FEELING SAD n SICK

This is how I felt this morning after a chat with my wife on the current political situation in Malaysia.
She is a foreigner and it’s so hard to explain our sad and sick politicians.

What am I talking about? Well…..

1. The UMNO youth demonstrations with racist comments, shown live on Bernama TV.

Yup. They had signs “INI TANAH MELAYU, BUKAN TANAH SINGH!!” (THIS IS MALAY LAND NOT FOR THE SIKHS!!) in full view. Not even discrete!! She was asking me why the ISA was not used on these guys as it was inciting racial hatred.

2. Police reports made against Karpal Singh by UMNO youth all over Malaysia.

I remember trying to make a report about an accident in Klang at the PJ police station and the cop said I couldn’t. I had to report it in Klang. She wanted to know how these guys can make reports about something in Perak in another state?

3. MP in Kedah states his reason for quitting is that he and his family have been threatened by BN.

Police report? Protection from the police? No….he disappears. “If an MP can’t trust our police force for protection, what about us normal folk?” she asked.

4. UMNO Youth leaders say “By any means necessary”. Murder, Bloodshed, Genocide????

She asked me how far they would go. I’m afraid to answer. Really.

5. Police officers charged with murder have their faces covered ALL the time.

Since they’re handcuffed, I guess their police buddies helped them bundle up? I recall the police not allowing defendants in other cases to cover their faces. (Although most try sooooo hard with their T shirt, newspapers, etc.) “Even if they’re found guilty, what if they are secretly released and are back it the police force? Will anyone know, since nobody know what they look like?” she asked again.




She was comparing our current situation to that of countries in Africa....only good thing here is that we've got oil, so money and jobs are ok...for now.

As I was left with no answers, it really made me sad to think how far we've come socially and economically only to have daft politicians send us back to the racial riffs of the 60's.

If this is the path that our political scene is taking us, I’m really getting worried for the safety of my family and friends.

Will all my vocal friends disappear too?? Will supporting a certain party be considered treason?

Will the "Truly Asia" slogan means we become like other Asian countries like Cambodia, Burma, Laos and Phillipines with incapable and corrupt leaders?

MALAY or ENGLISH??????

I’ve been hearing this issue of Maths and Science being taught in English and it’s getting pretty tiring.

I really don’t get these education ministry fellas…

Let me break it down in my usual point form on what the problem is and how to tackle it:

The problem

1. Level of proficiency in English in Malaysia is on the decline.
2. Children in rural areas don’t speak English at all.
3. Lack of teachers who speak good English.

The solution

1. GET BETTER ENGLISH TEACHERS!!
2. TEACH ENGLISH MORE OFTEN!!!!

I mean, why mess about with Maths, Science and other subjects. Just put in more hours per week for English lessons.

During my backpacking days, I’ve met so many backpackers in India, China and Indonesia who were teaching English as part of some volunteer program. Get these guys over here la!!!

Leave the primary schools subjects in Malay while concentrating in making the kids really good at English as a subject on it's own and when they get to secondary school, teach the technical subjects (Maths, Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, etc.) in English.

Then we’ll finally get somewhere!!