Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by bub01

Would you agree with abolishment of AP system?

bub01 — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 04:38:22 +0800

https://www.malaymail.com/news/opinion/2023...-malaysia/77614

Affirmative action in the US and Malaysia

Monday, 03 Jul 2023 3:04 PM MYT
By Alwyn Lau

JULY 3 — Last week, the US Supreme Court dealt a major blow for affirmative action in the context of college admissions in the country when it ruled 6-3 against such programmes by the University of Carolina and Harvard.

As with controversial topics, the responses were split down the middle. Conservatives celebrated it as a victory for meritocracy and a “colour-blind” Constitution. Liberals panned it as a tragedy for diversity in college campuses, especially given historic racial discrimination.

It does look like a classic parallax, with the two sides seemingly orbiting a different planet with no “bridge” between them.

For conservatives, it simply cannot make sense for, say, a white student with a CGPA of 3.8 to not be admitted mainly because a black kid with a CGPA of 3.1 took his place.

This sounds like blatant discrimination or favouritism based on skin colour.

Liberals, on the other hand, will point to the discrimination and prejudice already having occurred throughout history. Affirmative action, under this perspective, is viewed not unlike reparations meant to undo a past injustice.

As per Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who dissented, colour-blindness is a luxury not afforded to some ethnicities because “the inevitable truth is that race matters in students’ lives” and hard work simply won’t suffice.

Interestingly enough, Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the judges with a concurring opinion (also only the second Black man to serve on the Supreme Court ), declared that to continue such action would be to live in the 1860s or the 1960s; affirmative action, for Thomas, was “cancerous on young minds” and (presumably acknowledging the States’ racist past on which affirmative action is based) “two discriminatory wrongs cannot make a right.”

Another argument against affirmative action is that in the long-term the market may view with suspicion those who benefitted from such policies, especially if the quality isn’t forthcoming — which then more or less defeats its purpose.

At the heart of things, it does appear to boil down to how much priority or emphasis we wish to put on the individual vis-à-vis groups.

Am I called to be all I can be to get as far as I can (ignoring almost everything about history or society), or is society obligated to give me a leg up (even at the expense of a more deserving individual) simply because I belong to a particular ethnic group?

This question will, I suspect, be debated even a century from now.

Affirmative action in Malaysia?

By sheer coincidence, the Supreme Court decision happened about a day or two after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad posted some controversial tweets about race in Malaysia.

According to Mahathir, affirmative action must continue because Malay students and businesspeople would not be able to compete with non-Malays otherwise.

We must note, however, that affirmative action in Malaysia occurs within a different context. In the States, people of colour are not the dominant ethnicity whereas in our country Malays have been both the majority ethnicity as well as the custodian of political power since Independence.

As such, if affirmative action faces challenges in the States, it would be even harder to justify in Malaysia — or would it?

More than a few folks follow Mahathir in reading our current political situation as continuing to necessitate hand-outs and favouritism.

They would insist that more than six decades of such institutional discrimination have not done much in terms of elevating the Malays vis-à-vis the non-Malays and levelling the playing field would potentially spell disaster.

On the other hand (one I confess I lean towards), it’s hard to see how much more affirmative action can help if it’s still required after more than half a century.

Ultimately, I hope all deserving Malaysians get a chance to prove themselves. Equality of opportunity is, thankfully, the one thing very few people disagree on.

The question is how critical is ensuring equality of outcome in an ethnically complex society? What are the pitfalls and promises?

And, perhaps urgently for both the US and Malaysia, are there less controversial ways forward?

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Berhati-hati Lantik Menteri

bub01 — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 01:40:41 +0800

QUOTE

Berhati-hati Lantik Menteri

1. Jangan tengok Daim Zainuddin seorang saja sebagai orang luar dan teknoktrat yang dilantik menjadi Menteri Kewangan. Orang masih ingat Daim kerana dia berjaya. Setelah lebih 20 tahun bersara, namanya masih dikaitkan dengan perkembangan politik negara.
2. Macam yang saya ulas dalam kolum akhbar Sinar Harian semalam, seperti keratan di bawah, pemilihan Menteri Kewangan adalah sangat penting. Anwar sendiri tidak boleh ambil jawatan itu kerana bertentangan dengan dasar PH bahawa Perdana Menteri tidak boleh pegang jawatan kedua.
3. Seelok-eloknya calon Menteri Kewangan biarlah di kalangan Ahli Parlimen. Tolak sebelah calon dari luar kerana pengalaman kita dengan ramai Menteri Kewangan dari sektor swasta adalah mereka yang tidak "perform" malah sangat hambar dan membawa padah kepada negara.
4. Kalau hendak pertimbangankan juga, wajib disiasat dan dihalusi latar belakang serta prestasi mereka, khususnya yang pernah menjadi Menteri Kewangan Kedua dalam kerajaan-kerajaan dahulu.
5. Wajib tengok rekod Suruhanjaya Sekuriti sama mereka terlibat dengan jenayah perdagangan macam "insider trading", mengubah wang haram dan sebagainya. Ini adalah kerana banyak penyelewengan dan manipulasi yang melibatkan berbilion ringgit duit rakyat jelata telah mereka lakukan seperti dalam pembelian saham Eagle High Plantations di Indonesia oleh Felda di mana ia menderita kerugian modal lebih RM2 bilion atau boros menggunakan duit GLIC/GLC mendirikan pencakar langit.
6. Kita sudah ada pengalaman dengan Menteri Kewangan dari sektor korporat macam Nor Mohamed Yakcop zaman Dr Mahathir Mohamad yang menyusun semula aset korporat milik Bumiputera untuk diberikan kepada tabung-tabung pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan (GLIC) berikutan krisis kewangan Asia 1997-98. Sampai hari ini beliau masih berpengaruh ke atas banyak eksekutif GLC/GLIC.
7. Pada zaman peralihan Dr Mahathir-Abdullah Ahmad Badawi kita ada Almarhum Jamaluddin Jarjis yang terbongkar kekayaan luar biasanya dalam saman pembahagian harta oleh ibunya sendiri. Dia menjadi Menteri Kewangan Kedua dan selepas itu Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi.
8. Zaman Abdullah juga muncul "wunderkinder" Idris Jala yang menjual harta Malaysia Airlines dalam skim "asset unbundling". Dia asalnya eksekutif syarikat Shell yang mengurus kilang Middle Distillate Synthesis (MDS) di Sarawak. Tengok apa terjadi kepada Mas selepas habis asetnya dijual dan dipaksa bergabung dengan Air Asia?
9. Zaman Mohd Najib Abdul Razak ada Abdul Wahid Omar dan Johari Abdul Ghani. Abdul Wajib diingati sebagai, "famously" berkata, model perniagaan 1MDB tidak lestari setelah skandal bilion ringgit melibatkan Mohd Najib itu meledak. Kemudian sebagai Pengerusi Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNB) dia terlibat dengan pembinaan Menara 118 yang dianggarkan menelan belanja RM6 bilion. Apa pulangan yang boleh diharapkan untuk PNB dan pelabur skim amanah saham kelolaan PNB tidak jelas. Sejak April 2020 dia menjadi Pengerusi Bursa Malaysia.
10. Johari menjadi Menteri Kewangan Kedua pada ketika pendedahan skandal 1MDB memuncak dan Mohd Najib menolong sahabat karibnya dari Indonesia, Peter Sondakh, dengan mendesak Felda membeli ladang Eagle High Plantations Tbk. Akibat urus niaga itu Felda rugi (atas kertas) RM2 bilion.
11. Kemudian masa pemerintahan kerajaan tebuk atap Mahiaddin Md Yasin dan Ismail Sabri Yaakob kita ada Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Rekod pencapaian atau kegagalan beliau ada untuk semua melihatnya.
12. Akhir kalam, mohon Anwar dan orang kepercayaannya yang sedang mengatur pembentukan Kabinet agar tidak melantik orang korporat yang rekodnya mencurigakan. Kalau tidak tahu atau kelabu, tanyalah kepada yang tahu.
13. Parti-parti kerajaan perpaduan pula tolonglah calonkan Ahli Parlimen yang berpengetahuan, bebas jenayah dan berintegriti. Kalau Anwar kata lantikan Kabinet bukan ganjaran, parti-parti kerajaan perpaduan janganlah pula jadikannya bahan ugutan.
Sekian. Terima kasih.

https://www.facebook.com/akadir.jasin.5

First Malaysian prime minister

bub01 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 22:51:02 +0800

[YOUTUBE]wWMR0S1eyGY[/YOUTUBE]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct39m5

How Libya Built

bub01 — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:34:14 +0800

[YOUTUBE]jjOW6kLEckg[/YOUTUBE]

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Family secretly film life in

bub01 — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:26:31 +0800

[YOUTUBE]QSaxduOxogU[/YOUTUBE]

Have you ever hurt your back sneezing?

bub01 — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:54:21 +0800

Hurt my back after sneezing few times after showering this morning. Sneezed quite loudly. Felt pain on upper back and breathless after the last sneeze. Still hurts. Resting now. Internet search shows this is common. Have this ever happened to you?

How the world's first sand battery

bub01 — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 13:42:44 +0800

[YOUTUBE]Azaf9tKJNoA[/YOUTUBE]
Ironic we have to thank Putin for alternative energy technologies to thrive and get financial backing

Separuh daripada Semenanjung Malaysia dimiliki

bub01 — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 15:14:09 +0800

Separuh daripada Semenanjung Malaysia dimiliki orang Cina, gara-gara bangsa Melayu asyik jual tanah – Dr. Mahathir

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mendakwa separuh daripada Semenanjung Tanah Melayu ketika ini telah dimiliki orang Cina ekoran tindakan orang Melayu yang menjual tanah kepada mereka.

Jika situasi ini berterusan dalam jangka masa 20 tahun, tanah Melayu akan dimiliki oleh orang Cina seperti Singapura.

“Kenapa? Kerana kita miskin. Kenapa kita miskin kerana kita tak sanggup nak belajar, berusaha mendapat kekayaan. Kita tunjuk macam mana nak dapat kekayaan, tapi kita tolak,” – Dr. Mahathir

Beliau memohon maaf kepada orang Melayu sekiranya terguris hati berkenaan kenyataan kontroversi beliau sebelum ini yang menyifatkan ‘Melayu malas’.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tertanya-tanya sama ada permohonan maaf itu mampu mengubah keadaan orang Melayu jika mereka tidak berusaha.

Beliau ada menyatakan akibat kesempitan wang dan situasi ekonomi mendesak, orang Melayu pilih gadai tanah demi meneruskan kelangsungan hidup.

Sudah tiba masanya kerajaan dan pemimpin politik mula menitikberatkan hal ini dan tidak hanya berdiam diri.

KUALA LUMPUR – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mendakwa separuh daripada Semenanjung Tanah Melayu ketika ini telah dimiliki orang Cina ekoran tindakan orang Melayu yang menjual tanah kepada mereka.

Katanya, “Di masa hadapan kalau proses penjualan tanah orang Melayu kepada orang Cina berterusan dalam jangka masa 20 tahun, tanah Melayu ini akan dimiliki oleh orang Cina seperti Singapura.

“Kenapa? Kerana kita miskin. Kenapa kita miskin kerana kita tak sanggup nak belajar, berusaha mendapat kekayaan. Kita tunjuk macam mana nak dapat kekayaan, tapi kita tolak,” katanya pada Ahad ketika program Dialog Parti Politik Melayu-Islam, di Hotel Adamson Kuala Lumpur.

Pada masa sama, bekas Perdana Menteri itu turut memohon maaf kepada orang Melayu sekiranya terguris hati berkenaan kenyataan kontroversi beliau sebelum ini yang menyifatkan ‘Melayu malas’.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tertanya-tanya sama ada permohonan maaf itu mampu mengubah keadaan orang Melayu jika mereka tidak berusaha.

“Saya minta maaf. Orang Melayu rajin. Tetapi masalah boleh atasi dengan saya minta maaf? Kalau kerana saya minta maaf itu, maka orang Melayu jadi kaya, baik, saya minta maaf. Itu kalau nak.

“Tetapi kalau kita masih tak berusaha, bekerja kuat, belajar dapat ilmu sebagainya negara kita ini akan hilang daripada tangan kita,” katanya semasa membuat permohonan maaf tersebut susulan terdapat salah seorang peserta yang hadir ke dialog meminta Dr Mahathir berbuat demikian sekiranya serius dengan perjuangan Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA).

Terdahulu, dalam satu temu bual berbeza beliau ada mengatakan bahawa akibat kesempitan wang dan situasi ekonomi yang mendesak, orang Melayu memilih untuk menggadai tanah demi meneruskan kelangsungan hidup.

Tegasnya, situasi ini lebih drastik berlaku ketika pandemik COVID-19 melanda negara, dan ia lebih parah apabila pihak kerajaan tidak menjalankan tanggungjawab yang sepatutnya.

“Sekarang ini penjualan tanah begitu banyak sekali, hampir semua tanah yang ada termasuk yang dirizab pun dijual, dan bila jadi pandemik seumpamanya ramai tiada punca pendapatan.

“Yang ada pada mereka hanya tanah yang sedikit dan aset itu juga dijual dan proses ini semakin cepat.

“Hal ini berlaku kerana rata-rata orang Melayu miskin, kadang-kadang mereka ini tiada punca pendapatan lain, jadi yang ada hanya harta, jadi mereka jual harta mereka,” katanya.

Ahli Parlimen Langkawi itu turut menambah bahawa, sudah tiba masanya kerajaan dan pemimpin politik mula menitikberatkan hal ini dan tidak hanya berdiam diri.

War, what is it good for?

bub01 — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:41:24 +0800

[YOUTUBE]SGZFAeSrWj8[/YOUTUBE]
57:13 Large amount of equipment and material were left behind on the battlefield, as the Ottomans were unable to take much with them as they returned home. The rest having been abandoned by the Christians in their haste. The battle of Keresztes proved to be the Ottoman's last great victory in Central Europe. Having failed to achieve any significant change in the status quo of the region, it seems the tens of thousands of casualties suffered on both sides were ultimately for nothing.

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How Russian Oil Evades EU Sanctions

bub01 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:01:56 +0800

[YOUTUBE]7netuuaVnR0[/YOUTUBE]

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Facebook’s Double Standard

bub01 — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 12:33:44 +0800

[YOUTUBE]JaYZvui7ByE[/YOUTUBE]
7:45 It's very simple, money. Money, it's about the money....there's all these weirdo racist and bigoted things like, "Oh, the Jews control everything and that's why...". No no. Saudi Arabia rules with an iron fist here in America so we never see the horrors of their war in Yemen. What's the common theme? Those are allies that funnel money to our politicians. Doesn't matter if you are Muslim or Jewish. Nothing matters other than the money...and by the way we are against the Russian oligarch money. We are on the side of the Ukrainians. I think we are on the right side there accidentally okay but we are on the right side. So you will see the horrors of the war that Russia started in Ukraine and you will never see the horrors of the wars we start or our allies start.

Surviving below poverty line in France

bub01 — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 22:16:09 +0800

[YOUTUBE]rfGwmc7M47c[/YOUTUBE]

Drought exposes hunger stones

bub01 — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 23:11:35 +0800

[YOUTUBE]_YaO_yjYNdo[/YOUTUBE]

0:51 In Germany the drought has exposed so-called hunger stones at sections of the river Rhine. Centuries ago they were placed on dry riverbeds to warn future generations their exposure could signal famine.

Short summary of modern World's Power Balance

bub01 — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 00:23:06 +0800

[YOUTUBE]v-nHs-89PNA[/YOUTUBE]

TIL How Londoners in medieval times avoided usury

bub01 — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 00:00:24 +0800

[YOUTUBE]MmyCnA7xC4A[/YOUTUBE]

24:06 ...the Jewish community was invited to London to do one specific service especially, lend money. This is because for medieval people, lending money at interest was considered a sin. For Christians it was sinful to lend money to Christians and for Jewish people it was sinful to lend money to other Jewish people. But Jewish people had a proviso where they were allowed to lend money to Christians especially...

27:00 ...so this is another sad story about the rise and falls of particular communities within London, and it's another story about how communities can completely be discarded once they are no longer useful to the individuals who asked them to be here in the first place, and in particular why Jewish people in London fell out of favour was being too good at their own jobs. Eventually the King was in more debt to Jewish people than he was making in taxes from Jewish people and at that point they are asked to leave.

TIL Uruguay power source

bub01 — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 22:07:14 +0800

[YOUTUBE]Knjo2jyVbFA[/YOUTUBE]

TIL about Endospores

bub01 — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:14:54 +0800

Endospores can survive without nutrients. They are resistant to ultraviolet radiation, desiccation, high temperature, extreme freezing and chemical disinfectants.

[YOUTUBE]1-ZrC-IVidg[/YOUTUBE]

How Europe Stole the World

bub01 — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 01:14:03 +0800

[YOUTUBE]vLpSeMlfZ60[/YOUTUBE]

The Gig Economy Was Always A Scam

bub01 — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 11:26:27 +0800

[YOUTUBE]rXWuz4wjdZA[/YOUTUBE]

It's official...

bub01 — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 01:24:34 +0800

Pollution: 'Forever chemicals' in rainwater exceed safe levels

By Matt McGrath
Environment correspondent

New research shows that rainwater in most locations on Earth contains levels of chemicals that "greatly exceed" safety levels.

These synthetic substances called PFAS are used in non-stick pans, fire-fighting foam and water-repellent clothes.

Dubbed 'forever chemicals', they persist for years in the environment.

Such is their prevalence now that scientists say there is no safe space on Earth to avoid them.

The researchers from Stockholm University say it is "vitally important" that the use of these substances is rapidly restricted.

Scientists fear PFAS may pose health risks including cancer, though research has so far been inconclusive. They have been growing increasingly concerned about the proliferation of PFAS in recent years.

PFAS stands for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances.

There are around 4,500 of these fluorine-based compounds and they are found in almost every dwelling on Earth in hundreds of everyday products including food packaging, non-stick cookware, rain gear, adhesives, paper and paints.

But for those who have spent years working closely with PFAS, the evidence in the new research paper underlines the need for a precautionary approach.

"In this background rain, the levels are higher than those environmental quality criteria already. So that means that over time, we are going to get a statistically significant impact of those chemicals on human health," said Prof Crispin Halsall from the University of Lancaster. He was not involved with the Swedish study.

"And how that will manifest itself? I'm not sure but it's going come out over time, because we're exceeding those concentrations which are going to cause some harm, because of exposure to humans in their drinking water."

Removing the chemicals in the study from drinking water at treatment plants is possible, if expensive.

But for those who have spent years working closely with PFAS, the evidence in the new research paper underlines the need for a precautionary approach.

"In this background rain, the levels are higher than those environmental quality criteria already. So that means that over time, we are going to get a statistically significant impact of those chemicals on human health," said Prof Crispin Halsall from the University of Lancaster. He was not involved with the Swedish study.

"And how that will manifest itself? I'm not sure but it's going come out over time, because we're exceeding those concentrations which are going to cause some harm, because of exposure to humans in their drinking water."

Removing the chemicals in the study from drinking water at treatment plants is possible, if expensive.

But getting below the US advisory levels is extremely challenging, according to the authors.

As scientists have gained more knowledge about PFAS over the past 20 years, the safety advisories have been continuously lowered.

The has also happened with regard to the presence of these chemicals in soil - and that too is causing problems.

In the Netherlands in 2018, the infrastructure ministry set new limits on concentrations of PFAS in soil and dredging material.

But this caused 70% of building projects involving soil removal or using excavated material to be halted. After protests, the government relaxed the guidelines.

According to the new study, this type of relaxation of safety levels is likely to happen with water contamination as well.

"If you applied those guidelines everywhere, you wouldn't be able to build anywhere," said Prof Ian Cousins.

"I think they'll do the same thing with the US drinking water advisories, because they're not practical to apply.

"It's not because there's anything wrong with the risk assessment. It's just because you can't apply those things. It's just impossible, from an economic viewpoint to apply any of those guidelines."

The key challenge with these chemicals is their persistence, rather than their toxicity, say the study authors.

While some harmful PFAS were phased out by manufacturers two decades ago, they persist in water, air and soil.

One way PFAS cycle through the environment is in the form of tiny particles carried in sea spray into the air and then back to land.

This inability to breakdown in the environment means that PFAS are now found even in remote areas of the Antarctic, as reported by Prof Halsall recently.

While there are moves at European level to restrict the uses of these chemicals and to find more benign replacements, there are also hopes that industry will quickly move away from using PFAS.

"We do need persistent chemicals and substances, we want our products to last a long time while we use them," said Prof Cousins.

"And while there are conservative voices in industry, there are progressive actors too. I'm very optimistic when I see these progressive industries working together."

The research has been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Follow Matt on Twitter @mattmcgrathbbc.