My 100th post.

Writing, for me, is not something new. I have been writing since eons ago.Ok, so that might be an exaggeration, but you get the idea right? So why do I have this blog? I actually already some few blogs, such as my friendster blog, which I have been writing in since 2005. But suddenly I grew tired of it since not many of my friends even know how to blog at that time. So I left it untouched in 2006. Then, out of nowhere, in 2009, my friend Ijan told me that he has a blog that he had just started at that time. We were trainee teachers at that time and suddenly it struck to me that maybe I should have a new blog and started writing again. I started by writing about my experience being a trainee teacher at that time and as they say, the rest is history.

So here are some of my moments in writing this blog.

The most searched entry - About Juliana Evans in my dream. I blogged about it and alot of people who came into this blog were actually googling about her. Just imagine the traffic that I can get if this is a gossip website.Haha.

The entry that can always make me laugh, even now - It just shows how important it is to learn to spell something correctly.

The entry that was published in NST - I didn't write it with an intention to send it to the paper. Just trying it out of luck. Never thought that it would be published.

The most heartfelt entry, I guess - Apart from writing about current issues, I also wrote alot about the late Yasmin Ahmad. This might be a sad entry as this was the last entry about her.

Obe who? - It was an entry about Papadom movie review. Afdlin asked some of his fans in his facebook to post links of reviews to his wall. Obefiend posted my link on Afdlin's wall though I had no idea who he was at that time. So I guess I should be proud a popular blogger took his time to read my blog eh?

I might have slowed down in writing due to the nature of my work. But that doesn't mean I'm abandoning it altogether. I will still write and hopefully to the 1000th meaningful post.

Independency

People say that a language defines a society. Well, maybe that is true. Just look how French is used as a romantic language that we quickly associate the French people as people who are romantic. Or how we associate English as a language that is bound to help people in trading around the world. For those who have been reading my blog long enough, you would realise that I rarely write in Malay. It is not that I am not proud of my language, I am proud. It is just that I feel by writing in English, my writings can reach more audience around the world (though I know most of my readers are Malaysians). While I often write in English, it hurts me the most when people seem to be ignorant of the words that are available in Malay. For example, they think that when they introduce words that originate from English into Malay, their sentences or words would be more ‘globalized’, that they would be seen to be more complicated than other people when it is very obvious that there are other Malay words that are more suitable. For example, the word ‘apresiasi’, which comes from the word ‘appreciation’. There is already the word ‘penghargaan’, why can’t they just use that word?

Another example is the word ‘solusi’ which comes from the word ‘solution’, when it is already obvious that we already have the word ‘penyelesaian’ in Malay.

The latest word that cringe me the most is when it is used for this year’s Independence Day’s theme. This year’s theme is ‘ 1Malaysia Menjana Transformasi’. I just want to know who is the brilliant chap who coined this year’s theme. Was he inspired by the Transformers the movie? Why can’t they use the word ‘perubahan’ instead? I don’t mind if they want to use English, but make sure that the whole theme is in English such as 1Malaysia Generating Transformation rather than using some parts and pieces in English and then mix it up with Malay.

If a language defines a society, so what does this define us? A bunch of confused Malaysians? I hope not. I guess some part of us Malaysians is never really independent yet. Happy 53^rdIndependence Day folks.

p/s: I’ve just realized that this is my 99^th post. Maybe you guys can comment on which of my posts that you either like, dislike or can vividly remember ever since you start reading my blog. That would surely give me some ideas on what to write for my 100^th post. Thanks!

It Is Almost Ramadhan.

“God loves him more, right?” , one of his daughters asked my dad. My dad just agreed with what she said. Me? I just stood there, speechless.

I received a bad news last week that my uncle has passed away due to some health problems. As their house is just nearby here, I followed my parents to pay a visit. As we came into the house, his wife cried, relating what had happened on that fateful day. He was his usual self, without showing any symptoms. They were eating at a rest and relax stall when he had difficulty in breathing and collapsed.

Few days before that, he bought cooking stuffs as it is almost Ramadhan and they are selling cookies as their side income. When I came to their house, I could see the cooking utensils and all the materials were still stacked neatly at the kitchen. Seeing all that would wrench anyone’s heart.

Considering that it is almost Ramadhan and Aidilfitri, I dread to think what their celebration for this year would be like. It would not be the same anymore. Many of his children are still studying, the youngest is 3 years old. The youngest would just answer that his dad is at the hospital when people ask her where her dad is, oblivious to the fact that he is not there anymore.

People always say that you would only learn to appreciate things that you have lost. So I am glad that I still have my family to fast together and hopefully, to celebrate Aidilfitri together. So take care of yourself and happy fasting, love your loved ones.

Perception and Impression

I was talking to my students as they were doing the exercise that I gave them in class. As I was walking, looking at their work, I struck up a conversation with one of the students. He is from Afghanistan. We talked about his country as he related his experience being here in Malaysian and being in his own country. We also discussed about one of my favourite movie, which is about Afghanistan, The Kite Runner.



He told me many people were surprised when he said he is from Afghanistan. I asked him, why? He answered, " They thought those who are from Afghanistan would wear the turban, has long beard, which I am not." Well, I said, aren't most of them like that? Then he told me something that I never knew.

" Most of those people are not even from Afghanistan. They are outsiders, came into Afghanistan and ruled the country."

I was shocked. Then he continued, " If they know I am here and learning, I would be in big trouble. They would not want us to learn or to improve ourselves because they are afraid that we would be clever and try to get the country back from them." Then I remembered a story about a girl who was tortured just because she wanted to run away from people who abused her. She was featured in the front page of TIME Magazine.


You can read more about her here.

In my other class, I was giving them exercises and in one of the session, I asked them to give me an example of a developed country. I half-expected for most of them to say, US or England or whatever Europe country that you can think of when suddenly one of the student,an Algerian, without blinking an eye, said,

"Malaysia."

I was a bit embarrassed when he said that when I don't even consider my country as a developed country.

How we see other people and how we perceive them is important as sometimes we are being given the wrong information all this while. Some people have a hard time with their country but even with all the obstacles, they still return to their motherland as they cherish whatever is there even though it wont be the most ideal place. So love your country and whatever you have but at the same time try to improve and do not just content with whatever you have now. I love you Malaysia.

a bit patriotic here,it is the month of Independence, right?

To The Core

Everytime there is a problem with Muslims being opressed, there would be calls for us to boycott whatever that is produced by the Jewish companies or the Americans. Be it milk, toothpaste to electronic items. Sure, we can boycott, then they have less buyers, then their profits would crumble.


Then what?

It is actually about the economic problem and how it is problematic when we associate it with religion without actually knowing how to.

How many of you have been to the markets and people would try to sell you halal toothpaste, with a big halal wording on the toothpaste, giving it the Arabic look, with a hope that you would buy it? Or maybe when they try to sell you an eye-healing device, give it some Arabic wordings, then sell it to the masses. This is what we call, ladies and gentlemen, selling the religion itself. These people are actually selling something by associating it to the religion as they hope gullible buyer would succumb into the tactic as they are supporting something that actually promotes the religion.

As many of you would know, there are many brands that are actually associated with Jewish companies that whenever there is a boycott, these brands are the one targeted first. But let's wait for a while. How did the brands promote themselves? Did they put some Yiddish words on the cover, promoting for the Jewish people to buy it? No, they did not. They promoted it just like what other brands that are not associated with the Jewish companies did in promoting their stuffs. It is on a level playing field. Whereas here in Malaysia, we even put a halal logo on a toothpaste, which is in a way, trying to secure the market in the Muslim segment. I think that is like a cheap shot in a boxing match. If you want to promote your stuffs and they have a good quality, no matter whether you put a halal logo on it or not, they would still sell. So in a way, we are compromising ourselves economically. By playing on a level field, we will motivate and push ourselves to do better instead of just relying on a sure, tapped market.

A Muslim who is a businessman bought a very well known franchise which actually originated from the USA. He is on hold of the franchise business here in Malaysia. Suffice to say, he is like the owner of the franchise here. So one day, he was asked by an audience during a talk, why did he buy a company, which originated from the USA, which all of us know, are allied to the Israel? He just smiled, and answered,

" The problem here is not where the business comes from. Why do you keep on thinking where it came from? The problem here is we must think on how to conquer the business that is started there. This is just a start. Maybe one day, I will own the biggest shares for the worldwide franchise."

I have to rephrase the sentences, but you got the main point there, right? So what he is trying to say here, we should not really think where the business comes from, how long would the boycott lasts and everything. That is not the main concern here. What we should really think of is how we can improve ourselves and be better instead of just boycotting without any real solution to it.

Oh, and maybe not to sell our religion by using the mambo jumbo crap trick.

Gone But Not Forgotten

What we've got here is (a) failure to communicate - Cool Hand Luke

In one of my class, I asked my students about the Berlin Wall. Majority of them never even heard about it, which stopped me from asking further whether they even know about the East Germany and West Germany that are divided by the wall. History has never been a favourite subject for students as it is not being given the importance and recognition that it should get. I was reading an entry by saifulislam.com. He talked about how Prof. Khoo Kay Kim commented that Geography and History are not being given the preference in the education system. This leads to students studying Science and Maths subjects more so that they can score as many As that they can thus getting to study engineering or medicine. Undoubtedly, the profession that is being craved by the students, such as medicine, is a very noble and important profession. But at the same time, there is no balance between the left brain subjects and the right brain subjects. This leads to what saifulislam said, producing workers, but not thinkers. Arts and history actually help students to look at the aesthetic of life rather than what should be gained in life. Creative minds are being suppressed, I guess.

And now I know why.

I was taken aback when Deputy Finance Minister Awang Adek, said that the Pudu Prison has no significant importance in view of the impending construction of new commercial buildings on the site of the demolished Pudu Prison. Something as historic as the Pudu Prison has no significant importance? Wow, that is surely one way to teach our kids about history then. I went to the start of the demolition of the walls yesterday. There were many people who came and watched as the bulldozer demolished one part of the wall. That shows that there are many others who are still interested in watching the historic building being demolished, as a remembrance for the future. While development is a must and something must be sacrificed to make way for development, there should be something that is left from the historic Pudu Prison for the future generation to look at. At least one part of the wall should be preserved, just like one part of the A Famosa that is still standing as a tourist attraction and serves as a reminder of the past. Just because the land of the Pudu Prison is located at a prime place, commercialisation should not take place at the expense of education and history. There should be a strike of balance between them. But the world is never fair, thus the capitalists have their way and disregarding the opinion of the masses.



And they still dare to say that the youths do not appreciate history when the reason that it happens is because of the people in power prefer money over history. How many historic buildings must be demolished? How many Pudu Prison? How many Bok House until we realise that history plays a part in our life. This might sound like disappointment talking, but it is actually a hope, that one day, there will be people who realise that the development of people is more important than the development of commercialization which only benefits the few.

The Man I Ought To Be.

I know it is a bit late, but I had a lot to talk about as I was starting to write about my dad. I had to omit a lot of things due to time constraints. But, here goes.

My dad is the type who rarely talks about his work. When I was still in school, whenever people asked me about his job, he just told me to answer, "Ala,pegawai kerajaan je.(Just a government servant.)" Now that I'm in a working environment, I just got to know that his job is one of the highly regarded job that people would compete to get. He never told me how hard it is to get oneself into his profession, which I would say can be rewarding at times. He never bragged about his job, being humble is his choice, I guess. But now that I passed the exam to get myself into his profession, I can see that he is actually proud of me, which I gladly did.

He actually wanted me to become an engineer. I vividly remember the times where he would proudly claim," You're going to be an engineer one day " which I'm not right now. We had our arguments about the choices that I made of what I wanted to do, but I stood with my decision which though he reluctantly accepted at that time, I can see now that with the offers that I'm getting, I hope that I made him proud. We rarely had our bonding time with each other, but I know that he likes something that is related to current issues. So I trained myself to read a lot of newspapers and get myself updated with current issues so that we would have things to talk about. It worked, actually. We always have something to talk about. At the same time, it helped me in a way that I can talk about anything with anyone. I always have a topic to talk to. That actually builds up my rapport which is quite useful when you have to deal with a lot of people.

Not only that, he is actually one of my readers whenever I write something in my blog. At one time, he called me just to say that I made a grammar mistake in one of my postings. After pointing it out, he would proudly claim that his English is better than an English teacher (read: me). Oh, whatever.Haha. It is one thing to read my blog, but it is another when he promotes my blog to his friends. He even promoted my blog to one of his friends who is a chief editor of a news agency. Because of that, I was called for an interview and was offered a job as a journalist. Though I had to reject the job offer, I still owe it to him for promoting my blog, which I myself wont be doing as much as he did.

"It's ok, just make sure that you wont do the same mistake after this," my dad said to me.

You see, I was into trouble for a lot of time. So everytime I was in a deep shit, I would get the dont-do-it-again lecture from my dad which he would end with that sentence. Whenever I did something bad, the first thing that I would think about is him. I was very afraid of what he would say or do if he found out about what I did. I can still remember till now when I was a kid and I didnt want to take a bath, he chased me around the house just to get me to take my bath. He was quite strict when I was small but now that I'm grown up, he only told me to learn from my mistakes and not to repeat it again. In a way, I learned that whatever bad things that people did, try to forgive them and try to encourage them to learn from their mistakes rather than punishing them and condemning them for the rest of their life. It took me some time to realise what he tried to teach me so now when I can see that, I tried to be someone who is more forgiving towards others and to give others another chance to learn from their mistakes. It's not easy but it surely gives you self satisfaction which you can't get from all the riches in this world. That is my dad. My abah. He taught me that. So thank you abah, and happy father's day.