JULY 14 — The Malaysian Insider quoted MPM committee member Professor Datuk Dr Kamarudin Kachar as saying that federal scholarships should be allocated in accordance with the country’s racial ratio.
As we all know, MPM stands for “Majlis Perundingan Melayu” or the Malay Consultative Council. It is driven by the ultra-Malay group, Perkasa, led by Datuk Ibrahim Ali, and finds support from luminaries such as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
While Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz yesterday insisted that we all should get rid of Perkasa — “because Perkasa is not in line with Datuk Seri Najib (Razak’s) 1 Malaysia concept,” and “we (are) against any form of racism and Perkasa certainly doesn’t belong or [is] supported by Umno,” — the deputy prime minister and some other ministers have often said that Perkasa was entitled to voice its opinion on matters affecting Malay rights.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had refused to be associated with Perkasa by declining to attend its gathering at the PWTC some months ago. However, his tacit approval of Perkasa and what it stands for is well perceived upon his refusal to openly state that Perkasa runs counter to his 1 Malaysia concept.
In fact, the prime minister’s posturing on his New Economic Model, which saw him broach the subject of transparency and meritocracy in the awards of government contracts, only to later announce that he would not betray the interests of the Malays after Perkasa had raised its usual Malay rights rants a couple of decibels upwards, lends credence to the perception that he, at the very least, is conscious of Perkasa’s influence among the conservative Malays, even if not wholly in agreement with it.
In the Umno Youth chief, Khairy Jamaluddin, Nazri finds an unlikely ally. Khairy has openly criticised Perkasa and its leader, Ibrahim Ali, whom he (Khairy) described as a “jaguh kampung” (village champion).
Ibrahim responded by asking Khairy to resign from his post as the Umno Youth chief.
The fact that Nazri has said that Perkasa should be gotten rid of came as no surprise as the latter’s connection with Dr Mahathir is not very well hidden. And Nazri’s disdain for anything Dr Mahathir is also quite obvious. In addition, Khairy Jamaluddin is also not exactly in love with Dr Mahathir. The feeling is mutual, I must hasten to add.
As I am writing this article, Ibrahim Ali has responded to Nazri’s call by saying that it was Nazri who should instead be gotten rid of.
Elsewhere, the deputy prime minister had ventured into really murky territory by saying that all can form their own “Perkasa.”
Since the inception of Perkasa and the rise of Ibrahim Ali as the leader of this self-styled Malay pressure group, I have found Perkasa — and it’s various offshoots, such as Gertak, Pekida, Pewaris and MPM — to be nothing but political gimmickry entirely lacking in any form of substantive intellect.
And to think that there is someone in MCA who had suggested that the Chinese should have its own Perkasa is nothing short of comedic. What will the Chinese version of Perkasa be named, PerkaChua?
That Perkasa lacks intellectual credibility is obvious from Ibrahim Ali’s call for Khairy Jamaluddin to resign and for Nazri to be gotten rid of. Why must KJ resign or Nazri be sacked? Just because they disagree with Ibrahim Ali?
This is endemic among Malaysians who are quite obviously less endowed in the cranium, I must say. When one can not rebut what one’s opponent is saying, one attacks the opponent. If no credible attack could be mounted, one calls for his or her resignation. Whatever for? Would the opponent resign just because of that call?
Personally, I do not for a moment believe the government in general, and Umno in particular, to be in such a chaotic state over Perkasa. I really do not believe that the various personalities in Umno are at odds over Perkasa.
To me, it is a balancing act. Someone has to pacify the non-Malays, and someone else within the same organisation has to pacify the conservative Malay. Hence, the seemingly inconsistent stands on Perkasa from different personalities within Umno.
Whatever it is, Perkasa has been allowed to raise a number of issues with the government. It has, for example, raised issues about the meritocracy plan under the New Economic Model. It has even managed to scream over the Bank Negara’s refusal to disallow Affin Bank to make an offer to take over EON Bank.
And yesterday, through MPM, it demanded that federal scholarships be distributed in accordance with the racial ratio. The rationale for that is explained as follows:
“The Malay population of this country is 67 per cent. That means 67 per cent of scholarships should be set aside for deserving Malays and Bumiputeras,” says MPM committee member Professor Datuk Dr Kamarudin Kachar (as quoted by The Malaysian Insider).
I do not know whether the Malay population in Malaysia consists of 67 per cent of the whole population. That apart, the simplistic approach taken by the good Professor is alarming, to say the least.
What if, out of the 67 per cent, the families of 25 per cent of the Malays could more than afford to send their children to any university, thereby negating any necessity for scholarships?
What if the government decides to impose taxes based on the racial ratio, arguing that since the Malays form 67 per cent of Malaysia’s total population, Malays should pay more taxes as all public utilities and amenities are obviously used more by the Malays than other races?
The eradication of poverty, emancipation and empowerment of the people of this country, intellectually and politically, is a must if we are serious in achieving the goal of being a developed nation by 2020 or at all.
I, for one, am not going to deny the necessity for affirmative action, if that is what it takes to raise the economic status of a certain section of our society, be it the Malays or any other race.
The fact that there are special positions enjoyed by the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak is also undeniable and unquestionable. And I am not questioning them.
But what are those special positions? How are they “protected”? Is the mechanism for this so called “protection” left to our whims and fancies?
Article 153 of the Federal Constitution lays out the answer. But we do not seem to want to analyse it, let alone understand and implement it wholeheartedly.
Quite to the contrary, we seem hell-bent on twisting its purview and purports, taking away the spirit of the provision from its implementation, thereby making a mockery of the all the good intentions of our forefathers, who fought for independence and negotiated the inclusion of the provisions into our supreme law, the Federal Constitution.
This is what it says:
“Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.”
Allow me to break the provision up for better clarity. Broken to its core, article 153 provides as follows:
a) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak;
b) His Royal Highness shall ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of the followings:
- positions in the public service;
- scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government;
- any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business as required by federal law.
The crux of article 153 is not the racial ratio. It is “reasonableness”.
The question is therefore not one of numerical superiority. Nor is it racial superiority. Or even “ketuanan”.
Article 153 posits the existence of an executive responsibility. That responsibility is to ensure that the provision is implemented as reasonableness demands. It is therefore a highly visionary provision.
I say “visionary” because we cannot discount a time in the future where “reasonableness” dictates that no reservation of the various matters spelt out above should be made for the Malays and/or the natives of Sabah and/or Sarawak.
If we could not discount that possibility, then we would have failed miserably as a nation. To think that the Malays and natives of Sabah and/or Sarawak would need various positions to be reserved for them in eternity, out of social or political necessity, is an admission on our part that we would never be able to alleviate poverty and social as well as economics imbalance among the Malays and the natives forever and ever.
In that instance, are we, as a people and as a nation, not ashamed of ourselves?
The correct question to be asked, in respect of the distribution of the federal scholarship, is then not a numerical one. It is this.
How many federal scholarships (scholarships given by states government do not come within the purview of Article 153) should be reserved for the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak as would be reasonable?
Surely, the concept of reasonableness would entail a careful and deep analysis of needs and necessity of the Malays and natives for such scholarship as compared to the other races. Surely, it would entail a careful study of the academic achievements of the Malays and natives as compared to the other races. Surely it would entail a certain set of guidelines and criteria for selection of qualified students.
I may be wrong on the above. But what I am dead sure about is this.
I am sure that Article 153 does not provide for:
“All federal scholarships, positions in civil service, business licences and permits shall be reserved, firstly, for the Malays, secondly, for the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and the remaining, if any, for the other races.”
I am also sure that Article 153 does not posit the distribution of federal scholarships in accordance with numerical superiority.
Perkasa’s demand, through MPM, for federal scholarships to be distributed in accordance with the racial makeup of our country is not only incongruous with the concept of 1 Malaysia, but is also repugnant against the Federal Constitution, both in its letters and spirit. - Columnist Art Harun.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
What do you think?
KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today that anyone was free to form an association, including Chinese or Indian versions of the Malay rights group, Perkasa.
“We can have Chinese Perkasa and even Indian Perkasa,” he said today.
He said that it was an individual’s right to form an association and it was acceptable as long as it was formed with good intentions.
“The government does not stop anyone from forming a body,” he told reporters after officiating the second Asean School Games at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium today.
Muhyiddin was responding to reports quoting MCA vice president Datuk Donald Lim as suggesting the formation of a “Chinese Perkasa” in response to the Malay rights group’s strident rhetoric and race-based demands.
Perkasa has grown from a one-man cause to include thousands of Malays who feel disaffected by proposed economic reforms that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to use to turn Malaysia into a high-income nation for a plural society.
It has managed to influence Najib into continuing with an affirmative action policy for Bumiputeras, despite having signalled that his New Economic Model (NEM) is for all Malaysians, under his 1 Malaysia concept.
Ibrahim has used Perkasa to form an umbrella body called the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and has received the support of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Perkasa’s demands for what it says are Malay rights has caused unease among some non-Malays, as well as moderate and liberal Malays who see the group as racist.
Muhyiddin said today Perkasa was not funded by Umno, but by independent Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali, who “might want to fight for Malay rights”.
He said that when forming an organisation, individuals must take into account the country’s best interests.
“An organisation cannot be formed to attack one another. It must have a common interest which appeals to the majority of people” he stressed.
MCA leaders yesterday distanced themselves from Lim’s suggestion, pointing out that it was his personal view.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has called Lim’s suggestion “ridiculous,” saying a Chinese Perkasa would only fan racial tension.
He said earlier today that Lim’s call also did not gel with Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept. Malaysiakini.com -
“We can have Chinese Perkasa and even Indian Perkasa,” he said today.
He said that it was an individual’s right to form an association and it was acceptable as long as it was formed with good intentions.
“The government does not stop anyone from forming a body,” he told reporters after officiating the second Asean School Games at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium today.
Muhyiddin was responding to reports quoting MCA vice president Datuk Donald Lim as suggesting the formation of a “Chinese Perkasa” in response to the Malay rights group’s strident rhetoric and race-based demands.
Perkasa has grown from a one-man cause to include thousands of Malays who feel disaffected by proposed economic reforms that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to use to turn Malaysia into a high-income nation for a plural society.
It has managed to influence Najib into continuing with an affirmative action policy for Bumiputeras, despite having signalled that his New Economic Model (NEM) is for all Malaysians, under his 1 Malaysia concept.
Ibrahim has used Perkasa to form an umbrella body called the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) and has received the support of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Perkasa’s demands for what it says are Malay rights has caused unease among some non-Malays, as well as moderate and liberal Malays who see the group as racist.
Muhyiddin said today Perkasa was not funded by Umno, but by independent Pasir Mas MP Ibrahim Ali, who “might want to fight for Malay rights”.
He said that when forming an organisation, individuals must take into account the country’s best interests.
“An organisation cannot be formed to attack one another. It must have a common interest which appeals to the majority of people” he stressed.
MCA leaders yesterday distanced themselves from Lim’s suggestion, pointing out that it was his personal view.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has called Lim’s suggestion “ridiculous,” saying a Chinese Perkasa would only fan racial tension.
He said earlier today that Lim’s call also did not gel with Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept. Malaysiakini.com -
Monday, July 12, 2010
Inter Faith Dialog - A Joke
The Federal government in the face of rising religious tensions stemming from various widely reported cases in Malaysia decided to set up a inter faith council for a dialog to overcome issues. However, the panel hit a snag when the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin famously quoted them as small fries with no influence publicly. Thereafter, the panel was hit by various stumbling blocks.
As the Najib administration scrambles to revive inter-faith talks that began earlier this year, Malaysia’s multi-religious leaders are refusing to budge until the panel’s name is finalised.
The Cabinet’s Special Committee to Promote Inter-Religious Harmony and Understanding (SCPIRHU) slammed into a brick wall soon after its inaugural meet, after several Muslim groups and muftis baulked at the inclusion of the term “inter-religious”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, and the Cabinet committee’s appointed co-ordinator, Datuk Ilani Isahak, have been working behind the scenes quietly persuading religious leaders to head back to the table.
No dates have been scheduled yet to continue the discussions but Ilani had disclosed earlier this week, in an interview with an English-language daily, her hope to restart talks this month.
The council of muftis had unanimously voted for a name change to the panel at a meeting on April 3, claiming the present name would cause confusion among Malaysian Muslims.
They proposed that the panel should be renamed the “Special Committee to Promote Inter-Racial Harmony and Understanding”.
They also wanted the panel — currently under the care of the National Unity and Integration Department (NUID) led by Koh — to be supervised by Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, the minister in charge of Islamic religious affairs.
The Hindu Sangam indicated to The Malaysian Insider it had no issue with a name change, but could not agree to the muftis’ suggestion.
“The Hindu Sangam is always ready for talks. We’re willing to talk to anyone from any religion,” said its president, Mohan Shan.
“But before that, they must finalise the name to call the committee. If they want to call it ‘jawatankuasa kaum’ (race committee) then we’re not the right people; we’re religious,” he stressed, drawing a distinct line between the two concepts.
“We don’t know what we’re going to talk [about] and how we’re going to talk about sensitive issues if even the name is a problem,” Mohan pointed out.
His deputy, Dr Bala Tharmalingam, hinted that the uneasiness over the present name may be confined to only the Muslim community. The non-Muslims were, he noted, were baffled.
“I don’t know-lah. They have their own way of thinking. I don’t know what is stopping them… Maybe the Muslim groups feel the supremacy of Islam will be threatened,” he mused.
“Even if they’re supreme, they should co-operate towards religious peace and harmony anyway,” he added, explaining that the whole purpose of the Cabinet panel was to find amicable solutions to the growing number of inter-faith disputes confronting the public.
“If the name is the problem, then change the name. Maybe ‘Religious co-operation towards peace and harmony’ or something like that,” Dr Bala offered.
The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president, Rev Thomas Phillip, has not had word from Ilani.
“Nothing so far. We’re just waiting for them to bring forward the terms of reference so we can have some kind of dialogue,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The head of the Mar Thoma church was also unsure if the inter-faith talks would pick up again this month, as Ilani suggested.
“We don’t even know if there’s a change in name [of the panel]. They have to show us what they want and then we’ll have a meeting with our council,” he said.
The talks began after a spate of attacks on various houses of worships following the New Year’s Eve High Court ruling that Catholic weekly The Herald had the constitutional right to use the word “Allah” to describe the Christian God.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers have applied for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal. No date has been set for the appeal process yet.
As the Najib administration scrambles to revive inter-faith talks that began earlier this year, Malaysia’s multi-religious leaders are refusing to budge until the panel’s name is finalised.
The Cabinet’s Special Committee to Promote Inter-Religious Harmony and Understanding (SCPIRHU) slammed into a brick wall soon after its inaugural meet, after several Muslim groups and muftis baulked at the inclusion of the term “inter-religious”.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon, and the Cabinet committee’s appointed co-ordinator, Datuk Ilani Isahak, have been working behind the scenes quietly persuading religious leaders to head back to the table.
No dates have been scheduled yet to continue the discussions but Ilani had disclosed earlier this week, in an interview with an English-language daily, her hope to restart talks this month.
The council of muftis had unanimously voted for a name change to the panel at a meeting on April 3, claiming the present name would cause confusion among Malaysian Muslims.
They proposed that the panel should be renamed the “Special Committee to Promote Inter-Racial Harmony and Understanding”.
They also wanted the panel — currently under the care of the National Unity and Integration Department (NUID) led by Koh — to be supervised by Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, the minister in charge of Islamic religious affairs.
The Hindu Sangam indicated to The Malaysian Insider it had no issue with a name change, but could not agree to the muftis’ suggestion.
“The Hindu Sangam is always ready for talks. We’re willing to talk to anyone from any religion,” said its president, Mohan Shan.
“But before that, they must finalise the name to call the committee. If they want to call it ‘jawatankuasa kaum’ (race committee) then we’re not the right people; we’re religious,” he stressed, drawing a distinct line between the two concepts.
“We don’t know what we’re going to talk [about] and how we’re going to talk about sensitive issues if even the name is a problem,” Mohan pointed out.
His deputy, Dr Bala Tharmalingam, hinted that the uneasiness over the present name may be confined to only the Muslim community. The non-Muslims were, he noted, were baffled.
“I don’t know-lah. They have their own way of thinking. I don’t know what is stopping them… Maybe the Muslim groups feel the supremacy of Islam will be threatened,” he mused.
“Even if they’re supreme, they should co-operate towards religious peace and harmony anyway,” he added, explaining that the whole purpose of the Cabinet panel was to find amicable solutions to the growing number of inter-faith disputes confronting the public.
“If the name is the problem, then change the name. Maybe ‘Religious co-operation towards peace and harmony’ or something like that,” Dr Bala offered.
The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) president, Rev Thomas Phillip, has not had word from Ilani.
“Nothing so far. We’re just waiting for them to bring forward the terms of reference so we can have some kind of dialogue,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The head of the Mar Thoma church was also unsure if the inter-faith talks would pick up again this month, as Ilani suggested.
“We don’t even know if there’s a change in name [of the panel]. They have to show us what they want and then we’ll have a meeting with our council,” he said.
The talks began after a spate of attacks on various houses of worships following the New Year’s Eve High Court ruling that Catholic weekly The Herald had the constitutional right to use the word “Allah” to describe the Christian God.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers have applied for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal. No date has been set for the appeal process yet.
The PM and then there is the DPM
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s recent use of increasingly strident race rhetoric is standard practice for Umno when faced with troubled times, say political commentators.
Political scientist Dr Farish Noor said Umno playing the race card was nothing new, and followed a pattern where the party would amplify parochialism whenever it was not strong enough to fend off challenges from the opposition or there was an internal leadership crisis.
“This use of ethno-nationalist discourse has always been part and parcel of Umno politics since the 70s,” Farish told The Malaysian Insider.
He also said the deputy prime minister’s constant harping on issues calculated to appeal to Malay voters was consistent with the historical role of his position as Umno deputy president.
“There’s always been this history of this double act in Umno... It’s not even a new script,” Farish pointed out.
He said that Umno has to have two faces, with the prime minister acting as a “bridge-builder” to the non-Malays and the world while his deputy was responsible for unifying the party.
Farish pointed out that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim played a similar role as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s second before his fall from favour in 1998.
Najib and Muhyiddin’s (left) seemingly opposing voices fit a long-established Umno mould. — file pic
“Anwar’s task in the 80s was simple — to promote Umno’s Islamic credentials and to harass PAS... [while] Dr Mahathir sold the idea of a developed Malaysia abroad,” he said.
“We can go back and read all their speeches. Anwar was doing then what Muhyiddin’s doing now.”
Farish added that this arrangement was likely to persist for the foreseeable future, citing Umno’s “institutional inertia” and resistance to change.
“If Muhyiddin became PM tomorrow, he would need someone to play the role he’s playing now,” the political scientist said.
Monash University Malaysia political scientist Dr James Chin argued that this “division of labour” between Najib and Muhyiddin showed that Umno had not learned anything from its disappointing performance in Election 2008.
“They still think they can talk to different communities using different media,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
“The new media operates totally differently — it operates in all languages. It doesn’t matter if you speak it in Tamil like Samy Vellu or in Mandarin like the MCA... You can’t specify your message to one particular ethnic community anymore.”
However, Chin said the party will continue to tell Malays to unite under Umno or lose the Malay state they claim the Malay nationalist party had successfully built since 1969.
“It is consistent with the overall product that they’re selling, which is ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ (Malay dominance),” he said.
He also said the stark warnings issued by Umno in recent weeks laid the ground for the coming general election, which he claimed was just around the corner.
“They’re just positioning themselves [for the general election],” Chin said.
“The general election is crucial for Najib. If he loses further ground then Umno will only allow him to stay for one term. If he manages to win big, then he’ll be there for at least two terms.”
Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian concurred with Farish’s assessment that Muhyiddin’s recent dire warnings to Malays was business as usual.
“I’m not sure if there’s anything new there,” he said of Umno’s attempt at conflating Malay political and economic well-being with Malay unity.
“Ethnic unity in times of economic uncertainty strikes the strongest chord.”
Ibrahim also identified the Najib-Muhyiddin double act as an attempt to strike a balance between its non-Malay supporters and investors, and its Malay-centric support base.
“The results of [Election] 2008 have prompted them to address the grievances of the minorities but they’ve realised a lot of the changes... are uncomfortable to their base,” he said.
“They have to keep the base.”
However, the pollster argued that while Umno’s rhetoric struck a chord with many working class and lower middle-class Malays, there was still a disconnect between the party’s words and the situation on the ground.
“Part of the rhetoric doesn’t meet the reality they (the Malays) are confronted with,” he said, citing rising inflation as well as the lack of job opportunities and access to government assistance for urban Malays.
“Malays living in urban areas generally fall out of the ambit of government assistance,” Ibrahim added.
While he admitted that it will be hard for Umno to keep to race-based politics while leading a multi-ethnic coalition, Ibrahim nonetheless defended the Barisan Nasional (BN) solution as having the potential to occupy the centre ground of Malaysian politics through “best compromises”.
“It (the coalition) is supposed to bring moderation and I think that’s how it was designed by the country’s forefathers.”
“What becomes a problem is when representatives from one group see themselves as having greater rights than others,” Ibrahim said.
Political scientist Dr Farish Noor said Umno playing the race card was nothing new, and followed a pattern where the party would amplify parochialism whenever it was not strong enough to fend off challenges from the opposition or there was an internal leadership crisis.
“This use of ethno-nationalist discourse has always been part and parcel of Umno politics since the 70s,” Farish told The Malaysian Insider.
He also said the deputy prime minister’s constant harping on issues calculated to appeal to Malay voters was consistent with the historical role of his position as Umno deputy president.
“There’s always been this history of this double act in Umno... It’s not even a new script,” Farish pointed out.
He said that Umno has to have two faces, with the prime minister acting as a “bridge-builder” to the non-Malays and the world while his deputy was responsible for unifying the party.
Farish pointed out that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim played a similar role as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s second before his fall from favour in 1998.
Najib and Muhyiddin’s (left) seemingly opposing voices fit a long-established Umno mould. — file pic
“Anwar’s task in the 80s was simple — to promote Umno’s Islamic credentials and to harass PAS... [while] Dr Mahathir sold the idea of a developed Malaysia abroad,” he said.
“We can go back and read all their speeches. Anwar was doing then what Muhyiddin’s doing now.”
Farish added that this arrangement was likely to persist for the foreseeable future, citing Umno’s “institutional inertia” and resistance to change.
“If Muhyiddin became PM tomorrow, he would need someone to play the role he’s playing now,” the political scientist said.
Monash University Malaysia political scientist Dr James Chin argued that this “division of labour” between Najib and Muhyiddin showed that Umno had not learned anything from its disappointing performance in Election 2008.
“They still think they can talk to different communities using different media,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
“The new media operates totally differently — it operates in all languages. It doesn’t matter if you speak it in Tamil like Samy Vellu or in Mandarin like the MCA... You can’t specify your message to one particular ethnic community anymore.”
However, Chin said the party will continue to tell Malays to unite under Umno or lose the Malay state they claim the Malay nationalist party had successfully built since 1969.
“It is consistent with the overall product that they’re selling, which is ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ (Malay dominance),” he said.
He also said the stark warnings issued by Umno in recent weeks laid the ground for the coming general election, which he claimed was just around the corner.
“They’re just positioning themselves [for the general election],” Chin said.
“The general election is crucial for Najib. If he loses further ground then Umno will only allow him to stay for one term. If he manages to win big, then he’ll be there for at least two terms.”
Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian concurred with Farish’s assessment that Muhyiddin’s recent dire warnings to Malays was business as usual.
“I’m not sure if there’s anything new there,” he said of Umno’s attempt at conflating Malay political and economic well-being with Malay unity.
“Ethnic unity in times of economic uncertainty strikes the strongest chord.”
Ibrahim also identified the Najib-Muhyiddin double act as an attempt to strike a balance between its non-Malay supporters and investors, and its Malay-centric support base.
“The results of [Election] 2008 have prompted them to address the grievances of the minorities but they’ve realised a lot of the changes... are uncomfortable to their base,” he said.
“They have to keep the base.”
However, the pollster argued that while Umno’s rhetoric struck a chord with many working class and lower middle-class Malays, there was still a disconnect between the party’s words and the situation on the ground.
“Part of the rhetoric doesn’t meet the reality they (the Malays) are confronted with,” he said, citing rising inflation as well as the lack of job opportunities and access to government assistance for urban Malays.
“Malays living in urban areas generally fall out of the ambit of government assistance,” Ibrahim added.
While he admitted that it will be hard for Umno to keep to race-based politics while leading a multi-ethnic coalition, Ibrahim nonetheless defended the Barisan Nasional (BN) solution as having the potential to occupy the centre ground of Malaysian politics through “best compromises”.
“It (the coalition) is supposed to bring moderation and I think that’s how it was designed by the country’s forefathers.”
“What becomes a problem is when representatives from one group see themselves as having greater rights than others,” Ibrahim said.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Police Shooting and Double Standards
15-year-old Aminulrasyid Amzah was fatally shot early yesterday for allegedly trying to knock into policemen
Aminulrasyid was alleged to have been hit by shots fired by patrol policemen after he was believed to be reversing the car he was driving into the policemen to escape a roadblock. According to police, a machete was found in the car.
Noh who is the cabinet minister for Agriculture said he would raise the issue of the teenager’s death in the shooting at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow to ask for police to investigate the case in a fair manner.
He said Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar himself had given an assurance that there would be a thorough investigation into the case and those responsible would not be protected.
Noh, who is also Selangor Umno liaison deputy chairman, said the state Umno was prepared to assist the teenager’s family, including providing legal service if required.
Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim urged that the investigation into the shooting incident be conducted with honesty and transparency to know what actually happened. He gave assurances that State Chief of Police would be called to discuss on how to combat crime without endangering lives.
On the family’s welfare, Khalid said state Welfare, Women’s Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Rodziah Ismail would be looking at the situation before taking any action.
The concern shown by the cabinet minister and the state Menteri Besar is both exemplary and must be appreciated.
However, my concern is would the same attention and sympathy would be offered if its a Indian youth who was shot death?. The newspaper reports spoke nothing on the police attempts to apprehend a friend of Amir who fled the scene to determine what really happened.
I stand to be corrected, but if memory and records serves right both governments never shown any interest to uphold justice in the cases of police shooting of Indian youths. Let alone the welfare of the families involved.
Aminulrasyid was alleged to have been hit by shots fired by patrol policemen after he was believed to be reversing the car he was driving into the policemen to escape a roadblock. According to police, a machete was found in the car.
Noh who is the cabinet minister for Agriculture said he would raise the issue of the teenager’s death in the shooting at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow to ask for police to investigate the case in a fair manner.
He said Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar himself had given an assurance that there would be a thorough investigation into the case and those responsible would not be protected.
Noh, who is also Selangor Umno liaison deputy chairman, said the state Umno was prepared to assist the teenager’s family, including providing legal service if required.
Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim urged that the investigation into the shooting incident be conducted with honesty and transparency to know what actually happened. He gave assurances that State Chief of Police would be called to discuss on how to combat crime without endangering lives.
On the family’s welfare, Khalid said state Welfare, Women’s Affairs, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Rodziah Ismail would be looking at the situation before taking any action.
The concern shown by the cabinet minister and the state Menteri Besar is both exemplary and must be appreciated.
However, my concern is would the same attention and sympathy would be offered if its a Indian youth who was shot death?. The newspaper reports spoke nothing on the police attempts to apprehend a friend of Amir who fled the scene to determine what really happened.
I stand to be corrected, but if memory and records serves right both governments never shown any interest to uphold justice in the cases of police shooting of Indian youths. Let alone the welfare of the families involved.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Muhyiddin's bluntness
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin can be blunt at times to defend the Malay race and his Islamic faith but today his bluntness was sharp enough to kill the nascent inter-religous committee by describing it as a “small fry”.
At a time when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is trying to win over skeptics with his 1 Malaysia slogan, his deputy has just shown that the efforts are skin-deep and not serious.
“They are just small fry, a small role played within the Prime Minister Department,” Muhyiddin said in describing the committee headed by Datuk Ilani Isahak to bring together religious leaders to discuss issues and solve conflicts.
His comments, meat to allay concerns of the Malay right-wing group Perkasa, reflects the shallow thinking and lack of seriousness in the government to ensure harmony in the multi-racial and multi-religious country.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali had nixed the idea of the committee, saying its existence could influence the government on Islamic matters. Without batting his eyelids, Muhyiddin took less than a day to confirm that Umno will dance to the tune set by Perkasa and kill any hopes of the panel’s success.
The federal government now needs to make it clear what it wants from the committee, is it just an adornment or a serious mechanism to ensure peace and harmony in the country.
Muhyiddin’s comments reveal that Umno agrees with Perkasa and doesn’t want any mechanism that appears to make Islam on the same level as other faiths. The fact that the Warrior’s Day celebrations have been moved to Putrajaya reflect that the government cannot make decisions that are completely secular.
It shows that this government will pander to the narrow racial and religious interests of the vociferous minority. That it isn’t really interested in the 1 Malaysia that Najib had proudly announced on his first day of office.
One can admire Muhyiddin for his honesty but despair that another good idea that was a long time coming has turned out to be a sham.
If he is right, the government is paying lip-service to the very idea of inter-faith dialogue and harmony and Malaysians need to seek elsewhere for a leadership committed to that ideal.
Which is a pity. 1 Malaysia can work but not with leaders like Muhyiddin who dismiss its ideas and processes as a “small fry”.
At a time when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is trying to win over skeptics with his 1 Malaysia slogan, his deputy has just shown that the efforts are skin-deep and not serious.
“They are just small fry, a small role played within the Prime Minister Department,” Muhyiddin said in describing the committee headed by Datuk Ilani Isahak to bring together religious leaders to discuss issues and solve conflicts.
His comments, meat to allay concerns of the Malay right-wing group Perkasa, reflects the shallow thinking and lack of seriousness in the government to ensure harmony in the multi-racial and multi-religious country.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali had nixed the idea of the committee, saying its existence could influence the government on Islamic matters. Without batting his eyelids, Muhyiddin took less than a day to confirm that Umno will dance to the tune set by Perkasa and kill any hopes of the panel’s success.
The federal government now needs to make it clear what it wants from the committee, is it just an adornment or a serious mechanism to ensure peace and harmony in the country.
Muhyiddin’s comments reveal that Umno agrees with Perkasa and doesn’t want any mechanism that appears to make Islam on the same level as other faiths. The fact that the Warrior’s Day celebrations have been moved to Putrajaya reflect that the government cannot make decisions that are completely secular.
It shows that this government will pander to the narrow racial and religious interests of the vociferous minority. That it isn’t really interested in the 1 Malaysia that Najib had proudly announced on his first day of office.
One can admire Muhyiddin for his honesty but despair that another good idea that was a long time coming has turned out to be a sham.
If he is right, the government is paying lip-service to the very idea of inter-faith dialogue and harmony and Malaysians need to seek elsewhere for a leadership committed to that ideal.
Which is a pity. 1 Malaysia can work but not with leaders like Muhyiddin who dismiss its ideas and processes as a “small fry”.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Kit Siang: Muhyiddin is an April Fool’s joke
KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang continued his tirade against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s (picture) declaration that he was a “Malay first”, saying it has dismantled Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia and turned the concept into an April Fool’s joke.
Earlier in the day, Najib said he saw nothing wrong with his deputy’s statement.
“I feel very sorry for the Prime Minister that his signature concept of 1 Malaysia, as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia, has been torn to smithereens by his deputy just on the eve of his first anniversary as Prime Minister on Saturday on 3rd April,” Lim told reporters in Parliament today.
“In fact, thanks to Muhyiddin, Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept has been turned nationwide into an April fool’s joke, as today is April 1,” the Ipoh Timur MP added.
Muhyiddin said yesterday that he considered himself a “Malay first,” and only then a Malaysian, in response to a challenge issued by the veteran opposition leader.
Lim had challenged Muhyiddin to state that he was Malaysian first, and Malay second to prove that he did indeed believe in the concept of 1 Malaysia which had been Barisan Nasional’s “unifying” slogan under the leadership of Najib.
The DAP parliamentary leader questioned whether Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has the quality to become “1 Malaysian.”
“I never said that a person who regards himself as a Malay first and Malaysian second is not a Malaysian but clearly he does not qualify to become a 1 Malaysian. Who is 1 Malaysian?
This is clearly spelt out in the 1 Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) roadmap launched by the prime minister at the end of January, which declared that the goal of 1 Malaysia is ‘to make… a greater nation: a nation where, it is hope, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and then by race, principles of 1 Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society’,” he said.
He also stressed that the “biggest enemy” of 1 Malaysia is Umno.
“I had said in my speech in Parliament on March 18 that the biggest enemy of 1 Malaysia is not from outside Barisan Nasional but from inside Umno and Muhyiddin has proved me right.
“I had wondered how many cabinet ministers and Barisan Nasional leaders have the 1 Malaysia DNA as to be able to pass the four simple 1 Malaysia tests I had formulated,” he said.
Lim challenged BN ministers to declare whether they are Malaysian first.
“Let me challenge all the other 17 Umno ministers and other BN ministers to stand up and be counted to declare whether they are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians Kadazans or Ibans second or the reverse.
“In fact, I want to ask the minister responsible for the 1 Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap, Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon whether it is tenable for him to continue as cabinet minister when they the very rationale of his portfolio — 1 Malaysia GTP — has collapsed and destroyed by none other than the deputy prime minister?” he said.
He also was sorry that Najib has had to defend Muhyiddin for the “outrageous” statement.
Najib had earlier in the morning defended his deputy’s declaration that he considered himself “a Malay first”, and only then a Malaysian, saying there isn’t a contradiction.
“I think what he was saying reflects the provision in the constitution, the provision in the constitution is based on which ethnic group you belong to,” the prime minister said.
Earlier in the day, Najib said he saw nothing wrong with his deputy’s statement.
“I feel very sorry for the Prime Minister that his signature concept of 1 Malaysia, as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia, has been torn to smithereens by his deputy just on the eve of his first anniversary as Prime Minister on Saturday on 3rd April,” Lim told reporters in Parliament today.
“In fact, thanks to Muhyiddin, Najib’s 1 Malaysia concept has been turned nationwide into an April fool’s joke, as today is April 1,” the Ipoh Timur MP added.
Muhyiddin said yesterday that he considered himself a “Malay first,” and only then a Malaysian, in response to a challenge issued by the veteran opposition leader.
Lim had challenged Muhyiddin to state that he was Malaysian first, and Malay second to prove that he did indeed believe in the concept of 1 Malaysia which had been Barisan Nasional’s “unifying” slogan under the leadership of Najib.
The DAP parliamentary leader questioned whether Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has the quality to become “1 Malaysian.”
“I never said that a person who regards himself as a Malay first and Malaysian second is not a Malaysian but clearly he does not qualify to become a 1 Malaysian. Who is 1 Malaysian?
This is clearly spelt out in the 1 Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) roadmap launched by the prime minister at the end of January, which declared that the goal of 1 Malaysia is ‘to make… a greater nation: a nation where, it is hope, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first and then by race, principles of 1 Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society’,” he said.
He also stressed that the “biggest enemy” of 1 Malaysia is Umno.
“I had said in my speech in Parliament on March 18 that the biggest enemy of 1 Malaysia is not from outside Barisan Nasional but from inside Umno and Muhyiddin has proved me right.
“I had wondered how many cabinet ministers and Barisan Nasional leaders have the 1 Malaysia DNA as to be able to pass the four simple 1 Malaysia tests I had formulated,” he said.
Lim challenged BN ministers to declare whether they are Malaysian first.
“Let me challenge all the other 17 Umno ministers and other BN ministers to stand up and be counted to declare whether they are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese, Indians Kadazans or Ibans second or the reverse.
“In fact, I want to ask the minister responsible for the 1 Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap, Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon whether it is tenable for him to continue as cabinet minister when they the very rationale of his portfolio — 1 Malaysia GTP — has collapsed and destroyed by none other than the deputy prime minister?” he said.
He also was sorry that Najib has had to defend Muhyiddin for the “outrageous” statement.
Najib had earlier in the morning defended his deputy’s declaration that he considered himself “a Malay first”, and only then a Malaysian, saying there isn’t a contradiction.
“I think what he was saying reflects the provision in the constitution, the provision in the constitution is based on which ethnic group you belong to,” the prime minister said.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
I am a Malay first, says Muhyiddin
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (picture) said today that he considered himself a “Malay first,” and then only a Malaysian, in response to a challenge issued by DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang.
Lim had earlier this morning challenged Muhyiddin to state that he was Malaysian first, and Malay second to prove that he did indeed believe in the concept of 1 Malaysia which had been Barisan Nasional’s “unifying” slogan under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I am Malay first! But being Malay does not mean you are not Malaysian. It is not a race issue. It’s an understanding of the term gagasan. I dont think Kit Siang understands what the word gagasan means,” said the DPM.
Muhyiddin, who is also Barisan Nasional Deputy Chairman claimed that Lim’s persistence in the matter was a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) tactic to try and drive a wedge between him and Najib.
“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia is based on the Constitution.”
“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?” he said.
Muhyiddin also accused Lim of using the benchmark of “middle Malaysia” on him, which was not applicable.
“I challenge Kit Siang to come out and say that PAS and PKR supports the concept of Middle Malaysia... can he do that? They don’t support it. It’s only a DAP slogan.”
“Look at Barisan Nasional, 13 component parties of different races and all believing in the message of 1 Malaysia. His (Kit Siang) party is a chauvinist party.”
Lim had earlier this morning challenged Muhyiddin to state that he was Malaysian first, and Malay second to prove that he did indeed believe in the concept of 1 Malaysia which had been Barisan Nasional’s “unifying” slogan under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I am Malay first! But being Malay does not mean you are not Malaysian. It is not a race issue. It’s an understanding of the term gagasan. I dont think Kit Siang understands what the word gagasan means,” said the DPM.
Muhyiddin, who is also Barisan Nasional Deputy Chairman claimed that Lim’s persistence in the matter was a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) tactic to try and drive a wedge between him and Najib.
“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1 Malaysia is based on the Constitution.”
“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?” he said.
Muhyiddin also accused Lim of using the benchmark of “middle Malaysia” on him, which was not applicable.
“I challenge Kit Siang to come out and say that PAS and PKR supports the concept of Middle Malaysia... can he do that? They don’t support it. It’s only a DAP slogan.”
“Look at Barisan Nasional, 13 component parties of different races and all believing in the message of 1 Malaysia. His (Kit Siang) party is a chauvinist party.”
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Ketuanan Melayu vs Cucu Datuk Merah — Hishamuddin Yahaya
MARCH 27 — Acute moral decadence plaguing the Malay youths today is reminiscent of what was described of the Malays, a hundred years or so ago: poor, lazy and indolent, habitually waking up late, addicted to opium, caught up with cock fighting, gambling and all other kinds of entertainment.
Flabbergasted Malays condemned the writer as a British stooge, paid to disparage them. Apart from that they did nothing and remained snug in their cocoon.
Great motivator
Outraged, a few Malays of later generations took it as a challenge. Among them was the valiant son, Ungku Omar (Datuk Dr Ungku Omar). He was an assistant District Officer (ADO), a glamorous, well-paid job, a rare attainment for a Malay during the British time. He decided to study science from scratch to enable him to study medicine. He sought permission of his British boss, the District Officer (DO), to study part-time. His bosses’ spontaneous response was to get his head examined!
Ungku Omar pursued. With relentless hard work, he qualified to study medicine and eventually became a medical doctor. He was later employed as a lecturer in one of the American universities, specialising in tropical medicine. Later, he was appointed as head of the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur.
Ungku Omar died of coronary thrombosis in his early forties. To commemorate this great motivator, Politeknik Ungku Omar in Ipoh was named after him.
Datuk Dr Ungku Omar negated the people’s negative perception of the Malays. The Malays were not lazy, but given the opportunity, they would excel. But where were the opportunities those days?
Ungku Omar was an exception who possessed the rare qualities that others didn’t. He did not wait for opportunity to unfold before him, but he created and found the opportunity himself — the hallmark of success!!
Malay youths of today
Do the Malays of today have the qualities of the late Ungku Omar? Sadly no. They are simply drunk in perceptive hallucination created by the “Malay saviour” Umno, which somehow has made them feel they are in a “comfort zone” — not because of any exemplary achievement or excelled in any field, but because they are Malays. This is reminiscent to the Malay epic “Cucu Datuk Merah” (the grandson of Datuk Merah), who felt he was born privileged and arrogantly asked for favour simply because he was the grandson of Datuk Merah, who had to be respected, although the grandson was not good for anything.
With such a mindset, compounded by a false sense of security, the Malays do not seem to take life seriously and have become more inclined to sensual pleasures.
For example, the Malays are avid entertainment fans. Just look at last New Year’s concert held at Dataran Merdeka. They came in doves as early as six o’clock in the evening and by eight o’clock, we saw a sea of Malays on the padang. Adults, men, women and children stayed until mid-night to enjoy the concert. The same thing happened in all major towns that held the celebration.
Addition to opium (candu) and other crimes
Opium may not be the in-thing today, because all other kinds of drugs are now available. Just to prove that the consumers are Malays, one has to look at all the drug rehabilitation centres all over the country. Almost all the inmates are Malays. Many of the entertainment outlets in major towns are patronised by Malay youths. Mat rempit are exclusively Malays; bohsia and bohjan are mostly Malays. Many Malays are also involved in cases of infanticides and discarding new-borns.
Role of television stations
Television programmes are full of Malay dramas with fewer Chinese and Indian dramas. Certain television stations are training Malay boys and girls as young as 7-years-old to be entertainers; of course under the guise of “discovering talents”. Singers and comedians are honoured and given titles. It almost looks as though not a few Malays are born to entertain and to be entertained, as their ultimate objective in life.
With these multifarious negative images of the Malays, they audaciously talk about “Ketuanan Melayu”. As if these tainted Malay youths are “tuans” in the making. Or are they?
What is Malay supremacy?
What is the Malay supremacy based on, if we may know? Is it constitution based (which we find the constitution does not imply) or ‘son-of-the-soil’ based, like the Red Indians, the Maoris and the Australian natives?
But what’s scarier is what this indoctrination of Ketuanan Melayu entails. Instilling fanatical belief leads to blind faith that takes the mantle of religion. When translated into action, all means will justify the end. We have already experienced the May 13 tragedy, a manifestation of this fanatical belief.
We live by the Constitution and the Rule of Law. We uphold justice and equality of opportunity for all irrespective of race or religion, the bedrock of what we ourselves call “unity in diversity”. Towards this end, we have rightly condemned Biro Tata Negara and we are not inviting Biro Tata Huruhara in its place.
What is entrenched in the Constitution — whether it’s concerning the Malay Rulers and their prerogatives, the special position of the Malays, the Malay language and the Islamic religion, and any other provisions that are deemed Malay-based — are inviolable provisions, which are the basis of the nation’s foundation. They have been agreed to by all races before independence, and therefore they need no renewed claims on the pretext that they have been endangered. These provisions are there to stay, to be observed and respected by all, at all times.
A place in the sun
Political developments may take a turn in the country’s political journey. Not long from now, the Barisan Nasional may be relegated to the Opposition, with Pakatan Rakyat ruling the country. But even in this changed scenario, Pakatan Rakyat is wise enough not to tamper with the sacred document (the Constitution) at the expense of the country’s peace and security. With their having more statesmen then ordinary day-to-day politicians who do not think beyond the tips of their noses, like the BN has, it is safe bet that Pakatan Rakyat would be better able to steer the country into a truly democractic society, where social economic and cultural justice will prevail. It will be a day when every Malaysian is known just as “a Malaysian”, when the word “ethnicity” would be a thing of the past and when everybody will enjoy an equal place in the sun.
So where is the relevancy of Ketuanan Melayu? — aliran.com
MARCH 27 — Acute moral decadence plaguing the Malay youths today is reminiscent of what was described of the Malays, a hundred years or so ago: poor, lazy and indolent, habitually waking up late, addicted to opium, caught up with cock fighting, gambling and all other kinds of entertainment.
Flabbergasted Malays condemned the writer as a British stooge, paid to disparage them. Apart from that they did nothing and remained snug in their cocoon.
Great motivator
Outraged, a few Malays of later generations took it as a challenge. Among them was the valiant son, Ungku Omar (Datuk Dr Ungku Omar). He was an assistant District Officer (ADO), a glamorous, well-paid job, a rare attainment for a Malay during the British time. He decided to study science from scratch to enable him to study medicine. He sought permission of his British boss, the District Officer (DO), to study part-time. His bosses’ spontaneous response was to get his head examined!
Ungku Omar pursued. With relentless hard work, he qualified to study medicine and eventually became a medical doctor. He was later employed as a lecturer in one of the American universities, specialising in tropical medicine. Later, he was appointed as head of the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur.
Ungku Omar died of coronary thrombosis in his early forties. To commemorate this great motivator, Politeknik Ungku Omar in Ipoh was named after him.
Datuk Dr Ungku Omar negated the people’s negative perception of the Malays. The Malays were not lazy, but given the opportunity, they would excel. But where were the opportunities those days?
Ungku Omar was an exception who possessed the rare qualities that others didn’t. He did not wait for opportunity to unfold before him, but he created and found the opportunity himself — the hallmark of success!!
Malay youths of today
Do the Malays of today have the qualities of the late Ungku Omar? Sadly no. They are simply drunk in perceptive hallucination created by the “Malay saviour” Umno, which somehow has made them feel they are in a “comfort zone” — not because of any exemplary achievement or excelled in any field, but because they are Malays. This is reminiscent to the Malay epic “Cucu Datuk Merah” (the grandson of Datuk Merah), who felt he was born privileged and arrogantly asked for favour simply because he was the grandson of Datuk Merah, who had to be respected, although the grandson was not good for anything.
With such a mindset, compounded by a false sense of security, the Malays do not seem to take life seriously and have become more inclined to sensual pleasures.
For example, the Malays are avid entertainment fans. Just look at last New Year’s concert held at Dataran Merdeka. They came in doves as early as six o’clock in the evening and by eight o’clock, we saw a sea of Malays on the padang. Adults, men, women and children stayed until mid-night to enjoy the concert. The same thing happened in all major towns that held the celebration.
Addition to opium (candu) and other crimes
Opium may not be the in-thing today, because all other kinds of drugs are now available. Just to prove that the consumers are Malays, one has to look at all the drug rehabilitation centres all over the country. Almost all the inmates are Malays. Many of the entertainment outlets in major towns are patronised by Malay youths. Mat rempit are exclusively Malays; bohsia and bohjan are mostly Malays. Many Malays are also involved in cases of infanticides and discarding new-borns.
Role of television stations
Television programmes are full of Malay dramas with fewer Chinese and Indian dramas. Certain television stations are training Malay boys and girls as young as 7-years-old to be entertainers; of course under the guise of “discovering talents”. Singers and comedians are honoured and given titles. It almost looks as though not a few Malays are born to entertain and to be entertained, as their ultimate objective in life.
With these multifarious negative images of the Malays, they audaciously talk about “Ketuanan Melayu”. As if these tainted Malay youths are “tuans” in the making. Or are they?
What is Malay supremacy?
What is the Malay supremacy based on, if we may know? Is it constitution based (which we find the constitution does not imply) or ‘son-of-the-soil’ based, like the Red Indians, the Maoris and the Australian natives?
But what’s scarier is what this indoctrination of Ketuanan Melayu entails. Instilling fanatical belief leads to blind faith that takes the mantle of religion. When translated into action, all means will justify the end. We have already experienced the May 13 tragedy, a manifestation of this fanatical belief.
We live by the Constitution and the Rule of Law. We uphold justice and equality of opportunity for all irrespective of race or religion, the bedrock of what we ourselves call “unity in diversity”. Towards this end, we have rightly condemned Biro Tata Negara and we are not inviting Biro Tata Huruhara in its place.
What is entrenched in the Constitution — whether it’s concerning the Malay Rulers and their prerogatives, the special position of the Malays, the Malay language and the Islamic religion, and any other provisions that are deemed Malay-based — are inviolable provisions, which are the basis of the nation’s foundation. They have been agreed to by all races before independence, and therefore they need no renewed claims on the pretext that they have been endangered. These provisions are there to stay, to be observed and respected by all, at all times.
A place in the sun
Political developments may take a turn in the country’s political journey. Not long from now, the Barisan Nasional may be relegated to the Opposition, with Pakatan Rakyat ruling the country. But even in this changed scenario, Pakatan Rakyat is wise enough not to tamper with the sacred document (the Constitution) at the expense of the country’s peace and security. With their having more statesmen then ordinary day-to-day politicians who do not think beyond the tips of their noses, like the BN has, it is safe bet that Pakatan Rakyat would be better able to steer the country into a truly democractic society, where social economic and cultural justice will prevail. It will be a day when every Malaysian is known just as “a Malaysian”, when the word “ethnicity” would be a thing of the past and when everybody will enjoy an equal place in the sun.
So where is the relevancy of Ketuanan Melayu? — aliran.com
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Too Many Doctors?
alaysia, a country with about 26 million inhabitants, boasts of 24 medical schools now.
The list is below:
Public universities:
* University of Malaya, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences
* Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* Universiti Malaysia Sabah, School of Medicine
* Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* International Islamic University Malaysia, Kulliyyah of Medicine
* Universiti Teknologi Mara, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
* Universiti Darul Iman, Faculty of Medicine
Private Universities and Colleges
* UCSI University, Faculty of Medical Sciences — School of Medicine
* Monash University Malaysia, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
* International Medical University, Faculty of Medicine
* AIMST University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* Allianze College Of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
* Management and Science University, Faculty of Medicine
* Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
* Royal College of Medicine Perak, School of Medicine
* Melaka Manipal Medical College, School of Medicine
* Penang Medical College, School of Medicine
* MAHSA University College, Faculty of Medicine
* Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NuMED)
* Taylor’s University College, School of Medicine
* Utar
These are the medical schools in Malaysia. These schools, when fully functional, will produce about 4,000 doctors a year. There will be thousands more Malaysian doctors being produced overseas, since many Malaysians are studying medicine in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan and even Ukraine.
The sudden mushrooming of medical schools is apparently due to shortages of doctors in the public sectors. This is because most doctors in government service resign after their compulsory services and opt for the supposedly greener pasture in the private sector.
In most other countries, the logical thing to do to counter this brain drain of doctors to the private sector is to find out why doctors are resigning from government service, and then try to address the woes of the doctors, and hopefully, keep them in service. I call this common logic.
The Malaysian solution, like in many other instances, does not take common logic into account but rather uses the sledgehammer approach. After all, we do have Malaysian logic, which is different from common logic practised in most other countries. For example, if we cannot have spacecraft of our own, we can still produce astronauts by sending Malaysians into space, hitchhiking on other countries’ spacecraft.
In most other countries, the common logic will be to try to improve the working conditions in public sector so that doctors will stay back. But Malaysian logic is sledgehammer logic, and is very different.
If the doctors do not want to stay in government service, then Malaysia shall flood the market with doctors, so goes the Malaysian logic. Never mind that setting up of medical schools and training doctors are expensive businesses. We have petroleum and huge amount of development funds.
By building more buildings and buying expensive medical equipment to equip these medical schools, billions will have to be spent and, of course, in the Malaysian context, everyone will be happy, down from the planners, the contractors, the parents and all others involved, since the perception is that projects in Malaysia inevitably will have some leakages and wastages, and many people are very happy with these leakages and wastages.
Never mind that we may have the hardware but we may not have enough qualified people to man these medical schools.
The Malaysian logic seems to be like this: If enough doctors are produced, the market will be saturated with doctors, and thus, doctors will have nowhere to go but to stay in government service.
Well, the people may be clapping hands and rejoicing that, with more doctors than are needed, medical costs will come down.
Unfortunately, things do not function like this in medical education. Experience in some countries tells us that some doctors in private practice, when faced with too few patients, will charge higher and do more investigations, some of which may not be needed. So instead of medical cost going down, it will go up.
In any advanced nation, the setting up of a medical school requires a lot of planning and is not done on an ad hoc basis. Planning must include where to source for experienced and qualified teachers; where to build new or source for existing teaching hospitals, which are big enough for the placement of these medical students to do training.
Planning such as facilities, equipment, classrooms, curriculum. In the west, it takes many years of training for a medical school to be set up; whereas in Malaysia, we see more than 10 in the last five years.
In Malaysia, due to the sudden “exponential” increase in medical schools, we have medical schools pinching staff from each other, even the mediocre ones. With that number of qualified teachers only, it is unavoidable that many teachers may not have the experience and qualification to be medical lecturers.
The early birds (medical schools) are more fortunate. Their students are placed in bigger hospitals like the General Hospitals of Kuala Lumpur or Penang. Now, some of the medical schools just opened have to send their students to smaller district hospitals to do their training. The smaller hospitals are often manned by more junior doctors who are not qualified to be medical teachers, and these hospitals have only very basic facilities and equipment.
This is just the beginning of the problems. For a doctor, graduating from a medical school is the beginning of a life long journey, and the basic medical degree is more like a license to start to really learn how to manage and treat patients.
The most important year after a doctor graduates is the houseman-ship. If a doctor does not have proper houseman training, then he would face a lot of problems later on. He or she may know all the medical knowledge in the world (just for argument’s sake, since knowledge of medicine is so vast that no one can know everything), but without the proper houseman training, he or she will not get the hand-on experience so crucial and important to doctors.
A doctor without proper houseman training is not unlike a person who has only ever raced in arcade games, suddenly being asked to race in a real life race. He would not have the hands on experience to do well. A doctor without proper houseman training would be like a person given a license to kill, and a disaster waiting to happen.
Now, with 4,000 doctors being produced in a year, where do we find so many houseman positions for these young doctors?
Even now, with some of the medical schools just starting and not yet producing doctors, and the number of doctors being produced is much less than the 4,000, the wards in some of the bigger hospitals are filled with so many housemen that, in some wards, there are not enough patients for these housemen to learn management skills.
About a year back, I was told, in HKL some of the units have more than 20 housemen. Recently one doctor told me that in some units, it may have even more than that. I was aghast. Since with that many housemen in a single unit, and so few senior officers to guide them and so few patients for them to learn from, how are they going to learn the skill of doctoring?
When there is not enough training for these housemen, what do you think our policy planners do? In the typical Malaysian style, they increase the length of houseman-ship from a year to 2, hoping that the longer time will help to give better exposure to these doctors.
Compared to Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom, houseman-ship is still one year only. By increasing the length of the houseman-ship, it is a tacit admission that our one-year houseman training is not as good as the above mentioned countries.
A poorly trained houseman will become a mediocre medical officer, and since now most of the specialists are trained internally, it will be a matter of time before future specialists may not be as well trained as presently.
Many parents do not know about the actual situation and still encourage their children to take up medicine. They are not told of the actual situation. The day will come when there are simply so many doctors that none are adequately trained. There will come a day when a doctor graduating from a medical school cannot even be placed in a houseman position.
And that day is actually very near.
Credit to the writer Dr Hsu Dar Ren
The list is below:
Public universities:
* University of Malaya, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences
* Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* Universiti Malaysia Sabah, School of Medicine
* Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* International Islamic University Malaysia, Kulliyyah of Medicine
* Universiti Teknologi Mara, Faculty of Medicine
* Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
* Universiti Darul Iman, Faculty of Medicine
Private Universities and Colleges
* UCSI University, Faculty of Medical Sciences — School of Medicine
* Monash University Malaysia, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
* International Medical University, Faculty of Medicine
* AIMST University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
* Allianze College Of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
* Management and Science University, Faculty of Medicine
* Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
* Royal College of Medicine Perak, School of Medicine
* Melaka Manipal Medical College, School of Medicine
* Penang Medical College, School of Medicine
* MAHSA University College, Faculty of Medicine
* Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NuMED)
* Taylor’s University College, School of Medicine
* Utar
These are the medical schools in Malaysia. These schools, when fully functional, will produce about 4,000 doctors a year. There will be thousands more Malaysian doctors being produced overseas, since many Malaysians are studying medicine in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan and even Ukraine.
The sudden mushrooming of medical schools is apparently due to shortages of doctors in the public sectors. This is because most doctors in government service resign after their compulsory services and opt for the supposedly greener pasture in the private sector.
In most other countries, the logical thing to do to counter this brain drain of doctors to the private sector is to find out why doctors are resigning from government service, and then try to address the woes of the doctors, and hopefully, keep them in service. I call this common logic.
The Malaysian solution, like in many other instances, does not take common logic into account but rather uses the sledgehammer approach. After all, we do have Malaysian logic, which is different from common logic practised in most other countries. For example, if we cannot have spacecraft of our own, we can still produce astronauts by sending Malaysians into space, hitchhiking on other countries’ spacecraft.
In most other countries, the common logic will be to try to improve the working conditions in public sector so that doctors will stay back. But Malaysian logic is sledgehammer logic, and is very different.
If the doctors do not want to stay in government service, then Malaysia shall flood the market with doctors, so goes the Malaysian logic. Never mind that setting up of medical schools and training doctors are expensive businesses. We have petroleum and huge amount of development funds.
By building more buildings and buying expensive medical equipment to equip these medical schools, billions will have to be spent and, of course, in the Malaysian context, everyone will be happy, down from the planners, the contractors, the parents and all others involved, since the perception is that projects in Malaysia inevitably will have some leakages and wastages, and many people are very happy with these leakages and wastages.
Never mind that we may have the hardware but we may not have enough qualified people to man these medical schools.
The Malaysian logic seems to be like this: If enough doctors are produced, the market will be saturated with doctors, and thus, doctors will have nowhere to go but to stay in government service.
Well, the people may be clapping hands and rejoicing that, with more doctors than are needed, medical costs will come down.
Unfortunately, things do not function like this in medical education. Experience in some countries tells us that some doctors in private practice, when faced with too few patients, will charge higher and do more investigations, some of which may not be needed. So instead of medical cost going down, it will go up.
In any advanced nation, the setting up of a medical school requires a lot of planning and is not done on an ad hoc basis. Planning must include where to source for experienced and qualified teachers; where to build new or source for existing teaching hospitals, which are big enough for the placement of these medical students to do training.
Planning such as facilities, equipment, classrooms, curriculum. In the west, it takes many years of training for a medical school to be set up; whereas in Malaysia, we see more than 10 in the last five years.
In Malaysia, due to the sudden “exponential” increase in medical schools, we have medical schools pinching staff from each other, even the mediocre ones. With that number of qualified teachers only, it is unavoidable that many teachers may not have the experience and qualification to be medical lecturers.
The early birds (medical schools) are more fortunate. Their students are placed in bigger hospitals like the General Hospitals of Kuala Lumpur or Penang. Now, some of the medical schools just opened have to send their students to smaller district hospitals to do their training. The smaller hospitals are often manned by more junior doctors who are not qualified to be medical teachers, and these hospitals have only very basic facilities and equipment.
This is just the beginning of the problems. For a doctor, graduating from a medical school is the beginning of a life long journey, and the basic medical degree is more like a license to start to really learn how to manage and treat patients.
The most important year after a doctor graduates is the houseman-ship. If a doctor does not have proper houseman training, then he would face a lot of problems later on. He or she may know all the medical knowledge in the world (just for argument’s sake, since knowledge of medicine is so vast that no one can know everything), but without the proper houseman training, he or she will not get the hand-on experience so crucial and important to doctors.
A doctor without proper houseman training is not unlike a person who has only ever raced in arcade games, suddenly being asked to race in a real life race. He would not have the hands on experience to do well. A doctor without proper houseman training would be like a person given a license to kill, and a disaster waiting to happen.
Now, with 4,000 doctors being produced in a year, where do we find so many houseman positions for these young doctors?
Even now, with some of the medical schools just starting and not yet producing doctors, and the number of doctors being produced is much less than the 4,000, the wards in some of the bigger hospitals are filled with so many housemen that, in some wards, there are not enough patients for these housemen to learn management skills.
About a year back, I was told, in HKL some of the units have more than 20 housemen. Recently one doctor told me that in some units, it may have even more than that. I was aghast. Since with that many housemen in a single unit, and so few senior officers to guide them and so few patients for them to learn from, how are they going to learn the skill of doctoring?
When there is not enough training for these housemen, what do you think our policy planners do? In the typical Malaysian style, they increase the length of houseman-ship from a year to 2, hoping that the longer time will help to give better exposure to these doctors.
Compared to Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom, houseman-ship is still one year only. By increasing the length of the houseman-ship, it is a tacit admission that our one-year houseman training is not as good as the above mentioned countries.
A poorly trained houseman will become a mediocre medical officer, and since now most of the specialists are trained internally, it will be a matter of time before future specialists may not be as well trained as presently.
Many parents do not know about the actual situation and still encourage their children to take up medicine. They are not told of the actual situation. The day will come when there are simply so many doctors that none are adequately trained. There will come a day when a doctor graduating from a medical school cannot even be placed in a houseman position.
And that day is actually very near.
Credit to the writer Dr Hsu Dar Ren
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Intimacy during pregnancy
credit to the star online
Numerous concerns often lead to a downturn in sexual activity when a woman is pregnant.
IT IS common for women who are pregnant for the first time, to wonder whether sexual intercourse will affect the developing foetus.
The common questions include whether sexual intercourse will harm the foetus or cause infection and whether it can lead to miscarriage or premature labour.
Another common question in the last trimester of pregnancy is what position to use and if any position is safer than others.
There are many bodily changes in pregnancy that affects a woman’s sex life.
Some women feel sexier. Others are not in the mood, especially when they have nausea and vomiting in the first trimester.
Some women report an increase in libido in the second trimester. When the third trimester comes along, many women report a decrease in libido.
The variation in feelings and experiences are normal. It is important to remember that there is no norm. The feelings and experiences may also vary in the same woman in different pregnancies.
There is an increase in the blood flow to the reproductive organs during pregnancy, causing them to engorge. This increases sensation in some women but is uncomfortable in other women, to the extent that sexual intercourse may be painful.
An orgasm can cause an increase in uterine activity with contractions felt especially in the third trimester. The contractions last a few minutes and then go away, just like the Braxton Hicks contractions.
There may also be changes in the spouse or partner. His interest may wane in the third trimester because of a variety of reasons. It may be because of concern about the health of the pregnant woman and/or fear of harming the pregnant woman and/or the foetus. There may also be anxiety about impending parenthood.
Normal pregnancy
The developing foetus lies in a fluid-filled sac within the uterus. The sac and the uterine muscles protect the foetus from harm. There is a plug of mucus in the cervix that prevents infection from ascending from the vagina into the uterus.
Orgasm may cause some uterine activity which, however, does not harm the foetus. This increased uterine activity is not the same as the contractions that one gets in early labour. So it is safe for women with a normal pregnancy to have sexual intercourse during pregnancy even right up to the time when labour starts.
There is no relationship between sexual intercourse and miscarriage and premature labour in women with a normal pregnancy. In fact, there are reports that women who had regular sex during pregnancy were less likely to go into premature labour.
Sex during pregnancy may also enhance the relationship with the spouse or partner during the pregnancy and after childbirth.
It is important to confirm with the doctor on a regular basis that there are no pregnancy problems and that the pregnancy is normal.
There are certain conditions which, if present, would result in the doctor advising to refrain from sexual intercourse.
The doctor should be consulted without delay if there is bleeding and/or pain during pregnancy, whether associated with sexual intercourse or not.
An obstetric examination and an ultrasound will usually be done to elucidate the cause of the bleeding and/or pain and reassure that the foetus is all right.
The placenta may sometimes lie on the cervix (placenta praevia). In such a situation, the doctor will advise refraining from vaginal intercourse altogether.
If there is recurrent bleeding and there is no placenta praevia, the doctor may advise a reduction in the frequency of sex. This does not mean that one cannot partake of other forms of sexual activity.
The risk of infection to the foetus is not increased if the man does not have a sexually transmitted infection. If he does, it should be treated and once cured, sexual intercourse can be resumed. However, if the man has herpes, it would be advisable to refrain from sexual intercourse. If a pregnant woman gets genital herpes for the first time, there is a small likelihood that the foetus would be infected.
The doctor would also advise the pregnant woman to refrain from sexual intercourse if there is leakage of the fluid in the sac (liquor) surrounding the foetus because of the risk of infection of the liquor and through it, the foetus, as well. If there is a history of weakness of the cervix, it would also be advisable to refrain from sexual intercourse.
As the abdomen increases in size with advancing pregnancy, the woman may be uncomfortable with the traditional man on top position. It is advisable to find alternative positions. By trying out various other positions, the couple will find one that they are both comfortable with.
It is safe to have sexual intercourse in a normal pregnancy. It is important to check with the doctor on a regular basis that there are no pregnancy problems.
The doctor may advise refraining from sexual intercourse when certain conditions are present. One would need to adapt as pregnancy advances.
■ Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.
Numerous concerns often lead to a downturn in sexual activity when a woman is pregnant.
IT IS common for women who are pregnant for the first time, to wonder whether sexual intercourse will affect the developing foetus.
The common questions include whether sexual intercourse will harm the foetus or cause infection and whether it can lead to miscarriage or premature labour.
Another common question in the last trimester of pregnancy is what position to use and if any position is safer than others.
There are many bodily changes in pregnancy that affects a woman’s sex life.
Some women feel sexier. Others are not in the mood, especially when they have nausea and vomiting in the first trimester.
Some women report an increase in libido in the second trimester. When the third trimester comes along, many women report a decrease in libido.
The variation in feelings and experiences are normal. It is important to remember that there is no norm. The feelings and experiences may also vary in the same woman in different pregnancies.
There is an increase in the blood flow to the reproductive organs during pregnancy, causing them to engorge. This increases sensation in some women but is uncomfortable in other women, to the extent that sexual intercourse may be painful.
An orgasm can cause an increase in uterine activity with contractions felt especially in the third trimester. The contractions last a few minutes and then go away, just like the Braxton Hicks contractions.
There may also be changes in the spouse or partner. His interest may wane in the third trimester because of a variety of reasons. It may be because of concern about the health of the pregnant woman and/or fear of harming the pregnant woman and/or the foetus. There may also be anxiety about impending parenthood.
Normal pregnancy
The developing foetus lies in a fluid-filled sac within the uterus. The sac and the uterine muscles protect the foetus from harm. There is a plug of mucus in the cervix that prevents infection from ascending from the vagina into the uterus.
Orgasm may cause some uterine activity which, however, does not harm the foetus. This increased uterine activity is not the same as the contractions that one gets in early labour. So it is safe for women with a normal pregnancy to have sexual intercourse during pregnancy even right up to the time when labour starts.
There is no relationship between sexual intercourse and miscarriage and premature labour in women with a normal pregnancy. In fact, there are reports that women who had regular sex during pregnancy were less likely to go into premature labour.
Sex during pregnancy may also enhance the relationship with the spouse or partner during the pregnancy and after childbirth.
It is important to confirm with the doctor on a regular basis that there are no pregnancy problems and that the pregnancy is normal.
There are certain conditions which, if present, would result in the doctor advising to refrain from sexual intercourse.
The doctor should be consulted without delay if there is bleeding and/or pain during pregnancy, whether associated with sexual intercourse or not.
An obstetric examination and an ultrasound will usually be done to elucidate the cause of the bleeding and/or pain and reassure that the foetus is all right.
The placenta may sometimes lie on the cervix (placenta praevia). In such a situation, the doctor will advise refraining from vaginal intercourse altogether.
If there is recurrent bleeding and there is no placenta praevia, the doctor may advise a reduction in the frequency of sex. This does not mean that one cannot partake of other forms of sexual activity.
The risk of infection to the foetus is not increased if the man does not have a sexually transmitted infection. If he does, it should be treated and once cured, sexual intercourse can be resumed. However, if the man has herpes, it would be advisable to refrain from sexual intercourse. If a pregnant woman gets genital herpes for the first time, there is a small likelihood that the foetus would be infected.
The doctor would also advise the pregnant woman to refrain from sexual intercourse if there is leakage of the fluid in the sac (liquor) surrounding the foetus because of the risk of infection of the liquor and through it, the foetus, as well. If there is a history of weakness of the cervix, it would also be advisable to refrain from sexual intercourse.
As the abdomen increases in size with advancing pregnancy, the woman may be uncomfortable with the traditional man on top position. It is advisable to find alternative positions. By trying out various other positions, the couple will find one that they are both comfortable with.
It is safe to have sexual intercourse in a normal pregnancy. It is important to check with the doctor on a regular basis that there are no pregnancy problems.
The doctor may advise refraining from sexual intercourse when certain conditions are present. One would need to adapt as pregnancy advances.
■ Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.
Another section of Bumiputra's plight and an Indian Doctor's struggle
An outspoken doctor has charged that her attempts to highlight the mismanagement of an Orang Asli hospital in Gombak were persistently undermined by the authorities.
Dr Selva (Courtesy of Bar Council) Dr Selva Vathany Kanapathi Pillai, who went public recently with serious allegations of cronyism and unprofessionalism in the hospital, alleged that she was constantly sidelined due to her outspokenness.
In one instance, Dr Selva claimed, hospital director Dr Saaiah Abdullah tried to exclude her from a meeting with the deputy health minister when he visited the hospital in September 2009.
"This was despite her earlier instructions for all unit heads to be present," Dr Selva, who was the hospital's outpatient department head, said in a phone interview.
"When I went to the meeting room, I was told [by Dr Saaiah's clerk] I need not attend because there were not enough chairs," Dr Selva told The Nut Graph.
"Only when I said I would ask the deputy minister myself why I was not included, did they say I could attend."
Dr Selva said the deputy minister had appointed her to join the ministry's focus group on rural health after she voiced her concerns on Orang Asli health.
But, she said, further problems developed. According to Dr Selva, there was a focus group meeting in Kelantan in October 2009. She claimed that the hospital director told her to wait at the hospital for a car to take them to the meeting. But the car never arrived.
"I flew to Kota Baru at my own cost the next day and rented a car to drive to Gua Musang [for the meeting]," Dr Selva said.
Two months later, Dr Selva, who has worked at the hospital since March 2009, was transferred by the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA), which runs the hospital, to Sungai Siput in Perak.
"There's no pharmacy, laboratory or medical assistants at Sungai Siput. It's just a transit point. Patients are treated at a nearby hospital," she said.
Click on image to view letter of promotion"Why would they want to put a doctor there when there was a vacant position at Gombak Hospital?"
When she sought clarification from the Health Ministry, she found out she had, in fact, been promoted since September 2009 and a letter had been sent to Gombak Hospital.
"The hospital director had been hiding [my promotion] from me," she claimed.
Dr Selva asserted that Dr Saaiah wanted her out of the hospital before she found out about the promotion, which was backdated.
Shortly after these incidents, Dr Selva sent a complaint letter to, among others, the Health Ministry, on the alleged mismanagement in the hospital and the attempts to sideline her. The Health Ministry is currently investigating her allegations.
New posting
Click on image to view transfer letterDr Selva said that on 29 Jan 2010, she received a letter from the Health Ministry transferring her to Kedah, and out of JHEOA. "This was despite my last letter from the Health Ministry [announcing my promotion in December 2009], saying I was to continue serving JHEOA.
"No reasons were given for my transfer, except a letter from JHEOA to the ministry dated 17 Dec 2009 was mentioned. I have asked to see that letter, but [the ministry and the JHEOA] have not allowed me to do so."
The JHEOA, however, has denied involvement in Dr Selva's transfer, telling theSun in 25 Feb 2010 report that it was a Health Ministry directive.
Dr Selva gave an 11 Feb 2010 press conference at the Bar Council on the state of affairs at the hospital and started her Alor Setar, Kedah posting on 1 Mar 2010. When asked by theSun about her transfer to Alor Setar, the Health Ministry said it was done based on "needs for service" in Kedah.
When contacted and informed about Dr Selva's allegations, Dr Saaiah said," I am aware of Dr Selva's allegations. She has written a letter containing these complaints. My department and I have been in discussions with the Health Ministry and we're in the midst of preparing a response."
Dr Selva (Courtesy of Bar Council) Dr Selva Vathany Kanapathi Pillai, who went public recently with serious allegations of cronyism and unprofessionalism in the hospital, alleged that she was constantly sidelined due to her outspokenness.
In one instance, Dr Selva claimed, hospital director Dr Saaiah Abdullah tried to exclude her from a meeting with the deputy health minister when he visited the hospital in September 2009.
"This was despite her earlier instructions for all unit heads to be present," Dr Selva, who was the hospital's outpatient department head, said in a phone interview.
"When I went to the meeting room, I was told [by Dr Saaiah's clerk] I need not attend because there were not enough chairs," Dr Selva told The Nut Graph.
"Only when I said I would ask the deputy minister myself why I was not included, did they say I could attend."
Dr Selva said the deputy minister had appointed her to join the ministry's focus group on rural health after she voiced her concerns on Orang Asli health.
But, she said, further problems developed. According to Dr Selva, there was a focus group meeting in Kelantan in October 2009. She claimed that the hospital director told her to wait at the hospital for a car to take them to the meeting. But the car never arrived.
"I flew to Kota Baru at my own cost the next day and rented a car to drive to Gua Musang [for the meeting]," Dr Selva said.
Two months later, Dr Selva, who has worked at the hospital since March 2009, was transferred by the Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA), which runs the hospital, to Sungai Siput in Perak.
"There's no pharmacy, laboratory or medical assistants at Sungai Siput. It's just a transit point. Patients are treated at a nearby hospital," she said.
Click on image to view letter of promotion"Why would they want to put a doctor there when there was a vacant position at Gombak Hospital?"
When she sought clarification from the Health Ministry, she found out she had, in fact, been promoted since September 2009 and a letter had been sent to Gombak Hospital.
"The hospital director had been hiding [my promotion] from me," she claimed.
Dr Selva asserted that Dr Saaiah wanted her out of the hospital before she found out about the promotion, which was backdated.
Shortly after these incidents, Dr Selva sent a complaint letter to, among others, the Health Ministry, on the alleged mismanagement in the hospital and the attempts to sideline her. The Health Ministry is currently investigating her allegations.
New posting
Click on image to view transfer letterDr Selva said that on 29 Jan 2010, she received a letter from the Health Ministry transferring her to Kedah, and out of JHEOA. "This was despite my last letter from the Health Ministry [announcing my promotion in December 2009], saying I was to continue serving JHEOA.
"No reasons were given for my transfer, except a letter from JHEOA to the ministry dated 17 Dec 2009 was mentioned. I have asked to see that letter, but [the ministry and the JHEOA] have not allowed me to do so."
The JHEOA, however, has denied involvement in Dr Selva's transfer, telling theSun in 25 Feb 2010 report that it was a Health Ministry directive.
Dr Selva gave an 11 Feb 2010 press conference at the Bar Council on the state of affairs at the hospital and started her Alor Setar, Kedah posting on 1 Mar 2010. When asked by theSun about her transfer to Alor Setar, the Health Ministry said it was done based on "needs for service" in Kedah.
When contacted and informed about Dr Selva's allegations, Dr Saaiah said," I am aware of Dr Selva's allegations. She has written a letter containing these complaints. My department and I have been in discussions with the Health Ministry and we're in the midst of preparing a response."
Thursday, March 4, 2010
What is wrong with the Attorney General who is empowered by the almighty Malaysian Constitution to oversee wrong doings of citizens top to bottom? He is proving time and again that he is the most unworthy AG in Malaysian history.
Recently a group of reporters from a local magazine called Islam went so called undercover into the Church of St Anthony purportedly to investigate claims of Muslim Malay youths being made Murtads and also the use of the word Allah. They attended the prayers and took the white breads. Thereafter they wrote it into n article in the abovesaid magazine.
The AG have decided that charging the Al-Islam magazine editors and reporters who offended Catholics in an article would have been “not in the interest of justice”. Is he offering protection to a group of people who have not had the decency to apologise for their actions?
Bernama quoted Gani as saying the actions of the two reporters might have hurt the feelings of the people but he was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone and it was an act of sheer ignorance.
Fact is, Gani treated the desecration of the host (not simply white bread as he stated) as a flippant act. It is a rite holy to the Catholics and not just a treat at the end of prayers. This shows that even a person holding a high office as Gani does not have basic knowledge of other religions in this country. Maybe its time for even for the Muslims to learn what is in the other major religions in this country to nurture better understanding and respect? After basic physchology says that man become afraid and suspicious of what they don't understand?
He justified his action by citing previous decisions based on the situations in that particular time and not just on law.
I wonder what would have been his stance if a couple of Non Muslim reporters went into Mosque?
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