Just Do It

When I was younger, my mom always used to tell us kids that if we never behaved and aouldn't be corrected in the privacy of our home, then we'll most probably be corrected by somebody from the street. It was a phrase that was said in Tamil (and it definitely sounds better in Tamil) but the meaning is somewhat thereabouts what I've mentioned above. But Tamil or English, the meaning it conveyed was very very clear.

The words came rushing back when I saw the headlines of The Malay Mail yesterday. It has taken an international corporate giant to forcefully open our eyes to the plight of foreign migrant workers in our country. But being Malaysian, it's not that we didn't know, was it? It's just that we're always more comfortable with the "tutup satu mata" syndrome....

But in another typical-Malaysian-style response, our Minister of Human Resources came out with guns blazing. He defended the Malaysian Way of doing things. He attacked the Western media of trying to sabotage investments in Malaysia. He was practically seething with rage at the utter unjustness of the whole thing. NOT the inhumane way the workers were being treated, mind you, but the way Malaysian companies were being portrayed.

"All false. All false." That was the rallying cry of our imbecile of a Minister. Another prime example of the calibre of excellence that is in charge of leading our nation today. He unfortunately shot his mouth off too quick. He should have done his homework or at least gotten somebody in his ministry to do it for him. As is the norm with almost all our politicians, this dickhead was caught with his pants around his ankle and his foot in his mouth (wow! imagine that...) when the newspapers showed still images of the exact living conditions of these workers.

Now, serves us right, NIKE has threatened to remove or cease all operations from Malaysian shores until and unless the Government can compel companies and factories to ensure workers are given basic dignified living and working conditions. Does this mean there will be no more tutup mata by the authorities?

Naah! This is Malaysia. Bolehland. Everything also boleh. "Fuck Nike la, if they don't want to operate here, we can always get other companies to. So many companies are on our waiting list, it's only we haven't given them approval to start operations." Be prepared for spin like this - minus 'fuck' of course - from our leaders in all the major newspapers soon.