Bloggers in Malaysia have had a good run lately. There has been a sense of camaraderie, brought about by a law suit  commenced by the New Straits Times (Malaysia’s  ageing /dying newspaper)  and its senior executives, against two bloggers. The battle-cry has been “Bloggers United”.

After a stiff drink last night, I decided to have a little fun and went to some of these bloggers’ sites to post comments. I simply asked if these bloggers were for real, in the sense that all the chest-thumping cries for freedom of expression are sincere or is this just another symptom of herd mentality amongst bloggers? Would they, for example, blog about the appalling state of justice in Malaysia? The non-Malays are consistently and systematically marginalised, with each new generation of Malay leaders shouting the same racist slogans louder than their predecessors.

One blogger suggested, in his reply, that it is “not very advisable” to blog about the issue of a more just and equitable society in Malaysia. Malaysians tend to “keep everything inside us” on these matters. In the same reply however, he extolled the virtue of freedom of speech.

A major problem with Malaysia is the NEP and the preferential treatment of Malays. Singapore started out on the same platform with Malaysia, over 40 years ago.It chose to take the route of meritocracy, but Malaysia stuck to preferential treatment for Malays. See where these two countries are now?

A few weeks ago, I was reading up on some UNCITRAL stuff (UN Convention on International Trade Laws, I think) and stumbled on a speech by Chan Sek Kheong, the Chief Justice of Singapore. He was a Malaysian. Born in Ipoh. He ended being the top legal person in Singapore, after also serving as the AG of Singapore. That has another story all of its own but that lead me to look up the qualifications of some of its judges, as well as its Cabinet members.

The qualifications of the members of Singapore’s government and judiciary are astounding. When I tried to find out more info on Malaysia’s counterparts, I did not get very far. I dont think I need to try very hard to prove that the qualifications of Malaysia’s judiciary and cabinet is more a case of kulit-fication (based on the colour of one’s skin). In Malaysia, a basic requirement for success in the public service is that one has to be a Malay. Sure, there is the token non-Malay here and there but they are just that – tokens.

If you leave the crucial decisions in the hands of those who are there as decision makers not because they are the best qualified but because they are Malays, then there is a jolly good chance these decisions would be bad or wrong ones. Malaysia in the pits? Kiddo would say: like duh?!!!

The whole world is facing a multitude of issues so challenging everyday feels like the beginning of the end of the world as we know it. The economic uncertainties, the wars waged by the US and its allies, global warming and the worsening climatic conditions, social repercussions of floods of information and open communications via mobile phones, internet, satelite and the likes, all these are challenging matters even for the brightest. If you leave the decisions in the hands of…yada yada. I said it before. See above.

Surely these are matters Malaysians would want to talk about a whole lot more? No, apparently. It is “not advisable” It is better to “keep these things inside”. Come on, Malaysian bloggers. Get real.