The Malaysian Dilemma

Hi there,

Malaysians are very unique. They are clean,but they don’t keep clean.(Huh?)
To put it in a simpler way, it means that they are so particular in their houses’ cleanliness, but somehow, they don’t keep public places as well as their houses.
Usually, when we go for a trip,passing by the highway,there are always some public facilities like wash rooms, food stalls, resting area as well as petrol stations. These are the places where we used to see rubbish everywhere.
For example:

Scene 1:
This is about rubbish bin. People like to throw things outside the bin. I mean the hole is there,why can’t you all just make the aim better? Rubbish being misplaced, chewing gum not being disposed properly,but being sticked on the wall or under the seats…
Rubbish being thrown under the notice board which forbids people to throw rubbish around the area.
These are common scenes in Malaysia,either in public places like cinemas,parks,public transport and washrooms. Such a disgrace to let tourists see our “rubbish culture”!

Scene 2:
This is about Japan. This is a real story. A man went traveling around Japan. He is a frequent smoker. When his addiction to cigarette is not controllable, he tends to smoke on the way while he was walking. So, there was a lady whom he noticed, had been following him at his back since he came from a garden. He noticed the old lady was bending down acting as if she was searching for something. He became suspicious and tried to peep back.
THE OLD LADY WAS TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE ASHES OF HIS BURNT CIGARETTE!!!
How ashame on people visiting other country and “forgot” to keep it clean…
Keeping a place clean must come from the bottom of the heart,not “forced” by the law and rules,like some country near by Malaysia. Even if it’s residents tried to keep the places clean for the sake of avoiding being fined. However, when they passed their country boundaries to our country,they too,contributed to the rubbish and chewing gum on our floor!

Scene 3:
Ever tried using public washrooms like in schools, in shopping complexes, and most commonly,along the high way? Was it an enjoyable experience or the other way?
Firstly, the water tap always not tighten up. Water flows like it’s free and therefore no need to reserve it.(Haih,Malaysians’ third class mentality).
Secondly, the toilet paper always missing or never appear.(Once again,either the worker is trying to cut cost or the user had needed at home.
Thirdly, the user never learn how to flush properly.(you know how disgusting it will be if you are the next user. So, please be considerate!).
Forth, Plastic wrappers, sanitary pads and many unknown things being thrown onto the toilet bowl and causing all the “jam”…(would you like your house’s toilet being stuck?Once again, please be considerate!).
Fifth, used tissues being thrown into the basin.(Yucks! Who dares to pick it up?).
These are the scenarios in the ladies which I have encountered. Do tell me about the gents.

Scene 4:
Melaka once was awarded as The Cleanest City In Malaysia in year 200x. To celebrate, the Melaka local authorities had organized several activities in a park. The aim of the activity,which i believed was to implant the idea of keeping the cleanliness in every place and the importance of cleanliness. It so happened that my school was invited too. Yes,we did enjoyed going to park instead of staying in the dull classroom. However, i noticed that, after the activity, the students have left their rubbish like food wrappers and tissues on the grass! What is the message again? Failure of education,not because of the state government’s being “dirty”, so-called,as told by one of the political leader,who tends to criticize the opposition party’s efficiency and responsibility. (Dear leader,try think over the 50 years we led by your party,were there any better when the roads and “big projects” and mostly semi-valued compared to the estimated value. And yet, those projects were defected within the guarantied period.) The pot is always calling the kettle black!

If you are a Malaysian, tell us about your own “disgusted” memory about rubbish.
If you are a foreigner who have traveled in Malaysia, please feel free to express your thoughts about rubbish.
If you are from a clean country, please tell us the ways of keeping a country as clean as yours.

Thank you.

We have shared so many lines talking about rubbish. Haha!

Well,this is Malaysia!

What is Democracy ?

“Democracy is the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives. It is a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them majority rule: the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group” as defined by the University of Princeton¹.

In a simpler word, democracy means representatives who were being selected by the people (voters),and for the people,to serve as the people’s voice,toward the state’s administrators. Usually, representatives were elected every five (5) years.

Scene 1– 8^th March,2008

In Malaysia, the representatives normally come from two (2) major political parties,and only less than 1% are independent candidates. FYI, Malaysia’s current federal government is led by Barisan Nasional (BN),and the federal opposition alliance is Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Based on the Malaysian history, by hook or by crook, the BN has been the winning party for the past 50 years. (This means it has always achieved 2/3 majority seats in the Parliament and State Assembly).

However, the situation changed dramatically on the Political Tsunami of 8th March 2008 (most recently conducted General Election). Instead of being the minority always, the opposition alliance, PR, had unexpectedly won up to five (5) states upon 11 in the Peninsular of Malaysia plus it had also “defeated” BN’s 2/3 majority seats in the Parliament. This was but a nightmare to the BN, as it had never expected to lose.

This, was the day Democracy in Malaysia revived!

Scene 2– 5^th February, 2009

Perak, one (1) of the five (5) states won and governed by the PR alliance, had changed hand to BN again, in few days’ time. For the past 11 months, the PR government had done no mistake, in fact, they have done things that the BN government never would have, to help the people. The fact is, most of the Perak people are happy with the PR government.

However, the BN had spent only less than one week to tackle 3 State Assembly members who, originally represented the PR, to join the BN. With that, the majority in the State Assembly is led by the BN again, regardless on how the Perak people feel.

We do not blame the BN to defect the PR government this way. We are blaming the 3 involved YBs for their betrayal and cowardliness. They won because the people believed in their manifesto, because people believed in their promises for a brighter future, and not because of who they are, it was because of which party they are representing! Now, they have shown themselves, as the greedy, immoral and power-minded politicians.

Where is the dignity of YBs?

Where is the respect for the people?

Where is the highness of the State Assembly?

On the 5th February, 2009. Democracy died…

Politician means:

“-a leader engaged in civil administration

-a person active in party politics

-a schemer who tries to gain advantage in an organization in sly or underhanded ways” – University of Princeton¹.

“A politician (from Greek “polis”) is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of politics or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d’état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest, right of inheritance (see also: divine right) or other means.”- Wikipedia.Org².

Confucius³ explained that being a politician, one must have good personalities(morality), then good family(harmonious), then only can pursue the chances to manage the country. Politicians are leaders of a country. They are making decisions and policies which would affect the country and the people internally and externally. Witnessing the betrayals in political parties, and the immorality of the political dispution, etc…

Malaysia, are you ready for tomorrow’s challenges?

¹University of Princeton. Retrieved Feb 5, 2009, from http://www.wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

²Wikipedia.Org. Retrieved Feb 6, 2009, from http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Politician

³Confucius- a Chinese philosopher whose ideas and sayings were collected after his death and became the basis of a philosophical doctrine known a Confucianism.

Hi, it’s me again Lah.

Today Ah, I would like to talk about Malaysian’s English Lah. As you can notice Ah, most of us can speak English, but most of the English users are using “AH,LAH,MAH,LOH,etc” either at the begining of our phrases Leh. It has become our “culture” already Loh.

Malaysia is a very unique country Lah. As you can see Ah, I did mention earlier Loh, we have various races, different religion, different types of schools. That is absolutly our advantage if I may say so Lah. But, as we have 3 main languages(especially for Chinese students) to learn in our primary school, we would be a little bit confused at times Loh. Years come to years, we have become MR. and MRS. or MS. Know-it-all, but we are all master of nothing. That is easily noticeable in our spoken languages. Especially our pronunciation.

Scene:

In a club. Where people are listening to live band and songs. Here is the conversation between the band singer and the Customer.

Customer: Hello, I want to listen to some oldies Lah. Don’t keep singing Pop songs Leh…

Singer       : Alright, as your wish. What song would you like me to sing?

Customer: Aiya, I want to hear the greatest oldies—”Ah Cheng Buay Loti” Loh.

Puzzled.

Singer       : Sir, are you sure you are talking about English oldies? I’ve never heard of the title. I beg your pardon.

Customer: Walao eh, so famous also you have never heard of ah? It’s the movie- Ghost’s Soundtrack Leh.

Still puzzled. The club manager came and had a discussion with the band. Decision is made. They guessed it’s that song…

Started singing.

“Oh, My love, My Darling, I’m hunger for your love…….”

Did you guess correctly Or Not?

So, speaking it correctly does make a great difference on the meaning.

“To Lah or not to Lah, this is a Malaysian Question.” by Charles Cham,Orang Utan.

Well, this is Malaysia Lah!