YASMIN ON FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, COMPASSION & MERCY A SUDDEN VOID IN THE NORTH With all due respect to MJ and his family and friends, Yasmin Ahmad's passing affected me way much more than his. But why should it be so? She is not a famous pop star, I didn't know her personally. And admittedly, I haven't watched any of her movies yet.But thanks to the invention called Youtube, I got to know her advertisements she did as a creative director for Leo Burnett. And through her blog, I got a slight glimpse of what makes her tick and drives her.I can say for certain that what drew me to her are her commercials that are both moving and funny. The common thread that runs through them is love, family, kinship and friendship that runs across racial boundaries.The most famous one in Singapore is the one she did called "Funeral" for our Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports where we see an Indian woman in a sari eulogising her recently departed husband who is Chinese. Apart from the skin colour and choice of apparels, she mourns his passing as any loving wife would. Yasmin has this knack of throwing characters of different races together in a family or a group of friends that made it seem so natural.For the ones she did in Malaysia, the same evocative theme crops up again and again, like the Chinese boy and his Indian caregiver in last year's Chinese New Year ad or the cute one where a young Tan Hong Ming professes his puppy love for his school mate Umi Qazrina. Some were controversial like the one she did called "Kongsi Raya" in 1997 when Chinese New Year and Hari Raya occurred around the same time. Perhaps it was controversial because it offended certain people's idea of racial purity and segregation.Some might accuse her of being emotionally manipulative. But it seems to me that the only way her commercials "manipulate" was that they appealed to the goodness and humanity in each of us.Personally, what appealed to me most about her work is her belief in a Malaysian Malaysia where race ("Race? That means race car ah?") and religion is insignificant. In a country where politics and patronage is based on ethnicity and faith, she dared to go against the grain. And looking at some comments on the internet, she did ruffle a lot of feathers.I am convinced her appeal in Singapore is also for that very same reason. Where races still tend to congregate and interact with their own kind, she showed a different vision (some say an "idealised" past) of what it means to be one nation regardless of race, language or religion. Something I hold as dearly as her.When news broke about her stroke on Thursday, a lot of people were naturally worried but expected her to recover. After all, she has so much more up her sleeves. She can't just leave like that. There were still people she was supposed to meet, like-minded friends to work with. So when the initial news of her death spread on Saturday, many refused to believe it, thinking it was just some unfounded internet rumour. When it was finally confirmed, the tons of facebook postings and tweets showed that many in Singapore from different walks of life were as grieved as Malaysians. I think it's to her credit that never in my recent memory has a death of either a Singaporean or Malaysian shocked and saddened so many people of different races in both countries.This lady had so many more stories to tell, so many more commercials to make, and so many more racial barriers to demolish. As a matter of fact, she was in pre-production for one feature film in Singapore and was scheduled to do another one at the end of the year. Her passing is really too swift and sudden.But you know what? I believe all of us can be thankful for all that she has done while still alive. Her absence will be keenly felt in Malaysia each year during festive seasons when people realise that the TV commercials for Petronas is not done by Yasmin.I can only hope that other artists, directors, playwrights, creative directors, etc in both countries will be inspired by her and her work to explore and celebrate the commonality that binds us all like a blood red thread regardless of our differences.Yasmin Ahmad (July 1, 1958 - July 25, 2009)(Note: Links in the post above except for the first three lead to her commercials. Go watch them all.) 1958 - 2009 Yasmin Ahmad, you will be sorely missed not just in Malaysia, but in Singapore too. You left too soon with too many things left unsaid. TODAY, 20 YEARS AGO... ...the Gates of Heavenly Peace became the doorway to hellish chaos.And our LKY said in 2004, "If I have to shoot 200,000 students to save China from another 100 years of disorder, so be it."I am not here to tell you whether the Chinese government was right in their action or not; only you can decide that for yourself. This post is just my annual ritual to remember the lives lost during that horrible period which formed one of the many way points in the awakening of my political consciousness. I still remember the horror many felt in Singapore when news, pictures and broadcasts from the scene reached us here so many miles south. It's been twenty years since, and the PRC government has successfully buried it under the cobblestones of Tiananmen with economic progress, money, comfort, consumerism, etc.While the young of China may not give two hoots about it, I for one do not want to forget.The Huffington Post - Tiananmen Square Remembered, An Eye-Witness AccountThe Telegraph - China's young leave Tiananmen in the pastWikipedia - Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 UNCIVIL SCHISMS Okay, this is a bit passed sell-by date. But some comments and articles decrying the uncivil atmosphere at the recent AWARE EGM reminded me of something similar I had witnessed years ago.I was once a member of this mega church located somewhere in the prime district of Orchard Road.After the previous minister left at the end of his contract, a new one was brought in as his replacement. All was going well; he was vibrant (though not young), filled with enthusiasm and brought a much lacking passion back to the church. The young came back in droves, brought back by those who were there all this while. Everyone was filled with the fire of the spirit (I can't believe I just used that term).Wow... church activities really shot through the roof. Church camps, bible studies, musicals, fellowships, prayer meetings, etc. all saw record attendance and involvement.And mind you, this was a "conservative" non-charismatic/Pentecostal type church which does not practise faith healing and speaking in tongues. Meaning, a church that is supposed to be more straitlaced and sedate, hence, supposedly lacking in passion. In short, the church was transformed to something no one thought was possible.Yup, my life was centred on the church then. I was there practically every day after school on top of the usual Saturdays and Sundays.One fine day, a bunch of church leaders decided that this minister had to go. I don't really know the reason why (and I still don't), it's just that they had enough of him and his ways. I was too young then to know the politics that was going on behind the closed doors of the leadership meetings.What I did know was that the leader who had rejuvenated the church was suddenly fired for no apparent reason.And like a headless chicken, the church was left running around in circles with no one knowing what was happening.Of course things didn't go the way according to plan. Members demanded an EGM to find out what was happening and voice their opinions. Lines were drawn and enemies made. Even I got into fierce disagreements with my mother (who I saw as siding the other camp) and my sister who couldn't be bothered and felt (wisely I may add) that I should stay uninvolved.Gosh, the EGM was the most raucous I had ever seen. I don't remember booing and jeering, but I do remember shouting matches, interruptions one after another, quoting of bible verses against each other, banging of tables and pews, and a whole bunch of other unpleasantries.As a young member of that church, I was extremely discombobulated by the situation. The church that formed the centre of my life was in disarray, its head beheaded.In the end, the leadership got its way and the minister was sent packing. The church as a result was split with one section leaving to form their own outside of the original denomination.As far I know, enmity made then remains to this day. Even though they may speak of loving each other, their actions (or inaction) speaks otherwise.Looking back, I can confidently say that each party saw themselves as the righteous one and the other threatening the unity of Christ's body. Who was right? Who was wrong? I don't know and I don't bother anymore. That is a past that I had exorcised and thrown into a bottomless pit.So what's the point of this post? Well, it's more of an exercise of recollection for me on one hand, and on the other, to point out that religious EGMs can be as uncivil as secular ones when passions flare and everyone felt they had a lot at stake in the outcome. PEDAGOGY AND PARENTING By now, everyone in Singapore is aware of the second part of the hostile takeover of AWARE saga.Smarting from their defeat, a group of likeminded people (parents and others) who are more or less allied to the ideas of Thio Su-Mien, Josie Lau and company have bombarded MOE with allegations about AWARE's Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) "promoting" homosexuality, pre-martial sex, etc. by the mere mention of them in neutral terms.Neutral because the course is supposed to give students the facts AND encouraged them to think about actions and consequences.But knowing how "some people" operate, they chose to take certain lines from the material out of context, blow it out of proportion and go "LOOK!! SEE!! AWARE is promoting homosexuality, pre-martial sex, etc. by not using negative terms against it!!"It has even spilt over to JC General Paper (GP) lessons, which is kind of stupid and sad considering that in GP lessons, students are made to think through and analyse topics of the day. These include terrorism, religious fundamentalism, etc. etc.The main point is to get them to think. But some paranoid and overprotective parents are so afraid that the mere mention and discussion of homosexuality will turn their JC kids gay. Gosh... I guess there should be a lot of new terrorists and religious fundies in JC by now.This whole episode shows the absurdity of Singapore's education and parents' expectations. First we complain that our kids and university graduates don't know how to think, analyse, write properly and have knowledge and opinions about current issues of the day. Then we scream in horror when teachers try to equip them with the skills necessary to do so.I mean like what do we expect GP teachers to do? Discuss less controversial topics like water desalination, COE prices and state of canteen food?But parents being parents will always see their children as kids who need to be protected and guided regardless of how old they are. Not realising that kids are way much smarter than we give them credit for. They do have an opinion and they don't take everything at face value.And as for the CSE programme, if they don't get their knowledge from school with the right tools to make informed and responsible decisions, guess where they are going turn to?The internet of course!And that should worry parents much more than CSE and GP teachers discussing "controversial" topics. Because if parents have actually been on the 'net, they should know that nothing there is regulated. Information, misinformation, hard core pornography and all that would turn their gut inside out is available to all who search for them.Without the necessary knowledge and with misinformation from the 'net and hear-say from their peers who may be just as ignorant as them, one shouldn't be surprised if they start experimenting with disastrous results.Ignorance or innocence, your choice.Anyway, I think this post by a GP teacher who is in the know more than me has said more than I could. It was forwarded to me by a friend and I have posted it on my "Stolen Goods" blog (with full credit). Check it out here. FUND RAISING SHOUT OUT Some of you may know that the former new EXCO spent a total of $90,000 within a month. AWARE's annual expenditure is around $200,000 and any expenditure of above $20,000 requires the consent of the general assembly, which unfortunately the new EXCO did not obtain.This of course puts their operation and programmes in jeopardy. To help raise funds for AWARE, a concerned member (or members) have printed t-shirts with nifty and hilarious quotes from the EGM for sale. Check them out. They are going at S$29.90 per piece. 70% of the price will go to AWARE. Err... I mean the AWARE without the COOS cabal lah.These are some of my favourites. Click on the pictures to see the rest and place your orders.                  Buy one, two, heck! Buy all designs!And if the Ts are too loud, get a discreet button to pin on your bags or whatever lah. These are going at S$11.50 for a set of three.             FUNDIES, EXIT... STAGE LEFT Well, that's it. The 5th column-elected new exco of AWARE has resigned in the wake of a no-confidence motion and a new one unaffiliated with the Anglican Church of our Saviour (COOS) or Thio Su-Mien (TSM) has been elected.All this saga and waste of time and money brought on by Christian extremists who are way too fixated on one "bogeyman".Bogeymen or cause célèbre is nothing new. Political and religious movements have used it countless of times throughout history to rally their adherents (ie: The Spanish Inquisition, Salem witch trials, burning of witches and perceived heretics, etc etc). Of course in modern day Singapore, it is too politically sensitive and incorrect to use another religion (like Islam in some Western countries) as their bogeyman. So what do TSM and her COOS fellow members do? They learn from their American co-religionist and target homosexuality. Delusional, they sincerely believe there is a hidden gay agenda with a gay mafia in Singapore.Hypocritically I might add. Since there are countless things the bible denounced and yet they don't seem to have an issue with. For example, remarriage after divorce is adultery according to Jesus and adulterers do not inherit the kingdom of god. Yet we don't seem to hear TSM or Pastor Derek Kong having a field day with that.But you know what's really sad? It's how AWARE got dragged into TSM and COOS's "spiritual warfare". Yes, they call their fight "Spiritual Warfare". "Holy War" chope by another religion lah.As far as AWARE and everyone (everyone except you know who) is concern, they are a feminist organisation dedicated to the fight for equality and non-discrimination of females regardless or race, religion, age, language, cultural, financial and sexual background. Since their establishment in 1985, they have advocated, taught, researched, conducted workshops, counselled, etc. etc. Great work if you asked me. Of course some may disagree.But never were they ever a "homosexual" organisation. The bone of TSM and COOS's contention is just a very small part of their comprehensive sexual education programme for schools which covered homosexuality in neutral terms (neither for nor against) for about 5 minutes or so.Somehow or other, this was taken out of context by TSM and COOS and blown way out of proportion. All of a sudden, a feminist organisation became a "homosexual one" and fell into the holy gun sights of the extremists. And before they knew it, a fifth column was secretly installed and their members voted into the exco.I don't blame the original AWARE for this. Never in their right mind did they think that a religious group in Singapore (of all places) won't do such a thing and never did they think they would be a target. I mean they are a feminist organisation dedicated to issues concerning women in Singapore, nothing too controversial about that right?And who would have thought that a religious group that prided itself on being on the moral high ground would have resorted to such underhanded and distasteful (though legal) hostile takeover tactics usually practiced by greedy corporate raiders of the 80s.Well, the battle is won for inclusiveness but the war is not over. The extremist likes of TSM and COOS will continue, just like comic book villains, always in the background but showing up once in a while to fight the heroes of the Marvel and DC comic universe.The upside to this whole fiasco? It has exposed the face of Christian fundies in our midst and has also shown the whole of Singapore that religious extremism is not the sole monopoly of one religion and not all extremists are locked away by ISD.As for AWARE, I hope the indignation, outrage and passion shown by old and new(est) members will translate into more zest and groundbreaking good work by them.As for the rest of us, I think after this incident, not just AWARE but all civil societies and NGOs in Singapore should start looking into and tightening up their constitution to prevent another hostile takeover by outsiders. ***For minute by minute (well almost) updates of the EGM yesterday, please refer to http://wayangparty.com/?p=8732Also, do read the opinion of a neutral bystander who was appalled by how the new exco behaved at http://wayangparty.com/?p=8513 THE SUCCESSION IS ASSURED... http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_306421.htmlJust in case you're wondering, the letter writer is 21 year old Li Hongyi. QUOTE DU JOUR (13 OCT 08) "People never do evil so cheerfully or completely as when they do it from religious conviction"No particular moving reason for this post. The above is just a comment I read on a BBC News blog recently and which came to mind when I read this article on the NYT. NOT ONE TO LEAVE QUIETLY It's sad, but everyone will have to go one day. And Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam (JBJ as he is popularly known) passed away this morning from heart failure at the age of 82.This man who was much maligned and attacked by LKY and PAP never gave up the fight for his belief in a more just and equitable Singapore.He first won a seat in parliament in 1981 and broke PAP's monopoly on power. But trust LKY to find ways to unseat an opponent and this he did in 1986 when JBJ was found guilty of making a false declaration of his party's accounts and fined. This saw him removed from parliament under existing laws. And on top of that, he was also barred from practising law. Well I'm sure most Singaporeans learnt the true meaning of the word "vindictiveness" from this sordid affair. You not only remove your political opponent but remove his means of earning a living.His second term in parliament was as a non-constituency MP from 1997 to 2001. But this tenure saw him sued by Goh Chok Tong and ten others for defamation. This action broke him financially and he was declared a bankrupt and hence ineligible for parliament.But trust JBJ not to lie down and go away with a whimper. He continued speaking out and working to clear his bankruptcy, which he did in 2007. As of 2008 this year, he helped form the Reform Party and vowed to return to parliament by the next election.Unfortunately for him and Singapore, he never got the chance to. He left us with the memory of a man who fought the good fight and never gave up despite the animosity of his political opponents and the general apathy of most Singaporeans.I think it takes a special breed of people to be able to do that and not succumb to all the negativity, convictions, bankruptcy, etc. I am sure most people would rather have the fawning sycophancy that LKY gets.Rest in peace JBJ and my thoughts are with your family.Hopefully someone might be brave enough (or some would say foolhardy enough) to take up your standard and continue your mission. Singapore sure needs it.Of that generation of politicians, it seems LKY and Chiam See Tong are the only ones left. And Chiam is younger than LKY. Who's next?Asia One - Former opposition MP JB Jeyaretnam diesBBC News - Singapore opposition leader dies "DESIGNED BY TIME, SHAPED BY LIFE" Oh.... my.... god.... You really need to check this out. It's so amazing!! Maybe Singapore should commission one for our island.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7472722.stmFwoah! If the concept is not amazing enough, then check out the video and computer animation in the middle of the page. It really looks like something from science fiction.Frigging hell! I think the UAE has way too much capital to spend on such mind-boggling projects. And just as mind-boggling is the price tag of each apartment; from US$3.7m to US$36m. For the rest of us, I guess just sitting in the park and watching it transform from afar is entertaining enough.This architectural marvel is designed by Dynamic Architecture and is scheduled to be up and running in Dubai by 2010. Plans are afoot for a similar one in Moscow in the future I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU SPOUSES FOR LIFE! Same-sex marriages have finally become a reality in California on Monday. Two solemnisations were the focus of media attention, but the one that moved me most was that of octogenarian lesbian couple Phyllis Lyon (83) and Del Martin (87) in San Francisco.They met and fell in love five decades ago when being seen as queer was dangerous and holding hands in public was unthinkable. What a journey it must have been for them: from forming the Daughters of Bilitis, considered the first lesbian rights group in the United States, to witnessing the gay liberation movement that transformed the city and now this, marriage.What a sight it must have been: Phyllis Lyon pushing Del Martin in a wheelchair into the office of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom who had the honour of marrying them (again).This is actually the second time Mayor Newsom married them. The first was in 2004 after the mayor ordered that marriage licenses be given to same-sex couples who requested them. They were however nullified by the California Supreme Court on 12 August 2004. In May this year, the same court ruled that the ban was unconstitutional and this set the stage for Monday's celebration.What remains unknown is whether Californian voters will overturn the court's decision in November's election. I hope not. In Phyllis' words after the August 2004 nullification, "After being together for more than 50 years, it is a terrible blow to have the rights and protections of marriage taken away from us. At our age, we do not have the luxury of time." THE HEART OF THE MATTER A friend who has known me for six years let me listen to a new (but actually 2 years old) song today which he knew I would like.Now I am very picky and snotty about the songs I listen to and very few people have managed to pin it down. But he managed to. *bravo!* Okay, I am very much a melody and lyric person. It all has to come together very well and actually say something. And even better, stir some emotion in this hardened heart of mine =).Anyway, this post is more about the song than me. It's actually India.Arie's cover of Don Henley's "The Heart of the Matter" which I first heard in 1990 when I bought his album "The End of the Innocence" (which I thankfully still have!!) for the title song.India actually released her cover of this song in her last album back in 2006. But it recently received fresh attention as one of the songs from the Sex and the City movie (not the Singapore version of course) soundtrack.I would classify it as an adult love song though like any good piece of art, it can be read/interpreted in more ways than one.Listening to it as a young lad back then, I couldn't really appreciate it even though I like the melody and lyrics a lot. But now, 18 years later, after living life, stumbling, bruising, picking myself up and carrying on, there's a new poignancy to it that I totally missed back then.I think it takes a person who has lived and experienced life long enough to be able to write a song like this. And it takes the same type of people to able to sing it with credibility, great emotion and gravity that I doubt a young 20ish singer can. And on this count, Don Henley and India.Arie have acquitted themselves well.I have to admit that I was a bit biased against India because I thought Don did an excellent job. But after giving it a listen, I have to admit that India has done the song great justice and brought a fresh new sound to what I would call a classic.The original video which is quite dated in style:Concert acoustic version featuring Don and the Eagles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLgUuHl2xJoIndia.Arie's concert version sung with Umbrella (wha..?):The album version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8H4KojRX4gI got the call today, I didn't wanna hearBut I knew that it would comeAn old, true friend of ours was talkin' on the phoneShe said you found someoneAnd I thought of all the bad luck,    and the struggles we went throughAnd how I lost me and you lost youWhat are these voices outside love's open doorMake us throw off our contentment    and beg for something more?I'm learning to live without you nowBut I miss you sometimesThe more I know, the less I understandAll the things I thought I knew, I'm learning againI've been tryin' to get down    to the heart of the matterBut my will gets weak    and my thoughts seem to scatterBut I think it's about forgivenessForgivenessEven if, even if you don't love me anymoreThese times are so uncertainThere's a yearning undefined...People filled with rageWe all need a little tendernessHow can love survive in such a graceless age?The trust and self-assurance that can lead to happinessThey're the very things we kill, I guessPride and competition    cannot fill these empty armsAnd the work I put between us,    doesn't keep me warmI'm learning to live without you nowBut I miss you, BabyThe more I know, the less I understandAll the things I thought I figured outI have to learn againI've been tryin' to get down    to the heart of the matterBut everything changes    and my friends seem to scatterBut I think it's about forgivenessForgivenessEven if, even if you don't love me anymoreThere are people in your life who've come and goneThey let you down and hurt your prideBetter put it all behind you; life goes onYou keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up insideI've been tryin' to get down    to the heart of the matterBut my will gets weak    and my thoughts seem to scatterBut I think it's about forgivenessForgivenessEven if, even if you don't love me anymoreI've been tryin' to get down    to the heart of the matterBecause the flesh will get weak    and the ashes will scatterSo I'm thinkin' about forgivenessForgivenessEven if, even if you don't love me anymorePS: Guess which is my favourite line. NOW THAT PEDRA BRANCA IS OURS... Ha! Ha! This picture has been making the rounds and was originally found here. THE RIVER IS FROZEN... INTER-SPECIES SEXUAL ASSAULT Ha! Ha! Ha! This is too funny. An Antarctic fur seal has been observed trying to rape a king penguin of undetermined sex on Marion Island.Well I guess the penguin can be considered pretty lucky. Seals don't usually try to mate with them; they usually hunt and eat them for food. So besides a bruised ego and possible post-traumatic stress disorder, this one managed to keep its life.(The 15kg penguin is pinned under the 100kg seal)Click on the picture above for the full story on BBC News. SO OVER THE CITY OF ANGELS Yup, I am so over Bangkok. The city has finally lost its appeal to me. Out of so many trips, this is my worst ever. Getting dragged around by a friend for shopping is bad enough (I am so not a shopper). But having people around me getting wallet stolen and drinking from a spiked mix and then me getting into a physical altercation with a drunk ang moh troublemaker who was apparently going around making a nuisance of himself with other patrons is one too many bad experiences back to back; not to mention the few other stuff that also got to me. Anyway, it's already been said that misfortune comes in a series of threes.Then on a much lesser scale of irritation, there was also the big party I got dragged to which was busted midway by cops looking for a bribe or two before allowing it to go on. Wah liao... How much more eventful can it get.But having said all that, there were a few nice strangers like the other ang mo who told me about the mischief that the drunk was making while explaining that security has already been alerted about him and the local girl who asked me if I was ok after the run-in and offered the space next to her for me to stand and cool down in the packed club. And I did enjoy myself shooting at others with my supersoaker in crazy Silom during one of the evenings. Quite a number of foreign cuties to target. ;-PHmm... it just occurred to me that someone seems to be a lightning rod for travel misfortunes, just like my ang moh friend who was a lightning rod for Songkran celebrants. Anyway, I don't see myself returning to Bangkok in a long time, if ever. And if I do go back to Thailand, I think it will probably be to some other city or town far from the madding crowd.PS: Actually, I wouldn't mind getting my cellphone stolen. I would be able to claim from my travel insurance and get a nicer and newer model like the Nokia N82 or the Samsung i780. =) Heh! Heh! HADARI NO MORE? So what could be pissing Farish A. Noor (author of "The Other Malaysia" which I reviewed back in 2004) off so much that he is "absolutely consumed by anger" (to use his own words)?...A seminar on Syariah Law review wants non-Muslims found committing khalwat (close proximity) with Muslims to also be held liable.This was among the proposals made at the two-day seminar organised by the Islamic Institute of Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) and the Syariah Judiciary Department Malaysia.Syariah Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Asri Abdullah said the seminar had proposed that non-Muslims committing khalwat with Muslims should also be sentenced accordingly, but in the civil courts...(The Star "Proposal to Prosecute Non-Muslims for Khalwat")This is not all; they have also proposed increasing the penalty (including whipping) on a range of "moral" crimes like prostitution, consuming alcohol and involvement in gambling activities. And on top of that, they would like to set up a rehab centre for those convicted of offences such as prostitution and effeminate men.Rehab centre for effeminate men??!!! And how do they intend to butch-ify them? Put them through deportment classes to teach how to swagger like cowboys? Electric shock therapy to wean them off colour coordination and accessorisations? Duh...And do you know what makes this even more interesting? The jokers above are NOT from PAS. Ikim and the Syariah Judiciary Department of Malaysia are government institutions and agencies created by and operating under the auspices of the UMNO-led government.I can go on and on about it, but I think Farish and Marina Mahathir have done a good job commenting and criticising the above so I shall not add anymore to it.Anyway, while I was reading Farish's posting, I came across an earlier article attacking the destruction of Hindu temples in Malaysia. Even though this was written in 2006, the destruction is still happening and hence the article is still current. In this piece, he argues that these are not Indian Hindu temples being demolished, but rather Malaysian temples that belong as much to the Malaysian cultural, historical and religious landscape as mosques, churches and Buddhist and Taoist temples. As such, the destruction should not be just a concern of Malaysian Indian Hindus but all Malaysians regardless of religion. And lest we forget, Hindu predates Islam in the peninsula and the larger archipelago by centuries.And for something slightly off tangent and funny, check out Karipanas' post on fun things to do in a "Guided Democracy", some can be applicable in Singapore too. Number 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 10 cracked me up badly! BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 I found this set of interesting satirical cartoons on my friend's blog, which I am posting here for your viewing pleasure. I don't know who the artist is and hence I am not able to attribute it. BETTING ON A WRONG HORSE? 10 December 2007 - Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) pumps US$10 billion into UBS amid significant writedowns related to its subprime banking exposure in the United States.1 April 2008 - UBS announces a further writedown of US$19 billion due to the abovementioned exposure and seeks a further US$15 billion of capital infusion.The total writedown has hit US$37.4 billion, making it the biggest writedown by any bank since the credit crunch began.Question: Did our government's investment vehicle made the right choice when it saw UBS's initial capital plea as a chance to get a 9% stake in the bank? Or was it betting on the wrong horse? Or is this the lowest it can go before bouncing back and proving GIC's investment choice correct?A bit scary considering that GIC is investing Singapore's vast reserves. But then again, US$10 billion is a drop in the bowl when our official reserves is US$172 billion as of February this year, making us number 8 in the world.Let's hope UBS doesn't go under and make GIC's investment a fiasco. However I do wonder whether the asset managers were aware that there could be further writedowns or were certain facts either withheld by UBS or were totally unknown by them at that time. In which case, how diligent was GIC's due diligence?I guess this should provide our MPs new materials to base their questions on when parliament next sits on 21 April 2008.And in other news, an outline of a deal has almost been reached for Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to step down. The opposition says it won Saturday's general elections. THIS IS SO AMAZING!!! Latest discovery about the Adelie penguins of the Antartic featured on the BBC! I guess birds will always be birds.BBC News - If Penguins Could FlyYou really really have to watch this. KELLY WOWS!! Okay, I am not a Kelly Rowland's fan and the song is okay hot. But the video absolutely sizzles!Don't you think she looks a bit like Gladys Knight from Gladys Knight and the Pips?Kelly Rowland - Work (Freemasons Remix)Uploaded by Momo59-93 A COST TOO HIGH I just saw this post that was dated 17 January 2008, the last post for this blogger as an NSF. A recollection from a guy who is about to ORD. Don't really know what to make of it. Saddened and infuriated at the same time. The price of his citizenship is too high. Maybe not as high as those who lost their lives during NS or ICT, but still too costly.I know it's very long, but just read the whole thing:http://sometimesifart.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-last-post-as-nsf.html POSSIBLE TEETHING PROBLEMS? Well, the Malaysian general election has come and gone. The results have sunk in and the country is now in the dawn of a new era. Whether it will last till the next election or longer is anyone's guess.But now that the country is slowly starting to return to normalcy after the euphoria of the past few days, the opposition parties have a huge task ahead of them.First and foremost is to form a good working relationship with each other. This to me is the most important task if they are to succeed. After all, the three different parties have their own ideologies and agendas. So they will really need to find a common ground and either compromise or chuck out those that stand in their way.To me, the wild card is the pan-Islamic PAS. Being an Islamic political party, it's natural that their interest is the promotion of Islam. But one of the biggest issues (I gather) facing Malaysia now is the balancing of Islamic interest with that of the other religions.There have been too many cases where unproven (or claimed by third parties) conversion to Islam has been used to rule against the family who are adherents of other religions. And of course, we also have the civil courts refusing to rule against or get involved in cases where the Islamic courts have jurisdiction in, thus giving primacy to these courts and their rulings.I am not criticising or attacking PAS, but I really cannot see how they can divorce their politics from Islam. I mean if they do it, wouldn't they be betraying the very religion that they based their existence on? But if they don't, then how will the alternative coalition formulate policies that are equitable to all.Tough call. But it will be interesting to see how it will all work out for next four to five years. Will they out-perform BN or will they go for each other's throat and implode?Personally, I really want them to succeed and out-perform BN. And in the process, help the country move away from the parochial race-based politics that has created more divisions than unity and has exceeded its shelf life by years.Maybe UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) can learn from this and surprise us all by transforming itself from just the United Malays National Organisation to the United Malaysians Organisation. MAJOR RELANDSCAPING UP NORTH Oh... My... God...Barisan Nasional (BN) of Malaysia loses its two thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of the federal parliament) and has only managed to cling on with a small margin.The Malaysian Indian Congress (a component party of BN) president Samy Vellu lost to his opponent. Tragically, the day of the election and his resultant electoral loss is also his birthday. As a result, he will lose his ministerial seat which he has held for three decades. Unless of course he gets appointed to the senate and reappointed as the federal works minister as a senator, but I'm not too sure if the Malaysian constitution allows that route.Meanwhile, Anwar Ibrahim's wife has successfully defended her seat and his daughter won her first election, both on Keadilan's slate for the federal Dewan Rakyat. Out of all the opposition parties running for the federal parliament, Keadilan has won the most seats. And in the state polls, the opposition has increased its control of state governments from one (Kelantan) from the previous election to five (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor and of course Kelantan).Wow! After five decades of BN dominance, the entire political landscape has changed. Of course BN will still form the new government but they will have a more powerful opposition to deal with in parliament.Analysts say that this time, it wasn't just the Chinese and Indian voters who abandoned BN, but Malays as well. So will we see a repeat of post-electoral violence and death like the one that happened in 1969? I hope not. If things remain peaceful and transfer of state governments are smooth, then Malaysia and Malaysians have acquired a political maturity that does them great credit.You know what would be even better? That the opposition comprising DAP, Keadilan and PAS can ditch the racial politics of BN and forge a new all-inclusive opposition coalition that really represents the interest of all Malaysians regardless of race. To expect them to merge and form one party would be too much of a fantasy lah. First, they will need to heal the recent racial and religious fissure that has erupted across the country. Once they have dealt with that successfully, then maybe a merger would be more possible.Baby steps, baby steps. YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING Local and international press today reports that the ISA detainee Mas Selamat Kastari has escaped from the Internal Security Department's (ISD) Whitley Road Detention Centre yesterday afternoon.When I saw his picture on the silent gym TV last night, I thought he had died or was executed or something like that and didn't give much thought to it. Imagine my surprise when I read on BBC News today that he had escaped.This leader of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) is alleged to have been a part of plans to attack the US Embassy along Napier Road, the American Club along Scotts Road, MINDEF HQ at Bukit Gombak and the Education Ministry building in North Buona Vista Drive. He was also said to have been the mastermind behind plans to hijack an airplane in Bangkok and crash it into Changi airport (http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_211177.html). These are some majorly serious charges and obviously he's someone who could really be intent on causing serious damage, carnage and mayhem.Apparently Mas, who was born in Indonesia, supposedly has the power to hypnotise people. As a friend said, "Indos strong religious ones tend to have these inner unorthodox power". Whether you believe that is true or not is up to you. However it's not surprising as pre-Islamic belief in the supernatural is still very strong in the Indonesian archipelago. How interesting, politics and terrorism with an added dash of the supernatural."You... will... release... me...""Yessss... masssssterrrr...""Woo! Hoo!! I'm free! Free! FREE!!! MUUAH... HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!!"Well, it looks like someone or some people from ISD is going to get canned pretty soon. I wonder if he had help (internal or external) with his escape or he simply found an opening and took advantage of it. I can just imagine a getaway car waiting for him with some ladies in the niqab (which covers the entire body and face) and a spare one for him to put on.The police and SAF soldiers are now in the midst of an island wide manhunt for him. I don't know whether they will succeed or not. He'll most probably be hiding out in the home of a supporter or sympathiser before making an explosive debut. Or if what one of my friends said is right, he has probably crossed the waters to either Johor or the Riau islands where his "brothers" are waiting to receive him with open arms.I seriously doubt if JI has been disbanded. They were probably weakened by the string of arrests and was lying dormant all this while. But now that Mas their leader is out, things might start to change. And not for the better I'm afraid.If there was a proper opposition in Singapore's parliament, the minister of home affairs and the PM will definitely get seriously grilled like they do in the UK when some shit (like the lost of CDs containing sensitive government data) hits the fan. In Singapore, they will probably get a slap on their hands with no calls for their resignation.His picture is available at the links below.AsiaOne - SAF soldiers join island-wide manhunt for escaped JI leaderBBC News - Singapore hunts escaped suspectChannel NewsAsia - JI detainee Mas Selamat Kastari escapes from Singapore detention centreStraits Times - Massive manhunt A HUMBLE GIANT HAS PASSED ON Sir Edmund Hilary, the first man who conquered Mt Everest with his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, died today of a heart attack at a Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. He was 88 years old.Unknown to a lot of people, he was also responsible for setting up the Himalayan trust during his time as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India. This trust built schools, hospitals, bridges, etc for the Sherpas in their remote region of Nepal. Ever shy of publicity and fame, it was to this organisation that he poured in lots of time and effort. Sadly, his wife Louise and one of his daughters Belinda died in a plane crash while en route to meet him during one of his hospital building projects.He is survived by his second wife June, son Peter, daughter Sarah and six grandchildren. BBC News - Life in pictures: Sir Edmund HillaryBBC News - Obituary: Sir Edmund Hillary GUESS SHARIF'S NEXT Like the Nehru-Gandhi family of India, the Bhuttos is another tragic political dynasty in the sub-continent. Her father, a former prime minister of Pakistan during the rare times when the country was not run by the army, was accused of murder and then executed by Gen Zia ul-Haq in 1979. Then her two brothers (also politically active) were killed in mysterious circumstances. And today, it was Benazir's turn.Looks like the country is going to the dogs. Political killings, assassinations, suicide bombings, military coups, repressing the independence of the judiciary, etc. Another "failed state" in the making? Scary thought considering they have the nukes too.I wonder if the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma would roll in his grave if he could see how bad things have turned out ever since the partition of 1947.BBC News - Benazir Bhutto 'killed in blast'BBC News - Obituary: Benazir BhuttoCNN - Benazir Bhutto assassinatedThe New York Times - Bhutto Assassinated in Attack on RallyMeanwhile in an island south of the sub-continent, the henchman of a Sri Lankan labour minister by the name of Mervin Silva assaulted the news director of a television station. All this because the station did not broadcast a footage of a speech he made on Wednesday during the re-opening of a bridge destroyed by the 2004 tsunami.Enraged employees then locked them up pending an apology from the minister, which of course was not forthcoming.In the end, commandos had to be called in to resolve the standoff and he was finally allowed to leave with red and pink paint splattered on him and jeers from the journalists."If my action is considered as a wrong act, I would like to apologise to the employees," said Mr Silva in front of cameras.Now this would have been quite a sight, bully politician getting a taste of his on medicine. Oh! The humiliation of it.Incidentally in 2005, his son and his son's bodyguard pulled out pistols on the police when they went to a club to conduct a drug raid. AN AMAZING SCHOOL WITH AMAZING PEOPLE A beautiful story to warm a heart on Christmas.This one is set in Decatur Georgia where a school brings together American children and those of refugees from 40 or so war-torn countries and works darn hard to educate them. The cultural exposure that all of them get and the friendships they develop are nothing short of amazing.All this in a formerly white-only suburb that was historically one of the bastions of the Ku Klux Klan.A lot of these kids have seen or experienced things that no kids should ever have to go through. And this brings more challenges to the ever patient teachers who have to coax and comfort them. And I guess it helps that some of the staff also had first hand experiences of living as refugees or escaping war situations, like for example the lunchroom lady from Srebrenica who was driven from the town during the Serbian massacre of some 8,000 Bosnian men and boys.Do read the story and watch the video of Dante Ramirez, a white American boy and his Burmese refugee friend Soung Oo Hlaing.I guess this is one of the things that still make America a beacon of tolerance and diversity despite many current evidences to the contrary. Yes, it is still capable of opening its heart and arms in an amazing way.New York Times - A School in Georgia as a Laboratory for Getting AlongOh, and Merry Christmas everyone.