Undergrounduate Central

Being a Boss

2009-05-28T14:24:00.003+08:00

It’s been a while since I last updated my blog. AND it’s been a while since I talked about something else other than Dani (who’s doing fine by the way, and is on his way to becoming a bona-fide heartbreaker…make Daddy proud!).

In case you didn’t know, I’ve quit from my post as a Management Associate at Maxis. So please don’t bug me about how terrible Maxis’ lines are, because I can’t help you anymore. Now that I’m no longer an employee I can tell you that – (a) yes, the network sucks big time, but seems to be improving (b) yes, it’s because of their stupid push for Mobile Broadband and (c) yes, I think foreigners don’t understand the local market.

BUT, and this is a big BUT (like JLo’s but without the T), they will bounce back. There are too many great people in there, there’s too much pride in the team, there’s too much talent at their disposal that things will only get better. ONLY if they’re willing to admit their mistakes and move on.

I’ve moved on though. I’m running my family’s business right now. It was supposed to be a gradual transition of power. But being a natural power-hungry Machiavellian disciple, I’ve disposed of my mom and dad within a fortnight of joining…hahaha.

The most important thing about taking over an organization is to establish clear goals and work principles. Communicate these goals and work principles to your employees. Example, when I first came in, I immediately re-established our core purpose – to be a leading Network Marketing company in Malaysia. Just by establishing this purpose, we’ve managed to realign all our business activities to grow the network marketing portion.

Next is to establish credibility. Being 26 and leading an organization with 50000 distributors and revenue in millions every month is not easy, especially in a Malay-centric membership base like ours. So I had to prove myself which I did as soon as I joined by being a part of a Business Preview and making presentations to the general public.

I also have to prove that I can strategically grow this business. So I set about, with the aid of my team, to refocus our attention on Business Previews. We were slowing down, with only 20 participants every week. But thanks to the collective effort of the team and a strategic campaign, we’re now averaging 100 pax every week (which is the most we can take anyway). And this happened all within 2 months.

With success, comes jealousy. That is the only drawback of my business.

I’d love to write more about my experience as the Boss of a Network Marketing company, but my schedule’s a bit packed. Right now, I’m rushing to interview a new employee for my corporate communication department.

So until next time, See You at the Pinnacle of Success!

My First Month as Daddy

2009-05-04T15:02:00.003+08:00

“Nooooooo…he’s been out for a month and all he can give us is another Daddy story…” Sorry folks, there’ll be a bit of this because Dani has become a huge part of my life, so it’s only natural that I talk a bit about him.

The first month has been great. Dani and Mommy have been nothing but superb. The only challenging part is trying to raise Dani my own way. It’s not as easy as it seems, especially considering that everyone has Dani’s best interest at heart.

For example, I want Dani to be breast-fed. But in the beginning, he can’t seem to connect with the nipple well enough for the milk to be pouring, and if the milk is not pouring, he gets frustrated and hungry. The first 2 days, he was a screamer. We tried feeding him but he just can’t connect. The nurses said that it’s okay if the baby doesn’t get any milk, as they’re conditioned to last about 2 days without it. They recommended we stay patient and steadfast in trying to breast-feed the boy.

Unfortunately, both our parents can’t stand to see him cry (and again, he’s a screamer) so they (in particular, Tok Nani aka my Mom) started saying how we’re torturing him etc2. Finally, we caved in, and fed him formula milk. Guess what happens? He gets used to easy milk, so he won’t work hard for breast-milk, so the milk stop coming out easily, so he can’t get the milk, so he gets frustrated, so we have to feed him formula. It’s a chicken and egg thing.

It’s hard to be mad when your mom or dad wants to pamper the baby because they can’t stand to see the baby cry. I mean, they have a point. Why let the baby suffer? But the consequences will only be felt later. Dani developed rashes after a few weeks of having S-26 Gold (cow-based formula claimed to be closest to breast milk), and he now has to take soy-based Isomil Eye-Q. His antibody will not be as strong as a baby that drinks breast-milk.

It’s the same thing with cradling him to sleep. If my baby has been fed, and his pampers are clean, I would honestly let him cry until he falls asleep, as he has developed this habit of wanting to be hugged and cradled until he sleeps. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with cradling him, but as my nephew Adam proves, it gets difficult for the baby to part ways and be independent even after 1 or 2 years.

Dani and Danny thinking how much
we can milk Tok Nani and Tok Wan of their money...heheheh

It has been good every time I used this technique. He’ll cry about 10-15 minutes then fall asleep naturally. But when our parents come into the picture, they’ll immediately want to hold and sway the baby to sleep. Arghhhh….

And I can see it now. How every time I don’t want to give something to Dani, someone will come and give it to him out of pity. How every time I’d want to discipline Dani, there’ll be a rescue angel (most likely Tok Nani) who’ll come and spoil everything. Not spoil per se, but you get my drift.

I wonder if all grandparents are like that. Or if yes, why can’t they remember when they were having us, how they have to deal with THEIR parents.

Hahaha…anyway, Dani loves Tok Nani so I should be cool with that.

...

Something about being a dad...

2009-03-28T00:22:00.002+08:00

Here’s a brief chronology of events leading up to the birth of Putra Dani Nashrin:

Thursday, 19th March 2009

0900 – I was supposed to go for site visits when Rinie said she couldn’t stand the pain anymore. My mom panicked, of course, and we all went to Sime Darby Medical Centre – Subang Jaya (I much prefer SJMC)

1130 – After monitoring Rinie for one hour, at a charge of close to RM 200, the nurse said her dilation’s was only 1 cm, and her contraction wasn’t severe. The doctor examined her and told us to go back home. At the rate we’re going, she says, Dani may even exceed the estimated due date (22nd March 2009). She was expecting us to come see her on Monday morning to discuss other options, including inducing labour. Lesson No.1: Don’t trust your doctors 100%

1930 – We went out to KLCC. Doctor said she must move a lot more to speed up the process. I went up to finish up some work, because I’m leaving Maxis by the 2nd of April. Another entry, another day for that. Rinie bought another bag. Sigh.

Friday, 20th March 2009

1030 – We went to Sunway Pyramid. Needed to switch my Maxis line from Employee Rate Plan to a normal Value plan. Rinie was in pain, with contractions coming in every 5 minutes. I was a bit worried, but she said it was okay. We had lunch at TGI.

1430 – Contractions getting worse according to Rinie. My mom made the executive decision to bring her to the hospital, so off we went again.

1600 – After another hour of monitoring, they still gave us an option of whether to stay or to go back. Are they crazy? I said, screw it, we’re gonna sleep here tonight. Rinie was in a terrible mess by this time. Her dilation was only 2cm, but her contractions coming in at a shorter period, but according to the nurse, not intense enough.

2130 – She tried to watch One in A Million, to catch Tomok. Apparently, he’s pretty good. Unfortunately, the pain was too much for her to enjoy the show. Parents came over, but can’t visit her. There wasn’t an empty room, so we had to stay in the labour room (Delivery Room 3A to be exact), and they don’t allow anyone except husband to be there.

2300 – Took the painkiller that the doctor said would help. I just wanted her to sleep well as she needs the energy to push Dani out.

Saturday, 21st March 2009

0300 – Painkiller no longer effective. I keep waking up every 3 minutes as Rinie suffered through her contractions. Called in the nurse, decided to get the epidural. Epidural is a form of painkiller that is delivered via an insertion in your bone marrow or something. Anaesthetist was called in, signed a few papers, and Rinie underwent the short procedure. Immediate relief, wished she got it earlier

0900 – She can’t have breakfast, she can’t eat. She’s been fasting since 3 a.m. Dilation’s only at 2.5 and opening very slowly. In fact, contraction seemed to have slowed down. This is another side effect of epidural. You don’t feel the pain, so your muscle won’t contract, so it’s harder to open up. Oh, the Doc decided to break her water-bag as a way to expedite the contractions.

1230 – Still no difference. Dilation at 4 cm. But Rinie looked really weak. She hadn’t had anything for the past 13 hours at least. I’ve had Nasi Lemak, 1901s and I still feel weak. Damn, it’s hard being a mother.

1530 – It was getting worse. Somehow the epidural’s not working so well. It’s either the nurse messed up, or Rinie’s contraction getting worse. I don’t know, because the nurses have trouble communicating. They’re nice people, but I wanted to know what’s going on. They’ll just waltz in, jab a few things, poke their finger, smile and leave the room. What the f*c*?

1730 – Still no food or drink for Rinie. Just sips of water. Why? Because if she has to suddenly go for caesarean (ie. open surgery to remove baby), then she must be clear of food or water. But it has been going on for almost a day now, and she was so tough to ride it out. I’ve got marks on my hand where she pinched and scratched during her contractions. It hurts, of course, but you’ve got to imagine how much pain SHE was going through. Lesson No.2: Wrap a towel around your hand

1900 – Tried watching Akademi Fantasia. Doctor came in and examined Rinie. Dilation only at 5 cm. She said if things don’t improve by 2230, she’ll have to perform a caesarean. It’s risky to keep babies for longer than a day when the water-back has been broken.

1930 – Inform the family of this news. They were worried, and my father-in-law started saying how weak Rinie is, and how he always knew Rinie would finally have to opt for a C-Section. I told Rinie about it, and it was like she was motivated to deliver this baby naturally after being challenged like that.

2230 – Doctor came in, said that dilation was 8 cm. Wow. She switched off the epidural, and said they’d monitor for another ½ hour. Rinie was by then fully dependant on the gas mask for pain relief. It was so discomforting to see your wife suffer by your side. Every few minutes I would have to cup in the mask for her to breathe in the “laughing gas”. Lesson No. 3: Eat, because you have to keep up your energy level to support your wife

2300 – Nurse came in, and started to move things around, and put in new equipments. Asked Rinie to spread her legs, and push. WTF? Who was going to deliver my baby? What the hell did I pay for anyway? I was just pissed off that they weren’t telling me much

2315 – One annoying nurse came, poked around, gave some stupid advice. It’s not their fault actually. Now, I just realized that we’re probably the gazillion couple they’ve given birth to. For them, we’re just another couple. But for us, this is our first child...so they could certainly improve in this area

2320 – Doctor came in, started getting ready. I didn’t realize it but by then I was part of the process, prodding my wife to push as hard as she could. I couldn’t believe that I was there, because I’m the squirmish kind of dude. Even my parents said I shouldn’t be a burden to Rinie. Lesson No. 4: This is a true life-changing moment of discovery. Not some summer camp crap...

2335 – Doctor said she was trying hard to help, but if Rinie can’t push along then we have to go for emergency C-Section. I think she was just trying to scare Rinie, and it worked. Rinie pushed and pushed and out comes the baby. Can you imagine that the baby’s been stuck in a tiny area for so long?

2337 – Baby came out just fine. Not like in the movies, crying immediately. It was eerily quiet for a brief moment. Dani was like a squid. Seriously. I was asked whether I would like to cut the umbilical cord. I said yes, and it felt weird cutting it. Nurse immediately put him under a warmer, and that’s when I first heard his cry. Damn, he’s loud. Lesson No. 5: Life is not like in the movies.

2345 – Dani was placed on Rinie’s lap. Rinie was glowing, despite the fact she was still wide open with the doctor doing some weird stuff between her legs. Luckily, she was a woman. Lesson No. 6: Guys, go for female OBGY...hehehe

2400 – Family was standing outside Labour Ward, looking all excited. I came out and told them everything’s okay. Putra Dani Nashrin, 3.45 KG, 11.37PM. I was immediately mobbed and hugged and congratulated. Heck, it’s great being a dad. She does all the hard work (and it was freaking hard work) and I get all the applause. Lesson No. 7: Be the Guy

Officially, doctor said Rinie underwent 17 hours of labour. But she started counting only in the morning of the 21st, when she broke her water-bag. But she was on epidural since 3, and painkillers since 11 the night before. She didn't eat or drink for close to 24 hours. That's crazy!

I have a new found respect for her. She's tough like hell, and I'm gonna make sure Dani knows it too.

Btw, don't panic if your baby comes out looking like he's a track cyclist. The helmet-like shape of the head is only temporary...

More on this later! (Sorry to bore my mates. Football pun tengah International break kan?)

Shorts

2009-03-17T21:05:00.000+08:00

Accepting a Loss

We lost. Yes, I was disappointed. Surprisingly, I took it quite well. Why? I’m not sure myself. I’ve had more disappointments losing 1-0 before. Maybe it was the scoreline. I watched the replay again, and I still found the whole experience surreal. Even my Liverpool mates were too shocked to even rub it in. They were more upbeat when we failed to beat Inter at the San Siro! I hope it was what everyone thinks it was – an anomaly, an off-day, an outlier.

Too little, too late

Ali Rustam was “dropped” from the UMNO Deputy-President race, thus saving Malaysians from having a Deputy Prime Minister who can’t really converse in English, has no experience at the Federal Level, and looks a lot like Datuk K (which for some might be a compliment).

The fact that UMNO top echelons took to the Disciplinary Committee to save them from the potential embarrassment of Ali Rustam winning just goes to prove one thing – it is the shrinking UMNO grassroot, not its top leaders, who are disillusioned and out of touch with reality. Why?

Because brilliant young minds no longer join UMNO like before. It’s left to Putera’s Rempit generation, that’s why Khir Toyo still has a chance, and people like Norza Zakaria are still supported.

One day, it’ll be a little too late for change, and the only natural consequence is the demise of UMNO. I thought it’s going to take some time, but now, I think my soon-to-be born son would not even get to hear about UMNO. That’s how bad it is…

Just waiting and praying for the best

I’m going to be a dad soon (EDD 22nd, but we’ll just have to wait and see). I’ve never written much about this, despite my wife being pregnant (she positively looks pregnant now!) for the past 9 months. I can’t describe how excited I am at the prospect of raising another human being. It’s a great responsibility, and I love challenges.

But at this moment, all I want to see is my lovely wife and child have a wonderful and healthy experience, albeit painful. Pray for the best with me, and God willing, we will see the latest addition to the world’s burgeoning population to take just a little bit more of our shared resources…ahhahahaha…

Tree of Hope, or Symbol of Mess?

2009-03-08T10:36:00.000+08:00

Is this another Malaysia Boleh moment? Seriously, a freaking tree assembly? How low can we go? It becomes evidently clear from the whole Perak fiasco that all politicians, regardless of political divide, will do whatever is necessary to gain or remain in power.

Some may argue on the legality and merit of the actions. Regardless, it seems rather obvious that PR is trying all it can to cling on to its hold on Perak. People may ask why it was so critical for Sivakumar to call for an emergency assembly. It’s quite simple.

He doesn’t want to wait for the court to declare his suspension of the BN assemblymen as ultra vires (ie. illegal), or Zambry as the lawful MB, or to give an injunction order against any state assembly sitting.

They all may have a reason for wanting power. From Anwar’s futile attempt at taking over the Federal Government, to Pak Lah’s last-minute ditch to remain as UMNO President. But who is actually doing their job of moving this country forward?

Although I don’t always support PR, I thought it was inherently a more honest organisation that BN. However, I’m starting to hear things recently which has made me re-consider this belief.

A close confidant, one whom I believe, recently shared of the conversation he had with a Member of Parliament from Pakatan, specifically Keadilan. This person is a high-ranking leader with close association with the present de facto (why still de facto?) leader of Keadilan. He casually admitted there’s lots of money to be made when you’re an MP. When asked why he didn’t want to be an ADUN (in a state where PR is in control), he brazenly claimed that when PR overtakes the federal government, he will become a minister, and there’s more money to be made there!

A contractor also told of this PAS state assemblyman from another Pakatan state who is asking for a monthly payment of around RM60,000 to support a project.

Hey, these are only rumours, and I’ve not even started with the shit I hear about BN leaders. But I only expected better from PR, and unfortunately, like my uncle said, we are all only human. I personally think that there’s two groups of Politicans – the older breed who are used to this corrupt practice as being part and parcel of politics, and the new breed of young, idealistic leaders who have not yet succumbed to the dark side.

There must be more of this new breed, because as long as politics are dictated by those at the top, the old-timers, the longer it takes for change to occur. Unfortunately, with time, no one can resist the dark side, not even idealistic, young, educated leaders.

...

Something about Going for Five

2009-03-02T22:25:00.004+08:00

Manchester United has just added another trophy this season with last night’s League Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur. That’s two already, with the World Club Cup already won before the beginning of this year.

In fact, after a slow start to the season, the World Club Cup, instead of being a distraction many predicted it would be, has become the catalyst to an impressive run which saw United now poised to further progress in the Champions League and FA Cup while still maintaining a healthy lead over Liverpool and Chelsea in the BPL.

7 points ahead with one game in hand for a team that has lost only twice the whole season is a comfortable lead that seems insurmountable, as admitted by Rafa “Cracking Up” Benitez recently.

In other words, today’s generation of Man United fans may well remember this season as the “Golden Age” of domination where United is finally able to marry its attacking philosophy with the pragmatism that has become a staple of modern football.

However, in my opinion, this has not been a vintage season by United’s standard. United have been more effective than enthralling, more patient than gung-ho, and frankly, more boring than entertaining.

A familiar sight this season?

If we were Chelsea, I wouldn’t have minded grinding out results week in week out. But this is United, where we live and breathe fast-paced high-energy attacking football. It’s in our culture to think that we don’t mind conceding 2 goals because we definitely will score 3 or 4 in reply.
I guess it’s another sign of compromise. Even Ferraris now comes in automatic.

Truly Cracked Up

I’m surrounded by Liverpool fans. It must have hurt them to see me season after season smiling. I don’t wish to rub it in but the truth of the matter is, Liverpool has lost the plot.
As a friend pointed out early this season, don’t worry about Liverpool under Rafa – he’s bound to mess things up. And mess things up he did. Frankly, they’ve conspired to turn an interesting season into a boring one.

I wanted a title fight, and while it’s still too early, it seems like Liverpool is just about ready to get KO’d before Man U even broke sweat. My friends (of Liverpool faith), I implore you to hate Rafa Benitez immensely as he is the sole reason you’ve turned from Champions-elect to potentially scraping for Champions League placing.

Some may reminisce about the Champions League he won (fortuitously, IMHO), BUT the truth of the matter is Liverpool has not won the BPL since its inception! And in Rafa Benitez, they have a manager unsuited to the needs of the English game and most importantly, arrogant enough not to accept he is wrong.

He is the only manager I know who hates his strikers from scoring too many goals. He buys defenders like we shop at Giant – buy in bulk, and hope there’s a bargain in there. He re-shuffles his team to defend against, hold your breath, the great Stewart Downing! Finally, he will never ever admit he’s crazy when every Brit reporter has termed him as “manic”.

I am a romantic when it comes to Football. I prefer Liverpool fans to Chelsea fans any time of the day as I believe we are intrinsically linked in the great tradition of English football. That’s why I will always root for Everton and not Manchester City, West Ham and not Portsmouth.

That is why I feel that the biggest challenge to Man United should come from Liverpool. I would love it if Liverpool could give a fight till the end. I want to win, sure, but I want to win it in style, and it’s only in style if we beat a fighting Liverpool.

But as long as Rafa Benitez is in charge of the club, despite his great Cup records, we will continue seeing the likes of Lucas, El Zhar and the atrocious Ryan Babel. And with these names and the other sorry misfits he has acquired (Robbie Keane was smart to move), I don’t think we’ll get that fight.

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Something about Sergeant Babu…

2009-02-23T12:20:00.002+08:00

One business that is booming despite the recession is private security services. More and more streets around my neighborhood in USJ are turning into private roads manned by private security guards. I am still not convinced on the legality of this.

What if I still insist on passing through? Can the guard stop me? What if I refuse to identify myself? Can they force me? Would I be guilty of a crime if I don’t? Are they guilty of a crime when they force me to do things I have no obligation to do?

Anyway, this evening, there will be a community meeting for my street where I believe they will decide whether to hire mercenaries and guard our street. I am sure the answer would be a resounding yes. We cannot stop the tide. Soon, every community will be gated. Why?

Simple economics dictate that people act rationally to incentives and calculate cost-benefit subconsciously before arriving to decisions every day. In the case of privatized security, residents have increasingly accepted that the benefit of private security far outweigh the cost.

The cost of private security, in whatever form, has gone down dramatically. This is in part due to an increase in demand, leading to increase in recruitment of foreign guards. As the pool of quality guards (ex-police, gurkhas) decrease, more and more untrained guards are recruited from foreign countries, typically Nepal. These untrained guards are currently flooding our economy – cheaper price, lower quality.

Meanwhile, the cost of NOT having private security has increased dramatically. This is due to our population increasing at a rate far greater than the increase in the number of police officers. The “cost” for one resident to have police protection has increased simply because demand has outpaced supply. Less people can “afford” to have police protection; therefore more people are exposed to non-protection, leading to an increase in crime.

Criminals are also calculating the probability that they will get caught. As the police force spreads itself more thinly in the face of growing population, the probability decreases until the “benefit” of committing crime will outweigh the “cost” of getting caught.

Anyway, adept at we are at such calculations, I think we fail to realize the implication of this increase in demand for private security. Firstly, there will be an influx of foreign labor, not a problem in itself, but ironically this also increases the “cost” of police protection as the population increase.

Next, when we rely on private security from foreign workers to provide basic security in our community, we will further detach the police force from its responsibility. It creates a false impression of security, leading to the police not being able to forecast accurately the actual number of police needed to maintain peace and security.

All is well, but in the event of a mass exodus of these foreign workers, either through our own actions, or their own, there will be a sudden and massive breakdown in security. A breakdown that will not be anticipated simply because it was not forecasted.

Finally, there are the hidden social implications of a sudden and unnatural spike in foreign labor in Malaysia. The ratio of male-female will shift. The future composition of our society will also change in the future. More importantly, in the short term, there will be a problem of assimilation and acceptance. Without these, foreign workers will continue to be tied to their place of birth.

We are leaving the fate of our security ultimately in the hands of people who don’t have any affinity to our culture, people and nation. Is that worth the risk? Go figure…

...

Shorts

2009-02-18T00:24:00.002+08:00

MCs = Necessary Evil

When you call in sick from work, you’re required to provide proof that you’re actually sick. This comes in the form of the ubiquitous MC. I don’t blame anyone for this, but it got me thinking what this requirement actually mean.

Employers start with the premise that you’re lying, because if it’s the opposite, they have to prove you’re not sick. And the reason why they start with that premise is because they assumed you don’t enjoy work enough to come up with a fake reason not to go to work. And the reason they assumed as such is because they believe you’re not doing something you like. This belief comes from the logic that all the work they have available is so bad that no one would actually want to do it honestly and enthusiastically.

So in conclusion, employers actually believe that they’re giving you a shitty job. Can’t they just solve this by not giving shitty jobs? Go figure.

Machiavellian Politics to the Fore

A lot has been going on in Malaysian politics that Buletin Utama has more drama than Samarinda (if you don’t get the reference, imagine Teri Hatcher in a nurse outfit...it’s got nothing to do with that but at least you have a nice image).

Today another PKR rep has decided to resign. Eli Wong is a prominent activist turned politician now embroiled in a nude photo controversy. After the Perak debacle, Pakatan Rakyat again fall victim to politics that could best be described as Machiavellian in nature. Observers have pinned this down to Najib solidifying his support base before the UMNO election in March.

But I’ve got a sneaky feeling that behind this grand scheme (I might think it’s a bit dirty, but neutral observers could not help but feel a tinge of fascination how this game is being played out) is one true believer of Machiavellian politic in Malaysia – Tun Mahathir.

I was once told that Mahathir could “eat” not only Pak Lah (as he has done) but also Anwar, Khairy or whoever else he feels like having for breakfast. In any case, Anwar’s losing the plot, but isn’t he STILL only the “adviser” to PKR? Why so? Is there another sub-plot emerging? His silence thus far is deafening...

Shameful Breach of Privacy

On that note, I wish to express my utter disgust to the guy who secretly captured Eli Wong’s nude body while she was sleeping. Its one thing to record a consensual partner, but to do it this way is just plain shameful.

Chua Soi Lek is one of the few who managed to
escape a sex video scandal in Malaysia
with their reputation "enhanced"

Speaking of which, why do people consensually allow recording of their sexual activities? The increase in hand phone-made home videos have shown how disturbed young kids are nowadays. Unfortunately, the vast majority of them are Malays = Muslims. Go figure.

...

Something about Peeling Durian

2009-02-13T18:07:00.002+08:00

We were just sitting around when a friend mentioned that his friend just came back from work at 5 am this morning and was up for work at 8.30 am. That’s crazy, but auditors usually are. Anyway, we got around to discussing on success measurement, on a more micro level.

My friend is a bit stressed out from his current job scope, understandably as he has around $20 million revenue target to meet and a whole lot of back-end mess to clean up. He’s staying on a bit too long every day, and he is seldom left alone on weekends.

The problem is that there’s no correlation at this moment with the work he’s doing and the amount he’s getting paid. Logic dictates that the harder you work, the more you should be paid, but management is seldom logical.

So we started calculating our effective wage, which means wage/number of hours working. We don’t care about your output, as no matter how productive you are, it doesn’t matter shit if you’re paid the same.

My friend got more depressed. Let’s say our effective monthly compensation is RM4000, and we work for 20 days. That means it’s RM200 a day. On this, we are both equal. But I spend an average of 6 hours a day at work, while he goes on close to 8 hours a day. So my effective pay is RM33 per hour while his is only RM25 per hour. I haven’t added in the complexity of his task yet…

There is a potential pay-off for all the hard-work, and that is called promotion. Promotion usually corresponds with a pay raise, though more often than not, a one-step promotion seldom result in more than 10% increase in wage. Isn’t that depressing?

But there is still another potential pay-off. The faster you get your promotion, the faster it is you get to another step for promotion. And the cycle goes on and on, until one fine day, because of your hard work, you managed to earn what you should be earning 3 promotions ago. Sad but true.

You want more sad news? Well, promotion depends on rating and assessment by your boss. Most of the time, through no fault of your assessor, you get rated the same as your colleagues. I know some of you would be saying, “You’re not effective” but trust me; sometimes it’s just the nature of the job.

Well, imagine that A and B were hired to cut and serve fruits. A was assigned to serve oranges, while B was assigned to serve durians. Customer demanded 10 oranges and 10 durians. A and B both served the customer’s demand on time and as requested. Both met their boss’ expectation, but we all know that peeling durian is harder than oranges.

And the boss can’t favor B simply because his job is harder and more complex. A can simply turn around and demand the same treatment because he’s doing what is being asked by the boss just as well as B. So the boss compromises by giving both the same ratings, or at most, give B a bit more than A.

Now, imagine that the durian portfolio is a messy one, filled with blunt tools and haphazard organization. My friend is handling the “durian” while I’m the one with “oranges” to take care of. Life’s not fair, and we BOTH know it.

My friend is slowly turning into a Durian

Not only do I have a higher effective wage than him, and much less stress, but we are both on the same path towards promotion. He might get there sooner than me, by a few months, but with less stress and more free time, I will not get old as soon as him either!

Another way to measure wage is to calculate your profit. Another friend of mine, who is earning less than us in Maxis can afford to buy a new car with his own money. How?

Treat yourself as a company. Your total wage is your revenue. Minus all the work-related expenses (transportation, parking, food) and you get what you’d call your useable income. This is the true measurement of your profit, not total revenue. There’s no point earning RM4000 when you spend RM2000 every month for work while another person earns RM3000 but only spends RM800 for work.

Anyway, have sympathy for my intelligent, hard-working and all-around nice-guy friend at Maxis. Luck, as Malcolm Gladwell pointed out in Outliers, plays a more important role than good old-fashioned effort in success.

Go figure.

Something about Perak

2009-02-07T00:21:00.002+08:00

My colleagues and I had a deal for the past few weeks not to talk about politics. Frankly, I’ve felt liberated since, as I am invariably asked to represent a certain political party, which gets tiring. The fact that I quite like Justin Timberlake does not mean I think he’s a great actor...if you catch my drift.

Anyway, it’s a bit hard not to say a few words regarding the situation in Perak. I had lunch with a friend of mine, who has become something of an Opposition fanatic. Sometimes, you can get a bit too attached to an ideal that you’ll lose your common sense and logic.

Of course, he was pissed with the cross-over in Perak. A few others were also moaning the fact that BN has taken over the state government. I’ve just got a few comments on this:

One:

My principle, which I have stated before vocally and through my party channels, is that I am against elected representative changing or leaving their party without first stepping down as a rep. I don’t care if it’s called a defection, cross-over or hopping. All I know is that in Malaysia, we vote based on party line first (unfortunately), and it is not fair to the constituents to vote for one government, only to be ruled by another. It is undemocratic.

Two:

People can be so hypocritical that it becomes annoying, even causing me anger. Barisan leaders are hypocrites when they welcome these defectors, because they were SO into passing an “anti-hopping” law previously when there was a threat of mass defection to Pakatan. Pakatan leaders are also hypocrites for now condemning defections, as just 10 days ago they were smiling when a Barisan rep joined them in Perak. Same goes with all supporters.

Three:

Hypocrisy is one thing, but outright blatant disregard for respect is another. The Perak monarchy is noted for having two of the brightest Rulers in Malaysia. Everyone, including the Opposition, was so into Raja Nazrin, with some even claiming openly that HE should be leading this country. And yet, just when things don’t go their way, they turned around and say that these very same people are evil and against democracy. Think!

Four:

I find it funny when my friend claimed that Malaysiakini is not biased. I personally think, as objectively as possible, that Malaysiakini is as biased to the Opposition as the Star is biased to the Government. I won’t even mention Utusan because that’s a gone case. Not openly biased, but as you read you do get a feeling that both sets of editors have their own agenda. I don’t have a problem with that. In fact, I quite like it. But at least I realize and admit it, which many find hard to do.

Five:

My boss summarized the whole episode well. This is like a football game. It has its own set of rules, one which we might not wholly agree with, but we have decided to play it this way. One team lost, due to their own miscalculation or mistake and another team won, whether it’s because of their tactics and skills or they cheated the referee. And just like in football, decisions are made which decides the outcome of the game. If a person dived and got a penalty, it is still a valid goal.

This is not to say that cheating is encouraged or should be supported. It is just that players in the game must be aware of the rules and the loopholes. They should know NOT to stick a foot out when Ronaldo’s in the penalty box. In other words, they must be smart players with the right tactics to deal with opposition who would resort to these measures to win, if any.

In conclusion, here is a team that lost a game that they decided to play wholeheartedly. They tried their own version of cheating, and were then sucker punched when the other team was found to be better at it than them.

It sucks, of course, but being a loser always makes you feel that way, right?

Something about the Economy

2009-02-04T00:21:00.000+08:00

A lot has been said about our economy and the problems we are facing. Datuk Nazir Razak today mentioned that throwing out race-based policies would help. I am particularly impressed by Tengku Razaleigh’s recent speech (published in The Edge and Off The Edge) where he clearly and specifically state what needs to be done.

There’s no such thing as a quick fix. I can see where this might be true. Some of the long-standing issues like accountability and transparency require fundamental changes in the system, which will not, I’m afraid, be quick. Most of the solutions given thus far will take 2-3 years of preparation, of political willingness, of public buy-in, before it could even be implemented.

But we NEED a quick fix, a band-aid solution that will stop the bleeding, and a bandage to hold up the ever-widening wound, before something gets infected so bad that we have to amputate it. Phew...that’s another way to describe our economic crisis.

That’s where the stimulus package comes in. 7 billion before, and another 10 billion declared today. Before people say that it’s not enough (and a lot of experts are), we have to remember the issues we have with execution. I was reliably informed that some of the mega corridor projects still has HUNDREDS of MILLION of allocated money not yet spent, so giving them more is not the answer.

A lot has been said about using the stimulus package for high-impact projects and hopefully, the market will efficiently distribute the wealth to as many people as possible. Somehow, though I’m a believer in the free market, I think it does have its weaknesses.

Think about it - companies and basically individuals in a free market want to earn profit. So the bigger the project is, the more likely it is to be awarded to a few companies only. These companies, in turn, are supposed to distribute the project to sub-contractors. However, they would have made their profit cut in the first instance, thus reducing the amount to be distributed when sub-contracting.

The bigger the project, the bigger the company, thus the more profit they need to reap in. Thus, although in theory giving a RM 1 billion project to a company seems like a great way to stimulate the economy, in reality, the wealth would only be distributed to a few companies and ultimately, a few individuals.

Not only that, the execution period of bigger projects is much longer, and what happens is that these companies would continue to receive money years after the economy has recovered. Is that fair and equal distribution of wealth?

I prefer using a substantial amount of whatever stimulus package we have to provide opportunity to as many people as possible. It might mean that no one earns profit in the millions, but it would definitely ensure a lot more people would survive and earn good income which hopefully they would spend on a lot of little things.

For example, giving a mega project would allow someone, who is already more than wealthy, to purchase another BMW or Merc. Identifying smaller, lower-cost, projects to be distributed over a larger base, would allow 10 people to buy Protons or even Peroduas.

Another quick-fix that I think would help is easy credit. It is an extension to my belief that economic stimulus must be distributed directly to as many people as possible. And we can start with just utilising RM1 billion of the stimulus package.

1 billion might not be a lot. I might be wrong, but if we were to given 25 million Malaysians a share of the pie, each would only get RM40. Clearly not enough to stimulate the economy. But if we talk about a RM100, 000 low-interest quick loans for small businesses like restaurants and services, then it will directly benefit 10,000 businesses. Split it further to RM 50,000 (enough perhaps for 10 months rental at RM 5000 a month), then you’d help 20,000 businesses.

Execution is a bane; therefore, leave it out of the hands of the government. Distribute it through conventional banks, and ensure it is distributed within a certain time frame. The banks will be in charge of vetting the requests, and doing their normal due diligence test, assign the necessary amount to the necessary people.

People say that it is difficult to ensure that these businesses will use the money for business sake or will they waste and spend it. In my mind, using the money to spend, although it is not ideal, is not the worst case scenario. Spending is ultimately what we want to achieve, either through the mega projects or my proposed “wide, direct distribution” model. So if these people waste the loans by buying a new bike or whatever, it still creates demand, thus driving up the whole economic cycle.

I mean, I could discuss this further, but I’m just a bit tired of writing. Hahaha...plus, Jimmy Kimmel is on. I’ll explore this issue further, if I feel like it. Go figure.

Shorts

2009-01-29T11:29:00.002+08:00

We don’t need this…

It’s never a nice thing to hear about police brutality. It’s never a good time to know someone died in police custody. But the whole Kugan incident couldn’t come at a worse time for the government already battling cross-over members and getting whooped in by-elections. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for those fighting for his cause too, as a lot of people are just too worried sick about the economy to rally on his behalf. There’s never a good time for this sort of thing, but there’s always the worst time…

So maybe Mahathir is right after all…

You know, I was never one to truly believe in this World Order conspiracy theory whereby the whole world is under the masterful control of a select few – usually it’s the Jews who bear the brunt of this theory. But when I think about it, the Gaza offensive couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Palestinians and at a better time for the Israelis. The whole world is busy handling the mess created by the Jewish-dominated banking industry to be able to effectively render assistance to the Palestinians. It’s hard to help others when you’re saddled with unemployment and deficit budgets. If I were a strategist, it seems like a perfect plan, doesn’t it? The Quran didn’t declare the Jews to be the smartest people in the world, ever, for nothing.

Rafa’s cracking up…

On a lighter note, we’re on top of the league, and that’s a fact (in tribute to Rafa’s “Keegan-like” meltdown). Another 1-1 draw, against Wigan, has condemned Liverpool to 3rd place, with United still having a game in hand. Rafa’s probably distracted with the boardroom battles, and his own ambition to go back to Spain to head Real Madrid.

He’s probably pissed off that Juande “Hotspur” Ramos got the nod as interim coach, and definitely seething to see President-nominee Perez promising to bring in Arsene Wenger, of all people, if he wins. He’s probably thinking, “Haven’t I done enough?” But to truly understand why people are wary of Rafa, just see this convoluted piece of logic:

When he’s on top of the league, unbeaten, he says that Liverpool cannot win the league. When he’s second in the league, and United on a fine run, he says that Liverpool can win it.

Flash your boobs, Gerrard!

You just have to love football...

...

Some interesting, random, short observations:

2009-01-20T17:13:00.002+08:00

Curious racial profiling

Why is there no Chinese working at toll booths as toll collectors? I’ve been told by my friend that he has seen an Indian doing this, but till today that cannot be verified with supporting evidence. Just drive through our highways and tell me if you find any.

Weird coincidence

Sime Darby’s recent aborted move to privatize IJN (after much public outcry, even though Pak Lah kind of gave his blessing) was linked to Khairy’s cronies’ last attempt to milk the cow before Pak Lah leaves.

Now, Sime Darby wants to undertake a massive private initiative to build a new airport for Air Asia Berhad. Now, Air Asia Berhad is partially owned by the Tune group of companies, famously led by Tony Fernandes. His close associates include Datuk Kalimullah, the former NSTP man most famously linked to Khairy in the whole ECM-Libra deal, and Jason Lo, the former rock star turned CEO who is a close friend of Khairy through their MyTeam for TV3 project.

And where is this KLIA-East project going to be located? Labu, Negeri Sembilan. Khairy is probably the most famous MP from Negeri Sembilan.

Long live the conspiracy theorists! At the end of the day, the people get screwed as all these GLCs (yes, even Air Asia, in a way) compete on politics.

...

Something about Pareto

2009-01-14T22:59:00.001+08:00

I’m reading this book called the 4-Hour Work Week. In it, the author espouses a lean yet fulfilling lifestyle where wasted time on menial work is reduced. His mantra is “minimum effort for maximum result”.

His measurement of success is based on profit per effort. You could be earning RM 8,000 a month, and I’m earning RM 4,000, BUT if I only work an hour a day instead of your typical 9 hours a day, my profit per hour is more than yours many times over.

It’s a continuation of the Pareto Law (or better known as the 80/20 rule). This is usually associated with wealth where it has been observed that 80% of wealth goes to 20% of the population or a higher ratio than that. This can be applied to other aspects of life.

80% of your work output comes from 20% of your input. The other 80% of input you’re doing only contributes 20% of your total output. So the book practically explains how you can minimize all the unnecessary work consuming 80% of your time and focus on the 20% that actually leads to the majority of your profit/wage/output.

I won’t get into the whole wealth generation idea that he proposes. It’s mind-blowingly simple, but I’m just going to talk about handling e-mails, because I managed to try it for a few days (only, as we’re still a pretty top-heavy, hours-dependent organization).

In today’s age, everyone works through e-mail, especially in an organization like Maxis. However, this may lead to e-mail overload with unnecessary messages all coming in trying to gain our attention.

The solution? Never check your e-mails in the morning, because you’ll never get to the end of it. As soon as you reply in the morning, the response, even though it’s not important, will come soon after. So it’ll be a never-ending loop of e-mails over an issue that isn’t event .

Set your auto-responder to the following message: I am away and will only be answering e-mails from 12 – 1 PM and 5 – 6 PM. If it’s important and requires urgent response, please contact my mobile at *******.

I tried it for two days while I was away for site-surveys. Although it’s not really what the author meant (he probably wanted me to try it while I’m actually IN THE OFFICE), I realized that a lot of things get filtered through.

People don’t rush for a response, and nothing gets broken along the way. Sometimes a lot of people get all messed up over little things. I’m experiencing a lot of these unnecessary worry because of the top-down nature of the organization. “I want this done by yada yada yada” when the effect of the done deal is not going to manifest itself anytime this year or the next.
Why must everything be so tied to deadlines?

In truth, a lot of people are afraid to admit that their power is derived from their ability to turn every unimportant task into something so profoundly important that its non-completion would cause the whole world to collapse. It does not. The world keeps on revolving, and we have to decide whether we want to be a part of it and live our dreams, or worry about meeting that deadline.

...

Something about United winning 3-0

2009-01-12T16:39:00.003+08:00

It has been a long while since I managed to catch a football game with my friends. This season has been a lonely one in terms of viewing a game as everyone’s getting caught up with work and other commitments.

I was determined to watch yesterday’s game between United (Manchester, of course... “There’s only one United!”). There’s nothing like the pleasure of watching a good game of football with a crowd of passionate football fans.

Especially if United wins. Me and my mate have been trying to avoid this supposed curse of United losing every time we watch a game this season. We only looked on in horror as the team sheet showed 35-year old Ryan Giggs against the likes of Ballack, Lampard, and Obi Mikel.

But what is it about United and unheralded players becoming heroes in important fixtures? I remember Alan Smith playing a blinder in central midfield against Chelsea or Darren Fletcher (who also started yesterday’s game, naturally, considering the luck he has against Chelsea) who has popped up with a couple of masterful displays against higher rated opponents.

The legend with the thinning hair proved he's still got it...

Last night, it was all about the forgotten 35-year old. Yes, Berbatov played a big part in the game, but both he and Ronaldo were on form only after United took the lead. Giggsy showed that, despite his slowing pace and dodgy touch, he could still be counted on for his passion and commitment to the cause.

I am a harsh critic of Giggs, but I must stand up and applaud his control of the game from the centre of midfield. His calm presence was the perfect foil for the ever energetic and combative Darren Fletcher. Last night, Ferguson’s tinkering with the team worked like a charm.

It probably helped that Chelsea were, to be kind here, below their best. To be quite honest, they were horrible. Too narrow in midfield, and with oversized egos not on the same wavelength, they offered an easy challenge for United’s defence.

Rooney through Ashley's back...now if that doesn't make Arsenal fans laugh...

Despite the threat of their midfield overrunning United’s relatively weak centre, it never really materialized as Van Der Sar was a mere passenger.

On a bad note, I don’t think Cristiano Ronaldo is as effective this season trying to be an out-and-out winger with Ferguson preferring a traditional 4-4-2 since Berbatov arrived. With his freedom curtailed, he cuts a despondent figure on the wing. With the arrival of two young Serbians, one an out and out winger, is this the beginning of the end for one of United’s most explosive forward ever?

...

Something about Sharing

2009-01-10T00:51:00.001+08:00

People like to share. It creates a bond, apparently. Unfortunately, wives don’t really want to share their husbands.

Another thing that we value as personal more than sharing is our workspace. In the right company, a shared workspace can be a magnet for you to come to work. However, what is the probability of you getting a workmate that would match your personality? I suspect 1 out of 100.

It doesn’t help that workspace now has been reduced so as to increase the number of people companies can fit per floor. In the interest of increasing profit per square, they’ve tried to reduce whatever trace of individuality and privacy one can have in the office.

In exchange they promote “wide, open spaces” that has “no barriers between you and your colleagues” so that you can “improve relationship” and “increase productivity”. Yeah, it’s pure management bullshit.

I work on an open-concept floor where there’s no partition. Each island has about 4 individual seats and the islands are separated to each other by an arm’s length. It’s not really a bad environment to work with; other than the lack of privacy I pretty much find the arrangement quite comfortable...

This, hypothetically, could be spoiled by the existence of an obnoxious colleague. I can only imagine the horror of working in such an open space beside a colleague that talk loudly on the phone. I can only imagine cringing every time I hear another “hey, lookS...”. I can only imagine trying to filter out the annoying way that colleague is faking politeness in trying to close a deal. I can only imagine putting on a headphone as a colleague shouts about “you have to buy me lunch...” over the phone the 500th time of the day. I can only imagine shooting a colleague who wants to be my boss just to cover his/her own insecurities.

Don't lose your mind...

Alas, I can only imagine because I work in such a perfect, pristine office environment where everyone is intelligent, respectful, and most importantly, genuine. Go figure.

...

People always say that talking, or writing, is good for therapy. Just the act of sharing their thoughts will fulfil human kind inner desire to connect with people. But is that really true? Do we want to share just for the sake of sharing, or do we actually look for understanding?

I mean, I’ve been accused of clamming up on what I actually think/feel. In my defence, I don’t see why I should bother with working myself up to tell something, to get the emotion aspect of it right, to share what I think is important, only to be disappointed when no one understands my point.

Do you get the entry above? If you don’t, or your feed-back doesn’t respond to my expectations, would I not be disappointed? Why SHOULDN’T I be disappointed? So why put yourself up for disappointment, just for the sake of sharing...
...

Something about Sushi King and McDonald’s

2009-01-07T22:38:00.003+08:00

I had dinner at Sushi King, Subang Parade with my wife and in-laws. She loves sushi, but I must warn her to avoid the really raw ones.

We frequent the outlet quite often previously. But tonight I found that the service level has dropped significantly. They couldn’t get the orders right, it was hard to get their attention, and they even served something that was wrongly described in the menu.

There was a point when I felt it was like at the mamaks, when I had to wave my arms frantically trying to get their attention while they were busy chit-chatting. The fact that there was only 6 other customers made it worse.

Since we’re on the topic of lousy customer service from food outlets, has anyone noticed how bad McDonald’s service level is nowadays?

I usually go to the outlet in Taipan. Despite the horrible traffic situation, I had fond memories of that restaurant. I used to go there for snacks after my guitar lessons at the now-defunct Yamaha. It was a vibrant, fun environment, and fast food really meant fast food.

But nowadays, the queue to order is so bad that I just couldn’t be bothered. Only ONE counter would be opened, and this is despite there being a significant queue. The rest of the crew would be busy making jokes and chit-chatting with the Home-Delivery riders.

In fact, the whole environment has deteriorated with the increase in the number of these riders. They would congregate outside, talking loudly, and then when they come to pick up orders, they would usually create a big scene that is so unprofessional and unruly.

I think McDonald’s has lost focus of the “ambience” of their outlets when they concentrate on the Home Delivery business model. Even then, it is not perfect.

Last Saturday, we wanted to order-in as it was raining. Gave the damn McD’s number a call, waited for a few minutes, then was told nonchalantly that they would NOT be delivering because it’s raining. Go figure.

All day, all night as long as the weather's perfect, there's no traffic jam
and I'm well enough to eat outside...which defeats the purpose of home delivery, duh

I called Domino’s and two hot regular thin crust pizzas reached my place in 30 minutes. Now, they’ve got my vote.

2009’s resolution: Reduce unnecessary anger by venting frustration out as soon as possible...

Something about Watching TV

2009-01-06T22:27:00.002+08:00

I’m watching Grey’s Anatomy right now with my wife. She doesn’t like the fact that I comment a lot when I watch TV. But I only comment when it doesn’t make sense.

For example, we tuned in to Keeping Up With Kardashians over at E! and it just doesn’t make sense. Reality TV, in this format, never made any sense to me. This guy was walking along the hotel’s corridor when he suddenly proposed to Kim’s sister (the less ugly, but not the ugliest).

No, it wasn't him or her but I thought this would be a better photo, don't you?

It would have been kind of romantic if it weren’t for the fact that there’s a whole TV crew RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM! How anyone could be natural in that environment is beyond me.

Reality TV in its purest form is when one party or both is unaware of the existence, or the location of the camera(s). So I don’t consider Kardiashians, Run’s House (which is the most unreal reality TV I’ve seen) or whatever it is with Paris Hilton in it as reality TV.

Now, those players hitting the club in Keys to the VIP, they’re true reality TV guys. I love that freaking show...raise your glass!

2009 Resolution : One of my resolutions is to write shorter entries on a more regular basis in my blog.

Treasure Hunters, CEO-wannabe Speech & Apam Manis

2008-12-27T10:54:00.001+08:00

Treasure Seekers...

I’m here in Penang for the second time in a week. The first was with my mates the Actuarist (there’s no such word, but it sounds cool) and the Coverliner for Maxis’ Sports and Recreation Club Treasure Hunt.

We were virgin treasure hunters, and thought that it would be better for us just to drive straight to Penang, enjoy the food there, and forget about the hunt. But as soon as the first puzzle came up, we were hooked, and the competitive nature of these high-performing individuals *insert laughter here* would not let the hunt die by itself.

We didn’t win, of course, but we had loads of fun, and I think we’ve the raw talent to make this work the next time. Yes, there should be a next time, and I count on the Actuarist to make this happen (I lack the motivation to help others...sigh).

Now, if only they had made it MILF hunting, then I’d definitely be super-motivated....

Graduating...again?

As you may or may not know, I was part of the Maxis Graduate Trainee Program. Now, every time I mention this, it becomes a source of confusion. Are you an intern? Are you training? Are you on contract basis? The answer to all is NO.

We are permanent employees, doing real work (or pretending to) and get paid with real money, not Monopoly-cash. It’s basically a management associate program, and I’m glad that they’ve just announced changing the name to Maxis Management Associate Program for the sake of future batches.

We are supposed to be high-performing graduates from reputable universities with an extra drive to succeed in the corporate world. Which just makes me wonder why and how I got into this in the first place? Suffice to say that there wouldn’t be any more UiTM candidate after me...*insert sigh of relief*.

Just to make it even more comical, we had to have a proper graduation ceremony, marking the end of our one-year program. This is despite all of us already fully integrated into the various business units within Maxis. With full graduation robes for us and the Management, we couldn’t look more intern-like doe-eyed virgins of the working life.

It was a bit surreal to give a speech on behalf of the graduating batch of 12 & 13. First, giving a graduation speech, in robes and that pointy thing on your head, for something that you can’t really call an education program is weird. Secondly, there were graduates from all these top universities of the world, and this kid from UiTM got the call to speak on their behalf.

I think it might just be an affirmative action program *insert sly grin here*. But whatever it was, I hope that it was good enough for them. At least I made a few people laugh (I can’t stand staid, serious speeches).

When I went up to take my scroll (can you believe this? Am I going to include this in my CV? Do I need a CV?), the CEO (Mr. Sandip Das, and not Ananda Krishnan like many assumed. AK is head of the company that owns Maxis) whispered, “You shouldn’t give a better speech than the CEO...”.

That felt good, a source of validation from the highest level. But it made me wonder, should I then be my own CEO?

Foodie Galore

As mentioned above, I’m here in Penang. I left on Christmas Day, which happens to be our 1st year anniversary (Happy Anniversary to my mom and dad as they share the same anniversary). Just to note that I couldn’t wish for a better Anniversary gift than the fact that my wife is doing well coming to 7 months of her pregnancy.

Anyway, I brought my in-laws along for this trip. I mean, with my brother-in-law and his family (which includes Radhi and Fey, two of the cutest kid around IMHO) off to New Zealand for his PhD and everyone else going here, there and everywhere, I thought it would be nice just to take them out and let them think about something else.

My goal is to be rich enough to be able to bring them, and my own family, for a nice trip overseas. So maybe this year it’s Penang, but I hope that next year I can take all of them to one of our neighbours, and with God’s grace, maybe the year after I can afford to take everyone off to Europe or whatever.

Back to Penang. I’m useless when it comes to navigating in Penang. Not because I’m not a good driver, it’s just that I don’t know much about Penang and its attractions, despite hailing from Penang and spending at least a week every year there (usually for Hari Raya).

So I deserve a bit of brick-bats from the pop-in-law for not really knowing my way around Penang. But I had a goal, and that goal is to bring Led and Ibu to all the pretty famous food experience here in Penang.

We started with Nasi Kandar Kayu (beside Hotel Vistana). A lot of people say that it’s not authentic if it’s not dingy, dirty and the food not held by the mamak’s bare hands, but a lot of people also thought that Mawi is a great singer...Anyway, Led was pleasantly surprised with the taste, and I think it pretty much covers up the whole Nasi Kandar thing.

For dinner, my parents (who also drove up to Penang) brought all of us to Hainan, a pretty expensive restaurant that serves unique Hainanese dishes that always leaves me wanting for more. Between lunch and dinner, they (wife, Led & Ibu) had Muar Chee and Sotong Bakar from Gurney Drive.

Yesterday, our second day, my wife spent 3 hours going over Queensbay Mall. I can’t understand the logic of coming to Penang and spending time in a carbon-copy of MidValley, but never deny a pregnant lady her wishes. Then we had lunch at this place (I forgot the name) at Batu Maung, beside the LKIM station. The whole Kari Kepala Ikan experience was wonderful, and pretty affordable too. This is definitely recommended.

On the way back to the hotel, I had to stop along Penang Road and buy those sumptuous Apam Manis from Apam Guan. This guy has been around for 40 years at the same spot and the crowd waiting just showed that he’s still got the touch.

Today, on our way back to KL, I plan to buy these famous goreng pisang at Tanjung Bungah, and then have the famous Sg. Dua prawn mee for lunch.

Man, it truly is a Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan experience. And people ask why I’ve gained weight...

Foot up YOUR a**!

2008-12-16T14:08:00.001+08:00

That 70’s Show, which used to be one of the funniest sitcoms around, is officially CRAP.

Officially, the last episode was aired in 2006, but as is common for us here in Malaysia, we get to see it now – 2 years later!

Anyway, if we were to ignore the out-of-date element, the season they’re showing on Astro every Monday night is the 8th season (I think). No more Eric (Topher Grace) or Kelso (Ashton “Punk’d” Kutcher). Both went on to bigger things.

Remember, the episode we’re getting in Malaysia was filmed two years ago. That’s when Topher played a major role in Spider-Man, and a few other movies. Ashton’s busy with his movies as well (and Demi Moore…how MILF can you get?).

Back to the show. It’s crap. It’s lousy. There’s this new character called Randy, played by Josh Meyers, and he must be one of the lousiest comedy actors I’ve seen from a U.S production. It’s MIND-BLOWING how lousy he is.

Even Fez is no longer a guaranteed laugh. And that reflects on the low-quality jokes permeating in the current (or outdated) season. I won’t even start on how they have denigrated Hyde into a drunken fool.

It’s getting harder and harder to find quality sitcoms. I really like 30 Rock, but it’s a bit too off-beat for everyday consumption, you know what I mean?

Where’s the next “Friends” (which they’re still showing…and I can’t get enough of that show…BRILLIANT!)?

About a Stretched Ligament

2008-12-15T00:03:00.001+08:00

The doctor said its suspected stretched ligament. Sounds great, but it doesn’t feel so good honestly. Football injuries sounds cool, but only if you’re a pro. If you’re an average player (by the standard of your local kampong circuit), then it ain’t so hot.

So I’m out of playing anything for the next few weeks which probably will turn me into a TV slob all over again. You see, I was never a sportsman by any stretch of the imagination. When I was in primary, I did play a bit of badminton and football, but I was known to be rather...fat.

Even in secondary school, I never did get into sports as much as I’d like to. You cannot beat natural talent, and natural talent is one thing that I didn’t really have. My arms and legs are freakishly weak, and losing weight didn’t help me with gaining natural pace.

But I kept on playing, and got a bit better that it didn’t become an embarrassment. Football in high-school was a lost cause, simply because there were too many good players out there. It didn’t help that there’s a gang-like feeling with footballers, which I totally understand.

It kind of changed at University though, just like a lot of things in life. It was an opportunity to show what I can really do, and I’m not just talking about football. Freed from the shackles of impression gained pre-pubescent, I turned into a confident man, and this translated into my performance on the football pitch.

I guess that’s why, till today, when I play with my high-school friends or people that I know from high-school, I’m a bit clumsy. I guess they’d be surprised to know that I can play as a striker in tournaments, and I’m pretty good at it too.

People don’t believe if I tell them this, but it’s true. You want proof? Just join (or watch) me play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and see the difference. Thursday’s a new crowd, and they’re pretty good but even then I can be proud of how I’m playing with them. Saturday’s a pretty relaxed bunch of new friends whom I’ve had the pleasure of being acquainted after high-school, and it’s safe to say with them, I’m a brash, loud, over-confident, dribbling-manic player.

Friday’s crowd consist of ex-SMSU students. This is where I get all quiet, and stick to the basics. I don’t venture forward as much, and most of the time I just sweep and pass the ball. And even then I tend to make mistakes I don’t normally make.

It’s a bit too inconsistent for my liking, and what’s weird is that the very next day I could be galloping up and down against international high-schoolers and scoring goals left, right and centre.

I know some friends who have managed to totally transform themselves from the image imposed in high-school. One even managed to be something of a “hot-stuff” amongst the ladies even though he was nothing more than an annoying twat in high-school. It doesn’t have to be one-way only.

Bad boys who were too cool to be bothered with school have turned out straighter and nerdier than the nerds in high-school. Hot girls turned fat and ‘makcik-like’ while previously unknown entities turned out to be smart, sophisticated and totally desirable women.

Do you guys notice this amongst your friends, or even yourself?

Yoga or Not, We Have More things To Get Emo About...

2008-12-01T13:55:00.003+08:00

Sometimes I think us Malaysians, as a lot, are busy-bodies, always trying to meddle in the affairs of our neighbors. Seriously, whether guys or girls, one of our favorite pastimes seems to be trying to know what our friends are doing, who they are dating, how much they’re earning.

I mean, well, it’s a bit hypocritical if I don’t admit that I do enjoy a bit of gossiping. But I think as a nation, we have gone a bit too far with this whole Yoga Fatwa issue.

First of all, a Fatwa affects only Muslims. Duh. So imagine my surprise when the non-Muslims kick up such a big fuss over it. Right. Some went on to claim that the fatwa is an insult to their religion.

Why? It clearly states that I can’t eat pork, but is that insulting to Chinese? More importantly, other religions also have rules against their believers from following Islamic practices. When my Chinese friend says that to baca doa and praise Allah is against his religion, is it an insult to my religion?

I completely understand it because obviously his religion would not allow him to follow Islamic practices. If it did, then there’s no point to having different religions. So why can’t they understand that the fatwa is not an insult? Could it be because they’re thick-headed, ignorant racists?

I am not angry because I am a strong, principled, pious Muslim. Far from it. But my anger is based on principle. Don’t mess with other people’s issue, especially if it doesn’t affect, and will not affect, you. Perioud.

On that note, I don’t understand why Muslims are so worked-up over the whole fatwa either. I can accept dissent and discussion, because I think discourse within the Muslim community is a healthy development.

But I take it with a pinch of salt when some Muslims starts to criticize the fatwa and get emotional over it when well…they’ve not really shown they are in a position to be religious experts.

For example, take Ninie Ahmad, one of Malaysia’s leading personalities on yoga. In the Star, she said that her faith in Islam was strong although she had been practising and teaching yoga for eight years.

Shhh...don't tell JAKIM I'm dressed like this...

Right. Look at the picture above. Ironic. I think I agree with her. Yoga definitely did not erode her faith and obedience to Islamic principles. Just kidding, Ninie, if you're reading this...(which I highly doubt...)

Look, I am no moral police. But it’s kind of funny when I hang out with Malays at bars (I don’t drink, but they do) and they get all worked up whenever the issue of religion is discussed. There they were espousing that JAIS shouldn’t conduct raids because it is against personal privacy, while having a cold Heineken.

I might agree with their opinion (hey, I’m not saying they are idiots) but it’s a bit weird to criticize something or be morally righteous about one aspect of Islam while at the same time neglecting to abide by the more important ones.

I have to admit that sometimes I too get these mixed up. I sometimes have to catch myself before launching into a tirade against “oppression” by Muslim fundamentalists.

Now, I want to train my sight on the fatwa. I would not like to comment on the merit of it, because I actually do think they have a valid reason for declaring the traditional practice of Yoga (please note they are not prohibiting the physical “stretching” parts etc.2) as potentially eroding one’s faith. I understand their job, their role to lead fellow Muslims on a righteous path.

But it has to be admitted it would be impossible to monitor yoga practices that crosses the boundary and turned into a mystical Hindu practice. Therefore, I can conclude that this Fatwa, just like the Fatwa against smoking, would have trouble in being gazzetted as a law.

If you ask me, I don’t really care. Because I bet a lot of Muslims have enough problems trying to pray 5 times a day, and not doing Yoga will not compensate for this anytime soon. The Koran prohibits drinking, yet bars are filled with Malays drinking. The Koran prohibits "free sex" (even though you pay for it...), yet 3GP videos are full of Malays romping about from as young as Form 1 (that's sick...). So do we have a deeper problem here to be worked up about?

Heck, if there’s something I want to get worked up about, it would be the fatwa prohibiting Malay girls from taking part in beauty pageants...what a waste.

...

New-Age Bond

2008-11-24T23:53:00.002+08:00

Last weekend I managed to catch the much-talked about (I’ll get to that later) latest James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace. Surprisingly, it was pretty empty at Pyramid (relatively speaking – I still had to park at the upper-most level) for a Saturday afternoon. See, since I got married, every free time is just a moment for me to catch my breath. It’s not that easy balancing all our needs. So a movie on a weekend is something of a rarity these days (comparatively, of course).

Anyway, I just had to get this out of my chest – who the hell planned the number of parking bays in Shopping Malls? It pisses me off every time I see these big developers raking in profits while we circle around for ½ hour trying to find an empty spot.

Back to Bond, James Bond. I guess after the brilliant Casino Royale, a lot of people had higher expectations from QOS and especially Daniel Craig. I’ve been hearing a lot of grouses from people who, while not exactly disappointed, complained that this is not a James Bond film.

I’m not a Bond aficionado, but I can differentiate Goldfinger and Goldeneye, so I’m not a complete idiot. I was exposed to Bond films when I was just a little kid, through videos of Sean Connery’s From Russia With Love and my personal favourite (of him) so far, Goldfinger. Who could forget one of the funniest Bond-girl names ever created – Pussy Galore?

A lot of us grew up in the era of Pierce Brosnan – charming, witty, tough but not scary and dashingly handsome. All that changed since Daniel Craig took on the mantle.

QOS didn't even bother with the customary "Bond, James Bond" introduction

I guess what they meant was that QOS totally dismisses most of the identifiers we commonly see in Bond films. There was no fancy gadget, the wit was kept to the minimal, and Craig’s Bond, well, he didn’t even bother being charming.

Frankly, I don’t know why people are complaining. Things change. People change. This is a different era. Most importantly, this new direction reflects who we are as a society – cold, calculating, brutal and effective. Even the courtship reflects this mood – invite into room, have sex, encore, and then leave for a mission. If that’s not the 21st century, I don’t know what is.

Despite the obviously flawed action scenes (too disjointed), I like QOS. It’s edgy, it’s realistic (as realistic as Bond could ever be) and it clearly shows that the world is not just black and white. Time and time again the script kind of apologetically reminds us that governments don’t just “work with good people”. It’s the kind of subtle ode to the current political climate that I enjoy.

Do I miss the funny names and clever one-liners? Of course. Do I wish for the customary “gadget-showing scene”? Yes. But as we keep on comparing the present to the past, we tend to forget that we’ve changed too. If you open your eyes to the new possibilities out there, and still find it unattractive, then I’m cool with that.

But don’t dismiss the present simply because it doesn’t conform to your idea from the past.

Interesting question: Now that the new James Bond is more and more akin to super-CIA-agent Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), who do you prefer more? Honestly, although a lot of people don’t like the whole Bourne series, I quite like it simply because it feels real (and the hand-to-hand combat scenes are a joy to watch).

What about Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) of Mission Impossible series? Or was his antics in Oprah disqualify him from this contest? Go figure.

Duit Kecik Ada Tak?

2008-11-04T17:59:00.001+08:00

You’ve all experienced it before, that moment when as a customer you get this “What the hell is going on here” feeling. We Malaysians are a bit more tolerant than others I guess, because ever since I started being reasonably conscious of customer experience, the level of service have not improved one-bit.

This list of things that pisses me off about our customer service experience is not exhaustive, but after one too many bad experiences, I really need to take this down, in random order of “annoying-ness”:

“Sir, let me just connect you to him,” then…Tut-tut-tut. Nothing. What the hell?
Waiters that hang around talking while obviously ignoring your call for service. This is most common in mamaks. What the hell?
Store assistants that follow you 3 meters away. Maybe I missed this during Sales training but I guess its essential – Treat All Customers Like Potential Thieves 101. What the hell?
Assistants that try to tell you what size you should get. Most of the time it’ll be off-the-mark because they’re from a different generation where wearing shirts one-size too big is the trend. Screw them, I wear mine fitted. What the hell?
Store assistants that assume they’re smarter than you or you’re ignorant. This happen sometimes when you’re purchasing high-end products like TV sets, radio…it’s great if they offer advice, but please don’t patronize. What the hell?
People that offer unwanted and unsolicited advice. “Eh, if you’re getting married, you should go to Bukit Merah Laketown for your honeymoon…,” Thanks, piss off. What the hell?
Foreign workers that can’t understand what I’m trying to say. “Teh O Limau Suam satu” Nods. Then returns with Sirap Bandung Ais with Extra Red Beans. What the hell?
“Ada duit kecik tak?” I feel like smacking these guys sometimes. I understand if you do it out of necessity, but I can see that small change in your teller, you jackass. What the hell?

Sigh. Love this world.

Economic Downturn and the Opportunity it Presents

2008-10-30T19:19:00.000+08:00

Despite what our Government is trying to portray, Malaysia is not immune from the global financial crisis. This is evident by the battering our KLSE has taken since the turn of this month. However, I believe there is some truth in the statement that Malaysia will be relatively stable economically.

Again, just take a look at the stock market. Despite reaching lows not seen in years, you don’t see en masse retrenchment or excessive decline in consumer spending. Heck, every day at KLCC I see people trying out goods like there’s no tomorrow.

Unlike the last big drop in the mid-90s, where scores of individuals turn bankrupt, this time most Malaysians are not actively and directly involved in the stock market. Retail investors (meaning you and me) make up only a small percentage of holdings in our equity market.

Strict lending rules imposed by the banks have also restricted individuals from excessively borrowing money to finance stock purchases. Therefore, the losses in the stock market, in general, will not impact individuals like you and me directly.

Another plus factor is our own conservatism in relation to our savings. Malaysians in general tend to be conservatives and keep the majority of their money in fixed-deposit or open-ended government trust fund (eg. ASB). The more adventurous would venture into mutual funds, and even then I see reluctance to throw away their savings.

At this moment, most of us are suffering from paper losses with regards to Mutual Funds. But as the investment horizon clearly states between 3-5 years, perhaps we shouldn’t be unduly worried.

The last form of savings/investment for most Malaysians is Real Estate Investment. This is becoming increasingly popular as historically here in Malaysia, Real Estate is almost equivalent to capital guaranteed fixed deposit. At the very least, you’ll lose a few thousand from your purchase price. Not too bad considering the potential yearly yield of 7 – 10% or capital appreciation of 20% - 40% from purchase price.

This is especially true if the property is purchased from reputable developers.

However, as I’ve been surveying some properties, I noticed that sometimes there are a lot of investors as opposed to actual purchasers. This means that properties are being picked up at inflated prices based on inaccurate demand. The demand from investors does not necessarily correspond to demand from people who actually want to live there.

It’s a chicken and egg situation. The investor would go to the sales gallery, and then realized that units are being snapped up quickly. The investor equates this to demand from purchasers. They will then put in money without realizing that no one wants to stay there upon completion. In fact, even if there were, upon completion, there will be a glut of investors ready to rent out their units, which makes it harder for you to set the price you wanted.

In any case, I predict that in 3 months time the property market will follow the path of the stock market. Once the stock market bottoms out, and start its recovery upwards, start tracking the property market as it will lag a few months from the stock market. But if there’s no real recession (increase in unemployment, negative growth y-o-y etc.), then perhaps there will only be a slowdown in demand, but it will not adversely impact prices.

Especially as developers are also slowing down with new launches. The shortage in supply will balance out the decrease in demand.

Next year will be a great year for those willing to take risks. Go figure!

This Voice inside My Head

2008-10-21T09:00:00.000+08:00

There’s a voice inside my head. And it keeps on telling me that I must start something on my own. Unlike some of my colleagues, I have this constant itch to go out and start a business. I just don’t know what the business would be.

That’s the question I asked my good friend – what if someone likes everything. What if that person is as comfortable dealing with Powerpoint presentations in the board room as he is with selling stuffs by the roadside? What if he likes the discipline of MNCs while enjoying the freedom of self-entrepreneurship?

See, it’s easy if you have a preference. I know of friends who just enjoy working from 9-5, and cannot stand working odd hours. I know of people who can’t stand the thought of sitting in an office for hours.

It’s even easier if you have limited/specialized competency. Some people can’t sell anything even if their mom’s life depended on it. Some people just can’t bear the thought of preparing a complex business case where EBITDA margin is the king.

These people, to me, are lucky in a sense because their preference and competence will dictate what they can and would like to do.

Sometimes I see entrepreneurs mocking the corporate-types for being too straight and not thinking “big”. And I see corporate-types saying that entrepreneurs must be idiots because they can’t get that high-flying job in that big MNCs.

Me? I totally dig both groups, and I can understand if my colleagues prefer working their way up the corporate ladder and I can relate if my friend says that we are all wasting a golden opportunity to make lots of money.

I guess I must be crazy for thinking that I am unlucky. I feel blessed, every single day. It’s better to be able to do lots of things than to be lousy at most. But sometimes I just think it’ll be much easier if that voice inside my head would tell me – hey, bro…you’re doing just fine.

__________________________________________________________

Rooney’s on Fire

Luckily for United, we have Wayne Rooney to carry off the slack that is known as Berbatov. Yeap, Berba did play some nice passes through AND he did score. But don’t you guys think he’s just a bit freaking lazy?

Yet, and this is why the world is a bit unfair, he was on the winning side, and would get a big fat paycheck at the end of the week while real football heroes like Wigan’s Amr Zaki can only look on as the lucky Liverfool rats notch up another win against 10-men opposition.

Zaki played an absolute blinder, harassing the Liverpool’s backline all the way. Yeah, people may say that he might just be another one-season wonder. Who cares as long as you play with your heart on your sleeves? Just like Wayne Rooney. I don’t give a crap if he doesn’t score, because I know that he puts in 110% every single game.

Liverpool v Wigan Athletic

Anyway, Zaki’s second goal certainly put to be any doubts about his ability. What a cracker!

With friends like these...

2008-10-16T22:22:00.000+08:00

I remember when I was having a cuppa with some “good friends” of mine. Note the “...”.

I’ve had a few of those. People that come and go, passing through your life, without ever actually being anything more significant that cool people that you’d hang out with, but not forever.

No offense to these friends, but if there ever were a need for prime example of Malay urban youths (and I’m using this term liberally...) gone south, then they would definitely fit the bill.

What is it about teh tarik that brings out the best and the worst in people? At one moment, we could be discussing serious political issues with such deep insight that it would blow George Bush’s head off without a trace.

Then suddenly, without the barest hint of female form, these very same “political analysts” would talk about girls, and the endless drama associated with them, and of course, the “ehem ehem”. Sometimes it’s funny, but most of the time it just pisses me off.

You can talk about girls. It’s only natural. But why must it be so graphic?

Another thing that pisses me off about some of the friends I hang out with is their perpetual need to blame others or find excuses for their own failings. I mean, once, I was having teh tarik (again) at Mydin, and we were commending the success of Mydin before one of the friends mentioned that if he were given a prime land like Mydin (or whoever the boss is) and had connections, he would have made it big as well.

Of course, we all do these sometimes, but for some, it becomes a hindrance to their life. I know someone who smokes weed, take pills, would fuck a tree if it had a hole, molest girls, have no manners, talks cock 24/7, was lucky he finished high-school, and don’t even look good BUT his lack of success in life is always due to: UMNO Puteras “stealing” all his contracts, his friend have no “business vision”, his boss is a jackass, the Government is too slow...a million and one other excuses.

It just pisses me off.

Locking Us Out?

2008-10-07T20:49:00.002+08:00

Recently, USJ 11/3 (for those in the dark, it’s where the once-famous Chatters Restaurant and now-famous Anjung Merah restaurants originated) introduced a gated community concept.

Previously, it was just another normal neighborhood bordering my parents’ house at USJ 11/2. But USJ’s increasing crime rate has led the neighborhood community to introduce this gated community concept.

I, for one, sympathize with their plight. My parents’ house was broken into twice, while my car which was parked right in front of the house got its window smashed once before. So, I really do empathize with their problem.

However, I have to question the imposition of restricted access to the streets of USJ 11/3 primarily because the residents are converting public roads maintained by MPSJ into private ones as opposed to pre-defined private property development. I suspect that it will not pass the legal hurdle if ever challenged in court.

There’s also a public field in that area. Yes, you can still access it by parking in front of Sri Ayuthaya, but again, the question remains: Can you then restrict access to the public from using the road if they want to park near where they want to? Or are you now saying that the field there is strictly for USJ 11/3 residents?

Another issue is that part of USJ 11/3 is normally used by people who visit Taipan during the day (opposite Public Bank). Well, those who frequent Taipan would know how terrible the traffic situation is there. Parking is a nightmare, especially if all you wanted to do is a simple transaction and have a short time-frame to do so.

What most would do is park across the main road at USJ 11/3. Yeap, it’s not meant to be that way, but unless and until MPSJ provide adequate parking spaces in Taipan, it seems the only reasonable thing to do for everyone.

The situation is not dissimilar to residents who live in front of public playgrounds and have to endure cars parked by the roadside. But we would never think of calling in MPSJ to tow these cars away because we understand their needs and as long as it doesn’t impact us adversely, we can accommodate these minor transgressions.

Unfortunately, the committee members of USJ 11/3 have threatened to call in MPSJ to summon these cars. Can you imagine being summoned for a situation that you cannot REASONABLY prevent? Can you suddenly create a designated parking space? I don’t think so.

The primary purpose of this is to prevent crime. Unfortunately, along the way, the non-criminals and average Joes who have the RIGHT to use the streets and roads are also discriminated against as though the streets belong to only USJ 11/3 residents. Does this sound right to you? If that’s the case, imagine what would happen if we were to close access to USJ 11/2 then?
At the end of the day, I sincerely believe that the committee is rightfully concerned about their safety. It is a sad reflection of our society that the police can no longer be counted upon to provide a safe and sound sanctuary for the Rakyat. There’s a genuine effort to solve the problem by USJ 11/3, and I applaud them for the effort. It’s just that I have this feeling it would later create a situation that would spiral out of control and lead to various other issues that I don’t have the time to raise here. Good luck!

Where Are You Berbatov?

So far we have seen some nice touches, a few delightful passes, and two goals against European minnows in the 5-6 games that Berbatov has played in since he joined Manchester United. It has been a slow start to Man United’s 30 MILLION pound man.

I have nothing against Berba except for the fact that I have unequivocally stated to anyone who cares to listen that we don’t really need him at THAT price. Why? Last season we did wonders from our three-pronged attack of Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.

Fergie and everyone was gushing how wonderful these three were in when in full flight and in-form.

We were a bit light in attack in case any one of them got injured or out-of-form though, but when the three are playing, we were virtually unstoppable in attack. That was the argument then for another striker. And also the fact that we needed an alternative to Man United’s attacking play – “a target man is needed” was the cry.

So the primary issue was back-up, quality back-up. Or did Manchester United decide to pay 30 million quid for Tevez to be a back-up? I don’t think so, and the “Apache” has shown himself to be a class first-team act.

Which begs the question why did we have to go through the long and protracted battle to gain ANOTHER 30 million “cover” who is already 27 years old? Of course you can’t fit all four of them in a team without sacrificing balance and effectiveness. Therefore, one of these expensive signings has to sit out. Not very clever, Fergie.

If you already have a 30 million striker, what you need is a reasonable 15 million quid maximum quality backup. There’s a host of strikers that fits the bill, and wouldn’t cost us a bomb to leave in the bench.

On the second point that Berba would bring a different dimension to United’s game, I have my reservation. Berbatov is NOT a better header of the ball than either Rooney or Ronaldo. Heck, I think he’s even weaker in winning the ball in the air than Tevez, who is a monster of a shorty. He can’t hold the ball, he doesn’t wait for tap-ins, he is slow to get to the 6-yard box…hmmmm…is he the out and out striker that United supposedly need as an alternative to the free-flowing, skillful trio of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez?

Berba is best when the ball is on the ground, with little flicks and through balls his forte. His laidback style doesn’t suit Manchester United fast running, ball behind the defense game plan, so I guess if by bringing an alternative style means playing slow and deliberate, then I agree Berba is the man for Manchester United.

He will do well, no doubt about it. A classy player playing for Man United will surely do well (we are not Liverpool) at the end of the day. The problem is he will do well at the expense of a system that has already brought us success without any signs of failure.

Imagine if Fergie had a little faith in Rossi, who is now flourishing for Villareal, and now, Frazier Campbell…how much, would we have saved?

The Best Job in the World?

2008-09-26T14:45:00.001+08:00

I was told by someone that when he was in University, when people talk about Finance, the immediate association would be banker. And banker here does not mean your sexy Investment Banker, but actual bread-and-butter deposit, loan etc. banking.

Nowadays, there’s a myriad of opportunities for those who did Finance or its ilk in university. Everyone wants to be an Investment Banker, and for good reasons too.

The world economy has moved beyond the simple import export of goods and services. Some very clever folks have decided that simply dealing with real, tangible products are no longer enough to satisfy their lust for money.

So they created the futures market, short-selling and other kinds of financial razzmatazz that deals not with the present, real and tangible. Instead, the vast amount of liquidity going around the world these days are based on perception, on anticipation, on hedging for the future and sometimes, just plain old speculation.

What this means is that the market is never rational and never perfect (Adam Smith would be disappointed, no?). And that means it works based on the herd mentality. Once a sign is picked up by everyone that the market is heading for a bull run, they will immediately act upon it. In other words, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

IB folks are smart, no doubt about it. But they are also not immune to follow the herd, simply because if they don’t, and based their assessment on the plain old “boring” fundamentals, they might lose out to their peers. And losing out here means losing a huge paycheck at the end of the year.

This is what pisses me off a bit about all these Finance and Investment Bankers and Analysts. They get paid for the performance of their portfolio in any given year, and in a bull market, the payout could be astronomical. Unfortunately, the reverse is not true. If next year that very same portfolio loses value (most of the time back to square one, or even worse, a negative figure), the payout given in the earlier years would not be returned.

Gordon Gecko: Not an Investment Banker, but runs Wall Street...damn cool!

Some might argue that this is the same for every profession and you can only get compensated for your current performance. But actually, it’s not. If I get a bonus for sales, I have already done the sale, and I have already completed by KPI. If I manage to settle a case, I would get a portion of a done deal. There’s no more follow-up per se. But with investment, it takes years and years, so why should IB folks get compensated for an increase in value for one year when that value is not sustainable in the long run?

The yachts, the houses, the trophy wives, the fancy cars…will still remain with these guys. True, they run the risk of getting fired. But the effect of their actions affects a whole lot more people who have entrusted their hard earned savings on to this people who then proceeded to speculate and manipulate the market until one find day, and unfortunately it’s today, the fundamentals would catch up with them.

Anyway, this note is just an expression of my frustration with what’s going on with the world economy nowadays….so it’s a bit disjointed and ….well, I’m tired too with this heavy but exciting new job scope.

Hope that this does not discourage anyone from taking Finance. I might need a CFO one day for my company.

25 Years & Counting

2008-09-22T10:39:00.002+08:00

Ripley's Believe it Or Not: That's Najmie Noordin

First of all, thanks for the wishes. I guess with everyone on Facebook, it’s easier to remember (or be reminded) of birthdays. Special thanks to the wonderful souls who managed to squeeze in a few minutes to wish me on the stroke of midnight and those who called. I wouldn’t do the same…and that’s sad… (but I will try).

I was told that no one really famous was born on 21st September. I checked, and unfortunately, they’re right. Brad Pitt, Hitler, Mandela, Clinton and the rest of the world’s most famous people…nope, not on the 21st. Of course there’s a list of famous people born on the 21st, but none are…legendary. I guess that will have to change sooner or later right?

Only one notable person that I don't mind being associated with
sharing a birthday: Liam Gallagher..

On that note, I stumbled upon a Wikipedia entry on Virgo, the astrology sign. I had a laugh reading through the characteristics listed as associated with us Virgos:

Analytical / critical / insightful
Precise / meticulous / anal-retentive
Orderly / methodical
Practical / pragmatic
Mental / intelligent / inquiring
Responsible / reliable
Perfectionist
Shrewd / witty / clever
Conservative / conventional
Refined / polite / well mannered
Hygienic / clean
Reserved / cool / undemonstrative

This is what pisses me a bit about astrology. I mean, you lump together these general traits, and any sane person is bound to tick a majority of it. Anyway, I’m confused about my own traits so I shall leave this to those who know me best.

25 Years Review

I had fun at High School, and did well enough in my studies. I had MORE fun at University, and came away with a law degree. I am now working hard, learning far too many things in too short of a time, but I kind of like that. I have friends, and they still take the time to watch football with me. I am independent (partially). I am married. I am a father-to-be. I am still 25 years old. Damn.

Manchester United

I almost had the perfect birthday gift yesterday, but Manchester United continued to frustrate the hell out of me with their insistence on defending deep on a lead and playing direct football. United controlled the game in the 1st 25 minutes because they were willing to pass the ball, willing to attach, forming intricate triangles to bamboozle Chelsea’s expensively assembled midfield.

Then, through their own sheer stupidity or Ferguson’s, they decided to drop deep and defend with two backs of four. At least Van Der Sar was removed before he could do further damage, and I guess that’s what saved us from defeat.

Van Der Sar: Only good for Penalties?

Interesting observation: Kalou scored for Chelsea from a stupid freekick given by an incompetent referee. Notice how all the defenders pushed up, with Rio leading the line? That’s why they were insistent that Kalou was offside. He wasn’t. Because Dimitar “Dracula” Berbatov didn’t follow the line. He was slow last night, a bit like a lumbering giant, who couldn’t fathom why United were asking him to win headers.

Fergie, get your act right (And get Carrick fit…asap).

...

A 24-hour convenience store that almost isn't...

2008-09-15T12:40:00.003+08:00

Once they were deemed forever doomed with the emergence of all the Hypermarkets. Now they’re ubiquitous with presence in almost all major townships. In fact, here at USJ, we have 1 for every housing area.

So imagine how pissed I was when I went to one last Sunday morning after futsal and found that the outlet was closed. No, it wasn’t “officially” closed. Just that the store assistants decided to “temporarily” close it (from 2 a.m – 6 a.m…).

The sign was written on a piece of A4, looks cheap and we could all see the two store assistants inside doing I don’t know what with a bunch of products on the floor at the back of the store.

I thought, okay, maybe there’s something wrong with the machine and all. But imagine my surprise that as soon me and my friend turned our back, a few more cars stopped in front of the store. I remarked, “Looks like we’re bringing in the business…”.

Imagine my bigger surprise when I saw the store assistant sheepishly calling us back after noticing that there’s going to be a sort of mini riot (hell, there’s more than 5 people out there at 3 a.m pissed about a closed 7-11).

Was there something wrong with the teller machine? Nope. Anything wrong with the air-conditioning? Nope. Were they out of stock of everything? Nope. So the only reason the two clowns almost turn away potential customers was…nothing. There was no reason other than sheer laziness.

I’m pretty sure the management would be pretty pissed if they found out about this.

The whole concept of 7-11 is that it is a 24 HOURS convenience store. Get that into the thick skull of these lowly motivated store assistants.

Here’s a business idea: Introduce an incentive scheme that is directly related to sales. For every RM 50 of sales, the person who serviced the customer would get RM 1. If you think that a normal Hotlink top-up would cost RM 30, then you’ll see that these guys could be earning a lot, IF they have the right incentive in place to promote sales.

Imagine the store assistant initiating cross-selling and up-selling. Imagine buying a bottle of Coke and the guy saying, “Hey, would you like to try cracker X, because it taste great with Coke…”. Or something like that.

In the future, advertising is no longer sufficient. You need people marketing.

Lessons from around the world

2008-09-10T14:32:00.003+08:00

In Thailand, embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was forced out from office by the country’s Constitutional Court. If you think the Courts found him guilty of graft, corruption, abuse of power, blowing up girls with bombs or inciting religious hatred, think again.

The Constitutional Court actually found him guilty of violating the Constitution by appearing in a cooking show and accepting payment for it! A freaking cooking show!

What's Cooking?

If that’s not funny, ponder this: As a replacement to the dismissed Samak, guess who would the ruling P.P.P government nominate to fill in the vacancy? Why, it’s Samak Sundaravej! Sounds crazy, but it’s possible in Thailand.

Now over to the land of “serious” democracy, the United States of America, the race to the White House continues to be a tight one but only in America, where it really matters.

Apparently, a majority of the world’s population wants Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States. Polls conducted by GlobeScan puts him at 47% average approval rating over McCain’s measly 12%. That means for every one McCain supporter, we have FOUR Obama supporters (including moi).

But do the Americans feel the same? In the U.S, both candidates are neck-to-neck, despite the Republican’s disastrous two terms under President Bush and despite McCain’s old age, antiquated world view, and general lack of charisma, the Republican campaign is still buzzing along merrily.

It’s a mystery to most of us outside of the U.S why such an obvious choice be so “not obvious” to the average Americans.

Well, just like we accuse them of viewing things locally and in isolation, we also tend to view the US for what they do internationally and in relation to other nations. We failed to appreciate that, despite their global presence; America is just like any other nation in the world with its own unique domestic subtext.

We dismiss the existence of a rising Christian community in the U.S. We ignore the number of registered gun owners. We forget the deep insecurities jobless Americans face through globalization. We laugh at the hillbillies and rednecks, but they’re still voters.

Our view of America is shaped by Desperate Housewives (Bree must be a Republican), Gossip Girl and other shows that perpetuates some myth about America being the land of the promiscuous, the prosperous and the glamorous. The reality is there could be just as many Joe Dirts as there could be Seth Cohens , if you get what I mean.

So don’t be surprised that McCain is still in it. After all, they can’t understand our fascination with sodomy either.

Is Avril Too Sexy?

2008-08-20T10:25:00.002+08:00

Well, it was pretty late, and Jimmy Kimmel sucks, so I switched to 712. That's E! Entertainment Channel for you folks without Astro. So in the Daily 10, a sort of Buletin Utama for entertainment news, Malaysia gets a mention!!!

But imagine the embarrassment when I found out that the news was about Avril Lavigne’s concert here in Kuala Lumpur, scheduled for the 29th this month. Again, we are in the news for all the wrong reasons, and are made to look a bit foolish in the international media.

It all came about when PAS protested against the concert, apparently because Avril’s too sexy (are you freaking serious? They’re Malay girls wearing less clothes walking around Sunway Pyramid!). When the news was featured yesterday, no decision has been made yet, and I was quietly optimistic that this would just blow over.

Imagine my surprise when I visited the Malaysian Insider and came across this news:

No to "too sexy" Avril Lavigne

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Malaysia today cancelled a concert by Canadian rock singer Avril Lavigne, saying it may taint the Muslim-majority country's Independence day celebrations after the Islamic opposition slammed her show as being "too sexy."

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry said it had decided not to permit Lavigne's show because it was unsuitable to Malaysian culture and could not be held on Aug. 29, two days ahead of Merdeka.

"It is not timely. It's not in the good spirit of our National Day. If we go ahead with the concert, it is contrary to what we are preparing for," said Shukran Ibrahim, a senior official from the culture ministry's department that vets all foreign artistes.

The decision came after the youth wing of a fundamentalist opposition party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Pas), called for the show's cancellation.

Kamarulzaman Mohamed, a party youth official, said yesterday that Lavigne's show was "considered too sexy for us" and would promote the wrong values just before Merdeka.

"We don't want our people, our teenagers, influenced by their performance. We want clean artistes, artistes that are good role models," he said.

Lavigne, who became famous with her 2002 debut album "Let's Go," had planned to launch her monthlong Asia tour in Kuala Lumpur.

The show's promoter, Galaxy Group, can request a new date for the concert, which will be considered by the ministry, Shukran said. Galaxy officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment.

Galaxy began advertising the Grammy-nominated rock singer's concert this month even though it had yet to obtain a government permit, which is mandatory for all foreign music shows. It said yesterday about half the concert tickets had been sold.

Last year, R&B singer Beyonce moved her show from Malaysia to Indonesia, and Christina Aguilera skipped the country on an Asian tour after a controversy erupted over a dress code for foreign artistes.

Malaysia requires all performers to wear clothes without obscene or drug-related images and be covered from the chest to the knees. They must also refrain from jumping, shouting, hugging and kissing on stage.

Still, members of Pas and other conservative Muslims often protest against Western and even Malaysian music shows that they deem to be inappropriate.

The local organiser of a Pussycat Dolls concert in 2006 was fined RM10,000 after the US girl group was accused of flouting decency regulations. — AP

Go figure!

Under - 15 on Steroids?

2008-08-15T00:42:00.004+08:00

This news caught my eye today:

Phnom Penh - The Football Federation of Cambodia is up in arms over widespread reports of hairy-legged, mustachioed players taking the field in the first nationwide under-15 championships, the federation’s secretary general said Tuesday.

Cambodia has been named one of the most corrupt countries in Asia by the Berlin-based watchdog group Transparency International, but the country’s football federation has said it is determined to buck that reputation and prove itself clean so it can earn funding and international respect.

Frustrated secretary general Ouk Sethycheat said in light of these efforts by the federation, the latest example of bending the rules was beyond the pale.

The cheating involves ’several’ of the 24 teams involved in the championships, he said while accusing them of abandoning all attempts at subtlety.

‘We decide who is under 15 using two criteria - documentation and by looking at them,’ he said. ‘If Cambodian players are under 15, under no circumstances do they have hairy legs and moustaches.’

He said that after questioning the more hirsute players, it was found their documentation was forged.

The fiasco is particularly embarrassing for the federation after it was fined 4,000 dollars by the Asian Football Federation in February for fielding an overaged player in a regional Under-16 Youth Championship qualifying match. Cambodia’s football governing body has pleaded ignorance.

It was not clear what punishments the cheating teams would face.

Cambodia’s national team is currently ranked 169th in the world

This is just too funny. And suddenly, thoughts of over-competitive schools here in KL importing foreign players (because the locals are rubbish?) and passing them off as under-15s left me in stitches.

Of course, it doesn't mean one cheat will win the game. The other team might just do the honorable thing, and pay off their opponents. Mustache or not, money shaves points off better.

Yes, I'm 13.

...

Here I Go Again...

2008-08-10T20:24:00.002+08:00

It has been a while, and a lot has happened since. I’m sure most of you are aware of the political situation here in Malaysia, and there’s no need for me to comment further. In fact, I sense an increase in the number of socio-political blogs from Malaysia since GE 12, a sign of maturity or another one of those short-term “hangat taik ayam” situation.

Well, shouldn’t say much about “that” because I have failed to update THIS blog (hint: there’s another blog lurking around, but it’s not something I should share). I don’t know if you guys know this, or if I have mentioned this before, but here’s just a quick recap of my life:

Life as a married man has not been as challenging as some made it out to be. I guess it’s about finding the balance in life.
Work has been challenging and interesting thus far. Maxis, through MGTP, have provided me with a great platform to learn a lot about the corporate world...and NO, I am not doing anything remotely related to legal work (which is a waste apparently to some people).
It’s getting harder to meet friends and do things I used to do. But it just makes hanging out with them even more precious. Sometimes, I do get pissed off when we talk nonsense, but then I realized that’s what makes hanging out so much fun!
I’ve been on a real tight budget nowadays – and I love it! I carpool with my wife most of the time, take public transport daily, and no longer have lunch at KLCC, ever since the fuel price hike. Somehow, it has made me a bit more responsible.
I still am learning, every day. In fact, I think I may have overloaded my brain with information, until books I read become just another piece of dead tree, which is sad.

So, now that I’ve started writing HERE again (another hint), I guess readers would like to know the direction I’ll be taking. Well, looking back at my past posts (spanning 4 wonderful years, right?), I noticed no discernible common thread, except a genuine desire to be as creative and interesting as possible. I guess that’s what you could expect – the expected and unexpected all rolled into one.

Remember, I am a walking, breathing, living contradiction. Go figure!

All about Nothing

2008-05-26T23:54:00.002+08:00

Really, must it make the prime time news show on one of Malaysia’s most watched TV Channel? I am referring to TV3’s sensationalism of an issue that should be buried – the “sexy” school girls’ uniform.

Or should it be buried? Forget about TV3. RTM has overtaken them in terms of credibility anyway. Let’s look at the issue, or non-issue, whichever way you want to look at it.

My interpretation of their statement: Girls’ uniform are too thin and white resulting in their inner wear and skin easily seen by young boys who are swayed to suddenly commit social ills including those of the sexual kind (is there any other when it involves skin and inner wear?). Girls are also responsible because they use this to their advantage by teasing guys, leading to even more social ills.

I disagree with putting the blame on uniforms for the rise of social ills and sexual experimentation amongst the young. The actual causes require a deeper discussion which I have neither time nor inclination to delve into now. Clothes do not make a man (or woman in this case).

But fundamentally, let’s look at the typical girls’ uniform. It’s white, and it’s thin. Does it allow for the inner wear and skin to be easily seen? I hate to admit it, but it does, doesn’t it? I certainly remember those girls at my school...well, I should stop there.

Let’s just say I think we could all agree the white material is pretty see-through comparatively to other materials and colors. Does this arouse interest amongst the boys? You could argue that pornography has taken away a lot of our sexual innocence, but nothing’s quite the same as the real thing.

So a few things about their statement actually makes sense (damn it), though I’d be hard-pressed to find one to admit to this, especially in blogosphere.

So, as much as I wish I could totally dismiss their claim, it does warrant a discussion. A small one, perhaps. It’s a fact that the uniform is white and thin. It’s a fact that comparative to other colours, white allows more light to pass through and therefore is more see-through (if all other things are equal).

It’s a disputable fact that boys are interested in seeing what is behind a female’s uniform (I believe they are). It’s a disputable fact that some girls do tease boys by wearing sexy inner wear underneath their school uniforms (I can personally attest to this phenomenon).

The only portion of the statement that we can say is rubbish is their direct correlation between see-through uniforms and social ills and rise in sexual experimentation amongst the youth. Even this could not be dismissed quite so easily if you use logic.

The association may not have framed it in this way, and perhaps they didn’t think about it this way. Perhaps they just wanted to speak out for the sake of speaking out (like most members of society today...so yesterday man). But the validity of their claim shouldn’t be dismissed. If there’s an alternative, shouldn’t we explore it?

Oh, is it sexy? That’s totally subjective isn’t it? But could you say it’s 100% NOT sexy? Go figure.

p/s: But isn’t the guys uniform also white, thin and see-through? Damn. I guess I was sexyback before Justin made it cool...hehehe

A Big Mess

2008-05-24T00:59:00.002+08:00

As expected, the consequences of Mahathir’s resignation dominated the headlines this week.

Mukhriz is caught between a rock and a hard place. He may believe in reforming from within, but there’s always this lingering doubt – would he have stayed if he wasn’t in a strong position to be Ketua Pemuda? But to his defence, it could be said if he did win the post, then he has a stronger mandate to lead for a change.

But what changes are we talking about here?

There are two issues that need to be addressed in UMNO. None has a stronger claim than the other.

There is the need to regain the trust of UMNO members. The grassroots within UMNO has a lot to say about Pak Lah’s leadership style. The lack of conviction and direction in implementing policies remains a problem. But more importantly, there’s this perception that Pak Lah is constantly reacting rather than initiating, defending rather than attacking.

This would be addressed by the proposed change in leadership.

But there is this other, equally important, issue of regaining the trust of Malaysians. No matter who leads UMNO, that person must realize that the game has changed. Some say the issue can never go away as long as UMNO remains a Malay party.

I disagree. Although that plays an important part in swinging the non-Malay votes, the arrogance of UMNO in its actions must rank as the actual catalyst. The sharp rise in debates on N.E.P and Malay rights came as a consequence of UMNO’s own delusional view that it could appeal to both the hardcore Malays and also the non-Malays. UMNO has always and must remain moderate in its views.

Furthermore, the rejection of a portion of the Malays can be directly attributed to the WAY UMNO has actually carried the torch for the Malays. It’s one thing to say you’re acting on behalf of Malays; it’s another to actually carry that out as equitable as possible. Not all Malays get it as easy as some non-Malays think they do. The rise of the UMNOPuteras should be addressed immediately.

Are these two issues exclusive? Could UMNO actually appeal to both its grassroots and Malaysians?

One goal can co-exist with another. The actual process of leadership change should be viewed as the perfect opportunity for UMNO to refresh itself, infuse itself with new blood. The choice of the next leaders of UMNO must not be viewed by the members simply as another change for UMNO, but also a change for all Malaysians. Strong, competent, compassionate, intelligent and morally righteous leaders of UMNO benefits all Malaysians regardless of race.

The upcoming branch meetings, culminating in the party elections at the end of the year, are interesting for UMNO. If the grassroots could lay the seed of change from even the branch level, all the way to the top, then there is that hope that most of the problems that exist within UMNO now would eventually be weed out.

At the end of the day, the people must always believe that anything is possible. It is difficult, of course, to think of UMNO as anything but a corrupt, racist party. And nothing UMNO has done thus far can change this mindset. The image of UMNO is tainted. But what is UMNO if not a collection of individuals?

Unlike the entrenched theory of relativity, UMNO (the image, the association) can change if there is a collective effort to see changes in the people within UMNO itself. The only problem is – do the members realize that this is the time for them to choose how they want UMNO to be? The choice is not only at the top, but at the roots of the tall, strong, tree known as UMNO.

Further reference:

Mukhriz the MP of the week for Malaysiakini
Barisan’s alleged (huh) mismanagement of RM27 million in Selangor
Mahathir accused of disloyalty by fellow “disloyal” troupe – ironic isn't it? - Mahathir
Even the Opposition believes it's a possibility

Bagai Lagu dan Irama...

2008-05-19T18:14:00.002+08:00

Tun Dr. Mahathir has resigned from UMNO. This is the man, a larger than life character, whom I’ve grown up with as the leader of my beloved nation. The man who best defined Malaysia Inc. Malaysia’s meteoric rise in the mid 80’s and especially into the 90’s was, to many, directly attributed to this great man.

Without a doubt, he has his flaws. In his desire to mould his vision of what Malaysia should be, and can be, Tun M has taken Machiavellian-like moves to quash his opposition and stifle anything he deems (and that, in essence, is the problem) as against the nation’s interest.

Unfortunately, at this moment in time, a lot of Malaysians seem to remember only this side of Tun M, without realizing or refusing to realize how great his impact has been on Malaysians, Malays or otherwise.

Could his patriotism and nationalistic pride ever be questioned?

This is the man who refuses to kow-tow to foreign elements, who believes that though it is always good to learn from others, we must never be subservient to them.

Unlike some politicians today who are all too happy to believe that we Malaysians will always need other people from “developed” nations to progress. Unlike some who believes that “this principle” or “that system”, imported from other “developed” nations, is the best for Malaysia. Unlike those who argue that we are the same as other countries in the world, thus we must also be like them in the way we think and act. Unlike my fellow colleagues who despite their claim of “patriotism” would not hesitate for one bit to jump ship and leave Malaysia for another land.

Tun M believes that we can do things on our own. He believes that Malaysia is Malaysia, so why should we always believe that the concept and ideas of others are better suited than ours. He believes that we are unique in our diversity, culture and manner. He believes in Malaysia and Malaysians. Of what they are capable of, and what they should aspire to be.

Some may say he is a dreamer. But is it a dream because we didn’t believe? Is it a reflection of our own failure, Bumiputera policy or not, that his vision increasingly became a mere fantasy?
Mahathir truly believes in this nation and in our capability to achieve greatness.

And this will, despite my own misgivings on certain policies, guarantees my never-ending respect for the man who defined UMNO for me, who defined Malaysia for me, who defined what being a Malaysian is for me.

He will be back. It is now in our hands.

Malaysiakini
Malaysia Insider
A Kadir Jasin
Rocky Bru
Jeff Ooi - updated: Sanusi Junid has also resigned. Others to follow suit.
...

Football in life

Imagine Manchester United lost the title. To a team like Bolton. Despite having millions to spend, and having won the title comfortably for the past decade, Man United suddenly finds itself losing its grip on the domestic league.

The players are old. The tactics are quaint. While other teams are buying younger players, this new manager prefers buying those entering the twilight of their careers. While other teams can play total football, the new manager prefers putting in 10 Paul Inces’ in the squad. Squad rotation becomes a joke when players are brought in 5 minutes before kick-off.

Tactics, player selections, game plan, strategy, mission and vision are all aligned to the manager. If a manager is unable to adapt to the modern game, then one who is must be selected. Go figure.

...

Brief Thoughts on Politics

2008-05-16T01:10:00.001+08:00

I’ve missed politics. Here are some events the past few weeks that has caught my attention:

Parliament is better than Akademi Fantasia
I love reading what’s going on in Parliament. Most importantly, I realize that Malaysians are now paying a great deal of attention to Parliament. This is likely because a lot of the Parliamentarians themselves were giving firsthand account on the lively debates through the Internet.

The entertainment provided will turn into something cool in the very near future. Watching the sessions would suddenly become the latest reality TV craze. But just like in any reality TV talent contests, the talented may not be the winner. We Malaysians might just be enamoured with another Mawi of politics. Let us not be fooled. The price is too high.

Shooting Oneself in the Foot
It’s a problem with UMNO, and it’s also a problem with Pakatan Rakyat. It’s not the party itself that is fundamentally flawed, but the people currently in the leadership position. Karpal Singh just made life a bit more difficult, NOT for DAP, but to PAS and PKR.

At the heart of the matter is the political ideology of DAP and its elderly statesmen. I just cannot ever see them understanding and accepting the position of the Malays in this country. And their overt comments touching on Malay issues are making it hard for even their own supporters to accept especially in the fragile state the PR alliance is at this moment.

They are as stubborn headed as some UMNO leaders. They could also be said to be as racist as some UMNO leaders are. Like one of my friends said, Malaysian politics will turn for the better as the older generation pass on the baton to younger, more dynamic, and hopefully more tolerant leaders.

RPK and Sedition
The Sedition Act is an oppressive legislation that infringes on some basic human rights. Supposedly such laws shouldn’t exist anymore, yet it does, not only in Malaysia but also in other countries all over the world, even those that went to war under the banner of “Freedom” and “Democracy”. Why? Maybe those shouting for “freedom” here in Malaysia should decipher this mystery. It could be a long debate.

When blogger-royalty Raja Petra was arrested for Sedition, we hear the typical cry of political persecution from the Opposition and “freedom of speech” by the Bar Council. We will leave the validity of their claims for another time, because surely it will be raised again.
I just want to say that I find RPK a bit too dramatic for a person who supposedly is willing to fight the fight. When he was arrested, he refused to fork out bail, stating that he’s willing to be in jail until trial. And then, we hear that he’s on “hunger strike”. Then we hear that he’s posting bail because life in prison would be “dangerous” for him.

A bit too in love with the concept of his importance really. How many people actually turned up to support him? Was there a wave of protest against his arrest? In fact, the only loud voices I hear are those racist (Malays are not the only racists here in Malaysia. Don’t believe? Just read the comments in RPK’s blog) fans of RPK. Is he that important to kill? I think not.

Oh, he claims he “knows” things. Okay. Let’s accept this claim. Isn’t it in the interest of the general public if the truth is disclosed as soon as possible? Why all the “sandiwara” in the blog? Why politicize, if he is indeed the Rakyat’s champion, the truth? Could it be because at the end of the day, armchair activists can only take so much heat before being burned? Could it be that self-sacrifice is no longer a pre-requisite to become “hero Rakyat”?

The most amusing aspect of this is the reason for the “hunger strike”. He doesn’t want to eat “duit rakyat”. Hmmm...isn’t the road financed by the rakyat? What about the subsidised food he’s eating at home? That’s duit rakyat too, right?

I know what the reply will be. But let’s not pre-empt that shall we. I still enjoy reading his articles. It’s damn entertaining and highly recommended, but take it with a pinch of salt. Or not, if you don’t want to eat “duit rakyat”.

Chaos and Anarchy
It is one thing to demonstrate peacefully. It is another to act like hoodlums. The residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras may have a valid claim, but they (well, some of them) have alienated some sympathizers (including myself) and degraded their efforts by acting like gangsters in the Grand Saga...saga (pardon the pun).

The legal aspect of the road closure is still unresolved, so shouldn’t a lawyer like the MP from DAP (who is lauded as a hero...sigh...how the silly rise quickly) representing the “people” be responsible enough to prevent the violent skirmishes with the police? When will it end?
It’s good that we see the rise of social activism, and yet this violent clash only seek to reinforce my belief that sometimes people fight just for the sake of fighting, especially if it push forward their own personal agenda. The Opposition must not instigate anarchy, and insidious behaviour, just because they have the momentum. With great power comes great responsibility. Go figure.
...

Astro, You're Not A Free Service Provider

2008-05-14T23:57:00.000+08:00

Millions of Malaysians spend their hard earned ringgit on the only option they have when it comes to satellite TV - ASTRO. As such, is it too much for us to expect that they treasure our very existence, considering that their major cash flow comes from the domestic market?

Let’s forget about the abysmal coverage when there’s rain or the exorbitant amount we have to fork out for channels we don’t want but is part of some capitalist-driven package. Let us talk about the core element of a “service provider” – customer service.

I never really had to deal with ASTRO previously, so I couldn’t understand when others were moaning about their customer service. After the past few weeks, I not only understand, but couldn’t accept how we Malaysians could tolerate this obvious lack of care on the part of ASTRO for its customers.

At the very least, we expect our calls to be picked up. Unfortunately, that is seldom the case. I have just put down the phone, without speaking to a consultant, for the second time tonight. Both my calls to their “direct” line resulted in me waiting for the almost impossible-to-reach consultant.

In fact, after having to deal with ASTRO the past one month, I noticed that my waiting time is never less than 5 minutes and often surpasses the 10 minute mark (if you managed to get into queue, which is almost impossible if you try the hotline”). To me, this smacks of arrogance. ASTRO’s unwillingness to spend money, and of course time, improving their system or training their consultants or even hiring more consultants is certainly business-wise BUT it merely says “our time, and our money, is MORE important than our customer’s time AND their money”.

Make no mistake; the problem doesn’t end once you reach a consultant. The lack of training is evident, and I can forgive that. But the lack of respect for one’s intelligence is hard to swallow. If I were to say to a consultant, “The decoder can’t be switched on, there’s no power running through the decoder, I have tried different power sockets and it still won’t light up, the decoder is spoilt”, I certainly wouldn’t expect the consultant to ask me to insert a smart card and try to switch it on. But that actually happened! I might not work for ASTRO, but I can certainly tell when the decoder can’t even be switched on.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. One consultant can check the account using an old IC number, another one says that that is not possible. One consultant said that in half an hour’s time I would get back my channels, but it’s been one day now and there’s no difference. Hence, my persistent calls to the call centre.

Unfortunately, it went unanswered. And where do Malaysians turn to when this happens? Do we have any choice but to wait for the perfect moment (when the stars are aligned and there is a full moon, maybe) when everything falls into place? No, we don’t.

I will still watch ASTRO. I will pay every month. But ASTRO must realize that as soon as an alternative appear, it cannot count on its customers’ loyalty because quite simply, there is none. We are here because you’re the only one, not because you’re the best.

...

Of being busy and in demand

2008-05-06T20:27:00.001+08:00

The past one month has been nothing short of hectic. Work has taken on a more real dimension, with me participating in two Six Sigma projects within Customer Service of Maxis. As part of the Process Improvement team, I basically act like an internal consultant for Customer Service.

I guess that’s enough about work. More importantly, the past one month has been an eye-opener in terms of real politics for me. Although I haven’t really gone into the nitty gritty of grassroot politics, I have been fortunate enough to participate in some events that has played an important part in developing my views at this moment.

However, I apologize for not sharing to you folks considering the abundance of materials recently. Partly this is due to the sudden increase in political activism in the blogging world, with everyone suddenly joining the bandwagon. You know something’s weird when even Mat Taib started blogging.

This growth was probably led by the strides made by Malaysian bloggers. We are the first nation in the WORLD to have a blogger as an elected representative in the national legislative assembly. And another blogger even got himself in the CLEO’s Most Eligible Bachelor finalist list (despite the rather obvious … well… he has a cool AND popular blog though, which is more than you can say about this humble collection of ramblings).

So bloggers are pretty hot stuffs, so hot that one of them had to take some time to cool off in prison. Raja Petra or RPK as he is more famously known, has been one of Malaysia’s most prominent “opposition” blogger with his straight forward, no holds barred style of writing. But his recent ranting on the Altantuya murder trial has landed him in hot soup with the authorities charging him for sedition.

Never shy from a battle, RPK has refused to post bail (of course he pleaded not guilty). Instead, the RM5000 needed was raised via RM1 contribution from his readers, though I doubt they would just contribute RM1. In just one day, they managed to collect RM25,000.00, showing that Malaysians will support just about anyone willing to stand up against the present government or more importantly, against members of UMNO.

UMNO must look at this as another example of how the people have openly rejected them. Instead, from my experience in the past one month, we (and I do mean us, as I am an UMNO member…*what the hell?*) are living in denial. We are busy with our own problems without realizing that we are fighting over a cause that will or will not exist if doesn’t take remedial actions immediately.

This is evident from the discussion some of my friends organized with Datuk Zaki Zahid and some of the 4th Floor Boys, my meeting (1st) with my division’s Wanita UMNO chief and the recent Sekretariat Melayu Muda’s forum featuring Mukhriz and Akramsyah. The Malays are lost and confused. And when a group is lost and confused, it tends to develop a siege mentality. Everyone is against us, what did we do wrong kind of self-inflicted conundrum.

So the natural reaction is to capitalize on these emotions amongst the UMNO members to further one’s own political ambition. No doubt some of the points the Malays have raised are valid in my point of view. For example, when Kelantan Prince made his remarks about “Ketuanan Melayu”, the press had a field day reporting it which sensationalizes what was otherwise a pretty straightforward, even humbling speech, about the Malay dilemma.

His respect for the Chinese, his advice for the Malays, was all left out. Instead, the Malays were once again played out as racists. Not dissimilar to the sensitivity of the black community in the United States, the Malays have to thread carefully when the rest can just lambaste their actions without being called racists. Never mind. We shall leave this at that for the moment.

More importantly, this inward approach by UMNO is based on the assumption that it has lost the Malay support. Unfortunately, I have to disagree. A strong, moderate UMNO has always been the basis for Barisan Nasional’s successes. In 1999, the Chinese and Indian community came out in droves to support Barisan and UMNO because it was seen as the moderate voice that could keep PAS and Malay fundamentalist at bay.

Its actions leading up to 2008 led the rest to believe that UMNO has progressively turned ultra-Malay, especially the overt statements and actions by its leaders. This was perhaps prompted by their desire to capture even more Malay votes from PKR and PAS. What they didn’t realize was perhaps these votes were never there to be won anyway. The Malays are definitely split between UMNO, PAS and now PKR.

Actually, UMNO did rather well in the seats it contested despite the obvious dislike by the general public against the government in the past election. The Malays are not turned off by the rhetoric. Instead, the Chinese and Indians were alarmed by the way UMNO is acting, and this is shown by the absolutely dismal showing by MCA and MIC. We have lost the confidence of our non-Malay friends by our actions.

The previous administration has shown that UMNO can further its cause while at the same time manages to hold on to the support of the non-Malays. These two are not mutually exclusive, and one can go hand-in-hand with the other. It’s just a matter of who’s managing the situation. Go figure.

*Sorry for any factual mistakes...arrghhh...screw it.

Let's think before objecting

2008-04-18T15:35:00.000+08:00

Sorry for not updating. I’m busy with work, though that primarily consist of attending pointless meetings and drawing up Six Sigma action plans without actually thinking of the solution and implementing it. A bit like the Government, you might say. But which Government are we talking about? Since 8.03.08, things are different.

Or so they say. But looking at UMNO, and their clever leaders, it’s hard to imagine that they’ve changed at all. The whole pig-farm issue in Selangor was the lead in several leading Malay newspapers. Obviously, in the interest of UMNO, they chose to pin the blame on the new PKR-DAP-PAS state government.

And as usual, Pakatan Rakyat had an easy time in kicking the ass of these UMNO folks. They made a decisive blow by proving that it was actually approved by the previous UMNO-led state government. There’s even a photo of an UMNO assemblymen (who was one of those loudly criticizing the project) smiling with a thumbs up at a pig farm in Netherlands. Crazy.

Don’t the Mainstream Media realize that they no longer can pull off this one-sided shit? Can’t UMNO themselves think before they speak? History have shown that UMNO is not past electing less-than-savvy (very PC, don’t you think?) representatives. Datuk Zam, our former Information Minister, immediately comes to mind for his almost comedic performance on Al-Jazeera.

It is at this juncture, when information flows uninterrupted from the grassroots to the top, that UMNO must take strategic steps to educate its members on the virtue of that very important ingredient of leadership – THINKING.

Well, at least Pak Lah has announced his plan to reform the judiciary. This is a good first step towards gaining back the public’s confidence. But it must be noted that the Pakatan Rakyat’s state governments are pushing in even more reforms, further proving that if PR comes into power, the same could be done at the Federal level. BN is playing catch-up, and the score now shows P.Rakyat leading the way in terms of reform and action plans.

I’ve just got a slight issue with Karpal that I wish to raise. If it’s true that he’s trying to bring up a judge on a charge of misconduct JUST BECAUSE of an innocuous statement made in the course of the judge’s duty, then he really is abusing the PR’s influence in Parliament for his own personal use. He should be a grown-up and stop with trying to get everything his way. It’ll just backfire in the long run.

Dr. Mahathir: I was rendered speechless

2008-04-10T10:05:00.000+08:00

From The Sun pg. 16
8 April 08

"As I had anticipated, my comment on (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department) Dato Zaid Ibrahim's suggestion that the Government should apologise for the action taken against Tun Salleh Abbas would draw accusations against me for my alleged misdeeds during my tenure of office.

I regard this as an attempt to shut my mouth should I find occasion to criticise the present Government. It is always about "You were worse when you headed the Government", even if it is obvious that I had not done badly.

Param Cumaraswamy's letter (The Sun, April 2, 2004) falls in that category. He wants to know why action had not been taken against me over the allegations made by Datuk Shafee Yahya (former director-general of the Anti-Corruption Agency) during the Anwar Ibrahim trial.

The statement may be a sworn testimony in court but the accuracy of it cannot be accepted unquestioned. There were omissions and inferences which mislead.

Counsel was of course interested in proving that Anwar did not inveigle Shafee into doing something wrong. But during the trial it was revealed that he did get a senior police officer to threaten and intimidate his accusers.

I admit to calling up Shafee to ask him about the raid by the ACA on the office of the director of the Economic Planning Unit. I did that because I received a complaint from the director that the ACA had been very offensive towards him during the raid. He also said that he believed the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister had set up the whole thing.

I knew that Government officers were sometimes overzealous and would overstep or abuse their authority.

I could not verify whether there was any truth in what the EPU director said. Accordingly, I called the director of the ACA to find out what actually happened.

I asked many questions, many more than what he said in Court. I also asked him if he had been directed by Datuk Seri Anwar to carry out the raid.

He denied it but he became angry when I asked whether he intended to pursue his investigation. Raising his voice, he accused me of trying to stop him from carrying out his duty. Angrily, he said that he was a senior civil service officer and that I had no right to question him about his work.

I was shocked at his loud accusation against me. No civil servant however senior had spoken to me like that. I was rendered speechless.

These exchanges were carried out in my office. No other person was present. No notes were taken, nor was there any recording at least by me. So only the two of us would know what really happened or was said.

What he said in court is his version. There is nothing to verify what he said nor is there anything to verify what I say now is wrong. It is a case of his words against mine, sworn testimony notwithstanding. He had obviously omitted his shouted accusations against me. Had what he said in court was all that happened, then it would not have taken more than three minutes. But what he said and what I said took longer than three minutes.

I wonder how counsel knew of what happened in the privacy of my office. Even the Chief Secretary, the only person who was informed by Datuk Shafee could not have told counsel. Obviously it was Shafee who volunteered information. Why did he do this?

I was not a party to the trial of Anwar. If I was to be accused, I should at least be heard. But clearly Shafee saw Anwar's trial as an opportunity to make statements detrimental to my reputation.

Shafee was an angry man and what he said in court was opportunistic and seem to reflect his desire to take revenge against me. I can only assume that this was what motivated him, because what he divulged did not help Anwar much. But it did put me in a very bad light.

As to why this case has not been followed, I can only assume that the courts are busy and there are tens of thousands of cases which have yet to be heard. Maybe the fault is with the Attorney-General or Police. I would not know.

Still I welcome any investigation by impartial people as to the truth or otherwise of what I say in this letter.

As for Param Cumarawamy and Karpal Singh, their hatred of me is well known and apparently has not abated even after I am no longer Prime Minister.

Many lawyers were angry with me because I had quoted Shakespeare during a Cabinet meeting which says "the first thing we do, we hang the lawyers". I was only joking but they heard of it and believed I meant what I said. The judges also felt unhappy with me.

Besides I had criticised the judiciary for disregarding the intention or objectives of the laws formulated by the legislative wing but instead interpret them based on the words used. Was I committing a crime for saying this? I was merely stating a fact. Can no one comment on the judiciary at all even when they disregard the interest of the country? In many developed countries it is common for the public to criticise the judiciary.

As for Param, he made libellous remarks about a fellow Malaysian when he was a member of a Untied Nations Commission. He should have been hauled before a Malaysian court but he claimed immunity due to his appointment by the UN.

My stand was that his immunity was only with regard to the specific work for the UN. If he breached Malaysian laws on matters not related to this work, then he cannot plead immunity.

His libellous words against a Malaysian individual had nothing to do with his work for the UN. He should therefore be liable, and his immunity could not be invoked. But he got the UN to back him. It was even hinted that if Malaysia prosecuted him, then our case before the International Court of Justice on the issue of the ownership of Sipadan and Ligitan would be jeopardised.

Accordingly, I agreed that he should not be prosecuted. Luckily it was only libel. Had Param Cumaraswamy murdered a person, and he claimed immunity, then there would indeed be a miscarriage of justice.

I do not think my recalcitrance over his immunity endeared me to him. Now that I am not a Prime Minister, he has expressed his delight at saying that I should not criticise anything the present Government does because I was guilty of worse.

I maintain that in the case of Tun Salleh Abbas, I did what was required of me under the Constitution and Malaysia's laws. I consider the suggestion that I should apologise as frivolous, unwarranted and stupid.

If Param or Karpal is not convinced perhaps they should use their considerable knowledge of the law to shut my mouth."

Fighting over What?

2008-04-03T18:15:00.000+08:00

A lot has been going on these past few days in relation to UMNO’s leadership. A forum organized by MyKMU.net was heavily covered by the media. Tun again goaded Pak Lah and basically asked UMNO members to openly revolt against the embattled leader. Ku Li has already made it clear that he wants Pak Lah to step down.

Today Najib declared that he will support Pak Lah. Muhyidddin has been coy about his future, using very clever (cleverer than most UMNO politicians) tactics of avoiding taking a stand while at the same time making a stand.

Hishamuddin is moving up into the senior ranks, perhaps sensing that a challenge from Mukhriz might be too much for him to take. This perhaps leaves Mukhriz with a possible showdown with Khairy, his favorite victim thus far.

Again, they’re barking up the wrong tree. All this call for the change in leadership because the people are unhappy with the corrupt practices is a smokescreen to blind UMNO members from the real issue that they have to face.

The blogs, the sms, the vcds…these are merely medium to convey messages that have already been around for years. It is the ignorance to deal with the primary message that led to BN’s defeat, and from the looks of it, UMNO still haven’t learn their lessons.

UMNO, instead of merely changing leaders, must also change their mindset. Not one of the top UMNO man have been brave enough to come out and say that their “business model” is no longer applicable. Just like in any business, you must constantly re-invent yourself to remain relevant, but this fact is not even addressed by the top echelon.

They’re more concerned with who’s going to be in power next, instead of actually thinking that what they’re fighting for may no longer be relevant OR IN EXISTENCE if they continue down the same path.

It is not about the non-Malays not accepting Malays, but more like them not accepting underperforming Malays. Their huge approval of Anwar, Wan Azizah and other Malays from the Opposition must serve as a lesson to UMNO. UMNO must not be stuck in the mindset that their political will is god-given. They must revisit their standings, their attitude and their mindset to become relevant again.

This is not unique only to UMNO or Malaysia. Previous demarcation of political parties based on ideologies and territories have slowly disappeared with Republicans now having some Liberal views and Democrats having some Conservative views in the United States. The Labor party, under Tony Blair, have changed so much in terms of their values that the battle is no longer under the old ideological banner.

Labor, Conservatives…these are just names. Now, the true form of democracy is choosing your candidates based on specific policies dealing with current issues. If the issue in Malaysia is corrupt practices, then UMNO must start by arguing to the people that it is taking measures to combat it. Instead, by arguing over who is going to lead (a party that’s probably slowly disintegrating anyway), they have just shown to the people that they don’t really listen. They just let you speak, but they only hear the words that they want you to hear.

I am for removing Pak Lah, as a matter of principle. I just think too much effort is being put into the drama instead of looking down and realizing that…hey, we don’t HAVE credible, intelligent leaders! Go figure.

...

New Alliances- Pakatan Rakyat & Halliburton

2008-04-02T10:17:00.001+08:00

Pakatan Rakyat – Another Barisan?

The Opposition – PAS, DAP and PKR – has agreed to form a new coalition known as Pakatan Rakyat.

"Pakatan Rakyat pledges to uphold the rights and interests of all Malaysians, regardless of religion or race, as enshrined in the Constitution." said Anwar.

Previous attempt at a coalition (Barisan Alternatif) failed as DAP could not accept PAS’ central theme of forming an Islamic state. This time, Abdul Hadi Awang has expressed that this new Coalition is not part of PAS’ constitution – in other words, they are still pursuing the Islamic state agenda.

It raises a few interesting questions. What’s PAS intention? Is it simply concerned with being in power instead of pursuing its own constitutionally adopted agenda? What about its supporters? Are they really for an Islamic state, or are they now evolving and changing when they realize that it’s becoming almost impossible to implement their Islamic agenda? Or are they being played around by another political party?

The fear is that if this coalition is put into power, it would be nothing more than another Barisan Nasional with each component party pursuing its own agenda and there would be a silo mentality – only PAS can take care of Muslims, DAP the Chinese and PKR the “Malaysiana”.

Let’s not forget about the mentality of each of the races within those parties and their supporters! Why should DAP argue that there should be this many Chinese, or the PKR to argue there should be this many Malays in Selangor or Perak? Why should there even be such a discussion if you believe in equality?

Even the supporters of these parties are confused when on one hand they trash-talked Barisan’s race-based politics but at the same time exhibited some form of xenophobia when it actually comes to their part in choosing their leaders.

This is already evident in Perak when newly elected DAP Assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam resigned (and later retracted the resignation…even in a card game you can’t just call off a bet…aiyoh) because only ONE INDIAN was chosen as an Exco member. In his letter, he claimed that DAP’s victory has a lot to do with Indian voters (which I am not objecting).

The point is this Mr. Siva – it doesn’t matter! According to DAP and PKR rallying call, Makkal Sakthi is applicable to everyone! That’s what your voters voted for…not because you’re Indian. It shouldn’t matter to supporters of A. Siva, but it does, as evident from some comments we read through Malaysiakini’s Vox Populi. Or are the voter themselves delusional by believing that it’s not about race?

Let’s get back to Pakatan Rakyat. PKR’s position, due to its multi-racial platform, becomes even stronger as people will start asking for “intergration” – forming one party to be led by DSAI.
We all hope that all political parties have the interest of the people at heart, and we should not give up on that hope. My only fear is that there is still a huge question mark on DSAI and though I know DSAI’s supporters are very vocal when it comes to protecting his character, as an until-now objective observer, I have listened to stories from people who has worked with him when he was in power. Power corrupts…I just hope that 6 years would have thought him some lessons.

Malaysia & Halliburton

Slipping under the news radar for most people is the recent investment by Halliburton in IDR valued at RM200 million. While our quest to develop all these corridors remains a noble one, shouldn’t we also look at the companies investing in it and what they stand for?

For a country that publicly condemns the Iraq invasion, and openly criticized the US government’s foreign policy as opportunistic capitalist “invasion”, our acceptance of a company that is a major part of these policies smacks of hypocrisy.

Halliburton is at the forefront of the war on terror – allegedly an attempt by US of A to control the growing influence of Islam while at the same time increase their presence in Arab countries (for the oil of course). Halliburton has been closely associated with the US government, especially as Dick Cheney is its chairman.

Halliburton’s subsidiary, Kellogg-Brown & Root, was an integral part in all major US operations overseas since the Vietnam war, supplying equipments and also being part of the major reconstruction company awarded with “no-bid” projects from the US government. It was also awarded contracts to build detention facilities for suspected terrorists – not the most humane of places I should say.

Halliburton is the only company in the world mentioned by Osama bin Laden when he claimed that this war on terror is actually a war to control oil resources. Halliburton’s track record is not only questioned around the world but also in its native country with allegations of fraud and accounting malpractice common. The U.S public’s growing concern prompted its CEO to move their office to Dubai, as part of an effort to concentrate on the “Eastern hemisphere”. Malaysia is now part of that plan.

I recommend you read Economic Hit Man where the author, a former “EHT”, revealed how the world is now commanded not by States but corporations like Halliburton.

Malaysia should seriously consider aligning its business policy with its moral standing. I'm sure my pal WMF would have something to say...if he reads this:)
...

Tun M - Mixed Feelings

2008-03-31T10:32:00.002+08:00

Since GE 12, Tun has been more than willing to share his views on many things, especially the present situation in UMNO. His long-standing disapproval of Pak Lah was partially vindicated by the stunning lost for Barisan. Recently, he was even more forthright in interviews and forums.

It was reported in the Star today that Mahathir was very candid (and a bit non-pc for my taste…but that’s Tun) of his views on Anwar. Below are excerpts taken from the Star:

On de facto PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, he said cynically that “everybody loved Anwar.”

“When he is with the Jews, the Jews love him. When he is with the Muslims, the Muslims love him. When he is with the temple groups, they love him too.

“Everybody loves him. He is a convincing orator. He talked bad about me to foreigners. He told them I put him in jail,” he said.

On talks that Anwar stood a chance to be the next prime minister, he said he would make a “good prime minister of Israel”.

Sounds a bit like a bitter old man I would say (regardless of the fact that I think his answers were absolutely funny…in a ha-ha kind of way) although it does raise an interesting point. Is DSAI really a leader for all or does his sway where the wind blows? At least with Tun, you pretty much know his stand on a lot of things (especially with regards to the Palestine – Israel conflict, which makes him pretty much a global giant in the Muslim world)

But Tun has also exhibited some inconsistency recently, and it is this apparent “forgetfulness” of his deeds during his premiership that has been holding up people from taking his words seriously. Despite valid arguments, it’s pretty hard to accept a lot of his ideas and thoughts because people already have a negative perception of Tun.

Below are selected excerpts from his article which was published in the Sun. It was clear, straight to the point and pretty much valid. But at the end, some will get the impression that it’s a bit like Michael Jackson telling Will Smith how to be black.

Dr. M speaks up on Rulers and Politicians by

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

…Terengganu is blessed with petroleum deposits. It should get 5% of the total earning from oil production. The Federal Government; fearing the previous PAS government might use this money wrongly had withheld payment. But when the Barisan Nasional (BN) regained Terengganu the money, now called "Wang Ehsan", was lavishly spent by the Federal Government on Terengganu. It is not a small sum. Over these years "Wang Ehsan" totalled several billion.

(Note: Terengganu has been a part of Barisan since 1974 until 1999. Previously, it was with Perikatan. Terengganu was under Tun’s control, as PM, for 18 years. Terengganu has been in the top five of POOREST State in Malaysia, almost always behind Kelantan, for all those years)

We know that since the BN regained Terengganu in 2004, all kinds of projects have been developed in Terengganu. This includes The Monsoon Cup, luxury housing for sale to foreigners, Crystal Mosque and theme park, university, etc. Some of these projects are very good but many are totally unnecessary and wasteful.

But what the Terengganu people are saying is that all these mega projects costing billions of Ringgit have been contracted out to people outside Terengganu. Terengganu contractors got practically nothing.

But additionally, they say the contracts all went to one person and they are suspicious that behind this person are members of the first family. The rumours also say that the previous Mentri Besar was responsible for these things happening and of course, they think that he might have benefited financially.

The rumours went on to say that the Prime Minister might have influenced the Mentri Besar into doing wrong things. These are all rumours. It will be quite impossible to prove anything as the perpetrators are skilled in hiding themselves.

This is not good for a Government keen to abolish corruption and be transparent. To clear its name, an investigation should be made.

But the public is leery of investigations by Government agencies and departments. Even Royal Commissions are not highly regarded. The people believe, not true of course, that the Government has been interfering with the work of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), the Police and the Attorney General (A-G)'s Chambers. The say this is borne out by the results of investigations by these agencies.

When a Deputy Minister was accused of accepting money for the release of a detainee, the A-G said there was no case because the detainee said he did not give any money to the Deputy Minister. It is so easy. If you have a case involving someone, all the enforcement agencies need to do is to ask him whether he was involved. If he says "no", then there is no case.

For some reason, judges are finding that people accused of murder are not guilty because of insufficient evidence by the police. Yet people who are totally not involved in a case, who were not accused of any misdeeds and who did not appear in court at all and been given a hearing are found guilty and publicly condemned.

(Note: Tun Mahathir was Prime Minister when Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy and corruption in a case many legal observers felt was not properly conducted. The conviction for sodomy was later quashed by the Federal Court in 2004.)

The public cannot be blamed for not having faith in Government agencies doing investigations. The public cannot be blamed for suspecting cover-ups by the Government or worse still the Government may be using these enforcement agencies to threaten people. To clear its good name, the Government should get credible foreign agencies to do the investigation. Of course, they must be given full access to the documents etc.

Now my detractors are going to say I did worse things when I was Prime Minister. Well, if that is so, let us have the foreign agencies investigate me also. I am aware that people are looking into possible misdeeds by me during my 22 years so as to threaten me and ask me to shut up. So far they have not found anything.

Not only have I not taken anything that was not due to me while I was Prime Minister but I have given back to the Government and the people everything that I had received as gifts during my tenure of office. The Government had offered me land in Kedah and Langkawi and I had refused to accept. I have a 5-acre plot in Putrajaya which I paid for even though the Government was offering it to me free.

Unless there is a frame-up, I think there should be nothing to pin on me. Even other accusations against me, including the dismissal of judges, were not my doing and I do not feel obliged to apologise. Ask the Tribunal to apologise.

The person asking that the Government should apologise for what happened to Tun Salleh Abbas may have forgotten that as President of the Muslim Lawyers Association, he fully supported the action that was taken. He castigated the Bar Council for condemning Tun Hamid Omar over the dismissal of judges. Now he wants to be more correct than correct. I wonder why.

The Sun, 29th March 2008

------------------

He was a great many things to many people. He is a leader, an inspiration, an icon, a giant among giants. He is a dictator, a nightmare, an embarrassment, a small man trying to do big things.

Me? I am the kind of person who likes to view the bright side of life. The past is the past, but it is what lingers on that matters. KLIA, Putrajaya, LRT, KLCC…we cannot deny how these have changed our lives. The rest, well…go figure.

INFORMATION IS KING

2008-03-29T01:06:00.000+08:00

I received a text message on Thursday evening informing me of a massive police operation going on at PWTC. Then, as I was reaching USJ, I received another piece of message that said that a few ministers have resigned, and there was going to be another “earth-shattering” announcement after Maghrib prayers. This was confirmed by another source, again, via sms.

This is perhaps another example of the latest shift in politics, one which we have seen in more mature democratic societies, but only now being felt here in Malaysia. I am of course referring to the power of information. Information has always been an integral part of politics, but even in terms of world politics, it has seen its importance outweigh other components only in recent times.

No longer does military might or economic prowess supersede the importance of disseminating correct information to the widest target audience possible. The US of A invasion of Iraq is the perfect example of how even a powerful country could be on the wrong side of something just because the information that was being relayed to the widest audience in the world does not support their argument.

Despite their military supremacy, undeniable importance in the world economy and wide impact on societies throughout the world, the Americans could not prevent intense scrutiny almost instantaneously by the entire world. Every mistake is amplified, every perceived victory is scrutinized.

The same is happening here in Malaysia. Ironically, the government’s effort in promoting broadband usage perhaps single-handedly created the “YouTube” culture in Malaysia that spawned an almost one-sided Opposition camp in the World Wide Web. Words no longer mean as much as videos, and even blogs are no longer traditionally text based to maximise its impact on its target audience. More and more people have the time to surf the net, and put in their input, because less and less time are needed to access WebPages.

This is in furtherance to the power of the SMS, which also came indirectly as a result of the government’s effort in promoting mobile connectivity throughout Malaysia. We have all received dozens of SMSes during Election Day, constantly updating us on the results, sometimes hours before it came out on mainstream media. It has left the traditional communication medium, sadly, almost irrelevant (as long as it remains objectively PARTIAL to certain quarters).

When Pak Lah announced (after a lengthy Supreme Council meeting) that UMNO has decided to support Ahmad Said (what else can they say?) and hold the UMNO election this December (good news for us, bad news for Pak Lah?), immediately news were disseminated through SMS. Discussions went off in households throughout Malaysia, just like mine. My guess is for every one person who received an SMS, another 3 – 5 would hear about its content.

I text a friend telling him that December is too long. I e-mailed a friend that Pak Lah has again lost another battle in what’s looking like a long and complicated war for his own political survival by appearing to bow down to pressure from Sultan Mizan. By the time the news was repeated on midnight, I have already discussed, argued and reached a conclusion on the issue reported.

The power no longer lies in the hands of the select few but spread out to those who could provide information. Managing the communication channels remain a thorn on the side of Barisan, who has dismissed alternative channels simply because they themselves remain archaic in their form of communication. Ironically, there’s a YouTube video of Anwar Ibrahim appealing to rural voters by referring to an e-mail (on the latest corruption gossip) he read from his BlackBerry. It worked to perfection because information was relayed instantly to the listening crowd, even though they might think that the BlackBerry is a form of fruit. How many UMNO Supreme Council members who use e-mails (personally, not using their political secretary), let alone a BlackBerry? Go figure

We Must Be Heard

2008-03-26T17:14:00.002+08:00

UMNO’s proposed postponement of their party election to next year is a step backward in Pak Lah’s quest to bolster public confidence in the government, which is primarily led by UMNO members.

Accountability and transparency should be at the forefront of UMNO’s struggle. I put the recent election results squarely on the problems within UMNO and the image that UMNO projects to the public, regardless of ethnicity and religion. That is why it was easy to dismiss MCA and MIC (especially MCA) because all the Opposition had to do was say, “A vote for MCA is a vote for UMNO”, and you’ll find everyone deserting MCA.

People may assign fault to people like Khairy and Hisham. Yes, Hisham’s keris-wielding act smacks of arrogance and ignorance (or is it forced arrogance and ignorance?), but these are issues where the leadership could tackle behind close door with a firm hand. As another example, Khairy’s rise as a political force within UMNO DESPITE the public’s general dissatisfaction and suspicion of him could be handled and tackled by the leadership, but nothing was done.

The leadership failed to listen to the voice of the people, the growing dissatisfaction, and failed to carry out its promises which brought it such great joy in the 2004 election. There is a vacuum in leadership that brought with it disharmony amongst grass-root supporters who are tired of being pinned down by various issues brought up by the Opposition but were denied by the leadership.

Let’s not start with the messy handling of picking candidates prior to GE 12, where successful leaders were plucked out from the constituency and instead cronies were put into place. Or even the current long-drawn issue of the MB of Terengganu, where the latest news is that Pak Lah has again lost in another open battle against the monarchy.

These are issues which the grass root could address through an open election. A democratic and free UMNO is the starting point for the revival of Barisan Nasional. This latest move to postpone the election is a blow to any effort of ridding UMNO of the deadweights that held it up and Barisan Nasional in the past election.

It is not merely UMNO’s interest to see a change (if a change is what they wish). It is in our interest as Malaysians to see a change for the better, regardless of our political affiliation. A true champion of a Malaysian cause could see beyond party lines and say that, “Yes, a more honest and truthful UMNO would benefit Malaysia”.

A corrupt and oppressive UMNO is bad news for everyone, because it allows people without real competence in leadership to continue in their position (albeit made weaker because of the Opposition) and this position of leadership determines how Malaysia is being run.

Yes, the easier alternative is to allow the Opposition to run the country. Fair enough. But if the Opposition then conducts itself in a manner that is dishonest and corrupt, can we then turn to a corrupt Barisan to mount an Opposition? Isn’t it better for the fight to be between two corrupt-free parties based on ideals and policies rather than sentiments and fear of corruption?

A balanced, fair and just contest must consist of balanced, fair and just contestants. An UMNO election this year would be the first step towards a new, corruption-free, people-friendly Barisan Nasional which is good for everyone anyway. Whether Malaysians see it that way or not is an open question. Go figure.

Malaysiakini

Of Incompetence and Hypocrisy

2008-03-25T11:31:00.002+08:00

I laughed when I read UMNO is protesting against the Sultan and I laughed even more when I read the Opposition asking UMNO to respect the wishes of the Sultan. This is again evidence of political interest above and beyond serving the people.

UMNO, who previously condemned the Opposition for the whole “Perak MB dilemma”, are now eating up their words by openly protesting against the Palace of Terengganu. This issue should be dealt with quietly, with diplomacy and grace. Unfortunately, in another evidence of lack of leadership, Pak Lah has started an open argument against the Sultan, who is also now the King.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin had a brilliant idea – Idris and Co. should seek an audience with the Palace, discuss all the misgivings, apologize for any wrongdoings and then seek a solution. If the Palace is adamant in not wanting Idris, then a candidate that is agreed by both UMNO and the Palace should be chosen.

Regardless, there is a political process that could nullify the Palace’s appointment, which is the vote of no confidence. The assemblymen could have waited and use this process to their advantage, without provoking an open war with the Palace. Why Pak Lah didn’t think about this is beyond my comprehension. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t but the whole handling reeks of incompetence and ignorance of protocol and constitutional law.

On the other hand, I question the motives behind the Opposition’s call for respect of the monarchy and its decision. Isn’t transparency part of the agenda of the Opposition? Yes, it’s true that we should respect the monarchy (I really do believe in it), but at the same time it smacks against the call for transparency when there is so much hidden from the public in a decision making process that ultimately will impact the public the most.

What are the issues against Idris Jusoh? If rumors (of Idris going against the Palace’s “request”) are true, is it then the Opposition’s mantra that the Palace has the absolute right to only choose those who would abide by their wishes? Would request for lands and projects then has to be approved by all MBs in the future?

Then, there is the issue of the choice of MB. Again, questions must be asked why Ahmad Said was chosen amongst the many ADUNs. What's so special about him that the Palace is so adamant in placing him as MB? Even before the election, there were talks that Idris would not get the mandate as the next MB. TWO other reps were named as most likely replacement, and if these two were chosen, perhaps the issue would not have reached this stage.

But they chose Ahmad Said. This is the man who courted controversy before with the incident in the State Assembly where he acted like a gangster in arguing with a PAS assemblyman. He is a combative grass root leader, by all accounts, and according to many, lacks the necessary intellectual capacity or even charismatic charm that is needed to lead a state. The choice really is a step backward for Terengganu. People say that he is similar in style to Pahang’s Menteri Besar, Adnan Yaakob. Wow, that’s so reassuring.

Let’s not dismiss the reports going around that a few assemblymen were offered huge sums of money around March 14 to support Ahmad Said as the next Menteri Besar. I read that some were even offered up to RM 300,000! Imagine that amount floating around just to garner support for MB. Imagine then the amount floating to garner support for Prime Minister’s post! Sorry, I’m digressing.

So if the people think that he is unsuitable, or even if the people is unaware that he is unsuitable, isn’t it the task of the Opposition to stand up for the people? Shouldn’t the Opposition look at the man, look at his credentials, his capabilities and say, NO, he’s not the right person to lead Teregganu?

Instead, they are now INVITING Ahmad Said to JOIN them. It’s crazy. Instead of fighting for the truth and for the people, they are more concerned about fighting for power and control. Go figure!

MB Elect sacked from UMNO

2008-03-24T11:24:00.002+08:00

Terengganu’s MB-elect, Datuk Ahmad Said, was sacked from UMNO for defying party’s leadership order to decline the appointment as Menteri Besar. The trouble in Terengganu has now turned into a full-blown crisis for UMNO.

Idris Jusoh remains the choice of the UMNO leadership and also the elected assemblymen of Terengganu, but the Palace has refused to accept Idris for a second term. Please refer to the previous post for more details.

This impasse gives rise to a constitutional conundrum that has left many clueless as to what will happen next. Despite what Pak Lah said, it IS constitutional for the Palace to appoint Ahmad Said. However, it is arguable that the Palace (will all due respect) failed to observe that they must choose a person whom they believe WILL COMMAND the respect of the State Assembly. “Believe” is not an absolute term, therefore the discretionary power of the Palace is also not absolute.

There are talks that Ahmad Said may join PAS. This is irrelevant because once the State Assembly is in session, you can be sure a vote of no confidence will be passed against him. This would lead to the Palace needing to appoint another person OR call for a snap election. This would certainly be good news for the Opposition, especially since they lost by thin margins in most of the areas in Terengganu.

The question now is: what is the motive for Ahmad Said to accept the MB post and risk his membership in UMNO and also take on a post that he knows will not be supported by fellow assemblymen? Is this another example of one man’s greed and appetite for power above loyalty and servitude to the people? What about the people of Teregganu? Why is the Palace so adamant in not wanting Idris?

Could it be true?

In related news, unsubstantiated reports have surfaced that police reports have been made against Datuk Ahmad Said 11 years ago for alleged rape. Apparently, the source of this piece of information has removed the said article after it was picked up by another prominent blogger. In any case, it is a serious allegation that gives rise to two important questions: (1) why did UMNO allow a person of questionable character to even BE in the party, let alone be nominated to contest? (2) if it’s not true, it gives rise to a question as to how dependable are the information we receive from bloggers and blogs and sources that don’t conform to ethical reporting?

Please note that this is merely a rumor at this stage.

United doused the Scouse

Manchester United comprehensively outclassed a poor Liverpool team 3-0 in yesterday’s BPL match. I’ve always admired the history of Liverpool, and I believe that they deserve all the support of their ferociously loyal fans. But I also think that Liverpool is not playing like a team that wants to challenge for a title. They ARE a big club, and they must start believing that. I cannot believe that they still think Rafa is the man to lead them. Their loyalty is commendable, but his lame efforts in signing players and even lamer tactical naivety will only further pull down this once great club to a level of Everton and Tottenham. Match Report

Breaking News: Losing Control...

2008-03-22T20:37:00.000+08:00

After the debacle in Perlis, Pak Lah was dealt another blow when the office of Sultan of Terengganu released a statement appointing Ahmad Said, the ADUN of Kijal, as the next Menteri Besar. This is despite the fact that Pak Lah and the other 22 state assembly representatives in Terengganu supports Idris Jusoh to continue as the Menteri Besar.

Unlike Perlis, where the issue was Pak Lah had no inkling that Shahidan has lost the support of the elected assemblymen, the situation in Terengganu is really a battle between the Palace and Pak Lah. Although press reports suggest that Idris’s fall out with the Palace is due to the Batu Burok riot and his “cockiness”, alternative sources have suggested that this is due to Idris’s reluctance to comply with certain “demands” from the Palace. However, this remains a rumour unsubstantiated.

However, in terms of current UMNO leadership, this situation shows how embarrassingly weak the government’s position is in even executing its plans. Understandably, Pak Lah would like to see Idris continuing the rapid development in Terengganu, especially after he successfully led Terengganu UMNO in GE 12.

The Palace has the prerogative to appoint a Menteri Besar. But it would be a comical situation when the House is in session and all 22 ADUNs of Barisan passed a vote of no confidence against Ahmad Said, again depriving Terengganu of the leadership it desperately needs to hold the tide against the Opposition.

Part of being a leader is the ability to be steadfast and strong yet speak with a soft, persuasive voice in pushing forth your agenda. There’s a soft voice, but is it persuasive enough? Go figure...

Permatang Pauh, more than meets the eye...

2008-03-21T16:30:00.001+08:00

At this moment, I’m in Penang Island, the crown of the Opposition’s jewel maybe. I was here since yesterday, ironically, moving from one Opposition state (Selangor), passing through another (Perak), before reaching my hometown. It is, to me, a chain of states that has always been closely connected due to the migration of the younger generation to KL.

The younger generation, or so I’ve been led to believe, are IT-savvy. Therefore, they remain the main source and recipient of a lot of alternative information available online. Prior to GE 12, these young “migrants” return to their hometown to lay down the “truth” to their parents about the corruption, nepotism, arrogance and mismanagement of the present government. In my opinion, it is not surprising that these states fell to the Opposition like a huge domino stack.

Anyway, today I visited my father’s Aunt at Permatang Pauh, the parliamentary seat currently being held by Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah. Before that, we stopped by my father’s former High School, the BM High School (primarily to show my wife that yes, we are not that boring of a family). But this High School holds with it a legacy that may change the course of Malaysian politics. You see, BM High School was also where both Pak Lah and Anwar Ibrahim attended their secondary education.

Pak Lah’s apparent weakness and incompetence has allowed a resurgent Anwar to lead the Opposition to unprecedented victory in GE 12. Now that talks are rife of East Malaysia’s BN reps ready to jump ship, it might really be possible for Anwar to be our next PM. So this humble area (including Kepala Batas, Pak Lah’s hometown and Parliamentary seat) full of traditional Malay houses and surrounded by paddy fields may be the place which give rise to two PMs.

Back to my father’s Aunt, or more fondly known as Tok Su. Now, Tok Su used to be Permatang Pauh’s Wanita UMNO’s chief, back when Anwar was the Deputy Prime Minister and the MP of that area. In fact, I remember the days when we would attend his open house and get RM 2. I used to quip that it was pretty stingy for a Finance Minister (but he had THOUSANDS of kids coming over).

So you would have guessed, correctly, that when the Anwar-Mahathir debacle came to a head with Anwar’s sacking and arrest, a lot of this strong supporters formed PKR. Tok Su became a highly influential member of PKR in that area, and her strong and vocal voice was often at loggerheads with her previous mates who are still sticking with UMNO. But she was distinctly beyond dirty politics from the start, preferring instead to use wit and humour to gather supporters.

From an area where UMNO was predominant, the Anwar saga really split the people into two camps. Those who stayed with UMNO must have laughed at the attempts of PKR, especially after 2004 where the Opposition was truly wiped out with only Wan Azizah remaining as the lone, lonely soldier. It also splits families, and Tok Su’s wasn’t spared, although the fall-out was not as catastrophic as some I’ve heard.

She is the epitome of a grass-root leader who will decline posts and money just to serve loyally her elected representative. Without fear or favour she declined the tempting offers from UMNO and threats from others. So I guess she must have been delighted to hear of the Opposition amazing victory in Penang (she seems completely oblivious to what’s going on in other States...she couldn’t care less).

She looked animated and excited when we were discussing politics (well, it was more like her telling a lot of amazing stories and us listening). I can share with you that the current Timbalan Menteri Besar of Penang, M. Fairus, a 32-year old PKR ADUN of Penanti, was selected just two days before nomination day because there was NOT enough candidates to stand for the Opposition. In fact, he came in without any money (basically, he’s just a simple guy without funding), and this was even raised by UMNO supporters during their campaigns. I guess UMNO was still trying to play the “money-game” and hoping that most Malays are still after the quick buck.

So the joke was that if my father had accepted Tok Su’s offer to stand as a candidate in Penanti, he would have been the Timbalan Menteri Besar. He missed out big time, my mom said. But my father said that if he comes in as an ADUN simply because he wants the TMB post that would not be ethical and morally correct. God, he’s sooooo straight that it gets annoying sometime. I guess a lot of Permatang Pauh’s folks are now ruing their missed opportunity to be the TMB of Penang. It’s just, as Malays say it, his rezeki.

M. Fairus had no money, but he had the support of people who worked NOT for the money, which “surprisingly” yields better result and implementation of campaign strategies. These volunteers would work day and night tirelessly for a cause they believe in, without hope of getting contracts or favours, so the support that they gain is also pure and true. These grass root support will triumph over any “duit kopi” campaign in the long run, and so it prove this time.

Where PKR has not enough candidates, UMNO had too many, until factions materialized and infighting became common-place. Everyone is jockeying for position and with money thrown into the mix, the quest to be just even the Ketua Cawangan is intense. There were 6 people contesting for the 4 seats available, and you can just guess the support those dropped would give to the ones selected. They can rent 10 buses to carry people, but if each one is only filled with 4 people, what does that say about your grass root support?

This neglect of the foot soldiers led to even more money being wasted with tales of “allowance” money abound all over the country as UMNO tries its best to gather support. If UMNO had just paid more attention in collecting a lot more Tok Sus instead of businessmen, they wouldn’t need to spend a lot (of the rakyat’s money no less) to oil their election machinery.

The choice of candidate is also important for the future. No longer can UMNO just put anyone in and he would win. This is wonderful for our democracy, and also for this country in general, as each elected representatives would not take their constituency for granted. Wan Azizah visited Permatang Pauh at least once a month, and even if she’s not there, people can still turn to Tok Su to settle their problem. One UMNO candidate was humiliated when he went on a campaign round and was told off by a Chinese trader that Wan Azizah comes over every month, and he only shows up once every four years! Why should he when he’s busy with his multi-million ringgit contracts?

There are a lot of things that was shared this afternoon that I could not share with you for fear of being sued for defamation etc., and I believe that these stories are nothing new anyway. It’s just surprising to hear it from the people on the ground, even though stories of corrupt Dos (District Officers) and phantom voters have been around for years. The battles, the dirtiest battles, are not fought in the big towns and cities, but in little rural areas like Permatang Pauh.

When we left Tok Su, she was smiling happily with the thought of Wan Azizah coming over tomorrow to have a “kenduri”. Her loyalty and affection for both Wan Azizah and Anwar may be misguided to some, or inspirational to others, but the crux of the matter is she believed in them with all her heart.

UMNO needs to find back its heart and soul. It needs to convince people like Tok Su.Go figure.

My Heart Will Go On...

2008-03-19T18:01:00.002+08:00

Rafidah To Stay

Contrary to rumors, Rafidah will continue to head Wanita UMNO. She expressed her surprise at being dropped from the Cabinet. She further admitted to sending a 16 page letter to Pak Lah after the recent election ( was it one of the reasons she was removed?) but will not divulge the content.

So she's staying on to fight the good fight. It'll be an interesting party election this year for UMNO.

MP Korek korek korek

Tengku Adnan, who was dropped from the Cabinet, has replaced Md. Radzi, who announced his resignation today, as the Sec-Gen of UMNO. The MP of Putrajaya, who was recently embroiled in the VK Lingam saga, was quite clearly enthusiastic over the prospect.

Isn't it weird when Md. Radzi claimed that he could no longer function as Sec-Gen effectively because he's not a minister, only to be replaced by a man who is also NOT a minister! So does this mean that he is less able than T.Adnan, or T.Adnan will not be effective in his role?

Or is it just two old politicians, playing the game - one knowing when to get out, the other forcing himself in when he really should get out. Go figure:)

The New Cabinet UPDATED (in italics)

2008-03-18T15:27:00.005+08:00

Pak Lah just announced his new Cabinet, and I’m not referring to IKEA. It’s a lean mean cabinet, but there are still 27 ministries, down from the previous 32 but not 24 like some predicted. UPDATED!

Rafidah and Pak Lah

Surprisingly, Rafidah Aziz, one of the longest serving ministers, was dropped from the MITI portfolio which she held since 1987. With both her and Samy Vellu out from the Cabinet, the remnants of Tun M era are fading into the sunset. Much has been said about Rafidah’s political prowess, but the contradiction between her legendary work ethics and alleged corrupt practices means that she has to be sacrificed.

What this will do to Pak Lah’s political future is unknown. Rafidah has strong support from Wanita UMNO, the wing that has now seen its influence slowly dwindling with both Rafidah and Shahrizat out of the Cabinet. This will lead to further discontent amongst the rank-and-file. But it could also signal the beginning of a power struggle within Wanita UMNO, what with Azalina Othman remaining a favorite of Pak Lah and having the backing of her Puteri UMNO cohorts.

Malaysiakini just reported that Rafidah has called on a surprise press conference at her former Ministry. It was reported that she may resign from her position as Wanita Chief, paving the way for a battle between Shahrizat, who was made special adviser with the ranking of minister, and Azalina, who is now the designated Tourism minister for the post of Wanita Chief. (Read the above...just as predicted)

Pak Lah has also killed two birds with one stone. By removing Rafidah, he has sent a strong message to the public that he is ready to change. But more importantly, and I think (although bless Pak Lah if he really wanted to change the Government) the main consideration in removing Rafidah, is the fact that Rafidah could be one of the strongest voice if the call for Pak Lah to resign continues within UMNO’s rank and file.

Pak Lah and Rafidah have never been friends, and Rafidah’s almost daughter-like relationship with Tun M is certain to cause anxiety amongst Pak Lah and his supporters. With Rafidah and Shahrizat both allegedly unhappy with Pak Lah’s handling of GE 12, it takes a brave man to continue giving power to the leader of a wing that has done so much as part of UMNO’s campaign machinery.

It remains to be seen what happens next, but it’s harder for UMNO to call on Pak Lah to resign now that he suddenly becomes the darling of the Opposition supporters and general public. It’s almost a brilliant move by Pak Lah, but how much of it was due to serving the public instead of personal political interest?

Other Casualties

Tengku Adnan Mansor, the infamous minister embroiled in the VK Lingam saga, was also dropped from the Tourism portfolio to be replaced by one of Pak Lah’s favorite, Azalina (previously Sports Ministry). Jamaluddin Jarjis (Science & Tech) is finally gone despite (or because of) the much-hyped (and much criticized) Angkasawan project. Frankly speaking, they deserved to go.

What interest me more is the removal of Mohd Radzi (Home Affairs) and Azmi Khalid (Natural Resources). Is this a way for Pak Lah to punish those who did not toe the party line? Both Radzi and Azmi are seen as instrumental in persuading the Perlis assemblymen to support Md. Isa and not Shahidan as the next Mentri Besar of Perlis. As everyone in Malaysia knows, Shahidan was chosen by Pak Lah but, in an embarrassing situation, he was rejected by the Raja of Perlis. Pak Lah bowed down to pressure, and accepted Md. Isa, but I believe that he wasn’t too pleased with the whole episode.

Update: Malaysiakini just reported the resignation of Mohd Radzi from the post of Sec-Gen of UMNO and Barisan Nasional. He tendered his resignation today, citing that he can no longer work effectively under current circumstances.

I mean, why would you want two guys who basically disagree with your choice to serve in your government? Again, the question is, is this move politically motivated or for the good of the public?

Isn’t there anyone else?

The one to keep an eye on is Muhd Taib or Mike Tyson as he is more fondly known. His rise to the post of Minister (Rural and Regional Development) after years in the background showed how resilient he is and how savvy he is when it comes to his own political career.

In case anyone needs a reminder, Mike Tyson was previous the Selangor Menteri Besar who had to resign in 1997 after he was charged with trying to bring in RM 2.4 million (in cash apparently) into Australia. Of course, his credibility being questioned, and with investigation going on, he had to slip quietly into political wilderness.

But he remains within UMNO, always taking his time to make statements, just to remind everyone that he is still around. Despite having strong support from the grass root, he was not chosen by Khir Toyo to contest in Selangor (of course, Khir is scared that someone will take away his power). With Khir Toyo spectacular losses in Selangor, the path is now open for the former darling of UMNO to make a comeback and wrestle back Selangor.

The question remains the same. Credibility is an issue. But rest assure, by next election, Mike Tyson will be going for the K.O.

Pleasant Surprises

It was a pleasant surprise to hear that Zaid Ibrahim is moving up as Minister in charge of Legal Affairs in the PM Department. Zaid of course courted controversy within UMNO with his willingness to question current practices and was even disciplined before by UMNO. His frank and open opinion on the state of UMNO after GE 12 earned him extra points from UMNO supporters wanting to see changes and also the general public. His book, In Good Faith, is pretty enjoyable and showcased a man who believes in the fundamentals of democracy.

He couldn’t do worse than the man he replaced – Datuk Nazri Aziz. Nazri is still a minister though, but thankfully, the Minister of Law portfolio is no longer his. With incompetence and arrogance, Nazri has diminished the integrity of our judiciary and legal system by his mere presence. Every time he speaks, it’s as if I’m in the Twilight Zone and he’s an alien who couldn’t really understand what the rest of Planet Earth is talking.

Another good move was the inclusion of Shahrir Samad (Domestic Trade), the vocal member of UMNO who dared to cross the line by agreeing with an Opposition’s motion in Parliament (rightfully so). His desire for transparency and accountability in government’s actions are widely noted, and his presence lends a fair bit of credibility to the present line-up.

Let’s hope that Pak Lah doesn’t stop at the Cabinet level. There’s still a lot of work to be done. We need strength, we need intelligence, and we need decisiveness. Go figure.

Full list of cabinet

Those who missed out on the opportunity to make more money!!!

Those dropped from list

International Trade and Industry
Rafidah Aziz (Umno)

Human Resources
Dr Fong Chan Onn (MCA)

Home Affairs
Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad (Umno)

Science, Technology and Innovation
Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis (Umno)

Natural Resources and Environment
Azmi Khalid (Umno)

Tourism
Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (Umno)

Lost in 2008 general elections

Works
S Samy Vellu (MIC)

Women, Family and Community Development
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (Umno)

Information
Zainuddin Maidin (Umno)

Rural and Regional Development
Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin (Umno)

Prime Minister's Department
Dr Abdullah Md Zin (Umno)

Declined to accept post

Housing and Local Government
Ong Ka Ting (MCA)

Did not contest parliament seat

Transport
Chan Kong Choy (MCA)

Prime Minister’s Department
Mohd Effendi Norwawi (PBB)

Those resigned and retired

Health
Chua Soi Lek (MCA), resigned in January 2008

Energy, Water and Communications
Dr Lim Keng Yaik (Gerakan), retire from politics

Source: Malaysiakini

rocky's bru: Anti-Pak Lah posters, in pics

2008-03-15T09:31:00.000+08:00

rocky's bru: Anti-Pak Lah posters, in pics

A brief discourse on a loss...(Pt.2) UPDATED!

2008-03-14T12:24:00.002+08:00

CONSPIRACY OR JUST PLAIN DISCONTENT?

These banners and many others started to appear around KL on Thursday. In light of Mukhriz Mahathir's leaked letter calling for Pak Lah to resign, it is perhaps safe to assume that trouble is brewing in the UMNO camp.

The problem is that during the selection of "wakil BN" in the run-up of the GE, Barisan's leadership (UMNO, MCA & MIC) did not help matters by showing uncertainty and disorganization. Quite a few incumbents, who had won by huge margins in 2004, were replaced by outsiders who did not have enough support in the areas they are contesting.

Mukhriz' Letter

I guess a lot of these disgruntled folks are baying for blood when Barisan "lost" in GE 12. But the timing of it could have been better, and quite honestly, there are not that many capable (translation: liked and trusted by the people, not just UMNO members) who could replace Pak Lah...

Could it also be a conspiracy to topple down Pak Lah? A well-orchestrated loss to the Opposition would make it easy for a "messiah"-like figure to appear and suddenly rescue Barisan from its self-made abyss. Interesting?

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

Protest in Penang, and racially insensitive comments by leaders on both sides are adding unnecessary tension to an already tense situation. Why can't we have intelligent politicians, on both side of the camp, who would actually THINK before speaking up? Could it be entirely possible that the leaders whom we so "admire", lack the necessary management skills and natural intelligence to be articulate and thoughtful when coming up with statements to the press?

More work, less talk is better for them I guess. Oh, talking about people who talk a lot, where's KJ? He's been pretty much under the radar (so unlike him) since the election. Probably for the better, considering the weird circumstances surrounding his win in Rembau. Hishamuddin, why so quiet? This is the time for you to show your strength...or is there something out there that we don't know about? The drama could rival Mis Tres Hermanes, and it makes for great viewing for all of us!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barely a week has gone past and we have witnessed one political drama after another since GE 12. While many have been concentrating on the lack of understanding between the “Barisan Rakyat” in Perak, UMNO itself is faced with uncertainty over the Menteri Besar position in Perlis and Terengganu. Rather than go to great lengths describing these issues (why aren’t you guys updated on this?), just go to Malaysiakini or TheStar (depending on who you want to believe).

Power Is Everything

Lim Kit Siang surprising rejection of PAS’ M Nizar Jamaluddin as the Menteri Besar in Perak and subsequent retraction and apology is another reminder that regardless of whichever party you come from, power is everything.

I actually believed LKS’ reaction was sparked by MCA stating that DAP has misled the Chinese voters by agreeing to accept a PAS guy as the MB. I guessed DAP panicked, afraid that this comment would suddenly remind the Chinese voters of the promises DAP made during campaigning. They fear they would lose the power given to them by their Chinese supporters.

So it’s quite surprising to read the interesting comments all over cyberspace, from the Chinese especially, that they don’t care who leads the state, as long as it’s not from Barisan. My personal opinion is that DAP via LKS, by reacting this way, has actually alienated even more of their supporters, Chinese or non-Chinese.

The whole concept behind DAP’s campaign this time is the fact that they are race-blind, that they represent the hope that Malaysia will be led by someone who is competent, regardless of race. By rejecting M. Nizar, it just showed the paranoia DAP actually has, and further amplify its image amongst Muslims that they are a Chinese based party!

They must realize that their astounding victory can not be attributed mainly to Chinese votes. They must realize that a lot of Malays and Indians voted for them, simply because they run on a platform of equality amongst races and most importantly, because they represent the alternative to Barisan.

The fact that PAS did not contest in the same seats as DAP made it easier for DAP to win, and this cannot be dismissed lightly. Instead of the opposition votes being split between DAP and PAS (like in 2004), they are focused on DAP only. I could probably summarize by saying that it is entirely possible that PAS supporters in Perak DID vote for DAP.

Therefore, the reaction was ill-timed, and inconsistent with the spirit in which Barisan Rakyat conducted its campaign. In terms of politics, it really is a blow in the eyes of the public, especially those who voted for the Opposition. A lot of my Chinese, Malay and Indian friends voted for the Opposition, regardless if it was PAS, DAP or PKR. This reaction would certainly fall foul of the spirit on which the Opposition was brought into power.

Let’s look at the “operational” side of it. Why does it matter if a guy from PAS heads the State? No laws can be passed unilaterally anyway in a State Assembly that’s dominated by DAP and PKR, and let’s not forget, UMNO. In fact, it is probably the best idea to put a PAS guy there as a system of check and balance. Plus, it’ll really make a positive impression on the public if the Opposition can accept a leader whose party did not win the majority of the seats in Perak.

PKR has also thrown itself into the fray by threatening to pull out from administrating Perak if the DAP gets 8 assembly seats. Doesn’t this seem like very petty to me and you? You shouldn’t wash your dirty linen in public. Organize something collective, discuss and compromise. Isn’t that the platform that the Opposition stand on?

Go figureJ

A brief discourse on a loss...(Pt.1)

2008-03-10T17:02:00.005+08:00

Some general observations from the “Tsunami” election 2008 (remember 08.03.08 – you’re there when it happened…)

Knock-out!
Barisan lost. It’s as simple as that. Pak Lah can claim that they still won, but if you minus Sabah & Sarawak (55 seats), Barisan’s control in the Parliament is a measly 85 seats, with the Opposition breathing down their neck with 80. The real battle has always been in the Peninsular, and in true Rocky Balboa style, Barisan took a hell of a beating.

Who listens to them?
It’s interesting to note the various political pundits going on air discussing on the morale-boosting victory for the Opposition. Where were they in the mainstream media leading up to the elections? Why do suddenly we see the newspapers discussing the weaknesses of Barisan while before this everything “looked” just fine? It’s a joke sometimes, and their credibility has to be questioned after this.

Or perhaps, just perhaps, they too are suddenly unleashed as the powers that lord over them grows weak? It is an interesting possibility, a potential side-effect of the “Tsunami”. Could we now see Harakah being distributed openly? Will the mainstream media finally find its voice and speak the truth?

Ill-communication (cue the Beastie Boys...)
Communication. That is one aspect of the election that Barisan missed, and one I believe contributed to its massive losses. The message that they are trying to convey, the medium in which it was delivered, and the people that delivered it are no longer accepted and relevant to the increasingly vocal and boisterous Malaysian voting public.

Barisan continued on with its typical campaign posturing – TV ads, Newspaper ads and posters and buntings galore. In Subang Jaya, Barisan’s posters outnumbered DAP’s by at least 5 to 1. Its ironic then that DAP’s candidate, Hannah Yeoh (a fellow SMKSU alumni), won more than double the votes her BN candidate did. How much was spent on those MCA ads is beyond my simple calculation, but as every business minded person would question, where’s the Return on Investment?

Ugh, not another ad...
Barisan may have miscalculated on the impact intense propaganda has on Malaysians. Even a Barisan supporter would be turned-off listening to another SELAMAT AMAN MAKMUR ad on the radio. Imagine the effect it had on the fence-sitters and Opposition supporters.

The problem when the entire mainstream media overload on BN propaganda is that it loses credibility and most importantly, relevancy. The consequence of this is the search for alternative source of info, and in this day and age, most people will turn to the Internet.

Rise of the New Media (the truth is out there...somewhere)
News and opinions reported in websites and blogs gain more credibility and prominence compared to mainstream media. Even SMS-es, regardless of its veracity, hold more weight than a full-paged report in the newspapers. This will lead to people easily being swayed by reports, rumors and plain old lies as long as it doesn’t appear in the Star, Straits Times, TV3 etc.

Barisan, under the stewardship of Pak Lah, has fallen into the trap a lot of incumbents make when they have been dominating for a long time, be it in Politics or Business. They become stale in their marketing strategy and believe in their own strengths without actually taking the time to step back and view the voice from the consumers/public. It’s a simple business lesson that could also be applied in politics – never rest on your laurels.

Barisan as a Brand
As a brand, Barisan’s values are constantly being challenged by a vibrant and flexible Opposition that could change its values with every coming election to suit the people’s needs (remember the old Barisan Alternatif?). That should be cause of concern for Opposition supporters, but hey, politics are never about rationale thinking. What’s more alarming was to see how Barisan let its brand and values take a beating without taking any steps to mend the wounds.

Brand Refresh is the term people use in Business-Speak. It means re-examining the values that your Brand convey to the public and whether or not the public accept that values and believe in it. It means a constant re-look at your Value Proposition – the thing that makes people want to buy you or stay loyal – from a different angle and adding on compelling reasons for people to choose you. Barisan should always adapt its Brand so that it remains relevant to the current issues.

What happens when a public company reports massive losses?
Nevertheless, at the end of the day, no matter how well the message is conveyed and how wonderful the Branding exercise has been, if the product sucks, people will still not buy it. And in politics, most often than not, the products are not the policies, but the people who introduce and implement the policies. This Tsunami loss is a reflection that Malaysians don’t want the product, they don’t believe in the product.

In business, a CEO has to be accountable for the failure of the product. It’s time we run the country like a business. Go figure.

...

Crazy Laws...

2008-03-06T13:56:00.000+08:00

How True

Law of queue: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

Law of the Telephone: When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged tone.

Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of the Alibi: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.

Bath THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

LAW of the RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will!

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

THEATRE RULE: People with the seats at the furthest from the aisle arrive last.

LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Got it from someone. Cool. Selamat mengundi!

I want to choose wisely!!!

2008-02-21T17:13:00.002+08:00

Election is coming up *duh*. 8^thMarch 2008. It’ll be my first time. Full of expectations, but you know the outcome. A lot like sex, really. Your vote...well, it really isn’t that special *wink*.

Election fever is definitely spreading. Just like a rash that distracts everyone from the cancer that lies beneath. Where’s the fallout from the revelation by VK Lingam’s secretary? I guess it’s more important to know where Lim Kit Siang is going than think about the consequence of the above-mentioned explosive testimony.

Judgments prepared by others? Isn’t that a scary thought? Well, it’s not as scary as “everyday” issues apparently. The media seems hell-bent on proving that people care more about the wallet than truth and justice. It might be true. Well, if only the people realize that without basic fundamentals of democracy and equality, we will forever be stuck in an economic quagmire that will ultimately result in economic prosperity for the select few.

Well, back to Lim Kit Siang moving to Penang. It just goes to show how much the constituency means to all these politicians. There is a flaw in our system when representatives who pledge to be loyal to their constituents can just be re-shuffled and new ones parachuted in to represent people they don’t even know about. But the biggest flaw lies in you, dear readers, for accepting this system of party based politics.

When was the last time we actually see a battle of policies? I read with alarm Iron Mike’s interview with the Star when he said that UMNO members will vote Barisan Nasional regardless if the candidates are from MIC. Vote for the party, screw the individual. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never heard of him, never seen him, don’t know his policies, don’t even care if he shows up after election. Just as long he’s carrying the “dacing”, the “rocket”, the “moon” or whatever it is stirs your boat.

It is this acceptance that has caused our politicians, BN or Opposition, to stop thinking. It has led to a selection process not based on credibility, capability and integrity. There’s actually no reason for any parties to field intelligent candidates that has the vision and mission to lead us because, well, we don’t really care.

I want to hear what my candidate stands for. Is he for equality? What is his stand on foreigners coming into Malaysia? Are we an Islamic state or secular? Does he believe in meritocracy or quota-based policies? Why are we afraid to ask these questions? Heck, forget about your ADUN or MP. I want to know what our leaders, PM and the Cabinet members think about these issues.

In one way or another, this is a better platform for us to judge the candidates. Wouldn’t it be great if we all could hear what the leader of BN and leader of Opposition have in store for us? Wouldn’t it be easier for us to make the RIGHT choice, based on our beliefs and aspiration? Are you a part of the service industry scared that foreign workers will take your job? Vote for those with strict immigration policy! Wouldn’t it be MARVELLOUS if this is further translated into a real action plan that you and I could believe in?

Choice. It’s the fundamental of democracy. But how can we make the right choice without knowing what to choose for? Go figure.

...

P/S: I've Lee Hwa Beng here in Subang as my ADUN. He has done an exemplary job trying to cope with a growing metropolis (I predict soon to be city). I don't know who or what the Opposition here stand for, or how he's going to improve my area, so I'm not going to vote for him. I don't care whether Hwa Beng is from BN or not. He's done his job. I reward competence. We must turn into a performance-based country, mustn't we?

Married Men are Sexier (or so they say)

2008-01-16T16:23:00.000+08:00

Thank you for the warm wishes. Thank you for still bothering with this blog. Yes, thank God, I finally

tied the knot with my girlfriend of 6 years plus (trust me for not remembering exactly…) on the 25^th of December 2007. It is a culmination of years of compromise and understanding, of politics and gamesmanship, of trust and honesty, and of course, love and forgiveness in that wonderful process fondly known as courtship. Fortunately, and hopefully, it doesn’t end when I said “Aku terima nikah Tengku Rinanda Putri binti Tengku Aziz dengan mas kahwinnya 501 ringgit tunai”.

The date, in case you’re bothered and my wife (yes, I can use that term now, rightfully) failed to mention it in her blog, was chosen by my dear mother. My mom, my uncle and my aunt got married on that very same date, and their marriages are still going strong till today. So I guess that she wants the same result in my marriage by picking that date, although frankly speaking, longevity does not necessarily mean happiness.

The appropriate age for marriage is around eighteen for girls and thirty-seven for men

- Aristotle

I am 24. And the wise Aristotle believes I am too young to get married. I have just embarked on a career with Maxis. I cannot claim that I will be here forever (in fact, I doubt that I will stay on for too long). But what I do know is that when I work, I work to the best of my abilities. It will mean late nights, it will mean bad mood swings, and it will mean missed dinners and appointments. Is getting married a hindrance?

Honestly, I don’t know. But a few weeks before my marriage, I had an interesting conversation with the head of Maxis Broadband. He was talking about his own personal life and the career that he’s had. He found out that I was getting married, and he was genuinely surprised.

His first reaction was to say that he got married in his 30s. He was busy with his rising career, and he worked tirelessly day and night since he graduated to become more successful than his peers. He felt that getting married would be an obstacle. So I naturally assumed that he would say that I may not find marriage suitable as a person who is ambitious and wants to rise quickly.

Surprisingly, he said I made the right choice. He believes that getting married early is actually a better proposition than working too hard and sacrificing your personal life first. Why? Because when you’re young, you have the drive, passion and energy to succeed. You can take a lot more when you’re in your 20’s than you could when you’re in your 30’s, both physically and emotionally.

A marriage might slow you down a bit, but he noted that the serious work, the one that really cause you headaches, begin much later in your career. It’s a misconception really that once you’ve established yourself then you have less work to do and could therefore concentrate on your family. That might be the case with most people who don’t mind settling into a comfortable position, but to him, each promotion only spurs him to work harder so he could continue getting promoted.

In your early days working in a company, your job scope is limited, and though work is tough, it will not make you lose your hair. But as you perform well, you get added responsibilities and this commensurate with your age and experience. So, according to him, as you get older you get more work or harder work or, if you’re unlucky, both.

Your career will only truly shoot off in your 30s, or if you’re politically connected/extremely brilliant/son of the boss, after 27 years old. Imagine getting married when you’ve just been promoted to Manager of Consumer Marketing, and then having your first child when you’re just about to head a new product launch. More work, less time, more discontent at home, less happiness in life, more sleepless nights, less productive.

That’s not even considering the impact of suddenly finding yourself living together with another person, every day and night. After years of bachelorhood, and perhaps enjoying the life of the young, single and affluent, how would a person react to a transition that threatens his way of life for the past 4-5 years?

Imagine then just being an up and coming executive, who decided to get married early and have his first kid by 26. By the time he’s ready for upper management, the child would have gone through his early phases as he enters kindergarten or primary school. The marriage too would have gone through its early obstacles and financial constraints and both parties are comfortable with each other that the house they live in really has become their “home”. He said that he was envious when he looked at his peers who now have kids going through SPM, while he has to be content with the fact that by the time he hold his first grandchild, he would probably not be around to see that grandchild enter school.

Truth be told, I don’t know whether he was trying to be nice to me. He might not believe it. But after listening to another CEO having problems balancing his personal life till it caused him his marriage, I can safely say that there’s no regret in marrying early, Aristotle be damned.

I’ve got a lot of issues that I would like to address, and it seems that my schedule have cleared up in the near future, so maybe the next update will be coming soon enough. Go figure!

Wedding Reception

2007-12-06T11:45:00.000+08:00

Click on card for full view

P/S: This is the bride's reception ceremony which is open to everyone and their families. Your presence will be much appreciated. Thank you!

Something About Raya In Space...

2007-10-17T17:38:00.000+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya to my readers (if I still have any). Every year since the inception of this blog, I have been telling you tales about my trip to my hometown of Penang. This year was different, because for the first time in ages, I celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri at Subang Jaya. It was a close call, this one, because my two aunts who are still staying in Penang wanted us to go with tradition and head back to Gelugor, but at the end of the day, the rest of family persuaded THEM to head over to KL and celebrate here instead.

This is the beginning of a new era I guess. Most of my relatives are here in KL anyway, and my soon-to-be in-laws are based in KL. This will probably be the first of many Raya celebrated in KL. Yes, I do miss Penang. I still have fond memories of the trips there. I fear that without this yearly jaunt to my hometown, I’ll probably never get out of KL!

But to be completely honest, I’ve not had that Raya feeling for quite some time. I guess the introduction of Astro into my grandma’s house somehow robbed us of that “I have nothing to do, so let’s explore Penang” kind of attitude. I can’t even remember how to get to Padang Kota, so what kind of a Penangite am I? (Yes, yes…the sharp nose is still there, and I can still do a mean anak mami accent if I want to…but the heart is no longer set on the beaches of Ferringhi…)

Heck, I can’t even bring myself to watch the TV shows for Raya. There used to be a time when Raya Specials were really special. It was something that has never been shown before, something that we look forward to because we missed it in the cinema (of course, all this is irrelevant if you don’t watch Malay shows…but that’s your loss). The musicals were jam-packed with stars like M.Nasir, Siti Nurhaliza etc. But nowadays you get crap like one show I accidentally saw on RTM 1 called Duets Raya or something. You get people from bands like Sofaz partnering some unpopular and more importantly, not so talented, female singers butchering classic Hari Raya songs.

Let’s not start with the movies. Why do TV stations assume that people want to be enlightened on Raya eve? Why do they always decide to put some soapy, sad drama about (1) anak durhaka (2) isteri/suami durhaka (3) mak bapak durhaka? Why must we suffer the indignity of being swayed by one-trick-pony directors like Rashid Sibir? Most importantly, why do we keep having reruns of Prof. Abd. Razak Mohaideen’s idiotic brand of “situational comedies”?

Lost in Space

Perhaps everyone thought that we would be more interested in watching a space show, or to be more specific, our proud angkasawan at ISIS, Outer Space. Yes, I am proud that we have a Malaysian in space, and no matter what, we shouldn’t take the mickey out of Doktor SM’s successful launch into space. It’s not his fault that our government can’t seem to prioritize!

Why does the government of Malaysia think it’s valuable to send someone into space? What is it that Malaysians can do, that actually other astronauts can’t? I mean, what sort of “research” are they actually asking him to do? Wouldn’t it be easier to just send the “nasi lemak” or “durian” to astronauts who are actually going there to do something significant? More importantly, wouldn’t it be cheaper?

You see, while Singapore, which earns more than we do, has a higher GDP than we do, with a higher per capita income than Malaysians do, are busy solidifying their economy in the face of the expected global market meltdown and turmoil in key oil states in the Middle East, we decided to spend more than RM 100 Million (that is reported, I’m sure the real and hidden cost is much more than that) on sending a man into space to wear a pretty cool Malaysian jumpsuit, but proves nothing besides the fact that we know how to spend money.

Malaysia is a bit like those on-off hip hop stars, like we have some hits at some point of our career, get a lot of dough, spent it on blings-blings, then become anonymous until the next lucky hit comes along. It’s great if we can come up with the hits, but what if it dries up? Maybe we should learn from P.Diddy, who built a business empire despite his limited talent in the rap game. Who says you can’t have the cake and eat it too?

Oh yeah, oil prices are at a record high recently, and with the tension over Iran growing, there’s no sign it’s going to come down to manageable level anytime soon. That means petrol prices in Malaysia are expected to rise again, as the government cannot afford to subsidize us anymore, what with their space mission, national service, Port Klang Free Zone bailout…I mean, what can they do, right? Go figure.

The One on Justice

2007-10-02T00:19:00.000+08:00

Last week saw two different sorts of protest in two different countries which similarities end with sharing the same first alphabet in their name and being in ASEAN. While 2,000 lawyers marched in Putrajaya, Malaysia, thousands of protestors brave the threats from trigger happy soldiers and stake their claim for freedom in Yangon, Myanmar. While the lawyers manage to hand over their memorandum and go back to their normal lives, dozens of protestors were killed being shot while trying to exercise their inherent human right for freedom of expression.

Readers might be inclined to assume that I would compare the two situations and come to the conclusion that the Bar Council’s protest is nothing, in fact, overkill, when compared to the real atrocities going on in Myanmar. The lawyers were up in arms against the recent video release depicting senior lawyer V.K Lingam conspiring with an unknown (yes, people say that it’s the current chief justice, but that’s speculation until proven otherwise) person to appoint certain individuals, including the chief justice, into positions of importance within our judiciary 5 years ago. The people of Myanmar were up in arms for their freedom, against the oppression of the violent military junta ruling the country. Looks like a foregone conclusion?

Not in the least bit. Can’t Malaysians see that if we sit back and watch as the very essence of democracy being mocked by the people who are supposed to uphold it, the scenes we see from the streets of Yangon will be transplanted to our very own Kuala Lumpur? The very essence of democracy is the Rule of Law (roughly means: everybody is subject to the law, no one is above it), and an independent judiciary remains the cornerstone of preserving this essence.

The Malaysian judiciary have never recovered from the 1988 crisis. For those in the dark, basically what happened was that brave, intelligent and independent senior judges were “removed” from their esteemed position, just because they were bold enough to go against, the executive at that time, over a fundamental issue. I am an admirer of Tun Mahathir, but like every great man, he has his flaws. His innate desire to control every aspect of Malaysia Inc. is his strength and also his weakness. His decision at that time remains a black mark in our justice system. Malaysia suffered in the eyes of the world, whereby our judiciary was questioned and criticized.

But we remain ignorant of this, and the people were not unhappy. In fact, there was a sense of indifference, except for the brave members of the then Bar Council. Nothing came out of their resolutions condemning the sackings and their voices were drowned out by the great news of our rapid rise in world economy. It seems like people only shout when they’re hungry.

So why the big hurrah then when the justice system condemned Anwar Ibrahim to jail? Why was everyone so surprised? The die was cast years before that. Do I care about Anwar or his politics? No, BUT I do have a problem when the judiciary appears (I’m not even saying it is, but it just appears) to be influenced by certain people and their agenda.

And that’s the problem that we face at the moment. The apathy by the general public over the importance of an independent judiciary stems from the lack of knowledge, and this in turn is due to our non-inquisitive way of thinking indoctrinated by our, ironically, rapid economic progress at the expense of real cultural progress. But it’s not too late.

We can start at the way judges are chosen and their promotion. At the current moment, there is a distinct lack of transparency, and sometimes people ask me these things, and I don’t really know what or how to answer. The criteria for choosing Judicial Commissioners and Judges appear to be so mysterious, that not even the judges themselves can safely state the reason for their appointment. How are recommendations made? At least let us know that.

It WOULD be better though if a Commission be set up, consisting of seasoned practitioners, esteemed members of society, political representatives or even NGOs who would draw up a list of candidates based on a definite set of criteria that’s published clearly for the public to peruse. At this moment, almost 90% of our judges are chosen from government service ie. AG Chambers etc. I know quite a few of these judges, and I am not suggesting in any way that they’re biased or ill-equipped to deliver justice. In fact, I do believe that most of them are honest folks who would decide based on sound principles of justice in most cases. But wouldn’t it be better if there’s a balanced composition of judges manning our superior courts?

I didn’t join the march. But I hope my words here would suffice. People say that the pen is mightier than the sword. You don’t have to shout, you don’t have to throw bricks, you don’t have to picket. All you have to do is open up your mind, improve your knowledge, discuss serious issues instead of just football with your friends, read as much as you can and most importantly, share your views and learn how to accept others’. Knowledge is power. And with power comes responsibility. I hope I have fulfilled mine. Insyaallah.

The One on Nurin

2007-09-22T15:55:00.000+08:00

No man should ever suffer the sorrow of burying their own child. Death comes in many ways, and we come to expect it in certain circumstances. Your old grandpa suffering from heart attack, though a loss is one you probably see coming a mile away. But what do you do when you’re in Jazimin Abdul Jalil’s shoes? How do you respond to the fact that your daughter, your own flesh and blood, has died in such atrocious circumstances?

Nurin Jazlin suffered as no person, let alone a child, has to. Sexual assault on a young child evokes feeling of disgust unlike any other crime. Just imagining the emotional suffering that she has to go through can make even the strongest of men squirm in their pants. It’s a sick act, one that deserves the outmost attention as in my opinion it represents a disturbing increasing trend of dangerous crimes in Malaysia.

In my personal opinion, this sort of crime are the most dangerous not because of its effect, but because we can’t understand its cause(s), which is even more horrifying. Nothing frustrates crime-busters more than crimes that defies conventional norm. Yes, criminal psychologist probably has a general profile for sexual offenders, but how do we identify this group of people? How do we help them, understand them, before their frustration results in violence?

I wouldn’t have the slightest idea, but the police must be scratching their heads when crimes like this come up. They have to get off their comfortable chair and start investigating, something which some police officers probably aren’t looking forward to.

But in any case, I urge readers, regardless of your race, religion, or nationality, to pray for Nurin’s soul and more importantly, work together to prevent anything remotely similar from happening. As a community, Malaysians are severely lacking in courage to stand up against crime. We will just watch as people fight, stay away when someone gets mugged...can’t we see that together, we can make a difference?

Mo Money Mo Problem

Another issue that has remained in the limelight for the past few weeks is the Auditor-General’s report on government spending. I’m sure we’ve all seen the numbers, and I’m sure most of us are appalled at the ridiculous mismanagement of government’s funds by the various government bodies. The sad thing is I personally believe the A-G’s report only uncovered the tip of the iceberg.

At a time when we hear the Government lamenting the lack of funds to support our subsidies, we are faced with such astounding figures. Let’s not forget about the proposed government bail-out of the overspent Port Klang Free Zone. The cost? RM 4 Billion! Heck, forget about subsidies! With that amount, the government could double the police work force, increase funding for education, modernize public amenities, build roads...the list is endless. And they could do more if any further spending is done efficiently, with proper planning and a sense of responsibility. It’s never the government’s money; it’s ours, so please treat it well.

This brings us to the issue of accountability, or rather, the lack of it when it comes to government projects. Far from being a stooge for the opposition, i am still rather concerned at the way projects are being handed out and the selection process, if any, when it comes to awarding of such projects. It seems like the whole concept of open tender is foreign when it comes to our projects. While the reputation of big corporations cannot be denied, it still comes as a surprise whenever the government seems to already hand-pick these companies to spearhead their initiatives.

Open tender system allows for the government, as trustee’s to our money and the nation’s future, to sift through the various proposals and pick the company with the best combination of experience, efficiency and lowest price. By hand-picking companies for projects, they’re actually depriving you the opportunity to choose the most efficient contractor around. Yes, these corporations has the experience and the deep-pocket to manage such mega projects, but isn’t it ironic that the companies grew big BECAUSE of government’s projects? So what happens is that these mega corporations become bigger and bigger, swollen with a combination of cash and confirmed order books for years, making them more prone to wastage and inefficiency.

I’m starting a new job soon. A challenging one, but I’ll tell you more next time. Till then, go figure.

The One on Turning 50

2007-08-28T02:20:00.000+08:00

Namewee – the mere sight and sound of that name sends shudders down the spine of every politician worth his or her salt here in Malaysia. It should, by now, be a forgotten story, but when it first came into the limelight (thanks to Harian Metro, the vanguard of petty news, gossips, social justice and Malay rights), it was the biggest news of the hour.

Everyone and I do mean everyone, had an opinion on the young Muar kid (Muar oh Muar…) who degraded our national anthem by showing a little bit of talent in putting forth his thoughts in verses better known as rap. The problem, of course, is that he did it in a way that allegedly insulted the Malays, and hence, every UMNO leader without fail had something to say about this whole matter. The MCA politicians of course tried to defuse the matter, knowing that it’s a time bomb ready to explode. Thankfully, no leader pushed the envelope, and said the wrong thing at the wrong time, and thankfully, this didn’t turn out into a slanging match with racial undertones.

The video’s message is not dissimilar to half the things I’ve read on the Internet, especially in message boards and comment pages. There are some people, a certain segment of the population that believes most of the problems in Malaysia, or with Malaysia, has got to do with the government’s ineptitude, corrupt practices and general lack of care for the well-being of the nation. Because the majority in the government consists of Malays, and most of the civil servants are Malays, there’s an easy option of correlating the problems we face as being caused by the Malays.

Government policies that favor the Malays tend to further heighten the sense amongst other races that they’re not more than just squatters here in Malaysia. And while it is easy for me to say that the non-Malays have also prospered here in Malaysia, it’s not so easy to answer when they say they did it DESPITE this handicap. There’s a siege mentality building up amongst the non-Malays, developed by the experiences of the previous generation.

My peers’ parents work long and hard to accumulate enough wealth to send their children to private colleges, and their struggle to give proper education to their children are transmitted to the children, who would later watch their fellow Malay friends from high-school getting tertiary education at a discount (with LOANS nonetheless!) and yet still manage to screw it all up. We wasted our opportunity, an opportunity that was not even made available to them in the first place. Can they be blamed for feeling a little bit miffed?

What has all these got to do with Namewee? Nothing, and yet everything (ah, to quote Salahadin from Kingdom of Heaven is a bit dramatic, don’t you think?). Namewee is the manifestation (albeit a crude and impolite) of the sentiment building up amongst the non-Malays here in Malaysia. Must we deny what is evident by holding hands and singing Jalur Gemilang? Would waving the flag vigorously make people forget the past, or would writing articles about how wonderful Malaysia is (it is, in my personal opinion, and there’s nothing like home) can hide the fact that at the mamak stall (something ALL Malaysians are united about…hehehe), in whispers, we say things that are politically incorrect?

As far as I’m concerned, it appears from my regular mamak stall conversations that we Malays have only praises for the Chinese community. We associate them with efficiency and diligence, hard work and perseverance. Yes, nothing’s perfect, and there are times when things are not as rosy, but from what I gather, there is a genuine amount of respect for the Chinese and their success (although admittedly, there’s also a fair amount of jealousy – respect does not equate to acceptance), especially when it comes to the business of making money.

The problem is, what do people talk about when they’re talking about Malays? And this is the crux of the matter. It’s not about whether the N.E.P is still relevant or not, it’s not about getting quotas into universities, it’s not about A.Ps. It’s about what we, as Malays living in our own land, have achieved. It’s about what we, as leaders (and that’s what we are, in every sense of the word), have done to earn the respect of the people we lead.

I truly believe that people are not dissatisfied because contracts go to Bumiputra companies, but because these companies do such a lousy job at such an expensive price. I truly believe that the quota system would work, if only there are no “special privileges” given to those who are lucky just because they’re born to somebody famous or powerful. I truly believe no one would mind a Malay leader, if only the leader can stop building castles! In other words, I truly believe none of the angst and disappointment by the non-Malays and even Malays would surface if we, as Malay leaders, take the opportunity to lead by example in whatever we do.

There must be a shift in the paradigm. Malays must look beyond the superficial, and find it within themselves the desire to truly be respected, not because of their race, but because of their achievements. It must come to a point where we can say, it’s okay, we can make it on our own and the non-Malays will see us and say, yes, we don’t mind your privileges, because when you prosper, we all do. A change will do us good…

It doesn’t matter if you’re 50, or you’re 100, or you’re 10. Just like it doesn’t matter if I’m 20, I’m 40 or I’m 60. The key lies not in the number, but in what those numbers represent, how those numbers translate into achievements, how it has carried us forward as a society. The question now is, are we heading in the right direction towards political, social and economic maturity, or are we slowly turning into nothing more than a bunch of 5 year olds squabbling over spilt milk? Go figure…

...

Of course, when we're talking about subject such as this, there are bound to be certain readers who take offense to some of the generalization evident in this post. For example, some Malay readers would stop and say, "Hey, I went to university, and I didn't mess up my life...". If you do, and are, in that situation, then hats off to you, we need more like you (indicating that there's not enough, which validates the negative generalization in this post). Some Chinese readers would stand up and say, "Hey, I've never thought bad things about the Malays. I've done well, my parents had it easy, we are rich...". Again, congratulations, and perhaps you should do your own rap song with a positive spin on Malaysia. In short, there are exceptions to the overall generalization, and I do hope in this age of over-sensitive readers and moral guides, you would understand where I'm coming from. I don't need your acceptance, just understanding of my views. Cheers, and Selamat Menyambut Merdeka!

The One About Getting Engaged...

2007-08-13T17:57:00.000+08:00

Goodness me, it’s been a while since I visited Undergrounduate Central. It has been a mad couple of months for me. Yes, the last time I updated was A MONTH before my engagement, so let’s get that one out of the way first, shall we?

I am officially engaged (cue a sudden increase in suicide amongst women and gay men aged 20-25 years…hahaha). Some of my friends are a bit surprised how it doesn’t seem to change the nature of my relationship with others, or the way I act, or what I do. It shouldn’t because frankly speaking, I’ve been “engaged” to Rinie for the past few years now. There has always been the certainty that she IS the one, no matter how bad things get, or how good things could be (on the other side of the fence). Trust me, temptations abound, and it is easy for most to just jump ship, take flight…call it whatever you want, but it still means quitting. And I’m not really made to be a quitter, not over a relationship at least.

In short, I’ve always been in this relationship with a view for marriage, so the recent 7/07/07 event was always a mere formality. But how does that explain some of my actions in the past, present and perhaps future? How do you reconcile this absolute certainty in the strength of my current relationship to Rinie with some utterly promiscuous activities and shenanigans that I’ve gotten myself into (and probably will in the future)? Maybe it’s the fact that at the end of the day, no matter how absolutely marvelous the buffet is, it’s home cooking that we miss the most. Rinie’s my nasi putih. And that’s all I ever need…

I’ve just moved into my own apartment. This might sound stupid, but it’s located not more than 5 minutes away from my parent’s home. Okay, it does sound a bit daft. It’s not that I really wanted to move that close to them, but circumstances (or karma or fate) seems to work in their favor (or perhaps mine, as we shall see). The search for a nice, quiet, peaceful apartment at a great location at a good price led me to a search all over Subang Jaya. I even considered a terrace house; such is the lack of an apartment that appeals to me and my needs. It must serve my current want of a bachelor pad and my future need of a family home (temporary, but still important). Crazy, but that’s just me. .

So finally I just drove into the apartment compound near my house after exhausting all other places throughout Subang and USJ, called the number on display, set up an appointment that very same day, and had a tour of the apartment. The real estate agent was actually my former neighbor, so we hit it off straight away. The place got a great view, it’s shielded from direct sunrise and sunset, and big enough for a family, but small enough that I can manage on my own until I get married. Add the fact that the entire compound is well-maintained by a reputable company (Sime-UEP), top security details, nice quiet ambience, and neighbors who don’t really make that big of a fuss, and you’ve got yourself the almost perfect pad for me.

Except that I can walk to my parents without breaking a sweat. Except that despite my initial enthusiasm to look for something new, I’m still stuck at USJ. Except that I still have to go through the mayhem of USJ traffic jams every morning. Or maybe it isn’t so bad after all.

I wake up every morning late, since there’s no one at home to be my moral compass. Work is flexible (like I’ve explained before) so traffic jams is almost a no-no at the time I usually go out to work. And the best thing about being near to my home is that I can get into my car, go to my house (5 minutes), have breakfast prepared by my maid, take a long hot shower, get ready for work (yes, most of my work clothes are left there…and for good reason too considering my lack of cupboard space and genuine dislike for ironing or washing my own clothes), read the newspapers that THEY subscribe to and go off to work. Later in the evening, I can just drop by, drop off the dirty clothes, maybe have a nice dinner, say goodbye to the folks, then go back to the apartment to (a) get ready to go out again (b) eat snacks and watch TV till late at night (c) any other extra-curricular activities that couldn’t and SHOULDN’T be done within the confines of your parent’s home.

Repeat all these everyday and I just realize that what I have is the best of both worlds – I get the clean clothes and good food that you can only get and the only thing you want anyway from your parents and yet I get the freedom to do whatever I want! Plus, my pad is damn clean due to the lack of use of the kitchen, the table…heck, even the toilet! Oh yeah, because it’s so near, I usually pick up my maid from the house every Sunday, drop her off to clean up the place, pick her up again and pay her 10 bucks. That’s cheap…just don’t report me to NGOs for abusing my maid. Syokkkkk wooooo….

…

Something about kursus kahwin...

2007-06-12T18:30:00.000+08:00

Do you guys feel neglected? I mean, here I am, preaching about being disciplined with updating blogs, and yet I haven’t been able to update for the past 2 weeks. My sincerest apologies, and sometimes at these moments of indiscipline, I really do wonder if I have what it takes to be a regular columnist (dream on…indiscipline is the least of my problem). But let me just warm up by saying Selamat Pengantin Baru to my old friend, Senor Afif and…well, I can’t remember his missus, but the best of luck to you in your newfound role as a husband, and leader of a family.

Congratulations too for my new friends, Saudara Hasli dan Saudari Intan, on your marriage. I haven’t known you guys that long, and yet somehow I feel I have more in common with you two lovebirds than anybody else. There’s more weddings coming along, with my old mooting partner, Musalmi, finally finding someone she can get along with (*snicker*). I would love to go to her wedding, but it’s in Kelantan. I’m still working out the traveling plans with my friends. Then it’s probably Tini (with a celebrity no less…*grins*), Mahir (don’t know when and where, so probably I’m out of his list…*grins even wider*), and finally…me, I guess. Unless somebody else I know plans to get married between July and December.

The preparations have been going on as planned, though the tight schedule I’m going through right now is a big problem. There’s the pupilage thing (which ironically is starting to contribute to a lot of work for very little pay…stupid me!), the Legal Aid duties (more of which will be disclosed some other time), restaurant business (which I’m kind of neglecting…damn me), the consultancy stint with Public Mutual (contact me if you guys are interested to know more about diversifying your investment portfolio) and finally, the investment in Malaysian stock market (it’s a risk, but a calculated one…more on this later).

Let’s not forget my social activities like playing futsal, going to the gym (when will I find the time?), meeting up with friends, checking out my mails, trying to pick up golf, thinking about how to make more money (trust me, it’s not as easy as you think…), updating this blog, going out with my girlfriend, catching up on the news, watching my favorite TV Shows…the list is almost endless.

Thus, it was with great trepidation and anger when I signed up for the compulsory Marriage Course (Kursus Kahwin). Actually, the course itself isn’t that important, it’s the certificate that matters. After listening to what the instructor had to say, there’s no wonder that most Muslim couples just have sex before getting married. It’s just so damn complicated!

Let’s just take the requirement to go for the Kursus as an example. After spending 1 and a half day stuck in a room filled with soon to be married couples, all I could glean from this course is the fact that Ustaz can talk about breast as openly like you and me, and in front of tudung-clad women no less. It just goes to show, that all men are horny, regardless of their religious background. But they ARE funny nonetheless, and it wasn’t offensive in any way.

What was offensive to me was the fact that the powers that be consider that such courses will somehow improve the prospect of a happy marriage. That’s a bunch of bull**** if you ask me. How can anyone change just by simply listening to some Ustaz talk about “malam pertama” (your first night as a married couple)? It was entertaining, of course, but if I wanted entertainment, I would rather go home and watch television.

The fact is that the Kursus Kahwin was good only in explaining the technical procedures to register your marriage (which again, seems way too complicated for a simple union between two loving souls…at least that’s the theory). It was a long drawn out affair, and I relived my studying days by skipping one session (for goodness’s sake, they were already talking about divorces!). Little did I know that the person in charge would start a roll-call at the end of the session, and when my name was announced, I was actually asleep inside my car. My car…there’s even a story about that!

Well, it was really a long weekend. And the incessant rain after our session on Sunday seems to reflect my thoughts on the whole affair. We were not aware that it was flooding (again) in KL as we headed back to Subang to have dinner with my girlfriend’s parents. It was nice to see them like me so much (hahaha), but then again, my mom seems more attentive to my partner than me (hmph).

Actually, I was invited to join my friends for a round of karaoke. Yes, I do love karaoke. Roshan and Firdaus wanted to celebrate the newly-weds, Hasli and Intan, as they embark on their journey as married couple. So after dinner, I drove back to Bangsar, chilling out to Nidji’s cool album, Breakthrough. It was still raining heavily, so I tried to drive as calm as possible.

I was just a few hundred meters away from Bangsar Shopping Center when I saw a cone lying on the right side of the road. Thus, I avoided the cone, but instead I hit the deepest pothole I’ve ever hit before. It was raining so the hole was covered with rainwater, which makes it impossible to distinguish it from the black tarmac. My right side front bumper dislodged itself, and it went under my car for quite some time. There was a terrible grating sound, and I feared that it was my suspension bottoming out, but when I stopped in front of BSC, I was relieved to see that the damage was merely cosmetic.

But cosmetic here means one whole M3 bumper broken into two, and totally useless anymore. I pulled it out and left it on the roadside, leaving an exposed front end with some wires and underside panel hanging down the road. I felt sick to my stomach, but I can’t do anything much about it, can I? I was so pissed with DBKL or MPPJ for failing to cover up the pothole. Bastards…but I still sang a few songs nonetheless (I can’t help it…).

So now the role is reversed. I depend on my girlfriend for transport, which is kind of nice. No wonder she enjoys being driven around…I should this more often…or get myself a driver.

…

Discount on duit kopi

2007-05-26T19:31:00.000+08:00

Motorists here in the capital city of United States of Untung Sahaja (USUS) experienced something unusual after the announcement of the blanket pay rise for civil servants – a discount on their usual bribe amount by the “police”.

One motorist, who refused to be named but proudly drives a BMW X5 with single-digit plate, claimed that he only had to pay the police officer 70 dollars, a 30 dollar reduction from the normal rate. “I was shocked and pleasantly surprised to see 30 dollars being returned to me together with a blank piece of paper. When I asked why, the officer just smiled and said ‘discount’. Who am I to argue with an officer of the law?” said the driver, who claimed that he contributes close to 1000 dollars a month for the officers’ “pension scheme”.

Our investigation revealed that all across USUS, motorists are being asked to pay less than the usual “contribution”. While this is certainly being met with enthusiasm by the general public, certain quarters are understandably unhappy with this development.

One senior officer laments, “Now people think that we give 30% discount to ‘kowtim’ when my gaji only naik 10%. So when I only give 10% discount, people think I’m trying to cheat them. Hello, you think about it laaa…traffic boleh la bagi discount 30% because it only amounts to 30 dollars. If I give 30% discount, that’s 3000 dollars per illegal premise you know? Crazy man…”

A junior officer for the traffic department has this to say, “Since the announcement of the pay rise, most of us give a bit of a discount on our ‘duit kopi’. But this also brings a bit of a problem you see, because previously our take was in round figures…like 100 or 50…but now we only take 70 or 35 but people still give us big change. Where can I find 15 dollars to give back as change? Leceh a bit la…but it’s for the benefit of the rakyat, so now every time we have a road block, one of us will be in charge of petty cash with small change to give back to motorists”.

When asked to comment on the statement by the Police Chief that since officers are now earning more, there is no longer the need for bribery, the junior officer said, “Gila ka. Gaji naik only 30%, how can cut duit kopi 100%. Simple logic man. If naik 100%, then maybe we consider not taking duit kopi la. But the rakyat don’t mind paying for it, so why should we stop? They don’t have to go to police station to pay. The ladies feel better because then no gatal officers will stare at them at the station…so everyone wins what?”.

Attempts to seek comments from official sources in the Government were met with desk-bound clerks whom automatically divert us to a never-ending rendition of the national anthem jingle.

…

TOP OPPOSITION LEADER DOES SILAT

In a dramatic turn of events, the former Deputy Dictator to USUS withdrew from contesting in his own party’s elections due to a technical restriction imposed by law. Instead, the ever charismatic leader will open up his own silat school, which will emphasis not on physical silat but political silat.

It has been widely tipped that this political silat class will be open up to the general public, but sources close to the leader claimed that the silat class will only be available to those with a post in political parties, including the ruling Untung My Number One or UMNO.

A top UMNO politician who has in recent years being marginalized claims, “I will certainly try to attend the free preview that this silat club has been offering. Every day I receive a call from their telemarketing people offering me 14 day free pass. It’s certainly more worthy than going to Celebrity Fitness. Most of the girls there are too young and politically uneducated to recognize how important I am. So I seldom dilayan mesra…”.

Understandably, UMNO’s vice-president was dismissive of the whole idea, “Sudah tak popular, mahu bukak kelas silat pulak. It’s just a tactic to find more leaders for the opposition. Maklumlah, asyik-asyik hilang orang saja. Anyway, what’s the point of learning silat? Nowadays we all use political sumo-lah. We don’t need to bukak langkah and all that crap. We just go fat, and then push everyone out of the political ring. That’s way more effective…”

Inspired by
…

Erecting a Problem

2007-05-17T16:29:00.000+08:00

Nenek Berseri Aduh Saleha, the Prime Minister of Malaykesian, called an emergency Cabinet meeting yesterday to discuss the uproar caused by two members of the ruling political party, Barisan Berbaris, in Parliament. Naturally, the emergency Cabinet meeting was held in Courts Mammoth in conjunction with the mega promotion on cabinets.

As a result of the meeting, the PM instructed Datuk Wan Daud Kilat, the Minister for Men, Polygamy and Karaoke Development Ministry and also one of only two male members of the Cabinet to meet with the two MPs, Nenek Sayang Salmah (MP for One Utama) and Nenek Oh Azizah (MP for Sogo) to discuss the comments made by them last week in Parliament.

The issue started last week in the Dewan Rakyat when opposition MPs, led by the only male opposition MP, David Manhood (MP for Red Box Karaoke), tried to raise a motion on the setting up of flag poles all over Government complexes. David Manhood gamely stated that the “erection of these poles does nothing but pose more danger to paper aeroplanes and people jumping off the buildings”.

MP for Sogo and One Utama both stood up and rather comically said in unison, “Mana tegang? Red Box Karaoke pun tegang setiap hari”. Everyone laughed, except for the men in Parliament (which numbers about 4, but as usual, only 1 attended).

The newspapers went berserk the very next day, as the actions of the two MPs only further heighten the sense that in Malaykesian, the men are treated as objects rather than human beings. The NGO known as the Y.M.C.A quickly tried to enter the spotlight by holding a press conference, but as the leaders of the group were bi-genders, they were immediately dismissed as being apolitical.

The Coalition for United Men or C.U.M for short (and long) were more successful in presenting a petition to Datuk Wan Daud Kilat who immediately promised to bring the matter up to Cabinet. Unfortunately for Datuk Wan, not everyone in the government shares his view on the comments.

Ass-kisser in the Prime Minister’s Departmental Store, Nenek Syasya Aziz, laughed off the matter and said, “Ini perkara kecil saja. Memang kecil pun David Manhood tu…what is there to talk about? This pencil is bigger you know. It’s normal in Parliament for debates to be a bit personal. Don’t you know that we are living out our fantasies by arguing like little kids in Parliament? It’s very relaxing to call people names. It’s part and parcel of democracy. You see the word democracy also has the word D-E-M-O and C-R-A-C-Y. As you know in Kelantan “demo” means “you” so democracy actually means “you are crazy”!!! What? You don’t know meh…aiyah, tak makan nasik ka?”

At press time, the two MPs are busy with the Parkson Mega Sale.

Go figure.

The Latest Hotel Craze...

2007-05-09T09:31:00.000+08:00

She is brilliant. Honestly, she is. Okay, maybe she’s not, but her marketing team must be geniuses. I mean, who could have possibly predicted that Paris Hilton, the hotel empire heiress and one-time amateur “porn star” currently pursuing a “singing” career, would be sentenced to 45 days in prison? In today’s warped world of celebrity-hungry media, Paris Hilton once again appeared in every major newspaper, looking very glamorous no less.

I guess after disappearing for one month from the general public’s consciousness, somebody must be thinking that Paris requires another dose of controversy just to spice things up for Miss Hilton. Paris (yes, we are on first name basis now, thank you) is the perfect example of a worldwide obsession with the famous, regardless of talent and ability. She represents a new breed of idols that became famous simply for being famous. I know that term sounds a bit weird, but if you think about it, it makes perfect sense.

We Malaysians are not immune to this phenomenon. I mean, can anyone here actually remember what Camelia does for a living? Oh, she might list “singing” as her occupation, but I haven’t heard anything remotely memorable from her in recent years (her latest attempt at being techno-mystical don’t even qualify as singing) AND yet she’s had more pictures in newspapers and magazines than most other average singers.

It pays to be beautiful, of course, but it also helps to have a bit of panache when it comes to style (which she has in spades). The only thing lacking are some scandalous pictures or videos, but that wouldn’t bode down well with our conservative society. Thus, Miss Camelia (yes, she is available gentleman), and most other reality TV ex-contestants, perhaps we should just list you as somebody famous…for being famous.

…

DAFI IS OUT!

There IS hope after all. All this while I’ve given up on seeing Malaysians vote intelligently, resigning myself to the fact that in Malaysia, credibility and ability means nothing. No, I’m not referring to the Ijok by-election (not yet) but Akademi Fantasia. Finally, the jambu looking yet katak sounding Dafi is out of the competition. It’s not that the rest are worthy champions (which none of them appear to be) but because this kid has stayed on for weeks simply because of his looks.

On that note, I don’t think it’s fair if I over-criticized him for staying that long in the competition. I can’t even blame the public (ie. young girls and old men with different taste) for voting him. I mean, is it his fault when there are actually people, supposedly professionals, who thought that he has talent? Somebody MUST have thought (erroneously) he could sing before they took him in.

Don’t forget, there was a selection process, whereby Astro had the opportunity to go through thousands of singers. And they chose him. They are saying “Boy, you can sing”. So this kid goes in, happy to be there, trying his best with his limited ability. He must be surprised to find out how little people think of his “talent” to sing because hey, the “professionals” in Astro said that he can sing. So between professionals who said he can sing, and the general public who thinks he can’t (please, be honest), we’ve got a massive chasm of confusion as to the real purpose of Akademi Fantasia and their whole selection criteria.

Astro should believe in the true spirit of the competition, and not try to dilute the spirit of a talent contest by politicizing the selection process. There is an imbalance this season because it appears that the selection committee was more preoccupied in choosing those who look good on camera rather than those who can sing. I believe that the Malaysian public is more mature than Astro give them credit for. Nobody is denying the appeal of the complete package singer, but the key word here is “singer” – not poster-boy or dancer or model. Go figure.

…

ELECTION POSER

On the subject of voting, I wish to congratulate Barisan Nasional for managing to retain Ijok in the recent by-election with a bigger majority than the last incumbent. However, far from me being a gloomy spoilsport, careful analysis must be made to find out why more than 4,000 voters believe that Keadilan represents a better value to them. 5000+ against 4000+ isn’t a big margin, especially considering the political machinery available to Barisan.

The mass media, the manpower, the financial resources, the suddenly effective implementation of government projects should all contribute towards a total wipeout of the opposition who could only rely on ceramahs and gatherings. Yet, this was not the case. No one is denying the fact that a strong opposition showing is a great indication of and advertisement for Malaysian politics, but it remains a fact that almost half of the voters wanted a change, and that doesn’t bode down well if we are to translate this into national voting trend.

It implies that at least 4 out of 10 people want a change in government. More worryingly, there might be those who voted for Barisan because they believe that the alternative is no better but they are still dissatisfied with the present government. This means that there may be more people who are unhappy than those who are. Barisan may still walk away with a new mandate in the next general election, but the underlying discontent among the average Malaysians must be addressed.

I do not believe that poor economy is the reason for such discontent. Malaysians have been through worse patch than before, and though the government must be more proactive in correcting the imbalance of wealth in this country, it is not the sole reason for such dissatisfaction.

I’m guessing that the present restlessness stems from the fact that there is no longer a unifying grand scheme that paints an optimistic view of the future. There is confusion as to what Malaysia wants to be, and how to achieve it. Are we still an industrial based economy or are we really shifting towards agriculture? What happen to K-economy? Are we going to turn into the Halal hub of the world? There are simply too many projects with diverse interest and objectives. It’s not economic downturn that’s affecting us, but economic confusion!

There must also be a national agenda; such was the case when Tun Mahathir was in power, to bind Malaysians together. Social issues such as violent crimes, lack of quality graduates, antiquated education system, collapse of the family institution, the failure to combat menace like the Rempits are all contributing factors that further highlight the lack of cohesion on national policies.

In any case, I’m joining UMNO soon though I’ve been waiting for the form since last week (see, even the recruitment process is laid back and so typically Malay…). Go figure.

…

GLORY GLORY…

UNITED! UNITED! UNITED! 9th Premiership title in 15 years. Ferguson has successfully built another championship winning side. This squad is not the complete article just yet. I believe the addition on a top class striker (who doesn’t get injured often) like David Villa or Sam Eto’o plus two midfielders (Pederson and Gattuso would be my pick, but Hargreaves looks likely to head to OT) would certainly make Manchester United more formidable.

It’s ironic that we actually clinched the title through a series of penalty decisions – two in the Manchester derby, and the one at Highbury. Even more ironic was the fact that the title was wrapped up in matches involving two of Man United’s greatest rivals – Manchester City and Arsenal.

I know Man United and the top teams dominated the PFA team of the year, but I would like to offer “The Best of the Rest” team sheet (just to indulge in a bit of fantasy football).

Goalie: Ben Foster (ironically, on loan from Manchester United) of Watford
Defenders: Steven Taylor (Newcastle), Jonathan Woodgate (Midboro), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Joleon Lescott (Everton)
Midfielders: Mikel Arteta (Everton), Steve Sidwell (Reading), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa) Pederson (Blackburn)
Strikers : Benny McCarthy (Blackburn) and Mark Viduka (Midboro)

Manager: David Moyes (Everton)

Something about losing...with grace...your rooftop

2007-05-03T05:35:00.000+08:00

And so it is, just like you said it would be…I guess it’s bound to happen this season. Yes, I am still referring to football, though this wouldn’t be all about that. It’s just that, to be fair, I couldn’t just write about Manchester United when the results are going our way. As a true United supporter, I have to admit that this hurts. Oh, what am I referring to?

United just lost 3-0 to AC Milan, and that means it’ll be Liverpool v. Milan again in the final. I shouldn’t have expected too much, but the way this season has been going, it’s hard to resist. It was another great European night, and to be completely honest, Milan deserved to win that game, and United deserved to lose.

I find it funny sometimes how delusional supporters can be. I am not. I know when I’m beaten. You just have to pick yourself up after that sort of mauling. Yes, mauling. Outscored, outmuscle, outsmarted, and out of the competition…this Champions League run came one season too soon for this batch of United stars.

Heinze: Ko tgk mamat ni...posing Mangga laks kat tengah padang..
Vidic: Hah, ko tu macam porn star, nak cakap orang...
VDS: Best gaks tayang ***** aku kat orang...

…

Okay, one collapsed ceiling calls for an investigation; two requires complete inquiry and accountability, but three within 2 weeks? I don’t know if this stirs up the conspiracy nuts amongst my readers, but consider the fact that the first incident at the Immigration Department occurred just when the Ijok by-election was in full swing. And just then TWO more government complexes suffered the same fate.

Oh yes, nothing should detract from the fact that in Malaysia (or anywhere else in the world actually), there are contracts awarded to firms that does not have the capability and/or ability to carry out the projects. We see it all the time in shoddy work carried out in government and municipal projects. No doubt we must get to the root of the problem, which is the decline in the standard and quality of Malaysia’s workforce. How can we be attractive to foreign investors if our own government’s building cannot be build without collapsing?

BUT, you still have to wonder. How ironic and coincidental is it for three incidents, of a similar nature, occurring within a short period of time? (Cue the theme from the X-Files).
…

National Service…oh my, what more can I say? I have been against it since its inception. I am against the whole concept, but right now since it’s in full swing, is it wrong for me to expect the government to have a good go at it? The policy of having National Service can be debated till Kingdom comes, and that’s our role as model citizens – always questioning and arguing to ensure that the Government remains in check.

But once it is implemented, steps must be taken to ensure that it’s properly executed. I guess this is what the upper echelon of Malaysian politics have been arguing – the improper delivery system. Failure of the delivery system has been used as a reason for the comical execution of government’s policy. In fact, the leaders have somehow managed to disassociate the implementation of policies from the formulation of policies – making it seem like there are two elements of governance and that they cannot be blamed if the civil servants mess up their ideas.

Do you agree with that line of thinking? If it’s accepted, it means that we are actually denying the government’s accountability for their actions. Who are you to blame then when your children got lost in the jungle? What if your daughter was raped at one of these camps? What if your son died of asthma at one of these camps? Is it enough to blame the man who raped, the supervisor who failed to watch over your son? Shouldn’t we take a look at the condition in which these events take place? Shouldn’t blame be assigned to those who set the events in motion leading towards your son losing his life for lack of medical attention?

Who placed your children there? Who exposed them to such risk? Is it a calculated risk? Is the return worth exposing them to such danger? Is the objective of such camp makes it necessary for “compulsory” exposure to danger? Yes, bad incidents happen in maybe 1 out of a 1000 kids, but that one kid could be yours. Shouldn’t you have the right to say “Hey, I don’t feel that my son needs racial integration” and refuse to send them to National Service?

Go figure…

…

By the way, I caught this dude, Blake Lewis, on American Idol last night and he gave an interesting rendition of Bon Jovi's You Give Love a Hard Name. Is it any wonder that Idol still has credibility when compared to other reality shows?

Something about the devil...

2007-04-30T07:38:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, people ask me why I bother supporting Manchester United. It’s not that these people are against Man United, but they can’t understand the whole rationale of supporting a football club, especially one as far away as Man United. Actually, the people who ask these questions don’t watch sports, thus they cannot comprehend the benefit of supporting your favorite sport’s athlete, player or team.

The worst thing about being asked silly questions is the fact that there’s no outright answer. Why do I support a football club? Why do I enjoy watching football? Why does Manchester United mean so much to me? Why do I get into arguments over it? Why do I piss my parents off so many times because of my desire to watch the beautiful game with fellow fans till late at night?

It’s not as simple as telling people why you like a Porsche or a Beemer or an Audi. I mean, you can have a reason for THAT, because it’s something tangible, something physical that you can relate to your daily routine. “I like the Porsche because it sticks to the road like a leech” or “I prefer the Avanza because you can travel all over Malaysia with 7 people and still be back in the same day…”. I mean, it’s explainable.

How do you explain getting emotional over events that have NOTHING to do with you (unless you’re a betting man, which means that you have a financial reason for watching football, which actually is an easy explanation to give)? It gets harder when you’re one of those fans who are willing to spend some money buying jerseys, posters and stuffs like that. What’s in it for you?

For me, the easiest way to explain the joy of supporting a football club is to bring these detractors along for a game…especially games like Everton v. Manchester United last weekend. The utter frustration of being down 2-0 with 30 minutes left on the clock, coupled with Chelsea leading 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, caused grown men to look as if death had just walked in, had a seat, and started dealing out poker cards.

I bet for those who has never watch a match with football fans would be surprised at the utter silliness of it all…and yet they would certainly find it hard to leave their seat. It’s not the football itself that counts for much. It’s the emotional attachment, unexplained yet all too evident, that makes watching football and supporting a team all too addictive. Old men, young boys, cool teenagers, fashionistas, rempit, bohsias…football fans represent the entire gamut of our population. I bet they’re more people watching the Everton v. Man U and/or Chelsea v. Bolton last weekend than they were people voting in Ijok (not too hard to accomplish…).

Just like some segment of our population’s passion for reality tv stars, or the star-struck teen with Justin Timberlake’s poster, football fans passion for the game could be traced to one important factor – football is entertainment. It doesn’t matter if the team plays attractive football or not. I mean, if people could vote for Dafi…then there’s nothing weird if someone supports Bolton.

Speaking of Bolton, they managed to grab an equalizer at Stamford Bridge. Then Everton’s goalie made a blunder for O’Shea to score (again!) and gave hope for the millions of United fans all over the world. Along comes Christiano Ronaldo, who then rose above the Everton defense to nod down a powerful header towards goal. The ball seems to hang on the line for a while before another long-life member of the Red Devils, (albeit wearing the Everton jersey these days) Mr. Philip Neville, scored an own goal of comical proportions that it would surely caused Jose Mourinho to drum up another line of conspiracy theories.

2-2 at both stadiums. But that’s not the end of it, as Wayne Rooney expertly skipped the challenge of Hibbert then coolly placed the ball between Turner and the despairing Alan Stubbs into the far corner. 3-2 to United, and suddenly, from being level on points, Manchester United had a 5 point lead. Rooney wrapped up an impressive performance by setting up Chris Eagles, who gleefully accepted the chance to open his senior account with Manchester United.

News filtered in that Chelsea failed to beat Bolton. We celebrated like mad men. It wasn’t pretty, I know. But football seldom is. That’s the beautiful game for you. Go figure.

Full highlight of the Match...
Everton v. Manchester United
28 April 2007

Keep your hands off my girl...

2007-04-24T18:47:00.000+08:00

I'm just testing out to see whether there's any connection between me posting Corrine Bailey Rae's video with the missing Haloscan comment box for the previous entry on love.

Apparently there is, so leave comments for the previous post in this one, if you have any...

Love is like a car, no?

2007-04-24T00:11:00.000+08:00

It’s a fact of life that people fall in love. The trouble with that proposition is that not many can actually describe what love is. I don’t mean describing it in a dictionary sense, but rather what actually constitutes that loving feeling inside of you. It certainly isn’t automatic, at least not in terms of a parent-child relationship.

Of course there are those who believe that a parent would automatically love their child, but in a world where children are being exploited, either sexually or emotionally, I find that concept hard to believe.

This means that love must be something that people work on, something that isn’t natural but rather induced by a myriad of factors including our own eccentricities, likes and dislikes. But that wouldn’t explain how someone could fall in love with their complete opposites, would it? If you like to read books, what makes you love someone who doesn’t?

Opposites attract, but why? And even then it’s not necessarily true. I even doubt that it could ever be measured in any physical sense. For example, a fat guy and a thin girl falls in love. Opposites attract, no? Or have they dismissed their one dissimilarity to find countless other common interests?

What about those who look exactly the same, have the same hobbies, and even talk the same way? Now the same people who say opposites attract would say that the couple was meant to be together because of their similarities. Or is it because they have found in each other different quirks that they find appealing? Could it be in a sea of similarities, it's the differences that actually tie these people together?

In fact, how do you know that you’re actually in love? A sense of responsibility can also be construed as love, as do pure physical attraction. I’ve met people who say that they’re in love, madly deeply in love, but quarrel every day. They admitted that it hurts when they quarrel. How can love, if interpreted to mean that warm fuzzy feeling, be equivalent to things which caused harm to your soul?

Or do some people really find that warm fuzzy feeling from verbal assault, or even more extreme, BDSM kind of fetish? Which leaves us back to square one, how do you define, or even identify love?

I am in love. But what people believe to constitute love – compassion, patience, honesty, monogamy and other virtues too long for me to mention – is sometimes missing in me, and I do believe it will in the future, only to resurface back again if I am patient enough to work on it. I guess that’s why some people (or most people in today’s world) choose the easy path and say that they’ve fallen out of love, because they equate the lack of one component to a total failure of the whole concept of love. Thankfully, I don’t, and neither does my partner.

Men are prone to saying that they are no longer in love with their partner, simply because they are no longer attracted to them, whether physical or not. But that is just one aspect of having a relationship, isn’t it? Love can still go on when you hate the look of you partner, right?

Or am I correct in saying that love is something like a car? To keep you moving and heading towards your destination, you need the various parts of the car to perform its function. Sometimes you lose parts like side view mirror, or the wiper, or the seat cushions are all torn up, but the car still moves along, right? But what if you were to lose a tire, or if the engine is broke…should you still stay in the car or find another one?

Some may find that looks are as important as those seat-belt warning chimes, and some may think that looks are the fuel to drive their car forward. It’s up to us to find out what equates to the windshield wiper, and what constitutes the engine, in our relationship. At this moment, I kind of think I'm in a BMW M5 – gorgeous (yes, we are quite vain as a couple) yet understated, extremely quick (I still think she's sexy, even after 6 years) yet comfortable just puttering around town, expensive (ah, but what if I don't have the money?) yet still affordable and most importantly, built to last. I'm honest enough to admit it might suddenly lose a tire, or the gearbox in the future (most likely because of me...I blame my genes!!!), but nobody said you can’t repair a car, right?

p/s: Sometimes I feel the need to drive cars like the Bugatti Veyron (why must you be soooo gataaaallll...)…but it’s way too expensive for me, isn’t it?

This one's for my lover...

Corrine Bailey Rae's Just Like a Star