Malaysia, Memories and some Moaning

I Love my country in fact, I love so much of the weather sometimes, the food especially and obviously the people and my family back there. Not gonna make this post some sorta missing home thing but its the plain fact that Malaysia is such a good place to live in except for shit issues with the government. So far being in the UK has been great, everything seems surreal till this point, being here for almost one and a half months. I was washing the dishes while Jenny, my flat mate was helping to do the wiping. At that point, I keep wondered whether this sorta situation is true, and its pretty hard to believe I'm almost 19.

Viewing back in the past, I remember when my mum picked me up from tuition I guess, I was just around the age of 10. I still remember it vividly somehow, mum was driving the mercedes E 230 while it was still pretty new. I was in the car with her and she was saying like: Johnson, do study hard and then she began calculating how many years till I enter university. After a long pause, she went lik, AH, 10 more years then you'll be in University. Being just only 10 years old , I dont even know the difference between a degree and a diploma, I didnt quite know what/how college and university life is all about but I sure know one thing that growing up to university was fun as what everyone had told me. Here I am being in university and I can pretty much say hell yeah it is fun, way better than any other form of education. =) Mum persuaded me to study medicine and I did agree when she suggested that; its really different now id say, every primary school kid often come across this question, or rather an essay which they have to write about. Somehow every kid back then wanted to be either a doctor, a police, a teacher, builder whatever and it was so common and I dont think most of them would even live up to what they said 10 years ago. heh, including me.

Back to the lovely Malaysia, well it is lovely but I have to admit, the government is shit, the politicians are shit, the stupid laws they implement and benefits given to some race is even worse. 21st century we're in and somehow the government is not willing to let it's people be more independant. I'm sure its not even the peoples' idea sometimes but just merely the rich powerful group of people as well as the politicians want to hold on to that law to make themselves even richer. In fact for what I think, politics is a place for the rich/successful people to get involved in; not to make themselves even richer but to contribute back to the society. Whats happening in Malaysia politics is that shit loads of unknown, uneducated people trying to get into policitics, some at the age of 30 without much accomplishment, without any financial backings join the politics just for a small pinch of the big cake.

I came across this article by Colin Nathan in which I read just had somehow I got even more disappointed. Trust me, if u have time, do read and Im sure u wont regret.

As below:

I was completely disillusioned Monday night watching PM Badawi’s threats to Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik not to “kacau” or face the “consequences” is serious.
Keng Yaik questioned why after 36 years, Bumi equity ownership was still 18.9%. (It was 20% in 1990) Clearly stating that he accepted the figure, he merely wanted to know the methodology used to arrive at the figure.

Badawi’s reaction is blatantly dishonest. In 2004, Morgan Stanley issued a report that estimated that over 100Billion US Dollars (360 Billion Ringgit) had been lost to Malay patronage in the 20 years preceding 2003. (1984 to 2003)
One economist estimates that in the 36 years of it’s existence, the NEP has been used to channel over ONE TRILLION RINGGIT to the Malay community through ASN, ASB and all related Govt policies.

Since 1970, the Govt has used the NEP to covet education, employment and every other conceivable benefit to the Malays. These measures have largely been successful with all the top posts in GLCs, Government, Universities, Public listed companies and practically every single area that the Govt has any control over being reserved for one race. No company may be listed with a lower than 30% Bumi equity but there is absolutely no problem if it is otherwise. Some industries have a mandatory 51% Bumi ownership and some industries are reserved exclusively for them. Petronas for example only employs and awards contracts to Malays.
ALL Govt and Municipal contracts are reserved to class “F” Bumi contractors. All the proposed projects under the 9th Malaysia Plan thus far are reserved for 100% Bumi owned companies. Even open tender projects are awarded to Malays even if their prices are higher with inferior materials. Micro business loans, business licenses, discounts on property purchases, new Govt employment, EVEN LICENSES FOR HAWKER STALLS are reserved for one race. The list goes on and on but the summary is that the Malay now believes undoubtedly that he is racially privileged.

ASLI’s figures of 45% are opposed to the Govt’s 18.9% because, firstly, equity value is calculated at par value. For example, if you held 1,000 Maxis shares RM 5/- each, the Govt says that it is only worth RM 250.00 as these shares are at a par value of 25cents each. If you owned a company with a paid up value of RM 2/- but conducted millions of Ringgit worth of transactions, the Govt values that company at RM 2/-.
The chief setbacks of the abuses of NEP are rampant corruption and cronyism, worsening racial polarization, unrelenting brain drains, warped educational system, thwarted economic competitiveness, ineffectual bureaucracy, retarded economic growth and perverted social values. Such anachronistic and regressive policy has no place in the present globalizing world, and for that matter, in any civilized society.
PM Badawi recently intensified the imprint of the perverted NEP philosophy by prohibiting inter-religious and inter-racial discourse which would otherwise have contributed to greater understanding and harmony among the races.
Consider the hegemony this has created……..

The Jasin MP’s saga of cheating millions from Customs over timber imports went unpunished. APs are reserved for Bumis only and despite the millions that each of them make year after year, a senator’s son has the audacity to clone the APs several times and the whole thing gets swept under the carpet. A Port Klang councilor buys a 43,000 sq ft plot of land set aside for low cost housing valued at 1.8 million Ringgit 180k and builds a palace without any approval. He gets fined RM 5,000 and still has 30days from today to submit his building plans. Yesterday, despite all the bad press this issue got, the Selangor state Govt confirms his position and that of his son and daughter in law as councilors. The message is clear. Power has shifted from the people to the executive.

The whole issue of Bumi chauvinism started at last year’s UMNO assembly when the very very vocal UMNO Youth leaders stated in short that “It’s our turn to be rich.” This greed is not going to end. We as a nation of loyal citizens have to put a dent into this rubbish for the sake of our children. We need a stronger opposition. By sending a threat to Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik, Badawi has betrayed us all. Remember this at the next general election.
We don’t need a change in Govt. We need a stronger opposition. We need to send a message to the powers that be that we will not accept second class status for our children.


Colin Nathan

Honestly without offense to any race/party, is this what we want? Do you want the world to know that we Malaysians have double standards on certain stuff and wont you even feel ashamed not being able to stand up for yourself?

Is this what we want?