Welcome onboard, Mr Teoh :-)

What is this about? Koolgeek asked. Thank you for the question. This is all about Merdeka Review's 2nd anniversary. We had our time at Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort last night. Around 150 readers turned up. I was busy, collecting smiles from every face came across me. They would say "oh you are the one......" when I passed them my name card or told them my name. They know me not because I wrote excellent pieces, it is just because there are only 5 writers in Merdeka Review, including our editor. Our team is growing, however. It has added up to six now, since Mr Teoh Kian Hoon (behind, number 2 from left) is now with us. As a sincere, responsible and gifted writer, Mr Teoh is well known and highly respected in Chinese community. I am proud to stay in a team with him. My beloved colleagues surely feel the same.

Rationalism & Freedom

Reasons, like science, grow by way of mutual criticism; the only possible way of ‘planning’ its growth is to develop those institutions that safeguard the freedom of this criticism, that is to say, the freedom of thought. (Popper 1950: 412)

…rationalism is linked up with the recognition of the necessity of social institutions to protect freedom of criticism, freedom of thought, and thus the freedom of men. (Popper 1950: 423)

By appealing to above sentences, Popper asserts that, growth in reason and rationalism can only be pursued in an open and liberal atmosphere. Popper believes that reason is a product of social life. We learn to argue rationally from our communication with other members of the society (Popper 1950: 411). This belief gives rise to the notion that scientific attitude is born from the society, or more precisely, from the intercourse with other human beings.

In general, open society generated by elements of individualism, equalitarianism, faith in reason, liberalism etc. encourages rational criticism. Without critical rationalism, falsification of hypotheses both in science and other human knowledge can never take place.

--- I admire Sir Karl Popper, for his wisdom, diligence and creativity. Sentences above are taken from one of my assignments in school.

Sad laughing stuff

“Stop Meng Chee’s scholarship!” Federation of Peninsular Malay Students cried. And the Minister of Higher Education warned the students who study with government scholarship to behave themselves or else their scholarship will be terminated. These statements make me laugh. Those who came out with these statements seem to be naïve about other ethnic groups’ struggles in the country. We have been living 50 years together, and yet, we are so divided.

After 50 years living together, yet the Chinese come to realize that their Malay friends do not know that Chinese who study in Taiwan are not quite possible to be supported by our government. And equally sad, our dearest Malay friends are yet to find out that their Chinese and Indian friends are not as lucky as they are.

I share the same anxiety with a reader who wrote to Merdeka Review, “Do they know we have private secondary school?” Yes, do you know we have private secondary school which is not so “high class” in terms of its hardware facilities as private schools used to be? Do you ever know that local Chinese community pours in millions of ringgit to support Chinese education just because our government does not recognize mother tongue education?

“Chinese are rich”, you believe so, because you have not come across Chinese private secondary school students in their school uniform asking for donation from one table to another in restaurants and supper spots just to help their school to build a hall or a small stadium.

“Chinese who study abroad are using government money”, you believe so, just because you do not know there are plenty of rubber tapper families sell their land and properties to support their child who is holding a high school certificate which is not recognized by local universities.

“Chinese community is affordable, since the community itself is rich” yes, Chinese community possesses the economic strength to support Chinese education, so Chinese schools are still working, they are just a bit old and only killed a teacher up to the day. However, if you argue it this way, what about our Indian friends who are left behind economically?

Put aside your mainstream media, and start looking around, capturing some actual facts about your friends of different races who have been living together with you for 50 years. If you do, you must be able to understand why Meng Chee, the creator of “Negarakuku” who studied in private Chinese secondary and high school put the song that way.

A bit English, starts from today.

From now on, I'm going to write in English whenever I feel like to. The reason of doing so --- I need to practise my English since I’m writing a serious matter in English, if not communicate with my friends who don’t understand Chinese. I know I shall be more confident after 5 to 6 years of utilising the language in my studies. It’s a great pressure though, for I know many of you have a good command in English. Imagine how embarrassing it is if one of you jumps out and says:“Stop…! I can’t tahan your English.”. Whatever whatever. I’m writing in English.