your say'When something has not worked, and especially something that hasn't shown results for 53 years, entrepreneurs know it's time to change.'

Don't back opposition, business sector warned

Anonymous_3e86: Most business people do not depend on BN for handouts. These people succeed through their own efforts. It is those Umno contractors who depend on BN for business who are worried.

Honest hardworking people need not have to worry about a change in government. In fact, a change could even be better for many as they can compete for contracts on equal terms. As it is now, only cronies and BN-connected businessmen get the pie. A change will definitely be no worse than what it is today.

Jefferson76: Mr PM, business people know all about risk-taking and trying new things. When something has not worked, and especially something that hasn't shown results for 53 years, entrepreneurs know it's time to change. To not try something different is to risk going out of business.

Anonymous_40a7: I was there at the open house and heard the exact words as Malaysiakini had reported. Najib even had the guts to ‘promote' BN in front of others, where this was supposed to be an SMI (small and medium industries) event. This is disgusting for a prime minister to openly seek support from the Chinese-majority crowd.

Quigonbond: What the PM is saying is he wants the business sector to continue supporting the way their tax money is abused with excessive procurement costs, rewarded by potential abuse of power by the police, partial treatment by the courts, and incompetent management by the civil service.

Atan-Toyol: Najib is worried stiff that he will lose his job and all the goodies that come with it, including those enjoyed by his boss-wife as FLOM (First Lady of Malaysia). He cannot imagine doing any other job. Imagine all those defence contracts evaporating into thin air, and no commissions forthcoming. A very gloomy prospect indeed huh, Najib?

Sad: This is the most idiotic comment from a tainted PM. I am a businessman and all these years, I have voted for the opposition and will continue to do so for as long as I live.

Docs: The basic principle of business is to make money. Players in the business sector were very optimistic when PM Najib took over the premiership two years ago promising to end affirmative action with the introduction of his NEM (New Economic Model).

Affirmative action was one of the factors identified that was crippling the local business environment in Malaysia. Unfortunately, due to political pressures from within Umno and from Perkasa, Najib's bold plan to push NEM forward and thus kick-starting Malaysia's stagnant economy and business sector, has failed.

The failure of NEM has sent the unmistakable message to the business community that BN/Umno is unable to provide an equal business opportunity to all Malaysians as well as foreigners who hope to invest here.

Anonymous326_df: The business sector knows what to do. They will vote BN for a stable and strong economy. We know what happened at the GE (general elections). The stock market dipped 45 percent within weeks. FDIs (foreign direct investments) slowed down, investors took a wait-and-see attitude as they won't appreciate an opposition taking over.

Look at Selangor, approvals for anything is a nightmare. Nothing gets moving there. Notice that even housing projects have slowed, and all the development is going on in Kuala Lumpur and other non-Pakatan states. Anyway, BN will win by a landslide, and I believe that only Penang and Kelantan will stay opposition.

Black Mamba: What nonsense is Najib talking about? The opposition has been administering Penang and Selangor without corruption and people are happy. You mean they can't govern Putrajaya with better improvement?

The Chinese, given a choice, would prefer a government that is fair, clean, efficient and progressive unlike the present BN, which is corrupt to the core and inefficient. Does Najib know how easy for the people to get approval from the Selangor state government these days? Dream on Najib.

Anonymous_4196: I think it is not wise and professional to threaten the business community. The business community ought to support and do business with anyone regardless their background as long as it is done with honesty, sincerity, mutually beneficial and does not cause the rakyat to suffer in any way.

I don't do business with corrupted and dishonest people or people who ask for kickbacks.

Myop101: Najib, ask yourself, what difference does it make? What is the stick that you will wield on those who back the opposition?

Withdraw their licences? Many operate without one because of red tapes. Pull their bank financing? Like they can even secure one easily in the first place? Boycott purchases from them by all government and GLCs (government-linked companies)? Most are not even in the approved suppliers list in the first place.

What are you going to do? Try clamping down on a community pushed to a corner. We know how to respond at the ballot boxes.

Mega Maniac: Corruption at all levels of government machinery is certainly bleeding the country to death. All of us know this and unlike other developing countries, we have become experts on how to do it by using sophisticated business and financial models.

This has earned the country world's No 5 in terms of illegal outflow of funds. Most of these are ‘black money' laundered by well-connected businessmen. Solving this is the prerequisite to achieving other national objectives.

Giving a rude shake to the existing structure could be one possible solution but it gives us no guarantee it would really work. It may even get worse. We need to address this squarely and urgently. Not doing anything is a sin.

Disgusted: The business community had up to their necks with a corrupt government where the cost of doing business has been padded with kickbacks and hidden costs which makes it difficult for them to do business locally. Moreover, countries like China and Vietnam are becoming more market-driven.

Thailand and Indonesia are able to produce goods at a lower cost than we can. The biggest hindrance is NEP, Islamisation and a screwed-up education system producing moronic/robotic workforce which is neither creative nor innovative. The flight of brains from this country to greener pastures due to not practicing meritocracy has done great harm to businesses operating in Malaysia, both foreign and local.

Corruption, increasing crime index, ineffective and a biased police force as well as the judiciary only make things worse. In all aspects, Malaysia has become worse under Najib and people want a effective change, not rhetoric and promises which are not kept.

Changeagent: Najib said that customers were willing to pay more to have certain features removed from the iPad. On the same token, many long-suffering Malaysians are willing to pay the higher price of political persecution, harassment, imprisonment, fear and pain to have Najib and BN removed from government.

Rayfire: Respect and support should be earned through positive and wholesome actions and principles put into practice by the government of the day. It is not something you bluntly ask for, despite showing no significant difference other than introducing new and meaningless slogans.

Ask far as I can see, BN subscribes to buying support rather than earning them. These superficial support is never long lasting. So please take a long reflective moment to analyse your flip-flops, which seems more rampant than your predecessor, and the many unanswered questions about sincerity of BN in making changes before requesting for support. Comprende?

dILA: Just one question: Why did the organiser put the picture of Rosmah Mansor in the backdrop banner? Is this a husband-and-wife event or a government event?

 

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paid subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.