The Proton Saga

remember when the first iPod was a little inferior mp3 player without a FM-tuner? Well, tables have turned biotches!

It bemuses me to see somewhere in July 2009 Proton releases a variant of second generation Proton Saga called Saga SE (Special Edition, I assume). I stumbled upon its printed ad where a man looks on to the readers. With his spiky Korean-esque hairstyle, beside him is the same man, with the same shirt and staring the same way at the readers only difference donning an overgrown shades. The punchline of this printed ad is “ Tampak Perbezaannya! “ ( which means noticeable difference )

Never mind, the differences. No doubt, It exists in a littlest form. Proton Saga SE prominent change was the black painted roof to mimic a panoramic roofed cars. And screamed “ Tampak Perbezaannya! “

Seems like Proton has thrown a blanket of sarcasm onto itself; akin to spitting in the air only to see the spit landed back in its face. Moving back in time, the first-generation Proton Saga has been a subject of discreet yet strong criticism, one thing is for sure: Proton likes selling 18 year old models. In a desperate bid to push old models for people to swallow, little cosmetics modifications were made. Such as brushed metal gearknobs, larger circumference air-cond vent for our warm tropical weather, futuristic designer dashboards, aggressive fog lights, and a more contemporary ‘Saga’ badge at the butt. The above mentioned ‘features’ lined up the Proton Saga catalogue to woo potential buyers. Other car manufacturer had their catalogue brimmed with real engineering-backed features that literally bubbles salesperson mouth with automotive knowledge to the bleeding edge, if I may say.

Of course, Its hard to build a car, or introduce practical automotive innovation nevertheless, to market it effectively. If making cars were such an easy business, people would have made it in their backyards. But the national carmaker messy line up of models seems like Proton is taking its shot in the dark of the vast vehicle market. Mid-sizes hatchback like Gen.2 has to share market spaces with Waja and Persona sedan. The Satria Neo two-doors compete with Savvy fighting for the young. They wanted to make utility vehicle (discontinued Arena a.k.a Jumbuck ),they had an executive vehicle ( Perdana ) they wanted to initiate in-house performance tuning arm ( R3 ) and they enrolled themselves in rallies of different categories all over the world. What is Proton trying to relay to us with all this?

It was the introduction of the MPV Exora that I began to realize that Proton could possibly reemerge as a small but significant car manufacturer in the world by targeting the value-seeking family-oriented motor transportation.

Sweet Spot Strategy

When AirAsia started offering low fares flight, we wondered how AirAsia is going to pay its pilot? Stewardess and its staffers? Initially we had a paradigm of air travel being reserved for the affluent. Not forgetting pilots and their handsome wages. Did they use fourth-hand aircraft that would split into two in mid-air? Did they pay drop-out pilots that lacked training? Do they use rethreaded aircraft tyres?

As time passes, we become comfortable and convinced with the word ‘now everyone can flies’. Travelling with airasia is casual slippers and Bermuda, undiscriminating, had turned a blind eye to the how-much-you-earn factor. Minus the frills yet people can still say ‘ tak adalah cikai sangat naik AirAsia’

At first MAS did not respond to this model. Perhaps they perceive the future of airtravel is a two layer strata of executive high-end experience and low-budget airlift. Advantage is never on AirAsia side, they were initially denied to some travel routes, had scarce aircraft and uses the cheaper less architecturally versatile LCCT which nobody would upload to Facebook.

But things turned out differently. MAS had a series of financial hiccups requiring several management shuffling and administration changes. They had to sell off their building in Jalan Raja Laut. On the other hand, Airasia thrives and continued to expand. Today, although not being told, by guesstimating, AirAsia could be several times bigger than MAS and would eat the latter any time.

Airasia must have figured out the sweet spot of air travelers. They delivered the basic services demanded and cut/lessen the icing off to offer a noticeable better deal than the national carrier. But vital to this success is to sell it in volumes. Very large volume.

In a scenario where great competition involves between two or more company, a strategy seems likely the light out of the dark tunnel. The sweet spot strategy. We all knew like AirAsia, Proton had little to less advantage in its side. Proton is ages behind to compete with the likes of Porsche with its vast hall of fame of automotive innovation starting from Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (whom designed tank turrets for breakfast). Nevertheless to challenge Subaru or Mitsubishi with their mean blazing fast all-wheel driven performance cars engineered gram by gram.

Proton should consider sweet spotting the car market. And by all means, Malaysian market if it’s feasible enough. Make a vehicle that people needed the most, design it wisely, price it nicely, dedicate their engineers to this model, update it frequently and push it with volume. One particular candidate is the second generation Saga. Particularly the Saga FL.

Why is the second-gen Saga is the best? Because Proton branded Saga as the ‘peoples car’ hence it suppose to behave like one. It is suitably sized for a young family of two kids with ample space for bags during balik kampung, equipped with adequate 1600cc of engine displacement that guzzle octane prudently, modestly designed to agitate a Kancil, reliability from wiper to electric windows and attractively priced. With these factors, Proton can push this single model in large volumes and probably crawl out of the red.

In fact, the amazing rollout of Saga FL had pushed Proton sales numbers over Perodua sales!

Proton doesn’t have to feel ashamed with lacking its in-house performance tuning arm. A miniscule of motor vehicle user would be such enthusiast to morph their vehicle into a mean machine of highway dominator. Proton can drop models that isn’t necessary to its aspiration making better returns.. If we assume Malaysian thirst for nimble city transporter, a ‘peoples car’, and a spacious large family vehicle ( plus, affordability applied to all subsequently ) then Savvy, Saga and Exora would be great to start off. Lacking of models? Roll out face-lifts say, every 8 months and replacement every 24months and people would flock Proton showroom like Apple store.

Make the entry generous

For almost every company, the entry level product is the eye opener. The closest approach for first impression. It’s a segment where car manufacturers can be generous to people who seek value, run for their money, bang for buck or whatever you may call it in marketing mumbo-jumbo. It’s usually much affordable product in the line-up. Think entry level for first time car buyers. Think Honda City, Think Toyota Vios, Think Mazda2. In order to create brand following, the entry level model is great place to start.

Proton offering comes in the form of Saga. Proton gave the production name of Saga as BLM or Base-line model, thus imply its target market segment. Currently on its second generation, the Saga FL (referring to facelift) bares a remarkable new facade. The introduction of Saga FLX proves that Proton commitment to lure this market segment. The FLX offers a real engineering-backed feature through the inclusion of CVT ( Continuous Variable Transmission ) Powertrain – which no other models had to offer, except the Mitsubishi Lancer-derived Inspira.

CVT, in laymen terms, offers a smoother transmission through variation of pulley diameter. In other words gear change is adjusted according to your driving style. If you’re hard pedaling a delay in gear shifts are made to deliver more powah. If you’re cruising, a different gear ratio is engaged to keep fuel consumption at minimum. Im glad, these are much more deserving automotive features rather than USB Ports, skirting or chrome-like lining on air-con vent holes. And that’s an X-factor of Saga FLX, a pleasant addition to the Proton entry level model.

Kudos to Proton, and if they are really aggressive to bring out more to Saga, they might have a winner model here. Roll it, wrap it and let the people say “Tak adalah cikai sangat Proton Saga”

The Brave New World

Cikgu Shidah, Milano Evans, 100 Apology Tweet and Rebecca Black – these are real people presented to you, they emerged and made a pass into your life. Internet life is fun and beneficial, but like real life they are risks involved and big brothers frantically watches you in ways creepier than you can never imagine.

I can’t help thinking about those people who instilled such high hopes doing broadcasting in the yesteryears, to break into the television world was such a tight and closed loop of beautifulpeople and rich man, you know the 1990s images of The Bold and Beautiful. Things definitely changed, people which had zero broadcasting backgrounds ( perhaps, without the ‘package’) however successfully broad casted their creative ideas, thoughts and showmanship with higher viewership- remember Cikgu Shidah and her rendition of Shakiras’ waka-waka?

Then we had come to the ‘Rebecca Black Effect’ that light heartedly proven to be a successful failure. Such failures were so epic that people celebrate them for whatever idiocy or despicability it embeds. Yet, her millions of view is a testament that people approves (if not really wanted) such things. People never felt vindicated by bleeding their eyes out of the television programming did to the masses once in their prime monopolistic moment – all they need to do in this internet era is press stop and move onto other videos, yeah, they can drop a comments too.

Few days back, the appearance of Milano Evans ( not her real name) puts a stroke of laughter in our life seeing a 14 year old girl blogged admitting she is not virgin anymore ( seriously, in a place like Malaysia). Luckily our community had long been/never been a Taliban mindset, her nose had been spared. Milano Evans put up a resistance of her admittance. Response ranges from supporting her staunch feminism and rights to control the usage of her reproductive organs to the way she liked it, to those who regarded her outspokenness is quite foolish when other girls would have lost their virginity but remained hush hush and some quarters had prayed to God so that she will be “shown the light”. Oh yeah, the baulk of commentators were swearing to do unworldly harms towards her. Me? I remained at the sidewalk as observer to this unraveling ruckus.

Then, there is the 100 tweet of apology story. It happened here. An activist, who tweets about a company HR policy being unfair towards his pregnant friend which were then working ewith that particular company. The company, BluInc Media, publisher of Malaysian Female magazine reached a settlement for him to write a hundred tweet apologizing to avoid defamation suit. He successfully reached 100 tweets within 3 days and gathered much support from the followers. With that, we ponder on what kind of law and order internet shall have? Can it become a beacon of truth which spreads fact which are sensitive for certain organization, such as his employer if they did do some unjust. Or would internet become an anarchist nation, with varying rules for each states? Who could rule and moderate internet? Why it should be moderated? Define Internet abuse? Does internet abuse exist? An endless circle of cat and rat games that extent to religion with fellow Muslim asking - when someone tweet they are in a mosque, does that constitute to ‘riak’? (doing of things for publicity)

Life on show, like its nobody business

As an architecture student, I firmly believe that value of properties would be indirectly set by the amount of foursquare check-ins. The more check-ins, the higher market value a property shall gain. This makes sense as they are reliable piece of data, highly accurate and happily contributed by the participant itself. Imagine you and me; we were a partner intended to open a café, we would very much seeking strategic location that could cater to as many potential customers as possible. We could just skimmed the data of where the people love to hang out. Forget the handing out of questionnaire in public spaces, just a waste of tree.

Or perhaps that café would only serve lunch. Then, I would skim the foursquare check-ins, I shall specifically look at which place the crowd would be during lunch time. Bam! There I have it, a spot for restaurant perfect for lunch seeking monsters.

This can be applied to anything specific. A gay bar, a hair saloon or a caviar selling al-fresco diner; these are target specific requirements. Where Gays usually hangs out? Where do caviar lover gather? To detect where are they heading to is impossible ( if breaking privacy law) unless, when they willingly check-in through mobile apps like foursquare –doing it willingly telling everyone where they are without breaking into somebody privy life ( did I just took the word from Mark Zuckerberg? )

But how do we know those people are Homosexual? High Income? Or vanity obsessed? Well, the dynamics of data collection through mobile apps is not rocket science or hypnotic magic. Gay people may openly admit their sexual orientation through social networks, even if they don’t, the pages they liked, the celebrities they followed and websites they visited, music they listens and movies they watched – these all combined can determine your gayness in some way.

You may ask does Google dedicate its staff to stalk 24/7 and determine gay people. No. These are what we called ‘algorithms’. When gay people, for instance (no discrimination intended), often visits particular websites which if many of them do, at a sustained rate, it creates a pattern. Other examples; book lovers would often watch movies that were adapted from books and drops by Google to read those reviews; while petrol heads watch automobile related reviews on YouTube – all of these searches are registered for each computer thus it provides a pattern, when Google knows you read too much books of a particular author or obsessed with cars of specific make, their advertisements were tuned according to your searches. Again, simple non-rocket science thing.

High Income people, how could you find them online? We used to judge them by the cars that they owned, but generally people are getting lesser on the road. There is a mobile apps which updates your Facebook profile with credit card purchase. Once you swiped the plastics the data is instantly uploaded and appears for your friends to envy: “John/Jane Doe had purchased a Zara Type X Jeans @ Pavilion KL at RMxxx.xx “, these are regarded as something fun for people who allowed them (for me its snobbish and showing off), yet, for Google it’s a valuable data. They encourage you to do so, these data of purchases you made through credit card will determine not only your affluence, but your purchase habit (and your low IQ and enthuastic show-offing). Google can sell these data to other jeans maker like Guess, or brands alike that you are willing to spend a bomb on jeans pants alone.

Relationship status, Credit card purchases and daily ranting, all can appear for public consumption anytime, anywhere. With all these, comes the issue of privacy. In a brave new world where people had happily exposes personal things akin to being in a birthday suit strolling along nude beach. We share too much on the net that it had no ceiling to all these. Of course, Internet is about volatility you change whenever you want when we enter different phases of life where you no longer want to be ‘nude’. But your old life of being carefree ‘nude’ still lingers in the internet realm. That’s when nasyid singer past life photos can leak and reveal their shocking past, which people dig this.

But, above all these paranoia of internet privacy, concerns of internet reputation and freedom of speech. Google, Facebook and Apple loves what we do on the internet right now. Sharing of information when you regard your life is akin to an hour of telefilm. The three tech giants skimmed through your internet behavior and status updates and iPhone SMS inbox to study you like you are a lab rat. When you think its nobody business to tell people what you eat, wear or whom you’re with – the three giants made your data as their business.

A week of foursquare check-ins is sufficient for them to create a pattern of your behavior and predict almost accurately where you would be next. Employer skimmed through profiles to screen possible workers, so they wouldn’t employ a chap like the one would defame its own HR department. The internet is a scary place to be in, if you know how things works inside them.

The Jins, Samprits and Toyol

Oh yeah! Other than glorious food, Malaysia is glorious with ghost, spirits and trolls. They come to a cinema near you baby!

Before I left my high school, I decided to leave a memento in a shape of a Malay satire entitled ‘Bikin Celluloid’ . It’s a novel effort of telling a story through the eyes of Mr.Producer and his teams working on a film entitled ‘Cinta Semerah Marikh’. The crisis in the story lies in Mr.Producer who funded this movie expecting to see it all happens the way he ever wanted. He envisions a film that none has ever created and would left a ‘ding’ in the industry. Yet, the unsupportive Mr.Director has a different approach in mind to moviemaking. He’s not only getting the film to silverscreen, but does whatever it takes to create a film can make biggest profit. Mr.Producer noticed that his vision is hindered by a shortsighted Mr.Director who decided to use clichés of the market. In the end, Mr.Director singlehandedly altered many things and left Mr.Producer questioning himself when will the Malaysian Cinema would get sick of the same clichés and grasp the hunger for a change. Bikin Celluloid can

be read in the 2005 edition of ALIRAN annual school magazine.

Its been long years since it was released for public reading. Humbly, I admit being a bit shame to read my own sophomore literary works until this moment leaving Bikin Celloid somehow ‘orphaned’. The satire represent is a little voice inside the many of us to see change in the cliché of the post millennium Malaysian cinema landscape. From 2000 until 2005, in that span of years, movies were primarily about boys meet girl and soon fell lovesick people singing the blues of the heartbroken. Along the timespan did the government decided to open the floodgates for idiotic and intellectually cheap horror ghost stories. For sure it had appeal to the masses, because that’s the only choice of genre they’ve gotten. In short, Malaysian moviegoers were force fed with tahyuls. Plenty of jins, samprits and toyol were haunting the silverscreens raking millions, bringing production house, actors and studios back to life from the deadly plague of 1997 economic crisis which may have brought them down bitting the dust.

Producers, just as businessmen, would want to fund movie titles which market ‘demands’. Of course, any sane minded person who invested their hard earned money wants to see plentiful returns. Thus, the safest and guaranteed way to see money rolling back with multiplied amount would be a boy-meets-girl and falls in love cliché. Adds slapstick humor and the rolling back gets faster and reap better.

Bikin Celluloid takes readers to a realm that a visionary Mr.Producer alone is not enough. It takes a supportive crew. From the cameraman, make up artists, props man to the aunties which sweep the floor to anticipate the movie. In the end, the governing bodies should as well aid in the birth of exceptional non-comformist works into the Malaysian movie pool by giving . It all adds up that making a great movie is impossible without the right ecosystem. Mr.Producer is doomed and left speechless by the way his ideas had been hijacked.

Nam’ron

Nobody can give an insight better than the person who is in the industry itself. For Nam’ron, an old timer theater actor, quoted from his blog had deemed our film industry were born with umbilical cords still attached to the fantasy cliché. Not the Star Wars or Avatar type of fantasy. Its good versus evil. Its alim ulamak versus secular jahils and dark versus the light. We will never see those Silence of the Lambs or Shutter Island because it is difficult to swallow.

Nam’ron cleverly draws the parallel between ours and Indonesian sinetrons ( soap operas where a 25 year old son can have a 27 year old mom). He deemed himself as cheap actor, fulfilling side roles which requires minimal appearance. As minimum as possible, almost akin to extras or characters that need to appear less than a minute per episode.Our producers were bound by television networks which are obsessed with pretty face in skin tight jeans and mammary safely held by half-cup bras wrapped in MNG cottons. With their Brazilian keratin treated hair, they take lead roles, usually the good characters facing all these worldly challenges and emerged victorious at the end of the earthshattering clout.

While Namron puts it straight that the main antagonist is not his either, they cast the ugliest face, those which are quickest to hate. Namron never had the space for job, no matter how professional he is and active erstwhile in the theatre scene for many years, television networks are obsessed with pretty face – they don’t bother experience anyway. Namron kept himself in the theatre scene while making himself open for any cable television acting job.

In my opinion, this scramble for pretty face had indeed caused a furore and created bad apples within the pool of talents . That’s why recently we saw the creation of local Paris Hilton in the form of La-Lucah, with spotlight on, they do their bad things and gets the publicity they needed. Generally, stage actors, learned discipline and doing things correctly, shunning their emotions during work while understanding characters that are beyond their nature, they play characters that ordinary people cannot apprehend; A gay, a child from extra-maritial sex, a lesbian, a rapist, an atheist, a pagan and whatnots. Stage actors has panache about acting.

The television actors pledged their faces for certain cable networks and left trails of emotional outburst for paparazzi to pick it up as news materials. Television scripts are mundane fairytale type of things which can be plucked from standart3 textbook “ who-saved-a-cat-and-get-applauded-by-the-teacher-during assembly” kind of things; except the “who’s” is wearing a push-up bra and the teacher wears a tight kebaya. Of course, if possible, the television may have stipulated all the students gathering during the assembly should be hot hunky boys ala-Jacob of Twilight and cherry lips girl. Only one thing stops them. Cost.

This is when Namron jobs fits in. As a ‘cheap labor’ he does the acting when the budget had been eaten up for extremely ugly and extremely pretty cast. He described himself as neither of the one. Neither ugly or pretty. Just a patsy. An instrument, a screw out of the machine that operates on glamour and rating numbers and advertisements. Producers even had to negotiate with cable networks to explain the rational for Namrons involvement. Like I mentioned before, “Namron is in because there is no more money for super pretty and super uglies “.

There you go. Namron had exposed the inner working of our movie industry and expect no changes for at least a few decades.

The Ecosystem

When Namron portrayed the outlook as deplorable and undesirable, there are efforts going in the background to scavenge and work things out. I’ve seen Namron acting in ‘Gadoh’ and ‘Aku Tak Bodoh’, they deliver strong messages that has Namron being ‘gam’ ( another word for banned ), but none bothers Namron, no harm made on him, he lives, work, sleep and think like he does. Namron belonged to a whole new ecosystem, the ecosystem which is sick of the mainstream choking tahyul and boy-meets-girl clichés into the eyes of moviegoers. Namewee, Sharifah Amani to name a few, you won’t or rarely seen them on primetime television. They were long ‘gam-ed’. But that fact won’t squirt not a pee from them. They are safe within the ecosystem.

The ecosystem that im talking about consists of producers and directors that incept, adapt the ideas and gathers the resources. Screenwriters. Casting Agency. Props master. Actors, right down to the people who swept the floor. At the other end, there are moviegoers, those who chuck out their hard earned cash to watch movies, shows and works of these people. What binds this ecosystem is their like-mindedness. Hunger for a change.

Directors like Boris Boo of ‘Aku Tak Bodoh’ fascinates people on his insight of common reality among multicultural Malaysia. The extreme concerns amongst Malaysian onto their young eds. It breaks boundaries and makes us forget our ethnicity once engaged onto the movie. This all eloquently delivered in 120minutes of regret-free movietime. Production need not to replace the I’s in Boris name with 1Malaysia symbol, he is, in a refreshing unforcibly own way, Malaysian.

Mamat Khalid’s ‘ Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah’ is clearly a satire taking shots at Malaysia flood of tahyul mahyul movies. A versatile punches and jabs without being offensive towards the intended subject, Mamat Khalid bravely served some good ones to the political realities in Malaysia. Unmistakably, there’s a scene where Pak Jabit says “ kita boleh tukar parti, tak payah buat pilihanraya” ( referring to Perak State Assembly reps switching parties ) Amazingly, it attracts all lapisan masyarakat to watch it. May it be the ones that had been tied to tahyul mahyul for their silly ghosts and serious thinker for the subliminal jabs on current occurrences. And, Yes, Khalid’s “I” have not gotten replaced with 1Malaysia symbol either.

KRU Studios is setting itself apart with daring visual effects and movies with substantial contents. The studio heralded the true Malaysian striving spirit for exceptional quality for SFXs combined with KRU experienced music making, KRU Studios holds the synergy of making a memorable if not successful films. Realistic SFX coupled with good music scores would ring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in everybody’s mind. Everything is done here on our soil without the need rely on foreign expertise. Ah yes, ask anyone before those KRU brothers raised the benchmark, our SFXs were nothing near 1971 Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. While most people whine and draw comparisons with directors who’d raised the white flag unable to fulfill such ludicrous demands, KRU Studios stood up to the challenge. Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa is what KRU Studios has in store for us, while its soundtrack; Sedetik Lebih by Anuar Zain is gaining heavy airplay the moment this blog’s written.

Continued with endless backing from movie goers, things seem to look alive again. Alternatives are now within reach. Finas squinted its eyes to see local movies flourish, it’s a matter to channel their resources to those who can really put a ‘ding’ on the industry. Skim Wajib Tayang puts a compulsory screening period on cinema operators to have at least two weeks of movie preview of local titles regardless of reception. Talented scriptwriters are eagerly waiting to show their talent and there are plenty of surprises in the bag for new, bold and daring actors.

Bikin Celluloid ends with Mr.Producer having a latte in a café, and it happens two complete strangers were clamoring for change. Mr.Producer had eavesdropped the conversation and left his two cents: “Maybe in the year 2020, we might see change” ( Mungkin kita dapat tengok perubahan tahun 2020 kot ).

The Abused Award

AJL ended few weeks ago followed by echoes of dissatisfaction. It is still heard until today radiating with heat, heat and more packed heat.

The annual music award are mend to recognize music producer and composer adds a sense of academic in an industry which are known for stardom and glamour. In other words, AJL primarily recognize the person behind each tunes and notes regardless how alluring or handsome the singer is (which delivers the songas an artpiece). Having industry’s grandmaster in the shape of M.Nasir as chief judge clearly define the anugerah of all that mentioned above. It sets AJL apart from SMS based awards which is, after all the gimmicky of putting power into people hands, still had judges to sort things out.

Of course, the award had its share of criticism through voices that were unable to conform to the fact that the anugerah was given to a newcomer songstress, Ana Rafalli. There was a little commotion back during the night she was crowned winner; with the usual uneducated tantrum of throwing water bottles, tissue paper rolls and whatnots. While on the mainstage Ana was being showered with glimmering colourful confetti’s and brought back home a handsome amount of cash.

Many would have never heard of Ana Rafalli. Ana who? A sweet baju kurung totting girl who gained fame through the power of Youtube. Similar to the case of Marie Digby, she flamboyantly uploaded her crooning videos which eventually sparked the creative bulb inside of Aidid Alfian head to pick her up and morphed her into full time recording artist. In just a snap, she grabbed an anugerah- it shook the corridors of entertainment industry nationwide to witness such meteoric rise. In the after event interview, M.Nasir noted the frustrated reaction by some pockets of people, but as an old-timer in the field, no matter how properly things were done, not everybody are happy with it. The old timer even put a slight hint to his face: abaikan mereka ( just let them be – sore ).

Personally, there’s no issues with the decision putting her as a winner. Her efforts put to produce and compose the song on her own should be applauded; the award should gave her a kick start for a future all-rounder artist. We had enough of express-made pretty faced or jambu boy band delivering songs created by others. Surely M.Nasir has made a commendable choice.

Yet, the post-event interview also made M.Nasir tired due to some pressure put on him. Not that M.Nasir’s too handicap in making judgment ( remember Mawi? Who was the headmaster of AF? Who doesn’t like him during his heydays? ); M.Nasir had been the father figure or reference point to the industry, yet the entertainment industry cooperate agenda has its hand behind all handling out of awards. This is what pressuring and bothering M.Nasir.

Choke us with maximum exposure

If this starts to sound like a disgruntled dissident voices of blogging community, then you should think again; we shall look at a bigger picture of the anugerah. Who hold this anugerah? It was TV3, a private free-to-air television channel that had been running for 26years. In the past ten years, TV3 had made effort taking over other private free to air rival channel ntv7, in the process they had cultivated new channels such as 8tv and tv9; thus leaving the private television channels dominated by these oligarchy of channels..

These channels come together and collectively forms an umbrella group known as Media Prima, a conglomerate which owns a couple of other mass media medium such as dailies ( NST, Berita Harian ),radio station ( FlyFM, HotFM ) and physical advertisement space. These are very extensive media group that had its arm coiling onto different types of people all over the nation. Even the channel programming was arranged in a way to target different audiences, age, ethnic, income groups. For example we would never see TV3 and 8TV airing comedy simultaneously as this would split viewership amongst these channels. Even if they do air comedy simultaneously ( or whatsoever genre of movies) during similar time slot, it would be of different languages, each aiming to garner the viewer groups.

All this corporate strategy explains how AJL was given maximum exposure all throughout the free to air private channels across Malaysia. From interviews to cook shows ( or parenting shows); anything that wasn’t sponsored by other private companies; have had host reminding the audience about the pending anugerah. Radio station would pompously hold talk shows speculating the winners for the anugerah. Newspapers under Media Prima would have weekend center spread doing article about the anugerah like it’s an election result analysis. This intense publicity clout was done to create fever pitch anticipation ( honestly, the more you know about this mechanism, the less anticipation you had prior to AJL ). The whole Media Prima medias works seamlessly as mental conditioning tool.

It never ends swiftly; the anugerah would have be made like tsunami that leave its deep and lasting path. All Media Prima mediums would still throng the anugerah even when Stadium Bukit Jalil had been cleaned from tissue rolls messes due to Ana Raffali shocking victory. The next morning HotFM would untiringly play different songs from the anugerah; assuming its royalty free; they might rake clean profit from these airplays without knowing their audience had terribly wanted the audibly crispier sound of the studio version. The AJL recording of sound were a complete mess of noise unsuitable for airing on the FM, it would be a different story when previewed on television. This would carry on for weeks with the FM announcing that its an ‘exclusive’ previews like the deejay had to delve into some web filled archive room to collect the oh-so-exclusive-recordings.

Newspapers under the conglomerate would publish petty news during the entertainment event, like whose performance looked like illuminati advocate in subliminal form? and strings of other publicity hungry types of headlines. Winners of best performance were interviewed about how they execute their gimmicks ( surely, a report on Hafiz shot-on-stage can fill half a page )

Oh, not forgetting, channels of the conglomerate would squeeze every inch of the anugerah that can be made into full-duration content for their respective channels. They did whatever it takes including freezing or slowing down the motion and query what Cheryl Samad felt in the dressing room when evidently she had hosted the anugerah for ten straight years.

Can AJL be an event on its own rights? The corporate decision to ripping materials off from AJL had tarnished the anugerah to the extent of devaluing it. Can someone from the corporate table tell me does the cost saving synergy worth it?

Backdoor Award, the Anus.

All the frustration with Media Prima would have been worst if Astro do not exist in the industry. Nearly half of the artists competing during the anugerah night were of the highly popular show; Akademi Fantasia, the talent search reality show by Astro. Astro produces a stable of highly capable artist appealing to wide spectrum of audiences, far better than what Media Primas had able to produce through their desperate rollout of shameful and sometime last-minuitesque reality shows ( TV3s Mentor, LG MyStarz and Gangstarz; Ntv7s Audition; 8TV One-In-A-Million and Malaysian Idol )

Akademi Fantasia, although a clear ripped off idea of La-Academia from Venezuela; were executed nicely and Astro calmly never needed another reality talent search show. Akademi Fantasia has strong presence to wipe the floor clean and steal the thunder from Media Primas mediocre stable of six reality shows. Akademi Fantasia is on its 9^th run and still amongst the highest rated programs in Malaysia.

So those mediocre products, where can they be leveraged? Of course through long established anugerahs like the AJL, which untiringly build its reputation through 24 years of continuous awards. Now it had to be sold cheaply to help float drowning products of OIAM, Malaysian Idol and Mentor. Names like Faisal Tahir, Black, Tomok, Jaclyn Victor and if possible One Nation Emcees. Sadly names like Wana, Suki, Daniel had their artistic career neutered as it would be too ridiculous to award them first place in AJL.

It is clear that AJL are being abused to leverage ‘their’ artists. Its not too far to see that if Astro were never to exist in broadcast business today, we might see Black as the champion, Faisal Tahir as first runner up and Tomok as second runner up. It’s a purely corporate strategist that would chop off M.Nasir hand to cast his votes on Ana Raffali that night. People would be hurrying home from the award in a state of pandemonium to know that songs they hardly heard won the 24years running anugerah.

M.Nasir would have to appear on television with poker face and sell himself cheap to admit that Media Prima artist had intangible artistic quality although their song never received that heavy radio play deemed as measure of popularity.

Yet, the corporate intervention still has hearts to put first runner up to one of ‘their’ artist. Nevermind, maybe it’s hard to grasp the idea that their artist lacked the quality to compete with Akademi Fastasia huge stable of much popular and talented artists, not forgetting emerging independent artist like Yuna and Ana Raffali that owe no allegiance to neither Astro nor Media Prima. AJL had been abused to leverage one of ‘their’ artist; someday people might just question the credibility of AJL never hesitantly leaves AJL for another anugerah.

When that scenario comes true, AJL organizers cannot take that abaikan mereka treatment; they had to approach Price WaterHouseCoopers to count the weekly votes and scramble to bring back the credibility. Hell, when this abuse goes for a long time they might change the name to AJM ( Anugerah Juara Melodi ) or AJLB ( B for Baru ) or just Anu, reflecting the cockiness how this award is given.

The Garbage Talk

What kind of promise Malaysia holds?

In Taiwan household dump are collected from doors to doors. These collectors, I assume, contractors paid by local municipal council; collects and measures the weight and house owners would be charged according to certain tariff set. In short, I assume there are no estates or apartment dumpster, instead, a dump collector in their jumpsuit uniform would come every alternate day and do their job. In a meanwhile, unit occupiers need to be ready with their packed garbage with coins to spare.

In a nutshell, this is a great idea. On paper it sparkled several positive chain effects, this includes the reduction of unnecessary garbage produced by each household; each household puts a tremendous effort to reduce wastage knowing the fact that they are paying for those unneeded stuff. They would be going to wet market and refusing polystyrene packaging or whatever sorts of wrapping, instead they relied on their own reusable market bags.

Any foodstuff bought was done in tactful moderation. Anything too much like an extra carton of milk would just be too heavy to be charged, being careful; things were bought in sufficient, if not too low, quantity. Plans were made if there were friends and family gatherings so that the resultant waste would be at bare minimal. Children were taught by their parents to eat until the plate is squeaky clean like those of dishwashers’ advertisement where rubbing finger against it would produce that imaginable ‘krrrrrieek!’ sound. So, another indirect advantage is kids in Taiwan are guaranteed to be safe from malnutrition with the No-Leftovers rule(unless they chose to be anorexic)

Apart from waste reduction, Taiwanese may be cracking to think creatively on how to recycle their garbage. Like one of Disney channels’ Art Attack where most paper or plastic based refusal were reincarnated and turned into wonders of purposeful or decorative items. Thus this all reduce the amount (importantly the total weight), imagine walking into Taiwanese residences to see flowers made from cake wrappers or coin holders made of cigarette boxes. Nice! Menthol smelling coins…mmmm….

Implementation Here

If we were to implement this Taiwanese pragmatism of charging household per weight, we honestly going to be swarmed by endless pessimism. We may gather all effective and wonderful ideas all around the world yet making it work here is no way easier than said. Thing look rosy in the papers; just like buying a furniture from IKEA where it looked very much stylish-modern uber high-income indie hipstep, yet, the moment you unpacked and assembled it in your living room; the furniture drowned into the monotonous 80s furniture and dull coloured wall with pre-historic chandelier hanging off the ceiling glimmering with non-energy efficient bulbs.

Endless of ideas tanked due to inefficient execution or bureaucratic resistance or we are just Malaysian. For instance the introduction of PUSPAKOM, an autonomous body with private-level efficiency to inspect/grade/report on motor vehicle safety level in Malaysia using fully computerized methods. Wow! I guess that whole sentence would blow the wind off to anybody face… wouldn’t it? Yet, PUSPAKOM currently are ridden with the disease ‘C’, unreliable and inefficient.

Not forgetting the EPF scheme so that enables each family to own personal computers through reductions. The implementation of back seat safety belt which kept getting delayed into the next millennium, toy safety grading system and recently announced grading of car workshops around Malaysia. As if we lived in a nation that moved backwards rather than approaching that vividly envisioned Wawasan 2020.

It would be something marvelous to hear echoes from a expatriates that sounded like: “ did you know, every toy in Malaysia is inspected for safety – even if its as small as lego bricks “ or “ did you know last week when I went to Malaysia, every car has got to have backseat seat belt even though it’s a friggin Kancil? “

When we start charging Malaysian households for the garbage they produce, the immediate effect would be more and more garbage being thrown on the streets or open area. Many people who barely make a living have yet to spare some cash and be responsible for their refuse. Its just throw and forget, something that had been hardwired since independence. Unlike Singapore,the tiny and micro-managable city state, here is like a Chrismas for litterbugs – we could have thrown cigarette buds to construction refusals without being caught.

Every citizen in a country that still trapped in low-income high-inflation syndrome( like us ) would have us investing tremendous amount of time devising various types and methods that would save them every ringgit and cent. Say, stealing of water supply, taking-off copper from high voltage electricity cable or taking routes around KL that has no tolls ( samseng one uses toll free road emergency lanes )No doubt, if Taiwanese garbage weighting were implemented here, there are household which would take it to the extreme with burning it. Thus providing a cheaper option to destroy household refusals and forget the kilograms of Carbon released into the atmosphere since its intangible.

There would be slim elite minority which is somewhat special type of homosapiens which is above the law. As you know, Malaysian social fabric are filled with fringes of above-law people ( Datuk, kawan Datuk and adik-beradik Datuk ), these people would have another set of standards which exclude them from paying the proposed garbage cost. They make as much dirt and waste and given the exclusion from paying.

Thus, the garbage collection, like taxi and timber, would be a multi-million industry where everybody wants a piece of the cake. Now, an issue would arise of whose adik-beradik or saudara Datuks shall get a wet bite of these contracts?

Bleak as it is. There is no other lowest period being a Malaysian than now. Worst, when you’re a teenage going to adult - the outside world seems and sounded very ridden with old things that takes more than my generation to replete and change. Its apparent my generation lives in a marvelous age of great ideas but never done. Its been a while since I abstain myself from talking about politics – so, I guess you might take this as just a concern from a citizen of this once promising country.

To make this place promising again, just like the days of Wawasan 2020, some may think we have the power to vote and change things for the better. But how well can we do? Its possible to change the incumbent government, would they be able to shun big cooperates which runs shoddy businesses like money laundering and curb ah long? Or developers and contractors who were starved from cheap outside labors when a ‘concerned’ government wanted these jobs taken by local workforces? These big companies are high rollers and could tip the favor to anything that benefit them. Ah! The competitive nature of capitalism.

Shall we go back to the days of Pharoah where absolute rule and slavery gets shit done? The Pyramid wouldn’t be standing without the Pharoah forcing hundreds of thousands hard labors to charge forward with tons of stones on their back. But we wouldn’t want to go back into these dark times.

Looking on the bright side, Taiwan does it well...why couldn't we? Someday, we’ll get things retooled and sorted out.

The Designer Babies

Designer brands are within reach of most people, designer cars are probably harder to get; but what happens when designer babies are made available? Babies that are tailor made to its parents liking? Seriously, tell the geneticist you wanted an Audrey Hepburn with kuning langsat skin and singing voice.

While I was in primary school, there was a boy I knew named Bernard, I always met him at the football field since our lunch lasted for an hour and half, so we usually had football matches amongst friends. Bernard plays like a champion; he dribbles, passes and receives the ball like no other of us can do. I wasn’t in the same classroom, so I wasn’t sure about his studies, but his classmates told me Bernard is someone of an ‘A’-scooper, someone who grabs A like its nobody business, yet, his schoolbag is not bulky, very light enough for a cool sprint if Bernard misses a bus. Who is this Bernard? He did not talk much about himself. Occasionally, I heard plenty of girl having crushes over him (I’m not sure if they catfight over him). He is not too giraffe-like tall or rhino-like short, skin is tanned dark and friendly. He is a Chindian; the mixed parentage of Chinese and Indian. Like a fine specimen from outer space, Bernard became an instant renaissance man. Almost everyone went ga-ga about Chindian.

Simple biology thought us children inherit good genes from both its parents. Be it physically or mentally, from immunity from diseases to unique skin and hair pigmentation. Mastery of different language is a proven edge, this happens as a result of cross cultural parentage. Exceptions for talents and knowledge, since those are gained through experience. Yet, not all humans are created perfect; there are still imperfections which can be inherited by later generations.

I ‘am not a geneticist to tell you which genes is responsible for this and that, yet, I’am well aware that we are not far away from genetic engineering. Simple alterations can be made in near future to curb hereditiary diseases or deformities. Take, for example, me, I guess, I inherited my loud sneezing (due to sinus) from my father. You can tell how disgusted people responded to my achooos! And Im sure to tell you its such a disrespectful thing to do although it’s a euphoric sensation to sneeze in such way.

By the time im writing this, minor genetic alterations would needlessly be in final few stages before widespread implementation, perhaps less than a decade? I could walk to a geneticist and get that loudsneeze strain erased from my DNA before my children inherited them. This is important, before my generation would posthumously had to be given the surname ‘loudsneezer’ or something like that.

When What God Given is What You Should Keep

But what religion has to say about this? As Muslim, the novelty of saying ‘alhamdulillah’ no matter which odds we are in are recommended. Good or bad. There was a debacle that people with white/grey hair were not allowed to dye their hair; the concluded rational behind this is because ablution taken before prayers wouldn’t cover strains of hairs thus prayer is considered incomplete. Pity, my dad is now officially a ‘hantu uban’ with almost all of his head covering hair white. While its much comforting when other regard white hairs as a sign of hard-thinking. Am I going to have white hair before mid 30s?

Genetics had proven that most of our genes were inherited from our mothers’ side. Then, we can conclude that there is a bit science in Will.I.Am hits “I got it from my mama”, taking all the hearsays and cakap kedai kopi; we can get extra-judgemental by looking at our future mother-in-laws and how graceful as she gets older (careful, do not stare for too long). Then we will get the idea of how our best-half would get older. Will she be prettier? Will she ever runs out of collagen? Will she be crippled with diabetes? Or will we consider for ‘new branches’ when things get saggy and eyebaggy?

Thus, today, in the quest for beauty and perfection; we are in transition period between altering our appearance physically (long after birth) or genetically (long before birth). Expect one day, Muftis and Ustaz giving their thoughts about genetic modifications. Perhaps, they would converge and issue a fatwa or plenty of fatwas regarding genetic modifications; I bet there will be two sets, one the allowable and the other not-allowed. This wouldn’t be as sensational as decree on divorcing through SMS. Yet, it will be similar to BOTOX. To look even farther, lipsticks and blushers are considered haram as well. Those aforementioned are among the most superficial form of beauty enhancement elements. Never a single knife that cuts the skin or chemical that intrudes the bodily systems. Yet, widespread usage can be seen now.

Through the religion eyes, beauty is not something that is prohibited or elicit. Islam allowed women to dress beautifully to please the husband. One of the four major criterion seek by Muslim matrimony would be looks apart from Trust in One God, which is Allah (not to be mistaken with Kitab Injil Allahs’), Good family and appropriate amount of properties. Some may think this debacle (lipsticks and blushers) is necessary because its their mutual responsibility to guide the ummah to the right path, some, under guise of secularity or liberty refused to talk about this matter because it is too small, unconstructive and petty to talk over. For me, I ‘am drifted away from religion because of such debacle which sometimes can get ugly, they might create a facebook haters group (Kami membenci sekalian-sekalian). It wouldn’t be simple to drop this subject; you’ll get slapped with being too ignorant (jahil)

All this will drag on for some time before the public goes to a process of ‘normalization’. When too many accepted the notion using lipstick is fine, then, the debacle seems to become silenced. By then, our ear wouldn’t miss voices saying this normalization is a sign that the end of world is nearing (kiamat sudah dekat). This endless loop of debacle is what driven me far away from religion matters; yet not from God.

I suspected Muslim advocate natural beauty type through selected breeding. By looking at the criterion in regards with finding a good family; the demography is essentially a pool of genes in which a man has to seek the most suitable and caring mother to bore his children. And His Most Gracious Allah willingness to ascend too many of different races scattered all over the world, men would embark on an epic (whatever he may calls it) search.

Nazi Eugenics

In the month of May, almost everything seems to point out to military; especially the WW2. Yes, it no other than a commeration the Fall of Nazi. It was exactly on 9^th May when Berlin fell to Soviet troops, and officially German Nazi laid down its arms. Shortly after that, trial begins in Nuremberg where most generals were charged under crime against humanity so on and forth.

Ironically, selected breed is something which had been advocated by the Nazi regime. These are called Eugenics. It derived from Greek word; eu meaning good and genics meaning genes. During the time when DNA strain couldn’t be stripped apart and analyzed under the microscope, a crude method of selected breed is done in which includes segregating the good and bad ones. In Malaysia, reason for eugenics happens in non-science rationality (sometimes discriminating). These includes marriages between Syeds and Tengku. The higher strata of so-called Prophet Muhammad descendants and non-descendants. This were done to maintain somekind of ‘purity’. What kind of purity? Well, you should ask them who strictly abide to the purity ideals, they might have a strong reason to enlighten us the less-pure.

During WW2 German, rarities such as coloured eyes and twins are further experimented by Nazi Doctors. In the time when Germany suffered severe drop of population, twins are something which Nazi leaders look forward to ensure systemic growth of population. Not only the troops for the cause of war, but industrial workforce which proportionally grows according to increasing number of Germany foes. Efforts were also made to dispel unwanted ethnics such as the Jews, which Nazi regarded as ‘the other gifted race beside themselves, the Aryan’. Doctors during third-reich were instructed to do compulsory sterilization onto people who were inflicted with hereditary diseases such as epilepsy, mentally retard or physically retards. These are akin to preventive measures instead of curing the sick. These are all part of Eugenics which wanted an eventual improved pool of human genes. Those associations with Nazi had given Eugenics a bad face and became subject of debate among human rights activists and medicine practitioner.

Selected Breeding has been done on animals and even fruits. Poultry and livestock usually saw the benefits of selected breeding, for a simplistic childish example, a milk producing cow when breed with long-living cow may produce a milk producing long-live cow. In Malaysia, we had UPM specializing in research in these type of feat. The Durians we ate with all its funky name (D24, D12, Kucing Tidur and Udang Merah) are all selected breed of fruits with qualities beyond our understanding. Through genetic modifications, we enjoyed seedless grapes. The nation as a whole may grin in pride with its agricultural technology.

Debunking Eugenics

We call all dump this theory of Eugenics and start living ignorant of this good genes idea. Striding through life as it gives and take whatever it wants. It takes a huge leapt for all of us; all men shall drop their obsession for beautiful and pretty girl, narrow mindedly *ehem* assuming women wanted to look pretty just to attract men, all women shall then live without hassle for the need for vanity and countless make upping hours. It’s a whole new thing for most of us; teaching ourselves not to judge whichever is good or bad; while whole fundamental idea of God-given powerful mind is to differentiate between what’s good and bad.

Slimming centers all over the world would close down and cosmetics industry shall collapse. But, our quest for perfection had given those thoughts as some sort of madness that wouldn’t happen. Eugenics on the other hand would have taken generations to successfully achieve the good genes pool aim. After Eugenics, genetic engineering takes over to allow perfection to be imbued and deformities erased before birth. And a whole new dimension of manicure industry appears in a shape of genetic science where you talk to a geneticist about propagating a your children to have quick feet muscle like Zoe Deschanel

Bernard may be a true rare specimen (no offense, he is not a lab rat). A person which most, if not all, in my generation get awed and girls go ga-ga. An example of what selected breeding can produce (although his parents might meet by serendipity). Blessing of mixed parentage in the form of Chindian. That’s Bernard of my generation. Current generation is global citizen where US parents can adopt Cambodian kids, that’s apparently clear whom to look at.

The Bernard you’ll see in next generation shall be more detailed engineered. Altered to close-perfection from the granularity of cells, DNAs and genes. Behold! The designer baby.

The Mayhem of Media

“All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players”. William Shakespeare almost completed that sentence. He might just left it hanging. Not until Joseph Goebbels perfected the sentence and complete the triad of stage, actors and the ‘missing’ director.

There was a time when people were crazy about furthering their studies in mass communication. Like IT and biotech that precede the hype, mass communication attain a special glamour of its own; it’s a gateway to the glitter and bright light. It’s a course as cool as living; a plain shirt and skinny jeans and you’re ready for class. No need for T-square of architecture students. Mass Communication students were dangling on hopes of someday being newscasters, hosts, interviewer and eventually getting to know big names or being PR face for notable figures of high place. Collaterally, absorb them to be part of the higher ones. Even so, if they never indeed make contact with big names, they had attain the skill to ‘make believe’, they’ll make your eyes sees the different, and the mind shall believe.

Does it sound rhetoric? Honestly there are no ill feelings towards mass communication. Whatever they do and convey to us, they’re just doing their job. Honestly, its not an easy task to convey a particular message to the masses, making sure its easily misunderstood…ehem… I mean understood. Even a good orator occasionally had that ‘shake’( gemuruh ) before, during or after their speech for a few hundred people, now, its about conveying message to hundredths of thousand people across different media and platform.

Since the main intent is to deliver message clearly, then. Who else would mass comm. student would look back and thank other than Joseph Goebbels, he, which I think lays the foundation and principle of mass communication.

To begin with, Joseph Goebbels is neither someone from the literature line nor a mass comm. figure, and if the ending matters, this man committed suicide on May 1 1945 (exactly sixty five years ago) near the ‘Wolfslair’ or the Hitlers Bunker somewhere in Berlin. He firmly believed in Hitlers ideal that it took his life, wife, Magda and six children with it – or else he would have surrendered and admit that he is only a mere ‘foot soldier’ following orders.

Even if victors of World War II had caught him, he would have the same fate as the other Nazi military leader. Certain death, hanged and witnessed by the public eyes, so he never given a second thought and took the suicide shot before Allied forces came and manhandled him.

But if Joseph Goebbels were to think again and think hard, he might not necessarily have to commit suicide. His captors might have captured him, punched him here and there, put him in a gunnysack and ship him to an unknown secret location in South America or depths of Africa with a table, chair, pen and paper. After all, the war after that was all about his specialty. Joseph Goebbels is the chief propaganda minister during the Third Reich.

Before I precede further, lets us clear our mind of the usual stigma/association when we mention the word ‘propaganda’. Does the word immediately smell stench, full of negative vibe filled with visions of evil that advocated lies and libel? Truth is, when we mention sex, some had pornography in mind, or something dastardly sinful beyond repenting. When sex, among its wide context referred to human reproduction activity. Propaganda belonged to the same hordes of misunderstood word that demanded our reexamination.

Propaganda is known as techniques of shaping others perception. Simply put, like a parents tried to convince their children that toy A is better than toy B when truth is, toy A is cheaper than brand B. It’s an art of convincing, which influence the next logical step of deciding. Much like a teenager in his/her social circle, when they intended to date someone and their social circle gave a negative feedback thus paralyzing the intention, this signaled that propaganda is running in the background.
Joseph Goebbels took his heads up had taken the role as director, giving ‘scripts’ (propaganda) to actors(people) and ensure them that everything will be fine, as long as they follow the script, yet the ending for this director ended tragically, the Nazi was destined to fall on May 1 1945 and victors of World War had embalmed him as one of most evil person.

After the smoke of World War II disappeared followed by brief grief for those who had perished; a new war is brewing. The threat of communism lurks in the east. Communism is not a type of monster that eat or rip human limbs off, it’s an ideology which subtly seep into mind and hearts of people. Asking people to seek total reform of the social structure, envisioning that it would be better this way than the other. Britain and United States saw this as an imminent threat especially to their economic interest. The capitalist endorses private ownership and these nations are profiteering well seeping labor and natural resources from colony states. Communism on the other hand seek nations to disallow private ownership of national equity, instead, nationalize them – make it belong to the people, or collectively, by the government.

It was during this time, the officers of propaganda minister brought into shores of United States in an effort to wage a war that needed no bullet, tanks, aircrafts or army. The propaganda war travels as quickly as any military equipment can ever achieve. And no territory was at stake, only our opinions and piece-of-mind were the battlefield. Yes, including you and me.

Propaganda Arts

In present day, social networking tool has become a propaganda apparatus for individuals. Its relatively quick and publicity is achieve at no cost. From the new item you have purchased or places you have visited; you can make them a widespread knowledge. It encourages everyone to emblazon their vision and shape others perception towards them; rich, classy, intellect or elite. For instance, a person may put up photos of them in clubs which eventually shape-up people option that they’re a socially acceptable person. A person may also put up photos of their involvement in sporting events, gala or any other theme; and the much inclined the person tends to show similarity of the many picture, the clearer it gets that profile owners tries to propagate their ‘branding’ onto you. In return, for pointing out the obvious, these people might prolly admit to such things, or simply felt outsmart, they deny such allegations and question our perception of being judgmental.

Joseph Goebbel, together with Dr. Joseph Mengele had firm believe that the Germans were the given race. With the firm believe of Eugenics (where bad genes should be purged, and couples with good genes should get married and produce as many kids as possible), they were keen to create an ideal German/Aryan race with all the men were as tall, physical and macho like Boris Becker or Michael Ballack and female were as curvy, voluptuous and blue-eyed like Gisele Bundchen or Diane Kruger. Yet, the Nazis believe of ethnic supremacy doesn’t come next to none. They also firmly believed the Jew were on par with them as a ‘given race’ thus a problem persist. Two kings cannot rule a single throne. This had become another reason for their systematic liquidation of Jews within Germany and annexed regions. Yet trying to convince the common about how Jews should be disposed were not as easy as walking into a crowd and start delivering a fiery speech. The Germans would have thought them as being crazy if they do so.

Then names like Leni Reifensthal and Hans Schweitzer make things easier to shape public opinion about what Germany can possibly achieve. The Jew almost dominated the Germany commerce had Nazi tirelessly shaping the opinion of German people that it is not good in the long term. Trying to soften this hard facts, arts were effectively employed so public opinion can be won. These propaganda posters gives strong message and precursors today poster method of conveying message to the masses. Motion art like Jud Süß (1940) delve back into history how a Jewish banker which had been entrusted by several European Kaiser and Dukes were later captured and admitted to several charges. The German Olympics were extensively documented to show the superiority of German race in sporting event compared to the rest of the world. All this were deemed right during the Nazi rule as means to uplift their spirit after the devastating and humiliating loss in World War I. Party assemblies were filmed to show how organization were committed to drive forward and prevail after the shock of first war. All this were downward negatively labeled by the victors of war until today.

Above, left; 1940 anti semitic movie poster, Jud Suss. Above, right; a German propaganda poster depicting an industrial worker with duck head, translation reads " Your responsibility is to remain silent, our enemy is listening", after World War I, Germany arms production and capacity were capped, and prior to WWII, German ramped up production of heavy mechines and weaponry. This was done silently.Bottom, Left; another propaganda poster, translation reads "The Guarantee of Germany Military Strength" featuring dark coat SA (sturmabteilung/ stormtrooper) men standing next to soldier

Attention Seeker

A television station in Malaysia once had this motto: Berita Terkini, Hiburan Sensasi ( which translated, Latest News, Sensational Entertainment ). This is no farther than the extension of propaganda and how it was decorated to look like a lamb rather than wolf. Without entertainment, crowd cannot be made or gathered, without it ears and eyes cannot be lend. Thus, entertainment is undoubtedly an important aspect to be accompanied with propaganda; may it be visually, audio or live action- it must exist - or else propaganda would pass by like slow breeze in the wind.

Being aware of that, it is not exceedingly difficult to rationalize the logic of the glamour associated with mass communication. It is important to seek as much attention as possible before making a statement – especially the one that needs to be known to many. How to grab attention? Is it as simple as banging a wine glass with dinner spoon? Entertainment is the key. Entertainment industry had always been lively through thick or thin. Millions of movies and songs being illegally downloaded yet new tunes and films keep coming, each time with bigger budget and much spectacular cinematic experience. Artists were complaining about dwindling sales and problematic divorce battle; yet many wanted to be rockstars (including the worst behaviours). This would implicate that entertainment trades were not just money and cari makan; instead, the subtle message that it had conveyed determine the success.

Obviously, songs and films doesn’t contain any cryptic message that make us do something weird, it’s the news program which came later or during commercial minutes which taps our attention. We have to admit that watching some of their teleseries are addictive, may it be the sultry porcelain-like hot actresses or hunky dudes with juicy abs; when the uninvited ‘we’ll come back after this messages’ appear you exhale with dissatisfaction. Unfortunately, commercial minutes don’t come with countdown timer and you shall remain seated staring at the idiot box. With attention and anticipation remained high; propaganda slips in taking advantage of your awareness. Wullah!

Propaganda has taken on a new platform. Even, if there is no commercial interruptions, there will always be follow-ups, drop down the internet and you’ll find data pool of that hunky dude or porcelain-skin sultry chick; they’ll always be links accompanied to other portal. You’ll end up drowning in a spiraling maze of multiple tabs. You’ll delve deeper into the private lives of these people you love to watch, what do they do? What do they eat? What are their values? The attitude they had? which in turn, translate into a form of idolization.

With idolization sets in place, you prepare to be an actor amongst the many actors in this world. With the world as the stage, and social networking tool as the publicity agent; ever ponder who is the director and script writer? Of course, above scenario is the simplest type of how external opinion shaping takes place. Some may had higher resilience might defy all this and remained confident wearing their skin, even if its dull or not porcelain-like or lacks six packs.