Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka!

By AS

In Sabah we talk. We, I mean ordinary people. Ordinary means a group that lies in between two extreme ends of the poles.

We talk about the date of Malaysia's independent. For those born in 70s upward do not have the nostalgic feeling of the 60s. I am 100% sure Malaysia gained its independent was in 60s- to be precise 1963. If in doubt, anyone can take me to court to settle the argument on this issue. I am prepared to explain even at 3.00 o’clock in the morning (?)

Because of that, Malaysia is only 44 years. Not 50 years. If one says 50th National Day, may be I can take it but not 50th Malaysia National Day, even if I am going to be skinned off I still wouldn't agree. One Malaysian active blogger asked me for elaboration on this subject. I did. He said he understands it now. Another, one former YB sent me a SMS thanking me for saying it loud and clear. I appreciate you people!

States in Peninsular Malaysia gained their independent in 1957. Right.

Now what about 31^st August? Nothing is wrong about the date. States in Peninsular Malaysia declared their Independent-Merdeka Day on this date. Fine.

The Malaysia Independent Day supposed to be taking place on this very date, the year was 1963, but could not do so because of unfinished business that needed to be sorted out in London- for the formation of Malaysia. It was then extended to 16^th September 1963.

Also no fuss about that date in as far as Sabah and Sarawak are concerned.

There was a compromise, we therefore agreed 31^st August Malaysia Day. For Sabah and Sarawak the 16^th September marks as the date of their TYT’s Birthday respectively, that’s OK too.

What is not OK when facts of history are changed. Our political leaders say, Malaysia 50th Independent Day is on 31st August 1957, and Malaysia is now 50 years old. Wrong! We have to say 20 + 20 = 40, can't be anything else, this isn't that complicated. What makes matter worst even our school history text books aren't written correctly. We are cheating our kids. You and I are still kicking to witness the glamorous Malaysia Day at various Padang, we called PadangMerdeka! Yet we succumbed to explanation by dumb politicians. One Senator whispered to me over lunch recently that many of our YBs have no balls. I wanted to check his but may be this is a bit too much, so we parted with a saying-bye bye.

Letter from Junior

By C. Karadau

Hi Dad,

How are you doing?

I'll come straight to the point. I can't believe that there are people who have been making all these threatening noises like thunder in the distance.

I told myself, no, they can't be serious.

I am talking about some government politicians who think bloggers ought to be locked up for slandering and spreading lies.

These people need to get real. Dad. If they ever do this, a thousand flowers will bloom! I tell you.

I am disappointed that some of the politicians who suggested the idea are relatively young themselves.They should know better about the Internet Age. Didn't one young politician call the bloggers "monkeys" and another aging hero called them gobloks?

Why are these politicians so paranoid?

If what the bloggers write are not true, why don't these politicians just sue them? I don't understand this.Why do they think the big stick is still necessary?

Don't expect members of the public to kow-tow to the politicians these days. Most of them are better informed, and many are better educated and even better read than the politicians themselves.

This is the price you have to pay for being a public figure these days.You do something wrong, the whole world will know about it within seconds. You have to learn to live with it.

You really need a thick skin, but, if you do you job properly, there is nothing to worry about. There are no more sacred cows left. Look at the recent rap version of the national anthem, and the number of hits it has received! No matter how unpalatable, there will people who will use their creativeness to seek fame or even fortune, maybe, they just want their views to be heard.

It's lies to you, but the truth to them .Both of you are right.But, you can't stop the message from being heard.

The bar has been raised, Dad, Joe Public wants the politicians to do their job properly for the good of the country. No more selfish or personal agendas.

Actually, it's quite simple, just walk on the right path, don't deviate and don't get the people angry.

Dad, I have just finished reading Thomas Friedman's "The World Is Flat", do you think our politicians have read the book? It's an eye opener. This is a good book if you want to understand globalisation's complexities.

The flat world he talks about is a metaphor for the world's level economic playing field that is the result of the new phase of globalisation. Friedman points out to 10 "flatteners" that have destroyed barriers, including the death of Communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall; the growth of fibre-optics networks; Internet tools such as browsers and search engines; open -sourcing; offshoring; and changes in delivery logistics.

The world is not the same anymore. Friedman argues that the flatteners converged around 2000 to create "a flat world, a global,web-enabled platform for multiple forms of sharing knowledge and work, irrespective of time, distance, geography and increasingly, language".

My favourite quote from the book is, "with China and other nine flatteners coming on so strong, no country today can afford to be anything less than brutally honest with itself". (p.313).

What choice is there for countries, communities and individuals except to learn to adapt to this New Reality? Governments and societies can - and - must adapt.

I suggest you read the book. Dad, we all have to learn to adapt fast.There is not much choice really. Maybe, our politicians think they are still part of the round world!? I can't really blame them.

Love You,
Junior.

'Writer's' Life

By Amde Sidik

“Ah life can be very inspiring” said one young budding writer, the moment he sees his work appeared in the printed media-in the case of newspapers. Surely feeling inspired for the work. An endorsement by editor or editors. And indication of approval that his work merits for public consumption.

“Life can be very frustrating, full of hopelessness and demeaning” said another, a writer who is not born nor trained writer yet not so young but has big ideal. Because his articles were sometime come out in time, sometime a few weeks later or sometime an editor calls him giving reason why the article cannot be published not himself decides but 'they' to be nice. You know what I mean.

Writer, I mean here is not a person doing writing for livelihood but simply keen and happy to write as hobby if you may say, I call the person simply a writer all the way embattling whether writing would one day becomes his new profession.

It means writing to get work published isn’t that predictable, life as if hinges on editor’s tolerance and mercy.

Again it depends what one is writing.

If one, simply wants to get his work printed in the newspaper this could be different too. But what I mean here is a writer who thinks he has something to tell. He wants to tell the way he wants to tell, something based on his expertise and experience but because in the eyes of the establishments his political thought is incorrect. He is of not the same feathers thus cannot flock together. Bearing in mind in Malaysia, being lefty may be popular at coffee shop or warong mamak but not in five star hotels, so to speak. Very few mainstream media would want to print ideas which do not tally with what PM or Chief Ministers or Menteri Besars’ thought, for the very fact all mainstream media belong to the ruling political parties and their associates. And printer’s printing permit is renewable only yearly. Malaysia’s printers and publishers are nowhere else but in Malaysia. If Malaysia has Murdoch or Maxwell or Time Warner or Viacom perhaps it could be a different story.

But be reminded being lefty it doesn’t mean one is less patriotic or less nationalistic than BN political parties supporters. Some, if not most of brilliant scholars are from this end rather than the other. One thing I am sure in Malaysian though, learning institutions on subject that I am referring to are not found in BN political parties and their associates. Not now.