ICT is an abbreviation that means “Information and Communications Technology” (or technologies). This is a blanket term that refers to many forms of communication. ICT in society might include television, cellular telephones, satellites, radio, computer software, computer hardware and many others.

Basically, any form of moving information from one place to another could be considered a kind of ICT, but it generally refers to systems that use electronics, computers or other forms of modern technology. It is a term heard more often outside the US, and often is used in reference to a particular area such as: “ICT’s in education or healthcare.”

In our modern world, we are using these technologies every day in so many ways and it is very easy to take them for granted. Like the light bulbs in our houses, we seldom stop to think about how amazing it is that we can walk into a dark room and flip on a light switch. However, like the complex system of power stations, wires and amazing devices that bring us electric power, the ability for us to communicate so quickly and effectively requires and amazing amount of knowledge, resources and time to implement.

We have a whole world of information at our fingertips through the power of the World Wide Web, television and radio, as well as the ability to reach out to another person nearly anywhere in the world through the amazing advances of telecommunications. These technologies are absolutely essential to the operation of our modern culture, illustrated by the fact that I am writing and you are reading this via the most profound of Information and Communication Technologies: the computer.

Not everyone is so lucky, however. These essential tools to our modern existence that we so take for granted are not present everywhere. There are entire nations that are still struggling socially, politically and financially, and these places lack the resources to make full use of these modern wonders. For nations looking to join modern society and thrive in the global community, these Information and Communication Technologies must be understood, implemented and used effectively. Development through ICTs is one of the most effective ways for nations to join the global community.

Of course as you can well imagine, that takes a lot of support from experts who are already doing this in other places. This is where organizations like the Global e-schools and Communities Initiative comes in.

GeSCI was established in 2004, founded by the UN ICT Task Force. The United Nations ICT task force approved a proposal for a UN affiliated organization to provide demand-driven assistance to developing countries seeking to utilize the tremendous potential ICT’s have for improving the quality of teaching and learning in primary and secondary education.

These types of organizations are doing amazing things to bring these essential tools to our neighbors around the globe. Resources that are easily taken for granted are recognized by the founders of these kinds of task forces to be rare and crucial in other parts of the world. They are dedicated to helping everyone who wants to catch up, and join the global conversation.

M. Nadarajah*

—————————————————————————-

The 12th general election is finally over. The people of Malaysia have delivered their wishes to the contending parties and their nominees. The people have given Barisan National yet another opportunity to continue to form the national government. However, they have decided to deny 2/3 majority to BN in the parliament. They have finally given the opposition the opportunity to play a more significant role in national politics. They have also, in trust, delivered 5 state governments to the opposition. Now the people of Malaysia will have to see if their country in fact becomes what they aspire it to be. It is an aspiration that includes fairness, freedom and social security for all.

These are plain facts. But the meanings of events of the socio-political drama that unfolded and burst into the public arena the last 6 months and in particular the last couple of weeks and on the 8th of March are far too rich. They would capture the imagination of many commentators, analysts, researchers and concerned citizens.

On the ground, the election results are (i) the product of history of what the BN government has actually done (or not done) for the people and this nation since independence, (ii) the political and campaign strategy of individuals, individual parties and/or their coalitions, (iii) the orientation of the voting system and constituencies and lastly, (iv) the easy access to new information and communication technologies by all political contenders (individuals and parties). Recognising The Role of the Indian Malaysian Community

Among the factors, it is in the history of this nation that we need to look closely and to identify definite trends that have given us what we are experiencing today. A few centuries ago, an European social commentator and revolutionary once said that History moves forward qualitatively only on the side of and through the agency of the oppressed and marginalised. It is they who provide the social ground that offers History a new Future.

In a sense, History has thrust upon the Indian Malaysian community that special responsibility. This is not to suggest that others did not play an equally critical role but only to record the spirit, the contribution and the role played by Indian Malaysians as a community in the election, as many during the many election ceramahs acknowledged.

Certainly, the 12th general election was the temporal space where History conspired to give us all the opportunity for that ‘an-other’ Malaysia that we many of us increasingly aspire for.

Along with so many others, the Indian Malaysian community has pushed the agenda of a new politics for Malaysia. On hindsight, the spirit behind Hindraf, and later Makkal Sakthi, is undeniably a critical turning point in recent Malaysian politics. Beyond organisational politics, they really represent the spirit of an economically marginalised, politically powerless, and culturally-battered community aspiring for fairness.

This development in the Indian Malaysian community and the new found orientation among the other Malaysian communities have now given us all an opportunity to break the hold of ethnocracy in Malaysia and dismantle the ethnic model of politics. We have an opportunity to look beyond that model, the limit of which was reached by the end of the last century.

One of the many icons of ethnic politics in Malaysia, the MIC and its head, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, supposedly represented the Indians in BN, which is populated and controlled by strong ethnic parties. But the increasing problems of the Indian Malaysian community and the inability of the MIC leadership to deal with them adequately only led to the accumulation of disenchantment in the community. People’s Power

The frustration, humiliation and disappointment Indians (in particular the Tamils) felt intensely was bound to become self-conscious and take a social form and it did. Makkal Sakthi (People’s Power) is that collective oppositional self-consciousness. A long view of this is that while it is Indian in form, it certainly is Malaysian in content. In fact, it did catch the imagination of many candidates and the term was used during their election ceramahs.

The mainstream media, BN national leaders and Samy Vellu dismissed all these critical developments. One of the main mainstream papers even trivialised the anger of the Indian/Tamil people expressed through Hindraf in their editorial. And Samy Vellu did not see what was coming his way. He even thought the 2008 Thaipusam in Batu Caves was a success when the community knew it was not. Probably he did not go to places like Kuala Selangor to see what was happening there. He thought the Indians/Tamils would vote the MIC leaders to power anyway, without carefully listening to the murmurings on the ground, even among once-staunch MIC supporters. But it is all too clear and loud now.

The angry Indian/Tamil Malaysians have removed Samy Vellu from power but have also, directly with the concerted help of other Malaysians, left the MIC in a disarray. (We can say that for MCA too. ) The community does not want MIC to represent it. MIC cannot claim to represent Indian Malaysians in the BN and the government. There is simply no legitimacy to that claim. Whatever BN may do to include Indian Malaysians, the BN now cannot claim to run the often promoted and publicised but questionable ‘successful’ racial/ethnic consociational model of politics. The Indian Malaysian community has said it loud and clear that it does not want to be included as Indians but as Malaysians. The Need for a New Political Language

A new political language needs to be framed. And the new young parliamentarians (and the ADUNS) who will now speak for all of us, including the Indian Malaysians, must frame it, by practice.

Along with many concerned citizens from all communities, the Indian Malaysian community has delivered to all Malaysians the opportunity for nurturing a new politics. And in this challenging interim period, they have done that at great risk and further marginalisation as a community, if those who have been elected to power i. e. the opposition, do not subscribe to a politics beyond the ethnic model and beyond ethnocracy or theocracy. The Indian Malaysian Community needs the active intervention of parties like the DAP, Keadilan and PAS (if it believes that the spirit of Islam and its protection is for all) to take up their cause as Malaysians.

There is an urgent need to subscribe to a politics that sees the problems and needs of Malaysians as common problems and needs of a people governed by a common destiny.

While needs and problems can be specific to definite Malaysian communities like the Malays, Kadazans, Penans, Mandailings, Chinese or Indians, they need to be framed as national problems or needs and addressed with national concern and sensitivity. Such an orientation will build us as a people and allow for equitable distribution of national resources. There is no room for ethnicisation of the problems of citizens, particularly when they involve access to basic goods and services, like water and housing. Addressing the needs of citizens must become colour-blind.

The ‘opposition to the Opposition’ will hold on to the old order and political language with great tenacity, pulling (or pooling) all its resources to actively discredit and delegitimise the gains of the forces of change, of the New Order. To counteract it, we need a new political language of dialogue, inclusiveness and all-round sustainability, knowing very well that it is going to take some time and challenges to institutionalise it. But a language names the world, shapes our dream, influences our imagination and helps build the society we want.

It is the responsibility of the Opposition and the new set of young parliamentarians (and ADUNS) to give us this as soon as possible. They have to balance their social commitment, the demands of their parties and arrive at a workable minimum programme for inter-party relationship and co-operation. They must be seen as representative of all the communities, of all the people.

We are at a threshold of a new future for the future generations and us. Can we nurture, shape and sustain it together … with single-mindedness and vision?

——————————————————————————–

*See http://votecharles. wordpress. com/2008/03/21/indian-malaysian-community-and-the-new-politics/

It’s amazing all the devices we have for communication these days. After all, it’s almost as if we can’t go anywhere without having a communication device with us at all times. I’ve heard friends say that they feel naked without their cell phone, or rather their smart phone. A couple of decades ago alphanumeric pagers with a big deal, you were really cool if you had a pager. But that old technology is nothing compared to what we have today. Our cell phones now have video cameras, GPS, and we have wireless Internet interfaces.

Some people feel that there is too much communication now, an invasion of their lives and privacy. If you’re someone who likes privacy, for the most part this is true. Nevertheless, the communication technologies of today provides efficiency for business, safety for families, and helps us go about our busy days. Over the last few years, I’ve written over 160 articles on this topic of communication technologies, and I found that it is an extremely popular topic online.

People are really interested in communication at all levels. You can write articles about ham radio operation, cell phone reviews, voice IP, twitter, fax machines, alphanumeric paging systems, aviation radios, military communication, corporate digital nervous systems, and mundane things like landline telephones. Amazingly enough, all of these are popular topics online, and if you write articles that deal with these subject matters, you will find your information read by thousands of people.

Let’s face it communication is the key to success in business, government, nonprofits, education, and even your own marriage and family. Without proper communication everything breaks down. Communication is essential to the flow of information on the planet we live. I hope you will please consider all this.