Well the weekend's here but wait a minute, what am I doing you ask? Well I'm right now sitting in my office doing a weekend duty of manning the data center. Sitting here I began to think on how things have changed. It's the weekend and people will be looking forward to it and planning on how to spend time but me, well I seem to enjoy working more...
Hmm...pretty weird though as I'm a self-confessed lazy slob who tries to talk his way out of working but things have certainly changed a lot now. I wasn't suppose to work at all this weekend but I don't know why I actually agreed to it. Partly could be due to the fact that my planned outing to JB had to be cancelled due to the worsening flood situation there or the other reason is feeling pity on John who had to work 2 days in a row this weekend. Which ever it is, it made me think.
Before this when I was living in Yishun, I would loathe working on weekends as I had to travel halfway around Singapore to get to Pantech21 but now that I'm in Jurong East which is much closer, I don't mind much. Looking at these facts have given me the answer as to why I have changed, and the answer is change itself.
Yeah in Yishun the place was rather lively and you wouldn't feel bored but here the place is rather dead and not to mention that the place I live in currently does not give me the feeling of solitude that I normally look for. To escape the clutches of uneasiness, I found an escape route in work. People hearing this would seriously think that I'm a sicko but hey you got to do what gives you pleasure and peace of mind.
All this would not be for long as end of this month I'll be moving back to Yishun again. I keep my fingers crossed that it won't turn out equally boring for me again.
Until then, take care and chiao
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Merdeka - A view from my perspective...
Sitting here in my new environment on the night of 30th August 2007 at 9.45pm in a home away from home in Singapore, I begin to think on to some things that I have taken for granted in the past. The more I think of it the more I begin to feel a longing for my motherland, Malaysia. Tomorrow will be her 50th birthday, 50th year released from the clutches of the colonialist and 50 years of freedom - a fact that I used to take for granted but now beginning to sink in.
It is now that I begin to ask myself the same question that the late President JF Kennedy asked the American public - "Ask not what the country has done for you but ask what have you done for the country" - a question that I feel a burning desire to answer. It is true that when you are away from someone or some place it is then you begin to realize how important the person or place really means to you. For me it is now that I begin to realize that Malaysia has been and will always be the place I call home no matter where I may go in this world.
Many people have the clichéd thought leaving Malaysia is the best thing they could have chosen in life and let me make myself clear on this - as I don't want to be looked upon as a hypocrite - it was never in my dreams that I wanted to leave Malaysia as it has been a place that gave me the identity that I carry around today no matter where I go. I had to leave as it was an opportunity for me to gain some much needed knowledge in my field of career which I hope to develop and expand before returning to serve my motherland some day soon. The grass may always be greener on the other side but it will never give you the same feeling of belonging as on this side; what you feel is something artificial and can never be real, just like genetically engineered products make you feel it is better but never the same feel you get from the old fashioned produced product.
Malaysia may have changed and taken many steps forward by leaps and bounds but there are certain matters that we seem to have taken a few steps backward. The most visible is racial relations. I still don't get it how a nation that used to be so united and see each other as brothers and sisters suddenly become so estranged from one another. How this came to be can never be explained as the reasons can be so diverse that some may border on the very sensitive of issues. Normally our leaders demand tolerance towards one another but in my opinion tolerance is not what we need, we need the spirit of brotherhood to be reforged. Where you and I see each other for not what color we are nor what status we are but see the person deep inside, the heart of the person. If there is one wish I have, it is for our nation to go back to the days of brotherhood, the times we call ourselves Malaysians not by race - Malay, Chinese, Indian etc but when you and I accept each other and call ourselves Malaysian.
Tonight at the stroke of mid-night, the fireworks will lit up the sky as everyone revels in the celebration of nationhood but sadly I won't be around to be part of it. I will be a spectator who watches from afar knowing that one day I will be there celebrating and when the Jalur Gemilang is hoisted to the rhythm of Negaraku, I will be singing with full of pride and honour.
The time is 10.30pm right now, another 1hour 30minutes to show time. To my beloved mother land, Malaysia, I wish you happy birthday and in this moment of solitude, pray that as a nation, we move forward with greater belief and co-operation, love and care for fellow Malaysians regardless of race, colour and creed. Merdeka!!! Merdeka!!! Merdeka!!!
Gemilang, Terbilang, Malaysiaku Cemerlang - 50 years of nationhood
It is now that I begin to ask myself the same question that the late President JF Kennedy asked the American public - "Ask not what the country has done for you but ask what have you done for the country" - a question that I feel a burning desire to answer. It is true that when you are away from someone or some place it is then you begin to realize how important the person or place really means to you. For me it is now that I begin to realize that Malaysia has been and will always be the place I call home no matter where I may go in this world.
Many people have the clichéd thought leaving Malaysia is the best thing they could have chosen in life and let me make myself clear on this - as I don't want to be looked upon as a hypocrite - it was never in my dreams that I wanted to leave Malaysia as it has been a place that gave me the identity that I carry around today no matter where I go. I had to leave as it was an opportunity for me to gain some much needed knowledge in my field of career which I hope to develop and expand before returning to serve my motherland some day soon. The grass may always be greener on the other side but it will never give you the same feeling of belonging as on this side; what you feel is something artificial and can never be real, just like genetically engineered products make you feel it is better but never the same feel you get from the old fashioned produced product.
Malaysia may have changed and taken many steps forward by leaps and bounds but there are certain matters that we seem to have taken a few steps backward. The most visible is racial relations. I still don't get it how a nation that used to be so united and see each other as brothers and sisters suddenly become so estranged from one another. How this came to be can never be explained as the reasons can be so diverse that some may border on the very sensitive of issues. Normally our leaders demand tolerance towards one another but in my opinion tolerance is not what we need, we need the spirit of brotherhood to be reforged. Where you and I see each other for not what color we are nor what status we are but see the person deep inside, the heart of the person. If there is one wish I have, it is for our nation to go back to the days of brotherhood, the times we call ourselves Malaysians not by race - Malay, Chinese, Indian etc but when you and I accept each other and call ourselves Malaysian.
Tonight at the stroke of mid-night, the fireworks will lit up the sky as everyone revels in the celebration of nationhood but sadly I won't be around to be part of it. I will be a spectator who watches from afar knowing that one day I will be there celebrating and when the Jalur Gemilang is hoisted to the rhythm of Negaraku, I will be singing with full of pride and honour.
The time is 10.30pm right now, another 1hour 30minutes to show time. To my beloved mother land, Malaysia, I wish you happy birthday and in this moment of solitude, pray that as a nation, we move forward with greater belief and co-operation, love and care for fellow Malaysians regardless of race, colour and creed. Merdeka!!! Merdeka!!! Merdeka!!!
Gemilang, Terbilang, Malaysiaku Cemerlang - 50 years of nationhood
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Malaysian football - What the future holds?
Uzbekistan 5 Malaysia 0....... not a very heartwarming scoreline that. This is the current state of a once Asian footballing power house. We are no more the power we once were and I don't ever see that happening. Day by day, the standard just keeps deteriorating and all the efforts by the governing body FAM seems to have come to a naught. Pathetic display from so called professional footballers who play in the Malaysian Super League (MSL). The only thing super seems to be the big pay checks this over grown babies seem to take home. There is no pride what so ever when they pull on the national jersey. There is no commitment, fighting spirit nor interest to prove that they can take the nation back to its heyday of footballing prowess.
All the legends - Super Mokh, Soh Chin Aun, V. Arumugam, Santokh Singh and etc will be looking on in utter disbelieve at the current state of affairs. At their time, there was no big fat paychecks or modern facilities like that of now but when they played, the pride of the nation took centre stage. There was always a never say die attitude that enabled Malaysia to be a truly power house in Asia. Teams like Japan, Korea, Thailand and others were the whipping boys and we could take them apart for fun. Nowadays it seems those whipping boys could dismantle us in a matter of minutes. Thats how bad we've become. Nations that picked up the game after us have prospered and gone on to greater heights but we seem to have taken many steps back.
What was our last big achievement? The gold medal at the 1989 SEA Games, thats all. Nowadays we can't even go far in regional competitions. The AFF Cup has been held for about 8 times and how many times have we been finalists? Our neighbour down south, Singapore have won the competition 3 times and are the current title holders after back-to-back wins. Singapore were once the minnows but now they are miles ahead in terms of playing capability.
The scoreline at the beginning is from the match at the ongoing Asian Cup tournament. The tournament is being co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The other co-hosts seem to be doing a good job of playing good football in front of their fans but sadly our country seems to be the most pathetic. Hammered in the first match by China for 5 goals and then again yesterday they shipped in 5 goals against the Uzbeks.
The current scenario does not augur well for the national team. Something has to be done and fast. A concerted effort has to be in place to take the nation back to the halcyon days of the Super Mokh and gang. For starters, I would suggest that the current national team setup be disbanded. Drop all the current crop as they do not have the heart to carry the pride of a nation. There should be a nation wide search for new talents to be nurtured and gradually bled into the national setup. There is no point if millions are gonna be spent on the players but they end up more interested in self gains rather than putting the nation first before self. Once you can prove that you can bring success to the nation, then only will you be rewarded. That should be the way from now onwards.
To Malaysian football, there is still hope provided we get the right people to manage and the proper players who have the hunger to achieve and carry the hopes of a nation on their backs.
All the legends - Super Mokh, Soh Chin Aun, V. Arumugam, Santokh Singh and etc will be looking on in utter disbelieve at the current state of affairs. At their time, there was no big fat paychecks or modern facilities like that of now but when they played, the pride of the nation took centre stage. There was always a never say die attitude that enabled Malaysia to be a truly power house in Asia. Teams like Japan, Korea, Thailand and others were the whipping boys and we could take them apart for fun. Nowadays it seems those whipping boys could dismantle us in a matter of minutes. Thats how bad we've become. Nations that picked up the game after us have prospered and gone on to greater heights but we seem to have taken many steps back.
What was our last big achievement? The gold medal at the 1989 SEA Games, thats all. Nowadays we can't even go far in regional competitions. The AFF Cup has been held for about 8 times and how many times have we been finalists? Our neighbour down south, Singapore have won the competition 3 times and are the current title holders after back-to-back wins. Singapore were once the minnows but now they are miles ahead in terms of playing capability.
The scoreline at the beginning is from the match at the ongoing Asian Cup tournament. The tournament is being co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The other co-hosts seem to be doing a good job of playing good football in front of their fans but sadly our country seems to be the most pathetic. Hammered in the first match by China for 5 goals and then again yesterday they shipped in 5 goals against the Uzbeks.
The current scenario does not augur well for the national team. Something has to be done and fast. A concerted effort has to be in place to take the nation back to the halcyon days of the Super Mokh and gang. For starters, I would suggest that the current national team setup be disbanded. Drop all the current crop as they do not have the heart to carry the pride of a nation. There should be a nation wide search for new talents to be nurtured and gradually bled into the national setup. There is no point if millions are gonna be spent on the players but they end up more interested in self gains rather than putting the nation first before self. Once you can prove that you can bring success to the nation, then only will you be rewarded. That should be the way from now onwards.
To Malaysian football, there is still hope provided we get the right people to manage and the proper players who have the hunger to achieve and carry the hopes of a nation on their backs.
50 years ago on towards the next 50
Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! The holy phrase that was uttered 31 times by the late Tunku in the morning of August 31st 1957 at Stadium Merdeka - so named for the occasion it was purpose built - brought joy to a nation that had just been born. Malays, Chinese and Indians packed into the 45000 seater stadia to celebrate a new free, independent nation. That was the beginning of a new era for our forefathers in the development and upbringing of an infant nation. It took many great minds and a painstakingly planned constitution to enhance a better sense of respect, love and care for one another in this land of many opportunities.
After a hard fought battle and countless amounts of talks with our then British rulers, Tunku Abdul Rahman and his associates from the Alliance party at that time managed to set us free from the binds of the white man and allow us to plan our own destiny into the future. As a leader he sought the ideas and support from the leaders of the other communities that were now part of Malaya to work hand in hand and carry the nation forward. Plans were put in place to ensure that no one was left behind as the path to development and self sustenance gathered full steam ahead.
All races came together irrespective of language, colour, creed or class to help in the building blocks of our nation. There was no prejudice or racism, everyone were seen as fellow brothers and sisters in this new nation. Poverty was eradicated and there were no more people who starved, everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of success that came with each passing year.
In 1963, Malaya became Malaysia with the addition of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore(seperated to become independent in 1965). Leadership of the great ship changed hands with the transition of time. New leaders continued where the Tunku left and also brought about their own new ideas to further develop the nation and give it a standing in the international stage.
Today we stand tall with many achievements and firsts in the world. We have the tallest building in the world, the most modern racing circuit in the world and many other achievements that have made the world stop and notice this small nation of 25 million in awe. We are the living proof that different culture and believes need not live in trouble, war and conflicts. We are a cultural potpourri that has the genetic make up of many races which in turn makes us unique.
This year we mark our 50th year of nationhood in style as we say to the world, we may still be young but we have a maturity that is far beyond our age. To my beloved Malaysia, I salute you as I look forward to another 50 years of success and achievements that take us into the new millennium developed, strong and resourceful.
To my Malaysia, I say this - Malaysia Boleh!!!
- A special tribute to my beloved home, Malaysia, 50 years ago towards the next 50 -
After a hard fought battle and countless amounts of talks with our then British rulers, Tunku Abdul Rahman and his associates from the Alliance party at that time managed to set us free from the binds of the white man and allow us to plan our own destiny into the future. As a leader he sought the ideas and support from the leaders of the other communities that were now part of Malaya to work hand in hand and carry the nation forward. Plans were put in place to ensure that no one was left behind as the path to development and self sustenance gathered full steam ahead.
All races came together irrespective of language, colour, creed or class to help in the building blocks of our nation. There was no prejudice or racism, everyone were seen as fellow brothers and sisters in this new nation. Poverty was eradicated and there were no more people who starved, everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of success that came with each passing year.
In 1963, Malaya became Malaysia with the addition of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore(seperated to become independent in 1965). Leadership of the great ship changed hands with the transition of time. New leaders continued where the Tunku left and also brought about their own new ideas to further develop the nation and give it a standing in the international stage.
Today we stand tall with many achievements and firsts in the world. We have the tallest building in the world, the most modern racing circuit in the world and many other achievements that have made the world stop and notice this small nation of 25 million in awe. We are the living proof that different culture and believes need not live in trouble, war and conflicts. We are a cultural potpourri that has the genetic make up of many races which in turn makes us unique.
This year we mark our 50th year of nationhood in style as we say to the world, we may still be young but we have a maturity that is far beyond our age. To my beloved Malaysia, I salute you as I look forward to another 50 years of success and achievements that take us into the new millennium developed, strong and resourceful.
To my Malaysia, I say this - Malaysia Boleh!!!
- A special tribute to my beloved home, Malaysia, 50 years ago towards the next 50 -
Saturday, May 27, 2006
End of an era .....
At last I found the time to write something ......... no no no, its me pouring what ever that has been in my heart all this while. Today was the last of my exams for this trimester which also ends officially for me. Hmmm ...... a lot has happened in this semester alone that easily equals all that has happened in the past. This is the semester that I was supposed to graduate from MMU but sadly due to some mistake in my past, I've gotta remain here for another semester. That is fine by me but the matter that deeply saddens me is that all my friends will be leaving. All are taking the next step in life - working - while I'm left behind. It's not that I'm envious or anything but it hurts considering that we enrolled together but leave at different times. The great nights that we used to enjoy watching tv together or simply picking fights with one another are gone. The old clan of 383-G break up officially today. Along the way, Raj and Barathi left first due to personal reasons. Manika and Prasad are gonna graduate and make the step up in life while Melvin leaves for Cyber. That only leaves me all alone back here as the remaining member. Those days of yore will forever be etched in my heart no matter where I end up after this or who ever I may become in life. We were more than friends, we were a band of brothers that had our own way of having fun. We cared not what others thought or said cos to us, we were leading our lifes the way we wanted in our jolly little abode 383-G. But now those days are gone, well nothing lasts forever but the memories will stay fresh forever.
On another note, this semester has been one where I seen many ups and downs, with the downs far outweighing the ups. My FYP got rejected and I've gotta redo it next semester. That was a great blow to me. Recollecting and thinking back at the way things have gone, I feel really disappointed in myself.
Ok ok I don't wanna sound too pathetic. To all brothers I wish you good luck in ur future undertakings and somehow I hope we do get the chance to meet every once in a while. Now it's only me left but luckily there's Wafi too around so I guess I won't be feeling so lonely after all.
On that note, I sign off here wishing everyone all the best and looking forward to charting my very own future.
On another note, this semester has been one where I seen many ups and downs, with the downs far outweighing the ups. My FYP got rejected and I've gotta redo it next semester. That was a great blow to me. Recollecting and thinking back at the way things have gone, I feel really disappointed in myself.
Ok ok I don't wanna sound too pathetic. To all brothers I wish you good luck in ur future undertakings and somehow I hope we do get the chance to meet every once in a while. Now it's only me left but luckily there's Wafi too around so I guess I won't be feeling so lonely after all.
On that note, I sign off here wishing everyone all the best and looking forward to charting my very own future.
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