Malaysias Microeconomic And Macroeconomic Environment Marketing Essay

Malaysias Microeconomic And Macroeconomic Environment Marketing Essay This chapter will discuss Malaysias microeconomic and macroeconomic environment to help the proponents know how much market potential they could have as they launch their product in the country. This chapter includes the countrys economic conditions, business environment and the consumer expenditure of Malaysians. In addition, this chapter also discusses the market segment that the proponents would like to target to fit as the users of the product. An analysis for the industry and the competitors are also discussed to determine the probabilities of success of the product. Malaysia practices a federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy in which the monarch is elected every five years from among the tribal elders of peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia has three branches of government including the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. These authorities serve as the separation of powers for a division of tasks to be performed in the country. The Executive branch consists of the Head of State and referred to as the King for having ceremonial duties. The Legislative branch consists of the bicameral parliament which comprises the House of Representatives. The member-parties of the National Front coalition form the government. The Lower House is composed of 222 members elected for five years from single member districts. 70 members of the Senate serve 3-year terms, with 26 of them elected by the state legislatures and 44 of them being appointed by the monarch or the King in the Prime Ministers recommendation. The Judicial branch consists of the Federal Court, Court of Appeals and high courts. Source: http://www.malaysia.gov.my and Euromonitor International Malaysias subdivisions comprise of 13 states and three federal territories including Kuala Lumpur, Labuan Island and Putrajaya. A chief minister heads each state for having its own assembly and government. Nine out the states have hereditary rulers titled sultans and four states have governors in counterpart positions. Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2777.htm The Constitution of Malaysia was established on the 31st of August in the year 1957, which commenced on the date of the nations independence. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia has its basis from the Constitution of the Federation of Malaya. This will serve as a way to protect the country in having laws as basis to follow, connected to the authorities of the branches of the government. Source: http://www.malaysia.gov.my The king of Malaysia is Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin who has been the Head of State starting December 2006. 140 seats were won by the National Front while 31 seats went to The Peoples Justice Party. 28 seats were won by the Democratic Action Party and 23 seats by the Islamic Party. Najib Abdul Razak has been Malaysias Prime Minister since April 2009. Source: Euromonitor International Economic The economy of Malaysia according to Global Market Information Database is in a strong condition and expected to have faster progress where the officials are hoping for its performance boost when it comes to developments in manufacturing activities with a 60% target by 2020 in Gross Domestic Products for services. Economic Prospects According to Global Market Information Database, real GDP is expected to increase 6.7% in 2010, showing its fastest growth yet in several years for the first half of the year but the growth is expected to remain above 5.0% as domestic demand grows stronger to continue recovery. This increase got its support from stronger exports, particularly to China. The demand domestically will increase sooner due to better market conditions when it comes to labor, thus having an effect to increase the spending of the private consumers. Malaysia, just like in the Philippines, is known for their workers providing labor services. The countrys unemployment rate decreased to 3.4% in 2010 from 3.6% in 2009. Most of the workforces are sent in manufacturing division. However, the performance for workforce is poorly trained but workers from Indonesia and Vietnam are cheaper if to be compared, making the government work on this for improvement. In this case, the government has been investing heavily to improve income disparities in several regions. This activity will be continued until 2025. The progress for the projects during period of economic weakness may be slowed due to prioritizing of activities. Government Finance and Market Potential According to Global Market Information Database, government deficit rose to 7.5% of GDP due to programs they implement. In return, their spending with the help of fiscal consolidation will work together to lessen then 2010 deficit. Public debt will have its tendency to rise during the next several years, jumping from 52.5% in 2009 to 41.5% in 2008, equivalent to RM 354,266 million in 2009. However, interest rates would ease and found to be manageable. To withstand all the expenses, the government has the oil and gas industry of the country to support almost half of the revenues of the government. They also invest to achieve developments when it comes to manufacturing by having higher value added activities, encouraging service sector expansion. As an overview, Malaysias economic performance is impressive due to private investment recovery and offsetting expenses of the government. However, Total trade (exports plus imports) exceeded GDP, leaving the country especially vulnerable to the effects of the global recession. To boost economic growth and to attain stock market stabilization, the government acts by having two stimulus programs implemented and the funds will be used to help credit-starved firms, boost spending, support equity investment and fund off-budget projects. The indicators of business environment shows Malaysias rank when it comes to ease of doing business, together with different information relevant and needed to be considered when opening a business in the country. From the table, it shows time or duration estimates as you open or closes a business, duration for permits and taxes, importing and exporting and tax rates. These estimates may vary from time to time for these factors are considered to be uncontrollable and are changeable, depending on the government of Malaysias decisions. From the table, it shows an increase and a decrease of percentage throughout the years in Malaysias economic performance. If the inflation rate rises, this means that prices of goods are subject to change and rise, resulting as a factor to lower expenditure or consumption of consumers. Between years 2007 to 2008, there is an abrupt change in the percentage with a difference of 3.4%, resulting to change of high prices. But for the last two years for 2010 to 2011, there is an increase in percentage but not as bad as the performance over the former years to ease better consumption of the consumers. The table above shows Malaysias GDP performance. Malaysias GDP rose starting from 2009 to 2011 which is a great value if to compare to the value from former years. Higher GDP connotes a good performance in monetary value of all the goods and services being produced in the country. In this case, Malaysian citizens have the ability to procure or spend goods as the government takes its toll to improve and develop the countrys overall performance in goods and services. Malaysias Gross National Income performance in the latest years managed to increase except for the year 2009 where it decreased. GNI is the wealth in terms of monetary value of a country that it earned from all its economic activities, either products or services, throughout the world. In this case, even if it decreased in 2009, it managed to recover as it increased in 2010 which is even greater than the year before it stumbled down. This shows that the economy of Malaysia managed to do well not only covering the country alone itself but also with its transactions all over the world. The data above shows the consumption expenditure of Malaysians and the expenditure by resident households that can serve as a basis and information for La Me Sa. The consumption expenditure of Malaysian citizens increased consistently, which means that as years go by, they still have the ability to spend goods for either their needs or wants. La Me Sa is categorized as a furniture yet it has a function which supports high technology electronic gadgets specifically desktop and portable computers used at home. The data above shows the consumer expenditure of Malaysians in household goods and services where home furniture enters in this category. The way Malaysians spend for home furnishings increased consistently as well which shows a good demand indicator for La Me Sa. Since the product is connected to computers, possessions of computers by households shown in Table 2.11 shows that it also increased consistently due to changes in high technology which make life easier, faster and more productive. Investment According to GMID, Malaysias performance shows a low level when it comes to investments. The government then suggests having a remedy for such deficiencies for the investment division by thinking of other roles for public companies in order to compete with private sectors and to fit to investment climate. However, the foreign investment in manufacturing began to recover in 2010 as manufacturing covers 28.2% of GDP and employs 7.7% of the workforce and US$2 billion is expected to be committed in the next two years, including nearly US$300 million in retail investment.   To encourage investment, the government has granted a ten-year exemption on venture capital and introduced investment incentives in certain regions. This was followed in 2009 by the elimination of local-equity requirements for investors in various parts of the service sector. Foreign Trade According to GMID, Exporters struggled as a result of the global slowdown, particularly due to its effects on the worlds electronic markets. Total exports contracted in 2009 for the first time in eight years. Policy makers are working to boost domestic demand and wean the economy off its dependence on exports. Exports of machinery and transport equipment accounted for 46.5% of total exports in 2009. Singapore, the USA and EU-27 are Malaysias largest export markets, making up 14.0%, 11.0% and 10.9% respectively in 2009. The current account surplus in 2010 will be 14.7% of GDP and slip to 13.8% in 2011. Demographics According to Global Market Information Database, the population of Malaysia grew at an average rate of 2.3% per year and reached 28.6 million in 2010. This is an increase of 10.5 million in two decades. The median age is gradually rising in between ages 24-26 while the mean age is also gradually rising in between ages 27-28. According to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, The rank of Malaysia is 43 when categorized in the number of population of countries in the world. Its rank among ASEAN countries is 6. Over the review period, the countrys population increased by more than 31% with solid growth recorded in all age groups, and that growth is expected to continue over the forecast period. By 2015, the projected population of Malaysias will reach more than 30.7 million. A lot of factors can affect a countrys population. These factors include the net migration of people from a country into another country and even the birth and death rate of the country. Aside from these, the lifestyles of people living in a country changes rapidly as well due to changes of preferences may it be about healthy living or the environment itself that they live in to. From the data above about the changes in population, there is a great shift in number of deaths in between years 2006 to 2011 for increasing consistently. However, in live births, numbers are both increasingly and decreasingly changing as well as in net migration. Live births decreased due to the decision of the people when it comes to marriage where they decide to marry in their later years and have just enough or fewer children. According to Global Market Information Database, Malaysias population continued to undergo an aging process during the review period. From the data above about the population of Malaysia by age, the number of people with ages 80 and above also grew. One of the reasons for a longer life expectancy is because of the improvement about the health care system in the country. There has been an increase in awareness in the country when it comes to healthier products and healthier lifestyle. The government also makes great efforts to ensure that they know the medical resources and alternatives available to them. In this case of increasing numbers in old age, consumer behavior also changes and the products entering the market change to fit for what the old-aged people would need. Obviously, products differ through ages. Middle-aged people would be into fashion, portable consumer electronic products due to rapid changes when it comes to technology and fast food. This just means that every age category has different preferences in which the market should offer something to consumers to fit their needs and wants The ratio for the population of males and females remains substantially the same. The population for males is increasing consistently, as well as for the females. Even though the population for both genders increases throughout the years, the number doesnt really change too much when it comes to differences. Men and women have totally different buying behavior due to needs and wants but changes have been occurring because most marketers and manufacturers are now seeking to sell products that would fit for both genders such as gadgets and other electronic products. The population for urban area is increasing consistently from 2006 up to 2011 while the population for rural area is decreasing consistently starting 2007 up to 2011. This is because of a lot of job opportunities booming in the cities of Malaysia especially urban areas where different industries are starting to get expansions. Just like any other countries, the population is undergoing urbanization rapidly. If a place has a lot of people and a lot of businesses are opening in a place in different industry types, these just mean that the place will have much more to offer for the people residing in the place. These people could either be in need of jobs or will serve as consumers who will choose in a wide range of varieties offered in the market. In this case, there are lots of differences between urban and rural areas, and the people living in the areas. Moreover, people residing in urban areas are most likely to influence and give exposure to the people residing in rural areas. After showing the demographics of Malaysia in general and totality as categorized by age, gender, urban and rural areas and key factors that affect changes of population, the data above shows the number of households in Malaysia and followed by percentages of households that possess computers that would fit as the possible users of the La Me Sa. It shows that the rates are consistently increasing throughout the years because of abrupt changes and upgrades when it comes to technology. This contributes as a great factor for the benefits and usage of La Me Sa. In Malaysia, the cultures present are adapted from different cultures from other countries including Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasian and even groups from North Borneo. In effect, a unified Malaysian culture is emerging in the country and the celebrations come together such as Chinese New Year, Moon Cake Festival and Hari Raya Puasa. Just like in the Philippines, they also celebrate Christmas but their celebration is only celebrated in a small scale due to a lesser number in populations who are Christians. Christmas is still treated as a public holiday as they also perk up their homes and business establishments with colorful decorations to experience the holiday atmosphere. Source: http://www.worldtravel4indians.com/malaysia/festivals-in-malaysia.html http://allmalaysia.info/msiaknow/festivals/christmas.asp Since a lot of cultures influenced the culture in totality of Malaysia, Malaysias cuisines are blended from different classes. Meals such as rice and noodles are the popular dishes in the country. However, since there are different religions, Muslims in particular are forbidden to eat pork but are a favorite dish for the Chinese and Buddhists are mostly vegetarian. Just like in the Philippines, Malaysians are also known for their hospitality with their guests as they offer food as a welcome. The usual drink offered is tea or coffee with small snacks. Religions Almost all the religions present in the world are present in Malaysia including Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. Each religion shows different presence in the society, having strong sense in terms of practices, making it easier for the people to identify having the same religion. In Malaysia, the government is concerned with Muslim practices for having Islam as the highest percentage of all the religions in the country with 60%. Muslims holy place is called the National Mosque located in Kuala Lumpur in the year 1965. For the Christians who cover 10% in percentage, there are churches built for prayers, built as their holy place while temples are also built especially for Buddhists. Source:  Culture of Malaysia history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family  http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Malaysia.html#ixzz1DjTxtna0 Technology as a Culture According to Global Market Information Database, the Malaysian government has been active with the updates about high technology, specifically computers and the internet for bringing these to schools, businesses and government agencies as tools to be used to introduce them to modern information age. Usage of internet is also sorted for either public use or just home connectivity, since most of the households have their computers with enabled internet services. This caused the increase in computer and internet users and business establishments offering services that would cater the needs of the consumers. These services include internet service providers, wireless services and developed broadband services. Because technology is now a part of the culture of the country just like in any other countries, La Me Sa would fit well as a product to be used together with these updating technology and in demand use for gadgets and computers, may it be for school, for business or even government purposes. Technological When it comes to technology, Malaysia makes it sure to be updated with the latest updates when it comes to gadgets and other electronic products. According to Global Market Information Database, Malaysias consumer expenditure when it comes to communications, televisions, media, telephones, computers, the internet and electronic gadgets increased in percentages. One of the fastest growing mobile telecommunications market in Southeast Asia belongs to Malaysia for reaching 71.2% in 2008 when it comes to total telecom revenues compared to 51% in 2003. Communications is an important role for a country especially to fill in business relationships in different industries. Through high technology services, it will be easier to do business transactions for faster services and results. Aside from the normal calls and sending SMS to other subscribers, telecommunications companies now offer mobile internet to easily communicate for either personal or business purposes. In this case, a persons work would be more productive for saving time to do something more important. Expenses for this category in totality have increased but for individual benefits, each of the users gets to save money, especially when it comes to habitual communications and international uses. Aside from telecommunications, the use of computers and the internet increased abruptly as well just like in any other countries in todays generation. The number of computer and internet users in Malaysia grew from nearly 5 million users in 2000 to more than 12 million users in 2007. This growth is about 144% and is consistently increasing throughout the years. Aside from the computers and the internet, more high technology electronic products are being in demand in the country such as portable electronic products, laptops and different kinds of on the go gadgets and easy keep gadgets due to wireless, portability and convenience features offered by service providers where competition in the said industry is starting to grow. Just like what the proponents discussed about technology being a part of the culture of the Malaysian, La Me Sa is a good choice of product to introduce in the market of Malaysia featuring technology and furniture industries. Target Market Profiling Description of Target Market The proponents would like to focus on households, residing a 25-34 year old male or female in Kuala Lumpur with a disposable income above $15,000 as their target market segment for La Me Sa. The proponents will not base or focus their target market to students. The students may be some of the end users of the product but the age range preferred are the people who are able to buy the product. Furthermore, businessmen or businesswomen, people with jobs such us for office works are also fit as users and are capable of buying the product. The population of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia consistently increases. The proponents choose Kuala Lumpur as the target market city not only because of the consistently increasing number of population or being the highest in terms of population, but also because it is the city where most business opportunities are present. If a lot of business establishments are present in Kuala Lumpur, this just means that there will be a lot of jobs to be offered for the Malaysian citizens, making them earn money to be able to spend for their needs and wants. Given the population for Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur, the proponents used the data to get the percentage of Kuala Lumpur in the country. Since the population for different age ranges in Malaysia is also given, the proponents used the percentage of Kuala Lumpur to multiply it with the population by age to set apart the data only for the city. Even though the percentage of Kuala Lumpur as a whole is decreasing, the population for the age range chosen by the proponents as target market is increasing consistently. The data for the population density in Malaysia or the population per unit area is also shown where throughout the years, it boosts constantly in terms of number of people in an area. Consistently increasing number of population could mean greater possibility or chance to have more consumers fit for the product. Connected with this factor, a greater impact would be present if these people in the given age range are earning money for having jobs. The technology nowadays, based on everyday experiences and lifestyles are seen to be a necessity already and according to Global Market Information Database, middle-aged consumers are mostly to spend their money in high technology gadgets and products. The proponents will focus on households with annual disposal income of over $15,000 and above. Due to lack of data where the disposable income corresponds to specific ages, the proponents considered the data for Malaysia in totality as a basis. It shows that households with the chosen disposable income are not increasing consistently. Between years 2008 and 2009, the disposable income of Malaysians dropped abruptly but managed to increase for the year 2010. The good thing about the given data is that the performance in terms of income got better because it will increase well for the present year which is 2011. This means that it is getting more progressive if to be compared with the past years, making them able to spend more of what they need and want. Psychographic and Behavior 25-34 year olds in Malaysia are increasing in number not only for the whole Malaysia but for Kuala Lumpur itself, which is what the proponents have chosen. It is forecasted to increase and would cover 25% in total population by 2015. From the Euromonitor Internationals report in their Population and Homes category for Malaysia, it has been mentioned that the said age range would increase further in the future. Another report under categories of Technology, Communications and Media and Consumer Trends and Lifestyles, there is a significant increase in number of middle aged consumers together with their disposable income. They served as a positive influence when it comes to sale of products including in-home consumer electronic products in particular. Being bachelors or bachelorettes and having a job while living in the city, middle aged consumers are also those people who tend to spend time with their families or deciding to start a family. Because of these behaviors and lifestyles, the middle aged consumers are known to be investing well when it comes to household durables, appliances and different home-related and home-improvement products and services. Middle-aged Malaysians are already far more conservative in their spending habits than younger consumers, and the thought that new economic hard times are on the horizon could prompt many to curtail their spending even more. To connect this with the product of the proponents, La Me Sa will serve as a furniture that is good for lesser space but has a lot of features and benefits and would fit to users as they wish for high technology gadgets even more because of the fast-paced lifestyle nowadays, together with other communication industries such providing internet, specifically wireless, to be used with the gadgets are starting to grow and the smaller but more powerful, much better thought counts. The table above shows market shares of companies in home furnishings industry in Malaysia. It shows that there are a lot of companies competing with each other in the same industry. However, the IKEA leads the market share together with the next three companies. The rest of the companies mentioned are far from the shares the company leaders have. For the Philippines, there are no companies indicated in Global Market Information Database but it shows an article about Cebu as a pre-recession furniture manufacturing center and is dependent on exports to US by exporting well-designed middle to high-end furniture. Cebu has been producing some of the finest furniture on the market, and manufacturers there introduced many of the industrys most celebrated very Filipino designs innovations, including the use of indigenous Cebu raw materials like rattan, buri, stone craft (using Cebu limestone), cane and iron and, most recently, abaca. Furniture made in Cebu was highly prized, and for many years manufacturers reaped the benefits associated with the booming US housing market. However, looking to meet demand in their fast-growing domestic market, players in the Middle East have now built new manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Dubai and have lured away many of Cebus out-of-work finishers/polishers, craftsmen and other highly skilled workers. Home Furnishing Companies in Malaysia IKEA Malaysia Strategic Direction Grand Teak is planning to improve its sales, competitiveness and increase its brand image among consumers by aggressively promoting new products and introducing new trends and innovative ideas with better functions from its range of products to suit every customers needs. Capabilities The company specializes in producing innovative and quality house ware and home furnishings, targeting every consumer with low prices. Production The company has no production facilities in Malaysia and most of the products are imported to cater the demands of the Malaysian consumers. Competitive Positioning The company has a wide product portfolio specializing and innovating unique ideas in house ware and home furnishings. It maintains a well-established worldwide distribution network with expertise to constantly listen and understand consumers requirements and demands. The company is expected to increase its sales and improve its performance by introducing and retailing better varieties of products in its stores. Market Segmentation As a manufacturer and a retailer, Grand Teak positions itself in the middle and lower segments of the market for both house ware and home furnishings. Market Share Grand Teak is the market leader in home furnishings in Malaysia with a share of 6% and is expected to grow steadily due to its unique and innovative designs, ideas and the affordable prices of its products. Its current rank in home furnishings in Malaysia is number 1. Source: Euromonitor International Macy Home Furnishings Strategic Direction Macy Home Furnishings is expected to display better sales and demand due to its brand name and its establishment in Malaysia as one of the pioneer brands in home furnishings and retailing by seeking to capture a bigger share of the market as it improves further its brand name and expand its range of products offered to consumers. IKEA is Macy Home Furnishings main competitor which retails similar products. The company is now introducing better varieties and lower prices with promotions for its products Capabilities Beside fabrics, the company also offers a comprehensive range of home furnishings accessories and provides services including interior consultancy, expert advice and practical guides to professional tailoring. Production As an importer and retailer company, the company mostly imports its products from neighboring countries to minimize costs. The company distributes imports and retails various home furnishing products throughout Malaysia from its outlets and does not produce any products of its own in Malaysia. Competitive Positioning The company not only specializes in home furnishing products but it also has other interests. It is also involved in providing new trends, home decoration ideas and solutions for interior decoration in order to cater to a wider range of consumers with its products and services. Market Share The company currently ranks second in terms of home furnishings shares in Malaysia with an overall 5.8% share. Its share has been growing due to high demand and the success of its strategic ideas in boosting its overall sales. Source: Euromonitor International Lumbermart Strategic Direction The company has its reputation as a renowned quality floor specialist for homes. The companys objective is to establish itself as the leader in providing quality floor boards and floor furnishings made from quality wood for both commercial and non-commercial use. Capabilities The company is exclusively tied to the Swedish company Bona, and can access to the latest equipment and technology in floor materials and maintenance and continuous RD and international training. Production The company has manufacturing facilities located in Selangor in Malaysia. The primary function of the manufacturing plants is to manufacture high quality wooden floor and materials for the residential and commercial building sectors. Competitive Positioning The company is the only one that deals with wooden flooring at all stages and has customized installation and precision manufacturing facilities that

Intro of Physical Journeys

Texts may show us that the world of physical journeys involves unexpected detours. To what extent do the texts you have studied support this idea? The world of physical journeys, is the movement from one place to another, where the traveller undergoes a process of change and development, where they become endowed with experiences and where there are goals that are achieved culminating in an overall transformation physically, intellectually and emotionally. Within theses changes they are caused by unexpected detours or obstacles, new challenges or hindrances. The poems from the collection called â€Å"Sometimes Gladness† by Bruce Dawe portrays this like: â€Å"For The Duration† coveys this through the tedious attempts of men trying to escape jail, â€Å"Migrants† represents this through a group of immigrants finding a new land for their habitat ; trying to fit in and â€Å"Last Seen At 12:10am† depicts a worrying and traumatic mother in search for her misplaced daughter. The epic fantasy novel The Lord Of The Rings also symbolises of a group of determined protagonists on a agonising quest to find a ring. (Write a sentence and say a brief summary about each poem and how it may explore the answer. ) Bruce Dawe's â€Å"For The Duration† conveys a physical journey of the challenges faced when they attempt to break out of jail. The use of the technique enjambment between the first and second stanza, creates a sense of suspense

Filipino People and Maria Anna Mae

Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Chapter 14 Rizal in London Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. †¢Lived in London May 1888 to Mar. 1889 †¢3 reasons why he stayed there: 1)To improve the his knowledge of the English Language 2)To study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de Las Islas Filipinas 3)London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish Tyranny †¢Filipiniana studies †¢Completing annotating Morga’s books †¢Wrote many articles in La Solidaridad †¢Penned Young Women of Malolos †¢Had romance with Gertrude Beckett Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Stay in London Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Trip across the Atlantic †¢Made friends in his atlantic voyage †¢Amazed some American and European passengers †¢Had a chat with newspaper men but became disappointed †¢Arrived on Liverpool May 24, 1888 †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Liverpool is a big and beautiful city and its celebrated port is worthy of its great fame. The entrance is magnificent and the custom house is quite good. † Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. you Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Life in London Went to London May 25, 1888 †¢Stayed as a guest at Dr. Regidor’s home †¢Became a boarder at the Beckett’s by the end of May †¢Was called â€Å"Pearl of Man† by Dr. Reinhold Rost †¢Played Cricket and Boxing with Dr. Rost’s sons. Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Good and Bad News from home â⠂¬ ¢Bad News †¢Persecution of the Filipino patriots who signed the â€Å"Anti-friar Petition of 1888† †¢Persecution of Calamba tenants †¢Furious attacks on Rizal by Senator Salamanca and Vida in the Spanish Cortes and by Desenganos (Wenseslao E. Retana) and Quioquiap (Pablo Feced) in spanish newspapers †¢Rizal’s brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo was exiled in Bohol Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Good and Bad News from home †¢Good News †¢Rev. Vicente Garcias’ defended Noli against the attacks of the friars. †¢Content of the letter We young Filipinos are trying to make over a nation and must not halt in our onward march, but from time to time turn our gaze upon our elders. We shall wish to read in their contenances approval of our actions. We are anxious to learn of the Philippines’ past which we need to understand in order to plan intelligently for the future. We want to know all that our ancestors knew, and then add our own Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Annotating Morga’s books †¢Spent many days in the reading room of the British Museum reading Morga’s books and old stories of the Philippines †¢Wrote a letter to Blumentritt on Sept. 17, 1888 †¢Mariano Ponce urged him to edit a newspaper but refused Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Short visit to Paris and Spain †¢September 1888 he visited Paris for a week †¢Entertained in a gay French Metropolis by Juan Luna and his wife †¢He returned to London †¢Dec. 11, 1888 he went to Spain †¢Met Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Christmas in London †¢Rizal returned to London on Dec. 24, 1888 and spent his Christmas and new year ‘s day with the Becketts. †¢He sent a gift to Blumentritt and Dr. Carlos Czepelak †¢Received a gift from Mrs. Beckett Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Rizal becomes leader of Filipinos in Europe †¢Chosen to be honorary president †¢Wrote a letter of thanks adressed to the members of Asociacion La Solidaridad on Jan. 28, 1889 †¢Letter content †¢When defeated never surrender †¢Great deal of integrity and much good Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Rizal and the La Solidaridad paper †¢Graciano Lopez founded La Solidaridad on Feb. 15,1889 at Barcelona †¢Marcelo H. del Pilar about their newspaper †¢Rizal congratulated Lopez Jaena nd the associates and wrote articles Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal First Article in La Solidaridad †¢Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers) †¢Published Mar. 25, 1889 †¢Depicted the deplorable conditions in the Philippines which cause the backwardness of the country. The Filipino farmers has to struggle not only against petty tyrants and robbers. Against the first, defense indeed was permitted; against the latter not always†¦ After the floods, locusts, fires, bad harvests, and the like the farmer capitalist has o deal with constable who takes away from Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal First Article in La Solidaridad for being suspicious persons or for no reason whatsoever, and they manacle them to clean the barracks and thus compel the capitalist to live on better terms with the chief and, if not, they take away his carabaos, oxen, inspite of many protests. At times it is not the constable or the civil guard who opposes so indirectly the minister of colonies. An official of the court or the provincial government, dissatisfied with he farmer, urgently summons this or that laborer, if not two or three. The unfortunate man underyakes a tripoftwo or three days, uneasy and distrustful, spends his savings, Report by: Isi dro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Writings in London †¢La Vision del Fray Rodriguez (The vision of Fray Rodriguez) †¢Published at Barcelona †¢Letter to the Young Women of Malolos †¢M. H. del Pilar †¢Praise the young ladies of Malolos for their courage to establish a school where they could learn spanish despite the opposition of Fr. Felipe Garcia, Spanish parish priest of Malolos. 1. A Filipino mother should teach her children love of God, fatherland, and mankind 2. Filipino mother should be glad, like the Spartan mother 3. Filipino woman should know how to preserve her dignity and honor 4. Filipino woman should educate herself, aside from retaining her good racial virtues; Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Writings in London †¢Specimens of Tagalog Folklore †¢Two Eastern Fables †¢Requested by: Dr. Rost Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Romance with Gertrude Beckett †¢Gertrude Beckett †¢Buxom English girl with brown hair, blue eyes, and rosy cheeks †¢Eldest of the three sisters †¢Fell in love with Rizal †¢helped him in his painting and sculpture †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Gettie† †¢Rizal finished 4 sculptures †¢Promotheus Bound †¢The Triumph of Death over Life †¢The Triumph of Science over Death †¢Composite carving of the heads of the Beckett sisters Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S. Chapter 14 Rizal in London (1888-89) SS014-Rizal Adios London †¢March 19, 1889 Report by: Isidro, Maria Anna Mae S.

Marlon Brando, Littlefeather, and the Academy Awards

The social turbulence of the 1970s was a time of much-needed change in Indian country. Native American people were in the bottom strata of all socioeconomic indicators, and it was clear to American Indian youth that change was not going to happen without dramatic action. Then came Marlon Brando to bring it all to center stage  Ã¢â‚¬â€ quite literally. A Time of Unrest The Alcatraz Island occupation was two years in the past by March of 1973. Indian activists had taken over the Bureau of Indian Affairs building the year before and the siege of Wounded Knee was underway in South Dakota. Meanwhile, the Vietnam War showed no end in sight despite massive protests. No one was without an opinion and some Hollywood stars are remembered for the stands they would take, even if they were unpopular and controversial. Marlon Brando was one of those stars. The American Indian Movement AIM  came about thanks to Native American college students in the cities and activists on the reservations who understood all too well that the conditions they were living under were a result of oppressive government policies. Attempts were made at non-violent protests — the Alcatraz occupation was completely nonviolent although it lasted well over a year — but there were times when violence seemed like the only way to bring attention to the problem. Tensions came to a head on the Oglala Lakota  Pine Ridge reservation in February 1973. A group of heavily-armed Oglala Lakota and their American Indian Movement supporters overtook a trading post in the town of Wounded Knee, the site of the 1890 massacre. Demanding a regime change from the U.S.-backed tribal government that had been mistreating the reservations residents for years, the occupiers found themselves in a 71-day armed battle against the FBI and the U.S. Marshal Service as the eyes of the nation watched on the evening news. Marlon Brando and the Academy Awards Marlon Brando had a long history of supporting various social movements dating back to at least 1946 when he backed the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland. He had also participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and he supported the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. He was even known to have donated money to the Black Panthers. Later, however, he became critical of Israel and supported the Palestinian cause. Brando was also highly dissatisfied with the way Hollywood treated American Indians. He objected to the way Native Americans were represented in the movies. When he was nominated for an Oscar for his infamous portrayal of Don Corleone in The Godfather, he refused to attend the ceremony. He instead sent Sacheen Littlefeather (born Marie Cruz), a young Apache/Yaqui activist who had participated in the Alcatraz Island occupation. Littlefeather was a budding model and actress, and she agreed to represent him. When Brando was announced as the winner, Littlefeather took the stage dressed in full native regalia. She delivered a short speech on behalf of Brando declining acceptance of the award. He had actually written a 15-page speech explaining his reasons, but Littlefeather later said that she had been threatened with arrest if she attempted to read the entire speech. Instead, she was given 60 seconds. All she was able to say was: Marlon Brando has asked me to tell you, in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently because of time but I will be glad to share with the press afterward, that he must ... very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award.And the reason [sic] for this being ... are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry †¦ excuse me†¦ and on television in movie reruns, and also the recent happenings at Wounded Knee.I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will, in the future ... our hearts and our understanding will meet with love and generosity.Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando. The crowd cheered and booed. The speech was shared at a press conference after the ceremony and was published in its entirety by the New York Times. The Full Speech Native Americans had virtually no representation in the film industry in 1973, and they were primarily used as extras while lead roles depicting Indians in several generations of Westerns were almost always awarded to white actors. Brandos speech addressed the stereotypes of Native Americans in films long before the subject would be taken seriously in the industry. In his original speech as printed by the New York Times, Brando said: Perhaps at this moment you are saying to yourself what the hell has all this got to do with the Academy Awards? Why is this woman standing up here, ruining our evening, invading our lives with things that dont concern us, and that we dont care about? Wasting our time and money and intruding in our homes.I think the answer to those unspoken questions is that the motion picture community has been as responsible as any for degrading the Indian and making a mockery of his character, describing his as savage, hostile and evil. Its hard enough for children to grow up in this world. When Indian children watch television, and they watch films, and when they see their race depicted as they are in films, their minds become injured in ways we can never know. True to his political sensibilities, Brando also minced no words about Americas treatment of American Indians: For 200 years we have said to the Indian people who are fighting for their land, their life, their families and their right to be free: Lay down your arms, my friends, and then we will remain together ...When they laid down their arms, we murdered them. We lied to them. We cheated them out of their lands. We starved them into signing fraudulent agreements that we called treaties which we never kept. We turned them into beggars on a continent that gave life for as long as life can remember. And by any interpretation of history, however twisted, we did not do right. We were not lawful nor were we just in what we did. For them, we do not have to restore these people, we do not have to live up to some agreements, because it is given to us by virtue of our power to attack the rights of others, to take their property, to take their lives when they are trying to defend their land and liberty, and to make their virtues a crime and our own vices virtues. Sacheen Littlefeather Sacheen Littlefeather received phone calls from Coretta Scott King and Cesar Chavez as a result of her intervention at the Academy Awards, congratulating her for what shed done. But she also received death threats and was lied about in the media, including allegations that she wasnt Indian. She was blacklisted in Hollywood. Her speech made her famous literally overnight and her fame would be exploited by Playboy magazine. Littlefeather and a handful of other Native American women had posed for Playboy in 1972, but the photos were never been published until October 1973, not long after the Academy Awards incident. She had no legal recourse to contest their publication because she had signed a model release. Littlefeather has long been an accepted and highly respected member of the Native American community despite lingering speculation about her identity. She continued her social justice work for Native Americans from her home in the San Francisco Bay area and worked as an advocate for Native American AIDS patients. She committed herself to other health education work as well and worked with Mother Theresa doing hospice care for AIDS patients.