TwoSen

MY SISTER who is in Form Five asked me why there was a controversy surrounding the novel Interlok. She told me that she had read the book and didn’t find anything offensive.

I felt I should give an opinion after reading the book. So I borrowed her book. I found Interlok is about people and families of various races and their adventures and interactions. Although separated by hostility and prejudices in the beginning they learned to understand, unite and live together during the Japanese Occupation. The different characters bond and regard each other as family.

The writer has advocated unity and respect through his characters. How did a book which emphasises positive values get caught up in controversy?

It is the norm to have our own views after reading a novel; how we choose to see a work of art or anything at all more or less defines who we are as a person.

The controversies surrounding the book I believe are due to misinterpretation of its context. The writer had no intention of offending the Indian community. Probably Maniam, the fictional character in the book, was hurt being treated as an untouchable in India but treated with respect in Malaya. Maniam himself expressed how delighted he was when he could have direct contact with anyone compared to when he was back home. It is wrong to assume that the writer is saying all Malaysians from the Indian community are from a particular caste.

The writer stressed his stand on the importance of unity among various races when he paints the characters working together putting aside their differences in overcoming the hardship during the Japanese Occupation.

In Malaysia at the age of 17 a person is assumed to have the maturity to obtain a driver’s licence. So I am sure SPM students are ready to handle the content in Interlok. I am comfortable with my sister having to use this book in school and I believe unity, patriotism and positive values should be nurtured from young. The controversy is a blessing in disguise because without it I wouldn’t have read the book. With proper guidance, I hope the future generation will learn the true message of the book which is to treat fellow Malaysians as you would your family.

S. Ganaprakash
Kuala Lumpur

Source: The Sun – March 16, 2011

Source: The Sun – March 15, 2011

HAVING decent shelter, adequate food, good health care and education are basic human rights. The government has a moral responsibility to ensure that majority of its citizens can either own their house or afford to rent public housing.

Sadly for the citizens, affordable housing is not easily available. House prices have soared to exorbitant levels in major cities so that even the middle class cannot afford to own a house or apartment, let alone the lower classes. In 2009, the average house price in Kuala Lumpur was RM390,000 almost six times the average household income. It was even worse in Penang Island where the average house price was RM540,000 or eight times the average household income. Clearly, this is beyond the reach of the average family. A ratio of house price to household income of three to four times is internationally acceptable.

The problem is not that there are not enough houses but that there is a mismatch between demand and supply. The majority of Malaysians want affordable homes but developers are supplying houses that they cannot afford. Developers prefer to cater to investors and speculators who buy to rent or to flip over and make money. Many of these people own two or more houses. It is a fact that developers give preferences and reserve the best units for clients who buy multiple units even before a project is officially launched. Ordinary house buyers then have to queue and accept less desirable units or buy them from the investors usually at higher prices. Developers go overseas to aggressively market properties as they are still cheap by international standards.

The government through its misplaced priority is aiding this process by encouraging foreigners to invest not only in apartments but also landed property. Unlike Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, Malaysia is one of the few countries in Southeast Asia that allows foreigners to own landed property.

Banks also contribute to escalation of house prices through various aggressive marketing techniques. They have relaxed credit standards and are willing to lend up to 95% of the value of a property. They offer variable, rather than fixed-rate loans, to reduce initial instalments in a low-interest rate environment. Another method to reduce monthly instalments is to stretch the loan tenure to 40 years, beyond the work life of a borrower. The offer of two-generation loans that stretch to 70 years is a reflection of how absurd the situation has become. Borrowers are encouraged to saddle future generations with debt. Hence, the ready availability of housing loans - to those who are rich enough to buy multiple units, and to those who can barely afford to buy but are able to do through stretching loan tenure to unreasonable lengths or through offering low initial teaser rates – is a major cause of rising house prices.

To make housing affordable to ordinary Malaysians and to reduce unsustainable and unhealthy rise in property prices, the government should do the following.

Formulate a public housing policy that provides affordable housing, particularly in urban areas, to people below a certain level of income. A good example is the Singapore Housing Board where the government spearheads the building of affordable housing for a majority of its citizens. Alternatively, the government can consider doing this in partnership with the private sector. Where land is scarce and density high, a comprehensive planning of land use with provision of good public transport to reduce traffic congestion is necessary.

For the private housing sector, the government must take a leading role to monitor property prices and take appropriate and timely measures to prevent an unhealthy and unsustainable run up in property prices. One lesson of the financial crisis is central banks and policymakers have focused narrowly on consumer price and wage inflation and neglected to monitor and regulate asset price inflation. It is time to recognise that asset inflation (property and stocks) has posed a greater threat to financial and economic stability. The measure by Bank Negara to limit buyers of third property to a 70% loan to value ratio is not enough to curb excessive investment and speculation. We suggest that loan ratio be reduced to a much lower level to test the market reaction.

The government should increase property gains tax for short-term transactions. The present 5% property gains tax for property held under five years is not discriminating enough. The tax rate should be increased significantly for shorter holding period; the same should be done for sale of the second and successive properties.

The government should stop the sale of landed properties to foreigners. As for non-landed properties, foreigners should not be eligible for local housing loans, unless they are permanent residents.

Town planners and local councils should have comprehensive land use planning and give more importance to developing green and friendly cities, first class public transport system and less to the building of more shopping malls and roads.

The government should put the needs of the majority of Malaysians first.

S. M. Mohamed Idris
President
Consumers Association of Penang

Source: The Sun – March 10, 2011

ARMY Day is celebrated on March 1 every year. An impressive parade was held on Sunday at Dataran Merdeka, which was the climax event of a week-long 78th anniversary celebrations showcasing the army’s strength and assets.

I was privileged to be seated on the grand stand together with several other retired officers including non-commissioned officers and officers who were awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (SP) and Pingat Gagah Berani (PGB*) such as Sjn Kanang anak Langkau (SP), Lt-Kol (Rtd) Robert Rizal Abdullah (PGB) and Lt-Kol (Rtd) Basri Omar (PGB), heroes all, and we were all special guests of the army chief.

Compared to 30 years ago when I was a captain in the Malaysian Artillery Regiment, I must say that the army has grown by leaps and bounds, and I am very proud of it. I saw the 155mm medium gun howitzers, radar equipment, missiles, tanks with 105mm guns, armoured personnel carriers, other heavy weapons and equipment which were all only a dream 30 years ago. The Malaysia Army Aviation Wing’s Agusta A109s were also on display. They were used to ferry elite commandos on a hostage mission demonstration and to drop about a dozen elite commandos from about 2,000 ft on a free-fall parachuting demonstration.

I was told that this is the first time the Malaysian Army had held an Army Day Parade on such a grand scale at a location where we normally only see national events.

Furthermore, I believe, the public also wants to know what our army have and what the weapons and equipment look like. Just hearing news and stories about our army without seeing the real thing is not good enough for most of us. Other than viewing, touching and getting a feel of the weapons and equipment on show and knowing what they are used for, there were also many senior officers around to answer questions and explain things about the army to members of the public at the static display after the parade.

I noticed that the army’s organisation has undergone major changes. In addition to infantry, commandos, artillery and cavalry units, they now have fully-equipped mechanised infantry battalions, paratrooper brigades and armoured regiments; all of which are equipped with the latest hi-tech systems.

The small arms (rifles) issued to every soldier are also the latest Austrian Steyr AUG and the latest and upgraded American M4 rifles, a shorter and more deadly version of the M-16.

There are more brigades and divisions now and the army is headed by Army Chief (Panglima Tentera Darat) Gen Tan Sri Datuk Zulkifeli Mohd Zin, a Sandhurst Military Academy, UK trained infantry officer from the Royal Malay Regiment.

It would probably be a good idea too for the Malaysian Armed Forces to organise a bigger parade to celebrate their anniversary, to include the army, navy and air force, but not necessarily this year or next year, and have a tattoo as part of the grand celebration.

Capt (Rtd) Hussaini Abdul Karim
Shah Alam

Source: The Sun – March 10, 2011

I READ “Cool companies to work for” (Oon Time, March 9) and cannot help but agree with the writer that Malaysian-run companies tend to pinch pennies, be overwhelmingly conservative and are short on sight.

To add to those, Malaysian-run companies tend to also be highly introspective and reserved. For locally started Malaysian companies, history’s defence is that the founders only knew one definition of success which is to be in total control as the incumbent authority of how things should be done.

This attitude tends to carry over to foreign companies who may have a significant number of Malaysian executives at the top and middle rungs of the organisation.

This type of environment creates two potential situations for such companies. One is that of overwhelming self-assured confidence and the precept that no one else knows better or different outside of the circle.

Secondly and as a side-effect from the first, we get so in-focus that we risk being sidelined in the global scheme of things especially when the styles of Apple and Google are held as models.

However, the writer raised a good point: do we have the product to start with and the type of new leadership paradigm inculcated? And the harsh reality is maybe not at all at this juncture.

Secretly, I admire Tony Fernandez’s leadership style at AirAsia which in my humble estimation mimics Sir Richard Branson’s at times … but how many leaders are ready to be simply disarming in their approach and just be open and have a sense of humour while delivering results.

Perhaps, with so many Fortune 500 companies based in Malaysia, the prime minister could through his international goodwill sponsor potential Malaysian executives to be students alongside the CEOs of these companies. They can then form a leadership circle and perhaps impart morsels of insight about what it takes to get there … or transform ourselves.

Eric A. Yong
Via email

Source: The Sun – March 10, 2011

I REFER to “Estate life may be better” (News without borders, March 7) in which the MIC president and deputy plantation industries and commodities minister, Datuk G. Palanive,l was reported to have asked those in the Indian community who are unable to make a living in towns and cities to work in the plantation sector, including estates owned by government linked companies. He was also reported as saying that the government had agreed to a minimum wage of RM700 for the sector compared with RM300 previously.

I propose that those in authority allow workers in the plantation sector to rear dairy cattle to supplement their income. This could act as an added incentive to encourage Malaysians to work there instead of using foreign labour. This could also save the estate management in weeding and fertiliser costs.

The Veterinary Services Department has a scheme to market the cow’s milk and pay the farmers. This will give them additional monthly income.

M. Ganeshadeva
Kuala Lumpur

Source: The Sun – March 10, 2011

THE recent statement by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad that it is not unpatriotic for schoolchildren to study or practice using English including learning science and maths in English, surely deserves praise and accolades.

The call does go along with his original developed nation status under Vision 2020 which if scrutinised well enough would make anyone come to the conclusion that it necessitates good comprehension of this most important international language which is used in every field of human endeavour.

While many do have hang-ups over the wider usage of this language due to the fact that we were once colonised by the British, yet the British and the English language are no longer one and the same.

Today, people from countries like India, Sri Lanka and Singapore speak better English than elsewhere. Countries where previously the people stubbornly stuck to using their own language are today making sure their young master the English language; this includes China, Germany, Japan and even Indonesia.

Mahathir has always pushed for excellence in all pursuits of life and for him to emphasise on the need for mastery of this language surely begs attention from the highest levels.

R. Suresh
Petaling Jaya

Source: The Sun – March 10, 2011

Source: The Sun – March 1, 2011

Source: The Sun – March 1, 2011

I BELIEVE that conception is a miracle of life and every child is a sacred gift from God. The child did not ask to be conceived. The mother is therefore responsible for the child she carries irrespective of how conception took place. Her obligation is to protect the precious life within her.

Source: The Sun – February 23, 2011