Compassion

Is he really the bad guy?

Three more days to 2009 meaning one last week full of Internet and reading. I spent most of my time pampering myself with my routine - reading. Fictitious reading may not add much to knowledge but apparently it is to the whole truth. For the last few weeks , Israel has intensified its unjustified, illegal and immoral attack on the Palestinians. Hence, the hatred against non Muslims intensified throughout the Muslim world. Then, what's new?

While the Muslims have been talking about their grievances against the oppression by the West but few Westerners lend their ears and even fewer understand or at least try to understand the root of the problem. Most of them prefer to hurl bias accusation rather than trying to understand and emphatise the reasons behind those acts of terrorism.

The Camel Club by David Baldacci is different whereby the author tries his best to put the misconception and misunderstanding at rest. Instead of lambasting the Muslims (read terrorists who professed Islam) he draws a rather unusual depiction of Islam. Unlike other authors and the Western world he understands why such act of terrorism is rampant in the East.

I am not saying that his view is above criticism but his empathy really amazed me. Never before I read a fictitious story whereby act of terrorism or revenge is somehow justified. Hopefully, there will be more understanding writers and authors who write based on facts after thorough research.

Indeed, Islam is a peaceful and loving faith teaching its follower to love and respect others. At the same time it also reminds the faithfuls to safeguard the sanctity of the faith against outside and vengeance attacks.

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.” Dale Carnegie

Malaysian Films - A Harrowing Experience

Lets boycott Malaysian films!

Browsing through the newspaper today after a long nap really makes me mad when the Malaysia Film Producers Association (MFPA) illogically suggests that the ticket for foreign a.k.a Hollywood movies should be priced higher to force movie goers to opt for locally made movies, however boring they are (emphasis added).

Well, well, well...suddenly we live in a communist country and even worst than living in actual communist nation like China. To make up for their low quality and mundane movies they opt to force, and really the Association uses the word force, movie lovers to pay more for foreign films. If the government really takes the matter literally there won't be a single audience in the cinema as most local films are let downs. Rather than enjoying themselves the audience will be tortured and exhausted and by the time they come out they will be more exhausted than before they go in. Movies are supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing and not mentally-draining experience.

Even great movie producers nation like India has never done or consider illogical, tyrannical suggestion as made by MFPA to attract movie goers to see local films. They don't need to because their films are at par with foreign or outside ones. Even today Hindi films still attract millions of fans within and outside India.

Such proposal is of course comes from desperate people who depend solely on making and producing films and their predicament is certainly valid but to force people of doing something is totally out of the question. Religion like Islam itself never force people to embrace it. But again living in Bolehland, everything is possible and I will not be surprised when movie tickets will be more expensive. Just look at locally made Malaysian cars. The prices are exorbitant though they are locally made and assembled but people still buy them because foreign made cars are even more expensive!

Desperate people do the most illogical things and for them the cause certainly warrants the means although it may be against freedom and this issue refers to freedom of choice - a very sacred consumer right whereby consumer has the right to choose based on his or her interest as well as the quality of such product.

Day by day, I feel living in this nation very suffocating with too many do's and dont's just to make small portion of the society happy. I believe I can understand why people look down at Malaysia since it is really a third world nation despite its claim that it is a developed country.

I am very fortunate since I am not a movie goer

Critically read the newspapers

I read an article discussing or rather lamenting the fate of Malay language newspaper. The writer laments that although Malay language has been elevated to be the official language in this country but Malay newspapers including the one from which I read the article have been languishing below other newspaper to the extent the author claims that Malay newspapers as low quality or third class papers behind Chinese and English newspapers.

It is very surprising and indeed funny when people like the author seems oblivious to the present scenario where the community particularly the Malays themselves are shunning such papers as well as other media. This is not because they hate or have a particular hated for Malay but simply because people are sceptical and have high distrust of the contents.

Fortunately and not surprising Malay based contents in the Internet are on a steady rise. People are no longer depend on the major or conventional medias like newspapers and television not only because of the bias and untrue or half-true reporting by the mainstream medias. Majority of main stream media are controlled or inclined towards the BN held government and thus they are only reporting one side of the story unlike MalaysiaKini for instance which cover both sides, the government and opposition.

Being in a fast moving world, information plays a very significant role in educating the people. By educating here I mean the people are allowed to critically accept information coming from both the government and opposition. Such opportunity enables the people to tread on certain issue carefully and not jumping into conclusion there and there. Main stream media tend to direct the mind of the people towards the government or the coalition which ruled the government without giving or allowing other opinions or views. Any views contrary to the ones held by the coalition are deemed lies, untrue and to certain extent dangerous.

Without the Internet, issues like the taking over of the National Heart Institute by Sime Darby will go unopposed and perhaps unnoticed by the people since the main stream media are bent of telling one side of the coin rather than allowing the public to see the whole picture. Even the reforms as claimed by the Prime Minister have its roots in the once alternative media like online news portals and blogs. Without the exposure and revelation by the now mainstream media, those reforms will never be done or even unheard of.

If we surf the net , we'll realised that many of those blogs are in Malay and unlike the media controlled and owned by the government they offer something extra, something that will not be available in the conventional media. Admittedly, not every piece of information in the net are credible and much of them are hearsay but some avid bloggers have gone through the pain of checking and affirming the information they are posting. Depending solely on the conventional media will never be enough and gradually we'll just be like zombies - following and believing everything we read, listen or heard.

Once, in my younger days I consider myself a die hard fanatic for the coalition. I never believed in anything that the opposition or even those NGos are saying. To me, they are the enemies of the people trying to create disunity and chaos. In fact I admire TDM for very to the extent that I wrote a poem commemorating the passing of the late Tan Sri Yahya Ahmad, DRB -HICOM founder but in the poem I remember praising TDM for the late Tan Sri's success , which may be true.

Past should remain the past yet we need to learn from it thus I am grateful for the choice and opportunity that I am enjoying today - independence and freedom from the conventional media. Once I never missed Buletin Utama, which is my favourite source of information but nowadays it will be days and even months before I listen to them. The net has been my friend since and I believe because of the net I become more informed and learned than during my naive years courting with the conventional media.

To summarise, it is not because the newspapers are in Malay that they become third class and shunned by the mass but merely because of their biased and low rate reporting. To the writer , if you happen to read this - open up your mind, nobody is questioning Malay or anything related to it but we merely questioned the behaviour of those who claimed to be Malays!

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Lanun

Ini bukan pengambilalihan sebuah syarikat perniagaan, sebaliknya merupakan perkongsian. Kami hanya mahukan 51 peratus
–Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Sime Darby

Kalau kita perhatikan projek-projek lain yang telah diswastakan, bayarannya terus meningkat
–Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek Timbalan Presiden MCA

Memang ia bukan pengambilalihan namun 51% bukan juga jumlah yang boleh dipandang enteng. Ia mewakili kepentingan majoriti dan kebiasaan suara majoriti akan memberikan kata putus dan minoriti terpaksa akur. Lihat Parlimen, rang undang - undang yang menjadi kontroversi seperti RUU SPRAM misalnya dengan mudah menjadi Akta Parlimen dengan suara majoriti walaupun ramai mempertikaikan RUU tersebut ketika perbahasan berlangsung.

Sime Darby, sebuah syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) asasnya sebuah entiti perniagaan dan wajar dingat bahawa perniagaan bermotifkan keuntungan dan bukannya kebajikan dan kesejahteraan rakyat umumnya. Perakuan bahawa pengambilalihan tersebut akan melindungi hak dan kepentingan masyarakat datang daripada pemimpin negara seperti Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan bukannya peneraju Sime Darby. Janji itu datang cuma dari sebelah pihak dan ini pasti tidak membawa apa - apa faedah atau kesan positif. Janji manusia boleh dimungkiri. Tun Dr. Mahathir sehingga kini masih jauh hati dengan penggantinya yang didakwa memungkiri persetujuan dan janji untuk meneruskan beberapa projek dan dasar seperti pembinaan Jambatan Bengkok antara Johor dan Singapura.

Perlakuan dan tingkahlaku Abdullah Ahmad Badawi kini semakin meragukan dan kenyataannya dalam hal ini seolah - olah melepaskan batuk di tangga dan nyata membiarkan rakyat terus sengsara dan menderita. Beliau sewajarnya dalam tempoh peralihan ini sedaya upaya memulihkan imejnya yang tercalar dengan cuba lebih memahami dan melindungi kepentingan rakyat dan bukannya membiarkan bakal penggantinya membuat segala keputusan yang kelihatan tidak memberi faedah langsung kepada rakyat.

Sebagai pengganti Abdullah, Najib sewajarnya 'bersabar' sehingga Mac untuk menonjolkan diri. Beliau sewajarnya lebih menumpukan kepada tugasnya memantapkan kerajaan dan bukannya membuat keputusan melulu atas kapasiti sebagai Menteri Kewangan. Alasan bahawa pengambilalihan tersebut memberi peluang kepada doktor yang berkhidmat di IJN untuk menikmati gaji dan ganjaran lebih tinggi tidak dapat diterima. Persoalan timbul tentang ketelusan rundingan tersebut setelah skandal Scorpene dan yang terbaru Eurocopter yang melibatkan Najib. Adakah rundingan tersebut telus dan tidak mempunyai sebarang muslihat? Rakyat akan memandang sinis rundingan dan apa jua keputusan apatah lagi sekiranya kerajaan bersetuju dengan cadangan tersebut.

Dengan keupayaan Sime Darby sebagai konglomerat mega, sewajarnya pengambilalihan atau perkongsian seperti yang didakwa tidak timbul sama sekali. Mereka boleh membina fasiliti yang serupa di mana jua dan bukannya bertindak mengambilalihan suatu kemudahan kesihatan yang begitu penting kepada rakyat. Kajian menunjukkan bahawa masalah jantung merupakan masalah kesihatan utama penduduk negara ini dan umum mengetahui kos perubatan jantung bukan seperti membeli tiket bas atau wayang walaupun di hospital atau institusi milik penuh kerajaan. Yang pasti, suatu hari nanti IJN akan lengang namun ramai pesakit yang bergelimpangan di luar pintu IJN!

Dasar penswastan yang para pemimpin agungkan selama ini nyata gagal melindungi kepentingan rakyat umum. Sebaliknya mereka terpaksa membayar dengan harga yang mahal untuk mendapatkan perkhidmatan yang kualitinya masih diragui. Apa yang berlaku kepada rakyat Malaysia di Sabah misalnya setelah SESB mengambilalih perkhidmatam bekalan elektrik? Mereka masih bersungut tentang kualiti perkhidmatan yang kini terpaksa pula dibayar dengan harga yang lebih mahal. Para pelanggan Telekom Malaysia terpaksa menanggung kos kerana perkhidmatan talian tetap dimonopoli oleh Telekom yang juga telah diswastakan. Negara - negara maju tidak melihat penswastaan sebagai saluran unggul untuk meningkatkan kualiti sesuatu barangan mahupun perkhidmatan namun di negara ini berlaku sebaliknya. Inilah sikap pemimpin yang mementingkan diri dan tidak bertanggugjawab.

Hampir setiap hari kita disajikan dengan berita rompakan dan yang terkini kegiatan lanun di perairan Somalia. Kita sesungguhnya bernasib baik kerana kegiatan lanun dan menjarah keringat rakyat berlaku dengan jelas di negara ini bahana kelemahan pemimpin yang gilakan kuasa dan kemasyhuran. Mereka sering lupa akan tugas dan tanggugjawab sebenar - Melindungi kepentingan rakyat.

Perbuatan menipu dan merompak rakyat oleh kerajaan yang dipilih lebih keji daripada rompakan oleh orang yang asing dan tidak dikenali

The Evil of Privatisation

Don't You Dare to Smile, We Trust You No More!

It's now 2 minutes before 12.15 am and I am still awake typing my thoughts of what I've just heard in full. It really sadden me, it's hurt and frankly it makes my uneasiness towards the government is worsening. The government is considering to privatise the National Heart Institute to Sime Darby as per the latter's letter to the government. So what? It is ordinary and not unusual for government to do such thing on the premise of better service to the people. Rubbish!

The present government has been giving too much to the business sector to the extent of bleeding the commoners while boasting that they are doing all that are necessary to improve and promote the well being of the people. Business will remain business though such entity is owned and controlled by the government. Their main concern is to gain and accumulate as much profits as they manage to do and well-being of the people comes second if not less. Look at what happen to Independent Power Producers (IPP) and toll concessionaires. They make millions if not billions and we enjoy ordinary services not the extra ordinary that the government is saying or promising much earlier.

The Prime Minister has said that before such privatisation is allowed and agreed upon, the government will ensure that the commoner, the layman like you and me will be guaranteed if not the best at least the usual services that we are currently enjoyed. Such promise from a soon retired leader should not be seriously listened to or even considered. It is very sad and disappointing to see and heard that the present government are not doing enough for the commoner - the ones who elected them to do their honourable job of representing the people and not the business entities.

Even today, many Government Linked Companies (GLC) which once government agencies providing services to the people fail miserably to improve the services. How frequent do we suffer from unstable power supply since Lembaga Letrik Sabah becomes SESB? Almost every day, every hour even. Its occurrences are just like breathing, it happens non stop and the same lame excuses are provided until today after so many years of being privatised.

Privatisation is not the only way of improving the services as what happen to health care in Cuba. Theirs is one of few examples where health care is at its best and the people from all walks of life are able to enjoy them. Unfortunately, here in this beloved country of ours we are duped to believe that privatisation is the best way to improve service. We need to remind ourselves in case we have forgotten that privatisation means letting business entities taking over the services at a cost and most of the time the cost is exorbitant making the services inaccessible to the common people. At the end, the service may have improved but none of the target groups are able to get the service.

Business will have profits as its main priority irrespective whether it is owned by the government (GLC). There are cases where GLCs are found polluting the environment just to reduce costs of treating their waste properly. At the end of the day, social obligation has to take the backseat as profits rule the day. MAS for instance in its rush to cut lost sacrifices unprofitable but necessary routes for the people. Please don't tell me that this never and will never happen in the future.

Developed countries have their share of failed and doomed privatisation but we or rather the government seems to be deaf and blind to the facts before them by continuing to support privatisation. I am not an economist but clearly the present government has failed to do their job of protecting our welfare and well being. Perhaps in the next general election we really need to teach them a real lesson since they fail to learn anything from the March 8 election.

“Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Will he be Great?

Will Timur Abdullah become as lame as his grandfather?

Yesterday news apart from the debate and eventual passing of JAC (Judicial Appointment Commission) was the hullabaloo about the sixth Abdullah Badawi's grandchildren, second son of the notorious yet all too powerful KJ. He's named after an ancient Uzbek's warrior Amir Temur. Obviously this guy also got named after the iconic Timur, founder of the Timurid Empire.

KJ maybe inspired by the figure for his bravery and perseverance and thus he meant well when he decided to honour the great man by borrowing his name. However, he may have forgotten a very subtle yet significant principle. In Islam, one is required to bestow or named his children with good and well meaning names and this includes among others the culture of the society he belongs to. He may also have 'special and peculiar' in his mind when he named his son, Timur Abdullah.

Nonetheless, we live in an advanced and more transparent world where people become very inquisitive and thus make other people business their own. Thus, his son with a very peculiar name will become hot item. While others are in awe and admire his name many others will also ridicule that innocent child. There are abundant real life stories about those with peculiar names.

There are people who named their children out of the convention and norms like by putting Tengku, Puteri and Dayang as part of the children's names. Problem and issue arise when the children start their study. Raised eye brows and cynical smiles are some of the predicaments they have to endure later. There are a few cases when the children will be asked whether they belong or related to any royalties when they have Tengku at the beginning of their names while both parents belong to the Dusun ethnic! Its hilarious and downward degrading for the children who wished they are never born!

Timur is another name for the Tator people from Toraja in Sulawesi and by all means the word is uttered not in a very respective well meaning tone among Malaysians in Sabah since they are connected to the influx of illegal immigrants who for years have slowly and systematically eroded the Malaysians in Sabah their rights and privileges. So, what's the point when Timur Abdullah hails from the Peninsular and may never set foot here. Noted but remember we are living in a transparent and those Peninsular MPs are starting to learn and understand more and more about East Malaysians way of life and culture including the not so good connotation of 'Timur'.

The point here is while we meant well for the children we must also consider the impact and effect they will have to endure in the future for having peculiar and out of the ordinary names attached to them forever. Simple but good meaning names are sufficient and not those names which are foreign to our culture. I wonder what will happen to Timur Abdullah in the future?

Overdue

Federal Government belongs to all states

The state of Terengganu just got their long due share of oil royalty from the Federal government and all seem to settle down but come to think of it, why did the Federal government had to undergo all such fuss about the money belonging to a state just because the state is controlled by the Opposition? To my knowledge the royalty is the right of certain or all oil producing state like Terengganu, Sarawak and Sabah. So, what is the Federal legal basis of withholding the money rightfully belonging to the states?

When a state which is entitled to the royalty suddenly fall to the Opposition immediately the Federal stop paying the money and now they call it 'Wang Ehsan' as if the the respective state is begging for the money rightfully belonging to them. On the surface, this is totally wrong, bias and discriminating and most importantly is against the principle of democracy. The Federal is insulting and punishing the people for their choice of government.

Something need to be done fast to ameliorate this injustice. All this while the BN controlled government has been promoting for democracy but what they are doing is something totally out of democracy. Maybe this is the one they call 'demokrasi terpimpin' or guided democracy. Rather it is more to selective and bias democracy. The people should not be punished for their choice of government since this is the core of democracy which Malaysia has been practising or known to practise since its independence. While the BN led government condemns the injustice inflict upon Aung San Suu Kyi but they seem to suffer from chronic amnesia and delusion when they do the same to any oil producing states when they fall to the Opposition.

However, such trend does not limited to oil producing states but also to other states as well. The Federal government seem bent and its like a convention to withhold grants and so forth to the state whenever they choose parties bearing the symbols other than the Scale. They give thousands different kind of reasons to withhold funds to the extent of letting the people suffer. Such gangster-like and despotic way of selective preference seem to backfire during the March 8 election whereby BN lost five states to the People's Pact. What is even funnier is their campaign to take over Kelantan too backfire with disastrous result.

Justice should not only be said but it must be seen and what the BN led government is doing is totally unacceptable. They people have decided and therefore BN need to bite the reality and continue giving the fund and not establishing alien bodies to disperse the fund like the JKK Pusat in certain states as well as establishing the Federal Secretary offices in Opposition-led states. Just give or render whatever they deserve as this is a principle of Islam of which the BN particularly UMNO has been telling the people as one of the core struggle.

Justice is the constant and perpetual will to allot to every man his due.

Domitus Ulpian (100 AD - 228 AD

Weekend Two Cents

National cars particularly Proton cars have been the choice of Malaysians (read low to average income earners) for many years since its inception 23 years back. Many have to buy the cars because of their 'affordability' through government's protections via exorbitant import tax on import and foreign made cars. Many have to be content to those average to low quality cars because they can only dream of driving and owning imported cars which are of superior quality.

While consumers overseas enjoy a relatively cheaper Proton cars Malaysians have to endure driving 'sardines' can- body cars because they are affordable. We envy our Thai neighbours very much. They don't have national cars to boast but they enjoy cheap and high quality locally assembled well-known foreign cars like Toyota and Nissan. Proton cars are even cheaper there, no doubt.

When some People Pact held state governments decide to opt for Toyota, all hell break loose. Those so called patriotic call for the head of those 'unpatriotic' politicians for turning their back to those fuel guzzling and expensive monsters on road just because they opt for foreign cars. Sadly, many of us are duped and deceived into believing that those 'patriots' are Proton cars users themselves. Well, try checking the garages of those self anointed patriots. You can visibly see at least one foreign made car parked beside a 'cosmetic' Proton car.

It is unthinkable to experience and see that our locally made vehicles are far more expensive in their country of origin. I am pretty sure those suffering Malaysians like myself will immediately opt for foreign cars if their prices are at par with locally assembled and made cars like Proton. Any rational thinking persons will see that there's no future hanging on to unreliable and cost defective cars even for a short term.

Another act of foolish patriotism if we can call or label them as such is an obscure yet to be registered non governmental organisation called Reformis headed by a Muslim but very famous for their unIslamic Nude Protest. This scum is out only to create further chaos while vying for political mileage. They are not sincerely acting for the well-being and betterment of the people but they are doing those very unIslamic way off protesting for ulterior motive. Being Muslim , the pro tem President should realised fully that exposing oneself bare is strictly prohibited in Islam as safeguarding and protecting one's dignity is a must in Islam. Certainly Islam is against degrading one's dignity though it may serve a particular purpose.

The person might have political agenda of his own . He might be dreaming of becoming an elected representative but nobody take him seriously not because of his 'sacred' purpose but because of his questionable morality and state of mind. What can you really achieve by baring your not so nice prick and ass? The only thing you should get is a barrage of water canon and some time in prison for your gross indecency. This is ironic but for once, I agree with brutality against those who don't bother about their decency. How can we trust people who will do anything against their own religious practices for worldly appeasement?

“Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”—Mark Twain

Little Napoleon

Be like Napoleon Bonaparte for his perseverance but not Little Napoleon for his illusion

The government today is very well-known for its so called transparent approach and recently the PM has tabled two of his latest brainchild legislation aim at regaining the public trust on the Judiciary and the Anti Corruption Agency. While such move is commendable but sadly there are always bad apples and little Napoleons within the government structure. The immediate transfer of the Enforcement Director of the Immigration Department to a mere acting post in the Consumer Affairs Department is certainly bewildering since he is known as a no nonsense kind of person. It is not immediately known the reason behind his sudden transfer which in the end forces him to opt for early retirement.

His is only many instances whereby performing civil servants are being kept in the closet for their excellent services while others who do not really performed but are very intelligent at manipulation and ingratiation will be the ones who are enjpying fast promotion and perks. The higher ups prefer these scumbags since they like what they are hearing or seeing and furthermore they prefer the concocted truth.

Actually there are many performing and excellent civil servants out there but most of the time they have to defend themselves against their higher ups particularly when it comes to transparency and public interest. In the end, they are victimised and gradually they lost the zest to fight and they too become the bad apples. We may not know the reason behind Pak sako's transfer but to the public it tantamount to punishing and ultimately hiding him for being good at his job.

When are going to be true to our words? The civil servants motto of following order should be revisited and reinvented to project an excellent service and not merely following order from the higher ups.

Ability is of little account without opportunity.

FORGET AND FORGIVE AND YOU HAVE THIS...

When the wrath of God comes, nobody will be safe

Everything is not rosy for everyone sooner or later He will test us in ways unforeseeable to us but we have been forewarned and thus we should have been prepared for any eventualities. Condolence to the landslide victims at Bukit Antarabangsa and hopefully they will strong to face this calamity. Many have given reasons for the calamity but none have really point out that such horrible incident may be a 'punishment' for what they have done. Punishment? Well, for start their act of 'raping' the environment for their grandiose living. Hillsides may offer picturesque view unchallenged by others but they seem to forget that the environment has its unique ways of revenge unscrupulous people.

Furthermore, there may be unhealthy activities going on there but many turn to look the other way since they do not want to offend their wealthy and powerful neighbours. For the sake of argument, the residents have known for years that their neighbourhood is an environmental time bomb since the area is actually a water catchment site. Water means the land there is not as strong as other places as it is prone to movement. They should think of the facts which are glaring at them when they first decide to reside there and now it is too late as life have been lost in the process.

As always when there are horrible incidents like such many will offer their opinions and views and not less are pointing fingers which actually point towards themselves. This will go on for a time and gradually when the dust settle down then everyone will forget and worse of all forgive the culprits. Malaysians are well-known for such 'angelic' but foolish trait though they have lost their loved ones but it is alright to hug and kiss afterwards. Such forgiving and forgetful society we have here and who say that we are not united?

Now, everyone want to offer helping hands to those wealthy people in Bukit Antarabangsa with names like Bukit Mewah as the name for their opulent and luxurious residence. It is good indeed but they are the cream of the cream of the society do they really need monetary assistance? I really doubt it. My two cents - don't get duped since they are wealthier than those who are chipping in.

Calamity is the perfect glass wherein we truly see and know ourselves - William Davenant

When the Malays do not speak Malay

Where are you and what have you done?

It is reported that about 25% of Singaporean Malays prefer to communicate in English while encouraging their Young to do the same. Such trend according to an expert will lead towards the eventual demise of the language in the republic separated only by Johor Straits from Malaysia.

Ironically, a nation originated from the word 'Malay' is losing its own lingua franca because of a brazen and sheer political will by one who claims to belong to the race and even heads the largest political party for 22 long years. The reason? English is a global and therefore significant tool to bring Malaysia at par with other countries particularly those developed nations in the West. While admitting that English plays significant role in bringing the country towards even greater heights the approach to glorified it is suspect.

Every adult and rational thinking Malaysians know the problem facing the younger generations. Their mastery and command of English is so weak making them 'unmarketable'. But the government's move to use English for Science and Mathematics is totally mind boggling and laughable since our students not only weak in English but also Mathematics and Science. How do we foresee that teaching and learning Science and Mathematics in a language foreign from theirs will achieve the ideal and sought after results? Anyone out there please enlighten me.

The results of the recent Primary School Achievement Test is highly suspect though the government claims that there's a slight improvement but again any rational thinking adults will doubt such claim since it is not backed by independent and unbias opinion of a third party. The Ministry responsible can easily manipulate and alter the results to make them look good to the public. Certainly I am not insinuating that the government is corrupt but to avoid suspicion they should done the same - getting an independent and unbias opinion through auditing the whole process to discard any suspicion.

While comparing or bringing the fate of the language in a country where the language is not even the majority or main spoken language is not proper but when comparing and looking at our own situation then we can see its significance. It is not too late for the government to rectify the situation in line with the provision in the Federal Constitution. Arguably, the government has invested millions in the programme but since its hurried inception 5 years ago , the results speak for themselves - students are still weak in Science and Mathematics as well as English!

The move by dailies to publish favourable opinions of the initiative is laughable and totally biased since the opinions come from urban students and teachers. The latter being civil servants are subject to uphold all government policies and therefore their opinion doesn't really count. While the former has long since familiar with English and therefore their learning of Science and Mathematics in English is not a problem. Since students are the clients and stakeholders in education therefore their views are certainly necessary. The move by the previous administration is a blatant disregard to the principle of democracy and viewed by many as having ulterior motive just by looking at the millions of ringgit contracts to supply the paraphernalia.

Perhaps the most glaring evidence of the low quality of the initiative is the conduct of the relevant minister of sending his offspring to oversea instead of enrolling them in the national education system. Since the minister and many other high profile figures do not really trust our own education system therefore how could we really believe in the system? Leaders are supposed to set examples for the people to see and emulate but their conduct reflects the opposite.

Bahasa, Jiwa Bangsa

Racism - Stumbling Block Towards Malaysians

Is it artificial? - unity , I mean

Racism is everywhere and the only way to eradicate or at least lessen the impact of it is through political will. During the time of the Prophet SAW, racism is still rampant and through his ingenuity he manages to channel racism into something healthy - everyone irrespective of race is equal before the Creator except and only because of their faith in Him. In other words, merit becomes the standard just like what many are calling for today but again in Islam the playing field is equal to everyone and everyone seems to struggle to achieve His Blessings sincerely and thus the end products are impeccable. If we follow what we have today personalities like Bilal bin Rabbah, Zaid bin Harithah and even the Second Caliph, Umar Al - Khattab will never reach their height and even become obscure and lost in history.

During that time in Madinah for instance Islam and Muslims become the majority and thus they deserve to rule but their rule is unlike what we have today - rule of the majority but without merit. If you belong to the majority race then you are supposed to get everything despite the fact that other people deserve them more based on merit. For those minority they are asking for everything based on merit but they forget the sacred rule - equality of the playing field. They start to question some of the privileges of the majority rule but they never think or consider that the dancing floor is uneven.

In America despite the joyous occasion of Obama's victory some are still sceptical because they are still chained to racism. Don't think that racism is a non issue in America but gradually they have overcome such problem though it takes more than 2 centuries whereas it is less than half a decade here in our country. Since Obama belongs to African-American descent, many advise him to see himself as just plain American so that people will not be sceptic of his conducts. This is what our political leaders have been harping all these years but sadly they lack sincerity and the drive to make it a success.

I am sure if every political leaders are sincere in their quest towards a unified Malaysian race it will become a driving force towards a better and respected Malaysia. If our fellow Chinese brothers want more they should look at Singapore where the Chinese are controlling almost everything since they are the majority there. But is good about Singapore is that though Indians are less than the Malays but they seem to achieve greater heights. Since 1965, Singapore has at least 2 Indian Presidents but only one Malay President in Yusof Ishak. Again this may due to meritocracy.

Racism is a dangerous tool and is very prone to manipulation by unscrupulous politicians. It is a great political tool just like what happen in Australia with is One Nation Party, Sri Lanka and almost everywhere. Indeed, racism is a very potent political tool but many blinded by power tend to turn the other way. Malaysian politicians should learn and become more sincere in their struggle towards a unified Malaysia in the pure sense.

We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism.
GLORIA STEINEM