Of all the things i miss most in this world of mine, nothing can surpass the rindu i have of having parents.
I am part of a sizeable group of anak yatim piatu who have lost both their parents at an early age. It really is quite sad to think of all the orphans living in this world today that depends so much on the guidance and belah kasihan of the adult among them, be it their guardian, uncle, aunty, etc.
From experience i can say that the compassion shown towards these orphans are truly genuine albeit for a period of time only. time as they say heals and soon the feeling of saddness and absence is soon filled with the daunting responsibility of everyday lives.
No one can blame individuals who could not afford to spend a little time to be compassionate towards these orphans because probably their plate are full already. In all honesty, people dont need the extra burden of somebody else when what they have is too much for them to cope as it is. After all, why make someone else's problem your own?
i read recently in a motivational book that truly inspired me. it says :
"To achieve all the things you want in life, you must first help enough people achieve what they want in their life."
So here i am today trying to preach to anyone who cares to read this blog, to pls take some time and donate to orphans, be it in material form or just a doa.
I will soon start a charity aimed at helping young or unfortunate mothers with infants because nothing is more cruel or depressing to hear than a mother abandoning her own child due to lack of moral or money.
It is really moving to learn that some mothers could not breast feed their baby and have to resort to giving only plain water.
Everyday for the past week i am reminded of this truly devastating predicament as published in various tabloids how parents compromise the safety and well being of their infants due to the nation's rising economic crisis.
i leave u now with some food for thought in hope we can make a difference with just a little bit of change in our indifference.
http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Bayiditinggaldalampondok/Article/index_html
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
A somebody
Don't let the demon inside you,
lead you to believe that you are a nobody.
So long as you THINK about being a nobody, you are actually somebody.
Because the act of thinking itself is necessary to make you something.
Since you are something, then you obviously exist,
which then makes you not a nobody, but a somebody.
Je pense, donc je suis ( i am thinking, therefore i exist). Rene Descartes, 1637.
Its time for us, Malaysian, to actually stand up and be counted. it's no use just being a somebody and not contribute to the nation, you might as well be a nobody or in other words, you might as well be dead.
I am guilty for not voicing out my thoughts, as we have the right to, with regards to many blatant corruption of our legal and administrative system, and i believe many of you are too.
There are many ways, of course, to voice your opinion, one of which is through the modern medium of communication such as facebook and blogs. It's very polite and non intrusive to hide behind the comfort of a monitor and lash out statements to people. The receiver of such lashing will of course feel the heat but wont be uncomfortable enough to actually be bother to change their opinion.
To actually make an effect, we should all wear red shirts and run riot in the city streets like in Bangkok.
I admire their determination to uphold their civil rights and i envy the way the group seems to be closely knitted with a parallel focus not unlike a Muslim brotherhood.
We Malaysians though, sad to say, will find it tough to emulate our neighbours simply because their unity is cast in concrete with identical skin color and equal hatred for the same enemy.
We are too diversified. Too varied. Too much apart in fact that the government is trying their best to unite us under the 1Malaysia program.
If the program succeeds, then maybe, just maybe, we can all unite in red shirts and run riot in the city to voice our displeasure. Just like in Thailand. Just like in Indonesia.
That should give them something to think about!
lead you to believe that you are a nobody.
So long as you THINK about being a nobody, you are actually somebody.
Because the act of thinking itself is necessary to make you something.
Since you are something, then you obviously exist,
which then makes you not a nobody, but a somebody.
Je pense, donc je suis ( i am thinking, therefore i exist). Rene Descartes, 1637.
Its time for us, Malaysian, to actually stand up and be counted. it's no use just being a somebody and not contribute to the nation, you might as well be a nobody or in other words, you might as well be dead.
I am guilty for not voicing out my thoughts, as we have the right to, with regards to many blatant corruption of our legal and administrative system, and i believe many of you are too.
There are many ways, of course, to voice your opinion, one of which is through the modern medium of communication such as facebook and blogs. It's very polite and non intrusive to hide behind the comfort of a monitor and lash out statements to people. The receiver of such lashing will of course feel the heat but wont be uncomfortable enough to actually be bother to change their opinion.
To actually make an effect, we should all wear red shirts and run riot in the city streets like in Bangkok.
I admire their determination to uphold their civil rights and i envy the way the group seems to be closely knitted with a parallel focus not unlike a Muslim brotherhood.
We Malaysians though, sad to say, will find it tough to emulate our neighbours simply because their unity is cast in concrete with identical skin color and equal hatred for the same enemy.
We are too diversified. Too varied. Too much apart in fact that the government is trying their best to unite us under the 1Malaysia program.
If the program succeeds, then maybe, just maybe, we can all unite in red shirts and run riot in the city to voice our displeasure. Just like in Thailand. Just like in Indonesia.
That should give them something to think about!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Truth be told
In the good old days, It used to be quite difficult for someone to admit that they are wrong or have done an unforgiven mistake. More and more though nowadays, we see this not to be the case. It started with Tiger Wood's admitting his infidelity "live" across all states in the US and over all satellite stations around the globe. Then it was the turn of the famous movie director Jack Neo from the Singabore with his sobbing press conference.
Its seems too easy to admit to mistakes nowadays and get away with it. All you have to do is admit you're wrong, get fined, and move on. of course there are the after effects such as the humility, the lost sponsorships etc. But it cant compare to the pain of living with your lie, alone and with no closure.
Even more than just mistakes being admitted and blown out of proportions for the public to scrutinize, the most epidemic of all admission is that of being gay.
Since when was it ok for a Malaysian man to admit his homosexuality in public with pride and without fear of being beaten up by their own parents? I don't recall there ever was a change in our country's policy and law providing for homosexuality or rather any place for them in our society.
Why is it then, that there are so many gays that have come out recently and have taken their rightful place among us normal beings? it seems that the vast number of gay people that have suddenly invaded our population has made us somewhat ignorant to their presence and slowly but surely have made this new concept of co-existence acceptable to the most hard core traditionalist.
I blame our local celebrities for this new epidemic. They have more gays than you can shake a stick at.
It was always accepted that the makeup artist for our actors and actresses would be a bapok, or pondan or mak nyah. Nobody frowned upon them because they feel these are human beings after all and how they choose to potray their image is totally up to them. In fact some people would even go as far as saying they have a condition or a suffering that is beyond their own psychological control. A sickness in other words.
Then came those popular "patah" celebs that would appear almost everyday on popular TV shows and instilled dreams to would be softies all over the country to become the next "patah" celeb.
i'm talking about famous people, like Najip Ali of Asia Bagus, Aznil Nawawi of Akademi fantasia, the loud mouth Azwan Ali brother to Anwar Ibrahim's ex Secretary Azmin Ali (see the relationship?), the list goes on..
I especially have a strong uneasy feeling towards those handsome boy actors who are heart throbs and yet are still confused with their preference. i mean after all those choice of groupies and female fans they still go for guys..
I saw a show recently on tv where the hosts Fara Fauzana and Nana AF1 ask the guest Que Haidar to comment about stories of him being gay. It was so funny to see him froze then turn red and walk off the stage furious. the two host were trying their best to cover up the incident but it was obvious they asked the wrong question. it made me wonder if the answer they were expecting was a different one. I'm sure they didn't expect que haidar to react defensively.
Another common trend in the celeb world is gay friends as chaperons. I always seem to bump into actresses and singers who lepak in kedai mamak or go shopping with their gay companions seemingly trying to avoid gossips or evil rumors of their love life.
Some even go to the extend of confessing their love or admitting to having a "relationship" with these gays so that they can escape gossip, especially those that just came out of a messy paparazzi filled main news inter celeb breakups.
Like Scha Al yahya and Awal for example.
Above all, the metropolitan culture we are all adapting to more and more, have become an unhealthy habit and should be an indication for us to ponder the wisdom and teachings of our forefathers.
I am not an angel and probably never will be, but i know whats natural and what isn't.
So before we start to turn a blind eye on all this, maybe we really should wear our hearts on our sleeves and tell it as it is.
Its seems too easy to admit to mistakes nowadays and get away with it. All you have to do is admit you're wrong, get fined, and move on. of course there are the after effects such as the humility, the lost sponsorships etc. But it cant compare to the pain of living with your lie, alone and with no closure.
Even more than just mistakes being admitted and blown out of proportions for the public to scrutinize, the most epidemic of all admission is that of being gay.
Since when was it ok for a Malaysian man to admit his homosexuality in public with pride and without fear of being beaten up by their own parents? I don't recall there ever was a change in our country's policy and law providing for homosexuality or rather any place for them in our society.
Why is it then, that there are so many gays that have come out recently and have taken their rightful place among us normal beings? it seems that the vast number of gay people that have suddenly invaded our population has made us somewhat ignorant to their presence and slowly but surely have made this new concept of co-existence acceptable to the most hard core traditionalist.
I blame our local celebrities for this new epidemic. They have more gays than you can shake a stick at.
It was always accepted that the makeup artist for our actors and actresses would be a bapok, or pondan or mak nyah. Nobody frowned upon them because they feel these are human beings after all and how they choose to potray their image is totally up to them. In fact some people would even go as far as saying they have a condition or a suffering that is beyond their own psychological control. A sickness in other words.
Then came those popular "patah" celebs that would appear almost everyday on popular TV shows and instilled dreams to would be softies all over the country to become the next "patah" celeb.
i'm talking about famous people, like Najip Ali of Asia Bagus, Aznil Nawawi of Akademi fantasia, the loud mouth Azwan Ali brother to Anwar Ibrahim's ex Secretary Azmin Ali (see the relationship?), the list goes on..
I especially have a strong uneasy feeling towards those handsome boy actors who are heart throbs and yet are still confused with their preference. i mean after all those choice of groupies and female fans they still go for guys..
I saw a show recently on tv where the hosts Fara Fauzana and Nana AF1 ask the guest Que Haidar to comment about stories of him being gay. It was so funny to see him froze then turn red and walk off the stage furious. the two host were trying their best to cover up the incident but it was obvious they asked the wrong question. it made me wonder if the answer they were expecting was a different one. I'm sure they didn't expect que haidar to react defensively.
Another common trend in the celeb world is gay friends as chaperons. I always seem to bump into actresses and singers who lepak in kedai mamak or go shopping with their gay companions seemingly trying to avoid gossips or evil rumors of their love life.
Some even go to the extend of confessing their love or admitting to having a "relationship" with these gays so that they can escape gossip, especially those that just came out of a messy paparazzi filled main news inter celeb breakups.
Like Scha Al yahya and Awal for example.
Above all, the metropolitan culture we are all adapting to more and more, have become an unhealthy habit and should be an indication for us to ponder the wisdom and teachings of our forefathers.
I am not an angel and probably never will be, but i know whats natural and what isn't.
So before we start to turn a blind eye on all this, maybe we really should wear our hearts on our sleeves and tell it as it is.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hulu Selangor Political buffet
Variety has spoilt me.
The trend of ever changing design, functions and applications of the uber-generation of mobile phones has kept our desires and excitements in constant alert. It is so difficult nowadays to meet someone with a 2 year old mobile phone. This phenomena is not just an exclusive reserve of the well to do too because even in the lower price spectrum, the turn over of these mobile devices is large enough to prompt most manufacturers to render their year old models obsolete as soon as the color or looks is thought to be outdated.
This trend is normal in the computer universe and most consumers have accepted the fact because more times than not, the replacement models always was better, faster, looks nicer and promised to feature the latest technology.
I must admit here that I too was a sucker for manufacturers and industry insiders promises of a better experience every time.
When it came to mobile phones though, my last Nokia communicator lasted me two scooter accidents, one tantrum spell and almost 3 years of verbal abuse. So when the time came for me to join the millions of well informed and trendy individuals in the blackberry land, it expectedly filled me with a rush of anticipation and anxiety of the forth coming experience of choosing my new much needed communication device.
What follows is a slur of activities which includes constant web browsing, advice seeking, Low Yatt visits, hair pulling and leaning over magazine shelves flipping new mags because the half dozen ones I bought was a month old and so wasn't up to date.
There were so many choices available to me. A cheap one with no functions, an expensive one with too much function, touch screen and a time bomb, a bread n butter model that's plain jane and serves your purpose but tells people that you're so cheap you wont get the best one(kedekut, tahi hidung masin), an older model that's the right price but makes u look untrendy and won't make u attractive to the opposite sex, the list goes on. And on.. And on
It really is a hazardous experience but one that I can truly appreciate because it's such an important decision, that whether you like it or not will not only portray your sexual preferences and style consciousness, but also your ability to stay connected with the world via the various new and legacy communication mediums.
It is totally imperative that you keep up to date with the latest methods of sending your message across and the new available technologies that are bundled in the new phones that will make you look and feel like a proper techno stud.
The variety of choice available is tremendous and befits the consumers' variety of needs and means which dictates ever changing technology and the requisite product replacement.
The same can't be said of the automotive world though because the cars a decade ago don't look or feel much different or, in worse case, drive poorer than the new cars today. In fact if I were to give you 200k today to get yourself new set of wheels, you'll be browsing through motor trader looking for your dream car that was new 6 years ago (which is 3 lifetimes in the mobile phone world). Sometimes, time and experience can be the best judge to tell whether the manufacturer can produce a car that can create a suitable and stress free marriage or not. And other times familiarity breeds content. That's why car buyers can be brand loyal. Trying to charge them a premium for a face-lift for what is essentially the same car is quite difficult though.
So the same rules of constant need for change or upgrading as applied to the world of technology devices doesn't always apply so effectively to everything else as i have shown for the automotive world.
Which brings me to the political buffet we are offered in Malaysia? There seems to be an interesting variety on offer. There are constant promises of change, new trends and radical transformations. Its the first time in a long time we have a proper choice of government.
The latest rounds of promotions and soliciting are gathering like vultures around a dead horse in Hulu Selangor in conjunction with the latest by-election to choose a new member of parliament after the demise of Dato Dr Zainal Ahmad last month.
I was amazed to read the many tweets of various MPs trying their best to report the on goings leading to the naming of the respective candidates of each opposing sides. The funfair surrounding the ceramah was well documented and easily visualized as they explain the hoohahhooray of each party's speakers as they take to the rostrum.
I'm afraid our political leaders are largely missing the point of the by-election, choosing instead to focus on the means and methods of promoting their latest product and offering. But then again, just like choosing your new hand phone, the buying experience is always the best and lasting part for the customers. Like it or not, you still need to choose to make sure you stay connected. Whether the new product is better as promised remains to be seen.
Its about time we took our choice of leadership as seriously as choosing our phones. Product knowledge is important so you can make a decisive and well informed choice.
You'll never know if you've made the right choice or not, or whether your choice will be superseded by something better in the future. Or worse, the other person bet on the right horse and you didn't. Dont fret though, as long as you made a choice, it's good enough, right or wrong, for you to worry about what others have chosen. After all the grass will always look greener on the other side.
So should we treat this leadership buffet as an automotive facelift? or Blackberry's new BoldtourCurve 5 vs iPhonepadpod 3Gss?
Above all, politics is similar to economics. The person (voter) that buy gets what they want, whether they need it or not depends on if its a necessity or a luxury. The product (candidate) must be sold, if not it will expire. The seller (party) is always the one that makes all the money. Everyone can be a winner.
Don't be the loser. Be a smart buyer, not an impulsive one.
The trend of ever changing design, functions and applications of the uber-generation of mobile phones has kept our desires and excitements in constant alert. It is so difficult nowadays to meet someone with a 2 year old mobile phone. This phenomena is not just an exclusive reserve of the well to do too because even in the lower price spectrum, the turn over of these mobile devices is large enough to prompt most manufacturers to render their year old models obsolete as soon as the color or looks is thought to be outdated.
This trend is normal in the computer universe and most consumers have accepted the fact because more times than not, the replacement models always was better, faster, looks nicer and promised to feature the latest technology.
I must admit here that I too was a sucker for manufacturers and industry insiders promises of a better experience every time.
When it came to mobile phones though, my last Nokia communicator lasted me two scooter accidents, one tantrum spell and almost 3 years of verbal abuse. So when the time came for me to join the millions of well informed and trendy individuals in the blackberry land, it expectedly filled me with a rush of anticipation and anxiety of the forth coming experience of choosing my new much needed communication device.
What follows is a slur of activities which includes constant web browsing, advice seeking, Low Yatt visits, hair pulling and leaning over magazine shelves flipping new mags because the half dozen ones I bought was a month old and so wasn't up to date.
There were so many choices available to me. A cheap one with no functions, an expensive one with too much function, touch screen and a time bomb, a bread n butter model that's plain jane and serves your purpose but tells people that you're so cheap you wont get the best one(kedekut, tahi hidung masin), an older model that's the right price but makes u look untrendy and won't make u attractive to the opposite sex, the list goes on. And on.. And on
It really is a hazardous experience but one that I can truly appreciate because it's such an important decision, that whether you like it or not will not only portray your sexual preferences and style consciousness, but also your ability to stay connected with the world via the various new and legacy communication mediums.
It is totally imperative that you keep up to date with the latest methods of sending your message across and the new available technologies that are bundled in the new phones that will make you look and feel like a proper techno stud.
The variety of choice available is tremendous and befits the consumers' variety of needs and means which dictates ever changing technology and the requisite product replacement.
The same can't be said of the automotive world though because the cars a decade ago don't look or feel much different or, in worse case, drive poorer than the new cars today. In fact if I were to give you 200k today to get yourself new set of wheels, you'll be browsing through motor trader looking for your dream car that was new 6 years ago (which is 3 lifetimes in the mobile phone world). Sometimes, time and experience can be the best judge to tell whether the manufacturer can produce a car that can create a suitable and stress free marriage or not. And other times familiarity breeds content. That's why car buyers can be brand loyal. Trying to charge them a premium for a face-lift for what is essentially the same car is quite difficult though.
So the same rules of constant need for change or upgrading as applied to the world of technology devices doesn't always apply so effectively to everything else as i have shown for the automotive world.
Which brings me to the political buffet we are offered in Malaysia? There seems to be an interesting variety on offer. There are constant promises of change, new trends and radical transformations. Its the first time in a long time we have a proper choice of government.
The latest rounds of promotions and soliciting are gathering like vultures around a dead horse in Hulu Selangor in conjunction with the latest by-election to choose a new member of parliament after the demise of Dato Dr Zainal Ahmad last month.
I was amazed to read the many tweets of various MPs trying their best to report the on goings leading to the naming of the respective candidates of each opposing sides. The funfair surrounding the ceramah was well documented and easily visualized as they explain the hoohahhooray of each party's speakers as they take to the rostrum.
I'm afraid our political leaders are largely missing the point of the by-election, choosing instead to focus on the means and methods of promoting their latest product and offering. But then again, just like choosing your new hand phone, the buying experience is always the best and lasting part for the customers. Like it or not, you still need to choose to make sure you stay connected. Whether the new product is better as promised remains to be seen.
Its about time we took our choice of leadership as seriously as choosing our phones. Product knowledge is important so you can make a decisive and well informed choice.
You'll never know if you've made the right choice or not, or whether your choice will be superseded by something better in the future. Or worse, the other person bet on the right horse and you didn't. Dont fret though, as long as you made a choice, it's good enough, right or wrong, for you to worry about what others have chosen. After all the grass will always look greener on the other side.
So should we treat this leadership buffet as an automotive facelift? or Blackberry's new BoldtourCurve 5 vs iPhonepadpod 3Gss?
Above all, politics is similar to economics. The person (voter) that buy gets what they want, whether they need it or not depends on if its a necessity or a luxury. The product (candidate) must be sold, if not it will expire. The seller (party) is always the one that makes all the money. Everyone can be a winner.
Don't be the loser. Be a smart buyer, not an impulsive one.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
How to be a cina
They are many stories about the success of Malaysian in the international arena recently. One of the most interesting read would be the victory of our own shuttler Dato Lee Chong Wei in the prestigious All England championship. What more, the timing of his victory coincided with the centennial celebration of the renowned event. It truly was a momentous occasion that filled our hearts with pride and extreme joy. It’s no wonder he was conferred the dato’ship earlier, for he can truly put our country on the world map. It’s a shame then that he kept on mentioning Penang as his home town and not Malaysia as his country.
I can understand though, because I would be proud of my kampung as well. Marang is the loveliest place in the world and not yet wholly intruded by tourist that would force it’s many holiday spots to charge steep rates. It still is just a fishing town dominated by small to medium enterprises that reeks profits from small number of dwellers that got lost trying to get to Redang or Perhentian island. Most of the businesses operating in the town’s jetty are the local melayu that run a boat service which would take them to the little island of Kapas where holiday goers get to enjoy their sun burn in the comfort of space and little else. It’s quite weird to see if you just came from KL city not least because the local kampong boys are quite actively trying to earn a living, marketing and trading their way around the handful of tourist, a brochure in one hand and hand phone in the other. It’s a sight that would make the Chinese traders in Low Yatt Plaza proud. In fact I was always wondering what the Chinese families of this small place does to earn their keep, not that there are many to begin with.
Ever since I was young, there was a small provision store run by a Chinese family I vividly remember called Mek Leng, on the main street of my kampong. Mek Leng was the lady owner whose name was probably Leng so and so but conveniently called Mek Leng since Mek signifies her to be a puan or lady and Leng her surname. It was part of a wooden row of shop houses facing the kuala. It’s my favourite place when the time came for our family to balik kampong because our pockets are filled with coins and the shop is heaven sent for sweet tooth pre pubescent youth like me and my brother (although not until recently did I discover the shop owner had a beautiful daughter and the reason for my big brother’s constant visits).
That store now has evolved over the years with constant developments done around the jetty and the building of a new mosque, which has forced the relocation of many houses and shops, including my grandparents’ old kampong home. A trip to the new Marang Mini Market today, as it is now called, no longer gave me the same pleasure as it did last time. It’s too similar to the city’s many mini markets and not nearly as authentic as the old. The same family still runs it and their daughter is now married with children of her own. Come to think of it, I don’t think there is any other Chinese family with a mini market in this small town. Maybe they don’t need another one. The town won’t be big enough for two mini markets I guess. But if ever there was another, I wont be surprised if it was run by a branch of the Mek Leng family tree. Its in their genes, trading and marketing. The Chinese first step foot on our shores as traders from the mainland and continued with the tradition until today. It would be very
difficult to find a Chinese that would drastically change the direction of their trade and this has to do mostly with their adherence to family tradition and respect for elders. It’s this legacy that they hold dear and probably the secret to their continued success. After all why fix if it ain’t broke.
In today’s ever changing climate though, many Chinese Malaysian have evolved themselves, a direct result of their variety of diets and the many late night curry binge and teh tarik sessions. Thousands of them are looking at alternative professions that would break them free of the legacy family tradition, a direct result of declining family fortune or business environment, involving themselves as professionals and administrators and sometimes politicians like the Malays too.
This drastic change means that everyone is competing with the Chinese and the Chinese with everyone when it came to fighting for the finite number of opportunities available in Malaysia. Long gone are the days when the Chinese would only have to look at the other Chinese as competitors simply because their arena has now grown out of their traditional field of expertise. With this evolution comes a new set of rules and of course the newly gained skills learned from other’s culture and practices.
The other races too have evolved quietly, just as the Chinese. With it too comes new found skills and under handed strategies. The Malays no longer bound themselves as administrators or fishermen ( there are more successful Chinese fishing boats now) and the Indians are not contented as chetty (money lenders) or rubber tappers. The stereotyping of people according to their race no longer exist in Malaysia so much so that quietly, even though I was laughing about it when it was first mooted, the concept of 1Malaysia actually does make sense, even though I think the perception it’s trying to garner is totally different from what it actually is.
The fact of the matter is, 1Malaysia is not about everyone trying to be Malaysian but rather the Malays, Chinese, Indians and others have evolved so much now that we are too alike for one pot to call another kettle black.
Being a Cina now is the same as being a Malay or Indian. All can sing, all can dance and all can make money, the right way or not.
I can understand though, because I would be proud of my kampung as well. Marang is the loveliest place in the world and not yet wholly intruded by tourist that would force it’s many holiday spots to charge steep rates. It still is just a fishing town dominated by small to medium enterprises that reeks profits from small number of dwellers that got lost trying to get to Redang or Perhentian island. Most of the businesses operating in the town’s jetty are the local melayu that run a boat service which would take them to the little island of Kapas where holiday goers get to enjoy their sun burn in the comfort of space and little else. It’s quite weird to see if you just came from KL city not least because the local kampong boys are quite actively trying to earn a living, marketing and trading their way around the handful of tourist, a brochure in one hand and hand phone in the other. It’s a sight that would make the Chinese traders in Low Yatt Plaza proud. In fact I was always wondering what the Chinese families of this small place does to earn their keep, not that there are many to begin with.
Ever since I was young, there was a small provision store run by a Chinese family I vividly remember called Mek Leng, on the main street of my kampong. Mek Leng was the lady owner whose name was probably Leng so and so but conveniently called Mek Leng since Mek signifies her to be a puan or lady and Leng her surname. It was part of a wooden row of shop houses facing the kuala. It’s my favourite place when the time came for our family to balik kampong because our pockets are filled with coins and the shop is heaven sent for sweet tooth pre pubescent youth like me and my brother (although not until recently did I discover the shop owner had a beautiful daughter and the reason for my big brother’s constant visits).
That store now has evolved over the years with constant developments done around the jetty and the building of a new mosque, which has forced the relocation of many houses and shops, including my grandparents’ old kampong home. A trip to the new Marang Mini Market today, as it is now called, no longer gave me the same pleasure as it did last time. It’s too similar to the city’s many mini markets and not nearly as authentic as the old. The same family still runs it and their daughter is now married with children of her own. Come to think of it, I don’t think there is any other Chinese family with a mini market in this small town. Maybe they don’t need another one. The town won’t be big enough for two mini markets I guess. But if ever there was another, I wont be surprised if it was run by a branch of the Mek Leng family tree. Its in their genes, trading and marketing. The Chinese first step foot on our shores as traders from the mainland and continued with the tradition until today. It would be very
difficult to find a Chinese that would drastically change the direction of their trade and this has to do mostly with their adherence to family tradition and respect for elders. It’s this legacy that they hold dear and probably the secret to their continued success. After all why fix if it ain’t broke.
In today’s ever changing climate though, many Chinese Malaysian have evolved themselves, a direct result of their variety of diets and the many late night curry binge and teh tarik sessions. Thousands of them are looking at alternative professions that would break them free of the legacy family tradition, a direct result of declining family fortune or business environment, involving themselves as professionals and administrators and sometimes politicians like the Malays too.
This drastic change means that everyone is competing with the Chinese and the Chinese with everyone when it came to fighting for the finite number of opportunities available in Malaysia. Long gone are the days when the Chinese would only have to look at the other Chinese as competitors simply because their arena has now grown out of their traditional field of expertise. With this evolution comes a new set of rules and of course the newly gained skills learned from other’s culture and practices.
The other races too have evolved quietly, just as the Chinese. With it too comes new found skills and under handed strategies. The Malays no longer bound themselves as administrators or fishermen ( there are more successful Chinese fishing boats now) and the Indians are not contented as chetty (money lenders) or rubber tappers. The stereotyping of people according to their race no longer exist in Malaysia so much so that quietly, even though I was laughing about it when it was first mooted, the concept of 1Malaysia actually does make sense, even though I think the perception it’s trying to garner is totally different from what it actually is.
The fact of the matter is, 1Malaysia is not about everyone trying to be Malaysian but rather the Malays, Chinese, Indians and others have evolved so much now that we are too alike for one pot to call another kettle black.
Being a Cina now is the same as being a Malay or Indian. All can sing, all can dance and all can make money, the right way or not.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Who you know, not what you know
My elder brother used to say that Malaysia is the most regulated country in the world where you can get away with anything. Being the heavy weight financial investor that he is, he was of course talking about our KLSE. It's the only place, he would say, that would purposely make it so difficult for you to list your company on the stock market and yet at the same time allow back door listing via a reverse take over. It is when faced with difficult prospects like this that Malaysian get ingenious and start to take advantage of the most known asset we have, which is, "who you know more than what you know".
Talking about being ingenious, i read recently in the newspaper that our political leaders, when addressing the need for the country to be matured, are calling for the development of towering youths, by investing more effort and time in building a more pronounced Modal Insan or Human capital. A lot of money is being poured into programmes that encourage the youth to be better at what they do, teaching them more new things, basically preparing them to make more money so they can spend more domestically to beef up the local economy.
In fact, the government is embarking on a latest initiative to get all students in rural area to be computer literate by giving away netbooks to students in Terengganu. A very nobel gesture, i must say, for not everyone can afford to get connected to the world wide web, let alone buy a PC. And now, thanks to the smart people, going to the internet cafe is a difficult as booting up the netbook on your lap.
Soon, all the people in T'ganu will be connected and this will turn it into a small place. Economy will boom and young upstarts will have new internet based businesses that will rake them millions. In fact, i believe it's already starting..
The universities in the east coast are mushrooming with internet based businesses as we speak. Just last week, a student from one of the varsity was quoted as saying sex toys are readily available as long as you know what you want and be willing to pay the asking price. Amrie Amanah, a graduate from a university in T'ganu claimed sex gadgets are bought from Thailand and stored in a house in Gong Badok. All you need is an email and they'll mail it to you. Or if you are brave enough, they can be hand delivered by one of the seniors in school.
The thing is though, they are never too contented with small money, these youngsters, are they? Soon enough after the sex toys, they started with prostitution, gambling and back door listings and now it has bloomed into a full fledged sex trade worthy of putting a brand name.
These clandestine operators are brilliant, so good in fact that the university and the authorities have no idea who they are, only that they are students of the varsity. It even prompted Khaled Nordin, the higher education minister, to issue a statement to all students to turn them to whistle blowers and give up the names of the perpetrators! If i was a student, i don't think i would, but then again, maybe some people are just not that interested in sex.
If i was the perpetrator though, i won't worry as much because it's up to the university authorities to decide whether to punish or hand me over to the police. (today's Star page N12)
The sex trade is probably the oldest trade in the world, so it's no surprise that it's present in T'ganu even though its one of the most pious state with the most stringent Islamic views on law in Malaysia. What surprises me more than anything is that its been going on in the varsities for more than two years without anyone catching wind. Or maybe the law does know about it but they are just closing one eye? Its such an established operation now and the ingeniousness of the varsity students has led it to be profitable enough for the cake to be shared by many, law makers and lecturers included probably. Again, its who you know, not what you know i suppose. Or maybe a bit of both.
Talking about being ingenious, i read recently in the newspaper that our political leaders, when addressing the need for the country to be matured, are calling for the development of towering youths, by investing more effort and time in building a more pronounced Modal Insan or Human capital. A lot of money is being poured into programmes that encourage the youth to be better at what they do, teaching them more new things, basically preparing them to make more money so they can spend more domestically to beef up the local economy.
In fact, the government is embarking on a latest initiative to get all students in rural area to be computer literate by giving away netbooks to students in Terengganu. A very nobel gesture, i must say, for not everyone can afford to get connected to the world wide web, let alone buy a PC. And now, thanks to the smart people, going to the internet cafe is a difficult as booting up the netbook on your lap.
Soon, all the people in T'ganu will be connected and this will turn it into a small place. Economy will boom and young upstarts will have new internet based businesses that will rake them millions. In fact, i believe it's already starting..
The universities in the east coast are mushrooming with internet based businesses as we speak. Just last week, a student from one of the varsity was quoted as saying sex toys are readily available as long as you know what you want and be willing to pay the asking price. Amrie Amanah, a graduate from a university in T'ganu claimed sex gadgets are bought from Thailand and stored in a house in Gong Badok. All you need is an email and they'll mail it to you. Or if you are brave enough, they can be hand delivered by one of the seniors in school.
The thing is though, they are never too contented with small money, these youngsters, are they? Soon enough after the sex toys, they started with prostitution, gambling and back door listings and now it has bloomed into a full fledged sex trade worthy of putting a brand name.
These clandestine operators are brilliant, so good in fact that the university and the authorities have no idea who they are, only that they are students of the varsity. It even prompted Khaled Nordin, the higher education minister, to issue a statement to all students to turn them to whistle blowers and give up the names of the perpetrators! If i was a student, i don't think i would, but then again, maybe some people are just not that interested in sex.
If i was the perpetrator though, i won't worry as much because it's up to the university authorities to decide whether to punish or hand me over to the police. (today's Star page N12)
The sex trade is probably the oldest trade in the world, so it's no surprise that it's present in T'ganu even though its one of the most pious state with the most stringent Islamic views on law in Malaysia. What surprises me more than anything is that its been going on in the varsities for more than two years without anyone catching wind. Or maybe the law does know about it but they are just closing one eye? Its such an established operation now and the ingeniousness of the varsity students has led it to be profitable enough for the cake to be shared by many, law makers and lecturers included probably. Again, its who you know, not what you know i suppose. Or maybe a bit of both.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
DOK SOH LAH
"dok soh lah" is in Terengganu dialect, that roughly translates to "tak payah lah" in bahasa Melayu or "you dont need to" or rather "why bother yourself" is a clear example of how our words describe our attitude and to some extend our culture. In the east coast state of Terengganu where my parents were both born, raised and call their kampong, people are often heard murmuring these words that are passed as something resembling words of wisdom or sound advise. "dok soh lah" they would say. You think aloud your intentions of moving out of the kampong filled with rich promises of a better lifestyle.. "dok soh lah, sini pong dok abih lagi" comes the sound advice from someone who tried, failed and now contented to spend his final kampong living days with urban facilities.
Lucky for me, my parents were quite adventurous when it came to travelling and as soon as they had the opportunity, left the fisherman village to join the hustle and bustle of city living where they stayed, work, had children and eventually died. If not for their determination and dexterity, i too would be breathing fresh sea breezes in my childhood life and grow up to be as cool and relaxed as a beach boy.
In fact, all the people in terengganu to me are as cool as a cucumber and as relaxed as our local express bus driver on his midnight run. Slow is a word often used describing people from the east coast but not to explain their wits, no not by a mile. They are the most cunning of all malays ( look at all the malay car dealers around kl) and possibly the most enterprising what with their authenthic Malaysian cuisine (kerepok lekor, nasi dagang, ikan singgang) and games (gasing, wau). What i mean by slow though is the pace they carry themselves by. So slow that lounging seems to be their favourite past time. The monsoon does play its part too, since they mostly are fishermen by trade and so the strong winds and giant waves makes them redundant and their days empty. At these times the only thing worth doing seems to be gathering around the kedai kopi and enjoying light banter (mengumpat) with friends and foe alike.
Its natural then, when a person suggest something drastically out of the ordinary and a little too physically taxing for them when in a relaxed mode, for the answer to be positively negative and unenthusiastic in a way that would be met with a heavy sigh.. "dok soh lah" they would say.
Which neatly brings me to the title of my blog, an idea i was playing with for quite some time and always, when the suggestion came out from me, was met with mixed response. Some, like my close friends who just loves to see me make a fool of myself, would give great advice and push. Others, like my relative from the east coast, would ponder, ask me what a blog is and if they can buy it from the shop to read what i've written, would just squint one eye, cross their hands around their heads, fall back down the kerusi malas and mutter in a totally cool fashion the words i should have known was coming anyways...
"dok soh lah..."
-AFY-
Lucky for me, my parents were quite adventurous when it came to travelling and as soon as they had the opportunity, left the fisherman village to join the hustle and bustle of city living where they stayed, work, had children and eventually died. If not for their determination and dexterity, i too would be breathing fresh sea breezes in my childhood life and grow up to be as cool and relaxed as a beach boy.
In fact, all the people in terengganu to me are as cool as a cucumber and as relaxed as our local express bus driver on his midnight run. Slow is a word often used describing people from the east coast but not to explain their wits, no not by a mile. They are the most cunning of all malays ( look at all the malay car dealers around kl) and possibly the most enterprising what with their authenthic Malaysian cuisine (kerepok lekor, nasi dagang, ikan singgang) and games (gasing, wau). What i mean by slow though is the pace they carry themselves by. So slow that lounging seems to be their favourite past time. The monsoon does play its part too, since they mostly are fishermen by trade and so the strong winds and giant waves makes them redundant and their days empty. At these times the only thing worth doing seems to be gathering around the kedai kopi and enjoying light banter (mengumpat) with friends and foe alike.
Its natural then, when a person suggest something drastically out of the ordinary and a little too physically taxing for them when in a relaxed mode, for the answer to be positively negative and unenthusiastic in a way that would be met with a heavy sigh.. "dok soh lah" they would say.
Which neatly brings me to the title of my blog, an idea i was playing with for quite some time and always, when the suggestion came out from me, was met with mixed response. Some, like my close friends who just loves to see me make a fool of myself, would give great advice and push. Others, like my relative from the east coast, would ponder, ask me what a blog is and if they can buy it from the shop to read what i've written, would just squint one eye, cross their hands around their heads, fall back down the kerusi malas and mutter in a totally cool fashion the words i should have known was coming anyways...
"dok soh lah..."
-AFY-
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