The Last Communist: Umno supreme council to view film and advise on ban

I just love the heading in the New Straits Times 23 May 2006.

Some excerpts:

"Radzi said even the title 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir' had caused quite a stir among the people.

"When you mention the title, many will react to it. Some will ask why we are championing an issue that caused the sufferings of our forefathers. It is not right," he said."

So, the title is the crucial point. That means Amir, the director of the said film must take note of this observation from the honourable minister himself. Next time he makes a movie, he must use that very apt title 'Senario Cinta Mawi' as mentioned in his own blog lastcommunist.blogspot.com. But that title itself might give the wrong connotation. So please play safe. As a very bright person, I'm sure he'll be able to come up with something along the lines of Gerak Khas or Man Laksa.

"Asked if he had watched the documentary, Radzi said he had. However, he declined to say what he thought of it. He only said it depended 'on circumstances'."

An action that shows transparency of the highest order? Is big brother watching? He declined to say what he thought as it will also depend on circumstances. A classic example of survival of the fittest and the bottomline is, we must take care of our rice bowl. So please do not rock the boat. A very good and prudent move. Ten brownie points and may more of his ilk be in the cabinet...

The abandoned forum in Penang

The New Sunday Times 21 May 2006 had an interview with one of those who protested against the forum.
Some comments...

"Q: But Muslims were among panelists at the forum?

A: Unfortunately, other Muslims do not see them as representative of the community. They have their own secular, liberal, understanding of Islam. They want Syariah to be placed along with universal values and are in favour of a secular society in a secular state.

Because they are not representing the Muslim community, they are actually representing a secular minority group. We feel that what they stand for is their own perception of Islam.

They want Islam to be just a private matter and that Syariah law should only be used in handling private matters. They do not represent the community or what Islam stands for in this country."

I guess everything is already cast in stone. We can't even discuss certain issues among Muslims. If one authority has declared that his interpretation is the correct version, everyone has to follow. Haven't we learnt from history itself that Islam went through a lot of upheavals. There were lots of views, interpretations and discussions. Shouldn't that be the norm rather than the exception?

"Q: What should Article 11 do to defuse the situation?

A: There are mechanisms to address their grievances. They can meet the Attorney-General since some of the cases they discussed included conversion.

The forum touched on issues that have already been decided upon. If people don’t agree, they have to meet the A-G and see if there is a mechanism to settle it.

That is better as you don’t need to arouse the sentiments of Muslims. But they start going around saying that Syariah is not protecting the rights of non-Muslims. This is absurd."

Isn't it an assumed conclusion that once someone had converted to Islam in Malaysia he is governed by the Syariah courts. What recourse does the non-Muslim family have in the Syariah courts? Usually the Syariah court judges are dismissive of those who seek the court's help as evidenced by the many instances of single mothers going countless times to get their rightful dues. What more someone of a different faith. Even a Muslim woman unveiled is asked to veil herself first before any proceeding will continue????

The controversy of conversions will continue as long as those in power do not show any compassion towards the non-Muslim family. I'm certain that Islam does not condone breaking families due to the conversion of one family member to the religion. This is where discussion is vital. The protesters can say what they want, but the responsibility is squarely on their shoulders to ensure that justice is meted out equally to the non-Muslim family. I wonder if they have ever thought of being in the other person's shoes???

Australian's 'last wish' is to get PR status

That was one of the headlines in New Straits Times 3 May 2006.

This is interesting to say the least. A non-Malaysian who fell in love with the country and wants to spend the rest of his days here. I hope he gets his wish. There have been countless cases previously which tell almost the same story. A non-Malaysian falling for the charms that this country has and willing to uproot themselves from their country of origin in order to spend their life here.

This is in contrast to the reluctance shown by Malaysians who have made it good abroad and are in two minds about coming back here. Their only existing ties might still be some family and friends. I'm sure there are a multitude of factors which made them make that decision.

The government's efforts to stem this brain drain is pointless if the target does not feel attached to the country. No amount of incentive would change their mind since this country is not attractive to them anymore.

Maybe the government should look into giving better treatment to those who have stayed behind. They are the ones who have made the country what it is today through thick and thin. What we see now is still not perfect and no one country can claim that distinction.

With all its flaws, this country is what it is now through the efforts of those who stayed behind. This group of people should get better recognition for their contributions. This would surely make better economic sense that trying to woo those who have always been reluctant to come back from the beginning.

Why is he so angry?

The headline "Dr Mahathir: Malaysia a ‘half-past-six country with no guts’ if ... " in the New Straits Times 2 May 2006 is very intriguing.

“He said as a citizen, he had a right to do so if the country’s sovereignty was surrendered.”

When did the present leadership surrender our country's sovereignty? The moment the decision was made to abandon the bridge project? There was nothing wrong with the project per se, but the extra baggage that went with the ambitious plans made us a laughing stock. The plan to have that half bridge seems very childish, just to spite the neighbour. If he was still the PM and the project went ahead, it will not help in improving the traffic or the water flow.

"Even if I were to give it to you to publish, you will not do it.

"Even if you do, Kalimullah will chop it," he said, referring to New Straits Times Press deputy chairman and editorial adviser Datuk Kalimullah Hassan.”

This seems to be a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Didn’t he use his power to prevent others from publishing their opinion in the mainstream media? At least his rantings are still published. So there is no reason to complain.

He is still a very angry man after all these years. After more than 20 years in power. There must more than what we see from this whole episode and through his previous his outbursts. Is he really concerned about the country or speaking up more on behalf of those near and dear who have lost their opportunity to make their pot of gold.

Trainee Dies In NS Camp Brawl

That is the headline in the New Sunday Times 23 April 2006.

I guess this tragedy was just waiting to happen after all the previous news about the shortcomings in the camps - attempted rapes, salary not being paid, trainess being bullied etc. The whole scheme seems to be plagued by problems from day one.
It was a very noble idea to have this scheme supposedly to integrate the youths of the country more cohesively. How do you expect a few months togetherness to bring that elusive harmony and integration when the main racial issues is still swept under the carpet.
Just look at our education policy. The moment a child enters school, he is made aware of how different he is from others not of the same race or religion. There are no concerted effort to ensure that these differences are not barriers to integration. Instead, we see overzealous teachers who go out of their way to strengthen the common misperceptions that we have of each other.

Condolences to the family and others who are sending their children to the NS camps.

Point Blank

A very appropriate headline. This is the the front page of the New Straits Times, 4 April 2006.
I guess the frustrations of the Inspector General of Police is felt by the public too. I doubt his speech would leave that much of a dent on the police force. An entrenched culture of so many negatives takes more than just a speech to rectify. It will take another IGP or two to see some improvements.
Why does this happen. A million dollar question. Most probably the causes are multi-faceted and the solutions would need a gargantuan effort from everyone interested in seeing a clean, efficient and trustworthy police force become the pride of the nation. I doubt again whether that will happen in my life time.
I wonder how the guilty ones sleep at night. Peacefully??? I guess so since there has been no let up in the number of incidents involving shady dealings between the police and public. I also wonder whether any thought comes to the minds of those black sheeps. I guess it is a sign of the times. We make the best use of whatever advantage that we have. However small or insignificant to others, the power held by the ordinary policeman is supreme in his area of jurisdiction. That power leaps to gigantic proportions when the particular constable is promoted. The rank that comes with the job and the knowledge that you can use it for your benefit. A heady proposition.

Low cost carrier terminal

At last, I've experienced the terminal. The building itself reflects the low cost emphasis. Someone said it reminded her of the hypermarkets. Very true.
The lines going through the baggage security checks were haphazard. It is still early days for the terminal but some sort of order is necessary so that there will be smooth operations from point A to B. A much more efficient system has to be implemented. A better system would enable passengers to experience a less hassle free journey.
The walk to the airplane was another first after the old airport at Subang. Passengers had to follow designated paths to their respective carriers. The lines look like disciplined ducks walking back to their nests. The rain that day did not help to improve the efficiency. The flight was delayed due to some technical problem. I hope this aspect of the delays will be just a memory once the new planes start replacing the old ones.
Anyway, this would not be my last experience here since despite everything, I will still be using a low cost carrier as one of the means to travel far and wide.

Hang the noose - Abolish the death penalty?

This is the heading in NST 21 March 2006.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said: "For me, a life is a life. No one has the right to take someone else’s life, even if that person has taken another life."

This seems to be a very noble idea but I wonder whether the feeling is the same if the victim is one of our loved ones. A death sentence will never bring back our loved one but it is one way to compensate for the loss. The penalty is just like a compensation for the victim's family - an eye for an eye. It has always been said that it would be better for the family to forgive the guilty party as another death serves no purpose.
Easier said than done and the harder to adhere if the perpetrator committed the crime mercilessly.

Don’t interfere in Islam, non-Muslims warned

Let us just change some of the sentences in the article which appeared in today's thestar

“”Muslims should not interfere in the religious affairs of non -Muslims, as this will make the non- Muslims uneasy.

Expressing his concern about some recent articles written by Muslims, he said the tolerance level among non-Muslims was high

“But you must remember the word amok comes from this country and there is a limit to everything,” he said, telling Muslims not to make comments or write articles on non-Islam that could be construed as belittling the religion.

“I want to remind Muslims to refrain from making statements on something they do not understand,”….

“We do not want to take away your rights but religion is an important matter, especially to the non-Muslims,” he said. On whether Muslim journalists should not write about issues concerning non-Islam, Nazri said they should know what they could or could not write.

“However, there are some things which should not be touched on,” he said.””

Each sentence seems reasonable on its own. The Muslim/Non-muslim, Islam/non-Islam phrases could be interchanged with the same effect on the target group.

What irks me is the statement's tone. It seems more like an edict carved in stone without any recourse for redress.

Has the speaker ever been in the ‘others’ shoes. I guess not. Born into a privileged group, I doubt thoughts of others’ feeling come into his mind. Tolerance??? Understanding???

How do you expect others to emphatise with Muslims if one of their leaders rides roughshod over others. This has been going on for umpteen years and I have not seen any change in the current administration.

Please buck up and face reality. Do unto others what you would like to do unto yourself. If you were in 'their' shoes...

Cabinet approval for public transport fund

That is the big news on the front page of the New Straits Times. Finally, the public transport sector is getting the attention it deserves which has been overdue for a long time. I wonder whether this attention came about only because of the recent big oil price increase. Previously, any master plan for the country pays scant regard to the needs of the public who need an efficient reasonably priced transportation system. The emphasis for the past twenty years was on building the highways. There was low priority for other means of transportation, for example a mass rapid transportation system for the urban areas or a similar system linking the major towns.

I suspect this emphasis to cater to the needs of the car driving public has something to do with the national car industry. It is an egg and chicken situation. The nation wants to leap frog into the developed group of nations by shifting to a more industrialized based economy from the previously rural based economy. The nation’s leader put up a plan to galvanise all resources into the national car industry. The national car industry became a cause celebre which has to be a success by whatever means.

I have not seen anything to be proud of after so many years. The much hyped technology transfer has not materialized and the quality or standards seem stuck at least a few years behind the competitors. Why was our limited resources channeled to the car project instead of a better public transportation system that can benefit all walks of society.

The present administration has to undo quite a lot of things that has been the norm for the past generation. Good luck.

THE Cartoons

At last I found an article that neatly sums up what I feel about the current brouhaha over the cartoons that is being published again and again around the world...

An excerpt from Martin Khor's article in the Star:

"Press freedom is not absolute even though editors especially those in the West may profess or think that it is. There are double standards in this regard practised in the West too.
As pointed out in a letter in an English paper, the United States and British papers comply with requests not to publish photographs of American and British soldiers killed in Iraq or even highlight the return home of the bodies.
The governments don’t want such photos to further affect public opinion against the war and occupation. Western newspapers are very careful not to publish articles that can be construed as being anti-Jew.
If they do, it is almost certain they will come under attack for being anti-Semite and probably have to apologise. There are guidelines, whether formal or informal, so that journalists and editors avoid insulting women or homosexuals.
But when it comes to cartoons of the most revered figure in Islam, the editors of some of the most established newspapers in Europe see fit to state that they have the right to publish them in the name of freedom and so what if some Muslims feel insulted. "

More details Martin Khor

As for Muslims, I hope they stop being violent whenever someone comments negatively about them and their religion. I doubt burning the Danish embassy or boycotting goods from Europe would help enlighten others about Islam. Islam will always be construed as a violent, dogmatic and backward religion fit for the disillusioned whenevwer angry mobs resort to violence to show their displeasure over some issue. However hard it may be to keep calm, it must be done. Rational debate is the only way to prove to the world that Islam is an enlightened path fit to be a guideline for everyone in every situation and for all times.

Why is there a long queue?

This question asked by a lady on Saturday 28 Jan 2006 seemed a bit redundant to me. The question is in context of the long queue at the Air Asia check-in counter. But of course, there is a long queue. The Air Asia promotional campaign has been quite a success. It was also the week long holidays in conjunction with the Chinese New Year. Air Asia is a budget airline and will do its utmost to cut costs. At the moment they have been allocated a few rows for checking in their passengers at KLIA. There is no such thing as premier check-in counters. First come first served. If anyone wants the queue to be shorter, they should discourage others from taking Air Asia. That would be one way to minimise the number of passengers and shorten the queue.
The new terminal for low cost carriers might help to ease the congestion and it won't be ready until the middle or end of 2006. In the meantime, if anyone doesn't like the services provided by Air Asia, they are encouraged to use other airlines. I'm sure Air Asia welcomes any feedback on their services but consumers must be aware, there is always a price to pay for everything. Budget airlines work within certain parameters. There is just so much that they can or are willing to do.

THE Memorandum

The Sun's editorial today put the whole issue succinctly in perspective. The last paragraph says

"While inter-religious marriages are a boon to a multi-religious society, conversions, if not properly done, can also lead to much suspicion and resentment. Non-Muslims should also be made aware and forewarned that, for the moment, conversion to Islam is very much a one-way street.
So the problem that led to the illfated memorandum still needs to be tackled even though the memorandum itself is history."

My sentiments exactly. Malaysia has always bragged about its racial harmony but it is still a fragile entity. I feel the politicians will always take advantage of the racial and religious issues to gain political milage. The victims - the general public.
Almost everyone I know at the grassroots level are busy with their daily lives, career and family. Of course everyone has an opinion on what is happening in the country but they have voted the elected representatives to do the job of managing our destiny. There will always be hiccups along the way but some major and fundamental issues like the conversion issue should not be brushed aside. The 'sensitive' issue reason is almost always used to keep things quiet. How long will this go on?

A day at the Malaysian Immigration Office

I reached the number issuing booth at 8.45 am and my number was 1138. They were servng number 1019 at that time. Yippee. I should be finished in an hours' time. But alas, I was only finally called to send in my passport renewal application at 12.00pm. After the checks and thumb prints taken I was asked to wait for my number to be called again. This time for payment. The wait took another 15 minutes.
I waited 3.5 hours for the whole process which took only about 5 minutes. The time spent on each applicant was not that long as the personnel were quite efficient in doing their work. 210 hours divided by 119 people gives about 1.7 minutes per applicant. That is remarkable considering there were a few who took just one number but was in actual fact giving more than one application form to the counter clerk. These would be those who came with their entire family. I saw a few with 4 or 5 kids in tow.
Kudos to the department for efficiency. The negative side was just the feeling that there were no one attending to the applicants as numerous numbers keep flashing on the screen but your own. I forgot there are different categories of applications and at first glance it seems as if my number is not in the queue. But all is well and I should get my new passport on Wednesday.

Shanon Shah at Alexis

I came with an open mind as always and did not expect anything spectacular. I have not heard his songs before but his self penned 'Jurutera' - engineer - left a good impression. The night went smoothly with renditions from his album as well as songs from other artistes.
The highlight for me was listening to Sukania. She has always been my favourite person and her presence alone made the night a worthwhile effort. Ida was the next friends that came to the mike and she did not dissappoint. Sultry looks and voice is a deadly combination.
The three of them sang Imagine as the last time and managed to get the crowd to sing along. Wonderful stmosphere. Alas the night had to come to a close and Shanon sang a few more songs before ending the night on an upbeat mode.

5 days into the new year

There has not been any major changes to my own personal life so far and the world keeps turning merrily on its axis around the sun. The human populace of this blue planet or slightly greying in some parts have managed to usher in the new year in more or less a happy state. The media has not highlighted any major calamities either man made or those brought on by Mother Nature.

I do hope we will manage our affairs better this year so at least there will be something to be proud of to talk about next year. That will be the day....

New Year???

My first blog of the year after ages neglecting the site. New Year resolution - keep the blog more up to date.
Has the new year really began. It seems like yesterday that 2005 was in full swing and now 2006 beckons with all its trials and tribulations. I'm not sure I'll be afloat going through the muck I've created throughout the past one year. I can see a little bit of hope here and there but most probabaly I'll get through most of the time in my own fashion. Which is not that good. I do have to make some improvements to the way I carry on with my life while on this earth. Or else, kaput, everything will go down the drain and no one to blame but myself...

Mawi mania

At last the final Akademi Fantasia concert crowned Mawi officially as the winner of the third season. He had garnered almost a third of the weekly votes consistently with adoring and countless fans country wide.
What made him such a phenomenon? A conbination of boy next door looks and humble down to earth attitude. He was not even in the first batch of students but was recalled as one of the surprises from the organisers - the other person was Marsha who also made good by being placed fourth.
Mawi's almost all encompassing popularity was one of the reasons that triggered debates on the relevance of reality shows. As usual some quarters felt the shows were too Western oriented but I'm sure everything was done above board especially since this is Malaysia. Anyone and everyone tend to self censor themselves. But there are some who are willing to take chances and try their luck pushing the boundaries of accepted behaviour.
Mawi's supporter tend to be fanatical about him since he is their idol with that wholesome image. Will he be the male version of Siti Nurhaliza? Only time can tell.

Petrol prices go up again

Here we go again. Didn't petrol prices go up just a few months ago. I hope we don't have to endure another price rise in a few months' time. The government did try its best to soften the effect. I guess postponing another rise immediately is a strategy to soften the impact. At least the populace was in preparation for another price increase. But I'm not sure how long the common people can endure the increase.
As always the majority will feel the greater impact. How will those with many mouths to feed cope with the almost seasonal upward adjustment to their budget. Can something be done. This is more like macroeconomics to me and I doubt any changes can have an effect immediately. In the meantime we'll grumble and cajole the goivernment to do some positive action. The consumer affairs mininstry has threatened to take action against those who take advantage of the situation.
How effective is that threat. They might be able to catch a few but overall it is a doomed effort. I have not seen any trader or business concern giving any thought to the consumer whenever prices of essential goods increase. They will still take an advantage when prices go down. So the consumer is at a losing end whatever happens.
Tighten your belts, everyone.

The government knows what is best for the people

That sentiment seems to permeate those at the top of the pecking order. They might know what is best but the implementation usually leaves much to be desired. Is it arrogance that makes rulers think they know what is best for those governed. I'm sure they have their panel of advisors but are they in touch with reality. I have not seen any major shift in policy since this country gained its independence in 1957. Yes, the ruling party tries very hard to uplift the people's standard of living.
They have succeded in a way but there are still pockets of hard core poor in the country. That will need a major revamp in policy. As long as the government says they know what is best for the people, there will always be people marginalised in the race to that developed nation status in 2020. The authorities may listen to the people but no action has been taken to take the bull by its horns.
A problem that has been a part of the nation's landscape needs drastic measures. A government that listens and takes action rather than mouthing "I know what is best for you" will be welcomed. But there are no alternatives on the horizon at the moment.