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Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688
speak up!
We must work at unity
Scene: Kudus Nasi Kandar, KL
AZMAN: There is hope yet for
Malaysia.
Mohan: Do you say that be-
cause three mainstream newspa-
pers called for us to tear down the
walls that are keeping us apart?
Azman: Yes. And stories in
them talked about our past efforts
at nation-building. They also
quoted a number of famous peo-
ple attesting to the happy state we
are in. There were also success
stories. And all praise our multi-
racialism. Having read all those
stories would anyone say that we
are not a united nation. Don’t you
feel euphoric about it?
Chong: That’s precisely
what they are meant to do. Some
foreigners reading those stories
might suspect otherwise.
Azman: But they do give you
a sense that we are all one happy
family, don’t they?
Chong: Yes. That’s why I said
that was what they were meant
to do.
Mohan: And then today, a
day after we celebrated our 52nd
National Day, the reality is back
with us again. For instance this
morning, like most mornings, I
watched the groups of pupils as
they walked past my house to
their schools. Malays in one group,
Chinese in another and Indians
in another. It’s rare to see Malay
and Chinese pupils together but
not so rare to see Chinese and
Indians together. But you do get
to see Malay girls walking with
non-Malays. What hope is there
lah for us, Cikgu?
Zain: Don’t despair lah
Mohan. There is hope. I am an
optimist. I am sure we will have
a truly multicultural nation soon.
Maybe we are not far from it. I
have confidence Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak will lead
us there, 1Malaysia. But for now
the reality is as you have just
said.
Chong: Polarisation in schools
is still serious.
Zain: Yes. But Mohan the ex-
ample of the reality you pointed
out is nothing compared to other
things. For instance just a few
days before our national day a
group of people demonstrated
against the government’s deci-
sion to relocate a Hindu temple.
Not too serious. But they carried
with them in their march from
a mosque to the state secretariat
building a cow’s head. Now that
is serious. Surely they
must know of the
sensitivity involved
and it’s precisely for
that reason they car-
ried the head.
Chong: Seems
they wanted trouble.
Zain: Precisely.
They and those who
threw other heads
into compounds of
Malay houses or
mosques want to stir
up trouble. It is these
people that we should
worry about.
Mohan: These
people once they are
identified should be
TELLING IT AS IT IS
Managing Editor: Chong Cheng Hai
Consultant Editor: Zainon Ahmad
Executive Editor: Lee Boon Siew
Deputy Editor: Patrick Choo (Production),
Editor: R. Nadeswaran (Special Reporting and Investiga-
tions)
locked away under the ISA. I am
no lover of the ISA but while it is
still there these people should be
kept away from society.
Zain: I know how you feel. I
feel the same way. As I have often
said I am optimistic we will be a
truly united multicultural nation
one day. In the life of a nation 52
years is a short span. Fine if we
are not there yet. We may be still
sore with the Islamisation proc-
ess, we may be still sore that some
constitutional provisions give a lot
of advantages to others, we may
be still angry at the complaints
of some people, we may be still
angry at the school system and so
on. But we are talking and that is
good. But we must always be on
guard against those people who
are out to create trouble, those
who have no regard for racial and
religious sensitivities of others.
letter
Silat in
motion
pg 25
General Manager, Advertising and Marketing: Charles Peters
Senior Manager, Production: Thomas Kang
Senior Manager, Distribution Channels: Joehari Abdul Jabbar
In our efforts at nation-
building we can certainly
do without them.
Chong: Now back to
the headlines. We cannot
just wish for the walls WhatTheySay goreng pisang these
to come down by them-
selves. We cannot bring by Zainon Ahmad
them down with just a
blast of hot air like the
walls of Jericho were brought down
by a long trumpet blast. We must
work hard at it.
Mohan: Yes, we must work at
it. We must continue to assure and
reassure. The important thing is to
have a conscious effort to do it.
Chong: More important is a con-
scious effort not to do certain things.
Things that are sensitive to others.
Zain: There is hope. Looking
around I see a lot of reasons to be
hopeful. Just look at those eating in
Indian restaurants, the Chinese are
also there and so are the Malays.
Chinese stalls sell putu piring and
letters@thesundaily.com
Commuters assured
of clean trains
REFERENCE is made to “Scarred by
train seat infection” (Letters, Aug 26)
and “Disinfect train seats” and “The
bugs got me too” (Aug 27). On behalf of
RapidKL, I would like to apologise for the
inconvenience caused.
RapidKL cleans its trains based on a
schedule as per below:
» interior cleaning – daily
» exterior cleaning – once every two
days
» body polishing – every six months
» undercarriage cleaning – every six
months
» pest control treatment – monthly
The daily interior cleaning is done
by appointed contractors supervised by
RapidKL staff. Since May, the contractors
have been tasked to remove all stains
on seats including the “black stuff on the
lining of the seats”. This was completed
satisfactorily by Aug 2.
RapidKL regularly fumigates its trains
theSun | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1 2009
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Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888
Fax: 03-7784 4424
Email: advertise@thesundaily.com
even nasi lemak. Of
course the Chinese
still prefer Malay nasi
lemak to Chinese nasi
lemak. Everyone sells
days. The Malay goreng
pisang maker also tries
to make char koay but
the Malays prefer the
Chinese char koay to the Malay
ones. I have tried the Malay char
koay everywhere but they are not
the same thing, maybe not there
yet.
Chong: Maybe you should be-
gin to accept that Malay char koay
as being just what it is, Malay char
koay. And Malay vade as being just
Malay vade, not Indian vade.
Zain: Maybe you are right. I
have seen Chinese buying Malay
char koay and eating Malay fried
mee hoon. But I have tasted Malay
vade and some are just as good as
the ones made by Indians.
to kill insects and pests. In response
to the above complaints, RapidKL had
immediately contracted the fumigators
to conduct a fumigation programme to
eliminate bugs or mites to ensure that
the passenger compartment is free of
mites/ bugs, clean and customer friendly.
The programme is expected to be com-
pleted within two weeks.
RapidKL will also conduct a thorough
investigation to identify the real cause
of the problem. While RapidKL takes its
responsibility seriously, it is hoped that
passengers will also help keep the trains
and stations clean.
The complainants can call RapidKL
at 03-78852585 or write to suggest@
rapidkl.com.my to give us a full report.
Ebi Azly Abdullah
General Manager
Communication Division
RapidKL