Written on 7/28/2004 11:45:00 pm by sikapitan
Argh...what is it with reunions that cause me to shrivel in fear and yet subconciously excited? I recently received a call from an old PRIMARY (yes, the period where suria perkasa hitam is cool and shitting in your pants is the norm) schoolmate (sorry dude, but I can't remember who the heck are you- maybe when we meet ya?) telling me that he and a few other guys are planning to hold a reunion of Sri Subang Jaya batch of '94 or was it '95 (std. 6 la kan). At first all I wanted to do was to just ignore the whole program and lay low like I always do.
SoMeTiMeS I feel that reunions serves no better purpose than to remind us of how we suck at football or how we were fat. Hey, that ain't so bad. At least it's better than someone saying "la dulu kurus keding..sekarang dah berapa bulan ngandung". And what about former gf and crushes? Fortunately (or unfortunately) I'll never face that problem in a primary school reunion. I was busy playing kejar-kejar and fantasizing being a ninja to ever be bothered with such matters. But I know of people who do. Thankfully, most will probably forget why they ever got involve in such relationship in the first place. Let's not forget the old arch enemy. The guy who stole your lunch money, or YOU stole from him. It'll be awkward to smile and pretend to be nice to each other when your impression of him/her is still stuck circa '95. Finally, I really hate reunions (or meeting anyone from the past for that matter) because I'm really bad at remembering names. I can remember the faces of the students in my kindergarten, but I'm still having problem remembering the names of my current coursemates, let alone those from primary school.
So you might assume from the above that I'm about to ditch the whole idea of meeting these people. Wrong. Despite my obvious discomfort at being in a room full of strangers pretending NOT to be strangers, I kind of find it exciting. Maybe there's one or two ugly duckling syndrome (typical male thoughts). More importantly, I had some great moments in primary school with some great friends, but I've lost contact with many of them. Maybe when we meet we'll no longer be as jovial and carefree and relaxed with each other but there's always a chance that we still have that spark, that glint in the eye that will stir me up from the slumber I'm in right now. Or perhaps even business opportunity or just some more footballing buddies.
However I sincerely doubt that I'll be that lucky. Most probably I'll be holding a glass of coke in my hand while listening to that annoying S.O.B from the next class talking endlessly about how cool his London pad is and how they have summer breaks to enjoy sightseeing Portugal and such. I'll be cursing under a fake smile as wide as the equator. Au revoir.
Written on 7/22/2004 12:18:00 am by sikapitan
Last week I met one of my oldest friends whose back here in Malaysia for his summer holidays. He’s absolutely brilliant. Currently studying law in UK, he’s also the Malaysian Law Society president (or something big like that- I might be wrong) and is a prominent representative of Malaysians in their student parliament. I hereby predict that Wan Mohd Firdaus will one day become a “somebody”- though I hope it’s not for killing anyone.
What was interesting was the conversation we had while having dinner. Looking at me, he asked how Law School in ITM is. Unlike some people, I just gave my frank opinion – it’s all about chicks, football, gossips and a smattering of studying. In other words, it’s 5 years of cruising down the highway to a degree. Really, even if you take somebody serious and asked them what significant thing they have done for today, you’ll be hard pressed to find a good answer. Yeah, it’s a bit of a torture nearing finals but when I look at most of the course mates they’re pretty much relaxed most of the time. We don’t engage in discussions, we don’t voice our opinions. While my friend’s busy asking for more rooms for Malaysians in hostel, I’m here watching Samarinda on TV3. But hey, if the world’s made up of straight jack, then we will all be bored to death.
What have our elected representative done for us today?
Do you know who our Law Society president is? Don’t ask me, I’ve never even been involved in ANY one of the many student council elections that has come and go every year. My friend mentioned the fact that compared to U.K, the student councils here are pretty much insignificant and I can’t help but nod along. It’s true. Our councils are bound by regulations and ethics that in effect prohibit questioning the authority. Thus, as years go by, the students generally regard such councils as merely faculty deckhands that are only good to organize parties and such. While this might seem unfair to those elected (and we have to doubt the validity or importance of such election when the turnout rate have never reached beyond 50%) I cannot find any reason to change my belief. The more pertinent issues like parking space and lack of classrooms should be fought for by our student council. Even misconduct or inappropriate behavior of lecturers should be brought forward by our elected rep. Instead, there’s a feeling of resigned bitterness over how sadly the institution chose to neglect student’s sentiment. It is only power when you not only have the capability but also the will to exercise it.
Now some might reflect on this and say, “So what the heck are YOU doing?”. Well, I’m not really council material. Skipped classes, late assignments, improper attire – hallmarks of the truly undergrounduate. Then they’ll say, “Jangan cakap banyak la cam tuh”. If that’s the attitude then sadly I can’t see the point of even having a council. Do you see 50 000 people on the pitch kicking the ball for Man Utd? Do you see 1 000 people at a concert singing on stage? My point is that once you choose to be in a position of power or prominence, then you’re subject to criticism like mine. Not everyone should be student leader, but does that mean that the current student leader is better than the rest? I can see some very talented individuals, whom I believe would be able to lead us further, disinterested in campus elections because of bureaucratic red-tape and lack of purpose of the current student body.
And you can interpret this article and expand it to include any elected representatives, I don’t mind. Just don’t say I’m criticizing the government. I prefer to sleep on a comfortable bed, thank you. Au revoir.
Written on 7/17/2004 11:54:00 pm by sikapitan
It’s been an interesting, though not in the happy sense, week in terms of news and events. The Datuk Norjan murder trial is getting weirder and weirder, what with “massaging” private parts and missing condoms getting centre stage. What’s weird is the fact that these revelations did not get on the main page. Perhaps the thought of the deceased (no disrespect intended) or any other party in this weird “ménage a trois” engaged in any act remotely sexual doesn’t turn people on as the more attractive and glamorous Noritta does. Pity, because it just goes to show that you shouldn’t really judge a book by its cover. Wearing a headscarf doesn’t really make you a better person. Ah, I can hear the girls in the tube tops and hot pants chanting my name. Before you guys think that I’m a supporter of the “let’s-not-wear-tudung” gang, I would like to state that in my opinion, it’s better to AT LEAST do something right, to the best of your ability, even if you’re not perfect (go figure). Interesting question: two girls, of equal standing, one wearing tudung while the other’s not, are holding their boyfriends’ hands. Is it better to be hypocritical or is it better to just don’t do anything at all?
By the way, I don’t know if I’m missing something here (maybe one of those days where I forgot to read the news or watch tv) but have the police arrested anyone yet in connection to the murder of Darren Kang? I know they have detained some but please enlighten me as to why it seems like the case is heading towards the “memory lane”.
If you guys want some real hardcore election, then forget the General Election and instead focus on the real deal: UMNO. Unlike our General Election which is governed by the EC, party elections are by far and large governed by internal mechanism thus there’s a lot more jostling and politicking. Sometimes it appears that the democracy within UMNO itself is more apparent than in our General Election.
On a more personal note: Today was a very tiring day for me. Heck, this whole week has been pretty hectic. Football practices, fortunately or unfortunately, has been cancelled for the past few days as the rainy spell continues unabated. In the middle of it all, my friend asked me to join him in performing during some party. What’s worse was the fact that I only found out about it on Wednesday while the party was on Friday. As it was last minute, we decided to just use a solo guitarist and the two of us would sing. So I just chose a song that both me and my guitarist can play and practiced the night before the function. When the day arrived, we were shocked when our guitarist said he couldn’t play as he was in mourning over the death of somebody close to him. We understood, and I resigned myself to just enjoying the rest of the show with my mates. Out of the blue, we found another guitarist who could play my song. I should’ve known better than to perform like this. I sucked big time. Well, tough luck. Then there was the Inter-Faculty Sports Meet and I have given up hope of even being in the squad of 16, never mind the starting eleven. But this morning, for our first game against Computer Science, I was surprised yet again when I started as a right-back. Unfortunately, just like my singing the day before, I sucked big time. The lack of experience in playing in a big field, for a big team, in a big tournament clearly showed as I misplaced simple passes and positioned myself all wrong. Heck, I’m lucky if he even puts me in the subs bench for Sunday’s game (today I guess).
To summarize, it’s been an eventful, yet flawed week for me. Au revoir.
Written on 7/14/2004 12:56:00 am by sikapitan
Let me just start by saying that the weather is playing tricks on us again. Why? Only a few weeks ago drought was predicted by our Meteorological Department (me thinks) which would lead to a nationwide water shortage, causing cars to be dirtier than ever and increasing the sale of deodorants. When the news first came out, my immediate reaction was “here we go again”. I mean, it has become something akin to a joke the way we, especially here in Urban Central, become so dependant on the weather for something as essential as water. I would prefer not having to wait outside my gate for the tankers to come in my singlet to collect oily water (like the last time a major shortage occurred) than being able to go to the tallest building in the world (for which in reality I’ve never been to, since Suria KLCC is not realllllyyy the tallest building right?). But hey, who am I to tell our leaders where our priorities lie?
Back to the weather. It’s been raining for the past few days (and in fact it started last week), causing havoc to football pitches all over Shah Alam. We can’t train properly, and I fear that when the Inter-Fac Sports meet begins, we’ll be too far off the ideal fitness level to emulate last year’s batch that went all the way to the finals. My point is this: Don’t believe the weatherman (and I’m not talking about the weather only- go figure).
Interesting letter of opinion I read in yesterday’s newspaper pointing out the fact that there are more policemen conducting speed traps at night than there are patrolling ‘hotspots’. This letter was written in light of the murder of Darren in Uncle Don, Hartamas. Of course, this opinion cannot be substantiated by any actual statistics but the perception among the more “alert” members of society is that our law-enforcement agencies have got their priorities all wrong. Maybe it’s too harsh to blame our police force, which is already beleaguered by lack of manpower and resources, but if not them, then who? Perhaps our education system needs to be reviewed in relation to the rising number of youths involved in crimes? Or our own moral values which has become increasing contradictory to the so-called Asian mindset? A thorough research is needed to properly understand the socio-economic impact of modernism to our distinctly unique multi-racial community. Is the law adequate or does the problem lies in enforcement of such rules? The government must also take a more measured approach before announcing any policies to avoid waste and ineffectiveness. For example, there was a period last year where there was a big hu-ha over tinted cars and the police went all out to nab these “culprits”. Then, within a few months, there was the crackdown on VCD sellers, which has since subsided.
My point is that there shouldn’t be knee-jerk reaction for every situation. The recent spate of snatch thefts (the situation) have resulted in increased police patrols in high-crime areas (the reaction). However, the police cannot cope with such demanding schedule which drains precious manpower and resources. Has anyone considered making proper sidewalks for pedestrian that is guarded by concrete slabs? Certainly in Subang the amount of money spent on “beautification” and “taman millennium” is more than the cost of securing the pavements of the residential areas. These would deter motorcycle snatch thieves who prowls area where pedestrians have to walk so close to the road.
Ahh..well…till we all take the time to stop and think…I bid you all goodbye.
Au revoir.
Written on 7/11/2004 11:19:00 pm by sikapitan
Sorry boys and girls..it's been a struggle since the last entry to find time, and to get the comp up and running again so i can update the blog. By now, i bet no one's visiting this site..sorry for not at least informing you guys of the situation.So many things happening all over the world and at home to talk about.
Uncle Don King
Ahh..certainly the murder of Darren caused plenty of unease amongst Malaysians, especially urban folks.The thought that one could get beaten to death in the open at a popular hangout would have sent shivers down the spine of all mothers of teenagers living in the Klang Valley.
"Ma,mi gi main bola ni ar..kul 12 habis..."
"No."
"Why??"
"Nanti gaduh."And that was that.Leceh betul.Like when stories of teen drivers killed in horrific car crashes flood the front pages of our local dailies, my mom would stop me from driving at night..etc2..leceh!
If only she knew of the time when every dinnertime was spent eating at Uncle Don and every supper was nasi lemak spicy (now no longer there i heard).When i was 'porting' in KJ with my fren, his cousin used to bring us to Hartamas almost everyday to meet all sorts of ppl.
Families still go there,but the loud booming music from the deafening speakers made it impossible for them to enjoy their food.And talking about food, the food at UD has, at least in my opinion, shrunk in terms of portion and quality.
So why do we kids go there?
My theory: First, the place was filled with yuppies and rich ppl wanting some quality mamak style flavour but in a cooler, more exclusive environment. They then bring along their gf, which most of the time are pretty attractive. This then led to cool dudes (u know,guys in tight tees,scruffy hair,rock star look which girls adore) frequenting the place to catch a bit of action. Girls who want to attract these cool dudes then flood the place, creating a domino effect. Guys hear stories about the place being filled with hotchicks,so they go there in droves.Suddenly, the place is packed every nite till the early hours.The rempits start coming, the girls start getting annoyed and leaving etc2. I gave up a long time ago, preferring the quiter ambience of Spicy just a stone's throw away from UD. Plus, the nasi lemak ayam there boleh layan la. Then they start opening clubs and some foodcourt shit,and the place just became too messy. The last time I was in Hartamas was mid-last year. Too many wannabes i guess.
Back to Darren and the beatings.Maybe I'm being crazy and all that, but i really believe that if you really care for the safety of any girl, don't bring them out after midnight and especially to places like Hartamas (or any other hi-profile places la..u know what i mean). You're just attracting attention, and attention is a dangerous thing in this world today. I've had my experiences of being starecocked at and starecocking (if such words exist,it is merely colloquial)so i advise you folks to just stay at home la kan? We Malaysians, especially the guys, are a 'jakun' lot. We like to stare at girls, especially if they're dressed sexily.
The evolution in fashion has outpaced the evolution of the mind of the typical Malaysian men.We still find the merest hint of thigh attractive, what more of spaghetti straps etc2.The girls may want to look like 'maksalleh' but they don't realize that the guys are not thinking like maksalleh. So if you can't stand ppl staring at your gf, just chill at home and go on dates during the day, and don't go looking for trouble.We don't know how far did the guys go into provoking Darren, and whether Darren really is as innocent as he's portrayed by the media.Some guys are just too hot-tempered, especially when it comes to their gf.Whatever it is, it is still inexcusable that the fight went on to the extent of serious bodily injury. What were the other patrons doing? But then, if i was there, i would have just kept quiet and watched the free show. Call it apathy, call it lack of moral conscience, but when you're questioned for six hours by the police just for bringing an injured guy to a hospital, it just proves the old maxim that nice guys finish last.
Greet the greeks (huh?)
Yeah well, what an anticlimax. After brilliant displays of attacking football and technical skills by most teams throughout the tournament, the team with the most fundamental of tactics won.Get a solid sweeper and agile stopper, put in athletic man markers in midfield and packed up the centre of the goal when defending, and you've got yourself something similar to Otto's team. Credit where it's due, i respect Otto for recognising that there's more to modern football tactics than just placing players in where you think they play best (hint hint to messr sven). There must be a deep understanding of your opponents but more importantly, your own abilities.Unfortunately, i hope that teams don't stop playing attacking football just because of such freak result. It must be noted that 3 out of 4 semifinalists plays attacking football (Czech,Portuguese and Dutch). Imagine if the Dutch side plays like Greece. They'll be unbeatable sure, but whether they can beat anyone..that's another story now isn't it?
i TOLD you so
Hahh...misslopez...kakjas...told u guys that kaer's soft..tak caya..told you he got a limited vocal range..tak caya..told you he shouldn't win..tak caya..told you he cheated in the previous concert..tak caya...so who's right now????????? Last week's concert he showed his soft side through that incriminating footage when he was a kid and this week he just showed you that his vocal range is about one octave (or something like that..).Trust me when it comes to akademi fantasia. Kekeke. And what about Mas? What did i say about this early favourite? Limited ability, bad attitude, lucky to have two kids to play as an angle for sympathy (mean but honestly truthful).Proven? Definitely. Murdered Kylie's Can'TgETyOUoUtOfMyHeAD. And linda..oh linda...what a pity. No self-confidence in her own ability..not truly focused on the task at hand. Who's my favourite from week one? Zahid. And where is he now? At the top of the chart. I told you so...
Thanks for the support and encouragement. Missing you guys. Neways, all apologies for any grammatical error (mesti ada nyer). It's been a while. Need to get my groove back.
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