Author Archives: wcw

Look at both sides of the issue

On The Beat By WONG CHUN WAI

This is not the first time Indonesia has made such a threat and it won’t be the last. It has become rather predictable and soon, potential employers would be told that they have to pay more for their maids.

New wages and conditions would be set as a way out to ensure a good supply of these maids. I may be presumptuous but I think it all boils down to money.

The Malaysian Association of Foreign Maids Agencies has seized the opportunity to suggest that the Government makes future employers of maids attend a one-day course on their responsibilities. Its president Datuk Raja Zulkepley Dahalan said this was to reduce the cases of maid abuse – for a fee, of course.

Employers found themselves being abused for the past one week following a few high-profile cases involving maids, a socialite and some rocks in Ambalat, which most Malaysians have not even heard of.

No doubt there have been a few cases of mentally-ill Malaysian employers who have abused their maids but they have been rightfully charged and punished.

But these are isolated cases; with over 200,000 maids, not counting the over one million foreign workers here, there are bound to be such incidents. But generally, we have been good employers.

Some non-governmental organisations, including Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita, have expressed disgust and surprise at the reaction of Malaysians who have opposed the one off day proposal for their maids.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, who made the proposal, however, seems to have a better grasp on the pulse of the nation, saying he was not surprised.

An SMS poll carried out by The Star indicated that over three-quarters of the respondents did not agree with the proposal.

While the media has often highlighted the extreme cases of abused maids, little has been reported about the daily problems faced by employers.

These cases may seem minor in comparison, even irrelevant to these NGOs, but they have been traumatic to the employers.

You place your trust in a maid, whom you regard as a family member, for years and then you find out that those little coins and notes you left in your trousers have accumulated to become a huge figure – and it is a case of finders keepers.

Expensive clothes have disappeared because of our forgetfulness and reliance on our maids – only to find their way to the maid’s room which we never visit because we respect her privacy and space.

Elderly folk left at home have been pinched and bullied by maids but how much of this has been reported by the Indonesian press?And have they seen the video clips of maids who kicked children repeatedly while their employers are away at work?

A good friend of mine, who installed CCTV at his home so he could monitor the movement of his maid from the office, narrated his shock when he found his maid constantly looking at the mirror while talking and laughing to herself.

The maid also burnt paper as in a religious ritual and got his children to consume it. The last straw was when he found love letters addressed to her “boyfriend” – the former Indonesian president Suharto!

The maid was sent back to the agency as it was obvious that she needed psychiatric treatment.

Dialogue with employers

We have been talking about the rights of maids without listening to what employers have to say. With due respect, Dr Subramaniam can expect an earful if he conducts a dialogue with employers.

The concerns of employers are genuine and practical, as a result of their experiences.

It is easy for some self-appointed do-gooders to be critical of Malaysian employers, portraying them as having little respect for human rights. But what about the rights of long-suffering employers?

Generally, most employers compensate their maids for not having off days, and agreements are made among the employers, the agencies and the maids, often with the consent of their parents.

Mostly, the parents of these maids prefer that their daughters earn money without getting into trouble.

From sexually transmitted diseases to eloping with Indonesian construction workers to sex romps in the employers’ rooms, there is no end to such stories if the Indonesian press cares to do balanced reporting.

Admittedly, Malaysia may not be the best paying employer. A maid is paid about RM500 to RM600 here while Singapore offers RM800 to RM900 and in Hong Kong and Taiwan, they get much more. But the difference is that most maids in Malaysia get to have their own room while in Singapore and Hong Kong, where they work in cramped flats, they often sleep in the living room or kitchen.

The similarities in food, culture and language between Malaysia and Indonesia also make the working environment in this country easier for the Indonesians. The fact that there are so many Indonesians staying here illegally, especially in Sabah, seeking to make Malaysia their home speaks volumes of the attractiveness of this country and its people.

The presence of Indonesian maids has made our lives so much easier and better; our quality of life has improved because of the double income from the husband and wife.

It also proves that non-Muslims and Muslims can live together as a family, adapting to each other and learning each other’s languages.

As in any sector or profession, there would be black sheep and nasty employers but the majority of Malaysians are decent bosses.

So, let not emotion rule at the expense of Malaysian employers. Let the Indonesian politicians and press separate the emotions over Manohara and Ambalat from that over the issue of the maids.

 

 

Abuse in land of milk and honey

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

I AM in Penang to convince my elderly parents on why they should engage an Indonesian maid. My father is 85 years old and my mother is 79 and they live in a double-storey house.

The house in Kampung Melayu, Air Itam, where I grew up, faces a busy road and that means the windows have to be constantly sealed off to prevent the dust from flying in.

Without an air-conditioner, the house is like an oven but decades ago, it used to be a breezy and leafy area with coconut palms and rambutan and guava trees. The stream nearby used to be clear with plenty of catfish.

My parents need domestic help to keep the home clean and also to care for them but they are reluctant – they have heard too many horror stories of Indonesian maids.

A neighbour complained that her maid regularly pinched her mother, with enough bruises to show, while another grumbled of thefts committed by the maid in the home.

This is enough for my old folks to distrust maids, even though they know that domestic help would make their lives easier. There are many like my parents’ neighbours.

As for Malaysian employers, many have to put up with dishonest workers from Indo­nesia besides dealing with countless cases of serious crimes committed by them.

But there are also happy stories. I have had the same maid for the last five years. She doesn’t make calls home because her parents have cheated her of her hard-earned money.

She has her quirks and weaknesses, like anyone else, and although my other family members think that she needs to show discipline and better mannerisms, she is a competent worker.

The point is this – Malaysia is making the bad news in Indonesia again following the Ambalat and Manohara controversies.

The picture painted by some sensational Indonesian media is that Malaysians are arrogant and inconsiderate folks who exploit their people and treat them as inferior beings.

Last week, it was widely reported that Siti Hajar, a maid from West Java, was regularly beaten up for three years by her employer, who even poured boiling water on her. The pictures of her scars outraged both Malay­sians and Indonesians.

Malaysia and Indonesia are also involved in territorial claims over the Ambalat waters, said to be rich in oil and minerals, off the coast of Sabah.

Then there is the highly published case between 17-year-old socialite Manohara Odelia Pinot and the 31-year-old Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan, Tengku Mohamad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra.

He has lodged a police report against his ex-wife and her mother Daisy Farajina, 44, both of whom have made serious allegations against the prince, including abuse.

The case has become a media circus in Jakarta with the ex-model appearing on TV shows and competing with Ambalat protesters for attention outside the Malaysian embassy.

She reportedly shouted Ganyang Malaysia! (Crush Malaysia!), the slogan coined by the late President Sukarno during the Confron­tation days.

Her flamboyant celebrity lawyer Hotman Paris Hutayea, a self-confessed playboy with flashy sports cars, has added more spice to the case, according to reports.

The series of bad press reports about Malaysia isn’t helping as there is an election coming up and politicians are queuing up to project themselves as national heroes. The horrific press reports have been godsent to these politicians for whom whacking Malaysia is easier than having to answer issues like poverty and unemployment to the masses.

It’s emotional and attention-grabbing with little need to be accountable to the voters and can only further strain relations between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Whatever is said and done, Malaysia continues to be the land of milk and honey to Indonesians. The fact that there are two million Indonesian workers here – about half of whom are illegal immigrants – speaks for itself.

In any case, Malaysia has the largest number of workers from Indonesia in the region and, even if the highest number of abuses has been recorded against Malaysians, it is natural given the huge base.

Few people realise that the movement of illegal Indonesian migrants to Malaysia is arguably the second largest in the world after the US-Mexico border, according to researcher Joseph Liow, in Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol 25, 2003.

Let me make it clear – Malaysians do not condone any form of abuse against any worker, local or foreign. It is inhumane and unjustified and certainly guest workers must be protected.

We must also acknowledge that without the Indonesians, the Myanmars, the Bangla­deshis and Nepalese, the nation’s economy would be badly affected as they play a crucial role in our economy.

But we are also paying a heavy price for the presence of this large number of foreign workers.

At the risk of being accused of being xenophobic again, the fact is we have had to face a host of problems, from social and health issues to crimes committed by these foreigners.

Police statistics show that Indonesians were responsible for 1,073 of 1,849 cases of violent crimes last year and for 1,400 of the 3,034 crimes involving properties.

I am pretty sure I would fail in my mission to convince my parents they should hire an Indonesian maid.

I have a decent maid and the fact that she renewed her contract, although she could earn much more in Taiwan or Hong Kong, has proved that I have been a good employer.

In spite of the developments, Jakarta continues to be one of my favourite destinations and I often tell my friends how far the city has come without many of us noticing.

But let’s not be too hard on ourselves because there are always two sides to every story.

Into the wrong side of history

ON THE BEAT

By WONG CHUN WAI

IT’S an unfinished war for many older Malaysians but for the young generation, it is a war that they never knew.

As for those who fought against the communists, especially members of the security forces, they still have the physical scars to show for it.

The children of soldiers and estate owners speak bitterly of their parents who left home and never returned.

As such to allow Chin Peng, the head of the CPM, to return to Malaysia would be unimaginable; not in their life time, at least.

Following the court rejection of Chin Peng’s application to return to Malaysia, the Malay newspapers have highlighted this issue with stories of Malay veterans who suffered in the fight against the communists.

The impression, unfortunately, is that it is the Malays who cannot forget the Emergency.

We seem to have forgotten that the same sentiment is shared by many Chinese too as the campaign against the communists would not have been successful without the effective infiltration of the CPM by the Special Branch, comprising mainly Chinese policemen.

Secret wars

Until the 1970s, not many realised that secret wars were being fought between the police and CPM, even in suburbs like Petaling Jaya.

In 1974, Tan Sri Rahman Hashim, the Inspector-General of Police, was assassinated by CPM terrorists and an attempt was made to blow up the National Monument.

Those who remember these events would have to be in their late 40s and 50s – they are not even mentioned in our history books in schools.

The late Tan Sri CC Too, the head of psychological warfare for 27 years, refused to attend the Haadyai Peace Accord in 1989, to mark the end of the 41 years of armed struggle.

Until the last days, he was suspicious of the intentions of Chin Peng and CPM, saying the peace accord was not a CPM surrender but a truce and merely “temporarily suspending” its struggle.

The late Aloysius Chin, a former deputy director of Special Branch (Operations), reminded this writer that “Malaysians must remember that the final victory over the CPM is not yet over.” It was the same line he wrote in his book The Communist Party of Malaya: The Inside Story.

He wrote that “the avowed aim of the communists all over the world is to destroy the existing political and economic systems in non-communist countries and to replace them with a World Union of Communist Republics.”

Many of the key strategists in SB are no longer around. Chin Peng, or Ong Boon Hua, would be 85 years old this year.

The house where he was born, in Sitiawan, is said to be a Sports Toto outlet now. He expressed regret over this in his book Chin Peng: My Side of the Story.

In short, the world has changed. The Cold War – the continuing state of tension and competition between the Western world led by the United States and the Communists led by the Soviet Union – ended in the 1990s.

For the young generation, they only know of Coldplay – the British rock group led by Chris Martin, not the Cold War.

The Soviet Union has collapsed and the Russians have embraced capitalism. So has communist China – which ironically, is expected to rescue the world from the effects of the financial crisis.

No country including Malaysia can ignore China because it is one of the largest markets. Nearer to home, our investors have kept themselves busy in Vietnam, technically a communist state.

In Cuba, the days of Fidel Castro are numbered while Bolivian leader Che Guevera is certainly more iconic than Castro.

But if you ask the young Malay boys hanging around Pertama Complex who wear T-shirts with Che on them, they think he is a rock star or equate him with Bob Marley.

Today, most of the ex-CPM members who are still alive live in the Peace Villages in south Thailand.

Instead of the guns they once toted, they carry handphones. Many depend on small businesses and tourism for a living.

Academics specialising in alternative history have given them a lease of life over the past few years with books recording their side of the stories.

A blog has even been set up with blurry videos of their activities.

In many cases, it was abject poverty and alienation, and even failed love relations, which made them join the CPM.

It was not all about abstract ideology and the new generation of leftists would have to admit that Karl Marx, the father of Communism, got it all wrong in his 1848 The Communist Manifesto – he failed to see the birth and expansion of the Middle Class, which embraced consumerism and all things capitalist.

In short, the CPM veterans are people of a different generation and political setting, who were caught up in the world of colonialism and class struggles, which have no relevance to us.

World of black-and-white

Their world was of just black-and-white – like the classic movies of their era.

Today, Islamic radicalism has taken over where communists have left off, with security agencies tracking the likes of Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda terrorists.

Courses in communism would probably be offered in the history faculty instead of the political science classes, where Islamic radicalism would be a compulsory subject.

The Malay CPM veterans – who would have once regarded themselves as atheists – have returned to religion, realising that they would soon be meeting their Creator.

In their last days on earth and for all the killings they have committed, it is best they seek peace and forgiveness.

They are probably too proud to admit that it was a serious mistake to chose the revolutionary path and too late to talk about “what if.”

Contrary to public perception, many ex-CPM members of Chinese origin have returned to Malaysia.

Some veterans become Thai citizens and have no problems returning to Malaysia as tourists.

In many cases, it was reported that their first visits were to pay respects to their dead parents’ graves in Malaysia and soon, they went on holidays to Europe, as a preferred destination.

In his book, Chin Peng said 330 ex-CPM members opted to return to Malaysia immediately after the peace agreement.

In the case of Chin Peng, he said he made applications in 1990 to return to Malaysia but the authorities disclosed that he did not show up for the interview.

Eventually, it became a court battle, which must have made it more difficult for the Home Ministry to meet his request. It is not clear what passport he is holding as he has made Bangkok his base.

Ironically, come December, it would be the 20th year of the Peace Accord in Haadyai, where the architects of the agreement are still alive.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Thai counterpart, Chavalit Yongchaihudh played the leading roles while the police representatives were former IGPs Tan Sri Rahim Noor and Tan Sri Norian Mai, with retired Gen Kitti Rattanachayam representing the Thai army.

Chin Peng, in his book, said he wanted to die in Malaysia, which he said he was “more than willing to die for”. But for families of those who died in the fight, they have still not forgiven him.

It is a price he has to live with, even in his twilight years.

The authorities must act on PKFZ

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

THE Port Klang Free Trade Zone (PKFZ) report has finally been released with complete findings and key personalities named.

For the public, the question is: What next? We have seen similar reports made, headlined and followed with demands for actions but pretty soon, such reports usually gather dust and are quickly forgotten.

We have heard statements by officials from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) before, promising tough action but only seen these statements turning into nothing.

That’s why Malaysians are sometimes cynical about high profile cases involving public money and powerful figures who seem untouchable.

The PKFZ report has wide implications, both political and business, and the readiness of the Government to release it is highly commendable.

It is probably for the first time, in a such long time, that the opposition has actually openly given credit to the Government.

For this, we must salute Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

It might have taken a little longer than expected but it was essential to tie up the loose ends, especially the crucial legal requirements.

At least one newspaper which reported this case has received a legal letter and it would be no surprise if lawyers are scrutinising every word written by the press on the PKFZ issue.

The point is that the report has been made public, as promised by Ong. The public has every right to know because the costs to be incurred are very big, ballooning from an estimated RM7.453bil mainly due to interest costs and could go as high as RM12.5bil should the Port Klang Authority (PKA) default on its loan repayments in the years ahead.

It’s a staggering figure – six times bigger than the RM2.5bil scandal involving prominent personalities who diverted the money from Bumiputra Malaysia Finance (BMF) into private accounts in 1983.

The case which went through the courts in London, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur unveiled the loss of RM660mil of taxpayers’ money. One auditor sent to investigate the case in Hong Kong ended up being murdered.

The PKFZ and BMF are two separate cases and we have no intention of making any comparisons but the crux of the issue is the need to protect public money.

It is a refreshing bold start by the Najib Administration which has advocated transparency and accountability with the people’s interest first.

The MACC has revealed that it has completed its initial investigations and would compare what it has gathered with the findings of Pricewaterhouse-Coopers Advisory Services.

The MACC said its preliminary report had been submitted to its Legal and Prosecution Division for the next the phase of action.

The public want to see serious follow up action so that questions will be answered.

They want to know, and certainly have the right to know, how mismanagement had taken place, resulting in the fiasco, and whether there had been possible potential cases of conflict of interest. How extensive was the disregard for transparency and accountability, and who else were involved in the decisions?

The Transport Ministry has taken immediate steps such as seeking professional advice on the restructuring of PKA’s financial obligations, improving and tightening governance at PKA’s management and board levels and beefing up day-to-day management of PKFZ.

It is understood that PKA is already working with legal advisers and financial consultants to carry out the minister’s directives.

That is on the part of the Transport Ministry. As for the MACC and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Malaysians want them to pursue the case without fear or favour.

The dogged determination by the leadership to uphold transparency and accountability would mean nothing if it remains just a report with no real action taken at the end of the day.

It could even backfire if the public feel that the probe was merely to appease them but with no intention of punishing those who mismanaged public money either because of incompetency or for other reasons. Justice must not only be done but seen to be done.

A tough decision has been made by Najib and Ong and they can be assured that the public fully support them, especially if blatant abuses of power and disregard for governmental procedures and guidelines are exposed.

Ong, for example, has said: “It has been a long journey for me personally. It is one that is fraught with challenges and hurdles both from within and without.”

Only the MCA president himself would know the difficulties, anxieties and pressure involved. Even any private company with limited resources would have their company rules and governance and in the case of PKFZ, the report has made some shocking revelations.

We expect the authorities, particularly MACC and PAC, to act accordingly and swiftly too, That’s what the “People First, Performance Now” slogan is about, isn’t it?

Results and needs come first

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

STUDENTS applying for entrance into British and American universities are told precisely what to expect.

For the United Kingdom, an applicant needs a minimum of three A-levels to get into a Bri­tish university. To go to a top university, the three A-levels should be distinctions. The appli­cant is allowed to list down the top five preferences in terms of courses and institutions.

In the case of Oxford University, the selection process is very transparent. It lists down the number of places available, particularly for popular courses, and also the number of applicants to date.

Through Oxford’s website, applicants have an idea of the odds stacked against them should they choose a course where places are limited.. They are also told how to prepare themselves in the selection interviews for certain courses. Applicants who have undergone internship, or attachment in the case of law firms, also stand a better chance.

In the past, undergraduates would only carry out their internship during their second or third year, but UK universities now prefer that they undertake such training, even in hospitals, before they enrol – that’s how much the education system has changed.

The rules are simple – 3As and they can look forward to studying in the top British universities and anyone with lower grades have to look for places in lesser-known universities.

In the United States, applicants have to sit for the SAT or Scholastic Achievement Test to gain entry into college.

Some universities give extra points to applicants who have done community work in areas such as the environment and conservation, which have become key concerns, and even in the UK, such involvement helps.

It is clear that they expect the young to be involved in more than just academic pursuits.

The older ones among us would recall that previously, one could only score a maximum of 5As in the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE), the Form Three exam, and maybe 9As for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) in Form Five.

Not many young Malaysians are aware that previously, those who failed the LCE would have to drop out of school.

But as British Council education director Peter Clark correctly said in a report yesterday, foreign universities are looking beyond those with a string of As at the SPM level, as they prefer all-rounders who also excel in extra-curricular activities. He said British universities were “put off” by the number of As which Malaysian students boasted about.

Clark welcomed the Government’s move to limit the number of subjects that students could take for the SPM.

It must also be made clear that excellent grades at the SPM level only helps one to gain a place for the STPM, A-levels or other foundation or matriculation courses, which are the real entry level requirements into universities.

The hype given to these top SPM scorers has helped to emphasise the importance of education but, at the same time, it has led to unrealistic expectations among students and parents.

The media, in fact, should tone down on their coverage of results at this level. In many countries, including the UK and US, public school exams are certainly not national news.

Many Malaysian employers have found that a distinction in English at the SPM level is not reflective of one’s competence in English. It would probably be equivalent to a “C” previously. That’s how badly our standards have dropped.

Many British schools offering A-levels are used to hearing protests from Malay­sian parents and students when their applications are rejected. They find it hard to accept that they are considered to have a low command of English when the SPM grades show otherwise.

The suggestion by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to limit the number of papers a student can sit in the SPM is most welcomed. But that is a separate issue from scholarship awards for students. Limiting the number of subjects would not help resolve this yearly issue.

Something is horribly wrong when a simple scholarship application process becomes an emotive issue, and in some warped way, given a racial twist by some parties. It shouldn’t be if we are genuine about forging the 1Malaysia spirit.

Everyone who applies for a Public Services Department (PSD) scholarship, or any government scholarship, deserves to be treated as a Malay­sian. We can never excel if we are still stuck in the 1950s era.

PSD scholarships are popular among the young because it offers a substantial amount in financial aid.

The people, as taxpayers, also see that the Govern­ment is obligated to provide scholarships for those who have financial needs.

Each year, more than 12,000 applicants vie for 2,000 PSD scholarships for overseas education.

If the criteria for selection is perceived, even if wrongly, as unjust with allegations of racial profiling, it would not help in nation-building. It would only lead to frustration when the only scholarship they can get is the “Fa-Ma scholarship” (father and mother), as it is often called among many students.

As a student in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in the 1980s, I recalled the deep unhappiness among students who failed to secure financial support, especially after they found out how many others had at least five scholarships to pick from.

At the university’s multi-purpose hall, Pusanika, there would be a long line of students outside the bank’s campus branch each time the money was banked in. And because they were predominantly from one race, it led to unnecessary alienation.

It is highly commendable that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has spoken about such unfair scholarship awards openly. Not once but many times. He has met Cabinet members and talked about how to resolve this issue, once and for all.

Scholarships should be given based on two grounds – performance and need. We should not make this process unnecessarily complicated.

A disease not to be sneezed at

I FLEW into Shenzen yesterday, just as the second Malaysian case of A (H1N1) flu was confirmed in Penang. It was the first flight from Malaysia into Shenzen.

We arrived at Shenzen on AK80 at 10.40am but were not allowed to leave the aircraft. Three health officers wearing facial masks came aboard 30 minutes later.

They videotaped every one of the more than 100 passengers, some of whom were already wearing masks, and used an instrument to take our temperatures.

We were all cleared at about 11.25am, allowed to get off the plane and board a bus to the airport building. But when we got there, we were not allowed to leave the bus.

Ten officials made us queue up in three rows for another round of checks before we got to the immigration counters where masked officers were overheard talking about Malaysian cases. All in all, it took us two hours to come out of the airport.

For Malaysians, the H1N1 has finally hit home. But with global travel now becoming easier, faster and cheaper, it was only a matter of time.

While there is bound to be a certain degree of anxiety over the flu, now that we have our own cases – both students who had just returned from the US recently – it is unlikely to stop us from travelling overseas.

We are in an era of mass human migration and transportation, says a scientist. Never in history have diseases spread geographically with such speed.

Travel has become a necessity and the world is not going to come to standstill because of this flu.

Travellers undeterred

In any case, 13,000 died from common cold worldwide in 2007. That’s many, many more than the number of H1N1 fatalities.

Extensive coverage of the H1N1 outbreak might have dampened the mood and added to the woes of airline operators, but it has helped create greater awareness and knowledge than fear.

Education and prevention are vital to cope with this strain of flu, which has hit 37 nations.

Two other students who were on the same flight as the two confirmed H1N1 patients are currently under observation.

They were among the passengers who boarded the same flight from Newark, New Jersey, who had been advised to undergo medical checks. It is good that no one is taking any chances.

In addition to dealing with H1N1, our Health Ministry has also been put under more stress with the outbreak of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease, at the Juru detention camp for immigrants in Penang.

Following the death of a Myanmar detainee, 26 others have been admitted into two hospitals for treatment. They have been suspected of consuming water contaminated with the urine of an animal. There is reason to be concerned because it is a rare disease.

The lack of hygienic conditions in the over-crowded camp could be a possible cause for the outbreak, but it is worrying that Malaysia is facing the return of diseases eliminated decades ago.

Migrant workers are bringing in infectious diseases despite the medical checks supposedly carried out on them before they enter the country, never mind the illegal immigrants who would have no medical records for sure.

Foreign exposure

It would not be wrong to say that Malaysia is facing the emergence and re-emergence of diseases because of these foreigners.

For example, tuberculosis and leprosy have been detected among immigrants, especially in Sabah, although we successfully wiped out these diseases long ago.

Health authorities have no other choice but to incorporate prevention programmes resulting in additional financial and manpower strains.

It has been reported that in 2004, 2.8% of the nearly one million foreign workers examined nationwide were found to be unfit.

Half were found to be suffering from hepatitis, 12.3% from tuberculosis, 8.4% from sexually transmitted diseases and 1.3% from HIV.

In 2000, it was reported that the increase in the number of TB patients in Malaysia was due to an increase in the number of HIV/AIDS patients and immigrants, according to a paper presented at the Third National Conference On Infection and Infection Control.

I wonder what the latest figures will show and I certainly hope there is improvement.

Malaysians have never heard of Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus, until recently. The last outbreak of this disease, endemic among migrant workers, was seven years ago but it has made a comeback.

There is always a price for everything and as the world becomes smaller, a sneeze can always lead on to something bigger.

Divisive politics taking shape

ON THE BEAT

By WONG CHUN WAI

THERE’s no middle ground left in Malaysian politics – that’s how divisive politics have torn the people apart.

You are either with the Barisan Nasional or the Pakatan Rakyat: there’s no room for those who want to choose the middle ground.

You are either left suffering from political fatigue as a result of this endless round of politicking since the March 8 general election, or you just want to have more fights with more by-elections.

By-elections used to be held because the elected representatives passed away but now it is forced – in the name of democracy.

Defections, which should be condemned if one is genuinely principled, are now treated differently.

The planned Sept 16 massive defection exercise was perfectly acceptable and anticipated with glee by some sections of Malaysians, even when a democratic government had been elected.

But when a few Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen declared themselves independents, resulting in the collapse of the Perak state government, a different set of moral rules was applied.

Political circus

Never mind that the whole political circus we saw last week started with a Barisan Nasional assemblyman who crossed over to Pakatan, was welcomed ceremoniously, but before you could even remember his name, he was back in the Barisan.

Worse, can we still remember that two of the independents were charged with corruption? Before they jumped ship, his PR colleagues had claimed they were framed by the Government but the minute they quit, they were branded as opportunists.

In fact, last week, PAS vice-president Datuk Husam Musa told the press that PAS was wooing a Barisan assemblyman in Kelantan. We don’t recall Husam being criticised by anyone, particularly those who see themselves as righteous political leaders.

Even as we call for fresh elections in Perak, we have not heard any politician say we should enact an anti-hopping law first. What is there to prevent another round of defections after the elections?

In short, your political integrity now depends on which colour you are wearing. In the case of last week’s fiasco, black was the wrong colour as far as the police was concerned.

Peaceful protesters wearing black T-shirts were reportedly hauled up at a coffee shop. Five lawyers, who probably wore black suits, were arrested at the Brickfields police station when they turned up to defend their clients for allegedly taking part in an illegal gathering.

It was a classic case of over-reacting and the result was the police ending up with a black eye as far as public image was concerned. The Government was blamed for this, the result of some over-reactive police officers’ actions.

Transparency has also become the most abused word. The Government deserves its share of criticism for the lack of transparency, particularly in awarding massively expensive projects.

Direct negotiations seem to be the preferred method instead of open tenders, where the information should be put online for everyone to scrutinise.

The lack of proper information and denial of access to information fuel speculations and even rumours, resulting in bloggers earning more credibility than journalists. Malaysians are seeking more information because they want to know more about what’s happening in the country and, as stakeholders in the country’s future, they ought to.

Democracy does not merely mean voting in an election every five years. We have a right to have a say in how government and the relevant institutions function. That’s how democracy works.

But transparency seems to mean different things to different people. Some politicians can still talk about transparency and credibility despite having a record of making “expose” which never took place.

One Member of Parliament produced an amateurish doctored picture with outlandish claims, attempted to pass off the picture as the real thing but seems to have been quickly forgiven. He is still talking of transparency and is perceived to be a hero in some circles.

Intelligent debate needed

Consistency is lacking in Malaysian politics, with principles giving way to political ambitions and expediency. There are not many leaders like Karpal Singh, who are prepared to speak up even if it means incurring the wrath of his colleagues.

He has become the lone voice in the opposition when it comes to the topics of Islamic state and party defections. This is both sad and dangerous.

In the blogosphere, many still cannot debate intelligently or remain focused, preferring to pick an argument over a simple word or sentence of the blogger and ignoring the context of the entire blog.

Name-calling, mudslinging and condemnation seem to be the preferred mode with the commenters hiding behind anonymity.

There should be respect for different political opinions and inclinations but one is quickly condemned if one does not adhere to a certain leaning. Such frightening intolerance often comes from those who see themselves as fighting for freedom of speech.

It has been pointed out that Malaysia is now entering a new stage of democracy, infant in its own way, but the growth process should take its course and then participation in democracy would be done in a more mature way. Perhaps, when that happens we may then see greater maturity and rationale in political discourse.

Changes aplenty in the works

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

TAN Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made a telephone call to a Penanti Umno branch leader recently when he found out that PKR assemblyman Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin had decided to quit his state seat, paving the way for a by-election. The eager local Umno leader told the Deputy Prime Minister that he would immediately call for a meeting to discuss preparations.

But Muhyiddin instead ticked him off, saying he should be convening a meeting of all Barisan Nasional leaders. The campaigning involved Barisan leaders and not just Umno leaders, he was told.

An unprecedented move was made when MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was invited on April 26 to open the meeting of Kimma, a Malaysian Muslim party, that is seeking to join the Barisan.

The signal was important – one of the highest ranking Barisan leaders, a non-Muslim at that, was attending the function of a political party that is regarded as friendly and supportive of the Barisan.

The conventional approach of a Muslim leader, in his songkok and baju Melayu, carrying out the responsibility was no longer the way.

Broader outlook

Last week, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed met Malaysian students in London. He had sent out an early request to the organisers – he wanted to meet Malaysians of all races, not just Malays and certainly not just pro-Umno students.

The International Trade and Industry Minister took a step further: He had a meal with a multi-racial group at a Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.

And, of course, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak started his leadership with a walkabout in three areas in Kuala Lumpur with a predominantly Malay, Chinese or Indian population. He was pictured talking to Chinese traders in Jalan Petaling and Malay city flat dwellers in Kampung Kerinchi, and enjoying a cup of teh tarik with Indians in Brickfields.

These may be merely symbolic gestures but they are also powerful messages to the grassroots leaders of the 13 component parties of the Barisan – that no single party leader should be projecting themselves as champions of their own race.

It is no longer enough to merely talk of issues affecting their own communities. In fact, it can be self-defeating.

Rapid changes are taking place in the Barisan with the coalition fully aware that the clock is ticking away very fast.

Muhyiddin, who is Umno deputy president, talked of a transformation in Umno within the next two years.

Malaysians are used to watching images of Malay leaders sitting on the stage every time there is an Umno general assembly but they have never seen a multi-racial group of leaders talking about national issues together. This is being done weekly at the Cabinet but never at a convention where real issues are discussed for the nation to see.

But it has to be more than just form. There has to be a transformation of the mindset for this to happen. From Umno and MCA to PBS and PBB, all party leaders have to talk Malaysian.

Treating the sickness

The PKR is a new kid on the block but it has been able to glue PAS and DAP together to create a storm. There are more alarm bells for Barisan – the moderate face of PAS leader Nizar Jamaluddin has stepped into national politics. He will no longer be just a Perak leader but a national leader, taking over from the likes of the turbaned Nik Aziz and Hadi Awang.

Unless the ulamas stop the British-educated politician, who introduced himself to Chinese voters with his Chinese name, he is the man many Barisan politicians have to watch and worry about, not the ageing theologians in PAS with their firebrand rhetoric.

Like other Barisan leaders, Najib is aware that unless radical changes are carried out, it would have a drastic impact on the results of the next general election. This time, the decision has to be from the top to the bottom.

It is not good enough to recognise the reasons and not act on them. The Barisan, parti­cularly Umno, is afflicted with sickness. The leaders are aware that their main coalition partners are all over 50 years and they need treatment. But there is plenty of resistance for clinical changes.

Najib has grabbed the bull by the horns by readily tackling issues that may not be popular with conservative Malays.

He got the Cabinet to set the tone by agreeing that children of a parent who converts would retain the status of the religion when their parents married. PAS leaders have already openly attacked the policy and there certainly would be quiet grumblings from right-wing Malay groups, supporters of Umno, who feel the same.

Najib has shown that he is not just the leader of the Malays but also the Prime Minister of all Malaysians. That he has done so at the risk of losing crucial Malay votes must be commended.

On the other hand, there would also be many non-Malay voters who feel that not enough is being done and that the PM still has plenty to do before their faith in the Barisan is restored.

On the business front, Najib has scrapped the bumiputra equity quota on 27 sub-sectors ranging from health to tourism. It’s a bid to make Malaysia more competitive and a more attractive place for investors. The decision has already received plenty of goodwill in the region.

Malaysia needs to be on the pages of newspapers worldwide for the right reasons. We have to be in the good news, and news not just limited to politics.

Businessmen across the region asked incredulously why there is excessive politicking in Malaysia when energy and resources should be channelled towards facing the impact of the global financial crisis.

Malaysians are suffering from political fatigue, and forced by-elections by the opposition to make themselves look good has, in fact, led to much unhappiness within the ranks of the Pakatan Rakyat.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants a by-election simply because he wants to put his man in as Deputy Chief Minister I and nothing else. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has rightly fumed at the decision because it would cost taxpayers millions of ringgit. Anwar knows the PKR would win hands down because the constituency is part of his Permatang Pauh area.

The by-election means national leaders have to take time away from their responsibilities and campaign in a poll that has little political meaning for the people. A win for PKR would have no consequence to the political structure of the Penang state government while a loss to Barisan would also mean little. The best we can say is that it is democracy at work.

But for employers trying to keep their businesses intact and their workers in their jobs, Penanti is hardly on their radar screen. Ordinary salary workers filling their income tax returns worry about how much they can still keep after the deductions.

It has been a tough act. Just when the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index begins to recover, due to a combination of positive external and internal factors, we have to face the problem of A(H1N1) fever, which is a damper to the market.

Remisiers who have struggled with poor sentiments in the market are hoping we could reach 1,000 points. Certainly, some profit taking, which will affect the momentum, is expected, but there must be activity.

Some Pakatan Rakyat politicians are pouring cold water on the increased volume in trading because they realise that in middle class Malaysia, political anger recedes when there is money to be generated.

Change is taking place because the opposing political forces are competing for the votes. Najib has to get back the votes the Barisan lost in March and unless he works hard on it, more votes could be lost.

For the opposition, the more it becomes mainstream, the more it runs the risk of losing its appeal with rumblings that some of its leaders are no different. For the Prime Minister, his job is to ensure the series of good news does not run out. 

Good news – and more to come

IT’S a terrific start. The decision to remove the 30% bumiputra equity quota in 27 services sub-sectors is certainly a sweeping move as it will now make Malaysia more competitive.

With foreign investments predicted to drop by over 50% this year, the decision to open up the health, tourism, transport, business, computer industry and social services would help to convince investors to take another look at Malaysia.

There is more good news coming this way. This week, the Prime Minister is expected to announce major news involving the financial sector.

The reality is that many investors have bypassed Malaysia because of the 30% bumiputra quota requirement.

There are plenty of other countries which offer better and more competitive perks to win over the hearts of investors.

Singapore, for example, is known to even offer scholarships or university places for children of investors, especially from China.

There would not be a major impact from the decision. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is not waving a magic wand. But the optimism stemming from the decision is tremendous. It has brought freshness, encouragement and hope to the business community at a time when there is so much bad news.

We can expect Najib’s announcement to get favourable reaction from analysts and fund managers across the region.

These positive responses are essential if we are to make Malaysia heard and seen, but not through its series of explosive political news.

Malaysia offers good infrastructure, an educated workforce that speaks reasonably good English and a lower cost but higher standard of living, which are major considerations for investors.

While these sectors are not top heavy areas, it must be acknowledged that the services sector contributed 55% to the gross domestic product last year. Of this, 47.6% was contribu­ted by non-government services. The services sector also accounted for 57% of total employment in the country.

From a political perspective, Najib’s decision is certain to win the confidence of the Chinese business community.

The sometimes over-zealous implementation of the affirmative action programmes has long been a sore point to many Malay­sians, including bumiputras.

While the Chinese and Indians complained that the implementation by civil servants has been abused, the ordinary bumiputras grumbled that the politically-linked were the ones who profited, and not them.

The result is a large group of alienated and frustrated electorate who punished the Government in the March 8 polls.

Najib also needs to review the procurement policies of the government and government-linked companies.

It is well-known that inactive bumiputra partners, known as “sleeping partners”, are sometimes used to meet the 30% bumiputra equity rules. And it is said that in many cases, even a company comprising 100% bumiputra equity are created by non-bumiputra businessmen to overcome the stringent rules – and all these bumiputra directors do is just to collect some fees.

These practices go against the tenets of the New Economic Policy as they do nothing to restructure society. They also reflect the frustrations of good and decent Malaysian businessmen, many of whom are small businessmen who merely want to carry out a simple transaction with these GLCs.

No one knows who decided on this 100% bumiputra requirement to the point that some Malay businessmen are reluctant to have a non-Malay partner for fear it would affect their chances of securing a government contract. Sometimes, a foreign partner is said to be in a better position than Malaysians.

The affirmative actions are meant to elevate the position of bumiputras, and rightly so too, but they should not deprive non-Malays. Certainly, not to marginalise them.

A fair deal for all Malaysians is essentially what the new Prime Minister needs to look at and he has said so, citing the award of scholarships to students. Need-based, rather than ethnic-based, has to be the goal of the New Deal. It is the same with the recruitment of staff in the civil service, which is now mainly a one-race entity.

A vicious cycle has been created where the Government is serious about wanting to change the imbalances but non-Malays feel they have little chances of reaching the top positions in the civil service. So, they would rather opt for the private sector, but it does the country no good.

Obviously, the leadership needs to be brave enough to overcome this ethnic mental block. The racial prism has to be dismantled with good and clever Malaysians given the opportunity to serve.

Malaysia has to open up because the walls of protectionism have to come down. This is part of the globalisation process and even if the momentum has been slowed down because of the financial crisis, the opening up is inevitable.

Our competitors now are not Ahmad, Ah Chong or Muthu but the foreigners with their huge funds and strong expertise.

The kedai runcit and kedai kopi have been overwhelmed by the presence of hypermarkets and franchised coffee outlets.

The lifting of the 30% bumiputra equity ruling in the 27 sub-sectors should be the first of many changes to come.

Najib must be commended for his series of bold moves. A day after scrapping the quota equity, the Cabinet decided that the children of parents who were divorced and where one parent converts to another religion have to be brought up in the “common religion at the time of marriage”.

The move would certainly not endear him to Muslim conservatives but as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said, religion should not be used as a tool to escape marriage responsibilities and that conversion “is not grounds for automatic dissolution of marriage”.

Najib must be encouraged. He has wasted no time in carrying out these radical changes, and for him to succeed further, Malaysians must support him.

Be leaders of all Malaysians

ON THE BEAT
By WONG CHUN WAI

THE 1Malaysia concept being promoted by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak may mean different things to different people but the bottom line is simple – the Prime Minister wants a sense of one people and one nation.

He is not keen to set up think-tanks comprising academicians to draw up lofty ideals on what this concept is about.

He wants the idea to evolve and to take shape as the concept is promoted, more importantly, practised and not just remain a slogan for a leader who has just taken office and wants to be seen to be popular.

Over the past two weeks, he has been asked at almost every press briefing what 1Malaysia really means.

Malay nationalist groups are worried that it would be like the Malaysian Malaysia concept mooted by the DAP while some non-Malay groups have cynically dismissed it as unworkable in Malaysia. Chinese newspaper editors have grappled with translating the term, which comes with a numeral. They have loosely described it as “a Malaysia for all”.

Every noble idea must be given a chance to grow. Najib means well and he understands that something new would need time to be explained and accepted.

He has softened the fears of right-wing Malay groups by saying that no ethnic group should be marginalised and also stressed that while affirmative action would remain, it must be implemented fairly.

He has continuously used one example at every discussion with editors – award of scholarships to top students. No applicant should be deprived because of his or her ethnicity. He made it a point to the 1Malaysia concept at his first Cabinet meeting, saying the nation should rise above race and work together as a nation.

Double talk

Najib is serious in reaching out to all. His 1Malaysia website now has a Chinese version and moves are being made to include a Tamil one as well.

Interestingly, his son who is pursuing studies in Georgetown University in the US is studying Chinese and has a Shanghainese as a roommate.

There’s no denying that racial differences have gnawed the nation and politicians must take much of the blame.

For 1Malaysia to work, our politicians, including ministers, need to exercise plenty of self-restraint.

They cannot spew racist remarks to become champions of their races, and then talk about national unity.

The days of talking to different audiences and expecting such double talk not to reach the ears of other communities are over.

Words like “kita memberi amaran” (we warn) and “kita tidak akan kompromi” (we will not compromise) must be taken off the speeches and remarks of our leaders. In short, they should be banned.

The bosses of TV stations should remind their reporters and presenters not to use “orang kita” (our own people) when they speak, seemingly oblivious to the fact that all races watch their programmes.

Similarly, it is disturbing when a national newspaper uses a provocative front-page headline like “Bangkitlah Melayu” (Malays arise) and in the same breath, call for national unity and carry a picture of the PM joining Sikhs in making chapati during the Vasakhi celebrations.

While English language newspapers have taken a more guarded role in their reporting as their readership is multi-racial, there is a need for vernacular newspapers to take off racial prisms.

Sometimes, the inability to find an appropriate translation or use of a quote without looking out of context can lead to emotional debates with racial tones. The printed version can never reflect the tone used by the speaker and often, it conjures a different, if not inaccurate perspective.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin found himself in such a spot last week when he was talking about the voting trend of the Chinese in the two by-elections.

Lost in translation

His remark “seolah olah tidak menghargai” was translated differently – “ungrateful”, “unappreciated” and “not reciprocated” by different Chinese newspapers.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who has a clean record for making moderate statements, took the trouble to spend an hour with Chinese newspaper editors to explain the context.

They, in turn, expressed their views on the report and the sentiments of the community.

Both Najib and Muhyiddin have pleaded for a chance. They have hardly been in office for two weeks.

The PM has just chaired his first Cabinet meeting and most of the ministers are now attending daily briefings to learn more about their res­pective ministries and their scope of duties. It is still very early days of the Najib Administration and Malaysians certainly want him to succeed.

No one expects overnight changes but the PM is aware of the expectations. He knows the heavy responsibility and that time is running against him. He understands that the old methods don’t work but at the same time, he also needs to convince the hardened grassroots leaders, set in their own mindsets, that he cannot fall back on outdated approaches to win back the hearts and minds of the new Malay­sians.

The wishes of most Malaysians are simple. They are merely asking for fair play, justice and transparency in the government. They want their representatives to be down to earth and credible.

It isn’t so hard for the Barisan to win back the votes if they can just carry out these simple requests. More importantly, they should be leaders of all Malaysians, not just of their own communities.