Written on 6/20/2005 02:05:00 pm by sikapitan
Guys, I'm really sorry for not writing in Undergrounduate. Frankly speaking, I haven't found anything new in the realms of social reality for me to comment on. I mean, I've done corruption, glamorous murders etc. Thus, I am now concertrating on a new Side Project. It's in Malay because I realized I haven't written in Bahasa for quite some time. Be warned though: It isn't about politics,sports,feelings,news or anything serious. So click at your own peril.
Cheers.
Written on 6/09/2005 10:00:00 pm by sikapitan
“I baru lepas tengok Savvy tadi. Comel la jugak…”.
I replied, “Oh…baru nak tengok? Waktu launch I dah usha…”
“Itu MyVi laaa..ini Proton Savvyy.”
Even before it begin, Proton got off to a bad start in Undergrounduate’s Unofficial Car Review. What is in a name? I cannot quite place it, but history has suggested that cars with names that sound dodgy will never take off. The Fiat Panda is a well-built car, but it cannot hold up against competitors like the Jazz or Scenic simply because it has been disadvantaged by a lousy name. In Malaysia, we have the Juara as the Champion of the most oxymoronic name one can put on a car. It does not look like a Juara in the first place, and well apparently, the rest of Malaysia does not need a Champion in their house. BMW and Mercedes has decided to play it safe and use numbers to mark their cars, while Porsche and Ferrari stick to exotic sounding names like Cayenne or Modena for theirs.
In Savvy’s case, jokes have already passed about the name at the mamak between my friends and me. It’s unfortunate that they came up with a name not dissimilar to Perodua’s MyVi. I’m sure it wasn’t their intention to sound the same, but it does seem rather like Proton came out with the car 2 weeks late.
Yesterday night, as are our newfound custom, FreDo and I went to the nearest Proton showroom. Imagine our disappointment when we looked inside the vast showroom and saw only one black Savvy on display. Compare this to Perodua’s attempt whereby the whole showroom was filled with MyVi of different colors and specs. Perhaps the reason why we have only one Savvy is that there is only ONE version available now. Proton has continued with the strategy of introducing the most basic model, as was in the case of Waja and Gen.2 before going out with the higher-end spec models later.
Perhaps it’s a case of testing the waters, but as an intelligent consumer, I believe that it is really an attempt at checking out how the car will perform in real-life condition before committing the factory to produce more. And for that very reason many Malaysians have delayed the purchase of a brand new Proton till everything’s settled. It’s a vicious cycle. If Proton is not willing to commit, with confidence, on its new models consumers will cast a wary glance rather than admiration. At the same time, if Proton were to come out with all guns blazing and a manufacturer’s defect surfaced then they will be in deep shit.
The car itself looks promising, with silhouettes of Peugeot 106 (yeap, it’s ONE – you don’t see it in Malaysia) in its design. The front bonnet though, looks a bit weird, with its angle a bit flat for my liking. The front end looks modern enough, but FrEdo commented it is huge with a hint of CRV in it. The side profile is its strongest point, with taut lines running along the side and slightly flared wheel arches befitting the beautiful multi-spoke rims. If the side is its Julia Roberts, then the rear must be Eric Roberts. Simply said, it looks weird, like a mashed-up combination of different designers’ ideas. The central exhaust pipe looks sporty enough, but a 1.2 engine and more than heavy-looking panels would ensure it is not a view any hot-rod Kancil will fear.
However, the most distinguishing feature I see in this car is its miniaturized “accessories” (sorry-out of words). I mean, the door handle, signal stalk, right down to its controls (like temperature and ventilation) are made for hands much smaller than mine, and I don’t have huge hands to begin with. Even more perplexing are the small air-cond vents they put in the car. Even a Kancil has bigger vents than in the Savvy. It will definitely make it an extremely hot interior, which is a pity because it looks rather fetching.
The materials on the seats are of better quality than the MyVi, but the front two seats need better head support. The gear is in a good position, and the centre column housing the CD player and other controls looks better than MyVi’s. It appears that the interior has followed on Gen.2’s success in looking modern and expensive. Let us just hope that it does not follow Gen.2’s quality defects. One problem though is its steering. It does not look good, and does not feel right for the car of this size. Furthermore, you cannot adjust it for rake or reach, and it is so far away from the dashboard and the display. It makes for a less than satisfactory driving position.
One _______ commented that the doors “feel solid”. This is the interesting part about Malaysians. I’ve always wondered what are they trying to find by closing the door as hard as possible, or checking out the engine bay, or rocking the car up and down. Is it possible that we are genetically engineered to be car mechanics? Old and young, they check out cars without really looking at the parts they could really assess. I mean, are they trying to look at the engine and determine if it will run faster just by its looks? Only when the suspension fails would you get the wallowing effect those people who keeps rocking the car is trying to find. It’s a mystery unlikely to be solved by me.
Anyway, without getting the chance to drive either one, I have to say the MyVi offers more bang for the buck, but the Savvy has its own charms. It looks classier and its interior feels better. Maybe if it wasn’t for the disappointing quality level of its predecessors I would be more favorable. In Proton’s defense, the Savvy is truly a Malaysian car – designed and engineered by a Malaysian company. The MyVi, on the other hand, is basically the Daihatsu Sirion. Interestingly, in a recent Autocar review, the Sirion paled in comparison to its competitors in the UK. It is a car with abilities; it’s just that it is not the best in any of them. So kudos to Proton for its brave initiative. Pity the marketing and name, though.
Cheers.
Written on 6/06/2005 11:56:00 am by sikapitan
I was in Bukit Merah for the past 3 days, and plus last week was my final week in ZiCo, so I apologize for not being able to post anything new/fresh. After 4 weeks and 4 days working in a law firm, I have come to this very simple yet life-altering conclusion – I don’t enjoy “law” anymore. At first, it was interest that drew me to legal studies, and then I view it simply as a tool to get rich. Now, I have realized that it is NOT the best means towards the end (which is to get rich bloody quick). I knew it all along; it is just that the sight of young men and women working tirelessly day and night in cold, soulless rectangle cage took its toll on my active imagination. I am in a perilous state - sure of where I want to go, just not sure how to get there.
Well, last week was a slow week in terms of news (as usual), but one news stood out – but not because it’s in the front page, mind you. It appears to be another weird case of impulsive decision-making (see National Service) by the Government when they propose that the National Anthem be played before the screening of movies in the cinema. Apparently, we are all heading towards a state without identity, where we can’t tell whether we are Malaysians or not, and citizens turned on the country without batting an eyelid, and losing in everything except making the longest something to everyone else. To counter all these and more, simply stand up before watching… let us say Black Hawk Down… and sing the National Anthem!
Wonderful! Fantastic! Superb! Brilliant! No superlatives can describe this idea, which will manage to undo years of patriotic neglect in the souls of our beloved citizens and turn them into flag-carrying, world-dominating Malaysians. You will one day walk out of the cinema feeling very Malaysian, and very Boleh. You will jeer every time the screens show something unpatriotic, like loving an Indonesian, or working in Singapore. You will all rush every time Malaysians need another sea-conqueror, mountain-climber and roti-canai maker. Your name is the first in the list every time your company needs someone to march on National Day. You will sign 500,000 times every time Malaysia wants a petition to stop another war. You will stop criticizing the Government.
Please, if you cannot see sarcasm, then you are in the wrong place.
Let us look at the practical side of this. I watch a show at least once a week, so at the end of the month, I would have gotten my dose of the “patriotic” medicine 4 times – certainly more than what the doctor prescribed. But am I a better Malaysian than those who don’t go to the cinema at all? Does singing Negaraku forge a deeper love for my country? Would I jump at the chance to stop an invading army if I go through this regime?
On the other hand, would it further alienate the growing number of intelligent youths who can see past mere showpiece attempts? Today’s youths (and I guess they are the target audience of this campaign) are complicated, argumentative, independent, intelligent and most importantly, diverse in their train of thoughts as compared to generations before. This is the direct result of economic prosperity, education through the global media, and a generally less simple social environment. In other words, it would look foolish.
It’s simple enough for me to sit down here and say that this or that is stupid, foolish and anything else I’ve used before; but the truth of the matter is this is the perfect example of haphazard thinking. The true judge of an effective proposal is in its implementation. So far, it appears that no one is taking this idea seriously- not even the ministers. Almost everyone I interviewed (and that means 5 people-not exactly the perfect test group) say that it is stupid, incomprehensible, and foolish. I’m not against people putting up proposals, but when one consider that the government is an institution which we entrust to lead us, it is unacceptable that the best they could come up with is a proposal to play Negaraku before every show.
How do you judge patriotism anyway? Who decides? The more pressing issue is when every time someone raises objection against the government he is considered as unpatriotic. I love my country, and I definitely support the present government (for lack of better alternative perhaps?) but I do know that if I were to stand up in a public forum and question government policies I would be labeled as unpatriotic. Patriotism, in my understanding, means the love for your country. While it is true that to a certain extent the government, as a representation of the country and its people, deserve the outmost respect and patriotic spirit. But we must never forget that the country lives on, while government, at least theoretically, don’t. The people of that particular country are the one that shapes the nation, and if the people cannot raise its voice or decide in their right mind without being called unpatriotic, then something is definitely wrong with this picture.
Think before saying. Go figure.
Written on 6/01/2005 10:18:00 am by sikapitan
This is an entry published in the MSN.Spaces site, dated April 14 and the only one that generated any sort feedback. One of which came from Yasmin Ahmad herself (but hey, it's the Internet age, how can we tell?). It's reproduced here in all its "glory", un-edited with all the errors remaining intact. Enjoy.
Chapter II - Movie Review: Sepet
Expectation is a weird thing. It certainly is a wonderful tool for cheering someone up ("Don't worry, you'll find someone better"). Expectation drives you on. In fact, it could be said that it drives the whole world on. I mean, National Budgets are based on expectations; company policies are based on expectations, going to school is based on expectations (whether yours or your parents doesn't matter now, does it?).
And yet it is the biggest cause of heartaches and dissapointment. Seldom do you get upset over something you didn't expect. I mean, you don't get broken-hearted if Cameron Diaz marries another guy because she wasn't the one you were expecting. But I also believe that one of the greatest pleasures in life is getting something MORE from what you expect. Like 7a's instead of 4, 3 goals instead of a draw and such.
I guess after years of being disappointed and delighted by expectations when it comes to movies, I have developed a knack for lowering or raising my expectations. I mean, everyone was saying that "Without A Paddle" is going to suck big-time but I held my nerves and persuaded them to part with their RM9 for the tickets. I like it when I'm right. It was stupid and cliche but boy did I (and more importantly, them) enjoy it.
But I can't help but be biased before I stepped into the cinema for Sepet. I mean, EVERYONE said I should watch it. I guess I should have taken note who those EVERYONE is. I mean, it's not like I'm disappointed. Far from it. It's just that I thought my mind would be challenged, or my spirit moved. I expected something like The Pianist or AADC (POYO), but instead I got something else that's pleasant nonetheless but less inspiring.
Those who say that Sepet is ground-breaking or controversial are probably persuaded by the main theme of this movie which is mixed relationship. It is controversial to a certain extent. I mean, a Malay girl who prays diligently and wears baju kurung but so comfortable with touching the opposite sex is bound to raise a few eyebrows. But for the really controversial you've got to admire films like "Isteri, Perempuan dan..." and "Spinning Gasing". I mean, mixed relationship isn't something new. Our James Bond spoof Jefri Zain was banging some Chinese chick in the 70's if I'm not mistaken.
So if it isn't so fresh and mind-challenging, what makes it good? Simply put, it is well made. Sometimes people don't realize that lousy execution of a good story would spoil its inherent goodness, and that a simple story can be an excellent movie if properly executed. I mean, what is CLOSER if not a complicated love mess, but an excellent script and good acting made it a great watch, IMHO.
I guess that's what I got out of Sepet. It is like one of Yasmin Ahmad's Petronas commercial. It looks good. It sounds good. And the acting is good. I mean, I'll still put the Hari Raya ad where the guy looked like he was riding a motorbike but was actually "perah kelapa" as one of my favourites.
The whole film was beautifully shot. Unlike Rashid Sibir's attempt at being clever, this one could borrow the tagline from Volvo- "stunning simplicity". I mean, like the shot at the pier on the lake of the two main protagonists, Orked and Jason. It really looks great. And it's a lesson to all filmmakers that you don't HAVE to switch focus to the face everytime one of the character is speaking. We are not stupid as to mistake the voice as someone else's!!
The acting was simply superb. Again, real acting is when you don't seem like you're acting. For example, Ellie Suriaty is a natural, Erra Fazira is not. It's not that Erra's a bad actress, it's just that she won't be a great one. Sharifah Amani (Orked) should be a great one, if given the chance.It's just that I don't see her to be the popular star, which is a pity. It's sad that Malaysians glamorize half-baked "actors" like Khai or Vince while people like Sharifah never gets the chance to grace the cover of magazines. Oh..before I forget, the girl who played Orked's friend, Lin, turns in a commendable performance worthy of some sort of recognition.
But the real praise must go to Ng Choo Seong (Jason). I believed that he really carried his role well, to the point that I cannot imagine another person handling that role. He looks so sincere and natural in his acting. Unlike Sharifah, he has to deal with a whole lot more. I mean, he really looked like the typical Ah-Beng tyko-wannabe in the early scenes,and your favourite boy next door in his scenes with Orked. It goes to show that there's more to Malaysian cinema than Farid Kamil and Yusry.
He doesn't look like a hero though. And Sharifah doesn't look like a heroine material. This is the problem then. You can't keep turning out arty-emo movies like Sepet all the time. The novelty of having not-so-good-looking main actors will surely die out someday. Yasmin Ahmad can't keep taking them for her movies, less they become like Farid Kamil who IS stuck behind Prof. Mohaideen's ass. I mean, where do they go from here?
The setting of Ipoh certainly manages to capture the not-so-kampung yet non-urban vibe. I hate the cliche that there's only two sides in Malaysia- kampung and KL. Nonetheless, certain aspects of Sepet I find troubling. I can't quite see why she would choose Jason over the "Boyfriend", who IS malay but looks Chinese and an even closer resemblance to Takeshi watever his name is. In fact, there's hardly anyone who looks like the typical Malay guy in the movie. Harith Iskandar certainly isn't.
Speaking of which, Sepet certainly did not put in the issue of parent's consent into the mix, perhaps trying to avoid the cliche but instead turned it into something of a fantasy. The boy is a Chinese VCD-seller whose future is debatable. The parents of Orked never questioned her choice until Jason was involved in some fight with a gangster.
There might be a few more gripes I could think of, but it's late, and frankly speaking, I'm just being annoying. I enjoyed the movie, minus the whole emotional drama at the end. It's a great lesson to other film-makers, serious film-makers. Malaysians must take a hard look at what they want to do before executing it. An expensive film doesn't necessarily translate into critical acclaim, as previous international awards show have proven. It is usually the simple stories, told in an exciting way, that gets international recognition.
In the end, I have to say it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie, but is it realistic or simply a fragment of an imaginary Malaysian society pretending to be reality?
And here's the response from Yasmin:
"...Sepet certainly did not put in the issue of parents' consent into the mix..." - sikapitan
and so you see, ultimately, 'sepet' is about possibilities. "you don't have to understand people to love them" was the contention. if you can bear to watch 'sepet' again, this time with the above in mind, i think you may find things falling into place, insyallah. the maid who rules her employers, the peranakan mother's reaction to an indian poem, the love that happened in an instant at the video stall, the parents who did not mind the boyfriend's ethnic background, the maid who liked thai music, etc. i threw many stereotypes out the window, simply because most if not all of my characters were based on real people, and THEY laugh in the face of stereotyping.
"your job is to love us, not understand us," said orked's mother to her father. i suspect Allah put us on earth to love each other, so we can finally learn to love Him.anyway, thanks for watching 'sepet', and for dropping by at the storyteller. Published By yasmin (yasminthestoryteller.blogspot.com) - May 30 11:41 AM
My point is that: I should bloody hell watch what I'm saying, because sometimes people do read my crap. Nasib la aku tak kutuk lebih2....
Written on 5/30/2005 02:59:00 pm by sikapitan
I woke up late this morning for work, realizing that in USJ (that’s UEP Subang Jaya for the clueless- located beyond Subang Jaya but before Puchong, many have blamed its existence for the congested roads leading in Subang. Town planning anyone?) 10 minutes can and do make the difference. If I leave at 6.50, I’ll reach Pusat Bandar Damansara at 7.25, which is much too early for even the most workaholic of lawyers at Zaid Ibrahim. If I leave at 7.00, I’ll reach there at 7.45, which is not too bad. But let’s just say the extra spicy tomyam you had yesterday for dinner turns your digestive system a bit haywire and you spent an extra 10 minutes in the toilet with your latest copy of FHM, FORGET ABOUT GOING OUT AT 7.15!Yeah, I’ll still reach the office before the punch-in time at 8.45, but I would have to spend 1 hour on the road, with the majority wasted just trying to get out of USJ.
So now I have decided to just don’t give a damn and wake up at 7.30, try to get out before 8, and reach the office by 9. Nobody cares anyway. But this morning I was resigned to battling it out with the rest of the corporate rats when I left the sanctity of my house, and with it my comfortable bed, at 8.02 am. Surprise surprise, the road leading out of USJ was clear. It is now the mid-term school break, and with it goes the thousands of moms (and a smattering of dads) with unkempt hair and unwashed faces from the road. I was pleasantly surprised, but it didn’t matter much on the LDP (surprisingly), because it appears everyone knew about this and decided to leave later than usual.
This daily conundrum of going out early and wasting time at the mamak or going out late and wasting time in my car is getting on my nerves. It’s obvious that no one is car-pooling, so that idea is out of the question. Every car, and I’m not exaggerating here, has a single occupant. Tough to blame them, or even me. I work at a place where the nearest LRT station is 30 minutes away-walking briskly, mind you. I’m sure I’m not alone. What if it was located near an LRT station? It doesn’t help that there is no LRT station in Subang, and the Komuter is all the way near Carrefour, which is after the troublesome jam spots anyway.
Inspired by their yearly (at least) trips to foreign countries (in particular London etc), the Government keeps on saying that we should all take public transports. I have been to London, and it is true that the people there use public transportation a lot. So do Parisians, New Yorkers and citizens of other developed metropolis in the world. Those who have been to London would say that their train/tube/bus stop is a mere 15-minutes walking distance away. But so does the bus-stop near my house, or the one near yours. What many of these “solutionista” failed to realize is that in London and Paris or whatever European country they’ve been to, every walk takes 15 minutes even if it’s actually 30 minutes.
The more accommodating climate in those regions allows the public to walk without being uncomfortable. Frankly, that is my view as to why public transportation has not really caught on with Malaysian workers. They might not admit it, but I will. I like to look good, and so do I believe most Malaysians. I have tried wearing office attire in the bus, and it just doesn’t fit. I sweat, people sweat, and smoke gets in, while cigarette smoke sticks. Even waiting for the Komuter or LRT under a shade cannot disguise the fact that it is not very comfortable. Once you reached your stop you have to walk, and in one of those hot Armageddon-like drought season, 5 minutes seems like eternity.
Call me MANJA, and I’m sure some of you would, but I HAVE been through it before. Add to the problem of the long hours waiting (yes, the LRT is pretty efficient, but from the station to your house?) makes taking public transport an uninteresting proposition. Some of you would even argue that Singapore has an efficient public transport system that’s popular. Remember, we live in Malaysia, or more specifically in this problem, Kuala Lumpur (dan kawasan2 sewaktu dengannya). Everything’s connected in Singapore easily because it’s so damn small. It’s just like you living in KL and its outskirts. Not really a problem now is it? What about those of us in the fringes of the capital, like Serdang, Subang, Petaling, Shah Alam and all those new townships cropping up like mushrooms after a rainy day? If this were Singapore, we would all be living in the sea.
So what’s the solution? I think that we have reached the breaking point for Kuala Lumpur. No amount of LRT, Monorails, bus lanes, and whatnots can hide the fact that KL and its surrounding areas are overused. Perhaps the Government did us a favor by moving government administrative functions out to Putrajaya. Slowly we are seeing more and more businesses moving its enterprise out of KL. And I believe that is the best solution. The banks especially should have their very own Putrajaya. Then spend good money not on making beautiful buildings but roads and trains that connects us all to these outskirt mini-metropolis. Don’t la develop places like Damansara and its likes. Its development has already encroached into main KL Go look at those empty lands between here and KLIA. Shopping malls and its ilk can stay in Kuala Lumpur, thank you.
Just an opinion anyway. Something to reflect upon your next encounter with Mr.Jam, and I don’t mean Michael Jackson. Go figure.
For pictures from the LonRis experience, visit my fotopage.
Written on 5/27/2005 12:54:00 pm by sikapitan
And so it is, the red half of Merseyside has done the improbable. They have beaten Milan in a Champions League final through a penalty shoot-out (again!!!) despite being three, I repeat THREE, goals down at the start of the second half. I won’t bore you with tactical analysis yada yada yada. Suffice to say, as we have seen in another final recently *ehem ehem*, life’s not fair. It never is. It never will be. Football, like I’ve said many times before, is the perfect embodiment of life itself. In this case, it’s just like you out there who worked so hard to look good, talk smooth, smell nice and yet the girl just went to that ugly bloke who has “heart”. Bullshit I say.
To complete one of the most miserable months in my life (at least in terms of supporting something), Carrie Underwood and Sergio Mora both won American Idol and The Contender respectively. It might be wise for the betting man to come see me, and place their bets on whoever I’m NOT supporting. United, Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Bo Bice, Peter Manfredo, even the people I thought would be in Akademi Fantasia did not make it. The losing streak is incredible. Perhaps I should refrain from supporting Perodua’s MyVi?
It was on the way back from those late night sojourns at the mamaks that I and Mr. Fredo stumbled upon the still-open Perodua showroom. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Perodua is way ahead of Proton when it comes to marketing. Is the Gen.2 not important enough for them to make a seriously good ad campaign? Where’s the TV ad for example? The lack of impetus on the part of Proton has clearly given Perodua the advantage. What’s the last Proton TV ad you remember? Mine is the Satria ad where there’s like horses and some weird soundtrack at the back. Perodua? How about the Einstein jibe for Kenari, or Superman changing in a Kenari, or the mad professor for “engineered for excellence”? Let’s not forget the countless Hari Raya and such ads that are miles better than Proton’s. I know that ads don’t make a car better, but it sure does show that the company cares enough to promote.
Back to the MyVi. In a brilliant move, Perodua decided to extend the operating hours of their showrooms. Of course, the straight laced people at Proton might be thinking “Sapa nak beli kereta tgh2 malam?”. The point is not only to sell cars, but to make an impression. Anyway, when we stopped at the showroom close to midnight, there are still a lot of people hanging about. Not as many as during the day, but if one out of 15 manages to buy, there could be 2 customers signing up between 11-12.30 pm, and that’s a worthwhile risk to take.
The car itself looks impressive. The shape is the amalgam of various recent runaway successes in Malaysia. The front end is unmistakably Jazz/Toyota Wish hybrid. The whole shape is a bit Citroen C3, while the back is Getz/Punto like. The length is something like Aveo’s (they even have one in the same ugly bird-shit color). Most amazingly, the inside of the car seems bigger than even my Jazz. Maybe it’s the lighter color, but it is a brilliant piece of engineering to pack that much room in a compact car. In terms of looks, it’s a winner in my book, especially in funkier colors like the Orange or Red. The interior layout is decent enough, with funky 3 spoke steering wheel for the higher end models and built-in cd player for all models. The boot space is not so big, but the various configurations you can do with the back seat will probably help solve this problem. Plus, as the salesman keeps on telling to anyone who would bother listening, the back passenger’s doors can be opened at an 80 degrees angle. In layman’s term, you could open it flat out to fit that IKEA table or your fat uncle.
But, the interior trim is still cheap, with the rough fabrics and hard plastics reminding you that this car is not meant for those who appreciate finesse. The auto stick-shift is way too low, the car feels way too big (difficult for lady drivers), the stereo looks gaudy (and there’s no way to replace it!!!) and it’s difficult to get a proper driving position. But the plastics looked solid, and if the Kenari/Kelisa interior is anything to go by, should last a lifetime. My friend has just reported that the interior trim of her Gen.2 keeps falling apart. Please explain Mr. Proton.
I don’t know how it will drive, but the top-end is fitted with the DVVT (another great ad campaign yea?) 1.3 engine found in the Kembara. In that car, because the engine is powering 4 wheels, the fuel consumption is a bit on the high side. But fitted in a two-wheel drive vehicle, it should prove a bit more sprightly and economical. At a price that’s considerably lower than any of its likes (from 41k-51k), it is a sure winner. And a deserved one too, if first impression’s anything to go by.
I just hope that it’s not like some of the girls I’ve went out with. Beautiful, but too un-refined. Go figure.
For pictures from the LonRis experience, visit my fotopage.
Written on 5/24/2005 12:30:00 am by sikapitan
I HAVE BEEN GONE FOR WAY TOO LONG! The itch to write has finally arrived. Many things have happened since my last entry. I was away in London for two weeks, and I do apologize for not writing on what surely was a great social comparative experience. I started working in a law firm, of all things, which I am sure I’ll have the opportunity to talk about in the coming entries. Tony Blair’s elected for a third, and surely last, term. Liverpool, of all teams, is in the Champions League final. Manchester United, in addition to being trophy-less for the first time since the 97/98 season, is now controlled by a “supposedly” greedy American, Malcolm Glazer (who of course, just to highlight his “evil”, looked exactly like Rasputin). On the local front, news has been rather slow. No sensational sex scandals, murders, CBT, or celebrity trials that’s worth any mention (though I have to state that I am personally interested in Fazura’s trial *ehem*). But there’s that RM34 million cop we could talk about, but it’ll surely be under some rug at the end of the day.
But just to start it off, I’ll begin with some fluffy piece on what must be the biggest news in Malaysia last week – the final installment of the Star Wars trilogy, Revenge of the Sith. It’s ironic that because of our tendency to watch all things pirated, we get the advantage of watching movies earlier than most countries. I was surprised when my friend in London told me that most of the time the blockbusters are shown in Asian countries first then England. I can’t remember his example, nor can I vouch the authenticity of his claim, but I can’t disagree with the logic of it. Anyway, they’ve got Sky TV over there, which has way too much channels, and if you subscribe to the movie package there’s plenty of recent movies shown, unlike Astro’s movie package. But just like Astro, just give me 3 days with 500 channels and I’m still bored. The novelty wears off quickly, trust me. The only part that doesn’t wear off is the lack of censorship:)
Talking about censorship, have you guys seen Kingdom of Heaven? Now here’s a piece which could be said to have reached the visual and intellectual height of Gladiator (of course, considering they’re both directed by the same person). Minus the casting of Orlando Bloom (He tried but can’t Hollywood see he’s simply not macho enough?), the movie is an excellent interpretation of events during the Holy War period. What I CANNOT understand is the stamp of approval by the Censorship Board for this movie. It’s rated “U”! Umum??? Trust me, there’s nothing “umum” about chopped heads and spilled guts. And if the violence is too “umum” for Malaysians, what about the whole “religious” and “political” undertone of the movie?
I am NOT for censorship, but I question the integrity of the Board if you can rate Hellboy as 18SG (or was it PL) or banning Daredevil while not making an effort to ensure that the same standard is applied to elsewhere. Hellboy and Daredevil are fantasy pieces, from comic strips. Why the double standard for Kingdom of Heaven? Perhaps the Censorship Board thinks we are too stupid to realize the subtle meanings embedded in the story and stupid enough to believe that comic characters are real. C’mon. Lines like “If god doesn’t understand, then there is no god, so we have nothing to be afraid” is more dangerous than merely calling someone HELLboy or dareDEVIL. The point is this: if you want to do something, do it for the right reasons and good conscience. If not, just label everything “U”.
Ah, back to Star Wars III. The hype surrounding this movie wasn’t as great as The Phantom Menace (maybe because fans are simply tired of the bullshit first two installments), but the early review sounded positive. Plus, the trailers were inspiring, promising deeper, darker action and less emotional drama like Episode II. So it was with great satisfaction that I managed to book some seats at One Utama on the opening day. It was an afternoon show, but I was still surprised at the amount of empty seats in front of me. It wasn’t half-empty, but it wasn’t THAT packed either. Could have been the timing, I’m sure.
I actually had to rush back from work that Thursday afternoon, but it was no surprise to find that, despite being 15 minutes late, the show hasn’t started yet. There’s Brad Pitt looking suave running away from reporters. I think beer ads are the greatest. Really. I hate to admit it, but I feel like I just had to have a Heineken. Thank God for his protection of my soul, or I would be drunk every time I watch a movie. Anyway, I don’t know if it was just me (or the dozens of people who suddenly decided that the afternoon would be a great time to bother me with their SMSes) but I just don’t feel it. The movie did not touch me. I had an almost emotionless experience. It was like watching some one-off action story and not the final chapter of what must have been one of the best sci-fi adventures in modern film history.
I can’t quite place what’s wrong with the movie. I mean, the CGIs are awesome, but that’s also a minus point for me. The whole movie’s too polished, too light and breezy, too beautiful. The acting’s not the worse I have ever seen, but again, it appears that technology has outshone the lead characters. The storyline’s acceptable, but highly improbable. Anakin’s turn into the Dark Force was too easy, too commercial. At the end of it, it’s like eating Ayamas. It tastes good, it looks good, but you just know the original Kentucky is much much better. (Trust me to equate watching movies with Ayamas..aiyahhh…)
By the way, you guys can forget about the MSN.Spaces site. It takes ages to load at other PCs. So I’m sticking by this one till it gets sorted out. Please leave signs that there’s people out there still reading my mindless crap:)
Written on 4/16/2005 12:31:00 am by sikapitan
I'll be gone for a while, and I've set up something on the new site. I know the layout is a bit on the cramped side, but I do hope for your support and comments. They have got to work on the typeface, don't you agree?
Anyway, I'm reminded of a line from one of my favourite songs by Sheryl Crow:
"I need a change, a change would do you good."
Enjoy.
Written on 4/10/2005 11:29:00 pm by sikapitan
Note: This entry was written last week, and it was the one that I failed to paste on the new site. Speaking of which, I've come to realized that I'm having difficulty accessing the MSNspaces site for Undergrounduate. In actual fact, all I keep getting is "this space is currently unavailable...". I'm confused because other MSNspaces are available. I'm not sure what's going on, but until it's all sorted out I just have to stick with blogger. Cheers...
It’s done and dusted. The fifth semester is over (or at least it is until I get my results). It’s been a hell of a ride. The same bike, but a different route altogether. Every time it’s the end of some definitely quantifiable period like semesters or new years I get strangely melancholic, especially if it’s late at night and I’m here sitting in front of my computer. I can’t quite place what the problem is. I should be absolutely delighted that the semester is over. But perhaps it’s the reflection of things done and anticipation of things forthcoming that triggered this despondent disposition on my naturally irrational but cheery self.
It wasn’t the best start for me personally. Trust is the central theme for this semester, or rather the sudden realization that it should not be counted upon in its entirety. Just an observation: People in general are trustworthy in most things. For example, I could trust you 99 times out of a 100 to lock your car or to close the door to my car or to pass me back my pen. Thus, it would be a grave misconception for us to adopt the maxim that “people are untrustworthy”. It’s not that they cannot be trusted at all. They just can’t be trusted with things that matters most to you. I humbly submit that people have this innate ability to somehow disappoint you in one way or another.
But just remember the 9/10 times they DIDN’T disappoint you. I’m disappointed when my friend forgot to pass on an important tip for the finals or to mess up with assignments I have carefully prepared, and I do get upset (I’m very hot-headed by nature) but it’s the realization that they’ve passed you countless notes or they helped you with your guitar playing and other miscellaneous things that helped me to move on.
It’s just that sometimes the frustration accumulates (this is perhaps due to a more pressing “personal” breach of trust of the nature which I have promised myself not to involve readers of this blog..kekeke), and I am now left with this weird syndrome of counting only on myself to deliver. I can’t trust anyone. It sucks being a control freak. I guess that’s what making me sad upon reflection of the past 4 months (could be 5 - help me out here course mates).
You remember that feeling when you left high-school of how you’re sad yet excited to face life and all it entails? You know the one where you’re thinking “Oh man, I’m gonna miss that girl” but at the same time “Damn, college’s gonna be filled with hot chicks”. Or the almost universal belief amongst high-school leavers that you’re going to finish college and get a good job and get laid to a hot chick/duck (?). Even the hopeless failures of our education system left it thinking that somehow they’re going to start an enterprise and prosper. Those with money just smiled their way to Australia or wherever the new trendy study port is nowadays.
But then the years go by, and the sunny outlook is lost amidst the sudden realization that there’s more to life that having fun. A degree doesn’t mean shit for most. I’ve friends who have been searching for work for months. Not only you have to content with the shrinking and ultra-competitive employment arena, you begin to see the reality that working isn’t as glamorous as you thought it would be.
My experience working at a magazine a few years back left me with the impression that even with such interesting subject matters you are inevitably left to deal with working 5 days a week for years and years. Most of my friends who have worked before couldn’t stand it for more that a couple of months. For the ignorant, it was just temporary work but the truth is most people lead their life doing the very same thing we considered as merely temporary. The difference is that they can’t quit because unlike us, they can’t rely on their parents anymore.
It is this anticipation of facing the harsh realities of life that makes me miss the past. I like being able to pick my time, pick my friends and enjoy relative freedom. High-school shapes you, college defines you and working just kills you. The problem with thinking too much is that it leaves you paralyzed with fear. I am scared.
Despite the bleak outlook on life prevailing at this current moment, I do realize that it’s just a phase that I go through with alarming precision every single semester. For the first few days especially, I won’t want to let go. Heck, I am brave enough to admit I miss the trip to Uitm. There’s something great about being around your peers, even complete strangers. People who say you’ll meet more people when you work obviously are blinded by fiction or even the reality of the minority. Go ask your average government servant how many new interesting people they meet. There’s not a single better opportunity to make new friends than the period between high-school and real work.
The point is that by this weekend, I’ll forget the whole damn thing and wished I never have to go to university again. I bet when I start my attachment next month I would be too immersed with work or tiredness to ever bother with missing college. That’s how people lose themselves in their work. It helps them move on with their life. The question that remain is how much of it is really their life? Could responsibilities make you lose who you are? There’s always hurt when you grasp at the past, but at least you’ve made through it. The future though, remains unknown. It could just disappoint you, you know.
Written on 3/29/2005 07:39:00 pm by sikapitan
Guys and gals... visit the brand new Social Commentary from an Undergrounduate at this new service offered by MSN. Need the feedback!!! (oh yeah..I just noticed that the link DOES NOT work when using Mozilla Firefox..is this some sort of Microsoft conspiracy?)
Written on 3/23/2005 01:43:00 am by sikapitan
I’ve just finished my first paper for my finals. It was something called the Law of Ass…there’s something missing in that sentence but it doesn’t matter because I really believe that I’ve been made an ass. It’s not that I have anything against taking finals, but I simply find the whole exercise of going through months of lectures as virtually pointless. It’s not like I studied for the past three months. Countless hours have been wasted going to class with me nodding off or my mind wandering from football to girls. I’m not the kind who studies or even take notes unless there’s an exam coming by, and frankly speaking, I think most of us are like that. We study last-minute, the genetically embedded procrastination gene working overtime to lure us with various distractions from something as interesting as a football match to something as inconsequential as an afternoon nap.
So we wait, and we delayed, and the phrase “Sebulan lagi” sounded so fresh in my mind. Next thing we know, it’s already the final week of lectures. Seriously, that’s exactly how I felt. I was caught surprised when the lecturer asked us if we find her lecture interesting and that she hope she won’t have to see us next semester. Stupidly, I asked “But aren’t we meeting next week?” The girl next to me looked me straight in the eye and said, “Next week dah takder kelas laa..kan nak finals”. Déjà vu, definitely. Every semester it’s the same thing all over again. That’s my point actually. I just don’t like the fact that I’m wasting time. I do understand that some students love going to lectures, but there’s a proportion of us who can’t give a rat’s ass what the lecturer’s saying.
Give me the whole course outline, proper notes, articles and 2 weeks to study everything and hit me with my finals. And then a 2 weeks break, with the cycle repeating itself all over again. At this moment, I’m spending 3 months (or more- I could never get that right) going to class just hanging out, then taking my finals, then spending 2 and a 1/2 months doing nothing but fill up this blog (that’s how long our mid-year break is), with only two semesters per year. I could be done with the whole course in a year and a half, god-willing. It’s a waste of time and for what? I don’t remember what I learned the last semester, if that’s the intention of having lectures and all that. I’ll definitely not remember any of the details (ie. case laws etc2 and for those not taking law- business theories etc2) by the time I graduate, nor do I need to. For example, a businessman needs to know that when there’s a surplus of demand, the prices will go up. He doesn’t need to know how to draw the graphs or calculate the whole damn economy. It’s not like I couldn’t look up cases on the computer or even textbooks. Is somebody going to fire me if I refer to books when researching for a case? Hey, maybe I could just take it easy and study just so I could pass since it’s all going to be useless anyway.
But in this current climate of so many graduates not being able to get jobs (according to the papers – 80 000 estimated), I wouldn’t want to risk working as a rubber tapper (not that there’s anything wrong with tapping rubbers, I’m just lactose intolerant..wait, that’s milk isn’t it? *laughs sarcastically*). You see, I think most of us have realized long ago that you don’t really use 80% of what you tried so hard to remember during school and university. The only reason we’re still sweating it out trying to remember is because we know our future employers have no better way to easily assess potential employees. Yes, some might be able to charm them despite below-average scores, but not many of us look like Hans Isaac or Paula Malai Ali. So we depend on our grades. It helps us get into university, colleges, scholarship and work even though that very same employer would later realize that the Dean’s List Dude is nothing more that a Photostat machine with zero creativity. But what else does he have to go by? Doing well in your exams means you’re dependable; you’re at least half-way intelligent, you’re strong willed, you’re hard-working and at the very least – you’ve got your priorities straight. Not everyone can be Bill Gates – a college dropout who turns into a billionaire. Even he employs many people based on their paper qualifications.
Until there’s some way employers can assess prospective employee by their ability to do the particular task they’ll be employed to, there’s no other way but to slug it out studying to score for your exams. But I still want to see a one-year degree program available as an option. I need the money to get married. AHAHAHHAHAHAHA….
Written on 3/12/2005 07:55:00 pm by sikapitan
I seriously doubt that anyone is still visiting this blog, what with me failing to write in for the past few weeks. It’s just been hectic at the faculty so close to my finals. And no, I haven’t started revisions yet. Work is finally letting up, but not yet complete. I guess by this weekend I’ll be free to loaf around. Oops. I forgot. The Finals is in a week. Yea yea, everyone goes through the same thing, but it still doesn’t make things better now does it? Maybe I should just watch TV instead of reading?
Yeap, you heard me right. Go tune in to your TV if you’re awfully short on motivation to study. I’m just extending what the Education Ministry is saying. Apparently if you’re finding it hard to cope with normal, rudimentary English, go watch television! It appears sound enough, because even I admit that television has taught me a lot, especially when it comes to colloquial English. I’m just questioning the intelligence of the Education Ministry to even suggest such a method as acceptable. The issue has cropped up because students are finding it hard to cope with learning Maths and whatever else they have to in English. Now, if you’ve ever studied Maths in English (I did- I had a great but impatient tutor during high-school), you would know that it doesn’t involve complicated English. Yes, they used scientific terms, but then everyone needs to learn it too. The problem they’re having is with communication English, and for Maths it must have involved nothing more that basic elementary English. My point is this: if they’re struggling with Maths in English, how are they coping with English subject itself? Don’t tell me they can handle English but not Maths? If that is the case, then the Education Ministry must take a serious look at our English language education.
The Education Ministry’s 3M policy should have dealt with this situation during primary school itself. “Membaca, mengira dan menulis”- in both BM and English. Of course it’s a fallacy to assume everyone will be able to by the time they reach secondary school. I know plenty of people who can’t speak or write in English. But then shouldn’t the responsibility of educating them lies in the hands of educators through a comprehensive and intellectualized syllabus? The Ministry must realize that when it comes to language and learning it, everyone has a different speed to learn. The syllabus and our school system must take this into consideration. Logic states you can’t pass someone who can’t even string proper sentences. But that’s exactly what’s going on in Malaysia. Some of my friends managed to enter University, doing law, but can’t even form a single proper sentence (syok ar lepak ngan korang!). I had to help him out time and again, and it amazes me how poor his Basic English really is. I’m even more amazed that he managed to get a B2 for English for his SPM. He said even he was surprised. And then they sent these kids to University where they will struggle, wasting precious time and effort.
Even learning through television is not proven to improve your mastery of the language. It does help, in some ways, but the negative impact relying on television is far greater. Take my little brother, the perfect example of a spoilt youngest sibling. He’s standard four now, and based on my rough estimation, he has spent double the time I spent at his age watching television. Yet, he is shy to speak in English, and his sentences are seldom proper, usually ending with the inevitable lah. It is apparent that besides the education system and television, the culture where your kids grow up in is pertinent to the issue of speaking English properly. And that’s another issue the government must look at. The racial polarization at school appears to be overblown, but the picture is far from rosy. Communication among races appears to be truly minimal. Even studying in a school smack in the middle of urbania cannot disguise the lack of mixed friendship. And even if you do mix around, it doesn’t mean you’ll learn how to speak English. You are better off than some, sure, but at the end of the day, you’ll be learning to speak improper English and the cycle goes on and on. Incomplete sentences, the “lah” syndrome, laughing when speaking English – these are all about attitude towards the language.
So how do we solve this? I don’t have the time to write more, or to even suggest that I have a solution, but I do know that relying on television is a bit of lazy way to learn something. I do know what they’re good for though- sex (or maybe not so good after all). Just kidding. Cheers.
Written on 2/17/2005 02:39:00 pm by sikapitan
Last weekend, I drove my dad’s car, and unfortunately, there’s nothing in it even remotely resembling decent music, what with some monotone sounding bloke spewing out advices on how to release stress being the only CDs on board. I had to turn on the radio. See, I don’t listen to the radio, with the exceptional circumstances when I’m driving my mom/dad/family which means that the radio is on but almost non-existent (my parents don’t like noise, basically). So as I listened to the traffic report, I tried to remember when I stopped listening to the radio...
It must have been when I got a CD burner, and my first Sony single-disc head unit on my old Satria (I miss her). The explosion of Napster and other peer-to-peer file-sharing medium allowed me to download (albeit at speeds that now appears to be so pedestrian) any songs that I feel like listening to. At that time, my musical sphere wasn’t far from those covered by Hitz and basically my discs were more like one of those extended “7 hits in a row” (which ironically is always interrupted by ads- more on that later). I have no problem listening to the radio, but the ads are starting to irritate me to bits. Now, it was at that time I stayed in a hostel (for one memorable semester- Perindu perindu) and for hostel boys, radio IS their life. There’s nothing else for entertainment. It was them who introduced me to ERA and Malay music. There’s life beyond Fly Guy, Brandy and Monica.
I started to notice something seriously wrong with our stations when there’s no one in the room and I’m all alone listening to some DJ talking about something so inconsequential to music that I wonder if music really is the main point of these stations. Far from saying that I’m better than any of them, but it appears our radio station DJs are more celebrity-oriented rather than music-oriented. I am glad if I can be proven wrong, but I just hear a lack of purpose in their daily monologues. But the DJs are only the tip of the iceberg, what with endless commercials/infomercials filling up any available spare time. I understand the need for revenues, but if the stations just concentrate on playing music rather than organizing parties or sponsoring fashion shows or promoting their DJs we would be left with lesser overhead cost, which in turns mean less need for ads (but then everyone wants more money, so who’s to blame them for milking the cow?).
The music itself leaves much to be desired. Simply said, I cannot stand what’s being played on the radio. It’s not like I don’t listen to pop and ballads. I do. I kinda dig Britney’s generic yet infectious sound, or boybands ridiculously soapy ballad, or Ramones-wannabe punk act as much as every San Lee, Sarah and Saravanan in KL. I HAVE them on my play list. It’s just that I feel there’s no balance in our music education. We’ve been fed with all the top 40 hits, and even there we’re missing out on some good ones. What’s wrong with playing something off-field for a change, and why limit ourselves to the US top-40? What about the more eclectic and dance-influenced UK hits? I’m not asking for them to stop playing the Avril’s, Britney’s or Simple Plan’s of this world. All I want is them to maybe introduce more eclectic selections, and that doesn’t mean playing Pink Floyd or Groove Armada (if you’re into that kind of music). There’s a lot of good music out there, acts ready to burst into the limelight. It’s great that Malaysians are finally introduced to Franz Ferdinand, Keane and The Killers, but we only played them long after I deleted them from MY playlist. Maroon5 is now considered so commercial, but early last year when no one heard of them I was busy telling my mates how good they were. I mean, the stations should take the initiative to play songs BEFORE they become hits, so that we don’t sound like fool still bopping our heads to My Boo when Disco Inferno is already burning up the charts elsewhere.
So what’s good to listen to? I don’t speak for everyone, but Snow Patrol, Death Cab for Cutie, Jack Johnson, Kanye West (oh yeah, he’s so IN now-bla blab la), The Thrills and Jem are good bets to start downloading. It’s not sooo underground, and the music’s really accessible enough for the stations to play them more often. Red104.9 does it better than everyone else when it comes to music education. They’ve got segments introducing new music every day.
Oh, let’s not forget those endless chit-chats with callers that Malay radio programs like to do so much. If I do listen to the radio it would be one of those Malay stations, because it’s hard to download Malay/Indon/Asian songs online so I depend on them to keep me up to date. What I can’t stand is that the DJs really like to talk to their callers. Just try tuning in on a weekend afternoon and listen. Who cares if that guy is working late or if her new handbag was bought at a thrift shop? And ERA.fm’s Djs, please stop promoting yourself and thinking you’re celebrities. The Anugerah ERA is nothing more than an overzealous attempt by these losers to rub shoulders with real artists and act as if they’re really better than they are. You don’t see this phenomena going on anywhere else do you? Never have a radio station has such clout in society. ERA.fm dominates the Malay community in Malaysia.
Let’s get back to listening to the radio last weekend in the car. I’ve reached the Subang toll plaza, which took around 15 minutes, and I was still waiting for them to play a song. With the traffic report, advertisements, updates, contests and Astro promos, I guess they forgot the real reason we listen to the radio- music.
Written on 2/03/2005 09:28:00 am by sikapitan
Have anyone seen that weird United Nations-type football movie called Victory starring Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine? The finale was what you would typify as cliché sports-based movie plot. Plenty of goals, a few dirty tackles, and heroes facing defeat, sudden burst of ingenuity, or stoic heroic by the keeper. It’s the same for any other sports related movie, especially one made by the Americans. They love their actions, and however unrealistic it might be, it makes for great entertainment. But every time we watch one of these movies, no matter what sport’s being played, we always had a sinking feeling that life could never be this good.
Fear not my friends, for on Wednesday morning Man United has proven that reality is better than fantasy. It’s hard to tell you what I felt this morning. If the last encounter between Arsenal and Man United at O.T left me feeling quite happy, this one simply made me ecstatic to the point of dancing naked alone in my room with the god-awful-overplayed Benassi hit Satisfaction pumping out of the computer. The fact that I don’t really dig that song made it even more obvious that football ecstasy can really overwhelm your senses better than the white-tablets type.
The pre-match hype of course centered on the psy-ops warfare employed by Fergie which was duly replied by the normally cool Whiner in a definite un-cool manner. Much talk has gone about how United won the last encounter because they bullied Arsenal and played rough (points which I readily admitted in my entry-can’t remember the date). Whiner went on about how Ruud is a big cheater, while ignoring the almost comical Vieira dive. But the point is that United can’t beat Arsenal without cheating. How it must have hurt his pride to see his team totally out-played, tactically and technically, by a side he claimed to be on a decline (remember that overzealous “shift in the power balance” crap two seasons ago).
Even before the kick-off the tone was set for an explosive encounter with some aggro (British football slang) going on in the tunnel. I didn’t see that part until later during Sportscenter. It was nothing more than verbal sparring, but Vieira looked suitably tongue-tied when taunted by Keano. You don’t see mates sticking for you like that anymore in this world. Keano is as United as the grass of Old Trafford. What was obvious during the pre-kick off was the lack of handshake between the two captains. Surprisingly, they weren’t involved in any scuffle during the game itself. But the fire has been lit, and the fireworks are ready to go off.
Right from the kick-off, the tackles went in quick and fast, with referee Graham Poll stamping down on every minor incident to ward off any more aggressive play from both sides. A few minutes in and we got ourselves the first major incident. The ball dropped on to the edge of the penalty area, with both Ashley Cole and Keano running towards it in different directions. Cole is a wonderful player, IMHO, who has speed and tenacity to be the best left-back in the world. But his appalling dive that even the Highbury faithful found unimpressive showed his character in particular, Arsenal’s in general. They’re all good players, with some measure of greatness, but their attitude is deplorable.
On the 8th minute Arsenal broke the deadlock. From a corner, Vieira showed what a good player he really is by using his natural body strength to ward off Heinze, who’s no softie either. It’s hard to blame anyone for that goal, except perhaps to point out that United does lack the height advantage and that for big games it is crucial to have people standing on your far post. When the ball went into the back of the net, I was suitably down. I saw that Arsenal was up for it, and from the beginning posed threat to United’s goal. But it wasn’t long before United equalized. Scholes played a superb ball on to the path of Rooney, who showed tremendous vision and maturity to take it on first time and placed it on the path of Giggs. Giggs has come under criticisms from me in the past, but when he’s playing like he’s playing this past one month, he’s one of the best in the world. He took it with great technique, and though it took a big deflection it was just reward for great approach play.
The game turned up a notch, with both sides attacking with verve and defending doggedly. Arsenal’s second came not long after. Henry was allowed to control the ball and laid it on the path of the impressive Bergkamp who beat Carroll at his near post- something that every football manual says shouldn’t happen. I thought United were going to capitulate, especially considering the form of Bergkamp who taunted the United backline with superb vision and control. But Rooney was proving the bright spark for United in the first half, battling hard with Campbell and Cygan. He also showed his aggressive attitude, and though I do agree that it is part of his game that makes him so powerful, I do think that Fergie and the men around him should make sure the boy got his feet on the ground.
In the second half, it was much of the same, with both sides going tit-for-tat. United started to control the game and passed the ball better all over the pitch. When you pass the ball around a lot, and you do it well, it frustrates your opponent. And that is what Vieira must have felt when he tackled the ever-improving Fletcher near the halfway line. Keano, sensing opportunity, quickly dispatched the free-kick to Rooney, who then turned and laid the ball into Giggs who was coming infield. A superb first touch followed by a sublime through ball opened up Arsenal, with Ronaldo at the receiving end. In the past, he would have muffed the shot, either over elaborating or blasting it to the stands. But he has discovered his form of late, and the finish was evident of that. A left foot shot to the far post which left Almunia with no chance. Game set then, and Arsenal tried valiantly to restore their lead. Pires had the ball and was moving infield before a combination of Fletcher and Keane left him dazed on the floor. Keane, again showing superb vision, played a superb through ball from the outside of his right foot into the path of the speedy Giggs. He then showed body strength by holding off Vieira, pushing the ball past Almunia (what was he thinking?) then chipping the ball right into the grateful feet of Ronaldo. United had the lead and Arsenal sense their season might already be over.
They tried hard to conjure up the goal, and though United were under pressure after that goal, Carroll didn’t really have any big saves to make. Tempers were frayed, and Bergkamp took a swipe at Silvestre which the Frenchman didn’t appreciate. He responded by pushing the Dutchman on the ground, and Ljungberg went up to Mickey to give a right old rollicking. Mickey took the bait, and stupidly head-butted Freddie in from of Poll. He had no choice but to send him off. If Arsenal were to capitalize on their numerical superiority, I would never forgive Silvestre. Rooney I understand, but a 27-year old experienced international? United, though, appeared to want it more. Henry was subdued, except for the brilliant overhead try on goal. On the break, the brilliant Heinze bombed forward, pushed the ball to Saha who laid it off to Scholes. Scholes then played an exquisite first touch ball to O’Shea (actually he didn’t do much except run around looking lost in midfield) who then controlled it one time, looked up, and chipped the ball delightfully over the despairing Almunia. It was a finish of some style, and the laidback nature of this Irishman showed in the way he celebrated. United held on to the two goal cushion, and except for the on-the-line clearance by Scholes deep into extra time, United were never really threatened.
Ps: Chelsea won a scrappy encounter at Ewood Park, One-Nil; a result which is entirely expected but not the level of performance. Arjen Robben who scored the winner went out injured in the second half. Eleven points is too far for even Man United to catch, especially with a well-drilled Chelsea team, but sometimes fantasy do turn into reality. Never give up.
Written on 1/29/2005 02:19:00 pm by sikapitan
The brutal death of Muhammad Nazri Ismail to a couple of road bullies certainly put things into perspective. It is a senseless death (if there ever was a sensible one) that makes you sick to the core. I’m not getting all emotional over him, though I do feel bad for his young family. We may never know the true account of what happened. It’s just that it makes me wonder about my own attitude and Malaysians in general when it comes to driving.
Teenagers nowadays carry with them more stress than ever before, ranging from peer pressure to pursuing academic excellence. Parents are coping with teenagers dealing with stress, which in turn leads THEM to become depressive. Adults carrying stress from home deal with other adults which causes even more tension. It comes to the point that every one is stressed out over one thing or another, and nothing reflects this more than when we drive. We vent out our frustration on the road. Some crave the quick fix adrenaline gives and drive like they’re trying to be Alex Yoong II (I don’t know why since Alex owes the government like millions of OUR money). Some prefer the relaxing nature of cruising like a tortoise. Others honked like its Mardi Gras while some like to cut lanes. I don’t know what’s going on in other countries, but I noticed that you can get the whole gamut of drivers just by cruising down the Federal Highway. Just yesterday I met with the typical Ah-Beng souped up Honda tearing down the highway, the blurry college girl going 60 on an 80 highway, the “You young kids don’t know how to drive-I’m always right” makciks and mak datins, the “I’m so busy I’ve to do my business over phone in the car while staying in the middle of the road” exec type, and of course the ever lovable Mat Rempits.
Malaysians seem to have vastly different attitudes when it comes to driving with sometimes the most basic principle cannot be agreed on. For example, I’ve come across some guy who rear-ended another car claiming it was that car’s fault to brake so suddenly, without realizing the cardinal rule of driving- maintain a safe distance. It is this attitude, perhaps easily simplified as “kiasu” but it goes much deeper than merely being selfish, that causes so many misunderstanding on the road. And when there’s a misunderstanding, the whole stressed-out mentality takes over. We go ballistic when someone says “Tapi awak tak bagi signal”. Maybe because we have so much pent-up anger inside of us that we decide that enough’s enough, and usually it’s during accidents that the can pops open.
I am not an angel on the road, but nor am I a devil (but a Red Devil nonetheless ;). I honk sometimes, I have cut one too many lanes, I have driven way way over the speed limit, and when I’m frustrated I like to pretend the road’s like those old arcade games where you just drive faster than anyone else down a straight road and overtake all these slower cars and a couple of rocks (man, I used to love that shit). I do play my music a wee bit too loud (close to Ah Beng-like, but with way cooler music :), and I have pointed one or two fingers along the way. I am short-tempered, and that’s what makes me fearful. This incident just highlights the point that someday you’ll just show a wrong finger to the wrong person, or honked at the wrong monster, or glared at the wrong taiko at the wrong time.
I must learn how to chill out. Sometimes I do manage to do so, especially if there’s some cool chill out music coming out from the stereo (Zero 7 is a good bet), and let things just slide. I let that guy cut my lane while paying the toll, I smiled when some dude turned without signaling, I put up my hand in understanding when someone take eons to parallel park. But the instances are much too infrequent to suggest that I’m calm on the road. I should be. It could save my life.
Written on 1/20/2005 01:30:00 am by sikapitan
I picked up an “uncle” (whose identity shall remain a secret) at KLIA the other day (he was from K.Terengganu). While the trip itself was decidedly uneventful (in fact, I have decided that we HAVE to drive above the speed limit on THAT particular highway to avoid going to sleep – and don’t forget to pump up the stereo), he said something which resonated inside my head (some might add the word hollow).
It came about, like all good things, unexpectedly. I passed through the SmartTag lane, and like we’ve seen quite often, the bar refused to budge. There on the display the words “KAD TIDAK SAH” was boldly highlighted together with that piercing alarm sound. I’ve been through this a couple of times so I knew it was nothing more than the machine acting up, and true enough the PLUS attendant quickly corrected the situation. We quickly continued with our journey, but the “Uncle” said that he was uncomfortable with PLUS saying that my SmartTag is not valid, as if I am using an imitation, and that it amounted to some form of defamation. I said that it’s normal for these things to happen in KL. He answered, “Tuh la orang KL. Semuanya biar saja.” And while I was at first inclined to correct him on that point, I took a moment and realized that he might be on to something. While I would have considered the PLUS incident to not be worth shouting about, I admit that there are plenty of incidences or situations that we (not only KLites but Malaysians in general) feel truly uncomfortable or have taken offence to but have done nothing to rectify.
Rude service at restaurants is one prime example. While I do admit that the service has generally improved, especially at renowned establishments, it isn’t perfect. In fact we Malaysians put up with a lot of things that our counterpart in the developed nations would never tolerate. Perhaps we should re-introduce the whole tipping thing and remove the service tax. Maybe then our waiters and waitresses would be more willing to be friendly and efficient. As it stands, I am one of those who are generally uncomfortable with returning food, or asking it to be reheated etc2, for I have learned that it doesn’t pay to piss off the servers. Let me assure you ladies and gentleman, from what I hear from my chef-trained and part-time expert friends, it goes way beyond merely spitting in your soup.
The services at government institutions are even worse. Far from saying it’s the norm, but we have all been through some form of bureaucratic hell. Those studying in public universities would probably understand that sinking feeling when something goes wrong in your exam slip or registration because it would mean dealing with drones who, and I do understand this, are as motivated as me wanting to pick up a Kavadi. Why should they bust their ass to settle our problem when their tenure is virtually guaranteed and promotions settled through seniority rather than meritocracy? But hey, I remember it being much worse when I was younger and queuing up to renew my passport so I guess there has been improvements.
I do believe that all these inefficiencies and general lack of care when it comes to service is due to our own inability to take a stand and speak up. We Asians are non-confrontational, and this has been mistaken for politeness. But I don’t think you should equate being a pussy with being mannered. In fact, it’s even rude not to correct a wrong if it could help someone else. How many times have you feel that you have been ill-treated but you just take it lying down? Another reason could be our non-litigious nature when it comes to dispute settlement. For example, a spilt coffee which burned somebody fingers would probably be settled here with a free meal and a “sincere apology” card while in the United States (the land of tort actions) that guy would probably bankrupt the restaurant. Perhaps the time has come for our citizens to be educated of their rights and legal avenues available. The Consumer Tribunal is a good start, but unless a lesson is made (and by that I do mean serious amount of cash) corporations, government institutions and individuals would not be afraid of the legal consequences of their action. Furthermore, our dispute settling bodies (judiciary, non-judicial) are stretched to their limits trying to deal with cases and disputes. This is before Malaysians start suing for slipping on wet floors or power failures!!! In fact, it is said that to proceed with a typical civil suit it would take more than 2 years minimum. Who would want to go through that?
Like I said before, I prefer to just keep quiet, eat up and never come back. But I think this year I’ll stand up for myself a lot more. Just not in a restaurant. Trust me on that.
Written on 1/15/2005 04:15:00 pm by sikapitan
It is the New Year, and time for new beginnings, supposedly. But let us not forget the past, for it is in the past that we have the prologue to the future. In a year where the Americans re-elected a loose-cannon hell-bent on imposing his will on the world, where the Thai Army made sardines out of shirtless young men, there are lessons to be learned.
I'm not finished with NS!
The first installment of the much-hyped about National Service started last year, and at a staggering cost of RM500 million (I bet it’s much more than that), can we say that it has made much difference? I propose that some university undertake a 5 year nationwide study on the effects of National Service on its participants and non-participants. It should be interesting isn’t it? Especially since that money can be spent on more important things like…getting better ambulances and medical facilities in government hospital, no? This year’s edition promises more, but ultimately will prove to offer nothing.
Alhamdulillah
Mention the word tsunami and we generous Malaysians just open up our wallets, Alhamdulillah. Thankfully, so has the rest of the world. Which begs me to wonder, being so close to ground zero and all, have we done enough? And I’m not just talking about helping other countries but our own. Foreign artists held concerts and made individual contributions (Leo DiCaprio and Sandra Bullock, just to name a few) amounting to millions of ringgit. What have our artists done to contribute? Certainly I’m not asking for them to come up with millions and millions of ringgit, but where’s the charity concert, the plea for aid, television specials? THEY certainly were very enthusiastic when it comes to pleading that we don’t purchase pirated copies of their albums (as well we should, because it HAS really become quite pathetic, our local albums I mean). THEY were most definitely teary-eyed when trying to tell us how we fans made them what they are. So where are they now when MALAYSIANS, their fans, are counting on them? There’s no telethon, no special feature, no advertisements calling for contributions. Absolutely pathetic.
Talking about pathetic, what about our fellow Muslim countries, namely our oil-rich gulf states? Their government made a mockery of Islam when they only managed to cough up measly sums to help fellow Muslims. Saudi Arabia initially offered US$ 10 million, but after international outrage they “generously” tripled that amount. It doesn’t matter. The fact is that they make at least 10 times of that amount in A SINGLE DAY from oil sales. Considering that their income REALLY does come from nature itself, I would have thought they would be more respectful of God’s ability to take what’s given. Look at what the Americans and Europeans cough up to help us Asians. I don’t care if people say that it’s just a way for them to colonize us again and make us weep and beg, if it save lives then I’m all for it.
At the other end of the spectrum is the emotionally-unstable emo clan who goes on and on about how sad life is and how cruel God is and how we should all drop what we’re doing and go over there to built some shack. I do care, but life goes on you know? We all can do our part in it. By some weird logic (typical of me), even shopping can contribute. See, the world is one big interconnecting maze where people from one side of the world inevitably owe their existence to people from the other. When we purchase Nike goods, we are indirectly contributing to the Indonesian factory workers, regardless of how they have been so ill-treated. Or when we purchase software made in India, part of it goes to their national tax which will in turn be used to help the victims of tsunami. Hey, I know I’m stretching it but we play the hands that we’ve been dealt with yea?
However, if you do have your own money, and willing to contribute, here are some links to sites accepting credit-card donations. May God bless you all.
http://www.ifrc.org/helpnow/donate/donate_response.asp
http://www.give2asia.org/
http://www.unicef.org/
http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/
Written on 1/07/2005 11:15:00 pm by sikapitan
Got this from a friend who got this from another friend who got it from god-knows-who..and i seriously cannot figure out if it's serious or just a practical joke..but isn't it a wonder that lawyers and law students always bear the brunt of some seriously biased jokes? It would be good, in this moment of extreme grief and sadness (I cannot fathom the scope of destruction left by the tsunami, thus I leave it to you readers to fully comprehend the catastrophe that we have faced and are facing today without me), to take a moment and laugh, remembering that life goes on, and in it there will always be laughter and tears.
Dearest Ideal Girl,
I am very happy to inform you that I have fallen in love with you since Saturday, the 9th October 2004 at Greenlane. With reference to the meeting held between us on the 9th of October 2004 at 1500 hours, I would like to present myself as a prospective lover. Our love affair would be on probation for a period of three months and depending on compatibility, would be made permanent. Of course, upon completion of probation, there will be continuous on-the-relationship training and relationship appraisal schemes leading up to promotion from lover to spouse.
The expenses incurred for coffee,wines and entertainment would initially be shared equally between us. Later, based on your performance, I might take up a larger share of the expenses. I request you to kindly respond within 30 days of receiving this letter, failing which, this offer would be cancelled without further notice and I shall be considering someone else.
I would be happy, if you could forward this letter to your sister, if you do not wish to take up this offer.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours sincerely,
Lawyer Boy
Whatever you guys do, please don't use this letter as a blueprint to woo a girl. On the other hand, I've seen how self-depreciating jokes can actually break the ice and make the girl see that you're not so serious. Maybe it was a mistake to put it up in the blog. I could use it someday....
Written on 12/27/2004 02:47:00 am by sikapitan
Thank goodness I decided to check out thestar.com.my or I would have missed what potentially could be THE story for Malaysia this year, but knowing our public, nothing could displace the more serious matter of Sharifah Aini’s case. We have just experienced “the worst natural disaster” in our history, though some might say the appearance of Tomok on our airwaves a few years back qualifies as a natural disaster in its own right. I’m referring to the aftershock felt in certain parts of Malaysia as a result of the biggest earthquake recorded in 40 years.
According to the report, the focal point of the earthquake originated some 100 miles off the shores of Sumatra. The initial earthquake was felt in almost every state in Malaysia in the morning. Recorded at 8.9 earthquake scale, it caused multiple natural reactions including tsunamis and aftershocks. Sri Lanka and India, with its strong coastal population was badly hit, with thousands reported dead. In South-east Asia, Thailand and Indonesia reported hundreds as confirmed dead while thousands missing. In Malaysia itself, our northern coastal states were badly hit, especially Penang and Langkawi, with the death toll expected to rise significantly as authorities attempt to find those missing. I would like to extend the deepest condolences to those who lost their love ones.
I didn’t feel anything. I was sound asleep on my bed, hopefully deep in some fantasy involving Jessica Alba and Elisha Cuthbert (circa The Girl Next Door, not 24). I don’t know. I can’t remember. But I went on the entire day oblivious to the tragedy occurring right on our shores. Almost nothing happens in Malaysia. Our newspapers are either filled with government propaganda or some new rape cases. We might not be a big country, but somehow we are fortunate enough to escape any significant nature’s weapons. All around us there’s volcanoes, earthquakes and tidal waves. The worse potential natural disaster that I could think of is some thunderstorm knocking out our power lines. We are blessed with this greatest of gifts, and yet our countrymen remain blissfully unaware of our potential. We could be the centre of South-east Asia, the focal point of trade and culture. And yet, Thailand controls the majority of automobile productions in our region, with more plants on the way; Singapore is the trading mecca of ASEAN and is considered one of the most educated countries in the world; Indonesia, because of its sheer size and population, remains central and pertinent to the rest of the world. Is it too much for me to claim that, despite propagandas to the contrary, we are insignificant in the grand scheme of things?
I’m going off track, but I just want Malaysians to realize that we have the resources and we are blessed enough to be living in such area as to facilitate tremendous growth in every part of society but yet we are complacent and docile, seemingly content at being where we are. But hey, maybe being insignificant has its advantages. For one, no terrorist has any reason to attack us, nor are we the target of the United States either. That must count for something right?
So what’s the biggest story this year? Kak Pah v. Siti Nurhaliza, of course.
Written on 12/19/2004 05:47:00 pm by sikapitan
I came out of watching Alexander thanking God that I wasn’t born in that era. Was I mistaken to proclaim that all men are genetically engineered to screw every girl they find attractive? Perhaps I should rephrase my proposition. It should be “men are genetically inclined to procreate with as many PEOPLE as possible” without actually referring to any particular gender. Historical facts have shown that men of yester-years engage in more homosexual activities than our current so called “liberal” generation. Isn’t it a scientific fact that all fetuses/babies have a general tendency towards the XX chromosome, meaning female, and the Y chromosome only comes in to mess things up and turn perfectly beautiful, caring females into hot-tempered, war-mongering males? So that’s why it’s easier to make a man sensitive than making a woman aggressive.
In addition to the annoyingly overbearing homosexual/bisexual theme in the movie, I find Alexander to be a truly boring show, and a major disappointment from Oliver Stone who had made great character-driven movies such as JFK and my personal favourite, Wall Street. The idea of encompassing Alexander massive accomplishments into a 2 hour 45 minutes spectacle is simply too much to handle. I’m very disappointed with all the battle scenes in the movie, which appeared disjointed and confusing. Those of you who remembered Colin Farrell in Tigerland and Phone Booth wouldn’t have believed that he’s the same person playing the sobbing whining title character. I understand that the script wanted to show that behind the mask there’s a sensitive side to Alexander. My gripe is that they made him TOO sensitive, seemingly in a state of perpetual “merajukness”.
And that is the crux of the matter isn’t it? We live in a world filled with imperfections, where heroes have affairs; leaders appear dumb (stand up you Texan), sports icons taking drugs and angelic-looking singing icons smoking. We all know that everyone has their imperfections, and we readily accept that fact. Look at Clinton, who is now regarded simply as a man’s man (though his choice of women appears to dent his standing in the ‘player list’). But the best movies of all time stress the HEROIC part of the character, rather than dawdling on his/her imperfections. Sure, Bruce Willis in Die Hard wasn’t really the model citizen, but we all remembered him shooting his way out of a tight situation with one handgun which magically appears to hit the bad guys with relative ease. And Gladiator was great because Russell Crowe’s character was a true hero, one that displays courage and strength in all its glory. In Troy, who was your least favourite character? Personally, I despise Paris (Orlando Bloom) not because he caused the war, but because he’s a whining pussy. He can’t fight to save his life. We all love Hector, who is the embodiment of the ultimate hero. He’s good-looking, he cares for his people, he’s honourable, but most importantly, he can kick some serious ass.
The problem with Colin Farrell’s Alexander is not because he’s not good-looking (though the whole blonde thing just doesn’t work), or he lacks compassion, or he’s less honourable, but because he can’t really kick ass. In fact, I’m led to believe that he love asses. Go figure.
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