TO SERVE OR NOT TO SERVE
I was in Singapore recently for work (yes, I'd only step foot in that tiny kiasu republic only for work), a short stay made bearable only by dear, dear friends who made the time to visit and catch up (thanks Kak Mush, Kak Ruzi, Zak and Ming).
I was in Singapore recently for work (yes, I'd only step foot in that tiny kiasu republic only for work), a short stay made bearable only by dear, dear friends who made the time to visit and catch up (thanks Kak Mush, Kak Ruzi, Zak and Ming).
Despite what the country is, I was very much impressed with the level of service I experienced this time around (my last trip there was in April). Not counting the grumpy Immigration lady at the passport control, everyone was courteous and polite, from the taxi driver, to the hotel's check-in clerk, to the hotel's waitress, and some shop assistants.
I stayed at M Hotel on Anson Road, right in the middle of Singapore's central business district. The check-in personnel (can't remember his name now) was extremely professional and efficient, the waitress at the hotel's cafe -- I think her name is Amelyn -- was extremely courteous and attentive. Her conduct made up for a not so pleasant prior reception Ming and I received at another outlet at the hotel.
I guess these people understand their role as service personnel, and they must love and are proud of their job. Unlike some people in KL. For example, some of the staff at a Malay kuih/delicacy outlet at KLCC are horrible -- they think they are doing you a favour when they serve you.
I have a breakfast meeting with my colleagues every Friday, a very informal affair to update each other on things. We take turns to pack breakfast, and this particular kuih shop is one of the most convenient places for us. But the attitude of the staff, ai yoh, they made me want to swear. In French. Now I have stopped patronising this shop completely.
Another place that I would never set my foot in again is a restaurant on an upper floor of the Amcorp Mall. A couple of friends and I ventured in there one night at about 8.15 for dinner, as we had heard many good things about the food. The restaurant was closing, although it was not so apparent to us. Instead of getting up and saying, "Maaf encik, kita dah nak tutup," a young lady (the term is too polite for her) who looked like a supervisor rudely gestured with her hand that the she was about to close shop.
At that point, I felt like making a hand gesture as well, but I checked myself, took a deep breath, thanked her and politely left. And I will never return, no matter how berselero its food is....
BEFORE THE SONG IS OVER
I don’t know about you, but coming back to the office after a weekend is something that I always look forward to, especially if the weekend is particularly long.
I’d normally feel refreshed, re-charged, and raring to resume work -- although I’d have to admit that after certain weekends it’s hard to feel refreshed and re-charged, what with loads of chores and scores of screaming children.
And raring to resume work? Rarely, actually...
Anyway, I would always try to come in a little bit early to settle outstanding matters, and clear as much correspondence as possible before my day starts. It is quite amazing to see what your email box accumulates over the weekend – junk mail, business proposals, queries, as well as notes from friends and distant acquaintances.
I used to feel a bit uneasy when friends, family or acquaintances send personal correspondence to my work email box, especially when the correspondence contained nothing else but recycled Internet jokes.
And I did voice my concern to a couple of friends, who in turn advised me not to be “too uptight” about this. After all, they said, the correspondence – however nonsensical it may have looked or sounded – was the senders’ way of keeping in touch, of saying they were thinking of me.
Well, when they put it that way, my friends made a bit of sense, although I still make it a point to attend to these “you’re on my mind” notes after hours or through my personal computer at home.
My personal favourite email is a poem called “Slow Dance” (see my Sept 5 post) sent by a friend years ago, which I still keep. The gist of the poem is, slow down, set your priorities right – keep in touch, with your children, family, friends. “Hear the music, before the song is over.”
Come to think of it, it is true that some of us do not keep in touch enough with our family and friends. It’s not that we do not want to, but work schedule or things that happen around us somehow always manage to prevent us from sending that “I’m thinking of you, too” email, or making and/or returning that phone call, or making that trip home.
It’s only after when we lost our loved ones or friends that we start to regretfully reflect that we ought to have made more efforts, call more often and do all the other “could-haves” to keep in touch.
I lost a younger brother to a terminal illness a couple of years ago, just as we had just begun to get to know each other better as adults.
I lost a younger brother to a terminal illness a couple of years ago, just as we had just begun to get to know each other better as adults.
We sort of drifted apart, even when we were children, as I was always away from home – at school, university and on to work. When we were in school, would only see each other during term breaks, and after we both started work, only at family gatherings during Hari Raya or extended vacations. Even then, our encounters or conversations always seemed more like those between two strangers.
But after he got married and had his son, we started to warm up to each other, and he opened up to me more than to my other siblings.
I realise now how little I knew him and wish circumstances had been different. Alas, there’s always a lesson to learn. Now I go the extra mile to ensure that I don’t miss my weekly telephone calls to my mother, and the bimonthly calls to my other brother and sisters. And I try to visit as often as I can.
I also make the time to keep in touch with friends. It’s quite easy, actually, once you set your mind to it. I would call friends while driving home from work where I just go through the names listed on my phone and start dialing.
It feels good even if I could only talk to one friend per night. If you have 30 names, by the time you dial the last number, you’d have called everybody on that list once a month.
Now, if only my friends would reciprocate!
OF NET SCARES AND SCAMS
A few weeks ago, I met up with a couple of old friends at a restaurant within the vicinity of Suria KLCC. Anna, who now resides in Switzerland, had briefly returned to Kuala Lumpur to solemnise her marriage to a German citizen. Magda, the other friend, and I attended the same university -- oh my God -- aeons ago.
After dinner and coffee, which was rather late, they began fidgeting. It turned out that they were both nervous about fetching their cars from the shopping centre’s underground car park.
They told me that they had read, and heard, many horror stories about the KLCC car park: from tales about riff raffs and rogues to rapes and robberies, all transmitted to as far as Geneva and Munich via the Internet.
I walked them to their cars and told them not to believe everything that they read, or heard, especially if the stories came via the Net. Most of them were the products of over-imaginative, and sometimes demented, minds.
Admittedly, the cyberspace has become the fastest and most efficient conduit for news and information, whether they are true or conjectured. Because people have this perverse habit of forwarding information or email -- the more horrible or exaggerated the content, the better -- something that originates in Kuala Lumpur on Monday may find its way to email boxes in Los Angeles on Tuesday, if not sooner.
It is not so bad if the information is valid and would actually benefit the recipient. However, it could be quite disastrous if the forwarded mail contains little else but lies, or if it is meant only for a limited circle of recipients.
I came across some newspaper reports about some guys who got fired from their jobs after the email they sent to trusted friends boasting about their sexual adventures made the rounds across the globe, tarnishing both their reputation as well as that of their employers’.
The first case involved an executive of a New York-based financial institution who had just been transferred to Hong Kong. Life -- especially the sexual part of it -- in that former colony was apparently so, well, satisfying, that he had to share it with his friends in the Big Apple.
And his friends thought the good news were just too good not to share with everyone else, on a world scale. Yes, we are living in a borderless global village, after all. After his bosses found out, they decided that they’d have no place in their employment for this potential liability.
The other two cases I read about happened in the UK; one had become a national sex triangle fiasco!
And there are those email from some exotic countries in Africa, soliciting for assistance in what would be the transfer of money – sometimes to the tune of hundreds of millions of US dollars – out of these destinations.
And there are those email from some exotic countries in Africa, soliciting for assistance in what would be the transfer of money – sometimes to the tune of hundreds of millions of US dollars – out of these destinations.
The stories are similar, whether the mail is sent from the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, or South Africa. The senders would claim that they are relatives – and sometimes lawyers – of some deceased, formerly high-powered persons who had during their service or tenure in these countries amassed a small fortune.
Somehow, this huge amount of money cannot be accessed unless it is transferred into a foreign bank account, and that’s where they would like the recipients of their mail to come in. If you help, a handsome percentage of the money would belong to you, they entice.
I would send a short, curt reply, something along this line: “Please stop sending unsolicited nonsense like this to us. We are not idiots.”
But you would be surprised that quite a few Malaysians have fallen for this scam. Some time ago, a local daily carried a story about a lady who became a victim. And she was a lawyer, no less, who ought to know better.
When she responded to the email sent to her, she was asked to electronically transfer a few thousand dollars, a few times, as certain fees before she would receive her share of the fortune.
The poor woman (well, she is, now) followed the instructions, blindly. In the end, she gained nothing, and lost tens of thousands of ringgit.
Hmm, a fool and her money are soon parted, you’d say? Me, I’d only say: “Orang tamak selalu rugi."
Note: A longer version of this post was previously published elsewhere.
OUR DOOM LOOMS ...?
According to a local daily, our national crime rate has risen exponentially over the past year. This year's January to September period recorded a total of 170,481 cases, compared to 151,444 cases the whole of last year.
Year-on-year, the crime index rose 12.6%, and if you break this down, you'll see that violent crimes went up by 18.01%, property crimes 13.87%, commercial crimes 17.98%, while narcotic crimes went down by 8.07%.
The article says rape cases went up to 1,833 in the nine-month period this year, compared to 1,384 cases in the same period last year. Armed robbery: 13,537 cases against 9,548 cases; gang armed robbery: 54 cases against 27 cases; and murder cases rose to 473 cases compared to 475 cases last year.
And the crime rate has been on the uptrend the third year running. Who to blame? I don't know.
The article also says with the crime rate on the rise, so is the number of cases or incidents where peole/civilians take matters into their own hands -- and violently too -- when they encounter crime perpetrators.
A case in point: a foreign woman who was caught stealing was pounced upon and hit by a group of men, who then stripped her naked, all the while while cheering and jeering, for about 20 minutes before the police arrives.
What does this all say about us as a nation, as a people? I don't know.
What I know is that things are not looking good. The whole country is in a big freaking mess, and no one seems to be in charge.
Makes me wish that I could just go hibernate and wake up when some semblance of order has been restored...
CREDIT, DISCREDIT ...
A lot of things have happened in the past few weeks. A four-eye meeting took place, a helicopter crashed, a mansion mentioned, an editor copied, a body blown to bits. All fodder for mamak stall and boardroom conversations for weeks on end, I suppose, until something else comes along.
Me, I took particular interest in three other recent topics, which I think were relatively more obscure but needed to be put in perspective.
One. The swiftness of some newspapers in giving credit to the police over what they (the newspapers) thought was the success of the most recent Ops Sikap. Remember the police reduced the speed limit on federal roads to 80 km/h from the usual 90 km/h during the past Deepavali/Hari Raya festive season?
According to some newspapers, the move was proven to be successful as the rate of road deaths went down by, get this, entirely five people compared to the previous year's campaign. During the 2005 Ops Sikap, there were a total of 233 road deaths, compared to 228 in 2006. Wow. But, get this also. The total number of road accidents increased by more than 2,000. If during the 2005 Ops Sikap there were 13,659 accidents, the number for 2006 was 15,716. So what success crap were these newspapers talking about?
Two. A certain former/sacked Deputy Prime Minister who is now advisor to a certain political party issued a Press Statement questioning the wisdom of a "half billion-ringgit contribution" to Cambridge University. The statement was issued through the party's information bureau.
According to him, the Malaysian government had agreed to allocate more than RM500 million to the said university, with Petronas and Khazanah Nasional each agreeing to cough up RM190 million. The rest would be obtained from foreign banks based in Malaysia.
Excerpts of his Press Statement:
"The amount of more than RM500 million is too excessive to be donated to any foreign university or institution for education or research.
Do the government leaders have no confidence in the capability of our universities, specialists or research centres to increase the quality of their research and performance?
And is the proposal intended to satisfy the extravagant desires of any personalities to be associated with prestigious foreign universities?
It is regretted that the government are not at all sensitive to the problems of the country and lack the ability to deal with education and research issues of the country. Furthermore, what is more worrying is that this irresponsible decision is made at a time when our economy is sluggish."
Needless to say, the statement was picked up by a couple of Opposition publications, which, like the issuer, had not bothered to verify the accuracy of its contents.
A simple check/internet surf with would have informed him and his party's so-called information bureau the following:
- there was a proposal by the government to set up a Malaysian branch of Cambridge University, mooted some time last year by a certain minister who was then a Special Envoy of Education.
- the proposal was in line with the government's aspiration towards making the country a centre for educational excellence (whatever that is).
- the money was supposed to have meant to cover the cost of setting up the branch university.
- the proposal is still at a proposal stage, and no money has been "contributed".
But I suppose the search would have been too much work and would not have served his agenda. This I find "worrying" and "irresponsible".
Three. Then there is this Cabinet Minister who called on the rakyat to congratulate the current administration, particularly his boss, for successfully concluding two deals in China recently. Which almost made me puke. Good thing I was still fasting.
Just because his boss was there to "witness" a signing ceremony does not mean that credit should go to him. In clinching deals, particularly in countries like China, negotiations would have to start a few months, if not years, beforehand, and not during a one- or two-day official visit.
Which makes me wonder -- why the desperate (and lowly) need to credit his boss for everything in the first place?
SELAMAT BERCUTI. MOHON MAAF DARIPADA SEMUA
Well, Deepavali and the Eid are less than a week away. A lot of people are finalising their travel and holiday plans. A lot more are still spending lots and lots of money in preparation.
Personally, I always feel good about the season. Spiritually I feel somewhat elated and blessed. Emotionally, I look very much forward to reuniting with family and relatives, to catching up with them, to see which cousin is doing what and to meeting new additions to the clan.
Everybody seems to have new stories to tell. Everybody but me, that is. The only thing they would want to know about me is when am I settling down. Yup, that one million-ringgit question. Last year, when a relative asked, “Balik sorang je?” I retorted “Yes, and that’s the answer for next year, the year after and the year after that.” Apart from that, Hari Raya is always a joyful occasion, which is more than worth the long drive home.
Another thing that I look forward to is celebrating the season, kampung-style, where an open house literally means an open house. Your doors remain open to a steady stream of visitors – whether known and not so known to you. My siblings and I would normally draw a schedule for us to go visiting so that at least one person would remain home at all times to receive visitors.
Back in Kuala Lumpur, or in any other big city, the concept of open house takes on a totally different meaning and dimension. Attending one is more like a chore than a pleasure, if you ask me. You have to have an invitation, and some hosts even allot a certain time window for you to come to avoid having too many guests at any one time. A wise move, this, as we all know what would happen when there are too many guests. We have witnessed, heard or read tales of certain corporate and public open house disasters where people behaved in total disregard for basic human courtesy, let alone the spirit of the season.
Which is why I would normally decline open house invitations, unless the host and the guests are fairly known to me, and the events are fairly small scale. I have long made it a point to as much as possible avoid situations where I have to stand in line for food. It would be quite tolerable and not so degrading if the guests were well behaved. But more often than not, they would have no shame and act like they have been starving for months.
Anyway, I would like to wish for a really Happy Deepavali and truly Selamat Hari Raya. I pray that this year's festivities would be the most enjoyable, memorable, wonderful occasions for everyone and his or her loved ones.
REVAMPING THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
A RM20 million facelift for the tired, lack-lustre Muzium Negara is in the pipeline, with the hope of making it more attractive to local and foreign tourists. Apparently, a recent survey among KL folks shows that the museum is definitely not their choice visit destination. About 11 per cent of the respondents in the survey say they only visited the museum once in the past decade.
The revamp, says the Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister, will be in time for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007, and will give the museum a fresh look to excite visitors.
"There will be a new style of exhibition, better presentation, more artifacts and attractive lighting display," he was quoted by a local daily. He also said city folks bypass the museum as they take things for granted. "They assume that if they don't visit the museum, they won't miss anything."
I fall into that 11 per cent category of people, I guess, as the last time I visited the museum was about seven years ago. Not because I take things for granted. I love our history, because it is an integral part of what we are today and where we should be heading as a nation. When I travel to foreign countries, I always make it a point to visit their museums. And I always come out of these museums feeling that I have learnt something.
In all honesty, I cannot say the same about our national museum. The exhibits are poorly displayed or documented. Description of the artifacts is inadequate or non-existent in some cases. At the end of the visit, you feel you learn almost nothing. So is it surprising to see the number of visitors to the museum has dwindled?
I hope the people overseeing the RM20 million revamp will also look at the museum's official website. I visited the website recently and was appalled at the horrendous standard of English used in the homepage. Grammar mistakes, spelling errors, poor sentence construction and choice of words are in every single sentence! No one seems to care! If I were the museum's authorities, I would send the website's writer(s) back to grammar school -- that is if I was in a good mood. Otherwise, I'd just fire their sorry arses. Memalukan!
If you're not convinced, please visit the website (www.museum.gov.my), and you'll know what I mean. You don't have to read every single page, if you don't have the time. Just sample the Director's Message, which I reproduced verbatim below:
A Message from the National Museum Director
Welcome to the National Museum Homepage. Similar to other museums, the establishment of the National Museum is as; " a non profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to public which acquires, consignee, researches, communicates and exhibitions for proposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their enviroment."
Efforts to realize this definition and concept of a museum is a continous effort which has become an upholding priciple for those responsible for maintaining the National Museum. Numerous approaches undergone is a small attempt by the National Museum to communicate with the society regarding the knowledge found In reply the context of the intrinsic values of elements in cultural and historical heritage. There are more approaches and techniques still to be applied by the National Museum in its endeavor to be an institution based on unique brand of general education that can adapt to the changing needs of time. However, all efforts and approaches requiere support and cooperation from everyone as it involves a high level of cost and expertise in an assortment of fields.
We appreciate all constructing reviews from every level of society to together help ensure that the National Museum become a sign of the dignity for all of us."
Efforts to realize this definition and concept of a museum is a continous effort which has become an upholding priciple for those responsible for maintaining the National Museum. Numerous approaches undergone is a small attempt by the National Museum to communicate with the society regarding the knowledge found In reply the context of the intrinsic values of elements in cultural and historical heritage. There are more approaches and techniques still to be applied by the National Museum in its endeavor to be an institution based on unique brand of general education that can adapt to the changing needs of time. However, all efforts and approaches requiere support and cooperation from everyone as it involves a high level of cost and expertise in an assortment of fields.
We appreciate all constructing reviews from every level of society to together help ensure that the National Museum become a sign of the dignity for all of us."
And this is among the not-so-bad write-ups in the homepage. Sad, isn't it.....?
SNUBBED BY SNAPPY, SNOOTY SNOBS
A few weeks ago, I saw an old friend at a reception. As we had not been in touch for more than four years, I was naturally quite excited to see him.
A few weeks ago, I saw an old friend at a reception. As we had not been in touch for more than four years, I was naturally quite excited to see him.
I went up to his table, which was just next to mine, said my greeting and shook hands with him. He gave me a perfunctory smile and turned back to his companions.
Surprised by this social faux pas, I asked him whether he remembered me. He said yes, and resumed his conversation with his friends at the table.
I felt a bit humiliated, but my face was saved a few minutes later when the reception came to an end and everybody left the room.
On the way home that night, I tried to remember what I might have had said or done four years ago that could have offended him so, but I couldn’t think of any. As far as I know, we were always on good terms. In fact, our last conversation had been over a very, very happy subject. A lady had found his lost wallet and called me (my business card was among the wallet’s contents) to find out how to return it to him.
So I got in touch with him with the good news and asked him to make arrangements to get his wallet back. It certainly was a happy occasion. No sour note, no harsh words, and he was very grateful.
And I had always made it a point not to make any comment about his then receding hairline.
So what was his problem that evening? I don’t normally speculate, but perhaps now that he is some corporate hot shot he has become such a snooty snob that he doesn’t associate with the little people like me.
Disappointed as I was, I did not lose any sleep over it. People change, I suppose, and life does go on.
And I took comfort in the fact that I still have a headful of healthy, shiny black hair while the only thing that shines about him now is his chrome dome.
Note: A longer version of this post appeared elsewhere some time ago.
AND THIS IS ROCKET SCIENCE?
The New Straits Times quoted duly elected Science, Technology and Innovation Minister recently as saying that the country's bid which started 11 years ago to woo home Malaysian scientists who resided overseas has failed. He said, in 10 years, only 23 scientists came back, only to return to their adopted countries.
And the Prime Minister, said the Minister, was now expected to announce a new scheme soon to woo such talents again -- with new and better perks.
And what would these perks be, you ask?
The Minister said the scientists would not need relocate completely but would just need to spend three to six months a year here. It would be as if they were enjoying the "Malaysia My Second Home" programme, he said.
Other perks would include better pay.
"We understand the problem. For example, a Malaysian professor in an Ivy League university in the US, whose wife is also an American and receiving a high salary, may not want to return to Malaysia", he was quoted.
That was really rich, almost rocket science, coming from a Minister in charge of Science, AND Technology, AND Innovation. And 11 years later!
Now tell me that I should not be worried.
Earlier this month, the Government proposed next year's budget that would appropriate about RM159.4 billion, which is 16.5% higher than the 2006 budget. This is highly expansionary, as public spending rose by only around 5-9% a year in each of the previous five years. (And if I'm not mistaken, the Government's annual spending used to be capped at RM100 billion).
One reason why the Government believes it can afford such largesse is that income from the petroleum sector has been strong and is expected to remain so in 2007. The budget assumes an oil price of US$70 a barrel, and the Government expects nearly 40% of its income next year to be oil-related, boosted by dividends from PETRONAS and from petroleum income tax.
Total revenue is expected to rise 11.8% to RM134.8 billion in 2007, with oil-related revenue accounting for 40% (about RM54 billion) of the total. In 2006, oil-related revenue is said to account to RM45 billion (37% of total revenue); in 2005 it was RM30.0 billion (29% of total revenue).
Taxes account for more than 70% of the Malaysian Government's total revenue.
Now, tell me again why I should not get worried.
I said before that I'm not an expert in the economy, but it sure looks like the Government is overly reliant on oil-related revenue for its income. Oil prices will not remain at US$70 per barrel forever. Last week, it touched about US$60.
It is also a known fact that the pool of taxpayers in the country has gotten smaller.
If no one is not doing something, and quickly too, about expanding this pool again or diversifying the sources of revenue, I would imagine we are heading for disastrous times.
So, tell me again why I should not be worried.
TSUNAMI. TWO YEARS ON ...
I read with much, much sadness, distress and dismay recent newspaper articles based on the latest Auditor-General Annual report on the poor management of funds and relief programmes for the 2004 tsunami victims.
Apparently, two years on since the tragedy, many of the victims are still not completely "relieved". The emotional trauma will always remain with them for as long as they live, but one would think that the millions of ringgit collected on their behalf from so many caring and generous Malaysians should have already assisted all of them to get them on their feet towards a (physically) better life.
Alas, this hasn't really happened. Based on the A-G report, some of the funds --administered by the National Disaster Relief Fund -- were misused and were inefficiently managed. The relief programmes were poorly implemented. The construction of houses for the victims, as well as the repair jobs on surviving homes, were poor and shoddy at best.
Repair and purchase of equipment for affected fishermen were mismanaged, and much of the repair jobs were not to specifications. There was even a payment for the construction of a repair workshop which was in fact never built. New boats supplied to the victims were of poor quality and had to be constantly fixed.
The A-G report also said the Fund was slow in disbursing aid to the victims, with delays of between 24 and up to 527 days. Bloody hell, 527 days? That's close to one and a half years!!
As in other fiascos in Malaysia, a Minister in the government now proposes an investigation. And, if the investigation is approved (although I'm not quite sure how useful would this be), it would take months before we get to know the reasons.
I don't know what to say. Really. I am shocked, sad, and disgusted.
I was in Langkawi when the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami struck. I missed the giant waves by mere minutes, as I had decided to have breakfast away from the beaches. But I saw the destruction first hand, both on the island and in Kuala Muda, Kedah two days later when I had to cut short my vacation to be in a team mobilised by my company to extend immediate assistance to the victims.
Our mission was simple: to distribute monetary aid to the victims as soon as possible, as we knew the money pledged to the Fund by all those corporate and other bodies would take a long, long time to reach the victims. And we wanted to do it quietly, unlike many of those "generous" Malaysians who smiled and posed with their mock cheques for the newspapers. Our intention had received the endorsement from the highest powers that be in the government.
So we identified a number of relief centres where we would disburse the money to the victims. Little did we know that we would encounter so many obstacles. The powers that be in Kedah were not very happy with what we wanted to do, but they reluctantly furnished us with the list of the families occupying one of the smaller centres. However, as we were in the process distributing the money, a top police brass came and stopped us.
The reason he gave -- no party was to give money or aid directly to the victims. Donors needed to channel aid and contributions through a central committee. Stumped, we tried for the next couple of days to accomplish our mission, as we had about RM1.5 million in cash with us. We were stopped at every turn.
Noticing that one of the centres had ran out of cooking gas one morning, we thought it would be nice to buy breakfast for the victims. So we quickly ordered 1,000 packets of breakfast and delivered the packets to the centre. And, yup, you guessed it, we were not allowed to. It would have to go through the central committee.
Next, we proposed to distribute personal hygiene packages (soap, shampoo, the likes), as we saw the victims bathing/taking shower without these necessary items. Again, we were not allowed to.
So, after three days of trying, we gave up, packed our bags and cash and headed back to KL, mentally and physically exhausted. The money eventually found its way into the account of a highly-reputable and very professional NGO that has an active role in the tsunami and other disaster relief efforts here and overseas.
Kita serik. Even in a tragic situation like this, personal glory (and gain) to a bunch of (rather useless) people and ineffective/inefficient bodies always takes precedent over the real and immediate need of the victims.
So, the lesson we learnt was: it's always smarter and more meaningful to partner with parties that know what they are and should be doing, with the passion and commitment to match.
SLOW DANCE
(I'm feeling a bit melancholic, and thought of a poem that someone sent a long time ago....)
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "how are you?", do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, "we'll do it tomorrow",
and in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, or let a good friendship die,
because you never had the time to call and say "hi"?
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half teh fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it's like an unopened gift, thrown away.
Life is not a race, do take it slower.
Hear the music before the song is over...
FIVE-PRONG CLEAN TOILET PLAN
Finally, our elected leaders are doing something useful, about something that I passionately care about -- clean public toilets. Yes! Number Two (no less) on Thursday revealed a five-prong plan towards promoting and achieving a quality toilet culture in the country.
The multi-prong approach includes enhancing public awareness, developing more model toilets, tightening laws against those who fail to provide clean public toilets, improving maintenance and starting a campaign in schools.
Number Two said the Government realised Malaysia's need for a toilet revolution -- similar to what had taken place in Japan and Korea -- in the country's race to be a fully developed nation by 2020.
"The Government sees the provision of quality public toilets as a high priority and recognises the vital contribution this well-managed service can make to foreign visitors," he was quoted by The Star.
I will pretend that I didn't read the "foreign visitors" bit, although this bizarre need to impress foreigners is symptomatic of the way things are done here. It's always about saving face, isn't it?
Anyway, based on the current state of affairs of Malaysian toilet manners, I foresee the implementors of the plan would have a long and bumpy road in front of them.
Convincing the Malaysian riff-raffs about what a clean toilet should look like is itself a tough job. I'm sure a majority of them would prefer those wet, squat types, while others -- myself included -- wish that these were beamed out of existence. Wet does not equal clean. Wet equals germs and bacteria.
Changing the mindset of the riff-raffs is another issue. Face it, Malaysians are a dirty, inconsiderate lot. A lot still litter. Some spit in public. Some don't flush. And a lot of time a lot of people don't think a lot of other people. Nak senangkan diri sendiri aje.
Even when you install the most sophisticated of toilets, if people don't change their attitude, these would be filthy in no time, no matter how vigorous their maintenance is.
One easy example is the toilets in an aircraft, especially on domestic routes. Despite the notices that request passengers to at least wipe the surfaces clean after use for the comfort of the next user, how many would really heed to the request?
I work in what I believe the most sophisticated building in the city, with toilets that match the building's reputation. Yet, some of my colleagues, whom I consider are more worldly and more sophisticated than the average riff-raff, still do not observe good toilet manners.
So, good luck to Number Two and the relevant Ministry. A lot of awareness needs to be enhanced. A lot of attitude needs to be changed. A lot of money needs to be spent.
LURING TOURISTS, THE MALAYSIAN WAY...
Malaysian taxi drivers and operators yesterday received the most useful of advice on how to contribute towards making the country a tourist destination of choice.
They have been told to be courteous, communicate effectively, ensure their passengers enjoy the ride, keep their taxis clean and tidy, and send their vehicles for regular service. In essence, treat their foreign passengers like gold.
This way, when the tourists go back to their own countries, they would remember the good service provided by Malaysian taxi drivers, and would spread the word to their friends who would come to Malaysia in droves.
This sound advice came from no less than the Prime Minister -- himself a true Malaysian gentleman (from what I read) -- as reported by the New Straits Times.
It wasn't made very clear in the report, but I would assume that the PM did not mean the reformed Malaysian taxi drivers would be the attraction of the country, and that the potential new tourists would come all the way to Malaysia just to sample the hospitality and courtesy of our taxi drivers.
The same message was preached by the Tourism Minister not too long ago, only he included those in the service and retail industries as well.
Puhleeeez!!!
I don't know about you, but the advice makes me woosy in the stomach. It seems it's always the foreigners that we have to be nice and courteous to. Forget about the local folks.
Taxi drivers can continue cheating and overcharging us, or refusing us their service altogether, but they have to be nice to tourists. And hotel receptionists, waiters and shop assistants can go on and layan these foreigners like they were kings, but continue to be rude and indifferent to their local customers.
So what we have is the perpetual double service standards. Tourists and foreigners, no matter how poor or how little they actually spend in the country, get the best of service.
Local Malaysians, who are the real potential repeat passengers and customers, always get the crappy end of the deal.
COME HOME, IN YOUR JIMMY CHOOS...
The Government wants Malaysians who've made a name internationally in designing, modelling, singing and acting to return as the country would benefit by having them back here.
"We should attract them back because they bring a good name to Malaysia," the Human Resource Minister was quoted in a local daily.
Hmm. Dare I picture hordes of Malaysian-born supermodels, Broadway/West End stars, Hollywood/Hong Kong actors and Paris/Milan/New York/London-based fashion designers drop their wares and catch the next available flight to KL?
I guess not.
I mean, why would a successful catwalk model want to ditch a lucrative and glamorous life on the runways of Paris, Milan, New York or London and come back to KL? To witness a slow and natural death of her career? And the fashion designers, what would they do here, when the market, the customers, and the potential for them to be more successful are where they are now? Same thing with actors and singers.
Unless, of course, the Minister has some brilliant plans up his sleeve for them.
Yes. We can be proud of fashion luminaries like Zang Toi and Jimmy Choo, and actor Michelle Yeoh, for having their roots in Malaysia. But to ask them to come back here doesn't make much sense. (Unless of course they are the likes of Jimmy Choo, who sold his interest in the company he founded, pocketed the money, and still enjoys the recognition).
If I were the Minister, I would encourage these people to continue bringing good name to Malaysia by being more successful, more well-known, more sought after where they are.
But then, what do I know...
A MELAYU COMMENTS, THANK YOU....
A Malay friend of mine sent me this email after he saw my previous posting. Pheww, berapi-api dia. Katanya dia baru je balik dari upacara pelancaran Kembara Merdeka di RTM, so masih dalam mood bersemangat la agaknya.
"Would bashing other Malays differentiate ourselves in any way? Are we any better? Or are we bashing them to make ourselves feel better, that we are not like them?
Fikir-fikirkanlah...we might not do those things in the puisi but are we any better just because of that?
The problem with some Malays is that by bashing other Malays they somehow feel superior than the people they're bashing. But would that contribute to improving the Malays as a whole? Please lah tengok diri sendiri dulu. Kutuk mengutuk won't improve anything.
Improve our own self and everthing else will fall in place."
OK lah, point taken. I suppose I should have explained my objective of posting that poem. It's not untuk kutuk-mengutuk or to bash my own people, but more sekadar untuk berkongsi pandangan penulis poem tersebut. Penulis mengatakan yang dia menulis untuk ingat-mengingati sesama kita.
Tapi itulah. Most of the time, the truth hurts, kan?
SO MELAYU, THANK YOU!
I received this in the email today, and thought that it perfectly encapsulates some of the issues I rant about in my postings. I hope the person who penned this "poem" wouldn't mind me sharing it here.
Please read on. How apt. How sad....
Di mana boleh cari ramai Melayu?
Pastinya di Kelantan dan Trengganu,
dan juga di pasar malam dan pasar minggu,
di Akademi Fantasia dan Pesta Lagu,
di Jom Heboh orang Melayu berpusu-pusu,
di Sungai Buloh dan sebelum ini di Pudu,
dan di jalan, lumba haram tak buka lampu,
dan di selekoh duit rasuah depa sapu,
di pusat serenti akibat ketagih dadah dan candu,
di malam kemerdekaan dan malam tahun baru,
terkinja-kinja best giler menari macam hantu.
Pastinya di Kelantan dan Trengganu,
dan juga di pasar malam dan pasar minggu,
di Akademi Fantasia dan Pesta Lagu,
di Jom Heboh orang Melayu berpusu-pusu,
di Sungai Buloh dan sebelum ini di Pudu,
dan di jalan, lumba haram tak buka lampu,
dan di selekoh duit rasuah depa sapu,
di pusat serenti akibat ketagih dadah dan candu,
di malam kemerdekaan dan malam tahun baru,
terkinja-kinja best giler menari macam hantu.
Apa hobi orang Melayu?
Terkenal dengan budaya malas dan lesu,
berlepak buang masa tak jemu-jemu,
atau baca majalah Mastika cerita hantu,
tengok telenovela dari Filipina dan Peru,
sambil makan junk food, kacang dan muruku,
mana tak gendut berpenyakit selalu,
kalau nak berlagak Melayu nombor satu,
asal bergaya sanggup makan nasi dengan toyu.
Terkenal dengan budaya malas dan lesu,
berlepak buang masa tak jemu-jemu,
atau baca majalah Mastika cerita hantu,
tengok telenovela dari Filipina dan Peru,
sambil makan junk food, kacang dan muruku,
mana tak gendut berpenyakit selalu,
kalau nak berlagak Melayu nombor satu,
asal bergaya sanggup makan nasi dengan toyu.
Boleh tak jumpa mereka di kedai buku?
Atau di perpustakaan dan majlis ilmu?
Atau ambil kelas kemahiran di hujung minggu?
Ada, tapi kurang sangat ke situ.
Atau di perpustakaan dan majlis ilmu?
Atau ambil kelas kemahiran di hujung minggu?
Ada, tapi kurang sangat ke situ.
Kenapa Melayu jadi begitu?
Nak salahkan sapa, ibubapa atau guru?
Pemimpin negara, atau raja dulu-dulu?
Pemimpin negara, atau raja dulu-dulu?
Ayat lazim di mulut ialah malas selalu,
nak harap kerajaan saja bantu,
terutama sekali kontraktor kelas satu,
tak habis-habis gaduh nak jatuh sapa dulu,
dan suka sangat dengan budaya mengampu.
nak harap kerajaan saja bantu,
terutama sekali kontraktor kelas satu,
tak habis-habis gaduh nak jatuh sapa dulu,
dan suka sangat dengan budaya mengampu.
Sampai bila kita nak tunggu,
bangsa Melayu jadi bangsa termaju?
Boleh, dengan beberapa syarat tertentu.
Pertama, dengan banyak menguasai ilmu.
Kata Nabi, ikutlah al-Quran dan sunnahku.
bangsa Melayu jadi bangsa termaju?
Boleh, dengan beberapa syarat tertentu.
Pertama, dengan banyak menguasai ilmu.
Kata Nabi, ikutlah al-Quran dan sunnahku.
Al-Quran yang diturunkan 1,400 tahun dulu.
Tapi apakah yang kita tahu?
Tapi apakah yang kita tahu?
Cuma baca nak halau hantu.
CUTI-CUTI MALAYSIA TAK BOLEH
Malaysians, it seems, are not a travelling lot when it comes to domestic destinations, and this worries the Tourism Minister. He thinks this is because Malaysians are not aware that there are lots of places to visit in the country.
"We want our people to spend their vacations in Malaysia as we are worried that there may be more Malaysians visiting other countries than foreign tourists coming to Malaysia," he was quoted by a local daily. He also said his Ministry would re-examine plans to encourage Malaysians to travel domestically.
Well, his planners should not have to go far to come up with a least one good suggestion on how to encourage Cuti-Cuti Malaysia. Just flip the pages of the same daily and they would see that while one travel agency is offering a 3D2N tour package to Langkawi for RM1,389.00, another agency is charging RM759.00 for a 4D3N package to Medan/Lake Toba, and RM859 for a 3D2N tour to Bali. And another agency boasts that its 5D4N package to Hong Kong costs only RM1,199.00, while its 6D Korean package is only RM1,799.00.
Turn to another page, a 4D Hong Kong/Shenzhen package costs only RM788.00, while 6-to-8 day China packages would set one back only by RM1,388.00 to RM1,499.00. So please do the maths, and see why there are more Malaysians travelling overseas.
Another thing the Ministry's planners may want to look at is the tourist-friendliness of Malaysia's destinations. Are these places and their attractions well-maintained? Are people there friendly? What about service?
I travel quite often, within the country as well as overseas. Some of these places I return to repeatedly because I like what I experience there. And I wish I had not stepped my foot at some other places because they are dirty, lack amenities, and the service people are rude or inconsiderate. You pay for your vacation through your nose, and you end up smelling and getting crap.
And that's really the sad part of Cuti-Cuti Malaysia.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SOUND STUPID. REALLY.
Ah, yes. Another mindless controversy has cropped up, brought about by people who have nothing better to do.
I had expected this, the moment the Best Actress winner at the recent Malaysian Film Festival opened her mouth when accepting her award.
"I sound stupid when I speak in Malay, so I will make my speech in English," she said that night. Then she went on to say: "If making films 'mencemarkan budaya' let's do it more often!"
I have no issue with the statements. Because I see and understand them within the context they were uttered. And I didn't have to be there either.
A lot of people are not comfortable when asked to speak or write in Bahasa Melayu, because the language is so refined, so beautiful, so rich. People are easily intimidated by these qualities of the language, more so if they are to address an audience.
Personally, I have often declined invitiations to speak in Bahasa Melayu, for fear that I'd butcher the language. Although I love the language -- I envy my truly "bi-lingual" colleagues -- I'm more comfortable expressing myself in English.
My spoken Bahasa Melayu is so bahasa pasar, or so directly translated, that I'd rather not offend my audience. Colleagues used to laugh at expressions like: "Mesin kopi tu tak bekerja (that coffee machine does not work)", or "Saya rehatkan kes saya! (I rest my case!)".
So I understand the actress' predicament.
A lot of people also took offence at her other statement. I don't understand this either. Obviously she was referring to the hoo-haa made over her film a while ago by certain quarters, who went about town saying the film eroded and tarnished the Malay culture. Remember the stupid episode of Fenomena Seni on RTM1 where the film (and its director) was endlessly and mindlessly bashed?
Yet, the film won accolades, not just elsewhere, but at the Festival as well. So it was within this context that the statement was made.
Itulah, orang Melayu kita suka melatah, without looking at or understanding the bigger picture, the context. And melatah selectively, too, while overlooking a more offensive incident that happened that night.
What more offensive incident, you ask?
Well, the lewd leer and sexist remarks made by a has-been comedian (although personally I never subscribe to his brand of humour) to his female co-presenter that night, for one.
He kept ogling his co-presenter's derrière (among her other body parts) and made offensive and suggestive "ass"essments.
And then he went on to pass another offensive statement to a person accepting the award, saying that the person has finally repented (bertaubat) because she was now wearing a tudung.
Yet, no one has picked this up. Not the press, not even the Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister.
Is this type of behaviour allowed and tolerated because it's in our culture? Are we going to let this sexist, small-minded attitude continue to fester in our society? Is this going to be part of our culture and heritage?
Someone answer me, please.
THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOPE
An old friend rang last week to catch up. It was quite a surprise, as we had not been in touch for almost a year, ever since he had gotten himself yet another wonderful job.
New, exciting career responsibilities and schedule kept him so constantly challenged and fired up that he had not had much time to touch base with friends and family. Until last week, that is. It seemed that the fire was fizzling out and our friend was now extending his feelers sniffing at greener fodder, again.
Ever so superficially attentive, I asked him what went wrong. Not that I did not know the answer already.
Like with his previous five other "wonderful" career moves, the current job no longer suited him -- the bosses were getting too bossy, the office too crammy, the hours too crappy, and the colleagues too geeky. Not to mention the pay which, as usual, was getting too lousy. All in the span of less than 12 months.
Hiding my dismay, I feigned shock and outrage at the gall of his bosses who did not know how to appreciate a gem like him. Well, it would be their loss, I said, and not his. He’d be better off somewhere else where he’d be appreciated, and commensurated, accordingly, I counseled. And not wanting to be his less-than-willing Agony Uncle, I hung up. Besides, my precious lunch hour was ticking away.
Don’t get me wrong. I like the guy. He is, after all, a friend, although at a time like this, I do dread his phone calls. I would have been more sympathetic had he been a bit wiser, and kinder, to himself.
The guy changes jobs like he changes clothes. If he does this smartly, I would not mind so much. But he rushes into things, accepting job offers without really looking at what they in turn could offer him.
Now, I do understand that it is not easy to land a career that you can really like, that fits you or your personality like a glove. But if you know what you want out of a job, if you are clear on your goals, if you take a broader view of things, you would benefit, grow and draw some level of satisfaction from the job, no matter what it is.
There would always be bossy bosses, geeky colleagues, crammy office or crappy hours. It’s how you take these within your stride that is important.
I have been trying to drum this two sen’s worth of whatever to the job-seeking friend without any success. "But I want a better life, and I can only have it with more money, and the grass is greener there, that’s why I’m going over," he’d always say.
Well, perhaps the next time he calls for advice, I’ll tell him that that the grass is also always greener over the septic tank.
(Note: a longer version of this posting appeared elsewhere before)
HO HO, THE DEMIGOD HAS SPOKEN....
More on the slopes issue.
According to the Works Minister (he works, meh? I thought he left everything to God), there are over 100,000 hill slopes in the country, and 1,000 of which are classified as dangerous.
He therefore implores the cooperation of other agencies like municipal councils and local authorities (yup, we all know how helpful, cooperative and efficient they are in handling this issue) to work together with his Ministry/Public Works Department in the management of hill slopes.
If these agencies approve plans for development on hill slopes without referring to the PWD, "even God cannot help us", he says.
Plans must be referred to the department, which could provide input on how the development can be undertaken, he adds.
Interesting, this. The PWD can provide input? Since when, huh? Since zaman Tok Kadok, or since the development of yet-to-be-completed National Slope Master Plan?
I would guess the latter, as we know that God did not "help us" in so many hill slope disasters that have happened in the country, and many of the disasters took place along the NSE, whose construction, I believe, was overseen by the PWD at one point or another.
Who would forget the boulder the size of a two-storey (or was it four-storey) house that landed on the NKVE a few years ago? And the highway's many land/mud slides? Tu lah, kenape tak tanya input from the PWD?
Well, I suppose we can give a bit of credit to the Minister. At least he seems to be doing something to address the issue, although at a snail's pace.
I mean, the Master Plan will only be completed in 2008, and only then he could start proposing amendments to relevant Acts to "ensure" that all developments on hills and slopes comply with the Plan's provisions.
Till then, let's all pray directly to God to save us all. Don't trust the PWD to be our middle man.
A NEW ROLE MODEL IS BORN ... NOT!
The people of Terengganu can heave a huge sigh of relief now that the State Government has found for its youths a new role model in the newly voted AF4 champion. "Yeay! A ray of hope for our languid, lazy, lackadaisical lads and lasses is finally here!!"
Yup, the MB of Terengganu wants the winner of the just-concluded reality TV talent programme to lead the State's languishing young laggards and show them the way to success.
And the State's Pemuda UMNO, which played a key role in garnering support for the winner, sees the boy as an icon for the people of Terengganu for realising the three main slogan of the State: "Bukan Halangan, Hanya Peluang; "Impian Menjadi Realiti"; and "Memahat Sejarah, Mencipta Tamadun." Whatever these mean.
The Pemuda head is suitably proud that efforts by various parties "membuahkan hasil apabila anak jati Marang itu berjaya merangkul tempat pertama pada pertandingan itu."
If I were a Terengganu constituent, I would be duly worried.
First and foremost, the boy is not exactly a role model material. I'm not quite sure what his academic performance/education qualification is like, but if he can't even pronounce simple English words (let alone understand the language), then I'm assuming it's not something that the Terengganu people can write home about, not even to Marang. Before AF4, the 22-year-old was helping out at his aunt's jewelry shop.
Secondly, I'm not quite sure I'd be proud of his "win". I mean, AF is not like other competitions where contestants really have to work hard at winning. Here, if you have fanatical fans or fan clubs -- and it helps to be well-connected -- you'd be almost guaranteed of winning. I would also like to point out that winning this contest has nothing to do with luck or doa, as the boy tries to have us believe. I should think God does not play a role here.
BERNAMA reported a week before the final AF4 concert that RM10,000 was collected by the good people of Terengganu to buy pre-paid cell phone cards so that fans of the boy could send SMS votes to ensure his win. Of the amount, RM5,000 came from the Majlis Kebudayaan Negeri, RM1,000 from a royal philanthropist, and the rest came from other private donors. And the boy's parents also spent thousands of ringgit (on credit) on their campaign to secure votes for their beloved son.
(Hmm. I wonder how much money they had spent on tuition fees or on English classes for the boy while he was still schooling; how much efforts they had made to ensure the boy did well in school.)
So, a fine role model he would make. I imagine all those lepakking Terengganu boys and girls would now be inspired not to do well in school, because they could always depend on their State Government and related agencies and connections to buy votes to ensure they win singing/talent competitions. So no need to work hard in school, no need to learn English, no need to learn the universal language. Yalah, when one becomes AF champion, the only language one needs is body language.
What a very fine message the State Government and its kuncus are sending to the good people of Terengganu. (I guess they learnt this from Johor, which produced the previous AF season's winner.)
And RM10,000 is a lot of money to be wasted, if you ask me. A lot of schools in Terengganu lack so many things -- computers, books, etc. There are also a lot of children from poor families in the State who are not getting the education that they deserve.
They would make a more worthy cause for the State's Pemuda UMNO to champion, I should think.
PS. Since this posting, reports have it that the good people of Terengganu would also make the boy the State's road safety icon. A fine choice, since the boy is a self-confessed traffic violator. Prior to AF, he drove around without a licence.
CHOPPER RIDES OVER CHOPPED FORESTS
Today, Natural Resources and Environmental Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid (aka Mr Normala Samsuddin -- oopps, couldn't resist) was quoted in the papers lamenting his frustrations over the failure of three States to follow the guidelines developed by the Federal Government on hillside and hilltop development.
He named Penang, Selangor and the FT of Kuala Lumpur as the three culprits which are still approving projects on hilltops above 300 metres and slopes with a gradient of more than 35 degrees. The guidelines were issued in 2002 and revised last year.
The Minister said he found out about this when he took a helicopter flight over Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. (I wonder whether his was the same helicopter used by the Selangor Menteri Besar when he was forced to pantau the Bukit Cerakah area not too long ago after it was discovered that some unscrupulous developers, with the approval of his officials no doubt, had been sesuka hati flattening hills and felling trees adjacent to the forest reserve. Seems like helicopters are the transport of choice among Ministers. Donno lah, I mean I notice rampant rape of hilltops and slopes while just driving my car!)
Anyway, he went on to say that while all Menteris Besar/Chief Ministers are aware of and have in principle agreed to adhere to the guidelines, there have been occasions when they were left with no choice but to approve a particular project.
Hello.
I don't understand this part. They were left with no choice? Hello? Life is all about making choices. You have to make choices, and when you do, you aim to make the right ones. It's the same in politics. Politicians must make choices, and the choices they make must be in the best interest of their constituents, in the best interest of the nation. And not just taking into account of what the developers want (although what the developers want might often involve something going into someone's banking account).
Like the Minister said, the guidelines were designed to protect the environment and prevent natural disasters and (this is an understatement) ignoring the guidelines could have serious consequences.
So what "left with no choice" was he talking about?
To me the choice is simple. You can't flatten hills and slopes. Besides the obvious disastrous consequences, hills and slopes don't grow back. Don't people understand that? People in other countries go to great lengths to preserve their natural heritage. Here in this country no one is doing anything, at least anything meaningful.
I mean, guidelines? Double hello? Make these an Act of Parliament, then you can decisively act against the offenders and those in power who could be in cahoots with them. Go after the CM of Penang, the MB of Selangor, the powers that be in KL. Make them pay.
Especially the MB of Selangor. I can't believe the guy. So many disasters have happened in his State, so many environmental wrongs higlighted, yet he doesn't seem to care.
In other States, there are also a lot of questionable projects that to me do not make any sense. Like a shopping complex on Perhentian. Or a dual carriage highway on Langkawi. People holiday on these islands to experience their natural beauty, to sample the idyllic island life. To get away from the trappings of city life. They don't go to Perhentian to shop! And, who really are always in a rush and need a highway on Langkawi?
I understand a lot of people make a lot of money from development projects, but to embark on these projects without any regard to the environment, to our natural heritage that one day will be passed on to our children and their children and their children, is beyond comprehension.
I hope Datuk Azmi will do more. Shape and develop the guidelines into an Act. For all of our sakes.
“YANG KURIK KUNDI, YANG MERAH SAGA....”
(Note: I wrote and published this article elsewhere some time back, but thought it would be OK to recycle it here.)
A few weeks ago, my colleagues and I attended a three-day course to improve on our understanding, command and usage of Bahasa Melayu so that we could communicate more effectively and efficiently in the national language. For me, it was certainly a process of re-discovering and re-appreciating the strength, beauty and adaptability of the language, which has been the lingua franca of the Malay Archipelago since centuries ago. After all, the last formal training I had -- if you could call that “training” – on my mother tongue was in secondary school. And you would agree with me that we were not taught much then. Whatever little we had learnt, I’m pretty sure we have forgotten, anyway.
During the three-day course, we were exposed to many different aspects of the language, including the national policy on Bahasa Melayu and the policy’s implementation, the language’s functions, its evolution, as well as aspects on grammar and spelling. There was also a module on kesantunan berbahasa, or the gracefulness of and correctness in using the language, in our day-to-day communication and interaction. In fact, the course facilitator dedicated one whole day to discussions on this aspect of the language, and how it builds, forms and shapes our social system, our values, our social etiquette, our character and so forth. I always have a particularly keen interest in this subject and its relation to the Malay kesopanan dan kesusilaan as well as to the universal code of etiquette.
In the Malay community, the norms and messages of the Malay etiquette are manifested in thousands of pantun, proverbs, adages and idioms. But sometimes, the deeper meaning of a pantun or a proverb is lost on us because we do not really understand how or why that particular pantun or proverb was coined, and why certain words or phrases were used. In a pantun, for example, each of the words and phrases, even those in the first two lines of the quatrain, is carefully chosen and carries a significant meaning. Yes, the words and phrases are there not just to rhyme. And most traditional pantun contain much wisdom to guide us in almost all aspects of our life. Just like the concept behind kesantunan berbahasa reminds us of who we are, where we come from, where we are (or should be) going, and how we should get there. Such is the beauty, the richness and the refinement of Bahasa Melayu.
Yang kurik kundi,
Yang merah saga;
Yang baik budi,
Yang indah bahasa.
Of course, as we evolve and change with the time, as does the language, we do not pay much attention to its beauty, richness and refinement. Heck, we don’t even understand certain words or phrases, let alone try to fathom their deeper meaning or significance. And we wonder why there are so many individuals out there in the society who lack budi bahasa or budi pekerti, or both.
Which reminds me of a little conversation I had the other day with a couple of instructors at my fitness club. Apparently they were – they still are -- at their wits’ end on how to handle this particular member who seems to have ditched all tenets of kesopanan dan kesusilaan in her interaction with staff of the club. According to the instructors, they have also received verbal complaints about her from other members of the club. “Rude”, “loud”, “sarcastic”, and “caustic” are just some of the favourite adjectives they closely associated with her. I, too, had had the displeasure of interacting with her, when she decided to bulldoze her way into a conversation that she was never a part of in the first place. And the remark that she passed was downright rude and uncalled for. Her incessant chatter, and always about herself, drive some members of the gym up the wall. Nowadays, I steer away from her whenever I see her in the club. I am also considering wearing a pair of really effective earplugs.
Tingkap papan kayu bersegi,
Sampan sakat di Pulau Angsa;
Indah tampan kerana budi,
Tinggi bangsa kerana bahasa.
I suppose we can never stress enough on the importance of budi bahasa and budi pekerti as they say a lot about a person. I’m not sure whether people still do this, but when I was growing up, my parents and relatives were always reminding me to “bawa diri baik-baik” whenever I returned to school after term breaks, or before I left home for extended visits somewhere. Even when I was in university, letters I received from home always ended with the phrase, or its variations. Although short, it went a long way in reminding me of how I should behave and carry myself wherever I was. It still works for me, and it has become my own favourite piece of advice.
Now, I wonder whether anyone has ever told our good friend at the gym to “bawa diri baik-baik”, but the next time she steps on my toe, I’m just going to look squarely at her in the face and say, “Yang kurik kundi, yang merah saga….”, and hope that she’d get it. If that fails, I’d go the whole hog with this lightly veiled threat:
Ubi keledek dibuat pengat,
Mari dimakan di bulan puasa;
Wahai cik adik hendaklah ingat,
Kerana mulut badan binasa.
ESCAPING CLUELESSNESS
I read with with interest recent news reports about Malaysians' reading habit, which is virtually non-existent. According to the reports, a survey found that 98% of Malaysian children read only two books a year. I guess it was this very shameful fact that had led the authorities to launch the annual National Reading Campaign, with plans to spend a whopping RM10 million a year for the next five years.
Yup. Yet another noble (debatable) effort by our government. I just can't wait to see the campaign's outcome. If it turns out to be a success, well and good. If not, the government can always say: Well, we tried.
Personally, I'm not quite sure how this habit could be cultivated. It's either you love reading, or you don't. Plus, there are so many distractions nowadays.
When I was a child in primary school, books were my only source of pleasure. We were so poor we did not have a TV, and the radio made its debut in our home when I was nearly 12 years old! My mother bought our first TV (she said she wanted to wait for colour TV) when I was 16 or 17.
So, I buried myself in books. My favourites were those Enid Blyton novels -- the Famous Five series -- I found in the school library. I remember finishing all the books in the series in less than a month.
My eldest sister was a bit worried, because she felt Ms Blyton's books had no real literary value. So to please her, I started reading all those novels by the late Hamka, arguably one of the most prolific of Indonesian writers, and books by Malaysian novelists like A. Samad Said, Shahnon Ahmad and the like. My sister also introduced me to the (translated) works of Rabindranath Tagore, India's Nobel laureate poet and writer. And all this while I was still in primary school!
When I got to secondary school, my staple read included classic works of Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Melville, du Maurier, de Maupassant etc. My all time favourites were Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird (I think I must have read it 36 times, or more!!) and Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (I finished it in three days during a term break -- my mom threatened to consult a bomoh as I refused to put down the book even at meal times), and I read it again and again for a total of not less than 15 times.
But that was just me. I just loved reading. I still do, except that now I don't have the luxury of time to read a lot. But I still make it a habit to buy at least one book every time I go to the book store with my twin godsons, who just love book stores! Now, if only I could get them to love reading as much....
I'm not sure what the government wants to do with the proposed annual budget of RM10 million for the reading campaign. My suggestion is to stock school libraries, especially primary and secondary schools, with really good books, and not just those meant to help students pass their exams.
Which brings me to another point I'm trying to make. It seems that nowadays reading is only for passing exams, for finishing class assignments.
It's no longer for pleasure, no longer for discovery purposes, no longer for opening of the mind and imagination, no longer for moulding character and values. Especially among my Malay brethrens.
Opps. They do read for pleasure, but their top choice reading materials would be those gossip rags, and gossip rags only (how would you explain the staying power of URTV, and the sister rag Mangga?).
So, how to mould character and values like that? How to get them to discover knowledge, how to open up their minds and imagination, how to get them get over their ignorance and cluelessness?
On any weekend, if you go to the book stores, you'd hardly see any Malay people with their kids there. You go to Malay homes, how many would have a library or at least reading corner? Macamana nak terus maju?
So, rajin-rajinlah membaca, jangan terus hanyut dalam kejahilan minda. Ewahh.
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