M Gov - Part 3

To which I responded as such:

Thanks lots for sharing. Though my replies be short (and that's because my sphere of understanding and sensitivity to the social & political climate is elementary - but I'm hungry to learn), I catch your point.

History would reveal that it takes lots of conviction, courage and sacrifice to stand up against the tide of the apathy and the opposition of those in power and abuse thereof. I think many in the world, especially those hailing from countries with significant social disorder have dreams and hope of a better country and justice and equality for all. Or should I say - everyone has dreams - it's but a matter of belief and perspective. Take for instance, a radical left-wing Muslim person - he might believe that in order to establish social order - non-Muslim infidels should be eradicated. A reasonable man would say that's terrorism.

I would think many M'sians have a clear idea of what consitutes a just & upright government - but feel inadequate or do not have the resources to fight for it, for fear of many an opposing force and obstacles. Your suggested solutions are fabulous, and in my humble opinion, workable (may I applaud you for your keen mind and wisdom), but as you have also pointed out - would probably be thrown out the window by the current government concerned with achieving their goals at the expense of inequality for a large portion of their people and consequently disparaging the capability of their leadership. Leadership is not bestowed; it is earned. Maybe our leaders ought to consider that circumspectfully.

M Gov - Part 2

When asked what would be possible solutions to restore faith, trust and respect of its people and the world at large - my learned friend responded as such:

I guess that having stayed in KL all my life until recently (excluding my 3 years of law school in the UK) and moving to Sg has given me a better perspective of the differences between the 2 countries. I'm not being pro-Sg and anti-Malaysia. It just frustrates me that Malaysia, with all its natural resources and potential, now appears moving backwards when we know it is capable of much more.

Evolution usually takes place over a number (in some cases, millions) of years, so it will be difficult to change anything overnight. Revolution, of course, can take place over a much shorter period. Haha. Pervez Musharraf "took over" Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup in Pakistan in 1999. Pakistan is having its fair share of problems now. But I'm digressing...

There should a return to meritocracy, first and foremost. People should be judged on the basis of their individual merits as opposed to the colour of their skin. This applies across the board to practically every aspect, from gaining entry into schools, universities, jobs, posts, political appointments, projects, allowances and so forth. Give credit where credit is due. Promote the people who are suitably qualified. Give the academically-inclined university places for the course they applied for.

This would also mean that the majority race will have to accept the fact that they will be receiving lesser hand-outs and freebies from the government. The further effect of this is also that the minority races will have a greater representation across the board but more importantly, the influence of the majority race will be lessened. Will they ever accept that? The saying goes that "All those who have power are afraid to lose it". Imagine a child being revoked his/her ice-cream/dessert privileges after a meal. S/he will probably chuck a fit. It is next to impossible for this to happen. If the government is to effect change this way, they will need to have the strength of their convictions.

To a certain extent, the minority races, mindful of the events of May 13 1969, have contributed to the present state of affairs. The Chinese for example, never want to get involved in politics, because they think it doesn't concern them. Typically, if their "rice-bowl" is not affected, they could care less about what is happening, and even if they do, they will not dare kick up any major fuss about it. The Indians recently have become braver, taking to the streets just last week in KL.

I'm not advocating riots or mass protests over this, but if you allow someone to take advantage of you, they will continue to do so until you do something about it.

The practice of meritocracy will be a start, and things should progress naturally from there.

To "restore" the faith of the world at large, the government should look at "arming" themselves and their citizens to be able to compete in the international market. This should be done not only on a governmental level, but also on an individual level. After all, personal improvement can only happen if it comes from within, no? Improve efficiency and accountability, reduce corruption. Also, political and social stability in the country. No one wants to invest in a country without that, yes? Liberalising the market so that it promotes competitive trade, and not protecting government/country-owned companies (look at what is happening to Proton now- down in the doldrums, compare that with the rival local car manufacturer who have gone on to succeed without government aid- Perodua is doing much better). Do what it takes to be able to compete at world level. Teach them to how to fish, not catch the fish for them and serve 'em on a plate.

Anyway, who is to say that my suggested solutions would be the right one? No solution will ever be fool-proof. Solutions sound good in theory, but the human element means that there will be bumps along the way and besides, for every solution there will be a further problem which will arise. You just can't please everyone.

Alas, I don't see this happening at all in the near future...

M Gov - Part 1

A fellow Malaysian lawyer friend's take on the M Gov (for security purposes, let's just call him JLee):

Over the years, the government has steadily increased the toll charges and prices of petrol. Among other reasons, this wouldn't be such a big issue if the spending/buying power was stronger. Prices of the basic items have increased dramatically over the years but the salaries of the average Malaysian have not. To put this into perspective, an example will be the Malaysian legal profession itself. In 1981, the average monthly salary for a fresh, first-year-in-practice lawyer was RM1800. Today, in 2007, the average first-year lawyer's salary remains around RM1800. Take the rate of inflation into account, etc you will find that today's lawyers are worse off compared to 1981. Kuala Lumpur, by the way, isn't a cheap place to live in if you are earning RM.

Why is the spending/buying power of Malaysia weak? Ultimately you'd have to look at the Malaysian Ringgit itself. The RM just isn't strong enough compared to, for example the SGD. When one needs to convert from the RM, it becomes expensive, and this applies across the board, from the average Malaysian buying his goods, to the company using say, the US $ to purchase raw materials/items, etc. One example- international magazines. Let's just consider this dollar for dollar, assuming that RM1 equals SGD1.00. GQ magazine costs about SGD11.00 whereas in Malaysia, it costs RM24.00. For someone earning in SGD, s/he merely has to pay half of what a Malaysian would have to pay for the magazine. The buying power here is simply stronger.

The RM is weak because there isn't enough of an international demand for it. Malaysia is simply not competitive enough in international trade. Add that (among other things) with the current political climate of the country (affirmative action being exercised in favour of the majority race in the country, creating more wealth and opportunities for the majority race, but at what cost? Law grads who can barely construct a proper sentence in English (whom, by the way were granted entries into uni to study law with 5 Es in their A Levels), monies going into the pockets of cronies, etc), you have a currency that is not fulfilling its potential.

It all boils down to whether they want to be competitive. All they are more interested in is safe-guarding is the interests of their race. The affirmative action policy has made Malaysia the country it is today- rising prices, low wages, low standards, disgruntled citizens. If they continue doing so (and they will) the country will be headed further into the doldrums.