Tuesday, January 22, 2008

An Glaring observation by an Expat

The good and bad thing about the Internet - a free-flow of unsolicited information. This could have been either a boon or a bane, depending on how you would view it.
However, what it really means - it's now too easy to be in the spotlight. Secrets and dirty linen can no longer be kept secret. That which would have been so easily surpressed is now open to scrutiny and questions.

Here is a post in an expat. forum entitled "Glaring Observations of Malaysia"
Original post here

I produce here the post in full.
As a long-time expatriate in a private institution in your country, I happen to observe a number of uncanny ‘facts’ about this country. The people do not often address themselves as Malaysians, with most still preferring their own ethnic identification.

One group has practically full control of the civil service, education and law enforcing, leaving the others scrambling for whatever are the leftovers.

This group also continues to enjoy a good percentage of special discounts when purchasing real estates, decade after decade and this is a very unique situation.

The disparity of the number of voters in the different parliament constituencies is alarming. One has more than a 100,000 electorate while another could well be only one-fifth of that. The bottom line is that a party or coalition can still form a government with majority seats despite winning only some 40% of the popular vote.

The elites of one group already hold a large chunk of the nation's economic pie, yet the government came out with dubious figures claiming the contrary. Statistics have been badly abused and often manipulated by the powerful.

Many able-minded citizens have been moving overseas. This plays right into the hands of the government that only feels comfortable among the mediocre.

Most mega-projects have been ill-conceived let alone properly planned. The squandering of the nation’s wealth solely benefits a particular section of cronies and party faithful.

Well, this country is fast becoming one of the several failed states that were once British colonies, but are now torn apart by ethnic and religious forces. The turbulent undercurrent of discontent seems to be growing, waiting to surface one day. But by then, it would be real ugly.


Of course, this is just an observation from a single individual and does not or may not reflect the entire sentiment of the nation.
However, one may ask is his observation valid ? Think it through.

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