ALMOST PURR...FECT

The Activist: The Financial System

2011-09-21T19:30:00.002+08:00

The Financial System is a Machine That Destroys Our Souls

In Capitalism, Consumerism, Debt Prison, IMF-WorldBank-Wall Street- Complex, The Financial System on August 21, 2011at 11:28 pm

How do we take our lives back from the hands of the bankers and bondholders? We must fight for our own minds. We must fight for our own visions, we must fight for authenticity, for freedom in every form and fashion. We must fight against the forces of stability, the vampirism of a financial system based on usurping our hopes and passions. We must fight against the ignorant cycling of capital on the back of human misery. We must fight for our lives back, we must break the exploitive contract, we do not want your house, we do not want your false dreams. We want freedom, we want justice, we want to feed the starving children.

We do not want your luxurious cars or your mansions, we do not want your false hopes, we want basic rights for every individual on earth. We want basic justice for every human being on this planet.

We do not want your weapons programs funded by our very tax money. We do not want your images plastered on the television.

Down with injustice, down with a mass media that sugarcoats the heinous truth. Down with a psychological environment which turns human beings into silent consumers of their inner self.

We have mortgaged our lives and now we sit and wait for our lives to improve, we must stop waiting and take our lives back. We must extract our hearts and souls out of the mass media machine. We must extricate our very being out of the cycles of capital which are meant to distract us, consume us and reduce us to wanton beasts.

Gertrude Taylor

The Activists: The Truth About The System

2011-09-07T03:00:00.010+08:00

We are not a Part of the System,

We are Merely Exploited by the System

In Capitalism, Democracy, Oppression on August 19, 2011 at 2:08 pm

We slave away from day to night. We wash the dishes. We drive to work, we pay our taxes, we serve our time, but are we part of the system?

The answer is an explicit no. We are merely the work horses, the laborers, but the agenda is always dictated from above. The social ‘truths’ are all formulated in the think tanks of the rich. The elite mass media which thinks of the masses as nothing more than a piece of dough, to be kneaded and kneaded until the message is clear.

Thus, we, the masses, the form, the people, have been rendered as nothing more than a reflexive, reactive audience. We, the generation of apolitical children, have been stuffed in movie theatres so that we may have Mr. Spielberg dream on our behalf.

We have lost touch with our inner selves, we have been formulated and reformulated so many times that we have grown tired and insecure. We shelter ourselves inside of our manufactured personas. We tuck our feelings inside of the day to day. We try to escape through the television screens, but we are stuck as a non-entity still.

No, we are not part of the system. In fact, the system deliberately chooses to ignore us when it cannot explicitly formulate our psyche. The system bullies us, the system crushes our self-esteem. When we rise, they call us hooligans. When we protest, they labels us as existential trouble markers.

No, we are not part of this system, and the dream is not our dream. Our manufactured consumer reality is not even our reality. We are ghosts within the industrial machine, our voices are nothing more than allusions to a primal voice that can exist in this culture no more.

No, we are not part of any system, we are merely the oil used to lubricate; the cheap labor used to increase profitability; the beasts of burden used to lug around the guilts of the rich and the vanities of the famous.

Michael Schaefer

The fruit from the Bong tree....

2011-09-04T15:54:00.002+08:00

So that's what a Bong fruit is! Ooops.... Heh. ;p

What is an activist?

2011-08-29T05:24:00.009+08:00

It's been almost five years since I took to activism. Often, I am asked by the uninitiated (or the apathetic) what an activist is. What do they do? Where do they do it? How is it done? And of course, why do they do it? They all expect uncomplicated answers. Like cereal straight out of the box. If only it was that easy.

There's a point where anyone can become an activist. I mean, you see something so wrong. And you have to act on it. To the more radical extremist elements, this means even if it leads to the end of you.

In the early days, although I had an uneasy time explaining the complexities associated with this occupation, it did not deter me from obliging as I harbored hope that it will touch, move or inspire others 'to take up arms', per se. I never ceased trying to illuminate injustices or atrocities that are so well hidden from the general population. However, as time passed along, cynicism manifested and overtook my way of being. Facing such questions and defining an answer now bordered on the point of being an inconvenience. So while I look forward to extending my days as a 'troublemaker' (Yes, that's what governments and corporate bigwigs will have others think of people such as us) to a full decade, this posting is my reply to the subject matter one more time.

Now scoot and leave me alone, all of you! Heh. ;p

Tonight I can write the saddest lines....

2011-08-26T21:53:00.002+08:00

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example,'The night is shattered
and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me sometimes, and I loved her too.
How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul, like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.
Her voice. Her bright body. Her inifinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.
Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one, I held her in my arms.
My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.

~ Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 - September 23, 1973)

The Activist: The Creed

2011-08-21T09:26:00.003+08:00

The Revolution is Our Only Hope

In Activism, Democracy, The Revolution on August 21, 2011 at 1:19 am

It is time for humanity to act upon the oppression. It is time for us to push back against the waves of injustice. No child should die of hunger. No economy should be allowed to expand by squeezing out the poor. No mass culture should be justified as it deceives the people.

The revolution is the only way to clear the clouds of misery that hover above the human condition. Capitalism is a lie. Economic growth is a myth, the wealth of the people is being siphoned as we speak. The governments are nothing more than charades.

It is time for the people to rise, the frenetic energy of the crowds to manifest itself in every fashion possible.

The revolution is the only way in which we can free ourselves from 400 years of capitalist bondage and accumulation. The revolution is the only way to wipe out the remnants of slavery that will otherwise remain a part of our psychology forever.

Anyone who is afraid of the revolution has something to hide. Anyone who questions the rationale of the revolution is complicit in the injustices that continue to grow as stock market indices skyrocket.

We are the people, we are the ones, we are the voice and it is our duty to resist. It is our obligation to rebel against those who insist on subduing human freedom. It is our responsibility to ourselves and to future generations to do away with the corporate schemes, with the military-industrial machines, with greedy entities that are bent on destroying humanity.

Fear is their weapon, it is not ours. Fear is the instrument that they surgically put into our chests. We are afraid of nothing, we stand together, the collective, the people, the ones who have nothing to hide, the ones who have no desire to hoard the resources of the world.

Our asset is our will power. Our hope lies in our political consciousness. Our freedom is the only air that we need to breathe.

Gertrude Taylor

What the heck are Bong trees???

2011-08-20T00:01:00.003+08:00

I want to go to the land where the Bong tree grows......

春夜喜雨 Welcome Rain on a Spring Night

2011-08-12T23:15:00.006+08:00

Touched and moved by this....

好雨知时节 The good rain knows its season,

当春乃发生 When spring arrives, it brings life.

随风潜入夜 It follows the wind secretly into the night,

润物细无声 And moistens all things softly, without sound.

野径云俱黑 On the country road, the clouds are all black,

江船火独明 On the riverboat, a single fire bright.

晓看红湿处 At dawn one sees this place now red and wet,

花重锦官城 The flowers are heavy in the brocade city.

~ A poem by 杜甫 Du Fu (712-770)

Western Union and its predatory ways

2010-12-31T10:19:00.003+08:00

I subscribe to the mailing list of Avaaz, an independent non-profit making lobby group with a global presence. This morning, I received the below email. The core story it told made my stomach churn. So I decided to reproduce it here. If it has the same effect on you, please kindly add your name to the petition by signing at the below link.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/make_giving_powerful/?vl

Thank you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Luis Morago - Avaaz.org
Date: Fri, Dec 31, 2010 at 4:30 AM
Subject: Predators
To: "ng.steven@gmail.com"

Dear friends,

Western Union is taking critical money from the world's working poor by charging predatory transfer fees. As we move through the giving season, let's urgently shame them into action! Add your voice to the petition for fair fees:

This holiday season, Josh, a Kenyan student in the Netherlands, scraped together a year's worth of savings and sent it home to support 10 struggling family members. Shockingly, the giant money transfer company Western Union skimmed off 20% of the cash meant for Josh's family in fees.

Josh’s story is painfully retold every day, the world over, on a staggering scale -- an estimated $44.3 billion worldwide was lost in transfer fees last year! The World Bank recommends that transaction costs not exceed 5% of the total, but Western Union has never faced serious pressure to lower its crippling charges. If we unite in a global outcry now, we can expose its predatory practices when its carefully crafted, family-friendly image is most vulnerable: the giving season.

Josh's generosity -- and that of millions of workers around the world -- shouldn't go to waste! Let's call on Western Union to lower its fees to 5% for the poorest countries, and when the petition reaches 250,000 we’ll deliver it to the company’s image-sensitive board of directors. Sign now and then forward this to friends and family:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/make_giving_powerful/?vl

Sacrifices like Josh’s dwarf foreign governmental aid every year and provide a vital lifeline to the world’s poorest economies. Slashing the obscene profits of companies like Western Union would dramatically increase assistance flowing into developing countries. Instead, families around the world received far less than they deserved so that Western Union's CEO could take home $8.1 million in 2009.

The World Bank recommends that transfer companies limit fees to 5% of the amount being transferred, but some banks and companies have astronomical hidden charges. Perversely, the neediest countries coming out of war or disaster suffer the greatest losses, because of transfer companies' monopolistic privileges and exclusive deals with local banks.

The yearly savings of men and women laboring in hospitals, construction sites and restaurants end up padding Western Union's profits. The company funds charity projects to improve its corporate image – but these do nothing to hide the massive inequity that their business model perpetrates. Let's raise our voices loudly to support true generosity during the holiday season – and help bring immediate benefits to workers and the relatives they sustain. Together we can make sure that needy families – rather than CEOs – benefit from holiday giving:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/make_giving_powerful/?vl

When citizens around the world stand together to protest injustice, we can force back unchecked greed and inequality – as we've done together before. Buoyed by the warmth and empathy of the holiday season, let's make sure that generous gifts arrive where they're most needed.

With hope and gratitude,

Luis, Stephanie, Graziela, David, Paula, Ben, and the rest of the Avaaz team

SOURCES:

Western Union CEO's pay more than triples in 2009, Associated Press:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10241684

Past Time for Remittance Justice, ACORN International:
https://secure.avaaz.org/remittance_justice_report

World Bank Remittance Pricing resource:
http://remittanceprices.worldbank.org/

Support the Avaaz community! We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations. Our dedicated team ensures even the smallest contributions go a long way -- donate here.

Avaaz.org is a 6.5-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 13 countries on 4 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

This message was sent to ng.steven@gmail.com. To change your email address, language, or other information, contact us via this form -- or simply click here to unsubscribe.

To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to us at www.avaaz.org/en/contact or call us at +1-888-922-8229 (US).

Coming Full Circle.... 50 Years Later.

2010-09-07T01:04:00.008+08:00

(Click on each individual comic strip for a higher resolution image)

I wish there was a way to to provide a profound narrative for these few frames of images but I can't. I'm dumbstruck!

Idiota!

2010-09-04T02:57:00.005+08:00

(Click on comic strip for a higher resolution image)

I'm dreading this but I think Mr. Walking Cane up in First Class is about to disprove the hypothesis of my two previous posts.

Goddammit! Which idiot thought up this lousy comic strip anyway?

Antique Chapter, Antique People....

2010-08-28T02:04:00.008+08:00

(Click on comic strip for a higher resolution image)

It used to be so natural

To talk about forever

But "used to be's" don't count anymore

They just lay on the floor

'Til we sweep them away.....

- You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Neil Diamond & Barbara Streisand

五十年不變 (Fifty Years, Unrequited Love)

2010-08-25T00:38:00.008+08:00

(Click on each individual comic strip for higher resolution images)

I'd like to say that I still believe in love but...

Somehow the fallacies that befalls men and women of today no longer allow for the romantic notions of yesteryears to thrive beyond eras past.

Sigh....

Personal announcement...Not!

2010-07-28T00:07:00.007+08:00

As of time anew commencing August, I would like to announce that I shall be embarking on a new career. It is called 'Professional Bumming', and from my comprehension of the recruitment brochure, it is a vocation that requires one to only meet 2 conditions; that is, a commitment to take the meaning of leisurely idleness to new heights and a willingness to sacrifice time (which I currently have in over-abundance). I am unsure if lazing on a hammock after lunch and drinking beer by the beach at night is the right career move but as they say, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Wish me luck, guys. Danke! ; )

What should one do....

2010-06-28T23:06:00.005+08:00

Somehow, lurking somewhere within the shadows of conflicts, there will always be some semblance of profound humanistic philosophy to cling to; albeit, one that does not necessarily not arise by succumbing to one's weaknesses and one's compromise of moral values to do the right thing.

(Click on comic strip for a higher resolution image)

If Ever....

2010-04-18T23:53:00.002+08:00

If ever we meet again, and you were to ask if there had been anything that I had longed to say to you, I think this would be it.

(Click on comic strip for a higher resolution image)

If ever....

A year. Twelve months.

2010-03-14T15:35:00.000+08:00

A year passed.
Though twelve months it is not like.
I don't know where you are.
I don't know where you've been.

Time heals.
Wounds closes.
And pain eases.
I thank God.

Should the wind carry this,
Know that I have long forgiven you.
And that my heart still skips a beat,
Each time I hear your name.

I ask that you forgive me too, Bibi...

James Cameron on mankind...

2009-12-12T02:02:00.002+08:00

Long quote here that's fresh out of the oven but I think it sums up nicely how we're all f**king and messing up this world that we live in.

"I think there's this long wonderful history of the human race written in blood going back as far as we can remember... where we have this tendency to just take what we want without asking.

That's how we treat the natural world as well - there's a sense of entitlement. We're here, we're big, we've got the guns, we've got the technology, we've got the brains. We are therefore entitled to every damn thing on this planet.

And that's not how it works - and we're going to find out the hard way if we don't wise up and start seeking a life that's in balance with the natural world [and] the natural cycles of life on Earth."

- Comments by James Cameron on the sidelines of the premiere of his new film, Avatar.

Meet Mr. Moo....

2009-09-05T06:26:00.004+08:00

Meet Mr. Moo. He's a sitting cow. Picked him up on my last trip to Kuching. Heh. :)

This is the look of my heart....

2009-08-30T02:14:00.035+08:00

Tomorrow is Monday, August 31st 2009.

Once a year in the remaining days that lead up to tomorrow's day, I will undertake to re-evaluate this life that I live. When the last 12 months of my life has been measured and weighed, I dare not permit myself the gall to fashion any particular positive spin onto it just so I can lie to myself that it's been a great past year. Certainly not when cumulative multiple 'Highs' could be so easily overwhelmed by the few dastardly 'Lows' to leave distaste in one's mouth.

This year, I created a list; an inventory of what currently exist within me and my life, complete with options to retain or discard the things that worked (and is still working) and those that didn't. I will refrain from sharing the more intimate details surrounding this exercise but what moods and feelings I currently harbor, I will reveal via my writings below.

This is the look of my heart
When the unforgiving cold had ravaged through
When it's not camouflaged; not shielded
This is often the look of my heart

Time and again
When heartless painters impose on it
They oft forget a smile to draw
This is thereupon the look of my heart

With each passing encounters
Violations ensues, endured
And days are mourned
This is often the look of my heart

I took chances on all
I reminisce with no regrets
Yet when the all of what is lost
This becomes the look of my heart

Unprovoked, dark unlucky days
Rocked drunken by earthly struggles
Raised a glass to toast I will
The look of this heart; a broken dandelion's heart.

"Forgive me, Lord but the dandelion's heart I am not deserving to keep...."

How to deal with strife and struggles....

2009-08-25T01:31:00.005+08:00

"A dandelion against a whistling wind."

The ascent to the hill of the Lord is through a cumulative collection of small babysteps. For almost all of us who believes in God, it includes even our last dying breath. So I tell you the truth when I say, "Fear not". Release the false urgency you feel within so that you may breathe again. One day, one night or one event solely determines not the final outcome of the journey to this destination. Even if we fail to perform well, even if we utterly mess up, He will forgive and allow us to try again another time. For this is one of the ways of God's grace; to watch the believers who strives to not give up.

"It's going to be a long walk. I ain't going away no where, no time soon. Are you?"

Dance Of A Dandelion

2009-08-22T02:54:00.005+08:00

IT'S RAY....

In time a distance away,

Appeared a day when all seemed right.

A tune beckoned; it's 'Sunday Morning'.

It's gay. It's happy. It's alive.

Akin to being courted by a gentle breeze,

A dandelion dances solo in full glory.

Mesmerised by the beat,

It loses itself in transitionary bliss.

The music fades.

"What's next?", she wondered.

Suddenly it came.

It's this song. It's Ray.

Odd, but it's not the same familiarity she's accustomed to.

For it's like a wind chasing down the dandelion. It's whistled.

Frozen by realization, brace yourself with a little prayer.

It just may be. And it may just be.....

Ode To An Orange Moon

2009-08-12T01:53:00.005+08:00

In the furthest of distance,
An orange half moon I gazed.
Inhaling crisp air of a breezy night,
My thoughts wandered to wonder.
That if from where you stand,
You can witness what I see.
Then in time, you will be in unison with me.
Slowly falling for it too...

Breathe....

2009-06-08T23:56:00.003+08:00

Thoughts a sudden pervaded me.
Thoughts ordinary, I think they cannot be.
How can remembrances of you ever be?

Amidst a flashback, a beguiling image of you.
Effortlessly, it pierced my soul the sharpness did.
Whereupon, unsummoned emotions wells up in me.

Silent within my heart, though the tears may be.
Throughout my being, aloud it screams.
A life choked upon bile t'was to taste any less bitter than she.

Breathe.....! Breathe.....!!
God damn it! Breathe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day, Nurlita 'Bibi' Lukito.

2009-02-14T16:07:00.006+08:00

Yang,

I wrote this for you some time ago. Do you remember it? The one thing I didn't do back then was to publish it to my blog. I suppose there's no better time than today to unveil this.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S, BI. 143.

***********************************************************

100... AND BEYOND...

There must be a hundred things I can do,
Yet, I want only to do it with you.

There must be a hundred choices I can have,
But no choice is any choice if it was not over you.

There must be a hundred ways for lovers to say ‘I LOVE YOU’,
So penning this prose is just one of my ways of declaring it to you.

And then there are so many days beyond 100 in my lifetime,
Yet, they all amount to nothingness if spent without you.

I may have lived 100 lifetimes before now;
And wasted that 100 lifetimes searching in vain.
But the pains of the past matters not no more,
Coz by this lifetime, I thank God that I’ve finally found you.

(Thursday, 6th November, 2008)

Rais Yatim talks cock! UNHCR sucks!

2009-01-28T14:05:00.008+08:00

On the first day of Chinese New Year, I posted a status message on Facebook, which offended a few people. This was my response in anger to an expose that was aired on the 1.00 P.M. news on telly that highlighted the plight of refugees' exploitation by Malaysian immigration authorities. I'll refrain from repeating the remarks I had made on Facebook (and I do sincerely apologise for having made those offensive remarks) but I will not stand down from protesting against the inhumane sufferings of these minority groups.

So for the benefit of those who did not catch the news clip back then and/or for those who do not have access to Malaysia Kini, I'm reproducing an article that was published on the latter today. Readers may then form their own opinions after this.

Uniformed officials accused of trafficking Burmese
K Baradan | Jan 28, 09 10:53am

A scandalous trade in Burmese migrant labour involving Malaysian and Thai officials and international human traffickers is now coming to light.

MCPX

Like thousands of Burmese migrant workers That Zin Myint travelled overland from Rangoon to Bangkok and reached the Thai border where local syndicates, for a hefty bribe, helped him cross into northern Malaysia and move overland to the capital where cheap, unskilled labour is in great demand.

''Don't take my photographs... they will come after me,'' Zin Myint said, referring to Malaysian authorities who now closely monitor local and overseas publications for anti-Malaysia sentiments expressed by migrant work

On arrival Zin Myint 'celebrated' with others from his village and joined some three million - documented and undocumented - Asian migrant workers who live and work here in deplorable conditions.

An estimated 150,000 of these workers are Burmese migrant workers, many of them Kachins and Muslim Rohingyas from Burma's northern Rakhine region.

''We Burmese migrants are sold like fish and vegetables,'' Myint told IPS in an interview in Pudu market, a big wet market in the capital where Burmese migrant workers predominate.

Deported and sold to trafficked

Myint had been arrested, taken to the Thai border and officially 'deported' which actually means getting sold to human traffickers.

''I was robbed of all my cash by both Malaysian and Thai officials and sold to traffickers,'' said Myint.

''I was held in a jungle camp near the border for three weeks until my relatives bought me from the traffickers. I bribed my way back into Malaysia,'' he said, adding that while conditions are tough in Malaysia, they are better than Burma or Thailand.

''There is food, work and a roof over my head.''

Myint is one of the luckier ones to be arrested and 'deported' only once. He is now considered a leader in the Pudu area and much sought after by other Burmese workers for 'assistance' in avoiding arrest and deportation all over again.

Burmese migrant workers call the trade ''bwan'' (thrown away) or one of the worst forms of human trafficking.

''Malaysia does not recognise key international agreements on the protection of refugees and foreign nationals. Nor does it apply to foreign migrants the same rights and legal protections given to Malaysian citizens,'' said Irene Fernandez, executive director of Tenaganita, a rights NGO that protects migrant workers.

Burmese ‘traded’ like commodity

Human rights activists have long charged that immigration, police and other enforcement officials, including the unpopular voluntary force called Rela, have been ''trading'' Burmese
migrants, especially Rohingyas, to human traffickers in Thailand who then pass them on to deep sea fishing trawler operators in the South China Sea. The women are generally sold into the sex industry.

''They are treated as a commodity and frequently bought and sold and we have been condemning this practise for a long time,'' Fernandez said.

''Our demands have always fallen on deaf ears despite the accumulating evidence of the involvement of uniformed officials in the trade,'' said Fernandez.

It has become commonplace for the authorities to use the vigilante 'Rela' force to periodically arrest and 'deport' Rohingyas, but since Burma does not recognise them as citizens, the practise is to take them to the Bukit Kayu Hitam area on the Thai-Malaysia border and force them to cross over into Thailand.

''They are arrested, jailed and deported, but since they are stateless they are taken to the Thai border and often sold to Thai traffickers,'' said Fernandez.

Invariably, the ''deported'' Rohingyas bribe Thai and Malaysian officials and return to Malaysia.

The accusation against corrupt Malaysian officials is long standing and made frequently by refugees, human rights activists, opposition lawmakers and is even the subject of one official probe.

Malaysian television channels have also investigated and exposed the 'sale' of the Rohingya refugees on the Malaysia-Thai border, although they did not finger Malaysian officials for fear of reprisals.

US has sent teams to investigate

A US probe being conducted into the trafficking by the powerful Senate foreign relations committee has stimulated interest in the plight of Rohingyas when its findings are relayed to key US enforcement agencies and Interpol for possible action, Senate officials have said.

''US Senate foreign relations committee staff are reviewing reports of extortion and human trafficking from Burmese and other migrants in Malaysia, allegedly at the hands of Malaysia government officials,'' a staff official told international news agencies in early January.

''The allegations include assertions that Burmese and other migrants - whether or not they have UNHCR documentation - are taken from Malaysian government detention facilities and transported to the Thailand-Malaysia border,'' the official had said.

At the border, they alleged, ''money is demanded from them, or they are turned over to human traffickers in southern Thailand''.

''If they pay, they return to Malaysia. If not, they are sold to traffickers,'' the official said, adding that teams had visited Malaysia, Thailand and Burma to collect evidence on the human trade.

Some of the immigrants from Burma and other countries are refugees recognised by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Since 1995, about 40,000 Rohingya refugees from Burma have been settled in the US, most of them after passing through Malaysia, while the emigration applications of thousands more have been rejected by third countries.

"They are left stranded, unable to return to Myanmar (official name for Burma) where they face certain persecution by the military regime and rejected from immigrating to third countries," said opposition lawmaker Charles Santiago who has raised their plight in parliament.

"They need urgent help and understanding of their plight," he said, urging Malaysia to sign UN refugee conventions and accord refugees due recognition. "We can no longer close our eyes to their plight."

Rais: Allegations ‘baseless and farfetched’

''We are trapped in a foreign country without papers and without recognition,'' said Habibur Rahman, general secretary of the Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia, an organisation that speaks for stateless Rohingyas in Malaysia.

''We have been looking for a way to escape this dilemma but without success,'' he said.

''We are denied citizenship and made stateless by the Myanmar military junta and persecuted and forced to flee to neighbouring countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh,'' he said.

The involvement of the US Senate in the issue has upset Malaysian officials who have warned the U.S. to ''take their hands off'' the country, saying such action violated Malaysian sovereignty.

However, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has asked the US to pass on information pertaining to the allegations, saying the government does not tolerate extortion from migrants by officials.

''The US authorities have evidence we would be very thankful for, if they can pass the information to us for investigation and appropriate action,'' he told Bernama, the official news agency, on Jan 15.

An upset foreign minister Rais Yatim told local media on Jan 19 that the allegations were ''baseless, ridiculous and farfetched''.

''We are a civilised country. We are not living in barbaric times when people are sold off at the whims and fancies of people with power. It is certainly unfair of the US Senate to accuse us of doing such outrageous things,'' Rais said.

- IPS

Walking the thin line...

2009-01-04T13:27:00.005+08:00

'H O P E'.

What is hope?

Will another still be open for me?

Pray. Just pray.

Drawing a line in the sand....

2008-12-27T03:26:00.008+08:00

Camerons - Bukit Larut - Penang - Alor Setar - Kangar
(27/12/08 - 03/01/09).

It's time.
Maybe somewhere among these stops,
I will find what is needed to still this heart again.
_______________________________________________

Lord, be with me.
Lead me and keep me safe as I endeavour to draw a line in the sand.

Lord, give me strength.
In my mind, a strong decision I hath made but regrets torment this fragile heart.

Lord, be my saviour.
Renew my life again. Let me breathe. Let me let go.

Lord, be my salvation.
Forgive me for my sins so that I can learn to forgive others who have sinned against me.

Hear my prayer, Lord. Hear my prayer.

Amen.

In memorial: Bacon and eggs with Twinky....

2008-12-01T02:13:00.005+08:00

I have been using the analogy of 'bacon and eggs' (read: the chicken contributed but the pig was committed) for quite a number of times over these few days of past to describe the status quo of my relationship with Twinky. Well..., the former status quo, that is. For the relationship now too looks to be an event of the past.

Not that I'm venerable enough to qualify as a guru on the matters of the heart, or even life for that matter, but I do know that one does ripen with the passage of the moons and maybe due to this, I may be allowed my 15 minutes of infamous wisdom.

No, no, I'm not about to philosophize and start spinning out mouthfuls of yarn to bore you. So fret not. My ulterior motive is, however, to share with you a spot of cartoon wisdom with a touch of humor. Not altogether relational to the topic of my failed relationship with Twinky, and certainly not entirely all 'bacon and eggs' here but the alternative permutation of 'bacon and turkey ham'. Could have been the former too but having deduced from the speech pattern, I'm banking on the turkey being a male and it'd be too miraculous to ask of him to lay the eggs to complement the bacon. ; )

Enjoy!

(Note: Click on JPG for a better image.)

Ps. You know me as a blunt and transparent person who always speaks my mind, Twinky. So I will tell you that I'll never ever be sorry that I loved you. I'll always do....

What I Wish At 2.00AM...

2008-10-23T23:29:00.003+08:00

So what does one do when awoken at such un-Godly hours and unable to sleep again? Not that I minded coz it was she on the other end of the line. And even more so when it dawned on me that she only called coz she was thinking of me.

And so I write??? LOL! No.

What any 'real' person would do would be to then head to the kitchen to raid the fridge and make coffee. And more by accident (rather than by a moment of inspiration) does he decide then to try his hand at prose.

And this was the end product.

I wish there was no distance between us
And that we both lived in the same time zone
Under the same roof, sharing in one life.....

I wish our dating zone was not just Skype, endless text messaging
Or expensive long distance telephone calls
It's just not right to steal time this way for each other.....

I wish the world would learn that life is not meant to be dictated by man-made doctrines
And blinded not be it too by prejudices of differing faiths and conventions
So as not to judge but instead, to bear witness to the love we have...

[But at this hour, at 2.00 A.M. of this morning.....]

I wish most of all that what awoke me was not the ringing telephone
But that of your presence next to mine
That I have you to behold in my arms
As I lullaby you to sleep.....

I love you, Twinky.....

(Thursday, 23 October 2008)

A very cheap shot at the Catholic church...

2008-10-16T16:38:00.002+08:00

Received this joke over SMS a few minutes ago. Made me ROFLMAO.

A priest is very fond of his rooster and brood of hens. One day, the rooster goes missing. And that made the priest upset.

The next day in church, he asked everyone, "Has anybody got a cock?"
All the men in the congregation stood up.

"No, I mean has anybody seen a cock?"
Now all the women stood up.

"No, I mean has anybody seen a cock that doesn't belong to them?"
Half the women stood up.

"No!" he says angrily, "Has anybody seen my cock???"
All the choir boys stood up!

SIU SEI NGOR..!!! (Canto for 'Laugh Die Me!!')...

2008-10-08T21:45:00.010+08:00

Have been feeling a bit despondent lately.

Then I got this in the mail and it got me ROFLMAO. :D

If the resolution is NBG (no bloody good), just click on the 'SIU SEI NGOR' blogpost title for a better image.

Enjoy!

10 Ways To Win Over Future Parents-in-law

2008-09-09T00:57:00.004+08:00

Speak to them from the heart.
Smile at everything they throw at you (even if they hate you to the bone).
Shower all your love onto their daughter in front of them.
Help future mother-in-law run errands (and take her side against future father-in-law, especially during arguments).
Help future father-in-law change his flat tyre (but still take future mother-in-law's side during said arguments).
Hold their daughter's 'twinky' in front of them just to rile them up.
Learn how to speak in a funny 'dong' (ie. Indonesian) accent.
Respect her parents (even if they treat you like a dog).
Always P.U.S.H. (Pray until something happens).
If 1 to 9 fails, then do either of the following:

Run away and elope with her. (If she's not agreeable, go to Plan B: kidnap her to a 3rd country. Then persuade her to elope.)
Wait with their daughter until you're both in your 60s before marrying. (It's okay. Time is definitely on your side.)

That April Fools' Day......

2008-09-08T12:19:00.021+08:00

"No one knows how long a relationship will last.....but I think finding someone that can break into the heart is good enough a reason to pursue that relationship; regardless of not knowing what might come next."

A close friend in New Zealand uttered this to me just a short while ago and it caused a minor ripple of revelation within. Unsurprisingly, this has to do with the fact that I entered into a relationship with a young lady recently; a person whom I had fatefully gotten acquainted with during last April Fools' Day.

Be it a Fools' hoax or otherwise, I have grown to adore her much since then. As is with all partnership relationships, there has been the obligatory dose of tumultuous twists and turns. Little wonder then that my hairy unshaven face was lined with a cynical smirk when George Michael crooned "Turn a different corner and we never would have met..." on the MP3 yesterday evening. What irony. Coz the truth was, that was it. We almost didn't make it.

Life's such a mystery. Sometimes things would seem to move along so well. It could be like a slow train chugging away towards its final stop. Otherwise, it could also appear in the form of the stark raving mad bull charging and zeroing in on its target. And then the unpredictable happens. A small pebble on the track or a 10-ton runaway truck could appear out of nowhere. The train derails. And the bull? Well, he'd be on his way to the meat market. Hehe.. ;)

Regardless, the point is this. That a freakish small deflection can often pervert the course of our entire lives. Just when you thought you own it all, when the world looked solely to be your oyster, the train or the bull gets steered away at the last moment by another of Newton's Laws. What this translates to is that you'd have lost that moment. That one critical moment that would have defined how truly happy you could have lived. And I know what that's like. It's happened before. And though she ditched me and is now blissfully married and blessed with a superduper cute daughter, I bear her no ill will. On the contrary, we're still as close as we had previously been. Good friends.

Which is why I am certain that when she reads this, she too will be glad for me. Just weeks ago, she had voiced her concern over my lackadaisical attitude towards seeking a life partner. Well Butterfly, I finally did it. I found me a 'Twinky'. Happy now? I know I ecstatically am.

: )

Random nonsense...

2008-07-28T12:07:00.003+08:00

In recent news, the following.

ROBBERS DISPOSSES CHILDREN'S HOME OF VAN: Heard these guys drove away with the home's van with a lotta guilt. One of them kept saying, "I'm sorry". Thrice. It don't matter that they have a conscience but for crying out loud, go rob one of those unconscionable VIPs instead lah. Then at least don't have to apologise. ASSHOLES #1.
PAS-UMNO TALKS: Mooted formation of a one race, one religion government for Selangor. Damn bastards at UMNO still stirring shit with the racial card. ASSHOLES #2.
MCA MOOTS TALKS WITH DAP: Need one say more? ASSHOLES #3:
KARPAL: SHOULD PAS BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN PAKATAN?: Good God. If you didn't like them, why 'marry' them in the first place? And now after 'consummation', you decry them over an issue that the enemy made. Hey dude, wake up! Ultimately, there was no betrayal. If you react (and over a non-happenstance), you're doing exactly what ASSHOLES #2 hopes that you would do. And now that you've come out and done it, that makes you ASSHOLE #4.
MCA's LEE HWA BENG LOSES: Ah Beng finally lost. Yippee and hooray. Maybe now he'll shut the fuck up instead of talking cock through his blog. ASSHOLE #5.

Nonsense is all but it is.....

The Muse (Part 1 of ?? parts)

2008-07-28T00:55:00.006+08:00

Tuesday, 1st July 2008:
T'was to be like any day, but not this day.
Tis' day, the muse go away.
Tho' short a time has been, flutter me heart, she did.
Joy ebbs, as surely as autumn leaves fall.

Interlude: Chaotic noise. Be still, thy wanton heart.

Saturday, 5th July 2008:
T'was not to be like any day, but not this day.
Today tis' the day, mine heart I risk away.
T'was sole hope, I pray.
Alas, only false glory comes from false hopes.

Interlude: Hallowed silence. Wither, thy unworthy heart.

Wounded. Broken. Empty. The remains.

What the fuck is happening to me??

2008-07-10T08:09:00.003+08:00

It's not even 8.00am and I've already had my morning caffiene shot and come online. I had arrived in Kuching yesterday to bad weather and today's outlook don't seem to appear to be as promising as well. This may hamper the amount of work my rainforest co-conspirators and I have to execute on the ground over the next few days. What a drag.

I'm not in the best of forms either in body, spirit and soul. Over the last couple of weeks, it all started with a week of 'High'. That was when I was still holding onto that blasted key but thereafter when I lost it, the 'Low' began to creep in. Initially slowly but now gathering rapid pace, the physiological and emotional stress-load that's accumulating is taking its toll on me. Things are going haywire. I have not slept well for many days now. Just last night, the fatigue overtook me and I was finally able to fall asleep when it was one hour past midnight but the tossing and the turning then took center-stage and it hindered any chance I had at sound sleep. I finally gave up and wearliy climbed out of bed before the hour turned six.

All of these are debilitating and imparing me as a consequence. My senses are spinning around wildly like a Yo-Yo out of control. Everything I perceive seems to be accelerating on overdrive. If I do not exercise caution in handling this (and it's looking increasingly likely that I'm not), I may succumb and go over the edge. And throughout all of these, I have to tell myself to put my best foot forward because a lot of people are counting on me to deliver. To some, I am able to. To others, I can only pray for forgiveness for not being able to be fair to them.

Help me, my Lord God. I'm burning out. Save me.

Amen.

Lifeless: Day 02

2008-07-07T17:25:00.006+08:00

I've been feeling a little low over the last couple of days. Desolation felt close. After the 'high' of the previous weekend, I suppose it was only natural for one to land with a loud thud when one hits ground zero after reality gives one a giant kick up the backside. So there's also a big "Ouch!" in there somewhere as well.

Coincidentally for an occasion like this, a Matt Redman song keeps resonating within me. I suppose I cannot fault it's timing as I wallowed in such poignant times. The opening goes like this.

"Jesus, I could sing
In the tongues of men and angels
But if I have not love
I am just a clanging cymbal, and empty sound..."

What's this suppose to mean for a soul as wretched as mine? What indeed?

I have not attended church for two Sabbaths now. I got distracted. I became wayward too. I made the mistake of giving in to the weakness of the flesh. And for that, I have to pay the price of penance now. I also made the mistake of thinking that I was adequately strong to stand on my own. As oft is the case, I was wrong. Individual strength cannot possibly measure up to that which we have when we choose to live with God by on our side. And therein, lies my dilemma. Like a fool chasing the rainbow, I had allowed myself to be led away by sordid worldly lures.

"I should have just thrown away the stupid key..." is a sentence that endlessly echoes in my mind.

Forgive me, Abba. Take me home please. I need you. I really do.

To the Rainforest Music Fest, Kuching, Sarawak, 11th - 13th July 2008

2008-07-05T19:16:00.011+08:00

Though ground preps are not exactly all in place yet, it looks like I'll still be hopping on that jetplane to Kuching in the middle of the week for some back-to-back work assignments. By all counts, this should be a pretty fun work trip as the first assignment involves being at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2008 in Santubong from the 11th - 13th July.

Quite an opportune time for me to go away anyway. Things are getting a little too heated up for me here. A change of scenery will do me good. At least I won't have to ponder over one of the mysteries of the universe. To be or not to be; to accept or to decline; to be faithful to the Lord's instructions or to be absolutely disobedient; and for the finale, to keep or to throw away that stupid key that unlocks that idiotic box of mine that houses an even more idiotic 'something inside of me' dilemma.

Damn, what the heck did I just warbled about in the last para? Wahahahahaaaaa...!

Can't share much with you on what the gang and I will be up to for the Rainforest thingy or about what weaponry we have up our sleeves except to say that we'll have to deploy guerilla warfare tactics for some of our activities. Suffice it to say that we do enjoy very, very much being a pain-in-the-butt for Abdul Taib Mahmud and co. Up yours, mate!

As an aside, please pray that I don't get arrested along the process though. Heh. ; )

I can show you this though....

and this....

His Kingdom come and His WILL will be done. AMEN!

LENOVO 3000 Series

2008-06-19T16:48:00.010+08:00

Introducing my all new
Lenovo Series 3000 notebook

Not sure when I'll start writing again though. Have not felt the urge nor have I found anything to make me wanna write about since before 8th March elections.

Lazy kua. ; )

This one's targeted at the Chinese community...

2008-03-05T12:27:00.010+08:00

I've been at odds wondering if I should post these thoughts; for I'm writing them with the Chinese community in mind, of which I am sadly and disappointingly a member of. On the one hand, diplomacy dictates that I exercise restraint to escape offending the next Chinaman who reads this; on the other, my inner conscience has been wildly swinging back and forth like a Yo-Yo.

So in the end, I thought,
"FUCK IT! LET'S DO THIS."

A long, long time ago,
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

Then not too long ago,
They came for the social activists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a social activist.

Now more recently,
They locked up the HINDRAF 5,
And again, I did not speak up;
Because I was not an Indian.

In the not too distant future,
When they finally come for me,
The selfish Chinaman, the one who did not speak up;
By that time, when there is no one left,
Who will speak up for me?

So now are you ready to throw your indifference aside?
To stand up united with me and be counted for?
To actually believe that your ONE VOTE constitutes
THE LITTLE THING THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE???

If you are, then you are as entitled as I am to say this,
"FUCK IT! LET'S DO THIS."

This Saturday, 8th March 2008,
Fuck the political parties,
Fuck the candidates who are standing,
But....
DON'T FUCK YOURSELF
BY NOT VOTING FOR A CHANGE!

Is BN spooked???

2008-03-04T20:34:00.014+08:00

Booted up the PC to check on the latest updates on MalaysiaKini regarding the elections. And what do I find?

"EC AXES INDELIBLE INK"

*&#@!*%^$
PK Mak PK Tiang
BN ('N' for najis)

Well, that was the initial knee-jerk reaction to the news. Then in a moment of self-restraint, another truth hit home.

BN'S SPOOKED!!!
THOSE BASTARDS ARE RUNNING SCARED.
THEY NEED THEIR PHANTOMS!
BIGTIME!!!

And if small insignificant meows such as I can surmise as such, Mille Meow thinks the opposition, the government critics, the civil societies, etc., would have easily figured this out too.

Ooooo... PACAs (Polling Agents/Counting Agents), better watch out for a surge of Indonesians or even the Burmese.

Hmmm....
What is our next step then, eh???
How do we cash in on this?

Sorry la. I only a simpleton kampung meow. Small brains. So help, ok? Then maybe next election, Mille can stand as a candidate on behalf of SPCA.

TQ TQ TQ.....

Human Rights Creed

2008-02-20T14:20:00.002+08:00

Saw this document newly pinned on the office notice board today and took an immediate liking to it. And with the general elections now looming on the horizon, I thought it'd be good to throw this in here for good measure as a reminder to the masses. Not that traffic through here is anything to shout about. Heh. : )

Anyway, here we go. U ready?

HUMAN RIGHTS CREED

I DO NOT BELIEVE
In the right of the strongest, in the language of weapons
In the power of the powerful

I DO NOT BELIEVE
In racial supremacy or in wealth
In privilege or in the established order

I DO NOT BELIEVE
That I can share the oppression there
If I tolerate injustice here

I DO NOT BELIEVE
That war and hunger are inevitable
And peace unattainable

I DO NOT BELIEVE
That efforts are in vain

I DO NOT BELIEVE
That humanity's dreams will go up in smoke
Or that death is the end of everything

I WANT TO BELIEVE
That the whole world is my home
That all reap, what we all sow

I WANT TO BELIEVE
That the right is the same here as the right there
And that I am not free
While one human being remains enslaved

I WANT TO BELIEVE
In the right of all people
In the open hand, in the power of the non-violent

I WANT TO BELIEVE
In the modes of actions, in the love of generous hands
In peace on earth

I DARE BELIEVE
Always and in spite of everything
In the new human being

I DARE BELIEVE
In God's own dream
Of a new heaven and a new earth
Where justice dwells

Random sharing.....

2008-02-02T02:40:00.000+08:00

Hi Grace@Work,

Sunday, 2nd of March? Whoa! I'll pencil in that date for sure. :)

Though not deserving, I thank you for the praise. Yes, back then in Camerons, I was but still taking small baby steps in my walk with the exalted One. Sep '06 seems like such a long time ago. In the time that has elapsed since, my path has been been randomly littered with unavoidable tests and challenges at certain stages. Yet, faithful as He always is, He watched over me; the guardian of my conscience of being. It also helped tremendously that He placed me in the company of good and godly people akin to our Rabbi and also, my extended family in BLC.

Surreal but opportune that you should use the words "your next chapter" in your reply. It made it sound as if you were sub-consciously aware of what's been taking place over here in my life recently; for as a matter of fact, in three days time on Monday, I will be begin reporting for duty at an NGO. Yes, I have moved away from the private sector to begin a new career undertaking work involving social concerns and reforms; where I will be hacking it out under the auspices of ??AAA??, that famous (or infamous, depending on which side of the political fence one stands) organisation helmed by The Madam. When I went into my new work place for an introductory briefing exactly a week ago, I remembered walking out of it overwhelmed by the magnitude of the job scope. And to think that the briefing was only a half hour long. Nonetheless, in the days that followed, the Lord shed upon me a truth when I prayed and meditated upon it. This little epiphany helped greatly in assuaging the fears and inhibitions that were manifested by the weaknesses of the human form in me. At times, I can be really clueless and be at a loss to explain why certain things happen; for I am not quick to differentiate between "things just happening" or "things happening just"; whether events and happenings were just mere coincidences or if they were instances of the Sancte Spiritus quietly hiding and working in the background. Oddly enough, just days before I had been offered the post, I had watched a movie on the life of the great abolitionist William Wilberforce titled "Amazing Grace". I had only watched it to be entertained; and never for a moment had I even suspect the sort of difference that it was suppose to later make. You see, during the moments of trepidation that I had with regard to my new obligations, impromptu memories of this film came to mind. And when it hit me, I lit up like a bulb, for it was then that the bottomline dawned upon me; Wilberforce did not achieve his dreams to see out slavery overnight, and his tireless lobbying certainly took a lot longer than the course of 90 minutes of screenplay. With this realisation and a quick Google thereafter, I learned the fact that the actual passing of the law to abolish slavery only took place three days before Wilberforce's death in 1833. It had taken this exceptional man his entire lifetime; a total of 46 years from when he first decided to undertake the cause in 1787. I felt humbled, and in that instance I also began to understand that to serve the Lord's calling, time and other extrinsic gargantuan factors matters not; for I now accept the truth that Abba never gives one anything that He didn't think that one could not handle. His Kingdom come and His will be done.

I give thanks to our Father for His blessings and favour, and I embrace Him, the Lord, our God, in the mighty name of His son, Jesus Christ.

Shalom and a safe night, my good brother.

Warmly,
Mille Meow

Note: Words shaded in BLUE are to preserve anonymity of individuals from the general public.

A New Calling....

2008-01-21T11:21:00.000+08:00

It's been a 2 weeks wait. The telephone call finally came this morning. When I recognized the voice at the other end, I greeted her with a voice aplomb of self confidence. But in truth, I was nervous and faint hearted for fear of bad news. So the brave front was actually borne more out of a need to disguise this shortcoming.

The lady at the other end of the line jested when she asked which news I wanted to hear first. The good or the bad? Ooops! Not good. Not good at all. I thought about it for a nanosecond. Then it hit me. Waitaminit, waitaminit. Her statement laid the grounds of the possibility of bad news but yet, it reeked with the hint of good?

Ahhhh....almost kena conned leh. Hehe... :)

And so it was with good news that my new week awoke to. That come forth the new month of February, I shall be setting off on a new journey for myself and my life. A path where I will finally get to answer and serve the Lord's calling. As Soo Choo, my friend and soon-to-be new colleague would echo, "HIS KINGDOM COME. HIS WILL BE DONE."

So now it's cast in stone. A new milestone in my life will be marked. A new career with a new direction and new benchmarks. I have spent almost two decades of my working life in the private sector doing things and acquiring knowledge, which for the most parts may probably not have any bearings on my new vocation. Taking that into consideration, and in discounting those unneeded tools from the equation, I now have to believe that it is the remaining few skills left in my possession that will have a practical usefulness on how I navigate the waters of this new and alien territory that I chart. Mien Gott, the Lord has surely gone about preparing me for this task in a funny but wrong way. Hmmm... I may well be forgiven if I accused Him for deliberately designing humour for His own pleasure at my expense. That also loosely translates to saying that our God is a bona fide joker. That He laughs heartily at the end when He discovers that He has excelled Himself when He successfully pulls off certain stunts on His servants.

:P

Heh! But I too jest when I wrote the above. Maybe it's the warped sense of humour that some say I have but as I reflected on those very same words at the second reading, it did dawn upon me that it was funny. At the same time, it also simultaneously occurred unto me that maybe I may have read Him wrong. Maybe God was not the joker I had made Him out to be. Maybe this time He did the reverse? That He inverted the position. That this time He had sacrificially assumed the mantle of comedic clown for my pleasure instead; albeit, one where His ulterior intent for me is good.

Puzzled??? Here's why I thought what I thought and it goes like this.

Maybe God wanted me to experience all of what I've experienced in my life, thus far, to adequately prepare me to assume my new role in the overall big picture. And the greatest lesson He had willed for me out of this exercise was to learn not to lament on my journey of the past but rather, to happenstance on the understanding that it was all a pre-designed pathway to learning and understanding futility, and more importantly, to acknowledge and then to surrender to it. And when all of this is done, I am to then sit back and take in the simple joy of discovering how to laugh alongside Him at the oxymoronic idiosyncrasies that I had created for myself the last 43 years. At this juncture, I had another epiphany. For as I learn to laugh at myself in this process, maybe I may just be lucky enough to discover the godly grace that He means for my life and I.

Thank you for Your faithfulness, God, my Lord. I serve willingly in Your kingdom.

Amen.

MSM - Selective Omission

2008-01-08T20:15:00.000+08:00

Found this article which was reported over on BBC news today. Unsurprisingly, not a whiff of it was heard over our local main stream media (MSM). Certainly not over Bernama, which I've checked just to be sure before I begin calling them monkey names again. After the police derailment of last Saturday night's solidarity candlelight vigil for the abolishment of the ISA, this is but yet another telltale sign that the ruling government is fearful of even its own shadow.

Anyway, here's the article.

Malaysia bans S Asia recruitment

Malaysia has suspended the recruitment of workers from India and Bangladesh, amid rising domestic tensions.

A government official said the decision might be linked to the actions of a group that led protests complaining of discrimination against ethnic Indians.

But the official did not say why the decision had been made, nor how long the restrictions would last.

The ban will affect thousands of manual labourers as well as professionals, including religious workers.

There are currently about 250,000 legal workers in Malaysia from India and Bangladesh.

'Unprecedented'

The move to freeze visas for all workers from the two countries was taken three weeks ago, the government said.

But Tuesday's announcement took many people by surprise.

A Vaithilingam, president of a Malaysian inter-faith group, said that the decision came without dialogue and was "unprecedented".

The BBC's correspondent in Kuala Lumpur, Robin Brant, said it was a significant diplomatic move by the Malaysia government.

A Home Ministry official told the BBC that the decision "may be linked to Hindraf", the Hindu activists group which organised recent rallies by Malaysian ethnic Indians.

Thousands of ethnic Indians took to the streets late last year in protest against perceived social and economic discrimination by the Malay-Muslim majority.

The announcement came on the final day of a visit to Malaysia by Indian Defence Minister AK Antony.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Mr Antony "did not raise the issue of ethnic Indians in Malaysia," reported the French news agency AFP.

An unnamed Indian professional told Reuters that the Malaysian government should not have taken such a drastic step.

"They should recognise the contribution made by Indian workers and professionals in the economic growth of the country," he said.

OI! WAKE UP LAH, SLEEPYHEAD!

2008-01-04T17:57:00.000+08:00

I read with great amusement today a report that was carried over on Malaysiakini. It was about the antics of a group of Malay youths. These young men, not unlike a great many of the rest of us in this country, were less than enthusiastic with the performance of that lame duck of a PM we have. Yes, that same one, who a few years ago wooed us all with a campaign slogan that shouted “Work With Me, Not For Me.” Somehow, back then we took him for his word. So imagine how disgusted my compatriots and I are now when we realised that we’ve been conned into voting for a buffoon like him. And to that lie he told us back then, I’ll just resort to the classic Lat cartoon gesture. Ptooi!

Anyway, since not all of us have access to Malaysiakini, I thought I’d reproduce the article here. But before that, let’s take a moment to salute this group of discerning young men and women who were not blind to the nonsense that the current BN administration is about. They got brass balls, they do. I salute you all! I really do.

Ok. The moment’s up. Enjoy....

Group Hands Pak Lah Special Gift
Andrew Ong | Jan 4, 08 4:26pm

A group of disgruntled young Malaysians today symbolically handed a ‘gift’ to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to express their disappointment with his administration.

The gift was in the form of a yellow pillow and a bolster - both decorated with the Malaysian flag and the Petronas Twin Towers.

Abdullah however was not on hand to receive the items, which the group left at the doorsteps of the premier's office in Putrajaya this morning.

Spokesperson for the group Badrul Hisham Shaharin said he and his eight other friends had come to the conclusion that the government's ineffectiveness was due to Abdullah's purported "sleepiness".

He added that Abdullah had previously been allegedly caught nodding off at various official functions both locally and abroad.

“So we wanted to send a ‘memorandum’ about the what the youth wants. This memorandum is in form of a pillow... He can use the pillow to continue sleeping or wake up and realise that his administration is not efficient,” Badrul told reporters.

Badrul said the group consisted of artists, poets, bloggers, writters and activists but denied that the ‘pillow act’ was politically motivated.

Badrul (right) informs security guard on the group's intentions.

The group displays posters mocking Abdullah over his alleged ‘sleepiness’.

A poster referring to a 2006 report by Turkish newspaper Hurriyet regarding a luxury yacht allegedly linked to Abdullah.

“We don’t expect him to reply our ‘memorandum’. Thus far, he has never replied any memorandum sent by civil society groups,” Badrul told reporters.

Journalists and the police were stunned when the ‘memorandum’ turned out to be a pillow and a bolster.

“He can come and pick it up later if he wants,” said Badrul.

The banner reads, “The last hope of the young Malaysians: Continue sleeping O’Prime Minister”.

Baffled monkeys took a while to register what was before them before deciding how to deal with the items.

"Kita check dulu. Mana tau dari hotel yang dipakai oleh YB gila seks itu."

In solidarity with the fallen....

2007-12-13T21:35:00.000+08:00

On a bleak day such as today, words are hard to come by to reflect the turmoiled emotions within. Oppression abounds ceaselessly within the confines of this land I live in. When man can execute without conscience upon another an act that deprives the other of his right to live as a free man, surely brokenness has immeasurably befallen upon tanahair ku. Wherefore is your dignity as a human being, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi? Where has it gone? For what has the devil promised in exchange that swayed you readily in submitting to his evil will to soil your hands with the blood of others? Do you consider this fair trade? Failure to justify this will equate to failure to have God's grace availed to you.

I am not personally acquainted with the 5 persons who have been incarcerated. I have never met them. Nor have I ever heard them speak. But my faith advocates one to not just love God but also, to love your neighbour as yourself. And so for them, I post this out today in solidarity. I know not what is happening to them at this hour of time in writing. I know not if there will be unspeakable acts being inflicted upon them; not unlike those sufferings that past detainees had reportedly been subjected to. The situation seems hapless and grim.

A friend was kind enough to dedicate a song to me in recent days. In another lifetime from the past, I have learned to experience music as a source that solace is able to feed from. And so as I seek meaning from the words to this song, I shall also pray for my 5 HINDRAF brothers for today's gross miscarriage of justice.

Who here among us has not been broken
Who here among us is without guilt or pain
So oft abandoned by our transgressions
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

There are no strangers

There are no outcasts
There are no orphans of God
So many fallen, but hallelujah
There are no orphans of God

Come ye unwanted and find affection
Come all ye weary, come and lay down your head
Come ye unworthy, you are my brother
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

O blessed Father, look down upon us
We are Your children, we need Your love
We run before Your throne of mercy
And seek Your face to rise above

Words & music by: Avalon

Almighty Lord my God, I commit to thee the oppressed.
In times when you hear cries of sufferings, lift their burdens.
Should harm's way arise, protect them O Lord. Shield them.
In your infinite mercy, I ask thee of this.
Amen.

A gentle reminder, dear PM....

2007-12-13T06:07:00.000+08:00

Fujimori: A Classic Case Study
The former Peruvian President, Alberto Fujimori,
has been sentenced to six years in prison for abuse of power.

Dreaming.....
And hoping.....
And praying.....

That inevitably hitherto
A time and instance such as this
Will befall upon those with arrogance

For the lies they've spun
And for the abuses they've committed
Against those whom they've pledged to serve

For they will be judged
In this life, by their peers
Misdeeds forgotten not by history

Now lest they forget
Be reminded worse will still be to come
When in afterlife, they are judged by the Maker

Lord have mercy on your souls
Though undeserving as you are

Random Rants

2007-10-25T19:43:00.000+08:00

Just a quick one before rushing out to join friends at a dinner party.

Caught this load of crap on Bernama news and got too irritated to bottle it in and to ignore taking a potshot at it.

PM, DPM Praise Samy Vellu For Dedicated Service To Nation, People "
Click here to read the stupid article"

There is so much to be said about this sod; albeit, in a negative sense. So I'm just gonna echo Patrick Teoh's blog name to sum it all up in one word.

N I A M A H ! ! !
"Click here for Patrick's blog"

How addicted to coffee am I?

2007-10-25T19:21:00.000+08:00

As someone who need several shots of caffiene injected into his bloodstream each day just to keep the old engine running, this is either wrong or it means that I still have a 23% chance to be "reformed". Reformed? Oooo...how apt a word as the Reverend keeps reminding us that Reformation Day is just around the corner.

I am 77% Addicted to Coffee

"Rate your dependency on coffee here"

Hmmm... I wonder if there's an online method to gauge the level of my dependency (read: addiction) on nicotine?

The one on Merdeka eve.....

2007-09-21T15:31:00.000+08:00

This was the other cake.....

And the food to go along with it.....

The mess we made thereafter.....

And of course, a great coffee to go with it.....

Thanks for that wonderful evening, guys. You know who you are.
Much appreciated.

BLC Taiping Retreat 2007 (Part 3 of the final part?)

2007-09-21T04:12:00.000+08:00

After Camp Effect
It’s edging close to three weeks since Camp 2007 ended…and I’m overdue on completing my reflections on the event. Not that I’m offering any excuses but I had to allow a few other events of significance to take precedence over compiling my final thoughts. Not least of all was at the workplace; for which, upon my first day’s return to the office after Taiping, I unequivocally and unhesitatingly informed the company that I was leaving. And I summarily executed that decision too, in a manner most rejoiceful, 6 days ago. It’s kind of lengthy to go into details. So, I won’t. Abstractly, let’s just say that you know things have turned the corner when work practices/ethics begs questioning and/or are in direct conflict with one's faith. Nothing explosive, mind you but for my own peace of mind, I prefer not permitting my walk with God to be compromised.

I’m not going to chronicle about the remaining events of the three days of camp. There’d be too much to write and most of it would not necessarily bear witness to the rest of my own personal experience. Notwithstanding, for those who may wonder at what had transpired at churchcamp to have led me to adopt such a life transforming transgression as to choose to give up what other third parties would deem a pretty cushy job, I’m happy to advise that the answer is ‘NO’. No, as in I did not have any supernatural visitations (nor hear any strange voices) telling me to quit my job.

However, there were other inclinations that had surfaced during those few days, but none more important to me than what I will share with you below.

Re-engaging God
In the few months that preceded the retreat, I had become acutely conscious of a wedge that had come between the faith that I serve and my way of being in the real world in relation to the former. Unfortunate as it seems, this consequence stemmed from my work as there was an unanticipated cost attached to the job; a price that I had not expected to be compelled into paying as part of the package. At this juncture, I once again decline to go into details. Suffice it to say that if the work and the promise of inevitable high rewards had meant more to me, I would have had to willingly succumb to oft accepting morality conflicts as a trade-off.

Now fast forward to a quarter of a year later. By now my instincts were ominously overclocking, indicating that I was already adrift off the shore. And slowly but surely, widening cracks appeared. I was beginning to feel worn down and it showed. Outwardly, my behaviour had become erratic on unwanted occasions, while decision making became unexplainably convoluted at the worst of times. Though not entirely lost at sea as yet, I had to be mindful of it; for I was aware of where I was headed if I did not throw caution to the wind. My spiritual health begged re-examination. Heck, I had even begun skipping Sunday worships involuntarily and I detest doing that.

The sojourn in Taiping had been lively and nothing short of fun. It was also shorter by a day compared to 2006 and I was sorry to see it end when it did. Regardless, as it was still a church based gathering by nature, it provided an avenue for me to return to the fold; to reconnect with spiritual roots. The prayer workshops conducted by our guest speaker (whom I must commend for never creating a dull moment) and the devotional sessions spent with my assigned camp sub-group could not have manifested itself more timely and evenly in my quest to re-center and endear my way of being with our Holy Father again. The theme of the retreat had been “To Pray and To Love” but for one who had been as spiritually challenged as I had been for this spell of time, the pivotal crunch came when we were posed this question, “Do you know where you are with the Lord?” When it was highlighted, it brought to the foreground for me a self-confrontational naked truth that resonated louder than all other existing aspects at that particular moment in time.

A God of Surprises
So it was to this small town that I came, asking for the Almighty to surprise me. As always, He did not fail me. He responded in no small measures and in more ways than one. Notwithstanding His generosity, there were several notable things that stood out; each leaving its own signature footprint on me.

The first of these was a motley crew of seven other people with whom I will be sharing my thoughts with, and with whom I shall have to work hand-in-hand with for the duration of the camp. This was the sub-group that I had mentioned earlier. Each of us were randomly selected and banded together. Quite honestly, with the exception of my Godsister-in-Christ, I knew very little about the others. But for the Holy Spirit anointing us with the elements of fellowship, this would all change rapidly. Very quickly, we learnt to knit ourselves together into a single identity. And in tackling the task the group had been assigned with for the retreat, we gelled when it mattered most. Indeed, being with and working in unison with this group of wonderful people turned out to be an incredible source of joy. At this point, I have to confess that the human weakness in me will always cave in and resort to intentional disassociation from the mainstream whenever I feel vulnerable. I become ill at ease with others around me. But this time, the abundance of goodwill generated by my fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ was a factor that was not lost on me. Sheepishly, I have to admit to ceaselessly drinking from the pool of blessings that spewed forth from this pool of goodness. I suppose this was the lesson our Lord God intended for me to learn when He created the space for me to re-immerse myself into community by full association. And community is what really matters at the end of the day, is it not? No man is an island, as the wise would say. And so as I end my thoughts regarding Camp 2007, one of the things I ought to do before signing off is to acknowledge this sub-group who regarded and unconditionally accepted me as part of the bigger body of Christ through whom we share. Regardless of whether they were conscious of it or otherwise, I would like to thank them for the contributions they have made to my life at a time when I most needed it. Thank you, Bawi-li.

Oh, and then how's this for surprise #2….

An unexpected celebration.....

A candlelit cake.....

All round well wishes in the midst of the entire churchcamp gang bellowing out a song. I may have just turned forty three but this left me speechless. Irredoubtably speechless and happily stunned.

Thank you, God.
You’re just too good to me!
I am in awe of you.

"How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this? "

Lyrics from Everything by Lifehouse

Conclusion
Oh, regarding what had been troubling me earlier? Let’s just close that chapter of my life by saying that I’ve never been happier to leave a job to renew my journey with God. ;)

Amen to that!

BLC Taiping Retreat 2007 (Part 2 of ?)

2007-09-11T23:10:00.000+08:00

“Wettest” Location in Malaysia
Another well known infamous trait associated with Mob-town is its rainfall. Long established as the “wettest” region in Malaysia, it receives almost twice as much rainfall as any other place in the country. So having been pre-warned, few among us from the churchcamp gang dared ride into town that Friday afternoon without being armed with an umbrella or two. Afterall, we did have that little outdoor activity to worry about as we assembled at Taiping’s fabled Lake Gardens for icebreaker games.

Mind you, the skies looked gloriously dry that day; and defying the odds, it remained that way for the rest of the day too. I could not resist but reflect why. Once again, I remind readers that we are talking about Taiping here. The very same Taiping where the locals are known to put a wager or two on whether it’ll rain on any given day and at any given time; even to the specific hour and minute of when the first drop would fall, I was told. Really, I kid you not.

Anyway, why did the Lord have other plans for this day? If it was so much as due to His divine intervention, why, one would asked, did He want to buck the trend? Why tilt the balance? What was He after?

A serious thinker could (and one suspects, maybe would) dig deep and probe even deeper into DNA for nano-atomic answers. Hark, for a serious thinker, indeed. And that I am not. I have no capacity, nor the stomach. Not since a long while ago. These days, I’m more intrigued by how to arrive at simpler answers. At this juncture, I’m reminded of this joke someone told me a few days ago. It went like this…

A question, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” was posed to Aristotle, ex-President Clinton and Colonel Sanders. Undoubtedly, each arrived with different opinions.

Aristotle: “It is the nature of chickens to cross roads.”

Clinton: “I've had so many chicks. I can't remember...?”

And the all-time winning answer was…

Colonel Sanders: “I missed one?”

Muahaahaha…

But seriously folks, humour aside, I think the most appropriate and suitable answer would be a common sensed based reply. An answer that is simple and logical to all minds. Something not unlike what a kindergarten teacher may answer her 6-year old pupil. Something that one’s mind wouldn’t have to bend over backwards for. Something like, “Because it wanted to get to the other side...”

Sweet!

And so maybe it is the same for the Lord. No overly strenuous explanation. That He did what He did to not allow the games to be aborted for the simplest of reasons. And that was because it gave Him great joy to watch His children play. Regardless of how farcical and mindless the nature of the games was.

And so He made it that it did not rain that day…but unfortunately for the rest of Camp 2007, it was just for that day. Heh!

BLC Taiping Retreat 2007 (Part 1 of ?)

2007-09-07T20:03:00.000+08:00

Man: “Life is so scary. And so confusing. I wish things could be more clear.”

God: “There is nothing scary about life, if you are not attached to results.”

Man: “You mean if you don’t want anything?”

God: “That’s right. Choose, but stay on the path of ‘don't want’ after that.”

Cameron Highlands 2006.
I had attended churchcamp there last year, and had enjoyed that experience immensely. More so, as it had been my first ever.

Taiping 2007
Now, exactly twelve months later to the day, Camp 2007 beckoned. I had been unsure about what to expect this time. I don’t know (and won’t know) about the outlook of others, but unlike the cool and idyllic holiday setting of 2006, this year’s chosen venue was the small town of Taiping; an eon old relic town enclaved midway up the northern region. The name Taiping comes from the Chinese word Tai-Peng which means eternal peace. Ironically, its history was anything but such. Word has it that this sleepy hollow was birthed during a notorious era when warlords battled one another for the much coveted prize to control the lucrative tin-fields. A slash, slash here and a chop, chop there. Not much different from the typical blood and gore stuff that reeks out of HK gangster movies.

TAIPING (a.k.a. Mob-town). Heh! :D

Anyway, I digress.

Casting aside the infamy of the location, there was further reason for my slightly left-of-center pessimism regarding Camp 2007. I had, in the fore year’s event, experienced a spiritual “high”. And the source for that may mostly be attributed to the presence of a particularly skilled guest speaker whom my church had invited. Renowned as he was for his oratory deliverance, he had impressed most of the participants; leaving upon us his indelible mark. Heck, tickled I am still each time the word “plumbing” is uttered, for it fastidiously serves to remind me of what transpired during the “Men’s Only” workshop session.

And so, herewith, this gave rise to a mini dilemma. That is, if I choose to attend Camp 2007 carrying the expectations of Camerons 2006, I may become vulnerable to disappointment if the event failed to live up to its billing. Wary and worried as I was about being disenfranchised with church retreats, I thought I’d strike up a deal with the Almighty. And so I said, “Abba Father, I give thanks for the gift to attend this year’s camp but if I may, I’d like to go with NO EXPECTATIONS. I only ASK TO BE SURPRISED by You, and for this, I also ask for You to CREATE OPENINGS in my heart and in my mind to receive as such. Amen.”

3 Days Later
And with that, I scooted off to Taiping and returned 3 days later fully renewed with my second consecutive “high” in two years.

Conclusion
“God is good. All the time. All the time. God is good.”

(To be continued…)

Perhaps, an all-Malaysian 'Unifying' Barbecue?

2007-09-07T00:46:00.000+08:00

I'm not normally given to reproducing news reports unnecessarily but this one struck a chord. So I find myself asking "And why not?". Afterall, we do live in "Boleh-land" and eating is a passion with its inhabitants. Ok, ok, it's also my primary passion. There. I've admitted it. Happy now? :P

TUTU PRAISES 'UNIFYING' BARBECUES

Archbishop Tutu's favourite sausage is a beef boerewors

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has become the patron of South Africa's Barbecue (Braai) Day, saying the pastime is a unifying force in a divided country.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate celebrated his appointment by donning an apron and tucking into a sausage outside his office.

"This is something that can unite us. It is so proudly South African, so uniquely South African," he said.

Braai Day takes place on September 24, which is also National Heritage Day.

Organiser Jan Scannell said the idea was not to have a mass braai, but rather many small ones with friends and family.

'Wonderful institution'

"There are so many things that are pulling us apart, this has a wonderful potential to bring us all together," Archbishop Tutu told reporters on Wednesday.

"We have 11 different official languages but only one word for the wonderful institution of braai: in Xhosa, English, Afrikaans, whatever," he said.

Sometimes I am surprised when people say, 'You are our patron'

Archbishop Tutu

"We've shown the world a few things. Let's show them that ordinary activities like eating can unite people of different races, religions, sexes... short people, tall people, fat people, lean people," he added.

The retired Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, who won the Nobel Prize in 1984 for his anti-apartheid struggle, continues to speak out against injustice at home and abroad.

He is linked to a peace foundation and HIV and TB centres, and he is patron to a number of organisations, including children's hospitals, hospices, nutrition clinics, orphanages and a soccer team.

Darn! It's past 1 in the morning now and this blogpost has made me hungry. Where the heck am I gonna find me a hotdog made of beef boerewors sausage?

I'm sorry....

2007-08-15T02:06:00.000+08:00

"Aside from that, I can think of no other words. Yet, I know that despite the infinite times I echo those words, nothing will bring you back. I'm so sorry.

It's been more than 2 days now since that tragic accident. An extremely haunting period for one to live through. The depression is filled with much mixed emotions, and all of it is entirely guilt and remorse. Absolute.

Forgive me, Father. I have sinned. Whether I had intended or not intended for it, I have taken a life that I had no right to take. I didn't know. I could not possibly have known that it was lying on the ground beneath the car. Regardless of the price, Father Lord, I will gladly answer for it if it means redeeming that poor soul into your everlasting Kingdom. Please Lord, by your grace, I ask of you.

Amen."

This guilt ridden note is written consequent of me unwittingly running over a baby kitten while reversing my vehicle two days ago. The animal endured much suffering and pain before dying within a few minutes.

Another Malaysian politician talk cock

2007-07-16T19:38:00.000+08:00

Aiyoo...!!! Not another mindless politician uttering nonsense (see below). Beh tahan liao. Lord, have mercy.

Senator Proposes Relocation To Solve KL Flood Woes

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- A senator Monday proposed that Kuala Lumpur be relocated to solve the problem of perennial flash floods in the federal capital.

Senator Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said that geographically Kuala Lumpur was located in a valley and exposed to floods as the densely populated city was becoming more congested.

"Rather than spending billions of ringgit on flood mitigation which have yet to be proven effective, why not relocate the capital and name it `ibu kota tanpa lumpur' (capital city without mud)?" he said, much to the delight of members of the Dewan Negara.

Dr Mohd Puad referred to the massive flood in the capital on June 30 and said he attributed it to the failure of the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) to drain off the floodwaters.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Territories Ministry Yew Teong Lock said the floods occurred two weeks before the SMART facility was completed and that as such it could not be deemed ineffective.

"According to Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Drainage and Irrigation Department, the SMART facility, which was commissioned recently, can prevent massive flooding in Kuala Lumpur," he said.

Replying to a supplementary question, from Senator G.K. Loga Chitra, Yew said no compensation would be given to shopkeepers who suffered losses due to the floods because it was a natural disaster.

To Loga Chitra's original question, he said plans to overcome flash floods in Kuala Lumpur entailed short-term measures such as regular maintenance of rivers and drains as well as long-term measures such as upgrading of drains, and building more retention ponds and flood control pump stations.

-- BERNAMA

As an aside, GE seems to be coming up soon. Hope the electorate will be more matured in who they vote in this time. Adoi..!!! Now it seems that I'm the one talking cock. Malaysian voters matured? Too early in the day for me to be daydreaming, I suppose. ;)

Human Transformers

2007-07-04T15:17:00.001+08:00

aiyoo, my God. these people are as the hokkiens will say, "chiak beh tua".

2007-05-05T02:31:00.000+08:00

WHAT TYPE OF CHRISTIAN AM I?
PROTESTANT NON-FUNDAMENTALIST You are a Non-fundamentalist Protestant. You don't really have a lot of formalized clergy. Your worship is pretty free in terms of what and how you worship. You love the Bible. Your pastor preaches almost an hour. You don't receive Communion all that often and you don't really care to either. Jesus is your life and you pray to Him a lot like He's your brother.
Take The Quiz Now!	Quizzes by myYearbook.com

This predictor is "so-so" only leh. Two parts were inaccurate. Here's why:

My pastor DOES NOT preach for a whole hour; he only clocks up three quarters of that at best, but this is probably due to the deep rooted subconscious Anglican Communion inclined type of Christian in him (;P); which, depending on what the occasion is, can be a tad too long, especially for sleep deprived kitties like yours truly. Ermm.... HINT! HINT! Hehe... ;)
Meow-meows do receive of and also, greatly believe in the Holy Communion. Of course they do. If not, how else can one explain why is it that all of us felines can so easily obtain the "LULUS" seal of approval on our visa applications to enter Heaven when our time here on Earth is done (Note: read my earlier post below). Sadly, I have to report that dumb canines also enjoy the same privileges. It's just "so-so-so" not fair. Sigh.... :<

What does my birthdate mean?

2007-05-05T01:44:00.000+08:00

Now, am I really, really all of the below?

Birthdate: 31st August

You're a pretty traditional person.
If it's lasted, it's probably good.
You seek stability - both in your career and your romantic relationship.
In return, you're very loyal and predictable.
Which is usually a good thing.
Without a partner, you feel lost.
Being with someone is very important to you.

Your strength: Your dependability
Your weakness: You hate being alone
Your power color: Midnight blue
Your power symbol: Shell
Your power month: April

Click here to check on your birth date

A Meow of Noble Descent.....

2007-05-04T02:39:00.000+08:00

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
His Grace Lord Millemeow the Kind of Mousehole by Sea
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Another of the Rev's playthings.
How apt the mention of the word mouse? Purr....fect.... ;)

Liverpool FC: You'll Never Walk Alone

2007-05-02T10:42:00.000+08:00

"Mourinho insist better team was knocked out???"

Oh, for crying out loud, would you shut up already, Mr. Mourinho? The fact is you've not earned your ticket to Athens, and you keep reinforcing to the rest of the world what a pitiful bad loser you are. Enough said.

The Parody Motivator Generator

2007-05-02T09:56:00.000+08:00

The Parody Motivator Generator

Amongst other things that the Reverend has introduced in his blog (see Frequently Visited: Sivin Kit's Garden) the last couple of days, I picked this one up. It looks mildly fun.

As an aside, after seeing the outcome that he has had with the others, I think I'll give the nerdy TV character Heroes and the very chillingly scary Paloozahead a miss though. ;)

Acknowledgement

2007-04-17T03:37:00.000+08:00

A further search on Google revealed the following:

Our Deepest Fear
by Marianne Williamson
from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

The Dude....

2007-04-17T01:44:00.000+08:00

I've always liked Samuel L. Jackson, the actor. There's always an intensity and a high degree of masochist grit to each of the roles that he portrays (save for that cheesy character of Jedi Master Mace Windu).

So I reached home tonight a little after 9, flicked the tube on, and there he was on HBO; the Dude himself. This time he was Coach Carter, a high school basketball coach with unorthodox means. I hadn't caught this one when it was released way back then; though I did have some inkling that it was based upon an actual person who lived on the other side of the planet. So I planted myself comfortably down on the sofa to be entertained for the next 90 minutes or so (minus the soda, the popcorn and the potato crisps coz hey, this isn't TGV, you know?).

Now, here's the twist for me. At the end of the show, though stellar as Sammy's performance was, I think another character nicked the best lines to the movie. That would probably explain why my thoughts kept wandering back to this one particular scene. It involved what one of his charges in the movie had recited, and I simply couldn't resist the urge to Google it. It goes like this....

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking,
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were all meant to shine, as children do.
It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."

Now, how's that for a super dose of self-empowerment. Or as a pastor well known to me recently said, "Cowabunga!" ;)

Animals go to heaven too....

2007-04-11T22:38:00.000+08:00

An address in the Lord's kingdom

24 hours ago, in some kopitiam somewhere, a group of Christ followers sat down with a Reverend for supper (or was that dinner? NVM.) To some, this will probably sound even a little irreverent but somewhere in the midst of sharing, someone had said that animals go to heaven too when their time in this temporal world is done. Yes, yes, I know. I can hear it all the way from here too. The sound of a bobtailed zealot Christian going "What the f***??"

Anyway, "Yo bro', peace be with you too!" (not that I'd give a toss about what you think) but for those who likes animals like me-self, it gladdened my heart when I heard that statement. Coincidentally, only just a few days ago, I had gone into a Christian bookstore when I inadvertently caught a glimpse of something that caused me to backtrack 2 steps for a second look. It was a bookmark. Printed on it was a picture of 2 demure looking cats; one of which looked very similar to my beloved late Millemeow (darn, I miss that cat so much). It was just one look and I don't know what moved inside of me but I found myself uttering the words "Oooo..he's made it to heaven." And you know what? Forgive me for my self-indulgence but I felt comforted in that instance. Very, very.

So, call me "mou liu" or "sot plug" but as I sat down tonight reflecting on those 2 coincidences, I could not help but think of how kind God has been by creating this therapeutic space for me; by allowing these thoughts to form and to take shape so that I will have some means of closure. Thank you, Father.

By the way, the bookmark somehow found its way to the cashier's till and into Zhie Zhie's care, Mille. Maybe now she may find peace and be "complete" with her loss of you too. And if she did as I pray that she would, a blessed Easter this will certainly be indeed.

Amen.

The Easter bunny gift.....

2007-04-09T07:08:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday marked the beginning of the joyous Easter season. You can sense an air of festivity about it, and yours truly was very much in a gay mood over it; and with good reasons too.

The first was that I had reached my 1st year milestone as a reborn Christian; though not unscathed. Carrying the invisible mark of the cross on my forehead throughout that year, I was "roughed" up a little during the 1st half of the year but then as God's grace would have it, I was also allowed to be "polished" up a little as well in the latter stages. Hmmm... All in all, it's not been a bad year at all for a newbie Christ follower. Thank you Abba, for all the lessons that you have taught me and will continue to teach me. :)

But then I digressed; for the intention of today's article was not meant for self-celebration. Instead, most notably, it's meant to illuminate the rebirth of my 2 new Godsisters, Choo Ki and Parri; for whom I am certain that God will be please with. And how apt that they were chosen to be baptised on the same day as the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28

*Thanks Bob, for unknowingly providing me with this perfect chapter and verse a half hour ago. ;) The Lord is good and He provides for me. Amen.

** Ooops...left out a word of thanks to big Al-"bert" for supplying the pics. Sorry ar. Hehe... :)

End of Lent.....

2007-04-09T01:57:00.000+08:00

Lent has ended. Whoopee!!!

Huh??? Whoopee??? This ought to confound the diehard Christians a little. Hehe... ;)

Not that I've fasted or held any indulgence in abeyance over the last 40 days (though I did try to curb my dependency on tobacco; for which, I'm sad to report that I've failed miserably again for the umpteenth time), but Lent is not exactly a period of "easy living", especially when church sermons and/or the diehard bunch keeps "quietly" reminding one about it; or worse, it becomes ingrained into one's subconsciousness. Akin a pesky fly swirling over decomposing flesh. Eeewww... yucks!

As an aside, that last metaphor reminded me of the Monkey God swotting away the fly scene from a Stephen Chow movie titled "A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box". An absolute riot that movie was. Hehe... :D

I know, I know. I've a warped sense of humour. So please indulge this sinner and go with my flow. If not, you may deem this as a nonsensical piece and stop reading it.

Onwards.

So as I was afore implying, Lent is not the easiest of period within the Christian calendar year for a Christian to be living in. Don't do this, can't do that, refrain, abstain, dll. As a reborn yearling, I'm half clueless about the key answers to this. An absolute donkey, I am, I admit. Maybe it's time to engage in more theological studies. Delve into "intellectual masturbation" (IM), so said my pal Al (sorry dude, I just can't help dragging your name into this but this terminology is far too descriptive and to much of a hoot to be left out.) :D

But seriously folks, would more reading and learning help? Far too often for someone like me, the greater the overload of information attained from devouring "deep" books, the more inane (or insane) I become. Thoughts become clouded, choices irrational and judgment erratic. I'll choke. The thing is I'll probably become far too embroiled in the "fluff" of the philosophy than to embrace the more important aspect of practising it. Worse, I may not even possess the required rudimentary foundation for grasping it in the first place. And so what happens next due to this unwarranted overzealouness is that I fall over the edge, plant a seed within myself to develop a 1st class skill for ranting, and eventually "de-church" myself and enrol into the darkside of the realm of Darth Vaders (or in this case, the pinky Hello Kitty Darths).

Ok, ok. This is not a pretty picture....and the pink is a very scary thought for a piece of macho skybalonhead like me. So with that, we can safely scratch this option off.

Ok. What next then? What are the alternatives for me and those like me? Well, this is what I think is open and available. For starters, let's begin by believing in ourselves. That we do not need to be armed by reading tons of literature to adequately fortify ourselves before we can start the simple task (yes, it's very simple actually) of spreading the Good News for others. Believe it or not but a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there existed a school of thought that we begin best by beginning from where we are now and who we are now. That one need not be equipped by a vast ocean of God speak in order to touch the life of another and leave it better than when we found it. So, let's not give ourselves reasons that we can use to bind and stop ourselves. Let's not presume that without formal training or an overdose of theology, that we are handicapped from answering the Lord's calling. The Lord God has His reasons for everything that happens in each of everyone's lifetime. Who we are is just His instrument for making it happen; to bear and deliver His message.

Oh, by the way, when I made mention about a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was making reference to a period in time from the past that is slightly more than 2k years ago. Back then, there was this bloke called Jesus, who by tapping the "source" of love that is within His heart, started a ministry where He miraculously touched the lives of countless many. Not too bad for someone with no formal training, huh? ;)

Enough said. Tap your source. Go touch someone's life.

Happy Easter, everyone.

Warmly yours,
An IM-less donkey

Sure has been a long time...

2007-04-07T01:17:00.000+08:00

As the title implies, I have been absent for a while now. I'm not a quintessential blogger anyway. I only write when I'm inspired, and these days, very, very few things inspire me.....except God and.....ermm....??? Okay. Maybe I should leave this part out.

I scooted off to Camerons with my pastor and another couple of church friends a week ago for a visit to an Orang Asli (OA) village. Returned the next day and a few days later, the Reverend sent me mail asking for my thoughts regarding the trip. So this posting is just to share a little about the trip. Anyway, this was how I replied.

What were your immediate thoughts and impressions after the visit?
Personally, this had been quite a revealing trip. Maybe it was catalyze by the company (read: fellowship) of you 3 other guys that kept me in the spiritual mode; and for that, I am very thankful.

Revisiting the OA village a second time, I learnt a lot more about myself as I learnt more about the former as individuals, as a group and as a community. Although much was not voiced out by them during conversations, I do sense some of their worries flowing undercurrent. I cannot know for certain what it may be. Could be it may be partly caused by the fact that their village population is beginning to dwindle (afterall, they are down to only 12 families living there now); maybe they are partly concerned over what the future holds for their next generation? Maybe other stuff, etc?

I very much enjoyed the overnight discussion we had at Lakeview. Certainly I must have savored it, for if not, I don’t think I could be kept awake till 5 o’clock in the morning. Besides, how often does one get to keep the company and pick the brain of his church pastor for some spiritual guidance and wisdom? Hehehe… ;)

Where did you "see" or "sense" God at work at Batu 20?
Maybe because I’m a “kaypoh” by nature, I think I was the first among us who walked to the back of the village where the church was located. And boy, was I surprised by the sight before me. Back from when I first visited the camp during BLC’s Aug/Sep ’06 Camerons retreat; back from when the church was nothing more than a zinc roof over four stilts with an earthen floor; I was stunned by what stood in front of me. Fui-yoo! My fellow BLC-ians should see it again now. God’s finished article.

Notwithstanding the visual impact, there were other instances. For one, how can one not remember to mention Pastor Timah for her dedication and commitment to the Lord’s calling? This lady’s ministry actually involve administering to 3 different churches in Cameron Highlands. Oh by the way, that’s the least of the things that she does that one should be impressed by. Wanna know how she moves around all 3 sites? Sites from which distance is not measured by the few hundred yards but by miles? No car. No motorbike. Just the pair of feet that she was born with. Personally, I can’t help but be awed as I watched her walked home after we bade our goodbyes. And yet, townfolks like us b**** about having to climb a few flights of stairs. Sigh….

How has this trip impacted you in anyway?
A recurring question kept popping up whenever I reflected over this trip…and it made me remorseful (and yet, grateful) in a certain way. The question is not important. What’s important is the realization to what that was asked, and that was “Why do we keep asking God for more when we already have so much?” Coincidentally, I read a friend’s (and soon to be God sister-in-Christ) blog posting today titled “My Poor God” (www.minishorts.net). A part of what she had written probably reflects upon the said question. So, I’ll just copy and paste it here. You guys can think about it and come to your own conclusions.

“Many folk-religionists I know are a strange lot, because their version of God is rooted in modern-day materialistic tendencies. 'If you burn enough paper gold coins, God will be very happy with you. For Pai-Thee-Kong, for example, you can never burn lesser gold than you prepared for last year. You really don't want to make God angry and unhappy.' Pardon me but it sounds more like bribing some heavenly kingdom God to take care of you. I suppose it's probably a very M'sian culture, with money, anything can. Even making God happy can be done by paying money. Oh and it seems to be that when God is happy, you will get more money. Religious piety is represented by the exterior blessings God provides, if you strike lottery, for instance, God has cast His favour upon you. Fall sick, or get into an accident, for example, and the rationale is probably that you displeased the Gods.”

What do you "hear" God saying to you and to us?
“Can we do more?” Did God say that? I think so.

On the one hand, the OAs are a blessed lot in the sense that because they are free of luxury items, expectations for more does not exist for them. However, on a social platform, they are quite deprived of basic amenities. I was very, very encouraged when I learnt that the church hall doubles up as a school classroom for the young ones; the OAs’ hope for tomorrow. But I was saddened when I discovered that these kids have no proper furniture or materials to aid them. They don’t even have a blackboard. And I’m naturally assuming that they are learning to read and write by sitting on the floor of the church hall. Imagine having to crouch over just to practice how to write.

Once again Abba Father, forgive me….but I feel ashamed for asking and wanting more.

Just some random remarks...

2006-10-20T14:17:00.000+08:00

Happy Holidays???
Not likely. Workwise, I have a bit of firefighting to do (ie. 3 working papers to finish over 9 days). Frightening but true. My holidays are pretty much screwed. :(

Post-Convalescence
Been back at work 2 days. Still trying to get the old motor to kick in; albeit, successful only to a slight degree. My neuro's still haywired. The fever must have blown a few fuses here and there. No worries. My body's maintenance crew has started work. Conducting diagnostics on my braincells even as I write. ;)

The Celebration of Discipline...Fasting...
Am trying to exercise this discipline diligently on 2 counts; smoking and... somebody. Daunted and struggling either ways. Have to re-read the chapter again for further insights. Maybe prayers will help. O' Holy Spirit, come and visit upon me. Imbue in me the wisdom to do what's right. Bestow upon me the strength of our Almighty Father to be resilient. Tempt me not, dark forces. Be gone. In Jesus' name, I shall forever keep my faith. Amen.

Relapse

2006-10-17T14:21:00.000+08:00

Guess what? The chills came back again. Yuppers! I'm back to square 1. Fever and all. :(

#$!%#* the A/C in the office. The temp is probably more suited to the Eskimos. I wonder if my CEO is from Alaska.

Regardless, I'm signing off from work, amigos. CEO said to take the rest of the day off.

PEACE TO THE WORLD.
MERCY TO ME, MY MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

Feeling low....

2006-10-17T09:54:00.000+08:00

Been a long time since I wrote. Suddenly felt the urge for it this morning. Not for good reasons though. Something's bugging me. I'm feeling kinda low...

How Frail The Human Body?
I know not what it is. Maybe it's coz I've just recovered from illness. I hardly ever get sick but once in the bluest of moons when I do get struck down, I get REALLY, REALLY sick. The prescription drug is still running in my system. Wreaking havoc and affecting me in other indirect ways. No less is the discomfort of the lingering after-taste. Yuck!!

Did I Fail You, Father Lord?
I had to give last Sunday's worship a miss too. That could be the other factor that's broken me down. I don't like to miss my devotional time with God. I also don't care much for missing out on spending quality time with my church family. Much akin to breaking a link of a chain. Or missing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Oh, before I forget. A word of thanks to brother Ken Beng in this instance. If not for him standing in on my behalf, I'd have defaulted on my very first official church duty for BLC.

Was It Not Worth The Price?
Ok. Third (and last) reason to feel down. I made a proposition. The proposition was declined. I’ll add no more to this subject except to say that I understand what God wills for me in Eccl 6:9. Amen.

I'm Italian?

2006-05-11T14:51:00.000+08:00

You Are Italian Food

Comforting yet overwhelming.

People love you, but sometimes you're just too much.

What Kind of Food Are You?

A Night of Romanopoly

2006-05-07T05:22:00.000+08:00

Was at church (see BLC link) last night for some fun and games, and of course, lots of good food. Being potluck night in a country as diverse as ours, the spread was pretty interesting; ranging from Indian Thosai to some Chinese flavoured rice and to a serving of BBQ Buffalo Wings. Oh! And let's not forget the Berry's contribution of the Sicilian Chicken (and they're not even Italians). It would be unthinkably unMalaysian for it to be otherwise. Heavens forbid! Thank God for the infinitely unending crazy potpourri served up in this country.

For the first time ever, I was engaged in a hoot of a game called Romanopoly. Akin the more well known boardgame; albeit, with a twist, as this event was played out in "reality" with a full set of participants amidst the backdrop of a costumed Roman theme. It even had parallel similarities such as "Buying & Selling" in currency of 1 sen coins (ie. it was called trading, though IMHO, gambling would be a more appropriate word to describe the action), "Go To Jail" (ie. forced imprisonment) and "Bankruptcy" (ie. bonded slavery). I even made enough money from trading to buy me a slave. A very interesting experience actually. Hehehee... :)

Here's John in his costume. A part Roman, part Persian outfit. Have no idea what was Sienfeld's contribution in this though.

Poor Hoong Guit. The only person whom we could not bail out of prison. Despite much protracted negotiations with Airfoong, the Enemy Soldier (a real ugly character), she would not budge from her demand of 100 sen. It seems that man's greed knows no bounds. And so, ultimately, HG became the sole sacrificial lamb.

Besides those mentioned, there were two other main characters in the game; namely, Su Shen's role of the Empress, who generously dished out more currency to the public to feed the economy when her mood suited her (kinda reminded me of the mad Emperor who fiddled while Rome was set alight), and Ken Beng's character of the Slave Master (the best occupation ever invented by man), one who profited at every turn from engaging in the lucrative business of human bondage. The rest of us were only designated pilgrims. Overall, a wonderful night of fun and laughter in the company of my Christian brethrens. God bless all of you.

An Inspired Morning...

2006-05-02T05:46:00.001+08:00

I'm really beginning to accept that with age advancing, one's need for longer duration of sleep actually diminishes. What a curse! :(

I woke up early today. So early that it was still dark when I left home to go catch the morning sunrise. I normally do this before hitting Chinatown for my "yum char" ("dim sum" + tea drinking) session. While I was there doing my little meditation, I discovered something among my surroundings. And I wrote it down. My thoughts goes like this...

"I love mornings. I discovered why birds chirp so gaily at daybreak; they sing because they're thankful for another day of life. So, if you ever feel down about anything, spend a little time with our fine feathered friends at the crack of dawn of the next day. Let them remind you again of the constants in your life. That for each day as you live, there remains a promise of much more to come. With the little that they have, already they celebrate in wild abandonment. You have more. Cherish it."

Enjoy life. Celebrate life.

This inaugural posting is a tribute to my late cat, MilleMeow. Lost him a year ago. Deeply, deeply missed by all of us who knew him.