Quick notes on Malaysia
Some quick, quick notes with regards to Malaysia.
Twitter in Malaysia
It seems that the Malaysians have done it again! They’ve copied Twitter, and they have PacMee. The model requires you to have a mobile phone, so it is obviously more expensive than Twitter. But they’re probably aiming to go on popularity – they’ve got “famous” bloggers like cheesie, nicolekiss and kennysia. The first two are complete camwhores (which is why I have their feeds in Google Reader, so when I’m bored on the train, I get entertained), and they don’t exactly look loathsome, so probably have a good readership. What I found interesting with PacMee is that they’re doing and interesting contest – The Most Happening Babes on Friendster. It just goes to show that Friendster is still very much alive (oh, don’t talk about OpenSocial, just yet), and if you find a “babe”, you might be inclined to follow her on PacMee. All in all, making Maxis/Hotlink a pretty penny. They also have an API!
My search-fu doesn’t stretch to show me much information about this archaic organisation, the Overseas Umno Club Alumni. Is it the fact that they’re Umno folk that are overseas? Should they then stop butting into Malaysian issues? These folk seem to think Bahasa Melayu is a better name for the national language. However, the Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin, has said “the use of the term Bahasa Malaysia was a more friendly and effective approach in the effort to unite Malaysians.” A name of a language to unite Malaysians? Surely they assume Malaysians in general are morons, right?
When the Taliban destroyed ancient Buddhist sculptures in Afghanistan, it made world news. In Malaysia, the governmental agencies decided it was okay to wipe out 60 years of history for a Hindu temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, not much was said and done. In addition, assaulting the Chief Priest, seemed like a good idea. All before the Hindu festival of Diwali/Deepavali, which ironically, happens today. What is Malaysia coming to? A disgusting place lacking religious freedoms? Let it be my next pet project to document these beautiful structures, lest they disappear.
Via Shashi Tharoor, he quotes a New York Times editorial piece by Tina Rosenberg: “Mobs often seek to destroy religious & ethnic sites, both to intimidate the people who hold them sacred and to send the message ‘you do not belong here.’” 50 years of independence?