Malaysia... truly asia

i was in Malaysia over the weekend and it yet again reinforced many preconceptions that i already have about our peninsula neighbour.

K.L is really the rural malaysians idea of the promised land. the glamourized version of what "making it big" in malaysia really means. Apparently, they haven't been out of Malaysia to say, Singapore and see what "making it big" in the big city really means. Then again, the only "city" they know are prefixed on some nice kampung malaysian chick. and only the "city"s make it big.. Siti Nurhaliza is one. Siti sarah, etc.. if you really want to make it big add a state/town in your name : Siti tanjung perak.. and the list goes on.

Interestingly, the average rural malaysian and that comprises of say, 70% of the population, by statistics alone proves to be the driving force of Malaysia. They make the bulk of the primary industry labour, they have the most clout when you look at political voting demographics and strongest buying power (think casettes not CDs). so it is not uncommon to see uppity Datuks and Tan Sris clamouring atop make shift cardboard podiums or dubious looking pickups during election campaigns.. wearing hideous Batik shirts ( i hear that you are not to "overdress" when addressing certain social groups of peoples).. pandering to the needs of a "mob".. half of them know nuts about economics, politics or policy.. most of them just pledging allegiance to any political party that promises a good harvest, cheaper taxes, better welfare and uninterrupted Astro feed into their television sets. And the Bumis.. the backbone of the Malaysian Pro-Bumi policies are the voters that these elite Khazanah employed, Oxbridge types politicians want. which is strange.. considering the fact that despite such lucrative pro-bumi policies, they have lagged behind in almost everything that they touch. so this means billions of ringgits that have been poured into such pro-bumi policies have generated very low returns.. bothe economically and socially. in fact, for every ringgit you invest in a bumi you need 2 ringgit to patch him up after he abuses the policy and ends up in a worse shape. Illiteracy, unemployment and poverty is still high .. if not higher.. and even IF there have been improvements, they pale in comparison to the "minority" races of Malaysia, namely the Chinese and Indians.

Why, despite such affirmative action taken against the Bumis, do they still lag behind? The perennial question remains: Are Malays/ Bumis lazy? Is it an inherent trait, passed on from one generation to another in the blood that flows through our melanin rich skins? Is the colour of our honey yellow skin a stain on our credibility/ ability to be productive, contributive and not parasitical members of society?

Some argue that not everyone clamours for economic progress and we should all respect the different value systems of other peoples. Given that, the moral decline of our race does not prove any government economic think tank that in place of economic progress we value our moral and ethical development more. in fact we see a rise of crimes, raging from petty crimes like theft to that of more heinous natures, like rape, incest and murder.. a predominatly "Bumi" crime, especially in the suburban areas.

How has the policies failed? And more importantly, could it be possible that such policies have caused the "Bumis" to degenerate to the race that it has become today? A race that merely seeks to "Kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang" and "lepak"?

i have had moaners and groaners that lament their second rate citizenship status, ranting and raving of the lack of "oppurtunities" to make it big here in Singapore over teh tariks at coffeeshops at 3am in the morning. they have yet to realize that such difficulties permeates all races, all creeds. And even if the discrimination exist, it should not deter but spur. So while they lament and rant (like typical Malays) it begs the question, "Is that why we are in this "state" we are in now?" I don't believe in participating in their debate, despite sharing the same race. Is it because the system has been "good" to me as some claim? if it has, i really want to know it what way. I don't believe in pandering to the childish wants of an inferior race. And its sad when they choose to confine their "semangat" in the comforts of plastic chairs, against the backdrop of more angry, unfulfilled, ranting, raving brothers and sisters... before asking the "mamak" to whip up yet another cup of tea so they could stay unmoving, in that state.. just a wee bit longer..