14 theSun | WEDNESDAY MARCH 11 2009

speak up!

Doing business
“Yet” is a subjective word and
could be interpreted in several
ways. But we will leave it for a full-
fledged discussion on another day.
PS: Something totally unrelated:
A little bird tells us that a visiting
dignitary called on a VIP in early
gathered from other sources, while
others cannot be verified.
But this surat layang gives hon-
ourable mention to this writer. This
edited version (to protect the per-
sonalities) reads like this: Datuk X
telah diarahkan oleh Mentri untuk

the Malaysian way

THREE days after spending more
than an hour at the High Court
Registry going through several
bundles of documents, we sought
clarification from one of the parties
in the civil suit. The meeting held
about three months ago at an Indo-
nesian restaurant was cordial and
the conversation with a partner of
an advertising agency went some-
thing like this:
Q: Why did you pay for the air
tickets of the minister’s personal
trainer to Japan and Hawaii?
A: What is wrong with that?
Q: You are doing business with
one of the agencies which comes
under the purview of the minister.
Therefore, we can assume that
you did it to further your business
interests.
A: If you want to be close to the min-
ister, you have to look after those
who are close to that person. That’s
how we do business in Malaysia.
Terence Fernandez and I were
flabbergasted with the reasoning. If
paying for air tickets for aides and
trainers of ministers – solicited or
otherwise – is the key to succeed-
ing in getting contracts or getting
“close” to the minister (what-
ever that means), you might as
well throw away all that they taught
you in business school. Instead, it
would be better to take the tried
and tested path (according to this
businessman) to success by buying
not only air tickets but also gifting
gem-studded golf putters to those in
the “inner circle”.
Fast forward to last Thursday
and phones were buzzing and the
exchange of text messages went into
overdrive. The Saloma Bistro was
the buzzword. Apparently, one little
bird, which termed it as “Operation
Boxer Shorts”, said that the political
aide of a minister was apprehended
with RM70,000 on Wednesday
night. But that was not the end of
the story. Overnight in the hands of
CitizenNades
by R. Nadeswaran
officers from the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC),
the aide provided names of people
who gave the money and for whom
it was meant for. Two more part-
ners of an advertising agency were
taken in for questioning.
We cannot ascertain if it was
the same minister and if it was the
same advertising agency involved.
We can’t even put two and two
together because the MACC, after
having boasted that it had enough
evidence to prosecute yet another
politician with the rank of mentri
besar, has suddenly gone into silent
mode. It has issued a statement
saying that it will not issue state-
ments on ongoing investigations.
When queried about the arrest by
Terence, there was a one-line note
from a senior official which said:
“Sori my friend. No komen.”
When I asked his boss, the
response was: “We have not
arrested any minister, yet.”
January. The company has dealings
with the ministry. In the course of
the conversation, they talked about
the American elections and the
hopes of the people. And that discus-
sion led to the inevitable question:
“Could you arrange an invitation to
the inauguration of the president? I
would love to be there.”
The visitor politely told the
VIP that he had no access to such
invitations. Using the Malaysia
Boleh concept where anything and
everything can be done for a song,
the VIP retorted: “I thought you
were American and you can use
your position to secure one …” Is
that soliciting a bribe or an induce-
ment or is it how “we do business
in Malaysia?”
*****
NORMALLY, the surat layang
and the anonymous email end up
in the bin after being read, but this
was one I savoured reading and
have decided to have it for keeps. It
appears to be one of those letters
which appear before an Umno
election and lists the misdeeds of
a minister – from the beginning to
the present. Some of the information
contained is true because it merely
confirms what I already have
merasuah Nadeswaran (penulis
ruangan Citizen Nades dalam akh-
bar theSun). Harga yang ditetapkan
untuk Nadeswaran ialah RM10 juta.
Walau bagaimana pun, Nadeswaran
dikatakan telak menolak tawaran
tersebut.
(Datuk X was instructed by
the minister to bribe Nadeswaran
(theSun columnist Citizen Nades).
The amount was fixed at RM10
million but Nadeswaran is said to
have rejected the offer.)
Like most surat layang, this
claim is a figment of imagination.
Yes, Datuk X and I are good friends
but never did he broach the subject
during our regular meetings over a
beer or at the golf course. And we
know each other well enough that
he wouldn’t try something like that
lest the friendship is lost forever.
Yes, I am flattered but why waste
so much money when it would be
cheaper to get a hit-man to bump
me off? I never knew ministers earn
so much that they have so much
money to spare!
R. Nadeswaran is having a ball
reading what ends up on his table.
He is editor (special and investiga-
tive reporting) at theSun. Feedback:
citizen-nades@thesundaily.com.

letters
letters@thesundaily.com
End of trial not a U-turn
I REFER to “Not another
U-turn, please” (March 10)
and wish to underline that
reverting to the teaching of
maths and science in Bahasa
Malaysia should not be viewed
as a U-turn but as the end of
the trial period for a policy that
was temporarily necessary to
realise that it would not give
the desired results.
Although students may
know more English now, it is
also true that they know less
Bahasa. Before the teaching
of maths and science in Eng-
lish started in 2004, students
learned all subjects in Bahasa
Malaysia and this made them
well-versed in at least one
language.
The importance of know-
ing one language almost to
perfection before attempting
to learn another cannot be
stressed strongly enough.
Language allows a person to
formulate thoughts and gen-
erate ideas and then put them
into action, either in speaking
or writing. A person who
does not know the language
is therefore unable to think
clearly because he or she does
not have the tools (the words,
grammar, sentence structure,
etc) to originate thought.
Naturally, not knowing the
language sufficiently makes a
person a poor communicator
who will be unable to truly
succeed in school, at work, or
in personal life.
Besides practising reading,
listening and speaking, lan-
guage skills are most notably
learned by writing essays. Be-
cause of the lack of time, essay
writing is often disregarded in
school nowadays. Yet, writing
the essay allows the student to
learn all the skills necessary
to be a good communicator.
You start with an idea (ie
the essay title), you expand
on it and develop it into para-
graphs, you make sure it is to
Decide wisely on language
BEFORE making a decision
whether to teach maths and
science in Bahasa Malaysia
or English, we have first to
professions need to have a
sound grounding in maths
and science. If the pupils are
continuing their education in
that English should therefore
be used in the teaching of
maths and science. It will only
benefit our students when
the point and does not exceed access to the Internet, I find
the word limit, and you pro- this argument rather feeble. consider what is the objec- Malaysia, then Bahasa Malay- they pursue their tertiary
vide a suitable conclusion. I see no reason why the In- tive of teaching the subjects sia should be the medium of education overseas.
This specific language skill ternet in Malaysia could not in schools. instruction, but do we have The cabinet’s decision
applies to science too because have more Bahasa content. If our education system is the expertise, facilities and should not be one of political
the researcher starts with an Learning another language geared to produce politicians reference books to teach expediency ... the right choice
idea that needs to be tested. also means importing its (arts graduates), we do not these disciplines in Bahasa should be the one that is most
He or she will then consider culture, and we should even have to teach these Malaysia? Alas, we have not beneficial to the future of the
possible applications but will seriously consider whether subjects. The country, how- reached that sophisticated country and its people.
select only the most suitable. the liberal, unreliable, and ever, needs technocrats – level as yet and so we send
Of course, learning a often violent content found engineers, architects, scien- the students to universities C.H.Yap
language in such depth and on Internet sites from English tists, doctors, actuaries and overseas, where English is the Kuala Lumpur
breadth requires many years mother-tongue countries has even astronauts. language.
of teaching and learning. Thus, benefited the students and Pupils who choose these Common sense dictates
students in primary and lower society.
secondary school should not And since teachers have
be taught a second language often been blamed for their
simply because their know-
ledge of the first language is
students’ lack of proficiency,
it should be remembered that
Providing a strong focus
and a clear direction with a SMART strives
not yet strong enough.
Problems will immediately
good students make good
teachers. Good teachers teach
limited number of subjects that
are learned in more depth is to meet
an excellent way of maintain-
arise when students who do
not know their first language
well are asked to express
because they know that teach-
ing is the best way to retain
and increase knowledge.
ing both student and teacher’s
interest and performance.
expectations
themselves in a new language. Therefore, teachers are made Ultimately, in deciding on a WE would like to thank Terence Fernandez
When expressing a science better by students who are change to the language policy, for highlighting our statement on SMART
experiment, for example, alert, interested, enthusiastic, leaders should consider the functions and roles during the recent KL
students will try to transfer and who provide a positive present socio-economic situa- floods, in “When it’s not from the heart”
the template of Bahasa to challenge. tion in Malaysia and establish (Down2Earth, March 6).
English. This will be clearly It is the duty of the gov- whether the lack of direction Deflation SMART being an infrastructure costing
inappropriate as the meaning ernment, and the parents, to and uncertainty the country RM2 billion is partially borne by the govern-
and connotation of words are create a school environment is facing are really not the grips ment, ie RM1.3 billion while the balance is
different for each language, with many such proactive result of a population that is China as borne by a private limited company namely
and word order, sentence students. unable to listen, speak, read, economy SMART (a 50-50 joint venture pact between
construction, and grammar Teaching listless and and write proficiently in one MMC and Gamuda).
rules also differ. The result unresponsive students will common language. struggles We strongly agree that the public’s ex-
will be confusion. make even the best trained pg 17 pectation of SMART’s effectiveness is very
As for having to learn teacher feel discouraged and Marisa Demori high and we will always strive to meet those
English because it gives depressed. Ipoh expectations. However, it is also important
that public awareness and understanding of
SMART’s functionality are accurately given
to keep them abreast of what can and can’t
Cut down on foreign workers be done by this unique system.
We at SMART will continuously put
I REFER to a news report of “70,000 Bangladeshis Taking foreigners now is in bad taste. Many more effort on the awareness programme to
set to work here”. How come? Do we need so working here should be asked to go home. That educate the general public. Your assistance in
many? I do not think so. should be the logical step. disseminating the information to the public is
Can’t we do with a few hundred, if at all? Let us cut the coat according to the cloth. highly appreciated.
Foreign workers have caused many problems And on the Bangladesh High Commission’s SMART is keen to work closely with all
yet we continue to welcome them. Isn’t this statement on the “rare involvement of their media practitioners to educate and enhance
baffling? I think we need to think again here, as workers with our local girls” I think the data public awareness of its functions as part of
some things do not add up. show otherwise. Perhaps they need to check the various facilities available for all Kuala
To me this is no way to solve or mitigate the their facts. Lumpur citizens.
financial crisis. Let us think straight. We need to
give jobs to locals, not others. See how many Bulbir Singh Mohd Noor Mohd Ali
have been laid off. Seremban Head of Operations and
Public Relations SMART