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speak up!
Our shared
roots
ALL bilateral relationships
between countries exhibit
some differences in opinions
held by their political elites
and the general population:
usually it’s the political elites
trying to convince their gen-
eral populace that they know
what is best, and, depend-
ing on how democratic the
countries are, the media can
be trusted upon to increase or
decrease the heat. Sometimes
more pernicious strategies
are used, such as getting your
citizens to vote on treaties
repeatedly until they give the
“right” answer, or by invent-
ing new pretexts for war.
The relationship between
Malaysia and Indonesia is no
different.
Oct 8 was the date set
by a group called Benteng
Demokrasi Rakyat (Bend-
era) – the chaps who were
sweeping for Malaysians in
the streets of Jakarta with
sharpened bamboo spears
– to invade and crush us. I
expect the day will end with-
out a successful invasion,
but what this declaration has
enabled is a solid condemna-
Abiding
Times
by Tunku
‘Abidin Muhriz
tion of the group not only by
the sensible peace-loving
citizens of both countries,
but, significantly, by their
governments.
These wannabe warmon-
gers have been condemned
not only by those who yearn
for some sort of Southeast
Asian version of the Eu-
ropean Union, but also by
those who just a few weeks
ago were making accusa-
tions of cultural theft and
poor treatment of migrant
workers. Importantly, it’s
forced the governments
of both countries to issue
statements asking citizens to
keep calm and not take the
threat too seriously while
being vigilant. Our deputy
inspector-general of police
issued a statement that they
would keep on guard, and
security was stepped up
along the border in Borneo
(as dramatic as this sounds,
if this was considered a
genuine threat, our foreign
minister and defence person-
nel should already been on
the phone with their coun-
terparts in the Five Power
TELLING IT AS IT IS
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production),
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga-
tions)
Defence Arrangement).
The point has been made
by many that the money
and resources spent by (and
defending against) the threat
could have been much better
spent in helping the victims of
the appalling tragedy and on-
going crisis in Padang, where
entire villages – including the
eponymous villages of many
of the Minangkabau sukus
(clans) surviving in Negri
Sembilan – were destroyed.
The Yang di-Pertuan Besar
has sent his own condolences
to the people of Padang from
where his ancestors origi-
nated, and the establishment
of numerous donation drives
has further emphasised that
a great number of Malay-
sians remain generous
in these times. That is
why it was so frustrat-
ing to read that a Royal
Malaysian Air Force acknowledge the shared
plane was pelted by
stones as it delivered history between the two
rescuers and aid to the countries ...
region. The incident
was apparently the
work of children caught up in
the anti-Malaysia stirring but
still, why are these children
susceptible to it? Were they
not aware that their cousins
are just across the Malacca
Strait?
As a contrast, during the
tension in the build-up to the
invasion, the Dayak com-
munities on both sides of the
border in Borneo continued
to forge a closer relationship
despite the nationalistic
sentiments around them,
and made statements to that
effect. If the same sense of
cross-border affiliations can
be replicated on the western
halves of both countries, then
we will be much closer to ac-
cepting that differing political
institutions and methods of
gaining independence need
not stand in the way of close
friendship. Alas, that is un-
likely to happen unless we
see the value in acknowledg-
ing our pre-independence
heritages and giving pre-
modern history the emphasis
it deserves.
It is a cliché to say that the
way forward is to acknowl-
edge the shared history be-
tween the two countries, but,
for our part at least, we aren’t
doing that when we reify eth-
It is a cliche to say that
the way forward is to
nic categories which at best
confuse and at worst eradi-
cate the past: identifying with
our pre-modern heritages is
an essential part of seeking
out our trans-national roots.
It seems that the antics of ris-
ible groups like Bendera, if
anything, will help cajole all
of us into appreciating these
heritages.
Tunku ’Abidin Muhriz is
founder director of Malaysia
Think Tank. Comments: let-
ters@thesundaily.com
Consumers must call the shots
THIS newspaper,
particularly some
of its columnists,
has often been
bombarded by
calls, emails and
letters from read-
ers complaining
about service
providers.
Astro is a fre-
quent topic of un- Down2Earth
happy Tamil movie
by Terence Fernandez
aficionados who
complain there
aren’t enough
shows in this language; movie
fans who bitch about frequent trade” than “consumer affairs”,
repeats on HBO, Cinemax
and Star Movies; rock music
devotees who protest against
the deluge of hip-hop music on
MTV and Channel V and sports
lovers who cannot understand
why they have to pay more to
watch cricket or tennis.
Our retort to them is simple: direct-to-home transmission
no one is putting a gun to your operating licence to one opera-
head to subscribe.
Their reply is then this: has prompted the public to
“But there are no other cable
television providers.” That, we
say is your problem and this
is the main issue with our for the sports channel due to
consumers. In countries such
as India, Bangladesh and the ESPN on the Barclays Premier
UK with a powerful consumer League.
rights movement, there will no
dearth of consumers who will that with digitalisation and
band together to bring powerful
conglomerates to their knees interruptions to service due to
with mass boycotts.
However, back home the
consumer movement is a joke ended up paying more for it.
where we are only concerned
with personal gratification. One
consumer advocate who called
for the boycott of chicken during the latest system cannot cope
a price hike by poultry breeders
was caught on camera buying
fried chicken for his daughter at
a fast-food outlet.
Hence, the only ones benefit-
theSun
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Senior Manager, Production: Thomas Kang
Senior Manager, Distribution Channels: Joehari Abdul Jabbar
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letter
letters@thesundaily.com
Road safety starts
in school
IT IS deeply disturbing to
note with all the precautions
taken, even to the extent of
declaring Sept 18 a public
holiday to spread the balik
kampung traffic, there was
no reduction in the number
of accidents and deaths
compared to similar periods
in previous years.
Without attempting to
cast aspersions on the au-
thorities concerned it is plain
to see that Ops Sikap XX has
not produced the desired
results.
It is time a comprehen-
sive study is undertaken to
find the cause of this phe-
nomenally high rate of fatal
accidents.
Our highways are said to
be some of the best in the
world for their structural
lay-out and quality. Yet the
figures on accidents keep
spiralling upwards. I think
this has much to do with our
mind-set.
Many of us have not been
inculcated with the right at-
titudes in our developmental
years on the correct approach
to using the roads. Addition-
ally, the lack of stringent
and concerted enforcement
has over generations bred a
lackadaisical attitude in our
motorists and motorcyclists.
Consideration, courtesy,
care and patience are woe-
ing from consumer
advocacy here
are the so-called
consumer rights
groups aka Father
Mother & Son Sdn
Bhd which get
grants from the
government and
private sector to
issue press state-
ments.
With lax aware-
ness among the
people and some
in the government
who tend to be more “domestic
the consumer is at the mercy of
profit-oriented entities.
Corporate firms, especially
those in a monopoly, should
not take their customers for
granted. Part of the blame falls
on the government for award-
ing the 20-year sole satellite
tor. It is true that the monopoly
feel that Astro has taken its
consumers for granted. The lat-
est being the increase in rates
the purported monopoly of
Not too long ago it promised
the launch of a new satellite,
rainstorms would be a thing
of the past – and consumers
Today, service continues to
be disrupted even during a driz-
zle. This we are told is because
with the additional channels
introduced.
Plans for a rival network
fizzled out as many channels
were brought out to kill the
| FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 2009
fully lacking in a lot of the
driving public when they take
to the roads. Taking short-
cuts, beating the lights and
intimidating other road users
to their right of way seem to
be the feature among many
motorists and motorcyclists.
One mindless act can cause
a pile-up and several deaths.
The survival of the fittest
should never be the motto.
Whatever is the cause for
such a mindset and attitude?
Could it be that they have not
been taught better?
To my mind it is due to a
gap in their education. The
road is not an avenue for ad-
venture and asserting one’s
ego should never be the
goal. Educating children on
the precepts of road usage
should go hand in hand with
the learning of the 3R’s.
Learning by example is
effective. If adults do not set
a good example, then the
children will know no better.
They will follow suit thinking
it is the way of life.
Essentially, respect, civil-
ity, courtesy, care, patience
and consideration are the
iron-clad virtues to ensure
safety on the roads. Missing
out on any one of those vir-
tues could spell disaster.
JYR
Petaling Jaya
competition.
It is commendable that the
Arts, Culture and Information
Communication Ministry wants
to review the exclusive 20-
year rights which expire only
in 2017. But unfortunately the
plight of the consumer is not a
catalyst for this shift in policy.
The reason for this reassess-
ment apparently is because of
a lack of establishment-friendly
programmes over the satellite
channel.
Hence, if consumers feel
they cannot rely on the gov-
ernment to fully protect their
rights, they should take things
into their own hands.
If like myself, you cannot do
without your CNN, NatGeo or
History Channel, you can start
by doing without the lesser
viewed channels. Although I
love Spongebob, I don’t believe
in paying for three kiddy chan-
nels just to watch one cartoon,
hence I terminated these chan-
nels.
As someone who hates
watching football matches by
himself, the increase in rates
for the sports channels has
tempted me to consider taking
them off and going over to the
mamak stall or my brother’s
place down the road to catch
some of the action.
Consumers just have to take
control of our choices. Like I tell
complainants, unsubscribe if
you are unhappy. If you can’t do
that, then by all means continue
parting with your hard-earned
money grudgingly.
Terence wonders why he pays
RM110 a month for a service he
hardly uses. He is deputy editor
special reports & investigations
and can be reached at terence@
thesundaily.com and followed
on twitter @ TerencetheSUN