In the days when I still had a dream...for this country

In 2001, it was younger and had a dream. A dream that this country will be different in the years ahead and there would be someone at the helm of the government who cared enough to listen. On 30 July 2001, the then Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi gave a media statement on the need to deal with youth delinquency. I responded with a letter. Here are the excerpts from the letter.


On schools & education:
.....School is no longer fun. Could that be the reason the number of crimes committed in school and the number of drop-outs each year? Instead of embarking on a journey of exploration, school children of today are being put through vigorous and streanous routine of monotonous lecturing, long list of homework, commuting from one tuition class to another and having to memorise the loads of information dumped on them....no wonder they find no joy in learning, as they don't have time to learn.

.....In a modern and civilised society, acts of suppression will only bring about greater retaliation.

.....the way children are taught in schools need to change - the syllabus, the method.

On the economy, society and culture:
.....we have to build charater and personality of our youth.

.....the strentgh of a people and the resilience of its economy depends on the quality/calibre of their younger ones - as they could make or break everything we build today.

.....the fabric of our society is stitched in a way that is hardly comprehensible to the younger generation be it at work or in the society. They seek their rightful place in this materialistic society but their path is blocked by walls of custom, tradition, seniority and "filters".

.....teenagers are energetic and annoyingly inquisitive thus trying to suppress them with rules and punishment is like pouring oil onto burning fire.

.....the younger generation wants to be heard but who can they talk to? They are the stakeholders of the country's future but their views are not taken into account when the government sets policies.

......the Prime Minister has a non-Malay advisor.....the government should encourage other senior officials to appoint an advisor below the age of 35 years to help close the age-linked communication gap between those who make the law/policies/sets the course of the nation and those that will be affected most by it.

On law enforcement:
.....law should be enforced through education and creating awareness. Punishment is the result of intentionally breaking the law despite knowledge of the consequences. But what I've seen is more of intimidation that anything else.


The letter was 9 pages long and yes, the DPM replied. Those were the days. I had hopes then. Now, I'm just different or just hope I still have a dream.

Beliawanis MCA Merdeka Treasure Hunt

Treasure Hunt: Kuala Lumpur to Melaka, 22 to 23 September 07

At least, we were not last....

9 August 2007

Today is very important to me (at work) and also the day my world came crashing down. I received a sms message in the middle of an important meeting in Putrajaya - one that crushed me and devastated all my hopes and dreams. Still, I had to put up a brave face and get on with work....

Disillusioned

Recent developments in the country and in particular MCA is upsetting, to a point where I feel frustrated. I am writing this post while complaining about the same to someone who is trying to study for exams in the next few days.

I believed in changing from within, beginning with myself - my mindset and approach. Naive maybe but what else there is to do without having hope? I've tried my best, I've done my part. Not that I'm happy but neither am I walking away. I am just becoming more and more critical of the organisation that I spent my glorious seven years working for. Instead of being more progressive, it's going the other direction - from my point of view, at least.

Nonetheless, I am grateful for the opportunity and the experience. It was seven years of "education" which no money can buy. Then again, many people come and stayed in the "classroom" but how many have actually learnt the lessons?

The only consolation is that the journey has been both exciting and fulfilling (despite the pain and stress) and it made me a better, wiser and more patient person.

The Beginning

Blog registered but I don't know when I will write my next post. I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself unless absolutely necessary to express it but I am asked to change. Hence, the beginning of my rantings here.

A lot of my writings over the years were in notebooks and files (when internet was not the "in" thing yet). I thought of copying them here as my postings but then again, only if I am hardworking enough to even blog at all.

My interests, among many, include social, economic and political issues. I believe that any improvements, if necessary, should be affected from the core of the problem. Sometimes, drastic measures are the only option. "Customs/traditions" is a term often abused by people for personal gains and as a result, hampers progress and evolution of any organisation or society.

The quote below inspires my work and summarises what I believe in, what I'd like to do and why I believe being in politics will change anything.

Each time a man stands up for an ideal,
or acts to improve the lot of others,
or strikes out against injustice,
he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope,
and crossing each other from a million
different centres of energy and daring,
those ripples build a current that can
sweep down the mightiest walls of
oppression and resistance.

~ Robert Kennedy, 1966