Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Why I still prefer Malaysia

A LOT of people have migrated over the past 40 years and especially in the last couple of years alone, we hear of hundreds of thousands leaving in search of greener pastures. The numbers who leave are staggering, to say the least. For economic reasons but also because of "feel good" (or "feel bad" depending on how you look at it) factors, many non-bumis in Malaysia go overseas and decide to STAY overseas.
I don't begrudge them their God-given right to chose where they prefer to live, it is a personal and individual decision after all. Our forefathers chose to leave their beloved homeland probably for similar reasons. The world has become smaller today thanks to advances in modern global transportation and telecommunications, so one can easily be in England or in South Africa or the USA and connect with your loved ones on the other side of the globe instantly or even be physically there within a very short space of time. The Global village has finally arrived and it is here to stay.
But coming back to the main topic, why then not also migrate when so many others have already done so? Well, personally i feel that one should stick to something, especially a country if you will, purely for the feel good reason. That is, this is the country of my birth, it is the country of my parents' birth. I feel reasonably comfortable in Malaysia. Sure, not everything goes my way and i'm not a privileged majority in terms of education, government jobs, licenses, pink share form entitlements etc etc etc. The creeping Islamization of Malaysia affects me and i sure as heck don't appreciate the criminalisation of my liberties. But I've never asked for anything from the Malaysian government as such and i doubt that i will ask of them very much in future. I'm proud of my own community in Malaysia and what they have achieved for themselves, sans the government's help. I have met so many of my fellow countrymen of all races who are talented, intelligent, resourceful and who are basically very nice people. Oh yes, some people speak very bitterly about issues but i take these with a generous pinch of salt. It doesn't do me in or make me keel over or fall under. I am wary of people who have migrated and come and tell me unflattering things about Malaysia because i believe that the right to do so rests with those who are STILL living working and building their lives in Malaysia. Once you have left, you have left for good. Don't bring up these issues with me anymore cos i am not interested to hear it from you. You have already left Malaysia, end of the story. But having met fellow countrymen of like persuasion as myself, i find that life in Malaysia, despite all the negative flak Malaysia/Malaysians get/s so often from outsiders or even from Malaysians themselves, is still good. We have a lot of asshole politicians in Malaysia who deserve to be lynched and served ass-up on the barbeque pit. But so many ordinary people in Malaysia are among some of the most gentle, decent, generous, innocent, easy-going people i have ever met. This is what really attracts me about Malaysia. Malaysian cities are generally ugly, teeming-over-the seams monstrosities. The charm, the heart and soul of Malaysia, lies in her countryside. I have been to rural places, smaller towns, hamlets where people will feed you simply because you are a stranger and you look hungry - free of charge. People who are gentle, kind, unhurried and basically with a heart and a soul to share with you. I am sad that creeping urbanisation has done away with so much of our countryside's finer charms and I feel disturbed that the rape of the land from sand mining to careless, unchecked development continues unabated. I sure hope that in our relentless march towards "developed nation" status, we do not forget what we were, what many of us still are, and do not turn into what so many others have tragically become.

Monday, June 28, 2010

General Elections just around the corner

I can smell it. The Barisan-owned papers are on the prowl for opposition blood and they have been playing up what are mostly non-issues recently. Pakatan Rakyat should start preparing for the general elections now.

I just watched a Cantonese period costume drama on tv while over at my daughter's baby-sitter's and it reminded me of what Asian culture, especially in olden times, entailed. An old but powerful matroness of a leading family in the city was the de facto absolute ruler in her household and she barked out orders at her whim and fancy. When her son dies of illness and leaves behind a widow, she gives the daughter-in-law ("DIL") hell. One day, DIL was falsely accused of adultery and to escape punishment DIL runs back to her maiden home. DIL confides her troubles to her brother who after much persuasion, convinces DIL to go back to her husband's home with him alongside as peace-maker. Once there the brother presents a gift to the old matroness and speaks frankly to the old matroness who gave him her promise that no ill-will was borne and that DIL would be well take care of. Having extracted that promise, DIL's brother returns home leaving DIL under the old matroness' supervision. Big mistake. And what does the old matroness do? She promptly tricks DIL into an "outing" and when they have arrived at the temple grounds, DIL is promptly told that she is to become a NUN to save the family face. The old matroness justifies her lying to DIL's brother as a way to avoid conflict and that no one has the right to interfere in her family's affairs. So DIL is shaved bald and puts on her nun's robes. DIL's brother upon learning of this is furious but is unable to do anything as the old matroness knows the city's governor.

I didn't watch any further but this story line is typical of Asian period costume dramas. The feudal system in all its face-saving glory is shown to the entire world. So much harm comes from wanting face or wanting to "save face". Face is so terrible that i understand that in China, even the China of today, "face" can be used as a weapon. We have become materially well-off today compared with a hundred years ago, but our culture has essentially remained the same. Perhaps in Malaysia we are more exposed to ideas from other countries due to our location and role as a great trading nation (Malaysia is afterall a nation of traders), but the feudal system is never far away. It manifests itself in our government: "do as i say, not as i do". Commands are issued and orders are obeyed. face is to be saved and given at all times. Don't get me wrong, face is not exclusive to us Asians, even foreigners, westerners, have their own version of face and saving face. But it is more pronounced here, sometimes very uncomfortably so. To the point of extreme ludicrosity. How can face or saving-face be more important than one's happiness, i ask? Isn't that what we all live for ultimately? To be happy?

Free the JIMI

OF ALL the rock guitarists ever to grace the face of God's green earth, none stand out as much as The One Jimi Hendrix who played the axe like a lover's tender embrace at the end of a long and hard day at work. I've been listening to "Voodoo Child's" Daddy-O since first i lent mein ears to Jimi's magic in a cassette tape playback and he sounds as good today as he first sounded to me back then. Jimi was a Soul Brother who crossed the Atlantic on both sides in a quest to bring spiritual and musical freedom to the oppressed masses of youths waking up everyday not knowing what to expect next. The bomb? the red "menace"? Vietnam?
Jimi's tender caresses of his guitar melted away hearts hardened by fear and the lost souls of the multitudes. This man had something to offer mankind in music much the same way as the prophets offered the word of God to those who would listen. I was enthralled by Jimi while in my school uniform and i am STILL enthralled by Jimi in my middle age today. There are no boundaries for Jimi, freedom was an ends to itself, never the means. "Manic Depression", "Angel", "Are you Experienced", "Gloria", so many many more of Daddy-O's melodies jingle up and down my consciousness, healing, touching the depths, lifting me up to the mores of a life the legend personified. I don't want to idolise Jimi. I respect his work profoundly and yet inside i know that no one would ever come close to his magic. Such a genius as he is produced but once in hundreds of years and but for the Grace of God is our link with the eternal. When he died in the fall of 1970, millions mourned the passing of music's greatest. Thanks to modern technology we have records to listen to. How many geniuses have passed away who were unrecorded, unrecognised, unfeted, unwept over? But Jimi Hendrix if you please.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

World Cup Fever part 5

I wasn't too disappointed that England lost 4-1 to Germany because I had expected that England would at best, draw or at worst, lose to the Germans maybe by a goal or 2 goals worse come to worst. But i hadn't expected England to be so badly beaten. For the record, the final tally should have read Germany 4, England 2 - Frank Lampard's goal post hitter went right across that white goal post line and it IS a goal. The linesman and referee can both kiss my yellow ass for not seeing the obvious. Anyway, England's world cup hopes once again relegated to the rubbish bin of history. Let's hope that they start preparing NOW for the next world cup which is in 4 years' time and should be time plenty for them to assemble a decent national squad.

Which begs the question: England's decline as a footballing nation and in other fields of sports/non-sporting endeavour - is it irreversible?
When i was a student in England, my international friends, notably the French and German, spoke about how England, unlike Germany, was shackled by its historical ties. By virtue of its colonial past, the 19th century industrial revolution, etc England was mired in ways that Germany was not. England's infrastructure, like its national football squad today, was old and tired. Germany's was young and re-built out of the ashes of the second world war. England was obligated to care for its former colonies, Germany had almost no colonies save for a thumb-sized plot somewhere in central/southern Africa. England had a LOT of traditions (the Queen/King, the aristocracy, the old conventions) to live up to, less so Germany. England was caught up in its past, Germany was only too willing to forget its past or wish that parts of its past never happened. Would England, "the land of the setting sun" as some Japanese commentators put it, ever regain its former glory and retake its place as the world leader in sports, industry, science and the arts? Probably not.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Black Economy

Headlines in The Star today that Malaysia's black economy may be worth about RM10 billion (only?). I don't condone illegal activities any more than the next person in the street condones crime, but you have to ask yourself whether the government's less-than-transparent policies may have contributed to the growth in the underground economy in recent times. Let's face it, it is tough to get licenses from the government for the most profitable enterprises/businesses, most of which are jealously guarded and dished out to people with the right connections in politically sensitive places. Contracts are awarded not to people who can do the job but to people who are connected. land is sold not on open tender to the highest bidder but by "direct negotiations" like how most contracts are won. Race is besides the point. It is the connected who gain the lion's shares of licenses and contracts, not those who can get the job done best, cost-effectively and best quality-wise. If i cannot get a license and a government contract no matter how good i am, guess where i will turn my energies and talents to? I'd say RM10 billion is an understatement. The figure is likely to be several times more than that. Every next person i have ever met tries their level best to circumvent existing regulations and why not? They are oppressive regulations, they are unfair, they are a hindrance to good business. And yet they wonder WHY people resort to illegal businesses.

World Cup Fever Part 4

What a night for USA and England, allies in arms and comrades in football.
I was watching England's match against Slovenia while Dad watched USA vs Algeria in the next room. England's one and only goal by the man-of-the-hour Jermain Defoe put the red-garbed Lions back into the world cup running only 23 minutes into the first half. I was hoping for a second goal to boost the Lions even further but despite an opportunity given to Lampard shortly after Defoe's knee-socked goal and several decent tries by Wayne Rooney, it wasn't to be. Rooney played well and he made some solid attempts but his wings were clipped tonight by Someone Upstairs (?). Both Rooney and Defoe were substituted in the second half, probably to save them for the next match. 1-0 against Slovenia is not impressive and England needs to get its act together if it has any hopes of even reaching the quarter semi finals for this world cup. Decent goalkeeping tonight by England goalie David James.

As for the USA, well what can i say? a brilliant goal in stoppage time by the Captain of the non-footballing nation swept Algeria's world cup hopes into the metaphorical stadium gutters. The poor Algerian Captain got a red card and was sent off for rowing with the referee towards the end of the match. But the USA goal was good stuff, it was no fluke. Into the next 16 USA goes! Not bad USA, not bad at all.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

World Cup fever, Part 3

Well i finally found out that Astro DOES telecast live world cup matches on their channel 810 (for Malaysia) without astro viewers having to subscribe to extra channels. I couldn't find this month's Astro magazine (I can never find it, someone has always recycled it prematurely or something) and it was by word of mouth that i came to know about Astro's world cup live channels. Anyway, last night i watched the Korea Republic v Argentina live match (final score: Korea Rep 1, Argentina 4). In the dying minutes of the 1st half of that match Korea Rep suddenly caught the Argentine defenders unawares and lobbed in a quick goal. But the Argentines came back in full force in second half to lob in 2 more goals to make it a total of 4 goals to show that theirs was no fluke.

Then i woke up early this morning and watched the highlights of mexico v france (final score: mexico 2, france 0). If it's any consolation to fans of France, the 1st goal looked suspiciously like an off-side let off by the referee while the 2nd goal was a penalty shot awarded over a bad luck tackle by France's Eric Abidal. Luck was on Mexico's side and a goal's a goal, so...

Monday, June 14, 2010

World Cup fever, part 2

I was watching world cup again last sunday on tv, this time the repeat telecast of the match between Spain and Poland. Spain played superbly, knocking in goal after goal after goal. At the 67th minute when Spain was 5-0 up against Poland (the final score was Spain 6, Poland 0), the cameras zoomed in on the Polish coach. If a picture could speak a thousand words, then "agonized", "worried", "looks of consternation", "grim-faced" came to mind. Spain is looking very sharp indeed. Wonder how they'd stack up against the samba boys (Brazil)?

Saturday, June 12, 2010

World Cup fever

I've just watched the game between Brazil and Tanzania in which the samba boys won hands down 5-1 against the Tanza boys. It was a nice game. Watching my favourite team brazil is sheer pleasure. Their prowess in football is the stuff of legends. They dance with the ball. I'm hoping the yellow jersey and blue shorts will win this world cup. I don't usually watch football except for the world cup, but even kaki bangkus such as myself can enjoy a good game of football once a while. And the world cup is that once-in-a-while occasion to kick back and just relax and watch the 20 men run up and down the green field and display their athletic and sporting agility as i sit on an armchair with a hot glass of coffee/milk tea in hand. Curiously, the only other team i would root for is England but i don't think they're going to walk away with the world cup. I don't even dream of England repeating their 1966 feat, not by a long shot or unless they're extraordinarily lucky. Everytime they come up against germany or arch-rivals argentina, i'm sad to say, they fail to shine. So England, unless you can prove me a punk-ass, i'm not putting my hopes in you. But in Samba we trust. Go Samba Go!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

cut the red tape

The recent announcement to extend the deadline from 15 June to 1st July and waive the RM10 licence fee for an estimated 70,000 retailers nationwide to apply for a licence to sell sugar, cooking oil and flour was made in response to growing disenchantment among small retailers against the government's decision to impose a licence for selling these basic necessities. This is despite the above concessions and the promise by the government that they will issue the licence within a day. Fast and cheap, it seems, doesn't put a dent to small retailers' beef that yet another licence would add to their growing list of licences to apply for to do business. They have a legitimate grouse. The main problem here is the hoarding and smuggling of sugar. Now why is our sugar being hoarded locally and smuggled abroad to neighbouring countries? Because it is a price-controlled item and subsidised by the government hence making it relatively cheaper compared with the sugar in our neighbouring countries. I reckon the solution to this problem is to cut sugar (and other) subsidies gradually - not by introducing more red tape and more bureaucracy to our already considerable mass of red tape and obese-to-the-hilt bureaucracy. What is the point of having the Performance and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) and talents like Dato' Sri Idris Jala on board to advise the government on how to streamline the bureaucracy and cut red tape if we are going to increase bureaucracy and red tape at the end of the day? This isn't about issuing licences within a day or cutting the RM10 fee. It's about the hassle of having to apply for licences for everything from setting up your business to advertising your signboard and now to selling basic essentials like sugar, cooking oil and flour. Just cut out government subsidies. Cut it out gradually, for example, 20 sen this year, another 20 sen next year, etc. Whatever. When prices of our gasoline, sugar, cooking oil, flour and other items rise to their true free market prices, the smuggling and hoarding will cease automatically. It will save the government heaps of dough, and people will over time (crying shouting screaming and gnashing of teeth notwithstanding) get used to paying market prices for essential goods. Just don't add more regulations and choke out business. We do want to streamline the business of government, right? We want more efficiency and less cost, right? Ok, then stop imposing new licences/regulations, improve on the existing regulatory/enforcement framework, cut the subsidies. I suggest that on the latter point the government show more backbone/moral courage and go ahead with what was recommended by Dato' Sri Idris Jala. Go ahead and cut the damned subsidies. Stop spoiling the children.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Days of Wrath

The freedom flotilla to the Gaza strip's 9 dead and 60 injured (?) made headlines for the past week. I'm not privy to middle eastern politics and as an outsider i have no right to meddle in the affairs of others especially when the situation is as serious as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. So i can only comment as an interested by-stander as in what happens there does have an effect on me, geographically separated by oceans and thousands of miles notwithstanding. Indeed, it affects the rest of the world.

As far back as i can remember there have been war after war after wars fought since the creation of Israel. Israel has so far only signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan by virtue of, respectively, the Camp David peace accords brokered by then US President Jimmy Carter in 1978 and the Jordanian-Israeli Peace Treaty of 1994. Other than these 2 Arab countries, none of Israel's other immediate and adjacent neighbours made peace or officially recognised the Jewish state's right to exist. In essence, Israel has been in an official state of perpetual war because of this lack of an overall consensus among Arab states as to official recognition of the jewish state's right to exist. Sans 1948 or 1967 borders. It is interesting to note that neither the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) nor Hamas recognise Israel's right to exist, their maps show only Palestine. Not a square inche of land is marked as Israel. (Blogger's post-blog note: Incorrect. the PLO DID recognise Israel's right to exist in 1993 and formalised later in the historic Oslo peace accords brokered by then US President Bill Clinton and signed with then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin himself was later assassinated by a Right-wing Jewish extremist for his part in reaching the Oslo Peace Accords with the PLO in which Israel in return recognised the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. Only Hamas has remained steadfast - till today - in its refusal to recognise the right of Israel to exist - my apologies for the oversight on my part. But official recognition notwithstanding, the late PLO chairman Yasser Arafat's statements to the press from time to time in which he cited instances from the Prophet Mohamed's life to justify cutting a deal with the enemy as a means to ultimately destroy the enemy was unhelpful to say the least).

In this context, you would understand why Israel is always on the edge and its security checks on all border crossings into Palestinian territories are detailed and exhaustive. The freedom flotilla may be nobly motivated. But who is to stop unscrupulous quarters from smuggling in weapons, for example, a dirty bomb that could be delivered right smack into the heart of Israel propelled by a katyusha rocket? Therefore Israel's absolute insistence that the ships be first checked at its port before anything else. This isn't state terrorism, it's state security. And it's a very real and present danger which cannot be dismissed or brushed aside in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israeli operation to board the freedom flotilla was done rather badly. Yes, it was a botched operation. Yes, it was stupid. Made worst by the loss of lives on that fateful night when the organisers of the freedom flotilla decided it was time to set a course for the Gaza strip. Perhaps the results could have been different had they been intercepted during the daytime. We shall never know. What is done cannot be undone. But the actions taken by the Israelis while stupid, badly executed and unfortunate, was necessitated by the realities on the ground. They should not be made to shoulder the blame for this tragedy entirely. The organisers of the freedom flotilla should have known better than to undertake such a foolhardy and reckless adventure. One would think they knew what they were doing when they assumed the risks. Well, now we know the outcome. The organisers of the freedom flotilla are ultimately as responsible for the deaths of the 9 people on board the freedom flotilla as the security apparatus of Israel. And that's the naked truth as far as i can tell.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

spend spend spend or save save save

I've just had a double heap of mountainously teeming-over spoonfuls of vanilla Wall's ice-cream and it's almost time for Yours Truly to hit the sack. But having gorged on dinner's desserts and with my tummy taken care of, i got to thinking about what Paul Krugman, Economics Nobel Prize winner, had to say about the current ascendency of fiscal consolidation over quantitative easing in the minds of policymakers worldwide. Old Paul thinks that governments shouldn't rein in the horses not yet anyway, while growth is tentative and the recovery is still fragile. And he's about right on quite a few points there. To raise interest rates dramatically, slash govt spending on welfare would crimp the spenders for sure and lead to less business. But on the other hand, higher interest rates after a record zero interest rate regime in the USA for the longest time known - ever - wouldn't be such a bad thing either. People would, in the USA at least, be motivated to start saving for a change. There would be less foreclosures when people have a nest egg. The mortgage crises would see improvement. Sure, borrowing costs would go up. But reckless lending has been the bane of us all this recent while, no? So some control on lending, especially of the reckless kind, would be welcome surely. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. We can't continue to spend spend spend. And we can't all become Scrooge McDucks. Someone has to bring balance to the force.