Disheartened

I love my country. I always have and always will be. And I am sure you do too.

But I don't think I would be alone in expressing my concerns and disappointment on the events over the past week. The sacking of Muhyiddin, the sudden termination of the Attorney-General, the Special Branch Chief being reassigned, the elevation of the Parliamentary PAC members who was in the swing of investigation the 1MDB debacle into the cabinet and to cherry on the cake, the fire at the safest place in Malaysia, the National Police headquarters. Stuff of legends!

One day, I was sure my grandchildren would ask me, what were you doing when the infamous "Najib Shuffle" happened? My answer would be in the car being driven to the hospital after giving a lunchtime talk at Menara Maybank! These thing won't happen often, and hopefully won't happen again.

Malaysia is becoming a laughing stock of the World, and we only got ourselves to blame.

Right! No more writing about politics as it would not make a jot of difference. I shall leave that kind of writing to the more eloquent and information flow would be something that the Government would struggle to control. Will blog on better things from now on! And for now, let's get on with my call .....

Early Bird Did Not Catch Anything, a Flu Maybe ....

.... Well at least in my case for going to the book fair a day early, as described in my previous entry. It was finally opened officially yesterday with the usual bang I suppose. The Deputy Prime Minister @ Education Minister was not there, and his text was read by his deputy, Dr Wee Ka Siong.

What caught my eye was the fact that the literacy statistic did not mention digital media as a mode of how we get our reading fix. It may be a sign of the times, but we are at risk of being left behind here. All the developed society, be it in the West or Japan has embraced digital technology whole-heartedly. They 'consume' their news rather than read. The enjoy many mode of digital deliveries and I see this as the way forward. By 2020, I am sure a significant chunk of the public will consume their media digitally, from newspaper, magazines and progressing to even novels through either Kindle or audiobooks. As I mentioned, I get my news daily via RSS feeds and listen to them on the way to work via podcast. I don't read much newspaper now.

KUALA LUMPUR: Although Malaysia has among the highest literacy rates in South-East Asia, Malaysians prefer light reading material like newspapers and magazines to books.

According to literacy statistics, out of 85% of Malaysians who read regularly, 77% of them prefer newspapers, 3% read magazines, 3% read books and 1.6% read comics.

“If we were to compare with American citizens, 53% of them read fiction and 43% of them read non-fiction books.

“Malaysians are more inclined to read light material while citizens from developed countries read books,” Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said at the launch of the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2009 at the Putra World Trade Centre yesterday.

The text of his speech was read out by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

I suggest we move ahead and organise a conference of alternative media. We should encourage local podcast production to supplement the flowering blogosphere flourishing at the moment. I think the power that be should go ahead and embrace it rather than fear it.