W5 - AL JAZEERA 101 EAST: MALAYSIAN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

In this episode of 101 East by Al Jazeera Broadcasting, the issue is quite unique because of the New Economic Policy (NEP) discussion was in the right place, which is Penang, placing three different sides of speaker. The first speaker is Chow Kon Yeow; Democratic Action Party (DAP) representative, second speaker is Datuk Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad; former Deputy Chief Minister of Penang and third speaker Professor Azeem Farouk; a political lecturer at University Science of Malaysia (USM). I choose Datuk Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad as the favourite speaker because his many points and statement that really positive on this episode.

Discourse analysis of Datuk Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad's points in the episodes:-

* Conclusion
Datuk Seri Dr. Ibrahim Saad agrees that Penang state government effort on changing the NEP concept.
(I personally agree with Datuk's statement on this issue.)

*Claim
Penang state government wanted to help all the people of Penang, not discriminated under the races.
(I agree with Datuk's point-of-view with this issue because he wanted an equal services among the Penang's, also to all the Malaysians.)

*Premise 1
Misuse of NEP in all of sectors really affects the Malays.
(Yes, it is true that certain Malays has misuse the authority and created a negative perspective to others.)

*Argument 1
Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has realized the problem within the NEP and the Malays.
(Yes, the Malays has used this policy for granted and making the Malays lazy and forget the true purpose of life in this country.)

*Premise 2
From the beginning of NEP, it doesn't state that the policy was sided on Malays.
(It is true, but on a certain value, the Bumi's has the advantage than the other races.)

*Argument 2
 The Malays elite used the policy for their own goods and left the unprivileged Malays to continue live in misery.
(Yes, it is true because the Malays elite has more power than the typical Malays in all kinds of fields.)

"Malays must move forward and compete with the real world."

 

W5 - A LEADER'S LEGACY, TUN ABDUL RAZAK

Who doesn't know Malaysian Father of Development, Tun Abdul Razak bin Haji Dato' Hussein. He is the very charismatic Malaysian leader but has very short period of ruling the country, only for 6 years. Noted that he was very brave and intelligent leader of that time. Acted as a father of five children and Prime Minister of Malaysia for the same time isn't easy for him. He has left Malaysians with his legacy, the Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB) or New Economic Policy (NEP) since 1971 and his two bold sons; Datuk Seri Mohd Najib and Datuk Ahmad Johari Razak. The purpose of this writing is to discuss whether Datuk Seri Mohd Najib still continue his father's legacy in this modern day era?

Datuk Seri Mohd Najib still continuing his father's legacy, as the Malaysia key leader and person that moving the country towards 'Wawasan 2020', original idea of advanced Malaysia by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. Najib's economic policy still not different than his father NEP. But, some changes has been made to make the policy were suitable and eligible for the Malaysian. The favoritism value in NEP was changed and doesn't sided on Malays anymore. But still an error or misunderstanding and misuses of the policy was occurred, resulting a debate among the Malaysians. Still, duty is duty and Najib's duty is to bring this country to the highly income country and 'Wawasan 2020'. He has conducted and done his father legacy towards a better perception and acceptance. The competition value was used in both policy, but Najib's policy like New Economic Model and Economic Transformation Programmed were more clear and acceptable for the Malaysian during this period of time. The result is a highly profit on Malaysia's economy, inside and outside of the country.

Plus, Tun Abdul Razak's affirmative action during his period was completely finished on 1990. NEP was transformed into National Development Policy to cover all the untraceable tracks that NEP hasn't got yet. Datuk Seri Mohd Najib still cares about the Malays, just like his father and take a risky action also like his father. The 1Malaysia slogans is a great action taken by Najib to ensure unity among the Malaysians. Plus, the slogans now was a great brand of power when it has emerged into a economical and politics materials in the Malaysia nowadays. For example, Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) is a brilliant idea on defeating the economy decreasing worldwide. The result, a relief and saving value on buying power among the Malaysians.

As a conclusion, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak still continues his father's positive legacy; a charismatic and respected leader among the people, changing for the better life of people, and taking a risky action to gain people's trust. Yes, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib has successful in doing what has Tun Abdul Razak has left for the Malaysia and him. THANK YOU, DATUK SERI! 

  

*bit of Negaraku lyrics: "Rakyat hidup, bersatu dan maju"
                                        "People lives, unite and advanced" 

W4 - GANDHI, MY FATHER

Being a father is not easy, especially when the father becomes a leader of a movement or leader of nation. This is the situation that have been faced by Mahatma Gandhi during his lifetime. Gandhi, a father of 5 kids was surely having a hard time raising and supporting them in the hard time around 1920's. But, is it Gandhi's fault on his eldest son, Harilal tragic end? The answer is it's not Gandhi's fault.

It is true that Harilal and Gandhi were having a bit of misunderstanding on certain issues. For example, the scholarship issues. What Gandhi has do is surely wrong and destroying Harilal hopes for his future, to follow his father footsteps in becoming a barrister. Instead of giving the scholarship to Harilal, Gandhi gave it to his hopeless nephew and than to Sorabjee, a fanatic followers of him. This turns out very hurt and barely faced by Harilal because of trust develop by Gandhi towards his son. But, the main point is Gandhi wanted Harilal to be besides of him to face the difficulties and helps him in the effort of India independence. There is nothing wrong about Gandhi's attention at the first place.

Besides of that, Harilal's undetermined personality does affect his life. Harilal was indeed a supportive figure in his father's movement and became handy when it comes to the speeches. Harilal however oppose Gandhi's idea of peace and wanted to get free of his father's influence. He shouts out loud that he was a hopeless child of Gandhi and do not wanted to do anything with Gandhi anymore. Plus, all of Gandhi's money was completely wasted by Harilal when he failed in three times for a matriculation test for the barrister position.

Harilal's major fault in his life was taking alcohol as a reliever. It can be seen whether he is a Hindu or Muslim. Plus, he misused the hospitality of his Muslim brother, Zakaria-bhai. He constantly takes alcohol to get drunk and get laid with prostitute. It is not a great action taken by Harilal. As a punishment towards his wicked actions, he was imprisoned for disturbing a chariot that taken by British aristocrates.

Other than alcoholism, the pressure of the surroundings really affects Harilal's life. Harilal cannot take the pressure greatly and as a result, he finally wandering around the streets. This situation brings Harilal's great despair and contributes towards his failure in life, ends up in miserably ending. Harilal barely faced his wife, Gulab deaths. He seems to lost of his path of life and did not have any motivation to continue his life. After his mother death, he really cut of his motivation to life.

As a conclusion, Harilal's tragic end was not created by his father, but instead is by himself. Harilal must believe on what he is doing and do not take the alcohol as a reliever. Gandhi also must play a great roles in guide his eldest son towards a better life like him. Instead, Gandhi turns down all the hope for Harilal and blocks down his way in this life.

(The last picture of Harilal Gandhi)

W4 - GANDHI

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869-30 January 1948) is the key figure and the leader of India nationalism in British India. Mohandas K Gandhi was also known as Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhiji, and Bapu. Mahatma Gandhi was born at Gujarat, British India. Gandhi was really the father of India because of his non-violence effort against anything, especially on the rights of people. In spite of his non-violence action reformation in India, demanding a polite way to gain independence, there were some claim that his non-violence tactic brings a savage action among his supporters. For example, conflict between Muslims and Hindus around 1947. This conflict has bring a bad interpretation to Gandhi, plus on his last years standing on this earth. This writing will expose on how Gandhi has failed on his work for the people of India.

It is true that Gandhi's effort on India independence was big and well worth. India finally became a free nation in 15 August 1947. This shows the long and hard effort by Gandhi was paid off and successed. He wanted the India that he believed and saw during his travel around India after arrived in Bombay, 1915. Mahatma Gandhi really wanted to build a new nation of India, where Hindus, Muslims, Sikh, and others can peacefully lives in one country; India. But, Gandhi's dream and hope just fled away after the civil war or conflict happens between the Hindus and Muslims all over the India. This shows in his effort on promoting non-violence action, he was trapped with his own words and verbal action. Ironically, he has served the Colonial British against Zulu Kingdom in Southern Africa during Second Boer War, 1899. Plus, he recruited the men of India to go war against the Axis under the name of India or Gurkha army, which serves under the British commands. While he promoting his non-violence action around the world, the savage killings and genocide was happened under his watch in India.

Gandhi also has failed as the inspirational idols to the people in India during his last days. He was fasting during the day that the conflict happen and right in front of his house. The rioters who is on the Hindu's side claim the action of Gandhi on the conflict. Gandhi was just simply silent and whispers that he's on fasting. The fasting activity was regularly used by Gandhi and his followers as a sign of protest for the recent issues. Gandhi's fasting activity makes others drove angrily and act drastically by assaulting strangers or the opposite religion. Again, the non-violence effort done by Gandhi as a sign of rebel against certain issues was not worth anymore during the conflicts.

 (Figure 3: India soldier executed Pakistans during 1971 Indo-Pakistan War)

Another evidence of Gandhi's failure can be seen on the day he is died. His assasination reflects that he's method of peace were reach on top and no longer implies on the society. Plus, he has created a fanatics on his movement. This creation of Gandhi lastly keep him down forever after he was shot in the open crowd, 30 January 1948. Apparently, the shooter was the Hindu fanatics that guess Gandhi was not suits with the movement and current problems happens around India on that day. Gandhi acted like he does not care about peace anymore. By that time, the dream of India by Gandhi was ruined after the split of nation according to religion, which is Pakistan for Muslim and India for Hindu. 

Basically, Mahatma Gandhi non-violence movement was really suits with the situation around the India during that time. But the reality, the peaceful method practised by Gandhi was not eligible for the people of India during the conflict during and after independence. In other words, Gandhi's method was limited by the time of national movement and no longer adapted by Indian's society afterwards.

GOOD GUY GANDHI

W3-Sherlock, A Study In Pink

Sherlock Holmes, a big name on the mysterious investigation worlds. Widely known as the brilliant and expert in investigation fields, he really was just an ordinary British gentleman. Many movie has been produced in honoring his intelligent. But, in this writing is more focus on a new face of Mr. Holmes, that is 'Sherlock-A Study In Pink'.

This Sherlock actually really differ than other Sherlock that has been knew by us. The theme on this movie was in this century. Plus, this Sherlock Holmes really uses his intelligent and technology in granted. He really know how to solve the puzzle that the cases brought upon him. Most part of the movie really shows us that Sherlock is a heavy left brain user. It is because he simply derive the flow of the cases happen just based on evidence that he and Dr. Watson saw and acquire, logically. More specifically, he use his analytic thought to solve the cases. Plus, his beautiful mind was heavily rely on technologies. For example, when he tries to find the location of the victim's mobile phone. He use his advance GPS tracking device on his laptop to find it.

But when the Scotland Yard rush down his 221B apartment and search out thoroughly, he has discovered the truth about the 'serial suicide' that he chased. The cabbie drew him out of his apartment and take him somewhere else. At this moment, we can see that Sherlock use his right brain hemisphere. For example, from the moment he walk out from his apartment, he has activated his tracking device so that Dr. Watson can follows him to the person who commit the crime. Another example that we can see is when the conversation between Sherlock and the cabbie. The cabbie tries to imply on Sherlock's mind to take the pills that the victims has taken before. But, Sherlock refuse. This is just his game to lure the cabbie into the truth and capture him. But, it was just too late for the cabbie when Dr. Watson has shot him from behind. The case has solved.

As a conclusion, Sherlock Holmes is a heavily left brain thinker and really implies it in his daily life, to solve the cases. But, in certain circumstances, Sherlock has to use his right brain ability just to find the truth. Basically, Sherlock Holmes can use both of the brain hemisphere.

W3-National Geography, Test Your Brain part 1 of 3 (PAY ATTENTION)

Brain is the most critical and important part of our body that plays a vital role in our daily lives. Brain controls all the nerve system that making sure that we do something according to the mind. Brain collects data from surroundings and understanding, then transmit it into information by sensory feedback. The feedback can be verbal and non-verbal. For example, a car approaching with estimated speed 100 km/h and headed directly into your path. Firstly, we look at the car and our eyes act as a camera and the brain tries to adapt into the situation. Meanwhile, neuron of brain stimulates the brain itself to an fixed information that the car is very fast and headed into the way. Then, the brain stimulates our body to respond, evade the speeding car away. That is the result of the brain produces feedback in terms of non-verbal action.

Generally, the brain was divided into two part. The parts are the left brain and right brain. As you can see the picture below describes what is the functions of this two part of the brain.

It is hard for people to use both sides of the brain simultaneously. The brain has limited power, only 12 Watt. The figure is less than the refrigerator lights. But, the 12 Watt of power also differ us with other creatures in this world.

Our brain is highly active organ that contains millions of neuron and other gen that helps us in daily life. The main priority purpose is to think, which means paying attention on anything that our brain wanted to. But, attention is limited. As stated before, the brain only can generate 12 Watt of power. The figure bring a hard wire in our situation, especially involving decision making and others. Experts and popular figures like David Copperfield, Dan Simons and Apollo Robbins agrees that brain only can focused at one thing for one time only. If we challenge the fact, there will be some little things that we will miss. It is not involving our health or anything, but can really make us more paranoia.

There is certain people can manipulating our brain ability to focus. These man are called 'Magician'. This people really understand how is human brain work and how human brain thinks. Magician like David Copperfield and Apollo Robbins are the person who really demonstrate how our mind could thinks and how they can use our mind against ourselves.

This two figure really understand how our brain can work and regularly demonstrate or use it for everyone granted. They really enter into our mind when we were incompletely focused in the situation. They drawn our attention into another with a simple tricks, and still we were got tricked by them. There are two type of attention that are in our brain. The two type of attention are 'Top-down attention' and 'Bottom-up attention'.  Top-down attention is a decision making attention which we frequently use in our daily life. Bottom-up attention is an attention that using something (e.g: materials and distraction) just to grab or drew out our focus or attention.

The two type of attention is trigger by our brain, more specifically by our prefrontal cortex and sensory cortices. Prefrontal cortex helps in advance decision making and planning or in other words to think critically. Sensory cortices however stimulates brain's neuron and making our brain to grab focus and attention. Other than attention, our brain can do multi tasking works. But, it is really hard and need serious effort to achieve it. Based on the documentary, multi tasking effort could deactivate our focus and certain parts of our brain. It is because our mind can only read and understand one thing for one time only. Our brain attention is limited. The games shown in the documentary really demands our concentration and focus in order to understand what is the trick on that particular games. Always a distraction happen. For example in game #9, the penguin passes by and losing all of our counts on that dancers. Other than that, game #5 when Copperfield ask what we have to do and demands us a great concentration and multi tasking ability.

Our brain also can react very slow when something unfamiliar happens. For example in game #10. Our brain implies the common things and when something differ happen, we could react, but it will be slower than the usual.

Other than attention and multi tasking, our brain can easily adapt or confused. In other words, it is confusion or hypnosis. Experts in the documentary really demonstrate how our brain can work that way. Hypnosis can shut down certain area of our brain and make it temporarily disappear. For example, the brain 'concept of four'. The respondent totally did not know that is number four after the doctor tells her about concept of four. This practise is really an art of deception. For example, this spinning circles. Actually, the circle was not spin, but our mind are push to think and implies that this circle actually spins.

Basically, our brain is a great organ that really well work in our daily lives. But, in order to make it work well in any part of situation, make sure we are completely aware and give a great attention. After all, that is why our brain really made of, to think critically and greatly gives attention in anything.