Holiday began for me on the May 4, 2008 with the conclusion of our last Final Exams paper. This time it was Cyber Law. Less than 24 hours later, I had to catch a flight to Miri. Now I am back in Betong, Sarawak <Wiki Link>. ‘Back’ because I spend 3 years of my life here. Studied in SMK Datuk Patinggi Kedit from mid-2000 to early 2002.
I finally got my hands on the papers today: The Borneo Post. Not my usual New Straits Times; when in Sarawak, read what the Sarawakians read, right? Two articles prompted me to finally write an entry.
Sarawak could protect Greece just as well as Greece could protect Sarawak
The first article was about SCORE (which stands for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy). In conjunction with the sitting of the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, SCORE have been raised by the Hon. Members of the Assembly. Needless to say, there’s a lot of coverage on this ‘corridor’. The title of one article is: Czech Republic shows interests to invest in SCORE (p. 4, Borneo Post, May 13, 2008).
I doubt there was any coverage of the event in the mainstream ‘Malaysian media’. Usually that refers to mainstream West Malaysian media. As far as many are concerned, the Borneo Post, Eastern Times, Borneo Bulletin, Utusan Borneo and the BM equivalent are tabloids. Sad, isn’t it.
Anyway, I’m a skeptic when it comes to the 5 corridors. I believe I wrote something about it some time back. The gist to that would be: it took us 10 years to understand the first corridor, last year and early this year we see 5 more. That opinion was from the last edition Financial Times in 2007. Also, the costs incurred are absurd.
But the interests of the Czech Republic, among others, could signal something positive. Hopefully positive enough to convince our skeptics. I pray that this would not be a repeat of 1800s Greece-Sarawak relations.
Urm… I’m seeing a blur in your face. Sarawak had a diplomatic relationship with Greece in 1800s? Lest you forget, despite the citizenship of H.H. Rajah Brooke being British, the country he ruled over was a sovereign one. We had relations with the United States even. It’s at page 101 of Joan Rawlins’ Sarawak 1839 - 1963. The book was published in 1965 by Macmillan & Co Ltd. in London. The text per verbatim:-
James Brooke was still worried because no great nation was prepared to offer its protection to Sarawak. When the British Government showed no interest, he considered other European governments: France, Belgium, even Holland, whose colonial policies he greatly disliked. Miss Burdett Coutts [Baroness Angela Burdett Coutts] suggested Greece, but the Rajah replied that Sarawak could protect Greece just as well as Greece could protect Sarawak.
At page 14 of the same daily, the headline of one article goes S’wak targets 20,000 entrepreneurs by 2010. Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, the Minister of Public Utilities, made the statement in his winding up speech at the Assembly meeting.
Here’s where I now spin the two articles into one fine opinion of mine:
SCORE is a noble idea intended to bring development to the region it covers. I’m certain jobs and opportunities would be created. As the former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at Politics UK <Politics UK link>, this was a strategy I intended to adopt to tackle the in-game 1980s recession. Creating more and more opportunities by creating and providing infrastructure for prospective and current Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs). Programmes and agencies were created to help achieve the figure by the State Government and I respect that. In fact, I support it. The Government of Sarawak spent RM243 million in the past to years for local entrepreneurs. Sadly, the Government, too, has limited funds. That’s where the Czech Republic, foreign and local investors, come into the picture; they supplement the available resources. Ultimately, whether SCORE can succeed and the 20,000 be met, the efforts, will, preparation and determination of the locals are what makes it so. Do not wait until it is too late. Opportunity stares us in the face, it’s a matter of whether you can identify it or not.
UiTM & the Blogging World
The second article which inspired this entry is at p. 22 of today’s Borneo Post. UiTM willing to offer course on blog writing.
With respect to my varsity, the idea is now obsolete. Sadly, while blogs have been in existence since the mid-90s <Link>, it was only taken seriously after March 8, 2008. Prior to that date, bloggers were considered “unpatriotic gobloks [translation: idiots]” by the Government of Malaysia. The position was expressed by the then Minister of Information, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin, in Parliament. Just so you know, a stand of a Government Minister is the stand of that Government. It’s called collective responsibility, especially if the Minister has the portfolio over the subject matter.
Blogs and bloggers in Malaysia came into the spotlight as the cause of the loss of the Barisan Nasional in West Malaysia. In light of that, the blogosphere became the “in-thing” among Malaysian politicians. Dato’ Seri Dr. Khir Toyo <blog link>, Leader of the Opposition in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly and former Menteri Besar (chief minister), and his MB predecessor and current Minister of Rural Development, Datuk Muhammad Muhammad Taib <blog link> both have one.
Talk about U-turns. *Cringes* If I were to do that in Politics UK, I could kiss my portfolio and constituency goodbye.
Anyway, the idea for a course on blogs is obsolete because of the available resources online. You do not need to pay hundreds of ringgit for free updated information. There are two books on the market written in Malay for blogs. Refer to my entry on Materials for Writing Career. If those were basic, imagine reality. Here, I do not oppose the move of my university, but I believe that we have other issues to address.
My learned Vice Chancellor, Datuk Seri Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Abu Shah, said that there were some rules and guidelines to be observed. Ethics, primarily. The report ended with Datuk Seri saying:
Isn’t there any other media which can provide a balance to the situation. Do we have to be trapped and allow ourselves to become victims of cyber media without check and balance on ourselves, family and the society.
It’s here I think the cyber colony can be regulated. If the blog is used, then it is also through the blog that we can merge the traditional and new media.
Aldric’s comments: This was quoted verbatim from the report - including the punctuation marks. Good God, there are many errors!
As an undergraduate who took cyber law as a subject at Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia, I must dissent with the opinion. It is nearly impossible to regulate the blogs. My learned Vice Chancellor may have had his reasons not reported. It would be enlightening to see his reasoning. Cyberspace is no where near the real world. You can say that it is a totally new dimension. You can regulate what is in Malaysia, but not what is outside; well, not as easily that is.
A course on blogging is not viable because of the rapid change the blogosphere sees every second. Remember that the Chief Executive of the University talks on ‘writing blogs’. Sadly, there are many forms of blogs besides writing. Blogs can be ‘written’ by publishing artworks, videos and recordings. As technology continue to develop, the evolution continues.
In Memory of May 13
Today in 1969, Malaysia went through the worst racial conflict she has seen since time immemorial. What was in the past should not be forgotten. Instead, it should be made into a lesson. As the trend continues, it is not impossible to see a repeat of history.
In memory of May 13, here’s the Rukun Negara which was drawn up to address the problems we faced. Memorise it, understand it, appreciate it and apply it:
- Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan
- Kesetiaan kepada Raja dan Negara
- Keluhuran Perlembagaan
- Kedaulatan Undang-Undang
- Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan
