By Syed Akbar Ali
In the USA, a brand new Toyota Camry 2.4L sells for RM69,396.00 (and not RM170,000), Toyota Altis for RM46,000 (and not RM112,000), Honda Jazz for RM36,000 (and not RM108,000). Want more?
DIGEST this article, after that, you may need to vomit. What is the Malaysian Government doing all these while. Ripping off our Rakyat for the last 30 year with AP's designed to benefit a few well connected Bumis, the UMNO/BN have robbed millions of citizens in this fiasco, under the pretext of protecting our local industry.
The Government has forgotten we Malays are the largest customers in the country. What is the NEP policy doing? Ripping off the Malays (which forms 65% of the consumer base) to benefit a few UMNO politicians!
BMW 535i sells for RM178,000 in the US
In the United States of America (a developed country which we are also aspiring to become by the year 2020) a 2009 model BMW 535i Sedan is selling for about USD50,367. This is only RM178,000, about the price of a Toyota Camry 2.4L here in Malaysia. The same BMW sells in Malaysia for about RM450,000!.
BMW 328i sells for RM155,000 in the US
The 2009 model BMW 328i 2 door Convertible sells for USD44,014 or RM155,369.00 in the US. In Malaysia the same car sells for over RM460,000. This is an untenable situation.
Audi A4 2.0T Cabriolet Convertible sells for RM142,000 in the US
The 2009 model Audi A4 2 Door 2.0T Cabriolet Convertible sells in the US for USD40,328.00 or RM142,357. In Malaysia the same car would sell for about RM265,000.
VW GTI 2.0T sells for RM85,000 in the US
In the US the 2009 model Volkswagen GTI 2.0T sells for USD 24,039 or RM85,000 only. In China the same car will cost around RM60,000. Over here the same VW car sells for about RM200,000.
And the 2010 model Toyota Camry 2.4L sells in the US for USD 19,659.00 or RM69,396 In Malaysia the 2008 Toyota Camry 2.4L sells for RM170,000. Toyota Camry 2.4L, 2010 model but only RM69,000 in the US.
Car prices in Malaysia are about three times higher than the prices in the United States. We are a developing nation. Our land and labour costs are so much cheaper than the US. Why are our cars so expensive? It does not make any sense. ‘Tak masuk akal.’
Then here are some car prices from our neighbour Indonesia. The Toyota Altis sells in Indonesia for about RM46,000. The same car sells here for around RM 112,000. Again we are three times more expensive than Indonesia.
The Honda Jazz sells here for RM108,000. In Indonesia the Jazz sells for RM 36,000. Three times more expensive.
We are paying ridiculously high prices (and actually impoverishing the Malays, who are the largest buyers of cars in Malaysia) to support an out of date, out of touch with reality motor car policy.
We are paying the highest car prices in the world to support the Proton and other locally made cars as well as support a mind boggling AP policy which only benefits a relatively few rich Malays. A disproportionately large number of Malays and other Malaysians are being impoverished to subsidise the wealth of a few inefficient rich.
26 million Malaysians have to pay three times more for their cars just to support Proton and 120,000 people who are directly and indirectly involved in the motor sector in Malaysia and the AP holders. That is a ratio of 216:1.
This ratio of 216:1 is too skewed. 26.0 million happier people can contribute many more votes than 120,000 members of an inefficient motor industry. 26 million unhappy people can change a Government. (The maths is not really difficult here)
And this outdated policy is impoverishing the Malays more than anyone else.
...
Our motor car policy is forcing Malaysians to subsidise Proton so that Proton can sustain major inefficiencies in the Malaysian economy. This is not a good thing at all.
We have to unwind this situation. Set a target of 18 months from now to unwind all protection for our motor industry. Remove the impoverishing AP policy also in 18 months. Let Malaysian car prices reflect world market prices for the same makes of cars.
If a BMW 535 sells for RM178,000 in America , it should sell for a little less here in Malaysia (our rentals and salaries are cheaper).
The Ministers continue making pronouncements about the car industry as though nothing has happened. I hope everyone will please wake up. The Government has a real chance of getting thrown out of office in about three years. The people will not accept inept answers anymore.
The ridiculous car prices in Malaysia is an issue that is just beginning to get more attention and publicity. It is going to become a really big issue in the near future. Be forewarned!.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Places of Worship
Places Of Worship - By Syed Akbar Ali
Many, many years ago circa 1997 when I wrote a column in The Sun newspaper, I wrote once about our temples, mosques and other places of worship getting too noisy. My article was reproduced by some nut from PAS in the Harakah or somewhere. He was asking people to get angry at me.
At that time we lived on a 17th floor condo in Pantai Hillpark. Nine years before in 1988 my wife and I (with our baby son) lived for a while in a rented flat in Subang Jaya.
In both places we lived close to mosques and suraus.. In Subang Jaya there was a surau immediately behind our flat. Early each morning about 5 a.m. they would start blasting the chanting and recitations etc on their loudspeakers. Our baby son would start crying from his sleep.
(Most recently my good friend Jahamy keeps sending me sms'es at about 6:00 am in the morning. When I asked him why so early, he said there is a masjid nearby which wakes him up too!)
In Pantai Hillpark, the local mosque would have their ceramah – sometimes up to 9 pm and beyond. Even 17 floors up the condo and some distance away, we could hear their chatter.
I also worked at Maybank (Menara Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak). In the evenings after work, my colleagues and I would sometimes adjourn for tea at our foodcourt. Just nearby, as you come up the small road from Jalan Pudu, there is a Hindu temple at the corner. In the evenings this little Hindu temple would incessantly ring its very loud bell. It used to really rattle my ears. I would have to strain my ears to hear my friends talking.
In other countries you keep your noises inside your temples, churches and mosques. I think that is a very Islamic and civilized thing to do. In Germany church bells can only be heard inside their own walls and not beyond their compound. Neighbours have a right to complain about noise pollution from church bells. The same applies to the call for prayer or azan from mosques in Germany .. All sounds must remain within the
four walls of your place of worship.
I am sure if there are Hindu temples in Germany , their bells must also abide by the same rules. Its called curbing noise pollution.
Here I would like to point out that the loudness of the ceramah at the mosques or the loudness of the call to prayer has got absolutely nothing to do with their religious fervour.
Instead it has got everything to do with the inventive genius of “kafir” sound engineers in Sony of Japan or Samsung of Korea. As the “kafir” Japanese and Korean sound engineers become more inventive, so do the mosques around the world become louder. The religious fervour is not linked to the faith but to the power of the latest sound systems from Sony, Samsung and LG.
The relevant question to ask would be: what kind of religious fervour is that? To be true to the faith, the call to prayer should be made using the human voice alone, unaided by 100MW or 250MW “Made In Japan” loudspeakers.
I really feel that all our places of worship inside Malaysia (of all religions) must be governed by zoning laws pertaining to noise pollution. Keep it down. Don’t make noise and disturb the neighbourhood.
My view is also that compared to our population now - there are far too many mosques and suraus, far too many temples and far too many churches in our country. There are thousands of Hindu temples, there are far too many suraus and mosques being built and there are also too many shophouses being converted into churches. The Calvary Church people are building a huge RM160.0 million worship centre close to my house in Bukit Jalil. Do we really need so many places of worship?
If you go to Kuala Kubu Bahru, they have built a huge mosque in the town. I think this mosque can accommodate all the inhabitants of Kuala Kubu Bahru town, including the non Muslims. It rarely has a full house in the congregation.
In Putrajaya the immensely beautiful Putrajaya Mosque also suffers emptiness most of the time. Only on Fridays and the Hari Raya there is a large congregation. On other days few people attend this mosque. Yet just about a kilometer away the latest testimony to religious hubris – a spanking new RM200 million stainless steel mosque also known as the “Masjid Besi” - with a capacity of 20,000 worshippers - has just been opened. This “masjid besi” is going to remain empty too.
But the saddest of all mosques is the huge and beautiful mosque that has been built just outside the KLIA. You cant miss it when you drive to the KLIA. The huge mosque stands alone with hardly anyone stopping over for prayers. It is totally out of the way.
I was in Kedah, driving through the gorgeous paddy fields beyond Alor Setar when suddenly out of the green paddy loomed this huge brand new yellow painted mosque with a huge dome. I am sure that mosque too could also have absorbed all the men, women and children in the surrounding village and still have space to spare.
There is a reason why mosques are getting so huge and so many. They are lucrative construction contracts – Government contracts. So if you are a local politician and you need to pass out some goodies in your precinct, a mosque contract would do the job just right. Plus the bigger the mosque the better it is and who will dare oppose the building of a larger mosque because building mosques begats ‘pahala’ or blessings.
And unfortunately many mosques have now also become a rebut kuasa place for the political animals who wear turbans and gorilla facial hair. They use the mosques to sow hatred and divide the community further. Here are some interesting verses from the Quran.
Surah 9:107 “There are those who abuse the masjid by practicing idol worship, dividing the believers, and providing comfort to those who oppose GOD and His messenger. They solemnly swear: "Our intentions are honorable!" GOD bears witness that they are liars.”
Surah 9:108 “You shall never stand in such a masjid. A masjid that is established on the basis of righteousness from the first day is more worthy of your standing therein. In it, there are people who love to be purified. GOD loves those who purify themselves.”
The same goes for temples and churches. Temples and churches also generate ‘money’ at the donation box. They provide other “services” like solemnizing marriages, “blessing” babies, blessing a new car, blessing a new business premise etc etc.
All this generates money. That is indeed a powerful aphrodisiac to lord it over the worshippers. Temples and churches are not exempt from feuds, squabbles and fighting over money.
Religion does divide people. This is a scientific fact. It is a necessary requirement for religion. If you join one religion, you must leave another. It is mutually exclusive. If you accept one type of holy spirit, then all the others must become unholy. You simply cannot have two holy spirits. They would start arguing with each other.
No apologies offered but these views of mine do not extend to the “deen” of Islam of my choosing – “deen” being a way of life. I am referring to the Islam that is kept safe and secure in the Quran. I am happy to note that even the non Muslims have begun to understand what is in the Quran and use the knowledge to good effect.
Recently a Guna something being an Editor of the Star wrote an article about the Karthika Dewi Shukarno affair. Guna wrote that the ‘scholars say that the Quran does not prescribe any punishment’ for consuming alchohol.
I am glad that Guna knows the content of the Quran pertaining to punishment and consuming alchohol.. I also hope he will get to know much more about the Quran. This is useful information.
The Islam that I have come to know and appreciate is the same Islam that compels me to write these views today about mosques, churches and temples. The Islam that I have come to know is far removed from the hate and divisiveness that is ordinarily
potrayed on tv and in the media (and also in Shah Alam on Friday).
I am a Muslim. I am NOT one of them (or maybe one of YOU).
“Religion” (as opposed to the “deen” or way of life of Islam) is indeed the opium of the masses. Religion has too often been thwarted to become one of the most divisive forces ever created by mankind. More wars have been fought over religion and more people have been killed over religion than anything else. Religion is like radioactivity. You touch it you sure “kena”.
If we claim to be sensible people all of us must seriously consider if we really need any type of too intrusive (or pervasive) religion in our lives?
Ponder the following. Compare spending one hour in your place of worship with spending one hour in the library. Compare spending an hour in “devotions” with an hour taking a brisk walk. Compare spending an hour listening to a religious sermon with an hour listening to classical music or listening to a professional speaking about something useful.
Now please answer me this:
Which activity can lead you to carrying a severed cow’s head to insult someone?
Which activity can lead you to say that your neighbour believes in unholy spirits?
Which activity can lead you to be inconsiderate of your neighbours right to peace and quiet?
Which activity can lead you to hate your fellow man based on caste or sect?
Which activity would cause you to like or dislike a person because of his dietary preferences (pork or non pork eating, beef or non beef eating, vegetarian or non vegetarian)?
Do answer honestly. I hope it will help you get a better idea of the common variety of “religion”.
As I said before, I am a hardcore, fundamental, extremist Muslim. So to end this, here are some quotes from my favorite book the Quran:
Surah 9:31 “They have set up their priests and religious scholars as lords, instead
of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to serve only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.”
Surah 9:34 “O you who believe, many religious leaders and preachers take the people's money illicitly, and repel from the path of GOD. Those who hoard the gold and silver, and do not spend them in the cause of GOD, promise them a painful retribution.”
How true. Sadaqallaah – God has spoken the truth.
p.s. If you wish to comment on this topic, please keep it civil – otherwise I will not let your comments through and the world would be deprived of your insight, your genius, your wisdom and your spin. And that would be a terrible waste because the more we share our ideas, the richer we become.
Many, many years ago circa 1997 when I wrote a column in The Sun newspaper, I wrote once about our temples, mosques and other places of worship getting too noisy. My article was reproduced by some nut from PAS in the Harakah or somewhere. He was asking people to get angry at me.
At that time we lived on a 17th floor condo in Pantai Hillpark. Nine years before in 1988 my wife and I (with our baby son) lived for a while in a rented flat in Subang Jaya.
In both places we lived close to mosques and suraus.. In Subang Jaya there was a surau immediately behind our flat. Early each morning about 5 a.m. they would start blasting the chanting and recitations etc on their loudspeakers. Our baby son would start crying from his sleep.
(Most recently my good friend Jahamy keeps sending me sms'es at about 6:00 am in the morning. When I asked him why so early, he said there is a masjid nearby which wakes him up too!)
In Pantai Hillpark, the local mosque would have their ceramah – sometimes up to 9 pm and beyond. Even 17 floors up the condo and some distance away, we could hear their chatter.
I also worked at Maybank (Menara Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak). In the evenings after work, my colleagues and I would sometimes adjourn for tea at our foodcourt. Just nearby, as you come up the small road from Jalan Pudu, there is a Hindu temple at the corner. In the evenings this little Hindu temple would incessantly ring its very loud bell. It used to really rattle my ears. I would have to strain my ears to hear my friends talking.
In other countries you keep your noises inside your temples, churches and mosques. I think that is a very Islamic and civilized thing to do. In Germany church bells can only be heard inside their own walls and not beyond their compound. Neighbours have a right to complain about noise pollution from church bells. The same applies to the call for prayer or azan from mosques in Germany .. All sounds must remain within the
four walls of your place of worship.
I am sure if there are Hindu temples in Germany , their bells must also abide by the same rules. Its called curbing noise pollution.
Here I would like to point out that the loudness of the ceramah at the mosques or the loudness of the call to prayer has got absolutely nothing to do with their religious fervour.
Instead it has got everything to do with the inventive genius of “kafir” sound engineers in Sony of Japan or Samsung of Korea. As the “kafir” Japanese and Korean sound engineers become more inventive, so do the mosques around the world become louder. The religious fervour is not linked to the faith but to the power of the latest sound systems from Sony, Samsung and LG.
The relevant question to ask would be: what kind of religious fervour is that? To be true to the faith, the call to prayer should be made using the human voice alone, unaided by 100MW or 250MW “Made In Japan” loudspeakers.
I really feel that all our places of worship inside Malaysia (of all religions) must be governed by zoning laws pertaining to noise pollution. Keep it down. Don’t make noise and disturb the neighbourhood.
My view is also that compared to our population now - there are far too many mosques and suraus, far too many temples and far too many churches in our country. There are thousands of Hindu temples, there are far too many suraus and mosques being built and there are also too many shophouses being converted into churches. The Calvary Church people are building a huge RM160.0 million worship centre close to my house in Bukit Jalil. Do we really need so many places of worship?
If you go to Kuala Kubu Bahru, they have built a huge mosque in the town. I think this mosque can accommodate all the inhabitants of Kuala Kubu Bahru town, including the non Muslims. It rarely has a full house in the congregation.
In Putrajaya the immensely beautiful Putrajaya Mosque also suffers emptiness most of the time. Only on Fridays and the Hari Raya there is a large congregation. On other days few people attend this mosque. Yet just about a kilometer away the latest testimony to religious hubris – a spanking new RM200 million stainless steel mosque also known as the “Masjid Besi” - with a capacity of 20,000 worshippers - has just been opened. This “masjid besi” is going to remain empty too.
But the saddest of all mosques is the huge and beautiful mosque that has been built just outside the KLIA. You cant miss it when you drive to the KLIA. The huge mosque stands alone with hardly anyone stopping over for prayers. It is totally out of the way.
I was in Kedah, driving through the gorgeous paddy fields beyond Alor Setar when suddenly out of the green paddy loomed this huge brand new yellow painted mosque with a huge dome. I am sure that mosque too could also have absorbed all the men, women and children in the surrounding village and still have space to spare.
There is a reason why mosques are getting so huge and so many. They are lucrative construction contracts – Government contracts. So if you are a local politician and you need to pass out some goodies in your precinct, a mosque contract would do the job just right. Plus the bigger the mosque the better it is and who will dare oppose the building of a larger mosque because building mosques begats ‘pahala’ or blessings.
And unfortunately many mosques have now also become a rebut kuasa place for the political animals who wear turbans and gorilla facial hair. They use the mosques to sow hatred and divide the community further. Here are some interesting verses from the Quran.
Surah 9:107 “There are those who abuse the masjid by practicing idol worship, dividing the believers, and providing comfort to those who oppose GOD and His messenger. They solemnly swear: "Our intentions are honorable!" GOD bears witness that they are liars.”
Surah 9:108 “You shall never stand in such a masjid. A masjid that is established on the basis of righteousness from the first day is more worthy of your standing therein. In it, there are people who love to be purified. GOD loves those who purify themselves.”
The same goes for temples and churches. Temples and churches also generate ‘money’ at the donation box. They provide other “services” like solemnizing marriages, “blessing” babies, blessing a new car, blessing a new business premise etc etc.
All this generates money. That is indeed a powerful aphrodisiac to lord it over the worshippers. Temples and churches are not exempt from feuds, squabbles and fighting over money.
Religion does divide people. This is a scientific fact. It is a necessary requirement for religion. If you join one religion, you must leave another. It is mutually exclusive. If you accept one type of holy spirit, then all the others must become unholy. You simply cannot have two holy spirits. They would start arguing with each other.
No apologies offered but these views of mine do not extend to the “deen” of Islam of my choosing – “deen” being a way of life. I am referring to the Islam that is kept safe and secure in the Quran. I am happy to note that even the non Muslims have begun to understand what is in the Quran and use the knowledge to good effect.
Recently a Guna something being an Editor of the Star wrote an article about the Karthika Dewi Shukarno affair. Guna wrote that the ‘scholars say that the Quran does not prescribe any punishment’ for consuming alchohol.
I am glad that Guna knows the content of the Quran pertaining to punishment and consuming alchohol.. I also hope he will get to know much more about the Quran. This is useful information.
The Islam that I have come to know and appreciate is the same Islam that compels me to write these views today about mosques, churches and temples. The Islam that I have come to know is far removed from the hate and divisiveness that is ordinarily
potrayed on tv and in the media (and also in Shah Alam on Friday).
I am a Muslim. I am NOT one of them (or maybe one of YOU).
“Religion” (as opposed to the “deen” or way of life of Islam) is indeed the opium of the masses. Religion has too often been thwarted to become one of the most divisive forces ever created by mankind. More wars have been fought over religion and more people have been killed over religion than anything else. Religion is like radioactivity. You touch it you sure “kena”.
If we claim to be sensible people all of us must seriously consider if we really need any type of too intrusive (or pervasive) religion in our lives?
Ponder the following. Compare spending one hour in your place of worship with spending one hour in the library. Compare spending an hour in “devotions” with an hour taking a brisk walk. Compare spending an hour listening to a religious sermon with an hour listening to classical music or listening to a professional speaking about something useful.
Now please answer me this:
Which activity can lead you to carrying a severed cow’s head to insult someone?
Which activity can lead you to say that your neighbour believes in unholy spirits?
Which activity can lead you to be inconsiderate of your neighbours right to peace and quiet?
Which activity can lead you to hate your fellow man based on caste or sect?
Which activity would cause you to like or dislike a person because of his dietary preferences (pork or non pork eating, beef or non beef eating, vegetarian or non vegetarian)?
Do answer honestly. I hope it will help you get a better idea of the common variety of “religion”.
As I said before, I am a hardcore, fundamental, extremist Muslim. So to end this, here are some quotes from my favorite book the Quran:
Surah 9:31 “They have set up their priests and religious scholars as lords, instead
of GOD. Others deified the Messiah, son of Mary. They were all commanded to serve only one god. There is no god except He. Be He glorified, high above having any partners.”
Surah 9:34 “O you who believe, many religious leaders and preachers take the people's money illicitly, and repel from the path of GOD. Those who hoard the gold and silver, and do not spend them in the cause of GOD, promise them a painful retribution.”
How true. Sadaqallaah – God has spoken the truth.
p.s. If you wish to comment on this topic, please keep it civil – otherwise I will not let your comments through and the world would be deprived of your insight, your genius, your wisdom and your spin. And that would be a terrible waste because the more we share our ideas, the richer we become.
Monday, September 21, 2009
To What Extent Will UMNO Be Prepared To Go To Keep Power And Control?
... I received an email which asked me the question:
“Have I not heard that there were people within UMNO who have argued that UMNO should look towards getting themselves “ready” for what is to come – if their position was threatened? – Especially in the light of the last GE”.
My immediate response was to ask, “What does he mean by getting ready?”
... Logic tells me that what UMNO will do first and foremost is to see what they can do to counter the tsunami that hit them in the last General Election.
If they need to change leader they will do so. This they have done with the dismissal of Pak Lah.
Then they go for the opposition. Go for Pakatan Rakyats leaders. Hit Anwar. They have done so through the Judiciary and through any underhand tactics they could muster. Hit Karpal Singh. If they could they would have physically harm him outside Parliament when those brave Pemuda UMNO confronted that old man in his wheel chair. Harass Lim Kit Siang – but nothing much they could do to this man – he is too seasoned and able to take care of himself. Love your enemies to death – they tried that with PAS – no can do!
Now UMNO know the tide is really turning against them. The Rakyat are beginning to show their contempt and disgust too – demonstrations, the web and that “out-with-UMNO feeling” that you just know is sweeping through the nation has started to make everyone wake up and do their personal best to keep the momentum of that “feeling” to continue to embrace us all across the nation.
Now this is the part that we all worry about. What will UMNO do now that they know they might (a big might!) not be able to be the first to get across the finishing line at the next General Election?
This is where the “readiness” factor comes in. Would there be another May 13? Would an emergency be declared soon to ensure that UMNO would maintain control over all things Malaysian? I have discussed all these in previous postings.
Now I want to ask you all this? To what extent will UMNO be prepared to go to keep power and control? ... One of our readers questioned what those illegal buying of arms meant – this is something we need to think about...
I just want you to start to think of the possibilities. Desperate people will do desperate things ... Is UMNO going militant? Are they establishing links with Pakistan, the Middle East – with like-minded organization where the only justification of what they do is that the ends justify the means? What will UMNO say to these matters?
These are very disturbing questions that I ask. But understand this – we need to think these thoughts through carefully and rationally. Remember there are just too many of us who are for justice and fairness in Malaysia to allow for any Party – even UMNO – to impose their will upon us – if we chose not to allow them to do so. Think and reflect. Tell me what you think. Amen.
- HUSSEIN ABDUL HAMID
“Have I not heard that there were people within UMNO who have argued that UMNO should look towards getting themselves “ready” for what is to come – if their position was threatened? – Especially in the light of the last GE”.
My immediate response was to ask, “What does he mean by getting ready?”
... Logic tells me that what UMNO will do first and foremost is to see what they can do to counter the tsunami that hit them in the last General Election.
If they need to change leader they will do so. This they have done with the dismissal of Pak Lah.
Then they go for the opposition. Go for Pakatan Rakyats leaders. Hit Anwar. They have done so through the Judiciary and through any underhand tactics they could muster. Hit Karpal Singh. If they could they would have physically harm him outside Parliament when those brave Pemuda UMNO confronted that old man in his wheel chair. Harass Lim Kit Siang – but nothing much they could do to this man – he is too seasoned and able to take care of himself. Love your enemies to death – they tried that with PAS – no can do!
Now UMNO know the tide is really turning against them. The Rakyat are beginning to show their contempt and disgust too – demonstrations, the web and that “out-with-UMNO feeling” that you just know is sweeping through the nation has started to make everyone wake up and do their personal best to keep the momentum of that “feeling” to continue to embrace us all across the nation.
Now this is the part that we all worry about. What will UMNO do now that they know they might (a big might!) not be able to be the first to get across the finishing line at the next General Election?
This is where the “readiness” factor comes in. Would there be another May 13? Would an emergency be declared soon to ensure that UMNO would maintain control over all things Malaysian? I have discussed all these in previous postings.
Now I want to ask you all this? To what extent will UMNO be prepared to go to keep power and control? ... One of our readers questioned what those illegal buying of arms meant – this is something we need to think about...
I just want you to start to think of the possibilities. Desperate people will do desperate things ... Is UMNO going militant? Are they establishing links with Pakistan, the Middle East – with like-minded organization where the only justification of what they do is that the ends justify the means? What will UMNO say to these matters?
These are very disturbing questions that I ask. But understand this – we need to think these thoughts through carefully and rationally. Remember there are just too many of us who are for justice and fairness in Malaysia to allow for any Party – even UMNO – to impose their will upon us – if we chose not to allow them to do so. Think and reflect. Tell me what you think. Amen.
- HUSSEIN ABDUL HAMID
Sunday, September 13, 2009
All Immigrants
Syed Imran, an Arab-Malaysian born in Penang, Malaysia, an ex-Bernama journalist (1971-1998) and former press secretary to the Minister in PM's Department, posted a great blog days ago, which was translated into English, reporduced below:
The main issue brought up by Ahmad Ismail, the head of the Bukit Bendera, Pulau Pinang UMNO Division, revolves around the question of "squatters", that is, that Chinese Malaysians are squatters in this country. It had hurt the sensitivity of the Chinese Malaysian community.
I don't know Ahmad Ismail personally, but I was quite close to his late elder brother, Abdul Rahim Ismail, the owner of Rahim Construction Company that was once famous as an "Earth-Prince" (Bumiputra) construction firm in Pulau Pinang. I don't know what has happened to the company after Abdul Rahim passed away.
Personally, I don't agree with what Ahmad Ismail said for the following reasons:
To me, nearly 90 percent of Malaysians, especially those in the Peninsula, are immigrants, and all of us are actually squatters in the land of Allah anyway.
For example, I come from a family that squatted in this blessed land.
My paternal grandfather and grandmother migrated from Mecca and Brunei, while my maternal grandmother came from Hadramut, Yaman. We are immigrants and squatters, as are almost everyone else in this country.
As for Ahmad Ismail, he is also an immigrant having descended from an immigrant's family who squatted in this country. Ahmad Ismail cannot deny the fact that his grandfather and grandmother moved from India to this country in search of a better life in this blessed land.
It is also the case with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi whose maternal grandfather hailed from Guangdong in southern China. In short, Pak Lah's grandfather, Allahyarhamah Kailan, whose name was Hasson Salleh or Hah Su Chiang, was an immigrant. He moved to Tanah Melayu from Guangdong in the mid-19th century. He stayed in Bayan Lepas as a rubber estate worker, a padi farmer and later became a diamond trader.
Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister, is also a descendant of an immigrant Bugis family that came from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Hishammudin Hussein cannot escape the fact that there is Turkish blood running through his veins.
The Malacca Malay Sultanate was founded by an immigrant coming from Sumatra -- Parameswara, a prince who practised Hinduism.
A reading of the history of Malay Sultanates would reveal that some of them were founded by Bugis immigrants, while others were of Hadramut and Minangkabau parentage.
Almost all Malays living in this country are from outside Tanah Melayu, but are defined as "Malay Race" by the Federal Constitution. We are "Malay" in definition by the Constitution, that is, we are Muslims; we practise Malay customs and speak the Malay language. Unfortunately, the Malay language itself seems to have been killed by the Malays in UMNO when they named it the Malaysian language (Bahasa Malaysia).
Therefore, Arabs like Syed Hamid Albar and myself, Achehs like Sanusi Junid, Indians like Kader Sheikh Fadzir and Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Bugises like Najib, Minangs like Rais Yatim, Jawas like Mohamad Rahmat, and others from Madura, Pulau Buyan, Siam, Myanmar, Yunnan (China) and the Philippines are conveniently categorized as Malays.
They are accepted as Malays regardless of whether they speak Malay or otherwise at home like those of us who speak Arabic, the Jawas that speak Jawa, the Minangs that speak Minang, or the Mamak that speak Tamil..
These languages are anything but Malay if we look at it from the perspective of the Federal Constitution, so they should never have been declared Malays. But for the sake of political correctness, all of them are accepted as Malays and "Earth Princes" (bumiputra).
It is grossly unfair to point to the Chinese as immigrants when the Arabs, Indians, Achehs, Minangs, Bataks, Mandailings, Jawas, Maduras, and Bugises are immigrants no less in this country. We cannot deny the fact that most of the Chinese's grandfathers and grandmothers migrated to this country in the days of the Malacca Malay Sultanante, some of whom did so during the period of Kedah Sultanate, Terengganu Sultanate and Kelantan Sultanate respectively. After Francis Light wrested Penang from the hands of the sultan of Kedah in 1786, more Chinese had arrived here.
We are all immigrants squatting in this country. Only the Negrito, Jekun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi, and other indigenous people groups (like the Kadazandusuns, Ibans and Bidayuhs) can be correctly considered the original inhabitants of this country.
We must never forget the contributions and sacrifices made by all the races in building our nation in all its aspects, including the economy, social structure, national defense and, most importantly, national unity. We are all taxpayers whether or not we are descended from immigrants or squatters.
The main issue brought up by Ahmad Ismail, the head of the Bukit Bendera, Pulau Pinang UMNO Division, revolves around the question of "squatters", that is, that Chinese Malaysians are squatters in this country. It had hurt the sensitivity of the Chinese Malaysian community.
I don't know Ahmad Ismail personally, but I was quite close to his late elder brother, Abdul Rahim Ismail, the owner of Rahim Construction Company that was once famous as an "Earth-Prince" (Bumiputra) construction firm in Pulau Pinang. I don't know what has happened to the company after Abdul Rahim passed away.
Personally, I don't agree with what Ahmad Ismail said for the following reasons:
To me, nearly 90 percent of Malaysians, especially those in the Peninsula, are immigrants, and all of us are actually squatters in the land of Allah anyway.
For example, I come from a family that squatted in this blessed land.
My paternal grandfather and grandmother migrated from Mecca and Brunei, while my maternal grandmother came from Hadramut, Yaman. We are immigrants and squatters, as are almost everyone else in this country.
As for Ahmad Ismail, he is also an immigrant having descended from an immigrant's family who squatted in this country. Ahmad Ismail cannot deny the fact that his grandfather and grandmother moved from India to this country in search of a better life in this blessed land.
It is also the case with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi whose maternal grandfather hailed from Guangdong in southern China. In short, Pak Lah's grandfather, Allahyarhamah Kailan, whose name was Hasson Salleh or Hah Su Chiang, was an immigrant. He moved to Tanah Melayu from Guangdong in the mid-19th century. He stayed in Bayan Lepas as a rubber estate worker, a padi farmer and later became a diamond trader.
Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister, is also a descendant of an immigrant Bugis family that came from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Hishammudin Hussein cannot escape the fact that there is Turkish blood running through his veins.
The Malacca Malay Sultanate was founded by an immigrant coming from Sumatra -- Parameswara, a prince who practised Hinduism.
A reading of the history of Malay Sultanates would reveal that some of them were founded by Bugis immigrants, while others were of Hadramut and Minangkabau parentage.
Almost all Malays living in this country are from outside Tanah Melayu, but are defined as "Malay Race" by the Federal Constitution. We are "Malay" in definition by the Constitution, that is, we are Muslims; we practise Malay customs and speak the Malay language. Unfortunately, the Malay language itself seems to have been killed by the Malays in UMNO when they named it the Malaysian language (Bahasa Malaysia).
Therefore, Arabs like Syed Hamid Albar and myself, Achehs like Sanusi Junid, Indians like Kader Sheikh Fadzir and Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Bugises like Najib, Minangs like Rais Yatim, Jawas like Mohamad Rahmat, and others from Madura, Pulau Buyan, Siam, Myanmar, Yunnan (China) and the Philippines are conveniently categorized as Malays.
They are accepted as Malays regardless of whether they speak Malay or otherwise at home like those of us who speak Arabic, the Jawas that speak Jawa, the Minangs that speak Minang, or the Mamak that speak Tamil..
These languages are anything but Malay if we look at it from the perspective of the Federal Constitution, so they should never have been declared Malays. But for the sake of political correctness, all of them are accepted as Malays and "Earth Princes" (bumiputra).
It is grossly unfair to point to the Chinese as immigrants when the Arabs, Indians, Achehs, Minangs, Bataks, Mandailings, Jawas, Maduras, and Bugises are immigrants no less in this country. We cannot deny the fact that most of the Chinese's grandfathers and grandmothers migrated to this country in the days of the Malacca Malay Sultanante, some of whom did so during the period of Kedah Sultanate, Terengganu Sultanate and Kelantan Sultanate respectively. After Francis Light wrested Penang from the hands of the sultan of Kedah in 1786, more Chinese had arrived here.
We are all immigrants squatting in this country. Only the Negrito, Jekun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi, and other indigenous people groups (like the Kadazandusuns, Ibans and Bidayuhs) can be correctly considered the original inhabitants of this country.
We must never forget the contributions and sacrifices made by all the races in building our nation in all its aspects, including the economy, social structure, national defense and, most importantly, national unity. We are all taxpayers whether or not we are descended from immigrants or squatters.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Melayu By a Malay
- Syed Imran
There are many scholars of yesteryear's, Malays, who will tell you that the only original words in the Malay language are "Tanah" and "Melayu".
Melayu is derived from the Javanese word Melayu. In Javanese the word Melayu means running away, or a runaway, that is why if you go to Java and ask a Javanese if he is Melayu he will feel very insulted.
These people, the runaways whether in Sumatra or in the Malay Peninsula referred to themselves as orang Melayu, it is therefore no coincidence that the word orang is placed before Melayu, people who ran away so to speak.
In the Malay Peninsular, it was gradually accepted as the word to describe the Javanese, the Bugis, the Menang, the Achinese etc. and even the Kelantanese who are actually Yunanese and have their origins in China, because they recognized the fact that at the end of the day they were all Melayu, or Run Aways from their respective homelands the word was accepted by all these communities to describe themselves.
In fact, before the formation of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), it is a fact that all the people in the country had referred to themselves as Menang, Achinese, Bugis, Javanese etc. etc. and we all know that the Kelantanese used to treat the other Melayu, that is the Menang, Javanese, the Bugis etc. as foreigners.
Well, for that matter, even Mahathir Mohammed was registered as Indian in King Edwards College where he studied medicine.
The Malay therefore very much like the Indians, and later the Chinese are Melayu in the very true sense of the word because they all left their respective countries to come to this location in South East Asia called Malaysia today.
The real natives of the country are the Orang Laut, the Jakun, the Kadazaan, the Iban, the Senoi and the rest, and not the so called Orang Melayu, because these people are actually Javanese, Achinese, Bugis, people from the Mollucas islands, and other parts of neighbouring Indonesia, including those from Cambodia and even China (Yunanese). That explains the word Melayu in various parts of Sumatra too.
For Malay citizenship and for permanent residence reasons, the Orang Java, be they Sundanese, Orang Java Barat, Orang Java Tengah or Orang Java Timor, or any other Indonesian for that matter recognises the fact that the day he becomes a Malaysian citizen, he is now an Orang Melayu that is a new word coined by Malaysians of these origins to legitimise their Bumiputraism.
And to become Bumiputra this way, that is by becoming a Melayu, he has to profess the Islamic faith. This privilege is not extended to Dayaks, from Kalimantan, or Christian Filipinos, or for that matter Christians from among the peoples of Sumatra, Java or any other Indonesian Islands.
The irony of all this is the fact that if you look at the real Orang Asli of Malaysia as a whole you'll find out that the majority of them are not from the Islamic faith, and that is one of the reasons why in Sabah the registration department of the Federal Government legitimised and gave citizenship and permanent residence status to hundreds and thousands of illegal Fillipina immigrants from the Southern part of the Philippines.
I therefore disagree with your attempt to legitimize the term Orang Melayu as a race, it is not and never will be. The so-called Melayu must own up to their own heritage the way the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia proudly do.
And if we are to use this word called Melayu, it should be a term used to refer to all Malaysians except the ethnic Malaysians who are orang Asli.
The term Bumiputera was coined and the Malay placed in that category to legitimize the fact that he is ethnic when he is not.
It is a shame, and in fact a disgrace that they are the only group of people who by this very act, show the world that they are ashamed of their own heritage.
And who else can be so? Only those who run away or are banished from their own lands, for it is only such people who are ashamed of their own heritage.
Even the customs, the traditions, the dressings, the architecture etc. point to the fact that the so called Orang Melayu of Peninsular Malaysia are actually not one and the same people.
There are many scholars of yesteryear's, Malays, who will tell you that the only original words in the Malay language are "Tanah" and "Melayu".
Melayu is derived from the Javanese word Melayu. In Javanese the word Melayu means running away, or a runaway, that is why if you go to Java and ask a Javanese if he is Melayu he will feel very insulted.
These people, the runaways whether in Sumatra or in the Malay Peninsula referred to themselves as orang Melayu, it is therefore no coincidence that the word orang is placed before Melayu, people who ran away so to speak.
In the Malay Peninsular, it was gradually accepted as the word to describe the Javanese, the Bugis, the Menang, the Achinese etc. and even the Kelantanese who are actually Yunanese and have their origins in China, because they recognized the fact that at the end of the day they were all Melayu, or Run Aways from their respective homelands the word was accepted by all these communities to describe themselves.
In fact, before the formation of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), it is a fact that all the people in the country had referred to themselves as Menang, Achinese, Bugis, Javanese etc. etc. and we all know that the Kelantanese used to treat the other Melayu, that is the Menang, Javanese, the Bugis etc. as foreigners.
Well, for that matter, even Mahathir Mohammed was registered as Indian in King Edwards College where he studied medicine.
The Malay therefore very much like the Indians, and later the Chinese are Melayu in the very true sense of the word because they all left their respective countries to come to this location in South East Asia called Malaysia today.
The real natives of the country are the Orang Laut, the Jakun, the Kadazaan, the Iban, the Senoi and the rest, and not the so called Orang Melayu, because these people are actually Javanese, Achinese, Bugis, people from the Mollucas islands, and other parts of neighbouring Indonesia, including those from Cambodia and even China (Yunanese). That explains the word Melayu in various parts of Sumatra too.
For Malay citizenship and for permanent residence reasons, the Orang Java, be they Sundanese, Orang Java Barat, Orang Java Tengah or Orang Java Timor, or any other Indonesian for that matter recognises the fact that the day he becomes a Malaysian citizen, he is now an Orang Melayu that is a new word coined by Malaysians of these origins to legitimise their Bumiputraism.
And to become Bumiputra this way, that is by becoming a Melayu, he has to profess the Islamic faith. This privilege is not extended to Dayaks, from Kalimantan, or Christian Filipinos, or for that matter Christians from among the peoples of Sumatra, Java or any other Indonesian Islands.
The irony of all this is the fact that if you look at the real Orang Asli of Malaysia as a whole you'll find out that the majority of them are not from the Islamic faith, and that is one of the reasons why in Sabah the registration department of the Federal Government legitimised and gave citizenship and permanent residence status to hundreds and thousands of illegal Fillipina immigrants from the Southern part of the Philippines.
I therefore disagree with your attempt to legitimize the term Orang Melayu as a race, it is not and never will be. The so-called Melayu must own up to their own heritage the way the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia proudly do.
And if we are to use this word called Melayu, it should be a term used to refer to all Malaysians except the ethnic Malaysians who are orang Asli.
The term Bumiputera was coined and the Malay placed in that category to legitimize the fact that he is ethnic when he is not.
It is a shame, and in fact a disgrace that they are the only group of people who by this very act, show the world that they are ashamed of their own heritage.
And who else can be so? Only those who run away or are banished from their own lands, for it is only such people who are ashamed of their own heritage.
Even the customs, the traditions, the dressings, the architecture etc. point to the fact that the so called Orang Melayu of Peninsular Malaysia are actually not one and the same people.
The Arrogance of Power
By Hussein Hamid
When you are in power for over fifty years, every now and then there is that temptation to bend the rules and sometimes even the truth to suit the political needs of the moment. You can be forgiven if this inclination does come up once in a blue moon – though the colour of the moon can be said to be blue every month if you are powerful enough to want it to be so. So here lies the problem. When this inclination becomes the norm where does that put good governance?
Almost daily now we are subject to the painful and most uncomfortable sensation of having our leaders take us for fools. They boldly stand in front of us through the medium of their Television Stations, their Media or even at times in person and proceed to tell us what they want us to know – not what we should know. Is there nobody amongst them that can tell them that what they are doing is like peeing into the wind?
Have the educated, intelligent and rational generation of Malays all left UMNO leaving our nation without some of its best people in government even when we need them most?
Najib is in a world of his own. He lacks the ability to make sense of what is happening around the country. Surviving day to day is hard enough for him.
UMNO has sworn blood oaths that they will defend themselves from PAS, from DAP from Keadilan from everybody – no matter what. In desperation they have ventured into territory where they violate all democratic conventions almost on a daily basis. When we question the legality of their actions their answer is that ‘might is right’.
When the court initially finds in favor of the opposition as in Perak – they appeal its decision confident that the Judiciary is ultimately theirs to instruct and manage. When a death in custody happens the usual suspects are paraded. A commission, an inquiry, no stones unturned….and then slowly but surely nothing will come of it.
They play the Judiciary as if it was their own – and why not when the Chief Justice is indeed their own. Whenever a situation arises that will give problems to them they no longer even have the decency to pay lip service to placate the Rakyat – nowadays it is deny, deny deny.
Deny there was ever any intention to humilate the Hindus in the cow-head incident. Deny that there was any reason to not renew the IGP again and again. Deny that there was anything wrong in the caning sentence of Kartika but nevertheless no less a person then the Prime Minister himself has asked her to appeal for a reduction in her sentence.
Arrest 16 people for carrying yellow candles and red and white roses who were seeking freedom of religion in this country and yet deny that Muslims stepping on the sacred head of a cow is doing anything to incite another race.
They invoke the name of ALLAH at their whims and fancies and see no sin in promoting the very sins that Islam frowns upon. For surely corruption and greed is also corruption and greed whether in Mecca or Malaysia?
That all this has become the norm for UMNO frightens me. This is the arrogance of power that I am talking about. Perhaps the most outrageous example of this arrogance is their inability to understand that there are other points of view to be considered rather than their own.
To them any deviations from their point of view is a conspiracy to undermine their ability to hold on to power – no matter what.
I try to do this. By my writing if I can turn one person against UMNO – just one – then we are one person ahead towards our ‘brand new beginning’.
Do as I do. Go talk to one person and bring him or her into our fold – then one by one we will slowly but surely build up our strength and strike down UMNO and Barisan. Go do it now!
When you are in power for over fifty years, every now and then there is that temptation to bend the rules and sometimes even the truth to suit the political needs of the moment. You can be forgiven if this inclination does come up once in a blue moon – though the colour of the moon can be said to be blue every month if you are powerful enough to want it to be so. So here lies the problem. When this inclination becomes the norm where does that put good governance?
Almost daily now we are subject to the painful and most uncomfortable sensation of having our leaders take us for fools. They boldly stand in front of us through the medium of their Television Stations, their Media or even at times in person and proceed to tell us what they want us to know – not what we should know. Is there nobody amongst them that can tell them that what they are doing is like peeing into the wind?
Have the educated, intelligent and rational generation of Malays all left UMNO leaving our nation without some of its best people in government even when we need them most?
Najib is in a world of his own. He lacks the ability to make sense of what is happening around the country. Surviving day to day is hard enough for him.
UMNO has sworn blood oaths that they will defend themselves from PAS, from DAP from Keadilan from everybody – no matter what. In desperation they have ventured into territory where they violate all democratic conventions almost on a daily basis. When we question the legality of their actions their answer is that ‘might is right’.
When the court initially finds in favor of the opposition as in Perak – they appeal its decision confident that the Judiciary is ultimately theirs to instruct and manage. When a death in custody happens the usual suspects are paraded. A commission, an inquiry, no stones unturned….and then slowly but surely nothing will come of it.
They play the Judiciary as if it was their own – and why not when the Chief Justice is indeed their own. Whenever a situation arises that will give problems to them they no longer even have the decency to pay lip service to placate the Rakyat – nowadays it is deny, deny deny.
Deny there was ever any intention to humilate the Hindus in the cow-head incident. Deny that there was any reason to not renew the IGP again and again. Deny that there was anything wrong in the caning sentence of Kartika but nevertheless no less a person then the Prime Minister himself has asked her to appeal for a reduction in her sentence.
Arrest 16 people for carrying yellow candles and red and white roses who were seeking freedom of religion in this country and yet deny that Muslims stepping on the sacred head of a cow is doing anything to incite another race.
They invoke the name of ALLAH at their whims and fancies and see no sin in promoting the very sins that Islam frowns upon. For surely corruption and greed is also corruption and greed whether in Mecca or Malaysia?
That all this has become the norm for UMNO frightens me. This is the arrogance of power that I am talking about. Perhaps the most outrageous example of this arrogance is their inability to understand that there are other points of view to be considered rather than their own.
To them any deviations from their point of view is a conspiracy to undermine their ability to hold on to power – no matter what.
I try to do this. By my writing if I can turn one person against UMNO – just one – then we are one person ahead towards our ‘brand new beginning’.
Do as I do. Go talk to one person and bring him or her into our fold – then one by one we will slowly but surely build up our strength and strike down UMNO and Barisan. Go do it now!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
UMNO Youth to Undergo Commando Training
Remarkable that the very disturbing announcement by none other than the Defence Minister himself below seemed to have been bypassed by Pakatan Rakyat and other right-thinking parties and NGO's.
Another Hamas in the making? This is sheer provocation. What if PKR, DAP & PAS Youth leaders also get commando style training? Civil war?
Umno Youth leaders to get military-style training
JASIN, Aug 9 — Umno’s training bureau will soon organise a course for Umno Youth division chiefs based on a commando-type training module, Umno vice-President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is the bureau’s chairman, said the course would enhance resilience and competitiveness among Umno Youth leaders.
“For them to win back the young voters, they need to be resilient and this can be achieve through the commando-style training,” he told reporters after opening the Jasin Umno delegates’ meeting at the Dewan Alamanda, here today.
He said the course would be carried out by the Umno Youth movement, National Civics Bureau (Biro Tatanegara) and the Malaysia Veteran Commandos Club.
“This was the kind of course we had when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was the youth chief.
“Camaraderie needs to be instilled in today’s youths; that is why (Umno Youth Chief) Khairy Jamaluddin and his executive council members have agreed to take part in the course, to be held soon,” he said.
The training bureau would also provide a course with a different module for Wanita and Puteri Umno leaders, he said. — Bernama
Another Hamas in the making? This is sheer provocation. What if PKR, DAP & PAS Youth leaders also get commando style training? Civil war?
Umno Youth leaders to get military-style training
JASIN, Aug 9 — Umno’s training bureau will soon organise a course for Umno Youth division chiefs based on a commando-type training module, Umno vice-President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is the bureau’s chairman, said the course would enhance resilience and competitiveness among Umno Youth leaders.
“For them to win back the young voters, they need to be resilient and this can be achieve through the commando-style training,” he told reporters after opening the Jasin Umno delegates’ meeting at the Dewan Alamanda, here today.
He said the course would be carried out by the Umno Youth movement, National Civics Bureau (Biro Tatanegara) and the Malaysia Veteran Commandos Club.
“This was the kind of course we had when Datuk Seri Najib Razak was the youth chief.
“Camaraderie needs to be instilled in today’s youths; that is why (Umno Youth Chief) Khairy Jamaluddin and his executive council members have agreed to take part in the course, to be held soon,” he said.
The training bureau would also provide a course with a different module for Wanita and Puteri Umno leaders, he said. — Bernama
Monday, September 7, 2009
Exams Are Set To Be Passed! - Dr. Agoes Salim
The objective of STPM is to pass people?
How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the exams of the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) recently, when during your father's time only 10%would have passed?
Are students getting smarter? Or are STPM questions getting easier?
Let me put things in their proper perspective.
During your grandfather's time, they would ask exam questions like:
"In what year did Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka?"
The correct answer was "1402", and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn't go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people.
I mean, what's the point of having exams if people fail?
So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
"Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer."
The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.
"Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402.
True or false?"
Well, half of the students guessed "True" and the other half guessed "False".
Fully 50% passed.
The results were getting pretty acceptable by now but still not good enough. Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us.
We are a better country, because we are a boleh country. The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:
Read the following sentence carefully.
"Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402. Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka."
60% underlined "Parameswara", 30% underlined "Proton-Iswara" and 10%
underlined "1402".
Yeah!!!!....60% managed to pass! So krever!
But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:
"One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka.
Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?"
13% (smart students) handed in blank answers, 57% wrote "Maggi Mee",
10% wrote " Kentucky Fried Chicken" and 20% wrote "Nasi Lemak".
The correct answer was anything concerning "Food" of course!
After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed.
87%!!!!!............now that's pretty impressive!
So it's true. So now the authorities are very happy that the students are indeed getting smarter?
Well done Boleh-land!
Perhaps, this is why we have a host of students with an impressive string of 'As' who can hardly construct a decent sentence!
Neow mind, our super-duper gomen can find a job for us one.
Duh......
How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the exams of the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) recently, when during your father's time only 10%would have passed?
Are students getting smarter? Or are STPM questions getting easier?
Let me put things in their proper perspective.
During your grandfather's time, they would ask exam questions like:
"In what year did Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka?"
The correct answer was "1402", and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn't go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people.
I mean, what's the point of having exams if people fail?
So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
"Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer."
The results were better in that 20% of the students passed. But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.
"Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402.
True or false?"
Well, half of the students guessed "True" and the other half guessed "False".
Fully 50% passed.
The results were getting pretty acceptable by now but still not good enough. Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us.
We are a better country, because we are a boleh country. The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:
Read the following sentence carefully.
"Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402. Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka."
60% underlined "Parameswara", 30% underlined "Proton-Iswara" and 10%
underlined "1402".
Yeah!!!!....60% managed to pass! So krever!
But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented. So last year, they came out with this gem:
"One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka.
Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?"
13% (smart students) handed in blank answers, 57% wrote "Maggi Mee",
10% wrote " Kentucky Fried Chicken" and 20% wrote "Nasi Lemak".
The correct answer was anything concerning "Food" of course!
After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed.
87%!!!!!............now that's pretty impressive!
So it's true. So now the authorities are very happy that the students are indeed getting smarter?
Well done Boleh-land!
Perhaps, this is why we have a host of students with an impressive string of 'As' who can hardly construct a decent sentence!
Neow mind, our super-duper gomen can find a job for us one.
Duh......
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Malaysians Are Cry Babies!
They cry and cry. Boo hoo hoo, the people of Sabah and Sarawak are being badly treated. Then they give both the state governments plus 30 of the 31 parliament seats in Sarawak and 24 of the 25 parliament seats in Sabah to Barisan Nasional. Then they cry: boo hoo hoo we are being badly treated.
Malaysians should stop crying. Whatever predicament they are in is their own doing. Stop complaining about this, that and the other. You are in the predicament you are in because of your own doing.
Umno can’t form the government without the 30 parliament seats from Sarawak, 24 parliaments seats from Sabah, 15 parliament seats from MCA, and 5 parliament seats from MIC and Gerakan. That comes to 74 seats in all out of the 139 that Barisan Nasional controls. Without these 74 seats Umno is a dead duck. It will only have 65 seats in parliament. 65 out of 222 means Umno will be sent into the Opposition aisle. So stop crying like cry-babies. It is your decision to allow Umno to rule. And it is your decision to allow Umno to treat you badly.
Stop crying and stop blaming the Malays. This has nothing to do with the Malays. The Malays are more upset than the Chinese and Indians or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The Malays blame the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak for giving Umno the political power that they now have. Without the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, Umno would have been kicked out by now. So stop crying about how badly you are being treated. You deserve what you are getting. You deserve the treatment you are receiving. And I just hope Umno will continue doing what they are doing, plus much worse, to teach you all a bloody lesson.
And the Malays should also stop crying about how economically backward they are. So the Chinese ‘stole’ all the wealth of this country. So what? It just shows that the Chinese are better than the Malays when it comes to business, although the Chinese are stupid when it comes to politics. It also shows that Umno has failed you. Umno conned you. Umno took you for a ride. Don’t blame the Chinese for being clever. Blame yourself for being stupid in trusting Umno.
There are 15 million eligible voters in Malaysia. But only half of them voted. In fact, from the half that did not vote, about 4 million did not even register as voters. This means less than 4 million from 15 million eligible voters voted for the Opposition. 11 million voters either voted for the ruling party or did not vote or did not register to vote.
So stop crying. No more boo hoo hoo. You are what you are because of your own doing. That is the long and short of it all. If the fire is too hot then get out of the kitchen. If you don’t dare fight then hand this country to Umno and Barisan Nasional and shut up. No more boo hoo hoo I have been badly treated. It makes me sick when those who cry boo hoo hoo did not even vote or are not registered voters.
- RPK
Malaysians should stop crying. Whatever predicament they are in is their own doing. Stop complaining about this, that and the other. You are in the predicament you are in because of your own doing.
Umno can’t form the government without the 30 parliament seats from Sarawak, 24 parliaments seats from Sabah, 15 parliament seats from MCA, and 5 parliament seats from MIC and Gerakan. That comes to 74 seats in all out of the 139 that Barisan Nasional controls. Without these 74 seats Umno is a dead duck. It will only have 65 seats in parliament. 65 out of 222 means Umno will be sent into the Opposition aisle. So stop crying like cry-babies. It is your decision to allow Umno to rule. And it is your decision to allow Umno to treat you badly.
Stop crying and stop blaming the Malays. This has nothing to do with the Malays. The Malays are more upset than the Chinese and Indians or the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The Malays blame the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak for giving Umno the political power that they now have. Without the Chinese and Indians and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, Umno would have been kicked out by now. So stop crying about how badly you are being treated. You deserve what you are getting. You deserve the treatment you are receiving. And I just hope Umno will continue doing what they are doing, plus much worse, to teach you all a bloody lesson.
And the Malays should also stop crying about how economically backward they are. So the Chinese ‘stole’ all the wealth of this country. So what? It just shows that the Chinese are better than the Malays when it comes to business, although the Chinese are stupid when it comes to politics. It also shows that Umno has failed you. Umno conned you. Umno took you for a ride. Don’t blame the Chinese for being clever. Blame yourself for being stupid in trusting Umno.
There are 15 million eligible voters in Malaysia. But only half of them voted. In fact, from the half that did not vote, about 4 million did not even register as voters. This means less than 4 million from 15 million eligible voters voted for the Opposition. 11 million voters either voted for the ruling party or did not vote or did not register to vote.
So stop crying. No more boo hoo hoo. You are what you are because of your own doing. That is the long and short of it all. If the fire is too hot then get out of the kitchen. If you don’t dare fight then hand this country to Umno and Barisan Nasional and shut up. No more boo hoo hoo I have been badly treated. It makes me sick when those who cry boo hoo hoo did not even vote or are not registered voters.
- RPK
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
University Malaya Racist circular letter---- approved and cleared by MU!
This is a letter from University Malaya 's head of Graduates to all the students (maybe of a certain race only).
For those not bothered with stressing your brains too much in understanding the written malay, I'll do the translation:
Therefore, I as the Head of Graduates of University of Malaya would like to advise all our fellow graduates of University of Malaya to combine forces and prepare ourselves together with all the necessary knowledge and preparation before we continue our fight in the actual battle field.
This advice applies mainly to our Malay Graduates. We must treasure the sacrifices made by our ancestors who tried so hard to ensure that Tanah Melayu ( Malay Land ) is free from the intrusion of alien races.
We must not fall into the category of those who forget their roots until they will be taken over by other races.
Graduates must prove themselves that we are capable and the best choice to take over the throne of governing the country in the future. This means with the theme of MPMUM Progressive, Dynamic, Professional.
There is nothing more important that can be compared to our always-sensitive and improving Graduates. I also would like to advise all Malay Graduates to prepare ourselves in facing all sorts of unpredicted challenges that may occur in near future, relating to the rise of our fellow citizens, in particular to the non-Malay races.
Don't let ourselves slack and allow our 'enemies under the blankets to attack us' (direct translation from the Malay idiom). Don't allow our Malaysia to fall into the hands of those who are irrelevant.
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