i don't want to know

What the heck is this? Seriously! Why the media is on such a frenzy on digging up Tiger Woods' private life. It's just a minor accident and how the media can connect it to domestic violence and infidelity is beyond my wildest imaginations. Tiger doesn't owe any of us an explanation. Go to hell Mark Krielgel for saying that Tiger owes the public an explanation because the public buys stuff endorsed by Tiger, because Tiger makes money from the public. To me that is pure bullshit. Tiger did not force the public to buy the stuff endorsed by him. Leave Tiger alone. Respect that man's privacy and please don't come and give me the "freedom of information" lecture cause it's not applicable here.

Perdana Discourse Series

Today was the second time i was able to see and hear Tun Dr. Mahathir speak in person. Although he's 84 this year, his mind is still so sharp and his physical appearance is tip top. Though i disagree with many of his policies and deeds when he was the Prime Minister, he still demands my respect for his knowledge, his ability to answer questions from various sections of the floor with aplomb and most important of all he still retains his trademark sense of humour.

I was in attendance of the Perdana Discourse Series in which Mahathir was the keynote speaker on the topic : The Role Of The Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and Constitutional Monarchy In The Governing Of Malaysia. This is the 9th Discourse in the series.

The Perdana Discourse Series is a semi structured communication platform where a prominent presenter will speak to selected clusters of audience on a predetermined topic addressing its definition and tracing issues like policies, strategies and possible models used during the tenure of the past prime ministers, in addition to achievements accomplished throughout each of the four premierships. Discussions and issues arising from the discourse will be duly documented and mapped to form a tentative draft model of systematic connectivity incorporating strong elements vis-a-vis the issues addressed.

Getting to Putrajaya from PJ takes only around less than 20 mins now with the new Maju Expressway. The toll costs Rm 2.50 which is quite reasonable. Finding the Perdana Leadership Foundation building was kinda hard because it was our first time going there. Eventually we managed to find our way there. It was located far away from any other buildings in an idyllic location just by the lake with a beautiful backdrop of the Putrajaya main boulevard.

I will upload some pictures of this event sometime later. Now i don't really have the means and time to do it. Please do check back later.

merciless

In Egypt, the govt ordered 300,000 pigs to be culled. Although the new strain of flu is called the swine flu, the flu have not shown up in pigs. They are spread by humans not pigs. It is so cruel to kill all the pigs including the little ones. sobz.

one question that keeps bugging my mind when i read this article was, what are pigs doing in a country which is overwhelmingly Islamic. who are consuming the meat? i wonder..

the whole article can be read at http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/30/1915246.aspx

What the fuck !

I'm so not impressed at all with something so cheap. i'm really shocked to even hear sumone who speaks for justice support something this cheap.

i have no problem whatsoever in you all being allowed to do the paper again. But asking for the paper where you all went wrong is like having an answer key in doing the assignment again. that is a travesty to justice. where is the fairness in that?

all the minor mistakes could be zeroed in and corrected. the resulting 2nd try paper would be almost perfect. is that fair to ppl who did the paper only once?

if i were in this position, i won't even contemplate something so dishonorable. given the chance to do the assignment again is good enough! why ask for the marked script?

take for example exams, when sumone fails and take the supplementary paper, the said person can only get a maximum grade of 2.0. they don't get to be graded like the first exam. that is what i call fairness.

this whole thing is fucking ridiculous..

i don't care if it involves friends or not.. professionalism means putting aside feelings.

as long as i feel something is against my conscience i will speak up.

but if the lecturer is setting a maximum mark point of lets say 5, i'm cool with this whole thing. i got no problem at all.

if you disagree with me, come let's speak with the dean, we'll see how it turns up.

Why do women stay in abusive relationships?

Crazy Love, Crazy Choices

Earlier this spring, when pop singer Rihanna went back to the man who allegedly beat her, the blogs were full of objections to blaming the "victim." It just makes women feel bad to say, "Why doesn't she leave?" feminist commentator Amanda Marcotte wrote in her blog. Indeed, she continues, "every time we ask that, we are engaging in batterer assistance ourselves." Shouldn't we be focusing on the abusers? Well, not exactly. Old-style feminism would say "the personal is the political," as long-time columnist Katha Pollitt put it in her own tale of personal sexual betrayal, Learning To Drive: And Other Life Stories. A social movement that passed political judgment on a subject as intimate as domestic violence may be tough on the victim, but, as Pollitt concluded, "at least it offered a perspective." The alternative, she warned, is that "These days anything is feminist as long as you 'choose' it … no matter how dangerous or silly or servile or self-destructive it is."

read more of it at http://www.slate.com/id/2215693

Outrageous

Recently, BN held gave a dinner in Kampung Sepetang as part of their campaign for the DUN Bukit Gantang by-elections. Scantily clad girls were invited to sing and dance on stage after Minister in the Prime Minister's Dept and new UMNO vice-President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi concluded his speech.

When asked by reporters about the tactic of using scantily clad singing and dancing girls to fish for votes among the Chinese, Ahmad Zahid apparently said that "it is part of the Chinese culture and it should be respected".

I'm so outraged at this statement from Mr Ahmad Zahid. Since when the Chinese had a culture of having scantily clad girls performing at their ceremonies and events.

Please check your facts before you speak Mr Minister.

Your statement is very offensive.

Continue laughing, i'll laugh with u too

What is so funny about a guy handling kitchen utensils? You think guys are not made for it? Maybe you're correct. but that doesn't give u the right to laugh at guys when they handle kitchen utensils. Even if he really suck at it, give the guy a hats off for doing something that is not his forte. he's giving u equality by doing that. Laughing at the guy doesn't really help you know. Why laugh at him when he's actually helping your cause?

Actually i shouldn't even be pissed about this at all. You can continue laughing, i'll actually laugh together with you too. because in the end its not the guys who lose, its you, women who tends to lose more.

you're basically agreeing and helping perpetrate the old male chauvinist saying that a woman's place is in the home and in the kitchen. you're actually supporting the chauvinist male's perception that you're just someone who cooks, takes care of the child and nothing else. you're also indirectly telling the world you don't deserve equality and you're worthless.

congratulations on you being the female that helps perpetrate inequality.

so don't come complaining that you're not being treated equally because you yourselves brought it upon yourselves.

give some thought to that. reconsider your actions. if you still think that you want to continue laughing, i've got no qualms. i'll be your cheerleader and even laugh louder than you because i don't lose. its you who is losing the fatter end of the deal.

wahahaha.

Blardy announcement

Today was supposed to attend a meeting to listen to Dean's announcement. My tutorial group was late bcoz Prof Chan kept interrupting and probing Shan and me during our presentation. Frustrating la. How she can understand the whole study without even reading it. I seriously can't understand it. Took me few days to analyze it.

Back to the announcement. The moment i stepped into the meeting room, i already heard commotions. The people start to pass the info around that a few courses in PC block have to move to PD block this May. My first reaction was Wat The Fuck! Why? I don't want to move.

The reason was bcoz the lease contract for PG block is already up. That is not our problem right? We come to the university and the university's job is to provide place for us to study. They can't kick us around like ball. PD is fucking far. I'm super pissed about this.

Dear beloved Dean, if u happen to read my blog. My official feelings about this is that i am supremely unhappy and pissed. It's a logistical problem to get to PD. Spend more money d lor now. WTF lah.

So that is how!

Apparently it was a misunderstanding. The one i called hypocrite apparently didn't knew that the others in the row asked me to sit there. So i have to take back my words now and i have to apologize. I'm sorry for the incident and getting pissed b4 getting to the bottom of things.

But i won't put all the blame on myself bcoz after that incident, there wasn't any indication whatsoever to acknowledge the mistake or misunderstanding. And to compound matters, there were snides and snickers around. That really did it for me.

Anyway i'm glad this matter is over now and i really appreciate the effort that one of them took to explain things to me. I think this is a healthy development as being honest and open with each other is the best way to deal with things.

However, my sentiments remain. I still think it is not wise to get too close to any fren as it will amplify disappointments that come later. So it's best to keep it at a safe distance and to be neutral.

Hypocrite

I've always thought you're not like that because you always get to the point and talk straight. But i'm really disappointed to say that you're actually a hypocrite.

When i wanted to have that seat, you said it was for A. So i let it go. Then comes along M and you let her sit there right in front of my face. What the hell u mean by that?

I'm not complaining because I didn't get the seat. It's just your attitude that grates on me. If you don't want me to sit there just say so lah. Don't need to spin another story so that I don't sit there. I would happily sit at another place if you say so. As if lah I crave to sit there so much.

I'm really disillusioned now on working together with the group. I find a number of people in the group being really unprofessional. Bringing private emotions into the working scenario is really bad. One shows a dour and emoless face everytime i try to communicate, another being openly hostile and another being bandwagonistic with the others. Wth, i thought we made it clear that private emotions should not disrupt the working relationship.

Maybe i should just leave and make you guys happy. I don't need to be there first of all. I could always participate in the struggle for equality without being one of the organisers. Anyway, organising jobs are not suitable for me at the time being because I find it tough dealing with unprofessional people.

Those of you who were really professional and honest, i really appreciate it and love our time together. I do not in anyway wish to link you to this but if you somehow felt that you're being affected by this writing, i sincerely apologize.

Such a depressing mood in such a gloomy day. What a perfect match.

Battling against a Beijing demolition

BEIJING – According to the lunar calendar, it's officially winter in China today. And although it was sunny, the wind picked up as the temperature dropped.

So spare a thought for 56-year-old Dong Jiqin, who could be evicted from his home in western Beijing and sleeping on the streets of the capital tonight.

Not because he's just another victim of the global economic recession. If anything, he's just the latest casualty of China's breakneck development.

Or so it would appear.

"The demolition project here began in October 2002," he told us and a handful of other foreign journalists shivering in the morning chill of his dilapidated courtyard home in Beijing’s Xicheng district. "Neither the government nor the developer has ever shown any certificate of legitimate right to tear down houses [here]."

Dong, who was grasping a folder of legal documents that included court summonses and court notices regarding the demolition of his home, said he had been given no information about the development plan.

"Nobody ever came to my house to discuss details. They are just trying to take my house illegally," he said calmly. "They bought off the garbage collector, too. He told me they are coming to demolish today."

Activist targeted
Dong was born in this courtyard house. It's where he played and grew up, where he lived when he got married, and where he raised his daughter.

It's also where his wife, Ni Yulan, was taken by plainclothes police – and, her husband believes, gangsters – on April 15 of this year. "They came to our house, tore down some of the house, cut off our phone and power lines, grabbed our belongings and dug up our sewage pipes," recalled Dong.

The authorities initially accused Ni of assaulting a demolition worker, part of a group tearing down homes surrounding Dong and Ni’s house in the Qianzheng hutong (the term for the series of narrow streets and alleys that characterize traditional Beijing neighborhoods).

A couple of weeks later, Ni was charged with obstructing a public official, which according to China’s Criminal Law carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.

Ni – a lawyer by training – was not just a pesky homeowner who refused to vacate her house. She had been an active voice campaigning on behalf of residents who had experienced similar situations – forced evictions and the destruction of their homes around Beijing during the city’s makeover ahead of the Summer Olympics.

She lost her lawyer’s license when she was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to a year in prison after filming the demolition of the house of someone who was forced out of their home. According to Human Rights Watch, she was beaten while being held by the police for 75 days.

It’s her activism for tenants’ rights that Dong believes is the reason his family is being persecuted and driven out of their home.

Ni was supposed to stand trial in August, just before the Olympics began, but it was postponed. No new date has been set, and no further information has been given, said her husband.

Spotlight on China
But Ni’s case may get some international attention soon. "It will be interesting to see how Ni’s case might be affected in light of the [United Nations] Committee Against Torture review of China," said Sophie Richardson, the Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

The U.N. Convention Against Torture – which comprises ten independent experts who monitor the implementation of the international convention – is starting a very public two-day review of China in Geneva on Friday. As a member of the U.N., the Chinese government has had no choice but to agree to the scrutiny and answer questions about alleged abuses against prisoners and dissidents.

While it’s hard to gauge what impact the review might have on officials in Beijing, "this has never happened before," said Richardson.

The Chinese government has prepared for another review scheduled early next year by the U.N. on broader human rights. Earlier this week, it announced what it called a "human rights action plan," the first of its kind in the country, designed to protect citizens’ rights over the next two years.

Seeking answers…and justice
But none of this has come soon enough for Dong, who last saw his wife 215 days ago.

"I have not seen her at all since she was taken," he said although his lawyer has been allowed to visit her three times. "She was in a single room for a long time. She has a chronic headache, but they don’t give her any treatment or medicine."

Dong, a former education administrator who has since stopped working, said he has filed appeals with the local district court to stop the demolition. His wife has written letters alleging police brutality while she’s in custody. And Dong says that their 24-year-old daughter, who had been living at home, has been so spooked by some of the apparent intimidation tactics that she has run away.

Dong said they don’t have any real options – apart from talking to the media in the hope someone can help him.

Of the thirteen people in his family who used to live in the traditional courtyard house, he is the last one holding out in this Qianzheng hutong.

"I have nowhere to go if I am evicted," he said quietly. "I’ll have to become a homeless person. We have no prospect if corruption is not investigated."

When I called him this evening to check on his status, he said no one had yet come for him. But he wasn’t hopeful

Damn it, just damn it

U know what? I just found out that my car's rear bumper was banged when i went to PROTES. Don't know which idiot that doesn't know how to drive knocked into my car. I only noticed it the day after PROTES. Fuck lah. Just ruined my day when i saw that hideous mark. I curse that driver to get into accident. I don't care. I'm not in the mood to forgive and forget when it involves monetary losses and emotional hurt. Fuck you !

Protes

Went to Protes Sejuta Rakyat Turun yesterday. The afternoon session's highlight was Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's speech. After that it was pretty uneventful till the evening session. A ruckus broke out. Water bottles, rocks and bricks were being thrown. I was there, at the side of the stage when it happened. Crazy lar. Flying missiles coming from everywhere.

The whole thing started because some punk rock group were performing some rude acts on stage while singing a song with bad words. They performed 3 songs. I loathed them the moment they stepped on stage. The first and second songs built up the emotions of the people and the final song did it for the crowd. That idiot vocalist flashed his bum several times and was singing "Jilat" to the crowd made up of mostly Muslims. They got offended and started to boo and scold the band. When the band continued, missiles started flying. The band was escorted away so quickly that i couldn't even locate them although i was right in the midst of the action. Luckily a PAS MP, Dr Lolo Ghazali was there to calm the crowd. Then Hishamuddin Rais, the person in charge of stage performances appeared to apologize to the angry crowd. The crowd was still not satisfied and were cursing and swearing at him as he was escorted out.

I personally don't agree to what the crowd resort to. Violence is not the way to show your disagreement but yet i understand how they feel. They are Muslims and when they are treated to so obscenity, they definitely get enraged of course. So many non-muslim malaysians were there too. Even they felt that the band went overboard. For me, i felt that the band was at fault because they provoked this reaction. Some would say that the crowd should just walk away if they don't agree with the performance but i would ask back the same to the band, if you know that many people couldn't not accept what you're doing why don't you perform somewhere else where people could accept your acts? Why must you perform in front of people who have opposite views to yours? You punks deserved this, padan muka.

Unluckily this ruckus caused some hurt to innocent people a well. The chairperson, a sweet young lady was hit by a bottle full of water flung by a guy who was standing near to me. After throwing the bottle, he could pretend that he didn't do anything. WTF! I stared at him and he stared back at me. I walked away then as i don't want to get into trouble as he is with the majority. Later tak pasal pasal i kena wack by a group of angry people pula.

All this happened just before the Magrib prayers. What a shame lah. Lucky the Dr Lolo and an Uztaz was there. They initiated the prayers and the crowd started to pray and everything went back to normal.

More and more people were streaming in to the stadium after the prayers. A few politicians took turns to speak while waiting for more people to turn up. Then YB Lim Kit Siang arrived to the cheers of many, he then addressed the crowd and in the middle of his speech, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived. The whole stadium got animated and stood to greet the arrival of the 'guest of honor" in the words of YB Lim. When it came to Anwar's turn to speak, he was in his element. The crowd was in his control and they responded to every chants and questions of his. The multiracial crowd was in unity, in one voice to demand that the fuel prices go down.

I left at about 10.30pm, a few moments before Anwar finished his speech. I knew that the crowd will start to leave as soon as he finishes, so i leave a bit earlier to avoid the chaos. Luckily for me i left at that time. When i neared my car, i saw a whole contingent of traffic police officers were there to issue summonses to cars park along the road. They haven't reach the other side of the road which my car was parked at. I quickly left the scene as i don't want to get into any troubles with officers that were there on purpose. To spoil the day of the protesters. Boo to the police force.

Reached home in about 15 minutes as Federal was clear and smooth flowing. Sleep soundly after taking a bath as i was dead tired. I didn't get any rest at all as i was in the stadium from 3 till 10.30 running here and there.

P3 of Ruling the Rulers : Mahathir Vs the Malay Rulers

By Huzir Sulaiman

BY October 1983, Malaysians were becoming aware that a constitutional crisis was in full swing. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1983 had been passed by both houses of Parliament, but the King, under pressure from his fellow rulers, was refusing to give his Royal Assent to it.

The bill would remove the need for the King to assent to legislation, and would similarly do away with the need for Sultans to assent to State laws. It would also take away the King's power to declare an Emergency and give it to the Prime Minister.

The Rulers publicly rejected these amendments after a meeting in Selangor on Nov 20, 1983. When the public became aware that a storm was brewing, Dr Mahathir’s administration initiated a propaganda war to put pressure on the Rulers.

There took place a “series of illegal public rallies held by Umno in Alor Star, Bagan Datoh, Seremban, Batu Pahat, Malacca, for the Prime Minister with reports of officially inflated crowd figures?.” as Lim Kit Siang would later describe them in the Dewan Rakyat.

These rallies, staged in order to generate sympathy for the Government’s cause, were illegal in the sense that police permits were neither sought nor granted.

Whether or not the crowd figures were inflated by the Umno-aligned media – it is true that they generally reported these events in positive terms – it is clear that the 1983 rallies were exciting evenings, with republican sentiments on everyone’s minds, if not exactly on their lips. One of the most arresting images in Rais Yatim’s Faces in the Corridor of Power is a photograph of two youths at one such rally. They are wearing T-shirts bearing Dr Mahathir’s picture and the words “DAULAT RAKYAT”.

Although the Prime Minister denied wanting to abolish the monarchy, at these rallies “the historical moment of unfolding Malay nationalism was relived as a continuing battle of Malay popular sovereignty against royal hegemony,” as Khoo Boo Teik writes in Paradoxes of Mahathirism.

At a rally in Alor Star on Nov 26, Dr Mahathir declared that “It was the rakyat who had protested against the Malayan Union after the Second World War; it was the rakyat who wanted a democratic system that would enable them to choose their own leaders. It was always the people who had fought for their destiny.”

At the largest rally, in Batu Pahat, Dr Mahathir told the crowds, in a thinly veiled dig at hereditary rulers, “We weren’t born Ministers ? We’re up here because we were chosen by all of you.”

The propaganda war continued, with tales of royal extravagance and impropriety emerging. The Government leaked the fact that they were compiling dossiers on the Sultans. RTM announced they were preparing a year-long TV series on the Rulers and the Constitution.

Yet pro-royal rallies took place too – especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, where Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah was rumoured to be responsible for them – and they drew large crowds, although they went unreported by the media.

Upping the ante, the Umno Youth executive council called for the Government to gazette the Constitution (Amendment) Bill without waiting for the King's assent, effectively daring the Rulers to challenge it in court. Dr Mahathir did not immediately adopt this strategy, but held this “nuclear option” in reserve while behind-the-scenes negotiations continued with the Rulers.

Public opinion was divided over the issue. Rural Malays tended to support the Rulers; urban Malays, while not uncritical of Mahathir’s strategies and motives, were more ready to accept egalitarian ideas.

As for the Chinese community, R.S. Milne and Diane K. Mauzy note in Malaysian Politics Under Mahathir that “One might have expected that, since the rulers and the Agung were symbols of ‘Malayness’ the Chinese would feel little loyalty to them. Paradoxically, they were quite pro-royalty, because they did not really trust Malay politicians. Indeed, they viewed the Agung and the rulers as protectors of their vital interests.”

There seemed to be no way out of the impasse except by compromise – which is what happened. The Rulers agreed to the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 1983 on the condition that many of its provisions were modified or repealed immediately with the introduction of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1984.

The new bill, passed in January 1984, meant that the King could now only delay a piece of non-money legislation for a month. It then had to be sent back to Parliament with his objections. If the King still opposed it in the form in which Parliament then passed it, he could only delay it for another month before it was gazetted as law.

The King could therefore only delay legislation for up to two months before it became the law of the land.

But this principle was no longer extended to the State level: Sultans still needed to assent to State bills before they became law, which was an important symbolic victory. Most importantly for those who feared Dr Mahathir’s supposed plan to concentrate power in his own hands, the bill removed the proposed ability of the Prime Minister to declare an Emergency by himself, and restored it to the King.

Nonetheless, Dr Mahathir saw himself as having won, declaring at a victory rally in Malacca that the feudal system had ended. He had brought his theatrical, confrontational, unapologetically antagonistic style to a high-stakes arena and had, by some accounts at least, triumphed over the Malay Rulers.

He quickly moved to consolidate his gains. Stories had been circulating that the head of the army, Jen Tan Sri Mohd Zain Hashim, was opposed to Mahathir’s approach and believed the armed force’s loyalty lay with the Rulers. Mohd Zain took early retirement. This was followed by a reorganisation of the army and some 500 other early retirements and dismissals.

When the independent-minded Sultan of Johor took over as Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1984, some feared (and some hoped) that royal activism would reassert itself.

As Roger Kershaw writes in Monarchy In South-East Asia: Faces of Tradition in Transition, “From the beginning, the Agong had made no secret of his contempt for Mahathir on the grounds of his mixed blood, calling him, to his face, ‘Mamak’ (a derogatory nickname for those of Indian Muslim ancestry). [?] But Dr Mahathir had proved more than a match for this difficult sovereign. Having got the measure of the King’s essential vanity and exhibitionism, he prudently pandered to it, even to the extent of placing a more convenient Royal Malaysian Airforce helicopter at his permanent disposal?.”

Through this and other measures, Dr Mahathir maintained good relations with the new King, enlisting him in his 1987 move against the judiciary, the effects of which are still felt today.

The Prime Minister’s campaign continued. He silenced the Rulers over the issue of the 1987 ISA detentions; staged a hostile debate on the monarchy in the 1990 Umno general assembly after the loss of Kelantan to PAS; removed the Rulers’ immunity to prosecution following the constitutional crisis of 1992-93; stripped away their flights, outriders, and special hospital wards; and in 1994, with little opposition, finally removed the need to obtain the Rulers’ assent for State laws.

Looking back, we can see how the bars of the yellow silk cage began to go up in 1983, closing in year after year.

Should we find it surprising, then, that after 25 years the tigers within should want to break free? Can we not understand that the Rulers might want to regain what has been lost?

And here is the hardest question of all: without giving up our democratic ideals, in a cynical and disloyal age, can we find a way to let our Rulers rule?

Relief

The results for last semester is finally out. I got the gpa that is around the target that i set albeit it could be better if Paul Ang had given me a B+ instead of a B. Sir, why u so cruel 1? On the bright side however, I am one of the lucky ones that manage to check their results because as soon as word got out that results are out, students all flood in to the intranet to check for their results. As a result, UTAR's shitty and sucky server crashed. No one can check their results now. ICT buck up lah. UTAR, dont so kiam siap, upgrade la for heaven's sake.

Another good news is, UTAR management knew of our demands to choose our electives. They seemed to be afraid of us now after all the things that we did. They straight away sort things out and say that we can take Religious and Cultural Practices subject. Woohoo. They even contemplated giving us more elective choices. They really are worried of my batch it seems. Wahaha. Who ask you not to do things properly. If you prepare before hand, you won't have this problem. Right?

So take note. Don't repeat any of this in the future. If we see any thing that we don't like, we'll complain again. We're not docile students that only know how to say "yes sir" or "yes madam". We know our rights and we fight for it. We don't lie down for u to step on us. The student representative body is USELESS. We practically don't need them to fight for us. We fight for ourselves. The student representative election is just a popularity contest. It's not about who can do a good job of being student representative. It sad but somehow it's true. If you're popular, you get elected. If you're not, then goodbye. Stupid mentality. This is especially true in chinese educated people. I know it's an ad-hominem attack but who cares. I still wan to commit this fallacy cause it holds true for the majority. :p

Next issue is the RM 100 fee to exempt us from taking Bahasa Malaysia paper. We're not goin to pay the RM 100. Forget it! How can you charge us RM 100 to exempt ourselves? Ridiculous. To make matters worst? Isn't a credit in SPM BM a pre-requisite to enter UTAR? It's common sense that all of us have to pass our BM in SPM or else we don't get our SPM certs. How ridiculous for you to ask us to take that subject. Come on. Be real.

Agonizing wait

It's the first day of year 2 semester 2 today which also means that results for last semester's examinations are due in a few days time. I've been anticipating the results since the day i came back from Perak.

i'm eagerly awaiting to find out how did i do in the exams and to know whether i need to repeat Moral(which i don't think i will, blek).

We got our timetable already and i discovered one most shocking thing that a university can do. Elective subjects are not chosen by the students but the electives are chosen for them without their knowledge. How fantastic is that? You tell me. I'm so pissed with this and i'm already contemplating steps that i need to take.

How can a university pandai pandai assume which subjects the students want to take? In my case, they decided that i should take Language Teaching. I don't want to do that. Instead i want to do Cultural and Religious Practices in Malaysia.

I don't care if Mr Renu is a damn good lecturer. My decision on choosing subjects are not based on lecturer. It is the subject itself that i consider. So, don't you go deciding which subject i should take.

I don't care if the seniors all chose to take Language Teaching. That is their problem. The university should not make assumptions that all students in this batch will want to take Language Teaching because all students from past batches took Language Teaching.

You better find a solution for me quick. Or else this is gonna go to higher people and you'll have a headache in store for you.

Apa halnya ni?

Wats the big problem now? So dissatisfied for wat. You wan watch that movie watch oni la. No one's stopping you.

I just said that i won't be watching that movie oni ma. You can still watch the initial movie without a few of us rite. Why not go ahead oni? Never did i ever say that you must watch other movie bcoz i said so.

Blardy hell, shifting the blame like nobody's business. As if it's all my doing

It's getting hot..

PM Abdullah went on the offensive accusing his predecessor Dr Mahathir as being responsible for the poor state of the judiciary and lack of press freedom in the country.

He was speaking Sunday at a press conference after a closed door meeting with some 1,000 Umno grassroots leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Abdullah chose not to maintain his usual elegant silence in the face of intense criticism. He's no longer the so called "nice guy" anymore.

Abdullah also accused Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as being responsible for the Barisan Nasional’s losses in Kelantan.

This is so not Abdullah. His style is non confrontational and him being confrontational shows that he is under intense pressure from all corners.


Dr Mahathir meanwhile responded to his critics sayin that his criticisms against the Umno leadership would make the party stronger.

“My criticisms will not wreck the party. It will make Umno stronger.

“If I tell lies, Umno will reject me. If they (supporters of the current Umno leadership) tell the truth, people will accept them,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said this in response to allegations made by several Umno leaders that he was providing “ammunition” for the Opposition to destroy the party.

For more information about this, click here.

Things are really getting to a head now. I really can't wait to see new developments concerning this. The party elections that UMNO, MCA and Gerakan would be holding in the near future would be damn interesting.

In another issue, Hishamuddin Hussein says he's not going for a higher post when he decided not to run for the post of UMNO Youth head. He added that he would leave the decision on what post he should contest to the party members. That statement is lame lah. Everyone knows he's eye-ing one of the vice-presidents post. I for one would like to challenge him to not accept the inevitable UMNO members nomination for him to run for the vice-president post. He should keep to his word that he is not going for a higher post. Come on lah Hishammudin. Don't hide your intentions.

Dr Mahathir Stops Supporting Najib (honey to my eyes)

By SHAHANAAZ HABIB

PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has withdrawn his support for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to be Prime Minister.

In the past, the former Prime Minister had, countless times, openly said he wanted Najib to take over from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as Prime Minister.

“I feel we should not pick who the replacement should be. We should give the opportunity to a number of people so that we can evaluate them whether it is Pak Lah, Najib or (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin).

“For now, I can’t say who (should replace Abdullah). Although I have said before it should be Najib, I don’t know why for ‘some reason’ I have now changed my mind,” he said at a packed “Umno Post 12th General Election: An Assessment” forum organised by mykmu.net.

Dr Mahathir said the Cabinet and Umno supreme council were not relevant anymore because they were all just “yes” men to Abdullah.

He said those who tried to speak up were chastised for supposedly being disrespectful.

“They are then invited by the Prime Minister and given an explanation why they should agree with him,” he said, adding that their mouths were kept shut because they were afraid of losing their position and power.

He said Abdullah preferred to seek advice on government and party matters from “outsiders” such as family members including his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin rather than his own Cabinet and Umno supreme council members.

Speaking about the losses suffered by Barisan Nasional in the general election, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that the people, including Umno members, wanted Abdullah out.

Going back to history, he said Datuk Onn Jaafar, the founder of Umno, was a man of dignity as he quit the party when his idea of opening it up to non-Malays was rejected.

He noted that the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, also resigned shortly after the 1969 election when Barisan lost ground.

“He withdrew on his own accord without being chased out by anyone. These two leaders were sensitive and listened to the views of the people and acted accordingly,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said that, as Prime Minister for 22 years, he resigned respectably when he heard that people were questioning why “this old man” was staying for so long in the position.

He questioned why Abdullah was not prepared to do the same.

“Does he want to wait until Umno is destroyed?” he said.

Dr Mahathir also threw support behind Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s proposal for the party to hold an extraordinary general assembly to discuss the polls results, and urged members to speak out and reform the party.

Dr Mahathir’s son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said he was inclined to support Najib if he were to vie for the Umno president’s post.

What a joke it was~

Telling me that i'm not well informed? That must be one of the best jokes i ever heard. Miss (i duno wats yr name), thx for giving us a good laugh. I'm sorry to tell u (if you ever read this), that you picked on the wrong person. No offence meant ya. I'm just stating the obvious here. This is just one good example of why ppl cannot discuss openly when emotions are involved.

I don't think u realized that you committed a big fallacy by saying MIC as a whole would not react IF the government decides to ban the Hindu religion in Malaysia. Even the most corrupt person like our former Works Minister Mr Samy Vellu will not take this blow lying down. IF he somehow (although i don't see how) does not stand up to this, i don't think that other members of MIC that number 630,000 will accept this. Not everyone are the same ! You cannot say that all the 630,000 are the same! Even if the leaders are corrupt and are there just to serve themselves and not the people, not everyone in MIC are the same. It's a hasty generalization on your behalf to assume that all MIC members are just like Samy Vellu.

There are people in MIC like S.K Devamany who spoke up in support of HINDRAF. I believe there are many more MIC members like him. It's just that their views or voices are not heard. The Malaysian media do not give them a chance to be heard. The same goes to the leadership of MIC.

Many people are still of the opinion that marginalisation is not that serious among Indians bcoz our media plays down this issue. That is why MIC leadership chose to keep quiet. They chose to be ignorant but banning of religion will be too big of an issue to keep mum on. In the event of the GOVT banning Hinduism which is a very serious issue, MIC will definitely speak up. No Indian can accept the fact that their religion will be banned. If somehow, Samy Vellu does choose to support the GOVT's decision to ban Hinduism, i believe he will be toppled from the post of MIC president and the other members will stand up and fight for their rights.

I understand the fact that you care very much for the plight of the Indians, but do not let your emotions cloud your judgement. Think rationally and critically. You can't take things too personal and go to extremes if you don't want people to dismiss you and whatever you have said. Extremism does not appeal to the majority.

Anyway, peiling and amelia did a good job in their presentation. Just need to touch up on some minor details and get the names of people spot on! It's crucial in the world of journalism. I heard Natalie Tan instead of Nathaniel Tan. There were quite a few blurps of this kind. So extra attention there. All in all, congrats for the great job that you two have done.


My POV:

This is my take on why banning of religion will not ever happen in Malaysia, no matter how bad the Govt has become. The first reason being, the BN govt prides itself in being a party for all races and promotes religious harmony although they discreetly marginalize the minority ethnic people with their policies like NEP. If they were to ban any religion, it would disrupt the equilibrium that they worked so hard to create. They will no longer be able to say proudly that racial and religious harmony exist in M'sia. The slogan Malaysia Truly Asia would not work anymore in this case. All the propaganda that they spent billions on will go to waste. The education system will go haywire too because what they do don't match what they practice anymore.

Secondly, huge international pressure will be exerted on M'sia if banning of religions do happen. The UN and especially United States will jump at the opportunity to label M'sia an extremist Islamic state. The M'sian govt wouldn't want that because the economic consequences will be huge and far reaching. The whole system could be crippled just like that. Islamaphobia is so widespread in the world now that the BN govt could not take a gamble that is this big.

Thirdly, civil war will break out in the country. The minority ethnics will rise in rebellion if banning of religions do happen. Even the ones not affected will rise up in arms because they will believe that next in line will be them. The Govt surely wouldn't be that stupid to take a line of action that is so drastic and outrageous.