E-mail for Every Malaysian?

This has to be one of the most preposterous (this means "absurd") idea coming out of corporate Malaysia. Many areas in Sabah have no basic facilities such as electricity and water and someone is going to connect everyone there on the Internet. Puhleeze..... Remember the story about the rural school computerisation project? How to run the computers with limited electricity? Hello! Anybody home?

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16 September 2009

One year on, we are still governed by the same federal government. Where's all the talk of forming a new federal government? Maybe it's just a case of empty vessels make the most noise. (Check out the meaning of this proverb here). My guess is he's just too busy with other more pressing matter.

Anyway, happy Malaysia day, Malaysians.

Malaysia Oh Malaysia

Malaysian map (source: www.maparchive.org/details.php?image_id=263)

One of the things I really feel bad and unhappy about is that when I get to Peninsular Malaysia and people I meet (usually for work) asks, "Bila sampai kat Malaysia?" or "When (did you) arrive in Malaysia?" It makes me feel like I am from another country altogether.

This happened when I went on to study for my whole secondary and part of my tertiary education in Peninsular Malaysia and then went on to work in Sarawak and here in Sabah. It still happens today. The sad thing is that the very people who asked me are generally educated fellow Malaysians, who I believe should have better general knowledge, if not historical knowledge, than your average Malaysians.

For the record, 46 years ago today, a country by name of Malaysia came into being by the federation of British North Borneo (as Sabah was known then), Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore. If this didn't happen, there wouldn't be Malaysia as we know it today.

There's an interesting report by the Malay Mail about Hari Malaysia. Check it out.

Don’t Blame the Indonesian People, Blame Some of the Indonesian Media

I know I’ve written not so nice things before on the current Indonesia-Malaysia row. I don’t blame the Indonesian people for this. The parties to be blame for sensationalizing the issues are some of the Indonesian media, who I consider as overzealous. Worse still as members of media, they failed to check the authenticity and veracity of the news, print or broadcast. I thought that would be taught in Journalism 101.

As an example, the latest row is about the song Terang Bulan. If the journalist had bothered to google or do some Internet search, he/she would have read that the song was composed by a Frenchman in the late 19th century and in early 20th was adapted as its national by the state of Perak, a state in Malaysia today. This was a long time before it was recorded by Indonesia artists and adapted as the national anthem of Malaysia. Go ahead look it up yourself.

Well, I guess these kinds will write and air anything to sell their newspapers and make more watch their television programs. The kind of reporting they are practicing is sickening and must be stopped. There is no need to make a wedge between us as there are so many things where Indonesians and Malaysians can co-operate for the betterment of the two countries. Like it or not, we are stuck as neighbors until kingdom come.

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Poverty in Malaysia : The Answer (?)

Someone wrote to me about the post on poverty I did earlier.

Well, I don't have all the answers but I believe the key in solving the problem of poverty lies in education. If you educate the children of the poor well, these children then can help their families. Hopefully, the cycle of poverty will stop.

But when I mean education, its not just sending them to the nearest school. If you are a poor child and have to help in the family to get food on the table, which would you choose? Going to school or going without food?

What is needed is a comprehensive program where the children of the poor are given all, yes ALL, that they need to get educated well. Put them in hostels during primary and secondary schools. Provide them food, clothes, books and some pocket money. Give them a break for entry to institutions of higher learning. As long as they meet the minimum entry requirement, let them in. Give them scholarships to study. I know its cliché but remember the saying about teaching a man to fish? Here, we are teaching the poor children to fish. Where there is a will, there is a way.

I know that studies after studies have been done to study poverty in the country. But, even now, where are we? Back at square one. Why are there still poor people in our country?

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Poverty in Malaysia

Last week I found disturbing news in the local newspaper. It’s a report from the current Parliamentary sitting.

As reported in the news item, according to government statistics, the four states with the most poor are Sabah with 30,852 poor and 15,732 hardcore poor; Sarawak, 26,487 poor and 12,326 hardcore poor; Terengganu, 10,187 poor and 3,572 hardcore poor; and Kelantan 9,067 poor and 3,053 hardcore poor. It’s a well-known fact that my home state Sabah has the most poor in the whole country. There are so many poverty eradication programmes around but are these programmes getting results?

What disturbs me greatly is that these four states with the most poor are the very four states producing petroleum (oil and gas, hydrocarbon) in Malaysia. It’s ironic, really. The federal and state (excluding Kelantan’s) governments should do something to overcome the poverty problem especially with the revenue gained from petroleum industry.

For the record, in 2007, federal revenue from petroleum (income taxes, royalties, export duties, sales taxes and PETRONAS dividends) was RM51.2 billion, of which RM20.6 billion was from petroleum income tax alone. Why not spend this amount in the states where the tax is collected from?

By the way, it is a not well-known fact that there is petroleum being produced offshore in Kelantan. The area known as the Malaysia-Thai Joint Area (MTJA), located in the Malaysian-Thai international waters, is offshore Kelantan state in Malaysia and Narathiwat province in Thailand. Daily gas production from MTJA started in 2005.

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New Malaysian Prime Minister

In less than half an hour, we will have a new prime minister in the country. The good news is that old guy is out and the new guy is in. The bad news (well, at least for some people) is that the other guy is still out and will not be in. 916, I suppose is nothing but a pipedream, or at best a political gimmick. I suggest that the other guy concentrate on being a good shadow prime minister and if the people are with him, he’ll be the real one the next time the ballot boxes are out again. Anyway, good luck to all the guys mentioned in this post. Don’t squander your opportunity.

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Of would be toads and frogs

If he (the one who shall not be named) has his way, he'll be the prime minister by now. Of course, with the help of would be toads and frogs. If this happens, I don't have much to say especially about these toads and the frogs except they are the lowliest form of scum on earth. If they are in an aquarium, they'll be the fish eating the shit of the other fishes. They are unprincipled, self-centered and ....... (fill in the worst expletive that you can think of).

I also pray to the Almighty that the worst misfortunes and disasters will befall on them and their next seven generations. What they are doing goes beyond democratic principles. If they have the guts and balls, step down as elected representatives and let the people choose again.

To conclude, here's a riddle on those would be toads and frogs:

Question: What's the difference between these would be toads and frogs Members of Parliament and a pail of shit?

Answer: The pail.

So, there!

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16 September 2008

It went by and despite all the talk, we still had the same government of day as we had when the March general elections. What I don't understand is why is you (the one who shall not be named) are so bent on becoming the prime minister? If we, the people, can wait for five years to change the government (see Selangor, Perak, Penang & Kedah), why can't you? Why do you have to create all these uncertainties in the country? The people have chosen the government of day in March and leave it at that.

Instead, what you should be doing is lead an effective opposition and ensure that the states governed by the opposition will be better in the next five years. Do that and I believe when your time comes, you'll be all that you want to be. Do your job now well and the people will support you. But don't do what you are doing now. It's undemocratic and unethical.

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A Would Be Kingmaker?

I don't think so. I personally believe what the big guy had to say about him. Greed, must be it. I used to tell my friends that if you could find an honest politician, I'd give you a virgin “bohsia” (a girl with loose morals). It's all part of the game of politics. However, what's important for me is that the country or the state doesn't go bankrupt from the actions of the politicians.

Sadly, this is what has happened to my home state Sabah. It used to be one of the richer states in the country. Now, it's one of the poorest. During my younger days, we got free uniforms, shoes, books and milk in school. Yes, free, and it helped my parents who had to hold two jobs to keep the family running.

Back to the would be kingmaker. He was the head honcho of my home state for two years but nothing was done to resolve the problems we face today, particularly illegal immigrants from neighboring countries. Probably busy filing up his personal coffers. So much to take and so little time. You had your opportunity to do things right but squandered it.

Anyway, we’ll see how it goes.

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A kitchen story

This is a story of the kettle calling the pot black. The kettle had been on the stove for 22 days before. Imagine what the kettle did for such a long period. The pot, on the other hand, has been on the stove for 5 days only. Both are black from being on the stove but the kettle is now loudly calling the pot black. The pot, which is now on the stove, is more on a defensive mode, answering back only once in a while.

The problem is both the kettle and the pot are in danger if the pot is removed from the stove by the wok, which is eyeing to be on the stove. For the kettle, it is better if the pot is gone and replaced something other than the wok. The wok will surely take revenge on the kettle for what the kettle did when the kettle was on the stove. The wok is said to be gathering support from all the other equipment in the kitchen.

Now the kettle, not the pot, is very worried. The kettle has got more to lose if the wok is on the stove. The kettle, afterall, was responsible to put the wok in the cupboard. While the pot took the wok out of there.

We'll see what happens next to the kettle, pot and wok.

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