Yvonne Foong

The inefficacy of National Service in Malaysia is under hot discussion over at usj.com.my. Those from my year were the first batch of students selected for the three-month camp after the SPM examinations.

The term National Service sure sounds cool. It invoke thoughts of national security, nationalism, patriotism, and honour. We don’t want to get occupied by the Japanese again, do we?

Having studied one semester of International Relations, Malaysia’s National Service camps appear nothing to me now but a child’s mind game. We’ve seen the great Athens falling from ego, we saw China replaced by one monarch after another despite it’s size, we have America repeating mistakes in the Peloponnesian War. Malaysia being so small cannot afford the same mistake.

Malaysia does not need National Service camps. It should be forming allies with other nation-states through political and economic ties. But we offend one government after another. There was Singapore. Then China. And now the Mongolians too.

We burn bridges as much as our political landscape become a laughing stalk, The saying goes that Singapore with it’s military strength can destroy Malaysia, and I’ve no doubt of that. We would lose by our own faults.

It is also said the Muslim countries would come to aid us against the little island that’s fishing in our seas. But how sure are we, really? Can Malaysia command political support in the face of war? That time, no amount of NS men is going to safe us.

The government of Malaysia should move with times and get busy increasing human security.

National security is in IR. Not NS camps. Come on!

A good leader, or any person in fact, would be so impatient, he can’t wait to give more. But when you concern yourself with having less in order to give more, then I am afraid your priority is displaced. Your giving is selfish.

I do not want to discuss politics, I do not want to talk economics. I just want to ask you very simple questions.

How do you serve people?
You sacrifice.

How do you give to people?
You sacrifice.

What do you give people?
By sacrificing the things you need most.

What does minimum wage mean?

1. More pay for workers.
2. Higher requirements for employment in return for better pay, which leads a demand for higher education standard.
3. Promotes competence and competitiveness among employees.
4. Better pay means more people would spend money. When more people spend money, they push prices down, as companies are now fighting for customers.
4. Finally, inflation is solved.

But our Prime Minister is worried that he would not get enough money to offset the cost of implementing minimum wage. Why should he worry? This is a question of economics. The economy regulates itself.

Don’t mix economics with politics.

While reading Tian Chua’s blog, I was reminded of this article by Ong Kian Ming in regards to the tipping point which caused a Tsunami.

According to him, but in my own words, the people were so pressured, so believed that BN would win again, that they cast a desperate or sympathy vote for the opposition. BN propagandas in the news were confident in winning the GE. Instead of strengthening themselves, they pushed us to the tipping point and a tsunami ensued.

If the Opposition were clearly winning, the people would not have turned against BN last minute out of desperation.

Which brings me to another thought. When we exaggerate the possibility of BN members deflecting and joining the Opposition coalition, we might just cause another tsunami, this time in favor of BN. No one wants a one-party government.

Put it simply. Deflection is not that funny a topic. We might lose what we just earned.

Ok. Hafiz corrected me, and after consulting John Ling, this post is now an edited version. Must edit la. Don’t confuse our fellow Malaysians.

I am pleased to read that The Star newspaper has started educating readers about governance of the democratic state.

As you know, I’ve been studying U.S. Government this semester which began in January. Among the first questions I asked myself was whether Malaysia owns a unicameral or bicameral legislature.

Malaysia is in fact bicameral. With two government appointed senators from each state in the Dewan Negara as the upper house, and our Members of Parliament, such as Jeff Ooi, in the lower house called the Dewan Rakyat.

When I heard the lack of autonomy among our senators, my hopes for a better Malaysia plunged.

What initially confused me and many others is the fact that our elected representatives were either restricted or pure dysfunctional under the governance of Barisan Nasional.

Hence, we have Malaysians, uninformed about political systems, demanding state assemblymen to unclog drains and solve traffic woes, allowing the City Council to slack on their duties.

Assemblymen should focus on matters in the state legislature, by studying the law, efficiently address their constituents’ concernst\, and participate in forming public policies. While paying attention to the community, both MPS and Aduns must not allow matters that should be handled by the City Council, to interfere and disrupt their official legislative duties.

Because when our government takes the liberty to assume dictatorship, as Barisan Nasional had done in the past 50 years, the participation of elected representatives in law and legislative matters diminish, They become mere puppets that put on the occasional show, such as by distributing schoolbags to poor children, to win the people’s blind faith that keep them in office.

Many like to rest the burden of political reform in the hands of their representatives while assuming a passive role in society. And then blame politicians when things aren’t going well. But the people are partially to be blamed.

If you don’t want the blame, then start learning about politics and the law. Play an active part in society.

You do not need to join DAP, PKR, or any political party to make a difference. You may form interest groups, non-governmental organizations, charity organizations, or becoming members of the media, just to name a few. Play an active role in pressuring the government for change.

I cannot help but cringe when the Information Minister reportedly said he plans to meet up with bloggers to acknowledge their significance. It may be better for Datuk to leave us alone.

Why? Because we do not deserve special attention just because we call ourselves bloggers. It is the people speaking up who should be heard, while blogging is just a platform. If we claim center stage, we risk reducing the significance of other pressure groups. Acknowledge ALL members of society instead of focusing on bloggers alone. Otherwise it comes across as patronizing.

Imagine if the government mistake the importance of blogging with the significance of an individual. When the influential blogger suddenly stops blogging, does that reduces his significance? No, it shouldn’t. Hence, it is not “bloggers”, but the “people of Malaysia”.

In conclusion, there are a couple of things we must now do.

1. Become aware of the official duties of our elected representatives.

2. Join an interest group or political party.

3. Become vocal. Maintain a blog, join e-forums, or write to the newspaper.

Having said this, I hope you realize MCA had done all but putting on a monkey show. Their blind allegiance towards Barisan Nasional meant endorsing their act of denying Malaysians democracy.

Mom said someone advised my dad to stock up on rice. They said there will be
‘clashes’ and ‘rationing’.

I said, “Oh…. might as well dig a tunnel too.”

I have the benefit of going online, but my parents knows to read the newspaper only. Apparently, Ong Ka Chuan put up a show five days ago here.

That is our politicians playing with racial cards for you. If you’re in college, try taking up a class in journalism and learn to spot the structure and intonation of “controlled news”. Our Malaysian papers are filled with such who-said-what reports that is not worth reading.

Don’t let the media undermine your intelligence.

John Ling pointed out that if another racial riot occurs, it would be sparked by UMNO putras, not the Malays.

Fair enough.

But it escaped me, because we are not UMNO, UMNO doesn’t represent the population. If more people know better than they do, and these same people hold on to their political opinions, the few extremists in UMNO cannot go very far.

Perhaps it is my overly optimistic belief that people today are better educated and socially exposed. Why don’t we start with ourselves. Let’s not wait until our fears come true, start educating people on how politics and government work.

The other day, I said B.N. now needs to let B.R. a vote on legislations before signing them into law. But Rajiv pointed out to me that B.N. can still make laws with a simple majority, but they cannot AMEND the constitution as they wish.

Har? Like that ar? We need special textbooks on Malaysian government.

Gracie sent me an e-mail voicing her fear of another racial riot because UMNOputras, now the Opposition in five states, took to the streets to demonstrate against abolishment of the NEP. (Actually Guan Eng said the NEP is to be revised, not abolished. And then again, somewhere says NEP was scrapped in 1991. I haven’t the time to do research myself).

I don’t have the time to blog, so here goes a simple one.

Don’t worry, there WON’T be another widespread racial riot, not in the big cities at least because hello, Malaysia has matured. Many went abroad and back. People like me are studying foreign degrees locally. We are importing education and culture.

Malaysians are liberated! At least, compared to 1969, we are a lot more cultured now.

Then again, I’m staying in Subang Jaya. Everyone on my left, right, front and back holds a college degree of some sort.

Also, please be aware that many Malays today do not agree in mantaining the NEP. Because they have made it on their own hard work without the NEP. And they hope their fellow brethens can similarly achieve success on their own, without relying on government handouts that only benefit the elite few.

Hey, it’s been years I joined the forum at www.usj.com.my. If the protest at KOMTAR scares you so much, I suggest you join that forum too/ A lot of it’s members supported my fourth surgery. We also supported Jeff Ooi and Hannah in their recent election campaigns, as well as the Johor flood, individuals needing urgent blood donation, Ah Beng starting their own Char Siew Pau business, Muttu who got rammed down by a Mat Rempit, Siti looking for a S&P liar lawyer, wah our history goes way, way back.

I just found out one member’s from my church. I think I’m among the few younger ones, so I seldom join the aunties and uncles at their Teh tarik sessions held every first Friday of the month.

So remember… wake up… we’ve grown up!

P/s: Uncle Bob forgot me last night. Hey, Gracie, don’t take this post personally hor.

I am almost finished with my U.S. Government paper. What’s left now is a green light from Leighton and maybe some more editing, proofreading, formating, referencing, and it’s good to hand over. My thesis was whether control of healthcare spending and prices in America is possible. See, I always thought myself a Liberal and America has the freedom we Malaysians can only dream of.

At some point I believed in a welfare state. Then a state of anarchy and natural law. But the real world is different. I was certain the Democrat policy of welfare is possible. Just curb spending on war, and invest in domestic social policies.

But a quick study on American history, politics, and law, showed me the truth I tried so hard to deny. I had to change my thesis accordingly.

Today, I found another article that support my findings. Although the author meant to comment on America, it is a global truth, including Malaysia.

Why Do We Hate Poor People?

Why is it that when we encounter poor or homeless people they make us cringe? Why do we want to make them disappear into shelters or remove them out of our sights? Since the Reagan revolution we have instead of being at war against poverty, we have been at war with poor people. They litter our streets like so many abandoned cars at a salvage yard. Why has it been so easy to sell the false narrative that people are poor by choice and that if they would just work harder they wouldn’t be poor? I think that our reactions to the poor says more about who we are than who they are. Let’s face it there have been poor people throughout recorded history, so what’s the big deal? The big deal is not that there are poor people, but that there are poor people we could help and don’t.

The reason I think we hate poor people is that rather than reminding of us of the blessings we have received, they instead remind us of our vulnerabilities and our insecurities. They remind so many of us that we are only one missed paycheck or one serious health issue away from their lot and it scares the hell out of us. We need so badly to believe that this could never happen to us, that we are so insulated from them and their fate that it could never be our fate. When the reality is too frightening to consider we create these illusions to placate ourselves. The greatest illusion is that we live in a society that if anyone is willing to work hard enough they can overcome the poverty of their birth. We regale ourselves with these fables of rags to riches, never considering the reality of these tales. The reality is a far cry from the false narratives being maintained by those who would keep us ignorant of the truth. CONTINUE….

PKR Kuli Bob explains why states have their own constitutions and why the chief minister was presumed Malay.

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The simple answer? We are a federation of 13 states where each state has (or should have) significant autonomy.

The medium length answer .. here goes :

Until 1946 with the formation of the Malayan Union, British Malaya was essentially 9 semi independent states under British protection (to various degrees with states like Johore essentially an independent state with diplomatic offices in London while states like Perak and Selangor being essentially British puppet states under the Sultan’s administration) and 1 Crown Colony.

Read the rest of this entry »

As I read Edward Ling’s recent blog entries encouraging consistent support for the new state government, set to turn over corrupt practices of the past administration, the sort of comments from people expecting these young politicians to be at their back and call send chills down my spine.

There is nothing wrong in Ling quoting V for Vendetta when he said, “People must not fear the government. It is the government that must fear it’s people�. There is nothing wrong in reminding us past mistakes to inspire the cynics and motivate the enthusiasts.

We voted for opinionated and passionate politicians who speak their minds. We certainly do not want mechanical robots running the office. But people expect them to walk ahead and quit talking altogether. Is that realistic? How are policies formed? By talking, debating, writing, publishing. Policies do not appear from thin air. It comes from passion, intellectual discourse, collective behavior, a study of history, science, sociology, cultural anthropology. Politicians are worldly people, not puppets.

But they say, “Stop talking about the past and get to work. Prove to us�. “Or we’re back to supporting BN�.

Proof what? Yes, our new leaders must certainly do their best. But we are no masters. We are WITH them. Don’t talk of THE government. But OUR government. Why ask them to prove and fit into our ideal? Work together for a common good. Don’t just sit back and watch. This is no monkey show.

Why did this send chills down my spine? Because it reminded me so much of the time I raised funds for surgery in 2006. Many expected me to live up to their expectations. When I was upset and responded in a way short of being noble, they backlashed immediately saying I was ungrateful and unworthy of their support. That is how petty the public can be sometimes. When you play to the gallery, expect to achieve nothing short of perfection or some locals would quickly jump ship.

Now I see the same attitude attacking Barisan Rakyat. What is unity when political support changes wherever the wind blows?