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The article though offensive to some, it is just so true of us Malaysians making a mockery of our ownselves.

In every UMNO general meeting, the same Malay agenda is always being mentioned; the Malays have yet to achieve the desired target, warning to other races not to question Malay rights and etc.

At the same time, Pak Lah warned Malaysians not to play the racial card when the very Party he rules is the main culprit of all. At one end, the govt. mooted idea of the creation of Bangsa Malaysia. At the same time, Pemuda UMNO is asking for more rights and privileges for Bumiputras apart from preserving the current status quo. Isnt the current status quo of classifying its owns citizens as Bumi and Non Bumi is actually doing more harm in dividing the society than to unite it?

The globalised world awaits no one. Malaysia would indeed be left behind if we dont buckle up and accept that all these rights and privileges would actually do more harm than good. If UMNO felt that the Malays are always being left behind in Malaysia, then we certainly always will. Countries like Vietnam and China have no such privileges or rights accorded to their own citizens unlike Malaysia in according such privileges to Bumiputras.

At the end of the day, it boils down to hard work and perseverance in determining one's success. NEPs have only encouraged a get rich quick mentality from allocations of IPOs, APs, licences and etc. What sort of Bumiputra entrepreneurs have they created thus far? When would UMNO come to terms with the realities of the world?

A time would come that so called Malaysia "Boleh" is actually Malaysia "bodoh
".

If you watch the UMNO AGM proceeding which is live on Astro, and if you are foreigners (assuming you comprehend Bahasa) or non-Malays, you sure feel very uncomfortable.

Main element of most speeches are Warnings, Demand, Threat, Intimidation, Pressure etc.

Where is the spirit of cooperation? Without this basis, where is the country heading.

Pre financial crisis 1997, we are one of the Asian Tiger. Look now what happen, FDI has greatly reduced. And if we look at Vietnam (don't talk about China or India) we are ashamed.

If we continue with the inter-race bashing among ourselves we shudder to envisage the future.

Can't these leaders be more positive to focus on constructive and nation building agenda rather than racial based and bashing our ownselves.

This is the stupidity of our great UMNO leaders. We should be moving ahead instead of focusing on issues grinding on race and religion hatred. The tallest, biggest, longest thing Malaysia can do is most important to the UMNO people. We are just digging our own graves.

Our PM must open his eyes and aggressively move forward thinking of the future of Malaysians eg preventing brain drain, improving our already poor quality education standards, etc, etc.

Sigh.... Malaysia is heading downhill already!

Malaysia Boleh to Malaysia "Bodoh".... hehehee. Good one.

"Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is, Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 ? that's just five years away."

Yeah,Malaysia would be going from bad to worst soon when were not doing anything to be competitive in the global market. All I hear is politic bickering,racial issues and corruption. (Sigh!!!)

There are more and bigger challenges ahead of us and yet we didn't see the government is doing anything drastic for a better tomorrow.

RM490mil for a sports complex in UK, another RM400mil for a new Istana Negara + RM95mil to send Malaysian to space. Do we really need to spend these monies? This is close to 1 billion already. I'm sure there more wastage somewhere else. Are we really that rich?

There are more areas that need the money. Let me put up a few. I'm sure there are more.

1. General Hospitals - Try to go to GH and you will know how crowded the place is. Some newly developed areas or existing kampung areas doesn't even have public hospitals. I'm sure you can find this in the newspaper.

2. Education - Why our local fresh grads finding it hard to get a job? Is there any effort to take a look into the entire education system?

3. Public Transport - Putra LRT. Recently my wife told me that she need to wait at least half an hour in the KLCC train station before she can board the train. Train breakdown frequency is getting high liao. It can happen a few times in a week.

4. Go to Penang, a place called Kuala Sungai Pinang, after Balik Pulau. My grandfather stayed there. The place hasn't changed at all for the past 30 years. No improvements, equally "ulu". I believe there are more places like this in Malaysia.

Year in and year out, UMNO is doing the same thing. It is not that they cannot move ahead. THEY DON'T WANT TO! 30% is not enough, they want 70% equivalent to the percentage of population. What kind of argument is this? This is worst than Ah Long! They want to take, take, take, no giving! And still expect the rest of the nation to give in! FOr crying out loud, If this is what Malaysia is going to be, I rather go south and cari makan, 3 years later apply PR, then take up Singapore Citizenship! At least there if I work harder I can get further, here working harder means giving harder!
And don't give me the bull that bumi equity in the market is less than 30%. Statistics are skewed! No GLCs....not so long ago, it was an individual who owned MAS....go ahead, carry on squandering all the money the rest of us have worked hard for....build the tallest, the longest, the furthest....spend on Mansions in the UK...give the bumis more money, so they can build mansions in relatively low poverty areas...

Teach a man to fish, don't give the man a fish!

News on Malaysia Brain Drain, dont know if you seen this.

Malaysia biotech bid hurt by researcher brain

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Malaysia is counting on bright, ambitious people like Tan Chye Ling for its future, to lead it away from manufacturing and into the knowledge age.

But the 32-year-old scientist, a post-graduate in molecular biology, is not counting on Malaysia to look after her future.

"I felt very suppressed in Malaysia," said Tan, who moved to neighbouring Singapore, the region's pace-setter for biotech investment, after a decade of study and research in Malaysia.

Source : Reuters
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP35633.htm

ouch..its really true and it hurts, though the article sounds a bit offensive. me as a Malay..i don't watch the UMNO AGM..waste of time and i hate it. like what my bos said, i'm biased towards the UMNO people yeah it's true, and I don't feel guilty about it.

Those "bodoh" leaders do not realise malaysia actually "tak boleh".

Those stupid leaders think they bought the knowledge but in reality we only bought the technology without the necessary expertise to maintain them.

"Most Malaysians are convinced that the eyes of the world are on their country and that their leaders are world figures".

Who says so? I hope he means a certain political party instead of including Malaysians that consists of non-bumis. We have better brains than that to think we have world-class leaders who are world figures. Sorry Tun, you are not on my list of world figure leaders too unfortunately..have not reach that level. Sorry.

"MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy each of its two main races - the Malays and the Chinese - owns. It's an argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time Malaysia grew up."

I disagree with the author here when he said 'it's time Malaysia grew up'. What's worth fighting and arguing for is worth fighting and arguing for. Is the author asking us, the marginalised for the last 30 years to continue to take the blows and keep quiet? Now KJ is saying the NEP should be 70% instead. We give an inch they want the yard. The author of that article I believe have never experience what is marginalised or being second-classed?

"The tallest, biggest, longest thing Malaysia can do is most important to the UMNO people".

Ahh...there are alot of benificiaries here..financially.

Funny that I notice that it is always near elections that we have mega projects...most of which are unnecessary unless its sole reason is to spend money. Wonder who gets these projects? Perhaps some of these money is for the political coffers? You tell me :-).

It stung, but for a good reason .

"Can't these leaders be more positive to focus on constructive and nation building agenda rather than racial based and bashing our ownselves".

Sure they can but that may not be their priority.....just vote the correct people in. We have got the wrong ones onboard for far too long.

You can make a difference. Time for a change.

For non-Malays, most of us were born here in Malaysia, "negaraku". We walked our very first baby steps in the "tanah" that "tumpahnya darah ku". We aspire to be "rakyat" that "hidup, bersatu dan maju".

We believe in the vision that our founding fathers have set out for us. We count as friends, our neighbors of different creed, color and religion.

What frightens us the most is the fact that some Malays, somehow, do not love us back. Every year, during the UMNO general assembly, we are made to feel that we are not wanted here. That our contributions, dreams, aspirations, fears don't mean squat because we are only allowed here by their graces.

And that really, really makes me sad. All this talk about Malay being the poorest race is just absolutely insulting. Are there not any other people from other races who suffer the same fate? Isn't the plague of poverty blind to the color of our skins? Show me a Malay who can't afford shoes, and I'll show you a Chinese who has nothing to eat. Show me a Malay who can't pay for school and I'll show you an Indian who can't afford medicine. Poverty is a class, not a race. And as long as we continue to see that poverty is a monopoly exclusively reserved for the Malay race, then we truly will not be able to eradicate poverty among Malaysians.

To the UMNOputras who spill fiery speeches, let it be known that the non-Malays have same fears that you have. We are afraid of losing our competitive position, not to the Malays, but of our country in relation to the others in the region. We are afraid that one day, we will wake up and find that our jobs are taken away, not by the Malays, but by the cheaper Chinese workers in China. We are afraid that our wealth is eroded, not by the Malays, but by the erosion of FDIs into our country. We are afraid that we will be made irrelevant one day, not by the Malays but by the world community who will look at our country as a great contender who was poised to make it big internationally but somehow squandered it.

Those are our fears. And we believe that those are same fears of the Malays.

The only difference is, we do not see you, the Malays, as the enemy.

what we require is a political system that sees beyond race and religion. The concept of statehood is outmoded and all state chief ministers abolish. The seat of DPM should be given permanently to those from east Malaysia.
For a multiracial country like Malaysia, the majority race should be prevented from ruling the country, as the tendency to impose on minorities are greater.
Umno is a party that sucks.Now it propose 70& of the wealth should be given to malays. Khairy would want that as the bulk of that 70% would be going through his channels. I wonder what sort of economic theory he learnt at Cambridge. And the Kris has grown in length. We all know what sort of hypocrite hishamuddin is. He should be waving a turkish sword and dance in circles.

Hard hitting but true. Do we really need to send someone to space? What technological benefits does that bring to the nation? All that money could be put to better use, perhaps to plan for the our future power needs, given oil will be depleted by 2025.

So this political party has become the laughing stock of the world?

I say congratulation!

You guys want to know why we spend RM95 million sending a man to space, then read this..
I should start preparing to migrate somewhere, and I am malay..
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/15/nation/20061115181546&sec=nation

Michael Backman is spot on.

Juvenile high jinks at UMNO meeting. It would have been hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic.

To the MCA, MIC and Gerakan - I really pity you guys. UMNO spits on your face and all you do is smile. Show some "cojones" or are you all trying to get some scraps?

Thomas Friedman wrote "The World is Flat" - he is flat wrong - we have deepening abysses.

BR/sovind

The leaders are feeling the the insecurity. For the past 2 months, I am seeing the panic trigger from all level of UMNO cabinet. The bubble is popping... the vote is swinging... the leadership is faltering.

we need a new take charge leader and swing the direction of the current government... we need to see the light soon.

I am very very concern with the current political atmosphere. In a time when the leadership spell everything crystal clear and lean towards the racial card, we are moving towards a CRISIS.

God Bless...

/// I wonder what sort of economic theory he learnt at Cambridge. ///

sydput - please don't tarnish the name of Cambridge University. KJ is from the other place.

i say let them behave like an idiot if they wish to ... come the time when oil runs dried and all the country's fortune being whacked by all these so-called pejuang-melayu, then we'll see who can survive the globalization ...

we just need to build our network and backup exit door should something happen to the econ of this country - chinese is always good at this ...

after thousands of years of civilization, chinese are aware and prepared to face the world - so there's nothing much we can do with these morons who're still fighting for their own illusions after almost half a century ...

the more they act stupid, the better it is for us ... don't wake them up, let them dream-walking ...

they're still surviving on 2 things - oil and businesses built by chinese ... oil will be gone sooner than 19 years ... they're eyeing 60% (and maybe 90% later) of chinese business stake, so it's a matter of time before they force themselves on chinese equity ... when that happen, we need to get out from here and start afresh elsewhere - let them fight for the leftover after this country has nothing left ...

chinese is known as a survival ... do you think ytl or genting or others are so stupid to put all the eggs in a basket in this country ? they know of something which ordinary people do not know ... think why they diversify aggresively overseas ...

cheers ...
http://stocktube.blogspot.com

i say let them behave like an idiot if they wish to ... come the time when oil runs dried and all the country's fortune being whacked by all these so-called pejuang-melayu, then we'll see who can survive the globalization ...

we just need to build our network and backup exit door should something happen to the econ of this country - chinese is always good at this ...

after thousands of years of civilization, chinese are aware and prepared to face the world - so there's nothing much we can do with these morons who're still fighting for their own illusions after almost half a century ...

the more they act stupid, the better it is for us ... don't wake them up, let them dream-walking ...

they're still surviving on 2 things - oil and businesses built by chinese ... oil will be gone sooner than 19 years ... they're eyeing 60% (and maybe 90% later) of chinese business stake, so it's a matter of time before they force themselves on chinese equity ... when that happen, we need to get out from here and start afresh elsewhere - let them fight for the leftover after this country has nothing left ...

chinese is known as a survival ... do you think ytl or genting or others are so stupid to put all the eggs in a basket in this country ? they know of something which ordinary people do not know ... think why they diversify aggresively overseas ...

cheers ...
http://stocktube.blogspot.com

i say let them behave like an idiot if they wish to ... come the time when oil runs dried and all the country's fortune being whacked by all these so-called pejuang-melayu, then we'll see who can survive the globalization ...

we just need to build our network and backup exit door should something happen to the econ of this country - chinese is always good at this ...

after thousands of years of civilization, chinese are aware and prepared to face the world - so there's nothing much we can do with these morons who're still fighting for their own illusions after almost half a century ...

the more they act stupid, the better it is for us ... don't wake them up, let them dream-walking ...

they're still surviving on 2 things - oil and businesses built by chinese ... oil will be gone sooner than 19 years ... they're eyeing 60% (and maybe 90% later) of chinese business stake, so it's a matter of time before they force themselves on chinese equity ... when that happen, we need to get out from here and start afresh elsewhere - let them fight for the leftover after this country has nothing left ...

chinese is known as a survival ... do you think ytl or genting or others are so stupid to put all the eggs in a basket in this country ? they know of something which ordinary people do not know ... think why they diversify aggresively overseas ...

cheers ...
http://stocktube.blogspot.com

sorry for the multiple posting jeff ... something wrong with the internet connection .... i thought it didn't went thru, so i pressed "post" more than once ... i dunno how to delete it ... so pls help me to delete the duplicate posting

Malaysia boleh. Do what others haven't done before in space. Better than reinventing.

People are out there, the destitute, the forgotten. And we're sending someone to space do teh tarik?

Scary.

Share to 5 people every day.

Share The TRUTH and let it prevail.

On a side note referring to chongsw's comment, tax payers' hard earned money are not only wasted on mega projects but on a smaller scale too. I'd known a scholar who was fully funded to do his professional studies in the UK . After graduation, he was told that he would be freed from his bond after returning home. It was said that there was no job vacancy for him. Ironically, some minister came up a few months back stating these professionals are in great demand.
That's about a million bucks wasted for the country while encouraging brain drain. It wouldn't take too long to make the sum to RM100 million.

Sigh.. this is sad..

If there are so many of you grudging and whining at the way the country is run, I hope it is not just talk only in the heat of the moment. Do your bid to correct the injustice come election time. Do not hope that others will do the right thing for you - they need your votes too. Every vote counts and if and when you have done your little part by voting for a change, only than can you say you have done your part. There should not be any excuses when you don't vote and do your part in the next election.

we can not handle the term globalization yet, ppl on the top knows it.
every action by them must have reasons, we have to look further then them and see the bigger picture.

If I wanted unmitigated ranting and complaining along with a side-dish of ugly generalizations, I'd read a blog.

I don't mind him criticising us, it's free speech; but it was a bit offensive to call Malaysia, our sovereign nation as a whole, "bodoh". He might not have intentionally mean it, but it was a bit uncalled for. Definitely not constructive...

Seeing & hearing all the s**t that was spewed from these UMNOputras, I am feeling angry & sad at the same time.

I don't know about you guys, but I did my bid to vote for the opposition in the last election. And I will do it again, provided I'm still in this country.

To those of you who have a chance to migrate or go to another country, I wish you luck. For those who have no choice but getting stucked here with these morons. I'd say lets spread the words around and come GE time, just vote these BN monkeys out. These BN monkeys make a fool of us, both bumis & non-bumis alike, for far too long. Do your bit, vote for change!

Seeing & hearing all the s**t that was spewed from these UMNOputras, I am feeling angry & sad at the same time.

I don't know about you guys, but I did my bid to vote for the opposition in the last election. And I will do it again, provided I'm still in this country.

To those of you who have a chance to migrate or go to another country, I wish you luck. For those who have no choice but getting stucked here with these morons. I'd say lets spread the words around and come GE time, just vote these BN monkeys out. These BN monkeys make a fool of us, both bumis & non-bumis alike, for far too long. Do your bit, vote for change!

Yes all of us should vote for a change. MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other component parties in BN have time and again been spat in the face and they seem to be grinning from ear to ear. What a bunch of losers. Let's do a SUPP on them.

It's becoming clearer and clearer each passing day UMNO will never end the NEP. It's the very reason of their political survival. A vote for MCA and other component parties is a vote for UMNO. If you want a better Malaysia do your bit at the polling booth.

Teh Tarik in space - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Par Value used, not Market Value - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Never Ending Policy - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Multi Million Sports Complex in UK - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Law enforcement officers who break their own law, not much action - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Scraping MY-SG bridge project - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Invading the privacy of tourists - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
Should not greet other religion festivals - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
UMNO + MIC + MCA + ETC = Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
NEP2 (Never Ending Problems) on MRR2 - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?
NEP2 on corruption, delayed projects, road potholes - Malaysia Boleh or Bodoh?

When it's the time of UMNO AGM,sometimes I think if it's real what those moron said represents the Malays group.Is it true?

Good one robin...
Keep that list for the next election.
Dont forget the AP issue too.
People have very short memories.

Jan,
Sorry to pour cold water on you, but i don't think there's enough Screenshot readers to do that. Sad.

I cry for Malaysia...

Not as bodoh as it looks. Somehow, somewhere, someone will have, if not already, made enough to jump ship when the time comes. I fear for the future generation.

I certainly don't agree to a lot what the writer says, I don't think that part of the reason why the ASLI paper was taken back or the furore it caused was because one prof who's Chinese, I don't agree we have a tremendously inflated sense of our place in the world, because while we might not ring bells on the streets out in the US, the name Malaysia, and being Malaysian brings a lot of respect and admiration from other parts of the world, Africa, the Middle East. I can't say thats all too bad, to have a place in the world is more than just being on Mr Bush's A list.

And whats wrong with being proud of the Twin Towers? Contrary to what he says, many Malaysians from all walks of life came together to make it happen, never mind it wasn't built by a Malaysian company, but have no doubt, scores of Malaysians were involved in its construction. If it is run by Westfield, well, thats one source of FDI that we can point to thats still in country.

However, as much as it would be nice to rebutt our dear friend from Australia, or to spar in an argument about their own little problems down under, it would be better for us to sit down and think, on how we can all collectively change for the better. I say collectively, because as a people, we are collection of differing tangents, each with very different priorities.

"When it's the time of UMNO AGM,sometimes I think if it's real what those moron said represents the Malays group.Is it true?"

The answer is plain in the open - they want your vote. We still have, after 30 years, the 'Haves and the Have-nots' Bumis. The rich Bumis gets richer, the poor gets poorer. If the Bumis 'Have-nots' are still poor even though with handouts, imagines what if you are a non-Bumi?

The Govt says they cannot afford to continue subsidizing our fuel and has to increase the price of fuel (brace yourselves, another fuel hike is due in a couple of months' time) but we certainly have enough money to make teh-tarik and play batu seremban in space at a disgustingly high sum of RM 95mil. Do we also need a Sports Complex at RM400mil overseas? These and many more could be better spend to improve the quality of life of Malaysians here. There should be priorities in life and certainly making teh-tariks and playing batu seremban in space is not one of them.

Jan: "It's becoming clearer and clearer each passing day UMNO will never end the NEP. It's the very reason of their political survival. A vote for MCA and other component parties is a vote for UMNO. If you want a better Malaysia do your bit at the polling booth."

Can't agree with you more. Love this "A vote for MCA and other component parties is a vote for UMNO." Hope the Opposition use this abosultely true statement in their election battle cry.

jetset: "Not as bodoh as it looks. Somehow, somewhere, someone will have, if not already, made enough to jump ship when the time comes. I fear for the future generation."

Very true. Also could it be one of the reasons that support this claim is that our Eduaction Minister has now changed the rules for Malaysians to be able to enter into International Schools here. I believe, acceptance quota is as high as 40% of the International Schools' total student registration. Previously, for admittance of Malaysians into international schools here in Malaysia, one has to either have been living outside Malaysia for the last 3 years at least or that one of the kid's parent has to be a foreigner. Why allow this since this is a benefit for the rich only as the school fees are extremely high. IS it that our public schools standards are very low that our Ministers do not want their children to enter into our public schools? A check might reveal that most ministers and high govt officials have their children either in Private or International Schools here in Malaysia, or that they are in boarding schools abroad.

Why? Is our public schools in the docks? Does the Education Minister and other such Ministers know something that we don't?

Alfabob, you may disagree with what Michael wrote but, nonetheless what he wrote do have some truth to it. All those mega projects, Twin Towers included, are funded by oils from the ground & our hard earned money. Indirectly, the space trip is also funded by taxpayers money. Imagine one of these days when the oil runs dry, what would happen to the Malaysian economy? What happen if we have no more oil?

The point the writer is pointing is that Malaysia should stop all these wastages & white elephant projects immediately less we'll end up becoming a 3rd world again when our oil runs out!

Is there anyway that we can stop our Govt from spending on any mega projects without first consulting with the public? Seems like when we voted them in, we have given them the mandate to do as they pleases for the next 5 years.

There was also a remark by someone that we should not question the govt! So, we have also given them a mandate to ask us to shut up and let them do what they like?

Hi alfabob,

I don't agree with what you said about the Twin Towers. Yes, we can be proud to declare we had the tallest buildings in the world. But, I would be more proud if we can declare that Malaysian built the tallest concrete building in the world.

I'm sure a lot of you had watched The Discovery channel on Petronas Twin Towers. All the researches of using new extremely strong concrete materials were in overseas. You can say that The Discovery owns by Americans. Even the project managers for Petronas Twin Towers were not Malaysians. What say you bro? Malaysian's role? I don't know. I don't know if the new technology has been transferred to us. The question is, can we, the Malaysian have the technology to build 2 similar size towers?

Coming from a country with no care for the environment, I honestly think Australia should shut up about the oil thing.

But most of it is true. Why? Because there is no significant opposition whenever the government comes to a decision.

Why? Because there is no bloody Opposition in parliament.

We are a country where the people, as I said before, have been brainwashed since we were kids to vote for the government.

All those Bina Negara camps! It was not for bina 'bloody' negara. These camps drilled into students the idea that the Malays should be thankful for the government's protection.

It also said that it was shameful that the Malays had to depend on a Coalition to rule the country.

Can you get any more Redneck Malay ideology?

But seriously, we must concern ourselves with the fact that we need a balanced parliament!

aput83,

"Coming from a country with no care for the environment, I honestly think Australia should shut up about the oil thing."

I wonder where you get the notion that Australians are a country with "no care" for the environment? From what I observe, it is quite the contrary. It is Malaysians who don't give a **** about the environment. Our politicians (and people) are too busy bickering, who should have a larger piece of the economic pie to care for nature. Tanah Melayu indeed! These people are more concerned of raping the land of what little resources it can yield than protecting it.

Just look at the Turtles in Terengannu. We even have to pull the Turtle logo coz the Leatherbacks don't visit our shores anymore. THeir kids keep getting eaten by the LOCALS!!!

And that "Perak fish", second smallest in the world... I'm counting the days for discovery to extinction!!

I dont want to start on deforestation and the state of our rivers.

Consider your accusations again my friend..

Neil: 'So, any food left over?'

A: 'Get in line, Neil. You're not the only one who's hungry these days. Why don't you pick up your lazy bones and dig some potatos instead?'

Neil:'What? how to hoe concrete?'

A: 'Yeah, the urban poor. Let me tell ya how they live. There's this poor chinese couple, an old man and woman. He's the foreman and she his helper. Their business is a dirty and dark motor shoplot in one of those hundreds of run-down, dispiriting and dirty housing estates so much forgotten by the city councils of this country, especially those who would spend thousands on monkey suits.'

Neil:'go on.'

A: 'Both of them look worn out. Their clothes are smudgy, their eyes sunken and they look their age. And they both cough badly. Into your passenger seats too. They have a young apprentice and he keeps to himself, wearing a slight smile that says he's on the way out the first sign of an opening. To get the spareparts, they use a rider; the chinese boy, they say, wouldn't dillydally, unlike the other chap who tends to lengang back, wearing a grin too.

Some of the parts don't look new; in fact, many seem to be not originals. You can see when he tinkers, he will forget where the nut is, drop the screw, lose the critical path process so essential to show a symphony of precision and an appreciation of the economic value of time that is to his own account as much the churn rate of his customers.

It doesn't cross his mind that his haphazard way may jeopardize the life of the motorist. His customers will also have to draw zen-levels of patience to wait in the heat from 11am to 9pm for what amounts to two simple replacements. Take that as punishment for past transgressions.

Neil, years of strife and struggle have worn both of them out. They know the pile they've saved somewhere from their 18 hours of daily grind for those past 40 years will dwindle because costs have gone up, and age has cut their productivity down. For them, it's just day-to-day, no hope, no silver lining, no spiritual uplifting that can transmute grime to gold. No polemics too.'

Neil: 'and your point?'

A: 'The human situation of that couple and their workplace reflects the situation of our country, Neil.'

Neil: 'We have more than two parts to replace.'

A: 'The greatest mistake of the government of this land is to ignore how easy it is for an entire nation to become irrelevant in a globalizing world.

The jetro people tried to tell us; likewise, those in amcham. The government didn't pay attention to the writing on the wall. It went merrily its own way to pooh-pooh misgivings of its policies, and reacted to each alarm in the only way it wanted to - wash it off as an aberration, excuse it off like the way the MB of selangor can say the unused swimming pool in the PKNS ecovillage was more for landscaping, or throw the gauntlet down at its citizens by saying they should not, you know, question this or that, on the grounds of race, religion or right.'

Neil: 'We've been through that before, A, and they're deaf and blind. Even their new generations, who seem to be more provocative and aggressive, as if these turks thuggishly think their thoughts are self-evidential trail-blazers.'

A:'And it's all because of fear. Fear of being swamped so they swarm first. Fear of losing their identity so they stake their preeminence second. Fear of losing their golden geese so they play their political brinkmanship third. And fear that they may fear even more later. Just fear. Nothing, zilch, zero, on how to remedy matters where it really counts. They would ignore realities and deny facts and real data because they think the unpalatables will run helter-skelter the moment they beat the drums of political power or wield the kerises of culture. Like how heroes are defined by those who would defend the land by spearing a man taking his bath in a hut by the river.'

Neil: 'If we look at how events have transpired, it seems there's a storm brewing from this calm. Their histrionics barely hide the same edges of hysteria one would see in someone who didn't do his homework, is found out by the teacher and is ready to be caned in front of the assembly. To save face, delay the assembly date. Preferably to a date to be set. But they also fail to see that a punishment on one is a punishment on all. In a globalized world, the responsibility runs all the way from the one who committed the act up to the one at the top. It's collective responsibility, so why not collective punishment?'

A: 'I am sure they would like to share their faults, Neil, but in order to get the spoils first, they have to deny your existence first. And they did that, no matter how the globalized world would look at our common country for doing so. We get off, and yet we don't.

And that's because they put the wrong priorities first. Sure, in the beginning, social stability was important, critical even. But then they went ahead to create a set of policies that added the need for national unity. However, that strategy would only have worked if everyone was too busy making money in a buoyant economy. The moment those globalization forces wrecked havoc with everything, coinciding with the increase of more discerning and intelligent citizens, and therefore new standards, what was to have been social stability leading to national unity became free-for-all chasing for personal wealth at the expense of the twin objectives of wealth creation and poverty eradication using the very policies and practices that denude the very objective of national unity the strategy was supposed to spawn.'

Neil: 'Touche. Like the couple in the rundown workshop, the country runs itself down. A piece of expensive hardware here, there and somewhere, and they say we're heading to developed status. Meanwhile, what's between the ears remains the same.'

A:'That's what i was going to say, Neil. The journey inwards is the longest of them all. Those jokers ('TMTs' in cantonese expletives, if you will allow me one indiscretion) have no sense of proportion, no sense of benefits foregone from more productive use of funds, no sense of what is real culture or quality or foresight. They just want to do it their way so that they can claim reward disproportionate to the task. Or, result.'

Neil: 'Are we all doomed then?'

A: 'They who have made and stashed their pile will outlive the fall of Malaysia. As with that couple and their apprentice, we the majority can expect reprieve in only one way. Exit from these irksome mortal coils.'

Neil: 'We mustn't believe it will be as bad as that. Why, i can't believe i'm hearing that from you, A, the only man who can describe a woman's smile as so sweet that it would melt the heart of even a himalayan tiger.'

A:'You're wrong there, Neil. I am the second man who said that. Voltaire was the first.

Let's not waste time before dark clouds cover earth's fair maidens. I treat. You just tenderize.'

Neil: 'Huh?'

Dearest Patriot,

Kyoto protocol, anyone....

Aussie also followed in the footsteps of America who declared there is no such thing as global warming.

Also, they are using coal energy to generate electricity.

I'm not saying Malaysia is any better, of course.

Between Petronas' ridiculous "wait first" policy for setting up NGV pumps, to our ignorance towards environmental impact studies in opening new housing areas, I'd say Malaysia is just as bad.

But we don't go about decrying their faults now, do we?

Live and let live.

Well aput83,

If you put it that way, there's hardly any country on earth that can comment on the way we handle our natural resource or how our country is run.

Yes, I am aware of Kyoto. But I don't think you can put a star on those who join and a cross on those who don't.

Similarly, many countries are guilty of burning coal for electricity.

But overall, I think Australia is a longway ahead of us in conservation efforts and environment initiatives.

I hate to admit it, but Pride aside, I agree with the author's observations.

We ARE in a mess.

malaysia is not 'bodoh' but the ppl who runs it.

come on lah, main gasing in space oso can...who could think of this besides them. they are just making fool out of themself. somemore i don think the gasing will spin cos there i no weight, so how to pull? somemore, do they knew how to? aii.....another tough training for them

Umm, aput83. The concept of global warming itself is also a debatable subject in itself. And I haven't really heard any declaration by the American govt. or the Aussies which totally disregarded that idea.

That said, it wouldn't kill to protect our local Malaysian environment more actively, given the flashfloods and loss of our mangrove swamps. In this regard, I am unhappy to say that the West is quite far ahead of us, even if they learned their lesson the difficult way.

Patriot,

That is true. They are way ahead. And what's more, they actually admit when there is an environmental blunder, unlike MB Khir Toyo and his denial that he didn't chop down half of Taman Pertanian in Shah Alam.

That still gets my blood boiling, actually.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/ausenv.html

That'a a good link about Aussie's environmental issues.

Most of the countries in Europe mind their environment very well. However, they have other issues which I object to. Case in point, Jack Straw and his anti-hijab agenda.

Honestly, I think Germany and Japan are the only two country's who should be allowed to comment on the environment...

Vince,

Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth is quite a good read about global warming.

The US has no national environmental policy for lowering emissions.

However, there are Americans who speak out and do something about it. Like this guy:

"We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late... The science is clear. The global warming debate is over."

* Arnold Schwarzenegger, bill signing ceremony for California's strict anti-emissions law

And this guy:

"The danger is that global warming may become self-sustaining, if it has not done so already. The melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps reduces the fraction of solar energy reflected back into space, and so increases the temperature further. Climate change may kill off the Amazon and other rain forests, and so eliminate once one of the main ways in which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. The rise in sea temperature may trigger the release of large quantities of carbon dioxide, trapped as hydrides on the ocean floor. Both these phenomena would increase the greenhouse effect, and so global warming further. We have to reverse global warming urgently, if we still can."

* Professor Stephen Hawking - ABC News interview, August 16, 2006

Interesting article. What caught my eye are the two phrases;

1. When Malaysia fiddles,its opportunities are running dry

2. "Nero was fiddling while Rome was burning"

These two phrases are to me, bulls eye statements.

The world is rapidly changing, with WTO and globalisation. What is really scary, is that many of our politicians are still living in the 60s and 70s and have not kept up to the times. They continue to use scare tactics and intimidation.And boy lets face the facts; the average Malay is just not ready for globalisation.Due to misconstrued policies and handouts, the biggest losers in the globalisation race in Malaysia are unfortunately going to be the Malays.

We have a problem & the statement from some of the speakers at the UMNO General Assembly acknowledges this. But the problem lies with the solution.

Their solution; Continue fiddling with the NEP and wealth redistribution instead of creation.And the use of scare tactics to prevent any discussion about this.

This policy is going to fail because;

1. Falling FDIs unlike in the 1980s & 1990s when FDI poured into ASEAN because of the Plaza currency agreement and yen revaluation.Then, both China and India were sleeping.But today the scenario has dramatically changed, as has been alluded to elsewhere.

2. The petroleum bonanza in the 1990s which helped prop up the economy via mega projects like the Twin Towers.An estimated 40 % of our revenue is derived from petroleum .Unfortunately, Malaysia's peak oil production was last year and from now on it will be a gradual decrease until 2011 when we become a net importer.

3. Deep structural problems within the economy,which will make our proposed leap from a labour intensive economy to a developed one, next to impossible.The lack of human capital in Malaysia ,after years of tampering with the education system, is glaring.

4. Racial polarisation which has worsened over the past three decades resulting in the migration overseas of tens of thousands of highly skilled Chinese and Indians.This has resulted in a skill shortage , whose effects are already being felt.Talk to many non Malys in their twenties and thirties, and many are thinking of migration. The more scare tactics UMNO uses the greater the skilled migration.

5. Resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism as examplified by numerous incidences recently.This will not only scare away FDIs but also accelerate the migration of non Muslims as the big fear is that one day, Malaysia will become an Islamic Republic with syariah laws.The immigration into Malaysia of millions of Indonesians & other Muslims, and their higher birth rate will ensure that the non Muslim proportion in the next few decades , will be similar to what it is in Indonesia today.

6. Tha absence of capital from Singapore to prop up the stock and housing markets, unlike the 1980s and 1990s.Today no Singaporean of sane mind would want to invest this country. The whole world is at their feet, so why invest in a country that constantly uses it as a punching bag.

So the punch line of the article is supported by facts. While the country is gradually slipping down the competitive ladder, the leaders , particularly from UMNO, are playing fiddle.

Smart Malaysians are quietly looking for opportunities to invest overseas or even contemplating migration.

Nobody wants to be the last passenger to get out in a sinking ship.

Why? Because Malaysia's oil will run out in about 19 years. As it is, Malaysia will become a net oil importer in 2011 ? that's just five years away.
rotfl spoken like a true peak oil fanatic. it's been "Malaysia has 19 years of oil reserves left" for many, MANY years now, so what does that tells us?

The Age, for Aussies, at least as far as I have known for ages while living there, is very similar to NST in terms of quality. and yet you, jeff, says we've earned it? Wat la u....

JEFF OOI says: Evidently, another budak belum kering hingus ;-)

when malaysianpatriot writes, i sit perfectly still and absorb quietly.

malaysianpatriot has very good points. although, i would honestly like to try to fix this "sinking ship" whilst investing my cash out of the country.

As the economy shrinks due to the uncompetitiveness of the country it's going to get tougher for UMNO to survive. They cannot continue to keep the NEP it's got to stop sometime. That's when there will be unrest between the races. Many smart non bumis are already moving out with their assets and expertise. There are also those who are not expanding their businesses due to the continuance of the NEP. At the end of the day it's the country along with the malays who will suffer the most. And we still have a bunch of monkeys talking big at the ongoing general assembly.

Najib Tun Razak:" It was impossible to correct the 446 years Malays were oppressed under the rule of foreigners between 1511 and 1957 within a period of 20 to 30 years " - Don't tell me the other races were never oppressed,bullied,marginalised from then until now...phew!

Chongsw,

You do not know of any Malaysian project managers is not the same as there was none. There were, during the course of the project, Malaysian project managers, a few no doubt, but they were there. There were even more Malaysian project engineers, and malaysian skilled labour that help prop up those 2 towers. Design is one thing, execution is another, and just like any good design should be appreciated, a good execution deserves equal appreciation. Yet, we belittle those who work 24/7, sweat tirelessly to make those towers real.

I will not say that Disco program is biased because its American, but I will say that we ourselves do not chronicle our own achievements. Go through the books about Malaysian history, and you'll come away with the impression that we did not fight in the Insurgency, the COnfrontation, but a lot of material how the foreigners helped us. I've no qualms in acknowledging that they contributed immensely, I've no qualms that they wrote about their experiences, but I do lament the fact that we ourselves do not bother to record our stories, our place in history. Rest assured however, many Malaysians were responsible for bringing the towers up, and that is a fact that we should acknowledge.

I do not want to prolong this debate about what has happened many many years ago, they do no good in how we move forward. Lets concentrate on getting us here to sing the same tune, to put our efforts to achieve a common goal. Eve since I've been frequenting here, almost everyone laments, and rant, and not exactly do something about it. Quite a few are thinking of leaving, or have left the country, or of the sort. Really though, how does this help the country? Do we need to keep on harping on how bad the country is and how better it is overseas?

Best. Article. Ever. Written. Period.

Even the outside world just looks on at us and shakes their head in despair. We are so caught up with our 'inflated sense of belonging' and our internal bickering that we are somewhat detached despite all the technological advancements of our country.

And about the NEP. It is a 2 bladed sword. Even if it does 'systematically marginalise' the other races through a 'biased Constitution' it would also eventually kill the Malay race slowly. In fact the poison has shown its colours; people whom have been rich from that Never Ending Policy are too scared to let go. Of course, who would let go of something THAT good? However, corruption breeds from that greed/hoarding and it will be the death of them.

So okay, we (the other races) aren't even allowed to bring up that kind of 'protest' against the NEP. Umm, excuse me? No one decides what the public nor other political parties bring up in issues. We will still discuss it, debate it, and eventually overthrow it. The fact that UMNOputras look to itself as the party that 'call the shots' for the country's governance is kinda of a pseudo Big Brother government direction to me.

It is bittersweet; the article. Bitter because it really make me look at Malaysia in Shame. Sweet because its time those UMNOputras stop waving that 'keris' and start somewhere in rekindling that harmony among all races/BN component parties and work towards a better Malaysia.

lets migrate

Pergilah migrate... Apa-apa pun, I'd rather stay here... dah jadi tanah air dah, Malaysia ni...

alfabob,
we denied our history?

Sorry lar, this is part of the culture.

moo_t
Agree with you. Those highschool history textbooks paint a very different colour when comes to our history. I rather believe in what I read in Wikipedia than what is written in our history text books.

Err...

Sorry guys, you misinterpreted what I said. I meant, those people actually involved in the construction of the towers, or those who actually were involved in the Emergency.

As to whats written in the text books, and Wikipedia, well, I've my own reservations about Wiki, mainly because theres no accountability for the articles written, and it can be biased to any which way the writer chooses. At least with the text books, if one thinks its bad, theres a name to blame it too, a minister that could be held responsible, unlike the anonymous Wiki.

Sorry, everyone has a right to their own version of history, because history is based on perception and interpretation, and because of that, any history teachings should be written by someone who could be held accountable, and not just some anonymous individual sitting behind a PC from God knows where, believing that he knows better.

True, wiki is written by anonymous. I'm sorry I'm no historian but isn't history is about what happened to whom, when and where, is it? However, somehow or rather, our history text here seems "re-written" to suit certain party or group of people image, don't you think? Take the "Ethnic Relation" module for example. I don't even want to comment on it.

This is what happens when we allow others to write the history for us. There are many out there who will bend the facts to conceal what was indeed the truth. If we allow these inaccurate facts to go down in history, it will be read as the truth in future by people who never witness what had transpired. A case in point is the Japanese Occupation of Malaya and the Asia Region. Certain war atrocities that were commited by the Japanese during that time were systematically omitted from their history books so in time to come over a few generations, these actrocities never happened. Thankfully, there are China, Korea, Malaysia and some involved countries that suffered such actrocities protesting and making sure that the truth goes down in histroy. We need to correct these discrepencies, inaccuracies and omissions WHEN they occur and not a few generations later. If we all have a lackadiasical attitude, we allow others to change actual history that transpired to the detriment of our culture, roots and worst, will even erode your future priviledge and right of existence.

Far as Malaysia is concerned, I don't seem to see much records about the non-Malays contributing to the growth of our nation even though many of us know as a fact that the non-Malays have contributed immensely to what Malaysia is today and I mean the positive aspect of it. Perhaps, I may have missed out these records?

We also see in the movies of Lt. Adnan? being a hero during the insurgency and how he had sacrifies himself fighting against the communists for the freedom of country. But, what about the non-Malays? Many have also died fighting the communists and as we all know, many communists were Chinese then although there were a minority of other races as well, but yet many Chinese fought against these insurgents as well. I am still waiting for a movie that feature the non-Malay as heroes fighting and dying for the country. Ananda, Francis, Vincent, Uncle Lim? Care to sponsor and produce such a movie?

Siti Nurhaliza was awarded 'Dato' for (singing?), Dato' Azahar for sailing solo around the world, another Malay woman, I think got Dato for crossing the North Pole or something, our first Malaysian astronaut would probably get his Dato after his return however I cannot remember what the Indian got when he was the first Malaysian to climb Mt. Everest. Anyone care to remind me? We need to honour all Malaysians not just Malays as over time, it will seem that only the Malays have contributed to the country. This might not happen over the next two generations but it will happen in the future generations. Let us honour and put down into history all those that have contributed to our country and have done our country proud and not just the chosen few. Omissions and inaccuracies to history now may be the start of twisting and shaping the future.

Having read all the commentaries on this blog, I must say malaysianpatriot's points are valid and worth pursuing. These are rational points and do not evoke any emotion. It is this kind of intelligent that we must encourage as this is serious business which must elicit our attention.This is indeed a far cry from the keris waving and nimcompoof argument of soaking the keris in blood. How could this kind of remark be allowed to be uttered in the august chamber of the assembly. The delegates are there to talk serious business and not the viper's language of threat and Chinese bashing. This goes to show the lack of clear headed thinking. The issue is to tackle how can we grow the cake so that there can be bigger share for everybody rather than cornering what is shrinking cake. The research and report of the Asli's report on equity is an academic exercise to show the current state of affair. If the methodolgy is wrong then, it is best that the alternative be given rather than saying the government's figure should not be questioned? I cannot see the logic.

Malaysianpatriot has rightly pointed out that when the oil well runs dry, what needs to be done. And it is eternity that the oil wells will continue to flow! What then and how are we going to survive? Do we have other compensating industries that can amerlorate the situation? This begs us to think seriously. We cannot pass on the problem to future generations to solve and whilst we can and hopefully able to do so now, lt's do it. It is better than bashing and blaming others for the woes that are sure to befall on us.....

This blog has provided a good forum for us to share and contribute ideas and point out what are the short-sightedness of current policies so that when we have the time to change, we must have the courage to change. Playing to the gallery can only make you "sooked" for a little while,but the problem cannot be solved!

Wrong, wrong... there were more Indonesians than any other nationals involved in the construction of the twin towers.

Majority wins. So, the towers were actually built by Indonesians.

Hi..this is the first time I'm posting a comment in any forum. So..."tunjuk ajar ku sifu" ;p

From what I read here,it's all about UMNO, Malays, Chinese and Indian mainly. Well I am from Sabah and as a sabahan bumis I think I can understand why the chinese and indian (probably some malays) don really like the UM party.

UMNO....I never care about that party before...
What comes in my mind, when I hear the name...its just another political party from the west. It was when they came and "conquer" my state, that I began to notice them.
I wonder how the "perwakilan" from my state being treated in the AGM...do they the Malaya Malay ever consider the muslim bumis as Malay also? And what about the non-muslim UMNO member from Sabah?

The Malays are very sensitive when it comes to the "malay rights" and "malay economics" issue. I wonder have the UMNO ever consider the feeling of my fellow Sabahan when they the Malays has ignore the "20 perkara" issues on Sabah.

Acquiring wealth through politics is not new to me. Here in sabah that's what majority of the poltician do. When they been given mandate by the people, they use their position to gain wealth for their own family and cronies.

The former U president had successfully implement the "divide and conquer" strategy in my state (thanks to the some stupid Sabah's polticians)...

I hope they will not play the same game in penang (I'm refering to the rotation of CM issues).

We are moving into the characteristics of China in the 80s in terms of FDI risk for foreigners while China has libralized into a more FDI friendly environment. I think it may be due to the desperate reaction to shrinking internal economy.

The Tuans would resort to easy source of money (from their 'other race' neighbors) and pledge to intensify it further as an objective. Is it a reflection of the state of evolution of the Tuans? If it is, I would see them being lead to ultimate misery by these irresponsible leader(s) who came from Pirates of the Carrebean School. At least the pirates that we read about normally prey on foreigners.

Why can't these champions educate their next generation tuans to work smarter for better productivity and intellectualism? Look at Japan and Korea. Devestated by war but can rebound to a prominent economic power of the world. Is it done through affirmative policy or is it based on policy of continuous improvement, hard work and meritocrasy?

Malaysia is different from Japan or Korea because those who runs the country have deep seated inferiority complex, else, these "Tuans" would have let go of their so called NEP way back in 1990. They keep saying that the Bumis is still lack behind. The problem is the more they say that they are lack behind compare to others, it only serves to reinforce that notion, thus rendering them to believe that they are lagging behind, where in fact that they have actually advanced. Coupled this ill-intent negative reinforcement, those in power wants to keep this devide-and-rule policy to ensure that the rich & connected can continue to rape the country's coffers for as long as it takes. As we all can see, the PM & DPM just reiterated this point yesterday. "NEP to continue... till the cows come back"! Tell what, as long as this affirmative action/plan/policy or whatever you want to call it, Malaysia will forever lag behind other countries. This will be reaffirmed once our oil runs dry. You just wait.

This person has put up an interesting piece.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinionsfeatures/59493