Legacy Of Lost Opportunity
[Reprinted from Malaysiakini.com, SEEING IT MY WAY, November 8, 2005]
M. Bakri Musa
Legacy of Lost Opportunity
With Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi entering his third year in office, many are disappointed that his previous bold commitments for reform were nothing more than a politician’s promise. Still, there are those who claim that the man is capable of greatness; just give him time, or a chance.
Unlike many, I am not disappointed with Abdullah’s performance. I did not expect much, and he did not deliver much. His wife’s illness was certainly a major factor lately, but my low assessment of his capability is based on his performance long before that.
Abdullah served in many senior cabinet positions before becoming Prime Minister. He has a long track record; all we have to do is scrutinize it.
There is nothing substantive to his legacy as Education Minister. Today, he expounds on the importance of English, but he did nothing to stem the decline of English in our schools and universities when he was in charge of that ministry. Of significance, the number of religious teachers exploded during his tenure.
Today, he decries the corruption and inefficiency of the police force, and the pubic applauds him for appointing the Police Commission. What is conveniently forgotten is that as Home Affairs Minister, he was in charge of the force. As for the Commission’s Report, it is stuck in some cabinet committee somewhere.
Abdullah Badawi’s ability to execute is severely wanting. In our system of governance, a minister is the chief executive of his or her ministry, not a ceremonial head or chairman of the board. Abdullah is more comfortable playing the role of the detached, imperial sultan who issues endless edicts, or titahs. Malaysians, in particular Malays, are more than willing to indulge him. Witness the increasingly common sight of citizens and subordinates kissing his hand. Nor does he discourage such displays of fealty.
Like Carter, Not Reagan
In my book The Malay Dilemma Revisited, I likened Abdullah Badawi to America’s President Jimmy Carter, a decent and honorable enough man, but a completely ineffective leader.
Abdullah’s number one fan, later to be his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, vehemently protested and intimated that Abdullah would be more like Ronald Reagan. Such flights of fancy ignore certain realities.
Reagan was a man of firm convictions, and he was not shy in expressing them even if that meant embarrassing his guests or hosts. His famous “evil empire” characterization of the Soviet system may have discomfited many diplomats and heads of states, but it expressed Reagan’s firm belief.
In contrast, Abdullah’s convictions and beliefs, if he has any, are mushy. That is why he has not clearly articulated them. When he did express them, as his resolve to get rid of corruption and for Malays to dispense with special privileges, he crumbled at the first obstacle.
He should have seized the opportunity provided by Isa Samad and Kasitah Gaddam to sack them immediately. Instead, he let the matter drag. In the end, they were not fired but simply resigned. They were not even forced to do so; they quit more to spare poor Pak Lah unnecessary embarrassment.
When UMNO Youth’s leaders called for expanding the New Economic Policy with its rigid quota system, there was not a whimper of admonishment from Abdullah. He tacitly went along with the rhetoric, forgetting his earlier “Towering Malay” aspirations.
Reagan never hesitated in firing his key personnel. Donald Regan, who served as both Treasury Secretary as well as Chief of Staff, felt the sting of Reagan’s ruthlessness. Donald Regan complained in his memoir how he was made to feel like an office boy when Reagan fired him. The former chairman of Merrill Lynch did not take his dismissal easily.
Reagan’s widely acknowledged lack of intellectual depth did not prevent him from hiring and engaging the best American minds. Milton Friedman, the Nobel laureate in Economics, was a frequent White House visitor. Reagan’s cabinet included many luminaries.
Excuses After Excuses
Abdullah’s many admirers are perpetual optimists. When Abdullah succeeded Mahathir, they assured us that once Mahathir’s long shadow had receded, Abdullah would then really shine. Later, the excuse was, “Wait till after the election!” Having won an overwhelming mandate from an electorate longing for change, Abdullah still hesitated. His supporters then used the excuse that he had to secure his position in UMNO. Wait till the UMNO General Assembly! Now it is his wife’s death. “Wait ‘till the mourning is over!” I can already hear the next excuse, “Wait till the second term!”
These are expressions less of conviction, more of hope.
Surprisingly, Abdullah is getting favorable reviews from one unlikely source, south of the causeway. Knowing the state of press freedom there, one can reasonably conclude that the establishment too shares the same view of the man.
Today’s Singapore leaders, unlike their elders, have become more sophisticated. They have finally learned the finer ways of the Malays. Flatter a Malay, and he willingly parts with his heirloom. The British learned that very quickly, which was how they managed to get the Sultan of Johore to part with Singapore. The British managed to “advise” the Malay sultans by giving them the pretension that their thrones were on par with the British crown, and their rickety wooden istanas comparable to Buckingham palace.
Singapore’s younger Lee has learned that the way for Temasek to invest in Khazanah, or the island to have its cheap water rights to Johore secure, is to stroke Abdullah’s ego. Unlike Mahathir, whose massive ego would be difficult for anyone to massage, Abdullah’s is more manageable.
I have no problem with Singapore investing in Malaysia. Greater integration between the two makes great sense, not just from the business or economic perspective. I would encourage that. Singapore however should not get any preferential advantage; it must pay the market, and Malaysia must get the best price. Meaning, Malaysia should welcome any entity to invest in its GLCs.
Fortunately, Malaysia has come a long way in the last fifty years. We have had many relatively honest and fair elections. The private sector is vibrant, and Malaysians are very much in tune with the world. The Internet has effectively broken the government’s monopoly and control on information. The nation has thrived despite not because of its government.
Viewed thus, Abdullah’s lack of execution is a blessing; he could not muck up the system even if he tried. Were Abdullah to have the ruthlessness and efficiency of Pol Pot or Saddam Hussein, then Malaysia would be in great trouble. He is not, and Malaysians ought to be grateful. Nonetheless, I never underestimate the ability of an individual to create havoc. An idiot with a match could burn down a city, but only if the place is full of garbage and does not have an effective fire department.
Abdullah is a man of modest ambition, and he has far exceeded that by becoming Prime Minister. He now awaits his retirement and the expected Tunship.
While we could be smugly satisfied were Abdullah to finish his term without creating a mess, in today’s world however, if you are not progressing, you are by default regressing, as the world around you forges ahead.
Viewed from this perspective, the first two years of Abdullah’s tenure as Prime Minister was simply a lost opportunity. He secured a massive mandate in the 2004 elections, but squandered it. I see nothing in his record or personality to suggest that the rest of his term will be any different. Abdullah’s legacy then will be one of lost opportunity.
November 12th, 2005 at 2:15 am
Either way, Pak Lah has done the country a favour, in my opinion, by being such a lax leader. He has allowed idiots like Badruddin Amiruldin to showcase their anachronistic beliefs and permitted corruption scandals such as the APs issue to be waved in front of the public’s eyes for all to see. This can only heighten awareness of the corruption of our system of government and those running it, and encourage more people to take a stand and do something about it.
Incidentally, Dr. Bakri, I think your article would be an excellent description of Anwar Ibrahim, except minus the modest expectations part - Anwar seeks power, and he has the charisma and appearance of sincerity to do so. Unfortunately, he has a terrible record while he was in the government, where he not only never called for reformasi (comfortably waiting for Mahathir to throw him out before he would do so) and his policies were lacklustre. The only achievements of his I can remember are the introduction of the RM1 coin (now phased out), the introduction of moral education (utterly useless) and cutting off the oxygen to Mahathir’s nepotic enterprises, which seems to have been more of a serendipitous action than an intentional cutting down on graft.
Perhaps the saddest thing is that UMNO Youth is probably justified in calling for quotas, since those are one of the few things our Constitution authorises for aiding the Malays (and other indigenous peoples).
November 12th, 2005 at 8:05 am
Abdullah is a wishy washy prime minister – who became prime minister by accident. And as in all accident cases, we need to call an ambulance to have him whisked away for his own good - and for the good of this country.
November 12th, 2005 at 8:09 am
…but look who is waiting in the wings! The Prince of Darkness!
November 12th, 2005 at 8:21 am
Dear Bakri,
Yours is a very provocative piece this time. I am going to add to it, and let us both see what visitors to your blog/website will say.
People around Badawi are basically self-serving apologists. They are encircling him and will soon shower him with heaps of praises and stories that he likes to hear. They will keep telling Badawi, the Malay emperor, that he has beautiful clothes, until a small boy starts shouting that he only has his underwears. When he is laid bare, these same guys will walk away in search of another patron, and the same act will continue. I call this disease “bodekism” in a Malay feudal setting.
Excuses? How right you are! They are already telling me at today’s (November 12) Tun Dr. Mahathir’s Open House which I attended at Marina Mahathir’s invitation that I should be patient and wait for the 9th Malaysia Plan to see real action. Did they mean that in the last two years, his actions were unreal, just sandiwara?
It will take an optimist to say that Badawi will be leading our country for a second term. Since he has squandered his political capital and will have exhausted all excuses, he will be lucky if UMNO does not pass a vote of no confidence in his leadership during the next General Assembly in 2006. At the rate he is going with the economy, he will be tempting them to do so.
Even the joker, Dato Badruddin, the MP from Yen, Kedah, cannot help him with his pantuns and lawak jenaka.
Thanks.
November 12th, 2005 at 10:00 am
Dr. Bakri & Bro Din,
Sad isn’t, that a person given an exclusive mandate somewhat on a silver platter just ends up with ad-hoc decisions. What 9th Malaysia plan? The world is moving, and moving fast, and these people are still talking. Well, I mentioned that there are no credible brains around him who has the mettle to handle effectively our country’s problems. All are opportunists waiting to grab the limelight.
Well, we have been writing about what is wrong with Abdullah and the govt. he leads. What are the alternatives? Where do we go from here? Honestly I want Abdullah to succeed for the good of Malaysians but will he be able to make it? Yes, I have reservations. In the absence of any credible person in the present administration what are we to do? I cannot see anyone who would be a justifiable option. While the economies around us are galloping we have become regressive. Any suggestions Bro Din?
November 12th, 2005 at 10:10 am
Some call it “bodekism” others call it “wayang kulit”. Whatever term one may use to describe the charade by the hangers-on, the objective is the same. To gain as much before the gravy train comes to a grinding stop.
I was on the same flight with the former defence minister playing golf at the Tuanku Jaafar Golf Club in Seremban many years ago. One of the players was the out-going army chief. When the minister bungled his tee-shot on the frst hole, the rest shouted “mullagan” and allowed him to continue. It took the poor guy over ten strokes to complete a par-4 hole. It was the same throughout the next 17 holes.
At the end of the game, the guest of honour was given a huge hamper that was meant for the winner. The army chief wanted an extension and was prepared to be a water boy on that day. He did not get what he wanted and had to leave without much of a fanfare.
The apologists in the crowd will do anything to ensure their survival, even to the extent of selling their souls. For the right price, that is.
When you have such fanatical followers how is Badawi going to know whether he has his clothes on or not? Even as we argue his “menantu” is planning ahead laying the ground work for his father-in-law in the mistaken belief that he will be richly rewarded in the not-too-distant future.
That’s the trouble with our Malay politicians, especially infantile ones like Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishamuddin, they think that they are pre-destined to lead the nation and that positions in Umno are their birth right.
November 12th, 2005 at 10:15 am
I think we should nominate abang Din Merican sebagai Special Advisor kepada Perdana Mentri. Apa kata anda?
November 12th, 2005 at 10:25 am
Fathol: When you have such fanatical followers how is Badawi going to know whether he has his clothes on or not?
Well, he would know he is naked when the caddy stares at his crotch rather than at his balls.
November 12th, 2005 at 12:44 pm
I am a female Chinese Malaysian, living in the Washington DC area in the United States. I have read many of the letters that often talk about foreign countries when the writers have no real knowledge of actually living in those countries.
Many draw conclusions about what those countries are like after hearing it from someone else or by reading and hearing about them in the media or after four years in a college town in those countries.
I finished STPM with outstanding results from the prestigious St. George’s Girls School in Penang. Did I get a university place from the Malaysian government? Nothing. With near perfect scores, I had nothing, while my bumi friends were getting offers to go overseas.
Even those with 2As got into university. I was so depressed. I was my parents’ last hope for getting the family out of poverty and at 18, I thought I had failed my parents. Today, I understand it was the Malaysian government that had failed me and my family because of its discriminatory policies.
Fortunately, I did not give up and immediately did research at the Malaysian American Commission on Education Exchange (MACEE) to find a university in the US that would accept me and provide all the finances. My family and friends thought I was crazy, being the youngest of nine children of a very poor carpenter. Anything that required a fee was out of our reach.
Based on merit and my extracurricular activities of community service in secondary school, I received full tuition scholarship, work study, and grants to cover the four years at a highly competitive US university.
Often, I took 21 credits each semester, 15 credits each term while working 20 hours each week and maintaining a 3.5 CGPA. A couple of semesters, I also received division scholarships and worked as a TA (teaching assistant) on top of everything else.
For the work study, I worked as a custodian (yes, cleaning toilets), computer lab assistant, carpet layer, grounds keeping, librarian, painter, tour guide, etc. If you understand the US credit system, you will understand this is a heavy load.
Why did I do it? This is because I learnt as a young child from my parents that hard work is an opportunity, to give my best in everything, and to take pride in the work I do. I walked away with a double major and a minor with honours but most of all a great lesson in humility and a great respect for those who are forced to labour in so-called ‘blue collar’ positions.
Those of you who think you know all about Australia, US, or the West, think again. Unless you have really lived in these countries, i.e. paid taxes, paid a mortgage, taken part in elections, you do not understand the level of commitment and hard work it takes to be successful in these countries, not just for immigrants but for people who have lived here for generations.
These people are where they are today because of hard work. (Of course, I am not saying everyone in the US is hardworking. There is always the lazy lot which lives off of someone else’s hard work. Fortunately, they are the minority.)
Every single person, anywhere, should have the opportunity to succeed if they want to put in the effort and be accountable for their own actions. In the end, they should be able to reap what they sow.
It is bearable that opportunities are limited depending on how well-off financially one’s family is but when higher education opportunities are race-based, like it is in Malaysia; it is downright cruel for those who see education as the only way out of poverty.
If you want to say discrimination is here in the US, yes, of course it is. Can you name a country where it doesn’t happen? But let me tell you one thing - if you go looking for it, you will find it. But in Malaysia, you don’t have to go look for it because it seeks you out, slaps you in your face every which way you turn, and is sanctioned by law!
Here in the US, my children have the same opportunity to go to school and learn just like their black, white, and immigrant friends. At school, they eat the same food, play the same games, are taught the same classes and when they are 18, they will still have the same opportunities.
Why would I want to bring my children back to Malaysia? So they can suffer the state-sanctioned discrimination as the non-bumis have for over 30 years?
As for being a slave in the foreign country, I am a happy ’slave’ earning a good income as an IT project manager. I work five days a week; can talk bad about the president when I want to; argue about politics, race and religion openly; gather with more than 50 friends and family when I want (no permit needed) and I don’t worry about the police pulling me over because they say I ran the light when I didn’t.
How about you………….?
November 12th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
We made a decision to emigrate to Australia 15 years ago deserting my high fly corporate position with our three children.
If history could turn back, we would still do the same.
It is a joke when our three children are fully qualified in their respective professions, then our Malaysia leaders only realize that “Actually English is very important in this era of globalization, let’s go back to English again in our primary school for science and mathematics subjects”.
It is fortunate that we had our own thinking and were able to jump out from this “black box” of trial and error type of management in practically every aspect of the government administration machinery. As a result, our children do not waste their precious years.
Our children enjoy the experience of equal opportunity not only in education but also in employment. That has a very strong impact in character development because then they believe in themselves i.e. their own ability and equal opportunity available for personal development to the fullest extent. And they could fight for their own rights too simply because the environment encourages them to do so i.e. Freedom to think, and freedom to express. They enjoy their work in their respective professions and they have both close Asian and Australian friends.
The Australian authority treats the problem of racial discrimination very seriously and takes action very fast. I still remember those days when my youngest son was teased by certain racial remarks by his schoolmate. My wife reported the case to the school authority and after a proper investigation, the Aussie kid was made to make a public apology to my son and was suspended a week from school attendance.
Australia herself is a country of migrants from all over the world, the Britishs, the Italians and other Europeans also never give up their citizenships though they may stay for over many many years. If they tell you to go back to China, you have equal right to tell them to go back to whatever country they come from. “Fight for your right” is the spirit.
What we are concerned is actually the management of the country. There is enough wealth to be distributed among all the people who can theoretically enjoy better education, better life and medical facility. But poor management and the evil “corruption” have eroded away what the people deserve. If people demand a change, “racialism” is always a powerful tool to protect the regime.
The Australian government extinguishes any little spark that concerns racial issue. There are strict laws and they are very good in enforcement. The two party systems ensure no one monopolizes the government. If the government is not good, people will vote it out for sure.
It is a land of plenty, and of equal opportunity for everyone. One will make his way if he is prepared to seize the opportunity and work hard for it. No one believes in “God” will give, and most believes the creation and reward from their own hands and intelligence.
Though we pay high taxes, the future is more or less ensured as in case we are sick or in difficulty, we have all the assistance from the authority. It is the right for every kid in Australia to have the opportunity to finish his tertiary education if he could make an attempt and possible financial assistance is always there.
Australia’s economy is very robust now and most graduates and school leavers are doing very well. My three kids who are qualified as professionals at a very young age are doing very well. They would not have achieved that type of level if we were to remain in our country of birth. Thank God!
We face less racial discrimination in university and workplace in Australia than in our country of birth.
The ironical fact is that we are being treated more a first class citizen in our host country than in our own country.
Human rights, good administration, equal opportunity and transparency convince us that it is no point wasting our precious time in our own country.
If you really miss our own country, earn and save more money in the host country and join the shiver hair program later on. If you have the money, any country will welcome you for sure.
In general, it is an educated society. People talk not shout, and people reason not accuse and more over it is a much cleaner and more beautiful place to live. I am pleased with my decision and have no regret at all.
November 12th, 2005 at 12:53 pm
molisa
Wow, that’s quite an inspirational story……..
But can I ask, what is meaning of nation? What is meaning of freedom? And what is meaning of citizenship?
What is meaning of slavery? Etc.
I hope will read story with more care to get these answers!
Our legal system sucks, our government sucks, our sport sucks, the people sucks too……
Is there anything about Malaysia that doesn’t suck?
That’s why I sent my son to study oversea. I want him to learn the culture of other people not just the standard of study in this country.
Any welcome to Malaysia - the only country in the world (another world record) where majority needs the protection from minority.
Actually we have a very good country.
We have a very good people, multi cultured, multi racial, we live very happily long long time ago even before independence.
But after Umno taking over the country, everything, many things change!
The protectionism and bumi special rights are the roots to our today problems.
I myself feel very sad to see what is happening in Malaysia. The country is getting sick, very sick!
I was in the same situation way back in 1980s. My only choice was to go to Australia. I am happy I did. Now I can retire in any country I want, including Malaysia. If I had been accepted in the Malaysian university, I would have less than a fifth of what I have now.
Hoping some miracles will happen in future……….
November 12th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Well, I worked in a few different countries and I have met some transplanted or former Malaysians (Chinese or Indian and even mixed blood). Almost all of them narrated the same treatment they received while they were in Malaysia, when I asked them why they wanted to leave the beautiful country Malaysia.
I have talked to an automotive engineer in Germany (ex-Malaysian married to a German); I met a mining engineer formerly from Ipoh who now lives in Canada; I met a petroleum engineer in Australia who is specialized in fracture stimulation (whatever that is);
I met a spacecraft engineer in Houston who has nothing good to say about Malaysia……….many more people with great talents and expertise who have given up Malaysian citizenships……….most interesting was a malay women who married to an American geologist……….she did not repay her RM90000 Mara loan and do not want to return to Malaysia.
So……….now I am in Malaysia for a year and I realized what those people told me about……….Most of what they said I can now sympathies and understand the situation.
They never ever regret the choice make to give up Malaysian citizenships. Being a non-malay is a second or third class citizen in this country.
My job here is not to change the political situation……….I am just saying what I come across……….
November 12th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
For those who are already in oversea and live comfortably. There is no reason for you to come back to Malaysia. Life in Malaysia is getting tougher each day.
Frankly, as a Chinese, I don’t see there is any future for our next generation.
Another dangerous mentor that people always use is JFK “Don’t ask what the country can do for you, ask what you can do for the country”.
Is sound nice, but isn’t how German Nazi and Japan militarism start the world war using the same mentor? Under the great “ask what you can do for the country”.
Patriotism? Yes, I understand how you feel. Your love for the country was spoilt by the political party. Since non-malays will always be a second-class citizen, so you are probably the same in any other countries, if not better.
You get cannibalised by your own countrymen, intellectually and professionally.
As someone else advised, be a Global citizen.
Patriotism does not need you to be in Malaysia to work your due. Let no one pointed at you and say you are a traitor if your true intention is to generate good deeds for Malaysia wherever you are.
Save your time about coming back to Malaysia. Nothing will change in Malaysia. At least not even in this lifetime. Racism will still be here to stay, and also everything else.
I think there is such an entrenched discrimination against the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia, that it will take probably a whole generation to undo the damaged.
This is happening in whole spectrum of the Malaysian government, civil service, state governments and universities. Just look at percentage of malays in all these government bodies - 98%……….
A whole generation of malays has been brought up to think that it’s their inherited right to own Malaysia. The other races are damned.
I think the malays especially those in power, are scared right now that if they will to compete openly with other races, they will surely be the loser. You will see very strong resistance to hire other races even the most qualified.
The malays are never brought up to compete on even ground. This is fault of previous PM and now the present PM has to tread a balance ground to ensure the malays are not cast away as well as to make Malaysia competitive worldwide.
In US I never met a malay immigrant, although there are thousands of Malaysian Chinese and Indian immigrants. Why? Malays in Malaysia have an easier life where they are literately prince of the land.
We have infrastructure good enough to be considered first world or better. Look at the Cyberjaya, Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya?
Gleaming high-rise buildings but also in every city, dirty toilets abound, litter clogging up the drains, public telephones damaged, plus unreliable rubbish collection and disposal. We just treat public facilities badly, not caring about others.
Being an urban dweller myself, I am constantly disheartened by the poor public infrastructure and upkeep in our capital city.
Faulty pedestrian traffic signals, illogical positioning of bus stops, poor public cleanliness, poor quality sidewalks (which are paved using slippery tiles), un-integrated and poorly managed public transportation system, the list goes on.
Your children can’t even walk safely along the Kuala Lumpur streets, as they might be bags snatched, kidnapped, murdered, raped, or robbed, as they do not know the jungle laws of Malaysia. The police won’t help much as they now have a big pile of corruption cases running after them.
You owe nothing to Malaysia, you pay your due, so live on.
So, my last advice. Don’t come back unless you are really suffering in oversea.
I’m sorry this sounds very racist but I think we have to be honest in discussion.
November 12th, 2005 at 2:29 pm
i remember you as that guy who goes by the nick, “racist” in limkitsiang.blogspot.com. apparently you have migrated to this blog to post your sentiment on the issue of racial discrimination.
“For those who are already in oversea and live comfortably. There is no reason for you to come back to Malaysia.”
the fact is there are many malaysians making a living abroad, who are struggling to make ends meet and saving so that they can return (to begin afresh).
“Since non-malays will always be a second-class citizen, so you are probably the same in any other countries..”
there is racial discrimination. the difference is that in united states there are laws against it - but they still discriminate. you dont even realise they do- when they do. whereas in malaysia they do it openly - racial discrimination is institutionalised. which is better? you decide.
the playing field was not level to begin with. they tried to level the playing field so that the malays stood a fair chance.. they saw it as a way to ensure political stability and racial harmony. the policy was not to enrich a few politically connected malays or to deny malaysians like molisa.
there are four of us Malays right here in new york. we have adopted the U.S. as our country - one of my kids is married to a U.S. citizen and doing well.
“(referring to malaysia)… dirty toilets abound, litter clogging up the drains, public telephones damaged, plus unreliable rubbish collection and disposal. … poor public infrastructure and upkeep in our capital city.”
“Faulty pedestrian traffic signals, illogical positioning of bus stops, poor public cleanliness, poor quality sidewalks (which are paved using slippery tiles), un-integrated and poorly managed public transportation system, the list goes on.”
you can find the same here in the united states. depends where you are.
“You get cannibalised by your own countrymen, intellectually and professionally.”
when we left malaysia, they were not eating people over there.
“So, my last advice. Don’t come back unless you are really suffering in oversea.”
thanks for the advice. but i would like to return one day to visit the place where i was born. i love the chinese food over there.
November 12th, 2005 at 2:32 pm
P.S.
i love the chinese girls over there too. i almost married one.
November 12th, 2005 at 2:34 pm
to molisa
i am so very sorry.
November 12th, 2005 at 2:43 pm
to molisa again
as a malay and a malaysian, i feel ashamed for what did not happen for you back in malaysia.
November 12th, 2005 at 4:57 pm
Molisa
In your brief narration about your life struggle, your misfortune in not being able to receive financial assistance of any kind, you rightly differentiate the (Malay-dominated) government from the people - the Malays. Most do not, and equate one with the other. It is wrong to do so.
Your problem has not been just with the Malaysian government. Your problem is wider than that. The system failed you – not just the government. You have fallen within the cracks in the system.
A classmate of my son, a son of a former Minister when offered a place in one of the prestigious institutions in the U.K. Cambridge University refused to apply for a government scholarship and had his education financed through other means because he felt it would be wrong to apply and deny somebody else of the opportunity. Another classmate of his did not get good results for his exam but was offered a Petronas scholarship but felt very guilty afterwards because his father could afford to pay his way. Also he knew he got the scholarship based on his father’s connections – and not on merit. One should be commended for his exemplary behaviour – and, to be sure, there are not many like that. The other cannot be blamed. Would you refuse an offer of scholarship when offered one?
My kids attended the International School in KL and continued their education abroad because I could afford it. I did not seek government assistance of any kind for them.
Would I myself have been able to attend university without a scholarship? No. I had good results in my exam (at the time, exam scripts were corrected in England) and was offered a place by the University of Singapore (relatively rare for a Malay since Malaysia has its own university) but could not afford it. During my days as an undergrad I could not afford anything more than goring pisang for supper when some of my other college mates, Chinese and natives from Sarawak and Sabah included, could afford to gamble away the money they receive through poker games and some just living it off, spending their money in cabarets. Even then something was not quite right.
November 12th, 2005 at 7:47 pm
I am currently in one of the top UK universities. Here, we have arguably some of the best minds from the younger generation of Malaysia; many of the top scorers from all over converge here. Every year, around 40 of us enter the university, as undergraduates or postgraduates, and every year, around the same number graduate.
So how many actually go back to Malaysia to contribute their talents to the country? Safe to say, not more than 10 percent of the whole lot. Why? Because quite a number us are disenchanted by the system.
For those who have worked their guts out under the public education system, they just want to get out. This is especially true for those from lower- and middle-income families who have to struggle beyond all odds just because they are not ‘special,’ punished by the system not because of their abilities, but because of their skin colour.
Prospects for them to explore their potentials here in the UK after graduation are unhindered by any discriminatory systems.
What about the rest of the younger generation who are not so lucky? Many above-average Malaysian students are denied proper local tertiary education and end up being picked by universities from our neighbouring country (look for Singapore).
Hundreds of talented students are there because they were not given the proper opportunity at home. After graduating, most of them have to work in that foreign country for a couple of years and chances are that a great portion of them will not be coming back.
I have talked to a close friend from in a similar situation recently and he told to me that it is very depressing; in his own words, he said that he feels “like a destitute, unwanted by his own country,” and yet he does not really feel as though he belongs where he is now.
Brain drain by the tank-loads is what we get. Every single year, Malaysia loses people who could potentially contribute to the country immensely.
November 12th, 2005 at 7:48 pm
We have never experienced any racial discrimination in any form whatsoever the many years I have been in Canada. A Vietnamese sushi chef here I know was once a refugee at Pulau Betong. He, like many others, I know has prospered and his children have all gone through university.
Malaysia’s loss of talent to other countries is the result of the pervasive special rights now entrenched in the constitution.
It was meant to last for 25 years to allow - in the words of the first prime minister - “the malays to catch up with the Chinese”. It is now 47 years later.
In foreign countries such as Canada, it is the majority that has to take care of minority rights be it the gays, the natives, the women and whatever groups there are. We pay heavy taxes but these go for the poor and low-income people irrespective of race, colour or creed.
So the malay, you may keep your rights and perpetuate them. Such things are archaic. Who loses in the end? Your country, which should have been a first world one by today.
November 12th, 2005 at 7:51 pm
It is over in San Francisco and I love respond to the question. Emigration is very common. Our family had been emigrated to USA (me), my elder brother (UK), my younger brother (Taiwan) and youngest brother (Canada).
All of them are doing very well. I am almost light year ahead of my Malaysian counterpart who did not move. Believe me, I do not have much grudge against the government.
As far as I am concerned, it is a matter of survival for our family. I just cannot wait for the ’system’ to be totally fair. Because there is not such things. Even in many countries where there is only one race, there will be other self made problems such as left and right, and so on.
My vision from the point of Malaysian Chinese to be educated (real), not getting just a ’silly’ diploma, diversify all portfolio internationally. You must understand that there are many Americans who are doing well, they always have some portfolio oversea, it does not mean that they are being disloyal.
The world is getting so small. I really do not see getting a job in Hong Kong or Taiwan or the US is such a big deal anymore. I am happy that we left, I do not think we could achieve in Malaysia ‘even’ if the system is totally fair. It is because we are lacking of vision for ourselves. We are always responding retroactively and try to catch up.
For example, Malaysia want to start the biotech, but I am worry that the educational level ‘even’ from the top university (UM, USM) is not good enough. I did research some of the top professors of said colleges. Sorry, I am not too impressed. We have to really catch up.
My wife is another brain drain. She just got a research grant from NIH by being the top 1% of all US scientists. Her boss always said: You must be the top 5% or above. Her group has a total of US$147000000 research grant (147 millions). We have no clue what we can contribute to Malaysia’s science if we return. We will be dealing with silly racial politics and intransigent bureaucrats.
Same thing happened to my brother in Taiwan, he is one of the top civil engineer in Taiwan and very successful one. It will be a torture for him to return home. What do you guys think?
My greatest concern is that if Malaysians are not serious about progress, I am a little pessimistic about the future. We will be seeing too tidal wave from China and India, and not to mention Japan, Korea or Taiwan.
We are so spoon fed by government, we can’t think anymore. You see, I have little respect for governments (Malaysia, Taiwan or USA) because they are run by a lot of incompetent peoples especially in science.
For example, all the chancellors in the university in Malaysia are from royal family. I am skeptical of their scientific achievement except they are great in giving themselves all the meaningless titles.
You see, my wife’s chancellor was the 1987 Nobel laureate in Medicine. He discovered the ‘Oncogene’. They are the people who started companies like Genentech (www.gene.com) or Chiron (www.chiron.com), just to name a few.
Final suggestion: Education, I mean real. I accept only doctorate level. My wife has two, PhD and MD as well. Compete internationally.
Sorry for the bragging.
November 12th, 2005 at 8:21 pm
Humans have always migrated throughout history - ‘in search of better lives’. It is in our blood. Animals also do it. Some prefer to settle, others move on at whatever odds. The Chinese race is a good example of enthusiastic migrants. The Scots yet another.
Take the example of my own extended family. My father, who came from a poor family, emigrated together with his late father and late elder brother from Guangdong to Ipoh in 1923. The price they paid was separation from my late grandmother for a couple of years.
When reunited, the family expanded to a total of 10 children. Within one generation, eight of these children were able to go to university in Malaya (Singapore) and the UK. Three of these were Queen’s scholars and another, a Colombo Plan scholar. This was during the time of the British, with free and fair competition prevailing.
Within another generation, my family were all dispersed around the world. Today, we have family in the USA, UK, the Middle East and Australia. There are only two families left in Bolehland (Malaysia) from the previous generation - and they are retired.
In this generation, we have 13 doctors - all but one specialists - with one the holder of personal chair in a UK university. I am sure all of us can attribute our various successes to being at the right place at the right time and also by being open minded, diligent and persistent.
The argument has nothing to do with patriotism or race. We all love Malaysia as a country but we objected to the form and type of governance and the society it created during various times.
This spurred our migration and our decision to work and live away from the land we were born in. Some of us have even maintained our Malaysian citizenship in hope that things will change and we may be able to return. Nonetheless, we are thankful that we have not been hindered in our move across borders. We are also thankful that holding a Malaysian passport today will facilitate movement between many countries compared to say, 20 years ago.
In short, our leaving was our silent, peaceful protest. It will of course fall on deaf ears because the existing muhibah ruling class will only be interested in furthering their own wealth and well-being and not those of the rakyat. Fortunately for some of us, we could vote with our feet. So let it be.
We take a larger global view and see that we contribute to the world, not directly Bolehland. My question is: Have you considered that those who do not migrate are the ones who are truly enslaved?
And to the present government I ask: How do you think you could lure people like us back? (Hint: Better money would not work - as we get less where we all are.)
November 12th, 2005 at 8:22 pm
There are push and pull factors involved. An emigrant is both trying to escape something and advance towards another thing at the same time. For instance, a scientist who cannot flourish in his own country will want to go somewhere where his expertise is appreciated.
Perhaps he finds the anti-intellectualism in his milieu too stifling (unfortunately, this is very true in Malaysia), or the government of the day too partial when it comes to resource allocation.
You see, the major problem with a not insignificant number of Malaysians is that there is a lot of false pride around. This is a vestige of Mahathirianism. Small achievements are overblown so as to build up national pride. It’s Malaysia Boleh this and Malaysia Boleh that.
Anyway, I say cheer the emigrants on. Let people do what they want with their lives - they should not be beholden to the country. Do not blame their lack of patriotism for not staying - patriotism is poor persuasion.
November 12th, 2005 at 10:12 pm
Fair Malaysian:
T.I.N.A. I am sure the real Tina in Bangsar Baru will react at the very mention of her name. Selamat Hari Raya, Tina and Matmacho, Maaf Zahir & Batin.
The system which is dominated by UMNO of the wrong types (such as Dato Badruddin, the Lord of Yen, Kedah and his fellow pantunniers) is too entrenched. As I have said before, UMNO members must decide what they want. Sadly, most of them prefer the status quo. Why change something that works for their self interest.
You should read the works of public choice theorists like Mancur Olson, Gordon Tulloch, Nobel Laureate in Economics James Buchanan to understand how the system operates. Just remember the words “distributional coalitions” or vested interests. After all politics is about who gets what, when, how, how much, and how soon.
Lim Kit Siang and Anwar Ibrahim would do the same if they ever came to power. George Bush and Dick Cheney are doing that right now in the United States for the Republicans, and the Christain Right. Even Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouges cronies, and they too were not adverse to the politics of greed during the reign of terror (1975-1979).
So in the short term, we know that nothing changes in our country. In the long term, we will all be dead, including those are perpetuators of the present system of politics. That does not mean we should give up.
Today, we urgently need a leader who has lots of common sense, guts to make critical decisions, strong managerial skills, and self-confidence to engage people who are smarter than himself and empower them to get the job done. He must be someone who has the courage to fire those who do not perform, and change things without waiting for “ilham” (inspiration).
I do not have anyone in mind after the man who we once criticised retired from office two years ago. All I can say, Fair Malaysian, that Badawi hasn’t got what it takes to bring our country to the next stage. Of course, I could be entirely wrong in my assessment. After he is now entering his 3 year in office. Rome was not built in a day. God took seven days to create the Earth. Badawi will take longer than even Tun Dr. Mahathir. So why not give him 40 years!!
Until we can be tough and are prepared to demand high accountability standards of our elected leaders, our country will lag behind our neighbours in the era of globalisation. Dr Bakri devoted an entire book titled “Malaysia in the Era of Globalisation” with very useful ideas and practical suggestions. In it, he also published an open letter to Tun Dr. Mahathir, then the Prime Minister, where he made some proposals. Badawi would be well advised to read it.
WanitaUMNO:
If you belong to Wanita UMNO, you should get the woman folks to do something. For example, you should reject Rafidah Aziz and her cronies so that fresh leaves have a chance to grow and mature in Wanita UMNO. Maybe Puteri UMNO leader, Dato Noraini. She and her team could take over with the proviso that she remained very cool and level-headed. Would you do that? Probably not as you would be wanting to protect your hide.
In responding to you, I can react to your suggestion that I should be appointed to advise Badawi in one of two ways, either, one, by treating it as a cynical remark, coming from an UMNO loyalist or, two, as a compliment. I tend to think that you are being cynical as most UMNO types are.
Anyway, allow me to say that I am not looking for a job. In addition, I am sure Badawi has better qualified people around him. The only problem is that his people are afraid to displease their leader. Realistically speaking, who will appoint (assuming I am desperately looking for a job) that “small boy” who is prepared to say to say to his leader, “Sir, you have no clothes except your underwears”?
Remember, the smart boy who suggested to the Malay Sultan of Temasek that he, the Sultan, should line the coast with pokok pisang (banana trunks) to deal with the ”ikan todak” (swordfish) threat. You know what happened to him!!
Molisa (and others):
Great and congrats. I expected no less from a former student of the St. George”s Girl School, MacAlister Road, Penang. I was educated in the Penang Free School. My classmates and I had a special fondness for the girls from your school. They were our cheerleaders whenever we played against St. Xavier’s Institution in soccer, rugby and athletics. They rejoiced whenever we were victorious and lamented whenever we lost. We used to say to ourselves that we would rather break our legs rather than hurt their hearts whenever we took on our rival school. By the way, during my time (1958-1959), we beat St. Xavier’s hands down. We also won against Chung Ling High School.
I believe that we, the Malays, too can compete and excel. For every Malay you and others seek to insult and label as “soft” or “useless” by implication, I can find another who survived and excelled under conditions of adversity and intra-racial discrimination (UMNOputra Malays versus Malays).
We are capable of competing with the rest of you. We too respond to incentives, not handouts and can work our butts off for our families. Get off the Winstedt mind-set and remove from your mind the Myth of the Lazy Native (Syed Hussein Alatas).
While I admire your achievements and rejoice in your success, I am saddened that the Malays who succeeded through their own blood, sweat and tears are being lumped together with those who relied on patronage and political connections (Fathol Zaman made this point, of the son of a former Mayor of Kuala Lumpur).
It is dangerous to generalise. It would be more helpful if you could suggest how we can change the mind-set of Malays who are addicted to handouts, drugs and corruption. A confident Malay polity is key to the future stability of Malaysia.
Thanks.
November 12th, 2005 at 11:19 pm
Hi Molisa,
If what you say is true, and by default, that happens to be the situation after 1970 anyway, then it is sad to hear that yo had to endure such a shameful treatment but you made a choice, and a good one at that and glad that you have built a life where guilt and shame borne out of shameful govt policies have hurt one too many.
In a way, you are lucky. With parents who had little or no education, you were still able to make the grade and above all did not stop in going further when you were cruelly slapped with racial politics. We believe, as Malaysians, and as equal participants and contributors, we need to be treated with respect and dignity. But let me tell you something that I see it my way - you or others may or may not see it that way but this is what I have understood. When the Alliance and its successor, Barisan, proudly declared that their form of power-sharing govt ensures a fair distribution of “everything” the notion was to protect the minority interests of respective races. While I would certainly take a jibe at this marriage of convenience, that was how it was to be. UMNO was supposed to take of the Malays, MCA the Chinese, MIC the Indians and so on. While there is reason to believe that the common Malays are dissatisfied with how the affirmative policies have benefitted a select few with a large majority just shown the crumbs, the Chinese and Indian warlords have utterly failed in ensuring an equitable position for us. Look at Samy Velu at the helm of MIC for more than 20 years and he is still talking about his “unfinished business” for the Indians. Perhaps, what he means is that his has not reached the mark of his quest for his standard he has set to attain the wealth he had sought out to when becoming the MIC president. The Chinese were slightly better because of their deep-seated belief in the economics.
What irks me most is many of the Indians are caught in a cycle of deceit and discontentment and end up making the numbers for anything but right. The Indians seem to face a gloom and doom and while most Indians do know that the MIC had let them down and the govt is definitely not sincerely bothered except for the votes, why are the Indians and the non-malays still voting for the BN. The election prior to the last one gave a fantastic opportunity to change all that where the majority of the Malays decided to vote against BN but we, the non-malays, saved the day for BN but has this ever been taken into consideration. I don’t see it. Frankly, the Malays have a wisdom in exercising the political rights and votes. This time around they abandoned PAS and voted BN because of the fear of their rights and priveleges being diluted but we, the non-malays, do not have such wisdom. We ride by the word “patriotism” and as pointed by some, it means disaster to the non-malays. If the majority of the non-malays have chosen this path and failed to make the difference, even if it has been subtle, then we have ourserlves to blame. We will be only heard and our plight taken note of when we stop believing in these half-baked politicians and decide to vote with our own minds. The Malays have done it, why not us? Are we that stupid or ignorant?
November 13th, 2005 at 1:25 am
Fair Malaysian,
Let us hope that the Malaysian Indians will start doing something about Samy and his gang in MIC. I used the word “gang” for a very good reason. Gangsters are being used to keep party dissidents in line. MIC too has gotten the avian flu of the UMNO variety, and the pandemic has spread to Ong Ka Ting’s MCA.
Fair Malaysian, is MIC ready for a change, or is it again a question of TINA?
Thanks.
November 13th, 2005 at 3:05 am
Bro Din,
If the recent Samy’s outbursts is anything to go by, he is worried, not for the Indians welfare but for his welfare. The war being fought generally against the MIC in general and Samy in particular may bear fruits by the time of the next election. The consensus among us is that he should go or we are going to vote for the opposition, lock,stock and barrel. He might be thinking within his small kingdom that he is immune from the anxieties of the Indians to the extent that he dreams of having it all his way, at his peril. That will be his dream and only a dream as the tide is slowly but surely turning against him. In fact, the words MIC and Samy Velu are “dirty” words in our dictionary and it will be his folly to think that all is well.
MIC will become more of a liability to BN with Samy around. The sad part of this is, like UMNO, the entire gang behind him are as useless and the “tea-talk” among our friends is that we should abandon the MIC. After about 25 years in power, with Maika failed and cheating his way through, he has the cheek to say that he still has “unfinished” business. Can you believe that?
November 13th, 2005 at 6:32 am
bang din,
adoooh…! bulu roma dik tinah berdiri lah. for the first time, bang din kita ‘emotional’. easy, be cool! dont lose your balance, be fair and balance.
November 13th, 2005 at 6:39 am
P.S.
tapi jangan pulak mengorat molissa. dia tu dah kahwin. dik tinah belum lagi lah..
November 13th, 2005 at 8:01 am
Bro Din,
This is the dilemma. I have scratched my head many a times and tried to pin down any one leader who would be able to “take the bull by its horns” but sadly and quite honestly I cannot see one. With a mandate almost unprecedented in Malaysian history, I hoped Abdullah can make the cut. In addition, he is seen to be clean, quite opposed to the greedy and tyrannical goofs around him. However, I do see your point that time is not on our side and Abdullah may lack the courage to go head-on. After all, he has been bred from the same grains and the genes of the ruling partyists seem to run through without exception, and the culture therefrom would be an encumbrance forever, since the price of support for him would well be the loyalty expected and also renders the tendency to the “close one eye” syndrome.
Most of my friends and I are looking at the prospect of someone from the “outside” to bring about the changes but it is still too early to invest our hopes on anyone yet but given the extent of the problem, nothing short of a paradigm shift would be required.
I have been writing a book together with an Australian friend which essentially deals with a hypothetical country. Guess what - the similarities are striking indeed and she has a desire to turn it into a mini series. Maybe when the time is right, I may publish it on the web.
November 13th, 2005 at 8:01 am
Hi Tina,
Welcome back and how was your Hari Raya?
November 13th, 2005 at 8:27 am
I was posed this question several time before. “What would you do if you were in their position?” We all are looking into a glass window and are mulling over our actions, as the temptation is just too great to miss. It is easy to deride those who have their hands in the cookie jar.
But if your resolve is strong you’ll never want to be corrupt.
This Chinese business friend of mine relishes in telling me the antics of a former State Secretary who acts as a link between his company and the Kedah state government. He would tell how demanding the ex-officer was, how lavish his lifestyle and how tasteful his palatial bunglow in Alor Star. And he had acquired such expensive taste after a few years into retirement. It seemed rather odd to him.
Why complained, I asked him. After all, he was part of the problem. Did he not benefit from the guy’s connections? I had similar experience with one rich Dato’ in Malacca who claimed that he was Rahim Thamby Chik’s “lembu”. And all that after knowing him for hardly an hour.
That goes to show how loyal some people are.
Corruption involves both giver and taker and here we have a classic case of the giver making a mountain of the taker’s taste. Such is the greed of Man. He is never satisfied, under whatever circumstances.
I allude to the statement by Pak Din about Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang. Would they not do the same given half the chance?
November 13th, 2005 at 11:22 am
Well, you know what they say. Power corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, given the chance, should he not watch himself, any politician (or most) would abandon his mission for money and status.
But anyways, its sad to see the state of the modern Malaysian. I for one believe that Malaysians are very talented, and we can literally take the world by storm. If only we were given the chance and the support to do so!
Being an undergraduate, I have been advised time and time again by my elders, that if it were possible, attain a job overseas (currently in Aussie). And don’t come back. Except for holiday, and the food. But its hard, because despite the racial prejudices, I still love my country, and would really like to see to its betterment.
Well, perhaps not in my lifetime. =\
November 13th, 2005 at 12:34 pm
Molisa, Sans and Humans and others like yourselves,
I am a Malay living in the United States. I graduated from a U.K. university. I left Malaysia in search of a better life where I am free to think and do as I please, where nobody tells me what to think and do. I am a free spirited individual. The Malaysian government discriminates against Malays. We are not free like the non-Malays are. The Government leaves you alone and do not have that “in your face” presence as they do in our case. The community back home, in which we live will not let us be free or different.
When you talk about emigration there is more to it than just economics - and affirmative action policies.
I have relatives and friends who now live in the U.K., Holland, Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand – and call these places home.
It is our choice – and we are happy for it.
We still have roots back in Malaysia. Are we bitter with the Malaysian government for discriminating against us? No. We are thankful that as a result of their discriminatory policies, we are leading happy and fruitful lives in countries like the United States – where we are free, and I mean free.
If I were in your position, with all the racial discrimination back home in terms of places in the country’s tertiary education institutions, scholarships etc, I would be happy to pack up my bags and leave like you have done – and like I, and others like me, have done though for different reasons.
I do not hate the country I was born in. It is part of my heritage. I would like to return occasionally in search of my roots.
Life is more than just having a good job – and is not to be measured in terms of dollars and cents alone. I am not prepared to live a lie and say that I am happy when I am not.
We are among the fortunate in that we are able to excercise our freedom of choice. Others do not know what they are missing.
November 13th, 2005 at 6:16 pm
Oversee
You did not look hard enough. I personally know of 20 families of Malay immigrants living in California alone.
Dr Bakri,
When Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was the Minister of Education, he was caught in the Bahasa Malaysia euphoria and so couldn’t see the usefulness of English as the international language. When he was the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, he couldn’t act unless the PM who was also the Home Minister say so. In Malaysia Ministers can’t act or decide on their own. Everything has to be decided by the Cabinet. Call it collective decision making so you can’t be blamed if something goes wrong.
Time passes on and trend, taste and fashion changes. Decision made by Abdullah in his previous capacity were the best at that time. Now with new changes and information, his decisions then may not be the best now. We too make that mistake and years later find that we should or should not have made certain decisions.
Notwithstanding all that I agree with you that Abdullah’s report card to date is dismal and have not shown signs of improvement. Maybe that is why his initial is AAB. Start with A, then still maintain an A and end up with a B. (just kidding)
It seems that all of us want instant action, instant punishment, instant correction of the system. Sometimes it is easier said than done. The way the government machinery and decision making process in Malaysia is set up is complicated and too many patronizing. Thus Abdullah can’t fire Isa and Kasitah or even Rafidah.
November 13th, 2005 at 6:18 pm
Tina, Tina, you must be more discreet. You are scaring the “young studs” away. I am sure you got style and class, so use that and you will win your man soon. It is just a matter of image and strategy. Your present approach is giving even Matmacho a bit of a headache.
Take care.
November 13th, 2005 at 7:38 pm
Fair Malaysian,
Thanks for your comments.
Politics is a strange animal. Since it is all about power and the benefits that go with it, Machiavelli probably offers the best advice. Forgot about ethics and morals, but the politicians will always use morality as a front because it appeals to “suckers” like you and I. It is no wonder that politics, which is as old as humanity, never appealed to me. What you say about Samy Velu and others is true. They are as strange as politics itself.
I am concerned about the economy at this time. So, I am re-reading Keynes’ General Theory and Treatise on Money (and I will look at John Kenneth Galbraith’s The Great Crash and Paul Krugman’s The Return to Depression Economics after that). Both books are classics today, and they contain some valuable insights into how the economy works.
Keynes argues that the economy is driven by entrepreneurs who act on the basis of “expectations”. He recognised that there is a time lag between the entrepreneur’s decision to invest and produce, and the delivery and sale of his goods and services directly or indirectly to the final consumer. This brilliant British economist also wrote an outstanding tome on Probability Theory, focussing on Uncertainty and Risk.
Anything that upsets an entrepreneur’s perception of and confidence in the future, and hence his willingness to produce (his inducement to invest), will affect employment and national income (GDP). So policy uncertainities, for example, the concern that the fuel prices will go up in Malaysia next year, will prevent him from making any commitment to produce now. For this reason, government policy is an important variable.
I am sure Badawi understands this Econ 101 stuff. Right now, I do not know what he wants to do. Indecision can only create more uncertainty. When Tun Daim was the Executive Director, National Economic Action Council in 1998 and Minister of Finance, he, with the support of Tun Dr. Mahathir, made the restoration of investor confidence the primary objective of our national recovery plan.
The National Economic Recovery Plan (NERP), which was prepared in consultation with captains of industry, academics, policy makers and foreign experts, spelt out as precisely as possible what the Mahathir Administration would do to revive the economy in terms of Government strategies and policy responses. The Plan included the creation of Danaharta and Danamodal to deal with Non-Performing Loans, and to recapitalise and merge the banks, thereby strengthening the banking and financial system of Malaysia.
Both Tun Dr. Mahathir and Tun Daim got the economy moving again in 1999-2000 because they acted decisively, and reduced uncertainty. As a result, Malaysia experienced a V-shaped recovery by mid-2000. Given the state of our economy today, we may need to revisit the NERP.
Sitting still around and hoping for the best is not an option. Restoration of investor confidence is a must for 2006. If Badawi can do that, he would have regained public confidence in his political leadership and economic stewardship. Dato Mustapha Mohamed, the respected University of Melbourne trained economist, should be given a prominent role when Badawi reschuffles his Cabinet.
Thanks.
November 13th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
Dear All,
“Tabik-spring” to all those (malays and non-malays) whom “made-it” overseas. Your stories (esp. those like Molisa) are truly inspirational. Your strength of conviction and resolve makes you a true “towering individual”. to me, it doesn’t matter to whom you pledge your allegience now. If you have any grief, I believe it is towards the system, and administration, but not at the millions of honest Malaysians who toil everyday to earn a decent living, who sees the value of their ringgit dimish as time goes by, whose struggle are the same either a malay, chinese or indian, that is to put food on the table and clothing on their back, who have to spend hundreds of ringgit monthly to sent their kids for tuition as school is not enough, etc..etc. Do not punish decent honest Malaysian for the misdeeds of others. Enlighten us, guide us, impart your expertise and knowledge, but do not abandon us. Help us to make Malaysia a better place.
November 13th, 2005 at 11:35 pm
Dear All.
Life is a double edged sword.
Mother Nature offers us the choice between protection and nurturing for our young. Over protection would result in dependency syndrome while nurturing through life’s hard lessons would require resolute to stand by while our young struggle through the mills of the real world to become men and women. A balance would be ideal. Somehow, in reality many parents find it difficult to achieve this balance.
I like to repeat the most oft quoted quote here.
When someone is hungry, if we give him a fish, we only feed him for a day and while if we teach him how to fish, he feeds himself for the rest of his life.
After reading many of the comments, I am very much tempted to add my two cents worth.
I am a contrarian. I like to see it from a completely different perspective. It is perhaps not by design, that the advantaged ones are the non-Malays and not the Malays. I like to differentiate advantaged as against privileged.
Let me explain
Gold is tried by fire, brave men by adversity
- Seneca. Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD
Molisa, Clear, Iexpat, and others I believe if life had bestowed you with comfort and privileged existence in the past you may not have achieved as much as you have today and definitely would not have written your piece with such great pride. What you have gone through was simply ‘opporthreat’ ‘When written in Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.-John F. Kennedy. You all have evidently done tremendously well affront with your own respective past adversities. Your achievement today, I believe is the result of what you have become as a result of your environment – your family values and your upbringing.
He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has.
Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887, American preacher, orator, writer)
In view of current economy, there is plenty of uncertainty and insecurity amongst Malaysians in the streets, particularly small time businessmen and employees and contract workers of the private sector. Government employees are selfdom affected by the unpredictable temperament of the economy being cushioned by the concept of lifetime employment by the government. However I believe the Malays had been and still is at a cross roads. Theirs is an insecurity of a different kind. By default, the system of government today where leaders continue to drum into them that they are not only not- up to the mark globally but also to the other Malaysians not of their ethnicity as well. The collective people psyche of insecurity is a powerful negative driving force in a society.
I remember working on a social psychology project during my varsity days to test the veracity of the theory “fear and affiliation’. People tend to either become aggressive, assertive or withdrawn depending on the level of fear – threats or insecurities confronted by them. Those subjected to moderate fear/threats would generally seek association and those subjected to severe degree of fear would generally be withdrawn. UMNO, I believe knowingly or unknowing created the atmosphere of fear/threat from other communities to gain support of the Malays. When subjected to threat (perceived or otherwise) they quickly seek association and as a result conveniently cringe under the umbrella protection from UMNO. Obviously crutches are distributed as incentives for political support and not as assistance for improvement - it may have started with good intentions. Subsequently, it is found to serve political interest to continue to have the people addicted to the crutches instead of weaning from them.
For those who enjoy reading cartoons, Peanuts was a cartoon strip I enjoyed reading during my secondary school days. One of the characters in Peanuts is Linus, he would ‘die’ if caught without his security blanket. Somehow I see the Malays today as Linus. Their security blanket is the government or to be more precise UMNO. However when UMNO failed/s to deliver over the past many years and even now, they found a new security blanket – religion, Islam.
This security blanket has to be dealt with. The most effective way to improve people is to give them the confidence in life. Confidence in oneself can only be attained through achievement in life. Material wealth alone does not add confidence to a person’s life. It is pretty common today to hear many professional Malays have done so successfully. The few that posted their comments here are perhaps representative of the new Malays that have gained confidence not as a result of the government largesse but more due to their ability. Dr Bakri, Saudara Din, and many others who comment confidently on this blog are good examples. Dr Bakri in his writings has made numerous recommendations to expose the Malays to diverse challenges such as to prepare them to succeed in the real world. Are the people who walk the corridor of power listening?
The heart is a good example. It is a vital organ of our human body. It is known fact that, for an athlete to perform, the heart need to be challenged frequently beyond its normal performance. UMNO does the opposite. It takes away the challenge from the privilege ones and assigns them to permanent disablement. Therefore crutches are needed into eternity.
Obviously I am not addressing the concept of fairness here. Just from the angle of human achievement through opporthreat which result in many succeeding where the privileged ones could not. Which would you rather your children be, enjoy the handouts of the government of today and be damned permanently as invalids needing crutches frequently? Or pride and dignity be the options, given the number of commentators who have ‘made it’ in spite of lack of assistance from the government.
Having given my two cents worth, there is something that came into mind.
I salute you all for standing out and succeed in this world. So are the one million who have migrated. But please think of the many many more unfortunate ones, tile layers, carpenters, technicians, spray painters, mechanics, salesmen, hawkers, drivers amongst them, who may not have the opportunity as you have to pit for a place in an alternate land of opportunity apart from our place of birth, Malaysia.
It is often forgotten that these people are the ones providing us with the basic needs in life. They contribute to the economy through their daily toil. Thousands of them working and toiling in their own world providing services as SMI’s to churn the economy. Do they ask for their fair share of the government handouts? They just survive. Survive they will in the own way, away from the eyes of the more privileged middle class who majority enjoy modern facilities like internet while occasionally raiding the buffet table at hotels complaining the lack of variety for the price they pay. Most of these people live in villages and urban slump. I am sure their number is not small. Incidentally, I am not raising the issues of the poor farmers for there are already enough said.
Shall we also endeavor to bring awareness and opportunities like what Molisa had to them? Their children too deserve similar opportunity for education to take them off their present condition of poverty lest we assign them to a permanent place as VCD peddlers. MCA? DAP? Can we teach these people to fish and fish smartly?
November 14th, 2005 at 2:10 am
Kgboy,
Those Malays in leadership positions should set the example with their own children. In stead, they chose to take advantage of their status, and teach the children how to exploit and abuse the system. That to me is the most tragic aspect of Malay feudalism. Today, if these kids are challenged they will wilt and die with drugs.
Thanks.
November 14th, 2005 at 3:25 am
Saudar Din,
Malaysia can be such a great place to live. Many foreigners would break a leg to come here and enjoy the best of both worlds, quality of life and the cost of living and ofcourse plus lack of natural disaster. The cultural diversity and the yum yun, the food. Unfortunately, we have to spoil it by increasingly making our country less safe and less comfortable due to lack of maintenance of infrastructure. Amongst the many who would agree with me is Tan Sri Dr Nordin Sophie who spoke at length of our advantage in this area during seminar I attended some three months ago.
Our motherland, Malaysia can be and should be such an ideal place for melting pot of the great Asian cultures. We are learning from each other’s cultures, the Malays from the Chinese on work ethics while the the Chinese from the Malays in the area of demeanor. There is a very important principle in the traditional Chinese teaching. “Tolerance” which could also mean discipline. Discipline, learned from young would enable the practitioner to be equiped for challenges in later life. For example, financial discipline, discipline against societal ills such as drugs, gambling, promiscuity, etc. One of the weakness I see amongst the corrupt is their lack of discipline. They give in to tempatation of corruption easily without a ounce of resistance. I believe there is a Islam’s equivalence to this in the name of ‘jihad’?
I am a sucker for quotes. This quote by Seneca always inspire me.
Gold is tried by fire, brave men by adversity
We would survive. But we need changes. Changes always create ‘white waters’ Are we prepared for it - to shoot through the rapids!!.
November 14th, 2005 at 3:58 am
And Napolean said and I quote, “The only reason that prevents the poor from murdering the rich is religion.” Religion, as we have all acknowledged on this blog, is one stumbling block. It’s regressive in nature and has become a convenient political weapon to keep the Malays in check.
If you want to teach a person to fish make sure he’s not hampered by religious edicts which serve only to deter him.
Religious programmes on radio revolve around “hukum” for this and that. Seldom have I heard the preacher ’s words of wisdom on a myriad of issues other than the punishments for sinners and the wayward in the hereafter.
Where do we go from here?
November 14th, 2005 at 6:35 am
Hi Friends,
I remember once reading a very interesting article by Marina Mahatir, laying out a number of questions to the ulamas (I believe) on how they intend to solve the problems listed therein. That lady has real substance.
Correct me if I am wrong. Malaysians have chosen successive govts. from the Barisan fold. Are we barking at the wrong tree here? We have all occasion to take it on the govt of the day, elected through a democratic process, a process meant to be a fair game for anyone to have a fair game with the people, the voters.
Of course, with the govt’s colossal machinery, every sphere of information dissemination is controlled but guys, this is the information era. You ask a person who had risen from the ashes and facing abject adversity, he had to walk two steps ahead of the person living in comfort to make the grades. Does it occur to any of us that the opposition has not got their act together and do not have in them the mechanism and sadly the ingenuity to come any closer than in previous elections. What these people talk may appeal to few but by and large most are more concerned with the bread and butter issues and who wish to move with the tide rather than against it, rather than the perceived antique issues raised by Kit Siang, Karpal and the like. In short, if BN has been able to win the people’s support, no matter how it has been solicited, it invariably points to the ineffectiveness of the opposition. Time and again they end up as “suckers” because they are not seeing or do not want to see far ahead. They simply do not have the game plan to stand against the might of BN and want to stick to their ground penchantly. As I see it, the groundwork and the modus operandi to get to the people in the present context can never ever pose a serious threat or challenge to the BN despite all of the shortfalls of BN we have been discussing here. PAS is run by egomaniac religious zealots who learnt the bitter lesson in the last election - for not listening to the sentiments swelling on the ground.
In all this, isn’t it possible to see something common that is lacking. While they claim to be politicians, they have failed to understand the game of politics? Last week, a friend of mine called me early in the morning to say that perhaps, someone has struck a chord - referring to a discussion I had with some of my friends on what was lacking in the opposition camp to take on the might of the BN and its machinery. Sound how it may be the way I have put it, let us see whether the opposition pundits get it or not?
November 14th, 2005 at 6:48 am
Enough said of the need to teach fishing than to simply give the fish. I have a tough time just to make ends meet - as a fisherman. I dont need more competition.
If you teach every man who comes along your way, how to make the fishing rod, how to make the string, rope whatever and make the bait or look for the live bait whatever, then our economy will be at the subsistence level - everybody is self sufficient. No trade, maybe some barter. But it is obvious that we need to look for somebody who has what we want and wants what we have - the infamous double coincidence of wants before there could be trade. Now that is tough!
Our economy can move away from the subsistence level only when there is specialization.
The problem in Malaysia is that when you look for a fisherman, he is likely to be a Malay - with ten children and four wives to support. He has been self-sufficient over the centuries and felt no need to be otherwise - i.e. until the orang putih, centuries ahead of the fisherman arrived and changed all that. He told the fisherman, you continue to fish. We will provide for your needs, and he brought the chinaman to do his bidding - telling the chinaman that this fisherman is lazy. The chinaman is too happy because there are millions like him where he came from and life is tough as it is. Thus emerged the chinaman on the local scene, uprooted from a foreign culture of survival he was familiar and conditioned to over the centuries, and with only his clothes on his back and just his two hands to help him along he worked hard to provide for the needs of the lazy fisherman - working in tin mines in exchage for monetary rewards sufficient to provide for his needs and those of his family. He worked hard and played hard- he has no choice and furthermore what has he got to lose?. But credit should be given to him as he quickly found out that he had to run in order to stand still. The orang putih did not teach him that.
Soon more like him came on the scene and industries grew. And what happened to the fisherman? He continued happily to fish.
So do not teach me how to fish. I know better than anybody else here. Teach me also how to make the fishing rod and whatever that comes with fishing.
And dont tell me I am lazy, or inferior in any way. And I dont need so-called leaders of men to tell me what I need or dont need. I know what I need. All I need is the opportunity - much like that given the chinaman. I may fail but it is my own failure. And when I fail, give me the freedom of choice to change my life - so that I could say to myself, “I did it my way, for better or for worse.”
November 14th, 2005 at 9:19 am
Dear Fisherman,
I would want to hope that what you say is true but the reality is far from true. The infamous crutches are there - I am not the only one saying this, the leaders have repeatedly said that. But let us be clear - none of us with a fair mind would ever point fingers at all Malays. This should not be seen as a racial problem, as the political goonies would like us to think. Among the Malay plunderers are also Chinese and Indians. We know that all too well. Among those who have been taken for a ride are not only the Chinese and Indians but also Malays, the common folks. And I also want you to know that knowledge and capabilities do not just belong to any one race - it belongs to everyone. This is a ploy by politicians to indoctrinate us in a way to create animosity among us. We have a greater task than this petty quarelling - that our country has been monopolised by corrupt and power crazy politicians and we need to realise that we are all on the same side - not on the opposite as these politicians would want us believe and behave.
Good day to you.
November 14th, 2005 at 9:29 am
I believe it’s a question of choice. What choice do voters have? Pick a religo-centric PAS or an ethno-centric DAP to govern? Alliance and then BN has ensured that the opposition parties remain as such - merely to oppose, so as not to appear undemocratic.
The target has always been the rural masses - the poor Malays and Indians in the kampongs and estates, respectively. Keep them poor and ignorant and they will continue to vote BN every five years.
The political savvy urban masses are impervious to platitudes and promises by BN politicians. But their number is too small to make an impact.
This may appear naive but that has been the winning formula thus far. As for the civil servants, academicians and the men in uniform? Well, they have been threatened with the aku jangi declaration and will remain meek and subservient.
Constituencies are frequently demarcated in order not to dilute the support base. This gerrymandering by BN is so commonplace. The Election Commission is never independent, as the appointees are being screened and picked by the PM himself.
The Opposition, sadly, is fractured and fractious. They offer no real threat to BN. Just see how the Pengkalan Pasir by-election will turn out to be.
It’s a foregone conclusion. A foregone conclusion.
November 14th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
the time for ideas has passed.
it is time to mobilise public opinion and working on the underdeveloped or undeveloped social and political infrastructure that has taken almost five decades to emerge, leaders of public opinion be they among the opposition political parties or/and ngos etc must retake the government from fascists that purport to act in the interest of the malaysian public.
we dont need pinheads in suits to tell us what is good or what is wrong. the time for all that has passed. we must now act - and not talk about acting.
do we want change or dont we?? it is pointless talking about change. it is time to make the changes - even if it means the loss of our personal freedom.
it is time to come out of our shells. it is time to stop harping on the need for change in the blogosphere or hide behind the security of pseudonames and the anonymity that it gives us. it is time to organise our discontent into identifiable issues and lead the way.
let’s roll!
November 14th, 2005 at 2:17 pm
I say man…tough words!
What will happen to my motor business??
November 14th, 2005 at 7:18 pm
Dear Political Activist,
I think most of us share your views but the “most of us” I am talking about represent a small minority in respect of the total voting population. Then, you will find that you will be sitting in the Kamunting detention centre because this govt is waiting for the any opportunity to stifle dissent. I mean no ill-will but just trying to explain the reality.
That does not mean we should rest on our laurels. But we have to be discreet. The utopia of being a knight in shining armour does not pay in Malaysia, as many have unfortunately found out. If that happens, the few of us who feel that something has to be done would just vanish from the map into oblivion. Unlike in previous elections, this time around the ball game would be very different but expecting the opposition politicians to lead the way would be wishful thinking. Everything has to be done through the democratic process. And again, the claim by many that a silent majority in Malaysia is waiting to usher all of us into a new era would also be a folly because what we have is a complacent society that feels that the govt would always be their guardian angel and lord protector and no one else could be trusted with that role. So, a lot of work has to be done. Again, I do not know about others, politics does not interest me at all and my interest has been and would be to see a “better” life for all. For this and towards this end, I would not be a fence-sitter. I will contribute towards this end.
November 14th, 2005 at 7:47 pm
A complete change may be a little far-fetched. We can make a dent in BN’s pride by reducing its majority in parliament. But like Fair Malaysian said, there is plenty to be done, and I agree.
Most fear being a guest of Hotel Kamunting but if you have the strength of conviction, why bother? You need not take to the streets. A more subtle aproach is to vote for the Opposition. Protest vote carries alot of weight.
Give it a thought - okay?
And for pete sake, don’t be a fence sitter!
November 14th, 2005 at 8:34 pm
More Malaysians will have to change their mind-set if we want to make Malaysia a progressive nation.
For too often, there has always been the fear to vote opposition as the government has always managed to create the fear that if it is overthrown, chaos will ensue.
To me, the opposition should just concentrate on winning two or three state governments and then prove to the rest that
“Hey, it is OK to change your government if it does not perform.”
Even Indonesia has had a few changes of government and they survive. I am sure Malaysians can do better than that.
November 14th, 2005 at 8:53 pm
Fathol,
Religions have always been hijacked for perosnal ambitions. Islam is no exception. Bigotry, result of lack of promotion of reasoning and rationalisation in the upbringing of our youngs, is a potent explosive force in societies. America is perhaps the result of the bigotry of The orthodox church of England. I still stand by the concept of diversity of our education for our young ones. I strongly support Dr Bakri calls for such reform in our educational system.
Fisherman,
Boats and nets, not fishing rods. Today fishermen need technologies and equipment combined with an education of application of technologies with a constant reminder of sustainability of our environment for long term survival of the fishing industry. I would be the first to retort the accusation that fishermen are lazy, especially applied to the Malays. They just do not know how to appreciate the concept of time. Idling is the only option away from the sea. Bring them further technical education relating to fishery to occupy their idle time and this would eventually increase their yield. I am sure the perception of them being lazy would drastically change for the better. I know very little of the fishery department’s activities and perhaps they are already doing that.
Political Activist,
Any sudden change of society would have dire consequences. The rationale is not difficult to see. The society have to be prepared for the changes. Changing the government through rapid reformation or revolution have, through history, not been successful in the long term. This is because the new government does not have the neccessary ingredients (HR resource) to succeed. We need to change the government through education of our future generation for without doubt the younger generation would be the leaders of tomorrow. Evolution perhaps be a better options. Lets start with our schools and universities.
MatMoto,
The auto industry is oft referred to as oily and dirty. Wonder why our Tun M chose this industry to develop Malaysia?
Fathol,
Lim Kiat Siang has a role to play in society. He perhaps has self appointed himself as the permenant member of the opposition and the society’s watchdog and no more. I do not believe he has any ambition of governing Malaysia. However, his authocratic style and idiosycrasies had/has perrhaps alienated quite a number of the voters especially the non-Chinese and consequently jeopardised the opposition alliance of any chances of winning the government. But we need him to raise issues such as to promote a nation of informed voters.
Fair Malaysian,
Most posters here are perhaps like you. Concerned citizens wanting a better life for all and perhaps wish that we would move towards the ideal goal of a civil society for Malaysia.
I believe all of us here are genuinely and collectively contributing to values created here at this blog. Bravo to Dr Bakri.
November 14th, 2005 at 9:27 pm
“I remember once reading a very interesting article by Marina Mahatir, laying out a number of questions to the ulamas (I believe) on how they intend to solve the problems listed therein. That lady has real substance.”
Put all the questions she raised here…I’ll try to answer them.
Silence from ulema does not mean ignorance from them. It could be a case of people not sincere in asking the questions or more like trying to pick them at their own games for their own entertainment.
Put it here. I know that lady…she aint no something too difficult to handle….
November 15th, 2005 at 12:13 am
Dear all especially Molisa,
It is getting scarier being Malay in Malaysia today! You would want the other races to be treated fairly coz thats how things should be and that is the only way the other races will look at you like a normal human being that work their way the top… not an idiot Malay who got lucky and receive all the help in the world thru the so called rescuer – UMNO.
To all my non Malay friends out there, sorry for the mess… but please don’t categorized us as a lazy bunch of people who don’t care about the others… ‘’ kerana nila setitik rosak susu sebelanga” , get someone to translate that for you, should be no problem to understand if you ever considered yourself to be Malaysian.
Everyday I talk to my Malay friend about meritocracy and they’ll be angry at me. ‘Why should you give away something that is ours?’ if the malay can’t even compete with the big hand protecting what would they be without?’… hmmmm… what should I do?
(Malaysia) – (Hak keistimewaan Bumiputera) = (Patriotic Molisa)
Or
(Malaysia) – (Patriotic Molisa) = (Smiling UMNO delegates)
Or
(Malaysia) – (UMNO) – (Prejudice) = (Patriotic Molisa) + (cluster of unhappy Malays)
can’t decide till this moment….
November 15th, 2005 at 12:45 am
Dear All,
If you think we have problems. Go down south of the border.
http://www.littlespeck.com/content/people/CTrendsPeople-051114.htm
Here we see Mr Harry Lee had probably done potential damage to the future generation not much disimilar to what Mao Zedong to the Chinese in Mainland China for 30 years. Dissent, dissent, dissent. Both could not tolerate it. Results stifling of progressive ideas and creativity of the future generation. Though the former favoured the more intellectual ones (intellectual robots programmed to carry out instructions perfectly and efficiently) as against the later the peasants.
Is it the intention of our Creator for us to propagate in diversity? The wider the gene pool that stronger the resultant offspring?
In Malaysia, are we suppressing dissent due to ideology or insecurity in leadership?
November 15th, 2005 at 12:57 am
Teman_org_perak,
When you want to engage a coach to teach you professional tennis or golf, would you want a coach who demand that you hit another 100 balls before you head for the shower or a coach who says ‘its ok,go straight to the shower, I would hit the balls for you’?
You decide.
November 15th, 2005 at 2:36 am
Dear Baju,
The article I referred to appeared as a column in the STAR and is reproduced below. May be you can give us some answers, not necessarily the correct ones. Hope to hear from you soon.
“Asking the right questions
BY MARINA MAHATHIR
I TRY to be fair to people as much as I can and the other day I had a major epiphany. I realised that I really had not been very fair to our religious officials by constantly criticising them for their obsession with topics that are either trivial or beyond their field of expertise. Then it occurred to me that the reason they feel compelled to comment on little topics like whether it is okay to kiss people’s hands or not or whether reality shows promote immorality is because that’s what the media keeps asking them.
I think the media should realise that they are really insulting our religious lot by asking them these questions. Nobody asks Really Important people these questions because, frankly, it is beneath them to answer them. But there they are, our self-sanctified guys, having to endure these silly questions all the time, and then getting flak for it. It’s really not their fault!
Therefore I have decided to provide a list of questions that the media should ask our religious leaders in order to show them the respect they deserve. Here are some of them:
What do you think should be done to reduce global poverty?
The world’s richest 500 individuals own a combined income that is greater than that of the poorest 416 million. What do you think should be done about reducing this massive gap between rich and poor in the world?
70% of the world’s people are uneducated, with only minimal schooling. Do you think this is a bad thing, and what would you do about it?
According to the latest UNDP Human Development Report, every hour 1,200 children die around the world, mostly because of poverty. What do you think would be the best way to help children such as these?
Income inequalities are not the only thing that disadvantages people. Gender inequalities also play a part. In India, the death rate for children aged 1-5 is 50% higher for girls than it is for boys. In Pakistan, two million more girls would be in school if there were gender parity. What do you think should be done to address these gender inequalities?
According to the report also, the development of any country is influenced by the status of women in that country. Hence, Malaysia ranks only 61st in the Human Development Index (HDI) because women make up only 13% in Parliament, 24% in managerial and administrative positions and only earn 47% of men’s income. Nothing much has changed for women for the past 30 years. But we are not the worst off. The countries with the least empowered women are all Muslim countries, including Pakistan and Yemen. What do you think of this?
Although terrorism in developed countries is most in the news, in fact the poorest countries in the world experience more conflict. These conflicts only fuel under-development. For instance, nine out of the 10 countries with the lowest HDI have experienced conflict at some point since 1990. Conflict also plays a part in five out of 10 countries with the lowest life expectancy, in nine out of 10 countries with the highest infant and under-five mortality rates and in eight out of 10 countries with the lowest primary school enrolment. What do you think should be done to resolve conflict so that these countries may prosper?
How much of a rise in fuel prices do you think people can take?
What do you think can be done to prevent cross-border environmental problems such as the haze?
What do you think should be done so that disabled people are not left behind in our country’s development?
Our country spends only 2% of GDP on health and 2.8% of GDP on military expenditures in 2003. Do you think this is right?
What do you think of the Millenium Development Goals? Malaysia failed one of the 6th MDG, which relates to health. What do you think we can do to redress this?
In 1975, 37.7% of our population lived in urban centres. Since then, our people have become more urbanised with 63.8% in 2003 and a projected 71% by 2015. Is this a good or bad thing, and should politicians recognise this fact and act accordingly?
While we are ranked 61 in the Human Development Index, many Muslim countries are ranked even lower, even so-called “rich” countries such as Saudi Arabia (77). There are also many Muslim countries ranked very low such as Iran (99), Egypt (119), Pakistan (135) and Yemen (151). The small oil-rich United Arab Emirates are the highest-ranking Muslim country at 41. What do you think of this?
I wait with bated breath.”
November 15th, 2005 at 2:41 am
Thanks kgboy for your input on LKS. Don’t get me wrong, I am a great fan of the man. At this material moment he is the light in the dark tunnel. Lim is worth a score of BN’s MPs in parliament. Definitely, much smarter than the pantun-craving guy from Jerai. Voters are being easily duped into believing the untruth about the Opposition but they cannot fool me.
November 15th, 2005 at 3:27 am
the reason why marina mahathir has bated breath is because she is potentially a pneumonia case - having over exposed herself to the elements.
November 15th, 2005 at 3:48 am
Dear doctor,
Surely as a doctor (I believe) you can do better than that? Typical of being evasive isn’t it - either you don’t know or don’t have the answers.
November 15th, 2005 at 6:18 am
What do you think can be done to prevent cross-border environmental problems such as the haze?
Answer: simple – stop polluting the environment.
What do you think should be done so that disabled people are not left behind in our country’s development?
Answer: If you are talking about the Malays, Art 153 of the Constitution should be made permanent.
Our country spends only 2% of GDP on health and 2.8% of GDP on military expenditures in 2003. Do you think this is right?
Answer: Increase % of GDP for military expenditure. The rationale is, if we were all to die from military conflict with Singapore, Thailand or Vietnam, then % of GDP spent on health would be nil – and that is bad.
What do you think of the Millenium Development Goals? Malaysia failed one of the 6th MDG, which relates to health. What do you think we can do to redress this?
Answer: Do away with MDP – then we would have no such goals.
In 1975, 37.7% of our population lived in urban centres. Since then, our people have become more urbanised with 63.8% in 2003 and a projected 71% by 2015. Is this a good or bad thing, and should politicians recognise this fact and act accordingly?
Answer: Redefine “urban” and “urbanization” so as to make Malaysia less urbanized. Set up a new Ministry and call it “Ministry of Deurbanization” headed by Abdullah Badawi.
While we are ranked 61 in the Human Development Index, many Muslim countries are ranked even lower, even so-called “rich” countries such as Saudi Arabia (77). There are also many Muslim countries ranked very low such as Iran (99), Egypt (119), Pakistan (135) and Yemen (151). The small oil-rich United Arab Emirates are the highest-ranking Muslim country at 41. What do you think of this?
Answer: Re-do the Human Development Index to reflect the needs, progress and aspirations of the developing countries, which would put Muslim countries at the top 10 – or/and have a separate index for the developed and non-Muslim countries. Don’t think about it too much.
I too await with bated breath.
November 15th, 2005 at 6:20 am
Fellas, particularly Mr. Fair Malaysian,
Penang where Mr. Badawi spent his early years is suffering from neglect, and political infighting between the Chief Minister who is from Gerakan Party and UMNO local leaders who think they can do a better job. This is likely to get worse because of the depressed state of the local economy with unemployment rising. The city is also unkempt and dirty, and suffers from daily massive jams.
Even Kepala Batas is in state of economic amnesia. So our “Suami Yang Soleh” (not salleh lah), meaning the loyal and pious husband, is losing control over his own constituency, not mention the state of our national economy with our Stock Market performing very poorly compared to other stock exchanges in ASEAN. He has not a care in the world. No worries. But that is not the real purpose of my comments.
I met a dynamic American, a Business School type at the Rasa Sayang Hotel recently. He told me that he had been travelling around Sabah and Sarawak over the last six months gathering information for a research project about what people there think about the Federal Government. He spent a week in Kuala Lumpur as well where he talked to some academics, taxi cab drivers and stall operators. He was conversant in Bahasa Indonesia which he learned at the Foreign Service School, Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
He sounded to me like a typical EHM (Economic Hit Man as in John Perkins’ book “Confessions of Economic Hit Man”). Let me explain first what an EHM does. Basically, he is an economic spy. According to Perkins, “[W]e EHMs are crafty; we learned from history.Today we do not carry swords. We do not wear armour or clothes that set us apart. In countries like Ecuador, Nigeria and Indonesia, we dress like local school teachers and shop owners. In Washington and Paris, we look like government bureaucrats and bankers. We appear humble, normal…We profess altruism, talk with local papers about the wonderful humanitarian things we are doing. We cover the conference tables of government committees with our spreadsheets and financial projections, and we lecture at the Harvard Business School about the miracles of macroeconomics. We are on the record, in the open. Or so we portray ourselves and so are we accepted. It is how the system works…the system itself is built on subterfuge…”
In short, EHMs could be from the Singapore Intelligence, Mossad (Israeli Intelligence) or the CIA working in corporations like Halliburton, Bechtel and Brown & Root, the multilateral agencies like the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO and private consultancies like the RAND Corporation and other think tanks. They work for the Empire, that indispensible nation called the United States of America, and its allies. It is a network of smart and dedicated individuals. They are what we call “Mr Fix-Its”.
The American I met was an accomplished wind surfer. From him, I learned a few things which we do not normally read in our papers, and I thought I should share them with you. But I would like to say from the outset that I have no means of verifying his views.
The following are what I was able to obtain from our conversations over a period of 1 week, during which I gave him a local tour of Penang Island including some night spots. He was a seasoned drinker of Chivas and Jack Daniels, and a great salsa dancer:
1. People of Sabah and Sarawak feel that the Badawi Government is neglecting them. He has allowed local politicians from his UMNO Party under a Mr. Musa Aman a free hand in the exploitation of rich natural resources. These politicos work in cahoots with the Chinese Timber tycoons and the forest rangers. Promises of balanced regional developments remain promises.
2. The rivalry between Federal Officers and state civil servants is intense and the politicians are exploiting the situation for their advantage.
3. The remote areas of both Sabah and Sarawak do not have access to clean water, proper sanitation, heath services, and electricity. I am wondering what the Ministry of Rural Development under a Badawi crony, Dato Aziz Samsuddin, is doing!!
4. Mr. Badawi is surrounded by a cabal of relatives, friends and associates, and a couterie of hanger-ons. He is also building a family dynasty with interlocking interests. His own brother who is in the food business has a huge contract to supply Malaysia Airlines System and other airlines. His politically ambitious son-in-law is an important player in a boutique merchant bank, ECM Libra, which is controlled a Singapore agent, Kallimullah Hassan, and his associates.
5. Mr Hassan is also the Group Chief Editor of The New Straits and close strategic advisor (like Karl Rove is to George W. Bush) to Mr. Badawi. Minister.
5. ECM Libra is the financial advisor to Temasik Group, an investment arm of the Singapore Government on takeovers. Temasik is caught in the present tussle over Southern Bank which is the target of a takeover by the CIMB Group, a GLC (Government Linked Corporation) led by Mr.Nazir Razak, the ambitious younger brother of Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Najib Razak.
6. His son, a University of Cambridge educated, Mr. Badawi Jr, has amassed a fortune via Scomi Group since his Dad assumed the premiership in 2003. A Badawi relative is implicated in the Iraq (pronounced Eye-Rak) Oil For Food scandal.
7. On negotiations over the crooked bridge, water, railway land and airspace, it is likely that the mercantilistic island Republic will gain the upper hand. That is why Singapore is acting tough, as observed by our former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir. Has a deal been done between
Mr. Badawi and Mr Goh Chok Tong in the name of good bilateral relations with Malaysia giving away even the kitchen sink to get the new bridge as replacement for the existing Causeway?
8. The American wind surfer told me that Mr. Badwai is not a political “ignoramus” as he is made out to be. Neither is he very transparent. He shocked me by saying that Mr. Badawi had spent RM 12.5 million to renovate his Official Residence, Sri Perdana, in Putrajaya. Yet Badawi’s men are saying that the Malaysian Government has no money to pay local contractors because Tun Dr. Mahathir had spent all the money on mega-projects. What is Mr. Lim Kit Siang doing on this?
9. Finally, Anwar Ibrahim is the man to watch, my American surfer said. Badawi will do that for his own survival. What will Mr. Musa Hitam think of this?
I do not know what to make out of all these matters. But it does look as if the man we all voted in 2004 is no ordinary politician. By the way, he will be travelling again after Lesotho to Busan, South Korea for APEC, then off to some official visits before hosting the ASEAN Summit and the Inaugural East Asian Economic Group Summit in December, 2005.
In the meantime, Mr Fair Malaysian, we can wait patiently for some clear leads for the economy. No time for Mr. Badawi to change his Cabinet. In 2006?
Terima kasih and salams from Pulau Mutiara.
November 15th, 2005 at 6:35 am
Teman orang perak: “Malaysia) – (Hak keistimewaan Bumiputera) = (Patriotic Molisa)
Or
(Malaysia) – (Patriotic Molisa) = (Smiling UMNO delegates)
Or
(Malaysia) – (UMNO) – (Prejudice) = (Patriotic Molisa) + (cluster of unhappy Malays)
can’t decide till this moment…. ”
Very interesting comment Perak. One questions folks - do you think Malaysia can survive as a country? With so much controversy it seems Malays and non-Malays (and Muslims and non-Muslims) are headed in 180 degrees opposite directions. Will it make more sense to split Malaysia to two pieces? non-Malay and Malay Malaysia? Will it then bring more peace? Will it finally solve the problems/tensions/hatred?
BTW, the quality and civility of discussions here are so good, esp compared to local Malaysian blogs. Are you guys all overseas? That will be so upsetting to discover that the difference is due to the fact that all you guys are overseas!! I must say that even if the conclusion is for the non-Malays to migrate out of Malaysia, not all the non-Malays can. They may lack the means. What about them?
November 15th, 2005 at 8:34 am
Dear Anak Penang,
I do not know very much about Sabah and Sarawak politics.
However, based on my own analysis, you are not very far off the mark as far as peninsular politics is concerned. It is also true that Anwar, despite all the misgivings, has been very carefully bidding his time to become “relevant” at the right time. Abdullah may try to fire his “shots” close to the next election but with Anwar around it will certainly be a completely different ball game. Two factors helped Abdullah the last time around - the tag “Mr. Clean” and and his trait shown as a good man. This is the post effect of the Mahatir era where people were quite fed-up with the previous administration, both in terms of “hard” policies of Mahatir and the level of corruption believed to have ravaged the country. Abdullah fired just a few shots, which many thought was at corruption but actually the shots were aimed at the vulnerable sentiments of the common folks.
I would personally want him to succeed. Whatever is said of him, he still remains the least tainted person in the administration but I would see a strong adversary in Anwar.
It is true that the prevailing perception is that it is impossible to bring about changes within the administration because almost everyone has been stamped with a black mark. So, the argument has been to see it outside of the BN and the only credible person who would be able to do that appears to be Anwar. When he came out strongly against the NEP, therein lies his ingenuity and grasp of politics because he definitely knows how to sell this to both the Malays and non-Malays and still come out as a winner. This is only one such thing I am citing. By the time of the next election, people would have started to think of changes - make no mistake about it.
Bintang: We need not have to be unduly worried that Malays and non-Malays appear to be in different camps. I would be denying the truth that all is ok but there are sufficient level headed people who will be able to cushion the racial politics now being staged and played because none of us are going to benefit from any foolish excesses.
November 15th, 2005 at 12:00 pm
Welcome back Bro Baju. Bro Din Merican and others miss your postings. Please don’t stay away too long. We like to hear your perspective.
November 15th, 2005 at 12:53 pm
This is one of my favourites from BOB DYLAN
during my undergrad days at MU
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Whatever colors you have in your mind
I’ll show them to you and you’ll see them shine
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Until the break of day, let me see you make him smile
His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
And you’re the best thing that he’s ever seen
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he’s standing in front of you
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead
I long to see you in the morning light
I long to reach for you in the night
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead
Any Bob Dylan fans out there?
November 15th, 2005 at 1:40 pm
hello pak cik keris,
pak cik keris ni boleh jadi ayah saya lah..
but i have a soft spot for older men tahu..seperti pak cik din merican (esp the hitam manis type - dik tina pun black sweet juga). boleh tak talipon dik tina in bangsar.
543553522
how old are you pak cik din? the difference counts.
remember princess sophie in the da vinci code - anagram a-r-u-z-a when you call.
November 15th, 2005 at 8:36 pm
Tina:
Thanks for the phone number. If Pak Keris_always is old enough to be your Dad and he is younger than me, then I am fit to be your grandpa.
There are a lot of “hitam manises” (and some of them could look like battered tanks, so be careful), just look around, Tina, and you will find them. But at this time, you could be at the wrong place in Bangsar Baru. If you are anak Mami, please contact Anak Penang for some suggestions.
Keris_always:
Good to have you back. Remember R. Azmi singing “hitam manis pandang tak jemu” stuff?. Yes, I am a fan of Bob “The Tamborine Man” Dylan as well. He was the music prophet of the Woodstock Generation (1969 when I was a student in the US). The female version was Joan Baez. I also enjoyed listening to Mama Cass Eliot of the Group called The Mamas and The Papas, and The Fifth Dimension, Johnny Cash, and Jimi Hendrix. Need be just Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, my friend.
What has happended to 10-4 Ibrahim? Maybe his walkie-talkie is out of order, or could he be lost in the Californian Redwood Forest! There are many issues other than Islam that we must discuss on this blog/website. I see Mr. Baju is also back.
Anak Penang:
John Perkin’s “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2004) was mentioned to me by Dr. Bakri. From your comments, the book should be good reading for Badawi and Anwar who seem to be going overboard in order to repair our relations with Bush’ s America. Play with the Devil and you will be devilised or Dick Cheneynised.
John Perkins wrote about his experiences in Ecuador, Panama, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq (pronounced Eye-Rak), Castro’s Cuba and Hugo Chevez’s Venezuela. Those who are interested, I suggest to you to visit http://www.JohnPerkins.org .I am taking John’s suggestion that we should spread the word (it will benefit his book sales no doubt).
His book, he says is, and I quote (as if not to be outdone by you, since I am from Kedah, Penang being our land, man): “…a confession of a man who allowed himself to become a pawn, an economic hit man; a man who bought into a corrupt system because it offered so many perks, and because buying in was easy to justify; a man who knew better but who could always find excuses for his own greed, for exploiting desperate people and pillaging the planet; a man who took full advantage of the fact that he was born into one of the wealthiest societies history, and who also could pity himself because his parents were not at the top of the pyramid; a man who listened to his teachers, read textbooks on economic development, and then followed the example of other men and women who legitimize every action that promotes global empire, even if that action results in murder, genocide and environmental destruction; a man who trained others to follow his footsteps…” (pp.223-224).
John believes that confession is the first step to redemption, not te road to perdition. At least, he is not proclaiming Islam Hadhari at every opportunity while deluding us, that is, if we can accept the observations of the American wind surfer you met recently at the Rasa Sayang Hotel, Batu Ferringhi.
Both Bro. Anwar and Badawi share a common starting point: they are from the same area, one from Cherok Tokkun and the other from Kepala Batas. They were both Deputy Prime Ministers under Tun Dr. Mahathir. Both are using Islam while playing the West card to appear as liberals. But Badawi was lucky due to former Prime Minister’s oversight. So will the real Anwar and Badawi stand up.
At least my fellow Kedahan, Tun Dr. Mahathir (the man from Seberang Perak, Alor Setar like our man, Daim Zainuddin, and I am from Bakaq Bata like Keris_always) is authentic, like him or not. He makes no bones about his politics, but he is a simple human being at heart who never forgot his roots. His politics is hard ball stuff. He understood power, had the guts to make critical decisions, and was a great seducer and user of talent to serve his cause. I know people like you, Keris_always and others may not agree.
Bakri:
You must be busy as I have not heard from you via our back channel. I look forward to reading your next book.
Just to inform you that Tunku Razaleigh is going to organize a convention on Bangsa Melayu soon (some time in December). It will again be all talk and lot of resolutions. Why don’t they stop seeking solutions ad infinitum and apologising. Just do what is right for the Malays and Malaysia.
I am sure your book, “The Malay Dilemma Revisited” and Tun Dr. Mahathir’s “The Malay Dilemma” and “The Way Forward” and Senu’s “Revolusi Mental” will be discussed. I am told that Ibrahim Al-Kataki Ali, ex-UMNO, will be there.
Thanks.
November 15th, 2005 at 9:15 pm
correction “…history has ever known…” Sorry for that. Tks,
November 15th, 2005 at 9:16 pm
correction “…history has ever known…” Sorry for that. Tks.
November 15th, 2005 at 10:03 pm
Din Merican,
I’m sure most of the participant to that bangsa-melayu convention will be of the same Al-Kataki breed, the kind of people who go up against any positive changes communally but wouldn’t hesitate if there is a ceremonial ass licking session involve.
November 16th, 2005 at 12:53 am
Teman_org_perak,
The place is infected with various types of al-katakis. Some like the Vice Chancellor, Universiti Malaysia, consider themselves dalangs and ahli bangsawan. Others are hand kissers, yet others pontificate and recite pantuns, all with the objectve of pleasing the boss. They are pushing a personal agenda of self advancement to the exclusion of our national and Malay interest.
Even worse, still others are plain court jesters like those who served our Sultans in the days of old…all for privilege and perks. With these types around, we do not need any external enemies.
We have enemies within who will have been “screwing up” the NEP, giving it a bad name, so that they can now start the New National Agenda( NNA). They can have another round of harvests. At this rate, memanglah, perjuangan kita tentulah belum selesai.
BTW, Berlin-based Malaysian Researcher and author Dr. Farish Noor has just published a sequel to his book, “The Other Malaysia” (Kuala Lumpur:Silverfish, 2002). It is titled “From Majapahit to Putrajaya: Searching for Another Malaysia” (Kuala Lumpur: Silverfish, 2005). You will be advised to get both books. His ideas, comments and observations are both entertaining and serious. His message is this: “Defeatism is never an option for a true Muslim”.
Have a great day and welcome to this company of positive and responsible bloggers led ably by Dr. Bakri Musa of Morgan-Hill, California who is, in my view, the Imam (leader) of critical thinkers dedicated to making Malaysia, our great country, a progressive, compassionate yet competitive society.
Thanks.
November 16th, 2005 at 2:24 am
Bro Din Merican
No I didn’t get lost in the redwoods. I can still see the forest inspite of the trees. Just transmitting under a different frequency 10-4
November 16th, 2005 at 6:17 am
hey bang din,
i can read you. your favourite song would be kenny roger’s “she believes me”:
While she lays sleeping, I stay out late at night and play my songs
And sometimes all the nights can be so long
And it’s good when I finally make it home, all alone
While she lays dreaming, I try to get undressed without the light
And quietly she says how was your night?
And I come to her and say, it was all right, and I hold her tight
And she believes in me, I’ll never know just what she sees in me
I told her someday if she was my girl, I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong
But she has faith in me, and so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night, if my song is right
I will find a way, find a way…
While she lays waiting, I stumble to the kitchen for a bite
Then I see my old guitar in the night
Just waiting for me like a secret friend, and there’s no end
While she lays crying, I fumble with a melody or two
And I’m torn between the things that I should do
And she says to wake her up when I am through,
God her love is true…
And she believes in me, I’ll never know just what she sees in me
I told her someday if she was my girl, I could change the world
With my little songs, I was wrong
But she has faith in me, and so I go on trying faithfully
And who knows maybe on some special night, if my song is right
I will find a way, while she waits… while she waits for me for me!
dunno about pak cik keris lah! sorry. jangan marah ya!
hey dont get me wrong. i like older men - not old man. bang din maseh muda, maseh kuat.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:07 am
Dear Fair Malaysian, I can appreciate the optimism but look what has been posted in Malaysia Today blog:
_____________________________________________________________
“Some of these people just don’t understand…I hate to say this, but let me tell…..most Malays will be more than happy to see these Kuis and Kulis emigrate to some other country. We don’t sob.”
“The Malays are pursuing Ketuanan Melayu with vigour.”
“If anyone is unhappy living here then be honorable and leave. Good riddance to bad baggage I say.”
“But your nenek moyang were invited by the british to be their kulis. We melayu never invite you. Now the british has long gone, so it is good idea that you behave yourselves in this country or else go with them and continue to be the caucassian’s lapdog. We do not weep.”
____________________________________________________
Could this be the writing on the wall?
November 16th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
writing on the wall…? naaaahhh!
no graffiti alowed.
November 16th, 2005 at 3:03 pm
it is called free speech.
November 16th, 2005 at 7:38 pm
From 10-4 Ibrahim to Ogre. Got the message.
But I still do not get TINA’s message. What is your advice? Kenny Rogers turns me off. Generation gap but she is persistent, man. Thanks.
November 16th, 2005 at 7:46 pm
Migration? What’s the fuss? They have been doing it for hundreds of years! If they can migrate from their very own “mainland” for money, you can imagine what they can do to the other lands!
I only migrated to KL!
November 16th, 2005 at 8:57 pm
Fathol Zaman and Fair Malaysian,
What is next from you guys!! Mr. Ogre in California is waiting to hear about what you have in mind next before he disappears to a retreat in the Redwood Forests for this weekend. He is a nature lover and wants to be one with nature.
Have you been to the John Perkins website? I have emailed him and am awaiting his response.
Thanks.
November 16th, 2005 at 10:59 pm
Bro Din Merican,
Yes I enjoy camping, the open country and be in touch with nature. All this racial talk is getting me all stressed out. We are all Anak Adam and God has created us to be different, different color, different language etc etc. But God forbids us to discriminate. When we die we will all go to the same place. One sign is when you do the Hajj. Every pilgrim will be dressed the same, the two towels (Ihram) covering our bodies. Irregardles of what is your race, station in life, color of your skin, hair and eyes, you will wear the two unstitched towels. This should reinforce that in the eyes of God we are all the same.
I am left speechless that now after 48 years of Independence Malaysians are still talking about the Malay, Chinese and Indians race and calling each other names and telling each other to leave Malaysia if they don’t like it. Now you know the reason I left Malaysia. Every race have a place in Malaysia. No Malaysian should feel he/she is a second class citizen. Just because the NEP provides privileges to the Bumis does not make the Bumis first class citizens. Remember this is just a privilege, not a right. The right is to vote, own land, buy properties, make money, do business and live a peaceful life. Nobody can take that away from the citizens.
I do encourage that we advise all parties to cool off before this issue explodes, judging by some of the remarks made. It seems that the newcomers to this site have a burning anger carried over. No matter what topic Dr Bakri writes, the posting still leads back to us versus them, Malays versus Chinese, or vice versa. Please realise that not all Malays share the views expressed and not all Chinese share the same views. Maybe some that have been disappointed or rejected are using this site to vent their anger and in doing so fan the fire or racial hatred. I really object when posters say The Malays, The Chinese etc. This is brushing the whole race with the same slur just because of the acts of a few.
November 16th, 2005 at 11:57 pm
Tuan Din Merican/Tuan Bakri Musa
Minta maaf dulu kalau ada kesilapan atau hubungan yang tidak atur.
Dear All
My comments
Immigration is up to the individual and their capabilities and frankly if you work in a MNC or even regional corporate, where you decide your base would be the economic opportunities for yourself and your family as compared with the economic constraints there. As finally all are responsible to each family. Or if you have your own business, you will need to think regionally at the least.
Lost opportunity
My opinion & fondest wish is to see that corruption is controlled (very long term eradicated) in Malaysia as it is a cost to the people and the economy and no respecter of race or dogma or persuasion
Due to my work environment perspective, there is only a short time (5 years or less) for Malaysia and ASEAN in general to get its act together.
If not, as the saying goes “Bila gajah lawan, semut/rusa dipijak/dilanyak”
As the new potential giants China/India would be on their economic ascent and capitalistic globalisation marches on without pause.
To my mind, the Proton project should either be scrapped or sold off or to
concentrate on the car parts only as why can’t Proton be the next Robert Bosch group or the Shimano group (bicycle parts).
Malaysia should concentrate, if not, it will survive as a country but be a “sleepy” backwater or outpost or even worse (God forbid) decline to the level of Phillipines/Burma .
The areas of opportunties where Malaysia has already the natural resources :-
a) rubber and related polymer industries eg plastics.
b) metallurgy as new alloys or research and plants
c) synthethic/biofuels
d) cosmectics or related industries since new scents can be found and palm oil is the main source to make soap/shampoos etc
This among many others but Malaysia will need to either partner or research with the best and cooperate with others in ASEAN to bulk up its markets size.
Regards
Anak Johore
November 17th, 2005 at 1:16 am
Unfortunately, saudara Ogre, the problem is that Article 153 has been twisted to tell non-Malay Malaysians that indeed, we are second-class citizens. (Or, as one of them told me, “unoriginal Malaysians”.) This principle of Ketuanan Melayu has already infiltrated our school textbooks - it’s in my form three history text. Of course we are all Malaysians. Nobody can deny that. But some of us sure try hard to. This is why over 40 years ago, in our Parliament, Lee Kuan Yew lamented, “Malaysia — to whom does it belong? To Malaysians. But who are Malaysians? I hope I am, Mr Speaker, Sir. But sometimes, sitting in this chamber, I doubt whether I am allowed to be a Malaysian.”
The fact is, despite its original intent of being a temporary affirmative action provision, Article 153 has overstayed. Much of it is an anachronism. And yet, this same temporary provision is now considered illegal to question, and is constantly harped on. Anyone who questions it is considered to be questioning our forefathers’ wisdom. (And if you think about it, we are questioning their wisdom. Why the hell did they write a temporary article and conveniently forget to include a sunset clause?)
It is of course true that we non-Malay Malaysians have yet to have our basic rights infringed on. But who cannot feel abandoned and alienated by his nation when his friends and neighbours are buying cars and houses at discounts as high as 15%, paid for by his taxes? Who cannot help but feel unMalaysian when his colleagues are sons of the soil and he is a pendatang asing? As Lim Keng Yaik asked, who the hell would want to die for this country? To this day, a Bumiputra drug addict can be a son of the soil, while a non-Bumiputra soldier who died in combat is a pendatang asing.
I’m sure you can see how frustrated the non-Malays are with the situation here. This does not excuse the behaviour of some others on this blog, but the fact is that some of their rantings are actually above-par for the Malaysian blogging scene. To really appreciate how bad things have got, a visit to Malaysia Today or Lim Kit Siang’s blog is required. Many of these racists are racist only because their own country has abandoned and alienated them.
How can we feel that you, the Malay Malaysians, are our brothers and sisters when Indonesian Malaysians like Khir Toyo, whose father immigrated here from Indonesia, can be a Menteri Besar with all the perks and privileges of being a son of the soil, while a non-Malay like Tian Chua, who can trace his lineage back to the era of the Malaccan Sultanate, remains a pendatang asing? How can we call ourselves a Malaysian nation when we are told that in no uncertain terms that some of us are not original Malaysians and thus undeserving of certain privileges or rights?
How can we consider ourselves Malaysians, when we are held as owing the Malay Malaysians a debt for granting us citizenship? How can we have a contract and a loan we never agreed to held against us? How can we, the non-Malay Malaysians, have any hope for ourselves or our nation, when we have no avenue to improve the situation? Even if we could give a hundred lives for our nation, we would never be recognised as a son of the soil. We would never undo the label of pendatang asing.
As someone educated in a national school, I am glad I made friends with Malays and Indonesians. I do not mean to taint the good name of the majority of Malays and Bumiputras. But the fact is that while many Malay Malaysians may talk about opposing the system, they remain in the minority and continue to receive the privileges they ostensibly oppose (this does not apply to those who have left the country).
It is also difficult for humans not to generalise. As a result, it is unsurprising that many non-Malays callously refer to “the Malays” while many Malays refer to “the Chinese”. I do not think we should direct our anger at the people who make this comments. Rather, our efforts should be directed into altering the meaning of “the Malays” and “the Chinese”. These generalisations should be used to portray Malaysians in a positive, and not negative light. And the only way to do so is to bring about policies that can undo the damage Article 153 has wrought on the non-Malay psyche and the Malay ingenuity and diligence, and instead implement an equitable affirmative action policy based on aiding all poor, regardless of race, and teaching them to fish instead of just giving them fish.
November 17th, 2005 at 2:17 am
Dear All/John
Lets be pragmatic. What is practical which can be done for Article 153.
For example
a) All education/civil service quotas should be for rural poor/urban poor bumiputras with certain minimum wage/grades
b) Shares are alloted to only rural/urban poor cooperatives which must have members with wages below x dollars
c) Discounts, etc are alloted to only rural/urban poor cooperatives which must have members with wages below x dollars
If this occurs, all this disadvantages the non-bumiputras, but personally would support it , why it benefits those who are in need and meets the needs not the wants.
Best Regards
Anak Johore
November 17th, 2005 at 3:51 am
10-4 Ibrahim, Ogre,
Welcome back!!. You are right. It is very stressful with all the racial stereotyping. Funny I was just talking to some of my colleagues about death just yesterday. It is the universal equaliser. Nobody walks away from here with anything more than they were given when they were born. We come naked without any worldly possessions and we go away from this world naked too. I believe the legacies that we leave behind and known for what we stand for while ‘here’ is more important. ‘We are rich for what we are not because of what we have’.
Nature is always a good reminder of what we are. I remmeber a visit to Yosemiti, what a place to go back to nature. Here in Malaysia, we are slowly losing our forest to the “development”. Europeans have learned lessons from their own follies with industrialisation and are attempting to reverse their polluting ways. I must say that some have done pretty well. Germany and Switzerland are good examples. I especially like the ways the Germans are disposing off their waste. Their local councils are very strict and citizens have no choice but to follow the environmentally healthy way of waste disposal. I was told, during a visit to Lausanne where spending sometime at the Geneva Lake to appreciate its beauty is a must, that because of the way that the Swiss are discharging their water into the lake, the Swiss side of the lake is way way clearer than the French side.
Dear all,
Hope this is a good distraction from the stress of racial bickerings.
Johnleemk,
The cake is baked. We have input the wrong ingredients. It taste terrible. Perhaps very bitter to your taste, sensing from what you have been commenting here and other blogs. Your arguemnt is commentable for a young man of your age. But, whacking it would not improve the taste. Most of the Malay bros here, though I cannot ascertain whether they represent the minority, are sincere especially Dr Bakri and Saudara Din. They are not only taking the risks of being branded unpatriotic, they are also spending their own private time and effort to provide us with intellectual discourse merely with the aim of hopefully improving the situation in Malaysia.
I believe that the better ‘educated’ peole are, the less bigot they are. Trust the professional Malays, (the ones who read widely). The ones you meet or hear about are perhaps ‘trained’ to be professionals and not ‘educated’ Like Dr Bakri mentioned in his book, they perhaps have not even touched a book from the day that they graduated. So, perhaps you should not include them in the same category as what we have here at this blog. So lets encourage them, the others, to get exposed to the ‘elements’ in the real global society and then perhaps they would turn around to create a better nation for Malaysians.
Are you feeling the ‘elements’ coming your way?
Mat Moto,
I realised I may have been derogatory when I mentioned the motor industry being oily and dirty. I meant it as metaphorically. I am also in the motor related industry. Apologies if I have drawn first blood.
November 17th, 2005 at 5:19 am
ok.. i have had it with you johnleemk.
i know how to fish but i also want the fish given to me. who doesnt? you?
November 17th, 2005 at 5:30 am
10-4 Ibrahim aka Ogre, you say
All this racial talk is getting me all stressed out. We are all Anak Adam and God has created us to be different, different color, different language etc etc. But God forbids us to discriminate. When we die we will all go to the same place.
Don’t forget the 72 virgins
November 17th, 2005 at 6:05 am
saudara berahim,
after such a long hiatus, i am begining to find a visit to this blog rather stressful. too much anger here. i prefer to listen to my favourite oldies - like bob dylan. at least he doesnt talk back at me.
perhaps our brother din merican can come up with more of his “down memory lane” stories -his escapades in his teens to see rose chan at the amusement park next to rex cinema has stirred a lot of memories for me. and since then i have not been able to shut it down.
has he thought about commissioning lat to do cartoons about his escapades during those teen years spent on the lam away from the gaze of his dotting mom? i am a catoonist and should he consider letting us into his innermost thoughts and intimate experiences (rose chan included), i would spend some time, when not riding into the sunset, to reduce the memories on to paper.
you are my point man, bro berahim. go for it. get me the coordinates so i could get our radio operator to relay them to base.
November 17th, 2005 at 6:15 am
P.S.
who is this teena? nanti pak cik pakai tongkat ali.
November 17th, 2005 at 7:04 am
Johnleemk
Point noted and I share your frustrations. But as Kg Boy said the cake is cooked with all the ingredients. We now have to move forward and change the recipe. Stop eating the cake and drinking from the tainted well. Why poison yourself, find another well to drink from. I did. But don’t forget the true intention of Article 153. It is pure and sincere but somewhere along the line it got hijacked for the interest of a few.
Bro Keris Always
I like to watch the Eagles Reunion Concert with Hotel California. It is a great DVD with lots of memories. Maybe you might like to listen to Korprotasa, puisi dan lagu Maseh kah kau ingat or Flybaits Kenangan Lalu.
November 17th, 2005 at 7:39 am
to johnleemk
art. 153 does have a sunset clause - 1990.
unless you are a student of law, you will not fully appreciate the importance of deliberate well-placed and well crafted so-called “ambiguities” in a legal document. there are there for a purpose - to give flexibility.
for example, the word “reasonableness” or “reasonable” is one such term. in tort law, for example, such term is deliberate in order to give it objectivity. it allows for the “reasonable man” to play his role - in the interest of justice.
when it comes to the extension of the dateline as in art. 153, if my memory is right, it is left to the yang di pertuan agong - meaning it is left to the executive arm of the government and through the legislative process i.e. parliament.
it is not subject to the “principle of reasonableness”.
furthermore, parliament being supreme - and not the constitution in the case of malaysia (as some people thought) - any amendment of the malaysian constitution i.e. of art. 153 can be approved by a mere 2/3 majority. no referendum is needed.
November 17th, 2005 at 9:05 am
ok..lah since you insist on being pak cik din rather than abang din…
this song first hit the charts when you were barely 12 yrs old. how’s that??
November 17th, 2005 at 9:06 am
Unforgettable, that’s what you are
Unforgettable though near or far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
Unforgettable in every way
And forever more, that’s how you’ll stay
That’s why, darling, it’s incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too
Unforgettable in every way
And forever more, that’s how you’ll stay
That’s why, darling, it’s incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too
November 17th, 2005 at 9:58 am
When deriving answers for any problems, the following principles laid need to be observed for one is after all a slave of the Creator of the Universe.
1. “ Allah ( THE Creator of the Universe) knows and you do not know”
… Quran 3:66
“ Fear Allah, and He will teach you” ( 2:282)
All knowledge originates from HIM and HE is the one who enables us to put into use all practical knowledge for everyday’s purpose
2. “ Messengers are sent to explain to mankind the guidance from Him” ( 16:44)
“ He ( Muhammad saw) does not speak from his own desire but what has been inspired unto him” 53: 3-4
Messengers were sent to all mankind, the last being Muhammad (saw) and one of their major duty is to EXPLAIN the guidance of Allah to mankind so as to preach mankind to follow the straight path.
3. “ Ask those who know if you do not know” (21:7)
“ …those who conducts their affair in mutual consultation ( shura)…( 42:23)
The principle above shows for those who take upon to answer any questions would ask those who are MORE of an EXPERT in that knowledge and they will discuss the answers to be provided via mutual consultation
4. “…When it is a knowledge of the deen ( matters of akhira) , take from me and if it is a matter of worldly nature, YOU ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE of that affair’
Sahih Hadeeth Bukhari.
The statement above referred to the advise the prophet (pbuh) giving advise to the farmers of Madeenah to change their method of agriculture of certain trees and when the people did it, the harvest decresed in the following year and the people came and mentioned this to the prophet and he (saw) said the above.
To indicate that for wordly affairs, the experts in this field are more knowledgeable.
Having said the above principles ( these are just a few, there are many more, but the above suffices for the moment), it is obvious that many pf the questions posed are really outside the jurisdiction of uelema as many of them are matters of wordly affair.
BUT …BUT it does not mean that the uelemas could not provide some of their knowledge to these experts for them to incorporate in their study for application purpose.
For every affair , the uelema has a role but for some of these they are more of advise for the experts to incorporate into their studies so that the recommendation that the latter may give may be a lot more wholesome as they now work together with uelema advise ( shura..mutual consultations).
So lets try to take them bit by bit…
“What do you think should be done to reduce global poverty?”
1. To teach mankind abt the beauty of Islam which teach that this world is transitory and the hereafter is eternal.
2. Each will be asked about how his wealth is derived and where does one spend it unto. The more wealth one has the more questioning there will be.
3. To advise the rich of the above hoping they will be more generous in spending as much as possible of their wealth to help out the poor. Don’t just give the fish, give the rod as well when spending on others
4. For the poor not to despair of their state. Remain patient, steadfast, seek the help of HIM and slowly work your way out. Remember in matters of the world look at the one below you and you will be grateful of your state despite the fact that you are still considered poor
5. To advise generally that if you are able to eat in the day, to have a clothes behind your back and shelter to sleep on this is suffiecnt for the world need.
What is more important to preserve is to remain steadfast in matters of the deen.
Don’t worry abt getting nternet, handphones, house furniture etc etc etc…these are material items those materialist cant do without. We don’t need them
6. Keep pursuing knowledge. Never flinch from this despite the your state of affair
7. To advise the govt take more from the ultra rich and channel to the poor . To employ these on contract basis for economic activities in country and keep changing the group of people every so often so that new groups of people are being engaged each time.
8. To ask the questioner’s father , who once presided a country for 22 years, what would he have done to reduce this given the fact that he had the whole nation under him and he could have done sth but , unfortunately, as the results shown till now, nothing of significance had come out of him.
“The world’s richest 500 individuals own a combined income that is greater than that of the poorest 416 million. What do you think should be done about reducing this massive gap between rich and poor in the world?”
1. To teach mankind abt the beauty of Islam which teach that this world is transitory and the hereafter is eternal.
2. Each will be asked about how his wealth is derived and where does one spend it unto. The more wealth one has the more questioning there will be.
3. To advise the rich of the above hoping they will be more generous in spending as much as possible of their wealth to help out the poor. Don’t just give the fish, give the rod as well when spending on others.
4. Unfortunately almost 98% of these wealthy individuals are from western world and have a very secularistic outlook.And their govt rewards those capitalist .So to advise the govt to take any actions of those wold require massive change on theor govt.
5. As such we could only advise to these only.
70% of the world’s people are uneducated, with only minimal schooling. Do you think this is a bad thing, and what would you do about it?
1. Yes this is bad. But I also think mix school ( boys & girls ) are bad too and the first thing to do is to segregate the schools.
2. To train up individuals in each village certain teaching skills and provide them necessary reward package for teaching and to start from scratch education in those respective schools.
3. To work with the expert on their plan and strategy to overcome these problems.
According to the latest UNDP Human Development Report, every hour 1,200 children die around the world, mostly because of poverty. What do you think would be the best way to help children such as these?
1. I take this stats with a pinch of salt. I belive this is a bias result. Most assuredly A LOT more people die from heart attack, hypertension,stroke,cancer etc , majority of which somehow relates to overweight , therefore overeating.
2. I stand by the statement, For every 1 person who dies from poverty 10 dies from disease of overeating.
Income inequalities are not the only thing that disadvantages people. Gender inequalities also play a part. In India, the death rate for children aged 1-5 is 50% higher for girls than it is for boys. In Pakistan, two million more girls would be in school if there were gender parity. What do you think should be done to address these gender inequalities?
1. People are ignorant about the importance of education for both. Teach them this.
2. As it is, most of the politician in the govt like to talk nonsense abt individuals etc rather than doing their work by going to the field and see the need of the people.
3. Before he became a muslim, Omar Ibn Alkhattab ( the second caliph) wanted to murder the prophet (saw). But when islam enters his heart and him assuming the position of caliphate he would roam the streets of Madeenah surreptitiously DURING THE NIGHT to see what sort of complains people have about the leader and his governors so that he could take actions to rectify them.
I would want to ask her to to see if this sort of noble practice was EVER done by a former leader of 22 years of a certain country, or for that matter by any other leader under him or of leaders from the rest of the world?
Imbibe this sort of noble traits of genuine concern for the plight of people in every leader , and soon those sort of problems and many more will come to pass.
“According to the report also, the development of any country is influenced by the status of women in that country. Hence, Malaysia ranks only 61st in the Human Development Index (HDI) because women make up only 13% in Parliament, 24% in managerial and administrative positions and only earn 47% of men’s income. Nothing much has changed for women for the past 30 years. But we are not the worst off. The countries with the least empowered women are all Muslim countries, including Pakistan and Yemen. What do you think of this? “
1. Yes this is bad. But woman forgetting about their role of being a mother to the family is even worse than all that you mention above. Ensure that for every woman who wants to take up a job outside their home, they do not leave off the MOST IMPORTANT role a married woman has on the face of this earth, being a caring and loyal wife and a loving mother ( if they have kids)
2. Pls get me those stats of how much the above has been fulfilled from those woman in parliament, managerial etc etc etc, then lets compare notes and comment on each others stats
“Although terrorism in developed countries is most in the news, in fact the poorest countries in the world experience more conflict. These conflicts only fuel under-development. For instance, nine out of the 10 countries with the lowest HDI have experienced conflict at some point since 1990. Conflict also plays a part in five out of 10 countries with the lowest life expectancy, in nine out of 10 countries with the highest infant and under-five mortality rates and in eight out of 10 countries with the lowest primary school enrolment. What do you think should be done to resolve conflict so that these countries may prosper? “
1. People are ignorant especially the fact that they don’t get nothing out of each other whne they clash with each other for no reason . teach them.
2. And I will start with the US troops…just get out from Iraq. The world situation is getting worse with all these ‘war on terrorism” came on board.
3. And mind you, the one who started out first in this war on Iraq is a country who suffers the least as what you mention of the stats above.
How much of a rise in fuel prices do you think people can take?
1. Ask the economist. For all I know these are exploitation from those giant multinationals. This is what I have thought all this while.
2. Mind you the congress in US are now summoning those big bosses for congressional hearing on this.
3. Get the greed out of people and you’ll get less of this.
4. How you do that??? …Tell them abt this teaching call Islam…
What do you think can be done to prevent cross-border environmental problems such as the haze?
1. Don’t talk about cross border. Lets deal with those greedy pigs local timber companies who goes about chopping woods from our own forest illegally.
2. Warn these people of grave consequences. Forget abt charges in court.
3. Engage the army to go into forest. If you see any machineries that aren’t suppose to be there, just shoot them butty machines out and tell those timber guys to walk out of the jungle on their own. Yeah you got it right there..tell them to take a hike. In this way these guys will start to learn abt the maxim…who wear pants in the jungle , eh!!! Don’t mess around when it comes to jungle , cos these are my territories.
What do you think should be done so that disabled people are not left behind in our country’s development?
1. help them with the necessary infrastructure.
Our country spends only 2% of GDP on health and 2.8% of GDP on military expenditures in 2003. Do you think this is right?
1. The experts know better. But I would say increase our budget for education, real education.
What do you think of the Millenium Development Goals? Malaysia failed one of the 6th MDG, which relates to health. What do you think we can do to redress this?
1. Sorry no comment…I don’t even know what this Millinem Goal is. I think we are even struggling with our 2020 goal, what more with this foreign goal being pushed to us.
In 1975, 37.7% of our population lived in urban centres. Since then, our people have become more urbanised with 63.8% in 2003 and a projected 71% by 2015. Is this a good or bad thing, and should politicians recognise this fact and act accordingly?
1, I belive this is extremely bad…but do you know which particular leade who spurred this in the first place????Hmmmm…you’d be surprise, madam…it could be someone nearer to home.
2. Ask him why he did it???? Now that the problem occur, ask him to provide the solution now….
While we are ranked 61 in the Human Development Index, many Muslim countries are ranked even lower, even so-called “rich” countries such as Saudi Arabia (77). There are also many Muslim countries ranked very low such as Iran (99), Egypt (119), Pakistan (135) and Yemen (151). The small oil-rich United Arab Emirates are the highest-ranking Muslim country at 41. What do you think of this?
1. In the first place we need to ask, what criteria are these guys using when they say development? And I wont be surprise if they say the ability to posses many “unwanted” material as a major criteria for development.
2. If only u would realize that many of the middle eastern country you talking abt has the least crime rate as compared to New Your or London, you would have seen that it is so much more safer to live in these countries vis a vis the western countries.
3. Things are even worse now where they have laws for them to detain even for mere suspicion of being a terrorist…don’t belive, ask them Guatanamo Bay prisoners and they’ll tell you what heaven on earth means!!!
4. Compare Gauuatnamo Bay vis a vis Taliban when they treated the journalist Ridley when she was caught sneaking into Taliban group. People coming out from Bay would never cease to curse from A-Z for the rest of their lives against their captives.
5. As for Ridley, she decided, out of her own will and desire, to convert to religion of her captive.
6. Now that is my Heaven on earth comparison. Islam comes to teach his followers how to humanely treat other so that they will see the beauty of islam.
041.034 Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!
041.035 And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint,- none but persons of the greatest good fortune.
( Quran 41:34-35)
So you can relieve your breath now, madam. Things are not difficult to answer you see. People would have thot that these answers are simple , rudimentary and would never be adopted by anyone now.
But you gotta take it out of the box. Alternative is the only sedative that we have as an option now.
November 17th, 2005 at 1:05 pm
Thanks Mr Baju. That was enlightening. You must have gone to lots of efforts and research for that piece.
The different races in Malaysia should stop blaming each other for the current state of affairs in Malaysia. They voted the government and they get what they wanted. Malaysia is not ruled by UMNO only. Malaysia is ruled by BN which comprises of UMNO, MCA, MIC, Gerakan and numerous smaller parties, crossing racial lines. In 1999 UMNO was on the verge of losing its leadership position Malays were not voting for UMNO even in Malay majority constituencies. Who then propped up UMNO and allowed them to win? Wasn’t it the Chinese and Indian electorates? You had a chance to clip UMNO’s majority in both Parliament as well as State Assemblies but no you were afraid of the opposition and believed the bogeyman stories of UMNO. Had the electorates decided to vote the opposition BN will have less than the 2/3 majority in Parliament and no laws can be passed without the 2/3 majority.
November 17th, 2005 at 4:19 pm
This is what I have been waiting for… an intelligent discourse on some religious principles!
“To teach mankind abt the beauty of Islam which teach that this world is transitory and the hereafter is eternal.
Like there will be a welcoming committee of 72 virgins waiting for you?
“Each will be asked about how his wealth is derived and where does one spend it unto. The more wealth one has the more questioning there will be.”
Following the same logic, you should give away all your wealth so that you will not have any question to answer. Spare yourself the interrogation.
“To advise the rich of the above hoping they will be more generous in spending as much as possible of their wealth to help out the poor. Don’t just give the fish, give the rod as well when spending on others..”
I’d rather keep my rod. I need it to procreate. You can have the fish.
“For the poor not to despair of their state. Remain patient, steadfast, seek the help of HIM and slowly work your way out. Remember in matters of the world look at the one below you and you will be grateful of your state despite the fact that you are still considered poor”
If I were to look below I am going to see only Mr. Baju. If I look up I may find God.
“To advise generally that if you are able to eat in the day, to have a clothes behind your back and shelter to sleep on this is suffiecnt for the world need.
What is more important to preserve is to remain steadfast in matters of the deen.
Don’t worry abt getting nternet, handphones, house furniture etc etc etc…these are material items those materialist cant do without. We don’t need them”
I’d rather have clothes on my back then behind my back. I’d rather have a shelter over my head than a shelter to sleep on.
“Keep pursuing knowledge. Never flinch from this despite the your state of affair”
Flinch? I am not sure I want to flinch.
“To advise the govt take more from the ultra rich and channel to the poor . To employ these on contract basis for economic activities in country and keep changing the group of people every so often so that new groups of people are being engaged each time.”
Robbing Ah Kow to pay Mutu? Then rob Mutu to pay Ahmad?? Amend Art. 153?
“To ask the questioner’s father , who once presided a country for 22 years, what would he have done to reduce this given the fact that he had the whole nation under him and he could have done sth but , unfortunately, as the results shown till now, nothing of significance had come out of him.”
You are referring to the good doctor? I didn’t know he had the whole nation under him. There was the ruling national Coalition (Barisan Nasional) which ruled the country – and still does. I didn’t know he was supposed to have stuff coming out of him. Was he supposed to shit bricks or something??
November 17th, 2005 at 4:21 pm
P.S>
Will Mr. Baju not take off his shirt and respond? Thank you.
November 17th, 2005 at 7:13 pm
Dear Keris_always et.al,
A close friend amd researcher, Dr Farish Ahmad Noor, has this to say about the state of our political discourse and our politics, and I quote:
“Since 1957, Malaysia’s political culture has been determined by the three cardinal points of Malaysian politics: Malay communitarianism, modern authoritarianism(that is founded on neo-feudalism), and politicized Islam”. (p.235 in his latest book titled “From Majapahit to Putrajaya”).
Malay communitarianism is “Ketuanan Melayu” and its lineage to Article 153 of our Constitution, that famous bargain between the leaders of UMNO, MCA and MIC before Independence. I am afraid we are caught in this trap, since it is now an integral part of political culture, and continues to dominate our ongoing discourse, even on this blog/website.
We are glued to our differences, instead of building on the richness of our pluralism and cultural diversity. We, Malaysians, have commonalities to build on, yet on grounds of political expediency we magnify our differences. To what purpose? We seem to forget the interconnectedness of our lives which requires us to stay away from perpetuating the “US versus Them” paradigm.
I have often wondered whether we, the Malays, are still insecure and need to hide behind Article 153 for ever, or is it UMNO’s fear that if it does not champion the cause of the Malays against “imagined enemies”, it would lose its political relevance and its hegemony over the community. Our other Malaysian brothers too must be more sensible and should learn accept certain realities.
Politicized Islam is a fallout from Mahathir’s failed Islamisation policy. Let us recognise it and learn from this. Iran and the Talibans can no longer inspire us in the 21st century. For starters, this rivalry between PAS and UMNO, using Islam as hostage, must end. Maybe somebody from UMNO Youth, the keris brandishing band of future party leaders, and the new PAS leadership can answer this for us.
I would have thought that after nearly 50 years, Malaysia should be a “progressive” not a regressive, exclusivist and religious police state, and that we, the Malays, should be more confident of our achievements, these being quite considerable, thanks to Mahathir, compared to those times in the 1950s when Keris-always and I were growing up in Bakaq Bata, Alok Stag, Kedah.
As if this is not enough, UMN0 champions neo-feudalism on the pretext that this is Malay identity. I see this as a paradox. On the one hand, we seek to modernise our economy, and are moving to towards embracing
globalisation with a modernist Islam Hadhari as our spiritual vanguard. On the other hand, we are pushing towards religious and racial discord. What we need is a more open, tolerant, and liberal society. We need it because that what true Islam is about.
Islam respects the dignity of difference. Islam is free of ideological bias, color, race and class, and here I accept Dr. Farish’s thesis. The Tawhid is the unifying factor of not only Muslims, but all humanity (a lesson that George W. Bush and his supporters in the Christian Right ought to appreciate). So I agree with Dr. Farish that “Islamisation race” between UMNO and PAS is self-destructive because it has effectively “sidelined and silenced the other voices in the country on all levels, from the political to the economic and cultural” (p.235, op.cit).
Maybe we should relook at how our history is being written and taught. If it is too Malay centered, then it should be urgently reviewed. We are (and will always be, I hope) in an enlightened Malay-led Malaysia, not just a parochial Tanah Melayu which shuts out others, the so-called orang asing, who are born, bred and will probably die here.
Not just our history but also our core values which must embody the true spirit of Rukunegara. How about starting with our national education system? Dr. Bakri has devoted a book on what can be done about our national education policy and system.
Can our present Prime Minister Badawi do it, or will UMNO’s institutional inertia hold him back?
I welcome your views. Thanks.
November 17th, 2005 at 10:08 pm
Saudara Din,
Dato Onn Jafaar did not have the internet. Dr Bakri & yourself are using this equaliser to the fullest. Lets hope your bros & sis in UMNO would not abandon you as quickly as people who used to avoid the used-to-be inhibitants of Sungei Buloh.
“We are glued to our differences, instead of building on the richness of our pluralism and cultural diversity. We, Malaysians, have commonalities to build on, yet on grounds of political expediency we magnify our differences. To what purpose? We seem to forget the interconnectedness of our lives which requires us to stay away from perpetuating the “US versus Them” paradigm.”
Perhaps to answer the question above. The layman may call it ’self interest’; the politically inclined ‘political expediency’; the human right activists ‘racial discrimination’; the opposition ‘corruption’; the social scientists ’social engineering’; the extremists ‘genocide’; the professionals ‘ketuanan’.
I call it ‘inertia’. A term in physics called Newton Laws of motion that states that a body in motion tends to stay in motion and when stationary tends to stay stationary. Any changes to a state of motion would be resisted and required more force and energy to change the existing state. You want changes you need more effort. In business, especially the sales department, it is often said ‘the harder you work the luckier you become’.
You used the word very appropriately - glued. Yes we are glued by ‘inertia’ - status qou. In management circles they use the phrase ‘don’t rock the boat’. Like I am now stuck to my chair reading Dr Bakri and physically reluctant to move my butt. This is the power of inertia.
I remember someone used the term 500,000 ton tanker and it takes huge effort to even stop it what more to turn it around.
You prepared to shoot the rapids?
You want to move? Go kick butts!
November 18th, 2005 at 4:22 am
Hi Guys (and, of course, ladies)
Sorry for the absence. I will be away on business for about two months and shall get back to “business” here once I return. Wish good luck in all your endeavours.
Regards.
November 19th, 2005 at 12:00 am
Fair Malaysian,
Too polite to comment on Islam?