Tolerating Intolerant Untolerables

That to me sums up the Malaysian experience, meaning living in Malaysia. Which (unintentionally, I must add) forms the acronym TIU.

We have effectively sold out. Everything that can be exchanged for money, we have. Education, environment, the law, personal freedoms, personal safety, the whole lot. The numbers and results show - our economy's doing well, some people are growing rich, some of some people are growing incredibly crazy-rich; on the other hand, our 'top university' ranking has dropped to match our Transparency International index, people can C4 other people and get away with it, governments can get bought out, hillsides are falling over each other from under-studied development, trees are felled left right centre, and people are getting more scared for their safety every day: robberies, snatch theft, rape and murder.

Charming innit?

An untolerable situation, stemming from having Untolerables in charge. They think they can get away with everything, and we let them. If half the stories are only half true, it's still a staggering 25%. The core of the problem?

I think it's from our collective understanding of power. We believe that the people/person in power can do anything - take money, cheat the law, make people do stuff. And so, they do. We practically expect it of them.

Now that wouldn't be so much of a problem, if the 'dictator' were benevolent - history does show that states ruled by a benevolent dictator can become a shining beacon of enlightenment. However, we have somehow allowed the most Intolerant buggers to be charge of stuff.

"Let's review and discuss the NEP, as was planned at its inception": "You racist, go home!" 

"The ISA might need changing, it's seriously outdated": "Aha! You communist, that's exactly what we have it for!"

"Do you think it was a good idea for the sultan to make that decision?": "You traitor, how dare you question the royalty!"

"I think a inter-communal religious dialogue will promote greater understanding within our fractious society": "Infidel! There is only one true religion!"

Yes, every society will have their proportion of Intolerants. Ours tends to put them in charge of stuff. It's easy, because the moderate majority are so Tolerating. We put up with so much shit it's unbelievable. Here is a list of beliefs the average Malaysian has, I'm aware that I'm assuming they're shared and I'd be very very happy to be challenged on them:

Law

- The justice system is mostly fair, unless a high-profile person is involved. Then they will win or get away with a pittance penalty.

- New laws are always advantageous to the people in power. Even with laws to further development for the people, the first beneficiaries are the people in power.

- Traffic / Road law is outdated and unreliable.

Enforcement

- The police are too busy escorting the people in power to bother with the rising crime rate on everyone else.

- Traffic police are too busy misdirecting traffic to properly enforce traffic law. In fact they probably don't know traffic law, but that's fine 'cos no one else does either (except lawyers).

- Everyone needs to have residential security in their houses/neighbourhoods. They'll provide the vigilance that the police do not.

- Women are in constant danger on the road, whether on foot or in a car.

City councils

- Are not bothered to provide for adequate/ample parking space anywhere because they'd rather collect the fines. Of course, they don't enforce their summons-collection, so why pay these lazy buggers?

- Are slow, inefficient and don't do anything. They don't fine dangerous parkers, they barely upkeep the roads, they don't have a system for naming houses or ensuring sufficient road capacities for new residential developments.

Education

- Public Universities are rubbish and their graduates barely employable.

- Local Schools must be supplemented with private tuition to provide adequate education.

- Moral (the subject) is an absolute waste of time as it bases itself on fictional situations and does not teach anything useable in the real world.

- The standard of English is so deplorable that calling ourselves an ex-British colony would elicit much laughter.

Freedom of Speech

- Relegated to the mamak only. Even then, be careful there aren't any govt people around. Otherwise it's ISA time.

Freedom of the Press

- Sure, the BN-owned press can say anything they like. They can even make up stuff for the Opposition to say.

- Facts? References? Due diligence? Journalistic integrity? Sorry didn't learn those words in Bahasa Inggeris class.

- Careful with your blogs too. Say the wrong thing and it's ISA time.

Okay so that's my TIU post. Now don't get me wrong - I love this country. I love the people. It breaks my heart to see all these little things that can be easily put right, but not enough are interested in doing.