So by now, most of you would have known that, last friday at 7.15am right in front of my office, I became part of the crime statistics. My bag got yanked, pulled and snatched away from my two hands. It didnt matter that I placed my whole weight on the bag, they were so determined to get it that they pulled until the strap broke. And along with my favourite bag, went my new hp and all my other wordly possessions. The good news is that my purse fell out, so they only took my wordly possessions minus my purse.
Anyways, of course I have to state here who these two men on a motorbike were. They were two indian men. One tall,skinny and the other a little chubbier. Apparently these two men were on a roll, cos just 15 mins after they snatched my bag, they went over to a nearby spot and snatched another lady's bag. Ok, so I ASSUMED they were the ones because according to the Chinese lady, there were two indian men, one tall and thin and the other chubby. And while I was making a police report, another lady came in and said her bag got snatched right in front of the police station by, who else? Two indian men.
Ok, so the question here would be, has the Government failed the Indians? Why are they resorting to all these crimes? While some of you are hopping mad from my statements because you think I am racist, I think you should see the statistics. Most of these snatch thefts are done by Indian men. How would I know? I spoke to the Inspector who said, majority of the cases that they encounter, the victims always say, there were Indians.
I am sorry if I am racist for fingerpointing the Indians...but from my experience (my sis, my cousins and my friends got their bags snatched too) they always are Indians.
So, I repeat the question. Have the Government failed the Indians? Is it true that not enough is done to elevate their status in the community? To help the poor ones? To educate them? I think the government has not done enough to help them break out from the cycle of poverty and crime. When they grow up so poor, they do not know how else to make money. They do not have the education because Tamil schools are set up in rural areas and there isnt enough students to sustain the school,so eventually it closes down. So its a vicious cycle which can only be broken by the Government's help. I think its about time the Government stops focusing only on special privileges, and the NEP which only benefits one race, I think its time to help the poor and eradicate poverty, regardless of race.
Something has to be done. There is only so many of my worldy possessions that I can afford to lose.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Singapore vs Malaysia
Its quite normal for us Malaysians to envy Singaporeans.
We are envious of their sing dollars because its twice the value of ours.
We are envious of their economy because they are surging forward while ours is chugging along like an old choo choo train low on coal and fire. (sometimes we go backwards, what I term pecutan negatif, while going uphill)
We envy their religious freedom and their focus on the economy instead of religion and its unnecessary forced enforcement.
We also envy their super efficient public transport and their well maintained roads.
W envy their Miliary and their Navy which are one of best in the World.
We wonder why our National Service is crap(we lurve the marching of course!We Malaysians LURVE to march!) while theirs is actually doing something to teach the young about well, National Service.
And my oh my do we envy their National Carrier SIA and their beauties who serve it.
And we can only wish that we in Malaysia were not busy segregating each other according to our race and having one race being put on a pedestal while the rest being told to do it "my way or the highway" and be more like Singapore in terms of just working together as a Nation and making them so important in the world that their small island is on the world map while we are not quite there yet.
However, I sure as hell will not envy their recent rule on single mothers. Apparently, if you are a single mother you cannot apply for maternity leave. (or something along the lines of your leave is shorter than married mothers). However, in the name of change and progress, they have laxed the rules a little. Single mothers can now apply for maternity leave only if you marry the father within three months of the application.
Ok, like WTF?
Why must the mother marry the father? There are reasons why some of them are single mothers. Firstly there are bastardly men who believe in wham bam thank you ma'am. And then there are those who choose to be single mothers because hey, who needs a man? And well, there are some who accidently become a mother. Anyway, whatever the reason, they are single mothers and why are they discriminated? What could possibly be the reason behind this policy? To avoid young women indulging in free sex or something? Or to avoid young men roaming the streets and indulging in their need to go forth and procreate?
What?
I dont get it. Does anybody?
If I remember correctly, oral sex is prohibited in Singapore too. In private or in public. (ok, in public its just gross PDA) .Sex(between two consenting human beings) is an issue which I believe is private. And unless these couples are doing it in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa (as shown on NTV Edisi Siasat) or in a Shah Alam lakeside place(as plastered all over the Internet), the Government shouldnt be regulating it. Come on, must you regulate everything?
FYI, they recently allowed Cosmopolitan mags to be available on the newstands and Sex and the City finally allowed to be aired (after its been taken OFF the air).
So we Malaysians are not that bad. At least we only have overzealous religious officers who barge into a gwailo couple's apartment and demand to have a look at their marriage certificate lest they be charged with khalwat(for Gods sakes, what are the chances of gwailos being Muslims?)
Ok, I lied. Its just as bad.
Ok, I lied again. Its worse because now gwailos have been writing these things on the internet to warn their fellow people to beware the overzealous religious Malaysians and their need to barge into people's homes, jump out of bushes and ambush cars park in "tamans" to see if they are khawalting or not.
Alrite people,its VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2007!
We are envious of their sing dollars because its twice the value of ours.
We are envious of their economy because they are surging forward while ours is chugging along like an old choo choo train low on coal and fire. (sometimes we go backwards, what I term pecutan negatif, while going uphill)
We envy their religious freedom and their focus on the economy instead of religion and its unnecessary forced enforcement.
We also envy their super efficient public transport and their well maintained roads.
W envy their Miliary and their Navy which are one of best in the World.
We wonder why our National Service is crap(we lurve the marching of course!We Malaysians LURVE to march!) while theirs is actually doing something to teach the young about well, National Service.
And my oh my do we envy their National Carrier SIA and their beauties who serve it.
And we can only wish that we in Malaysia were not busy segregating each other according to our race and having one race being put on a pedestal while the rest being told to do it "my way or the highway" and be more like Singapore in terms of just working together as a Nation and making them so important in the world that their small island is on the world map while we are not quite there yet.
However, I sure as hell will not envy their recent rule on single mothers. Apparently, if you are a single mother you cannot apply for maternity leave. (or something along the lines of your leave is shorter than married mothers). However, in the name of change and progress, they have laxed the rules a little. Single mothers can now apply for maternity leave only if you marry the father within three months of the application.
Ok, like WTF?
Why must the mother marry the father? There are reasons why some of them are single mothers. Firstly there are bastardly men who believe in wham bam thank you ma'am. And then there are those who choose to be single mothers because hey, who needs a man? And well, there are some who accidently become a mother. Anyway, whatever the reason, they are single mothers and why are they discriminated? What could possibly be the reason behind this policy? To avoid young women indulging in free sex or something? Or to avoid young men roaming the streets and indulging in their need to go forth and procreate?
What?
I dont get it. Does anybody?
If I remember correctly, oral sex is prohibited in Singapore too. In private or in public. (ok, in public its just gross PDA) .Sex(between two consenting human beings) is an issue which I believe is private. And unless these couples are doing it in Taman Tasik Titiwangsa (as shown on NTV Edisi Siasat) or in a Shah Alam lakeside place(as plastered all over the Internet), the Government shouldnt be regulating it. Come on, must you regulate everything?
FYI, they recently allowed Cosmopolitan mags to be available on the newstands and Sex and the City finally allowed to be aired (after its been taken OFF the air).
So we Malaysians are not that bad. At least we only have overzealous religious officers who barge into a gwailo couple's apartment and demand to have a look at their marriage certificate lest they be charged with khalwat(for Gods sakes, what are the chances of gwailos being Muslims?)
Ok, I lied. Its just as bad.
Ok, I lied again. Its worse because now gwailos have been writing these things on the internet to warn their fellow people to beware the overzealous religious Malaysians and their need to barge into people's homes, jump out of bushes and ambush cars park in "tamans" to see if they are khawalting or not.
Alrite people,its VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2007!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Chinese Association= disunity
So there it was, blatant racist, unexplainable and unjustifiable "unBangsa Malaysia" spirit, glaring at me right in the face.
What was it?
That a Chinese Language Society is not allowed to be registered as an Association in one public university.
The logic being a Chinese Society will cause racial disunity and does not promote "togetherness" of the races in Malaysia, it being an Association that caters only to the Chinese. After all, it is MALAYsia. As much as we try not to make it into a race issue, its quite clear why the Association is not allowed to be registered. I wonder if the Christian Association will have a problem too. Christianity sure does not promote Racial Unity because obviously it caters to an even smaller population than just the Chinese. So NO GO for them too.
I wonder if our PM has time in between his interviews in London, visits to Peru(was it Peru? Or was it Chile? Who knows really) to so call strengthen relations and tete-a-tete with the PM of India, he actually has time to monitor the progress of the nation in terms of becoming a "BANGSA MALAYSIA". While he has given too many advice to his fellow Ministers and rakyat to remember that this country is for all of us, Chinese, Indians, Malays and all other races (sorry people, unless the term "lain-lain" is changed, I have to refer to other races as lain-lain) i wonder if he actually knows that we prefer ACTION and not words. All the yak yak yak and the bla bla bla, its just rubbish. You SAY something, you DO it. If its all about saying, we dont need the PM to say it, everyone else can say it because it doesnt bear fruit and so it doesnt matter.
How can a Chinese Language Society be disallowed from registering as an association? Do we other races make a big fuss if you have a Sisters in Islam organisation? Or a Silat Association (obviously its not a Chinese or Indian thing) or any other organisation/assocation which caters only to the Malays?The last I check, we didnt.
And fyi its Chinese LANGUAGE association, not a Chinese Association whereby non Chinese cannot participate or join. The last I checked, the biggest Muslim population is in China. They speak Chinese right? They have traditional Chinese dances? They dress in traditional Chinese garb? The only difference is that they do not go to the Chinese temple but instead they go to the Mosque.
So, seriously.
Unless this narrow minded thinking can be eliminated, our vision of a Bangsa Malaysia with racial unity is merely a dream.
What was it?
That a Chinese Language Society is not allowed to be registered as an Association in one public university.
The logic being a Chinese Society will cause racial disunity and does not promote "togetherness" of the races in Malaysia, it being an Association that caters only to the Chinese. After all, it is MALAYsia. As much as we try not to make it into a race issue, its quite clear why the Association is not allowed to be registered. I wonder if the Christian Association will have a problem too. Christianity sure does not promote Racial Unity because obviously it caters to an even smaller population than just the Chinese. So NO GO for them too.
I wonder if our PM has time in between his interviews in London, visits to Peru(was it Peru? Or was it Chile? Who knows really) to so call strengthen relations and tete-a-tete with the PM of India, he actually has time to monitor the progress of the nation in terms of becoming a "BANGSA MALAYSIA". While he has given too many advice to his fellow Ministers and rakyat to remember that this country is for all of us, Chinese, Indians, Malays and all other races (sorry people, unless the term "lain-lain" is changed, I have to refer to other races as lain-lain) i wonder if he actually knows that we prefer ACTION and not words. All the yak yak yak and the bla bla bla, its just rubbish. You SAY something, you DO it. If its all about saying, we dont need the PM to say it, everyone else can say it because it doesnt bear fruit and so it doesnt matter.
How can a Chinese Language Society be disallowed from registering as an association? Do we other races make a big fuss if you have a Sisters in Islam organisation? Or a Silat Association (obviously its not a Chinese or Indian thing) or any other organisation/assocation which caters only to the Malays?The last I check, we didnt.
And fyi its Chinese LANGUAGE association, not a Chinese Association whereby non Chinese cannot participate or join. The last I checked, the biggest Muslim population is in China. They speak Chinese right? They have traditional Chinese dances? They dress in traditional Chinese garb? The only difference is that they do not go to the Chinese temple but instead they go to the Mosque.
So, seriously.
Unless this narrow minded thinking can be eliminated, our vision of a Bangsa Malaysia with racial unity is merely a dream.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Specific Sympathies
Remember when Australia made a big fuss about Singapore hanging one of their fellow man who trafficked drugs into the country? And how all Asian countries which had the death penalty were condemned for being inhumane and etc etc? And that those who believed in the death penalty were backward and all that jazz?
Well, I wonder what they have to say about Saddam's very public and much applauded by America and Britain, hanging. I wonder why they didnt go jumping and protesting that it is inhumane, that it is not right, that this and that. So was the whole protest against the death penalty specific to Australians being involved only? Or Australians who have a reason for doing the wrong thing? Such as he was trying to support his family (like what type of lame ass excuse is that for trafficking drugs?) I cannot help but agree with what Tun M said about Australia.
Look, if you want to oppose the death penalty, the least you could do is be consistent about it. You should oppose it lock stock and barrel. For me, I do not oppose it. I do not condone it. But I do agree that if need be, it should be enforced.
Was it right for Saddam to be hung so quickly after his appeal was denied? Was there not another tier for him to explore? Was that appeal Court the last tier? If the Human Rights Watch committee thinks that Saddam did not have a fair trial, should he have been retrialed? Was the trial a fair one? It seemed as if he was not allowed to be upset with anything. If he didnt agree to something, he had to walk out of the Court because everyone who went in there had prejudged ideas as to his guilt and he knew he could not change what was already determined. He committed the crimes therefore he does not deserve a fair trial or an equal opporunity to be heard and to disagree?
While we in Malaysia have reserved our comments on Saddam's hanging, I personally feel that our quest for human rights in the world today is already smeared by the hanging of Saddam. All calls for a retrial have been ignored and as quickly as he was sentenced, he was hanged. Many of us are still in the dark about what happened at the trial. It was so quick and in a nanosecond, it was over and he was found guilty. What does that say about us humans who are so quick to judge? And what about the Australians? Their sympathies are channeled to particular paths and they only take the path that benefits them? If indeed Saddam is guilty, what about Bush? Is he not guilty of sending the troops to fight an unnecessary war? What about Blair? For sending his men to fight a war which does not even concern them? And Australia again, ah, those misguided ones. Fighting a war which they do not even have an idea why they should.
ALL of us are guilty or something or other at some point in our lives, and while that is worrying to know, I can only wish to be comforted by the fact that if I were to stand before a Court for the wrong that I have done, I will be tried fairly. And I suppose it helps that the whole world isnt against you.
Well, I wonder what they have to say about Saddam's very public and much applauded by America and Britain, hanging. I wonder why they didnt go jumping and protesting that it is inhumane, that it is not right, that this and that. So was the whole protest against the death penalty specific to Australians being involved only? Or Australians who have a reason for doing the wrong thing? Such as he was trying to support his family (like what type of lame ass excuse is that for trafficking drugs?) I cannot help but agree with what Tun M said about Australia.
Look, if you want to oppose the death penalty, the least you could do is be consistent about it. You should oppose it lock stock and barrel. For me, I do not oppose it. I do not condone it. But I do agree that if need be, it should be enforced.
Was it right for Saddam to be hung so quickly after his appeal was denied? Was there not another tier for him to explore? Was that appeal Court the last tier? If the Human Rights Watch committee thinks that Saddam did not have a fair trial, should he have been retrialed? Was the trial a fair one? It seemed as if he was not allowed to be upset with anything. If he didnt agree to something, he had to walk out of the Court because everyone who went in there had prejudged ideas as to his guilt and he knew he could not change what was already determined. He committed the crimes therefore he does not deserve a fair trial or an equal opporunity to be heard and to disagree?
While we in Malaysia have reserved our comments on Saddam's hanging, I personally feel that our quest for human rights in the world today is already smeared by the hanging of Saddam. All calls for a retrial have been ignored and as quickly as he was sentenced, he was hanged. Many of us are still in the dark about what happened at the trial. It was so quick and in a nanosecond, it was over and he was found guilty. What does that say about us humans who are so quick to judge? And what about the Australians? Their sympathies are channeled to particular paths and they only take the path that benefits them? If indeed Saddam is guilty, what about Bush? Is he not guilty of sending the troops to fight an unnecessary war? What about Blair? For sending his men to fight a war which does not even concern them? And Australia again, ah, those misguided ones. Fighting a war which they do not even have an idea why they should.
ALL of us are guilty or something or other at some point in our lives, and while that is worrying to know, I can only wish to be comforted by the fact that if I were to stand before a Court for the wrong that I have done, I will be tried fairly. And I suppose it helps that the whole world isnt against you.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Oh Christmas tree, oh, bikini...
Everyone is fussing about the new rules on the dress code in Kelantan (was it in Kelantan?I forget) and while I could not agree more on there being no necessity to fine women who are "indecently dressed", I do believe that there should at least be some code on dressing when it comes to celebrities. Malaysian celebrities anyway.
Before I go any further, I have to exclaim that I cannot believe I am so conservative and old fashioned. Times have changed. And that can only mean I am growing older. Dammit.
Anyway moving on to the issue at hand, there I was just happily strolling in Guardian the other day when I chanced upon a beauty queen turned hot chick of the mo's new christmas album on display. And just in case we might miss her new album on display, it was put at the cashier's counter together with a big poster of her right firmly placed on the wall next to her CDs. So here I was wondering why anyone in Malaysia would produce a Christmas album ( its not like I do not support the Malaysia Boleh spirit but I think there is only SO many Christmas songs one can sing and truthfully, give me Mariah C's version of the Christmas jingles anytime) and more importantly, I was wondering why anyone would pose in a bikini with a santa hat, on her knees in a provocative pose, nibbling "gently" at her finger (to add the kitty sex appeal) on a Christmas album. I get it if you were promoting a club mix or maybe a dance album or maybe even a dangdut album (to rival our Indonesian counterpart we have to put ourselves out there in a bikini!) but a Christmas album? Seriously?
For me I think it is done in poor taste. And of course the target audience being the men. Scenario at Guardian with male counterpart:
Guy: OHMIGOD!She is SO HOT!
Gal: OHMIGOD!How skanky is that? SKANKY HOEEeEEeEE!
G: Huh? She is like SO hot.Ohh, check out the bikini.... I so have to buy the album. (followed by trial of drool)
Now that we have firmly established the reason for her bikini and how it obviously worked, one has to wonder whether there should be some regulations on the celebrities and their dressing. Sure, I do not look in disgust when I see young girls strutting around in clubs with a skirt so short it could double up as a belt and a top so small I wonder if she just tied a scarf around her chest to keep her from catching a cold, but to have celebrities parading themselves in events with those clothes? And to have a bikini on a Christmas cover? Seriously, I would like to backtrack a little from my I am open minded thinking and say, that is just too much. These celebrities are one every damn page of whatever is in print. We see them all the time (even if we do not want to). So perhaps it makes more sense to control THEIR dressing than ours. Perhaps it makes more sense to fine them than to fine us when we are going about our daily lives and doing our own thing (and not photographed while doing it).
We are after all Malaysians and while sexy is accepted, downright skanky should be banned. At least on Christmas albums anyway.
Before I go any further, I have to exclaim that I cannot believe I am so conservative and old fashioned. Times have changed. And that can only mean I am growing older. Dammit.
Anyway moving on to the issue at hand, there I was just happily strolling in Guardian the other day when I chanced upon a beauty queen turned hot chick of the mo's new christmas album on display. And just in case we might miss her new album on display, it was put at the cashier's counter together with a big poster of her right firmly placed on the wall next to her CDs. So here I was wondering why anyone in Malaysia would produce a Christmas album ( its not like I do not support the Malaysia Boleh spirit but I think there is only SO many Christmas songs one can sing and truthfully, give me Mariah C's version of the Christmas jingles anytime) and more importantly, I was wondering why anyone would pose in a bikini with a santa hat, on her knees in a provocative pose, nibbling "gently" at her finger (to add the kitty sex appeal) on a Christmas album. I get it if you were promoting a club mix or maybe a dance album or maybe even a dangdut album (to rival our Indonesian counterpart we have to put ourselves out there in a bikini!) but a Christmas album? Seriously?
For me I think it is done in poor taste. And of course the target audience being the men. Scenario at Guardian with male counterpart:
Guy: OHMIGOD!She is SO HOT!
Gal: OHMIGOD!How skanky is that? SKANKY HOEEeEEeEE!
G: Huh? She is like SO hot.Ohh, check out the bikini.... I so have to buy the album. (followed by trial of drool)
Now that we have firmly established the reason for her bikini and how it obviously worked, one has to wonder whether there should be some regulations on the celebrities and their dressing. Sure, I do not look in disgust when I see young girls strutting around in clubs with a skirt so short it could double up as a belt and a top so small I wonder if she just tied a scarf around her chest to keep her from catching a cold, but to have celebrities parading themselves in events with those clothes? And to have a bikini on a Christmas cover? Seriously, I would like to backtrack a little from my I am open minded thinking and say, that is just too much. These celebrities are one every damn page of whatever is in print. We see them all the time (even if we do not want to). So perhaps it makes more sense to control THEIR dressing than ours. Perhaps it makes more sense to fine them than to fine us when we are going about our daily lives and doing our own thing (and not photographed while doing it).
We are after all Malaysians and while sexy is accepted, downright skanky should be banned. At least on Christmas albums anyway.
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