‘One Malaysia,’ an economic model for a diverse nation

Malaysia celebrated its 55^th Independence Day last August 31 led by Malaysian King Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah and her Majesty Tuanku Hamimah Binti Hamidun flanked by government officials who were garbed in one pair of outfit: Black trousers and blue-collared white polo shirt emblazoned with the number “1” on the upper left chest signifying “One Malaysia.” Photo: Rhony Laigo at the Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur. 

Malaysia is only country in Southeast Asia that produces its own cars

(Note: The author who became a full-fledged journalist right after college is a witness and at the same a victim of Philippines’ corrupt society, whose worsening economic conditions back then forced him to abandon his country to work as a reporter abroad – just like the 10 million Filipinos who are employed overseas – and has been an outsider since 1991. Last month, the author visited Malaysia, then an inferior country compared to the Philippines a few decades ago, but now an economic power in Southeast Asia. The following article is the author’s attempt to present contrasting features of the neighboring countries as he tries to persuade the Philippine government to review its current policies on population control and federalism, and perhaps even emulate its Malaysian cousins, who welcome 22 million tourists a year compared to Philippines’ only four million foreign visitors.)

As a Filipino, I’ve always heard that in the 50s, a few years after the Second World War, the Philippines was one of the most progressive countries in Asia and was the leading country in the southeast Asian region until the 60s. When I was a kid, there was even an ad on television that said Philippine Airlines was “Asia’s first airline.” In fact the Philippines’ flag carrier still promotes that title sans the shining luster it used to enjoy. Well, we were illustrious, until Ferdinand Marcos became president in 1966 and then the country went into a downward spiral. Some 20 years later into his dictatorship, the Philippines became the “Sick Man of Asia.”

This month, the Philippines will remember that fateful day, September 21, 1972, when Marcos declared martial law. If not for the EDSA uprising in 1986, in which I was very much involved being a student activist at that time and a scribe for a college paper, the “Sick Man of Asia” may have been in a worse condition, no thanks to the plunder that the Marcoses and his cronies did to their own country.

Now, 26 years after the EDSA revolt, the Philippines has yet to fully recover. But our leader, current President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, whose both parents suffered a lot during the dictatorship – his father, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino was assassinated, while his reluctant mother ran against Marcos and became president after the dictator was ousted (she survived seven coup attempts during her six-year presidency!) – may be looking at a country that is ready to face its economic challenges and hopefully be able to recover some of its lost prestige of the glorious past.

Back in 2009, I had the privilege of returning to the Philippines. Admittedly, a lot has changed...at least in Metro Manila. There have been signs of progress, construction was flourishing and many of our kababayans were employed as outsource service providers in companies more commonly known as call centers, and even leads India in this sector. Personally, I felt good…momentarily.

Just last month, however, I was fortunate enough to have been invited by the Malaysian government to take part and chronicle their 55^th Independence Day celebration that took place last August 31. As a Filipino journalist who has written several stories about the Philippines’ transition from a dictatorship to a democracy, seeing our Malaysian neighbors celebrate their independence day was an event I will never forget.

While we in the Philippines have yet to cultivate a full sense of national pride mainly perhaps because of our parochial differences, the Malaysians are marching towards greater heights, in spite of what I would consider a fractured multi-ethnic union of different cultures, religions and backgrounds. On the contrary, our neighbors down south feed on their own diversity, using their own creativity and competitiveness to become an envy of other southeast Asian economies, the Philippines included as it tries to make peace with two insurgent groups. Despite a majority of Malaysians being Muslims, rarely if none were news about terror threats, unlike in Indonesia where there have been acts of violence against innocent civilians.

Blessed with its own crude oil, Malaysia is the only country in Southeast Asia to produce its own cars, Proton and Perodua. The country is also among the world’s top manufacturing hubs for semi-conductors and other electronic components, employing hundreds of thousands of people, including foreign labor, many of whom are, you guessed it, Filipinos.

Malaysia’s infrastructure is also among the most developed in Asia, according to Wikipedia. In one of our tours, we got the chance to view the new city of Putrajaya, located some 15 miles outside of Kuala Lumpur, in a well-planned urban area where new government buildings are located. The city is beautifully landscaped with a massive man-made lake dotted with captivating bridges – there are nine spans around the city – because of their modern architectural design.

In addition, Malaysia’s railway systems are one of the best in the world. Its KLIA Ekspres also allows international airline passengers to check in their luggage at the train station, therefore no long queues, and enjoy a convenient high-speed but quiet half-hour ride from Kuala Lumpur to the airport, and with free wifi connections.

Kuala Lumpur of course is home to the tallest twin towers in the world – the Petronas Towers – each having 88 floors and stands 1,483 feet high into the sky. These buildings of stainless steel alone are a testament of Malaysia’s solid growth, whose economy is third largest in southeast Asia and is ranked 28^th in the world vis-à-vis the purchasing power of its 29 million people.

Speaking of population, there again lies my envy. While the Philippines has 90 million inhabitants – 7^th in Asia and 12^th largest in the world – Malaysia’s smaller population means more social services for its people. In my one week stay, I’ve tried my best to look for squatters and beggars in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, which were very clean by the way, to no avail. Contrast that to Manila’s large squatter population, which often than not, results in violent confrontations when the government tries to relocate them away from the metropolis.

Malaysia has 13 federated states and three federal territories, which just like in the U.S. is a form of government that the Philippines I think should also greatly consider to let regions become more self-sufficient and compete with one another.

Comprised of 60 percent Muslims, other religions are practiced freely in Malaysia, including Buddhism and Hinduism along with a variety of Christian denominations. The Philippines, meanwhile, has more than 80 percent who are Roman Catholic faithfuls, whose church leaders oppose the use of contraceptives, but that is another issue altogether. The Philippines also is the lone country in the world that doesn’t allow divorce.

During their Independence Day celebration, most, if not all, buildings and homes displayed the Malaysian flag. Among those who proudly paraded in the Merdeka Square were local Malaysian folks, some of whom drove their teksis (taxi) that carry the Proton brand, which much to my own chagrin, were symbols of how far Malaysia has gone in terms of progress compared to where I was born. I had goose bumps and my eyes welled up upon seeing them celebrate their 55^th year as a free sovereign Malaysia with great pride. I wished the Philippines would emulate the same kind of self-respect that the descendants of our own forefathers possess, a truly united nation.

As they passed by the grandstand during the parade, those who took part waved proudly to their king and queen and to their government officials who, except for the royal couple, were wearing one type of uniform, both men and women: black trousers with a blue-collared white polo shirt emblazoned with the number “1” on the upper left chest signifying unity and “One Malaysia.”

Asiatique: Bangkok’s new shopping attraction

Asiatique The Riverfront is Bangkok’s newest open mall shopping district that when completed will house 1,500 stores along with restaurants and theaters to serve the ever-growing number of tourists that visit Thailand and also its local populace looking for bargains. Photo: Rhony Laigo

Some twenty-five years ago, Bangkok and Hong Kong were the shopping meccas for RTWs (ready-to-wear clothes) as far as Filipinos were concerned. Those three letters then were the most widely used term for these production line-manufactured clothing that would soon force neighborhood custom tailors to close shop. For a Filipino journalist who covered the airport for years, bales of RTWs from Bangkok and the former British colony that swamped the airport terminal somewhat revolutionized the clothing industry in Manila, where I grew up, in the sense that suddenly fine-looking wardrobe of high quality material became affordable to the average person.

Since signature clothing line were expensive at that time not to mention scarce – they were only available to selected markets where the affluent would shop – RTWs from these Asian cities were most-sought after in the streets of Manila because Filipinos just loved imported items, and unlike the branded ones, buyers can haggle for even lower prices.

Once, I remember entering hotel rooms in Sta. Cruz, Manila with my late sister near Escolta – then the most famous cobbled-stoned street in Manila for high-end shopping – for these RTWs. They were illegal, I was told, but the “knowledgeable” people like my sister flocked the hallways of these hotels where “occupants” peddled clothes from Hong Kong and Bangkok, along with other imported commodities. It was a fledgling industry that allowed many, like myself, to buy and wear fashionable clothes. Whereas before Hong Kong was so popular because Hollywood celebrities made it so, Bangkok would soon become a household name in Manila because of their fine quality RTWs as far as the ordinary Manileño like me was concerned.

Fast forward to the present, Bangkok has become a favorite destination to many not just for the “biyaheras” (from the Spanish word viaje which means trip or travel), the term we used to call the travelling Filipino women who used to go to Bangkok and Hong Kong just to buy RTWs to sell in the Philippines. Now, anyone looking for bargains while touring a country rich in old-age cultures, authentic cuisine and fantastic destinations that are known the world over go to Bangkok for a hands-on shop-till-you-drop experience, the Asian version. 

What’s more, Bangkok and other cities in Thailand offer bargain hunters a wide array of just about anything the world has to offer and they are as diverse as the people of Thailand, where vendors use all possible places to market their wares both in land and water. Thailand of course is famous for its floating markets, where sellers paddle their way thru water channels to move their merchandise without worrying about other overhead expenses that shops need to bear.

Just recently, Bangkok opened one of its newest and most modern night markets to meet the growing demands of around 20 million annual visitors while also serving the needs of its local populace. Aptly called Asiatique The Riverfront, the open shopping mall combines the bustle and hustle of a night market, yet classy, and the relaxing character of its slow-moving Chao Phraya River.

Aside from clothes, handicrafts, souvenir items, musical instruments, electronic gadgets and other home merchandise, restaurants, theater and shows make Asiatique The Riverfront a one-stop-shop destination that the 5-11 p.m. nightly schedule may never be enough for anyone to explore the splendor of this sprawling shopping complex. And I’m just talking about District 1 as more shops will be built at Asiatique The Riverfont that will soon boast of some 1,500 shopping stalls, 40 “gastronomic” restaurants and many more outlets that is fully endorsed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

This reporter was able to visit Asiatique just last month, courtesy of TAT, where I was able to purchase high-end printed t-shirts for my friends back at the office. You know, the kind where there are elephants and anything that would say that the shirt had come from Thailand. And when I say high-end, the prints were not just textile paint, they were embossed and glossy…with glitters, I might add. They were selling each for 150 baht ($1 = 30 baht) for a medium size and I was able to buy a few at more or less 125 baht each. By the way, size matters in Thailand as bigger sizes command a higher price. That’s just the way it is there, so you have to “pang” your way to buy your merchandise at a lower price. Don’t worry about negotiating for a better deal, it is to be expected.

 Located along the historical Charoenkrung road, Asiatique The Riverfront is also accessible by ferry boats that ply along the river. Aside from the Waterfront District, Asiatique The Riverfront will also house the Factory District where fashion and designer shops will be put up over a renovated 100-year-old sawmill in the area; a 2,000-square meter Town Square District for restaurants, winery and all other dining pleasures; and the Charoenkrung District where1,000 more shops will be located.

For more information on Asiatique The Riverfront, please visit www.thaiasiatique.com.

Invading nature’s canopies harmlessly

Brazilian journalist Marina Gomes of Corremundo enjoys the ride of her lifetime as she zips across a span to reach one of the 23 platforms of the Flight of the Gibbon, a zipline in the forests of Mae Kompong, a Thai village in Chang Mai. Photo: Rhony Laigo

Flight of the Gibbon gives zipliners a breathtaking view of Thailand’s forest cover

One of the most sought-after extreme sporting activities for vacationers nowadays is the thing we call zipline. It is a ride on cables where you zip through mind-blowing heights harnessed in a way that will make Six Flags a place for the amateurs if you’re doing it say, in Thailand’s Flight of the Gibbon.

Installed way atop the forests of Mae Kompong, a Thai village in Chang Mai, Flight of the Gibbon is a daunting adventure that may not be for the faint of heart. And why not? Not only is the sport gliding through the forest cover seem precarious, you will have to keep on climbing up trees as if one huge drop of height is not enough while you negotiate the cables in a heart-stopping ride to reach one platform after another.

Flight of the Gibbon has 23 platforms, mostly makeshift landing stages around a tree, in the jungles where mostly monkeys, birds and other forest critters are the official residents, except for the sky rangers who have made Flight of the Gibbon their home – the bunch of Tarzans who make a mockery of scaling heights while earn a living from it, many at the “expense” of nervous wreck tourists.

Consider this: There were 11 of us who went to Khao Kheeo, Chonburi, where animals roam free as if they were ordinary pets or in most cases just doing their daily routines as if they were ordinary individual village residents because of their size. However, only seven of us dared to take the challenge of trekking deep into the forest amid the shortness of breath climbing the trail made worse by the mountain’s dizzying heights.

Of the original five journalists in our group, one didn’t join us because, he claims, he’s already “done it before.” But isn’t “done it before” supposedly makes it easier to do it again, apart from conquering other wuthering heights? Although obviously the roaring sound you will hear is your own voice screaming and that of the pulleys zipping through the cables.

Scream the seven brave souls did. [I didn’t (ehem)? And my six fellow gibbons can attest to that! And so did Jason Li. I mean, he never made a sound, I think in all the 12 days that we were together – he was so quiet!]. Well, Marina Gomes of Corremundo, the prolific Portuguese writer from Brazil, mostly did the screaming and by Terry Regan (president of Berkeley’s Northside Travel up there in Northern California), who I’m pretty sure hid his screams in what other folks would describe as swearing. 

At first, I thought Terry directed his “kind words” to Paworn (Paul) Chatrungnopakun, our Thai host from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Marketing Officer for the Los Angeles outfit, until I realized that it was probably his way of casting away the evil spirits of the Thai jungles. I think Terry uttered his famous line more or less 20 times, which made us laugh and helped calm our nerves each time we heard him deliver the words “holy s _ _ t” even when we were hundreds of feet above the jungle below us. 

I admit it was a little intimidating at first. But volunteering to be the first to ride the zipline ahead of the six others was a “feat” I’d do over and over again. Seeing others ride the cables while witnessing in their faces how scared they were, or pretended not to be, added to my own evil pleasure while I clicked those pictures for their own selfish posterity. One setback though, you keep to be the photographer, and if I didn’t ask the Brazilian amazon Marina to go ahead of me at one time, I may never see myself moving forward if you choose not to purchase the official photographer’s shot, which of course will cost you 100 baht for a copy as I found out later.

But it was all worth it (and I bought the picture), especially upon learning that one of our fellow gibbons struggled to keep his poise as he suffered from a wedgy after each cable ride (right, Nick Winfrey?), which added more excitement for him and probably from other female primates in the area, homo sapiens included. Oh, I should probably mention that a big part of the proceeds go to the conservation efforts of Thailand’s wildlife so your zipline ride goes a long  way.

Truly, the mere thought of having to climb gigantic trees, up where nature photographers only used to go (thanks to zipline now anyone can be a jungle air tourist) was an experience of a lifetime. It was as exhilarating as probably scuba diving with equally dangerous depths, especially in instances where the dangling cable is so long that sometimes it takes more than 10 seconds to reach the next platform, as you see the glider becomes smaller and smaller while they reach the other end of the cable.

It’s a “shame” that the others didn’t come with us. Just ask Certified Travel Counselor Mary Ann Mari, who was more than willing to conquer yet another zipline in one of her tours. So, next time you’re in Thailand, please don’t pass up on the Flight of Gibbon. It’s an adventure you’ll never forget.

Dateline Thailand: Where Mother Earth goes for a vacation

Locals coax a herd of reindeer to come to them for an interaction like no other at Khao Kheeo Open Safari, where animals roam free including elks, wild boars, macaques and even elephants. Photo: Rhony Laigo

(Note: When I was invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT to visit their country, I never hesitated and immediately said yes, “bypassing” even my publisher who should know first if I can even leave my day-to-day work at the office and get her permission. Who would say no to visiting the Kingdom of Thailand, where my one of my favorite dishes – tom yum – originates? Needless to say, I didn’t have to “beg,” but I pleaded, as if that meant something else.)

If there is a country where utopia may exist, Thailand may be the place. You may smoke weed in Amsterdam and feel high, but Thailand is where freedom to be yourself doesn’t need any hallucinogen, including even becoming the “woman” of your dreams if you were born a man. Say that again?

More popularly known the world over because of its cuisine, Thailand is also the land where the east and west didn’t just meet, they stayed there. Here is a country where cultures, languages, religions and whatever makes a nation different is present in Thailand. So don’t be surprised if a Thai suddenly utters a word in your native tongue, even if you are from Russia.

For those who have been to Bangkok, they know that the city of more than six million cars and an infinite number of motorbikes snaking through traffic the “opposite way” – motorists there drive on the left side of the road, just like the Brits do it in England – is a very modern city where sarongs, architecture, religious practices and even paying respect to others may date back earlier than in the 1700s, when the first king, King Rama I, reined over the Kingdom of Thailand.

While Japanese and Koreans bow their heads to greet one another, in Thailand, it is customary for people to clasp their hands, bow their heads and greet you in Thai as if you are someone that they honor. They don’t do this because you’re just a visitor, they do this to anyone, especially to people who deserve their utmost respect – the elders, officials and especially, their bosses.

As a nation of mostly Buddhists (95 percent practice Buddhism in Thailand, but for some reason they don’t believe in Dalai Lama, which is explained later), Thailand is where animals, particularly elephants, are revered, which of course the world already knows. But what’s best in Thailand is while you can probably see an elephant with a visit to the zoo, elephants in Thailand can be petted, rode on and watched as they do tricks outside of a circus.

If that were not enough, you can actually see elephants grazing through an open field without the need for a safari suit as anyone can witness if you go to the Khao Kheeo Open Safari, located south of Bangkok in Chonburi, where “wild” animals roam free, including deer, macaques, wild boars, etc., some of which even let people touch and feed them. Don’t be surprised when as you negotiate a curve you happen to see a set of huge eyes staring at you straight in the eye by an antelope standing by the side of the road as if they are the mountain rangers manning the facility.

Meanwhile, if you like to touch an elephant, a visit to Rose Garden in the Sampran Riverside is the place to be where these behemoths mix it up and interact with people. Here they show their powerful limbs and at the same time entertain visitors in a performance that is also educational. Rose Garden also provides a cultural show where the locals in a colorful theatrical show share with the audience a glimpse of the history of Kingdom of Thailand complete with live elephants as part of the cast, children actors and where you can become spectators to three rounds of Muay Thai boxing in full contact...or so it seemed.

But while Thailand’s ancient culture is preserved and is part of most, if not all, Thais’ everyday lives, Bangkok and its famous beach fishing village, now world-renowned sporting beach destination, Pattaya are a testament to the country’s economic standing offering both vacationers and businessmen world-class amenities that are very competitive in the whole of Asia. Even if 19-20 million or so annual visitors flock to Thailand, it is not short on room accommodations and hotels have sprouted everywhere in Thailand’s famous cities including Bangkok, Phuket, Chang Mai, Chonburi and many others that cater to tourists. And did I say that Bangkok is the Mecca of all shopping places, where you can “pang” (which we Filipinos call tawad) your way to big bargains for clothes, shoes, jewelry, arts and crafts?

Speaking of culture, Thailand of course is a land of temples – around 33,000 Buddhist temples alone can be found in Thailand – and is a worldwide destination for anyone looking to pay homage to Buddha statues without trekking high up in the mountains of say, the Himalayas.

One such temple located in Pattaya is the Big Buddha Hill, locally known as the Wat Phra Yai Temple, that sits on Patramnak Hill overlooking the scenic Gulf of Thailand that offers both serenity and contentment. Here, there are statues around the Big Buddha for any day of the week so you can offer your prayers and hopefully be enlightened by the Buddha “on duty” or just be amazed at the beauty of each golden statue all around you.

But while Wat Phra Yai houses the Big Buddha, the most famous of all Thailand temples is the Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, in Bangkok housed in the same grounds where the Grand Palace stands, which is a statue that is tiny (just 26 inches tall) compared to the 426-foot tall Big Buddha, but was said to have been carved out from one single block of jade stone. Interestingly, only the king can touch the Emerald Buddha, who needs to change its wardrobe three times a year to signify the three seasons.

As to the question of Dalai Lama, who at the moment is said to be the 14th reincarnation of the spiritual leaders in the Tibetan Buddhism, Thais don’t necessarily follow that belief in the sense that to Thais Buddhism is focused on man and not on God, at least that’s what our friendly and very resourceful guide Tom, whose real name is Tavatachai Chuensawadee, told us. This is why instead of the Dalai Lama or any other spiritual leader, you will find the photo of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, if not Queen Sirikit’s, all over Thailand, some in towering heights as a reminder to Thais that they have a king who is the head of state albeit just a figurehead, but a monarch nevertheless, who deserves utmost respect from all citizens of the Kingdom of Thailand.

As you may well know, King Bhumibol Adulyadej is King Rama IX, a descendant of the ruling dynasty that dates back when the country was still known as Siam until the Siamese Constituent Assembly changed its name to Muang Thai or Thailand, which means, “Land of the Free”, on May 11, 1949. And land of the free it is. Just ask the so-called “ladies” at Tiffany’s Show in Pattaya, where actors are a showcase of what you can achieve in Thailand where you can be the person you want to be: liberated, carefree, joyful and even look amazingly and stunningly beautiful as the case may be.

Thailand reminds me of John Lennon’s Imagine, where the people of all races seem to live as one, be they religious, communist, agnostics or atheists. It is a place where everyone goes for a trouble-free vacation and where you can easily afford to be pampered (Thai massage anyone? Or, perhaps a foot rub?) and have plenty to spare to enjoy Thailand’s nightlife like no other.

If you want to visit Thailand anytime of the year, please visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand-Los Angeles located at 611 North Larchmont Boulevard, 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90004. Or call (323) 461 9814 and ask for Marketing Officer Paworn  Chatrungnopakun, who was responsible for arranging our wonderful stay in Thailand. You may also drop them an email at info@tat-la.com, tatla@tat.or.th or visit their website at www.tourismthailand.org/LA.