We had another BERSIH movement and as expected, it turned ugly. For those of you who thought this was going to be a peaceful, simple gathering to show the government that we are not to be taken lightly....what simpletons you are. There are 2 sides to this message. I personally think BERSIH is a great idea! But I am very concerned that BERSIH is being taken advantage of.
Don't get me wrong. I am not against BERSIH and it's call for a clean and fair election. I am all for it. I am just concerned that the cause and the supporters are being used for the means and objectives of the few. BERSIH was ABSOLUTELY necessary. I for one am sick and tired of the arrogance in our government and how they feel they don't need to be accountable to the people and that they can be blatant in their mishandling of our country's funds. I laud the many who braved the elements and of course the violence, to stand up for our rights as citizens of Malaysia.
I have a few comments for those involved.
1. To the Government, namely the PM, DPM, Home Minister, MCA chief, MIC Chief (I don't even know who the heck is it), CM of Pahang, CM of Sarawak, the newspaper editors and (but not limited to) the IGP
I am sick of how naive you think we are. I am so livid that you insult our intelligence by controlling the media to say things like "Our education is the best", "Only 1% of our police is corrupt", "Our police were professional and restraint", "Non-Malays are immigrants", "Lynas is safe and we will dispose the waste in Sg Lembing". "I was only joking when I said Sg Lembing", "I am the first lady", "I am not involved in teh NFC","BERSIH is illegal", "BERSIH is not illegal" and the list goes on and on.
In an election year!!! Who the heck is your PR manager?
For goodness sake, no one believes the damn newspapers anymore. You can show as many pics that you want depicting exactly what you want to propogate. We are in the digital age now, you miscreants!!! If you use the internet once in a while instead of for porn, you will see how your lies are being exposed. If you spent half the time working on our country's issues instead of making away with millions, you would not only ensure success, you may actual reap benefits legally! No need for C4 and MACC.
You work for the people regardless of race. Though I must say, your divide and conquer tactic is working very well as you sow fear into the Malays by spreading lies that we want an end to their privileges or that we want to attack Islam and do away with it. Sadly, many Malays believe it and you have successfully sowed this hatred to distract them from your dirty laundry. Stuffing a few hundred ringgit here and there has helped you solidify your rotten soul into theirs as they sell out our country and our future. I assure you, there is only so much cheating and discord you can sow. You can't cheat all the people all of the time.
Please, please, please....clean up your acts. Read your history. No good comes from tyranny, oppression and corruption. Remember Suharto and Marcos? Keep it up and you will end up like them.
To the Opposition
Please remember why you are doing this. You sold us the dream that Malaysia needs a change and that you will provide it. I am very concerned that our opposition leader is the same person whom in his youth is known to like violent protests. He is a person who believes that a show a force, chaos and violence will achieve his aim. This person, when he was in ABIM was constantly talking about protesting, rallying, showing violence to meet his means.
And this person recently has stated in his own admission that he thinks the people of Egypt and Syria are doing the right thing and that we should use that as our examples. This person is of course Anwar Ibrahim. For those of you blindly following him, please don't forget he was from UMNO too and so are the majority of PKR people. They lost out politically and now they are resorting to taking over the govt to make their means. BERSIH didn't come from Pakatan. It was from Ambiga and I pray that they are not using this sentiment just to be in power.
The people are evolving and we are a lot more savvy and vocal now. We so need a change that we are willing to take a chance of the opposition who are made up of the strangest bedfellows. PKR, DAP and PAS???? Truly not a very sound formula but we are willing to take that chance. So don't blow this. Make it worthwhile and if you ensure our prosperity and fairness, you will prosper as well. Look at high income countries like SG, Australia, Scandinavian countries, etc.
Fellow Malaysians
To my fellow Malaysians, I would ask you to also to fair in your judgement. Let's not stoop down to the level of those corrupt in the government. We have to be responsible and ensure we have the right facts. Don't spread rumours, photo-shopped pics, wrong info, misguided facts that are used to twist us. That only gives the government more ammunition. Be truthful, fair and responsible. Also please be safe. Instigating the police was a bad idea. It always is.
God Bless you and all of us. See you at the elections.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The end of my childhood.....errr.....my 2nd childhood
Many things in our childhood stay with us forever....for some reason. They manage to etched themselves in our memories due to situation, circumstances, etc. Things like your first love, a particular bad fall, your first job, or the time when you pulled your zipper too fast and got your foreskin caught in your zipper and your dad had to slap your thigh while he pulled the zipper so that the pain in the thigh will distract you from the pain of the zipper.
You know.....things like that.
Some of us would argue that our childhood ends when we hit 15-18 but I gotta tell you that I am still clinging on to my childhood so that I don't totally grow up or outgrow my childhood memories. But back in 2001, I went to see a movie that firmly started my 2nd childhood. That movie was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
I had heard something in the news about these sets of children books and about how it contradicted with religious values. I didn't pay much attention as it was children books.
Then came the movie.
The sight of this skinny, short, shy, tormented, unloved and under valued boy in round rim glasses, just tugged at my heart strings. The story of how he had lost his parents and how abused he was then, displayed a whole new magical world that didn't seem improbably at all. You absolutely could see Diagon Alley and Hogwarts in real life. Right??? This new magical world brought back many childhood fantasies involving me having magical powers and saving the world and impressing my first crush. Who among us have not fantasized about having magical powers, raise your hands? I thought so.
Immediately after the movie, I bought the first 4 books and spent every night reading this marvellous adventure Harry and friends were on. I couldn't put it down and it just took me deeper into my imagination as I fantasized about being one of their friends, being an 11 year old, protecting Harry, playing Quidditch with him and kicking Draco's ass. How deliciously evil was Lucius Malfoy? I waited impatiently for the 5th book and every book after that. I talked relentlessly about it with my cousins and fellow admirers. I absolutely fell in love with this magical world.
While I would argue that the quality of each movie after that kinda deteriorated, the magic did not. I cried when Sirius died, when Dobby died, I cried when he first saw his parents at the mirror of Erised. The last scene when so many loved ones died. Felt warm when he realized how he belonged to Hogwarts and cheered when the tormented, unloved boy, became a hero in his first Quidditch match.
My favourite character was of course Harry. Ron provided some comic relief with his "Bloody Hell" and his scared version of "Harry...." when spiders appeared. But Hermione also got my attention. She is the only full Muggle to be called to Hogwarts, after Harry's mom, as far as the characters go. Snape in the end was also very noble, brave and loyal to his love. Though I know it's just a character, I also felt that Snape was very petty, giving in to his petty jealousy of James Potter by treating Harry very badly. Dumbledore frustrated me as he could have told Harry everything and thus protected him more....silly old geezer. I am also very reassured by the calm and coldness of Professor McGonagal.
So when Deathly Hallows finally came out, it presented with a dilemma to me. While I wanted to know how it ends, I also didn't want it to end. At the movie, I was quietly willing it to last as long as it could. When I walked out of the cinema, I couldn't help feeling a certain emptiness, like you have lost a best friend. A best friend that kept you company for the last 10 years, drawing out every emotion and whisking it together so that you have a combination of feelings, emotions and mind boggling, synapses inducing creatures in a world that appeals to the child and adult in everyone alike.
The 3 main cast played their parts to perfection. JK Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and all the other cast, there are not enough superlatives to express my feelings and gratitude. So I will just say Thanks, May the Force Be With You and Live Long and Prosper.
Thanks for my 2nd childhood. EXPELLIARMUS!!
You know.....things like that.
Some of us would argue that our childhood ends when we hit 15-18 but I gotta tell you that I am still clinging on to my childhood so that I don't totally grow up or outgrow my childhood memories. But back in 2001, I went to see a movie that firmly started my 2nd childhood. That movie was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
I had heard something in the news about these sets of children books and about how it contradicted with religious values. I didn't pay much attention as it was children books.
Then came the movie.
The sight of this skinny, short, shy, tormented, unloved and under valued boy in round rim glasses, just tugged at my heart strings. The story of how he had lost his parents and how abused he was then, displayed a whole new magical world that didn't seem improbably at all. You absolutely could see Diagon Alley and Hogwarts in real life. Right??? This new magical world brought back many childhood fantasies involving me having magical powers and saving the world and impressing my first crush. Who among us have not fantasized about having magical powers, raise your hands? I thought so.
Immediately after the movie, I bought the first 4 books and spent every night reading this marvellous adventure Harry and friends were on. I couldn't put it down and it just took me deeper into my imagination as I fantasized about being one of their friends, being an 11 year old, protecting Harry, playing Quidditch with him and kicking Draco's ass. How deliciously evil was Lucius Malfoy? I waited impatiently for the 5th book and every book after that. I talked relentlessly about it with my cousins and fellow admirers. I absolutely fell in love with this magical world.
While I would argue that the quality of each movie after that kinda deteriorated, the magic did not. I cried when Sirius died, when Dobby died, I cried when he first saw his parents at the mirror of Erised. The last scene when so many loved ones died. Felt warm when he realized how he belonged to Hogwarts and cheered when the tormented, unloved boy, became a hero in his first Quidditch match.
My favourite character was of course Harry. Ron provided some comic relief with his "Bloody Hell" and his scared version of "Harry...." when spiders appeared. But Hermione also got my attention. She is the only full Muggle to be called to Hogwarts, after Harry's mom, as far as the characters go. Snape in the end was also very noble, brave and loyal to his love. Though I know it's just a character, I also felt that Snape was very petty, giving in to his petty jealousy of James Potter by treating Harry very badly. Dumbledore frustrated me as he could have told Harry everything and thus protected him more....silly old geezer. I am also very reassured by the calm and coldness of Professor McGonagal.
So when Deathly Hallows finally came out, it presented with a dilemma to me. While I wanted to know how it ends, I also didn't want it to end. At the movie, I was quietly willing it to last as long as it could. When I walked out of the cinema, I couldn't help feeling a certain emptiness, like you have lost a best friend. A best friend that kept you company for the last 10 years, drawing out every emotion and whisking it together so that you have a combination of feelings, emotions and mind boggling, synapses inducing creatures in a world that appeals to the child and adult in everyone alike.
The 3 main cast played their parts to perfection. JK Rowling, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and all the other cast, there are not enough superlatives to express my feelings and gratitude. So I will just say Thanks, May the Force Be With You and Live Long and Prosper.
Thanks for my 2nd childhood. EXPELLIARMUS!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Difference between culture and race
Now many people use these 2 terms interchangeably. They don't mean the same thing at all. For example I am one of the very many few individuals in this earth that is both Indian and Chinese by race. So by Malaysian law, I am listed as Indian because my father was an Indian and our Government despite being independent for 50 years still insists on race segregation and therefore require us to have a race but didn't have the foresight for people with dual races. That is one of the ways to maintain control.
Screw that shit for a while....I wanted to discuss culture and race.
So you would think that being of both of the oldest and established civilizations in the history of the world would render having "culture" up the wazoo! Well unfortunately I only adopt a part of the Indian and Chinese culture. Mainly in our cultural celebrations. Being a Christian, I don't celebrate religious holidays like Diwali or Wesak or Thaipusam. I do celebrate Chinese New Year which is a cultural holiday. And due to the vast cultural and ethnic diversity in India, we are confused as to when is the Indian new year.
Even though I am of both races, there are many things culturally, I won't be accustomed to. For example, my culture is now Malaysian where we visit people of different race and religion during the holidays. Only the current government thinks we don't and would like to keep it that way. Divide and conquer.
If you are in India or China, that doesn't happen very much. People still stick to their own. Here is a list of "cultural" things people do in China and India where I wouldn't be caught dead doing.
1. Spitting wantonly.
When you walk in China, you have to be careful not to step on spit! People, young, old, frail, strong, female, male, foetus will just spit wherever they want, whenever they want. Spittle may consist of phlegm or just spit bubbles. Sometimes different colours as dependant on what was eaten by the spitter.
2. Kids urinating wantonly.
Kids with well dressed parents, will pee wherever they want. This includes on the pavement, in front of luxury malls, in front of your shoes, in front of your office, anywhere but the urinal. Even when they are in the toilet, they will pee anywhere. Small puddles of water on the pedestrian pavement may be some kid's pee. No disposition whatsoever. Need to go, stop, pull down pants and pee. Thank goodness this is restricted to kids. Adults will pee behind buildings, parking lots, quiet lanes.
3. Taking a dump like a farm animal
Why I am comparing to farm animals is because I haven't seen other animals take a dump. There is a saying in China, if you need to find the toilet, just follow the smell. While most of Beijing was cleaned up for the 2008 Olympics, it's only at the Central Business District. I went into one of the toilets and it looked as if someone's ass exploded!! Crap was EVERYWHERE!!! I had to stand in front and pee in.
4. Everyone can see you when you pee
I am not sure about this but for some reason, the toilet doors are designed in such a way that when men pee, people outside can see you. I am at loss of words here.
5. The cow is sacred
Now I am not one to diss anyone's religion but there has to be a line drawn to how much we want to respect the cow. If she sits on the highway, all traffic comes to a stand still.
"Your honour, I am sorry I am 2 hours late. Her most holiness "A-Random-Cow" was taking a nap."
6. Movies are too DAMN long
Indians need two things in life. Cricket and Bollywood movies. I don't understand both. How do you have a game that can go on for days?!?!?!
Mother: Where have you been? You have been away for 5 days!! Not a call or a tweet!
Son: Cricket game. India beat Pakistan
Mother: Oh praise the Random Cow. Then it's alright. Have you eaten?
Movies are just as bad. Not only it's long, it's not realistic. How often do you see whole villages or random crowd just break into the same song and same dance steps? Also where is the music coming from??? Notice also after all the fighting, there is no blood and not even a bruise....I can't figure this out.
7. Diarrhea
Some people get offended by this. But you gotta admit, 9 out of 10 tourist get this. In fact we are told not to drink the tap water or even use it to rinse or brush your teeth. We have to use bottled water and I am too afraid to ask where that came from.
8. There is shit smell everywhere
I don't know if cow dung is sacred but you can smell it almost anywhere. So much that it's part of the environment.....like fresh air.
I know I am going to get a lot of rebuke from this but you know it's true. While I am still very proud of my race, it doesn't mean I have to follow everything in its culture. I am first a Malaysian by birth and by culture, then Chindian.
Suck on that!
Screw that shit for a while....I wanted to discuss culture and race.
So you would think that being of both of the oldest and established civilizations in the history of the world would render having "culture" up the wazoo! Well unfortunately I only adopt a part of the Indian and Chinese culture. Mainly in our cultural celebrations. Being a Christian, I don't celebrate religious holidays like Diwali or Wesak or Thaipusam. I do celebrate Chinese New Year which is a cultural holiday. And due to the vast cultural and ethnic diversity in India, we are confused as to when is the Indian new year.
Even though I am of both races, there are many things culturally, I won't be accustomed to. For example, my culture is now Malaysian where we visit people of different race and religion during the holidays. Only the current government thinks we don't and would like to keep it that way. Divide and conquer.
If you are in India or China, that doesn't happen very much. People still stick to their own. Here is a list of "cultural" things people do in China and India where I wouldn't be caught dead doing.
1. Spitting wantonly.
When you walk in China, you have to be careful not to step on spit! People, young, old, frail, strong, female, male, foetus will just spit wherever they want, whenever they want. Spittle may consist of phlegm or just spit bubbles. Sometimes different colours as dependant on what was eaten by the spitter.
2. Kids urinating wantonly.
Kids with well dressed parents, will pee wherever they want. This includes on the pavement, in front of luxury malls, in front of your shoes, in front of your office, anywhere but the urinal. Even when they are in the toilet, they will pee anywhere. Small puddles of water on the pedestrian pavement may be some kid's pee. No disposition whatsoever. Need to go, stop, pull down pants and pee. Thank goodness this is restricted to kids. Adults will pee behind buildings, parking lots, quiet lanes.
3. Taking a dump like a farm animal
Why I am comparing to farm animals is because I haven't seen other animals take a dump. There is a saying in China, if you need to find the toilet, just follow the smell. While most of Beijing was cleaned up for the 2008 Olympics, it's only at the Central Business District. I went into one of the toilets and it looked as if someone's ass exploded!! Crap was EVERYWHERE!!! I had to stand in front and pee in.
4. Everyone can see you when you pee
I am not sure about this but for some reason, the toilet doors are designed in such a way that when men pee, people outside can see you. I am at loss of words here.
5. The cow is sacred
Now I am not one to diss anyone's religion but there has to be a line drawn to how much we want to respect the cow. If she sits on the highway, all traffic comes to a stand still.
"Your honour, I am sorry I am 2 hours late. Her most holiness "A-Random-Cow" was taking a nap."
6. Movies are too DAMN long
Indians need two things in life. Cricket and Bollywood movies. I don't understand both. How do you have a game that can go on for days?!?!?!
Mother: Where have you been? You have been away for 5 days!! Not a call or a tweet!
Son: Cricket game. India beat Pakistan
Mother: Oh praise the Random Cow. Then it's alright. Have you eaten?
Movies are just as bad. Not only it's long, it's not realistic. How often do you see whole villages or random crowd just break into the same song and same dance steps? Also where is the music coming from??? Notice also after all the fighting, there is no blood and not even a bruise....I can't figure this out.
7. Diarrhea
Some people get offended by this. But you gotta admit, 9 out of 10 tourist get this. In fact we are told not to drink the tap water or even use it to rinse or brush your teeth. We have to use bottled water and I am too afraid to ask where that came from.
8. There is shit smell everywhere
I don't know if cow dung is sacred but you can smell it almost anywhere. So much that it's part of the environment.....like fresh air.
I know I am going to get a lot of rebuke from this but you know it's true. While I am still very proud of my race, it doesn't mean I have to follow everything in its culture. I am first a Malaysian by birth and by culture, then Chindian.
Suck on that!
The importance of your racial beginnings....really?
It has been a while since I blogged. No excuses, just lazy....so much to catch up on.
One of the many things I find that the human race is obsessed with is race. Which ethnicity they are from, who, they can marry and whom they can be friend with. I guess in Western civilization, it is not as apparent. If you go to Europe or the US, they assimilate pretty well. You can't really tell where they are from...I mean you can make an educated guess but it is of no real significance.
In Asia and Africa, we place so much importance to the ethnicity of fellow humans to the point of murder. If you marry out of your race, most parents will disown you as will the families ir even maim you. I have cousins and uncles who inter-marry and go through hell. Heck I witnessed it first hand. My mom went through some major mental torture when she first got married but her experience enabled our family to be more open to other races.
Having said that, I am not saying that we shouldn't care where we originated from. We should be proud of our race and help spread the understanding of our own culture and inner ticking of our race to others. I am extremely proud to be both Indian and Chinese. I am a product of the 2 oldest civilizations, culture and largest population today. How can I not be proud.
But I am a racist as I would prefer my children not to marry people who are too obsessed with their race. Indian, Punjabi and Malays are extremely against inter culture marriages. For Malays, the in-laws have to convert for fear of diluting the Islam religion. Which by the way is the fastest growing religion. If you have faith, why the insecurity of your religion being diluted?? I don't get that part. Chinese folks just think they are better than everyone. Indians and Punjabi are afraid that there won't be enough of their race in the country.
Sigh......
In short, I have been made a racist by society because they want to be their own so much, it doesn't leave a place for us multi culture folks. What a bunch of multi culture bullshit. However, you can't keep a good idea down as I see many inter marriage kids these days and there will be more to come. I think you should be a racist and shouldn't marry out of your race....which is the human race.
One of the many things I find that the human race is obsessed with is race. Which ethnicity they are from, who, they can marry and whom they can be friend with. I guess in Western civilization, it is not as apparent. If you go to Europe or the US, they assimilate pretty well. You can't really tell where they are from...I mean you can make an educated guess but it is of no real significance.
In Asia and Africa, we place so much importance to the ethnicity of fellow humans to the point of murder. If you marry out of your race, most parents will disown you as will the families ir even maim you. I have cousins and uncles who inter-marry and go through hell. Heck I witnessed it first hand. My mom went through some major mental torture when she first got married but her experience enabled our family to be more open to other races.
Having said that, I am not saying that we shouldn't care where we originated from. We should be proud of our race and help spread the understanding of our own culture and inner ticking of our race to others. I am extremely proud to be both Indian and Chinese. I am a product of the 2 oldest civilizations, culture and largest population today. How can I not be proud.
But I am a racist as I would prefer my children not to marry people who are too obsessed with their race. Indian, Punjabi and Malays are extremely against inter culture marriages. For Malays, the in-laws have to convert for fear of diluting the Islam religion. Which by the way is the fastest growing religion. If you have faith, why the insecurity of your religion being diluted?? I don't get that part. Chinese folks just think they are better than everyone. Indians and Punjabi are afraid that there won't be enough of their race in the country.
Sigh......
In short, I have been made a racist by society because they want to be their own so much, it doesn't leave a place for us multi culture folks. What a bunch of multi culture bullshit. However, you can't keep a good idea down as I see many inter marriage kids these days and there will be more to come. I think you should be a racist and shouldn't marry out of your race....which is the human race.
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