FBC OUT, OBG IN. IS IT BECAUSE THE BN RAGS CAN’T DO THE JOB?

Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and PM Najib Razak have been trumpeting their economic policies in the light of plaudits given by an outfit called the Oxford Business Group. However, the Editorial Director of these reports is none other than a former Editor of the UK’s most ridiculed PORN RAG, the Daily Sport, which closed earlier this year.

OBG’s Report Sarawak 2011 described the pivotal juncture that Sarawak has reached as it prepared itself for faster economic growth by encouraging the private sector to get involved in major infrastructure developments:

“We are conscious of the fact that the global competition for capital and economic advantages is getting more intense every year as more countries and regions emerge onto the world stage, offering constant advantages, market access and new investment opportunities,” …….

“At the same time, we firmly believe that the current global economic cycle favours the Asean region which has emerged as a new safe haven for international investors and multinational companies. In this region, Sarawak stands out as a leading example of Asean’s growth potential,…… Sarawak’s economy accounts for nearly 20 per cent of Malaysia’s total GDP (gross domestic product)……. The state is blessed with natural resources that underpin its economic growth fundamentals.”

Explaining the significance of the praises lavished on Sarawak and Malaysia by the Oxford Busines Group, the Chief Minister’s own website claimed that the publication“provides in-depth detail on Sarawak’s current economic outlook and what the future holds for the state”.

Undoubedtedly OBG never heard of the Penans, the denuded forests and the White Elephant Dam.

AND DO YOU KNOW WHO ELSE USES THIS “highly acclaimed” OXFORD BUSINESS GROUP?

OBG’s The Report Libya painted a rosy representation of the dictatorship of Ghadaffi:

“The country’s earlier political history was troubled, but since 1969 [the date of Ghadaffi's coup] institutions have developed at a steady pace and are now largely stable”!

A few months after this insightful report the people of Libya had risen up against their dictator and the rest is history.

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The OBG, which describes itself as “highly acclaimed” reported glowingly of Tunisia’s hated former President, Ben Ali. Just weeks before the uprising that deposed him, the Report Tunisia stated:

With rising levels of private sector investment, a robust manufacturing segment and a diversified array of energy and agricultural resources, Tunisia is well placed for economic growth in the coming years. As domestic energy consumption rises, the country is now exploring its gas reserves to prevent an import dependency. Already home to one of North Africa’s best education systems, Tunisia is looking to become a regional health care centre, with the volume of medical tourists rising. ……political and social stability lie at the core of the Tunisian model!

And WTF is Ben Ali now?

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Sarawak Report has investigated the UK headquarters of Oxford Business Group, which claims to have been publishing country reports since 1994. There is no relationship to Oxford the town nor Oxford the University. The London HQ advertised on the company’s website is in fact an office rental centre, where rooms can be let on demand. We were informed that the Oxford Business Group no longer has office space in the building, although “they sometimes still come in and out.

According to the OBG website :

“Oxford Business Group’s in-depth coverage and research is produced in-country by our teams of experienced and specialist analysts.

For each country we cover, we aim not only to provide macro-analysis of key sectors but also to identify investment opportunities in sub-sectors, all supported by graphs and statistics”.

MORE ON OBG HERE