Most people (in Malaysia) don’t seem to take letters of reference seriously.
If you need a reference, you should look for a referee who
(1) knows you sufficiently well such that s/he can write/speak about you with authority;
(2) holds you in good, if not high, esteem;
(3) is someone who is well regarded and whose opinion would be valued and respected.
If you have been approached for a reference, you should:
(a) write/speak honestly - do not lie or make up facts/stories - you do yourself and the applicant no favours;
(b) write/speak with respect and professionalism - you would only demean your own reputation by being rude, vengeful, sarcastic, writing with bad command of language etc.;
(c) keep the reference in confidence - this allows you the freedom to be honest;
(d) kindly decline to act as referee if you think your reference (bearing in mind above points) would only jeopardise the applicant’s chances of success.
I’ve come across far too many cases (in Malaysia) where people who need letters of reference turn indiscriminately to the next Tom, Dick and Sally who happen to be there and ask, if not force, for a reference. I’ve also seen far too many cases where the applicant ends up writing his/her own reference for the referee to sign because the latter is far too lazy to think for him/herself and/or does not have a brain and/or an opinion. Either case does not bode well for either the applicant or the referee.
Today, I chanced upon two letters of reference from the same referee for two different applicants for the same “thing”. One ended with something to the effect of “I doubt the applicant would be able to fully benefit from the opportunity.” The other ended with something to the effect of “I think this applicant is the best candidate for the opportunity being advertised.” It was obvious the referee was speaking her mind in an honest but diplomatic manner - and she did write authoritatively. But I also wished she could have turned down the former applicant’s request for a reference.
*sigh*
Posted on January 11th, 2005 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia | No Comments »
For many months now, the Star newspaper has been running a series of articles on Malaysians who have “made it” on the international stage. Some recent articles that have caught my eye include:
Then there’s the famous Petronas Twin Towers that was awarded an international architectural award. The Towers were designed by an Argentinian architect and built by a Korean and a Japanese contructions firms.
Today, I read about a successful Malaysian industrial designer. He was trained in Singapore and is now based in California.
Maybe I’m biased in my selection of reading material… but what are we supposed to infer/learn from this?!?
Posted on December 23rd, 2004 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia | 8 Comments »
On arriving at the Putra LRT station in KL Sentral on 11 December at 0010H, I was refused entry into the station and was denied a much needed ride on the public transport system to get home.
I was refused entry because “operations had stopped”, at least that was the excuse I was given by the station supervisor. And yet casual observation from within KL Sentral revealed that more than one train were stilll travelling through the station in the direction I needed to go, the trains would stop at the station and the trains were still filled with passengers.
When confronted, the station supervisor confirmed my observations. In fact, I was told that these trains were going to stop at every single station until the one I needed to get to. Nevertheless, I was still refused entry because “operations had stopped“. Putra LRT would only let passengers off, but not on.
I find this rather illogical, not to mention preposterous. I would understand being denied entry if there were no more trains ferrying passengers travelling in the direction I needed to go but as it were, I would hardly consider the operations as having “stopped”. After all, how much more cost and effort would Putra LRT incur in allowing passengers on to trains that were already in operation, that already had passengers onboard and that were scheduled to stop at every single station. While I might agree that the additional revenue might not amount to much, I suspect that the additional costs would also be negligible. But the more important issue is that their present “policy” is denying the public, who need it the most, an invaluable service for a very illogical reason. Instead of boarding a train that was still in operation, I had to pay ten times as much to catch a taxi home. Like most car-loving Malaysian, if it was an option, I would not be relying on public transportation at all.
This was the second time that this has happened to me and frankly, I find this “policy” rather unacceptable.
Posted on December 13th, 2004 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia | 3 Comments »
It riles me everytime when I read about the Government’s intention to attract Malaysian “talent” abroad into returning to the country. Reading the front page of today’s newspapers was no different. Except that this time, I’m riled enough to blog about it.
What a load of crock! What absolute bollocks!
I have so many bones to pick with the Government’s arguments, I don’t know where to start…
Posted on July 25th, 2004 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia | 25 Comments »
First, the facts.
Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, reported yesterday that 70% of the second phase of the East Coast Highway’s contracts will go to the Bumiputeras of the land.
The Prime Minister had announced that:
- 70 percent of the contracts of the MYR1.5 billion project will be tendered out among Bumiputera contractors;
- the remaining 30 percent would be awarded by direct negotiation to construction company, MTD Capital Bhd (which has successfully completed the first phase of the project and holds the letter of intent (LOI) for Phase 2);
- MTD Capital would be required to appoint Bumiputera contractors from Terengganu; and
- the companies that successfully tenders for the other 70 percent of the project would also be expected to appoint Bumiputera subcontractors.
Incidental facts that may have a bearing on the interpretation of this announcement:
- the Prime Minister is also the State Chairman for UMNO in Terengganu;
- UMNO is in the midst of its three-yearly elections;
- the Prime Minister has in the past year, especially in the run-up to the General Elections in March 2004, been harping about the importance of meritocracy, in fact, it was just yesterday that the newspapers reported (see for instance, this) the Prime Minister telling the auto industry to stop relying on the Government;
- the Prime Minister and the former Prime Minister have both, in the past two years, repeatedly echoed the importance for Bumiputeras to depend less, if not, not at all, on the government for contracts.
On 02 April 2004, immediately after the General Elections, I wrote that:
Malaysian Realpolitik is now defined by “a deeply entrenched system in which the relationship between power and wealth has become a political culture of sorts.” Let no one deny it. … We have had years since in which both politics and money have been conscientiously, and unconscientiously, allowed to flourish in close quarters. It would not now change overnight. Not over one General Elections. And neither will it change over one mandate of five years. It is now an embedded social and political culture. It will take years, and many more mandates before it changes, if it changes. And even then, it will require self-denial on the part of the powerful who each now have vested personal interests in the sustenance of the system as we know it. It is nice to think that individuals have ideals that are greater than the self. It is a pleasant thought. But is it realistic?
Now… I wonder if I should comment on this latest news report/development?
err… no. I think I shall bite my tongue.
* ouch *
Posted on July 8th, 2004 by jl
Filed under: My Malaysia | 7 Comments »
