CONVERSION: What state enactments say

The letter to the editor which appeared in the NST 27^th April 2009 gave the legal perspectives of the current conversion to Islam issue.

The concluding paragraphs are points to ponder for those who are adamant in converting babies and children to another religion.

“From the above provisions, conversion to Islam is clearly a personal act of utterance of the two clauses of the affirmation of faith by the person wishing to convert. And he or she does it on his or her own free will.

So, how could a parent convert his or her child to Islam? He or she can only consent to the child's conversion. The child's conversion to Islam, in any case, is not valid if the child has not uttered the affirmation of faith on his or her own free will. A certificate of conversion, if ever issued, will not remedy the non-compliance with requirements of a valid conversion to Islam.

Does the conversion to Islam by a parent make his or her children Muslims? The legislative answer is no. This is because Section 2 defines a Muslim as (b) a person either or both of whose parents were at the time of the person's birth, a Muslim; (e) a person who has converted to Islam in accordance with Section 96.”

Quite a number have forgotten those facts.

The full letter:

CONVERSION: What state enactments say

By : MOHAMAD HAFIZ HASSAN,

International Institute for Advanced Islamic Studies Kuala Lumpur

THE law relating to conversion to Islam is dealt with under provisions of the various states' Administration of Islamic Law Enactments.

The law was simple to begin with. The earliest enactments merely provided that the Majlis (Islamic Religious Council) was to keep a register of converts, that no person should be converted otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the enactments or any rules made thereunder, that no person who had not attained the age of puberty should be converted, and that all conversions should be registered by the Majlis (see, for example, Selangor's Administration of Muslim Law Enactment 1952).

The current law is more elaborate, contained in 10 to 11 sections, depending on which state enactment one is looking at. The provisions contained in most of these enactments relate to requirements for conversion, moment of conversion, duties and obligations of a convert, Registrar and Register of Converts, registration of converts, certificate of conversion, recognition of a convert as a Muslim, determination of religious status of an unregistered convert, offence for false information, power to make rules, and capacity to convert (see, for example, Federal Territory's Administration of Islamic Law Act 1993).

Clearly, the current law retains and elaborates the statutory regime for registration of converts.

Let's look at Perak's Administration of the Religion of Islam Enactment 2004. The provisions relating to requirements for conversion to Islam are found in Section 96. It states, among others, that for a valid conversion of a person to Islam, the person must utter in reasonably intelligible Arabic the two clauses of affirmation of faith, must be aware that the two clauses mean "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is the Messenger of Allah" and must utter the two clauses on his or her own free will.

As soon as he or she finishes uttering the two clauses, he or she becomes a Muslim and shall be referred to as a muallaf (Section 97). The muallaf may then apply to the Registrar of Muallaf for registration.

If the registrar is satisfied that the requirements of Section 107 have been fulfilled, he may register the muallaf's name and other particulars in the Register of Muallaf. In so doing, the registrar has a duty to determine the date of conversion to Islam and enter the date in the register (Section 100).

There is another provision which is of particular importance. It is Section 101, which provides that the registrar shall issue a certificate of conversion to every person whose conversion has been registered. It also provides that the certificate of conversion shall be conclusive proof of the facts stated therein.

Above all, there is Section 106, which provides that a person may convert to Islam only if he or she is of sound mind and has attained the age of 18 years. If below that age, he or she must have the consent of the parent or guardian.

From the above provisions, conversion to Islam is clearly a personal act of utterance of the two clauses of the affirmation of faith by the person wishing to convert. And he or she does it on his or her own free will.

So, how could a parent convert his or her child to Islam? He or she can only consent to the child's conversion. The child's conversion to Islam, in any case, is not valid if the child has not uttered the affirmation of faith on his or her own free will. A certificate of conversion, if ever issued, will not remedy the non-compliance with requirements of a valid conversion to Islam.

Does the conversion to Islam by a parent make his or her children Muslims? The legislative answer is no. This is because Section 2 defines a Muslim as (b) a person either or both of whose parents were at the time of the person's birth, a Muslim; (e) a person who has converted to Islam in accordance with Section 96.

Religious understanding

Ah, another letter which appeared in the Star of 18^th April 2009 on the perpetual issue of religious tolerant and understanding (misunderstanding?) in Malaysia.

What is pertinent is the one sided situation at the moment. Non-Muslims have ample opportunity to learn about Islam but there seems to be a dearth of avenue for Muslims to learn about other religions. Officially of course. Unofficially, there is always the internet, but it would be a major stepping stone towards a more meaningful understanding of different religions if Muslims are exposed to the others.

One paragraph from the letter said “Perhaps, non-Muslim religious programmes and inter-faith dialogues should be aired on national TV”. That hope, I am afraid would be just a dream looking at the current situation.

But, we the optimists, those who want a better nation, have eternal hope.

The letter:

Religious understanding a two-way traffic

I AM responding to G.K. Lim’s letter “Good for non-Muslims to learn about Islam” (The Star, April 13).

Personally, I believe it is equally good for Muslims to learn more about the faiths of various non-Muslim religious groups that are practised in Malaysia particularly.

And it is best to learn from the qualified sources, such as the respective religious groups, to prevent any misconceptions.

Getting to know each other is a two-way relationship and I find the situation nowadays is not so.

From my observation, most Malaysian Muslims have a long way to go in understanding and appreciating the faiths of their fellow non-Muslim Malaysians.

Perhaps, non-Muslim religious programmes and inter-faith dialogues should be aired on national TV.

I beg to differ from Lim as there are a lot of Islamic TV programmes aired on national TV to enable non-Muslims to understand Islam.

Certainly the time has come for fellow Muslim Malaysians to learn and appreciate the non-Muslim faiths as we march forward as citizens sharing common universal values.

THE ANALYST,
Kemaman.

Religious freedom: 'Allah' part of Iban prayers

I was glad when I read one particular letter to the editor of NST which appeared today, 6^th April 2009.

I was especially heartened by these two sentences:

“After the Gawai, when we return to Kuala Lumpur, the grandchildren continue to attend mengaji lessons. There is no hint of confusion among the Muslim members of the family.”, and

“he will recognise that those of us who use the word "Allah" or "Allah Taala" in our Christian prayers and publications have no other agenda but to practise our faith in our own language.”

I shall emphasise again, “there was no confusion” and “no other agenda”.

But it seems the Malay Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia do not want to accept those facts. Insecurity complex perhaps or a chip on the shoulder? Heaven knows.

The full letter:

Religious freedom: 'Allah' part of Iban prayers

By : TAN SRI LEO MOGGIE ANAK IROK, Kuala Lumpur

VIEWS attributed to influential personalities, including Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, prohibiting the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims are very disturbing -- including for those of us whose mother tongue is Iban.

Islam is the official religion of this country. No one questions that. Similarly, the Constitution guarantees the right of religious freedom.

Followers of different faiths worship in their own ways and there is always some sensitivity attached to religious issues. Thus, I will not touch on matters of theology or religious doctrine. Moreover, this is more a question of language.

I am told that "Allah" is a standard Arabic word for God and is also widely used in the Middle East by non-Muslims.

Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, assistant minister in the Chief Minister's Department (Islamic Affairs) in the Sarawak government, noted that the word had been used by the followers of the Sidang Injil Borneo in Sarawak for more than 50 years.

Furthermore, the Majlis Islam Sarawak does not think that Muslims in Sarawak are confused when non-Muslims use the word "Allah" in their liturgy (Borneo Post -- March 9).

My parents and family members were baptised into the Catholic faith in 1947. As a 6-year-old boy, I was taught to pray to "Allah Taala". The Creed, the acclamation of faith in the Christian prayer, when rendered in Iban begins as follows: "Aku arap ke siko aja' Allah Taala, Apai Ke besai Kuasa, Ke ngaga Seruga enggau dunia."

In my own immediate family, through inter-marriage, there are Muslims, Christians and Hindus. Once a year, at Gawai Dayak, we visit the family longhouse. When the prayer leader reads excerpts from the Iban translation of the Bible, the words "Allah Taala" are an integral part of the prayers.

After the Gawai, when we return to Kuala Lumpur, the grandchildren continue to attend mengaji lessons. There is no hint of confusion among the Muslim members of the family.

Ahmad Zahid is no ordinary individual. He received the highest number of votes among the three newly elected vice-presidents in Umno. Going by tradition, it may be expected he will be appointed to a senior and important portfolio in the new cabinet line-up.

One hopes when he is given wider responsibility, as different from aspiring to a post in Umno, he will recognise that those of us who use the word "Allah" or "Allah Taala" in our Christian prayers and publications have no other agenda but to practise our faith in our own language.

How can that be made illegal?

Taxis again

The suggestions that appear in the letters to the editor in the Sunday Star have been brought up countless times before, but as John Inbaraj said in his letter,

“There are many simple things that can be done to upgrade the public transport system. It certainly cannot be achieved by someone who does not have the will.

I hope that the transport minister will revamp the CVLB administration.

Effective management is in identifying the right people for the job.”

The will to do the right thing is the key ingredient in solving this perennial problem. I am pessimistic about any about turn in this respect. So, shall we just abandon any hope?

Blame the system

The letter to the editor which appeared in the  star of 20th November 2008 seems appropriate.

The most relevant part for me:

“Our education system is clearly failing. To make matters worse, we suddenly change our teaching medium for Science and Mathematics to English without proper consultation and preparation.

We have to stop simplifying our problem by blaming the medium. No language can cure this illness. I bet even if we change the medium to totally English, there will be no change in the quality of our graduates.

We will still be producing robots but perhaps English-speaking robots. “

 

My sentiments exactly - the medium of instruction is not the culprit. When we get the basics right, the product of the Malaysian education system would be on par with the best in the world. At the moment we are almost always at the bottom of the ladder, neither here nor there with the children, the victims. Of course, the leaders would never take responsibility for the debacle, safe in their cocoons. The common people are the ones who continue to suffer.

Please, oh please, do something positive before more innocents become victims of ill-conceived ideas. Put aside the pride, and just for once, come together for the sake of the nation. Malaysia, it is the only one I can call home.

 

A leopard???

Two headlines:

 “Zaid  sticking to his decision” and “Anwar  branded a hypocrite on ISA”.

 A study in contrasts. One quits and the other stayed put for more than 10 years. People can and do change but does the leopard change its spots?

Language is no barrier

The letter which appeared in the star of 10 September 2008, from a 19 year old student might not sway the opinion of those in favour of continuing teaching science and mathematics in English to Malaysian students. Some highlights:

"I have found that my friends and I have not had much problem switching between languages even though we were taught S & M in three different languages. So I can conclude through my experience, and I’m sure most students would agree, that language isn’t the issue here.

However, the quality of education in these two subjects has greatly deteriorated over the years.

I say, settle on one language and focus on improving the quality of our education."

There was another letter which appeared in the nst of 11 September 2008. Some highlights:

"Rembau member of parliament Khairy Jamaluddin ("It's high time we ditched this policy" -- NST, Sept 9) makes an important point in questioning the policy of teaching Science and Maths in English: that it goes against the core value of educational equity for all social strata.

The policy has a strong class bias, favouring children from urban families with higher income.

It acts to widen gaps between rich and poor, urban and rural."

The main gist of this ongoing debate to me is the deteriorating quality of education in this country and the unequal distribution of opportunities to deserving students. The victims are the students. A flawed policy must be acknowledged as such. It is not too late to take remedial action and follow the recommendations from the study, ie, improve the English language standards but not by teaching other subjects in the language. The emphasis should be teaching the language itself and improving the overall education system.

Teaching of science and maths in English

I thought the letter from KJ which appeared in the nst  of 9^th September 2008 quite balanced.

Some highlights:

"The issue here is not the importance of English.

Furthermore, the problems and weaknesses of this policy are not confined to one ethnic group. The study revealed that the ones who gained from the policy were a small percentage of Malay students from upper middle-class families who went to good, urban schools. The paper further showed that even Chinese students struggled with learning Maths and Science when taught in English, demonstrating that this is a problem that cuts across ethnic lines.

They don't need to be taught Maths and Science in English to read reference books in English later on. They just need to be proficient in English, which clearly this policy has failed to achieve.

It is high time we ditched this policy for the failure that it is and learnt from an episode of a flawed and ill-conceived policy defeating what were, I presume, noble intentions."

There was another letter which appeared in the star  of 8^th September 2008 on the same topic  from someone who was taught science and maths in Bahasa Malaysia.

Some highlights:

"Hence, my main points are:

1. It is not important for English to be the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics. Stop wasting money and resources trying to implement this.

2. The standard of English in our schools has been deteriorating for so long that many of the teachers we have in schools are themselves not proficient in English.

3. The problem is the teaching of the English language itself. Don’t send Science and Mathematics teachers for English courses when some English teachers themselves need English courses, and English teachers who don’t need English courses need a useful syllabus from which to teach!

5. Don’t make the use of Bahasa Malaysia the scapegoat. It is important for Bahasa Malaysia to remain the medium of instruction in schools for the sake of national identity, which is vital for genuine national unity.

Finally, please identify and address the real problems in our school system.

Make sure Science and Mathematics are taught properly, and don’t discriminate against students who are poor in English but may have the aptitude for Science or Mathematics."

Food for thought.

Politically blind and tone deaf?

The article with the above headline which appeared in the sun of 8^th September 2008 highlights the situation fair minded Malaysians are facing now.

The next to last paragraph in the article was especially telling:

As PR leader, a politician from Penang, and a man who says he will abolish the New Economic Policy and by extension an economic policy based on racial requirements rather than need, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has yet to take a public stand on this issue. His silence is disappointing. It also suggests political analysts who laud PR as breaking the mould of racial politics are deluding themselves. What was heralded as a "new dawn" in Malaysian politics may well turn out to be a "false dawn".

Politicians who are just plain arrogant abound in this day and age, there is no other word for this resurgence of uncouth behaviour. The thinking that ‘we’, a particular community, are the only group entitled to call this fair land our home is the height of folly. Even in the heat of election campaigning, there is no excuse for such utterances. There still persist that idea, I’m not sure who planted it, that the rest be damned, we can make it on our own.

Reality check is in order here. We are in this together, sink or swim as one. That should be the rallying call. There are bigger challenges out there in the big bad world and as a tiny nation, we must, put aside all differences and come together as one. That is the only choice for us.

Exact replica

There was a paragraph in Rehman Rashid's column which appeared in the NST of 4^th April 2008 that caught my eye.

'In December 1998, while Umno and the nation were reeling from the sacking and subsequent travails of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Mahathir told the press his successor would have to be an “exact replica of myself”.

“Some fit here, some fit there,” he said. “If they fit in completely, they will be my twin, but I don’t have one.”

Abdullah was sitting beside him at the time, smiling that crinkle-eyed smile we have all come to know so well.

I was one who admired the strength such unruffled geniality might have called for.'

The particular phrase was “exact replica of myself”. How telling. And now the good doctor rants ad infinitum about his successor? We reap what we sow – that should sum up the present situation. Shouldn't the good doctor be proud that his students are emulating and continuing his legacy, and in some instances, going beyond expectations to greater heights of mismanagement. I doubt the good doctor will see that point.

Spot On

The following letter to the editor appeared in the Star of 3^rd April 2008.

It not only puts the whole issue of extremism and Islam in the right perspective but is a clarion call to all moderate Muslims to take a stand against those who have hijacked the religion for their own benefits.

I particularly like the paragraph - “Yet, none of the moderate Muslim leaders denounce or reject the violent, hateful extremists even as they protest against a film prominently featuring them.”

I for one acknowledge that I am a guilty party to this silent apathetic stance.

The whole letter:

Extremists must be taken to task too

HAVING read Dr Chandra Muzaffar’s letter “Film is fitnah indeed” (The Star, April 1), I agree with his conclusion that Geert Wilders’ film intentionally misrepresents Islam as a religion that discriminates against non-Muslims, although I do not see why Dr Chandra considers Wilders’ views as racist when Islam is a religion, not an ethnicity.

Joining him in protest are Muslim groups and leaders worldwide, including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Barisan Nasional Youth, the National Fatwa Council and the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia. They are all saddened by the film’s wrong portrayal of Islam as inherently violent and intolerant.

But I am also saddened to note that even as the Muslim leaders are outraged at Westerners deemed to be mocking Islam, not a peep is uttered about the extremists who call for hatred and death against non-Muslims – as captured on video in the Dutch film.

The only reason Wilders’ film is considered to be smearing Islam is because it repeatedly juxtaposes verses from the Quran with videos of terrorist attacks and extremist imams preaching hatred of non-Muslims.

If so, then why aren’t moderate Muslim leaders and groups condemning the extremists who interpret those verses as justification for their hate-mongering? Without their antics, Wilders’ film would have little material to cause provocation with.

These extremists are the ones who cause some Westerners to view Islam as a violent religion. These extremists are the ones hijacking and re-branding Islam as a religion of war and intolerance in the public eye.

In my opinion, such extremists are far more to blame for giving Islam a negative image than lone individuals such as Wilders. Who is more likely to give a religion a bad name – some mocking “outsider” who has an ulterior political motive or violent “insiders” who actually claim to follow that religion?

Yet, none of the moderate Muslim leaders denounce or reject the violent, hateful extremists even as they protest against a film prominently featuring them.

Instead, more calls for boycotts and more protests are made against Wilders – a man whose image of Islam is undoubtedly coloured by those very extremists. What image does this portray when every time, Muslim leaders attack the messenger (Wilders or newspaper cartoons), but not the message that they are noisily proclaiming – about extremists who are successfully using Islam as a rallying cry for violence and hatred?

In fact, I am certain that Wilders is counting on such a knee-jerk reaction from Muslims, with maybe some riots and spontaneous murders of innocent bystanders thrown in (such as what happened with the Jyllands-Posten controversy), in order to prove his point to the world.

If his aim is to influence public opinion into seeing all Muslims as hate-filled extremists, then I’m afraid that the prominent Muslim moderates are unwittingly aiding his agenda with their very selective denouncements.

SCOTT THONG YU YUEN,

Ipoh.

Sack bad advisers

Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik's advice that the PM should sack bad advisers is just one of the remedies needed by the present ruling government.

Dr. Lim hit the nail on the head when he also mentioned other factors that contributed to the recent mauling of the BN party at the hands of the opposition in the recently concluded 12^th Malaysian general election.

“Other reasons contributing to the losses included the arrogant attitude of some Barisan politicians, the lack of cyber campaigning and the discriminatory implementation of government policies by certain civil servants, he pointed out.”

There is no necessity for the PM to have an independent panel to find out why Malaysians rejected the BN. The few reasons mentioned by Dr. Lim should be sufficient to start an overhaul of the whole BN concept and how it implements its policies.

Of course, there is also the oft-forgotten factor of self denial.

Malaysia PM rejects calls to quit

What a difference in attitude compared to Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Granted, the PM did not lose his seat, but he is the chief architect, the leader and the man responsible for the country's current mess.

For once I agree with the good doctor. The poor guy, he has very poor judgment when it comes to appointing his successor.

The PM and his BN cohorts are so obviously out of touch with the sentiment of the people which has been festering and clamouring for a positive change for the past four years. A malice that had its seed planted from the previous administration. A promise to change the way the country is administered is just that, a promise.

Now it will be the opposition's turn to prove that they will hold true to the promises made during the election campaign. It will be an interesting battle of wits, to say the least, between the federal government who still holds the purse strings and the five opposition controlled states.

If nothing else, this is definitely the dawn of a new ear for this country.

Ticket machines: Better service by end of month

I just saw this reply which appeared in the NST of 7 February 2008.from the RapidKL management to a query from a reader regarding the ticket vending machines at KLCC.

A few gems:

'However, since the problem occurred during the weekend when we have fewer technical personnel available, there was a delay in rectifying the problem.

We truly understand the situation and constraints faced by the writer.'

Shouldn't the management deploy the same number of technicians or even more during the weekends. KLCC is a major attraction in Kuala Lumpur and there are crowds even during the weekend. If the management truly understands, this simple effort would help a lot.

'In view of the fact that the upgrading of these machines is under the purview of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad, the asset and infrastructure owner, we discussed this matter with them some time ago but were informed the upgrading had been delayed.'

Did this problem occur only after the change of ownership? I don't think so. This particular statement seems to be a stock answer for a lot of companies who have undergone a change in ownership. The message is loud and clear, pass the buck.

'However, the upgraded machines will be in place at all stations by the end of this month.'

We'll see.

Foreigner bashing

This letter to the editor appeared in the Star of 7 February 2008.

'Foreigner-bashing in the heart of KL’s tourism belt

LAST weekend, in the vicinity of the Pavilion in KL, just outside Wisma Cosway, I witnessed a disturbing incident.

A group of young boys, aged between 13 and18, were running around in a mob. While running, if they saw someone who looked like a Bangladeshi, they would push and punch the person and quickly run away before the victim could react! I saw this happen five times within a few minutes.

Most people would brush it off as just a bunch of young punks “having fun” but the consequences can be catastrophic.

This is in the vicinity of KLCC and the Golden Triangle! What kind of international publicity would that provoke? Even worse, what if it was a local mistaken for a foreigner? Then, it would be racial time bomb!

I hope that the authorities and especially the police realise that these “minor” incidents and bad behaviour may be small to bother about now but what about the long-term effects.

What I witnessed is just the tip of an iceberg.

BAFFLED LOCAL BORN,
Subang Jaya'

This looks like the second time I've seen someone commenting on youths mobs accosting innocent bystanders. In this particular incident, the target are foreigners. As the writer says it is just a racial time bomb waiting to happen

if the victim is a Malaysian.

What exactly has happened to our youths. They have so much time on their hands that they have to resort to bashing people to get their kicks. Is this a sign that the mayhem brought by neo-nazis or football hooligans in western countries are making an appearance here?

Those entrusted with keeping the peace seems conveniently missing from the scene. Where are they? Their presence would at least be a preventive measure. A short term solution but very necessary to curb this disease in the bud.

Non-Halal food

A news item in the Straits Times Singapore dated 5 February 2008 seem eerily familiar.

The highlight of the news item for me was this paragraph:

'Religious leaders agreed that such moves by schools will result in a backlash.

Mr Rhazaly Noentil, veteran mosque leader at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), said other races will think that the Muslims are not accomodating towards others.

Religious leaders said Muslims and non-Muslims can dine together, as long as Muslims consume halal food.'

I doubt Malaysian Islamic religious authorities would even give such a statement. Maybe after some pressure from the government. Willingly, I don't think so. There are so many who are supposedly knowledgeable in Islam with a win or lose attitude when confronted with matters pertaining to the religion.

Why can't we think of others as well. They have feelings too. The authorities always stress that Islam is a very tolerant faith but in practice, there is so much blatant bulldozing of rules. When will the enlightened come forward?

Bibles confiscated

This news item appeared in the Star of 5 February 2008.

'Fu: Seized Bible copies returned to owner

PUTRAJAYA: Copies of the Bible taken from a woman at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal recently have been returned to her, Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said.

He said the that English Bible was confiscated by a Customs officer from the woman who had just returned from a visit to Manila.

He said it did not involve the ministry.

“The Customs officer has no authority to do so and on being told of the matter, we asked the Bible to be returned immediately to the person,” he said.

Fu said the incident should not have taken place, adding that he had clarified the matter with the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM).

He said the address of the person was taken but no telephone number was noted down and as a result, the ministry had to wait for the person to call to collect the books.

He was responding to a statement by the CCM secretary-general Rev Dr Hermen Shastri that a Malaysian Christian had her Bibles taken away by Customs at the airport.

Shastri said that the unilateral actions of certain government agencies were undermining the Government’s stated claims of protecting religious freedom in the country.

Last month, Fu ordered Christian children’s books with drawings of prophets to be returned to a bookshop in Kuala Lumpur after the books were seized by a unit in the ministry.'

What is happening? This is not the first time an incident like this occurred. Does the seizure of religious books by the Malaysian authorities mean non-Muslims cannot practice their religion anymore? Does everyone have to be Muslims? Even that route would be the version approved by the religious department. Are we turning into another Saudi Arabia? The only country I know where every citizen must be Muslim and practicing their approved version of the religion. Frightening thought. No wonder more and more Malaysians are leaving the country including the Muslims.

Government Jobs

This letter appeared in the Star of 1 February 2008.

Elusive job in the civil service

THE past weeks, a few government officials including our Chief Secretary have announced that the Government will change its method of recruiting people as civil servants.

This is a good move, and I hope it will able to attract excellent people to join the Government and GLCs. It will also diminish any criticism against the Government that recruitment methods are biased and selectively based on race and gender of the applicants.

However, I will like to share my experiences when applying for government positions since graduating a decade ago.

I had been applying for jobs with the PTD, government agencies and also GLCs for as long as I can remember without receiving any feedback whatsoever. I was not called for any interview.

My latest experience was when I applied for a post with a newly set-up government authority for one of the economic corridors.

I managed to pass the two interviews, including one with the managing director of the agency, with flying colours.

According to an HR official, I would get the job but they needed to do some restructuring within the organisation before they could issue me an offer letter.

I waited for nearly three months for the agency to issue a Letter of Employment (LOE) and was given a lot of excuses by their HR department for not being able to issue one immediately.

Just this week, I received a letter from the agency saying that they could not offer any LOE. They also could not tell me why they could not hire me.

Even though I do respect that it is their sole prerogative, it is very sad that this agency, which is supposed to lead government investments and projects, performs unprofessionally.

By the way, I am Malay with an overseas degree in accounting and with working experience in IT and project management.

The PM or Chief Secretary to the Government can announce a lot of policies or encourage people to join government service, but at the end of the day the bureaucrats decide the applicant’s fate.

DISSATISFIED APPLICANT,

Kuala Lumpur.

If it is true that the letter writer is a Malay, then it is proof that the brain drain will continue irrespective of race. The civil service will never be able to attract the best and brightest that the country has as long as the little napoleons frustrate the noble aim of filling in the jobs with quality. We will definitely get the quantity.

Development or principles

This letter to the editor appeared in the Star 31 January 2008.

Development not a reward but a duty

TO ALL aspiring candidates in the coming general election, I wish you would not pretend to have the people’s problem at heart and at the same time issue “threats” that they will not see any development in their area should they give their votes to the “other side.”

It is shocking to read such statements from politicians, as in this day and age the majority of the people are more aware of their rights and the duties expected from an elected representative.

In any election, there will always be a winner and a loser. Just because the candidate from the ruling party loses doesn’t mean development for the area comes to a halt.

MPs and State Assemblymen are chosen by the people to “serve the people” and not the other way round.

Bringing development to the people irrespective of which way they voted is a responsibility of the Government not a reward.

MICHAEL NG,
Seremban.

I doubt the ruling party agrees on the writer's opinion. The vote for development mantra has been a part of the election process in Malaysia since independence from the British. This exchange might also occur in other countries but it is blatantly obvious here.

The hardest hit would be those in the rural areas where development aid however meagre is heaven sent. They are the people who need the basics to survive. But hats off to them when they vote the opposition as it does show that they are willing to sacrifice that immediate gain. Of course, they will suffer in a way but there is a sweet after taste in the knowledge that you have managed to dent the ruling party juggernaut.

How Hindraf can help itself

That was the headline of a letter to the editor which appeared in the Star of 14th December 2007.

The writer's suggestions seems to be reasonable especially some parts:

"should strongly consider and carry out but in a responsible approach – legally, through the proper channels and peacefully.
If and when they become leaders, make the changes. Keep in mind that leaders in Malaysia should not represent one particular race or religion but each and every citizen of Malaysia.

Please drop this hostile approach.

Abide by the law. Rallies can’t work in Malaysia. "

But I am not sure the Hindraf leaders would even consider the suggestions as they seem hell bent on using the confrontational approach.

No favours asked

This letter to the editor which appeared in the Sun of 28 November 2007 is one of the most illuminating and encouraging statement from someone who has managed to come to terms with what life has given her.

This is the spirit and gumption which should be a part and parcel of everyone irrespective of creed or religion. But alas, a lot of us tend to give in to our base instincts and seek the easy way out. A damning scenario.

"No favours asked I am a first generation Malaysian Indian. My father came to Malaysia from India in search of a better life. He left behind the security and comfort of his homeland, his family, his relatives and friends because he truly believed that Malaya (as it was known then) was a land of opportunity. This country, he told himself, would become his new home. No one forced him to come – it was a personal choice. In time, my father sent for his bride to be and my mother too came to this unknown and foreign land. They soon settled down and started a family, which would grow over the years to include seven children. Life was not easy here but my father persevered. He could have easily thrown in the towel, packing up his family and leaving for his familiar homeland as did many others, but he did not. Yes, he faced many kinds of trials and tribulations – financial woes were aplenty and discrimination at the workplace was rife. But he took it all in stride. This was his homeland now – both my parents had given up their Indian citizenships and were proud to call themselves Malaysians. They were willing to take whatever life gave them. My father has since passed away. Since coming to Malaysia, he only visited his country of birth on two occasions – the last one was just a couple of months before his death. My mother on the other hand, returned to India only once and it has now been more than 40 years since her last visit. When I asked her if she misses the land of her birth, she said that except for wanting to visit her siblings over there, she is quite content in remaining in Malaysia as this is her home now. I am not afraid to admit that growing up in Malaysia has not been a complete bed of roses – there have been numerous ups and downs, many instances of discrimination and injustice but I have learned to take it in my stride. Many a job has slipped from my fingers not because I lacked the qualifications or experience but simply because I am the wrong colour. Yet discrimination comes in many forms – so it will be unfair for me to only highlight the racial discrimination that still exists in this country – we face discrimination in many places – in our places of worship, amongst our own ethnic community, in the workplace, gender discrimination etc. There are many like me who have faced walls and barriers and there are many like me who have picked ourselves up from the dust of oppression, put a smile on our faces and marched on with determination. I don’t hold my parents responsible for the struggles I face in life and I don’t lament that the world owes me a living. I know of many people who have pulled themselves out of the depths of poverty through sheer hard work and determination and who have made something of themselves. While it would have been easy for them to start pointing fingers and blaming everyone else for their sad state of affairs, they have chosen to channel their energy into something worthwhile and make something of themselves. Then there are those who use their talents in helping others – in bringing a positive change to a particular group or community. They are aware of the many shortcomings in legislative measures and government funding, so instead of merely making noise about the situation, they chose to do something about it as well. If we believe that our community has remained at the bottom of the ladder all these years, then perhaps its time we asked ourselves why. Have we allowed ourselves to remain in the shackles of "colonisation" and hoped that someone would hand us the key or have we attempted to break free? There are many success stories amongst the Indian community so why do we continue to sit and wait for hand-outs when we can fend for ourselves? Let’s face it – there is no one government anywhere in the world that is perfect. If there were, then there certainly would be a mass exodus to that Utopia. However it is not impossible to reach this Utopia – all we have to do is free ourselves from this "the world owes me" mentality and learn to help ourselves. A quote from the great Mahatma Gandhi says it well: "Rights that do not flow from duty well performed are not worth having." Patricia Pereira Via e-mail"

Abort policy?

I like this letter to the editor which appeared in the New Straits Times of 20^th November 2007.

Use of English: Stick to the goal

By : S.K., Seremban

I AM concerned about our education system and the haggling over the teaching of subjects in English.

There appeared to be good reasons for the change five years ago, but these reasons are forgotten and there are attempts to revert to the old system.

When a new policy does not meet its expectations, please don't abort it but introduce changes so that the goals can be achieved. Please don't conduct experiments on education.

The last paragraph is very telling. As I recall, there was a concerted effort to teach all subjects in Bahasa Malaysia starting from the 1970s. So, any failure in that system means that policy should not be aborted, right? Why the switch back to English?

The often quoted answer for the switch back was the role of the language of instruction in pulling down the standards. Is that true? I still feel that language is a tool. The change to Bahasa Malaysia was supposed to be not just as an instrument of instruction but also a rallying point for the citizens of Malaysia.

Just have a look at non-English speaking countries in the world especially those in Europe and everyone's favourite country at the moment, China. They have made quantum leaps in the fields of science and technology through, surprisingly the use of their own mother tongue. Not English.

Of course English is the dominant language in the world at the moment. But notice how many in the West are learning Mandarin to gain a foothold in China? So maybe, it all boils down to the political will of the leaders. If the leaders deem a particular language is necessary to improve the nation's competitive age in the market place, they will come with all sorts of reasons to abandon that old policy.

A better perspective on last saturday's demonstration?

Some of the points I like in the article by Rehman Rashid which appeared in the New Straits Times 16th November 2007.

But what they were really up against were the provisions inserted into the Constitution as a caution against mass rallies turning into mass murder.

Perhaps the 47 years since the Emergency and 38 years since the May 13 riots are sufficient to prove that Malaysians can be trusted now to assemble without let or hindrance; that the police should be expected to perform only traffic management, not crowd control.

Had that been the point of it, Saturday's rally might have helped prove that point. Breaking the law to change the law may be justified if "the law is an ass, an idiot", as Dickens' Mr Bumble fatuously remarked in Oliver Twist. But changing the system to change the law is oxymoronic.

I could sympathise, therefore, with his insistence on "changing the system". That's where he and the rally made perfect sense: Why respect a system you want to change? So my only question to him was: Change to what?

But is that what our reformists want? If so, no one's saying so. "Clean Elections", "Judicial Reform" or "Burn Baby Burn" all lack the specificity that would help the rest of us know exactly what they're selling. What exactly do they see as a better future for all? Where would they take us? What's the end they have in view?


Yes, it is still a blur to me too. Better the devil we know?

Malaysian Poetry by a Malaysian

A friend forwarded this poem to me:

Happy Diwali everyone


This is a story about Malaysian society
Where different races supposedly live in harmony
In 2003, came along a Prime Minister by the name of Abdullah Badawi
Who led his party to a resounding election victory.

This is a PM whose promises are many
All his slogans are equally catchy
As a result, many people are taken in completely
By his humble and Mr. Clean personality.

First among his chief promises is to combat corruption immediately
That has everyone applauding loudly
But until today, all the major cases are still one big mystery
Lack of evidence or is he fooling us secretly?

Not long after, he introduced Islam Hadhari
Some complained there is only one version of Islam from the Almighty
Anyway, what is it all about, no one knows exactly
Except for some broad points outlined in theory.

Then, he said we need to cut our budget deficit quickly
Which started the dismantling of Tun M's legacy
This caused us to hear about the crooked bridge flip flop story
With all the accusations, what is fiction and what is reality?

By his own admission, his son is extremely wealthy
Because he controls a listed company by the name of Scomi
Was once implicated in the shipment of banned components to a
Middle Eastern country
But his son claimed ignorance and that's the end of the story.

He also has a son-in-law by the name of Khairy
Not elected but is UMNO Youth's deputy
Got entangled in the merged Avenue-ECM Libra entity
Which happened right under the nose of the PM-led Finance Ministry.

Then, we came across a foreign newspaper reporting factually
Of his adventure to see a yacht at a faraway place somewhere in Turkey
This is not true, he said insistently
But I don't see the newspaper issuing any apology.

Next, came the jet on the itinerary
Bought or leased, he is lucky that Malaysians are not financially savvy
The jet is also for the Agong's use, he said publicly
I wonder whether the Agong requested for one specifically?

Later, we read of his holidays in an Australian city
Staying in a mansion owned by someone named as Patrick Badawi
We shouldn't be so critical if he was only away temporarily
Except for the fact that there was a major flood in our own territory.

Then, we get the case of Proton disposing off a subsidiary
Not for a large amount but for a mere penny
Many think behind the deal something's very fishy
Tun M's pet project is certainly going awry.

Overall, crime rates are going up rapidly
Confidence in our police is at its lowest historically
But the IGP got his tenure extended easily
He must be thinking everything's hunky-dory.

He has also been busy launching economic regions lately
Trying to attract foreign investments into the country
Sadly, some are saying that the northern development is benefiting a crony
While others argue the southern one will end up as LKY's colony.

You see, I can go on and on about this indefinitely
Because it is easy and I do not need to create any of them individually
They are all plucked from the web where the stories about him is aplenty
From promoting judges unfairly to always being sleepy.

Actually, I am just an ordinary Malaysian who cares about her country
And I have to state that I am not against him or his policy
For I do not care who is the Perdana Menteri
As long as the person is capable and trustworthy.

Another take on the weekend demonstration

Another letter to the editor which caught my attention.

The part that I like:

"As a senior citizen, I can safely say that I have seen more than others.

Nothing much has changed because those with political ambitions always begin their dream in many capacities and they all claim to fight for the people and justice.

But they compromise their ideals and values for their own pursuits. How can they claim the elections are not fair when PAS has been in control of Kelantan for so long?"

I guess the demonstrators feel that their action is the only avenue left to voice out their frustrations with the system. But as the writer said, how did the opposition remain in control of a state for so long? There must be something right as well with the system. We have to acknowledge there are always room for improvement in the way we do things but does the end justify the means?

Illegal gathering

This letter to the editor seems fair comment. Passages that I like:

"Like many ordinary people, I am not passionate about politics. Yes, the rising cost of living does bother me and so are many issues but at the end of the day, I am also appaled at the manner politicians keep claiming to represent me.

Secondly, I am amused by the claims that there have been unfair polls in Malaysia. If that were the case, Kelantan would not be in PAS control for so many terms.

Please be sensitive to the calls of the people on issues like cost of living and crime because they are very relevant.

We do not care for illegal gatherings because they cause hardship and losses to the people."

Well, that seems to sum up my feelings too. Maybe I'm apolitical or too cynical to be bothered. What I have seen so far is that those who get their hands on the reins of power have yet to show a deep empathy for those who need their help.

Until that day comes, I doubt any politician is worth looking up to in my opinion.

Air Asia, another view

For the first time a letter to the editor has given a different take to Air Asia's express boarding policy. This appeared in thestar of 16th October 2007 in response to another letter of 12th October 2007.

But the bottom line as always, is that Air Asia is a business entity. It does not run a charity service. If we are willing to pay good money for full service airlines why can't we fork out that extra ringgit for the express boarding rights? The fares are and will always be lower than the other airlines, so I doubt that extra ringgit would make a dent to the customer's budget.

Astronaut, cosmonaut

In the midst of the euphoria and self congratulatory pronouncements among those who concocted the idea of sending a Malaysian into outer space, should not a moment be spent as well on the plight of those still on the ground. Just look at the 11 October 2007 headlines of NST and The Star .

This land of ours, Malaysia, is blessed with good fortune but unfortunately there are still some who are just trying to eke out a living. I wonder if there has been any concerted effort or think tank on eliminating this part of our social landscape permanently.

If only a portion of the money spent on this space exploration was used instead or simultaneously to implement a programme to eliminate poverty at the lowest levels of the economic ladder, I’m sure this space odyssey could be a double celebration.

But I can only dream.