MALAYSIA NOT READY FOR NON MALAY PRIME MINISTER

MALAYSIA NOT READY FOR NON MALAY PRIME MINISTER

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I refer to the letter,'Too Sweeping a comparison', by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (NST Nov.10).The letter is self explanatory and critics should read it between the lines before making anymore shallow and superficial comments about ethnic politics in Malaysia.
It took a non white African American Barack Obama more than 200 years to become the 44th President of the United States of America, Since Colombus discovered America in 1492, almost 516 years ago, none of the native Red Indian, ever became a governor or President of the United States
The Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong remarked that,I quote 'Singapore not ready for non Chinese
P.M (NST NOV. 10) , Malaysia too I believe is not ready for a non Malay P.M . The reasons given by him are similar,and on this side of the causeway ,Malays made up almost 70% of the population of Malaysia.
I dont think talking about Malay supremacy is in bad taste. It is not about one race becoming the master while the others as slaves as written by Sue Thomas (nst letters Nov.10).Malay supremacy is about the survival of the Malay race itself. If the Malays are not making an effort to improve all aspects of their economic, educational,social,political, culture,language and religious activities, they will no longer be relevant in their own country. It is only natural that the Malays have to uphold their supremacy , for fear of becoming like their brothers in a neighbouring country ,or like the natives of America, Australia, Hawaii and Fiji where the immigrants became the master and the natives became tourists' attraction
Malaysian of other ethnic groups must understand that Ketuanan Melayu, must be always upheld, not to threaten or surpress others.but to remind forgetful Malays of the importance of uplifting themselves worthy of the name Ketuanan Melayu
However lets not turn it into a political issue anymore, and I would like againto quote the remarked of Singapore's P.M " Its possible, it depends on how people vote on who has the confidence of the population,' and with that note it is also possible in the future to have an Indian, Chinese, Sikh,Kadazan,Orang Asli or Dayak Prime Minister of Malaysia.

PRESERVE TAIPING RAILWAY STATION

I refer to the letter," A Landmark rescued", by D.M Ponnusamy (NST Nov.5). I wonder whether the Taiping railway station and warehouse ,built in 1881, which are among the many 'first' in the country, has also been declared as one of the many heritage buildings in the town. Like the Sanitary Board Building, it should also be rescued and preserved not only as a heritage building, but as a famous landmark of Taiping.
In the good old days, the railway station was a social center , where Taipingites met to send off their parents, relatives, friends, and loved ones , and to welcome them home on arrival by train from various destinations .While waiting for the train to arrive or leave, people had the opportunity to say hallo and to socialize , and in Taiping almost everyone knows each other personally or by sight. I love this friendly atmosphere shown by the people of Taiping, not only at the railway station, but also at the beautiful Lake Gardens, at the casual market ,at the post office,at the bus terminal, or for that matter anywhere in town, and you are bound to meet someone you know, even after an absence of so many years. I am proud to be a Taipingite and I always make it a point to go back once in a couple of months to sample the best roti canai, cendol, ice kacang,laksa, popia,fried koey teow, mee kombat, you nameit Taiping has the best. A couple of decades ago there was a talk or suggestion by either the Taiping Town Council or Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd. (KTMB) to relocate the station and build a new one at the sight of the old Kemunting railway station, about 8 kilometers north of the town, which is now closed. Kemunting is now a developed new township and a new bus terminal built inplace of the old one in the town.
It would be a pity and a great loss to Taiping if finally the authorities reaffirm the old suggestion to relocate the heritage station to Kemunting. If this happens. I suggest that the station be preserved and not demolished. Retain the structure refurbish and rejuvinate it and turn it into a Railway Museum ,as an added attraction to draw not only local but also forign tourists. It would be a nostalgic visit for the old who have stayed and served in Taiping.
The old garage in front of the station which has been turned into a hawkers stalls is an eyesore, and should be demolished to make way for a new shopping complex .The building itself should be blended with the old architecture , in order to retain the magestic charm and beauty of the Taiping Railway Station

DON'T BELITTLE NATIONAL SCHOOLS

I refer to the letter,'Seek what can bring us together,' (nst Nov.12 ), It irked me when the writer, a Malaysian at that without any concern for the feeling and sensitivities of others accused that the government schools or Sekolah Kebangsaan are extremely or hopelessly bad and hollow in their educational standard.

That was the main reasons, according to him why Chinese parents send their children, to Chinese Schools locally and to a neighboring country where the standard of education, is very much higher both in Mandrin and English, and being Malaysian they are not bothered about learning the National Language. It is no wonder that some of them cant even converse or write in Bahasa Melayu which is foreign to them. Why seek further, when only language can bring us together,Dont we all know that 'Bahasa is Jiwa Bangsa"?

In condemning the National Schools,the writer had not only insulted and belittle the government but also, teachers, parents, past and present students. Perhaps the writer is unaware that these schools have produced top students with straight As, much better than some students from the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan all these years, and that they are today Captains of industries, top corporate figures, top government servants, professionals ,and specialists in all fields. and to prove my point all my four children, two son in laws, and two daughter in laws , are all professionals and holding good positions in government and the private sectors. They were the products of the National schools and local universities .

I suggest that the writer do some research and study the success stories of these schools before making such sweeping and insulting statement.

Ways to fight Mat Rempit.

I refer to the letter, by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, " Stop their
recklessness for good," (NST April 22 ).I am surprised that of all
person, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye ,whom I believe is still the deputy or
chairman of the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation, who is always
concern about prevention of crime and treatment of offenders, rather
than mete out punishment , welcomed the proposal of whipping and
longer jail terms for Mat Rempit.

It is regretted that in Malaysia, after 50 years of independence
,the law abiding public, law enforcement agencies and legislators
still think of nothing, but prisons, whipping and hanging as a mean of
punishing criminals. As a result imprisonment had been used as the
sentence of first resort. This has resulted in serious overcrowding
of our prisons.The situation has not changed for the last 20
years,although many new prisons have been added.

Do we want to send them to the already overcrowded prisons? There
are thousands of them out there all over the country, and thousands
more will be joining them as they left or dropped out of schools.Most
will be joining their peers in the cities doing a lucrative business
of illegal racing organized by rich towkays and big time gamblers who
offer the Mat Rempit money and girls. The phenomenon is ongoing, like
prostitution,corruption, gambling and dadah abuse,although we have a
harsh sentence of capital punishment, for pushers and dadah smugglers.

Millions of ringgit have gone down the drain in trying to
rehabilitate dadah addicts,and we have not been able to put a stop to
their habits for good.

While I do not condone their criminal acts and
dare devils stunts.which could endanger the public, I feel that
putting the Mat Rempit behind bars for a long time with whipping is
not a positive solution to end their recklessness for good. Beside
turning them into hardened criminals with the prison stigma on
released,it would also be a great loss of young human capital for the
country which is now depending on millions of foreign workers.
I feel that the Mat Rempit should be classified as Juvenile
delinquents, and as such they could be detained for a period of three
years under the Henry Gurney School Act, for delinquency and being
beyond parental control, or causing public nuisance . There is only
one Henry Gurney School for boys in ,Telok Mas Melaka, and one for
girls in Batu Gajah, besides a couple more in East Malaysia. The
Government should build more of these schools, in view of the increase
in the number of juvenile delinquents. These schools should
coordinate, with various government department agencies and the
private sector in providing skill training for the Mat Rempit.It
should also seek cooperation of the Human Resources Ministry for its
training scheme under the Industrial Training Institute. The Mat
Rempit have skills to repair and modify motorbikes and as such they
should be trained to be mechanics and technicians. I hope the
Government is serious about providing human capital a skill and
trained human capital which could be and asset to the country.

NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA

Food for thought

I refer to "Start with food, use food,They will come to your
events, if you have food",said 3M Malaysia Managing Director, Karen
Albertson (NST 17 February) All this while we have been taking things
for granted, until a forigner made such a statement, which is
undeniably true, It sounds as though Malaysian ,live to eat. Are we
offended or hurt by such a remark,especially from a Mat Salleh
Personally I dont think so, because that is our culture and I call it
a Malaysian hospitality .She has been observing this for the last
three years before making such comment.
We like to serve food on all occasions, and likewise we love
to be served on all occasions,birthday parties, weddings, meetings,
and even at kenduries after a funeral >there will be a good attendance
,if food is served after a religious lecture in a mosque .Attend
seminars anywhere in Malaysia, and you will be served with breakfast,
tea and snacks after the opening ceremonies, tea and snacks again
at 10.30 am, lunch at 12.30 pm, tea and snacks at 5.00 pm, dinner at
8.00 pm and if the seminar continues after dinner, its supper at 11.00
pm
Visit our open house during Hari Raya, Christmas ,Chinese New
Year, Hari Gawai, and Depavali,and you will be served just about
everything, food that would burst your salivary glands in your mouth.
Sample all the food and if you cant finish, you are welcome to
"tapow",bungkus" or take away, for the cats and dogs they say. Stay at
any of our Malaysian hotels and sample the breakfast.lunch.high
tea,dinner and supper, and if you are here during the Muslim fasting
month of Ramathan,there will be enough food to feed a battalion .For
RM 90.99 eat as much as you can, and if you cant finish,dont worry the
waiters will clear the plates for you.Another Malaysian culture,and
what a waste.
So much so that our Tourism Ministry is promoting Malaysian
food to attract foreign tourists and I wount be supprised if the new
advertisement will read "MALAYSIA A GLUTTONS' FOOD PARADISE.

NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA
18th Feb 2008