From Gua Musang to Putrajaya

Keturunan Hj. Ali, Labok, Machang

2011-09-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Mat Sabu

2011-09-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

I feel very disappointed and angry by the statement made by Mat Sabu on the issue of recognizing Ahmad bin Indera @ Mat Indera from the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) as the national hero and the whole Communism struggle in Malaya through out the 1st emergency 1948-1960 period for the struggle of national independence against the British colonialist.

The statement made by Mat Sabu was solely for the political mileage purposes to gain certain quarters support for the upcoming general election especially in Penang as it was part of the Lim Guan Eng government to defend Penang. The statement made by Mat Sabu was unwarranted an insensitive to the fallen families of the local security forces and foreign troops that served in Malaysia during that turbulent times.

What was truly regretted is that the statement was made by a leader claim to be the champion for the Islamic cause and a Malay Muslim. It shows the extent of "this creature" ever ready action and attitude to go beyond the extended line for self serving objectives which I believe Malaysian did understand and saw the true hidden agenda behind it. Mat Sabu truly doesn't deserve to live in this great country moreover to be among the free citizens of Malaysian state today. All of Malaysian should denounce the statement made by this creature. Merdeka!

Perangi fahaman Komunis habis-habisan

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tunku Abdul Rahman melawat anggota keselamatan di Kuala Medang, Pahang sekitar 1950an

Oleh: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

1. Sejak kebelakangan ini diperhatikan wujud seakan satu pakatan tersusun daripada pihak-pihak tertentu yang cuba untuk mengubah sejarah perjuangan tokoh-tokoh kemerdekaan negara dengan meletakkan tokoh-tokoh Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) sebaris dengan perjuangan negarawan tanah air. Usaha halus yang bertopengkan kepada kebebasan bersuara dan demokrasi hak asasi manusia ini jelas mengutarakan fakta-fakta yang sengaja diseleweng dengan niat merubah sejarah terkutuk perjuangan PKM yang hakikatnya banyak mengorbankan nyawa orang yang tidak berdosa sehinggakan fakta penipuan yang dibuat-buat digambarkan sebagai sebuah fakta sebenar yang harus diterima oleh masyarakat moden Malaysia.

2. Umum mengetahui, selama berdekad lamanya terlalu banyak kesengsaraan dan kematian yang direkodkan baik dari pasukan keselamatan mahupun orang awam yang tidak berdosa akibat daripada keganasan PKM. Mungkin ramai tidak mengetahui fakta sebenar, tetapi hakikatnya suku kaum Cina di Tanah Melayu pada ketika itu adalah yang paling ramai menjadi mangsa kekejaman PKM. Pada era perang dunia kedua, kebanyakan suku kaum Cina di Tanah Melayu memilih untuk mendiami kawasan pinggir hutan bertujuan melarikan diri daripada pemerintahan Jepun yang kejam terhadap kaum Cina. Selepas perang tamat, demografi penduduk ini kekal dan PKM dengan mengambil kira bahawa sokongan kaum Cina yang mendiami pinggir hutan adalah penting dalam memastikan kelangsungan perjuangan mereka di hutan, tidak teragak-agak untuk menyeksa dan membunuh kaum ini yang enggan membantu atau membekalkan maklumat dan bekalan makanan kepada pengganas PKM. Tun Tan Cheng Lock sendiri pernah cuba dibunuh dengan dilemparkan bom tangan sewaktu beliau bermesyuarat di Ipoh, Perak awal tahun 1950an. Tindakan ini dilakukan kerana Komunis khuatir akan kejayaan kerjasama Sino-Melayu pada ketika itu dalam menuntut kemerdekaan daripada British bakal menenggelamkan perjuangan PKM yang sia-sia.

3. Justeru, tidak hairanlah insiden keganasan Komunis pada Darurat pertama (1948-1960) banyak direkodkan di negeri yang mempunyai populasi kaum Cina yang ramai seperti Perak, Johor, Selangor dan Negeri Sembilan berbanding di negeri yang penduduknya bermajoritikan kaum Melayu seperti Kedah, Melaka, Kelantan dan Terengganu. Kekejaman tidak berperikemanusiaan yang dilakukan oleh PKM terhadap kaum Cina ini direkodkan oleh pasukan keselamatan dan disaksikan oleh pekerja-pekerja estet secara langsung dengan mata dan kepala mereka apa yang berlaku. Melalui rekod-rekod laporan, mangsa-mangsa dari suku kaum Cina diseksa akibat enggan bekerjasama malah penyeksaan yang lebih teruk dibuat kepada mereka yang secara terang-terangan menentang perjuangan PKM (dari kalangan guru, profesional dan ahli perniagaan). Kaum lelaki diseksa dengan dipotong anggota badan mereka dihadapan ahli keluarga sendiri dengan menggunakan peralatan seperti cangkul atau parang berbanding senjatapi kerana pengganas Komunis khuatir pasukan keselamatan Home Guarddan Gurkha yang ditempatkan di kawasan berdekatan akan bergegas menyiasat apa yang berlaku dek bunyi tembakan senjatapi. Ada juga direkodkan bahawa pengganas Komunis bertindak mengeluarkan isi perut ataupun organ hati mangsa lalu memaksa ahli keluarga ataupun isteri mangsa meletakkan organ ini di atas bara api. Selalunya mangsa yang diseksa dengan dipotong anggota badan ini dibiarkan mati terseksa dihadapan anggota keluarga mereka dan pekerja-pekerja estet dibiarkan menyaksikan tragedi malang ini sebagai peringatan akan akibat buruk yang bakal menimpa mereka jika enggan bekerjasama dengan PKM.

4. Penyeksaan ini tidak terhenti ke atas orang dewasa sahaja dan ada waktunya kanak-kanak turut menjadi mangsa kekejaman pengganas Komunis seperti yang berlaku di Estet Kamuning, Perak pada tahun 1948 apabila mereka bertindak menyalib seorang kanak-kanak di atas sebatang kayu. Mungkin juga ramai yang tidak mengetahui akan kewujudan sekumpulan Komunis berbangsa Tamil yang diketuai oleh pemuda bernama Perumal yang kerap mengganggu keamanan pekerja estet dari kalangan suku Kaum India di kawasan Sg. Siput dan Ipoh, Perak awal tahun 1950an. Pada ketika itu, kaum India banyak mengisi jawatan sebagai kerani di ladang-ladang getah serta turut bekerja sebagai penoreh getah. Pelbagai jenis seksaan dilakukan ke atas kaum India di Perak oleh kumpulan Perumal antaranya mengikat mangsa di pokok getah dan menyeksa mereka sehingga mati dan ada mangsa yang dipotong jari-jemari kerana mereka bertegas untuk kekal bekerja di ladang-ladang getah walaupun diberi amaran keras oleh Perumal.

5. Semua kekejaman ini dilakukan di atas nama perjuangan Marxist Communism kononnya sebuah perjuangan yang memperjuangkan hak kesemarataan tanpa perbezaan kelas. Mungkin fakta-fakta dan rekod-rekod kekejaman di atas sukar untuk diterima akal oleh masyarakat bertamadun di Malaysia pada hari ini, namun hakikatnya perkara tersebut benar-benar berlaku dan direkodkan oleh pasukan keselamatan sebagai fakta kes. Secara keseluruhannya semua lapisan rakyat Malaysia pada ketika itu tanpa mengira kaum dan agama berasa tidak aman diancam oleh keganasan PKM setiap hari. Mereka berasa tidak selamat menaiki kenderaan awam seperti bas dan keretapi kerana khuatir disabotaj oleh pihak Komunis dan rakyat turut berasa tidak selamat menaiki kenderaan sendiri menyusuri jalan raya kerana risau diserang hendap oleh pengganas Komunis yang mencari mangsa tanpa mengambil kira perbezaan kaum dan agama kerana terlalu ingin merampas pakaian, makanan dan kad pengenalan kepunyaan orang awam bagi tujuan subversif.

6. Pada hari ini terdapat juga dakwaan yang berani daripada mereka yang buta sejarah dengan menyatakan bahawa kemerdekaan yang diperolehi oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman pada 31 Ogos 1957 adalah bukan kemerdekaan sepenuhnya dan golongan ini turut mendakwa jika bukan disebabkan oleh perjuangan PKM, maka amatlah sukar untuk British memberikan kemerdekaan kepada Tanah Melayu. Fakta ini diseleweng bertujuan untuk menutup perjuangan sia-sia di hutan oleh PKM. Pada hakikatnya Tanah Melayu ketika itu mencapai kemerdekaan pada tahun 1957 dan bukan setelah ancaman Komunis dihapuskan sepenuhnya pada tahun 1960. Ini jelas menunjukkan bahawa British yakin dengan kepimpinan Tunku yang dilihat mampu membawa kestabilan yang berkekalan kepada Tanah Melayu serta rantau Asia Tenggara walaupun British pada ketika itu turut diancam oleh teori domino di Indochina. Ini membuktikan betapa masalah keganasan Komunis bukanlah satu faktor mengapa British memberikan kemerdekaan kepada Tanah Melayu lebih awal dari jangkaan sebenar iaitu pada tahun 1960. Mengikut rekod, Sir Gerald Templer, Pesuruhjaya Tinggi British yang dilantik oleh Winston Churchill, Perdana Menteri Britain pada ketika itu telah diberikan mandat seawal tahun 1952 bahawa adalah menjadi satu polisi Kerajaan Kolonial British bahawa Tanah Melayu akan diberikan kemerdekaan dan hak memerintah sendiri seawal tahun 1960. Jika bukan disebabkan oleh pengorbanan orang awam menggadaikan barang kemas dan menderma wang ringgit mereka sendiri, delegasi Tunku Abdul Rahman tidak mempunyai dana yang mencukupi untuk menghadiri perbincangan Kemerdekaan ke London bersama wakil-wakil dari MCA dan MIC.

7. Hakikatnya yang lebih jelas pada 28-29 Disember 1955, sewaktu rundingan Baling diadakan, Setiausaha Agung PKM, Chin Peng ketika itu secara jelas menyatakan bahawa sekiranya kerajaan pimpinan Tunku Abdul Rahman berjaya mencapai kemerdekaan daripada British, PKM akan tetap meneruskan perjuangan bersenjata menentang kerajaan Tunku yang dipilih oleh rakyat kerana Chin Peng melihat tiada ruang untuk kerjasama wujud antara parti Komunis dan Parti Pemerintah (sistem Komunis adalah sistem satu parti memerintah). Sewaktu rundingan diadakan, Tunku berkali-kali menawarkan pengampunan kepada anggota PKM untuk meletakkan senjata dan menjadi anggota masyarakat yang sama-sama membangunkan negara yang bakal merdeka. Peristiwa ini direkodkan pada hari kedua rundingan dimana Tunku meminta Chin Peng agar memikirkan nasib 7 juta penduduk Tanah Melayu ketika itu yang akan menerima kesan buruk akibat perjuangan bersenjata 3,000 anggota Komunis yang sedang aktif di hutan. Chin Peng sekali lagi menolak tawaran ini berikutan dia terlalu taksub dengan kejayaan Parti Komunis di China tanpa mengambil kira perbezaan situasi politik di Tanah Melayu. Rundingan Baling ini walaupun gagal namun akan tetap terus kekal di dalam lipatan sejarah sebagai bukti yang cukup jelas akan pendirian perjuangan Komunis yang sia-sia dan menyimpang dari perjuangan kemerdekaan hakikat ini tidak akan dapat dipadam sampai bila-bila oleh sesiapa sekalipun. Jika diteliti rekod tulisan Chin Peng melalui memoirnya bertajuk My Side of Story, jelas menunjukkan bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai pendirian yang jelas berkenaan objektif perjuangan PKM di Tanah Melayu dan hanya lebih beremosi terikut-ikutkan situasi yang berlaku di negara China di bawah Mao Zedong pada ketika itu.

8. Generasi muda harus sentiasa diingatkan bahawa terlalu banyak pengorbanan yang dilakukan oleh pasukan keselamatan di dalam menghapuskan kegiatan Komunis pada Darurat pertama. Seramai 8,850 orang anggota keselamatan yang terkorban dan cedera dari tahun 1948-1960 dan seramai 4,468 orang awam yang turut menjadi mangsa kekejaman Komunis ini sepanjang Darurat pertama. Manakala pada Darurat kedua (1971-1989), negara kehilangan ramai tokoh-tokoh yang banyak berjasa seperti Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim bekas Ketua Polis Negara yang dibunuh oleh pasukan khas Komunis di Kuala Lumpur pada tahun 1974 dan Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong bekas Ketua Polis Negeri Perak yang dibunuh pengganas Komunis pada tahun 1975. Sepanjang perjuangan menentang keganasan Komunis, ramai anggota pasukan keselamatan yang majoritinya terdiri daripada orang-orang Melayu terkorban dan ramai juga di antara mereka yang mengalami cacat anggota. Terbaru, sebanyak 21 rangka pejuang dari kaum Iban yang terkorban menentang Komunis pada era darurat dan mereka dibawa pulang ke Sarawak oleh Kerajaan Malaysia dari serata pelusuk tanah air termasuk Singapura adalah peringatan jelas akan pengorbanan yang terpaksa dibuat oleh anggota pasukan keselamatan tanpa mengira perbezaan agama, bangsa dan negara dalam menentang musuh yang satu. Sesungguhnya pengorbanan yang dilakukan oleh mereka ini tidak pernah diminta sebarang balasan dan mereka hanya menjalankan tanggung jawab demi tugas dan semangat cintakan tanah air. Tetapi pada hari ini terdapat segelintir rakyat Malaysia yang begitu berani memperjuangkan fahaman Komunis sekaligus menghina perjuangan pahlawan-pahlawan negara yang telah terkorban mempertahankan tanah air dari ancaman PKM. Tambahan, amat pelik sekali jika difikirkan bagaimana orang Melayu pada hari ini turut begitu berani menyokong perjuangan Komunis yang jelas menentang kewujudan Tuhan dan bersifat anti-agama.

9. Tindakan pihak-pihak tertentu yang cuba mengagung-agungkan perjuangan Komunis tanpa menilai jerih-perit pengorbanan generasi terdahulu akan hanya menghina ingatan kita terhadap pengorbanan yang dilakukan oleh generasi terdahulu dalam mencapai kemerdekaan. Golongan ini akan cuba berselindung disebalik suara demokrasi, hak asasi manusia dan bertopengkan hak rakyat walhal hakikat sebenar adalah untuk kembali membangkitkan sebuah perjuangan yang sia-sia dan tiada hala tuju. Rakyat Malaysia perlulah berhati-hati dengan cubaan pihak-pihak berniat jahat ini yang cuba mengubah sejarah dengan menyeleweng fakta bagi memenuhi objektif peribadi. Fahaman Komunis ini harus ditentang dan diperangi habis-habisan bagi menjaga dan memulihara kestabilan dan keamanan negara yang kita cintai ini.

Multiracial is Malaysia's strength

2011-07-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

Teddy standing besides the late Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim (former Inspector General of Police) official car where he was assasinated by the Communist Killer Squad on his way to Bukit Aman in 1974.

1. As I was reading the book written by Dato' Seri Yuen Yuet Leng, I did notice that Malaysian today have forgot the real struggle for our nation's independence. The sacrifices made by all walks of life disregard of race, creed and religion those days were seen as a one race struggle for independence. Yes indeed, the price of independence doesn't come cheap, we have gone through many decades of bewilderment and confusing times. We also have emerged from the trial and error period where national socialist agenda would bring ruins then greater good.

2. As Dato' Seri Yuen Yuet Leng describes through his memoir, if it's not because of the Malay's King consent to extend the citizenship in 1957 to other races (Chinese and Indians), Malaysia would not be as it is today. The Chinese citizens wouldn't have anywhere else to go except go back to China (as did Yuen when he explored China for opportunities back in 1946 to no avail), or maybe the Indian community that should be send back to India (as did some of them in 1930s during the depression period).

3. However, Malaysia have overcame the obstacle and did went beyond race back in the 1950s. Everybody in that era did agreed, without the sheer strength of national unity, we would not be as develop as we are today. Yuen did recalled how he shed tears when Tunku Abdul Rahman hail the words merdeka during the proclamation of independence. The bottom line is, Malaysia's independence is for everyone to enjoy and treasure disregard of race, creed or religion.

4. And when Malaysia went through turbulent periods of Emergency (1948-1960), all races unite in dealing with the Communist problems. All races have been through the hardship of the emergency period. Everybody seems to lost their beloved family either through the Communist ambush or the intimidation to support the lost cause. Needless to say the Commonwealth forces that do give up their life to fight the war in the jungles of Malaysia. Malaysia lost many good peoples such as Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim (former Inspector General of Police, 1974) and Tan Sri Koo Kong Chong (Perak Chief of Police, 1975). The Communist also tried to assassinate Tun Tan Cheng Lock before. They need to keep the nation to be unstable for the socialist communism agenda to be a success stories in Malaysia. But Malaysian keep their cool and strength through unity.

5. Then came the 13th of May 1969, everything's changed. We are not as united as before. Malaysia seems to be a very fragile nations with a chauvinist group waiting to take advantage on our diversity. We seems to be scared of our differences and seems to stepped back within the confines of homogeneity rather than explore the strength of diversity. And we stepped back further more to misunderstanding rather than negotiate ways of treasuring multiculturalism, as I will explain later in my next writing.

to be continue...

Chinese past experiences building up an enterprise in Malaya – Case studies in the state of Kedah and Penang, 1882-1941

2011-05-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

Writer in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (heart of Kuala Lumpur old business districts)

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz bin Hj. Ismail

1. The Chinese community in Malaysia is very well known for their business shrewdness and avid skills in business dealings and running of enterprises. Their past experiences are well worth to study as we can determine clearly the main factor that drives these immigrants to be the main business players in Malaysia.

2. The question that need to be asked is how did many of the Chinese individuals (mostly were singkeh), end up to build a very powerful economic empire in Malaya. This is the land where Malays comprised more than 90% of the population in the late 19th century and the Chinese community did not enjoy the same advantage of the business activities such as tin mining and cash crop planting activities as did the colonial Englishman or even the Malay elites back up by the Malay’s Sultans?[i]

3. First let us examine the reason for the massive Chinese exodus from the mainland China to foreign places such as Malaya. According to Wu Xiao An, the four main rebellions or political disruptions in China were the main factors of the forced exiles of the Chinese peoples to Malaya seeking new future. The rebellions are Huang Chao rebellion (878-84) during the Tang dynasty (618-907); the Mongolian invasion of Central China (1279-1368); the Manchurian takeover of the Ming regime (1644-1911); and the Taiping rebellion (1851-64).[ii]

4. With the exodus to Southeast Asia, the Chinese brought with them three typical institutions forming their main social organizations and leadership namely the kapitan system, the secret societies and the kongsi system.[iii] With these three main informal institutions the Chinese community begins to build up their wealth accumulations in the foreign land and its influence were later made legitimate by the colonial power in dealing with Chinese communities problems arising in Malaya.

5. For an example, the kapitan system was considered an official and legitimate institution representing the Chinese community to the colonial and local government. While the secret societies were hidden autonomous government to guide immigrants within their own community and were based on different kinship, clan, and dialect brotherhood ties.[iv] The kongsi system created a public office, open government, and economic entities founded on extended partnerships and brotherhoods. In overall, the kapitan could also be the headman of a secret society or of a kongsi. But the headmen of the secret societies or kongsi would not necessarily be the kapitans.[v]

6. The headmen of all three institutions were closely involved in their social groups and were actually the key actors in economic and commercial life. Through these three main institutional frameworks, the Chinese communities were offered protections, market scales, distribution channels, capital jump-start and indirect association support to start a business and enterprises in Malaya.

7. The Chinese community those days also acts such as trading Banks providing capitals and loans mostly to the Malays farmers. These financial ties can be observed through practice of paddy kunca system, where it is very common the Malays planters would advance sale of their paddy harvest for loans. The Chinese community would hold dearly as intermediary over the Malay peasantry, and although the government realize such practice were exploitative in nature and the Malays continue to be manipulated and marginalized, the British were solely concerned with their strategic interest rather than solving the problems of the Malays people becoming poorer.[vi]

8. Through one of this practice, the immigrant Chinese peasants were transformed into laborers and capitalist (most of the business activities run by the Chinese capitalist were gambling, opium farms, spirits and toddy farms – please read Wu Xiao An for more details). The point is that the immigrant Chinese actively participated, and in fact played a pioneering role in this transformation.[vii] However, there can be observed that the rise and fall of the Chinese business family in the state of Kedah and Penang are best explained by Braudel:[viii]

"In a departure from the traditional Western proverbial three-generation cycle – from rags to riches to ruin – the Chinese family firm’s evolution is even projected by four stages of development: emergent, centralized, segmented, and disintegrative."

References:

[i] Chinese Business in The Making of A Malay State, 1882-1941: Kedah and Penang by Wu Xiao An. National University of Singapore, 2010. p. 54.
[ii] Ibid. p. 20.
[iii] Ibid. p. 22.
[iv] Ibid. p. 24.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibdi. p. 180.
[vii] Ibid. p. 210.
[viii] Ibid. p. 162.

Life has many turns

2011-03-27T09:52:00.001-07:00

Teddy in reserve army gear

27th March 2011 - It has been quite a long time since I served with the public service. Which to my likings tend to be quite a mix feeling but satisfaction is very rare. I have nothing but full respect to those that join the service with the intention of contributing to the nations building and much of the spirit that were a model for us were sought especially from the old Malayan Civil Service (most of it from the British officer's that served before 1950s).

I would say that nowadays there is no class exists in the public service. People would just content with having a good job with a handsome grade of paycheck comes the months end. But for me, I can't find any satisfaction if the feeling doesn't exceed my own level of standard. I always thought that I might contribute much of my intelligence and revolutionary idea towards the nations building by joining the public service, but I guess the five years experience have taught me better.

Nowadays public service doesn't really embrace the momentum of the "white's man burden" if I may used that phrase. Insulting it sounds maybe but that is the hurting truth for me. You wouldn't find any government officers who willingly accepting a post in the Malaysian hinterland for all type of service. The situation is not like the Eton's cadets those days that were happy to be send to the tropics and did make the fateful change as we saw happening 50 years ago.

And those that were holding a higher post are satisfied enough to agree with all the things that were thrown at them without making an effort to understand better or make a voice of their smart views heard. So we end up having the type of a policy implementors instead of policy makers among those that were supposed to instigate ideas. I'm not interested in staying long in this predicament type of works because I begin to understand that seeing the current situations exist I better served my people from outside the government mechanism. The only thing that were halting me is that I don't have much choice but to join the service due to my poor family background.

But I know better that with the intelligence that I have and the sheer hard working traits that I have shown, I can be a successful stories among the business community for the future. Through that I believed I can help those poor people of my own breed by creating more wealth and more opportunities to be shared with. Borrowing what Dr. Mahathir once said, "There is enough wealth for everyone in this world". I believe I began to see my fair of share and would make that big step God's willing.

Penang and me

2011-03-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

Me and Pidus

3 Mac 2011 - Pulau Pinang does hold a very special place in my heart. Although I am not a Penangites of origins, the island does really encapsulates my inner feelings towards the beauty of life. I still remember the year and my first photographic memory when I first set my eyes on the island as the plane circling Teluk Kumbar to land at the Bayan Lepas airport. It was the year of 2005.

The view from the plane that I took on that particular morning brought along the intention of my purpose heading to Penang. It was my 24th birthday, December 5 and the sole intention was to meet a special friend of mine. But the destiny was written that I should met my true love, not the people but the island itself.

Not everybody understand Penang as much as I do. The island has been a beacon of freedom for everyone that have stepped foot on it. Since the day the King Solomon's ship set their quest for gold to the Mount Ophir or the day Francis Light decided to annexed Penang as the Prince of Wales island and brought free trade along with its multiracial community to Penang, the island has grown to be an exquisite form of beautiful pedestal for those that worked hard to achieve their life objectives.

It has been a stepping stone to many glorious Malaysian in achieving life's success. Penang will always offers a perspectives for those that seeks a meaning towards life. The splendid architecture, the open politics, the gentlemen's court, tremendous opportunities for self educations and the tropical splendor just describes how unique Penang is.

I always long to be in Penang, perhaps one day I shall live a simple life in Penang. In the good old days Penang used to be a bustling and glorious place to live and for business opportunities. The politics of Penang are different from any part of Malaysia. Their inhabitants tends to be more open and pragmatic in accepting changes. Those days, it used to be non-communal in Penang despite your creed background. People were appreciated because they deserved to be appreciated.

I certainly have fall in love with the Penang ambience's. You shall not get it from anywhere else but in Penang itself. So whenever I have a free time I would make that almost 500km travels from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. And whenever I left Penang, I will always left a piece of my heart that keeps growing each day for the place itself. As if that piece keeps calling me to always come back to Penang. And it calls me now... How I miss Penang!~

My trip to Kenaboi, Negeri Sembilan

2010-11-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

Kenaboi dwellers early 1960s opening up land for development

1. Last Eid, I was given an exclusive opportunity from a friend of mine to visit and experience Eid celebration at his village in Kampung Chennah, Kenaboi within the district of Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. It was a fantastic outing especially for me that never had any experience in visiting the rural part of Negeri Sembilan.

2. The trip took me half an hour drive from Kajang using the old route (Kajang-Semenyih-Kenaboi) road. We drove past the Semenyih dam and the old road multi-linking the Kenaboi with Semenyih, Batu 14 and the Greater Klang Valley. The road trip was quiet and empty along the way as we drove past through a number of natives villages (orang asli) which to my surprise their houses were well supplied by electricity and I bet also with clean water.

3. The trip to Kenaboi opened up my mind to a lot of things in particular about the social aspects of Malaysian nation building concept. The populations of Kenaboi consists of only two races which are Malay and Chinese that I can estimate up to 1,500 peoples (sic). I was told there were one Indian family lived in Kampung Chennah but choose to migrate to Seremban, but that doesn't stop the head of the Indian family to continue visiting Kenaboi to safeguard one Indian temple built besides the road linking Jelebu town to Kampung Chennah. I did visit the temple that was located right besides a very big tree. The dwellings and populations houses were well surrounded by a rubber plantation worked out from the pre-war period up till today.

4. Most of the Malays population worked as a rubber tapper or owner of a rubber plantation whereas the Chinese works in various fields such as mechanics, Groceries stores, planters and contractors. However the younger generations of Malays and Chinese populations choose to work in Klang Valley area mainly in Kuala Lumpur and they did commute daily from Kenaboi to Kuala Lumpur.

5. I remember that I was once told by a Perbadanan Putrajaya Holdings personnel that Tun Dr. Mahathir did actually considered the Kenaboi area as a location for the new administrative city (Putrajaya) before Prang Besar was choose eventually. During my short stint in Kenaboi, I was fascinated when the population did brief me on the historical facts of Kenaboi and showed the site where Dato’ Undang Abdullah and his family members were beheaded by the Japanese Imperial Army during the war. It was near a bridge of river Kenaboi.

6. I was later told that during the Japanese Occupation period, the Malays population in Kenaboi were not so fond of their new Japanese masters and in seeking protection from the Japanese the Malays did contacted the Malayan People Anti Japanese Army (MPAJA) later known as the Communist which consists of mainly Chinese races. And in that, they formed a pact whereas the MPAJA will provide protection for the Malays while the Malays will provide foods, information and medical supplies for the MPAJA. This relationship continued after the war and when the British came back to Malaya, the introduced the new settlement policy called "new villages" and idea suggested by General Harold Rowdon Briggs (popularly known as Briggs plan) where the Chinese population were put into a center of protection and shields of barbed wire to break the supplies of food and medicine going to the fighting 2nd Regiment of the Communist insurgents hiding within the areas (consist of 250 personnel).

7. I was also showed an interesting areas that concealed many caves (3 of them were shown to me) where the Malays during the Japanese Occupation period seek refuge from the notorious Japanese army and later after the war, the caves were turned into a safe hideout of the Communist insurgents that operated within the Jelebu districts up to the interior Pahang. It was very interesting site as the Kenaboi area were also closely linked with the interior Pahang and ones can only see the strategic location of the based linking Kuala Lumpur and Nothern Part of Peninsular Malaysia through Pahang especially for the Communist insurgents.

8. It is very fascinating when I was later briefed that most of the Malays in Kenaboi area came from various parts of Malaya with a Minangkabau descent and also Pahang bloodline. Although the dialect were about the same, on certain daily usage however Kenaboi populations were comfortable to use certain Pahang influenced dialects in addressing oneself and others.

9. The Briggs plan that were introduced in 1950s proved to be lethal to the Communist insurgents and effective in starving the bandits in the Kenaboi area and you can clearly see through the populations settlements quite a big police station were built in Kampung Chennah a definite an over estimation of the true populations. The structure materials of the old woods of the local houses built mostly for the Chinese populations are distinctly recognize up to this day. Not only through the physical infrastructure part as the Briggs plan were there to be seen, but also on the social aspect where Malays community seems to be complacent and very comfortable conducting daily business with the Chinese descents. And during the night while I was watching Malays kids playing futsal, I can visibly see a throngs of shirtless Chinese kids only watching the Malays playing as the old relationship still continues to this days.

10. In the interior part of Kenaboi area, I was shown during my personal tour to the area of natives in Kenaboi from the Temuan tribe. The orang asli main work are within the industry of the rubber plantation either as a tapper or a menial workers and some of them also work diligently collecting the jungles products such as bamboo and "dammar" latex to be sold to an intermediate that came mostly from Kuala Lumpur. I was very surprised to see that their houses were well supplied by electricity and clean water even their dwellings site were far interior from Kampung Chennah. Their house were a resemblance of FELDA early wood house model and some of them were doing quite well I might say looking at the types of vehicles that they owned and used.

11. I also would gladly state here that Kenaboi also provides streams of beautiful rivers with volcanic rocks that were a beautiful sight and such it that can be develop as the main attraction for tourism industry. The air is still undiluted by others threatening substance and during the night it was a chill cold experience. I will return back to Kenaboi in bringing some of my friends especially to study the new villages and its impact that it had on the population in particular the Kenaboi area.

To be continue…

It's a long and winding road to nationhood

2010-08-29T22:14:00.000-07:00

It's a long and winding road to nationhood for a young teenage country such as Malaysia. It will be quite a while for us to achieve a true mental freedom before we can admit it proudly that all Malaysian had experienced true independence. As a free citizens of a great country such as ours here are some of my personal thought on barriers that we need to surmount in becoming a great country by 2020.

1. Freer economic policy - it is understandable that the previous economic policy moulded by our forefathers especially Tun Abdul Razak after the 13th May 1969 incident emphasized more in helping the Malay race. The policy proved vital and worked well in balancing the economic cake between the main races as such discrepencies proved lethal for multiracial nation. However, some criterias need to be review and revoke as some of the formulae proved to be self-defeating that encourages feudalism especially among the Malay community themselves. Looking back from my past experience whenever I went into rural areas meeting and have a conversation with the rural Malays, it seems that these peoples tended to cling on certain UMNO elites individuals for survivability and this encourages corrupt practices and vis-a-vis parasitic traits between the two host.

2. Religion bigotory - Previous personal accounts by our ancestors did mentioned how the old folks seems to be more open in regarding the other races as one of theirs. They seems to have no problems in getting together and eat at the same stalls even when the eateries is operated by the other races. It was a great and wonderful moment for multiracial nation such as Malaysia. However, after the religion chauvinism took place starting in 1980s, it seems that everybody will try to make a stamp on themselves that they are more Islam than the others. This traits is getting more serious as Malays easily can fall into religion bigotory by labelling others as apostasy (a serious allegation upon other Malays). I do not deny the facts that some necessary steps and action needed to be taken in ensuring the Muslims to obey the God's commandments, however, we have taken religion too far especially in labelling others as un-Islamic unless strict measured is taken. The issuance of halal certificate for an example had become too sensitive for certain muslim and this can be a potent threat to multiracial nations that previously had a mutual respect of each other. Local eateries proved to be an efficient platform in encouraging unity and we had take it out from the national agenda. Muslims in Malaysia tends to be more Arabs than the Arabs themselves and this will be major impedements to progress.

3. UMNO elites - I couldn't help but notice that UMNO elites had becoming more powerful in determining the way forward for Malaysia. Basicly UMNO is a political party and not the right government of Malaysia. But the inculcation done within the years of holding powers had created a situation among the Malays that UMNO is the government and the government is UMNO. Malaysian are very lucky before since good leaders are produced by UMNO and the policy moulded by Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Dr. Mahathir was the right policy at the right time. However, if Malaysia do not have a viable opposition party that can check UMNO in the upcoming years, the elites will continue ruling this country from behind the curtain. Not to mention the right historical facts of nation building contributed by more than UMNO members that had been obscured from public since 1957. It seems that this elites are more concerned on their own survivability rather than the progress of this nation. As such for you to contribute to nation development, you have to be connected to UMNO rather than carrying your own dynamic ideas as can be seen in other fledgling democratic countries. Until Malaysian had viable options to vote for, then we are moving at a slower pace than we should for future betterment.

4. Appreciating history - We never appreciate true historical facts, but merely accepting so called facts given by others. We need to be shrewd in understanding facts and determining between the right history and manipulated facts. As such, many Malays in this country had been well manipulated by interested individuals that had been using facts for their self fulfilling objectives. It is a sorry state to observe when people used religion to stay in power in Malaysia and certain individuals created threats perceptions to continue sucking wealth from their positions whereas the followers lived in a dilapidated state thinking that they will be rewarded in the afterlife. It is really depressing for me thinking that many slogans were created just to cheat these commoners and the people did believe in it.

Now the Malays community in Malaysia seems to regard that this country only belongs to one race only despite the fact that the British government agreed for full independence after we agreed to tolerate each other and admit the differences held as a way of life. Malays need to realize the way forward is by accepting differences. Malaysia cannot stand alone by being governed and dominated in all areas by just one race. We are to complex nation be be a facist state. The differences is our advantage for progress. We need to change now, or else forever we will be colonized by a few interested individuals from our own people which are more than depressing for me. We need to re-learn to tolerate each other. May God bless this great country and may the change come for the betterment.

Malaysian Think Tank and Academic Write Up

2010-08-27T10:45:00.001-07:00

To be honest I am very disappointed with the status of Malaysian current think tank organisation such as ISIS, ASLI, MIER and local universities. The main objective of forming such organisation and academic institution is to produce thinking individuals, ideas or academic write up to be analyze, referred to and to instigate new thinking spectrum among Malaysian to move forward. And the set up and operational cost of such organisation is funded from the national treasury, and I can vouch that the allowances and emolument cost given to the respective individuals who run these institutions is through the roof.

However I can say that all the think tank that was formed so far did not yield a minimum required results to be appreciated either through academic seminars, academic writing or even ideas. These vacuum of intelligent output had left the local scholars and new generation of Malaysian citizens to seek reference from abroad. Such were the dire situation of the local academics thinking merit of Malaysian think tank.

What makes me more sad is that many of the local issues were taken up by a foreign think tank organisation and most of it by the dynamic and academic oriented think tank - ISEAS and National University of Singapore (NUS). I regret to admit that most of the important and critical issues faced by the Malaysian government is solved by referring to the academic write up published by these foreign think tank. As such, this think tank have a slight opportunity to influence Malaysian domestic and foreign policy. We let ISEAS to write on Malaysian politician persona such as Tun Dr. Ismail or Tun Dr. Mahathir, and most of the security and political issues that were close to our border were left out to be hijacked by these think tank such as the issues of Southern Thailand insurgency, the straits of Malacca piracy problems and the issues of ASEAN security in the new age or even Malaysian effort in fighting terrorism through the emergency period.

The reason being is very simple, Malaysian policy makers love to hear what they wanted to hear instead of what they need to hear. As such, our local think tank had followed a deadly traits of complacency attitude and tidak apa attitude of the UMNO elite that governed this country.

It is a shameful reality nonetheless.

5 stars so far...

2010-08-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

I think I need to mention something about the current progess in Malaysia as some of my foreign friends do visits my blog and email me from time to time asking about it. Well I believe under the current Prime Minister, Malaysia will see an unprecendent growth since the miracle era of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. We have a great visionary leader that doesn't afraid to try unconventional ways to make things work out for the benefits of Malaysia. Dato' Seri Najib deserve a credit for his good work so far and I'm very impressed with it. It is true that all the changes and its good effect made cannot be seen in overnight, but I believe things are moving forward for Malaysia. 5 stars so far from me.

Tiada garis sempadan budi...

2010-08-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

Teddy di tempat baru

Salam Ramadhan kepada semua. Sudah agak terlalu lama telah saya tinggalkan blog ini tanpa sebarang berita terkini serta maklumat dan informasi yang boleh kita kongsikan bersama. Saya akui waktu yang telah saya korbankan sewaktu bertugas di Tourism menyebabkan saya tidak mempunyai waktu untuk menulis di ruangan blog ini lantas perkara ini turut mengecewakan diri saya. Pengalaman yang saya perolehi dan dapati sewaktu bertugas di Tourism sangat bermakna. Bukan sahaja Allah s.w.t. telah mendidik saya berkenaan pengertian budi dan etika profesionalisme, malah Allah s.w.t. juga telah kurniakan saya kumpulan sahabat yang sangat mengerti dan memahami dan saya sangat bersyukur kepada-Nya.

Benarlah kata orang tua-tua, kadang-kala kita tidak akan menghargai apa yang ada di depan mata melainkan jika ianya sudah dibawa pergi. Saya sangat rindukan sahabat-sahabat saya di Tourism kerana mereka sudah saya anggap seperti saudara kandung sendiri. Namun saya juga akur dan menerima hakikat bahawa kepakaran saya amat diperlukan di tempat lain, lebih-lebih lagi di dalam memberi sumbangan kepada pembangunan negara yang bertuah ini.

Ingin saya kongsikan pengertian budi dan nilai mulia. Nilai yang dipegang oleh seseorang manusia akan menentukan kejayaan hidup dirinya pada masa hadapan. Kejayaan seseorang individu tidak akan ditentukan oleh keluarga atau asal keturunan ataupun dijanjikan dengan tahap pendidikan yang diperolehinya. Tetapi kejayaan seseorang manusia amatlah dipengaruhi oleh nilai hidup yang dipegang erat dan dijadikan telunjuk untuk dirinya menghadapi hari-hari mendatang. Benar pendidikan adalah sesuai perkara yang perlu dan menjadi tanggung jawab diri kita terutamanya umat Islam untuk mencari ilmu, namun ilmu tanpa amal tidak akan menjanjikan apa-apa di dalam kehidupan. Kerana itu Allah itu Maha Adil dan Maha Penyayang.

Allah s.w.t. hanya akan menyayangi hamba-Nya yang tertentu sahaja. Kasih sayang Allah terhadap hamba-Nya dicurahkan dengan pelbagai cara yang tidak terjangkau oleh akal manusia. Seseorang individu itu akan merasa dirinya disayangi oleh Penciptanya apabila sampai waktunya. Nilai hidup yang mulia ini sukar untuk diperolehi. Ianya tidak akan diperolehi di mana-mana institusi pengajian samada di sekolah mahupun di universiti. Nilai hidup mulia ini juga tidak mampu diperturunkan oleh seorang ayah atau ibu yang beriman. Nilai hidup yang mulia adalah kurniaan Allah ke atas seseorang hamba-Nya yang disayangi-Nya.

Namun Allah s.w.t. juga mengurniakan hamba-Nya dengan pelbagai deria untuk melihat dan mempelajari nilai ini. Nilai ini diperolehi daripada pelbagai tempat, manusia lain mahupun binatang serta tumbuhan hijau. Penghargaan ke atas nilai ini akan menyebabkan manusia itu lebih menghargai penciptanya dan juga keseluruhan alam. Lantaran itu memberi ilham untuk dirinya lebih berjaya di alam ini. Ilham adalah sesuatu yang tidak diperolehi begitu sahaja, kerana ilham ini diberikan oleh Allah Taala ke atas hamba-Nya yang disayangi.

Pelajarilah nilai mulia ini dari sekeliling, kerana nilai ini akan memberi petunjuk dan hidayah yang jelas ke arah kejayaan dan juga keredhaan Allah. Seseorang yang mempunyai nilai hidup yang mulia akan lebih berbudi tanpa mengira sempadan yang wujud serta tanpa mengharapkan balasan. Seseorang yang mempunyai nilai hidup yang mulia juga tidak akan mengenal erti kalah dengan mudah. Mereka akan mempunyai hati yang cekal dan berwawasan serta dalam masa yang sama disayangi oleh Allah. Orang yang bernilai tinggi juga tidak bersifat pendendam dan lebih menghargai budi orang lain.

Antara kaedah yang mudah untuk memperolehi nilai hidup ini adalah dengan merantau melihat tempat orang lain, membaca dan menghayati nilai-nilai sastera yang bermutu tinggi termasuk sastera dari luar negara dan seseorang itu juga boleh menghayati susunan lagu-lagu terbaik yang menusuk kalbu. Kerana semua nilai di atas adalah dibuat dengan hati yang penuh dan diisi dengan nilai-nilai tertentu. Semuga kita semua tergolong dari kalangan orang-orang yang disayangi oleh Allah dan semuga kita semua sentiasa mendapat rahmat dari-Nya.

Re emerge

2010-07-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

4 July 2010 - I believe Malaysian need to understand issues before discussing it out loud. Malaysian need to learn not to get carried away with emotional feelings especially when those feelings and make believe or were the products of a few interested people. Malaysian need to see what lies ahead for them beyond race and religion. And this posting is a resurgence of my thinkings when discussing about nation development.

My Kuala Lumpur

2010-03-21T06:26:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur circa 1900s

21 March 2010 - It's been a while since I blog casually. This time want to talk about Kuala Lumpur. This is one of the finest place in Malaysia that offer an opportunity for those that are diligent enough to mend his/ her way of living. Maybe not as bustling and rich as Singapore, but Kuala Lumpur is unique in its kind of way.

Kuala Lumpur had been a vibrant place since it was opened around 1850s. It was the place where people seek an employment from the heydays of its mining to its undated as the Capital of Malaysia. The best thing since it was developed as the Federated Malay States capital is it's architecture. Mixed with its architectural arts of Moorish, Colonials and Chinese Capitan, it was the kind of the place which unique with the league of Pulau Pinang and Singapore.

Kuala Lumpur circa 1900s

But Kuala Lumpur lost it's beauty after the World War II. The British government were preoccupied with the insurgency problems and the Malaysian government were lost during the Cold War period. This had lead to the acute problems of losing Kuala Lumpur splendor of its pretty architecture arts to a simple, boring and ugly socialist planning especially during the 1960s. So many examples can be seen of this un-planned/ harsh development treatment around the classic area of Kuala Lumpur. The ugly zig-zag, elevated highways around The Old Train Station, the mixed up building constructed in the 1960-1970s era in the middle of the Chinese Capitan shop houses, the neglected dilapidated Majestic Hotel which were left untended to say a few.

Now to my disappointment, every time I went to Kuala Lumpur, I can clearly see the beauty of the past glory marred by the mixed up period scars of the 1960s. Nevertheless, I will always love THE OLD Kuala Lumpur.

Understanding the real problems of the Southern Thailand ethnic predicaments

2010-03-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Hj. Ismail

When I was a student in my University years (2002-2005), I was very amazed with Thaksin Shinawatra and his economic policy - colloquial as Thaksinomics. He was seen at that time as the right person to replace Mahathir Mohamed in the international stage carrying the voices of the poor and developing nations. But his uprising influence and his premier were later marred by the Southern Thailand ethnic problems which hampered his hope in building the new Thailand through the incorporated policy (administering Thailand using CEO style) of inculcating Capitalism via crash course among the Thais.

To my understanding later, Thaksin doesn’t truly comprehend the socio-political situation in the Southern Thai region. This were made worse by the think tank group which he founded to advise him on how to fight drugs problems in the region by attacking certain groups which erroneously execute the extrajudicial killing policy to achieve quick result. His administrative policy of assimilation turns ugly when Thaksin government abolishes the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) and Civil-Police-Military joint Command (CPM 43) and puts the Police to be in charge of the Southern region security in 2002[i].

This new introduced policies by the Thaksin government later created the political sphere for militant movement which made worse by filling the vacuum activities of the deprived economic background of the Southern Malay ethnic which resided in the area. This worsen situation concluded on the legitimacy issues of the Bangkok Buddhist to governed the ethnic Malays which doesn’t share the same norms, values and the governing consent of both parties[ii].

Thaksin was trying to democratize the security situation in the Southern region in 2002 when he placed the police to be in charge of law and order. This change of policy by Thaksin were seen as a self defeating when particularly in the Southern region, the police were viewed as the most dishonest element of Thailand’s public sector, while the armed forces which were an active members of the SBPAC were seen by the domestic community as the honest institutions[iii].

The ethnic calamities and instability in the Southern region were not off the effect of the Global War on Terror or anything to do with the Wahhabism influences over, but merely an issue of the extension of the Bangkok political power over a majority of a reluctant Malay Muslims which believed they were no part of the larger Buddhist state. In many respects, the state of Patani was regarded by the Malays in the area as a sovereign state by the rule of the Patani Muslim Sultanate. The Malays in the area are very proud of their history and culture which distinguish their ancestry from the Menam Chao Phraya Siamese people[iv].

Even though throughout the years the Thais government had introduced numerous policies of assimilations which offered various incentives and political representation to Bangkok, the Malays inhabitants saw that violence is the most convenient way in advancing their agenda of self government[v].

The problems of the Southern Thailand region can only be solved by bequeathing the Malay Muslim an autonomic power for self rule under the auspices of the Bangkok Monarch. The current trend of the Thai government in administering the southern region can be seen as the Roman Conquerors administering Jerusalem in the 1^st Century and it will only end with the same results of endless violence and uprising. Bangkok must learn and know that Patani deserved to be different from the rest of the Thailand due to its history and social background.

[i] Tearing Apart The Land – Islam and Legitimacy in Southern Thailand by Duncan McCargo, Cornell University Press, 2008. page 49.

[ii] Ibid. page. 13.

[iii] Ibid. page 115.

[iv] Ibid. page 4.

[v] Ibid. page. 37.

The Plight of the Southern Thai’s Malay Ethnic for self autonomy

2010-01-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Most of the time when we discuss the issues of the Malay ethnic, we would comprise ourselves only to two main nation states which are Indonesia and Malaysia without having the slightest idea that there are still a blind spot of the Malay ethnic that needs a particular attention on their plight to self governance and human rights. This blind spot are the Southern Thai’s Malay ethnic.

The Southern Thailand region or once The Kingdom of Ligor (currently centred in Nakhon Si Thammarat) was once a great super power that spans almost the entire south of the Malaysian peninsular. Most of the Northern Malay states such as Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu, Perlis and even an area of Pahang honoured the protection of Ligor by sending them ‘ufti’ or protection dues in the form of ‘Bunga Emas’ (Gold Flowers). As such, the northern states of Malaysia were once the vassal’s states of the Ligor Kingdom and enjoy a certain degrees of trade relations between them.

During Phibunsongkhram era (1939-1944), the Southern Thailand regions were segregated into four main provinces which are Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, and Narathiwat. The forced assimilation programs under the Field Marshall Phibun had led to the tension arising until today between the Thai Buddhist and the Muslim Malays even though most of the Southern Thai Malays had ditched out their Muslim name, traditions and their way of life including their Malay language for the Thais assimilation programs. But it was a classic prove that assimilations would not work in the areas of plural societies.

During the colonial era, the borderline between Thailand and Malaya were very vague. The Malay Sultans were not very much familiar with the concept of the nation’s states until the arrival of the British Colonial. In the 1909, the Thai government had signed the treaty with the British government recognizing each nation’s states by a clear demarcation line in the Southern Thailand region. In 1909, the ambiguous status of the southern Thailand region was made definitive by the signing of the Anglo-Siamese agreement. In this agreement, the Thai government agreed to cede Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis to the British government and in return, the British government will recognized the ownership of Thailand on the Southern region (Satun, Pattani, Songkhla and Narathiwat).

The price of the whole area in the Anglo-Siamese treaty was that the British will loan the Thai government to funds the construction of a railway line linking Bangkok more closely to its Southern Province.

The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 was signed without contemplating these main factors:

i) The main ethnic group in the Southern Thailand Region are the Malay Muslim and have an affinity for a larger patrons for a Muslim Sultans;

ii) The area were once under the governance of a Pattani Sultanate; and

iii) The close relations between Southern Thailand regions are more interwoven with the Northern Malay states may it be religions, family ties, Royal Malay adherence (Kedah, Kelantan and Perlis) and the Malay ethnic sensitivities and this hundred years of relations can lead to tensions between the antagonistic nature of Therravada Buddhism and Malay Muslims which can be seen from 1948 to 2010.

The three main factors that I underline above have lead to numerous ethnic clashes between the Thailand government personals such as police and army (mainly comprises of Therravada Buddhism) and the Muslim Malay Ethnic community seeking for self autonomy since 1948.

To be continue...

Reference:

Michael J. Montesano and Patrick Jory, editors, Thai South and Malay North – Ethnic Interaction on a Plural Peninsular, NUS Press Singapore, 2009.

An analysis of choices involving risk

2009-12-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz B. Hj. Ismail

Most of the time when we discuss the issue of risk or an extension of a one man's patience involving risk, the reaction would be a simple orthodox analysis of an utility involving risk. Which can be translated into a simple phrase "what can be seen and contemplated outcome can be accounted as a reimbursement of a risk taken for a period of time, and if the risk taken would and might lead to a wasteful effort, then it would be an unnecessary effort to take the risk at the first place".

That was the orthodox thinking in analyzing utility involving risk. But as the world grows and the intellectual thinking develops, the product of Capitalism market had changed and swayed away the orthodox analysis of an utility when it involves risk. The power of an individuals in interpreting the outcome of his personal adventure in trying to gain self empowerment through the concept of individual ownership had shifted the connection between utility and risk to a different degree of perspectives. Since then, what is the right choice to take would depends largely on the sole individuals. Risk and utility cannot anymore be associated with physical gains but also would involves a lot of outcome such as self fulfilment, the comfort of certainty and a premium of sacrifices for a larger gain.

As such it can be seen through the fledglings of the insurance companies in the 21st Century when mankind would rather pay a sum of money out of his monthly salary for a certainty such as physical utility that involves car, house and life that are insured with a premium every month. The new phenomena with the insurance companies were never be seen especially during the Cold War can be summarized as individuals would rather choose certainty in preference of uncertainty.

But then not all certainty are good and accepted as a norms in the 21st Century. The hedge funds speculators would agree with this statement and categorized risk into a different level of rational undertakings. 1) Little or no risk at all - most of the time would not create an opportunity for wealth or can offer no satisfaction of a utility; 2) moderate degree or risk - would create an equal chances of wealth and are acceptable if the risk taken can lead to a wasteful event; 3) Much risk - with a probably an extremely gains; and 4) Highly speculative - an extremely risk.

Individuals would tend to escape risk through many ways. Some of them would sacrifice a sum of their monthly salary and some of them would risk losing many more for a proportion of contemplated gains. There is no right or wrong answers of an acceptable degree of risk when one can still claim that through a loss in accepting risk, one's can still gain an experience of a loss. Maybe the best way to analyze and contemplated risk is by understanding one's own need and one's own desire.

References:

Milton Friendman, On Economics - Selected Papers, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago & London, 2006.

Young Dr. Mahathir and Langkawi

2009-12-20T06:01:00.000-08:00

View from the first office of Dr. Mahathir in Langkawi

There was a time when I was baffled thinking about the real connection between Dr. Mahathir and Langkawi. What's so special about this island that really catches the attention of a man born hundreds of miles away [in Alor Setar] from this lonely island separated by the myths and legend of a curse bear upon by the mistakes of its peoples.

The interior

And during my long week stay in Langkawi, I got the answer that I was looking for. The lost chain between a life of a statesman and the lonely secluded island that were much of an alien to civilization. A good friend of mine told an unknown story between Langkawi and Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. How such a man get to be so close with Langkawi and how such an alien place were so special this statesman heart. They said, no man is an island. So does Langkawi and a man named Mahathir Mohamad.

Gone were the days where the young Mahathir Mohamad was a government practitioner. He was young, ambitious and a fresh graduates practicing medics in a government hospital in Alor Setar. The former director of the Alor Setar General Hospital would tell how much hard headed the man was in his young age. Dr. Mahathir sure has his own ideas in his daily practice as a medical doctor and such an attitude would invite a lot of troubles between him and the GH Director. As such he got his first baptism under fire when he fell into disagreement with the former General Hospital Director in Alor Setar as a consequence, he would be be sent to Langkawi. Langkawi those days (1940-1950s) was a place to cast away a hard headed government servants and this can be vouch for the experience of an also the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman when he was an assistant district officer in the state of Kedah.

The first office of young Dr. Mahathir in Langkawi

That was the time when Dr. Mahathir fall in love with the island and saw the true potentials of the Island as a tourist destination. Later in life in the 1980s when he was at the right helm to make a difference, he changed Langkawi and turn it into one of the best tourist destination in the country. The island had changed the man when the man was a lonely island and the man has given back what he could to the place that loved him. When nobody accepted Mahathirism, Langkawi was willing than happy to receive him. And that is the connection I was looking for before this.

Professional Business Malay Managers

2009-11-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

Manager

Professional Business Malay Managers

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Hj. Ismail

The Malay race is a race of very good administrators. This statement had been proved through the testament of numerous achievements in the period of 52 years of national independence. Through this period of nation buildings, the Malay race had dominated the civil service of Malaysia. As such you can say that the Malays had been managing the country very well disregard of differences arises such as other minority race that dwelled in Malaysia. The achievement mentioned can be seen through the introduction of various well worth economic policy intended to rectify the problems left by the British through their hundred years of divide and rule policy.

Even though the Malays were left quite far behind by other minority race such as the Indians and the Chinese at the early period of nation independence, the essence quality of the Malays to determine what is right or wrong cannot be debated. This can be proved through the confusing and turbulence years of Communist challenge where the Malays were adamant not to be swallowed by the ideas of egalitarian and equality offered by the Communist beliefs despite the fact that they were at the lowest rung of the economic achievement in Malaysia. The Malay police and Armed Forces proved to be the most professional in honouring the responsibilities given to them even by the British Military Command. These were also seen through the public service whereas no one had taken a selfish step to enrich their family and friends despite the fact that the rules and regulations on corruption were dismal during the early period of nation building.

The road to nationhood in the period of the Cold War had proved to be vital for the Malay race. In the early 1970s with the introduction of the New Economic Policy, the Malay race was given a broad opportunity to climb up the ladder of the economic cake through market distortion by the government interference. Although not many Malays had taken an active participation in the policy, the 20 year period of NEP had manage to bring a more stable and an acceptable position for the Malays compared at the period of the early independence.

This crash course of the market system and Capitalism at large managed to bring an active participation for the Malays in the domestic market later on. As such, the Malaysian government had devised a plan which called Malaysia Incorporated in aiming at more participation for the business Malay professionals taken from the government sector to manage and steer the economy through government companies (also known as GLCs). The effort to bring and encourage more business professionals from the government sector mostly Malay administrator had once again proved effective in halving the government expenditure of services and reaping profits for profitable industry such as energy and government resources. This once again had proved that the Malay professional is a good administrator.

Although the record of success are not 100% perfect, but the Malay race can be proud of the track record and they can rubbish any claim or statement done by others saying that the Malays are a lousy business minded. I believe, if the government of the day can devise a more innovative scheme to encourage the best mind of Malay the business professional that can be tap and considered “understudy” in the government sector, Malaysia might achieve the target to be a developed nation by the year 2020. There must be more opportunity offered to the Malay business professional in the government to proved ones worth through GLCs. This success assessment can be done through monthly or yearly report of key performance indexes and should a candidate cannot achieve the target aimed, then he can be remove and replace by other business professional tap from the pool of government servants. Malaysia has many of the so called business Malay professional that can manage a profit oriented companies thus bringing more wealth for Malaysia.

Quedah Malays

2009-11-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Teddy

17 November 2009 - It's been almost a year I've been at the Tourism department. So much had been left and I do not deny the fact that I've been missing the critical part in me especially enduring my own self inquiry mostly on economic matters. It's not that I've lost touch on the current economic situation but then I believe Malaysia is on the right track under the right leadership of Najib Tun Razak that I believe can steer this great nations to much success in the future.

Life in the Tourism department had been fun, but most of all and what's important to me is that I got an opportunity to travel and see from close range the progress of the Malays race. I love this people (The Malays). The ethnography of this unique race plus its culture and warmness touch the soul in me. Most of the places that I went, this race differs from one and another. I couldn't kept to myself then wonder that even though the Malays shared the same religion and almost their traditional understanding of life is much the same, but there still some part of them still segregate their style and the way they saw ones life.

I couldn't hide, even how much differs or you can say similar they are, I always find Kedahans the most unique of them all. Maybe my views on them were influenced by series of close experienced contacts through wondrous fate, but I love them the most. The easy life of their agrarian culture and much of the very distinct dialects puts me in a positions of more inquiry on this particular Malays. The history and traditional aspects really touch me inside even people would argue that the South Malays were more cultured and some would make an arguments that I'm forgetting my east ancestry. I love my life and where I came from and above all I love this feeling of larger life where God bequeath me with in depth understanding of richness. The de fact of life wouldn't matters to me because we couldn't choose to came from instead we are given a choice to cherish life.

I would talk more on this feeling as I've understood the meaning that "the grass is greener on the west coast compared to east coast paddy field."

Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Mahathir and Langkawi

2009-11-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

Langkawi

Langkawi will always be special to two Malaysia's statesman. This island truly had a magical power and do make a difference to particular individuals who prefer to understand oneself especially one true soul. Tunku Abdul Rahman once was an assistant district officer in Langkawi during the 1920s. During his short stint at this island, Tunku learned to study and understand the beautiful culture of the rural Malays. Tunku realized Kedahans (people of Kedah) are very different from other Malays. Their culture, history and soul touches the essence of human true behavior. The legendary story of Mahsuri innocence were popularized first by Tunku.

By learning and understanding the story of Mahsuri then Tunku realized the importance of believing his instinct especially when his heart was very strong with human emotions. During his time as a government servant in Langkawi, Tunku showed his love to the island by bringing development to the town of Kuah and cared for the people using his own money.

Tun Mahathir once had an experience as a practitioner in Langkawi. During his short stint as a medical officer in Alor Setar, he also travels to Langkawi to give medical services to the local community there. He understood the people and the island and also his true self. There were practically no road to connect the rural areas in Langkawi. One could imagine the hard effort he took to go to one places and another in giving medical services around Langkawi. During this period he realized what he should and could do to mend up and upgrade the quality of life of Langkawi Malays. And during this period too I believe he started to realized that he can make a difference.

Me at office today

2009-10-06T04:31:00.001-07:00

Picture of me taken today

Signifikasi Sumbangan Sukan Formula 1 Kepada Pembangunan Negara

2009-10-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

1Malaysia F1 Team

Oleh: En. Zahri Ismail

Pengarah 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd.

Pengenalan

Rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya menyambut baik usaha syarikat tempatan 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd. di dalam ekspedisi perlumbaan Formula 1 bermula pada tahun hadapan. Ucapan tahniah wajar diberikan kepada syarikat ini dan pihak yang berkaitan seperti Tune Group, Naza Group dan Litespeed UK kerana berjaya mencipta sejarah sebagai syarikat nasional Malaysia yang pertama berjaya mendapatkan hak perlumbaan sebagai salah satu daripada pesaing dari kalangan 13 pasukan yang disahkan akan bertanding di dalam perlumbaan F1 untuk tahun 2010. Hak perlumbaan syarikat 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd. ini mendahului pasukan terkemuka BMW Sauber yang diletakkan di grid 14 (wildcard) berbanding pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia walaupun baru pertama kali didaftarkan di bawah FIA. Ini menunjukkan betapa yakinnya FIA kepada pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia untuk bersaing di dalam sukan yang paling berprestij di dunia.

Penubuhan pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini adalah amat bertepatan dengan usaha pembudayaan kecemerlangan dari kalangan rakyat Malaysia yang berbilang kaum yang diwar-warkan sebelum ini oleh Y.A.B. Perdana Menteri Malaysia melalui konsep 1Malaysia. Pasukan Litespeed yang berpusat di Norfolk, United Kingdom yang berjaya mendapatkan hak penggunaan nama pasukan Lotus F1 ini akan menggembling tenaga dan fikiran serta modal bersama Tune Group dan NAZA Group dan pasukan Lotus F1 Team ini akan diuruskan sepenuhnya oleh rakyat Malaysia melalui syarikat 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd. Berkat sokongan penuh kerajaan Malaysia melalui penyaluran pelaburan dan modal untuk rancangan pembangunan jangka panjang pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini melalui Proton Holdings Bhd. yang memegang ekuiti terbesar Lotus Company, usaha pasukan Lotus F1 Team ini akan memberikan pulangan jangka masa panjang kepada aspek pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan terutamanya dari sudut teknologi dan teknikal kepada rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya khusus di dalam usaha Malaysia untuk menjadi negara maju menjelang tahun 2020.

Pengurusan anak tempatan

Pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini akan menyertai beberapa pasukan baru yang turut mendapat kelulusan untuk bertanding pada tahun 2010 iaitu pasukan dari Sepanyol Campos, Manor Motorsports dari UK, dan USF1 dari Amerika Syarikat.

Matlamat pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini akan bertambah menarik dan sengit berikutan matlamat kita adalah seakan sama dengan usaha dan matlamat pasukan baru USF1 dari Amerika Syarikat dimana pasukan USF1 ini akan diketuai oleh pemandu veteran F1 iaitu Peter Windsdor dan Ken Anderson di dalam usaha mereka untuk turut membuktikan keupayaan teknologi, keupayaan pemandu dan semangat juang Amerika Syarikat untuk bertanding di dalam siri perlumbaan berteknologi tinggi F1.

Untuk permulaan, enjin yang digunakan oleh pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini akan menggunakan teknologi dari Cosworth, teknologi transmisi dari Xtrac dan teknologi aerodinamik dari FondTech serta pusat kecemerlangan pasukan ini akan beribu pejabat di Kilang RTN di Norfolk, England. Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia juga berjaya mendapatkan hak pajakan untuk penggunaan Kilang RTN di Norfolk yang terletak 10 kilometer dari Kilang Lotus (milik Proton Holdings Bhd.). Rancangan pembangunan berkala untuk pasukan Lotus F1 ini telah direncanakan untuk dipindahkan dari Britain ke Litar F1 Sepang secara keseluruhan untuk tempoh 10 tahun akan datang sehingga pusat kecemerlangan baru dibina dikawasan seluas 8 hektar di Sepang yang mampu menempatkan pusat penyelidikan berkeupayaan tinggi dari aspek teknikal dan pembuatan menjelang 2020. Usaha pembangunan pusat kecemerlangan teknologi automotif berimpak tinggi di Sepang ini merangkumi pusat R&D F1 dan terowong angin yang secara tidak langsung akan menambahkan kapasiti pembangunan modal insan di Malaysia selain daripada pusat kecemerlangan R&D milik Proton di Shah Alam. Setakat ini kawasan seluas 8 hektar di Sepang telah dikenalpasti sebagai pusat kecemerlangan bagi penyelidikan dan pembangunan pasukan Lotus F1 Team di Malaysia.

Walaupun pada mulanya pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini akan diuruskan secara bersama dari kalangan orang asing dan anak tempatan, namun usaha pemindahan teknologi dan perkongsian ilmu pengetahuan ini akan dilakukan secara berterusan sehingga diuruskan secara 100% oleh anak tempatan termasuk dari sudut teknikal. Dengan adanya pasukan F1 Team yang diuruskan oleh anak tempatan ini, ia akan membantu dan melonjakkan negara sebagai sebuah negara yang mengutamakan prestasi pencapaian dan kecemerlangan terutamanya di dalam industri berteknologi tinggi dan menggalakkan inovasi produk baru dan menekankan industri pembuatan. Usahasama yang dicapai secara tempatan antara Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS di dalam inovasi produk berkelas tinggi seperti F1 ini akan membantu mencipta peluang kerjaya dan pembangunan insan kepada anak tempatan bagi memperkembangan bakat dan ilmu pengetahuan yang diperolehi khususnya di dalam sukan F1 dan industri automotif tempatan.

Kejayaan aspek pengurusan pasukan Lotus F1 ini bergantung kepada pencapaian keseluruhan pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia untuk lima tahun akan datang. Sehubungan itu, sokongan yang jitu adalah diperlukan dari semua organisasi dan segenap lapisan rakyat Malaysia untuk melihat pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini berjaya khususnya dari sudut promosi dan penglibatan secara langsung dan tidak langsung.

Sumbangan sukan F1

Sukan F1 ternyata telah terbukti dalam meletakkan Malaysia di peta dunia sejak tahun 1999. Sukan F1 ini juga turut menyumbang kepada aspek promosi negara sebagai sebuah pusat kecemerlangan dan pusat pelancongan unggul di dunia. Untuk berada dari kalangan negara yang berjaya menganjurkan sukan paling berprestij ini akan berjaya membuktikan betapa masyarakat dan suasana pasaran ekonomi di Malaysia adalah stabil dan berimpak tinggi. Ini akan membuktikan secara tuntas kepada dunia bahawa Malaysia adalah sehebat negara-negara maju di dunia khususnya yang turut menganjurkan sukan F1 seperti Jepun, Monaco, Itali, Sepanyol, Jerman dan banyak lagi.

Tidak hairanlah negara kecil seperti Singapura turut berusaha untuk menganjurkan sukan F1 walaupun Litar F1 Sepang telah diberikan hak penganjuran bagi rantau Asia Tenggara sehingga tahun 2015. Saingan sengit dari negara jiran ini membuktikan betapa sukan F1 berjaya mempromosikan sesebuah negara dari sudut pelancongan sukan jika diambil kira jumlah penonton yang mengikuti sukan F1 ini adalah sebanyak 800 juta orang dari seluruh dunia setiap dua minggu sekali. Perlu diingatkan juga, pengikut sukan F1 adalah terdiri daripada golongan yang mempunyai kuasa beli yang tinggi dan ini bermakna mereka akan turut melancong ke negara-negara yang menganjurkan sukan tersebut membawa aliran tunai yang akan memberikan pertumbuhan positif kepada aspek pembangunan negara. Kelebihan relatif ini turut mempromosikan produk pelancongan yang ada di Malaysia secara tidak langsung. Maka tidak hairanlah Jean Todt (Pengarah Teknikal Ferarri) telah dipilih sebagai duta pelancongan oleh Malaysia berikutan pengaruh beliau yang besar yang mampu diberikan ditarik dalam mempromosikan Malaysia bukan sahaja dari kalangan mereka yang terlibat di dalam sukan F1, malah peminat F1 secara keseluruan dari seluruh dunia.

Dengan melibatkan diri di dalam sukan F1 ini juga, mana-mana syarikat dan organisasi swasta mampu mempromosikan produk mereka kepada pasaran yang lebih luas khususnya kepada kalangan penduduk negara maju yang mempunyai kuasa beli yang tinggi. Ini dapat dilihat melalui pelaburan yang dibuat oleh syarikat-syarikat besar di dalam program penajaan mereka kepada mana-mana pasukan F1 yang bersaing seperti penajaan yang telah dilakukan oleh pasukan PETRONAS sejak tahun 1995. Penajaan yang dilakukan oleh PETRONAS ini telah berjaya meletakkan jenama PETRONAS sebagai sebuah produk berprestasi tinggi dan ini dibuktikan melalui penglibatan di dalam sukan berimpak luar biasa seperti F1. Memegang kepada asas inilah maka PROTON turut melihat kepada usaha pembangunan pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia sebagai eksperimen terbaik bagi pembangunan produk-produk PROTON yang berprestasi tinggi dan mampu dibuktikan melalui siri perlumbaan yang bersifat ‘cutting edge technology’ ini. Usaha ini akan menambahkan keyakinan dari kalangan pembeli kepada produk buatan PROTON.

Kesan tidak langsung pula adalah untuk pembangunan jangka masa panjang kepada rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhan seperti pembangunan dan pembuatan kenderaan yang ekonomikal, selamat serta bersifat efisien tenaga yang boleh dicapai melalui R&D pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia. Sebagai contohnya, dalam pembinaan kenderaan daripada bahan komposit yang selamat bukan sahaja akan mencipta kenderaan bersifat mesra alam, malah selamat serta mampu milik. Secara keseluruhannya, pelaburan yang dibuat ke atas Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia akan memberikan kelebihan secara relatif kepada aspek teknologi, industri pembuatan dan sosio budaya kepada rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya.

Penutup

Pasukan Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia ini bukan dimiliki oleh beberapa kumpulan individu sahaja, malah adalah hak milik semua rakyat Malaysia. Di dalam pembentukan pasukan ini, semangat “1Malaysia”, Rakyat Didahulukan. Pencapaian Diutamakan menjadi teras pegangan dan prinsip pembentukan. Kejayaan pasukan ini akan membuktikan kebersaingan rakyat Malaysia di pentas antarabangsa. Ianya akan turut membuktikan bahawa rakyat Malaysia mampu untuk menguruskan pasukan berimpak tinggi yang mampu bersaing dengan cekap menggunakan inovasi produk berteknologi tinggi dari sumber dan idea tempatan.

[Tun Teddy would be involve closely with the 1Malaysia F1 Team project, feel free to give your views and ideas on the establishment of these high impact cutting edge team]

Kesinambungan Pemahaman Dasar Luar Amerika Syarikat Terhadap Malaysia

2009-09-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

[Artikel ini ditulis oleh rakan karib saya yang merupakan warganegara Amerika Syarikat dan kini menetap di Kansas City, Amerika Syarikat. Artikel ini juga telah dipaparkan di surat khabar Berita Harian pada 5 September 2009.]

Oleh: Lino Miani

Dasar Luar Negara A.S. Dari Sudut Akademik

Ekoran peristiwa serangan terhadap Amerika Syarikat pada 11 September 2001 dan Perang Sedunia Bagi Menentang Keganasan yang menyusulinya, perhubungan Malaysia dengan negara-negara Barat, khususnya Amerika Syarikat, telah menghadapi beberapa cabaran yang tidak wujud sebelum itu. Adakalanya kedua-dua belah pihak seakan-akan kebuntuan dan gagal menyampaikan mesej yang ingin disampaikan. Sesetengah pihak beranggapan bahawa keadaan ini adalah akibat pertembungan antara dua tamadun yang tidak memungkinkan sebarang persefahaman bersama. Namun, pandangan ini tidak mengendahkan langsung tradisi saling interaksi aman yang sudah lama wujud dari segi ekonomi, politik, dan juga pertahanan. Dari segi hubungan Malaysia-A.S., tradisi kerjasama dalam bidang pertahanan dalam bentuk pertukaran para pegawai dan latihan bersama oleh pihak angkatan tentera dan polis dari kedua-dua buah negara masih berterusan sehingga ke hari ini. Memandangkan imbangan kuasa dunia kini semakin menjurus ke arah timur dan Malaysia semakin hampir mencapai matlamat pembangunan sebagaimana yang dirangkakan dalam Wawasan 2020, sudah tiba masanya hubungan budaya dan sosial antara kedua-dua buah negara ini diperkembangkan lagi supaya menjadi lebih bermakna. Dari segi inilah saya memainkan peranan.

Hubungan saya dengan Malaysia bermula sejak tahun 2004 apabila saya tiba ke sini buat kali pertama untuk menyertai beberapa latihan bersama dengan Tentera dan Polis Malaysia. Saya berpangkat Major dalam Tentera Amerika Syarikat dan veteran dalam misi-misi yang serupa di beberapa negara Asia Tenggara yang lain. Walaupun dengan pengalaman saya yang agak luas di rantau ini, saya masih berasa terpegun dengan keindahan Putrajaya yang tersergam (di mana saya menghadiri suatu mesyuarat) dan amat tertarik dengan kecekapan para pentadbir Malaysia serta mutu tinggi para pegawai polis dan askar-askar yang berlatih bersama-sama saya. Oleh itu, bila saya diberi peluang untuk kembali ke Malaysia, saya dengan berbesar hati menerima jawatan tetap di sini sebagai sarjana Yayasan George dan Carol Olmsted.

Biasiswa Yayasan Olmsted

Pengalaman beliau di China dan India semasa Perang Dunia Kedua telah memberikan ilham kepada Major Jeneral George Olmsted yang bertugas dalam Tentera A.S. untuk menubuhkan Yayasan George dan Carol Olmsted pada tahun 1957. Yayasan ini bertujuan menyediakan perkhidmatan bantuan kepada para pegawai Amerika yang tidak biasa dengan budaya-budaya asing. Beliau merupakan seorang usahawan sebelum dan selepas Perang Dunia Kedua dan berpegang pada prinsip bahawa seseorang pemimpin yang terbaik perlu mempunyai pelajaran yang luas. Justeru itu, beliau telah membentuk Program Sarjana Olmsted bagi memaksimumkan pemahaman para sarjana dari segi bahasa, budaya, dan politik wilayah yang dipelajari. Program ini memberi peluang kepada para pegawai tentera Amerika untuk mengikuti pengajian peringkat sarjana di luar negara. Peruntukan belanja yang disediakan termasuk latihan bahasa, tuisyen, dan kos perjalanan di rantau tersebut supaya para sarjana dapat menghayati sendiri dinamik negara tuan rumah.

Sebagai pegawai tentera yang terlibat dalam suatu program akademik yang amat mengkhusus, para sarjana Olmsted berpeluang untuk bergaul dengan keratan lintang masyarakat yang amat luas di negara tuan rumah. Mereka akan menjalinkan hubungan dengan masyarakat akademik dan keselamatan, para menteri kerajaan, para usahawan, kor diplomatik antarabangsa, malahan juga kerabat diraja. Para sarjana Olmsted membentuk hubungan peribadi sepanjang hayat dengan rakan-rakan sejawat di negara tuan rumah, iaitu pertalian peribadi yang amat penting bagi merapatkan jurang perbezaan antara budaya. Apabila rakan-rakan sejawat ini semakin meningkat pengaruh mereka dalam bidang akademik, politik, ketenteraan, dan perniagaan, mereka akan membentuk suatu potensi ke arah persefahaman yang lebih tinggi dan menjadi talian hubungan langsung antara negara-negara mereka dan Amerika Syarikat.

Yayasan Olmsted dan Malaysia

Pada tahun 1959, iaitu dua tahun selepas penubuhan yayasan Olmsted, enam orang sarjana telah memulakan pengajian mereka di luar negara. Pada waktu itu, Eropah Barat merupakan satu-satunya kawasan penting dari segi strategi yang mampu menawarkan keselamatan dan institusi-institusi akademik bagi penempatan para sarjana Olmsted. Rantau di Asia dan Amerika Latin pada ketika itu masih tidak tenteram dan Perang Dingin pula menghalang para sarjana ditempatkan di universiti di negara-negara Pakatan Warsaw. Lima puluh tahun kemudian, agihan para sarjana Olmsted telah mencerminkan keruntuhan Tabir Besi. Ini disusuli pula dengan kemunculan secara mendadak negara-negara membangun di seluruh dunia yang memperlihatkan peningkatan bilangan sarjana yang mengikuti pengajian di Afrika, bekas Kesatuan Soviet, Timur Tengah, Amerika Selatan, dan Asia khususnya. Sepanjang sejarah 50 tahun program ini, seramai 508 sarjana Olmsted telah melanjutkan pengajian mereka di 58 buah negara menggunakan 42 bahasa asing. Sepanjang lima tahun kebelakangan ini sahaja, peratusan sarjana yang mengikuti pengajian di Asia Timur dan Asia Selatan telah meningkat kepada 40 peratus, iaitu peningkatan sebanyak 20 peratus berbanding dekad sebelumnya.

Saya amat berbangga untuk menyatakan bahawa saya merupakan Sarjana Olmsted yang pertama di Malaysia tetapi saya bukanlah yang terakhir. Pengalaman berharga yang saya peroleh di sini telah meyakinkan Yayasan Olmsted untuk menghantar Sarjana kedua yang akan memulakan pengajiannya di Universiti Malaya (UM) pada bulan Julai tahun ini. Seperti saya, beliau juga akan mengikuti pengajian peringkat sarjana dalam Kajian Strategi dan Pertahanan di Jabatan Kajian Antarabangsa dan Strategi, Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial. Saya beranggapan bahawa beliau telah membuat pilihan yang baik. Ini kerana Jabatan tersebut secara konsisten telah berjaya mengekalkan tarafnya dalam senarai 100 program kajian antarabangsa terbaik di dunia serta mempunyai khidmat pakar tentang keselamatan Asia di kalangan yang paling dihormati di rantau ini.

Ramai di kalangan kenalan saya di Malaysia (dan juga beberapa rakan senegara) telah bertanya kepada saya mengapa saya memilih untuk melanjutkan pelajaran di sini walhal ramai di antara rakan pegawai tentera telah menerima fellowship bagi program-program berprestij di Harvard, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, dan lain-lain. Walaupun saya boleh menyertai Berkeley atau Columbia, di UM saya berpeluang berinteraksi dan menyertai perbincangan sebelah malam tentang isu-isu kontemporari yang rumit berkaitan keselamatan sedunia dengan rakan-rakan kelas dari dua belas buah negara seperti Timur Tengah, Afrika, Eropah, dan juga Asia Selatan, Asia Tengah dan Asia Timur. Saya percaya bahawa persekitaran yang sedemikian, di mana saya berada di kalangan rakan-rakan sejawat dari seluruh dunia, adalah lebih mencabar dari segi intelektual dan lebih mencerminkan pelbagai budaya dan politik sedunia berbanding apa yang saya akan alami di dalam kelas di Amerika Syarikat.

Renungan Pengalaman Selama Tiga Tahun di Malaysia

Salah satu matlamat Program Sarjana Olmsted adalah bagi “meningkatkan kepekaan [sarjana] terhadap sudut pandangan, budaya, dan kebimbangan masyarakat di seluruh dunia.” Secara peribadi, saya percaya bahawa program ini telah berjaya mencapai matlamat tersebut dan saya telah banyak meraih manfaat daripada pengalaman saya di negara yang menarik dan menakjubkan ini. Saya berharap dan berdoa agar pemahaman yang saya peroleh di sini akan dapat membantu saya dalam usaha mencari penyelesaian terhadap masalah-masalah keselamatan bersama yang dihadapi oleh kedua-dua buah negara, baik di masa kini mahupun di masa hadapan.

Bagi mendapatkan maklumat lanjut, sila layari laman web Yayasan Olmsted di www.olmstedfoundation.org. Sila hantarkan sebarang soalan kepada saya, baik dalam bahasa Inggeris ataupun bahasa Melayu, melalui laman web ini.

Iftar in PWTC

2009-09-07T08:17:00.001-07:00

Teddy, 7 September 2009

Had an Iftar with friends at PWTC today. Great friends and great job. I'm blessed with love, hope I can finish my book by the end of this year.

How Socialism and Mixed Markets (confused Capitalism) Destroyed Malaysian Economy

2009-09-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

How Socialism and Mixed Markets (confused Capitalism) Destroyed Malaysian Economy

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Malaysia went through the 21^st Century with a confused economic market. Losing it’s competitiveness to the newly developing nations mostly from the old block of Communist countries in Southeast Asia particularly Vietnam. The concerned issues were not only the Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs) were siphoned out of the Malaysian domestic markets but also the shifting of the potentially new growth areas such as Halal Industry where the Capital seems to be uninterested and nowadays are more interested to venture into another form of business profits in other countries where there seems to be no boundaries in everything.

The new kind of markets that currently are developing in the 21^st Century cannot be comprehended by the Malaysian policy makers. End were the days of the government spending makes the domestic economy moving and enter the new type of business warfare where efficiency, sharp edges developmental initiatives, and peoples power (democracy) is spearheading the nations development. One of the most important factors that were not understood by the Malaysian policy makers were consumer demand and consumer purchasing power. These two factors determine how the domestic markets behave and up to an extent explained how the well being of the domestic communities were measured mostly resulted a referendum through the ballot box.

During the Cold War, Malaysian economy took a safe passageway by adopting the so called mixed markets systems where private enterprises were controlled thoroughly by the government. It is understandable that by taking such a mixed markets policy, Malaysia would create a friendly relation among both block either the Capitalist or the Communist. This method does give an advantage towards Malaysia where at that time they were only competing mostly among the few democratic Capitalist countries such as Singapore, and others were a failed state such as Philippines that at that time were marred by unending corrupt authoritarian regime meanwhile an industrious countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia were still closing its domestic market from foreign competition. This scenario changed abruptly in the 21^st Century where an industrious country such as Vietnam begins to open its markets to open trade and open competition.

Mixed markets systems sound very benign but on reality they are meaningless. Mixed markets would encourage the government to spend money endlessly in an effort to create a consumer demand. Most of the spending done is without bearing where the emphasized would only be the amount of the spending not on the effect of the spending done. There would be no break even point to determine how successes the spending efforts were done but only on who the spending had been made. This would only create an unproductive community marred by corrupt practices among the government agencies themselves. Not to mention the unproductive and uncompetitive psychological effects among the citizens that keeps asking for government assistance in their daily life.

Mixed markets systems had created a confused domestic market with an unbalanced psychological effect towards the Malaysian consumers. In lieu of the situations, the domestic markets is having a difficulties in determining the true demand of the domestic consumers as this can be see through the experienced of a glitch in the chain of the food supplies such as sugar, flour or cooking oil especially during the festive seasons where the usage of these materials were far high than usual. This problem arises due to how unnecessarily the government intervenes in the reactive markets of price and demands where normatively the government would impose a cap on the price of an item to stem inflation. Even benign in the intention, but such a quixotic method would destroy the connection between price and demand which would result in difficulties among the traders or suppliers to supply the demanded items to the consumer especially into where, when and what amount?

The above problems happens in the semi open domestic markets where the current consumers are having a high purchasing power to purchase basically anything that they coveted but on the contrary not the daily necessaries. This classic Soviet Russia problem happened in Malaysia in the new era due to the break up of the chain of supply and demand factors and the absence of the price signal to the private enterprises in order for them to give services unto the vacuum of a basic essentials in the domestic market and a surely profited demands stemmed unnecessarily by the kiasu government.

Reference:

The Economics of Innocent Fraud by John Kenneth Galbraith. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston – New York, 2004.

Missed opportunities

2009-08-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Robert McNamara and President Johnson

Missed opportunities

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Hj. Ismail

In dealing with policy matters, we cannot neglect the importance of having the right information before making a decision. We must also need to differentiate between just information and the right information as this article alone will only focus in understanding what the meaning of we called as “missed opportunities”. Most of the flawed policy decision in the past were made mostly either it was decided harshly, or without adequate guiding facts that can lead to a proper understanding of the issues/ situations or merely due to the wrong facts supplied by the surroundings or even the inner circles of policy makers.

As the policy makers, the guiding principles were meant for them to make the right decision based on the right facts. Policies were first made as a law/ guidelines to inculcate norms within the society which intended for the good/ betterment/ as a moral virtue of the community as a whole. Before deciding on such policy, information is needed either to guide the decision makers or to make them understand a certain issues that need to settle upon.

The most important factor in making the right decision is to get the right information beforehand any irretrievable decision were made as such big issues need an iron stamping decision. To get such guiding facts, policy makers/ leaders/ managers can retrieve it through various ways such as:-

(i) Conference;

(ii) Fact finding mission;

(iii) Research (must be valid);

(iv) Interviews;

(v) Negotiations;

(vi) Dialogue; and

(vii) Intelligence work.

This is important as a decision made before putting down any policy usually will effects a lot of peoples and sometimes would even endanger a life and the decision itself is incontrovertible. Most of the failed past policies were made due to the incompetent management on the part of getting the right information before any hard decision were made. These were known as “missed opportunities”. And most of us usually would discover the missed opportunities through a post-mortem/the effect of a debacle happened due to the decision made in the past.

A good leader would discover the so called “missed opportunities” before any decision are made.

Reference:

An Argument Without End by Robert S. McNamara. Public Affairs New York, 1999.

Picnic at Sungai Congkak

2009-08-18T09:02:00.001-07:00

Me and Nazrie (the coolest friend)

Me in the river

Teddy

Teddy and great friends

We had fun that day

Me at Sg. Congkak last Saturday

Tun Teddy in the office, Friday 14th August 2009

2009-08-14T02:23:00.000-07:00

Teddy caught reading in the office

Teddy, 14th August 2009

14 August 2009 - Qairil took a photo of me in the office today. See how broad my smile is. I do thankful to God for all the good things He gave to me. I can sense it clearly without any doubt that Allah loves me.

Jonker Walk, Malacca August 2009

2009-08-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

Teddy, Razi, Farhan, Sha, Fahmy and Ganesha from Tourism

At the Malacca river jetty

Before boarding the boat

At the Malacca Square

Great time at the Jonker Walk

I love this moment

Touch the pulse of the people

2009-08-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

13 August 2009 - I had a conversation with a colleague of mine. Perhaps one of the most important point that she had mentioned today. For us to serve the people, we need to be close to the grass root. Touch the pulse of the peoples. In doing so, ones cannot run away from the fact that we had to sacrifice part of our life. But then, who said this job would be easy. Bless all the great public servants out there... there are many of them.

Teddy enjoying quiet moment in Awana Genting

2009-08-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

Teddy reading

6 August 2009 - This is a photo of me enjoying my quality time reading at Awana Genting Highland. Hope this good moment continues. Thank you Allah!

Great time in Port Dickson

2009-08-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

Teddy just playing around...

I love you all...

30 July 2009 - I haven't had a great time like this for years. Who I am makes a difference to the world.

Au Revoir Yasmin Ahmad...

2009-07-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

25 July 2009 - Au revoir Yasmin Ahmad... I love you forever! God bless your soul..

What makes the capital flow as usual during this hard time

2009-07-22T06:51:00.000-07:00

22 July 2009 - I believe the citizen of the world are still waiting for the next big thing after the crash of 2008 especially in restarting the global economy, or else this year World Economic Forum in Davos would be discussing the same thing as last year or the know-nothing would resort to blame someone else for the crash perhaps Greenspan, Capitalism or mankind.

The global markets desperately in need of a new product in the market that can make consumer go crazy in their spending. I've saw an ill-attempt by the know-nothing in the government that were trying to courage consumer in spending without realizing the true nature of why consumer do spend their money. The ill-consumed, half-baked policy, events, or even guidelines that were thought as a catapult in consumer spending is totally useless. Consumer spends because they are confident of the market environment plus with the believe that they really do need to spend.

Especially during hard time such as this where capital is scant and very hard to find, what the market do need for its vigour is new products that are innovative, energy-saving, cheap and really in need. That's why I want to emphasize that the simplest thing that can make domestic market flourish with consumer capital is something that can make their life better. But the only company that were doing this at the moment maybe the Tata Motors with their Nano.

I haven't seen any company that were taking advantage of the current low demand of crude oil in making a consumer friendly, energy saving products such as plane that do not rely on jet fuel. Not even a single energy giant that were even trying to procure another way of amassing power except through cheap, old and unfriendly crude oil. Nobody even learn why the 9/11 tragedy happen. And that is the reason why I do not feel sorry for the world when the crude oil once again reaches USD 150 perhaps in a year.

The real concept of 1Malaysia

2009-07-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

"How could I be? How can anyone who abhors the oppression of Negroes be in favour of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degenaracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation we began by declaring that "all men are created equal". We now practically read it "all men are created equal except negroes." When the Know-nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes and foreigners and Catholics." When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty, - to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy."

Abraham Lincoln letter to Joshua F. Speed (his close friend), 1854.

on PPSMI decision by Muhyiddin today

2009-07-08T01:05:00.000-07:00

8 July 2009 - This is a half past six nation with no brains!

Desa Paku, Melaka

2009-07-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

In Desa Paku, Melaka

3 July 2009 - I had a chance to visit Desa Paku in Melaka with a few delegates. It was a very beautiful evening. I still remember what Mah Muslim told us that day. "All of this area is an image of me". Not many people talk like that these days anymore.

Michael Owen

2009-07-02T18:06:00.000-07:00

3 July 2009 - I have to admit it that I'm a big fans of Michael Owen. Since the day of my childhood, my room wall was full of Owen's posters. I hope he will pass the medical test and join Manchester United soon. And definitely he will deliver a lot of goals for any club that he plays for. I hope this wish does come true.

Mencipta Masyarakat Berpendapatan Tinggi di Malaysia

2009-06-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

Oleh : Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Pengenalan

Tidak dapat dinafikan bahawa bagi sebuah negara yang baru mencapai kemerdekaan selama 52 tahun, pencapaian Malaysia di dalam membangunkan ekonomi dan usaha meningkatkan taraf hidup masyarakatnya adalah sangat membanggakan. Penglibatan setiap lapisan masyarakat dalam meningkatkan kadar pendapatan masing-masing yang turut dipupuk melalui pengenalan polisi ekonomi yang tepat bukan sahaja telah mencipta kuasa beli yang besar di kalangan penduduk berbilang kaum malah turut meningkatkan taraf hidup sosial dan pembasmian kemiskinan secara keseluruhan. Ini berlaku melalui usaha dan galakkan kerajaan dalam memberi peluang kepada sektor swasta untuk bergerak sendiri dalam membahagikan sumber-sumber kekayaan ekonomi negara tanpa terlalu mengharapkan belas ehsan aliran modal daripada Kerajaan.

Walau bagaimanapun, perlu diingatkan bahawa semua polisi-polisi pembangunan yang dilaksanakan sejak merdeka adalah pada ketika dunia menyaksikan ideologi Kapitalisme dan Komunisme masih belum dapat dibuktikan keberkesanan masing-masing. Keadaan pasaran yang tertutup pada ketika itu terutamanya bagi negara-negara blok Komunis seperti Russia, China, Cuba, Vietnam dan Negara-negara Eropah Timur pada ketika itu telah menekan potensi pasaran yang wujud daripada berkembang dan bersaing dengan pesat. Namun setelah kejatuhan sistem Komunisme pada tahun 1992 di Rusia, keburukan sistem Komunisme secara jelas dapat dilihat terutamanya dalam penawaran produk yang tidak berkualiti dalam sesebuah pasaran serta pengurusan sumber kekayaan yang korup dan tidak terurus menyebabkan semua negara-negara di dunia mula untuk bersikap lebih terbuka kepada persaingan produk luar dan bersikap kritikal responsif terhadap keterbukaan sistem pasaran di dalam negara masing-masing. Keadaan ini menggalakkan penambahbaikan kepada produk sedia ada di dalam sesebuah pasaran dek kesedaran peri pentingnya persaingan dan kelangsungan operasi sesebuah perusahaan yang dilakukan.

Keterbukaan pasaran yang mula wujud bermula dari tahun 1992 ini menyaksikan faktor persaingan mula mempengaruhi keadaan pasaran di dalam sesebuah negara dan faktor ini bukan sahaja mempengaruhi kerancakan aliran modal masuk ke dalam sesebuah negara, malah turut mencipta peluang pasaran baru di sesebuah tempat. Faktor ini juga telah menggalakkan inovasi produk kepenggunaan yang lebih canggih dan mesra pengguna serta bersifat ekonomikal. Ditambah dengan peningkatan ilmu pengetahuan masyarakat, keadaan pasaran yang cukup positif dalam era globalosasi ini telah mencipta satu trend dimana kuasa beli adalah penentu segala-galanya. Dengan menggunakan kuasa beli yang ada inilah pasaran dikembangkan dengan lebih rancak dan pesat manakala bidang tugas Kerajaan yang memerintah adalah lebih berfokus kepada isu-isu melibatkan soal keselamatan, polisi fiskal dan penggalakkan pelaburan melalui usaha pemberian insentif suasana pembangunan yang membina di dalam sesebuah negara.

Persaingan dalam pasaran dunia baru

Persaingan yang wujud di dalam dunia pada era pasca perang dingin ini telah mempengaruhi peningkatan kadar pendapatan isirumah dengan mendadak. Ini berlaku apabila keadaan pasaran yang terbentuk pada era baru ini banyak mencipta peluang pendapatan samada secara langsung (secara fizikal seperti penawaran produk-produk) atau tidak langsung (pasif atau konsultansi seperti perkhidmatan). Keadaan pasaran baru ini juga turut menyumbang kepada kesuburan proses demokrasi dan kuasa rakyat seperti kebolehdapatan ilmu pengetahuan dan capaian maklumat-maklumat terkini tanpa batasan melalui aplikasi ICT yang terbukti turut menyumbang kepada ketelusan sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan kerajaan dan memperkemaskan integriti sesebuah kerajaan memerintah.

Perubahan kerancakan pembangunan ekonomi negara dapat dilihat dengan jelas melalui perbezaan penawaran jenis pekerjaan di dalam negara. Jika pada dekad 1970-an, 1980-an dan 1990-an, negara banyak menyaksikan penawaran peluang kerja kolar biru terutamanya pada industri pembuatan di Malaysia. Perbezaan transisi jenis pekerjaan ini berlaku dengan lebih pesat pada era 1990-an di mana tenaga buruh di Malaysia mula beralih kepada jenis pekerjaan berpendapatan kelas tinggi yang berasaskan kepada ekonomi yang dijanakan oleh ilmu pengetahuan dan pasaran yang lebih terbuka dan pelbagai pada ketika itu berbanding dekad 70-an dan 80-an.

Perbezaan tawaran peluang pekerjaan ini berlaku berlaku berikutan evolusi kuasa beli dari rakyat Malaysia dari dekad 70-an hingga 90-an yang secara tidak langsung mencipta peluang pendidikan untuk penambahbaikan heirariki pekerjaan khususnya pendapatan rendah kepada pendapatan yang lebih tinggi. Faktor peluang pendidikan yang lebih luas di institut pengajian tinggi dan rantaian tambahan kepada kuasa beli ketika itu yang mula digembling bagi mencipta keuntungan berganda di dalam sesuatu perusahaan, telah membantu meningkatkan kadar pendapatan rakyat Malaysia sedikit demi sedikit. Keadaan ini adalah bergantung kepada situasi pasaran ketika itu yang lebih bersifat terbuka di mana negara bukan sahaja banyak menerima pelaburan asing dari syarikat transnasional dengan cukup banyak tetapi juga berikutan faktor persaingan dari negara-negara Komunis yang masih belum wujud seperti China, Vietnam, Kemboja dan Laos.

Dwipolar pasaran yang wujud ini telah menghadkan potensi pasaran buruh dan menyekat persaingan wujud dari kalangan negara blok Komunis kepada pasaran buruh dari Malaysia. Keadaan ini memberikan kelebihan relatif kepada pasaran kerja dari Malaysia dan menarik minat pelaburan asing luar berikutan pasaran pekerjaan di Malaysia adalah kompetitif.

Walau bagaimanapun, perubahan pasaran dunia yang berlaku pada abad ke 21 telah menyebabkan pasaran buruh di Malaysia berubah. Ciri pekerjaan yang ditawarkan di Malaysia kini tidak lagi bertumpu kepada spesifikasi tugas yang banyak melakukan kerja-kerja bersifat operasi linear seperti pemasangan produk di sektor perkilangan, tetapi lebih kepada menggerakkan ilmu pengetahuan (Knowledge Economy) bagi mendapatkan lebih banyak keuntungan melalui pelaburan produk dan ekplorasi niche market yang lebih mendatangkan keuntungan.

Kelebihan K-ekonomi ini adalah sangat tinggi di mana ianya membantu kepada kelangsungan hidup sesebuah masyarakat dalam menggunakan sumber yang sedikit dengan lebih efisyen. Ini dapat dilihat di negara Jepun apabila mereka membincangkan berkenaan peluang pekerjaan operasi linear (buruh kasar) dan menganggap pekerjaan sebagai liabiliti dan penghalang kepada potensi buruh Jepun kepada pengembangan ekonomi yang lebih besar dan menguntungkan. Kerana itu, pasaran di Jepun dan banyak negara maju tidak pernah mengalami masalah kekurangan bekalan makanan walaupun negara mereka tidak pernah mengeluarkan sebarang produk berasaskan makanan untuk dieksport.

Perusahaan perniagaan yang berlaku di dalam pasaran yang lebih terbuka seperti kini tidak lagi beroperasi di atas sebab arahan dan obligasi kepada kerajaan memerintah tetapi lebih kepada pengembangan prestasi kapital dan keuntungan syarikat dan usaha ini secara tidak langsung akan meningkatkan kesejahteraan hidup komuniti yang menjadi hos kepada syarikat K-ekonomi ini beroperasi. Ini dapat dibuktikan apabila banyak syarikat-syarikat swasta mula menyumbang kepada pembentukan masyarakat yang lestasi dan seimbang seperti peruntukan kewangan swasta bagi pembinaan rumah anak-anak yatim, pembinaan tempat ibadah, aktiviti sukan dan rekreasi berbanding komuniti dahulu yang hanya bergantung harap semata-mata kepada dana peruntukan daripada kerajaan memerintah.

Bersambung...

Rujukan:

Post-Capitalist Society, Peter F. Drucker, HerperBusiness New York, 1994

Langkawi

2009-06-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ng pointing us a crystal formation at the pre-jurassic stone in Biodiversity Garden (private ownership) at Langkawi

17 June 2009 - For two days I had a chance to follow a delegates to watch and examine what went wrong in Langkawi, especially in their 16% decrease of tourist. We had a chance to visits Kilim Geopark, Galeria Perdana and others appealing places. The attractions is still there, but the efforts to attract tourist had long gone.

It comes to my mind, what had happened to Kampung Tok Senik, Makam Mahsuri and others? People had forgot so much about Langkawi. I spoke to one of the MCA representatives on the boat while we were touring Kilim Geopark to watch the Eagles, and to my amazements, that Chinese guys knew so much about Langkawi, it's legends and history and he loved Langkawi so much. But then, his thoughts in packaging Langkawi were thrown out by the responsible authorities. We need more thinking mind like him and we need a fast follow suit action.

So much need to be done to revamp Langkawi...

to be continue

Optimism is what we lack of... plus capital flow..

2009-06-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

14 Jun 2009 – The world market is still at stagnant mode and nothing much had change since the fall of the Lehman Brothers. But the good news is that the ripple effects of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy did not drag the whole financial bodies down with it. The last time I check we are trading well even though not the amount of the pre-2008 crash. Nonetheless we are seeing the aftershock of the Capitalism market that are moving towards an equilibrium (George Soros would disagree with me), when the inefficient market players such as General Motors are going down under.

Perhaps we should let GM fall, then we would have crumbling pieces of GM tech know-how to be distributed among the new players that are willing to take risk and innovate according to the consumer demands. GM indeed had been too big to handle and it tend to be too fragile for American entrepreneurship to delve with. GM is being selfish and too communist to stay alive. Let it fall.

I’m not worrying about General Motors so much because it only will drag the inefficient American market players down. What do I’m worried much is that since the fall of the Lehman Brothers and the fall of the crude oil price, nothing had change in the pattern of how worldwide consumers spends especially in energy consumptions. We still relied heavily on the crude oil for our daily chores and plus the amount of our dependency is increasing.

Are we really bother much about the root causes of the world terrorism? I bet we don’t, because we still let the Saudis Petrodictators dictate our consumerism and inadvertently we ourselves are funding the bigotry schism in the middle east and Afghanistan (plus some areas where we considered Saudis way of life is absolute – in Malaysia). Change must happen and it must happen now.

Kind words from a friend...

2009-06-12T04:39:00.000-07:00

"Teddy, i don't know what to say, but i will say what i know. Like John C Maxwell said " Any destination you desire in life, its purpose must be your driver" And i believe, Excellence is never granted to man, but as a reward of a great labour. You are on the right track and your success is ever sure. All the best Teddy." - Michael Nwaokeke, Nigeria.

Thanks Michael for your kind words, it really inspired and motivate me a lot. God bless you friend.

Crude oil is up

2009-05-29T02:38:00.000-07:00

29 May 2009 - The crude oil price is moving up fast quite significantly these past few days (five dollars in three days time - USD 65.79 today as the market closed). I wonder whether we still resort ourselves to the mercy of the Saudis bigotory petro-dictators or have we figure out a viable way to get out from this addiction of cheap energy. It's not gonna be so cheap in a few months time this I assure you and maybe it would jeopardize the Afghanistan mission development once again.

Women

2009-05-25T04:22:00.000-07:00

25 May 2009 - Women is very dangerous. Very-very dangerous even to those who knew how to handle them with precaution. Very dangerous even among the pious and religious affinity ones. The real weapons of mass destruction and yet loved by every mankind. Irresistable still... even to angles and demons.

Memahami maksud sebenar pasaran ekonomi

2009-05-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

Oleh: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Gambar hiasan

Definisi pasaran

Pasaran bermaksud satu medium perantara dimana aktiviti ekonomi dapat bertimbal balik antara pembekal dan pengguna. Untuk sesuatu pasaran berfungsi dengan baik, ianya memerlukan faktor permintaan dan bekalan (demand and supply) sebagai penggerak pasaran. Adam Smith dapat menerangkan sifat pasaran ini dengan tepat apabila beliau menulis di dalam bukunya The Wealth of Nations pada tahun 1776 berkenaan sifat asas pasaran yang merujuk khusus kepada memenuhi kepuasan dan kehendak individu.

Untuk sesuatu pasaran berfungsi dengan berkesan, kepuasan dan kehendak yang bersifat individualistik ini perlu diutamakan dan dipenuhi terlebih dahulu sebelum mana-mana kehendak atau kebajikan kumpulan yang bersifat majoriti atau minoriti dipenuhi. Adam Smith sekali lagi menerangkan perkara ini melalui ayat yang berbunyi, “kesejahteraan hidup seharian seseorang individu dicapai bukan melalui sifat baik hati pembuat roti, penjual daging atau pengusaha wain, tetapi dicapai kerana golongan ini juga mempunyai keperluan dan kehendak masing-masing yang perlu dipenuhi.” Asas inilah yang menjadi kunci utama kepada pembentukan sesuatu pasaran seterusnya membuka peluang kepada pengembangan pasaran seperti penggunaan matawang yang menjadi nilai asas pertukaran bagi sesuatu barangan atau perkhidmatan.

Sejarah pengembangan pasaran

Pasaran tidak hanya terhad kepada beberapa jenis barangan atau perkhidmatan sahaja. Pasaran adalah bersifat universal dan luas berikutan sifat kehendak dan keperluan pengguna yang tidak terhad. Pasaran sebenarnya telah berkembang dengan pesat sejak manusia mencipta medium perantaraan merentasi beza benua, budaya dan bahasa dengan berdagang antara satu sama lain.

Perbezaan yang wujud antara dua individu atau dua kumpulan manusia ini mencipta satu keadaan yang sempurna bagi pengwujudan sesuatu pasaran. Ini dapat dibuktikan apabila barangan tembikar porcelain dan sutera dari China mendapat permintaan tinggi dari negara-negara Eropah. Ini termasuk juga barangan rempah ratus dari Asia Tenggara yang menjadi penyedap makanan orang-orang Eropah pada musim sejuk. Perbezaan keperluan dan kehendak yang wujud antara dua kumpulan manusia menjadi faktor penggerak kepada demand and supply sesuatu pasaran. Pasaran seterusnya menjadi lebih rancak apabila manusia mula berani berdagang menggunakan kapal-kapal dagang yang besar merentasi benua.

Evolusi pasaran ini menjadi lebih khusus dan spesifik berdasarkan kepada keperluan dan kehendak semasa manusia di dalam kehidupan seharian. Pada masa ini, pasaran tidak hanya terhad kepada produk-produk berbentuk fizikal, malah juga bercambah kepada penawaran produk yang tidak dapat dilihat seperti produk kewangan, perkhidmatan, konsultasi, pertunjukan budaya, siber dan lain-lain. Pasaran sebetulnya akan menjadi lebih dinamik dan menarik dengan adanya kepelbagaian faktor dalam mencipta demand and supply seperti perbezaan budaya, faktor agama, iklim kawasan, bencana yang berlaku, ancaman sekeliling yang wujud dan sebagainya.

Kawalan pasaran

Walau bagaimanapun, potensi pasaran ini menjadi pasif dan terhenti pada awal abad ke 20 apabila Karl Marx mengkritik golongan borjuis (kaya) di dalam bukunya Das Kapital. Idea dan kritikan yang bertujuan menyerang khusus golongan-golongan borjuis yang pada ketika itu dilihat menindas golongan pekerja menjadi berkembang dan mendapat sambutan khususnya di negara-negara yang rakyatnya hidup daif dan miskin. Selepas perang dunia ke 2, potensi pasaran menjadi lebih terhad akibat perang dingin yang memperjuangkan ideologi pasaran antara dua blok utama iaitu Kapitalis dan Komunis. Selama 50 tahun negara-negara di dunia menjadi sangat keliru dengan teori kedua-dua jenis pasaran ini. Ini dapat dilihat apabila India mengamalkan sistem pasaran berbentuk sosialisme hingga menyebabkan negara tersebut menjadi sangat mundur. Malaysia juga tidak terkecuali apabila mengambil jalan selamat dengan mengadunkan kedua-dua sifat pasaran ini menjadi sistem pasaran campuran yang masih menekankan intervensi langsung kerajaan di dalam sesebuah pasaran.

Walau bagaimanapun, apabila runtuhnya Kesatuan Soviet pada tahun 1992, masyarakat dunia dapat melihat dengan jelas kesan negatif pasaran yang dikawal. Impak buruk ini memberikan kesan yang amat dasyhat khususnya kepada ketidakcekapan pengurusan sumber dan kekayaan negara, kelemahan perbekalan keperluan barang-barang makanan, keburukan kualiti barang-barang kepenggunaan yang dikeluarkan dari negara Russia atau negara blok Komunis termasuk juga masalah sosial yang wujud seperti rasuah dan pasaran gelap. Iron Curtain yang disingkap ini memberi peringatan berguna kepada masyarakat dunia akan impak buruk sesuatu pasaran yang dikawal terus oleh kerajaan.

Evolusi pasaran pada abad ke 21

Setelah kejatuhan sistem Komunis, dunia menyaksikan sistem Kapitalis bergerak pantas 2.0 di mana negara-negara membangun yang menggunapakai sistem pasaran terbuka ini mencapai pertumbuhan 8 – 9% setahun. Kesejahteraan pengguna juga semakin tinggi disamping pertumbuhan dan pembangunan negara yang pesat kesan daripada pemisahan faktor kawalan di dalam sesuatu pasaran. Penganalisa ekonomi juga semakin galak dalam mengunjurkan pertumbuhan melalui angka petunjuk ekonomi yang bersifat kuantitatif dan boleh diukur secara tuntas.

Walau bagaimanapun, ramai yang tidak sedar akan sifat pasaran yang sebenarnya berevolusi dan menjadi sangat reaktif dek perubahan sekeliling. Keadaan ini berlaku adalah disebabkan oleh kuasa beli pengguna yang kebanyakan terdiri daripada golongan berpendapatan pertengahan (middle income) yang semakin meningkat dan menjadi pemangkin kepada inovasi produk yang boleh ditawarkan di dalam pasaran dan juga pengembangan sesuatu pasaran serta menjadi penggerak sesebuah pasaran.

Kejutan pertama yang diterima oleh sistem pasaran dunia di dalam pasaran Kapitalis 2.0 adalah pada tahun 1987 apabila negara-negara maju bersetuju untuk meningkatkan nilai Yen pada nilai hampir setara dengan dolar Amerika Syarikat bagi mengurangkan kompetensi barangan buatan Jepun. Dunia mengalami kelembapan ekonomi secara tiba-tiba akibat daripada perubahan pasaran kewangan yang dibuat secara mengejut tanpa mengambil kira kesan relative deprivation yang bakal berlaku pada ketika itu. Keadaan sama juga diulang pada tahun 1994 apabila dunia menyaksikan kejatuhan pasaran kewangan di Brazil, 1997 di Asia Tenggara dan terbaru kejatuhan Bank-bank gergasi di Amerika Syarikat pada tahun 2008, akibat inovasi pesat produk non-konvensional yang bersifat pengurusan risiko di dalam pasaran kewangan.

Sifat kepenggunaan

Sifat dan tindakan yang diambil oleh pengguna dalam situasi pasaran yang pesimis pada tahun 2009 ini tidak boleh diukur secara kuantitatif menyebabkan pasaran pada abad ke 21 tidak lagi dapat diramal dengan tepat. Saintis sosial juga tidak dapat meramalkan dengan tepat akan kemandiran pasaran ekonomi pada tahun 2010 atau tahun seterusnya. Keadaan ini menyebabkan ramai penganalisa pasaran menjadi buntu di dalam mengunjurkan sebarang pertumbuhan tepat pada masa-masa hadapan. Berbeza dengan keadaan dimana sesuatu pasaran tersebut dikawal secara langsung oleh sesebuah kerajaan, keadaan pasaran pada abad ke 21 menjadi sangat terbuka dan reaktif kepada sebarang perubahan yang berlaku termasuk juga perubahan kecil seperti wabak penyakit dan serangan pengganas. Bagi pembuat dasar atau kerajaan yang memerintah, tidak ada jalan lain bagi mereka untuk menyelesaikan krisis pasaran ini kecuali untuk mereka memahami psikologi dan sosio-budaya pengguna negara masing-masing terutamanya pada faktor yang mendorong pengguna dalam membuat keputusan pergerakan kredit harian mereka.

Dalam menghadapi krisis ekonomi yang berlaku pada masa sekarang, adalah penting bagi sesebuah kerajaan untuk memastikan pasaran sedia ada tidak bersifat dormant dan pesimis. Untuk memastikan sesuatu pasaran dapat bergerak dengan berkesan, adalah menjadi keperluan untuk sesuatu pasaran tersebut mendapat keyakinan (market optimism) daripada pengguna itu sendiri. Dengan ini, kuasa beli yang wujud dapat digerakkan untuk merencanakan pertumbuhan ekonomi pada masa hadapan di dalam sesebuah pasaran. Dana pelaburan atau kredit yang diperolehi daripada kuasa beli pengguna ini seterusnya digunakan untuk pembangunan R&D sesuatu produk yang menjadi permintaan pengguna. Sifat optimis ini akan membantu kepada hedging akan sesuatu produk pelaburan dan memastikan kelangsungan kecairan modal di dalam sesebuah pasaran. Situasi ini penting dalam memberikan keuntungan kepada semua pihak yang terlibat samada secara kualitatif kepada pengguna dan juga kuantitatif kepada pengusaha.

Sifat kepenggunaan pada abad ke 21 adalah berbeza dengan keadaan kepenggunaan pada abad sebelumnya. Jika sebelum ini, pengguna hanya membeli barangan berbentuk keperluan harian, kini kehendak dan keperluan pengguna juga adalah didasarkan kepada kepuasan mereka di dalam berbelanja. Pengguna kini tidak boleh dipaksa dalam berbelanja. Pemilihan barangan atau perkhidmatan yang ada di dalam pasaran akan dinilai dengan teliti berdasarkan kepada keadaan semasa, keperluan terutama dan suasana ekonomi disekeliling pengguna itu sendiri. Ditambah lagi dengan kemudahan kredit yang mudah didapati, situasi pasaran kini menawarkan faktor kepuasan kepada pengguna di dalam perbelanjaan harian untuk mencapai piramid tertinggi didalam ranking kepuasan diri Abraham Maslow. Adalah perlu diingatkan pengguna pada abad ke 21 juga memilih untuk membeli barangan atau perkhidmatan bagi mencapai kepuasan diri dan bukan semata-mata didasarkan kepada keperluan asas semata-mata.

Pasaran yang refleksif

Pasaran pada abad ke 21 juga tidak bersifat pasif dan menerima perubahan dan ketetapan yang dibuat oleh sesebuah kerajaan semata-mata, tetapi ianya berubah mengikut keadaan sekeliling. Pasaran yang refleksif ini berevolusi dengan mencipta perubahan dan bukan menunggu perubahan oleh kerajaan yang memerintah. Ini dapat dilihat apabila negara menghadapi krisis bahan api pada tahun 2008 dimana pasaran di Malaysia secara automatik bukan sahaja menawarkan produk bahan api alternatif untuk menggantikan bahan petroleum, tetapi juga membina satu kesedaran kepenggunaan yang tinggi khususnya dalam penggunaan sumber tenaga dengan efisyen seperti mentol jimat tenaga dan NGV.

Keadaan reaktif dan refleksif ini mencipta suasana pasaran yang dinamik dan pada masa yang sama menawarkan pasaran yang baik kepada mereka yang responsif kepada perubahan semasa. Keadaan pasaran pada tahun-tahun hadapan akan lebih bersifat dinamik dan tidak menentu dalam kelangsungan hidup manusia tidak seperti keadaan pasaran tertutup yang menggunakan sumber sedia ada sehingga sesebuah negara boleh menjadi bangkrap apabila berusaha memenuhi kebajikan penduduknya yang tidak berkesudahan.

Rujukan:

The Crash of 2008 and What it Means, George Soros, PublicAffairs New York, 2008.

Impasse

2009-05-15T04:24:00.000-07:00

15 May 2009 - I met someone at the office lobby today. He was an old man, wearing a smart casual outfit with a songkok. I think he is an UMNO member. He greets me from the back and shake my hands as if we knew each other for quite sometimes. It still didn't get me first because I never saw that man before in my entire life.

He begins to lecture me about life and religion. I listen to his lecture intently with some few of my own comments. The discussion turn deeper into religion and God. The he said to me, "son, you are being prepared for something larger than life". I was turned agape, and he just left after giving me a modest salam.

This kind of encounter with a stranger was not my first time. The other one was with an old lady at the train station. She wore black robes and also greets me with a modest salam out of nowhere. And she just left.

Orang Perak...

2009-05-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

14 Mei 2009 - Sebetulnya saya tidak pernah berkawan atau mempunyai kumpulan sahabat yang berasal dari negeri Perak. Kebanyakkan kawan-kawan saya adalah samada dari negeri pantai Timur ataupun dari utara tanahair yakni bermula dari Pulau Pinang hingga ke Perlis.

Namun kehadiran saya ke kursus PPSB anjuran Dewan Bahasa dan Budaya pada pertengahan April 2009 yang lalu telah membuka lembaran baru dalam persahabatan saya dengan orang-orang Perak. Saya bersyukur kerana diberi peluang seumpama dan sangat gembira dan kagum dalam mengenal psikologi dan sosial budaya orang-orang Perak ini.

Rata-rata mereka yang saya kenal berasal dari Perak adalah mereka yang sangat lucu, suka berlawak, tegas dan berbudaya. Tidak hairanlah jika ramai sasterawan atau artis seperti Osman Tikus, Pyan Habib, Mamat Khalid, Awie dan lain-lain berasal dari negeri Perak. Semakin lama saya mengenal kumpulan orang-orang Perak ini semakin saya berminat mengenali kelompok yang pada saya bersifat homogenous ini.

Keadaan sekarang...

2009-05-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

12 Mei 2009 - Najib Tun Razak mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan negara dari Abdullah Badawi ketika Malaysia berada dalam keadaan huru-hara dari segi politik dan ekonomi. Tapi saya tetap percaya bahawa beliau mampu meletakkan kembali Malaysia di landasan yang betul.

Impasse

2009-05-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

10 May 2009 - I spoke with a former colleague this evening at the main gov building. I realize how much lucky I'm to get out from the former Ministry. Things certainly are very ugly over there now. I don't know how the previous sec gen can be so stupid of not realizing the worthiness of his officers. Double standard, office politics or just plain stupid. Take your pick!

p/s: God please protect me from this kind of officer in the future as I'm just only your humble servant.

Me at Colmar Tropicale, Bukit Tinggi Pahang

2009-05-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Risi, Tun, Mizi and Jumaat at Colmar Tropicale

Me in the middle

Tun and friends at Colmar Tropicale during midnight

Tun with friends at Colmar

Having a great moment

Great moments

Me at Colmar with friends

In a buggy car

I'm addicted to this book...

2009-05-05T04:18:00.000-07:00

5 May 2009 - I'm currently under acute addiction of reading this book even during my productive hours in office. This is indeed one of the best book after Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor and even The Soul of Malaya by Henry Facounnier. Get a grab of this book and you won't regret it.

Impasse

2009-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

30 April 2009 - Some people did ask me a while ago why I haven't wrote anything economics since I moved out to Tourism. Well the frank answer is - let me have my own time of enjoying myself at Tourism. The place is splendid with great acquaintances. I will write something heavy in the future if I find it necessary to share with all Malaysian.

Tun Teddy is economics and will always be. I love you all, I love you God!

2 - Merbok Go Green Challenge 2009

2009-04-29T01:28:00.001-07:00

Interviewed by the local press - RTM and TV3

Get set, Go!

The local participants

Here are some of the photos which I took from ANCM Creative of our adventure in Merbok, Kedah.

Welcome

2009-04-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

28 April 2009 - Welcome, you are now entering an era of a smart and intelligent Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Merbok Go Green Challenge 2009

2009-04-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Duet with Naufara at Sg. Petani

Merbok go Green

Merbok

Sg. Sedim, Kedah

View from tree top walk

My beloved Firdaus

Firdaus is shy

Firdaus and me

Impasse

2009-04-20T20:10:00.001-07:00

So called official posing

Me and the fellow workers in Desaru, Johor

Water Festival 2009

Fantastic weekend

2009-04-20T04:10:00.000-07:00

20 April 2009 - I had a fantastic weekend last week. I was called up for a trainers training under Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It was a fantastic week. I had the opportunity to be among greatest artist of real life, gifted peoples, abstract and complex. Nothing near anything I had visioned before that I could be among these circles.

I met this great teacher from Ipoh, he was as old as my father, but very gifted and a complete man. God gave this fella an ability in music, poems and classics poetry. Very soft spoken and articulate. He taught me a lot about literature, music, poetry and life. God send that guy to taught me something that I can carry for my future life. God must have bless that man. I promise to post some photos we've took during that magnificent three days.

If you could only knew...

Me at tourism

2009-04-09T07:00:00.001-07:00

So far being in tourism is great. Let's hope this great feeling stays on!

Najib

2009-04-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

3 April 2009 - It is a wonderful day for Malaysian. Let's pick ourselves up, dust off and moving foward to Vision 2020. Congratulations Najib Tun Razak, I'm hoping to see great Tun Razak alive again in you!

Impasse

2009-03-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

30 March 2009 - I'm sorry to keep on posting shots about this garbage. But then try to listen to his morass explaination here. Days gone by and God knows how much I loathe this person. Let me ask you a simple question, how can a contender knew exactly what happened from A to Z in the counting room that are supposed to be confidential? You do not argue something simple as according to him and reach to a conclusion for six hours long. If UMNO want to survive long then this gangrene had to go quick. But I have to give him one thing, this damn man knows how to talk big like there is no tomorrow.

Impasse

2009-03-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

29 March 2009 - We re fighting a common enemy in the upcoming by election. Met the UMNO machinery just now. It was agreed that the biggest obstacle/ enemy for UMNO is not PR, Anwar Ibrahim or DAP, but it was the corrupted new UMNO Head Youth. We are fighting an internal immoral image and a common enemy by the name Khairy Jamaluddin.

Perasuah

2009-03-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

Double standard in guilty verdicts or pre-meditated agenda

The liability everyone is talking about

28 March 2009 - Everybody is talking about this liability. Everybody is not satisfied with UMNO Head Youth election result. Some people claim that it was pre-meditated result. I agree with this statement. The new president have a heavy task to do - to oust this liability from UMNO. Or else you would portray a bad image. An image that transpired as the new generation of UMNO can compromise with immoral activity - bribery/ money politics/ setiakawan/ rasuah. Remove this gangrene quickly as we had a nation agenda ahead of us.

The liability wins

2009-03-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

25 March 2009 - Very very very disturbing news for UMNO and Malay.

Fascinating Malaysia

2009-03-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

19 March 2009 - Trust me, you will love Malaysia! Thanks for all the great wishes that I received from friends and family upon my arrival to Tourism. Looking foward to have an exciting year with you all through this blog - Zoom in Malaysia for Malaysia finest place for your visits. Watch this blog as I have an exciting article to share with you all in the future.

Impasse

2009-03-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

11 March 2009 - I went for report duty this morning for Tourism. It was fairly okay there. Need to change my daily timetable as I need to take Komuter every morning for Putra station. My dad would be smiling from above looking at me living like he used to be in the 90s. I miss you father, if you are here things certainly would be different and I would be tougher inside. Pray for me father as I need your blessing for this tough life.

Second stimulus package

2009-03-10T02:23:00.000-07:00

9 March 2009 - Yes! Indeed it was a good move by the government. I do support the second stimulus package announced by the DPM which amounted to RM 60 billion just now and it was the right amount for Malaysia. Thank you Dato' Najib, you have done your homework before. I will stand behind you for this upcoming two years. God bless this country.

Critical security studies (CSS)

2009-03-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

The fall of Iraq in 2003

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Introduction

The study of the security studies had been a focal point for policy makers in formulating a comprehensive securities issues pertaining to an individual daily life especially in this post-Cold War period. The questions about security often arises in the three main questions which are 1) what is real? 2) what can we know? and 3) how might we act? In facing the new unconventional threats that can jeopardize not only the physical aspects of our life but also the intangibles criteria which we begin to define as a security issues.

Over the years students have been led where the ‘conventional convictions’ of their teachers took them, and this has meant that security became identified as essentially as a military terrain¹. However the study of the security issues had became much more complex issues whereas it had been a critical study that deals with such topic less than seriously. Even though the security study has been one of those common-sense, pre-defined terms in international relations orthodoxy that appear to be unproblematic until examined with a critical eye, beginning with the late 1980s, there has been a swing from theological orthodoxy about security studies to heretical contention, but for the most part proponents of the differing viewpoints have engaged in monologues rather than dialogue.

This can be seen in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States where the differences between the camps of traditional realism and critical theory grew even more than had previously been the case. The former would advocated the strengthening of conventional security instruments and the borders of states, while as people and governments felt intensified fears (and the political temptation for governments has been to indulge such fears, if not actually exaggerate them, in order to strengthen domestic control). The stark differences between the old traditional convictions and the new critical approach to security studies can be describe as below schedule².

Traditional realism	Critical security studies
The strengthening of the conventional security instruments such as military hardware, the integrity of the borders of states People would felt insecure due to external threats and the government would intensified this fears for a political mileage	The new modalities that changed the people mindsets Politics of global – business as usual.

Schedule 1: Distinction between traditional realism and Critical security studies

Definition of security

Security is always a relative concept. Absolute security is a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, for absolute freedom from (any) fear is synonymous with absolute freedom from imagination, which is no freedom at all.

With the new threats arising due to the collision of politics and sometimes militarily, the contention arising from asking what security is all about. This offers some hope that security will be conceptualized as a challenge to innovative political theory rather than as insider problem-solving, and as philosophy-in-action rather than as strategy as instrumental technique. A reconceptualisation of security is one of the contributions the academic community can make to shaking up the complacency of the globally powerful in these critical times. These developments in the security studies according to Ken Booth had for the first time create an opportunity for the security study to be comprehensively mapped and explored for the first time³.

However, there were still difficulties in defining the term security. According to the standard dictionary, the word security means as an absence of threats. According to one of the International Relations scholars, Patrick Morgan, security is defined as a condition like health or status which defies an easy definition and analysis. Booth took an approach to support Patrick Morgan’s views where he stated that security is like health and status. Even though security is difficult to define, security in each case, the starting point should begin in the experiences, imaginings, analyses, and fears of those living with insecurity, ill health, or low status⁴.

What is striking about these definitions ostensibly to show the difficulty of achieving an agreed definition is actually their distinct resemblance. Ken Booth later emphasized that security however can be broken into three main component parts which are:-

the existence of a referent object (someone or something that is threatened);
the impending danger or actual danger; and
the desire of the referent object to escape harmful possibilities.

Ken Booth later explained that security is a basic concept consists of core elements that are not essentially contested, but when it comes to world politics this core is then encased in layers of meaning that derive from different political theories, and that these are contested according to the ebb and flow of political theories, and the rise and fall of international political systemic paradigms⁵. In this write up, I would discuss the importance of considering which referent points or object is more précised? (States or individuals?), Which threat to the chosen referent should be prioritized? (Military or economic, short term or long-term?) How might the referent escape from the threats? (By force or negotiation?). Security for sure is a simple concept, not difficult to define, but how it is conceptualized and operationalised in the contingent contexts of world politics is not.

Security allows choice, and some choices (the result of security rather than insecurity) may be life-threatening. Elective danger is a privilege of the secure; direct and unavoidable danger is the determining condition of the world’s insecure.

Broadening and deepening

Ronald Paris, writing in International Security, noted that the subject matter of security studies had undergone both broadening and deepening since the end of the Cold War, and then said: ‘By deepening, I mean that the field is now more willing to consider the security of individuals and groups, rather than focusing narrowly on external threats to states⁶. It should be clear that broadening itself is not a radical move in security policy, whether or not it is depends on the underlying political theory that drives it.

Since the late 1980s, broadening has generally been used to refer to the idea of including ‘non-traditional’ security issues on the security agenda (non-military threats). Barry Buzan had identified the issue areas for a broadened security agenda in relation to ⁷five ‘sectors’, each in identifying ‘specific types of interaction’:

military sector (relationships of forceful coercion);
political sector (relationships of authority, governing status, and recognition);
economic sector (relationships of trade, production, and finance);
societal sector (relationships of collective identity); and
environmental sector (relationships between human activity and the planetary biosphere).

Buzan later wrote: ‘If a multi-sectoral approach to security was to be fully meaningful, referent objects other than the state had to be allowed into the picture’. The European Security Order Recast: Scenarios for the Post-Cold War Era, in which attention shifted from the state as referent and sovereignty as the value to be secured, to society as the referent and identity as the value to be secured⁸. At the heart of the matter is the concept of securitisation’, which is best understood as having been a reaction against the perceived danger (arising from broadening the security agenda) that the traditional security mindset (characterized by militarized, conflictual, and zero-sum thinking) will be extended into what hitherto had been regarded as non-military areas by labeling them ‘security’.

In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights challenged the 350 or so years of sovereign state dominance. As a result of the relentlessly top-down perspective, what is supposed to be a radical move actually works in the interests of power, because with power goes discourse making potential. Securitisation studies therefore suffer from being elitist⁹.

Survival is being alive; security is living. The implication of all this that security cannot be categorized as an essentially a conservative concept. As an instrumental value, security is politically neutral. Security and insecurity are ways of describing the conditions of existence. Security can never be for its own sake; it is always, to recall Robert Cox, ‘for someone and for some purpose.’

The relevancy of Clausewitzian

Clausewitz’s unfinished and posthumous book, On War (Vom Kriege) is a classic, a reference point for all thinkers about war and politics. His influence in particular situations might be problematic, but today the very relevance of his philosophy of war is under challenge. The Clausewitzian paradigm promises to remain directly relevant to states in the context of self-defense and resource wars.

However, in the long-term, the instrumentality of such states wars remains in doubt. Kuwait proved to be only the first round of what a decade and a half later appears to be a thirty-year Gulf War, long term ethnic harmony in the Balkans remains problematic, Kosovo’s status and inter-ethnic relations remain precarious, and the Coalition that moved into Afghanistan so successfully in the beginning, to bring about regime change, soon realized, like many invaders through history, that it is much easier to blaze into that inhospitable land with high hopes than to leave it with satisfaction about a job well done¹⁰.

With global issues having very local consequences (whether from international terrorism or the US global War on Terror), and with the number of civilian and military deaths in war inexorably rising, the space between the former spectators and contemporary violence began to get too close for comfort. Technological advantage can be subverted by the human factor, and history provides ample evidence of the way in which various asymmetrical responses, including terrorism that would enable the weak to employ ‘unconventional’ (though actually rather normal) strategies and tactics against the strong. Consequently, the future is likely to see a steady eclipse of Clausewitz and his ‘direct’ approach to war, and the rising star of the ancient Chinese strategist, Sun Tzu, with his ‘indirect approach’¹¹.

The combatants in intra-state wars may be rather indeterminate political entities, such as the various paramilitaries, warlords, quasi-armies, and the rest in the Balkan wars in the first half of the 1990. Worse, the modalities of intra-state violence that took place in former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and the DRC in the 1990s completely upturned the metaphors of a Clausewitzian game of chess, and replaced it with bloody images of extreme and often gratuitous brutality.

Such intra-state struggles will be defined by state collapse, extreme ethnic brutality, elite manipulation, narcissistic identity politics, historical propaganda, naked fear, religious revival, neighbor versus neighbor violence, fluid political entities, and ethnic cleansing which were all in the context of the unequal impact of the global economy and the lack of direct interest on the part of the major international players¹². The face of eschatological violence will then look inwards, and the messianic madness of racial, nationalist, religious, or ethnic superiority will slide into the logic of genocide and insecurity.

Human security

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), proposed a shift in the focus of security away from the threat of a superpower ‘cataclysmic world event’. In 1994 UNDP identified four essential characteristics of human security where its issues are people-centred. In the subsequent decade, the UN Commission on Human Security chaired by Sadako Ogata and Amrtya Sen declared in the Human Security Now: ‘The international community urgently needs a new paradigm of security. The states would remain the fundamental purveyor of security. Yet it often fails to fulfill its security obligations – and at times has even become a source of threat to its own people’¹³. That is why attention must now shift from the security of the state to the security of the people – to human security.

According to Caroline Thomas, human security is a condition in which ‘basic human needs are met, and in which human dignity, including meaningful participation in the life of the community can be realized’¹⁴. This new concept represent a new paradigm for thinking about security, focusing on the threats in ‘daily life’ that dominate most people’s existence (food, crime, and so on); it shifts focus to ‘human’ rather than ‘state’ referents; it underlines ways in which security and insecurity are interlinked across the world; it might help stimulate the minority (rich) world to feel a greater sense of responsibility for the immiseration of the majority (poor) world¹⁵.

What is true of states and nations is also true of individuals and families. Just as a condition of war determines the behavior of states, so poverty determines the lives of individuals and families. Individual human beings should be regarded as the ultimate referent for a theory and practice of politics (including security) because, as the irreducible units of human society, they are both the start of agency and the litmus test of the health of society¹⁶.

Like health and status, security is a condition that is not difficult to define; in each case, the starting point should begin in the experiences, imaginings, analysis, and fears of those living within security, ill-health, or low status.

Conclusion

The ‘security dilemma’ is the idea that irresolvable uncertainties arising out of the ‘other minds problem’, and the ambiguous symbolism of weaponry, tends to produce strategic competition between states (and also ethnic groups under conditions of emerging anarchy).

Specific security threats to these referents include: the erosion of local cultures and economies, the spread of pandemics, the growth of radicalization and terrorism, human rights abuses, political disempowerment, environmental degradation, and economic downturns or collapses interacting with ethnic and other insecurities. A law-governed world is one of the conditions for world security. Among those whose interests it serves are states and groups of states that are presently dominant but may not be in future.

The concept of world security is more encompassing than the notion of international security. It includes a more extensive range of referents, above and below the state level, and wider range of possible threats and risks. World security refers to the structures and processes within human society, locally and globally, that work towards the reduction of the threats and risks that determine individual and group lives. The greater the level of security enjoyed, the more individual and groups (including human society as a whole) can have an existence beyond the instinctual animal struggle merely to survive. The idea of world security is synonymous with the freedom of individuals and groups’ compatible with the reasonable freedom of others, and universal moral equality compatible with justifiable pragmatic inequalities.

References:-

Ken Booth, Theory of World Security, Cambridge Studies in International Relations, 2007;
Barry Buzan, Peoples, States and Fear, Harvester-Wheatshef, 1991;
Caroline Thomas, Globalization, Thomas-Wilkins, 2001;
Barry Buzan, Morten Kelstrup, Pierre Lemaitre, Elzbieta Tromer, and Ole Waever, The European Security Order Recast: Scenarios for the Post-Cold War Era, London: Pinter, 1990; and
Roland Paris, Human Security: Paradigm Shift or Hot Air? International Security, 2001.

Balance of Power Theory

2009-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

By: Ahmad Syah Ejaz Bin Hj. Ismail

Introduction

The concept of power and balance of power has definitely played an interesting and complex role in international relations theory than is generally recognized. Power in international relations means the ability of a national state to control other states. Such control can also be meant as influencing others to act or behave in a way that will fulfill ones need or ones strategic interest. Often this power was transpired in a form of war such as describe by Clausewitz in this work On War¹.

There are four main theoretical frameworks that had previously discussed the concept of balance of power. The four main theories were as follows:-

Hans J. Morgenthau’s Politics Among Nations (1948);
Hedley Bull’s The Anarchical Society (1977);
Kenneth N. Waltz’s Theory of International Politics (1979); and
John J. Mearsheimer’s The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001).

The above four main balance of power studies had been the referent or focal point for scholars to understand the concept of balance of power in international relations for the past five hundred years in details. It has also played a key role in some of the most important attempts to develop a theory of international politics in the contemporary study of international relations.

The traces of the idea of balance of power can be tracked back to the Renaissance era where it is viewed as a ‘metaphorical concept’ that treats balancing behavior as a response ‘driven by a law of nature’. There were views by contemporary scholars such as Schweller that emphasized the contemporary balance of power theorist presuppose that the balance of power represent a natural law and that, as a result, the subscribe to a view of the international arena as a machine ‘created and kept in motion by the ‘divine watchmaker’².

Approaches to the balance of power

The four main theories mentioned above had a different approach to the concept of the balance of power. Hans J. Morgenthau is more interested in the way that the operation of the balance of power has changed across time. This can be seen through his seminal work in the Politics Among Nations that emphasized the rise of nationalistic universalism in the twentieth century, in conjunction with the erosion during the nineteenth century of the factors that had helped to maintain what can be translated as an associational balance of power.

Although Morgenthau accepted the idea of the creation of a global world society preconditioned for the formation of a world government that could eradicate international war, Morgenthau still skeptical of this preconditions in the near future. This can be translated into a lay man term as a disagreement with the emergence of United States as a global hagemon with equanimity and unquestionably would lead to US unilateralism with alarm.

Hedley Bull’s approach to the balance of power in general has more in common with Morgenthau than is generally recognized³. For example, despite the centrality of the balance of power to their assessments of international politics, both scholars acknowledge the potential importance of world society in the future. Through Bull’s seminal work The Anarchical Society, he was cautiously optimistic that the United States and the Soviet Union could co-exist and indeed, the existence of the nuclear weapons had helped in stabilizing the relations between the two super powers although it can be said the nuclear arms build up was at the expense of establishing order on a more positive basis.

Bull’s also accepts the idea of states as an instrument of utilizing balance of power competitively to promote their own interests as well as cooperatively to help preserve a society of states. However, different from Morgenthau, Bull was more interested in interaction among the institutional dimensions of international politics and how this interaction affects and is in turn affected by both the adversarial and associational balance of power⁴.

For Kenneth Waltz, the balance of power emerges, in the first instance as an unintended consequence of states endeavoring to survive in the anarchic international system. Waltz seems to acknowledge the existence of an international society however the international society is more recessed and privileged by Waltz in his work⁵. For Waltz, the international society is subordinated to the international system. However, in his work, Waltz does mention that in the context of bipolarity, and adversarial balance of power was giving way to an associational balance of power.

The latest seminal works on the concept of balance of power were written by John J. Mersheimer in 2001 through his book The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. Mersheimer focus his work exclusively on the idea of an international system, but from a foreign policy as well as a structural perspective, privileges geography over polarity. Mersheimer considers the international system not in the context of the global dimension but more into a regional dimension.

Mersheimer boldly develops a stand that runs counter to Morgenthau, Bull and Waltz who all assume that the global balance of power takes precedence over regional balances of power. By contrast, Mersheimer argues that hegemony or unipolarity can emerge at the regional level and it is primarily, or to be precise, geography which prevents the emergence of global hegemony or unipolarity⁶. For an example, the United States only succeeded in becoming a regional hegemon because of a favorable situation that make US achieved such a status. And now the US will try it very best to prevent a hegemon from emerging in another region⁷.

Mersheimer does not only suggest that other states try to balance over United States, but that global geography inhibits any state from occupying a position of worldwide hegemony and it is this factor that is ultimately responsible for preserving a global balance of power.

Conclusion

What can be concluded from the four various theorists on the balance of power, the concept can be compared along three distinct dimensions (system/ society divide, polarity, geographical dimension). First, they vary in terms of the importance that can be attached to the system/ society distinction for understanding the balance of power. Bull formally draws attention to the significance distinction for our understanding of the balance of power; Morgenthau makes more effective use of the divide by arguing explicitly that the long-established (associational) balance of power was giving way to a new (adversarial) balance of power in the twentieth century. Waltz by contrast only draws on the distinction implicitly, while it plays no role at all in Mearsheimer’s thinking.

Polarity however plays a significant role in the way that all four theorists approach the balance of power. Bull associates polarity with complexity, while Morgenthau initially makes the argument that multipolarity is more stable than bipolarity in the grounds that it generates higher levels of uncertainty and therefore encourages caution. For Waltz, however, polarity is of overriding importance for his model of the balance of power because this is the factor that changes the structure of the system and as the structure of the system changes, so too does its impact on the constituent members of the system.

Polarity is also crucial importance in Mearshimer’s analysis, although it is impossible to disentangle this dimension from the third dimension that focuses on a global/ regional divide. He distinguishes between polarity at the regional and the global level. Waltz however disagrees with Mearshimer’s as he wants to exclude the geographical dimension from his analysis. Morgenthau and Bull on the other hand acknowledge the need to take geography into account and subscribe to a common image of the European international society expanding across the globe.

Although there were overlapping distinctions between the four theorists of the balance of power, the degree of the overlap had raises the question of whether or not it is possible to establish a composite model of the balance of power on the basis of three dimensions explained above. The concept of balance of power would be more interesting and complex in nature to understand as the world is moving from a different political background that would influence states to behave among each other.

References:-

1. Richard Little, Balance of Power in International Relations, Metaphors, Myths and Models, Cambridge University Press, 2007;

2. Carl von Clausewitz, On War, Wilder Publications, 2008; and

3. Ken Booth, Theory of World Security, Cambridge Studies in International Relations, 2007.

It's depression, stupid! Not recession

2009-03-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

2 March 2009 - Optimism definitely not the word for this month or perhaps for many months to come. I don't care what your fundamental says but 7,000 points for Dow Jones today shows something crystal clear on the future prospect of global trade and consumer confidence. Karl Marx would be laughing from his grave. The madness of Tulip mania lingers on for three century since the day of Armsterdam to the wild bull of Wall Street market. The last time I recalls when the depression hit us, Adolf Hitler came into being. I wonder who will claim the vacant post left by Hitler for 64 years. Who will we blame this time around... let me guess... hmmm... tough one... the Jews?