The New Straits Times, which was issued a show-cause letter
by the Internal Security Ministry to explain why action should not be taken
against the newspaper for printing a cartoon deemed offensive to Muslims, has
apologised unconditionally and the Government has accepted it.

For journalists, there is no reason to rejoice when a rival
newspaper runs foul of the authority. Regardless of what newspaper a journalist
may work for, the same thing can happen to any publication.

Editors have to take responsibility for what is published in
their newspapers but these days, a newspaper can run up to 300 pages or more,
comprising the various sections from news to business, lifestyle, metro to
sports.

Great care is taken by the editors to ensure that there is
no offensive news relating to race or religion in the news section but what
about those sections within the paper deemed the least sensitive?

I do not wish to refer to any newspaper but merely to shed
light on how a newspaper functions in a general way.

In most cases, it is the lifestyle section, where the
cartoons, music, fashion and celebrity stories appear. When there is a slip-up,
it is often painful because as editors, they have to take responsibility. But
carelessness is often the only reason. There is no malice, no agenda and
certainly no disrespect to anyone.

But in this time and age, there is no room for any
oversight. A newspaper these days not only has thousands of copies in print,
but the news is also posted on the website where its reach just multiplies in
cyberspace. Even if a person does not subscribe to the paper in question,
chances are he can get a copy of it via the Net.

Unlike other professions and businesses, the punishment
meted out on journalists and newspapers appear tough, even harsh. Editors often
have to take the rap for mistakes made by their subordinates.

Politicians, including ministers, also make mistakes and
sometimes, the failures and fiascos are even bigger.

I understand the feelings of uncertainty faced by my fellow
journalists. I, too, lost my job as a reporter for five months when The Star
lost its permit in October 1987, together with Sin Chew Jit Poh and Watan, a
Bahasa Malaysia tabloid which has ceased operations since then.

Those were difficult times as we had to go through
Christmas, the New Year and Chinese New Year without a job. Many employers were
reluctant to hire us as they believed we would get back our licences. But with
bills to pay, their optimism did not help our morale.

Looking back, we learnt much from what happened during the
149 days of The Star's closure, particularly in handling race relations in Malaysia.
It is natural for me, having gone through it, to be affected. More so, for us,
who had to cover the political gatherings, where racial emotions were running
high.

The political circumstances of the past few weeks, leading
to the actions against the media, are entirely different. The irony is that the
storm started in Denmark
but the publication of the cartoons here, probably due to slip-ups by
journalists in the production section, had offended many Muslims.

There are plenty of lessons to learn, chief of which is that
not everyone is as tolerant and liberal as we like to think. Some of the
published items may seem harmless to us but can be deemed unacceptable to
others.

Race, religion and language are no laughing matter and that
is reinforced in the mind of every reporter who joins a newspaper.

There is no need to apologise over this rule in Malaysia.
Press freedom is not about hurting the feelings of any particular faith or
community.

The experience that my journalist friends are going through
is something that media houses have to reflect seriously on.

The media in Malaysia
walks on a tightrope – there are sufficient laws that already make the job
difficult but now, there are calls to set up a council to regulate our work.

But the painful reality is that, while the serious readers
clamour for more thought-provoking articles, they do not necessarily represent
the majority of the reading public.

The best-selling newspapers in Malaysia
are those that carry news about celebrity scandals, sex websites, crime and gay
spas.

One Internet news website that emphasises on human rights
and democracy found its readership slipping when it decided to charge a minor
sum for its services. It must have woken up the newsmen there.

I believe that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi is committed to a vibrant, honest and constructive media and that this
is good for Malaysia.

We become journalists because we honestly believe that our
work will make the country better, even if we have to work within these rules.

Or else, we would have looked for a job that is less
stressful, and which probably pays more.

In two days, he received more than 2,600 SMS although only
200 of them were related to complaints against his ministry.

Since then he has calmed down, and probably changed his mind
over the need to personally handle every complaint from the public.

But the fact remains that people are fed up of bringing
their problems directly to the authorities simply because they feel there would
be no follow-up.

We are happy even if we can get through to a clerk who will
listen to us, record our queries or complaints, and refer us to the appropriate
department for a real follow-up.

We don't need a minister to attend to us. That would be
asking for too much.

The sad thing is that most of us have gone through enough in
our dealings with the authorities to be able to write a book about how we are
often passed from one person to another, or from one department to another.

The mentality of a bureaucrat is that the public must write
an official complaint to the right person at the right department before action
can be taken, if at all. A letter is a form of record. A telephone call or an
e-mail would not be encouraged.

Rightly or wrongly, that is the perception of our
bureaucracy. No wonder Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is still
stressing on the importance of the delivery system after two years in office.

Just make a cursory check on the complaints made by the
public through the various newspapers. Almost all these complaints get no
response from the affected departments.

It is the job of the public relations officers to respond to
these problems highlighted by the public but not many are doing their job.

The only ones who regularly reply to these queries and
complaints are from the Employees Provident Fund and the Internal Revenue
Department.

Last week, I voiced my unhappiness in this column about the
numerous potholes along Lebuh Bandar Utama from the Aman Suria area. Following
that, the MP for PJ Utara, Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, directed the municipal
council to patch up the holes.

Residents are grateful to Chew who, as an MP, shouldn't
really trouble herself with such matters. But although she got the workers to
show up, they did not really do a good job.

We noticed that they had used poor material to just fill up
the holes and we wondered if the regular downpours these past few evenings
would wash away all their hard work.

Well, that's what has happened. Our temporarily patched-up
potholes, sad to say, are now looking more like craters.

But the point is that prior to Chew stepping in, we had gone
through the proper process.

According to the Bandar Utama Residents Association, they
had complained to the council direct.

I also sent a letter to the Bukit Lanjan Assemblyman Yong
Dai Yin, where the road is said to be located, but received no reply. The
letter was sent by fax and also couriered to her.

I am sure there are similar situations elsewhere. Yet, we
can be sure that roads will be freshly tarred by the councils come election
time. And then we will hear no end of the promises of our politicians promising
us another five years of dedicated service.

I have since sent a letter to the council thanking the
officer for the immediate action but pointed out that a quick job just won't
do. As taxpayers, we deserve better service. I am not sure whether there will
be a reply.

Such apathy is not just confined to the local government
level but also at state and federal levels.

The Singapore
government expects its officers, at home or abroad, to reply to all letters and
e-mail, in particular complaints made through the media, as it is serious about
protecting its image.

Its Foreign Ministry expects its press officers to defend
the country's position and they are required to send rebuttals, with
well-researched statistics and arguments. Nothing is too small or too trivial
to merit a response.

But over here, it would not be wrong to suggest that not
only are the letters ignored but no follow-up action is taken.

It is because of such frustrations that Malaysians tend to
bring their unhappiness to the media.

In the age of the Internet, the public must be able to file
their complaints through the websites of the various authorities. In turn,
these authorities must also ensure that they respond and that their websites
are also properly maintained.

One country, for example, makes it a point to send a
reminder to passport holders as the expiry date of their travelling documents
approaches.

That is being efficient. Why can't we do the same?

There is really no need to travel to South
Africa, Mauritius
and Egypt on
so-called study tours at our expenses.

One councillor boasted that he visited more than 10 toilets
during his tour, in an effort to justify the trip. Big deal, most of us visit
our toilets more than 10 times in two days at home and at the office.

A colleague some years back decided to test the efficiency
of several town councils in the United Kingdom
and Australia
by sending e-mail to the press officers concerned for information.

He received immediate responses and in cases where they
could not assist, they suggested alternative links and e-mail addresses.

I dare say that none of our local councils dare to take up
this challenge, much less to answer every complaint and query within a
stipulated deadline.

Civil servants, as the name implies, means being civil and
being a servant to the public.

JUST hours before Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called for a press conference at 2.45pm yesterday to announce his new Cabinet line-up, a senior minister telephoned to give his prediction of how the list would shape up.

The politician, claiming that his assessment was based on various sources, boldly stated that the political position of International Trade and Industries Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was in limbo. In short, the Wanita Umno chief would be dropped.

He was wrong. Not just on Rafidah but on a few other names as well.

Another senior minister exclaimed "What?" five times when told that Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad had lost his job as tourism minister.

The Prime Minister kept the list close to his chest until the last minute. The ministers had no hints and it would not be wrong to say that they had to find out from the TV.

Shortly before noon, the Anti-Corruption Agency provided the Prime Minister the result of their checks on his new Cabinet members. They passed the test but he will be watching them.

"I will be pushing them. I will make sure that they implement the Ninth Malaysia Plan. If that is okay, the election will take care of itself. It's full steam ahead," he told a group of editors, two hours after the press conference.

Looking relaxed now that a big burden had been lifted off his shoulders, he joked and asked for the journalists' assessment of the Cabinet, saying that he had been mulling over some names for months.

"It's not something I work out (from air). It has been in my mind. I have to get a team for the Ninth Malaysia Plan," he said. In fact, the 9MP was the key word that dominated the entire discussion.

The 9MP, to be tabled in Parliament on March 31, is regarded as the blueprint of the country's development for the next five years. For Pak Lah, time is not on Malaysia's side, especially with intense competition mounting from its neighbours.

The biggest question in the public's mind must be why Rafidah had been picked again to head the International Trade and Industries Ministry (Miti) following last year's controversy over the issue of Approved Permit for car import, which went down badly with a majority of delegates at the Umno general assembly.

It is clear that Abdullah needed her experience and expertise, even if there are others who can do the job. Known for her feisty approach, the Iron Lady was regarded by the Prime Minister as "the best man" for the job.

She needs no training and with Malaysia in a hurry, the choice was obvious. National interest, rather than narrow party interest, was the main consideration. Those close to the PM said the boss had made it clear that "Miti is not about AP and AP is not everything."

Another surprise is Datuk Effendi Norwawi, the former agriculture minister, who dropped out mid-way for health reasons but Abdullah wanted him back because of his corporate and financial background. He is said to have given much input in the drawing up of the 9MP, which is now into its third draft.

There were speculations that Agriculture Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be moved out but Abdullah wanted him to remain as the administration has placed priority on agriculture, saying that it was a central pillar to the economy.

Pak Lah wants to modernise the agriculture sector and it will get a bigger allocation under the 9MP.

Another surprise was the promotion of Datuk Zainuddin Maidin to Information Minister. But regarded more as a professional newsman than a politician, the job suits him perfectly.

A leader who makes no bones of his unhappiness with extremism of any form, the former Utusan Malaysia chief editor speaks his mind, but with his new position, he needs to adjust to the bigger responsibilities that come with it.

Many had expected Toyad to be shifted to another ministry but dropping him completely stunned many, even his Cabinet colleagues. A low-profile person, his appointment to the tourism portfolio two years ago had not gone down well with many.

His predecessor Datuk Seri Kadir Sheikh Fadzir was flamboyant and his deputy Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen had first class public relations, which made the pair bigger than life. Toyad had a tough time living up to their reputation and now the job has fallen to Putrajaya MP Datuk Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, regarded as "gung ho" by his boss.

But even for the Prime Minister, with all the powers vested in him, it was clear that he did not have a complete free hand. It was a list which was influenced by political and even geographical factors, taking into account representation from the states.

Besides Umno, he had to consider representation from the 14 component parties of Barisan Nasional, whose leaders had made recommendations.

The hallmark of BN is its power-sharing concept, which has made Malaysia a model of how a government works in a plural society with various sensitivities. This has also contributed to the size of the Government.

By tradition and convention, the heads of component parties, especially the key ones, are automatically full ministers.

But not every Malaysian will be pleased with the line-up. There will be many who had expected some old guards to be dropped, believing they have overstayed and that Malaysia has enough capable people to replace them.

Some may even question the credibility of certain politicians, which is a norm in a democratic country. After all, no one should swallow everything announced by the Government.

Still, the line-up has been decided and for Abdullah, people will always have flaws. But where government policies are concerned, Pak Lah will have to make sure that there are as few flaws as possible.

These political considerations would certainly have been taken into account when Abdullah drew up the list. Other talented leaders could have been included, but this is realpolitik.

Everyone in the Cabinet is now regarded by the Prime Minister as the "drivers of growth" for the nation's progress and development. They can be sure that he will crack the whip this time.

Unlike many of us, who merely grumbled, Panjang decided to
act on it. He did not ask for the publicity and, until now, does not even want
to reveal his real name.

But it is clear that the politicians, especially the city
councillors who love the media limelight, have not been able to deliver.

The JB City Council is not the only local authority which
taxpayers are increasingly fed up with because of their failure to fulfil their
basic responsibilities like efficient collection of garbage, maintenance of
roads and street lighting.

When Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk
Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was made Acting Federal Territories Minister last
year, a group of editors joined her to break fast shortly after the news.

When she asked the journalists what her first priority
should be, the immediate answer was that she should check for herself the
deteriorating state of cleanliness in the federal capital.

I suggested to the minister to take a walk around the Sri
Hartamas area, without the presence of City Hall officials, to see how dirty
and smelly the area has become.

It's bad enough that the lack of parking space has caused
congestion and indiscriminate parking around the shops there, but the kerbs and
alleys where the eateries are located are also in horrible condition.

Regarded as a happening place in an affluent neighbourhood,
Sri Hartamas has been dubbed the Second Bangsar, but at the rate it is going,
it would soon lose its appeal to visitors.

One need only to stroll around the area to realise the lack
of attention given to the place by City Hall.

Then there is Petaling Street,
which is popular among locals and tourists, but it is common to see rubbish
piling up at street corners because there is simply a lack of rubbish bins
there.

It is strange that local government officials often cite
shortage of funds and enforcement officers when confronted with these problems.
But they seem to be able to spend lavishly on their headquarters. Just take a
look at some of the council buildings in major towns.

They seem to be getting their priorities wrong. It doesn't
help that the Housing and Local Government Ministry is only responsible for
broad policies while these councils, with their vast power and autonomy, are
answerable to only the Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers in most instances.

Some Malaysians have proposed that elections be held to
elect these councillors. While it sounds attractive, there is little practicality
here because ultimately the civil servants would also wield greater power.

Worse, we may end up with councillors who spend more time
fighting with these civil servants, if they are from the opposition.

The sentiment of most Malaysians is that the services of our
local government have not improved.

Districts and towns seem to be more interested in securing
city status for prestige and political reasons when development in these areas
has not improved.

If councils cannot even be entrusted to perform simple,
basic tasks like proper collection of rubbish, general cleanliness and
maintenance of residential roads, then they should not even think of trying to
achieve anything bigger.

Having travelled throughout the country in the course of my
work, I must commend the Kuching North and Kuching South councils for their
excellent work in keeping Kuching clean.

Our local councillors and government servants need not have
to travel overseas, in the name of study tours, to find out how to improve
their work. Just take an Air Asia trip to Kuching.

Even the alleys in the city are well maintained and the
greatest achievement is, of course, keeping the riverfront clean, which must be
the pride of the people of Kuching.

The city may not have the same magnitude of problems faced
by KL or Petaling Jaya, but the lesson to be learnt is that Kuching has given
better attention to its planning, said to be picked up from Singapore
and Australian cities.

In fact, there is no reason why we should be shy to learn
from our neighbour down south. The fact is that they have done a good job
making Singapore
into a clean place. Why is there a need to travel thousands of miles on a
junket?

For me, like many Malaysians, it is becoming frustrating
driving on roads with potholes. Several times a day, I have to drive along
Lebuh Bandar Utama from Aman Suria, where I live, to go to work.

Despite numerous complaints to those responsible, there has
been no change. There are so many craters along the road that I wonder when the
elected representative and the council officials will act.

Maybe, I, too, must ride on a bicycle and start filling up
potholes with cement and stone patches while the council proudly proclaims that
it will take care of road works on a larger scale.

Panjang, you have done the small people in Malaysia
proud. The Johor Baru City Council may see your work as small but you have
certainly been mighty to all of us. Syabas!

In Malaysia, the editor of a newspaper, the Sarawak
Tribune, resigned after it reprinted the offensive caricatures in its Saturday
issue. Attributing that as due to an oversight, he wrote an official apology
and took full responsibility for the decision.

It is reported that a show-cause letter has been issued to the newspaper asking
it to explain why action should not be taken against its permit holders.

Let's be frank here – there has never been absolute press freedom anywhere.
Greater press freedom, perhaps, in the United States and Europe, but never
absolute freedom.

Even in countries where the press has been able to operate without legal and
political constraints, media companies operate like any business concern with
commercial interests; and in times of war, even patriotic interests.

There are libel laws that restrain the press from printing many things, and in
many places there are now laws to protect the privacy of the people – these
have hindered the work of the media.

But the point here is the media also need to have common sense. Newspapers, in
whatever language, are no longer being read by one community as we become more
multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-racial.

The racial demography of many European countries has changed tremendously, with
an increasing Muslim population.

To run such caricatures, which are blasphemous in nature, without considering
the feelings of Muslims, who are probably the readers of these newspapers, is
just plain stupid. Arrogant, one may also add.

Putting horns on religious figures to make them to look demonic or depicting
religious figures as terrorists is hard for any Muslim to accept. But that was
what these naive European newspapers had done.

In plural societies, like in Malaysia, we have long accepted the fact that
compromise is about sacrificing many rights and freedoms to enable everyone to
live together in harmony. No one community can have its own way all the
time.

As the saying goes, you don't have to win and should not cause others to lose
badly or be hurt. Being considerate and moderate costs nothing, these are
strengths and not weaknesses.

The question now for these European newspapers would be whether it has been
worth it: Danish embassies have been attacked, Danish goods boycotted, which
would only hurt their fellow countrymen. And, worse, they have played into the
hands of fanatical Muslims.

Moderate Muslims have found themselves pushed into a corner because of the
stupidity of these editors, while the hardliners have gained a more popular
position, leading demonstrations and setting buildings on fire.

Have these editors spared a thought for the Western travellers in predominantly
Muslim countries now? They may just become targets of foolish fanatics simply
because they are Danes or just whites.

The unhappiness has now grown into a diplomatic row, with Libya and Saudi
Arabia reportedly recalling their ambassadors from Copenhagen, while in Saudi
Arabia, an angry mob beat up two workers of the Danish-owned Arla Foods.

Moderate Islamic leaders in some West Asian countries have a tough time
explaining to the West that not all Muslim countries ban the Bible, chop off
hands of criminals or force their women to be veiled. A trip to Dubai, Beirut
and Amman always surprises many.

The action of the European newspapers has further worsened the perceived
dichotomy between the West and Islam. They have not helped press freedom but
have abused it.

They are no different from some political newspapers, whether in Asia or West
Asia, with their continuous anti-Semitic stance, negative remarks against
Christianity or equating anything Jewish with Zionism.

Thanks to their foolishness, the European media have given the hardliners a
licence to propagate hates and threats against the West.

Never mess around with religion. To incite and create conflicts in the name of
press freedom is hard to fathom. Self-censorship is not always a dirty word in
the press if it helps to maintain peace.

The group claimed that they met every year for supper,
drinks and mahjong during the festive occasion at a coffee-shop in Balakong,
Selangor, and had continued the tradition, betting with chips, which they
claimed was merely to pay for food and drinks. They were irked by the manner in
which they were arrested: they were handcuffed and put in a lock-up.

Next, several policemen came into the cell and shaved their
heads. They were reportedly released only at 6pm
the next day.

The police said the men were gambling. They are denying it.
The court will have to decide.

But for now, the police have lost popularity as far as the
public is concerned. The action against the old men certainly seems overly
harsh.

Coffee-shop operator Chi Kong Eng expressed disappointment that
the police were so hard on his customers by spoiling their celebrations, making
them spend a night in the lock-up and shaving their heads.

His sentiments would probably be shared by many people, no
matter what the police have said.

Kajang CID chief Deputy Superintendent Abdul Fatah Ahmad
reportedly said shaving the heads of detainees was a normal procedure. "We just
want them to look neat and remember; it is so that they will not return to the
lock-up," he said.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Noor Hakim said: "We are just
following the lock-up rules, which state that rambut mesti dipotong
pendek-pendek (hair must be cut short)."

But many Malaysians are likely to ask whether the same
treatment would be accorded to a group of 11 Datuks caught in a similar
situation. Would they too be handcuffed, locked up, and shaved? In fact, from
pictures we have seen in newspapers of people being arrested, many still keep
their hair. What has happened to "rambut mesti dipotong pendek-pendek"? The
consensus is that the police have over-reacted to the baldies.

In recent years, the police, like many government
institutions, have found themselves under scrutiny. That is to be expected in
an emerging civil society where young Malaysians want to have their voices
heard in the running of the country. Leadership and governance are no longer
the domain of politicians and civil servants.

Malaysians want to participate actively and meaningfully in
a civil society and not just during election time, when their votes are needed.

Similarly, the police can no longer operate as they used to
without being subjected to checks and balances. Equating criticism of the force
to eroding the morale of the force is nonsense. Even the Rulers were criticised
during the Mahathir Administration.

There is this perception, even fear, that the police would
lose their authority and power if there is too much submission to
accountability.

In matters of security, particularly in access to crucial
information affecting the nation, no one would expect a commission or group of
individuals to have carte blanche. That would be foolish and also would
compromise the hard work of the police in protecting the nation.

Similarly, the police must also have the upper hand when
dealing with hardcore criminals. They should not be treated with kid gloves.

But the rights of the people must be protected. Even the
police officers are like any of us once their uniforms are taken off.

No one in his right mind would dare to say that our police
have not done a good job. Yes, all of us know some traffic cop would stop our
cars and ask: "Macam mana mau selesai? (How to settle)" but the force, in
general, has kept our streets safe.

Which is why people will applaud the action by the police in
Segamat who broke up a gathering of two secret societies, arresting 15 people
and seizing seven parang. Surely we feel safer when such people are taken off
the streets.

The decision to send 147 OCPDs to a human rights training
seminar at the end of the month is certainly a progressive step. The three-day
seminar will focus on improving and streamlining arrest and search procedures
and communication skills. We hope this is an on-going programme, as it will
surely help to enhance the image of the police force.

Speakers from universities and the Human Rights Commission
would be invited but the organisers should also invite police officers from
Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and England, where the force have to face the
public with a strong degree of human rights consciousness.

Respect must be earned, as the saying goes.

Over the years, we have decided that our hometown, Penang,
is no longer the best place to be during the festive season. The narrow streets
would be jammed with mostly out-of-town tourists. Being an island, the heat has
always been unbearable this time of the year.

I will miss the island and its food, especially, but the
family will be together in KL, where I have settled down for the past 15 years
and Kuala Lumpur has become a place
I have grown to love dearly. To be more precise, I live and work in Petaling
Jaya but for people in other states, it can only be Kay-El.

Except for a few friends, whom I had grown up with during my
primary school days, my link with the state has grown weaker over the years. I
have become a stranger, in some ways, to my hometown.

My family has long persuaded my parents to move to Petaling
Jaya, where we can look after them better, but being older people, they have
found it hard to uproot themselves and they feel the loneliness of age without
the presence of their friends and relatives.

They do not even want to think about the idea. They dread
the thought of being confined to a cramped apartment, where I used to stay,
even though it was in a nice neighbourhood. Never mind that it was in a
happening place with plenty of yuppies and nice, fancy restaurants.

They hated the crowd, which they found pretentious, and it
struck me that they were right. They wanted real kopitiams with real food
instead of over-priced coffees with names nobody could pronounce. They rightly
did not want to touch the fusion food, which they said was crappy and
confusing. They were again right.

They stayed put in Penang, never mind
the non-existent transport system. They have lived with that all their lives.
Besides, they enjoy the daily grumbling session by Penangites against
everything.

But they do look forward to the yearly get-together in
Petaling Jaya. They, too, have found the crowd and congestion in Penang
impossible to live with and gladly tell their sons that they'd rather celebrate
the festive season here.

The notion of visiting each other during the CNY is
increasingly lost, particularly meeting relatives and friends, whom they don't
actually care about.

My job as the host has become easier over the years. Except
for my daughter, who is in Form Three, I do not have to put up with sisters-in-law
who could be preoccupied with the game of one-upmanship, especially when it
comes to comparing whose kid is better than whose in school. Luckily, I am the
only son whose kid is still in school.

My colleagues have a rougher time. They come back from the
exodus home confessing to me how they perform in their anger management tests
when relatives brag about their cars, careers and holidays.

They tell me that I have made the right decision keeping the
tradition alive, yet keeping a distance away from relatives and nosy friends
who ask straight in the face how much you earn and what car you drive.

I pity my single women colleagues. They go through this
traumatic time every CNY, when they have to explain to their relatives why they
are still unmarried or unattached after all these years . If they come from the
smaller towns, it is worse because the neighbours join in the query as well.

To be fair, most of these relatives, neighbours and friends
really mean well. But as with conversations with people you no longer keep in
touch with, except once a year, it has to revolve around these issues.

It doesn't help either if you do not want to keep such
conversations going unless you seriously want to watch the Cantonese kung fu
and comedy re-runs on TV, which seem to be switched on forever, even when no
one is watching. Worse, you hide yourself in a corner and munch endless packs
of groundnuts and drink cans of carbonated drinks with high sugar content.

I am a lot luckier than my colleagues. My wife is also a
Penangite — that means I do not have to put up with the annual fight over where
married couples should spend their holidays. I am talking about married couples
from different hometowns.

My mother-in-law stays with me in Petaling Jaya, which means
I do not have to put up at my in-laws' place, even when I go back to Penang
because it no longer exists. I get to eat home-cooked food, Penang
style, of course.

This time, I had the best food for the festival. My
peranakan mother proved she has not lost her culinary skills with our favourite
jiew hoo char (a typical Nyonya dish that comprises fine strips of cuttlefish,
mushroom, turnip, carrot and cabbage), chicken rendang and kiam chai th'ng
(salted vegetable soup with duck meat). Tonight, it's the turn of my mother-in-law
to prepare the steamboat dinner.

Staying under one roof during CNY can be difficult for many
families.

It's even tougher for parents to decide which son or
daughter or their families should stay in the better rooms, to keep the peace.

The thought of staying in a hotel is unforgivable but it is
a good part of tradition. It reminds us of our humble background.

I know of chief executive officers of public listed
companies who have to sleep on the floor at home during CNY because their homes
are too small, even after the renovations.

But the ancestral home, where generations have grown up,
must be kept. Sometimes it is not possible but the reunion dinner is something
the Chinese community must never let go.

It is not a superficial gathering, as some cynics and
modernists may say, because the act of family members coming together — even if
it's just for a night —reaffirms our belonging and commitment as a family.

That is the spirit of Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Over the last two weeks, I have consistently urged
Malaysians debating on Islamic laws to look at the issues from the perspectives
of all religions and not just theirs alone.

This is essential because no one community should be given
the perception that they have lost or gain.

The rights of all races, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, must
be considered and the end result of any decision taken is that it must satisfy
all races, within the boundaries of their religious requirements and rights.

Some Umno leaders have constantly spoken up on numerous
religious issues bravely although their constituents are predominantly Muslims.
They risked the wrath of their supporters, who may not share their
open-mindedness, but they spoke up.

Realising the moderation of such Umno leaders, leaders from
the MCA, MIC and Gerakan have worked hard to make sure that their PAS
challengers do not come to power.

Umno has also reciprocated by delivering the crucial Malay
votes, especially from the police and army, in closely fought areas between the
Chinese-based parties and the DAP.

Such cooperation and the politics of musyawarah
(consensus-building) practised by the Barisan Nasional have been a hallmark of
racial cooperation in Malaysia.

Unfortunately, the temperature has gone up over the past
weeks as Malaysians debate on issues relating to conversion, the position of
Muslim women, the syariah-civil courts and even a moral squad comprising
volunteers.

But enough has been said. It is best that the matter be left
to the wisdom of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to handle.

Leaks to the media of what transpired in Cabinet meetings
should not be taken lightly as ministers must be allowed to discuss highly
sensitive issues without any pressure.

It must be noted that the minutes of Cabinet meetings are
protected under the Official Secrets Act.

Delicate issues, using the proper tone, language and
respect, raised at Cabinet meetings may come out differently in the media.

Presented in a different context by the media, some issues can
generate controversy and even retaliation. A memorandum signed by nine
non-Muslim ministers calling for a review of laws that affect the rights of
non-Muslims is one unfortunate example.

Some ministers have expressed their unhappiness at the
unprecedented move, saying it was being disrespectful to the Prime Minister.
That it has now been withdrawn would hopefully put the matter to rest.

We need to take the cue from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi, who said: "We should not be emotional and raise things that create
sensitivity of the multi-racial society. It is a matter of how we act and
speak."

Politicians, especially from the Barisan component parties,
must learn to exercise self-control when making statements on sensitive issues.

Irrespective of their parties, they must remember that they
need to go back to their voters of all races at the end of their five-year
electoral term.

Politicians must also realise that Malaysians now have
access to most newspapers, whether Bahasa Malaysia,
Chinese or Tamil, because translations are easily available.

In short, they can no longer treat issues differently,
according to their racial audience, just to be politically correct.

More importantly, the statements made by Abdullah should be
taken in the right spirit. I am confident he understands the sentiments of all
communities.

At a Hari Raya Haji gathering in Penang
on Jan 11, he gave an assurance that legal ambiguities over religious
conversion would be rectified to prevent confusion in future.

He cautioned that current laws were not clear but warned
that the issue should be handled with care.

Newspapers should not attempt to fan up the issue in the
form of provocative reactions from individuals or groups as it would not help
cool things down. That should be applicable to all newspapers, irrespective of
their medium.

The issue should not be treated as a religious or racial
issue but a social issue with social problems that have emerged out of
religious laws.

We cannot pretend that issues like these do not happen and
take the easy way out by looking the other way. They won't go away as much as
some of us may want to sweep them under the carpet, preferring for them to
simply disappear into thin air.

In a plural society, there are mixed marriages and adoption
of a new faith is something we have to live with. The simple fact is that
Malaysians of different races and religions fall in love every day.

But is love alone sufficient to handle the legal, political
and social implications that may arise when two individuals of different faiths
come together?

The matter goes beyond the family when other institutions,
particularly religious bodies, come into the picture. A family concern
immediately turns into a controversy, and racial and religious overtones come
into play, as much as we want to avoid it.

Because religious laws are involved, many prefer to adopt a
cautious line. Now, even the civil courts seem to have shied away from such
cases, preferring to pass the buck back to the Syariah courts.

The situation soon becomes murky and any discussion on the
subject becomes even more complex because non-Muslims are advised not to touch
on such subjects, of which they have little knowledge. As a result, non-Muslims
find themselves shut out even if it affects them.

Take away the legal jargon and talk about the Federal
Constitution. This effectively sums up what is affecting ordinary Malaysians,
particularly young couples who want to get married or those in the midst of a
divorce.

Recently, a controversy started following the death of Mount
Everest climber Sjn M. Moorthy when his widow and the Federal
Territory Religious Council got into a legal tussle when it was discovered that
he had converted to Islam.

On Dec 28, the High Court ruled that it would not disturb
the declaration that Moorthy was a Muslim because the latter was under the
purview of the Syariah Court
system. Moorthy was eventually buried according to Muslim rites.

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, the Minister in the Prime Minister's
Department, and several other ministers then said the Cabinet was of the view
that the civil court should not brush aside cases pertaining to the status of
converts by stating that it had no jurisdiction over them.

Last week, the Prime Minister made it clear that matters
concerning religious conversion needed to be spelt out plainly in the Federal
Constitution and other laws to prevent confusion among Malaysians.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi put it aptly, saying that
in whatever legal action that "we initiated, we must also ensure that justice
is served to all", adding that the right of Malaysians to follow the religion
of their choice must be respected.

He reminded Malaysians that "the country has both Muslims
and non-Muslims. We must respect each other's religions and practices. And we
must acknowledge that each religion has its own rights."

The situation in Malaysia,
however, becomes more complicated because every Malay is constitutionally
required to be a Muslim. Although a very small number of Malays have changed
their faith, they have met with great difficulties because there are laws
dealing with apostates.

There have been cases in the past where issues like this are
still not satisfactorily resolved. And there will be cases in the future when
similar questions will arise. It is to our interest that all areas of ambiguity
be dealt with swiftly and fairly.

The Prime Minister is right in saying that the laws must be
made clear. We should also know whether it's the civil or Syariah courts which
should be the forum to decide on these matters.

Cases like these involve civil rights, administrative
matters and religious obligations – unless we know where we stand, there would
be confusion.

Non-Muslims, in arguing their cases, must also bear in mind
that Muslims have their rights too. Non-Muslims should not just see issues from
their own perspective as that would be incorrect.

When non-Muslims talk about their rights, they should take
care not to step on to the sensitivities of Muslims. That is the mark of civil
society, which is for us to respect one another.

Malaysians should be mature enough to discuss these issues
affecting them openly without the emotions. It is good that the leadership has
been liberal in letting the media and public talk about it openly.

But even as we see these delicate issues from a legal angle,
let us not forget that they are about ordinary people like you and me. It can
happen to anyone of us living in Malaysia.

Sometimes, it is about a love between a man and a woman of
different faiths. It could be about a failed marriage and one partner now wants
to get on with his or her life. The nightmare for these people begins when
institutions and authorities come into their lives.

Suddenly, they find they have little say and the confusions
starts with lawyers, politicians, journalists and religious figures taking over
their lives. As Abdullah pointed out, let the laws be clear.

It is important that those in power make the right decisions
as level-headed Malaysians, of whatever faith, will back the leadership.

Moderate Malaysians will pray for our leadership to have
courage. The people must have their say in their affairs, not strangers in the
name of the law.

It is normal for anyone to look at an issue, especially one
relating to race and religion, from one's own perspective. Sometimes, we fail
to take into account the perspectives of other people. All of us are guilty of
it.

Often, we forget that many Malaysians are not as tolerant or
as open-minded as we are. The job of a newsman is to report, but in a
multi-religious and multi-cultural Malaysia,
he also has to make sure that he is reporting for all Malaysians, not just one
race.

In the past, the Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese or Tamil
newspapers were only read by their respective communities. While this is
generally still the case, readers are now able to read in more than one
language.

Furthermore, some of these newspapers also translate their
news onto websites and bloggers are able to draw on certain issues for widespread
discussion on the Internet.

No one should tolerate emotional debate on issues,
especially when the emotions are clouded by racial and religious sentiments,
even if claimed to be done in the name of nationalism.

The same rules governing newspapers should be applied.

But while many laws affecting the Malaysian press, such as
the Printing Presses and Publications Act, remain, the rules of journalism have
changed because of the Internet.

Reporting news is no longer the monopoly of journalists.
Bloggers have provided a forum for citizens to express their views and,
sometimes, they even beat the journalists at their own game.

Participatory journalism and citizen journalists have
emerged in recent times even as mainstream newspapers continue to adopt a cautious
approach in their reporting.

Civic journalism has emerged in Malaysia
because as people become more educated and well-travelled, they want to be
engaged in issues and current events affecting them. They want to be part of
the decision-making process. They want to tell the politicians what to do while
the newspapers may simply report what the politicians said.

Whether it is a political or constitutional matter, they
want to exercise their rights and responsibilities in a democracy. In short,
they do not want politicians and newspapers to tell them what to think and how
to act.

The new generation of Malaysians, who are more exposed to
the Internet, has grown accustomed to such a free flow of information and would
simply find newspapers less than relevant. It will be self-defeating for the
Government if existing laws affecting the media continue to be retained.

As the Internet becomes more interactive, allowing readers
to respond immediately, the print media, too, have adapted to the changes by
asking readers to e-mail their views and even submit photographs and news.

So, what we have in the print media are constraints, legal
or political, but out in cyberspace, it is a free-for-all situation. Many
politicians and bureaucrats are still living in their own world while many have
already moved into the New World.

Be that as it may, in any society, there are laws,
regulations and codes of behaviour. And there should be no exception for the
press.

Nevertheless, journalists still see themselves correcting the
wrongs of society with public interest as their battle cry. But often, the
state feels that the rights of the press must come with responsibilities. While
the press calls for transparency and accountability, the press, too, must be
subjected to such scrutiny.

But as French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville said some
170 years ago: "You can't have real newspapers without democracy and you can't
have democracy without newspapers."

In a developed nation, or a country aspiring to be one,
democracy is surely essential and the free flow of information is critical.
What may not be reported in a newspaper is simply available, in a bigger way,
on the Internet.

Governments must simply trust their people and for
newspapers to be trusted by the people, the press must be allowed its degrees
of freedom.

Journalism is not just about reporting statements made by
politicians and serving the elite but serving the people as well. Newspapers
are an important channel of feedback of ground sentiment for the government of
the day.

A government that is out of touch with the rakyat because
the media have not reported well is doing a great disservice to the nation and
the leadership.

When Malaysians read the newspapers and watch the news on
television, it is imperative that they believe what they are watching or
reading.

It is important to put on record that the Malaysian press
has been much freer over the past two years under the leadership of Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

It has not been easy for him because there are many powerful
politicians who do not agree with his liberal style and they have conveyed
their uneasiness to him.

But as the media take advantage of the more open atmosphere,
they must appreciate the fact that there is no absolute freedom. Not in the United
States or anywhere.

Still, the journalist must be reminded that his job is not
just to report what he witnessed. He has a higher calling to touch lives; just
as the doctor saves lives, the lawyer defends lives and the soldier protects
lives.