Watched this movie at home recently. It was very good. Story-telling of high standard. Different sub-plots weaved together skillfully towards the end.
Its a story most human beings will be able to feel. The exception would be racists, including the ones we have here, in particular the one who kept on saying the word racist countless times in parliment a few sessions back. These people will never change.
The emotions i felt watching this movie was like riding a rollercoaster. The most compelling moment for me would be when the shopowner takes out the gun and shoots at the locksmith, only for the latter's young cute daughter to leap in front and take the bullet on her back..whilst resting on his shoulder. The mother screaming hysterically. The father breaking down. The shooter stunned. That was a special moment. I could feel the heart-breaking moment. Damn, a cute young girl accidently taking a bullet for her innocent father. Naturally, in the true spirit of great storytelling, there was a twist to this shooting incident.
Go see the movie. Its worth watching. Good for the soul to experience race relations issues. It was definitely better than "Munich" and "Good nite and good luck", which were excellent movies.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
I swore I bought the DVD last week. Cant seem to find it. The best movie I've seen this year albeit an 'old one' was City of God. Excellent gangster movie.
I read one comment with a great deal of laughter. How can you even start to talk about unfairness on immigration in the West! Look inwards within Malaysia, mate, and you will find so much unfairness against the non-malays and by default non-Muslims. The country has turned to rat-shit in my opinion.
Malaysia had so much potential but it has been wasted by the inapt, incompetent, mindless people running it.
When a university like University Malaya (UM) has a policy of discrimination in its enrolment there is every likelihood that the administrative and management policies are flawed with discrimination.
This can be seen by their employment of only one race monopolising the teaching staff. When such a situation takes place most of the staff are employed not based on merit but by nepotism and cronyism.
The end result is the sacrifice of quality in the institution of higher learning. Many of the lecturers in UM are educated in the malay medium and it is unlikely they can excel in an English medium of instruction.
UM is a white elephant which has lost its direction and purpose. It would be a fitting finale to just close the institution and focus its resources with other notable private universities.
One thing I'd like to see is that all policies are discussed openly and public opinion is invited. Traditionally it is done secretively by a select number of administrators and educators. Hence the mismatch of what the public wants versus what the politicians want.
Pak Lah government is a government of homilies and zero on walking the talk.
The main purpose is to ensure those close to Umno make money as the people are there to be squeezed. The citizens interest is never in the equation.
With this kind of attitude and way of administering the country and GLCs, we can foretell a detour of Vision 2020!
What a joke of the country! Add another 30 years and we are no closer to achieving the vision, or is it illusion?
All I can say is people reap what they sow. They voted for the BN and so this is what they get. I feel these people who voted for the BN have no right to complain, they asked for it! Now they have brought troubles and distress to the rest of us who didn't voted for the BN.
These talk are lip service and at best a bandage on the issues and problems. At the core of the issues is really corruption, and at the core of the corruption is low wages and meritocracy, and at the core of the low wages is the NEP.
So long as the NEP exist, it condones corruption and special treatment, and hence allow the government abuse. Even with the best of intention without a systematic treatment, we will see abuse, whether it is public or in private.
Malaysia ministers are living like the kings of olden India. Many of them are worth millions.
If the government is sincere in being prudent with spending, it should adopt a multi-prong approach to keeping down inflation. It should avoid extravagance and curb corruption.
As long as we have BN as a ruling party, we will not see a trustworthy, efficient and corruption-less government. Just look at Umno, I cannot find a clean leader.
All are corrupted and waiting for their turn to make big money with cuts. Pak Lah can go on and preach the Kampung folks about being prudent in spending but the same will not be bought by others.
Pak Lah is a man full of words, words, words, words and words. Nothing more and nothing less. A good and nice guy but good for nothing. This may go on until he retired. Let us wish him all the best for his future words.
A country needs just one leader to bring it down the drain and it seems we have the prime minister to do just that!
We need total change in the political scenario. Mahathir regime and Mahathir mentality of corrupt practise must vanish from the political scene. Malaysia needs a sincere visionary to move forward towards a clean government.
What role can we Malaysia play to foster better understandings of religions, cultures and civilizations?
Well firstly, we……….I am lost for words. Can't think of any role.
Yes, we have no qualifications to offer any solutions for the world illnesses. That would be the blind leading the blind.
Looking at the quality of our leaders and what they have said and not said, done and not done, and the many social, religious, racial, judicial, educational, cultural happenings we experienced over the past few months alone, I suggest we lie low, very, very low, and become like a tree in the forest. Yes, nobody's home.
We have nothing to offer the world in the matters until we proof to each other in this country that we do not have to resort to jealousy, hate and oppression.
It is highly arrogant of us to think that we can offer a solution to the rest of the world. Our model is based on subjugation and suppression rather appealing to reason and sensibility.
The racial and religious unity we have is just a facade. Deep down there is resentment and suspicion. Fortunately, all these negative elements have been contained because our economy is strong.
Maybe we can, by keeping our mouths shut, and continue to set a good example as a multi-culture, multi-racial, multi-religious, and highly tolerant nation, enjoying harmony and peace, in general, but lots of suppress ill-feelings against each other, following the recent spats of abuses by the people in authority.
If Malaysia has to push forward, they have to rebuild their political system to ensure that discrimination can never ferment in Malaysia.
I personally think that Malaysia is heading to a dead end, where it will meet Indonesia. Both of them might have taken separate ways, but the navigator (government) shares the exact same blood, teaching and thinking.
This Malaysia country is along the way of 48 years of independence has sideline the basic foundation of our government. Won't be surprise that many of our ministers do not even understand our constitution yet even knowing the Rukun Negara.
The purpose of Article 153 of the constitution and the National Economic Policy was to protect the interests of the bumis, in the fields of civil service, public education and public scholarships, as well as empower them economically.
Has this policy translated into tangible benefits for the non-malay bumi communities in Sabah and Sarawak? Not yet, if the economic disparity and the income figures, between the rich Chinese timber tycoons and their malay sidekicks are anything to go by.
We have double standards everywhere. One for the Umno and one for the non-Umno, I weep for the fools who think that their minister is fighting for their right. With every RM1 they give to you, they are taking RM100 away from your kids. Your son will grow up to become suicide bombers, trust me. Because they will think that the West robbed them.
Long-name Isa got kick off of the club for corruption, he was never prosecuted in court. Long-name Osu gambled millions away, in debt and nothing happens. The Rafidah-APs scandal? Last I heard she is still a minister.
Conclusion? We have a bunch of criminals in the parliament, and guess who is the head?
Well, you know what they say. Power corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely - given the chance, should he not watch himself, any politician (or most) would abandon his mission for money and status.
In summary - Malaysians enjoy the being multi-racial, love the country and not hung up on mixing with other races. The politicians (Malays, Indians, Chinese, and others) screw us all up, play up the racial card to protect themselves so that they can plunder the nation and put the blame on the people.
But anyways, it is sad to see the state of the modern Malaysia. I for one believe that Malaysians are very talented, and we can literally take the world by storm. If only we were given the chance and the support to do so!
Being an undergraduate, I have been advised time and time again by my elders, that if it were possible, attain a job oversea (currently in Australia). And don't come back. Except for holiday and the food.
But I still would really like to see its betterment. Fine, perhaps not in my lifetime.
My honest advise to my fellow countryman, no matter what race you are, save enough money and emigrate. You are doing yourself and your future generation a big favour.
Goodbye Malaysia. I guess there is no longer hope for a better country as long as it is a Muslim country and is governed by the ever corrupted malay system. They suck big time.
I am currently studying in the Australia, I grew up with the slogan "Malaysia Truly Asia" - however, this is not true, it seems more like "Australia Truly Asia" and let me explain why I think so - when I first landed here, I saw a multi-cultural society consisting of people from various ethnic backgrounds.
It doesn't even matter if the person has landed on the moon, you will only be awarded if you can prove that you deserve it. Your well being here depends on who you are (your personality), and what you can contribute!
Unlike Malaysia, where opportunities are given to the malays, regardless of what they are worth of. Shame! As a Malaysia citizen myself, I am ashamed to tell fellow Australia citizens that I am from Malaysia, because they all know that people like malays are given privileges.
The malays have no pride in themselves and that is why they will never ever be able to compete on a level playing field. There is so much discrimination among the other races that there is no sense of pride whatsoever in being a Malaysian.
Your eyes are open now because you are in the Australia. That is the difference between a developed country and a third world dump!
If you malays can't even achieve total prosperity after 50 years of special tongkat given by the government, then do not be jealous or even envious of other races achievements. Think about it.
In order to make Malaysia strong, malays have to change their mindset and not depending on the government too much. I think it is time for you to "stand" and try to earn things you have got, not being feed by the government.
You can't run this country alone. You are not the only one that is doing sacrifices.
Everyone here does, so stop getting yourself a bigger slice of the cake while trying to take away ours, when your cake is being given by the government but we earn it with our own blood and sweat.
What do you mean that what will happen to malays if Malaysia fallen into Chinese hands? Did Singapore ever kill the malays? Did they forbid them to take their mother tongue?
It is just that the malays have to fight for their own and they eventually did fought their way out and earned their slice of the economy cake, without significant help of the government in Singapore. They still earn similar income to other races.
Maybe Singapore is nothing. But then how do you exactly explain that a small island that was ejected by Malaysia, no resources, they got nothing……….not even they have enough water, but yet their currency is higher than Malaysia? Can somebody tell me why?
Maybe it is because Americans helped them? But it is because of their fairness and transparency, not to mention a highly efficient government. This is something that we can't deny. Malaysians have to learn their mistakes and try to correct their "government help" or "tidak apa" mindset.
And Malaysian malays still fall behind Chinese even with the help of the government. Why? Please do not blame for nothing.
First of all, are we (the non-malays, that is) really to believe that the government will abolish or tone down the New Economic Policy in the near future? We must be realistic, if you have the right to buy a property at a discount and have scholarships for your children, would you let go of these rights?
With Chinese population dwindling in Malaysia, what needs to be done depends on the Chinese themselves.
There is nothing wrong with the brain drain. In fact, we should encourage our children to move to Singapore, Taiwan, China etc, if we disagree with Malaysian government policies that are based on race and religion.
When it comes to the matter of the dwindling number of Chinese Malaysians, we should talk about quality, not quantity.
We should resolve why the Chinese-Malaysian population is reducing. Official figures have more than one million Chinese Malaysians emigrating over the past 25 years. Why did they emigrate? I am sure the government knows.
Straight A students can't get scholarships or university places. Nothing new, it is been that way for the past 35 years. Nowadays, even enlightened malay Malaysians are speaking up on this injustice. The MCA and Gerakan? Busy making money from private colleges.
What is so great about having TAR College or Utar which took more than 35 years of begging? Why should it be so difficult to set up an independent university when we have scores of public ones?
While we push young talented people away, other countries notably Singapore, the US and Australia welcome them with open arms.
Is it logical that we drive away our young talented ones and then invite retired Mat Sallehs to live here and exploit our low-cost of living?
Singapore's success in particular owes much to these ex-Malaysians or their descendants including Hon Sui Sen, Goh Keng Swee, Goh Chok Tong, just to name a few.
About 30 percent of top management in both Singapore's government and corporate sector are ex-Malaysians. We export them so that Singapore can compete with, and then whack us.
Korea and Taiwan, both way behind us in the 70s and 80s are now way ahead. Thailand is breathing down our necks.
Sadly, there is just no integrity in the nation's leadership.
The sad thing that many of you don't realise, is that the established 'racism' in Malaysia benefit both the Chinese and the malays, especially via the NEP. The unfortunate part is that it benefit a small minority, those that are willing to play ball with the Umno.
The malays get the contract, and sell it to the Chinese, both sides actually profit. And in the end, the malays blame the Chinese for being rich, and the Chinese blame the malays for being lazy.
Of course, since the malays blame the Chinese for being rich, they keep on voting their supposed 'saviour' - Umno mindlessly. And the Chinese, unwilling to give up any part of a 'stable' economy - keep on voting the BN, and are scared to death that the opposition, especially PAS will win.
Essentially, racism exists and it is a political problem. It will probably take a literal collapse of the Malaysia economy before anyone is willing to blame the BN corruption for it……….and even then, the Chinese will point fingers at the malays for the NEP and incompetence, the malays will point fingers at the Chinese for sending their children overseas and not coming back.
I fully agree that the NEP, as it has been implemented over these years, is the root cause of the unfavourable economic and racial unhappiness that exists in the country today.
It was supposed to improve the economic status of the bumi and thereby restructure society with every community benefiting.
But has this aim been achieved? Definitely not.
Instead, what we have achieved is a high rate of corruption, an inefficient and arrogant civil service, a failing education system plus racism and a feeling of despair among the minority communities. There is so much favouritism that those really deserving are not given their dues.
The NEP has also resulted in severe mistrust and jealousy among the races in the country. Unless the NEP is abolished and replaced with a policy of fairer distribution, this unfavourable climate will continue with the future looking bleak.
The NEP has to be done away with, especially so in an era of globalisation where all citizens regardless of race should be given an equal opportunity to allow them to give their best towards national development.
UM can become a top university once again as it was in the 60s and 70s. In addition to good facilities, this would require a dynamic and capable university administration, good faculty members and with English as a key medium of instruction.
USM also has an obsession with increasing its graduate student population. The trade-off has been the lowering of standards of admission. As a result, admissions of foreign students, especially ones with the means to pay, have gone up. Lecturers are given the impossible task of passing some of these students, who are not even qualified to do any graduate work in the first place.
The answer to the deterioration lies from within. Why be extravagant about hiring a foreign consultant? Isn't this itself telling of the lack of faith in the products of your own system? We do not have to wait for the annual THES ranking to know that our higher education system is long in need of a change.
We need courageous people to do this, not political party-hacks who masquerade as half-baked academics and shallow thinkers.
For all this to happen, the NEP would have to be sacrificed. Is the government prepared to do this? The recruitment of a significant number of capable non-bumis as administrators, faculty members would be required.
There is abundant talent and capability in the Malaysian population which remains to be tapped in the interest of Malaysian public universities. It would be imprudent to ignore such a large pool of resources when one wants to achieve excellence.
Putting it another way, it is in the interest of the Malaysian public universities (and their large malay student population) to engage the non-bumi talent and exploit their capabilities in all aspects and dimensions.
The non-bumis would also benefit from such an exercise, but the far greater beneficiary would be the bumi students and Malaysia as a whole. It is simple logic.
Points taken. Get a little bit nasty, but that is some facts.
I am an engineer. Like architect and other parties, we design and built houses based on the developer's vision and decision. If the house is very small, poor design, bad finishes but still at an unreasonable high price, I will walk away.
I will advice my friends not to buy it, based on my professional experience and some logic, it is not that difficult, really. But it is their money, they have the freedom to decide what they wanted to do with it.
But believe it or not, someone will still stay there. Can't even afford to buy, consider lucky if they are able to clear the monthly rental.
And I have some malay friends, thinking of emigrating, mainly because most Muslims here didn't see things the way they saw it, especially on the religion matters. Oh yes, some perceptions never really change throughout the years.
Once a while I will still welcome my uncle from Australia to visit us here. He is one lucky emigrant, I guess, he is well taken care over there.
All this while I think many of us are dying to go to Australia, Europe, the US, for a better future……….
In Singapore, it is fast and efficient to get a permanent resident. In fact, foreigners in Singapore are invited to become permanent citizens. Here Malaysia, it take years and years and years and……….to even be considered to become a permanent citizen. I heard of foreigner whose application was lost and had to resubmit. How is that?
The person who is researching into getting water for Singapore is a Malaysian. The head of Parapsychology in Cambridge is a Malaysian. The best doctors in the world many are Malaysians.
It is very sad, it is so sad to see Malaysia's brightest minds are all over the world except Malaysia.
Yet, they are nowhere near Malaysia.
Another brilliant Malaysian got scared off by the Malaysia government. Just had a long distance phone conversation with my Malaysian friend who is now pursuing his PhD in civil engineering in the UK.
According to him, he sees no more hope and future in Malaysia and totally ruled out the chance of ever returning, except for the occasional visits to relatives and friends.
Kudos to Umno government. When it comes to scaring off all the brilliant brains out of the country, you are clearly a master at it.
I've finally come to enlightenment. If you argue with a fool, it ends up two fools are arguing. When I've done with my business here in Malaysia, I will be packing up for emigration.
I may end up as a second class citizen. Who cares? Since when are we treated like a Bangsa Malaysia anyway after 48 years of independence? I have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
Don't slog and waste your life away in Malaysia. You will never be appreciated. Leave if you can!
Malaysia is suddenly realizing that its competitiveness has slipped. This is the final expression of a failed education system. Unless steps are taken to broaden its access, improve the quality, increase its relevance, and reduce the inequities, Malaysia will remain poorly served.
Here is a paradoxical example I wish to share. In my years of higher education at a private college, I've always thought that we should do more than just what is presented on our plates. Unfortunately, the lecturers themselves are the ones that aren't inspiring us to think critically.
I had problems securing jobs with MNCs in Malaysia but got accepted to work for Singapore based-US banking firm after sitting for the IQ test. None of my ex-coursemates are jobless and a handful is working for MNCs in Singapore. Go figure.
Crony capitalism and nepotism also filtering down the corporate culture. Senior managers have no pride in work. More interested in keeping position and power. To hell with initiative.
Senile Mahathir is still acting as if he is in control of Bolehland. Please, will someone tell him to shut up! The Malaysia media seem happy to humour a senile old man. He blames everybody. When he started off he appeared genuinely working for the country. Along the way he changed. That is the reason why the country is in such a mess.
Just look at Proton, he is continuingly trying to make sure the poor company get protected and ask Malaysians to pay high prices and received a poor quality car! Fortunately his time is up!
And majority Malaysians believe him because they are ignorant. Malaysians are not stupid, but ignorant because of the controlled press. They are not allowed to seek knowledge from the press, only useless information.
More RTM programmes out of touch with reality, pea-brained, featuring badly dressed, bush jacket wearing goons sitting in a row discussing topics nobody is interested in all set against a backdrop that is reminiscent of induced color hallucination?
Thank you for the Internet so that we know what is happening and not be ignorant like we used to be.
The only time a country does not seek the best deal for itself is when the country is corrupt and the leaders want to make money at the expense of the people.
It is ridiculous. No right thinking person would accept that except the malays. Even Singapore island also they can give away. Who knows the next move they might as well give Penang away. Just imagine how weak and stupid the malays are.
I did the same thing too. Being friends with other races is a funny way of seeing how narrow-minded we are sometimes. There are moments when I catch myself from saying certain things to my malay friends but have no problems saying them to my non-malay friends.
I am not having a go at the Chinese, I am just saying that it is only corrupt leaders who do friendly deals. In straight commercial terms, Singapore is miles ahead and good for it. The Singaporeans are smart, intelligent and not ignorant.
One thing is for sure; we speak because I believe we want to make this country work. If not, then as some of you say here, there are plenty of other places willing to take us.
But you got to give some credit to those guys, they were able to speak up which many of us lack.
But of course non-malays, especially the non-malays born after 1957 will see things differently.
First of all, they did not choose to come to Malaysia, especially not with its present system of government. It is not their fault that the British, more than one hundred years ago, brought in so many Chinese and Indians, and made the Umno-malays feel insecure.
It is not their fault that many of the immigrants, with the permission of the British, toiled to be successful and that made the Umno-malays felt threatened by it. And since when did success become something you have to be punished for instead of celebrating?
It is not their fault that English is the dominant language of technology, science, diplomacy, commerce, and just about any branch of knowledge and has been entrenched in Malaysia since 1786.
They can't understand why the government is hell bent on destroying the system of government left behind by the British, a system that Singapore kept, enhanced and used to become one of the richest, most well planned, most advanced, competitive, cleanest and admired countries on earth, despite being just a rock the size of island.
They feel puzzled that the Umno-controlled government talks with a forked tongue - asking Malaysians to be united and at the same time - asking the non-malays to accept second class citizenships, and then Tun Razak own son Najib threatened to bathe a keris (dagger) with Chinese blood. To them, this is a contradiction.
Why were Chinese and Indians in the armed forces here Malaysia etc, in significant numbers before the 1970s? And there are a lot of lucrative deals in the army and police, and some are below the table and some like it that way.
"Why is that there are so few Chinese in the armed forces?"
Well, I think you know the answer why. Like so many government institutions, there was a form of ethnic cleansing in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, which saw the determined push of non-malays out in favor of increasing the number of malays both at the rank and at the leadership positions.
That is why you see a dramatic change in the complexion of the government if you compare, say the 1960s and 1990s. That is why non-malays avoid government institutions, not just the armed forces - it is the same with organizations like Bank Negara, EPF, etc.
Over the years, the Malaysia government institutions have evolved into very hostile environments for the non-malays.
Look at Singapore, the Chinese are in the army etc, so are the Indians and the malays. Yes there was an issue with the malay pilots. But there are significant Indians there in the civil service as an example since the Chinese are majority there.
Anyhow, onto the comments that touch on Singapore experience. Yes, making English the medium of instruction has served Singapore well. Just the other day, I was at a conference held by an MNC and employees came from all over Asia.
One of the most senior people in from the Singapore office was a malay and he was highly articulate, and obviously made it to such a high position based on his capabilities. And he is not the first Singaporean malay I met that held an important position in an MNC.
I always wondered why some Malaysian malays in some other forums say that if Malaysia adopts Singapore system, they will not survive. The Singaporean malays I met are doing just fine. Yes, many Malaysian malays hate Lee Kuan Yew and indeed Lee may have been a racist, but the Singapore system existed before him, he refined it, and people who came after him keep refining it, and it works well.
Anyway, yes it is anecdotal but nonetheless, these Singaporean malays I met are doing well. Whenever I go to Singapore, I see Singaporean malays working productively, and everyone in Singapore is virtually guaranteed a decent house.
They have access to world class education, world class government planning, world class landscaping, world class medical facilities, world class public safety, world class shopping, world class transportation, world class working environment (and due to Singapore high per capita income and strong Singapore dollar, they earn enough to afford good stuff too).
You want to know why so many Malaysians choose to be discriminated in white man's land or go south? It is not because of the NEP.
It is because our right to be Malaysians has been questioned. It is one thing to have to sacrifice for your fellow citizen. It is another thing to sacrifice for a citizen of a country where you don't even belong.
50 years is enough!
Malaysians deserve to be treated like this. But it will be forgotten after a while until another increase of price take place. In Malaysia the government like to bully the people because the people have no will power to boycott.
Since most of us are perceive to be living in luxurious by the Malaysia government, the government think we will accept the fact after a while. A call for boycotting Petronas will fall on deaf here because simply the people have no will power.
Can anyone tell me any boycott events which have been successful in the past? To my best knowledge - nothing!
Then all this anger should be known by the government and the government must be sensitive because the voters are utter rubbish.
History has proven again and again that BN government is the great liar and great actor. But the people keep on vote for them again and again because it seems we have no choice. What you mean we have no choice! It is not we have no choice, but we are fear of change and like to remain status quo.
Until the people willing to take up radical and revolutionary changes, the government shall always take us for ride. They understand us very well but we still do not understand them after nearly 50 years.
No wonder Malaysia universities produce unemployable graduates.
50 years is enough!
Corruption is already a culture in Malaysia society. There are too many cases to be dealt with. This is not unexpected. The system is run by fools like most of the ministers.
Let said with government-linked companies (GLCs) losing billions of taxpayers money through gross mismanagement, political appointments of unaccountable chief executive officers (CEOs) and rampant corruption, the government should not expect sympathy from the people.
Giving the government more money when it fails time and again, is no different than feeding an addict.
If we want to blur the demarcation between politics and religion in a plural society such as ours, then the result will be bad governance and division as we continue to witness in our beloved country.
Crimes, inflation, rising illegal immigrants and worsening unemployment are testimonies of a worst case scenario.
With the incorrigible, intransigent and power crazy people still around and with myopic belief from the opposition, there won't be any changes in the political scene in Malaysia for another 50 years……….if these inveterate people and recalcitrants are still around!
The problem is intractable, as long as we are a nation divided along race and religion. That is the colonial strategy which has worked wonders for BN.
We have to come together on common ground, and that means all Malaysians - Chinese, Iban, Indian, Kadazan, Malay, and Senoi.
It is time for the government of the day to change their policies before the electorates who voted them into power are plunged into a crisis. Otherwise, it is time for the people to change and choose new leaders.
Good luck Malaysians. You are in for a tough time!
am lost. The posting was on the movie Crash. Sigh.
Post a Comment