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Lazada Malaysia

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Whose bread to buy? UMNO bread or OPPOSITION bread?

Q: What's your choice of bread?

B: As in roti or gabenor or the rock band?

Q: (grits teeth) How about roti?

B: Either white or black.

Q: (eyes widen). I'm astonished. Ne'er thought you're a racist.

B: (sighs). I was meaning white bread which is somewhat less healthy but goes well with anything, or black bamboo charcoal bread which has a nice flavor. 

Can i make you a sandwich of one slice white and the other slice black? Like the ivory and ebony keys of a piano?

Incidentally, take either one off, and music can't be made harmoniously from that instrument. 

But you already knew that, didn't you?

Q: What's in between your white-black sandwich, then?

B: Nothing. Aren't we not supposed to talk about gabenor? 

Q: Umm. Back to this gardenia versus massimo debate. Where do you stand?

B: (looks at the ground sheepishly). Sini?

Q: Seriously and surely, there must be some issue in it all?

B: Ok, but only if you insist.

I think if we widen our mental horizon, the matter is all about people and principles. 

Now if we converge people and principles into a complex and extend that complex upwards to an absolute end, then we reach a certain Destination which carries a certain message.

Take me for instance. I am now doing what i was doing ever since the country started. It's like the message is saying, go back to remedial class and relearn the lesson. A second chance before exit, perhaps.

Q: Hmm. That either sounds sad or encouraging, or both.

B: Yes, life is about choices within the swirl of destiny. People can choose the principles they want to practice. However the outcomes may turn out other than expected.

Now, what is the principle behind this bread equation? 

That value for money should be independent of race. 

That if we continue to see everything through the lens of race, then we will only extend what we want to end. 

Because the other principle of life is all about action and reaction, and it operates continuously.

You react by race and i will act by race to counteract your reaction. 

Then you react to my reaction and the cycle continues, enlarges and deepens.

And that because those who want to keep this cycle in order to justify their own importance will be more than willing to lend a mischievous hand to make it happen perpetually.

Somehow, someday, somewhere, we must cut this gordian knot that is snuffing out our instinctive predisposition for kindness, compassion and goodwill towards all fellowmen and women.
(especially women).

Because an eye for an eye makes all blind and the world a monochrome of darkness. Mehr licht, mein kinde getan!

I think it's long overdue, and GE12 and GE13 have shown as much that the Rakyat of Malaysia realize it is not about being civilized to one another for just political expediency which is the solution. 

In fact, it is the problem, for it strengthens the very structure that must be dismantled because that structure propagates differentiation and division in order to usurp power from the people.

So that when people are weakened by that, principles suffer as well and the long hard path to the absolute end becomes harder to discern.

No?

Q: Can i make you a cuppa coffee to go with the sandwich you're going to make me?

B: Why don't i make both for you, and you can add something in between the sandwiches for both of us?

Q: Ah, i get what you're not saying. 

B: Right now, who is really running the country? The gabenor in a piece of paper. The value of that paper has been dropping. Meanwhile the functions of commerce and industry have been propped by subsidies denominated in that currency. This actually double erodes the fixed deposits of reserves for future generations besides raising financing charges that swallow up any hard-earned gains.

Therefore one cannot escape the conclusion people who are thankful to a government just because it gives subsidies forget their own future generations will be the ones paying for those subsidies utilized today, in too many cases just to survive. Yes?

Q: But what would you want the government to do otherwise?

B: Do the right things. 

Clean itself up. 

Be more self-critical than trying to tar others who want to represent the middle majority of moderates and pragmatists. 

Uphold human and people rights independent of religious connotations. 

Practice real democracy even if it means hollowing itself out. After all, a good government won't want to hold monopoly over people.

Next, axe racism, racialism, chauvinism and parochialism. They know what they are. They started them.

And importantly, never help one up at the expense of others. Help all up equally. It's not about catch-up to equalize. How can equalization be truly achieved if one is given and the other really worked for it, furthermore against artificially constructed hurdles? 

Even in bread-making, you can see there has really been no sustainable equalization. Because of the principle of action-reaction. People rail against injustice and unfairness. You can't expect otherwise. It's in human nature. That's an antidote against despotism.

In other words, stop all those nonsensical zero-sum hunger games that says more for me can only happen if i make sure less for you. 

Some nut case makes it his life-mission to policy such a game just because he remembered he had to sell banana fritters when he was young. What about those who had to sell crullers when they were young because his policy had marginalized them? 

Might is right again, is it? If that be the case, a government which only serves might is right has automatically and instantly disqualified its right to govern, for it is no different from the despotism of that tinpot.

And that is also why government procedures must be simplified but at the same time integrity and efficiency must be put on top and across all structures, otherwise you will have arrogation of power with all its temptations for excess. Such as seen, proven and recorded.

Next, support all business, industry and cultures without looking at race or religion. Suffice to say, they have suffered enough until their main skill is no longer about how to compete but rather how to remain crony of the day or shy when it comes to what truly matter.

Next, show the young that it is alright to realize we have fallen behind; then transform the education system into real and not fake world-class even if that means dichotomy of performance. Start by removing all those bovine menteri's, dead-woods and chauvinists.

Because that is the only way to stem slides, raise real standards, create true targets to aspire, and solve the human capital challenge that underpins everything from global mindset to relevant skills, thinking power and subsidy-free competitiveness. 

Otherwise, you will get principals with no principles.

And don't waste public funds. Need i say more?

Q: Why do you think all that's so difficult for the present government?

B: Because its political party doesn't want to do it. Because once that is done, it unhooks the leash it wields with impunity over the race while derailing its own gravy train. 

For once the community is free, as it should be, they will turn on those pretenders to leadership good only for making trouble, wasting public funds and messing up both society and nation besides destroying the real potential of the race.

Q: You reckon it will change itself?

B: Au contraire, these days it only serves itself. You can see as much in the way it is peddling its propaganda and practicing the zenith of double standards. One set of toll-free standards for us the elites and another set of toll-full standards on all you miserable cannon-fodder hoi-polloi.

Q: On which matter, i was wondering why it chose to pit itself against what it called the RBA.

B: Why do you say that?

Q: I am puzzled. If it all along has been saying the DAP is the problem while also hinting that it is the local version of its past nemesis the PAP, then if the PAP was anti-red, how can the DAP be pro-red and thus the term red bean army?

B: What was it that you said you had for sarapan pagi? If still got, pass some over, huh?

Q: Red bean soup?

B:(a rumble, a grimace)

Q: I guess your basic message is people must make friends with one another across all races because real friends make trustworthy suppliers and customers, enlarges market space, and acts as reserves of insurance in times of need and changes. Besides, it fulfills the need of all to be naturally sociable and compassionate.

B: Yes, if Umno thinks it has fixed deposits, why can't the rakyat on their own and for better and more sustainable natural reasons?

Q: So back to bread. Which would you prefer?

B: I think Gardenia is not bad. Massimo is too ambivalent. However the Hainanese i understand make fluffy traditional bread easily toasted to a crisp crust that goes well with kaya and butter, of course all washed down with some piping hot coffee followed by a hand-rolled tobacco....and...oh never mind.

Q: Since you said that, i now ask you what you think of Proton cars.

B: I think the Saga is a good car but only easier on the pocket for the folks through subsidy to the company taken from excise duties on imports. That can't last forever. It's not fair and so uncool. 

Furthermore, it seems to want to leave behind some easily detected and extremely irritating mistakes with each new model. Such as no coordinated sensing of the full tank which itself is too small so that i notice people spilling out costly fuel. After trying to close the doors without having to bang them around. See what i mean? improve here, un-improve there. 

Q: I suddenly realize what you're saying is not about bread nor cars ...

B: Yes, what i am really saying is integration. 

But bear in mind that's not monoculture assimilation which is what the racists in Umno are still attempting to foist after half a century of coexistence which had started swell but is now going downhill revived by each new pack of jokers and opportunists.

Instead, we should all be more easy-going with one another so as to share inputs and ideas that will improve all our products without assigning any racial connotation to them. 

Q: But...

B: But those idiots in Putrajaya persist in trying to do one thing while saying and doing something the opposite in another place and time. And the rakyat have seen through it all for the last time. No credibility, no trust - so how to believe and accept? So they react which puts paid to all attempts at fostering cooperation and ending negative perceptions.

Q: Just let me ask you a simple question. If customers don't support a product, how can its manufacturer develop and grow to be independent of its backer?

B: Then let me ask you back a question. If customers are made to feel they are mistreated or ignored, why should they part with their hard-earned money to support products made by people given a head-start by a government that treats the customers shabbily in other areas?

Q: Then we are in an impasse, no?

B: Yes?

Q: Touche!

B: So how can this situation continue?

Q: Until the funds dry up and more leave. Soon, one presumes.

B: Is that why Kuok left?

Q: He saw far ahead of the world on China. That's how he had enlarged his investments.

B: It's also resilience. He had to sacrifice his roots when making his first fortune while working in the british isles. 

We shouldn't underestimate the importance of resilience that interplays patience and perseverance which underpin long-term success built upon wisdom accumulated from learning through real experience acquired over long term.

Money can't buy that. It only comes from the seal of sacrifice and the salt of sweat. 

The chinese in our midst may be faulted for being too tongue-tied in not articulating that enough.





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