Blog back in business?

It's really been awhile, safe to say more than a year since I updated here. There's been many times that I was contemplating to update this blog again. I just procrastinated.

Actually it's no excuse, I was just plain lazy. I was busy at work, but hey, who isn't. Will try to start updating again. Maybe it can serve to record my memoirs here no matter how boring it may be.

So, what has happened over the past year? Well, ...
1. Moved to a new place. Closer to central than before. Many boast that it's a few stops to Orchard. Wow. But I hardly go there. Not even once a month, even in 2 months.

2. USA has a new president, of African American ethnicity, Time for change. Malaysia have a new Prime Minister, nothing new.

3. The recession hit last year. It's supposed to be recovering now, one year later. Is it? Hmmm .....

4. Ion Orchard opened this year. Great place. 2 sty LV flagship store. Orchard Central opened as well, looks like Sg Wang with great escalators.

5. Oh, got this new laptop. The old one finally gave way. Trade it in and save couple hundred RM.

Let's see when's my next update. See ya.

Latest updates

Have not updated for over a month now. Been really busy lately. Not only with work but a lot of stuff.

Firstly, I got a new job offer. Will be starting work some time in June 08.

Secondly, I just got back from Korea about 2 weeks ago. Was there for 8 days. Food was not to our taste. Eating Korean food once in a while taste good. But eating it everyday every meal kinda takes the kick out of it.

Thirdly, rushing up to clear my current work. That's one main reason why no blogging for over a month.

Lastly, need to look for a new place. Buying one this time. So if anyone got any place to recommend in SG, feel free to let me know.

Still on GE2008

Been reading some articles lately. Mostly on the political situation in Malaysia. The news sound more juicy than a romantic fiction novel or even the Obama-Clinton challenge.

Everyday there are articles about either UMNO complaining about losing the states to Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Or MCA claiming DAP betrayed the Chinese. Or Gerakan asking the opposition to return the states to BN.

My thoughts on this is ... GET ON WITH LIFE! F**k you lar. You f**king lost the elections, not because the opposition cheated, not because your candidate filled up a wrong form, but because you all F**KED UP. You neglected the people. You threatened the people. You back stabbed people. And now you want to come crying. F**k you lar. Instead of working to make right where you went wrong, you are crying over spilled milk. It means you never learned a f**king thing. F**K YOU. You expect me to vote for you? F**K YOU.

Next we have UMNO members calling for the resignation of Pak Lah. Wow. Suddenly, everyone thinks he's wrong. Suddenly, everyone feels that he's not the person for the post. Where the f**k were you all during these 4 years? Where the f**k were you all when the keris was raised? As I recalled, most of you were cheering to the keris. Where were you when the people complained about inflation?

You never made so much of a sigh. You all were behind this person, backing him, saying what he did was right, supported him. Because you never thought what happened was WRONG. You believed all that it was RIGHT to raise the keris. You believed that corruption was RIGHT. You believed that bullying the non-malays were RIGHT. Now the same members or party leaders say he's wrong and you want him to resign? F**K YOU.

Anwar's predicament is actually rather interesting. The reason Anwar is so strong is probably due to UMNO or Dr. M's own doing. By kicking Anwar out or getting rid of him, they have actually made him a even more dangerous and powerful symbol. If he was still with UMNO, probably he would be surrounded by cronies, apple polishers, etc. Now, he is surrounded by people who believe in him, justice and hope, people who don't gain contracts or monies by supporting him, people who are willing to sacrifice and people who are non-malays. So, it can be said that Anwar is actually UMNO's own doing. How ironic.

What worries me even more is that there was so much promise painted before the election. Now it has been one and half month, yet nothing has happened apart from the bickering by the federal government and the components of the so-called ruling party. Instead of working with the so-called opposition-ruled states, they are conducting protests, calling for resignations, making threats, cutting of federal funds to the states, etc. It would seem that the ruling party is nothing but a sour puss with no regard at all for the welfare of the people.

If you really want to the people to vote for you, redeem yourselves and work towards making Malaysia a better place to live in & look after the rights of the people. But from what I have seen so far, nothing has changed. They have not learned their lesson, and they never will ...

Wasting Water? I don't think so.

Fell sick over the weekend. Could not update that much. Still recovering. Bad flu, cough n sore throat.

Decided to read the Star online and found this article.

I found this part to be particularly interesting.

Shaziman also said that the Selangor Government's decision to waive charges for the first 20 cubic metres of water used by households was not a good idea, as people would tend to waste water.

In fact, he said, the water usage in Selangor, which was about 240 litres per person, was higher than the national average of 180 litres.

"Free water will encourage people to waste water, a vital commodity that Selangor would be facing a critical shortage of; and that is why the Government decided on the water transfer project from Pahang to Selangor," he said.

He said the new state government had not presented the ministry with a concrete proposal on the free water, adding that such plans would be feasible if the "state government has tonnes of money."

Free water encourages wastage. An average household uses 180 liters and by giving me 20 liters free, we will start wasting it? What the heck is he talking about?

If you use 240 liters a month and someone gives u 10% extra, will you go ecstatic and start pouring water into the drains. This move is intended to help the people lower their cost of living. Even how low it may be, it stills helps. It does not encourage me to throw water away or go out and spend like there's no tomorrow.

He is really starting to sound like an opposition, opposing anything the other proposes. Or maybe it is too little for him to feel the pinch. Think of the little people. Perhaps that's why they lost the elections, they didn't think of the people.

Up to date (or time) Election Results

On March 8, after the voting has closed, I am sure everybody was eagerly awaiting the results. I know I was. The newspapers claimed that the earliest result would come out by 7pm.
So I had an early dinner and sat down at 7pm in front of the TV awaiting the results to appear. Astro was covering it on channel 501 and 301. NTV7, TV1 & TV3 was not left out.

By 7.30, it was still showing the 8 walkover seats by BN. By 8pm, they announced 2 more seats won. At 9pm, there was no major announcement. It was boring and surprisingly slow. I was more interested in the PJ seats as I am staying in the area.

Then they announced that DAP had won the Kuching seat at around 9.30pm. Why had the Kuching seat with so many voters been announced so quickly while the other seats with less are still pending?

So I decided to go online to check the results. I could not find a website that was dedicated to announcing the latest updated results! I checked SPR's website, which had a link to the 'latest results', but it was empty. I checked the Star online. Nothing. I checked bernama. Nothing. There was no dedicated website by our government to deliver our most important event to the public. What the heck!

I got fed up and wanted to go to bed early. Then at 10.30pm, my uncle SMS-ed us saying friends from Penang called him to tell him that Penang was won by the opposition. He also mentioned that Samy Vellu had lost. I said, "cannot be lar." The more incredible news was that Koh Tsu Koon had lost. "No way!"

Straight away I ran downstairs and surfed the channels again. Nothing! Nothing at all. I called my friend. He said he got the same news and asked me to check online. I told him there was no website. He asked me to check Malaysiakini.

Malaysiakini website

There were a string of results there. It was updated every few minutes. Not one of these results were shown on TV. True enough the results were correct and not made up. I searched other websites again for more updated results. A few websites following the election directed me back to Malaysiakini. It got so jammed up that they had to create up to 5 mirror websites for people to access.

Malaysia's General Election results was covered by one independent news website. No government website or agency was assigned to report the results to the public. Even the TV were slow in its updates. Unbelievable. Of course, some commented that the TV stations were told not to report the news as they fear trouble from supporters who could not accept the decision that the opposition was winning.

Even so, as the results started pouring in online that BN was losing seat after seat and that Penang, Kelantan & Kedah were in the hands of the opposition parties, the TV stations still had not updated the results.

At 11.30pm, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon conceded defeat at a press conference and promised that a smooth transition of power. The chart on TV still showed DAP 4 seats. PAS had retained Kelantan earlier at around 10pm. The chart on TV showed PAS 4 state seats.

Come on, who are we trying to cheat. This side we have an announcement conceding defeat. On the other side the chart shows no updates yet.

The trend continue until late into the night. At 3am, the updates online showed that Selangor and Perak were in the opposition parties' hands. Yet the chart showed no results. All they were updating was BN winning parliament seats where else the opposition was still lagging behind.

Finally at around after 3am, someone from SPR announce that 5 state seats was won by the opposition parties. BN was denied 2/3 majority in the parliament. However, the chart remained. And even at 3.30 am when I went to bed, the results of PJ was not announced.

Was it to protect us from parties that may stir trouble? Or was a case of insufficient transparency? Or was it a move to show that BN is still strong and winning big? You decide.

Dawn of a new era

It's been 4 months since I updated my blog. 2 main reasons for this. Firstly, a new addition to my family. My pride and joy is taking up most of my time, which I am happy to do. Secondly, I have moved to a new place, where I currently do not have an internet connection and during work, it is not as convenient as before to update my blog.

Today, I start updating my blog again. I chose today because it also marks the beginning of a new era. Not only for the blog but also for Malaysia.

Why? Because on 8 March 2008, Malaysians exercised their rights and voted in the 12th General Elections. The people have shown the so-called ruling coalition who is boss. The people stood up and said "Enough is enough."

And the results have shown what the public truly thinks about Barisan Nasional. They can print whatever they want in the newspapers and television, that they control. But they cannot censor what the people think. And the internet has proven to be a place where the people can express what they think.

Winds of change are blowing. DAP adviser, Mr. Lim Kit Siang called it a "Political Tsunami." When questioned, Pak Lah could only answer, "Kalah, kalah lar." I call it a step in the right direction.

The "Opposition" won 82 seats in the Parliament. Most importantly they denied BN a 2/3 majority. This means BN can no longer amend laws as they wish to their own convenience or benefit. What struck me earlier this morning was the fact that, the Opposition only needed another 32 seats, and they would be able to form a new federal government.

The "Opposition parties" won 5 states. They retained Kelantan, won Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Perak. Now, the "Opposition parties" are the ruling executive council in the states. And in these 5 states, the BN is the opposition.

Being a part of those 5 states, I do hope the opposition can do well in managing these states and serve the public well. Prove to us that you can do what you promised. We cannot expect results overnight. They have just taken control and many things need to be sorted out. Do not expect any help from the federal government, but instead prepare for cut in aids from the federal government.

It will not be an easy task. But I believe it is for the future. To all Malaysians, your vote counts. Give yourselves a pat on the back.

Points to ponder 2 - Globalisation

I just came out from a meeting. The meeting was attended by 2 Japanese, 1 Australian, 2 Malaysian, 1 Indian, 1 Singaporean; about a job in Singapore done by Japanese, Singaporeans, Australian, Malaysians, Thais, Bangladeshis, Chinese and Indians.

I wonder is that globalisation ...

Points to ponder 1

Was chatting with a client of mine over dinner a couple of months back. He was telling us that he was an avid diver. For holidays, he goes diving at diving spots around the world.

It just occurred to me today, we were in a meeting today; that even though he goes outdoors for diving, his skin is so fair it even puts Snow White to shame. How is it that some people can hang out in the sun so much and still manage to keep their skin so fair?