Written on 9/03/2004 06:28:00 pm by sikapitan
So our former Deputy Prime Minister and political golden-boy Datuk Seri Anwar has been freed after a 2-1 Federal Court decision allowing his appeal against the charge of sodomy. Without a doubt this has done wonders for our judiciary which has been accused of biasness and being politically motivated previously. His convictions have been criticized by many, especially in the legal community. There have been dissenting voices who argued that he was not afforded the fair trial that he deserved. I tend to agree.
However, politics is never as easy as 1 2 3 and certainly not as clear as black and white. There are grey areas to every political scenario that must be understood before one could safely assume or accuse. It must be noted that Anwar himself is a politician first and foremost. I have always been curious as to why he was so adamant that there’s abuse of power and corruption within the government AFTER he was removed from his post. Surely logic dictates that such allegations cannot surface overnight, and yet during his reign he was never one to speak out against corruption and money politics. His international profile must also be taken into consideration, especially his more than cordial relationship with the United States, a country noted for its constant interference with the affairs of other states, forever perceiving it as kingmakers and new-age colonist.
Yet, we cannot dispel the doubts surrounding his dismissal. Certainly the quick-fire manner he was removed cast reservations in the eyes of many. Could it be a knee-jerk reaction to a sudden political reality emerging? Did the PM know something that he cannot divulge? It was obvious, yet never stated, in the eyes of the public that the subsequent trial was irregular. The conviction for sodomy based only on one dubious witness brought more questions than answers. Unfortunately, such allegations made him the butt of jokes for many (heheh).
He was motivated by this sudden fall from grace, and the subsequent zeal in upholding “keadilan” broke the Malays into two quarters. Who was to gain from this episode? PAS, despite their perceived old-school charm, are politically astute enough to ensure that Anwar became their new struggle, clearly using him merely as political mileage. Subsequently, in the ’99 elections, they had one of their strongest showings in years, even gaining Terengganu. If it were not for the Chinese and Indian community, I seriously think more states would follow suit. Anwar became an enigma, a struggle for many dissatisfied at the time with rising unemployment, spiraling cost of living and economic uncertainty. He still is a political heavyweight. So why release him now?
Clearly Abdullah perceive that public opinion is on his side. The economy is growing, the nation is prospering. In the face of such optimism, perhaps he feels the time is right to rid of the old cloud hanging over the political scene. With Anwar a free man, he has rid himself of the last vestige of the Mahathir era, the deepest wound to the Malay community, the rallying cry for one political party. Keadilan is in shambles, simply because they were not politically strong enough to understand how things work. Their short-lived joy at being able to call upon PAS as their ally quickly turned sour as PAS shoved aside its allies to promote its own ideals. And with PAS also needing to take a hard look at themselves in light of the recent poor performance and dwindling support, Pak Lah can see that his next four years running smoothly just as planned. I can even see some sort of truce between Keadilan and UMNO, even the thought of them joining forces has crossed my mind.
But what is needed now is calmness and rational thinking. People must realize that the country, our country, is unlike the free democracy of US. Our government and economy is entwined, both needing each other. In the US, the economy is self-sustaining; such is their power of capitalism. Thus the prosperity and harmony of all must take precedent, at this moment and until we mature as a nation, before such idealistic notions like "justice", "equality", "free speech" etc. We cannot have the cake and eat it too. Just remember that politics is dirty enough to stain the whitest of cloths. Clorox just doesn’t work on this one. Au revoir
Written on 8/29/2004 04:17:00 am by sikapitan
It’s close to 4 a.m on a Sunday morning, and I’m knackered after exerting myself a bit too much today, having two sessions of futsal in a space of 4 hours. Don’t fret, dear readers, for this is not going to be about futsal or how I enjoy the game but more on a social situation that manifest itself during the afternoon session.
There we were my team and I, waiting out turn to play, when suddenly I heard loud singing from one of my mates who then started making weird noises. Thinking that he had contracted some form of Bird Flu, I looked around to find someplace else to sit. Alas, my wayward gaze landed on a member of the opposite sex making her way back from class behind our seats. I heard the weird noises again, mixed in with “Dik baru balik” “Senyum la sikit jangan muka masam” etc2. Obviously, the girl just walked past us. That isn’t the sad part, though it’s pretty pathetic in my humble opinion. The lads then had a good laugh about it. If being a bunch of cat-calling lame-ass morons isn’t sad enough, they had the gall to be proud of what they did. They’re good boys, for sure, but sometimes I just cringe when I see some of the things they do in the name of fun. It’s degrading not only for myself, but also for other guys who can’t be bothered with disturbing other girls and more seriously, for all Malay men. It’s pretty depressing to hear what some of my friends from other races think about the typical Malay man. Bawak motor, kacau pompuan, rock kapak, mullet, and fake levi’s from Golok (though I must say they look pretty authentic). Look, here’s a tip. Girls don’t fall for those lame-ass tricks, and if they do, they’re probably not worth it. Get your act together; you don’t like other guys disturbing your sister like that now do you? Is it any wonder it’s hard to get an Amoi for a date? (Just joking dear, or friends of my dear, or anyone who just want to spoil my relationship with my dear:)
And what is it with guys and their obsession to talk about the opposite sex’s body parts? Let’s not go into details, but I assure you ladies that we’ve got some pretty sick people in our midst. Even the normally reserved young man would perk up (isn’t that an ironic choice of word) when a voluptuous female walk by. That is in their nature, and nothing said or done will ever change that. But why must they spoil the serenity of appreciating God’s creation by saying what everyone else in the room already realizes. Yea, she’s hot. That’s far enough for me. No need to go into details as to how her…never mind. But this is not a criticism to them, more like a commentary on modern men. Could it be our men react this way after being bombarded by sexual images everyday while still living in the “beautiful on the surface” Asian culture and society? Could it be that the reckless use of female and their body parts to sell products or the various shows depicting women being “comfortable” with as few clothes as possible have degraded their kind as merely an object of desire rather than a living being? Go figure.
Cinta Collateral
I waited in anticipation for this movie to come out. I skipped the normally long opening day and weekend queue, preferring the calmness of Monday evening to catch the show. The story takes place one night in Los Angeles, when a cab driver, Max (Jamie Foxx), by a stroke of luck (or misfortune, depending on how you view it) picks up Vincent, a seemingly inconspicuous businessman who is on a whirlwind business trip. However, by a freak coincidence, Max discovers that Vincent really is a killer when the person he killed drops down the window and landed straight on Max’s cab. So begin the terrifying ride through various locations housing Vincent’s targets.
What one notices at first is the mixed-up camera work employed by Michael Mann. Most of the time the shot’s controlled and straight-forward, but it’ll suddenly turn all gritty and shaky (NYPD Blue style) when there’s rising tension. The script is also noteworthy, simply because of some memorable lines, especially by Vincent. Guys looking for an action-packed rampage with bodies flying in the hundreds and massive explosions will be disappointed. This is not your typical Mission Impossible trip. The sub message being said by the film deserves notice. The tension is gripping without being overbearing. The acting has got to be commended, simply because of the main actors taking on roles unfamiliar to them and reveling in it. Foxx is good as the confused, lost black man who’s trying to make it in the world but too afraid to make the next move. Normally associated with smart one-liners and smug arrogance, he managed to play down the brashness and instead appear humble and lacking self-esteem. However, the biggest surprise to me was Cruise’s Vincent. Tom Cruise is not averse to playing bad guys, but in this movie he takes it to the next level. He’s got to be one of the machoest bad guys ever seen. And the steely eyed gaze, clenched jaw, cold, calculating demeanor works for Vincent. However, like all action flick, it suffers from a rushing storyline, holes in the plotline and typically, unrealistic elements, though it managed to stay away from the hero flying in the air. It’s worth my 9 ringgit. Have been watching some great movies this past month, so don’t disappoint me Puteri Gunung Ledang (anything with Dian surely can't dissapoint me, can it?)
I know it’s a bit outdated, but guys and girls, if you don’t have Coldplay’s Parachutes, go kill yourself (though I do believe that if you have it you’re more probably prone to suicide- lagu nak bunuh diri la katakan). Excellent soundscape, and makes A Rush Of Blood To The Head even better because you can see the musicology they’re trying to achieve. Oh yeah, go check out Dry Your Eyes Mate by the Streets- Brits answer to Eminem though he’s less serious and has that all important British witty lines. Au revoir
Written on 8/25/2004 11:05:00 pm by sikapitan
Is fear a creation of thoughts or is there a more reasonable reasoning behind it? Could it be that our fears are partly due to society’s ideas and conditioning? That is the premise of The Village, M. Night Shyamalan’s latest offering. The talented director has always been a social commentator of some sort, and his latest feature film makes no attempt to run away from this perception. There have always been depths, layers, twists in his movies. However in this movie, the twist is not all that unexpected, but I believe that this is due more to the expectation of a twist rather that shoddy storytelling. Success can be a double-edged sword. There is no shocking scene like Bruce Willis discovering there’s a huge blood spot at the back of his shirt in The Sixth Sense. Instead, the twist is delivered in stages, slowly revealing itself as the audience breath in the brilliant cinematography the film offers.
The fact that the director chooses FEAR as his central subject is to illustrate the state of the world today, where we live in a global village surrounded by FEARSOME beings that are in reality a creation of our own. The script is deliberately DeLiBeRaTe, with old-school style written all over it. If only some critics would take the time to appreciate the honesty of the way English was spoken decades ago, they wouldn’t have commented on it. The interplay between characters is intriguing, always supplying tidbits on the characters, expanding their personality, revealing their past. However, since this more of an ensemble, the character is not as developed as in his previous films, where the main protagonist’s soul is laid bare. In this film, there’s no main character, rather each character takes its turn. The acting is top-notch, especially the newcomer who played the blind girl.
Make no mistake, this is a scary film. An avid follower of the Hitchcock method of filming, Shyamalan managed to induce tension and suspense without the typical Japanese/Korean/Thai horror hybrids. Simple acts can create suspense if coupled with the right camerawork, lighting and soundtrack. Let this be a lesson to our filmmakers: There is no substitute for ingenuity. The Village is no Sixth Sense, but it’s worth every ringgit.
It has been a while since I’ve written a review. Hope I haven’t lost my touch, if there was one to begin with. Next entry would include a review on Tom Cruise’s The Collateral. Au revoir.
Written on 8/21/2004 12:09:00 pm by sikapitan
I wish to extend a big thank-you to the cab driver who managed to somehow recognize the Indon who abducted that little kid. It’s strange how I managed not to remember any names or intricate details of the whole story even though I read it. I suspect most of us just read the news for the sake of reading, and remember the ones that interest us. And this being a casual blog and all that, I didn’t bother to search for the names in the papers. I know it’s pathetic. Now let’s return to the cab driver.
I know we Malaysians do not think much of our cab drivers. Seriously, the general consensus is that they’re ‘bloodsuckers’. Let’s not mention the other names they’ve been called. I used to take the cab back when I was in high-school a lot, and frankly speaking I’ve never had an unpleasant experience. Maybe I’m exaggerating. There have been times when I called the cab company for a taxi, and no taxi appeared. Sometimes they just don’t bother to pick you up if you’re not going far. But just watch how they all rush in when the call comes in from someone who wants to go to KLIA. Another problem is when some don’t use the trip-meter, or there appears to be some discrepancy in the way the machine adds up. But they’re pretty much reliable and dependable, though a bit expensive in my humble opinion. However, if a conversation comes up, I’ll most probably remember the one who drove too fast, or the one that charged me 10 bucks just to get to Pyramid. That’s human nature.
I don’t remember the name of that nice kid who was very clever, but a little bit on the shy side. I definitely remember the one who kicked my friend in the nuts, or the one who shit in his pants. We remember their flaws because it somehow makes us feel better about ourself. And it’s just our tendency to remember tragedies. Isn’t that why most of the popular songs are about tragedy? Oops. It appears I’ve gone off-track, as usual. My point is that I really do believe that some rotten apples have spoiled the image of our cab drivers. I hope that more and more people realize the valuable contribution they’ve made to us. The media should also play a role in improving their image instead of concentrating on the defects. This would help them aspire to be better. I wouldn’t bother to be a good, honest cabbie if I know that whatever I do people will always think of me as unscrupulous. So help them see that we value their effort. Then perhaps that cabbie who picked you up next time would smile instead of scowl.
"Free wake-up call service"
I didn’t realize that there’s been uproar recently over some letter published in the Bar Council’s bulletin that in essence, criticized the right to call to prayer (azan) over a loudspeaker in residential area that’s populated by non-muslims. To me it’s a valid comment that must be taken into context. Individuals are clever, rational beings but when they get into a group they tend to be emotional and irrational. This is especially apparent when it comes to religion. Notice how the ‘Islamists’ in our country quickly condemned that letter as insensitive to our religion. I believe the writer is justified in seeking to highlight a problem that’s plaguing our ‘friends’. I’m sure he’s not the only one who feels that way.
It’s precisely because of the emotional reactions to any comment or even enquiries into our rights and practices that we Muslims are not understood by other races. I am not a devout Muslim (that’s another issue entirely) but I do know that Islam is tolerant of others. For example, it is a requirement for us to read the Koran, and it’s even better to read it loudly, but if in doing so we disturb a sleeping person, it is ‘haram’ (I could be wrong, dead wrong so please correct me if I am). I believe that in essence, Islam does not encourage us to annoy others. To do so would even be detrimental to us as it would alienate us from others. Perhaps it IS unfair to erect a mosque or surau in the middle of a residential area AFTER the buyers had bought the houses without them knowing of plans to erect such structure. How would YOU feel if suddenly there’s a temple in the field beside YOUR house? But hey, I’m no ustaz so don’t take my word on any of this.
Vodafone v. Proton
Another round of EPL this weekend. I look forward to Man Utd against Norwich simply because I need to see them win and no disrespect to the Proton-sponsored club, this is one hell of a chance! However, the pressure’s squarely on their shoulder to win, and I suspect that this might be tougher for Man U than most imagined. One thing I’m going to miss this weekend is Akademi Fantasia. Did you read in the newspaper (a Malay daily I think- I didn’t read it but I overheard someone talking about it) about this girl who has fever because AF is over and she’s like missing it so much? The addiction to this show and other types of reality programs is disturbing. But that’s a story for another day. Until then, Glory Glory Man United!
Written on 8/15/2004 03:15:00 am by sikapitan
Zahid Zahid Zahid! Congratulations to a man destined to be a star. Just remember that you read me predicting he’ll win right here in Undergrounduate Central a few months back(
Heaven in TVland ) . He doesn’t need Akademi Fantasia to teach him how to perform and sing but without it, would he be discovered? That’s a question we must ask ourselves before we start criticizing the show. There are two sides to everything. On one hand, it is almost sad that the only way young talents can grow and be popular nowadays is through these reality tv-shows. On the other hand, it is even sadder to see young talents NOT being discovered because they can’t find a way to BE discovered. You can be a good singer, even a great one, but you’ll forever be singing at night pubs (just like Zahid) unless you have the connections to be discovered. Some get lucky, like Ezlynn, but most will just chase the dream. These shows give them a platform, although generic in nature and too polished to be raw, that would showcase what they’ve got. I hope and wish that young talents can get the chance to be a star WITHOUT going through these shows, but I also find it a pity that talents are not recognized just because they came through these shows. Don’t be an elitist. If it’s good, it’s good no matter where it came from.
Football season’s back!!! The perennial pretenders, Liverpool and Newcastle, drew their admittedly tough away games to Tottenham and Midboro respectively. I saw snippets of Liverpool’s game (in between breaks during THE concert), and my frank opinion is that they look the same side as last season. Their continued over-dependence on Steven Gerrard as a source of inspiration would make them vulnerable in his absence. If this continues, I can’t see any reason why any of the top three should be worried. Tottenham was impressive in the second half, especially the prodigious talent of Jermaine Defoe, whom I predict would pair up with Rooney in the England squad of the future. Newcastle, despite having to deal with conjunctivitis infections, managed a draw against a new-look, expensively assembled Midboro squad. Respect should be given when it is due, so hats off to Nicky Butt for an impressive opening game in the black and whites. But as so often with Robson’s side, their defense failed to contain a surprising lackluster Boro midfield. I watched this game with Freddie at our regular hangout and I have to say – football’s coming home!!
Now if these two separate paragraphs sounds alien to some of my readers (
Fleur, I suspect, would be disappointed to discover that yes, I’m just the jiwang melayu jock), I apologize. Sometimes it’s just nice to write something that I’M passionate about, instead of just commenting on something that’s beyond me. It’s selfish, I know, and I pray to god that this site doesn’t turn into a personal diary, where love poems are written and “I bought a pen today” is the normal entry. It’s just that sometimes, there’s nothing more satisfying than writing on something you love and if that includes a talent show where talent is secondary, then so be it. Au RevOir
Written on 8/12/2004 01:59:00 am by sikapitan
The Olympics is just a few days away (minus the football prelims) and I’ve been bombarded with ads about the spirit of Olympics by such luminaries like Nelson Mandela and Christopher Reeves, people who have really endured suffering. But they’ve got to spoil the whole dignity of the ad campaign by putting in Avril Lavigne. The only suffering she’s gone through is wondering whether her next single would be a hit or at worse, if her pimple would be gone before that all important performance. I know they’re trying to connect with the younger generation, but it’s just incomprehensible how they equate Skatergirl with the man who freed S. Africa from apartheid or a modern-day icon who have to go through living his life in a wheelchair. She’s not even athletic, unless you consider pretending to skate to be a sport.
And talking about trying to spice up something boring, RtM has just gone through some changes to make it more hip and happening. I think I’ve written something to the effect that RtM has become irrelevant, so I guess somewhere there must have read it (kononnya) and has decided to do something about it. Or it could just be that the “new” people in the “body-that-control-Rtm” like young pretty things. In any case, this is something that should have been done years ago. I’m not saying that they should use only pretty girls as newscasters. I’ve seen their 8 o’clock news program and it still sucks. There seems to be something quaint and antique about the way RtM goes about its work. They seemed stuck in the 1980’s where the phrase digital sounds as foreign as some Yiddish word. Don’t just change the people, change the way you work. As long as its government sponsored, there won’t be any initiative to get away from the 5 coffee breaks a day attitude.
Oh yeah…as my regular readers and friends know, I’ve been staying up late a lot lately, and thankfully I’ve had the pleasure of being accompanied by some great music. I know this isn’t your typical male thing to admit, but there’s a song here that I really like. I don’t know why, it’s not the lyrics but the whole damn thing. It’s infectious I tell you. Screw you Joe for introducing me to Anuar Zain (just kidding).
Kembalilah Kekasih
Sendirian ku di halaman, bulan dan bintang menyaksikan
Perpisahan dua insan tiada rela
Diabadikan bunga merah, menjadi lambing perpisahan
Percintaan dua insan tiada tara
Kini hilang di pandangan, jernih berkaca
Sayu kedengaran, suaramu
It’s quite a struggle to write this in Words because it keeps changing insan to insane.
The thing that I like the most is his delivery. Usually he goes all over the place with that vibrato of his, but this time he’s pretty subdued. Download la kalau hangpa jiwang cam gua. Au revoir.
Written on 8/09/2004 03:53:00 pm by sikapitan
I was at THE reunion yesterday. It was confusing at first because I really didn’t recognize anyone and it’s safe to say nobody recognized me either, I think. At first I was a bit disappointed that not many from my class was there, but then I realized that if the place’s brimming with ex-PRIMARY-schoolmate, I would experience sensory-overload and crash my already overworked brain. I’ve got some feedback from my last entry, especially from the ladies, who are pretty much critical about the physical aspect of reunion. I couldn’t help but notice that some of the ladies (actually all laa) went to all the trouble of getting dressed-up or dressed-down (it’s an effort to be casually good I tell you).
As the event wore on, I started recognizing faces. What’s amazing is that I don’t remember their names but I can remember exactly how they look like 9 years ago (has it been THAT long?). I remember you, over there, who showed your fancy ninja turtle moves when we were in standard 3 and you, over there, who played ‘conquer’ with me in class. I’m really sorry to those that I can’t really place their name, and I know that I’m not the only one with this problem. I’m sure most of you don’t remember mine as well. So what do I get from going? Forget about meeting girls (half the guys are there for that reason and that reason only- hehe..wa tau sapa lu orang:P), my gf’s friend was there with me as my chaperone:P (so does that mean if she wasn’t there I would have….no laaaa..just kidding). Nor did I manage to learn anything new about anyone, or get some business contacts, or discovered that I actually have a half-cousin from Kelantan. My stomach wasn’t filled, in case you’re wondering, and I didn’t manage to win anything. So what did I get? A reminder that life’s unpredictable, that you never know who you’ll be and be with. A flashback to innocent days, where we can dress how we want, talk how we want and fart all we want. So kudos to seedake and the whole bunch that made this possible. I respect the effort and dedication to making this come true. I simply wouldn’t have bothered.
Why the long wait?
Yeap, it’s been a while ladies and gentleman. It’s been so long that I guess no one’s bothered to drop by. No problem, it’s my bad. I’ve been stuck in ISO hell for the past one and a half weeks. Huh? Well, apparently, in an attempt to be some ISO compliant, my faculty must submit mid-term reports and assessment (meaning tests and assignments) before a certain date. What this means to me is that a week before holidays I’m stuck with a shitload of work. Last week was the worst, with 4 tests and 2 assignments all due in the same week, and being a procrastinator, I’ve managed to cram everything up my ass at the very last moment. I managed of course, but at the expense of my social life, which isn’t much to begin with but exist nonetheless. Already short-tempered in nature, I was ready to bite the head off anyone who dares to enter “the zone”. Sorry if I pissed off anyone- but they don’t read this blog anyway so why bother, right?
Written on 7/28/2004 11:45:00 pm by sikapitan
Argh...what is it with reunions that cause me to shrivel in fear and yet subconciously excited? I recently received a call from an old PRIMARY (yes, the period where suria perkasa hitam is cool and shitting in your pants is the norm) schoolmate (sorry dude, but I can't remember who the heck are you- maybe when we meet ya?) telling me that he and a few other guys are planning to hold a reunion of Sri Subang Jaya batch of '94 or was it '95 (std. 6 la kan). At first all I wanted to do was to just ignore the whole program and lay low like I always do.
SoMeTiMeS I feel that reunions serves no better purpose than to remind us of how we suck at football or how we were fat. Hey, that ain't so bad. At least it's better than someone saying "la dulu kurus keding..sekarang dah berapa bulan ngandung". And what about former gf and crushes? Fortunately (or unfortunately) I'll never face that problem in a primary school reunion. I was busy playing kejar-kejar and fantasizing being a ninja to ever be bothered with such matters. But I know of people who do. Thankfully, most will probably forget why they ever got involve in such relationship in the first place. Let's not forget the old arch enemy. The guy who stole your lunch money, or YOU stole from him. It'll be awkward to smile and pretend to be nice to each other when your impression of him/her is still stuck circa '95. Finally, I really hate reunions (or meeting anyone from the past for that matter) because I'm really bad at remembering names. I can remember the faces of the students in my kindergarten, but I'm still having problem remembering the names of my current coursemates, let alone those from primary school.
So you might assume from the above that I'm about to ditch the whole idea of meeting these people. Wrong. Despite my obvious discomfort at being in a room full of strangers pretending NOT to be strangers, I kind of find it exciting. Maybe there's one or two ugly duckling syndrome (typical male thoughts). More importantly, I had some great moments in primary school with some great friends, but I've lost contact with many of them. Maybe when we meet we'll no longer be as jovial and carefree and relaxed with each other but there's always a chance that we still have that spark, that glint in the eye that will stir me up from the slumber I'm in right now. Or perhaps even business opportunity or just some more footballing buddies.
However I sincerely doubt that I'll be that lucky. Most probably I'll be holding a glass of coke in my hand while listening to that annoying S.O.B from the next class talking endlessly about how cool his London pad is and how they have summer breaks to enjoy sightseeing Portugal and such. I'll be cursing under a fake smile as wide as the equator. Au revoir.
Written on 7/22/2004 12:18:00 am by sikapitan
Last week I met one of my oldest friends whose back here in Malaysia for his summer holidays. He’s absolutely brilliant. Currently studying law in UK, he’s also the Malaysian Law Society president (or something big like that- I might be wrong) and is a prominent representative of Malaysians in their student parliament. I hereby predict that Wan Mohd Firdaus will one day become a “somebody”- though I hope it’s not for killing anyone.
What was interesting was the conversation we had while having dinner. Looking at me, he asked how Law School in ITM is. Unlike some people, I just gave my frank opinion – it’s all about chicks, football, gossips and a smattering of studying. In other words, it’s 5 years of cruising down the highway to a degree. Really, even if you take somebody serious and asked them what significant thing they have done for today, you’ll be hard pressed to find a good answer. Yeah, it’s a bit of a torture nearing finals but when I look at most of the course mates they’re pretty much relaxed most of the time. We don’t engage in discussions, we don’t voice our opinions. While my friend’s busy asking for more rooms for Malaysians in hostel, I’m here watching Samarinda on TV3. But hey, if the world’s made up of straight jack, then we will all be bored to death.
What have our elected representative done for us today?
Do you know who our Law Society president is? Don’t ask me, I’ve never even been involved in ANY one of the many student council elections that has come and go every year. My friend mentioned the fact that compared to U.K, the student councils here are pretty much insignificant and I can’t help but nod along. It’s true. Our councils are bound by regulations and ethics that in effect prohibit questioning the authority. Thus, as years go by, the students generally regard such councils as merely faculty deckhands that are only good to organize parties and such. While this might seem unfair to those elected (and we have to doubt the validity or importance of such election when the turnout rate have never reached beyond 50%) I cannot find any reason to change my belief. The more pertinent issues like parking space and lack of classrooms should be fought for by our student council. Even misconduct or inappropriate behavior of lecturers should be brought forward by our elected rep. Instead, there’s a feeling of resigned bitterness over how sadly the institution chose to neglect student’s sentiment. It is only power when you not only have the capability but also the will to exercise it.
Now some might reflect on this and say, “So what the heck are YOU doing?”. Well, I’m not really council material. Skipped classes, late assignments, improper attire – hallmarks of the truly undergrounduate. Then they’ll say, “Jangan cakap banyak la cam tuh”. If that’s the attitude then sadly I can’t see the point of even having a council. Do you see 50 000 people on the pitch kicking the ball for Man Utd? Do you see 1 000 people at a concert singing on stage? My point is that once you choose to be in a position of power or prominence, then you’re subject to criticism like mine. Not everyone should be student leader, but does that mean that the current student leader is better than the rest? I can see some very talented individuals, whom I believe would be able to lead us further, disinterested in campus elections because of bureaucratic red-tape and lack of purpose of the current student body.
And you can interpret this article and expand it to include any elected representatives, I don’t mind. Just don’t say I’m criticizing the government. I prefer to sleep on a comfortable bed, thank you. Au revoir.
Written on 7/17/2004 11:54:00 pm by sikapitan
It’s been an interesting, though not in the happy sense, week in terms of news and events. The Datuk Norjan murder trial is getting weirder and weirder, what with “massaging” private parts and missing condoms getting centre stage. What’s weird is the fact that these revelations did not get on the main page. Perhaps the thought of the deceased (no disrespect intended) or any other party in this weird “ménage a trois” engaged in any act remotely sexual doesn’t turn people on as the more attractive and glamorous Noritta does. Pity, because it just goes to show that you shouldn’t really judge a book by its cover. Wearing a headscarf doesn’t really make you a better person. Ah, I can hear the girls in the tube tops and hot pants chanting my name. Before you guys think that I’m a supporter of the “let’s-not-wear-tudung” gang, I would like to state that in my opinion, it’s better to AT LEAST do something right, to the best of your ability, even if you’re not perfect (go figure). Interesting question: two girls, of equal standing, one wearing tudung while the other’s not, are holding their boyfriends’ hands. Is it better to be hypocritical or is it better to just don’t do anything at all?
By the way, I don’t know if I’m missing something here (maybe one of those days where I forgot to read the news or watch tv) but have the police arrested anyone yet in connection to the murder of Darren Kang? I know they have detained some but please enlighten me as to why it seems like the case is heading towards the “memory lane”.
If you guys want some real hardcore election, then forget the General Election and instead focus on the real deal: UMNO. Unlike our General Election which is governed by the EC, party elections are by far and large governed by internal mechanism thus there’s a lot more jostling and politicking. Sometimes it appears that the democracy within UMNO itself is more apparent than in our General Election.
On a more personal note: Today was a very tiring day for me. Heck, this whole week has been pretty hectic. Football practices, fortunately or unfortunately, has been cancelled for the past few days as the rainy spell continues unabated. In the middle of it all, my friend asked me to join him in performing during some party. What’s worse was the fact that I only found out about it on Wednesday while the party was on Friday. As it was last minute, we decided to just use a solo guitarist and the two of us would sing. So I just chose a song that both me and my guitarist can play and practiced the night before the function. When the day arrived, we were shocked when our guitarist said he couldn’t play as he was in mourning over the death of somebody close to him. We understood, and I resigned myself to just enjoying the rest of the show with my mates. Out of the blue, we found another guitarist who could play my song. I should’ve known better than to perform like this. I sucked big time. Well, tough luck. Then there was the Inter-Faculty Sports Meet and I have given up hope of even being in the squad of 16, never mind the starting eleven. But this morning, for our first game against Computer Science, I was surprised yet again when I started as a right-back. Unfortunately, just like my singing the day before, I sucked big time. The lack of experience in playing in a big field, for a big team, in a big tournament clearly showed as I misplaced simple passes and positioned myself all wrong. Heck, I’m lucky if he even puts me in the subs bench for Sunday’s game (today I guess).
To summarize, it’s been an eventful, yet flawed week for me. Au revoir.
Written on 7/14/2004 12:56:00 am by sikapitan
Let me just start by saying that the weather is playing tricks on us again. Why? Only a few weeks ago drought was predicted by our Meteorological Department (me thinks) which would lead to a nationwide water shortage, causing cars to be dirtier than ever and increasing the sale of deodorants. When the news first came out, my immediate reaction was “here we go again”. I mean, it has become something akin to a joke the way we, especially here in Urban Central, become so dependant on the weather for something as essential as water. I would prefer not having to wait outside my gate for the tankers to come in my singlet to collect oily water (like the last time a major shortage occurred) than being able to go to the tallest building in the world (for which in reality I’ve never been to, since Suria KLCC is not realllllyyy the tallest building right?). But hey, who am I to tell our leaders where our priorities lie?
Back to the weather. It’s been raining for the past few days (and in fact it started last week), causing havoc to football pitches all over Shah Alam. We can’t train properly, and I fear that when the Inter-Fac Sports meet begins, we’ll be too far off the ideal fitness level to emulate last year’s batch that went all the way to the finals. My point is this: Don’t believe the weatherman (and I’m not talking about the weather only- go figure).
Interesting letter of opinion I read in yesterday’s newspaper pointing out the fact that there are more policemen conducting speed traps at night than there are patrolling ‘hotspots’. This letter was written in light of the murder of Darren in Uncle Don, Hartamas. Of course, this opinion cannot be substantiated by any actual statistics but the perception among the more “alert” members of society is that our law-enforcement agencies have got their priorities all wrong. Maybe it’s too harsh to blame our police force, which is already beleaguered by lack of manpower and resources, but if not them, then who? Perhaps our education system needs to be reviewed in relation to the rising number of youths involved in crimes? Or our own moral values which has become increasing contradictory to the so-called Asian mindset? A thorough research is needed to properly understand the socio-economic impact of modernism to our distinctly unique multi-racial community. Is the law adequate or does the problem lies in enforcement of such rules? The government must also take a more measured approach before announcing any policies to avoid waste and ineffectiveness. For example, there was a period last year where there was a big hu-ha over tinted cars and the police went all out to nab these “culprits”. Then, within a few months, there was the crackdown on VCD sellers, which has since subsided.
My point is that there shouldn’t be knee-jerk reaction for every situation. The recent spate of snatch thefts (the situation) have resulted in increased police patrols in high-crime areas (the reaction). However, the police cannot cope with such demanding schedule which drains precious manpower and resources. Has anyone considered making proper sidewalks for pedestrian that is guarded by concrete slabs? Certainly in Subang the amount of money spent on “beautification” and “taman millennium” is more than the cost of securing the pavements of the residential areas. These would deter motorcycle snatch thieves who prowls area where pedestrians have to walk so close to the road.
Ahh..well…till we all take the time to stop and think…I bid you all goodbye.
Au revoir.
Written on 7/11/2004 11:19:00 pm by sikapitan
Sorry boys and girls..it's been a struggle since the last entry to find time, and to get the comp up and running again so i can update the blog. By now, i bet no one's visiting this site..sorry for not at least informing you guys of the situation.So many things happening all over the world and at home to talk about.
Uncle Don King
Ahh..certainly the murder of Darren caused plenty of unease amongst Malaysians, especially urban folks.The thought that one could get beaten to death in the open at a popular hangout would have sent shivers down the spine of all mothers of teenagers living in the Klang Valley.
"Ma,mi gi main bola ni ar..kul 12 habis..."
"No."
"Why??"
"Nanti gaduh."And that was that.Leceh betul.Like when stories of teen drivers killed in horrific car crashes flood the front pages of our local dailies, my mom would stop me from driving at night..etc2..leceh!
If only she knew of the time when every dinnertime was spent eating at Uncle Don and every supper was nasi lemak spicy (now no longer there i heard).When i was 'porting' in KJ with my fren, his cousin used to bring us to Hartamas almost everyday to meet all sorts of ppl.
Families still go there,but the loud booming music from the deafening speakers made it impossible for them to enjoy their food.And talking about food, the food at UD has, at least in my opinion, shrunk in terms of portion and quality.
So why do we kids go there?
My theory: First, the place was filled with yuppies and rich ppl wanting some quality mamak style flavour but in a cooler, more exclusive environment. They then bring along their gf, which most of the time are pretty attractive. This then led to cool dudes (u know,guys in tight tees,scruffy hair,rock star look which girls adore) frequenting the place to catch a bit of action. Girls who want to attract these cool dudes then flood the place, creating a domino effect. Guys hear stories about the place being filled with hotchicks,so they go there in droves.Suddenly, the place is packed every nite till the early hours.The rempits start coming, the girls start getting annoyed and leaving etc2. I gave up a long time ago, preferring the quiter ambience of Spicy just a stone's throw away from UD. Plus, the nasi lemak ayam there boleh layan la. Then they start opening clubs and some foodcourt shit,and the place just became too messy. The last time I was in Hartamas was mid-last year. Too many wannabes i guess.
Back to Darren and the beatings.Maybe I'm being crazy and all that, but i really believe that if you really care for the safety of any girl, don't bring them out after midnight and especially to places like Hartamas (or any other hi-profile places la..u know what i mean). You're just attracting attention, and attention is a dangerous thing in this world today. I've had my experiences of being starecocked at and starecocking (if such words exist,it is merely colloquial)so i advise you folks to just stay at home la kan? We Malaysians, especially the guys, are a 'jakun' lot. We like to stare at girls, especially if they're dressed sexily.
The evolution in fashion has outpaced the evolution of the mind of the typical Malaysian men.We still find the merest hint of thigh attractive, what more of spaghetti straps etc2.The girls may want to look like 'maksalleh' but they don't realize that the guys are not thinking like maksalleh. So if you can't stand ppl staring at your gf, just chill at home and go on dates during the day, and don't go looking for trouble.We don't know how far did the guys go into provoking Darren, and whether Darren really is as innocent as he's portrayed by the media.Some guys are just too hot-tempered, especially when it comes to their gf.Whatever it is, it is still inexcusable that the fight went on to the extent of serious bodily injury. What were the other patrons doing? But then, if i was there, i would have just kept quiet and watched the free show. Call it apathy, call it lack of moral conscience, but when you're questioned for six hours by the police just for bringing an injured guy to a hospital, it just proves the old maxim that nice guys finish last.
Greet the greeks (huh?)
Yeah well, what an anticlimax. After brilliant displays of attacking football and technical skills by most teams throughout the tournament, the team with the most fundamental of tactics won.Get a solid sweeper and agile stopper, put in athletic man markers in midfield and packed up the centre of the goal when defending, and you've got yourself something similar to Otto's team. Credit where it's due, i respect Otto for recognising that there's more to modern football tactics than just placing players in where you think they play best (hint hint to messr sven). There must be a deep understanding of your opponents but more importantly, your own abilities.Unfortunately, i hope that teams don't stop playing attacking football just because of such freak result. It must be noted that 3 out of 4 semifinalists plays attacking football (Czech,Portuguese and Dutch). Imagine if the Dutch side plays like Greece. They'll be unbeatable sure, but whether they can beat anyone..that's another story now isn't it?
i TOLD you so
Hahh...misslopez...kakjas...told u guys that kaer's soft..tak caya..told you he got a limited vocal range..tak caya..told you he shouldn't win..tak caya..told you he cheated in the previous concert..tak caya...so who's right now????????? Last week's concert he showed his soft side through that incriminating footage when he was a kid and this week he just showed you that his vocal range is about one octave (or something like that..).Trust me when it comes to akademi fantasia. Kekeke. And what about Mas? What did i say about this early favourite? Limited ability, bad attitude, lucky to have two kids to play as an angle for sympathy (mean but honestly truthful).Proven? Definitely. Murdered Kylie's Can'TgETyOUoUtOfMyHeAD. And linda..oh linda...what a pity. No self-confidence in her own ability..not truly focused on the task at hand. Who's my favourite from week one? Zahid. And where is he now? At the top of the chart. I told you so...
Thanks for the support and encouragement. Missing you guys. Neways, all apologies for any grammatical error (mesti ada nyer). It's been a while. Need to get my groove back.
Written on 6/26/2004 11:31:00 am by sikapitan
It rained yesterday here in USJ.The mildest drops of liquid from the sky,smack in the middle of friday prayers.It was a short affair,lasting no more than five minutes,but the more pressing matter is the quality of the raindrops falling on our heads.Just looking at my car after the "attack" was enough to convince me that we shouldn't dance in the rain just yet. The haze situation enveloping our nation has made the air quality so bad that the merest raindrop carries with it countless dirt particles.My car, which was in "pristine" condition (kkkeke..bukan saya cuci pun),turned into a "contractor's car" (you know..all dirt and stuff). What's more alarming is the thickness of the dried dirt on the car's surface.Imagine it drying up in our hair,seeping through our skin.What's worse is the fact that we can't predict it's going to rain or not because the sky's hazy all day long.
It would be helpful if we know what our Air Pollution Index is like.The Air Pollution Index is an international standard to measure air quality, with 0 being the healthiest and above 300 being "you're better of smoking". Oh wait, our API is part of classified documents covered by the Official Secrets Act now isn't it? Now why would they want to classify that? Go figure, but I wouldn't hang out at Coffee Bean too much if I were you.
Euro drama
After the hotly-contested and very very entertaining Quarter-final encounter between England and Portugal yesterday (see previous entry for some emotional,poyo account of the match), today's match appears sombre in contrast.If yesterday's match was Jessica Simpson, France v. Greece was Lisa Simpson. It got so boring that I slept after 10 minutes.Actually I was dead beat tired after a heavy dinner with the staffs and some karaoke after that. All I know about the game was that France, the reigning champion,has bowed out of the competition. One solitary goal by the Greeks were enough to dispose of the pre-tournament favourite. I've always said that in modern football, tactical intelligence,hard-work and a high-fitness level can stifle the most creative of endeavours.
And what's with TV3 and their QUATER-FINAL. Where's the R? If a famous national TV station can make such simple mistake, is it any wonder that we have people spelling Necklace as Neckless?
Akademi Fantasia
Haha..yesterday Kaer was reprimanded by Ramli M.S for bringing too much RnB feel into an a-go-go song.I smelled that he was a one-trick pony from the very first concert (Read the review in entry entitled Heaven In TVland). The second concert (for which I didn't have time to really write a review), where he sang Zainal's Ikhlas Tapi Jauh, again saw him slithering his way out of the high-pitch required in the chorus but nobody noticed it because of his wonderful tone. I like his voice, it has a very urban quality about it, and his whole package is saleable. But he can't keep on turning every sound around to suit his voice, for that would mean that there'll be no improvement. Don't compare him with Vince. Vince made every song his,yes, but at the same time the melody was never lost. I just hope that sooner rather later, everyone can take out the blinds covering their eyes (or more accurately, the cotton buds out of their eardrums) and recognize Kaer for what he really is - a nice,sensitive,spoilt,formerly soft (i have a theory about that) guy with wonderful tone BUT limited range. I really want him to do well, because of the simple fact that Malaysia don't need another soapy balladist in the mould of the oh-so-sickening Khai. He needs to be brave enough to tackle the notes. Oh yeah, could somebody just smack the annoying Anding out of the house.
Written on 6/25/2004 12:38:00 pm by sikapitan
And so the quest has ended. The struggle against all bad and evil has perished in the cruelest way possible. The shining knights in white failed to summon up their spirit and were duly dispatched by an enemy stronger in character, more willing to attack. While the blood spilling on the field cannot be dismissed so easily, it is the plunge of the swords into the hearts of millions of dreamers that cannot be forgotten. We had a dream. A dream of glory and immortality. And for most of the battle that dream was still alive, thriving in fact. And when the enemy’s knight of all knights left the battlefield looking befuddled and weary, we were chanting our heroes, believing that perhaps finally, they may fight another battle and go on to lift the souls of their believers. But as so often the case with this nation, hindsight rather than foresight rules the battle plan. When the young warrior drew first blood so early in the battle, despite losing their most prized fighter so early in the game, there was hope of a massacre. However, the general, astute though he may be in bedding the fair ladies and double-dealing, cannot conjure up the necessary tactical know-how to seize on the moment.
Instead, the knights were forced against the wall, fending off waves after waves of attack. The enemy’s own prodigal son, the latest of a long line of skillful fighter, were suitably subdued by the pace and ferocity of the black knight manning the left flank. As the enemy moved in for the kill, the general thought it would be wise to pull their most gifted swordsman in place of a water carrier, thinking perhaps the best way to win is to defend. Another brave, strong-willed knight was withdrawn near the end of the battle. For those believers up in the hills looking down on the battle, it represents the most cowardly of act, and disastrous in nature. The impetus so long missing from the knights was now truly lost. It is inevitable that the attacks by the enemies would breach the mighty walls guarding the sacred ground behind a thin white line. And when it burst, the enemy had no less than 6 attackers surrounding our besieged heroes. The merest of swordplay cut the hearts of the believers so deep that they never recovered.
The momentum clearly on the enemy, they moved in for the kill. And it took an old enemy to show what it’s like to attack forcefully, shrugging off a weak resistance by the water carrier, before striking the sword with such venom that the wall almost burst. The dream looked as if it’ll end right then and there, but somehow, our heroes managed to draw blood, right at the death. The dream was still alive.
The warriors, battle-weary and all, had to summon their nerves for the most honorable and simplest way to end the battle- a jousting competition. Their captain was the man they look for inspiration. A man used to attention and pressure. Handsome, dashing, hard-working - he represents the most ideal of all leaders of man. And yet his talent, plenty though they may be, was never impressive in its essence. On this night, he failed yet again, missing the target by miles. Dreamers despair. Enemies rejoice. But when the man who so forcefully drew second blood for the enemy missed, we had reason to hope. In the end, it could not be avoided. The more talented and worthy opponents won the battle. Some might say jousting is unfair as it represents more of luck than skill. But for me, it is the ultimate of all battles, where the sum of a person can be measured. One on one, with the weight of a nation on your shoulder, surely nothing else can compare to the drama and excitement of it. Is he a hero, or merely a warrior? On this night, at the end of the battle of all battles, the heroes are not wearing the whites of England.
Well, at least now my predictions aren’t as far-off as I feared it might be, what with Italy already out of the tournament. What, you didn’t know I was talking about football? Tsk tsk. Go figure.
p/s: It was fun watching the game with the footie mates.There was never a dull moment.Thanks guys
Written on 6/22/2004 01:13:00 pm by sikapitan
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Hazy Days...Thursday Friday Hazy Days...Saturday Sunday Hazy Days..oh what a way, to start my day, sucking it with you! These days are daa daa daa darrkkk..OH HAZY DAYS..these days are daaa daa daa daaarrkkk (sung to the tune of Happy Days from the show..HAPPY DAYS LAAA!)
Yea well,that is the perfect example of why i'm still stuck at home writing lyrics in a blog instead of a studio writing a hit for Siti.iT SUCKS, but so do this current haze situation enveloping Kuala Lumpur.
I'm sorry for not updating the blog for quite some time, although i know that most of my readers are probably busy with the start of the new semester. I was busy the past weekend, spending 3 days at Genting for my company's convention. Even missed out on football (too tired) and Akademi Fantasia (heard it was great).
I got back yesterday morning and was shocked to find the mist at the top of Genting following me down to KL! No, seriously, I didn't think much of it at first because I was used to seeing "kabus" at Genting every day. But as soon as I rolled down my car window to pay the toll, the unmistakable smell of fumes and smoke filled my lungs. Oh,not again!
We had this major haze problem a few years back, and the pharmacies' made a killing selling face mask. I remember one kid coming to school with those military type of gas-mask, and if this current spell continues it wouldn't be long before you start having trouble recognizing people in the street (because they're all wearing face mask)! Girls with moustache can breath a sigh of relief (yea, i'm pretty mean). So do bank robbers or any other crook for that matter.
Only when we're faced with thousands of masked men and women that we appreciate the power of facial expressions. It's hard to judge what another person is thinking if we can't see his face. Can we sue the Indon government for this crime against mother nature?
On a more personal note,I've started my new sem in UiTM in typical fashion- i skipped my first class on the first day and i promise this won't be the last time. See, I don't really enjoy lectures that much because I can't see the board without contacts and I find the monotous drone of lectures to be utterly boring. I skipped one too many classes every sem, and last sem i got into trouble with one lecturer. I can be naive and say that "this is not high-school, you cannot force us to go..." but there's a reason for taking down attendance. I accept that fact. I know it's wrong to skip class, and it could be detrimental to my education future. But that's the forbidden fruit for me and you know what they say about forbidden fruit- The more you can't get it, the more you want it.
Written on 6/17/2004 09:10:00 pm by sikapitan
Or should I insist on the U (for university) part. tODAY is the registration day for the new semester and typically, it wasn't smooth sailing.
First of all,the place was jam-packed with cars from States all over Malaysia. Typical of the Admin to lump in everything over the course of a few days when in fact we've had 3 months of holidays and that the NS trainees were gone weeks ago. Can't they like register us 5 days earlier and avoid the hassle of traffic jams? And if you've never been to UiTM, you cannot imagine the difficulties of a jam INSIDE ITM. ITm was founded eons ago, when dinosaurs still exist (hahah), on some mountain. Now, perhaps the builders were thinking of some nice green pasture with beautiful flora and fauna for us to study in, but they never thought that by the time their children goes to itm, they'll be driving cars. The problem lies in the fact that the road system in ITM cannot be expanded like other universities located on flatlands. Nowadays, there are more (lots more) student driving than lecturers. The rate of wealth accumulation by Malays are not proportionate to the rate of development in ITM. Simply put, we cannot cope with the number of vehicles in ITM. I was lucky in that I arrived earlier than the others (earlier than i imagined-subang was relatively jam free at 9). But on the way out, the picture was less than rosy. An old Datsun broke down by the side of the main road in ITM, turning it into a single lane. Now, if being in a jam isn't bad enough, you've got to imagine being in a jam ON a hill.Thank god for automatic transmission:P
Furthermore, what's the point of online registration if you've still got to go and queue up for someone's signature? Fine, if there's a need to check, I understand. But the point of online registration is to allow the students to register WITHOUT going to register, geddit? Basically, the online registration was only to confirm that you're still in the Uni. But on the bright sight, the Q was much shorter and it wasn't as bad as last sem, where the Admin made a mockery out of the whole concept of pre-registration.
Movie Review: Honey
Hey, start of a new sem means I get to see my gf! So we did the typical thing and went to catch a movie at OU.
wHY do people react differently when you shop with your gf? They don't stare as much, which makes it easier for me to pick out clothes. When I'm out with my mates,I try to avoid getting anything or if I do I would rush simply because it's weird to ask your guy mate to wait in front of the fitting room. Hey, i'm homophobic.
Oh,we decided to watch Honey. Actually, I persuaded her to watch it, saying that Riddick and Punisher would be too violentwhen in fact I wanted to see it for one reason and one reason only- Jessica Alba.
To sum up the movie - the longest video clip ever. The whole movie's about hiphop dancing and phat beats. Thankfully I enjoy hiphop and dance, so it wasn't much of a bore.But the storyline's mediocre, more suited to Hallmark than HBO. But it's got a great soundtrack though, and the choreography is pretty tight.
At the end of it all,there's only one reason and one reason only to catch this movie - Jessica Alba. She's superchun.Enuff said.
Au ReVoir
Written on 6/14/2004 03:02:00 pm by sikapitan
The last weekend was great if you’re a fan of Malaysian television. We have slowly emerged from the doldrums of typical Malay programming to the age of interactive TV. When Astro came to the scene, it was seen as merely to supplant the normal terrestrial TV because of lack of local content. But the past few years have seen Astro slowly increasing not only the amount but more importantly, the quality of its in-house programs with smart marketing strategy and creative take on Malay shows. Suddenly, ‘free TV’ is no longer the first choice (local content=Malay shows) and people prefer Ria to RtM or TV3. The emergence of new, funky TV stations like ntv7 and 8tv added more competition in this field. That’s good news for consumers like us. While RtM is still sticking to its sickly kampong Bintang RtM; Astro’s jewel in the crown Akademi Fantasia, ntv7’s copycat Auditions, and now 8tv’s Malaysian Idol has raised the stake for all the stations, offering interactivity and more importantly, the addictive factor.
And if that’s not enough, the past weekend saw the start of Euro 2004, arguably the second most-watched football tournament after the World Cup. So to summarize the past weekend, today’s entry will probably be one of the longest ever, encompassing three TV events this past weekend, in the order of appearance.
I thought we were a shy lot…
I always thought that Malaysians are more reserved than our Western counterparts. We are pretty shy when it comes to showing off our talents and such. I mean, when I was in high-school, if the teacher asked someone from the class who’s interested in singing the national anthem during assembly, the only reaction she’ll get is silence even though half the class harbors hope of being the next Mariah or even Misha. But judging from the lot who goes to audition for Malaysian Idol, we are as shameless as the worst American Idol could offer.
I’m talking about the funny dudes and dudettes who tried to sing but only managed to make us squirm, or in my case, laugh my ass off. What were they thinking? Surely they would know that they sound as bad as my cat when she’s hungry. I would have thought the broken mirrors and glasses at their house would give them the clue that they can’t sing if their life depends on it. But hey, it makes for great TV. It wouldn’t be funny if everyone there can sing like Siti now would it? I think that somewhere in our heart, we have this desire to see others foul up, if you catch my drift. It brings confidence to us. Why else do you think we like watching America’s Funniest Home Video or Punk’d? It brings us temporary closure for our insecurities. We rejoice at other people’s foolishness. Hey, it’s just my psycho-analysis that’s most probably crap anyway.
I’m actually not concerned with the fools who can’t sing in Malaysian Idol. I think the judges are not up to par. Roslan Aziz is supposed to act like the Simon of the group, being mean and all, but I think he sometimes goes toooo far, if that’s possible. While Simon IS mean, his comments are actually truthful and honest. Roslan not only appears to try too hard to say mean things (but apparently, he’s that type of person), he seems hell-bent on destroying the confidence of the contestants even BEFORE they sang. Let’s not start with Fauziah Latiff, cute though she is. Merely smiling and saying “I have to say no” is not good enough! At least the MakSalleh dude seems to know what he’s doing.
But hey, maybe I’ll grow to like them.
AFUNDI Aznil…
Dah demam? The much-hyped about second season of Akademi Fantasia is truly underway after the first concert last Saturday. Held at the MPPJ Hall, the show is grander and more elaborate compared to the first. However, I’m surprised that there are a few bits of empty seats. Did Astro miscalculate when they decided to swell their coffers by charging RM20 for entry? I think that they should pace themselves better next time, rather than lumping every profit-driven ideas into this season. Not only are they making MALAY youths waste their money on the whole SMS chat thing in channel 15, now they charging twice the price of a movie ticket to catch THEIR show. I mean, 20 bucks might not seem much to most readers, but try being the family to one of the contestants. 5 family members equal RM100 per week, spread out over an average of 4 weeks would mean 400 per month, not inclusive of traveling fare and more importantly, prepaid top-ups! But hey, just milk the cow while she’s still there.
It started on the wrong note when due to technical foul-ups the show was delayed by 15 minutes. My relatives, who coincidentally were visiting us from Penang, were ready to start a riot! My grandma asked me to call Astro, while my family was busy keeping things calm. Hey, so they’ve got the fever. But once it started, everyone kept quiet and concentrated on the proceedings.
AZNIL is one of the best when it comes to hosting such events. Seriously, he’s damn witty and can come up with spontaneous jokes and banter with the audience- all key elements to make a show enjoyable. I can’t believe they consider putting in the flabby Cit-Cat Azwan. The panel of critics for the night includes Rashid Sibir (the man who brought us the awfully melodramatic Pondok Buruk drama and over-hyped-but-disappointing Laila Isabella), Awie (former ‘Hero Sepanjang Zaman’ and ex-boyfriend to my ex…hahah) and finally Kudsia Kahar (so if she can comment on the contestants, why shouldn’t I?),
Farah
The show started off with this lady from KL singing Seandainya Masih Ada Cinta. I always thought that she has a great voice, but on that night, she was pretty disappointing. The problem is in her pacing. She peaked too early in the first chorus, leaving no higher note for the standard ‘menjerit’ final chorus. Plus, her voice didn’t cut through during the verses, leaving me wondering what the heck she’s singing about. Pity, because I think she has potential. And who the heck gave her those pants?
Zahid
Personal favorite simply because he’s the least soft among the guys. His strongest attribute-laidback attitude and cheeky character- is also his drawback. Singing Percayakan Siti, he controlled the stage like a pro, knowing where to look and when, but his playful character resulted in him losing concentration when singing. I like him because he seems as honest as anyone who knows there are cameras everywhere recording your moves can be. I think he can sing better though.
Zarina
Now, for those who are confused with Aznil’s banter with her that night, let me try to put some idea into your head. As rumors have it, she was Khai’s gf before that Panasonic guy entered AF last season and became a buaya. Her entry into this season’s Akademi was “guaranteed” as “compensation” for Khai leaving her. Personally, I think Khai sucks. He doesn’t have a great voice and he looks more like Yusri Che Lah than Yusry KRU so she shouldn’t think too much about it and get on with her life. Singing Mencintaimu by KrisDayanti, she showed tremendous vocal power and control. This is what Farah was lacking. Zarina understood the concept of pacing yourself for the final chorus instead of hitting the high-notes so early in the song. Unfortunately, I sense a little arrogance and ego in her, but hey, I’m arrogant and egoistic as well!
Bob
Yea yea, he sang well. In fact, he sang brilliantly. But I can’t get over my perception that he sometimes hams it up in front of the camera in the Diari Akademi to attract votes. If that’s his natural character, then I don’t like his natural character. I don’t like it when people order others to do this and that, or simply be a busybody, which is how I view dude. Sorry.
Edlin
Singing Bintang Hati, she was nervous and frankly speaking, can’t compare with the rest of the girls. Plus, she keeps on crying during the Diari shows that I simply loath the sight of her. I mean, you know that cameras are everywhere, so why must you be the drama queen and pour your heart out at places where it’s obvious there’s gonna be a camera? To get votes perhaps?Pretty? Haih, how one man’s Picasso can be another’s Pistachio.
Fitri
Poyo. That’s how I would describe this softy. With his over-enthusiastic dance move, the song Jerat was destined to be murdered by this fashion designer. Too concerned with appearance, not only during concert but also everyday till it becomes a hindrance to his talent for singing. His whole persona is fake, too deliberate. A great song was totally reduced to the level of Tora-tora commercial with his jiggling shoulders and shaking hairdo.
Nurul
I feared for this girl because she didn’t sound too good during Friday’s rehearsal. But she aced it during the concert. Singin Sejakku Bertemu Padamu, she showed great stage presence, wonderful dancing ability and surprisingly, confidence. This is what they call “kecik-kecik cili padi”. She should word harder at controlling her emotions in Diari if she wants to go far.
Anding
This is another one that I really hate. Not only he’s soft, he’s damn fake as well. He made Jika Kau Bercinta Lagi sound like some rock opera, what with his fake deep voice and dance moves. Dude, you’re singing the rock version so stop being a boy band. Like Fitri, he controls himself too much till it looks unnatural. Forget about the singing because he’s the worst after Fitri. Failure to control pitching and bad adlibbing cost him dearly. One that I wouldn’t want to see not only in Akademi but anywhere as well!
Mas
Not the sharpest of character this Mas, but her foolishness and blurness makes her a crowd favourite. Singing Permata Biru, she showed great character and determination. But like Kudsia said, what if she was given a mellower tune?
Adam
Future member of KRU? Sounds like Yusry, dresses like them….10 years ago! Not enough originality, from his voice to his style. Trying to hard to succeed can have a reverse effect in that you’re not seen as genuine enough. But I think he’s honestly doing what he thinks is good for himself so I’ll give him credit for that. Vocally, the song Lafazkanlah is not enough of a challenge for him, yet he still makes pitching mistakes. Plus, he should properly think out the moves for the whole song because sometimes the sequence looks disjointed.
Linda
Brilliant vocals to a difficult song. Still having trouble with the tempo, but give her a ballad and she’ll bring everyone to the cleaners! Set to stay, not only because she’s talented, but because of her attitude. She gets on with her work and stayed away from all the melodrama. Cool.
Kaer
My sis’s favorite. Seriously, this is one spoilt child. He’s exactly like someone I know a long time ago. In fact, I sense a little bit of softness in his character. But attitude wise, he’s up there with Linda and Adam. Working hard and let the drama unfolds itself. The song Januari is right up his alley and yet I believe that he was playing it safe that night. Either that, or he’s a one trick pony who can’t hit the high-notes because the final chorus in that song requires you to really work out your lungs but he didn’t even push up into a higher note. But he’ll also go far simply because the urban girls would vote for him
All in all, they’re way more talented as a group than last year’s bunch. However, there’s too many fake tears and dramas so early in the show that I think there’s a lack of honesty in some of them. Good luck for the forthcoming week.
ARGH..Memang dasar Liverfool
At the time of writing this, I’m still in shock over what transpired this early morning. England, leading and containing France for so long, bottled it at the final hurdle.
Frank Lampard scored a great header in the first half from a classic Beckham curling free-kick from the right after he won it with some fair bit of play-acting. England managed to contain the most dangerous man in a football pitch, Henry, and his predecessor, the balding but classy Zidane. France had plenty of possession and wonderful play, but the final ball wasn’t up to the mark. Sven’s strategy of placing two backs of four and relying on quick counterattacks paid off in the second half when the brilliant Rooney rode out Gallas’ challenge and stormed towards the penalty area. If only he looked up and sees Vassell (coming on for the ineffective Owen) way open on the right and squared the ball to him. But he just forged ahead with his pace and power, pushing the ball past Silvestre, who’s trailing leg, caught the Evertonian and brought him down. Cue the Old Man U rivalry between captain David Beckham and clownish Fabien Barthez. The Frenchman has probably seen how Beckham takes his kicks during training and I wasn’t surprised that he guessed right. Beckham is no Cantona or Shearer when it comes to penalties.
But still, with minutes to go, England looked set to win their opening game against the arrogant French. As they say, “Malang Tidak Berbau” but in this case I can smell the stench of the lousiest striker in the Premiership, mister Emile ‘Quick,Strong,Useless’ Heskey. He conceded a silly foul. Zidane stepped up, and curled in a delightful freekick past the steady James. England was rattled, France smelled blood and fear. From the kick-off, Gerrard (is this a Liverpool conspiracy to screw up England?) inexplicably passed the ball back to his keeper without looking. And who was there to pounce on this? Thierry Henry, for so long being kept in the dark by the brilliant Gary Neville, latched on to the ball, pushing it beyond James who had no choice but to just whacked the silly guy. Up steps Zidane. Now here’s the mark of the truly talented that Beckham will never achieve. Deep into extra time, with England supporters riling him, Zinedine ‘I’m so skillful I don’t even have to dribble’ Zidane coolly placed the ball at the zone no keeper could save.
Another disappointment. I must get used to this, what with Man Utd. screwing up last year. Well, there are still 2 games to go. Go three lions! Show the world how boring you are.
Au ReVoIr
Written on 6/12/2004 08:03:00 pm by sikapitan
Football's back in my mind with the Euro 2004 just hours away form kicking off with host Portugal entertaining the hardworking, tenacious Greeks. After weeks without any live football,the arrival of the European Chamipionship would surely be regarded as godsend to most red-blooded males.Employers should beware that productivity would suffer,wives should accept that they'll be sleeping alone for a month,and mamak stalls owner can put in the downpayment for a new Beemer.The Euro and World Cup are more than just some tournament. Its social repercussions are far-reaching.Dads sneaking out,not for karaoke and GROs,but for England and Owen. It's amazing that the machoest guys could be the most 'sissy-sounding' during football. "Gila,Zidane chun beb" "Wow,look at those feet" "I love England!" "Don't break my heart wei!" "Beautiful,just beautiful". Other than sex, football is the most talked-about conversation between guys (informal survey of...ermm..1 group..hehe).
Don't forget that the tournament also draws in its fair amount of non-football-loving but gambling addicted souls into the equation.Gambling is part and parcel of every society,and while most would certainly be wary of entering a casino,they are not that easily dismissive of betting on a sporting event.I'm not proud of this,but when i was in high-school i used to be a small-time bookie in my classroom.Not that many clients,but we're open and transparent.I made 50 bucks at the end of worldcup 98, which is easy money all the way.And that i guess is the main temptation of gambling.It provides you with the opportunity to realize your dream.
I always fantasized about suddenly being given a load of cash and it'll always remain a fantasy.But betting allows you to make that wish come true!I know someone, God save him,who's an avid bookie.And he makes around 10 to 20k per week, on a SLOW weekend.He doesn't bet, at least not that much, but the bookie fees that he gets is enough to maintain the lifestyle of the rich.I AM tempted.Don't ever try to rationalize with them.Remember: the fact that someone can earn 100k per week just by placing it right makes it harder for you to resist. Don't think too much about it,because then it'll suddenly seems okay.Common argument:This is not really gambling,because there's a fair amount of skill in picking teams. Don't delve on thiS.jUst say NO.Once you start, there's no stopping you,especially if you win on the first go.
Btw,i've always been an England guy since Euro 96, where Macca looks every bit the world class winger that he was (where is he now?-Man City!!!hahaha).But they'll have it rough with France in their group.Semis prediction:Portugal,France,Italy and one underdog..maybe Sweden.Hey, i got my WorldCup 2002 all wrong so don't place bets just based on my opinion!
Don't vote for BOB
aH..ANOTHER addictive tv show to coincide with the Euro; AKADEMI FANTASIA.haha..sometimes i'm a little bit embarassed at how enthusiastic i can be with this show.Thank god the timings are different from Euro games.
Just my opinion:What the heck are the guys up to?With the xception of Zahid, the rest are damn soft.And annoying!Especially fatty,softy,loud Bob.Oh yeah, can i vote OUT Dr.Syer Kawi.I just hate this whole motivation segment.Shouting out 'I CAN DO IT' and what nots is just plain ridiculous..and dangerous considering they should take care of their voice.
Written on 6/11/2004 09:30:00 am by sikapitan
Foooh. Sorry for not updating the blog. The regulars must be pretty annoyed that I’ve not been updating it everyday like I used to. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy with some stuff. Frankly speaking, I’m only just having my HOLIDAYS since I got back from Mecca. Before that I was busy with work and all. The problem is that once you get into this holiday mode your mind stops functioning like normal. I’ve been lazing around so much, and watching too much TV that my mind stopped being critical! I find it hard to criticize anything or anyone. The news hasn’t helped much. It’s the same old thing : Noritta and her lifestyle, Iraq and their bombings, NS propaganda and Malaysian football getting trashed…again!
This past two weeks my hours in front of the computer have been mostly to complete translating an English book into B.Melayu. Believe me; it’s harder than it sounds. Apparently, I’m not that good at writing in B.M either. You see, we all take B.M for granted. It is our mother tongue, and we tend to equate being able to speak a language as being in command of it. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. After leaving high-school, I don’t remember writing anything in B.M (minus the love poems, lyrics, letters to gf etc2) and if I did, it would be colloquial B.M rather than formal B.M.
The National Education Policy, set years ago (when 20 sen= weekly allowance), stipulates that B.M should be the medium of communication in school. However, this resulted in a decline in our English standard. In recent years, efforts have been made to correct past mistakes which includes teaching Science in English. The problem, as I see it (lepaking with high school boys playing football has other benefits besides feeling damn old), is that our youths are not only poor in English but also Bahasa. The standard of both language have deteriorate to the point of being farcical. We always associate the Chinese with speaking English well, while the Malays are the champion of Bahasa. But are they really speaking English and Bahasa?
Interesting fact: 10 languages die out every year. Now, I’m not suggesting that Bahasa is heading towards extinction in the near future, but if efforts are not made to rectify the situation, then it’ll come much sooner than we expect. In fact, even our English is not proper English. Grammatical error is a foregone conclusion. The mixture of Malay words, or even worse, words that don’t exist (eg. Rempit) has created the phenomenon known as ‘Manglish’. While I am proud of the fact that we have our own version of English, it shouldn’t be encouraged as it will only lead to more mistakes in the future. I understand that English, being a global language is adaptable and in fact, it has changed a lot from the old days. Look at the Jamaicans, for example. They speak in their own slang but IT IS English. I’m just scared that the day will come when a bellboy speaks English but the Englishman can’t understand what the hell he’s talking about.
But what about Bahasa? The adoption of English terms into our language is part of the problem. Even the government has got in the act, for example replacing the perfectly formal-sounding ‘belanjawan’ to the lazy ‘bajet’.Or TV3 and their confusing "Karnival Sure Heboh". So don't be surprised if you get a letter "Sure tuan faham my problem". What gives? Me, who has always been proud of my ‘karangan’ and ‘cerpen’ at school, struggle to translate even the phrase ‘water for life’! Imagine what others, less able students, would write?
It should be a wake-up call to the government that the problem not only lies in English, but also Bahasa! The students are confused till they become poor at both! Saying “I can give it to you laaaa” is fine, unique to us, but I draw the line at “Boleh give one laaaa” .
Err…I know some readers would say that I’m not writing perfect English either. The only perfect person I know is Mr. Nobody.
Btw, welcome to new readers. Just to clear the air, I’m not married but you can be married at heart now can you?
Au Revoir
Written on 6/07/2004 09:35:00 pm by sikapitan
No,sorry.I'm not going to "gossip" about my friends.At least,not today:)But along the way i might implicate certain people doing certain things that they don't want to be implicated with,so hopefully they don't get mad and end up implicated for my murder:)tOO complicated to be implicated?(HUH?-don't worry, sometimes my hands move faster than my brain). Today,i want to talk about the phenomenon known as FRIENDSTER (jeng jeng jeng)!
It all started when my little sis sent a friend's request through the mail (e not snail) early this year.bEING the rebel (konon) for all things happening,especially if my sis's involved in it,i wanted to just reject the damn thing.But she kept on persisting (exaggerate) that i joined this community. So i did, and at first she was my only friend. I didn't think much of it for a couple of days,but slowly i found my old "friends" and after a while i just can't stop looking for them.
Why do we search for old friends anyway?If they were really my friends they would have been on my phonebook or something, but they're not.So are theY REALLY friends?Or are they more like acquaintances?Seriously,sometimes i get friend's request from people that i've never spoken to in high-school, and i trust, will never ever speak to.So what gives?Is friendster merely a medium for us to assuage our fear of being lonely?Do we collect them (friends la) as a way of saying that we are not alone in this world and that we're popular?
Maybe i'm touching on some nerves here,but i've read testimonies for one of my ex-schoolmate, and it's not even close to what he really is.I've posted everything that's written about me,bad or good, but fortunately, everyone likes to play nice in friendster even though i know for sure some of them hate my guts.It's all sugary nice and sweet,but isn't it just a way to boost our self-confidence?Trust me,sometimes it's the prettiest people who craves for acknowledgement, so don't be surprise if you see people collecting testis and then showing it off to everyone (haha,that sounds weird,collecting testis..hahha).
Friendster also serves another,more sinister purpose, and that is for the buayas out there to meet girls.It's pretty pathetic i tell you.Guys would just write in to be friends with pretty gurls with the hope that one day they'll score.Hey,come to think of it,maybe it does work for other people.No,seriously.I'm looking at it from my P.O.V.It's hard for me to call someone chun,so the ones i say are chun most probably are too popular,or too busy,or already with someone to ever be bothered with this whole shenanigans.But i know of friends who have met others through friendster,old mates from school who have turned from ugly duckling to something else and they hit it off.Maybe it does make others happy..all the best then.But i do know that gurls sometimes get msgs that's perverse in nature,and i suspect that quite a number of them loves the attention.But beware of the fact that there's some real psychos out there.
If you guys don't know what friendster is...ehmm..what planet are you from?No lah...joking.But seriously,for me,friendster's just a way to promo my blog,so most of my readers know about this site from friendster.I try to only request from people that i know,or i'm supposed to know,or i know from someone i know and finally,i better know.
ERmmm,but if anyone here looks like ShuQi,Dian etc2...kekeek..stop it,i'm not single...
the mind of the married man sucks!
Au Revoir
Written on 6/05/2004 11:59:00 pm by sikapitan
It's been a while since i write just for the sake of rambling about nothing. The past few weeks, even months have been filled with issues and reviews and seriousness that i simply forget to just have fun with my blog. True, i've always tried to be humourous or witty (TRIED..whether i failed or not is up to you) in my writing, but the issues have been pretty serious, with the exceptions of movie reviews and such. So today's entry will be as non-serious as possible, but knowing me, i'll probably be serious in something anyway.
What a stupid ad..
Have you guys seen this ad where Hetty Sarlene (local artiste-don't ask me how i know.suffice to say that my house's not short of Mangga,URTV or MediaHiburan) and this maksalleh chick started talking about this face powder. The one thing that they highlighted during the ad was the fact that this one has MIRRORS with it!Look, i'm no girl, but i know for a fact that ladies had portable vanity mirrors in their purse long before i was born. So what gives??? And does using the maksalleh in the ad suppose to make ladies want to buy this bullshit product? Tell me some other stupid ads that you think should be in the never-been-made dustbin. I'm sure there's plenty here in TVland.
Pageant pigeon
Did you guys catch the missuniverse show? Surprise surprise, Australia won. I was rooting for Paraguay, but it's quite obvious that she's lacking a bit up there. Each of the five finalist were suppose to write questions for each other and missParaguay not only failed to answer hers well, she asked her competition three words to describe themselve! And what about poor old Malaysia? The only time Malaysians will ever be in the top three is if we do it in another Berjaya resort (like when Lina Teoh got in-for god's sake,she's got baggy eyes!). I'm sorry to say but the state of our contestants is laughable. Yes, they're not bad-looking, but my aunt ain't bad-looking herself and i'm not saying she should be MissAnything! My point is this..it's just embarassing to us if we keep on sending people that don't reflect the fact that we Malaysians can be as pretty as anyone else in this world.Yeah yeah, you guys will say that it's because the government ban Malays from entering, and i agree with the contention that some Malays are really world-beaters when it comes to looks, but so are the Chinese!I've seen prettier Chinese girls in Giant than last year's winner!Malaysia has beautiful Malays,Chinese,Indians,Eurasians etcs.Don't believe me? Just go to any mall during the weekends.I'll bet you'll find someone more attractive than the ones they keep on sending every year.They should be getting the top of the crop.No matter what race you are i'm sure there's someone pretty enough to win something.
Akademi Fantasia
It seems like someone from Astro read my blog (hey,i can wish can i?). This year's contestants for Malaysia's premier (forget the copycat Audition) talent competition-Akademi Fantasia- has 8 people from the Borneo (i think). Remember when i wrote that if there's no talent in Melaka then there shouldn't be one from Melaka? I didn't know it would get this far. It's a monopoly of Borneos out there....i don't know how the Peninsular Folks would react to this. Would the viewership be affected?
And what about the new place? It looks more like a studio than a house. Success is a double-edge sword. The second season brought with it sponsors for everything, from kitchen utensils to curtains. It's losing its street, hard-life feel. Now, it looks better than some 4 star hotels. Oh yeah, you guys should check out this motivator dude,some Dr. Mamak. He's really funny in the non-laughing way! He keeps on shouting and moving his hands like he has "sawan".
The good days are numbered
Oh yeah,some readers (but i doubt it) might notice that this entry's written at 12 midnight. What am i doing in front of the comp on a weekend night? BESIDES the fact that i'm pretty lacking in the social arena, the much-hyped about USJ11 free-futsal is slowly dying. MPsj have decided to limit the spotlight from 7.30pm till 11.30pm. So no more playing footie till 3-4am. It's probably our fault as well. Some of the guys, whom i cannot name for fear of being whacked (kidding), will pump up their stereos(indians and their hiphop,Chinese with their fengtau,Malays who drive go clubbing) or revved up their bike(here comes the Malay rempits) late into the night. Surely the neighbours would complain. That's the problem with most of our youths. They lack the civic concsiousness to do something right. It's already handed to them on a silver platter. A FREE futsal court,that you can play anytime you want,and they took it for granted. They left garbages strewn all over the pitch, they are noisy, they lack respect. But the problem is, where would this kids go now? To the clubs maybe, mamak, or to their gf's house.They would definitely NOT go back to their house. It took so much hard work for them just to sneak out,i tell you:) It's a social dilemma that the government need to address. . So go figure.
Au ReVoIR
Written on 6/04/2004 12:12:00 pm by sikapitan
Movie Review:Troy
Adapted from Homer's poem (no,i've never read it either but it's certainly NOT from the simpsons ok?), this much-hyped about summer offering has been blighted by production problems that led to cost-overrun.Is that why the film seems to be lacking in promo as compared to Shrek2 or "Lusa"? Anyway, set in way Before Christ (B.C laaa), Troy certainly would be compared to another modern-day interpretation of the old days, Gladiator, although Troy is way before Roman empire came to being. Gladiator was a classic, and anyone who hasn't seen it is missing one of the all-time epics. Could we say the same about Troy?
I decided to catch this film right at the end of its life on our movie screens.I don't know why i didn't try to watch it sooner, preferring to catch Shrek2 and Lusa. Maybe it's the thought of watching a bunch of guys in skirts don't really appeal to me:)
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the same fella who brought you thePerfectStorm,this movie is set during the days of Troy and Sparta, two nation-states that has been enemies for so long. Peace is in the air, with Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson),leader of Sparta and Priam (excellently portrayed by the melancholic O'Toole) agreeing not to attack each other. But Prince Paris, son of Priam, can't keep his dick in his pants and started banging Menelaus' wife while they were there as peace envoys! Helen the horny wife,played by stunning newcomer Diane Kruger, decided to run away to Troy with the Trojans. Menelaus,of course,was raging mad and called on his big bro,Agamemnon,who is the kings of all kings to join him in battle. So basically the "greatest war man has ever seen" was started because some young punk's active sexlife and an old dude's greed for power. Told you that every conflict has some sexual undertones to it.
50 000 greeks were set to war on Troy. Joining them is the brooding Brad Pitt,who plays the best warrior known to man, Achilles.After that it's just men killing men with a smattering of sex thrown into it. Eric Bana, who plays the Prince of Troy, really buffed up for this movie, but even Hector, the best warrior for Troy can't beat the realllyyy buff Brad Pitt. There must be some steroids involved. Bloom looked considerably skinny by comparison to Bana and Pitt.Interesting if anyone realized that the conflict started because of lust,continued because of greed,and ended because of religion.Have we learn from history?I think not.
The film looks expensive,as the production paid the price for wanting to show every detail in close-ups.The scripts ain't so bad, even containing some memorable lines that i believe should be learnt by everyone:). This is a testoterone filled film,reeking with machoness and sexiness that the guys just lapped up and ladies adore. But this is no Gladiator. It lacks the intimate feel,the drama,the sense of being there that Gladiator brings to audience.Make no mistake, this is one good movie,but it'll never be an epic. The old Helen of Troy tells a more compelling story. The filmmakers tried to tell too much within a short time.
And unfortunately for them, this film,relatively tanked at the box-office.After 3 weeks, it only managed to get us$109 million, far below the us$200 million budget. Don't worry, it won't lose money, due to international screenings and DVD sales but it'll probably put off another idea of doing an epic. Basically, men in skirts lost out to a green mean ogre and some tidalwaves.I really wanted this one to do well, but it seems like the idea of watching the three "sexiest" men in hollywood isn't as appealing as watching a cat with a blade or ice melting. Go figure.
My problem isn't with the film,but with the rating. In the US,this movie is rated R but here in Malaysia it's U!!!hOW THE heck it managed to get Umum is beyond me. Even i flinched a bit at the sight of Achilles doing his smackDown right at the shoulder of his enemies. And what about the partial nudity?I was extremely surprised at the sight of breast on our movie screen. What is going on?? Is the commercial value of the film overrides the "oh-so-sacred" censorship requirements?Why the double standard? I see little kids in the cinemas watching BradPitt sleeping with two naked women, and trust me, everyone can see that they're naked. Breasts for god's sake! When was the last time you saw one (or two) at TGV????
Au ReVoir
Written on 6/01/2004 09:05:00 pm by sikapitan
Alrite,considering that every day the front page of our local dailies would talk about the recent University intake result,it's only a matter of time before i put in my 2 cents worth.
Summary of the problem: Recently, the results for applications to IPTA's were announced.Unfortunately, for the STPM students, there seems to be some weird results with top students not getting the course that they applied for while some didn't even get ANY offer! Imagine scoring 4.0 and be offered a place in some far-away-unknown university to study marine biology!
Ibn Khaldun (i think) said that the key to a successful civilization is justice. If there's a sense of justice amongst the people,then they would be motivated to succeed.In this case, surely the students feel that there has been no justice and such feelings can breed discontent, even hatred, towards the government in particular,Malaysians in general.The point they're trying to make is that why others with lower grades get to do the course of their choice while they're stuck with fiberwood technology (what the heck issat?) or some other stupid course. Certainly, in the case of medicine, i understand that they're limited places available, but don't offer them something that would insult their intelligence. Aren't we short of pharmacists? Why not offer them something like that instead of useless (relatively of course) courses?
Another thing that has to be considered is the disparity between matriculation students and STPM students.The internal examinations done by matrics students cannot compare with our STPM, which is externally set.I'm not putting down matrics students but it's unfair that the bulk of places offered went to matrics students (allegedly). A CGPA of 4.0 can't even get you a decent course nowadays! What does that say to our future school-leavers?That they shouldn't bother going to form 6? Is it fair that in the midst of shortages of doctors and other professionals,we turn away brilliant students and instead offer them the chance to study 'ikan' or 'batang kayu'? It's not the rejection that pisses me off, because maybe there's a good reason for that (eg. lack of space) but more of the insult of being told that they have to study in some far-away Kolej that no one has heard of. What are the future prospects of graduates of marine biology for god's sake?Is it any wonder that we have so many brilliant young minds leaving the country for S'pore? Somebody even wrote in to say that the S'pore government sponsored HIM to pursue his education! If he's good enough for Singapore....
And why the lack of space to study medicine? What is the government doing to solve this problem? Are they just going to say "nope,kelas tak cukup"? Fine,if they don't feel like incrasing the capacity of our local institutions,why not offer the students places in private universities, local and even foreign. Make it easier for them to get scholarships.
It's not like we don't have the money. After all, we just spent rm500 million (official figures,so add another 100 mill in the equation) over 3 months on some over-hyped but utterly useless "summer camp". 500 million can get you a new faculty,facilities and some nice lecturers who can turn out graduates that can serve the nation well into the future. Instead,the money is going into producing more couples. A visit to UItm'S campus in S.alam showed that the NS was successful in closing the bond, not between races, but between sexes! Cheit cheit. It's our money folks, so make some noise!
The government should expect that this would turn into a racial issue.After all,theStar is controlled by MCA and they're expected to make noise when most who failed to get into the course of their choice are Chinese. Don't act surprised.
Au ReVoIr
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