http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/7/nation/20090407192347&sec=nation
The ISA act has been misused a couple a times in the past few years. Many times it has been considered misused by the government in a means to protect their own agenda. This has struck fear in the heart of the people to question and government of their actions. Fact is , criticism is an important step in moving forward. When the people are afraid to criticise the leaders , our country will not grow.
Najib’s words that the ISA will not be misused is quite hard to believe. Truth is as long as the act is around , people will continue to be afraid. To be honest , I don’t think the ISA is still needed as the laws we already have are sufficient in protecting the people and our country. Nonetheless , if Najib’s administration can stand by his words , then all is good. Let us hope that this is not merely a gimmick to gain votes in the tri-elections.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
3-2!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=244150&cc=3888
It is a great day for Manchester United fans as we once again go back to our winning ways. It has been a disappointing couple of weeks for us after our defeat to Liverpool and Fulham that saw our 7 point lead on the top of the table drop to a mere 1 point. Today however , things took a turn for the better with a 3-2 win over Aston Villa. Admittedly , the performance was not the greatest of performance but was really matters at the end of the day was the 3 points which kept us on the top of the table.
To add icing on the cake , the goal came from a player who is only 17 years old and is just playing his first game in the English Premier League. This comes to prove that anyone can make a difference in a team. Regardless of his age , Federico Macheda made the most impact in the match , turning the game around with just a few minutes on the clock. This is really the kind of drama Manchester United are made of. Hopefully Manchester United will keep to their winning ways from now on and take the two losses as a wake up call to maintain their form.
It is a great day for Manchester United fans as we once again go back to our winning ways. It has been a disappointing couple of weeks for us after our defeat to Liverpool and Fulham that saw our 7 point lead on the top of the table drop to a mere 1 point. Today however , things took a turn for the better with a 3-2 win over Aston Villa. Admittedly , the performance was not the greatest of performance but was really matters at the end of the day was the 3 points which kept us on the top of the table.
To add icing on the cake , the goal came from a player who is only 17 years old and is just playing his first game in the English Premier League. This comes to prove that anyone can make a difference in a team. Regardless of his age , Federico Macheda made the most impact in the match , turning the game around with just a few minutes on the clock. This is really the kind of drama Manchester United are made of. Hopefully Manchester United will keep to their winning ways from now on and take the two losses as a wake up call to maintain their form.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Drink gas not water
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/5/business/20090405072732&sec=business
Who would have thought that there was still a place in this World where gasoline is actually cheaper than water? At a mere 3 cents a litre , gasoline in Venezuela is 30 times cheaper than water! This has been possible all this years because of the high oil income Venezuela gets which allows them to subsidise their citizen’s gasoline usage. Another interesting thing about this country is that the government is afraid to raise the prices because they fear the repeat of history where 300 people died in riot over an increase in energy prices. However , with the global economic crisis we are facing now , the government of Venezuela is finding it hard to maintain the subsidies.
The income thru oil which has kept the subsidies going are now dropping causing the government to consider raising the prices. The citizens of course are not too happy with this. Fact is , we humans dislike change or getting out of our comfort zone. Nonetheless , I believe that Venezuelans should understand the predicament their government is in and not make it harder for them. Paying 3 cents for all this years is already a blessing from my point of view. In addition to that , the low prices causes a lot of exploitation by the middle and upper classes. I would agree with the government that they should increase the gas prices. Nevertheless , they should not neglect the lower class groups and find other means of assisting them instead.
Who would have thought that there was still a place in this World where gasoline is actually cheaper than water? At a mere 3 cents a litre , gasoline in Venezuela is 30 times cheaper than water! This has been possible all this years because of the high oil income Venezuela gets which allows them to subsidise their citizen’s gasoline usage. Another interesting thing about this country is that the government is afraid to raise the prices because they fear the repeat of history where 300 people died in riot over an increase in energy prices. However , with the global economic crisis we are facing now , the government of Venezuela is finding it hard to maintain the subsidies.
The income thru oil which has kept the subsidies going are now dropping causing the government to consider raising the prices. The citizens of course are not too happy with this. Fact is , we humans dislike change or getting out of our comfort zone. Nonetheless , I believe that Venezuelans should understand the predicament their government is in and not make it harder for them. Paying 3 cents for all this years is already a blessing from my point of view. In addition to that , the low prices causes a lot of exploitation by the middle and upper classes. I would agree with the government that they should increase the gas prices. Nevertheless , they should not neglect the lower class groups and find other means of assisting them instead.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Money can't buy love?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/4/focus/3619480&sec=focus
It is often a saying that money cannot buy love. However , perhaps all these are beginning to change in our ever changing society. Due to the difference in educational standards between male and female in Singapore , men are finding it hard to find love. I suppose this is one the sacrifices they have to make in defending their country. Just to clear the air , it isn’t that men in Singapore are more stupid than the women , they are behind because they have to undergo National Service for 2 years. This puts them two years behind education wise thus making women the bread winner in Singapore. I suppose since socioeconomic status is one of the women’s criteria in a man , Singaporean men are having tough luck getting women and thus are turning to foreign women.
Moving on to the human trafficking issue , I suppose there are points from both sides of the argument. It is true that from the outside , it looks like a form of modern slavery and a legal way of human trafficking. However , let me just ask a few questions. Are we sure that these brides are not happy after marrying Singaporean man? Will they be happier if they were living a miserable life in their country , working day and night to make ends meet? Would they have found real love if they stayed and suffered in their country? I guess there could be some saying yes and some saying otherwise. The point I am really trying to make here really is that this could be a chance for this women to get out of the poverty cycle and changing the life of their family members once and for all. In addition to that , they might actually find real love after being married. True enough that is not the normal process we go thru , but that doesn’t mean that it won’t work right? To me , unless these women were forced into a marriage , the process although not normal seems to be a win-win situation. So now , still think money cannot buy love?
It is often a saying that money cannot buy love. However , perhaps all these are beginning to change in our ever changing society. Due to the difference in educational standards between male and female in Singapore , men are finding it hard to find love. I suppose this is one the sacrifices they have to make in defending their country. Just to clear the air , it isn’t that men in Singapore are more stupid than the women , they are behind because they have to undergo National Service for 2 years. This puts them two years behind education wise thus making women the bread winner in Singapore. I suppose since socioeconomic status is one of the women’s criteria in a man , Singaporean men are having tough luck getting women and thus are turning to foreign women.
Moving on to the human trafficking issue , I suppose there are points from both sides of the argument. It is true that from the outside , it looks like a form of modern slavery and a legal way of human trafficking. However , let me just ask a few questions. Are we sure that these brides are not happy after marrying Singaporean man? Will they be happier if they were living a miserable life in their country , working day and night to make ends meet? Would they have found real love if they stayed and suffered in their country? I guess there could be some saying yes and some saying otherwise. The point I am really trying to make here really is that this could be a chance for this women to get out of the poverty cycle and changing the life of their family members once and for all. In addition to that , they might actually find real love after being married. True enough that is not the normal process we go thru , but that doesn’t mean that it won’t work right? To me , unless these women were forced into a marriage , the process although not normal seems to be a win-win situation. So now , still think money cannot buy love?
Friday, April 3, 2009
6th Prime Minister
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/3/nation/20090403091428&sec=nationhttp://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/3/nation/20090403091428&sec=nation
Today , the 3rd of April marks a memorable day in our country. Firstly we have just gotten a new Prime Minister , the sixth in our country. This in a way shows what a long way we have come since getting our independence 52 years ago. We are about to have our 6th leader in Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Hopefully he will bring us into more great years to come.
An interesting fact about our new Prime Minister I never knew about is that he is the son of one of our former Prime Ministers , Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. I guess the saying is true , a seed never falls far from the tree. Tun Abdul Razak Hussein helped developed our country after independence that got him the title of Father of Developement. Let us see if his son will continue his legacy and bring Malaysia to a higher level during his reign as Prime Minister of Malaysia. Thank You Badawi , Welcome Najib.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
APRIL FOOLS'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools%27_Day
April Fools’ day is here again! A day where we get to make fun of others and fool the gullible. Best part is , they aren’t supposed to get mad. However , have you ever wondered the origins of this celebration? This April Fools’ day I looked it up and realised that the origins to the celebrations are actually quite dull for a day as fun as this. Believe it or not , the term April Fool actually came about because of changes of certain dates which some people did not adhere to and thus they were April Fools.It is interesting how something as minor as that earned some a nickname and a special day in the calendar to honour the day. Another thing that is quite intriguing is how the celebration of the day has revolutionised over the years. In the past , the term was given because some people made a mistake and forgot the change in calendar. Today , we actually make pranks to trick the gullible. It is really fascination how time changes things.
The negative side about this day is that sometimes we don’t believe what is real and ignore it instead. Take some examples in the article , some people even lost their life because warnings on April Fools’ were ignored. At times , some pranks can get out of hand as well when the person trying to trick others go overboard with their prank like the radio broadcasters in the article. However , this are only a few cases that happen on rare occasions. This day can stay a fun one if we control ourselves and not let our pranks spin out of control. So what are you waiting for? Go out and pranks someone today!
April Fools’ day is here again! A day where we get to make fun of others and fool the gullible. Best part is , they aren’t supposed to get mad. However , have you ever wondered the origins of this celebration? This April Fools’ day I looked it up and realised that the origins to the celebrations are actually quite dull for a day as fun as this. Believe it or not , the term April Fool actually came about because of changes of certain dates which some people did not adhere to and thus they were April Fools.It is interesting how something as minor as that earned some a nickname and a special day in the calendar to honour the day. Another thing that is quite intriguing is how the celebration of the day has revolutionised over the years. In the past , the term was given because some people made a mistake and forgot the change in calendar. Today , we actually make pranks to trick the gullible. It is really fascination how time changes things.
The negative side about this day is that sometimes we don’t believe what is real and ignore it instead. Take some examples in the article , some people even lost their life because warnings on April Fools’ were ignored. At times , some pranks can get out of hand as well when the person trying to trick others go overboard with their prank like the radio broadcasters in the article. However , this are only a few cases that happen on rare occasions. This day can stay a fun one if we control ourselves and not let our pranks spin out of control. So what are you waiting for? Go out and pranks someone today!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Just a gimmick?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/25/focus/3535498&sec=focus
When I first read this letter , I was still sceptical on whether Earth hour was just a gimmick. Today , I went to Pyramid which was suppose to be part of the event to check it out for myself. I must say that I was disappointed with what I saw. The place was still as bright as before with just a few shops turning one or two lights. As disappointed as I am , would I say that it is just a PR stunt? Maybe not , I believe that WWF initiated something like this with the purest of intentions.
The people who should be blamed should probably be the people of the world. We should be ashamed that there is actually an hour dedicated to asking us to off our lights when we should actually have the civility to do so by ourselves. So would I say the Earth hour is a gimmick? I think not because I think it still reaches out to some people. For those who remain ignorant of the crisis , please start changing your mindset and do your part to help the world.
When I first read this letter , I was still sceptical on whether Earth hour was just a gimmick. Today , I went to Pyramid which was suppose to be part of the event to check it out for myself. I must say that I was disappointed with what I saw. The place was still as bright as before with just a few shops turning one or two lights. As disappointed as I am , would I say that it is just a PR stunt? Maybe not , I believe that WWF initiated something like this with the purest of intentions.
The people who should be blamed should probably be the people of the world. We should be ashamed that there is actually an hour dedicated to asking us to off our lights when we should actually have the civility to do so by ourselves. So would I say the Earth hour is a gimmick? I think not because I think it still reaches out to some people. For those who remain ignorant of the crisis , please start changing your mindset and do your part to help the world.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Which gender drives better?
http://www.star-motoring.com/blog/permalink.asp?id=430
This has been an argument going on for years. With the statistics proving that women are better , women all over the world must be jumping for joy. However , I think that the meaning of safe needs to properly defined. Looking at the statistics , it only shows that women are better because they are involved in lesser accidents than men. Therefore , I would agree that women are safer drivers.
However , if we define better as more skilful and have better control , no offence to women but I think that men would win this. Firstly , if we look at racing , most of the drivers are men. I believe that this proves something as racing requires a lot of skill , control and reflex. Besides that , women are generally more afraid to drive than men. This fear may cause women to lack certain skills that men have. So based on two different definitions , I have two different views. Lastly , I would like to add that I have nothing against women but am merely stating my point of view.
This has been an argument going on for years. With the statistics proving that women are better , women all over the world must be jumping for joy. However , I think that the meaning of safe needs to properly defined. Looking at the statistics , it only shows that women are better because they are involved in lesser accidents than men. Therefore , I would agree that women are safer drivers.
However , if we define better as more skilful and have better control , no offence to women but I think that men would win this. Firstly , if we look at racing , most of the drivers are men. I believe that this proves something as racing requires a lot of skill , control and reflex. Besides that , women are generally more afraid to drive than men. This fear may cause women to lack certain skills that men have. So based on two different definitions , I have two different views. Lastly , I would like to add that I have nothing against women but am merely stating my point of view.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Helmet thief
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/23/nation/3535317&sec=nation
This article was actually somewhat hilarious to me. One thing I realised was that the thief wasn’t trying to steal the motorcycle but just the helmet! Why would he steal something of that little value? Perhaps he had the sudden need to be safer on the road? Well , I guess that will remain a mystery.
Now , moving on to a more serious note , we can observe how martial arts can be implemented in our daily life. Taking down the thief wasn’t a challenge for Dan Towery with his various martial arts background. Sometimes we fail to notice the difference that knowledge in self defence can bring. So if you get the chance , try taking up martial arts as it brings many advantages. Besides helping us protect ourselves , we all get to stay fit and be more discipline. Last but not least , always keep in mind that crime doesn’t pay.
This article was actually somewhat hilarious to me. One thing I realised was that the thief wasn’t trying to steal the motorcycle but just the helmet! Why would he steal something of that little value? Perhaps he had the sudden need to be safer on the road? Well , I guess that will remain a mystery.
Now , moving on to a more serious note , we can observe how martial arts can be implemented in our daily life. Taking down the thief wasn’t a challenge for Dan Towery with his various martial arts background. Sometimes we fail to notice the difference that knowledge in self defence can bring. So if you get the chance , try taking up martial arts as it brings many advantages. Besides helping us protect ourselves , we all get to stay fit and be more discipline. Last but not least , always keep in mind that crime doesn’t pay.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Evil Fritzl
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/21/worldupdates/2009-03-19t200448z_01_nootr_rtrmdnc_0_india-385965-3&sec=worldupdates
Life in a psychiatric ward for someone like Fritzl seems too light for the charges he was convicted of. Murder , holding someone against their will and raping them seems like it should be dealt with a heavier punishment like life imprisonment or maybe death. I cannot imagine the trauma Elisabeth and her children went through all this years. I don’t think that starting a new life would be able to erase everything that they were put thru.
Another thing I found interesting was that Fritzl’s wife , Rosemarie was not committed of conspiracy for her husband’s crime. All this years she knew what her husband was doing but did not do anything about it. Is she not equally guilty then? I think she too should be convicted for the offence.
Life in a psychiatric ward for someone like Fritzl seems too light for the charges he was convicted of. Murder , holding someone against their will and raping them seems like it should be dealt with a heavier punishment like life imprisonment or maybe death. I cannot imagine the trauma Elisabeth and her children went through all this years. I don’t think that starting a new life would be able to erase everything that they were put thru.
Another thing I found interesting was that Fritzl’s wife , Rosemarie was not committed of conspiracy for her husband’s crime. All this years she knew what her husband was doing but did not do anything about it. Is she not equally guilty then? I think she too should be convicted for the offence.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Foreign worker reduction
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/15/nation/3478334&sec=nation
Is this move by the government a good one or a bad one? I think that this matter can be viewed from a few view points. Firstly , it is good as it gives locals a better chance of getting employed as they no longer have to compete with foreigners who have a lower expectation of salary. However , we have to admit that at times are citizens are a little too choosy for their own good. Most of the jobs which foreigners take up are those that our citizens have written off such as cleaners , labourers and pump attendants.
So this leads to the negative side of this action. If the demand for local staff increases , but the locals refuse to take them , wouldn’t this lead to a shortage of man power and thus causing a down fall to many industries? This might then lead to a rise in illegal workers and cause government agencies to be unable to keep track of the number of foreign workers in our country. We shall see in time if this step leads to a positive outcome or a negative one.
Is this move by the government a good one or a bad one? I think that this matter can be viewed from a few view points. Firstly , it is good as it gives locals a better chance of getting employed as they no longer have to compete with foreigners who have a lower expectation of salary. However , we have to admit that at times are citizens are a little too choosy for their own good. Most of the jobs which foreigners take up are those that our citizens have written off such as cleaners , labourers and pump attendants.
So this leads to the negative side of this action. If the demand for local staff increases , but the locals refuse to take them , wouldn’t this lead to a shortage of man power and thus causing a down fall to many industries? This might then lead to a rise in illegal workers and cause government agencies to be unable to keep track of the number of foreign workers in our country. We shall see in time if this step leads to a positive outcome or a negative one.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Malaysian football
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_Association_of_Malaysia
It is an undeniable fact that football in our country has failed to live up to the standard of the World today. Even though I am a fan of football , sadly the football leagues in Malaysia has failed to attract me. The quality of football we play here is just not up to par with the other leagues all over the world. I suppose this indirectly affects our country’s performance in World competitions.
I actually believe that the management is partly at fault for this. In most countries , qualification in football management is an important thing. However , sad to say that in our country , most managers are big shots with money but no knowledge of football. This can affect the growth of football in our country very badly. The players themselves are too blame as well with their lack of discipline and commitment to the game. Comparatively , our player fall very off the international standards. Hopefully the FAM will take steps to raise the standard of football in our country soon.
Friday, February 27, 2009
English or Bahasa Malaysia?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/27/nation/3357130&sec=nation
A issue that was settled a few years back is now being brought up again. I have no idea as to how the plan was considered feasible a few years back but now problems are arising. Is this a mistake on the part of the government or are teachers not working hard enough to meet the requirements needed by the new system? I think that our government probably did not conduct sufficient research to determine the feasibility of such a big change. They were probably just hoping that people would cope as they go.
However , what is done is done. It is not a matter of pointing fingers but rather to solve the argument immediately. This constant debate could affect the performance of students as they might worry about how the changes will affect them. Let us hope that this debate will come up for the last time and that the government will resolve the issue quickly as it can very well affect the quality of our future generation.
A issue that was settled a few years back is now being brought up again. I have no idea as to how the plan was considered feasible a few years back but now problems are arising. Is this a mistake on the part of the government or are teachers not working hard enough to meet the requirements needed by the new system? I think that our government probably did not conduct sufficient research to determine the feasibility of such a big change. They were probably just hoping that people would cope as they go.
However , what is done is done. It is not a matter of pointing fingers but rather to solve the argument immediately. This constant debate could affect the performance of students as they might worry about how the changes will affect them. Let us hope that this debate will come up for the last time and that the government will resolve the issue quickly as it can very well affect the quality of our future generation.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Work sharing
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/20/business/20090220140806&sec=business
Many countries have become victims to the economic downfall. As a result of the economic fallout , many have lost their jobs and fallen prey to unemployment. Japan’s action to initiate a work-sharing concept is actually a great move. With this , the country actually shares the pain of the economic downturn so everyone just takes a small pinch rather a punch. This actually brings the people closer as well which is a great thing for any country. In addition to that , it is any governments vision to spread wealth evenly among the people. So by taking this action , the Japanese government is actually taking a step towards that.
Moreover , the economic growth of a country is dependant on the buying power of the citizens. So by having the work-sharing concept , more citizens will have buying power instead of just a handful of citizens. This will assist in bringing the economy back up again. In addition to that , by not retrenching their workers , companies can easily resume full production when the economy is back on its feet.
Many countries have become victims to the economic downfall. As a result of the economic fallout , many have lost their jobs and fallen prey to unemployment. Japan’s action to initiate a work-sharing concept is actually a great move. With this , the country actually shares the pain of the economic downturn so everyone just takes a small pinch rather a punch. This actually brings the people closer as well which is a great thing for any country. In addition to that , it is any governments vision to spread wealth evenly among the people. So by taking this action , the Japanese government is actually taking a step towards that.
Moreover , the economic growth of a country is dependant on the buying power of the citizens. So by having the work-sharing concept , more citizens will have buying power instead of just a handful of citizens. This will assist in bringing the economy back up again. In addition to that , by not retrenching their workers , companies can easily resume full production when the economy is back on its feet.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Greener cars
The idea of a greener world seems to be one of the concerns of automakers these days. This is certainly great music to everyone’s ears. In addition to that , the pricing of the cars make them affordable to most people as the price is still similar to that of other cars. So why not get a greener car for the same price?
Often people claim that one or two families going greener cars is not going to change anything. However , what makes this news more interesting is that the automaker is actually based in China , the country with one of the largest population. So imagine if Chery was capable of getting every citizen to change to a hybrid car , the amount of pollution will drastically be reduced and thus lead the world towards a greener future.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
What would you have done?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/18/nation/20090218191503&sec=nation
Honestly , I am glad that I was not the judge for this case. I don’t think I would have been able to make a proper decision. However , I would agree with the judge’s judgement. Even though Unah was a rape victim , the baby was innocent. Taking the baby’s life was not the way to go even if she was not able to support him. She is already a mother of one so she should have the motherly instincts to do the right thing and protect the child at all cost. There were other alternatives she could have taken. Even leaving the baby on someone’s doorstep would have been a better option as the baby would then at least have a chance to live.
Honestly , I am glad that I was not the judge for this case. I don’t think I would have been able to make a proper decision. However , I would agree with the judge’s judgement. Even though Unah was a rape victim , the baby was innocent. Taking the baby’s life was not the way to go even if she was not able to support him. She is already a mother of one so she should have the motherly instincts to do the right thing and protect the child at all cost. There were other alternatives she could have taken. Even leaving the baby on someone’s doorstep would have been a better option as the baby would then at least have a chance to live.
On an another note , taking the baby’s life was probably not the easiest choice she had to make either. She was probably not well educated so her choices seemed limited. Besides that , sometimes ending a person’s life to save them from suffering always seems like the better option. However , regardless of all the possibilities leading to her actions , all crime has to be punished. If we do not punish one , it could lead to a domino effect causing more cases like this to arise.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Valentine's day
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/13/nation/3248183&sec=nation
Valentine’s day is here yet again. A day where most people will find ways to express their love for one another , let it be their lover , spouse , family or even friend. Being in the world that we are in today , I believe that this day is rather meaningful. You may be wondering why this is so. Well , I believe that with the busy lifestyle we have today , we often take our loved ones for granted. We never spend enough time with them or get them a gift just to show them we care. So if we can at least find a day to do so , it beats not doing so at all.
However , as meaningful as the day is , I think that money-minded business people are destroying the day by commercialising it. The very day where people take the time to show love for their loved ones , businessmen raise the prices of everything to take advantage of the day. A simple meal that would normally cost RM20 easily spikes up to over RM60. Roses which normally cost a RM1 would easily become RM12 on Valentine’s day. Personally , I am glad that the economy downfall is hitting these people hard. Before I end , let me just say that we should not let these people deter us from doing something nice for our love ones. Always remember that any day can be Valentine’s day because what matters is not the date but how we appreciate our loved ones.
Valentine’s day is here yet again. A day where most people will find ways to express their love for one another , let it be their lover , spouse , family or even friend. Being in the world that we are in today , I believe that this day is rather meaningful. You may be wondering why this is so. Well , I believe that with the busy lifestyle we have today , we often take our loved ones for granted. We never spend enough time with them or get them a gift just to show them we care. So if we can at least find a day to do so , it beats not doing so at all.
However , as meaningful as the day is , I think that money-minded business people are destroying the day by commercialising it. The very day where people take the time to show love for their loved ones , businessmen raise the prices of everything to take advantage of the day. A simple meal that would normally cost RM20 easily spikes up to over RM60. Roses which normally cost a RM1 would easily become RM12 on Valentine’s day. Personally , I am glad that the economy downfall is hitting these people hard. Before I end , let me just say that we should not let these people deter us from doing something nice for our love ones. Always remember that any day can be Valentine’s day because what matters is not the date but how we appreciate our loved ones.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Messy politics
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/11/nation/20090211155119&sec=nation
The fall of the opposition in Perak is one of the “hottest” news in our local political scene at the moment. Everyday we read about the chaos and embarrassments brought about by this issue. From the public demonstrations by the people who are displeased with the power shift to squabbling between the parties. All this actions whether directly or indirectly is affecting our country. Firstly , the squabbling between the politicians will have an effect on their ability to develop the state. Besides that , imagine the image we are projecting when the leaders of our country are fighting among themselves. Most foreign investors would be hesitant to invest in our country at the very sight of that. Now, enough with the problems , let us discuss on a solution to solve this issue.
All this problems started because of a few party hoppers. So the question is, should we allow party hopping? Firstly , let us keep in mind that being a politician is the same as any other occupation. As it is so , politicians should be allowed to switch parties as it is similar to switching companies. However , ofcourse switching parties is slightly different as it affects the whole country. Personally , I think that if a by-election is the democratic way to go. Through a by-election , the people can have their say in who they want to represent them. In addition to that , no party can accuse the other of power stealing as the voice of the people is final. Doesn’t this seem so much simpler than the chaos we are facing now? So let us hope that this will be implemented in the future so that our country can be by the people , for the people as quoted by Abraham Lincoln.
The fall of the opposition in Perak is one of the “hottest” news in our local political scene at the moment. Everyday we read about the chaos and embarrassments brought about by this issue. From the public demonstrations by the people who are displeased with the power shift to squabbling between the parties. All this actions whether directly or indirectly is affecting our country. Firstly , the squabbling between the politicians will have an effect on their ability to develop the state. Besides that , imagine the image we are projecting when the leaders of our country are fighting among themselves. Most foreign investors would be hesitant to invest in our country at the very sight of that. Now, enough with the problems , let us discuss on a solution to solve this issue.
All this problems started because of a few party hoppers. So the question is, should we allow party hopping? Firstly , let us keep in mind that being a politician is the same as any other occupation. As it is so , politicians should be allowed to switch parties as it is similar to switching companies. However , ofcourse switching parties is slightly different as it affects the whole country. Personally , I think that if a by-election is the democratic way to go. Through a by-election , the people can have their say in who they want to represent them. In addition to that , no party can accuse the other of power stealing as the voice of the people is final. Doesn’t this seem so much simpler than the chaos we are facing now? So let us hope that this will be implemented in the future so that our country can be by the people , for the people as quoted by Abraham Lincoln.
Monday, February 9, 2009
What do you think?
http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=291
Should a child be allowed to work in the performing arts or professional sports? I think that if it is the child’s interest then the child should be allowed to pursue his or her dream. This is because if the kid is doing it out of their own will , they will be motivated to be the best that they can be. In addition to that , it is when we are young that we are unafraid to try new things , so let the child enjoy his or her interest when they want to. Besides that , it will also help them boost their self esteem as well as help them in the future as they have a talent to fall back on.
However , if a child’s talent is exploited by their parents as a means of acquiring fame and fortune , I would totally disagree. This is because the parents will tend to put pressure on the child causing the child to be under a lot of stress and in turn start losing their interest. This can then be considered as a form of abuse to the child. So it is important for us to put the child’s choice above everything else when considering this question.
Should a child be allowed to work in the performing arts or professional sports? I think that if it is the child’s interest then the child should be allowed to pursue his or her dream. This is because if the kid is doing it out of their own will , they will be motivated to be the best that they can be. In addition to that , it is when we are young that we are unafraid to try new things , so let the child enjoy his or her interest when they want to. Besides that , it will also help them boost their self esteem as well as help them in the future as they have a talent to fall back on.
However , if a child’s talent is exploited by their parents as a means of acquiring fame and fortune , I would totally disagree. This is because the parents will tend to put pressure on the child causing the child to be under a lot of stress and in turn start losing their interest. This can then be considered as a form of abuse to the child. So it is important for us to put the child’s choice above everything else when considering this question.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Community colleges
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/6/nation/3206581&sec=nation
Setting up more community colleges is a great step by the government. With this colleges around , less fortunate people who cannot afford to further their studies have the opportunity to do so. This is important if we are to end the poverty circle from continuing to younger generations. Besides that , this colleges will give a change to the academically challenged to learn some skills so that they can continue to earn a living.
This is really a good move by the government as it can help the citizen as well as the country to grow. Thru this plan , hopefully the poverty rate in our country will drop as well. I look forward to seeing more of this community colleges coming up all over Malaysia.
Setting up more community colleges is a great step by the government. With this colleges around , less fortunate people who cannot afford to further their studies have the opportunity to do so. This is important if we are to end the poverty circle from continuing to younger generations. Besides that , this colleges will give a change to the academically challenged to learn some skills so that they can continue to earn a living.
This is really a good move by the government as it can help the citizen as well as the country to grow. Thru this plan , hopefully the poverty rate in our country will drop as well. I look forward to seeing more of this community colleges coming up all over Malaysia.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Warriors or rebels?
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/6/nation/3203937&sec=nation
To be honest , when reading history books , I never really saw our warriors as rebels. Regardless of how they were perceived by the British , I believe Malaysians still see our warriors as heroes. So I believe that UKM need not worry so much about how our warriors were labelled as what matters is how Malaysians perceive them to be.
Nevertheless , it is true that their efforts and courage are not highlighted enough. So I believe that UKM’s effort should be more focused on this aspect to make role models of our warriors as an example to our youths.
To be honest , when reading history books , I never really saw our warriors as rebels. Regardless of how they were perceived by the British , I believe Malaysians still see our warriors as heroes. So I believe that UKM need not worry so much about how our warriors were labelled as what matters is how Malaysians perceive them to be.
Nevertheless , it is true that their efforts and courage are not highlighted enough. So I believe that UKM’s effort should be more focused on this aspect to make role models of our warriors as an example to our youths.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Voice out
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/5/focus/3194212&sec=focus
What an interesting letter by a caring citizen of our country. It is always nice to know that there are people out that who still cares about the welfare of others. I find it interesting to know that the case was not the first off its kind. I agree with Azmi that any such incident needs to be properly investigated and details needs to be released to the public so that citizens can trust the people who are entrusted to protect them. The investigation should be conducted by an independent body so as to ensure no foul play.
So now on the issue of Kugan’s death , is it actually justified for someone under police custody to be put under abuse? Well the fact is unless there is a form of resistance or assault on the police officers , the detainees pending trial cannot be harmed regardless of the charges hanging over his head. This is because our law is based on the principle of innocent till proven guilty. So before a trial , everyone is considered innocent. So to harm them would be equivalent to assaulting anyone else on the street. So all in all , I fully agree with Azmi and hats off to him for voicing out such an issue in our papers.
What an interesting letter by a caring citizen of our country. It is always nice to know that there are people out that who still cares about the welfare of others. I find it interesting to know that the case was not the first off its kind. I agree with Azmi that any such incident needs to be properly investigated and details needs to be released to the public so that citizens can trust the people who are entrusted to protect them. The investigation should be conducted by an independent body so as to ensure no foul play.
So now on the issue of Kugan’s death , is it actually justified for someone under police custody to be put under abuse? Well the fact is unless there is a form of resistance or assault on the police officers , the detainees pending trial cannot be harmed regardless of the charges hanging over his head. This is because our law is based on the principle of innocent till proven guilty. So before a trial , everyone is considered innocent. So to harm them would be equivalent to assaulting anyone else on the street. So all in all , I fully agree with Azmi and hats off to him for voicing out such an issue in our papers.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Equality of the genders
http://rage.com.my/writeups/story.asp?file=/2009/2/4/rage_fashion/20090204151731&sec=rage_fashion
The sports arena has really changed over the past few years. A few years back you probably wouldn’t see any women in the futsal court , but now they are practically flooding the field. It is a good thing that the taboo where women shouldn’t play certain sports is slowly fading away and that now there are some women who are as skilful or maybe even more skilful as certain guys. Trust me , I know this through experience.
Getting the right gear however is often a problem for my friends of the opposite gender. They often have to settle for shoes made for guys where small sizes are hard to come by and designs are oftens considered unsuitable. Therefore , I find this article to be rather interesting. It is great that sports equipment makers are doing research to produce the right gear for women. If I am not mistaken there are already certain futsal shoes made for women. However , they have yet to reach our nation. Let us hope that the women of our country will soon receive the gift of appropriate sports gear.
The sports arena has really changed over the past few years. A few years back you probably wouldn’t see any women in the futsal court , but now they are practically flooding the field. It is a good thing that the taboo where women shouldn’t play certain sports is slowly fading away and that now there are some women who are as skilful or maybe even more skilful as certain guys. Trust me , I know this through experience.
Getting the right gear however is often a problem for my friends of the opposite gender. They often have to settle for shoes made for guys where small sizes are hard to come by and designs are oftens considered unsuitable. Therefore , I find this article to be rather interesting. It is great that sports equipment makers are doing research to produce the right gear for women. If I am not mistaken there are already certain futsal shoes made for women. However , they have yet to reach our nation. Let us hope that the women of our country will soon receive the gift of appropriate sports gear.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Would you take the same path?
http://rage.com.my/writeups/story.asp?file=/2009/2/2/outnabout/20090202142355&sec=outnabout
Social work is never an easy task for anyone. Which is why I really admire what Benjamin is doing. Only a handful of people would take the path he has taken , putting the needs of others before their own. Various task which most would consider repulsive and dangerous , becomes their job. In addition to that , they are doing it without getting anything in return. To me , that is truly honourable.
Now , would I ever consider changing places with him? Sadly , my answer would probably be “no”. Don’t get me wrong , it is not that I have anything against helping others or the needy , it just that I cannot imagine myself in Benjamin’s shoes. I think I lack the dedication and commitment needed for such a task. I am more of the type of help as and when I can , not one who can do it full type like Benjamin. However , I would probably try to change my mentality to be more like Benjamin because our world sure could use a few more Benjamins.
Social work is never an easy task for anyone. Which is why I really admire what Benjamin is doing. Only a handful of people would take the path he has taken , putting the needs of others before their own. Various task which most would consider repulsive and dangerous , becomes their job. In addition to that , they are doing it without getting anything in return. To me , that is truly honourable.
Now , would I ever consider changing places with him? Sadly , my answer would probably be “no”. Don’t get me wrong , it is not that I have anything against helping others or the needy , it just that I cannot imagine myself in Benjamin’s shoes. I think I lack the dedication and commitment needed for such a task. I am more of the type of help as and when I can , not one who can do it full type like Benjamin. However , I would probably try to change my mentality to be more like Benjamin because our world sure could use a few more Benjamins.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Everyone makes mistakes
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/2/apworld/20090202085352&sec=apworld
Yet another one of the world’s great icons have fallen to the temptation of bad habits. However , let us not be too quick to judge them as they are human like anyone of us and are prone to mistakes. Perhaps at times , we set too high a standard for these icons that we expect them to make no mistakes at all. What is admirable about Phelps however , is that he was brave enough to admit his mistakes and accept the judgement thrown at him. Hats off to him for that.
Through all this , I believe Phelps has learned a lesson and has regretted his actions. So let us forget the negative and look towards the positive. Let us not forget the medals won and records Phelps broke in the pool. I think his many achievements should outshine his mistake.
Yet another one of the world’s great icons have fallen to the temptation of bad habits. However , let us not be too quick to judge them as they are human like anyone of us and are prone to mistakes. Perhaps at times , we set too high a standard for these icons that we expect them to make no mistakes at all. What is admirable about Phelps however , is that he was brave enough to admit his mistakes and accept the judgement thrown at him. Hats off to him for that.
Through all this , I believe Phelps has learned a lesson and has regretted his actions. So let us forget the negative and look towards the positive. Let us not forget the medals won and records Phelps broke in the pool. I think his many achievements should outshine his mistake.
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