merdeka

Today is the 52nd anniversary of our independence. Won't give any political analysis.
All I could say is - at 52, we are still 'trying to grow up'.

Saw some young malaysian's of all races, on our government controlled TV, singing that they are 'Anak Malaysia', . Not sure how deep they understand the meaning! Not sure if they know what they are in for. For the moment, they are politically correct in the programme!

The future is theirs. Their votes will decide who will rule our country in the next election! I wish them well.
And May the Lord bless our politicians and our country!

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my latest bloom

See what a little time and love does....




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loyal pet-dogs...

I am really angry today!
I just told someone off for 'defending xxxxx'. It is not the first time the friend is doing it. Guess, it also reflects on the maturity of a person! And still with anger, wrote a long mail as to why we should not be 'loyal pet-dogs' barking with no real defense or reason for our barking!

We human beings, defend another because the person we are defending:-
a. is a friend.
b. belongs to our social or political group
c. is another Christian.

I know Jesus said that we are to offer our enemies water to drink, plus love them, so that we could reflect Jesus in us. I have defended friends and foe alike. I get really infuriated when we defend another, without rhyme or reason. It is especially so when we do so just because the other person is another Christian.

Why cannot we speak any wrong of another who is a Christian? Sure, slap the quote from the Bible that 'we must watch our tongue'. What we seem not to recognize, is that we are all humans first before we are Christians. We are constantly making mistakes! We are all still working (very hard) on our way to being holy!

Last but not least, let me quote my favourite statement! We have been given a brain by God to think. Perhaps, my God-given brain may have thought wrongly most of the time, but, at least I use it!
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opportunity costs...

Some one once asked what would be the opportunity cost if I did not pursue my extra-curiculum studies? Well tis is it!!



a diamond solitare..


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what's wrong with prayers...

A Good friend has been sending me very good articles. This is a good one! Good because I have myself learnt to think and gets rather impatient when pastors and people ask me to 'pray about it'. To me it is one way of saying 'no it is not going to happen, but you pray about it'. Does it mean that if it does not happen, it is God's fault totally? I believe it is our own inertia or just some one pulling wool over our eyes using God as an excuse! This is especially so when it is really a matter of decision making; and we have a God given brain to think for ourselves, which people does not want us to use! Thinking can cause unrest and opposition!

Below is copied enbloc and author unknown:-
When you invite someone to go on a short term missions trip, you will often hear the response, "Let me babout it." However you will rarely hear that answer to an invitation to go to Hawaii or Europe.

That is because prayer has become a euphemism for inaction today in just the same way that faith was in the apostle James' time (James 2:14-17). The consequences of this trend are devastating.

It means, to give just one example close to my heart, that children in North Korea are starving to death because Korean-American churches are praying about it.
My own realization that prayer had become synonymous with paralysis was at our weekly campus fellowship meetings. Every week we shared about the struggle of making grades a priority over doing our quiet time. Or we confessed to each other about the problem of falling into the typical law student's obsession with firm names and law journals.

But repentance rarely came. Our solidarity in confession soon made us feel comfortable to sin the same sins week after week. That is, we ended up reinforcing each other's bad habits through group prayer.

If you are still skeptical about the paralyzing effect that prayer has today, consider those occasions when believers do not pray about doing things. Whenever believers want to guarantee that an activity gets done, they do not pray about it. That is why these same churches that pray about the poor, their own sins, etc. with little visible results are not having any difficulties enjoying picnics or basketball fellowships. Simply put, because they do not risk praying about these events. They just do them.

Of course, the abuse of prayer, like the mis-characterization of faith, is no reason to stop praying or relying on faith. For prayer can initiate action. But there is such a thing as dead prayer. As Jesus pointed out, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." (Matthew 7:21).

The defining characteristic of a dead prayer then is that it substitutes itself for action. When prayer is considered compassion, or a prayer meeting is considered in and of itself to be a form of community service, then you have dead prayer. The mentality of the dead prayer goes, why give money to clothe a homeless refugee when you can pray about it? Or why organize volunteering at an AIDS hospice when you can have a group prayer meeting instead?

My father was always fond of saying, "Do what God has enabled you to do. And pray for what only God can do." That wise saying helps one avoid sinfully putting God to the test (Matthew 4:7) or being like the servant who buries his talent (Matthew 25:14-30).

What's wrong with prayer in our time is that we're praying in lieu of the wrong things. We ought to be praying about beach, sports, and amusement fellowships rather than about feeding, clothing, and caring for the oppressed and impoverished. In other words, prayer should be taking the time of fun activities rather than of compassion.
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δαίμων.....

Okay, so I was at a loose end and suffering from various post.... syndrome! So last night I went into EBSCOhost.. and search 'Classic Greek literature'. Second article in the list was "Daimon in Classical Greek Literature" by John E Lexine.

In his introduction, Lexine wrote :=
"Δαίμων is a word of literature rather than cult. It is a word that is more generalized and less personalized than θεός. A systematic examination of the various Greek authors would tend to show that no ONE meaning was fixed upon the word until Christian times. The Christian vocabulary used it to mean "an evil spirit," and in Modern Greek2 ό δαίμονας = ό δαίμων means simply "the Devil.'

Lexine's brief survey with a limited number of Homeric illustrations serves to suggest the three basic senses of δαίμων in Homer:
(1) reference to a specific god or goddess or an unnamed god or goddess;
(2) divine power, divinity, power that controls human circumstances;
(3) one's personal fate or lot, good or evil.

Lexine's conclusion:
It is characteristic of the modern conceptual mind to categorize and classify meanings. Undoubtedly, to the Greek mind, the word and the idea had a fluidity and range greater than possibly can be understood by the modern age, and certainly the Greeks did not stop to categorize, whenever they made use of the word, at least not consciously.

My conclusion:
a. Cor! the innuendo's of a language! We could hardly graze the tip in this lifetime!
b. I am humbled! There are such a well of knowledge out there! In retrospect, my lecturers were so kind in their grading of my past-rather-shallow papers!
c. Apparently, in the Old Testament and Hebrew literature, there are variations of Δαίμων, too! I can't wait - God-willing!
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GI Joe

Went to see GI Joe. Was it good! Exhausting is the word!

Exhausting because there is so much action going on! Read many years ago, of a research which was conducted by the advertising agency! It says that young children are able to observe and understand very quick takes and actions! Obviously as we are not that young any more, it was difficult for my thought process to filter the innudations of sound and action.

Re the story line? No big deal! Good verses the bad; good triumphs but bad will be back one day. Keeps the series going!

But I would like to see it again. I watch movies as I am constantly amazed at the modern computer-aided technologies that make death-defying feats almost real, in the big screen. I love the thought of being able to 'fly' above the cars, tumble and still not be physically hurt! Most of all, I love movies as it caters to our fantasies! The downside of course is that it leaves very little to imagination!

I have bought and read many GI Joe comic books. With our neighbour, we form our own army. We shoot imaginery aliens behind bushes! We use catapults, wooden guns and sticks for swords! I think it is much more fun, getting through our childhood with most things left to our imaginations!

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post greek syndrome

Yup, I went out for dinner the very next night with colleagues to celebrate. We indulged in a great 'ham-tan' crap ie crab fried with salted eggs! So sinful - it is double cholestrol. But you have to try it at the PJ Baru coffee-shop! We have tried the same style of cooking in Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and even Bintulu. Though these places have real fresh sea-food, PJ Baru's cook does the best ham-tan crap. Oh, I have to mention that they have the best 'Fukien Chow vermicillin and mee'. It is great to indulge, occassionally of course, in the pork crackling among the noodles!

After dinner was only 10-ish when I got home! That's when I realised that I have a problem! I messaged a friend and said - 'hei, I don't have vocabs to learn or exercises to do! How'? He messaged back and said I have not only post greek syndrome, but post MCS syndrome!

Oh well, I have to admit that it is true! For the last three months, there is a focused routine. When it ends it does leaves me rather 'free'.

I shouldn't complain really! There is the house to clean and the books to pack away! Oh, yes, and the bills to pay! Just today, I received a notice that my electricity supply will be cut if I don't pay the bill. Really did not realised that I have swept everything aside and was that focused! So today, I promptly paid my water, electricity and telephone bills. Alas, I couldn't find my Astro bill! Reminds me of what a friend said once - I need a house-husband! Actually my Dad would suffice - he even keeps a record when my drivng licence will expire! He would have flipped over a small thing like a parking ticket, least of all a notice to cut utilities supply!

So I went home for dinner at my parents, last night! Got a royal treatment! The lost sheep who has not been home for a while! Need to do that more often from now onwards! Only problem is I tend to over eat! Mum reminds me that now that I am free, I should get back on the bicycle. What she means is I should now loose some weight! I have good excuses! It's all these late suppers after Greek class, and munching in the wee-hours of the morning trying to complete the parsings etc! Right, will send my mountain bike for service this weekend!

Exercise should help me get over these post .... syndromes; and should help me get back into the swim suit for the short break at the beach early next month! Yup, I am finally having a holiday!
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greeking it... the end???

okay, we finished. I have just packed the books away! Guess we will all do slightly better than pass!

We have had our final exams last night. Got to tell you this. Of course, the 'smarter' ones finish earlier, and trooped out quietly. As they passed us, they whispered 'Merdeka'! Really it should be 'bebas' ie freedom instead of independance! Yes, it is great that it is over!

But when I went out, I was surprised to find that our classmates were still hanging around outside! Yes, there is a certain euphoria! There is this comaraderie, as troopers who have shared and battled for weeks. I will definitely miss that! Most heartening is - we all want to know when will Part 2 commence! Alas, we still have to pray about it, as we are not sure if there will be a lecturer available!

There is something about studying theology. There is a thirst and hunger that never seems to get fulfilled. For example, I recently met two other classmates who are back to further their studies. They have had graduated and serving in various lay positions. They have stopped like eight months; after promising their wives that they will spend more time at home, what with a full-time job and serving in church! It is not as if we need the 'qualifications' to further our career; and definitely it will not increase our monetary income. Why do we need the added hours of reading and pressures of datelines, not to mention the exorbitant costs of biblical books?

One of the reasons given was - 'there seems to be this emptiness and restlessness'. This is inspite of being told that what we have had picked up is sufficient for a layperson! Well, I could conclude, with a secular point of view that we are either simply mad or my favourite term 'masochist'.

I know the Holy Spirit speaks to us in the course of our reading and research. So the Holy Spirit is at work? He does not think we are 'qualified' enough? If so, yo! we need prayers, big time! We need more facilities and facilitators locally, for us, lay people, to pursue His Word, and continue to 'seek him with the whole heart! (Ps 119 v 2).

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personifying Christ.....

I have just got to record another incident how one could personify Christ with the current facilities that the Lord has blessed us with.. with or without fear of the legal laws of the country or the society we live in...

Then, I was also told, just today, that we must not take sides! Apologise! But I not believe we can sit on the fence! Jesus said that if I am luke warm about Him, He will deny me!

So what is it about? Well, there is a group of 50 families of illegal Burmese refugees who will be given a time slot to worship every Sunday at 2.30pm, in the current church I worship. Originally these group of refugees were worshiping at a nearby church. But they have grown to consist of 160people; and there is not enough space to house them. Hence the official reason for the move.

What I am really trying to say here is:
Kudos! This group of committee members, who made the decision, personify the character of Christ and helped extend the kingdom of God. They gave us refuge when we were ‘lost’ (from another issue); of which I have grown to really appreciate! Now they again gave refuge to the Burmese refugees.

It is easy to give refuge to us, fellow Christians. The authority will not care much if it is 'issues within one's Christian community'. But now, we have the issue of 'housing' illegal refugees! Maybe I am overly worried! Maybe I have a lapse in faith and is lukewarm. But they have my greatest appreciation and admiration.

I am not sure what will happen when the authorities using ISA comes charging with tear gases. They have already confiscated other efforts by other churches! So please pray for these group of people who so boldly carry the Cross, in His Name......!
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Greeking it.... pt 2

Okay next week will be our last class. I admit that I am glad that it will be over soon! Guess I should thank the Lord for surviving!

Due to the course set-up, there is no 'fun' learning the language. I was told we should enjoy studying a language. Believe me, it was not enjoyable. We studied and memorized and studied! Doesn't help that the reputation of both the lecturer and students were at stake.

Why students reputation at stake? We heard that we are 'the stars'; hence we can be 'pushed'! I want to protest! We are not 'stars'. We are definitely ambitious. We are very good at multi-tasking - handling both a full-time job and still making respectable GPA's! But that doesn't make us 'stars'! We have incurred loads of opportunity cost too, you know!

Then the lecturer got really annoyed and threw a tantrum. Why? cause we are still not able to tell what is the subject of a relative pronoun! Hallo, we were only told to memorize by hard, paradigms and vocabularies! Not the lecturer's fault either! There is not enough exercises available and the course set up is really intensive - two chapters a week!

So what have we learnt? Well, I think we could now read 'about every other word' in the Greek NT. We could do some basic translations. Is this good enough for a basic course? I think it is! I now understand what and why it is a nominative predicate and recognize a future-middle-passive indicative! And then, do you know that a depondent verb is both passive and middle in form but active in meaning! It was as much a English grammar class in addition to Greek! Oh well, at least my investment in Bibleworks is now paying off, a bit more.

Really am glad that Greek 1 will be over. Not sure about pursuing Greek 2. First because I really do not relate to NT. Would have preferred Hebrew and OT. Yah, yah, yah, how could one say that one cannot relate to NT when it is of our Christ? But OT is of our Almighty God, who is merciful enough not to give up on us humanity. HE came down as Christ to ensure our salvation. Unless, of course, we don't believe in Trinity!

Last but not least - should Hebrew be next, I guess, learning an ancient language would not be any 'easier'! But let me reiterate, at least I relate to OT better!
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J baru.....

Just came back from a visit to Johore Baru...it has been at least 10 years since I last visited it.

Johore Baru is now really BARU... It is now so full of highways and new-ways! Yet Johore Baru town is now a old and dead town. The Baru in Johore Baru is now no longer relevant - see the pun?

Instead there are so many suburbs and new township which is self-contained. I can't complain. Recently a friend - who has migrated and came back for a visit - was complaining on how she got lost on the new highways. First I apologise that she got lost. Then I said that if we have had no progress and new highways - then you would have said 'this place is still in the 19kong-kong ie in the backwaters'.

We stayed in a nice spread-out hotel near the sea. We saw a lone heron. But we did not see or hear any birds in the morning, although there were a few matured trees! I hope the birds like the people have migrated to the surburbs.

The price we pay for progress!
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PMR's and SPM

Cor! there are three Z generation kids in our family who are having their PMR's and SPM. There are the last batch and the youngest of the lot of nephews and niece.

You would not believe the 'pressure' in the air! When I do drop by to see the old folks, it is just a quick hallo, how are you and then off we go!

But this is the trend and bane of our Chinese society in our beloved Malaysia.
But what else could we do but to push our kids? We are not the landed gentry, neither are we the inherited rich! So education is our only way out of poverty. At least this is the reason I gave to a foreign diplomatic personnel when she mentioned that the US and UK universities are full of Asians, who are also excelling in their exams.

This pressure-cooker atmosphere will be around for the next three months. But there will be two months of fun in November and December. I look forward to the family trips and pop-corns and movies we will be watching together. I do have to start saving for these extra expenses. But no big deal, as it soon will be college overseas and we won't hear from them much - especially if they decide to remain overseas! Sigh! that's life!

Oh, I forgot to mention about the amount of chicken essence and chinese herbs that are around. Suppose to be energy and brain food for exams! See the difference in our attitude towards education verses the rest of the country?
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let's teach english

I have had wanted to major in English for my basic degree. Then, I thought that there is a future for English Teachers! Looks like it is still a good and viable income earner for an alternative career! Read the following article and you would have no choice but to agree. TESOL, here I a come!

Well, there will be definitely less pressure, red-dots and sleepless nights reading and meeting assignment datelines. Honestly, I have to admit that I have had enjoyed it, and now am a bit at a loss with myself and my time!

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Jaga Bahasa Biar Jahanam Bangsa !
By Syed Akbar Ali

In one of my Four Wheel Drive trips into the jungle some years ago, we stopped at a place called Cheneh in Terengganu. I remember a makcik at a roadside stall made some nice ayam goreng. My good friend Juhaidi was with me and also my two boys.

Cheneh was (and maybe still is) a typical rural backwater. The folks did not seem to know if they were coming or they were going... There was Astro but I think the favourite show was 'Tom Tom Bak'. But I did recall saying aloud that someday I hope that the folks in Cheneh would watch CNN, BBC and CBS and that we could just drive up and ask the makcik in Cheneh 'Whats on CNN today?' But I think that's not going to happen at all.

Lets manage this "crisis in the making" now. First of all please stop from saying anything more about the switch from English to Malay. The more things you say, the more "face saving" devices you will need for you to swallow your pride before you can undo this mistake. But this mistake must be undone.

The main reason quoted by Tan Sri Muhyuddin to favor the switch to Malay was that the rural Malay kids were doing poorly in Maths and Science (which are taught in English) compared to the urban kids. But what about exam scores for the rural kids in all other subjects which are taught in the Malay language? No one showed him the statistics for that. Why?

If you say that English is the reason why the rural kids are doing so poorly in Maths and Science, then by your logic the rural kids should be scoring the same as or better than the urban kids in other subjects that are taught in Malay? By your logic rural kids should be doing better than the urban kids in Sejarah, Geografi, Kemahiran Hidup, Bahasa Malaysia and other Malay language subjects.

But we know that rural kids generally score lower than urban kids in most subjects (except maybe Agama). And language has got nothing to do with it. Rural kids are usually found in lower income households, their parents are usually less educated, they have less achievement goals and so forth. That is why you call them 'children from rural areas'. They are poor people and they are underachievers.

Let me give you some street feedback. At least one Internet based employment agency has instructions from its clients to completely ignore any job applicants who are graduates from UTM (University ITM). As we know UITM graduates are all Malays. They say the quality of the graduates is low and their English is bad.. They are unemployable. This is what I heard.

Another preference by another employer - a Multi National > Corporation - in the job market is to take in job applicants who are graduates of IPTA (private universities) who have done twinning programs. This means their English is good and they are more marketable. Again this means Malays with poor English skills are not preferred. Bottom of the line.

And here is some news from Cyberjaya. We opened up Cyberjaya and gave foreign investors much benefits and incentives to open business there. Among the foreign investments in Cyberjaya are 'Call Centers'. Well some 'Call Centers' in Cyberjaya take in Indians as a first choice for employment. They feel that generally Indians speak better English. Second choice are Chinese. Finally they will look at Malays as the last choice but rarely. Even with the emphasis on English the past six years, the Malays cannot speak enough English to get a job answering telephones in Call Centers in Cyberjaya.

We cannot shut them down or arrest them under the ISA for practising such discrimination. They come here for business. We must provide them the tools necessary to run their businesses well. We are not doing the job.

A Tan Sri from Kelantan said in English "this is a giant leap backward for the Malays"...

In the present world, the English language is a 'life giving' language. The amount of new knowledge and new information that comes out in the English language is astounding. No one can translate all the new knowledge and information that comes out in English EACH and EVERY DAY. It is impossible.. We have to master this language. There is no other way.

Then we have the 'tidak masuk akal' ideas. Tan Sri Muhyuddin says after the switch back to Malay, he still wants to upgrade the teaching of English in the rural schools. He wants to employ about 1000 native English speakers to teach English in rural schools. By native speaker I do not know if he is referring to Mrs Naidu from Brickfields or if he wants to employ real Mat Sallehs from outside the country.

Mrs Naidu the retired English teacher will gladly teach English to our children for RM3000 per month. But we will have to pay the Mat Sallehs RM15,000 a month or more before they will come to work here.

But if that is a good idea then why not employ 1000 Mat Sallehs at RM15000 a month to teach Maths and Science in English in the rural schools?

Because according to Tan Sri Muhyuddin, it is not the school children in the rural schools who are to be faulted. The real culprits are the teachers. Muhyuddin let the cat out of the bag. Here is what Muhyuddin said (from the Press): "It was based on empirical studies and other specialist reviews," he said. Based on studies conducted in 2008, he said, the ministry found that only a small percentage of teachers fully used English to teach the two subjects. "On average, the percentage of those using English during Mathematics and Science periods was around 53% to 58%," he said, adding that only a small number of teachers were proficient. Muhyiddin said studies carried out by local universities found that students' mastery level of English during the entire policy was around 3% while the level among rural students was low."

So don't push the blame on the rural students lah , Syewel !

It is the teachers who were malas to teach in English. And there are other reasons why some Malay teachers do not use English. Among them are religious reasons because some people believe that speaking English may lead to you 'jadi kristian'. FULAWEI ! ADA BODOH MACAM INI PUN DLM KALANGAN GURU KITA KAH ?

Even in the towns (including Kuala Lumpur )it is also considered "showing off" if Malay people speak English. So there are other quite illogical reasons why Malay teachers are shy to speak and teach in English. Don't just blame it (and quite wrongly too) on the rural school children. That is not correct.

And even if what Tan Sri Muhyuddin is saying is indeed true, why burden the urban kids and dim their chances at a better future just because the rural kids are having problems with English?

Urban kids are usually the children of parents who are more educated, who work in offices, run businesses and generally earn a higher income and enjoy a better standard of living. The rural folks are usually much poorer than the urban folks.

That is why we have to make sure that the rural folks get the same or better opportunities to get out of the poverty cycle and move up in life so that they too can enjoy a standard of living like the urban people.. A good education and the ability to converse in English is definitely one way up.

But what this policy reversal has done is to lower the entire national average. Instead of moving the rural people up the ladder, we are now moving moving the urban folks down to the level of the rural people. We are lowering the averages. Hang tak payah jadi pandai macam aku, biar aku jadi bodoh macam hang !

We are nailing the Malays inside the language cocoon. We are also creating a "non English understanding rural poor" versus an "English speaking urban elite" divide. The Malays who cannot speak English will be left further and further behind. BUT YOU THINK UMNO CARES FOR YOU ????

The English speaking urban folks (Malays, Chinese and Indians) will move light years ahead of the non English speaking folks. There will most definitely be an English speaking elite in the country. More problems will arise.

Then we have also allowed International Schools in the country to be opened to all Malaysians. We also have foreign universities like Nottingham and Monash. We are basically denying many Malays from qualifying to enter these universities and international schools. They can go to UITM and become more 'cocoon infested' and unemployable.

But very, very few kids make it to university or college in the first place. Only 2% to 3% of the population goes to university anyway. The large bulk of our young kids will become school leavers (SPM or PMR) with no employable skills, no knowledge of "life giving" English. Their future is doomed.

Akhir sekali saya nampak peluang hidup bagi budak Melayu dari kampong menjadi lagi tipis. Siapa yang ada tanah getah, mungkin akan kerja potong getah saja di kampong. Kalau tak ada tanah getah, depa akan berhijrah ke Bandar dan pekan untuk mencari kerja sebagai office boy, messenger dan peon.
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why march...?

Usually, we don't agree with one another. Generally, we do not condone what others do. Mostly, we twist things and give ourselves rationales on how things should be done. History, however, does show that it does take a few brave souls to move the world.

I have copied the following article to remind us why we need to march.
The article is written by a Yeo Yang Poh in the Sun paper; Yeo Yang Poh is a former Bar Council president.(http://sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=36441); Updated: 09:29PM Sun, 02 Aug 2009.
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Why do Malaysians march?
Yeo Yang Poh
On the move ... a section of anti-ISA protesters near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

WHY march, when the government has said that it will review the Internal Security Act? Why march, when there are other very cosy ways of giving your views and feedback?

One would understand if these were questions posed by nine-year-olds. But they are not. They are questions posed by the prime minister of this nation we call our home. Answer we must. So, why?

Because thousands who died while in detention cannot march or speak any more. That is why others have to do it for them.

Because persons in the corridors of power, persons who have amassed tremendous wealth and live in mansions, and persons who are in the position to right wrongs but won’t, continue to rule our nation with suffocating might. And they certainly would not march. They would prevent others from marching.

Because the have-nots, the sidelined, the oppressed, the discriminated and the persecuted have no effective line to the powerful.

Because the nice ways have been tried ad nauseam for decades, but have fallen on deaf ears.

Because none of the major recommendations of Suhakam (including on peaceful assembly), or of the commissions of inquiry, has been implemented. Because the proposed Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is not in sight, while corruption and insecurity live in every neighbourhood; and (despite reasoned views expressed ever so nicely in opposition) Rela (people’s volunteer corps) is being brought in to make matters even worse.

The proponents in “Su Qiu” (remember them?) were not marchers. In fact it is hard to find nicer ways than “su qiu”, because the term means “present and request” or “inform and request”. In terms of putting forward a view or a request, it is the height of politeness. Yet they were labelled “extremists” – they who did not march.

And now you ask, why march?

Because you gave non-marchers a false name! You called them the “silent majority”, who by virtue of their silence (so you proudly argued with twisted logic) were supporters of government policies since they were not vocal in raising objections. You claimed to be protecting the interest of the “silent majority”. Now some of them do not want to be silent anymore, and you are asking why?

Yes, because double standards and hypocrisy cannot be covered up or explained away forever; and incompetence cannot be indefinitely propped up by depleting resources.

Because cronyism can only take care of a few people, and the rest will eventually wake up to realise the repeated lies that things were done in certain ways purportedly “for their benefit”.

Because the race card, cleverly played for such a long time, is beginning to be seen for what it really is – a despicable tool to divide the rakyat for easier political manipulation.

Because it does not take much to figure out that there is no good reason why Malaysia, a country with abundant human resources and rich natural resources, does not have a standard of living many times higher than that of Singapore, an island state with no natural resources and that has to import human resources from Malaysia and elsewhere.

Because, in general, countries that do not persecute marchers are prosperous or are improving from their previous state of affairs, and those that do are declining.

Because Gandhi marched, Mandela marched, Martin Luther King marched, and Tunku Abdul Rahman marched.

Because more and more people realise that peaceful assemblies are no threat at all to the security of the nation, although they are a threat to the security of tenure of the ruling elite.

Because politicians do not mean it when they say with a straight face or a smile that they are the servants and that the people are the masters. No servant would treat his master with tear gas, batons and handcuffs.

Because if the marchers in history had been stopped in their tracks, places like India, Malaysia and many others would still be colonies today, apartheid would still be thriving in South Africa, Nelson Mandela would still be scribbling on the walls of Cell 5, and Obama would probably be a slave somewhere in Mississippi plotting to make his next midnight dash for the river.

And because liberty, freedom and dignity are not free vouchers posted out to each household.

They do not come to those who just sit and wait. They have to be fought for, and gained.

And if you still want to ask: why march; I can go on and on until the last tree is felled. But I shall
obviously not.

I will end with the following lines from one of the songs sung in the 1960s by civil rights marchers in the US, without whom Obama would not be able to even sit with the whites in a bus, let alone reside in the White House:

“It isn’t nice to block the doorway
It isn’t nice to go to jail
There are nicer ways to do it
But the nice ways have all failed
It isn’t nice; it isn’t nice
You’ve told us once, you’ve told us twice
But if that’s freedom’s price
We don’t mind ...”

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Quotation of the day:
Big things are expected of us, and nothing big ever came of being small.
Bill Clinton (1946-)
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1st august...

Today is a day of many choices ....

I have a choice to go to:-
a. the anti-isa march - a social responsiblity?
b. a tea-party with Nurul our MP - another social responsiblity, albeit more docile?
c. attend a pertanding bola jaring as sponsors and rub shoulders with YB's ...
d. lectures on living in a pluratics society... a spirituality and intellectual activity

What and how does one choose? I know I have loads of excuses for not attending any one of them.

What ever the choice, none of them will result in a SLX in my garage....





My dream car - a red, open top, two door mercedes...
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