.

      Just like it doesn't know that it's a bastardized hybrid of 伪君子 & 真小人.

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    5. see, change goalposts pula.

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    6. Before u fart with a one-liner, have u reflected on what u have actually farted before?

      Changing goalpost!

      What colour & where's yr original goalposts?

      "trump reject socialism ie nep, while biden want black university enrollment follow our metrikulasi n quota system, so pray tell who is the racist?"

      Trump displayed anti socialism by overwhelmingly favoured the super rich right from his term of potus starts.

      Ain't nep → selective favouritism?

      Ooop… the American super rich r multiracial! Yet the richest 1% in the United States now own more wealth than the bottom 90%. & they r ALL Whites!

      "black university enrollment follow our metrikulasi n quota system"!!!

      Ain't they the same as nep narrative? Selective favouritism as in Trump's tax policy.

      How r u trying to print yr goalposts? Full length Black frame with White netting?

      R u going to argue that goalpost consists of only posts?

      Is that WHY u so gung-ho with yr melayu love affair?

      How to jell that f*cked relationship? Right hand, despises socialism. Left hand, too keen to jump into bed with yr dangdut morons. A terminal showing of yr dissociative identity disorder (DID)!

      R u, perhaps, coverting Trump's White netting with biden's dotted Black spots!

      So in yr colour coating of racist understanding, the question of racism as exhibited by trump/biden AIN'T the same!

      犬养mfer, in yr katak-ised demoNcracy, racism/racist has multiple distinctions! They ain't the products of that elitist demiNcratic dogma.

      U truly know nothing in ANY sopo-economical theories! U r indeed a bastardized hybrid of 伪君子 & 真小人!

      This time print yr f*cked goalposts with rainbow hues & plant them firmly inside that fart filled well of yrs.

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    7. ccp socilism is favouritism, deng said clearly let part of people get rich first, which i believe trump disagree base on american creed, ie capitalism. so whats wrong if 1% control 40% wealth? n we know almost all the top 10 co n top 10 riches in usa r anti trump, so pray tell how trump favor the super rich?

      second time i ask specifically wrt what trump did, dun give beating ard the bush reply, can? or cannot?

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    8. Wow!!!

      What a contumelious socio-ecomonical insight from a katak-ised know-nothing dickhead.

      Deng's remark of "let part of people get rich first" ain't favouritism! It's a clever utilization of human inherent capabilities to uplift a group of people caught in a cycle of poverty.

      Human has many diverged ingenuities. Some r leaders in a specific fields while some r just followers. There is NO discrimination in such a natural human categorization.

      By careful planning (socialist planning economy!) these different category of people r been effectively chosen/assigned to tasks that they can superbly perform to produce the BEST results. The end results would then be beneficial to the whole as a group due to the spillover boostrapping effects - both inspirational & material-wise.

      This is definitely not in the same mold of yr favoured nep where weaklings r been hand-picked bcoz of race, religion & one grandmother story of socia-economic oppressions by 'pendatang'.

      Capitalism is just an ugly manifestation of that bastardized elitist demoNcracy that even the wise founding ancient Athenian despite.

      Greed isn't the only outcome. Inhumanely actions taken to achieve that greed is the bane of ALL humanity. Yet u see nothing wrong in the richest 1% in the United States now own more wealth than the bottom 90%!

      BTW, don't play yr f*cked circular game of fart - "know almost all the top 10 co n top 10 riches in usa r anti trump" then who benefited from Trump's TCJA where corporate tax is cut permanently from 35% to 21% starting 2018?

      U? Or those super rich of USA?

      2nd time?

      犬养mfer DON'T u blame yr f*cked katak propaganda media that u haven't read what an overblown racist yr uncle trump is!

      eg:

      President trump tells Proud Boys , a far-right group often associated with violent protests , to 'stand back and stand by' to protect White American interests.

      Trump defended Charlottesville and the white supremacist rally that shocked that town and the wide world beyond. Bad enough a motley mob of tiki torch-bearing bigots marched under Confederate flags. But then a car plowed through a crowd of counter protesters, and Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old waitress and paralegal, was killed.

      ENOUGH???

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    9. the rich biz r mostly not in usa so how to tax them even if it is 50%? thats y trump kick ccp ass as a warning to the rich, u pay 21% or u pay import tax. pray tell which big co support trump? fb twatter google apple microsoft?

      nothing unreasonable to support far right against far left, but did trump endorse any racial policy like white enroll university thru matrikulasi? its common knowledge trump garner his support mainly from white, my question is how his policy or action become a stumbling block to the non white to advance. the many white suqiu is pretty similar to chinese msian, they want something fair to all.

      3rd times asking already.

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    10. U know FART about how American tax system works.

      If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, the rules for filing income, estate, and gift tax returns and paying estimated tax are generally the same whether you are in the United States or abroad. Your worldwide income is subject to U.S. income tax, regardless of where you reside.

      Companies of the United States with untaxed profits deals with those U.S. companies whose offshore subsidiaries earn profits which are retained in foreign countries to defer paying U.S. corporate tax. These profits of United States corporations are subject to a federal corporate tax rate of 21%.

      Many U.S. corporations use offshore tax havens and other accounting gimmicks to avoid paying as much as $90 billion a year in federal income taxes.

      Wakakakakakaka… no need to teach a mfer doing its 死鸡撑饭盖 act!

      3rd times asking already???

      Now yr trump racist plays r only selectively marked on tertiary education!

      No wonder u like things melayu!

      WakakakakakakaX2… no need to teach a mfer doing its 死鸡撑饭盖 act!

      Delete
  2. KT still obsessed with blaming Toonsie and Guanee.....? Tampal Andrew's article by adding "...stupidity of Pakatan gomen..." even though he said no such thing....? So let me tampal as well, ha ha ha.....

    We should all say BIG THANKS to Harapan gomen for cancelling/postponing/ reducing scope so many mega projects.

    Imagine we have BN's HSR project to SGP now, who is going to use it when everybody has to duduk rumah? Imagine TRX/Bandar Malaysia project going full blast, fortunately Guanee detoxified these projects ha ha ha ha, cleaned up all the dirty money....imagine ECRL going full blast....alas Wee KHAT Siong revived it to the original scope and cost, Guanee re-negotiated MRT scope, the mysterious gas pipeline projects paid 88% in advance to Chinese firms when only 13% of the work had been done. Etc etc. Tens of billions of government expenditure saved. Imagine these projects going on now, when we have a pandemic on our hands.

    Imagine Goldman Sachs did not have to pay back billions in compensation, imagine Jibby still free and easy to rape, pillage and plunder our national coffers as FM/PM....

    Imagine Jibby had kept his promise to Trump by purchasing Boeing planes and investing EPF money in US infrastructure, instead of Malaysian infrastructure, now THAT is STUPIDITY.

    https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/09/13/trump-thanks-najib-as-malaysia-looks-to-buy-us10-billion-jets/

    Imagine Guanee did not trash GST, Jibby will probably increase it from 6% to 15%, like Saudi Arabia has done, from 5 to 15%, even though they have infinitely more oil than us. Imagine tens of billions of GST refunds not returned to thousands of struggling businesses.

    So instead of calling Harapan gomen stupid we should all say BIG THANKS.

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    1. Thanks for sharing this! I’m delighted with this information, where such important moments are captured. All the best!

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