An inspirational Mahatma Gandhi quote, which was of great comport to many in his time I am sure, and also offered hope to those at the forefront of the Hindraf movement:
When I despair, I remember that all through history
the ways of truth and love have always won. There
have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they
can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall.
Think of it--always.
Source:
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33237.html
And when I despair, when I wonder just how much more UMNO/BN can seemingly get away with, I remind myself - "ALWAYS!"
Kleptocracy, alternatively cleptocracy or kleptarchy, from Greek klepto (theft) and kratos (rule), is a term applied to a government that extends the personal wealth and political power of government officials and the ruling class (collectively, kleptocrats), via the embezzlement of state funds at the expense of the wider population, sometimes without even the pretense of honest service. Political corruption is closely tied to the internal workings of a Kleptocracy.
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Kleptocracies are often dictatorships or some other form of autocratic and nepotist government, or lapsed democracies that have transformed into oligarchies.[citation needed] A kleptocratic ruler typically treats his country's treasury as though it were his own personal bank account.
Effects
The effects of a kleptocratic regime or government on a nation are typically adverse in regards to the faring of the state's economy, political affairs and civil rights. Kleptocracy in government often vitiates prospects of foreign investment and drastically weakens the domestic market and cross-border trade. As the kleptocracy normally embezzles money from its citizens by misusing funds derived from tax payments, or money laundering schemes, a kleptocratically structured political system tends to degrade nearly everyone's quality of life.
In addition, the money that kleptocrats steal is often taken from funds that were earmarked for public amenities, such as the building of hospitals, schools, roads, parks and the like - which has further adverse effects on the quality of life of the citizens living under a kleptocracy.[1] The quasi-oligarchy that results from a kleptocratic elite also subverts democracy (or any other political format the state is ostensibly under).[2]
Examples
Historical
According to one source, an old case of a kleptocratic governed state was Kievan Rus' where the alliance between Varangians and Slavic élites set up this type of government which resisted all attacks until 1240 when the Tatars conquered Kiev.[3]
Modern
Transparency International ranking
In early 2004, the anti-corruption Germany-based NGO Transparency International released a list of what it believes to be the ten most self-enriching leaders in recent years.[4]
In order of amount allegedly stolen (in USD), they are:
Former Indonesian President Suharto ($15 billion – $35 billion)
Former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos ($5 billion – $10 billion)
Former Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko ($5 billion)
Former Nigerian President Sani Abacha ($2 billion – $5 billion)
Current Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ( $1 billion - $1.7 Billion )
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Miloševic ($1 billion)
Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvalier ($300 million – $800 million)
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori ($600 million)
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko ($114 million – $200 million)
Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán ($100 million)
Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada ($78 million – $80 million)
dear HH, each time i buka your blog mesti mau watch the Dean's roastings
ReplyDelete> 10 kali, really enjoy watching & listening to their jokes ....manyak terima kasih ! any new ones pls ? ...
cant find them even di youtube laa !
( anthony mus of ipoh )
tq, HH, love you !
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