Filtering Idiocy

So, porn filter for our internet huh? Should I cry, or should I applaud it? It seems that many, many people are against it. They have their reasons of course and one of the reasons (the most valid reason imho) is because they fear the government would use the filtering for more than just porn. DS Dr Rais Yatim swiftly responded by giving assurance that the filtering will strictly be for porn, and porn only.

Now if we leave it at that, then we will all live happily ever after. Our children (ehem) will be safe and guarded from the bad influence that is porn. We will be free from pornographic culture, say DS Dr Rais Yatim. The problem is though, not many people will leave it at that, because the problem here is about trust. People do not trust government anymore. Whatever they do or say will be met with skeptical feedback. In this case, even though DS Dr Rais Yatim has given his assurance, people still think government will use the filtering system to suffocate everyone and everything that is against government. This is what I feel the government just doesn’t get. The trust is gone, completely! The sooner they realise this the better. The sooner they realise it, the sooner they can fix the dwindling support they receive. Maybe then they will stop losing elections.

Anyway, I’m not going to talk about our government here. And I’m not going to talk about the filtering plan. Instead, I’m going to talk about getting your message across without losing your class and without losing respect. See below.



Now if you need pointing out, I have a problem, a very big problem, with minute 2.10 until 2.45.

What in the world is that? Seriously, what in the world is that?

I am a supporter of the government. It pains me to see DS Anwar Ibrahim getting so much support. It pains me to see how it is fashionable to hate government now. You want to be cool, you support DS Anwar. That’s how bad things are right now.

And I’m a supporter of our national language, Bahasa Melayu (or is it Bahasa Malaysia? Sort it out DBP, and stick with it. Don’t keep changing it!) If you don’t believe me, ask my friends. Ask my family. Some of them will even tell you I’m a nationalist! And read one of my postings, Random Thoughts. Trust me, I’m very unhappy with the status of our national language now.

So I am not being a one eyed biased opposition when I feel he was way out of order there. He has a point, I couldn’t agree with him more. My problem is with his arrogant, classless approach to it.

I just cannot understand why he chose to be so arrogant. His facial expression, the look of disgust. The “Where were you educated?” question. The way he ridiculed the reporter by mimicking ‘mat saleh slang’. Absolutely no need for all that. Couldn’t he just tell the reporter in a polite but firm way to speak in Bahasa? He is after all our current Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister. He should at the very least know how not to look like a twat in a press conference.

Now I understand he might hold Bahasa very close to his heart and because of that he reacted emotionally and irrationally. He was one of the very vocal voices that didn’t agree with PPSMI and I respect him for that. So I’m guessing here he wants what is best for Bahasa. But pushing people away is not the way. Making people hate you is not that way. How will people listen to you if they hate you? It's common sense. You can be firm and classy at the same time. In that press conference he was so classless I'm actually ashamed to admit I see him as the better leaders out there.

I have said it many times, too many people talk about ‘English’ but no one talks about ‘Bahasa’. Bahasa is being (deliberately?) left to die. It’s getting worse and worse but still no one talks about the need to revive Bahasa. No one talks about the need to give back the respect that Bahasa deserves. So if DS Dr Rais Yatim really cares about it, he needs to do something about this. He is one of the senior, more respected figure in our government, surely he can act on it. Acting the big man like he did in that press conference won’t do any good.

So what can anyone do for a dying language that many claimed to have no relevance in the world today? I admit it is a difficult subject to get into. But no pain no gain right? I was told that foreigners who want to work in Sweden must enroll in Swedish class (or is it applicants for citizenship?). It is the law there. Honestly I don’t know how it is with us here but I bet we don’t have any laws or rules similar to that. (If I’m wrong I stand corrected).

I’m sure there are other ways that we can use to revive Bahasa. And I’m sure our smart leaders can think of the ways, if they put their efforts in. To be or not to be, that’s how I see it.

I don’t expect miracles in all this but I want to at least see some one who matters, in our world class government, to start making noises about Bahasa, not just English.

To be or not to be, that is the question.