| One nation under God, in sarong protesting |  |  |  |
| Posted by admin | |
| Monday, 09 June 2008 14:21 | |
| I foresee, with the price hike, not only the poor will suffer even more, but people will be in desperation. Crime rate will go up. People will be debt-ridden. Businesses will go bust. Families will have to work harder than they can handle. Dr. Azly Rahman dr.azly.rahman@gmail.com
"…Profit increases capital./ Capital increases profit. More money means more schemes./ We can't be help up, we can't be interrupted ... Money must circulate./ Money must circulate/ Time is money./ Goods are money/ we call this economics..... If you disturb us/ Unemployed workers will bite their nails…" -- from, Chorus of Machines, W.S. Rendra's The Struggle of the Naga Tribe (1975) While quietly protesting and waiting for the gas price in New York City to go up to $4 per gallon, I have been obsessed with these ideas on Malaysia: What if we only have a 4-day week selling our labor to the Malaysian state? What if the nation stays home, wears the sarong and work online? What if we boycott those foreign oil companies by boycotting their gas pumps twice a week by taking the public transport? What if we do this by September 16 and see what's going to happen? PAKATAN RAKYAT PARLIAMENTARIANS TAKE NOTE. What if we write to our Parliamentarians and ask them to pose all the 570 billion Ringgit questions to PETRONAS – all the questions we can think of in order for this national oil company to be fully nationalize – or rakyat-ize? Then we question the very foundation of the huge projects such as the Iskandar Malaysia that also allow the American company Halliburton to operate. PAKATAN RAKYAT PARLIAMENTARIANS TAKE NOTE What if we ask everybody to unsubscribe their ASTRO? To eat out less? To boycott the newspapers? To turn off the TV twice a week? To consume only what they need? To teach the nation to how Malaysian advertisers lie on TV? RAKYAT TAKE NOTE Economists – help us calculate the gains by staying home in sarong, working online, boycotting the petrol stations a few days a week, etc. What if we refuse to pay for those expensive foodstuff and go for the very basic, the bare minimum? What if we design a long-term plan to villagize ourselves and to build communes based on the ideology of the moral economy of the peasant society but equipped with facilities for organic farming, high-speed Internet access, good mini libraries, and meaningful communities to foster inter-ethnic understanding? ECONOMISTS AND GREEN URBAN ARCHITECTS TAKE NOTE What if we begin to notice the lifestyles of Malaysia's rich and famous and the powerful – especially those associated with the aristocrats and the ruling class and compare this with the lifestyle of the poor and the unknown and the pariah of the modern Malaysian capitalist system? What if we ban from our roads all the Jags, the Mercs, the Berms, the Hummers, the Maseratis, the Audis, the Bentleys, the Lamborghinis, the Rolls Royces, etc. – these gas guzzlers and symbols of conspicuous consumptions driven around by the aristocrats and the politicians and many a robber baron – so that we may make the poor happier and less tempted to be and to become like the rich and famous? What if we close down those signature golf courses, symbols of wastage of electricity and water? What if we get really angry at these images we compare and ask ourselves – why have we come to this point in history and what then must we do? Aarghh… the poor will get poorer and angrier. The middle class is frustrated. These just can't take it. Can't the government feel the pain? I foresee, with the price hike, not only the poor will suffer even more, but people will be in desperation. Crime rate will go up. People will be debt-ridden. Businesses will go bust. Families will have to work harder than they can handle. Children will spend less time with the their parents. Alongs will chase their lendees faster. Rich-quick ala the legendary Pak Man Telo, schemes will flourish. Online fraud ala Joe Nigeria will prey on Malaysians. Faith in religion will be the last bastion for the spirit to still be in one piece. See what governments and economic systems can do to the soul? See what kind of system we have built as a continuation of the British colonial plundering-ideology? We though we could get out of it – but out of the frying pan and into the fire we were plunged into! The question is: do we need oil change – or regime change? If in the 1997 Southeast Asia Financial Crisis we saw the devastating "Tom Yum" effect, what are we seeing in this "Global Gassing-up" effect? That began with the first Father Bush Regime's invasion of Iraq? It's very hot here in America. It's 90 degrees. Senator Obama is speaking on the radio. And I am thinking – the biggest culprit consumer of oil in the world is the United States Army. We go by miles per gallon; this arm of the Bush war- mongering goes by gallons per mile! Aargh… I am thinking of beloved Malaysia again. I'll wait and see if the price of gas will go down after September 16. It's hell for the Malaysian underclass these days. One nation in sarong, protesting – like the Burmese. CURRENT REGIME TAKE NOTE. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO LOSE EXCEPT THOSE YOU HAVE CHAINED.
Comments (31)  ... written by kamal, June 09, 2008 14:27:28 This BN/UMNO government will not care....unless we throw them out. report abuse disagree 4 agree 45 ... written by Rolling Stone, June 09, 2008 14:39:57 Even my sarong got lubang which I am not able to patch....  report abuse disagree 1 agree 53 ... written by cheemengwong, June 09, 2008 14:47:54 Oh No! I see this already happening... Non working wife asking husband for more allowances Children asking parents for more pocket money. School bus driver asking for higher transport fees Working husband asking for more pay and allowances from the employers More problems at work between employees and employers Salesmen going out less and less business generated. Mutual fund managers like Raymond Chan Wei Mun from Public mutual advertising agressively telling people to work hard, earn more money and becoming independant businessmen/women. He will get overriding commission and he will then make agents more fearful hoping they work harder for him! Mr. Ramesh, the fake university certificate peddler will work extra hard to get those who flunk their exams to buy fake certificates from fake universities. Rames will create fear into them first saying without a certificate, they can't get a job. Fake Diplomas will sell for 500 ringgint, degrees 1000, masters 2000 and even PHds for 3000. Some vain businessmen operating a bah kut teh stall will go and buy a fake degree from Ramesh specializing in Chinese Culinary Cooking (CCC) for 2,000 ringgit. The certificate will look damn fake ! Another Chinaman who wants to look good operating a kindi will go to him to buy a PHD in Education for RM 5,000. This chinaman then insists that those working under him calls him Doctor, Loctor (for those who cannot pronounced nicely) More Rempits will roam the streets looking out for frail women to rob. More daylight house breakins will occur right in the middle of Putrajaya! More policemen would now patrol the roads hoping to catch some who don't wear rear seat belts and try to extort a few dollars more. Some policemen will strike fear into women immigrants with no valid permits. What will they do with such women? Use your imagination lah! Jaga kereta boys will not letup the parking fees right up to 12.00 midnight. Some top and middle executives in companies will fake entertainment claims!!! More Nigerian scams will come around. Some will offer to do organ transplants for mere 500 ringgit and takes only 10 minutes. More friends will come around to cheat each other and become bitter enemies. Partners in business will try to leverage out the other partner and swallow up the business themselves. More murders, knives, guns will be around the city. Friends will kill each other just to get a few dollars more.... Politicians in the meantime will be sitting pretty!. They have got their act right. They are just waiting for the harvest to come in! report abuse disagree 3 agree 112 ... written by Rainbowseahorse, June 09, 2008 14:57:29 At first, on the face of the sudden and drastic fuel raises, I thought that somebody closed to that Bodohwi gave him some very bad advices in order to hasten his departure as PM. A few days past and nothing BIG seem to be happening by way of that Bodohwi being ouster out . Then I though and puzzled over that mystery, and another theory emerges which was reinforced by some reports and also by fellow bloggers. Someone must have screwed up badly in crude oil futures trading and the time for oil delivery is here and there is not enough money to make up for the shortfall. If that trader has sold Malaysian oil futures at closed to the USD100 mark, now with world crude oil trading at USD135, there is at least USD35 p/barrel shortfall to make up for. Haiyoh-yoh! That means RM113 for EVERY BARREL of oil promised for delivery NOW. 1 million barrel will mean RM113 million and RM1.13 billion for 10 million barrels. No wonder that Bodohwi has to hastily raise fuel prices from 40 to 63 percent! That someone MUST Have ONLY JUST informed him of the bad news. Remember that Diam when he played the world money market with our Malaysian foreign reserves?? He HELPED Malaysian LOST millions! report abuse disagree 1 agree 44 ... written by SamSan, June 09, 2008 15:06:19 Again, I wish to comment that we all can take the spiritual path by having mass prayers simultaneously in mosques, temples and churches at the same time asking God to punish those leaders who are pillaging, ravaging and plundering our bountiful nation with impunity. I assure you, mass prayers do work in its own invisible way, as long as we are all honest, focussed and clear in our prayer request report abuse disagree 4 agree 23 ... written by SocratesI, June 09, 2008 15:09:22 Dr. Azly, Your article is getting more "punchy" !! Well, if all of us M'sians start doing all that, the whole of M'sia will be in RECESSION full throttle, and we may turn into a Communist regime ... in Sarong !! "Cant' the Govt. feel the pain??" - How can they when they have lived off the pain of the RAKYAT for more than 40 years, how can they not be blase to the cries of pain after forty over deafening years ??!! And the C4 Mongolian-murdering terrorist together with his worse half, Ros-p*ki-mah, went to London to get out of earshot of suffering M'sians as well, just so they can shop and pay Homage to their Britsih colonial masters (and make the RAKYAT pay for the M'sian soldiers there on COLONIAL DUTY). Where is our NATIONAL PRIDE & SOVEREIGNTY (We just celebrated the Agong's b'day!) ?? We are paying good taxpayers' RAKYAT's money to be under colonial masters once more ?!! What a NATIONAL SHAME !! Najis & Ros-p*ki-mah should be stripped of their Malaysian citizenship and sent to Mongolia ... Which other oil producing net exporter of oil has raised the petrol price for its citizens ?? NONE !! Only Malaysia, 'cos the massively corrupt Govt. wants to continue plundering Malaysia and is plundering OUR oil money so the RAKYAT has to pay for petrol as if Malaysia is not an oil producing net exporting nation !! I can't wait for Sept. and neither can most M'sians ... DSAI MUST MAKE HIS MOVE NOW !! report abuse disagree 0 agree 48 ... written by cwy, June 09, 2008 15:20:26 When I was young, I was told in my kampung that some Malays are ever willing to sell the sarong to buy some durian. Looking at the current situation, some Malaysians have to sell the sarong to buy the oil! It's ok to be naked at home when we feel so 'hot' due to soaring prices! report abuse disagree 0 agree 23 ... written by panca, June 09, 2008 15:46:53 Still.....the same. The simple effective solution to the problem would be as : Problem : The price(albeit so said a world phenomenon) of oil Goes Up Solution : The gomen(of goons' bad governance) Must Come Down. report abuse disagree 0 agree 15 ... written by Mr Smith, June 09, 2008 15:49:59 Yes, all of us can do our part if we reduce spending. I have been doing this for decades even in the good of times. I have always subscribed to Moderation. I shun extravagance and 'showing off' or 'keeping up with the Joneses'. All that mattered to me was Good Health and how much money I had in the bank to pay for my children's tertiary education when they grew up. No eating out, no expensive clothes, no smoking, no Astro, no pubbing, no fast food, simple meals but nutritious, no unnecessary driving that low c.c.car, motor-cycling most of the time, no golfing, no smoking, no expensive games but only jogging and occasional swimming. report abuse disagree 1 agree 19 ... written by oknyua, June 09, 2008 16:46:33 Dr Azly, BN's logic is a show of desperation. In the sense it acts according ONLY to what it felt right because itself is already having shaky confidence. The Petrol Hike is BN's decision, but we all know it's UMNO's decision and UMNO itself is ruled by people who are at best waiting for the right time to ripen and drop. They are all rotting. The losses from the price hike is many times greater than the savings in dollar and cents. But the losses belongs to the people and the savings in dollar and cents are tangible cash for Abdullah and UMNO to prop his regime. We all know that. But would this move succeed? The cracks are shown in the UMNO itself. BN component parties are already showing disatisfaction. It's what Dato' Anwar said: The petrol price hike is in favour of Pakatan. report abuse disagree 0 agree 8 ... written by cheekhiaw, June 09, 2008 16:54:01 In a super inflationary environment, the hardest hit are the poor and the old amongst our people. And it is color blind. No special rights is going to insulate anyone from this unless they use that to rob others in broad daylight. The old that are too old to work will find their savings a fraction the value of what they were just a couple of years ago. Thanks to a government that prints money like nothing. We must reach out and help the poor and old in whatever ways we can. So if you see an old man or woman picking scraps up from the street to sell for a living, give a helping hand. Buy food and essentials from the small sellers on the road side instead of the big businesses. They need it more than the people running big supermarkets. To the poor and old, explain to them that the real cause of the high inflation is past irresponsible governance, in fact thievery, by over-printing of money. Don't let this country go the Zimbabwe way - it is not a coincidence Mugabe looked up to Che Det. xxx report abuse disagree 0 agree 16 ... written by skc, June 09, 2008 17:04:00 Dear Dr Azly, Welcome home. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by Milo, June 09, 2008 17:04:23 There is little chance of any real change unless a new set of people-committed leaders take over the country. No point changing bit-and-pieces. As what is happening before our eyes, the UMNO-led BN is hopeless. There is little else to expect from the current batch of leaders. Let's await the emergence of Pakatan Rakyat as the new government before the year is out. It is our only hope! report abuse disagree 0 agree 4 ... written by Arubin, June 09, 2008 17:19:24 written by Mr Smith, June 09, 2008 | 15:49:59 While I do respect your lifestyle and commitment, I have to say that I would probably have shot myself if I had to follow that particular regime. No offence, but life ain't worth living if its going to be so dull. No harm in giving oneself a treat every now and than. That flat screen TV might seem like a luxury. No doubt it is, but the purchase of luxuries helps keep a ton of people employed. To put it quite simply, if every single one of us lived like you, millions of people in developing countries (particularly China, India, and Indonesia) are suddenly going to find themselves out of a job. Think of the side effects. Factories close down, workers laid off, suppliers losing accounts, etc. Its like a domino effect. While I do not encourage rampant spending, I do believe that being excessively frugal like you is pushing it. If you do have some disposable income to spend, by all means...spend it. Enjoy yourself a bit. report abuse disagree 1 agree 11 ... written by malsia1206, June 09, 2008 17:48:34 Dr. Rahman, I admire your down-to-earth honest and open views on this blog. Remember if you so much step out-of-line one wee bit, the Government gonna slap you under the Sedition Act. And if they feel the public secuity is compromised with your hard-hitting write-ups, the Government gonna detain you under ISA. This nation needs RPK, your goodself and many other righteous bloggers profilerating on the net to get out the messages loud and clear. Putrajaya is too grand and shielded from the sentiments on the ground. They had lose touch with the rakyat for many years. Keep up with your excellent work. report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by ellyna, June 09, 2008 17:51:45 Am afraid of the increasing crime rate. Desperate people will do desperate things. Ah Longs can expect an increase in their business. The repercussions will be all to obvious. People, live frugally. Don't endanger your loved ones. We, the rakyat, should be united in our endeavours to look out for each other especially in protecting our loves ones, friends, and even strangers from crime/criminals. report abuse disagree 0 agree 7 ... written by budakindia, June 09, 2008 17:59:15 but unfortunately in malaysia, umno is still brandishing keris and shouting racial remarks! telling us the non-Malays are ungrateful lot of not voting them for public office! report abuse disagree 0 agree 7 ... written by fairnessforall, June 09, 2008 19:11:07 I suppose the rakyat has got no choice but to cut down on all expenses. Go for the cheaper stuff. Before I use to buy F&N condense milk until they increased the price from RM2.20 to RM2.65. Not only did they increase the price, they also brought down the quality, when before I just needed 2 tablespoons to sweeten my mug of coffee, now I need 3 1/2 tablespoons as it has become less thick. Instead I now buy the giant brand of condense milk which cost only RM1.99, is much thicker and I again now need only 2 tablespoons. Try to find alternatives, eat out less and cook at home. Home cooked food even if simple taste so much better than buying from out which is usually full of oil. Eat more sandwiches and light food, it will also improve our health and save on food bill. I guess we have no choice but to do everything to reduce the cost of living. report abuse disagree 0 agree 5 ... written by Watcheyes1, June 09, 2008 19:41:39 While UMNO is still around, forget about sarong...even underwear they will not spare! If prices needs to go down, UMNO/BN must go out! PR needs to take over! One can only see light at the end of the tunel if the above happens. Will it? Well i pray it happens ASAP because i'm not walking around wearing cawat!! report abuse disagree 0 agree 8 ... written by malgal, June 09, 2008 20:30:11 even the sarong is made in indonesia - at least the more affordable ones. bandung, solo, etc are all indon centres of sarongness. very little these days come fr malaysia, dont you think? just go to any hotel shop and chances are the products there come fr thailand or indonesia. in fact i am inclined to think that most things come fr our neighbours - except for the token dodol/wau/songket which costs an arm or leg. maybe its time to resuscitate our crafts in this time of need - before the tourist dollar dry up even... report abuse disagree 1 agree 4 ... written by Kopi37, June 09, 2008 20:45:26 Yes, the general public like us are not only tortured with the pressure of incomes in deficit to meet the basis needs of the family but in utter desperation to ensure that both ends meet for survival of the families! We can eat less, spend less for the unnecessary but how about the children, can they live without education, the nutritious food decent enough for their healthy upbringing?! The costs of living keep increasing in line with the petrol hike but the opportunity of works keeps declining, even we are prepared to sacrifice more time for a 2nd job, can we have that opportunity to do so? What job opportunities the Government helps to create for the rakyat? Are they going to share with us their looted wealth via opportunities granted as privileges to the niche group?! I do agree that crime rates will surely exacerbate due to lack of works and robbing the rich and the bank will be in the minds of those in desperation as the only avenue to get quick money, though it is high risk, it's the only solution to ease their pressure that it may, drive them run amok!........... report abuse disagree 1 agree 3 ... written by SUV, June 09, 2008 21:46:09 SRI AUROBINDO Translations from Sanskrit and Other Languages II. From Bengali Songs of the Sea. Sagar Sangit of C. R. Das. XV Today the heavens are sealed with clouds and blind, A leaping madman comes the pathless wind, The rains of deluge flee, a storm-tossed shade, Over thy breast of gloom. Loud and dismayed Thy lost enormous chant rolls purposeless Seeking its end in an unregioned space. O come, thou great mad sea, O surging come! My breast defenceless mates thy dolorous foam. Darkness the heavens, the wind doom's signal breath, I shall float on through thee or sink in death. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by Bigdawg, June 09, 2008 22:56:33 Do people now see now it is folly to allow gomen to harvest all hundreds-year old trees from the forests, digging up the land like nobody's business until the land is now bald and bereft and incapable of supporting wildlife and fish? Used to be when you could get free meat and fish from the forests and rivers. And free veges too. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by shiokguy, June 10, 2008 01:45:33 I am now looking for 4th Job 1 Job : IT and software development freelancer(No enough) 2 Driver : Send my sons to school, therapies and treatment (one car) 3 Maid : Cook and housework (cannot afford helper) Since they sleep at 930pm, and i can work from 930-130am = 4 hours. What can i do in 4 hours while at home? Suggesting at my blog here please http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2...d-job.html Shiok Guy report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Rumah Bersih, June 11, 2008 14:58:41 Dear Brother, For this alone, Brother you will be ISAed for ever. How to take toys away from UMNO giants.. Who are those that have a host of Ferrari or 10 Rolls or 100 over cars in their hands.... Who own the Porsche Carrera GT in Malaysia... Ask not only the shameless UMNO putra but a once upon a time PERDANA PUTRA What if we begin to notice the lifestyles of Malaysia's rich and famous and the powerful – especially those associated with the aristocrats and the ruling class and compare this with the lifestyle of the poor and the unknown and the pariah of the modern Malaysian capitalist system? What if we ban from our roads all the Jags, the Mercs, the Berms, the Hummers, the Maseratis, the Audis, the Bentleys, the Lamborghinis, the Rolls Royces, etc. – these gas guzzlers and symbols of conspicuous consumptions driven around by the aristocrats and the politicians and many a robber baron – so that we may make the poor happier and less tempted to be and to become like the rich and famous? report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by ssathia, June 11, 2008 17:53:18 How about coming out with a point system, that can be traded for goodies, for actually reducing costs of transport? E.g. Companies that are able to relocate closer to where their workers reside, companies that allow workers to stay home and work online at least thrice a week, transport companies through efficient management are able to reduce their fuel costs (see Pudu Raya for eg for idling buses for endless time), Schools that teach online for two days out of 5, Banks that that promote online facilities that could show reduction in on the road traffic, restaurants that deliver food in bulk to office and factories etc.. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by antiilluminati, June 12, 2008 10:26:54 Dr Azly, Great insightful article indeed. Unfortunately, i dun wear sarong, but i would protest wearing underwear !. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Kritz, June 12, 2008 17:58:37 Dr, I'm wearing kain pelikat at home!  How to wear it!  report abuse disagree 0 agree 10 ... written by Fairminded, June 13, 2008 11:27:59 This crisis does not happened suddenly. It is the cummulative effect of the corruption in the BN/UMNO government since independence. We do not have the forsight to change the government long time ago (since 1980's) because the non Malays are naive enough to fall for the racial progrom fear, the you-owe-me syndrome (citizenships to non Malays). Our fellow Malay citizens were taken in by the claim that only UMNO can represent them. Now the chicken is coming home to roost. We deserve the government we elected. Instead of looking backwards and find out why (actually it is obvious) it is time for change. Exercise our rights as citizens. Vote BN/UMNO out and let another government try. report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by Zul Kahar, June 26, 2008 03:51:46 Islam???? Do you submit to His Will??? Who knows what are His Will??? Furthermore, who really knows Him well as how our forefathers, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad? In order to be on the same Straight Path as how they were Graced by Him of the earlier people before us. Who can really guide you in witnessing Him, the Unseen GOD, the One and Only in order to ensure that your syahadah or oath is an ABSOLUTE TRUTH and not LIES? Seeing is Believing, Man! Anyway, what I've seen is that in most of the people, no matter they are the Leaders, Commons or even Lower Kastas, always wished that everybody must bow to their's will instead of His Will. In other words, they wished to be God themselves. So, stubborn just as how the devils acted towards God. Therefore, to me, those who wished to be gods, are leaded by the Devil or Satan, who always in arrogance, stubborn since Adam's time. To Whom the Devils came down to? To the LIARS who are making a lot of sins/ evil/ bad. Even HE delacred that the Devils are a VERY GOOD LIARS! Even our First Father, Phophet Adam, was managed to be cheated by him (devil). How about us? Further, most of people who claimed themselves as Islam, they like themselves to be praise by people while their lips are saying 'Alhamdulillah' (All Praises are for God Alone) either in pray or after meals or after burps. This is what we Malay called as 'Cakap tak serupa bikin'. Prove that they are liars. So, 'who' leaded these? report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 Write comment This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comment. You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet. |
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