Checking On The Checkered Flag

Natalie Shobana Ambrose (24th September 2009 - theSun)

Cars are not my passion, in fact I fall into the stereotypical category of women who can’t be bothered to take care of their cars. But I must confess that I do like looking at pretty cars.

I recently found myself admiring a Lotus. Up close and personal, I marveled at the silhouette of this work of art and understood why it was named after the beautiful flower.

Incidentally the next day it was reported that Malaysia would have its own Lotus- powered Formula One Team.

How interesting I thought.

I didn’t even know we were bidding to take over Honda and BMW’s spot. But then again, I tend to look at the pictures in the sports section more than read the articles.

But how fascinating, to know that the great masters of the sport were giving up citing financial constraints in this economic climate but Malaysia has decided to take up this multi-million dollar challenge.

Had I known earlier, that we were bidding for it, maybe then I’d have thrown in the suggestion for Lotus to help it’s owner Proton to first make car windows that function well. So that Proton owners can enjoy winding down the window to take a parking ticket or pay the toll instead of opening the door while the engine is running and cars are queuing at the back.

Another thing I would have suggested would be perhaps to rethink the name. Not that 1 Malaysia isn’t a good concept or that the team will fail, but what would it mean if we don’t finish the race?

I think it would be good to start small. Take care of the stuff at home first before loosing some tax money past the checkered flag.

Sometimes we are put in the position of opportunity to make bold decisions that could better our future but it doesn’t always mean we have to take them.

I think it’s important to look at our history, of the decisions we have made good and bad, the liabilities we have incurred and the potential liability if our current decision is the wrong one before we move forward.

I’m not good at financial planning but I do know that it would be wiser to fix a leaking roof than to spend the money on a sports car and months later suffer because the roof has collapsed.

Instead of all that money being put towards a car driving round in circles, can all that money be channeled to the people?

Fair enough it is not solely a government project, there are private investors and the advertising money will trickle back to the country – but who will benefit?

When we look at the legacy of each administration, the main goal is to leave something worthwhile, to make a difference, to keep improving ourselves and to do good by the people.

So when we look at the quality of our roads, the traffic jams, bad air quality, rampant theft, the poor, even the middle class that is struggling to make ends meet, parents who tighten their belt even more to pay for a decent education for their children, the lack of medical care, then I wonder if spending millions on an F1 team could be better spent elevating the burden of the people.

Malaysia is a great country if you are rich, influential or an expatriate where everything is available at your fingertips. But what happens to the rest of the country?

Can the USD48 million bond alone that is paid to the The International Automobile Federation to have an F1 team be used for better services for those in need?

What about the millions that is needed to house the F1 team in Sepang, wind tunnel and all?

My hope though when our government makes decisions as financially gigantic as this they realize that it is not what they are able to give the people but what they are willing to give up, because it is not what we are able to do but our willingness to do without.

We have nothing to gain if what we are advertising to the world with the F1 team is a country struggling to provide her people with the basic necessities.

Natalie would like to experience the F1 one day but for now, she’s content with watching it on the big screen.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

A Rose By Any Other Name

Natalie Shobana Ambrose (10th September 2009 - theSun)

“I’m not a dictionary!” I used to be told pre-Google times. So I learnt to use the lexicon and I’m still a fan of the physical book though I’m a devotee of the online version.

Definitions are a peculiar thing. Though very useful, it can be confining, inhibiting and determining at times. Sometimes I find that the definition might not be sufficient and that’s when I wonder how well some definitions encapsulate meaning.

I think Shakespeare said it best when the warring families in Romeo and Juliet set the scene where these famous words were uttered “What’s in a name, that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”.

I used to wonder what this meant. Would an orange still taste and smell like an orange if it were called an apple? Those were my juvenile thoughts.

Today perhaps I acknowledge the power of definition – how it can change or frame our thoughts, actions and opinions.

It can be easy to understand how some words too can be easily mistaken in definition or interchange meaning.

This though causes much confusion, because the definition itself determines the action or thought pattern of the situation and has the potential to cause grave consequences.

A ceremonial procession which includes people marching could be easily misunderstood as a protest when in fact this definition is clearly the definition of a parade.

There are many similarities of a parade and protest.

In many cases uniforms are involved to identify those involved. Some uniforms may be a little more ornate than an average orange, yellow, black or white t-shirt.

The danger in misunderstanding these definitions is that the consequences vary.

Sometimes when parading, people might carry an object while parading. This varies from group to group. Though to some the object might be sacred, the majority might not define it as such making it a parade instead.

Therefore, it’s important to note that in cases like these where it’s really a thin line, it matters not what the march is about but rather how it’s defined.

Another important note to remember when defining a parade or protest is the availability of a permit, though most times, if the cause is defined as a parade, arrests are not necessary.
So to avoid arrests and tear gas, request to have a parade and not a protest.

When Juliet mentioned the rose in 1594, what she was really saying is what matters is what something is, not what it is called.

If the essence of the parade is hatred, disapproval or an ostentatious display of ignorance, then motive defines the act.

That is why sometimes definitions though very necessary might need to be re-evaluated.

Another word that can cause great confusion is tolerance. Some other words that are synonymous to tolerance such as patience, impartiality, open-mindedness don’t always attach its meaning to tolerance.

Tolerance is more a sufferance, and putting up with something wrong. Though this may seem like a very altruistic quality, it does come with limits and judgement.

A classic example would be my tolerance of noise. Though it is endured, my tolerance of noise may be limited to a decibel that most teenagers might not agree with and if my patience is tested, I might loose cool and be driven to do something not very good.

Though my excuse might be that I’ve tolerated enough and am justified in my outburst, somehow this makes tolerance not a very positive word if my victims have to accept my bad behaviour.

This is when I prefer the word acceptance to tolerance. If one party has to continuously tolerate and the other accepting the consequences of the toleration, things go a little awry and become a little scary.

Definitions are a funny thing.

In order to be taken seriously, we define things, measure outcomes and provide statistics. Yet, the important things in life such as love, harmony, friendship, decency and integrity cannot be precisely defined.

And sometimes in order for peace and justice to be upheld, a spade should be called a spade.

Natalie is not much of a gardener and rarely can be seen with a spade in her hands.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com