August 31 1957... was the day Malaysia gained her independence from the British colonial masters. I wasn't even born yet... but I realised this independence means a lot to us, the younger generation of Malaysians. From the stories Mom used to tell me when she was growing up during the Malayan Emergency (1948 - 1960), I came to understand that the struggles of our country's leaders and forefathers were purely for the strong desire to see Malaysia would be free from colonial rule, and also for the love of this country.
Our forefathers from many different races, from every corner of the country came in full force rallying for the late Tunku Abdul Rahman and his entourage who went to London in 1956 to negotiate for Malaysia's independence. When the negotiation proved to be a success, the nation celebrated as one, as preparations to form a new federal governement was undertaken.
A grand celebration was to be taken place at Merdeka Stadium, marked by the ceremony of lowering of the Union Jack and hoisting of the new Malayan flag at the stroke of midnight on August 31 1957; this ceremony took place on a field in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad building, which is known today as Merdeka Square. The proclamation of independence by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman could be heard seven times during the height of the celebrations at Merdeka Stadium the following morning. This historic moment became the iconic symbol of hope for peace and unity for many ordinary Malaysians who were present to witness it.
All the struggles for a free Malaysia were not in vain, and today Malaysia is one of the fastest growing economy of a developing nation in the world. It was because of the struggles leaders like Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun V.T. Sambanthan that Malaysia became the country she is today. I salute these independence leaders and our forefathers from different races for never giving up hope for a free Malaysia.
The following two Merdeka advertisements created by the late Yasmin Ahmad for Petronas serves as a profound reminder to all of us that the 1Malaysia concept has already existed in Malaysia.... even during the days of pre-independence, and the country's colourful history is the proof of how it all began.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=610420485431901065#
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33165742
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Has the world gone CRAZY?!
The article below showed the extremely SERIOUS moral decadence in our society:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/teacher-stabbed-to-death-in-sungai-way-robber-escapes/
Are human lives worth so little nowadays that a robber is ever willing to kill someone for only a few hundred ringgit, which the teacher mentioned in the article above was probably carrying in her handbag. How many more lives are to be lost before the authorities start to pull up their socks to step up the safety of public places? And I have yet to forget how the robbers THREATEN TO KILL my Mom (a helpless strokee) earlier this year when our house got robbed. Not forgetting road bullies swarming Malaysian roads like bees out of the nest.
Another serious decadence to be given more attention is the state of mental health of our general population, as illustrated in this article - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/25/nation/6916231&&sec=nation. People with mental illness need continuous support medically, as well as support from their family and society on the whole. These mental patients need to be accepted like any other normal person, and NOT BE DISCRIMINATED by the society. The authorities should also play their role to improve the national mental health support system to the general population, sad to say is very much left to be desired like our KTM Komuter services.
Parents need to play AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT role to help teach our younger generation to be better behaved and well brought-up individuals to lead in the society. Sad to say many parents fail to do so, in view of the endless moral decadence-related issues highlighted by the media of late. However, all is not lost, parents need to realise they are the people in the best position to take lead in teaching the younger generation to be better behaved and well brought-up individuals and NOT pass the responsibility to teachers in schools instead. A teacher's role is to provide formal education to young people, a role to complement that of a parent's role in educating our younger generation.
Something for everyone to ponder, including myself...
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/teacher-stabbed-to-death-in-sungai-way-robber-escapes/
Are human lives worth so little nowadays that a robber is ever willing to kill someone for only a few hundred ringgit, which the teacher mentioned in the article above was probably carrying in her handbag. How many more lives are to be lost before the authorities start to pull up their socks to step up the safety of public places? And I have yet to forget how the robbers THREATEN TO KILL my Mom (a helpless strokee) earlier this year when our house got robbed. Not forgetting road bullies swarming Malaysian roads like bees out of the nest.
Another serious decadence to be given more attention is the state of mental health of our general population, as illustrated in this article - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/25/nation/6916231&&sec=nation. People with mental illness need continuous support medically, as well as support from their family and society on the whole. These mental patients need to be accepted like any other normal person, and NOT BE DISCRIMINATED by the society. The authorities should also play their role to improve the national mental health support system to the general population, sad to say is very much left to be desired like our KTM Komuter services.
Parents need to play AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT role to help teach our younger generation to be better behaved and well brought-up individuals to lead in the society. Sad to say many parents fail to do so, in view of the endless moral decadence-related issues highlighted by the media of late. However, all is not lost, parents need to realise they are the people in the best position to take lead in teaching the younger generation to be better behaved and well brought-up individuals and NOT pass the responsibility to teachers in schools instead. A teacher's role is to provide formal education to young people, a role to complement that of a parent's role in educating our younger generation.
Something for everyone to ponder, including myself...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Living in POVERTY in This Ultra-Advanced and Ultra-Modern Time
Yup, it's a reality all urbanites must face these days, and it's all over the news everywhere. I'm no different and as badly affected as any man on the street. Even worse for me, being a highly qualified graduate is not of much help either, I'm a PAUPER TO THE BOOT! This stark realisation of reality hit me about one year ago as I was at the pharmacy wanting to purchase my regular brand of dental floss. The price of my regular brand of dental floss shot up by RM 2.00 for a 50-metre pack, from RM 6.50 to RM 8.50! And this price hike was totally uncalled for!
Rubbing salt to the already bleeding wound, dental floss DOES NOT go cheap like many other consumables during the sale season. For quite a while, I was facing a difficult situation trying to find quality dental floss that is reasonably priced and at the same time, stretching my buckeroos as far as they could possibly go. A challenge in which can ABSOLUTELY be mind-boggling!
Not helping with the skyrocketing cost of living are the prices of basic necessaties, i.e. food and clothing. And one thing that doesn't skyrocket is my salary, the amount I earn has categorised me as an URBAN POOR. Looks like I'm expected to live on fresh and sunlight by the way things are going. Not that I'm not trying to stretch my buckeroos long enough, but I'm just NOT EARNING NEARLY ENOUGH just to support myself.
It gets very depressing every time when I take a look at my payslip. I can't help but shake my head in sadness at the fact I'm earning peanuts! I'm VERY SURE there are many people around me are facing the same predicament. Yup, we can have all the first class infrastructure and facilities but the mentality is NO WHERE in par with these infrastructure and facilities. Ultra-advanced and ultra-modern time has dawned upon us but NOT necessarily making life any easier for many men on the street. Most people from the working class are finding it EXTREMELY TOUGH to make ends meet.
Even for an unmarried person like myself without many commitments are finding it extremely challenging to manage the finances based on the peanuts of a salary I'm earning. It's so mind-boggling to the extent that I wonder if I'm ever going to make it in life at all. Not that I'm choosy in getting a job but employers just DO NOT understand that the salary they pay to their workers are just NOT ENOUGH to live on. Yeah, I know they also have to balance the finances of the organisations they lead but HELLO, the workers are in need of a decent salary as one of the MAIN motivation to contribute WELL to the organisation they are working for! The decent salary they get would be able to allow the workers to achieve some financial stability in life, and hopefully the goals that they can only dream of.
Most people would be happy to make some sacrifices for the organisation they work for provided when the employers show some appreciation and gratitude to the contributions of their respective employees. I'm QUITE SURE most employers have gone through the rank and file process in order get to where they are as a leader of an organisation today. Unless they are born into a family-run organisation where the silver spoon is already in their mouths.
How many of us working class people are lucky enough to be at the top of the organisational hierarchy? Not many, I suppose. Those that were lucky enough to be at the top of the organisational hierarchy are usually not very empathic with the plight of their workers. I'm saying this from my own experience as a normal office worker as well as a manager, and so far I never had the luck to have a boss helping me to make a break in my career. One very valuable lesson I have learned from all my bosses though..... is to never be like them!
Rubbing salt to the already bleeding wound, dental floss DOES NOT go cheap like many other consumables during the sale season. For quite a while, I was facing a difficult situation trying to find quality dental floss that is reasonably priced and at the same time, stretching my buckeroos as far as they could possibly go. A challenge in which can ABSOLUTELY be mind-boggling!
Not helping with the skyrocketing cost of living are the prices of basic necessaties, i.e. food and clothing. And one thing that doesn't skyrocket is my salary, the amount I earn has categorised me as an URBAN POOR. Looks like I'm expected to live on fresh and sunlight by the way things are going. Not that I'm not trying to stretch my buckeroos long enough, but I'm just NOT EARNING NEARLY ENOUGH just to support myself.
It gets very depressing every time when I take a look at my payslip. I can't help but shake my head in sadness at the fact I'm earning peanuts! I'm VERY SURE there are many people around me are facing the same predicament. Yup, we can have all the first class infrastructure and facilities but the mentality is NO WHERE in par with these infrastructure and facilities. Ultra-advanced and ultra-modern time has dawned upon us but NOT necessarily making life any easier for many men on the street. Most people from the working class are finding it EXTREMELY TOUGH to make ends meet.
Even for an unmarried person like myself without many commitments are finding it extremely challenging to manage the finances based on the peanuts of a salary I'm earning. It's so mind-boggling to the extent that I wonder if I'm ever going to make it in life at all. Not that I'm choosy in getting a job but employers just DO NOT understand that the salary they pay to their workers are just NOT ENOUGH to live on. Yeah, I know they also have to balance the finances of the organisations they lead but HELLO, the workers are in need of a decent salary as one of the MAIN motivation to contribute WELL to the organisation they are working for! The decent salary they get would be able to allow the workers to achieve some financial stability in life, and hopefully the goals that they can only dream of.
Most people would be happy to make some sacrifices for the organisation they work for provided when the employers show some appreciation and gratitude to the contributions of their respective employees. I'm QUITE SURE most employers have gone through the rank and file process in order get to where they are as a leader of an organisation today. Unless they are born into a family-run organisation where the silver spoon is already in their mouths.
How many of us working class people are lucky enough to be at the top of the organisational hierarchy? Not many, I suppose. Those that were lucky enough to be at the top of the organisational hierarchy are usually not very empathic with the plight of their workers. I'm saying this from my own experience as a normal office worker as well as a manager, and so far I never had the luck to have a boss helping me to make a break in my career. One very valuable lesson I have learned from all my bosses though..... is to never be like them!
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