Bahasa Malaysia, the language for all

Language is the soul of a nation. Despite the racial and cultural diversity, a national language is believed to help create a bond and national unity.

Stepping into the 53^rd year of independence, yet continuing debates manifest that Malaysian national identity remains clouded. In Malaysia, we have Bahasa Malaysia as our national language. As the national language, it is the language of the peoples of Malaysia and functions as a national symbol.  It applies to the entire nation and its nationalities.

At the same time, the citizens also have the opportunity to learn other languages such as English, Mandarin and Tamil in the schools. Comparing with our neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia, Malaysians are much luckier as we get the chance to learn additional languages in the schools.

Almost every ethnic group in Malaysia speaks more than one language, leading to a fascinating amount of linguistic diversity. And this is precisely one of the reasons of why many foreigners are amazed with us.

The fate of national language

Here is the general perception for many to our national language –- there is no need to have a good command of Bahasa Malaysia as long as we pass the exam with credits because in the working environment, we will only need English. It is also apprehended that the Bahasa has limited economic and commercial value which indirectly brings to a significant lack in sense of belonging and the pride to the national language.

Happy 43rd ASEAN Day

In 2007, the ASEAN nations decided to celebrate the Founding Day of ASEAN on every 8 August. The intention is to stimulate the sentiment of “Think, Feel and Act ASEAN”, building an ASEAN identity, promoting ASEAN awareness and also bringing ASEAN into the familiarity of its people in the Southeast Asia region.

“Bridging Markets, Connecting People” is the theme of this year’s ASEAN Day celebration. Although there is a lack of oomph to its theme, nevertheless it articulates two significant elements — an ASEAN single market and a common identity. Amplifying connectivity does not mean that we are only connected through physical instruments but also required the connecting of the hearts and minds of the ASEAN people.

I made a google search on how our government celebrates this special day. It turned out to be only one relevant search result. Bernama reported that a two-day exhibition on ASEAN was held at the IIUM Gombak Campus to commemorate this special day. The event was opened by the Information Department director-general Datuk Abdullah Morad.

I wonder how we are going to win the game of similarity versus diversity if this is how we celebrate and promote the significance of the ASEAN Day for our people.

A dream far away from the reality

Talking about ASEAN, it remains as a familiar term for many of us but little are actually in the know of the impact of this sub-regional grouping on our daily life. With the introduction of the ASEAN Charter in 2008, ASEAN hopes to expedite its integration by putting it on a similar legal footing to the European Union.

National human rights action plan, please

It is a publicly-known fact that Malaysia is a wonderful ‘diplomat’ when it comes to the upholding of our human rights image and reputation in the international level.

We are now ostentatiously re-elected as one of the 47 members sitting in the United Nations Human Rights Council for the second term covering 2010-2013. We also ‘passed with distinction’ in the newly-established Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism in February and June last year. The UPR could be well understood as a peer-to-peer review. We have however, yet to see the concrete follow-up actions by the government in many areas as promised.

When it comes to the human rights promotion and protection in the national level, I am afraid there is no need for a lengthy description or explanation on how much we have fared. This leads to the main focus of the discussion in this article — the need for a national human rights action plan (NHRAP). A NHRAP for Malaysia will provide a fundamental reference and guidance for action on many human rights issues facing by the country.

The ideal that every country should have its own NHRAP was initially advocated at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna.

In Malaysia for example; with the NHRAP, the human rights commitments could be well-put in the context of public policy, so that the government can further practice and implement the human rights goals step-by-step, through the engagement with all relevant sectors.

Where will journalism graduates go?

Harassment of journalists is a concern in the country.

Constant interferences are imposed by the authorities to journalists and editors through warning letters and other forms of intimidation. In 2007, police detained a Malaysiakini journalist who reportedly asking a police officer for information in an anti-price hike protest, he was held in custody for two days and charged with ‘obstructing a police officer’. In 2008, a Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng created ‘history’ when she was dramatically arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and held for questioning for 16 hours.

And now a senior producer of RTM2’s Galeri Mandarin Nasional, Tan Ean Nee is axed, joining her ex-comrade Chou Z Lam who has his contract terminated in May this year. This development has been apprehended as a plan to eliminate all the senior producers of the said documentary programme. Tan’s documentary has focused on the long-drawn protest by the residents of Rawang New Village’s against the construction of high-tension cable towers by the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (picture).

Gloomy future

This situation not only endangered the profession of the journalists, it has also posed vulnerability to the educators particularly the mass media lecturers in carrying out their daily teaching.

Better looking, better prospects?

(This article is first published in the Malaysian Insider.)

Do you like what you see in the mirror when you wake up in the morning?

Here is one case. A Filipina teenage singer, Charice Pempengco (picture), once dubbed by Oprah the “Most Talented Girl in the World” stirred national and worldwide debate, after having Botox injections and minor surgery to narrow her face ahead of her debut on the highly-rated US television show, “Glee”.

What intrigued me is that the whole procedure conducted by celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo in her Tomas Morato clinic was actually aired “live” via the ABS-CBN channel, a Philippine national TV network.

Criticisms and concerns came flying in about Charice’s decision to go under the knife at 18 years’ of age. This instantly raised a question — the social effects of plastic surgery.

Without us realising it, we have in fact long been obsessed with appearances, either in school, at work or even in the family. This has created unhealthy pressure. Many feel looking better gives them an edge in pursuing their dreams.

In a recent issue of Newsweek magazine, it was reported that employers show a marked preference for attractive people when making hiring decisions. This is sadly a fact that we cannot deny as some companies are constantly looking for people who are attractive. This trend is even more obvious in sales and marketing, customer service, public relations and other areas.

For example if you want to be qualified as a flight attendant, you will need to have a certain height and weight — not too tall, not too short, not too fat and not too thin. Any obvious marks on your face or your hands will decrease your chances of becoming one.

We need permission to engage in politics?

(This article is first published in the Malaysiakini.)

My big ‘kudos’ to Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan for announcing the government’s willingness to permit graduate education service officers of DG41 to DG48 to be involved in politics from Aug 1. 

This makes up about 190,000 graduate teachers throughout the country.

Previously, only officers in the support group were allowed to contest or to hold any position in any political party, provided that they acquired prior written approval from the director-general of the Public Service Department or the secretary-general of the relevant ministry.

Like many others, I feel puzzled.

Why confine this only to teachers of grades DS41 to DS48? How about the rest? Headmasters, principals and education department officers are not granted similar ‘privilege’. I couldn’t help but see this as a form of discrimination. 

And this privilege doesn’t come without conditions. Teachers have to get written permission from the secretary-general of the Education Ministry before they can participate in politics. This actually defeats the whole idea of freeing teachers to join politics and begs the question, what happens if they decide to join parties that are not friendly to the present government?

I have the extra money, so take this RM500,000

(This article has appeared in several online news portal.)

The BN Backbenchers Club Deputy Chairman Bung Mokhtar Radin (picture) said that all the BN MPs receives an additional RM500, 000 funds on top of the RM1million allocation. The money is meant to be channeled to each constituency for the development purposes.

Bung Mokhtar also added that the additional allocation is normally depends on the economy. If the economy is good, then there will be more allocation.

Well, seriously I have no idea that the economic situation of the country could be revive so quickly and so sudden!

As reported, it is understood that the allocations given out to BN MPs each year come from the Prime Minister himself, under a development fund monitored by a unit called Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department office, Nazri Aziz when asked about the sudden increase of the allocation, confirmed that the BN MPs are given additional funds of RM500, 000 because the government has extra money. The government’s business is not to keep the money but to spend the money, he said.

This again fuelled the speculation that there will be an early snap election. The opposition MPs is predicting a snap election soon judging by the way the Najib administration dishes out money for the BN MPs.

My two cents on power struggle

(This article is first published in the Malaysian Insider.)

Abraham Lincoln once wisely said that, if you want to test a man’s character, you give him power.

A power struggle occurs when a person or party asserts on running its own show. It usually actualizes from a person’s cemented beliefs about what is deemed as the right thing. The power struggle is a common term that not only applies to the political arena but also in our personal and work life. You must be extremely lucky if you have not experienced one!

Well, it takes two to create a power struggle. The easiest example is to take a quick peep into the marriage or relationship around you or even yourself. When two individuals decide to be involved in a romantic relationship, each brings a distinguish demeanor into the mix. One partner may be naturally aggressive in dealing with other people, while the other may remain more passive. But not many people can actually remain completely complaisant on important matters which affect their lives.

In Malaysia itself, we have witnessed many examples of the political power struggle. Some with happy endings, some with sad endings while some remain hanging and unresolved.

23 ‘yes-es’ for gay people but not Malaysia

(This article is first published in the Malaysiakini.)

Twenty-three ‘yes’ votes, 13 ‘no’ votes and 13 abstentions – the application of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) for ‘consultative status’ at the UN Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) finally gets approval.

Among those who voted ‘no’ was Malaysia along with Egypt, China, Russia, Niger, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Venezuela – they cited procedural reasons. Those voting in favour included the US, Britain, Canada, Germany, Brazil and Japan.

With the Ecosoc status, the group will now enjoy the privilege to attend the UN meetings, submit oral and print statements and not to mention, more collaboration opportunities with both government and UN agencies on human rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Currently, only nine of the 3,200 groups with consultative status at Ecosoc are gay and lesbian organisations.

Are you telling us a joke, Rais Yatim?

(This article has appeared in several online news portal.)

Hahaha, what a joke!

In the response to the Malaysia’s 141^st position in the US-based NGO Freedom House global press freedom rankings across the world, Rais Yatim (picture) told the Dewan Rakyat today that the existence of two million bloggers in Malaysia and the alternative media show that the mass media in the country are free to publish their views and criticisms.

The level of media freedom is different between different countries. The ranking given by the Freedom House is not accurate simply because the lifestyle in different continents formed the media cultures and practices in each country.

Is that so?

I wonder if the government has only ONE answer for all the problems in the country, we are unique. Malaysia is unique, Malaysia is different.