Don’t fear Singapore, Najib tells Umno
July 12th, 2010 | 
Author: By Adib Zalkapli from The Malaysian Insider
Datuk Seri Najib Razak today reminded Umno leaders not to ruin his efforts to lure Singaporean investment into Iskandar development region in south Johor.
The Prime Minister told the Pulai Umno division assembly here that the country’s improved ties with Singapore would bring in a lot of investment to the state.
“Our ties with Singapore have improved a lot and we must see Singapore as a country that can benefit both Johor, Malaysia and Singapore through investments,” he said when opening the Pulai Umno annual assembly.
“The Iskandar development region that I co-chair with (Mentri Besar) Datuk Ghani Othman will ensure all investments would benefit both Johor and Singapore,” he added.
Since assuming power last year Najib has met with his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong three times and managed to solve one of the major bilateral issues when Malaysia agreed to relocate the KTMB’s Tanjong Pagar railway station in a land swap deal.
Najib however is facing a growing demand from the state Umno leaders to revive the crooked bridge project to replace the Causeway, which has been strongly opposed by Singapore.
Late last month the Pasir Gudang Umno led by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin passed a motion to call on the government to revive the project which was cancelled during the administration of Tun Abdullah Badawi.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the Sultan of Johor have also expressed their support for the project to be revived.
“So I hope I won’t hear any statement from any branch chief against Singapore investment. Don’t do that,” said the Umno president.
“Singaporeans are sensitive. They wait for signals. They may think that they have received positive signal from the top, but the signs from grassroots may not be so good. Our signal must be consistent,” said Najib.
He added that investments from the neighbouring republic should not be seen differently from other countries.
“What is the difference between American investors and Singaporean investors, you tell me. There is no difference. As long as it benefits us, brings high income, we will benefit,” Najib told the party loyalists.
“We cannot be emotional, too parochial. We are in the 21st century, I want Malaysia to be a 21st century nation,” he said. – The Malaysian Insider
Posted in Editorial
Malaysia should just be careful that once the parties from a nearby country gets involved in the IDR, the cost of living and living costs may rise and rise, causing pain and suffering to local Johoreans.
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he better think how to reduce the amt of crime rate n corruption in his country
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Yes, sell out the country and what happens to the poor malays, orang asli, dayaks and the sabahans and ibans. They will become slaves to mnc’s, which is not good. Shoo all mnc’s and singaporean company, as they practiced slave wages and hours and marginalised the locals, look at what is happening in that crappy island, run by dynasty, dictatorship.
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Siao!
Why Malaysia afraid of SG?
Last time, Clob took so much money from us and we didn’t even make noise.
We are so small.
We depend on them on water, food, worker, chabo.
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The reasons for the slow pick-up from Singapore to the Iskandar Project that was initiated by the previous PM Badawi is due as much to the fears of Singapore Investors to the fickle minded nature of the Peninsular Malay politicians.
It was also due to this inability of the Malay politicians to see the larger picture and their preference to play the racial card – to keep themselves relevant as representatives of their community – that had caused the frictions during the time when Singapore was considered as part of the Peninsular Malayan setup.
During the Colonial Period, even as much as Singapore had developed separately from Peninsular Malaya, Singapore was part of the Straits Settlement that had included Malacca and Penang that were similarly more developed than the rest of Malaya.
The peoples of Peninsular Malaya and Singapore freely crossed all states without any need for passports or permits for work and recreation.
The ethnic groups shared common political goals of independence, with open economic arrangements that saw investments from the urban centers to the rural areas of agriculture and plantations.
The Malayan people was considered those living in the Peninsular Malaya and in the Straits Settlements – and they shared similar political views and passions on culture and food.
The only difference is in the ethnic proportions in which the urban centers have always seen the large Chinese population, and the rural areas where the ‘primary sectors of agricultural activities thrives’ will see the larger population of the Malays, and the Indian ethnic groups in plantations.
Since the time before 1963 when Malaysia was created, the Malayan people in Peninsular Malaya and the Straits Settlements were always considered as ONE – and it was the political frictions and rivalry for political power of those few politicians across ethnic divide that caused Singapore to split.
History is repeating itself when the urban center is required to support the investment needs of the rural areas, and this time the rural area offers the ’space and new opportunities’ for the mature urban centers that have nearly reached the limits of development space.
PM Najib is certainly correct to push the insecure mind to change and face the challenges of the 21st Century, and to see the larger picture for development that can lead to mutual benefits for Malaysia and Singapore.
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Can Najib be running Malaysia for the next 5, 10, 20 years. If not, Singapore investors should go about their investment in the Iskander industrial park in a cautious optimistic manner. Can you imagine, my home in Malaysia was delivered to me 10 years late.
And until today, the strata title of my home has not been delivered? After the Immigration holds their boot camp in my resort home, now the Anti-Corruption people are doing the same. Marching from dawn to dusk, eight days a week.
They just do things suks2. Not limited by the Housing Maintenace Act on change of housing use. That is Maalysia for you!!!
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It should be titled ‘Don’t fear Singapore, Najib tells Malaysia’
or
‘Don’t fear PAP, Najib tells Umno’.
Hello, can Najib get it right!!!!
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Datuk Seri Najib Razak done the right thing for his people.
Malaysia is going to grow stronger with their people because the government is listening and caring
Whereas for singapore, the government and the local singaporeans are moving opposite directions. Clashes expected now or later.
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Now both countries are run by assholes who got to the top as a result of nepotism. Birds of a feather flock together.
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Do not believe in whatever promise Malaysian govt gave. Have we Forgotten about clob? Have we Forgotten about the waiver of Federal Govt approval on buying property in Johor? Have we Forgotten about so many many promises by ther govt which can be easily denied by a new leader? I was invited to the Iskandar project a few years ago, there was promises that the project will definately a success and we were urged to quickly commit our investment. Today, the project is still sleeping. Put your money in a place where law and order are transparent, even if you lose your money, you know that you have make a wrong judgetment and you are not to blame anyone except yourself.
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Singapore Leader are full of Lawyers, Doctors, Scholars…
But they know how to do business or not???
Tell our Singapore companies to go regional???
For exmaple our Top Medical companies like Parkway Holdings
Now they compete directly with us, on our Singapore Medical Hub
Worse still, our locals Singaporean are going there to give birth, surgery, medical care and treatment
You call Malaysia regional, or should we be more accurate next door neighbour.
Question:”Where got people, open shop direct opposite to your own shop. This is Cannibalism, eating your own core business
Our Singapore MP is full of Lawyers, everyday talk about the “Rule Of Laws” will make the country prospers. Really bunch of jokers
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Why our Govt. cannot break the mould, always attractive Lawyer and Doctors to become MP, very funny leh, these people know nothing about business
You want to open Medical Hospital, to avoid “Cannibalism Of Your Own Core Business” you should open shop far, far, away for example in China (how many Singaporean will travel there are medical treatment??? not many lah) but to open Medical Hospital a few hours away at Malaysia is no different from opening a new shop opposite your own. Damn bloody siao lan.
In China they called “Disciple learned the tricks kill his own Master” Of course, there is a different between Lawyers, Doctors VERSUS businessman. Doctors share their medcial practise to save lives. Businessman keep their trade secret to stay alive. Not the same want, hello you know how to do business or not.
Especially your “Core Business” stay in Singapore, those lously ones go overseas. How can the Govt. let Medical Hospital transfer to Malaysia??? Want to go, also go far far away mah.
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When I heard Singapore Economics at Channel NewsAsia, my toes is laughing. Where did they get these bunch of jokers.
These jokers suggest USA to avoid Trade Deficit, USA should start exporting their High Tech Products.
Must be a bunch of Lawyers, Doctors and At-conomics 101, talk like they know something a lot in business.
Would you sell your Core Business away??? Don’t know don’t talk so loud, once the products is sold, China will “rip opened” everything and you can see knock-off products appearing in the black market in 3 mths time, the cat & mouse game begins. You only sell those lously ones, you know how to do business or not??? And your military technology adavantge is gone
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Spain soccer learn his tricks from Dutch soccer
The Master had taught his disciple too well, liao
Aiyo, PAP, PAP, they look like their X-factor is drifting away
PAP used to be very good, nowadays no standard liao
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Well, I can only say he is good.
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Alot of Singaporeans are going to Malaysia as business advisors. The latest venture that was hatched by Facebook and a Malaysian public listed firm was masterminded by a Singaporean gamer.
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najib is right if yu think about it.
he’s hoping to EXCHANGE two ‘SANG KANCHILS’ for a few billion sgd after seeing what CHINA got from this ah-so-smart govt exchange several billions for a pair of pandas.
hey,this guy is not daft,leh.
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Good on Singapore. The 1 Malaysia PM has openly pacified hardened vets that Sing is no bogeyman and extended his golden handshake to Singaporeans to create more innovative businesses by opening further the Johor investment area. Go on Singaporeans, seize this golden opportunity and send as many of your industries across with the lower cost regimes and vast land banks across the straits. Just petition the leaders for more flexibility on the bent bridge. Don’t forget to bring plenty expertise par excellence, lots of monies and goodwill. And yes, don’t leave the foreign talents at home. Malaysia loves multiculturalism.
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Native Singaporeans:
July 12, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Still got Orang Lauts like me meh these days?
Maybe pseudos like those Malaysian Mamaks, Javanese, Bugis, Arabs, etc., who originated from elsewhere and call themselves “sons of the soil (bumis)”, the Red Indians (Orang Asli).
Shameless people.
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“What is the difference between American investors and Singaporean investors, you tell me. There is no difference. As long as it benefits us, brings high income, we will benefit,” Najib told the party loyalists.”
So different from that childish ex PM who pointed to the sky and earth, and the north, south, east and west, blaming everyone and everything for his own blunders; PM Najib is asking Malaysians not to be parochial and to think out of the box. For his wisdom, he could well be the best PM Malaysia never had.
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[...] by j t in Economy, Politics http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/07/12/don%e2%80%99t-fear-singapore-najib-tells-umno/ [...]
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PAP. Coming soon to Malaysia.
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Najid is the best M’sian PM ever!
BTW, people like advisormentor and masterservant r traitor to Singapore.
Judging from their past comment, they r most likely to be malay.
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All creatures had short memory even so in the case of Singapore. How the Asia Currency debacle played out, where the Singapore dollars gone into Malaysia never got out. We were clobber up and our clob investment were practically being eaten up by our unfriendly neighbor once too many. Now they daringly want to come to swindle us of even more money.
Countrymen go invest in Iskandar should you have too much money to donate to Malaysia.
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