I like reading the newspapers. Be it electronic or in paper form, this is one way I stay connected to the world (or at least this is what I think it is ^^)
Reading the newspaper doesn't only let you know more about the world as in THE world, it also allows you to know more about YOUR world. Sounds confusing? In simpler terms, besides providing information from all continents, it brings you news about your surroundings, the very environment that concerns you. Perhaps you might be thinking that this isn't such a great deal, or even a point worthy of your attention and thoughts, but take a look at these.
Japanese Elections.
Yes yes, we suppose half the world knows about how the LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) has been in power for some half a century with only a break of 11 months from 1993-1994 and how its biggest rival, led by Mr Hatoyama, is ironically formed by defectors from the LDP. Reading the AP (Associated Press) reports online will give you an idea of how other countries view and want you to view Japan's political situation. Read Japan's national papers to gain a better idea of how they view the situation instead. A simple search on Yahoo! News will return several articles quoting interviewees' viewpoint that "While the DPJ is inexperienced, we would like to give them a chance..." and that "people have lost confidence in the LDP". I couldn't agree more, as these echo the political views of most of my Japanese (student) friends, who jokingly refer to the current PM as Mr Aho-Tarou ("idiot" in Japanese), or even Mr As-o (pronounced as ass-oh), a clever pun on the pronunciation of "asshole". Interestingly though, these do not seem to reflect the view of quite some Japanese friends of mine of a different age group, who are swayed by the LDP's stand that they are "best equipped to bring Japan out of the recession". Or if you would like to have another point of view, that is, most of my "young" Japanese friends don't really know the situation and they are merely following the views of the magazines and newspapers. So hooray for the DPJ, it looks like something is coming along the way for you.
What I find more interesting is how the news reflected in newspapers can deviate so much from the actual situation. Most reports reflect a rather one-sided view in which a point is over-emphasized. While figures such as "expected to win 2/3s of the seats" propose a exciting picture, or that "27% of the voters are undecided", I would really much prefer to know about how these people came to their conclusions. Something I don't really suppose I'll find in abundance in news reported by foreign countries :)
Singapore
A couple of months back, I read an article about how Singapore is N.Korea's 2nd largest trading partner, and recently, about how Singapore is supporting the UN resolution imposed against N.Korea for their missile tests. What a conflicting stand Singapore seems to be taking, don't you think, if it's based just on these reports? On one hand, it seems to paint a picture of a ruthless mercenary which operates based on profit; while on the other hand, it appears that righteousness and cooperation for the sake of the regional security seems to be the belief to be fighting for. More interestingly, I asked around most Singaporean friends and NONE, that's right, ZERO of them, knew about the former report. The reason given for this was that "it was not printed on the daily newspapers, nor was it reported on the news." That is not to say that we should accept news as it comes, because if the source is from a country with less-than-warm ties with Singapore, chances are it might just be the partial truth. On the other hand, this could reflect Singapore's tight control on press releases. As to what the truth is, frankly, I don't know it myself. The only thing I am certain is that I propose for people who do follow the news to open themselves to more channels while scrutinizing the sources. Remember, news can be discovered, and so can it be created.
Malaysia
I seem to be talking quite a bit on Southeast Asia today. Pardon me, it's just because recent happenings seem to have been circling around the region, especially rather saddening ones. I will provide a very simple summary a particular incident in Malaysia recently that has caught my eye.
Malaysian Muslims protested against the construction of a Hindu temple in the neighborhood, because it is comprised of a Muslim majority.
A disclaimer before I continue:
I am not against Muslims, and I happen to have Muslim friends who are really nice. I am just interested as to the wavering stands undertaken by the concerned parties in the incidents mentioned above. In other words, I wish to understand the motivations behind taking such actions.
Personally, I believe in religious freedom. What I would condemn, as the Malaysian authorities have already done, is the act of bringing a severed cow's head along to the protest(The cow is considered a sacred animal in Hinduism). While the claims may be valid, that the construction of a Hindu temple may cause discomfort to the residents, that very action disregards all religious sensitivity and is in a way, provoking a confrontation. Even when we do get into conflicts with our Muslim friends, it would be downright despicable to bring along a severed pig's head (The pig is considered unclean in Islam) as this will be insulting the roots of their belief, in turn insulting them as a person.
My point for writing this entry is such that people will read the newspapers more carefully, and to call for religious tolerance. I know people who have lived through fatal racial riots, some provoked by religious friction, and I really do not wish for any recurrences. Respect your friends. Respect those around you. Also, stop believing what is told to you blindly. Find out more, know that it is credible, and then, believe.
Who am I?
