LEST I FORGET

I choose to end this 'sort-off hurley-burly year 2009' on self reflections. While fellow bloggers around me are enjoying their new found medium to communicate effectively, while some taking advantage the new on-line media offers to  'championing issues', 'criticize' or ‘mudsling’ things not in their favours, I consoled myself on posting my thoughts. As an active blogger I refrained from using the new media ‘abusing others’, neither to further my self-interest promoting personal agendas.

I like to consider all of my ‘Blog Postings’ as assessments of some 'defining moments', reminiscences of my past growing up years.

I beg to differ on the notion ‘in order to be successful we should look forward and forget the past’. I believe it’s the past that launched the future. So was our beloved country’s 52 years Merdeka to date, that had positioned the nation sovereignty in the global sphere after more than 500 years colonised by the west.

Least to say, the nation had awakened from it’s ‘atrophy state’ - a long-lasting ‘slumber’.So were we, my family and all fellow citizen of this blessed country of ours.

I grew up in a humble family with meagre income. Father and Mother toiled the land to bring in enough food to feed my siblings. To the present day ratings - we were in the category of the ‘hardcore poor’. In fact most dwellers of my village fitted that billing.

I was 16 when this beloved country achieved its independence. For some 50 years on I had witnessed the country undergoing massive changes. The big paradigm shift had spurred the country as a successful developing nation with a legacy of good governance in place. We applaud the sacrifices of our independent fathers and the excellent work of our visionary leaders. By now all good citizens should adhere to the notion Malaysia is on the right path to being a fully developed nation. We could be if we are focus and synergized our efforts unconditionally.

I remember, during the pre- and post-Merdeka periods the nation was under siege and threats of communist insurgencies. Early fiscal development saw the nation having to burden the heavy cost of national security and people’s freedom to go about their daily chores. Eradication of poverty was the core agenda of the newly self-ruled Federation of Malaya. Proper national policy was put in place prioritising on matters of national as well regional interest. The early goings was not easy, as the severity aggression of Communist Malaya guerrilla warfare, amidst threats of Indonesian confrontations on the formation of Malaysia had the country’s sovereignty put to test.

God willing Malaysia had survived as an independent and a democratic nation. I chanced witnessing 13 free General Elections. Also as public servant for 35 years I was on dutycallsto most of them. Till the 13^th General Election early March this year as a citizen of a free democratic nation, I ardently fulfilled my duty by going to the poll, casting my votes without fear or favour.

Borned during the Japanese Occupations of 1941-1945, brought up during colonial administration, Merdeka means a lot to me. Growing up as a Kampong Boy, and pursued a lasting career as a public servant for 35 years on – a fulfillment of a citizen’s dream to serve his newly independent nation.

For some 52 years of Merdeka, our leaders had put in place a solid social development premise for the nation to progress. We the people have to collectively brave the odds. The future is for us to follow through.

So is the new leadership’s war cry of ‘One Malaysia’ calling on the 'rakyat' to lead this country together as one nation. We are ‘rakyat’ of multi ethnics, religions and cultures. As ‘rakyat’ our co-existence built on solidarity in diversity is inherent to Malaysia as an exemplary unique nation on the global stage.

50+ years of self-ruled had transformed our beloved country from scarcity to plenty. It has become a land of opportunities widely sought after by many.

However the new millennium has brought in massive paradigm societal changes to fellow Malaysian. We are now bracing an era of information explosion of the digital age. We become dwellers of a global village and citizen of border less world. Technological advancements have influenced our self-beings. Information technology has reached its prime role as self dependent media within everybody’s reached. Personal privacy has no legitimate owing; we are now akin living in glass houses.

We are also of the opinion that our generations are of the lucky lots, not realizing we may be blinded by the massive on-slough of 'negative influences' via mass connectivity at the control of the fingers.

At of this very moment while we are all engrossed on the count-down heralding the New Year 2010 a decade has passed since we crossed the threshold to the New Millennium, a new age of IT Transformation.

For the fact that we had become technologically savvy, we ardently advocate affluent livings as parameters of the well developed.

Do we?

This old saying aptly could be a guiding star for our future endeavors: “Once you decide to follow an uncharted route, it will lead you to another and another, and finally to many others. So behold your right destination, before you decide to take on one.”

That's All Folks. Happy New Year.

.

........of 'WAYANG', 'PAADAM' & 'BEIJING OPERA'

Our ‘Wayang’ (free film entertainment) shows in the Sixties was the weekly outdoor Tamil Movies (‘Paadam’ in Tamil) at the adjacent Rubber Estate, and the unscheduled visits of the Government Propaganda machine - The MFU (Malay Film Unit) outdoor Mobile Film Shows. However the MFU film screening was not so much of real film shows, as the newsreels were often interrupted by the Information Officer lashing out ‘recycled’ Government Messages. Even then the whole Kampong Folks from the Malay Settlement would throng the venue not so much for the film show but for the latest information from the government. More so, it was The Penghulu’s wish that all residents should adhered latest government information, for their own benefits.
There was also this staging of the ‘Wayang China’ - Beijing Opera at a local Chinese Temple. Normally it was a ‘one off’ event organized by the Chinese Association to appease the Gods, so we were told. Teenagers like me would not miss the opportunity, though most elders dismissed the shows as non Islamic. More so it was a religious obligation for our Chinese neighbors they felt we should not interfere.
But my love for the theater, make me one of the ardent admirer, and an observant fan of the Beijing Opera. I would give all the excuse to my parents to be out each night for the opera shows. I was taken by the well managed stage direction and the presentation techniques of the production team. Each night show was different in directorial style with the other. The productions were well stage-managed and the shows flawless. The eloquent delivering of the dialog or songs and the expressive performances of the actors or the actresses with their calculated playacting moves either on a somber mood of  'romancing the beauty of the landscape with adjacent hills jutted with high cliffs’, or in the scene of ‘the tranquil forbidden garden of the wicked Empress’, more so 'the bloody and the aggressive battlefield scenes of the conquerors' that frenzied us to the out most. The swing of the sharp weapon, the artistic animated move enhanced by the sound effects from the beating of cymbals and gongs, the staccato drumming of drums accompanied by live music, too surreal to the ardent audiences.
Even though the storyline and the dialogues were foreign to us Malays, the colourful staging of the opera i.e the extraordinary traditionally designed costumes, the heavy make ups, the lighting effects, the vocals and the dancing, the red cheeks chorus girls of the ‘extra turns’, the comedies and the tragedies of the historical epic staged befitting the real live revival of the historical periods. For me watching the shows all season was like a period of my theater study apprentice attachment. As a result till present day I become too observant for details of events in the same manner I enjoyed the professional staging of The Beijing Opera at that Chinese Temple near my village, long time ago.

…………..

Watching the ‘so called’ high profile DEBAT over BRTV (Bernama TV) a couple of nights ago (15th July 2008) between PKR De Facto Leader Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the newly elected Minister of Information, Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek reminded me much of the 'impressive' performances of the Beijing Opera actors portraying advancing combatant Generals with full battlefield costume outfits I watched some 50 years ago as a kampong lad.
Although the bulk of the story line and the historical facts of the Chinese Historical Epics were alien and difficult for me to fathom then, or interpreting the Tamil Film hero MG Ramachandren and his comedian sidekick Nargesh, wooing the daughter of a rich Landlord, the storyline of which was also foreign, we enjoyed interpreting their overacting bits and well rehearsed gestures, mimic and moves.
But unlike the 60 minutes DEBAT (alas the station availed 3 “door slammers” of 3 minutes duration of commercial spot breaks) we the audience fully understood the issues upfront as they were current and spoken in our National Language. Surprisingly, what we could not fathom was their body language and the sparring part, the concept of the production, their way of dressing, the setting, the décor, the format as well programmed treatment and running order. For once I thought the production was apeing the concept of the televised current American Presidential Campaign Debate telecasts live by CNN, only that it lacked pomp and luster.
So what did the DEBAT left us.
It reminded me of our ‘Wayang Time’ way back in the sixties. Those WAYANGS although entertaining but were full of farce and false pretenses. Our two confronting generals (Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek) presentation look like there were on two different planes working on 2 sets of data aka aliens from two different planets, trying to save mankind from impending disasters that we know best to counter. They looked confused and uneasy. Were they reading from prepared scripts with some form of ‘ad libbing’ here and there? That was how it looked like (pardon me for my arrogance). Also the well structured program format was of no help either. I presume each segment was timed to the second to give way for commercial break. The Production was too clean for a live and unrehearsed discoursed from 2 opposing politicians. Even school debates would be more provocative, riotous in nature as the issue discussed was of importance to the nation. Dato’Seri Anwar Ibrahim known to be an orator capable of breathing fire of provocations on all his streets rallies, looked lame like a ‘lion in winter,’ at time haggard and sometime seemed accommodating. His apathetic smiles and casual dressing with over sized sagging jacket did not help much in positioning and uplifting his stage image. Dato’Ahmad Shabery on the other hand looked a bit under dress on his dark suits without his tie. His performance was like a young half groomed actor with a badly written script. His unmotivated moves at times resulting to his vocal fell flat. Unlike Dato’Seri Anwar, the Minister of Information has no experience ‘acting for the cameras.’

(I suggest IPTAR – Ministry Information’s Institute Penyiaran Tun Abdul Razak could design a special course for the new politicians, more so for the present bunch of parliamentarians. This is no joke, as in over developed countries upcoming politicians or spokespersons need to master the skill of appearing for the media, playing gallery and charmed the public as the trust of their voters are judged on their outstanding personality, performances and ‘good press’.)

……….

So much with the DEBAT, now back to the ‘WAYANG’ or ‘PAADAM’ or 'BEIJING OPERA' play acting.

MGRamachandran not only an icon of the Tamil Movies in the Sixties and the seventies, but also a successful South Indian politician. He was the Prime Minister of the State of Tamil Naidu for a long term. There was this short film entitled The Phenomenon of MGRamachindran. It was shown by delegates from India in a Short Film Communication Seminars organized by Thamassat University Cheng Mai, Thailand which the scribe attended sometimes late 80es.
The Short Film was about the nagging problems the down turned of MGRamachandran’s political career. His charmed as the film lover boy was dwindling, and his camp need to do something to reposition his popularity to his electorates. They researched on all the good things he portrayed in his films. They found out, of the hundreds movie titles MGR acted as hero, never ever he lost a fight except once in a comedy skit with his sidekicks Comedian Nargesh. They decided to capitalized on it and created media frenzy on rumors that they had been for sometime in loggerhead over some leading actress. So one fine day while MGR was on one of his election campaign trail they stage-managed a fight which saw his onetime sidekicks Nargesh attacking him. Later the photograph of MGR with his ‘broken right arm’ in the sling was distributed in all his political rallies to his fans and followers. The short film was also screened in his other election campaigns. In no time the team had successfully maintained their leader’s popularity

……..

All in all the DEBAT akin watching some playacting stunts on films or stage shows. I truly believed if any qualified politicians choose to play acting in the world open stage, he or she could enhance his or her popularity standings (or political diversion) to the masses if stage managed properly.

But most of our political aspirants are neither (true) actors, nor (qualified) politicians. Some even make a mockery of themselves in Parliments. Imagine another DEBAT of this kind involving those, where do we end up.

A"Flip-Plop' society?

That’s all folks. I now rest my case. Have a good day.

....THE AFFLUENT ME?

Sometime I wonder what Merdeka*really mean to me. I remember, we were once a poor nation. I remember we were once under the direct rule of The British Empire in the Commonwealth Of Nations. I remember I grew up in a not so remote village with bare minimum infrastructure during the era of British Malaya. Even so we were so proud of our village, the Malay Reserve Land with gravel road, structured irrigation system, and piped water supply, which were regularly maintained by the DID & PWD ( Drainage & Irrigation and Public Works Departments) of The British Administration then.

My village was situated on a Malay Reserved agricultural land on the left bank of Sungai Bernam, stretching out along the shore of Selat Melaka to the estuary of Sungai Perak. It was a small Malay Settlement in The Lower Perak District; in contrast to the vast Estate owned by British Plantation Companies mostly along the banks of Sungai Perak, and the tributary of Sungai Bernam.

As the saying goes; "The Colonial Masters have them all." Coconut and Rubber Plantations managed by British Companies each employing hundreds of imported Indian labors has turned the once futile mangrove lands into a leading producer of copra and rubber to the world. I also remember that my country was also known worldwide as an important producer and exporter of tin ores. In short The Malay Peninsula (as it was known then) though to the world standard was an under developed country, it actually was a rich British Colony.

Like all other independent nations of the world, we are very grateful to the contributions, sacrifices and the struggles of our Freedom Fighters. After almost 500 years under the rules of European Colonial masters, we achieved our independent (to this date) 50 years ago.

Since then we are proud to be an independent nation, respected by the world. We brag about our socio-economic successes, that our government advocate good governance, and that our doors are open to the world. We assured Malaysian and the rest, the full achievement of the country’s national goal by year 2020 as a fully developed nation. Collectively we fully fledged our trust and confidence to our leaders, as well proud and lucky to be Malaysian.

I remember when I first visited Kuala Lumpur late 1957; although the country has achieved its Independence the present of the Colonial Masters still prevailed. The luxurious cars on the streets then were still chauffeured by Amat or Omar the Malay drivers for their Tuans & Mems, giving me the notion that Mat Salleh still runs the country. Merdeka did not go well with the Malay city dwellers. They were still congregating in their rustic Kampong Baru, Dato’Keramat, Kampung Pandan, Setapak & Gombak as compared to The Colonials Masters living in Big Bungalows alongside their rich Chinese Tawkey neighbors, mostly in the neighborhood of Jalan Ampang, Jalan Gurney, Jalan Duta and other posh areas of Kuala Lumpur. These foreigners were mostly advisers, senior managers, managers and executives of foreign banks, foreign companies and some in the Malayan Civil Service, Government departments. I observed that their style of administrations and their way of social cultures and etiquettes were still foreign, although The Malaysian Legislative of an Independence Nation is being fully in force. In the Public Service most senior and managerial positions were filled by expatriates while Malaysian largely satisfied themselves as peons, junior clerks, and other lower rank positions.

Lucky though, The National Policy of the Government was well implemented. It was a big a paradigm shift to the style we run the country. What was once the domain of the foreigners are now Malaysia forte to success, as we are the right beneficiary of most things. As a result we changed from a humble and depressed lot to an affluent nation.

I was a kampong lad preparing for my Lower Certificate Examination in a Government English School when the country achieved its independent. I had my early education in a ( pra-independent ) Malay School before being enrolled into a Government English School, against all odds. The Pra-independent Malay Education System provide year 1 to year six of Primary Education. The syllabus provide basic Primary Education: reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, arts & craft, and gardening. On the other hand, The English Education System however, enabled students to proceed to Secondary and higher Secondary levels, with ( for a very few selected 'cream') an opportunity for Graduate Studies.

Enrolling me into an English School System my father was accused of exposing me to Christianity: that on The Day of Judgment, I would be thrown to hell, for being a ‘murtad.’ But my father was adamant. And there was me in 1952, an 11 year old village lad, as being the only one from Kampong Tanjung Bayan (the size of app: 8 sq km with the population exceeding 1000 people) embarking for an English Education. A decision not going well amongst the kampong Malays.

Looking back it was the thoughtfulness of my parents. They believed a sound English Education for their son was a worthy decision. They said that English is spoken by the colonial masters. It’s the worldwide lingua franca of the British Colonies. Furthermore my parents passionately subscribed to the notion that English is the language of knowledge. Ardently they hold to their decision and dispel all criticism of English Scholars becoming a ‘murtad’.

Growing up during the economic depression era caused by the two World Wars, was full of ups and downs for the hardcore poor like us. For most us life was not a bunch of roses then. We came from a humble, and foor family circle – our father and fore fathers were the simple peasant living by the day as fisherman, farmers or labourer. Our family sweats themselves toiling the small plot of land that we owned. Pre and early post independent periods were periods of hard times for my family scampering enough food for the family as well saving money for my schooling.

But being poor, and living below poverty line make one more resourceful, and developed strong resilient to strive for the best. All things were scares those days. Money was hard to find. Diligently ones managed their humble beginnings, struggling on paving our way for a better future.

God’s willing we scraped through.

I passed my Lower School Certificate the year our country proclaimed its independence - a ticket for a Malay kampong boy to prolong his quest for a lifelong education.

Lucky for me: I was able to acquire a sound education to serve my country as public servant for more than 35 years, as well nurtures my lifelong skill on creative endeavors.

Comparatively my present day living surrounded by comfortable and modern living environment with the state-of-the art technology of the 21 Millennium, makes me understand fully what Merdeka really is to me.

My love for you - Malaysia.

“Dirgahyu Ibu Pertiwi .”

MERDEKA - Independent