This article continues from Yesterday's -- when all Desi's troubles seemed to flood the die! --and consists mainly of "collating" my olde Posts about the Man and His Issues, the chief being "Mahathirism" hogging discussions both online and offline. I have liberally reprised Posts by Other writers that give a hint of Dr Mahathir from the Company he keeps/kept -- even including Raja Petra Kamarudin! -- so that readers can judge for themselves. Maybe we see glimpses of the chameleonic characters in the Man and the many Players on the Malaysian stage. Ah, Dr Mahathir and his nemesis Anwar Ibrahim oft quote Shakespeare, so it's in order that we remember "All the world is a stage..."-- Do you like it?
BUT FIRST, indulge Desi a byte with a take that was NOT published here but remained as a DRAFT, now shared publicly because it's right and timely! -- YL
******************************* Sundae's Special4CON BF!*********************************
Edit
GOoD letter nstonine june 18 on Dr M
2008/06/18
The Mahathir record: Good, bad or plain ugly?
By : P.C.A. LEE, Subang Jaya Email to friend Print article
FROM 1981 to 2003, we Malaysians had an interesting ride under the Mahathir administration. Was it a good or bad 22 years for the country and its citizens? By 2003, Malaysians seemed to have made up their minds one way or the other.Generally, the Mahathir administration was either "God-sent" or "hell", with fence-sitters certainly in the minority. Those of us who gave it the thumbs up invariably point to achievements like the national car project, highways, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Petronas Twin Towers, the KL Tower, the Formula 1 circuit in Sepang and say: "He put us on the world map", etc -- all seemingly brilliant initiatives by Dr Mahathir himself. (Not to forget the battle cry "Malaysia Boleh".) For those who were grateful that the so called "reign of terror" ended in 2003 (at least officially), the following were questions that had to be answered. Under whose stewardship of the government was corruption in the public sector at its worst? Money politics in Umno at its worst? Confidence in the judiciary at its worst? Racial polarisation among students in schools and universities at its worst? The abuse of the Federal Constitution at its worst? The abuse of the law at its worst? The teaching of English as a second language in school and universities at its worst?The buck stops with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself.Have we (supporters and detractors alike) been too hasty to make a judgment in 2003? Or even now, for that matter? All the evidence might not have been available then (or even now) for us to make a fair judgment. Were we too quick to pass judgment on an era where even the air-quality index was declared a state secret?One of the first acts of the current administration was to declassify the air-quality index as a state secret (what a breath of fresh air!). Since 2003, Malaysians in general are beginning to realise that it is too early to pass judgment on the Mahathir administration (and indeed on the man himself), simply because for one, the man himself is still alive and the evidence with regard to his deeds, whether by commission or omission, are still unfolding. Dr Mahathir is still in the news today; more often than not for the wrong reasons.There is also the added reason that until today, the alleged wrongdoings under the Mahathir administration have not been fully investigated, or are still being investigated by the enforcement agencies of the government.
**************************************************************
Reprisal 4:
Friday, May 30, 2008
Dr M vs Ezam vs Nalla vs Hang Tuah...
From The Star Online which is more sprightly and news-sy nowadays, here's the latest act of the Sandiwara combining the best of UMNO, ex-UMNO, ex-PKR, ex-MIC ... WoW, Nalla has been co-opted into UMNO's wings, how Desperado can a partee get? Mayhaps they have fun-D to co-opt Desi? I'll bring along Nicole the socialist, Marilyn the Mammi double decked, and Susie -- you all know the lust wan, head to toe, don't you? ~~ Desi, knottyaSsusual:)PasS: Should you ask where ***Hang Tuah cometh in, wait for an UPDATE!If you treat Desi well like buying him make a kumbek to gift thee my Komen-toes.Miss Patience is also Ms Virtuous...remember mGf?Friday May 30, 2008Ezam: I’m back because of PM’s commitment to bringing reformBy MANJIT KAURPETALING JAYA: Ezam Mohd Nor is back in Umno because of party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's commitment to bringing change and reform.The former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth leader said he wanted to show his support and commitment, and therefore joined hands with Abdullah and other leaders to continue with their struggles to fight graft and bribery.Ezam denied that he had made a comeback because he was offered “carrots” or positions in the party.“If 'carrot' is the consideration, I have been offered many and bigger 'carrots' before,” he told a press conference at a hotel here yesterday.“I am joining Umno as you all know when it is not in the strongest position, as I have been offered 'carrots' by Umno in their strongest positions before.“So positions or 'carrots' are never my considerations at all, and my decision is purely based on my convictions, and my convictions are for reform.”Joining him were former Kedah PKR youth chief Khairul Anuar Ramli, former Perlis PKR youth chief Ahmad Daud Ghani, former PKR youth exco member Azwandeein Hamzah, former PKR Selangor secretary S.D. Johari Yasin and former Selangor PKR state liaison youth secretary Nazmi Rosli.Former Permatang Pauh youth chief Annuar Shaari, who was also private secretary to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is expected to hand his application form to join Umno to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Parliament.Ezam added that corruption was the number one challenge to the country.“The Prime Minister has brought changes to the judiciary and Anti-Corruption Agency in a short period, and we cannot expect him to make drastic changes overnight,” he said.“For the past 10 or 20 years, I have not seen any prime minister with the courage to introduce these sorts of reforms, and Abdullah had made two major changes in a month.“I am therefore convinced that more changes and reforms will take place.”DESIDERATA: Ezam, you got slammed and served time in the SLAMMER, yet you think PM after four years of hibernation is still the best to lead Anti-Corruption fight? What's happening to your GERAK then -- anything to show to date? What happened to your threats to "expose" corruption in high places? Oh, moving from Below, to Above, and now On The Table, izzit?Well, aiming at tking over Tun Dr M's vacancy, izzit2?Friday May 30, 2008Dr M: I’m out, he’s (Ezam) inKUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was his usual sarcastic self when commenting on former PKR Youth leader Ezam Mohd Nor rejoining Umno.“Saya keluar, dia masuk. Baguslah dia sayang Umno (I leave and he is back in. Good that he loves Umno),” he quipped.The former premier and party president was asked to comment yesterday on Ezam's move to rejoin Umno this week although he had left the party to help set up what was then known as Parti Keadilan.Ezam, who was once Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political secretary, followed Anwar out of Umno in 1998 after the former deputy prime minister was sacked. He was also detained under the Internal Security Act for his role in the reformasi movement.However, Ezam quit Keadilan last year after a fallout with Anwar and an internal power struggle with current PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.He then set up Gerak, a non-governmental organisation fighting against corruption and upholding judicial independence.Dr Mahathir was speaking to reporters after autographing 100 copies of his book, Dr Mahathir's Selected Letters to World Leaders. The autograph session was organised in conjunction with the international BookFest@Malaysia 2008 exhibition.In his posting on his blog yesterday, Dr Mahathir thanked Umno members who asked him to return to the party, but reiterated that Umno was no longer what it used to be.He claimed he was not treated as an Umno member since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi became the president and that party leaders were also not allowed to meet him or attend his functions.“Even the Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) was not allowed to see me until I exposed this. Some Umno leaders even suggested expelling me from the party,” he added.“The attitude and treatment towards me after I resigned, clearly shows that not only am I not an Umno member, but I am also Umno's enemy. My leaving Umno just 'officiates' my position as a non-member.”DESIDERATA: Dr Mahathir is wiser after 22+4 years. It's never too late for an Awakening. Some UMNO kings and putera are little Rip van Wrinkles:(:( GBless. Sleep tight. aMore "Et tu, Brute?" to come, yet. Nyet?P.asS2:)*** As for "Hang Tuah", can you wait a byte? After runch ... a quick lunch on the run, on pocket empty.DESI agin @3.51PM:I promised thee Hang Tuah, didn't I? And a writer's word is his bond -- is yours?UMNO’s Tuah-Jebat DilemmaBy Dr M BAKRI MUSAMay 25th, 2008 The furor over Tun Mahathir’s quitting UMNO cannot hide an increasingly obvious and ugly reality: Abdullah’s incompetence as Prime Minister. Ranting and raving against Mahathir will not alter this singular fact.Only an ardent few – his family members, closest advisors, and those beholden to him – believe that Abdullah has executed the duties of his office diligently. These individuals will forever remain faithful to him even if he were to drive the country to ruins. Consider that Saddam Hussein and Shah Pahlavi still have their ardent admirers today.For others, their only excuse for wanting Abdullah to stay is for “party unity.”DESI: I said I ain't working for Pamper's, so surf ye to bakrimusa.com if you care to add value to thy brain. If not, do you think I care?Somehow a recent Commenter resident at http://donplaypuks.blogspot.com/ reminds Desi of the word satire. I went to TV SMITH to regurgitate somethin' irritatin' to save my ER some precious dime:if you don't know what satire is even if it bites you in the ass, just call it a joke... PmyAss: If you have to ask who this TV Smith is, go aRsEk RTM!
Reprisal 3:
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
It's The SONG, Not The Singer!
It's the ISSUE, Not the Issuer, that's the message Raja Petra Kamarudin is saying in his latest Post. As I plan to take a HI-atus for 48 -- like mGf rockybru -- I am cuting&pasting, an art form I have almost perfected save I could not pick up the pictures. Painting ala Leonardo da Vinci would be too timeconsuming although I know my ER are a damned patient lot. They would want tolinger on Planet Earth though it's hot and polluted because Heaven's gates are closing fast and Hell'sangels are recruiting, if you believe the mainstream media's propaganda-GANDA WANG ANDA!It’s all in the game Written by Super Admin Tuesday, 08 July 2008 Yes; that is what politics is all about: the pursuit of power. Of course, they talk about causes and struggles. But the ‘cause’ is simple: the pursuit of power. And the ‘struggle’ is merely a power struggle, nothing more, nothing less.NO HOLDS BARREDRaja Petra Kamarudin You may have been facing a lot of problems getting into our site since more than a week ago. First, a hacker hit us and you probably saw a picture of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in battle fatigues on our front page. That, basically, was a message from my adversaries that they ‘know’ Mahathir is behind Malaysia Today.Yes, since mid-2006, I have been meeting Mahathir in his house, his Petronas office at the KLCC, as well as his office at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya. I am also very close to other Mahathir loyalists such as Sufi and Matthias, not to mention his children, in particular Mukhriz and Marina. Malaysia Today also co-sponsored the first dialogue with Mahathir in the Kelab Century Paradise two years ago when he ‘declared war’ on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and the day he launched his first strike. Further to that, Malaysia Today webcasted, live, Mahathir’s talk in Kota Bharu, the day he was attacked with mace.Many, Anwar Ibrahim included, say that I have now ‘turned’ and have sold out to Mahathir. They view my ‘relationship’ with Mahathir as suspect and can only be because I now ‘serve a new master’. The talk in town is that I have had a falling out with Anwar and that is why I have now ‘crossed-over’ to Mahathir. Or maybe I am so short of cash so I have ‘sold my soul’ to Mahathir for a great sum of money.How narrow-minded these people are. If you are with me, then you are a great guy. But if you are with the ‘other side’, then you must have sold out for money. Why is it if I openly express my support for Anwar then I am a great guy? Could it not be I am supporting Anwar because I have been paid a lot of money? Why when I support Anwar I am doing it free-of-charge and for a cause, but if I support Mahathir instead, then it can only be for money and for no other reason. Can’t I also support Anwar and ‘sell my soul’ to Anwar for money as well? But, no! If I support Anwar it can never be for money. It can only be for the cause. Only if I support Mahathir can it be for money.Actually, I do not support either Anwar or Mahathir. The personalities are not who I support. I support the issues. And that is what all our readers should do as well: support the issues, not the person. People come and go. People change. People ‘cross over’. How can we support one person and then oppose that person when he or she changes his or her stand. If we support the person, then we should support the person all the way, even when that person crosses over. The fact that we will abandon someone when that person changes his or her stand or crosses over means we do not support him or her as such but only what he or she stands for.Take Ezam Mohd Noor as an example. He was revered when he opposed Umno and fought against corruption. He was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and was jailed under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) even before his ISA detention could end. He was considered a hero. Many stood by him. But when he resigned from the party and later joined Umno, he was defiled and called a traitor. That means most people never really supported him. They supported what he stood for. But when he changed his stand and crossed over to Umno, the support ended. He is now a man hated by the very people who treated him like a demigod all this while. It is dangerous to support someone for personality cult reasons. You only support his or her cause or stand. And if his or her cause dovetails with yours, well and fine. If not, then you must be matured and civilised enough to disagree, while continuing to respect his or her cause or stand, in spite of it being opposite to yours. In that same spirit, you may not like that person, but if his or her cause is the same as yours, you must be able to see eye-to-eye only as far as the cause or stand is concerned, while you can agree to disagree on all other issues which you feel are contrary to yours.My cause or stand is simple. I am not anti-government. I am not also pro-government. Barisan Nasional is the government at federal level and in many of the states. Pakatan Rakyat, in turn, is the government in five states. In that sense, both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat are simultaneously the government as well as the opposition, depending on where you happen to be at that point of time. What I am is I am pro-rakyat and anti-exploitation of rakyat. It does not matter who the government is. Be it Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, my stand remains the same for both.Both sides of the political divide have been grossly exploiting the rakyat these last 51 years. Be it Umno, MCA, MIC, Gerakan, PKR, DAP, PAS, or any of the other dozen or so political parties, they have used the rakyat in their political game and in the pursuit of power. Yes; that is what politics is all about: the pursuit of power. Of course, they talk about causes and struggles. But the ‘cause’ is simple: the pursuit of power. And the ‘struggle’ is merely a power struggle, nothing more, nothing less.Never mind who they are. Never mind who is leading these various political parties. They all aim for one thing: to get into power. And they will use the rakyat to gain power because only the rakyat can give them this power. The rakyat is lied to. The rakyat is cheated. The rakyat is being made a fool. And the gullible rakyat will swallow everything the politicians say; hook, line and sinker; thinking that those who offer themselves to serve the rakyat do so for only one reason, to serve the rakyat, whereas serving the rakyat is the farthest thing from their minds.Today, we are divided like we have never been divided before. Sure, we have not seen a race riot the likes of ‘May 13’ for almost 40 years now. But this does not mean we love each other. It only means we still hate each other but we are too scared to do anything about it lest we suffer reprisals. Even in the opposition they still talk about race. They still demand race-based quotas. So Barisan Nasional is not the only culprit in this race game. Everyone is equally guilty.Sure, Barisan Nasional plays the race game to the hilt. But the opposition doesn’t really mind. In fact, they love it because the more Barisan Nasional plays the race game the more they can exploit the issue to their benefit. Does the opposition want the race game to end? Of course they do not. If Barisan Nasional stops playing the race game then what is the opposition going to use against the ruling coalition? No, Barisan Nasional must continue playing the race game, never mind how dangerous this may be. It helps the opposition when Barisan Nasional plays the race game. The opposition can then continue harping on how bad Barisan Nasional is to get the support of the rakyat who hate this race game.If the opposition is not also playing the race game why does it matter who is the Menteri Besar or Chief Minister? Does it matter if he is Malay, Chinese or Indian? Does it even matter if it is a he or she? And why must there be five Malay, three Chinese and two Indian EXCO Members? Why can’t all EXCO Members be of one race? So we have ten Indian EXCO members and a Chinese Menteri Besar in a ‘Malay’ state. So what? Why make a big deal out of it?But no, the positions must be race-based and must be according to the ‘agreed race quota’. Anything less will be unacceptable. To do otherwise means the coalition needs to be disbanded. We will cooperate only if our race is represented. And no other race can represent us. Someone from our own race must be that representative. And this is the opposition talking, not Barisan Nasional.Yes, the rakyat is being exploited. And everyone is exploiting the rakyat, both sides of the political divide. And both sides benefit when the race game continues. No, the opposition does not want to see race-based politics end. It is of no benefit to the opposition if the race game ends. The opposition becomes stronger when racial politics escalates. On the other hand, the opposition would become irrelevant if racial politics ends.So, no, I am not pro-opposition or anti-government, or the other way around. I am pro-rakyat and anti-exploitation of the rakyat. And both sides are playing the same game so how can I align myself to any one side? Be it Anwar or Mahathir -- or Pak Lah, Najib, Ku Li, etc. -- the same applies. And thus far no one appears to have abandoned the race game. So, until they do, we must think of the rakyat first and these leaders second. And that means I will continue meeting all these leaders, irrespective of who they are. But this in no way means I am favouring one over the other. Meeting them just means I want to know how they tick. And Malaysia Today will continue offering itself as a platform for them to speak out, even if I do not agree with what they stand for.Anyway, in the meantime, I have other pressing problems on my mind. Malaysia Today is still very sluggish and extremely difficult to access. Our team is trying to resolve the matter and has been working around the clock for more than a week in an attempt to tackle the problem. It may mean we have to invest more money, which I do not have, into upgrading our facilities. Compounding this problem is the ‘road-block’ we are facing. The government is blocking our site and this makes the task even more complex.Is that bad news or good news? I suppose the good news is the government views us a real threat, warranting the special operation to shut us down. The bad news is if I can’t overcome the problem then the government may win in the end. At this point of time I seriously do not know what the end result is going to be.P.S. We have had to switch off the comments in the meantime while we sort out the problem with the site or else you can't even access the site.
posted by desiderata at 12:12 AM
Reprisal 2:
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Kambing from this ex-PM, No Doubt UMNO Is a Circus
Thursday October 9, 2008I’m glad I was wrong, says MahathirPUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s decision to not contest in the Umno elections in March will be good for Umno as it can rebuild itself.Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was glad he had been wrong when he wrote in his blog www.chedet.com that Abdullah would not step down.“Of course, I am very happy for Umno, not for myself, because Umno can rebuild itself.“But Umno will not be able to restore the full confidence of the people as many of its supporters, who voted for the Opposition, may want to continue working for them,” he said in response to Abdullah’s announcement here yesterday.Dr Mahathir, however, said he felt it was better for Abdullah to step down now rather than wait until March as he could still be an obstruction because he was not giving Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak full authority to rehabilitate the party.“Until March Pak Lah must keep quiet and let Najib run the show. He should not interfere because if Najib appears to be following him or taking his advice, I think the latter will lose support,” he said.Asked if he would rejoin the party now that Abdullah would not be Prime Minister after March, Dr Mahathir said he would have to study the situation.“Yes, I said I am going to rejoin Umno but he is still (Umno) president until March. But if I can do some good by rejoining, I will,” he said, adding that if he was to go back to Umno, those who had left the party with him should be readmitted to ensure Umno wins votes at the next general election.On whether he would be roped in to act as mentor to Umno, Dr Mahathir said he was prepared to be consulted to solve problems, adding that he would give advice even if he was not asked. DESIDERATA: ****“Until March Pak Lah must keep quiet and let Najib run the show...." KAMBING from Tun Dr Mahathir, who kept n barking at his sucessor Pak Lah from the early days unless and until IJN stepped in, THIS QUOTE****leaves no doubt inmy mind that UMNO has enough leaders of similar calibre and bent to form the Malaysian Circus. Mayhaps in such challenging economic times,Malaysians deserve a break. Join the UMNO clowns and get into the Guinness Book of Records for the largest cirucus in town. In the world, according to UMNO eyes. Okay, make that Desi's I-I.
*************************************************************** Reprisal 1: Monday, May 04, 2009 XXcitement in the nu'esroom, and some say Mahathirism is back... The question is: Kambing wit' a "V"engeance?1st: The newsbreak from theedgemalaysia.com:Flash NSTP gets new editorial advisorhttp://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/13221-flashnstp-gets-new-editorial-advisor.htmlTags: Ahmad Talib Hishamuddin Aun Johan Jaffar NSTPWritten by Edge MalaysiaSaturday, 02 May 2009 11:54KUALA LUMPUR: A former top editor of the New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd (NSTP) is set to return to the Umno-linked newspaper group, as the new party president continues with moves to put his trusted people in key media posts. Sources say Datuk Ahmad Talib will be appointed group editorial advisor and have effective control over all newsroom matters in NSTP, which publishes the New Straits Times, Berita Harian and Harian Metro.Ahmad last served as NSTP Group Editor (the No 2 editorial post) but left in 2005 under a voluntary separation scheme shortly after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as Umno president and put his own people in charge. Sources say current NSTP Group Editor in Chief Datuk Hishamuddin Aun, an Abdullah appointee, will report to Ahmad who had a few weeks ago started a weekly column in the NST. His impending appointment will follow that of Datuk Johan Jaffar as executive chairman of Media Prima Bhd, the parent company of NSTP.Sources say it now looks clear that Johan and Ahmad will be Datuk Seri Najib Razak's point men in the Media Prima/NSTP group. Media Prima also owns all of Malaysia's private free-to-air tv stations.Umno's control of Media Prima/NSTP is through a nominee company. The party also controls the Malay language newspaper group Utusan Malaysia through a direct stake of nearly 50%. So far there has been no indication of changes at Utusan. Johan was editor-in-chief at Utusan until he was removed by then Umno President Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad a few months before the latter sacked his Deputy Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in September, 1998. Johan was at the time deemed as an Anwar supporter. Now more than 10 years later, he has re-emerged as a confidante of Najib.A former Bernama journalist, Ahmad had served in the NSTP group since the early 1980s starting as a reporter in Business Times before rising rapidly to be editor of Berita Harian and then group editor. After leaving Balai Berita (the name of NSTP's head office) in 2005, he worked for two years at Maxis Communications as advisor to then CEO Datuk Jamaluddin Ibrahim.Ahmad is seen as a Mahathir loyalist in the media and is a protege of former NSTP Group Editor-in-Chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin. Sources say his return to NSTP could see him taking back several top news executives close to him who left together with him after Mahathir retired.2nd, from rockybru.com.my:Saturday, May 02, 2009Tsunami at NSTP?with updates ...Editorial Adviser. An Italian-backed online news portal has the story that everyone in the media has been talking about. Is Ahmad A. Talib going back to NSTP? He will be better than Kalimullah Hassan but will he be good enough for the paper? Why are they turning to him to bring back the New Straits Times, especially?Read my piece in my new blog 84 Jalan Tangsi on journalism and other press-ing matters, h e r e.updated 3/5 2am: Read seasoned journo Aziz Hassan's posting Umno unlikely to reign in its media.DESIDERATA: Some of the MSM editors have also truned Bloggers. So expect some of the bolder ones to make an AP-pearance at BUM2009 (surf to bum2009.wordpress.com hear!) to surprise the participants, and BUMmers like Desi, wit' their views, and also expect brickbats from the audience too?Keep a date at the LVC on Saturday, May 16, 2009.Have You Signed Up for BUM2009 Yet?You don't want to miss da Bloggers' Event of da Year!The rumour of "Three roast lambs making their way to the Warren Buffet's table"is now confirmed by OC chair YL to be true! ~~ Desi
DESIDERATA: This is a very LONG post as it is served from the Memory Bank. Please bear wit' Desi, who will take a Hi-Atus after this wan. Readers are getting a byte wearyeh! -- YL, the journo-listed.
To be continued...
***************************** INTERLUDE ************************
I came back from lunch,and was duly informed of a Comment from a long, abiding mGf "pavlova" at my few days old post "Why do I dream?" I have been "negelecting" many ofmy Blog friends because of deep focused involvement in chairing BUM2009 OC -- which WILL BE MY LAST as Chair, this is official notice to Co-Chair Rockybru! -- so I surfed to her cyberhome, and I extract the following worthy of Sunday's rumination:)
Okay first the Comment from a Penanggal I have met and like Dr Mahathir, she's beguiling in her writes too--keep a date wit' US in September, TRY TO REMEMER?:
maybe we Malaysians should stop seeing things are either it's "bread and butter or not" In fact I commend Desi for his passion, even tho I don't agree with what he writes at times. But like one famous person said: I might agree with thee but I shall defend your right to say so until the day I die.Desi will be back briefly this Sept, hope to catch up with ya in Sept if i'm down in KL :)
By pavlova, at 2:22 PM
By pavlova, at 2:22 PM "
FDR
April 20, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments
One of America’s few great presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt said this:
Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.
Couldn’t agree with it more. Quite often you hear people saying ” Ah well, it’s fate. takdir. ming yun 命運. ”
But I think in life, to a huge degree, really depends on your motivation and your will to emerge a better person.
The other 10% perhaps will need a little bit of luck/ right opportunity.
Circle of Life
April 3, 2009 in Uncategorized 2 comments
I was talking to my folks about their home life, and the conversation inevitably comes back to the dogs.
One of my dogs is already 13 yrs old. Mom mentioned don’t know if I ever get the chance to see her when I go bk at the end of the year.
She’s still functioning pretty okay, but according to my folks she’s getting old. A little weak at times, always sleeping.
I thought about how when we brought her home 13 yrs ago, she was a very cute puppy. Her ears were still drooping and had big paws. She was running around the garden. In fact, she was galloping.At times she would fall into the drain and whimper. But she had many friends. Every week we would go to obedience class with her and we could see how they all played and mingled with each other.
Sadly the “dog friends” have all gone now. In fact it’s amazing how my dog has lived on so long so far.Maybe all the love around her keeps her going.
The reason we bought her home was because I was home alone most of the time. My parents worked very late and on most days I’m left to deal with my lunch, sometimes dinner. So my parents were worried about my safety as the neighbourhood can be vulnerable at times.
So since she came to the house, nobody dared to go near the house. She was “fierce looking”.
There was one occasion when the back of the house was under renovation and we had to place her on the front porch. It was hot in the afternoon and there was a lot of noise. I came out to the porch to do my reading and she was sleeping on the floor. So I leaned close to her and eventually fell asleep on her belly.It was the safest feeling of all. I don’t think I can ever forget that.
The circle of life… makes you think of how time flies….
Tweet?
March 30, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments
Before I go on, just a little side note to the previous post about the stupid tiger park in Penang:
A poll on The Star has shown that 43% of the readers agree that Penang SHOULD have a tiger park and 42% nay.While the margin is slim, there are still enough people voting for it.
May I say what dumb-asses they are. I can’t believe they don’t have the freaking brains and heart in them. All they care about is freaking tourism and money.
Once again, what dumb-asses.
**
Anyway, what’s this thing about Twitter??
If you haven’t known, lately especially in America there is this huge phenomenon to Twitter, on www.twitter.com
You gotta sign up for it, and you will announce to the whole world ( well, your followers, anyway) what you’re up to.
Like, par example:
Pavlova is going to the toilet.
or
Pavlova is eating dinner.
I don’t understand why people would want to announce what they are doing every minute or every second.
Do we feel that we should let the whole world know what we’re doing every second of it?Have we become so antisocial that this, is the new way to “socialise”?
Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be signing up to that anytime soon.
Today’s musings
March 27, 2009 in Uncategorized No comments
I was quite pleased to hear that ex PM of NZ (Helen Clark) has been appointed as head of the UN Development Programme. It’s allegedly to be the 3rd top highest post in the UN.
This would probably suit her “aunty Clark” role more, though from all the things I’ve heard about this programme, it’s going to be an uphill struggle to find and distribute the meagre 10 billion USD aid to developing nations. But well, she’s one of those people that can do this job pretty well, I would imagine.
**
A news piece in the BBC caught my eye regarding my birthplace:
Conservationists have attacked a Malaysian plan to set up a tiger park on the resort island of Penang.
Link here.I then left a comment in a certain well known blogger-turned-politician’s blog and the discussion around the media has been going on strong.
This news piece has been circulating in many major newspapers, from BBC to AP to even NZ Herald.
And then a few days later I read that the chief minister of the Penang state said “criticisms against the tiger park not constructive“.
I have no words to explain how I feel. In fact, I don’t even know what I feel.
Sense of loss? Diappointment? Anger? Indifference?
I don’t know, perhaps all of the above.
Sometimes I wonder if democracy truly works in Asia. A Time magazine report that came out a few months ago said democracy is messy in Asia. It took Western civilisations hundreds of years to (try) perfect the system, it’s only emerged in Asia decades ago.
And now that it’s the more prevalent ruling system in Asia, it’s messy. People in fact wanted the old “dictatorship” back.
Anyway, personal feelings about politics aside, I sincerely hope the tigers will be left where they are and are not subjected to the immaturity of these politicians.
Writer’s Block
March 16, 2009 in Uncategorized 1 comment
As some of you may have noticed, my posts are becoming more sparse these days.
Yes, I’m suffering from a writer’s ( blogger’s) block.
I don’t know what to say anymore these days. Sometimes I just feel it’s a little pointless to talk about certain issues, e.g the economy.
Everyday you pick up the newspaper or reading the online edition and it becomes the same old rhetoric– the economy is BAD. Brace yourself for the worst.
What can one do? You try to spend very wisely ( to a point where you’re starting to become a stinge) and you are afraid to spend. Yet your spending is contributing to the lack of growth in the economy.
So we can’t win.
And my job?? Well my job is just, a job. I can now truly understand what people say when they say “Your job is just A JOB. It pays the bills. Period”
I have been taught not to complain anymore. Nobody really wants to listen to your complaints these days, to be honest. The more you complain, the more you’re deemed “whinger”.
So, best to keep to yourself or write it in the diary, at best.
At the moment my existence is a little empty. I blame myself for that. I lack the motivation to do things anymore.Even going out to meet friends is a feat. I have to organise it weeks, if not months ahead to prepare myself to go out there.
I lack the energy to do the things I once enjoy, e.g going out for coffee, hanging out with friends.
These days I just work, go home, watch TV, sleep and do some house chores from time to time.I can’t even get through a decent book for a month. I don’t have the concentration to read through them. Like how I mentioned in my previous post, I just return it to the library without finishing it.Yet I always get a book out after returning the unfinished book. Perhaps to tell myself that I must try to get through this one, this time around.
Everybody around me tells me I should count my blessings. At least I have what I need at the moment.
And I truly do, to be honest. I do count myself considerably more fortunate than a lot of people. In fact, NZ as a whole is much, much better off than the American counterparts. Our unemployment statistics aren’t as bad as those in the US, UK.
Somehow, things really need to be better soon. Real soon, in fact.
Yet on some days, I think this downturn has a silver lining. Makes housing/ business affordability much better.If you’ve got the cash, this is perhaps the best time to buy.
Anyway… did I say I was suffering from a writer’s block? This post doesn’t seem like it…
ylchong on Writer’s Block
Top Posts
None
****************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment