Best Of Times, The Worst Of Times

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose

theSun, Malaysia

December 30th, 2010

We’re not just starting a new year; we’re waving a whole decade goodbye. In that vein, let’s look back at some of the stories that defined Malaysia’s decade. For 20 years we had one Prime Minister who in 2001 shocked the nation with the announcement of leaving office and since then we’ve had 2 more Prime Ministers govern within the decade and gone through the 8th and 9th Malaysian plans. The introduction of the MyKad, saw our little blue laminated IC’s put to rest, while the launch of Malaysia’s conscription training program National Service had many 17 year olds not only anxious about SPM results but also being chosen for NS training.

City traffic has become as notorious as Bangkok’s, the KL Monorail doesn’t connect to the well used LRT, SMART tunnel becomes a monsoon drain when KL floods and we’ve said goodbye to the pink minibuses, welcoming the red, blue, beige Rapid KL busses. We also have had to add to the acronyms of SPRINT, PLUS, Guthrie, DUKE and whatever else which all come with tolls and confusing signboards but thankfully we have the Touch ‘n’ Go and the SmartTAG only to zoom into a jam or a lane that has a system glitch. We’ve also started flying low-cost with FireFly, Air Asia and it’s X thanks to the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). We’ve bought jet fighters, submarines, had many helicopter deaths and lost a few engines in the process.

We’ve sent a cosmonaut to the International Space Station to have a look around, while reverting back to the slow march version of the Negaraku, recognizing Malaysia day and celebrated over 50 years of independence and not so good judgment.

The International Court of Justice gave us Sipadan and Ligitan, though we lost Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore. We’ve since been aware of disputes for Limbang and Spratly Islands. Though within our boarders, we’ve seen an influx of unskilled foreign workers to the point that now I’m not sure if Malaysians are to speak Burmese, Bengali or Khmer when ordering food or at a petrol station.

The public became more vocal, aware and took their disapproval to the streets from issues of water to teaching math’s and science in English. There was the BERSIH and HINDRAF rally and then other marches that should not have happened with a cow head.

Religious tensions have increased this decade witnessing the defacing of religious houses and an increase of apostasy cases. We’ve become more aware of fatwa, sharia law, Islam Hadhari and what words can and cannot be used to keep the peace. There was also the much talked about Imam Idol and Malaysia’s first Islamic channel TV Al-Hijrah.

From a handful of universities to colleges sprouting out ever so often in the hopes to be the education hub of Southeast Asia, though with it comes a different set of problems – culture shock for foreign students and Malaysians to militant training.

We hoped that if we closed our eyes, the stories of victims of– Canny Ong, Nurin Jazlin, Aminulrasyid Amzah, Teoh Beng Hock, Kugan Ananthan, Sosilawati might not be true.

New media, online news portals, bloggers have created awareness and also gone into hiding. We’re more aware of the Federal Constitution after March 8th; by-elections have not fazed us while ISA has become a point of contention for many.

Some of our sportsmen and women - Nicol David, Lee Chong Wei and the Malaysian football team have come out tops and brought big cheers.

We’ve added to our vocabulary buzz words, acronyms and general knowledge– BTN, corridors, statuary declarations, baby hatches, MACC, loan sharks, PEMANDU, sodomy, police brutality, ETP, GTP. Malaysia Boleh, Correct! Correct! Correct! 1 Malaysia, pendatang and learnt that Mahidol University was one of Asia’s top five universities.

The Malaysian 5 ringgit note cannot grow on trees and subsidies were reduced, increasing the price of petrol, sugar and regulated the price of the humble roti canai while prices of basic goods have skyrocketed. Though we now have to wear seatbelts even as a rear seat passenger and plastic bags may soon be banned.

Malaysian cinema boomed but we lost quite a few pioneers – Krishen Jit, Yasmin Ahmad, Tony Kasim and Loga Arumugam of Alleycats fame to name a few.

Pudu Jail torn down, Bukit Bintang Girls School torn down, too many heritage mansions torn down and talk of a mega tower – the gains don’t balance out tearing down history.

We’ve had to deal with multiple floods, landslides, bus crashes, state assembly sitting under trees, political bickering, party hopping and so much more.

Looking back it’s been an eventful decade, as a friend summed it up quoting Dickens “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. The next ten years is critical because at the end of it, we should be celebrating a vision fulfilled – 2020.

Natalie couldn’t recap everything within the world limit but hopes that we can somehow move forward maturely into the next decade. Happy New Year Malaysia!

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Sticks & Stones

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose            
theSun, Malaysia              
December 16th, 2010

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” must be high on the lie barometer. The tongue has got to be the most vicious weapon. A careless word does sting and now we know what some people think of us – thanks to Wikileaks . But is it a surprise? There’s an old saying about how if we all knew what others thought of us, there would be no two friends left in the world. Though the question remains- is this really a surprise?

On our side of the causeway, we’re told to focus on our achievements and ignore snide remarks while Singapore attempts damage control trying to cover multiple elephants with a tissue paper. In a few days or weeks, the scenario might be reversed- who’s to say? And Singapore might be the ones sending us a protest note.

I do however like the high road we’re told to take especially since we’ve fallen two spots on the Human Development Index (HDI) and now sit quite comfortably on the 57th place while our not so favourable neighbour is 30 countries ahead of us at the 27th spot in a whole different category named ‘very high human development’. So let’s focus on our achievements and not theirs.

The HDI now in its 20th year, started with the quote ‘people are the real wealth of a nation’. We in Malaysia have over 27 million people in our country according to the World Bank but for some Malaysians, it is not the number of people but their level of patriotism that ultimately matters. Perhaps the HDI should have carried out studies on patriotism just like in Malaysia to be doubly sure that the wealth is legitimate. Ironically, just last month the comment questioning the level of patriotism was met with disdain and within a month there’s been a 180 degree change citing studies and a 9% jump. How is patriotism even measured? And we wonder why our neighbours see us as simpletons.

Maybe we’re confused about patriotism because history textbooks are being meddled with . If we ourselves aren’t sure about our history, about who is responsible for what and where we’ve all come from, it’s no wonder that patriotism is being questioned.

But back to the HDI. Three new indices were included in this year’s report Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, the Gender Inequality Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index , however, Malaysia did not have the necessary data available according to the Economic Planning Unit.

In order to focus on our achievements, we need to know where we are and pan out a strategy to get us to where we are to be. If developed status is what we are after, should we not be most concerned about poverty levels in our country and gender inequality instead of patriotism levels so that we know what needs to be done for the poor and the marginalised? We are only as rich as the poorest among us.

The fundamental truth about development has to do with people, not patriotism, tall towers or how Malaysians abroad give our country a bad name. Development is about people and how well we look after them. If we care about the people and invest in the people, allow creativity and not limit talent we then head in the right direction.

On a recent trip to Johor, a friend lamented as we looked across to the other side, “Amazing how just on the other side, they got it right”. One has to wonder, why we are still playing catch up to a country that shared our history and if there is some truth in what was leaked about Malaysia. Giving credit where it is due, Singapore has done well and we only have ourselves to blame for our bad press. Instead of just focusing on our achievements, we should take this as a wake up call to stay focused on our 2020 goal and so not dwell on what has been said.

It is good to know where we stand but we cannot stop people from speaking ill of us. Retaliating never looks good. The best revenge is to be successful and we have ten years. Just ten years to achieve what we’ve set out to do.

Natalie wonders how patriotism is measured while untangling the Christmas tree lights! Merry Christmas!

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Broken Windows & Crime Rates

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
December  2nd, 2010

“My neighbour was stabbed around 6pm, house got broken into! Be careful and alert wherever you are!” wrote a friend 2 days ago.

No, this did not happen in the UK where knife crime is rampant, it happened in affluent Bangsar, where some street have guard quarters and barrier and police make spot checks ever so often.

Everyday there is a report in the paper about someone being held at knife point, slashed or raped after a robbery. So we put our handbags and lap tops under the seat, hoping that at the next red light no one tries to smash the window to steal our belongings. Or when we reach home, no intruder slips in as we open the main gate. Security guard fees, CCTV cameras, alarm systems, chunky padlocks with safety keys add to our monthly expences. Gated communities seem a necessity and not a luxury anymore. We build taller fences, try not to go for walks and become more paranoid when carrying out everyday chores because our personal security is at risk even when we’re at home.

I dare say without a doubt crime has become an epidemic in urban areas around Malaysia. Perhaps I feel strongly because too many people have fallen victim.

There’s a saying that “hunger makes a thief of any man” but is it really hunger or is it greed in today’s context?

The Broken Window theory suggests that when a building has a few broken windows that are not repaired, there is a tendency for increased vandalism and perhaps even brake-ins. The underlying factor is that we need to care enough to prevent crime.

Zero-tolerance seems to be the answer but what do we do with the criminals? Shooting them in police raids is not the answer. Clearly there is a reason why all this crime is happening.

There is opportunity. If they are Malaysians, why are they not gainfully employed? What has the state not done and how do we rectify it? If they are foreigners, what are they in the country to do? Were they given what they were promised in the first place and does this crime supplement their wage to equal it out to what was promised? Surely our system has failed us and we need to care more as this epidemic grows.

Having more police patrols, is only a deterrent, the police are not omnipresent. Community safety is far more than preventing crime. It includes social and economic change.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs states that security is one of the most basic needs of every human being – and right now we in Malaysia don’t have that. Not only are we not safe, simple things like our cheques are intercepted in the mail and fraudulent cheques are allowed to be banked.

It has come to a stage where we feel there’s nothing that can be done because the cycle is so deeply intertwined and the whole system has failed and nothing can be done and no one seems to care enough to do something about it.

Perhaps what is needed now is for a strong community uprise to say ‘enough’ but who has the time to do all this community things?

Once your stuff has been stolen does anyone believe it will be found? Chances are unlikely. Perhaps if those in charge of fighting crime, make us believe that our broken windows are fixed, we might stand a better chance at having a safer community.

But for now, I’m not sure what we can do except to continue to be careful and alert wherever you are but that you might get stabbed at 6pm!

Natalie can’t always be alert but is often paranoid.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Where Hard Work Is A Dirty Word

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
November 18th, 2010

When I think of nasi lemak, there are a few absolute non-negotiables. So on my flight back from London, I ditched the boring omelette for my favourite - nasi lemak. After ten hours of delayed gratification thinking about nasi lemak, I peeled open the foil to find some chicken, rice and sambal. That can’t be it. I manoeuvred the chicken thinking there must be more. I found nothing else… this is not nasi lemak. Where is the ikan bilis, kacang, cucumber and egg? I was not pleased, though I did eat it but felt quite cheated.

See at the very least nasi lemak must have ikan bilis, kacang, cucumber, sambal and coconut rice. Whether it’s the Rm1.50 packet nasi lemak or one at a high street restaurant, that is what nasi lemak is. If not give it another name.

You might be laughing thinking that I take my nasi lemak too seriously, but the truth is I feel that we are constantly lowering our standards when we should be striving for better and expecting more – and it’s not just about nasi lemak.

If we look at the general work ethic in this country, I dare say, we are slackers and sometimes cheat. Not much is done well. Why can’t people just do the job they are paid to do? It’s not even about going above and beyond, it’s about doing what you’re paid to do. We have a mentality that has no consciousness about making excuses, blames everyone else and that thinks doing the job is really doing every one else a favour.

It ranges from the simple things like when the dustbin lorry comes round – there is always a trace of ‘juice’ or a rubbish trail left behind. When it comes to road works, how many potholes do you avoid each day, or how often are you caught in a traffic jam because our public transport system does not work efficiently.

We think we are headed towards developed status but really our mentality has not caught up. Hard work is a dirty word and better for some else to do but everyone wants the big bucks without having to work for it – after all there are so many cheats who get away. The lack of integrity has become our culture and now a long standing tradition.

The Auditor-General’s Report is not just peppered with such indecency but teeming with outrages exploitation of the rakyat’s funds. Children were sold sardine sandwiches without the sardines. Where is the integrity that people choose daily to rob children of food that they pay for? I am only touching the surface. Our politicians think it is acceptable to spend stimulus funds on chandeliers and wall paper, so I must be delusional if I’m expecting the fish monger not to cheat me!

It is almost like we are heading on a blind path thinking that if we continue the way we are we’ll fool the rest of the world into thinking that mediocrity equals excellence. Wrong!

Integrity is not conditional and singing songs about it on national television does not make it magically appear. If we are aiming to become a developed nation, we need a shift in mentality and not more towers or shopping malls. Instead, focus on being towering personalities, focus on creating policies that advocate equality, focus on giving justice her blind-fold back, focus on giving the rakyat their dignity and focus on providing basic freedoms.

I probably sound like a broken record, so perhaps I’ll just keep hoping that I find a complete nasi lemak soon.

Natalie is tired of the ‘tidak apa’ attitude of irresponsibility that plagues our society.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

The Language Of Multiculturalism

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
November 4th, 2010

Multiculturalism can be romantically described as the beautiful colours of the batik design on a sarong, the strokes of the tjantings and how the intertwined patterns of the wax unite. I’ve also heard it described as the myriad colours of the kasut manek-manek worn with traditional outfits. It’s heart-warming to define multiculturalism through rose coloured glasses. It’s the feeling you get when you see photos of a dog and a panda playing, or a rhino and a turtle keeping each other company or a cat snuggling up under a sleeping dog’s ear.

German Chancellor Merkel had identified that multiculturalism or the concept of ‘multikulti’ in which people of different heritages would live happily together had ‘utterly failed’ in her country . There are many that didn’t agree with her statement but she was daring enough to address the issue as unpopular as it sounds. Merkel had a few suggestions, one was that immigrants needed to adapt to the host country, learn the language and the customs.

Most times, our human nature is to gravitate towards that which is familiar, this of course can pose a problem and if not addressed, countries end up having pockets of immigrants who basically imported everything from their country of origin and set up camp in the new country – refusing to integrate. It can be hard to integrate but these are the challenges of choosing to move.

In Malaysia we have some who choose not to speak Bahasa Malaysia or English while we have others who have totally integrated into the melting pot of cultures that we boast about. I have found myself frustrated many times not being able to understand conversations because I do not speak ethnic languages of other dominate races in Malaysia and I’m not the only one to echo this dissatisfaction.

Most all Malaysians are multilingual and that is a great advantage however we have to have the wisdom in our multicultural society to know that not everyone is able to understand ethnic languages. And though it is everyone’s right to speak in their mother tongue it does not help to ostracise those who do not understand it especially when a common language can be spoken in the midst of those that do not understand.

I recently spent some time in Spain. Prior to me heading there, I spent a few weeks learning Spanish so that I would be able to travel comfortably and independently without looking too lost. Also, I felt it important that I make an effort to understand Spanish instead of expecting the locals to accommodate me.

In the company of friends, I found that my beginners level Spanish could not fully comprehend the quick tongued Spanish or the complex Basque language . However, most people I met tried very hard to translate or keep me in the loop of what was being said which I appreciated very much especially since it was a huge effort on their part.

It saddened me though that in my own country, on many occasions, I have found myself lost because pockets of people end up speaking their own mother tongue not realising that there are those that do not understand. It is even more disheartening when it is deliberately spoken to exclude.

I understand the need to preserve the sanctity of one’s mother tongue and to converse in it out of respect to one’s fellow ethnic buddies. Believe me, many a time, I’ve found myself wishing I spoke a foreign language only so that I could nit-pick another or secretly tell someone the prices of goods in the store were too high. But more often than not, I wished we respected each other because I understand the frustration of constantly feeling ostracized.

So how far do we embrace our multi-ethnic-cultural-lingual inheritance? All this talk about unfair policies, unjust plans, affirmative action are serious issues heavily weighted in a multicultural society such as ours, however, simple things like being courteous might go further in making a difference to everyday life.

We already have politicians who constantly play the race card but in our own capacity we could be more cohesive by speaking the positive language of multiculturalism in our everyday lives.

Natalie believes in a multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual Malaysia. She also believes in the right of comprehension for a more unified Malaysia. Happy Deepavali.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Budgeting My Unemployment

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose

theSun, Malaysia

October 21st, 2010

Ironically when the 2011 Budget was being read out, I was busy looking at my finances and budgeting my unemployment.

 

No, I did not get fired and no theSun is not my full-time employer (in case you’re wondering). I must admit I was glad someone had money as I looked at my depleting bank balance.

The 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) are going to generate more than RM1.3 trillion and create 3.3 million jobs. Perhaps I could have one of those jobs. Let’s just say this budget cared that I owned my own home and that my shopping habit was being fed especially since I’m sure the new Warisan Merdeka would house yet another much needed shopping mall. Basically it was “enhancing” my quality of life.

So, back to my unemployment status. Over a year ago, I resigned and headed back to university to re-equip myself. The British government was kind enough to indulge in my wants and off I went back to “studenthood” and now upon completion I’m scouring the newspapers, clicking every employment/careers/opportunity tab on websites, looking for a job.

It has been a while since I’ve had to look for a job. I served my previous boss for almost six years and before that, well, we don’t need to go into too much detail unless you’re a potential employer of course! So though I decided to head back to university not to reinvent myself but rather enhance my skills in the hope of further advancing my career and contributing back to Malaysia, I find myself in the very unfortunate position of being unemployed.

There are a few of us in this conundrum- Malaysians wanting to head back home and work, as a result, as we hunt for potential jobs, we pass on anything that might suit another, but all we keep coming up against are some what ridiculous requirements. So much so, some job advertisements strangely resemble marriage requirements of more traditional societies.

Once such advertisement on a famous Malaysian employment website under the education section was for a PA to a Datin. The position requires the potential candidate preferably be single, female, between the ages of 27-45, look pleasant but be aggressive, strong, hard working and posses 3 years relevant experience. Not only must this candidate speak both Malay and English well, speaking Cantonese or Mandarin is an asset and to top it all, a photo must be included in the application. I would say this comes very to close an arrange marriage ‘application’.

Another application required the candidate to basically jump over the moon for pittance requiring him or her to come up with an unreasonable number of publications within the year which can only humanly be done if one were to duplicate someone else’s research which took years to complete. The deadline for this application is at the end of the month but in brackets it states till the position is filled. Perhaps, these employers too know that cats only play the fiddle in fairytales.

Some organisations’ detailed, long, personal history form requires the educational background of my parents and all my siblings on top of their employment history. Not only is my family being vetted, I have to provide the names and contact details of three referees not to mention starting and ending salary history. All this part of an application without the guarantee of an interview and since I’m unemployed I have the time to sit down and painstakingly volunteer such information.

So here I am, wondering if my new qualification will advance my career and if heading home under these circumstances is the best option. It’s not only about getting a job, it’s about being able to have a decent living, to be compensated for my abilities and be able to walk down a street without being wolf-whistled or my bag snatched.

Perhaps the Economic Transformation Programme that is set to create 3.3 million jobs might woo us back home but then again, this year’s budget alone will allow me to afford shampoo, perfume, talcum powder and lingerie while I wait for employment!

Natalie hopes to be employed soon but is accepting funds in the mean time.

Comments: letter@thesundaily.com

My Half Of The Sky

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
October 6th, 2010

Every century has been marred by ghastly injustices that perhaps today make little sense why they were even allowed to occur. Slavery in America, ethnic cleansing in Nazi camps, Pol Pot’s regime, genocide in Bosnia and Rwanda – this list sadly has too many entries. One of the 20th century’s moral challenges was battling totalitarianism that saw the falling of dictatorships and the rising of democracy – a challenge that continues into the 21st century. However, this century though working on the challenges of the past, has its own challenge – battling inequality.

A book I’ve been reading entitled after the Chinese proverb "Women hold up half the sky", talks about the injustices endured by women. For more developed countries it may be unequal pay, while for countries struggling to develop, these injustices might mean, honour killings, or not having the same access to medication or education because they are girls.

Malaysia has its share of gender inequalities. However, according to the New York Times Malaysia has made inroads in enabling women to progress particularly in financial sectors citing examples such as Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, governor of Bank Negara, while Jamelah Jamaludin can boast of being the first woman to head an Islamic bank. The list for Malaysia in this sector is extensive including Fozia Amanulla who heads Eoncap Islamic Bank and Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz, Bursa Malaysia’s global head in Islamic markets.

So maybe for Malaysia, gender equality is not our biggest moral challenge. Perhaps our half of the sky is segregated more by race and less by gender.

Countries such as India have recognised one main contributing factor to China’s economic boom has been a shift in gender inequality and providing opportunity by merit. China has realised the benefits of educating females and giving them the autonomy to run businesses instead of the suppression faced in the past where babies were not favoured to say the least. India is trying to follow suit admitting their shortcomings in not using their half of the sky sooner.

If the problem in Malaysia is race-based inequality, perhaps we should shift our mentality as these countries are trying to and work towards equality in providing education based on merit not race, create job opportunities based on capability not race, construct and review policies based on value not race. Perhaps then we would be able to increase our growth while enticing qualified Malaysians thriving in foreign lands to contribute to the country that raised them. Right now, we have little with which to entice them to return and much pushing them further away.

What we offer are racist comments allowed to be uttered in school corridors right to the corridors of Parliament, a rapidly segmented mono-cultural social strata and elite race-based organisations that occasionally leak how deep the reaches of racism in this country truly are. The excuse that racism is an anomaly is far from the truth especially when most things are divided by race. Why then would one stay knowing there is a limit to what they can achieve no matter how good they are or how hard they work?

Just like gender inequality impedes economic growth, using half the Malaysian sky only damages Malaysia’s own growth in the long run. As it is, our foreign direct investment has plummeted rapidly while international figures such as Sir Richard Branson and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales have identified stumbling blocks hindering our country’s progress.

The question then is can we afford to ignore half the Malaysian sky? I believe the answer is a strong NO.

Natalie has been moved after reading Half the Sky – How to Change the World by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Paying For A Basic Need

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose           
theSun, Malaysia
September 23rd, 2010

We all love our food. Malaysians all over the world, have the foodie gene in them. It is just part of who we are. We had gone to a fancy restaurant for lunch in Bangsar. The décor was exquisite and the food came highly recommended. Naturally, it was going to be an expensive meal, but it was a treat, a special occasion that warranted this excursion.

As we perused the menu, I nearly gagged at the price of water that came in a little bottle. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. See, on principle I disagree on being charged an exorbitant fee for drinking water. So I opted for a nice meal and tap water.

“We don’t serve tap water Ma’am”, replied the waiting staff …. “Only bottled water” with a smile.

For some reason, this restaurant only served water from the Swiss Alps or somewhere far far away that has better quality drinking water than we do in Malaysia. Therefore it was justified that I be charged its carbon footprint to fly all the way to this snazzy restaurant.

I was having none of that.

Drinking water cannot be free but it also cannot come with an inflated price tag. Admittedly we are not as privileged to having drinking water flow from our pipes and so, water filter companies profit by demonstrating how polluted our unfiltered water is.

Paying this much for water made no sense to me. It was daylight robbery, kind of like window tax in the 1600’s when William III who was short of money decided that he had the right to charge people for daylight by taxing a household based on the number of windows the house had. It sounds absurd, but so did the thought of bottled water thirty years ago.

There are some things in life that are a necessity. Access to safe drinking water is not a privilege, but a right. An expectation we should have like the right to life, the right to be treated equally and to be born free.

There is an immense need to protect our ground water and catchment areas. The cost of having to import water is unimaginable especially since we have high rainfall in most parts of the country.

So why do so many households have to invest in water filters and why are restaurants allowed to overcharge for this basic commodity?

With the lack of education coupled with greed, rivers are polluted while our tropical rainforests are being culled for their heritage.

Who suffers?

The people who do not have access to clean drinking water. One day that might be you and me.

What then when there is a disease outbreak? Wouldn’t that cost more to manage? Preventing and ensuring that water resources are managed well is vital.

There needs to better protection mechanisms in place, legislation that actually deals with the issues and an overarching agency that manages water concerns within the country.

Recently the Semenyih water treatment plant was contaminated by leachate used in a nearby landfill that polluted Sungai Kembong. Not only are the clean up costs high, there isn’t an institution or legislation that attempts to protect water resources from such errant and greedy behaviour. If allowed to continue without reprimand, only the people who cannot afford water filters and bottled water suffer and lets not forget how rapidly prices will increasing for such basic need.

Charging higher water rates can only be warranted if there is accountability something which we as a country greatly lack making it unjustifiable and really daylight robbery. Water treatment, catchment areas, education, privatization matters need to be addressed before we our demand overtakes the supply.

Parched from my meal, and still refusing to pay for water, I asked for a cup of hot water and some ice on the side.

Natalie doesn’t mind being labelled “penny-pinching” especially when having to pay for a basic human right.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Cast In The Right Light

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
September 9th, 2010

The camera used to be something that only the adults had and could use. I remember wishing when I was younger that our family camera would be a Polaroid camera. Instant! Who could wait months, weeks until a roll of 36 exposures colour film could be used up and then a second wait to when the roll would be taken to the shop by which time when the photos came out, we’d all have grown a few inches.

But everyone’s a photographer these days thanks to technology, from little kids with camera phones to the so-called “camwhores’ and “photogs” who are perpetually glued to their camera.

I have a few friends who actually exercise veto power in deleting photos as soon as they are taken just because they don’t look so good in it. I’m guilty of that too. Though some have even requested photos be deleted once on the web because on second thought, they only approve of two of the 50 taken.

I on the other hand think it’s important to fully represent even when people take photos of me chomping down my food and I look like I’ve just put a whole hamster in my mouth, because some days- that’s what I look like!

On the other hand, the first thing I look at in a photo that has me in it, is me… and how good I look, then I start looking at the other people. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s guilty.

There are many theories to this. Some say it’s because we are not constantly looking at ourselves, so we want to see what we look like to others. Others subscribe to the opinion that we’re just vain. The people who shy away from the camera are equally vain I believe – just masked in modesty but really vain- because they think they don’t look too great.

Oh lets admit it we’re all vain and like to be cast in the right light.

Some celebrities have clauses- photos from the waist up only or from certain angles, anything else must be destroyed. Some take it further and in interviews or magazine articles prohibit certain topics from being brought up, so they are cast in a better light.

Imagine only permitted to ask questions on their philanthropy efforts and not being allowed to ask Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan about their drug habit or non-habit after their arrests. That would be a form misrepresentation but it does happen.

That interview wouldn’t sell many magazines because it’s been ‘photoshopped.’ But then again that is public relations.

The media has been asked to cast reports in a positive light and the people urged to trust only mainstream papers. You have to wonder, if reporting is controlled are the people really getting the truth?

Of course reporting is also biased based on the stance of the writer and his background and motives and who runs the paper. Though should people not be allowed to make up our own minds and refute, dispute, agree and approve what is true to the individual?

There was a time when I had to read eight newspapers a day for many years as part of my job. Much to my amusement the same article would sound so different depending on which newspaper was reporting it.

I had the advantage of deciding for myself what I believed after reading a few versions of the story and which mainstream media regularly tried to sensationalize or create a divide. Then I’d also read some of the online news portals take on the same story and after piecing everything together, it actually read as if each media outfit was reporting a different story.

Sometimes, the facts of a story change as the days go by. So unless there is someone actually monitoring each story daily, the undiscerning reader would be taken on a joyride.

What I’m saying is nothing new, all you have to do is just get a few mainstream dailies and see how different the truth sounds and don’t forget the online news media.

At the end of the day, we decide what we really want to believe, after all, today’s paper will be tomorrow’s nasi lemak wrapping.

Natalie thought it be nice to be cast in a different light and change the column photo after two years. Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Having An Opinion

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
August 26, 2010

 

“Everything is relative” is a common phrase I kept hearing this past year. That’s what happens when you live with anthropologists.

“No, not everything is relative” would be the polite patient comeback. The discussion would ensue, pursue and die down and everyone would go back to their rooms with a differing opinion to think and mull over.

There was an underlying fondness that though we differed in thought, there was mutual respect of each other’s opinion and belief system. We could agree to disagree and still have a cup of tea together afterwards. The thrust was that we dispelled the opinion and not the person. It’s almost like the saying “Hate the sin, love the sinner”.

It’s a bit of a tricky one though; one is the idea that we are entitled to an opinion and the other about how we treat differing opinions.

On the onset if we were to follow America’s First Amendment stance, then we’d be all for the entitlement. What happens when the opinion is not “correct”?

Correct by whose definition though?

A few weeks ago American talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger used the N-word multiple times on air to describe double standards of the usage of the word. This sparked great dissent on so many levels - one reason was because she didn’t mask the word in a euphemism. There was an outrage, she apologised and will end her 30-year-old syndicated broadcast.

What was interesting about this is that her viewpoint was being censored; she did have a point, just not diplomatically packaged. Dr. Laura didn’t intend to hurt, she was trying to make a point. She then tried to evoke her First Amendment entitlement – among others her right to freedom of speech.

What came out of it was that more people were willing to blindly hate than to engage in her comment. There was no platform to exchange views, no platform to trade opinions perhaps, all they saw and heard was “different”.

So much so that they missed the point totally because it struck a nerve… Sometimes we’re really oversensitive about issues that we fail to see another view. I’ve been there before, many times.

Two weeks ago, I questioned the transparency of government spending citing extravagance versus the lack of funds in providing justice to the Penan women and children being raped.

I made a mistake in my article, something I must apologise for and was rightly corrected by Tourism Malaysia. The article questioned subsidies of housing the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board in Trafalgar Square which in fact needed no subsidies as it was a Commonwealth gift from Her Majesty the Queen of England.

The point of the article though remains. I stand by my opinion asking for transparency of public money, because there is extravagance on one hand, billions wasted and on the other, hardcore injustices not being addressed due to the lack of funds and good governance.

Perhaps there are some that disagree with my point and I welcome mature debate that does not include personal attacks. As you would like your opinion to be respected, so would I, even if its ‘correct-ness’ is relative.

The past few weeks, there have been differing opinions floating around, that of the 98.9fm crew and some school heads. If we are for the freedom of opinion, does that warrant school heads to say racists remarks since they have a right to an opinion? While if we are not for freedom of opinion, then what happens to being a thinking nation and freedom of the press?

Which begs the questions, do we really have the right to an opinion? What happens when you have a differing opinion? And who determines what is correct?

Albert Einstein once said “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”

Freedom of speech should not be a passport to verbal diarrhoea and the right to spew hate rants. Freedom of speech is a privilege that comes with responsibility, contributes to discourse and possesses the element of mutual respect of another’s viewpoint regardless of age, race and creed.

Perhaps it could be summed up by what an anthropologist professor in the making smilingly said “It’s my opinion, respect it!” as he continued to sip his tea.

Natalie can’t reconcile everything being relative; there are some universal truths.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Who Foots the Bill?

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
August 12, 2010

Standing in the heart of London, I stood admiring the massive lion sculptures that sit guarding Nelson’s very tall column. Looking up to the top of the column where Nelson stands, I imagined all the great things that took place in this space steeped in history from political demonstrations, World Cup victory celebrations, New Year festivities and not forgetting what it commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar.

As I looked further towards the buildings surrounding Trafalgar Square, the sky was peppered with flags of different countries.

Britain, Canada, EU, South Africa perhaps, the Emirates, even Uganda…and “Could it be?” I thought, “No way” I said.

Perhaps my eyes were getting things mixed up and I got my flags mixed up.

It was prime land, not only does it scream rich, it’s deafeningly vuvuzela expensive.

You’ve got to wonder what the price tag on real estate would be so close to Buckingham Palace. Not only was it exclusive, it was posh and yes it was the Malaysian flag, perched high up against the London sky backdrop.

Standing at the crossroads, I waited as the red double-decker buses passed by and right there in the middle of London on prime land is the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board.

My heart just broke.

Do we really have that much money to spend?

Do we really need a tourism office right there in the centre of London when just last year, there wasn’t enough funds in the budget to investigate the rape accusations of the Penan women in Sarawak?

Or that there are so many living under the poverty line while things like bridges in poorer areas are inadequately maintained, killing school children when it collapsed.

Where are our priorities?

It seems to be that the idea of development means that we build big, we advertise large and we deck ourselves with great portrayals of monetary wealth to show the rest of the world that we are equals in the wealth game while we loose the very essence of what development really means.

Personally, development means a government that works for the people, a justice system that is truly blind, and a people who value each other as equals. Instead we move backwards every time Parliament is in session.

We spend too much dragging out cases that should not even be in court because a sin is mistaken as a crime while there is a foolish need to search for a pure, mighty race when we are all supposed to be one.

Instead of looking after our young, we amend marriage laws to allow teenagers to get married with the excuse of preventing teenage pregnancies, abortions and baby dumping. When the best solution would be to direct funds towards a better education system that includes sex education, and before I get any hate mail, it doesn’t mean advocating practises that go against religious beliefs. It’s about protecting our young not changing laws that advocate shot gun marriages and perhaps even a higher divorce rate in the future.

People are going to sin, that we cannot control. What we can do is to help them avoid committing a crime, committing murder.

Maybe the argument is that we need a tourism board in the heart of London to boost our economy especially since we have lost a huge chunk of our FDI, but surely the logic of putting your own oxygen mask on first before you help anyone else should be a reminder of how the people’s money is spent?

Take care of yourself before you can take care of others is taken too literally. There used to be a time when politicians fought for the country and not themselves. These days it seems the oxygen mask is only for themselves.

Natalie wonders what the subsidy bill looks like to set up house on prime real estate near Buckingham Palace.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

*NOTE: Tourism Malaysia has clarified that The Malaysia House at 57, Trafalgar Square (where Tourism Malaysia office stands today) is a gift by Her Majesty the Queen of England as the Head of Commonwealth to the Malaysian Government in 1957.

It All Comes Out In The Wash

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
July 29, 2010

There were only enough clothes to do one load and I didn’t have the luxury of separating my colours and whites. Worried that this colour mix was going to cause a repeat of the many laundry deaths of my white items, I decided to invest in a box of colour catchers. These little felt-like sheets came with big promises to prevent colour runs and staining while mine also came with the endorsement of a friend.

Dumped in the laundry, put the colour catcher in the machine and hoped for the best while waiting for my clothes to come out smelling like a field of lavender minus the fertilizer.

The colour-catcher did “catch” some colour as it wasn’t its white self anymore but neither were my whites!

Another sad, pitiful and unnecessary death of a beautiful crisp white top and patches of pink styled some of my other clothes, what a tragedy it was.

It reminded me of a phrase a friend of mine recently used as we tried to piece together bits of conflicting information about a situation. It wasn’t a murder mystery but still it was important enough for us to want to solve.

After we kept hitting a wall, failing miserably in a huff of defeat he said ‘Well, it will all come out in the wash.” True enough it did! It took a while but the truth was revealed.

Have you noticed that when you try to cover up something it almost never stays covered up? One lie is neveenough for a full cover up and then by the time you’ve fibbed a few too many, it’s hard to keep up.

Recently Wikileaks a whistle blower website claimed that there is evidence of war crimes in US military reports of Afghanistan. Pakistan objects to the insinuation that it is playing double agent between the US and the Taliban, whilst Afghanistan is shocked by it all, as the rest debunk the accusations as false. Wikileaks however claims to have documented evidence.

I guess it could go two ways, either it is hushed down like most high profile cases in Malaysia and the public are given the run around with no answers or the war crimes tribunal might decide to take these allegations seriously and start charging the guilty as they have done with Pol Pots regime.

Just years before, going against the Khmer Rouge would have cost you your life and standing up or talking about the cruelty would have been out of the question. Their leaders were too powerful, untouchable and off limits. But where are they now?

Years later, the truth has caught up with them. If anything history has proven over and again that cover ups get revealed because too many lies have gone before and it’s pretty hard to keep up with them. One cannot continuously cover-up or camouflage the truth because eventually, the truth reveals itself for it is humanly impossible to keep up with even one lie.

Many organisations and governments of the past have been under the assumption that the public need not know about everything because the public get terribly confused with to much information. It’s somewhat like a parent saying, “I’ll tell you when you’re older” and the kid finds out from someone else.

There are many injustices in our very on country that for now we aren’t allowed to speak about, many accusations that are not investigated because it involves those who are too powerful and many conflicting pieces of evidence that make it hard to piece together an accurate conclusion to high profile cases especially when key witnesses are in far away lands.

However just like Cambodia under the rule of the Khmer Rouge, people were probably silenced and not allowed to talk, question or write about things deemed sensitive because it involved the powerful untouchables. Only years later, the very subject is not off limits and neither are the powerful generals of the past.

We live in a time where there is too much dishonesty, silencing and corruption; when standing upright means rebelling. But I still believe that one day it will all come out in the wash.

Natalie is of the opinion that laundry does tell a tale on you.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Tough Call For Victims

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
July 14, 2010

□ “I like the smell of your perfume” says the boss to his female employee.

□ “Can I get a hug?” says the boss to his female staff.

□ “If you want something badly you’ll make sure you’re free to have drinks after work” says the boss to  his female staff.

□ “Women should never be above the man, she should know her place” says the boss in charge of his female employee’s promotion.

□ “It’s not an indecent email, I send it to other women too and no one complaints” says the boss to his female staff.

□ “Looking very sexy today” says the boss to the kebaya clad staff.

Which of the above would you consider sexual harassment?

Would you tick all the boxes or are these lines too naive and laughable that it should not even be mentioned under the harassment heading.

Would gender have anything to do with your response?

Or perhaps the situation, tone of voice and industry in which these lines were uttered might change the acceptability level.

Definitions can sometimes be a slippery slide. I mean this year alone we’ve seen how different interpretations of words, teachings, statements, speeches, parliament debates can be taken the wrong way depending on who says what, when, where and from which side of the fence they represent.

Definitions are subjective and open to interpretation, even wrong interpretation.

So let’s talk about this sexual harassment bill that the Human Resource Ministry has just presented to Parliament. First, I’d like to say it’s about high time something be done in attempting to protect the rights of workers regarding this issue. It’s just sad that it has taken this long and it’s going to take even longer before anything is effictive.

Can you imagine having to prove that you were being sexually harassed?

There isn’t a test you can take that would give you a yay or nay answer. Imagine having to find a witness let alone one willing to go against someone in a supervisory role and be interrogated and questioned repeatedly. It’s quite a lot of trouble especially when people would prefer to stay under the radar and hold a job that helps feed the kids, pay the car loan and the occasional vacation.

It’s a painful procedure. Not only does the victim have to endure being harassed, but then the burden of proof can be even more exasperating – powerless during the harassment and powerless in proving the deed.

One option suggested is to collect evidence – so that means, allowing one’s self to be harassed again or repeatedly but making sure you’re not encouraging the behaviour or ‘asking for it’. Remember the victim’s credibility and height of skirt is also on the stand.

All this for a RM10,000 fine- even then only if it’s a maximum sentence given after much deliberation and character bashing.

By which time, everyone would know the latest office gossip, give you funny looks and you’ll be termed trouble maker. People will try to avoid you like the plague- guilty by association or want to be your friend just to get the juicy gossip.

The bosses won’t be happy, it’s bad press. You won’t be the poster girl for standing up, you’ll be shunned as someone who’s making a mountain out of a mole hill and who makes a fuss about something so ordinary, attention-seeking and troublesome.

It won’t be easy to stay in the job, let alone stopping yourself from questioning every outfit or perfume you put on to make sure you’re not the problem.

Finally, every time you look at your CV or are asked at a job interview why you left your previous job, you’ll have to think twice, three times, check yourself and say convincingly ‘I got a better offer’ or ‘I needed a break’.

All not very convincing responses to a new employer though the negative connotation associated with being a victim of sexual harassment won’t get you the job, period.

Would you then bother to stand up, if you were sexually harassed or would it be easier to just move on quietly?

It’s a tough call.

Natalie knows that sexual harassment doesn’t only happen to women but wonders what sexual harassment laws apply to the cigarette and alcohol sales ladies who parade around in teeny tiny skin hugging outfits.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Discounting The Old

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose

theSun, Malaysia

July 1, 2010

According to my friends, my laptop takes far too long to start up. Personally, I’m a huge fan of my little notebook and accustomed to its personality and hang-ups.

However, when the time comes to replace it, I would actually buy the same model – perhaps in a different colour just to spice it up. It’s not because I’m a creature of habit but because it’s a really good laptop.

It is so much nicer to just upgrade. But what happens to the old?

Perhaps the older I get and the more gravity takes hold, I ponder about what my life will be when I’m older. I know a lot of people heading or headed towards retirement who to me have so much more to contribute in their field but have been told that it’s time to spend more time on the golf course or take a long holiday.

Personally, I think that mandatory retirement below sixty is cruel. No, I’m not talking about the millionaire whose superannuation is just pocket change. I’m talking about the average Shanker, Siti or Su Lin who when they retire, just stop working and quickly grow old.

For most people, our jobs define a huge chunk of our personalities. The first question one get’s asked when meeting new people is "What do you do?" I used to be thoroughly annoyed at this question but realise that this is an easy route to boxing up a person into a list of categories in our heads.

However, I’m guilty of doing it and haven’t come up with anything more creative. But the bottom line is what you do somehow defines who you are no matter how much we tried to detach from it.

We discount the old. Many times I’ve watched how noticeably older people are just passed by in conversation as if they have nothing of value to add. I recently attended a dinner and was seated next to an 88-year-old man.

What interesting conversations we had of his time overseeing rubber plantations during the time his British brothers lived in Malaya – and what good memories he had of our country. You’d think from the wrinkles on his face and his slightly hunched back that there was little conversation one could make, perhaps he couldn’t hear too well or that his social calendar would be pretty empty.

What a pleasant surprise it was when he pulled out his BlackBerry to check his schedule when someone asked if he was free to attend a Champagne Sabering evening – his schedule was filled up and you could see the amazed looks of some of the not as old people at the table who probably weren’t as tech savvy as this gentleman is.

But that is our attitude. It’s so much nicer having the new than the old but then we still yearn for days of old. That’s the secret of success of the new kopitiams where one can sit on wooden chairs made to look aged.

The difference – the kopitiam is air-conditioned, the waiters are foreign but at least the half boiled egg tastes the same, even if it’s 300% more expensive than the good old days – at least the coffee is cheaper than the big brands and it feels a little more authentic.

We are so reckless with what we discard. Look at how we treat the century old Pudu Jail as it is torn down for newer fancier buildings that would bring in more money on prime land. So we lose a bit more of our history, and soon there will be very little left.

On a recent trip to a more secular part of the Middle East where buildings are just popping up within weeks, I yearned to see the old city, of what it was and not as fascinated with the tallest building in the world. Modernity is necessary but it shouldn’t be at the cost of losing a country’s history and identity.

I think about my dinner company a few days ago and can only hope that if I live to a ripe old age it will be as vibrant and that I would not be discounted.

Natalie is grateful that her trusted old laptop still manages to do a good job. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Who Ate All The Pie?

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose

theSun, Malaysia

June 17, 2010

It’s  a known fact that Malaysians love to eat. When it comes to food, shoes and malls, we’re spoilt for choice.

I remember from a young age being introduced to the “all you can eat” buffet. Everything looks so good and I must have it all – especially the desserts. So I’d pile on my plate not just with one but a few mini cakes, the little tartlets and kuih-muih – all to be wasted later after a taste test.

That’s when I learnt the idiom “waste not, want not” and realised that my eyes were always much, much bigger than my stomach. My greed overtook my hunger and I ended up wasting so much food.

Of course as a child I was told, think of all the children around the world with no food and I’d always wonder if my half eaten curry puff would survive the travel and if a hungry person would still find it appetising.

As Malaysians we’re quite greedy or perhaps just as human beings, we’ve got the greed gene in us – not just for food.  Bigger, nicer, fancier cars, that designer shoes, or the super expensive watch whose brand name I can’t even pronounce, or the third, fourth and fifth condo, the latest most “canggih” phone.

And let’s face it, besides the greed gene, there’s that show-off gene that goes hand in hand with it.

Keeping up with the Joneses or just our own personal wants and greed can lead to real disaster – oil spill levels of disaster. It’s not that far-fetched to say that personal greed was involved in BP’s oil spill but if we look at the causes behind BP’s oil spill disaster; cutting corners, outsourcing to avoid responsibility, blame shifting, the underlying reason is greed that lined the pockets of the corrupt for generations – in exchange for the livelihoods of the not so wealthy and worse still the environment. 

But we don’t have to go as far as America to find massive amounts of greed. Our logging and construction history and industry, or the sad reality of how foreign workers are exploited for the benefit of their employers’ pockets.

Perhaps we don’t have massive oil spills but we do have massive landslides because of greed which deliberately overlooked safety and we too have companies with enormous losses reported when logically, they should never be in the red and that dark a red.

On one hand in Malaysia we see the über rich enjoying that fancy meal and shopping in the afternoon and on the other hand there are warnings about Malaysia becoming the next Greece, threats of subsidies being cut for basic goods that would help the lower and middle-income groups, while the rich and powerful give speeches about how the average Malaysian has to tighten his or her belt. 

We tend to think that the poor only have themselves to blame or that the not wealthy are lazy, but as the pie gets bigger, you’d think that my slice too would get bigger for all the hard work I put in.

However, my slice gets smaller and I give up more of the comforts I knew and cringe every time I’m at the cashier in the grocery store while chauffeur-driven cars wait outside for the house help to be done with the shopping.

How are people expected to survive when basic items such as diapers, infant formula and even fruits come with high price tags?

Could there be a connection with the wealth of the über rich and the lacking of the poor?

Lets just look at how much money has been siphoned just in the past year from PKFZ to what has been reported in the A-G’s report.

Has that money been recovered?

No, and who has benefited?

Instead, the average Malaysian who feels the 80 sen increase in the price of nasi lemak bought at the market is told to suck it in and live more modestly, while reports of gross corruption surface repeatedly.

So who has all the pie and can I have some too?

Natalie is all for a comfortable lifestyle but not at the expense of another’s. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Testing The Human

By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia
June 3, 2010

Interviewer: Why experiment on animals?

Scientist: Well, animals are very much like humans.

Interviewer: So why is it ethically and morally acceptable to experiment on animals but not humans?

Scientist: Animals are not at all like humans.

Interviewer: But you just said ...

Scientist: They cannot reason nor can they talk.

Interviewer: But can they suffer?

How many atrocities have we seen just this last year in our own country towards animals?

Stray dogs shipped off to a remote island to die of starvation, tigers being drugged and abused for so called entertainment, the numerous cases of pangolins smuggled and killed for their alleged medicinal purposes, cock fights for some man’s pleasure, elephants being shot, trapped and killed for being in their forest occupied by man, not to forget the plight of the orang utans or the everyday kera that loses its home to ugly condominiums, and now the proposal to set up a US$140 million (RM464 million) animal testing lab.

Cruel is all that comes to mind.

What is even more appalling is that those in favour of this lab are using the misinterpretation of religion to justify such devilish acts.

I am of the belief that God gave man the responsibility to be compassionate and loving towards animals, and it irks me to think that there are some who misinterpret that to mean an animal’s fate is for it to be tortured for testing. How can we pray to God for mercy when we ourselves show no mercy towards the animals under our care?

Sure a lot of the products we use and even medications have been tested on animals and because it would be too dangerous to test on humans, I would be a hypocrite if I do not acknowledge this fact.

However, my contention is with the fact that the company wanting to build this laboratory would probably not get a permit to do so in its own country. Yet we are so quick to defend its proposal.

Yes, foreign investment is needed for a growing economy like ours, but can it not be at the expense of animals and can it be ethical investments?

Perhaps if animals could vote, then those in favour would be of a different opinion.

I remember having to dissect some animals for biology lab classes and what I remember is not the scientific lesson but how disgusted I felt and how I ended up not doing those experiments. I also remember how for a cognitive psychology class, we watched videos of lab rats with various parts of their brain altered, once again, I remember little of the lesson but more about the rats.

Vivisection is cruel, because we trick ourselves to think we are advancing somehow, when in fact, what we lose is human character. Doesn’t an animal with a central nervous system like cats or rats feel similar hunger pangs and pain when hurt like we do?

The mere fact that these animals cannot oppose such pain inflicted on them, causes my enmity towards vivisection. Do animals really deserve to be treated in such a manner? I do not believe any religion would agree.

In the name of science and religion, some think that we are entitled to do this but surely science in such an advanced state can find alternatives to testing on animals – by alternatives I do not mean testing on humans as suggested by advocates of this lab.

I think what is most disheartening is the mentality that humans have the right to abuse nature for our own gains, yet we forget the lesson that the more we exploit nature the more vengeful its reaction.

The fact that Malaysia does not have sufficient animal protection laws means that there will not be adequate regulations to govern what will place in this lab.

This itself should be cause for concern to those with the decision making power – if those who should care were bothered enough to care.

Natalie quotes “4 legs good, 2 legs bad” – Animal Farm.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com