Thesun 2008-11-06 Page18 Raiswhine A Climate Of Horror

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speak up! I’M NOT Rick Blaine who left Paris for the desert of Casablanca looking for water. I left London for tropical Kuala Lumpur where rain water is plentiful and traffic jams are exciting. A few weeks ago we had daily doses of heavy late afternoon rain. As a result, daily traffic congestion became more tedious. Certain regions were revisited by floods while others experienced flooding for the first time. I hope this is not part of the global warming phenomenon. We have more often than not taken rain water for granted. When I was growing up, I never gave much thought to how it came about; only enjoying playing in the pouring rain. If it rained cats and dogs, that would be most welcome, particularly after a hot humid afternoon. As kids we played “muddy football” in the rain. Rain was my shower from God, just as I watched in Psycho at the wooden cinema hall in my town. The padang sekolah (school field) was my bathroom devoid of a curtain. The eerie background music was only the thunder and lighting, but there was no fear in any of us. Now, as an aging hippie, I have come to realise the importance of water. Recently I was told not to indulge in mandi air hujan (bathing in rain water) in Kuala Lumpur. Our city’s rain water, according to the latest urban legend, is now contaminated with minerals and substances that are harmful to the skin. In Science class, I was told by my biology teacher that water is H2O – one molecule of water has two hydrogen

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A climate of horrors atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom. So what could the harmful substances be? Eureka! It must be carbon monoxide from our Kancil, Kelisa, Kenari, and the rest of the metallic animals running wild on our roads. What an accomplishment to have successfully altered the H2O molecule without much scientific effort. So, has our water turned into 2H2O or 1H2HO? If this is the case, then I would like to apply for a bumi export licence, ahead of Scomi Group Bhd, bien sur. Exporting heavy water to the much needed Iranian nuclear plants would be a gold mine. I would be making loads of money and probably increase the percentage of bumiputra equity. What about those plants and flowers whose residence is just by the side of roads or along dividers? How are they breathing? Are they still absorbing carbon during the day and emitting oxygen after sunset as we learnt in school? For some very strange reason, I keep seeing almost weekly, those plants changing. I see foreign workers busy planting and replanting them all over the city. The “job” must have been contracted out by Dewan Bandaraya. The local supplier must be minting money – after all within a few days those flowers would be dead and would need to be replaced. It looks like a sweet kosher “nursery scam”, but I am less

bothered by it. I’m more concerned about the possibility of our plants and flowers turning mutant after absorbing carbon monoxide and drinking modified H2O. Remember Little Shop of Horrors – that black comedy about carnivorous plants and flowers? It all began with a broken flower pot and a solar eclipse. The next soggy question would be – what is happening to Sungai Klang and Sungai Gombak. They must be facing a double whammy – attacked by modified rain water and city garbage. Yet every citizen has accepted the myth that Sungai Klang must be muddy. She must be berlumpur or else Yap Ah Loy would have called our city Kuala

Puteh. Should we all might be dreaming, blame Yap Ah Loy or but I have read about Sutan Puasa for creating “deadly” rivers in other the myth and naming parts of the world that the city Kuala Lumpur? have been resurrected. RaisWhine I have no clue, Maybe with the by Hishamuddin Rais fair dinkum. I’m not current economic a historian nor a born again downturn, there could be less evangelical ecologist, but every carbon monoxide, no heavy water so often as I walk along the and less plastic thrown into rivers. Sungai Klang embankment, I Our flowers and plants could see many a “thing” floating on grow healthier. With no work and her. Poor Sungai Klang, she must more free time, we could all go be sick and unhealthy just like fishing in Sungai Klang. those flowers and plants on the roadside. I wish the day would arrive Hishamuddin Rais is a nonwhen I could shower in the hot governmental individual. tropical rain water again, and Feedback: letters@thesundaily. then jump into Sungai Klang. I com.

letters

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Just two accomplished men offering to serve the nation KINDLY allow me to comment on “Obama poised to bring change” (Nov 4) by Johann Hari of The Independent. I am unable to understand why Hari refers to Obama’s father as a Muslim goatherd from Kenya and mother as an atheist farm girl from Kansas. Obama Sr. was a Kenyan senior economist, graduated from the University of Hawaii in June 1962 and was awarded a Master’s from Harvard in 1965. He served as economist to the Kenyan Transport Ministry and senior economist to the Kenyan Finance Ministry. A brilliant person. Obama’s mother Ann Dunham, of

Cherokee, Irish and English descent, was an anthropologist with a PhD and had studied mathematics at the University of Hawaii. She was not an atheist but agnostic. Another brilliant person. Why is it so surprising that a son of a black Kenyan is at the threshold of such prominence ? Hari’s remark in Transformation Two that Bill Clinton’s deregulation brought about financial collapse is not true. When Clinton concluded his second term as president, America’s reserves were in the surplus bracket. In Transformation Four, it was also not accurate to categorise Egypt, Israel

Poslaju must explain

No short cut to success

A LETTER I sent through Poslaju on Sept 23 was returned to me on Nov 4. The explanation from a counter staff at the Glenmarie post office was that it was sent to the address on Sept 25 and was not collected for two weeks. When I pointed out that the address was a post office box, she said the letter was dropped into the box and since it was not collected within two weeks, Poslaju had taken it back and returned it to me. The answer stank to kingdom come, but knowing I would not get any real explanation, I walked out, vowing I would not use Poslaju any more. The letter was of the utmost importance, took two days to prepare and cost close to RM6 to post. I had waited impatiently for a response and now know that I missed the boat in trying to get myself an important position. A letter submitted by a former colleague by ordinary mail to the same P.O. box reached and was acknowledged. I would like an acceptable explanation from Poslaju. Ahmad Navi Abdullah Shah Alam

I REFER to the letter, “Sharing the Economic Cake” (Oct 31), where Halimah Mohd Said urges Chinese businessmen to share trade secrets and connections with other Malaysians. She suggests Chinese businessmen are duty bound as responsible citizens to share their secret formulas with all. As a Malaysian of Chinese descent, I agree with her observation that many Chinese are clannish and tend to do business only with other Chinese who share the same dialect or surname group. These businesses tend to be small and family-run especially restaurants or food-related businesses. In these types, the prosperity or survival of the enterprise is often dependent on a particular food item or dish. Is it any wonder then that the recipes become jealously-guarded secrets that are passed on only to close family members with the intent of carrying on the family business? If the Chinese treat even other Chinese like this, I suggest that ethnicity is not the only consideration in sharing their so-called know-how with others. Other than this, perhaps Halimah could give us specific suggestions so that her statements will be more mean-

and Columbia as thuggish. Hari seems to have a mindset. Please, my learned friend, please get out of the box. McCain is an exemplary son of America, an outstanding officer and a gentleman from a family of naval admirals. Obama is another exemplary son of America, an outstanding person from a family of academicians. Two great persons wanting to offer their services to the nation. What an amazing country. Eric Manuel Kuala Lumpur

ingful and not merely stereotyping. I can offer three main keys to the success of the Chinese in accumulating wealth – diligence, thrift and persistence. They are generally more likely to plough the immediate profits of the initial deals back into the business instead of spending them on externals like flashy cars and mansions. They use resources prudently and are conditioned to endure long hours and menial tasks if called to. These are time tested and fail-safe principles used by successful people of all ethnicities, not just the Chinese. Onlookers cannot or perhaps choose not to believe it can be that simple, preferring instead to look for shortcuts, magic formulas and special connections. On the other hand, let me point out that there are very capable and successful Malaysians of other ethnic groups. Azizi Ali is one such example, having distilled the secrets of his success in self-help books. And in lists of successful insurance and multi-level marketing agents in press announcements, one notes Malaysians of every colour. Dr Rick Koh Hong Ping Malacca

I sing not for accolades I AM deeply touched by “In a tizz over Datukship” (Down2Earth, Oct 12), where Terence Fernandez says I am a deserving candidate for a Datukship. As for me, I am thankful for what I have. Singing Malay Asli songs and Dondang Sayang is a lifetime hobby. I will still sing them if invited to, if not, sing them to myself, at home. All these years, since my participation in the finals of Bakat TV in 1972,

I have been blessed with all sorts of praises which I don’t deserve. And I owe my “popularity” to mainly the media. I remember one day when I was window-shopping, and a voice called out to me “Andre Goh”. I turned to see a guy on an escalator, shouting to me as I waved my hand in acknowledgment. He continued: ”You are the only nonMalay who sings Malay Asli songs in

this country ...” As he reached the top, he said: “Sorry, in fact you are the only one in the world to do so.” All I could do was watch him disappear to the top floor. He left me surprised and I wondered if what he had said was true! Andre Goh Via email