Rant & Raves

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Yeah, I know I am very late in posting this, but I figure late is better than none.

On September 13th, 2007, BBC Hardtalk programme host Sarah Montague talked to Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar about Malaysia, and the topics involved racial, economy disparity, education system, religion and etc. [Click here]

In my opinion, our foreign minister Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar was talking about a bunch of bullcrap in this interview. I mean, is he real? Did he really think that the statistic that he gave during the interview cannot be obtained easily for outsiders? He kept being in denial about some of the hard facts that the host Sarah Montague threw at him, and I am very sure BBC, being one of the most respectable and most watched news station in the world, have done an extensive research and homework before throwing these tough questions at our foreign minister.

Anyway, it is really fun to see Sarah Montague grilled and drilled Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar so extensively. I mean, if you got 30 minutes to spare, please watch the interview. I know I enjoyed watching this interview not because it shows how an ass is making an ass of himself, but what the government is telling the world (meaning the people outside of Malaysia).. Yeah, we are peaceful country, our people are living happily together, there is no racial disparity in us, and the non-malays are enjoying bigger piece of economy pie than the malays.

I mean, besides being in constant denial, Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar kept avoiding the questions directly, and he kept blabbing about something unrelated (no wonder Sarah Montague appeared so damn frustrated. I could imagine her punching our foreign minister on the face).

Congratulate, Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar, great job!

Watch the Interview here

Wahlau’s Online Hut has the partial transcript here.

Anyway, here are some of the most memorable quotes from our Foreign Minster Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar from the Hardtalk intervew…

Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Economy Disparity between Malays, Chinese and Indians,

I think, when you are looking at it from a detached point of view, you may be seeing it that way but if you look in reality, what is happening is, the economic growth of the non-Malays is faster after the New Economic Policy than before it. The share of the economic cake is bigger, deeper, and wider than before so it’s not as if you’re looking at a theoretical, conceptual thing - you’re looking at the realities on the ground. The reality on the ground - look at the household income within Malays, Chinese and Indians. Even the Indians have got better household income than the malays.

Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Education System,

If you look in term of total number of students, of all the universities in Malaysia, there are still more non-Malays than the malays. and this should not be an issue that divides us. i think ultimately we have done, we have tackled all issue step by step. And it is working, I think ifor Malaysia it is working, whenever we see there is disparity.

Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Government Contracts,

For your information, the contracts that are enjoyed by the chinese, in absolute terms - the non-Malays - is bigger than even the Malays.

Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Lina Joy,

No no, I think you have made the whole thing turn into something that is negative. Lina Joy wanted to change her name. She was never not allowed to convert to Christianity or whatever religion that she has chosen. But a person is born with an identity card. That is the system we have in Malaysia, the ID.And that ID you want to change, that creates problem. It’s nothing to do with the fact that nobody has arrested her and force her to become a Muslim. But the court decided on the basis that you cannot change your name on the ID.

[Note: I am very confused. Then how those Datuk or Dr (PhD) change their name to include those titles if it is so damn fucking difficult?]

Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar on lack of Non-Malay Top Cabinet Members since 1973,

I don’t think so, this is a democratic system. Each one of them have agreed in a coalition to work together.