Is she just a media-driven ego hoping for celebrity and wealth? A projection of Western intellectuals and academics with Orientalist views? The coddled child of a SE Asia Big Man born with a silver spoon in her mouth? Entitlement and privilege her due?
Looks like the professor has been proved right in his opinion of the Lady for being a divisive influence. She split the opposition and helped the army close ranks in 1988 and she has done it again 25 years later.
Strange NM has been very quiet about ASSK’s changing fortunes concentrating on the positive aspects of reform and change in Burma instead. Good luck to them and her.
Yes, This is a classy piece of television, as good as any on the planet. Just a shame that Thailand will now have to return to the fairytale kingdom as the show has taken a bullet to the head. Ironically, the series was called The “Institution of the Monarchy Under the Constitution”. Yeah sure.
There are some observations on Thai monarchy and the distortion of monarchism in the polemics of Somsak Jeamteerasakul and Sulak Sivalaksa in the programme “Top Jote Prathet Thai” or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDSX7m5W5vk
Couldn’t agree more, Ohn. The perennial modernity vs tradition debate nthat characterises the developing world remains inseparable from the prevailing neoliberal orthodoxy of today’s New World Order, ‘globalisation’ as the latest stage of capitalism. Not that the days of the gunboat are long gone, far from it. No more wholesale bloodshed in the developed world but everywhere else by proxy, and no better consumer than war. Their arms industry is laughing all the way to the bank. Never mind the cannon fodder, their own children of ordinary working folk sacrificed in foreign lands away from home for the greater good of the masters of the universe. Then they secure not only the local resources but major contracts for reconstruction. It’s a truly win win scenario.
We used to call those apes the Rangoon types but it seems to have gone viral particularly among the diaspora like you suggested. Having broadened their own horizon some of them inevitably begin to look down on the poor ignorant backward natives rather like the white man before them. Only they remain just as dark as the rest of us, no amount of bleach will do it except the hair that looks like famine has struck from top down. Some of them are now home again to assist in its neoliberal transformation like the Almighty created man in His own image. There is no alternative (TINA).
I can’t agree more with the sentiments expressed. You also score a bull’s eye in identifying some of the noteworthy politicians who are intelligent, committed, sincere and above all level-headed with a pan Malaysian outlook.
If anyone is really serious about wanting to eradicate institutional corruption you have to, for a start, attack the rat-hole itself i.e. the corrupt-minded politician and his political party. A few basic steps will go a long way to tackle corruption.
1 Stop party hopping. Make it mandatory for a sitting MP/Assemblyman (including Independents) to vacate his seat should he resign or join another party. He should be barred from standing for elections for a period of 5 years. He could contest thereafter, if he wishes to.
2 All election candidates should publicly declare the assets they and their immediate family members own. Few countries like the USA and India are already practicing this.
3 Enact laws to prohibit political parties from owning or co-owning (as major or minor investor) any business outfit. A grace period of 1-2 years should be given to a political party already owning such interests to divest and monetize the interests to be distributed equitably to party members and individual shareholders as may be applicable. (e.g. UMNO will have to sell off Utusan Melayu, NST etc.)
4 Set up a special fast track court to hear corruption cases against politicians. The case should be completed and verdict given within 6 months from the day the charges are filed and where an appeal is lodged a further 6 months given to dispose the case.
5 Partial funding from the State for political parties to pay for election expenditure should be granted as done in some countries.
An incoming Government – whether BN or PR – should seriously consider the above proposals. It may be a pipe dream. But one thing I am very sure. If PAS were to form a Government with a two-third majority you can bet your last dollar (sorry I slip here) that the above, if not their version of it, will be implemented in double quick time.
For moral conduct, ethics and fair-play there is nothing to beat PAS.
I don’t think it is possible to stop corruption totally. I don’t mind paying eg 10 to 15% more for a certain project, but the workmanship and after sales service must be up to par. However, what we have here in Malaysia is way too much. More than double the cost and shoddy workmanship because we have too many layers of “middleman” to feed. Malaysia is a decent and quite comfortable country to live in if you work hard. It could be much better though because of its rich natural resources. We need to increase the salary of our cabinet member. No, not the current one. We need to pay big money to attract the talented ones. We need leaders with INTEGRITY and who are responsible. It is not easy to lead a country and make policies that are sincerely good for the rakyat. I really hope that Malaysia can achieve that, so my children will have a better future as a Malaysian. There are a group of upcoming politicians such as Tony Pua, Nurul, Zaid Ibrahim, and a few from Pas who are the True Malaysian politician who I respect. There are also a few from BN who I respect, but I guess they happened to be in the “wrong” party. Look at Koh Tsu Koon. He admitted defeat in Penang gracefully when they lost. Khairy is smart but a little to aggressive perhaps. Then there are the respected KuLi, shahrir brothers. I hope they will represent their people in the parliament and not their party when discussing issues.
So there are the Bamars (of all varieties). Traditionally conservative in act, dressing, eating and habit. Now what had happened in the last two decades was poor economic status, regardless of the cause, making people to believe any thing foreign is great and good.
Like the mobile phones, cars and foreign travels foreign food has become a status symbol (which naturally people drool for not being able to contain Mawha) of the ruling class (exactly the same people then and now by the way just in case one wonders).
And people start to copy rich people (mostly with ill-gotten money) for their own psychological comfort.
One can now see people eating a tortoise which, few minute ago was just walking to demonstrate the “live-ness” and of course “fresh” fish just swimming now, etc. Unthinkable in a Buddhist country two decades ago. And aping the Korean actors and actresses and copying the Chinese dresses like the one Aung San Suu Kyi worn during her recent nation wide speech, etc. Learning and incorporating is good but worshiping isn’t. (Look at Myoma Nyein’s songs)
That is intensified by the miullions of diaspora who also displayed their “superiority” over the “natives” for having access to computers, 4G’s, KFC, Coke, Britney Spears, Ski holidays, yachting, etc. by acting any way un-Burmese as they can think of. One can see today in those much maligned Bamar social sites and on the street even in the villages and the various shows.
So there is a fight at hand. For the keep of original, healthy and pristine culture, tradition and FOOD which will beat those craps in terms of price, freshness, variety and taste, it is real Wuntarnu Inspiration that is required.
Especially when this “New” and “Advanced” culture is more like mass brain-washing with uniform worship of looking good and unnaturally youthful and presentable by unnatural means forever condemning the masses to the servitude to vain-glory and consumer products advertised on those McCups.
That is why it is sad to see these “academics” and “media” people – who are of course by force living abroad- glorifying the vain aspects of he lives outside rather than acting on true important issue like food security with natural traditional varieties encouraging and helping the current food producer-who by the away are also custodians of traditional culture and religion of any variety- in better management. This incidentally is opposed to Aun San Suu Kyi/ Thein Sein exhorted mass mechanized farms of genetically modified-pesticide, fertilizer dependent variety (a few hundreds of thousands of people can easily manage millions of hectors of rice paddy in this way for pure uniform mass production if one can kill off the other 30 odd millions farmers/ land owners- as some people would dearly like to) for the another vain glory of largest rice producer of the world status crap.
The mass production and stream-lining like the ones seen in chain stores and supermarkets are real destroyers of imagination, bio-diversity and wastefulness rather than help for feeding the needy.
All that is needed in wisdom, good intention and resolve.
Because in spite of all that is done and said, the conquest of Burma (all people inclusive) is complete only if sufficient number of the people are decadent, corrupt and therefore covetous enough.
Compete and wipe ’em out. Like what the broad cloth from Manchester did to local weavers in Bengal and Burma in the good old days of globalisation colonial style.
Let them all come in and take over the domestic market in the name of free trade and competition, choice and value for money. Let the neoliberal onslaught visit upon our defenceless domestic producers and national bourgeoisie (the cronies can join the military to form the comprador bourgeoisie).
Let our farmers make way for big business, foreign and domestic, whose birthright it is to compete and eliminate the local competition that has the chance of a snowball in hell. Let us rely on foreign imports and food aid, get deep in hock to our eyeballs, then go cap in hand to the chief global chettiar(IMF) so we can enjoy the austerity measures prescribed, its favourite cure by leeching. The future smiles at the Burmese. Lucky us.
Another proof of how far disconnected and clueless these so called concern for the citizenry of Myanmar has become!
Already bemoaning about Potential Excesses related western diet influence, while ignoring the deficiency induced by the very advocacy “the useless careless policy of the west” that contributed to every existing quagmires these yahoo supported.
Lest one missed the ridiculous point of comparing Myanmar to N Korea beyond the useless careless treatment of Myanmar, this article illustrate very well shameless US/west arrogantly/blatantly white washing/justifying the 3 decades of unjustifiable useless careless deprivation policy against an innocent citizenry just to punish a military government.
These bleeding heart hypocrites need to stop pandering to the future potential excesses related problems due to western diet influences and address the immediate problems of being deprived nutritionally and otherwise.
Please someone enlighten me. As there seem plenty of wise guys around.
So people celebrate the Fast Food thingy. Because.. They are so, so modern, tasty and great and all that.
And the same people, or there about, demonstrate against that very said Fast Food Thingy because it causes Health Badness or somethingy like that.
And celebrate Coke as it is the very thingy to make one “Civilised”. Without our Coke, the ancient populations (say in 1943) were so, so backward and uncivilized and all that . Right?
And then again Coke is bad because it also produces Fatness and Teethlessness or something like that. Right?
And all of these thingy are little pervasive, persistent, highly visible “Preachers” of the “Decadent” culture like latest Hollywood flicks or TV series for the kids to get brain washed and emulate and it is good because that is how the world should be. Right? Checking out who Jennifer Aniston is having sex with and how much hey do or do not enjoy and things like that.
And Burma is so, so lucky to have them all now.
And this is what is known as “Democracy” so, so much better tah the traditional Buddhist culture because……..
Any how we all should put every effort in making the people of Burma feel little and useless and backward whatever it means (like UN listing Burma at the bottom most this year for example- very effective manufacture of mass depression ( then again a true Buddhist would be able to be simply impervious) and then give them the panacea, The Western Way, The MODERN way!
In a country with rampant over all kcal deficiency syndrommes, due to “deprivation” that affect women (especially pregnant) and children more supplementing the needed kcal in this near future,in any shape or form is a positive factor.
As for the affordability look no further than Central Plaza┬о and such in Thailand and similarly locations within Malaysia, where KFC, BK and such compete with local eateries successfully.
The overridding major issue within Malaysian politics should be not who governs Malaysia but rather how is Malaysia governed. Both sides of politics are promissing things such as higher salaries which could potentially cause a disaster within the Malaysian economy and spark off bouts of inflation,and force the private sector to compete with the public sector,etc.
There just doesnt seem to be much shared vision about what Malaysia could and should be in the future. Urban development is creating overcrowded cities, crime, urban poverty, and a loss of a sense of national identity vis a vis rural Malaysia.
However a vibrant two party (or front) system will definatley assist in improving transparancy and good governance within the country.
Although the BN has many faults, many urban gen Y voters feel that voting for the PR is voting for a new political dynasty, also with arrogant cadres just like the BN. Some also fear that a PR Govt may be one of retribution and revenge. These worries are costing votes from the younger generation.
There is a group of people in the country who vision a hung parliament that may bring a third alternative not mentioned above, that of a national unity government. There is precedent in Malaysia for this. A compromise PM like Ku li could certainly gain the respect of both sides, royalty and the rakyat.
One thng for certain this election will see the retirement and start over a passing of the guard to a younger generation of politican. Win or loose Good Bye DS Najib, DSAI, and lain2. The most likely legacy of this election is two party government, and younger politicans who are product’s of the local education system. Ironically this is the ultimate creation of the BN.
More choices you can be sure of nowadays at for those who can afford it, like a comprehensive Western menu here set in apparently a nice cosy ambience, and if you fancy some authentic kimchi here. Not sure if they serve dog though. Enjoy
That’s what I’d always thought too — but when I looked it up the first store seemed to have been opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. But the founder was Korean — thus the (modest) confusion.
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Interview with Professor Michael Aung-Thwin
Historic examples–here’s one:
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сА▒сАРсАмсАДсА╣сАЮсА░сАЬсАЪсА╣сАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣ сАбсАЩсА║сАнсА│сА╕сАЩсА║сАнсА│сА╕ сАбсБлсА╜сАДсА╣сА╕сАЖсА▓ сАбсВПсА╜сАнсАХсА╣сАЕсААсА╣сААсАнсАп сАБсА╢сА▒сАФсБ╛сААсАЫсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ сАСсАнсАпсАЮсАнсАпсВФсБлсА╜сАДсА╣сА╕сАЖсА▓сА╗сАБсАДсА╣сА╕ сАЩсАБсА╢сАЫсА▒сАбсАмсАДсА╣ сА▒сАЫсА╜сВХсА▒сАЖсАмсАДсА╣сА▒сАЫсА╜сВХсВРсА╝сААсА╣сА▒сАХсА╕сАЩсАКсА╣сА╖ сА▒сАБсАлсАДсА╣сА╕сА▒сАЖсАмсАДсА╣сААсАнсАпсАЮсАм сАЮсА░сАРсАнсАпсВФсАЮсАКсА╣ сАбсАЬсАнсАпсАЫсА╜сБ╛сААсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ сА▒сАРсАмсАДсА╣сАЮсА░сАЬсАЪсА╣сАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣ сАЬсАЪсА╣сАЩсА▓сА╖сАЪсАмсАЩсА▓сА╖ сА╗сАЦсАЕсА╣сААсАм сАЖсАДсА╣сА╕сАДсАРсА╣сА╗сАХсАРсА╣сА▒сАФсБ╛сААсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ сАЮсА░сАРсАнсАпсАбсАмсА╕ сАЬсАЪсА╣сА▒сАХсА╕сВПсАнсАпсАДсА╣сАЩсАКсА╣сА╖сАЮсА░сВПсА╜сАДсА╣сА╖ сАСсАЩсАДсА╣сА╕сАЭсА▒сАбсАмсАДсА╣ сА▒сВВсААсА╝сА╕сВПсАнсАпсАДсА╣сАЩсАКсА╣сА╖ сА▒сАБсАлсАДсА╣сА╕сА▒сАЖсАмсАДсА╣сААсАнсАпсАЮсАм сАЮсА░сАРсАнсАпсВФсАЮсАКсА╣ сАбсАЬсАнсАпсАЫсА╜сАнсБ╛сААсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ сБ┐сАЧсАнсАРсАнсАЮсБ╜сА╜ сААсАнсАпсАЬсАнсАпсАФсАосАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сАБсА║сАЕсА╣сАРсАосА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сА▒сА╗сАЩсАЫсА╜сАДсА╣сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сА▒сАДсА╝сВХсАЫсА╜сАДсА╣ сБ┐сАЩсАосАЫсА╜сАДсА╣сВАсААсАосА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБО сА▒сАРсАмсАДсА╣сАЮсА░сАЬсАЪсА╣сАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сААсАнсАп сАЖсАДсА╣сА╕сАЫсА▓сБНсАЩсА╝сА▓сА╗сАХсАм сААсА║сА▒сАбсАмсАДсА╣ сАЭсАнсАпсАДсА╣сА╕сАЭсАФсА╣сА╕ сВПсА╜сАнсАХсА╣сАЕсААсА╣сА▒сАФсБ╛сААсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ сАСсАнсАпсАЮсАнсАпсВФсБОсАРсАнсАпсВФсБП сАЖсАДсА╣сА╕сАЫсА▓сБНсАЩсА╝сА▓сА╗сАХсАм сААсА║сАЫсАмсААсА║сА▒сБ╛сААсАмсАДсА╣сА╕ сА╗сАЦсАЕсА╣сА▒сАФсА▒сАЮсАм сБ┐сАЧсАнсАРсАнсАЮсБ╜сА╜ сААсАнсАпсАЬсАнсАпсАФсАосАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сАБсА║сАЕсА╣сАРсАосА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сА▒сА╗сАЩсАЫсА╜сАДсА╣сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣сБОсБК сА▒сАДсА╝сВХсАЫсА╜сАДсА╣ сБ┐сАЩсАосАЫсА╜сАДсА╣сВАсААсАосА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сААсАнсАп сАбсБ┐сАХсАосА╕сАбсАХсАнсАпсАДсА╣ сАЮсАпсАРсА╣сАЮсАДсА╣сАЫсА╜сАДсА╣сА╕сАЬсАДсА╣сА╕сБН сАЦсАЪсА╣сАЫсА╜сАмсА▒сАХсА╕сВПсАнсАпсАДсА╣сАЩсАКсА╣сА╖ сА▒сАБсАлсАДсА╣сА╕сА▒сАЖсАмсАДсА╣сАЩсА║сАнсА│сА╕сААсАнсАпсАЮсАм сА▒сАРсАмсАДсА╣сАЮсА░сАЬсАЪсА╣сАЮсАЩсАмсА╕сАЩсА║сАмсА╕сАЮсАКсА╣ сАбсАЬсАнсАпсАЫсА╜сАнсБ╛сААсА▒сАЬсАЮсАКсА╣сБЛ
(сАЧсАФсА╣сА╕сА▒сАЩсАмсА╣сАРсАДсА╣сА▒сАбсАмсАДсА╣сБК сАДсБ╛сАЮсБК сАЕсАмсАЩсА║сААсА╣сВПсА╜сАм сБВсББсБВ – сБВсББсБД)
Sabah – the question that won’t go away
You might have interest in these:
The books is called – The Laws of North Borneo (1947)
http://anakjagung.blogspot.com/2013/03/p37-of-laws-of-north-borneo-1947.html
http://www.lawnet.sabah.gov.my/Lawnet/SabahLaws/Treaties/GrantBySultanOfSuluOfTerritoriesAndLandsOnTheMainlandOfTheIslandOfBorneo.pdf
Interview with Professor Michael Aung-Thwin
She sure seem to think she is the gift from god for poor human beings. There are multitude of historic examples of people who knows better.
Interview with Professor Michael Aung-Thwin
Is she just a media-driven ego hoping for celebrity and wealth? A projection of Western intellectuals and academics with Orientalist views? The coddled child of a SE Asia Big Man born with a silver spoon in her mouth? Entitlement and privilege her due?
Interview with Professor Michael Aung-Thwin
Looks like the professor has been proved right in his opinion of the Lady for being a divisive influence. She split the opposition and helped the army close ranks in 1988 and she has done it again 25 years later.
Strange NM has been very quiet about ASSK’s changing fortunes concentrating on the positive aspects of reform and change in Burma instead. Good luck to them and her.
Impatience in Viet Nam
[…] ki├кn nhс║лn с╗Я Viс╗Зt Nam: Impatience in Viet Nam (New Mandala 18-3-13) — B├аi n├кn dс╗Лch cс╗зa Jonathan […]
Interview with Surachai Danwattananusorn
Yes, This is a classy piece of television, as good as any on the planet. Just a shame that Thailand will now have to return to the fairytale kingdom as the show has taken a bullet to the head. Ironically, the series was called The “Institution of the Monarchy Under the Constitution”. Yeah sure.
Interview with Surachai Danwattananusorn
There are some observations on Thai monarchy and the distortion of monarchism in the polemics of Somsak Jeamteerasakul and Sulak Sivalaksa in the programme “Top Jote Prathet Thai” or at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDSX7m5W5vk
Fast food and rapid change
Couldn’t agree more, Ohn. The perennial modernity vs tradition debate nthat characterises the developing world remains inseparable from the prevailing neoliberal orthodoxy of today’s New World Order, ‘globalisation’ as the latest stage of capitalism. Not that the days of the gunboat are long gone, far from it. No more wholesale bloodshed in the developed world but everywhere else by proxy, and no better consumer than war. Their arms industry is laughing all the way to the bank. Never mind the cannon fodder, their own children of ordinary working folk sacrificed in foreign lands away from home for the greater good of the masters of the universe. Then they secure not only the local resources but major contracts for reconstruction. It’s a truly win win scenario.
We used to call those apes the Rangoon types but it seems to have gone viral particularly among the diaspora like you suggested. Having broadened their own horizon some of them inevitably begin to look down on the poor ignorant backward natives rather like the white man before them. Only they remain just as dark as the rest of us, no amount of bleach will do it except the hair that looks like famine has struck from top down. Some of them are now home again to assist in its neoliberal transformation like the Almighty created man in His own image. There is no alternative (TINA).
GE13 Malaysia – Farish Noor
I can’t agree more with the sentiments expressed. You also score a bull’s eye in identifying some of the noteworthy politicians who are intelligent, committed, sincere and above all level-headed with a pan Malaysian outlook.
If anyone is really serious about wanting to eradicate institutional corruption you have to, for a start, attack the rat-hole itself i.e. the corrupt-minded politician and his political party. A few basic steps will go a long way to tackle corruption.
1 Stop party hopping. Make it mandatory for a sitting MP/Assemblyman (including Independents) to vacate his seat should he resign or join another party. He should be barred from standing for elections for a period of 5 years. He could contest thereafter, if he wishes to.
2 All election candidates should publicly declare the assets they and their immediate family members own. Few countries like the USA and India are already practicing this.
3 Enact laws to prohibit political parties from owning or co-owning (as major or minor investor) any business outfit. A grace period of 1-2 years should be given to a political party already owning such interests to divest and monetize the interests to be distributed equitably to party members and individual shareholders as may be applicable. (e.g. UMNO will have to sell off Utusan Melayu, NST etc.)
4 Set up a special fast track court to hear corruption cases against politicians. The case should be completed and verdict given within 6 months from the day the charges are filed and where an appeal is lodged a further 6 months given to dispose the case.
5 Partial funding from the State for political parties to pay for election expenditure should be granted as done in some countries.
An incoming Government – whether BN or PR – should seriously consider the above proposals. It may be a pipe dream. But one thing I am very sure. If PAS were to form a Government with a two-third majority you can bet your last dollar (sorry I slip here) that the above, if not their version of it, will be implemented in double quick time.
For moral conduct, ethics and fair-play there is nothing to beat PAS.
GE13 Malaysia – Farish Noor
I don’t think it is possible to stop corruption totally. I don’t mind paying eg 10 to 15% more for a certain project, but the workmanship and after sales service must be up to par. However, what we have here in Malaysia is way too much. More than double the cost and shoddy workmanship because we have too many layers of “middleman” to feed. Malaysia is a decent and quite comfortable country to live in if you work hard. It could be much better though because of its rich natural resources. We need to increase the salary of our cabinet member. No, not the current one. We need to pay big money to attract the talented ones. We need leaders with INTEGRITY and who are responsible. It is not easy to lead a country and make policies that are sincerely good for the rakyat. I really hope that Malaysia can achieve that, so my children will have a better future as a Malaysian. There are a group of upcoming politicians such as Tony Pua, Nurul, Zaid Ibrahim, and a few from Pas who are the True Malaysian politician who I respect. There are also a few from BN who I respect, but I guess they happened to be in the “wrong” party. Look at Koh Tsu Koon. He admitted defeat in Penang gracefully when they lost. Khairy is smart but a little to aggressive perhaps. Then there are the respected KuLi, shahrir brothers. I hope they will represent their people in the parliament and not their party when discussing issues.
Fast food and rapid change
Thank you U Moe Aung. Got in one.
Exactly is the issue.
So there are the Bamars (of all varieties). Traditionally conservative in act, dressing, eating and habit. Now what had happened in the last two decades was poor economic status, regardless of the cause, making people to believe any thing foreign is great and good.
Like the mobile phones, cars and foreign travels foreign food has become a status symbol (which naturally people drool for not being able to contain Mawha) of the ruling class (exactly the same people then and now by the way just in case one wonders).
And people start to copy rich people (mostly with ill-gotten money) for their own psychological comfort.
One can now see people eating a tortoise which, few minute ago was just walking to demonstrate the “live-ness” and of course “fresh” fish just swimming now, etc. Unthinkable in a Buddhist country two decades ago. And aping the Korean actors and actresses and copying the Chinese dresses like the one Aung San Suu Kyi worn during her recent nation wide speech, etc. Learning and incorporating is good but worshiping isn’t. (Look at Myoma Nyein’s songs)
That is intensified by the miullions of diaspora who also displayed their “superiority” over the “natives” for having access to computers, 4G’s, KFC, Coke, Britney Spears, Ski holidays, yachting, etc. by acting any way un-Burmese as they can think of. One can see today in those much maligned Bamar social sites and on the street even in the villages and the various shows.
So there is a fight at hand. For the keep of original, healthy and pristine culture, tradition and FOOD which will beat those craps in terms of price, freshness, variety and taste, it is real Wuntarnu Inspiration that is required.
Like Sarah Attar http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185402/Olympics-2012-Standing-ovation-hijab-wearing-Saudi-woman-athlete-finished-800m-lap-behind.html who competed Olympics in hijab or the young people in Burma contributing in the Unicode system, international standard does not mean relinquishing own culture and habit.
Especially when this “New” and “Advanced” culture is more like mass brain-washing with uniform worship of looking good and unnaturally youthful and presentable by unnatural means forever condemning the masses to the servitude to vain-glory and consumer products advertised on those McCups.
That is why it is sad to see these “academics” and “media” people – who are of course by force living abroad- glorifying the vain aspects of he lives outside rather than acting on true important issue like food security with natural traditional varieties encouraging and helping the current food producer-who by the away are also custodians of traditional culture and religion of any variety- in better management. This incidentally is opposed to Aun San Suu Kyi/ Thein Sein exhorted mass mechanized farms of genetically modified-pesticide, fertilizer dependent variety (a few hundreds of thousands of people can easily manage millions of hectors of rice paddy in this way for pure uniform mass production if one can kill off the other 30 odd millions farmers/ land owners- as some people would dearly like to) for the another vain glory of largest rice producer of the world status crap.
The mass production and stream-lining like the ones seen in chain stores and supermarkets are real destroyers of imagination, bio-diversity and wastefulness rather than help for feeding the needy.
All that is needed in wisdom, good intention and resolve.
Because in spite of all that is done and said, the conquest of Burma (all people inclusive) is complete only if sufficient number of the people are decadent, corrupt and therefore covetous enough.
Progress, yes! Wuntharnu, yes!
Leave aping to the apes.
Fast food and rapid change
Compete and wipe ’em out. Like what the broad cloth from Manchester did to local weavers in Bengal and Burma in the good old days of globalisation colonial style.
Let them all come in and take over the domestic market in the name of free trade and competition, choice and value for money. Let the neoliberal onslaught visit upon our defenceless domestic producers and national bourgeoisie (the cronies can join the military to form the comprador bourgeoisie).
Let our farmers make way for big business, foreign and domestic, whose birthright it is to compete and eliminate the local competition that has the chance of a snowball in hell. Let us rely on foreign imports and food aid, get deep in hock to our eyeballs, then go cap in hand to the chief global chettiar(IMF) so we can enjoy the austerity measures prescribed, its favourite cure by leeching. The future smiles at the Burmese. Lucky us.
Fast food and rapid change
Another proof of how far disconnected and clueless these so called concern for the citizenry of Myanmar has become!
Already bemoaning about Potential Excesses related western diet influence, while ignoring the deficiency induced by the very advocacy “the useless careless policy of the west” that contributed to every existing quagmires these yahoo supported.
http://www.mizzima.com/news/world/9039-n-korea-should-look-to-myanmar-says-us.html
Lest one missed the ridiculous point of comparing Myanmar to N Korea beyond the useless careless treatment of Myanmar, this article illustrate very well shameless US/west arrogantly/blatantly white washing/justifying the 3 decades of unjustifiable useless careless deprivation policy against an innocent citizenry just to punish a military government.
These bleeding heart hypocrites need to stop pandering to the future potential excesses related problems due to western diet influences and address the immediate problems of being deprived nutritionally and otherwise.
Fast food and rapid change
Please someone enlighten me. As there seem plenty of wise guys around.
So people celebrate the Fast Food thingy. Because.. They are so, so modern, tasty and great and all that.
And the same people, or there about, demonstrate against that very said Fast Food Thingy because it causes Health Badness or somethingy like that.
And celebrate Coke as it is the very thingy to make one “Civilised”. Without our Coke, the ancient populations (say in 1943) were so, so backward and uncivilized and all that . Right?
And then again Coke is bad because it also produces Fatness and Teethlessness or something like that. Right?
And all of these thingy are little pervasive, persistent, highly visible “Preachers” of the “Decadent” culture like latest Hollywood flicks or TV series for the kids to get brain washed and emulate and it is good because that is how the world should be. Right? Checking out who Jennifer Aniston is having sex with and how much hey do or do not enjoy and things like that.
And Burma is so, so lucky to have them all now.
And this is what is known as “Democracy” so, so much better tah the traditional Buddhist culture because……..
Any how we all should put every effort in making the people of Burma feel little and useless and backward whatever it means (like UN listing Burma at the bottom most this year for example- very effective manufacture of mass depression ( then again a true Buddhist would be able to be simply impervious) and then give them the panacea, The Western Way, The MODERN way!
Insulin, any one?
Fast food and rapid change
In a country with rampant over all kcal deficiency syndrommes, due to “deprivation” that affect women (especially pregnant) and children more supplementing the needed kcal in this near future,in any shape or form is a positive factor.
As for the affordability look no further than Central Plaza┬о and such in Thailand and similarly locations within Malaysia, where KFC, BK and such compete with local eateries successfully.
GE13 Malaysia – Tun Faisal
The overridding major issue within Malaysian politics should be not who governs Malaysia but rather how is Malaysia governed. Both sides of politics are promissing things such as higher salaries which could potentially cause a disaster within the Malaysian economy and spark off bouts of inflation,and force the private sector to compete with the public sector,etc.
There just doesnt seem to be much shared vision about what Malaysia could and should be in the future. Urban development is creating overcrowded cities, crime, urban poverty, and a loss of a sense of national identity vis a vis rural Malaysia.
However a vibrant two party (or front) system will definatley assist in improving transparancy and good governance within the country.
Although the BN has many faults, many urban gen Y voters feel that voting for the PR is voting for a new political dynasty, also with arrogant cadres just like the BN. Some also fear that a PR Govt may be one of retribution and revenge. These worries are costing votes from the younger generation.
There is a group of people in the country who vision a hung parliament that may bring a third alternative not mentioned above, that of a national unity government. There is precedent in Malaysia for this. A compromise PM like Ku li could certainly gain the respect of both sides, royalty and the rakyat.
One thng for certain this election will see the retirement and start over a passing of the guard to a younger generation of politican. Win or loose Good Bye DS Najib, DSAI, and lain2. The most likely legacy of this election is two party government, and younger politicans who are product’s of the local education system. Ironically this is the ultimate creation of the BN.
Fast food and rapid change
More choices you can be sure of nowadays at for those who can afford it, like a comprehensive Western menu here set in apparently a nice cosy ambience, and if you fancy some authentic kimchi here. Not sure if they serve dog though. Enjoy
Distressing developments in Laos
[…] detailed in a recent posting on New Mandala by Simon Creak and Keith Barney, the disappearance was part a series of events […]
Fast food and rapid change
Thanks Sandar,
That’s what I’d always thought too — but when I looked it up the first store seemed to have been opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. But the founder was Korean — thus the (modest) confusion.
Thanks for the note.
Best wishes to all,
Nich