Mak & The "Belia" Connection ...

In a week or so, there would be a "sambutan Hari Belia" I believe... There would be a "Himpunan Jutaan Belia" at Putrajaya this 26 & 27 May 2012. This post is not about the celebration of Hari Belia but it has some connection with "Belia' or rather "Persatuan Belia 4B" - those days it there were "Persatuan Belia 4B" all over Malaysia ... I wonder whether it still exists. Back to the story which goes like this ... I was still in my lower primary, Standard 1 I think. It was in the early 70s and that was the year when thne 2nd Prime Minister, Tuan Razak introduced the "Buku Hijau" programme. Folks were then encouraged to "bercucuk tanam" even at the small plot of land at the back of their house. Those days Mak out of boredom and to earn extra income cultivated "jagung" along the river bank in my "kampung", Kampung Kota Bahru, Gopeng, Perak. I think the river is known as "Sungai Teja".... Mak's "kebun jagung" is quite large in size at least for a small kid like me. Apart from "jagung", Mak also cultivated "kacang bendi", "kacang panjang" and some chillies. I could sill remember when Mak, my brothers/sisters and myself harvested the "jagung" - we had a good time "makan jagung bakar" by the side of the river .... Then, it's "mandi" time in the river!!! In our kampung, there was a "Persatuan Belia 4B" and I remember one day when some of its "orang kuat" came to my house seeing Mak & Apak - Apak was a teacher then. I did not know what transpired or what was discussed... The only thing which I noticed a few days after that, Mak did not go to the "kebun" for a week or so. I did not asked Mak the reason... I also noted that during that week an entourage of people waering "Batik" and caps were doing some rounds along the river bank and were "visiting" Mak's kebun. I was at the verandah of my house and saw them all - about 20 or so and most of them wearing "Batik" with caps while some of them in T Shirts ... They spent a few hours at Mak's "kebun jagung" then left and Mak went attending her 'kebun" the next day. A few years later only I knew that Mak's "kebun jagung" had been "loaned" by the "Persatuan Belia 4B" of the "kampung" for the "Buku Hijau" programme!!!! Then only I realised what transpired that evening when some of the "orang kuat" "Perstauan Belia 4B" came to my house and why Mak did not go to her "kebun" that week....There was a visit by a VIP to the "kampung" and the "Persatuan Belia 4B" had to "show" some achievements of its "Buku Hijau" programme. Mak's reward? She was given a few (I think it's 2 or 3) bags of manure .... I just wonder how many bags or other "goodies" the "Persatuan Belia 4B" received from the VIP/Government!!! "Selamat Menyambut Hari Belia!!!!" ......

Hari Guru 16 May 2012

Today is 16 May ... It's the Teachers' Day. This post is dedicated to all teachers especially those who have taught me. I will try to remember most of them if not all right from my primary years up to my college days .... Sekolah Kebangsaan Kota Bahru, Gopeng, Perak: Cik Gu Jalal & His wife, Cik Gu Kamariah (English Teacher), Apak of course, Cik Gu Naimah & Ustaz Ahmad. It's a small "kampung" school with a small team of teachers. Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Pasir Puteh, Ipoh: Cik Gu Sariah, Cik Gu Rosli, Cik Gu Hamzah, Mrs. Elizabeth (Englush Teacher & so "garang") Anglo Chinese School, Ipoh: Mr. Yeoh (Form Teacher/Modern Maths Teacher), Mr. Yee (Integrated Science), Cik Gu Mohd Noor, Mr. Dass, Mr. Chin (English Teacher), Ms. Lam (the petite Geography Teacher), Cik Gu Asmah, Cik Gu Norizan. Sekolah Menengah Teknik, Ipoh: Mr. Fan (Physics), Cik Rahman, Mr. Shanmugam, Ms. Yip (the pretty English Teacher with shoulder long straight hair),Cik Gu Kassim, Cik Gu Zakiah (she's a good singer/Geography Teacher),Mr. Tan (Add Maths), Mr. Tan "Survey". Sekolah Menengah Anderson, Ipoh: Cik Gu Azizah, Cik Gu Sani (the funny Geography Teacher). And of course Cik Gu Hamdi & Cik Gu Ridzuan (History Teacher - Now Dean @ University Malaya) of Institute Premier, Ipoh. Lastly but not least to those who taught me during my college days: Prof. Balan (Tort), Puan Badariah (Jurisprudence), Puan Ahilemah Joneid, Allahyarham Pak Nik Rashid, Allahyarham Prof. Azmi Khalid, Prof Vijay, Mr. Zafeer (Labour Law),Puan Saleha Ramli, Prof. Visu (Contract Law), Prof M.P.Jaine, Prof Molly Cheang, Puan Sharifah Shuhana, Prof Mimi Kamariah, Puan Wan Arfah, Prof Rafiah Salim, Ms. Chee Yoke Ling, Ms. Khaw Lek Tee, Prof Teo Keang Sood ... Pardon me if I could not remember/recall all but what I am certain is beside my parents , Mak & Apak, these great persons were the best teachers who had directly charted and had great impact on my life .... I could only say thanks a lot and may Allah bless you all. "Selamat Menyambut Hari Guru ...."

Artcle 114 Malaysian Federal Constitution @ SPR

Let's digress a bit from the Bersih 3.0 rally on 28 April 2012, I would post about it later anyway. Days before the Bersih 3.0, the nation was struck by a bomb shell alleging that the two top guys at the apex the Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya (SPR) are members of the ruling party, UMNO ... No need to mention their names anyway as y=they have become celebrities sort of... The duo even admitted but at the same time alleged could not recalled being members of UMNO, however the 2nd guy was reportedly as saying - in a rather comical U-Turn - he was never an UMNO member. Let's not argue further but look at Article 114 of the Federal Constitution, which I reproduced here in the Bahasa Melayu version:- " Perkara 114. Keanggotaan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya. (1) Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya hendaklah dilantik oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong selepas berunding dengan Majlis Raja-Raja, dan hendaklah terdiri daripada seorang pengerusi, seorang timbalan pengerusi dan lima orang anggota lain. (2) Pada melantik anggota Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya, Yang di-Pertuan Agong hendaklah mengambil perhatian tentang peri mustahaknya suatu Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya yang mendapat kepercayaan awam. (3) Seseorang anggota Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya terhenti daripada memegang jawatan apabila mencapai umur enam puluh lima tahun atau apabila hilang kelayakan di bawah Fasal (4) dan boleh pada bila-bila masa meletakkan jawatannya melalui surat yang ditandatangani sendiri olehnya yang ditujukan kepada Yang di-Pertuan Agong, tetapi tidaklah boleh dipecat daripada jawatan kecuali atau alasan dan mengikut cara yang sama seperti seorang hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan. (4) Walau apa pun apa-apa jua dalam Fasal (3), Yang di-Pertuan Agong hendaklah melalui perintah memecat daripada jawatan mana-mana anggota Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya jika anggota itu— (a) seorang bankrap belum lepas; atau (b) melibatkan diri dalam apa-apa jawatan atau pekerjaan berbayar di luar tugas jawatannya; atau (c) ahli mana-mana satu Majlis Parlimen atau Dewan Undangan sesuatu Negeri. (4A) Sebagai tambahan kepada apa-apa kehilangan kelayakan yang diperuntukkan di bawah Fasal (4), pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya hilang kelayakan untuk memegang jawatan itu jika selepas tiga bulan pelantikannya ke jawatan itu atau pada bila-bila masa selepas itu dia ialah atau menjadi anggota mana-mana lembaga pengarah atau lembaga pengurusan, atau pegawai atau pekerja, atau melibatkan diri dalam hal ehwal atau urusan, mana-mana organisasi atau badan, sama ada diperbadankan atau selainnya, atau mana-mana pengusahaan komersil, perindustrian atau pengusahaan lain, sama ada atau tidak dia menerima apa-apa saraan, hadiah, untung atau faedah daripadanya: Dengan syarat bahawa kehilangan kelayakan itu tidaklah terpakai jika organisasi atau badan itu menjalankan apa-apa kerja kebajikan atau sukarela atau tujuan yang berfaedah kepada masyarakat atau mana-mana bahagiannya, atau apa-apa kerja atau tujuan lain yang bersifat khairat atau sosial, dan anggota itu tidak menerima apa-apa saraan, hadiah, untung atau faedah daripadanya." It's interesting to note that at least Article 114 (2) states that it is of utmost importance for the Yang DiPertuan Agong with consultation of the Council of the Malay Rulers to consider the public confidence in the appointment of the SPR office bearers. Enough said, I am as one of the 26 million Malaysians had lost my confidence, not to forget the 300 000 Malaysians who participated in the Bersih 3.0 rally last 28 April 2012... What say you ....

Of Contradicting Statements/Actions ... Paradox

It's been quite a while since my last posting ...So busy with work. Just a short and brief posting about contradicting statements ... Few weeks ago, the front page of Malay Mail quoted Tun Dr. Mahathir as saying "everybody is racist" ... It's interesting to note that a few days later, the "other half" of MB Perak, Dr. Zambri said "BN is not racist".Luckily, Perkasa does not join the fray lest things would not only full of contradicting statements but would be real "kelam kabut"!!! Then Tun Dr. Dziaddin, former Lord President in his key note address in a Seminar claimed that "the Judiciary was crippled during Tun Dr. Mahathir's era" and this was echoed in support by Nazi Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister Department. Guess what was Tun Dr. Mahathir's reply? He said "it's a blatant slander" and he carried on by saying the sacking of the former Lord President Tun Saleh Abas was not his doing but that of Almarhum the then Yang DiPertuan Agung!!! So convenient of him to uttered such a statement ... Actually I am not surprise at all ... Who/which political party carried out a 'hatred campaign" against the Institusi Beraja" in Malaysia about 2/3 decades ago ... The mainstream media - electronics and printed - was hit with what I called as "The Monarchy Bashing". The newspapers carried out reports of the alleged lavish lifestyle of the Monarch and the grand "istana", some of them were concocted - in fact one of he so called 'Istana" actually belong to a Chinese Tycoon!!! On TV, every other week would be screened 'Cerita Melayu" depicting the "kezaliman Raja-Raja" or their "idiocy". Films such as "Lancang Kuning", 'Musang Berjanggut", "Hang Tuah", "Nujub Pak Belalang" were screened on TV unashamely .... Above are examples of contradicting statements and contradicting actions which resulted in paradox kind of situation ... What a shame .... Till we meet again ... I parted with a question - "Who not too long ago committed an act of treason when he led a so called procession of "installation" of a "Sultan" in defiance of the current and rightly installed Sultan?

Fatwa Council has spoken - "Indelible ink "halal"

A very short posting .....

I regularly "wasted" RM1.20 almost everyday buying NST ... Come to think of it, it's not really a waste as I always begin reading the newspaper from the back page then to the Business Section and then only to the so called "PRIME News" ....

Back to the posting on indelible ink ... I am not going to comment on the statement issued by the Fatwa Council but to quote what the EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said in the NST @ 12 January 2012 regarding indlible ink:

"EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof had said the ink would have four to seventy percent silver nitrate and could last up to seven days. The colour of the ink would remain a secret to prevent sabotage, he said."

My gut feeling is the colour of the ink definitely would not be "YELLOW" - that's not a secret to most people but if it turned out to be yellow then most probably there is sabotage!!!!

Good night ....

I was dead confused .... and still am confused!!!!

I bought myself a copy of "Utusan Malaysia" on 11 January 2012. It's not that I am an avid reader of the newspaper all these year. The only reason I bought "Utusan Malaysia" that day because of its headline ...

It was printed at the front page in capital letters - "PESERTA BAWA BOM" obviously referring to the 3 bomb explosions the day before at the Court Complex, Jalan Duta. In contrast, the headline was also accompanied by a line stating: "Pemeriksaan sebelum perhimpunan tidak temui objek merbahaya"...

Now now I am confused ... I read the news further and it was reported (still at the front page) that:

1. "Menurut sumber polis, pemeriksaan ketat di seluruh kawasan perhimpunan sebelum peserta dibenarkan memasuki lokasi itu seawal pukul 4 pagi tidak menemui sebarang objek berbahaya."

2. "Berdasarkan siasatan awal katanya, polis percaya bom-bom tersebut dibawa oleh mereka yang menyertai perhimpunan itu."

To further enlighten my curiosity, I turned to page 4 and read the news in full with a heading; "Bom milik peserta perhimpunan" ... The report states amongst others:

" Tiga bom buatan sendiri yang meletup sehingga mencederakan lima individu di perkarangan Kompleks Mahkamah Jalan Duta di sini semalam, dipercayai dibawa oleh mereka yang menyertai perhimpunan Kempen Bebas Anwar 901.

Ini kerana, polis yang membuat pemeriksaan ketat di seluruh kawasan perhimpunan sebelum membenarkan peserta memasuki lokasi itu seawal 4 pagi, tidak menemui sebarang objek berbahaya.

Sumber polis berkata, siasatan awal percaya, bom-bom tersebut dibawa oleh mereka yang menyertai perhimpunan itu.

Then there was a quote by the "sumber polis" to "Utusan Malaysia"which goes as follows:

"Kawasan tersebut telah dikawal oleh anggota polis sehari sebelum perhimpunan selain pemeriksaan dibuat secara rapi.

Malah, pemeriksaan terakhir turut dilakukan sebelum peserta perhimpunan dibenar berkumpul di kawasan itu dan tiada objek berbahaya ditemui.

Sebab itu kita percaya bom buatan sendiri yang lengkap dengan jam jangka itu dibawa oleh peserta perhimpunan."

After reading the news, I was dead confused - I am still baffled actually - with the report which could be summarised as follows - I would say it's a confusing inference indeed:

1. The police guarded the compound a day before the event;
2. The police scrutinised and "checked" everybody as early as 4.00 AM on the day the explosions occurred;
3. The police did not find any dangerous object;
4. Despite 1,2 & 3, "sumber polis" to "Utusan Malaysia" believe ("percaya") the bombs were brought into the compound by the "peserta perhimpunan".

How am I going to "percaya" this kind of reporting by "Utusan Malaysia" unless if bombs are categorised as not "objek berbahaya" so they were allowed to be brought in the "perkarangan Kompleks Mahkamah" ....

Anyway, I "percaya" I wasted RM1.50 that day because of "Utusan Malaysia" ....

Till we meet again ....

Malaysians On Top Of The World

Just a short posting on the above and it goes like this ...

"Malaysians On Top Of The World" .... that's the caption at the top of the font page of NST @ 9 January 2012.

Upon further reading, I as a Malaysian could not but am very proud of the news of Lee Chong Wei winning the Korean Open yesterday. The World No. 1 in badminton defeated his arch rival Lin Dan of China. Yesterday also was a winning day for Nichol David, the squash No. 1 who won the maiden World Series Final.

The winning streak of the two Malaysians spilled over to today which was celebrated by Malaysians at large. I am referring to the acquittal verdict of Anwar Ibrahim by the High Court of Malaya Kuala Lumpur. I could say that all Malaysians who believe in legal justice/principle would hailed the decision as a sound - as opposed to unsound - judgment. At least, there is a 'ray of hope" for our legal system ...

If you asked me why did I not mention about MU winning the 3rd round of the FA Cup in this post, my answer would be I am talking about winning Malaysians ... Furthermore, I am not a MU fan!!!!!

Good night and till we meet again ....