Malaysiakini YOURSAY: Forest City claims - Dr M playing politics, not economics. Some extracts follow:
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Siberia: There seem to be mixed reactions from all commenters here, including myself. On one hand, what's wrong with these rich people spending money here and boosting our domestic consumption?
On the other hand, is Mahathir worried that these 700,000 people, mainly mainland Chinese buyers, will be given citizenship and voting rights?
If yes, then this is a case of Mahathir tasting his own medicine - Mahathir was the alleged mastermind of Project IC in Sabah in the 90s where 700,000 foreigners were allegedly granted citizenship in Sabah.
Many viewed the project as politically motivated as it altered the voting pattern in Sabah to favour the ruling government.
Puzzling: One only needs to visit China to observe how progressive they are, with a relentless push towards a higher standard of living.
Minus the rural areas, wages in many cities in China have already surpassed ours. Do you really think many of them wish to live here given our discriminatory policies?
In any case, the Johor MB did not say that while the China Chinese stay in luxury houses, Malaysians have to live in cheap houses. Mahathir is just putting words in his mouth.
Just in case Mahathir has forgotten, land is a state matter and hence the power to sell or not to sell to foreigners rests with the states.
Also in case Mahathir is confused, the Malaysia My Second Home programme does not require a foreigner to buy any property, fixed deposits will do. Hence it has no relation to the purchasing of properties in Forest City.
It is presumptuous of Mahathir to assume that these foreign Chinese want to apply for permanent residency and citizenship.
Even if they want to, the power to grant them rests entirely in the hands of the federal government. Hence it is far-fetched to assume that these 700,000 will become permanent residents or citizens. That is utter nonsense.
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because of you Jibby |
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he was aiming for Banzai Japs, not Chinapeks |