Kelantan is a state in northern part of Malaysia. Self declared Islamic state, it’s Menteri Besar (Chief Minister) Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is adamant in implementing Hudud Islamic Law in the state.
Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
Malaysia Day is celebrated on the 16th of September every year to commemorate the establishment of the Malaysian Federation in 1963. It signifies the joining together of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia. Singapore later breaks off and gained sovereignty as the Republic of Singapore (remaining within the Commonwealth) on the 9th of August 1965.
This year 2011, marks a significant change in Malaysia’s history. Greater civil liberties and democratic reforms are announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The historic announcement was his Malaysia Day eve address that was telecast live on national TV.
- The Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 will be repealed. In its place, two new laws will be enacted to safeguard peace and order the detention period will be reduced and can only be extended by the courts, except in cases involving terrorism.
- Three remaining emergency proclamations to be lifted are Emergency 1969, Emergency 1966 (Sarawak) and Emergency 1977 (Kelantan).
- Banishment Act 1959 will also be repealed.
- The annual licence renewal requirement for newspapers and publications will be replaced with a one-off permit by reviewing the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
- Reviewing the Restricted Residence Act 1933.
- Allowing greater freedom to assemble by reviewing Section 27 of the Police Act 1967 by taking into consideration Article 10 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees every citizen with the right to freedom of speech and assembly
Source – The Star Newspaper 16th September 2011
Apple, you gotta be kidding me. But I am not kidding you. If this baby hits the street, I am gonna *queue for it (*trend nowadays).
Apple, the company behind these “i” products is producing toys for the grown ups at an astounding pace. It’s a lifestyle they say. Not much fun I say.
Das Auto Show 2011, a two-day Volkswagen car show held at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The most lansi car show in Malaysia to date. People are excited. They are ecstatic. Just look at the queue, unbelievable! I don’t understand why anyone would queue to go see some cars already in the showroom. Nowhere and nothing better to do perhaps. Entrance is free.
Looks like Volkswagen is gonna be successful in Malaysia by looking at the crowd. It is now a fad of sort, like queuing for iphone, ipad, galaxy tab, bubbletea etc. Who is the smart ass who says Malaysia’s economy is no good? Come I bring you to queue.
I had many lavish dinners in restaurant with relatives and friends this Chinese New Year. Of all dishes, the one I enjoyed most is the infamous shark fin soup. Loved by me, detest by some.
While some people swear that it is the apex of cruelty (some even say it is despicable and shameful) to cut off their fins and throw them back into the ocean still alive, I’d say it is the way to do it.
“Why only eat the fins? Why don’t you eat the whole fish?” I heard a loud scream of disagreement from someone.
“Why don’t you try some shark meat?” I screams back.
Don’t you dare pretend you know about sharks when you have not even tasted it. I’ll bet you haven’t even seen a real shark finning footage in the process. National Geographic’s post WW2 grainy black and white footage don’t count. People got finned too back then.
You just swallow and believe everything the ultra conservationist WWF says in their ask-for-donation-save-the-sharks-they’re-losing-their-fins pamphlets. Pictures on the internet shows finning of shark fins averaging the size of an A4 paper. I always wonder why the fins in my soup comes in the size of my nose.
Sharks feed on other small marine animals, they are at the top of the food chain. Sharks can sense blood from a mile away. Sharks thrown into the ocean after finning feed their hungry brethen. This is also a way to prevent them sharks to attack other endangered species like the penguins, baby sea lions and notably the sea turtles.
A rain dance is a type of ceremonial dance to ask for rain so that the crops are protected. There is this certain tribe who is extremely good at this rain dance. Every time they rain dance, it never fails to rain.
The tribe’s rain dance was so famous that other tribes invite them to do the dance for them. A wise man was curious and he wants to investigate the strangely effective phenomena. If it is true, then the tribe may be the answer to the world’s food production problem. Drought would have been a thing of the past. Everybody would be having enough to eat.
So as the story goes, the wise man asked the tribe to perform the rain dance, sure enough it rains. The wise man followed the tribe and make a record every time the rain dance was perform. The success rate was 100%. The wise man was very happy.
The wise man brought the tribe to drought hit places and asks them to do the rain dance, it rains.
The crops still die, people are still hungry. The wise man was puzzled.
The wise man was not so wise after all. Yes, the rain dance is effective. It is because they danced until the rain falls. It did not rain because of the dance.
I would say very corrupted. ACA (Anti Corruption Agency) receives 10,000 tip-offs this year according to “The Star”, the leading government controlled newspaper in Malaysia. That is one very conservative estimation, considering the restrictions placed on reporting this kind of embarrassing issues.
So what exactly makes them or us this corrupted? “Tak Cukup Makan” (not enough to eat) is the answer that comes from most of those I asked and they are being frank. High inflation that follows the recent crazy 41% fuel hike has irked all but the most corrupted ones.
Right now almost everyone is trying to find ways to earn more, in order to live their previous living standard. Cutting cost is not an option anymore. Everything is on the rise, including basic necessities such as water and electricity tariff. The chain of reaction is somewhat devastating to the economy, with traders trying to earn more by rising prices and consumers trying to spend less to save. It is a lose-lose situation where traders will sell less and consumers will buy less.
Looking at things, I would be corrupted too if given the chance. Shitty!
As always I was having my meal alone again, at some food court in some shopping complex. I was not in my best of mood. It is more like a state of mood I am in most of the time.
There is this lady who came near my table asking for permission to take some empty chairs over to her table.
Lady, pointing to the empty chair: Ada orang ke? (“Is there someone?” *in Bahasa Malaysia)
Me: Lei kong mat chat? (“What are you talking about?” *in rude Cantonese)
In Malaysia, most Malays cannot understand the Chinese language. However, most other races can understand and speak fluent Bahasa Malaysia. The Malays are often very reluctant to speak in other languages than theirs. Even if they speak in the English Language, they will have accent, with their own flow and generous fare of lah’s. I am not in the mood to make her understand, not this time.
The lady was taken back slightly and looks quite surprise at my response. Somehow she summed up her courage to ask again.
Lady, pointing to the empty chair: Ada orang ke? (this time much louder)
Me: Ni Mah Ter. Ni suo seh meh? (Some vulgarities and “What are you talking about?” *in Mandarin)
She scoffs and walks off.
Moral of the story? There is none actually, just fed up.
Miserable and Irritatable
