The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 14 Feb 2013 04:25 PM PST FEB 15 — Sometimes, people get their feet stuck deep in their mouths that it is impossible to pull them back out. Sad for them, but good for me, since I get something to write about. The first case I would like to discuss is one that I'm sure everyone reading this column would be very familiar with — Sharifah Zohra Jabeen. Here is a woman who is obviously not very smart trying to make it look and sound like she's smart. Look what happened now. She's gone into hiding out of embarrassment. And she still hasn't responded to my challenge in a previous article to debate her on a topic of her choice. I guess she's scared that she'll get her other foot stuck in her mouth too. The second case is something that happened very recently, and that is, the response that Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow gave regarding K-pop artist Psy. Again, most people would be familiar with the recent performance that the Gangnam-style Psy gave in Penang during Chinese New Year. Yes, it's true that the crowd yelled "Yes!" when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak asked them if they were ready for Psy. And yes, it is true that the crowd yelled "No!" when he asked them if they were ready for BN (although I can't confirm how many did). Then there are the rumours that said Psy declined to come out to "low sang" with the prime minister because he was just there to perform. This would be pretty embarrassing for Najib if it were true. But it remained as a rumour, so many didn't give much thought about it. They just focused on the "No!" story. But, of course, Teng had to show us his yoga prowess and prove that he is flexible enough to bend his body so his foot could enter his mouth. Here's what he did — Teng told the media that Psy's life was in danger as there was an attempt on his life. Hence, they had to secure the area and that was the reason he didn't come out. Excuse me, but… hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! And then there is something former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday which also caught my attention. He said that young people are too obsessed with change and that they believe that a change in government would change their lives for the better. Dr Mahathir went on to say that before, when there was not much development in the country, people would appreciate even the slightest transformation. But now, the youth in Malaysia, who were born after so much development such as in education and job opportunities have been achieved, don't appreciate this. He said that the youth were too caught up with the issue of freedom and felt that there was not enough of it in the country regarding many matters. Wait a minute. It may be true that the youth today did not experience growing up in a country that was not as developed and prosperous as today. And that is exactly why the youth are not demanding for a change in the issues that existed before their time. They want a change based on what they are experiencing. If (and this is a big if) matters such as education and employment opportunities are not major issues today, why would the youth ask for a change there? The issue of the day is mainly freedom (and this is just one of many major issues), and hence, they are demanding a change there. People want change when things aren't in good shape. They want to change in order to improve. And so, of course, they will harp on the issues that need improvement. They have seen a government that has been in power their entire lives in Malaysia. Come to think of it, no one has ever seen a different government. There have been so many things that have needed changing and have been ignored, so many demands and wants that have fallen on deaf and self-serving ears. So can you blame the youth to think that a change can only happen if there was a change in government? I definitely can't. And if people like these continue to put their feet in their mouths, it just provides more reason for the youth in the country (or anyone, for that matter) to want a change. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Jalan sukar menuju ‘Tanjung Ringgit’ Posted: 14 Feb 2013 04:08 PM PST 15 FEB — Minggu lalu saya dan beberapa teman menyempatkan diri berpetualang ke Pulau Lombok bersantai di Gili Trawangan, menikmati makanan khas Lombok di Mataram dan mengharungi jalan berbatu yang menyeksakan ke Tanjung Ringgit. Tanjung Ringgit yang digelar Uluwatu versi Lombok ini memiliki pantai pasir putih dan tebing yang indah dan berada di hujung tenggara pulau cantik ini. Berada di sini, hamparan lautan luas berwarna biru menghiasi pemandangan berlatarbelakangkan Gunung Rinjani di satu sisi dan Pulau Sumbawa di sisi lain.  Foto kenangan bersama Pak Sudirman (duduk pertama kiri). Perjalanan mencabar hampir 3 jam ke Tanjung Ringgit menggunakan motosikal memberikan kekayaan tersendiri bak kata pepatah, "Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer". Perjalanan ini memperteguh kepercayaan bahawa untuk menuju kejayaan, keberhasilan dan kekayaan dalam hidup, mahu tidak mahu cabaran harus dihadapi dengan berani. Kunjungan kali ketiga ke Lombok ini mempertemukan saya sekali lagi dengan Pak Sudirman, pedagang kraftangan tradisional Lombok dan pemilik toko Sudirman Antiques Primitive Classic Art yang berlokasi di Pantai Senggigi. Kisah perjalanan menuju jaya beliau sesunguhnya sangat menginspirasi. Tidak sukar menemui toko milik Pak Sudirman kerana beliau cukup dikenali di Lombok. Bahkan Pak Sudirman pernah diundang ke Istana Negara oleh Presiden Soeharto untuk menerima anugerah Upakarti, sebuah penghargaan yang diberikan kerajaan Indonesia kepada pengusaha yang berjaya. Namun untuk sampai kepada kejayaan tersebut, jalan berliku ditempuh beliau. Pak Sudirman yang hanya berpendidikan sekolah rendah memulai usaha beliau dari bawah dengan merantau selama lapan tahun di Bali menjadi pedagang acung (kecil) menjaja hasil kraftangan Lombok kepada para pelancong. Selama merantau, beliau banyak berhubungan dengan art shop serta pelancong asing dan pengalaman ini dibawa pulang ke Lombok. Kembali ke Lombok yang mulai kedatangan pelancong, beliau tertarik kepada industri kraftangan di pulau kelahirannya di kawasan Lombok Timur. Di sana terdapat industri kraftangan patung yang dikerjakan tiga pematung dan olahan mereka yang masih kasar dibeli, diperkemas dan kemudian dijual beliau. Untungnya produk ini diminati banyak pelancong dan akhirnya menembus beberapa art shop di Bali. Kemudian, toko seni dari modal yang tidak seberapa pun dibuka Pak Sudirman di Ampenan Sukses awal yang diraih beliau tidak membuatnya merasa selesa, sebaliknya Pak Sudirman terus mengembangkan usahanya sekaligus memperkasakan 500 pembuat kraftangan yang tersebar di tiga desa di Lombok. Jika bukan kerana beliau, barangkali kebanyakan pembuat ini tidak akan menghasilkan apa-apa kerana tidak ada yang ingin memasarkannya. Dengan ketekunan dan perhatian yang diberi kepada pembuat kraftangan kecil, tidak sampai sepuluh tahun usaha beliau berkembang pesat. Toko di Ampenan tidak mampu menampung barang dagangannya dan kerana itu sebahagian besar ruang di rumahnya dijadikan gudang dan ruang untuk proses akhir sebelum dieksport. Untuk lebih dekat dengan pelancong, Pak Sudirman mendirikan toko seni di kawasan pelancongan Senggigi dan di sinilah akhirnya saya bertemu. Kini Pak Sudirman sudah memiliki "Tanjung Ringgit" dan tidak sekadar itu, beliau berbagi kekayaan dan kejayaan bersama masyarakatnya. Prinsip memaksimumkan keuntungan untuk perusahaan tidak diguna pakai beliau sebaliknya diganti dengan memaksimumkan keuntungan untuk masyarakat. Pak Sudirman bermula sebagai pedagang acung yang sampai saat ini masih merupakan bahagian yang tidak dapat dipisahkan dari dunia pelancongan di Indonesia. Semakin membangun sesuatu kawasan pelancongan, maka jumlah pedagang acung akan turut bertambah. Namun tidak semua menyukai kehadiran mereka kerana ini dianggap mengganggu kenyamanan pelancong. Realitinya selagi sosok seperti Pak Sudirman masih minoriti di dunia perniagaan, pedagang acung akan terus ada berjuang menuju "Tanjung Ringgit". * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis. |
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