It is only three days to go for the very last day of August 2011. In case you are wondering what I mean, coming 31 August 2011 is fifty-four years of independence for a country called Malaysia. However, I will be asking the one question after having spoken to many Malaysians, in person and online. The one common question they have: “Are we truly Merdeka?” The word Merdeka means free or independence in Malay language. Therefore, I am blogging to point out some things Malaysians really want to point out what is really wrong back home. Secondly, what I am listing out according to what Malaysians have told me would have left the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (the first prime minister of Malaysia) rolling in his grave if he knew how badly the country has turned out. Afraid to say they are right. Darn right.
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Corruption
Time and again, I have been reading from alternative news reports (Thank goodness for BBC, alternative media, blogs and the like so I say the mainstream Malaysian media is an epic FAIL) that touch on the issue of corruption in Malaysia. How ironic for a country with its first class infrastructure and its tallest building yet corruption is still big in Malaysia. Corruption is ugly where politicians line their pockets with Malaysian citizens’ hard-earned taxes for their personal selfish gains. Truth is, some parts of Malaysia still have rural people living in squalor without any running water, proper sewage or even electricity (and it’s a real fact). So those Lonely Planet books and beautiful postcards are just there to sugarcoat.
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Racial quota in Malaysian state universities
Having spoken to many Malaysians who have a bone to pick about tertiary education in Malaysia, I have heard and known about the use of racial quota in state universities. Honestly, racial quotas are not doing any good to both education and society. Why should a potential university applicant be chosen according to ethnic origin, race and religion? No wonder so many Malaysians of non-Malay descent end up having to fork out more money to send their children to private colleges or universities in Malaysia or send them overseas. Have those state universities in Malaysia heard of meritocracy, that is choosing a person according to talent and ability NOT based on race, religion and ethnic origin? Tertiary education should be open to any Malaysian regardless of colour, religion and ethnic origin.
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Double standard discounts for buying properties in Malaysia
Someone (Name suppressed for privacy reasons) who spent a couple of years living and working in Malaysia told me about the issue of double standards in buying houses in Malaysia. This is what this person told me: Malaysians of Bumiputera status (check out this link to find out what Bumiputera means) are eligible in getting 5% discount when they purchase a house whilst non-Bumiputera Malaysians (e.g. Chinese, Indian, etc) do not get a discount. There is no such double standard discount like this in countries like America, United Kingdom or even Singapore. If we have this sort of thing, that is not just discriminatory but also it would earn a community or a country a laughing stock status from the eyes of the international world who believe in equality.
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The falling (and continuous falling) standard of English language in Malaysia
Once under British colonial rule, Malaysia was the cream of Southeast Asia where many Malaysians could speak and write perfect English all because in those days, according to Malaysian Baby Boomers (1946-1964) and Silent Generation (1925-1945), learning English was seen as a gateway to better chances in education and employment (especially in trade and civil services). Then came along, an education reform (or should I say ‘reform’) that began phasing out English-medium schools in 1970 and replacing them with Malay-medium schools by 1982. This ‘reform’ places a greater emphasis on learning the Malay language to the point of neglecting the teaching of English language to those born in the early 1970s and onwards. The outcome? Not a very good outcome from what I am told because many of the younger Malaysian generation, Generation X(1965-1981) and Generation Y (1982-1995), cannot string a few words in proper English, orally or on paper (if you count in a badly written job application letter or an essay). Because of this, they are called the ‘lost’ generation who are deprived the joys of being able to speak and write proper English like their Baby Boomer and Silent Generation counterparts. Another thing I want to point out is how those dumb, corrupted politicians have the gall to say in the Malaysian media that learning English would turn a Malaysian into a Westerner and cause a rot to Malaysia culture. Excuse me, a rot to Malaysian culture or turning a Malaysian into a ‘white’ person? What a ridiculous statement. A Malaysian who speaks and writes perfect English, does not make him or her any less Malaysian. Lastly, those people need to face the fact that English is a lingua franca so why should they deny the young the right to learn English. Why should they not allow an English-medium school to be built for Malaysians who have the right to send their kids to one? Get real, English is used everything from media and sciences to computing and trade. Last but not least this post from Lim Kit Siang’s blog has hit the nail on the head about the importance of mastering English to enable Malaysians, especially the young ones, to compete at global level.
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Lack of freedom of speech and expression
Time and again, Malaysia has been labelled as a democratic country in most history and geographical books. However, I have to disagree from what I hear from Malaysians. Do you know that working as a journalist in Malaysia is a dangerous job where one can end up going to prison without a trial for just reporting the truth to the public? Absurd! How can a country be called democratic when it denies people the right to freedom of speech and expression as well as media freedom?
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Biased government policies
Need to say more? Well that would explain why many Malaysians I come across are moving out overseas for better lives. Who wants to live in a country that have stupid and biased policies anyway?
These are all I can list about the issues that some Malaysians have the defined their question, “Are we truly Merdeka?”. What says you about this issue? What else do you think are other issues that touch about what they want change for their country, Malaysia? Do you know a Malaysia or Malaysians who tell you exactly what is ‘wrong’ with their country? Opinions are welcome! (But no profanity please)
Far from it, from Reflecting On The Law By Shad Saleem Faruqi said:
How far our tertiary educational system emancipates us from servile dependence on and mental slavery to Western education is another question.
As we celebrate National Day it must be remembered that the stains of cultural and intellectual imperialism do not end with the attainment of political freedom.
Freedom is a state of the mind and, regrettably, the enslavement of our mind still continues long after the coloniser had gone back home.
Most of our universities blindly ape European curricula and European paradigms.
We ignore the knowledge systems and traditions of the East.
Our books, syllabi and intellectual icons are mostly from the West. Our list of experts, external examiners and guest speakers are mostly European.
Towering personalities of our own region are shunned. Decades have passed, but our servile minds have not woken up to the damage done to our psyche.
While parochialism and narrow chauvinism are not called for, we have to take pride in our own heritage and draw sustenance from it before supplementing it with wisdom from elsewhere.
i agree that freedom is a state of mind because as a global citizen, we are always bound by the rules and regulations of the city/country we live in. What is considered freedom is irrelative because the word is different to everyone.
Very well written. I always believe that no country/city is perfect, whichever city you decide suits you the most and you want to call home, you need to adapt. It doesn’t mean you approve or support such policies, it just means you can deal/put up with it because this is “home”. “Canada” seems ideal to so many people because Vancouver has great weather, great benefits , people are nice…and no one can understand why I decided to move to HK. Then once I live in HK and start to relocate to Singapore, they don’t understand why I am giving up all these potential business opportunities the city has to offer. Maybe I just want a greener city to enjoy what I have…muhahaha
What an impressive blog. I have never travelled to the Malaysia or the far East, but I had imagined Malaysia to be a modern democracy with forward thinking policies. I live in the countryside of France, in a way unaffected by the injustices of the world, and it is so important that voices, such as your own, are heard internationally. Congratulations. On the other hand I’ve heard that Nonya cooking is unbelievably delicious, so don’t disillusion me about that!
Thank you for your comment, Stowell and I truly appreciate that. Yes, Nyonya (also known as Peranakan) cuisine is delicious. Thank you for checking out my blog.
Your emphasis on English standard strikes me. I bet a bazillion bucks if we grew up watching American cartoons and Disney movies dubbed in BM, nobody here will say that learning English makes a Malaysian a white man wannabe because the local culture would curb its influence. Just look at how Disney films are treated in non-English-speaking countries on YouTube, and you know what I mean. This is because the diminishing of quality Malay cultural content since P Ramlee passed on may have some impact on how urbanites juggle the languages they learn.
Thought you should know your statement ” Generation X(1965-1981) and Generation Y (1982-1995), cannot string a few words in proper English, orally or on paper (if you count in a badly written job application letter or an essay). Because of this, they are called the ‘lost’ generation who are deprived the joys
of being able to speak and write proper English like their Baby Boomer and Silent Generation counterparts.” , is not entirely correct. Myself (Generation X also known as the 13th Generation was educated in English ). Back in my hometown in East Malaysia, English is widely used whereas in Selangor (where i’m working now most fast food outlets (KFC, Mac Donald, etc) workers will always reply me in BM eventhough i ordered in English !!! Hence i would say that statement should only refer to ” West Malaysian Generation X and Generation Y ” and not the entire Country !!! For your info my Nieces + Nephews are in the Generation Y category and eventhough they are educated in the Malay Medium Schools, Their spoken + written English are a lot better (if not Fluent) then their “Peers” in West Malaysia !!