"UiTM Fascism

A well written article and was unable to find the name of the writer. Enjoy

Mara means "to advance (forward)". It is the opposite of "retreat" and the declaration of defeat. It does not mean Undur.Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) must live up to its name. So must its younger brother Maktab Rendah Sains MARA. It is in the interest of the public to suggest good ideas for reform - and to advance.In my lifetime I have been affiliated with both organisations. I taught in the former institution and I was schooled in the latter. Whether a product of historical accident or not, I am proud of my experiences in both. There is a reason for things to happen. I came from a poor family and was given the chance to have an education I wish many more Malaysians, my parents included. But I wish to share my view on this troubling phenomenon that is plaguing a certain segment of the Malays. My argument will be largely linguistic.

What is the Malay view of the recent protest of UiTM student - of those young "men-in-black" whose are mourning and calling for the death of reason and rationality and for critical sensibility?I think Malays in general are angry at the protesters. I think they are embarrassed that those few thousands of Malay students were displaying their ignorance of what Universiti Mara means.While other universities have advanced (sudah mara ke hadapan) and are proud that they are embracing diversity and sharing resources for the benefit of deserving children of all races, those protesting UiTM students are experiencing the opposite. They are yelling with pride the word "defeat" and "retreat". Instead of Ayuh Mara they are actually saying Jom Undur. While thinking needs to advance, these students are saying that they need to digress (Ayuh… mari mundur ke belakang). Mundur is the derivative word. Should a university embody the philosophy of mundur rather than mara? Should it even be proud of being and embodiment of that philosophy? I doubt it. Only a misguided leader will be proud of being a guide to 'defeat and retreat' while the world around 'advances' and moves.But these students are not entirely at fault. It is the ideology and perpetrators of the ideology of undur itself that's at fault. It is the leaders implementing the retrogressive ideology that are at fault. It is the systematic indoctrination programme of ketuanan Melayu run over the decades that are advancing this UiTM philosophy of retreat.
It is an overdose of the work of government-sponsored Biro Tata Negara (BTN) that is making the mass retreat and defeat possible. It is the work of Malay-dominated agencies like these that are imprisoning the minds of the Malays. This is an anti-Malay-progress establishment that is using deformed arguments on race and ethnicity to pursue an educational ideology that has gone bankrupt. Docile Malay intended This is an anti-Malaysian mode of thinking that is still allowed to shackle the mind of the Malays. The idea is simple: make the Malay mind docile and afraid to think and you will divide and conquer them.UiTM students need to instead protest against the continuing oppression they are experiencing through the work of their own institution and through BTN. They should demand that multiculturalism instead of blind nationalism be made the foundation of their college experience.
UiTM students are more intelligent than those who protested against the suggestion.In the 1980s UiTM's (then ITM) orientation programme used to be conducted using the tactics of sheer humiliation and stupidity; meant to stupefy the young, bright Malay minds.The ROTU (Reserve Officers Training Unit then) was part of the week-long organisers of the orientation to create an awareness of how ITM students must learn to live in a tough and challenging environment. Senior students would prey upon the incoming freshmen to make them 'tough' through humiliation – name-calling, physical threats, psychological abuse, etc. Minggu Orientasi (Orientation Week) is a week for the seniors to have control over the mind of the Malays; oftentimes in a gangsterish way. Of course, it is also the time for the senior boys to show toughness to the young girls in this 'big brother-little sister' game of tough love. Many of them fell involved with each other in this 'Master-Slave' relationship. Even senior girls prey upon young boys, acting rough and tough on them. Pathetic paternalistic philosophy in progress.At times the freshmen would be roughened up by students in army boots and told to just follow instructions if they are to survive in ITM. They will be screamed at for trying to speak up.

This is the ideology of ketuanan Melayu at work; how to enslave the mind of the young Malays and continue to do so through the hidden curriculum designed by those who wish to have control over the mind of the bright young and eager-to-learn Malays. Instead of teaching the in-coming students how to take good notes, listen to lectures, speak up in public, pay extra attention to English Language, and be open to new ideas, respect each other, and learn from other cultures, the Malay students are subjected to humiliation in a place that called itself a university.Retrogressive ideologiesIn MRSM as well, a predominantly Malay-elite secondary institution for the best and brightest young Malays, similar things have been happening since the 1980s as well. Kursus Kesedaran (Self Awareness Courses) are conducted to instill the questionable idea of Ketuanan Melayu, making the children afraid of "Malaysian boogeymen and boogeywomen" and their own shadows. Open-mindedness is rarely encouraged and students take control over each others' lives transplanting retrogressive ideologies into each other's head, with the help of ultra-nationalist and anti-multiculturalist teachers. Even if these children survive the ideological ordeal and experience 'tough love' and go on to get their degrees from top American and British universities, they will still be Malays with a shallow understanding of multiculturalism or become more sophisticated Malays with more complex arguments on Ketuanan Melayu. They will then design policies to affect the needed sustenance of ideology in order to protect the interests of the few. Neo-feudalistic cybernetic Malays are then new creation of the political-economic ruling class. They run the country and many are now running it down.

As an educator wishing to see Malays progress alongside in peace and prosperity with other races, I call upon us all to put a stop to all forms of indoctrination held especially by the BTN; an organisation that is of no value to the advancement of the Malays they claim to want to liberate. It should be taken over by progressive Malaysians and replaced with a systematic effort to promote not only racial understanding through teaching respect and deep reflection on the cultures of the peoples of Malaysia, but also teach conflict resolution and mediation through cross-cultural perspectives. All must question the presence of BTN on campuses. All must reject BTN's programme for indoctrination.Let us no longer allow any government body of that sort to set foot on our campuses or our schools. As Malaysians we have to demand an end to the further dissemination of racist ideologies.Open up, not only UiTM and MRSM but also Umno to more cultures. We will have a great celebration of diversity and respect for human dignity in decades to come. I speak as a silent reproduction and capitalised human of both MRSM and UiTM; a product of the human capital revolution of the Mahathir era.MARA means progress. Malays are now sick of contradictions and doublespeak. They do not wish to Undur. Let us all protest against the stupefication of the Malays. Let us dismantle racist institutions.

I chance upon the main page of Utusan yesterday and seemed that they are egging ISA against the BAR council. Go ahead and do it. It will bode well with Rais Yatim’s trip to countries to assure other nations that our judiaciary ( and legal) system are of the highest standing. This certaintly will help him. Is the government setting up the Bar council to nullify them in the face of the Anwar sham?

And on the same page in the online edition, Utusan did a recap of the olmpic highlights. It is ironic to find "Prestasi athlet kita" side by side with another racial posting on " Khalid hina UITM, (hina) orang Melayu" where KJ affliated minister of higher education lambasted Selangor MB for even suggesting that Uitm allows 10% of its quota to be non Malays. The irony is that the country is hoping to strike gold from people from a combination of different races in the olympic and at the same time, makes the non Malays feel that they are second class citizen. How is this going to motivate our atheletes when you know that it is ultimately the colour of the skin that this UMNO-led government looks at?

Damn if you do, damn if you don't

Update: So, the conference got shot down by a group of mobs and supported by police.

I was disappointed with what happened today, even more with PKR and PAS.

Anyway, i got thinking and contrasted that out with the attack on Christianity by the Da Vinci code phenomena. And i remember reading an email written in BM with the intention of teaching its reader to use the book to challenge christians.( for those who think that Muslims are 100% above board, here is an example) Anyway, my reflection is to the Malaysian Christian leaders who ask us to be calm and came out with forums and Q&A sessions. In these, we learn about the book, the author, the truth, half truths and creative stretches, the backup from secular findings, church history and theological explaination. I think it was an immensely mature way of handling challenges by educating and role modeling. There is no protest, book burning and name callings. Soon, the phase passed over and everybody is wiser, even those friends who tried to make the mountain out of molehill.

If Muslims felt that they have been incorrectly attacked, so does other religions. In my religion, Christ ask us to be forgiving to the extend of giving the other cheek. Christians are not perfect as we are only human. I think that is the difference. Please be more confident in your religion and mature in your response.

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(The Star) - The Bar Council Malaysia’s proposed forum pertaining to conversion to Islam is unsuitable for discussion in an open manner, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.
He said an open forum could incite emotions among those with differing views. ( Is this a statement? of course emotions are part of human beings. But a mature human can handle their emotion and articulate that out, not resorting to pickets ala UMNO)

“Forums on sensitive topics are best discussed in closed sessions,” he told reporters after the launch of VistaJet’s charter services into Asia via Subang airport and the opening of SkyPark FBO in Malaysia here yesterday.
“We are not stopping public debates. It is something healthy, but (the proposed forum) should be a closed session.” Najib seemed to like to do things behind closed doors , with selected people. If Bar council is more inclusive and not exclusive, why put your own preference forward?

Asked whether the Government would stop the Bar Council from holding the forum, he said: “I don’t know. They have their own mind.”

Umno Youth exco member Datuk Pirdaus Ismail said the movement strongly opposed the Bar Council’s plan.
“Don’t play with fire! Don’t ever touch on religious and racial sentiments,” he said in a statement yesterday. “Whatever the excuses given, the forum still provokes Malay sentiments and creates uneasiness and public disorder, particularly among the Malays.” - Why can an UMNO leader make a 'lets go to war' statements like this and continously gets away it. I think his statement of 'excuses' is an excuse itself belittling the real mature people in Malaysia. When UMNO and PAS talks about Islam and Malay, it also created uneasiness among the very people that they are talking about to protect.


PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat questioned the Bar Council’s move to organise a forum that touched on Muslim sensitivities.
However, he would support a special forum between Islam and other religions, he told reporters in Kota Baru. - Untill now, there is no real initiative in this area. The fact that the government came out strongly and later back down on these engagements deprive avenues to engage constructively. And i doubt PAS can do better in this area.

Foreign minister Datuk Seri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, asked for his opinion on the Home Minister telling the Bar Council to call off its public forum, said: “This is not the Government’s decision. That was the Home Minister's personal view. - Syeh Hamid, you got that!?
“There is no need for us to place restrictions right from the start. If Syariah intellectuals want to discuss, surely we won't say no.
“If an issue needs to be discussed by certain parties, it should have a strong basis for that.”
- Finally, a wise man who dares to say what should be said. And probably because of that, he is not the most powerful race based warlord in UMNO. But again, lets look at a Malaysian context and not on one race, and you will find this argument valid. If the Islamic intellectuals can do it, why can't others?

Bar Council vice-chairman Ragunath Kesavan said in a statement: “We are not challenging or questioning the provision of Article 121(1A) conferring jurisdiction on the Syariah courts.”
The council was of the opinion that conflicts were best addressed in an open, frank and mature manner by all the parties involved, he said, adding that it had put together a panel of speakers representing the views of various parties.
“We believe that the forum will promote an in-depth examination of the issues involved, and will help create a greater awareness of the complex issues that we need to resolve together as a nation.”

When UMNO and PAS talks in secret ( khalwat) over Islam and ketuanan Melayu, it is right thing to do and have no impact towards other people's interest and emotion. At least the Bar council is transparent. UMNO decides based on its on skewed needs and sold them as ' good thing'. The government has clearly failed by side stepping this judicial crisis and does not have competence nor the political will to solve. If people then cannot engage to get clarity without threats of national security, it would mean that we are forced to accept this meekly.

Damn if you do, more damn if you don't.

Nor Yaakob's Conspiracy theory

Photo taken from http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/7/19/nation/n_25nor.jpg

Almost anything in Malaysia would come with a conspiracy theory nowadays. Sure, there are some real conspiracies and some are well imagined. The others are rethorics that was formed from coffee shop talks. It takes a person who is mature to know how to distinguish between more credible talks than angan -angan (inspiration). For example, the Home Minister decided to lock down Kuala Lumpur on the basis of 2 sms, 2 blogs and 2 speaches that he is still unable to produce as 'credible evidences". Till he is able to produce these 'evidences', it would be in the domain of speculative decision making.

I was on the plane to another country where the economy is booming and everything is being built at the same time. In contrast to that, the Malaysian economy seemed to be uninspired, rudderless and lethargic at best. Against this backdrop, it is even more harder to digest the Star newspaper headline that screamed "Nor Mohamed: Economy under attack every 10 years ". He claimed that " these “attacks” could be either coincidental or attempts by “unseen hands” to sabotage the economy". I do want to know who these attackers are and if indeed, the current mess in our economy is a product of external factors than internal mismanagement and inefficiency.

The BN's mouthpiece in the web also came out with an article " Policy Flip flop due to flops" where it decided to investigate the issue of competency and performance of our ministers.

"The decades of sacrificing meritocracy and having a political system which views smart individuals as a threat is hurting the country like never before.

Just run through the list of Cabinet ministers from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi downwards. Only a clutch of them have a strong grasp of economics and understand how the market works. Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. Datuk Amirsham Aziz, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed. Perhaps a handful of others. Perhaps.

The rest are, well, politicians. They rose up the ranks in Umno, MIC, MCA because they are astute politicians; they are adept at working the ground, are good orators; are powerful warlords in their respective states and are the best that their component party can offer"

This piece should be written prior to Nor Yaakob's unsubstantiated revelation of conspiracy. Perhaps he was trying to go to the level of Tun Dr Mahathir when he tackled the 1997 Currency exchange related economic challenge. The difference between then and now is that there was a consensus that indeed the currency speculation and subsequent domino failings of national currencies ( baht, rupiah etc.) is real. And the fact that Nor Yaakob is not Tun Dr. Mahathir.

Would suggest few reading materials for our distinguished Finance Minister. I for one do not hold highly a Finance Minister who are not able to articulate his strategy on the cuff and remarked that Tony Fernandes ( CEO of Airasia) did a better job responding to Bloombergs' line of questioning and came out stronger. I have not seen this minister attempting such a rudimentary skill of an economist and probably would not want to see another minister shooting themselves in the foot.

> Finance 101 - business cycle or economic cycle via wikipedia

> The Kondratieff Theory - slightly wordy but good grounding to know that these theories have been around for some time.

> Generating economic cycle by HL Moore

So, unless that this minister provide more insight into his allegation, would this just be another speculative uttering from a supposedly authority in economic policy driving?