Psychological Warfare

There are many forms of psychological warfare, mainly fought in war time, to aid the troops on the actual battlefield but have been adopted for 'peaceful' use in so many ways - advertising is one form of psychological warfare, aptly summed in the phrase - 'marketing war'. Today, in Malaysia, an intense psychological war is waged in cyberspace but no less intense and real. Just look at all the posts and SMSes - information bombardment, red herrings and disinformation are flying around thick and thin so much so that it is difficult to ascertain the motive, target, etc of the information being paddled around cyberspace. A lot of this information seems to be from the anti-establishment types as the MSM is tightly under establishment control BUT, and this is a big BUT, it may actually be used by the establishment and/or its supporters to confuse the issue 'a gigantic disinformation campaign'. So, who do we believe? In a word, NOBODY. Take everything with a pinch of salt until corroborated with undeniable facts. However, this does not mean that we dismiss everything - just KIV until corroborated and if required, ERR on the safe side - whatever that is.

And hope we all survive with our wits reasonably intact.

Winning the battle, losing the war

You would all have read about the arrest, under the draconian Internal Security Act, of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, senior state executive councillor Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng. What a brillant tactical battle strategy by the beleagured Barisan Nasional government of Abdullah Badawi.

To recap, after the infamous racist remarks by UMNO strongman Datuk Ahmad Ismail, the component parties of BN, especially MCA and Gerakan, was baying for his blood. Pak Lah, of course, couldn't just do nothing or he may see MCA/Gerakan help make Pakatan Rakyat's claim of a government change by 16 Sept a reality. But neither could he afford to offend an UMNO heavyweight like Datuk Ahmad. So, his reluctant action in suspending Datuk Ahmad's membership for 3 years - a mere slap in the wrist and placated MCA/Gerakan. Then, slap an ISA arrest on the journalist who reported the racist remark - I am sure Datuk Ahmad will be a happy man. Imagine just 3 years of suspension but the mere reporter who reported his misdeeds is now under detention under ISA for God knows how long. ( I dont understand the logic here though - MAKING a seditious/racist/imflammatory remark and you get a slap in the wrist for affecting social peace/safety but merely REPORTING the same and you are deemed a major threat to the same that requires your incarceration). So MCA/Gerakan, you have won your battle and got your little satisfaction of seeing Datuk Ahmad getting a slap in the wrist - are you happy that journalist Tan is now detained under the ISA? Have you not just won a battle and lost a war?

And, from this, in another battlefield, BN/Abdullah Badawi may have won a battle in incarcerating the trio but may have made a major strategic blunder in the war to keep their pants. Merely placing RPK under ISA when there are a myriad of laws under which he can be charged (if indeed he is guilty as claimed) shows that maybe he is not guilty - at least in many peoples' minds. Also, placing Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng under the ISA may indeed convince a lot of fence sitters that this is the move of a desperate government in pulling out all stops to stay in power - a very good reason for their removal.

And, of course, if this offends the BN/Abdullah Badawi, I do not mean it.

Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English

Right now the country's educational system is struggling with a mighty momentous decision - whether or not to continue the teaching of mathematics and science in English. The original aim of this approach in using English, an international language, in the teaching of mathematics and science is to enable students to access the wealth of knowledge in these two key subjects that is predominantly stored in the English langauge (of course, it is also stored in other more 'international' languges or languages of nations that are technologically superior to Malaysia). Do we not want access to the treasure house of knowledge that only requires a working knowledge of the language it is written in? Why then the backtrackking? Are we going to be just contented with the peanuts in our vernacular languages because we are able to master peanuts? And admit that we are monkeys?

I know from first hand that it is possible to acquire these peanuts as I studied for my degree in engineering in Malay BUT, and I am qualified to say so, I could never have excelled in engineering with just the peanuts that I studied. Even when I was studying engineering in Malay, my own private study and research was all done by referring to reference books in English. Without that backup reference to engineering text in English I would not have been able to function effectively as an engineer. And I could do it because of my strong grounding in English. But our educationists are dropping the teaching of mathematics and science because our students are unable to follow the teaching in English. If they can't even do that, what hope have they got when they go out into the real working world where even the processes that they will be working with are all described in English as are the design and manufacturer's documentation.

Like most things, our educational system is not designed to equip our stuents with skills and abilities to take on the world - just going through the motions of educating them and giving them a certification that they are already educated. And, of course, when they go out they will repeat the process - just going through the motions of working without achieving anything at all and yet will be paid as if they have.

Malaysia Boleh.

How to Say Things without saying it.

The MCA/Gerakan leaders are up in arms against a highly seditious remark by the Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail. The Pakatan leaders are no less peeved by that remark. But, and this is a very big BUT, they should not be. After all, no less illustrious a personality like our Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi, is reported to have said it is okay to say such things as "I don't think he means it". My God, the fantastic implication. Now we ALL can say what we want to, seditious or not, as long as "we don't mean it". In one swoop, the Prime Minister, in his infinite wisdom, has done shown us all lesser mortals how to get around the draconian Sedition Act. Take not all ye lesser mortals and celebrate instead of complaining.

And if anyone should take offence with what I have just written, just remember - "I don't think I mean it".