For the past one year, scores of Malaysians remained hysterically and emotionally gripped by events relating to people, policies and communal differences. We failed to see the woods out of the trees. The longer this goes on unchecked, Malaysians are selling themselves shorter and shorter over time.
For a fact, recently I wrote a 4-page letter to the MD of a veteran German car group besides offering my consulting services, chronic problems associating with his veteran and famous car brand, 4 hours kept waiting with no other main customers, on a simple oil and filter change for a car bought 9 months ago. Not only that my first 15,000km was invalidated by the brought-in at 10,000 km.
Casting that aside, I am invited to contribute a historical article for an institute in Penang. It bemuses me that in the wider context of discussions, historical means what is widely accepted by the community without having to charge emotions of what is in the total truth, but what is in the selected facts to share.Nevertheless I do agree that my article will lend support or finale to other eleven articles written before me of a common theme.
Finally, in the recent write-up and worldwide circulation of a Mamak Malaysian-born who set to open a restaurant in Twitter's HQ. Kudos to her when I read the headlines with a smile and sense of "Good on you, girl". Until I read the full article published by our local media and as well as foreign news. I am terribly shocked, to know my neighbours - the Mamak, as this fifth generation claimed to be the lower of caste in Malaysia and treated badly to the point that she was not accepted for higher studies with good results. She had also felt largely insulted that shes still being treated an Indian in her own country. Her story then went on to illustrate due to the lack of opportunities she left Malaysia at the age of 15, leaving behind her OrangUtan and a blind chicken and what-not of wonderful memories as she took on the bigger and better world bravely.
The Americans bought her enterprising story by the hook. But what failed to impress me, was our local media and general population who had read the same news, very happy for achievement - failed to challenge and authenticate her claims. Where in Penang or parts of Malaysia, can a poor person keep an endangered species at home? Therefore from here, I ask you, what kind of role-model are we allowing to permeate the minds of our children to understand and follow as life history?
I sincerely hope the source of information, the principal behind stories and the media will play their roles to ensure good value stories are properly researched, managed and ran before it hits to international circles and give us a red bleeding nose when facts come charging back at us, one day.
Thank you.
The Americans bought her enterprising story by the hook. But what failed to impress me, was our local media and general population who had read the same news, very happy for achievement - failed to challenge and authenticate her claims. Where in Penang or parts of Malaysia, can a poor person keep an endangered species at home? Therefore from here, I ask you, what kind of role-model are we allowing to permeate the minds of our children to understand and follow as life history?
I sincerely hope the source of information, the principal behind stories and the media will play their roles to ensure good value stories are properly researched, managed and ran before it hits to international circles and give us a red bleeding nose when facts come charging back at us, one day.
Thank you.
