They always said money is not everything. But as the AKPK would like to remind us before it's too late, everything revolves around money.
Finding it hard to scrape a living in a desolate and destitute country is quite acceptable. But in a country where the Malaysia Book of Records is as thick as some Malaysian politicians, it is definitely unforgivable. Especially when the government is talking about mega these and mega that worth mega billions. Corridor here and corridor there when them school corridors are not properly maintained. And sending people to Mars. Well, I made up the last bit but the message should be clear. The government can afford to spend to impress, and maybe to stay in power but they somehow forgot whom those actions are supposed to benefit, or in their case, the reverse.
I dunno, maybe am a bit shallow on them economics but to me there could be an impending economic doom when you see people desperately doing what they normally not do. You see people of all races in their late thirties and younger collecting cans and plastic from garbage bins. You see peeps you know who had good jobs became guards, cleaners, in their prime years. Imagine the indignity, not because the said jobs are undignified but things you have to do to get food on your plate, and the plates of your loved ones at home. Putting aside whatever dignity left, misplaced or otherwise, to bring home not the bacon, but scraps of leftovers.
Meanwhile some people are contemplating migrating to a greener pasture. They say this country ain't playing fair. It's not about being fair or not. It's about doing the right thing. Some may say that the special treatments for the Malays are actually hurting them in the long run. And it is unfair to the other races. I tend to agree. But I am of the opinion that special treatments and privileges should be there. For all in need, for all Malaysians. Those who can stand on their own, should be given a pat on the back and encouragements. It is a matter of giving assistance to those needing assistance and not those requesting assistance. And the main task for elected leaders is to ensure prosperity for the people and country. How they want to go about it, it's up to them to decide. Public discussions, think tanks, blogs, sms's or whatever. The problem with elected people in our society, politicians or otherwise, is that they are only ensuring their own prosperity without any regards to what their actions or inactions may cause. They are very fortunate indeed because most Malaysians tend to suffer silently. It's a built in thing or maybe something big brother inserted while we were being delivered. No need for demonstrations. No need for protests. Malaysia boleh.
Last week was a particularly bad week in me area. On Wednesday, a bank's customer was robbed in broad daylight of her car, handbag and some gold accessories as she alighted. It happened right in front of the bank but nothing could be done as them four assailants were armed with automatics and machetes. The same evening me staff became a victim of snatch theft when she left the office at 8pm. Dragged some 5 metres and lost her handbag. Fortunately she was not badly hurt. Some deep cuts, lacerations and few swollen joints. Those injuries would heal but a girl with scars? Psychological scars? On Thursday a lady colleague was mugged on her way to work. Lost some jeweleries and all the contents of her handbag. Fortunately not her modesty. Beautiful lady, she. If I may say so.
Should we blame the police? Regardless of what we read or heard about them cops, they too are trying to make a living. I believe the majority are honest and good people. But how much do they get for a job that require them to sacrifice life and limb so that some lucky bastards can plot on how to empty the government coffers and enriching themselves and their goons in the process. Even the most resolute will be tempted if their families are surviving on instant noodles and their children are telling them what other children are having and getting. So can we really blame them?
Should we blame them Indonesians, Nigerians or Vietnamese? It is an undeniable fact that some of the criminal elements here are of foreign origins. But how do they get here in the first place? Are those supposed to look after our borders sleeping? Or are there any at all? Why are them foreigners becoming more ruthless nowadays? Apart from their countries are in such a mess and their rulers are no worse than ours, have we done something that pissed these criminals and would be criminals? Did our companies employ them legally or when them authorities are looking the other way, bring them in illegally? Are those employing them pay them properly or hold on to their wages and when the projects are nearing completion, call the same authorities who looked the other way and shout illegals?
Should we blame the world economy? As a minor economy, we will always be subjected to them majors. So what are we doing about it? Should we adjust our industries and the way we do business? Shouldn't we be looking at a bigger picture and plan for the longer term instead of kowtowing to the captains of industries call for short term gains? And when we emulate them Japanese and Koreans, do we just go for scraps of old technology or do we emulate their work ethics and attitude at all levels as well? Where had all the good managers and planners gone? Bahamas?
We have petroleum and yet the government claimed that they could not subsidise petrol any longer. Why do they subsidise in the first place? How much will petrol cost without subsidy? Why are we affected by world prices? Shouldn't we have substantial reserves by now to soften the impact of price fluctuations? We have abundant land but we have unsold houses. The latest count is some 20k plus units of various price ranges. Why were there no planning made? Now everybody is alarmed at the prices of food items. And the government is going green. So will they fell them forest reserves or those unsold houses?
The fact is, some section of the society are really desperate. And what these elected leaders are doing is denying that facts even when some people are eating escargot and appearing on TV3 Bersamamu just to survive another day. I won't feel bad if this country is one of those African aid receipients. My Chinese neighbour, when asked for his opinion on the country's economy, had this to say. When the harvest aplenty, all is fine and all is forgiven. But when times are bad, the Chinese tend to suffer more because there is this need to portray this well-off image, and of course there are not many places for them to turn to, despite all those Chinese associations, despite the perceptions that the Chinese always help each other out. Maybe Micheal Chong but he too had to give up sooner or later.
And when all else failed, could we still turn to Jalaluddin Hassan? He could give you three lifelines. You could ask the audience, which could be your friends or families. You could make that phone call to a buddy, or them alongs. Finally you are pushed into the fifty-fifty situation, a do or die situation. The latter are the petty crimes you are currently reading in the news. Crimes committed not to be rich or committed by career criminals. Just by rakyats who are being pushed into a corner. Just to survive another day when Who Wants to be a Millionaire didn't.
Finding it hard to scrape a living in a desolate and destitute country is quite acceptable. But in a country where the Malaysia Book of Records is as thick as some Malaysian politicians, it is definitely unforgivable. Especially when the government is talking about mega these and mega that worth mega billions. Corridor here and corridor there when them school corridors are not properly maintained. And sending people to Mars. Well, I made up the last bit but the message should be clear. The government can afford to spend to impress, and maybe to stay in power but they somehow forgot whom those actions are supposed to benefit, or in their case, the reverse.
I dunno, maybe am a bit shallow on them economics but to me there could be an impending economic doom when you see people desperately doing what they normally not do. You see people of all races in their late thirties and younger collecting cans and plastic from garbage bins. You see peeps you know who had good jobs became guards, cleaners, in their prime years. Imagine the indignity, not because the said jobs are undignified but things you have to do to get food on your plate, and the plates of your loved ones at home. Putting aside whatever dignity left, misplaced or otherwise, to bring home not the bacon, but scraps of leftovers.
Meanwhile some people are contemplating migrating to a greener pasture. They say this country ain't playing fair. It's not about being fair or not. It's about doing the right thing. Some may say that the special treatments for the Malays are actually hurting them in the long run. And it is unfair to the other races. I tend to agree. But I am of the opinion that special treatments and privileges should be there. For all in need, for all Malaysians. Those who can stand on their own, should be given a pat on the back and encouragements. It is a matter of giving assistance to those needing assistance and not those requesting assistance. And the main task for elected leaders is to ensure prosperity for the people and country. How they want to go about it, it's up to them to decide. Public discussions, think tanks, blogs, sms's or whatever. The problem with elected people in our society, politicians or otherwise, is that they are only ensuring their own prosperity without any regards to what their actions or inactions may cause. They are very fortunate indeed because most Malaysians tend to suffer silently. It's a built in thing or maybe something big brother inserted while we were being delivered. No need for demonstrations. No need for protests. Malaysia boleh.
Last week was a particularly bad week in me area. On Wednesday, a bank's customer was robbed in broad daylight of her car, handbag and some gold accessories as she alighted. It happened right in front of the bank but nothing could be done as them four assailants were armed with automatics and machetes. The same evening me staff became a victim of snatch theft when she left the office at 8pm. Dragged some 5 metres and lost her handbag. Fortunately she was not badly hurt. Some deep cuts, lacerations and few swollen joints. Those injuries would heal but a girl with scars? Psychological scars? On Thursday a lady colleague was mugged on her way to work. Lost some jeweleries and all the contents of her handbag. Fortunately not her modesty. Beautiful lady, she. If I may say so.
Should we blame the police? Regardless of what we read or heard about them cops, they too are trying to make a living. I believe the majority are honest and good people. But how much do they get for a job that require them to sacrifice life and limb so that some lucky bastards can plot on how to empty the government coffers and enriching themselves and their goons in the process. Even the most resolute will be tempted if their families are surviving on instant noodles and their children are telling them what other children are having and getting. So can we really blame them?
Should we blame them Indonesians, Nigerians or Vietnamese? It is an undeniable fact that some of the criminal elements here are of foreign origins. But how do they get here in the first place? Are those supposed to look after our borders sleeping? Or are there any at all? Why are them foreigners becoming more ruthless nowadays? Apart from their countries are in such a mess and their rulers are no worse than ours, have we done something that pissed these criminals and would be criminals? Did our companies employ them legally or when them authorities are looking the other way, bring them in illegally? Are those employing them pay them properly or hold on to their wages and when the projects are nearing completion, call the same authorities who looked the other way and shout illegals?
Should we blame the world economy? As a minor economy, we will always be subjected to them majors. So what are we doing about it? Should we adjust our industries and the way we do business? Shouldn't we be looking at a bigger picture and plan for the longer term instead of kowtowing to the captains of industries call for short term gains? And when we emulate them Japanese and Koreans, do we just go for scraps of old technology or do we emulate their work ethics and attitude at all levels as well? Where had all the good managers and planners gone? Bahamas?
We have petroleum and yet the government claimed that they could not subsidise petrol any longer. Why do they subsidise in the first place? How much will petrol cost without subsidy? Why are we affected by world prices? Shouldn't we have substantial reserves by now to soften the impact of price fluctuations? We have abundant land but we have unsold houses. The latest count is some 20k plus units of various price ranges. Why were there no planning made? Now everybody is alarmed at the prices of food items. And the government is going green. So will they fell them forest reserves or those unsold houses?
The fact is, some section of the society are really desperate. And what these elected leaders are doing is denying that facts even when some people are eating escargot and appearing on TV3 Bersamamu just to survive another day. I won't feel bad if this country is one of those African aid receipients. My Chinese neighbour, when asked for his opinion on the country's economy, had this to say. When the harvest aplenty, all is fine and all is forgiven. But when times are bad, the Chinese tend to suffer more because there is this need to portray this well-off image, and of course there are not many places for them to turn to, despite all those Chinese associations, despite the perceptions that the Chinese always help each other out. Maybe Micheal Chong but he too had to give up sooner or later.
And when all else failed, could we still turn to Jalaluddin Hassan? He could give you three lifelines. You could ask the audience, which could be your friends or families. You could make that phone call to a buddy, or them alongs. Finally you are pushed into the fifty-fifty situation, a do or die situation. The latter are the petty crimes you are currently reading in the news. Crimes committed not to be rich or committed by career criminals. Just by rakyats who are being pushed into a corner. Just to survive another day when Who Wants to be a Millionaire didn't.
Image hijacked from The Dave Nestler's Sketch Book Volume One - Bad Girls Drawn Nicely!
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