Jump Froggers, Jump !!

Calling all Yang Berhormat froggers out there. On 16th September 2008, on the cue of the master strategist piper, Anwar Ibrahim, you will all jump with harmony and with a synchronous frog sound hailing the dawn of a new Malaysia. To all Yang Berhormat Froggers, please disregard the voters that have vote you up there. You will hop to wherever place you think are the best position for you and your family. Who cares right. Democracy? What Democracy? Hoppingnism is the new trend now. If you feel not well treated on the other side, YB can simply hop back, right? Or probably these YB should form a new party called Barisan Katak Nasional. The tagline "Bersedia melompat mengikut Arahan (atau harga yg berpatutan)". So, once again. All YB Froggers, please be prepare on 16th September. You have been informed.

Article 153 - To be or not to be

Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) responsibility for safeguarding the rights and privileges of the Malay and other indigenous peoples of Malaysia, collectively referred to as Bumiputra. The article specifies how the federal government may protect the interest of these groups by establishing quotas for entry into the civil service, public scholarships and public education. It is often considered to be part of the social contract, and is commonly cited as a legal defense of ketuanan Melayu — the belief that the Malays are the "masters" (tuan) of Malaysia. - Source: Wikipedia

So, based on the facts above what can we conclude? The article was drafted back in 1957 where at that time, most chinese and Indian population were immigrants. Malay rulers back then questioned the loyalty of chinese and indians. In trying to understand the reality back then, just imagine that you are an owner of a big house with big families. The house was built by your great, great grandfather and was passed down through past generation until now. Even all the things inside the house was either yours or was inherited. But due to some technical reasons, your house was being takeover by a third party. This third party starts to rent out the rooms in the house to people you don't know. Like it or not, you have to accept the people because the house is no longer yours. So, life goes on. You mind your own business, the guest in the house mind theirs. And suddenly, the third party decides to give back the house to you. With all the excitement in the world you accept that decision. Merdeka!! you said. But wait, what about this people that the third party have brought in? They starting to grow in numbers. What do you do? Throw them out? But they have been quite useful in the house. The rent money from them is also a bonus. You can use the money to renovate the house. So, the logical decision is to let them stay. BUT, with a condition. The guest must always acknowledge that the house is yours and not to touch your things. You do your own business and the guest do theirs. And any priviledge to use the television or bathroom must be given to you first as you are the owner of that stuff. It sounds fair right. That is how I view how the article 153 came about. It is the most logical decision to make at that time.

BUT, that's 50 years ago. It has been a long time. The house has become bigger and better than before. Any repairs and renovation in the house is done together with you and your guest. The guest has now become somewhat of a extended family to you. Now, is it fair to treat your guest as a status of a guest eventhough they have been with you through ups and downs for 50 years? You and your family still have the priviledge for the use of television and bathroom eventhough the television and bathroom is now brand new and the cost of buying it is shared among you and the guest? It's been 50 years.. and in my personal view.. there should be a new approach for that relationship. It's been 50 years.. Malaysia should have a new approach on its social contract. Don't you think?

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim - Saviour or Witchhunter?

Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. A name that I just knew after the election. At first, I thought that this guy must be good. Appointed as the new Menteri Besar of Selangor, he can finally bring a wind of change to Selangor and bring better governence. Being a former CEO of PNB, he must have good business acumen and therefore be able to develop the economy of Selangor. That all of course my positive impression until the proposed RM100 million babi in Sepang came about. I was frustrated on how he handled that thing. It shows a weakness in the administration and the attitude that the current state Government have. If the rakyat does not like it, blame the past administration. What the .... ? Have you forgotten that you are now THE STATE GOVERNMENT and not the opposition anymore. Why make a press statement saying that Khir Toyo's past administration approved it while you currently have the power to stop the project? It really looks like you just want to cuci tangan only but in the sametime approved something just for the sake of pleasing the DAP.

Another event was how he handled Radio Selangor. Throwing them out of your building because of them refusing to give you a slot seems very childish. What happen to diplomatic ways? And finally the digging up of past exco expenditure. Is it me or I think that the current state exco is more interested in witch hunt and personal vendetta than focussing on administring a good state government?

The Proton Saga : The Empire Strikes Back

I am without doubt the most loyal customer of the Proton car. I have never own any car brand besides the car produce by Proton. Well, the first car I bought right after I graduated in 2001 is the Evo wannabe 'Proton Wira'. And I bought it without any hesitation. The only reason at that time.. I have no choice. Others are simply to costly. Now, zoom in to the future that is today. Graduates who just finish their study can now able to choose from a lot of car brand. The price of other car brand now can compete in a fair market with Proton. Kudos to Paklah's administration for this to happen. Proton has been milking the malaysian public far too long. Proton should now have be strong enough to compete with the world. Honestly, despite many others are saying, I do think Proton has a slight chance of survival. Yes, the global car company such as Toyota, Honda, VW, Ford has been bigger and ever than before. They are gobbling up every other small carmakers in the world. Proton is like only a side dishes to them. But, if they did it right, choose the right partners and niche market, I believe that Proton someday will in turn gobble up the big players. Who knows, in the future, Volkswagen whose the one that will be owned by Proton.

Future Proton Car?

The Gangsters of Malaysia

Malaysian's mass media likes to associate crime with foreign immigrants. Just take a look at TV3 for instance, raid by police will always shows police capturing illegal foreignors. Eventhough they have the tendency to do violence, studies have shown that the foreign immigrants only contributes to 2% of the total index crime in Malaysia. What they should focus more is the increasing level of gangsterism in Malaysia. Below is a graph I found on the statistics of registered gang members in Malaysia in 2004. Made me think, how did they register? with whom? ministry of gangsterism? :)

Source: The Rise of Crime in Malaysia, ACP Amar Singh Sidhu, 2004

I have been educated in a Malaysian public school, and I have to admit, gangsterism is a norm. Fightings outside or inside the school is like a normal occurence. Just you are walking by to buy that delicious cendol (and play some tikam) outside the school gate, suddenly bangg.. a student get walloped by a helmet by another student. Schools of course under reported this as to keep the squeeky clean image of the school. When fights happen, teachers will usually turn away and act as nothing is happening. When fight happens, students will gather around to see it like a wrestling match in television. Honestly, it's exciting to see a hooligan bashing up another student mercilessly without any apparent reason, unless it is you who is being beaten up. Chinese, Indians and Malays each form its own gang. Never I have seen a multiracial gang. From my personal observation, the Indian and Malay gang usually fight bcoz of a girl. Wahh..so romantic la these fella. The Chinese gang is much more organised and is usually linked with triads outside the school.

Ok, on a serious note, what cause students to get involved in a gang? Disfunctional family? poor family? Single parent family? On a book entitled Freakonomics, Stephen Levitt has a theory on this. He says that whether a child is going bad or not is not correlated with good or bad parenting. It's largely due to who are your child's friends. You can give the best parenting possible, but if he get mixed with a bad crowd, he would likely fall into the dark side. Man.. Just look at Star Wars, Anakin become Darth Vedder bcoz of bad peer pressure by the Sith Lord. Haha.. Even the wise Yoda could not save him. Freaky isnt' it?

Malaysian History X

Mahathir got it right the first time by speaking out his mind to Tunku Abdul Rahman. In which in a letter he sent, he criticised Tunku of weak administration that causes the 1969 racial riot. Being sacked after that for being a 'kurang ajar', he spent his days in political wilderness writing a book called 'The Malays Dilemma." I think if the internet existed in those days, he will definitely blog his brain out. Now, fast forward to the future. Mukhriz, his son is attempting to do the same manner as was his father did in 1969; sent a letter to Paklah asking for his resignation. Wahh.. so creative this Mukhriz fella. Just follow your daddy's footstep all the way. But, the only thing different is, Mukhriz did not get sacked from UMNO. But, I bet that quietly, people in UMNO are starting to rally around this guy. This is bcoz if history really did repeat itself, Mukhriz will go far.

Mukhriz vs Hishamuddin

"Let's settle this like a man. Last one standing gets the seat "

In Utusan Malaysia today, Mukhriz made a statement that he is waiting Hishamudin, his boss to make a move to vacant his seat first, before declaring his intention whether to contest for the Ketua Pemuda UMNO or not. Alaa.. come on la.. Politics in Malaysia is so very polite one laa. I don't get it. If Mukhriz is so brave enough to send a letter to Paklah asking him to resign, why suddenly become so coward in challenging Hishamuddin? You can insult the big boss of UMNO himself, but still playing safe at the Pemuda level? Just go ahead step in the ring, challenge Hishamuddin. Whether or not he is vacancying the seat is different matter.