Heres How To Be a Great Leader

By: Law of Attraction

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.

You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.

Kenaikan Harga: Tidak Prihatin dan Tidak Bertanggungjawab

By: Anwar Ibrahim

KENYATAAN AKHBAR

16 Julai 2010

Walaupun Dewan Rakyat telah bersidang sejak 7 Jun 2010, pengumuman kenaikan harga petrol, diesel, LPG dan gula langsung tidak dibincangkan di Dewan yang mulia itu. Pengumuman ini membuktikan Perdana Menteri dan kabinetnya tidak menghormati kedudukan Dewan Rakyat sebagai sidang tertinggi yang mewakili rakyat Malaysia. Dato’ Sri Najib sedar ahli parlimen baik dari Pakatan Rakyat mahupun dari Barisan Nasional tidak akan menyokong beliau kerana tindakan menaikkan harga tanpa menyediakan bantuan lain kepada rakyat adalah kebijakan yang tidak prihatin terhadap rakyat keseluruhannya.

Hakikatnya, kenaikan harga petrol, diesel, LPG dan gula ini adalah tidak bertanggungjawab kerana tidak ada tindakan proaktif untuk menyediakan mekanisme bantuan kepada golongan yang paling terkesan dengan kenaikan ini, sebelum pengumuman dibuat. Kerajaan Persekutuan telah mengumumkan rancangan pemotongan subsidi ini sejak tahun 2008 lagi atas alasan untuk menstrukturkan semula pemberian subsidi agar ia lebih memihak kepada golongan yang memerlukan. Sehingga kini, rakyat masih tertunggu-tunggu mekanisme bantuan tersebut. Pada masa yang sama, kenaikan demi kenaikan diumumkan.

Kenaikan harga gula sebanyak 28% sejak awal tahun ini (kenaikan 20 sen pada 1 Januari 2010, diikuti kenaikan 20 sen berikutnya pada 16 Julai 2010) sudah tentu akan mempunyai kesan kepada harga makanan. Kesan berganda daripada kenaikan harga petrol, diesel, LPG dan gula ini akan memberi tekanan kepada golongan berpendapatan rendah di bawah RM2,000 sebulan, yang mana 75% adalah Bumiputra yang kononnya dibela oleh Barisan Nasional.

Sasaran penjimatan sebanyak RM750 juta yang diumumkan Pejabat Perdana Menteri adalah sedikit berbanding dengan keborosan dan pembaziran yang berlaku akibat kelalaian Barisan Nasional. Semalam, Dewan Rakyat dimaklumkan bahawa perbelanjaan Jabatan Perdana Menteri telah mencecah RM3.8 billion pada tahun 2009 dan dijangka mengatasi peruntukan RM3.9 billion bagi tahun 2010. Ini termasuklah perbelanjaan Sekretariat Mantan Perdana Menteri dan Sekretariat Permata yang dinaungi oleh isteri Perdana Menteri.

Malah, penjimatan RM750 juta itu tidak setanding dengan kerugian yang ditanggung rakyat apabila konglomerat milik rakyat iaitu Sime Darby mengalami kerugian sebanyak RM946 juta dan menerima pula pampasan dari kerajaan berjumlah RM700 juta.

Membebankan rakyat atas alasan mengurangkan defisit dan menggunakan penjimatan untuk menampung keborosan kerajaan seperti ini perlu dihentikan segera. Di mana letaknya maruah seorang Perdana Menteri yang mengambil wang rakyat atas nama penstrukturan subsidi dan digunakan untuk membayar perunding asing seperti APCO sehingga mencecah RM77 juta setahun semata-mata untuk menaikkan imej beliau, sedangkan bayaran kepada APCO itu hampir sama jumlahnya dengan anggaran penjimatan subsidi gula sebanyak RM126 juta (seperti diumumkan PEMANDU).

Pun begitu, saya tidak menolak bulat-bulat kaedah penstrukturan semula subsidi untuk memastikan lebih banyak bantuan sampai terus kepada golongan 75% di bawah pendapatan isi rumah RM2,000 sebulan. Penjimatan dari pengurangan subsidi sepatutnya disalurkan terus kepada golongan ini melalui mekanisme-mekanisme yang perlu diumumkan serentak dengan kenaikan harga.

Saya menuntut supaya Perdana Menteri mengumumkan secepat mungkin bagaimanakah penjimatan RM750 juta ini akan dibelanjakan untuk rakyat. Nasihat saya supaya penjimatan ini disalurkan dalam bentuk kenaikan peruntukan untuk institusi pengajian tinggi, pelaburan baru dalam bidang pendidikan dan bantuan kebajikan terus kepada golongan berpendapatan di bawah RM2,000 agar penjimatan itu sampai terus kepada rakyat.

Sebelum ini pun, kerajaan telah menggunakan alasan mengurangkan defisit apabila menaikkan harga minyak dan keperluan asas. Tindakan ini sedikit pun tidak membantu menyelesaikan masalah defisit negara, malah ia makin meningkat. Bagi tahun 2008, di kemuncak kenaikan harga minyak, defisit negara melonjak kepada 4.8% berbanding 3.2% bagi tahun sebelum itu. Keadaan ini berlaku kerana kerajaan tidak berdisiplin dan tidak ada iltizam politik untuk menyalurkan penjimatan dari pemotongan subsidi ke sektor-sektor yang benar-benar memerlukan, sedangkan pembaziran dan kerugian terus berlaku.

Sebab itu, saya telah menegaskan berkali-kali bahawa ubat yang paling mujarab untuk memulihkan ekonomi negara adalah reformasi ekonomi yang menyeluruh, bukannya tertumpu kepada golongan lemah semata-mata.

Perdana Menteri tidak boleh meminta rakyat mengubah cara hidup, sedangkan kroni-kroni, ahli politik, golongan elit dan berkepentingan terus menikmati subsidi korporat seperti subsidi gas kepada penjana bebas yang menelan belanja RM18.9 billion setiap tahun, 25 kali ganda lebih besar dari penjimatan akibat potongan subsidi yang diumumkan semalam.

Oleh itu, saya menggariskan empat langkah segera yang perlu diambil oleh Perdana Menteri untuk meyakinkan rakyat bahawa pengorbanan mereka menanggung harga yang lebih tinggi untuk mengekang defisit adalah berbaloi:

1. Mengumumkan penambahbaikan drastik kepada kaedah dan sistem perolehan yang diamalkan kerajaan agar lebih telus dan mendapatkan nilai terbaik untuk rakyat;

2. Menstrukturkan semula pemberian subsidi gas kepada IPP agar penjimatan ini dapat disalurkan kepada rakyat;

3. Mengawalselia prestasi syarikat berkaitan kerajaan dan agensi yang dipertanggungjawabkan menjaga dana awam bagi mengelakkan kerugian berbillion ringgit yang ditanggung rakyat; dan yang terpenting

4. Membuktikan keikhlasan dalam perang menentang rasuah dengan menghentikan campur tangan politik di dalam SPRM dan Jabatan Peguam Negara.

Rakyat akan ternanti-nanti tindakan susulan Perdana Menteri jika benar Barisan Nasional ikhlas dalam menangani kekusutan ekonomi negara. Jika tidak, pengumuman kenaikan harga petrol, diesel, LPG dan gula semalam hanyalah sambungan kepada rentetan penindasan rakyat berpendapatan rendah demi golongan elit dan kroni.

List of People Known As The Great

From: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of people whose names in English are commonly appended with the phrase "the Great", or who were called that or an equivalent phrase in their own language. Other languages have their own suffixes such as e Bozorg and e azam in Persian and Urdu respectively.

In Persia, the title "the Great" at first seems to be a colloquial version of the Old Persian title "Great King". This title was first used by the conqueror Cyrus II of Persia.[1]

The Persian title was inherited by Alexander III of Macedon (336–323 BC) when he conquered the Persian Empire, and the epithet "Great" eventually became personally associated with him.

The first reference (in a comedy by Plautus)[2] assumes that everyone knew who "Alexander the Great" was; however, there is no earlier evidence that Alexander III of Macedon was called "the Great".

The early Seleucid kings, who succeeded Alexander in Persia, used "Great King" in local documents, but the title was most notably used for Antiochus the Great (223–187 BC).

Later rulers and commanders began to use the epithet "the Great" as a personal name, like the Roman general Pompey. Others received the surname retrospectively, like the Carthaginian Hanno and the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great. Once the surname gained currency, it was also used as an honorific surname for people without political careers, like the philosopher Albert the Great.

As there is no objective criteria for "greatness", the persistence of later generations in using the designation greatly varies. For example, Louis XIV of France was often referred to as "The Great" in his lifetime but is rarely called such nowadays, while Frederick II of Prussia is still called "The Great". A later Hohenzollern - Wilhelm I - was often called "The Great" in the time of his grandson Wilhelm II, but rarely later.

The following people normally have the words "the Great" appended to their names.
• Abbas the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Abraham the Great of Kaskhar, monk and saint of the Assyrian Church of the East
• Abraham the Great of Kidunja, hermit, priest, and Christian saint of Mesopotamia
• Akbar the Great, ruler of the Mughal Empire of South Asia, mainly India.
• Alain I the Great, Albret
• Alaungpaya the Great, Burma
• Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus), medieval German philosopher and theologian
• Alexander the Great, King of Persia, Macedonia, Greece, Egypt, and all of Mesopotamia
• Alfonso the Great of León
• Alfred the Great of Wessex, English
• Anawrahta the Great, Burma
• Anthony the Great, early Christian saint of Egypt
• Antiochus the Great, Seleucid Empire
• Ashoka the Great, Indian emperor of the Maurya dynasty, known as the emperor of all ages in The Outline of History
• Askia the Great, Mohamed Toure, Ruler of the Songhai Empire
• Babai the Great, 6th century Assyrian church leader
• St. Basil the Great, theologian, Cappadocia
• Bayinnaung the Great, Burma
• Beli Mawr, Mawr or the Great, Wales
• Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, Thailand
• Bolesław the Brave, sometimes called "the Great", Poland
• Bruno the Great, Archbishop of Cologne and Duke of Lotharingia
• Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke the Great, Thailand
• Canute the Great, Danish, King of Denmark, England, and Norway
• Casimir III the Great, Poland
• Catherine the Great, Russian Empire
• Chandragupta Maurya the Great, Indian emperor of the Maurya dynasty
• Chandragupta II the Great / Vikramaditya, one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire in India
• Charles the Great, more commonly known as "Charlemagne"
• Chulalongkorn the Great, Thailand
• Clothar the Great, Merovingian France
• Conrad the Great, Meissen
• Constantine the Great,Rome
• Cyrus the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Darius the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Devapala, a powerful king of Pala dynasty of Magadha in India
• Dharmapala of Bengal, second ruler of the Pala Empire of Bengal in India
• Dušan the Mighty, sometimes called "the Great", ruled the Serbian Empire
• Ferdinand the Great, Castile and León
• Frederick the Great, Prussia
• Frederick the Great, Holy Roman Empire[citation needed]
• Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, known as "The Great Elector" ("Großer Kurfürst")
• Genghis Khan, was first Khan of the Mongol Empire
• Georgi Dimitrov the Great, Bulgaria
• Gero I the Great of Marca Geronis
• Gertrude the Great of Helfta, medieval mystic
• St. Gregory the Great, pope
• Gustavus Adolphus the Great, Sweden
• Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo, Korea[3][4]
• Hanno the Great, Carthage
• Harshavardhana, Indian emperor who ruled Northern India
• Odo Henry the Great, Burgundy
• Henry IV the Great, France
• Herod the Great, Judea
• Hongwu the Great, Ming Dynasty, China
• Hugh the Great, Franks
• Hugh Magnus ("the Great") of France
• Hugh I of Vermandois, the Great
• Humphrey the Great
• Ivan the Great, Tsardom of Russia
• Jangsu The Great, Korea
• St. James the Great, apostle
• John the Great, Portugal
• John II the Great, Aragon
• Justinian the Great, Byzantine Empire
• Kamehameha the Great, Hawai'i
• Kangxi The great, Qing Dynasty, China
• Kanishka the Great, of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia & parts of India
• Karim Khan the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Krishnadevaraya the Great, Vijayanagara, India
• Kublai Khan, a prominent Mongol ruler in the 13th century and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty
• Lachit Borphukan, Assam, India
• St. Leo the Great, pope
• Llywelyn the Great, Wales/Gwynedd
• Lobsang Gyatso the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, Tibet
• Louis the Great, Hungary and Poland
• Louis the Great, first Duke of Bourbon
• Louis the Great, France
• Mangrai the Great, King of Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Matteo Rosso the Great, Roman politician and father of Pope Nicholas III
• Meiji the Great, Japan
• Menander I or Milinda, one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India and present-day Pakistan
• Mithridates the Great, Parthia (Iran)
• Mithridates the Great, Pontus / Bosporan Kingdom
• Moctezuma the Great, Aztec empire
• Mstislav the Great, Kievan Rus
• Nader Shah the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Napoleon I the Great, First French Empire
• Narai The Great, Thailand
• Naresuan The Great, Thailand
• Odo the Great, Aquitaine
• Otto I the Great, Holy Roman Empire
• Pacal the Great, Palenque
• Parâkramabâhu the Great, Sri Lanka
• Petar Krešimir IV the Great, Croatia
• Peter the Great, Russian Empire
• Peter III the Great, Aragon
• Photius the Great, Eastern Orthodox saint and Patriarch of Constantinople
• Pompey the Great, Rome
• Prokop the Great, Hussite leader in Bohemia
• Quang Trung The Great, emperor of Vietnam
• Rajaraja The Great, Indian emperor of the Cholas[5][6][7].
• Rajendra Chola The Great Tamil King of India
• Ramesses the Great, Ancient Egypt
• Ramkhamhaeng the Great, Thailand
• Ramon Berenguer III the Great, Barcelona
• Rhodri the Great, Wales/Gwynedd
• Roman the Great, Kievan Rus
• Samudragupta the Great of the Gupta empire, surnamed 'Napoleon of India'
• Sancho III the Great, Navarre
• Sargon the Great, Akkad
• Sejong the Great, Korea[8]
• Shapur the Great, Sassanid empire, Persia (Iran)
• Shivaji the Great, of India, founder of the Maratha Empire in India
• Sihanouk the Great, Cambodia
• Simeon I the Great, Bulgaria
• St. Euthymius the Great, abbot
• St. Macarius the Great, Egyptian hermit
• St. Nicholas the Great, pope
• Stephen the Great, Moldavia, Romania
• Sultan Agung of Mataram, Mataram (Java)
• Taksin the Great, Thailand
• Tamburlaine the Great, Timurid Empire
• Theobald the Great, Champagne
• Theodoric the Great, Ostrogoths
• Theodosius the Great, Rome
• Tigranes the Great, Armenia
• Tiridates the Great, Armenia
• Umar the Great, the second caliph of Muslim Empire
• Valdemar I the Great, Denmark
• Vladimir the Great, Kievan Rus
• Vytautas the Great, archduke of Lithuanian Grand Duchy
• William the Great, Maleval
• William I the Great, Burgundy
• William V the Great, Aquitaine
• Xerxes the Great, Persia (Iran)
• Yongle the Great Emperor of Ming Empire, China
• Yu the Great, China
• Zetian the Great, Empress of China
• Zhenguan the Great, Tang Dynasty, China

HIGH INCOME ECONOMY

By: Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

1. The Government has announced the intention to make Malaysia a high income country. I assume this means people will receive high wages, salaries and profits.

2. But if wages and salaries are to be increased by the private sector, the cost of doing business would have to increase as well. To cover this increase, prices of products must be increased. This will mean that the consumers will have to pay higher prices for whatever they purchase. There would be, by definition, inflation.

3. The increase in prices of goods and services should cover the higher wages and salaries and the profit margins from the business. But this will not be all. The cost of transport, fuel and raw materials would all increase as these businesses will also experience increased overhead costs as they too will have to increase wages etc. So the increase in product prices must also cover these costs.

4. Generally the cost of living would increase as prices increase. The rise in income may not increase the purchasing power of the wage earners. Higher incomes would not mean anything then. We know of many countries where people get higher incomes in terms of currency units but are extremely poor.

5. If there is to be an increase in income, it must be carefully managed so that it would result in increases of purchasing power and not just more money.

6. This can happen because the added cost of doing business may trigger unreasonable increases of prices for raw materials, goods (products) or services. For example a 10% increase in wages and salaries should not result in an increase of 10% in the prices of goods and services. This is because wages and salaries do not constitute the total cost of production.

7. Their contribution to cost of production varies. This has to be determined by careful scrutiny of all the cost of production including material cost, power cost, transportation, advertisement and promotion costs etc. If it is found that wages and salaries at all levels make up 20% of the cost of production, then a 10% increase in wages should contribute only 2% to the cost.

8. Similarly the increases in the other costs i.e. power, material, transport etc may increase by a much smaller percentage according to their percentage contribution to the cost. Assuming that together they contribute 50% of the cost, but the increase in their prices is 5%, i.e. 5% of 50% = 2½ %, the total increase in cost inclusive of wages and salaries should be 4½ %, or say 5%.

9. Thus the increase in wages by 10% will not increase overall cost by 10% but will only increase by 5%, after including increases of other costs.

10. The margin of profit varies. For wholesale and fast moving items the margin can be as low as 2%, while for some slow-moving luxury goods the margin may be as high as 300%. Assuming that the cost of production increases by 5% for a 10% increase in wages and salaries, there can be justification for only a 5% - 6% increase in price of products and service for those with low profit margins. For high profit margins there should be no increase in price at all.

11. The wage earners with a 10% increase in income should therefore have a 5% increase in purchasing power only; not 10%. In other words their increase in income would make them only slightly richer. Still with increase in purchasing power they would be able to contribute more to businesses. Eventually the Government would earn more by way of taxes to pay for the increases in wages and salaries in the Government service. Generally economic activity w1ould be enhanced and there would be growth as the salary bill in Malaysia runs into hundreds of billions every year.

12. The above are some of the ways for preventing unfair cost increases when wages and salaries are raised. But there are also many other ways of reducing costs so that the cost of goods and services to the consumer is not increased much as a result of increasing incomes.

13. In manufacturing, a careful study of cost can result in ideas on cost cutting. The Japanese "Just In Time" manufacturing process is a good example. In this system the parts and components are produced just in time for them to go into the assembly of the final products. This eliminates the cost of storage and holding costs.

14. Automation and robotics are costly but they can work 24 hours a day and would reduce the cost of the three shifts of work by workers in one day. In ship-building, whole sections of the ship can be produced separately and then assembled. A lot of time can be saved this way. And time means money.

15. The classic case of reducing cost was invented by Henry Ford - namely mass production on assembly lines. Economies of scale can also contribute to lowering costs. We see the progress in retailing goods. The single specialised shops have given way to the supermarkets. Now the supermarkets are being replaced by the giant wholesale hypermarkets. These help increase volume and lower purchasing costs. Self-service also help to reduce costs in restaurants and supermarkets.

16. Various electronic devices can help in reducing costs. Because of additional capital needed for these devices, they contribute much when the volume is big.

17. Incomes can also be increased by better education and training. It is said that the Korean worker is three times more productive than the Malaysian worker. This is not just due to education and training but more because of work ethics. Obviously when a worker is more productive he should be paid higher wages.

18. Most manufacturing activities add higher value to basic material. Generally exporting raw material gives less return than exporting manufactured products. But other costs have to be taken into consideration.

19. The Malaysian strategy on industrialisation is also not conducive to reducing costs. Japan and Korea acquire foreign technologies and set up their own companies to produce their own products.

20. Malaysia adopted a different strategy. To create jobs for a large number of the unemployed, foreign investors were invited to set up labour intensive industries. Naturally wages were very low. Increased profits for the foreign owned industries did not necessarily result in increased income for Malaysian workers.

21. Over the years Malaysians had acquired the skills in manufacturing and the capital to invest. Today there are a lot of successful Malaysian companies. Should the Government help these Malaysian industries to grow they can become world class players. This means better income for the Malaysian entrepreneurs and better wages for the Malaysian workers.

22. We must not follow the route taken by the developed countries of the West to achieve high income. In the days when technology was exclusive to the European countries and North America increases in wages were largely due to the demands of the workers. To cover the increased cost of production prices were raised quite indiscriminately. This was sustainable when the Europeans were the only producer of manufactured goods.

23. But then the countries of East Asia, began to produce almost all the products of the West at lower cost. The workers of the West continued to demand for continuous increases in their wages. Very soon the high prices for their products caused them to lose the market.

24. Malaysia must never take this route in order to achieve high incomes. Instead it should study the other ways of increasing incomes which will not lead to inflation and loss of purchasing power.

Batal kontrak pasir: Resvil saman Kumpulan Semesta

SHAH ALAM 30 Julai - Sebuah syarikat pembinaan hari ini memfailkan saman terhadap Kumpulan Semesta Sdn. Bhd., (KSSB) bagi menuntut ganti rugi lebih RM1.3 juta atas dakwaan anak syarikat kerajaan negeri Selangor itu telah membatalkan kontrak melombong pasir secara tidak sah.

Resvil Holding Sdn. Bhd., (Resvil) selaku plaintif memfailkan saman tersebut melalui firma guaman, Tetuan Adnan Sharida & Associates di Pejabat Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi di sini.

Turut hadir ialah Pengerusi Eksekutif Resvil, Datuk Suhaime Saad.

KSSB yang dinamakan sebagai defendan merupakan anak syarikat kerajaan negeri Selangor yang menguruskan aktiviti perlombongan pasir di negeri berkenaan.

Menurut pernyataan tuntutan, plaintif mendakwa, syarikat tersebut telah ditawarkan kontrak melombong pasir di Lot 6232, Mukim Bestari Jaya yang berkeluasan 10.11 hektar oleh KSSB pada 16 Disember 2008.

Pada awal Disember tahun yang sama, plaintif juga telah menandatangani Dokumen Tender berkaitan dengan kontrak melombong pasir termasuk terma-terma dan syarat-syarat berkaitan.

Dakwa plaintif, syarikat itu telah membayar bon pelaksanaan sebanyak RM360,000 kepada defendan melalui dua kali bayaran selepas kedua-dua pihak bersetuju untuk mengubah cara pembayaran daripada jaminan bank kepada potongan pembayaran kontrak.

Plaintif turut menyatakan, pada peringkat permulaan KSSB telah mencadangkan kepada pihaknya untuk melantik satu syarikat luar sebagai subkontraktor dan cadangan tersebut dipersetujui oleh Resvil.

Bagaimanapun selepas lapan bulan beroperasi, plaintif mendakwa telah menerima salinan notis penamatan kontrak melombong pasir bertarikh 23 September tahun lalu berkuat kuasa dalam tempoh sebulan.

Alasan yang diberikan oleh KSSB adalah Resvil telah melantik pihak ketiga sebagai subkontraktor bagi kontrak melombong pasir itu.

Plaintif mendakwa bahawa penamatan kontrak tersebut adalah tidak sah, salah dan merupakan satu konspirasi antara KSSB dengan syarikat subkontraktor tersebut.

Ini kerana, KSSB telah mengetahui mengenai kewujudan subkontraktor tersebut sejak mula lagi malah anak syarikat kerajaan negeri itu yang mencadangkan pelantikan tersebut.

Ekoran penamatan kontrak itu, plaintif telah mengalami kerugian dari segi keuntungan bagi baki empat bulan yang dikira secara purata.

Defendan juga didakwa enggan atau gagal membuat pembayaran tuntutan bon pelaksanaan walaupun telah diminta berbuat demikian oleh plaintif melalui surat bertarikh 1 Oktober tahun lalu.

Oleh itu, Resvil menuntut bon pelaksanaan berjumlah RM360,000 selain ganti rugi khas sebanyak RM1,013,529.60 bagi kehilangan keuntungan.

Syarikat itu turut menuntut ganti rugi am, faedah sebanyak lapan peratus dari tarikh hari ini, kos dan relif-relif lain yang difikirkan sesuai oleh mahkamah.

Your 10 questions for Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Extracted: From The Star

What is the highlight of your long and varied career serving the public and the country? Karim Saad, Gombak

I thank God that I have been able to serve my country and people for 30 years in government and about 20 years so far in the private sector. When I joined the civil service after graduating with an economics degree from Malaya University in Singapore, the great highlight was “to serve God, king and country”. Our challenge was to take over from the British officers and to prove to our people that we Malayans (and later Malaysians) were as good or better than the colonial officials. I believe we succeeded then.

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Right through my career in government, we Malaysian civil servants served with distinction, independence, initiative and integrity. I hope it is the same now.

After retirement, I was the CEO of Bank Buruh for five years. I then joined the Sunway group as corporate advisor and without realising it, have been there for about 15 years now. The challenge for me was to prove that ex-senior government officials were able to perform just as well as their business counterparts. Indeed, most of my retired colleagues who joined the private sector and GLCs (government-linked companies) then, have proven their worth. And I hope I am worthy of my wage even now!

The highlight of my career is to give my best to serve our country and our people.

What are the most important things you have acquired from your years in the civil service? P. Tina, Puchong

Frankly, I have acquired a great deal of satisfaction and fulfilment serving in the civil service, even more than what I have gained in the private sector. It’s because I worked for a greater calling to serve my country and people, rather than working for a bank or a company, however good it may be. You see, in government, you are always conscious that you are not working hard for money or profit, but for a larger call to duty and mission to serve your country. I believe serving in government is a calling.

As a former top official of the Treasury, do you think the financial management of our county’s public sector is efficient? S. Ragunathan, PJ

Having served as an economist in the Malaysian Treasury for 23 years and on the board of directors of the World Bank in Washington for two years, I have to say our financial management has weakened over the years. There is more corruption, less transparency and too much overspending and unnecessary expenditure, because of the closed and negotiated tendering system, which is only now being rectified slowly.

The budget deficits have risen too high and public expenditures are therefore being constrained. But the Government’s greater reliance on the private sector as the engine of growth under the 10th Malaysia Plan may be unrealistic, unless more effective policies are introduced so as to have a more even playing field and to encourage more open competition and meritocracy.

The civil service and our institutions also have declined and need to be strengthened soon, as the quality of the financial management of the country is directly related to the quality of national management as a whole.

You’re a distinguished retired civil servant and public figure. How do you account for the Malay dominance in the public services and administration, and how can we correct this to ensure the fulfilment of the 1Malaysia concept? J.C. Rajarao, KL

Having been a child of Merdeka and sharing the Merdeka spirit and ethos, I am naturally disappointed that the civil service and the public service have become Malay-dominated. Our political leaders should not have allowed this to happen. This trend is detrimental to national unity and erodes the Government’s ideals of 1Malaysia .

People have been losing confidence in the public service and are inclined to criticise, sometimes even unfairly, because they do not identify with its composition nor its apparent ethnic partisanship.

I don’t believe that the non-Malays shy away from joining the public service. After all, it is still prestigious and pays better than before. How do we reconcile graduate unemployment with the oft repeated claim that the non-Malays do not want to join the public service? Something is wrong and the Government can easily conduct a survey to find the truth and act upon it expeditiously.

We can solve the problem of an unbalanced ethnic public service by immediately introducing a quota system for recruitment for all levels. At the recruitment into the initial stages of public service, we can adopt a ratio of three Malays to two non-Malays. When I joined the civil service, it was four Malays to one non-Malay. But now the whole system has got so skewed that we have to take bold measures to rectify the situation as soon as possible before it’s too late. At the higher levels of the public service, highly competent professional and management officials can be appointed on contracts of three to five years.

I am sure there will be an immediate positive impact on the whole public service and national unity, and public confidence in the leadership and management of the country will rise.

You say a lot openly, even to the extent of telling the Government what is what. Aren’t you, as a former senior civil servant, worried that the Government may not like this? Bulbir Singh, Seremban

Even as a civil servant, I said my piece honestly and without fear or favour within the administration because I was truthful and sincere. I had no ulterior motives other than to serve my country’s best interests. So, why should I be worried then and even more so now, considering that I have retired and, thankfully, am no longer governed by the General Orders, which I had to respect as a serving civil servant?

To be fair, I have to say all the prime ministers and ministers whom I had served, had always allowed me to speak my mind. But I have learnt to be civil and polite in giving sometimes contrarian financial, fiscal and economic advice. How could any government worth its salt function effectively if it did not allow its top officials to give the political leaders candid advice? But I am speaking of my experience and I can’t say what has happened after my generation retired in the late 1980s.

You have had and continue to have many roles. How do you decide which ones to take on? Louis Kong, Kuantan

Yes, it’s true that one man plays many parts in his life. I am no exception. Over the years, I have phased out of many roles and have encouraged younger and more talented people to take over. For instance, I did so at Transparency International Malaysia after three years as its president. I also did not want to be in a position of conflict with my new role as chairman of the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) panel on corruption prevention and consultation. Leaders must learn the fundamental lesson of phasing out at the right time and not to overstay or cling onto power, however attractive it may be!

But I have been persuaded to lead the Children’s Wish Society of Malaysia, which tries to meet the last wishes of terminally ill children. I am also, for better or for worse, the president of Habitat for Humanity Malaysia, which seeks to repair and build houses for the absolute poor with the help of public funds. I get a lot of inspiration from this charity work and I hope I’ll get some blessings too. Basically, I take on roles when I am asked and where I believe I can contribute to the welfare of the poor and depressed sections of our society.

How far has Malaysia come in the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR)? Bernard KH Lim, Penang

Malaysia has generally responded quite well to this relatively new concept of CSR. However, it’s the big multinationals and Malaysia’s larger corporations that have taken the initiative to do more to fulfil their social responsibility. There is this perception among many smaller companies that it is the Government’s responsibility to do more for the lower-income citizens and that companies that pay tax have actually discharged their social responsibility and need not do more!

You’re purpose-driven and seem to be always busy. Don’t you relax and do something just for yourself? M.H. Ismail, KL

Yes, I think I am “purpose-driven”. I am surprised you found that out! Did you read my autobiography, My Life and Times? I am influenced by the famous book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, which has guided me. In a way, work that I enjoy, like writing these answers, relaxes me! But I also enjoy private quality moments with my tolerant wife, Samala, and our children and their families, especially our four grandchildren.

I do some gardening and reading and writing, of course, as I have purposefully written nine books in about 10 years. That’s my relaxation, although I sometimes wonder whether I should have had more exciting forms of relaxation.

What do you think about all the talk about transforming Malaysia into a high-income economy? Mak Lai Fun, Johor Baru

I think it’s a great idea to become a “high-income country”. But we cannot just wish for Malaysia to become a developed economy with high incomes. It needs careful planning and proper implementation of prudential and competitive policies. We will need more political will to be more competent and meritocratic and less protective and ethnocratic. Otherwise, we may be chasing rainbows and a pipe dream! We have to be realistic and pragmatic, and transform the Malaysian mindset and the whole economy – as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is trying to do. However, he needs stronger political and public support more urgently, for us to become a developed high-income country by 2020, which is just 10 years away.

What can you reveal about the private face of Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam? Philip Seet, Seremban

Actually, I am an open book. Please read my transparent autobiography. Short of describing my bedroom, I am very public and have hardly a private face, except that I may have some odd private thoughts sometimes. But that is our special privilege, which nobody can take away.