Sime Darby’s decision to call off its takeover of the government-owned National Heart Institute (IJN) is a stunning victory for People Power.
The rakyat have spoken. Ordinary people, through their vocal opposition to the proposal, have defeated a plan put forward by the largest oil palm plantation firm in the world, which is also one of Malaysia’s most powerful conglomerates.
In a poll on this blog of over 800 respondents, 96 per cent of you were against the takeover, reflecting widespread public opposition to the move.
Sime Darby said its decision was based on the public sentiment and feedback received. In other words, it was forced to back off. If it hadn’t, the takeover plan would have been a major issue in the Kuala Trengganu parliamentary by-election.
This episode shows that the rakyat will not take kindly to any corporation out to make a quick profit by trying to undermine or take over a public institution that is providing an essential service at an affordable price.
It also shows that the rakyat can make a difference when they stand united on an issue of public interest.
| Please help to support this blog if you can. Read the commenting guidlelines for this blog. |
I do not beleieve that the takeover has been aborted; it is temporarily held as the timing is not suitable for them. It is a matter of time that the deal with definitely go through. As you know, today the most LUCRATUVE ‘Business’ is health business. If the members of Parliament have the guts they must introduce that the all the PRIVATE Health CARE CENTRES should be nationalised and be available to the ordinary citizens. I am sure you are aware that the the charge in the Health CARE centres is expensive ORDINARY CITIZENS RAKYAT BIASA cannot enter the hospitals.… Read more »
Dear Anil
Yes. Stopped by People Power.
But there’s definitely more than meets the eye here:
From the last recession of the late 1990s, we learned that business is bad for private medical centres during such times i.e. there is a shift in demand to cheaper public hospitals. So, why would
Sime Darby want to expand capacity as a much worse
recession/tsunami is starting to hit our shores?
I agree with also anak malaysia and Sang Seong. We have to be grateful for the former KT MP for this. Just you wait until 18 January when crony business will be back as the order of the day.
We should not forget that in Malaysia, the whole democratic process is a mere sideshow to the real power appointment process which is still on-going: the UMNO elections.
This matters way more than all the irrelevant crap dished out by Dalbinder Singh Gill.
IJN is safe The predator walks away It doesn’t want to take up the stake Too much resistance It makes pr work a nightmare No doubt it says In the end profit motives will drive it in The people, rich and poor, will have to pay If it runs like a company Now the chapter has closed Let’s hope there is no other to stalk it IJN let it runs for the people Let it be always In the first place BN government shouldn’t allow Even the slightest hint to entertain the request Yet the government did then aborted it… Read more »
The privatisation stopped is due to rakyat’s power.
Also, because of the current KT elections , UMNO does not want this to be made an issue as depriving the poor of medical facilities.
The people in Israel are suffering there and yes this was pointed out by DSAI . This is what the BN govt is akin to doing to the folks in Terengganu .
Privatisation will benefit Sime Darby and a few cronies.
ANWARS SPEECH BY CALLING UMNO IS LIKE ISRAEL IS SO WRONG, ANWAR MUST NOT POKE FUN BY MAKING SUCH A STATEMENT, LOOK AT WHATS HAPPENING THERE, AND HERE ANWAR IS HAPPILY RELATING UMNO TO ISRAEL, THE PEOPLE THERE ARE SUFFERING SO PLEASE DONT MAKE THEM PART OF YOUR SPEECH WHEN HITTING AT OTHERS, ITS INSULTING, AND NOW ANWAR AGREES ON PAS HUDUD LAWS FOR MUSLIMS, DOESNT THIS SOUND AS IF HE AGREES WITH THE YOGA BAN, I FEEL SAD FOR MY MUSLIM FRIENDS, AS WE ALL AGREE THAT EVERY RELIGION TEACHES US TO DO GOOD, BUT ITS JUST THAT CERTAIN… Read more »
Coret!Coret!Coret! The BN gomen REFUSES to acknowledge the peoples’ power. Another thrashing in next GE will not make them willing to learn and the best send them into oblivion.
No worries, they got another game:
The new KLIA-East may sound like a private venture between SD & Air Asia. Well, the corporate guys will put it through “PFI” flavor. This term is overly used to disguise using public money being channeled into private companies supposedly invested for long term public / govt facilities.
One look..and it seems good for the NS state govt and SD, as it should be paid by Air Asia.
Let us look into Air Asia (AA) main shareholders: Tony + Tony&gang company + K (hey! he is in here too…!) + EPF!!
http://simedarbywatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/brunsfield-ecm-libra-so-what-else-is.html
I dont think the IJN thing is settled.
Anil, do wait and see once najib is the PM.
The sime darby worm ( or something as sinister to sime darby) will crawls out again.
Now, take a look at the new LCCT ,do we really need another new LCCT?
Remember, that the new LCCT is NOT in the plan.
We must ensure that the rakyat’s money is not pour into it.
Who ever wants to built it will have to use their own funds.
Well put, Anil. I just read Zaid’s speech in Singapore. There’s one man we should thank for getting the ball rolling. For me, Badawi’s legacy is already set in place.
For all his perceived commissions and omissions (some might prefer the latter), Abdullah was never short on one thing: a heart.
1 down, 1 more to go! That LCCT Labu Airport must not take off. It will be an utter waste of scarce resources and KLIA & Air Asia will lose an excellent opportunity to enjoy from economies of scale. The Govt did not spend $8 billion on KLIA to then go ahead and create wasteful competition. A little bird tells me that a certain Sil is behind this move to not only entrench his position in NS but be the beneficiary of directly negotiated non-tendered out $ billion contracts. This Govt also does not seem to have considered the implications… Read more »
…don’t be too happy ….I am sure there are somthing coming up soon knowing how this crony relationship in the gome function
If not for the KT by-election, IJN would have been taken over. How nice if there is a parliamentary by-election every month.