Honesty in Writing

desiderata.english

The poet is the rock of defence for human nature. *** William Wordsworth, in Preface to The Lyrical Ballads

I was somewhat concerned when a friend told me over tea recently that her daughter, like most of her classmates in Primary 5, are memorising compositions by heart for their school examinations. Apparently, this is the modus operandi taught them by the teachers -- whether for English, Bahsa Malaysia, or Chinese -- for spotted essay questions in a public exmaination would help the school "score" in that subject!

From childhood, I guess the process of acquiring knowledge begins with rote learning,
We of course remember:
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water
Jack fell down and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling down after...

Or the naughty boys would tease their meek mate:

Georgy Porgy pudding and pie
Kissed the girls and made them cry
When Georgy Porgy went out to play
All the girls would run away

Yes, imitation is oft touted is the highest form of flattery. As long as the pupils know their limits, and acknowledge that their writing is just borrowing some "styles" with their own contents, it's fine. We all at some time or another have experienced some feelings of deja vu when reading other authors' writings -- exclaiming, Yes, I swear I've read or seen that before! It's just that we have had glimpses of similar thoughts or imiginative landscapes locked somewhere in the deep recesses our minds, but a more proactive writer beat us to it! As they say, Great minds think alike, Fools seldom differ, maybe only on April Fool's Day!

But when kids are taught by their teachers to "memorise word for word, idea by idea", for a composition, I don't k-no-w about that. As an examiner, I would be bored (or gored?) to death by reading fifty scripts featuring more and more of the same points on the subject of My Coming-of-Age Birthday Celebration!

Then last (mid-)night's episode of Boston Public inspired this Sunday's rumination, and I hope some educators and parents whose children face the same predicament come write me with their viewpoints for sharing for the common good. The American high school located in a tough neighbour featured an initial euphoria when one of its students Jamaal (I didn't get his full name) was congratulated by his class for being offered a place at the Williams College, and a determining factor was his essay submitted was highly rated.

Then a faculty member found out that this essay had been copied -- plagiarised! -- and Jamaal's form-teacher was devastated of being informed of the news by the princiapal. Feeling dejected and angry that one of his favourite charges had let him down, the teacher broke the news to Jamaal, in a raised, reprimanding voice, that he could not proceed to college for his dishonest act.

To me, copying someone's work substantially and claiming it as one's own -- whether a poem, song or essay or novel -- is "stealing" or "theft", and for a writer, is a most unforgivable offence. Hence Jammal loses a scholarship for plagiarism -- an act of stealing someone's intellectual effort and creation. An offence so easily committed -- with some culprits getting away with it! -- in this age on Internet when information seems endless and seamless, available on any topic at the click of a mouse!

It's incumbent on us parents and guardians to guide the young ones, nurture in them a sense of honesty, to be able to tell right from wrong. Indeed, God created humans in His image, and therefore humans are born with vast springs of good and goodwill, let us writers and poets, as Wordsworth advocates, be the bedrock of defence of human nature.

So when we train our young ones to reproduce wholesale a composition or essay for school tests or public examinations, are we initiating them on a dangerous trend? That's my pre-occupation last night, and I pen this piece more for discussion, and not my viewpoint to be thrust down any parent's or student's hands.

Are teachers so hardpressed (maybe by a isguided principal who only sees As and Bs as the only grades justifying the school's record?) that they can't guide their children to learn writing the better way ... To me, I call it the 5Rs+1W way -- Read, read, read, and then write, 'rite and right!

Maybe start by encouraging them to write a short story based on a series of pictures/cartoons; give them an Opening paragraph like "I was at the wet market with Mum last Sunday morning when we heard a commotion from a teh-tarik stall by the roadside near the entrance to the market. A man clad in sarong -- maybe in his 50s -- was raising his voice at the stall-owner, and I could hear his shouting: 'Hey, mana saya punya kopi-o kau? Mana saya punya roti canai?...' repeated. "

Or lead off a composition/essay with a stanza from a poem:

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep or cows...
*** W.H. Davies

I think there are many innovative ways to teach the young ones the basics of writing, but I feel strongly against memorising essays by heart. Imagine an examiner reading from 50 scripts and finding 49 of them featuring almost identical points, maybe even expressed in twin-like manner. I'd rather read the 50th essay -- original, not so smoothly written maybe, still an original -- and any thinking examiner would score the unique attempt higher. Mainly because it's the student's own effort. All writers must jealously guard their honesty, above everything else.

That's why when we quote something to enhance our writing, we must attribute whenever possible the authority to the real author -- as the verse from Leisure by W.H. Davies quoted above. A composition based on the quoted verses could be about My favourite pastime, One's hobby/hobbies, The Rat Race, Hustle and bustle of life, even on Lesiure.

I end today with something to ruminate, as all dedicated writers must, in the quest towards excellence in writing, reproducing from Alexander Pope's obsevation as quoted in "Sound and Sense" from his "An Essay on Criticism":

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,

As those move easiest who have learned to dance.

'Tis not enough no harshness gives offense,

The sound must seem an echo to the sense.

Marching into April

It's been 30 enjoyable days since budding desiderata2000 on the Ides of March. Contrary to conventional belief that March 15 brings forth dark clouds and turbulence, with the skies opening up and raining WMDs and unseen and unforeseen objects, my month-long journey has only seen an abundance of joy and jest, with some sombre moments for reflection and rejuvenation.

I think it's a good time to recap some companions and Conversationists along the ongoing (ad)venture who I hope, will continue, to add joy and value to this mutually beneficial outing. May we continue to have fun and fellowship along the way.

I'm determined to post at least one story a day, and it has been achievable thus far.

I have marched into mid-April with lovely thoughts of all the girls I have not set sight on who recall for me April Love rendered in the Pat Boone evergreen style, and ll the men whom I have not met yet, yet sound so uncannily familiar, recalling all those Funny, Familiar, Forgoten Feelings sung the inimitable Tom Jones, hipswaying style.

Herewith the rollcall, with malice towards none and goodwill towards all, including the outstanding omissions:

Blogging to the R&R Beat

JeffOoi, acknowledged as agent preceding James Bond by 5 plus one,
Bloggers country-wide, maybe region too, deem him second-to-none

Mack(theknife?) Zulkifli, Branding a new Malaysia
Pak Lah took the cue, it's better late than never

MGGPillai throws in his veteran rants and yarns
Ascerbic but entertaining, revealing many skeletons in the barns

Lonestar9 please continue to 'rite and right
It's serious business I tell you, it's also a force of might

mwt was an anonymous whose counsel I took
Link to PPS and a wider field of reach I partook

Dear SH Tan reminds me of Man's Best Friend
Pointing at some misconceptions which I gladly amend

Dear Zorro, I wish I can see through thy mask
Getting to know thee better, that's my honourable task

O Kenny Sia, from Sarawak my distant yet laughingly G' mate
If I'm female, I'll guffaw and guffaw on our first date

Sepetgal always reminds me of the arts
Indeed, culture deepens and softens human hearts

Finally a most enlightening and mutually loyal fan
Nuggets at http://yancorner.blopspot.com penned by Yan
Thanks for thy soup for the soul constantly
This journey we need each other's words of warmth, spontaneously.

***Composed mentally by YLChong 11.59pm 15th March plus 30 days 2005;
Somewhere in Blogosphere, amidst the stars of human love and understanding, the lightning of of discernment and inspiration and thunder of human rage and righteous indignation? CopyrightORwrong belongs to desiderata2000.

A tale of two young Malaysians in need

After three years of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams, things are finally looking up for Nor Hedayah Morad, who was born without legs, had to quit school early this year as she was dependent on classmates to move around. The NST which broke the story yesterday, reported that Nor Hedayah, 14, had received various pledges of help three years ago when her plight was highlighted by the media, but most of the promises did not materialise.

I had posted about the 15-minute media fame that motivated many so-called do-gooders' going public with generous offers of assistance when writing about the Force of Nature Concert for Tsunami Aid at the Bukit Jalil stadium on March 18 night (Malaysia, charity begins at home", March 19, 2005). Many international aid agencies have similarly reported that a high percentage of pledges of help for such disaster victims remained just that -- promises, made to be broken.

The irony of Nor Hedayah's case is that for the past four months, she had to say farewell of achieving her ambition of becoming a teacher as she had to stay home to help her father, Morad Dohaman, 58, and her mother, Hasnah Baharum, 50, with household chores, her sad routine only brightened up by occasional calls by her schoolmates in Form 2. The irony is that
is that Hedayah was registered with the state (Kedah) Welfare Department since she was one, according to her mother, but the family never received any assistance.

Today's NST report brought some cheer -- Hedayah can look forward to resuming schooling soon, thanks to Modenas pledge to gift her father a scooter to ferry her about.

And an appropriate word from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, quoted by the NST, that those who make pledges to help the less fortunate should do so.

"Do not disappoint them. If you are unable to do so, you must apologise," he said in Kuala Lumpur after launching Telekom Malaysia's new brand identity yesterday. (All emphases are desiderata's).

Deja vu?

Another young Malaysian's plight was spied from the NST Letters column (April 15, 2005) headed: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 11 A1s not enough for scholarship?

The writer JIN KHANG, Seremban, asked from the start: "It is the same every year, isn't it? And this year it is my sister's turn to try her luck in getting a scholarship..."

Jin Khang went on to lament that even with 11A1s in the recent SPM examinations, her sister failed to make it to the interview rounds for Bank Negara, Petronas scholarships, and anxiously awaiting an answer to her application for the Public Service Department scholarships. The candidate was a head prefect who was also active in extra co-curricular activites. I believe she was among the outstanding student performers who were recently hosted to a dinner by Pak Lah at Putrajaya where Education Minister Datuk Hishamuddin Hussein was also present.

So desiderata's question is this: are our Government, and national corporations like Petronas, fulfilling their promises to the talented young Malaysians in assisting them in their ideal age to excel?

Hey, oil is a national resource, and Petronas is merely overseeing this resource on the rakyat's behalf; so how about demonstrating more corporate citizenship consciousness with distribution of the wealth generated from the rich oil and gas reserves of Malaysia in helping groom young Malaysians? And also our beloved PM is trying to promote the mission of growing "Towering Malaysians".

I pray there won't be repeat soon of another 120-130 young Malaysian top performers at STPM failing to pursue medical studies because they can't get a place in the publci universities, and also can't afford the bank loans amounting to RM500,000 to finance a medical course at a local private university. (It happened at around this time last year, remember? Where are you, MCA and UMNO politicians?) As a tax-payer, I feel letdown and a sense of outrage when my country fails the young ones. Idealism is so easily washed out by an uncaring and unfeeling leadership, whether government or corporate. I hope race and religion do not factor in such sad

Indeed, It is the same every year, isn't it?

Corruption, Coverage, and Cover-up

I read a distrurbing piece of news yesterday.

Disturbing because it involves a loss of a human life. A loss under mystery. A life less unexplained.

NST April 13, 2005 page 1 headline DOE men under probe with subhead TOXIC WASTE SMUGGLED INTO THE COUNTRY reported that a potentially explosive probe by the Anti-Corrruption could throw light on how some Department of Environment (DOE) personnel enforce laws and expose the smuggling of toxic waste into the country. Investigations could also help authorities unravel the mystery behind the death of environment officer Rumie Azzan Mahlie on September 17 last year.

His family believe "foul play" was involved because Rumie, a Boston University chemical engineering graduate, had allegedly stumbled on information leading to the smuggling of toxic wastes from Taiwan and disposal of toxic waste in Sarawak the past two years.

The ACA is probing how a heavy vehicle seized as evidence in an ongoing investigation was "ordered" to be returned to its owner, the NST report said.

It's even more disburbing to read in its follow-up today again page 1, headed GAG ON TOXIC TALK, with subheads * Doe men ordered to keep mum ** Ex-Sarawk chief quizzed by ACA and *** Another report lodged on release of lorry carrying toxic waste.

The news report said a "gag order" was imposed by the DOE on its officers around the country, as the cloud of an ACA probe hung over the department.

The report added that a former Sarawak DOE director was quizzed by the ACA and that a report was lodged (yesterday) wit the ACA over circumstances which led to a lorry seized as evidence being returned to its owner. The lorry was allegedly used to transport toxic waste in Perak.

Meanwhile, DOE director-general Rosnani Ibarahim was reported by the NST as saying, to her knowledge, that former Sarawak DOE director Dr Abdul Rahman Awang, was the only person friom DOE to to have been questioned by the ACA.

On the several fires at various state DOE offices that had been reported to have destroyed, among others, some files pertaining to "toxic waste" cases, Rosnani said she did not think the incidents of fire were connected.

The NST report said it is learnt that summaries of some of these cases had been sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Giving credit where it is due, the NST must be applauded for this expose, and the mysterious death of an DOE officer must be probed to its truthful end to do justice to the grieving family. There is now a trend of the mainstream media being bolder in "investigative reporting", which is to be welcomed by all Malaysians. Another sister paper, the Malay Mail, led the expose of the man who came back from the dead, the mysterious "Soosai" still at large, also involved alleged in the death of another Malaysian.

Earlier, the Utusan Malaysia led a weeklong expose involving the Selangor MB Datukl Dr Khir Toyo in the Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam parkland fiasco.

Corrupt practices stink in the air in all these unfinished cases. Under PM Pak Lah this has been given top priority -- the fight of what I term the country's number one scourge. Stop the cancerous cells of corruption from spreading.

Syabas to all these newspapers for such bold coverage doing right by its readers and country as good corporate cirizens.

This case rejogs my memory of the infamous case of BMF in the 1980s (involving RM2.4billion scandal) where another Malaysian life was lost, also under mysterious and unexplained circusmtances. Acpooubrtant was sent by Bank Bumiputera headquarters to do an audit in Hong Kong, but was found dead short while later.

I close with a prayer that there will be no more cover-ups, as Malaysian cases involving big-guns are won't to have a habit of happening. I happily would like to be proven wrong.

QuickTakes

QTake 1: In what could be Japan's biggest accounting fraud involving a non-financial firm, textile and toiletries maker Kanebo Ltd said it had overstated profits by USD1.37billion (RM5.2billion) over four years to March 2003, according to Reuters report yesterday. The company, which is undergoing a state-led restructuring, acknowledged it had a negative net worth in all four years and said group net profits for the period had been overstated by 148billion yen.
desiderata: When the Enron debacle was making media limelight at its height worldwide, a local authority official proudly stated Maalysia did not have such corporate scandals in the magnitude of Enron. I wonder what's the real stories behind the bailouts of Perwaja Steel, Bank Bumiputera, and MAS, and others?
More recently, remember Goh Ban Huat's reported profit of some RM100million being transformed into RM20million loss overnight?

QTake 2: Kota Baru UMNO division head Datuk Zaid Ibrahim has indicated that he's retrieving the towel he had previously indicated he would throw in after being allegedly unfairly found guilty of practising money politics last week by the party's disciplinary board. The outspoken MP for Kota Baru alleged that the same party rules are not being applied fairly ... Why is that some people get scot-free while others are punished?" NST April 14, 2005 reported Zaid as asking.
desiderata: Many Malaysians are asking the same question in many other spheres of living, daily.

The arrogance of power

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. *** Lord Acton.


I am heartened today to read that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has asked state governments to get the approval of their state assemblies before they develop recreational land.

The Star page 1 with header Saving the lungs reported that any de-gazetting of such land should be debated in the state assemblies so that the issues are brought out in the open, said Minister Datuk Seri Adenan Satem.

Usually, the gazetting of state land for recreational purpose is done by state exco members without having to bring the matter up in the assembly, Adenan said.

"It's only when development works are being carried out that the public get wind of it, " he added.
Yes, often the people, constituents whose votes resulted in their wakil rakyat entering the Dewan Undangan Negeri, are not consulted in the big projects in the state while their elected repretatives make a big splash in the local papers on opening a small community hall or donate some money to the neighbourhood school which is anyway the rakyat's money in the form of income and other taxes paid. No big deal really.

But when a property development involves the clearing of trees and levelling of hills affecting the environments and ecosystems, the people are keep in the dark; the wakil rakyat plays dumb until Mother Nature intervenes in the form of a landslide or flooding to highligt a disaster in the making.

Dismal record of state CEOs' decisions

The press report recorded the following dismal record, outstanding among them was the 800ha Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam Agricultural Park fiasco, when the MB Datuk Dr Khir Toyo behaved like the proverbial "ostrich burying its head in the sand" by declaring "Everything is okay" (Read JeffOoi's Semuanya OK series at http://screenshots.com). The weeklong media coverage in February, spearheaded by Utusan Malaysia, on the parkland devastation reached a climax with PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's righteous wrath outpouring on his obervation that from his helicopter view, there was "not a single tree, not a single blade of grass" to be seen -- and everything's not OK!

The Cabinet acted swiftly enough ordering Khir Toyo to cease and desist from such raping of the state's land and environments, and take action against the culprits, which included the state PKNS, whose chairman is also the MB himself! And Khir expects the Selangor constituents to just forget the Seri Alam debacle and keep mum when he did a few PR exercises soon after. What arrogance!

Next the Malacca Chief Minister did a catch-up game with his Selangor counterpart in making the media spotlight for the wrong reasons. Early April it was publicised in local media that part of a 41ha of the Bukit Bruang Permanent Forest Reserve in Malacca was in danger of being stripped bare by illegal felling of trees. The state CEO said that 26.3ha of land had been degazetted for deevelopment, saying that it was all planned under a Master Plan dating back to the 1980s. What gall of a state leader hiding under such inane excuses -- times have changed and it's now a new national CEO, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in charge, and he has just directed that all states must conduct Environmental Impact Assessment for areas over 20ha planned for development, an order announced by Pak Lah soon after the Seri Alam debacle.

And when questioned by a DAP leader, as well as other concerned citizen groups, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam goes hiding under a 1980s Master Plan cloak, what arrogance!

Deputy Prime Minister was quoted by The Star report as having said recently he was upset that recreational land like football fields were left unattended or taken away for development.
He cited the example of the football field near the Pudu Jail in Kuala Lumpur which had been earmarked for development.

If state CEOs cannot follow the top two national leaders' example in forestry conservation to promote sustainable and quality development, they should just throw in the towel. But that is too much to expect in an environment where the culture is to "pass the buck". Blame the Shah Alam and Subang Jaya municipal councils, blame the ForestryDepartment, blame everyone but himself, the CEO!

The federal government's proposal announced by Adenan has already met its first opposition -- from Terengganu Menetri Besar, Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, who said "the move would make things more difficult" for the state government. Why this should be so is not properly explained because it can't be explained. A proposal to make state governance more transparent and accountable to the rakyat is frowned upon by the CEO because it would make things more difficult for his government! What b..... arrogance!

Indeed, it's timely to remember what Lord Acton says about power and its corrupting influence. Power should be spread as widely as possible and not concentrated in one or two powerful hands. We know how dictators can make billions disappear into thin air from government coffers, and find their way windingly into private safes in overseas banks. Let's check the power of the state Excos and MBs and CMs and move it back to the state assemblies, with hopefully more representation from the Opposition benches, whether in PAS-controlled Kelantan or BN-controlled Terengganu.

Let's undo the power centres, and distribute influence and benefits more equitably.

Ignorance is Bliss

I always tickle a few good friends when they ask about my blood pressure readings. I would reply that I haven't had one for a lo-ooo-ong time (to live up to part of my name)! they stare at me for a moment i.e. momentarily (a longer word for a longer stare...), and I glibly add: "Ignorance is Bliss." I don't like to, and haven't mastered the art of adding "lah" at the end to make it sound natural, ah, but I digress. That's the advantage of Blogging instead of news-writing as one can go off tangent and there is no sub (that is sub-editor for those not exposed to journalism lingo, and this is language unique to media...) to bring you back into line!

Back to my blood presure story. I told MGF (that is for myGOODfriend from now on) this morning that I prefer not to know my readings regularly, and in fact I had gone without medication for one lo-oo-ong week one time. He remarked, with a slightly dropped jaw and an even lo-oooo-onger stare, that I was completely irresponsible, and it was dereliction of duty of the higest order, to myself!!! (3 exclamation marks for his raised voice, which I seldom do in my writings, this is definitely an exception.)

Well, I was sharing with MGF and another The Star page 1 report with headline stating April 30 stays, and subhead: Ignorance can be very expensive, with Deputy Finance Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen saying that there will be no extension of the April 30 deadline for submitting tax returns and settling tax dues.

She added the warning that "Every citizen must know his or her responsibility to pay taxes. Ignorance can be very expensive."

I read and re-read the whole report, but nowhere could I find how and why ignoring the responsibility, or not knowing about the responsility, can be expensive.

Of course, being an educated citizen, I can guess the unsaid message: that the tax evader/(ignorer?) will be penalised with a fine, commensurate with the quantum, and maybe, the period of being late, in paying up. But (is the journalist) are the journalists not guilty of omitting the details -- the how and why of the 5Ws and 1H of reporting? For those not acquainted again with journalese, the 5Ws are who, what, where, when and why plus the 1H is how?

Another friend (less informed, nevertheless always passing stories to me he heard on the market grapevine!) at the breakfast table said he heard the dealine is June 30, not end-April. He was adamant about his information being correct.

To me, ignorant can mean two things, i.e. not knowing, and knowing, but choosing not to cat accordingly.

Both MGF and I told our mutual friend he was ignorant, i.e., not knowing of the fact (as proven by the news report in front of him, unless the reporters were wrong), and now that he had been informed of the fact, he has no excuse for not submitting his income tax returns before the end of this month. His failure to meet the deadline means he's guily of dereliction of duty as a good citizen.

Me, I know the fact that not checking my blood pressure regularly and taking my medication every day is dangerous to my health. MGF reprimanded me that my case is a good example of knowing, yet not taking appropriate action, as I choose to practise the silly dictum: Ignorance is bliss!

Both my market friend and I are guilty of dereliction of duty, but mine is life-threatening, whereas his is only an expensive exercise hitting his pocket!

PS: I've heard the most dangerous profession is that of psychiatry, as I had read a survey report dating back some years that psychiatrists ranked the highest of suicides committed by professional groups. For journalists, my anecdoctal evidence is that almost one in two journalists is on hypertension (high blood pressure) medication by the age of 40! (This is not authoritative viewpoint from a medical perspective, be forewarned, merely a journalist sharing his salt of 30 years.)

So desiderata's advice is: don't lead your children up the ward or down the 4th estate, there is a high and higher price to pay. Another advice to my friends addicted to high blood pressure pills, take it without fail daily like your wife would that pill to prevent pregnancy. Then say your prayers; remember me in thine (the prayer, not the pill, silly!).

QuickTakes

QTake 1: Happy to see two "TowerinG" Malaysians to be -- Nicholas Khaw, 18, and Timothy Lim, 17, who have been offered places at Harvard University -- a first for more than one awarded to our young people in the same year. Congrats -- forget about the -media-proclaimed youngest billionaire at age 27 and the media-promoted second most influential Malaysian at age 28 as role models for Malaysian youth to emulate. Give me more Nic and Tim anytime!

QTake 2: Not happy to anticipate that all members of Parliament and legislative office holders are soon geting a 10 percent remuneration rise, with an amendment Act moved by Minister in the PM's Dept Datuk Nazri Abdul Aziz yesterday. General feedback that local wages are being depressed by thousands of foreign workers, both legal and illegal, and the Government wants to import more, and the number of unemployed graduates numbering 80,000 or 18,000, depending on definitions!

QTake 3: Happy to anticipate that guidelines for film censorship will be relaxed to keep up with the times, with new PG13 rating to allow children to watch the films if accompanied by parents/guardians. We rejoice with Sepet director Yasmin Ahmad and other innovative and daring to vemture where angels fear to roam-type film-makers!

QTake 4: Not happy to unwelcome public transportantion fares going up by between 0.9sen and 12sen a kilometre, come May 1. Spoil my anticipated May Day celebrations, (no) thanks to the "caring" Government!

QTake: Minister of Human Resources Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn today clarified his deputy's statement reported yesterday and commented on by desiderata ("Policy experimentation and suckers") that the proposed amendment to Employment Act 1955 to compel employers in sectors allowed to hire foreign workers to employ Malaysians for at least 51 percent of their workforce is limited to those in the manuafcturing and services sectors. He said this is because the two sectors do not need foreign workers as badly as the construction and plantation sectors, theSun reported April 12, 2005.

Policy experimentation and suckers

I hear from a friend in the construction sector that cement prices recently have come down by some 40-50 percent because of lack of demand -- an indicator that the construction sector is hard hit. "Hard-hit" may be an understatement, it is near paralysis, and one cause springs immediately to mind, though not the only factor.

The 300,000 or more Indonesian illegals who left for their home who were expected to come back under a fast-track programme (including the Malaysian immigarion teams being sent to 11 one-stop centres to process their applications to return to work in Malaysia legally second or third or umpteened time around ...) has hit a hard wall. The expected tidal wave of returning Indon workers has turned out to be a trickle.

Adhoc government policy turns to Pakistan to invite 100,000 workers to fill the vacuum; at the same time Pakistan says it is turning to Malaysia for highly skilled workers in the construction field. When the number of workers required was made known by interested parties (employers) to be much higher than avaialble from one source country, the Government said workers can come from India, Bangldesh, Vietnam and Nepal, but they must come in "legally".

Meanwhile, we have read news reports that Ops Tegas launched to flush out some 400,000 (or is it up to 800,000?, as even government figures varied widely!) illegal workers still present in Malaysia only have netted some slightly more than 3,000 offenders in the first four weeks. Are there so many good hiding places to play "hide-and-seek" so successfully in our Malaysian jungles or kongsi and squatter settlements?

But have we identified the problems correctly, and is the Government adopting the right remedial measures? Or is the Government just taking pot-shots like using a machinery gun so that some bullets will hit an occasional target or two?

In the early 1990s, the property sector was the darling of investors and the state capital cities, epitomised by Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, and Georgetown, quickly became a boom towns centred on the building of office buildings and residential houses, mid-priced terraced to high end ranging from RM80,000 to RM1.0-2.0 milion condominiums and "exclusive" bungalows depending on locations. At the same, annual updates from experts in the industry showed several billion worth of properties unsold ("overhang" is the term), and yet the developers are building more and more ...

Just take an evening drive around the new Nilai township, and you see row upon row of shophouses and houses for sale/rent. Other townships dotted throughout the country, similar scenario maybe, perhaps readers care to feedback?

Many KLSE listed companies switched smartly from their non-property core activities to property development. defeating their original listing objectives inthe first place -- never mind, the ultimate aim was to make profits, but for whom? The bells rang joyous and gay for the first arrival investors, but for late-comers, usually small retail investors, the bells started to toll. When several firms were put under S176, or PN4 which implies that they were unable to manage their finances properly, and are heading towards bankruptsy or already are, or did not have anymore core activities with sustainable profitability, many commoner-investors were made suckers. (For more details of what S176 or PN4 means, please ask your remisier or journalist friend covering the Business beat!)

Now, readers may wonder how the foregoing ties in with today's topic. Let me weave several seemingly disparate events into a pattern and maybe we perceive the links which amounto policy experimentation, and how it is mostly the ordinary Malaysian citizens were and are and will be made "suckers".

Creating more vicious cycles of unemployment for Malaysians

The Star of April 5, 2005 led off with Open to all page 1 headline, with subhead Malaysia to take in labour from all countries for all sectors, including the small-and-medium-sized industries. For the past decade or longer, the huge influx of workers had depressed wwages so much that it was no longer viable for local construction workers to remain working in construction.

Yes, the froeign Indon workers getting RM30 a day would be able to save and live like a lord when they return to their homeland after 2-3 years with "huge" savings when converted to the Indon rupiah, making them multi-millionaires! But Malaysian workers toiling in the hot equatorial sun who had been earning some RM50-RM80 a day previously now find themselves having less take-home pay, but prices of food and other essential items rising and rising every year, with no end in sight. They don't see the oil dollar from new oil fields found off Malaysian shores trickle down some benefits to them ordinary citizens, so what gives?

The Star report said that the number of registered foreign workers in the country has topped 1.5million, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, adding that the figure could rise to 2million by mid-2005. And this is what worries the common Malaysian labourer -- rising numbers of foreigners translates into lower wages for the locals, now compounded by the phenomenon multiplying to other sectors, (no) thanks to a Government policy-makers who seem to have wool over their eyes.

More controversial news is in store. A few days later, theSun of April 11, 2005 on page 1 flashed the news headlined 51% Malaysians with subhead Employers may be compelled to hire more locals, quoting Deputy Mimister of Human Resources Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar as saying that the ministry plans to amend the Emplyment Act 1955 for the purpose of requiring employers to employ at least 51 percent of Malaysians in their workforce to reduce reliance on foreign workers.

Under the initial proposal, the requirement will involve all sectors, including the manufacturing, construction and service industries. But how can you enforce this quota when policy experimentation forces the local workforce to flow in the opposite direction?

I see huge and finally, may be insurmountable hurdles with the two announced policy measures. Just as in the construction sector, when more foreign worketrs are brought into Malaysia in all other sectors, wages will again be depressed as far as the local workers are concerned, yet creating more vicious cycles of them leaving those sectors. Higher unemployment follows for the Malaysians, but lucartive temporary haven for more foreigners ...

So how is the objective of the just announced policy of requiring 51 percent local workforce to be achieved? I scratch my head, I can't follow the logic, but maybe the Ministry under Datuk Fong Chan Onn has a better explanation.

Just detouring a little, but a relevant outing no doubt. The Health Minister Datuk Chua Soi Lek in accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his official visit Down Under jsut ended, was reported to have urged Malaysian doctors, especially specialists, in Austrlia -- quite likely holding Permanent Resident status there -- to returm to serve their home country, with several conditions e.g. three years' compulsory service with the government hospital, being waived for those above age 45.

To me, previous similar attempts like that mounted by the science ministry to get Malaysian scientists to come back to serve the motherland had failed miserably. The country always seems to act after the fact, "woo-ing" professionals who have settled down copmfortably in their new, adopted "homes" to return -- throwing in a few candie bars now and then. Such measures only work with kingarten level; hey, we ware dealing with educated, well-informed, globalised citizens here!

Our leaders may benefit with a little time off reading Thomas Friedman's "The Lexus and the Olive Tree". Maybe, just maybe, they may wake up to the fact it's now the Internet age, and a borderless world. We indeed live in a village, the globalised village. And it's open competition out there, and free and untamed market forces ever-changing and quite unpredictable. The Ministry of Human Resources has better inform and equip itself properly, otherwise it wakes up one day to become a Rip van Winkle!

There are nowadays professors of philosophy but not philosophers. To be a philosopher is to solve some of the problems of life not only theoretically but practically. *** Henry David Thoreau

SOLiTUDE

desiderata.english


I promised two weeks back to deliver poetry: in fact, today I'm giving more -- both poetry and prose poetry! Last night I wasn't derailed again by Boston Public as I was the previous Saturday night because I clean forgot about it. The flesh was hovering around the idiot box, but the spirit wandereth elsewhere, trying to track down some mates Down Under. Hey, there I go again, digressing ... beg your pardon.

You know what is essentially a poem, that which is delivered in verse. And then what is verse? It's defined as Poetry; stanza of a song or poem; that which is "non-prose". And what is prose? That writing which is in non-poetry forms; opposite of verse. Am I making sense, or is it deja vu along the line of Mack's pix entry that reads:

NOTICE - PUBLIC BAR
OUR PUBLIC BAR IS PRESENTLY
NOT OPEN BECAUSE IT IS
CLOSED MANAGER

Pseudo Mat Skodeng, have a pe-e-ep at www.brandmalaysia.com, April 08, 2005, and Mack Zulkifli observes that it's Sensible enough; I readily second that!

Well, to really get started, Henry David Thoreau (1817-62) has been one of the favourite philosophers I refer to for comtemplative writing. I hold a dog-eared book titled "Walden - Essay on Civil Disobedience" which I treasure, so don't you borrow from me and not return it -- I would act cruel sending you a million-dollar bill of demand (going off tangent again, but I take unlimited liberties in my Sunday columns, be forewarned).

The Walden book-cover features a man in deep thought, as would be the pose all writers -- especially poets -- are won't to do when they want to pose for a cover picture for publication to give an impression he/she is using the brain most of, if not all, the time. Me, I prefer lying down, in tandem with the stance of my mentor, Max Ehrmann, who was reportedly to be doing it very often, lying down I mean, as that posture allows one to look at the stars and comtemplate the mysterious beyond eons light years away, in various hues of black, grey, blue, dark blue, snow white and slight white ... I hope you get my drift?

I also aspire towards the status of Thoreau's writing sometimes -- when his writings in prose attained a quality they read like poetry. Hence, prose poetry -- poetic writing in prose.

Here's a sample, from On Walden Pond:

"I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will. Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellows. The really diligent student in one of the crowded hives of Cambridge College is as solitary as a dervish in the desert."

There are other gifted prose writers whose works also tend towards poetic excellence. I remember Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and D. H. Lawrence. I hope some fifty years from now, those coming after me will point out some of my writing as samples worthy of this classification. I sometimes blow my own trumpet, but writers do have big egoes -- it's not mainly for the almighty dollar they write, although it helps, as you know many of history's famous authors died in poverty, some object, some abject, only their kin who came after them reaped the bounty!

Now a poem on the same subject of SOLiTUDE from Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919):

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.
Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.
Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.


Compare Wilcox's poem with Thoreau's prose, and I hope readers appreciate the distinctive value of both writings. Such stature, such elegance, one via prose, the other poetry -- "exalted" is the word I have in mind. Me, I'm aspiring towards that state, in tandem with our beloved PM Pak Lah's call to Malaysians to strive towards the "towering Malaysian" status.

Two Lucky Countries

I deemed myself half a temporary citizen of Australia once since it was the Aussie government who paid me my monthly salary for some 12X12 months. I served as a Journalist-Press Officer at the Australian High Commission -- starting from the time of Russ Properjohn, to end with Chris Freeman, the former who taught me diplomacy, focus and practicality, and the latter dedication, commitment and friendship. Two fantastic blokes!

The mission is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and also treats Malaysians working there very well, and the pay packages remain among the top three of all the foreign missions based in Kuala Lumpur. I am proud that the Administration sincerely supported the formation of a Locally-Engaged Staff (LES) Committee initiated by me, and I went on to serve as its chairman for the first two years. (Was it a pleasant surprise that after I had left the mission for some five years that the head of mission invited me back to attend a LES general meeting, but certain commitments then prevented my attendance.)

The 12 years also saw some testing times when there were changes to the First Secretary (Information) who I answered to as my immediate superior, every three years. As with the peoples of all countries, we encounter a whole range of personalities -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yes, we have our share of Ugly Malaysians -- witness the rash of road rage incidents, with some fatalities lately?

On the other hand, the majority of Malaysian rakyat are friendly, even generous and hospitable to foreigners to a fault! I also add that the majority of Aussies are fair-dinkum and laid-back people, who don't mind you calling 'em bast...., really! Of course, in both communities there are also the occasional"racists" who make their cameo appearances, sometimes urged on by misguided politicians and other fanatics.

So Australia-Malaysia relations had had seen some troughs breaking out in a pattern of three-yearly cycle, my considered observation. It's often not due to the peoples of both countries, or to the business communities -- it's chiefly the politicians who would not let placid waters stay. So like a broken record, diplomats on both sides would scramble to bring the ships back on even keel after the government leaders had let off steam with unguarded words and posturings of one-upmanship. When you had strong personalities like then Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Mr Paul Keating around, it was hardly a surprise that relations occasionally went on a "roller-coaster" ride. Even before this week, it is common perception that relations between Malaysia and Australia remain "luke-warm".

Just recalling here some outstanding spats that led to the "luke-warm" state of affairs:

* Australian protesting against Malaysia's "shoo-ing" (or was it shooting?) (away) Vietnamese refugees from off Terengganu shores, with many then heading for Down Under;

*Australian leaders labelling the hanging to death in July 1986 of Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers for drug-trafficking convictions as "barbaric";

* Malaysians protesting the reduction in Aussie government's subsidies for overseas tertiary students, resulting in the Malaysian students there paying more in tuition fees;

* Malaysia protesting the purported "deputy sheriff" role unilaterally assumed by Australia (to the chief, United States of America, who else?) very recently, still lingering as a sore point, and quite inconsonant with Australia's expressed wish to identify itself as part of the Asian region, but seen to be an US proxy (in much of foreign affairs).

Well, a lot of waves had been stirred and much muddied water has flowed under the bridges between the two countries -- it's a case of a relationship that could have yielded much, much more, if only they had concentrated on the "strong, traditional links established in the education, trade and tourism" fields, and had not allowed politics to get much in the way.

A new era begins

However, it's still better late than never! Am I glad to read that finally, a Malaysian Prime Minister has made time to visit Australia, after more than two long decades of absence by a Malaysian head of government to do so. It is to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's credit, and it also had a lot to do with an attribute he honed from his early days serving as Malaysia's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The two countries in the last two days of meetings have highlighted the common grounds -- in education, bilateral trade and investments, and people-to-people interactions through tourism and cultural exchanges -- that these two countries had shared dating back to Malaysia's independence in 1957. Pak Lah addressed top Australian leaders and corporate heads, and visited scientific and education institutions. Even the usually brash Aussie media failed to bait the two leaders into commenting much on the "thorny" issues still on the negotiating table.

And this is a good development for both countries. Almost without doubt Australia has been acknowledged as the Lucky Country in this region, blessed with vast natural resources much of which still remains untapped. Equally, Malaysians, despite their public complaints of dissatisfaction over many things, like to tell visitors, especially the G'Day mates from Down Under that we also think Malaysia is a damned Lucky Country -- no gigantic natural disasters like earthquakes (am I saying this too soon with last December 26's Tsunami visit and therefore this viewpoint needs revising?), volcanoes and floods. Well, maybe sometimes we need a few jolts to remind us we are nevertheless better off than many others.

And John Howard has better do a return visit to Malaysia very soon -- that's the Asian way if he wishes to draw nearer to the Asean neighbours to keep to the spirit of his word publicly declared. Let us dwell on the positive points Malaysia and Australia shared in the past, and focus on building closer and neighbourly ties, and promoting "Prosper Thy Neighbour" policies befitting two Commonwealth countries of great wealth -- inherent in their friendly peoples and vast mines of resources.

G'Day Mates!

If you feel under the weather ...

If you're down and out, or feel under the weather, you have three quick options:

* See your family doctor;

** He may recommend that you read some jokes;

***Or he may recommend that you visit desiderata2000; just jesting, and partially correct, as my Blog features substantial, hopefully also substantive, Poetry: the real counsel is that you Read some poetry!

Number 1 option means you lose a few dollars (USD1 = RM3.8) more, immediately.

Number 2 means you are acting on Dr Michael Miller's advice that 15-minute doses of Laughter a day is equivalent to 15-30 minutes of exercise at the gym.

Number 3 is my advice riding on two local doctors' -- as The Star April 7, 2005 reported in its Metro page 27 headed Poems help sick recover, say docs.

"Reading poems is another way to help patients when they are ill, especially when it comes to controlling their emotions and feelings," said Prof Dr Hashim Yaacob, the Vice-cahncellor of Universiti Malaya when he presented 1,000 copies of Semoga Cepat Sembuh to UM Medical Centre director Dr Mohd Amin Jamaluddin recently. He said that he felt that reading books (of poetry) is really as effective as taking medicine.

Dr Amin expressed the hope that the book, written by staff nurse Aminah Mokhtar, would serve as additional therapy that will help reduce what ails the patients.

Aminah's anthology of 41 poems depicts the medical staff roles, and how they affect the patients. "I write with my heart and soul. I hope my poetry will be read and felt by all," said the 46-year-old nurse from Muar, Johor.

PS from desiderata: The book is available from the author at RM13 each, costing less than one visit to the family doctor, I'm sure.

I don't have Aminah's contact address or number for potential buyers; maybe try The Star Metro Section!

For more on Option 2 referred above, visit http://yancorner.blogspot.com for her Post on March 15, 2005 where Dr Miller said he would recommend a daily dose of laughter to his patients as research findings showed that while stress could raise blood pressure, laughter generated by reading about jokes, or maybe light bantering among friends, or even watching the idiot box featuring Charlie Chaplin can be good for your health, and quicken a patient's recovery.

The Little Prince

To that Special Someone on writing A Beautiful Mind this morning, I recall:

"And now here's my secret, a very simple secret. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." *** from The Little Prince

A beautiful mind

Today's piece is dedicated to a friend, whom I fondly call Mr Coww, as his surname rhymes with that big animal that goes by a similar sounding name. And it's just my comedic nature to award him this nick, which I know, knowing him well enough, he doesn't mind. Last evening, he complained of some lingering back pain and had to be warded at the hospital for observation over-night.

"Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart," John J. Nash Jr was quoted as saying by Russell Crowe in a movie of the same title I adopted for my post today. The film is a heart-warming, yet melancholic, one based on the true life story of the Nobel prize-winner in mathematics, with some liberties taken to enhance the messages of a legend in his own lifetime.

It tells of an understanding wife Alicia, played by lovely Jennifer Connelly, who stood by her man who lived not quite a "normal" life in that a brilliant mind sometimes went off the top and the man transformed into another personality -- a state termed schizophrenia that often sees Nash go into illusions of seeing "enemies" where there were none. Nash who is the mind capable of sifting through a maze of mathematical equations and algorithms is sometimes changed into a childlike being, removed from the reality of his environments, and yet having to cope with the demands of the real world. Not many women can stand the strains of being married to a man swinging betweeen the poles of reality and fantasy.

Nash thrived because his heart and that of Alicia had danced at a common wavelength at the most testing times of their married lives together.

And in my interactions with Coww spannng some forty years, I have had the privilege to have witnessed a brilliant mind, but more dear too me, a deep insight into a friend's heart. I have also taken certain liberties -- as poets are wont to do -- to give an inkling into a special person's innermost sanctuary, and to do it well and fairly is a challenge, and it is not an easy task.

What indeed is friendship based on if not on communication of confidences and sharing of insights between two individuals, and a friendship that endures is to be treasured more than gold. And it need not always be between a man and a woman, often it can be one between two men, or two women, and it doesn't come under "homosexual" either. A bondship between them that sees two individuals through dark storms and high seas -- that gives one a calm beyond a doctor's best medicine, I hope every reader has found at least one confidante to help face Life's many and varied challenges.

In pursuit of the spirit for peak performance

Two anecdotes I shall relate here pertaining to my confidante. I once was quite lost in terms of finding the "right" ways to capitalise on my God-given talents, and so I asked dear Coww. He said wryly that I might try to the best of my ability -- but if that one ingredient was missing -- my success in writing would never achieve the peak I was capable of. Well, I countered that I had full confidence in myself, I know I had received a special gift with the exquisite use of the written word in English, only maybe the local environment was not ideal to this pursuit and fostering and flowering, hence I won't attain the "peak" he spoke of.

"No, no, my friend, it's not that. Unless you are touched by the spirit, your limits are merely at the human level ..." I feel humbled by Coww's words, so discerning, yet disconcerting at times.

My writer's streak of impatience and of the questioning mind sometimes cut him off, followed by a long debate of what this "spirit" he meant, and my perspective of "it". Well, we have not arrived at a mutually agreed conclusion, and the debate continues -- in the spirit of "we agree to be agreeable in our disagreement", so easy over teh tarik on a "wintry" evening (if that is possible in equatorial Malaysia, pardon me, I digress...), and a cold cendol (the best in Seremban is found in the Lake Gardens vicinity, I digress again...) on a tropical afternoon.

Coww is a born storyteller. He studied in a Chinese school for only one year when the Japanese invaded then Malaya, and for the following three years, it was a long, long holiday. After the Japanese occupation ended with the arrival of the British, Coww at 10 one day walked uninvited into a mission school asking to see the principal. The head was taken back to see a young lad asking to study in the school. The principal said every pupil had to pass an Entrance Test in English, and he expected the intruder to back down, and leave with his head down.

But ignorance can sometimes be blissful, and young Coww persevered in the "test", and to the surprise of both head and tail, he managed to "pass" with some margin to spare.
In the first year, this "china-man" pupil felt "very inadequate" among so many English-speaking classmates who spoke the language like it was kinddie playtime. Young Coww was cowed, but he resolved he would overcome. And Veni, Vidi, Vici he did, after immersing in all sorts of English books at every free period and opportunity.

Somehow life again took some unexpected turns and Coww went to study in a private Chinese school for the first three years at secondary level, before parachuting back into an English school for the final two years.

Later, as a real life teacher now sitting in front of the class, he could quote Shakespeare better than many mates who had undergone 12 years of schooling in English while he only had five! So we shared two common loves -- passion for Shakespeare and getting high on poems. He has an edge because he could recite poems from Chinese literature besides colonialist British while I can only from the latter. Sometimes I would coin some "quotable quotes" and tested him on revealing the source, betting on the "loser" buying a better than normal dinner of steak or lamb chop. Of course, I won more often than he as I was the one bequeathed with more guile and wickedness. But pulling each other's legs is part of the learning process as Coww became wiser than me after each act.

I refrain from broadcasting several episodes more telling in saucinesss than the foregoing; suffice to say, we both add salt and spice into each other's tales. Adding value to the tall ones, aspiring towards "towering" status maybe ...

With yesterday's evening episode, I was apprehensive, and at such moments I recall one of my favourite poets, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), on:

Hope Is the Thing with Feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all.

I remember last night well when I lingered around the hospital ward while Coww took an hour's rest before the next reading of his blood pressure. He asked me not to bother hanging around, yes, a few times. No, I said I preferred to be there waiting around with my book companion than to be anywhere else. The presence of an buddy in times of trouble, that's what I need, so I reciprocate to another buddy's need.

I'll end with John Taylor's assuring:
Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, yes, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them
Oh,but don't you let them...


So indeed, it's double happiness to find a beautiful mind, and constantly hear the beatings -- and singing -- of a beautiful heart. Saudara Coww, keep the faith and the heart's song will go on for ever, and I'll continue to try to patiently listen, and discern the gems of friendship within. Gifts from one heart to another.

BLOGsnippets

Take 1: Mack at BrandMalaysia.com reports "Why authoritarian governments fear blogging", quoting that "Blogging is a very, very important tool in terms of freedom of expression". (Julien Pain, Reporters Sans Frontieres) Desiderata: Malaysians have taken to Blogging like ducks to water, I wonder if our leaders fear?

Take 2: The asiabusinessconsulting.blogspot.com reports that while the rest of the world sends their messages of condolences to mark the death of Pope John Paul II, China has barred its citizens from posting any messagess of prayers or blessings on the Pontiff's death on the web portals country-wide. Desiderata: China might have opened its doors to international trade and money flows, but when it comes to free flow and exchange of ideas, its leaders have eyes but do not see. Its 1.3billion common people are wiser.

double standards which leaders don't see

When one of your cronies does wong, it can be mitigated by the top leadership and there is no need for official action to be taken against the "wrong-doer".

When an opposition member does wrong, he will be hunted down even if the wrong was a misdemeanor.

I wanted to title my post today as a "Merry-Go-Round", but a fellow Blooger beat me to it. A case of Great minds think alike, Fools seldom ... ?

What troubled me greatly this morning at breakfast was not the food (wantan mee), but the indigestible explanation given by Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz in Parliament yesterday that "Not all punishment meted out by the UMNO disciplinary committee on party members need to be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency." UMNO division leaders being hauled before the party disciplinary committee and found guilty of moneypolitics, have had action taken against them, he replied to a supplementary question from Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras), theSun April 6, 2005 reported.

Nazri said each year UMNO gives financial allocations to party divisions to hold their meetings. In an election year, the giving of this allocation amounts to an offence, but not in a non-election year.

But to an "outsider" like me, if someone is guilty of money politics, he must be absolved by an independent body like the ACA, and it is a matter of national interest, and rightly, the honourable MP for Chheras brought this up in Parliament. To me, Nazri's explanation is all daft and hogwash.

Nazri, who is also Minister in the PM's Dept, needs to be reminded that almost all the top leaders at the last UMNO General Assembly lamented the rampant practice of money politics. Maybe if UMNO with its double standards can set such a poor precedent to the young to follow, why do we want to waste RM500million a year conducting the National Service?

Now the public is given an explanation that reeks of double standards in terms of treatment of the country's laws on the citizenry. The fact of which political party where you hail from, determines how the law is applied. If your attire flashes any Barisan Nasional component colours, the stronger in the 14-member hierarchy, the stronger immunity one enjoys, and better still, if you are from the main component -- UMNO -- your immunity is almost total.

We have seen too many incidents of such nature before. When an UMNO Youth "mob" led by its deputy chief marched on the Chinese Assembly Hall building in Kuala Lumpur some years back, threatening to burn down the Suqiu's office housed within, the police did not take any action to break up the party. For lesser gatherings by common citizens e.g. reformasi protests at the height of the 1998/99 incidents following former DPM Anwar Ibrahim's arrest and court prosecutions, FRU and their water-cannons and batons worked overtime, with several rounds of arrest.

Puteri UMNO leaders could freely enter the local campus grounds to recruit members from among the undergrads, but other parties are strictly banned from similar recruitment. Even several student leaders who had voiced legitimate issues, but seemed to be anti-establishment, were given show-cause letters, and meanwhile, suspended, presumed guilty until and unless proven innocent. The University and University Colleges Act is conveniently buried on the shelves when smiling Puteri appears, but not when DAP or Adil or even NGO members gather; so what signals is the Government sending out to the young?

Large tracts of forests were invaded by illegal loggers and cleared in blatant breach of the law, right before Exco and Forestry Department officials' eyes, and all remained silent and blind. In contrast, just some hard-pressed hawkers trying to earn their livehood plying their wares along five-foot ways, and they are chased away and their goods confiscated. (No, I don't condone the hawkers' activities, I just note my obsevation that double standards are too obvious for the common man to see, but not the State Exco and high officials!)

The Emperor's New Clothes

And the most stark naked example of this was what followed after the Prime Minister Pak Lah had expressed his "righteous wrath" at the devastated parkland in the now infamous Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam debacle just a day after the Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toto declared "Everthing is okay." Earlier he had blamed the local council for weak enforcement, and he also implied that he needed to consult with the 35-odd property developers involved, meaning he had not much idea of what was going on in his vicinity.

Just about 10km from the MB's office, the forests got cleared, and the environments denuded -- so that not a single tree, not a single blade was in sight -- this the most honourable PM's observation, not mine; yet the state's CEO did not see. And all the state PKNS and two private firms got was a few taps on their wrists, and the state's politicians embarked on a few diversionary PR exercises over the few days following, hoping the people won't remember the scandalous Emperor's wearing no clothes incident.

But this is no more the 1970s and '80s -- we are just 15 years away from 2020 -- while Selangor is just five years as its expressed goal was to attain First World country-status by 2010 --when our dear country wishes to be right up there with Singapore, among developed nations, remember?

The citizens of today are more educated on their rights and expectations of what constitute good governance, civil society and transparency, accountability, and they won't keep silent anymore on such breaches of the law, by elected representatives and top appointed civil servants. They see with their eyes, and feel with their hearts when they witness clear cases of double standards in the implementation of national legislation and local authority Acts.

The neighbourhood of USJ8 Subang has successfully joined hands to demand for more accountability and responsibility from the local authorities and parties with vested interests in trying to ride rough-shod over them. The building of a food court on grounds meant for a police station there has been stalemated for now.

The victory to date is only partial -- but the people must rise up to say a "resounding no" to double standards, in action, that result in losses and drawbacks to the majority of the people, whether at the neighbourhood, state or national level. People's power united can help shape your future in a better direction. Act.

Man Proposes, God Disposes

Man finds common grief in death of a loved one, and sometimes he finds it difficult to cope with its aftermath. But life has to go on. Humans also can prevent some types of early deaths -- a young life snatched away before time when he/she becomes an accident victim, on the highway, swimming in rough seas, or merely an ignorant dip in the hotel's swimming pool away from the parents' momentary supervision.

When death strikes following a terminal illness, often the loved ones left behind to mourn the passing are more prepared -- mentally, psychologically, but nevertheless, a mourning period is good for the soul, and hopefully, time heals, as in all matters of the heart. Time, and the presence of other understanding hearts, help a mourning human cope with tragedy, whether victim of an earthquake, tsunami, or a bomb blast for being at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

But yet, death is often unnecessary and preventable -- to my mind, especially those caused by wars. Usually, it's human greed, pride at work, assisted along by the invisible hand of Satan, who appears in many and various forms, beguiling and rationalising. And often it's the folly of political leaders, misguided and tempted, who fail their fellow humankind.

To Every Thing There Is a Season

Many people, especially those of the Christian faith, would be aware that many hymns are indeed "poetic", usually made to rhyme, and hence easy and hearty to sing along. Many of the lyrics are basedon biblical verses, and some have been "popularised" into pop versions, and hence have caught on with the young ones too. Some are full of wisdom and provide deep insights into the human condition to be used as a compass to daily living for believers of the faith.

Today's writing is a humble tribute to the late Pope John Paul II, and we may not be present at the Vatican to bid farewell to a universally-loved spiritual leader, we can always treasure the legacy of love, peace and humanity he left behind.

Just to share some memorable lines popularised by Judy Collins on this sombre occasion, adapted from Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes (verses 1 to 8):

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up;
A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.


The cycle of opposites in every line is so apt in the story of humankind, as testified by history, that peace will surely follow war, and that only love can conquer hate. But the wisdom expressed in these verses is very difficult and rarely received by members of the human race, hence accounting for many of the current troubles and challenges besetting the world, including perhaps the long, unresolved issue of Israel and Palestine, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in the United States and subsequent conflicts, and the US engagement in Iraq.

May we review our daily life, national and international actions with Amazing Grace, and build more Bridges Over Troubled Water.

POPE JOHN PAUL II (1920-2005)

POPE John Paul II died at the Vatican at 9.37pm on Saturday (3.37am Sunday Malaysian time) aged 84. It was the passing on of a man of love, peace and humility, a true servant of God and of the people spanning the globe, of whatever faith it matters not. I pray his legacy as a leader of the human flock, especially the one billion Roman Catholics worldwide, will treasure his many messages of love of man and humanity across all national boundaries and political spectrums and spread them far and wide.

"I have looked for you. Now you have come to me, and I thank you."
The NST page 1 today reported that the message was probably directed at the many young people among the worshippers in St Peter's Square, according to the late Pope's aides.

"I am happy and you should be happy too. Do not weep." The second message was for all peace-loving peoples throughout the world who mourn, yet beseeched not to be sorrowful, the demise of a God's Servant who had served the cause of humankind in all faithfulness and now gone to be at his Father's side.

I am sure all Malaysians join our beloved Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in his view when he said Malaysia deeply admired the Pope's tireless campaign for world peace, justice and human dignity which would remain an enduring legacy in the minds of all people regardless of faith or religious belief.

Pak Lah in his condolence message said: "His (Pope John Paul II's) message of religious tolerance, dialogue and reconciliation has contributed significantly in rpomoting better understanding between Christians and believers of other religions, including Islam." AMEN.

To Teachers With Love

desiderata.english

I promised a week ago I would write more on Poetry, but watching TV an hour back made me change channels, so it is with fond memories I jot down this rumination.

Today I dedicate my Sunday's musings to two teachers who touched my life deeply, and greatly determined my life's career using the craft of writing exquisite English and be proud of it too. They started me on this lifelong journey -- exploring the exciting world of the written word and a story well told, in the English language. I say special thanks to Mr C. P. Rajah, who was our form-teacher in Standard 5, and inspired my voracious reading after initiating a class book club (mini-library), and another teacher-cum-form teacher at Secondary 1, Mr V.T. Nathan wo headed the school lower secondary library and expanded my horizons to the variety of books of adventure and poetry at that tender age of 13.

I shall never forget Mr Rajah's happy hours' entertainment with Robin Hood and his Merry Men at Sherwood Forest, and more beguiling, Mr Nathan's narrative of O'Henry's "The Last Leaf", and many more short stories, which inspired me to also write for my pocket mney from then on, which I mentioned earlier enabled me to visit the cinema during almost evrey weekend, with my siblings or one best friend. Natalie Wood, remember? Incidently, it was this best friend (from an all-boys' school, and naturally, "naughtier") who precociously exposed me to D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover", then a banned substance, like today's dadah.

I shall always remember devouring all the Biggles' and The Three Musketeers' adventures under Mr Rajah's watch, and later, as many of the Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot's exploits possible under Mr Nathan's. I am eternally grateful, and I believe, in those three short years I think I leapt from a Level 3 English standard to a Level 8 or 9 (from an arbitrary scale of 1 t0 10).

Today's rumination sprang from my just ended viewing of Boston Public's episode at around midnight in which a highly successful corporate lawyer was brought along by a teacher-friend to observe his handling of a "rowdy" class which required his intervention to break up a fight between two "thugs" from rival neighbourhood gangs. The teacher tested a solution to the social poblem by making the two put on their boxing gloves to "fight" out their animosities.

Impressed by "unconventional" ways adopted by the individual teachers in handling the daily problems encountered within and outside the classroom, the lady lawyer observed that her friend had turned from a man formerly always bouncing with laughter was now a sombre, serious man quite lost in thoughts as if always carrying his students' problems on his shoulders. Yet, he appeared quite contented, and she could see that his daily life had variety, bounce and spice, unlike hers with a predictable courtly routine.

At an advertisement break, I remarked to my sibling that given another choice, I would have liked the challenge of being a teacher. Yes, a teacher!

Another 15 minutes into the hour-long episode saw the lawyer discussing with her partner she was contemplating changing career, despite the unexpected question thrown her way by one of the loud students if "he could see her breasts" (yes, she the sexy one who even raised my blood pressure). Finally, the mate said she must be crazy, throwing up a six-figure annual salary for a fiver, and quite likely, she would quit anyway within a week, hence recommending she not quit the law practice but just try out teaching as a "temp" first!

The ending saw the brilliant corporate lawyer visitng the principal and his assistant at Boston High, and when asked the purpose of her visit, said in a resolute tone: "I want to be a teacher here!"

David E. Kelley stole the very words from my mouth, and he gets paid handsoely for it, I am sure, definitely, muc, much more than a teacher!

Today's piece is also a tribute to my sibling whose dedication to her pupils definitely showed, with many of her students in Chan Wa High visiting her for "free" tuition in English, and years later, paying courtesy with their expressions of "To teacher with love". I am always proud that this was one focused teacher who attained her University of London's degree in English Literature via self-study (with loads of help from the British Council Library) --another journey of sheer hard work, discipline and dogged determination.To bring back some sweet and sour memories, let's altogether rise and sing:

Those schoolgirls days, of telling tales and biting nails are gone,
But in my mind, I know they will live on and on,
But how do you thank someone
who has taken you from crayons to perfumes?
It isn't easy, but I'll try .....


I wonder how many of you still remember Lulu? No, she's not TheBoyNextDoor (visit Yancorner.blogspot.com, an All Fools' Day posting prompted by desiderata; Lulu starred with Sidney Poitier in, yes, you guess it: "To Sir With Love".

I'll return next Sunday with the deferred session on Poetry, but one never knows, I may yet change my mind, as we all adapt to life's fast-changing circumstances. I did mention somewhere the Darwinian theory of evolution and "Survival of the Fittest", No?

PS: Notice that I had without fail used the names of my favourite teachers always preceded with Mr? It is a habit which I have not been able to rid of (well, I don't want to, anyway) when referring to the "good" ones, and we must maintain this tradition and spirit, don't we?

creativity, cili padi and crows

I'm proud of two Eves on this auspicious day.

First is the creative one -- Yasmin Ahmad, whom I first posted a brief on when she won an international award for Sepet.

Second is MP Fong Po Kuan (DAP - Batu Gajah), whom I have heard a lot of, and read she is known as Cili Padi, a nick not to be trifled with (the owner, I mean), which fellow MP (BN - Jerai) Datuk Badruddin Amirldin in the august House found out on Thursday when the fierce one demanded of him an apology for a statement he made on Wednesday (March 30) for allegedly saying: "How long can the Yang Berhomat's husband stand her?"

Rightly, Cili Padi felt affronted, as would be anyone when hit by someone "below the belt".
She said that Badruddin's statement had contravened Standing Order 36(9), which states that no MP should utter any statement with malicious intent towards another MP, the Sun April 1, 2005 reported.)

Badruddin replied that Fong had misunderstood him. "I did not realise my remark would be seen as a malicious intent as it was only posed generally. It was the same when I asked the Arau representative (Datuk Seri Syed Razlan Putra Jamalullail) on how he could stand his wife.

That is what I would call jumping from the frying pan into a fire. People who make mistakes should just apologise, and then shut up instead of "elaborating" because often they compound the problem (like the CEO of Malacca when commenting on being directed to stop immediately the Mat Skodeng squad, but I digress a little ...)

If a fellow male MP did not take exception, it did not mean he did not feel offended as his tolerance level could be higher at a "dig" from another male -- but surely Badruddin didn't expect a female would, or should, go down to the same level as MCPs making her a butt of his joke?

I applaud Fong's fighting spirit. I also urge the Arau MP, out of respect to his own wife, to similarly demand an apology from Badruddin, belated no doubt, for making his wife the butt of a joke, innocent or otherwise, malicious or otherwise.

Empty Vessels Make the Most Noise

Elected members of Parlaiment must realise they are addressed as Yang Berhormat ("The honourable" ...) not for fun. Whatever that is said goes into the Hansard as records for posterity as historical readings, this is no kopitiam banter! In fact, my mates and I exercise a higher standard of decorum at the teh tarik stall when women/ladies are around, what more in direct address...)

Let's say "hear, hear!" to another warrior, Yasmin, so soon after her triumphant win at the International Festival of Women's Films in France. TheSun again on Page 5 as the above reported the director of Sepet as having chided MPs who sat on "high horses" to criticise her work.

Yasmin said MPs should be discussing "serious issues instead of wasting time debating her work".

She advised Datuk Dr Wan Hashim Wan Teh (BN - Gerik) not to see her movie if he feels strongly against it.

Wan Hashim had said the love story between a Chinese boy and a Malay girl was "nothing great" and does not reflect the national identity. He had added that he felt the movie's use of rojak language, a bedroom scene and a scene showing a manwearing underwear are unsuitable.

"Almost everybody who has seen the film agrees Sepet is the first Malaysian film to reflect a Malaysian identity," Yasmin said. "I always make sure my commercials and films do not sound fake."

Last week, one of Yasmin's advertisements also came under fire in Parliament for alleged "racial stereotyping", as it depicted a Malay youth not giving up his seat in an LRT to an old woman, a pregnant lady, and a blind man, an issue which was widely debated in the media too.

To Yasmin, I endorse her observation that "The strange thing is the public is behind me."

Indeed, I sometimes don't get it what some of these supposed leaders of society are crowing about.

Here I recall there was a similar hue-and-cry when the Hollywood movie "Entrapment" starring Sean Connery (of James Bond, special agent 007, fame), and Catherine Zeta-Jones was screened here. The film had featured the Petonas Twin Towers at its climax but there were also scenes of squatters of Kuala Lumpur as backdrop. The detractors cried "Foul" that Hollywood was running down Malaysia's image. Let's not kid ourselves, for indeed there are slums and squatters within a stone's throw from the KLCC and the 5-star hotels along Bukit Bintang.

Malaysia could have benefited immensely if only the tourism officials had cashed in on this blockbuster movie to promote Malayisa, but instead "small minded" officialdom let a golden opportunity slip by!

Have our MPs not heard of the term poetic licence? Maybe Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka should organise some crash courses.

Hey, Sepet and Entrapment are movies, for audience to escape momentarily to fantsay land, on their own free will and time. No enforcement officers force patrons to pay RM8-10 to enjoy a movie outing, be the movie moronic or wise, or otherwise -- escapism maybe, entertainment, no doubt, but we live in a free world, and we still treasure our choices.

So what if Sepet did not "reflect national identity"? This verdict by one MP was baseless assessment by one, or a few of MPs of similar mindset or inclination, and is essentially subjective, and therefore debatable. Movie-goers visit the cinematheque to be entertained, not to evaluate if the subject was "realistic" or not. Hey, real life has enough negativities to bear us down already, don't add on to it!

Creativity Is Not the Politicians' Forte

There are certain provinces of human activities best promoted by the specialists and genuine enthusiasts, and film-making or writing is definitely one of them. Anyway, creativity is not best defined by politicians, some of whom I question if they have sufficient IQ to excel, or even pass, a Form 5 essay test on good citizenship, civil society, corporate and social responsibility, and you know, healthy hobbies and the pursuit of happiness?

Remember there's such a thing as individual rights and freedoms, practised within te confines of the law, and elected representatives must never under-estimate the intelligence of their constituents. God gave us each a unique and thinking mind, remember?

To Yasmin and Cili Padi, my parting words is "Go forth and say your piece with fire and conviction, and do what is right for the country."

I'm also a writer, guess I can say I am from the creative field too, and I don't humbly rank myself as having produced writings of impeccable English. A debate in English with BN members of Parliament, anyone? Like Yasmin, if I feel I am good (nay, excellent, award-winning, remember?) in my particular field, I must believe in it myself, and don't have to be told by nincom....s to emulate others, like in Yasmin's case, to produce movies such as Paloh and Embun, big in budget, but I wonder of what magnitude in the mind and creative departments?

My Real First Love Story

Poetry is emotion recollected in tranquility. *** William Wordsworth

There was a time when meadow, grove and stream,

The earth, and every common sight,

To me did seem

Apparelled in celestial light,

The glory and the freshness of a dream.

It is now as it hath been of yore; --

Turn wheresoe'er I may,

By night or day,

The things which I have seen I now can see no more.


I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints -- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose,
I shall love thee better after death.

* ++++ @))% to be continued (desiderata) , ended here temporarily at 12.01am on a new day.

NOTE: I had to take a break as I was interrupted by an official call to describe my script for this Love Story. The Ministry of Cultural Environment and Language Purity said there were a lot of "cuts" to be made as they are "deemed to be unsuitable" for Malaysian audience. The officials were polite at the meeting that dragged on for hours, and despite my protestations, they wanted me to edit out almost all the four-letter words, like love, hate, hell and heck, and bang as in hitting hard, and some F-words like fire as in fire up, fake as in putting on an act, and another word, f... that rhymes with well. You ask me why? I don't know, and if I compared my vocabulary and descritions with D.H. Lawrence in Lady Chatterley's Lover, mine was nowhere even near.

To cut a long narrative short, I had to oblige the Ministry's censorship board. Sepet's director Yasmin must consider herself lunck, only ordered to have eight cuts, amounting to les than ten seconds? (I hope I remember right.) My love story had to be chopped mercilessly, because the officials believe my story had to much "lurid" details of natural acts that were best left in the bedroom. Otherwide, the Mat Sodeng squad might have a reason to be resurrected, and that is not good -- which I do nod in agreement.

So my surviving lines, which also end the MyRealFirstLoveStory follows, with apologies to my fans, out there:

F

O

O

L

S

rush in, where wise men never roam,

But wise men never fall in love,

So how would they

K

N

O

W?

PS: Dr Watson: What was that all about just before the interrution -- *++++@))%?

Sherlock: * is for 1; ++++ is for 4; and @ is for 2; ) for 0, and ) for 0 again, and % for 5 --

the respective lower and upper cases in your key-board. Elementary, my friend.

recollating some TALLtales

Take 1: about the minus-one tape ...
An UMM grad went to TV3+1 for an audition for a Reality Talent show. The prospect was required to exhibit his talent, and the producer asked him for his minus-one tape. The eager lad handed over the tape, and it played showing Mickey Mouse doing a dance routine with Minnie the Pooh.
"Hey, we want a minus-one tape with music so you can show us your vocal and dancing skills!"
The perplexed youth replied: "Oh, I thought you wanted a minor's one tape, so I borrowed one from my nephew." (Copyright belongs to desiderata, but readers can circulate it freely with attribution.)

PS: Now we know why there is such high unemployment among graduates -- they read more Beano than desiderata!

Take 2: about the plus-one bridge ...
Two reputable engineers from Port Klang were commissioned to build a new bridge linking Jowhol Baru and Singapura. To save time, they each led a team to start building from opposite ends, planning to meet halfway and have both countries' PMs do a fanfare "joining up" ceremony. After one year of hard labour, they almost met halfway ahead of schedule, but the ends were "off alignment" and stubbornly would not do the lock-and-kiss.
So the smart-alecks went back to the two governments and had a pow-wow. They scratched their heads and came up with a compromise solution. The two engineers continued with constructing the bridge in double quick time -- now the countries have two adjoining bridges for the price of one! (Copyright belongs to desiderata, but you may use it with attribution; otherwise thou may suffer some tribulation for which I disclaim (ir)responsibilty.)

PS: No wonder Jowholeans and Singapura-purans don't agree on many things like H1+H1+O and pfassepot, for they always travel along parallel lines.

Take 3: a longish one about the minus-one lawyer ...
A tycoon was lying on his deathbed, and early morn summoned his lawyer, who rushed over in his thick coat in the sweltering equatorial heat. "Encik Buluk, I have one last wish, make it triply urgent! Get me a lawyer's degree pronto -- I'll pay handsumly for it!"
That same afternoon, the loyal one rushed back in a spanking new suit, still perspiring, handed over the scroll, properly authenticated, announcing a new lawyer in town.
Encik Buluk was a wee bit curious -- as all lawyers should be -- bent over and asked in a whisper: "Sir, why do you want to be a lawyer in these last days, and paying a million bucks for it?"
The tycoon replied, in a weak but regal voice: "It gives me immense satisfaction to know, when I breathe my last breath, that there will be one less lawyer in the world ...." (Copyright not desiderata's, it's a tale adapted.)

PS: On a more serious note, Yan has 2 eye-opener stories on lawyers over the last two days; visit yancorner.blogspot.com!

Take 4: the one about minus-one beauty...
An European yuppie was travelling by train on leisure-cum-business, with an eye on SWTs that might make him good company for many one-night stands or lying-arounds. So he roamed coach to coach and spied a demure-looking lass with a bewitching Oriental smile and dressed all in white-top and red-bottom (I'm no good at describing women's attire, so if I don't get it right, pardon my address). He sat himself down beside her, and started up with pick-up lines and loose conversation. Night fell, and the young man turned to nocturnal thoughts and wanted to frighten her with a Friday-the 12+1th tale so she might cuddle up close to him.
As the train entered a short tunnel, he asked her: "Missie, do you believe in ghosts?", and it was pitch-darkness. "Yes, I do," came a most feminine voice in the dark.
A shock second later, the train emerged from the tunnel. Next to the yuppie all hot up were the white-top and the red-bottom, minus the Asian beauty. (Copyright not desiderata's, syoktale also adapted.)

PS: Two women warriors not to trifle with in my next segment, no more TALL, but XXTALL. Stay seated on my train!

I understand why many women like older men. While young men clench their fists and show their muscles, the older men simply offer poems. *** Mack Zulkifli
at BrandMalaysia.com, March 30, 2005.

The Power of Poetry

What though the radiance
Which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass,
Of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be,
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human sympathy;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring back the philosophic mind.

*** William Wordsworth


I believe there's much destiny presumed when parents wisely picked a name for their child -- full of "will" and a great wordsmith of tremendous worth indeed, bequeathed so freely to all future generations who only need to find time, to "stop and stare".

Is this a good time to recall your First Love?

At what age did you go dating, at what age did you summon enough courage in composing a poem dedicated to her? At what age did you steal the first kiss?

Mine happened at the tender age of 13, I think. She recited Wordsworth's lines, and lightning struck.

It was a 1961 production about a young girl called Deanie, who I believe suffers from mental breakdowns as she goes through the ups and downs of life, falling in love with a college mate named ..... (I can't remember, and why should I?), played by Warren Beatty. Did I fall for Deanie, or for the actress named Natalie Wood, who was nominated for an academy award for her role. So I undersatnd why some men (boys?) fall for older women. It works both ways, and this is a failing, or is it an asset, quite rampant among writers, especially the romantic poets to which Wordsworth belonged.

Another buddy and I would catch Natalie (yeh, I took the liberty of using her first name basis only, intimate remember? ...) in almost all her movies -- West Side Story (a modern Romeo and Juliet), This Property is Condemned, and more -- hey any NW fan out there, lend me any of her movies in whatever format, just give me an Email (or fe-mail), at chongyl2000@yahoo.com.
if you're shy to Comment at this Post.

I was a lucky lad as a teenager as I had some not-so-lucky friends from our Village who already started working after Primary 6. One generous guy often treated us to satay and the occasional movie from early secondary school days, and I blamed him for my First Love encounter that didn't move from the virtual to the physical.

But there was a great benefit, as Wordsworth led me to other English poets, like Robert Browning (1812-1889), and his wife, Elizabeth Barrett (1806-1861), and of course, William Shakespeare, and American poets like Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, whose pre-occupation with Love and Nature must have infected me, leading me down the exciting path with the wayward wind.

If thou knoweth not how to compose like desiderata, borrow some from Elizabeth's lines for your next Valentine card:

How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

To Mack and other machos, try some, it works! My secret recipe.


I'll part with my theme anthem, one stanza from the Bee Gees' First of May:

"When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
We used to love while others used to play.
Don't ask me why, the time just passed us by,
Someone else moved in from far away ...


Nostalgic lyrics, haunting tune, times when I think of my First Love.

I shall write on My Real First Love tomorrow. Stay tuned.