A RONIN ~ Streams Of My Thoughts~

Saie. Why we do it

2009-12-27T19:24:00.000+08:00

1. Part of the umrah and haj rituals is to circle back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah 7 times.

2. This is to reenact Hajar frantic search for water for the crying baby Prophet Ishmael. Story goes that she left him in the valley between the 2 hills whilst running back and forth up and down those 2 hills in search of water.

3. Why do we reenact it ? To me it symbolises that act that we should never give up even though we have failed repeatedly. Strangely
enough, was browsing Napoleon Hill's critically acclaimed book "Think and Grow Rich" and this was the first and main principle and theme of the book. Never give up and you will succeed.

4. Of course it means a whole lot more than just that. It symbolises one's faith to Allah. The love and sacrifices of a mother to her child. If you could see the pic of the hill of Safa and Marwah we are talking about Hajar a female with her limited female strength frantically running up and down those 2 SOLID HARD ROCK hills. This is no sand dunes we are talking about here. It is also no easy slope. It is steep and it is razor sharp. Imagine doing that thousand of years ago with perhaps a leather slippers and no gloves. Even today with proper boots and gloves I wouldn't want to do it. A fall would from Safa and Marwah would mean deep cuts from the jagged rocks. Like I said, this is no bukit from tanah merah or sand. All of ut is made of cold jagged rocks. Also imagine Hajar doing this in the midday heat of the Arabian desert.

5. The Saie we perform today is a far cry from what Hajar did. Now we have long air conditioned corridors between the two hills with smooth tile surfaces along the way. Sometimes I think this luxury will make us forget te reason why we are reenacting this sacrifice in the first place. Oh well.. Hopefully that won't be the case.

6. This forms my personal opinion on the matter. All views are welcomed.

I HAVE MOVED TO http://azlanroni.wordpress.com/

2009-05-01T11:57:00.002+08:00

I HAVE MOVED TO

http://azlanroni.wordpress.com/

Please visit my blog there for latest posts.

Thank You.

Out Forefathers got it right

2009-04-19T10:45:00.002+08:00

1. The declaration of independence was read in English. If we can read our proclamation of Independence in English, why cant we learn school subjects in English?

2. After Tunku declared Merdeka, Islamic prayers was read. Islam was intended to be the State religion and will always be .

Taking a break from blogging

2009-03-22T02:10:00.002+08:00

Dear friends,

Due to

a) work
b) another project of mine which i believe creates better value for all, i am taking a break from blogging. I will keep blogging from time to time but my research and focus are now focused to something which i feel will create better value than commenting on current issues and my personal life.

see you guys around.

Lessons that We can learn from Iran Revolution

2009-02-15T11:03:00.001+08:00

(1) There's an excellent show on BBC right now. It's titled –Fall of a shah.

(2) I recommend all of you to watch it if you can.

(3) There's a lot that we can learn and draw comparisons with.

(4) what Strikes me the most was the similarity of the Shah and Tun M in certain respects.

(5) Although their upbringing is completely different (one is of royal upbringing, the other is from a rural upbringing) they share a common passion in modernizing and improving their country.

(6) Both men also had ideas far ahead of its time. The shah for example wanted to give the right to Vote for women. An idea which we took for granted and accept it as a natural right now was vehemently opposed by the mullah groups at that time. Tun M had pegged the ringgit during the economic crisis of 98. An unheard idea at that time.

(7) More info as I research more on the topic

Beza Lawak Malaysia dan Lawak American ( The difference between Malaysian and American Jokes)

2009-02-11T20:41:00.016+08:00

(1) I was having dinner and the tv at the restaurant was turned to Raja Lawak at Astro.

(2) The quality of our jokes is a joke (pardon the pun, couldnt help it)

(3) They really lack the creativity needed to crack up jokes. If this are the best that passed the screening stage, i wonder what is the level of the rest that didnt made it ?.

(4) It is no surprise that till TODAY, the best jokes are from P Ramlee and geng, some of our comedians came to the extent of making their living paraphrasing and repeating the jokes from the P Ramlee era.

(5)Below are two video clips for you to decide on our standard of jokes.

but i do notice certain things that may be conducive to nurture a good comedian growth

(1) A mature society - notice how Chris Tucker can diss (kutuk) Democrat/Republicans/Whites/Blacks/Jews without fear of repercussions. You do that here in Bolehland and we're gonna have demonstration/marcharound town and 34 police report filed against you.

(2) A tolerant law - The American First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech eventhough it may be unpopular or may be not to the taste to the current ruling government. Over here ..........???... The Sedition Act, The ISA is but two of that comes to mind, not to mention the various censorship laws and publishing permits that may be revoked.

(3) People who can keep an open mind - i think we still have a longgggg way to go here........ Can we take jokes that pokes the Malay that comes from a Chinese and vice versa ?

Note: Why does all (correct me if i am wrong) the Raja Lawak participants are Malay ?, Interesting to note isnt it....but thats another discussion for another day.

What we all can learn from a Mamak waiter at Hakim

2009-02-06T15:14:00.001+08:00

(1) i think Malaysians are missing the big picture. The big picture that only the educated Malaysians are realising. Them and the Mamak Waiters and the Bangladeshis.

(2) While we are busy bickering about the small stuff, like local politics, Perak, DAP, UMNO, Pakatan Rakyat, the world is expanding and expanding.

(3) I believe at this level what we can do to help improve ourself is to gain as much knowledge as possible in order to competein a globalised world.

(4) While we are busy arguing on whether UiTM should be allowed to Non malays , the rest of the world is figuiring out how to enter other country and market. Why be so defensive Malays ?, Why dont we let the Non Malays in and increase the size of UiTM ?

(5) When i was studying in Shah Alam i had a mamak waiter friend who was waiting at the tables of Hakim Restaurant, He was from India. He has been working here for about 5 years. Later i got to know that he has now moved to Dubai to work in a restaurant there.

(6) The lessons that we can learn here are ;
(a) Even the lowly paid waiters from India has realised that the world is flat
(b) The world is now flat and borders are no longer barriers for employment
(c) One can make good anywhere in this world so long he/she is willing to work hard and brave the unknown.

Instead, what we are doing ?. We are busying ourself with political issues that adds very little value to ourself. Things like holding rallies,

It is in my belief that if you want to help your people , the best way is to garner as much knowledge as possible and give them back to people.

Standing in front of buildings and holding rallies is not one of them.

If i have a Non malay Muslim friend, he would be denied entry to UiTM because he is a non Bumiputra eventhough he is a brother of mine in religion.

Looks and feel wrong somehow.

I believe we should focusing on how to compete in a globalised world rather than bickering among ourself.

Never Leave Education to Politicians

2009-01-20T00:39:00.005+08:00

3 states unite against English From NST Jan 19 2009

As for vernacular schools, Kelantan, Selangor and Kedah want the subjects to revert to being taught in the medium of the schools.

The decision was made at a meeting of the executive council members in charge of the education portfolios in the three states here yesterday.Although only three states, whose exco members were from Pas, were represented at the inaugural meeting, Kelantan Islamic Development, Education and Dakwah Committee chairman Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah claimed it was well known that the DAP shared the same view.Selangor was represented by state Education, Higher Education and Human Resource Development Committee chairman Dr Halimah Ali and Kedah by its Education, Information Technology and Communication Committee chairman Abdullah Yusuf.Nik Mohd Amar said the Penang exco in charge of education, Dr P. Ramasamy, could not make it as he was only returning from a meeting in Chennai, India, today while his Perak counterpart, Datuk Ngah Kor Ming, had to attend another function.

He said the policy of using English to teach the two subjects was a blow to the "sanctity of Bahasa Malaysia" as the national language."It has created problems for both teachers and students, especially those from the rural areas."Nik Amar said another topic discussed was the possibility of setting up a new university with the same role as Egypt's famed Al-Azhar University as many Malaysian students were facing problems furthering their studies there.He said the university that they had in mind would concentrate solely on religious subjects using the same model as Al-Azhar, and the three states had agreed to draw on their strengths and cooperate in the field"Selangor has Universiti Industri Selangor and Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor, Kedah has Kolej Universiti Insaniah while Kelantan has Kolej Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Ismail Petra."

(1)Its a sad fact of Malaysia that the education is left to the politics and politcians.

(2) which century are they living in ? First AD ?

(3) The world is becoming flat. It will definitely BE flat during the time of my children. This means that if they cannot survive in the global world they will not go far.

(4) Survival in the global world requires mastery in English. There is no two way about it. Good in English, Maths, Science.

(5) They will not lose respect to their mother tongue, culture and religion. To argue so will only mean that bad upbringing.

(6) The idea of school is to equip them with the best knowledge to prepare them for their future. Therefore the thinking of the school should be that the knowledge the children gather is relevant and competitve for the next 20 years. This is to ensure that what they learn in school when they are 10 would still be relevant when they are 30.

(7) And when they are 30, their mastery in maths and science in English is the utmost important. Especially if they want to continue their studies at Oxford, Cambridge,Stanford, London School of Economics, Im sure they will do okay in the local universities but ask yourself, what parent would want their children just to have an OKAY education ?. Best possible education and be all you can be, im pretty sure thats what every parents want for their children.

(8) I think it is the duty of every parent to provide best possible education for his children.

(9) And i am of the opinion that the best education is still found outside of the country for two reasons. Firstly because the best education institution and educators are found outside of Malaysia. Secondly i believe living outside of Malaysia for a few years will teach a student about life and gives him a better insights and broaden his vision about the world.

(10) I think we should expose our children to English at every possible opportunity. To do otherwise is taking a step backwards.

(11) The mother tongue will not be compromised. They use it non stop in their daily conversations but their initial use of English is only limited to their class hours. Because so, we should expose English in classroom as much as possible.

(12) I appreciate the feedback on how teaching in English is going. Any teachers reading this i appreciate you sharing your experience.

Easiest Job on Planet Earth: The News Station

2009-01-15T22:47:00.001+08:00

Sometimes i think the newspeople are lazy. They sit around in their office drinking lattes and collectively gathering fat up their asses.

Dont believe me ? Then just look at your TV screen. This war on Palestine thing....hey...isnt this reaalllyyyy old news....i mean...isnt this like from the 1960s or something.... come on man...cant they even recycle something more recent perhaps...along 1990s perhaps ? Just look at the images, isn't that look like a war 50 years ago ? Dont tell me they hadn't solved it by now...i mean....even World War 2 lasted for like what 5 years ?...

I mean, look at the pictures, it doesn't change at all. The Israel wears a full soldier fatigue with full automatic rifle, tanks , bombs. The Palestinian in civilian clothing with not a single firearm lying dead in the rubble, heck, even the storyline doesn't change. Palestinian threats, Israel retaliates in the name of peace,security, democracy and all that other feel good stuffs and saves the day.Man, They should probably hire some Bollywood scripwriter to spice things up. Bollywood is the big thing now, just look at Slumdog Millionaire.I mean come on, after 50 years of the same story it is looking pretty BORING !!!!...... Maybe they should have a love triangle in between. Just to add spice up. Maybe we should have America instead of being Israel's loyal lover we have America having a change of heart and fall in love with the Palestinian cause while dancing in a blanket of yellow daisies on top of the Swiss Alps a la the Sound of Music. High School Musical proves that if the talent is handsome enough,we wouldn't care if the story doesn't make sense.

This malaise from the news corporation doesn't seem to end at one station. You open up other station also it seems to be the same.

ITS THE SAME OLD BORING STORY SINCE THE 1940S ............... Please la give me something new,enough recycling of dead Palestinans, killing Israels, UN resolutions, Peace process, humanitarian aid, genocide, protest, If things goes on as it is I think i want to open my own news channel. Wouldnt be that hard. Just take some old pics and post it as headline. ISRAEL ATTACKS PALESTINE, ISRAEL MASSACRES HELPLESS PALESTINIANS. ISRAEL ATTACKS KILLS 10 , 9 OF WHICH ARE CHILDREN.....hey,...you know what...even the headline can be recycled ...isnt that what has been happening since 1950s?...hmmm...this is good business...all i need to do is to change the time and place, even then it wouldn't be that hard...maintain the title ...change the place to Rafa to Gaza, Ramallah, to Aqsa back to Rafa, sprinkle a bit of Aqsa again and tadaa its news...its easy business ....the name of the perpetrators and victims doesn't seem change. Its always Israel fires, Palestinian dies...great..thats one less work for my new news channel.

Also, lets not forget the deafening silence that seems to permeate from every other Arab countries regarding this latest genocide. Has Saudi Arabia lifted a finger....nope,Dubai with all of its wealth has it said anyghint ? nope, Qatar ? Oman ?, Hmmmm..... because these rich countries always shut up then there is less work for my tv station as i don't have to incur cost to do coverage about them.Maybe they don't even give a damn about whats happening to their own fellow muslims . (but then again do we Malaysians Muslims give a damn to the oppression that our fellow Thai Muslims been suffering ?)

Oh well.......Just another day in the holy land......you know....for a holy land...it sure does spill a heck lot of blood.....not to mention producing the same boring scripts over and over again

I hope you get the sarcasm.

Only in Malaysia

2009-01-03T20:17:00.002+08:00

(1) When everyone in the other parts of the world are worried about the global credit crunch, we are still out happy shopping

(2) When landslides occur last month, its business as usual this month

(3) To have one sale after another in the shopping mall, October Mega Sale, December Xmas sale, January CNY sale, February Valentine sale, etc etc etc

(4) Only in Malaysia...

i believe

2009-01-02T20:37:00.003+08:00

i believe we are what we choose to be

i believe our world should be as big as big or as small as we WANT it to be

i believe we should live to achieve our dreams

i believe no matter what people say otherwise, we should strive to achive our dreams

i believe that the best job in the world is one that pays for doing something youre passionate about it.

i believe no one can stop you from your dreams

The Futility Of the Palestine Future ?

2008-12-28T09:52:00.004+08:00

(1) The Palestinians throw stones, The Israelis throw grenades

(2) The Palestinians use explosive cars, The Israels use main battle tanks

(3) The Palestinians use rockets, The Isrelis sends airstrikes

(4) Its a wonder why Palestinians keep on fighting, i wonder why they fight it that way ?

(5) Wouldnt it be better if they just pack up and leave? For a better tomorrow ?

(6) I guess i wouldnt know until i am on the ground myself

(7) But, for me, if you want to build a nation, build a school

(8) Thank you shun for teaching me that.

H.I.D.U.P (L.I.F.E)

2008-12-21T13:45:00.006+08:00

(1) Have we ever paused in our life and ask ourself what is it that we want from life. What do we want to do?

(2) I have asked around and am surprised by the number of people who havent asnwered this question.

(3) One of them was already in his 60s

(4) Some answered that they are not willing to because of commitments. Family, housing loan, mortgages, career. uncertainty.

(5) I am thankful to Allah for he has given me this sight (pedoman), at least He gave me this idea (ilham) to ask myself what do i want to do in this lfe.

(6) At least i am not drifting along in life.

(7) Or to put it more correctly, i am drifiting no more in life. I have a purpose. I have seen my purpose. I have seen my goal, my aim , my ambition.

(8) Life is surely is diffrent when you have an ambition. You walk with a purpose. You talk with a purpose , you think with a purpose.

(9) What Im trying to say here is that, stop for a while , ask yourself, what do you want from life, what do you want to do in life ?

(10) Are you doing what you like/love in life ? or are you just coasting/following what people say/ follow the flow and ebbs of life.

(11) Life is more meaningful when you know what you want and strive towards it.

(12) In the words of a book which i have yet to buy (:P) There's too many people in this life doing half hearted job because they are half hearted in their commitment. Do something which you find passion in. (ok the last one was mine)

(13) Live Life, Youre gonna live once.

Congratulations Umar

2008-12-19T09:33:00.002+08:00

(1) Umar and Mas is married.

(2) They have achieved what they have always dream of.

(3) Congratulations.

(4) Living life chasing your dream is what everyone suppose to be doing. Even if it looks so impossible to achieve but as long as you are striving towards it, no matter how far you are, so long as you strive towards it, you are one step closer in achieving it.

(5) At least that is what i tell myself.

(6) One step at a time.

Mamat mana nih(Who the heck is this guy)....

2008-12-07T08:22:00.002+08:00

(1) Mamat mana nih(Who the heck is this guy)....That was initially on my mind

(2) Then i realised it was shah rukh khan wearing baju melayu and songkok.

(3) He he

(4) Somehow the whole issue of refusing to wear songkok now seems trivial isnt it....

An Open Letter to Lim Guan Eng

2008-11-30T11:36:00.002+08:00

Dear Sir,

I applaud you using the phrase “amar makruf”
That was bold of you to say the least. Like it or not you have walked into a political minefield and have exposed (as you undoubtedly realised) yourself into every single crosshairs of your political opponents.

While your intentions are unclear but the fact of the matter now is that most Malays and Muslims are up in arms because they are displeased with the fact that you as a non Muslim had used a Quranic phrase.

I will take your use of the phrase in good faith, and believe that when you uttered it, you meant every single word of it.

I am not going to debate whether such use is right or not. What i am going to say however is regarding you and your tenure as Chief Minister of Penang.

I believe that you have what it takes to be a first Chief Minister that truly cares about the people.

But in order for you to do that you must take care of the sensitivities of your subjects. Like it or not they are YOUR people. What they think matters. Rightly or wrongly.

Failure to realise this will only make you just another opposition leader who risen to power not because the people believed in you but rather because the people were tired with a corrupt and weak government.

I believe if there ever was a chance of Malaysia to become a truly multi racial country with everyone is recognised by their ability and not their race it would come from Penang. Penang is the melting pot of many cultures and races.

However, please come down from the tall KOMTAR tower and come to the villages as well. How many times in your tenure have you come to visit the paddy fields and hear the worries of the simple Malay farmers?. Stop being a politician and start being a leader. Cross that DAP boundary and start becoming a leader for the people instead. Have you ever hear them telling you how worried they are of the floods, the pests, how they have no money to pay for their children school fees. If you succeed in doing this then most will have no qualms of becoming the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

I believe that if there was ever one man who can truly bridge the multi racial gap in Malaysia, for now , it would be you. Failure to capitalise on this would mean that you’re just another DAP leader. The age of racial politics of our fathers has come to pass. This is our time and it is us who decide what and how Malaysia should become. Let us make it in such a way that merits would be rewarded and equitable growth is supported.

Until when are we going to believe the age old perceptions that the Malays are lazy and the Chinese are selfish people.It is not true and it was never true. The Malays was not accustomed in wealth creation methods and I have met in my life my Chinese who put others before themselves. It stands as an injustice towards them should we let these perceptions remain.
In the meantime, i applaud of you using the Quranic phrase. By God, i hope you meant every single phrase that you said, otherwise it would have been an intolerable insult to my religion.
At the end of the day Mr. Chief Minister, you have to understand that while your intentions may be pure in using the phrase Amar Makruf, you have to take care the sensitivities of your Muslim subjects. They rightly or wrongly may take offense if you use it. Why do you want to destroy your chance of becoming a true leader by the people for the people over such small matter ?.
I wish you all the best and you will have my support the moment you fight not only for your race and party cause but the cause of MALAYSIANS as a whole.

Good luck, and Insya-Allah.

AZLAN RONI HASAN.

I FINALLY BELIEVED IN MIRACLES

2008-11-28T18:26:00.004+08:00

(1) I witnessed a miracle yesterday

(2) syamsul errwan is now a proud father of a baby boy

(3) my reaction was of a stunned silence...

(4) I wonder how does a father feel...now that you are responsible for the life of another human being.

(5) I dont think anything on earth can prepare you for that.

(6) Welcome to the world little one. We'll try our best to take good care of you.

The Guns are silent ..

2008-11-28T09:59:00.001+08:00

Thank you god for the few peaceful hours you gave me

Thank you for the few hours without the hectic phone calls and urgent emails

I can finally breathe....

TGIF..

Penat Giler

2008-11-27T16:39:00.002+08:00

(1) Im tired.

(2) Forgive me for not updating so much nowadays. truth be told, so many things had happened lately that i wouldnt know what to write about.

(3) its funny to note that its when things happen that you x have time to write it down.

(4) Oh well, part of life i guess.

The ability to link information = specialist

2008-11-17T14:57:00.001+08:00

A specialist is a person who can LINK informations together...thats what makes him a specialist.

Malay and Manners.

2008-11-11T06:46:00.004+08:00

(1) Whats is wrong with this picture?

(2) Apa ingat ni bapak diaorang punya escalator ke?

(3) Keep the right lane clear la bodoh.......orang lain nak cepat gak.....

(4) Melayu pandai beradab ???......... not from this pic........

(5) The Malays still have a long way to go in terms of manners......

The Nonsense Thats Destroying Islam

2008-10-31T13:52:00.007+08:00

(1) Stumbled upon a guy selling this Air Penawar Hafiz in the mosque while i was heading inside the mosque for Friday prayers. He was selling it for RM 10 per bottle.

(2) Let me quote the text in the brochure

"Air Penawar Hafiz adalah kombinasi Air Gau Tasnim dan Air Zam zam. Ianya telah dibacakan dengan ratusan juzu Al Quran oleh guru dan pelajar hafiz. Ianya telah di solat hajatkan dan dibacakan Hizbul bahri dan Hizbul Al Nawawi , wirid wirid al - Quran dann hadis yang diterima daripada DARULSYIFFA yang diasaskan oleh Prof Dato Harun Din dan Pusat Perubatan Islam Darulssalam yang di asaskan oleh Dato Ismail Kamus......

(3) Firstly, i understand that the Air Zam- Zam holds a special place in the hearts of all my Muslim brothers and sisters. People coming back from Haj brings backs Zam Zam waters by the gallons. I have no problem with that.

(4) On the other hand, what is Air Gau Tasnim ?, and just what is the mixture ratiobetween the Air Zam Zam and Air Gau Tasnim is ?, 50/50 ? 60/40? , 90 /10 ?!!!....

(5) Why cant you then just sell pure Air Zam zam ? too costly and will not make enough return?

(6) On another level, I have always find it tough to believe this whole idea of air mukjizat or air Yassin. ( CLARIFICATION; I am not talking about the Air Zam Zam which comes from the well in Kaabah, Air Zam Zam waters does have a scientific value as the Zam Zam well and the Kaabah is located at the bottom of a valley and has a high degree of mineral content)

(7) No, i am not talking about Air Zam Zam, I am talking about your everyday air paip SYABAS which you all take from the pili air (water pipe) and fill it into the Spritzer mineral water. That water is then put in front of a Yassin reading crowd and BAMMM!!!.....suddenly you expect that water to have magical values ?

(8) It is wishful thinking, thats the most respectful way i can say about it. It is i believe a misguided teaching of Islam.

(9) When i was in high school, the ustaz and ustazah (religious teachers) when the exams are near would make it compulsory for everyone to come to the surau and read Yassin. We would form a circle and in the middle would be bottles of water soon to be transformed into AIR YASSIN.

(10) This water is apparently will be imbued with magical powers to give clarity to the mind of the student and make him pass his exams in flying colours.

(11) Let me tell you what makes a student will pass his exams in flying colours

(12) Hard work

(13) Perspiration

(14) Never give up

(15) Start preparing early

(16) A good night sleep

(17) Not the AIR YASSIN, put it this way, if it is the air Yassin that causes one to be clever then all we all need to do to become Einstein is to drink Air Yassin by the bucketloads.

(18) This memory was triggered by the nonsense that was openly sold inside the mosque grounds. The same goes for this Hafiz Air Penawar,

(19) At the bottom of the brochure it says that the water special properties are

(1) Mengubati gangguan Jin dan Iblis= Cure from demonic possession

(2) Penawar hati = cure the heart ( hahahahha....)

I believe you can achieve all of the above just the same just by praying intently to Allah.

(21) Allahuakbar !

Traffic from Serenia Gardens to KLCC

2008-10-15T11:35:00.006+08:00

(1) I bought a house at Serenia Gardens (SG). Right now I am staying at Sri Kayangan(SK), Its at the left turning before Serenia Gardens. Both uses the Jln Ukay Perdana to get to MRR2

(2) I work in the KLCC area. Everyday i use the MRR2 and Ampang Elevated Highway to get to that side

(3) I wish to highlight the traffic condition to future owners of SG.

(4) The Jalan Ukay Perdana is the main access road to SG ( so far and i believe in the near future as well). That road condition is okay. It is not great, there are many small potholes along that road and when it is raining there will be a lot of water coming down from the top making that road extra slippery. Also, the road is rather taxing for a 10 year old Wira 1.3, expect to use second and third gear.

(5) When it rains sometimes there will be branches falling down on that road, my suggestion is to use to be aware and on the lookout while driving there.

(6)Also for there was 2 nights which i noticed that the road lights near the end of Jln Ukay Perdana ( before the turning to Jln Ukay perdana 2) had gone off. which means road users (me) had to climb up that hill using with only our headlights in the middle of the rain and with possible branches on the road.

(7) There's 2 exit from SG to MRR2. The Bukit Antarabangsa exit and the Kg. Pasir exit.

The Bkt Antarabangsa exit is only for for traffic heading to KL.

The Kg. Pasir exit gives the option of heading to KL - Gombak and Setiawangsa (straight up)

All of the exits will be jammed up by 6.50 am.

(8)On weekends when the roads are clear it will only take about 15 minutes to get to KLCC side from SG. On weekdays from my experience

If leave at 7.00 = 40 minutes.

If leave at 7.30 = 50 minutes

If leave after 7.50 = 50 to 60 minutes

Surprisingly the road becomes rather clear after 9 am. Therefore most probably the main traffic contributors are office workers heading to work in KL.

At the AKLEH in the morning, the jam will be at the AKLEH toll and the exits.

Coming back from work is about the same experience. Although i must state that that most of the time is wasted on getting to the AKLEH.

Once on the AKLEH it is quite smooth (about 10 minutes from KL to MRR2 exit). From the AKLEH exit its about another 15 minutes in the jam before reaching the Kg. Pasir exit heading to SG. Then its about 10 minutes of uphill drive to SG but thats the last stretch, no jam and the one i enjoy the most. the air in the evening is cooler than the air con and i would just roll down the windows and take a slow drive back to SK.

(9) If there's one compensation staying on that area, it feels suddenly you are no longer in KL hectic area and pace but in a suburb area with lots of plants and trees.

(10) Hopefully it'll remain that way.

The difference between UMNO elections and US party elections

2008-10-11T12:33:00.002+08:00

The reasons why im highlighting this is because of the the current generation DOESNT WATCH TERRESTRIAL TV and USES YOUTUBE.

They would watch how the US party elections and compare it with what we have here. Ignore them at your own peril

(1) Over there, They have manifesto and plans. They have a set of plans written and published and a specific timetable for that. Over here we will have one big press conference with the candidate sitting down and there's a big group of supporters behind him hawking like vultures waiting for their spoil. Even before the candidate won there's already vultures circling, how do you achieve transparency when there's already hands that wants to be fed?

(2) Over there, there's a townhall discussion and the candidate will be standing in the middle and asked all kinds of questions ( and i mean all kinds..i have heard a lady saying to Obama and MCain how can we trust any of you to do your job once youre elected, try and say that here and i'll guarantee you you'll get a hard glare and be escorted out by the security).
Over here, whatever you wish to say you'll probably have to say it to the PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT of the CANDIDATE. which means he'll probably will never hear it.

(3) I am a firm believer that the party is suppose to serve the people, not the people who must serve the party.

The Sillence that made us brothers

2008-10-11T12:22:00.003+08:00

There's this a brief moment in time after youre done playing ball and the lights are just turned off. Everyone is tired and warming down, some are warming down, some are reaching for cigarettes, most are breathless from the running, a few gaze blankly at the skies. Suddenly all are quiet.

Looking at my friends last night when that silence fell it was like as if time had frozen and im the only one that was moving.

Maybe it was the adrenaline leftover but i like it, in that brief span of time i realised that all those in that court are my brothers. united by a common love.

Won 3 games straight last night. didnt contribute most of it. maybe its the new shoe jinx. Its always like that. The first time with a new shoe (few times actually) my game will be thrown off.

Lack of playing also played a factor

Orang Melayu Tak Guna Sembahyang 5 Waktu ( Its Useless for Malay Muslims to Pray 5 t times a Day)

2008-10-10T09:09:00.006+08:00

(1) It is a controversial title i know, but read on for the justification

(2) A tragic event occured recently. A friend of mine was praying zohor(midday prayers) in the surau. He was not alone. Alongside him was at least four or five other people.

(3) Near the end of his prayers while standing he felt his heartbea rose and he started to have black outs, he couldnt controlled it and fell to the ground. Others were still standing and continued their prayers.

(4) He controlled the urge to passed out as that would mean the end of him and WAITED until they all finished praying.

(5) Once they all have done with solat and doa ( prayers) he approached the nearest guy and asked if he could please take him to the hospital. I think this was what he said to the guy who was next to him in prayers AND SAW HIM FALL WHILE PRAYING !!!.

Sick Friend:" Encik, Saya rasa tak berapa sihat ni, boleh tak encik bawak saya ke hospital (Mr, I am not feeling so well, could you please take me to the hospital)".

IDIOT answer " Maaf la Encik, Saya tak bawa kereta hari ni ( Sorry Mr, I dont drive today) " and left.

(6) Maaf la Encik, Saya tak bawa kereta hari ni ( Sorry Mr, I dont drive today) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(7) and my sick friend even tried to ask a few others in the surau !!!! but they all declined to bring him to the hospital.

(8) wow.........

(9) In the end he managed to call his friend to help him before he passed out. He's in the hospital now and the docs are monitoring him. The doctors say it may be vertigo or high blood pressure or artery blockage.

(10) my sick friend is 44 years old. He could have been your husband, your brother, your father, your friend.

(11) In an emergency, ANY emergency, the first 15 minutes are the most crucial ones.

(12) I am appalled with this tragedy, I am disgusted with the response that the people choose to give in declining to help my friend.

(13) I am spell struck by the response chosen by my fellow Malay Muslims in declining to give help to my friend. He was nearly passing out and all you could say was "sorry i didnt bring my car today????"

(14) Not four minutes ago you were praying to god to give you light and directions and peace and harmopny and heaven and avoid hell bla bla bla bla........ and when this happens all you can say is ... i didnt bring my car today... cant you use your brain and get some help, remove his tie , call for an ambulance,........GET A CAB !!!.......CALL FOR PARAMEDIC! !!!!.......IS IT THAT PRICEY TO PAY FOR A CAB TO A HOSPITAL WHICH IS 3 MINUTES AWAY.....LETS SEE WHEN THAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE YOU CARE !!!

(15) Lets not forget all others who refused to help him as well.... IN THE HOUSE OF GOD !!!

(16) I dont get this, you pray to god, you promise to follow his words, guidance, directions, you pray up down 5 times a day, but when it comes to saving a fellow Muslim who will further the cause of Islam you decline to do so.....

(17) I am no authority in this but.....whatever happened to brotherly love....or that part where you are supposed to love your brothers as much as you love yourself....whatever to the stories where if one had a plate of food and the other doesnt then as Muslims we must share that portion.....what ??? do we neeed to be told that if one fell down while praying we must help and only then we will help ??

(18) USE YOUR GODDAMN BRAIN...you are even worse than the devil through your sheer NON USE OF YOUR BRAIN.... and to know that this happened in a house of Allah and was done by several people who had just finished praying....

(19) All those who had declined to help...you are all a disgrace to ISLAM and HUMANKIND...
I would not dare to fight alongside you in a battle. In fact with this kind of mentality the battle is long lost before it begins.

(20) Sorry, I didnt bring my car.....pffghhh....

Losing is part of Winning

2008-10-07T08:59:00.003+08:00

think about that...if you arent prepared to lose then you arent prepared to win...losing is part of winning.

The story of Arnie Schwarzziee

2008-10-06T16:22:00.005+08:00

(1) I would like to share the story i heard about Arnold Schwarznegger (mmg susah betul nak eja)

(2) Apparently the Austrian oak when he first started acting he was given more than a handful of reasons why he WILL NEVER SUCCEED in life

(3) He cant speak English well, ..well...how can you act if you cant speak English

(4) But he decides he really really wants to become an actor.

(5) At the end of the day.... if you really wanted it....you will succeed...

Polish not Abolish the ISA

2008-10-01T21:37:00.005+08:00

The ISA, the preventive detention act, envisaged to fight any threat to the wellbeing of Malaysia.

(2) It is right now the number one most hated act by the Malaysian public at large.

(3) I do not think the the ISA should be abolished. What it aims to achieve is noble. Indeed many countries are now enacting acts that are similar to the ISA in nature. The United States now has a much more extensive version of the ISA called the Patriots Act. That act not only enables for detention without trial but also extensive intelligence gathering capability was granted to the government (i.e bank record privacy is no longer a hindrance to them). The bill was pass with almost no opposition in Congress in the wake of Sept 11.

(4) What Malaysia has yet to see is a proper use of the ISA. We never really had a terrorist who was hell bent on disrupting the peace and harmony of Malaysia to be jailed under the ISA. After the end of the Communist insurgency, there was never a grave threat to Malaysia's existence.

(5) What has happened is that put such a negative connotation to the ISA is the MISUSE of the Act. POLITICAL OPPONENTS to the CURRENT REGIME were put under the ISA. That is the bone of contention, that is the real issue. It should not had happened. but it did. and now the public, politicians and some well known figures are calling for the abolishment of the ISA.

(6) My question is, what would happen if we were able to catch a terrorist who was planning to bomb kompleks membeli belah PKNS Shah Alam ( cant say KLCC, I work there). And all the police had to tie that man is an anonymous SMS. The case would definitely be thrown out of court and an extension of remand would most probably be denied because of such flimsy evidence.

(7) What are we going to do?, are we going to let this man walk away due to lack of evidence and take the risk of he might continue with his plans but with a diffrent building with diffrent time ( maybe this time it would be Menara Milenium...hahaha).

(8) This is where the ISA comes in, we should never play with chances when it involves the lives of thousands of Malaysians. This is what the ISA is and this is what it was created for. It was created to ensure the safety of thousands of Malaysians at the expense of liberty of one. Yes, it is Machivellian in nature, but in today's world where bombings are a common occurence ( if you dont believe me go to Youtube, type Marriott bombing and you'll see a live circuit tv recording of a bombing) it is an absolute necessity to have such preventive law to ensure a smooth running of a civil and democratic society.

(9) The other alternative to the ISA is that once there is something which has disrupted peace, i.e a bomb, the government can declare an Emergency and can make Emergency rulings which can suspend a person's right to liberty for a while. But bear in mind that this is reactive in nature rather than proactive, meaning that we must wait for the bomb to blow before we could act as opposed to the ISA where we could even nab them at their planning stage.

(10)The people who have been detained in the ISA can always apply for a writ of habeas corpus. It is not like the French Bastille where prisoners are jailed and forgotten. (though we may be in danger of being like that if we do not change soon)

(11) Understand this, i am against the use of the ISA to imprison those who have views contrary to the government. This is a democracy and democracy allows for the people to have differing views. The government should hear the views of the people or otherwise be risked to be booted out in the next general elections.

(12) The imprisonment of Raja Petra is one of the great injustices of our time and one of the most stupid actions ever done by the Barisan Nasional and the Pak Lah led administration. I'm sorry Pak Lah, i know you had nothing to do with it but the decision was made under your watch. His imprisonment has created a cause for the opposition to rally behind. Pak Lah if you are reading this please please throw your advisors out of the window and give their salary to me. Even the man on the street can grasp this, how it fails you is beyond me.

(13) Having said all of that, i must reiterate that the ISA should not be abolished, in fact it should be polished to ensure that there will be no abuse to that act. It must be amended to ensure that a detention is only allowed for something that is detrimental to the COUNTRY not the GOVERNMENT. There is a difference between the two. Governments in a democracy come and go. There is however but one Malaysia. Safeguards like an independent permanent council to oversee and approve a detention would go a long way to ensure the ISA would not be misused. Another might be to have the approving minister agree that if he is wrong he will be sacked immediately by the council. That would make him think twice before misusing his power. Thirdly it may not be a bad idea to have the ISA supervised by the YDPA or the Majlis Raja Raja. We are paying them millions of ringgits of taxpayers money to have them "serve" their positions. Why not make them do a bit of a work.

(14) The ISA is a necessarry evil, one that we might need one day, i rue to see the day where we could have prevented a terrorist attack but couldnt because we do not have the ISA anymore.
Please polish the ISA, dont abolish it.

Orang Melayu Takut Bayang-Bayang,

2008-10-01T12:50:00.002+08:00

Here's a theory,

(1)It is said that

(1) The Malays has no power but from being in the government.

(2) In a democracy system it is said that the government should be afraid of it's people.

(2) Hmm... Let me get this straight, in a democracy, the government should never be too strong, Otherwise it would be a tyrannical government who would oppress the people.

(3) On the other hand the Malays has ( unwittingly or not) cast their fortune with the government. Thus meaning their fortune depends on the government, If the government is weak so would they.

(4) Here's the irony, In a democracy the government should be too strong, otherwise it cannot be removed via the ballot box. the government would be a iron fist dictatorial government

(5) On the other hand, if one were to try to weaken the government, it would (assumed) to weaken the Malays.

(6) How would it weaken the Malays?,

For example, The mosques and the suraus maintenance comes from government coffers, the buildings of mosques and suraus also comes from government coffers. Compare this with the maintenance and buildings of other religions which are nearly wholly contributed from non governmental sources (read their own money)
Thus if any attempt to check the power of the government would be seen as a move to destroy the fortune of the Malays. This is but one of the example, others are abound

I do not think the fate of one race should be tied with A government, what would happen if THAT government were to be replaced.

(7) In a democracy it is expected that government would change hands should it fall out of the people's favour.

(8) Unfortunately another problem is that THAT government would also use the fact that the fortune of that race is tied up with that government as a propaganda. They would most probably in their desperation, play their race card and try to play the race saviour card.

(9) Most unfortunate, think about it.

Happy Rosh Hashanah

Happy things dont last

2008-09-29T09:55:00.002+08:00

(1) My boss just resigned, he is moving to a better position in a sister company. sigh.. hope they would find someone who is at least as nice as him. He is such a nice man.

100Km/h at MRR 2

2008-09-29T08:25:00.002+08:00

I am happy today, ( at least at the this morning so far),

(1) 100 km/5 at gear 5 today at MRR2.... wowiee...a record speed....if like this you all can continue having your raya holidays for all i care.

A Case for Si Tanggang ?

2008-09-28T21:14:00.002+08:00

(1) 3 posts a day ? Man i must have a lot of real time, the truth is actually i just love to post new blogs at my new "lawn" area, its just nice to write blogs while listening to bbcnews at background and enjoying the stars and the cold night air at my "lawn"

(2) The issue on the mind at hand right now is Sit Tanggang, a friend of mine jokingly brought it up. And on the eve of this raya nonsense, what better way to celebrate raya than to re-examine the belief system we have on raya and family loyalty.

(3) To those who never had the pleasure ( or pain ) to know who is tanggang, he is in a nutshell, a kampong dude who was kidnapped when he was small while fetching water from the river by merchants sailing in a ship, he became a ship hand, eventually becoming well off, had his own ship, married a pretty girl and well lived happily ever after. One day when he was sailing downriver he met some ulu people who was shouting estatically at him, it turned out to be his parents, to cut a long Bollywood story short, yada yada, he refuses to acknowledge them, they cry cry cry. The parents got broken hearted, yada yada yada. Cursed him and turned him and the whole ship into stone...sheesh...talk about collateral damage...dont the parents think about the OTHER sailors who have kids and wives to go back to..

(4) No, I am not going to retell the whole story, the case i am going to argue is regarding Tanggang, and his conviction of not acknowledging his parents. We all were brought up to believe that Tanggang is an arrogant fellow who had forgotten his roots. It was because those reasons that he was cursed into stone. Poor fellow.

(5) Did it ever occurred to anyone that Tanggang was probably doing what he thought was right ?, It is the fundamental principle of humans and this was even acknowledged by the writer of the excellent book Awaken the Giant Within , Anthony Robbins that humans operate on the principle of “ AVOIDING PAIN and TOWARDS COMFORT”. What if Tanggang knew that by going back he would be going back to a whole world of pain ? and this knowing the family and parochial system in place it would mean that he would once again be a servant to his family and tribe once again. Would you want to become a servant again after working so hard for your freedom and worth. Bear in mind that Tanggang came from one of those tribes where you are expected to pay tribute to the head villager at least once a year ( not that it is much different from the malay village, a tribute will have to be given one way or the other via sedekah, or belanja or whatever you call it nowadays). If he had acknowledge the parents back, he would have to be under that stifling system again. Would you want to be a servant again after working so hard for your freedom ?

(6) Suppose its not the village head or the parochial system that made him refuse to acknowledge his parents and lineage, but it was his parents ? Did it ever occurred to anyone that he may have a good reason not to acknowledge them?, Maybe he was abused as a child? Abuse need not mean sexually, it could also mean that he was tasked to bring water from the river to the house 50 times a day. Who would on his right mind go back to such a life ? We are not talking a life with air conditions and Astro and Streamyx here, we’re talking a hard tribesman life circa 1800. Also he may have not been the favourite in the family and was constantly bullied by his siblings and friends. What better way to give the thumb than by moving on from such oppressive life. What i am trying to say is that maybe life was harsh for him and he made a conscious decision not to have such oppressive life. Shouldnt we respect his decision ?

(7) Maybe if Tanggang were to admit his parents there and then there would be a mutiny on the ship, Maybe the sailors could not accept that their captain was a orang Asli from a backwater village. Try imagine a American galleon captain in the 1800s admit that he has Negro blood. His sailors would tie him to a log and throw him overboard. Knowing the mentality of people at that time they would certainly do so. They would rather be captained by a talking parrot than a half Negro captain. Not that i have anything against a Negro but i am just stating the mindset of the people living at that time.

(8) My last point, when he was turned into stone, he had a ship and also a wife, that would mean he was a man of his own already, The parents should have been happy to see that their son had turned out to be better than them, not drag him back to their backwater meandering ways, Even if he didn’t acknowledge them maybe it is for the best of things. Maybe such lineage should be forgotten in order for him and his generations to live better.

(9) It is near raya, Maybe it is time turn the stone into man, Failure to look at it differently it would mean that the stone is set in our hearts instead.

Good Morning

2008-09-28T08:00:00.003+08:00

(1) What a beautiful morning today is, today i've accomplished what i;ve been dreaming to do for a long long time. To blog and surf at my own green lawn. Been planning to do that ever since i got here but there seems never was time. Thankfully there is today.

(2) Hmm.. come to think of it , its been a while since i had a lawn...thinking real deep of it.. i dont think i ever had a lawn before ( not that the current one is wholly mine but since my unit is on the ground floor that makes me the first in rank to enjoy it hehehe)...high school... dorms...forget about lawns...then uitm matrics....no lawn....then sri permata...no lawn...then sek 7... no lawns either...hmmm... that would mean that this is the first time since i was 13 that i have a place of my own where i can call a lawn...thats like...12 years ago .... wow....the things that you miss...

(3) Its nice to wake up to the smell of fresh dew and coolness of grass... there's just something about nature that is really nice to wake up to...When Serenia Gardens is complete i'll make sure that the house would be as green as possible (not colour wise but nature wise).. Speaking of Serenia, i think i'll go and have a quick look today of what is going on with my new house..

(4) I think today i'll be out shopping for an outdoor lazy chair, it's gonna be tough though with all the raya shoppers around... damn you people...why dont you all stay home and bake rendang or something.... i know jln tunku abd rahman would be packed to the brim today, hmmm on which maybe i should consider getting myself a songkok...Nowadays im quite fond of the songkok...maybe because there's people out there who politicise it... because of that nowadays i would proudly wear the songkok and show defiance to those idiots....it is a symbol of pride for me... enough politics..i couldnt care less who wins or losses anyway nowadays... UMNO is beyond saving...PKR is not worth joining..We need a credible platform and right now there seems to be none....woops...enough politcs...sometimes i think there's a political streak in my blood....hmm wonder where i got that from... i dont think thats the life i want...i've seen it first hand the suffering it had caused to the family of the politician...heck..i experienced it first hand...but then again... im glad of what i am today... couldnt ask for a better upbringing...self sustaining and never needing somebody help to the point of being considered aloof and a hermit...hehehe...oh well...

(5) Anyhow, have a great morning everyone...i know i'm surely having a good one blogging at "my" lawn...

My Life Thus Far

2008-09-27T19:42:00.011+08:00

(1) As we are blissfully unaware of an impending world financial crisis, us Malaysians folks are happily spending what little money we have in preparation of a single day which is suppose to be a joyous one. Why is it a joyous one is beyond me. It will end by noon anyways as by then all would be stuffed with lemang and rendang and is looking forward for a nice noon nap.

(2) When i turned on the BBC news just now i saw a blown up Gen2, for a moment there i thought terorism has finally reached our shores. It turned out to be a bomb somewhere in Syria. Pheww.. I guess we have to thank the men and women in the police/intelligence/army service for that. Like it or not, there has yet a single assasination and bombing to happen in Malaysia. In our neighbouring country of Thailand and Phillippines and Indonesia it happens like a daily fact of life.

(3) I am thankful for today. Today is the day i finally get to unwind, rest, wake up late, do my laundry, watch old movies (Casablanca is my new favourite). Even then these kind of days seems to be getting rare and rare. Sigh. And all i wanted was a day to relax. Is that something too much to ask?. I guess thats life. Roll with it. At the very least itll make me cherish the day even more.I am very protective of my weekends and free times nowadays. This is mostlly due to the fact i have so little of it.

(4) I miss Ashley and Keisya, I wonder how those two little ones are doing? i bought them bunga api but havent gotten the time to give it to them. Hmm... maybe tomorrow.

(5) Sometimes i wish there's a Starbucks or somethinng like the cafe in Friends where Joey and gang hangs out, somehow Malaysia has yet to achieve that level yet, we're still pretty much a mamak and Uptown kinda level yet. Not that i have much complain, but a change of scenery would be nice, the Starbucks at Shah Alam right now is my fav, but heck its way too far to go now.

(6) Casablanca: OMG what a great movie!!!....i know it was made like in 1 AD or something but heck it is such a great movie, i guess the reason why i like it is because how they talk and dress in the movie, men greet, bow, and behave in a most gentlemanly manner. even the police dont just arrest the fugitive in the middle of the dinner, They request the fugitive to come to the police office, and whey,....the fugitive even came. i know i know its a pipe dream but hey..wouldnt it be nice if all people talk and behave like that. I know some people say its old school but i guess im someone who was schooled in the old school ways. i do not believe in all this looking and acting rebellious to look cool nonsense. One should always be courteous at all times.

(7) Raya is coming up, i am glad, the only reason why i am glad is because all this nonsense is nearly over.

STOP SHARK FINNING NOW !!!!

2008-09-23T12:26:00.000+08:00

(1) Shark finning is a cruel and inhuman act. Sharks that are caught as you can see in the picture above will have their fins remove while they are struggling for their live to get back into the water.......try n imagine if someone were to plunge you underwater and use a parang to remove your hand...that'll give you an impression how it feels like for the shark...

(2) I believe that the practice will only stop once there is no demand for it. Otherwise it will continue in existence foreverNo matter how much regulations that is put in place as long as there is a demand for the shark fins there will always be more than an ever willing suppliers to supply the shark fins regardless of the laws.

(3) It came as shock to me that on a break fast dinner at a 5 star hotel in Kuala Lumpur there was shark fin served in the 8 course menu.

Each person was presented with one bowl, at each table was around 10 person....6 tables means 60 bowls.....assuming it takes one fin to make one soup...that translates to 60 SHARK FINS per banquet....and i imagine there must be more than one banquet going on at that time PER DAY !!!.....assuming on the conservative side that there is another similar banquet going on at that time...thats another 60 bowls......total added to our banquet...thats 120 SHARK FINS per day...

thats........120 x 30.....3600 SHARK FINS a month ...FOR ONE HOTEL !!!!.......truly we humans are the real predators in this world....... imagine if it is more than one hotel in KL ( which i suspect it is) that is doing this abominable practice.......

(4) I am now in the midst of writing a letter to this irresponsible hotel. This menu must be taken off from their servings or otherwise they will find themselves in the midst of a very unpopular publicity fiasco.

Note:
"According to the "Global Biodiversity Outlook 2", a report released by the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity, we humans are currently responsible for the 6th major extinction event in the history of the Earth, and the greatest since the dinosaurs disappeared, 65 million years ago."