Sunday, August 21, 2016
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Personal reflection on sciences
1. The remnants of what I recall from my engineering degree is predicated on technologies related to physically manipulating electron pathways in new materials to embed programming codes. My work has been to maintaining stable and reliable conductance of electrons to the masses. Essentially, in summary, sciences based on physics and a little bit of materials engineering, maths and programming design.
2. Biology and chemistry didn't enter into it much. I tend to think inspirational icons can push you towards developing a passion into any of the scientific fields, but physcics has always held my interest. Trying to understand the laws that govern the physical world, and enabling the laws to be applied to humanity's benefit in a repeatable manner.
3. The governance of those knowledge didn't interest me either. That was the stuff for others.
4. But there's no getting away from it. Administration of the sciences is necessary to prolong innovation and extending knowledge. Intersection of capital and requisite returns, funder interests and scientific curiosity and risk-taking must be governed and administered for optimality. Optimality being the operative word as the different constituencies can run at cross-purposes to each other.
5. How much is the risk appetite of the funders to see scientific progress? How important is it to use it and leapfrog adjacent economic rivals, be it different applications of capital or external stakeholders? How can the technological absorption be maximised for the masses? How can technology be deployed to benefit the needy and solve currently unsolvable problems?
6. The different agendas are too apparent. As usual, the need is to strike the right chord, hit the right buttons, walk the right path and have the right ecosystem backing the overarching purpose.
Physics, chemistry and biology
7. I've hardly spent too much time trying to compare the three disciplines. But the reality is that biology is on a totally different plane to physics and chemistry. I am in awe of biology and its design and its potential applications.
8. Take an organism, any organism. Look into its cell makeup and the physiology of it. You can't help but marvel at the way it sustains itself and reproductive capabilities, metabolism-propelled nourishment and self-repair, defenses against harm, works within an elegant system with such simplicity, efficiency and balance. Subhanallah.
9. And then there is the consciousness that allows to become aware of such subtlety and beauty. And the consciousness and knowledge and will to use this understanding to make things better for the greater good. This is where things can get a bit iffy, when the rationality of sciences meets the irrationality of free will. Allah help us find our way out.
10. Of course, on running its course, it dies. And again, even in death it serves to remind the living of its place in the world.
2. Biology and chemistry didn't enter into it much. I tend to think inspirational icons can push you towards developing a passion into any of the scientific fields, but physcics has always held my interest. Trying to understand the laws that govern the physical world, and enabling the laws to be applied to humanity's benefit in a repeatable manner.
3. The governance of those knowledge didn't interest me either. That was the stuff for others.
4. But there's no getting away from it. Administration of the sciences is necessary to prolong innovation and extending knowledge. Intersection of capital and requisite returns, funder interests and scientific curiosity and risk-taking must be governed and administered for optimality. Optimality being the operative word as the different constituencies can run at cross-purposes to each other.
5. How much is the risk appetite of the funders to see scientific progress? How important is it to use it and leapfrog adjacent economic rivals, be it different applications of capital or external stakeholders? How can the technological absorption be maximised for the masses? How can technology be deployed to benefit the needy and solve currently unsolvable problems?
6. The different agendas are too apparent. As usual, the need is to strike the right chord, hit the right buttons, walk the right path and have the right ecosystem backing the overarching purpose.
Physics, chemistry and biology
7. I've hardly spent too much time trying to compare the three disciplines. But the reality is that biology is on a totally different plane to physics and chemistry. I am in awe of biology and its design and its potential applications.
8. Take an organism, any organism. Look into its cell makeup and the physiology of it. You can't help but marvel at the way it sustains itself and reproductive capabilities, metabolism-propelled nourishment and self-repair, defenses against harm, works within an elegant system with such simplicity, efficiency and balance. Subhanallah.
9. And then there is the consciousness that allows to become aware of such subtlety and beauty. And the consciousness and knowledge and will to use this understanding to make things better for the greater good. This is where things can get a bit iffy, when the rationality of sciences meets the irrationality of free will. Allah help us find our way out.
10. Of course, on running its course, it dies. And again, even in death it serves to remind the living of its place in the world.
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Nice, Munich, Shujaeya..
Not rationalising, but pointing out that these are interlinked injustices that require the same principled stand.
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2016/07/gaza-picture-160719073544389.html
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/aljazeeraworld/2016/07/gaza-picture-160719073544389.html
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Malay leadership losing its influence for the community
Malay politics gets more fractured now.
What was previously a straightforward UMNO vs PAS for the majority Malay votes are now divisive totally for the Malay voterbank. No matter the ideals of each, they have all contributed in their own short-sightedness to this present malady.
From the spectrum of correcting Malay economic imbalances to rightwing racial privileges, UMNO brings multifaceted elements that have brought forth the Malay-muslim growth enjoyed by my generation. That is now at risk.
Accumulated misdemeanours over the years during UMNO leadership of the Malays and the country I can categorize into two:
1. institutional abuses seen before during the constitutional crisis and replayed out in full in the appointment of senior positions.
1. institutional abuses seen before during the constitutional crisis and replayed out in full in the appointment of senior positions.
2. has not reasonably dealt with howling mad racial-based demands
A compliant chief of police with selective investigation and questionable record of keeping public safety. Not to say, poor record of defending itself from false allegations. Here's one, and my conclusion is right at the bottom.
A compliant chief of police with selective investigation and questionable record of keeping public safety. Not to say, poor record of defending itself from false allegations. Here's one, and my conclusion is right at the bottom.
Can google "strip search Chinese national" here- reported by an Australian daily:
"The one-minute, 11-second clip starts with a female police officer ordering a naked Chinese woman, possibly in her 20s, to do the squats while holding her ears. The footage, taken on a mobile phone, appears to have been shot through a window without either woman's knowledge.
"The one-minute, 11-second clip starts with a female police officer ordering a naked Chinese woman, possibly in her 20s, to do the squats while holding her ears. The footage, taken on a mobile phone, appears to have been shot through a window without either woman's knowledge.
Lim Kit Siang, leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party, called it Malaysia's Abu Ghraib, a reference to the humiliating abuse of Iraqi prisoners in a US military prison near Baghdad.
A DAP politician, Teresa Kok, played the video clip in parliament on Friday to politicians and the media. "Is it standard practice for police to ask detainees to strip naked and to do ear squats?" Ms Kok asked afterwards.
Mr Lim said that the Malaysian public were entitled to know why the police as a whole "seem so indifferent and detached in a police scandal which had rocked the country and has such far-reaching consequences to the country's tourism, trade, economy as well as the country's international standing, particular the Malaysia-China relationship".
The issue died down after the girl was identified in an official inquiry after a delayed reasoning that this was standard procedure elsewhere (which it is). The lady's name is Hemy, of Malay descent.
Would be nice to be at the forefront of this development!
Interesting piece of news in urban management..
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/04/12/the-cloud-a-moonshot-that-is-paying-off-for-cities-and-businesses/
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/04/12/the-cloud-a-moonshot-that-is-paying-off-for-cities-and-businesses/
Friday, April 8, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
1MDB closure by shoving into the closet
I remember an email exchange back at the time when emails are still a novelty, in the early 90s when I was a still a student. We were discussing student activism and what Malaysia needs to move forward. My email correspondent who has had a large degree of success since then, is seen now as a public figure CEO, responded to my negativism-laced comment that this is so typical of the Malaysian attitude of "This is M.A.L.A.Y.S.I.A" and paraphrasing liberally as it's been over a couple of decades since that exchange, reforms are hard.
Since then, we had the Anwar Ibrahim sacking and conviction - gory in all its lurid detail, (celebrated by gays though as a victory!), the gaping holes in the investigation, prosecution and court handling. Most disappointing of all was the polarized voting patterns, the Malays who now dared to break ranks with UMNO for what is seen as an unethical breach of maligning a pious leader were outflanked by the block Chinese votes backing the ruling party (mainly due to stabilizing the economy, and a cynical mind will mischievously include especially as there was a tax exemption due to the falling economy). The effect was a silenced UMNO, a lackey Deputy (relative to Anwar as a deputy) and a spineless coalition ruling the party.
Now we have a financial scandal brewing, social media (who let's face it are not the best witnesses for major rulings) amplifying reports, comments, investigations made by foreign countries. No satisfactory answer has been forthcoming, and as a result a silenced UMNO, a lackey Deputy and a spineless opposition. In the meantime, all the national issues and challenges are swept under the carpet. Oh, and worsening polarization. And I can see manifestations of this in real-time.
So, how do we resolve the 1MDB issue?
First, work on the basis of principles. If we demand transparency on our leaders when there's a charge of impropriety in financial transactions, so must we on purchase of high-value properties.
If a coalition partner are diametrically opposed in an issue, resolve this on the basis of what works for the rakyat. Look at the demographics. Lets not import wholesale ideas, outdated or sometimes ideologically incompatible. If there's good in the ruling party, government, security services, oil and gas and others like.. (uh, say where the Malays are successful at), here's an idea, why not complement them instead of tearing them down. If there's bad, offer constructive criticism.
Second, replace the outdated politicians. Especially the ones who play victims all the time. Aiyah.. penat tengok la.. you know who you are.
Third, strengthen the institutions. Put some really strong, successful, charismatic business leaders and then leave them alone. Stop interfering. At the end of the day, accountability is the first rule for all. There must be still a few out there who are from a neutral, apolitical, non-sycopanthic pool of people. (I hope).
Now - coming back to the beginning. At the end of the day, how is this major impropriety and four letter word likely to be closed? That's right, push it under the carpet, put it into the closet and lock the door.
Next GE, status quo. Minority opposition leaders happy with their outsized voice as a minority opposition leader of a minority race and a large segment of unhappy people from the majority race.
If that be the case of these unhappy times, the conclusion for Malaysia is dark. No principles, no benefit, no use.
Since then, we had the Anwar Ibrahim sacking and conviction - gory in all its lurid detail, (celebrated by gays though as a victory!), the gaping holes in the investigation, prosecution and court handling. Most disappointing of all was the polarized voting patterns, the Malays who now dared to break ranks with UMNO for what is seen as an unethical breach of maligning a pious leader were outflanked by the block Chinese votes backing the ruling party (mainly due to stabilizing the economy, and a cynical mind will mischievously include especially as there was a tax exemption due to the falling economy). The effect was a silenced UMNO, a lackey Deputy (relative to Anwar as a deputy) and a spineless coalition ruling the party.
Now we have a financial scandal brewing, social media (who let's face it are not the best witnesses for major rulings) amplifying reports, comments, investigations made by foreign countries. No satisfactory answer has been forthcoming, and as a result a silenced UMNO, a lackey Deputy and a spineless opposition. In the meantime, all the national issues and challenges are swept under the carpet. Oh, and worsening polarization. And I can see manifestations of this in real-time.
So, how do we resolve the 1MDB issue?
First, work on the basis of principles. If we demand transparency on our leaders when there's a charge of impropriety in financial transactions, so must we on purchase of high-value properties.
If a coalition partner are diametrically opposed in an issue, resolve this on the basis of what works for the rakyat. Look at the demographics. Lets not import wholesale ideas, outdated or sometimes ideologically incompatible. If there's good in the ruling party, government, security services, oil and gas and others like.. (uh, say where the Malays are successful at), here's an idea, why not complement them instead of tearing them down. If there's bad, offer constructive criticism.
Second, replace the outdated politicians. Especially the ones who play victims all the time. Aiyah.. penat tengok la.. you know who you are.
Third, strengthen the institutions. Put some really strong, successful, charismatic business leaders and then leave them alone. Stop interfering. At the end of the day, accountability is the first rule for all. There must be still a few out there who are from a neutral, apolitical, non-sycopanthic pool of people. (I hope).
Now - coming back to the beginning. At the end of the day, how is this major impropriety and four letter word likely to be closed? That's right, push it under the carpet, put it into the closet and lock the door.
Next GE, status quo. Minority opposition leaders happy with their outsized voice as a minority opposition leader of a minority race and a large segment of unhappy people from the majority race.
If that be the case of these unhappy times, the conclusion for Malaysia is dark. No principles, no benefit, no use.
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