JOE CHELLIAH @ JOHAMI ABDULLAH

ANUGERAH JUARA LAGU 2012 – A Look at Nominated Songs for the Finals

2012-01-29T12:22:00.008+08:00

I like tradition and Anugerah Juara Lagu (AJL) has been consistently organized by TV3 since 1986 and that is a good 26 years mind you. This consistency is something RTM has overlooked and subsequently lost out to the other commercially minded TV stations in such contests. I myself was on the jury of AJL in 1993 and hence a special nostalgic interest in AJL competitions ever since.

Of the AJL, Wikipedia says “Anugerah Juara Lagu “ (AJL, Malay for "Champion of Songs Awards") is a popular annual music competition in Malaysia, organized by TV3. It features the best musical and lyrical compositions of each year it is held. Nominees are derived from a list of mostly-Malay songs which have garnered the most public votes in Muzik Muzik throughout the year, and then progress into the semifinals, from which twelve songs — four songs from each of three categories (Pop/Rock, Balada, and Irama Malaysia & Etnik Kreatif) will be nominated by a panel of judges to enter the Juara Lagu. AJL honours the composers and lyricists of the songs rather than the performing artistes.”

The last line highlighted above is, to me, the key and/or punch line often missed by most people. I hope, and I am sure, the jury that normally comprises of able and eminent musicians would always bear this in mind. It’s the song and not the peripheral theatrics that should matter in the end. It is the song and not the singer would be a good axiom that should be borne in mind, never mind the fans’ and general public’s perceptions.

The other factor often talked about is the “commercial” value of the song. This should not be the sole criterion in the minds of the jury. A good song still means a good tune with appreciable lyrics to my mind. While each of us is conditioned by an assortment of various personal and conditioned musical tastes the jury member is not entitled to this “luxury” and has to remain strictly objective as any judge should be, however difficult that is. My musical tastes have evolved over more than 50 years but they have no place in the judging process. Over this period, I have been exposed to a complicated assortment of music and musical styles besides having formally learnt some of these styles as an academic too. It’s still back to the basics. A good song must have a good tune generally speaking. The tune or melody should, to be popular at least, be catchy and also easy to sing or replicate. It includes such things as melodic direction and flow coupled with unpredictability in melodic and/or harmonic schemes. However, it is possible to color a simple or weak melody with good arrangement. Those of us who are familiar with the compositions of Carlos Jobim, for instance, know that the harmonic schemes and arrangement cover up very simple or even melodies that can be perceived as weak. The “One Note Samba” is a good example in which it is the harmonic scheme that had made this song popular till today. I will not touch on melody in European classical music which is another dimension by itself.

Having said the above, I listened to all the 12 songs nominated to the finals and “judged” them as objectively as possible. I am truly sorry to say this but they all sounded bane. Let’s see how all the hard work of hundreds turns out to be tonight at the finals. All I know for a fact is that extensive audio visual effects have been planned and possibly some great “distractions” in the form of dancers, props and gimmicks to entertain Malaysian audiences. Good luck to all the composers and also the singers who still have to deliver the songs. . I list below the finalist songs together with my forecast of the possible winning songs i.e. to say gets a placing of between 1 -3. My assessment is more based on the melody and musical arrangement minus the lyrical content which I did not assess as this is not my forte though I have written some songs.

The Songs

1. Beribu Sesalan - great arrangement but a weak melody – a possible winner (3rd)
2. Sungai Lui – too simple to be a winning song.
3. Awan Nano – Melody not catchy enough to win
4. Kisah Hati – Quite nice melody – a possible winner.
5. Kalau Berpacaran – quite a retro paced song which might not be placed.
6. Wanita Seluroh Dunia – No perceptible melody to speak off so off it goes.
7. Karma – too weak a melody for a rock ballad.
8. Kekanda Adinda – melody weak.
9. Gadis Semasa – the melody was ridiculous to me, sorry.
10. Penakut – also too simple to be a winning song.
11. Sedetik Lebih – a good song with good arrangment. A possible winner (2nd)
12. Cinta Muka – its simple melody, harmony and form will make it a winner (1st).

OF EMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRANTS : NOTES ON MALAYAN HISTORY

2012-01-22T14:10:00.006+08:00

(BY JOE CHELLIAH)

It is not uncommon in Malaysia, especially among the non-Chinese, to think that all Chinese are rich and well off. A former prime minister, writing in his book, has even described them as “predatory”. It is racial stereotyping similar to the belief that all of us Indians “speak with forked tongues” (and talk/communicate more with our hands and head movements), are wife-beaters and alcoholics by nature. What about the Malays?? Of course we have it too – lazy, indolent, hedonistic especially in sexual matters, “relaks brudder” attitude and sometimes even treacherous and run amok.

For the major part of the last 50 years, education in Malaysia has morphed into one that is almost void of the humanities. Geography and History and other social studies have been downgraded to a “foster child” status while the sciences have been glorified and deified to unbelievable levels. The Social Sciences have thus been almost totally ignored. I am yet to hear of a Department of Philosophy or any local professor who has any credentials to call himself/herself an academic in this field. Such an educational imbalance void of the Humanities and Social Sciences has, in no small way, helped large numbers of grown Malaysians still harbor such prejudices and misconceptions. At this juncture, I am going to stick to how the majority of Malaysians have come about or rather turned out to be today.

Chinese survive and have survived in a relatively harsh physical and/or a social local environment for donkey years. They experienced hell under the Japanese rule. I shall not speak off the earliest Chinese contacts with this part of the world especially during the Ming dynasty wich incidentally, is being disputed. I shall limit the discussion to more recent immigrations to Malaysia from which the bulk of the modern day Malaysians are descended from.

Between the 18th and 19th centuries came this second wave of Chinese immigration, mainly from Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Emigration records of the Chinese to Malaya do reveal a populace from every group in China. Besides the Hokkien and Cantonese we find Hakka, Teochews, Hainanese, Macauans and so on. It was encouraged by the British and allowed by the Malay rulers of the time. Their business sense of grabbing economic opportunities was also encouraged by the British colonial government and the Malay sultans themselves. With an instinct for trade and industry, the Chinese also saw economic oppurtunites deliberately missed by the British and unintendingly by the Malays themselves at the time. Alongside agriculture and mining, business opportunity in towns and small villages they founded banks, set up small, medium and large businesses to meet local needs. They even engaged and expanded to foreign trade and commerce eventually. I must repeat that these entrepreneurial ventures were left unchecked by the British as well as the Malays rulers of the time simply because such ventures served a pressing need for all communities domiciled in Malaya at the time. The British had the lion’s share of course.

Now, this is historical reality goes back to hundreds of years ago when Malays were then living their lives happily in the kampongs or riverine villages as padi planters or fishermen in the Malay diaspora of peninsular Malaya having themselves mostly settled here from the Indonesian islands. The Chinese, till today, do reside in the smaller towns in the hinterland and are to be found in every province of West and even East Malaysia engaged in an assortment of mainly economic activities.

The field of education is highly respected by the Chinese. The first Chinese school began in Malacca in 1815 even before the English medium Penang Free School kater in 1816. The Chinese built their schools and temples legally on land which they owned through their community associations or on land donated by their richer kinsmen. That is why we do not hear about the demolishment of Chinese schools or temples as often as the Tamil schools and Hindu temples that were originally built on rubber estates with British permission, often in rubber plantation clearings or even in between the rubber trees as it did not affect the rubber production per se.

Malaysian Chinese remain faithful to dialects, the predominant ones being Hokkien and Cantonese. Thus in business, they are more skilful linguistically, and hence do well in trade and industry and even established import export foreign businesses in Malaya. The Malaysian Chinese have energetically defended their identity as Malaysians of Chinese ancestry in more recent times. Under British colonial rule the Chinese in the Malay States were treated as sojourners broadly speaking without place and rights of citizenship which was officially granted to them only in 1957 by the Malay sultans, as well as the British. All this suited a purpose which encouraged economic development and pride of place, without disturbing the traditional way of Malay life in the kampongs and of course British interests as well. In spite of unfair treatment towards the Chinese in the Malay States' the primary loyalty of the Chinese (like their Indian counterparts) slowly started to lay here but not without a fond and nostalgic sense for the homeland of their forefathers. As such, the Chinese community with all its different dialects, prospered and grew naturally and earned an honored place in the racial mosaic that is present day Malaysia.

Now coming to the Indians, ample empirical evidence exists to show that they were here even before the Chinese. There is evidence of the existence of Indianized kingdoms such as Gangga Negara, Old Kedah, Srivijaya since approximately 1700 years ago. Early contact between the kingdoms of Tamilakkam and the Malay peninsula had been very close during the regimes of the Pallava dynasty (from the 4th to the 9th century CE) and Chola dynasty (from the 9th to the 13th century CE). The trade relations the Tamil merchants had with the ports of Malaya led to the emergence of Indianized kingdoms like Kadaram (Old Kedah) and Langkasugam. Furthermore, Chola king Rajendra Chola I sent an expedition to Kadaram (Srivijaya) during the 11th century conquering that country on behalf of one of its rulers who sought his protection and to have established him on the throne. The Cholas had a powerful merchant and naval fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. These early Indians did not marry locals and settle down in this region as much as they spread their religion, language and general culture which were readily adopted and, till today,remain firmly entrenched in the Malay culture, whether admitted or not.

However, I wish to discuss more of the present day Indian communities in Malaysia who are essentially descended from Indian emigrants under British rule in Malaya. The British acquisition of Penang, Melaka, and Singapore from 1786 to 1824 started a steady inflow of Indian labour. This consisted mainly of traders, policemen, plantation labourers/coolies and colonial soldiers called sepoys at the time. Apart from this there was also a substantial migration of Indians to work in the British colonial government services as clerks and teachers due to their general good command of the English language seen even today. The Indian population in pre-independence Malaya and Singapore was predominantly adult males who were single with families back in India and Sri Lanka. Hence the population fluctuated frequently with the immigration and exodus of people.

As early as 1901 the Indian population in the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States was approximately 120,000. By 1931 there were 640,000 Indians in Malaya and Singapore and interestingly they even outnumbered the native Malays in the state of Selangor that year. At the time of Independence in 1957 it stood at over 820,000. Today, Malaysian Indians account only for approximately 10 per cent of the total population of Malaysia. There has also been a significant influx of Indian nationals into Malaysia in recent years to work in construction, engineering, restaurants, IT and finance with many taking up permanent residence.

So there it is….our historical past. In Malaysia today we have the rich and poor from all races. If there are more rich businessmen among the Chinese it’s because of this historical background. If Indians make good lawyers, unionists, teachers and salesmen, it’s because of this historical past. And if Malays do not seem to be able to catch up easily with their Chinese or Indian counterparts in certain areas, it’s because of our historical past but the strong point of Malays has always been their political dominance all these years and even when Malaya was under British rule. As such, the non-Malays will never be able to catch up with Malay politics. With that said, I rest my case.

Bill Cosby "I'm 74 and Tired"

2011-10-05T05:37:00.002+08:00

*I'm 74*. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.

*I'm tired* of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

*I'm tired* of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honour"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offence; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't
"believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.

*I'm tired* of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance..

*I'm tired* of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

*I'm tired* of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

*I'm tired* of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught.

I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

*I'm really tired* of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's bedeck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government..

*Yes, I'm damn tired.* But I'm also glad to be 74.. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and her children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in.

* There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us sends it on!
**This is your chance to make a difference.
" I'm 74 and I'm tired. If you don't forward this you are part of the problem".

******************************************************************
Let's PRAY for all individuals/institutions mentioned or related to this "message".

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." -- Ephesians 6:12 (N.I.V.)

Why & How Greece collapsed : Are we heading there too??

2011-10-02T01:14:00.003+08:00

Bureaucracy :

Greece's bureaucracy is famous in the whole of Europe! To open a cafe or pub there are 25 processes to go through! This is a country of many unnecessary rules and regulations. Sounds familiar?

A Bloated Civil Service :

There are 1.05 milliion civil servants (excluding police and armed forces). The population of Greece is only 10 million!! More than 10 % are govt. servants !! Salary increases every year & benefits for Greece civil servants is one of the best in Europe !! More and more money is needed to upkeep these unproductive bloated civil servants . The retirement age is 62 yrs old.
Does this also sound familiar?

Corruption :

Greece is the most corrupted nation in the Eurozone. Citizens pay "under table " money to:
# admit into a public hospital
# pass a driving licence
# to enter public service
# renovate your business premises or your home
# avoid income tax
Hey, are we sure we're talking about Greece here ?

Every govt. project is awarded to political cronies and at hugely inflated prices! Transparency International compared the prices of the construction costs of stadiums built for the Athens Olympics recently with similar structures in China - 500% more expensive than the Chinese , compared to Los Angeles and Sydney - 50 % more expensive ! All these with tax payers money ! And borrowings !!
This sounds like very close to home.

Tax Evasion :

Officially 80% of its citizens are supposed to pay tax but only 37% are doing so. Big businessmen and corporations have refined tax evasion to a fine art (or have the tax men taken some coffee money ? Over here, Dr. M said that the Chinese pay most of the taxes.

No transparency in Governance :

The politicians and bureaucrats falsified economic data and painted a rosy and manageable picture while the economy was rotting away. This is too similar to our politicians' style here. Unabated borrowings : Meanwhile, the politicians and bureaucrats continue to issue govt. bonds to keep afloat, series after series.They were trying to cover up the financial mess they have createdcreating one big holeto cover up the previous!!Like bailing out the cronies . . . ?

Lacking political will power to reform : To keep hold on to political power, politicians are prepared to lie, commit economic and political fraud.If reforms were taken some five years ago , the country need not go bankrupt andits citizens need not suffer so much. Political expediency and greed to political power over-rides everything and hence Greece is now abankrupt country. Luckily, it is part of the European Union and its currency is EUROs, otherwise Greeks will have to eat grass to survive !

Tourism is THE ONLY industry in Greece and over the years the Greeks have had an easy time. Many flocked to see the historical sites, enjoy summer vacation on the islands.

But they forgot that not many tourists will return after visiting the sites - there are so many other tourists attractions in the world, maybe more exotic and perhaps cheaper ! So once tourism wanes and coupled with higher costs of living - the Greeks could not and refuse to adapt and transform - still partying and having a nice time - maybe the Greek Gods will bless them ! Greece have no natural resources, no electronics industry , no R & D - no anything !

They were so laid back - cannot see what is coming and crashing down on them. Even now, the civil servants refuse to take a pay cut - because they feel that the world owes them a living ! Now does the above sound very familiar too?

Without immediate remedies and reforms, that's where we're headed too. . .it's still not too late.

The Debt owed by the British ( and Malaysians too) to the Gurkhas

2011-08-24T09:54:00.003+08:00

Wednesday, October 01, 2008 - The Telegraph
posted by Major (Rtd) D.Swami

Like all of his colleagues who retired before 1997, when the Brigade of Gurkhas moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to Britain, Lal Bahadur's connection to the UK was deemed too tenuous for him to be allowed to live here – a judgment overturned this week by Mr Justice Blake. But Lal Bahadur voiced no sense of grievance. He was simply happy to be hosting a young Englishman in his hut.

In Nepal, the Gurkhas are a caste apart. Their numbers are drawn from several ethnic groups who live in the Himalayan foothills, making up much of the country's population. To other Nepalis, the families who serve in the British Army are known as "Lahures", after the city of Lahore, in modern Pakistan, where Nepali men went to join the British Indian Army in the 19th century.

The British started recruiting Gurkhas after they fought the East India Company to a standstill in the Anglo-Nepal war of 1814-16. In the 20th century, they fought almost everywhere the British Army went.

They were in the trenches of the First World War in France and Gallipoli, and with Lawrence of Arabia in the desert. In the Second World War they fought in North Africa, Europe and most famously in the horrific campaigns in the Burmese jungle, where they excelled at guerrilla warfare. Nine thousand of them died, and more than 2,700 were decorated for bravery. Their officers believed that their hardiness, discipline and courage made them among the finest infantry in the world.

When walking in the hills, signs of the Gurkhas' pride in this tradition – which has continued in recent years in Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan – are everywhere. In villages and towns, old soldiers decorate their houses with crossed khukuris – the common household tool they have made famous as "Gurkha knives" – with their regiment number beneath.

Once, on a hilltop facing the Himalayas, two days' walk from the nearest road, I came on a monument to a man who had died in the village below. It was decorated with two crossed khukuris and the figure II, for the 2nd Gurkha Rifles. Perhaps, if he was old enough, the man was among those captured by the Japanese when both battalions of the regiment were trapped as Singapore fell in 1942.

Not long before I met Lance Corporal Limbu, another man known as "VC" had died in the nearby town of Dharan, which was built around an old British army depot. He, too, was a local celebrity, and the townspeople filled the streets for his funeral.

Naik (the equivalent of "corporal") Agansing Rai won his VC fighting the Japanese near the India-Burma border in 1944. "Under withering fire the naik and his party charged a machine gun, he himself killing three of the crew," his citation reads." The first position having been taken, he then led a dash on a machine-gun firing from the jungle, where he killed three of the crew, his men accounting for the rest. He subsequently tackled an isolated bunker single-handed, killing all four occupants. The enemy were now so demoralised that they fled and the second post was recaptured."

Such tales of valour have spawned a whole genre of military histories, often written by retired British officers. They have also been used as propaganda: during the Falklands War, a photo of Gurkhas queuing at a grindstone to sharpen their khukuris was released to the Chilean media. As hoped, it found its way to Argentina.

But the Gurkhas pay a price for such a reputation. So strong is their bond with Britain that they often fail to reintegrate into Nepalese life. Although they are admired within their own communities, many Nepalis regard them as half-foreign. Most have learnt useful skills, but rarely find employment in Nepal. Many set up their own businesses, or take work in shipping or in troublespots abroad.

In view of all this, the ungenerous policy of the British government became increasingly unpopular and embarrassing. As the Gurkha rights movement developed over the last decade, the Ministry of Defence quibbled. Retired servicemen formed organisations to press claims for better pensions, terms of service that matched other soldiers, and the right to settle in Britain when they retired. They took the MoD to court again and again, and in most cases they won.

The MoD repeatedly offered limited concessions that were rejected by veterans. In 2006, it was said that Gurkhas could settle in Britain, but only if they had retired after 1997. Under public pressure, the Home Office began allowing "pre-1997" Gurkhas to settle in Britain, but only if they could get here first. As the farce continued, the British embassy in Kathmandu started refusing even tourist visas to veterans, because they knew the Home Office would let them stay.

As Gurkhas typically retire at 35, most of the men who take advantage of the new ruling will still be of working age. But it will be of little help to those living in the greatest hardship. During the Second World War, tens of thousands were recruited, then discharged when peace came. Those who are still alive, well into their eighties, live in villages across the hills, often without access to roads, water or electricity.

I met one such man at the Hindu temple in Dharan. His wife was sick, and he could not afford medicine to treat her. In his ragged clothes, he had come to sacrifice a chicken and pray for her recovery instead.

There are around 10,500 old men like him who were honourably discharged, but did not serve long enough to qualify for a full pension. They receive a "welfare pension" of £24 a month from the Gurkha Welfare Trust, which relies on private donations. This goes further in Nepal than it would in Britain – but it is not enough. For these men, even a bus to town can be a crippling expense. Flying to Britain would be out of the question, even if they wanted to.

There are also longer-term problems. Some British officers complain that if the Gurkhas keep suing the MoD and winning better pay and conditions, they will price themselves out of the market.

For its part, Nepal's Maoist government has said it would like to stop foreign military recruitment, but only once Nepal's economy can support its own people. Yet while young British men continue to shun the army, leaving it perpetually below-strength, and while Nepal remains mired in crippling poverty, neither outcome seems likely.

Indeed, this year, as every year, at least 14,000 young men will be starting their training up in the hills, hoping to win one of the 230 jobs available each recruitment season. Despite its complications, the relationship between the British and the Gurkhas looks set to last well into its third century. @ 6:43 PM 0 Comments

WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS, IT’S A FOLLY TO BE WISE

2011-08-17T20:34:00.008+08:00

I am quite amused, if not irritated, by so many posts on FB and the internet from both “irritated” Muslims as well as Christians. To me the whole thing smacks of poor understanding of the pillars of this great country of ours, Malaysia. While such Muslims think the whole world has nothing better to do than dismantle Islam from the face of this earth, Christians with quite a similar attitude are forever lamenting about Muslim transgression of their rights. The whole thing is caused by ignorance of history and the very pillars on which this country was given independence.

The colonial British knew from long before that proselytizing among Muslims is like stirring a hornet’s nest. Let sleeping dogs lie seems to have been their motto and they ruled in many Muslim countries around the world without “stirring the hornet’s nest”. In Malaysia many missionary schools were set up that also clearly steered off proselytizing amongst Muslims. To date, I am yet to hear of a single Muslim boy or girl who became enchanted with Christianity and converted. It is like some unsaid social norm amongst Muslim nations worldwide and also amongst Muslim majority nations like Malaysia and Indonesia.

The older generations of Malayans as well as Malaysians understood this well and so did the Muslims who, in return, did not grudge non-Malays from professing whatever faith they wanted and quite freely allowed temples, churches, gurdwaras etc. from being built especially in areas where there were more non-Malay. Everyone was happy and life went on peacefully and Malaya (as well as Malaysia later) progressed. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 changed all of this. Like tsunami that does not recognize distance a new Islamic fervor hit the world and the world has never been quite the same since then.

Muslims could still co-exist peacefully with others but world politics as well as local politics too changed. The oil rich Muslim nations of the Gulf and North Africa in particular were more affected by this green wave of Islamic fervor. This changed attitudes from one of co-existence to hostility particularly towards the Unites States of America in particular and its allies in general – both Muslim and non-Muslim. I lived in USA between 1984 and 1987 and I witnessed no hostility at all towards Muslims and we were free to practice our faith undisturbed and unperturbed.

Today, in Malaysia as elsewhere, political leaders tend to use religion as an easy step to immediate popularity on both sides of the divide. Religion is used to divide the people and distract people from bigger woes facing the nation. Sadly, the ordinary layperson cannot see through such ploys and are easily aroused emotionally more by politics than the ground reality.

In any case there are laws in any country which are legislated according to each country’s need and as envisaged by lawmakers. In Malaysia we have laws pertaining to Islam. This can be Googled easily these days. However, many Malaysians do not seem to be aware of their laws let alone the basic tenets of their respective religions. Prior to independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman managed to convince the sultans to cede some states' powers to the federal government. One of the terms of this agreement is that the sultans still are the ultimate authority of Islamic law in their respective states. The same arrangement was long held even during British colonial rule.

I end by quoting what each religion says regarding interaction with other fellow human beings – often referred to as The Golden Rule. Of this the Wikipedia says “The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code, or morality that essentially states either of the following:

1.One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (positive form)

2.One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (negative/prohibitive form, also called the Silver Rule)

See http://www.religioustolerance.org/reciproc.htm for 21 versions of the golden rule in 21 religions. With this I rest my case.

THE BRITISH IN MALAYA – NOTES ON MALAYAN HISTORY

2011-07-02T10:27:00.010+08:00

(By Joe Chelliah)

I am often appalled by the poor knowledge of Malaysian history reflected by the average Malaysian of today and therefore feel compelled to write the following general note to remind all fellow Malaysians of the deep appreciation and gratitude that we Malaysians should have for the British presence in our country from about 1777 till 1957. Blaming the colonial British for all our woes may not be the best thing to do. We Malaysians, like the rest of the world, were also not excluded from the European colonization and conquest and its aftermath. In a sense, we are lucky that we had the British and not any of the other European maritime powers over here.

We should also know, contrary to general opinion, that the British initially came to our shores merely to trade and not to conquer us. They were welcomed and invited to do so by our leaders of the time who were the Malay rulers. We should also know that Sullivan & De'Souza, a British firm based in Madras (India) sent Francis Light to meet the Sultan of Kedah, Muhammad Jiwa Shah, to open up the state's market for trading. Light was also a captain within the British East India Company. The good Sultan faced multiple external threats during this period from Siam, which was at war with Burma and saw Kedah as its vassal state and frequently demanded Kedah to send reinforcements. Kedah, in many cases, was a reluctant ally to Siam.

Through negotiation between the Sultan and Light, the Sultan agreed to allow the firm to build a trading post and operate in Kedah, but only if the British agreed to protect Kedah from external pressure. Light conveyed this message to his superiors in India. The British, however, initially decided against the proposal. Two years later, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa died and was replaced by Sultan Abdullah Mahrum Shah. The new Sultan again offered Light (who later became the British representative) the island of Penang in return for military assistance for Kedah. The British saw this as a better deal.

This "offer" by the Sultan of Kedah can be considered to have started it all and the rest is history of course but many have forgotten it. Theefore, one can see that British initially did not want to interfere in local politics which might embroil them in war and unnecessary expenditure. From a policy of non-intervention, the British were slowly forced and coerced into intervening primarily because of prevailing circumstances and anarchy in the Malay states – rival claimants the throne, wars between Chinese secret societies, lack of taxation expertise and also for the control of tin mines besides rampant piracy off our coasts especially in the Straits of Melaka.

The British, like other colonial powers, were looking for a trade monopoly to meet their local demands for raw materials as well as a market for their goods to be exported. Both needs were direct results of the Industrial Revolution in Europe. So the British eventually "grabbed" the opportunity for a policy of British intervention in the Malay states from one of non-intervention initially. But I will be failing in my duty if I do not remind all that this policy would not have materialized at all if our sultans had not insisted upon it. Instead, they allowed it willingly for mutual benefit. It was offered to the British. The opening of the Suez Canal around the time also speeded up this change in British policy in which the deal was as in “you scratch my back and I scratch yours” policy with the sovereign Malay rulers of the time.

The British then proceeded to really take good care of our sovereign sultans but left the native Malay subjects alone. These simple folks literally adored and “worshipped” their sultans at the time and led a quiet and peaceful agrarian life. The British then taught and inculcated in our rulers how to dress like the British complete with handle bar moustaches, play polo, visit England and taught them many western graces such as fine dining, cigars, golf, music and dancing. They were also pampered with pensions besides grand stone palaces built for them. Luckily the British let Islam and its practioners,mainly the Malays, alone. They well knew that it was a hornet’s nest not to be messed around with. Some Malaysians still do not see this wisdom of the British. They also did not interfere with local Malay customs and traditions. Then the British started to develop Malaya with mainly an Indian work force brought over from India. It was the same case in their Middle East colonial experience. Sadly, some Malaysians do not realize this even today.

Like it or not, we also have the British to thank for as our saviors for saving us from the Japanese, the Communists and the Indonesians sepecially Soekarno's “Ganyang Malaysia” campaign during the early 1960’s. Of course the British "saved us" because they too had so much to lose in terms of their vast rubber plantations and other such economic interests in Malaysia at the time. It was a peripheral advantage and that benefitted us Malaysians too.

I do not wish to go more into Malayan history which anyone can read up in the net these days. However, I wish to put on record some of the many things that the British left behind for us Malaysians to enjoy life today as perhaps the best ex-European colony besides Singapore. Even after Merdeka in 1957 the British continued their military presence well into 1969 to safeguard us and their own economic interests at the same time. Till today Malaysia is a member of the British Commonwealth and also a member of the Five Power Defence arrangement (FPDA)together with Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and UK whereby the five states will consult each other in the event of external aggression or threat of attack against Peninsular Malaysia (East Malaysia is not included as part of the area of responsibilities under the FPDA) or Singapore.

The British set up many basic fundamentals before they left which taught us how to run many things some of which I list below.

1. How to rule a country well albeit sometimes with a “divide and rule” policy.

2. Use English language as a great tool for progress and moderization.

3. Educate us in English traditions such as the parliamentary and state legislative procedures, judiciary, education, health care, Customs and tax collection, police, army, navy, airforce, port management, electrical power management etc.

4. Almost all our former PMs of Malaysia were educated in England like our current PM - the Tunku, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn. Only one (Tun Dr., Mahthir) was not educated there.

5. Drew up a constitution that protects the interests of all Malaysians. Of course we have altered it many times to suit our current needs especially parliamentary constituencies for a growing population. The British drew up the original constituencies in a ratio that favoured the Malays. A predominantly Malay constituency with a say 20,000 voters would have one seat in Parliament wheras a constituency with mostly non- Malay voters numbering some 80,000 voters like Bangsar would have only one wakil rakyat.

6. The Mechanics of government and governmental procedures & General Orders.

7. A well trained military force and police force that is still dominated by the Malays. After the 2nd World War and the Malayan Emergency the Malays were more trusted with the gun by the British who started the Malay Regiment and the general police constabulary.

8. A good system of schools and colleges and even a university (The MU now Universiti Malaya). Our school system also includes a vernacular system of schools to be found nowhere else in the world.

9. Food infrastructure and master plans for the development of ports, railways, roads, telecommunications, power generation, drainage and irrigation.

10. Freedom of religious worship for all but no provision for anyone to do any preaching or proselytizing to the Muslims. In fact, it is/was an offence.

11. The Internal Security Act which the government still finds very useful although it was concieved by the British during the Malayan Emergency.

I could go on and on but I think I have covered the main essence of British influence and help for Malaya / Malaysia. The British experience is very obvious with us even today. Our military and police are based on Scotland Yard and Sandhurst traditions. Even the Prime Minister (PM) is addressed in the British tradition although in our language it should MP (Menteri Perdana). Perhaps MP gives a bad military connotation associated with the Military Police and so PM was maintained although grammatically wrong in Bahasa Malaysia.

Malaysia In The Era of Globalization in Malay

2011-06-27T10:39:00.002+08:00

"MALAYSIA IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION " by M. Bakri Musa (Translated from English to Malay). For original English version go to http://www.bakrimusa.com/archives/malaysia-in-the-era-of-globalization-71

Agama mesti bertindak sebagai lampu lakukan dalam kereta, dan bukan sebagai brek lakukan.
-Abdolkarim Soroosh, Kontemporari ahli falsafah Iran

Islam adalah agama rasmi Malaysia. Ia meresap semua aspek kehidupan rakyat Malaysia, untuk orang Islam dan bukan Islam. Dalam bab ini, saya akan mengkaji kesan Islam kepada undang-undang, pendidikan, dan ekonomi. Ini adalah tiga bidang utama yang mempunyai impak yang besar kepada keupayaan rakyat Malaysia amnya dan Melayu khususnya di mesyuarat cabaran globalisasi.

Seorang pelawat ke Malaysia dengan cepat menyedari betapa meluas Islam di negara ini. Pada kali solat Azzan (panggilan kepada sembahyang) kedengaran kuat dan jelas dari pembesar suara di menara masjid-masjid banyak. Satu dikejutkan pagi oleh Azzan dan meletakkan untuk tidur pada waktu malam olehnya. Azzan televisyen program kerap mengganggu, selalunya pada masa ini yang paling hell, seperti sebelum klimaks dramatik tempat kejadian atau walaupun di pertengahan ayat. Ia bukanlah panggilan untuk Azzan yang exasperates penonton; bukan cara kasar dan mentah di mana juruteknik robotik kembali di studio tanpa berfikir dan mekanikal berhenti pita. Jika mereka boleh mencari tempat yang mudah untuk mengganggu program untuk memecahkan komersial, mengapa mereka tidak boleh melakukan perkara yang sama untuk Azzan itu? Mereka boleh, tetapi hakikat bahawa mereka tidak melakukannya mencerminkan menghina mereka untuk penonton mereka. Dan pada bulan Ramadan, seluruh negara dalam animasi digantung; tidak boleh dilaksanakan, terutamanya dalam sektor awam.

Walaupun dalam orang Melayu yang lalu akan menyambut satu sama lain dengan "Selamat Pagi!" (Good Morning!), Hari ini mereka menggunakan Bahasa Arab salam Assalamualaikum (Salam sejahtera kepada kamu!). Anak-anak muda sekarang berjanggut sukan dan berselubung dengan serban tebal dan mengalir jubah hijau, sedar dengan haba yang terik dan kelembapan, semua dalam usaha untuk muncul "Islam."

Masjid semasa limpahan solat Jumaat, dengan jemaah yang terpaksa bersolat di luar. Dalam usaha alim mereka mereka tidak ragu-ragu berdoa lebih pengap pembetung terbuka longkang. Seperti incongruities gemuruh tidak menjejaskan perasaan mereka. Setiap tahun Malaysia menghantar lebih jemaah (atas asas per kapita) ke tanah suci daripada mana-mana negara lain. Banyak bercakap gah tentang membuat perjalanan banyak kali, walaupun ia hanya diperlukan sekali, dan kemudian hanya jika keadaan membenarkan. Tetapi saya lihat banyak anak-anak muda dan wanita sabar mengganggu kerjaya mereka untuk membuat haji.

Mungkin ini jiwa bernasib baik telah membayar gadai janji rumah mereka dan mengetepikan dana yang mencukupi untuk persaraan dan pendidikan anak-anak mereka untuk menjadi mampu perjalanan.

Ini pervasiveness Islam membawa banyak untuk mencadangkan bahawa iman sedang mengalami kebangkitan semula atau kebangkitan. Ini rupa keagamaan dan takwa hanya permukaan hadapan bangunan, satu lapisan yang sangat nipis. Umat Islam di Malaysia kelihatan Islam sahaja dalam pematuhan kepada ritual dan lain-lain manifestasi luaran agama mereka. Malangnya kita melihat dgn curiga di teras mereka. Toleransi, lama tradisi dengan Islam, adalah sedih kurang di kalangan mereka. Mereka memandang kepada umat Islam sendiri yang tidak bersetuju dengan mereka sebagai kafir (kafir) - Istilah sangat yg memburukkan apabila digunakan untuk orang Islam - dan tidak mahu mengambil bahagian dalam mana-mana rundingan sosial atau agama dengan mereka. Bayangkan apa sikap mereka terhadap orang kafir sebenar: bukan Islam rakyat Malaysia.

Pada tahap yang lebih biasa, mereka memandu seperti maniacs, sedar dari pengguna jalan raya yang lain. Mereka meletakkan kenderaan mereka di tengah-tengah jalan dan menghalang lalu lintas dalam tergesa-gesa mereka berada di masjid. Bahawa mereka akan menyusahkan pengguna jalan raya yang lain adalah tidak relevan selagi mereka mendapat mata untuk menuntut brownies agama mereka. Bagi sedekah, satu lagi sifat Islam dihormati, baik, mereka telah membayar zakat mereka (persepuluhan) dan yang mencukupi. Tidak perlu untuk mereka menyumbang kepada sekolah-sekolah anak-anak mereka atau masyarakat setempat. Mereka juga tidak menganut apa-apa kebimbangan nasib sesama umat Islam dari Bangladesh dan Indonesia di kalangan tengah-tengah mereka. Orang-orang asing adalah pendatang haram bagaimanapun, tidak sesuai dengan mana-mana muhibah. Perhambaan dan buruh indentured mungkin telah diharamkan tetapi rawatan rakyat Malaysia 'pembantu rumah mereka akan membuat pemilik hamba sebelum Perang Saudara Amerika melihat murah hati dengan perbandingan.

Bagi saya, tidak ada kebangkitan atau kebangkitan Islam di Malaysia, lebih kepada regresi kepada bentuk yang lebih sesuai untuk Badwi purba. Lebih tepat lagi, hari ini orang Melayu taksub dengan cara-cara orang Arab kuno dan bukan dengan mesej murni Islam.

Pada tahun 2001 kerajaan mengeluarkan satu penerbitan yang ditulis oleh seorang petugas yang mengisytiharkan bahawa Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam. Ditulis dalam bahasa Melayu, ia merupakan satu cubaan untuk kekok tumpul caj PAS bahawa negara bukan "Islam" yang mencukupi. Buku kecil ini bertujuan untuk serangan terlebih dahulu pada atau untuk "keluar Islam" PAS, agar boleh menggunakan Farish Noor (seorang penulis Malaysia) frasa. Sebaliknya, ia telah meletuskan kontroversi mengamuk. Kerajaan terpaksa menarik balik malu penerbitan bodoh. Satu ukuran penyimpangan buku panduan ini adalah yang meliputi ciri-ciri yang kapal terbang. Apa yang imej ada kena mengena dengan Islam adalah di luar pemahaman saya. Memandangkan 9-11 serangan, ia bukan satu idea yang sangat pintar untuk mengaitkan Islam dengan pesawat jet.

Selepas bahawa terdapat satu lagi kontroversi mengamuk atas beberapa esei yang ditulis dalam akhbar popular dengan meletakkan penulis-penulis Islam. Ini menimbulkan kemarahan ulama agama, yang menganggap bahawa perbincangan itu tentang Islam yang memelihara eksklusif mereka. Mereka pergi ke tahap membuat rayuan kepada Raja (ketua agama Islam) untuk mengambil tindakan ke atas penulis-penulis untuk Islam yang didakwa menghina. Bahawa Raja dan Majlis Raja-Raja itu sebenarnya dilayan seperti petisyen bodoh adalah dengan sendirinya sangat ketara.

Apa-apa kontroversi hangat mencerminkan pengasaran wacana awam di Malaysia. Perbincangan awam, jauh dari menyedarkan rakyat dan membawa mereka bersama-sama, hanya berjaya acerbating polarisasi dan mendalamkan bahagian-bahagian yang sedia ada. Menyalahkan bagi negeri ini maaf hal ehwal pergi ke kedua-dua pihak penganjur dan peserta acara tersebut. Ini perbincangan telah kurang kepada merit atau kelemahan sesuatu isu itu, sebaliknya lebih kepada mempamerkan kehebatan berpidato dan kelayakan Islam peserta. Ini perbahasan awam dengan cepat merosot kepada nama panggilan, dan dikurangkan simplistically ke "ulama saya lebih berilmu (atau alim) daripada kamu" jenis bursa.

BAB I - OTOBIOGRAFI JOE CHELLIAH (MALAY)

2011-06-11T09:45:00.002+08:00

Bab Satu – Asal usul & Latar Belakang

Masa dan rentak kehidupan saya bermula dengan susur-galur keturunan Nadaar kerana bagi saya mengetahui tentang latarbelakang keluarga adalah satu perkara yang amat penting bagi individu. Saya percaya yang latar belakang kaum seseorang itu tiada kurang atau lebihnya kerana bagi saya semuanya sama sahaja tidak kiralah jika anda berketurunan raja atau dari kedudukan yang lebih rendah dalam masyarakat. Tiada siapa pun yang boleh memilih siapa keluarga mereka. Apa yang penting adalah siapa diri anda sebenarnya. Dari mana asal kita dan dengan siapa kita bersaudara adalah kehendak Tuhan, jadi kita tidak perlu terlalu berbangga atau berasa malu dengan asal-usul sendiri. Dengan kesedaran ini, saya berusaha mengamalkan sikap “buta warna” selagi boleh.

Berdasarkan kepada pengkelasan etnik saya berbangsa Tamil Nadaar Selatan India manakala daripada segi undang-undangnya saya adalah rakyat Malaysia. Saya dinamakan Joseph Sountharaj oleh ibu dan bapa saya. Pada usia awal remaja, saya menggunakan nama Joseph S.Chelliah, menggunakan nama bapa seolah-olah ia nama keluarga persis tradisi Eropah. Nama ini kemudiannya dipendekkan menjadi Joe Chelliah untuk menyesuaikannya dengan penglibatan saya di dalam muzik. Nama inilah yang melekat sehingga sekarang dan saya dikenali dengan nama ini terutamanya di dalam industri muzik dan dalam kalangan para peminat pop yeh yeh. Pada tahun 1970, setelah memeluk Islam saya juga mula menggunakan nama Johami Abdullah. Tetapi saya lebih dikenali sebagai Joe Chelliah mungkin kerana kaitan saya dengan muzik pop.

Tiada siapa yang akan menulis tentang kita kecualilah jika anda atau saya tokoh hebat seperti Mahatma Gandhi atau Sir Winston Churchill. Jadi, apa yang saya lakukan ini adalah satu usaha kecil untuk generasi Chelliah yang akan datang dan juga untuk mereka yang berminat dengan sejarah masa memandangkan terdapat bahagian-bahagian autobiografi ini mengimbau kehidupan di estet getah dan juga kehidupan lampau di sekolah yang ramai sudah lupakan. Lagi pula, setakat ini saya telah melalui kehidupan yang selesa dan berwarna-warni dan disebabkan itu bersyukur kepada Allah s.w.t. atas anugerah yang amat besar ini. Cara terbaik untuk saya menunjukkan penghargaan kepadaNYA ialah dengan merakamkan kehidupan saya yang indah ini untuk generasi yang akan datang. Dalam buku ini, saya akan menggunakan Tuhan dan Allah silih berganti untuk pemahaman pembaca-pembaca yang bukan Islam. Ada sesetengah golongan orang Islam tidak berapa setuju dengan praktis ini memandangkan Allah mempunyai kaitan semantik yang berbeza kepada orang Islam berbanding Tuhan dan tuhan-tuhan agama-agama lain, yang mana, sebagai implikasinya apabila ada Tuhan, mungkin juga ada dewi, “godfather” (bapa angkat) atau “godson” (anak angkat). Saya sememangnya datang daripada sebuah keluarga yang takutkan Tuhan. Hari ini, pada usia 65 tahun, saya merupakan seorang yang bahagia bersama-sama tiga orang adik beradik yang masih hidup aktif – kakak sulung saya Mabel Chandra berusia 80 tahun pada tahun ini.

Keturunan nadaar

Banyak yang telah ditulis mengenai sifat semulajadi mereka yang berketurunan Naadar, sebuah kumpulan kecil Dravidia dari India berbahasa Tamil yang kebanyakannya berasal dari sebuah daerah besar di Tamilnadu dengan nama Tirunelvelli. Penduduk asal India adalah orang-orang Dravidia dan budaya mereka telah berkembang menjadi satu cara hidup yang canggih. Menurut Wikipedia “Naadar juga dirujuk sebagai Kshatriya Naadar, Nadan, Nataar, Gramani dan Shanar. Ia merupakan salah satu kasta terkemuka di Tamil Nadu yang terletak di Selatan India. Kshatriya merupakan kelas pahlawan di dalam sistem kasta Aryan awal. Istilah Nadaar, dalam bahasa Tamil secara harfiah (literal) bermaksud “yang memerintah negara”. Keturunan Nadaar ini juga biasa digelar sebagai Annachi (secara dasarnya bermaksud abang) di Tamil Nadu.
Tirunelvelli yang berusia lebih kurang 2000 tahun penuh dengan sejarah yang berwarna-warni dan kaya dengan tradisi. Daerah ini terkenal dengan jelapang padinya. Nama ‘Tiru-Nel-Veli’ diambil bersempena sebuah cerita dongeng Hindu. Di dalam cerita tersebut Dewa Shiva melindungi padi (nel) dengan mewujudkan sebuah pagar (veli). Bandar kembar Tirunelvelli adalah Bandar Palayankottai, yang terkenal dengan institusi pendidikannya dan seringkali digelar sebagai Oxford India Selatan. Palayankottai juga dikenali kerana sebuah ‘Penjara Pusat’, tempat kurungan ramai pejuang kebebasan yang berjuang untuk keamanan di India. Daerah Tirunelvelli secara turun temurunnya terkenal dengan halwa kelapa sawit dan kraftangan yang diperbuat daripada daun kelapa sawit. Orang Nadaar juga memiliki reputasi yang baik disebabkan ketekunan dan cara mereka bekerja yang hanya boleh ditandingi oleh rasa salah dan betul mereka yang sangat kuat.

Karakter semulajadi orang-orang Nadaar inilah yang menyebabkan mereka selalu dilabelkan sebagai keturunan Dravidia yang sombong dan degil. Mungkin semangat Kshatriya (kasta pahlawan) hidup dalam diri mereka memandangkan keturunan Nadaar ini juga selalu terlibat dalam persengketaan biarpun dalam lingkungan keluarga mereka sendiri yang disebabkan perkara remeh-temeh. Kebanyakan filem moden Tamil menggambarkan perkara ini dengan baik sekali. Terdapat satu pepatah Tamil yang dengan jelas menggambarkan sifat semulajadi keturunan Nadaar yang degil ini. “Aku yakin arnab yang telah ditangkap mempunyai tiga kaki.” Plot siri drama TV Tamil yang amat popular yang diterbitkan dan disiarkan di TV Malaysia pada 2004 bertajuk Annamalai menceritakan tentang sebuah keluarga Nadaar dan siri ini menyorot ciri-ciri positif dan juga negatf komuniti ini. Siri ini diterbitkan oleh Radaan Productions dan tidak ramai yang sedar bahawa Radaan apabila dibaca terbalik berbunyi Nadaar. Orang-orang Nadaar muncul sebagai sebuah komuniti yang berjaya di India Selatan. Orang-orang Nadaar yang beragama Hindu dan juga Kristian adalah antara sub-kumpulan Tamil yang agak besar di Malaysia. Memandangkan saya berasal dari kelompok Nadaar Kristian saya lebih arif tentang Nadaar Kristian Aglikan di Malaysia. Kristian Aglikan adalah sebahagian daripada Kristian Protestan dan memihak kepada Church of England.

Beberapa orang yang berketurunan Nadaar Kristian berpendidikan Inggeris telah menjadi tokoh yang dikenali di Malaysia. J.J Raj (Senior dan Junior) cemerlang sebagai pegawai polis dan berjaya memegang jawatan tertinggi di dalam pasukan Polis Diraja Malaysia dalam tahun-tahun 1950-an dan 1960-an. Saya mempunyai seorang bapa saudara yang mempunyai nama keluarga Light yang memegang jawatan tinggi di dalam Keretapi Tanah Melayu. P.P.D Samuel, seorang usahawan yang berjaya dan perintis dalam pendidikan swasta di Malaysia pada 1960-an, juga seorang lagi bapa saudara saya. Beliau merupakan ketua pegawai eksekutif dan pengasas The Federal Institute of Technology, perintis institusi pendidikan persendirian di Malaysia. Bapa beliau, Rev. David Samuel, merupakan seorang paderi Anglikan yang terkenal dalam tahun 1960-an. Seorang lagi saudara saya yang menjawat jawatan tinggi dalam Polis Diraja Malaysia dan menjadi Ketua Pegawai Polis (CPO) untuk beberapa buah negeri yang kini telah bersara dari Bukit Aman (ibupejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia di KL) pada 2004 adalah Timbalan Suruhanjaya Polis (DCP) Dato’ Arthur Edmonds. Seorang perunding pakar bedah terkenal yang juga merupakan ketua jabatan di Hospital Besar Seremban yang baru sahaja bersara, Dr Davaraj Balasingh K.M.N juga berketurunan Nadaar. Manakala di dalam bidang muzik nama-nama seperti Edwin Rajamoney, Dennis Jesudason dan Gerald Samuel menjadi sebutan dalam era 1950-an dan 1960-an. Saya juga mungkin boleh disenaraikan sebagai salah seorang etnik Nadaar Malaysia yang terlibat dalam bidang muzik bermula pada tahun 1970-an.

Orang-orang Nadaar ini pada asalnya beragama Hindu sebelum ada di antara mereka menganut Kristian. Pada tahun 1680, jemaah Nadaar yang pertama dimulakan di Vaddakankulam dan sebuah gereja telah dibina pada tahun 1685. Pada tahun 1701 sebuah misi tetap telah ditubuhkan di sana. Sesetengah orang Nadaar memeluk agama Kristian secara sukarela tetapi ada yang melakukannya kerana tidak sukakan kepercayaan-kepercayaan tempatan. Hampir kesemua orang Tamil yang menganut agama Kristian Anglikan adalah orang-orang Nadaar dan kira-kira 40% keturunan Nadaar di Tamil Nadu adalah beragama Kristian. Kawasan uskop Tirunelvelli bermula dengan hanya 40 orang anggota di Palayamkottai. Kini ia dianggap sebagai kawasan uskop Anglikan terbesar di Asia. Tirunelvelli dinaik taraf sebagai sebuah Kawasan uskop pada tahun 1896. Di daerah Tirunelvelli sahaja terdapat banyak gereja besar Anglikan dan ia juga mempunyai sebuah bandar yang dinamakan Nazareth, di mana terletaknya The Church of South India Diocese. Abang ipar saya, David berasal dari Nazareth ini.

Ada satu penjelasan yang boleh dipercayai berkaitan perkara ini. Menurut mendiang abang ipar saya David Koilpillay, mubaligh-mubaligh Anglikan ketika zaman kolonial India beria-ria mahu mencari sebuah tempat atau komuniti yang masih tidak terkesan dengan usaha para mubaligh Katholik Belanda dan Portugis. Apabila para pentadbir berbangsa Inggeris di sana mengatakan yang keturunan Nadaar beragama Hindu merupakan pertaruhan yang baik, para mubaligh ini segera menuju ke situ dengan penuh bersemangat dan mereka berjaya di sana. Oleh yang demikian, pada hari ini, tulang belakang uskop Anglikan di Malaysia juga berasal daripada komuniti Nadaar yang sama.

Salah silah Keluarga

Ibu bapa saya beragama Kristian Anglikan yang berasal daripada komuniti Nadaar Selatan India ini. Nama ibu sebelum berkahwin ialah Lily Kamalabai Vincent dan nama bapa, Samuel Chelliah Nadaar. Atas sebab-sebab yang hanya beliau sahaja yang tahu, nama bapa di dalam pasport ialah Samuel Chelliah, tanpa nama Nadaar. Mungkin beliau mahu memendekkan nama dengan tidak menyertakan Nadaar atau mungkin beliau mahu dikenali sebagai orang Tamil Jaffna ketika tahun-tahun awal di Tanah Melayu memandangkan Chelliah merupakan satu nama keluarga yang biasa dalam kalangan orang-orang Tamil Jaffna. Namun kemungkinan besar beliau hanya mahu memendekkan namanya kerana sepanjang hidupnya beliau bekerja di estet yang mana menjadi seorang Tamil Jaffna tidak mempunya apa-apa erti. Orang-orang Tamil Jaffna di Tanah Melayu berpendidikan Inggeris namun mereka lebih memonopoli jawatan-jawatan pengurus kecil dalam perkhidmatan awam Tanah Melayu, Keretapi Tanah Melayu, di pelabuhan-pelabuhan dan lembaga elektrik. Mereka kurang berminat bekerja di estet-estet getah. Izinkan saya menulis satu pemerhatian analitikal bersifat peribadi berikut, namun pemerhatian ini boleh jadi terlalu ringkas.

Orang British pada zaman kolonial terkenal di seluruh dunia dengan kelicikan mereka dan telah memulakan satu strategi “pecah dan perintah” di hampir kesemua koloni mereka. Di Tanah Melayu British hanya mahu menyempurnakan tugas memerintah dalam cara yang paling berkesan tanpa ada sentimen perkauman dan tanpa mementingkan mana-mana kaum. Orang-orang British mendapati bahawa Tanah Melayu mempunyai potensi yang baik untuk tanaman getah, satu tumbuhan semulajadi di Amazon. Mereka juga mendapati yang orang-orang Melayu tidak berapa berminat untuk melakukan kerja-kerja berat membersihkan hutan dan menanam semula dengan pokok-pokok getah. Disebabkan hal ini, Melayu senang-senang sahaja dilabel sebagai pemalas oleh pihak British. Harry Miller dalam bukunya The Communist Menace in Malaya, menulis mengenai bangsa Melayu,

“The Malays are open, smiling, easygoing people, who are peace-loving. Despite the changing scene and the problems and dangers around him the Malay outside the towns still lives from day to day. If he has enough money and rice to feed himself and his family for the next day he is content, and he relaxes in the pleasant company
of his fellow-men under the fruit-trees in the tranquil kampongs.”

Oleh yang demikian, British sewenang-wenangnya membawa masuk pekerja-pekerja yang “lebih rela”, iaitu buruh-buruh kontrak dari India. Orang-orang Tamil ini kebanyakannya ialah pekerja-pekerja kasar yang bekerja di estet-estet getah, pelabuhan, lembaga utiliti awam dan keretapi. Golongan seperti bapa saya terkecuali hanya disebabkan beliau berpendidikan Inggeris seperti orang-orang Malayelee dari Kerala dan Tamil Ceylon dari Sri Lanka yang mengisi jawatan-jawatan penyeliaan dan pengurus-pengurus kecil. Mereka menjadi jambatan kepada jurang komunikasi di antara para buruh dan pengurus berbangsa British memandangkan mereka fasih berbahasa Inggeris dan juga Tamil. Orang Sikh dari India Utara dan Pakistan serta orang Melayu menjadi anggota polis yang mengawasi orang-orang India di Tanah Melayu manakala orang-orang Gurkha dari Nepal pula menjadi askar yang setia dalam pasukan Tentera British, yang mengawasi semua orang. Polisi “pecah dan perintah” pihak British secara jelasnya menggunakan perbezaan etnik Dravidia sehinggalah ke Indo Aryan dan bangsa-bangsa lain seperti orang-orang Himalaya dari Nepal bagi memenuhi sasaran mereka untuk membangunkan negeri-negeri Melayu untuk kepentingan ekonomi dan mereka anggap ia merupakan satu usaha yang pragmatik.
Bangsa India memang amat terkenal sebagai kaum yang tidak bersatu padu dan bersifat perkauman dalam kalangan mereka dalam segala-galanya – bahasa, dialek, kasta, agama sehinggalah kepada kampung asal mereka. Oleh yang demikian mengkhususkan pekerjaan yang berbeza-beza kepada jenis-jenis etnik India yang berlainan di Tanah Melayu semasa zaman British sangat berkesan untuk para pentadbir British ini, seperti yang ditunjukkan di dalam jadual di atas. Seorang pengembara berbangsa British yang telah mengembara di seluruh benua kecil India mengatakan dalam memoirnya yang dia belum pernah bertemu dengan seorang pun “orang India” dalam semua pengembaraannya. Ini disebabkan setiap orang India akan sentiasa menganggap diri mereka adalah orang Pattan, Gujerati, Bengali, Tamil, Telegu dan banyak lagi etnik lain daripada beratus-ratus etnik yang ada di India. Seorang pelawak kontemporari dari Kanada, Russel Peters, dalam salah satu pertunjukkan komedi beliau, mengatakan bahawa kebanyakan kaum lain berperang dengan kaum yang lain, orang-orang India pula berperang sesama sendiri.

Latarbelakang Ibu Bapa

Keluarga bapa berasal dari Athangkarai, sebuah perkampungan kecil di Tirunelveli. Athangkarai secara harfiah bermaksud ‘tebing sungai’. Kampung kecil ini terletak di tebing Sungai Tamiraparani yang merupakan satu simbol penting untuk kebudayaan Tamil. Ia merupakan sungai utama daerah Tirunelvelli dan mengalir dari Gat Barat yang juga dikenali sebagai Pergunungan Sahyadri yang merupakan sebuah banjaran gunung di bahagian barat semenanjung India dan mengalir melalui beberapa buah negeri sebelum menuju ke Laut India berhampiran bahagian paling selatan di India. Dalam kesusasteraan awal Tamil dan Sanskrit ia dikenali sebagai Porunai Nathi.

Saya tidak tahu nama sebenar datuk dan nenek sebelah bapa kerana tiada siapa pun yang menyimpan maklumat ini. Apa yang saya tahu mereka beragama Kristian kerana saya pernah melawat kubur mereka di Athangkarai semasa melawat India bersama-sama ibu dan bapa pada Disember 1955. Saya juga dapat bertemu dengan dua orang abang kepada bapa. Ketika itu saya berusia 11 tahun. Abang yang tua bernama Anamuthu Naadar tetapi digelar sebagai Mookan Nadaar disebabkan perwatakannya yang kemas terutama sekali hidungnya yang mancung persis orang Eropah - “mooku” bermaksud “hidung” dalam bahasa Tamil. Beliau telah tinggal di Athangkarai sepanjang hidupnya. Beliau memiliki nama Kristian, tetap saya sudah lupa. Menjadi kebiasaan kepada orang-orang Nadaar Anglikan untuk memiliki nama-nama yang ada dalam kitab Injil seperti Joshua, Paul, Peter, John, Joseph, Esau, Jacob, Samuel, Rachel, Mary, Esther, Rebecca dan banyak lagi. Bapa saudara saya itu mempunyai kulit yang cerah tidak seperti orang-orang India Selatan yang lain dengan rambutnyta yang putih disanggul kemas ( kudumi) lengkap dengan anting-anting yang mungkin menjadi satu fesyen semasa zamannya. Bibirnya kemerah-merahan semulajadi tetapi juga disebabkan oleh tabiatnya lamanya yang suka mengunyah daun sirih. Pada ketika itu umurnya mungkin hampir mencecah kepada tujuh puluh tahun. Walaupun begitu, dia masih kelihatan segak dan kehadirannya amat dirasai. Seorang lagi dalam keluarga saya yang mempunyai kulit cerah dan wajah yang serupa adalah bapa saudara sebelah ibu bernama C.B. Vincent yang panggilan manjanya Chellah Mama.

Seorang lagi abang kepada bapa telah berpindah ke sebuah perkampungan lain yang bernama Thonithurai tidak berapa jauh dari kampung asal mereka. Perpindahan ini berlaku mungkin disebabkan perkahwinannya. Saya tidak ingat nama bapa saudara sebelah bapa saya ini memandangkan kami merujuknya hanya sebagai Thonithurai Periappa (pakcik). Apa yang saya ingat ialah dia berkulit sangat gelap dan mempunyai sebuah keluarga yang besar. Kulit bapa saya, seperti juga kulit saya, berada di antara kedua-dua abangnya di Athangkarai. Secara jujurnya, saya tidak tahu berapa ramai adik beradik bapa saya selain daripada dua orang bapa saudara saya ini.

Ibu bapa saya mengatakan yang Anamuthu Nadaar menjalani cara hidup mewah seorang nattan atau pemilik tanah yang kaya di kampung tersebut persis pemilik-pemilik tanah India yang terkenal (zamindars). Dikatakan beliau berjaya bersaing dengan zamindar-zamindar lain yang sezaman dengannya dalam hampir semua perkara termasuklah disenangi oleh gadis paling cantik dalam kalangan gadis cantik di sana. Semasa perjumpaan kami, saya tidak nampak pun kesan kehidupan mewah itu. Beliau dikatakan telah membelanjakan semua kekayaan keluarga itu, yang diperolehi daripada perladangan Palymra yang membekalkan todi kelapa sawit yang tidak pernah putus dan pelbagai produk sampingan yang lain. Walaupun beliau tidak lagi semewah dahulu, beliau melayan kami dengan baik yang mana kami ditempatkan di sebuah rumah yang baik di Athangkarai selama kami tinggal di sana dan beliau mampu menjamu kami dengan sempurna. Kehidupannya juga agak baik ketika itu.

Saya ingat dengan jelas pertemuan dengan kedua-dua orang anaknya. Anak beliau yang sulung bernama Selvam dan bekerja di sebuah kilang sabun di Madurai, Lingam’s Soap Company. Anak yang kedua ialah anak perempuan bernama Nesmani. Dia sangat cantik dan lima tahun lebih tua daripada saya. Saya akan selalu teringatkan sepupu saya yang cantik dan berkulit cerah ini setiap kali menonton wayang Tamil yang mempunyai jalan cerita kedesaan yang mana watak utama wanitanya yang berkulit cerah dan cantik jelas menenggelamkan pelakon-pelakon lain yang berlakon sebagai teman-temannya. Sepupu ketiga yang saya temui ialah Ratnam anak lelaki pakcik Thonithurai saya. Dia dilahirkan tempang. Saya difahamkan yang dia telah berpindah ke Madras selepas itu dan menjalankan satu perniagaan yang berjaya di sana. Ibu sering berhubung dengan saudara mara kami di India sehinggalah kematian beliau pada tahun 1980. Selepas itu, seperti yang dijangkakan, kami terputus hubungan dengan kebanyakan saudara mara rapat kami di India. Adik perempuan saya Rani dan kakak ipar saya Sarojini masih berhubung dengan beberapa orang saudara di sana, cuma sedihnya, tiada seorang pun daripada sebelah bapa saya.

Berbalik semula ke Athangkarai, saya ingat dengan jelas tentang tempat itu kerana kami menghabiskan kira-kira dua ke tiga minggu di sana pada bulan Januari 1956. Peringkat terakhir perjalanan kami ke Athangkarai dari Palayankottai adalah di dalam sebuah Land Rover dan akhir sekali dengan satu konvoi kecil kereta lembu dari jalan utama. Saya berharap sangat dapat melawat semula Athangkarai dan berenang sekali lagi di dalam air sungai nenek moyang saya yang jernih bak cermin. Saya tidak pasti bagaimana untuk pergi ke Athangkarai sekarang tetapi boleh mencarinya jika saya benar-benar mahu. Mungkin saya patut pergi. Semasa musim kering, sungai tersebut hanyalah sebuah aliran kecil dengan dasar sungai yang berpasir kering yang luas di kedua-dua belah yang mana orang ramai akan menggali telaga-telaga kecil untuk mendapatkan air minuman yang secara semulajadinya telah bertapis. Tetapi semasa musim hujan, aliran itu membuak-buak menjadi sebuah sungai dengan aliran air yang deras sesuai dengan namanya. Air sungai ini melimpah dua kali setahun memandangkan Tirunelvelli dipengaruhi oleh dua musim tengkujuh. Disebabkan latar belakang Athangkarai & Tirunelvelli inilah saya menonton cerita-cerita Tamil terutamanya yang mempunyai jalan cerita kedesaan. Melalui cara ini saya dapat menggambarkan kehidupan yang dilalui oleh nenek moyang saya.

Jadi, sebenarnya latar belakang bapa saya sangat ringkas. Nenek moyangnya sangat akrab dengan tanah…sama ada mengerjakannya atau menjadi pemilik kepada harta di tanah tersebut. Nampak gayanya, bapa saya satu-satunya yang tidak mengikut tradisi ini. Saya diberitahu yang semasa kecilnya bapa mengagumi kehadiran mana-mana pegawai kolonial British yang segak yang melawat kampungnya dengan menunggang kuda dan mungkin beliau berasa bertambah kagum dengan penghormatan yang sangat tinggi yang diberikan kepada orang Inggeris oleh seluruh orang kampung. Beliau bertekad untuk mempelajari bahasa pertuturan pegawai Inggeris tersebut. Perlu diingat pada ketika itu, Britain berada di kemuncak kuasa global dan kegemilangan sama seperti yang sedang dinikmati oleh Amerika Syarikat pada masa ini.

Disebabkan itu, Samuel, budak yang mudah terpengaruh itu mendesak orang tuanya untuk menghantarnya belajar di sebuah sekolah Inggeris, bukannya sekolah Tamil. Beliau kemudiannya belajar di sebuah sekolah berasrama di Palyamkottai. Beliau tamat persekolahan dengan kelulusan Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) yang mungkin merupakan kelayakan paling tinggi yang boleh diperolehi pada zaman kolonial India untuk seorang anak tempatan pada awal kurun ke-20. Beliau dilahirkan pada 1899. Beliau juga memenangi Pingat King George yang berprestij (untuk satu acara seperti dekathlon). Ini bermakna beliau merupakan seorang juara olahragawan yang dikenali di Tirunelvelli pada zaman itu. Beliau merupakan pelari pecut dalam cara 100 meter dengan masa 9.8 saat. Semasa masih bersekolah, bapa ada memberitahu saya tentang perkara ini. Pada masa itu, saya ragukan kebenaran cerita tersebut kerana pelari pecut terbaik di Malaysia masih bergelut dengan masa 10.5 saat. Tetapi mendiang abang ipar saya David Koilpillay mengesahkan pencapaian bapa ini beberapa tahun selepas itu kerana dia juga pernah belajar di sekolah yang sama selepas bapa saya meninggalkan alam persekolahan. Menyimpan arkib biasanya tidak dianggap penting oleh kebanyakan orang dan orang India tidak terkecuali di dalam hal ini. Saya agak bertuah dalam aspek ini memandangkan saya masih memiliki gambar-gambar awal keluarga saya daripada sebelah ibu mungkin disebabkan mereka semuanya berpendidkan Inggeris dan lebih ‘ke hadapan’ berbanding orang lain pada ketika itu. Namun saya tidak mempunyai apa-apa gambar daripada sebelah bapa saya memandangkan mereka hanyalah orang kampung biasa.

Ibu saya Lily Kamalabai Vincent, sebaliknya pula, dilahirkan dalam sebuah keluarga Nadaar yang berpendidikan Inggeris pada tahun 1910. Ibu bapa dan kesemua adik beradik beliau mempunyai pendidikan Inggeris dan bertutur dalam bahasa itu di rumah dengan selesa, namun begitu bahasa Tamil ada juga digunakan. Mereka berasal dari Panaiyadipatti yang juga berada dalam daerah Tirunelvelli. Gambar-gambar keluarga yang awal jelas menunjukkan cara dan orientasi British mereka, terutamanya dalam cara pemakaian kaum lelakinya. Seperti biasa, sedikit sangat yang diturunkan kepada kami berkenaan dengan keluarga ibu saya kecuali melalui mulut ke mulut dan juga melalui gambar-gambar.

Datuk sebelah ibu ialah S.J Vincent yang bermula dari bawah sehingga dia bersara sebagai ketua stesen di Keretapi India Selatan. Tidak seperti orang India Selatan yang lain beliau berkulit sangat cerah seperti yang dapat dilihat di dalam gambar keluarga di atas. Beliau mengahwini isteri yang pertama dan mempunyai tiga orang anak daripada perkahwinan ini – dua lelaki (J.G Vincent dan J.JVincent) dan seorang perempuan bernama Naomani. Isteri pertama beliau meninggal dunia semasa anak-anak mereka masih kecil disebabkan penyakit. Beliau kemudiannya mengahwini nenek di sebelah ibu saya, Louisa. Louisa ketika itu menjalankan perniagaan perubatan Ayurvedic yang berjaya. Melalui perkahwinan ini, S.J.Vincent memperoleh tiga orang anak lelaki bernama A.M. Vincent, Jaya Vincent, C.B Vincent dan seorang anak perempuan bernama Lily Kamalabai, ibu saya. Apa yang menarik, adik kepada ibu saya dinamakan Christmas Bells kerana beliau dilahirkan pada Hari Krismas yang kemudian dipendekkan menjadi C.B. Vincent. Abang yang kedua, Jaya Vincent meninggal dunia disebabkan sakit ketika masih remaja.

Ada satu cerita yang menarik mengenai datuk saya. Beliau terkenal dengan sikap panas barannya yang saya rasa ada kena mengena dengan genetik kami sebagai keturunan Nadaar. Saya juga bersikap seperti ini sama seperti dua daripada anak-anak saya, dengan rasa betul dan salah yang terlalu diperbesar-besarkan. Kisahnya, beliau menjadi meradang dan marah terhadap beberapa orang budak lelaki di sekolah anak-anaknya. Beliau mendapat tahu yang anak (atau anak-anak) beliau telah dipukul di dalam satu pergaduhan di sekolah. Anak-anak lelaki Vincent yang nakal ini mungkin telah dibelasah oleh budak-budak lelaki yang lebih besar atau oleh satu geng disebabkan kenakalan mereka yang memang sedia dimaklumi oleh orang ramai. Beliau mengambil tongkat dan bergegas ke sekolah. Bertindak seolah-olah seorang hakim, beliau memukul setiap seorang budak yang terlibat dalam pergaduhan dengan anak (atau anak-anaknya). Akibatnya, beliau didakwa di mahkamah. Beliau hadir di mahkamah lengkap berpakaian seragam keretapinya yang semua putih, kelihatan segak, lengkap dengan topinya sekali. Majistret British yang bersidang melepaskan beliau hanya dengan amaran, secara berjenaka mengatakan beliau tidak sampai hati untuk menjatuhkan hukuman memandangkan datuk saya menyerupai King Geore V dengan pakaian lengkap berwarna putih, pakaian seragam keretapinya, lengkap dengan misai melintang persis orang British. Datuk saya juga berkulit cerah.

Sebagai tambahan, sedikit maklumat mengenai pakcik-pakcik sebelah ibu saya disenaraikan di bawah. Kesemua mereka kecuali seorang berhijrah ke sini dan sangat rapat dengan keluarga saya di Tanah Melayu.

1.J.G. Vincent (Dorai Mama – yang bekerja di Basra, Persia- bujang sehingga berusia 60 tahun, kemudian beliau mengahwini makcik Freda dan mempunyai dua orang anak – sepupu-sepupu saya Toni dan Lizzie yang tinggal di KL. Beliau meninggal semasa berusia 65 tahun di Kuantan pada pertengahan 1950-an.

2.J.S. Vincent (bapa saudara yang merupakan seorang pengurus di Uralikal Estate di India dan bapa kepada kakak ipar saya Sarojini yang mengahwini abang saya Monraj. Beliau tidak pernah meninggalkan India.)

3.A.M. Vincent (Raja Mama – bapa saudara yang paling garang dan terkenal dengan sikap panas baran dan perangai yang tidak dijangka – berkahwin dan berpisah tanpa anak daripada isterinya Grace yang berada di Ceylon. Grace tidak mahu mengikutnya ke Tanah Melayu. Beliau bekerja sebagai kerani awam di Jabatan Perang British di Port Dickson pada tahun 1950-an. Beliau mengambil anak angkat bernama Annie)

4.Jaya Vincent – Beliau merupakan bapa saudara yang meninggal dunia semasa usia remajanya, mungkin disebabkan barah.

5.C.B. Vincent (Chellah Mama) – bapa saudara saya yang berkulit cerah dan paling kacak – bekerja di estet-estet getah sebagai konduktor – juga bapa saudara yang berbakat dalam bidang muzik. Beliau boleh bermain 42 alat muzik dan dianugerahkan gelaran professor/doktor kehormat di India semasa usia tuanya. Beliau belajar taktik silap mata dan bermain alat muzik sendiri. Ibu, termasuklah adik beradik saya, sering mengatakan yang saya mengingatkan mereka kepada beliau.

Kedatangan ke Malaya

Bapa menamatkan persekolahan dengan kelulusan Secondary Leaving Certificate (SSLC) dan bekerja sebagai kerani di Basra, Persia (kini Iraq). Bapa saudara sulung saya, J.G Vincent, sudah lama bekerja di sana. Beliau bersikap seperti orang British dan bergaul mesra dengan pegawai-pegawai awam British pada masa itu di Basra, bermain biliard dan tenis dengan mereka dan juga sering menghadiri aktiviti-aktiviti sosial di sana. Di Tanah Melayu pun, orang-orang India yang berpendidikan Inggeris berlagak lebih “British’ daripada orang British sendiri. Tidaklah diketahui sama ada bapa dan bapa saudara saya pernah bertemu di Basra. Ketika bapa pulang untuk cuti pendek, beliau bertemu dengan ibu di Madras semasa melawat datuk dan nenek saya. Menurut ceritanya, nenek saya sangat kagum dengan kesederhanaan dan kealiman pemuda bernama Chelliah ini dan mahu mengahwinkan ibu saya dengannya. Bapa bersetuju dan mereka berkahwin pada tahun 1926. Ibu berusia 16 tahun dan bapa ketika itu berusia 26 tahun. Pakcik saya yang berada di Basra, J.G Vincent tidak diberitahu tentang perkahwinan ibu menyebabkan beliau berasa marah. Beliau berasa kurang senang tentang perkara ini dan mungkin beliau berhak memandangkan beliau anak lelaki sulung di dalam keluarga Vincent.

Bapa menganggur untuk beberapa lama semasa pra zaman Kemelesetan Dunia tetapi beliau tetap bahagia bersama keluarganya di Athangkarai. Ibu tidak biasa dengan kehidupan kampung di sana yang tidak mempunyai kemudahan rumah moden seperti yang biasa dinikmati. Apa-apapun, makanan tetap banyak dan keadaan keluarga Anamuthu Nadaar sangat baik dengan pendapatan keluarga tersebut daripada sumber-sumber pertanian dan mereka tidak sedar akan keadaan ekonomi global pada masa itu. Kakak sulung Mabel Chandra dan abang saya Samuel Monraj dilahirkan sekitar waktu ini iaitu pada 1928 dan 1930. Ibu tidak dapat membiasakan diri dengan kehidupann di Athangkarai dan akhirnya pulang semula untuk tinggal dengan ibu bapanya di Valipuram di mana datuk dan nenek saya tinggal selepas datuk bersara daripada bekerja di stesen keretapi.

Bapa berhijrah ke Tanah Melayu pada masa yang tidak sesuai sekitar 1926. Pada ketika itu keadaan ekonomi di seluruh dunia mengalami kemelesetan. Jangka masa ini dikenali sebagai zaman kemelesetan memandangkan harga getah, sumber utama pendapatan Tanah Melayu pada masa itu, jatuh merudum. Beliau bekerja di Port Swettenham (kini Pelabuhan Klang) untuk sementara waktu kemudian mendapat pekerjaan sebagai seorang kerani di sebuah estet di Kepong. Tidak lama kemudian, ibu mengikutnya ke Tanah Melayu kemudian mengandungkan kakak kedua saya Mary Rani di Tanah Melayu. Ibu kembali ke India dan melahirkan Mary Rani di sana pada tahun 1937. Kemudian, ibu membawa kesemua anaknya ke Tanah Melayu pada tahun yang sama ketika Rani hanya berusia enam bulan menaiki S.S. Rajula yang merupakan kapal stim yang berulang-alik di Teluk Bengal ke Tanah Melayu. Saya pernah menaiki kapal tersebut pada tahun 1956.

Kakak saya Chandra dan abang saya Monraj tinggal bersama-sama datuk dan nenek dan pakcik-pakcik sebelah ibu di India untuk beberapa waktu sejak mereka sampai di Athangkarai. Datuk dan nenek serta dua orang bapa saudara saya – yang sulung bernama J.J Vincent (pakcik yang bekerja di Basra) dan yang paling muda dan kacak Christmas Bells Vincent, juga datang ke Tanah Melayu selepas itu. Pada tahun 1941, seorang lagi bapa saudara bernama A.M. Vincent yang saya panggil Rajah Mama datang untuk melawat sahaja tetapi belaiu tidak boleh pulang kerana berlakunya Perang Pasifik dan Tanah Melayu dijajah oleh Jepun. Sekitar waktu ini, bapa mendapat pekerjaan sebagai Ketua Kerani di Estet Nordanal di Panchor, Muar, Johor.

Satu fakta menarik, peladang-peladang awal British memberikan nama-nama yang menarik untuk ladang-ladang getah (estet) di Tanah Melayu. Kadang kala nama-nama estet tersebut merupakan nama-nama bandar tempatan di situ seperti Estet Bukit Dinding, Estet Pagoh atau Estet Lenga. Kerap kali juga estet-estet tersebut dinamakan mengikut nama-nama tempat asal mereka di United Kingdom. Begitulah kisahnya dengan sebuah estet berdekatan dengan Estet Nordanal yang dinamakan Estet Lanadron (sehingga kini), yang dinamakan bersempena nama sebuah pekan kecil di England. Lanadron apabila dieja terbalik ialah Estet Nordanal. Begitulah kepelikan pada masa itu. Estet Nordanal di mana saya membesar dimiliki oleh Boustead & Co. yang juga memiliki Estet Lanadron yang terletak di seberang sungai.

Tahun-tahun Penjajahan Jepun

Apabila British berundur ke Singapura dan tentera-tentera Jepun mara dari Kota Bahru, tempat mereka berlabuh, pengurus berbangsa British Estet Nordanal telah menyerahkan kesemua kunci dan barang-barang penting kepada bapa sebelum dia melarikan diri ke Singapura. Bapa perlu memegang kunci-kunci tersebut dan menjaga pengurusan estet sehingga dia kembali. Pada ketika itu tiada seorang pun percaya yang orang Jepun akan berada lama di Tanah Melayu selepas mengalahkan British. Orang ramai percaya yang tentera British yang perkasa itu hanya perlu mengumpul kekuatan mereka semula dan mengusir Jepun dari Tanah Melayu. Bapa saya juga mempunyai kepercayaan yang sama.

Namun begitu, tidak semua orang mempunyai pendapat yang sama. Salah seorang daripadanya adalah pemandu berbangsa Melayu kepada pengurus estet tersebut yang meminta kunci kereta Austin yang mahu digunakan sendiri daripada bapa saya. Dia mungkin menganggap yang bapa mengarut apabila beliau enggan memberikan kunci kereta itu kepadanya. Bapa memberitahu lelaki tersebut tentang kepercayaan yang diberikan kepadanya yang tidak akan dikhianati. Pemandu tersebut bersedia untuk menyelesaikan perkara tersebut jika bapa mahu menggunakan kereta itu sendiri. Namun, selepas menyedari perkara sebaliknya, pemandu tersebut terus berdegil sehingga sanggup mengeluarkan sebuah senapang patah untuk menembak bapa namun dia diheret dari situ oleh beberapa orang buruh Tamil atau kuli. Walaubagaimanapun, lelaki itu telah melepaskan tembakan mengenai jari manis tangan sebelah kiri bapa. Pemandu itu dibelasah dan dibawa dari situ oleh buruh-buruh yang sedang marah terutamanya mereka yang berasal daripada satu kasta Tamil yang sangat garang dan sangat tahan lasak yang dipanggil Koravan yang datang bersenjatakan lastik.

Pada masa yang sama, harapan bahawa British akan kembali semakin tipis dan kes kecurian mula berlaku. Orang ramai mula melarikan barang-barang daripada banglo-banglo pengurus British dan stor-stor yang menyimpan beras dan barang-barang lain disimpan telah dipecah masuk. Keadaan kucar-kacir ini berlarutan sehinggalah orang-orang Jepun tiba dan undang-undang dikuatkuasakan serta merta oleh seorang pengurus Jepun di Estet Nordanal. Nama beliau adalah Encik Asohan dan bapa menyerahkan semua kunci kepadanya.

Ada satu lagi cerita menarik mengenai Rajah Mama semasa pendudukan Jepun. Bapa saudara saya yang begitu memuja Inggeris ini mencacah lengannya dengan Union Jack (bendera Britain) dan lambang British. Beliau bekerja sebagai kerani d sebuah estet di Tanjung Malim. Beliau dibuli apabila orang-orang Jepun mengetahui tentang tatu di kedua-dua lengannya. Tatu-tatu tersebut dilihat sebagai kesetiaan yang mengikat (dan membutakan) kepada British. Beliau nyaris mati dibelasah. Campurtangan Chellah Mama yang menyelamatkan beliau. Chellah Mama seorang yang suka berkawan dan mudah mesra dan mempunyai beberapa orang kawan dan orang hubungan dalam kalangan pegawai Jepun dan juga polis.

The Malayan People’s Anti Japanese Army (MPAJA) (Tentera Anti Jepun Penduduk Tanah Melayu) telah ditubuhkan dan kebanyakannya disertai oleh orang Cina dan kebanyakan mereka berada di ladang/estet getah yang meminggiri hutan-hutan di seluruh Tanah Melayu. Jumlah mereka banyak di hutan-hutan berdekatan Panchor, Bukit Kepong, Pagoh dan Lenga. Orang Jepun dan Cina membenci antara satu sama lain dan berdendam sesama mereka akibat perang-perang yang meletus di antara kedua-dua bangsa ini di Tanah besar China. MPAJA beroperasi dari bukit-bukau dan gunung-ganang untuk mengacau orang-orang Jepun. Mereka menyusup masuk ke dalam estet-estet untuk mencari makanan dan keperluan-keperluan lain tetapi umumnya tidak menganggu orang-orang di situ kecuali sekali sekala apabila ada yang mereka syaki bersekongkol dengan Jepun. Orang-orang ini akan mereka cari dan bunuh. Ada sekali, ibu dan bapa pergi ke Estet Serom dan mereka tidak dapat pulang akibat perintah berkurung yang dikuatkuasakan secara tiba-tiba. Ini menyebabkan saya dan adik beradik yang lain “terkandas” di Estet Nordanal. Anggota-anggota MPAJA yang melawat estet kami meninggalkan sedikit beras dan catuan makanan untuk anak-anak Chelliah apabila mengetahui keadaan kami. Begitulah pengaruh rasa hormat yang diberikan kepada bapa saya yang dikenali sebagai seorang yang mudah, jujur dan berterus-terang. Pengurus berbangsa Jepun itu menghantar bapa untuk menjadi Ketua Kerani di Estet Serom berhampiran Tangkak untuk sementara waktu. Semasa tahun-tahun penuh kebimbangan inilah saya dilahirkan paa 28 Januari 1944 di Estet Serom di Tangkak.

Kemudian bapa kembali semula ke Estet Nordanal. Apabila British kembali mereka dialu-alukan sebagai penyelamat oleh para penduduk yang telah melalui pelbagai penderitaan fizikal, mental dan psikologi selama empat tahun yang boleh dianggap sebagai “masa-masa paling buruk” seperti yang dikatakan oleh Dickens untuk menggambarkan zaman Revolusi Perancis. Dengan pantas keamanan awam dipulihkan kembali oleh Pentadbiran Tentera British atau BMA yang melegakan semua pihak. Orang ramai sangat gembira melihat tentera British dan tentera-tentera ini mencampakkan makanan dalam tin, rokok dan coklat Inggeris daripada trak-trak mereka kepada orang-orang yang miskin ini. British dialu-alukan semula sebagai penyelamat bertamadun untuk orang-orang Tanah Melayu.

British juga memberikan layanan yang adil dan berperikemanusiaan kepada orang Jepun sebagai tawanan perang mereka selaras dengan Persidangan Geneva 1929. Kesopanan dan kemuliaan yang ditunjukkan oleh pegawai-pegawai Kolonial British ini sangat menarik hati orang-orang Tanah Melayu termasuklah ibu bapa saya. Mereka telah menyaksikan bagaimana teruknya Jepun melayan orang-orang awam British, apa lagi tentera-tentera mereka. Pada hari-hari terakhir hidup beliau pada tahun 1980-an, ibu berpendapat yang British telah memberikan “bunga kepada kera” sebagai merujuk kepada kemerdekaan Tanah Melayu. Itulah tanda kasih sayang yang tiada bandingannya kepada British oleh orang-orang Tanah Melayu yang telah melalui masa-masa yang sukar. Ramai yang sudah tiada. Begitulah intipati latarbelakang keluarga saya semasa saya dilahirkan.

PETROL TIPS

2011-06-10T11:27:00.003+08:00

Author Unknown Aussie

*With Petrol expected to reach $2 per litre by end of 2011, these tips that
I received from a friend might come in handy.

*TIPS ON PUMPING PETROL*

*I don't know what you guys are paying for Petrololine.... but here in
Melbourne we are paying up to $1.30 to $1.50 per litre. My line of work is
in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of
your money's worth for every Litre.*

*Here at the Shell Pipeline where I work in Melbourne , we deliver about 4
million litres in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the
next day is jet fuel, and Petrololine, regular and premium grades. We have
34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 Litres.*
*Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground
temperature is still cold. **Remember that all service stations have their
storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the
Petrololine, when it gets warmer Petrololine expands, **so buying in the
afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon.** In the
petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the
Petrololine, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays
an important role.*

*A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the
service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.*
*When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast
mode** **If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages:
low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on **low **mode**, thereby
minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at
the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of
the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being
sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less
worth for your money.*
*One of the most important tips is to **fill up when your Petrol tank is
HALF FULL**.** *

*The reason for this is the more Petrol you have in your tank the less air
occupying its empty space. Petrololine evaporates faster than you can
imagine. Petrololine storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof
serves as zero clearance between the Petrol and the atmosphere, so it
minimizes the evaporation. *

*Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is
temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.*

*Another reminder, if there is a Petrololine truck pumping into the storage
tanks when you stop to buy Petrol, DO NOT fill up; most likely the
Petrololine is being stirred up as the Petrol is being delivered, and you
might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.*

TRAIN SPECIALIST TEACHERS AGAIN

2011-06-03T13:40:00.007+08:00

My Sports Day Gymnastic Display in a Kampong School in Johol - 1960

( By Joe Chelliah)
The need to have a wider base in education of what is considered “core” subjects in recent times is understandable. There are simply many subjects for children to learn or be exposed to from the primary level itself today. As such the role of the key players, classroom teachers in this case, cannot be overlooked.

In trying to match the demands of the “new” trends, teacher education in Malaysia has also seen efforts to upgrade basic teaching qualifications to at least the diploma level. Many non-graduates have been made graduates through an intensive program created for this purpose by the Ministry of Education. Today there are already many teachers with at least a bachelor or even a masters degree and earning a suitable salary through such efforts by the government.

While teacher education institutions under the Ministry of Education and also the higher institutions of learning (IPTs) have undoubtedly “played ball” and kept up with these emerging trends it cannot be denied, putting it mildly without exageration, that there has been a greater degree of neglect in the extra-curricular areas in all schools. Many teachers of today cannot multi-task by being good classroom teachers as well as being good extracurricular models. It is not uncommon these days to see a fully clad teacher standing in a shade and conducting a physical education class by letting loose his/her students in a field with a football. The loads of paperwork and meetings that confront teachers these days too do not help either.

In the 1950’s through the 1970’s teachers were trained to be also good at extracurricular activities. For example, a teacher who was essentially a Math or Science teacher was at equal ease at coaching athletics or mentoring a Literary and Debating Society.. It was partly because the student teacher was already good at certain areas at his/her own school itself in the “old days”, so to speak.

Specialist teachers' courses from to Physical Education and Library Science to Educational Tehnology and Music were ofered at the Specialist Teacher Training Institute (STTI)right from the early 1960’s itself. These “specialists” then became attached to schools and were more “on the ground” teachers for their respective areas be it Music, Art, Library Science or Physical Education. Many from this pool of STTI "specialists" went on to become leading figures in their respective disciplines at the “new” universities and IPTs that started mushrooming all over Malaysia.

Here, I wish to quote Tan Sri Dr. Murad Mohammad Nor, our Director –General of Education (1974 -1985) who expressed his thoughts on teacher quality in this way:

“Aspek yang paling mustahak dalam soal mengimplementasikan mana-mana satu rancangan adalah pihak guru. Jika pihak guru tidak dapat menyampaikan nya dengan baik, maka rancangan itu tidak akan berguna walaupun rancangan itu begitu baik sekali pun.”

I believe that the time has come for some more serious planning from our national education planners without political interference, if I may say so. Let the professionals do their work. Train more specialist teachers albeit with only a certificate or a diploma to become specialist teachers for more varied extracurricular activities from athletics to the fine arts. Children whose talent may lie elsewhere will then have enough suitably trained specialist teachers to lead and inspire them in a wider variety of extracurricular activities.

The focus on academics can remain but not at the expense or total neglect of other forms of equally important facets of education. Society cannot just put all the blame squarely on the shoulders of teachers who might not be able cope as well as specialists with extracurricular activities too. Our children need a better balance between academics and non-academics these days.

MY DAYS AT MPIK

2011-05-18T17:15:00.002+08:00

My Days at the Specialist Teachers College in Cheras

I thoroughly enjoyed my initial period at STTI. I was asked to come with a guitar program and modules for the trainee teachers – both for the basic course as well as the specialist teachers’ programs. I became more exposed to the music scene in Kuala Lumpur too and had the experience of performing with illustrious Malaysian musicians like Tony Soliano, Ahmad Wan Yet and Rudy Beltran at prominent 5 star hotels and prestigious clubs like the Lake Club. My musical compositions too won at national level compositional contests organized by RTM.

In my characteristic style I left no stones unturned in my efforts to pass on my experience and whatever knowledge I had to my students. Many of them have become professional musicians, key personnel, lecturers, professors and Heads of Music Departments and Faculties. Dr. Mohd. Hassan is one such person and is now the Dean of the Music Faculty at the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Another illustrious ex-student of mine is Dato’ Mokhzani Ismail who is the Director of Music at the Radio Television Malaysia and is a highly regarded musician in the country.

The quality of teacher trainee input was good till about 1984. This was about the time when I left for USA on a governmental scholarship. Perhaps there were lesser opportunities then and the student teachers came from the upper half of the graduating Form Fivers. In later years I had lamented the lack of quality input even to the Director of the Teacher Training Division who simply replied that it was a policy matter and that I was to just do my best to make them good teachers which I certainly tried my level best to do.

At Institut Perguruan Ilmu Khas (IPIK) I trained the choir and the school band which was often called upon to entertain our bosses at the Ministry and perform at national and international events. Thus, I never disappointed Mr. Victor Gopal who had also recommended my application for further studies in the United States. When I was awarded the scholarship it made some colleagues envious and a flying letter was sent to the Ministry stating that I was moonlighting as a musician at night. The standing General Orders meant for all government servants does not allow moonlighting although many people do this sort of thing to fulfill their hobbies or merely to add on some extra income. Some teachers gave private tuition and some sold reference books or insurance to supplement their incomes to combat inflatory trends. I nearly lost the much revered scholarship but none other than the God-sent Chief Minister of Negeri Sembilan Tan Sri Isa Abd. Samad and the then Ruler of Negeri Sembilan (D.Y.M.M Tuanku Jaafar) personally intervened and saved the day and averted any possible professional injustice to me. Thus I left for the United States with the reinstated scholarship on January 4th 1985 to study at the University of Iowa, a highly ranked and competitive university in USA.

At Iowa, it was an overwhelming experience just studying under the highly regarded professors there. Whereas I had a structured mindset based on my English education from colonial times I was introduced to the American system through my own experiences and that of my children’s. It was a completely different approach where one is taught how to think in many ways. If the English system of old was mostly convergent, the American system encouraged divergent and analytical thinking skills. Research was a must before one writes. Your own opinions and conclusions that are supported by research and facts are more valued than merely regurgitating facts learnt by heart or rote learning. Critical, creative and analytical thinking supported by research was the order of the day. I studied hard like there was no tomorrow. The reason was simple enough. My scholarship was for three years with a mission to obtain both the undergraduate and graduate degrees up to the Masters level. I averaged a Grade Point Average of 3.56 which was indeed very good and at a top American university at that. In four semesters I had earned enough credits for my bachelor’s degree. Another three semesters and I was done with my master’s degree by the summer session of August 1987. I could have stayed on for the fall semester and applied for graduation only in December and just whiled away my time by actually doing nothing but enjoying the American way of life there – something many contemporaries of mine did at the time. But I decided to return home as my children’s education was being affected especially for my eldest girl Julina who left while in Form One and returned to Form Four having lost nearly three years of Malaysian education. However, she managed to catch up and do well enough in her secondary school education to earn a Petronas scholarship to do “A” levels and her medical degree in Scotland. She went on to graduate as a doctor from the University of Dundee in Scotland after eight years in UK. She is an anesthetist now at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Seremban.

Upon my return I was supposed to be posted to Penang because the music head in STTI at the time, En. Nazri ahmad, did not prefer me to be there for reasons best known to him. I refused the posting and managed to pull a few strings with people who were sympathetic towards me and got posted to STTI again. Soon Nazri Ahmad left and a new head Puan Shamsiah (now Puan Sri) took over as head. She liked me at first as she was in the opposite camp of Nazri – this sort of feudal politics began to rear its ugly head around by now and can be said to have become common these days in both the Malaysian public and private sectors. This sort of thing needs a little explanation and I beg leave to digress a bit.

In the early days of Malaysia between 1957 and 1980, meritocracy was viewed as an important factor at the workplace. It was perhaps a legacy that the British left behind and one in which they could afford to be impartial as foreigners. If you were good at your work even a superior who might not exactly like you would give you due merit and recognition. This continued until 1980 or so. My own appointment as a lecturer was based on this type of meritocracy by our administrators like Mr. Gopal. After the 1980’s there was a slow change that brought in what I call feudal styled work ethics that slowly replaced the older order of meritocracy. It was also fueled by blind nationalism and Malay chauvinism which also favored the Malays who hitherto had been left behind in almost all areas except perhaps the military and police. This feudal style meant that one had to please his/her own superior(s) first at the expense of those under one’s care and trust. Thus a lecturer would prefer to please his/her boss rather than truly champion the interests of those under him/her. This inverted order of boot licking became so pervasive that teachers started to ignore the interests of his/her students rather than go against the thinking or wishes of his/her immediate superior. Thus teachers, headmasters, organizers, directors and all the way up to the minister sought to appease their superiors rather than their wards irrespective of right or wrong. This is what I mean by the feudal mentality which, to me, is an outdated way of doing things that I am also not accustomed to. It’s an inverted pyramid. I do not favor such an approach to work and needless to say, I became a misfit of sorts as I never speak to anyone from a “kneeling position”. Interestingly, it is also about this period in the 1980’s that the word “boss” started becoming prevalent and widespread in use. This word actually comes from the language of the Chicago styled Mafia gangsters in America who just did anything as they were told without question or risked getting their heads blown off without question by their leader. It is my opinion that this system has become worse and pervasive in all governmental and non-governmental agencies today. Armed with my American social and educational experience I began teaching again with much fervor to be an agent of change. There were others who had already studied in USA before me such as Nazri and Khalili but I did not see any innovation or change in the teaching and curriculum content at teacher colleges which I envisaged after my exposure to music education in the USA. I wanted to change all that and got the opportunity soon.

My former teacher cum colleague Nazri was not too happy with me for reasons best known to him. Even during my student days he did not like me or any others with musical talent for that matter. Perhaps he envied us as he was a tutored and not talented musician. He was heading the Music Department before I left and also upon my return. He was not really in the good books of another lecturer named Shamsiah who had also taught me in 1976. At the end of 1987 Nazri applied for and obtained a teaching post at Institut Teknologi MARA much to the relief of many at STTI. Before he left, he had lobbied strongly for his brother Khalili to head the music department but Shamsiah managed to get the post. She was initially good to me as I was seen as a friend simply because of Nazri’s animosity toward me.

However, I began to fall from Pn. Shamsiah’s grace following a teacher training curriculum review workshop that was held in Frazier’s Hill in February 1988. It was organized by the Teacher Training Division of the Ministry of Education and was also attended by lecturers from other teacher education colleges which, by then, also had music in their curriculum. I was quite a popular person at the workshop because of my reputation in the music scene in Malaysia which had grown much by then bolstered further by my studies in USA. The new curriculum that we came up with at this seminar much displeased Pn. Shamsiah and her cronies in the college who were not familiar with many of the new areas and concepts in contemporary music education that were proposed. These ideas, thank God, are now fully entrenched in Malaysian music education as it was an inevitable wave of innovation and progress in music education which we had initiated in February 1988.

I had been bustling with ideas to improve music education in Malaysia based on what I had learned in USA. It was for that very purpose that the government sent us there in the first place. This innovative workshop in 1988 thus came up with “new” courses and approaches such as pedagogy, music appreciation and keyboard skills for all student teachers. This immensely displeased Shamsiah and her sidekicks who, like her, also felt insecure with the new syllabus and curriculum. I even quoted the noted music pedagogist Emilr Jacques Dalcroze who had said “People would have nothing to do with change so long as old ideas contributed to their satisfaction.” I had become an agent of change.

Although the new ideas went through eventually and is now history, I was discriminated against in many ways even by the principals of the college that made my life miserable at STTI till my optional retirement in 1996. I was labeled a “kaki lawan” which loosely translates as a very obstinate and quarrelsome person. Indeed I was one. I even walked off from a workshop organized by the Curriculum Development Centre at Frasier’s Hill after a tiff with one CDC officer named Fatimah as she had been rude to me and had treated me like a greenhorn. I had to go against many such persons to improve music education. They were from the old school and who did not have the kind of experiences that I had had in USA. Unlike many of them, I had actually taught music in the rural schools and was not merely rambling off from the clouds. Moreover, I was also equally good as a professional musician and was the Hon. Secretary of the Musicians’ Union of Malaysia (MUM) at the time which again had many turning green with envy.

By the time I retired, many who had studied at USA had already returned. Many such people saw what I was trying to do and supported me. However, the best of times in my whole teaching career was always when I was in the classroom itself with my students– at the primary level up to the college level. Till today, I am inclined to think that my love and respect for my students are reciprocal based on my encounters with so many of them who are now all working “out there”. Many of them have themselves moved on to the higher echelons of the Malaysian education system and society as well as to much more humble ones.

Life at STTI especially after my return from USA in 1987 was, sad to say, quite miserable for me. There was much jealously and partisan behavior even from friends. In my characteristic Aquarian style I spoke with brutal harshness and was very critical of many things. I spoke without fear or favor. It was no surprise that I was bypassed for promotions. I was given poor annual appraisals by my heads. I watched undeserving people getting salary raises and promotions with good appraisals. One day I walked into the STTI Principal’s office in 1994 and asked Dr. Azmi’s bluntly what else that was there I could do to impress him. I told him that I was there to seek his advice as he was my official head of department. I told him that my students and colleagues thought highly of my knowledge and experiences including the way I taught and conducted choirs.

I told him that I had written a book on music and published by Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka titled “Pendidikan Muzik Semasa” (translates as Contemporary Music Education) in Malay for tertiary level students. It remains the only one in Malay to date as far as I know and used as a standard reference by students pursuing university degrees locally even as I write this now. I spoke about my articles published in foreign journals, something usually in the domain of college professors. I also told him that all my students enjoyed my choirs much and say that I teach very well. He got my drift and personally assured me that he would look into the matter. The next year I had a salary raise with an excellent appraisal from him directly.

But by then, I had decided to put in my optional retirement papers mainly due to frustration and the daily negative vibes that I have had to bear. I just wanted to walk away from all this negativity in my life. My application was approved in March 1996 for retirement in December 31st 1996. In June that year I was asked to head the department and the Vice Principal, one Dr. Rubiah, asked me whether I would reconsider my retirement as I was now the head. I told her that I was just too glad to leave with full pension and gratuity and thanked her for her concern. My reasoning was that even if I retire I would get half my salary in pension and I was free to earn the other half whichever way I wanted – even selling nasi lemak or hot dogs would be more fun than the drudgery that my job had become.

My order of thinking till today is to always help the underdogs. This orientation of mine made me join the National Union of Teachers and we fought for among others, equal pay for women, governmental housing loans and free medical care and also equal pay for DTC trained teachers way back in the mid-1960’s itself. I was the school representative for the National Union of Teachers (NUT) for many years and went on to be a state committee member in 1970’s. In the 1980’s Freddie Fernandez, a noted music industry figure, asked me to join the Musicians’ Union of Malaysia to help local professional musicians. I agreed and after some time as a committee member, rose to become Hon. Secretary General and worked closely with many industry leaders of the time and fought for the rights of local performing musicians. Today, I am a life member of Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia, Akademi Industri Muzik Malaysia, Music Authors Copyright Protection and also a member of the National Music Council of Malaysia in this continuing struggle for music and musicians.

Thus I left teaching on 31st December 1996 after some 36 years in the teaching profession. I had to get up at 5.45 a.m. daily and leave Seremban at 6.30 a.m. to be in time to clock in at STTI since 1980. Now I can get up whenever I want and am freed at last from life as a teacher. Onwards then I have moved to newer things and a different phase in my life.

Muzik dan Kehidupan..by Jeffery Adam Sugarpack

2011-04-23T00:24:00.004+08:00

Berbicara mengenai muzik dan kehidupan. Kita tahu bahawa sudah menjadi fitrah semulajadi manusia untuk sentiasa mendambakan hiburan sebagai penenang jiwa dan sebagai instrumen untuk meluahkan perasaan. Namun, fokus saya kali ini ialah tentang bermain muzik. Tetapi sebaiknya saya coretkan dulu sedikit kisah saya.

Semasa di universiti dulu, pada awalnya saya seorang mahasiswa yang tidak gemar bersosial. Disaat semua teman sebilik sibuk dengan biro-biro di kolej,aktiviti teater dan sukan interkolej, saya lebih senang duduk di bilik. Bagi saya masa yang ada adalah lebih baik digunakan untuk mengulangkaji pelajaran tetapi selepas beberapa lama saya dapati bahawa kehidupan tanpa pergaulan dengan teman-teman dan kegiatan sosial adalah menjemukan malah saya dapati keputusan peperiksaan juga kurang memuaskan. Saya rasa terpinggir. Saya melihat ke dalam diri,saya tiada sebarang keistimewaan dalam diri cuma saya ada sedikit bakat dalam bidang muzik, saya cuba–cuba merisik tentang ujibakat band universiti dan akhirnya saya terpilih.Sejak itu,saya secara langsung terlibat aktif dengan band universiti dan terlibat dengan persembahan-persembahan muzik untuk majlis-majlis universiti. Satu perkara yang saya dapat lihat pada diri saya dengan nyata ialah pengurusan masa yang lebih teratur dan sekaligus penumpuan terhadap pembelajaran meningkat dan menghasilkan keputusan peperiksaan yang lebih cemerlang. Terfikir, aktiviti-aktiviti di universiti rupanya membuatkan kita, sebagai mahasiswa menjadi lebih yakin dengan diri sendiri dan memperbaiki kemahiran berkomunikasi dan berorganisasi. Itu yang menarik tentang kehidupan saya di universiti.

Saya pernah menjadi jurulatih kelab muzik disebuah kolej penginapan di Universiti Putra Malaysia selama beberapa semester dan persoalan penting yang saya sebenarnya ingin kongsikan dengan para pembaca sekalian, sering ditanyakan kepada saya, adalah adakah bermain muzik itu dibenarkan dalam Islam? Dalam hal ini, saya mengambilkira pandangan daripada Al marhum Syaikh Mahmud Syaltut, bekas rektor al Azhar dalam koleksi Fatwanya, Al-Fatawa (Darul syuruq, Cairo. 1960 ms 355-359) yang menjelaskan dengan tegas empat perkara tentang muzik:

Pertama: Mendengar dan bermain alat muzik adalah sama (hukumnya) dengan merasa makanan yang lazat, menghidu bau yang harum, melihat pemandangan yang cantik atau mencapai pengetahuan yang tidak diketahui adalah semuanya keseronokan naluri yang dianugerahkan Tuhan kepada manusia. Semuanya memberi kesan menenangkan fikiran apabila kepenatan jasmani dan memberi kesan dalam memulihkan semula tenaga. (Syaikh Syaltut menggunakan hujah Imam Al-Ghazali dalam Ihya Ulumuddin, Jilid 2, ms 208.)

Kedua: Al-Qur'an yang mendasari segala peraturan dan perundangan di atas dasar kesempurnaan dalam Tujuan sentiasa menjaga supaya tidak berlaku keterlaluan dipihak yang tidak menggunakan muzik dan pihak yang menggunakan muzik secara berlebihan. .

Ketiga: Fuqaha' terdahulu membenarkan muzik apabila mempunyai konteks yang sesuai seperti muzik iringan ke medan perang, haji, perkahwinan dan perayaan ‘Id. Mengikut fuqaha' Hanafi muzik yang dilarang ialah dengan bersyarat jika ia bercampur dengan sebutan alkohol, gadis penyanyi, fusuq, perzinaan dan keberhalaan. Syaltut berpendapat larangan terhadap muzik adalah berdasarkan kepada konteks dan iringannya dengan yang lain dan bukanlah suatu reaksi terhadap muzik itu sendiri.

Keempat: Syaltut memberi amaran bahawa sesiapa yang berani melarang sesuatu perkara yang tidak jelas dilarang oleh Allah. Dalilnya ialah firman Allah dalam surah al A'raf: 32-33. siapakah yang berani mengharamkan perhiasan daripada Allah yang telah dikeluarkan-Nya untuk hamba-hamba-Nya dan rezeki yang baik-baik?

Hukum mengenai muzik, pemuzik dan alat muzik mengikut Hujjatul Islam Al-Ghazali (Ihya' Ulumidin, Jilid 2, ms 283-301) menjelaskan ada tiga komponen penting yang mempengaruhi hukum muzik yang mungkin berubah dari masa ke semasa: zaman, makan dan ikhwan. 'Zaman' merujuk kepada masa, apakah muzik itu melalaikan daripada jihad dan ibadah. 'Makan' merujuk kepada suasana, situasi, occasion atau upacara di mana muzik itu dipersembahkan. 'Ikhwan': merujuk kepada aktiviti muzik itu; jika dengan muzik itu boleh menyebabkan mereka terdedah kepada manusia yang jahat atau membawa kepada kejatuhan moral.

Berbalik kepada soalan asal: apakah alat muzik yang dibenarkan dan yang tidak dibenarkan dalam Islam? Al Ghazali menjelaskan (Ihya' Ulumuddin, Jilid 2, pg 271-272): “...tidak ada keterangan yang jelas dari sunnah yang melarang alat-alat muzik bahkan setengah alat muzik yang mempunyai bunyi yang baik tidak dilarang, ia tidak lebih daripada seperti kemerduan suara burung. Bermain muzik dilarang jika ada hubungan atau dikaitkan dengan kumpulan peminum arak, homoseks dan lain-lain yang dilarang.”

(Rencana saya ini pernah disiarkan di Majalah Universiti Putra Malaysia dan akhbar Mahasiswa pada tahun 2007)

Jika kita lihat dalam sejarah Islam itu sendiri, terdapat tokoh-tokoh Islam yang terlibat secara langsung dalam pembangunan muzik itu sendiri antaranya Ibnu Sina dan Al-Kindi. Kedua-duanya lebih dilihat sebagai tokoh falsafah dan perubatan tetapi sekiranya kita mengikuti perjalanan hidup tokoh-tokoh ini, kedua-duanya ada membuat kajian mengenai muzik pada zaman mereka malahan Al-Kindi, melalui bukunya Al-Kitab Al-Muziqa al-Kabir, telah diiktiraf sebagai tokoh muzik teragung di zamannya. Malahan jika kita kaji sebenarnya gitar,bass, mandolin dan banjo yang dimainkan oleh para pemuzik kini juga adalah berasal dari alat muzik arab iaitu Oudh (alat muzik bertali pertama seperti banjo) dan gambus.

Kesimpulannya,muzik adalah harus selagi bukan untuk tujuan melalaikan dan maksiat . Mana-mana alat muzik yang baik dan lunak di dengar adalah harus, dan mana-mana alat muzik yang jelik dan dihubungkan dengan kumpulan manusia yang jahat akhlaknya adalah ditegah. Harus diingat bahawa sekiranya ia menonjolkan ciri-ciri yang menyalahi hukum syara’, muzik itu tetap menjadi haram. Isu ini akhirnya membawa kepada penglibatan dan kesan muzik itu ke atas budaya masyarakat. Saya suka meminjam kata-kata Allahyarham Tan Sri P. Ramlee mengenai generasi muda zamannya, “Anak-anak muda yang menyanyi ikut suka hati, bermain muzik ikut suka hati, berpakaian ikut suka hati akan menjadi terdedah kepada unsur-unsur yang tidak baik dan dengan sendirinya menghasilkan angkatan muda yang tidak berdisiplin”. Jadi, sebagai pembaca yang mempunyai daya pemikiran yang matang, fikir-fikirkanlah kata-kata ini…

.

A STORY FROM FANTASY ISLAND - FACTS OR FICTION

2011-04-11T08:48:00.004+08:00

Fantasy Islanders will receive a total of $6.6 billion of benefits in the 2011 …….. Budget announced by Finance Minister ……..on Friday.

$3.2 billion Grow and Share Package: The average old will receive $3,500 from this year’s Budget. This will come from the $3.2 billion to be spent on the “Grow and Share Package” and 3.4 billion in longer-term Social Investments for households this year.

All adult Fantasy Islanders will also receive Growth Dividends to share the fruits of last year’s exceptional economic growth. The majority of Fantasy Islanders – 80% – will get $600 to $800 each.

CPF rate revision: The Government will raise the employer contribution rate to CPF accounts by another 0.5 percentage points, from 15.5% to 16%, which will restore the total contribution, rate to 36%. The additional 0.5% will go into the Special Account.

The Government will also revise the CPF salary ceiling from $4,500 to $5,000 per month to keep pace with income growth in recent years. This will align the salary ceiling back to the 80th percentile income, and help middle-income Fantasy Islaners.

Radio and TV licence fees removed permanently: The annual licence fee of $110.00 for televisions and $27.00 for vehicle radios will be removed with immediate effect. Those who have not paid this year’s fees will not have to make the payment, while a refund will be given to those who have already paid.

Mr ……., the finance minister said that’s because the fees are losing their relevance. He said televisions are no longer limited to middle and higher-income groups, with 99 per cent of lower-income households owning them today.

Tax cuts: Fantasy Islanders will receive a personal income tax rebate of 20% for individual resident taxpayers for YA 2011. The rebate will be capped at $2,000.00 Taxes will be reduced significantly for middle and upper-middle income families. Marginal tax rates will be reduced for first $120,000.00 of chargeable income.

Levy increase for foreign workers: The Government will also introduce more levy increases on foreign workers for all sectors this year. Most of the additional measures will be phased in at six-monthly intervals, starting only from 1 January 2012, and extending till 1 July 2013, one year beyond the previous schedule.

$10 billion home upgrading: $10 billion will be spent to upgrade homes and rejuvenate estates over the next 10 years. This is a major effort to preserve the value of flats and will go towards the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), it will invest up to 55,000.00 per flat.

Low-income groups will also receive additional housing subsidies to better afford their homes. The Government will set aside S$175 million each year for the new Special CPF Housing Grant to help the bottom 50% Fantasy Island households own their homes.

MUSIC EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA SINCE MERDEKA – IS IT MOVING ANYWHERE?

2011-03-31T15:18:00.019+08:00

by Joe Chelliah

For music and the music industry to fare better in Malaysia, a better music education system in the country is absolutely vital. Music education, indeed education itself is basically behaviour modification. At the macrocosm there are primary and secondary objectives for behavioural outcomes in any education program and and these are clearly stated in the curriculum. Any clasroom music lesson is at the microcosm level in which the teacher states his/her implicit and explicit aims together with the behavioural outcomes envisaged. If the desired outcome is not there or does not happen, then the lesson is deemed a failure. In plain language, a good tree is known by the quality of its fruits. If the fruits are not good or not there, then the tree is also deemed not good. If we liken music education in Malaysia to this figurative tree since 1950’s till now, we can ascertain the success or otherwise of the programs by what we see in the end products - its citizens. Frankly, having lived through and seen music since Merdeka I see no significant difference between an average member of the Malaysian society of today from those from P. Ramli’s generation of the Merdeka years. The bigger majority from both groups:

a. Are equally uninformed about almost all aspects of music.

b. Are incapable of any serious or intelligent thoughts/discussion about any kind
of music including their preferred variety.

c. Think of music as purely serving a hedonistic function in society.

d. Have very narrow musical tastes with a distinct preference for the pop varieties.

e. Can go "crazy" about good looking pop singers irrespective of the songs that they
sing to the extent of even wanting to marry the prettier ones....a cult culture of
sorts.

f. Love Hindi songs (esp. Malays) passionately the main reason being the pretty faces
who deliver the songs on the screen and often not because of say, the brilliant
exploitation of western musical instruments made subservient to Indian ragas and
melodic schemes by Indian composers. Few have ever heard of outstanding and
prolific playback singers like Mohd.Rafi, Asha Bhosle or Lata Mangeshkar let alone
discuss the differences in their vocal styles or double octave range.

g. Look down on any non-European music especially if they happen to come from English
speaking homes with a misguided notion that the only music worth listening to or
studying is Western classical or pop music.

h. Do not respect intellectual property of the musicians and singers and recording
companies. Some do not even know what this means.

i. Are not bothered about the quality of commercial music reproduction resulting in
widespread and high success rate for musical piracy beginning in the 60’s
itself. My own commercial albums were pirated in 1966.

j. Reject the recorder which is considered a “sakit telinga”(painful to the ear
instrument.

k. Have not heard of patriotic songs such as “Pahlawan Ku” unless a popular pop
singer like Siti Nurhaliza sings them.

l. Do not remember locally composed children’s songs taught in schools as
much as western children’s songs such as “Are You Sleeping? or “Happy
Birthday”.

m. Unable to both visually and aurally recognise most instruments - western and non-
Western.

n. Are incapable of singing the national anthem or respective state anthems accurately
with correct lyrics and in tune or rhythm.

o. Look upon musical notation as both cumbersome as well as not worth learning
even if they are professional musicians or singers preferring to perform “by
heart” instead.

So what does all this mean? Simply put, formal music education has failed in Malaysia. If we have brilliant singers and musicians in Malaysia they owe very little to the public music education program. Our singers and composers frequently complain about not being given preferential treatment in the airing of their songs and do a "cry baby" with the government. It could simply be that their songs are not of quality. Malaysian music too, in general, does not seem to fare too well compared with say its Indonesian or Filipino counterparts.

It is praiseworthy that the Malaysian government, on its part, had spent/wasted billions by now. The problem is really more with the Malaysian public which does not see or care to know about the benefits of musical knowledge and appreciation. It has not seen the emergence of a musically educated generation even after 1983 with the introduction of music as a compulsory subject. Most parents are more concerned with Mathematics and Science which are seen as gateways to a better future (and scholarships)and they are are just being realistic. Most of the top sought after jobs such as being a MAS / Air Asia pilot need a 1st Grade pass with a clear focus on the sciences and do not care whether you did well in the arts - History, Geography etc. with musical ability at the bottom. No interviewer would ask if the candidate can sing or play an instrument except perhaps yopu are interviewing for a music teacher course.

Therefore, it is my contention that music education in Malaysia has not really moved anywhere. The progress made in Malaysian music education since Merdeka would be to liken it to the wheels of a car that gets stuck in mud. Only the higher speed of the spinning wheels may portray an illusion of getting along. If you are sitting in a stationary bus, the actual movement of another bus next to it makes you feel that your own bus is moving. This phenomenon is called parallax motion in astronomy and explains why people once mistakenly held the view that the sun circled the earth (geocentric view.

To my mind too, most members of the Malaysian music education community seem to be quite satisfied with what is happening currently (or rather not happening) and feel there has been much "development" in music education just because of better physical infrastructures and the use of more modern technology. This feeling of "apparent forward motion" in music education has been with us, especially the Ministry of Education folks, ever since 1983 at all levels of the education process.

The government and the lay public have spent and invested vast amounts of money in both public and private music education. First let us take a look at the pre-school level. What happens there is anyone’s guess. We will leave this level at that for now. At the primary schools, we have had a compulsory and formal music curriculum since 1983. The children are ever eager and are more than willing to learn music. Actually, young children are not and never will be the problem in music education anywhere in the world.

At the secondary school level music is an elective subject and given some place in the co-curriculum. I am told that a secondary school that wants to start a music program these days must first come up with RM 200, 000 under the KBSM scheme of things. No surprise that people steer clear away from such aspirations. I wonder why we need that amount of money for starters and where such a suggestion originated in the first place. I am made to understand that that the SRP Music and SPM music papers are still offered. No one really complains and life goes on. The established schools that have always had a good tradition with brass bands and choirs carry on the tradition and boast of many shields and trophies from music competitions.

One might be inclined to think that at the teacher education colleges’ level things should be much better off because music education has been associated with them since the 1950’s – from the days of Day Training Centers (DTCs) and Malayan Teachers Colleges (MTCs) which later blossomed into the teacher education institutions of today. Added to it is the fact that in more recent times the good old teacher-training certificates have been upgraded to a diploma and even more recently to first degrees. However, the situation in the teacher education colleges is still not much different than about twenty years ago. The upgrade to diploma status has still failed to significantly attract the better crop of school leavers (with good music or musicality background) and the desired improvement in the input quality of student teachers has not taken place. So we are again back to square one with input material of about the same quality as the earlier certificate program teachers of yesteryears although they end up with a degree or graduate teacher’s status. Lacking in musicality and/or better academic prowess, most of these students drudge their way through the teacher training institutes for the required period of study. This period requirement at college has also been oscillating between two to three years for more than half a century.

Today, we can be proud to have at least seven IPTs offering music or music related courses namely UiTM, USM, UKM, UPSI, UM, UNIMAS and UMS. The formal study of music at IPTs has taken several turns since its introduction at Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM)in 1984. ITM is the first recognized higher institution of learning to have music in the curriculum as DTC's and MTC's were never recognized as IPTs till quite recently. The music department at ITM was placed under the School of Art and Design. After almost eighteen years the study of formal music has been separated and comes under two different faculties. Music Education comes under the Faculty of Education and The Music Department comes under the Faculty of Performing Arts. At the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) the study of music comes under the purview of the Faculty of Human Ecology. At UPSI, music comes directly under the Music Faculty and Performing arts and no longer under the Faculty of Social Science and Arts. At UiTM too something similar has developed in more recent times.

There might be a shortage of truly well qualified and experienced personnel to kick off better music programs in Malaysian IPTs. The “Malaysian” philharmonic orchestra has more than 95% of its members who are recruited from overseas to maintain higher standards. Surely a similar short-term solution for our universities can also be done with truly experienced and scholarly academics from USA or UK brought in to help. If this is done, I hope that country from which we invite expatriate scholars to teach here is wisely chosen. We should not be repeating the mistakes of the past. Inviting a music professor from Pakistan, for instance, may not be a great idea.

To me, music education in Malaysia is clearly still in an embryonic stage. However, that is not going to stop me from saying what I think ought to be said. It has been my observation that music at the tertiary level in Malaysia has generally lacked a clearer sense of direction. Certain new players, particularly UPSI and ASWARA, have a clearer focus in that the good people there have decided what and where their graduates will be going to - public schools, colleges and culrural departments. However, the main question for each program planner at the university to answer is this. “What is the graduating student being equipped with and what or where is his / her place in the job market out there going to be?” That is the ultimate question. Stating the obvious, a general lack of clear direction or focus can get an institution and its students nowhere. The private music institutions (IPTS) may be seen to be slightly ahead in this matter of focus and direction. They have to be or may be forced to close down due to lack of students / business. The public schools, colleges and universities do not have this sort of survival fate or syndrome to worry about and are in some sort of comfort zone. This can be a problem if future job prospects and requirement(s) for the graduating students receive inconsequential focus.

I feel that not many music educators and music education planners bother to know more about the job market for their graduating students especially in the commercial sector. This mindset has to change. Thus we shall see many so called performance majors end up teaching music as private tutors from the home or at homes. This is so because there are insufficient avenues for them to perform and more so if they perform only Western classical music.

In a democratic society like ours, the significant majority of Malaysians seem to share a view that music is not that important in education. Such notions, however wrong, are actually quite universal and found not only in Malaysia. The world leader and global trend setter in music education is the USA. No other country in the world comes anywhere close to it, in my opinion. The justification for this statement is based purely on an analytical observation and study of their approach towards music and music education since the times of Lowell Mason in the 19th century itself. It is about involving and incorporating philosophy, psychology, sociology, research, history, technology, funding, priority, performance, pedagogical concerns into the formal study of music as a holistic approach.

Even in USA they have been having a “Save Our Music in the Schools” campaign for some time now. Such is the state of music education even in USA. The struggle to keep music in the curriculum is a universal one and therefore not an imagined one even in Malaysia. As I have said, the public in Malaysia is yet to see any real positive outcome from the inclusion of music in the formal curriculum. Research in this area to connect musical study to better academic and overall educational success is sorely lacking. The public does not even see their children being more selective or fussy about musical tastes since exposure to KBSR in 1983. The oldest member of the KBSR generation(s) should be about twenty-six years old by now and are as much naïve about music as his/her counterpart of today or in earlier times.

A good music education program must start with a general music education program. In such a scheme of things, all children are taught music appreciation and exposed to a greater variety of music and musical instruments – both local and international. They need not have to perform music as much as to have a musical understanding first. They should be able to recognize both visually and aurally different kinds of instruments. This can only happen if they are shown visuals and made to listen to sound recordings of such instruments to broaden their musical horizons. They should also be able to recognise different kinds of music and musical styles. The music showcased can be both popular as well as art/ethnic music of today and earlier times and from different cultures as well.

The Ministry of Education(MOE), to my mind, must bear the sole blame for all the inadequacies for its music programs that have been in vogue. It is sad that this ministry is quite myopic in its planning and execution with little or no input from music organizations and the general public outside its purview. The Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi and Kebudayaan on the other hand spent about three years to formulate their Dasar Pembangunan Industry Muzik with regular meetings and input from various organizations and even individuals. The MOE does not seem to even have fair communication within its own divisions and departments and allows Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum, for example, to do the entire curriculum planning with absolutely no input from music NGOs', for example.

I hope I live long enough to see real meaningful innovations in music education instead of having to witness more wastage of public funds in the form of meaningless seminars, workshops and retreats that brings little or no change to the core problems faced in Malaysian music education.

MY AFFINITY WITH NEGERI SEMBILAN

2011-03-28T22:51:00.024+08:00

Istana Lama Seri Menanti is Now A Museum

I grew up in Johor on the banks of the Sg. Muar at Nordanal Estate Panchor and my entire schooling was at the High School in Muar, Johor. In 1959 I sat for my Overseas School Certificate and moved to Seremban in Negeri Sembilan which has been my home ever since. I spent about twenty years teaching in the schools in Negeri Sembilan particularly in Tanjung Ipoh, Lenggeng, Kuala Pilah, Johol and Rembau which are the heartlands of the Minangkabau culture. It was particularly during these early days that I had many friends of my age who were from the Negeri Sembilan royalty. Since then I have developed a close affinity and fondness for Negeri Sembilan – its royalty, people, food, language and customs. It is my adopted home for the last 51 years. Even when I was posted to Kuala Lumpur as a lecturer at Maktab Perguruan Ilmu Khas in 1980 I commuted from Seremban till I retired in 1996. I still live in Seremban and still commute to KL for my events business ventures and music societies involvements. I simply have come to love Negeri Sembilan.

Negeri Sembilan remains the heartland of the unique Minangkabau culture which still practices a complicated system of matriarchy society. A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority.

“The Minangkabau ethnic group was originally indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia. Their culture is matrilineal, with property and land passing down from mother to daughter, while religious and political affairs are the responsibility of men. Today about 4 million Minangs live in West Sumatra, while about 3 million more are scattered throughout many Indonesian and Malay Peninsula cities and towns.” - (Wikipedia).

The Minangkabaus brought along with them a rich cultural heritage which is still preserved and practiced today as the fascinating ‘Adat Pepatih’, the name given to this matrilineal system of inheritance and administration that is unique to the state. The Minangkabaus of Sumatra came to settle in Negeri Sembilan in the 15th century. In its early history, Negeri Sembilan did not exist as a unified state. It was rather a loose confederation of nine fiefdoms which developed in the secluded valley of the region. They were under the protection of the Melaka Sultanate until its collapse in 1511 when the Portuguese arrived. Later attacks by the Bugis forced the Minangkabaus to seek protection from a prince from their homeland by the name of Raja Melewar of Pagar Ruyong. This resulted in the proclamation of Raja Melewar as the first Yam Tuan or the 'Yang Dipertuan Besar' (meaning 'He who is Greatest') of Negeri Sembilan in 1773. The fiefdoms of Sungai Ujong, Rembau, Johol, Jelebu, Naning, Segamat, Ulu Pahang, Jelai and Kelang were brought together under his rule. Today Negeri Sembilan is still not ruled by a sultan but by the Yang Di Pertuan Besar. I have come to love the Minangkabau influences in the state that are to be found in their distinctive language, dances, ceremonies and of course their food as well. In fact, I can speak and understand the Negeri dialect as well.

During my time in Negeri Sembilan I have literally “walked with beggars and dined with kings”. In the heydays of my bachelorhood period (1960’s) particularly, I had a lot of contact with the Negeri Sembilan royalty. The sons and daughters of the late Tunku Laksmana Nasir and their cousins were all my close friends being of about the same in age and musical disposition. For a time in the 1960’s, Tunku Laksmana Nasir was even the Regent of NS. This link was perhaps caused by my musical involvement in bands. Tunku Makmar ( Kudi) was the Tunku Laksmana’s son who played the piano and also the accordion alongside me in my early bands and even The Jayhawkers. We performed often at the palace and their royal homes for the many ubiquitous parties and dances that were so popular in those days. The late Tunku Alang Hanan always insisted on me coming along with him and his Kuala Pilah friends who included teachers, businessmen and even police officers and headmasters simply because I could sing and play the guitar to liven their frequent “meet-ups”.

I have also been included in the royal entourage of the late Tuanku Munawir for his annual “mandi safar” outings at Ulu Bendol in 1964 and 1965. I was also often in the Istana Besar for Tuanku’s birthday celebrations. The family of the late Tunku Jamil( the brother of the first three Tunku Ampuans) and his wife Dato’ Tunku Fatimah were also close to me. Then there was Tunku Tolha, Tunku Jaril, Tunku Faisal, Tunku Zubir who were all my good friends. However, this link to the NS royalty and Seri Menanti sort of ended with the demise of the late Yam Tuan DYMM Tuanku Munawir in 1967. Thereafter, Seri Menanti and the royalty was made up of the family of the late Yam Tuan DYMM Tuanku Jaafar. I had little contact or friendship with this new royal family members as they had grown up mostly overseas. But I still kept contact with the other members of the NS royalty mentioned earlier.

I must also mention that while teaching in Tanjung Ipoh and Kuala Pilah between 1960 and 1975 I have also had many Seri Menanti Tunkus as my students. Some names that come to mind are Tunku Azahaniah and Tunku Kamal ( Ben). I have met some of them in recent years and they too are in their retirement years. Soon thereafter in 1975, I moved on to become a music educator and moved out of Kuala Pilah district. I did meet the children of the late DYMM Tuanku Jaafar and her royal siblings at the Lake Club in KL when I used to perform there with the late Ahmad Wan Yet Combo but I was not recognized by any of them simply because we had never met. It was only twenty years later in the 1995 that I came to know and meet the kindly late DYMM Tuanku Jaafar who awarded me a P.J.K. award in recognition of my teaching service. I received two more awards from Tuanku for my active involvement in music associations and societies after my retirement – the Ahli Setia Negeri Sembilan (ANS) in 2000 and the Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (DNS) in 2004. During this brief period I would be invited to the Istana Besar for Tuanku’s birthday celebrations like old times.

The new Tuanku DYMM Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir has always been a very low profiled prince. Many of his classmates from King George V school in 1962 are very close friends of mine. I had the pleasure of being introduced to him last Saturday at the Patron’s Ball of The Royal Port Dickson Yacht Club.
Daulat Tuanku.

They're back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins!

2011-03-17T16:20:00.002+08:00

Thank God for church ladies with typewriters.
These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.'
The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn’t care much about you.
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Don’t let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.. Music will follow...
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered...
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM... The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

HINDU IDEAS OF THE SUPREME SELF OR GOD

2011-03-17T12:05:00.002+08:00

If you have ever wondered, if Hindus worship one God or many Gods, why do Hindus worship images and icons, why does the God in Hindu dharma have multiple names and multiple forms of God, then this is the where, we hope, you will find answers. Dr. David Frawley has answered many of these commonly asked questions quite succinctly. For example,

Why Do Hindus Worship Many Gods?

Human beings through history have formulated many different names and forms for the Divine or Eternal. Just as we have many names and forms for other things, whether it is foods, or types of art, so too, in religion a similar great diversity has been created.

The Western world has prided itself in monotheism, the idea that there is only One God as the highest truth. Western religions have said that only the names and forms which refer to this One God are valid but those which appear to worship another God, or a multiplicity of divinities, must be false. They have restricted the names and forms they use in religious worship, and insist that only one set is true and correct and others are wrong or unholy.

As a universal formulation Hinduism accepts all formulations of Truth. According to the universal view there is only One Reality, but it cannot be limit ed to a particular name or form. Though Truth is One it is also Universal, not an exclusive formulation. It is an inclusive, not an exclusive Oneness - a spiritual reality of Being - Consciousness - Bliss, which could be called God but which transcends all names. The different Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism represent various functions of this One Supreme Divinity, and are not separate Gods.

Having many names for something is not necessarily a sign of ignorance of its real nature. On the contrary, it may indicate an intimate knowledge of it. For example, Eskimos have forty-eight different names for snow in their language because they know snow intimately in its different variations, not because they are ignorant of the fact that all snow is only one. The many different deities of Hinduism reflect such an intimate realization of the Divine on various levels.

Or, Why Does Hinduism Portray God as a Woman?

Hinduism contains many feminine forms of the Divine like Kali, Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. These represent different feminine qualities and functions of the Divine which contains both male and female energies. For example, Kali portrays the destructive energy, Lakshmi the nourishing, and Sarasvati the creative, while Durga is the Divine Mother in her protective role. Hinduism also has many dual male-female forms like Radha-Krishna, Sita-Rama, Uma-Mahesh, and Lakshmi -Narayan in which the female form is usually addressed first. The different masculine forms of the Divine in Hinduism have their feminine counterparts.

As Sanatana Dharma or a universal tradition Hinduism recognizes that the Divine contains both masculine and feminine attributes. Without giving proper honor to the feminine qualities a religion must be incomplete and one-sided, which must result in its teachings having negative consequences. Without recognizing the feminine aspect of Divinity one cannot claim to know God. To recognize the feminine is necessary to restore wholeness, completeness and universality.
While Hindu dharma accepts the existence of several Gods or deities, it accepts only one God, the Supreme.

Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are not three independent and separate deities, but three different aspects of the same Supreme God, while engaged in the processes of creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe, in that order. It is similar to the role played by the same person as the father at home, as the boss in the office and as a customer in a shop. Other deities also should be considered in the same light, as different aspects of the Supreme God, manifesting themselves for specific purposes.
The powers of these deities which are inseparable from them - just as the power of fire to burn cannot be separated from fire itself. This power is conceived in the form of their consorts, Sarasvati, Parvati (or Sakti) and Lakshmi.
This is not to say that these deities are imaginary creations. All of them, without exception, are different modes and aspects of Paramatman, the Supreme Self or God.

SPECIALISTS IN MEDICINE HAVE THEIR SAY ON PROPOSED CUTS

2011-03-08T19:31:00.005+08:00

Proposed cuts to the National Health Service.

The British Medical Association has weighed in on the new Prime Minister David Cameron's health care proposals.

The Allergists voted to scratch it, but the Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.

The Gastroenterologists had a sort of a gut feeling about it, but the neurologists thought the Administration had a lot of nerve.

The Obstetricians felt they were all labouring under a misconception.

Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted.

Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Paediatricians said, "Oh, Grow up!"

The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.

The Surgeons were fed up with the cuts and decided to wash their hands of the whole thing.

The ENT specialists didn't swallow it, and just wouldn’t hear of it.

The Pharmacologists thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter...."

The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.

The Anaesthetists thought the whole idea was a gas, but the Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.

In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the arseholes in London

MAN VS WOMAN - A POEM - Anonymous

2011-03-04T07:59:00.003+08:00

A WOMAN'S POEM:

Before I lay me down to sleep,
I pray for a man who's not a creep,
One who's handsome, smart and strong.
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray he's rich and self-employed,
And when I spend, won't be annoyed.
Pull out my chair and hold my hand.
Massage my feet and help me stand.
Oh send a king to make me queen.
A man who loves to cook and clean.
I pray this man will love no other.
And relish visits with my mother.

A MAN'S POEM:

I pray for a deaf-mute gymnast nymphomaniac with
Big tits who owns a bar on a golf course,
and loves to send me fishing and drinking.
This doesn't rhyme and I don't give a damn.

AN ANALOGY : THE TALE OF TWO SEAS – 1 DEAD & 1 ALIVE

2011-03-01T13:53:00.002+08:00

.
(Author Unknown)

Sitting in the Geography class in school, I remember how fascinated I was when we were being taught all about the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is really a Lake and not a sea. It's so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% - almost 10 times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea - no fish, no vegetation, no sea animals and hence its name.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don't seem to recall learning about the Sea of Galilee in my school Geography lesson. So when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea I was intrigued. It turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from River Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different. Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants and fishes too. In fact, the Sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different types of fishes. Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come? Here apparently is why.

The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in and then out - and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life. But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over a million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day leaving it salty and too full of minerals that makes it unfit for any marine life. The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give and the result - no life at all.

The Lesson

In life too it is not just about merely getting and acquiring. It’s about giving too. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee. We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don't learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea. The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate like the water in the Dead Sea. If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more water, more money, more everything the results can be disastrous. It’s a good idea to make sure that in the sea of our own life, you have many outlets for love & wealth, and everything else that you get in your life. Make sure you don't just get but you give too. Open the taps. And you'll open the floodgates to happiness. Make it a habit to share, give and experience life.

I really believe there is no point in having a lot if you just keep it to yourself and do not share. Sharing multiplies the joy of having.

SEASON OF GOODWILL

2011-03-01T13:11:00.002+08:00

BY: H.R.H. Raja Zarith Idris (Sultanah of Johore)

If Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

During the days before Christmas last year, I wished my friends who were celebrating it "Merry Christmas" in much the same way they would wish me "Selamat Hari Raya" or "Happy Eid".

I find it rather sad that such a simple greeting – one which I grew up with and which I have never regarded as something that would compromise or de-value my own faith – is now regarded as something so religiously incorrect for us Malaysian Muslims.

When I was at boarding school in England, I had to go to church every Sunday because it was part of the rules. My father advised me to consider it as part of my "education" and he had no doubt that the experience would strengthen rather than weaken my own faith.

I was able to see the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. I learned more than the average Malaysian Muslim would about Christianity. I learnt that just as we Muslims categorise ourselves according to the four different schools of thoughts of the four Imams (Imam Malik, Imam Al Shafi, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Ahmad Abn Hambal) and are either Sunnis or Shias, so Christians too are divided into different sects or churches.

Going to church did not make me less of a Muslim when I was a young girl, and neither does saying "Merry Christmas" make me less of a Muslim now. My faith has not been shaken just because I wished some friends a time of joy with their families. Neither will I suddenly suffer from amnesia and forget what my religion is.

What I do not wish to forget, however, is that there are good, kind people who are not of the same faith as me. As Harun Yahya, the Turkish writer (he was selected last year as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan) noted: "Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance".

Today, however, some circles have been presenting a false image of Islam, as if there were conflict between Islam and the adherents of the two other monotheistic religions. Yet Islam's view of Jews and Christians, who are named `the People of the Book' in the Quran, is very friendly and tolerant.

"This attitude towards the People of the Book developed during the years of the birth of Islam. At that time, Muslims were a minority, struggling to protect their faith and suffering oppression and torture from the pagans of the city of Mecca. Due to this persecution, some Muslims decided to flee Mecca and shelter in a safe country with a just ruler. The Prophet Muhammad told them to take refuge with King Negus, the Christian king of Ethiopia. The Muslims who followed this advice found a very fair administration that embraced them with love and respect when they went to Ethiopia. King Negus refused the demands of the pagan messengers who asked him to surrender the Muslims to them, and announced that Muslims could live freely in his country.

"Such attitudes of Christian people that are based on the concepts of compassion, mercy, modesty and justice, constitute a fact that God has pointed out in the Quran."

I do not wish to be a self-centred Muslim who expects friends of other faiths to wish me Selamat Hari Raya or, for those who are not Malaysians and therefore do not know about Hari Raya, a Happy Eid and yet do not return their goodwill
Every year, friends who are Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs or those without any faith come to our home to celebrate Hari Raya with us. They do so with sincerity and as a mark of respect for one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar. Why should we not reciprocate their kindness, show them the same mark of respect for their religion and wish them the same joy on their holy days of celebration?

An Islamic scholar and lecturer also reminded me that as Muslims we must remember the importance of both the five Pillars of Islam and in the six Pillars of Iman (Faith), which are:
1. Belief in Allah;
2. Belief in the angels;
3. Belief in the revealed Books (which include the Bible, the Torah and the
Holy Quran);
4. Belief in the Prophets (May Peace be Upon Them);
5. Belief in the Resurrection and the events of Kiamah(the Day of Judgement) and
6. Belief in the predestination (Qada' and Qadar) by Allah in all things.

The prophets include not just Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon Him) as the last prophet and as the Messenger of Islam, but also in the 24 earlier ones who are mentioned in both the Bible and the Quran. Four of them are Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Daud (David), and Isa (Jesus).

So, if Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Isa (Jesus), a prophet respected and revered in Islam, is it so wrong to wish a blessed day for those who celebrate it?

We are now in the second decade of the 21st century. Surely, we should, now more than ever, be far more enlightened at a time when information of any sort and of all kinds are so readily available to us. What is most important is that we regard one another as fellow citizens and treat each other with respect, regardless of our race or religion.

(The writer is the current Sultanah of Johor - HRH Sultanah Zarith Sofia ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah. She is Royal Fellow, School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and holds a BA (Honours) degree in Chinese Studies, University of Oxford)

Citizens’ uprising mark the demise of political cartels and economic hoarding ......by By J. D. Lovrenciear

2011-02-22T12:28:00.008+08:00

Indeed what we are witnessing in the Middle East region today signals a piercing, warning signal to the world that regimes guilty of economic hoarding and political cartels do not belong to the increasingly liberalising global environment.

Despite the police brutality and curtailing control mechanisms tightly in place, more and more countries are discovering that people’s willpower is no match.

Today, beginning with Tunisia and followed closely by Egypt, citizens there have shown the world that any amount of suppression and oppression is not able to imprison forever their passion for democratic equality and penchant for civil liberties.

If the media reports in the world are to be believed (assuming that these news bearers are not muzzled or harnessed by politicians with vested interest), the tide for change is bound to be spreading in a contagious manner from East to West, North to South.

Already Algeria, Bahrain, Iran and Yemen are beginning to experience people uprisings.

Triggered by increasing food prices, oppressive laws that curtail human dignity, inequalities in the equitable distribution of a nation’s wealth, concentration of power among those with vested and extreme interests – all of these have precipitated in the uprising by the common citizens.

Algerians under the pressure of rising basic food prices are crying out for the ouster of their eleven years reign President. Bahrain's King Hamad Isa al-Khalifa is giving out to every family USD 2,700 cash to quell unrest, seemingly. In Iran the hardliner President is seeing the wrath of tens of thousands as they clash with police. In Yemen the peope are up in arms against repression, corruption and economic conditions that only favour the rich and powerful.

What then would be the defining moments of truth for Malaysia? The answers lie in our political history of 53+ years.

Foremost, it is fortunate that the Tun Dr M2 did not cling to his premiership till this date. Unfortunately however, the cartel politics of Malaysia poses a contingent problem.

It has been a tradition within the political corridors to ensure that sons and daughters take over from where their fathers left. There is nothing wrong in this provided that the individual taking on the reigns is competent on his or her own merits. There is nothing wrong if the rakyat vote without manipulation an individual to take on the mantle.

But when politicking and strategic manoeuvring come into play, there is bound to be serious repercussions. In this New Age of a ‘Networked Society’ fuelled by the accelerating ‘Information Society’, cartel castles will be demolished.

Next, let us take a look at our socio-political fabric. After decades of affirmative policies, we still see inequalities in the economic pie sharing. For argument's sake let us assess the sitz-im-leben using race as an indicator:

• The number of Malays who are still in the marginally poor category is a shame.

• The number of young Malay youths who have fallen by the wayside of the nation’s human capital development is alarming. The old attribute of ‘Ahmad the driver’ is still prevalent. Just take a headcount of the number of unskilled workers comprising of pizza-delivery boys, dispatch riders, and mundane factory workers these past thirty years.

• The number of Malay youths who have fallen under drugs, street racing gambits and other vices is not hard to pinpoint.

• The numbers of Indian youths who are unable to find meaningful and gainful employment have taken to parang wielding gangsterism. The number of police arrests and custodial deaths can be a tip-of-the iceberg count.

• Vice dens can still be associated with the Chinese as legitimate and honourable avenues to be economically and financially rewarded have shrunk.

• In the name of higher profit margins we import millions of workers to harvest our palm oil, build houses and high-rise structures. Our own manpower is left in the lurch without becoming skilled workers who could form a formidable export industry in the future.

The economic factor under the label of NEP that we have prided these past thirty years seemed to be working pretty fine as we were told in the past. Attempts to question its quantum progress were quickly snuffed under the overwhelming threats of ISA and OSA or even the horrendous claim of ‘do not be anti-national’.

But truth always surfaces. Today we witness the number of poor Malaysians struggling to eke out a living on a RM3,000 and below monthly income.

Yes, we have made sure that everyone can have a car which they will be burdened to pay for over the next nine years. Yes we have succeeded in getting car owners to leave their cars at home and ride to work to save on their expenses.

Yes we have ensured that everyone can buy a roof over their heads provided they are in government employment or able to meet the monthly instalments that are scrutinized by the approving banks. And for the next fifteen to twenty years of your working life you slog to pay off the monthly rates.

Be it oil, sugar or rice – we are today at the mercy of rising food prices outside the borders of the country. The government can do nothing to alleviate the burden as rightly pointed out by a minister recently. Even our hugely US-export oriented trade and crude oil economy cannot save the ordinary rakyat from the ravages of world food shortage.

Yes we have great monumental buildings and spanking roads. But the rakyat on the road is worse off than when he lived in Indian Sentul, Chinese Jinjang or the humble Kampong Melayu forty years ago. Today the working soul has to pay for everything – from water, electricity, toll and parking to hospital visits and education. Never mind if he cannot even find a tiny plot to grow his own vegetables or be able to cast the net for some fish at the confluence of the KL-Klang rivers.

Seemingly, we have progressed. But our minds are closed with racism, religious discrimination and the chase after money, money, money and more money as the end all. Profiteering, hoarding and kickbacks are the rule of the economic game – be it the kedai runcit, the wholesaler, the contractor or the big time arms importer.

We are still battling after all these many decades on our education system. It is still the same old issue of Bahasa Malaysia versus English.

In a nutshell, if truly we have progressed as a nation of ONE people, advancing with the goodwill and honour of yesteryears, BN would not be battling its way to the polls today.

If truly we had no political cartels, we would not be seeing DSAI as a force to be contended with.

If truly we had an economy that was built on equitable distribution that emphasised the meaningful survival of the humble rakyat, we would not be questioning the notion of wealth accumulation which is the current trend among the powerful.

If truly we had our nation built on true democracy and exemplary civil liberties, we need not worry about the tides of change sweeping the world. In fact we will be party to promote change in the world for the better.

Time will tell viva Malaysia.

Then & Now - Life Gets Harder in Malaysia

2011-02-22T01:20:00.003+08:00

Kenny Gan, Malaysia Chronicle

I started working as a young graduate electrical engineer in 1983 in an engineering firm in Kuala Lumpur. My starting salary was RM1200 which was pretty typical in those days. This may not seem much now but mixed rice was less than RM2.00 with Chinese tea and petrol was RM1.00 a litre. After 6 months and an increment under my belt I plonked down for set of wheels; a cute little Toyota Corolla which I paid off in 3 years. Two years later I put down the deposit for a double storey terrace house in a thriving suburb near the capital.

Fast forward to the present and it would be very hard for any graduate to follow my act without substantial help from their parents. No, I wasn’t from the privileged class and I didn’t get a leg-up from my parents, save for the education they gave me. Present day graduates start their working life at RM1800 to RM2000 a month, not a lot of difference from 25 years ago but prices of everything have tripled and quadrupled. A hawker meal now cost RM5 (drinks extra), prices of cars and houses have grossly outpaced income and there are new expenses like toll, hand phones, ASTRO and internet. Our ringgit has depreciated against foreign currencies making consumer goods and overseas travel more expensive. To put it simply, real income has declined.

Today we find that graduates have to ride motorbikes if their parents do not help them buy a car. A car loan has to be stretched to 8 or 9 years just for a basic family car. The middle class is burdened by high car loans which they have little choice due to the stunted public transport. We find couples who are both working graduates lamenting that they cannot find any house within their means. Many of them have to get help from their parents to pay the house deposit. Unfortunately they will have nothing to give a helping hand to their children in future.

At the lower end of the labour market things are no better. From 1985 to 1995 salaries for factory workers, manual workers, office staff and the like increased by about 50% but they have stagnated for the past 15 years. Today our factories are filled with foreign workers because local workers are unable to survive on wages of RM700 a month which will be wiped out by transport and rental alone. Are they expected to spend all their free time working overtime just to earn enough to eat?

Employers decry that locals are not interested but our workers are expected to survive on wages which were marginal even 15 years ago even though prices of goods and services have more than doubled since. We should note that if the salaries of the lower level cannot go up neither can the salaries of the upper level so the masses of foreign are also keeping the salaries of professionals depressed.

Going backwards

There are few countries where life gets harder as the years pass but Malaysia is one of them. In a healthy country it is more usual for the standard of living to improve from generation to generation. In Australia graduates are buying houses earlier then before despite the rise in prices and they holiday overseas before they graduate. Even traditional basket cases like the Philippines stay the same if they do not improve. A declining standard of living is the usual province of failed states like Zimbabwe, Congo and Myanmar.

Compared to countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea which were on the same footing as us in the 1970s, Malaysia’s economic progress has been dismal. Today they have left us far behind despite lacking our advantage of rich natural resources. Singapore is now a first world country with per capita income of 5 times ours, Hong Kong is 4 times and Taiwan and S. Korea about 2.5 times. The value of our ringgit has depreciated from RM2.00 to USD1.00 in the early 1980s to RM3.20 today while their currencies have appreciated substantially.

Malaysia’s economy has indeed been growing at 6%-8% a year for most of the past two decades. But GDP growth figures do not translate into general economic wellbeing as the disparity in income between the haves and the have-nots has moved steadily wider. According to the Gini coefficient which measures the inequality of income distribution, Malaysia has the worst income disparity in Asia. Wealth is being created but they mostly end up in the hands of the politico-business elite while corruption robs the poor and middle class to give to the rich.
What went wrong with Malaysia?

Authoritarian governments like Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea can still generate economic progress and uplift the standard of living of their citizens so what went wrong with Malaysia? Do they have something we lack or is it due to something we have that burdened us?

If there is any one reason which is the mother of all reasons for Malaysia’s lacklustre performance it is racial policies which has replaced meritocracy, encouraged rent seeking practices, resulted in economic inefficiency and distortion, pulled down education standards, caused a brain drain and become a vehicle for wastage and massive corruption. They are also responsible for dampening the human spirit required to drive the economy forward.

The role of corruption in regressing living standards cannot be understated. Corruption is basically a re-distribution of wealth from the poor and middle class to the rich. The plunder of public funds eventually means higher direct and indirect taxes like GST and higher charges for public services. Unfair negotiated sweetheart deals between the government and cronies such toll concessionaires, IPPs and water supply are passed to the man in the street to foot the bill by paying higher tariffs.

Protectionism for an ill-advised car industry has saddled the middle class with paying high prices for shoddily built cars while favoured cronies laugh all the way to the bank. Consumers have to grapple with external inflationary pressure from world commodities and internally generated inflation to feed cronies.
Where to, Malaysia?

Najib’s NEM (New Economic Model) contain lofty aims to lift Malaysia to a high income country but it does not address the structural problem of efficiency sapping racial policies, endemic corruption low education standard and dependency on foreign workers. Oppression of democratic rights and subjugating the independence of law enforcement institutions like the judiciary, police and MACC also keep investors away. Without the political will to institute real reforms whatever snazzy economic plan rolled out will become an extension of the NEP and fail.

As real income continue to decline in the face of stagnated wages and increasing inflation the standard of living will keep going down. What happens next is predictable. If our graduates cannot make a decent living here they will go overseas to look for work. Following their heels will be masses of Malaysians looking for work as maids, waiters and unskilled labourers. We will become a maid and labour exporting country like Philippines and Indonesia.

As long as BN continues to rule there will be no meaningful reforms to uplift the economy and living standards of the common people. What the country needs is a new government which can discard the racial baggage of the past to drive Malaysia forwards. The alternative is a maid exporting country and by 2020 instead of a high income country.

NOT EVERYTHING "WEST IS BEST". A RETHINK

2011-02-20T20:26:00.005+08:00

There are many things from the West that are good which have been copied or emulated hook, line and sinker by almost every other nation in the world. You just name it from jeans and food to education and political philosophy. I myself have been quite Western in my outlook up to the way I communicate and dress till today. Yes, the West has taught us many things. But of late, I have some issues that have necessitated a rethink.

Take food for instance. My forefathers from South India have been cooking with coconut oil ever since the dawn of civilization. They are still doing it. The West told us that coconut oil is bad for our health and that it is loaded with bad cholesterol. Corn oil was a recommended alternative and I switched to Mazola corn oil for my family way back in the 1970’s itself. Today my children abhor food cooked with coconut oil. Little did I realize then that it was perhaps a ploy to market American corn worldwide as corn is the largest U.S. crop, in terms of both volume and value. Today everyone realizes that the health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc.

The first rice cooker was invented during the 1940s, by a Japanese company known as Mitsubishi Electric. This has affected all of us and we use them without any thought daily today. It has also killed the traditional Indian way of cooking rice in my family. In my younger days, my family cooked rice the Indian way by boiling it in water and when the rice was sufficiently cooked the remaining starchy water is drained off which could then be fed to cows with some powdered copra added. Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut; the name is from the Malayalam kopra. So now we eat rice without the starch disposed off, and that is okay to most people. Starch is converted to sugar and gives energy for us which, if not used in our sedentary lifestyles, is converted into fat and stored in our pot bellies. Any wonder many Malaysians are simply overweight??

The next issue is smoking thanks to Sir Walter Raleigh. According to Dr. Steven Gay from the University of Michigan, puffing away on cigarettes and cigars causes up to half a million American deaths each year from smoking-related diseases. My question is what about other forms of more potent air pollution – toxic gas emissions from internal combustion engines, jets, factories, industrial wastes, nuclear waste dumping, mosquito coils and sprays, pesticide sprays etc etc. The whole of earth’s atmosphere up to even the ozone layer is polluted by us and why pick on smoking alone. The reason is to distract people from the other forms of rampant air and water pollution that the more industrialized nations are guilty of.

If we put 100 people in a closed poorly ventilated room with a small motorcycle engine running, the people will be dead within a few minutes. Hitler did this cheap and easy. On the other hand, if we put 100 smokers in a similar room with one non-smoker, he/she will probably cough a lot but will not die. That is my point. My forefathers smoked beedi and Malays smoked rokok daun. Every culture had their form of smoking. So smokers today have to tolerate - all forms of air pollution caused by motorists, cyclists, jets, air conditioners and what not but only smokers picked on."

Let’s live and let live. Let’s tolerate each other and all our human idiosyncrasies from food, social habits, religion, politics etc. I just cannot accommodate a holier than thou attitude and I personally am an anti-antismoker coz' even somokers (like HIV carriers/patients and drug addicts) have rights.......according to western values of human rights too of course. I rest my case.

UNETHICAL DOCTORS: ALWAYS ASK FOR A SECOND OPINION!

2011-02-09T17:46:00.004+08:00

Dear friends,

It's good advice to get a second opinion.

There were many instances, too. A friend of mine was diagnosed as a having a septic leg and being a diabetic, he was told by the Damansara Specialist Centre (at TDI) doctors that the leg up to his ankle must be amputated since gangrene had already set in. It would’ve cost RM25K just to saw off the leg. I told him to get 2nd opinion at the UKM Hosp (Govt.) Specialist Centre. The specialists there told him that there was nothing wrong with the leg and gave him antibiotics instead. Today (4 years after the incidence) , at age 61, he
is still working and doing things such as climbing without much problems.

What would it be if he had listened to the unscrupulous doctors at Damansara Sp Centre? He would be walking with crutches, poorer by 25K and without a job to support his family. What a shame for these "Ugly Malaysians". I am sure there are many similar instances which everyone can share.

So be careful, Malaysian Specialists are giving the nation a bad name. They
want to make money and make the patients suffer (more so if you have an
insurance coverage). It is best to seek 2nd and 3rd opinion to be very
sure....TOM
****************************************************************************************************
I am a general surgeon in private practice in Kuala Lumpur . I would like to
bring to the attention of the public the unethical practices of some doctors
in private practice.

An 8-year-old boy was brought to see me by his father after suffering from fever, cough and vomiting for 1 day. He DID NOT HAVE ANY ABDOMINAL PAIN. He was initially seen by a general practitioner who insisted that the father bring him to see surgeon G at a specific private medical centre in Kuala Lumpur. The father at first refused and had wanted to bring his son to the medical centre where he was born but relented when the medical practitioner said that surgeon G will order some blood tests and will send his son home with some medications.

However, when he brought his son to see surgeon G, the surgeon examined his son's abdomen and pressed so hard that he elicited pain. Then the surgeon told the father that the son had a perforated appendix and insisted that he be operated the same night. The father was baffled because his son did not have any abdominal pain prior to that excrutiating examination but he reluctantly agreed upon insistence by the surgeon. About 1 hour prior to the surgery, the father suspected that something was not right and he asked for his son to be discharged. He then brought his son to see me.

The first thing I noticed was that the boy had a slight cough but he was very active. His father told him to jump to prove that he did not have any abdominal pain, which he did with great enthusiasm. After a thorough examination, I was convinced that the boy did not have appendicitis and definitely not a perforated one. I treated him symptomatically for upper respiratory tract infection and sent him home with some medications. The father was outraged with what happened to his son earlier but he was relieved that his son was saved from an unnecessary surgery. Professionally, I could not tell him that surgeon G may have tried to cheat him but, in my heart, I knew that was the case because I knew surgeon G very well and had inherited a few of his patients whom he operated upon and had botched the surgeries.

The next day, surgeon G called me and asked what happened to the patient. I told him I was certain that the boy did not have a perforated appendix but he insisted that the boy was very sick and had rigors (severe shivering) when he first saw him. Surgeon G said the boy improved tremendously after one dose of antibiotics. In my years of practice, I have not come across one
case where one dose of antibiotics can cure a case of perforated appendicitis. IT IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE! He also said that the boy's father was a liar and had lied about his son not having any abdominal pain. Well, dear readers, I am a parent too. No father will lie about his son's health because he would have wanted the best treatment for his son.

I suspect surgeon G is giving kickbacks to many general practitioners to send patients to him to operate. In return, he would pay these general practitioners for each patient referred to him. He would cooperate with the general practitioners to convince the patients that they need urgent surgery. I have personally worked with surgeon G and I know that his skills are questionable. He told me once that it is alright for a patient to have a recurrent disease as a result of his incomplete surgery because he would then refer the patient to another surgeon to tackle the problem. He had caused one death from a thyroid operation and at least 2 cases of complications after gall bladder surgeries which he refused to admit fault. In his clinic he has medical books with pictures of dangerous diseases which he uses to scare his patients into accepting surgery.

I am writing this to alert the public that there are doctors who are out for money only and are unethical in their practices. It breaks my heart that there are such individuals practicing freely and fleecing off unsuspecting and vulnerable patients and giving this noble profession a bad name. The only defense patients have is to be knowledgeable about their own illnesses and not be afraid to ask questions. All patients have to right to a second opinion and no doctors should coerce their patients to accept treatment against their will. The only consolation I have is that most doctors, both in public and private practice, are still ethical and are sincere in helping their patients.

Please circulate this article to your friends and loved ones and let’s hope no one will suffer in the hands of surgeons like surgeon G. Also, beware of the general practitioner who insists that you see a particular specialist in a particular hospital because he could be working hand-in-hand with that doctor.

Thank you.

MEMPERKASA PENDIDIKAN MUZIK DI MALAYSIA - MEREKAYASA PENDIDIKAN GURU MUZIK

2011-02-03T18:49:00.002+08:00

Oleh:
Prof. Madya Zaharul Lailiddin bin Saidon
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Tanjong Malim

ABSTRAK

Kertas ini membincangkan tentang keperluan merekayasa pendidikan guru muzik demi memperkasa pendidikan muzik di Malaysia. Melalui perspektif sejarah perkembangan pendidikan guru muzik tanahair, kertas ini menggariskan beberapa isu dan permasalahan dalam amalan kurikulum dan pelaksanaan pendidikan muzik di sekolah dan kaitannya dengan program pendidikan guru muzik. Seterusnya, kertas ini membawa fokus perbincangan kepada dua cabaran utama yang perlu tangani bagi memastikan matapelajaran pendidikan muzik terus relevan dalam menghadapi arus perubahan semasa dan masa depan masyarakat Malaysia di era globalisasi. Sebagai rumusan, kertas ini memberikan beberapa cadangan penambahbaikan kepada amalan kurikulum dan pengajaran sedia ada untuk tindakan pendidik muzik dan pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam perlaksanaan pendidikan muzik dalam sistem pendidikan negara.

PENDAHULUAN

Kualiti pengajaran di sekolah berkait secara langsung dengan kualiti pendidikan pra perkhidmatan dan dalam perkhidmatan yang diterima oleh guru. Perkara ini menjadi lebih penting dalam konteks pendidikan guru muzik disebabkan cabaran unik dan tersendiri yang lazimnya dihadapi oleh guru-guru muzik di sekolah. Justeru itu, sebarang usaha memperkasa pendidikan muzik di sekolah sudah tentu perlu mengambil kira penambahbaikan program pendidikan guru yang ditawarkan.
Namun demikian, program pendidikan guru muzik tidak berdiri dengan sendiri dalam erti kata ianya dipengaruhi dan ditentukan secara tidak langsung oleh perkembangan serta keperluan dan permasalahan kurikulum dan pengajaran pendidikan muzik di sekolah. Ini adalah kerana fungsi asas program pendidikan guru adalah menyediakan guru untuk melaksanakan kurikulum mata pelajaran muzik serta aktiviti-aktiviti ko-kurikulum berkaitan muzik di sekolah secara efektif. Oleh itu, meskipun fokus kertas ini adalah kepada aspek pendidikan guru muzik, perbincangan yang diutarakan tidak dapat lari dari menyentuh isu dan permasalahan yang berkaitan dengan program pendidikan muzik di sekolah.

MEREKAYASA DAN MEMPERKASA

Dua perkataan ’besar’ - merekayasa dan memperkasa – yang terkandung dalam tajuk kertas ini bukannya sekadar bermain dengan kata-kata untuk mengindahkan bahasa. Pemilihan perkataan ’memperkasa’ melambangkan harapan tinggi satu perjuangan yang tidak pernah selesai iaitu untuk memartabatkan pendidikan muzik dalam sistem pendidikan negara. Perjuangan yang kini mencecah hampir tiga dekad sekiranya diambilkira dari tahun pendidikan muzik mula dijadikan mata pelajaran wajib di semua sekolah rendah, seakan-akan tiada penghujungnya. Suasana yang dapat kita saksikan hari ini seakan-akan tidak memberi jaminan yang jelas tentang kestabilan kedudukan mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik dalam kurikulum sekolah, jauh sekali untuk melihat ianya duduk pada aras yang sama dengan mata pelajaran ’penting’ seperti sains dan matematik.

Mungkin setengah daripada kita berpandangan isu memartabatkan pendidikan muzik sebagai satu isu lapuk yang diulang-ulang. Kalaupun ianya merupakan satu isu lapuk namun tetap penting untuk kita terus suarakan. Masakan tidak, sekiranya kita biarkan status yang sedia ada ini, tidak mustahil suatu hari nanti mata pelajaran muzik lenyap daripada kurikulum sekolah arus perdana atas alasan memberi laluan kepada mata pelajaran baru yang kononnya lebih penting dan lebih relevan dengan arus perkembangan sains dan teknologi era globalisasi.

Kita tidak menyangkal terdapat beberapa kemajuan yang dapat diperhatikan di tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini khususnya dari segi peluang peningkatan profesionalisme guru muzik seperti program pengsiswazahan yang kini terbuka begitu luas. Namun demikian, masih banyak isu dan permasalahan seperti yang dibangkitkan dalam persidangan-persidangan yang lepas yang belum dapat ditangani dengan sewajarnya. Kebanyakan daripada isu tentang pendidikan muzik tanahair termasuk yang berkaitan dengan pendidikan guru muzik telah dibangkitkan dalam Persidangan Pendidikan Muzik Kebangsaan yang ulung kalinya diadakan di PWTC Kuala Lumpur dalam tahun 2002.

Antara lain, perkembangan program muzik di sekolah menengah tersasar jauh daripada unjuran perancangan asal strategi perluasannya. Akibatnya, hak murid-murid untuk belajar muzik dan mengembangkan bakat seni masih terus terabai kerana tidak semua sekolah menengah menawarkan mata pelajaran muzik. Aktiviti ko-kurikulum berbentuk muzik pula agak terhad. Kalau adapun, di setengah sekolah keadaannya seakan melepaskan batuk di tangga - lesu dan kurang bermaya - justeru kurang dapat menarik minat pelajar. Turut dibangkitkan ialah isu berkaitan dengan kompetensi guru dan kegagalan mereka memainkan peranan dengan baik sebagai agen memartabatkan pendidikan muzik. Selain daripada itu guru-guru muzik masih berdepan dengan masalah pandangan dan sikap negatif pentadbir sekolah, guru-guru dan ibu bapa serta masyarakat terhadap mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik serta kurangnya sokongan terhadap aktiviti muzik.

Semua ini sudah cukup membuktikan betapa usaha kita untuk memartabatkan pendidikan muzik selama ini agak kurang berjaya. Serba sedikit ianya turut menunjukkan kegagalan kita, golongan pendidik muzik dalam memberikan gambaran yang baik kepada masyarakat umum tentang nilai dan kepentingan pendidikan muzik meskipun diberi peluang secukupnya berada dalam kurikulum sekolah sebagai mata pelajaran wajib untuk hampir tiga dekad.

Justeru, kita tidak boleh lagi membiarkan diri terus selesa terperangkap dan tidak berganjak daripada status sedia ada. Masyarakat majmuk Malaysia telah banyak berubah semenjak muzik diperkenalkan dalam KBSR. Oleh itu kita perlu meneliti semula kurikulum dan cara pendekatan pengajaran samada masih relevan dengan perubahan-perubahan sosio-budaya masyarakat Malaysia hari ini. Begitu juga kita perlu meneliti semula program pendidikan guru sama ada masih relevan dengan tuntutan masa kini. Kita perlu segera mencari strategi dan pendekatan baru untuk lebih menyakinkan masyarakat tentang nilai dan kepentingan pendidikan muzik. Kita perlukan perubahan yang lebih radikal termasuk memberi tafsiran baru kepada amalan pendidikan muzik, sesuai dengan realiti generasi baru masyarakat Malaysia di samping mengambil kira arus perubahan di peringkat global.

Perubahan yang dimaksudkan di sini adalah selaras dengan hasrat kerajaan yang menyarankan usaha untuk mentransformasikan sistem pendidikan negara pada semua peringkat. Transformasi memerlukan anjakan cara berfikir, sikap dan tindakan. Inilah yang dimaksudkan dengan merekayasa iaitu proses perubahan radikal yang melibatkan penyusunan semula, perubahan cara berfikir, menggantikan tabiat lama dengan tabiat yang baru untuk menjadi lebih efektif, efisyen dan responsif (Hammer & Champy, 1993). Naib Canselor UPSI, Profoser Dato’ Dr. Aminah ayob (2008), mengibaratkan proses merekayasa sebagai satu hijrah iaitu berubah dari satu takuk yang rendah ke takuk yang lebih tinggi atau lebih baik.

Dengan mengambil tafsiran merekayasa sebagai hijrah, maka tindakan pertama yang perlu dilakukan dalam merekayasa ialah bermuhasabah. Muhasabah dalam konteks merekayasa bolehlah ditakrifkan sebagai proses membuat refleksi bagi merenung kekuatan dan kelemahan dengan niat untuk memperbaiki diri serta keadaan sekeliling diri menuju suatu keadaan yang lebih baik. Justeru itu, proses muhasabah bukan sahaja melibat soal akal malahan melibatkan soal hati secara bersepadu dalam proses bertafakur (berfikir). Ianya menuntut kita merenung, menganalisis, mengkaji dan membuat penilaian secara jujur dan ikhlas termasuk mencampakkan keegoan, mengakui kesilapan dan kejahilan diri demi mencari kebenaran dalam memperbaiki sesuatu keadaan.

PENDIDIKAN GURU MUZIK TANAHAIR DARI PERSPEKTIF SEJARAH

Proses muhasabah memerlukan kita menoleh ke belakang supaya lebih memahami situasi serta cabaran semasa dalam mencari hala tuju perubahan demi masa hadapan pendidikan muzik yang lebih cemerlang. Sebagaimana yang dinyatakan oleh Postlewaite dan Thomas, 1980:2):

…there are certain characteristics of schools that may not appear to make sense under present conditions. However, they do make sense when set against their historical background. …traditions from the past have given the education system a direction and impetus not readily altered, so such traditions continue to influence the patterns of schooling today, whether or not these patterns seem most reasonable in terms of national progress.

Oleh itu, elok kita meninjau sejarah perkembangan pendidikan guru muzik tanahair dengan tujuan mengenalpasti permasalahan serta cabaran semasa yang dihadapi oleh pendidikan muzik tanahair amnya dan program pendidikan guru muzik khasnya. Bagi memudahkan perbincangan, terlebih dahulu di bawah ini diberikan ringkasan susur galur perkembangan pendidikan guru muzik dari tahun 50-an hingga abad ke 21:

Analisis ke atas sejarah perkembangan pendidikan guru muzik Malaysia memperlihatkan pengaruh ABRSM yang begitu kuat terhadap kurikulum pendidikan muzik di institusi pendidikan formal tanahair semenjak sebelum merdeka lagi. Perkara ini tidak menghairankan kerana ABRSM telah mula bertapak di negara kita seawal tahun 1947 lagi dan semenjak itu terus mengendalikan peperiksaan pada setiap tahun hinggalah ke hari ini. Tidak kurang daripada satu juta warga Malaysia telah mengambil peperiksaan ABRSM semenjak tahun 1947 (Ross, 2002). Menurut kenyataan ABRSM (2005), buat masa ini terdapat tidak kurang daripada 3,000 orang guru yang mempunyai kelayakan ABRSM di Malaysia untuk mengajar muzik barat bagi mereka yang berminat mengikuti kursus bermain alat muzik barat. Oleh itu kenyataan yang dibuat oleh ABRSM (2005) memang ada kebenarannya:

Most of formal music education which young people receive in Malaysia is through private music schools or through a private teacher. Such is the widespread interest in Western music that many private music schools have become highly successful business enterprises operating from a chain of branches.

Terbukti ABRSM mempunyai impak yang signifikan terhadap budaya muzik di Malaysia dan seterusnya mempengaruhi persepsi masyarakat umum tentang pendidikan muzik. Sehingga ke awal tahun 90-an, wakil ABRSM masih dirujuk dan terlibat dalam beberapa aktiviti anjuran Kementerian Pelajaran seperti kursus dalam perkhidmatan yang dianjurkan untuk guru-guru muzik oleh Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum. Oleh itu, perbincangan tentang sejarah perkembangan pendidikan muzik Malaysia tidak lengkap tanpa mengambil kira sumbangannya serta pengaruhnya terhadap kurikulum pendidikan muzik formal tanahair sama ada di sekolah mahupun di institusi pengajian tinggi.

Menurut Yong (2003), kertas peperiksaan muzik yang diperkenalkan buat pertama kali dalam peperiksaan Lower Certificate of Education (L.C.E.) pada tahun 1972 kebanyakannya adalah berkaitan dengan seni muzik klasikal barat. Johami (1993) menyatakan bahawa kandungan sukatan peperiksaan berkenaan jelas menunjukkan pengaruh ABRSM yang menekankan aspek asas teori muzik barat, sistem notasi barat serta komposer dan repertoire muzik klasikal barat. Ini tidak menghairankan kerana ahli panel penggubalan kurikulum terdiri daripada mereka yang berlatarbelakangkan ABRSM dan tradisi muzik klasikal barat. Sukatan ini merupakan dokumen pertama yang menjadi bukti sejauh mana muzik tempatan terpinggir disebabkan hegemoni (pengaruh dan dominasi) tradisi muzik klasikal barat.

Disebabkan ketiadaan guru opsyen muzik, maka guru-guru bukan jurusan muzik yang mempunyai kelulusan ABRSM dipilih untuk mengajar muzik di beberapa buah sekolah yang mempunyai calon yang mendaftar untuk kertas peperiksaan muzik L.C.E. (Johami, 1993). Seterusnya, keperluan untuk guru muzik telah mendorong pihak Kementerian Pelajaran memulakan program latihan guru muzik di MPIK dalam tahun 1971. Ekoran daripada itu, beberapa orang pensyarah dan guru bukan siswazah telah dihantar melanjutkan pelajaran ke universiti di United Kingdom bagi memenuhi keperluan tenaga pengajar muzik di maktab perguruan.

Sekembalinya ke tanahair, kumpulan pertama yang berkelulusan ijazah dari luar negara ini telah memainkan peranan yang penting terhadap perkembangan pendidikan muzik tanahair khususnya di tahun-tahun 70-an dan awal 80-an. Antara nama-nama penting dalam kumpulan ini ialah Nazeri Ahmad, Abdul Fatah Karim, Shamsiah Hashim, Siti Hajar Maria dan Shamsudin Jaafar. Memandangkan mereka berkhidmat di maktab-maktab perguruan, maka idea dan perspektif mereka tentang pendidikan muzik tersebar luas di kalangan guru pelatih muzik dan guru dalam perkhidmatan dari seluruh pelusuk tanahair. Kumpulan ini turut menjadi konsultan utama kepada Kementerian Pelajaran dalam hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan pendidikan muzik tanahair. Antara lain, sumbangan utama mereka adalah dalam mencorak kurikulum mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di semua sekolah rendah dalam tahun 1983.

Dengan latarbelakang profesional yang begitu rupa, maka tidak mengejutkan apabila kurikulum baru yang diperkenalkan masih menggunakan kerangka kurikulum yang berpaksikan kepada tradisi muzik klasikal barat. Elemen muzik tempatan yang dimasukkan dalam kandungan kurikulum hanyalah nyanyian lagu rakyat Melayu (yang diiringi oleh muzik barat) dan beberapa rentak tradisional Melayu. Malahan ini hanya diperkenalkan di peringkat tahap satu sahaja. Manakala itu di tahap dua, pelajar didedahkan kepada permainan rekoder dan alat genderang dengan matlamat memberi kefahaman tentang asas teori muzik barat. Semua lagu yang diperkenalkan dicipta khas dalam stail barat dan dipreskripsikan dalam buku panduan guru dan buku teks yang diedarkan ke semua sekolah. Semua sekolah dibekalkan dengan set alat-alat muzik barat.

Ekoran daripada pengenalan mata pelajaran muzik sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di sekolah rendah, Kursus Dalam Cuti (KDC) telah dijalankan bagi melatih guru-guru dalam perkhidmatan bukan opsyen muzik bagi menampung keperluan guru-guru muzik di sekolah rendah. Pada ketika itu kuantititi guru yang dilatih seolah-olah menjadi pertimbangan utama manakala kualiti menjadi perkara kedua.

Mulai pertengahan tahun 80-an kumpulan kedua pendidik muzik yang dihantar ke luar negara pulang ke tanahair. Berbeza dengan kumpulan yang pertama, kumpulan kedua ini menamatkan pengajian mereka di beberapa universiti berbeza di Amerika Syarikat. Antara lain, pendidik muzik dalam kumpulan ini ialah Azizah Kassim, Tahar Sarip, Johami Abdullah, Mohd Noor Azhar, Ahmad Fuad Ahmad Dahalan, Zaharul Lailiddin Saidon, Khadijah Ahmad dan Janet Yong. Mereka ini dihantar bertugas di maktab-maktab perguruan selain daripada di Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum. Ahli kumpulan ini agak lantang bersuara tentang pendekatan kurikulum dan pengajaran di maktab perguruan dan di sekolah yang dikatakan sebagai terlalu terpengaruh dengan stail pendekatan ABRSM hingga membataskan skop pengalaman muzikal pelajar. Antara idea baru yang dibawa oleh kumpulan ini dan diseterusnya diperkenalkan dalam program pendidikan guru ialah yang berkaitan dengan falsafah dan pendekatan pendikan muzik seperti Aesthetic Philosophy of Music Education, Kodaly, Orff Schulwerk dan Dalcroze.

Serba sedikit, pandangan kumpulan ini diberikan pertimbangan semasa proses mengkaji semula kurikulum pendidikan muzik KBSR pada tahun 1990. Antara perubahan ketara dari segi kandungan ialah memasukkan lagu-lagu yang lebih bercirikan tempatan termasuk daripada Sabah dan Sarawak dalam sukatan Tahap 2.

Beberapa orang pendidik muzik daripada kumpulan kedua ini turut memainkan peranan penting dalam merangka kurikulum pendidikan muzik sekolah menengah yang mula diperkenalkan pada tahun 1996 sebagai projek rintis di 20 buah sekolah di seluruh negara. Pada tahun 2001, kelulusan telah diperolehi untuk menawarkan pendidikan muzik sebagai matapelajaran elektif di sekolah-sekolah menengah yang berkemampuan menawarkannya. Ekoran daripada itu permintaan untuk guru muzik sekolah menengah turut bertambah dan pensyarah-pensyarah maktab berkelulusan ijazah kian meningkat. Untuk tujuan ini, UPSI memainkan peranan utama sebagai pusat mengsiswazahan pendidik muzik untuk keperluan sekolah menengah dan maktab-maktab perguruan seluruh negara.

Proses semakan semula kurikulum yang terakhir adalah pada tahun 2005. Secara umumnya tidak banyak perubahan yang dilakukan sama ada dari segi kerangka, pendekatan mahupun kandungan. Semakan bertumpu kepada mengurangkan skop kandungan yang telah dikenalpasti sebagai terlalu berat untuk peruntukan masa yang agak sedikit untuk mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik. Pengaruh Aesthetic Philosophy of Music Education masih agak ketara. Ini dapat diperhatikan dari segi organisasi isi kandungan sukatan yang diatur mengikut aspek seperti persepsi estetik dan apresiasi estetik. Sukatan distruktur berasaskan kepada urutan perkembangan pelajar tentang konsep muzik dan asas teori muzik barat. Penekanan kepada kedua-dua aspek ini dapat dilihat dengan jelas pada tiga objektif pertama yang digariskan dalam sukatan pelajaran Pendidikan Muzik Sekolah Menengah Rendah (Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia, 2006) iaitu memberikan pelajar: (i) pengetahuan dan kefahaman tentang konsep muzik, (ii) pengetahuan dan kefahaman tentang sistem notasi dan konvensi penulisan muzik, dan kebolehan membaca dan menotasi muzik.

Agak malang, di sebalik pertambahan keluaran guru muzik berijazah khususnya oleh UPSI dan UiTM, perkembangan bilangan sekolah yang menawarkan matapelajaran muzik agak lembab. Menurut Johami (2002), punca utama sekolah agak keberatan menawarkan mata pelajaran muzik adalah kerana sekolah perlu mencari sumber kewangan sendiri dan terlalu sedikit bantuan daripada Kementerian Pelajaran sedangkan muzik merupakan satu mata pelajaran yang ‘mahal’ untuk ditawarkan. Walaupun isu tentang status mata pelajaran mahal ini sering dibangkitkan dalam beberapa seminar yang lepas, keadaan ini masih kekal tidak berubah hingga ke hari ini.

Akibat daripada perluasan yang agak tersekat-sekat ini, keluaran guru muzik untuk sekolah menengah dilihat sebagai melebihi daripada permintaan. Kesannya, ialah pengambilan calon untuk program pendidikan muzik di IPTA telah dikurangkan dalam lingkungan 40 orang setahun. Akibatnya UPM, USM dan UM telah menutup program sarjana muda pendidikan muzik. Kini hanya UPSI dan UiTM sahaja yang menawarkan program sarjana muda pendidikan muzik. Unjuran calon yang dibenarkan untuk mengikuti program guru sekolah menengah kian merosot. Untuk tahun ini bilangan calon yang dicadangkan untuk program ini hanyalah seramai 10 orang sahaja.

Sekilas pandang unjuran ini agak menghairankan dan agak kurang logik jika dibandingkan dengan bilangan sekolah menengah sedia ada serta unjuran pertambahan bilangan sekolah menengah yang akan dibina dan beroperasi di masa-masa akan datang. Apakah ini bermakna sekolah menengah yang akan dibina dan beroperasi di masa hadapan tidak diunjurkan untuk menawarkan mata pelajaran muzik? Apakah ini memberi petanda bahawa kita akan kembali ke status asal di mana sekolah menengah di masa hadapan tidak akan menawarkan lagi mata pelajaran muzik?

Berbeza pula senarionya dengan program pendidikan guru untuk sekolah rendah. Program pengsiswazahan guru-guru muzik sekolah rendah sedang rancak dikendalikan oleh Bahagian Pendidikan Guru dengan kerjasama Universiti Terbuka Malaysia (OUM) di seluruh pelusuk tanahair. Selain itu program pengsiswazahan guru muzik yang dikendalikan sepenuhnya oleh Bahagian Pendidikan Guru telah dimulakan di beberapa institusi perguruan dalam bentuk kursus dalam cuti. Di samping itu beberapa institusi program turut menawarkan program pra-perkhidmatan peringkat sarjana muda untuk calon-calon lepasan SPM bagi dilatih menjadi guru pendidikan muzik sekolah rendah.

Keghairahan mengendalikan program-program pendidikan guru muzik sekolah rendah kebelakangan ini, dikhuatiri akan mengulangi perkara yang sama berlaku dengan Program KDC dua puluh tahun lepas, di mana kuantiti seolah-olah menjadi pertimbangan utama dan kualiti menjadi perkara nombor dua. Sekiranya amalan menggubal kurikulum dijalankan secara terburu-buru tanpa kerangka perspektif kurikulum yang jelas, dikhuatiri program yang dilaksanakan tidak memenuhi matlamat kualiti guru yang diharapkan dan seterusnya merencatkan usaha memartabatkan pendidikan muzik.

Semua calon yang mengikuti program pendidikan guru untuk sekolah rendah ditaja sepenuhnya dan diberikan elaun. Yang anehnya calon-calon yang mengikuti program pendidikan guru sekolah menengah tidak pula ditaja dan tidak ada sebarang bentuk elaun. Peranan Bahagian Pendidikan Guru yang hanya terbatas kepada program guru sekolah rendah dan boleh dikatakan tidak terlibat langsung dengan program pendidikan guru sekolah menengah adalah sesuatu yang agak janggal.

REFLEKSI

Melalui perspektif sejarah yang dibincangkan di atas, beberapa isu dan permasalan telah dikemukakan. Namun demikian, terdapat dua isu utama yang perlu dibincangkan lebih lanjut dalam kertas ini. Kedua-dua isu ini adalah berkaitan dengan tanggapan salah (misconception) yang wujud sekian lama dalam pemikiran sebilangan besar masyarakat Malaysia termasuk golongan pendidik muzik:

(i) Menganggap hanya terdapat satu cara universal yang betul untuk menghayati dan memahami muzik dan seterusnya satu cara universal untuk mengajar muzik secara formal. Tanggapan salah ini wujud akibat daripada hegemoni tradisi muzik klasikal barat semenjak zaman penjajahan Inggeris.

(ii) Menganggap perpaduan (unity) adalah uniformity (keseragaman) manakala kepelbagaian (diversity) dilihat sebagai perpecahan (disunity). Tanggapan ini wujud akibat daripada tafsiran yang kurang tepat tentang polisi kerajaan di tahun-tahun awal negara mencapai kemerdekaan.

Kedua-dua masalah salah tanggapan ini merupakan cabaran yang perlu diberi perhatian serius kerana kedua-duanya dilihat sebagai punca kepada beberapa permasalahan lain yang dihadapi pendidikan muzik tanahair selama ini. Kegagalan kita memahami dan seterusnya menangani kedua-dua isu ini akan menyebabkan pendidikan muzik yang kita praktikkan terus ketinggalan zaman, tidak relevan dengan perubahan semasa dan bermasalah lantas memberi kesan negatif kepada usaha memartabatkan pendidikan muzik tanahair.

Isu (i):

Nettle (1985:3) menyatakan: “the most significant phenomenon in the global history of music has been the intensive imposition of western music and musical thought upon the rest of the world”. Bagi Malaysia, impaknya sangat kuat disebabkan proses akulturasi yang begitu panjang berlaku semasa penjajahan British. Oleh itu, tidak menghairankan amalan pendidikan muzik di Malaysia masih berorientasikan dan berkisar secara eksklusif sekitar tradisi muzik klasikal barat. Ini dapat diperhatikan di semua peringkat instutusi pembelajaran muzik formal, daripada rekabentuk kurikulum sehinggalah ke pendekatan pengajaran yang digunakan di bilik darjah atau dewan kuliah.

Akibatnya masyarakat awam sebahagian besarnya masih menganggap pendidikan muzik di sekolah sekadar belajar bermain alat muzik, teori muzik dan notasi serta komposer dan literatur tradisi muzik klasikal barat. Begitu juga, disebabkan dilatih dan bekerja dalam kerangka tradisi muzik ini, pendidik muzik di Malaysia telah menjadi begitu selesa dan menganggap tradisi ini sebagai muzik yang universal. Anggapan ini bukan sahaja silap malahan menimbulkan masalah.

Leung (2003) melihat tradisi muzik klasikal barat sebagai ancaman kepada tradisi muzik tempatan di kebanyakan negara di Asia. Pengalaman kita sendiri menunjukkan betapa usaha untuk memasukkan pelbagai tradisi muzik tempatan di institusi pendidikan formal menemui banyak kesukaran disebabkan kerangka kurikulum yang berasaskan kepada perspektif tradisi muzik klasikal barat di mana notasi dan konsep muzik barat menjadi penekanan. Berkaitan dengan itu, tepat sekali pandangan Volk (1998) yang menggambarkan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang masih bertungkus-lumus mencari jalan untuk memasukkan pelbagai tradisi muziknya dalam kurikulum sekolah akibat pengajian muzik barat semasa penjajahan Inggeris.

Sebagai contoh, kita merasakan beberapa lagu rakyat tempatan tidak sesuai untuk dicadangkan dalam senarai lagu yang disyorkan di sekolah rendah kerana notasinya mengandungi not-not yang ‘kurang sesuai’ mengikut rangka pemetaan konsep muzik yang ditetapkan dalam sukatan. Begitu juga beberapa jenis muzik tempatan yang dianggap kurang sesuai untuk pelajaran muzik di sekolah kerana kononnya terlalu lemah dari aspek kualiti muziknya, sedangkan muzik tempatan sama ada muzik tradisional atau muzik popular seharusnya dihargai dengan cara yang tersendiri dalam konteks budaya kita. Seperti yang Jonson Jr. (2004) nyatakan, takrif muzik, nilainya, bentuknya, dan ekspresinya adalah berbeza mengikut budaya setempat. Muzik kita mempunyai definisi, kualiti, nilai dan cara apresiasi yang tersendiri. Sebab itulah Kwami (2001) dan Hall (2002), mempertikaikan perspektif pendidikan muzik barat konvensional yang menekankan satu cara mendengar dan memahami muzik sebagai kesilapan serius dari banyak segi.

Permainan kompang dan caklempong yang secara tradisinya diajar dan dipelajari secara rote dan aural-oral telah diubah untuk dimainkan secara membaca mengikut notasi barat. Akibatnya, pengalaman muzik yang diberi kepada pelajar agak terpesong. Apa yang kita lakukan adalah sekadar mengajar tradisi muzik barat tetapi menggunakan alat muzik tempatan iaitu kompang. Dengan perkataan lain, kita sebenarnya tidak mengajar tradisi muzik tempatan walaupun kelihatan seperti mengajar muzik tempatan. Dalam hal ini memang benar apa yang dinyatakan Walker (1996), muzik daripada luar tradisi barat tidak dapat dimasukkan ke dalam kerangka kurikulum pendidikan muzik barat konvensional tanpa merendahkan dan merosakkan integritinya. Bagi Walker, apa yang kita lakukan kepada tradisi muzik kompang dan caklempong adalah merupakan satu bentuk ‘unintended cultural imperialism’.

Jelas sekali pendidikan muzik yang berteraskan kerangka perspektif tradisi muzik klasikal barat dan berpaksikan kepada Aesthetic Philosophy of Music Education seperti yang kita amalkan mempunyai kelemahan, batasan dan kekangan khususnya yang berkaitan dengan pengajaran dan pembelajaran muzik tempatan. Kelemahan ini diakui sendiri para ilmuan barat seperti Walker (1996), Campbell (2001), Kwami (2001) dan Hall (2002). Mereka mempersoalkan pengajaran muzik formal yang memberi penekanan kepada kefahaman konsep, teori dan notasi muzik barat sebagai sesuatu yang bermasalah kepada muzik bukan barat, muzik tradisional dan muzik popular. Contohnya, cara pengajaran apresiasi dan kefahaman muzik seperti yang biasa digunakan untuk mengajar tradisi muzik barat, adalah tidak tepat dan tidak adil sekiranya diaplikasikan untuk mempelajari tradisi muzik bukan barat (non-western music). Apreasiasi estetik mengikut elemen-elemen seperti harmoni dan tekstur akan hanya menonjolkan superioriti muzik klasikal barat dan meletakkan muzik bukan barat sebagai inferior dan rendah mutunya. Misalnya, orkestra simfoni sudah tentunya lebih kaya harmoninya, tebal teksturnya serta kompleks iramanya jika dibandingkan dengan muzik tempatan seperti sompoton dan ensembel gong misalnya yang hanya mempunyai tekstur yang agak nipis serta irama dan harmoni yang agak mudah.

Di sebalik kelemahan-kelemahan yang telah dibincangkan di atas, golongan pendidik muzik dan juga penggubal dasar seolah-olah masih terus terperangkap dan tidak dapat membebaskan pemikiran mereka sepenuhnya daripada perspektif yang sempit dan bermasalah ini.

Isu (ii):

Cabaran utama pembangunan negara semasa baru mencapai kemerdekaan ialah untuk menyatupadukan rakyat berbilang kaum yang berpecah belah akibat dasar “pecah dan perintah” penjajah Inggeris. Justeru pelbagai polisi diperkenalkan oleh kerajaan untuk tujuan menyatupadukan rakyat. Antaranya ialah Dasar Ekonomi Baru, Dasar Bahasa Kebangsaan dan Dasar Kebudayaan Kebangsaan. Ternyata program pendidikan memainkan peranan penting dalam membantu mencapai matlamat polisi dan dasar kerajaan.

Kebanyakan dasar kerajaan mempamerkan konsep perpaduan (unity) dan pendekatan yang digunakan pemimpin kerajaan di tahun-tahun awal selepas kemerdekaan agak condong ke arah idea satuan (singular) atau keseragaman (uniformity) seperti slogan yang selalu dilaungkan iaitu ”satu bahasa, satu jiwa, satu bangsa, satu budaya, satu negara”. Dalam sistem pendidikan negara, idea ini dijelmakan dalam bentuk satu bahasa rasmi, satu bentuk kurikulum yang seragam, satu bentuk peperiksaan yang seragam dan lain-lain.

Kejayaan polisi-polisi ini adalah tidak dinafikan memandangkan Malaysia hari ini menjadi contoh negara berbilang kaum yang berjaya. Namun demikian ’polisi satuan’ ini membawa kepada salah anggapan (falacy) berkenaan persepsi tentang kepelbagaian (diversity) dan perpaduan (unity). Salah anggapan yang terbentuk sekian lama ini seterusnya membentuk satu set minda dalam segelintir anggota masyarakat termasuk dalam kalangan mereka yang memegang jawatan dan penggubal dasar dalam pelbagai sektor kerajaan. Dalam set minda ini, kepelbagaian dilihat sebagai sesuatu yang negatif dan bermasalah serta sering dikaitkan dengan perpecahan, ketidakstabilan dan kurang persefahaman. Manakala perpaduan pula ditakrif secara sempit sebagai sesuatu yang hanya boleh dicapai melalui keseragaman (uniformity). Kerangka minda ini mendorong kepada sikap dan tindakan yang condong kepada membuang atau menidakkan elemen kepelbagaian demi mengekalkan keseragaman (Postlethwaite & Thomas, 1990).

Di sinilah dapat dilihat sebahagian daripada punca masalah berkaitan dengan usaha memasukkan pengajaran muzik pelbagai kaum di dalam kurikulum pendidikan muzik di sekolah dan di institusi pengajian tinggi. Dengan set minda ini, sebarang inisiatif untuk mengajar muzik ensembel Cina dan India ataupun muzik kaum etnik lain di sekolah kebangsaan dipandang dengan penuh prasangka. Bukan sahaja ianya tidak mendapat sokongan atau galakan malahan seringkali dianggap sebagai bersifat tidak patriotik dan kononnya bertentangan dengan semangat perpaduan yang terkandung dalam Dasar Kebudayaan Kebangsaan.

Keadaan yang berlaku ini sudah tentunya kerana intepretasi yang salah tentang dasar berkenaan. Dasar Kebudayaan Kebangsaan tidak bertujuan menidakkan kewujudan atau menghalang budaya dan tradisi pelbagai kaum di negara ini. Sebaliknya, pandangan kerajaan hari ini amat jelas dan secara berterusan mempromosikan Malaysia sebagai negara pelbagai bangsa, bahasa dan budaya. Penonjolan tradisi muzik pelbagai kaum merupakan sesuatu yang digalakkan sebagai manifestasi prinsip bersatu dalam kepelbagaian (unity in diversity) yang didokong oleh kerajaan. Oleh itu, kurikulum pendidikan muzik di institusi pendidikan formal perlu turut menjelmakan dan mempraktikkan prinsip yang sama.

Masyarakat Malaysia hari ini sudah jauh berbeza daripada masyarakat di awal kemerdekaan dahulu. Justeru, seperti yang dicadangkan oleh Baginda (2003), polisi kerajaan dan tindakan yang kita ambil harus mengikut perubahan dalam corak kehidupan masyarakat Malaysia yang jauh berbeza daripada lima puluh tahun lepas. Misalnya, menurut Baginda, generasi kaum Cina dan India tidak lagi mengagungkan negara China dan India seperti nenek moyang mereka dahulu. Kesetiaan mereka terhadap Malaysia sebagai tanah tumpah darah mereka sudah tidak sepatutnya dipersoalkan lagi. Alangkah cantiknya suasana perpaduan yang kita lihat hari ini, pelajar-pelajar dari pelbagai kaum di seluruh negara bermain kompang, caklempong dan gamelan. Bukankah akan bertambah cantik sekiranya kita dapat melihat pelajar Melayu pula bermain ’gendang 24 musim’ atau ensembel sompoton di sekolah?

Implikasi Salah Tanggapan ini kepada Pendidikan Muzik Semasa

Akibat daripada kedua-dua salah tanggapan seperti yang dibincangkan di atas, amalan pendidikan muzik di negara kita berdepan dengan dua isu atau permasalahan yang begitu ketara iaitu (i) masalah imbangan, dan (ii) masalah modifikasi.

Masalah imbangan yang dapat dikesan dalam amalan kurikulum dan pengajaran, samada di sekolah mahupun di dalam program latihan guru adalah seperti berikut:

(i) ketidakseimbangan di antara pengajaran muzik barat dan muzik tempatan
(ii) ketidakseimbangan di antara muzik Melayu dan muzik kaum lain yang terdapat di Malaysia
(iii) ketidakseimbangan di antara pengajaran makna estetik muzik (aesthetic meaning of music) dengan makna budaya muzik (cultural meaning of music).

Manakala itu, masalah modifikasi yang dapat diperhatikan ialah seperti berikut:

(i) menggantikan alat muzik asal dengan alat muzik barat
(ii) menukar lirik lagu asal dengan lirik dalam Bahasa Malaysia
(iii) menggunakan gubahan harmoni moden untuk mengiringi lagu rakyat dan tradisional
(iv) menggantikan notasi atau lain-lain sistem tradisi dengan notasi muzik barat
(v) menggantikan cara tradisi mengajar dan mempelajari muzik tradisional dengan kaedah mengajar muzik barat

Kedua-dua masalah imbangan dan modifikasi seperti yang dibincangkan di atas menyebabkan amalan kurikulum dan pengajaran muzik di institusi pendidikan formal di Malaysia berdepan dengan isu autentisiti (authenticity). Secara ringkasnya masalah autentisiti boleh didefinisikan sebagai fenomena di mana pengajaran muzik di sekolah (mahupun di IPT) memberikan gambaran yang kurang tepat tentang realiti tradisi muzik seperti yang wujud dan diamalkan di luar sekolah. Ianya adalah berkaitan dengan isu di mana:
(i) pelajar didedahkan dengan pengalaman muzikal yang tidak autentik di bilik darjah, dan
(ii) pelajar menerima kefahaman yang terpesong tentang kepelbagaian (diverse) genre, stail, bentuk, makna, fungsi dan amalan persembahan berbagai tradisi muzik yang didapati di luar bilik darjah.

RUMUSAN & CADANGAN

Sebagaimana yang telah diterangkan di awal kertas ini, langkah pertama merekayasa ialah bermuhasabah, di mana kita meninjau amalan yang lepas supaya lebih memahami situasi serta cabaran semasa dalam mencari hala tuju perubahan, demi masa hadapan pendidikan muzik yang lebih cemerlang. Untuk itu, kertas ini telah menganalisis sejarah perkembangan pendidikan guru bagi mengenalpasti cabaran semasa yang harus ditangani demi memartabatkan pendidikan muzik negara.

Kita telah melihat bagaimana faktor sosio-budaya dan politik dalam lipatan sejarah tanahair mempengaruhi dan seterusnya membentuk sikap dan tingkahlaku masyarakat Malaysia terhadap muzik serta persepsi mereka tentang pendidikan muzik di institusi pendidikan formal. Kita telah melihat bagaimana wujudnya dua bentuk salah tanggapan yang seterusnya membentuk set minda tentang definisi pendidikan muzik formal termasuk persoalan tentang apakah yang patut diajar dan tentang bagaimana muzik patut diajar.

Justeru, cabaran semasa pendidikan muzik di Malaysia adalah untuk membebaskan pemikiran masyarakat umum dan golongan pendidik muzik khasnya daripada terus terperangkap dalam set minda dan tanggapan yang salah ini. Sekiranya pendidikan muzik terus terperangkap dalam parameter perspektif sempit ini, pengajaran dan pembelajaran muzik di institusi formal pendidikan tanahair akan terus mengguna pakai pendekatan yang agak ketinggalan dan tidak relevan dengan arus perubahan masyarakat Malaysia dan global malahan agak bermasalah berdasarkan pemerhatian berikut:

(i) pertama, amalan pendidikan muzik semasa agak ketinggalan dari trend pendidikan muzik kontemporari di peringkat global yang menuju ke arah pendekatan yang lebih divergent dengan memasukkan muzik pelbagai budaya seperti muzik dunia dan muzik popular dalam bilik darjah;

(ii) kedua, amalan semasa seolah-olah kurang sensitif terhadap aspirasi nasional iaitu ‘pendidikian untuk perpaduan’ sebagai matlamat utama pendidikan di Malaysia; dan

(iii) ketiga; pengajaran muzik di sekolah memberikan gambaran dan kefahaman yang kurang tepat (misrepresentation) tentang pelbagai genre, bentuk, makna, fungsi dan amalan muzik seperti yang wujud dan diamalkan di di luar sekolah.

Dengan mengambilkira semua isu dan permasalahan yang dibincangkan, penambahbaikan program pendidikan guru muzik sama ada pra-perkhidmatan ataupun dalam perkhidmatan perlu mengambilkira pertimbangan-pertimbangan serta tindakan-tindakan berikut:

• menyediakan kurikulum yang dapat melahirkan guru yang bukan sahaja mempunyai kompetensi dari aspek pengetahuan dan kemahiran muzik serta aspek pedagogi tetapi juga mempunyai kualiti dan kekuatan diri untuk menghadapi tuntutan tugas guru muzik yang semakin mencabar selaras dengan arus perubahan dalam negara dan global.

• menyediakan kurikulum yang dapat membentuk perspektif dan kompetensi guru muzik kontemporari yang bersifat lebih divergent dan multicultural di samping berani mencuba pendekatan-pendekatan pendidikan muzik terkini seperti world music in the classroom, popular music in the classroom, authentic music teaching dan musicians in the classroom.

• Program Dalam Perkhidmatan perlu mengambil kira pandangan guru tentang keperluan peningkatan profesionalisme mereka berdasarkan bidang-bidang keutamaan yang perlu diberi perhatian mengikut keperluan semasa dan akan datang.

• Dengan kepakaran, pengalaman dan kemudahan prasarana sedia ada, amatlah membazir kiranya UPSI dan UiTM hanya berperanan melatih tidak lebih daripada 10 orang guru untuk sekolah menengah pada setiap tahun. Dengan itu dicadangkan supaya pihak Bahagian Pendidikan Guru menimbang untuk menghantar calon program pengsiswazahan guru pendidikan muzik untuk dilatih di UPSI & UiTM.

• Guru-Guru sekolah menengah kelulusan sarjana muda muzik yang tidak mengajar mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik dicadangkan dihantar ke sekolah rendah yang memerlukan guru muzik berijazah.

Sebagaimana yang dibincangkan di bahagian awal kertas, program pendidikan guru dan program pendidikan muzik di sekolah adalah saling berkaitan dan saling mempengaruhi. Maka, proses merekayasa pendidikan guru muzik turut bergantung kepada perubahan dalam kurikulum dan pengajaran pendidikan muzik di sekolah. Oleh itu, berikut adalah beberapa cadangan dan pertimbangan untuk penambahbaikan program muzik di sekolah berdasarkan isu dan permasalahan yang telah diutarakan dalam kertas ini:

• Amalan pendidikan muzik di sekolah (dan juga di institusi pengajian tinggi) perlu bergerak keluar daripada parameter tradisi muzik klasikal yang sempit supaya pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang lebih autentik, seimbang dan komprehensif dapat dilaksanakan seperti pandangan yang diberikan Johnson Jr. (2004:136) dalam perenggan berikut:

A diverse, contemporary music education curriculum is needed to respond to the wider social patterns and changes in musical engagement in the world outside the school. This curriculum must respond to an opening up of social-class relations in music-listening habits by including not only classical music but music of other genres and cultures. This calls for a divergent (global) rather than a convergent (Western classical music tradition and parochial) approach in music education. This is not to say that the Western classical tradition should be abandoned nor its importance to the culture denied.

• Menyemak semula kurikulum sedia dalam mencari jalan bagaimana pendidikan muzik boleh menjadi mata pelajaran yang lebih murah agar tidak membebankan pelaksanaannya atau membantutkan usaha perluasan penawaran ini di semua sekolah menengah.

• Alat-alat muzik KBSR sedia ada yang dibekalkan ke semua sekolah rendah adalah atas cadangan panel kurikulum lebih daripada 20 tahun yang lepas. Oleh itu, elok sekiranya dikaji semula kemungkinan untuk menggantikan set sedia ada dengan cadangan set alat muzik yang baru, dengan mengambil kira alat-alat muzik tempatan.

• Kurikulum berpusat dan standard memang tidak dinafikan banyak kelebihannya. Namun demikian, sedikit kelonggaran berkaitan dengan pelaksanaan ensembel tradisional wajib seperti gamelan dan kompang akan dapat membantu dalam banyak segi. Dicadangkan supaya pelaksanaan ensembel tradisional dijalankan mengikut pilihan sekolah berdasarkan kemampuan kewangan, guru dan masyarakat sekililing sekolah. Dengan cara ini bukan sahaja muzik pelbagai kaum dapat diajar di sekolah, malahan kemungkinan juga mata pelajaran pendidikan muzik dapat menjadi lebih murah. Selain daripada itu kemungkinan untuk mata pelajaran muzik mendapat sokongan ibu bapa dan penduduk setempat adalah lebih baik kerana dilihat sebagai mata pelajaran yang memelihara seni dan budaya masyarakat setempat.

Usaha menangani isu dan permasalahan demi mertabatkan pendidikan muzik seperti yang dikenalpasti dalam kertas ini perlu dilaksanakan dan dipantau secara berterusan dan bersepadu oleh semua pihak yang berkaitan di pelbagai bahagian dalam Kementerian Pelajaran dan Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi. Oleh itu, saluran untuk tujuan ini perlu diwujudkan seperti cadangan berikut:

• Mengadakan perbincangan meja bulat melibatkan wakil dari semua bahagian yang terlibat sekurang-kurangnya setahun sekali,
• Menganjurkan Wacana atau seminar pendidikan muzik sekurang-kurangnya dua tahun sekali,
• Mewujudkan satu jawatankuasa atau urusetia untuk tujuan menyediakan pelan tindakan dan memantau usaha memartabatkan pendidikan muzik, dan
• Menubuhkan institut atau pusat kajian dan perkembangan pendidikan muzik negara (national institute of music education research & development) supaya lebih banyak penyelidikan dan aktiviti perkembangan yang lebih berkualiti dapat dijalankan.

PENUTUP

Masyarakat majmuk Malaysia telah jauh berubah semenjak muzik diperkenalkan sebagai mata pelajaran wajib dalam sistem persekolahan hampir 30 tahun yang lalu. Dengan arus perubahan semasa, pendidikan muzik berdepan dengan cabaran yang lebih hebat untuk memastikan ianya terus relevan sebagai satu matapelajaran yang penting dalam kurikulum di sekolah. Dengan itu, usaha memperkasa pendidikan muzik memerlukan proses merekayasa yang menuntut perubahan radikal dalam cara berfikir termasuk memberi tafsiran baru kepada definisi dan amalan pendidikan muzik, sesuai dengan realiti generasi baru masyarakat Malaysia di samping mengambil kira arus perubahan di peringkat global. Kurikulum sedia ada perlu disemak semula dengan mengadaptasi strategi dan pendekatan baru demi menyakinkan masyarakat tentang nilai dan kepentingan pendidikan muzik sebagai penyumbang penting kepada pembangunan modal insan selain daripada agen memelihara khazanah warisan seni muzik pelbagai kaum di Malaysia.

RUJUKAN

Abdullah, J. (1993). Pendidikan muzik semasa. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka

Abdullah, J. (2002) Music Education in Malaysia: The Current Reality: Paper presented at the 1st Malaysian National Conference for Music Education PWTC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July,2002.

Ayob, A. (2008). Merekayasa Sebuah Universiti Pendidikan Gemilang. Paper Presented at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tanjong Malim, Malaysia, January, 2008

Campbell, P (2001) ‘Unsafe suppositions? Cutting across cultures on questions of music’s transmission’ Music Education Research, 3 (2), 215-226

Hall, P. (2000). ‘Concept or context? Teaching and learning Balinese gamelan and the universalist-pluralist debate’ Music Education Research, 2, 127-140.

Hammer, Michael & James Champy. (1993), Reengineering the Corporation: A manifesto for business Revolution, Harper Business, New York.

Kwami, R. (2001). ‘Music education in and for a pluralist society’, Issues in music teaching. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (1983). Sukatan pelajaran sekolah rendah: muzik (1983). Malaysia: Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.

Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (1995). Sukatan pelajaran sekolah rendah: pendidikan muzik (1995). Malaysia: Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum.

Ministry of Education, Malaysia (2001). Education in Malaysia: A journey to excellence. Malaysia: Educational Planning and Research Division.

Nettl, B. (1998) “An ethnomusicological perspective”, Music of the worlds cultures: A source book for music educators. Reading: CIRCME/ISME.

Reimer, B. (1989). A philosophy of music education. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Apprentice-Hall.

Ross, V. (2002). External Public Piano Examinations in Malaysia: Social and Symbolic Significance. Doctoral Thesis, Deakin University.

Volk, T. (1998). Music, education, and multiculturalism: foundations and principles. New York: Oxford University Press.

Yong (2003). The Roles of the Malaysian Government and Private Sectors in the Development of Music Education in Malaysia. Masters Thesis. University of Florida.

Walker, R. (1996). ‘Music education freed from colonialism: a new praxis’, International Journal of Music Education 27, 2-15.

Pt 1 | One-on-one with Farish Noor

2011-02-01T11:42:00.000+08:00

POOR LIVE SOUND MARS JAMAL’S CONCERT AT ISTANA BUDAYA

2011-01-24T09:44:00.005+08:00

POOR LIVE SOUND BALANCING MARS JAMAL’S CONCERT AT ISTANA BUDAYA
By Joe Chelliah

According to a report in Utusan Malaysia last week, the sound balancing and engineering at the live show by Jamal Abdillah at Istana Budaya was "memekak". It was perhaps ruined by over-powering the live sound and paying less attention to the finer aspects of sound balancing and equalization.

Too loud music seems to be an axiom for any kind of live music situation these days – from rock and disco to lounge and dinner settings. It is indeed sad that one single person could have ruined an otherwise excellent show. The live sound reinforcement system used branded Meyer/EV speakers and the digital mixing console used was a state-of-the art and latest Yamaha PM5D already available in Malaysia.

It is sad to note that although most soundmen in Malaysia may be technically proficient they may not musically trained to be more efficient sound balancers as well. Different genres of music require different mixes. I feel that a trained musician must always be at the mixing console to assist and advise the soundman / engineer as necessary. Music show producers and TV stations should pay more attention to this very important aspect of any live musical show production. Not too long ago, most of radio and TV producers for musical programs at RTM were musicians too. Names like Din Osman, Eddie Francis, Hamidon Zain and Basharuddin come to mind.

Our "popular" soundmen of today should be sent overseas on secondment to understudy live show situations and to gain a better understanding and knowledge of how others can do it so well in a practical way. I was amazed at the live sound production at George Benson's recent show at Genting's Arena of Stars even though the venue is not known for perfect acoustics like the IB auditorium.

A related ministry such as KPKK can also do this as part of our overall music industry development in Malaysia. Actually MACP too can do too it since it already has an enviable music industry development fund. I am not sure how this MACP fund is being utilized except for some Cipta Xpress get togethers of Malaysian composers at Tioman, Port Dickson and so on. If sending our soundmen to USA or Europe is too expensive we could also send them to India to learn and observe the sound and music masters there at Bollywood or Kollywood.

Humour in the Court Please!!!

2011-01-17T12:01:00.003+08:00

(Exchanges between MACC's Abdul Razak & Dr. Porntip)

ABDUL RAZAK: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?

PORNTIP: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________

ABDUL RAZAK: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?

PORNTIP: All of them.... The live ones put up too much of a fight. _______________________________________

ABDUL RAZAK: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?

PORNTIP: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.

ABDUL RAZAK: And Teoh Beng Hock was dead at the time?

PORNTIP: If not, he was by the time I finished.
____________________________________________

And the best for last:

ABDUL RAZAK: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?

PORNTIP: No.

ABDUL RAZAK: Did you check for blood pressure?

PORNTIP: No.

ABDUL RAZAK: Did you check for breathing?

PORNTIP: No.

ABDUL RAZAK: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?

PORNTIP: No.

ABDUL RAZAK: How can you be so sure, Doctor?

PORNTIP: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

ABDUL RAZAK: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?

PORNTIP: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

A TRIBUTE TO ALL FELLOW SENIOR CITIZENS

2010-12-27T18:33:00.008+08:00

Author: Unknown

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE
1930's 1940's, 50's, 60's and early 70's !

Are YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS THEN!I am one.

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos...They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer.Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds , KFC, Subway or Nandos...Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on a Sunday, somehow we didn't starve to death!
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Toffees, Gobstoppers, Bubble Gum and some bangers to blow up frogs with.We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because........WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O..K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of old prams and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and dens and played in river beds with matchbox cars.We did not have Playstations, Nintendo Wii , X-boxes, no video games at all, no 999 channels on SKY ,
no video/dvd films,no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no
Lawsuits from these accidents. Only girls had pierced ears!We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns at Easter time...We were given air guns and catapults for our 10th birthdays. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet because we didn’t need to keep up with the Jones’s!

Not everyone made the rugby/football/cricket/netball team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Getting into the team was based on
MERIT

Our teachers used to hit us with canes and gym shoes and throw the blackboard rubber at us if they thought we weren’t concentrating.We can string sentences together and spell and have proper conversations because of a good, solid three R’s education.
Our parents would tell us to ask a stranger to help us cross the road. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

Our parents didn't invent stupid names for their kids like 'Kiora' and 'Blade' and 'Ridge' and 'Vanilla' and 'Tiger'. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL !

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.

Interesting Notes on the History of Laterines & Toilets

2010-11-29T00:02:00.005+08:00

Interesting Notes on the History of Laterines & Toilets – from the net

• King Minos of Crete had the first flushing water closet recorded in history and that was over 2800 years ago.
• A toilet was discovered in the tomb of a Chinese king of the Western Han Dynasty that dates back to 206 BC to 24 AD.
• The ancient Romans had a system of sewers. They built simple outhouses or latrines directly over the running waters of the sewers that poured into the Tiber River
• Chamber pots were used during the middle ages. A chamber pot is a special metal or ceramic bowl that you used and then tossed the contents out (often out the window).
• In 1596, a flush toilet was invented and built for Queen Elizabeth I by her Godson, Sir John Harrington.
• The first patent for the flushing toilet was issued to Alexander Cummings in 1775.
• During the 1800s, people realized that poor sanitary conditions caused diseases. Having toilets and sewer systems that could control human waste became a priority to lawmakers, medical experts, inventors, and the general public.
• In 1829, the Tremont Hotel of Boston became the first hotel to have indoor plumbing, and had eight water closets built by Isaiah Rogers. Until 1840, indoor plumbing could be found only in the homes of the rich and the better hotels.
• Beginning in 1910, toilet designs started changing away from the elevated water tank into the modern toilet with a close tank and bowl.

Toilet Paper

The first packaged toilet paper was the 1857 invention of American, Joseph Gayetty and called Gayetty's Medicated Paper. In 1880, the British Perforated Paper Company created a paper product to be used for wiping after using the toilet that came in boxes of small pre-cut squares. In 1879, the Scott Paper Company began selling the first toilet paper on a roll, however, toilet paper in roll form did not become common until 1907. In 1942, St. Andrew's Paper Mill in Great Britain introduced the first two-ply toilet paper.
Toilet Brushes.

In the 1930's, the Addis Brush Company created the first artificial Christmas brush trees, using the same machinery which made their toilet brushes! In general, the type of material used to make a brush and its design was dictated by the intended use. The hair of animals such as horses, oxen, squirrels and badgers was used in household and toilet-brushes. Various types of plant fibers have been used, such as the piassava obtained from a Brazilian palm and palmyra bassine derived from the palmyra palm of Africa and Sri Lanka. Brush bristles were joined to handles and backs of wood, plastic or metal. Many household and toilet-brushes were produced by inserting tufts of fibers into holes drilled in brush backs.

Thomas Crapper: Inventor of the modern flush system toilet ( Remember it when you say " It's Crap!.
It has done more for public health than all the doctors since Hippocrates.

Crapper has been robbed of his good name. He has become the butt of jokes. His achievement has been lost in the lore of Latrinalia. The end result is that Thomas Crapper, the man who did more than any other to clear the air of the Western world, is in danger of being forgotten. His place in posterity hangs by the barest of threads.

History is in arrears on this matter of Thomas Crapper. It is time to get to the bottom of this great historic slight and make Thomas Crapper a household name as he deserves. Consider, first, the magnitude of his achievement. The flush toilet, or water closet, as it is called in Crapper’s homeland, changed the course of history by allowing society to live with itself. It is more than valves and arms and floats that hiss and gurgle; the flush toilet is the very symbol of modern civilization. Life without the water closet is, for most of us, a horror beyond imagination, so unspeakable and unacceptable that we cannot conjure up the prospect

THE MALAYSIA THAT COULD BE

2010-11-28T22:29:00.006+08:00

THE MALAYSIA THAT COULD BE — by Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan - a veteran journalist who delivered this speech at the UTAR Convocation

August 21, 2010

It is a great honor for me to be here today and I want to start by
congratulating you and your families on your success.

Although I did not attend university — for a variety of reasons, chief being
that we were not rich and that I was not smart enough to be given a
scholarship — I have, every moment in my life, acknowledged the value of a
college or university education. There’s always that tinge of regret in me
when I hear my friends speak of the fun they had in campus, the pranks they
played, the girlfriends they met, the midnight oil they burnt during exams
and the pride with which they took to the stage to receive their scrolls and
enter the new phase in their lives.

Today, it is your turn to feel the pride of receiving your scrolls after
having worked so hard. Today is a great day for you. You are young; you are
raring to go; you want to make your name; you have dreams; you have hopes;
you have your whole life ahead of you.

Many of us here on stage are in our twilight years. We have lived our lives
as best as we could and made our mistakes along the way. Some learn from
their mistakes; some don’t. It is those who learn from their mistakes who
make it in life. For those of us in this twilight stage of life, time is a
luxury we don’t have. But you, graduating students of UTAR today, you are on
the fringes of a new beginning with all the time ahead of you.

The only thing that remains is for you to set your goals; work hard; believe
in yourself; persevere; and God willing, one day, in the future, you will be
able to say — I am proud of what I have achieved and I am proud of what I
am.

Graduating students, respected audience, and friends:
As you prepare to go out into the world, I would like you to share one
thought with you. In my life, the one thing I have always been proud of is
my belief that this is a great country which could be greater; and that I am
proud to be a Malaysian — first and last.

Today, the theme of my message to you is that only you can decide how you
are going to live and that it is you who will decide what your Malaysia,
your future generations, and your world will be long after we are gone. At a
time when Malaysia is seeing daily debates on race and religion, you have a
heavy burden to bear; you, the young generation, will decide which direction
Malaysia takes and I hope today, I can share a little of what our generation
went through so you can learn from our mistakes and build on the right
things we did.

While we learn from our own mistakes, we should also learn from history.
Unfortunately, human beings are prone to forgetting history. Allow me to
talk about one personality who has shaped many lives and changed the course
of at least his country, the United States of America. I want to talk about
the American civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King Jr, a great man, who
like us, had a dream. I want to talk about him because his thoughts have
bearing on us as well.

Dr King died for his dreams but the whole world can continue to learn from
him; especially us, a country that is multi-racial, multi-cultural and
multi-religious; a country our founding fathers had hoped would symbolize
the dream that they had; that was no different a dream from the dream Martin
Luther King Jr had. I quote Dr King in one of his most famous speeches,
where he spoke about his American dream. He said:

“I look forward confidently to the day when all who work for a living will
be one with no thought to their separateness as Negroes, Jews, Italians or
any other distinctions.This will be the day when we bring into full realization the American dream." -- a dream yet unfulfilled;
“A dream of equality of opportunity, of privilege and property widely
distributed; a dream of a land where men will not take necessities from the
many to give luxuries to the few;

“A dream of a land where men will not argue that the colour of a man’s skin
determines the content of his character;

"A dream of a nation where all our gifts and resources are held not for
ourselves alone, but as instruments of service for the rest of humanity;

“The dream of a country where every man will respect the dignity and worth
of the human personality.”

Today, more than 40 years after that speech, a black man is the President of
the United States of America; a black man, it is proudly said, lives in the
White House. Today, to a large extent, Martin Luther King’s dreams have come
true in his country. Remember, even in the 1960s, after Malaysia had become
independent, after the United States had been independent for almost 200
years, blacks and colored people were not allowed to eat at restaurants
which were reserved only for white people; they could not drink from the
same tap as the white man; they could not ride on the same bus as the white
man; and in many parts of rural America, the Ku Klux Klan regularly lynched
and killed blacks for sport. Therefore, America took major strides in civil
liberties in the last four decades that countries throughout the world can
learn from.

As I say this, today, I stand here and ask you — have the dreams of our
founding fathers been fulfilled?

Some people say that it took the United States more than 200 years before
the true American dream could be realized. They say we are a young nation,
only 53 years old, and we should be proud of what we have achieved. Yes, we
have achieved a lot. Yes, we never had the kind of discrimination and civil
rights abuse as the United States had for more than 100 years. But that
doesn’t mean we too should wait 200 years to realize the dream our founding
fathers or we have.

I believe that if our founding fathers were looking over us right now, they
would be proud to see the physical achievements of our country; but their
hearts would break to see the path we have taken in addressing each other
as fellow Malaysians. If they looked at the news; at what right-wing
charlatans and extremist groups are doing and saying; at the daily racial
baiting and taunting, they would weep.

And, no, we cannot wait for 200 years like the United States of America to
expect change because today, the world moves at too fast a pace and we are
already lagging. If we don’t change, then we will forever be known as the
“the Malaysia that could have been.”

Once sleeping giants like China and India can transform themselves from two
extreme ends of ideology — one the world’s largest communist country, the
other, the world’s largest democracy — to seize the opportunities, and from
slumbering giants, catapult themselves into the forefront of the world
economy; countries once deemed backward like Indonesia and Vietnam are
charging ahead; all around us we see that those who dare to take the brave
step forward, move forward. So, no, we cannot afford to wait 200 years to
realize our dreams of the “Malaysia that should be.”

Graduating Students, As you go out into the world today, your Malaysia is different from theMalaysia I grew up in. My Malaysia was the Promised Land; it was a Malaysia
where our differences mattered so much less than our similarities and our
shared dreams; it was a Malaysia where we ate at each other’s homes, where
we played games together, where we grew up together and where we have
remained friends even in the winter years of our life.

Your Malaysia is a different Malaysia. It is a Malaysia which,
unfortunately, is today again struggling to find an identity, more than half
a century after independence. It is a Malaysia where every day we find our
differences accentuated. It is a Malaysia where it seems the spirit of
family, of togetherness, of oneness is a spirit which only the twilight
generation reminisces about.

My Malaysia was a Malaysia where we dreamed of venturing out, seeking
opportunities and building our homes and prospering our country. Today, my
Malaysia is a small part of a global village where opportunities abound in
the world around us. In your new world, you are an international citizen,
shackled only by the limits you set yourself.

In the year 2007 and 2008, almost half a million Malaysians left this
country to work abroad. That, respected audience, is almost 2 per cent of
our population — and probably accounts for more than five per cent of
working professional and skilled Malaysians — a disturbingly large number
for a developing country like ours.

A study by the Institute of Gerontology, University of Kuala Lumpur, showed
that we are an aging country. The number of older non-working persons in
Malaysia doubled from 1980 to the year 2000 from 700,000 people to almost
1.4 million; in 2020, it will be 3.4 million people. Against this backdrop,
half a million skilled Malaysians of working age leaving the country is
unsettling. Will we end up being a country of old people?

We can see the phenomena in many small towns and villages in rural Malaysia
where the young have left for opportunities in the cities and abroad and
their kampongs and home towns become dwellings of old folk. They build a new
life and return perhaps for the annual festive holiday or balik kampong, and
don’t look back again. Magnify that at the level of our country — if our
young and skilled continue to leave for opportunities abroad, is it possible
that we, too, could one day become a country for old men?

There must be reasons why Malaysians want to leave such a wonderful country.
Could it just be diminishing opportunities here and better opportunities
elsewhere? Unhappiness? Politics? Marriage? Discrimination? Or what?

It cannot be an easy decision to leave your country because we are, I am
sure, all familiar with the saying: Hujan batu di negeri sendiri lebih baik
daripada hujan emas di negeri orang.

How many times that I have been abroad on work or leisure for extended
periods and I remember how lonely it feels after just a few weeks. That
feeling of emptiness is real. And there have been times when I have been to
certain countries ravaged by poverty or infighting and war; then, the only
thing I want to do is literally kiss the ground the moment I land at KLIA.
Why then are people leaving?

There was a time when people from other countries wanted to come to Malaysia
because it was seen as a land of opportunity and a land of promise; a land
of honey and sunshine; a land where dreams could come true.
That, ladies and gentlemen, was my Malaysia, the Malaysia I grew up in.

It is still a great country, and we owe that to our founding fathers but it
is a different Malaysia today; a sad Malaysia. In that respect, how could
anyone fault you if you say our generation is to be blamed for giving you
the Malaysia you inherit?

But please do not mistake what I am saying. I believe that Malaysia has very
good people and God’s given treasures; we can still be a great country- but
only if we work towards making it great.

Let me now talk about my Malaysia. I wonder how many of you are fans of Lat,
the cartoonist? Many of my generation grew up on Lat’s cartoons. He is an extraordinary
human being who epitomizes the true Malaysian spirit which, I believe, our
forefathers envisaged. In Lat’s cartoons we would always see the portrayal
of Malaysian life where all Malaysians worked together, played together and
lived together in harmony. But there was one cartoon by Lat two years ago
which showed all his multi-racial characters huddled under an umbrella made
out of the Malaysian flag; they were taking shelter from politicians,
right-wing activists and chauvinists who spewed racial invective.

To me, it was a sad cartoon. It was a tragedy of the new Malaysia that we
live in today. Two years after that cartoon, not much has changed. In fact,
if anything, it has become worse.

Yes, it is true that it was not all glorious sunshine and camaraderie in our
country since 1957; and yes, it’s true that we did live through the madness
of May 13, 1969. But save for that stint of insanity in our history, we have
largely had good years. I want to remember the good things we had, the good friends we had and my story is not different from the story of most of us who grew up before and
immediately after Independence. The childhood I had in my hometown Kroh
(Pengkalan Hulu now) on the border with Thailand, and later in Penang, was
similar to that of Lat in Perak.

Today, most of our childhood friends still keep in touch and though we do
not meet regularly, we are still friends. You see that in Lat’s cartoons
over the last three decades as he rolls out his own life story.

Where did we take that wrong turn in nationhood that we ended seeking refuge
under the flag? When did racial baiting and taunting become an almost
everyday affair?

My Dear and Respected Audience, I don’t think anyone of us can say when we started taking the wrong fork in the road to come to where we are today. Perhaps, the undue obsession with politics over the last decade, perhaps greater awareness of a generation
unscarred by the hardships of a post-independence era, perhaps greater and
more open access to information, and perhaps more awareness of civil rights
and liberties has contributed to accentuating differences. The question is -
can we do anything about it? I believe we can.

As in everything, character is normally shaped in our formative years — at
home, in our neighborhoods and in schools.

In the book Character-Building Thought Power the question is asked whether
we have the power to determine at all times what types of habits shall take
form in our lives. In other words, is habit-forming, character-building, a
matter of mere chance, or do we have it within our own control? The answer
is yes, we have, entirely and absolutely. Look at the case of the United
States and Martin Luther King Junior. Would anyone in America have thought
in 1960 that one day, a black man would be President of that great country
and those minorities — blacks, Indians, Hispanics, Chinese and Jews — would
occupy senior positions in Government? If there were any, it would have been
the most optimistic of `human beings who would have envisioned that.

The book states that there is a simple, natural, and thoroughly scientific
method to build character - a method whereby old, undesirable, earth-binding
habits can be broken, and new, desirable, heaven-lifting habits can be
acquired — a method whereby life can be changed, in part or in its totality,
provided one has sufficiently will.

The key to it is thought. Everything you do, every conscious act, is
preceded by a thought. Your dominating thoughts determine your dominating
actions. Repeated actions crystallize into habit; and the aggregate of your
habits is your character. In simpler language, practice makes perfect. If
you practice negative acts, for example lying, stealing, cheating, it
becomes natural to lie, cheat and steal. But if in your mind, you believe
that lying, cheating and stealing are bad, are wrong, and you tend to do the
opposite as much as you can, you will become a truthful, honest, do-good
person.

It is a simple psychological law that any type of thought, if entertained
for a sufficient length of time, will, by and by, reach the motor tracks of
the brain, and finally burst forth into action. Murder can be and many times
is committed in this way, the same as all undesirable things are done. On
the other hand, the greatest powers are grown, the most God-like
characteristics are engendered, and the most heroic acts are performed in
the same way.

The thing clearly to understand is this: That the thought is always parent
to the act. In other words, you are what you think.

Here let us refer to that law of the mind which says that whenever one does
a certain thing in a certain way it is easier to do the same thing in the
same way the next time, and still easier the next, and the next, and the
next, until in time it comes to pass that no effort is required, or no
effort worth speaking of; but on the contrary, to do the opposite would
require the effort. It’s like playing tennis or badminton or football. If
you learn to smash correctly, to lob properly, and do it again and again,
you will never lose that skill. But if you don’t set your mind to it, and
don’t practice, you will never get it right and always leave it to chance,
or to a fluke shot.

Thus a simple effort to control one’s thoughts, even if at first failure is
the result, and even if for a time failure seems to be about the only
result, will in time, sooner or later, bring one to the point of easy, full,
and complete control.

From the individual to the society; every earnest effort adds an increment
of power that will eventually accomplish society’s objective.

Now, allow me to go back to that path we took in our road to nationhood that
has led us to where we are today. If we subscribe to the belief that thought leads to character building, then how we live with each other in a multi-racial, multi-religious society begins with us, at home, with our children, in the neighborhood we live and
in the schools our children go to.

My wife and I grew up at a time when most parents strived to send their
children to English medium schools. Although I come from a small rural town
my late parents sent my two elder brothers to an English medium school in
Baling, Kedah, more than 10 miles away. Today, that distance does not seem
very much. But think back 1960 in communist infested jungles around Kroh,
narrow winding roads, irregular bus service, not enough trained teachers and
you will see what sacrifices our parents made to ensure we received a good
and balanced education.

The character of schools was then different. The students were from all
races and denominations; and let’s face it; children are the most innocent
and least prejudiced beings in the world. They grow up accepting each other,
no matter what their color, no matter what their religion. Those formative
years formed our thoughts and our character and thankfully, most of us
carried that on into our adulthood.

Our elders, too, were not as prejudiced, living with each other in mixed
neighborhoods, accepting each other’s differences, each other’s cultures and
each other’s different beliefs. Sure, it was not all hunky dory but they
were, although poorer, a happier society.

But despite that, May 13 happened and it shattered the myth of one happy
country and we tried to rebuild ourselves. We had campaigns in earnest such
as the “muhibbah” campaign in schools; we had the Rukun Negara; we had Rukun
Tetangga; our leaders strived to salvage our shattered dreams and we did
recover, largely because it was a societal effort. But there was terrible
cost to pay and many people migrated during that period, most, never to come
back again.

Today, again, we seem to be taking the wrong path again – churches being
burned, mosques and temples desecrated; right wing groups touting race over
nationality, threatening those who don’t think like them, discriminating and
differentiating…..

Today, as a parent of four grown-up and growing children, I want to state
that despite trying to put all our prejudices aside, my wife and I found
that there were occasions when we were shocked at the things that our
children picked up in school. They would utter things in innocence which
displayed prejudices we did not impart upon them. It was after a lot of soul
searching that we concluded that in our schools today, children were
separated because Chinese parents preferred to send their children to
Chinese schools, where they felt the education system was better, and,
generally, Malay and Indian kids went to national-type schools. That has
resulted in unintended consequences where bumiputras are the vast majority
in national type schools and the Chinese, the majority in Chinese-type
schools. In each environment, those outnumbered felt more comfortable within
their own race group, their own silos, and some, across the spectrum,
displayed the prejudices that their own parents had. There is something
seriously lacking in our education system today; but unfortunately, change
has not come despite all the negative fallouts where from young, our
children are deprived of growing up in a true Malaysian environment.

Since my wife and I knew that we could not change the system, we asked what
could we do?

I can tell you that it was not easy. We exposed the children to our friends,
so much so that many of our old friends and their children, of different
racial and religious backgrounds, are also today their friends.
We encouraged them to learn about other cultures and other religions as much
as we encouraged them to learn about their own religion. We have visited
temples and churches in places we have gone to and we did not discourage
them from sleeping over at the houses of their friends and vice-versa, no
matter what religion, culture or race.

At times, we felt we were fighting a losing battle because growing up in the
impersonal city is so different from the kampong or small towns where
camaraderie is easier, where prejudices are less. But today, that the kids
are adults or near adulthood, we are grateful that we persevered because
they have grown up shedding prejudices and accepting people as people,
rather than as Eurasians, Chinese, Malays or Indians.

It has also helped that there are many inter-racial marriages within our
immediate and extended families and weddings and family get-togethers bring
together our Chinese, Kadazan, Indian, Pathan, Iban and Malay relatives.
But it has certainly not been a smooth ride because societal pressures have
often threatened to derail our own dream of a one Malaysia.

When the kids were overseas — the two elder ones are back after graduating —
my wife and I used to take them and their friends out for dinner. We enjoyed
taking them out as well as listening to them talk, and marveled at their
innocence, at their inability to grasp why people should look at each other
and evaluate each other by race, religion or colour. They are idealistic but
I wish that more of us shared this idealism.

Listening to the children and their friends, I often felt a great sadness
because I knew that one day soon enough, they would finish their education,
come home to Malaysia, and if things did not change, they, too, would
eventually get a little influenced, become a little prejudiced and lose a
little of their innocence.

They would find it a little disconcerting to be referred to by their race
because overseas, they just find comfort in hanging out together; because in
their mind, they are just Malaysians in a foreign land. They are not black.
They are not white, yellow or brown. They are just Malaysians.

Maybe I have become too cynical but I often wonder what people would say if
I were to ask them “what race are you?”

Take my nephew, Johan, for example. My brother’s wife is Chinese. Johan
looks every bit a Chinese. What race is he? My wife is of Malay, Gujarati
and Sinhalese descent. What race are our children? You will be amazed to
know that because of this inability to determine what race we are, my
children are deemed to come from different races, as stated on their MyKad.
My eldest is listed as a Pakistani; my second and youngest as Malays; and my
third child as Indian. I refused to argue with the National Registration
Department because as far as I am concerned, my kids are all Malaysians —
first, second, third or last.

I can give you other examples. My friend Mervin is a Malayalee who grew up
in Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan. He married a Kadazan from Tamparuli in Sabah.
They are Catholics and they now live in Hong Kong, hoping to come back in a
few years when he retires.

Their daughter, Natasha, married Reza, a Shia Muslim, originally from Iran,
born in Pakistan and who moved to London. Both are working in Singapore now.
What race is Natasha and what race would their children be?

I could talk about Ayub, my Indian Muslim buddy, and Alya Chew, his Chinese
wife, or about my friend Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad and his Australian wife; about
my cousin Shakeel and his Canadian wife; or his brothers Atique and the late
Shamin and their Chinese wives; or my long-time friend Maniam @ Wong Joon
San s/o Alagan, a Bahai from Muar, who married his Chinese sweetheart Jenny
Tan, and who are staying in Hong Kong now.

What race are they? What colour are they? Who is the Malaysian? THEY ALL
ARE.

One Malaysia, Bangsa Malaysia, Middle Malaysia – all these are slogans,
designed, I believe, with ostensibly noble intentions. But as long as these
slogans and intentions remain on billboards lining the highway from KLIA to
Shah Alam; as long as they appear only in advertisements on television and
in the newspapers; as long as they remain merely on our lips, we will not
achieve anything.

Who among us does not want these dreams achieved? But if we want these
dreams to come true, one Malaysia must be in our hearts, not only on our
lips.

Graduating Students, respected audience

Barack Obama said people have a choice — they can either remain as
bystanders and go on with their lives and let others talk about the world
they want build or they can work towards building that world.

I have been inspired by many of Obama’s speeches. He said, of people who
want change, that:

Throughout your life, you will face many challenges in seeking change; and
there will be many periods when you will be at the crossroads, wondering
whether it is worth your while; whether you should not just narrow your
interests and get on with your own life than trying to be a crusader for the
larger good.

“But I hope you’ll remember, during those times of doubt and frustration,
that there is nothing naïve about your impulse to change the world. Because
all it takes is one act of service - one blow against injustice - to send
forth what Robert Kennedy called that ‘tiny ripple of hope’. That’s what
changes the world.”

So never give up. Never allow disappointment to stop you in your tracks.
You have to pick yourself up and go on. And if you do that, you will do
well by yourself and by your country.

Graduating students of UTAR

My generation is fading into the twilight of our sunset years. It is now up
to your generation, to transcend this challenge. And you will be doing so in
a world that is as different from ours as night is from day.

The globalised, interdependent, interconnected era we live in today means
that when you leave this hall and set forth on your journey of life, you
will do so not as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Punjabis, Ibans or Kadazans.
Perhaps not even as Malaysians. You will undertake the journey as GLOBAL
citizens, competing and collaborating across communities and across borders.
The IT revolution has placed in your hands the tools and the opportunities
to fashion this world in line with your own ideals and hopes.
The future is in your hands.

And now, having imparted those words of “wisdom”, allow me to relate an old
Indian tale.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on
inside people. He said: “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside
us all. “One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance,
self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority,
and ego. “The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility,
kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:
“Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee replied: “The one you feed.”

As you leave this evening, and go on to a new life and new future, just ask
yourself one question – which wolf will you feed?

Before I end my speech, let me come back to Martin Luther King’s dream.
Something else that Dr King said perhaps bears context to our Malaysia
today. He spoke about the lack of the spirit of human generosity in today’s
world and I quote:

“When we look at modern man, we have to face the fact that modern man
suffers from a kind of poverty of the spirit, which stands in glaring
contrast with a scientific and technological abundance.

“We’ve learned to fly the air as birds, we’ve learned to swim the seas as
fish, yet we haven’t learned to walk the Earth as brothers and sisters.”

So go out today and make the Malaysia that should be. It is in your hands
how you want to shape our country.

God bless and thank you.

Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan

WHAT'S INSIDE THE KAABAH

2010-11-18T13:09:00.006+08:00

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi is the president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). He had the opportunity to go inside the Ka`bah in October 1998. In an interview with Sound Vision, he described the following features:

• there are two pillars inside (others report 3 pillars)
• there is a table on the side to put items like perfume
• there are two lantern-type lamps hanging from the ceiling
• the space can accommodate about 50 people
• there are no electric lights inside
• the walls and floors are of marble
• there are no windows inside
• there is only one door

The upper inside walls of the Ka`bah were covered with some kind of curtain with the Kalima written on it

The Ka`bah has been reconstructed up to 12 times. Scholars and historians say that the
Ka`bah has been reconstructed between five to 12 times gradually over the period of time!!!

The very first construction of the Ka`bah was done by ProphetAdam (raa. Allah says in the Quran that this was the first house that was built for humanity to worship Allah.

The black stone at Kaaba is held sacred and holy in Islam and is called "Hajre Aswad" from the Sanskrit word Sanghey Ashweta or Non-white stone. The Shiva Lingam is also called Sanghey Ashweta. So the big Q?? Is what's inside the Kaaba the same as what Hindus worship elsewhere?? Only God knows.

Source: http://www.scribd.com/doc/9629512/The-Facts-of-Kaaba

What A Difference That It Makes

2010-11-06T09:48:00.004+08:00

MPSP - from deficit to surplus

Slightly more than two years ago, Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP) was ailing financially. Remember MPSP having to absorb responsibility for the white elephant called the Batu Kawan stadium built by the previous administration despite protests from local civil activists? Remember the over-priced spanking new MPSP building which cost them RM80 million when the same building could have been built at under RM40 million?

The MPSP was a different creature all together then. Then it was a creation of corrupt politicians (and their appointees) who wielded the reigns of power in Penang . But thankfully not anymore since 2008.

Just to give you an idea about MPSP's finances, look at the chart below.

MPSP Surplus/(Deficit)

Red Under BN administration

2000 - (RM5.1 million)
2001 - (RM31.2 million)
2002 - (RM36.7 million)
2003 - (RM39.0 million)
2004 - (RM48.9 million)
2005 - (RM57.1 million)
2006 - (RM5.4 million)
2007 - (RM5.1 million)

Blue Under PR administration

2008 - RM3.0 million
2009 - RM14.6 million
2010 - RM54.39 million (as at 4 October 2010)

Now tell me who are the better administrators, where public money is concerned and should be used for the public, and those who regard public money as "loot" to be shared amongst themselves and their cronies?

Imperfect as Pakatan Rakyat may be at the moment, at least they don't steal from us and the public's money is being protected and enhanced by appointed professionals! To the detractors of PR, yes I agree their problems may be unpalatable to many of us who yearn for meaningful change from race politics and self-interests but surely they are the ONLY choice when we only have a rock and a hard place to choose from, given the present electorate's indifference and ignorance.

PENANG EXCEEDED RM1 Billion in revenue in 2009 - 1st time in 52years

Convincing proof that voting for change can only bring good to the people. Must really rid the country of the gutter rats and leeches who have sucked the country dry to the point of being bankrupt through corruption and power abuse.

The Demise of Malacca

2010-11-03T20:34:00.008+08:00

Pictures

Top Left - An artist's impression of Malacca in the days of the Portuguese

2nd - Alfonso D'Alberqurque leading the attack

3rd - Parameswara

Written by John Doe

"The port of Malacca was in a horrible state of affairs. Every night, the river of Malacca had to be chained with logs, to keep the marauding Pirates from attacking this small port. Sailors had to sleep in their ships, to safeguard their cargo, and to prevent the frequent attacks and the burning of ships... Malacca was no longer safe"... -Portuguese Records.

Malacca was never the largest port in SEA. It was never the most important port either. It was always overshadowed by Tioman, Pasai, Patanni, Aceh, and so on. The trouble is, the Indonesian Government does not even want to recognize the Acehnese Kingdom anywhere in their Textbooks, or present day Maps, simply because the Acehnese are claiming independence. (The same quashing of this history is happening to Pattani, hence the everyday violence in Yala, Songkla, Satun and Narathiwat.) The Acehnese territories had been under the Ottoman Empire for a brief spell in the 12th & 13th Century. This leads to further Academic complications as the Ottoman Empire was a creation of the Mongols of Gengis Khan. The Khan's also ruled all of India, and their subsequent descendants built the Taj Mahal. (BTW, Shahrukh Khan, Riz Khan, Yahingir Khan, Jansher Khan are all descendants of the Gengis Khan family.)

You need to understand that the Mongols, or also known as the Moghuls, were of multiple religions. You had the Muslims, the Buddhists, and these Mongolians did actually live in harmony. It wasn't until the days of Kublai Khan when trouble began, as his uncles were too busy fighting each other for territories. Needless to say, Kublai Khan resolved all these issues, and built his Xanadu, in Beijing, known as the Forbidden City today. Yes. Altantuya's ancestor-relatives built the Taj Mahal, and Forbidden City.

Now all this happened BEFORE the birth of Parameswara's great-grandfather. This was the 12th Century. Circa 200 years, right around the time when the Majapahit Kingdom fled, and broke away from the Srivijaya Kingdom. The Majapahit Kingdom then begged China many many times to "recognise, and legalize" their position in Palembang. The vicious Javanese Srivijayan's duly killed the Chinese Emissaries of the Ming, and refused to recognize Majapahit. They had made enemies with the Thais, who were then, under the control of the new Kingdom of Sukkhotai. Yes, Sukkhotai was only formed in the 13th Century. Preciously, Siam were ruled by the Angkorians in the 11th and 12th Century, and subsequently by the Burmese (Bago) from 1558-1773.

Back to the Majapahitans. They even started using and manufacturing their own Chinese coins, known as the Kepeng during the 13th Century. Please remember that the Majapahitans are really Javanese. These Hindus severely oppressed and ruled the gentle Malays of Jambi with an iron thumb. The Malays were innocent Buddhists then. The Hindu Majapahitan Javanese then quashed whatever was left of the Malays, and destroyed most, if not all, of the Malay Buddhist Temples. They all lie in ruins underwater in the Melayu River today. They await Archaeological Excavations, even though they were found more than 12 years ago.

Now this sets the stage for Parameswara. He wanted to kill his own father, because he was greedy, and wanted to be King of Majapahit, and was immediately issued a death warrant by his own father. He then fled to Temasik, where he killed King Tamagi, (who was the Brother of the King of Pattani, then under the rule of Ayodthaya). The port of Patani at that time was one of the busiest and wealthiest ports in the region with trade from China, Japan, Portugal and later on the British, apart from the local traders. The materials on trade were gold, cotton, silk, spices, porcelain and pottery.

Patanni was an excellent Port, situated right in between the Champa Kingdom of Vietnam, and Aceh of Sumatera. Furthermore, Lembah Bujang had been in existence since the 2nd Century, and was considered to be one of the Holiest Hindu sites in Southeast Asia. This was also the oldest Hindu known site in all of SEA. The second oldest would be in My Son (pronounced Mee Senn) in Central Vietnam, of the 3rd Century, under the Champa Empire. Borrobudor (Buddhist) was built n the 6th Century, and Angkor (Hindu), was built in the 8th Century.

All these Kingdoms were constantly flipping between Hinduism, and Buddhism. Depending on the Kings which ruled, their Kingdoms would constantly change from Hinsuism to Buddhism all the time. As such, Prambanan, Chandi Sukkho and Chandi Chetto, and more than 600 Hindu or Buddhist temples were built in Java during the Srivijayan Period alone. The same was true of Angkor. The Kings often hacked the statues of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, or Ganesan, and replaced them Buddha each time the Kings decided to change religions.

Such was the turbulent backdrop against which Malacca was to enter. It is important to note the dominance of the popular Religions, depending on the incoming traders as well. When the Gujerati traders first arrived in the 2nd Century, they were Hindu. When the same Gujerati traders arrived in the 10th Century, many had converted religions already. Champions of Islam were also arriving. Most notably, was Syed Bukhari, who smashed his penis on a stone, so that he would not "think evil thoughts", was one such Champion. The stone where he smashed his penis can still be viewed in Pariaman, West Sumatera. The Mingangkabau's are extremely proud of it, although we do not know anyone who has emulated Syed Bukhari recently.

On the same topic, Zheng He was probably either never circumcised, or perhaps he was "overcircumcised", as he was a Eunuch. I find it extremely strange that so many Chinese Temples are built in his honor, despite him being a Muslim. Regardless, Zheng He probably helped bring Islam into Malacca, along with his 30,000 Military Armada. The Sultan of Brunei, among others went to China to pay respects to the Ming Emperor. All Ming Emperor's names began with "Tzu" (pronounced Chu), so the fairy tale of Hang Li Poh being a Ming Princess doesn't hold water. There are those who claim that Hang Tu Ah translates to "Noble Warrior/ Leader" in the Thai Language. But, that remains to be confirmed.

It is important to note that despite Malacca having all the written records of a Maritime Law, the question of enforcement has never been brought up. The Royal Sampan Armada was never found, nor was there any grave of any Sultan during the classical Malacca Period.

The only one which is highly suspect, is the one found in Fort Canning Hill in Singapore. However, once you know that Parameswara killed the Temasik King, Tamagi, then, it is highly unlikely that the Malaccan Javanese and Bugis migrants would carry the body of Parameswara all the way back to Singapore for burial. The ruling Thai's would have never allowed this to happen. Also having said that, just like the grave of Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kesturi, Hang Lekir, and Hang Lekiu, there was never any names written on their grave (unlike the Acehnese Gravestones). All that was there, was a large stone. So, perhaps it was "Officially designated" as a tourist site, and a subtle claim of "Validation", which turned these unknown graves into the graves of warriors.

Just as the Tourism Malaysia Signage states (at the grave of Hang Tuah) "... This was a large stone, marking a grave, and hence, it must have been an important person. As such, it could have been no other than that of Hang Tuah". You see, this is open admission that no one really even knows whose grave this is. Also, by admission, "All we found was a large stone".

Yet, today, this Alleged Hang Tuah Grave is styled like the Touristy "Hang Graves" found in town near Jonker Street. I also find it extremely ironic that Hang Tuah's grave is situated in Kampong Keling. It is only dutiful of me to note now, that it becomes even more ironic that one can find alleged Soldier and Warrior Graves, but not one single Sultan. Yes. Not one single Sultan's Grave has ever been found.

Nor has there been ever any building, or structure of the Great Malaccan Empire been found either. Not one !! Why is this so? Is the Glory of Malacca a fictitious creation no different from the Mythical "Social Contract" which UMNO raves about?

I now turn your attention to Pulau Besar, situated just off the coast of Malacca. You can reach that place by regular Ferry. Why has this island never been mentioned or offered as proof of Malacca? The island is beautiful !! It boasts a golf course which has changed hands at least 4 times (coz of Bankruptcy), and a magnificent Marina City, which has yet to be launched. Construction completed in 2001. And the white sandy beaches are a joy to sunbathe on. The reason? It is apparently haunted !!

Putting ghost stories aside. This island has more than 1,000 graves !!! Of these thousand graves, two are Muslim Graves. And all the rest are Hindu Graves. Many Indians, Muslims, and Chinese flock to this Island on the weekends to pay homage. The graves are from the Malaccan Period, and yet has never been offered as "Proof". Why?

Because there were only TWO Muslim Graves. It is most interesting to note that people go there to pray for Lottery numbers and such. It is even more interesting to note that the Malaccan Government destroyed 7 graves belonging to 7 Brothers. Who are these 7 brothers? And how important were they to warrant their graves to be destroyed with a Bulldozer by Malaysian Officials? And where are any of the Malaccan Kings?

And why is the only other Cemetery, the one on Bukit China? Why are Hindu, and Chinese Graves the only reminders of this allegedly Great Muslim Empire? Where are the Muslim Graves?

The Muslims do NOT cremate their dead, and throw them into the sea, so, again, and again, I question the validity of any Muslim evidence in Malacca.

I stress that the ONLY item which suggests that there was a Malacca was a solitary coin minted. I wrote about it sometime ago (Click HERE). Even then, the coin only states "Yang Arif", which means "The Smart One".

So either this King had no name, or it was not even a Malaccan coin at all !! Half the guys in town are called Arif today. This does not mean in any way that any of them minted this coin. It is also interesting to note that this coin is called a "pitis". As all of us know, the "Pitis" was a solitary coin ripped off from the Duit Pokok, which was used to be presented to the Siamese Kings. Bank Simpanan Nasional still reminds Malaysians of this tribute paid to Ketuanan Siam, as they still use it as their Logo today.

The other issue is the chronology of events. It was recorded that the Thai's attacked Malacca in 1447, and yet, the battle was fought in Muar. Perhaps, we have all been searching in the wrong place, and the original and REAL Malacca is Muar.

Geographically, the Muar river is far superior to the Malacca River. It is as wide as the Singapore River, and the waters are calm. All maps which we see from the Portuguese, and the Dutch, show present day Malacca. This is easy to understand, if the Portuguese relocated Malacca, from Muar to present day Malacca. This also makes perfect sense, that not one artefact from during the "Zaman Gemilang Malacca" has ever been found.

All we see today, are the 16th and 17th Century buildlings. Namely, the Portuguese "A Famosa" Gate, the Dutch Stadhuys, St Paul's Church, and the Dutch Graves located behind it. The fake Museum replica was only recently built to provide an "imaginary" illusion that there was once a magnificent Malacca in its' present day location. Of course, no one will find anything from the pre-Portuguese days.

Present day Malacca is probably NOT even THE Malacca !!! It is simply just another Kampong Nelayan which the Portuguese took over. Even Kampong Keling, and all the other "supporting Villages" which surround present day Malacca do not have a shred of evidence that any of them existed during the "Zaman Gemilang Malacca".

This is so strange. Any visitor should go see "Zaman Gemilang Portuguese dan Belanda" instead. Malacca is begining to be another "National Embarrassment" soon, if this is not quickly rectified.

Assuming now, that there was indeed a Malacca, (but located in Muar), it is important to understand the state of affairs in and around Southeast Asia. Majapahit was going through tough times. The kings were assassinating each other, and there was Civil War in Java between 1401-1406. During the same period, there were also Multiple Earthquakes, Floods, Tsunami's and severe Drought.

All this took its toll on the warring Majapahit, and Srivijayan Kingdoms. Names such as Bhre Kertabhumi, Kertavijaya, Purvavisesha, Bhre Padan Salas, and so on dominated the scene begining with the assasination of Kertavijaya. All wanted to grab power. Most of Indonesia was divided, and subdivided into really small mirco-Kingdoms, and each was fighting the other for power, and control.

As such, the neighbouring ports benefited from this. Malacca (situated in Muar) was one such Port. It was small, young, and was adequately supplying resources to passing ships. However, things changed for the worse towards the end of the 15th Century. In 1499, Majapahit sent a last-resort plea to China to ask for financial assistance. It had gone bankrupt, and foreign merchants had decided not to stop there anymore. Malacca, and the other Sumatran Sultanates colluded to attack the northern Empires of Java. By 1500, they had suceeded in controlling all of the North of the Java.

The most powerful of this Alliance was the Demak Dynasty. He had 30,000 men, was much stronger than Malacca, and he was Chinese. His name is Cek Kok Po. He later adopted the Javanese name of Raden Patah, when he married his Javanese wife. The second strongest Force was Surabaya. The Portuguese saw this as a great opportunity to advance itself to the Spice Islands. As such, it immediately saw that the Civil Wars going on in Java had completely weakened itself. Perang Saudara was working for the Portuguese. However, this same Perang Saudara was also crippling the export of the much needed spices to the West, and their meats were rotting during the warm months of Summer.

In 1509, the first Royal Portuguese trading expedition commanded by Diego Lopez de Sequiera with a fleet of 18 ships arrives in Malacca hence the first European to arrive here. The locals called the Portuguese `Benggali Putih'. In an argument over the collection of "Malaccan taxes", vs the Portuguese going to the Maluku islands to obtain their own spices resulted in the Portuguese ships being ferociously attacked by Malacca. Most escaped except for 20 prisoners. Thus, hatched the idea of Bludgeoning Malacca to use it's strategic location to attack Java, and thus command the Spice Trade of the West. Thus began all the report speaking good things about Malacca to obtain Military funding for the Expedition to control Java, and Maluku.

Now, the following is what was never taught in schools:

B. W. Diffie and G. D. Winius in the book "Foundations of the Portuguese Empire 1415-1580" wrote: "the capture of Malacca by a mere 900 Portuguese and 200 Indians must rank as an event in the history of European expansion no less stunning than the better known conquest of Tenochtitlan by Hernando Cortés". Malacca claimed to have 100,000 fighting men, as was written in Sejarah Melayu (Asal-Usul Raja-Raja). So, either the 100,000 fighting men were utterly useless warriors, or someone was lying about the number. Or, the 900 Portuguese and 200 Indian Warriors had some "special Ketuanan" of sorts...

In 1510, Bendahara Tun Mutahir plots to assassinate the Sultan. Sultan Mahmud Shah executes him and his entire family instead. Sultans Ahmad Shah succeeded the throne temporary from his father Sultan Mahmud Shah. Internal strife of Malacca had begun. With more and more ships skipping past Malacca to go and directly obtain their Spices from Maluku, Malacca was left High-and-Dry. Its neighbours were all at war, and despite its contributions to the attack and conquest of North Java, Malacca was left with absolutely no control whatsoever of any territorial land in Java. In essence, Malacca was cheated, and now it was now suffering. The Portuguese obtained the help of Utimutiraja. He was a Javanese Spy who had a beef with Malacca because of the Malaccan role in the vicious attacks on Java. This Javanese Trader brought with him, his 5,000 personal Militia, to assist in conquering Malacca. All these 5,000 Javanese had developed strong hate for Malacca for their role in the destruction of Javanese Trade, and the capture of Northern Java by the Sumaterans. However, Utimutiraja became greedy. Before the Portuguese started to set sail, he decided to be a two-time spy. The Portuguese executed him instead for his "changing of sides". They then sought the help of a local Malaccan Chitty named Nina Chatu. This local rich Chitty then helped the Portuguese obtain information and deliver information for the impending attack. Meanwhile, the Malaccan Sultanate was still squabbling over which part of North Java they were supposed to control. The port was ignored, and all the traders had gone. This Chitty was very intelligent and smart. He managed to enlist the help of all the traders who were either cheated, or robbed by the Malaccan Sultan, or were disgruntled in some way or another. Thus, the Thais, the Sumatrans, and many Javanese pooled their resources to help the Portuguese. And this was done in record time too. Exactly the following year, the Portuguese return to take over Malacca. Alfonso d' Albuquerque brought his Portuguese fleet, and together with the Thais, the Sumatrans, the Javanese, and a handful of "dan lain-lain" ships attack Malacca on the 10 August 1511, and succeeded.

The Portuguese now had the perfect location from which they could launch strikes against the Javanese who were already so severely weakened, and crippled by their Civil Wars. To add to their problems, the Sumaterans were also constantly attacking the island of Java.

The year is 1628. And the Acehnese ruled Malacca for 8 months. Why was Acehnese Rule never discussed in Malaysian History Books? This was not the first time the Acehnese attacked Malacca. They attacked it in 1537, 1568, 1571, 1582, and terrorized Malacca for the next 60 years. The question is why? Here's the reason. The Portuguese wrote that Malacca was a very important location. This was not from the standpoint of Trade. But this was from the standpoint of a good base to launch attacks on the already weakened Javanese. And why Java? because they were a threat to obtaining "Droga" (Spices in Portuguese) for sale to the entire Western World. Therefore, "He who controls Malacca controls all of Europe" phrase was coined. This was said precisely to obtain the much needed Portuguese Military Funding to launch those attacks. This gamble proved to be correct.

Even before the construction of the A Formosa was completed, the King of Cerebon, King Suliwangi sent 2 Emissaries in 1512, 1nd 1513 to the Portuguese in Malacca to beg for their help. They pleaded with Henrique Leme (Captain, and Ambassador) to help stop the attack of the Cek Kok Poh. The Sultan of Demak from Sumatera. True enough, in 1513, Cek Kok Po, the Chinese Sultan of Demak decides to attack Malacca, as it was a threat to their impending attack on Cerebon. He failed to stop the Portuguese. In gratitutde, the King of Cerebon signed a treaty which allowed the Portuguese of Malacca to build a Defense Fortress and setup a Portuguese settlement in Sunda Kelapa.

Every year, the Pajajaran Kings would then pay the Portuguese 20 tonnes of Pepper for continued protection of North Java. Menawhile, the runaway Older Son of the deposed King of Malacca was volleying continuos attacks on Malacca, in 1518, 1519, and 1523. Each time, he failed. Just for continuity's sake, here is the rest of the Royal Bloodline of Johor. Sultan Mahmud Shah ruled from 1511 to 1528, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah ruled from 1528 to 1564, Sultan Muzaffar Shah ruled from 1564 to 1570, Sultan Jalla Abdul Riayat Shah ruled from 1570 to 1597, Sultan Alauddin ruled from 1597 to 1612, Sultan Abdullah Maayat Shah ruled from 1612 to 1623, Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah II ruled from 1623 to 1677, Sultan Ibrahim ruled from 1677 to 1699

Sultan Mahmud, the ruler of Johor, was a savage and vindictive sadist. He was assassinated in 1699 by a group of nobles, with the killing blow struck by Tun Mergat Seri Rama, whose pregnant wife had been disembowelled at court as a result of Mahmud’s orders. The Bendahara, Abdul Jalil, seizing the opportunity, immediately appointed himself as Sultan. Parameswara's eldest son's Bloodline ends here. The present day Sultanate of Johore, is descended from a completely unrelated Bendahara Line, and has no ties to the Javanese-Parameswara line whatsoever.

The Bendahara, Abdul Jalil took over the throne from 1699 to 1717, Sultan Suleiman Badr Al-Aman Shah ruled from 1722 to 1760, Sultan Abdul Jalil Muazzam ruled on 1760 and Sultan Mahmud ruled from 1761 to 1813, and the rest is history.

Meanwhile, the story continues at Malacca. The Portuguese realized that they could never advance to Java from their Position in Goa. Hence, they chose Malacca as a new camp. Why Malacca? It would have been suicidal to try to take over Aceh, Pasai, or Majapahit, as they were simply too strong and well fortified. Singapore wasn't to be "discovered" for the next 200 years. Plus, it was located smack in the middle of the Pirate-Infested Johore-Riau Islands. Hence, Malacca was chosen. It was financially weakened, by the Malaccan attacks on North Java, it was in a relatively unprotected part of the Sumatran Straits, and (regardless of whether it was actually in Muar or Johor), it was generally well known to be the weakest of any Ports in the region. Since Malacca was only chosen as a Port from which to launch Military Mission, the real capabilities of Malacca as a trading port became irrelevant. It wasn't long before VOA, (under the Dutch), began to realize the importance of Maluku, and decided to set their sights on Java. The very factors which allowed the Portuguese to conquer Malacca, became their weakness, and they succumbed to the Dutch in 1645.

You see, Malacca was not the great Port it was made out to be. It was a Military location, poised for launching attacks onto Java, and various other parts of Indonesia. It was a Naval Base, of sorts. Not a Trading Post.

All the nice descriptions of Malacca was simply to obtain Military funding. Most important to note, is, there is no evidence of any pre-Portuguese Malacca anywhere to be found. You want a real Location? Try Lembah Bujang instead !!!

Built in the 2nd century with the help of the Gujerati's, the local Malays were iconic Hindu's, and helped spread Hinduism all over Southeast Asia fro a staggering 1,500 years. This was known as the Golden Hindu Era. Lembah Bujang is a real Empire, built 1,200 years BEFORE Malacca !!

From Lembah Bujang, Hinduism spread to the Kingdom of Champa in the 3rd Century. And then to Borrobudor in the 6th Century, and lastly to Angkor in the 8th Century. The Kingdom of Angkor was destroyed in the 13th century, a full 200 years before Parameswara was even born !! That is the importance of Lembah Bujang.

Short of Perak Man from 10,000 years ago, and Niah Caves from 40,000 years ago, nothing else compares to the age of Lembah Bujang !! But using Perak Man, or Niah Man would be opening an entirely new can of worms, because they were both Negritos, hence, fortifying the Orang Asli's position as the one and true Bumiputras of Malaysia.

Bibliography:

Fernandis, Gerard "Save our Portuguese heritage conference 95 Malacca, Malaysia" 103 pp. Gerard Fernandis, 1995, Malacca, Malaysia. A very interesting book on the Portuguese heritage and history in Malacca.
Irwin, G. W. "Melaka fort" In "Melaka-The Transformation of a Malay Capital c. 1400-1980" Vol. one Edited by Kernial Singh Sandhu, Paul Wheatley. p. 195-241.
The history of the fort of Malacca during the Portuguese and Dutch time.

Leupe, P.A. "The seige and capture of Malacca from the Portuguese in 1640-1641" JMBRAS vol, 14, pt. 1 (1936) pp 1-176.
The occupation of the straits of Malacca 1636-1639, the siege and the capture of Malacca 1640-1641, commissary Justus Schouten's report of his visit to Malacca 1641.

Noonan, L. "The Portuguese in Malacca: a study of the first major european impact on East Asia" In: "Studia" N° 23 April, pp. 33-104 Centro de Estudos Historicos Ultramarinos, 1968, Lisbon, Portugal.

The coming of the Portuguese, Portuguese rule in Malacca, Malacca's role in Portuguese colonial strategy, Portuguese-Asian relations in Malacca, the end of Portuguese rule.

O'Neill, Brian Juan " A tripla identidade dos portugueses de Malaca"
In: "Oceanos" n° 32 Outubro - Dezembro 1997, pp. 63-83

Sandhu K. and Wheatley P. " Melaka; The Transformation of a Malay Capital c1400 - 1980" ?
816 + 784 pp. 2 volumes, illustrated throughout OUP / Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1983, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A complete study on Malacca town from the beginning till today, with a bibliography of Melaka studies.

Silva Rego, Padre Antonio da "A Comunidade Luso-Malaia de Malaca e Singapura "
In: Actas do V Colóquio Internacional de Estudos Luso-Brasileiros, vol. I, Coimbra, 1964, pp. 507-512.

Also in: Silva Rego, Padre Antonio da "Dialecto Portugues de Malaca e outros escritos" 304 pp. (Cadernos Ásia) CNCDP, 1998, Lisboa, Portugal.

Silva Rego, Padre Antonio da "A Cultura Portuguesa na Malaia e em Singapura "
Comunicaçao apresentata a reuniao conjunta da Academia Internacional da Cultura Portuguesa e do Conselho Geral da Uniao das Comunitades de Cultura Portuguesa, 28 May 1968.

Also in: Silva Rego, Padre Antonio da "Dialecto Portugues de Malaca e outros escritos" 304 pp. (Cadernos Ásia) CNCDP, 1998, Lisboa, Portugal.

Sousa Pinto, P. J. de "Portugueses e Malaios: Malaca e os Sultanatos de Johor e Achém 1575-1619"
334 pp. maps, Fundaçao Oriente, 1997, Lisbon, Portugal.

Malaca e o Estado da India: enquadramento economico, quadro politico militar; Malaca e a geopolitica dos estreitos 1575-1619, Portugueses e Malaios, a cidade de Malaca.

Sousa Pinto, P. J. de "Capitaes e casados: um retrato de Malaca nos finais do seculo XVI"

In: "Oceanos" n° 32 Outubro - Dezembro 1997, pp. 45-60

Sta Maria, Bernard "My people, my country. The story of the Malacca Portuguese community" ?
236pp. Malacca Portuguese Development Centre, 1982, Malacca, Malaysia.

Draws attention to role of lay groups in keeping the faith particularly during the Dutch period.

Sta Maria, Joseph "Where do we go from here ?"
89 pp. Joseph Sta Maria , 1991, Malacca, Malaysia.

Subrahmanyam, Sanjay "Commerce and conflict: two views of Portuguese Melaka in the 1620s" ?
In: Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, n° 19(1), March 1988, pp.62-79.

Teixeira, Manuel "The Portuguese missions in Malacca and Singapore (1511-1958)" ?
3 vols. Agência Geral do Ultramar, 1961, 1963, Lisbon, Portugal.

Thomaz, Luís Filipe Ferreira Reis "Early Portuguese Malacca"
196 pp. CTMCDP - IPM, 1998, Macau

From: Thesis "Os Portugueses em Malaca: 1511-1580" Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, 218 pp. maps 2 voll. 1964, Lisboa.

This volume comprises three essays on the city of Malacca and its society, during the first decades of Portuguese rule.

Thomaz, Luis Filipe Ferreira Reis "The Indian merchant communities in Malacca under the Portuguese rule" ?
In: Souza, T. R. de (ed., ) "Indo-Portuguese History: Old issues, new questions" Concept, New Delhi, 1985, pp.56-72

Tengku Razaleigh Speaks to the Chinese Press

2010-10-28T15:46:00.002+08:00

Sin Chew’s Exclusive Interview With Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah
By Tan Lay Peng and Liew Fan Chyi
____________________________________________________

Former Finance Minister, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, said there are
emotional and irrational Malay individuals, as there are non-Malay
individuals, who say things that can excite ethnic emotions. When some Malay individual blurts out a comment that the Chinese or the Indians should go back to their countries of origin, that Malay individual does not represent the Malay bangsa; he or she is even condemned by the generality of the Malays.

“In order to achieve national unity in a multi-racial country, the
community and political leaders should restrain from making emotional statements that may be perceived as ʻracistʼ.”
He feel disappointed that after 53 years of independence, there are
still people who trying to play up the racist issue. He says, in a multiracial country, racial identity cannot be the determining
factor in the formation of a national identity or nation. National interests should take precedence over ethnic identities or interests.

“This is what we have attempted to do after Independence. If this
national process fails, in the sense that ethnic interests are allowed to
to take over, then the nation or the country will break up, as we have seen nearly happening in a country like Sri Lanka .”

“I am talking about the rights of the rakyat to be treated by the
government with justice and fairness, irrespective of race, in all fields
economic, social, political and legal. I am not talking about natural rights or of some particular or special “ethnic rights” but of political,
constitutional, social and economic rights beyond ethnic interests and
particularities.”

“Every government policy, every government action and decision that
affects the interests of all the rakyat must be based on these principles, not on ethnic considerations.” He says, equality is only a philosophical if not an ideological concept that has never been practiced by any nation anywhere since the beginning of
human history. The important thing is governance by justice, balance and fairness

“Eradicating poverty, for example, cannot be a pro-Malay policy; it has to be a policy for all the rakyat irrespective of ethnic differences. This is one of the main objectives of the NEP.

“If we had succeeded in the implementation of that policy with
honesty and dedication, without self interest, we would have solved
the problem of racial identity with economic function.

“Unfortunately, after 1980, there was a turning that was taken which
has nothing to do with the Second Malaysia Plan or the New
Economic Policy. It was misused for individual enrichment, and the
consequences are what you see today.”

“The problem we face in Malaysia today, as I have stated earlier, is
a very serious and deep problem within our society. The fault-lines
in the economy and race relations are very deep. They cannot be
solved by simple slogans. Indeed, a slogan such as “1Malaysia”
covers a multitude of faults in our society and misleads the people
into believing that it is a matter of simply repeating a slogan.”

“Many people do not know what 1Malaysia is, or they have all kinds of ideas about it. See the confusion that the “1Malaysia” hullabaloo has created. They think that 1Malaysia means 1Bangsa Malaysia – no more Malay race, no more Chinese race, no more Indian race, no more Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera kaum. They think that everybody must be equal, no more the so-called “special privilege” for the Malays, demolish or revamp the Constitution, throw away the royal institutions, and some people demand that there should be only one school system in the country, the National School System, no more Chinese- and Tamil-stream schools.”

“I think that before this 1Malaysia thing came into our national life, we
were getting along well with each other. We did not quarrel over petty
matters. We tolerated each other. We knew and understood our
differences. No churches or “suraus” were burnt or vandalised. There
was no Perkasa – no need for one.”

What we should be concerned about is “1Malaysia” in terms of territorial unity or integrity, that is the territorial integrity between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

After 53 years of independence, we have a very difficult political
situation. There is a lot of anger, disappointment, anxiety and
negative uncertainty in all groups and all levels of Malaysian
society.

“We have reached a crucial time in our history, that is the result of
failure of leadership in providing for economic policies and politics
of responsibility. Corruption and greed have taken over the politics
of the day.”

Unfortunately, there has been an institutionalization of greed over
three decades, and this is reflected in the corruption that exists in
all political parties and many of our institutions. Those responsible
for this are what I would term as a political and business class that
emerged during the three decades, whose interests are to enrich
themselves and accumulate wealth. There is no exposure or public
criticism strong enough to expose these groups because they also
control the media. It is therefore easy for these groups to divert the
attention of the people from the real problems that the people face
and give it a racial twist.

The reality of the present state of our economy, which is the heart
of our problem, is very different. It affects all groups, regardless of
race. But the hope lies in the young who have seen the abuse, who have seen the emptiness of racial politics, and who have emerged as a political force today. They feel there is urgency for change.
They want politics that are serious, that address the real problems
Malaysians face as a whole. A lot of our young Malaysian have no confidence of our country, not only Chinese, but Malays as well. They go abroad, study and stay overseas and not come back to Malaysia.
I have friends who ask their children to go overseas and don’t come
back to Malaysia. Most of them migrate to Australia. We must
make a change.

Racial Policy
I donʼt see we have any ‘racism policy’ that is deliberately created by
parliament or the government of Malaysia to separate the people into
First Class Citizens and Second or Third Class Citizens, like the old
apartheid policy of South Africa.

There is no special economic policy for any other racial group.
The basis of the New Economic Policy is not racially based.
The purpose of the New Economic Policy was to create a Malaysian
nation. “Without a political economy which is balanced and just, particularly addressing the consequences of a colonial economy which excluded the Malays from the main stream of the economy, it would not be possible. It is not a racial policy but an inclusive policy of all communities. All businessmen face the same problem.”
Everyone agrees that 60% of the poor in the country are the Malays, and if one considers the fact that the Malays make up the majority of the population, the figures in real terms must be huge.
7
★ Three worries about the country

I have three main worries about the economy, the politics and about
national unity in this country. First, I worry that the economy of the country might be a source of ethnic disunity and social unrest if the wealth of the country is not fairly and equitably shared among the various races or ethnic groups and among social groups, or the gaps between the majority poor and lower income groups and the rich minority or the upper middle class keep widening.

Secondly, I worry that party politics interfere with government functions. I believe that when a party politician becomes a minister he is no more a political activist working on behalf of his party using government or public or taxpayers facilities; he is a public servant working for the Nation and serving the “rakyat” (All Malaysians) and not working for his party. Of course government policy is usually based on the policy or election manifesto of the ruling party (or parties) but this does not mean that he is to serve only those who voted for the party and deny the use of government facilities or to spend public money on those who voted for the opposition parties.
My worry on national unity is that we are not building it up and giving it substance through the right forms of national policies; instead we chant empty and often emotional slogans calling people to unite and in the process creating more confusion and misunderstanding among the people.

There must be a clear national policy on national unity, endorsed
by the Parliament as our highest law-making institution. All overnment
policies on economic, social, educational and cultural developments
must be geared to this overall national objective: national unity (which is not the same as ethnic unity or unity among the races).

★General Election

The main reason why the BN nearly lost in the last elections was that
they had been deceiving themselves into believing that no alternative
government could replace them. They failed to differentiate between political power from moral legitimacy, and so they continued to rule by defaults and commit various serious moral miscreants through corruption, power propping and denial mentality. The independence of the judiciary was blatantly tempered by the executive or political power. Reform must begin from the leaders who are to lead their communities; their morals must change, their principles must change; they must not just declare total war against corruption; they must be seen to act on their words.Have not UMNO, MCA and MIC been communal-based parties, all ʻchampioning the rights and interests of the respective communities?
Yet, in the last elections they were rejected by their traditional supporters. Why? Is it because they were not more Malay, more
Chinese or more Indian? I think they were rejected (though not totally,
not yet!) not so much because the parties were not “communal” enough as because the morals and principles of the leadership and the senior officials of the parties were distrusted by the respective communities. They were perceived to be more interested in their own personal interests and those of their cronies, friends and relatives than those of the communities at large.

All cabinet members are appointed by Najib. If any one of them does not support Najib, they should be dropped by Najib.

★Perkasa
I should think that PERKASA’s enemies are not the non-Malays but
UMNO leadership and the corrupt Malays whose main interest is to
accumulate wealth – not Malay interests or the interest of the Nation!
The problem that UMNO is facing today is the lack of confidence of
UMNO members. They feel no hope and no future of UMNO. They
believe UMNO will lose in next general election. That is why UMNO
must reform. Otherwise they might lose two or three more states and
Parliament might even be hung.

He said, if 80% of Perkasa members come from UMNO, the question of UMNO distancing itself from Perkasa does not arise and should not weaken UMNO.

★BN and UMNO

I support the idea of direct membership in BN. This will reduce
communalism in BN and encourage more ethnic-free input into the party. I think Mahathir himself did a lot of moral and democratic damage to UMNO either by default, or by non-action or by self-interest designs. The undemocratic quota system in UMNO was introduced by Mahathir when he realized (after I nearly defeated him as President of UMNO) that without the quota system he could lose his presidency.

“Mahathir did say that UMNO is beyond repair. Well, why didn’t he
“repair” UMNO before it got worse when he had the power to do it?”
The question of whether I will compete for the post of party president
again in the next party election? I will see if the UMNO members want a change in leadership I might consider.

Abolishing the quota system is not the be all of revamping. It does not
restore real democracy in UMNO. As I said, the removal of the quota system does not mean that democracy is completely restored in UMNO. The practice of vote-buying or “politik wang” or “rasuah politik” could remain as a side track alternative to the quota system.
The transfer of leadership should not be a dynastic system, from one
father PM to son PM or relative. Maybe the UMNO presidency should be limited to 3 terms only. The MCA has done it. This is to avoid the
emergence of dictatorship in UMNO or spent-leadership who digs in to preserve his power in the party and reject unfriendly changes or
reform.
★Najibʼs Leadership

I believe that Najib inherited a lot of the mistakes, defaults, and misdeeds of previous BN/UMNO governments of Mahathir and Abdullah. I wonder if he is brave enough to undo those past errors and conduct real, fundamental, and principled reforms.
Or, I fear he might even perpetuate the same mistakes to be on the safe side knowing what Mahathir can do if he is attacked.

Najib has been talking much about transformation and innovation.
What is it, I am not sure yet until perhaps I have a chance to listen to him personally. What you read in the press may not be the real thing but merely glosses. All I can say at this moment is that transformation is not the same as making changes – changes can either be for the better or for worse.

Najib, I should say that he seems to be sincere in trying to reform but in this he should not be too dependent on unreliable advisors or on those theoretical think-tank experts, including foreign-recruited experts who claim to know everything about market economy, about the country, the culture of the people and the minds of the Malays and the non-Malays, ignoring the silent voices and the real, basic problems of the rakyat (not on what the experts imagine them to be), brushing aside the voice of the party grassroots members, and working in terms of what the various vested interest groups and individuals want him to do. In the end, he should realize that it’s not what the academic experts say that determine the fate of this country and the fate of his party and government but what the voters really want.

Do the experts and the think-tank people know how to reform the morals of the leadership? They may have the answers, but most probably dare not tell the leadership in his face.

★ Economy

We don’t have, in the process of attracting FDIs, bend our national
policies and the law of the country merely to attract the FDIs. All we need to do is to transform the country back to the FDI-friendly conditions of the past. Bear in mind that during the NEP period, our economy expanded tremendously, despite all the adverse criticisms against the policy. Today we need to wipe out corruption in officialdom. We need honest, capable and efficient ministers and officials to manage not only the FDIs but also domestic investment.
We should not go overboard in completely ʻderegularisingʼ the domestic market just to meet the IMF and WTO-based market rules and any kinds of terms dictated by the foreign investors.
In other words, in our attempts to encourage FDIs, we are not going to sell the country to foreign capitalists.

Government plans to increase the per capital income through Economy Transform Plan, but Tengku says, he didnʼt believe that better growth statistics mean better life for all the “rakyat”. It is the equitable and fair distribution of the increased national income
that is important. Take the statistics on Per Capita Income (PCI). This is a classical economic or income measurement of a countryʼs
development. The idea is that, if the PCI of the country is high it means that the country is a developed nation. I don’t buy this classical idea!

Look at the USA that has one of the highest PCI’s in the world. Does this mean that everybody in the US has this level of income? There are more than 30,000,000 hardcore poor there, but more than 30,000 US citizens earn more than US$50 million a year.
Are we saying that when the PCI of Malaysia reaches, say US$10,000 a year, everybody, the taxi drivers, the policemen, the soldiers, the “kampung” people, etc enjoy this level of income. Let the economists believe it. I don’t.

10 years ago one could live comfortably with a salary of RM1,200.00 a month. But you double that amount today and you pay three times more for the same thing you bought 10 years ago.

★ New Economy Policy (NEP)

NEP which I think is (was) a good national economic policy to achieve a balanced and fair economic sharing across ethnic boundaries, but it failed to achieve its objectives, including the eradication of poverty irrespective of ethnic differences.
The major victims are the poor Malays and the beneficiaries were
cronies and business lobbyists, those who exploited the policy, many of whom, including many non-Malay “taukes”, became richer, millionaires and billionaires out of the economic growth and larger economic cake generated by the policy.

THE AMAZING KELEDEK (SWEET POTATO)

2010-10-27T14:16:00.005+08:00

Did you know that SWEET POTATO (Keledek) far exceeds the nutrition and health values of rice?

Here are the benefits of substituting rice with kamote:

1. Sweet potato is more filling and suppresses hunger pangs longer. It is also cheaper than rice.

2. Unlike rice, it is easy to grow. It grows in backyards with or without fertilizers. Local government executives can provide their poor communities with idle government land for planting kamote which the entire community can share.

3. Unlike rice which needs to be eaten with a dish, sweet potato tastes good and can be eaten by itself. Thus, substituting rice with sweet potato saves money for other needs.

4. Rice cannot match the nutritional values of sweet potato. Because rice converts to sugar in the body, the Philippines registers as a top producer of diabetics in the world.
The poor tends to load up on rice and less on the dish which are more expensive. That makes them vulnerable to diabetes, an ailment known in developed countries as a rich man’s disease.

5. The nutritional values of a 3 oz. baked sweet potato are: calories 90, fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, protein 2 g, dietary fiber 3 g, sodium 36 mg, vitamin A 19,218 IU, folic acid 6 micrograms, pantothenic acid 1 mg, vitamin B6 <1 mg, vitamin C 20 mg, vitamin E 1 mg, calcium 38 mg, manganese 1 mg, carotenoids 11,552 mcg, potassium 475 mg and magnesium 45 mg. Compare that to a 100 g serving of white rice with: calories 361 kcal, water 10.2 g, total fat 0.8g, dietary fiber 0.6 g, calcium 8 mg, phosphorous 87 mg, potassium 111 mg, sodium 31 mg, vitamin B1 0.07 mg, vitamin B2 0.02 mg, niacin 1.8 g, protein 6 g and carbohydrates 82 g.

6. Too much rice consumption can make you sick, but sweet potato (kamote) can bring you to health and keep away some health problems. These have been proved medically.

Believe it or not – sweet potato (kamote) lowers hypertension, bad cholesterol and even blood sugar when eaten as SUBSTITUTE TO RICE!
The purple sweet potato (kamote) is particularly effective for lowering hypertension.

Not only that, the Korean medical documentary credits the sweet potato (kamote) as high fiber and is one of the best foods that one can eat to prevent cancer!

For those who are only impressed by US doctors, read this:
the North Carolina Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have all endorsed the sweet potato for its disease prevention and healing qualities.

The Americans, the South Koreans – both progressive nations – have raised the kamote to a high pedestal. Many of them even call the sweet potato a “super food that heals.”

MY LOVE FOR CRABS AND PRAWNS ( Joe Chelliah)

2010-10-18T10:44:00.002+08:00

My early childhood “laugh and roam” days in Panchor by the banks of the Muar River has had me going through this phase of my life like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I used to swim and fish in the river.

One of the things that has still stuck with me is a passion and love for fresh water prawns called udang galah. I get excited whenever I see them - live or cooked. The other food from the river is the mud crab or ketam batu in Malay. This evokes the same response from me.

I was told that these mud crabs are not so popular with Malays who sometimes catch/trap them but sell it off at good prices. Since this crab can survive both on land and in water, it is not preferred by many Malays. Some consider it haram to eat. This got me thinking but was assured by my religious mentor, an Al-Azhar trained ustaz, that’s it is not haram but makruh. For those not familiar with these terms haram means explicitly forbidden in Islam. Makruh, on the other hand is not forbidden bust discouraged. One is not penalized for doing it but it is better avoided. Smoking cigarettes/tobacco, eating durians or petai fall under this category.

So I still have a ball with my crabs and prawns often preferring the Indian version of cooking it best.

THE EVERGREEN GUITAR – A BRIEF HISTORY - By Joe Chelliah

2010-10-12T01:32:00.007+08:00

Clearly, the guitar is a popular, if not the most popular musical instrument worldwide. Ever since the Portuguese first brought it to Malacca in the 16th century, the guitar has charmed its way into the hearts of Malaysians ( and Nusantarans) by its ubiquitous presence in alamost every Malaysian musical ensemble including keroncong and ghazal.

The guitar has indeed come a long way from its ancestry (pun intended). Social histories of Europe indicate that the guitar had always been popular with the mostly the lay folks although a few may not have shared this same feeling for it. A noteworthy example is Fetis, the noted 19th century music critic who was well known for his highly dogmatic opinions. In 1829 he wrote of the reputed Spanish guitar virtuoso Fernando Sor’s concert in Paris.

“To speak of M. Sor is to say that one has heard the guitar played with rare perfection. What a pity that someone with such a sense of harmony should have devoted so much talent and patience to an unworthy instrument”.

Another critic, Pierre Trichet said,

“ The guiterre or guiterne is widely used in France and Italy, still more by the Spaniards, who were the first to bring it into fashion. They know how to use it more fooloishly than any other nation, having a particular address in singing and playing….with a thousand gestures and bodily movements as grotesque and ridiculous as their playing is bizarre and confused”

Covarubias, yet another critic, in a sad and complaining tone over the diminishing interest shown towards the vihuela since the emergence of the guitar laments that “ the guitar is no more than a cow-bell, so easy to play especially the rasquedo, that there is not a stable lad whom is not a musician on the guitar” Such were the thoughts of the upper classes of cociety that really looked down on folk and popular musics.

Be that as it may, there seems to be diverse opinions as to the origin(s) of the guitar which falls into the classification of chordophones. Scholars generally agree that it is a plucked chordophone although many guitarists use other kinds of techniques to elicit guitar sounds – tapping, using slides etc.. It is said to have derived from the Greek kithara via the Arabic qitrara and that it was known in Europe by different names – the French quiterne, the Italian chitarra and the Spanish guitarra.

Four specimens of a wooden instrument resembling the modern acoustic guitar with signs of having frets and three to four strings have been excavated in Egypt that date back to the 4th and 8th centuries C.E..

One scholar says that true guitars emerged in Europe early in the Renaissance period.
And they were distinguished from other fingerboard instruments of the period, and from their predecessors, by their wasted body shape and smoothly rounded bouts.

The guitar became popular in Spain, Italy and France by the mid 16th century. Guitars had always been popular in Spain but in the earlier centuries of its existence the guitars seem to have been associated more with the common people.

In Italy, ample iconographic evidence depicts the guitar in the hands of charlatans and saltimbanchi (street jugglers and acrobats) but by the 17th century it had been transformed into an object of fashion especially in France where it is said to have been introduced by Italian actors in Paris.

In France, the guitar was extremely popular as evidenced in many publications of the 16th century dance repertory which contain pavanes, galliards, branies and transcription chansons.

Unique Capacity

The guitar rose to higher levels of popularity in the 18th century and resultantly simpler music was published to cater for the increased demand. The popularity of the guitar lay in the ease with which one could manage a simple accompaniment to a song. This continues to be a true assertion.

During the 19th century, the guitar was in the curriculum of the leading European schools of music in Vienna, Paris and London. Someone suggests that the chief reason why the guitar rose in popularity and replaced the “aristocratic” lute lies in the direction of development the lute and its music took.

More and more strings were added making its tuning and playing even more difficult> Moreover, he says, the lutists wrote increasingly esoteric music, withdrew into tight exclusive circles and “took their art literally out of this world.” The guitar, on the other hand, seems to have taken exactly the opposite direction.

There is a conspicuous lack of published works for the guitar that were composed by the classical masters. But evidence is slowly being gathered that at least some of them did. Schubert did write for the guitar and played it well. It is claimed that he relied on the guitar more intimately than any other composer except perhaps Hector Berlioz for whom the guitar was the only polyphonic instrument he mastered.

Paganini is reported to have admitted that the guitar to him, was a “thought former”. Lully also played the guitar and would reportedly, amuse himself for hours bu improvising hundreds of minuets and courantes on the guitar.

Boccherini also used the guitar in some of hios chamber music as did other 18th century composers. The list of of works for the guitar and piano during the Beirdermeir Period (known in German countries as Beidermeirzeit and dates from 1815 to 1848) includes waltzes, variations, duos, serenades, fantasies, rondos, sonatas, nocturnes, sonatinas, roundeux, polonaises, concertante and divertimentos.

The guitar has consistently exhibited its capacity to accommodate and to adapt to constantly changing musical tastes throughout its history. The demands placed upon the resources of the guitar by its diverse adherents in Europe and beyond have been many through the centuries of its existence till present times.

It has pleased the king and peasant, the virtuoso and amateur, the man and the woman, the rich and the poor and finally, the European and the non-European.

The various developments and changes and aesthetics over the centuries, on the other hand, had rendered some instruments extinct. For example, the harpsichord and other such charming instruments were effectively silenced by a Romantic musical climate caused by Eagner’s apothesis of brassy sounds.

The guitar is one of the first of those instruments that have readily availed themselves to electronic manipulation and sound synthesizing. Special sound-effects gadgets for the electric guitar like phasers, flangers, equalizers and synthesizers abound. Performance techniques like the “bend”, the “hammer”, cross fingering and tapping are also some recent innovations.

At present, the guitar is uded to play all kinds of music from a Bach prelude to the Malaysian keroncong and from the American “country music” to the screen music of Indian movies. Rock, classical, jazz, Hawaiian and what have you in today’s music have each accorded a salient role for the guitar. Not many instruments can boast of such universal acceptance.

THE MALAYSIAN INDIAN DILEMMA

2010-10-04T10:47:00.006+08:00

(Received from a friend via email...written by an Anonymous person)

Vanakkam, All Indian Makkals....,

I felt like "highlighting" a few matters to all of u makkals...! It may be laughable for some and inspiring for most. Also it is something to seriously ponder and make a firm decision and change. Most of us need to understand that there is a power in
the words we utter. In simple it is called "Soll Sakthi". If we keep repeating the same word or sentence of request, the "Soll Sakti" works positively. So now lets see what a Malay scholar in Tamil has to say of it.

Recently, a friend of mine had a chance to meet a high rankng Malay "Pengarah" in the goverment who is involved in the policy making and many other things. Surprisingly, he speaks good Tamil and told that he had studied in a Tamil primary school and took Tamil and Tamil ilakiam in MCE and got a credit. While they were discussing so many things, the friend asked him, "Boss, we Indians also born here and will die for this country if necessary yet we are not getting equal treatment. Why?

His answer is, "What ever treatment the Indians are getting is because of themself. You Indian people call us using the nickname "Naattan". What does this mean?
We Malays belong to this country and you Indian people are NOT....isn't it...?. It doesn’t matter whether you Indians are telling this word with understanding the meaning or not but we Malays understand even if not all of us understand "naatan". You Indians keep on telling us that we are the ones who belong to this country and you people are not. Since you Indians yourself declare by saying that at least a few millions times a day….. right?

So the power of word (Soll sakti) that you'll bless us with is making us grow stronger day by day. And naturally one day you Indians are NOT going to belong to this country, thus why should you be given equal treatment? History may prove many things about Indians in Malaya first but with Indians daily blessings we are becoming the Prince of this land. So what are you Indians going to do about it now? It has been almost 50yrs we were blessed by your words. Now we must thank you for that and we are getting stronger day by day .. .. from today onwards don’t use that word call them Malay.

Now lets see where we Indians stand in this land after so many years. You will realize that we are in either reverse mode or losing/dying mode.

1. Idli and putu mayam, is our traditional food but now Chinese started to make, sell & even export to Singapore. We Indians are still going round on motorbikes with box. Why...? Note: A little upgrade from bicycle to bike.

2. Vadai, Tengga paal appam,puttu and urundai, now Malays are doing and earning good money by selling it in pasar malam.

Meanwhile, we Indians are bz watching "MEGA SERIAL" at home...!

3. Murukku and Achi murukku, now Chinese and Malays are doing & exporting to Singapore. Note:You may notice in some Malay made pakets they call it Maruku and some "Kaataans" are already calling this is a product from their ancestors.
And we Indians...? " Oh ye ke, kamu pun pandai buat Maruku, ehmm, sedap lah"... thus indirectly supporting them.

4. Kalliama,Murugan, Vinayagar and Ayya, now Chinese started to pray, they believe in our form of worship more than us...! Why??? We are bz looking for glamourous & economic prospected names & religious believes.
Plz beleive me, now days they have temples called "Amma Cakap Koil" and "Aiya cakap koil".. many more I may not know off.A chinaman will get the trans & will speak in Malay. -:)

5. If you were to ask our family members when we are going out for dinner or supper. First word, they'd say say is "We go for Chinese food".
Why is it is so ? Mind set... Chinese food is healthy and tasty.
Do we realize ourselves that our food has many grains, spices and many more natural stuff which is better for health. I may need not say for you may know the Chinese food content (MSG , Fats etc ) & quality of preparing is of no concern ha.!. Further to that, our foods do not get promoted out of the home kitchen.
Note : I know of a few Chinese who our envy our food for its natural content and our people for strength and agility. But we don’t appreciate our own foodstuff ha..!
Also H1N1 has given our food content a DISTINCTION. It has natural healers. Plz check out how many Indians died of H1N1 in Malaysia.

6. Thaipusam/Tiruvilla/School functions - Our youngsters are proud to show off as the Tamil movie heros in action. Their mischief then gets them into trouble with the authority & police followed by being whacked by them in prisons...
.......some to death.
Then what happens.... practically nothing. Even upon seeing or being beaten to death does not inject fear in them to change mindset. They keep repeating the same. Why this is happening and why we are not changing at all....???
Firstly are the parents on right track to guide the young??

As you can see from above simple examples, we are giving away everything that belongs to us slowly without pain nor realising.

Sorry if I have offended anyone, this is my personal view on some basic happenings in our Indian society and nothing relating to personal attacks...! Indians don’t have to dominate the pasar malam or any business centers. But we should do more then just selling kacang putih in a lot of the pasar malam or business centres.
Also one need to understand that at the whole sale markets, the Indians are being sold goods at a higher price thus effecting the market price which he sells flowing down. We need the unity, which our community lacks most to step forward and change from the tiny scale we are in to a larger one in future.

We can see that now the Indians are given many courses for free or best price by the government. The financially or academically incapable families should take up.
Note that the good and expensive courses in the university and colleges we still have to fight for.. the weapon?? Very good acedemic results... what else.

Nandri, Vanakam and for once, please for the future of our generation please use your brains to think of MOVING FORWARD.....!

Vaalgeh Valamudan
Nam Samuthayam Namathe Kadamai

LEAVE OUR ANTHEMS ALONE

2010-10-01T17:45:00.004+08:00

There is growing trend in Malaysia to institute changes merely for the sake of change. Name changes from buildings and roads and now to anthems should not be treated in such a casual manner. It may be done only if there is a drastic need and even then only after much thought, discussion with and consensus among the people.

The Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Secretary-General Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib is reported to have said that “ the government felt that the song was lacking in spirit and wanted to change it to one with a more upbeat rhythm”. Such an opinion, even if it is a considered one is, to me, not a drastic need. Moreover, it would not have been launched by non-other than the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail himself at Dataran Merdeka on Aug 20, 2006 if the song had been “lacking in spirit” in the first place.

I believe that change is a good and pragmatic thing which is sometimes inevitable and more so in physical areas like infrastructure, healthcare, technology and so on. But in areas such as the arts, culture and tradition there has to be much caution exercised and with much due reverence. Music together with the other arts definitely gives a “face” and a cultural identity to any nation. It evolves slowly over time but “artificially” changing things in short time frames is not a wise thing to do.

Take for instance, U.K’s “God Save the King/Queen” that has been around since 1745 or even the U.S.A. which is considered a less conservative nation that have not changed their national anthems since first adopted. We changed our own “Negara Ku” not too long ago to a faster paced march tempo and it is now back again to singing it as it used to be in the past since 1957 in a slower and more majestically paced tempo to match its grace and dignity. The changing of anthems should not be done at the whim and fancy of anyone including the government of the day. A level of “sacredness” has to be observed and attached to such national hallmarks.

JOE CHELLIAH @ JOHAMI ABDULLAH: LIVE MUSIC DYING IN MALAYSIA

2010-10-01T16:53:00.000+08:00

http://joechelliah.blogspot.com/2010/06/live-music-dying-in-malaysia.html

2010-09-01T06:06:00.003+08:00

MAME on Astro Awani

An email response to a good musician friend re recent ruckus at Karyawan's meeting.

Dear Hassan,

You have said it well that " It is sad that the politics gets in the way of the true purpose of a society of this kind which is to protect that section of workers who need it and need representation."

The alternative association you mentioned was the MAM ( Malaysian Association of Musicians )which was led by Terry, Zain Azman, Nasir and Julie Sudiro later is now defunct. They could not get it going. It too failed to get meaningful support from the grassroot folks and practioners themselves - the pengiat seni lot.

Yes, we had some good times with MUM initially in the late 80's n early 90's - Top of the Pubs, Music Fests, legally fighting entertainment outlets that treated our musicians bad etc. I resigned from MUM as its Hon. Sec in 1995 when I realised even then that I could not see eye-to-eye with Fred who was its Prez and concentrated on my events business which is still active n doing reasonably well apart from keeping me occupied n putting better food on the table. Syukur Alhamdulillah.

Later in 2002, together with a few like minded pioneers I registered the Malaysian Association for Music Education (MAME) see www.mymame.org of which I am President till now. May not go on as is Prez when my term ends this time. It too seems to have been a waste of my time.

I have since come to realize, actually for sometime now, that only my passion for music and music education has kept me going on in these organizations. It's hard to help people who don't want to help themselves too - musicians and music educators alike who are satisfied merely by sitting back and commenting negatively about the sometimes valliant efforts of others. It's like spitting into the air - it falls back on your own face. Yes, I have also realized that there are indeed quite a few leaders who have vested interests in music organizations, something to be found in some other organizations in Malaysia and elsewhere too. There can be much jealousy and resultant politicking. This is of course not right. We cannot escape this fact, I suppose. Well, we can do only so much, brother. Selamat berpuasa.

Wassalam.

THE “MALAS & MANJA” SYNDROME – REALLY A WORLDWIDE THING”

2010-08-10T12:14:00.006+08:00

Indon Maids Do Our Household Chores

Bangadeshis,Myanmars, Nepalese and Indians All Doing Our Hard, Menial and Dirty Work

“Malas” in Malay means lazy, indolent, idle, lethargic languid, sluggish, slothful etc. “Manja” means pampered, spoilt, coddled, fussed over, over-protected etc. "Manja" is usually used on children in a loving way but in this short essay the two words refer holistically to the general psyche of people in different countries – Malaysia and Singapore included.

Whether it is the USA, England, France or any developed or developing country like Malaysia, this “Malas & Manja” (M & M) syndrome invariably sets in slowly but surely on the native population. Development is a result of hard work and industry by earlier generations. Sacrifices, good governance and pure industry are among the major factors that generates national wealth and well-being of citizens in all such countries. The M&M syndrome is not anything new. Even ancient civilizations have fallen due to this factor – Babylon, Phoenicia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Muslim empires (Ottoman, Mogul etc.).

I recently read a retort by a Singapore Malay to a comment from a retired Malay politician who had commented about Singapore Malays rather negatively. The Singaporean had said that Malaysian Malays suffer from the M&M syndrome mentioned above. I wish to add that not only Malay Malaysians but indeed all Malaysians have become afflicted with this syndrome – including the Singapore Malay. Excepting perhaps some, the M&M syndrome is quite apparent in all communities in Malaysia today.

When a country is doing well (to be read as generating significant wealth) it begins to attract “pendatang” or immigrants from poor neighbouring countries. The “pendatang” I am referring to is not to be confused with the forcible influx of slaves as was the case in the USA and indentured laborers (near slave labour ) brought here by the British to Malay peninsula in earlier times from India. The “pendatang” referred here is to those who migrate voluntarily to seek better fortunes away from their homelands. This term is also not to be confused with expatriates who are brought in simply because of their expertise as is the case with Indian technocrats now in USA.

These modern day immigrants then begin to fill in the lower paying menial jobs that the local M&M folks are not keen on. As such unskilled labour is the favorite occupation. Therefore, the M&M syndrome is clearly seen in UK which has attracted both legal and illegal immigrants by the droves from West Indies, Africa, India, Pakistan and just about every other country one can think of. The menial staff at Heathrow airport is menially manned by almost 100% from Pakistan or India. The same has happened in USA with people going seeking for the American dream especially from Mexico and the Latin America and the South American “football” countries. In European countries people from the former USSR states have started flocking more recently to their wealthy neighbors such as Sweden with the lifting of the Iron Curtain. Arab countries, notably Dubai, also suffer from the same M&M syndrome.

Now back to Malaysia (and Singapore), almost all unskilled labour in the construction industry and similar areas is from Indonesia and/or Bangladesh. In many Malaysian eateries, workers from India, Myanmar, Thailand etc. work as cooks and waiters. In almost all mamak” eateries Tamils and Pakistanis from the Indian sub-continent handle almost the entire operation of the eatery except perhaps banking in the money. The only visible Malaysian component is seen in the license / permit hung at the payment counter prominently displaying the name of a Malaysian Indian Muslim (Mamak). Maids from Indonesia and Filipina work in many Malaysian homes and take care of all our household chores including baby care.

We have all become afflicted with the M&M syndrome knowingly or unknowingly. We hardly even walk but ride about. Our children too are chauffeured around. We are not willing to emulate hard work and endeavor onwards like our forefathers who had worked laboriously and sweated it out in padi fields, fishing boats, vegetable farms, rubber estates, railways, ports etc. The present generation expects the government to solve all their woes. Kit Lee (Antares) in his part cartoon book “Adoi” (Times Publications 1989) has a glossary of Manglish words such as “Bekozwai” – because why, “Lastaim” – last time, “Aidonchmain” – I don’t mind, “Aiseman” – I say man, “Atoyu” – I told you so, “Chipsket” – cheap skate and so on also lists “Debladigarmen” which is explained as “ a contraction of “the bloody government” – “widely used scapegoat for all of life’s disappointments, delays, denials and prohibitions”.

Let us not accuse anyone of being “malas and manja” okay?. Look yourself in the mirror first……..that Singapore Malay included.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND BALANCING

2010-08-04T19:50:00.006+08:00

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND ENGINEERING IN LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT SITUATIONS

(Joe Chelliah)

I write to highlight a serious problem in audio engineering, also known as live sound reinforcement, in Malaysia. Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of sound through mechanical and electronic means. More specifically, it refers to the management of sound in situations where there are live musical performances, speeches or playbacks of sound recordings from whatever source. It is more commonly referred to as the PA system or merely as the sound system by lay folks. In the old days PA was understood as public address and today it is considered professional audio.

With the rapid advances made in audio technology and more recently with digital technology, the management of sound has become quite a complex affair. The sound pressure levels generated by the new audio systems can also be very powerful and even deafening. In the old days horn speakers were used in large open air situations – the types still used for the azan at mosques. Horn speakers were also suitable at funfairs of yesteryears in which the sound had to be heard from far away to attract the kampong folk. Somehow, this penchant for loud sound seems to linger on even today particularly with the younger generation. From kampong weddings to live concerts the audience is “treated” to deafening and ear-unfriendly sound with a belief that loud is good.

The management of amplified sound requires sound engineers and audio technicians. It’s no more about just turning the volume, bass or treble knobs anymore. Main house equalizers, parametric equalizers, noise gates, sound processors and a complex array of similar audio peripherals make it indeed a much more multifaceted affair. In Malaysia, we have quite a few sound engineers whose qualification is generally derived from long exposure and experience with actual live sound situations. On the other hand, anyone can study the theory and practice of audio engineering at higher institutions of learning and proclaim oneself to be a sound engineer. Yet, such a person can fail miserably in real live situations in spite of all his/her technical knowledge, experience and training. This is more applicable to live music concert situations and has occurred with alarming regularity in Malaysia – both over the airwaves and live concert situations for quite some time now with no redress or cure in sight.

In the early days of RTM, there was an official post called “sound balancer” now defunct. Nine out of ten such sound balancers were musicians with good musical hearing. Names like Samad Harun, Eddie Francis, Din Osman come to mind. Their bosses themselves were good musicians like Ahmad Merican (now Tan Sri), Zainal Abu and Dol Ramli. These sound balancers even became producers later on with their gathered experience. One needs good musical ears to balance the sound in any musical situation. A sound engineer configures the sound system to its peak capacity and makes sure there are no technical glitches like buzzes and feedbacks (that high pitched, horrible shrieking sound) that can damage ear drums. That is his/her main role.

Sound balancing is also quite synonymous with the mixing of musical sounds. Different kinds of music and genres require different mixes. In Indian or Ghazal music, for example, the tabla has to be very prominent. In swing music, the kick drum receives lesser focus that the ride cymbals and snare and so on. In pop yeh-yeh music the lead vocals and the lead guitar receive equal emphasis in volume. In most advanced countries, unlike here in Malaysia, the sound engineer is also a trained musician who has studied such aspects of music formally too.

In a recording studio situation the producer (usually a very good musician) maintains this balance while the sound engineer/technician oversees other technical aspects only. This arrangement can be duplicated at live shows. In many live shows that I have attended in recent times the sound engineer is almost always a non-musician but one who knows about the technicalities of sound amplification at best. I was present at the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta earlier this year to watch our RTM jazz band perform some very nice and difficult pieces but sadly the sound mix hardly matched the otherwise excellent performance by the jazz band. Excellent horn arrangements and great solos by Razak Rahman and Dato’ Mokhzani largely went unheard or noticed because of the poor mixing done by the sound “engineers” there. Many Malaysian TV stations have grand finals in stadiums and open air situations repeating similar problems perpetually in spite of generous budget allocations by sponsors.

I believe that having a good and proven musician behind the board can eliminate this problem. For example, someone like Fauzi Marzuki can easily be put in-charge of sound balancing with a reasonably attractive fee. Such a person can then work hand in hand with the sound engineer(s) to elicit the best of sounds both from the system as well as the performers. Let us hope that such things are given due prominence from the powers that be.

JOE CHELLIAH @ JOHAMI ABDULLAH: AKU INGAT PADA MU ( Joe Chelliah)

2010-07-22T00:01:00.000+08:00

http://joechelliah.blogspot.com/2010/01/aku-ingat-pada-mu-joe-chelliah.html

THE " OTHER" UNSUNG HEROES OF MALAYSIAN MUSIC

2010-07-17T11:48:00.004+08:00

( Written By Joe Chelliah)

Lewis Pragasam - Our Percussion Maestro

Universally speaking, there are many great musicians who had left indelible marks in their respective musical cultures and/or civilizations. They have not been suitably acknowledged due to many factors such as ethnicity or popularity amongst those who walk the corridors of power. Lesser musicians who played music at the same time who did not shine or exhibit similar musical prowess have often been celebrated at the expense of the true masters of their times. Such lesser musicians contributed very little but yet managed to get accolades and raves from the ruling elites This is also true in Malaysia.

The movie “Amadeus” shoes how Mozart died a pauper although his great and forward-looking music was raved about only long after his early death. In Malaysia our own example is Tan Sri P. Ramli and Saloma who suffered the same fate and were left quite penniless in their last days.
Local TV programs are too commercially motivated and resultantly do very little justice to non-pop music and the other fine arts too. In this scheme of things Malaysian Indian and Chinese musics too are ignored.

The TV stations could also produce programs dedicated to great Malaysian musicians of the past and giving them due recognition. It is also part of our history worth knowing. The lack of writings by our academics and historians of our past Malaysian musicians further add to this general apathy. Our children can forget about the Pythagoras Theorem or Archimedes’s Principle or what is the capital of Argentina but can they forget our own roots and musical legacies and heritage?

Many Malaysian greats, both living and dead, have been mostly forgotten let alone remembered for their music contributions simply because Malaysia does not seem to have an archiving mentality. Even the video recordings done by RTM in its early years are all gone in a fire at RTM, I was told. That is why we do not get to see music programmes of the 1960’s and 1970’s recorded by RTM like how we get to watch old Malay movies repeatedly, thanks to Shaw Brothers and Cathay Keris Films.

Perhaps there exist very limited audio-visual records of past musicians for us to analyze or credit. If only the national archiving agency could formally document them. Our music academics in the universities can also get students to do research on Malaysian musicians of the past....of all races.

There were many early luminary musicians in Malaysia who should all be remembered by us. I call them the Merdeka musicians – Alfonso Soliano, Jimmy Boyle, Tony Fonseka, Tony Soliano, Joe Rozells, Stanley D’Almeida, Larry Roriguez, Victor Felix, Benedict Soosay and so on.

There have been many other great Malaysian musicians after the initial Merdeka group passed on. Many are still with us and still very active but remain, sadly, unrecognized locally for their awesome talent but are receiving better recognition elsewhere - in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and even in Europe and USA. I list a few of them below.

Michael Veerapen – Jazz pianist
Dennis Lee – Classical pianist
Lewis Pragasam – Drums and percussions

Josie Thomas - Guitarist

Paul Ponnudurai - GuitaristJenny Chin - Pianist

Mac Chew - Pianist

Aubrey Suwito - Pianist
Jerry Felix - Drummer

Alex Thomas - Pub Entertainer

Lewis Pragasam for example has lectured at Yale and Harvard on Asian rhythms, indeed a great feat. I am not sure whether any of the local universities has even invited him for motivational talks.

Both the Merdeka musicians and those listed above have not got any official recognition ……….yet. Let us not wait till our all our sifu musicians are dead and only then start raving and ranting about their music and abilities….as was the case with Mozart in the West and P. Ramlee in Malaysia. They need not die (pun intended) to be recognized.

STOP WORRYING AND NEVER STOP LIVING

2010-07-07T11:21:00.002+08:00

Life is full of possible fun and God given. The positive ones by far outnumber the bad/forbidden/haram ones. Many people I know many people who bind themselves with so many "can not do this or that" one syndrome....sheeesh.

Get out there and LIVE. Life is too short lah. At 66, Praise THE ALMIGHTY, I have been and am still LIVING, All Praise to Allah s.w.t.. See video of my life these days at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyGd6tpag4k

LIVE MUSIC DYING IN MALAYSIA

2010-06-19T09:03:00.002+08:00

By Joe Chelliah

I am often amused by advertisements that proclaim “live” band performances in hotels, clubs or lounges with pictures of the band members posing admirably. What I get to see most often is a band that comprises of three lady singers as front liners and another male or female behind a keyboard with a laptop at the side. Except for the vocals and the dancing, there is absolutely nothing live about the music though. The music tracks played are produced through pre-programmed MIDI files that are easily downloaded from the internet and reproduced through laptops. The keyboardist usually pretends to play but probably would not know where the Middle C note is. This is what live music has become in Malaysia today.

Live music in the strictest sense of the word is music that is actually performed live and in real time by real musicians and singers. Even the rhythms must be produced live on the drums. Live music is all that is opposed to any music reproduction of sound recordings from a CD, a DVD or any other electronic means. Live bands were performing from kampong weddings to five star hotels till quite recent times. There was a bubbly live band culture in the past in Malaysia. Even commercial recordings had live musicians performing unlike today. Such a true live band culture still prevails in the Philippines, Indonesia and India while it is dying out in Malaysia. Except for a couple of clubs, traditional music and the few orchestras including the “infamous” dangdut scene, live music in Malaysia is a thing of the past and dying if not already dead. What a pity and what a shame?

JOE CHELLIAH @ JOHAMI ABDULLAH: OF MAMAKS, MALABARIS & KAKAS

2010-06-19T08:26:00.000+08:00

http://joechelliah.blogspot.com/2009/06/malaysian-roots-indian-connections.html

More Research On P. Ramlee’s Career Please ( Joe Chelliah)

2010-06-15T23:51:00.003+08:00

P.Ramlee

(This is a rehash of an article I posted in 2007)

P. Ramlee was a great artiste of his time and worthy of a Malaysian Oscar but unfortunately we did not have any similar awards at that time i.e. between 1950's and the 1960's. The thinking then was that such things were exclusively reserved for Hollywood. However, I think we have come to a saturation point and enough tribute has been paid to him in the form of praises and talk on TV, Radio and press. The time has also come for us to stop singing more praises that come just short of deifying P. Ramlee. We have posthumously conferred a Tan Sri honorific title on him. It is sad to note that at the time of his untimely demise he was not popular and was sorely lacking in funds too.

The guitar powered rock bands of the time which he had named called kugiran which is short for kumpulan gitar rancak (hot guitar groups) were one main cause for his falling from grace at the charts.

In spite of the fact that music is an academic subject in at least seven universities in Malaysia for the past few years with some already having post graduate programs, the life and times or the works of P. Ramlee and other similar luminaries of the past has yet to be chronicled. Some material can be found on the net but it is the work of fans and fan clubs.The time has come for some serious writings by academics from the field of social sciences that can also fit the hall marks of scholarly research.

To my knowledge no one has bothered to analyze his music and trace its development and style from the 1950’s to the 1960’s. What was the medium of musical style that he used? Or was he just imitating the Latin based combos of the West of his time like Prez Pradao and Xavier Cugat by cleverly giving it a Malaysian twist. Many of his late 50’s and early 60’s songs and arrangements are clear indicators of aping the West, a practice that is still quite prevalent in Malay popular music today. How much of his music was original material in its melodic and harmonic schemes? Was he any different from the current generation of musicians and tune-writers? If so how? P. Ramlee was undeniably a very good tune writer of his time. The popularity of his songs to date is testimony of this. Did he also arrange all the music all by himself? His earlier works seem to indicate that they have been “treated” and arranged by musically literate night club musicians of the time – probably the Solianos type of Filipinos or the Goan musicians in Singapore. Is this true? There are people still alive today who can answer such questions.

Ramlee was a product of his times who outshone his many other contemporaries and luminaries in the Malay world of film production. His works are with us today just because of the existence of his Malay films – our thanks to the Shaw Brothers and Cathay Keris Production houses. Were there other equally great musicians in his time? Who were they? Was Kassim Masdor one of them? Why is he not as famous? Is it because he was not an actor? These and many questions need to be answered too as we keep showering more praises on P. Ramlee.

May His Soul Rest In Peace.