Month: September 2010

I have been watching a Korean Drama series recently – Beethoven Virus. Just like every other Korean Drama, the context of music is largely used as an excuse to stage a coming of age story with a love triangle thrown in the mix. However, with all that music flowing through the show, it struck me that software is very much like music – specifically, the Open Source Software movement.

Sheet music are like code – a set of instructions on what to do and when. In actual fact, it is a lot like code – which controls when certain electrical signals are triggered inside a processor. And the beauty of OSS is that it allows for artistic liberty – different interpretations and even modifications on the original composition. If music was not open, we would be lesser humans today. If software is not open, we will be lesser humans tomorrow.

Now, I have not even gotten to the performers and people who practice the ‘art’. There are so many other parallels that can be drawn there. Maybe it is time that we started to organise ourselves in a similar fashion.

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There has been calls recently from various political parties for government action against errant teachers who have allegedly uttered racist remarks in schools. While I feel that it is wrong for these teachers, who serve as role-models to our young, to behave in that manner, I do not think that there is anything that the government can do against them.

First and foremost, there are procedures to be followed when initiating any disciplinary action against a government employee. Then, there is the problem with the fact that the teachers have not broken any conceivable law. Finally, there is the problem with precedent that has been set by politicians on both sides of the fence.

It sucks to be a Malaysian but racism is part and parcel of our very existence. We are probably the only country in the world with racial preference enshrined in its Constitution.

We, Malaysians, tend to be rather focused on labels – we like to label things. It is so ingrained in our psyche that whenever someone raises an issue, the first thing that we need to do is to label it so that it can be properly categorised and compartmentalised into its proper box. Then, the issue can be bludgeoned to a pulp with the appropriate tool.

A week ago, I had an interview with a sociologist who was conducting some research. I was asked if I thought of myself as a Malaysian instead of a Chinese. I went on record saying that, “No, it depends on how you define Malaysian.” I definitely do not see myself as Malaysian first nor Chinese second. I see myself as myself first and foremost. How could anyone be a Malaysian first and Malay second or a Malaysian first and Chinese second if they are not themselves first?

To explain this, I went on record describing my identity.

My mother tongue is English, which I spoke nothing but, for the first few years of my life. My first books were all English books, and my initial cultural exposure was all western. Then, when I became old enough to have some philosophy and morals imbued into me, I picked up an Indian religion. While I may celebrate Chinese culture on the surface, I have very little appreciation for it and would happily do without most of it if given the chance. I have more Korean, Japanese, English and Malay DVDs and music CDs than Chinese ones. If given a choice between our venerable roti canai, nasi lemak, wanton mee for breakfast, I would choose them in that order exactly. I speak Malay well enough and was actually mistaken as a Malay for my first semester in university.

I found it difficult to say that I am Malaysian first because I do not know what it means to be Malaysian first. I am hoping that someone else might be able to explain it to me.

For now, I would say that I am “me, myself and I” first. Thank you very much!

PS: In all honesty, I would describe myself as Hacker first as I identify better with the Hacker culture than any other culture.