On unity and losers

On Unity... the Star reports: Najib says N.S. needed because schools failed in integration.

'The current education system has failed to integrate young people, thus the need for the national service (NS) programme, said Najib.

Students were not comfortable mixing with other races and kept to themselves. So we saw the need for the NS to integrate the various races'.

So, after so much talk of unity over the decades, we come to naught?

Fair enough. Now citizens of Malaysia should be looking forward to a full report in the near future on how successful the 'national service' is.

But, somehow one gets the feeling that it is a little difficult to believe that a 'national service' set up hastily, calling for a few months of service by the youths, can solve the unity problem when years of education cannot.

On Losers... the Sun reports: Singapore's GIC invests in Proton.

'The Government of Singapore Investment Corp. bought about 5% of Proton Holdings, signaling rising investor confidence in Malaysia's largest carmaker after it announced an alliance with Volkswagen AG'.

Wooah, do we not know something that Singaporeans do?

I think they have too much cash idling around, so why not bet on a dark horse and have some chuckles along the way.

There is a racehorse in Kochi prefecture, near (not really, actually) to where I live. Haru-Urara has not won a single race in 112 continuous appearances.

During her 100th race, the Japanese came from all over the country, expecting to see a miracle. But win she did, although not the race.

The Kochi Race Course had been bleeding red ink for years. That race alone brought in profits enough to cover years of loses.

Since then, Haru-Urara has become a star of sorts. She became the mascot of safe driving. Now, the Japanese are making a movie about her.

Haru-Urara. Beautiful Spring. A loser, turned winner.

Can that dark horse of Malaysia strike a miracle?