Orientation Week - Unraveled

To be honest, this is a post which should have been written a long long time ago. Well, I didn’t quite find the need to do so until recently, when the past finally caught up with me. Sensational stories of my “improper” conduct during my time as a  JKO resurfaced once again. Before I cut to the chase, allow me to share my paltry experience on what orientation week actually means to me. As I’ve played both the roles of the prey and also the predator of such “motivational” programme, it is in my humble belief that I am able to speak on behalf of both the freshmen and also the JKOs.

As a freshie, faculty orientation was HELL albeit most of the programmes make more sense compared to the 5.30am Tokoh-Sukan-Rosmah “senam-robiks” which we had for the college orientation. We were hounded and yelled at over the simplest and silliest of things. Our discipline, courage, perseverance and unity as a batch was tested to its very limits. Never have I had a peaceful start to the day. Seriously! Nevertheless, it was also a week where I managed to pick up invaluable advices from most of the final year JKOs who were strict yet down-to-earth. Apart from the ongoing dramas throughout the week, I actually had an insight of the flaws which the orientation week could work on in order for it to remain relevant today. All of these experiences culminated in one sheet of paper which went on to be awarded the best essay for the orientation week. It was a very honest and no-holds barred essay of which I praised the team for their effort in conducting beneficial  academic programmes and for maintaining their professionalism yet stating my utmost disagreement of how the week went. Most important of all, like what any other freshie would have asked, why the constant yelling? Why the sour/ poker faces? It was based on this essay that I set out on a mission to try and make that little fine- tuning which the orientation week, in my humble opinion, desperately needed.  

Fast forward a year later, I found myself to be among the “elite” few who were fortunate enough to be given such an opportunity to be part of the “glamorous” JKO team. Whether it was an opportune time to finally feel what it is like being the oppressors this time around or an opportune time to make a change to a flawed programme is a matter of perception. Personally, it was definitely the latter. Being a JKO was anything but a strange feeling for me. I felt as if I was Darth Vader. Someone who had previously questioned such approach was now one of “them”. And so I dressed as sharp as I could. Formal black and white from head to toe while capping it off by putting on the sourest of sour face that I could come up with. The power and respect that I had commanded within hours let alone minutes was unbelievable. Freshies were coming up to me, greeting and nodding their heads as a sign of respecting a “senior”. Although I felt respected among the freshies but I knew that this form of respect was illusory. It was hollow. I knew that respect should not be forced upon someone who was trying to come to terms with being in a new environment. Respect should undoubtedly be earned. Constant yelling, PMS attitudes and po-po-po-po-po-po-poker faces would only turn you into a disillusioned Loki-like person who thinks that every word you uttered meant a whole lot to the freshies and every action of yours is exemplary and motivational to them.

Bearing that in mind, I quickly sought to change my approach, something which would be severely criticised by the other JKO members later on. A good cop vs bad cop scenario should do the trick. I opted for the former as there were numerous actors for the bad cop role. No, I was never as soft as an octopus. Stern but approachable, that’s the name of the game. Then came the mother of all conspiracies. I was alleged to be giving out “free” signatures without ease to the freshies. It was a practice for many years that freshies would have to obtain signature from the seniors and JKOs as part of getting to know them better. I was criticised for not putting up any “resistance” before penning my signature on the form. With all due respect, I don’t find the need to “model” my sour face or reject the freshie when they had taken the initiative and draw upon whatever courage that they have left to come up to a “dictator” like us with the intention of wanting to know a little thing or two about the faculty or whatever information which is sought by them. As a matter of fact, giving out my worthless signature was by far the best part of orientation week compared to all the dramas which was going on in the auditorium.  It gave me that sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to know that whatever mistakes that I’ve made during my first year was shared to the juniors, that I had faced the same issue in adapting to a new system and a new environment, that I too was as naïve and as afraid as they were during my first year. If there was anything that I would miss from the orientation week, this had to be it. I stand firm on my belief that this should be the right approach which should be adopted by the JKOs in ensuring that the orientation week remains relevant in “welcoming” the freshies to the faculty and that whoever who alleged that I was “too soft” in my approach should respect my actions just like how I respect your approach by not going around the faculty condemning your actions.

On another note, the newly appointed members of the orientation week looks to be a promising lot but nothing changes if the mindset and approach remains the same. I must stress here again that respect is sought to be earned, not forced upon. The fact that the coming batch of students are far more mischievous and rebellious compared to this year’s batch only sets up an exciting plot for the neutrals like me. Nevertheless, I have my utmost faith in the new Mdm. Director having worked with her on my previous LawNite project and also to her team of JKOs. 

With all due respect, I would humbly subscribe to Prof. Norchaya’s approach in gaining a person’s respect rather than a few other lecturers’ approach in throwing tantrums and yelling every now and then to garner the students’ attention. Times have changed. Student attitudes have changed. If they are bold enough to go against the university administrators or even to get into a scuffle with the police, what makes you think that they would remain in silent over the mistreatment which you’re dishing out to them? To quote a first year student, Qamariah (if the spelling is right), “Why should we continue with such practice just because it is a tradition in the faculty?” Think about it.

Please do not see this as a sulking behaviour on my part for not being in the JKO team as I've already made up my mind on my participation way before the new board was appointed. Anyways, good luck JKOs. =)

Racism Through My (Contact) Lenses

     There’s only two Indian (sorry, can’t distinguish between tamil and hindi) movies which I’ve actually watched the whole length of it throughout my 22 years. The first being the practical, humourous and inspirational tale of 3 Idiots which left a deep impression in me that we should always “chase for excellence, then success would follow” and when you need to calm yourself down, just recite the mantra “All Iz Well”.

     The second movie, My Name is Khan, concerns an American Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome  who embarks on a cross-country journey post-September 11, determined to convey a message to the American President that “My Name is Khan, and I’m not a terrorist”. Now this is a highly recommended movie not only for the Muslims per se, but it can definitely be an inspiration for the other races in Malaysia as to how the objective of “1Malaysia” can be the new Malaysian dream rather than being just another propaganda or lip service by the government. To date, 1Malaysia seems to sound just like another hypermarket in the country. With products ranging from 1Malaysia Meal Plan to 1Malaysia Broadband, 1Malaysia Clinic to “Kedai Cuci Kereta 1Malaysia”, the ideology propounded by Najib seems to be too commercialised that it has lost its intended purpose which is to achieve racial unity.

     This brings me to the main topic of discussion – racism. You see, I’ve never been a fan of racism and I’m sure many of you would concur with me. I couldn’t give a damn if the next Prime Minister is an Indian or a woman so long as the rakyat could benefit from it. I couldn’t care less if affirmative actions such as the NEP are implemented as long as it is equally distributed among all the races and not for the Malay cronies because at the end of the day, the funds injected are taken from tax-payers money who is contributed by everyone regardless of their race.

A football fan holding up a banner against the racism saga between Manchester United and Liverpool players

     Personally, aside from the political motives of playing the racial card and a minority of extremists, I’ve never thought that racism was prevalent in Malaysia. What we undeniably have here is “stereotype” and “prejudice”. The former means to have a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing while the latter refers to a preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. The most widely known “stereotype” in Malaysia would be “Malays are lazy, Chinese are gamblers and stingy while Indians are drunken”.

     On the other hand, “racism” is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. The prime example would be in a job interview. A Malay interviewee enters into the room where the interviewers are made up of Chinese and interviewer goes, “Oh orang Melayu” while trying to get the session over with a.s.a.p. without going through his qualification. Here’s what the big fuss is all about. Why should the interviewer categorise the interviewee in the first place? Does it mean that by being a Malay he should be inferior to the other Chinese candidates?

     Another issue which caught my attention with regards to racism is the fact that there are certain shallow minded people who would vote for a person of the same race in order for that particular race to remain in power within that organisation. By doing so, it is of no benefit to your own race or any other race. What ever happened to “let the best man win”? Such mindset would only have a ripple-effect in the sense that the most qualified candidate is not elected and thus, the organisation would not be run at its optimum. Ironically, at the end of his/her term in office, the same people who voted for him/her would bombard her with questions as to why things are not being done and promises not fulfilled.

     These are just a couple of examples which I’ve witnessed for myself and also heard of racial remarks being made in my very own faculty. Look, it is a bold statement I’m making and it could stir up some backlash but this is something widespread in the faculty. It’s just one of those ‘the birds and the bees’ story which your parents never told you about but you sort of get the idea of what is happening. This is the faculty which would most probably produce the next Prime Minister as compared to the other faculties and it is worrying if  he/she is poisoned by such racial mindset. If a man with Aspenger’s syndrome could look beyond cultural, religious and racial differences, what is then left of our sanity?

This picture was taken from the 45 most powerful images of 2011 showing Christians protecting the Muslims during prayer in Cairo, Egypt. 

The writer condemns such mindset which is prevalent not only in his faculty but also in his beloved Malaysia. His close friends during high school were mostly Indians and Malays. He is quite perplexed to the fact that if the Malay satay, Chinese assam laksa and Indian’s roti canai could be served on the same table without being judged which food taste better than the other, then why can’t we just do the same to each other? He intends to not fill up the race column in registration forms as a protest of categorise a person by its race and hopes that others would follow suit. His name is Eugene and he’s not a racist.