This is Why We Can't have Nice Things.

Alt title 1: Why Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar/Student Representative Council and Dewan Perundingan Pelajar/Student Consultative Assembly Universiti Sains Malaysia is a sorry excuse of a platform for voicing out student right.


Alt. title 2: Why students these days are as docile, trivial and insignificant as one can diminish existence of self.

-A follow up from my previous post regarding the first session of USM Student Consultative Assembly for Academic Year 2011/12-

Well, what a week it was and I am still reeling from anger, dismay and absolute disappointment. It's not just that things goes exactly as expected, it went beyond the level of incomprehension and incompetence that one could actually sinks into.

For the purpose of criticism, I will just concentrate on one particular motion, the 5th Motion that calls for a review and revamp of website blocking policy for USM Wifi (or in it's original version in BM: Dasar penggunaan USM Wifi dari segi laman web/sesawang yang dihalang aksesnya perlu dirombak dan diperhalusi semula) with its original intention, complete with lengthy justification is to ensure no websites that's useful to student or at least not harmful are unjustly block and PPKT to be accountable and fair when enforcing USM wifi policy. The reason I singled out this one for further discussion is because THIS is the motion that YOURS TRULY submitted, which I carefully crafted to be broad enough to cover all ground which I can think of but at the same time succinct enough to highlight on the importance of such issue as reflected by the demands. The ensuing discussion that happened however is nothing but appalling and I can only helplessly watch the discussion descend to utter incomprehension as the members participated in the debate MAIMED and BUTCHERED whatever that's originally intended within the motion.

The fiasco begins as soon as it started during the delivery of the motion by Au Lim Ping (MPP) which can only be described as sloppy and irresponsible by failing to identify the emphasis of the motion as well as leaving a VERY large chunk of my argument contained within the justification which unfortunately may have mislead the chamber (judging from the series of howling and funny remarks) and the public who actually watched the whole ordeal (as testament from my colleague's friend and even myself) that my motion actually advocates for a STRICTER control of USM Wifi USM policy while the reality is (if Au Lim Ping, the MPP SRC members in charge of delivering the motion actually read THE WHOLE document instead of making hasty simplification as well as other members of the chamber who actually bothered to read it in details.) is the exact opposite which to advocate for a fairer, lax control (but within sensible limit of course that's bar pornography and porn site. It is explicitly mentioned in the justification as well). With such sloppy delivery, there's no doubt that the ensuing discussion can only go spiraling downward to smithereen.

As I blew my top off in front of laptop while watching the discussion becoming more disjointed riddle with incomprehension, one particular moment strikes me as a jab to the rib. Apparently, one of the MPP member sitting in the hall, Nurul Aini Ahmad Rosli has been commissioned probably by the chamber to seek clarification from PPKT, the administrator of USM Wifi regarding a few points mentioned within my justification. Her answers (or rather, relayed answer from PPKT) is definitely less than satisfactory. She started off her explanation (or rather PPKT's explanation probably) that website ban on USM Wifi consists of two category: Fortinet the firewall software with block websites according to category and ad hoc ban, administered by the administrator themselves, BOTH of which I ALREADY KNOW and DULY INCLUDED within the justification but yet left out during the delivery. Next, she proceed by answer each of the questions I highlighted in my justification. First up: Radio24, Bernama owned 24 hours News Radio Channel which is available for online streaming but has been blocked while comparing to BBC World Service, BBC owned 24 hours News Radio Channel which is also available for online streaming AND without being blocked.

Radio24 by Bernama. Even though Bernama's journalistic quality remains questionable, it's good to know that there is a place on the wave that discuss about news instead of the usual music and trashy GOTCHA! prank show of Hitz.fm and the like that fuels bored Malaysian's eager schadenfreude. Unfortunately however, Wifi USM blocks it, denying me any chance of actually enjoying local rolling news.

BBC World Service by BBC or the Beebs, the most respected voice in international broadcasting and sometimes the ONLY voice of neutrality in the turbulent zones across the globe.

Her response (or rather, PPKT's response) for that: Radio24 is blocked because it's under Internet Radio and Television category in Fortinet (because apparently streaming took up bandwidth) while BBC World Service is not because it's under NEWS category. Next up is the ludicrous Naruto in URL block as well as Mediafire (file hosting website) block administered ad hoc by PPKT and the relayed answer was: Naruto is a popular keyword used by USMers which leads to website that eats up a lot of bandwidth while Mediafire, being the most convenient webhosting website has also been blamed for excess bandwidth usage hence should be banned as well. The lackadaisical excuse of answers from PPKT on serves to prove two points: callous disregards of PPKT towards any student complaint even though it's perfectly justifiable (especially the Radio24 one) as well as the utter lacking of effort by whoever that was commissioned to actually pressure for real action instead of these shallow excuses or worse, actually SATISFIED with the official INACTION.

By the time the motion reaches the voting stage (after much disorienting, dis-informative discussion), my worse fear has indeed comes true: ALL THREE OF MY DEMAND (click it to check the full list and find Usul ke-5) has been DEFEATED in which the last two of them has been defeated WITHOUT a chance of being voted simply because of an interjection by Nurul Aini that says: "It has been done and they had been doing it." I wouldn't waste my time and crafted this motion if "IT HAS BEEN DONE". IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE, USM Wifi website blocking policy are basically in tatters necessitating revamp and refining as written by evidence within justification but with explicit mention of Radio24. No explanation on why Radio24 is wrongly categorized as Internet TV and Radio by Fortinet while it should've been allowed under News (as the reason stated for allowing BBC24 and Al Jazeera or RT or PressTV.)

Watching desperately as the motion gone down in flame, I am FURIOUS. Almost immediately that I penned an angry email to the Secretary of DPP/MPP demanding an explanation face to face (NO RESPONSE FROM THEM AFTER A WEEK. They really want ME to march over to their office directly, isn't it?) as well as engaging those who were in the hall directly over the MPP10/11 Official Facebook Group in which Nurul Aini did responded in one of the thread but only repeating the same thing that PPKT fed to her, that all these thing ate up bandwidth and PPKT still waiting for budget for further system wide upgrades blah blah blah. To be fair to her, after pushing for one whole day for answer over the same thread with lengthy replies, she finally gave one reply which I think fairly relevant to my interest and which I am not aware of (hence interested) which is the very neat looking USMNet Network Map, a real time update of bandwidth usage in USM.

Even with that relatively new information however that I still has a lot of sore points that I would pick the bone on especially why the last two demands of my motion were struck down just by "it has been done" despite numerous evidences that it has not been done properly hence require more thorough action. For my 2nd demand namely providing a platform for student to point out websites that has been unjustly blocked, she mentioned it's already available which is ServisDesk@PPKT, a fair point but of which I have knowledge about.

Neat looking isn't it. Unfortunately not many people knows.

When she's in the hall, she did recognized the fact that there hasn't been enough engagement and information with this regards among the general campus population and that's why I also duly included within my third demands (besides asking for a report for PPKT regarding bandwidth usage before and after Youtube has been unblocked, partially answered by the NetworkMap thing) which is for PPKT to be more proactive in engaging with their customers which only left me in bewilderment when such sensible demand was struck down as well. Her follow up in the explanation with regards to this only rested upon the fact that PPKT did sent email to all USM students email and if the student didn't check the mail and failed to be notified then it's the students apathy that's responsible for PPKT's inaction in anything. (So this is called "It has been done" huh?) When I demanded within the same thread to see her and other member of MPP/DPP that's relevant to my issue, her reply? "I should refer whatever further questions to PPKT directly in order to get direct answers instead of going through middle people." That's one very sinister way to actually absolves and wiggles out from any further responsibility by throwing the ball back to me. Not too long after, the new Speaker of the DPP issued an official statement over the MPP10/11 Facebook group asking the public "not to question the credibility of the decision made in DPP because it's done with consensus from members of DPP." End of discussion.

I am still amazed about myself on why I insisted and persisted on making a huge fuss out of this motion and the working of Dewan Perundingan Pelajar (out of personal sentimental reason that I was involved in the drafting of the standing order I guess or I actually have some hope towards the system itself. Urgh.) which I already mentioned since its inception last year that it's pretty much a sham (especially with its loopsided composition of membership, 2/3 of it consists of MPP members while another measly 1/3 consists of chairperson of clubs/societies/organisations in USM, voted among themselves in a special convention) and a sorry excuse of a platform of voicing student's views, demands and opinions because how utterly powerless it is in actually compelling whoever relevant for immediate action (despite how much DPP wants to make themselves look significant by mentioning in press release that any decision made in DPP will be referred to respective responsible department directly for action. My foot it was), best summed up none other than Shafiq, the previous Speaker of the Chamber and the original mooter of idea two years ago when he was the SRC chairperson in his Facebook status (I can't search him for the moment for some reason but it was there on his wall not too long ago) saying that we shouldn't blame DPP for any inaction because they can't do anything if the department relevant didn't take action at all (to similar effect of his actual status update).

The last strike that sinks the hatchet into my already battered heart was all the callous remarks of the naysayers when I persisted on this issue in the MPP10/11 group, usually revolving around "bersyukurlah kepada yang ada kerana Wifi USM adalah percuma." or "apasal bising-bising dalam ni jer (Sapix Suhami Are-Pek, that IKMAR guy.)" (to similar effect of the actual quote) or "MPP juga pelajar juga, mereka juga ada urusan mereka sendiri dsb (Thanaletchumy blah blah blah)". It's rather sad to see the websites blocking issue is treated with utter apathy or worse, dismissive and trivial only serves to reflect the ABSOLUTE QUALITY of USM student as a whole and MPP/DPP specifically. The fact that any websites can be arbitrarily blocked by PPKT without any consultation and research simply because they've the power to do so and able to deflect anything just by using technicality alone doesn't bode well with me. And none of them cared except me (and probably some other people but didn't go through the way I did, only reserving it to daily grouses on cyberspace).

/sarcasm/ Perhaps it is ME that should change my attitude, a shift in paradigm. I should be less ANAL-RETENTIVE and STUBBORN in demanding for any answers and action but instead learn how to appreciate whatever little that we have right now of our already diminished, insignificant existence. In fact, we should be more understanding by NOT BOTHERING MPP or DPP in pursuing our selfish, personal demand. They're student too, equally insignificant, equally powerless just like you and me. Life still moves on even without them or me or you. Life is still beautiful. Let us stay inside the box. It's very comfortable. /sarcasm/

This whole fiasco reflects nothing else but absolute insolence and incompetence which stems ALL THE WAY back to the Motion Committee stage in which NONE OF THE DPP MEMBERS or THE COMMITTEE actually approached me (despite being mentioned CLEARLY in the email correspondence and motion document itself) for further clarification on the actual message which I plan to present within the motion upon the decision of including it in the motion about FOUR DAYS before it's actually tabled in the chamber (which I only realized that it's in when I saw the full list of motion to be tabled in the MPP10/11 group and only because someone else actually asked about it) which inadvertently saw it being maimed and butchered before being chucked aside in countless pieces due to lack of depth in discussion. Or the very fact that my application to be observer in the chamber rejected probably on the ground of lack of involvement in university activities (which being a postgraduate student like me, not exactly necessary anymore) or even because that I am a postgraduate (which by the way, has been denied right to vote in campus election as well as deprived of representation in the chamber itself) hence I am unable to do anything in defending my motion by the virtue that I am not inside the hall physically. When I grumbled on the fact how my motion was rubbished by the chamber over the Facebook group, one of the former Motion Committee people last year (now owning a store over Uptown Mall Cahayasiswa, apparently) told me that it was me that should approach the DPP members/committee members, not they approach me. How am I going to approach them when I only know about the fact that it has been accepted while my application to be observer A DAY and only INDIRECTLY through MPP10/11 Facebook group before the session commences and I have no contact of them whatsoever. It's because of the failure of DPP secretariat as well as the members in the chamber itself that saw the motion defeated unjustly without due discussion and consideration. Things that warrant more in depth discussion at length was not done so (the adhoc motion talking about Section 15 of UUCA or Seksualiti Merdeka which one thing that I would pick a bone of but probably futile judging from the lengthy debate I had over MPP10/11 too. It's like talking to a wall except a very bigoted one quick to victimize GLBT as dirty and wrong.) while things that doesn't warrant lengthy discussion (MPD asking for cutting their rental in half or the bus) were discussed ad nauseam instead. The quality of discussion in Dewan Perundingan Pelajar can only be described as SHAMBOLIC at best.

Before wrapping up my long rant against anyone who feel like throwing accusation to me being an ass (perhaps I am), I did took action on my own with regards to Radio24 by lodging a complaint directly through Servisdesk@PPKT.

The only sensible decision (Tindakan sewajarnya) is to block it. What a PRICK of an answer by throwing the ball back to me asking me to write a formal request to their CIO PPKT and wait for their consideration. Now you know why it's extremely frustrating to go through the redtape and eventually it wears someone's spirit down before they finally decided to suck it all up by themselves and no further action is taken. Now that Dewan Perundingan Pelajar and Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar Universiti Sains Malaysia has absolved any responsibility in pursuing the matter any further, websites that has been unjustly ban would probably never see the light of the day. Congratulation USM.

Meanwhile, this has just came in not too long ago.

The fun is going to be over, everyone. PPKT decided to block Youtube again on 30 December 2011 in order to "review the actual implication towards USM Wifi's performance through the period of which it has been allowed of access". For those MPP who claimed credit for Youtube being unblocked last time (the like of Steven Toh, Ng Ze Shen and such), YOU BETTER PRAY HARD THAT THEY WILL REOPEN IT AGAIN AFTER THEY REVIEW THE PERFORMANCE OR YOU WILL BE SHOOTING YOURSELF IN YOUR FOOT. And say, they haven't actually comes up with a report after all. Why my third demand got shot down again? Again, another round of congratulation to USM.

Oh well, since they deny me and other probably interested public of Radio24, I should listen to a better radio instead: BBC Radio! Enjoying whatever nice things that's left before some techie guy in PPKT blocked it arbitrarily.

BBC Radio 3: Home for the best of British Fine Arts and Classical Music online and on air. Luckily the license fee block on their television streaming (through BBC iplayer) does not apply to BBC Radio Streaming does allowing public across the globe to enjoy the very best of BBC. British public got to enjoy high quality broadcasting. What does RTM have instead for their shoddy quality of output especially for television? (note: We can stream RTM TV1 and TV2 through USMWifi but NOT MediaPrima's Tonton.com.my for TV3. As for radio, all local radio are blocked I think)

Epilogue: This is only the third post for the whole month? Boy, I am in such a slump. Meanwhile, so many backlogs and so many events which are worthy for yours truly's deserted blogspace and yet my motivation for writing is ebbing away so rapidly. Even this rantish post have to wait more than a week before coming to actual fruition and whole day of typing. Tending a blog has become somewhat a chore now. Oh dear. What about my thesis then, currently remained static for the longest time?