yea, it's been a month since my last post. My final exam is officially over. Now it's time for my final year project which carries 15% of my degree. I gotta work hard, though. I'm not sure whether i have regretted my decision to put that one of the six choices of project, and got that my least favourite choice. However, that only means that the challenge is tougher. My current project supervisor is a strict guy. I heard many friends and coursemates giving him negative feedback. They said, usually he tends not to give good marks to students. If this is so, i'm in a disadvantageous situation, coz he's the one who does the first marking before passing it to the external examiners during my viva (oral) exam. Up 'til now he's still patient , kind and nice to me, but i'm already feeling very much pressure on me. My other friends, majority of them are working under supervisor's postgraduate students, but i'm directly under the guiding of my supervisor. This could be considered lucky or unlucky. Actually this should be the right way to access every student's performance and ability. I have no choice but to face the challenge and do the best, and be careful enough not to make serious mistakes (to avoid being scold :P)
Exam and further studies
My final exam was not too bad. There's very high chance that i can pass the minimum requirement to enter my master degree in Imperial College next (academic) year. Let's pray for me too, when the time comes (result comes out at the end of June). However, I failed to make it to Oxford University, haih... rejected even before i show my exam result to them. Nevermind. I'm quite happy to stay in Imperial College.
Moving House
The next thing is the mission of house-hunting. I'm confirmed moving out next year, to a new house. Since that possibly could be my last year of studying (unless i go higher to PhD), i might as well change the environment and aim for better living standard. After two years of staying 'underground' (basement flat), it's time for change. Some good and bad about this house. Furthermore, it's not up to us to decide whether we could stay. The house condition is much worse since the first day of moving in. Especially for this year. I have 'no eyes to see'. I already do my best, but when cleanliness and thriftiness are not other housemates' top priority or concern, i would just give in. Not that i did not do the role of controlling and correcting the situation, just that a habit is still a habit to some people. Now i wonder if we can return the house to the landlord as what it is like when we move in.
I will push harder prior to the date of moving out.
Once my senior had given me this advice, when he first moved out of this house. He said, it's not that this house is not good, but that was his housemate's decision. He said: 'It doesn't matter with which house you are staying... Good house is not hard to find, more important is who are you living with. Good housemates are not easy to meet and also each one is not easily replaced.' That sounds right to me now, i realize that some role of a member in a house are not just easily replaceable. Now i miss Andy. hehe
At current stage we have settled the group of housemates for next year. The only thing left is the house, since we're quite happy with each other (future housemates) now.
Ok. Update until here. I do have much more things to say, including some interesting stories...hehe. That's one 'scary story' happened at the 'backyard' of my house last time during my exam days. Want to know? tell you next time :P I have some thoughts to share about the current affairs of my country too, but once i start writing it, i'm afraid i just can't stop. I'll save it for next time.
Don't think i have nothing to do, this 6-weeks project is crucial to me. I'll keep myself busy with that. In the meantime i will update my blog once in a while.
10 comments:
Malaysians in particular seems to retain an unhealthy fetish of occupational class stigma where some jobs are assigned higher social status and prestige.
'Bright' students who feel insulted to be doing agriculture can pursue their dreams of being a lawyer, doctor and accountant elsewhere.
Here is a lesson on 'great things'. Every contribution to society can help in achieving great things. We must realise that we can do many other things to make a contribution to the progress of society, other than being a money-eyed lawyer, doctor or accountant.
Every single volunteering act is a contribution to your neighborhood and community. Every moment you spend on self-improvement will make you a better entrepreneur or employee in whatever line of work you choose.
But you don't seem to mind too much what you are eating. If we have more 'bright' people in agriculture, they can probably explain the use of growth hormones and other special feeds in getting that fowl to our dinner table.
Don't you see? There are too many self-proclaimed 'bright' people who took society for a ride, made millions and then lectured the rest of the populace on the importance of worshiping their contributions.
Our Malaysian citizens must be vigilant of their rights and push for reforms that can be sustained through a strong legal framework. The narrow and stereotypical view of affecting social change is so infantile that I cannot help but wonder how bleak the future of this country is.
It is no wonder our civil participation is as backward as it is.
As it is now, we seem to be unable to manage our road rage, our public safety, our public institutions, our illegal immigrants, our environment and so on. Although we pride ourselves on being one of the better nations, deep down within us we know that we need to do more to take our nation forward.
It is critical now for all Malaysians especially our leaders, to lead the way forward to reestablish the ideals for our beloved country and re-ignite our love and our passion for the country.
Today, under the same meritocracy quota system, the local universities are actually 'manufacturing' graduates.
In order to place as many as those unqualified matriculation people in public universities, matriculation exam standard is lowered, then in universities, this kind of students cannot survive, there are side effects - the ratio of the fail students is too much, what lecturers can do?
They will be blamed by dean or head of department, so lecturer will narrow down the subject's exam difficulty, or giving tips before exam……….
With the meritocracy quota system, our universities produce only: 'Un-employ-able graduates'.
And the number is growing and growing.
One fine day, the political idiots from Umno will find themselves surrounded by 'graduates' asking for a RM500 job.
The 'Made In Malaysia' graduates realize that they themselves are not up to mark. For this reason, they can only ask for a RM500 job.
So, our public universities produce useless graduates, unemployed students.
These are 'Made In Malaysia' graduates who cannot even find employment elsewhere.
STPM - one of toughest public examination in the world. Many student doesn't dare to take STPM due to its difficulty, but the main reason behind is not only the one mention above, but it is due to uncertainty of entering university.
Should not say competence, but should say colonisation, matriculation as we all know is an internal exam and it is much much easier than STPM (noticed that this is a fact from many university lecturer, educational personnel and other professional).
Frankly, the country make those student who score well disappointed, although proven their ability is more than enough to entitled for the course (such as medicine, dentistry), but government is merciless, take away their chances and replace by those who are weaker, in other words, taking away the opportunity of those who able to contribute to the country development and improvement.
The fact has told us that the percentage of entry from certain ethnic group has substantially increase annually due to intake of lower grade recruitment for satisfying their own supporters or promise given during an event which bring benefit terms for their own leaders.
I will not surprise if a very good result achiever has failed to obtain a seat in pursuit their further study in an internal higher institution, which becoming too obvious compare with nowadays technology.
My daughter scored straight As in her STPM exam in 2002 year, but couldn't get a place to study pharmacy course in one of the local universities. Why?
My daughter was so disgruntled, eventually with the help of her school teachers, she managed to enroll in a Singapore University and she was offered a scholarship, many thanks to Singapore government.
Now she is one of the top students in the faculty.
Is the language diversity in our educational system a stumbling block to so-called 'national unity'? Despite the insistence of this idea by the self-interested ruling elite, it is simply wrong.
And the common use of English did not stop Americans from fighting Britons in the War of Independence. And let us not forget the American Civil War - both sides spoke English.
And to the contrary, we see Europeans of different mother tongues coming together in a democratic manner to forge a united continent in the form of the multilingual European Union with common standards of human rights, governance and democracy.
English-speaking people with different mother tongues are also now living peacefully in five different sovereign and independent countries namely the United States, New Zealand, Canada, Britain and Australia.
It is time for the Malaysia ruling elite and their ideologues to stop spreading the voodoo of that language diversity hampers national unity.
The root cause of national disunity is none other than the existence of race-based political parties like Umno, MIC and MCA, which perpetuate race-based affirmative action policies and which only benefit the upper class BN gangs and their sons, daughters and cronies.
Malaysia is the only country in the world where the constitution itself (no less) says that a particular race has to belong a particular religion. No other country follows this ruling. Not even Arabia (birthplace of Islam) or Indonesia (largest Muslim population).
I left Malaysia in search of a better life where I am free to think and do as I please, where nobody tells me what to think and do. I am a free spirited individual.
I have relatives and friends who now live in the United States, UK, New Zealand, Holland, Canada, and Australia - and call these places home.
If I were in your position, with all the racial discrimination back home in terms of places in the country tertiary education institutions, scholarships etc, I would be happy to pack up my bags and leave like some have done - like I and others like me, have done although for different reasons.
Life is more than just having a good job - and is not to be measured in terms of dollars and cents alone. I am not prepared to live a lie and say that I am happy when I am not.
We are among the fortunate in that we are able to exercise our freedom of choice. Others do not know what they are missing.
Freedom of speech is very important and should be upheld by every single individual be it in Malaysia or abroad. The Malaysian public has not reached the stage of speaking out their views and minds at the moment, but we have to make drastic changes for the benefit of all regardless of religion and race.
I am left speechless that now after 49 years of independence, Malaysians are still talking about the Malays, Indians and Chinese race and calling each other names, and telling each other to leave Malaysia if they don't like it.
No matter what topic writes, the posting still leads back to us versus them, Malays versus Indians or Chinese, or vice versa. Please realise that not all malays share the views expressed and not all Indians or Chinese share the same views.
Maybe some have been rejected or disappointed are using this board to vent their anger and in doing so fan the fire or racial hatred. I really object when posters say the Malays, the Indians, the Chinese, etc. This is brushing the whole race with the same slur just because of the acts of a few.
I believe that the better 'educated' people are, the lesser bigot they are. Trust the professional malays (the ones who read widely). The ones you meet or hear about are perhaps 'trained' to be professionals and not educated - they perhaps have not even touched a book from the day that they graduated.
So, perhaps you should not include them in the same category as what we have here at this forum. See, let us encourage them, the others, to get exposed to the 'elements' in the real global society and then perhaps they would turn around to create a better nation for Malaysians.
I believe the first thing that should be changed is the ridiculous race column in our forms. The day we stop filling up the form as Malay, Indian, or Chinese and etc……….we will be truly Malaysians.
Now you know the reason I left Malaysia. Every race has a place in Malaysia. No Malaysian should feel he/she is a second class citizen. Just because the NEP provide privileges to the malays does not make the malays first class citizens. Remember this is just a privilege, not a right.
The right is to vote, own land, make money, live a peaceful life, do business and buy properties. Nobody can take that away from the citizens.
When you talk about emigration, there is more to it than just economics - and affirmative action policies.
It is our choice - and we are happy for it.
We still have roots back in Malaysia. We are thankful that as a result of their discriminatory policies, we are leading happy and fruitful lives in countries like the United States - where we are free, and I mean free.
Pak Lah did not usually attend the parliament meeting, because he has breed monkeys ministers there.
Umno Youth has to ask if their reaction is mature and wise. Personally I am incensed by their arrogant, aggressive and self-righteous tone.
Is it too late for PAS to capture the opportunity? They already made their stand on issue by having their demonstration. So MIC, MCA and Gerakan cannot partner with them unless they change their stand immediately.
The Malaysia government is driving the wedge among all the races here. They make us feel like they are doing us a favor by allowing us to live here.
We must admit that the existing system is still good enough to bring about peace, political stability and prosperity. If you have the confidence to earn clean money through real hard work, just leave them alone to run the administration, even if they openly corrupt themselves.
The MIC, MCA, Gerakan, must be bold enough to address his people issue, not his race, say no if it is no.
Come on people. Do the one thing that truly makes a difference. Take a chance and vote for the opposition. Let us be serious when we say we want change!
MIC, MCA and Gerakan and some non-malay component parties of BN should have pulled out from this coalition long time ago. The most corrupt party in the world as Umno have treated them like non-existent.
They are all trainees and have not yet to reach political maturity. It may take a long time before they know how to think rationally. With the present style of administration plus our low educational standard, I doubt they can go far and will remain good in their own home only, barking up and down, that is all until such time when they realise too late, that they are halfway to heaven with no hope of coming back.
So the most logical thing for us to do is use your brain, think rationally, study hard, respect others, excel in your international standing and be honest. Then you can 'live' anywhere in the world.
Someone is right.
Every good statistician will tell you that Najib statistics are flawed.
Najib is not comparing apple with apple. He is not using weighted statistic (based on population and income) for comparison.
With one race from larger population, it is bound to have the statistics stretched, thereby lowering the value. Therefore you will get one orange comparing with apple. But with weighted comparison, only then you are comparing on equal terms.
Najib doesn't tell the whole story. He is just inciting emotions with flawed facts. Wonder what was his motive? You guess is as good as mine.
It is either Badawi has given his blessings or he is such a lame-duck prime minister and Umno president that even Umno Youth don't care a damn about what he says.
The prime minister should resign and take full responsibility for the clowns in his circus.
To blame others and to cast aspersions on the achievements of non-malay entrepreneurs show a lack of responsibility.
Yes, Public Bank is doing well because it is managed professionally. Can the same be said of Bank Bumi or Bank Islam? Who is to blame for this? With all the help that the GLCs have secured, just ponder on what are the achievements of MAS, Telekom and Tenaga!
The government can keep on paying and supporting questionable ventures but without accountability and professionalism, greed is the factor that will undercut everything.
Let the people remember the very words uttered by these malay supremacists when the general elections come around. We all know that with the general elections, the rhetoric switches to one of a more conciliatory voice; i.e. BN component hand-in-hand serving the people, Malaysia unity, working together for a better tomorrow, etc, etc.
This is the voice of a double-headed animal. Unfortunately, this is what gives politics in Malaysia a bad name. Politics is not dirty. It is only when we have politicians who have no principles, no shame and devoid of any integrity in what they say that politics become dirty.
"Malaysians must now assess themselves by the international yardsticks."
I thought we did. We compared ourselves with the likes of Ghana and other third world countries and we came out tops. It made us feel good and strengthened our belief of Malaysia Boleh. Way to go Barisan Nasional.
Actually Najib was the one who compared Malaysia with Ghana as we were granted independence at about the same time. I guess he was trying to find something good to say about our country and he must be scraping the barrel trying to find one.
Don't be naive. This is our problem today. We use benchmarks that make us look better than we really are. We are losers in the end if we continue to delude ourselves. Let us compare ourselves to an undiscovered and barren land with nothing on it.
We would look even better. Why Ghana? Don't insult the Ghana, as they are smarter than we think. Maybe they are even less corrupt than us. At least, they do not pretend about it.
I wonder why the need to apportion blame on the British for all our woes be it with the system of government or the people running it? Can't we just acknowledge the fact that our society is simply too docile to even make an impression on the ruling elite?
The condescending attitude of those in power is not because of the British but purely self-made. It has come about because Umno has been in power far too long. We are to be blamed for the woes and not the British. The faster we rid ourselves of this delusion, the better it is for everyone.
I am grateful to the British for what we are today. Imagine what it would have been had we been colonised by the others?
Mistakes committed by the administration should not be apportioned to our colonial masters alone. Our woes are our own making. Why must repressive laws be instituted to curb civil liberties? Yes, ISA was the brainchild of the British but it was for a reason. Should the law be perpetuated?
I am just trying to say the obvious. Why must we blame the British for all our woes, after all we have been an independent nation for almost half a decade now.
We cannot go on blaming the past for our present. We have power over the present. What is past is gone and we cannot do much about it. Thus, look at the dinosaurs. The future belongs to those responsive and flexible to change.
Let us give the British a break. And through this talk and other medium of communications endeavour to change the mindset of Malaysians, especially the ruling elite. Our arguments therefore, should be relevant and not grossly off-tangent to create an impression that our mentality is still infantile.
The problem lies with a ruling party that wants to hang on to power for as long as it desires. It does not care whether it is done the right or wrong way. If something is not right blame it on the British. You have a convenient scapegoat. It is that simple.
The moment we stop passing the buck the better it is for all of us. I would rather take the bull by its horns than blame others for my lack of courage.
Anyway I strongly feel this country is being run by a bunch of incompetents, led by the most useless leader the country ever had.
What is really wrong with our country? We are being led by a "Mr Clean" who is himself be far from clean. Just look at what his son-in-law, his son, his sister-in-law and his brother are doing.
All he can say is that "I don't know". He is either stupid (obviously not, in fact, we are more stupid in the last election) or a hypocrite. Take your pick.
In Malaysia, we have very few critics, very few who would dare tell the emperor that he is wearing only a "sarong". Worse that sarong is slipping down fast, exposing his ass when he stoops down.
Even fewer still would dare suggest that the prime minister should substitute a pair of trousers with a belt, and suspender instead of merely refolding his sarong. Staying with the sarong, even he has folded it up again, would result in it slipping down again.
We must benchmark ourselves against established standards so that we do not mislead and lull ourselves into a state of complacency. We can always improve in whatever we do, that is what I mean by the word "progress". Nothing stays the same.
We have to be like the cougar, the fastest in its family, not political "fat cats" of course. We need to hone in our sense of survival and be constantly in a challenge-response mode.
We have to think outside the box, reconfigure, innovate, and be better than the competition in the region and around the globe. Success depends increasingly on speed, flexibility, agility and adaptability.
The emphasis in the plan in my humble opinion should be on intellectual capital formation. Education in science, mathematics and information technology is the foundation. Human capital is a pre-requisite for sustainable economic development.
Most of all, we need to believe in ourselves and that we can achieve our goals. "Malaysia Boleh" must not merely be a slogan, but should be embedded in our national and individual psyche.
I don't believe the Barisan Nasional government understands the present and real danger the country is heading towards. It is appropriate that we look at the reality of the situation at the beginning of 2007.
Corruption and graft in Malaysia have been allowed to fester for far too long and is killing the country slowly.
With the world opening up and globalisation inevitably at the doorsteps, smaller economies like ours will suffer. Unless Malaysia's industries innovate and metamorphic, we will lose out to the great factory of the world - China.
All the more so when the government tolerates corruption and graft in its awarding of contracts, and when contracts are awarded not to the best company but to friends and relatives who can provide a kickback.
We are no longer competitive. The cost of doing business in Malaysia is now much too high. Corruption and graft certainly does not help but the inflation rate has risen to a point that it is virtually impossible to raise a family……….
It used to be that Malaysia could at least boast of a well-educated workforce however today, it is sadly no longer true.
I run a local business and conduct perhaps over a hundred interviews a year of graduates in Malaysia. It is sad that our local graduates lack the confidence and social skills to make it pass the first round of interviews. Perhaps if they were not so obsessed with scoring As but more appreciative of the many and varied aspects of life and general knowledge, they would be more confident in carrying on a normal conversation.
Our place of higher education is sadly no longer what it used to be. If the ministers and the politicians of higher education continue to be in a state of denial of the standard and level of our local universities, then it is to the detriment of the nation.
While Malaysia, or the government rather, continue to play the racial card by insisting that there is a malay agenda and the Indian community fights for a voice and the Chinese component believes that there is a Chinese agenda, the rest of the civilised world are working towards being more united for the simple sake of commerce and economics.
It should no longer be necessary to divide the poor up into Malays, Indians or Chinese, nor is it necessary to divide the wealthy according to their skin color. Certain biasness exist and stereotypes are unavoidable, but government policies that promote racial division is in this age and day unnecessary.
In fact it makes the country less competitive and more divided. Just go to America and look at the number of Malaysians who head business organisations and hospitals and universities. These are the brains that we lost, not because of the pull factor but more so because of the push factor.
My travels take me to all over Asia. I see for myself what used to be Malaysia's strength have now become our weakness. Some of our neighbours have become very serious with corruption and graft.
China, for example, recognised their weakness and is seriously dealing with the problem. There was a local government official in an outlying province who were misappropriating the people's funds. He was found guilty and he was shot by a firing squad.
I believe we will have few or no politicians left if the Anti-Corruption were free to run its investigations independently. Perhaps that is one way of trimming the cabinet.
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