Oops!!!

This article is in the Malaysian Insider today. It looks like there will be some red faces. For those who are not familiar or worse still, apathetic about Lynas, watch the Mat Salleh in the You Tube below and read the blog post "Kenapa Malaysia Memerlukan Kilang Memproses Nadir Bumi Lynas @NajibRazak?" in ariffshah.com which pretty much sums it up.

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Design problems, hazardous construction plague Lynas plant, reports NYT

June 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — The controversial Lynas rare earths refinery in Kuantan is plagued by environmentally hazardous construction and design problems, the New York Times has reported, citing internal memos and current and former engineers on the project.

The report published today said the issues, including moisture in humid Malaysia, could potentially affect the RM700 million Lynas Corp plant being built to challenge China’s stranglehold in the key rare earths industry.

Malaysia is due to announce today the results of an independent international review of the plant that is scheduled to open this September. The listed Lynas Corp has asked for a halt in its share trading in Australia today pending the report.

Signboard showing the site of the Lynas plant under construction in Gebeng, Kuantan. — File pic

In a report headlined “The Fear of a Toxic Rerun” by Keith Bradsher, the New York Times reported that Lynas officials contend that the refinery being built here is safe and up to industry standards, and say that they are working with its contractors to resolve their concerns.

“All parties are in agreement that it is normal course of business in any construction project for technical construction queries to be raised and then resolved to relevant international standards during the course of project construction,” wrote Matthew James, an executive vice-president of Lynas, in an e-mail last night.

But the construction and design may have serious flaws, the engineers told New York Times, and provided proof through memos, e-mail messages and photos from Lynas and its contractors. The engineers said they felt a professional duty to voice their safety concerns, but insisted on anonymity to avoid the risk of becoming industry outcasts.

“The problems they detail include structural cracks, air pockets and leaks in many of the concrete shells for 70 containment tanks, some of which are larger than double-decker buses,” the paper said.

Lynas is mining rare earths ore deep in the Australian desert and shipping to Malaysia to be mixed with powerful acids to make a slightly radioactive slurry that would be pumped through the tanks, with operating temperatures of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

The engineers say that almost all of the steel piping ordered for the plant is made from standard steel, which they describe as not suited for the corrosive, abrasive slurry. Rare earths refineries in other countries make heavy use of costlier stainless steel or steel piping with ceramic or rubber liners, the paper said.

“The engineers also say that the concrete tanks were built using conventional concrete, not the much costlier polymer concrete mixed with plastic that is widely used in refineries in the West to reduce the chance of cracks.

“Documents show that Lynas and its construction management contractor, UGL Ltd of Australia, have argued with their contractors that the cracks and moisture in the concrete containment walls are not a critical problem,” according to the report.

Memos also show that Lynas and UGL have pressed a Malaysian contractor, Cradotex, to proceed with the installation of watertight fibreglass liners designed for the containment tanks without fixing the moisture problem and with limited fixes to the walls. But Cradotex has resisted, the paper reported.

“These issues have the potential to cause the plants critical failure in operation,” Peter Wan, the general manager of Cradotex, said in a June 20 memo obtained by New York Times.

“More critically the toxic, corrosive and radioactive nature of the materials being leached in these tanks, should they leak, will most definitely create a contamination issue.”

Wan said in a telephone interview with the New York Times on Tuesday that he believed Lynas and UGL would be able to fix the moisture problem but that he did not know what method the companies might choose to accomplish this.

The fibreglass liners are made by AkzoNobel of Amsterdam, one of the world’s largest chemical companies. AkzoNobel says it, too, worries about the rising moisture.

“We will not certify or even consider the use of our coatings if this problem can’t be fixed,” Tim van der Zanden, AkzoNobel’s top spokesman in Amsterdam, wrote on Monday night in an e-mail reply to questions.

Memos show that the refinery’s concrete foundations were built without a thin layer of plastic that might prevent the concrete pilings from drawing moisture from the reclaimed swampland underneath. The site is located just inland from a coastal mangrove forest, and several miles up a river that flows out to the sea past an impoverished fishing village.

An engineer involved in the project said that the blueprints called for the plastic waterproofing but that he was ordered to omit it, to save money. The plastic costs US$1.60 (RM4.80) a square foot, he said.

Lynas disputes that the design ever called for using the plastic.

Nicholas Curtis, the executive chairman of Lynas, said in a telephone interview from Sydney on Monday that the project here met local environmental standards and that he believed those were consistent with international standards.

“I have complete confidence in the Malaysian environmental standards and our ability to meet the requirements,” he told the New York Times.

Engineers at the project said that Lynas officials had whisked the international inspectors through the factory in a single morning, partly because of security concerns about protesters outside the refinery gates. The team had little chance to examine the refinery’s structure, the engineers said.

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Kenapa Malaysia Memerlukan Kilang Memproses Nadir Bumi Lynas @NajibRazak ?

by ARIFF on MAY 25, 2011 · 83 COMMENTS · in NATION

Kecoh tentang pembukaan kilang memproses nadir bumi di Gebeng, Pahang oleh syarikat Lynas Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Aku tergerak untuk membuat sedikit kajian tentang isu ini selepas menonton video yang dirakam dalam bahasa Malaysia oleh seorang warganegara Australia sendiri berkaitan isu ini. Kalau dah sampai macam tu, nampak sangat perkara ini bukanlah perkara yang remeh.

Setelah membaca artikel berkaitan Rare Earth Elements di laman National Geographic, aku berpendapat Malaysia memerlukan kilang memproses nadir bumi ini. Kita kena ingat, ekonomi kita sangatlah bergantung kepada pengeluaran petroleum. Bila sampai masanya, pengeluaran produk hasil daripada petroleum akan berkurangan sekali gus mengurangkan pendapatan negara. Walaupun ada industri lain seperti minyak sawit, industri seperti ini tidaklah memberi impak yang besar pada ekonomi kerana permintaan dunia tidaklah tinggi.

Nadir bumi ini diperlukan untuk menghasilkan komponen peralatan elektronik. Hasil daripada penggunaan nadir bumi inilah kita dapat menikmati peralatan elektronik yang nipis, kecil dan ringan seperti iPad 2 kerana komponen yang terhasil daripada penggunaan nadir bumi ini adalah lebih baik dan efisyen berbanding komponen yang dihasilkan menggunakan bahan tiruan.

Sekarang ini, negara China membekalkan sehingga 97% permintaan dunia untuk nadir bumi yang diproses untuk kegunaan industri. Dengan kuasa yang besar seperti itu, mereka boleh mengehadkan pembekalan sekali gus menyebabkan kenaikan harga barangan elektronik seluruh dunia. China merancang untuk mengurangkan eksport nadir bumi yang telah diproses dengan alasan untuk kegunaan dalam negara mereka walaupun kita semua tahu bahawa mereka sengaja mengekspoitasi monopoli mereka dalam pasaran dunia supaya harga bahan ini meningkat.

Permintaan untuk bahan ini tak akan berkurangan kerana industri pembuatan elektronik memerlukan bahan ini. Oleh itu, pembukaan kilang pemprosesan nadir bumi di Malaysia, merupakan satu langkah yang baik untuk menambahkan pendapatan negara. Kilang yang dibuka di Gebeng, Pahang itu akan berupaya menghasilkan nilai eksport sebanyak RM8 billion setahun dan dijangkakan meningkat dari tahun ke tahun. Ini dapat memberikan pendapatan tetap yang lumayan kepada negara kita kerana kilang tak banyak negara mempunyai kilang pemprosesan nadir bumi ini.

TETAPI

Apa yang bodoh aku lihat dalam projek ini ialah:

• Keputusan yang dibuat oleh individu untuk mengeluarkan lesen pembinaan kilang tersebut pada tahun 2008 dibuat tanpa pengetahuan orang awam, termasuklah rakyat Pahang itu sendiri. Apabila negara mula melibatkan diri dalam pemprosesan bahan radioaktif, kajian menyeluruh perlu dijalankan sebelum apa-apa lesen atau arahan dikeluarkan untuk memulakan pembinaan. 
• Apabila negara memberikan lesen kepada syarikat luar untuk membuka kilang pemprosesan mereka, harapan kita adalah supaya dapat membuka peluang pekerjaan yang banyak kepada rakyat negara ini. Namun dalam hal kilang pemprosesan nadir bumi oleh Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd, peluang pekerjaan yang dibukan adalah sebanyak 350 sahaja. Langsung tak berbaloi dan tidak akan memberikan impak ekonomi yang diharapkan. 
• Pengecualian cukai selama 12 tahun. Ini adalah yang paling bodoh. Kita terlalu baik sampaikan industri yang menghasilkan sisa buangan radioaktif diberikan pengecualian cukai walaupun industri tersebut dianggarkan akan membuat untung berbillion ringgit pada tahun pertama pembukaannya. Bila negara tak dapat satu sen pun daripada industri yang sememangnya membahayakan rakyat ini, apa gunanya kita berikan mereka lesen untuk beroperasi di negara kita?
• Menteri Western Australia, Hon Norman Moore memaklumkan sisa buangan radioaktif itu adalah milik Malaysia dan tidak akan diterima balik oleh Australia. 
• Lokasi yang terlalu dekat dengan kawasan kediaman. Jarak 2 km dari Balok dengan kepadatan penduduk seramai 16700 orang. Jika diambil kira keluasan evakuasi di Fukushima dengan jarak 40km dari Gebeng Kuantan, kebocoran sisa radioaktif akan melibatkan keseluruhan penduduk di Kuantan, Gambang, Cherating malah Kemaman di Terengganu sekalipun. Jumlah penduduk yang mungkin terlibat boleh mencecah hampir 800 hingga 900 ribu secara keseluruhannya dengan Kuantan sahaja di sekitar 600 hingga 650 ribu orang. Syarat yang ditetapkan oleh Kerajaan Australia adalah minima 35 km dari kawasan penempatan penduduk. 
• Denda RM50 juta seperti yang termaktub di bawah Akta Perlesenan Tenaga Atom Perenggan 59 (1) untuk setiap bencana kepada Lynas dilihat cukup ringan berbanding hasil RM8 Billion setahun. Hanya satu bencana yang melibatkan sisa radioaktif memadai untuk menjadi ancaman yang serius dan kekal lama kepada semua.

Kesan terhadap penduduk di kawasan sekitar kilang tersebut (Kuantan & Kemaman khususnya):

• Nilai hartanah akan merudum kerana tiada siapa yang mahu membeli tanah atau kediaman di sekitar Kuantan dan di Kemaman. 
• Ancaman kepada syarikat berdekatan khususnya Petro-Kimia seperti Kaneka, MTBE, Petronas BASF dan BP Chemicals. Kerugian yang besar jika operasi mereka terganggu dengan insiden kebocoran sisa radioaktif yang boleh menjejaskan kesihatan pekerja mereka. 
• Pelabur baru dari luar negeri dan dari luar negara tidak akan berminat untuk melabur kerana ancaman sisa radioaktif daripada Lynas. Risiko terlalu tinggi. 
• Sektor pelancongan (Cherating) & perikanan (Kuantan) kemungkinan besar akan terjejas. 

Nadir bumi yang dilombong di Mount Weld mengandungi beberapa mineral utama dan diantaranya ialah monazite. Monazite adalah bahan radioaktif. Di dalam bahan mineral monazite ini terdapat thorium, cerium dan lanthanum. Monazite kaya dengan thorium dan thorium ini juga adalah bahan radioaktif yang tinggi dan boleh digunakan untuk menggantikan uranium dalam menghasilkan tenaga nuklear. Berikut adalah kes-kes yang berkait rapat dengan thorium:

1. Syarikat Mitsubishi Chemical yang terlibat dalam industri pemprosesan nadir bumi di Bukit Merah dikaitkan dengan 8 kes leukimia dan 7 kes kematian. Telah ditutup pada tahun 1992 dan kerja-kerja pembersihan sisa masih berjalan sehingga ke hari ini (hampir 20 tahun) dan telah menelan belanja lebih RM300 juta. 
2. Kesan toksik dan radioaktif dari industri ‘rare-earth’ di Baotou Mongolia. Setiap langkah pemprosesan nadir bumi yang bermula dari perlombongan bijih ke ‘rare earth oxide’ atau ‘rare-earth metals’ banyak menggunakan bahan asid dan kimia. Malah ketika perlombongan bijih, bahan asid akan dimasukkan ke lubang yang digali. Sisa buangan radioaktif khususnya Thorium juga dihasilkan ketika melalui semua proses itu. Kebocoran bahan asid, kimia dan sisa radioaktif ini yang banyak berlaku di Baotou terbukti telah menyebabkan kemusnahan kepada hasil pertanian dan kesihatan seperti kerosakan hasil tanaman, gigi tercabut dan rabut putih atau beruban diawal usia muda sekitar 20-an. Malah kematian disebabkan kanser juga direkodkan walaupun lokasi penempatan penduduk berada 10KM dari kawasan penyimpanan sisa buangan radioaktif itu. 
3. Kajian yang dilakukan oleh Kolej Perubatan Jiangxi di China dari sample darah dan ujian IQ pada kanak-kanak mengemukakan kesimpulan bahawa kanak-kanak di sekitar umur 7-10 tahun yang tinggal berdekatan dengan kawasan pemprosesan nadir bumi berkemungkinan mempunyai IQ atau kecerdasan akal yang lebih rendah berbanding mereka yang tinggal jauh atau yang tinggal di kawasan yang terkawal. 

Aku berpendapat, projek Lynas ini sangatlah tidak sesuai dan berisiko tinggi. Projek ini boleh dijalankan sekiranya lokasi kilang tersebut diletakkan dalam kawasan kawalan 35 km minimum seperti yang digariskan oleh kerajaan Australia dan boleh menjadi sumber pendapatan yang lumayan kepada negara sekiranya cukai dikenakan terhadap syarikat Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd. Kalau dua yang aku sebutkan ini tak berlaku, maka sebagai rakyat tentanglah projek ini habis-habisan. Ini adalah untuk kebaikan kita bersama.

Tugas aku melalui blog ini adalah untuk menyampaikan maklumat. Kepada blogger lain yang mempunyai rasa tanggungjawab, sampaikan maklumat ini melalui blog anda. Copy paste dibenarkan macam biasa. Tweetkan kepada Najib Razak. Harap usaha kecil sebegini dapat mengubah sesuatu.

Sumber:
Apa itu Lynas?
National Geographic: Rare Earth Elements

McCarthyism à la Malaysia?

Hmmm..."waging war against the King". How can a peaceful walk to deliver a desperate message of appeal for fairness and justice be construed as such? Maybe we must also hear the "King's Speech". It was really a war (WWII) then but it was the King (George VI) who spoke to rally his people.


The Free Online Dictionary defines McCarthyism as:

Mc·Car·thy·ism 

n.

1. The practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence.

2. The use of unfair investigatory or accusatory methods in order to suppress opposition.

These and many of the same are now headlined in major Malaysia news media:

Rais: Communist ideology last resort of the 'desperate'

Hazlan Zakaria
Jun 27, 11
11:36am

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim today hit out at what he called “desperate parties” who are making use of the communist ideology to drum up support for the rally they are planning on July 9.

“These are the acts of desperate people who planned the rally on July 9. They see this as an opportunity to stir up dissent and seize power,” bemoaned Rais (right).

Met in the Parliament lobby by reporters, the minister was asked to comment on the 30 PSM supporters being investigated by Penang police under section 122 of the Penal Code for “waging war against the King”.

“Spreading communism is against the law. It is evil and illegal,” he said.

He contends that the prohibition against communism is stamped in our laws and the spirit of the constitution, citing 1948 regulations and the Police Act 1967 which he believed enumerated such restrictions.

“As such, it is appropriate for us to take action, this is for the survival of the majority, not about the minority.”

He contends that the BN, which has obtained legitimacy by the majority vote, has the right to act against the troublemakers and it is proper that the police take action.

Rais suggested instead that those in the disgruntled minority not take part in what he called illegal demonstrations, but to use proper channels like Parliament and discourse to air their grievances.

“Use Parliment, use dialogue, you don't need to come in the thousands to Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate. This is rampasan kuasa sosial! (social overthrow),” he complained.

[More to follow]

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PSM: ‘Communist’ bogeyman theory an excuse to use ISA

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

June 27, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has accused the government of falsely linking the party with attempting to revive communism, saying that it would be an excuse for the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The police said yesterday they were probing attempts by Bersih activists for reviving communism, and are investigating 30 PSM members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jayakumar, for “waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”

Arutchelvan show a T-shirt with a picture of Rashid Maidin to reporters at a press conference on July 27, 2011. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Deputy Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar said remand orders would be applied to detain the 30 activists under section 122 of the Penal Code.

“The desperate attempts by the police to bring back the ‘communist’ bogey from the Cold War is an attempt by Umno-BN to stay in power by frightening people and thus justifying the use of the ISA,” PSM secretary-general S. Arutchelvan told reporters today.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday that he could not rule out using the ISA on the July 9 Bersih rally, but maintained that other laws will be used for now.

Arutchelvan slammed the police for the arrests, saying that it was a prelude for mass arrests over the upcoming rally.

The activist explained that the 30 PSM members were originally arrested on Saturday in Penang on charges of taking part in an illegal assembly, sedition as well as printing seditious material under the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA).

“There was a commotion when those arrested said in their 112 statement that they would only speak in court. The police were angry and demanded those arrested give a second statement.

“After that they went to our truck and found some red T-shirts with pictures of Rashid Maidin... then the 30 were slapped with an additional charge, 122 of the Penal Code,” said Arutchelvan.

“We’ve been accused of waging war against the King because of having these T-shirts,” he added.

The law was used to prosecute militant terrorist group Al Ma’unah which was involved in an audacious arms heist at an army camp and a tense stand-off in the jungles of Perak in 2000.

Under section 122 of the Penal Code, “whoever collects or attempts to collect men, arms or ammunition, or otherwise prepares to wage war with the intention of either waging or being prepared to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or any of the Rulers or the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or abets the waging or the preparation of such war, shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 20 years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

The PSM secretary-general also pointed out that the event in Penang on Saturday — “Kempen Udahlah Bersaralah” — was not directly connected to Bersih.

“It has nothing to do with Bersih, although we support Bersih and had leaflets on the rally, our event had been planned a long time ago,” explained Arutchelvan.

It is understood that the Penang Bar Council will be representing the 30 PSM activists in court.

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Hidupkan fahaman komunis usaha rampas kuasa 27/06/2011 12:58pm

KUALA LUMPUR 27 Jun – Cubaan pembangkang untuk kembali menghidupkan fahaman dan amalan komunis di negara ini adalah perbuatan terancang bagi merampas kuasa secara haram dengan cara menghuru-harakan pemikiran rakyat.


Menurut Ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, adalah jelas pihak yang didakwa mempunyai kaitan dengan Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) itu merasakan mereka tidak mempunyai jalan untuk memerintah lalu memilih merosakkan keamanan negara demi berkuasa.


Justeru beliau menggesa pihak berkuasa bertegas mengambil tindakan terhadap mana-mana pihak terlibat bagi memastikan kepentingan majoriti rakyat negara ini yang cintakan keamanan dapat dijaga.


“Nampaknya pihak yang terlibat dengan Bersih sudah tiada jalan lain dan mereka rasa inilah masanya utk menggoyang dan mengocak keamanan sedia ada untuk merampas kuasa.


“Namun setiap tindakan perlu berasaskan kepada perundangan negara dan sesiapa melanggarnya perlu diambil tindakan. Ini ketegasan kita dan kita tidak boleh mengambil sikap ‘mengampunkan’ sebelum sesuatu perkara berlaku demi kepentingan majoriti rakyat,” katanya kepada pemberita di lobi Parlimen di sini hari ini.


Semalam polis mengesan gerakan terancang pihak tertentu didakwa cuba menghidupkan semula fahaman komunis bagi tujuan menjatuhkan kerajaan melalui perhimpunan haram Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) pada 9 Julai ini.
Menurut Timbalan Ketua Polis Pulau Pinang, Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar, maklumat itu diperoleh hasil siasatan terhadap 31 penyokong Bersih diketuai Ahli Parlimen Sungai Siput yang juga pemimpin Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Dr. Jeyakumar Devaraj yang ditahan kelmarin.


Rais dalam pada itu turut menyeru rakyat agar bangkit menentang usaha jahat tersebut yang jelas tidak sah dari sudut perundangan negara. - Utusan

Malays Discussing Malays

The following are interesting perspectives in a posting to my Tigers eGroup by Tiger-Putera Colonel M. N. Taib. It contains email exchanges that began with a forwarded Malaysian Insider 24th May article, The Malay Nuisance by Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani.

I have abbreviated the names for privacy reasons and it suffices to state that SA is a Tiger-Putera; Tan Sri Z was a top civil servant and another, a Dato' Z. The exchange begins with the article forwarded to SA by his Chinese friend, PH (Ha! who else could it be!). Please read:

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--- On Sat, 6/18/11, SA wrote:

From: SA
Subject: Re: FW: The Malay nuisance — Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
To: "ph"
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2011, 7:28 PM

PH,

My perspective.This belongs to the genre of Malay origin writers gazing at their navels. Goody- two shoeish, perhaps?

Thanks for sharing.

Warm regards,

SA.

On Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 12:36 PM, ph wrote:

The Malay nuisance — Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

May 24, 2011

MAY 24 — After 54 years of independence, the insecurities faced by the Malay community is no longer a dilemma but becoming more like a nuisance, hampering the country’s growth and well-being.

It is utterly irresponsible for middle class Malays to continue harping about self righteous Malay or “Muslim” agenda while the poor are still struggling with bread and butter issues like unemployment and proper education.

Having graduated from a local Islamic university, I am well aware of the conspiracy theories that continue to bog down the Malay psyche with self defeatist mentality.

The vicious cycle of hate and animosity will not benefit anyone and certainly not the Malays. It saddens me when prophecies of hate are being professed by so called “intellectuals” of the community.

What is even more sickening is their answer to an intellectual discourse of blaming others instead of trying to find real solutions that will solve real problems.

Despite being a majority in the country, why are we still obsessed with this siege mentality?

Our country did not gain independence yesterday. We should not be questioning the patriotism or rights of our fellow Malaysians but question what our “Malay” government has done to help elevate the dire economic situation of the poor?

Why blame the Chinese or Indians when the leaders of our country have always been a Malay? What has “ketuanan melayu” or the Malay agenda brought to the villages or urban villages after Merdeka?

Yes, the government has brought us development but that is our right as citizens of the country. That is the right of every community in the country, not the Malays alone.

Why talk about hudud or implementing syariah law when we cannot fulfill the basic tenant of Islamic jurisprudence which is justice.

Why cut the hand of a man that steals bread when leaders continue to swindle our riches?

Is the objective of Islamic law to only punish? I think not.

Islam is not a about grand mosques or prayer rooms but the people.

Where were the so called Muslim or Malay NGOs when the Lynas plant was announced or more recently the landslide that killed so many innocent children?

The call for an Islamic state is a luxury when the poor continue to beg for mercy.

We should stop questioning other races but start questioning ourselves and what have we contributed the country.

* Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani is a reporter with The Malaysian Insider.

*************************************************

--- On Sat, 18/6/11, SA wrote:

From: SA
Subject: Re: FW: The Malay nuisance — Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
To: "Tan Sri Z
Date: Saturday, 18 June, 2011, 6:10 AM

Dear TSri Z,

My comment was an attemt to highlight the phenomenon of Malay writers playing the liberal card without questioning the assumption of their statements. The Government, for which you and I served, had achieved much for the Malay constituency. Without the interventionist policies the economic disparity between the different political constituencies would be disastrous to our political stability and daily peaceful existence of everyone.

I agree with you that physical infrastructure s are meaningless for enrichng human development, materially, intellectual and emotionally. What's important was the lack of strategic direction in the policies towards making the Malays robust and independent thinkers. Anecdotal stories indicate that our shools do not attempt to promote  the equiring approach among their students. I hazard to say that's in the main that's where we Malays lack the wherewithal to advance vis-a -vis other races. Ah, you say, the Chinese are also part of the system. But their mercantile culture puts a premium on logical and creative thinking.

Generally our culture puts a premium on subservience and duplicitous methods to attain current satisfaction, defined as foreseeable future.i.e of the moment, for our local environment and cohorts(for people near and dear to us), until the crisis has passed. "kais pagi, makan pagi, kais petang makan petang' sums it aptly.

Salam Sir, Sorry for a longish statement to explain my one sentence throwaway line. Thank you for the opportunity to clarify.

SA.

......................................................................

On Sat, Jun 18, 2011 at 8:08 PM, Tan Sri Z wrote:

En SA, the writer Asrul Hadi did indeed touch on a much avoided subject. we must look beyond what the government had done, i.e perceived doing good for the Malays, the real thing that need to be done has very little political value. You can point to a mega mosque yet you cannot point to a better health or education etc. A mosque benefit the Muslims but the others benefit everybody, so the political weighting is lost. Thats why you have big mosque which are empty most of the time.

Thank you.

Yours truly,

Tan Sri Dato' Z

*************************************************

Dear Dato' Z,

On the eve of your departure for London you must be busy. I'll try to be succinct in response.

Your analogy of the race is graphic and valid. But it assumes that there is a Malay tendency to blame our Chinese sojourners for our malaise. It's an easy target but my perception is that Malays generally are not in the same arena, race if you may.

We Malays and our earliest power owners, the sultans, have always been rentiers not producers of wealth. The Chinese are predisposed by nurture and culture to wealth creation and have been practicing this habit in Malaya  since their arrival here. They have fine tuned their ability to understand Malay frailties and exploit them from the top to the bottom of the Malay polity to create wealth and status for themselves. The manifestations of this capability are clear. I need not belabour the point. Asa race they are awesome in their willingness to go to the last mile to be wealthy and to achieve worldly status. In this context one can only appreciate their drive.

We Malays have never entered the race of your analogy. We are in it by default.

Our leaders and ourselves too have never imbibe the Socratic injunction to examine ourselves to make our lives worthwhile. I hesitate to say that we have never as a homogeneous entity ever develop a soul building philosophy. That is because Malays are heterogeneous and thinking about who we are and what we are, are foreign to our culture. We have Islam, yes. but in general only the practices, the orthopractice not imbibed and live the philosophy. The philosophy of life as enshrined in the Quran has never been discussed across our society and to become an ingrained habit of thought and action of our selves and our young. We hear our Ulamas voicing the philosophy but as another writer says( I forgot him for now) the words never got past the throat.

We Malays, titular persons, elected leaders and the electors ' fail to realize that much of the reality we want to change is due to things within us; in other words, we lack consciousness of our own roles in perpetuating our outward reality."

That is a quote from Yusuf Al- Qaradawi's book(1991) " Islamic Awakening- between rejection and extremism where he discusses injustices from the Quranic perspective.

Al- Qaradawi in fact was quoting Syrian Scholar, Jawdat Said in his book, in Arabic ,entitled(trans)- "Until they change what is in their hearts". Said said . " ... that the core of our problems is not an external injustice but, rather, the injustice that we bring on ourselves by virtue of what is inside us. This is the  law of history and society which the Quran affirms. Failure to realise this plain truth blurs our vision and generates philosophies which are either pessimistic and passive, or despotic and anti-Islamic".

I have no solutions to the malaise of the Malays. The Malay middle classes are growing, shukur to Allah and alhamdulliLah. I believe that its this middle class that must coalesce to  lead that strong optimistic and Socratic mental set at the human level. Finally Allah is the Arbiter and Granter of fulfillment.

Sorry it's long. Salam to you and Datin and have a refreshing holiday in England.

SA.

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On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 2:11 AM, Dato' Z wrote:

Dear SA,

Salam. Thanks for the forward. I am all the way with viewpoints of the original writer, as well of those of yours. There is a very 'Malay group'  who claim that after so many years, and despite the years of pro-Malay govt policies and myriad of Malay-biased programmes implemented, "Melayu masih ketinggalan/keciciran", in the economic, educational and social fields; so they say.

The question is: "Melayu masih ditinggalan/dicicirkan itu, disebabkan siapa?" Obviously, the answer they would give or imply would be: by the Chinese in the country. Therefore, the group's answer or solution to this Malay dilemma is: Give the Malays more of the same;and must continue giving more of the same...presumably, until the we Malays can catch up with the Chinese.

Another viewpoint is: What could have our Chinese compatriots done that have made the Malays being left far behind in all those fields?  Have the Chinese put obstacles/halangan  along the way to the govt policies and to those Malay-biased programmes all these years?

What have the Chinese done to check the advancement of Malays. An analogy of a 100 meter race may help: Three Malays and three Chines take part in the race. All start at the same starting line. At the end of the race, the position is: first, second and third go to the Chinese. All three Malays are left far behind. Who do we fault?

Now, let us say these three Chinese agree to give a handicap to the three Malays, and that the Malays would start from 30 meters ahead of the actual staring line.

When the whistle is blown, all six run at the same time. But, at the end of the race, the Chinese still take up the first, second and third positions. The Malays runners are still left behind (but this time may not be to far behind).

In the above two imaginary races, the the Chinese racers have made the Malay racers left behind. This is the fact. But,the pertinent question is: Do the Malays racers put the blame on the Chinese competitors, for making them lose the race, each time?

I think, in the above analogy, the Malay runners should accept the fact that their loss is due to the fact that Chinese competitors are faster, stronger, better trained and have more determination than themselves. And through no fault of themselves. Who then, are in default?

Supposing, another race is organized. This time, no Chinese will take part. Only just three Malays compete among themselves. The outcome is predictable, isn't?: the first, second, and third would Malay. But, when compared the times performed by the victorious Malays and against the Chinese, which group has run faster for each position?    

In the above case, should the three Malays ask for more handicap, say up to 60 meters ahead from the starting line? Rather than to ask for more handicap, I think they should undertake very hard training, imbue themselves with steadfast determination and motivation to succeed; infuse themselves with the highest confidence, be prepared to face all challenges.

And if need be, the govt shall design such exercise in disciplines and programmes for them, and make sure they will swear to follow and execute with diligence, until each can become as strong, and as fast a racers as the Chinese.

As for the slogan "Ketuanan Melayu", I would borrow from the slogan that Tun Abdullah Bedawi had once introduced. I suggest, therefore, that "Ketuanan Melayu" be changed to: "Kecermerlangan, Kegemilangan dan Keterbilangan Melayu". Terima kasih.

Dato' Z

Rise! Young Malaysians!

This courageous young man says it. Many Malaysians should be ashamed. Must view.

J.J.'s 21st Birthday Gathering

J.J. turns 21 on the 23rd of June. It seems to me he turned 18 not too long ago. Nevertheless I have watched him develop the last three years through his own efforts and trials and tribulations into the intuitive young man he is today. He will continue to grow from here and continue to build on a sense of values that Mummy ingrained in his first 17 years.

It has been a transitional year for him not only in age but also in his chosen career field of audio engineering. As he cuts his teeth in the company that he is with now, I am thankful there are still decent people around who earnestly teach him.  

This past Saturday, he had a few friends over to usher in his 21st year and Krystyn put in a lot of effort as the main organizer. Krystyn invited members of a Christian cell group J.J. sometimes fraternizes with. They are a well brought up bunch and do their parents proud. It was certainly a different experience with a group that cold-called a few months ago. Special appreciation goes to cell leader Mei Fong for her initiative and I hope they enjoyed the company and the food (especially the roast pork courtesy of Amah Nellie).

To J.J., here's wishing you a great adult life ahead and be assured that you have what it takes to stand tall in a world that has become exceedingly cynical and unforgiving. Mummy would have been proud of you. Some photos: