Marhaen Dan Rakyat

Dasar penswastaan yang diperkenalkan oleh bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad pada 1980-an sering dipromosikan sebagai langkah strategik untuk mempercepatkan pembangunan ekonomi Malaysia. Melalui pendekatan tersebut, pelbagai aset dan perkhidmatan awam dipindahkan kepada sektor swasta dengan alasan meningkatkan kecekapan serta mengurangkan beban kewangan kerajaan. Namun, selepas lebih tiga dekad, realiti yang muncul jauh lebih kompleks dan penuh kontroversi. Banyak projek penswastaan yang dilaksanakan pada era tersebut menimbulkan persoalan besar mengenai ketelusan, monopoli kroni dan penggunaan wang rakyat untuk menyelamatkan syarikat-syarikat yang gagal. Projek lebuh raya, tenaga, telekomunikasi dan penerbangan menjadi contoh utama dasar berkenaan membuka ruang kepada keuntungan besar jangka panjang kepada syarikat tertentu, tetapi pada masa sama meningkatkan beban tarif kepada rakyat. SUMBER: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2018/07/16/no-privat...

In the wild world of Malaysian politics, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's recent crackdown on corruption, specifically targeting former finance bigwig Daim Zainuddin, has caused a stir across political circles. The move, highlighted by the freezing of Daim's family-owned Ilham Tower at the end of 2023, seems like Anwar's way of saying, "No one is too big to be checked." Ilham Tower, a ritzy symbol to the prosperity of Malaysia’s 80-90s and valued at a cool US$580 million, became the center of attention when Daim refused to spill the beans on his assets. For some, Anwar's no-nonsense approach sends a clear message that even the big shots can't escape the spotlight. His current troubles stem from MACC poking around in alleged embezzlement dating back to a 1997 deal involving Renong and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM). Revisiting the UEM-Renong deal, wrapped in mystery after 26 years, is no walk in the park for MACC investigators. Theories are flying, with ...