Teaching a Debt Perspective to 12-Year-Olds

A few weeks ago, my buddy and former HBS classmate, Allan, asked me if I’d like to give a talk about my debt pay-off to the youth group that he leads at his church. I was intrigued and asked who the audience would be. “About a dozen young men, ages 12 to 18.” I became both very interested and very intimidated at the same time. What a great time to talk to them about debt! Young people should hear this message sooner rather than later. But also, what a difficult time to talk to them about debt! Will they listen and pay attention? Can they relate? How the heck do I effectively talk to them about debt without getting too simplistic and general?

Well, I literally just got back from giving the talk, and I couldn’t be happier with how it went. The group of guys was extremely engaged and super sharp. They asked a bunch of really good questions at the end, and it felt like they really understood the very complex message that I was trying to express to them. One of them was even jotting down some notes during my talk and came up to me afterwards to ask for some advice. I think I’ve planted a seed with some of them and I’m glad I  took Allan up on his offer.

What follows are the slides and the script that I loosely followed.

This is one of those adult topics. This is one of those “how the world works” topics. When I was growing up, I always wanted to know how the world worked. Allan wants to make sure you’re exposed to this kind of thinking. He wants to make sure you know how the world works. Today you’re going to get one of those rare glimpse into how the world works and we’re  going to talk about a very adult topic: money. 

What is perspective? Perspective is like a point of view. When you were a one-year-old, you had the point of view of a one-year-old. You only cared about your naps and eating and having a clean diaper. You weren’t really interested in current events, or international news, or anything like that.  A dog has the point of view of a dog. It only cares about naps and eating and and playing.

Your current perspective as 12 to 18-year-olds is much different than the one you had when you were one. It’s the result of what you experience, read, see on TV, hear about from your parents and teachers. It changes as you go through life.  Today, I want to try to change your perspective and get you to think about certain things a little differently.

You already know this is a fact. This is not the secret. How do you know that success is important in our society? One way to answer that question is to ask yourself what you get pressured to do well on. Grades? Sports? Every time your parents ask you how you did on a test, they’re asking if you were successful.Why? Because success is important. Every time your parents cheer for you while you’re playing a sport, they’re cheering for your success because success is important.

Every time your parents ask about your performance, they’re asking about your success, and they’re sending you a signal that success is important.

We automatically consider somebody successful if they have a lot of cool stuff.

Something that we do automatically is something we do without thinking. A perspective is automatic. We take our experiences and what we hear from our parents and see in advertising and in TV shows and movies and we start making snap/automatic judgments about people.


Here’s an advertisement for a very expensive watch. This advertisement helps shape your perspective that somebody is successful if they have a lot of cool stuff.

This advertisement is saying: Eli Manning is a very successful football player and he wears a Citizen watch. Are you successful like Eli? Then you can wear this watch, too. Buy this watch.

Citizen couldn’t care less about whether you are or are not successful enough for this watch. They just want you to want this watch, and they use Eli Manning to make it attractive.

These kinds of advertisements that associate successful people and cool stuff are all over the place. We’re constantly being bombarded by them. Seeing so many of them makes you think that a person is successful if they have cool stuff; it shapes your perspective.

Let’s pretend these two guys are twins. We’ll call them Bob and Ted. Who has his life under control? Who has all the answers? Who’s the more successful one? Let’s say they’re both friends of your father and they come to the house from time to time, or you see them at church. Who would you want to get homework help from? Who would you want as a coach? As a teacher?



So the perspective that most people have about success is that being in possession of a lot of cool stuff means the owner of those things is successful.

Another common perspective most people have is that a lot of cool stuff will make us happy.

Why do we think that? Here’s an advertisement for a gaming system that helps shape your perspective that people are happy if they have a lot of cool stuff.

This advertisement is saying: These kid are happy because they’re playing WiiSports. Do you want to be happy? Then you should buy WiiSports.

These kinds of advertisements that show happy people enjoying something that a company is trying to sell you are all over the place. Seeing so many of them makes you think that cool stuff really will make you happy.


Ok, so thanks to what we hear from adults and see on TV and in advertising, we have a very basic perspective: Being successful, which is extremely important, will lead to cool stuff, which will lead to happiness.

Is there anybody who disagrees with the logic of this statement? It sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it?

Now, let’s say everybody in this room is an adult. You’re 18 years old. You’re not successful yet and, just like everybody else, you want to be happy. You also want to show people that you’re successful—you want to give off that vibe, have that image. But you don’t have any money. What do you do?


Well, you can borrow money to buy cool stuff.

Is it difficult to borrow money? Not at all. Banks love to lend people money. You don’t have to pay it back quickly. Banks accept repayment over a period of months and even years. There are lots of different ways to borrow money. Has anybody ever borrowed money from their mom or dad? It’s kind of like that… 

When I was 26, I wanted to appear successful, and I wanted to be happy. So I went out and bought a house, furniture for the house, a couple of cars, and a motorcycle. Did I look successful?

I owed the bank $90k, and that wasn’t even including my mortgage. I created a façade that I was successful. I fooled you. You had this perspective that I was successful, but I owed a ton of money to the bank. I hadn’t actually done anything to deserve those things. I didn’t pay for them with my own money.

Which of these guys is successful? Bob, who owes the bank $1M to pay for his stuff? Or Ted, who has his house and car paid off and has $500k in the bank?

Society—advertising, what we see in the movies, on tv, etc.—has trained you to automatically perceive that anybody with cool stuff is successful, when in reality, they might be trapped under a mountain of debt.

Here’s a broader question. Why are we defining success so narrowly? Because it’s what we’ve been taught. We’re supposed to get good jobs and be really good at them and accumulate a lot of stuff and be happy.
Do you know what’s interesting? There’s a group called Alcoholics Anonymous designed to help alcoholics recover from their alcohol addiction. There’s a recovery group for almost every single type of addict. But there’s not a recovery group for wealth addicts, people whose every thought is consumed by the need to get richer and richer. Why not? Because our society embraces that kind of addiction. We think it’s a positive thing. So people who are literally suffering from this affliction are being lauded and praised by our society for their gumption rather than being treated for their sickness.

Let’s teach ourselves something different. If we were to put as much work into making a positive difference in this world as we do accumulating cool stuff, what kind of a world do you think we would live in?
How do you perceive success?

Which twin do you think is actually happier? Bob, who’s basically living paycheck-to-paycheck to pay for his huge mansion and fancy car? He knows that if he loses his job, he will lose his house and his car. Do you think he sleeps easy at night? Or is Ted the happier one? He could quit his job tomorrow and go on a summer vacation for five years and enjoy his freedom.


Here’s a broader question: How do you define happiness? Studies have shown that lottery winners will experience elation when they win the lottery, but they’ll eventually return to their original state. Think back to this past Christmas about a month ago. You were probably super excited to open your presents.

Remembered how happy you were to play with or use your gifts for the first time? Where are those gifts now? Are you as happy using them now as you were the first time?

No material thing can ever bring somebody a lifetime of happiness.

How do you perceive happiness?


The answer is no. Moving from a house into an apartment was awesome. For a month. Then I got used to it. Driving that convertible was awesome for a couple of weeks, then I got used to it. Same goes for the bike. I bought these things thinking they would make me a happier person, and they did temporarily, but never permanently.

The truth is that money doesn’t really buy happiness. And borrowing money to buy things for happiness…?

That will make you absolutely miserable. Owing money to the bank truly is a prison sentence. You don’t have as many options when you owe money to the bank. If you don’t pay the bank the money you owe it, they will take away your stuff. And when they run out of stuff to take, they’ll take most of your paycheck and give you whatever’s left over.

I realized I had limited options when I owed the bank  $90,000. I felt trapped. I had this tremendous IOU. It felt like I had limited options. If I lost my job, I would be in big trouble until I found another one. I was living to work, but I wanted to be working to live.


So I had this epiphany, this breakthrough. My perspectives on success and happiness changed. I decided I didn’t care if people thought I was successful or not. I decided I wouldn’t expect cool stuff to make me happy. I sold off the extra car and the motorcycle. I shared my house. I stopped spending money on stuff for seven straight months. I decided to create my own happiness.

A Level 1 perspective is extremely basic.

A Level 2 perspective is slightly more advanced in that it acknowledges that actual real success is necessary to owning stuff free and clear, without any burdensome debt.

A Level 3 perspective is even more advanced because it shows that hard work is a critical ingredient for success which will lead to cool stuff.

A Level 4 perspective goes one step further and shows that owning cool stuff doesn’t lead to happiness. We’re responsible for our own happiness.

A Level 5 perspective is the most advanced perspective. Hard work leads to success, but not necessarily financial or career success, but success that you define on your own terms. It also doesn’t advocate for “cool stuff,” but normal stuff because cool stuff shouldn’t be the end game, the motivator.
The five rules of a level 5 perspective are:

1. Love yourself. Don’t measure your self-worth based on what you own.
2. Create your own happiness. Don’t expect stuff to make you happy.
3. Say no to IOUs. Live within your means. Don’t borrow money to buy cool stuff.
4. Be free. Save money for an emergency fund and retirement.
5. Have an impact. Define success on your own terms.

Jose Mujica is a level 5 leader. This is a man who could have a mansion and 42 servants. Instead he has a small house and a dog. He doesn’t care if he looks unsuccessful in the eyes of society. He knows that the mansion and servants won’t make him happy.

Most people we know probably don’t look up to Jose.

Is there anybody who doesn’t think Jose looks happy? I actually think he looks very  content, which is even better than happy. 


I’ve shared my perspective with people on my blog. Here are some emails I’ve received from visitors that I thought you might find interesting.

source: http://nomoreharvarddebt.com/2014/01/29/teaching-a-debt-perspective-to-12-year-olds/

Amazing Herb Kills 98% Of Cancer Cells In Just 16 Hours

Taking in consideration it is one of the deadliest diseases, scientists constantly try to find a cure and finally put and end to cancer. This herb is one of those cures and it can kill up to 98% of cancer cells in just 16 hours.

Namely, according to the researches published in “Life Science”, artemisinin, a “Sweet wormwood” or “Artemisia Annua” derivative, was used in Chinese medicine and it can kill 98% of lung cancer cells in less than 16 hours.

The herb used by itself reduces lung cancer cells up to 28%, but in combination with iron, “Artemisia Annua” successfully and completely “erases” cancer, and in the experiment this herb had no impact on healthy lung cells.

Artemisinin in past was used as a powerful antimalarial remedy, but now it is proven that this cure is also effective in the fight against cancer.

When scientists added iron while conducting the study, which later attached to lung tissue, especially to cancer infected cells, artemisinine selectively attacked “bad” cells, and left “good” cells untouched.

“In general, our results show that artemisinin stops ‘E2F1′ transcription factor and intervenes in destruction of lung cancer cells, meaning it presents a transcription way according to which artemisinin controls reproductive cancer cell growth”, was stated in the conclusion of the researches conducted in the cancer laboratory at the University of California.

Iron deposits in cancer cells with special receptors which help in cell division. Normal cells also have these receptors, but cancer cells have them in larger amounts and according to this, cancer cells can be target combination of iron and artemisinin.

There are numerous experiments conducted so far and they all prove that in combination with iron, artemisinin can effectively destroy cancer, and this extract was used in China for thousands of years, as a cure for malaria.

Malaria parasite can not survive in the presence of artemisinine, because it is rich in iron, and bio-engineers Henry Lai and Narendra Singh from the University of Washington were the first scientists to discover this.

Their research proved that cancer cells undergo an apoptosis, or self-destruction, and until this moment it was difficult to get the extract for more acceptable prices, but people show more and more interest in this herb, so the prices could get lower.

French medicine producer, “Sanofi”, announced that they expect production of 50 to 60 tones artemisinin every year, hoping that it will satisfy the needs of the world market.

Credits: Doctor Saputo & Healthy Food House

Related:

• Chinese Plant Compound Wipes out Cancer in 40 Days, Says New Research 
• There Is No Mistaking The Evidence, Cannabis Cures Cancer 
• Grape Seed Extract Outperforms Chemo in Killing Advanced Cancer Cells 
• Sea salt and baking soda, best all natural remedy for curing radiation exposure and cancer 
• Ginger Destroys Cancer More Effectively than Death-Linked Cancer Drugs 
• 5 Foods That Kill Cancer And Help The Body Destroy Tumors Without Any Drugs 
• The Cancer Industry EXPOSED! Ways to Prevent and CURE Cancer 

source: http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2014/01/amazing-herb-kills-98-cancer-cells-just-16-hours.html

Blessed with oil money, but why is Malaysia in huge debt?

OUTSPOKEN: Can any oil producing country in the world make all her citizens millionaires via prudent management and savings?

Norway achieved that on Jan 8, 44 years after striking oil in the North Sea in 1969. But it only set up its oil sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in 1990, meaning it took the Norwegians only 23 years to be millionaires.

According to a Reuters report, everyone in Norway became a theoretical crown millionaire on Jan 8 in a milestone for the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund that has ballooned thanks to high oil and gas prices.

The fund owns about one per cent of the world’s stocks, as well as bonds and real estate from London to Boston, making the Nordic nation an exception when others are struggling under a mountain of debts.

A preliminary counter on the website of the central bank, which manages the fund, rose to 5.11 trillion crowns (US$828.66 billion or RM2.7 trillion), fractionally more than a million times Norway’s most recent official population estimate of 5,096,300.

It was the first time it reached the equivalent of a million crowns each, central bank spokesman Thomas Sevang said.

Not that Norwegians will be able to access or spend the money, squirreled away for a rainy day for them and future generations. Norway has resisted the temptation to splurge all the windfall since its oil strike.

Finance Minister Siv Jensen told Reuters the fund, called the Government Pension Fund Global, had helped iron out big, unpredictable swings in oil and gas prices. Norway is the world's number seven oil exporter.

“Many countries have found that temporary large revenues from natural resource exploitation produce relatively short-lived booms that are followed by difficult adjustments,” she said in an email.

The fund, equivalent to 183 per cent of 2013 gross domestic product, is expected to peak at 220 per cent around 2030.

“The fund is a success in the sense that parliament has managed to put aside money for the future. There are many examples of countries that have not managed that,” said Oeystein Doerum, chief economist at DNB Markets.

Note the key word: Parliament. In Malaysia, only the prime minister has access to national oil producer Petronas’ funds and accounts.

Malaysia is the 27th largest oil producer in the world, rolling out 693,700 barrels/day. Only 114 countries were listed as at 2009 and 2010. Norway rolls out 2,350,000 bbl/day.

What’s the financial position of Malaysia? A federal debt of up to RM800 billion! (as revealed by then Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir at end of 2012).

And do we have such an oil SWF to save for rainy days for the rakyat and country? None.

According to a written reply in Parliament by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Petronas had contributed RM3 billion to the National Trust Fund (or Kwan, the acronym for Kumpulan Wang Amanah Negara) as at June 2011.

He also said the money had been invested in various financial instruments and that Kwan’s fund currently stood at RM5.43 billion.

Just a measly RM5.43 billion compared with Norway’s RM2.7 trillion!

The administration and management of the trust is handled by Bank Negara with a panel under Kwan monitoring the collection of funds.

And, digest this moronic joke: Najib said Kwan was set up to ensure that revenue from dwindling natural resources would benefit future generations.

After 39 years (Petronas was founded in 1974), all we have today is a federal debt of at least RM800 billion, and the international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia stood at RM441.7 billion (equivalent to US$134.9 billion) as at Dec 31, 2013.

Now, it is clear why the Umno-led Barisan Nasional government is cutting down on subsidies. Its federal debt is so high that it cannot continue to borrow to serve the rakyat as before or Malaysia will go bust like Greece.

It’s time for Malaysians to take stock of the federal government’s lack of transparency and accountability in its financial management of the country’s wealth.

It’s utter nonsense and a disgrace for the 24-year-old Kwan to have a paltry savings of RM5.43 billion, unless Najib now wants to claim that the figure was erroneous and blame it on a scapegoat who prepared the written reply in Parliament.

What can RM5.43 billion (US$1.9 billion) do to help Malaysians and Malaysia during rainy days, like when our oil wells run dry?

Why is there no oil-based SWF for Malaysia?

Petronas is today a global player in oil and gas exploration.

Why is the government just satisfied with an annual RM100 million contribution to Kwan since 1988?

Where has Petronas’ hundreds of billions of ringgit in revenue over the past 38 years gone to?

Did Petronas’ oil and gas exploration presence in 32 countries outside Malaysia also contribute or help facilitate the bulk of the RM1.08 trillion in capital flight in the last decade?

Why avoid establishing an oil-based SWF for the people and country? Is it because financial transparency and accountability would be a pain?

Crude oil and natural gas are Malaysia’s two most abundant resources but their sustainability is being questioned with the country projected to become a net oil importer in a few years.

Now, let’s take a more detailed look on why other oil producing countries are doing better in terms of oil-based or non-commodity-based SWF management:

Kuwait (10th at 2,494,000 bbl/day), Libya (17th at 1,790,000 bbl/day), Kazakhstan (18th at 1,540,000 bbl/day), Algeria (15th at 2,125,000 bbl/day), South Korea (64th at 48,180 bbl/day) and Singapore (82nd at 10,910 bbl/day).

Malaysia’s non-commodity Khazanah Nasional, founded in 1993, is ranked 23rd with US$34 billion (RM110 billion) in assets and a Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index (LM-TI) of 5.

The world’s largest SWF, Norway’s Pension Fund Global, was in 2009 registered with assets worth US$664.3 billion (RM2 trillion) with a perfect 10 LM-TI.

UAE-Abu Dhabi’s oil-based Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, established in 1976, is ranked second with US$627 billion (RM2 trillion) and a 5 LM-TI.

At third spot, China’s non-commodity SAFE Investment Company, which was founded in 1997, now manages assets worth US$567.9 billion (RM1.8 trillion), with a 4 LM-TI.

That’s the top three SWFs in the world. Now, let’s focus on our neighbours.

Singapore’s non-commodity Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, which was set up in 1981, is ranked 8th with assets at US$247.5 billion (RM802 billion) and a 6 LM-TI.

Following at 9th rank is another Singapore non-commodity SWF, Temasek Holdings, which was established in 1974. It has US$157.5 billion (RM510 billion) in assets and a perfect 10 LM-TI.

Even countries like Kuwait, which was severely damaged by Iraq’s bombing and brief occupation, Libya, Kazakhstan, Algeria and South Korea, which were far poorer than Malaysia in the 60s, 70s and 80s, are all managing their country’s wealth better than Malaysia.

Malaysia’s economic and financial standing is baffling, don’t you think so?

Ng Kee Seng believes that God helps those who help themselves. In a healthy democracy, every Malaysian has a role in politics and nation-building.

source: http://www.theantdaily.com/news/2014/01/14/blessed-oil-money-why-malaysia-huge-debt

給垃圾的公開信 (4)

亲爱的鸡哥：

今天我到巴刹发现蕹菜大平卖，买一斤送十斤，所以我买了十斤送一百斤，准备这个月都吃蕹菜。

我回到家才发现原来是鸡哥您宣布蕹菜降价了，我连蕹菜都还没收进雪柜就立刻提笔写信向您道谢。自从您去年宣布汽油起价后，马来西亚样样东西都起价，汽油起，柴油起，电费起，水费起，白糖起，面粉起，巴士费起，门牌税起，2015年愚人节还来个消费税。今天想不到蕹菜竟然会跌价，真的是感动死我了。

鸡哥您不要误会，我讲了那么多起价的东西并不是想怪罪您。我知道东西起价不是您的错，是天气的错。天气最近变化很大，造成 石油产量不稳定，所以石油起价了。汽油柴油起价，不是您的错，是天气的错。天气的变化导致雨量减少，所以水力发电也变贵了，一并造成电费，水费都起价，不是您的错，是天气的错。雨量减少，甘蔗，小麦的产量也减少了，所以白糖和面粉起价怎么又会是您的错呢？一定是天气的错！

对了，今天买了一百一十斤的蕹菜回来，你可能觉得我疯了吧，这么吃法肯定吃腻。我才不会呢！我已经上网找到了《蕹菜食谱大全》来准备这个月的早午晚餐。首先每天早上，我会先打一杯蕹菜汁 和蕹菜煎饼做早餐，午餐则会吃蕹菜炒饭加一点belacan（注：belacan和白米免消费税），晚餐我就会做蕹菜麦满分（Kangkung McMuffin）。你说，我一家四口，就只买那一百一十斤蕹菜，会够吃吗？

现在人民经济不景气，万物涨价，我们能省则省，什么东西降价我们就吃什么东西；所以当蕹菜降价我们只好吃蕹菜咯。我说人民经济不景气是因为我觉得这个国家的经济还是很景气的，不然您要怎么解释每年总稽查司报告所揭露的弊端？1577万保证金不收回，160万邀请韩星，1亿7524万令吉购买5架飞机只收了三架，3810令吉买个挂钟，106高官获无限签帐卡，闭路电视买贵7倍，2万0630令吉购买5台A3大小的扫描器。这些都实实在在的证明了我们的国家经济稳固，非常的景气，只不过是天气的变化造成万物起价，民不聊生，水深火热，人民经济不景气而已。

好了写了这么多，我是时候把我的蕹菜收进雪柜了，不然放在外面变坏，我这一个月的早午晚餐就得吃西北风了。

最后 ，我要再次谢谢您把蕹菜的价格降低，现在人人都有蕹菜吃。Now everyone can Kangkung. Buy now, eat now!

為什麼"腹肌"都出不來？

為什麼我每天狂操仰臥起坐，Ｖ形仰臥起坐，捲腹，八分鐘仰臥起坐，抬腿......還是沒腹肌呢？？？


最大原因："脂肪"還是太多
沒有同時搭配減脂，體脂肪沒有下降，那當然操了半天腹肌還是被厚厚的"脂肪"蓋住啦！

該怎麼減脂？
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=534312479973070



２。"強度"不夠：
a.自以為做很多，事實上卻強度不夠，每天睡前都做個二十下，不酸也不痛，怎麼給肌肉刺激？做半天也不會強化變壯啦~

b.做個一百下卻不標準，都用腰力動作也不到位，腹肌根本無感，那做的再多卻沒"效率"，也難有訓練效果。


３。"姿勢"不良：
用力的過程中身體太直沒有"彎曲"，沒有確實使用腹肌的力量，反倒訓練到很多的腰大肌跟腿肌，還有腰很痠......


４。"每天"練：
能夠每天練表示強度有問題：做得不夠強>不會痠>可以每天練......做不夠強每天做拖臺錢是不行的啦，根本浪費時間！應該有效率的一次操爆，操完痠痛個幾天(刺激破壞)，再讓他休息恢復(成長)搭配適當的營養，他就會長大給你看啦～



該怎麼把腹肌練大呢？

１。足夠的訓練"頻率"：
初學者一週３次，做一天休一天。進階者一週１～２次。

２。"受力"集中：
a.姿勢標準(控制正確關節與腹肌出力)
學習軀幹彎曲，學會正確捲腹收縮腹肌用力

b.動作完整長位移(讓肌肉徹底收縮徹底伸展)

c.*控制關節角度達到最佳受力*(困難的力學難以言喻)

d.控制動作過程中的速度與受力時間
(發力快>收縮過程穩定定速>靜止頂峰收縮>下放離心慢)


３。提升"精確性"：
同樣是做滾輪，有人做了手很痠腹肌卻還好，或者是不標準做了都無感，還學人家做站姿滾輪，決果搞到把腰拉傷......我做六組１２下的跪姿滾輪就可以痛上３～４天左右。姿勢標準，速度控制，角度控制，肌肉控制嚴重的影響你的成效。

４。提升"強度"：
確保足夠的標準性之後，再逐漸加大"角度"，組數，負重......等等。

基本上我覺得有效率的練腹肌１５分鐘左右就足足，好好用心學習體會訓練的"效率"吧。


什麼是效率？
同樣的動作與重量，用最少的次數組數達到最大的刺激：
標準伏地挺身每下胸口碰地再起，下放慢，用力上快，幾十下就不行了。不標準的自由落體下放２０公分就用腰力彈起來，那做個１００下也遠差於標準做十下～


延伸問題１：腹肌每天練效果好嗎？？？
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=500072233397095

延伸問題２：腹肌大小不對稱怎麼辦？
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=504542899616695

延伸問題３：側腹肌怎麼練？
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=536897136381271

作者： 輔大金剛狼邱柏學

16 Legal Rights EVERY Malaysian Should Know When Facing The Police

           "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law". We've heard of this countless times on American TV programmes, so much so we might even understand the legal rights of an American more than we do of a Malaysian. What are your basic legal rights when in Malaysia? Protect yourself with these 16 must-know basic rights as provided by The Malaysian Bar.

1. If a plain-clothed police stops you, you may politely ask to see his Police Authority Card. A red card indicates a suspended police officer, he has no authority over you.

Last updated by meimeichu 1 day ago

• If the police is not in uniform, ask for identification, say: “Please, show me your Police authority card“. Note his name and Police authority card number.
  
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• • 
• Police authority card - Red : Suspended Police Officer. He has no authority to do anything to you. Walk away. Other colours: • Blue : Rank of Inspector and above • Yellow : Below the rank of Inspector • White : Reserve police
  
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2. If a uniformed police stops you, note his name, uniform ID number, and the number plate of his patrol vehicle

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• • 

3. You are only obliged to provide your name, IC number and address if a policeman stops you. If he asks other questions, politely reply with "Am I under arrest?"

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• You are arrested if the Police: • tell you "yes"; • do not allow you to leave/want to take you to the Police Station; or • handcuff you.
  
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• The Police cannot arrest you just because you are a potential witness and they want to take a statement from you (Witness/112 Statement).
  
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4. If you are NOT under arrest, you may refuse to follow the police to the police station or anywhere else

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

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• If you are not under arrest, you may walk away/refuse to follow him back to the Police Station or anywhere else, if asked.
  
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5. You have the right to a lawyer to accompany you when you are questioned by the police without arrest

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• When the Police are investigating a case and think you have information / knowledge about the case, the Police may question you and take down your answers (112 Statement).
  
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• You have the right to ask a lawyer to accompany you. This is advisable. In giving a 112 Statement, you may refuse to answer any question / remain silent if the answer is likely to expose you to a criminal offence. Before signing your Statement, read the questions and your answers written by the Police Officer carefully.
  
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• If you refuse to cooperate, the Police may issue a formal order in writing, signed by an investigating officer (Police Officer) to ask you to cooperate. If you disobey a Police Order, you cannot be arrested. However, it is an offence and the Police may request the Magistrate to issue a warrant against you to compel you to cooperate.
  
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6. If the police arrest you, do not resist. Ask 'Why am I under arrest' and "Which police station are you taking me to". You have the right to call a friend or a lawyer.

Last updated by meimeichu about 23 hours ago

• Ask: "Why am I under arrest?". An arrest is unlawful if you are not informed of the reason. Do not resist an arrest The Police have the right to use reasonable force to arrest you if you resist.
  
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• Ask: "Which Police Station are you taking me to?". The arresting Police Officer must immediately take you to the nearest Police Station and no other place.
  
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• What to do when arrested: You have the right to telephone: 1. Your relative or friend; and 2. A lawyer. You may also call a nearby Legal Aid Centre (LAC).
  
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• What happens after arrest: You may be detained up to 24 hours: • at the Police Station, or • in a lock-up to "assist" police investigation.
  
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• • 

7. If you are detained, you have the right to meet and consult a lawyer. You are allowed to have a set of clothing, two baths a day, and your personal belongings must be returned to you upon release.

Last updated by meimeichu 1 day ago

• Once you request for the presence of a lawyer, you have a right to consult the lawyer at the Police Station. The Police must accord you reasonable facilities and a reasonable time period for you to meet and consult the lawyer. The Police may, however, deny you this right, if the delay in questioning you may cause the occurrence of another crime or cause danger to others.
  
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• You are allowed to take a bath two times a day. If you are sick, you have the right to receive immediate medical attention. You are to be given proper and adequate food and water during detention. The Police must record and put all your personal belongings in safe custody. Your personal belongings must be returned to you upon your release. You are allowed to have one set of clothing with you in the lock-up.
  
  malaysianbar.org.my

8. Police may only detain you for up to 24 hours for investigation. To extend your detention, you must be brought before a Magistrate for a remand order.

Last updated by meimeichu 1 day ago

• he Police may only detain you for up to 24 hours for investigation. The duty of the Police is to complete investigations within 24 hours and to release you as soon as possible. If the Police cannot complete investigations within 24 hours, they must bring you before a Magistrate for a remand order to extend your detention beyond 24 hours (Remand Order).
  
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9. When you are brought before a Magistrate for remand, you may ask for a shorter remand period by giving good reasons

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• Ask for a shorter Remand Order from the Magistrate: Before the Magistrate makes the Remand Order, ask for a shorter period than what the Police asked. Give reasons (examples: "I will co-operate with the Police in their investigation", "I will be available and will not run away" etc).
  
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• When you are brought before a Magistrate for remand, tell the Magistrate: • you want legal representation and you want to contact your lawyer, • if you want medical treatment because you are sick or have been beaten; • if the Police threatened or beat you during detention; • if you were denied proper and adequate food/water/clothing, access to the toilet or necessary medical attention during your detention; • whether you had been detained previously, immediately before your current detention; • whether the Police carried out any investigations during your detention.
  
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• • 

10. Police can conduct a body search without arrest if you are found during a police raid and is believed to be hiding something like drugs

Last updated by meimeichu about 23 hours ago

• What to do: • Do not allow the Police Officer to put his hands into your clothes or pockets. • If you are asked to take out your belongings one by one, each time, say "purse", "keys", "ID card" etc. • When your pockets/bags are empty, turn them inside out.
  
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• If you are at a place (example: disco/karaoke/entertainment outlet) where the Police are conducting a raid to look for something there (example: drugs), the Police may detain and search you if they think you have or are hiding the thing being searched for. This may only be done in the presence of a Police Officer ranked Inspector and above.
  
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• • 

11. A female can only be searched by a female police officer. Protest and lodge a police report if you are forced to strip naked or threatened with a strip search.

Last updated by meimeichu about 23 hours ago

• All body searches must be carried out in a professional manner and with decency. • A female can only be body searched by a female Police Officer. • If you are forced to strip naked or threatened with a strip search: 1. Protest; 2. Remember the Police Officer's name; and 3. Lodge a police report after the incident.
  
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12. If police conduct a body search after arresting you, it must be done in a professional manner and in private. You may request to be accompanied by your lawyer.

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• All body searches must be carried out in a professional manner and with decency. The body search must be conducted in a confined place. It is your right to be bodily searched in private. It is advisable to request that you be accompanied by your lawyer for the search.
  
  malaysianbar.org.my
• The law allows the Police to conduct 4 types of body search:- pat down search, strip search, intimate search, and intrusive search. A female can only be body searched by a female Police Officer.
  
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13. If you are questioned by the police during your arrest, you have the right to remain silent. Be polite when saying "I would like to exercise my right to silence".

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

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• Identity of the Police Officer questioning you: Note the name/rank of the Police Officer questioning you.
  
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• The Police Officer will first make friendly conversation/talk (example: ask you about your family and friends etc). You are only obliged to give your full name, age, address and occupation (Personal Particulars). Other than giving your Personal Particulars, you have the right to remain silent. Be polite. Do not be afraid to remain silent. This is your right. If you choose to remain silent, say: "I would like to exercise my right to silence".
  
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14. Police cannot threaten or force you into making a statement. Lodge a police report if you have been threatened, beaten or forced.

Last updated by meimeichu 1 day ago

• The Police Officer will ask you questions and then write down your answers. The Police cannot threaten or force you into making a Statement. If you have been threatened, beaten or forced, lodge a police report against the Police Officer at the first opportunity. This is your right.
  
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15. Any statement you make during investigations cannot be used as evidence unless you are being charged for offences. You may use the statement to support your defence during trial.

Last updated by meimeichu 1 day ago

• Generally, any Statement you make to the Police during investigations cannot be used as evidence except if you are being charged for offences under, for example, the Dangerous Drugs Act, the Kidnapping Act and the Internal Security Act. However, you may use the Statement to support your defence during your trial.
  
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16. You are advised to call a nearby Legal Aid Centre (LAC) if you are arrested. These are their contact numbers:

Last updated by meimeichu about 23 hours ago

• You may also call a nearby Legal Aid Centre (LAC). Inform them: • you have been arrested; • the time, place and reason of the arrest; • the Police Station you will be taken to.
  
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• • Kuala Lumpur : 03-2691 3005 / 03-2693 2072 • Selangor : 03-5510 7007 / 03-3281 2428 • Negeri Sembilan : 06-6013 844 • Melaka : 06-2845 519 / 06-2864 514 • Johor : 07-2235 698 • Perak : 05-2550 523 • Kedah & Perlis : 04-7333 467 • Kelantan : 04-7448 660 • Pahang : 09-5159 244 / 09-2969 410 • Pulau Pinang : 04-2617 451/ 04-3108 451
  
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• Legal Aid Centre’s objective is to enlighten the public and the impecunious in particular as to the legal aspects and to educate them about the various fundamental and legal rights and liberties that they are entitled to.
  
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• • 

The Red Book, Created By A Group Of Lawyers Known As TANGKAP, Is A Pamphlet To Help Malaysians Know Their Basic Rights. Download The Full Pamphlet Here:

Last updated by meimeichu about 24 hours ago

• CLICK ON LINK to download the Red Book in English or Malay.
  
  malaysianbar.org.my
• “The purpose of the Red Book is aimed at disseminating valuable information so that the public would know their basic rights when faced with the Police. An individual who is aware of his rights and is prepared to exert them will in all likelihood receive better treatment by a detaining authority than an individual who is ignorant and prepared to accept any form of treatment meted out,” said Nazri Aziz.
  
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• • 
• “TANGKAP have initiated this effort of creating awareness and to provide an easy step by step guideline which would be most beneficial in ensuring that everyone has legal access and to ensure his/her rights are protected. It is not a code against the police, but more of informative codes to ensure personal freedom and dignity,” stressed Nazri.
  
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