Stupid face

Baffling. After appointing himself the moral guardian here, this Zam fella now wants to be Singapore’s Minister of Information as well. Bernama reports:

“The Singapore media are not contributing to improving relations between the republic and Malaysia by frequently publishing inaccurate reports on Malaysia, Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin said Sunday…

“Zainuddin said the Singapore media should emulate the Malaysian media which did not publish reports that could spoil relations between the two countries.”
(http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=190861)

Seems like he’s displeased over the conjured image of Malaysia being a haven for car thieves. He’s sulking. But that’s not the point.

The point is whether these are facts.

And if they are, can we as Malaysia face them? And actually do something about it? Something deep, elegant and far-reaching that addresses the larger social issues.

It’s one thing when our ineptitude is effectively covered by muzzling the local press, another when it is exposed by a sovereign neighbour’s media because it involves its people. If those are actual incidents, then Singapore has every bloody right to highlight it.

Sure Singapore’s words may come across as crass, kurang sopan. Western style. Our Most Duly Respected (YAB) chieftains feel they’ve been dissed, slapped in the face; something they’re not used to on local turf.

Tough, baby. If you haven’t realized, in the real working world, the rules are different. It’s actually fairer. You don’t get to change the goalposts, and you don’t get to muscle your might over minions. Mostly, you earn respect, not buy it. And when you’re busted, you own up, you suck it up and you fix the damn problem.

Now that - above all the slogans and scripture-reading on the radio - is integrity.

I think, we suffer from this whole ‘give face’ / ‘lose face’ bullshit. It’s our common denominator, a disease beyond race, religion, and income level. Insidiously over the decades, it has pockmarked all arms of government and the private sector. It has made Rafidah have a kneecap operation in the height of the AP issue, Samy Vellu exclaim something about “an Act of God”, and some clown MB go “Semuanya OK”.

It is an epidemic. This ‘face’ thing has kept us wrapped in cocoons of ignorance, dependence, and lies. We mistake its stifling choke as the warmth of down feathers, docile chicken that we are. Way too often, it has made us stand down when we should be standing up.

Mind you, it’s not about being rude, it’s about getting a damn spine. Gandhi wasn’t rude. Nor is Aung San Suu Kyi.

Face. Bah!

I’d rather face the issues. I’d rather face facts. And then collectively work on imaginative solutions to the problems at hand. As for car thefts, I do personally know of a few Singaporeans who have been carjacked, threatened at knifepoint, parang-point, kukri-point. I’ve heard many more stories told by friends about Singaporean cars being stolen. I’m picky about the friends I make; as a rule, they do not make lying a lifestyle, therefore I believe them.

There is a high chance even more Malaysians have had their cars stolen, either forcibly or theft. From Lexus to older Proton Sagas, the robbers lose no time intellectualizing the merits. Again I personally know of a few, and many more stories.

The fact is this, harder-core crime happens in higher numbers here than in Singapore. Rape, murder, robbery, burglary, snatch theft. It is far from anarchy, far from it. It does not make Malaysia an ugly place. But it presents yet another symptom of the social and income imbalance in this country and how much ground we need to make. There is nothing wrong with facing that fact straight on.

So when the Singapore media chooses to ‘sensationalise’ car-thefts across the causeway, it is informing the-good-life people there of the precautions one needs to take when in Malaysia. If that deters them from coming in, and instead opt for safer trips perhaps to Korea, Europe, Australia, well good for them.

And sad for you, Zam. Because you think Singaporeans are idiots who fear the dark, who are totally led by their media, who cannot adapt and take precautions, and who cannot see Malaysia is beautiful despite its flaws.

So Zam, look in the mirror and shut up already. Just shut the F up.