priviledge huh? Vote them OUT!

some moron(s) was quoted saying, "BN doesn't need indian and chinese votes to secure a 2/3 seats.."

hmm...sounds familiar. i think i've heard this before. but no, it didn't come from the same fella. and i'm not surprised that we always discover new morons every five years...especially before the election. the whole pre-election days are so drama and wayang bah...first they cover pit holes on the road...build this and that...butter up to some of the fellow citizen (that are deemed useful to secure their votes) by announcing more maternity leave, increase of pay and incentives...yadayada...what's new? life's getting boring...

and for penang, as you can see, they are probably thinking that we the penangites would appreciate the sudden attention and development plans that they have in store for us - bridge & PGCC...and of course, the fact that they might benefit from the undercounter tenders out of the projects...unchecked, unquestioned, unsuspected...NOT!

there have been many hiccups...more so during Pak Lah's tenure as PM...the man who gave us hope...the man who promised us an accountable government...uncorrupted and transparent...the man who walked in with a huge & promising tagline : don't work for me, work WITH me........and guess what? this is the same man who said and did nothing when the AP issue was raised!...the same faces are still around...there are many more...the list goes on and on...it's almost never ending!...what's new? malaysia boleh bah...

the government is desperate for votes, that i am sure. hence, i won't pay too much attention to the hindraf or other similar demonstrations. all these can be just another 'wayang' to fish for votes. to 'spice things up' before elections. to create tension and then conveniently point finger at the opposition for the cause of it. don't you see the cycle? it's like a loop. it happens every five years. it's so damn predictable!

and back to the remark...well, if you seriously think you don't need indian & chinese votes to win the election, think again...no doubt, we're not the majority. and we do not hold special priviledges and yes, our citizenship maybe a 'priviledge' not a 'right' as you put it...and yes, it's good to make remarks like, 'cina balik cina/china' once in a while......in the end of the day, a fact remains a fact - we hold the key to the country's economy...blooming or otherwise.

our citizenship may be a 'priviledge'. your share of the 'cake' is ALSO a priviledge. we are merely doing you a favour...by sharing the god damn cake.

haven't you heard? the chinese are like the jews...we can survive anywhere...at any conditions...as the saying goes, "wherever the sunlight touches, you can find a chinese"...so it's your priviledge to have us here to give you our cake.

Right or Privilege

recently there's this Hindraf thing that sparked the outrage of the govt and malaysian alike. Datuk Seri Ali Rustam recommended that the leaders of Hindraf be stripped off their citizenship.

first of all. i wan to make clear that i do not support what Hindraf had done. they deserve to be punished but not to the extent of stripping their citizenship.

i am of the opinion that citizenship for someone born in that country is a right and not a privilege. no one can take away a person's rights. if their citizenship is stripped, then there's no difference to denying them basic human rights.

so what say you guys?

say NO to PGCC - Penang Global City Centre

penang global city centre? hello, aren't we global enough?? we're known way before singapore & kl...so i think we're global enough in that sense. no need to make it more global bah....

anyways, this is a mega project. cost a lot of money, RM 25billion to be specific. covering 104 ha. will have 37 blocks of apartment, each 40 stories high. on top of that, another two huge UGLY 'iconic' towers being erected on such a small island. will be launched in 8-12 months. and yet, so little has been heard, said and published (even after so much have been said and presented by opposing parties especially the penangites). what happened to the press ah? all died ah? write articles which are of our concern lah! i don't wanna know about which cheer leading's won what medal and which datuk's wife has written and published a book to donate to which association...i don't give a damn...and it's sad to know newspapers these days are so damn lame...and god, what happened to PM's promise for a fair and accountable government? turned deaf? or blind?

and no, we don't need any more 'iconic' towers please. in fact, i think we've had enough. so, cut the crap. our twin towers are no longer standing tall in books of records. back in penang, komtar's become a white elephant. PISA (penang international sports arena) is another rusty elephant. the project to develop pulau jerejak and turn it into a tourist spot is not quite working according to plan. the tourism industry in batu feringghi is dying. golden sand is no longer golden. plastics and jellyfish can no longer be differentiated...what else huh? the list goes on and on...

so if you ask me, we can do better for our dear ol' penang with the RM 25bil than building more buildings and increasing its population & traffic. in the end of the day, whose project is this? (gov. or developer?) whose money are we using? (obviously, ours - the taxpayers') and for whom? (obviously, not us...even if they claim that it's for the benefit of us all...apparently, it's not...go back to democracy! there are so many unanswered questions, so come out and openly discuss it...review the plan or whatever...and if we don't want it, scrap it!)

please check out these clips or google to find out why it's been criticised:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Pak Lah...i want my green trees and grass at the turf club area. i don't want my children to travel to another country next time just to see how a hill looks like...and i don't want no mega projects, thank you.

Readings for Saturday--re-edited!

Ok people.... here are your readings for this Saturday. Some provocative pieces to get you thinking... you can disagree, agree, do both... but read and be ready to discuss! If you cannot read all then at least 2-3 of the readings below. But all are pretty interesting though.

http://www.nymministries.org/tnf112a.html

http://www.pbs.org/parents/raisingboys/masculinity02.html

http://www.connectforkids.org/node/100

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20000420/ai_n9970469


Our meeting is this Saturday, 24 Nov at 1:30 p.m. at PG.

Please note the time change... it is now 1:30 and NOT 2 p.m. as originally stated because Shan is not joining us so we can stick to the old time.

Lunch at 12 p.m. with me... if you want lah... meet at mamak first. :-)

told you 'smart' people always say 'smart' things...

check out Badruddin's blunder and Zaleha.

i wanted to cry when i read these stories. don't know which is worse, a sexist male-politician who speaks without thinking or a female-politician who seriously thinks a mini skirt is an embarrassment to women.

when God made Adam & Eve, they were stark naked. i don't suppose God complained about seeing too much of their buttocks, thighs and legs...so what has nudity got to do with religion?? (like what zaleha claimed).

since you enjoy being crude, it's only fair that we be crude too. yes, if they tak cukup kain, kain can be bought...but since you're the one complaining, then you BUY them the god damn cloth!!!

i shall thank you on behalf of airasia. and no, i still can't find anything wrong with their uniform 'cos it looks very much like a normal business attire. only thing is, it's chilli red. so if you still have a problem with what the general workforce is wearing, perhaps you should pay for their cloth too.

as for Badruddin, i suspect it's the limited-vocab-syndrome you are having. we don't have terowong in skirts my dear..they are called SLITS.

'smart' people never fail to say 'smart things'...

...and it's pathetic no less.

Adnan's Views on ISA

to be more specific, note this quote of his: National security is of utmost importance, more than legality or human rights.

i can't believe this. what has become of this world? i never knew we can do away with human rights...it's like the basis of everything in this world...this civilization...how can we, take away the very foundation of humanity? or can we? i'm confused.

and i wonder if mr.adnan would sing a different tune if we were to put him under ISA...hah...ISA more important than human rights huh??

and on numbers:

DPM's Quote

note: If they (the Opposition during the Bersih rally on Saturday) can gather 10,000 people, the Government through Barisan Nasional can gather even more people.

i don't know about you, but i think it's kinda childish to compare such things...numbers?? how old are you??? it sounds almost like, "nyehnyehnyehnyehh~ i have more cookies than you do!"

Don't drag royalty

note: The opposition-led illegal gathering involving some 4,000 people ended with a memorandum being handed over to Istana Negara. The memorandum called for free and just elections.

but, on msn - AFP: Hundreds of police unleashed tear gas and water cannon on 30,000 protesters who, despite a government ban, marched Saturday from the city centre to the royal palace to hand over a memorandum calling for clean and fair elections.

maybe it's been blown out of proportion but 4000 and 30, 000 is too big a figure difference don't you think?

sad lah wei...sad...

Fair Election

Opposition trying to drag King into politics, says Pak Lah

By MUGUNTAN VANAR and RUBEN SARIO
newsdesk@thestar.com.my
KOTA KINABALU: Saturday’s street protest in Kuala Lumpur was an attempt to drag the royalty into opposition politics, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The Prime Minister said the illegal gathering of thousands of people that ended with a memorandum being handed over to an Istana Negara official was an attempt by the opposition to “trap” the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
“I believe the King is more mature. The royalty understands and will not be trapped by their (the opposition’s) politics,” he said after opening the Parti Bersatu Sabah 22nd congress yesterday.
Abdullah described the illegal gathering that also saw the involvement of five opposition parties as a political gimmick.
“When the opposition thinks the elections will be called soon they do all sorts of activities to win support; that’s normal,” he added.
The gathering was organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), a group of 60 non-governmental organisations and political parties and it began with thousands gathering at five meeting points in Kuala Lumpur to join in a march to the Istana Negara.
When one group of protesters refused police orders to disperse as they approached the Masjid Jamek area at about 2.30pm, teargas and water cannons were used on them.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said police exercised restraint when controlling the crowd.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister said he was satisfied that police had acted responsibly in handling the situation effectively.
He said many ordinary folk opposed the street protest as it caused them much inconvenience.
“Police have the duty to prevent any untoward incident and they will need to take preventive measures such as putting up road blocks. This causes inconvenience but it is necessary,” he added.
To a question on Sabah’s longstanding illegal immigrant problem, Abdullah said it could only be addressed with the people’s cooperation, by not providing shelter or job opportunities or to immediately report to authorities any such foreigners in their midst.
“Malaysians are always very kind and this becomes a problem sometimes when dealing with these illegals,” he said, adding that there were also those who adopted a “don’t care” attitude towards the problem.
Later, Abdullah attended the Deepavali open house hosted by Sabah MIC at the Likas Sports Complex multi-purpose hall before opening the Liberal Democratic Party congress.

......................................................

This is the news today. What is politics to our goverment? I don,t see the harm of giving the memo to our king. I mean he is our king right! He should know what is heppening in his ruling country. First thing comes to our PM's mind is the opposition. This clearly shows he is not intrested in the citizen but his seat and cabinet. Election has to do with us the citizen voting for who should be our leader of malaysia and what kind of" politics" is this, like our PM said. I just don't understand what is he trying to tell. "I believe the king is more mature". Is he? Let's see. People will not simply gather to make a protest and march right to the palace to pass a memo. I primary school student will understand that something is wrong. Aah malas lah nak cakap. I dah tak tahan and don't know what to do also.

Next meeting

Hey Critters,

Just a reminder and alert to those who didn't come to our last meeting... our next meeting will be at the end of this month.

Date: 24th Nov, Saturday
Time: 2 p.m. (lunch at 12 p.m. at mamak before for those who want to join me)
Venue: PG

Topic: Should parenting be gendered? Should we bring up boys differently from girls? Why? What are the pros and cons of doing that?

Presenter: Vianna


I will post links to the readings next but meanwhile, you can also go do your own research on this topic, not to mention deep thinking!!! Actually, you don't need to read too much to have an opinion on this issue.

Fact or Fiction?

Since it has been a DARN long time since anyone posted anything here, I thought I'd cut and paste this very funny Satire here. You can also check out the original post at this link --> http://www.geocities.com/seachange_2000/corrupt.htm


Ministers Explain: Why Our Corruption Benefits You

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 NOV (New Shit Times) - Four of Prime Minister Mahathir's most corrupt Cabinet Ministers, Tun Daim Zainuddin, Datuk Seri Ling Liong Sik, Datuk Samy Vellu and Datin Paduka Rafidah Aziz, today held a joint press conference to explain why their corruption was in the public interest.

Daim began by describing corruption as a unifying bond within the Malaysian Cabinet. "There is no doubt that we are, all of us, united in corruption. Surely the public does not want to see a disunited Cabinet because then, the whole country will descend into chaos."

Daim explained that it was only because of corruption that Malays, Chinese and Indians within the highest levels of government could lay aside their differences and work together. To illustrate the point, the four of them linked arms throughout the duration of the conference.
Ling Liong Sik pointed out that the four of them had become role models for what it was possible to achieve just with the right connections: palatial mansions, luxury cars, private jets and bottomless bank accounts. He added that the youth of the country needed high targets as a spur to achievements.

To this, Samy Vellu agreed, saying that poor estate workers looked up to him as the epitome of success. "To them, I'm taller than a tall palm tree. And with good reason too," he added.

Rafidah Aziz chipped in, describing herself as, 'a towering beacon of inspiration for all Malaysian women."

Daim compared themselves favourably with the sacked Deputy PM, Anwar Ibrahim who, because he was corruption-free, lived in a small house and drove an old car. "Such a person wouldn't give anyone dreams," he said scornfully. "People without dreams live without hope. And people without hope generally die. So, if we are all to be like Anwar, most Malaysians would soon be dead."

According to Daim, Abdul Murad's recent affidavit alleging that Anwar was corrupt like themselves was "sheer nonsense" and no more than "a plot orchestrated by Anwar's supporters so as to salvage their leader's pathetic reputation."

Daim exposed the fact that Anwar was incredibly simple-minded when it came to money. "You could put a million dollars on his desk and he wouldn't even touch it!" He also scoffed at Murad's allegation that Anwar had stolen RM3 billion, adding that, "The man isn't even capable of stealing one ringgit, let alone three billion. I tell you, as a Finance Minister, he was most unprofessional."

Daim reminded reporters that he himself, twice the nation's Finance Minister, had stolen no less than RM2 billion of the country's money. "It's a pretty hard act to follow," he said proudly.
Daim continued: "It's true that RM2 billion can build a lot of low-cost housing, but who would want to live in such houses? They are just boxes, unfit even for dogs, let alone humans. Hence, by stealing the money, I have saved countless families from a fate worse than death."

Samy Vellu, also the Works Minister, said, "While my tidy pile of ill-gotten gains could have gone into building hundreds of kilometres of roads, what for? More roads mean more accidents. Hence, my corruption has already saved many Malaysian lives."

Continuing the same theme, Ling Liong Sik explained that while the billions he and his son had misappropriated could have gone into helping pig farmers ruined by the Nipah virus, these good-for-nothing people would only have wasted the financial assistance on gambling, drinking and womanising. "I base my conclusion on the fact that pig farmers inevitably become like the hogs they look after. As a result, my corruption has already saved many Chinese families from breakup."

Not to be outdone, Rafidah Aziz observed: "While the dirt money in my bank account could be used to electrify a lot of villages, that would only increase the incidence of electrocution among rural folks. Now, we don't want to see dead bodies all over our countryside do we?"

Having already served the nation so well, the four Cabinet Ministers promised to indulge in even more corrupt practices should Barisan Nasional be returned with a two-third majority in the next elections. "Someone's got to do it. After all, it's all for the public good," they chorused. They ended the conference by kneeling down before a picture of Mahathir who they revere as their patron saint of corruption.

After the conference, it was discovered that all four had stolen the microphones into which they had spoken.


--------------------

And do check out another interesting link on Anwar Ibrahim at http://www.kickandy.com/topik.asp?id=98

Reading for tomorrow

Thought it might be helpful to read these links--fairly short--about possible solutions to the child sex offenders problem.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/sexual_assault/child_sex_offenders/5.html

and

http://www.crimelibrary.com/features/fea_printPage.asp?curPage=&thisFile=/criminal_mind/sexual_assault/child_sex_offenders/9.html


See you all tomorrow then!

CT Meeting for old and new critters

Everyone is welcome to attend our first critical thinking discussion meeting this coming

Saturday, October 20 at
PG block at
1:30 p.m.

The topic is "The Nurin Case: Child Molestors -- causes + solutions".

We will have lunch at mamak first, at 12 p.m. for those of you who want to "warm up" by hanging out with CT group members :-)


Sharwin will be leading the session and it will be very similar to our usual CT presentations, with one exception--everyone has to come prepared, having read 2 sets of readings, one given by Sharwin and another more analytical piece, given by me.

We hope that people will come and share their views, after having read. This way, we can have informed discussions. The readings are as follows:

http://www.blogcatalog.com/posts/nurin
There are many links to the Nurin case. Please don't just look at the CCTV and images, also try to read to get some background into the case. Sharwin will also come up with a timeline to make the discussions flow more smoothly.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/sexual_assault/child_sex_offenders/1_index.html
Please read chapters 1 -- Motives, 2 -- There's No Cure, and 3 -- What's the appropriate response? You can see if some of the ideas given may or may not be applicable to the Nurin case and the Malaysian context.


Put on your critical thinking cap when you read and try to note down your agreements and objections to the readings as well. Basically, adopt your critical reading skills.

See you on Saturday!!

Important notice

Hey people this following link has all the info about Nurin's case. I think you all should be reading this. My topic will be on that right? I am using most of the information from that blog or whatever it is.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/posts/nurin

Interested? Confirm with me by Oct 20

Datanglah beramai-ramai ke ‘perbicaraan’ terpenting dekad ini. Keputusan kes di tangan anda.

Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Selangor danKuala Lumpur (Tingkat 1, Bilik 2)
Pada hari Sabtu, 27hb Oktober, dari 9pagi -1.30ptg

Perbicaraan Rakyat
Sempena Memperingati Ulangtahun ke-20
Operasi 27 Oktober 1987 (Also known as Operasi Lallang)

Yang tertuduh adalah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang didakwa telah digunakan untuk melakukan penahanan tanpa bicara pada tahun 1987. Dua puluh tahun telah berlalu, dan kini ‘pihak yang tertuduh’ ini akan dibicarakan atas kezalimannya terhadap individu, keluarga dan sahabat handai sewaktu sebuah operasi yang diberi nama Operasi Lalang dijalankan.

Sewaktu ‘perbicaraan’ ini anda akan mendengar kenyataan akuan dari bekas tahanan, keluarga dan sahabat mereka, serta dari para peguam. Dua amicus curiae (rakan mahkamah) akan turut hadir untuk memberikan pandangan mereka terhadap kes ini.

Pada penghujung perbicaraan ini, anda – rakyat – akan menentukan salah betul tindakan tersebut. Anda tidak akan mahu ketinggalan.

Hubungi Nalini di talian 03-77843525 untuk menempah tempat duduk anda di bilik mahkamah’ ini atau isikan borang penyertaan di bawah dan hantarkan kepada suaram@suaram.net atau faks ke 03-77843526.

(If you would like to isi the borang, please email me and I will send to you. But those who want to go, if there are more than 4-5 of you, then we can go beramai-ramai.)

Banned Books

A few weeks ago, the last time I was at mamak with some of you, KJ mentioned an art exhibition at the Central Market Annexe (where we saw Fahmi Reza's smashing new film) on banned books. I had a chance to view the show this past Friday and am reviewing it for my editor. I actually thought it was an excellent exhibition, utilizing a lot of facts about book banning in Malaysia.

Now, unfortunately, the show is over but I didn't realize my pal Sharon Chin actually created a blog about her artwork. It's very comprehensive and worth checking out: http://bannedbooksandothermonsters.blogspot.com/

Another good blog on a similar issue is: http://freethebooks.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

P.S. Please don't let this post of mine distract you from reading Michelle's excellent story about injustice in Malaysia--see below!

Just A Story...

Hey people...

This is my first time writing in a blog...

What you're about to read is a story which I think is pretty... Oh I don't know... You go on and read and you tell me about it...

There was a woman, Cat for short, who was working and helping closely with the migrant workers in her community ministry... She was particularly close to a group of Vietnamese ppl who were working in the town as they were the group of migrant workers who were facing a lot of problems, e.g. oppression.

24 June 2007
One day (As above), she was informed by 3 Vietnamese workers that a 19-year-old boy (A Vietnamese migrant himself) was being detained, locked up at the police station since 7 June 2007.
Apparently, the boy, together with the 3 Vietnamese were involved in a fight with a group of Nepalese at their workplace. The boy actually, was not involved in the fight. Let me put it this way... He was at the wrong place, at the wrong time...
So what happened was... This boy was left at the fighting scene, whereas the other 3 fled, including those Nepalese... The boy was left to 'face' the music, if you know what I mean...

25 June 2007
Cat went over to the police station to make some inquiries and found out that the boy was charged on the 14 June 2007 under Section 324, Penal Code : Causing Hurt and was detained at a jail in the next county.

26 June 2007
Cat phoned the jail, over at the next county, confirmed that the boy was in jail. FYI : This boy could NOT speak a word of Bahasa Malaysia or English as he only arrived in Malaysia earlier this year in January. She made an appointment with 2 of the other Vietnamese to visit the boy, as the 2 were able to converse in BM and English, though not fluently.

2 July 2007
It was only on this day that Cat, along with another friend of hers, Iggie, found a lawyer. They managed to obtain the boy's file number from the courthouse. The bail amount was RM5000 with 2 Malaysians as Guarantors. The following court hearing would be on the 12 July 2007.

8 July 2007
Cat and a few friends went over to the jail to pay the boy a visit.

12 July 2007
Cat went to court for the hearing but due to the inavailability of a Vietnamese interpreter, the case was postponed to the 10 August 2007.

13 July 2007
Cat and her committee members of the migrant ministry decided to get their own interpreter. Cat had an acquaintence, a Vietnamese who could speak well in both BM and English.

14 July 2007
Cat went with a friend to the Magistrate Office to enquire if it is possible to provide their own interpreter but unfortunately, it wasn't possible.

15 July 2007
Cat and her friends went over to the jail to visit the boy.

10 August 2007
Cat went to the court for the hearing again but returned sad and disappointed as there was NO interpreter available. The case was postponed to the 24 September 2007.

24 September 2007
Cat went to the court for the hearing and again the same excuse... There wasn't an interpreter available. The case was postponed to the 6 October 2007.

30 September 2007
Cat went over to the jail to visit the boy.

1 October 2007
Cat was later informed by a friend, an Inspector, that there wasn't anything that they could do to help this boy. The inspector suggested to Cat, that this boy admit the offence as charged, so that the judge could pass sentence and this boy will be deported ASAP.

* The names used in the blog are made up. They're real ppl but I thought it would be better not to disclose their identity.

# # #

Ladies and gentlemen,

Sad to say that I am very confused by these events. As of today, this boy would be in jail for almost 4 months... For something that he has not done...

I was also wondering y is it that it takes so long to get an interpreter? Is it legal to detained someone for so long?

Then y would an Inspector suggest that the boy admit a crime for which he did not commit? Does that mean that it would be easier for him and the court? Was it for nothing that the boy was held in jail for so long, cos in the end he only need to admit that he did it?

I was also thinking... Wouldn't it be a waste of money that this boy be in jail? I mean he was given food but of course, where did all these come from? There are many of these kinds of cases happening too... Ppl of different nationalities, detained for a long period of time, just waiting for them to admit the charges, then deport them...

My friends... This is the other side of Malaysia that I just, recently found out...

What do you think? (Sigh...)

Forms / Borang

today i went to the post office to register myself as a voter. the registration process was simple, quick and hassle free. kudos to Pos Malaysia.

BUT there are few PROBLEMs that i'm not really happy with. i don't think its the fault of Pos Malaysia but SPR itself.

the registration process needs:
1. race / bangsa
2. agama / religion

WHY is it in malaysia that when we fill up forms, any forms lah..we have to state our race and religion 1. i tot we are bangsa malaysia! why in the forms got melayu, cina, india and sorts? why? then there's the agama thing. why do they need to know what religion that person subscribe to? is it relevant at all?

this also happen during our public exams. y students have to state their race and religion 1?

when i was registering, the person ask me for my religion, i saw all the options and u know what? i saw one option stating TIADA AGAMA. i was damn surprised that option even exists in our country. so i chose that and the person gave me THE LOOK, u know lah..then that person look towards a police officer. i mean what the heck! salah ke if i tiada agama! if dont like then dont put the option there lah. the person serving me was a malay lady. then she ask me, u pasti nak option ini? then i ask her, ada salinan bertulis ke? she say got, then i change lo coz i dont want to cause problems at home and later on. my grandma super conservative and if she finds out she will pressure my dad to give me a good scolding. my parents also dont approve of me being religionless. sad case lah !

ACTS

what is it?

Awareness Campaign of Travel Safety-a tiny-mini awareness campaign i started by myself but ...

*shy*

well,as a considerably frequent users of Klang Valley's public transports, and a concerned citizen to Klang Valley's most threatening and hazardous thing- fierce crowd(whether cars,trains,all crowds,never change)

why is it so?














that explains why.after several observations and experiences as a victim-to-be in most of it,a conclusion that the risk and probability of an occurance of stampede,or simply getting hurt,is very high especially in concerts,public transports such as buses and trains(where you're so close you get to feel the 'warmth' of th epersons around you.best of all,you can get body trimming sessions through that,since you're being squeeze aka having therma-wrap thingy in salon)

how does it work?

through the no.1 online buddies network in asia(some say malaysia only)Friendster, Hotmail,campus buddies,blogs and peak hours distribution of the information patch in the affected areas(erm...this particular one is not sure yet...im a planner and a spontaneur, ya know,considering all the acts and things) to create and raise the awareness by using striking methods.(erm...maybe by contacting the authority to see whether a more systematic and safe way can be introduced.eg. Putra LRT's line-up-and-make-way-for-those-coming-out-or-you'll-get-beeped-at method,totally civilised!-i mean the way,not people.by that way you get to go in accordingly and people can get out fast too.) i dont want to be caught,so let's do it in a civilised way. peace bro!

alright,some comic relief here(l.o.l)

below is a quote from Auntie R:
aiyo..i tell you ah,i got push out of the train one time ah aiyo...i in front one you know...i cannot get in already loh...i have to wait dont know how many time ah...but hor,i slim already..see?aiya..but still very dangerous la...i want to see my son also cannot so much...

quote from Miss M:
well,concerning the matter...erm...ahem...this is really a demonstration of 'the 1st world facility and 3rd world mentality,i'll say...they just cant follow the rules*snort* and advice!what are the effects of the announcement and reminders from the PA system?none!everyone wants to go home soon too but what's wrong with being patient,for the sake of your own and others' safety?that way,it'll be more efficient! can't you guys just ----------------------(woops,censored by the editor)

so friends,if you're concerned,or had the same experience(so-in-the-same-boat) and want to help voicing out, please repost this in your site.

million thanks.(and feel free to comment!)

-spread the awareness-

oh,and to the PUSHERS, one day you'll be PUSHED!!

malaysian education-again

ok,this is like...a *milder* topic..*shrug* anyway, i dont know..maybe im wrong or too innocent-minded...i'll as well invite you to see it yourself and comment on it...




i'll talk about 'foundation'...

you see,the way they write the syllabus N.O.W is so obviously wrong...i mean,have problem.

1. do you ever remember that the lecturer told you to forget about the 'science' you learnt in lower grades and accept the new ones with different concepts? even maths? like...they tell you to froget about light goes in straight line and instead it is...(bla bla..) what's that?are you supposed to tell you're student those? and the science books now, lots of errors and unsynchronised- does coffee dissolves or not?(well,then the teacher'll say instant ones will and the others wont since different books have different answers,and they will ask-mam,how do i differentiate instant ones from non-instant ones...its not written there...???)..what..just straight tell them it does...it creates speculation on those who write the books man...

2. history. need i say more or what?

3. specifically-english. sounds,build up the reading and speaking skills first instead of writing and exams. because you see, the problem is such big now that they cant continue to learn in class for the weak ones..because their foundation is not well-built..i.e. you bla about this and that hoping they will accept,absorb and know while all they can do is stare at you..coz they dont understand a word of yours!!! i took a book from 1970..guess what?i feel awed at the quality...so well structured!! you have to get in pace with the young brains,not as you thought!! LUCKILY, though,i still see some good books, a phonics one..the teacher apparently is really experienced and understanding...(ahem,now the speculation on how did they choose the writers?)

-sigh-starting it right is so important..

and when i talk to my mum,all she said is if you think you're so right then go ahead and write the syllabus,i said of coz i will..duh..

Samy Vellu's Favourite Quotes

I am posting this because I got it in my email and it is FUNNY AS HELL! Of course, some may say hell is not funny but IF that's where he is ending up, then I am sure the devil will have a belly ache of laughs! hahahahah.

P.S. Sharwin, this is especially for you :-)


1) Samy Velu on pos laju "BESOK KIRIM, HARI INI SAMPAI"
2) The one on TV when in trying to say he was ashamed, he said:`Kemaluan saya besar`
3) On drugs, "Jangan hisap dada"
4) Samy said in a ceramah "Kita akan bina satu jambatan untuk orong-orong kampong disini", one pakcik asked, "Datuk, sini takde sungai,buat apa bina jambatan?" and Samy glorious replied,"Kalau takde sungai, kita bina sungai!"
5) Samy's favorite quote on national television "Toll naik sikit, manyak marah saya. You ingat semua ini toll saya punya bapa punya kah!"
6) During the water shortage crisis : "semua orang diminta jgn membuang aiyerr..!"
7) During blood donation campaign in Sg Siput: "..marilah kita semua menderma dara.."
8) During the opening speech of various function: "...selamat datang saudara-mara semua.." (actually is "saudara-saudari")
9) At an opening ceremony: "mempersilakan datin paduka rafidah aziz naik ke pentas utk membuka kain"
10) Commenting about his modesty: "sebenarnya, kemaluan saya sangat-sangat besar"

And lastly u know why our N-S Highwayconcessionaire is named PLUS.
PLUS = Pungut Lebih Untuk Samy

Monks on the March

Dear Friends,

If you don't know what the title of this post is referring to, it means you have not been reading the news or have not even looked at a newspaper in the past 2 days. It's time you did!

In solidarity with our Burmese brothers and sisters who are protesting the military junta in Burma, please wear RED today.

Red for the colour of the blood in the streets, in the temples, trickling down the shaved heads of the monks on the march.
Red for the passion of their struggle, for the fire in their souls and the courage they display on the streets they want to reclaim from the soldiers who have shot at and even killed some of them.

Read about the stand off between army/govt and these saints in saffron here and here and here. Even in KL, we had our own demonstration outside the Burmese embassy this morning, here.

For me, it is impossible to see and read about these valiant monks who are willing to die for their struggle, and not be ashamed about our apathy here in Malaysia. We have much to fight for and our foes are not even that formidable or violent and yet, we are content to be complacent.

I hope the monks will inspire all of us to do what is right at all costs.

selamat berpuasa, polis...but why are you still 'eating' up my $$$??

ok...to cut the story short - my sister got into anaccident just last week...a huge truck/lorry rammed into her Atos and dragged it for a few metres (the driver didn't even realised that until all the cars honked him to stop)...needless to say, our fragile little Atos was damaged...not that it's beyond repair lah..but still, it's damaged pretty badly....a police report was made and yesterday, a police officer called up my sister and said, "eh...you come to my office la...i got something to discuss with you..."

so today, she went to see the police officer at the police station and guess what, he said my sister kena saman for RM300 for the accident...he insisted that it was my sister's fault that the lorry langgar her wor...and that it's a terribly 'difficult' case to handle and will need to settle in court wor...unless of course, he 'help' us out by you know what lah...duit kopi.

the best part is...it's expected bah. i mean, these policemen are so bloody predictable. can't they come up with something new so we won't be able to guess their intentions??

2 years ago (when i was still in UTAR), a motorbike came out of nowhere (Section 17 junction outside uni) and banged the front of my car. he broke his leg (from the fall) and i sent him to the hospital. and made a police report. i had a friend with me as a witness that i DID NOT ran into the bike but for some reasons, the police decided to saman me. they said, "you kereta besar...dia motosikal...patutlah you salah...besar langgar kecil...besar salah lah...tak boleh argue punya..."

ok, besar langgar kecil = besar salah. fair. i'd buy that. but now lorry langgar atos. which is bigger?? how is it that my sister's at the wrong then? *scratch head*

and guess what, that was also during the puasa month leh. and the police officer also called me up on my mobile to 'invite me to meet him so we could discuss'...he also tried very hard to scare me with the so called 'court case if i don't pay my saman or settle with duit kopi'...even when i told him to just send the saman over to my pg house address, he refused saying that i need to pay my saman at his police station since the accident happened in his area...which is ridiculous! want coffee money say lah......sial. what i did was, i played dumb when he asked for duit kopi. that worked well.

so yeah...i don't know if this is good for discussion. corruption in this country is an open secret anyway. and hell i don't know why our dear beloved PM refuses to acknowledge it and DO something about it like he said he will. am just pissed right now. hence, this post.

grrrrrrrr.

Of Flag Burning And Trampled Constitutions

http://bolehland.com/2007/09/18/of-flag-burning-and-trampled-constitutions/

this is a good article that i think everybody should read. i dont agree to everything that this article says and i find it hard to accept some of the concepts pointed out. There are two quotes from 2 famous persons that i have difficulty embracing 100%. i can accept them in some ways but not entirely. it shows that not every concept/theory can be applied across the board haphazardly.

Bertrand Russell said, "“only kind of freedom which is undesirable is that which diminished the freedom of others”.
On the flag burning issue, the writer Malik Imtiaz implied that flag burning is the freedom of expression of a person. Examples were give to justify his statement according to Russell's quote. But i have a problem with this because i think this is not the way to justify Russell's quote. Why? Let's see: It is the freedom of sumone to burn a flag, and it is also a freedom of mine to protect it at all cost. Dont ask the reason why first. Most important thing is, it is my freedom, my choice. So if flag burning is allowed, it already impedes the freedom of ppl like me who wants to protect the fact.


Voltaire said, "‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’

In most cases, i would say i agree to this but in some rare cases i cannot. Example, when some one insults you or someone you loved, will you still defend the right of that person to say it? To the religious ppl, i take Christians as EXAMPLE, you disapprove of what the Bible says you cannot do, but will you defend the right of ppl who wants to do what the Bible says to not?
many more examples can be used here but i think two is enough.


So what do you people think of this. I would really love some well thought-of inputs on this.

Who were the leaders of the 1970s student movement in Msia?

Here is one of them, Hishamuddin Rais, who has been called the Che Guevara of the student movement in Malaysia. He now writes for miscellaneous newspapers, has a column in Off the Edge magazine and Malaysiakini news portal, and also speaks at certain public forums. He even dabbles in art and film.

And of course, most famously, he has been detained under ISA. Read about it here.

You can read about his personal life in The Star and you will find out that even though he is a Muslim, he has a dog and leads a very simple life, still holding fast to his ideals. You will also find some of his thoughts about the student movement here.

You can read his many essays/articles in this website, Rice Cooker.

And thanks to Jeannie's research online, you can also hear him pontificate about Negarakuku on YouTube here. This is classic Hisham in action--passionate, fiery, provocative. You begin to understand how he could have been such a potent force in the 1970s.

You must be wondering why I am posting all of this... well, all will be revealed soon :-)

Meanwhile, enjoy the read and you have to wonder, as I did, why there is really so little on the web about student movements in Malaysia. It is as if there has been a systematic effort to erase this history from our past.

Judiciary Crisis Links

Kah Joon's link does not seem to work so I am posting another that does:

http://malaysia-today.net/reports/2006/06/crisis-in-judiciary.htm

And a few more of my own:

Aliran 2004

Aliran 2005

Wikipedia

But seriously though, go check out Kah Joon's blog, it is amazing! Thanks for the very simple to understand history and snippets.

What really happened in the 1988 judicial crisis.

6 Supreme Court judges were suspended during that time which means theoretically, the Supreme Court itself had been suspended. How can one of the pillars of the Separation of Powers Concept be suspended? For those of you who dont know much about law and courts, there are 10 Judges in the Supreme Court at that time including the Lord President/CJ.

to know more on what really happened back then, read this. it is an account by Datuk George Seah, one of the judges suspended. you will be shocked to no end.

so much of Visit Malaysia

i have a question - why is it more expensive for us (locals) to travel to places within Malaysia than travelling overseas ah??

i went to the Underwater World here in Sentosa Island, S'pore and guess what, the ticket for an adult is less than S$15! i don't remember how much exactly 'cos my uncle paid for my ticket but i think it's still bloody cheap. provided you don't convert lah of course.

if you were to compare to places like the aquaria in klcc, and the underwater world in p. langkawi, i'd think the ticket here in s'pore is much cheaper. and remember, there are definitely more things to see here than those back in m'sia.

i was welcomed by many many sea turtles at the entrance and boy, they're huge! they look healthy and very much 'alive' as compared to the ones i saw back in p. redang. my boyfriend paid for a trip to p. redang early last month and the two or three baby sea turtles we saw in a tub was so damn pathetic. is this how they attract tourists and promote the importance of conservation? by showing them sad looking sea turtles and also, some dead & preserved ones??

here in sentosa, i can't help but feel hopeful. as in, yes, these creatures are near extinct but hey, there's still hope. and even the unborn baby sharks in uterus are displayed. they don't just use dead specimens mind you, but alive ones instead. you can very well see the unborn baby shark breathe and swim in the extracted 'womb'...that is what i call - hope. not pathetic, dying or dead creatures. we also get to touch and 'pat' the stingrays, sharks and puffer fish. lotsa activities. and it's a good way to get children and people to learn to love and care about these creatures. by touching, we become 'attached'. we tend to fall in love more easily. hence, we see it as our responsibility to be involved in conservation.

i don't know about you but after touching stingrays, i'd swear not to eat them anymore. even though they're not endangered. so i guess it's a good way to create awareness through this kinda human-animal interaction.

again, my less than S$15 is well spent. i enjoyed my visit tremendously. couldn't help but smsed my bf, "can't believe i see more sea turtles here in s'pore by just paying 15bucks...so much lesser than what you paid for in redang really!"

of course, this is just an example. another would be places like phuket, koh samui etc. it's cheaper to fly to thailand and laze in their beautiful beaches than to swim to our own dying corals in tioman or redang. you'd probably fall out of holiday mood too when you see floating plastic bags in our seas...i don't want to be reminded how i end up doing the 'cleaning' by picking up floating plastic bags in redang, really. that was supposed to be my holiday!!!

a friend from the States actually laughed the idea of paying (close to RM500) to hike up mt kinabalu. he said, "it's absurd to pay to climb a mountain!"...and yeah, i think so too. it's not as if we needed special equipments like those people use to climb everest etc. and we end up paying a few thousand (including air tickets) to east malaysia as well, which is more than what we pay to places like bali...

visit malaysia sucks. and no, i don't regret saying that.

psst, not trying to say the redang trip wasn't fun. i had fun of course, else he'd kill me ;-)

Issues of Judiciary

For those of you who are more interested in the current judiciary crisis going on in our country right now instead of the Nurin case, you are welcome to my blog to read up comprehensive information on that issue.

i also have a detailed transcript of the phone call recording by the lawyer VK Lingam. even did some research to give readers understanding about the whose who in Lingam's conversation. when i first heard it, i couldn't really understand also coz no context ma. the deixis also not clear.

already explained things in my blog. so happy reading and you can ask me questions if you are not clear about it.

disclaimer: i want to clear things here first. its not that i'm not interested with the Nurin case but the problem is, this kind of murders do happen from time to time, i am looking at it without emotions so that i can analyse it better and find solutions to improve the situation in our country concerning crime. what is the priority now? the nation as a whole or individual cases?

i din want to post the judiciary issue here because there are too many things being discussed here already. peace out..

yx

just a quick intro, so you all won't wonder "who the hell is this?" I'm yixing, carmen's friend--who attended your class the day that anthony and yeevon did their presentations. also ran into a couple of you again at FFF recently.

cheers.

CCTV: Are they working?

Today on the news, a new topic was introduced. Are the CCTV in some shops really working? Maybe some really do but the ones which are working properly are the ones in famous buildings. According to Datuk Christopher, the shops now have fixed CCTV just to fill in the requirments of the insurance company. Even if the CCTV is working, the recording is not clear because no proper mantainence for the CCTV. How can the authority seek for clue to solve a case. Sometimes in crime investigation the CCTV recording can be the most important evidence. In Altantulya's case the CCTV recording was a total disaster and the recording was so bad that they had to move it out from the evidence list. But why are there some businessmen/women dont care about this things and why?

In Malaysia the reason to fix a CCTV is to make criminals scared. Hello! Criminals are way cleaver than some others. Lets say someone creates a super dupper alarm for a car but a criminal will find a way to break the alarm and it will be a sucess. There owner of the CCTV should take some things into consideration and not just think of themselves. Finally there are some specific rules for the CCTV fixing and I hope that this will not be another "Malaysia Boleh" faliure thing.

BBC hard talk

If anyone missed the show about the issue on the ethnic minority, Malay special rights, Lina Joy's case and many other issues , all answered by Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar the Malaysian foreign minister.

It was on BBC HARDTALK. Watch and listen to the 'great' answers he gives..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsa/n5ctrl/progs/07/hardtalk/albar13sep.ram

Thank you and have a nice day..

on brinjal and cucumber.

i'm sure most of you are aware of this.

yesterday, my friend who's just had a newborn early this month told me:

"i'm thinking about moving out of malaysia...read the papers! what has become of our society?? i fear for my little kyllie..."

"eh...don't be so kiasu lah...now you sound like a bloody sporean...remember the hongkees?? they were afraid of returning to china too in 1997...but look, it worked out just as fine! remember, it if can't kill you, it'll only make you stronger..."

honestly, i think he over reacted. yes, the crime rates are increasing in malaysia. yes, the streets are no longer safe, not even our own homes. yes, the NEP is still going strong. and yes, i don't have a child, so i won't know how it's like to worry 24/7 about children and whether or not they can realise their full potential in this country where double standards are practised.

one thing i'd like to say is, crime (or social disparity) happens everywhere. and i honestly don't think running away (to another country) will help. it's just the degree of it that sets us different from other countries. of course, there are also many other reasons to this hasty decision. some people are running away because of inflation, less employment opportunities, poverty, social disparity, political issues etc. etc. the list goes on and on. people tend to have so many things to complain about their country all the time they forget where they came from in the first place! and the citizenship or passport they're holding for that matter.

i've been equally guilty of that. but these days, i try to make myself see a list of things i (or we) can improve about the country and its system instead of just its faults. in other words, i'd think running away isn't the best solution.

*shrug*

is our country really that bad a place to live in?? what say you?...

mind our maps. and language.

see anything wrong yet?

well, if you zoom in to this, then yes.

check out the size of borneo and the size of peninsula...

some people would argue it's because of size constraints, the advertisors tend to squeeze it in. maybe... btw, this is a takaful ad outside 1-utama. i think it's still there.

i put this up 'cos i know no one's gonna argue it's cos of ad constraints anymore. this is a map found outside terengganu airport by the tourism ministry as well as its state government.

no wonder our tourists are a confused lot when it comes to facts about malaysia. even the locals are equally guilty of that.

so, please, borneo or east malaysia is a lot bigger than this.

and for those who think east malaysia means kelantan and terengganu, *slap*! wake up!

kelantan and terengganu are east coast lah...remember the difference!

the beauty of bahasa melayu...direct translation!

workshop = woksyop

psst, anyone wants a wok?

here's another one...reserved = rezab.

i'm homesick.

sorry if this post is a bit out of place. but am feeling really homesick right now.

been here in s'pore for almost a week. went room hunting today and i felt so depressed lah. a common room at HDB flat can easily cost an arm and a leg. nope, don't think i wanna pay $500/rm1000+ for such a small corner really. back in malaysia, that amount of money can easily settle a house or car loan! *gasp* i miss malaysia. sigh. where everything's cheap. or at least, cheaper :-p

well, my experience in dubai couple of weeks ago sorta made me appreciate my own country more these days. when i came back, i told myself that i shan't complain about the haze here in malaysia since i get sandstorm every day in uae. and i shan't complain about the rats and cockroaches that terrorize our terrace houses since there wasn't any when i desperately wanted one (or two) to keep me company in dubai. yep, it was that boring. and dead. their world is colorless bah.

and if you think the punishment for rape in malaysia is ridiculously lame, try emirates. it's only max 3 years. and that is IF you can prosecute the culprit(s). mind you, under the syariah law, the victim must produce 3(correct me if i'm wrong) male witnesses. that's one of the reasons i came back -- i freaked out. haha.

i love malaysia. can't wait to be home. feel like crying whenever i see SingTel displayed on my mobile. i really do prefer seeing the word - Maxis.

sigh.

mods to blog

hey i know how to insert "recent comments" into blogspot d..kinda simple..go to my personal blog and looks for the recent comments box, notice right at the bottom there's a link "add this widget to my blog" click dat..then just follow instructions..senang je..

Of Influence Power & Picking Fights

Carmen, u once mentioned to me that a person with influence power have a heavy responsibility. yes i agree with that. So here is my issue of picking fights as in argumentative fights. I'll use myself as guinea pig here. I have a tendency to choose fights that i can win. Wait ! b4 u think of anything let me finish. There is a reason why i do that. See, if i choose fights that i can win, i know i will come up with good arguments/comments bcoz i know my stuff.

Meanwhile for a fight that i know i can't win, should i push myself into it? I say no. B4 any hasty judgements are made, hear me out first. No, i'm not being a coward backing out of unwinnable fights. No, i'm not a sour grape that cant take losses. The reason i think i shouldn't enter into the fight is because i want to be fair to the others. If i dont know my stuff, why should i even say anything. I'll just come up with half-baked arguments/comments. These half-baked comments might be accepted by some ppl because i wield the power of influence. Like what anthony and I used to mention in class, some ppl just take what the lecturer or opinion leadears say because most of the time the things they say are correct. But how would these ppl know when i come up with half-baked comments. They might just think, oh its because he/she said that then it is right. I give all of u an example: Say a prime minister who specializes in law. Should he make decisions regarding economics without consulting economic experts first?

So what now? Is picking correct fights good or what? I would love to hear comments from everyone and especially you Carmen..haha

Thanks for inviting

Hi everyone in here,
I think most people do not know who am I. Well, I am Jeannie's friend, and thanks to her, I am now able to join in with the 'critical thinkers'! (and hope to be one too :). Well, I just feel that I need to introduce myself before I start commenting, in case all of you start thinking 'which alien is this, and how did it enter into our territory?' Anyway, just a brief introduction - I am Esther (Jeannie's ex-classmate, neighbour, friends since kindergarten...haha), currently studying in Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore, for Diploma in Physiotherapy. After Jeannie told me about this blog, I was very interested in joining. After reading some of the post and comments, I was happy that there are lots of interesting topics and comments as well, and what's most important is that criticism is allowed and people are open to different opinions. Anyway, I don't want to turn this blog into a 'get-to-know-me' session. I hope to learn more things in here and hope you all don't mind me being in here (as far as I know, all of you all are classmates). Happy blogging!

On Namewee & Negarakuku.

how do we define "patriotism", really? the love for one's country is pretty much subjective to begin with, isn't it?

for me, patriotism is simply about accepting its flaws and beauty...seeing our country...our people...and our history as it is...without veils...without hypocrisy...without fear...and most importantly, without denial... that is the true spirit of patriotism.

surely, there's more to patriotism than just the usual know-how of singing our national anthem...more so, the manner of our singing...

we have walked half a century together, believing that we're a united and progressive nation... if that's true, then a rap song such as this certainly would not stand a chance at "threatening" national security now, would it?...unless of course, we are standing on egg shells and that everything's been a delusion all this while, i doubt our 'egg' will break to rap songs...

Happy Belated Merdeka, folks.

happy belated merdeka.

found this entry written by Akshay Menon on Zero Degrees really inspiring. and, thought provoking. (at least to me)

"On August 31, while the Peninsula goes gaga, for more than half the country, it is just another day. Well, historically speaking that is. Across the South China Sea, East Malaysians must be feeling a bit bamboozled, especially on the 50th anniversary of our parting-of-ways with the British Empire. After all, on August 31, 1957, the people of Sabah and Sarawak were, well, I am not entirely sure what they were doing but they certainly were not celebrating the end of British rule..."

well, in case you don't know...Sabah & Sarawak did not join the Federation of Malaya until 16 Sept, 1963...so if you know what i mean...about the dates and the term "malaysia's independence day" here if abit distorted all thanks to our own ignorance really...

on msn, a friend of mine - kenny argued that East Germany did not change their date/day of independence after the reunion...and he asked, "when you work for a company, do you celebrate the day it was formed or the date that it expanded with merging with 2 other companies?"

he's got a point of course...but thing is, malaysia wasn't formed on 31st august 1957 to begin with! malaysia was formed only when sabah, sarawak and singapore merged with malaya...so how is it fair to say that 31st august is our (sabahans and sarawakians included) independence day??... besides, one date cannot apply to all that happened...we cannot generalize for the sake of convenience...that's just so not history!...

as Akshay Menon puts it, "...we are not a huge nation like the US nor do we have a painfully convoluted history like India. We really ought to be able to know small facts, such as the ever so miniscule fact that it is NOT 50 years of Malaysia."

conclusion is, know your history. and know what you're celebrating.

and before i forget, cheerios to another friend of mine - maggie for writing this, "When Tunku Abdul Rahman bellowed "Merdeka" 50 years back, that meant independence.That meant freedom. But what freedom do I see here now? What freedom can i speak of, if not freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of press?"

ironic, isn't it? to have such a big contradiction to what we're celebrating - independence. freedom.

colonial rule. and lack of freedom of speech. which is worse? are they any different?

by the way, why do people find it hard to accept that we're a plural society?...heck...either they are naive or just being idealistic lah...i don't know...but one thing for sure is...we ARE a plural society...and it's time to admit that! afterall, it is what makes us - malaysians unique!

also, it is time to admit to yourself that what's written in the constitution is not about to change unless we do something about it...remember the chinese saying of how "gentlemen always use logic...not fists..." the least you can do to get things started or innitiate change is by registering and casting your vote...you can't celebrate freedom without practising it now, can you?

all in the name of love for this country babeh. happy merdeka, folks!

p/s: didn't know what to post but hope this old entry from my own blog helps in a way or two.

Why do we Fear?

Below is an excerpt of an article written by Eric Loo, who used to be the external moderator for UTAR's Journalism programme. He is no longer in that position now because Janet Steele has taken over.

Even though he lives in Australia, he still writes for Malaysiakini from time to time, which is where the excerpt below is taken. I also had the opportunity to meet him more than a year ago when he visited UTAR and I found him friendly, intelligent and his teaching philosophy closely mirrors my own.


What we fear but know not why
Eric Loo

“Shhh, don’t talk to strangers, they could be Special Branch.” Many say that’s wise. You never know who you’re talking to. Or, is it irrational fear that tells us, “Don’t get involved"? We did live in muted fear of ‘getting involved’ after May 1969.

Until today, my 78-year-old mother is fearful of ‘the government’, ‘the Malays’ and ‘the police’. She's also a product of WW2 when she saw Japanese soldiers hauled off my grandpa for questioning. He didn’t return for weeks. Like most of her generation, her internalized fear is understandable.

Anecdotes I hear and observations of Malaysian civic life tells me the fear of ‘getting involved’ is as real today among baby boomers as it was with my mother’s generation. There’s hope though. Ever since we strolled the multimedia corridor, an empowered younger generation of socially-conscious netizens are learning more about our race-tainted history. And, they’re not happy. Lately, vigilant bloggers have been trawling the contents of Malaysiakini and other alternative media sites.

Early this week, I received a compilation of political thuggery, social injustices and racist statements spewed in public with impunity by our politicians. Common knowledge they are. But, when compiled as a package, the imageries are quite unsettling. My mother would shudder at those imageries, her deep-seated fears replayed. To the younger generation sheltered from the history of 1969, I suspect, the imageries and rhetoric would evoke mixed reactions of ridicule and rage against the political degenerates. ...........

Stoking fear is the strongest terror tactic used by governments to silent the voice of conscience and dissent. Nothing new in that. (See Amnesty International 2007 Report). What’s worrying is when we become part of fear itself, not knowing exactly what and why we fear. Anxious moments of uncertainties. Which often leads to irrational reactions – followed by resigned acceptance of the status quo - each time we’re confronted with an over-the-top rhetoric of re-constructed realities. Politicians have long used this tactic to manipulate their constituents, garner support, and discredit their opponents. ...........

What now? To combat fear in a plural society, one must first recognise the basic principles of freedom, equity and transparent governance. “No one wins unless everyone wins.” Indeed, an appropriate Springsteen creed. Our homegrown civil society groups have advocated these principles at length since the 1998 reformasi days.

What we need now is less pointless fiery diatribe but more robust reasoned dialogue in the public space. Pockets of apathy among Malaysians, I’d like to think, do not reflect our internal weaknesses nor lack of intellectual resources or character flaws - but rather it mirrors a waning faith in the viability of speaking up for what’s right.

The mainstream media, the editors, in publishing their sycophantic editorials and generating politically correct contents, are, in this sense, accomplices in the perpetuation of a political system that thrives on fomenting fear. Editors continue to fail in their leadership in representing the people’s interests.

.........................................................

The excerpt is rather long so, I may remove much of it later--don't want to be accused of copyright violation! But enjoy it while you can :-)

Check out this free movie!

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/


This link was sent to me by my artist pal, Nazim Esa.

But be warned... Christians may be disturbed. The movie deconstructs a lot of the "truths" of religion, particularly Christianity. Definitely makes us question and think. Also makes me realize that in a free country, people can create and not be damned.

It's getting a lot of buzz on the internet and is worth watching and discussing. I am watching it now. After you watch it, go do your own research to fact check.

Enjoy!

10 Tahun Sebelum Merdeka

Last night, a very good pal of mine invited me to see his new movie-documentary. The title of that movie is as above. I saw it at the Central Market Annexe... a really cool place... and the movie will be screened again during the Freedom Film Festival also at CM next weekend, 14-16 Sept.

We MUST go see this movie. Or alternatively, we must bring this movie to UTAR. In fact, we should do both, in my opinion.

I LOVED the movie. I loved it because it was excavating a part of Malaysian history--the Malay left progressive movement led by PKMM and PUTERA-AMCJA--that few of us know. I have to admit, I was woefully ignorant until I saw this movie by Fahmi Reza.

The movie made me think. Made me question. Moved me. Made me laugh. Made me sad. For a first-time filmmaker, Fahmi did a simply astounding job bringing to the screen something so important.

Did you know that on 20 October 1947, there was a nationwide strike to protest the British-proposed and elite-Sultanate-UMNO-led Federal Constitution?

Did you know there was actually a People's Constitution that was drafted by the people--not the rich, the elite, the sultans, UMNO--but by ordinary Malaysians of all creeds and colours?

Did you know the British declared darurat because that was the only way they could capture and suppress the people's movement? The Communists were used as the eternal bogeyman for the colonial powers.

Did you know...
Did you know... This was what I felt when I watched this documentary. And to think that Prof Khoo Khay Kim said in theSun that there is a possibility the MOE is thinking of not offering history as a compulsory subject for primary and secondary schools.

NO wonder... look what history they are teaching us!

We have to watch this movie. We owe it to ourselves.

Check out the film's website at http://10tahun.blogspot.com/ and click on all the links for this post for more information.

50:44

This number has got me thinking for so long, ever since the talk on Negarakuku at KL-Selangor Malaysian Chinese Assembly Hall.

"Persekutuan Tanah Melayu" obtained independence in the year 1957 and our "Bapa Merdeka" was Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj, triumphantly shouting out "Merdeka" for 7 times at Merdeka Square. Now, why is that 7 times, not more or lesser? I searched high and low for the reason and I found from this address and I'll just quote it:

Why did Tunku shout “Merdeka!” seven times and not six? Seven was regarded by many Malays of the time and even now by some Hindus as a significant number. Was “merdeka” a common Malay word for independence or freedom? I have seen this so described. Of course, today it is a common enough word to mean independence or freedom but it is a Sanskrit word chosen and made popular by Tunku as a more exact word for independence than the traditional Malay word, “bebas”.

What is playing on my mind is, at that point of time it was still Malaya, which means Malaysia is yet to be formed (both Sabah and Sarawak became states of Malaysia on 16th September 1963). So, point is, we, from the Peninsula, greatly celebrate 50 years of independence with a big hoo-haa, explosions (fireworks), this and that.

But, how about those from the East Malaysia? Many blogs, I've read, saying that Malaysians over the South China Sea are discontent and often argue about celebrating Independence Day on 31 August 1957, instead of 16 September 1963, which is the Malaysia Day. How unfair that is!

What do you think about this? Comments, comments ;)

Merdeka Events at Central Market

Hey Critters,

I know it is exam time but if you are interested, there are some really GREAT FREE events at Central Market to commemorate our 50th independence. So, it is not about just fireworks for one night but more ongoing activities to invite us to really think about what is means to be independent.

If any of you are interested to go, please let me know. We may be able to go together lah. But thsi time, we can take the LRT rather than car pool. VERY JAM this area! :-)

Here is the itinerary at the new wing of Central Market, 3rd floor.


50:44 Malaysia Merdeka
Remembering the people that built this nation
Venue: The Annexe, Central Market
Thu 6 – Sun 16, Sep 2007
For more information: http://www.50-44.org/

Sep 6 (Thu)
Citizenship & Democracy
9am-5pm Demokrasi Setelah 50 Tahun Merdeka: Cabaran dan Hala Tuju (Gallery A)
· Adakah sistem demokrasi di Malaysia semakin kuat atau semakin merosot? Apa ertinya Merdeka kepada rakyat jikalau rakyat masih tidak bebas and terkongkong? Bagaimana demokrasi dapat dimartabatkan untuk mempertahankan hak rakyat? Untuk maklumat lanjut seminar ini, sila hubungi Suaram, tel: 03-77843525 atau emel: suaram@suaram.net.
8pm-10pm Opening Ceremony of 50:44 Malaysia Merdeka - remembering the people that built this nation (Gallery A)
· Screening of “Malaysia ‘Other’ History” film followed by a dialogue with experts on histories and people who have lived through it. (Contact Yap at ssyap2001@yahoo.com for info.)

Sep 7 (Fri)
Gender & Sexuality
10am-10pm Merdeka and Sex (Studio B)
· Walk through the journey of visual art installations of how sexuality have been possessed, abused and defended throughout our history. Sexless or too sensual? You decide. (Contact jac@gejala.org for info)
10am-12pm Apa itu Feminisma! (Gallery A)
· A short and sweet introduction to what is feminism, women’s rights and the women’s movement. It’s participatory and fun. (Contact Mary Sinappan 03-77701475 empower05@gmail.com for your invite)

8pm-9pm Perempuan…dulu, kini dan selamanya? (Gallery B)
· A griping multi-dialogue performance on the many facades of being a woman in today’s world, you might just see yourself in it! (Free entry and seating!)
8pm-10pm You Are What You Are! (Studio A)
· Whether you are lelaki lembut or wanita keras, straight-acting or pecah-lubang, trapped in the wrong sex or pressured into social norms, you are not alone. In this session, the community shares the joys and heartbreaks of living an alternative lifestyle in Malaysia. (By invite only. Contact pang.centralmarket@gmail.com for an invitation before Sep 6.)

And for the rest.... please check out the website above... I decided to delete the longer posting on this event because it took up too much space!

Cheers!

Happy MERDEKA!

For our 50th anniversary celebration, I am trying out a new color scheme for our blog.

And in the spirit of democracy, comments please. I am verrrry open to criticism.

:-)

A new take on Negarakuku

Here is an interesting article on www.malaysiakini.com on NameWee's song. I cannot replicate the entire article due to copyright issues but here are a few relevant parts:

by Helen Ang
http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/71508

"......Wee Meng Chee complained that the Malay media instigated the hostility against him. Indeed Malay newspapers arrogate themselves auxiliary moral police when they cover Azhar Mansor, M Revathi (Siti Fatimah to them) and others inimical to their mental straitjacket.

Wee also complained of harassment by the Malay reporter who interviewed him. He said he was berated by the reporter for explaining he had no religion, which to the reporter clearly explained why Wee was of the sort of character that could (allegedly) insult Islam.

Free minds that roam The Malay mind in Malaysia, due to its strict conditioning by received ideas, finds it inconceivable that anyone should fail to believe. Frankly, it’s not the reporter’s job to sit in moral judgment. As a Chinese, Wee committed no crime in not belonging to any faith unlike his Malay fellow citizen who could be packed off to prison.

The prevalent prejudice against freethinking is grossly unfair. Being irreligious hardly connotes immorality as is supposed by Malays and other Malaysians of faith. There are many moral, famous figures who confess to be not religious men at all.

Among atheists and agnostics are Bertrand Russell, John Stuart Mill, George Santayana, Albert Camus, Immanuel Kant, Spinoza, Rene Descartes, David Hume, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Carl Sagan, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, George Orwell, George Bernard Shaw, Jonathan Swift, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alexis de Tocqueville, Maxim Gorky and it is popularly said Charles Darwin.

............. Namewee has been turned into a cautionary tale for the Chinese on the unacceptable risks of offending the status quo. But it is unacceptable that there is no democratic space for second ways to find expression. Civil society has to see to it that the laws are not wielded as Umno’s totalitarian tools.

Now is the time for Malaysians to remove the blinkers, the gag, the handcuffs and all the cords that bind us. Show some spine. Let’s have just as much respect for Truth and Candour as we do flag and national anthem."

JALUR GEMILANG: GANTUNG JANGAN TAK GANTUNG <- patriotic??

p/s: so... if u never asked youself.. now at the 50th birthday of Malaysia.. and after we've take up critical thinking, and doing this blogging thing, and often ppl kutuk, esp chinese are not patriotic ... so, comment on my post la.. :P plz plz haha...

Ah.. okay my 1st time to start a blog post woohoo :P (Anyway, if anyone is wondering, i am jiau chee ok.... hehe..) Since the Independent Day, 31st Aug is approaching, i would like to post something, about some patriotic phenomenon that have been going on, this few years (well tat's when i noticed), and also something i noticed all along, especially in school where patriotism was supposed to be install in students / us.

Many steps were taken nowadays, to promote patriotism. 1st of all, by the former PM, the name for our bendera, become Jalur Gemilang (he's really good with names, isn't he?), then about gantung bendera at your home, cars with the little bendera thing all over the roofs of the cars, or bonnets covered with flags (in miri, they put the sarawak flags on the boot).

Besides, there are also "national bicycle-riders" (mostly, really young boys) along the street as days approaching 31st Aug. with either REALLY BIG Malaysia flag on the pole sticking out at the tyres of the bicycles here and there,(which really annoying, if you are driving, because they are really distracting your view and almost kene your car if you passby, my dad's car kene the flag once n i was in the car).

Well, basically, all this is sort of telling everyone HARI KEMERDEKAAN is coming soon~ or yay, a perfect time is here again, for you to shout loud loud and nobody will look at you with "you are a weirdo" kind of stare. haha :P

But what i noticed was also, those cars / bicycles.. with the flags and all.... ermmm there are always unidentified objects flying out from them, i.e those cars windows / those bicycle-riders. What are those?? haha RUBBISH la... thrown by those people... They are so patriotic that they dont know what's the function of rubbish bins?

Another thing that always keep me thinking, those boys, i seen when i was on holiday, and way before 31st August, they were cycling around not only during weekends, but weekdays also ; not only during night time, but also day-time a.k.a school hours . Why are they on the streets, and not in class? :) and for crying out loud, even after holiday a.k.a 31st Aug or the whole bulan merdeka thing, still they are around!!!!!

Is this the only way to be patriotic? I really wonder.. In my opinion, those are just action action only la... Why? Here goes:

1st, you dont warm your b*tt on the chair in classroom, listen (or dont doze off at least) to the lessons taught in school, finish your homework properly, and ultimately, dont fail your test/exam, BUT being so "PATRIOTIC" in cycling around with flags??? hahahah~~ I wonder how much can one contribute effectively to the country by jz cycling with flags whole day.. -.- If they could make themselves useful with knowledge and later become some constructive assests for the country..

Another thing is, if you walk on the street, those lorong2 or even main streets.. parking lots and all.. you can see they are beautifully "decorated" with JUNK =.= why? people are littering anywhere, anytime. Especially, drivers, despite how dangerous it is as those rubbish may hit the other cars... ,including the bicycle-riders, becoz they buy drinks, and throw everywhere, most probably because they have this hallucination that the grass or streets or drains are rubbish bins. =.=''''' So, does it make you patriotic, although you have the biggest fkag (s) on your car / or you stick the most flag thingy on ur car (s) / flags sticking out at the back or front of the bicycles, when you littering like nobody's business at the same time?? hahaha.. i gues yes to them, because it is also an art to "mencantikkan" alam sekitar? haha "beautify", even junk everywhere is art?? haha :P

Then those building with Jalur Gemilang, haha.. u see, let the flag to kene sun n rain, some even koyak2 here and there, does that respect the country? i remember during my moral lessons during primary school, the bendera must be taken in and kenot kene rain because tat is disrespectful... haha so.. jz hang or gantung to action la~

Seriously i dont throw rubbish anywhere. Because i had a hard time picking them up during school time.. =.= because we have this thing call kerja kumpulan, which is to pick up rubbish, either on the field, or those they hide it in the bushes.. (and d*mn they did a bad job hiding it, because the prefects still always can detect the rubbish), or IN the drain (where it is so so so deep down that it can be a good or your winning spot to play hide-and seek, i always named to go, literally, INTO the drains to pick those rubbish up, n they don provide us with the long pengepit so, use HANDS MAN!! ). And i will stop my friends or my family to do so, and if they insist, i'll take over the rubbish and throw for them, or point them the nearest dustbin. Even during my family trip, to Sibu esp, i always bring plastic bags ( i mean BAGSSSSSSS) in the car, for rubbish, no matter hw big is it, then when we stop by somewhr, then dispose them. I pantang ppl cincai throw rubbish, so, watch out haha :P And tat's my way to be patriotic, not a big deal for most people, or jz a small thing or actually basic thing i can do at least, to keep our environment clean, where i can reach. :P

The next thing is.. during some formal occasion, or during assembly... we must sing Negaraku right or not? haha.. now the question is.. How many of us do sing? (shame on you if you still dont or get the lyrics wrong!!!) and if you heard the national anthem played, on radio, did you pay respect to it? :) haha.. ask yourself okay.. :P think critically la, i of coz don mean situations where you cannot STAND still for a few minutes and SING (soft2 at least) of coz, like if you're in the toilet doing some business... or driving, or crossing the road or etc which really make you unable to STAND still at least to pay respect okay.

And again, I did that. And also force my lil sisters n bro, n my friends to stand still at least when I heard it. haha coz i will just stand still abruptly, even on the street or wherever, to pay respect at least, and i do sing and force my lil sisters n bro to sing oso, coz i got power as their elder sis, kekekek but i will tell my friends to do so.. cant force la.. Even at home, i heard it on TV, i'd stand, and oso make others in my family to do so oso, and i will sing it out loud. Even in the middle of the night, i on radio, n when it hit 12, the radio will on national anthem, tho sleepy, i will still stand n sing soft2 coz my big sis sleeping od, n i don wan to get whack.

Even during assembly, those from other class will look at me like one kind coz i will sing it out during the assembly, when all of them jz keep quiet but stand still, or mumbling. and becos they did not sing, and pissed the principals off, we had to sing it over n over again till she can hear us loud and clear, then only proceed with the assembly... and we have been stand more than 1 hours. =.=

That is how i show my patriotism, at least. i do hav small flags here n thr in my house but we dont gantung big bendera at the balcony or at the gate of my house, or cover the bonnet n boot of car at my house with flags, and i didnt cycle around with flags, neither can i write really patriotic poems like others can. I am not posting these all to praise myself or raise my own butt, but to share, actually we can easily show patriotism, by doing simple things for the country, and not "commercialise" like the gantung jalur gemilang thing. And also, hw persistent you can be when doing so. :)

so..... How patriotic are you? :P