RETHINKING OUR “PALAU” CULTURE

FROM
DAYAK BARU..

Pengawa “Palau” sigi nadai ngemai pemansang tauka pengidup meruan: True or False?

Most of us like to have a nice casual drink hours when we go out with our friends of an evening, and enjoy that merry feeling that comes after a few pints, when everything we say sounds like the most intelligent thing that’s ever been uttered, and everyone is, like, our best friend, ever.

And while there’s nothing wrong with having a couple of pints or a nice glass of beer/wine, there’s little doubt that too much of a good thing is bad for us. I always doubt a drunker would ever remember what he/she say or do they are under influence of alcohol.

It aren’t good for both young and old health, it leaves our wallets scarily lighter (wasn’t there a couple of fifty Ringgit notes in there before I went out last night?? For it could have been used for good deeds: future education needs, leverage saving, investment, insurances, nice clothing/snickers which you could wear everyday, etc), and those boozy sessions can result in a whole heap of embarrassment, with photographic evidence we’d just as soon never existed.

So find out what’s okay, what’s not, and protect your health, your hard earned money, your own safety, and don’t leave your loved ones behind unprepared. Just think of that for awhile whenever you think of that “Cap Apek”, “Ms Stella Atois”, “Mr Chivas Regal” and so on….

This is a state of creating awareness that alcoholism is bad for you, you family and most of all your community. I haven’t heard a drunker become the champion of others except for him/herself. What if you were caught in a candid camera or in reality TV show; I’m sure you might feel ashamed of what you done “yesterday”?

I don’t foresee you or anybody would look “beautiful”…. If you think “old drinking culture” brings goodness to you and/or your family or community then drink for your success, glory and achievement!

So tell me the basics… What is alcohol, and how does it affect me?

Alcohol is a depressant drug (yup, a drug), that slows down your body functions, both physically and mentally. Explaining why your reactions aren’t as fast after a few drinks, why your inhibitions are lowered, why your speech becomes slurred, and why you wake up the next morning with no recollection of how you got home. It’s likely to make you feel down (it being a depressant, and all), especially if you felt blue before you started, but can exaggerate an existing mood. So if you felt a bit aggressive or hyper before you got going, this will probably be magnified significantly after downing a few drinks.

What causes the raging hangover you get the very next day?

Your body’s instinctive reaction to alcohol is to try to flush it out of your system, resulting in dehydration. It also irritates the lining of your stomach; causing the nausea and vomiting that are such an awful part of the morning after.

To reduce the effects of a hangover, make sure you’ve eaten enough before you go out (that notion of ‘lining your stomach’ is not a bad one), and during the night, alternate booze with a soft drink (if you’re worried about getting slugged – which you SHOULDN’T be, but that’s another issue – then just don’t tell anyone there’s no Bacardi in your Bacardi and coke), and drink a big glass of water or good “teh si peng” or “teh tarik” or “black coffee” when you get home.

But remember, the only cure for a hangover is time. It takes your body a full hour to remove one standard drink from your system, no matter what you do. The coffee, the full breakfast or the cold shower might perk you up a bit, but you’ll be a caffeinated, well fed, clean and shiny drunk!

And why is it a bad idea to mix alcohol with other drugs?

Well, alcohol, being a depressant, is dangerous when you mix it with another depressant (which a variety of prescription and illegal drugs can be), as it can slow your body’s functioning to a point that can lead to organ failure. Combined with a stimulant, alcohol can lead to increased blood pressure, anxiety, confusion, aggression and paranoia.

The effects of certain over the counter drugs, like cough and cold remedies, painkillers, antihistamines and travel sickness pills, can be enhanced by drinking alcohol, even hours after taking them, so you’ll feel even drowsier, and your concentration and coordination will go down the plughole.

Alcohol can also interact with a wide variety of herbal supplements, so avoid these while drinking, especially Echinacea, chamomile and valerian, which cause serious drowsiness and/or sedation when combined with drink. “Enti ka panjai umor badu ngirup; Enti ka padam seput jampat agi anang nagang diri ngirup…”

So what’s too much alcohol?

First of all, you need to know how much you’re drinking – there can be a world of difference between the size of the glass of wine you’d pour yourself at home and the glass you’d get in the pub. And your gender counts too – unfortunately, basic biology means that girls can’t drink as much as boys (damn biology!).

Remember too that’s it not the volume of liquid you drink, it’s the percentage of alcohol that’s in it. One standard drink is considered to have 10 grams of pure alcohol. Even different brands of the same type of drink – different wines or beers, for instance – will have different percentages of alcohol in them. It’s a fantastic resource for calculating exactly how much alcohol is in your favorite drink.

But basically, experts advise that up to 14x standard drinks per week for a woman and 21x for a man is fairly safe. Unfortunately, you can’t save these all up for one “mad drinking splurge” at the weekend or happy hours.

NOTES: Our bodies just can’t process all that alcohol all at once and you should really only have 1 or 2 drinks in one go, if you’re a girl, and 2 or 3, if you’re a boy. Anything above this is considered unsafe, and is damaging to your health. You should also ensure that you have at least a couple of alcohol-free days during the course of the week. If you drink beyond your standard, you may be a target of a known “predator”? Beware too… “haruan makan haruan”…

What are the risks in drinking too much?

* It might not seem likely, but you can become dependent on alcohol, or alcoholic
* It can interfere with your sex life, causing erectile difficulties in men
* It can cause stomach problems, such as ulcers or stomach ulcers
* It can cause a nice little thing called pancreatitis, that results in severe abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting
* Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver disease
* An increased risk of certain cancers or other unforeseen diseases
* Mood changes
* Alcohol poisoning can lead to coma, brain damage and death

And that’s just the damage to your body. Other risks include:

* Alcohol’s interference with your functioning increases your vulnerability to fights, unprotected sex and sexual assault, getting robbed, or having an injury or serious accident (like a car crash).
* You are more likely to suffer relationship difficulties while drinking to excess
* You risk getting into trouble with the enforcement officers/authorities, and ending up with a criminal record

Remember, you don’t have to be an alcoholic to harm yourself or others – just one binge drinking session is all it takes to put yourself in danger. Favorite Dayak Lama’s words: “nama nuan ka ngemai bebukut pia…”/ “apooo…bajik amat indai blues nya madik….”/ “ehh….anang mayoh jako nuan wai, kitu tua belalai sulu….”/ “babi makai kita…ai bisa irup kita…”

And you should NOT drink in any of the following circumstances:

* If you are pregnant or think you might be
* If you are taking certain medications (check with your doctor)
* If you are driving, operating machinery, playing sports, seminar, official ceremonial or doing anything that requires coordination or unimpaired judgment

So how do you know if your drinking culture is becoming a problem?

You don’t have to be an alcoholic for drink to start causing problems in your life. If any of the following are true, you might want to have a closer look at how much your drinking culture has affect you and why? And maybe take a bit of a break from the booze for a while.

* You drink to forget about your problems, or conquer your shyness or anxiety
* You drink over the recommended amount on a regular basis
* You find it difficult to stop drinking once you start, even if you don’t drink too often
* You are secretive about drinking
* You suffer from memory loss or blackouts after drinking
* You feel guilty about drinking
* Drinking interferes with your ability to do the things you usually do, or should do, like going to work or interview or examination/test or college and/or even school
* Drinking starts to disrupt other areas of your life, like your relationships with family or friends, your finances, your health or your behavior and/or financial status

What to do in an emergency… If someone you’re with is very drunk

* Stay with them, and do not allow them to have any more alcohol
* Keep them warm
* Get them home safely and do not just bundle them into a taxi on their own
* If they pass out, put them into the recovery position (on their side, with the top leg bent, the top arm bent across the chest, with the palm of the hand under the cheek). Never move anyone with a suspected spinal injury
* Call an ambulance or ask someone else to do it

But how can I have fun without drinking?!

It can be difficult to go booze free, especially as our Dayak Lama Culture often centers in the “ruai of rumahpanjai” and/or around the pub either during the festive holiday or “election fiesta”. Ask your friends to support your decision, and not to give you too much of a hard time if you’re enjoying a soft drink in the pub. If they just won’t quit, tell them to “F-off”.

If pubs aren’t your thing anyway, there are lots of other things you can do. Put your persuasive hat on and ask your friends to try out some of your hobbies, whatever they might be.

But if you do take such drink

* Don’t forget your dinner! Fill your belly with carbohydrates like rice, noodles and bread. Yummy!
* Don’t be in a hurry! Remember – your liver can only remove one standard drink from your body an hour.
* Think water, and drink water! While you drink, and after. Also pace yourself with lots of soft drinks.
* Avoid drinking games, or competitive drinking! Maybe fun now, but you’ll pay the price later. Try not avoiding rounds too, or limiting them to just one or two friends. If others in a round are drinking faster than you’re comfy with, just slow down, or opt out of the round altogether.
* Never accept drinks from strangers, no matter how good-looking they are, and remember that the reason they might look so great anyway might be all down to the beer goggles! And you’re hardly drop dead gorgeous yourself when you’re drop down drunk.
* Don’t leave your drink unattended either… if you leave one on the bar while you go to the loo, ditch it and buy a new one.
* And remember to plan how you’re going to get home before you start drinking. Keep your taxi numbers in a safe place, along with some cash to pay for your cab.

If you’re a soccer star extraordinaire or just an occasional jogger/hiker, get the low down on how alcohol can affect your performance with our guide,

Having a drink is a big part of Dayak Lama’s culture and social life. So is sport and exercise. For most adults/youths, enjoying alcohol in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t cause any problems.

Of course many people enjoy a drink when they are socializing as alcohol can help you relax. There are many good health, family and social reasons why you may decide not to drink. If you choose not to drink alcohol either as a lifestyle choice or on any particular occasion, people should support you in this and you shouldn’t feel pressured to drink by your team mates.

One Standard Drink: A glass of stout/lager/cider (284ml) or a small glass of tuak/wine (100ml) or a pub measure of spirit (35.5ml)

Change our Dayak Lama “ngirup” culture first

If we want Change then change this old traditional “ngirup” culture first! There is no such thing as “enti ka ngirup, ngirup mimit-mimit aja tau”…. And I do believe there’s no such thing as “one for the road” too. Societies that believe in promoting “bad drinking culture” are normally the loser and usually faced with backwardness. Alcohol win but you’re looser!

Conclusion

To the Iban and/or bansa Dayak in general, kindly rethink your old “ngirup” heritage culture. Used alternative drink to welcome your honorable guest and/or promoting a toast. We’re already living a change of modernization or a Dayak Baru civilization. I know Iban/Dayaks are known for their bravery as the great “headhunters’ but they’re also great “pemabuk” too! You no warrior if you’re alcoholic.

Lastly, from me: Teach your children to drink alcohol; you train them to become a professional drinker one day. Teach your children to save money; you help them to build their own wealth one day. To become prosper like others, you have to learn from their success culture and/or stories.

Not just Change the political arena but Change your old alcoholistic culture too. I started yesterday and how about you? Good luck!

Majlis Anugerah Kecermerlangan Jabatan Sejarah & Jabatan Pengajian Malaysia 2009...

MEMO
PERSATUAN MAHASISWA SEJARAH (PERMAS)
PERSATUAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA (PPMAS)

KEPADA:
MAHASISWA & MAHASISWI
PENDIDIKAN SEJARAH
& &
PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA DENGAN PENDIDIKAN

DARIPADA:
MAJLIS TERTINGGI PERMAS & PPMAS
1. JABATAN SEJARAH & JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA AKAN MENGADAKAN MAJLIS ANUGERAH KECEREMERLANGAN JABATAN SEJARAH & JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA YANG BERTUJUAN UNTUK MEMBERI PENGIKTIRAFAN KEPADA MAHASISWA/I SEJARAH DAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA YANG BERJAYA MENDAPAT ANUGERAH DEKAN. SELAIN ITU IA TURUT MEMBERI PENGIKTIRAFAN KEPADA MAHASISWA/I YANG BERJAYA DI DALAM KOKURIKULUM.

2. BUTIRAN PROGRAM:
TARIKH : 29 OKTOBER 2009
HARI :KHAMIS
MASA :8 MLM – 11.00 MLM
TEMPAT :AUDITORIUM UTAMA
PAKAIAN :FORMAL

*PARA PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN DIWAJIBKAN MENGHADIRI MAJLIS INI DAN DIWAJIBKAN JUGA MENYERTAI REASEL YANG DIADAKAN PADA 29 OKTOBER 2009, JAM 2 PETANG DI AUDITORIUM UTAMA.

*SENARAI PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN BOLEH MERUJUK TERUS DI PAPAN KENYATAAN KETUA JABATAN SEJARAH & KETUA JABATAN PENGAJIAN MALAYSIA. ANDA JUGA DIMINTA MENGESAHKAN KEHADIRAN ANDA DENGAN MENANDATANGANI DI SEBELAH NAMA ANDA DI DALAM KERTAS SENARAI PENERIMA ANUGERAH DEKAN SELEWAT-LEWATNYA RABU INI (21 OKTOBER 2009).

*Sesiapa yang berminat menjadi AJK Perlaksana bolehlah terus menghubungi Pengarah Program. Sijil Disediakan.

SEKIAN. TERIMA KASIH,
SAMUEL SILA MATHEW UNJAH.
(PENGARAH PROGRAM MAKJSJPM 09)

Isu Posting: Kenyataan NYDP PERMAS & SETIAUSAHA AGUNG BAKSAR

Salam Sejahtera kepada semua Ahli-Ahli PERMAS & BAKSAR UPSI

Kepada ahli-ahli PERMAS & BAKSAR, saya berharap anda semua bertenang terutama dalam isu POSTING yang hangat dikatakan. Semalam saya sempat mengadakan perjumpaan dengan TNC Akademik & Antarabangsa UPSI, Prof Dr. Zakaria Kasa berkenaan dengan isu ini. Beliau telah menjelaskan bahawa beliau hanya ingin mengingatkan kepada pelajar sahaja kemungkinan kalaui berlaku masalah ini kelak, para pelajar UPSI sudah bersedia menghadapinya.

Prof. Zakaria turut menyatakan bahawa tidak ada mana-mana pekeliling daripada KPM berkaitan penanguhan atau pembekuan posting kepada pelajar di IPTA atau mana-mana institusi. Beliau juga menyeru kepada bakal graduan terutama semester 7 supaya merebut peluang yang ditawarkan oleh UPSI untuk menyambung pelajaran ke peringkat MASTER dan kemudian PHD sebagai satu langkah untuk memajukan pelajar dan mengukuhkan lagi peluang pekerjaan pelajar-pelajar nanti.

Menurut beliau, Universiti juga menawarkan semakin banyak peluang untuk menyambung pelajaran ke peringkat MASTER dan PHD. Saya berharap semua pihak bertenang dan sekiranya ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut, bolehlah bertemu dengan saya untuk penjelasan lebih lanjut.

* Pada 29 HB OKtober 2009, Jabatan Sejarah akan mengadakan Majlis Anugerah Dekan dan dijangka dirasmikan oleh TNC Akademik & Antarabangsa. Sesiapa yang berminat menjadi AJK Perlaksana Majlis bolehlah menghubungi saya dan anda dialu-alukan menjadi AJK Perlaksana. Sijil akan diberikan.


"Mahasiswa Didahulukan, Kebajikan Diutamakan, Kualiti Dimartabatkan"

Sekian.,
Samuel Sila Mathew Unjah
Naib Yang Dipertua PERMAS
Setiausaha Agung BAKSAR

“How the Sea Dayaks are called Iban”

After some warriors had been killed and wounded, Entinggi called Tindin by the Bukitan word isan1. Tindin was surprise and said, “Why do you address me as isan. Have you got any son?”

Entinggi answered, “Yes. I have a son named Demong. Now let us sit down and try to resolve our misunderstanding peacefully.”

Tindin was glad to hear these gracious words from the headman of his enemy and he agreed to stop fighting and try to reason out their quarrel.

Tindin declared that it would be both wise and proper if Entinggi agreed to a marriage between his son and Tindin’s own daughter in order to restore peace as soon as possible between the Bukitans and the Dayaks. However, Tindin insist that the marriage can be approved if Entinggi agrees to pay him compensation known as drian palit mata or a dowry. The dowry is for the purpose of abolishing racial enmity between the two tribes. Entinggi promptly agreed and said that he had no malice in his heart neither had he any territorial ambition other than to defend the life of his people against the invading Ibans. It was here that the Bukitans first called the Sea Dayaks Iban due to the fact that they were pushing other races out and taking all into their possession.

Entinggi was pleased and agreed to Tindin’s suggestion. He assured him that before long he would pay the drian palit mata as claimed so that his son, Demong would marry Rinda, Tindin’s daughter.

Tindin also felt it would be proper to demand of Entinggi a padi bin full of new heads plus a large brass gong in recognition of his rank as a chief extraordinary authority, who had the right to claim for dowry according to the tradition founded by Serapoh.

Entinggi agreed to all this. At the conclusion of the negotiation he invited Tindin to accompany him to the Paku to see for himself the beauty and fertility of that district. The eager Tindin at once consented and took some of his leading warriors with him. In Paku, Entinggi took Tindin to meet various Bukitan chieftains including Entigu. Tindin found that Entigu and his people were nomads who wandered in the forest while Entinggi and his people were settled down and planted crops for food.

After Tindin had seen the length and width and fertility of the land, he told Entinggi that he was attracted and would like to migrate there with his followers if Entinggi would permit them. The Bukitan chief had no objections so long as the proposed marriage took place.

Entinggi said, “Through this marriage, the future of this country will become the everlasting inheritance of our descendants.”

When all the things including the dowry had been discussed, Tindin asked for further presents as a token of the first marriage between a Dayak and a Bukitan. These includes;

1. One brass cannon
2. One blowpipe
3. One tanggui serawong of the kind worn by high ranking Iban brides especially on the first day they live with their husbands.

Entinggi agreed with all this that a month later the marriage feast was celebrated in Skrang. Rinda was taken by Entinggi to Paku to live with Demong. Not long after this, Tindin migrated to Paku and settled at the Upper Pengar stream near Spaoh. He then moved again to Tanjong Melanyut where he died of old age, greatly mourned by both the Dayaks and the Bukitans. He was buried opposite Nanga Beduru.

A year after her marriage to Demong, Rinda gave birth to a male child. She later had four more children, three boys and one girl named Jawai. Unfortunately Jawai died when she was about fifteen years old. But because of her noble birth, her body was not buried in the ordinary Sea Dayak way. Instead the corpse was placed in a coffin and put on a platform about six feet from the ground to await the decomposition of the flesh. This method of burial was known as lumbong and the site of Jawai’s lumbong is still known although today the practice has disappeared along with the Bukitan people who originated it.

Rinda died shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Bakak. She was killed by a falling rafter during a hurricane and was buried with her father at Nanga Beduru.

After the death of Rinda, Demong remarried. This time he married a Bukitan named Lemia, by whom he had many children. These children afterwards married other Bukitans before they moved into Julau, a left tributary of the Kanowit River of the present Third Division.
Footnotes

1. Isan is an Iban term of address used between parent of children who are married together. [↩]

Today's Highlight in History

Today is Monday, Sept. 14, the 257th day of 2009. There are 108 days left in the year.


On Sept. 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write a poem after witnessing how Fort McHenry in Maryland had endured a night of British bombardment during the War of 1812; that poem, originally called "Defence of Fort McHenry," later became the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," the American national anthem.

On this date:

In 1812, the Russians set fire to Moscow in the face of an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops.

In 1836, former Vice President Aaron Burr died in Staten Island, N.Y., at age 80.

In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. forces under Gen. Winfield Scott took control of Mexico City.

In 1901, President William McKinley died in Buffalo, N.Y., of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. Vice President Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.

In 1927, modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan died in Nice, France, when her scarf became entangled in a wheel of the sports car she was riding in.

In 1948, a groundbreaking ceremony took place in New York at the site of the United Nations' world headquarters.

In 1964, Pope Paul VI opened the third session of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, also known as "Vatican II." (The session closed two months later.)

In 1975, Pope Paul VI declared Mother Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton the first U.S.-born saint.

In 1982, Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly actress Grace Kelly, died at age 52 of injuries from a car crash the day before; Lebanon's president-elect, Bashir Gemayel, was killed by a bomb.

In 1988, Hurricane Gilbert slammed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 5 storm after forcing thousands of residents to flee.

Ten years ago: Indonesian soldiers looted the abandoned U.N. mission in East Timor, just hours after 110 U.N. personnel and 1,300 East Timorese were evacuated and flown to safety to end a 10-day siege. Hurricane Floyd clobbered the Bahamas, toppling power lines, ripping roofs off homes and pushing a roiling sea into streets before heading toward the southeastern United States.

Five years ago: Guerrillas bombed a Baghdad shopping street full of police recruits and fired on a police van north of the capital, killing some 60 people. President George W. Bush told veterans in Las Vegas he was proud of his time in the Texas Air National Guard as he sought to deflect questions about his Vietnam-era service.

One year ago: Losing its devastating punch as a major hurricane, Ike nevertheless drubbed the Midwest with powerful winds and floodwaters. Carlos Zambrano pitched the first no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs in 36 years, striking out 10 in a 5-0 win over Houston in a game relocated to Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Zoe Caldwell is 76. Feminist author Kate Millett is 75. Actor Walter Koenig is 73. Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown is 69. Singer-actress Joey Heatherton is 65. Actor Sam Neill is 62. Singer Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (Sha Na Na) is 62. Rock musician Ed King is 60. Rock musician Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) is 54. Country singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman is 53. Actress Mary Crosby is 50. Singer Morten Harket (a-ha) is 50. Country singer John Berry is 50. Actress Melissa Leo is 49. Actress Faith Ford is 45. Actor Jamie Kaler is 45. Actress Michelle Stafford is 44. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is 44. Rock musician Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers) is 43. Actor Dan Cortese is 41. Contemporary Christian singer Mark Hall is 40. Actor Ben Garant is 39. Rock musician Craig Montoya (Tri Polar) is 39. Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley is 38. Rapper Nas is 36. Country singer Danielle Peck is 31. Pop singer Ayo is 29. Singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse is 26. Actor Adam Lamberg is 25.

Thought for Today: "America has been called a melting pot, but it seems better to call it a mosaic, for in it each nation, people or race which has come to its shores has been privileged to keep its individuality, contributing at the same time its share to the unified pattern of a new nation." — King Baudouin I of Belgium (1930-1993).

MITOS: PECAHKAN..Hissamudin Rais

Dalam negara kita ada beberapa mitos yang disebarkan. Pada ketika mitos ini disebarkan ramai warga negara kita belum bersekolah. Maka mitos ini di terima bulat-bulat. Penyebaran mitos ini memang bertujuan untuk membodohkan kita semua. Tetapi dengan adanya internet kita dapat memecahkan mitos-mitos ini melaui pengkajian berdasarkan fakta-fakta.

DARI JELEBU oleh Hishamuddin Rais
Mitos ialah naratif yang dibuat bertujuan untuk memesongkan hakikat.

Contoh mitos : Raja di katakan jelmaan tuhan. Ini adalah mitos bertujuan untuk membodohkan kaum tani agar mereka memberikan tanamanmereka pada satu kumpulan manusia yang malas bekerja. Mitos ini berpanjangan dan ditokok tambah lepas satu – satu lagi ditambah. Hakikatnya mitos raja dari muntah lembu atau raja jelmaan tuhan bertujuan untuk menipu. Walhal antara raja dengan sesiapa sahaja tidak ada bezanya. Yang melahirkan perbezaan hanyalah mitos.

Contoh mitos : Pokok itu berhantu. Pokok itu wujud dan dapat dilihat dan dibuktikan. Tetapi hantu itu tidak wujud. Mitos hantu diwujudkan untuk menakut-nakut. Apabila kita takut maka kita akan mencari perlindungan. Peranan untuk melindungi kita dari hantu ialah bomoh dan dukun. Akhirnya kita tunduk pada kuasa bomoh dan dukun.

Mitos diwujudkan untuk tujuan baik dan tujuan jahat. Jangan pergi didalam gua ini ada hantu - adalah nasehat yang bersalurkan penakutan. Nasihat ini baik kerana cuba menjaga keselamatan. Ianya juga tidak baiak kerana asasnya satu pembohongan.

Hari ini mitos masih cuba di wujudkan – tetapi agak susah. Dengan kemajuan ilmu tidak ramai yang akan mempercayai mitos-mitos baru yang hendak direka. Mitos seperti angkasawan Neil Armstrong turun ke bulan terdengar suara azan. Atau mitos Bruce Lee mati kerana bersilat dengan Dicky Zulkarnain – semua ini cuba disebarkan untuk menjadi bahan lawak jenaka.

Tujuan asal mitos ialah untuk membodohkan dalam masa yang sama menakut-nakutkan orang ramai. Kalau Raja Jepun berasal Tuhan maka diharapkan rakyat Jepun akan tunduk – walhal kalau Raja Jepun ini makan petai – kencing dia tetap haring. Kalau Prince Charles tercirit baunya tetap busuk.

Lawan mitos ialah fakta. Fakta dapat dibuktikan melalui pengkajian. Ilmu pengetahuan manusia datang dari fakta dan pemikiran manusia. Semua ilmu dalam dunia ini berpunca dari tiga sumber. Pertama : Pengumpulan pengalamnan. Kedua: Kaji selidik. Ketiga : Ujian dalam bilik makmal.

Mitos ini akan pecah jika kita berfikir secara rasional. Kajian ilmiah akan dapat membuktikan sama ada ianya mitos atau fakta. Jika sesutu masih dalam kajian dan belum dapat dibuktikan betul atau slah maka ianya masih di tahap teori. Satu ketika dahulu Letupan Besar/ Bing Bang hanya satu teori – hari ini telah diterima sebagai fakta. Teori menjadi fakta apabila kajian dapat dibuktikan teori ini.

Ilmu pengetahuan adalah pengumpulan pengalaman manusia dari satu zaman ke satu zaman. Buruk atau baik pengalaman ini akan menjadi panduan. Panduan ini adalah ilmu pengetahuan. Ada ilmu pengetahuan yang turun dari mulut ke mulut. Ada yang dibukukan.

Dalam negara kita ada beberapa mitos yang disebarkan. Pada ketika mitos ini disebarkan ramai warga negara kita belum bersekolah. Maka mitos ini di terima bulat-bulat. Penyebaran mitos ini memang bertujuan untuk membodohkan kita semua. Tetapi dengan adanya internet kita dapat memecahkan mitos-mitos ini melaui pengkajian berdasarkan fakta-fakta..

MITOS PERTAMA:

Hari Malaysia bukan pada 31 Ogos tetapi 16 September. BOHING. Sabah ,Serawak, Singapura danPesekutuan Tanah Melayu menjadi PersekutuanMalaysia pada 16 September 1963. Singapura meninggalkan Malaysia pada9 Ogos 1965. Tidak percaya sila tanya orang Sabah dan Serawak.

MITOS KE DUA :

Merdeka dimulakan oleh United Malays National Organisation. BOHONG. Parti yang awal memperjuangan dan melaugkan slogan MERDEKA ialahKesatuan Melayu Muda di tubuh pada 1938. United Malays NationalOrganisation belum wujud lagi. Apabila wujud slogan United Malays National Organisation ialah HIDUP MELAYU dan bukan MERDEKA !

MITOS KE TIGA :

Kemerdekaan didapati tanpa tumpah darah. BOHONG. Parti Komunis Malaya, Angkatan Pemuda Insap, Anakatan Wanita Sedar, Hisbul Musliman, Peta, Malayan Democtaric Union, KMM dan ribuan warga telah bangun mengangkat senjata – pada mulanya melawan Jepun – kemudian melawan British. Tanpa angkat senjata British tidak akan undur.

MITOS KE EMPAT :

Lagu Negara-Ku dikatakan lagu kebangsaan kita. BOHONG. Lagi ini bukan ciptaan warga Tanah Melayu. Peciptanya orang Peranchis bernama Pierre Jean de Beranger (1780-1857) Nama asal ialah Memula Moon. Bertukar menjadi Terang Bulan. Di zaman Konfrontasi - Radio Repuklik Indonesia memainkan lagu ini untuk mengejek Tunku yang dianggap budak suruhan
British. Dari Terang Bulan menjadi Negara-ku.

MITOS KE LIMA :

Bendera Jalur Gemilang – namanya baru 5 tahun. Ini adalah tiruan bulatbulat dari bendera Amerika Syarikat yang bernama Star Spangled–Banner, Stars and Stripes dan Old Glory. Nama jalur gemilang pun diciplak dari nama bendera Amerika. Buktinya lihat Jalur Gemilang tidak
ada motif Nusantara/Melayu – warna merah dan puteh adalah motif Nusantara - merah darah rakyat - puteh hati rakyat.Motif Nusantara ini wujud dalam bendera Singapura dan Indonesia.

MITOS KE ENAM :

Wujud perpaduan Melayu. BOHONG. Tidak ada perpaduan Melayu. Tidak pernah terjadi perpadun Melayu semenjak konsep Melayu itu wujud. Tidak mungkin adanya perpaduan Melayu seperti mustahilnya lahir perpaduan China, perpaduan Arab, perpaduan Itali , perpaduan India.

Mito perpaduan Melayu bergerak dengan menakut-nakutkan orang Melayu dari di’telan’ oleh China dan India. Apabila Melayu jadi takut maka akan datang pembantu. Seperti mitos pokok ada hantu. Orang kampong takut pada hantu lalu memanggil bomoh untuk menghalau hantu. Ini cara klasik mitos bergerak. Takut-takut orang ramai. Apabila orang ramai takut maka mereka akan mencari perlindungan. Maka muncul United Malays National Organisation menjadi perlindung walhal yang menimbulkan kerena gerombolan ini.

MITOS KE TUJUH:

Malaysia negara unik. BOHONG. Mitos ini disebarkan untuk membodohkan rakyat negara ini yang malas membaca dan hanya suka mendengar. Mitos ini bertujun untuk menunjukkan hanya gerombolan United Malays National Organisation sahaja yang dapat memerintah kerana Malaysia unik.

Hakikatnya Malaysia tidak unik – bukan Malaysia sahaja dalam dunia ini yang berbilang kaum , yang berbilang bahasa, pelbagai agama dan budaya. Tidak ada negara yang monolith dalam dunia ini – semua ada kepelbagian. Setiap negara dalam dunia ini ada kepelbagaian.

TEKNOLOJI PECAHKAN MITOS

Lihatlah betapa teknoloji dan ilmu pengetahuan telah memecahkan mitos-mitos ini. Betapa internet telah membolehkan kita bersama-sama mencari fakta dan menilai dokumen sejarah.

Kalau dulu kita tidak tahu asal usul lagu Negara-ku – hari ini gambar dan riwayat hidup pembuat lagi ini kita kenali. Kalau dulu ada yang menerima mitos tentang kemedekaan dicapai tanpa tumpah darah. Hari ini mitos ini telah terbarai pecah. Dokument-dokumen sejarah semuanya boleh kita baca melaui internet.

Kemajuan manusia akan terus memecahkan mitos mitos yang lapuk dan berkarat ini. Teknoloji akan membebaskan manusia dari di perangkap dan di belenggu oleh mitos-mitos. Tanpa mitos manusia akan jadi berani. Insan yang berani bebas adalah insan yang berfikir. Manusia yang berfikir tidak akan tunduk kepada sesipa kecuali fikrahnya yang rasional.

Idris Jala:A minister reporting to a minister

There is nothing wrong with Najib's move to appoint Idris Jala as a Minister. Although, Idris probably is not the best CEO Malaysia Airlines ever had, he did fairly well. Despite his rather unexciting HR background, he made waves as a corporate leader. The likes of Tony Fernandes created tsunamis, but Idris Jala just needed to be impactful enough for the PM to stand up and take notice.

What people don't understand is why the Government needs another Minister to look at this thing called KPI. And why is this Minister answerable to another Minister, whose performance thus far has been far from impressive.

"The public is confused here," one of my regular correspondents from abroad pointed out. Najib needs to appoint more professionals to his Cabinet to help him realise the nation's Vision, but as the correspondence has it, "The execution of this strategy could have been better."