just felt like a good time to say thanks to everyone for well.. everything :) been reflecting on loved ones, and good people all around. thanks for being… well, good! :)
special shoutout to family, and to puppy :)
not at my most eloquent, will stop here :P :)
:)
also: www.inspiringminds.my
TMI:
The number of Malaysians who surrendered their citizenship has almost doubled in this year, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay, who revealed today that about 3,800 Malaysians have given up their citizenships to date compared to 2,000 last year.
This figure, however, is much smaller than the 304,358 Malaysians who were reported to have migrated from March 2008 to August 2009.
There was nevertheless a sharp rise in the number of Malaysians who registered themselves as having moved abroad with 210,000 of them doing so from January to August this year compared with 94,000 from March to December 2008.
There’s a topic close to the heart.
A very rough guesstimate: about a quarter to a third maybe of my high school classmates are currently working overseas. Possibly more.
Their jobs? Doctors, consultants, bankers, engineers, lawyers, actuarists – you name it.
I made the observation some time back, that it’s likely that my friends who have came back by now will stay back, whereas those who are still working overseas now will likely never make Malaysia their home again.
The government talks about ‘brain gain’ programs and somewhat insultingly thinks that attracting foreign talent is the answer (when we have tonnes of Malaysians overseas that are plenty talented).
I think they miss the point though. Although it’s part of the overall package, people don’t leave just for money or better career prospects.
It’s after all not easy to leave one’s home, family, and nasi lemak. It really isn’t.
I think though, that so many young Malaysians – not unlike my classmates – just feel that the country is going nowhere.
Many of course feel discriminated against, and many more feel that the current culture of corruption is so ingrown that there is no place for an honest man or woman anymore in this country.
I think the key to bringing the talent back home is to give Malaysians hope – hope that tomorrow will see a cleaner Malaysia with genuine integrity, a Malaysia where unity goes beyond an empty slogan.
Hasn’t really happened under 50 years of BN rule, so I doubt there’s any hope there.
Is there hope for change?
I had the pleasure of making it to the Malaysiakini dinner last Saturday night, and it always warms me to see so many old friends and comrades together, celebrating a truly fine Malaysian institution.
One of the performances that featured the following song (different version), which I hadn’t heard in a long time. It’s message is one I still believe in for Malaysia.
Aargh, so busy these days…
Let’s talk some GST.
I’m no economist, but isn’t one of the reasons a GST is a bad idea the fact that it burdens everyone without regard to their economic standing?
Thus, the poor would have to pay the same percentage GST as rich people.
I suppose this is like the issue of petrol subsidies. The way BN was handling it last year meant that the increased burden was shared ‘equally’ by rich and poor alike.
I imagine that a more (pakatan? :P) rakyat-centric economic policy would be one where the poor don’t have to bear even more economic burdens than the ones they are already struggling to deal with.
But perhaps Najib and his filthy rich cronies aren’t too keen about pulling their weight in the nation’s economy.
Also, as usual, Uncle Kit and gang couch it in pretty effective terms: No sense gaining RM1b from GST to lose RM28b to graft.
Then again, like I said, I’m no economist, so I’m all ears to alternative views :)
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin defended the controversial Biro Tata Negara (BTN) courses today as a form of nationalism in line with the 1 Malaysia concept despite growing criticisms of racism and political indoctrination.
The deputy prime minister denied that the courses, which are compulsory for civil servants and public university undergraduates, are aimed at “converting” participants to the political ideology of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
I’ve heard *so* many BTN horror stories, it’s not even funny.
In that same article, Nik and Amir say it well:
Seri Setia state lawmaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, speaking from his own experience, said they were told that PKR members were Jewish agents, that DAP was a Singapore party, while PAS was labelled a deviant movement.
Batu Caves lawmaker Amirudin Shari said a big part of the programme had nothing to do with nation building or education but was an Umno and BN race-based programme where participants are indoctrinated with propaganda about “Ketuanan Melayu”.
I consider BTN one of the most shameless institutions of BN’s unholy rule – and that’s saying a lot.
I’ve heard stories of hate-mongering, sowing divisiveness and spite, preaching supremacist mumbo jumbo, and so on.
Even Idris Jala – the new minister assigned to make this 1Malaysia stuff a reality – came out strongly against it, a man willing to call a spade a spade. I wonder if he will meet the same fate as Zaid Ibrahim.
Idris, not being a man steeped in politics, saw a problem, and he set out to fix it, in line with ideals espoused (albeit clearly not practised) by his boss.
Muhyiddin, on the other hand, the consumate politician, seemed perfectly willing to tell exactly the kind of baldfaced lies that they spew in BTN sessions.
But don’t take my word for it – why don’t you tell us some of your own horror stories in the comments?
I think we really should be raising alarm bells when Menteri Besars start siphoning out huge amounts of cash, especially illegally.
We all know the famous case of Mat ‘no speak English’ Taib, and now, it appears that Negeri Sembilan MB Mohamad Hassan appears to be following suit.
Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan has refused to answer a claim that he had transferred RM10 million to London through a moneychanger in 2008.
Yesterday, when Mohamad was winding up on points raised during debate on the 2010 state budget, (N9 Opposition Leader YB Anthony) Loke again demanded an explanation.
“I don’t have to answer you. I answer to the authorities concerned,” said Mohamad, reiterating under pressure from Loke that he did not want to answer the question.
Tsk tsk tsk, sounds guilty as sin to me. Why would the N9 MB refuse to answer such a simple question on a matter so clearly within the ambit of the public interest?
And the cocky ‘fler should know that the ‘authorities concerned’ at the end of the day are the rakyat, so he damned well has a responsibility to answer the Wakil Rakyat.
Putting aside the very considerable issue of what he’s doing with such large sums of cash, let’s not forget that the manner of the money transfer itself could have been illegal, making Mohamad Hasan guilty under the law.
If Tian, who brought this matter up long ago, can be found guilty of kononnya biting a cop, I think our friend should at the very least face an investigation.
The most recent to bring this up was YB Anthony Loke, who I had the honour of collaborating with briefly recently. I must say I found him to be a very gracious and capable gentleman, and it looks like he’s doing his job very well in the N9 state assembly.
He certainly played a good leadership role in defusing a situation involving some BN ADUN screaming Tamil profanities.
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