FOUR ringgit to a dollar – that’s what currency traders are looking at as the value of our currency continues to slide.

The ringgit, which slid to a fresh 17-year low on Thursday – RM3.8288 against the US dollar before closing at RM3.8190 – has been under tremendous pressure as weak sentiments continue.

It has been almost eight months since the value of the ringgit began shrinking.

Consumers may cheer each time the price of petrol drops (like what happened yesterday), but they have to be mindful that the ringgit will continue to be hit each time there is a slump in crude oil prices as Malaysia is an oil-exporting nation.

And it certainly does not help that the prices of other commodities, including palm oil, have been on the decline in this same period.

Since January, the price of Brent Crude has sunk to levels not seen since 2009 primarily on speculation that US crude stockpiles will increase, resulting in a global supply glut.

Unless there is some form of stability in the crude oil prices, Malaysians can expect rocky times ahead for the ringgit.

Bank Negara has been defending the ringgit, but so far it has not been able to stem the decline. Even upgrades by rating agencies such as Fitch have not helped.

It is learnt that our central bank has been talking to dealers to persuade them not to accept orders to sell the ringgit but to take the buy orders instead. But this gentle persuasion method has not yielded results.

Year to year the ringgit has lost about 8.4% against the US dollar, making it the worst performing currency in Asia.

What does the continued depreciating ringgit mean for us? Well, we will have less money to spend when we are travelling after converting the ringgit to a foreign currency, particularly the US or Singapore dollar. In fact, it has become more expensive to buy the Thai baht now.

We will also have a bigger bill for our food items as we are a food-importing country. In January, the import of consumption goods – which accounted for eight percent of total imports – expanded by RM85.4mil (+2.0%) to RM4.4bil.

The main components contri­buting to the increase were food and beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption (+RM58.3mil, +5.1%), semi-durables (+RM50.1mil, +6.9%) and food and beverages, primary, mainly for household consumption (+RM43.6mil, +6.2%).

While our bill for food has shot up, our exports have taken a dip, especially palm oil and palm oil-based products. The government derives about 31% of its income from oil-related sources, according to reports.

Malaysians can expect to pay more for their food items, especially processed food, and it will not be easy as we are already grappling with the increasing cost of living in the post-GST era.

Employers, staring at declining revenue as we enter the third quarter, are already combing through their books on how best to cut operating costs. Controlling recruitment and reducing wages are among the immediate actions being taken.

Last week, Royal Dutch Shell announced that it was preparing for a “prolonged downturn” by cutting thousands of jobs and slashing billions of dollars in investment over the next two years. It also said that “today’s oil price downturn could last for several years”.

A Malaysian business weekly reported last week that Petronas has abruptly ended or plans to end the contracts of 14 of its 18 oil rigs within a year to save the company millions of ringgit yearly as “it recuperates and plans its rebound”.

Malaysia relies heavily on Petronas for most of its oil and gas revenue as out of RM66bil in oil revenue last year, RM29bil came in the form of dividends paid by Petronas, according to a report. That dividend would be cut to RM26bil this year, Petronas said.

In simple language – we already know the government will have less money to spend on development now and it has already revised its growth forecast.

If the ringgit continues to slide, it will have a serious impact on our international reserves, which stand at a five-year low of US$100.5bil (RM384.3bil), down from US$105.5bil as at end June, according to a report in The Star.

A Singapore-based analyst at Bank of America Merril Lynch predicted the ringgit could weaken against the dollar to RM3.86 by the end of this year and RM4.05 by the end of 2016, while Malayan Banking Bhd in Singapore forecasted “the lowest the ringgit could go would be 3.85 against the US dollar but we still think the ringgit’s exchange rate could average at 3.82 against the greenback in the current quarter, before strengthening to 3.78 in the fourth quarter of the year”.

Well, for the sake of Malaysia and Malaysians, we hope the optimism of this analyst is right. While Malaysians are glued to the drama of the current political controversies, they should also follow closely how the ringgit is performing or not performing.

The government currently has its hands full on many fronts with many raging political battles but the sooner it gets back to refocusing its energy on the economy, the better it will be for us.

Clear minds are needed to make sure we can defend the ringgit as we look at other revenue streams to boost our economy and the livelihood of ordinary Malaysians.

Unlike those of the past generation who tend to remember things better as they need to commit everything to memory, we rely a lot on modern gadgets to do our remembering for us. In a way, we have forgotten to make use of our most important tool – our brain. 

IT has taken me a while to finally watch the movie Still Alice, a 2014 drama about a linguistics professor at Columbia University who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s ­disease.

Award-winning actress Julianne Moore plays the role of Dr Alice Howland whose fight with the disease began soon after she celebrated her 50th birthday.

She began to suffer memory lapses of words which she wanted to use at her lectures and, at one point, she even got lost while taking a jog around the campus.

That was the early onset of Alzheimer’s and her condition would deteriorate and take its toll on her and her family. At one stage, she could not even remember where the washroom in her home was located.

Alice could not even remember appointments or names of people she had just met a few minutes ago.

Her eldest daughter tested positive for the Alzheimer’s gene but fortunately her unborn twins tested negative. As the story goes, Alice’s son, a doctor, also did the test and it was negative. Her youngest daughter, an aspiring actress, decided not to be tested.

It is an incredible and amazing story and while Hollywood may sometimes use its crea­tive licence to dramatise the situation, I believe that many families with an Alzheimer’s patient in their homes can identify with this movie.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia and as it progressively worsens, patients sometimes cannot even carry out a conversation.

There are reported cases of patients who cannot perform even the most basic activities of daily living like brushing one’s teeth and putting on clothes.

In Malaysia, it has been reported that there are 50,000 people who are suffering from this disease which has no cure.

Famous figures diagnosed with Alzheimer’s included former US president Ronald Reagan, singer Glen Campbell, actors Charles Bronson, Charlton Heston, Burgess Meredith and singer Ray Robinson.

Peter Falk, who was the star of 1980s TV series Columbo, reportedly could not remember the famous role he played towards the end. Closer home, we have just read reports of the legendary Malaysian musical maestro Ooi Eow Jin who is also suffering from Alzheimer’s.

I don’t usually have time to watch movies at the cinemas but I finally managed to watch Still Alice on a long haul flight on a recent overseas trip.

By the time the movie ended, I was already sobbing quietly. It was that emotional. I walked into the toilet of the plane and had a good cry. I just had to let it out.

I kept thinking of my 90-year-old father throughout the entire movie. He does not suffer from Alzheimer’s but his old age is causing him to lose his memory fast.

My Langkawi-born dad is still remarkably healthy for his age. He has no problem with any kind of food and his early years of ­physical hard work have helped him to be strong.

He has no sins like smoking, drinking or gambling, insisting that people should sleep early – as early as 8.30pm – if they wish to live long.

But the lapses in his memory are beginning to show. Many times he cannot remember what he just ate and recently, my mum, who is 84 years old, narrated how he ate the shells of the mussels instead of the flesh.

He also has to be reminded to take his bath and sometimes does so with great reluctance, claiming the cold water could kill him.

There have been times during my trips home to visit my parents when he would ask if I had just returned home, when I had actual­ly been back for three days.

Once, he spoke to my well-tanned daughter in Malay because he mistook her for my Indonesian maid, whom he has met only a few times.

Thank God, he never fails to remember me, his youngest son. My brothers and ­nieces who stay next door are still not a problem for him.

His long-term memory is intact. He can remember clearly he was born in Kuah, Langkawi, in 1925 and speaks fondly of his childhood days in Kedah.

I have made it a point to see my ageing parents at least once a month, no matter how busy I am with my packed schedule in Kuala Lumpur because I know time is running short.

There is no way we can fight against the biological clock and it will be a shame that I cannot spend time with them when they are still alive.

I do think a lot about them, especially in my moments of solitude. I think about how my dad or mum would cope if one of them were to depart first. It is a reality that we all have to face as much as we hate to think of such unpleasant moments.

I am 54 but think of myself as still being in my 40s, with songs from the 80s playing away in my head. But lapses of memory have begun to surface.

I would jokingly tell my family and friends that the brain cells have burnt out, a classic case of overwork and stress.

I have to jot down the things I need to do in case I forget, which is probable, as my colleagues can testify.

At my age, I have accepted that such physio­logical changes can cause glitches in brain functions, as one medical report aptly describes my predicament.

I have been reminded that the slowing down of mental processes should not be regarded as true memory loss.

The fortunate part is I also usually cannot remember the foul-ups of my colleagues that caused me to lose my temper in the first place. My assistants are the ones who have to remind me to issue follow-up memos.

I think we don’t use our brain cells that much to remember things these days because of the convenience of modern facilities. My parents, and people from their ­generation, have amazing abilities in committing telephone numbers to memory.

For us, we just add the numbers to our contacts function and just press a button when we need to call anyone.

I am travelling in Europe as you read this, and despite the different time zones and the holiday mood I am in, I am sticking to my schedule of filing this column. Nope, I ­haven’t forgotten.

A photo publication: The cover of the book The Holy Month of Ramandan – A Visual Celebration.

Moderation is key to a stronger nation and we must pursue it, no matter how difficult it is, for the sake of this great country.

EVERY few months, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia would send me a copy of its latest coffee table book.

Through its generosity, my collection of books on Islam has grown over the years, and as a result my knowledge of the religion has grown too.

The museum is located right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur between the Lake Gardens and the National Mosque. It is certainly a world-class museum which houses more than 7,000 artefacts, as well as an exceptional library of Islamic art books.

For this Ramadan, the museum has produced a 334-page collection of rare photographs from around the world capturing the beauty of Islam’s holiest month. The Holy Month of Ramadan: A Visual Celebration brings together the works of the best photojournalists and amateurs around the world who visually captured the spirit of Ramadan.

It is probably the world’s first and only photo publication dedicated solely to the fasting month, with over 300 pictures.

One picture that caught my attention was that of a Palestinian Christian who served as a Musaharati to wake up his Muslim neighbours for sahur in the old city of Jerusalem.

The Musaharati, or public waker, is the person who rouses Muslims in his neighbourhood during the holy month of Ramadan to take their meals before starting the fast.

The Musaharati’s job starts an hour ahead of daybreak when the Muslims start a new fast with the sunrise, according to a report.

He is used to calling each of the sleeping residents by his name and doesn’t hesitate even to knock at each door to make sure that they would not miss the pre-dawn meal.

These wakers carry out their job by banging a small drum and chanting a rhyming song learnt by heart while walking through the old alleys. They are rewarded with tips or food, depending on the generosity of the neighbours.

The point is this – the fasting month isn’t just about Muslims but also non-Muslims joining in this special month.

Although the Western media prefer to dwell on the conflict of the Middle East, the people-to-people relations are entirely different.

On a trip to Jerusalem more than a decade ago, I have seen how the Palestinians, both Muslims and Christians, live together, sharing the same wishes and aspirations, like any ordinary people.

It was perfectly normal for Muslims to sell Christian religious items such as crucifixes at biblical sites located at Muslim areas and it was normal for Muslims to attend church services during Christmas.

Interestingly, it is a Muslim family that holds the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most revered shrines in Christiandom. It is a tradition stretching back more than 1,300 years and passed down through the generations.

This is the site where most Christians believe is the site of the crucifixion, tomb and resurrection of Jesus.

According to one report, since the arrival of Islam in Jerusalem in the seventh century, the key has been handed to a Sunni family to avoid clashes among rival Christian sects for control over the church.

Although the role is purely symbolic, the arrangement is a reflection of tolerance and inter-religious harmony, giving the Nusseibeh family (the current key-holder) a visible role in Christian activities in Jerusalem, as a report aptly puts it.

But what about our own country? I have had the privilege of breaking fast with my Muslim friends and contacts over the last few weeks. In fact, I am deeply honoured to have hosted a buka puasa for my fellow moderates including Anas Zubaidy, Zainah Anwar, Lyana Khairuddin, Marina Mahathir, Noor Farida Ariffin, Azhar Harun aka Art Harun and my colleagues on the second day of Ramadan. We had so much to discuss that we were the only ones left in the restaurant when the workers started to clean up.

Marina has also been hosting her #Puasa4Malaysia, organised by Malaysians For Malaysia, with non-Muslims at a mamak restaurant in Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, at 4.30am.

Then, there is Syed Azmi – a man with a heart of gold – helping the poor and needy in the streets of Kuala Lumpur during this fasting month.

Lyana, a Universiti Malaya virologist, is supporting Syed Azmi as well as Ramesh Vadiveloo’s Meals For All initiative which supplies food to a number of soup kitchens around the city.

“We started last Ramadan, and over the past year, I’ve noticed the increasing number of urban poor. It’s a matter of realising that people are finding it hard to survive out there. Just talking to them humbles me,” she said.

But the events of the past weeks must have also surely broken the hearts of many Malaysians, especially those who genuinely want only the best for our country.

Rationality seems to have flown out of the window and worse, many Malaysians seem to have taken sides, unable to differentiate between a right and wrong when it involves a dispute between different races.

A simple criminal act can become racial when inflammatory remarks are posted on social media. Many of these remarks by Malaysians of all races have been downright shameful.

Many are quick to jump into the fray without first checking the facts. We seem to swallow whatever is posted on social media and act without any self-restraint.

For too long, the authorities have refused to use the Sedition Act but it is time for the full force of the law to be used against those who make inflammatory racial remarks. There are those who feel they can get away with anything because action is not taken against them.

Malaysia is truly a beautiful and blessed country with so much greatness ahead – what we don’t need are politicians who harp on race and religion to win votes.

We need to pursue the quest for moderation in a stronger manner now, no matter how difficult it is, for the sake of Malaysia.

This Hari Raya, more than ever, we must display a sense of togetherness as a nation. We have proven the naysayers wrong and again, we will, as we believe most ordinary Malaysians are good people.

There are only good or bad people – look beyond race, religion and culture.

I wish all my Muslim brothers and sisters Selamat Hari Raya!

An anti-austerity banner depicting former (L-R) Prime Ministers George Papandreou, Antonis Samaras and current Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reads "We have bled enough, we have paid enough," hangs off the tallest building in the port of Piraeus, near Athens on July 11, 2015.-AFP

The people should not jump to conclusions but take into account the final outcome of investigations regarding any incident before they pass judgement.

NO one would have imagined that Greece, which gave so much to the world, would be in such a sorry state today.

From Socrates to Plato to Aristotle, the foundations of Western philosophical thought were rooted in ancient Greece. The Hippocratic Oath which all medical doctors subscribe to had its origins in Greece. Malay­sia is still waiting to win its first gold medal at the Olympics which was birthed in the ancient city of Olympia more than 3,000 years ago.

Demokratia, Greek for “power of the people”, was born in Athens in the 7th century BC. Athens also introduced to us the concept of trial by jury. And surely, the world will be much the poorer without the heroes and villains of Greek mythology which we are so familiar with.

Today, Greece is bankrupt and unable to pay off its debts. Banks are shutting down and the people cannot even get cash from the ATM machines. The unemployment rate is high with all the marks of a failed society and, worse, the people have voted in a populist, leftist government that has refused to conform to the rules of global finance.

Now, we are seeing an actual Greek Tragedy being played out in real life. In ancient Greek theatre, the tragedy happens when the protagonist, often a man of high standing and influence, falls into disaster through a combination of a personal failing and circumstances which he cannot deal with.

According to the Ancient History Encyclo­pedia, Greek Tragedy was a popular and influential form of drama performed in theatres across ancient Greece. It led to the emergence of the Greek Comedy, where playwrights poked fun at politicians and philosophers. Theatre, in fact, is one of the legacies that the Greeks gave to the world.

Unless you are a student of Greek philosophy, all these terms are likely to be well, Greek, to most of us. That is an idiomatic expression that we can always use when we do not understand any difficult issue before us.

Some of our politicians, in fact, should simply say, “It’s all Greek to me,” rather than pretend they know everything and spew out nonsense in the process.

Although Greece is so far away from us, we are also seeing the emergence of the Malaysian tragedy and comedy, all being rolled out at the same time.

Over the past few months, we have grabbed global headlines for the wrong reasons. People are looking at us differently, I am afraid.

From nudist trekkers at the summit of Mount Kinabalu to allegations of corruption over Mara’s purchase of property in Melbourne to the ongoing 1MDB saga, Malaysia has been making headlines repeatedly across the globe.

And, of course, the world media love our passionate, no, overzealous implementation of the dress code that makes Bermuda shorts and above-the-knee skirts such talking points. It is virtually impossible to keep track of the jokes and parodies that creative Malaysians have come up with and openly shared on social media.

There are both tragic and comic elements in what is happening in our country. We are not very good at arguing our cases, and so what may actually be a small issue that could be easily nipped in the bud becomes a major controversy that we cannot handle.

We lack the persuasive powers and the skills to articulate our position. No thanks to our education system and, to a larger extent, our inbuilt cultural heritage, we never encourage our young to speak up, thinking that this is a challenge to the elders and authority.

So, whether in classes or at conferences, most of us Malaysians will not put up our hands to express our views nor challenge the speakers.

I have also noticed that at concerts involving some major world entertainers, Malay­sians are too shy to even get off their seats and move along with the music.

So when we have to defend ourselves, which may include our ministers and top officials having to write letters to the foreign media, they are not able to rebut the allegations with coherent and convincing arguments. Instead, it is usually rhetoric. Well, at least the ministers do take the trouble to respond.

And why in the first place does Putrajaya have to respond when it should be the job of the overseas missions in countries where the reports are published to correct any misconceptions about our country?

This would be the work of the press liaison officers, not even the third secretary. The sad story is that our embassies are not known for defending the country when we are under attack in the media. Perhaps they just lack the ability.

Our institutions are under the spotlight now. Those holding positions of power and influence need to understand what they do and stand for will have serious implications for the country.

The members of the task force that have been given the job to investigate the 1MDB controversy must remember the responsibi­lities they are carrying.

Malaysians expect them to deliver a professional and politically unbiased report based on their own investigations.

Likewise, we expect the same from the Auditor-General and Public Accounts Committee. The MPs who sit on the PAC, be they from the Opposition or Barisan, must investigate in a truly bipartisan manner and not try and score cheap political points in the process.

These investigations by various groups are not just about power but also about credibility and accountability, values that are essential in all the arms of government and democracy. We need to believe that there is still hope in these institutions.

The investigators must go after both the whistle blowers and culprits. The controversy has attracted much attention. But everyone should wait for the final outcome of the investigations before they pass judgment.

We need to believe in our media. Malay­sians seem to have better faith in the foreign media – never mind if they have also been party to many false allegations. From reports about the so-called weapons of mass destruction to recent accusations by CNN that China has banned Muslims from fasting, these ­foreign media are held in high esteem because they question the credibility of the local media.

A Google search for the mistakes by the Wall Street Journal would show a long list of fiascos too despite its powerful brand.

But let us not forget that the Malaysian media is sometimes perceived to be too submissive to the authorities. When the people lose faith in it, the media, which could be a valuable conduit of information between the governed and the government, will be of no use to anybody.

The people will just believe whatever they read on social media. There is so much information, misinformation and disinformation out there that it is extremely difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Most people just believe what they want to believe based on their own political stance.

Last week, a report went viral about former cop Sirul Azhar Umar purportedly wanting to testify in an Australian court that he was ordered by the Prime Minister’s wife to kill Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu. It was clearly a hoax with Sirul’s lawyer, Hasnal Rezua Merican, having to rubbish the claim.

Likewise, there are now attempts to link the killing of Arab-Malaysian bank founder Ahmad Hussain Najadi in July 2013 to the 1MDB saga. The Ambank founder had relinquished ownership of the bank, which he founded in 1975, in 1982.

The hitman, Koong Swee Kwan, was sentenced to death by the High Court in September 2014 for the murder.

It’s a tragedy, no doubt, but at the same time, it is also comical that Malaysians would actually believe that a retired banker, who no longer had any role in Ambank for ­decades, would be playing a role in the 1MDB case.

At times of uncertainty, every story, even if far-fetched, will gain credence if those in authority are not able to address the issues properly.

Perception can sometimes be more powerful than reality itself. It will be a tragedy for our politicians to dismiss what the people are saying and thinking.

The numerous twists and turns have confused most of us. But all we want is for truth to prevail so that this country can move on.

While the politicking continues to take centre stage, Malaysians are tired of the charade. There are other issues to be concerned about.

I AM tired and I believe many Malaysians are fed up too with the non-stop politicking in this country. Politics has become a national obsession.

Our leadership seems to be losing its grip at a time when we are looking to them for clear directions and for an assurance that the Malaysia we know is still intact.

Perhaps the 1MDB controversy has dragged on too long and has distracted the attention of our leaders, what with fresh allegations on an almost daily basis.

Malaysians, especially those in the urban areas, are greatly disturbed as the players fight to convince their listeners that they are the ones telling the truth.

We want the Auditor-General to quickly complete his report and hand it to the Public Accounts Committee and also for Bank Negara to share with us its findings. It is still our hope that they can reveal the facts, without any tinge of political biasness, for the true picture to emerge.

The integrity of these institutions must be kept intact and we certainly want to evaluate their findings.

The issue of accountability and integrity aside, there is genuine concern among many Malaysians that our nation is drifting towards a mono religious country with greater conservatism while open-mindedness and tolerance are frowned upon.

But many of our Cabinet ministers have, regrettably, chosen to remain silent when they ought to be standing up for the rest of us Malaysians. We don’t even know what they are thinking any more.

Anyone following the news in Malaysia today would know that we have to put up with a whole lot of issues.

Do we really even care about whether eateries should be closed after midnight or if the length of a woman’s skirt conforms to some dress code? And why do we have to spoil the joy of our gymnast winning a gold medal by condemning her attire? Come on, get real!

It is to the credit of some of our Rulers that they have spoken up on these issues while our politicians choose to keep silent.

One can imagine how gymnast Farah Ann Hadi must feel to get a personal letter from the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah congratulating her on her performance and telling her not to take to heart negative comments from narrow-minded people.

There is this perception that the Little Napoleons, or civil servants with their own agendas, are showing their clout because the political leadership is weak. These administrators know too well that they can get away with anything when the leaders are too busy fighting their own battles.

Pakatan Rakyat, with dreams of winning Putrajaya, is another story. It is in total shambles. The marriage could not last more than seven years, and finally the seven-year itch took its toll on the coalition.

Malaysians are confused and amused over what is happening to the three partners.

Are they divorced, separated or still living together because they cannot imagine living alone without the privileges of power that had consummated the marriage?

The bottom line is that with all the turmoils within, it is no longer able to prove itself as an alternative to the existing ruling Barisan Nasional government.

It is not able to take advantage of the black eye that the national leadership is having because the Pakatan leaders are too busy killing themselves.

While urban Malaysia is totally transfixed over how the 1MDB issue is unfolding each day, with the endless claims of greed, corruption and criminal breach of trust, it is amazing that the issue was not even brought up at the recent PAS general assembly.

That probably explains how much interest, or rather the lack of it, such issues resonate with the rural heartland. Or is it simply because the issue is too complicated for the delegates to understand?

If urban Malaysia believes that the so-called ousted PAS progressives will win via a new Islamist party, then they have no idea how rural politics works.

Malaysians, in general, are upset that our politicians are becoming disconnected with most of us. We are losing sleep over the continued depreciation of the ringgit. That is what ordinary Malaysians talk about over meals.

Our ringgit is shrinking and no one is sure if the worst is over, as touted. There seems to be some decimal improvement following the Fitch report, which maintained our A- rating, but there has been no real shift of improvement of our currency.

Malaysians are still struggling with the impact of the GST implementation as we adjust to the rules of the goods and services tax. It has continued to be a major issue among ordinary Malaysians, especially businessmen, who have seen sales dropping since April.

The escalating cost of living has continued to be a major impact on the lives of ordinary workers. Many have little left from their salaries after paying all the necessary bills. It is not wrong to say that it is a struggle for many, especially the urban poor and middle class, just to survive.

The rakyat is simply tired of all the charade.

A photo taken from Facebook showing what the woman wore when she was denied entry to the Balik Pulau court complex. – Filepic

TEACHERS are supposed to teach. And when members of the public visit the hospital, the Road Transport Department, or any government facility for that matter, they are there for a service, and they expect to be given that.

After all, as has been said many times before, the public service exists because the taxpayers are the ones who pay the salaries of the civil servants.

But things do become complicated when some individuals get side-tracked from their job specifications, and start to bring politics and religion into play.

The problem with some Malaysians is that we are also not very good at exercising reasonable discretion. Maybe we fear those who hold higher positions and dare not question their authority, as it is not part of our culture, or simply because of fear of reprisals.

So, if you are a security guard, whether a member of the People’s Volunteer Corp (Rela) or someone from a security firm, you would be expected to just carry out the orders made by the boss, or maybe the smaller bosses, which in most cases, can be more difficult than the real top boss.

Malaysians would know by now, judging from incidents in the past weeks, that it’s always these little guys who get the blame.

If you are being asked to wear a sarong over your skirt which is deemed too short, you will look quite unnatural, and are bound to draw strange looks from others. Wouldn’t the front desk officer enquire from you, in a puzzled manner, why you are wearing a skirt with a sarong on?

But if the officers are indifferent to the ­situation and the head of the front desk does not even bat an eyelid, it is obvious that they are fully aware of what the security guard has ordered the member of the public to do.

Maybe this has been going on for a while, except that no one has complained, and a recording of the event had not gone viral.

Since incidents of such a “humiliating” exercise have been reported, many others, including a former colleague, have shared their experiences on social media.

My ex-colleague took her case all the way up to the JPJ chief, who apologised for the unfortunate incident. But in her case, she has access to the boss because of her job.

I have been following the exchange of opinions on social media and, by now, we are well aware that we are also not very good at articulating or advocating our case well. Many of these views seem racially and religiously prejudiced and, as a result, a sense of reasonableness is lost.

Dress codes are not something unusual. Even casinos, as some have pointed out, have strict dressing codes before anyone can enter. But the question here is how these rules are reasonably enforced in our government departments?

In all fairness, checks by our reporters have shown that most government departments are reasonable and seem to totally ignore even their own dress codes. Their priority is to provide service and the people are served even if the skirt’s hemline is above the knee or they are wearing slippers.

We actually have photographs of inadequate­ly dressed men, including one in a pair of shorts and singlet, rushing into a JPJ office and were properly served.

As with all debate, there are those who argue whether micro mini-skirts and bikinis would be tolerated, which I think is stretching the argument too far. Anyone who wants to dress that way in public, not just in a govern­ment facility, will most likely be hauled up.

No sane person would go to any office, private or public, in a bikini, so such arguments are flawed and unreasonable.

The recent cases whereby the women were asked to wear the sarongs are certainly not in this category. Anyone with a fair and objective mind would surely agree that all the ladies were properly and decently dressed.

Then, there have been a number of cases brought to light recently of teachers who want to play moral guardians in schools.

One incident was when a teacher reportedly confiscated the little crucifix that a student was wearing. A police report was subsequently lodged.

But according to the latest report, the cross has since been returned to the student and the father has accepted an apology from the school principal and also withdrawn the report.

It has also been reported that pressure was exerted on the headmaster and school management board of St Mary Labuk in Sandakan to remove the cross from the new school building. But Deputy Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap stepped in and guaranteed that the cross would remain, saying it had been clearly stated that mission schools are allowed to upkeep the ethos and characteristics of these schools.

It seems to be a phenomenon of the past decade. We all know the crucifix has long been removed from classrooms in mission schools, because of an order from the then minister who is now in the opposition.

About the same time, the symbol of the crucifix was also taken out of mission school badges. The Latin mottos fortunately have remained and presumably no one understands what they mean.

Well, Malaysia’s problem, or rather the Little Napoleons’ problem, is that we seem to channel our energy in a very unproductive way. There is a lot of fire-fighting because these people think they can get away with anything, and only when it becomes an issue do they step back.

Teachers should be striving to make our students top in Maths and Science and be competent in the English language. Instead, in these core areas of education, we have continued to deteriorate further.

Our students are no longer gaining entry into Ivy League schools such as Harvard as we used to. Schools used to be able to boast of these achievements but these days, many of them get into the news for all the wrong reasons.

Even if we seem to be generating many students with a string of As in the public examinations, these premier universities are not that easily impressed.

Meanwhile, no one will deny that our government-run hospitals are providing good service to the people. We must commend our doctors and nurses who toil daily for the public, at wages that are far less to what their counterparts in the private hospitals can command.

But the people who run these hospitals must also focus on keeping the standards high, and even raise the bench mark. The least of their concerns should be to worry about how visitors are dressed.

Just like at the JPJ, surely worrying about the dressing of the public is not part of the JPJ mission statement.

Malaysian taxpayers should be treated as customers who deserve the best service. They should not be sent home, denied entry or asked to wear a sarong, simply because someone takes offence to how they dress.

Education is for all, it’s time we think of the bigger picture affecting all children.

MY colleague received a press statement sent by a very high-ranking official of a government department recently. It was personally written in English by the official and sent by WhatsApp to ensure it was speedily delivered.

The only snag was that his command of the language was so horrendous that my colleague had to suggest to him, politely, that he might want to stick to Bahasa Malaysia to ensure accurate reporting on our part. He got the message. A new version was eventual­ly sent.

Then, there are also the vice-chancellors of a few public universities who face the same language problem despite having spent much time in overseas universities to pursue their post-graduate studies.

We have also met Malaysian diplomats who cannot carry out a proper conversation in flawless English and we know some of them even shy away from social functions, which is a shame as this where they can pick up nuggets of information for their intelligence reports.

A few generations, yes, a few generations, are paying the price – unable to speak and write in proper English – because of our education system.

At best, they may have some semblance of communication English, but without the proper foundations in grammar, many are unable to even string a sentence together correctly.

Because English is just a subject, there is hardly any opportunity to use and practise the language on a regular and extensive basis within the school system.

That’s how low we have sunk. Forget about the occasional use of some Latin words to make the language more refined, if not, more classy. Getting through the basics is tough enough.

It is no surprise, therefore, that they really struggle when they reach tertiary level where much of the information is in English.

And even upon graduation, many employers are reluctant to hire them when they cannot function properly in an environment where the working language is English.

Controversial MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar became the butt of every joke on social media when he introduced a hashtag ­#earthquack for his postings on the earthquake situa­tion in his home state.

Well, we also can see that some of our Chinese politicians, from both sides of the political divide, struggle with English, judging by some of the postings they make on Facebook.

Every now and then, we have reports about bad English in an English examination paper. We have more or less gotten used to the fact that the English in many of our official websites are littered with mistakes.

It doesn’t seem to bother our politicians and decision makers one bit, as they will simply shrug off calls to allow English as a medium of instruction in our education system.

Why should they be worried as many of them are able to send off their children to boarding schools overseas at a young age? After all, the only ones that would bear the consequences would be the students in the rural areas.

The Ruler of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, recently suggested that English be made a medium of instruction – he didn’t say make English THE medium of instruction.

The reality is that English, as a medium of instruction, is already available but it is restricted only to private and international schools, mostly in urban areas.

And despite the high fees charged, more urban parents are opting to send their children to such schools because they simply want their children to be proficient in this international language.

The urban-rural divide is accentuated because while children in the rural areas are sometimes teased for using English, it is perfectly normal for English to be used at home in middle-class Malaysia.

And with greater exposure to the language, the urban children do have an edge over those in the rural areas.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. As his Royal Highness the Sultan of Johor said, these politicians are using nationalism and race to champion communal rights and the Malay language at the expense of the English language.

They are doing so to protect their interests and political positions. Unfortunately, many seem to buy into their agendas.

We must also be clear that the lack of proficiency in English cuts across all races.

Many Chinese parents send their children to Chinese schools at the primary level because they want their children to be able to speak and write basic Chinese as they eye the growing economic power of China.

Many shy away from the national schools because there is a strong perception that these schools have turned more religious in character with a single race dominant in the overall attendance.

The national schools that many of us from my generation and earlier grew up in, where English was the medium of instruction, were different as all races were well represented.

But in our current situation, many Chinese parents also find that sending their children to the Chinese primary schools does not help their children have a good command of English either.

The English proficiency of the majority of Chinese teenagers, because of their background in Chinese schools, is just as bad as their counterparts in the rural schools.

They live in the Chinese world, watching Taiwanese and Hong Kong movies, with little interest in the real world.

Their worldview is shaped pretty one-­dimensionally and because of the environment they grew up in, they are unlikely to have real friends from those of other races.

Many of us in our 50s have been lucky – we were probably the last batch of the English-medium schools where we sat for the Malaysia Certificate of Education (MCE) and the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations.

The English-medium schools were neutral grounds as students of all races attended such schools and the best friendships were forged there.

We had real friends from all races because we were growing up together for at least 10 years in the schools. It was not functional friendship at work, but real bonding as we studied and played together.

I feel really sorry for many Malaysian kids who do not have friends outside their own race as they are not be able to shape their thinking in a more open way.

So, when a hot issue comes up in the country, especially those involving race and religion, they are not able to see things from another perspective.

Like many, I also worry about the future of Malaysia and our children, as the performance of our schools continues to falter. Beyond our concerns over language skills, we should be even more worried about the quality of our education.

Our ranking in Science and Mathematics is already reportedly low, although our politicians question its accuracy. But the reality is that many of us are no longer surprised by such trends.

Our politicians will continue to tell us that all is well and fine in our schools, and that we have little influence to change anything. Some of us may believe that to be so.

But if we really care for the country, we should not be afraid to propose radical changes for the sake of our future generations.

Education is for all and it is totally selfish if we only think of our own interests while the majority are stuck in a system which does not empower them to reach for the stars.

Before and after: Photos posted on Tan’s Facebook page showing her original attire (left) and the sarong she was asked to wear at the JPJ office.

IT is said that ignorance is bliss, but not necessarily so all the time. Most Malaysians must have been amused, rather than upset, over a recent Facebook posting that went viral and eventually caught the attention of a news portal.

It started with an angry customer, going by the name Mista Bob Faishah, posting on the Texas Chicken Malaysia Facebook page that the fast food chain obviously did not take into account religious sensitivities because the franchise’s brand dipping sauce is named “Church”.

“Dear TCM… Please do explain (yo)ur dipping sauce brand at Malaysia Franchises… Most of (yo)ur customers is a Muslim… AND Muslim didn’t not eat for food from ‘church’ brand,” he wrote. He also shared the image of said dipping sauce together with his post, the portal reported.

Soon, an equally outraged Facebook user, Halim Zainal, left a comment saying that Texas Chicken Malaysia should change the name on the packet as a sign of respect to its Muslim customers.

The angry person warned TCM that they would not be able to sustain their business if they were not sensitive to Muslims in the country.

The management of TCM had to patiently explain to the customer that the franchise’s “Church” brand dipping sauce was named after the founder and did not represent the Christian house of worship.

“Please be informed that the brand Texas Chicken was founded in San Antonio, Texas USA by our founder by the name of George W Church Sr — Church being his surname and the name of the brand Church’s Chicken.”

The Facebook post elaborated that the word “church” was not used in a religious context and that some of the dipping sauces were imported from the United States, where the food chain originates.

But it has ended well. The customer has now posted an apologetic comment: “Deepest from my heart that I want to ask apologized for my post (1 June). For that time I only want to inquiry regarding the brands of “church” brand. And after TCM do explain to my inquiry n I accepted that was the co brand from san Antonio, Texas.

“I hope with my apologized here can stop all the negtive things goes more bigger. That what can say I only just want to inquiry regarding that brands only..But for ur info, I stlll enjoy my meal with my favorite winglets from TCM!

“Once again..I’m apologized for my post before that I had removed because I don’t want that all people read n negtive thingking of my inquiries.”

Well, as we can see from the postings, the person’s command of the English language really leaves much to be desired.

That could have been one reason why he did not first check, via Google or other search engines, for information about this food chain and why its products are named as such.

Our English language proficiency, sad to say, has hit rock bottom and many of our Internet users are missing out a lot because they have such a poor command of the universal language.

He only associated the word “church” with religion, without being aware that it can also be the surname of many people. Christian Bale would be really worried if people stop going to watch his movies if such an association is made.

But let us keep this in perspective. We can all accept Mista Bob Faishah for sportingly admitting his mistake. We are sure he has no intention to create a controversy.

But another issue that we need to be concerned about, apart from poor English, is whether we are seeing a rise in religious conservatism where many modern-day practices that everyone in our plural society used to accept as a matter of course – from food to sports and entertainment – are being looked at from a different, and more radical, perspective.

Those who spew hate messages in the name of religion can always find a ready audience in those who are prepared to take what they say without question.

And this applies to all religions where such leaders thrive on those who are blissfully ignorant on the true nature of their faith.

Such an environment makes it easy for these people to create fears among the followers that they are constantly under threat. The bogeymen in flavour today include Christians, Jews, the LGBT community, liberal-minded people, etc.

Fortunately, we are still a country where people of different faiths can co-exist peacefully and in harmony with one another.

Faith is a matter of the heart and whatever the rabble-rousers may want to ferment, few will believe that just seeing the religious symbols of another faith will so easily shake their own beliefs.

Be that as it may, we need to also be on guard against the rise of extremism, especially when it comes quietly in every day situations.

The voices of moderation must be heard, and the silent majority cannot afford to be quiet if they value the kind of society we live in.

Why are so many Malaysians not surprised to read about the middle-aged “aunty” who was asked to wear a sarong before she could be served at a Road Transport Department office? The Rela guard felt her skirt, which was just above her knees, was too short and did not adhere to the dress code.

It may be a small matter to some, but it was good of Suzanna G L Tan to share her experience on Facebook by posting a photograph of herself outside the office, showing her attire for the public to judge.

“I had to go to JPJ personally to sign the transfer form for the car I sold. That in itself is already a pain,” Tan wrote.

“I go dressed like this. Indecent meh?” she asked in reference to her dressing in the photograph.

Tan said while she was at the counter to get a queue number, she was handed a sarong to wear “or they would not entertain me”.

The blame eventually fell on the Rela guard but none of the other officers at the JPJ office bothered to tell off the Rela guard for his over-reaction. They have kept silent over this demeaning exercise.

We used to be able to blame the little Napoleans for incidents like this but with the advent of social media, such actions can always be recorded for the public to judge.

And then we have our Malaysian gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi, who has just won a gold medal at the Sea Games, being criticised for not covering up. But to be fair, there were many who came to defend her on Buletin TV3’s Facebook.

Instead of applauding her flawless performance, there seem to be those with perverted minds whose minds are focused elsewhere.

These people thrive on attention and their antics have a way of being magnified way beyond their actual influence.

But here’s the saddest part. Those who speak out for Farah Ann are the usual known personalities and non-governmental organisations while those we wish to hear from – including politicians from both sides of the divide who hold national level posts – are strangely quiet.

But we are glad that the Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who has to protect our athletes, spoke out.

“In gymnastics, Farah wowed the judges and brought home gold. In her deeds only the Almighty judges her. Not you. Leave our athletes alone,” wrote Khairy on his Twitter account.

A view of an abandoned camp in Wang Kelian, Perlis. -Bernama

IT’S totally absurd – why would any tourist want to visit a former human trafficking camp near the Malaysia-Thailand border?

Much more bizarre was the statement by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, who reportedly described the campsite as “very nice” and with “complete facilities”.

We can be sure none of the illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants who were locked up at the camp would share Shahidan’s enthusiasm.

The former Perlis Mentri Besar reportedly said “let tourists see where it all happened. With this as a new tourism spot, it will also deter human trafficking activities from taking place as there will be more people coming in and out.”

It’s mind-boggling that a federal minister could actually make such an atrocious proposal. One is reminded of macabre attractions in other parts of the world, such as the “killing fields” of Choeung Ek in Cambodia.

It has become a tourist spot because of its horrifying past, where millions of people were killed. A glass compartment with some 8,000 skulls, now a spot for selfies, reminds visitors of the horrendous genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.

But surely we cannot compare the large-scale mass killings of Cambodians with the human trafficking issue. The camp in Wang Kelian, even if transformed into some form of eco-tourism project, will hardly draw the kind of tourist revenue to justify its existence.

Instead of channelling resources to this pathetic proposal, Malaysians would surely agree that it would be better off if the government spend more time finding ways to beef up security in the border area.

The area is well-known for smuggling activities because of poor security or, to put it bluntly, corruption among the law enforcers there. Whether they are Thai or Malay­sian, corrupt officers are probably the most integral collaborators that allow the human trafficking syndicates to operate with impunity.

Are we surprised that a recent report by the Special Branch, based on 10 years of undercover surveillance and intelligence gathering at border checkpoints as well as enforcement agencies across the country, has revealed that 80% of law enforcement officers and security personnel manning our country’s borders are corrupt? Isn’t it convenient that no one has yet to be arrested after the grisly discovery of the 139 graves and 28 suspected camps on May 11?

Even more ridiculous was the statement by Shahidan to the media that his party “saw unidentified persons fleeing to the Thai side of the border as we approached the campsite”. It’s as good as saying that anyone can still walk across the border even after the gruesome discovery without the likelihood of being caught. And when it comes to crossing our borders, we know how entrenched the problem in Sabah is.

We suppose the same sentiments must be shared by the Filipino abductors who have made kidnapping Malaysians and tourists in Sabah such a regular business affair.

Yet, our authorities still get upset each time warnings are issued to tourists to stay away from Sabah, insisting that Sabah, especially the coastal areas, are safe.

Seriously, with such a pathetic record of coastal surveillance in Sabah, the strong presence of the army and navy should be a permanent feature – and not a mere show of force only after an abduction or, worse, after an intrusion by armed men into our territory.

Of course, besides the lacklustre security, we are also paying for the sins of the past, when we allowed thousands, if not, millions of immigrants into Sabah. We have come to the point where we are not even sure whether the enemies in our midst are really citizens or illegals with dodgy identity cards?

Is it the result of past political manoeuvrings to win elections without a thought for the horrible consequences to the demography and security of Sabah?

Let’s face it – we were practically handing out blue identity cards to these foreigners at one time, or are we going to deny it?

The result of the IC handouts to naturalise these foreigners has now led to some of these people actually joining political parties and enjoying affirmative privileges for bumiputras, while other real Malaysians, born and bred in Sabah, have less rights!

Has the situation become more complicated and out of control because of entrenched corruption among our security officers who choose to look the other way when these foreigners come into our waters?

The number of illegal immigrants in Sabah, excluding the naturalised ones, now ranges from a million to 1.9 million out of Sabah’s population of 3.3 million.

We have a serious security problem, if not a crisis, in Sabah. And, as the discovery of the camps in Perlis will testify, if we do not control our borders well along the Thai border, we will soon be flooded with more illegal immigrants just walking across. And let us also not forget the difficulty in controlling our coastal areas up north.

Before we become a laughing stock talking about turning the human trafficking camps into a tourist spot, we had better worry about non-tourists checking in because of our lousy security.

A file picture of Rohingya migrant men from Myanmar on a drifting boat in the Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman on May 14, 2015. – AFP

Moderate Buddhists should come up strongly to condemn what extremist personalities and groups are doing in Myanmar.

ULTRA nationalist groups and religious extremists, by themselves, are bad enough, but when brought together by a common agenda, you have the most potent brew possible.

These elements always fight in the name of country, race and religion. Tolerance and acceptance are not in their vocabulary, and they justify their ends with the most intolerant means, never mind that we all believe that all religions preach about peace and harmony.

It’s very simple – politics have no place for religious figures, especially when they come dressed in their full religious regalia.

When men speak on politics, supposedly on behalf of God, or give such an impression, that is the beginning of trouble.

The reality is few people dare to challenge these religious figures, who not only claim to speak in the name of God, but pass themselves off as experts whose interpretation of doctrines is final. To challenge them would be to risk the wrath of the community, especially in conservative societies.

Because it is regarded as a sin to question these religious figures, who are actually mere mortals elevated to near demi God status by their adherents, they can get away with the most demonic crimes.

All religions have their extremists, ­whether Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or Buddhism.

The world is now shocked to see videos of Myanmar monks making hate speeches and, in some cases, actually taking part in racial and religious violence.

It is one thing to develop a dislike or prejudice against the Rohingya people, who are Muslims, but to actually instigate an act of violence against them is a gross violation of human decency and rationality.

I have tried to understand why the Myanmar are so angry with these Rohingya that they do not count them as one of the recognised people of the country.

Surely, it cannot just be because they are Muslims because Yangon and Mandalay, two cities most Malaysians are familiar with, are filled with Muslims. Buddhists and Muslims have co-existed for centuries.

Some of the reasons given, at least from social media, seem bizarre with accusations of rape by Rohingya against Buddhist girls, and amassment of weapons. It sounds ridicu­lous. Perhaps we do not know Myanmar politics well enough but those who put up their case against the Rohingya are not doing a good job.

The Rohingya have found themselves in a tight spot and are fleeing the country. Indonesia and Malaysia, under pressure from the international community amid growing calls for humanitarian aid and compassion, have given in to housing the latest refugees numbering some 7,000 temporarily for a year.

But the likelihood is that both countries will end up stuck with this mixture of Rohingya and Bangladeshis after that. Turkey is said to be interested in them but let’s see whether that happens. Thailand has walked away from the Asean Foreign Ministers’ meeting uncommitted and has remained so until today while Australia has shut the door.

But much more troubling is the continuing dominance of the extremist Myanmar monks led by Arshin Wirantu, who heads the ultra-nationalist 969 movement.

Wirathu spent nine years in prison after being sentenced in 2003 for inciting religious conflict, but has continued to amplify his campaign since his release.

Recently, Wirathu created international headlines when he called Yanghee Lee, Myanmar’s UN special rapporteur, “a whore” and “bitch” after she objected to controversial draft legislation.

But what is disappointing is that while many are quick to condemn Islamic groups which carry out extremist acts, there is a deafening silence when it comes to speaking out against these extremist Myanmar Buddhist monks?

Where are our local non-government organisations and politicians who are often quick in condemning Islamic terrorist acts?

Surely these Buddhist extremists are no different. They have forgotten that monks should be preaching reconciliation, forgiveness and tolerance instead of hate and violence.

It is always easier to point out the weakness and failure of another community and religion but when it involves our own kind, many prefer to look the other way, shamefully. But we cannot be racially or religious selectively. What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.

Surely, this madness of burning and killing cannot be right, no matter how much one dislikes another race.

And at a higher level, we also want strong voices to speak out. In this context, the Dalai Lama should be commended for speaking out – and also asking that fellow Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Syu Kyi to do more to help the persecuted Rohingya Muslims in her country, Myanmar.

These Myanmar extremist monks are giving Buddhism a bad name. Surely this is not what Buddhism is about.

But it will help if moderate Buddhists all over the world come up strongly to condemn what these extremist personalities and groups are doing in Myanmar, whipping up the emotions of the people in Myanmar by feeding on their ignorance and prejudices.

The bottom line is that men of the faith should practise faithfully what they preach. Politics and religion simply cannot mix.