How haze is hazardous to health..

Health implications of API ( air pollution index)

API	Air Pollution Level	Health Implications;
0 - 25	Low	Not expected.
26 - 50	Medium	Not expected for the general population.
51 - 100	High	Acute health effects are not expected but chronic effects may be observed if one is persistently exposed to such levels.
101 - 200	Very High	People with existing heart or respiratory illnesses may notice mild aggravation of their health conditions. Generally healthy individuals may also notice some discomfort.
201 - 500	Severe	People with existing heart or respiratory illnesses may experience significant aggravation of their symptoms. There may also be widespread symptoms in the healthy population (e.g. eye irritation, wheezing, coughing, phlegm and sore throats).

The air quality in Malaysia is reported as the API or Air Pollutant Index. 

This scale below shows the Health classifications used by the Malaysian government.

API	Air Pollution Level
0 - 50	Good
51 - 100	Moderate
101 - 200	Unhealthy
201 - 300	Very unhealthy
301+	Hazardous

If the API exceeds 500, a state of emergency is declared in the reporting area. Usually, this means that non-essential government services are suspended, and all ports in the affected area are closed. There may also be a prohibition on private sector commercial and industrial activities in the reporting area excluding the food sector.

More than 600 schools in Johor  located in several areas where the Air Pollution Index (API) readings had exceeded the hazardous point of 300 were forced to close ,  meanwhile, schools in areas with API readings exceeding 150 are advised to avoid outdoor activities

Where is the haze coming from?

The 2013 Southeast Asian haze is affecting several countries in the Southeast Asian region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, starting in June 2013. On 19 June 2013, NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites captured images of smoke from illegal wildfires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra blowing east toward southern Malaysia and Singapore, causing thick clouds of haze in the region. As stated by a local Indonesian official, the source of the haze might be a 3,000 hectare peatland in Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province, which was set ablaze by an unknown party on 9 June.As many as 187 hotspots were picked up by satellites on 18 June 2013, down to 85 on 20 June 2013. Many of the hotspots are owned by palm oil companies or smallholder farmers who supply palm oil to these companies and use traditional slash-and-burn methods to clear their land for the next planting season.


Risks to people from the haze
This is the hidden danger for such people from haze – a mixture of suspended particles, water vapour, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and other chemicals. Though intermittent haze  is unlikely to be hazardous to healthy people, it can aggravate underlying conditions. Ever since the  smoke drifting here from burning forests in Indonesia pushed air quality to over 100 points on the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI),it is a  signal of  unhealthy air.

So how does haze hurt the body? What medical specialist say..

Nose
During inhalation, particles and chemicals irritate the nose, which secretes mucus to flush out the particles. As more mucus is produced, the nasal passage becomes blocked and the nose swells. The reaction is magnified in
people who have allergic rhinitis, If the symptoms become too severe, they can take antihistamines.

Airways and lungsThe particles may inflame the airways and the lungs as they travel downwards. The airways and lungs produce phlegm to try to get rid of the particles. The airways spasm to provoke a cough to expel the foreign matter. As phlegm narrows the
airways, more phlegm is produced, creating a vicious circle. Even people without chronic respiratory problems can suffer from breathlessness, he said.
The elderly and pregnant women should also take extra care, because their lungs tend to have less capacity, he said. Worst-hit are those with asthma and chronic lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They should keep to their daily control medication and increase the dose, if needed, They should make sure they have an adequate supply of rescue medication in case of an attack.

Heart With the nose and airways inflamed, the body is under stress and the heart pumps faster, increasing the blood pressure. The body also releases chemicals that make blood clot more easily. Higher blood pressure and the formation of blood clots can cause a heart attack, stroke or heart failure in those who have coronary heart disease or whose hearts are already beginning to fail, 

Eyes
The particles and chemicals can cause burning sensations, irritate the eye into tearing to clean itself and inflame the
conjunctiva, the surface layer on the white of the eyeball. Those with a history of dry, sensitive eyes and allergic conjunctivitis are most at risk,The inflammation of the conjunctiva worsens dry eyes and adds to existing inflammation from allergic conjunctivitis, she said. Avoid wearing contact lenses and put on wrap-around glasses. Use preservative-free lubricants every hour to remove allergens. Any eye swelling can be reduced by placing a warm towel over the eyes for a minute or two. If the symptoms worsen or become severe, see an ophthalmologist, who may prescribe medications such as
topical steroids.

Skin
The haze should have little effect on healthy skin,. But those with eczema – “asthma of the skin” – may find it becoming itchy and inflamed, he said. Using moisturiser three to four times a day can help protect the skin.

General precautions
People with chronic diseases, especially serious ones such as heart and lung diseases, should stay indoors and avoid physical activity outdoors when the API hits about 100, doctors advised. Healthy people should do so when the API exceeds 200 and crosses into the unhealthy range, they said. If they have to go out, they may wish to wear surgical masks, but these may not block fine particles which can still wreak havoc on the body.



Children are more vulnerable as they breathe faster, have a higher metabolic rate and have lungs that are still developing, 

The general health effects of haze on a healthy child are usually mild and can be treated easily. At most, they may bring symptoms like irritation of the eyes or nose, or skin rash.

However, if your child has a history of respiratory problems, sinusitis and allergic skin conditions, he or she may be more vulnerable. If your child has asthma, then the symptoms may be more severe.

An asthma attack occurs when a child suffers recurrent attacks of shortness of breath and wheezing caused by the swelling of the bronchial tubes, which in turn, narrows the air passage and reduces the flow of air in and out of the lungs.

The main reasons haze can severely affect children with asthma are because:

• They play outdoors;
• They have faster breathing rates;
• Their lungs are still developing; and
• Their lungs are more sensitive.

Symptoms to watch out for include wheezing, coughing during sleep, difficulties in breathing, and tightness in the chest area.

Your child may experience restlessness during sleep, flared nostrils, breathing through pursed lips, fatigue, breathlessness, vomiting and fast breathing.

There are also many audible warnings for asthma, including heavy wheezing, frequent throat clearing, and coughing without having a cold. It is important to watch out for all these signs.

In severe cases, the airways narrow so severely that your child is unable to breathe adequately, and this may lead to a potentially fatal situation.

These symptoms are caused by the narrowing of the air passages, resulting in reduction of air flow in and out of the lungs.

Studies show there is a consistent correlation between the quality of air and the severity of asthmatic symptoms. During hazy days, it has been proven that the increase in air pollutants reduces lung function by inflaming the lining of the lungs. The airways over-react to the trigger, and set off a number of changes that are associated with inflammation.

This explains the increased frequency of flare-ups and upper respiratory infections during hazy months.

Because asthma is a chronic condition, it cannot be cured and requires treatment with a combination of one inhaler for immediate relief and one preventer for long-term control.

A reliever medication is an inhaler that relaxes the airways, and is used whenever an attack occurs. A preventer is an inhaler which is used daily (even when there are no attacks) to reduce inflammation in the airways, thereby helping to prevent future attacks.

Therefore, it is extremely important for parents , teachers and coaches to be aware of the potential risks that children with asthma face during hazy months

Preventive measures from conditions  resulting  from haze. Follow these advices:-

• Those who experience diseases like cough, flu, asthma, sore eyes, heart disease or chronic lung diseases should go to the clinic immediately if the disease conditions worsen.
• Those who are in high risk group should always take medicine as advised.
• Nasal mask should be used by all motorcyclists, those who work outside building or in dusty places and those who are in the high risk group.
• Smokers who have small child, old parents and diseased relatives must not smoke in the house.
• The public are advice to stay inside their home and building as far as they can.
• Lessen sports activity outside home.
• Always wash their face and skin areas exposed to haze with clean water.
• If your vehicle is air-conditioned, please use it.
• Always drink a lot of water.
• Smoker is advised not to smoke when air situation is unhealthy (API exceeded 100).
• Those in high risk group are advised to take leave outside the hazy area if the hazy condition continues at a dangerous level at their area.

Either the above advice or do as this guy below to breathe easier ,

unless you have a better idea.

Padang merbok protest rally in pictures and narrative. An observation of the crowd

all eyes on the podium 3pm

Couldn't help but be caught up with the mood of the  sentiments of a large proportion of ordinary citizens, and when the plans for  rally was broadcast, i wanted to attend for myself and was curious as to what kind of atmosphere will there be amongst the crowd that attended the rally..so i went and attended but focused on the fringe events,traversing the whole padang, the surrounding roads , car park and compiled an observation of what i saw in pics best i can.Didn't concentrate on  the main show of the celebrity speakers since it will be reported anyway in the media . The people interested me more..and i was not disappointed!

well behaved crowd

2 pm already crowd forming and streaming in from the main road

Amonsgt many NGOs there 

under the hot sweltering sun and breathing in the haze yet the crowd was well behaved and ruly

despite the baking heat, crowd in good spirits

DBKL trucks  stayin a a safe discreet disance, at a road just next to the padang

Padang carpark .Who says the Malay people were not enterprising, almost all the instant stalls(long line of umbrellas) as far as the eye can see had them  hawking everything from vuvuzuels, drinks, mask, bandanas , t shirts , snacks etc.And the traders were everywhere, in and around the fringes of  the  padang with Colemans stocked with liquid replenishments, the main access road from Bank Negara lined on the side for few hundred metres with the traders
There was a very pasar malam festive feel to the rally. Free market of demand and supply economics and the entrepreneurial spirit and initiative of the mostly Malay traders are admired.

   

mourning Teoh beng Hock

Long line of police trucks and  DBKL vehicles standing by. The  section of the main road next to padang merbok was closed for Ambulances, and Police and  DBKL vehicles to park on standby.. 

This may qualify in the Malaysian book of records as the longest banner with a multi lingua  political message that was ever made, It stretch all the way across the the whole length of padang merbok.

A large portion of the crowd were concentrated under shady spots just next to the padang taking refuge from the sweltering heat...It was very hot n with the hazy conditions. salute to those suffering under the hot sun in the field.The heat is bad enough but to breathe in haze in a packed crowd,imagine how uncomfortable that is...
Can't stand the heat , get out of the kitchen

A troop of plainclothes policemen and women  going in to mingle, i am sure to facilitate the smooth progress and to look out for potential trouble makers and nip them in the bud before it may get out of hand....

Najib and his cats

POINT TO PONDER...DO YOU FEEL LIKE A CAT?

In the shade looking at those under the hot sun and haze

It was sweltering hot and the crowd  on the padang just sweated it out. 

PAS supporters unfurling a huge flag at the main road

Teoh Beng Hock reminder, hands restrained,  helpless victim of  persecution?

Please give me closure , my hands are tied , i cannot do anything humanly possible. Now i am but a disembodied  restless wandering spirit. My innocent  life tragically wrenched from my family.
 A ghost that should  not be forgotten.

In the shade of the trees vs those on the field baking in the heat n breathing in the haze

Many couldn't bear the sweltering heat of the sun and sought shade under the trees around the field
Participating and Protesting on their comfortable shady terms..!

Police staging area . Those that are standing are actually plainclothes cops of the tougher variety on stand-by in case anything untoward gets out of control, Couldn't help but noticed they were all dressed in black as well.

Huge PAS flag with added  message emblazoned 

The NGO ABU"s  stand

Under the hot sun in the field yet these people don't seem to mind ,just bearing the heat. This  crowd i Salute!

Orang Asli voice of dissent 

Add caption

Crowd scene from a shaded position and looking out at those not sheltered..

A supporter dozing of or disenchanted, picture of his  facial expression  holding the PR flag is food for thought 

Came across dozens of net denizens standing by with laptops writing away as events  unfold..
Social media on the spot coverage, instant news 

Orang Asli part of the crowd in their improvised costumes, having lunch..resolve and protest on a lunch break

The only untoward incident at the rally.. a scuffle broke out when DBKL officers wanted to forcibly remove a tent in the padang from the ABU  supporters students  camp, while the rally was in full swing, in next to an instant, an angry mob materialises and surrounded and almost lynched the DBKL officers,there was screaming and shouting and almost a thousand strong mob rushed over ,morbid curiousity mostly but emotions frayed, if there had been confrontation by the DBKL it would have gotten out of control easily. Our boys in blue were playing it coy and i wud say wisely stayed out of the fracas, but monitoring the situation. 
Fortunately the event organisers intervened and Rafizi himself n his whole crew went over to calm the angry mob ,trying to get them to return to the field. Most did after the prompting but the morbidly curious crowd and a few devilishly outraged seemed to be intent to cause a physical ruckus and inflict terror, not helped by the swarm of media photographers all jostling for position. Lasted over a good 20 minutes or so..Wow , the scene really looked like a troop of very hungry lions battling over a small carcass. 
Only when the aggresive  officer was escorted out of the area under heavy protective detail did things calm down.



Angry mob had surrounded the van the DBKL officer was in and close to igniting . Till Rafizi stepped in and  urging calm in the  tense volatile situation. It was close shave for the situation to get out of hand. 

 The irony of the words didn't escape me. Rally is held at the padang  just in front of the national arts, culture and heritage academy , towering complex in full  witness of  a new consciouness and  cultural awakening of the people. "Melangkah ke hadapan bersama tradisi" -Taking a step forward hand in hand with tradition..pertinent phrase in deed..(video below) Managed to film it just as the the chant of " HIDUP RAKYAT" roared in the background..

Mat Sabu fortune telling of our future election prospects and distasteful racial antics of BN even after they have won, presided over by the Malaysian HERITAGE academy building in the background !

Malaysia's rulers face rifts and protests..Al Jazeera reporting on the rally today

From Al Jazeera latest news

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Three days after the Barisan Nasional coalition was returned to power for a record 13th time, more than a hundred thousand people turned out in protest at a rally led by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the suburbs of the capital.

While the mood was festive, the concern was serious: a flawed electoral system that protesters said undermined the result of the May 5 poll.

Since then, thousands of people across the country have turned out for what have become known as the "Black 505" rallies. The opposition, meanwhile, has lodged legal challenges to the results in 25 parliamentary constituencies.

On Saturday, two days before the new parliament sits for the first time, Pakatan will hold its last major protest - a mass rally near the historic heart of Kuala Lumpur - despite objections from the police and the Barisan-led local authority.

"We are going to go ahead," Keadilan Vice President Tian Chua told Al Jazeera. "Our demand is not for Najib to resign or for a change in government. It's simply for the elections commission to go. It's our effort to ensure there's real improvement in the electoral system. It shouldn't be seen as an attempt to start a street revolution."  read more here

This makes sense/ Chinese and Malay race situation in Malaysia

 

Better for Malaysian Chinese and Indians to continue having separate identities otherwise the Malays could really lose power within a generation. Instead, do the reverse; send Malay kids to Chinese schools.  

WongCiLik 

Do the Malays want to lose power by integrating-assimilating the Chinese and Indians?

In the late 1940s and 1950s, Thailand suppressed Chinese culture and closed Chinese schools with the hazy notion that this would prevent a fifth column for Communist China. They were too successful - almost all Chinese have Thai names and speak Thai as their mother tongue. Being of similar religion is a major factor. From the 1960s after being “assimilated”, the Chinese began to accumulate political power. Nowdays, the top political posts and including the army and police are usually held by Chinese descended Thais.

Indonesia did the same from 1966, and Chinese Indonesians who are less than 5% of the population now control an estimated >90% of the economy and has begun to accumulate real political power (unlike MCA).

There cannot be integration/assimilation with discrimination. Without discrimination, due to longer history/culture/experiences* - the Chinese and Indians in whatever form of names would come out tops.

History shows that only when the original “foreign” population is less than 10-20% and with no major religious differences, will assimilation work.

I would say let it be as it is now perhaps with more effort on the Chinese and Indians to speak Malay better. Better for Malaysian Chinese and Indians to continue having separate identities otherwise the Malays could really lose power within a generation. Instead, do the reverse; send Malay kids to Chinese schools as I will elaborate in my last paragraph.

*As with Mahathir’s theory (who unfortunately seems to have only super rich Chinese and Indian friends like Vincent Tan and Ananda, hence not understanding the Chinese and Indian masses and also having a chip on his shoulder - getting a driver immediately after he can afford it), the Chinese and Indians have advantages; Malays do need handicaps temporarily — its this time period that is in dispute most of the time ... I would leave the Indian topic to better commentators.

The Chinese have about 5,000 years of history - education and health/nutrition knowledge etc. Being a more experienced race — like a more experienced tennis player or golfer, of course in general without handicap, they will prevail. For 5000 years, they were living most of the time in harsh times in China - famine, war etc and they have four seasons. They had to plan and save more as there could not be enough to eat/grow in winter etc. They have evolved to be the most successful race - if measured in scientific quantities terms. Their mathematical language has evolved early to be most efficient - compare the number Sembilan (3 syllables) with Jiu/9 - all single sound numbers in Chinese. Focusing on education/Confucianism and basic health/nutrition are 2 major determinants. In South East Asia, coconut and durians drop by themselves; one can fish and plant whole year round. Not much need for planning, saving and arithmetic.

But evolution/improvements are determined by needs/environment. When there's a need and a will, there's a way. Given the right environment-education and health/nutrition focus and a need to do so, human beings will be the same. Malays are not inferior to any races when born, it’s the environment and maybe culture and indoctrination that may cause some to be believe so. Currently, due to constant indoctrination of the need for assistance, the Malays lack confidence. Without confidence, there cannot be ability. Without Malay confidence, the “problems” of Malaysia cannot be solved.

So perhaps the solution is to come to a general agreement on the right solutions to this, the Chinese and Indians must be involved and help for their own sakes. Have a big NGOs and political parties get-together.

In my opinion and from my personal experiences growing up and living around/with non-rich Malay folks (who are usually much nicer, kinder and polite than the rich ones/Chinese/Indians - a sweeping statement perhaps but as stated is my personal opinion — we have equal share when collecting Kupangs, fruits, working in construction sites etc even though I don’t contribute much in our sojourns - belated thanks to Ali Kadir, Yusoff,Azmi etc of Khalidi Muar!)

A little of what I think can be improved:

1. Malay nutrition - all the thick curries, fried stuff does not help. A poor Chinese usually still get enough nutrition for the kids by cooking chicken leg/necks/bones soup etc. Formula baby milk is expensive and the Malays mother normally needs to work to supplement the family income. I don’t think most Malay kids growing up has enough nutrition.
2. Environment — it is not healthy at all for most Malays in urban centres (majority of the Malay population are in Urban areas now) to be housed in small 1-2 bedrooms apartments. They may be poorer in the kampung but they have the space and the whole village to depend upon. We need more libraries built around these areas instead of look/feel good halls, religious buildings etc.
3. Ensure >50% of students in current vernacular Chinese primary school are Malays — they will get to learn one more language and better mathematics skills (important in future China growth century etc), the Chinese will get to learn/use better Malay; all should understand each other better. National schools can be converted into such Chinese primary school if needed or such Chinese schools named as National School in name — this is a bold move and may not be politically palatable. But a leader is supposed to lead, not follow. Singapore leaders were bold in using English as a main medium, a neutral language; Malaysian leaders should go one up on them by using the Chinese language at least in primary schools. There is already a substantial number of Malay students in Chinese Primary Schools. Being 50% and more will also give the parents confidence that their kids won't be badly influenced by the “kaffir” Chinese.
4. Recognise that Malay history began more than 1,500 years ago from the Great Sri Vijaya empire rather than the Melaka Sultanate with arguably only a half hero - Hang Tuah vs Hang Jebat. More historical role models will help confidence and ability in the end.

Yours sincerely,

WongCiLik

sourced: http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/57573-the-real-malay-dilemma

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From - http://ktemoc.blogspot.co.uk/

The Chinaman's REAL dilemma

RPK has published a letter in his Malaysia-Today titled The Chinaman's burden, which came up with lovely neat motherhood statements on what DAP as a political party should do in the light of virtually continuous anti-Chinese diatribes coming from UMNO sources, even down to childish nonsense that romanization of Bahasa Melayu was done as a favour for the 'ungrateful' Chinese but an accusation which failed to mention the much earlier death of Jawi-script Malay newspapers.

Be that as it has been from a former judge who has lost his moral direction, we know that there'll be further 'incoming' for the Chinese - 'incoming' being an American military word for enemy artillery barrage which for the Chinese Malaysians would be UMNO sources and their politicized anti-Chinese rants.

Let me tell you what has been and is the real Chinaman's dilemma. But to do so, I need to step back a few decades in time, at least briefly.

Because Chinese like Jews all over the world have had pogroms against them from time to time, they (the Chinese, not the Jews) prefer to lie low amidst the political landscape of wherever they sought domicile.

This political evasiveness or if you prefer, political abstention manifested in the notorious all-day-all-night long mahjung games on Malaysian election days wakakaka, is quite the opposite of what Indians do.

My Unc who studied in UK for many years told me at one time, around the 70's, there was strong anti Indian feelings among Britons just as there was recently in Melbourne, Australia, but relatively nothing much against the Chinese, both in Britain during the 70's and Melbourne, Australia at the time of the anti-Indian outbreaks.

Maybe it's because Indians have been and are very politically conscious and active (could this be linked to the domination of Indians in the field of law?) that they brought themselves to public prominence which gained for them the full attention and force of local bigotry?

Incidentally, pogrom is a word of Yiddish-Russian origin, testifying to the regular and frequent persecution of the Jews in Europe (particularly in Russia, Poland, Germany, etc) that such a word worked itself into the English vocabulary.

Similarly, the overseas Chinese, also a race frequently bashed around by the majority ethnic groups in various countries, have such a tragic word to describe the regular anti-Chinese pogroms. That word is p’ai-hua meaning ‘The Driven Out’.

Oh, now that we have mentioned p'ai hua, someone who was once in UMNO, wakakaka, was very vocal in telling his Heartland crowd that the Chinese should balik Tiong Sun (China).

Okay ... back on track, Chinese Malaysians had been lying (politically) low for decades because of two factors: firstly, as mentioned they didn't want to bring the attention of the mainly Malay local authorities to themselves, and secondly, I believe there could be an atavistic belief among at least the older Chinese Malaysians that Malaya-Malaysia was/is not their land, a subconscious impression enforced through regular drilling into their barb-wire haired head by UMNO that they were/are pendatangs (despite sacrifices of Chinese soldiers and policemen), so why would/should they bother to participate in local politics. Aha, the allure of mahjung becomes more pronounced, wakakaka.

Politically, they quietly worked out a voting strategy of sending federal opposition parties like the Socialist Front and (from 1969 onwards) DAP and its late 60's to early 70's allies (PPP, Gerakan) to federal parliament to 'make mucho noise' for Chinese interests while voting Perikatan-BN into the state Assemblies to ensure continued federal-founded developments for their state.

The strategy had been employed for years except in the 1969 general elections but ceased since 2008.

Prior to 2008, when push comes to shove, they preferred a BN-UMNO government, hence 1999 and 2004 saw Chinese tsunamis for (not against) BN-UMNO.

I have to say that someone saved by these Chinamen in 1999 has been terribly ungrateful, while having the brazen thick-skinned face to condemn the Chinese today. It's the same volte-face treachery practised against the Malay rulers, who were slapped in their royal face in 1991 but Godzilla-ishly ampu today by the same group of treacherous traitors.

Anyway, I believe two principal reasons convince the Chinese Malaysians today to cease the strategy of 'making noise in the East while behaving with decorum in the West'.

The first came about during AAB's term as PM, when ironically due to his quite relaxed attitude towards the online media, the Chinese public saw on TV and read on both hardcopy and online media the vile vicious vitriolic ultra racisms exhibited during the UMNO Party General Assembly as several wannnabe leaders showed off their credentials as defenders of bangsa, agama dan raja,and bloody f**k negara. They frightened the Chinese.

Yes, most Chinese were shocked at the unbelievable words and antics of those wannabe ethnic heroes. It was no longer the UMNO they had been comfortable with, an UMNO which though was the dominant political force and favoured UMNO Malays excessively but was also an UMNO which was reasonable, rational and reachable (accessible).

The second factor was the generational change among the Chinese, where the younger Chinese, born as 3rd, 4th or even 5th and 6th generation Malaysians have different values to their elders. They believe in and would vocally assert their Malaysian rights, and sometimes in their western cultured democratic practices appear as biadap to conservative and elderly Malays who haven't been exposed to the more robust style of democracy seen in Western countries like UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Thus the dilemma, the real dilemma of the older Chinamen was whether to join the younger Chinese in being more vocal in their opposition to BN and its nefarious practices, or to lie low as before while continuing with their 'making noise in the East while behaving with decorum in the West'.

What tilted them over had been their belief that the UMNO (and thus MCA, Gerakan etc) today is not the UMNO they had been comfortable with in the past. They fear that by remaining politically equivocal or worse, silent, they will suffer far more from increasing racist marginalization than by being vocal and bringing themselves to UMNO's nasty attention.

And then of course the very epitome of all this new UMNO viciousness was tragically encapsulated in the untimely unwarranted (and arrogantly) unexplained death of Teoh Beng Hock, a man who was killed on the eve of his wedding day.

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Malaysia is a prosperous, modern Islamic nation in which three main ethnic groups -Malay, Chinese and Indian - coexist peacefully, while maintaining their unique cultural identities. Yet this stable society is founded upon a form of affirmative action that has led to condemnation of Malaysia as an inherently racist society, and to criticisms of the architect of that policy, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who outlined his ideas in his book, The Malay Dilemma, in 1970.

  The winners from Mahathir's New Economic Policy have been the indigenous Malays who receive preferential treatment in education and business; the losers are the Chinese who feel they are the victims of inherently undemocratic restrictions. The author argues that whatever the cost, the benefits of the policy are indisputable. He not only queries many of Mahathir's ideas, he also challenges the simplistic views of the leader's Chinese and Western critics. Besides making a major contribution to Malaysian political and social thought, this book raises broader questions about Chinese cultural identity and the role and expectations of the overseas Chinese - a people who have left their mark in almost every corner of the world.

This book is well written and recommended to all Malaysian and those who are interested in the challenge and dilemma of `immigrant minority' in a multiracial country ("salad bowl" instead of "melting pot").

  The author is a second generation English educated Malaysian Chinese who has first hand experience from colonial period (the British), WWII (the Japanese occupation), communism threat, Malaysia Independence to the subsequent years of NEP (20 years of Malaysian New Economic Policy)  NDP where `affirmative action' was/is in full force. 

  Some may regard this `affirmative action' as a state sponsored discrimination on the minority groups of citizens (Chinese & Indian whose parents, grandparents or great grand parents were immigrants) but the author may beg to differ slightly by offering his own personal opinion / perspective.

The author attempts to point out the similarities and differences of Malaysia as compared to other countries with varied racial mix (ie. Indonesia, Fiji, America, Thailand, etc.)

The Chinese Dilemma

Use the army against unarmed Malaysians at a rally? Unbelievable!

The Malaysian Insider
Jun 21, 2013

Federal Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Saleh Mat Rasid hit a raw nerve yesterday when he said that the army will help the police, if necessary, at the Black 505 rally tomorrow.

Use the army against unarmed Malaysians at a rally? Unbelievable!

The ball is now in PM Najib’s court . Should he crack down on the rally as he did with Bersih 3.0 , listening to his advisors. Which completely stunk up his attempts to be seen as a moderate , or should he let things slide and regain some of the lost credibilty of the reconciliation he had inferred.. But problem may be the unpredictability of what course of events the rallies may take…Stuck between a used diaper and a sanitary napkin,either side will still reek of wasteful discharge.

But threatening the people to bring the army in ,that sounds like a whimpering panicking dog with it’s tail between it’s legs, forced into a corner ,and growling in a desperate manner , terrified of what may transpire.
  It’s not like armed Banglas are going to invade Padang Merbok. What is the threat to national security?
 Is he saying that the PDRM are not competent to control or manage the situation , therefore he doesn’t trust the institution? What will the army do, shoot fellow citizens in cold blood or bludgeon Malaysians with their rifle barrels just because they are protesting the fraud perpetuated on them. The people have a bone to pick with the EC not an agenda of toppling the goverment. 
 Scare tactics like these only serves to get people more indignant of the constant intimidation attempted. Wonder if he is familiar with reverse psychology?

 REMEMBER THIS GUY!!