Letters
by Justin Hong
I was 18 in 1997, I came home half completed my high school in England because my father was bankrupted. He was a contractor bankrupted because the licensee, Taib’s uncle defaulted on paying royalty to the Government. Pocketed all the money my father gave.
Together with 6 of my friends we went to Komat in Sama Jaya to look for jobs as they only required MCE; to help out the family.
The HR lady was an Iban, on our turn she refused to give us application forms and demanded our qualifications. Without even understanding us, we were turned away. On further enquiry from us, she said, the 250 posts were all filled. It was 10.25am and the application counter just opened at 9.30am. Asked the guard to show us out.
Komat repeated publication for the posts for another week. We went back again and again were rejected. This time she asked us to look for jobs in China.
My uncle promptly help the six of us to look for jobs from his contacts. Ironically, we all ended up in Shenzhen China, working in a micro circuitboard plant.
We were trained by some American to be testers as we know English. We did well, so well that within 4 years, we developed a special test using Argon emission from induced current. Testing the board even more thoroughly and 40+ times the efficiency we were doing.
After a few months of trial, the company decided to subcontract all their circuit board testing to us using the new testing system and they got the test done at a fraction of the cost doing it manually.
Within 3 years, we are testing all the circuit board of all the companies in Shenzhen then.
BELIEVE ME, WE ARE EACH NETTING 2 TO 3 MILLIONS USD A YEAR.
We spread to include contracts in a lot of companies of China, US, Germany and Finland.
We now employ 7600 people and 1600 from Sarawak. Bumiputra or non-bumiputra who made the grade we are after.
Why I am writing this?
Today my company has been operating in Penang for 6 months. We are employing 200 people.
I was conducting interviews for senior staff for the jobs. One of the people that came in for the interview was the same Iban lady from Komat 10+ years ago. The lady who turned me away. The lady who told me I was not eligible for the job. The lady who told me the posts were filled when yet to select the first applicant of 250 and the lady who asked me to go to China to look for a job.
I had the satisfaction to tell her all these if I wanted to. Instead I listened to all her talk about how great she had done in her former employment and now she was out on a huge VSS. How well she will do for me with her experience and how much she would like to work for a Chinese boss. She said she is the daugther of an influential bumiputra man and her husband is doing well in business. I let her rave on with her diatribe.
Finally, when she realised she the one doing all the talking and I was not even asking questions, she stopped.
Finally I said, I know her. She was shocked, for now I was properly suited up and not in T-shirt and jeans like the first time we met.
I simply said I like to thank her for asking me to go back to China to look for work. I did, I made it and what she is seeing today and the brochure I placed infront of her is in fact the SUCCESS from disgust and disappointment of being a Malaysian Chinese!!
She was murmuring to herself. I told her, she will get a job from me but not as the senior HR, not as the assistant HR but as an assistant to the assistant HR. She was shocked, happy and almost cried. Then she confessed that her husband was a bankrupt and her 3 children had to be in the care of her sister.
I told her, she meant nothing to me, her race meant nothing to me and what she had done also meant nothing to me. The insults, the frustrations and the anguish of a young man trying to help his father. I told her she would be treated like everyone. She must get her job done or she’d be out like anybody. I told her, I do not care for YBs, bumi policies or business opportunities in Malaysia. I do not need Malaysia. I CAME BECAUSE I AM BEGGED TO COME, BY THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA.
WOW! A great story worthy 2 b made into a MOVIE 2 inspire people all over d world! Spread this inspirational success story among nonMalay n nonUmnoB Malay communities
Salute! Fantastic! Congratulations!
Dat’s Y M’sians who r bullied n denied opportunities by UmnoB/BN MUST THANK UmnoB/BN 4 pushing or inspiring them 2 seek fortunes overseas
We hv 2 think GLOBAL n must b confident 2 believe dat many other doors will open 4 us
Most important of all, educate ourselves 2 b citizens of d world, not toads under a coconut shell nor disabled persons leaning on d crutches of UmnoB/BN
MMK, UmnoB, Perkasa – they r stupid n really antinational n antiMalays 4 they destroy Malays n d nation through their corrupt, cheating, forever tongkat ways, and they cocoon or cripple Malays in their monocultural n monolingual Ketuanan Melayu bullsh!t
Why is this inspirational? Because there is revenge and padan muka in it? Its dramatic but really, does it change anything? Do people believe that the hegemonist, corrupt and racist will change even if they know there is revenge for what they do? Its not so simple.
Certaintly the lesson of karma is useful and needed. But its only one piece of the puzzle. Changing people with fear is only half an answer. Remember that the hegemonist and racist already is afraid, of others and himself. You add more fear and he only push most of them into a corner that either they do something stupid or they give up on everything. If the goal is to marginalise the hopeless few yes, this is useful and worthwhile. But if the goal is to change the misguided many, then this is half-baked.
People change for sure if there is both fear and hope. That is how most people change. You have got to give most people two sides of the coin. The main point of change that have got to be spread to most Malays is this – what do you lose but a bit of pride and vanity if you trust ‘those’ people? The power is still in the hands of the Malay ultimately and can vote them out. More importantly, if it works, what do you gain? Look at all the rich people that work with ‘those’ people. They may not be as bad as you are used to be told.
Justin Hong, in the end did the Iban head-huntress get her job done in your Penang company or did she migrate back to Kalimantan to go head-hunting with a blowpipe?
True.It is time to throw out all the liars,cheats.thieves and robbers who are using the racial and religious cards to hoodwink the people especially the simple minded Malays for their own self benefit and gain.Open your eyes and look at the ugly motives of the big mamak,perkasa and the umnoputras and their likes.They are the devils who will cause the downfall of Malaysia if they are not destroyed.
>to Kalimantan to go head-hunting with a blowpipe
this sounds like an insult to Sarawak and Sabah
She might as well go back to the jungle and live with the orang utans … very bad culture … it is this kind of bad attitude that make Bodohland people stupid forever.
Inspirational! Exemplary!
We can all be so proud of your ‘forgiving’ and magnanimous gesture.
Many Malaysians, I think, should do the same for the Bumis who spurn us. It’s a tremendous healing for our souls to be able to forgive and to be magnanimous and charitable.
But if only the stupid BN government can understand that it is retrograde behaviour to suppress, oppress and regress non-Bumis so as to make themselves look ‘good’. Hello, we are competing against the world-lah, not Ibans against Malays or malysa against Indians or Chinese against Malays-lah. It’s Malaysians against the rest of the world-lah.
So if UMNO/Perkasa and the stupid BN government can understand that we need to put everyone on an equal footing here, those who succeed will be able to better help their Malysian brothers and sisters. Aiyoh, BN, if u can’t understand this little bit, u shud just pack up & go to hell.
It makes me sick to read this.
Sadly it is still happening and there are still many like her out there, esp. in the peninsular
Send this story to Perkasa and to Gertak. Ask Ibrahim Katak or Razali what they think. Their answers will be predictable – good riddance to these people. We don’t need them, we only need to secure our position under the rambutan tree.
If you look around us today, you can see the adaptability of the non-Malays. Those with little education can make a living selling DVDs, or operate IT stalls in strategic places. I marvel at the manner in which we have all survived in spite of the overwhelming odds over the past 30 years.
So what is this story or the moral; if there is one in it supposed to inspire? That being discriminated against increases chances of success? That adversity and oppression develop the human capacity to deal with, overcome, learn from, or even be transformed to greater resilience and other attributes necessary for success in world of survival of fittest? That those discriminated against ought to embrace their predicament stoicly and accept it as a blessing to improve their survival capability ? That instead of rejecting the categorisation of “pendatang” viewed derogatory they should viewed it with humungous pride than a touch of humiliation because it is the immigrant status and attitude of being under seige that gives the best promise and encouragement to build determination, resilience, challenge, competence, ingenuity to solve problems, adaptation, striving for excellence, all ingredients of ultimate success – and sweet revenge against their oppressors? That luck favours best those who walk about far and wide drawing on their own resources without crutches? That the goal of NEP – to make succeess of have nots – is faster attained by those it shuns and excludes that those it purportedly seek to benefit? That they should therefore thank and support the NEP than rail against it? And that the supposed beneficiaries of affirmative programme should reject it precisely in order to accomplish quicker that which the affirmative policy seeks to achieve as an objective but has proven to accomplish only its opposite result?
Jeffrey:
All of the above, except one – and I think most readers will know what that one exception to the moral of the story is.
This guy could have set-up his company in Malaysia He could have employed thousands of Malaysians.. pulling billions into Malaysia, boosting our economy.
Those billions would snowball, boosting other supporting business activities (suppliers, sub-contractors, parts,etc)… further boosting our economy.
Same goes to the guy that invented the USB pen drive. He set up a company in Taiwan, where he made billions.
If these Malaysians were not discriminated against, these innovations and riches would be based where they belong – Malaysia.
There are many more examples, we could go all day talking about the mega talents (hence mega Billions) we “chased away”.
All the govt had to do was give these young talents equal treatment. & all the world-class innovations would stay here.
But nooooo…. they chose instead to brand these talents “enemies of M’sia/agents of another country/prostitutes/beggars/pendatangs/outsiders”. They chose instead to gertak & perkasa these multi billions away.
Thank you umno
Ah. I know. You will not succeed in 1Hornbill land if the white-haired Rajah doesn’t have a share?
Rafidah aziz would have told him to go and fly kite elsewhere coz umno-malaysia doesnt need him or his kind. Umnoputras would tell him to go back home to china. Perkasa would cry and protest at the final statement (the bit on begging). And a certain georgie boy in sarawak would get very angry and for real this time (although no one seems to know what precisely would be the consequence of his getting angry). Jib would immediately get close to him for a press photo shoot with his motto – middle finger – up on display. Fat first mama ros would rope him in for financial backing and dump carpet man. Dr. mamak would look angry and disgruntled as usual. I cant predict what he would say. He is an unpredictable u-turner – the best in the world.
Chengho the cheebaikia would cry and praise jib for justin hong’s success.
“All of the above, except one” – yes. It is a pathetic attempt as sarcasm.
Moral of story:
Fate sometimes intervene.
One day you are somebody, next day you can be a nobody and nobody wants to know you e.g. ask a big-time CEO of a GLC, or even Samy Vellu.
One day you sit on this side of the desk and the ‘boss’ is on the other side. Next day you sit on the other side and the ‘ex-taikor’ is on this side.
Be nice to people. You never know how fate will deal the cards. Buy insurance.
Typo correction – “attempt AT sarcasm.”
Moral of the story in nutshell – the Chains that are intended for restraint are precisely the contraption that builds strength to break them.
Justin Hong’s story 1 out of many malaysian encountering I have heard about. Truly inspiring but again we are continuing to face same issue today!
Many sabahan friends at least I have seen around in KL and they are waiting in hunger jobless. And also many students with good grade score in exams were discarded of hope in pursue of higher education without support or scholarship.
For those who have been sponsored by other means may not wish to become patriotic to their nation too because of this year after year repeating “senarai YB” list of close-door selection.
Hence, what you expect of or looking too as malaysian a good governance next in choice?
Kelantan, Kedah, Penang n Selangor PR state gomens should work with these innovative M’sians (or r they ex-M’sians now?) with survival instinct (after all, don’t forget d ‘survival of d fittest’ theory of Darwin) 2 bring developments n wealth 2 d states n rakyat there
If by d next GE, d four states can show rakyat of other nonPR-controlled states dat despite all d hurdles thrown at them by d irresponsible BN federal gomen, they can progress through CAT governance n eliminate d corrupt practices of UmnoB/BN, this will b a very powerful message 2 convince voters 2 vote 4 PR
Majulah PR n d 4 states of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang n Selangor
Dear KIT, when is your new schedule and venue to meet sabahan in KL?
Whatever need to be done have to be done, right!
“My uncle promptly help the six of us to look for jobs from his contacts.”
We need more ppl n good samaritans like JH’s uncle 2 help our educated but jobless youths 2 work n 2 gain experience locally or internationally
Our educated youths must b proactive n positive – b hungry 2 improve themselves
God/Allah helps those who help themselves
Sure it’s inspiring.However we should not turn hate into revenge. I think Justin Hong did good. However,look at the incident the other way around. Justin should thank her for asking him to search for job in China.Without such suggestion,would Justin go to China in the first place ? He took her challenge though it could be humilliating. It could be this humiliation that made Justin worked smart and pretty hard and achieved success.Hence it’s a blessing in disguise. I think Justin should thank his lucky star. Frankly what would Justin be now if he remained in Sarawak..
i am sure no umno goons, perkasa or gertak will thank him for jobs created in this country.
Justin Hong,
This is exceptionally inspirational story. You really make my day. Ooomph! You are the sort of Bruce Lee we Chinese know, never kow-tow!
Soon some umnoputras through their contacts in the gobermen would make life difficult for justin and hold his business to ransom (with all sorts of licensing problems, labour problems, environmental polution problems etc) unless he gives up 51% share in the company to them.
Jib Jib Boleh.
During the recent Islamic conference, many participants asked me why is there such a fixation with America and with the Arabs. I said that the fixation with America is only with Najib and Rosie because I am certain his picture with Obama is on the way of every government office in Putrajaya. The fixation with Arabs is that they think that the Arabs have money and will invest in a fellow Muslim country e.g. Iskandar and Port Klang.
They can’t possibly have a public fixation with China because it is politically unpalatable. Besides, Ibrahim Katak and Mamakthir will have a fit if this government is seen to pander to the mainland Chinese. In reality, however, they are BEGGING the Chinese to come to Bolehland esp the growth corridor in Sarawak where they hope that the mainland Chinese could relocate their most polluting industries (aluminium smelting, steel) to Sarawak.
sorry, line 3 should read “…on the wall of….”
UmnoB, BN n Perkasa would readily tell JH: Weren’t U damn lucky 4 d discrimination against U? If we were fair n gave U d job then, U would rot in Komat n b a corrupt officer like most officers n U would never hv gone 2 China n become a multimillionaire n entrepreneur. See, pendatang, b grateful 2 us racists n say ‘Thank you’
UmnoB n BN sacrificed lots of Malays n made them weak n tongkat dependent, while fire-grilled nonMalays till they r independent n tough 2 go global
On the other hand, if you read the tone and slant of the ‘inspirational story’, the main theme could be of how he was wronged but ultimately had a chance to pay back the wrong done to him but he had the compassion and high moral to show mercy, compassion and forgiveness.
“What is the writer’s motive?”, a critic might ask.
Is it to relate “an inspirational” story or is it to boast about and to boost his ego and image to let the whole world know what a great guy he is, and that he deserves the biggest pingat you’ve got.
You decide.
Like the saying goes ‘when the going gets tough the tough gets going’.BN’s way of governing Malaysia has brought us nowhere.Look at our neighbours Singapore.I remember when I was young 1 ringgit = 1 Sing dollar.Now its not even 40cents Singapore.We surely lagged behind.Most capable people work in Singapore because the Singaporean government do not discriminate.U get promoted if you work hard.In Malaysia you get promoted if you are UMNO members.Ahhh potooi!
Come to think of it: Don’t you think prostitutes/beggars/pendatangs/outsiders can one day be successful or millionaires?
The moral of the story: Don’t look down on or discriminate against people, whatever his color or creed. Survival instinct is at its strongest when you are suppressed, oppressed and discriminated.
And one day, you may need them more than they need you.
So what is this story all about, inspirational? In what way it is inspirational other than just trying to show the arrogance of some who have the fortune to make it big.
Ibans – are they privileged group? In life, we always face people with all kinds of attitudes be they Ibans, Chinese, Malays, and others. It is about her, not about she being a Iban, or you (the successful tawkey now) a Chinese. Frankly, I am quite sick of reading story like this. I would like to ask this tawkey whether his children would be able to repeat his success stories, despite, presumably with better education, exposure than him. It is a bunkum story, really. Frankly, i must say you don’t know how the fart you become so rich.
Here we go again, Mr Know-it-all trying to pour cold water over a success-despite-the-odds story. If this is bunkum story, then the story of Martin Luther King and the story of Nelson Mendela would be bukum stories.
Many have the feel-good factor after reading a success story like this. If you don’t have the feel good factor, then it’s just too bad. To each his own.
Ho Ho Ho
GOD bless those good boys to be successful n as a Human Being we must not look down on others BUT to help the poor n needed.
Mountain Higher that one another!!!
Ho Ho Ho
Descendants of prostitutes, beggars, pendatangs, outsiders – does it matter?
MMK is a descendant of one of d above-mentioned grps
In history, lots of great achievers r bastards, born out of wedlock of unknown fathers
Descendants of prostitutes, beggars, pendatangs, outsiders – does it matter?
MMK is a descendant of one of d above-mentioned grps
In history, lots of great achievers r b@s-tards, born out of wedlock of known n unknown fathers
Some BN leaders were actively creating b@s-tards n d proof is in d pudding, ooops, no VCD
Such stories can have many interpretations, depending on how you want to read it.
The positive slant is that one can overcome great odds to achieve success and that it is difficult to keep the resilient from learning and improving their lot in life.
IIANM, Olivia Lum’s story in Hyflux shows how Malaysia was not able to nurture and retain its talent.
On a personal note, three of my graduate children are not working in Malaysia and I am certain that thousands of Malaysian parents are in the same category.
Order and efficient of the society must be secured to make Malaysia a creditable, efficient and save to live, work and invest. The infrastructure and its software must be built and maintained in this direction. People and the Government have to jointly care for this development. Or, who dare come to live and invest or do business with Malaysia.
However, from Education, Social Awareness, Government Awareness and Professionalism, all had been down the drain with the BULLY, Silent, or, Deaf of the Administration. Fairness or Justice had long been ignored.
If Justin had experienced land or housing problems, and bullied by lawyers and Judges, Police and even Bankers, I am sure the story will be different.
The lawyer assaulting case is in Penang. DAP assemblyman had been approached. It has been promised with CAT in 2008 but nothing came out. So, what is CAT really meant??
Justin Hong,
are u real or just a good story teller behind you?
give some detail about your company then we will know u are real or ghost story..
Justin Hong hunger for success have made him what he is today.
Yes….it was a blessing in disguise for him…that those so call interviews in the old days are for show.
Above all…it was his destiny to strike it rich.
in short – talents get treated fairer if not in Msia.
his words – ” I do not need Malaysia. I CAME BECAUSE I AM BEGGED TO COME … ”
msia is SICK.
Justin Hong comes across as a smart kid with strong resolve who would have made his own fortune regardless of adversity. The moral of the story is simply this: NEVER LOOK DOWN ON ANYBODY, NOT EVEN A BEGGAR CHILD< BECAUSE SHE MAY WELL TURN OUT TO BE THE GUARDIAN AT THE PORTAL OF PARADISE!
Antares
I forwarded this piece to my contacts at Kuching.
The moral of the story is Justine, being himself is pissed but glad at the same time.
“…..I told her, I do not care for YBs, bumi policies or business opportunities in Malaysia. I do not need Malaysia. I CAME BECAUSE I AM BEGGED TO COME, BY THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA.” Justin Hong
Wow!!!
Which Minister(s) in the HP6 Government begged him to come back?
Or was it CM Lim Guan Eng?
p/s Do a Google search on “Justin Hong”.
Is he the ‘dentist’?
Why no photo or even his full name and contact.
I want to contact him.
We already have plenty of people who suffer from financial hardship and adversity, especially when living in such a corruption-ridden and opportunity-robbed nation as Malaysia. Not all of them will be able to make it to the happy ending of becoming a rich and economically succeeded person in the end.
However, I do sincerely hope that the situation can be changed to the better — by way of gradually phasing out Barisan Nasional and voting in Pakatan Rakyat as the ruling coalition in Malaysia. I believe that Justin Hong might be able to achieve his success by working in Malaysia if being given an opportunity, not necessarily that he must struggle in China as a learning curve for success. It is not always true that success must come out of a tough and painful way. Success can sometimes come in a much lesser painful way too, provided always that a good governance can be supplied by a good government. I hope that Pakatan Rakyat government is qualified to be called a “good government” when dealing with equal employment opportunities for all, regardless of a relevant person’s racial background and/or his/her religious background!
My dear godfather, I have never claimed or acted like I know all. But I think I am smarter (ahem) and can smell better than that old ball. I know when we have a good story and when we have a bunkum story. I repeat, this is a bunkum story even if the events were true – in the sense that those events were interpreted and analysed incorrectly, “bitterly” and arrogantly. No, this is not the way forward.
The moral of the story is so many. We cannot stereotype any one race. At least, his was a different race. What about if it is the same race that suppress or oppress the same race ? An Iban doing to another Iban ? A Malaysian Chinese doing to another Malaysian Chinese ? If he believes in divinity, then there is a purpose for everything. At the end of the day, he comes back to save his own people, that is the Malaysians. Sounds familiar ? Doctors, engineers, professional people are begged to come back too, in exchange for some other professionals who are seen as unimportant. LIfe itself is a real lesson. Nobody can teach you about life because you have to go through it to know what it is exactly like. Experiential learning. Hopefully you come out better at the end of the dark tunnel.
Whatever is the motive, the readership here get a little bit of Justin Hong in them. We wish one day we could be like Justin,
1) We wish one day we would be appreciated for what we did.
2) We wish one day we could prove you wrong and make you regret for what you did.
3) We wish one day we could contribute the right way forward.
I read about this letter like years ago, this is 2nd time I read this. Still dreaming to be justin hong…
Lim Suck Ass sure can smell better.
He has to.
That’s his profession before he suck anything..and he is very proud of it.
Story is bunkum or true..there is a good message for readers to be understand.
Lim Suck Ass…has such a one track mind…focusing smelling and sucking….reading political books and know next to nothing about human natures…and general knowledge.
That’s why he calls me odd ball and hentam my English.
Odd ball…because it is such a big huge one….this scumbag mouth too small.
He smarter than me? Don’t make me laugh……hahahahahahahahaha
And only an idiot like him…does not know everyone has an odd ball….as no two balls are same size.
Like I say..he knows next to nothing about life and general knowledge and keep bragging he is best commentator in politics….better than LKS too.
The Moral of this story is like a boomerang:
1) What you throw away as useless piece of wood will come back and knock your sense back to reality like a wakeup call. Initially you had something in your hand which will defend your country against economic globalisation, but you threw it away because you didn’t understand nor accept its potentials. (Justin Hong came back to Malaysia as somebody highly valued by the discriminatory gomen)
2) As a weapon it didn’t kill to take revenge because of bitterness. Rather it knock your senses back to reality – race discrimination doesn’t work any more. Fair play and equality, not racist favouritism, is the name of the game for survival. (Justin graciously gave his previous discriminator a job but base on meritocracy like everyone else)
Whether fiction, dream or reality, there is a moral lesson to learn, especially for bitter discriminators.
See everyone understands the moral of the story…except that smart ass..concentrating true or false story…nothing else in his brain.
Surely we can accept the frustration of the author, having suffered the ignominy at such a young age. To those with an above average amount of grey matter, such obstacles are challenges to surmount. And sure enough, his talent is proven. In this environment of IT and instantaneous communication, changes are the biggest challenges facing any body or any society. We have created nearly 2 generations of people, fortunately not all, who have refused to accept change as part of global scenario. They have reached a stage where they wanted the old fashion clutches to be changed into an electronic units based on the same principle! Any society that refuses to change is doomed to extinction! and no matter what is proclaimed, truth will surface. Those who resist changes will have only one path to go in this fast changing world! To characters like Ibrahim Ali and his champion supporters, take note of this; the Malayisan society could be forced to accept or tolerate your perception of your rights but the rest of the world will dump you as soon as they find you irrelevant to their needs! Just wait when the discovery of renewal energy is put to effective use and see whether the Rednecks would ever bother to allow even the Arabs into their countries!!
Let me tell you what the moral of this story is: Please don’t indulge in smugness and self aggrandisement. Income and wealth is the confluence of many factors in which right policies and environment is one. Justine has to thank his lucky star for being denied an 8 to 5 job here and given the opportunity in China (if the story is true, but I doubt it). That is why I said he did not know how the fart he became rich. By the way, many rich men, including the self proclaimed cigar smoker and cheap Volvo user, also do not know exactly how the fart they become rich. If this odd ball live his life all over again, may be he would be my butler.
He is one of the lucky Malaysians.
I, for one, think that Lim Kam Put has propensity to run down and think the worse of what others say, especially what I say – but never mind – lets look objectively at what he said – whether there’s grain of truth – since he said it with such conviction “I repeat, this is a bunkum story even if the events were true – in the sense that those events were interpreted and analysed incorrectly, “bitterly” and arrogantly. No, this is not the way forward.” – #48 on page 1.
Looking at the words, examples and context of what Justin Hong said, the controversy – “bunkum” or “inspirational” started off with the title given for the letter – “An inspirational story”.
Who gives this title? Kit (for convenience) or Justin (as in trying to describe the intent of his piece – an inspirational story)?
Lets assume its the latter. If its the latter, whats so inspirational? LimKamPut says its “bunkum”. “Inspirational” is something positive that encourages and uplifts other spirit by something noble or an achievement accomplished. “Bunkum” has negative connotation. It means empty or insincere talk, claptrap and crap talk portraying something inspirational but in actuality self gratifying or smugness and self aggrandisement.
The gist of what Justin Hong says is that this Iban HR lady refused to give him a chance when he was in dire need for job, rubbed salt to wound by asking to work in China; he did and made good in Shenzhen, he came back at the behest of Malaysian Government (which did nothing to help him as Malaysian Chinese) and was in the position to now give job of assistant to the assistant HR to same Iban woman who had spurned him….
Mark this: there is no strong personal sense of ‘revenge’ here because all this while he did not do anything to avenge his being spurned by the Iban woman. He did not deny her the job: he gave her “assistant to the assistant HR” post without favour or disfavour. She had to perform or go. So there’s no need here for us to evaluate the ethics of revenge because there’s no element of revenge in personal sense.
Continuing: But in terms of revenge in “poetic sense” as in the word “poetic justice”, there are strong elements. Poetic justice is an outcome in which virtue is rewarded and evil punished, often in an especially appropriate or ironic manner by fate and factors unforeseeable as in what goes around come around.
Many non Malays aggrieved by being spurned by their own government discriminatory policies would delight in hearing Justin’s story of “poetic justice” where he returned at behest or request of Malaysian government. But is it inspirational? To inspire is to motivate into good actions leading to good results but Justin’s story does not. Reason: happy and unhappy fates to the virtuous and the vicious characters respectively usually occurs more often in the fictional plots of plays than in real life – and when it happens in real life its just vagaries of fate like the way the Roulette turns. Not every non Malay spurned and who goes to China or overseas will return triumphant as Justin – they might just come back pauper- and that’s why our LimkamPut underlines “Income and wealth is the confluence of many factors in which right policies and environment is one. Justine has to thank his lucky star.” In that sense LimKamPut is right that its ‘bunkum’ especially so if the words “an inspirational story” is described by Justin the author himself because theres nothing inspirational to other people when fate deals a hand makes one like Justin successful, and people in parallel situation may not be, and the story here is being told by Justin with a touch of smugness that “peotic justice, unplanned, has made the people who hurt him be eventually dependent or beholden to him for job in case of Iban woman and skills in case of Malaysian government.
A poetic Justice story of “the good ended happily, and the bad unhappily” or subserviently is nice to hear but since it occurs rarely in real life but more abundantly in fiction, such a story is “bunkum”: as an inspirational story in that its inherently misleading making people believe or make believe in a vision of justice not directly flowing from just streneous exertion and effort but some transformative power of fates or gods that may not happen to us if we take the same route.
So LimKamPut is not wrong if one looks at it in this sense.
Lim Kit Siang, I see that this Inspirational Story garnered a lot of comments – good, bad and ugly! I think it really digs into the readers’ psyche whether to be inspired, frustrated, jealous, self denying or plain bitter depending on his/her circumstances.
We need more of these inspiration stories so that Malaysians will learn, be inspired, change, self improve and most important of all, to learn the moral of life realities in a changing world.
Get more of these Inspiration Stories in this LKS Blogs.
To those with bitterness, you have a choice not to read or learn from this moral story.
I take it that LimKamPut’s “No, this is not the way forward” – as applied to predicament of Non Malays- is that in terms of their personal circumstances, they have to take charge of their own destiny, work hard and smart or in terms of the nation’s destiny, think hard and vote smart and not revel too much in mystical abstractions of Poetic Justice that Justin’s story tells.
It is pathetic of people who feel oppressed to find solace in comfort of play of fates and gods to deal justice: justice must be fought for with your own blood sweat and toil, to borrow the battle cry of Churchill – you don;’t abdicate responsibility to semua OK where the unjustly treated and the oppressed will receive vindication and justice and the bad oppressors will receive their just deserts by some cosmic intervention and laws of Karma as a matter of course. Its just being practical.
‘Inspirational stories’ like this are welcomed but there should be care about them as it could be a scam or has other motives.
Note that this article was written by the writer himself, about himself and sent in by himself. Maybe he even supplied the title.
He makes statements (pompous boasts?) like “BELIEVE ME, WE ARE EACH NETTING 2 TO 3 MILLIONS USD A YEAR.” and “I do not need Malaysia. I CAME BECAUSE I AM BEGGED TO COME, BY THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA.” (note the shouting CAPITALS), among other statements.
One could have doubts about its objectivity, balance and truthfulness. What is the message he’s trying to convey to readers?
What is his real motive in writing this story and sending it to be published by Kit at this point in time?
Is there anyone out there who knows him who can independently vouch for him and can substantiate what he has written?
Until we know more about this great guy and his achievements, one should just take note and proceed with caution.
If you feel inspired, fine. If not, it is fine too. Its up to you.
I personally like the first part of the article and I wish to congratulate the author for making good out of a bad situation.
The second part of the article is quite distasteful in my honest opinion. If the author has gone thru’ as much anguish and hardship as claimed, he could have been more thankful and showed more a lot more class aka grace. To forgive is divine. So from this point of view there is nothing inspirational about this article.
I also found it strange that the author would invest in Malaysia just because Malaysia begged him. He said that he does not need Malaysia. Given this, I can only conclude that he is investing only to satisfy his own ego. That in my opinion, makes him a terrible business man.
cto…Justin Hong is a selfish terrible business man…no doubt about it…but the way he made it good in his life against all odds… should be inspirations to young Malaysians.
It is sad…to note…Justin Hong talk with his nose point up to the sky.
So we have d good, bad, ugly looking For a few dollars more ……..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLXQltR7vUQ&feature=related
Life is a cycle of cause and effect. You may call it Karma, Fate, Justice of God, etc. What happened to Justin came back years later in the form of the discriminator begging him to come back to Malaysia. Why should he?
And why should’t he boast? Unless he was spoon-fed or prop up with ‘tongkat’ all his life, but he went thro’ injustice and blood, sweat and toils to get to where he is today. And he doesn’t act classy, but just like any typical Cina towkay who isn’t pretentious but straight-to-the-point and down to earth.
There are those who still act like the bloaded toad, ‘conditioned’ under the coconut shell fearing repercussions because this may be a scam story! Incredulous mentality! Wake up for once to see the daylight of outside real life. Out there are exemplary stories like this one in real life which I personally heard of, not necessary word for word as Justin’s.
Life is still good to those who really want to make it in life. Nothing comes FREE without sacrifices, prudence and hard work. To those who may think in Malaysia you are always ‘given privileges’ from cradle to grave, this is a fallacy of thinking. It doesn’t work in the globalised environment anymore. In fact you are putting yourself at a disadvantage later on – learn the law of cause and effect.
Let this be one precious lesson for us all. It doesn’t have to be classy.
Sure, learn the value of hard work, staying positive and thriving against the odds. Most non-bumis in Malaysia knows what that means first hand. The author should be considered a role model in this regard.
I personally won’t mind him boasting about his wealth and success although there is no need to. I just find the manner by which it was done rather distasteful esp. when the author seems to take delight and satisfaction in another person’s misfortune.
I do not look up to a person based on the size of his wallet. Also, using the typical Chinaman towkay or a rich bumi as a yard stick is setting the bar low is my opinion.
Pick and choose the lesson to learn from this article. Humility is not a bad virtue.
To those with bitterness, you have a choice not to read or learn from this moral story.” tunglang
When the posting is put here, everyone has the right to read and comment. To ask some of us not read and comment is bunkum. By the way, you can say whatever my feeling, but please don’t accuse me of bitterness or jealousy. I live here, despite whatever discrimination and shortcoming faced, I have considered myself doing well (of course the odd ball would think he is the richest guy here). Of course, if only the environment is more conducive and fairer, may be (just may be) I could have done better.
Jeffrey, thank you for putting a well thought out analysis to my feeling and thinking. I have never doubted your intellect. That is why sometimes I like to “quarrel” with you.
The wonderful TRUTH is out there. Whatever the outcome of discrimination, we are precisely seeing and witnessing Karma effects on those who discriminate in thoughts and deeds. And those who support this evil are no better in God’s eyes.
Life goes on, and it is better and more fruitful to cast away bitterness and get on with life challenges. There is more joy in God-given ONE life if we choose to live with higher purpose and for something more everlasting.
Lim Suck Ass said….’please don’t accuse me of bitterness and jealousy”…..hahahahahahahaha
I laughed alot too..when Mahathir said “I forgot” 14 times within half an hour questioning on Lingam case.
Najib flip flops and brags.
Lim Suck Ass…worst.
He wished me dead…..yet want to teach others?
I wish you a long life…sucking asses…..Lim.