MIC and Damage Control

Bernama reports that the PM met up with 13 Indian NGOs today and held a discussion to discuss current developments in this country. To summarise, this are the main points:

Promises and advice by PM

• Peace and stability vital in this country
• Narrowing the socio-economic amongst various communities
• Explained action taken by government to uplift Indians socially and economicaly
• Explained about Hindraf
• PM says no promises but listened to the views of the members present

Readers may condemn me as being cynical, but what good came out of this meeting. I thought MIC is submitting reports every 6 months, and did not these report bemoan the short-comings of the community. What the NGOs should have asked is what plans and proactive plans have been done, what plans have been carried out, and on outstanding plans the reasons for such shortcomings. I am sure Datuk Seri would have carried his file of reports to the PM.

Matters brought out by NGOs

Surprisingly, only one issue, the bashing of Hindraf, the NGOs disagreed with the way Hindraf used demonstrations to voice its views and claims, specifically ethnic cleansing of the Indian community.

They roped in Datuk N.Siva Subramaniam, I don’t know why. Did he raise any issues pertaining to human rights and the chemical water and tear gas the supporters of Hindraf had to go through.

Of course it is easy to say, lots of things were discussed and this will be in the minutes, if there is one, but what Indians who read this news item, can assume is, nothing much was discussed, but the normal chat with a cup of tea and cakes. The PM spoke, we listened. But then we had to say something and what is more pleasing to the ears of the PM than the bashing of Hindraf. Possibly, here I say possibly, the NGOs could have lightened the burden of the PM who a day or two days earlier had ISA approval to detain the 5 people.

Current developments also involved detention under ISA. Was this ever brought out?

Sometimes doing damage control is a positive and welcomed action. At the same time it can be a double-edged sword, meaning, it can cut in the wrong way.

Dummy Book And a Reference For The Rest of Us

I like these Dummy books. I got 2 of them. One on Piano and the other on XP operating system. To be very honest I have not completely read the books from cover to cover although at the onset when you lay hands on the book the intention is to complete the book at the shortest time possible and to become an expert on the subject under review. I can’t imagine myself to be a concert pianist just by reading this book, neither can I be  an accomplished keyboard player, if I don’t tire myself with hours and hours of practice. Tragically, I don’t even have a piano except for an electronic keyboard and, I may be wrong, nobody ever became an accomplished concert pianist by twiddling his fingers on the white and black keys of an electronic instrument. The same goes for expertise on the XP program.

But, whatever it is, these Dummy books set you well on the way to knowledge. For example the author goes to great length to explain the keyboard of a piano and the keyboard of a computer, and at the end concludes by saying if you can differentiate sound produced, and words appearing on the screen then you are on the way to learn the piano. Nonsensical as it may sound, my money is gone, and I have to bear it and applaud the knowledge of the author.

Please read dummy books. I am not advertising dummy books. You may want to see this as well.

ISA For Dummies

Now the in thing, ISA is spoken about in every home coffee shops and offices. People understand what draconian law is about, and rattle of 2 months 6 years in the conversation and other relevant information which even the authors of the bill would have forgotten. Some open their eyes in disbelief that this can happen in Malaysia and some insist every detainee under goes the agony of drinking their own urine. When told that it is true that an ex detainee, had written about it, and that urine drinking is not the norm, they shake their head in unbelief.

Some, sad to say, have developed this irritating habit of lowering their voices by a few decibels every time they mention government as if the walls, open air and the environment are agents of some diabolical agency ready to pounce on you with the dreaded ISA.

To allay all these unfounded fears, would the government being a caring body bring out a book and the suggested title is ISA For Dummies. People who have read the Dummy books would appreciate that between the pages one gets to know the A to Z of everything that has got to be known. This will eradicate the fears of the people, especially those who blog or send e-mails. Is this talk or material or action a prelude to my detention under ISA?

The book could be in the form of answers and questions. Something like, is calling the government undemocratic make me a candidate for ISA. Can I say the PM sleeps on duty and escape the ISA. I want to be sure….sure….sure. I don’t want to spend 2 months or 6 years in jail, without my wife and children, just for speaking and I don’t even know how to handle a kris or have had one.

The PM wants the people to tell him grouses they have and he has big ears to accommodate whatever nonsense that hit his ear-drums. But, be careful, if you except and don’t get a reply, suppress your words and deeds, unless you have decided to take a break from family life and spend that time as a guest of the government.

One other important aspect. Dummy books have icons which say, trying this is helpful, oops be careful and so forth. The suggested Dummy books should have these icons. The icon which says oops be careful may have within parenthesis “does not refer to the elite politicians, you know who, or their friends.” The distinction must be made clear.

Please help by bringing out the book.