Bar Council/Y4C’s continuing “Rethinking Malaysia” forum series hit a sour note last night when one of the panel speakers advised youth to seek “greener pasture” if the situation in Malaysia becomes untenable.
The advice was given by Datuk Paul Low, Secretary General of Transparency International Malaysia, when he cautioned the Malaysian Government against unjust policies in this age of globalization where people have high mobility.
Last night’s forum titled “Media and Civil Society” saw a turnout of about 60 people most of whom were below the ages of 20.
The first panel speaker Jeff Ooi, a prominent blogger in www. jeffooi.com. lamented the fact Malaysia media was controlled tightly by the ruling parties. As such the newspapers devoted all their effort one-sidely on pro-government news. The rest of it was the sentionalisation of rape, murder and robbery.
The advice was given by Datuk Paul Low, Secretary General of Transparency International Malaysia, when he cautioned the Malaysian Government against unjust policies in this age of globalization where people have high mobility.
Last night’s forum titled “Media and Civil Society” saw a turnout of about 60 people most of whom were below the ages of 20.
The first panel speaker Jeff Ooi, a prominent blogger in www. jeffooi.com. lamented the fact Malaysia media was controlled tightly by the ruling parties. As such the newspapers devoted all their effort one-sidely on pro-government news. The rest of it was the sentionalisation of rape, murder and robbery.
On a civil society, his wish-list would contain one where Malaysia would get rid of what he called “Merdeka 1234”—1 for Malay, 2 for Chinese, 3 for Indian and 4 for Others.
“Let us one day be colour blind in this regard,” he said.
The second speaker, Elizabeth Wong of Suaram and also a blogger under http://www.elizabethwong.wordpress.com/, pointed out that the “other news” which could balance the citizens’ exposure were unfortunately in the blogs. But the majority of Malaysians do not have access to that.
She gave the example of her experience during the Ijok bye-election. There was no broadband and she had to use the slow connection.
“When the bill came, it was more than a thousand ringgit for just the 7-day of usage!” she exclaimed.
Datuk Paul Low of Transparency International wanted all news touching on sensitive issues be banned from being published. He gave the example of “burning of a temple” and having the media asking and getting all the provocative answers.
“If these were to be published then we may have a riot. There will be a curfew and you and I will not be able to go about our business,” he said.
But the question is, in the Malaysian context where many of the actions are media-driven (Ask Michael Chong, he is an expert in this) would not silence create more frustrations and non-action.
A member of the audience put forth a query that given the unique Malaysian situation, would the “Rethinking Malaysia” called for a new social contract as the current one was creating a lot of frictions among the various races.
Paul Low replied a new social contract was unnecessary in this age of globalization as young people can easily seek “greener pasture” elsewhere.
When pointed out that he should not be giving such advice to the young impressionable minds but instead should tell them to stay to make this place better, Paul Low drew the example of the European Union where there was great mobility of people and labour.
If Asean thus become like EU then the movement would not be out of frustration. But it would definitely not happen in the next 50 years, and leaving Malaysia for “greener pasture” is a defeatist solution. The “Rethinking Malaysia” calls for a reflection on the past and a peek into what the future holds in the next 50 years. Those wanting a easy way out by leaving should not be participating in such a forum in the first place.
Those young people present when the altercation with Paul Low was taking place, instead of listening and then speak up their mind, bowed their heads in silence. Is this a good or bad omen for the future of Malaysia?.
5 comments:
Hi there,
Thanks for the update to my site.
Glad to know that you are there during the proceedings.
Sad to know that many people, especially from the young are afraid to speak up.
This is a common problem not only in Malaysia but Singapore as well.
That is probably because of our education system... We are encouraged to maintain silence and to revel in fear instead of speaking up and fighting for ourselves.
Regards,
http://sagaladoola.blogspot.com
look at the present education system. rote memory to pass the exams is emphasised. assertiveness is not encouraged and I dont know for what reasons. do you expect the public, in general, to be vocal after under all these influence and incessant preaching during the character formative days in schools and higher learning places.
I am with Paul Low in his views. With the increasingly borderless and flat world, there is nothing wrong to explore opportunities elsewhere. This opportunity may have bypassed me but surely I will encourage my kids to look at this option unless there are signs of positive changes in the country's policies. Loyalty cuts both ways and if the nation continues to discriminate and limits their ( my kids) advancement and oppportunities, is it wrong to look elsewhere?
we are all in it together and therefore we must stick together to work for positive change. Quiting is just an easy way out at the expense of your friends and relatives unable to leave and therefore at mercy. think about it as the geopolitics in this region has changed.
The following appeared in Rocky's Bru:
wee-d off, as in piss-ed off said...
Mr Simon Wee,
With all due respect to a senior citizen like you, I must say that you were not a shining example of how a fine discourse should take place. I was there and I cringed every time you spoke up. Did you have a bit too much before that, I wondered to myself. You were blabbering and you were not making much sense. I decided that you are one of those people who, as the song goes, are best and they don't say anything at all.
As for the greener pasture remarks by Low, what is so wrong about that? You have made your point so why not agree to disagree. The topic of the forum itself is "re-thinking" Malaysia. Migrating is "re-thinking". Staying put and trying to make a difference is "re-thinking". We young ones at the forum are hungry for change and for new, bold ideas. How many people would be bold enough to tell us to get the hell out of here if we are not happy.
On that note, I must congratulate you however for your boldness to declare that you won't attend another of the Bar Council's forums after that evening. Yes, Mr Wee, you are doing what Paul Low was telling disgruntled Malaysians to do - get out if you don't feel good or needed.
Do you see his point now? Somehow, I doubt it. I still believe you might have had too much before coming to the forum. About time the Bar Council conducts breathalyser test next time.
Good day. I thank God we won't be listening to you next week!
10:30 AM
Simon Wee said...
Dear Wee-d off, as in piss-ed,
Thank you for your feed-back. The point of contention here, as you rightly pointed out, is leave or stay.
It is surprising for a man from Malaysian Transparancy to advocate leaving to the young impressionable minds as the way out. Then what will happen to the rest of those,who invariably are their friends and relatives left behind. That is exactly what the majority wants the rest of us to do and they would welcome Paul's contention, like what you are doing.
My argument is that we must all stay and contribute to make this place a better place for all. Lets start by having a new social contract as the existing one is becoming obsolete. As I have said in my other blogs, the starting point would have to be acknowledgement of malay political dominance and the institutions to allay Malay phobia. Otherwise we can talk like in the "Rethinking Malaysia" series until the cows come home.
Instead of listening to the altercation and then stood up to speak their minds, all the young people present, including "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed" bowed their heads in silence.
You yourself need not cringed as there were only 2 questions from me, but instead should stand up and said your piece as in your comment above and not hide under "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed" and then open your "big mouth". If I were blabbering, then how come Paul could put up credible answers like refering to EU and greener pasture.
If I were to make a guess I would say that you are from the Bar Council. By hiding under "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed", and using expletives and insinuating that I was drunk, is not setting a good example to the young people either.
To say the least, the formal text is but a bias version. Where was the reveberation and where was the altercation. Accusing the government of bias newspaper reports? now you are doing it yourself like pot calling the kettle black. Is it a good omen or bad for the future of Malaysia.
11:08 AM
Simon Wee said...
Further to my earlier comments, what I have said at the forum are were out there in my blog" simonscwee.blogspot.com.
Am I making sense or "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed" is himself blabbering.
11:21 AM
Simon Wee said...
And just a little education for "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed".
A lawyer once told me that Chinese don't make good litigation lawyers because their body language is shown on the face, discerning even from the bench.
A flush face of a Chinese does not necessary mean infuenced by alcohol. In my case it is a sign of good health and that my grey matter is functioning. I am always ready to be proven wrong.
11:39 AM
Simon Wee said...
wee-d off, as in piss-ed off,
I don't want to be the last on this as it is not healthy for democracy.
If I am last in this, then I may be attempted to attend the next Rethinking, walk up to you to shake your hand and ask if you are "wee-d off, as in piss-ed off".
Of course you can indulge in your namecalling as such senior citizen, drunkard, blabbler etc. And don't forget the breathnalyser machine.
According to shrinks, resorting to namecalling is a sympton of idea-depletion. Anyone will know that in any discussion, anyone worth his salt would try to bring the other person down with ideas and not by namecalling. Maybe the shrink's prognosis is correct in this regard.
According to "wee-d off, as in piss-ed off" "leaving" is also part of the "rethinking". He appears to me to be in the Young Lawyers' Committee. Maybe he could convince the committee to issue a statement to the effect. It may also want to include namecalling as part of the Rethinking. Then we can have a "fine discussion" to find out who is talking sense and who is blabbling.
3:14 PM
Simon Wee said...
Dear wee-d off, as in piss-ed off, or is it Mr H.R.Dipendra of Young Lawyers Committee (I stand to be corrected),
I am waiting...
9:10 PM
H R said...
Dear Rocky,
I would appreciate if you could publish this, which I hope will correct Simon Wee’s misconception.
Many thanks
Dear Simon Wee,
My attention was drawn to your loquacious comments on this blog by a few readers who are also members of my committee. You have readily assumed (and without good reason I add) that I posted comments about your sobriety at the lecture under the pseudonym "Wee-d off, as in piss-ed". I now wish to assure you that I am made of a stronger constitution and possess the necessary scrotal gumption to, at the very least, identify myself in full as I have now. Thus, in the event of any doubt that you may still have, it was not me. I hope this clarifies the issue.
I also wish to add that you are entitled to your own views on the way the National Young Lawyers Committee of the Bar Council (NYLC) and Youth4Change conducted themselves in relation to the 3rd Lecture of the on-going “Critical Thinking Series”. Your comments are noted and are taken into account.
Obviously, we cannot please everyone and the report that you have commented on is prepared to be as objective as possible taking into account the views of the majority. When the NYLC and Youth4Change created the “Critical Thinking Series”, it was designed to promote and air different views. We did not set out on a quest to vilify anyone for their views. The fact that you were able to say so much last week without any hindrance is proof of this fact.
Should you have suggestions and constructive criticisms on improving the “Critical Thinking Series”, please e-mail me at h.r.dipendra@gmail.com
Many thanks
11:15 PM
Simon Wee said...
Now that I have been corrected (as I have said I stand to be corrected), will “wee d off as in pissed off” have the same constitution and “scrotal gumption” to stand up for identification instead of hiding under a cloak spewing expletive, insults and ridicule. Other namecalling bloggers will call such a blogger a coward. The Shrink's prognosis, on the other hand, is idea-depletion.
My “loquacious” comments (sarcasm noted) was the result of the name calling such as senior citizen, drunkard, babbler and ridicule hurled at me by “wee d off as in pissed off”. He even jested about putting a breathalyser by the door and exclaimed “thank God we won't be listening to you next week!”
I am not quarreling with HR’s committee over not speaking enough at the forum. But my retorts which you described as “loquacious” with obvious bias, were over “wee d off as in pissed off”’s sweeping ridicule of my participation at the forum. Even the pseudonym used , “wee d off as in pissed off” speaks volume of his illwill. What I have done in this regard is the minimum in the face of such insult.
Since HR is modest enough to seek contribution to improve the forum, may I ask what is his stand if “wee d off as in pissed of” happens to be a member of his committee.
As for me, like I have said, if there is no further feedback from “wee d off as in pissed off” ,then I am tempted to attend the next Rethinking forum to make him cringe even more so as to draw him out in the open.
8:46 AM
"Those young people present when the altercation with Paul Low was taking place, instead of listening and then speak up their mind, bowed their heads in silence. Is this a good or bad omen for the future of Malaysia?."
probably bad. it could mean that the younger generation had been conditioned to yield before the battle started. they have lost the confidence to stand and fight on their own, and have the mentality that, "if the elders can't do it, there's no way we can".
it could also mean that the country is in short supply of future leaders who can see things from various aspect, not just in black and white. such leader can make decisions without the constrains of race, religion, and ideologies, and if we are to achieve either wawasan 2020 or impian 2057, we need such leader to lead our people (as in malaysians).
or worse, it means that the younger generation (coincidentally my generation) have give up totally on the fate of the country. because the way they see it, the ones who want to make a change for the better will never have the chance to lead the country, and the ones who are corrupting the country and draining its resources keep getting appointed as leaders.
maybe paul was right to advise the young ones to find a greener pasture, but deep down, i do believe that we need a group of people to stay and fight for the rights of malaysians, and a group to support them from outside of malaysia with both intellectual and material support.
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