The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Ops Daulat is taking too long! Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:22 PM PDT
MARCH 15 — I'm in full support of Malaysia's security forces who are defending our sovereignty and protecting our people in Sabah from armed criminals. Sabah and its people have collectively decided and claimed self-determination to be a part of Malaysia and its people to be Malaysians. This is not an issue anymore. The issue that I would like to highlight this time is the slowness of the operations that is going on on the ground. It has been about a month now since the armed criminals made their way into Sabah from the Philippines via the sea. About 200 of them came over and parked themselves in Lahad Datu. I wonder how difficult is it for our security forces to clear out 200 people from a village? At the time of my writing of this article, the news has reported that 56 armed criminals have been either caught or killed. That would mean that fewer than 150 are left. It's been over a month. The government's Ops Daulat has deployed seven battalions to flush out the armed criminals. One battalion can consist anywhere between several hundred to a thousand troops or individuals. So you can imagine seven battalions. Our leaders need to step it up. The operation is taking too long and is putting our security forces at a larger risk because of this. Malaysians are also feeling anxious, nervous and insecure. That is not something Malaysians are used to. The government needs to reassure the people. It really doesn't help if you think that even the defence and home ministers were only seen at ground zero two weeks after the first day of the incident. And what about the prime minister? He was only seen in Sabah last week trying to boost the morale of our security forces. To make things worse, the armed criminals have now spread themselves out throughout the east coast of Sabah. It also doesn't help that their genetic stock and our genetic stock is similar. And now there is concern that locals (whether Malaysians or not) are sympathising with them I do admit that progress is being made. However, the progress is quite slow. We need to think of our safety and, like it or not, our country's reputation. Don't get me wrong. I'm not criticising our security forces' efforts in fighting the armed criminals. I respect and am thankful for their sacrifice and heroism. I am only playing the role of a responsible journalist and media man by being the check and balance that the people, and even the government, need. Politics aside, I want Malaysia's sovereignty to be protected and I want Malaysians (including myself) to feel safe. But, more importantly, to actually be safe. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. | |
| There is no easy cure for cancer Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:00 PM PDT
MARCH 15 — A friend's mother was diagnosed with Stage III cancer recently, and together with the commiserations came introductions to "Islamic treatments" and various types of snake oil quackery. I did not say anything at that time, because if I did I was sure I'd be the one whom people call an asshole, and not the scam peddlers. I admit I was frustrated. But not because I was confused about whether snake oil and the like can cure cancer. I am quite convinced that they are pretty useless in curing cancer. I am convinced that even if it has not been proven yet that alternative treatments cannot cure cancer, there is absolutely no proof at all that they can. Steve Jobs comes to mind. He is probably the most famous case of a bafflingly intelligent man who ultimately lost his life to cancer because he put his hopes in alternative medicine. Jobs was diagnosed with a mild case of pancreatic cancer, and spent nine months wasting his time trying to treat his cancer using alternative treatments: Buddhist vegetarian diet, special fruit juices, acupuncture, visiting "spiritualists." He died in October 2011, regretting his unwise choices a tad too late. I was frustrated because I have yet to learn how to put forward this simple straightforward message that there is no easy cure for cancer — if any — without fear of being ostracised by my peers, and without being seen as a heartless monster who wishes for a patient to die. How can I go toe-to-toe, one versus many, against those who offer hope? Prayers can at least comfort one during times of trouble, if not cure ailments. Alternative medicine offers none of that, save perhaps the satisfaction of doing something noble. I interviewed a consultant oncologist for a health feature once. He told us that one of the dreaded situations faced by oncologists is when well-meaning — but misguided nonetheless — relatives and friends offer patients snake oil, charms, alternative medicine, Islamic treatments and the such, just because conventional medicine is "less optimistic." It is during these vulnerable times that so-called friends and family suddenly come out of nowhere to hawk hope. In the end, it is the desperate patients and their loved ones who end up getting swindled — broke, and still dying. People need hope, and taking it away usually invites backlash. This is why sometimes the religious slam those who do not share their beliefs. Because if the non-believers are right, then there is no hope and salvation at the end of the tunnel. Just death. I am still frustrated. But I was told by someone to tell it as it is, if only to assuage my conscience. "Cancer is cancer, not to be treated by faith, mumbo-jumbo," he said. So here it is, my friend. I'm writing this to tell you that I have the utmost concern for you and your family in this difficult time. As a friend, I do not wish to see you throw your money away all for a faint glimpse of fake hope. Life is not easy. Unlike John Constantine in "Hellblazer", Lucifer will not just wrest your lung cancer away just because he made a shoddy deal with you. Even Walter White's Stage III lung cancer in "Breaking Bad" went into remission after intense chemotherapy sessions. In reality, no surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy can guarantee 100 per cent survival from cancer. What they can do, however, together with palliative care, is to make one's end days relatively more bearable. They extend the end days a bit longer, so there will be more time to say goodbye. But ultimately one would still have to say goodbye. Maybe one day I will find a way to say this in a manner that does not make me seem like a monster. Maybe my readers will feel that I am only able to say this easily because it is not me, nor my loved ones, who are afflicted by cancer. I do hope that if I ever get into the same situation, I will have the courage to say the same right thing: that alternative and faith-based healing is no cure for cancer. May my conscience be clear. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan