Malaysia achieves fame…..

Who doesn't know Malaysia today. It's already world famous for having a PM who's most controversial and yet most loveable and good-looking. His reputation varies from being a magnanimous giver of cash hand-outs to low-income people with his BRIM packages, to a kleptomaniac
on a national scale.We're talking billions of ringgit here, not stealing tinned food from a supermarket or a towel from a hotel.

Malaysia is famous for a PM who had no reason to steal from the nation's wealth for he comes from a wealthy family, born with the so-called 'golden spoon in his mouth', a man who would return
a RM2.6 billion donation to the donor, less only a few million ringgit. That's honesty and moral uprihgtness as uprightness can ever be.
luxury jet for official use
or pleasure

But, as they say, wealth is never enough. The more you have the more you want. Especially if you've a consort not used to unlimited wealth and glory, and a collector of priceless items in fashionable wears, gold and diamonds. Jet-setting around the world in luxury is also an unquenchable pleasure.
a luxury yacht
and a luxury smile
But hey, we're all human with the human weakness for glory, luxury, pomp and ceremony urging us on and hard to overcome.If the world is at your feet - at least a country- and you can call any shot you want for you've enough subservients and servants to execute your wishes, surely you don't want to become a recluse, live in a palace and let the world go by.

Malaysia is famous and will soon become a developed nation by 2020. People seem to be living in luxury too, at least those who count. There are still many poor people but all of them hidden behind the array of wealthy politicians, not businessmen.If the country owes a lot of money in national debts,we've a lot of assets to pay for them. Let's live up to our fame, like our political leaders.Of course, some feel that the fame is a shame for no PM in the world has been called by so many names - from a Chief to a you-know-what.

Post Aidil Fitri Reflection

I spent a whole week in my kampung this Hariraya, spending a few days before and a few days after the eid mubarak. My house is near the mosque and with a good PA system in use all the time I heard almost everything that happened in the house of Allah, even when busy in the bathroom.I did, however, attend most of the prayers, quran recitals lectures by various ustazs and tahlil (other recitals and homage to Allah).


But I must admit that I could not follow all the ibadah (prayers, recitals,lectures, tahlil etc) performed by the villagers. I've ghouts and other joint problems that prevented me from walking to and from the mosques effortlessly. Nonetheless, I was amazed at how the villagers could accommodate all the religious activities to fill the nights and mornings of the last 10 days of fasting, as taught by the Prophet PBUH. Even the Suraus and Mosques in my residential area do not do as much, They break their fast with a light refreshment, perform the Maghrib prayer, followed by a lecture, then perform the Tarawih followed by a quran reading session. They finished at about 10.30 pm.,starting the morning sessions at 4 am and ending it at 7.30.thus leaving about 4 to 5 hours for sleep.

And the mosque was almost always full. There were of course more elderly and old people than the young ones. But the dedication shown is just amazing.If all villagers in the country were as dedicated to their work and responsibilities in the daytime as they were at night during the fasting month, I think the productivity of the nation will double in no time at all.

What bothers me is whether the villagers can absorb the cermahs and khutbahs that seem to be endless. Certainly not many really understand the prayers and lengthy do'a delivered in Arabic by the various Ustazs invited to lead the ibadah sessions.I could see that some villagers actually dozed off during the talks. It was clear to me that the formality of the sessions was more reverred than the content.But they stayed in the mosque till late night and late morning very patiently.

It's a real experience which I had missed living in KL and balk kampung only two or three three days for the most. I wonder if some of the older citizens of KL had tried staying a longer period in the village especially in the month of Ramadhan. It could be very enlightening.

upcoming by-election in Sg Besar and Kuala Kangsar

Everyone says the disunity among the opposition will give victory to BN. That's logical thinking. But I'm not too sure that people will vote logically. BN's logic has shown too many illogical decisions and unethical manoeuvring. Money politics is in full swing under the nose of the authorities concerned with stamping out corruption.
a village in Sg Besar
When money is king, the subjects are all money-hungry. Feed them and they follow your "telunjuk".But, as the saying goes: you can take the horse to the water but you can't make it drink.
Especially when there are three of four pitchers to drink from and no one can see you making your choice.
voters' family
The wise voters know that they can take and enjoy all the goodies that are handed to them before the election or even at the election site, butthey can still chose the candidate they they trust the most, not to give out goodies just before an election but to promote their interest over a period of time."Sorong papan tarik papan bush keranji dalam perahu, suruh makan says makan suruh undi itu hak auk." Apa yang diberi itu pun bukan dari pocket Pakcik tapi pocket rakyat.
a village in Kuala Kangsar
Yes, we all want a free and democratic election, without money politics thrusted at our back like a sharp knife.The politics we see today will go on and and on if no radical change takes place.Question is: are we brave enough and ready to make that change? Give new hands a try. if it doesn't work we can switch back to the old hands.

Just Checking the Stage...

As expected I didn't get mush response (in fact no response at all) for my last entry. People are so hooked on Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter etc no one reads the blog anymore unless its about current political issues,movie stars, humour, or keeping friends informed of ones latest exploit.
Ah well…..that's lfe. The purpose of the blog seems to be defeated by the SMS where one can just let off steam in whatever form you like (includes cursing, ranting and exchanging obscenities) without a care for the general readers. Blogs are too tedious and responsible for the message they carry. So few bloggers want to carry on, unless they have many sponsors.

So. I'll just try to put my current thoughts on life in Malaysia, for my one reflection. After the BN landslide victory in Sarawak State election, the opposition seems to be quite meek, or at least not as boisterous as before the election. Another two parliamentary seats are up for grab soon and the outcome will be another indication of how PRU14 will go- in fact how the future of politics in Malaysia will be.

the striving

Will it be more of the same (however you want to interpret it) or do we see some new development, however challenging it could be. Is money politics going to rule the country and the billionaire of Malaysia rule the day? Is GST going to be imposed on everything that we buy with the 10% service charge still in force for all services rendered?

the rich

With many form of subsidies being taken away, will we face another upsurge of price increases in the things that we buy and the services we need as an essential part of modern days living? Will the water and electricity rates, rentals, property taxes (cukai tanah and pintu), and the price of everyday foodstuff increase another fold?

the poor

It is said that our GNP per capita has gone up to USD15,000. There have been some salary increases
recently and a minimum wage has been set at RM1200.But with the increase in cost of living are people enjoying a better life? What about those who are earning their own living without any stable income, the farmers, the fishermen, and the roadside food and fruit sellers that are often being harassed by the authorities concerned. As far as I know only Negeri Sembilan are issuing food and fruit-stall licences FOC.

While we strive to be a developed nation, let's not forget the relatively poor, made relatively poorer by the increase in cost of living.Is BRIM able to bridge the income-expenditure of the relatively poor. Income concentration is increasing with the increase in the number of billionaires and millionaires in Malaysia.

Is this the future that we want?

Starting Again….

I've stopped blogging for a long time, preferring to write fiction in Bahasa. My friends don't seem to like reading heavy stuff on this page. The Facebook seems to be the better choice where you can be brief, joke around, be as cynical as you want, deliver a death blow, and smile with satisfaction. Well, the choice is yours of course.

But you can't run away from some serious reflections on life. Unless you prefer to be just laugh around at the distress and miseries of other people, join them only in their joy and laughter, and make fun of the happenings around you, especially with the antics of modern day politicians manipulating the life of the people they lead in the way they like. What can you do if the legitimate government decides to impose a tax on the air that you breathe? Or double the charge on drinking water since many rivers are now running dry?

Change the government? Ho, ho it's not that easy as you know it. You can howl and curse in the Facebook but the government must continue to govern as it thinks fit for your own good. After all the opinions expressed in the fb are just opinions, just meant for fun and laughter. If you take the comments in the fab seriously, you'll go crazy. But then again, life todays seems to be full of crazy things. All crazy things get full news coverage like all bizarre happenings. Cheating, deceiving, thefts, robberies, killings, murders, rapes, destructions etc are the stuff the make the news today. Anything else is humdrum.

But, thank God, there are still the ordinary people who lead an ordinary life in the world today. They live together happily with their family and neighbours, earn an honest living, accept the trials and tribulations of political infringements of their life like ordinary health hazards, and try to live in peace even when there are wars and killings around them.

These are some of the pics that attract my attention for now.Add caption

That's the aspect of life that makes me want to restart or revive this blog. Somehow or rather it's more difficult to see the beautiful aspects of life today than the sordid ones. That's the challenge I hope to take. Even if I've to look at the ludicrous aspects of life and people.  

the global village…..

Some time ago someone described the world as becoming a global village. Anything happening in one secluded area will soon be known elsewhere because news travel fast in a village. With all its exaggerations and embellishment. Especially so in the case of a scandal.

the public knows

I'm beginning to love reading about sex scandal more than that involving mega corruptions, stark misuse of power and public funds, threats and counter threats by and between powerful leaders, massive protest movement, racial enmity etc.etc.

The global village is now rife with stories of such scandals as spawned by the social media while the mainstream public media never print the truth about anything that can satisfy the curiosity of the people.

This little village called Malaysia seems to have been the source of many such scandals. And the global village is savouring them.

What has happened to this once progressive, stable and reputable country fast on the track of becoming a developed nation? A peaceful, multiracial village.

The push for material progress had, it seems, made everyone so greedy and intent on making it rich as quickly as possible. Those in position of power had made their quest for wealth so transparent that the unethical and or immoral moves involved cannot any longer be hidden from public attention and wrath.
Those in position of power are enjoying the glory of rapid development, becoming millionaires and billionaires by employing all the tricks of political manoeuvring, at public expense.

That's not entirely a new thing. It happened in all less developed countries that are progressing rapidly tafter gaining independence. The ruling elite that emerged after settling down to the job of developing the country soon felt that they have the right to sample the cream of progress achieved. and the sampling continues to become a right of way. The leaders can have the best of everything while the [ublic must work harder and harder to earn their keep and the new luxury they could now afford.

Make a complain and the reply is:

current and past leaders

 Hey you guys forget that we have given you the comfortable and even luxurious life that you now enjoy. Ain't that being ungrateful, thankless and rebellious? Just shut up and everything will be all right. Make a noise and we'll throw you in jail…..

Certainly the public doesn't mind if the leaders take what they can in a modest way and don't flaunt their newfound power and wealth. But some of them are living living like a new kind of feudal lords
with powerful servants doing their biddings. Their men are untouchable, could bend the rules and regulations as long as they are done in the interest of the lords, and are loyal to the core. It doesn't matter if they are a little dumb or have a few screws loose in their heads. They some time are more haughty than their lords.

one common allegation

That makes life in this village miserable. that is what the public is against. Some of the lords are okay but their lackeys are intolerable. And these lackeys go right down to the village level. Some village heads, of course picked by the lords, could literally do anything they want and divert rural development funds to serve their interests. The big lords in Kuala Lumpur wouldn't know and wouldn't bother to check what the smaller lords in the little villages are doing.

Thus, the disappointment, dissatisfaction and wrath of people in the little villages are not known or reported realistically. A report by any other than the lackeys will not be accepted anyway, nor given any attention.

Thus the little village known as Malaysia is becoming full of scandals as spread and devoured by the global village. Who is going to set the picture right by removing the cause(s) of the scandals?

Must we wait for the next GE to know the answer?