Volume of Interactions

Merry Christmas, world

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 19:52:03 +0800

Picked up this photo in Mid Valley. The place was packed on Christmas Eve. I suppose it's the same the world over, last minute shopping. 'Tis the season for giving, after all. Read between the lines and this also means it's the season for buying as well.

If you bring yourself down to their level

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:24:42 +0800

What does that make you?

Background: Malaysiakini today released a news item about a leaked US embassy cable claiming that the ex-Election Commission chief had confessed in confidence to have issued 60,000 ICs to foreign nationals.

I'm no lawyer but that's hearsay, many times over. Man confesses in private to another man who reports it to another man who reports it to another man, then intercepted by Wikileaks then reproduced as news.

Not surprisingly, some people see this news as confirmation of BN corruption affecting the electoral polls, confirming what they have heard elsewhere, perhaps confirming what they personally believe. BN is evil therefore they must be capable of evil things, including the creation of false voters through illegal immigrants. They will do whatever it takes to win, therefore, they must have done this (because they can't win the elections any other way). Sound familiar? I've heard and read it often enough to know this type of thinking is very common amongst those who dislike BN.

But I think, as much as the Opposition has a right to fight the Good Fight, if it encourages things like this - believing in hearsay, coming to premeditated judgements, selective verification of truths (don't these things sound oddly familiar? *cough* Sodomy II trial *cough*) - then it loses the high moral ground completely. What I would have liked to seen is a PR politician coming forward and saying that as a law-abiding society, we should not bring ourselves down to the level of those who would cheat us of our rights.

PR doesn't want you to believe it when Anwar's room mates in MCKK tell their friends in confidence today that Anwar had a liking to boys. Fitnah, they say, lies, they say, Hearsay. But when the shoe is on the other foot, they gladly embrace it. Well, to that, I say, hypocrisy.

- Posted from my iPad

Greed was to blame for the Petknode hell

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:33:30 +0800

I've tried my best to stay away from news about Petknode. Not because i don't care, but because i get very emotional about cats and pets. I lost my lovely Jess a few years ago now, and i still feel very sad about that. So the less i know about Petknode, the better it is for my emotional health.

Today, i gave it some thought after reading about how the owners of Petknode, self-professed animal lovers, apologized for the horror show their pet boarding home had become.

It made me wonder. Who is to blame for what had happened? Of course, apologies and good intentions do not absolve Petknode for what they did; their greed and short-sightedness led to the whole mess.

But how about the greed and short-sightedness of the cat owners who sent their pets to Petknode? All trying to take advantage of the ridiculously cheap RM3.95 per night per cat "Hari Raya offer". Even at first glance, that's such a load of crap. How can an owner expect good care for their beloved pets at such a cheap rate? Pay peanuts and expect monkeys, my father used to tell me. How true.

Here's a few more: if it's too good to be true, then it probably isn't. Caveat emptor, buyer beware.

Of course, i have the advantage of hindsight, but i would never entrust my pets under such an offer because (a) being a pet owner, i know that looking after a pet well costs more than RM4 and (b) at such cheap prices, Petknode would attract many customers, thus making it even more difficult for my pet to receive quality care.

Business run on margins or volume, almost impossible to have both at the same time. If something that normally costs RM15-RM40 per night is brought down to RM4, that means that business is being run on volume. Pet care, because it involves living beings, is a business that simply CANNOT be run on volume. Volume businesses run cheaply because they cut corners, usually quality corners. Do you cut quality when you're paying for a service for a loved one (your pet)?

Why couldn't the pet-owners see this? It's so obvious. Unless they were blinded by the cheap RM3.95, taken in by their greed for a good deal. We're all looking for a good deal, that's why sites like Groupon are doing so well. But when dealing with life and our loved ones, a "good deal" is often not good enough.

My favorite iPad apps

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:53:11 +0800

Before I bought the iPad, it struck me as a great device. Chalk that up to Apple's marketing engine. Now that I actually have it, I know it is a great device. In some ways better than great. Amazing.

What makes it great? it does what it's supposed to do, minimal fuss, maximum delivery. For a piece of technology, any piece of technology, that's the practical Holy Grail: working as intended.

So what does the iPad do so well? It's a media consumption device. I've consumed gigabytes of data since I got it, and I'm still hungry for more, partially because the experience is so enjoyable.

Think of it this way. We all have to eat. But when you eat at a slummy restaurant you probably just eat enough to get full. When you eat at a posh restaurant, you eat for the pleasure of it. Same thing with the iPad.

One of the great things about the iPad are the apps that support it. If the iPad is the posh restaurant, apps are the furnishings, cutlery and tableware. The following are my personal favorites:

Photo Apps - Luminance, Pixlromatic and Photoshop Express. Each of these photo apps are cool on their own, but I've found that using them in concert works best.

Evernote - media store room. I don't leave home without it. Have it on my PC and iPhone as well. It's that good.

Hootsuite - a very good social networks aggregator. Facebook and Twitter all in one place, covering multiple accounts. Bliss.

Air Playit HD - love this. Allows me to transform my desktop and notebooks into video streaming servers for my iPad. Download movies on my desktop, watch them conveniently without have to mess without conversion or file transfer on the iPad. Uber.

Photo Transfer App - transfer photos take on my iPhone to my iPad! That's as good as it sounds. Especially considering the iPad camera is just crap.

Readings - BBC News, The Economist, iBooks. Reading a book on iBooks is easier on the eyes than I thought it would be.

TuneIn Radio Pro - I've always enjoyed listening to the radio. Doesn't get better than this, the radio world is practically in the palm of my hand.

TED - I'm a fan of the website, the app allows for much more convenient navigation on the iPad and the creation of "inspire me" playlists that I really appreciate.

In a way I'm surprised at the amount of media I've been able to consume in a day. Maybe that, more than anything else, is testimony at how technologically defining the iPad has become.

- Posted using from my iPad

Does God send tweets?

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:50:29 +0800

It's apt that on the first day of Syawal, the day where Muslims celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, I take a moment to reflect on my thoughts of God this past month.

Maybe it's because I'm a child of the networked generation, a digital baby, I've always believed that my God is the God who cares and engages with his Believers on a daily basis, all over the world, usually in ways that we cannot understand but sometimes in ways that we can.

When the man with terminal cancer somehow makes a full recovery. When the paraplegic is suddenly able to get up and walk. When Newcastle United wins the EPL. We call such things miracles. God calls them, all in a day's work.

The question on my mind is this: if God is involved in our day to day affairs, does He use our day to day tools?

It would go to reason that He would. By some estimates, human beings will stop talking to each other altogether one day, and have virtual conversations in lieu of actual face to face chats. I mean, this is might be closer to the truth than we think. (pls click, it's a great YouTube video, I promise)

So if humans beings stopped talking to each other, how will God do His miracles? Isn't the answer obvious, via social media, of course!

Think about it. Apps such as Twitter, Facebook and G+ are unbelievably powerful tools to spread the word of God. Imagine if YouTube existed when the Prophet Muhammad performed any one of his miracles. The Prophet would have, literally, billions of followers. Eat your heart out Justin Bieber.

So it goes to reason that God would use these tools, if for no reason than because His believers are spending most of their time there too.

So the next time you get that weird Tweet in your timeline, or that random posting on Your Facebook wall, look at it closely. God may be trying to tell you something important.

All said in good faith and the spirit of a technologically sound ummah. Wallahuallam. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin.

- Posted using from my iPad

Connect the dots, and you'll see what a politician is

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 20:54:19 +0800

I stepped outside the house this morning and was assailed by a distinctively smoky, musky aroma in the air. Visibility was down, and looking off into the distance, it seemed like the land was engulfed in a smokey haze. The Indonesians were burning again, and its time for Malaysians to suffer the consequences (again). My whole family is sick, including my 3 month old baby. Walking into the office, nearly everyone has the sniffles, coughing. Business has never been so good at the company clinic. I can only imagine how poorly people who suffer from asthma or breathing problems are faring through all of this. For them, for the worst of them, it'll be like drowning in open air -- they won't be able to breathe.

It's interesting that this is happening just days after the Bersih rally, because it makes the comparison all the more easy to connect.

During the rally, one person died. It's a tragedy, and despite the Government's claim that he passed due to heart failure, there certainly is a case to argue that if the police hadn't gassed him, he wouldn't have had to run and put unnecessary stress on his heart. Predictably, the Opposition is milking this tragedy for all it's worth, calling the death a testimony to the police brutality of a merciless Government hell-bent on preserving their corrupt way of life through unfair elections. Etc etc etc. The script is obvious.

But where is the outrage, Anwar Ibrahim, over this haze that is causing so much harm to millions of Malaysians? Where are the chest thumping speeches against the brutality of the Indonesian government for being strict in the enforcement of their no-open burning policies? Where is the formation of "UDARA" - Malaysians for clean and healthy air? Where are the threats of street demonstrations if the Government does nothing to put pressure on the Indonesians? Where are the green T-Shirts? Where is the petition to the King? Where is the global organized protest?

Of course, you'll see no such thing, because Anwar Ibrahim can't afford to antagonize the Indonesians who have been staunch supporters of his cause for years. Earlier this week, Malaysia had to send an envoy to Indonesia to explain the Bersih rally, to assure the Indonesians that the police acted within the law. That is how much they love Anwar Ibrahim over there, even a relatively minor incident (much larger rallies occur in Indonesia on a much more frequent basis) such as the Bersih rally can spark off columns of newspaper ink in his favour, potentially leading to a diplomatic crisis between the nations.

A reasonable person will make this connection: if Anwar Ibrahim claims to have the rakyat's best interest at heart, why does he choose to support Bersih and do nothing about things such as the haze (that hits us every single year, a few times a year)? Given the evidence, is it because one cause brings him political mileage while the other will tarnish the good reputation he has overseas (especially his large base of goodwill he has in Indonesia)?

A true champion of the "rakyat" will not discriminate between the two; the fact that he does, makes me question his motives, his intentions and his nobility. Therefore, was Bersih ever really about electoral reform or was it just a vehicle for him to gather more support and "buy" a few thousand more votes in the next general election?

Sometimes, i wonder which is more disgusting. A party that bribes the voters to vote for them with RM50 handouts on polling day, or a man who brings 50k people to the streets where people get hurt and one person died so that he gets more votes. Don't let him fool you, Anwar Ibrahim is not a white knight. He is just a politician, no better than the rest of them.

How Bersih torpedoed the cause of electoral reforms

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:22:39 +0800

The dust has begun to settle as Kuala Lumpur recovers from being shaken and stirred. 50,000 people took to the streets yesterday, demanding for election reforms. It's telling that many quizzed yesterday could only name a few of those reforms (there are 8 altogether, for those who need their memories refreshed), but that's not important. What is was the show of "unity", the show of a common cause, the show of "right" and how the "might" of the Government was defeated. Great fuzzy feelings all around.

But there are a few things those who support Bersih need to know.

1. 50,000 people do not make the majority. As with any large demonstration, they do make a hell of a noise, enough for the international Press to take notice, enough for the nation to be talking for weeks over the issue. But, it is still a relatively small number. Bersih should not count their chickens until all the eggs are hatched, how many people changed their minds about voting for a "oppressive" Government "opposed" to electoral reforms will only be obvious during the next elections. How many people who once supported the Opposition, but feel disgusted that they have hijacked a good cause and used a good woman as a vehicle to further their position, is also unknown.

How many people who between now and the date of GE13 will change their minds again for whatever reason that might come up. It's too soon still to tell if the primary impact of the rally yesterday will hold true till the next time voters are asked to visit the polls. A lot of water remains to pass under that bridge, including how both sides react in the aftermath of 9 July.

2. The rally yesterday was illegal. As much as the Opposition say they want the rule of law to prevail, it seems rather convenient that when the rule of law goes against them, they choose to ignore it, then cry foul when the authorities enforce it. No, you can't have it both ways, i'm afraid. Clause 2 of Article 10 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution says that Parliament (through the passing of law) has the right to regulate the freedom of assembly. One law that does exist as a result of Clause 2 is the law that requires permits for assembly. The rally yesterday did not have a permit, and is therefore illegal. By breaking the law to reform the law, it does create an oxymoronic situation of sorts that a clear-thinking person will take pause to consider.

And in case anyone asks, laws requiring permits for assembly are not unique to Malaysia. New York City, London and just about any major city in the world has the same. It's about maintaining public order, and safety. Just like their police brothers in KL yesterday, NYC police had to use force to break up an illegal assembly in 2007. See Seoul, South Korea in 2007 when 15,000 riot police were deployed to control 10,000 marchers against free trade.

When Bersih asked for the rickety Stadium Merdeka of 30k capacity to be the venue of their 50-100k rally, what would have been the responsible thing to do? It's almost as though the request for such a small venue was made in bad faith, calculated to be denied so that Bersih could regain the moral high ground after losing some during the King's surprise intervention.

No freedom is absolute, that's a fact often forgotten.

3. Taking into consideration #1 and #2 above, Bersih does not represent the majority and the fact that the rally was illegal, for the Government to agree to the 8 electoral reforms (several of which have absolutely nothing to do with the elections but are more political in nature, some of which the Opposition themselves can't claim to be free of, see PKR's recently concluded internal "elections"), would set a dangerous precedent for the future. A slippery slope in the wrong direction.

The moment any Government allows itself to be blackmailed ("do this or else we take to the streets"), it legitimizes the strategy of the mob. Get the mob onto the streets and the Government will give in. That's just wrong, no matter how valid the demands.

Therefore, in retrospect, the Bersih rally was actually counter-productive to the adoption of electoral reforms. By taking to the streets in an illegal demonstration, it virtually guaranteed that the Government needs to take a hard stand against the demands made. Wrap your mind around that.

Bersih 2.0 - How to Win an Election 101

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:36:12 +0800

I shared by thoughts about the rally tomorrow on my Facebook page, then realized it's a waste to confine it to just my friends. It's a national issue with wide reaching implications and repercussions for us all, not just the ones who will be there tomorrow.

For once, i hope that i'm wrong. (click to enlarge)

Important links:

Bersih 1.0, 2007: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Bersih_rally
Siege Mentality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_mentality
What have you done for me lately? http://www.aizuddindanian.com/voi/2011/07/what-have-you-done-for-me-late.html

What have you done for me lately?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:49:21 +0800

After reading Praba Ganesan's excellent "The immovable 10pc", it got me thinking about the value of a democratic system of government. If only 10% of the electorate make up the kingmakers of our nation, does that mean that we are beholden to the choices they make? Hardly seems fair that 90% of the electorate have to live with the choices of the 10%, in our electoral systems where "first past the post" wins.

*Of course 10% is a completely arbitrary number. It could be 5%. 15%. Anywhere in between or thereabouts. It isn't a big number, but it exists.

I've always had a grouse with democracy -- and that's it often turns into a popularity contest, and by being as such, votes are cast for the wrong reasons instead of the right ones. Of course, "right" and "wrong" are completely subjective terms. What is right for one voter may invariably be wrong for another. The anonymous ballot is the shield against the conspiracy of stupidity.

Case in point. Thaksin Sinawatra who came to power on the wave of the "popular" ballot in 2001, only to get kicked out after a slew of scandals and allegations of corruption in 2006. It's telling that both movements, the one that brought him to power, and the one that got rid of him, were extremely popular "people power" movements. And now, in 2011, his sister (i'm a firm believer that apples rarely fall far from the tree) has come to office in a major show of popularity. History teaches us the same about Joseph Estrada. The Bushes. The Tories (who screw Britons over every time they are elected, but never fail to come to office at least once every couple of elections). All fine examples of democracy, working at it's finest.

The adage goes that we get the Government that we deserve. That's so true. But surely there is a better way of doing things.

It's something that i've advocated on the VOI many times over the years -- vote the candidate, not the party. As sure as the rain falls from the sky, this world is full of two types of politicians. One type is the Guy (or Girl) Who Gets It Done. The other type is the Guy (or Girl) Who Talks About Getting It Done (but Doesn't). And i'm not referring to the Big Things. I'm talking about the Small Things. The things that matter in the day to day lives of the people, the improvement of our surroundings, tangibles rather than airy fairy talk about GDP, per capita incomes and corruption indexes.

I have much less faith in the politician who promises to fix our economy and put more money into our pockets than the politician who promises to fix the traffic conditions near where i live or fights to reduce the tolls i pay everyday to go to work. The difference? One promise is empty. The other promise is achievable.

For the Immovable 10pc Praba spoke about, it's not about the Big Things. If the country suddenly became corrupt free, or if models stopped getting blown up, or if submarines found the ability to submerge, or fighter plane engines didn't disappear -- these things mean nothing to the 10%. It doesn't make their life better or worse in any demonstrable way. They will still be slogging to work everyday, picking up their paychecks, rotting in traffic jams, watching Astro when we get home, dealing with crying babies and nasty diapers. The 10% are not necessarily affluent, they come from all walks, and that's just how they lead their lives (and are happy to do so). Governments, just like Thaksin's, Estrada's, the Bushes, the Tories -- they come and go, and the lives of the 10% will stay (more or less) the same.

So for them, what makes the difference? What determines their votes? Let it be with their own eyes, and what they can see. Sadly, politicians often get blinded by the Big Picture, they forget the Small Things.

Take Tony Pua, for instance (i have nothing against the guy, he's probably very smart and an uber-nice fellow). While his speeches and releases to the Press are awesome headliners and offer chest-thumping-freedom-fighting feelings of momentary goodness, he could have done much better for his constituency. The Atria is a mess, roads are choked to hell, and a host of other local complaints. Is it his fault? Perhaps not, because he is fighting the Bigger Fight, the struggling for the Big Picture. He can't clone himself and be everywhere at once.

But that's exactly why the Immovable 10% will remain, "immovable". I put to you that if politicians did more for their own communities, and fixed their own backyards first, that should be the basis for them to earn your vote. Don't vote them out because you dislike their party (many good politicians lost their jobs this way despite serving their communities well for years). Don't vote for the candidate just because he promises to Fix the World and make Gold Rain from the Sky. Ask him, challenge him for what he has done for YOU today. Can he make your life better?

Cuti2 or Curi2 Malaysia? A PR failure, nothing more

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:53:30 +0800

The latest little outrage hitting Malaysian shores involves something i deal with professionally on a daily basis -- Facebook pages. The Malaysian Tourism Ministry recently admitted that it had committed RM1.8 million on the development and maintenance of 6 Facebook pages.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 -- A whopping RM1,758,432 was spent on developing six Facebook pages to promote Malaysian tourism, the Tourism Ministry said today.
Deputy Tourism Minister James Dawos Mamit said this today in reply to a question from Anthony Loke (Rasah-DAP).
Each Facebook page cost RM293,072 -- Cuti-Cuti 1 Malaysia, Citrawarna 1Malaysia, Karnival Jualan Mega 1 Malaysia, Festival Pelancongan Seni Kontemporari 1 Malaysia, Kempen 1 Malaysia Bersih and Fabulous Food 1 Malaysia.

Predictably, this prompted an uproar from the Opposition and much of the online community. In an attempt to prove how stupid the expenditure was, a satirical page named "Curi-Curi Wang Malaysia" was setup (for free) and practically overnight, attracted 120,000 followers, at least 3 times the number the main Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia page.

RM1.8 million for 6 Facebook pages. To the layperson, it seems like an exorbitant sum, especially since setting up a page is free. So where did all the money go to? Another prime example of corruption, kickbacks and Government wastage? Perhaps not, at least if you speak to people who are actually familiar with the media and branding industry.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to what others in the industry have to say.

Roberto Cumaraswamy, country head (Malaysia) of digital agency Vocanic: "It always worries me when clients resort to social media marketing because they see it as a cheap alternative, because that is the wrong reason to use it. The reality is that building the page is just the first baby step in the journey of successful user engagement."

It isn't free, and it certainly isn't cheap. Pepsi spent US$20 million on a social media campaign. Yup, that includes ONE Facebook page. Closer to home, AirAsia spends nearly ALL of its marketing budget online. Yup, that includes a handful of Facebook pages too. Millions of ringgit, easily.

Kelvin Lim, digital strategist at Burson-Marsteller noted that with no clear visibility into the exact scope of work and length of engagement, no one is in any position at this point to say whether the figures are reasonable or otherwise.

However, the amount stated is certainly possible, depending on project complexity, consultant management requirements and marketing spread.

"Let's be clear, creating a Facebook page is not the same thing as managing a Facebook campaign," he said.

"When you consider that designers, coders, marketers and engagement crews (all of which contribute to a good Facebook campaign success formula) need to be hired, the appropriate budget has to be allocated," he added.

(David) Lian agreed, adding people assume that social media is "free" because the tools appear to be "free", but this discounts the time creatives need to put in to design assets, the technical work needed to ensure proper tracking is done (though Facebook Insights is free), monitoring and community management, advertising, and other costs such as contest prizes which can sometimes go up to RM 1 million.

So where does RM1.8 million go? Contrary to popular belief (i.e. a 6 year old kid can setup a Facebook page that will attract tens of thousands of visitors and can turn social engagements into millions of ringgit of tourism revenue and forex), to setup a successful campaign that INCLUDES (though certainly does not end with) an active and well-moderated Facebook page costs big marketing dollars, as Kelvin Lim and David Lian allude to. There is just so many things to do as part of the media pie -- enterprise strategists, media planners, coders, traffic analysts, moderators, designers, IT hardware setup (yes, FB is free, but the scalability of the page for games and other apps require independent hardware setups), project managers, etc. The list is a very long one. And none of it comes free, and in most cases, is quite expensive, relatively speaking. Senior media planners easily make as much as high-end fund managers.

Edit: Additional info, read this for the "Real Cost of Social Media". US$210k a year, just setup and maintenance costs of a basic community. Excluding media buy (ads) and fancy Flash games and contests. Still think the Internet is free?

Think of it this way. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace, whatever -- they are all just lines of HTML code. Marketing is still the name of the game. Would it surprise you to know that the real costs of marketing and branding is not the TV ads, the newspaper ads, or things you hear on the radio -- most of the costs come from the human costs involved, the costs for talented HR to not just come up with good marketing ideas and consultancy, but to also execute those ideas and carry out media plans. In a way, the Tourism Ministry should be applauded for saving costs by not solely relying on expensive TV, radio, newspapers or magazines campaigns. In those channels, RM1.8 million is just a drop in a teacup, hardly able to pay for a handful of TV ads.

So what's the problem here? Twofold. An ignorant and easily misled public (the Internet is free, amirite?). And a Ministry that doesn't have the smarts to come clean, instead choosing to waffle over silly terms such as "unquantifiable creativity". The Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen is probably not an expert in such things, and when given the chance to present her case to the Cabinet, failed miserably. Get a soldier to talk about art, and you're going to get a deer caught in headlights -- bewildered, lost and confused. Yes, that's her fault, no excuses, for not being adequately prepared by her supporting team and the media agency she hired.

At a deeper level, this is another example of how poor public relations and branding have come back to haunt the Government.

Australia's Tourism Board came up with a similar digital marketing project several years ago, you may have heard of it. The Best Job in the World. One person will be hired to live on islands around Australia, and that person will blog about his experiences. His salary for the job? AUD$150,000 (roughly RM500k). Take into account all the related costs (media agency, digital planning, IT costs -- they used websites rather than free FB pages, etc.) and that's a multi-million dollar project. Besides the fact that the idea was a damn good one (you can bet your arse that such good ideas are EXTREMELY expensive commodities), there was hardly a beep of protest from the Australian people despite the obvious costs (and this was down during a period of global recession, 2007-2008!). Why? Compare the brand sentiment of the Australian Government (ranked 8th on the global corruption index) and that of ours, and you'll begin to understand.

When your branding sucks, even when you do good things, people will flog you to death. If your branding is awesome, you can spend trillions of dollars invading the Middle East, and they'll still vote you back into office.

Edit: the "PR" in the title refers to "public relations" not "Pakatan Rakyat".

Leaving Malaysia - Why i would go

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:09:13 +0800

Despite the fancy website, Talent Corp will never be able to bring back Malaysians in sufficient numbers who have chosen to work overseas. If we look beyond all the altruistic reasons Malaysian cite for leaving (and staying away) such as corruption, discrimination, and the lack of meritocratic opportunities, there is one reason that will still hold true -- the quality of life as a factor of effort earned is certainly greener on the other side.

This report by the Malaysian Insider is not really an eye opener. Anyone who has done any amount of travelling knows that it is true. The Malaysian Ringgit is crap. Everything we buy overseas is expensive due to the relative strength of other currencies against ours, and increasingly, due to inflation and other market forces, things that we buy at home as a percentage of our incomes is becoming extremely expensive. And i'm not talking about luxuries, as we should always expect to pay a premium for luxuries, but even basic necessities such as food, chicken, grain, and even fuel.

How much longer will the Government be able to afford to pay the fuel subsidies? Already prices are creeping up, and i'll bet any amount of money that we will see a series of gradual hikes post-GE13. Can Malaysians afford to pay the market rate of petrol, about RM4.50-5.50? Worse than that, what will happen to the rest of the economy as energy prices creep up relative against our crappy currency?

For me, i look at it this way: i work for my wages, and i want those wages to mean something to me. It's not a matter of working harder to earn more, i shouldn't have to "earn" more in order to make what i currently earn have real meaning, real from a purchasing power point of view.

Work is an opportunity cost of life. Therefore, i'm giving up portions of my life in order to work. Work is work is work -- where will that same amount of time spent provide the greatest return? In Malaysia? Obviously not. An accountant in Malaysia earns RM5000 a month. The same accountant doing exactly the same job in the UK will earn UK$5000. And, believe me, $5000 pounds in the UK goes a heck of a lot further than RM5000 does in Malaysia. Food is cheap -- you can buy a whole chicken for $1-2 pounds. The same chicken will cost RM10-15 here in Malaysia. Cars are affordable -- a brand new Toyota Camry will cost no more than $20,000 pounds. The same car costs RM160,000. The cost to income ratio just does not compute.

We only get one life, that's the point i was making earlier. Why make it a hard one for reasons totally beyond our control, when we can make it easier for reasons totally within our control.

The Muslim siege mentality

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:55:30 +0800

Muslim imams sometimes make terrible public relation advocates. They just seem to have a knack of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

During the Friday sermons today at mosques all around KL and Selangor is a poignant example. The imams preached that Valentine's Day is a Christian festival, therefore Muslims, as a protection of their aqidah, should not observe it's celebration. That's fine, and the imams are well within their rights to say so. But what some added on, as reported by the Press, is a real faux pas:

"Remember that the Jews and Christians would continue to deceive Muslims. They will do everything undermine the Muslims' belief and personality," said the sermon.

The siege mentality, the us vs them, everyone hates us, sort of thinking. It's disgusting. Why do Muslim leaders feel that they need to create this negative perception of those of other faiths? Do they believe that if they create an artificial belief that Islam is under siege, this will somehow make Muslims more devout?

NO ONE IS OUT TO GET US.

When the US bombs Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq, or supports Israel against the Palestinian Muslims, it's not because the Christian West is "out to oppress" the Muslim world but because that's just what nation states do in order to protect their national interests. We would do the same (and in fact, this is exactly what Muslims did during the expansion of the Caliphate in the 7th and 8th Centuries). It's just politics. Geo-politics. Protection of national assets and interests. It's what countries do. It has nothing to do with the fact that we're Muslims.

Similarly when the rest of the world celebrates Valentine's Day, it's not to "deceive Muslims", to "lead us astray", or to make us apostates. People do what they want to do because they want to do it. They celebrate Valentine's Day because they like the idea of a day dedicated to love, not because they are using it as some covert operation to derail Muslims from our faith.

It makes me wonder why Muslim leaders insist on using this strategy and approach. Is it because when Muslims feel that they are under siege, they will then naturally turn to their leaders to protect and guide them? Is this all just an over-expressed ego-trip as Muslim clerics tenuously grip on to influence over their flock? If there isn't an "enemy", then perhaps we won't need them anymore. It's a nice trick, and something the Catholic Church used to great effect as well in the Middle Ages.

Muslims, being the sensitive bunch of do-gooders that we are, need to get over ourselves. No one cares if we want to celebrate Valentine's Day or not (though it does make for sensational news). Really. But if we go around telling people that we think they are trying to "deceive" us, this creates a truly negative impression. It creates a feeling of ill-will. Not just of us against Them, but eventually of Them against us. Try telling someone, "Stop hating me!" over and over again even though they don't; you'll find them getting sick of you pretty soon.

Muslims don't need the evil West to stop deceiving us. We've got more than enough of that going own in our own ranks as it is.

An Egyptian lesson

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:50:02 +0800

I was reading the webnews today, and i came across one particular article that spoke about the human cost of the Egyptian uprising. I found it an interesting analysis that i hadn't considered before.

Mr Umberbi supports his wife and four children, aged 2 to 6, by charging visitors to Giza's pyramids who want to have their photographs taken on his two camels - or at least he did until Egypt's popular uprising and the ensuing violence killed the tourist trade and his business stone dead. Suddenly he had no customers and no money to feed either his family or the hungry camels which live in a tiny stable at the end of the passage.

He wanted the demonstrations to stop, not because he loved Mubarak, or the oppressive Government, but because he loved his family. It seems paradoxical -- you would imagine that a father would want a change of Government so that it can lead to a better future for his family (that always seems to be the buzzphrase for revolutionaries, "Rise up today so that your children can lead a better life!"). But the demonstrations have removed his ability to feed his family by taking away his livelihood, and the repercussions of that are very real, damn the goodness of a free democracy. He isn't alone.

6% of Egypt's GDP is drawn from the tourism industry -- literally overnight, that has gone to 0. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have suddenly evaporated, leaving potentially millions of empty stomachs and hungry voices. The economic repercussions don't stop there, of course. The ripple affect will sweep across multiple industries -- financial markets will be hit, construction, retail -- everyone will feel the pinch. 10-15% contraction of the economy is probably a conservative figure. Millions of people will be left jobless (on top of the already disastrous 25% unemployment rate).

Where does all of this lead? History tells us that when the chips are down, when people no longer have faith in the Government, or in the rest of the world to help them, they will turn to religion. Iran. Iraq. Afghanistan. Lebanon. Palestine. Will we soon add Egypt to that list? The return of a religiously fundamentalist government, conservative (defiantly so perhaps, as we've seen with Hamas), and fully right wing. Democratically elected, no less. Salvation promised, if not on Earth, but in the Hereafter, insyallah. That's the last thing the Middle East needs. God help them.

There is a lesson in all of this for us here in Malaysia, and it's not the type of lesson that the Opposition would want you to believe. Social uprising, revolution, and political change is a romantic wonder -- we all have something we hate about our lives, and i think it's a convenient out to blame the Government for it. Price of petrol? Rising costs of living? Dead (murdered?) witnesses in custody? The rape of the Sarawak rain forests? Blown up Mongolian models? Stupid price of cars? Unemployment? Racial animosity? Everyone has a beef somewhere, and the cure all solution is a swift change of Government.

I put to you that the easiest thing to do would be to change the Government. As the Egyptian lesson has shown us, changing a Government is just a matter of getting a few hundred thousand people to be upset, bring their grievances to the streets, and try to provoke a Tianamen Square-type incident to gain international sympathy. People will die for their beliefs, but that's collateral costs, and small losses compared to what can be gained. Right?

Pay heed to Egypt. We will be wise to avoid their mistakes. And i don't mean the demonstrations and riots.

Don't believe everything you read

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 10:12:21 +0800

Image via Wikipedia

I've been saying it for years on this blog, and also in my private circle of friends, to whomever is willing to listen: don't be a sheep. The world is full of sheep, willing to believe (or disbelieve) anything they read, wherever or whenever they may read it. Like a stalk of grass in the wind, able to change their opinions the moment a half-assed rational thought it put into their head; just like a virgin sophomore, willing to follow the "leader" as long as it makes them feel accepted by the crowd. Eternally afraid of going against the grain, of upsetting the trends, wanting to be a part of the overall whole, these people would rather others do their thinking for them, or even worse, delude themselves that what they are thinking and what they are doing are their own "free will" when it is anything but.

In being desperate to be "right", they trick themselves into believing what they believe is "right".

No where is this heard mentality more obvious than on the Internet. And possibly why the Government of Malaysia is thinking about setting up some barriers to police it. Lies and half-truths become the gospel on the Internet. Unblinking sheep repeat the bleetings of other sheeps (and some herd masters) and soon everyone thinks that it is true.

Teoh Beng Hock was murdered. Anwar Ibrahim is a raging homosexual. Najib's wife ordered Altantunyaa's murder. BN buys votes in elections. We've seen it and heard it all and worse on the Internet. And just because it's on the Internet, it must be true, right? Just because a reputable website such as MT or MC reports it, it must be gospel, right? Just because the Facebook page has 100,000 followers, it must be the truth? Just because it was reTweeted thousands of times and is on the Top 10 trending list, it must be right? The herd can't be wrong, can they?

Yes, they can.

But it all can't be wrong, can it? No, not all. Then how do you tell the difference? Try this, i do this when in doubt. If it sounds too convenient to be true, it probably isn't. If it sounds to good to be true, it definitely isn't. If you want to believe it, then before you do, ask yourself why you want to believe it. Challenge yourself, challenge your beliefs, ask the difficult questions that the sheep can't and often won't. Even if you're right today, you might be wrong tomorrow, and vice versa. The only way to keep yourself on an even till is to ensure that there is always someone at the helm. Don't let others steer your boat.

Najib's Chinese New Year email to Malaysia

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 07:06:48 +0800

When the Prime Minister sent out an email to millions of Malaysians to wish them a Happy Chinese New Year, the responses have been many and varied. Some see the email as unwelcome spam, some see the email as an invasion of privacy (how did the PM get my email?), others see the email as a political act of desperation ahead of general polls, and yet others see the email as a noble effort to reach out to Malaysians everywhere, doing his bit to go where no PM has gone before, and walk the 1Malaysia talk.

So who is right? Unless your name is Najib Razak, you don't really know. Really.

The full text of the email is below:

Salam 1Malaysia!

Saya ingin mengucapkan Selamat Menyambut Tahun Baru Cina buat seluruh rakyat Malaysia, khususnya bagi mereka yang akan menyambut perayaan yang penuh dengan kemeriahan ini.

Setiap kali tibanya perayaan ini, saya masih terbayang kemeriahan dan keceriaan yang saya lalui semasa kecil. Sudah pasti saya tidak akan ketinggalan mengikut ibu bapa saya menziarahi rakan-rakan beliau yang berketurunan Cina. Makanan kegemaran semasa musim perayaan ini semestinya kuih kapit, kuih bangkit, tat nanas, kerepek "ngaku" manakala limau Mandarin sering menjadi pilihan utama. Teringat juga, sewaktu kecil adakalanya saya dihampiri oleh rakan-rakan ibu bapa yang menghulurkan angpow. Tetapi sekarang, suasana sudah berbeza. Hidangan sudah berubah, pelbagai juadah seperti sate, ais kacang, mi rebus dan maruku juga disediakan.

Semoga di Tahun Arnab ini, kita akan sentiasa berada dalam suasana penuh kemakmuran, kebahagiaan dan juga dianugerahkan kesihatan yang sempurna.

Selamat Tahun Baru Cina, Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Ikhlas daripada
Najib Razak & Keluarga

Salam 1Malaysia!

Happy Chinese New Year to all Malaysians who celebrate this auspicious event.

Each year as the season draws near I am reminded of the excitement and merriment I experienced as a child during Chinese New Year. Mum and dad would visit our Chinese friends, and I would always tag along. I always look forward to savouring the many delicacies, favorites being kuih kapit, kuih bangkit, pineapple tarts and "ngaku" crackers, with Mandarin oranges always on top of the list. A wide smile would cross my face when I received "angpows" from my parents' friends. Today, the celebrations have grown to include sate, ais kacang, mi rebus and maruku even!

May the Year of the Rabbit bring blessings of much happiness, good health and prosperity always. With new beginnings comes new opportunities and as we usher in the Lunar New Year, it is my sincere hope that you achieve success and satisfaction in all your undertakings. Your accomplishments are reflective of our nation's triumphs, and may we always excel beyond expectations!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

From
Najib Razak & Family

But here is my analysis, for those of you who care to know. The email reveals a bit of personal history of the man, how he experienced CNY as a boy. It makes a point to mention that he had no problems visiting the homes of his Chinese friends, it makes a point to mention, that even back then, CNY was a multi-cultural celebration. Glaring advertisements of the 1Malaysia concept in motion.

Beyond that, it doesn't say much more. Which makes me wonder, why did he even send the note in the first place? He didn't really have to.

No other PM has ever done the same, so there isn't a precedent for it. His political opponents, while active in online social media, has, to my memory, not done it either. The email leaves him open to criticism (which he has received). The pollsters do not suggest that he needs the boost in popularity; by all accounts, GE13 is becoming a more comfortable proposition by the day. So why do it when he doesn't seem to have real reason to?

Unless of course, he means it. In this day and age of skepticism, no one believes that a politician does anything without a selfish reason. Indeed, it's rare to find a politician doing something for nothing. Call this is a moment of weakness then; Najib does have a soft belly for ang pows and murukus. Just like the rest of us, he had a childhood too. Sometimes, you just have to believe in the unbelievable.

For a day or two, let's put our negativity aside, and enjoy our Chinese New Year. Happy Year of the Rabbit, everyone. And i mean that.