highway robbery

PLUS has made headlines again, this time for extending its concessionaire period by 8 years up till the year 2038. Apparently, this extension has been approved prior to the recent arguments, stating that the terms are in the original agreement.

So it has been proven that the government is more interested in protecting the interests of this crony company, instead of helping the People achieve better standards and prices in transportation. Consider the following benefits that PLUS gains from this extension exercise:

• Write off earlier RM0.96 billion government soft loan
• Take over Seremban-Port Dickson highway at RM50.27 million
• Extension of concession at RM361 million

All this just to finance works to upgrade 2 stretches of the North South Expressway? DAP is obviously disgusted by the incompetence of the Parliament and the inability of the Prime Minister to intervene and come clean with the transparency that he had promised earlier during the first few days of his premiership.

Blogger at Malaysia Today has an interesting article that likens PLUS to highway robbers, and how this project is actually being financed wholly by the government (and indirectly the motorists).

This is not the first time PLUS has made headlines. Many believe that this won't be the last. We might be looking at the precedence set for future extensions of the concessionaire periods, with the government bailing this company out of certain financial disaster.

Perhaps we might have to be content with paying tolls for the rest of our known lives. Currently the toll charges for a one-way trip from KL to Penang costs around RM40. We may be looking at RM90-RM100 (judging from the trend of 10% increment per 3 years) by the time we reach 2038. Who knows, by then, there will be another supplementary agreement signed that allows PLUS to continue collecting toll charges for an additional 50 years.

sausages are innocent

Earlier I blogged about the fiasco of the restaurant in IKEA accused of serving non-halal sausages to its customers. Apparently, the supplier allegedly uses pig intestines to form the sausage casings, and the halal certifications that come with the sausages have expired. One sausage manufacturer has defended itself by stating and claiming that their sausages are 100% halal, and even paraded the halal certification in the media.

Fast forward 1 week

The Star reports that the sausages are indeed halal, citing the full report from National News Agency Bernama. There was never any non-halal ingredient, and the only offense seems to be the posession of an expired halal certificate.

Metro Star also runs a story on the reopening of the IKEA restaurant following its religious cleansing exercise to allay the fears of its Muslim patrons. This shows that although IKEA seems to be the biggest victim in this whole saga, they have been great corporate citizens in ensuring the customer's satisfaction is of utmost priority. Although they did not have to perform the "samak" exercise, they did it anyway in the spirit of excellence in customer service.

The real culprits?

New Straits Times highlights pork products from China carrying a falsified halal logo. In mockery of the entire halal status, these canned minced pork products come printed with the halal logo in plain view of the undiscerning consumer.

Perhaps, instead of generating much negative publicity to the leading furniture enterprise, the authorities would be better off catching the real crooks.

does malaysia equate to oceania in reality

I urge you to read 1984, a novel written by George Orwell. The story involves the world that is divided into 3 large "continents" constantly at war with each other: Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia. The populace is divided into 2 segments: the Ingsoc party (akin to the government), and the commoners (i.e. the proles). The party is further divided into the Inner Party and the Outer Party. Members in the inner party are the actual ones who hold the most power and control, while members of the outer party are hoodwinked into believing that their country is actually better off in the hands of Big Brother, the inner party's symbol of leadership and protection.

The protagonist works in one of 4 ministries in the Party: Ministry of Truth (involved with lies and deception), Ministry of Love (involved with torture and interrogation), Ministry of Peace (involved with war) and Ministry of Plenty (involved with rationing and goods control). In this case, the "hero" of the story works in Minitrue, and is responsible for altering news to the benefit of the Party.

Similarities

It would be good if one has read the book in order to make the following comparisons:

1) Language

1984 - Newspeak, a highly limited and controlled language designed to suppress thoughts of rebellion and anti-party sentiments.
Malaysia - "Politically correct" words selected by the politicians to safeguard their political interests.

2) Crime

1984 - Thought Police, an enforcement unit that tracks down behaviour that is non-compliant with the Party's ideologies.
Malaysia - Morality Police, an enforcement unit that tracks down religiously unacceptable behaviour according to Umno's interpretation.

3) Media

1984 - Ministry of Truth, responsible for distorting and changing the reporting of facts, painting a pristine picture of the ruling Party. Also promotes the notion that all 3 "continents" are perpetually at war, using the People's fear to rule them.
Malaysia - Government Propaganda, responsible for prohibiting and controlling the media through arcane laws (Sedition Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984). Also promotes the notion that the people are divided by "race", hence dividing the People and ruling them.

4) Oppression

1984 - Ministry of Love, responsible to torture and weed out individuals that potentially harm the Party's standing in Oceania.
Malaysia - Internal Security Act, responsible to pin point political enemies of the ruling party, removing them from existence without trial.

5) Poverty

1984 - The Ministry of Plenty distorts the fact that the "continents" are at constant war, hence the need for rationing and control of the Party's resources. The spoils of this deception are enjoyed by the Inner Party members.
Malaysia - Crony companies and concessionaires strike lopsided agreements with the government to milk the public of hard earned wages through unfair concession terms and perpetual price hikes. The spoils of this deception are enjoyed by the cronies and the politicians involved.

Perhaps some of these comparisons are too blunt or vague to be deemed as accurate. Nonetheless, it is good to examine the hidden layers of deception behind the extreme examples given. Maybe there is an ounce of truth in them... maybe there is someone in Malaysia who could fill Big Brother's shoes?

18,000 not 80,000

The Star via Bernama has reported that the number of unemployed graduates has been ghastly over-reported by 400%. I suppose somebody misquoted "eighteen thousand" for "eighty thousand".

However, I still think this does not change anything. The numbers may be smaller, but the issue still remains. Unemployed (or unemployable) graduates still roam the country. And perhaps more distressing is the usage of the word "only" to describe this number.

Only 18,070 graduates are jobless and not 80,000 as claimed by certain groups...

As if it is something to be proud of.

yasmin on unity

New Straits Times interviews Malaysian film director Yasmin Ahmad concerning her latest ad which has stirred much emotion amongst Malaysians.

The gist of the interview points to the notion that Yasmin intended to capture what was closest to her heart, and that was the Malay culture, and the black and white side of the Malay race, or what she likes to refer to as Melayu. And if certain parties couldn't see it for what it was, i.e. a parody on the Malaysian manners, then it was no fault of hers to portray what was truly Malaysian.

Interestingly, she has a few views about unity.

A: You know this Satu Bangsa Malaysia thing? I'm really not interested in seeing us as a homogenous society, as if we are all the same. Don't want all this (stuff) about integration. I don't want integration. I want Indians and Chinese to stay as they are. I love them as they are. I don't want them to be like me, and I don't want to be like them.

Q: So if it's not integration, then what should we seek?

A: Harmony, not homogeneity.

Q: What about tolerance, then?

A: It's terrible. Tolerance is "I don't like you but I will bear with you." But if tolerance is all I can get, then, okay-lah, I'll settle for it. You can't force people to like people.

So in the end, harmony and acceptance is what trulyUnited means. We can still be Chinese, Malay, Indian at heart. But as long as we learn to live in mutual harmony and accept each other for who we are, we can be great Malaysians

interfaith commission not happening

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has announced the postponement of the upcoming Interfaith Commission, and offered many explanations as to why the IFC had to be postponed. If Abdullah was touted to be the modern and understanding leader of our nation, I wonder why he is not supportive of the idea to have a commission that could understand and bring forth the major issues that are of concern to each faith.

I only hope that this would be a postponement, and not a cancellation or even outright ban. I don't agree with Abdullah that Malaysians are more sensitive toward religion these days; in fact, I think that the time is right for Malaysians to step out from their shells and embrace the fact that our nation comprises of so many diverse cultures and faiths, and it would be good if there is a commission that allows us to learn more about each other through the proper channels.

Politically

DAP offers a political twist, citing the effects of the "929 Declaration" as the main reason why the IFC fails to take off. I leave it to the readers to decide if this claim is of any relevance.

religious overzealousness curbed

Religious raids in future must be accompanied by a senior police official, so says the media here, here and here. This is in light of the criticism and condemnation from the public after a high profile raid on Zouk KL, where some 100 Muslim youth were rounded up, mistreated and sexually humiliated by the religious authorities of JAWI.

Perhaps this is a sign of relief to the many non-Muslims in this country, who were beginning to feel that Malaysia is slowly treading the path towards Talibanism when it comes to implementing Islamic laws. The thing about this is that there is no clear cut measure of how to interpret and implement these laws. It is all entirely up to each individual to judge for themselves just what type of interpretation should be taken. Should morality be in the eyes of one particular individual, or should it be a personal issue?

For the multi-racial Barisan Nasional, I commend Mohd Zaid Ibrahim (BN-Kota Baru) for offering a balanced opinion about morality. Granted: crimes such as murder, snatch-theft, rape and kidnapping should be investigated, and there should be raids and other methods to stop these crimes from becoming rampant and overrunning the country. However, for matters that involve strictly the individual, perhaps there should not be any external enforcement. Personal transformation begins from within each individual, not from some governing body that intimidates its citizens through high-handed actions.

Perhaps this blog entry from Malaysia Today sums it up best. Let's hope for a more open and understanding Malaysia, and more private space to her Rakyat.

of innocent weapons and guilty perpetrators

Earlier, I blogged about the prevalence of Third World Mentality and the inhuman killing of the endangered sun bear that was unfortunate enough to have roamed into human territory.

In clear disgust, Manchester based Tantty Bujang fires ammunition against the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) for not doing their job. I lift the following directly from the letter:

In our quest for economic development, humans have time and again enlarged its territory through land development. In doing so, our environment- animals, birds and wildlife always pay the price. Their territory becomes smaller and inevitably, humans and wildlife comes across each other- with the wildlife almost always paying the price. These wildlife are part of our heritage which we should preserve. They have been around longer than us, and should be treated with respect.

Bingo, Tantty. Despite our fascinating twin towers, supersized international airport and hardly-used F1 track, we have lost touch with common sense, respect for nature, and compassion for life. We have become ignorant, arrogant and kiasu in our endless pursuit of material wealth.

The innocent dog

Earlier this week, reports of a nine-year-old boy "brutally" attacked by a large dog surfaced in mainstream media. Authorities were quick to respond by reprimanding the errant dog owner for not keeping the dog under strict care nor possessing a legal dog license, allowing it to roam the streets and hurt unsuspecting children. Additionally, the family members of the injured boy is contemplating legal action against the irresponsible dog owner.

Umno Youth Deputy Head Khairy Jamaluddin offers consolation to the victim, but insists on putting a racial and religious spin into his statements. I wonder, had the victim been a non-Malay, would he have visited and offered his moral support?

In any case, so far the owner has been quite cooperative with the authorities. One questions his motives, however. Is he trying to plead for a lighter sentence?

Why third world?

It seems that the authorities are more interested in the weapon than the perpetrator. Dogs are in nature docile and non-violent. However, poor upbringing and living conditions (both the responsibility of the owners) could cause emotional distress in the animals. Constant taunts and harsh living environments also contribute to the anguish that dogs could face.

News followers urge the authorities to impose heavier punishments on errant dog owners rather than punishing the dogs, which don't even understand human law. Regular The Star columnist and social activist Anthony Thanasayan offers his defense for the gentle creatures.

One wonders what the authorities would do with all the dogs "confiscated" from this errant owner. More importantly, what knee-jerk reactions they would impose to increase their efforts in rounding up stray dogs. What would they do to the innocent creatures while letting the actual "criminal" walk away with meagre fines? It may seem that they would stop at nothing to ensure that these "intruders" of human territory are removed or, worse, destroyed.

How much influence do associations such as the SPCA have in these cases? Could we depend on them to safeguard all life regardless of "race" (in this case, "species")? Or would these innocent creatures become victims of mankind's unstoppable dominion over the planet?

giant flags - the way to unity?

National News Agency Bernama reports that a giant Malaysian Flag will be flown in various locations in the country. The idea is that this action will help to instill love and loyalty to the nation.

According to the Deputy Tourism Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi:

The journey of the largest Jalur Gemilang in Malaysia can yield positive impact in strengthening patriotism and enhance love for the country and serve as a catalyst to the people's awareness ahead of the 48th Merdeka Day celebrations on Aug 31.

Form over substance

Patriotism starts from within each citizen, not from some external source. Placing form over substance - as evident in this event that is reported to cost some RM1 million along with a sports carnival, a superbike convoy and a helicopter parade - is clearly not the solution. It may help in creating the right conditions and environment for the mind to feel patriotic, but if the root causes of disunity and inequality are not addressed, then no amount of gigantic flags will be successful in promoting patriotism.

Malaysia Boleh!

As the icing in this cake, this mind-boggling feat will be recognized in the Malaysian Book of Records as the largest Malaysian Flag to have ever been flown. One must be cautious to note that the Malaysian Book of Records is also home to suspect "record-breaking feats", including the most number of people shampooing their hair at the same time, the largest mooncake, the longest satay buffet line, and... you get the idea.

it's all about the interview

Blogger at NegaraKu ~ Malaysia has an opinion that perhaps it's not the graduate's fault that there are so many unemployed graduates in Malaysia. Employers are also guilty of "degree discrimination". It is common knowledge that certain companies prefer to hire graduates from foreign tertiary institutions. In fact, I personally know of a practice where a local company chooses to hire only graduates with foreign degrees into its Management Trainee programme, although the interview is open for all.

How do we eliminate this bias?

Then it all points back to the universities. Are the universities conducive for effective education? Are the lecturers up to standard? Is the student environment suitable for research and open communication?

But in the mean time what should the graduate do?

I lift this passage from Negaraku ~ Malaysia:

From what I see, its really the "way" to self presentation which might hold the key to graduates failing job interviews.

I really have no independent opinion on this. I have been fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how one views it) to have never failed numerous job interviews. I attribute my success to "self presentation", i.e. making the right first impression, selling yourself, marketing yourself effectively. Very often, one chance is all you get to convince an employer that they would do wonders if they recruited you.

So I guess the right thing to say now would be to "ace the interview, learn and study the company, read the people, and outshine your competition".

crime and media

On Saturday, mainstream media carried reports from Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz stating that the media is to be blamed for the rising crime rate in the country. Perhaps this is in response to the senseless attack on the wife of the Deputy Speaker of Kelantan State Assembly.

Immediately following his outburst, newsmaker wannabes have responded with cries of utter disbelief over what Nik Aziz has said. Not only that, Umno and media officials have also retaliated to protect the right to socially responsible journalism.

I don't blame them for voicing out their disappointment. When I read the report, I was also truly ashamed that in a progressive and modern Malaysia, there exists still people who look at the world through their tiny peepholes.

On the defense

But while we are quick to condemn Nik Aziz for blurting out his thoughts, there seemed to be another issue boiling. Now, I have not seen this advertisement yet on TV, but from the descriptions I read from the written reports, it seems to be a witty and effective advertisement. And yet again, the so-called "protectors of Malay culture" decided to view it as a racial issue. Several BN representatives wished for the advertisement to be withdrawn from national TV, claiming that it distorted the good name of the Malay race.

I lift the following passage from New Straits Times:

Datuk Rosli Mat Hassan (BN-Dungun) wanted the advertisement to be withdrawn as it did not accurately reflect what an educated young Malay man was like.

Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad (BN-Ketereh) agreed. He said the advert had noble intentions, in that, it wanted to tell Malaysians that they should be courteous, but the delivery was offensive.

"I don't know what the motive is. The ill-mannered young man is a Malay, when we know that Malays are generally polite people."

The comments made by the BN officials have triggered angry responses from the public here, here and here. The general argument is that Parliament members should spend their time debating on more important matters instead of dwelling over trivial issues such as TV advertisements. Moreover, there was clearly nothing racist about it. Apparently, these people still can't see Malaysians as Malaysians. They feel the need to label every Malaysian by the names Malay, Chinese, Indian, and my favourite Lain-Lain.

In the end, the government reluctantly gives in (at least there are still some sensible people sitting in the Parliament).

Hypocrisy, double-speak

Notice that when Nik Aziz says the media is to be blamed for rising crime rates, and suggests to censor the media by only reporting all the good news and suppressing all the bad news, the government is quick to condemn him.

But when the government contemplates censoring a mere TV advertisement for its so-called "racism", they don't even blink.

So it's OK for the government to show only the good side of Malays, but at the same time it's not OK for Nik Aziz to show only the good side of Malaysians. Should I say it again?

You can do it any way, as long as it's my way.

insufficient training

Unemployed graduates are blaming universities and the government for providing them with the wrong type of education. Apparently, they are complaining that the skill sets they learn during their studies in tertiary institutions do not match those that employers require.

So now they are asking the government to provide more relevant practical training courses that are actually marketable. The graduates say that the universities are providing education that is "too basic" and insufficient to ready them for the real world. Well, why can't these practical training be done during university? Do the graduates have to always rely on the government?

Why not!

In response to this "alarming" indication of poor skill sets by Malaysian graduates, the government is looking into ways of revamping and relaunching the Graduate Training Scheme (Skim Latihan Graduan). Among the topics that the training scheme will focus on are communication and language skills. Perhaps this is a good thing, as many A-students with 4.00 CGPA have difficulties pronouncing English words, let along construct a coherent and meaningful sentence. Also, the "conservatives" tend to be more shy and do not have the confidence to meet the demands of a corporation that thrives on interpersonal communication and business relationships.

Why should the graduate then worry about improving himself during university days? He just needs to worry about scoring A's and maintaining that CGPA so that the results transcript would be "beautiful". Then when he graduates, he relies on the government to offer him incentives should he fail to secure any jobs independently.

Donald Trump's take

In the latest season of his hit reality TV series The Apprentice, Donald Trump separated the candidates into 2 teams: Magna consists of all college graduates, while Net Worth comprises of all high school graduates.

During the beginning of the season, in a startling revelation, the high school graduates collectively earn 3 times more than the college graduates in monetary terms. It would seem that having street smarts is more important than merely having book smarts.

In other words, having the right attitude, mindset and experience counts much more than mere knowledge. One could be a straight-A student who knows text books inside out, but haven't a clue about real working environments.

Berdikari

Overgeneralization of unemployed graduates as lazy and unskilled is highly erroneous. There are those who make the most of what they have rather than complain and whine and expect generous handouts from the government.

Here is an example of not being ashamed of doing unconventional jobs. And here is an example of the enterprising mind in action.

There is hope for all graduates. It begins in the mind.

in defense of national schools

National News Agency Bernama ran this story featuring a renowned educationist Tan Sri Arshad Ayub in hurried defense of the national schools. According to Arshad, there is no substantial evidence - other than increased enrolment and public perception - that the SRJK(C)'s are indeed "greater" than the national schools. We are inclined to increase this generalization to encompass all national type schools, including those "specially" set up for a particular race.

Incidentally, Arshad was also the first Director of Institut Teknologi Mara (now UiTM), an exclusive institution for Bumiputras only.

At the very least, the gist of what Arshad wants to convey through his message is that if the problem exists in the national schools, it won't be solved by eliminating the so-called "competition", i.e. the SRJK(C)'s. Instead, the national schools' weaknesses should be identified and overcome. There is merit in his opinions.

"We must strengthen the position of the national schools by improving the position of teachers, that is, by providing teachers who are truly skilled in their respective fields. To me, this is most important. If this can be done, then the problem of people wanting to increase the SRJK(C) would not arise."

What can we learn from this?

Malaysians (especially the educated lot) are non-racist, non-judgmental and non-discriminative.

We are ready for unity. Barisan Nasional, however, is not.

ikea: the aftermath of non-halal sausages

So here's the latest regulation from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry. Wholly foreign owned eateries are required to have a minimum paid-up capital of RM1 million with 30% Bumiputra equity.

Could this regulation be in any way related to the latest drama concerning non-halal sausages in IKEA's restaurants? It could be; as a way of controlling what goes into the hands and ultimately the mouths of its Muslim patrons. After all, in this country, Bumiputra often equates to Muslim.

Or perhaps it's just another sign of fear, fear of incompetence and the inability to survive in a level playing field, not dissimilar to the endless amount of protection that national carmaker Proton demands from the government.

In any case, IKEA has been a very responsible corporate citizen. It has proceeded to perform the religious cleansing of its restaurants allegedly serving the non-halal sausages. However, despite its prompt action, IKEA would only be reopening the restaurants once it has validated and verified its halal certifications. I'd say it's a commendable effort from IKEA.

On the down side

However, one cannot deny the negative publicity this whole saga has brought to the nation. We pride ourselves as being a regional halal hub. Yet right now in the midst of an upmarket location, we find ourselves in hot soup. Do we have the right personnel to perform constant checks? Do we have enough enforcement? Do we have the right mentality to ensure that our foodstuff is indeed halal?

I guess it boils down to self enforcement. Any responsible Muslim would not try to cheat other Muslims by faking halal certifications. And, hopefully in a trulyUnited nation, non-Muslims would understand and accept the halal requirements in the Muslim faith.

malaysia boleh

Enough said.

third world mentality

This is the catchphrase of the season:

First World Facilities, Third World Mentality

Marina Mahathir, daughter of former PM, writes in her weekly column in The Star regarding the subject. She cites inconsiderate driving, late RSVPs and chattering in public performances and speeches as 3 examples of highly irritating societal behaviour.

Perhaps this is a good proof of the 3rd grouse. The writer of this letter encountered inconsiderate and rude people during The Sound of Music performance in Istana Budaya. Well, I have something to add on to that, as I too had the pleasure of attending this performance. My intial impression was excellent: the seating was comfortable, the stage sets were astounding, and the sound system was flawless. However, moments into the performance, my enjoyment was interrupted by a rhythmic knocking sound. Turning to my right I saw 2 kids (not more than 6 years of age) jumping around, fidgeting restlessly while kicking the wooden partition in front of them. Of course, this caused much displeasure to the rest of the patrons, who were there to listen to "My Favourite Things", "Do Re Mi", and "Sixteen Going On Seventeen", not "duk-duk-duk-duk-duk".

The kicker

The parents couldn't be bothered by this disturbance. Perhaps they were used to it. Or maybe it's just the tidak apa attitude in full swing. It was obvious that many patrons were upset. I'm sure I wasn't the only one feeling a little let down by the time the curtain call was over.

Whatever happened to social consideration? It looks like a "free for all" situation now.

What else?

Telekom Malaysia recently unveiled large billboard advertisements which I guess clearly illustrates the Third World Mentality. A designer sports car fills the foreground while in the backdrop towering office buildings could be seen. Then to the left, a telephone booth is defaced and destroyed by a young bloke holding a large wrench. The catchphrase is emblazened on the poster. I wonder if these soft approaches will work for the generally apathetic Malaysian crowd ala the Tak Nak anti-smoking campaign.

Many times we could also witness drivers of Mercedes Benz, Volvo's, BMW's with one hand holding a cigarette hanging out of the window. Moments later, the door opens and out pops the driver's head, and not too long after that, the driver spits on the ground, and nonchalantly closes the door. Third World Mentality galore. In fact, this culture (predominant in China) is quickly ganiing popularity in this country. It's far more convenient to expel disgusting phlegm onto streets and pavements rather than looking for a toilet or a sink.

Seriously

Perhaps the culmination of this Third World Mentality syndrome is in the mindless eradication of our wildlife. Our country prides itself as a haven for forests, greenery and wildlife. But when an innocent creature is put to painful death, one begins to wonder if there is any humanity left in the Malaysian People.

Don't even bother talking about unity. Solve the society's mental problem first.

politics at work

MCA's role in the eyes of the public is just a place to complain to in times of dire need. This is evident in the many news reports that pertain to MCA. The most famous celebrity in the MCA profile is none other than Michael Chong.

So what's wrong with a newspaper highlighting the plight of this young school boy? Absolutely nothing at all.

It's just that this is the only mainstream media that reported it. Interesting.

chinese schools not culprit after all?

So Utusan Malaysia has decided to calm down after having played the racial card in response to MCA's request for more Chinese type schools in urban areas where demand clearly exceeds supply.

Unfortunately, the action may be too little too late when the media has managed to squeeze in reports such as this from our former prime minister. The public has certainly been riled up, the evidence in the countless letters to the editor of MalaysiaKini, as shown in this list:

• "Malay-ness" of national schools tragic
• Mandarin: language of the future
• Don't deny our children their education
• No public confidence in education system
• National schools poorly managed

I still can't understand why issues such as this are always discussed from the racial point of view. My best guess is the need for the ruling coalition of Barisan Nasional to appease the respective communities that each component party represents. It's the only advantage that they have to keep their firm grasp on the power they wield over the people of Malaysia. Divide and rule, each race party - UMNO for Malays, MCA for Chinese, MIC for Indians - seemingly working in harmony, but in fact just playing a cleverly designed game. Some observers note that the whole fiasco of UMNO and MCA playing political ping-pong is in the hopes of garnering support from the resepctive race.

The amazing thing now is the "truthful" speech emerging from former PM Tun Mahathir, pleading the public not to be too "nationalistic" when it comes to education. However, many citizens of today remember the good days when English medium schools were aplenty, and the standard of education was something to be proud of. However, citing racial unrest as the key justification, the entire education system was revamped to provide a "more equal playing ground" to redistribute economical power. In plain terms, it means providing special assistance to the underachieving Malay race. Hence education in Bahasa Malaysia was promoted as the ultimate saviour to education. Some 20 years later, analysts realize the negative repercussions emerging from this "nationalistic" education system (which incidentally was suggested by Tun M himself). English is being reintroduced to sciences and mathematics.

But why?

The argument is that many science and mathematics journals, books and references are written in the English language. Also, the Malay language is inadequate to handle al the scientific terms that appear, frequently resorting to "direct translation" or "borrowed words". Hence the supposed importance of English.

So what does politics have to do with any of this? Nothing at all! Education is the same no matter what language it is taught in. Some languages are better suited for certain subjects like the sciences, while subjects such as history could be better off being taught in Malay. Then again, subjects such as basic math could be better conveyed using the often monosyllabic Chinese language. All that matters is the knowledge that can be transfered from teacher to student, and from student to student.

But in the end, it is the schools' administration and the teachers that implement any policy the government has set. Schools are an avenue for students to receive knowledge and education. Rote memorization will get you nowhere. Exam-centric syllabus will not encourage imagination and creativity. It has been observed that SRJK(C)'s produce better students: more hardworking, disciplined and resilient. But are these students all-rounders, or mere examination achievers?

On the other hand, national schools do promote unity by allowing different cultures to mingle in an open environment. What the authorities need to do is to remove the "religious connotations" in national schools. Let the school be the place solely for education of all citizens. Let's not rush in to impose our supposed "values" toward others. Let the pupils decide for themselves.

jobless, unemployed, unemployable

Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has expressed concern over the high number of unemployed graduates in the country, estimated to be in the range of 80,000 and growing. Mainstream media echoes this here and here. This situation is nothing new. For countless years, we have been lamenting on the declining standards of tertiary education in the country. The culmination of all our opinions and discussions seem to converge toward this point. Are Malaysian graduates simply unemployed, or unemployable?

Opinions from Malaysians seem to have several points. Here is the first, which states that it's the fault of the graduates themselves that they can't seem to find their dream job. According to the letter, Malaysian graduates paint a mental picture of the perfect job, i.e. high paying posts that enable them to wear power suits, comfortable office desk jobs that do not require hard work and sweat. In short, according to the letter, Malaysian graduates avoid jobs which are dangerous, dirty and demeaning.

The second opinion seems to point toward the fault of the tertiary institutions that are responsible for ensuring the education and learning process of our graduates. The context is of course the highly controversial blanket ruling established by a certain local university that forces all its students to stay on campus. The letter expresses deep concern that the university authorities may be too strict in imposing laws such as this, which effectively eliminates the possibility of freedom of choice on the part of the student.

The root cause

In reality, actually several factors are at play. The situation starts to worsen from the moment a child is put into national schools. The medium of instruction throughout is Bahasa Malaysia, the official language of our country. Only recently had there been new regulations set up that imposed the learning of science and mathematics subjects in English to better equip students with the necessary skills to survive in the big, big world. However, there are cases of English teachers having to teach the language in Malay, thereby reducing the effectiveness of communication in English. Moreover, teachers who speak the language outside of the classroom are deemed as show-offs.

Of course, the problem doesn't stop there. Our education syllabus is very exam-centric. Just look at the number of examinations one has to go through these days: PTS (3rd year), UPSR (6th year), PMR (3rd form), SPM (5th form), STPM (6th form). Students (and parents) these days pack in as many extra classroom lessons in endless pursuit of that string of A's to decorate the results slips and certificates. Spoon feeding is a prevalent culture in our schools; our youth are not encouraged to think, but rather to conform.

You would think that the situation improves when one moves into tertiary education. After all, there must be some merit in an open environment where intellectual discussions are welcome rather than shunned. Unfortunately, this climate does not exist in Malaysia, with the existence of arcane laws that prohibit students from showing their true potentials. Lecturers are disinterested with their students' performance, instead concentrating on their own political mileage within the university's beauracracy. University syllabus does not reflect the true working environments outside, and students are cocooned within the safe shell of the tertiary education, believing that the world owes them a living once they graduate.

The final insult

So the government realizes that somehow, local tertiary institutions of higher learning do not seem to have the capability of producing graduates that are workforce-ready. However, instead of fixing the root cause of the problem, the government decides to implement "patchwork solutions" to "fix" the problem from the outside. One wonders how many "well-connected" individuals benefit from this kind of extra training.

I am of course referring to the Skim Latihan Graduan that aims to retrain unemployable graduates with relevant skills necessary for joining any decent company. Amazing, how our country works. Instead of taking time and effort to investigate why graduates are of such deplorable quality, the responsible ministry introduces a shortcut way to patch up a job poorly done.

Thus, it becomes a common sight. Graduates emerging from our flawed education system are immediately unemployable, thus providing them with the prerequisite of enrolling in the said training scheme. For 3 months, the graduate undergoes ICT-related training to equip him with the necessary skills and knowledge to be a competent worker. Indeed, time and resources are wasted.

Over reliance on foreign help?

Following the recent eviction of hundreds of thousands of illegal Indonesian workers, Malaysia seeks to employ 100,000 Pakistani workers to fill the void. If these jobs could be offered first to Malaysian unemployable graduates, we would solve 2 problems with one proverbial stone. Nonetheless, it is up to the graduates as to whether or not they would like to be seen in the construction or waste management sectors. Whatever steps the country is taking to ensure lower dependence on foreign workers, I surely hope that they would consider hiring our local jobless youths into these markets.

Nip the problem in the bud. Go after the root causes, not mere symptoms. I'm sure that there are many success stories to be heard from our local graduates. Let us not restrict ourselves to one dead-ended path, but be open to alternatives in everything we do, including education.

love conquers all

Updated 11:55:00 PM

As if to further confirm my observation that there will be wannabes who will take the opportunity to shout "Malaysia Boleh", comes this feed from the Malaysian National News Agency Bernama.

Of course, they must also mention FINAS (Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia) whenever they can, despite the difficulties that independent film makers face trying to obtain so-called financial assistant from the National Film Development Corporation.

Original Post

If it takes a film maker to truly unite Malaysia, I wouldn't mind. Judging from the popularity and success of her latest offering, I believe that Malaysians are beginning the transition point from mere tolerance to pure acceptance.

So what is it that makes SePeT such an engaging watch? The movie's tag line could not have been more corny:

One Malay Girl, One Chinese Boy, One Unforgettable Love Story.

And yet, this film has withstood all criticism, all hardships, all odds. Now the results speak for themselves. This is the trulyUnited Malaysia that people wish existed today. Many viewers have described it as a very Malaysian movie. For the first time, the cinema portrayed an accurate description of the lives of ordinary Malaysians in ordinary situations. Viewers see themselves in the characters of the film.

So what gives?

The Censorship Board of Malaysia (official site here, not working at time of publishing this post) almost banned SePeT on the pretext of 9 "unsuitable" scenes that were eventually removed from the version shown in Malaysia. What's ironic is that our friendly Southern neighbour (read: Singapore) had watched the full, uncut movie on their shores in 2004, months before the Malaysian premiere in February 2005 (as the movie was being deliberated by the Censorship Board). It would have been a shame if a truly Malaysian film was banned from being screened in Malaysia due to some of the following reasons (directly lifted from Yasmin's blog):

• One of them [member of Censorship board] asked why, in my story, did the Malay girl not make any attempt to convert her Chinese boyfriend.
• Another one suggested that the scene where Adibah, Ida and Amani were lovingly combing each other's hair by the staircase, was encouraging Malay women to go back to their bad old habit of picking each other's lice!
• At the end of it all, they said that we shouldn't blame them for the cuts, because they represented "the rakyat". And that they had shown our film to some members of "the rakyat", and their verdict was to ban "Sepet".

This is of course not the first time the Malaysian Censorship Board has received criticism from the public, who really just want to watch their favourite movies without some "representative" tell them what's "moral" and what's not. Just Google it. Take for example the fiasco with the initial banning of the comedy Bruce Almighty (where the notion of a mere mortal playing God was deemed a mockery), the comic book adaptation of DareDevil (where the "Devil-sounding name" was deemed worshipping the Devil, or worshipping a criminal vigilante fighting crime wearing tight leather costumes), the unfathomable censors of certain "passionate" kissing scenes (which turn out to be no more than a romantic gesture), the rather ghastly uncoordinated bleeping of "four-letter words" that don't really sync with the soundtrack, thus negating a whole chunk of useful dialogue and permitting the said "four-letter word" to be audible in full Dolby Surround glory.

Well, is the Censorship Board outliving its usefulness? This paper reports that the uncut VCD is now available for sale (someone's blog mentioned it too), ultimately negating the "verdict" of the board.

Moreover, after the initial struggles of the film maker to get her thoughts through without being "deplored" by the unimaginative and backward Censorship Board, the film is doing exceptionally well, bagging an estimated half a million ringgit so far in ticket sales in Malaysia alone.

Thus, it is seen as quite hypocritical of the Malaysian authorities. After having lambasted SePeT - for not displaying the "proper" way a Malay girl should behave, and the incredulous notion of promoting lice picking (when it was merely a hair combing scene), the "immoral" indecent exposure of an actor's underwear, the "unislamic" behaviour of not attempting to convert an infidel - the media is now quick to jump on the bandwagon to take the praise for SePeT being a Malaysian film. It reeks of "Malaysia Boleh" syndrome.

This whole fiasco has shown that the government is not serious in promoting unity, due to the initial criticism and lambasting for a truly Malaysian film. However, once it has gained international fame by winning several prestigious awards, Malaysia is quick to claim "ownership" of the success.

The silver lining that emerged from the issue is that Malaysians have found a common melting pot of cultures. The amalgamation of races, religions and cultural diversity have found their home in SePeT, and I truly believe that the new generation of youth will be more accepting of the myriads of cultures and lifestyles that encompass all Malaysians. Let SePeT be the benchmark.

of sausage casings

Blogger at Screenshots was among the first to highlight the issue of an IKEA restaurant allegedly serving non-halal sausages to its customers. It was claimed that the halal logos used were expired and no longer valid, and there was doubt as to whether or not the material used to produce the sausage casings were in fact halal. What a whammy for our nation which prides itself as a bustling regional hub for halal produce. In fact, this issue has already received attention internationally. Now the said IKEA restaurant faces a legal probe by the Selangor Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department to determine if it has indeed breached its obligations to the Muslim patrons who frequently indulge in the Swedish meatballs and gourmet sausages. Of course, IKEA has been a responsible corporate citizen and has temporarily closed its restaurant operations to perform the religious cleansing, or "samak" to allay the fears of its Muslim customers.

Wannabe newsmakers have taken this golden opportunity to steal some limelight, reiterating the importance of upholding the halal status and certification (see here, here, here, here and here).

However, the most interesting development (in my opinion) is a news piece that carries a report from one of the alleged non-halal sausage manufacturers, almost pleadingly clarifying that their sausages carry an authentic halal certification. What's interesting is the fact that there has been very little media coverage concerning this matter. Instead, the media decides to publish news and opinion pieces that are rehashes of the same old. It gives the impression that we are a "reactionary" society, i.e. a controversial news breaks, and government, NGO's, private entities, corporations, "influential" individuals, are all roped in to give their 2 cents worth. Following which, the newspaper editor decides to publish even more opinion pieces which seem to agree with the masses, with one or two "opposing" opinions published just for formality's sake. The impression is generated that "yes, we the public agree that this news is true, and we agree with whatever the powers in play say, and yes the government is doing a good job". So much for freedom of press. If indeed there are innocent parties suffering silently because of media black out, what unity is there in such an uneven playing field?

What is the point?

The general consensus of the public seems to be that the halal issue must be taken very seriously. We cannot afford to simplify the problem if we are to continue to be a regional halal hub. And I agree with that notion. I respect the constitution that states Islam as the official religion of this country. With that comes the issue of halal, and I am not opposing it in any way. And I know that it won't be opposed by most Malaysians, including this enterprising gentleman.

What I hope won't happen - as this issue gets blown out of proportion - is the opportunists who will seize the moment to impose further restrictions on the non-Muslim population. One need not be reminded of the controversy that was brought up when a certain primary school canteen prohibited home-cooked food from non-Muslim households on the pretext that it contains non-halal material that may "contaminate" the canteen's utensils, tables, and waste disposal systems.

What I do hope for, however, is for non-Muslims to truly understand what is halal, and why is it so important for Muslims to keep to their religious tenets. From understanding stems acceptance (not mere tolerance, which is akin to "i don't know why you do it, but I guess I can live with it").

And from acceptance, stems unity.

the extent of disunity

Most of the topics discussed here will only be mentioned in kopitiams or through casual talk, or in this case in the online world. It is deemed as too "sensitive" to be blatantly advertised over mainstream media.

So how serious is disunity? It is not limited to what we call racial or cultural tolerance (or intolerance, whichever one may prefer). In this beloved country, disunity is everywhere. Take for example the fiasco of the local highway concessionaire PLUS (Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan), the corporation responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of various networks of expressways, chief of those is the main artery of the nation: the North South Expressway (NSE).

As the original news links have expired (this happened some time in January), we have to rely on feeds here and here. PLUS claims to be on the losing side of a syndicate responsible for cheating on their toll charges, paying only a minimal fraction of the required toll amount. To alleviate the corporation's "suffering", they arbitrarily impose "overstay fines" to suspected toll cheats.

Of course, as Malaysians are very dependant upon personal transportation, and to an extent expressways (most roads are tolled), motorists have expressed dissatisfaction and disgust, more so when PLUS had not too long before increased their toll charges by 10%. Yes they can do that due to a lopsided agreement signed between the concessionaire and the government. In fact, they can do so until the year 2030.

Months of deliberation later, the government has this to say. Much airtime is given to the "breaking news" in the two main English newspapers here and here. So we have the situation where the government, instead of helping to ease the burden of its taxpayers, decides to give the leeway and benefits to PLUS, a mega corporation that seems to be solely interested in figures and bottom lines. The proof is in the icing.

What does this have to do with disunity?

The government tries to pacify the people by repeating the generic mantra, which essentially can be summed as such: "If we don't let PLUS do what they want, they will lose money, and we have to compensate them."

But hold on a minute. Any person who understands the basics of economics would know that running a business is not 100% risk-free. There will be situations where you will encounter some leakage in your profit machine. In a business, if this happens, you plug the leak from the inside. In the case of PLUS, it plugs it from the outside, and not by their own efforts, judging from their calls to the government to allow them to impose these overstay fines, instead of spending more time and effort developing counter measures to prevent toll cheats from striking.

DAP describes this as the grand mother of all piratisation in this country, obviously poking fun of Malaysia's grand privatisation strategy. In a recent article, this was mentioned: "if PLUS is to be allowed to fine motorists for “overstaying” in the NSE, PLUS must also be required to compensate motorists when they are held up on the expressway for an excessively long period because of massive traffic jams in violation of its pledge to provide a “smooth, safe and fast journey."

The disunity here is the unfair treatment of the government towards its citizens, and the preferrential treatment provided to the corporation. It remains baffling why millions of loyal taxpayers have to be punished for the inefficiencies of the concessionaire, which serves only a select few shareholders. And it also remains a mystery how the government can be so quick to modify existing laws to allow a private corporation to impose fines on its users (when this should be in the jurisdiction of local authorities), and at the same time be ignorant to the countless calls to reinstate local government elections.

The government should try to look at things from the People's perspective. Surely the ministers and their respective staff have sufficient eyes and ears to see and hear the grouses of the public. Doesn't the voice of the People matter to them any more? This type if disunity is even more disasterous to the nation as a whole, because if it is allowed to continue, Malaysia will become an exclusive nation, where the executives are those with well-connected companies that have the arbitrary authority to bail out their own failures by taking what is rightfully the People's. What is the point of forming a government then, if not to run the nation and serve the people!

This decision to modify the law to suit the whims of the corporation may inevitably set the precedence for future incidents to happen. Who knows, if at any time the national energy provider is in financial difficulties, or if the newly formed Selangor water management company finds it difficult to float in stormy weather, we might have to endure another round of "compensation".

The only form of unity I see from this fiasco is from the common voices of utter dissatisfaction.

MCA requests more SRJK(C) for 9MP

For the upcoming 9th Malaysian Plan (the master plan for our country that is formulated every 5 years), MCA has submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi (affectionally known as Pak Lah). It seems noble at first glance. MCA is doing what it is programmed to do: to work for and uphold the interests and rights of the Malaysian Chinese community. So here's a quick look at the contents of this 7-point "memorandum".

• Increasing competitiveness of the Malaysian economy within the globalised world environment
• Revitalizing the agriculture sector
• Promoting the growth of small-and-medium-scale enterprises
• Greater adoption of information communication technology to improve national productivity
• Enhancing human capital
• Appeals for more Chinese schools in densely-populated areas and resolving issues affecting such schools
• Nurturing a caring society and with emphasis on high moral values, respect for religious freedom of others and helping the disadvantaged

It is interesting to note that chief among the 7-prong strategy outlined by MCA, the one that was given much media airtime is the issue of the National type schools (SRJK). In Malaysia, the right to education in the mother tongue is guaranteed by constitution, thus the existence of the so-called duality of the education system. There is the SRJK(C) - Chinese type schools - and the SRJK(T) - the Tamil type schools.

One wonders why this issue is so sensationalized, and to top it off, it was initiated by a newspaper which has influence from the Malay-arm of the BN alliance (UMNO). Wouldn't this internal bickering between UMNO and MCA be seen as a sign of weakness of the National Front? Apparently not. The MCA controlled newspaper retaliates with more rhetoric, and the public buys it. What was seen as an education issue suddenly becomes a National issue. Pak Lah specifically mentions that the Chinese schools are a direct threat to National Unity. He akins it to two people treading parallel lines, both moving forward but never meeting. Such is his narrow perspective of the SRJK(C).

But hold on a second. Just what are these national type schools? Are they a total alternative to National Schools (Sekolah Kebangsaan)? Or are they some "variation" of the staple of education that is provided by the National Education Policy? Let's clarify. The SRJK (Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan) is a school that essentially uses the same syllabus as the SK (Sekolah Kebangsaan), share the same examinations, subject to the same education policy. The only difference? Medium of instruction. SRJK(C) uses Mandarin as the lingua franca, while SRJK(T) uses Tamil as the language of choice.

So what is the problem?

There is a general perception that SRJK(C) are exclusively Chinese. The population of a typical SRJK(C) may consist of 90% Chinese, and 10% non-Chinese. This is obviously seen as a threat to National Unity. Going by the precedence that the government looks at form over function, they see a congregation of a single race in a single location as big trouble for the "special" Malay race. But how do they explain the fact that non-Chinese are also enrolling into these SRJK(C), the so-called "centers of racial disharmony"?

It appears that we have lost sight of the big picture. SRJK's are different from SK's only by language of instruction. Yet, we remain overprotective of the so-called heritage, the pride of our cultural roots, and, above all, the desire to ensure that "my race remains superior to yours". If we could look beneath the skin, we see the same flesh. So, if language could modify a person's behaviour and choices to suddenly "hate" the "different" people, then I wonder why the same logic couldn't be applied for Full Boarding Schools (Sekolah Berasrama, e.g. the MRSM) which specially cater - not by language - for only a "certain" race.

So we are all talking in circles and bound by hypocrisy. This logic is akin to the following statement:

You can do it any way, as long as it's my way.

the reason for this blog

Before I move on to the blog topic proper, I'd like to explain the rationale for starting up this space for my thoughts and opinions.

In the past year I've opened my eyes to the world of Malaysian politics, the true socio-economic conditions of the Malaysian populace. For countless years I've been predictably hoodwinked into submission, thinking that all is rosy and well with the country I call home. The ruling government's (currently the multi-racial National Front) undiminished influence over local mainstream media did much in painting this unblemished picture of Malaysia.

Then in a moment of pure paradigm shift, the veils were unmasked. Realities became visible. Shrouds of propaganda, twisted agendas, and the general imbalance of check-and-balance in the government suddenly were thrown into the limelight. The new me had arisen. In essence, this personal awakening has further enhanced my resolve to strive for a better Malaysia.

Our government constantly echoes the rhetoric that we are a blessed multi-racial, multi-religious nation living in peace, harmony and tolerance. Our society's kind nature, they say, is thanks to their "perfect" formula of National Front (Barisan Nasional, BN) which consists of representatives of what they call the "majority races": Malay (represented by UMNO), Chinese (MCA) and Indian (MIC). However, recently, there have been many people realizing the fact that we are indeed living on the brink of national disunity. We are treading the thin lines that divide us racially. There has been so much talk about building a National Identity, but how can we possibly do so if we are so protective of our "race". In fact, the BN controls most of the population by the very same method that our past colonial masters have masterminded their rule over us: "divide and conquer". We are so used to being divided by the racial lines that we forget how to become true Malaysians.

The BN government frequently brings up the issue of 13 May 1969, the time when the supposed racial riots threatened the national security of our country. The "official" reason given is that there was a severe imbalance in the economic power held by the three majority races. It was obvious that this referred to the poor economic standing held by the Malay race. Malaysian history was rewritten from that day onwards, and we are now living in a world of supposed equality and unity. The truth, however, remains covered.

So here we are, back to square one. Until, and unless, we are willing to give up championing the cause of the "race" and start to defend and demand for the rights of the "people", we will never be able to achieve the unity of the Malaysian Identity (Bangsa Malaysia).

What can we do now? Whine? Complain? Or take action? If each of us can take a small step in the right direction, the entire nation will feel the forces moving us all forward. I look forward to changing the name of this blog from disUnited Nation to trulyUnited Nation.