Categories
Politics & government

[380] Of the Prime Minister’s Visit to Washington DC

I badly want to go to Washington DC next week to meet up with the current Prime Minister of Malaysia. He will be in DC upon invitation from George W. Bush and he will be stopping by at the Embassy of Malaysia in DC for some event organized by the the Embassy.

The plan was for me to take a train from Ann Arbor and enjoy a four days of train ride, tour DC and meet the Prime Minister.

Now, I managed to persuade three friends to tag along and we will be driving a car from Ann Arbor to DC. Driving a car is the most cost-effective mean of transportation for us student. I hope we will get an efficient car with at least 28 mpg. So far, that is the plan.

Anyway, I will want to ask the Prime Minister about the incinerator in Broga, Malaysia. I am upset about the issue and thus, watch me do this on July 19th.

I am not planning on a commotion of course…

p/s – Ku Li has announced that he will be challenging Badawi for the President post.

What a pleasant Friday surprise. If Ku Li wins this one, he will surely be the sixth Malaysian Prime Minister. And Ku Li has a degree in economics.

Hah! We economists will eventually rule the world. First India, then Malaysia, then blah, and blah, and blah…

Details at Malaysiakini.

Categories
ASEAN Politics & government

[379] Of Malaysia and Indonesia

I have always thought Malaysia being far better than Indonesia in almost all conceivable ways. Economically, I could see no way Indonesia bypassing Malaysia in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, Malaysia is more stable than Indonesia for the simple reason that Malaysia does not have any separatist movement. Indonesia on the other hand suffers rebellious fractions from Aceh in the west to Irian Jaya in the east. Perhaps, the only thing Indonesia rules supremacy over Malaysia is in culture. Indonesia excels in Malay literature and music to be precise (though I despise one type of their music – dangdut).

In short, you could say I do not look upon Indonesia as equal in term of achievement.

However, recent events may change my perception on Indonesia; Indonesia seems to perform better than Malaysia with respect to political process.

Indonesians are currently voting for its President and there is a sign that Indonesia may on the way of having a new President. They even have a presidential debate, much like the US.

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, UMNO, Malaysian main ruling party, will be having its internal election this September. However, regardless the meaning of election, individuals in the UMNO supreme council have agreed that the top two posts in the party, the President and the Vice President, will not be contested. The reason given by the advocates of such arrangement is unity.

Many in UMNO may be concerned about the party becoming fractional. After all, UMNO itself has split three times and thus, such worry may be warranted. It is somewhat comprehensible to observe certain groups within the party to back such deal. Nevertheless, such fear is changing the party into a fascist one where the leaders are considered almost infallible. I am not saying that UMNO had embraced democracy in the near past but UMNO is heading to the wrong end of the spectrum.

The saddest thing is, UMNO calls this as a “guided democracy”. In Malay, it is known as demokrasi terpimpin.

The sponsors of a so-called guided democracy need to be reminded that there is no such thing as a guided democracy. A guided democracy is simply not a democracy. Rather, it is a fashion of autocracy. Jean Jacque Rousseau maybe favor such practice but, he is dead and we unfortunately are still here.

And because UMNO is the ruling party, this does not bore well for Malaysia.

Of late, despite the unwritten agreement that the top two posts will not be contested, there is a rumor that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a prominent Malaysian figure may be aiming at the presidency. A few people have openly declared their discomfort of seeing one of the top two posts being challenged.

If UMNO wants to prove itself as a democratic party, nobody in the party should express excessive displeasure if Tengku Razaleigh decided to go for the presidency. If Tengku Razaleigh managed to contest the seat, then that is a sign of democracy regardless whether he will win or lose.

I deeply wish to see the President and the Vice President seats to be contested. I believe, if there is a sign of democracy in the ruling party, then there is hope to see the implementation of a true democracy in the country. Else, then there will be a chance for us all to see a greater erosion of democracy in Malaysia.

If in any way Tengku Razaleigh is barred from challenging the presidency, then perhaps Indonesians are better at running a democracy.

In a presidential debate, of which is non-existence in Malaysia, the current Indonesian President, Megawati Sukarnoputri staggered. That is certainly a sign that she is not suited for the job. And thanks to democracy, people know that she is incapable of holding such position. On the contrary, in Malaysia, we have no way of knowing whether our leaders have the aptitude to lead us because all we eat is the skin, not the meat.

p/s – My Teddy Bear has chosen his running mate.

Say hi to My Action Figure!

pp/s – Dick Advocaat has resigned. Too bad.

ppp/s – Copa America has started but who cares. Copa America is not as exciting as Euro.

p^4 – FIFA updated the football world ranking today. The Netherlands stays at the fifth rung while Brazil is on top. The USA is on the seventh place (bah!) and Greece jumped (and jumped the Greek did) from 35th to 14th. Malaysia meanwhile lingers at 122. In fact, Malaysia fell 4 spots. Indonesia is at the 96th rung. Yeah, Indonesia is better than Malaysia in footie too. More at FIFA.

p^5/s – blogs all over Ann Arbor are garnering momentum against couch ban. The city council will vote on the matter on July 19th.

p^6/s – Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is coming to the White House. There will be an event for Malaysians. Details:

Date : July 19, 2004 (Monday)
Time : 4.00 pm
Venue: Embassy of Malaysia, Washington DC

I am thinking of going.

p^7/s – The city council has approved the installation of traffic light on Plymouth Road. However, it is not in front of the Islamic Center where two Malaysians died after being hit by a truck.

Categories
Economics Environment

[378] Of to use or not to use

One of my dilemmas of being a green is the usage of plastic bag. Yes, things as small as plastic bag do bother me.

I am a green and therefore, whenever I shop, I will ask for paper bag. The reason is simple; I do not want to encourage the petroleum-based industry too much at the expense of the Earth. Paper bag on the other hand is a recycled product and plus, it is biodegradable; clearly better alternative from my point of view.

Only when it is very inconvenient for me will I accept plastic bag. Even then, I will feel a hint of guilt.

Now, the dilemma – if I do not accept plastic bag and go for paper bag instead, other people will use the plastic product nonetheless. If I use the plastic bag, I can rest assure that I will properly dispose it or even use it as a durable product. If somebody else goes for plastic bag, I do not have the assurance that that somebody would do what I will do. And thus, in comes asymmetric information – the lack of information for one to make an informed decision.

With this realization, my policy of using paper bag is being challenged. The question now, should I use plastic bag so that I could be sure that it will be properly treated or should I not?

Further problem is this – if I go for plastic bag due to the reason stated earlier, and if every green thinks like me, that would signal the firms that nobody would want to use paper bag. Firms will then reduce the number of paper bags or maybe even downright stop supplying it for the consumers. At the same thing, the increase usage plastic bag signals the firms to get more of it for the consumers. Thus, more plastic bag with less of its paper counterpart.

Hamlet would say, to be or not to be, that is the question. I would say, to use or not to use.

Of course, I could easily take both types at the same time; that would certainly solve the dilemma. However, another problem arises – over-consumption.

OMG, I have never thought being a green and taking up economics as a major is tough.

But the only real solution is to get one’s hand on the information on how plastic bag is being used and disposed by the consumers.

Somebody should do a survey.

Categories
Sports

[377] Of a doggier underdog

It was a total heartbreak to see Portugal advances to the Final at the expense of de Oranje. A newly born golden generation of Oranje succumbed to a fading great Portuguese generation. However, the worst disaster is still the loss to the Czech Republic. De Oranje fans may argue who the blame is due to but I believe, all of us will agree that it is the worst disaster for de Oranje in Euro 2004 nonetheless.

And then, the unexpected happened. The home of a once great Greek empire beat the new favorite of the tournament, the Czech in the Semifinal. Before everything went astray, the biggest surprise was seeing the Greek making through pass the group stage with Spain as a sacrifice to Zeus.

And then, it was seeing the Greek at the Semifinal.
And then, it was seeing the Greek in the Final.
Now the Greek, a total outsider, stormed Lisbon and there they are, currently leading the conqueror of de Oranje, the host of the tournament, by one goal.

Of all teams, it is the Greek!

Who would have thought this is possible?

How is this possible?

Even Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity is easier to comprehend.

Reality is certainly weirder than fiction. I thought the last World Cup was crazy but at least, in the very end, order was restored. God must have slipped into slumber for a few moments

But now, God must be sleeping throughout the tournament!

I pray to God, let sanity reinstate itself. Enough madness. Enough lunacy. This is too much for the real world.

I pray to God, Montserrat, currently taking the last place in FIFA’s ranking, would not make it to the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany.

Mercy I say. My sanity is almost gone. Mercy milord before my sanity is blown apart.

God, awake thy must!

But all is too late. It is already the fifth minute of the stoppage time. Greek, as they had in history, is victorious.

In any case, this is the most catchiest football (yes, again, it is football, not soccer) related phrase, “Ancient Greece had 12 gods, modern Greece has 11“. Allow me to rephrase that. Ancient Greece had 12 gods, modern Greece has 11 llamas. Maybe minus Nikos Machlas because he was an Ajacied.

1. The final whistle has been blown. I read the stats and I could only feel dismay. This is an injustice.

2. The Greek is more italier than the Italian. Unbelievable how the statistic shows great domination by the Iberian and yet, the statistic does not conform with the result. Therefore, I am adding a new team to my hate list. Greece, say hi to Italy (all Italian teams included), Manchester United and Selangor.

p/s – it is fourth of July. Happy birthday to the idealists of freedom and liberty. Sadly reality does not seem to reflect ideal. Nevertheless, to liberty and freedom.

Categories
Sports

[376] Of the end

I guess everybody has heard the news. The Portuguese deserves it.

I hope the Czech will win against Denmark and eventually seize the trophy. I am saying this because the Czech Republic is the only team with Ajax’s players; they are Galasek and Grygera.

There is nothing more to be said.

Next stop, World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Hup Holland Hup.