Sybreon Ones Nought

If this is allowed to continue, it is the beginning of the end for us. According to various reports, it seems that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has stepped out of its bounds and ordered Malaysian Internet Service Providers to censor Malaysia Today, an extremely popular anti-establishment blog. Seems like our MSC bill of guarantees is going out the window for political expediency.

Well, although I am not in Malaysia at the moment, there are many ways to get around any form of blockage that the ISPs can put in place. If people can even work around the Great Firewall of China, there are definitely ways to work around the problems in Malaysia. If I was running an ISP in Malaysia and was legally ordered to block access to a particular website, I would choose a couple of ways to do it.

The Internet works on IP addresses, which are a series of user unfriendly numbers. So, most of us depend on a Domain Name Service (DNS) to translate human readable domains such as http://www.malaysia-today.net to a series of numbers such as 202.71.97.141 in this case. Most users would automatically use the DNS servers of their local ISP to do this conversion. So, the first step to blocking a website would be to modify it’s setting in the server to point to some other series of numbers. This can be useful to redirect a user to a special page that announces that the website has been taken down by court order.

For the home user, the easiest way to work around this problem is to set our computers to use a different set of DNS servers. This will need to be done on the device that is directly connected to the ISP, such as the ADSL router or the host PC. There is a public DNS service provided on the internet called OpenDNS. Their website has detailed instructions on how to configure various settings to use their service. That will fix any problems with poisoned DNS entries in the local server.

Another way to block a website would be to configure the ISP firewalls to drop all traffic to and from a particular IP address. However, this is a very damaging step. Due to the way Internet hosting companies run, sometimes several websites share the same server and the same IP address. So, this step may end up blocking out other innocent websites sitting on the same server as well. However, this is a surer way of taking out any website.

But even filtering traffic to and from a specific IP address(es) can be circumvented. All that a user needs is to use an external proxy, one that is located outside the network. A proxy works as a middle man. So, if traffic between the website and the proxy is clear, and the traffic between the proxy and the user PC is clear, then all is clear. However, this also means that the proxy server has the ability to snoop into the traffic conversation. So, use this with care.

So, it is definitely not a problem to circumvent this little bump in the road. However, most people do not understand networking enough to know how to work around it. It takes about 30 seconds to make the changes and everything will work fine again. The larger issue is the morality of censoring the Internet just because the authorities do not like what is being said on it. That is just so wrong and smacks of incompetence and desperation.

Alright, maybe the term ‘kid’ is not right in this particular instance. However, all media reports seem to indicate that Anwar Ibrahim has won the Permatang Pauh bye-election. I will forever remember the name of his constituency as it was the question that knocked us out of the Quiz Perdana qualifiers. We were tied with another school and my team mate dropped the ball when he failed to remember the name of the constituency.

So, the question on most peoples’ minds now is whether or not Anwar will be able to back up his words and takeover the government. Personally, I’m not really bothered with this. What I am more concerned with is does Anwar have any right in taking over the government by crossing defectors over to his side.

Personally, I don’t think that political cross-overs are a very democratic thing to do. The voters generally vote for a party and not the individual. Hence, if someone voted for BN and put BN into power a constituency, I don’t think that it is right for the MP to then change flags and cross-over to the opposition 6 months after the election.

The proper democratic way of doing this would be for the cross-over MPs to call for bye-elections in their individual constituencies and run on a different ticket. They can either run as independents or as candidates from PR instead of BN. The whole idea is to let the people voice out their choice, which is the basic essence of democracy.

Personally, I don’t think very much of politicians but I think even less of party-hopping MPs. These people are only looking out for their own hide and I don’t think that it will do anyone any good in keeping them around.

As I have always said, a coin has 3 sides. Yes, many of us want to see a (hopefully positive) change in the government. However, there are different ways to do it: the politically expedient way or the right way. If PR comes to power because of a few snakes, I don’t think that makes them any better than BN.

I woke up today and found out that they were doing a promotion for the sexy Slimline PS2 at £50. I have actually been waiting for such a promotion for quite a while now. You will be hard pressed to even find a pre-owned one at that price. I told my self a long time ago that if the PS2 is sold at £50, I will go pick one up.

In case anyone was wondering. I am not buying this PS2 for myself! I am buying it for my ahem nephews and niece. You see, I had even had the option of choosing a bundle for ages 12+ or 3+ at the price. I elected to buy the one for ages 3+ since two of them are almost 3 and the other one is just in school. So, for anyone who thinks that I bought it for myself, that is just nonsense ahem.

Aside from the sudden promotion, the thing that made me decide to get a PS2 instead of a GC is mainly the game library. There is very limited choice when it comes to getting GC games while most stores are fully stocked with PS2 games. So, it would be possible to quickly build up a fairly sizable game library for the PS2. I had recently bought a brand new copy of Viewtiful Joe for £1 and pre-owned games start at £2 per game.

So, the next thing that I’ll need to do is to build up a library of games. I think that I will budget £50 for a variety of games. Some of the titles that I am looking at are popular PS2 titles like Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Devil May Cry, Grand Theft Auto and various other major franchises. Alright, maybe these games are more suited for late teens and adults like me. Alright, I should not forget my niece and nephews too. So, I will need to get some games suited for kids under 12 as well. Then, they can play some fun and educational games.

Oh, and accessories. I will certainly need to get a memory card for the PS2. I think that most pre-owned ones come at £5 each. One unit will do as I do not intend to keep any saved games permanently.

As for pirated games, I will be hard pressed to get legal ones back home and my PS2 is not modded to play pirated ones. I have told a friend of mine that I intend to give up my old decadent ways and only buy original software and DVDs from now on. I already have a 30kg collection of original DVDs that I built up while I was here and I think that some of the online stores deliver to Malaysia. It will also reduce the amount of games that I will end up buying for the system, which can only be a good thing.

PS: This is my first ever game console. I used to play games on the PC. But as I grow older, the PC seems to be more a work machine than a gaming one. So, I’ll probably stick to consoles for gaming in the future. But this PS2 is for my niece and nephews anyway. I’ll get something else for myself later. Maybe a Wii or PS3.

The houses in the UK have very thin walls, floors and ceilings. I first noticed this when I came to the UK for a holiday many years ago. I guess it is just the way that the houses here are constructed. The reason that I am writing about this is because my upstairs neighbour was at it like rabbits last night. This always happens when the girlfriend comes over to visit, but never to the kind of marathon that it was last night. It all started at about 10pm.

At one point, after I had already fallen asleep, I heard some creaky noises in my dream. For some reason, my dreams tend to incorporate stuff that is happening around me. So, this caused me to wake up to hear creaky noises coming from a corner of my ceiling. The rhythmic creaky noises were quickly accompanied by a rhythmic staccato of a female voice sounding the first vowel. And this was happening at about 4am.

When I told a friend about this, my friend was fairly disappointed that this didn’t happen more often in undergraduate accommodations. I can only guess that undergrads do not get as much action or that they go for sprints, rather than marathon runs. Also, most undergrads are not in a stable relationship which may explain the irregularity of it happening. Possibly too, thrill seekers just do not do it in the rooms.

I can say for certain, that it happens very often in graduate housing, especially among stable couples. In my previous house, a couple used to rendezvous in the communal shower, every so often, for a tryst. Another previous neighbour of mine even apologised to me in advance, for making too much noise, claiming that his sub-woofer was placed right next to my wall (must be a creaky sub-woofer).

Now, I had recently purchased a set of in-ear SONY earphones, the kind that extends slightly into the ear canal. Aside from being excellent earphones, they work like an ear plug and can insulate outside noise. So, I guess that the next time that I wish to go to bed while the girlfriend comes for a visit, I should put on the earphones before going to sleep. I’m not getting enough of that as it is.

The state government of Penang has recently decided that they will be giving our Olympics silver medalist, Lee Chong Wei, a Datukship (a title, sort of like a Sir in the UK). This is in addition to the RM300,000 (£48,000) award and a RM3,000 per month pension for the rest of his life. Several people have expressed their opinions on this to me, and I thought that I should also express my personal opinion on this issue as well.

To sum it up in one sentence: I do not agree with what is happening.

Some friends suggested that he should have been given a million ringgit for his achievement in the Olympics. They claim that he has put out much sweat and blood for his nation and they should give him something more for all his effort. I think that to give him a million ringgit is dumb. Look at what it did for the whole 1992 Thomas Cup squad. Instead of spurring them on, money turned them all into losers. It would be a waste to see Lee Chong Wei turn into a loser at his age. So, it might be better to give him a little less, and make him work harder for the 2012 Olympics.

Some people think that it is great that he will get a datukship. Personally, I think that it is a bad idea as well. The opposition has always chided the BN government for awarding Datukships for lacklustre achievements such as failing to sail around the world and now, failing to get us the gold and better our results. Think of Nicole David and how many long years she had been World Champion before she even got a smell of her title. It is certainly unfair to put her in the same league as Lee Chong Wei.

If we are to set the precedent that Olympic silvers should get a Datukship, then what are we going to give those who will one day get a gold for sure. I am still confident that our country can secure an Olympic gold one day. It is only a question of time and in what event. If we do this, I move that Nicole David should be awarded a Tan Sri ship instead, since she has definitely achieved more than Lee Chong Wei. I’m sure that Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng can make the proper arrangements as she is from Penang as well.

I do not think that it is a good idea to give so much to someone who had let down a nations’ hopes and dreams. This sends the wrong message to the people that losers are heroes too. I thought that the opposition government stood for something more, but I guess that I thought wrong. That is why I have never trusted politicians from both sides of the fence. While they chide the government for doing one thing, they end up doing the very same thing when they take over.

I do believe that he deserves a consolation prize for coming second to boost him on. So, I think that the cash award and lifetime pension is enough. Most civil servants work for decades and contributed more to the country than him and still end up with smaller pensions. When he lifts the Olympic gold, that is when he will be a hero in my eyes. For now, he is just the guy who got badly trounced by the real winner.

However, I can see how this is playing out in the political field. Lee Chong Wei is a Malaysian Chinese hero. He has managed to scale incredible heights and reached for the stars. He is an example for the rest of us to follow. He has done more than any of us could ever do in our lifetimes. Some of us see it as some sort of vindication and that if the Malay losers can get Datukships, then our Chinese losers deserve the very same treatment too. Sigh…

Lee Chong Wei is definitely a popular figure, particularly in Penang. Not giving him a state title might not play very well with the Penang electorate, who have been struck dumb by his glory. I am sure that they are so proud that one of their own (never mind that he was born in Perak) had managed to achieve greatness. While they are at it, maybe the DAP might want to get him to run for a state seat and put him up for a federal ticket, in the 2012 elections, right after the summer Olympics. He would probably have peaked by then, and being a politician might be a good way for him to retire.

Alright, some of you may think that I’m being too harsh. Personally, I have nothing against Chong Wei. I will agree that he has worked hard and achieved a lot of great things, things that I cannot even dream of doing. I even organised it so that people could come watch his final match on the big TV at my place in Cambridge. But I’m just afraid that he is being pawned by the political parties and he does not have the wits to see it. I hate it when politicians politicise things just for their own advantage.

Oh, and before you shoot me, there are others who think that it is going overboard too.

In light of the targeted attacks on the VC of UiTM recently, it just got me thinking about this whole issue with VCs. The attacks mainly focused on the VCs lack of academic qualifications and his personal political affiliations. While I can understand the political justification of such an attack, I cannot condone it as it is an undignified attack.

I should try to justify why I think that the attack was uncalled for. A VC is regarded as the Chief Executive of the university. Therefore, the VC is only responsible towards the staff and students of the university as well as the governing body of the university. This can be likened to a CEO being responsible towards his staff, customers and shareholders. Unlike a politician or public official, a VC does not serve the general public. So, for all intents and purposes, the VC is not a public office. If we condone public attacks on any VC, then we should declare open season on the CEOs of all companies, and anyone else in a position of leadership in any organisation, particularly those that are not answerable to us. Personally, I think that this is a crazy notion.

But the above article did get me thinking a bit about the position of a VC. So, I asked myself a simple question: What qualities should a VC have?

1. Management Skills
   As a CEO of a university, a VC’s job is that of strategic leadership and management. Therefore, a VC should be someone with strong management capabilities rather than academic ones. In fact, the current VC of the University of Oxford is an industrialist, with many years of experience as a director on many prominent New Zealand companies, before becoming the VC of the University of Auckland, then Oxford.
2. Credentials
   While it is highly preferable for a VC to be an academic, it is evident that it is not necessary. Saying that a VC must be an academic, is like saying that the CEO of a technology company has to be a chartered engineer. This is an entirely fairy tale notion. It is preferable and would definitely be very nice, but it is most certainly unnecessary. If it was necessary, we would not have any iPods to buy, nor would we have Wall-E to love.
3. People Skills
   A VC needs to get things done in a university through other people. This is where academic credentials may come in handy, to curry respect from fellow academics. But unless the VC is a Nobel prize winner, his/her academic credentials are unlikely to better that of the staff. And we all know that there aren’t enough Nobel prize winners to go around, even at Cambridge. So, a VC has to be able to command respect in other ways. One way to do that is through internal relationships with the other staff. If everyone knows you well and knows that you can do the job, you will command authority.
4. Networking
   But the bigger job of the VC is to bring in the big money to the university, just like it is the job of a CEO to search for funds for a company. In this particular case, academic credentials are not going to help much, but people credentials will play a bigger role. Building and exploiting external relationships and networks are vitally important in this respect. So, being well connected is a potential plus for a VC as long as he/she can exploit that connection.

So, looking at things this way, is the UiTM VC a suitable candidate for the job? From what little public information is available, he has got all of the qualities nailed down, at least on paper.

1. He is trained in administration. He graduated with a Diploma in Public Administration from ITM, worked as an Executive Officer in the Malaysian Treasury, obtained his BA in Economics and MA in Sociology from Ohio University, and obtained his PhD from the University of Maryland in Government and Politics.
2. He has little academic credentials. His publications include “Gaya Hidup Remaja Masa Kini. (1997) Shah Alam: Biroteks, Institut Teknologi MARA” and “Pendidikan Bermutu Masyarakat Sejahtera. (1990) Kuching: Education Department, Sarawak”.
3. He is a UiTM lifer. Besides a short stint in the Treasury, he has spend the rest of his career in ITM and UiTM. Therefore, he knows everyone and everyone knows him.
4. He has political connections. He founded an UMNO club in the US and was a former President of that club, served as a UMNO youth leader and committee memer of UMNO Youth.

But I do agree that the manner of his appointment can be improved. I personally can’t tell if he is the right person or not, without interviewing him. So, calling for a selection committee is a good idea. The VC can be internally promoted or externally searched. The job of the committee will be to vet the candidates. Just like the hiring of a CEO requires board approval, the VC can be hired if he/she is approved by the governing body of the university (i.e the Senate).

PS: I wrote this entry at 5am. It is a brain fart. Don’t ask my why. E&OE as usual. Now, I can go back to sleep.

This entry started out as a response to a blog comment. But since it turned out to be rather lengthy, I decided that it might as well be a whole new blog entry on its own. I would like to first state that although New Era is used as an example here, it is not any form of indictment. It was just the first institution to pop into my head, since it is located near a school that I once went to. Nostalgia.

UiTM and New Era are both essentially single-ethnic institutions. You can say that they are different and yet the same. One is founded by MARA, with its clear mandate on providing direct intervention towards the bumiputera. The other is founded by Dong Jiao Zhong (Chinese Education Association), which is clearly focused on only one particular group of people. Anyone who does not read Chinese or uses Konqueror will have difficulties surfing their website.

While I cannot prove that New Era discriminates against any particular group of people, neither can I prove that they don’t. The official wording on their website is: “Committed to multi-cultural, holistic and socially responsible education.” However, reality paints a slightly different picture.

I checked the latest list of students admitted, only to find that it is 100% of one ethnic group. So, if I extrapolate this and assume that every intake has the same composition, then I can safely assume that it is a single ethnic institute. But since I do not know the actual numbers, I could possibly be wrong. So, let’s just call it 95±5% using engineering notation. The question then is whether this is by circumstance or by choice.

It is possible to argue that UiTM is single ethnic by circumstance, its circumstance being that it is founded by MARA. Therefore, it is mandated to discriminate against certain groups of people. But at least, it is honest about it. It is quite possible that New Era is single ethnic by circumstance and that nobody from any other ethnic group bothers to apply. This is not true because there is a single Malay on its waiting list.

But it can also be argued that it is made difficult for people from other groups to apply, which is discrimination by definition. Looking at the application form, there is only a box for a Chinese name and an English name. The name Mohamad bin Abdullah is neither Chinese nor English. So, the forms were obviously not designed with everyone in mind. But since my Chinese is as useful as my French, I may have misunderstood the forms.

Some will argue that New Era is privately funded and can therefore do whatever it pleases, which is perfectly understandable enough. However, UiTM is MARA funded and can therefore do whatever MARA pleases. But ultimately, both institutions are funded by individuals like you and me. So, the argument is moot.

Personally, I think that until the day that everyone in Malaysia is willing to give up their last bastions of any racial identity, we will always have racial based institutions that continue to propagate racial based thinking and further polarise the country. So, if we want all the walls to be taken down, the only way is to take down everything race based starting with all the political parties.

PS: I wrote this while half awake and feeling hungry. So, E&OE as usual.