If you’re anything like me, then you would have been utterly appalled by the news recently that the Government was looking to improve so-called “Islam Hadhari” and appeal to Arab tourists by including Jawi in our road signs. Despite this costing them 1 to 2k of taxpayers’ money, and despite the roads themselves being, in most cases, in sore need of repair, and despite the fact that most people cannot read Jawi, and despite the fact that it’s not in arabic, hence Arabs can’t read them, and despite the fact that to be truly Muhibbah, they should have the signs in English, Chinese and Tamil first and foremost, they went ahead and started to change a few.
Luckily, sensible people created something of an uproar, due to the above mentioned facts, and also in light of the fact that the whole idea probably had less to do with promoting day to day Islam as it had to do with promoting someone’s brother-in-law’s sign manufacturing company, and under the table “gifts”. We even spoke about it on the radio, and not a single caller seemed to agree with the idea.
Well, in what I applaud as one of the most forward thinking signs of action in this quagmire of a country, the DAP have used their OWN MONEY to put up a few truly “Muhibbah” road signs, featuring Malay in the English alphabet, Chinese, and Tamil. Why the government never thought about doing this is quite beyond me, but I whole heartedly want to thank the DAP for actually going out there and doing something to shed some light on an issue that boggles the mind, and then actually trying to solve the problem instead of just bitching and blaming, like so many of those in power tend to love to do.
If this is what they can do to address this problem, imagine what they might be able to do for the whole country?
See the signs! The End is Nigh!
WillQ.
Exhausted from the Malaysian PR Awards, which, ironically, had very little alcohol present, and no one had an agenda. But I guess they were there to let loose (as only the PR minded can).
