Get a Clunker - Almost Everyone Needs One

Clunkers. They can drain you of cash and pile your debt up to your nose. That's why you get rid of them for brand new or relatively new cars that don't act up as often or strand you on your way to work or to somewhere else important.

Yet, clunkers are something you don't really worry about when it comes to parking in dodgy places. Just leave them in open car parks or dark basements, and they'll still be there when you return to them.

Why? Because no one really wants to steal clunkers. It's just too much trouble for too little gain.

By contrast, if you have to go to dodgy places with your brand new Honda or Toyota, you'd think twice about leaving it unattended. Why? Chances are, they'll get stolen.

And this was exactly what happened to my sister's relatively new Honda Accord 2.4L. While I still don't think it's a very good car, it appears to be in high demand among car thieves, such that hers was stolen almost as soon as she left it unattended in an open car park somewhere in Damansara.

OK, she may have neglected to use a steering lock and/or a brake lock, which was why I believe her car was targeted among the many, many new cars in the open car park. Even if she had used either or both of those things, they are not foolproof measures against determined car thieves - at best, they are initial deterrents.

So, now, my sister is utterly sad and utterly without a car.

However, had she owned a clunker, I believe she would still have both her clunker and her new Honda Accord.

In other words, if you have a clunker and are thinking about getting rid of it, well, think again. It still has its uses. Besides, you're not going to get much for it anyway.

If you don't have one anymore and if you think you're going to be going to dodgy places often enough, perhaps you should get a clunker of your own, like a cheap Kancil or even a Kembara.

Me? I'm getting my Kembara soon. In the event that I have to go places where I don't want to have to worry about my car being stolen, I'd use my Kembara.

Journalist Laureate Award Goes to Journalism’s Unsung Hero

The MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Award of “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” (Journalist Laureate) 2009 was awarded to Dato’ Liew Chen Chuan, the Group Managing Director and Group Editorial Director of Sin Chew Media Corporation, during an award ceremony held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre on 6 October 2010.

Hailed as “journalism’s unsung hero” by his peers, Dato’ Liew, or better known as “CC”, is the only journalist who has served under all six Prime Ministers of Malaysia. With nearly half a century at Sin Chew, he is at the pinnacle of his career as a professional journalist, rising from the ranks to become both Group Managing Director and Editorial Director of the newspaper.

Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) Datuk Chamil Wariya said, during the award ceremony’s welcoming speech, that the criteria for choosing a “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” is continuous excellence in writing and publishing; impact of his intellectual contribution to the community of readers of his publication; effectiveness, contribution and activities in his media organisation as well as other non-governmental media organisations; and leadership, prominence and assiduousness.

“Based on such criteria, not a lot of journalists could be considered for the ‘Tokoh Wartawan Negara’ award,” Datuk Chamil observed, implying that a highly accomplished journalist like Dato’ Liew is few and far between.

The MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Award of “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” (Journalist Laureate) 2009 was presented to Dato’ Liew by guest of honour YB Datuk Wira Abu Seman Bin Yusop, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

Also present was En Mohammad Medan Abdullah, PETRONAS’ Senior General Manager of Corporate Services.

Speaking on behalf of Minister of Home Affairs YB Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Datuk Wira Abu Seman acknowledged the contributions of journalists and the instrumental role they play in nation building. He also reminded journalists to fight hatred, senseless conflict and prejudice. “Avoid putting forth baseless arguments, and encourage dialog and harmony. Do not become arrogant and prideful, insensitive, inaccurate, overly biased and overly sensational. Give priority to what is good for our nation,” he said.

Before ending his speech, Datuk Wira Abu Seman congratulated Dato’ Liew and assured the journalism community that the Ministry of Home Affairs remains committed to working strategically and closely with the media for the long term.

Interestingly, Dato’ Liew’s accomplishments were so remarkable that the panel of judges who assessed his candidacy for the “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” award need not comprise of anyone who could read or speak Chinese.

As Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin, Journalists Laureate for 2006 and Chairman of the Selection Panel asked rhetorically, “How could a panel of judges comprising people who are not native speakers of Mandarin or any Chinese dialect preside over the judging of a ‘Tokoh Wartawan Negara’ like CC?” After detailing Dato’ Liew’s extensive accomplishments, Tan Sri Zainuddin remarked, “CC Liew, the unsung hero in the realm of Chinese media publication, has all the qualities of a ‘Tokoh Wartawan Negara’.”

During his acceptance speech, Dato’ Liew said, “I am humbled by the great honour fellow journalists have bestowed upon me. I see it (the award) as recognition, not my personal efforts but, of the role of Sin Chew daily in journalism and nation building.”

He added, “As a daily newspaper, our primary function is to serve our readers. If we serve them well, we develop with them a relationship of mutual respect that is enduring and rewarding. If we don’t serve them well, well, they have plenty of alternatives – other newspapers, other media. I’ve always believed that with good views and sincerity, no problem is beyond solution. Having said that, we (Sin Chew), as a newspaper, are fully cognisant of the sensitivities of certain matters, especially those not enshrined in the (Federal) Constitution – we know how far we can go in a rational discourse.”

Dato’ Liew went on to explain that established media organisations and journalists maintain certain standards and discipline to ensure that informed debate does not result in harm to society. Although the modes of communication are changing, certain journalistic principles remain immutable. They are truth, accuracy, fairness and balanced presentation.

“At the same time, if writers or publishers are careless about the possible consequences on public order as a result of what they write or publish, they must face the music. I believe in freedom of the Press, but with freedom comes responsibility. But again, punishment must be in accordance with the law and not administrative fiat, and the law must be fair, just and not oppressive,” he added.

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About Dato’ Liew Chen Chuan

Malaysian, aged 72, Dato’ Liew is a highly accomplished journalist of 48 years.

He joined Sin Poh (Star News) Amalgamated Malaysia Sdn Bhd (former publisher of Sin Chew Daily) in 1961 as a reporter, and was made Editor-in-Chief in 1981. He was appointed as the Executive Director of Sin Chew on 1 April 1991, and was re-designated as Managing Director effective from 1 September 2004.

He serves as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Sin Chew (since 15 September 2009) and is the Senior Advisor to the Group Executive Chairman of the Company. He sits on the board of Yayasan Sin Chew as a trustee and holds directorships in several private limited companies.

Under his editorship, Sin Chew has become the largest and most influential Chinese media group in Malaysia. After a corporate restructuring, the group is now part of an enlarged entity known as Media Chinese International Limited, which is listed both in Malaysian and Hong Kong stock exchanges. It has become a significant global media player and is the biggest Chinese media group in the world outside of mainland China.

Concerned with improving conditions for the working journalists, Dato’ Liew plunged himself into building up the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) when it was in its formative stage. He became its General Secretary for five years, which is unprecedented, as this key position would normally be held by someone from the English newspapers.

One of his concerns was to bring journalists from Utusan Melayu back into NUJ’s fold to ensure a balanced representation of working journalists in the country. Since then Utusan journalists have been playing a significant role in the NUJ, often holding the Presidency.

Dato’ Liew was a member of Advisory Council of the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA).

He is also the Advisor to the World Chinese Media Research Centre of Beijing University.

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About the MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Award of “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” (Journalist Laureate)

The award was introduced by the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) in 1988 to acknowledge those who have greatly contributed towards the development of journalism in the country, through their writings as well as their actions.

Nominations for the award can be submitted by media organisations or media related bodies and individuals.

Previous winners were:
1) 1988 - Allahyarham Tan Sri Abdul Samad Ismail

2) 1992 - Mendiang Tan Sri Lee Siew Yee

3) 1995 - Allahyarham Datuk Dr Ishak Muhammad

4) 1998 - Allahyarham Tun Mohammed Fuad Stephens

5) 1999 - Allahyarham Tan Sri Melan Abdullah

6) 2000 - Tan Sri Mazlan Nordin

7) 2006 - Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin

The prize for “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” has been included into PETRONAS’ sponsorship of MPI-PETRONAS Malaysian Journalism Award, beginning 2009. The winner of “Tokoh Wartawan Negara” receives RM30,000 in cash from PETRONAS.

Divine Intervention at 130 Kph

I should have been stuck by the roadside this morning or in hospital, or worse, dead. But I'm here, at the office on time, typing away my blog entry.

It had nothing to do with my car's licence plate number, which has 54 in it - in Chinese it sounds like "Never Die". Rather, it has everything to do with Allah's mercy.

It all happened so quickly. One moment, I was cruising along the highway calmly at about 130 Kph and, another moment, my car has done a 180-degree turn and facing the wrong way.

It was raining but it wasn't heavy enough to give my ZR-rated tyres much of a problem. However, it was dark. It was so dark that I couldn't tell the difference between the normal road surface and one which had been flooded with water.

Next thing I new, my car had hit a pool of water on the fast lane. Before I knew it, my car hydroplaned so badly that the rear-end swung out to the left, putting my car on a perpendicular slide.

"Ya! Allah," my inner voice screamed. "This is it! The front of my car is going to smash into the concrete divider," I told myself.

God knows, the divider must have been a hair's breadth away from the front of my car, but for some reason my car didn't smash into the divider. Instead, it completed its 180-degree swing and began to coast backwards down the highway.

Quickly, I jammed on the brakes. The anti-brake locking (ABS) system kicked in and, within moments, my car stopped dead in its tracks.

I needed a few seconds to regain my senses, what with the dashboard flashing with all sorts of safety warnings. But seeing that I was in danger of being rammed by oncoming cars, I quickly stopped and restarted my car's engine, and went on my way unscathed.

Realisation dawned on me then that my good fortune was nothing but Allah's mercy. Never mind that the traction control system (TCS) had kicked in; never mind that the Forte I'm driving is a light and nimble car designed by former Audi engineers; for, in an accident, what it all boils down to in the end is whether or not the Almighty determines that it is your time to wreck your car, get maimed or, worse, get killed - or escape unscathed.

"Say, Alhamdulillah!" I told my two boys who had just gotten the shock of their lives. "Allah has saved us," I added.

"And make sure, when we reach the (other) house, we perform solat Subuh (morning prayer)," I said insistently, and my two boys nodded vigorously.

When we got to the house, the three of us checked out the Forte - not a scratch!

Allahu Akbar! (God is Great!)

As I finish writing this, I half expect to be in a dream state - rather than being here, finishing this blog, I could actually be lying unconscious in hospital.

There, I just pinched myself. I'm really here.

Thank you, Allah. Thank you for the mercy you've shown my kids, my dogs (who were also in the car this morning) and me.

Luxury Truck vs Mid Range Car

Ok, enough with the stinking Malaysian politics for now and onto more interesting stuff - cars and trucks.

If you had a choice between a luxury truck and a mid-range car, which would you choose? Truck, yes? Why? Because of luxury? Well, many people would, albeit not most.

You see, for about the price you pay for a mid-range car like a Kia Forte 2.0SX or a Toyota Altis, you can get the kind of luxury you associate with high-end cars like Mazda 6, BMW 5 series and even the VW Passat CC provided you're willing to settle for a luxury truck.

The one I'm referring to in particular is the Nissan Navara. For a truck, the Navara is extremely plush - full leather seats, car-like cabin layout and dashboard, great stereo, the works. For a "commercial vehicle", this is one truck people would buy if they want a luxury car but can't quite afford one.

Although it's a truck, its ride handling feels less like a truck than a car on the road. And its advance chassis and suspension system allows you to go off-roading with confidence.

What's more, for a truck, the Navara can pretty much outrun most cars on the road. That's because it comes with a 2.5L Turbo diesel engine that dishes out 171 BHp, which is far more than what its closest rivals of the same engine capacity can, i.e. Mitsubishi Triton, Toyota Hilux and Ford - YUCK! - Ranger. (Sorry, I have to say YUCK each time I mention Ford - YUCK! - because of the bad experience I've had owning a Ford - YUCK! - Focus).

The Navara looks distinguished too, not least because of its humongous size. When you drive this big thing, you can bet others will be wary of crowding your right of way.

At the same time, the fact that it's a truck means that you're going to have to settle for some trade-offs. For one thing, although it's fast, you can't expect it to attack corners like a car - unless you have a death wish. For another, you're going to have to be very careful when parking in building basements, especially small and tight ones, lest you leave paint marks on walls and dents and scratches all over your Navara.

Me? Although I can't help but admire the Navara for its looks, luxury feel and engine power, I'd still settle for a mid-range car. Let's just say, I still prefer the feel and looks of a car (my Kia Forte in particular) over a beautiful truck like the Navara.

Vote-Buying in Sabah by PR Reaches a New High

When most Malaysians were celebrating Malaysia's nationhood and unity on Malaysia Day, PR politicians were preaching something else. As can be seen from the screen capture of the Borneo Post's website, these PR politicians promised Sabahans full autonomy, whereby "Sabah affairs will be determined by Sabah."

It begs the question, why should Sabah get special treatment? Why not give other states that are relatively resource rich the same offer? And why make such an offer on Malaysia Day, the day when Sabahans made the conscious decision to join the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia?

Anwar Ibrahim says, it is "a demand that Malaysians in Sabah have relentlessly been making since gaining independence 47 years ago in 1963." (see http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=68357)

A clever play of words, considering that those opposed to joining Malaysia without Sabah being given full autonomy back then were indeed Malaysians, but not the many more Malaysians who formed the majority, who were indeed happy for Sabah to join Malaysia as a federate state.

Whatever the case for or against Sabah being given more attention in terms of development funding, Anwar's full-autonomy rhetoric stinks of vote-buying. Such a promise does not address how Sabah is to handle its own affairs, especially how it intends to finance those affairs.

Worse, if successful, Sabah's full-autonomy lays the precedent for other resource rich states like Sarawak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang to press for full autonomy as well, leaving other, less resource-rich states, especially Kedah and Perlis in a lurch.

This is indeed why Malaysia has not been formed as a nation of confederate states. Resources are to be pooled for mutual benefit, the success or failure of that endeavour in certain states notwithstanding.

At a time when the Federal Government needs to work harder to transform Malaysia into a high income nation, PR appears to be working hard towards the disintegration of Malaysia as we know it, with little or no regard for ensuring that Malaysia as a whole breaks out of the middle income trap.

And it is for this very reason, among many other reasons, that I will cast a protest vote against PR in Selangor in the coming general elections.

Happy Malaysia Day, Everyone

When I was growing up, Malaysia Day used to be a low key affair.

Well, whatever the political niceties of that time, let us celebrate Malaysia Day as much as we celebrate Merdeka Day. Both days are important milestones in Malaysia's nationhood journey.

And at least for these two days, let us put our political differences aside and celebrate as one nation.

Happy Malaysia Day, everyone.

Know Your History to Avoid Blabbling Like an Idiot

That's Tunku, riding in a British colonial (now classic) car in Melaka in preparation for Malaya's independence back in 1957. If not for the all-round support from the people of Malaya, including the Chinese, Indians and other races, Malaysia would not exist today.

We wouldn't be producing our own cars today if the races in Malaya didn't come together to secure independence from the British Empire. And our forefathers decided that the Constitution of Malaya would be the foundation for our independent existence.

Yet, today, there are people who malign the Federal Constitution without understanding the historical context in which the constitution was founded, stoking the fires of racial intolerance, hatred and disunity. Among others, they question the special rights and privileges of the Malays, conveniently forgetting that, if not for those rights and privileges being enshrined in the Federal Constitution, Malaya would not have achieved independence in the first place.

As Prof Emeritus Dr Khoo Kay Kim remarked, "‎The reason why there are groups questioning the rights and privileges of the Malays is because the society of today is blind about history."

Prof Khoo explained that, "When the British came to Malaya, they found that there were already Malay governments in several parts of the peninsula, and the British recognised these governments. These governments took care of a large number of people (the Malays).

"For the British, these people had their special rights. But those who came to and lived in Malaya were not subjects of the rulers and, therefore, did not enjoy the same rights enjoyed by the Malays."

He added that the non-Malays in the peninsula at the time were not citizens or subjects of the king, saying they only had the opportunity to apply for citizenship when the Federation of Malaya was formed on 1 February 1948.

When the British planned the formation of the Malay Federation as a nation state, it was an extension of what already existed then, and by 1957, the Federal Constitution was formulated, incorporating the prevailing arrangement at that time.

The people, especially those of other races, should therefore respect the rights and privileges of the Malays as enshrined in the constitution because, when it was first formulated, the various races had already agreed to what needed to be incorporated in it, he said.

Of course, there are people who disagree, and quite surprisingly, among them is Lembah Pantai MP Nurrul Izzah Anwar, who wrote in The Malaysian Insider news portal that the idea of Malay rights as advocated by the right-wing group, Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) was "a mere ideological and philosophical construct" not rooted in the constitution.

The basis of Nurrul Izzah's argument is that, according to the Reid Commission, which drafted the constitution, "Article 153 was intended as a temporary preference to seek racial parity, subject to be reviewed after 15 years by parliament as to its continued need."

With all due respect, regardless of what Perkasa says or believes in, when rights and privileges are stipulated in the Federal Constitution by virtue of Article 153, then they are indeed rooted or enshrined in the Constitution and not a mere ideological and philosophical construct. There is no such thing as a "halfway house", which Nurrul Izzah appears to be suggesting with her pseudo-legal argument.

Even first year law students know this, in that the special rights and privileges are either there or not there in the Federal Constitution, and not somewhere in-between.

Furthermore, as Prof Dr Zainal Kling points out, "the Reid Report contained only recommendations, which have been amended by the White Paper on the Malayan Constitution, published in London."

(see "Special Rights Cannot Be Erased Unless the Malays Agree to it", BERNAMA, 7 Sept 2010).

In short, Nurrul Izzah appears to be babbling like an idiot.

Now is not the time to question the special rights and privileges of the Malays, especially when the situation of economic disparity among the races remains a thorny issue. Politicians should know better than to do this.

For those who are not politicians, beware of self-serving politicians on both sides of the divide (right or left) who are simply out to gain popularity and votes. They offer only short-term gains and pies in the sky. Don't let these idiots drive a wedge between races and religions in their quest for power.

Instead of focusing on nation building, especially poverty eradication, they go and stir up a hornets' nest. In the end, everyone pays the price for their stupidity.

We are in this nation for the long-haul, people. Know Malaysia's history, your history. Make sure your children know Malaysia's history, so that they won't be easily duped by self-serving politicians and their ignorant rabble-rousing followers.