In the book Economic Explained (by Robert Heilbroner and Lester Thurow), a parade of incomes was depicted in the analogy of a parade of flags. The population is lined up in order of its income. 'Assume that the height of the middle houshold to be 6 feet, representing a median income of $34,000 in 1995. This will be our height as observers. What would our parade look like?
It would begin with a few families below the ground, for there are some hosueholds with negative incomes; that is, they report losses for the year. Mainly these are families with business losses, and are not matched by general poverty. Following close comes a longline of dwarfs who make up about one fifth of all families, people less than three feet tall. Some are shorter than one foot.
Only after the parade is half over do we reach people whose faces are at our level. Then come the giants. When we reach the last 5 percent of the parade - incomes above $100,000 - people are 20 feet tall. At the end of the parade, people tower 600 to 6000 feet into the air - one hundred to one thousand times as tall as the middle height. What is the largest income in the country? Probably our sixty-odd billionaires have incomes of over $100 million. '
- adapted from Jan Pen, Income Distribution, (New York: Praeger, 1971).
It blows my mind away to imagine the two extreme ends of the parade. The analogy provides a very interesting way to see how unequally is wealth distributed throughout the world population. Why is this happening? Is capitalism to be blamed?
Many would agree the saying that the poorer you are, the harder is it for you to get out from poverty. Another interesting logic that I heard (from Chin Tong) was that families with higher income which afford to hire maids, will have more times to go out to work and earn more, and vice versa.
Are our systems built to help the less fortunate?
***
These findings were coupled with the article I read on Malaysiankini on the health service in the rural area in Sarawak. While the urban dwellers are so blessed with high-end medical devices and hospital facilities, villagers in the interior of Borneo has to walk hours by foot just to go to a clinic. If the medical condition get serious, the only way, other than laying to death, is to fly them off to hospitals in town such as Miri. Yet even that, the contractor has failed to fulfill their contract in providing helicopter service. Upon reaching the hospital (if they successfully do), some villagers face the rejection from the hospital as they do not have identity cards. Remember, they live in rural area which is far far away from the National Registration Department, and might not even know how to get there. Yet for those that managed to receive medical assistance, who will help them to pay the bills?
Indeed, these are the people that are 'long forgotten by the nation 46 years after their independence from British rule', as the writer puts it.
One story on unequal distribution of wealth in the world of humankind, and another one on the unequal treatment of social welfare to people who are all being called the same - Malaysians.
I understand neither of them.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Cowhead bloodshed is to be condemned!
This is barbarian. I can't believe that this is happening to my country.
Paraphrasing Yasmin Ahmad, 'Someone please wake me up from this nightmare and tell me it's not true and it doesn't happen in my country'
No greater religious offence is than to downgrade one's deity publicly.
Does the fact that you're a 80% majority means the religious rights of the 20% minority shall not be protected?
Does the fact that Islam is the official religion of the country means that the existence of other religion shall be suppressed?
We Malaysians are so narrow minded that we can't even allow 'anOTHER' to co-exist.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Convocation
Convocation is finally here!Tomorrow, 3.00 pm at Dewan Tunku Canselor, Universiti Malaya.
My Convo Message sounds: To God be the Glory, To YOU be my many thanks.
Indeed no words can express my gratefulness to you. Yes YOU. Tomorrow will not happen without you.
Welcome to join me on the joyous event! (will be out at 5 pm)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Political secretary found dead
Today's lastest headlines: Sri Kembangan Assemblymen's political secretary dead at MACC
The news is not much different from the many recent chains of political scandals, only thing is that this time, someone's LIFE is involved.
It's still uncertain why is this happening. Does he committed suicide due to some unspeakable reason? Or is this another dark plot that we the commoner can only imagine through what the dramas potray?
I admit that my daily work emotion has been shaken albeit. It doesn't really concern me, after all my current given task now is none other than to set up a contact database for the team. Yet it DOES concern me, not just as a DAP employee but more importantly a Rakyat Malaysia.
It makes one wonder, how dirty can politics get? It makes me wonder, how does one continue the fight for a better Malaysia in such corrupted environment?
I was asked this morning whether the recent scandals are true. Yet, who can know the truth? Who can understand the truth? Who can be sure, that what he thinks is truth, is really true?
Guess only by the discretion from Above. And may we find strength in fighting for what we believe in.
The news is not much different from the many recent chains of political scandals, only thing is that this time, someone's LIFE is involved.
It's still uncertain why is this happening. Does he committed suicide due to some unspeakable reason? Or is this another dark plot that we the commoner can only imagine through what the dramas potray?
I admit that my daily work emotion has been shaken albeit. It doesn't really concern me, after all my current given task now is none other than to set up a contact database for the team. Yet it DOES concern me, not just as a DAP employee but more importantly a Rakyat Malaysia.
It makes one wonder, how dirty can politics get? It makes me wonder, how does one continue the fight for a better Malaysia in such corrupted environment?
I was asked this morning whether the recent scandals are true. Yet, who can know the truth? Who can understand the truth? Who can be sure, that what he thinks is truth, is really true?
Guess only by the discretion from Above. And may we find strength in fighting for what we believe in.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Squatters
(Picture courtesy by Miss Pek Bee Hong)A substantial amount of my time at work has been spent on the squatters issue. It is a main and frequent issue in Penang, due to the limited land that we have.
Yesterday and today morning were spent visiting the squatters area. I managed to contact one of the residents to be our guide. What welcome us next was, to my surprise, a quiet path with tree growing messily besides it. As we walk down the road, i met vegetation farms and orchards. We visitted every houses, they are simple, but most of them includes a big compound in front of the door. A river flow across the land, which, according to one of the residents, was their childhood natural playground before some families start raising pigs and pollute the water.
One step away from the entrance, is another world that is full of high rise buildings, hotels, and 'classy' neighbourhood.
A few months later, this place would see yet another building emerging, and perhaps, a new landmark that will goes down the history.
It was the story of the last generation, how they settled down on land that they didn't own, and how their children multiply from a registered house to many unregistered houses. As the places are to be demolished, what would the story of the next generation be like? Who, would remember this place anymore? Once the bulldozers are in, it will be gone forever.
Yet all these sentiments would not save the place from the demand of development. Undeniably, building new apartments boost the economic growth of the state and country, providing job opportunities, allowing companies to have higher spending power which will eventually contribute to the society. Failing these, we'll lose out and will be of under advantage compare to others countries.
It is similar in the cases of people choosing cellular phones despite reports on the danger of radiation to human's health.
Perhaps, this is the path the we the human races has chosen. And as we chose it, we soon realize that we can't stop choosing it anymore.
We chose to evolve, but do we know how?
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Today
Mark the completion of my first week as an MP intern. :)
As some of you might have known, i am currently attached to MP Bukit Bendera Office as an intern, thanks to the attachment programme anchored by PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, and Rachel who told me about it.
Why? First of course I believe that this would be an invaluable experience in life, if not a great opportunity to learn and explore the political arena of the country. I wanted to come out from my shell, in which I criticize about injustice and bad governance, and get a feel on the real ground.
It started off with a 'Penang Outlook Forum' which aimed to offer a new blueprint for the state development. I then attended a workshop on Gender Equality, a talk on media freedom, a meeting on housing development, and two dinners. The highlight of the week would be the welcoming of Singapore Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. It earned me a ticket to go in the the CM's office together with the press. Too bad the day was photographically quite unsuccessful, but I guess I was fortunate enough! :P
Basically I followed my 'tauke', YB Liew Chin Tong around. It was first quite frightening at first to be in the presence of the many big shots, but slowly I learnt to confidently approach them and humbly learn from them (when chances arise), at the same time respecting their wisdom and experience. The rest of the time, in fact most of the time, I helped out in the service center. There were many issues involving a wide range of people, from the old to the young, the educated to the uneducated, the reasonable, to the unreasonable. It definitely a different kind of office work. Well, that's politic for you :)
Whether I would get involve in politic in the future, it is still uncertain. My underlined principle for my future undertaking is simple: I want to make the world a better place, and I do acknowledge the influence a leader has on the people, how the use (or misuse) of power can affect the lives of many. Yet, ultimately the GOD factor has to be considered to determine which path to choose.
The fact that I come a science background generated a lot of curiosity in the people i meet. Once Carol, the Chief of Staff of YB Liew, cheekily helped me to answer: She wants change! and I responded jokingly: for myself, or for the country?
Both, maybe.
~~~
Today is also my first Sabbath after the attachment. I intentionally kept in rather 'apolitical'. As I was feeling a little empty inside and wonder what is lacking, I decided to turn on some music and do some strecthing, something that I haven't been doing for a long time. Ah, it filled the holes in this soul!
And tomorrow would be a new week. Hope it would get more and more wonderful!
As some of you might have known, i am currently attached to MP Bukit Bendera Office as an intern, thanks to the attachment programme anchored by PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, and Rachel who told me about it.
Why? First of course I believe that this would be an invaluable experience in life, if not a great opportunity to learn and explore the political arena of the country. I wanted to come out from my shell, in which I criticize about injustice and bad governance, and get a feel on the real ground.
It started off with a 'Penang Outlook Forum' which aimed to offer a new blueprint for the state development. I then attended a workshop on Gender Equality, a talk on media freedom, a meeting on housing development, and two dinners. The highlight of the week would be the welcoming of Singapore Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. It earned me a ticket to go in the the CM's office together with the press. Too bad the day was photographically quite unsuccessful, but I guess I was fortunate enough! :P
Basically I followed my 'tauke', YB Liew Chin Tong around. It was first quite frightening at first to be in the presence of the many big shots, but slowly I learnt to confidently approach them and humbly learn from them (when chances arise), at the same time respecting their wisdom and experience. The rest of the time, in fact most of the time, I helped out in the service center. There were many issues involving a wide range of people, from the old to the young, the educated to the uneducated, the reasonable, to the unreasonable. It definitely a different kind of office work. Well, that's politic for you :)
Whether I would get involve in politic in the future, it is still uncertain. My underlined principle for my future undertaking is simple: I want to make the world a better place, and I do acknowledge the influence a leader has on the people, how the use (or misuse) of power can affect the lives of many. Yet, ultimately the GOD factor has to be considered to determine which path to choose.
The fact that I come a science background generated a lot of curiosity in the people i meet. Once Carol, the Chief of Staff of YB Liew, cheekily helped me to answer: She wants change! and I responded jokingly: for myself, or for the country?
Both, maybe.
~~~
Today is also my first Sabbath after the attachment. I intentionally kept in rather 'apolitical'. As I was feeling a little empty inside and wonder what is lacking, I decided to turn on some music and do some strecthing, something that I haven't been doing for a long time. Ah, it filled the holes in this soul!
And tomorrow would be a new week. Hope it would get more and more wonderful!
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