Staying clear of the racism bait

Let's kid not ourselves. The state of the country's race relations leaves much to be desired. It is unbelievable the amount of thrash-talk peppered with racist sentiments, which we are bombarded with daily. It didn't help that the Internet has amplified some of these bigotry messages in ways our forefathers could never imagine.

Sure enough, each time racist bigots seize control of the modern-day megaphone, emotions run high, the political temperature shoots up and the sense of despair descends. It is, to be fair, a natural reaction.

When we hear hurtful but utterly baseless stuff against our race, we fret about it to our friends, set up Facebook groups to vent our anger, kick up a fuss on Twitter, forward emails laced with racial slurs and even rap about it on YouTube. Okay fine, perhaps not all of us do.

But each time we let out emotions reign, we let the racists in our midst win. When we unnecessarily react to racist remarks, we only make other racial groups harden their stance and retreat further into their racial silo. When we do this, we allow a vicious cycle to run its course - a cycle that may one day take a life of its own.

Sure, it's easy to blame the politicians for all this. After all, chances are, they are the ones who sparked it, fanned it and - surprise, surprise - took advantage of it. (Although to be fair, only a handful of politicians resort to such ways.)

But really, the only reason why they keep playing this game is because WE react to them. When they say something which most of us would think has no place in this country, we get worked up - often unnecessarily.

In other words, we allow the racists to press our anger buttons easily. We easily fall for their clever wordplay that feeds on our insecurity and fears. That's why they keep saying silly stuff because they know there's a multitude out there who would swallow such remarks line, hook and sinker.

So what now? Sit back and do nothing as bigots condemn our forefathers, run down our race and insult our religion? Perhaps not. But we need not further fuel the racists' craze by according unnecessary recognition to their twisted views - or worse, behave like them.

Fifty-three years on, this country is too beautiful to be be destroyed by a small band of racist maniacs. We can - and need to - stop this by not allowing ourselves be the tools for the destruction of this country that deserves better.

Heard along the corridors... (3)

Actually, a close friend asked this over lunch in KLCC last week.

"I have two questions I have been meaning to ask for a while, since you work in the government. First of all, did Anwar do it? Secondly tell me, what's with PM and the Mongolian woman?"

I am flattered people think I have access to "Who REALLY killed JFK"-type files, if they ever exist in Malaysia.

It also shows the kind of questions running through the back of the peoples' minds. In fact, it serves as a useful guide on managing public perception. It takes Herculean restraint for me not to feed on their wild imaginations ;)

My answers to such questions? Oh, I already have them memorised from page 25 to 63 of the "Official Response to Touchy Subjects Guidebook for Malaysian Civil Servants Volume XXVII".

What would you do if...

...you see things happening that you think should not? What do you do if the boss does something completely unexpected and perhaps even unnecessary? What do you do if you think it is a strategically inexpedient move?

I can fret and complain and moan till the cows - and all the other farm animals - come home.

Or I can psych myself into believing that the boss, being the boss, is privvy to much more information which I am not. That, as an aide , I can only see a small part of the whole. And when a battle is at its height, the general got no time to tell the foot soldiers why he decides to retreat or advance when the only thing that matters is winning.

I, or the boss - or both of us - may be wrong. But once the bridge is crossed (and occasionally burnt) it is pointless to discuss the merits of the decision. What's more important is the road ahead.

This is not sense of denial or the ostrich syndrome. Call it Political Aide-ism 101, if you will. Really, this is not about being a yes-man. It's about knowing your place in the overall scheme of things.

Am still around...

Been some time since I last blogged. Most would know what me and my colleagues have gone through over the past few months, which really has been an enriching experience. Honest.

One of the many lessons I have learnt over the past few challenging months is to seize the moment. With the boss overseas now and a little precious free time to spare, I would not want to waste an opportunity to resuscitate AideSpeak. Although I must admit that I have been fairly active on Twitter too, at the expense of this cobwebbed blog.

The past three months have been a roller-coaster of emotional highs and let-downs, but more importantly a thoroughly enriching learning experience. For example, I lived through the "one day is a long time in politics" maxim, instead of just being a casual observer. And I have a better sense of what "there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics" means.

Many of us have grown a little wiser from this experience, not necessarily less-trusting and more manipulative. But certainly more vigilant. Thank God for the family and good friends who have stood by during crunch time. Many many thanks for that words of encouragement or that thoughtful SMS.

I couldn't possibly return all the missed calls or answer all the text messages and I apologise for that. For whatever it is worth, I want to keep AideSpeak alive and I even have some fresh ideas on how to go about it.

In the meantime, I need to get back to whatever has been holding me back from blogging all these months...

Heard along the corridors... (2)

A dear friend from overseas sent an interesting email yesterday morning. I've lifted one sentence from the correspondence.

"DAP can just show clips from Teoh Beng Hock's wedding and make all the auntie's in the Chinese majority areas cry."

How true. Creepy but true. It's also a reflection of what makes Malaysians tick or not.

Yasmin Ahmad, editors and politicians

Many of my friends are outraged over an article in a Malay tabloid yesterday about the late Yasmin Ahmad, the award-winning director whose works have stirred our consciousness of what it means to be a Malaysian.

I am equally upset that the paper chose to resurrect her past, knowing full well that she was not able to defend herself or clear the air. It was a cheap shot at sensationalism.

But hey, wait a minute. Nobody forced anyone to read the article. In fact, most of the people who bawled at the tabloid's ill-treatment of Yasmin barely flipped through the tabloid on any other days.

The publisher and editors there, it doesn't take a genius to figure, was just trying to sell its paper using the tried and tested formula of cheap sensationalism. Sex sells. Violence sells and let's not even get started with scandals. That's Business 101 for you.

Ok, I am not trying to defend the paper. In fact, if I were the editor there, I would have spiked (journalism slang for "delete") the story immediately. But, I am not and the editors there obviously thought that it was a a topic that appeals to their readers. And considering that the tabloid has been in operation for half a decade, the editors there must have been fairly accurate about what its readers want to read or not. Bottom line is and without referring to any specific examples, sometimes it's the readers who determine what kind of news the editors choose to put out.

I guess in that sense, politicians too are like editors. Their words and deeds are dictated to a large extent by what the populace wants. Although somehow or rather, "populism" has earned a somewhat negative connotation in the media. People use the phrase "so and so is a populist politician" as though it's a bad thing. People also pass remarks like "he / she behaves like a clown in Parliament" forgetting that it was the voters who put him or her there.

We can go on a debate about whether newspapers should shape the minds of the people instead of succumbing to commercial considerations. Or whether wakil rakyat should be leaders, not followers and play to the gallery. But that's another topic for another day.

But for now, everytime I come across a headline that say, reeks of racism, in say, Utusan Malaysia, I remind myself that there are some who can identify with the paper's editorial stance. And when I come across "clowns" in Parliament, I remind myself that others like myself put them there.

Being cynical

I was born and grew up in Malacca, once the nerve centre of the Malay Archipelago. The great Malacca Sultanate, according to history books, thrived because of its port, situated at the mouth of Sungai Melaka. Traders from as far as Arab, China and India came to Malacca to trade in anything from spice, gold and silk.

Over the centuries, the river has become heavily silted. I still remember in the 1980s up to mid-1990s, the great Malacca River which brave ancient seafarers from faraway lands had sailed into, was reduced to nothing more than a giant drain. It was a filthy eyesore, to say the least.

In the mid-1990s, the Agriculture Ministry undertook a programme called "Love Our Rivers", aimed at rehabilitating many of the polluted waterways nationwide. The state government also launched its own projects to restore Sungai Melaka to its former glory. It wanted to turn my hometown into "Venice of the East".

Naturally, such announcements were met with the usual reaction that almost always accompanied pronouncements of major projects: deep-rooted cynicism. "Satu lagi projek pembaziran duit rakyat". "Yeah rite, Venice of the East". "Who do you think you are kidding?"

I have no qualms admitting I was one of those cynical Joe Public, although those who knew me from secondary school days know that I have an affinity towards the Cintailah Sungai Kita programme.

Fast forward to 2009 and I hear nothing but praise for the Malacca river. Friends post pictures on Facebook, extolling the beauty of the waterway. Word of mouth about the river spread far and wide. Here are some pictures, sourced (without permission!) from Internet searches:

Here's my point: Malaysians are a cynical lot. I make no apologies that I still am one. But when things do turn out well, we quickly forget our cynicism and beat our chests, hoping that the world takes notice of our achievements.

I still remember how cynical I was to the government's plans to build Putrajaya using the country's oil money. At that time I thought it was a bloody waste of money. But now, whenever friends and relatives pay a visit, I make it a point to take them there because I think the Federal administrative capital is rather awesome (besides, it's quite near to my house). I am especially proud of the buildings near Precinct 3 (the long stretch of road sandwiched by PICC and the PM's Department). In fact, one can see busloads of tourists near the mosque area almost anytime of the day, including at night.

Ok, I do not want to make this posting sound like a propaganda piece. But sometimes when you are now on the Other Side, it is good to remind oneself not to get too distracted by deep-seated public cynicism. I can see where Malaysians' cynicism are coming from and I think this is something politicians need to address.

As for me, I will just try to stay focused on the job. And it absolutely helps that my office is in Putrajaya - the very place that made the cynic in me ate my words.

One year on

Today, it has been exactly one year since I left journalism, and about two weeks to a year since I joined the government. It's been a roller-coaster since Day 1.

Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I took up my current posting starting June 1 last year. It was a fairly different ball game from the one I ever knew. Some aspects of the job met my expectations, others fell far short. But what's really troubling now is that I am serving a government, increasingly under siege, not least by developments in Perak.

The idealist in me is upset, the realist in me knows there is only so much that can be done. One part in me wanna shout: dissolve the Perak assembly, play the underdog, cut losses and try to claw back in the next round - if at all. The other part in me says it ain't gonna happen and may not even be a good thing.

Ok, so much for politics. Do I miss journalism? Yes and no. Yes, I miss the adrenaline rush. I miss asking cheeky questions to newsmakers. But most of all, I miss the writing bit. But no, I can do without the crazy-hectic lifestyle which revolves around the political uncertainty post-March 8. No, I do not want to be woken up in the middle of the night only to be informed that Mas Selamat was caught by our more-efficient-than-Singapore authorities. And NO, getting tear-gassed when you already have to walk miles to cover an illegal rally under the scorching heat is not my idea of fun anymore.

Nowadays, I blog to ease my urge to write. And as I told some friends, I am far too tainted to return to journalism now. And even if I do, I have to steer clear of news reporting, much less write about politics - an area I used to focus on in the past. Although I have never been a member of any political parties, I have been thrust far too deep into the political spectrum to come across as a credible political writer for now.

Perhaps a stint doing movie reviews may help. Although since I became a dad in 2005, I have been to the cinema less than 5 times, the last show being "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" which I left some 40 minutes into the screening because that's how long my toddler's attention span could take (it was his first movie outing!).

Regrets? Not really. Sure, there were rough patches. Sometimes, you experience certain things which drains the living daylight out of you. Sure, power and greed bring out the best and worst in humanity. Sure,when the chips are down and the stakes are high, you just feel like hanging up your boots and say bye. But it's been one helluva experience so far, one which journalism would never have been able to offer. Yes, I would have gone through it all over again - only this time much wiser than before.

So, there you have it. One year on and life goes on. I wonder what I will blog about this time next year or whether I will still be an aide (my contract is for two years only). But really, I have no time to think about the unknown. There is a job to be done and I need to do it.

PS - Oh yeah, one more thing, I want to wish a dear colleague a happy birthday today. The person's been a great help. Thanks again!

Why the BN was screwed in 308...

And will continue to be if something's not done about it.

I loathe to blog about politics and since I started, I have vowed to stay clear of that topic whenever possible. But a casual conversation during a recent CNY open house annoyed me enough to pen this.

Over some roasted lamb and beer (teh tarik for me), the topic about party-hopping and the developments in Perak cropped up, naturally. Everyone in the table seemed to agree that while the change of government in the silver state may halt the PR's momentum, there is a lot of public resentment towards the BN following the defection drama.

But one smart alec, who's intricately-linked to the present administration offered his two-cents: "Come the next general election, BN will do well. Malaysians have a very short memory."

That kind of attitude, ladies and gentlemen, explains 308. And will be the cause of BN's downfall if left unchecked.

A brush with the "rival" (not mine)... (2)

The MP and State assemblyman for the area where I live hosted a CNY open-house the other nite. There were posters and banners put up around the housing estate days before the event, held in a community centre.

I went there with the family, chiefly because my eldest loves to watch the lion dance. The turnout was pretty good, although I sensed some disappointment from the crowd who had to wait quite a bit before food was finally served.

I didn't feel out of place although the two wakil rakyat came from the other side of the political fence as that of my boss. After all, I wasn't there in my official capacity. Heck, I am not even a member of any political parties. I was there as a registered voter in the taman and for the fun of it.

Well, ok, if I did feel a bit uncomfortable, it was because I wasn't quite dressed for the occasion. Dressed in tees and shorts, I could see quite a number took the effort to look as if they were going for some wedding dinner reception.

The aunty selling drinks near the low-cost flats had shed her regular tees and jeans for what appeared to be office attire. The party workers wore a corsage as if it were some badge of honour. I was quite surprised to see the hardware shop owner pinned with one. I thought I had seen him in a Rela outfit before. But I knew my newspaperman had always been a party activist even before he inserted propaganda-laced free calendars last year with the dailies he delivered. He was dressed in batik.

Well, that was my first time attending a CNY do for my housing area and I must say it was quite fun, although we were there only for a short while and did not have a chance to savour the food. Would go there again, if they still have it next year. My kids collected ang pow from the assemblyman. Am sure they look forward to doing the same next year. And oh yeah, for the lion dance too.

A brush with the "rival" (not mine) ... (1)

A couple of nights ago, I attended an informal get-together dinner. My boss was there and so were his party comrades and lots and lots of people from the press. Dinner was served buffet-style and there was no fixed seating arrangements, to allow guests to mingle more freely.

I arrived early and was seated with two friends. And there I was, sinking my teeth into the satay when a party leader came from behind and sat down in the same table. He was, in the public's eyes, a rival to my boss in the party.

I wasn't sure if he knew I was seated in the table before he took his seat, but I nevertheless greeted him with a "hi" and even smiled. He responded the same.

Although I knew him even before joining my present boss, I felt a bit awkward striking a conversation with the man. I continued the discussion with my friend seated next to me. If there was any uneasiness in the table, I didn't think anyone felt it.

At one point, the leader asked a mutual friend seated with us why he was eating so little. The friend said he would get more helpings later and I took the opportunity to chip in: "He needs time to warm-up." That must be the closest to me and him having a conversation that night.

All in, I guess it must have been 10- 15 minutes since the politician sat down before I excused myself and mingled with those from other tables. Given the nature of the dinner, I guess the duration was fairly acceptable. After all, we were supposed to move from table-to-table and hobnob.

I did not stand up and walked away immediately after he took his seat. It never crossed my mind to do so and it was absolutely unnecessary. In fact, I must say we both conducted ourselves fairly well.

Brain Vs Heart

Very often, when you start working for the government you are accused of having turned to the Dark Side. You are branded as an accomplice in concealing the truth, a spin doctor out to distort facts and partake in mass deception to prop up evil dictators.

I get that sometimes, although often in veiled forms, hardly in-your-face. And I take it in my stride and regard it as part of the occupational hazards.

But one thing I have learnt on the job is that Malaysians are still very much emotional-driven. The depth of such inclination is something I have underestimated before taking up my present post.

We (yours truly included) tend to cast aside hard facts in favour of our preconceived notions, which we have formed over the years. We tend to see shadows when none exists. We regard rationale explanations as further attempts to keep the lid on excesses and wrongdoings that exist only in our imaginations.

Before I am accused of coming to the defence of anyone, least of all the government, let me just clarify that this posting is not about whether anyone has done anything wrong. Let's face it: the government has made many blunders in the past, some more grievous than others.

This posting is about our tendency to look beyond facts and hold on to our beliefs, some which we are willing to die for. We can be like kids who hold on to their security blankets while ignoring their parents' assurances that the bogeyman from under the beds exists only in their minds.

For example when certain leaders say that the Chinese voters in Kuala Terengganu appear to have backed a particular party during the recent by-election there, some rubbish it by saying that Bandar, the state seat in the Parliamentary constituency with the most Chinese, saw more voters backing the opponent.

To them, saying the Chinese back this particular party doesn't quite fit into their preconceived notion that the non-Malays are an angry lot out to vent their frustration at the Federal government.

Just for the record, Bandar has about 60 per cent Malay voters and only a few polling stations are Chinese-majority, where it is possible to gauge voter preference according to race.

Similarly, those who trumpet about getting the Chinese support in KT tend to ignore the fact that the young voters have largely voted for the opposition, as results according to voting streams indicate. To these people, this trend doesn't quite agree with their beliefs, for reasons too lengthy to discuss here.

This is not a forum to dissect the results of a by-election. This is a posting about how infinitely difficult it is to change peoples' beliefs even if the facts are all laid out bare. It also reflects just how mighty the human heart is over the nimble brains.

This makes my job all the more difficult. OK, enough said. One of my next postings will be on managing public perception.

The Italian Job

Over the past few days, together with the boss, I visited several Italian corporations in Rome, Florence and Pistoia, many of them linked to a giant conglomerate in the country. Now, this is a mega-huge entity we are talking about, producing anything from helicopters, radar systems to trains. And of course, it is a government-linked company. It's not a very accurate comparison, but the size of that said parent company is like Malaysia's Gamuda, Maybank, YTL and Sime Darby put together. Ok, you get the picture.

Now, when you are that huge and well-connected in Godfatherland, that is a huge advantage - for the businessmen as well as the politicians or even the country. Picture this: a leader of a third-world country, say Zimbabwe, goes up to the Italian government asking for more landing rights for its national-carrier.

And the Italian official responds, (imagine using Marlo Brando's tone in Godfather): "Yes, we are interested to grant you the rights. But we also have top-of-the-class Italian helicopters you can use to weed out rebels in your own country. We can also do some technology transfer on your rail infrastructure."

Never mind the "technology" is 20 years old by Italian standards as long as the Africans find it to be state-of-the-art. Never mind the poor Africans will be paying through their noses for decades to come on equipment and infrastructure which may be decades old. Never mind the companies (and therefore, the country) rake in sinful amount of profits, some of it channeled into certain individuals' campaign funds.

Now, I am not saying that the Italian companies that I visited resort to such tactics. In fact, the conglomerate is rather respectable. I have not heard of anything of that sort. Neither am I accusing the Italian government of being underhanded. Italy has a vibrant democracy.

I am just saying that the politics-businesses nexus is a very powerful one. It's really a jungle out there where it is common to scratch each others' backs. It's brutal, unforgiving and downright dirty.

On the micro level, yes, similar things are happening in the country. Yes, it is not right. Yes, we are not alone. And yes again, such things are even taking place on a global level.

Caio!