Mr DPM, don't use the "western" bogey

It is passe.

Page N8 of The Star today refers to the Wild, wild west?


Western ideas warping young minds

KUALA LUMPUR: Some of the younger generation today have “swallowed” so much Western liberal ideology that they have begun questioning the country's policies and laws which they claim stifle freedom, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Deputy Prime Minister said they had, in the name of freedom, demanded flexibility in some laws and for the repeal of others.


“But it is these laws and regulations which have ensured that the country remained prosperous and stable all this while,” he said in his speech yesterday at the Main Struggle Towards Independence exhibition at the Tun Abdul Razak memorial here.

“These people do not consider that what they have been touting as freedom could cause chaos and misunderstanding. What is important to them is absolute freedom.”

Najib said such thoughts stemmed from the lack of understanding and appreciation of the country’s history.

“If we do not know something from the beginning to the end, then it’s very easy to make assumptions based on what we see on the surface.

“Such actions based on shallow assumptions can be destructive to our people and the country.”

Najib said the younger generation should accept that the action taken by the Government was in line with the realities and situation of the country, and and not follow the philosophy of others.

“These post-Independence kids do not realise that racial harmony today did not happen on its own. It is the result of thorough planning on the part of the Government to make sure that the sharing of power and distribution of wealth is fair to all races,” he said.

“They do not understand how difficult it was for us to develop this country from a poor nation to one that is highly regarded by other countries.”

Najib also launched the book Cabinet Governing in Malaysia written by Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

The hardcover English copy costs RM100. The book is currently being translated into Malay.


DESIDERATA: Sometimes I just want to throw my arms up, like Y&A Sabrina Tan down in LOTR territory. (I remember Mave's counsel, NO DDC like terratry or terrortry, and keep it short, like miniskirts:)

NO, it' just that some of our leaders find IT so convenient to blame the Young -- also the "western" bogey. Does the DPM really believe in what he's saying?

Questioning a country' laws -- is that a privilege only of western democracies?
Younger generation, really?


To my mind, most of all countries which became independent from Colonialist GREAT BRITAIN adopted the Westminster model of parliamentary democratic adminstration, e.g. India, Singapore and Malaysia.
That's not necesarily a bad thing, unless some better-informed leaders think that what's good for them -- obtaining a Western education in the UK aand returning to become the ruling elite -- is not so good for other fellow Malaysians.

So this "freedom" preached by the more modest sounding United Kingdom -- whihch was what drove our Independence fighters to champion Merdeka -- presently is now becoming a "threat" to Malaysia's democratic government. Especially to the Young so much influenced by Western ways and trends?

(Just an aside, I think some sections of Asian societies lice far more decadent lives -- long string of wives/mistresses/concurbines and resplendent banquets lasting days? Did the Westerners blame their society ills on influence from the East? I never heard any...)

So various quarters, mainy nongovernmental organisations, have called for the repeal of the Internal Security Act, the Printing Presses and Publications 1984 Act -- but the leaders of such NGOS would hardly qualify as "young", Mr Deputy Prime Minister, No?

IN fact Desi wished that Najib Tun Razak, who benefited from a partial western education too, was right in that more of such "young" people were among the groups calling for the abolishment of repressive laws. It would then show that our Young Minds can think in line with modern and fast changing times, and are progresive in their outlook, not like "frogs under the coconut shell"!

I think our Young Minds -- especially undergraduates at the local universities -- are sso well brain-washed by the Authorities, and kept in check by oppressive legislation like the Univerities and University Colleges Act -- are so closeted that they have become "inarticulate and unexpressive and lacking a critical mind". No less than an academic luminary Profesor Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim had lamented that he found many of our local graduates hardly able to "communicate", what more engage in intelligent and critical discourse.

Maybe the YB DPM does not think feedback from the older generation of academics and profesionals (like representatives of the Bar Council and Malaysian Medical Association) qualify as "mature" and independent of so-called "western" (read: negative)influence?

When politicians want to shift attention of the public from more important problems facing the nation,they resort to "bogeymen". I'm afraid the May 13, 1969 bogey will stay around for some decades to come when General Elections draw nigh.

Wonder if these national leaders think that Malaysia has not entered the Internet age? Follow the leader no matter what?

"Do as I say, Not What I do" -- how about adopting this new credo, Mr Barisan Nasional adminstrators. Yeah, change lifetyle!
Have your holiday locally, don't go to Hollywood or Tokyo Disneyland.
But the villagers don't even venture out of their kampong more than once a year -- maybe visit the lucky Uncle in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, during their Hari Raya, Deepevali or Kong Hee festival -- that's their luxury Vacation.

Create more Musa Aman, Khir Toyol, Mohd Ali Rustam -- they take the constituents as kindergarten kids.
Hey, dear leaders, Malaysia after some 48 years of Independence, have generally grown up beyong secondary level schooling. Even the Young Minds can see through the Little Napoleons' wearing the "transparent" Emperor's clothes -- they do read Enid Blyton or Hans Christian Andersen, you know!

Bye, I better hold my peace lest my national leaders say I prostesteth too mush. Zam already has a most difficult job to oversee as it is. Yes, maybe it may help him with the authorities licensing the Internet (remove Hollywood, and the terrible western decadence et al!); yeah, censor all serious Blogs and serious discusions.Starting with Article 11, to be followed with Arts X, Y, Z...


Give the Rakyat more fairie tale weddings costing how much? RM12,888,888. Chicken feed-lah -- we have created so many billionaires and millionaires-at-27; or missed the boat a little, at old age of 30, good enough?

Meanwhile, plantation wrokers' union leaders were/are doing a song&dance after fighting for years to get a minimum wage of RM350 (or ws it RM300?)per month for rubber tappers, oil palm planters and harvesters ...

And Petronas announced a net profit of more than RM40.00BILLION for financial year ended March 2006; yet a few months earlier the authorities said it had no choice but raise petrol pump price by 30sen per litre.

Are these leaders close to hearing the pulse of the nation and its people?

I don't know whether to laugh or cry for NegaraKu, cometh its 49th birthday.