A False Impression
By Mariam Mokhtar
Appearances deceive and two Ipoh Echo articles stand out.
The first involving the Ipoh Echo’s writing competition, typified how a book should never be judged by its cover. The second concerning the police dialogue with the Lim Garden residents, entertained the possibility that the organisers could pull together to turn the idea on its head.
Echo’s Writing Competition
First. Each entrant in Ipoh Echo’s writing competition, which limped along and ended with a whimper, deserves to be congratulated for entering into the spirit of the competition. So what melted the mettle of the vociferous parents, and teachers, who castigated the way English was being sidelined in our schools? They strangely went silent. Why didn’t they encourage their offspring and charges, to enter? They should have put their money where their mouths were. Winning, would have ensured money into their pockets!
Brainy Beauty
But, the best accolade was undisputedly reserved for Jessica Lee Jiun-Xiu, the Junior Section winner.
She graced the front-cover of Ipoh Echo’s Issue 85. I recall the ungracious comments of a reader (November 11, 2009) who wondered why there was any need for a ‘Miss Echo’. The contemptuous remarks were that these girls rarely contributed to Ipoh and were merely advertising themselves. Thus, wasn’t it wonderful for Jessica to have won? She willingly entered, had her story assessed fairly and foiled the stereotypical ‘air-head’ predictions reserved for attractive girls. Her triumph proved she had brains to match her pretty face. May she excel in her future studies, and photo-calls.
Police and Resident’s Dialogue
In the Lim Garden dialogue, it was disingenuous of the authorities – the Rukun Tetangga organisers and police – to attribute failure to the residents.
We don’t know if sufficient publicity existed before this meeting. One Ipoh Echo reader even complained that she was unaware about this dialogue. Was she one of several or many?
We were told that 900 leaflets were distributed. So did each household receive one or were piles stacked unnoticed in shops, somewhere? Were leaflets left in community places like church halls, suraus, temples, clinics, schools? Were banners placed at the entrance of the arterial roads into Lim Gardens, or on school fences? Was the meeting arranged at a time compatible with working people, mothers and school children? Did the residents have much advance notification? It is equally important to invite teenage schoolchildren, for their contributions to combat juvenile crime and street gang culture.
Visible Police
Ipohites live in constant fear, with previous requests to beef up security, or respond faster to crimes, falling on deaf ears. People want a highly visible police presence, not more police car-patrols which react only when summoned. They want more foot soldiers instead of faceless CCTV footage. It is the friendly face of the regular policeman on the beat who will reassure vulnerable residents and act as an effective deterrent to would-be criminals.
The comments of a frustrated Ipoh Echo reader, relating his experience at the police station only mirror our sentiments. To quote another, “So what now… a dialogue session with residents on how to curb crime??? Why not a dialogue session among themselves on how to really take the rakyat’s reports seriously and catching the perps for a change. “
Resident Apathy or Police Inactivity?
When we become victims of crime, we demand professionalism and performance. Instead, we get indifference or inactivity. Is it any wonder, the residents reacted as they did? Alternatively, the poor attendance could be construed as a form of passive objection, to display disapproval at the poor police execution of their duties. Are the attendances at other residents’ association dialogues just as dismal? Were these because of lack of planning, or our apathetic nature?
I sincerely hope that this is not another ploy to blame the residents for being disinterested in their neighbourhood.
It would harm our society if sections of our community failed to engage, or work harmoniously together with those providing essential community services.
Category: Thinking Aloud
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Need we fault Ipoh Echo for not verifying a columnist’s report or that of any articles before publication? I think it’s asking a little too much from the Echo people.
We ought to remember that Ipoh Echo is a community newspaper and it’s primary objective is to provide us with a platform to air our views, comments, grouses etc. A platform which was sorely absent before the paper makes an appearance some five years ago.
I don’t see how Mariam Mokthar’s comments be construed a rebuke. She merely raised a point about awareness and publicity. Can’t we take a simple criticism with a sporting heart? If such criticism is meant to improve how we conduct ourselves than she has every right to do so.
Remember, we no longer live in a feudalistic society where might is always right, come what may. An open society is what we should aspire for. Let Ipoh Echo lead the way.
On the Police and Resident’s Dialogue held recently at Lim Gardens and the comments given by Mariam Mokhtar, I talked to some of the members of the Rukun Tetangga, Lim Gardens Team and they were visually disturbed on the Thinking Aloud comments of Mariam Mokhtar. Firstly, they said that Mariam Mokhtar was not present at the Talk – her comment was on hearsay.
Secondly she has asked many questions which any layman/woman will ask.Questions generates doubt among the residets, who will question the RT Team on thier capabilities. For the records, The RT Team had a banner put up at the Tarcisian Convent School Fence facing the main road and another at the RT Base. 2 days before the dialogue and on the morning of the dialogue, announcements were made using a megaphone, moving around the Taman in a car. 900 leaflets were printed and distributed to each household.
More than these, what can the RT Team do?, drop leaflets from a cessana plane ?
Mariam, in future, please,attend the functions you are going to comment on and not blast away on hearsay and assumption. I agree, that the dialogue was attended by about 60 residents, as I was there, though there are about 680 houses in the Taman.
As for the Editorial of Ipoh Echo,I am of the viewpoint that all articles printed should be screened and verified by the Editorial Team.
Well, I can’t say my suggestion is going to be better but I’ll tell anyway.
Let’s do the Mr/Mrs/Ms Echo once a year at year end.
They can be nominated by their friends/parents/teachers/employer/leader/stranger. They should be nominated for a reason i.e they have done a good deed/brought the Ipoh name to fame through competitions/ etc. Remember the Form 4 boy who retrieved a pouch in front of his school which contains a lot of money and important documents? If it happened this year for example, then his teacher/the owner of the pouch could nominate him for Mr.Echo this year. This could be a note of appreciation and also can be an example for everyone to follow. The down side of this is the nominated person could reject being nominated.
Actually if Ipoh doesn’t mind, ‘past’ heroes/achievers should be eligible to get nominated too since Ipoh Echo did not exist in their time. Deeds/achievements shouldn’t be forgotten, right?
We can also nominate the already famous stars from Ipoh like Michelle Yeoh, Mano Maniam, Amy Mastura, politicians, etc and put a brief biography of them on how they have reached to where they are.
For those who are not superstars, we can put their biography too with their ambitions/interests/hobbies/outlook in life/etc.
That’s all I have to suggest. Thank You.
Cilane, we select our Miss or Mrs Echo based on recommendations of friends and word-of-mouth. There is no particular criteria involved other than the fact that they are not “working girls”. If you would have noticed, all of them have serious ambitions and are either studying or working towards their goals in life. They help to grace the cover of the Echo and it is our hope that they provide a ray of sunshine into our otherwise mundane lives.It is also our way of saying, “Hey readers, look at the beauty and potential talent we have in Ipoh. Ipoh is not dull and drab as many think”.
Do you have any better suggestions? If so , lets hear them.
I actually miss seeing the Miss or Mrs. Echo on the front page. How they’re chosen doesn’t matter one iota to me. Its enjoyable to see a pretty face on the front cover and they’re usually leggy!
Hey Cilane, its not cheesecake!
Referring to the Brainy Beauties, I was surprised to see Mariam’s view on the remarks made by me. I guess there is not only one reader who have misunderstood me and worse, there could possibly be Ms/Mrs Echo out there who might be offended too. Therefore, I need to clear this false impression.
I did not intend to condemn Ms/Mrs Echo but was actually intended to direct the message to Ipoh Echo itself. By doing so, I thought I was doing justice for Ms/Mrs Echo by commending on the way it was published because I felt the Ms/Mrs Echo column was published with minimal information. For example, on how to enter, what Ms/Mrs Echo needs to do after being ‘crowned’, or what they have done before getting the ‘crown’, the purpose Ipoh Echo created this column, the system of it, etc. I was expecting Ipoh Echo to give answers.
I was concerned about the lack of information and how the public might see this column. At the same time, I am clueless on what Ms/Mrs Echo is all about.
I guess curiosity kills the cat in the end.
If Ipoh Echo doesn’t actually have a guideline for this, then I would submit my idea to them. Until then, I would like to know the initial ‘system’. I’m just a concerned Ipohite, my dear Ipohites