We would like to celebrate Malaysia's 50th anniversary as one people and one nation – simply because we share one common destiny and future regardless of race, religion and culture. 

2007 should be the year when we shut out the voices of politicians who attempt to use racial undertones to gain popularity. 

The mass media could cooperate to keep out the extremist views of such people who proclaim themselves as leaders when narrow personal interest is their only objective. 

Last year, and certainly 2006, would have been better for Malaysian race relations if not for the ignorant utterances of such people. 

The rhetoric, the fireworks, the parades, the slogans and the media hype will count for nothing if Malaysians are not made to feel they are one people.  

There is no need to debate over whether we should call ourselves Bangsa Malaysia, Rakyat Malaysia or Anak Malaysia. 

As Najib said, these terms are merely a state of the mind. What is important is that we are all citizens of Malaysia. 

Are we ready to discard the need to state our race when filling up forms as we wax eloquent about racial unity or will we continue to kid ourselves that this is a requirement for statistical reasons? 

Incredible as this may seem, it is only in recent years that younger television interviewers use the term orang kita to mean one particular community and not Malaysians when on air.  

They seem unaware, ignorant or indifferent to the fact that other Malaysians of various races are watching them. 

Malaysia will be half a century old by August. We are no longer a young nation, yet many of us sometimes behave like spoilt brats who are unable to control their tantrums. 

Elderly Malaysians who have experienced the growth of Malaysia better understand the concept of nation building. They value the fact that Malaysia was built with the sweat and strength of all races. 

Malaysia cannot move further ahead, in the face of global competition, if we do not pool our resources.  

We should not impose more rules and conditions on ourselves when other countries are pushing hard to open up their economies. We can no longer blame our colonial masters, after 50 years of independence, if we fail to uplift ourselves. 

It is not just about harnessing the best brains but keeping them.  

We cannot pretend we have managed to stop the brain drain, neither have we managed to convince the best to return because we have not offered an attractive wholesome package. 

The only country which has been able to do that is Singapore. Instead of sneering at our neighbour because of age-old rivalry and envy, we should take an honest look at ourselves. 

As we turn 50, most Malaysians are able to talk about strengths and weaknesses in a mature way.  

We should speak out rationally if we truly love Malaysia, and not because of the need to win some votes from party delegates. 

Certainly, we have our strengths. While American and European businessmen who are eyeing the Chinese and Indian markets are signing up cultural diversity courses to equip themselves, we already have links with these two nations – as well as the huge Indonesian market. 

We can bake a larger cake together if we stop spending so much time talking about the size of each other's share. If we harp too much on that, the cake could end up being baked elsewhere. 

Talk of company listing in foreign bourses by Malaysian companies, an increase in migration enquiries and outflow of money from businessmen is surely disturbing.  

For 2007, let's hear more comfortable news. For once, let us all keep the religious and racial bigots in the closet if we wish to make Visit Malaysia Year a success. 

The majority of hard-working Malaysians realise we are all in the same boat regardless of race and religion. 

In the words of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, all Malaysians should bridge the divides that separate them and build on the similarities that connect them. Sadly, there are some who are bent on building walls instead of bridges. 

In his Christmas message, the Prime Minister rightly reminded Malaysians that they share the same future and destiny.  

Let us respect our differences while we strengthen and celebrate our unity in diversity, he said, adding that he would dedicate himself to creating a thriving and progressive multi-racial society. 

Pak Lah's pledge to commit himself to a progressive Malaysia is reassuring. On our part, we should emphasise to the world that we are truly a plural society. 

Malaysia is not a Middle East country and there should be no attempt of Arabisation of our culture.  

We love Malaysia for what it is and we want to keep it that way. 

Goodbye 2006, welcome 2007! Let's make the year ahead a special one so we can have fond memories of our celebrations. 

 

 

Wong Chun Wai can be reached at onthebeat@thestar.com.my 

How we wish the building of churches in Malaysia could be much simpler. In reality, permission to build churches is fraught with many forms of obstacles, with numerous government agencies seemingly taking their time to approve applications. And there has been more bad news than good. 

The result is that more and more Christians have to attend services in office blocks, shopping complexes, hotel ballrooms and even warehouses. 

These days, proper churches have become heritage buildings. Just take a stroll down Pitt Street in Penang and you will see how mosques, churches and temples can co-exist but in new housing estates, we are told this cannot be possible. 

True Christian values require followers to be grateful and thankful for what they have. The law must always be respected and there must be no two ways about it. 

Certainly, we will pray for our leaders and civil servants to have the wisdom, justice and courage to do what is right for Malaysians, regardless of their race and religion. 

Thankful we should be. Malaysian Christians, who make up about 10% of the population, are able to celebrate their festivities openly, which comes as a surprise for many foreigners because of the country's predominant Muslim population. 

They do not expect to see huge Christmas trees and colourful decorations on display at shopping malls and hotels. They reckon the festival is celebrated on a small scale behind closed doors. What's more, Christmas is a national holiday and there is even an annual national-level Christmas celebration, which is attended by key government leaders. 

More importantly, Christians in Malaysia are able to worship without fearing for their security. There is no need for vigilantes to stand guard outside churches to prevent religious violence. 

Even in China, where most Christmas gifts and toys are manufactured, Christmas is tolerated only from a commercial and holiday perspective but not from a religious angle. Christmas service or mass is mainly for expatriates. 

There are no threats of extremists wanting to bomb churches and our government has consistently demonstrated its tough stand against extremists who threaten the country's security. 

For that, Malaysians must appreciate the stability in our country. It sounds like a cliche and sometimes we take this for granted. We become overly critical of ourselves. We tend to forget that not everyone shares the insensitive actions or words of a few people. 

In a multi-cultural society like ours, there are bound to be diverse views and prejudices. Sometimes these views clash, leading to much uneasiness, hurt and insecurity. 

There will always be times when the ride becomes bumpy but generally Malaysians, regardless of their ethnic and religious view points, believe in living in peace. 

Malaysia has always been a melting pot. It is in many ways a country of immigrants. A look at the country's history since the glorious days of the Malacca Sultanate will testify to that. 

The diversity and multiculturalism of Malaysia is something we should be proud of. There is no need to be apologetic about it and we must certainly resist any attempts to stop it. 

Malaysians have lived in harmony for over 50 years, tolerating and understanding each other's way of life, and we should never let any politician tell us to live differently. 

We should also be wary of those who use religion to justify their actions, particularly when it is their own interpretation of religious matters. No one has a monopoly over religion. All followers and those affected by it have the right to discuss and deliberate on such matters. Religion is not the sole right of scholars, theologians, missionaries and priests. 

The beauty of Malaysia lies in the fact that the majority of its people are tolerant, moderate and open-minded. We are quick to shout down the killjoys who tell us not to attend open-house events or to wish each other happy holidays. 

Eating turkey, singing carols and donning the red Santa headgear does not make one a Christian. It is simply a time for winding down, meeting up with friends for a meal and spending some money. 

We believe that most Malaysians are decent, practical people who understand that the country is multi-racial and we all need to appreciate and understand its pluralism. 

And certainly, my friends of all races and religions have never let the minority impose their views on them. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all Malaysians.  

More so when there are men with tight-fitting jeans or shirts unbuttoned to their navels.  

I do not know what message Datuk Nik Abdul Nik Mat is trying to send. He must have the best of intentions but, hey, for sure, many Malaysian males do not want to send the wrong message. 

The Kelantan Mentri Besar has said he has no problem with dancing but it has to be strictly between men and men. And of course, women and women. We can imagine the kind of tourists Kelantan would soon be attracting. 

Many Malaysians must have thought that the state PAS government had come to their senses by proposing a tourist belt where tourists and non-Muslims could have some night entertainment. 

A kind of restricted zone where tourists need to produce their passports or identity cards to gain entrance.  

The 1980s word "disco" was even used, never mind if the term "clubs" are more understood among the young these days. 

It seemed possible as the PAS government appeared to have relaxed the rules by allowing pop concerts, which it had once frowned upon. Never mind if there was still gender segregation at these concerts. 

But State Local Government, Housing and Health Committee chairman Takiyuddin Hassan has now said that he was misquoted and that there were no plans to set up such entertainment outlets for non-Muslims in the state. 

What he had proposed was the setting up of a cultural village near the Pantai Cahaya Bulan stretch to promote tourism in the state. 

On Saturday, Nik Aziz made sure everyone understood that the conservative party was still running the state. 

There would be no alcohol, no mingling between men and women and no showing of the aurat (body parts that must be covered under Islam). 

The Kelantan Mentri Besar said he did not oppose dancing in discos "but it must be between members of the same sex." 

Recently, the Kota Baru Municipal Council decided to fine women working in retail outlets caught wearing "sexy" clothing, which include tight jeans and body fitting blouses, up to RM500. The council also banned the showing of navels. 

It is unlikely that businessmen would take up Nik Aziz's proposal of dancing clubs exclusively for men or women. 

Not only is his idea bizarre but it does not make practical sense.  

The people of Kelantan are also unlikely to take up his suggestion. 

After all, Golok, known for its adult entertainment, is just across the river on the Thai side, so why bother with all these restrictions? 

For the young, there is always the Internet. According to statistics, web surfers in the state topped the list for searching the term "Melayu bogel" (naked Malays) on Google's search engine.  

With so many social and economic problems, including drug addiction and unemployment, Nik Aziz should channel his energy to solving these issues instead of worrying about trivial matters. 

While the younger PAS leaders are attempting to project a moderate and gentler image, the older group is still not letting go of their orthodox brand of politics. 

Some of us will just dismiss the statements by Nik Aziz as part of the party's series of eccentricities but for many of us, this is the kind of government that PAS want to impose on the rest of Malaysia. 

Many of us in our 40s still love listening to the 80s hits by Boy George and George Michael, but an all-men club? Thanks, but no thanks.  

 

 

There are no permanent enemies or permanent friends in politics, as people say. Not only did they shake hands, Dr Mahathir even said Soros was not to blame for bringing down the ringgit in the 1997 financial crisis. 

The former premier said he accepted Soros' explanation that he was not involved in the devaluing of the ringgit and that it was done by other traders. 

Soros complimented his former nemesis for his "great contribution" to Malaysia's material development, describing him as a "great man". 

And we thought we have heard and seen it all. The pat on the back must have surprised many of us. 

In 1997, Dr Mahathir had blamed currency speculators for the Asian financial crisis, singling out Soros. In one year, the ringgit plunged from RM2.52 to the US dollar to RM4.596. 

Dr Mahathir had then said that Soros was using the wealth under his control to punish Asean for welcoming Myanmar. 

"There is definite evidence that we cannot disclose. There is no doubt he did it," he was quoted as saying. 

Soros maintained that he wasn't involved except for a single trade in mid-June 1997 and that his funds had not sold ringgit or baht. 

Ten years later, the wound must have healed. Or circumstances have changed. Dr Mahathir is no longer prime minister and Soros, who operates the Open Society Institute, has shifted his interest from promoting democracy in countries like Myanmar to fighting drug dealers. 

Whether Soros did attack the ringgit or not is now purely academic but the fact remains that he had attained renown for his attacks that forced the British pound sterling out of the European Monetary System in 1992. 

His alleged involvement in Asia following the attacks by Dr Mahathir helped him gain notoriety. Soros may plead innocence and perhaps he is telling the truth but he is no angel. That is certain. 

Rogue speculators, to borrow the words of Dr Mahathir then, such as Soros had caused much misery to Asians, especially Malaysians and Thais. And many Asians have not forgiven Soros. 

To be fair to Dr Mahathir, he said he was still concerned about currency speculation wrecking the economies of poor countries. 

As Japanese strategist Kenichi Ohmae then said, if Soros had not come into the picture, "someone else would have done the same thing". 

In short, while we have been quick to blame external factors, not many Asian governments were prepared to admit their own mistakes. 

The fact then was that despite the entry of China and India into the international export markets, the South East Asian economies failed to restore their competitiveness by making drastic adjustments to their exchange rates. 

There were also macro-economic weaknesses in several countries in the region, more than the governments would care to admit. 

Some of us may remember that we were lulled into a false sense of security and even superiority. 

We were tagged the Asian Tigers and economist John Nasbitt made lots of money writing books praising the South East Asians. All of us believed in our superiority and even invincibility. 

The Malaysia Boleh spirit carried us too far as we were kept busy making the biggest popiah and longest satay. 

Some economists had asked us to look at our wastage on unproductive projects and, of course, the region's notorious reputation for corruption but the calls went unheeded. 

With plenty of money in our pockets, many voters were prepared to tolerate the abuses of their leaders. 

They argued that it was okay for politicians to be corrupt so long as the people also got their share. Democracy and human rights were the least of their concerns. 

It is always easy to blame outsiders because many of us refuse to accept our own weaknesses. We like to live in a state of denial, preferring to fault others instead of taking a hard look at our flaws. 

Ten years later, we need to ask ourselves whether we would still give simplistic explanations for our financial failures at the micro or macro level. 

We have taken steps to protect our ringgit from the likes of Soros, who destroyed many families in the region with their greed. It is strange that he is now regarded as some kind of a hero. 

Until Dr Mahathir pegged the ringgit with his unconventional but effective financial methods, it was chaos for many businessmen as they saw the ringgit dip. 

Whether it was the failure of their governments, the greedy currency trader or Soros, they remember the sorrows of 1997. 

 

Wong Chun Wai can be reached at onthebeat@thestar.com.my

All the parades and celebrations would have little meaning if Malaysians do not appreciate, let alone understand, the meaning of independence. 

We must have the mood to celebrate National Day. Let no one say there is none because we have plenty of reasons to celebrate. 

Unlike the independence of other countries, Malaysians achieved theirs without shedding any blood. 

That is simply because we have always believed in the politics of consensus and moderation. That means no one race will have their way 100% and, so far, the leadership has carried that well. 

Our founding fathers recognised that compromise was a strength and not a weakness. 

No doubt we can do better and, as Pak Lah said, race relations is still fragile and brittle. Certainly, we all agree that more must be done for the sake of the country, especially the future generation.  

All of us must work on it. It does not just involve ordinary Malaysians – our politicians must be equally responsible. 

Irrespective of their positions, they must be accountable for their actions and what they say. Politicians cannot preach national unity and at the same time make racist statements that hurt the feelings of fellow Malaysians. 

Whether they are from the ruling parties or the Opposition, politicians must learn to restrain themselves from raising communal issues. 

The same applies to civil servants, religious leaders and non-government organisations that try to exert their influence on us. 

They must emulate Pak Lah if they genuinely support him and his model of politics, as he has always been consistent. 

He enjoys telling his friends of his childhood days as a boy scout at the Bukit Mertajam High School in Penang where he met boys from other races. 

His scoutmaster was a Chinese teacher who taught him what leadership and team spirit was all about. Certainly he played a part, whether big or small, in moulding the character of Pak Lah. 

National Day, as the Prime Minister said, should not be celebrated by just one race but by every Malaysian. 

That is simply because Malaysia belongs to all races. It is what it is today because of the hard work of all races. 

We have put in our share of toil and no race should be made to feel that he does not belong here. There are no more immigrant races because we are Malaysians. 

In the words of Pak Lah, we must be united as Malaysians to take on the world. Time is not on our side. 

The petty squabbles have sapped much of our energy. That has to stop. We need to catch up in this highly competitive world that does not tolerate the mediocre and those who are not prepared to fight the economic battles. 

We have to worry about the Chinese, the Indians, the Indonesians and Vietnamese. And we have to remind the Americans that we exist and that we are in the game too. 

Yes, we are a small nation, just in case we get carried away with our Malaysia Boleh spirit.  

Malaysians have had enough bad news. It is surely time for some feel-good news again and all of us must aim for that by playing our part. 

 

Wong Chun Wai can be reached at onthebeat@thestar.com.my 

The council has just come out with a decision to fine women working in retail outlets and restaurants should they wear clothes deemed to be sexy or revealing.  

The offending clothes include tight fitting blouses, jeans, shorts and mini-skirts, according to the new ruling.  

Council public relations officer Mohd Azman Daham said those found wearing offensive clothes could be fined RM500.  

I am not sure whether wearing these clothes can create a riot or lead to political instability in Kelantan, but certainly many of us want to see, well, some transparency in the enforcement.  

The reason given by Mohd Azman is quite pathetic really.  

The council, it seems, had received complaints that some retail outlets and restaurants were resorting to getting their workers to wear sexy clothes to woo customers.  

That's a laugh really. Certainly, the men in Kelantan would feel insulted by that kind of restaurant.  

We believe Kelantanese have better taste – we are talking about food in the state, that is.  

For non-Muslim women, they would be banned from showing off their navel, so no ala Britney Spears, or anything that emphasises the buttocks.  

It may be easier to stop women from showing their navel but the council has to ban jeans completely if they want anything that "emphasises the buttocks" to be disallowed.  

For Muslim women, they don't appear to have much choice because they need to wear the tudung or a clothing that covers right down to the ankles.  

When it comes to Kelantan, the blame is always on the women.  

We have lost track of the number of times when Kelantan PAS leaders, including its Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat, pointed their fingers at women.  

The simplistic argument has always been that dressing is to be blamed for rapes and sexual molest cases.  

Still in a perpetual denial state, they chose to look the other way when confronted with facts and figures that even grandmothers, many in tudung, have been raped.  

Certainly, they were not dressed sexily and indecently.  

This is despite the fact that gender segregation is still enforced at supermarket check-out queues and the lights are still on in cinemas.  

But this obsession with sex is prevalent too among a few Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament.  

A few suggested that foreign sex workers be whipped as a form of punishment.  

Again, this came from Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamed Aziz who strives on controversy at the Dewan Rakyat.  

No doubt the number of foreign sex workers arrested are high.  

There were 5,783 arrests in 2004, 6,484 in 2005 and 3,245 in the first six months of this year.  

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum said those arrested were mostly from China, Indonesia and Thailand.  

There is no reason why men who seek the services of sex workers should be spared.  

Their pictures should be put up on websites like what some states in the United States are doing.  

Many sex workers these days opt for the trade to earn fast money but many have also been forced into it by circumstances – some have been abandoned by their husbands and some by husbands who have stopped paying alimony after the divorce.  

While they have no justification for becoming sex workers, there is really no black and white approach.  

The simplistic argument from these politicians aside, the sad fact is that these men still see women as objects.  

Surely, they must have mothers, sisters and daughters.  

What next from the PAS state government – a ban on the Pagoda brand singlet for it can be indecent to some?  

The group was there under the Global Leadership Development Programme organised by the International Centre for Leadership in Finance, which comes under Bank Negara. 

Dr Rubinstein, a highly sought-after speaker on decision-making and innovation, served as a consultant to a committee set up to investigate the loss of a US$125mil (RM448mil) spacecraft belonging to Nasa in 1999. Billions of dollars were lost from research and satellite hardware left in orbit. 

But Dr Rubinstein, who also teaches engineering, said what was more shocking was the reason for the fiasco – it was the result of a failure to translate the English units of feet and inches into metric units by a ground-based mission software. 

In short, the spacecraft was lost due to translation failure. The fault was detected early but left alone until a major error occurred, resulting in the spacecraft losing its navigation path. 

The person who found the error had sent a notification to another person and presumed it had been received. 

Sounds familiar? We send an e-mail or SMS and we assume that it is received. Often, we do not acknowledge receipt of the note. 

The message from Dr Rubinstein, who has written eight books on problem solving, is simple: never let a small problem, even if it looks simple, grow big until it cannot be fixed. 

The guru of strategy shares another message: no matter how difficult a challenge, it can be overcome if people are prepared to collaborate. 

He cited the construction of the Santa Monica freeway, which was rebuilt in 66 days by a dedicated group after being destroyed in an earthquake. The experts had said it would take two years. 

There are applications and tools for solving problems but we do not need an expert to tell us about using common sense. 

On a macro level, the same can be said about the political developments in Malaysia over the recent weeks. 

We have wasted enough time on issues that have clouded our judgment and stirred our emotions unnecessarily. 

Malaysia needs to move on and look at the bigger picture. What is over is over and there is no need to keep harping on them. 

Surely, there are more pressing matters that warrant the attention of all Malaysians instead of useless political rhetoric from various parties and groups. 

As a small nation, we need to compete for attention in the world economy. We need to tell the world that we are in the game. 

But we have to get our act right. Malaysians need to put their strength and resources together to check the growing competition from other economies. 

Our Prime Minister has pointed out that the old economic model no longer works. He is right because the cost of labour in Malaysia is now higher than in Indonesia and Vietnam. 

What we can do is to leverage our strengths – in terms of networking and cultural links with the three biggest markets in Asia, namely China, India and Indonesia. 

The Malays have their links to Indonesia, the Chinese and Indians with the two other huge countries. 

None of our other competitors, either in the region or elsewhere, enjoy the same kind of leverage that we have with these three economies. 

We are familiar with their languages and way of thinking and doing business, unlike other competitors outside the region. 

Many of our companies have, in fact, beaten the others in the game long before Indonesia got onto the radar screen. This is particularly so with our plantation and poultry companies. 

But we need to up the ante, as the saying goes, because there are many other areas we have yet to take advantage of. 

Prof Uday Karmakar, who teaches at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, posed one question to his Malaysian listeners: "Why aren't the Asian banks, including those in Malaysia, zooming in on India when the Europeans banks are moving in aggressively?" 

The Indian-born American academic serves as a consultant for companies such as Ford, GM, IBM, Xerox, Thomson Publishing and the Aditya Biria Group. 

For the many bankers in the Malaysian group, it is a question many find hard to answer but Malaysian companies certainly need to look beyond our shores. 

We need to consolidate our strengths, even merge, to compete for a bigger pool of the profits. With just weeks before we begin the 50th year of independence, we need to begin lifting the spirits and stir the passion of all Malaysians.  

 o Wong Chun Wai can be reached at onthebeat@ thestar.com.my

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