Potential Nuclear War In Asia

North Korea has exploded several nuclear bombs recently and she has put herself in a position that angered USA, South Korea and Japan. The ramifications however are on a much wider scale extending over to Asean countries. Her nuclear capability is real and can threaten South Korea and Japan immediately. Why has North Korea suddenly changed her stance? Is there any obstacle or issue in the North Korean side that she feels is not worth pursuing in view of the circumstances within the country at the moment.

Or is it a strategy to divert the attention of her people. There are indications that a power struggle is being waged between faction supporting the president and its rival. Sukarno used the same tactic to confront Malaysia, create a diversion so the people's attention are distracted from the economic chaos Indonesia was suffering at that time. Diversion is a handy technique to apply when internal problems exist in the country.

By provoking USA, South Korea and Japan, she is creating instant enemies for the North Koreans. Thus resentment and anger that should have been directed to the president have now been aimed at the Americans, South Koreans and Japanese. The danger is that, this state of affairs may go out of hand if people in America, South Korea and Japan reacted emotionally and angrily over these nuclear tests.

What was in the first place just a tactical move to resolve its succession issue may in the end become a real war creating massive deaths and destructions. It is best that Japan consider joining the nuclear club to counterbalance North Korea's threat to hold neighbouring nations in ransom. Japan is fully equipped and qualified to play this role. America, South Korea including all countries of the world should support such a move to ensure peace and stability in the region.

In Fairness

2020 is coming on track. When we reach that momentous year, will we still be a divided nation? This is the question Malaysians are asking. Will we still be obssessed with race and religion? Will Malaysia just be the basket to hold the eggs together?

If we based on the above, it is indeed a gloomy outlook. Yet there is hope. Because we Malaysians believe in fairnesss. In fairness, we have enough for everybody. The Malaysian cake is sufficient to satisfy everyone. So what is the problem? Your guess is as good as mine.

Actually there is no problem? It is man made. If we are animals and we follow our instincts, we would have reached our destination naturally and safely. But man is a different specie. Man has that extra special - the superiority complex. This is the root cause of men treating his group better than the others. Call it by another name - unfairness. You know if we do a literal solution, just remove the - un.

And that would solve the issue. Right! It becomes - fairness. But literal is not the answer. It is something deeper. It is goodness. So you say what is good about eggs being in one basket? Security maybe, unity! Both are necessary, if you have security, you will certainly have unity. Otherwise, it will be chaos.

Eggs are supposed to be broken. If they are not, than they will not serve any useful purpose. For all the eggs to be one, they have therefore to be broken. So if you take one egg to represent one race or one ethnic group. How many eggs do you have in Malaysia? Definitely a lot.

Can we now solve the problem of why it is important to have a united Malaysian nation equals Bangsa Malaysia equals 1Malaysia equals Malaysians (equals broken eggs).

The final result, one race, Bangsa Malaysia and one nation, Malaysia.

It Should Not Be My Way, It Should Be The Perakians Way

Sometimes a song can best reflect our action. For example, it is not appropriate to have your way when the masses are moving in the opposite direction. Good leaders should always listen to the voice and feeling of the people. In Perak, the men in the street want to have another election to determine who should be the popular state government of Perak.

No harm to accede to this demand. It is the will of the majority. And in agreeing, actually you win the favour of the people. War is not always won by advancing. A retreat could also help. In the Second World War, Montgomery was forced to retreat in the Tank Battle of El Alamein in North Africa. Rommel, the German general was the victor. But because of that tactical retreat, Montgomery was able to regroup his forces and made a counter attack to reconquer the region for Britain.

In war as well as in politic, strategic moves are very important. It should be done with Malaysians of every race in mind. Non-Bumiputra Malaysians are angry and disappointed on many things in this country. The rectifying of all these for example, like educational, job, economic opportunities etc. doesn't cost billion of dollars. It may only involve the adjustment of the relevant policies.

The danger however is that many little Napoleons on the ground who are supposed to implement these policies do not do so. Instead they sabotaged them and the government gets the blame and a bad name. The people's perception, it is only talk, no genuine action. A label once stuck is difficult to remove.

It can only be done if it is given the highest priority and monitored by the Prime Minister himself with a mobile Special Minister to check at all levels of implementation including on the ground. These are not billion dollar issues, and to the government they maybe considered as just small matters. But remember whatever concerned the future and survival of their children, non-Bumiputra Malaysians take them very seriously. So this should be reciprocated in the same manner.

Many big ships have sunk because the captain thought the small leaks were just something trifle. In politic, a similar situation could happen.

The Fed Up Malaysians

All political parties should take note that there are Malaysians who are fed up with what is happening in the country. Angry, to see what should have been done correctly was done wrongly. What people in the kampong thought should be the honest way? Turned out not to be so. Villagers are the conscience of the nation. They make their decision based on traditions, centuries old. What is commonly called the wisdom of the ages?

When villagers say that this is wrong? We should take notice. Because they are looking at issues with unclouded eyes. Or rather with innocence. Again being innocent is being truthful. So tons of legal arguments cannot hide the truth. The truth will stand out. Sometimes we have to accept that truth can cause the downfall of a person. But what is that, compare to the condemnation and curses thrown to the individual concerned.

It's strange, humans respect those who surrendered and gave way to the truth.Probably because this is a sign of intergrity. A sign of courage, a sign of being principled. And afterall, it's not the end of the line. The man who uphold the truth even when he lost, will have another chance to win the support of the people and to win his cause.

Politicians must remember that to accept the truth is a virtue. But to reject what is true and continue to fight is a stigma. It will make people lost confidence in the leadership of that person. So never fight truth, it will kill the individual politically even when it appears that he has won his case legally.

SAKMONGKOL AK47: Betrayals Masquerading as Progress

SAKMONGKOL AK47: Betrayals Masquerading as Progress

The ' I ' Factor

The 'I' is now the determining factor in Malaysian politic.Because the people realised that the sort of government they would like to have is up to them. The strategy of all political parties must therefore change to accommodate this new aspect of peoples' thinking. They should maximize their relevance so as to incorporate the aspiration/physical development of their particular constituencies.

It is no longer politician who will set up the programme of implementing projects to bring growth in their respective parliamentary or state seats. It is the people. Gone are the days when politicians called the shots. The 'I'power, when they combine to become the 'We' force, will be able to overcome whatever obstacles standing in the way.And thus can form government that are more sensitive to their needs.

These are not complicated demands. Just simple ones. Like getting places for non-Bumiputra children into local colleges and universities. Even when their results are very good,most of them are not given such opportunities. These are the issues they would like to be resolved. And at the same time,they will make comparison with neighbouring Singapore where no such practices existed.

Question will be raised. As to why Singapore goes to the extent of headhunting for smart students from foreign countries. Offering them scholarships. And when they have completed their studies, were offered good jobs, housing facilitiea including citizenship. Why are non-Bumiputra Malaysian students given a bad deal in their own country?Considering that they are also citizens of this country. And the billion dollar issue, why is there no action taken to remedy this glaring inequality?

Creating the loss of thousands of intellectual asset through brain drain. Malaysia could have reached developed nation status years back had they not made this blunder. Will this repressive situation be allowed to continue? Or will the demands of the 'I' factor be heeded to show that Malaysians are given equal treatment whatever their race or religion.

SAKMONGKOL AK47: Let the People Decide!

SAKMONGKOL AK47: Let the People Decide!

The World's First....... Tree Of Democracy Is In Malaysia

Malaysians must be very proud indeed to have the Tree of Democracy thriving well in Perak. The world's first! And Malaysian ingenuity would make sure that it will become a special attraction.An attraction that would make the backwater state of Perak,world renown. People from everywhere will make a pilgrimage to see this tree.

What was an upside down situation has turned out for the good. Must be the hand of destiny. For Perak has nothing to offer all this while! Suddenly and magically, behold! The Tree of Democracy appeared. The Tree of Life! For it will bring untold riches to Perakians and Malaysians. How? Through people. And people are what? Tourists.

Tourists bring what? Money lah! And lots and lots of money. This time, no political crossover is necessary. The ordinary people will benefit because of spillover effect from this giant tsunami of tourists coming to see for themselves this extraordinary tree. Where once, democracy was almost dead, it now has come back to life. Truly miraculous.

The only problem is Perakians and Malaysians are given an option. It is called ingenuity. How should they handle this Tree of Democracy? That's a billion dollar question. Surprisingly, the answer is simple. Just handle it right! And everything will fall into place. And the billions will come in. No big deal as the saying goes,if everything is done correctly. Correct!

A United Malaysian Nation

I believe, it is the wish of every Malaysian whatever his race or religion to see the realisation of Malaysia becoming a united nation. A country can only be strong if its people are united. A country divided is like someone who is always fearful of others, believing that his life is being threatened or is in danger. And no one is to be trusted. Even fellow human beings.

This is not a positive or proactive philosophy. In fact, it is negative and destructive. Malaysia need to be positive and proactive. Because it has all the right ingredients to produce a great dish. Why do I use the analogy of food here.The answer is Malaysians are simply fantastic with food. They have a liking for Malay,Chinese and Indian dishes including western.

If we can build unity through food, what is there to stop us from creating a unity of Malaysians from diverse ethnicities and religious beliefs. The problem is we are good in talking. Very bad in finding the right and practical approach to realise this. My understanding is when politician speaks, their supporters listen and believe whatever they say. The danger here, ideas, bias, hatred and fear may have been conveyed to the hearers.

Even if these are false allegations, they will be accepted as true when they are repeated many times by politicians. If we want to unite people of different races,then the political leaders of both the government and opposition must speak on the same theme. Meaning, all of their political speeches whether in their own party conventions or public rallies etc. must eventually relate to unity.

Similarly when criticising the opposition, the government must do so on their performances and not on other considerations like race and so on. Vice-versa, when the opposition criticise the government. Why is emphasis given on this? Because,only then, can the right signal or message be conveyed to the parties' followers whether in the government or opposition.

And that message is the unity of all races for a united nation, Malaysia. Just like good food, the ingredients must always be right. But if everytime you use the wrong one, then you will never get the perfect and tasty dish you desire. That is also the case with nation building. Politicians must always remember this nugget of wisdom :

' Be a hero to all and not only to particular Malaysians '

Reunion - Always Something Missing

Pic taken probably in the 1950s showed part of the Holy Trinity Secondary School on the upper floor left hand side, the Boarding House, first floor and the Bridge (Remove) Classes, ground floor on the right hand side. Foreground, the playing field. Courtesy of Bryan Paul Lai.
Note: When I visited Tawau during the Reunion Dinner, these buildings no longer existed.


From right, me, Lawrence and Paul at his spacious residence within the vicinity of the Tawau Municipality



From left to right, Lilian, Paul's charming wife, me and Paul waiting for the reunion dinner to start.




Reunion is always a time of reflection or remembering the good old days when everything was simple. No computer no nothing. And travelling from house to school or from house to town was either by your two strong legs or on a bicycle. That was the in thing. But now, all has changed in our wired world. And events happening thousand of miles away can be viewed from the TV screen on our sitting room or from the computer.

What has this to do with reunion! And why is there a feeling always,of something missing? That was part of my emotion when I attended a recent reunion in the east coast of Sabah. It was held in the municipality of Tawau at the newly opened Promenade Hotel. On a Saturday evening, 3May 2009. Four hundred Trinitarians and Ursulites filled the hotel's banqueting hall. Exstudents of Holy Trinity and St. Ursula's Convent School respectively. I came, expecting to meet only one or two of my classmates. But it turned out, I met six of them(Trinitrians). That was indeed a real blessing! And of course, hearing of friends who has departed to the next world by the one way express brought a tinge of sadness.

My last visit to Tawau was in 1984, 25 years ago. In that time, a young boy would have matured into a man. And a small tree would have become a giant. Everything changed. I suddenly realised, what that missing feeling was all about? The Tawau of my school days. I was hoping that Tawau would remain the same. Slow and relaxful. Sitting on my bicycle and watching the sunset on the seafront near the district office. Eating turtle eggs and meehon. That was what I wanted Tawau to be.

Time moves on. Progress follow. And Tawau developes. My friend Lawrence and me would have been totally lost in this modern municipality if not for Bryan(our boarding mate in Holy Trinity-we stayed in his house, well looked after by him and his charming wife,Lilian)and his brother in-law Anderson. They brought us round. And I just couldn't make out the roads, the buildings and the places that I used to know. I completely lost my bearing.

I could have transmitted all these pictures of the reunion and of modern Tawau. But unfortunately, my digital camera had a glitch. So my wife, Irene who was in Kota Kinabalu did not see what I saw. Of the municipality still growing spur on by the oil palm plantation and industry. Otherwise, she could have seen all these views just a sitting room away. And this is all due to the power of being wired!

1Malaysia - Do We Have Our Equations Right?

1Malaysia equals Bangsa Malaysia equals Malaysian. So do we have our equations right here! This is the question that strike my mind. If we do, well and good. But my observation is that to make this truly workable, all parties whether in the government or opposition must not do a double talk. This is not a positive trend but a negative one, when political parties talking to their own members at political convention tend to be insular and protective of their people whether Malay, Chinese or Indian. But when outside they talk more on the interests of all Malaysians, unity, equal opportunities etc..

This is what double talk is all about. For public consumption a different story and for private, another variation. There is a mismatch here. Sending different messages to different races and people. So what is Malaysia's true vision and mission for its people? Simply put it can only be, either one race, one country or many races,many countries. And the logic is, whether it is easier to rule one race, one country or many races and many countries. It is obvious which is easier.

Our country is multiracial but we are scared to remove the word multiracial and replace it with Bangsa Malaysia which equates to Malaysian which further equates to 1Malaysia. All these are equations and they are one and the same. If I may elaborate to mean one race, Malaysian and one country, Malaysia. Take the example of the United States of America. If it were to govern the country by applying the concept of many races and many countries, it wouldn't be able to exist as the United States of America.

The Malaysian solution should be similar. And the role of all political parties whether in the government or opposition should make this their primary goal that of helping to create a 1Malaysia equals one race, Malaysian and one country, Malaysia.The Americans took more than one hundred years to attain it but we can do the same in less than hundred. Because the time is right. Political parties must talk straight whether in public or private. No double talk! And the ultimate result, Malaysia would become a united and developed country with Malaysians enjoying modern amenities and facilities.

Man Cannot Outwit God

Funny! Man wanting to outwit God. That's what some people tried to do. They think they are already well equipped - stronger and more knowledgeable than God. In other words better than God. Man is creation. How can he be greater in comparison to his creator? It does not make sense.

Human against the divine. It sounds crazy. But to the challenger that is not the case. He feels he has what it needs to be like God. Intelligence and his ability to discover and invent. Come to think about it, invention is like creation.Bringing into being something that did not exist before.

This could be the root cause why man think he could take on God. And maybe to discredit God further, claiming the universe came into existence not through the power of a supreme being but through the big bang. Big bang theory, all about mega explosion which caused the world to appear.

The question which human being cannot find the answer yet is who made the big bang? Who created these very very powerful explosion. Only someone having the power to create can make such an impact. The saddest part is the big bang is only a theory. But man still refuses to acknowledge otherwise. They failed to see God's handiwork all around them,the fauna and flora.

What they see is only themselves and their achievements. God is just a name. If human are so smart, why are they unable to stop death. Even the richest and most powerful man on earth cannot conquer death. This proves that man is only a creature and he cannot live in this world eternally.

Greening Of Malaysia

Trees within the compound of the house helps to cool the building.


Why is the greening of Malaysia so important? Because it is one way to keep the country cool. It has been discovered that a tree of substantial size is equivalent to twenty five airconditioners. Just imagine, how it would feel if you have a few trees around your house? Just nice! No more sweat and no more migraine. Malaysians must cultivate this habit of planting trees.

Not only within the compounds of the house or empty lands but also in areas where trees have been removed for commercial purposes. Companies responsible for such removal must also take the initiatives to replant them. The warming up effect that is being experienced in all parts of the country is due to this factor.

Western countries have come to realise the importance of keeping their tree stock to the maximum. And trees are being cut mnimally. To ensure that the climate of their countries remain the same. To make this possible they have programmes to replace trees that have been felled. The companies involved in tree felling are keen to participate in such activitities because this is one method they can give back something beneficial to society.

At the same time, they also educate school children about the benefits of this greening culture. This is done through talks, seminars, field trips etc. Malaysian and foreign companies can also do the same here. Thus it will not only bring many good things to Malaysians such as a healthy and cool environment which is conducive to development but which also help maintain the balance of nature.

The Debacle In The Perak State Legislative Assembly

Well the debacle in the Perak State Legislative Assembly on 7 May 2009 left a bitter taste in the mouth of Malaysians. It is outrageous that the speaker have to be manhandled in order to remove him. Legitimate methods should have been used. Like applying the proper procedure for such a case. The house must have provided rules for this sort of situation.

The most important being that both government and opposition members should act within the ambit of the law. Parliament and State Legislative members are the guardians of the law. And they must exercise their duties upholding this spirit. And the people of Perak who are the prime stakeholder in this issue should be the determining factor. They should be the final arbitor.

Remember, if there is no people ( citizens), there is no country or state. Democracy is all about the people, of the people and by the people. So the best course of action is to turn to the people of Perak and let them decide who will rule the state.This certainly will help to stabilise the country's political situation. And focus could be directed instead to resolving the economic downturn. This financial crisis must be given the highest prority.

It involves the survival of Malaysia and the economic well being of Malaysians. The Perak issue should therefore be put right by the people of the state themselves. And the best way is through another election.

Telescoping

Telescoping and telescope have two things in common. They both are used for observing. One is its action while the other is its instrument. So this blog is to serve that purpose of viewing the human species in their enviroments. Politically,economically, socially and culturally including their physical and spiritual development etc..

You, out there are welcome to make your comments and suggestion on any issues that would appear here. But make them in a decent and professional manner. In short, in a civilised way. Making possible to agree and disagree without the necessity of using violent and abusive language in putting across our ideas.

As this is my first posting, I would end here. Hopefully in the days to come, I would be doing a lot more telescoping. And thus be able to tell you, what is happening on planet earth?