I've been hearing a lot about "How to Vote" or "How to Choose Your MP" in the run-up to the coming general elections on 8 March.
My stand is that we have no choice but to vote based on the party, not the candidate. This is the unfortunate state of affairs in Malaysian politics. The system is like that. There is no room for independent voice in the parties. MPs are all subservient to their party leaders. They are nominated by party leaders, not by the people. So if you want your MP to speak out against the establishment, it has to be an Opposition MP. Forget about open debates a la US Presidential election campaigns. This is not Obama vs Clinton. This is BN vs Opposition.
Even if you vote a "good guy" into the BN, he/she still has to follow the party stand. So, if you like BN, then vote for a BN candidate. But if you don't like BN, then vote for an Opposition candidate. (But please don't do a sissy thing such as casting a spoilt vote.) I do not believe there's any hope for a "good guy" to make a change from within BN -- just look at people like Loh Seng Kok or Shahrir Abd Samad or Bernard Dompok or K Devamany. They speak out a little bit too much and *Wham!* they get clobbered back into their little pigeonhole. They are totally constrained by the system.
Sure, some of you will say that the Malaysian way is to resolve issues quietly and behind closed doors. But I also know that a lot of corruption and monkey business goes on behind closed doors.
Another major problem with the Malaysian political system is that too many voters judge an MP's performance based on minor and trivial matters like fixing broken street lights or clearing clogged drains. For goodness' sake, that is the job of a municipal councillor, not a Member of Parliament. This problem is compounded because some MPs or state assemblymen are also appointed as municipal councillors.
But I certainly expect an MP to operate at a higher level, not bogged down by local issues. An MP should be debating national and international issues like global warming, or human rights, or religious freedom, or education policy, or foreign investment, or global competitiveness, or free trade, or oil prices, etc. Instead, the MPs spend their time picking up litter, cutting ribbons, giving boring speeches and toeing the line. Sure, they "serve the people", but this is not the type of service I'm looking for.
The Malaysian political system is not perfect. In fact, it kinda sucks. So until such time as the system changes, voting a parliamentary candidate based on his "performance" will not make much difference. It's time to vote the party.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
CNY 2008
This is a bit late, but at least it's still before Chap Goh Meh. I don't have the energy nor time to ramble like last year's CNY. So I shall let the pictures do the talking.
OK, maybe some short notes will suffice...
1. Traffic back to Ipoh was good on Wednesday. It was like normal, 110 km/h all the way.
2. No captainball this year. Instead we had rounders. My team lost, despite me hitting two *ahem* home runs.
3. Didn't climb Keledang Hill this time. No time. No motivation.
4. We went white water rafting at Sg. Kampar. The water level was low due to the dry season, thus the rapids were not as wild and challenging. But we still had some excitement, like, my uncle nearly fell out of the raft. It was fun hearing all the screams and squeals from people like my mom as we went tumbling over the rapids. :)
5. The lunches and dinners prepared by the cousins seems to be working well. The aunties are much more relaxed, having passed on the stress to the younger generation, although supervision is still necessary. :P
6. Some of us went bowling at Ipoh Parade, again. Yay. I got my highest ever score in living memory... 137. I could have scored higher if not for the dismal score of only 3 in the final frame.
7. The mini sermon during the family thanksgiving service was on "What is new for you this year?" based on Isaiah 43. My uncle noted that this year is the first year after the Jubilee of 2007. So it is a time of new beginnings, both symbolically and literally.
Victory dance
Pristine Sungai Kampar
Ipoh slugger
Sunset swing
One for the album
OK, maybe some short notes will suffice...
1. Traffic back to Ipoh was good on Wednesday. It was like normal, 110 km/h all the way.
2. No captainball this year. Instead we had rounders. My team lost, despite me hitting two *ahem* home runs.
3. Didn't climb Keledang Hill this time. No time. No motivation.
4. We went white water rafting at Sg. Kampar. The water level was low due to the dry season, thus the rapids were not as wild and challenging. But we still had some excitement, like, my uncle nearly fell out of the raft. It was fun hearing all the screams and squeals from people like my mom as we went tumbling over the rapids. :)
5. The lunches and dinners prepared by the cousins seems to be working well. The aunties are much more relaxed, having passed on the stress to the younger generation, although supervision is still necessary. :P
6. Some of us went bowling at Ipoh Parade, again. Yay. I got my highest ever score in living memory... 137. I could have scored higher if not for the dismal score of only 3 in the final frame.
7. The mini sermon during the family thanksgiving service was on "What is new for you this year?" based on Isaiah 43. My uncle noted that this year is the first year after the Jubilee of 2007. So it is a time of new beginnings, both symbolically and literally.
This is what the LORD says...
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."
Victory dance
Pristine Sungai Kampar
Ipoh slugger
Sunset swing
One for the albumWednesday, February 13, 2008
Aqueous Parliamentarius
Parliament has been dissolved, paving the way for the 12th General Election.
Our chance to use this "proper channel" to speak up has finally come.
It's time to teach the corrupt and incompetent BN politicians a lesson.
BN's two-thirds majority must not be allowed to continue.
Vote for Opposition. Make the change.
Our chance to use this "proper channel" to speak up has finally come.
It's time to teach the corrupt and incompetent BN politicians a lesson.
BN's two-thirds majority must not be allowed to continue.
Vote for Opposition. Make the change.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
I love coral reefs
Steven Spielberg should be thoroughly spanked for creating the Jaws movies and demonizing sharks and instilling a phobia of the deep sea in a whole generation of people. Some of that damage was repaired through recent cartoon movies like Finding Nemo which romanticized marine life and made the reef fish look so cute. I thought that would make people want to protect the marine ecosystem even more. But, the spotlight on coral reefs may have actually worked against the reefs' favour, for the increased attention and popularity of marine fish increased the demand for marine aquariums.
Yes, marine aquariums are a threat to the world's coral reefs and marine ecosystem. I just came back from my neighbourhood aquarium shop where I went to buy some fish food for my mom's guppies. I knew for many years that the shop existed. But only today I discovered to my horror that this shop was specialized in marine fish.
The shop had rows and rows of tanks filled with all types of marine species. They probably had half of the number of species in our National Aquarium. There were moral eels, ribbon eels, stonefish, lionfish, parrotfish, bannerfish, Moorish idols, dotty backs, gobies, blue-spotted rays, bamboo sharks, seahorses, pufferfish, anemonefish, surgeonfish, damselfish, remoras, angelfish, octopus, hard corals, soft corals, anemones, giant clams, etc. I even saw nudibranchs (Hyselodoris apolegma and Phyllidia sp.) and little shrimps.
Now, I have a thing against private marine aquariums.
Here's why:
1. Marine aquariums are very delicate systems that are a man-made attempt to replicate the natural saltwater environment of the sea. Marine aquariums are much more difficult to maintain than freshwater aquariums. The fine balance of salt, ammonia and minerals in seawater has to be maintained 24/7. I don't think most people have the commitment to maintain their saltwater aquarium for the long-term. As a result, the fish they buy will not live long and just become another sad case.
2. Marine aquariums should be kept only by those who have the resources to maintain them, i.e. public aquariums, hotels, shopping malls and serious hobbyists who are willing to spend hours maintaining the tanks, pumps and filters. However, who among us part-time petkeepers is willing to devote such time and money? In most cases, the fish will just die and we soon forget them. How sad.
3. Marine aquariums rely on fish harvested from the wild. This is hardly regulated, and results in overharvesting and depletion of the natural stocks. I noticed that most of the fish sold in the shop were juveniles, which means they do not have a chance to reproduce. When you kill off the children, you're basically killing off entire future generations. No wonder there are less and less fish in our marine parks like Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian.
4. Harvesting of marine species for aquariums reduces the opportunities for tourists to see them in the wild. That's a dent to the tourism industry. Of course, tourism itself also harms the environment, but that's another story.
5. Mortality rates of marine aquarium fish are high, because we're trying to sustain their life in an artificial environment. At the shop, I saw a worker casually scoop out a dead lionfish from the tank and dump it in the rubbish bin.
6. The trade of certain protected species is regulated by international law. In case you didn't know, laws are not made to be broken, nor rules to be broken. And, ignorance is not bliss.
7. The survival and health of the marine ecosystem and coral reefs directly and indirectly impacts our own health. Our fish comes from the seas. Coral reefs are fish breeding and feeding grounds. If we kill off the fish, we kill off our own food supply.
I almost thought of boycotting that shop, but I still bought the little bottle of fish pellets which cost RM4.50. I'll save my battle for another day. Maybe I'm just biased, but I prefer to see marine life in their natural habitat.
But if you're into marine aquariums, you must ask the shopkeeper where the supply of fish and corals come from. Ideally, make sure it's only from sustainable, farmed sources, and not from the wild. But if it's from the the wild, make sure they have a permit for it.
Yes, marine aquariums are a threat to the world's coral reefs and marine ecosystem. I just came back from my neighbourhood aquarium shop where I went to buy some fish food for my mom's guppies. I knew for many years that the shop existed. But only today I discovered to my horror that this shop was specialized in marine fish.
The shop had rows and rows of tanks filled with all types of marine species. They probably had half of the number of species in our National Aquarium. There were moral eels, ribbon eels, stonefish, lionfish, parrotfish, bannerfish, Moorish idols, dotty backs, gobies, blue-spotted rays, bamboo sharks, seahorses, pufferfish, anemonefish, surgeonfish, damselfish, remoras, angelfish, octopus, hard corals, soft corals, anemones, giant clams, etc. I even saw nudibranchs (Hyselodoris apolegma and Phyllidia sp.) and little shrimps.
Now, I have a thing against private marine aquariums.
Here's why:
1. Marine aquariums are very delicate systems that are a man-made attempt to replicate the natural saltwater environment of the sea. Marine aquariums are much more difficult to maintain than freshwater aquariums. The fine balance of salt, ammonia and minerals in seawater has to be maintained 24/7. I don't think most people have the commitment to maintain their saltwater aquarium for the long-term. As a result, the fish they buy will not live long and just become another sad case.
2. Marine aquariums should be kept only by those who have the resources to maintain them, i.e. public aquariums, hotels, shopping malls and serious hobbyists who are willing to spend hours maintaining the tanks, pumps and filters. However, who among us part-time petkeepers is willing to devote such time and money? In most cases, the fish will just die and we soon forget them. How sad.
3. Marine aquariums rely on fish harvested from the wild. This is hardly regulated, and results in overharvesting and depletion of the natural stocks. I noticed that most of the fish sold in the shop were juveniles, which means they do not have a chance to reproduce. When you kill off the children, you're basically killing off entire future generations. No wonder there are less and less fish in our marine parks like Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian.
4. Harvesting of marine species for aquariums reduces the opportunities for tourists to see them in the wild. That's a dent to the tourism industry. Of course, tourism itself also harms the environment, but that's another story.
5. Mortality rates of marine aquarium fish are high, because we're trying to sustain their life in an artificial environment. At the shop, I saw a worker casually scoop out a dead lionfish from the tank and dump it in the rubbish bin.
6. The trade of certain protected species is regulated by international law. In case you didn't know, laws are not made to be broken, nor rules to be broken. And, ignorance is not bliss.
7. The survival and health of the marine ecosystem and coral reefs directly and indirectly impacts our own health. Our fish comes from the seas. Coral reefs are fish breeding and feeding grounds. If we kill off the fish, we kill off our own food supply.
I almost thought of boycotting that shop, but I still bought the little bottle of fish pellets which cost RM4.50. I'll save my battle for another day. Maybe I'm just biased, but I prefer to see marine life in their natural habitat.
But if you're into marine aquariums, you must ask the shopkeeper where the supply of fish and corals come from. Ideally, make sure it's only from sustainable, farmed sources, and not from the wild. But if it's from the the wild, make sure they have a permit for it.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Inside Out
We hear many promises of change, but what we really need is a change from the inside out. External changes last but for a moment. Only internal change from deep within our heart of hearts will last forever.
God, change us from the Inside Out.
God, change us from the Inside Out.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Blast from the past: Part 2
I received some feedback that I missed out some big names in the previous Blast from the past. I'm so sorry. Yea, I notice that the previous blast featured mainly pop artistes. So now I shall attempt to balance the equation by including some of those I missed earlier. Viewer discretion is advised.
Dire Straits
Bon Jovi
Guns N' Roses
The Police
Extreme
Mr. Big
Michael Jackson
Scorpions
Debbie Gibson
The Bangles
Paula Abdul
MC Hammer
Alias
And,
U2
Dire Straits
Bon Jovi
Guns N' Roses
The Police
Extreme
Mr. Big
Michael Jackson
Scorpions
Debbie Gibson
The Bangles
Paula Abdul
MC Hammer
Alias
And,
U2
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Take a break
Let's take a break from the Lingamgate debacle, and enjoy some breath-taking sights from the top of the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge a.k.a. Bukit Tabur.
The reservoir that supplies drinking water to downtown KL
The jagged quartz ridge, weathered by the elements
KL in the distance
The reservoir that supplies drinking water to downtown KL
The jagged quartz ridge, weathered by the elements
KL in the distanceWednesday, January 23, 2008
Top 5 Ways to Evade Telling the Truth
1. I cannot remember
2. I don't know
3. I was drunk
4. He was mad or drunk
5. It looks like me and sounds like me, but...
2. I don't know
3. I was drunk
4. He was mad or drunk
5. It looks like me and sounds like me, but...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Amnesia Attack
Amnesia seems to be latest epidemic to hit senior Malaysians, especially those with legal and political backgrounds. I've been sporadically following the proceedings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Lingam tape controversy, and I'm just getting sick and tired of all this nonsense.
It's incredulous that so many bright minds have suddenly gone dim, and can't remember names or events from a mere six years ago. They're making a mockery of the judicial system. At best, they're plain comical. At worst, they're downright contemptuous. They should be whipped for their blatant lies.
Yea, I'm a bit ashamed to call myself a Malaysian when I see such debacles unfolding in the halls of justice of the land. I certainly hope truth will prevail in the end, because right now truth dies a thousand deaths each time one of the "witnesses" takes the stand.
People, it's time to make a change. Deny BN their two-thirds majority in the coming elections. No, the nation will not crumble into racial riots, anarchy and chaos if BN loses. On the contrary, we will grow stronger when we get rid of the self-serving old fogeys who have been in power for too long.
It's incredulous that so many bright minds have suddenly gone dim, and can't remember names or events from a mere six years ago. They're making a mockery of the judicial system. At best, they're plain comical. At worst, they're downright contemptuous. They should be whipped for their blatant lies.
Yea, I'm a bit ashamed to call myself a Malaysian when I see such debacles unfolding in the halls of justice of the land. I certainly hope truth will prevail in the end, because right now truth dies a thousand deaths each time one of the "witnesses" takes the stand.
People, it's time to make a change. Deny BN their two-thirds majority in the coming elections. No, the nation will not crumble into racial riots, anarchy and chaos if BN loses. On the contrary, we will grow stronger when we get rid of the self-serving old fogeys who have been in power for too long.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Blast from the past
Some of the hits back when I was a kid... I can't believe we listened to some of this stuff... hahaha.
Milli Vanilli
Fine Young Cannibals
Vanilla Ice
Tommy Page
Belinda Carlisle
New Kids On The Block
Joan Jett And The Blackhearts
Roxette
Hmmm, I don't know why I posted this, but I hope you enjoyed it... :)
Milli Vanilli
Fine Young Cannibals
Vanilla Ice
Tommy Page
Belinda Carlisle
New Kids On The Block
Joan Jett And The Blackhearts
Roxette
Hmmm, I don't know why I posted this, but I hope you enjoyed it... :)
Monday, January 14, 2008
Lunchtime musings
Nothing significant to report here, except that during the lunchtime conversation I discovered that the name of the legendary Swedish group ABBA is an acronym of the four members' names -- Anni-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha. And we talked about how advanced Finland is, for a nation of just three million people. Since we were talking about Finland and Sweden and that part of the world, I remembered that my new Nokia 6300 is from Finland. And I also remembered how lousy Malaysian customer service is.
You see, I just collected my new phone from the dealer yesterday after sending it in for repair last week -- the headset jack wasn't working, the silent mode shortcut button (# button) wasn't working, and there was dust inside the screen because the top panel didn't seal tight after I dropped the phone once. It's still under warranty, so I thought they would fix it properly. Result: The headset jack is back to working condition. The silent mode shortcut still can't work -- it's a worldwide firmware bug which can't be fixed. They cleaned the screen but left some streaks inside, and the top panel now has a larger gap than when I sent it in, which means that MORE dust can now enter. Sigh. And on top of that, the phone came back in different language and display settings (meaning that I had to spend a few minutes resetting everything), the display now has two blue bands on the top and bottom which were not there before, and the calculator function has TOTALLY disappeared from the phone. To top it off, this is what they call an AP phone, i.e. not distributed by authorized Nokia dealers, which I didn't realize when I bought the phone. So I can't take it back to Nokia directly.
This is just a small matter, but I think God is testing my patience... which is a good thing, actually. This is really not like me to complain like this, so thanks for bearing with me. :)
Have a good week, everyone.
You see, I just collected my new phone from the dealer yesterday after sending it in for repair last week -- the headset jack wasn't working, the silent mode shortcut button (# button) wasn't working, and there was dust inside the screen because the top panel didn't seal tight after I dropped the phone once. It's still under warranty, so I thought they would fix it properly. Result: The headset jack is back to working condition. The silent mode shortcut still can't work -- it's a worldwide firmware bug which can't be fixed. They cleaned the screen but left some streaks inside, and the top panel now has a larger gap than when I sent it in, which means that MORE dust can now enter. Sigh. And on top of that, the phone came back in different language and display settings (meaning that I had to spend a few minutes resetting everything), the display now has two blue bands on the top and bottom which were not there before, and the calculator function has TOTALLY disappeared from the phone. To top it off, this is what they call an AP phone, i.e. not distributed by authorized Nokia dealers, which I didn't realize when I bought the phone. So I can't take it back to Nokia directly.
This is just a small matter, but I think God is testing my patience... which is a good thing, actually. This is really not like me to complain like this, so thanks for bearing with me. :)
Have a good week, everyone.
Malaysian Conspiracies
Just doing some promotion for a local production. I helped to take some photos at the premier last Wednesday at Pavilion, and got to watch the show. I was impressed. It's definitely better than The Golden Compass or many of the other overrated foreign flicks.
JARUM HALUS is the directorial debut of talented young Malaysian filmmaker MARK TAN. It is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic play "Othello", set in modern-day Kuala Lumpur and using a mix of Malaysian English and Malay (with English subtitles).
Starring RAZIF HASHIM, CHRISTIEN NEW, DATO RAHIM RAZALI, JULIANA IBRAHIM, JUSTIN CHAN, MEGAT SHARIZAL and FARAH PUTRI.
Also starring STEPHANIE CHAI and HILMY NOR, with cameo appearances by YASMIN YUSUFF, DOUGLAS LIM, COLIN KIRTON, MONTI and LAVIN SEOW.
Performance direction by COLIN KIRTON. Director of photography AARON CHUNG. Original music by SAN WENG ONN and RABBIT with vocals by MARIA YASMIN. Produced by ELEANOR LOW and MARK TAN.
JARUM HALUS is the directorial debut of talented young Malaysian filmmaker MARK TAN. It is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s classic play "Othello", set in modern-day Kuala Lumpur and using a mix of Malaysian English and Malay (with English subtitles).
Starring RAZIF HASHIM, CHRISTIEN NEW, DATO RAHIM RAZALI, JULIANA IBRAHIM, JUSTIN CHAN, MEGAT SHARIZAL and FARAH PUTRI.
Also starring STEPHANIE CHAI and HILMY NOR, with cameo appearances by YASMIN YUSUFF, DOUGLAS LIM, COLIN KIRTON, MONTI and LAVIN SEOW.
Performance direction by COLIN KIRTON. Director of photography AARON CHUNG. Original music by SAN WENG ONN and RABBIT with vocals by MARIA YASMIN. Produced by ELEANOR LOW and MARK TAN.
Now showing at GSC Mid-Valley, Pavilion, 1 Utama & Gurney PlazaWatch the trailer here.
*****
I have been asked about my thoughts on the recent Chua Soi Lek debacle. I think he deserves to be sacked for his gross lack of judgment, and I'm glad that he resigned (voluntarily?). But before we point fingers and wag tongues, we must remember that he who is without sin should cast the first stone. We all have our secret sins and skeletons in the closet. I know mine. However, sin has its penalty and someone has to pay. Admission of guilt does not absolve the sin. My hope is that more ministers would either be sacked or voluntarily resign, as they are as guilty of similar or worse sins. Not only "private" sins, but criminal breach of trust against the nation. But sometimes I wonder, is stupidity a sin?*****
The person who was present at the recording of the Lingam tape has gone public with his revelation. Read about it in Malaysiakini. I have given up on the mainstream media to report the truth. I haven't bought any mainstream newspaper for more than two years, and I urge you to boycott them too. It's time to send the message that we the people do not condone the lies and manipulation that the BN newsletters are feeding us. If you can read this blog, then you can easily access the online versions of the media. Save your money. Or better still, subscribe to Malaysiakini.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
First week of 2008
Here's some pictures from the first week of this year. I know, my life does get kinda mundane after a while. Same old pictures... :P
First limau ais of 2008
Critter
Nervous koi
Aquarium at the mamak restaurant
The Curve
Cineleisure
Spider in Tanah Rata
Morning spider
White
Orange orchid
Azure
Hello?
Purple fence
Dewy poinsettia
Up the hill, through the woods
The gate on the narrow way
I've got some more pictures, but it's too tedious to upload them here. So, they're all in my Facebook album.
First limau ais of 2008
Critter
Nervous koi
Aquarium at the mamak restaurant
The Curve
CineleisureAnd then I went to Cameron Highlands over the weekend...
Spider in Tanah Rata
Morning spider
White
Orange orchid
Azure
Hello?
Purple fence
Dewy poinsettia
Up the hill, through the woods
The gate on the narrow wayFriday, January 04, 2008
Up up and away!
I'm going up to Cameron Highlands tonight, and returning tomorrow night. Just a quick visit. It's for a mission trip briefing session at the Residential Bible School. Yay.
I like Cameron Highlands, except for the rain and the long journey. It's been raining lately, and the road is still as long as before. What an adventure...
Gotta go!
I like Cameron Highlands, except for the rain and the long journey. It's been raining lately, and the road is still as long as before. What an adventure...
Gotta go!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Cameraphone pics
Here are some recent pictures taken with my 2 megapixel camera on the phone.
I spotted this juvenile toad at the car park near my office one evening last week. The light is from my car headlights. At first I thought of having frog legs for dinner. Then I thought of kissing it. But I realized that would be too risky. What if it suddenly "poofed" into Jessica Alba. I mean, that would be too much glamour and high maintenance for me. Nope. I just drove off.
Kermit lost in USJ 21
But, of course
I spotted this juvenile toad at the car park near my office one evening last week. The light is from my car headlights. At first I thought of having frog legs for dinner. Then I thought of kissing it. But I realized that would be too risky. What if it suddenly "poofed" into Jessica Alba. I mean, that would be too much glamour and high maintenance for me. Nope. I just drove off.
Kermit lost in USJ 21
But, of course
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