Sharing Not our Culture Anymore?

In 2006, Amrita will be going to school. Yes, she has decided and consistently requested for it and finally we decided to give it a go and enrolled her in a private school in PJ. This is posting is not about Amrita but my experience in going round trying to get a car pool in place. I will share this thought another day.

I looked up the school and ask if there are any students who would want to car pool. It turned out that there are at least three families in the same section where I live who send their children to the same school. Through the school, I asked if they are willing to make arrangement to car pool to send our children. This save time, share time and on the environmental level, put a car or two less on the road - good example to talk to our children about saving the environment. Plus, of course, our children get to have new friends.

But alas, both the parents the school called did not commit, they sounded disinterested and had the same reply, "let me talk to my husband first". Three weeks have passed, no reply.

I am beginning to wonder if they understood what car pooling is all about and why they are not interested? Is is fear of their children safety - that's a valid excuse. Is it that they prefer very private lives or trust no one? Could it be we do not know each other - we did leave our number and offer to meet and get to know one another. Let's not even talk about the environment bit.

What every the reason may be, I am concern that our community has lost the culture of sharing and community spirit. Yes this is the same community where thieves broke into our home one morning two years ago. Despite my wife's screams, no one came out. Our immediate neighbour heard but told us (yes, actually told us) they thought it was something else. Where we came from as kids, we would all run out and stick out heads out to find out / to help / or just be a busy body. Here we stay in our house and thank (whoever) that it's the neighbour that got hit.

I sincerely home I am wrong. You might your own thoughts.

Kids Going to University in Malaysia?

This is a very big struggle for me. Should I prepare my kids for Malaysian universities for for foreign one? Some say the decision would be decided by my pockets....other might feel that it would be a matter of the quality of the university.


So, how did the the recent THEE Ranking of University Malaysia (UM) and University Sains Malaysia (USM) affect us a parents. Reading through the paper everyday I noticed that everyone from politicians to academicians have lots to say - more oftenly than not, they contradict each other - like clowns running everywhere in the circus. I am not not concern about the the politicians and bureaucrats think. However, due credit should be given to academicians who provide a much broader perspective and depth to the issue. I particularly like the article by Azmi Shahrom's "How to Judge a Good University" published in the SUN. Azmi recognizes the weaknesses as well as the strength of UM and USM.


I personally think there is just too much talk and no action - no clear acceptance and acknowledgement of the problem by the relevent authorities and department , almost everyone is trying to explain and come up with "shoot from the hip solution". With the exception of our Prime Minister acknowledging the issue - everyone else seems to be more interested to explain. Until to day, no clear goals, activities, timeframe and deliverables have been announced. No one seems to be looking at the problem from the holistic standpoint. Is anyone interested in improving the ranking of our universities again?

The VC of MU is one person who seems to "happy" as the individual rankings were good while the USM's VC was appoint consultants.

I guess I will be taking my time to decide if my kids will go to UM or USM - I have another 10 years or so. Hopefully, within that time someone will wake up and be really bold to challenge the norm and make improvements to our universities.


K V

Why are we in such a hurry?

I was on my way home this afternoon from Bangsar I nearly crashed into a Proton driven by a young (I guess in mid twenties) lady. This happened as I was at a U-turn making my way to the main road which was pretty jammed up. She drove her car in-front of me just when I was easing my way to the main road, despite the fact that I had my indicators lights on and there was ample space for me to go in. This lady seemed to be in such a hurry to get somewhere that she seemed to forget that this was a traffic jam and eveyone will have to inch their way. I finally got to the main road, onto a different lane which the lady was driving in and guess what? I reached the destination faster than she did. Sounds like the rabbit and the hare story?

Not quite. Have you ever encountered situations like this? If you are on the road long enough you will experience this sort of experience on a daily basis. Almost everytime I drive on the highways, there will be several drivers who would tailgate me just inches behind me not giving me chance to move my vehicle to the left in order to allow the person behind me to pass.

Have you encountered situations such as this...?

Anyone knows what's the hurry?

KV