Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Uncle Pete Goes Kamunting!


Hmm..that sounds like i was excited with that...Hell no...Si Botak dari Kota Tinggi, again, played dirty tricks. Ehh, doesnt he have important things to look into now he is the Internal Affairs Minister? Police? Rela? Are we crime-free people? My heart sunked after reading about one chinese girl, who was earlier kidnapped, later murdered and dumped after her parents paid more than RM30K ransom. Kalau anak VIP, sure kes boleh selesai dalam 24 jam.

I am sending Uncle Pete a raya card in Kamunting, though early this month i was so darn happy i got his mailing address in BRP i could send him cards. Rupa-rupanya, Si Botak dari Kota Tinggi, telah menggatal tangan tanda tangan surat ISA. Balik kampung nanti saya nak piket sorang2 depan rumah dia masa raya nanti. Dia seronok anak beranak buat open house. Tahanan ISA macamana? Budak2 yang hilang sampai sekarang, mak ayah depa apa cerita? EQ low betui la pak sheih ni. Nama je berat, otak dengan hati ringan macam bulu ayam.

Uncle Pete, we are praying for you and all those people who have been unjustifiedly put behind those bars. We pray for your family and loved ones. God is mighty..
I wish to share a poem by Uncle Hishamuddin Rais as I agree with his last line of poem. Now i know how it feels like being in there. Funny that the place is called Pusat Tahanan Perlindungan (eh..nak lindung apa ek? lindung dari kebenaran mengatasi kemungkaran?)


Cuaca panas, Kuala lumpur sibuk, Hari raya lagi 8 hari
Isteri yang suami ditahan ISA, Tidak bershopping tahun ini
Simpan duit untuk buat tambang, Pergi ke kamunting di pagi raya
Pintu sel dibuka jam 7.00 pagi, ke padang menyanyikan lagu memula moon
Bendera dinaikan, Kemudian menunggu tea/roti jam 8.30
Jam 12.00 pintu besar di ketuk makan sampai , Lalu makan
Senin ikan masin, Selasa ayam, Rabu ikan goreng, Khamis ikan masin
Jumaat telor rebus, Sabtu ikan goreng, Ahad daging
Jangan silap faham ketul ayam, Ikan kembung, Ikan jaket jenisnya lain
Mereka juga yang terkecil dan terkurus, Mereka dikhas untuk banduan
Yang sama kualiti antara makanan di kamunting dengan di rumah
Hanyalah telor dan ikan masin, Kalau telor boleh dikecilkan pasti telah lama dikecilkan
Kalau ikan masin boleh dimasinkan lagi pasti akan dimasinkan semasin masinnya
Jam 2.30 pintu sel tutup hingga 4.00 ptg, Kemudian petang sampaiBuatlah apa sahaja
Jam 7 pintu ditutup kembali hingga esok jam 7 pagi, Badan dikurung pekara biasa
Ramai kita masih terpenjara, Terpenjara dalam penjara yang maha luas
Terpenjara kerana takut hilang kerja, Terpenjara kerana takut berkata benar
Terpenjara kerana ingin membodek menjadi hamba, Terpenjara kerana tidak tahu erti bebas
Terpenjara kerana selesa mengikut kata, Terpenjara kerana tidak berani melihat salah dan benar
Terpenjara kerana bila membuka pintu hati kita tidak tahu apa yang temui, Lalu tinggal dalam zon selamat
Berbondong-bondong macam tikus, Orang ke hulu dia ke hulu, Orang ke hilir dia ke hilir
Orang kata iya dia kata iya, Orang kata hah dia kata hah, Dari lahir ke liang lahad
Mengambil tempat menyibuk diri, Menghabiskan oxigen menjadi stastik negeri
Hidup macam ini lebih baik mati, Dalam penjara
Berulang-ulang berkali-kali, Tapi tak semesti nya membosankan diri
Jika telah mengenal diri sendiri, Tidak ada besi dan jeriji
Dapat menggari pemikiran bebas hakiki

Material Happiness Never Lasts

Note: A refreshing idea to ponder!

StarBiz, September 4, 2008 - Adopt ‘Sendiri Boleh’ attitude

iCapital urges Malaysians to focus and stay on course no matter the odds

CAN you still recall the time when Datuk Nicol David became the world’s number 1 woman squash player last year? After a long time, there were for once really solid reasons to feature in a prominent manner the achievements of a Malaysian. iCapital salutes the achievements of Nicol David. To be a world champion in any endeavour is a Herculean task.

To be a world champion the way David did and in a country like Malaysia where precious incentives are given to the wrong sports and people makes her achievements even more remarkable. The mass media has termed her achievements as an example of Malaysia Boleh. This is highly misleading and totally unfair to David.

Actually, the faster we get away from this ludicrous farce of Malaysia Boleh, the better it will be for the nation. David is a classic example of Sendiri Boleh. The message for all Malaysians from her success has to be Sendiri Boleh. If all Malaysians can be Sendiri Boleh, we would have a decent chance of getting Malaysia Boleh.

iCapital hopes that the new mantra from our Government is Sendiri Boleh. Sendiri Boleh simply means to rely on one’s self no matter how difficult it may be. Malaysia Boleh means to rely on the Government (the greater the reliance, the better it is).

Sendiri Boleh simply means one needs to be resourceful in order to overcome challenges and problems.
Malaysia Boleh means running away from really solving the problems by taking short-term measures or what is still a legacy common to Malaysians, by self-denial.

Sendiri Boleh simply means that if you do not succeed, there is no one to turn to but yourself. On the other hand, Malaysia Boleh just means Malaysia Tolong.

Sendiri Boleh means one has to focus and stay on course whatever the odds or challenges may be. Not all Malaysians can be world champions. But we can make all Malaysians follow the Sendiri Boleh mindset of Nicol David.

Our challenge is how can we transform the mindsets of all Malaysians from Malaysia Boleh (or what is closer to the truth, Malaysia Tak Boleh) to Sendiri Boleh.

Everywhere we go, everyone we talk to, there is only doom and gloom over Malaysia’s future. The list of our illnesses and symptoms is long. It can be so utterly depressing.

This week’s article is short but not sweet. iCapital has, since years ago, written plenty of articles and analysis on how Malaysia’s transformation can be achieved.

It has written on why it needs to be done and what the consequences will be if we do not transform and adapt.
Our hands are tired of writing on something that few politicians and policymakers are bothered with.

Our minds are exhausted from thinking of something that is so filled with heartfelt helplessness. Our hearts bleed for Malaysia.

Brain and Beauty in an Hourglass


Scarlett Johansson's figure is an asset in more ways than one. US research has found that women with hourglass figures are mire likely to be intelligent and to have brighter children, too. After examining data from 16,000 women and their children, researchers from the universities of Pittsburgh and California concluded that women with shapely hips and thighs scored higher on intelligence tests than women with linear figures. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as DHA, necessary for brain growth, are stored around the hips and thighs; the researchers believe carrying a little extra in these areas may be a good thing.

"Women with small tummies and big hips and thighs have more what it takes to build brains, and thus tend to be smarter and have smarter children," says study co-author professor Steven Gaulin from the University of California, Santa Barbara. "This hip and thigh fat is primarily metabolised in the third trimester of pregnancy and lactation when babies' brains are being built."

Taken from Readers' Digest, Feb 2008

p.s. Rejoice gals!

Faint Hearts never wins Fair Ladies



I like this Danish proverb - faint hearts never win fair ladies. But, what does it have to do with all of us? I reckon that proverb isn't just apply to those in love (aren't we in love with ourselves, people?)..

I wish to share the following thoughts and proverb, which also share the same sentiment as the abovementioned saying: -

1. A clear conscience is far more valuable than money - Filipino proverb

2.If you want to conquer fear, don't sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy - Dale Carnegie

3. Initiative is doing the right thing without being told - Victor Hugo

4. Those who give have all things. They who withhold have nothing - Hindu proverb

5. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end - Lord Acton

6. To know how to say what other only know how to think is what makes men poets or sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think makes men martyrs or reformers - Elizabeth Brown

p.s. Hmm..talking about faint hearted. I personally feel most malay men are faint hearted. And no wonder i barely fall for them! ;P

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Dark clouds over Malaysia

Yesterday gave a sharp double blow to me. First, RPK was detained under ISA. Second, my dear friend's, Rose, last day with our organisation was yesterday, while i thought all along it will be on next monday. I wasnt prepared for these 2 blows. I managed to appear normal when deep down my heart is like a can being put in high-pressure chamber. Can you imagine that? Not crumbled but so squashed.

I will write about my dear friend, Rose, after my mind is in its best state. Now, i am heartbroken, ashamed to the core and at the brink of swearing.

Not that i idolise Uncle Pete aka RPK like many malays idolise their Mawi, Mila etc. I idolise his tenacious spirit and act to make Malaysia a better place, regardless of race, religions and ability, free from injustice, corruption, inhumanity and oppresion. Si botak from my beautiful kampung, Kota Tinggi, said that RPK should be detained under ISA because he insulted islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) few days ago in his articles published in Malaysia Today. I have a question for him to answer (if only he is able to use his grey matter, which so far has not been able to tell him rights against wrongs) - what about muslims who do things, which are clearly against the teaching of islam and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? Aren't you going to detain them under ISA too?

Like minority others (dang...kat malaysia ni orang takut sangat ke nak menegakkan keadilan), I do not think the articles are insulting at all. And why RPK wrote many articles using Islam as his subject? Because 99.9% of people who are in power in Malaysia are Muslims but the way they act and speak so far have not reflected that they are muslims. We have forever-lying muslim PM, widely-known-adulterous right hand man, corrupted (kitchen) cabinet, enforcement authorities who act like(more likely on behalf of) gangsters, thugs and bouncers, the panic manic clerics who wanted to hold dearly to their positions (they started lying too just like the sleeping lying PM, who lies like nobody's business). Sah, siapa makan cili dialah yang terasa pedas. Friends, they are all muslims. What have they become? CAN we sue them for insulting Islam?

Cik Tan Choon Heng, Sin Chew Jit Poh's reporter was also detained under ISA later because the (takde) UM(phhh)NO lying PM thinks she wrote too much truths she could evoke racial tension. Ahmad Ismail, the melayu tak malu dan tak sedar untung, who called our malaysian chinese pendatang, roams free all over malaysia, trying to sell his dua-sen thoughts about pendatang china. Sah, si botak tak ada otak. Disuruh pak lah tanda tangan satu lagi surat ISA di kala pak lah ternganga tidur lena atas meja kuasa di putrajaya.

Seputeh 3-tem MP, Cik Teresa Kok was also detained under this draconian law because (pino)khir (chio)toyo claimed that Cik Teresa had instructed the mosques to stop Azan (muslim prayer call) and it was reported by the ever-stupid low rated Utusan. ADUN Klang, Puan Mariah from PAS lodged a police report on this false claim and Cik Teresa issued a statement asking the lying toyo (sebab tu hidung dia mancung sekarang sebab asyik la menipu orang) and the crawly Utusan to apologise within 7 days. Now, Cik Teresa is the one being 'chained'. Ya Allah, what is going on with us muslims?

ISA - no charge, no trial, nothing...i can say those ISA detainees are better off claimed dead or missing for they are denied the very right of being a human being. Why our country is still having is evil law under large practice makes me cry. We are living peaceful but the (kitchen) cabinet makes us think we are living in hostile condition? How low can we be my dear friends? How stupid are we? Hasnt our degree and diploma or perhaps MBA, Masters and PhD makes us a better malaysian?

At this low point of justice in our country, i am ashamed of being a malay, for other malays are doing all sort of wrongs during this Holy Ramadhan. I am being ashamed of our malay supremacist attitude when we are not even better than others. We claimed for our supremacy as malays in Tanah Melayu when malays are defined as brown coloured people who live from Phillipines to Indonesia, Thailand to Sulawesi, Kepulauan Pasifik to Singapura.

We, malays, created the alibaba culture. We, malays, see duit bawah meja as part of procedures to get your tender processed, your application looked into. For us, malays, that is fine, nothing wrong what? Ya Allah, what happened to all our prayers? havent they become useless that no goodness of it has turned us into a better muslim? You know why, my malay brothers and sisters? The goodness of prayers is being absolved by the duit haram they have consumed. How sad...

Most mahathir fans are educated malays, yang dapat kerja bagus, sebab bapak dia kerja bagus, ahli umno dan tak pernah hidup susah. Mesti la dia takut kalau UMNO takde taring sebab nanti mereka ini tak ada kuasa umph nak tunjuk kat semua orang. Depa nak belajar senang, nak berniaga senang, nak masuk sekolah bagus, senang, nak guna alat atau dewan kerajaan buat kenduri kawin pun senang. Semua dok kata ini la berkat dasar ekonomi baru. orang melayu dok senang lenang walhal depa orang umno je yang senang. waktu banjir, rakyat prihatin hantar tilam, beras sebagai, depa orang umno duk agih sesama mereka. Lepas tu, duk jual balik kat mangsa banjir. Nasib baik kampung tercinta saya dekat dengan Singapura. Orang china naik 4wd datang hantar nasi, lauk pauk, gula, tepung. Orang umno kata kalau hang nak derma mangsa banjir, hang mai balai raya, jumpa ketua kampung. Camna nak pi bila banjir paras dada, nak naik bot kena caj RM50 sekepala dan pak kepala kampung duk membuntut VIP melayu tak tentu hala? Ish...teruk sangat ke kita orang melayu ni? Nak kena sujud ke baru nak tolong?

Tengok orang cina, walau kaya, tak lupa masa dia susah dulu. Duit agih bagi abgi anak cina belajar pandai-pandai. contohnya, kawan saya wong chin pau. anak petani di kawasan pendalaman selangor, pelajar cemerlang, pandai bahasa inggeris, matematik dan pandai main piano sebab persatuan cina tempat dia hantar dia belajar semua macam. Ada ka orang kaya melayu nak taja anak melayu susah belajar tinggi? orang melayu kaya hantar anak luar negeri. beli keta 5, 6 biji jadi income tax tak payah bayar banyak. kawin 2, 3. Orang susah tak peduli. Depa kata depa kerja kuat buat apa nak tolong melayu susah. cari sendiri la. usaha sendiri la. nak usaha camna. nak makan pun takde beras. nak kerja pun, takde nak tolong bagi. Kedekut sungguh orang melayu. Walhal kaya sebab alibab, walhal berkuasa kerana undi mereka yang susah. Orang melayu memang bodoh. Nak juga undi UMNO. Kunun nak tegak islam dan ketuanan melayu.

Orang melayu tak boleh tengok orang lain senang atau lebih dari dia. Jatuhkan dia atau malukan dia. Susahkan dia atau khianatkan dia.

Orang melayu banyak layar internet. Tapi dok sibuk tengok laman hiburan. Orang melayu banyak membaca. Hai, URTV, Mangga dan segala. Orang melayu apa nak jadi ni...

Kabinet melayu dok hantar MP katak ke taiwan. Balik cepat sebab takut kena taufan. bukan takut dilaknat tuhan, sebab bersekongkol dengan keburukan, kejahilan dan kealpaan. bulan ramadhan sibuk nak bercuti. bukan ke tanah haram atau madinah kalau betul muslim sejati. tapi ke taiwan nak belajar bertani sedangkan di rumah, tak pernah sentuh cangkul and biji benih. Nak ajar petani di tempat sendiri, tapi melawat setahun sekali. Ish...teruk sangat ke orang melayu ni?

Bulan baik patut buat baik. Ni buat jahat tak habis2....

Orang melayu memang cilik. Mengatur komplot menjatuhkan orang, lihat sendiri sejarah dulu. Cilik menipu, menabur fitnah. Sebab tu la melayu tak maju. Sibuk sangat menipu, kerja tak jalan, duit tak masuk. kena la peras ugut sana sini. kalau tak bagi, saya tak sokong. kalau tak bagi, saya blackmail awak...Ish, apa nak jadi orang melayu ni?

Padan la orang melayu jadi penumpang je ke angkasa. Padan la orang melayu tak termasuk pun senarai orang asia paling berjasa abad ini. Patut la melayu mundur - dari segi harta, otak dan segala. Padan la asyik nak tindas orang sebab takde hobi lain nak buat. menceceh dan bergossip je yang dia tahu. Ish, sengkek sangat ke ilmu orang melayu? Ish, takde agama ke orang melayu?

Guys, what have UM(ppphhh)NO done for the past 51 odd years? (a) sleeping (b) shitting (c) scandalling (d) all of the above?
When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it-always.
~Mahatma Gandhi

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

We Must Go beyond Tolerance to Acceptance


Commentary by Thomas Soon, TheEdgeAsia, 08/09/08

The country has just marked its 51st year of independence, sadly, still divided and emotionally scarred. The multi-faceted nature of the country was not so long ago its pride in the world. Or had Malaysians, as author Michael Backman once suggested, deluded themselves all these while on a grand scale?

Perhaps things are not as bad as it may seem. Perhaps things that are happening because of the current heightened political tension have amplified every discord. Perhaps it is just politicians playing a dangerous tune to divert attention. Perhaps the stakes have become too high for some.
Or is it a case of economic hardship squeezing out all the moaning and groaning? Maybe what we are seeing and hearing today is actually a latent force that has been brewing beneath the surface but has now boiled over.
The fact that these questions abound may mean the people are aware of the urgency and are determined to have a say in how they want the country to be governed.

In that sense, every individual has the right to voice his or her stance and opinions in a democratic and free society.

It is appropriate for all political parties to always clearly state their stance, their intentions, their motives, their vision if any, putting things into perspective.

Still, the racial discord that is happening in the country is disturbing and sad. Politicians appear to be grappling with issues of identities and how such identities play a part in nation building.
Many will now be wondering and pondering how the country has arrived at where it is now. After five decades, the country is as divided as the days of yore. We are still talking about the importance of national unity, we are still quarrelling over language and religion, and over who are immigrants and who are not.

It is time for the country to wake up from the “delusion” and seriously work towards national conciliation.

Politicians, NGOs, religious institutions, academics and the people must rally behind just causes, now more than ever. It is time for all to undertake civilised and intellectual discourse towards enabling and helping the people to discard prejudices and bigotry, and not just stop at “tolerating” one another.

That has always been the weakness of “tolerance,” an overrated trait that politicians have trumpeted about. Tolerance could mean “I can’t stand you but I tolerate you”. Instead, we must learn to accept that we are different and accept each other’s beliefs and culture. Not just tolerate.
People must learn to rid themselves of entrenched bigotry and prejudices. A good start will be to treat one another with respect and that includes respect for everyone, whatever the racial, religious, social, economic or political status, including those holding menial jobs.

The people’s yearning for some semblance of national unity is an emotional one, and a plea for politicians to heed, to lead and to inspire.

The day of reckoning for this country called Malaysia will come, how or when, in what form is anybody’s guess. Who will stand up to the plate to make that day a proud day for the nation?

Saturday, September 6, 2008

UMmpphh....NO

Betul juga pendapat sesetengah pihak: -

1. Apa tingginya martabat pertubuhan ini dalam memartabatkan orang melayu, bahasa melayu, adat melayu dan segala apa hal berkenaan orang melayu jika namanya sendiri di dalam bahasa inggeris?

2. Apa mulianya orang melayu apabila enggan memohon maaf apabila membuat salah?

3. Apa moleknya adat melayu apabila digunakan hanya untuk menakutkan dan meninda orang?

4. Apa majunya fikiran melayu jika otaknya masih terbelenggu?

Jadi, apa nak jadi dengan Ahmad Ismail dan 13 ketua bahagian UMNO pulau pinang yang enggan meminta maaf setelah memanggil kaum cina pendatang di sini? Sungguh tak mengenang budi, sungguh bongkak dan sungguh memalukan orang melayu yang lain. Mungkin ini adat UMNO - bangga apabila berbuat salah, bangga bercakap kasar, bangga memburukkan orang.

So, UMNO? UMmmmphhhh...thanks but NO thanks...You are making us the biggest jokers on tanah melayu!

Tan Sri A Samad Ismail (1925-2008)


His youngest daughter works in the same organisation as mine and i was privileged to be amongst his collection of books during his daughter's open house a couple of years ago. Though i didnt manage to meet him as he wasnt in the best of health, i felt his presence in his books.

During the height of P44 by election, i got to know about Pak Samad's deteriorating health from his daughter's blog (Puan Nuraina of 3540 Jalan Sudin) and instinctively felt that his time has come. My google-ing brought me a deep sense of admiration for this great writer - the one that made you ponder, contemplate, aspire and act and his contribution to our independence. By knowing him, i got to read about Jose Rizal of Philippines. If there is an iota of goodness in our system, our people and our nation, i believe we owe it to him. How many writers and journalists ,today could be as impartial and selfless as Pak Samad? How may could make us feel that we love this country and we want to do good for her and her people? How embarrassing for me for i have not done anything meaningful to this country...

Pak Samad left us on 4 Sep 2008, 5.58 pm. May his soul rest amongst the believers and those who do good deeds. Al-fatihah.