Idris Jala, where are you casting your net?
If the Tan Sri wrote the article, then he needs a head check. If someone else wrote it for him, he still needs a head check.
AsamLaksa
I refer to the article titled “Conversation with a M’sian angry with the Govt” by Tan Sri Idris Jala. http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/6/24/business/13273763&sec=business
My immediate reaction was incredulity followed by the “I pity the fool” feeling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJnKm6ftPu0
Hmmm, then I wondered what was the Tan Sri smoking. Hahahaha! I felt that if the Tan Sri wrote the article, then he needs a head check. If someone else wrote it for him, he still needs a head check. Lastly, I think the editors who allowed publication of the article needs to be institutionalised – This is one article that is seriously counterproductive! Hahahaha!
Ok, now seriously, I understand what Tan Sri Idris Jala (TSIJ) was trying to sell, that things are not so bad under BN rule. Then he appears to try to win over the ‘Angry Malaysian’ over with arguments citing facts and figures.
I agree that things are not so bad in Malaysia under BN rule. In fact things are improving but doesn’t mean that I’ll just sit back and spend my days under the sun (mind you, when it is not hazy). Does TSIJ expect Malaysians to be the docile domestic abuse victim that makes excuses like, “he/she used to punch me every day before but now it is just every other day so I am alright as things are improving”?
I give a big FAIL on the part of trying to win over Angry Malaysian and I do not even need to refute the facts and figures provided. Firstly, TSIJ used a counterproductive approach and secondly he misses the point completely! Now, I am not here to refute his individual points because I’ll just end up like him, missing the whole point. It is like discussing about the quality of the dog bark rather than finding out why is the dog barking at all.
On TSIJ’s approach, his first error is in labelling the critics of the Malaysian government as ‘angry’. Grrrrrrr! You do not use a negative adjective to describe those you want to reach out to. Imagine going into peace talks with the Taliban and addressing them as the ‘terrorist’ Taliban.
His second error is in trying to squeeze in facts and figures without balanced analyses including the pros and cons thus showing a lack of sincerity.
Thirdly, there is no point shoving facts and figures when the other person perceives that the real life situation is not mirrored in the facts in figures. What does it mean to you that crime rate is falling when you were mugged yesterday?
An additional note, there is the customary diversionary sort talk of “not everyone in X country is better” which never convince anyone. You can pick and choose to highlight things better or worse off in every country in the world. Even Gaddafi’s Libya had free education including tertiary level and every citizen gets a roof over their heads.
The end result is basically highlighting TSIJ giving a talk which he could have more effectively convey his message in bite size articles that deals with one topic at a time. The danger of having too many points in one article is that you lose your audience and that one error and you risk discrediting the whole article.
I say TSIJ misses the whole point in trying to address the concerns of Malaysians. TSIJs need to find the real Malaysians and then decipher their real grouses. Instead what he did with this article is him reasserting himself as a part of the propaganda machinery.
If you ask Malaysians what trouble them in Malaysia, they can give you a long list which would include crime and security, corruption, race relations, religion, economy, taxes, and so on. In fact, these are not unique to Malaysia. The same headache list occurs all over the world. The truth is that we all live with this headache list and life goes on.
So, what really ails the BN led Malaysian government? This is where TSIJ misses the point or does not want to mention. He was in business so he should know what makes a deal go smoothly.
The answer is trust. The fact is that many Malaysians have lost trust and faith in the BN led government and government machinery. The BN led government and Malaysian government machinery appears self-serving and out of touch of the day to day lives of Malaysians (this is also a warning to PR which may end up with their own brand of ‘Angry Malaysian’).
You can quote Bank Negara few will believe it as they do not trust it. You can quote drop in crime and corruption and few will believe it because everyone knows someone who has paid a bribe to the police or knows someone’s property which was burgled. You can quote Transparency International but few really care or understand what the numbers mean.
What any Malaysian government needs is to foster trust towards the government and government machinery. You do not do this by quoting facts and figures. You do not do this by arguing with logic. All you need to do is speak to the people who put the need of the nation above themselves, race and religion. Many mentioned answers but time and time again the Malaysian government refuses to listen. If you were to scream out over and over again and you are ignored, my dear TSIJ, you would either become very angry or raving mad.
Care to share some of your finest smokes, Tan Sri?
