Asia News

Asia News etc

Malaysia

Schools not flying Jalur Gemilang come under fire -- Aug 14. 2003, New Strait Times - Malaysia

Perak Eduction director Datuk Adnan Ibrahim was saddened by the indifferent attitude of some schools in the State which have yet to fly the Jalur Gemilang. "Five per cent of the schools in the State refuse to fly the national flag. "Some of the schools do not even have a flagpole," he told reporters after the launch of the state-level student leaders' patriotic gathering in conjunction with the National Day celebrations at Univerciti Teknologi Petronas here today.

Adnan said if the headmasters did not lead the way by showing their patriotism, the student could not be expected to show their love for the country.

In a related article: All commercial vehcicles must display the flag during the month of "Merdeka" celebration. Ironically, Merdeka means "Freedom" but the Malyasians are not free to decide if they want to fly the flag or not!

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Indonesia

Sampoerna offers scholarships to study abroad for poor students

Several articles talk about the importance of security as a way of preventing deaths from terrorist attacks. But none talk about education or listening to the "terrorists" or how "terrorists" are created by society.

One editorial talks about how the US debt is going to be a problem for Asia.

Navy tries out new weapons - Indonesia bought 4 Czech made missile launchers. A military leader said "To maintain our sovereignty we must have power, and to have power we must equip ourselves with sophisticated weaponry." It didn't say how much the missile launchers cost or how many books could be purchased for the same amount of money.

(Jakarta Post Sept 13, 2003 p 4)

Suicides Jump In Bali (Front page story) Bali Sun Weekender - 24 October 2003.

"Suicide and attempted suicide cases in Bali have jumped dramatically in the past six months and last month alone there were 40 percent more than the same month last year. In the past 6 months there have been 73 attempted suicide cases reported to Sanglah Hospital alone. Sanglah Hospital Psychiatrist D. Lely S. Chandra said "..most of the victims are teenagers and young adults." He said that young people who attempt suicide "do not have the understanding of their parents" and were not raised with the right approach by their parents. One young woman who attempted to kill herself said she had a lot of problems on her mind and did not share them with others. She said was not able to communicate her problems even to her close friends and boyfriend. She said she was at dinner with her boyfriend when she decided to try to kill herself. She was sitting there trying to talk to him and did not get a helpful response from him. She said he looked "uninterested." She the left the restaurant and went to the car where she drank insect killer. She she also tried to kill herself a few years earlier when she had an argument with her father.

A teenager said he tried to kill himself because his family tries to control him. He said, "My family, especially my father, wants to make decisions for me." He said the night he tried to kill himself he came home late he said, it "made his father angry and he gave me a talking to for a couple of hours." It was after that he tried to kill himself.

Dr. Chandra said hospital treatment was not the answer. He said what was needed was education for the parents.

Another story about how regular passengers had to take long detours to get to and from their flights when the George Bush was flew into Bali. There were pictures of all the security guards around the airport. I wondered how the Indonesian police felt about providing security to Bush and wondered what would happen if they had told their bosses they didn't want to take that assignment.

"Bush offers $US 36 million to fight terrorism."

"Students demonstrate outside the US consulate before the Bush visit."

"Protesters taken into custody after Canberra rally" - This is about people protesting the visit of Bush to Australia.

"Bush addresses the Australia Parliment" - He calls John Howard a leader of exceptional courage.

JP - Nov 2 - Staying true to the spirit of fasting month all year long. Indira Husin. Talks about how her boyfriend "suddenly turned into Mr. Prude" - she calls herself Miss Slutty and says they have never been particularly religious and would "certainly be looked down upon by our hard-line brethern" for their "secular lifestyle which includes social drinking, hanging out with a gay-friendly crowd and having a pro-choice attitude." She calls the fasting month "pointless and hollow because the massage parlors and discos all repopen once the month is over."

Karen de Jong Zumaeta - Student at International School in Bogor wrote about how teenage girls are taught to believe thin and being like Britney Spears is beautiful. But she says "our emotions about ourselves and our sense of self-worth must come from within..." - but really they begin with how the parents feel about them.

Jakarta Post - Nov 28

Over 40 Papuans arrested for flying separatist flags. - "They can be charged with treason as stipulated by Article 106 of the Criminal Code" said the police chief.

Japan - Schools' intolerance of those who do not conform is illustrated by a reported incident at a Japanese school. Two students were caught smoking at school. The teacher locked them in the shed for two days, giving them only a cup of tea. When the shed was open, both had died from heat exhaustion. -- From an article about "hikikomoro" which means something like dropping out of society and sitting in a room playing computer games. It talks about how young people don't want to be like their fathers - just working for someone else all their lives. They don't see the stress of school and exams as being worth it. "Kids are disillusioned about their future and find it difficult to find meaning in going to work and going to school." "Freeters" are people who work part time jobs so they can have their freedom. Japan's schools have little space in them for creative subjects or anything not related to the conventional career path.

At the heart of Hikikomori is an emptiness created by a lost interest in life. There is a supreme sense of loneliness, of beng unable to connect, of helplessness and abandonment. There is a bitterness towards those who have contributed to their situation; namely their parents, which explains why parents are ofren the victim when Hikikomori individuals become viloent. Hikikomori seems to be similar to the hopelesssness that sparks drug addiction, alcoholism, suicide and other ills in all societies.

-- In Pelican, the Student newspaper at U of West Australia. Volume 73, Edition 8, page 31

Comments: It is likely that the parents of these people have called the children "lazy, irresponsible, "etc. They have likely been creating resentment for years and years. So it seems inaccurate to say that these parents could then be called "victims" of violence if their children eventually act in extrememly resentful ways.

"World's 'Oldest Trade' Flourishing in Bejing. It says a girl can make the same amout of money with one customer as her father can working for a month. About 300 yuan. There is prostitution in "every city" in China even though it is illegal and brothel owners "could face the death penalty." A survey showed that over 10 percent of the Chinese men under forty with partners have used prostitutes. New Straits Times August 14, 2003 page 16

"The Sixty Minute Father" - a book by Rob Parsons about spending more time with your family. "I was always saying to my kids 'We'll do it later. But later never came." "Aways remember that no one is going to their deathbed saying "I wish I'd spent more time at the office."

(I am not sure though - I might say I wish I had spent more time writing...)

An article someone could write: about the bus drivers in Perth and the stress. One woman said "Well at least you still have a job. That's the main thing. He replied, "Only just. I got a written warning last week." I asked him why and he said he followed the wrong route. Another driver told me that their tight schedule was causing more accidents because they had to hurry. Another one lectured me about not having my fare ready. They won't drop you off in between stops. It is a $400 dollar fine for the driver if they do. The doors in the back don't open. They don't wait for you if you are running up and standing at the back door. There is no button to push to open the doors like there is on the buses in Germany. There is a button to push on the metro train cars though. If you stand and wait for the door to open it will leave without you. Another driver told me that he hated his job. Then you could write about the high technology tracking system they use. The one that often gives you wrong information.

UMI campus closed after deadly clash - Sept 17, 2003 Jakarta Post: Administration closes campus for two days after a student was killed by other students. The student was "beaten and stabbed to death." Police were searching for 15 suspects. This was the second death on a campus in Indonesia in September. On Sept 2 a student, Wayhu Hidayat, was killed by other students at a military training school, STPDN. Last year another student was killed at STPDN. It was said he was beaten to death by other students.

Killing Arafat 'option for Israel' - Sept 15, Jakarata Post

Tanjung Priok rights trial eventually starts. This is about the trial of 11 military officers who were involved killing over 30 villagers 19 years ago. The killings were "reportedly set off by a military soldier who entered a prayer room without obeying certain religious protocols..." "He went in to tear down posters which the government considered extremist in nature, but he did not take off his boots, an act considered to be tantamout to desecration in a Muslik holy place. Witnesses alleged thta the soldier smeared gutter water on the walls as well. An outraged group of people then burnt the soldier's motorcycle. Four people were arrested. Five days later some 1,500 civilians led a march to the police station to have those arrested released and the police opened fire. Many others were allegedly tortured.

Release angst to heal faster - Reasearchers gave 36 people got small cuts then had half of them write about upsetting events in their lives for 20 minutes a day for three days. The other half wrote about how they spent their free time each day. The ones who wrote about their upsetting events healed faster than those who didn't. Suzanne Scott was the lead researcher. From the psych department at King's College London.

Pornographic movies proliferate in post-Saddam Iraq. Sept 12, Jakarta Post. Demand for pornographich movies has proved high "despite Iraq's strict Muslim morals." "The few places trying to maintain respectability have been forced to mix their bill to include a few crowd-pulling blue movies to cover costs. A cinema owner said: 'We feel bitter and disgusted to show such pictures because this cinema has always shown good films. But if we don't, theres no money to pay our wages and rent. Just 50 people a day come for the good movies. Hundreds come for the "romantic" ones. We must go with the market."

Navy tries out new weaponry. Jakarata Post. Indonesia purchased four missle launchers from the Czech Republic. A military official said, "To maintain our sovereignty we must hav power, and to h ave the poower we must equip ourselves with sophsiticated weaponry." The article doesn't say how much this cost or how many local libraries could have been built with the same money.

Indonesia sends a special envoy to Myanmar since the junta has given no indication that opposition leader Aun San Suu Kyi will be realeased anytime soon.

Sampoerna offers academic scholarships

Concerned about the increasing flight of Indonesian scientists and researchers overseas, the Sampoena Foundation, in cooperation with the goverment, is offering academic scholarships for exemplary, but underprivileged students to senior high schools and abroad.

The scholarships are not binding, but recipients are expected to continue their studies at home and dedicate their expertise toward nation al developmen.

Elan Merdy, operation director of the Samporna Foundation, told The Jakarta Post by telephone on Friday that the foundation had provided scholarships to thousands of senior high school students and hundres of undergraduate and postgraduate students at prestigious universities at home and abroad.

As of las month, the foundation-established in 1991 by tobacco giant PT Sampoerna-had granted school arschips to 4,725 students at 1,700 senior high schools nationwide, and 87 undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Elan said that he could understand why many Indonesian students have sought scholarships from developed countries such as the United States, Japan and the European countries-not only did students see such programs as an opportunity to develop their skills and talments, but they also did not foresee that working condition in the country would improve amid the prolonged economic and political erises.

“Even worse, many experts are living in the U.S. and other developed countries because they cannot live in peace and prosperty here,”he said, saying such exprts lived a good live overseas because they were paid high for their knowledge and skills.

As part of its educational campaign, Sampoerna is also sponsoring the 2003 National Science Olympiad to be held in the South Kalimantan capital of Balikpapan from Sept. 15 to 19, to seek talented students to be trained as future scientist and researchers.

Olympiad coordinator Suharlan said the scientific contest, which is open to university students, would provide four winiing students each with a Rp 40 million (US $4,705)

Nov 28 - Jkt post - Poet Benjamin Zephania rejects OBE (Officer of the British Empire) award. "I get angry when I hear the word empire, it reminds me of slavery, of thousands of years of brutality." He said he would never accept an award from Tony Blair. He said, "You can't fool me Mr. Blair. You want to privatize us all; you want to send us to war. You stay silent when we need you to speak for us, preferring to be the voice of the US."

From Phillipenes

- New Cardinal comes in... The last one, Jaime Sin "marshalled massive protests that drove Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada from office in 98 and 2001, respectively.

India

India’s Supreme Court slams Gujarat government for Muslim carnage

The Supreme Court on Friday attacked the government of Gujarat, saying it had no faith that the western Indian state would bring Hindu rioters to book for last year’s carnage of minority Muslims.

“I have no faith left in the prosecution and the Gujarat government. You have to protect people and punish the guilty. What else is “ Rajdharma” (government duty)?” Khare asked.

The court told the provincial government to extend protection to Sheikh, who fled Gujarat and now seeks justice for her father and his 11 Muslim workers who were burned to death in the Best Bakery by Hindu rioters.