Kam Raslan’s Talking Edge

(Reprinted from The Edge – Options pullout, 25 August 2008 issue)

Olympics tally, ACA tally and performers being banned tally

Dear Kam,
Why are students complaining about the Universities and University Colleges Act? Why do they want to get involved in politics anyway? They should be studying. They should be grateful that they even get an education and can read and write. When I was their age, our school only had one book and we had to eat it when the Japanese came.
Speaking Up
Via email

You’re absolutely right. I was horrified to see students marching to Parliament to petition against the Act. If they really want to avoid going to lectures, then they shouldn’t be allowed to use politics as an excuse. Students shouldn’t be allowed to get involved in politics.

But I have seen that when students are studying overseas, where they are beyond the reach of our laws, they get involved in Malaysian political parties and I have seen lots of our politicians visiting them. That must be okay, as long as they aren’t demonstrating.

But a few days ago, I saw hordes of students demonstrating against an Opposition suggestion that certain universities be made open to non-bumis. Sometimes I get confused.

Dear Kam,
Why can’t Malaysia win any medals at the Olympics? It makes me so angry. I only watched Chong Wei in the badminton final because I couldn’t get out of my Ozawa chair.
Laid Back
Via email

Unfortunately, Malaysia didn’t win a gold medal. Lee Chong Wei played brilliantly in the badminton semi-final but fell apart in the final. Still, a silver is very good and I think it still puts Malaysia ahead of India in the all-time medals league. India, with a population of over a billion, has just won its first ever individual gold medal (they’ve won at hockey before) in shooting. So Malaysia shouldn’t be too hard on itself.

We shouldn’t forget the very good showing by two Malaysian track cyclists Awang and Ng. Awang (pronounced “A Wang” by the TV commentator) did particularly well in the sprint against British cyclist Chris Hoy, who went on to win the gold medal. Hoy is huge and Awang looked tiny by comparison but where the Malaysian lacked in power he tried to make up in tactics and he did very well. Awang was also the only Asian to make it that far in the competition. Malaysian cycling has a bright future, which I think is great because I love cycling. Well, I love watching cycling, that is. I wouldn’t dream of actually cycling in Malaysia because it’s too damn hot and cycling on our streets is basically suicide. But if the Olympics could introduce an event that involves cycling the wrong way around a track while carrying an umbrella and some scrap metal, then I think we would win gold every time. We would also do very well if men’s gymnastics could be performed on a motorcycle.

The big surprise at the Olympics has not been the success of China but the success of Britain. At the time of writing, they have already won 36 medals, including 16 gold, which puts them third on the medals table. This is an amazing turnaround for a country that can usually expect a mere handful. Track cycling in particular has seen complete British domination (two words that haven’t been put together since the Zulu War of 1879). Many countries will surely look to the British model in order to improve their athletes and I’m sure Malaysia will be one. But it comes at a price. It has cost millions and in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, the British will be spending £600 million (RM3.7 billion, I think, but I’m not really sure what a billion is) on training their athletes. Of this, £500 million will come from the government and National Lottery (their four digit) and £100 million from business sponsorship. It used to be pure luck if they won any medals because aspiring athletes would have to train on their own without any help but now over 300athletes are paid a full-time wage, along with trainers and support staff.

We should follow this model because with that much money, a lot of “support staff” and their wives could have some excellent shopping trips in London. And maybe, occasionally, a couple of athletes could be sent to Port Dickson to run around a track, or whatever it is they do. It would be a win-win situation, except it wouldn’t win any medals, but that’s not the point.

Dear Kam,
I read that our PM said he had no objection if the ACA wanted to investigate Umno for money politics. Does the ACA always have to seek the PM’s permission before it can carry out any investigation on any body or person?
Frustrated
Via email

I have to admit that I don’t know anything about this story. I don’t know if the ACA was seeking permission or if it’s necessary for the PM to grant permission. It might be that the PM was simply commenting, in his capacity as president of Umno, that it’s alright by him. Or maybe it is as you suggest. Sadly, I am too lazy to look into this (at least I’m being honest).

Although the ACA is being mentioned in the papers more than I have ever seen before, I still know very little about them. Thanks to them, some immigration official is being prosecuted for receiving a bribe of RM60,000. That sounds very impressive because many of us can still remember the time when 10 sen couldof Bentong.

Dear Kam,
I’m glad to see that the Avril Lavigne concert has been cancelled. This is a good thing because she is a bad influence. I don’t know exactly how but that’s what everyone else is saying.
Follow Suit
Via mail

Hooray! This is a huge victory over Canadian female singers. And why stop here? Let’s ban Celine Dion, Joni Mitchell and Alanis Morrisette. They need to be taught a lesson. And after that we should ban Canada! And even though that makes no sense whatsoever, we should then ban the 20th century and electricity. And after at we can all emigrate to Canada.

Reprinted with the kind permission of