Something to be concerned about....

Over the last few years I've noticed something that should be cause for grave concern but is treated in a most non-chalant way in Malaysia.

I'm not talking about the traffic, crime, corruption, pie-n the sky wish behind the IDR in Johor or even the "tidak-apa" attitude but what I perceive to be a root cause behind these symptons: a certain resigned fatalism in worldview working itself out into a lack of imputes to create change.

This fatalism is behind many of our social ills beginning from the politician right at the top of the political/econ structure down to the litter bug on our streets as each fails to realize how they have adopted a resigned fatalim into their everday actions.

Take one small example, the lack of fundamentals, or rather the manner in which fundamentals of a modern market economy (freedom of trade, movement of capital, flexible workforce) are casually dis-regarded by most malaysians in determining the price of large goods, such as houses, cars, the stock market etc.

To most malaysians, fundamentals are essentially irreleveant (which is why you see people listing property at 50% what a similar product sold for) as "willing buyer / willing seller" reigns. or the recent hype about the RM exchange rate and stockmarket "buy NOW, undervalued" mentality but with no sound rationale for doing so.

Perhaps the most dangerous and ultimate form this fatalism incurrs is the in which the NEP is implemented - haphazadly and with little concern for monitoring true impact, the manner is which of national institutions are run - objective set, but no sound implementation plan in progress and the futility of true racial integration due to inadequately conceived short term thinking by secondly rate politician, who themselves rose due to a mal-adjusted system of corruption and inappropriate patronage.