w.I.b:warung ikan bakar:
Harap-harap INI KALILAH !
Thursday, July 31, 2003
It's kinda funny......
that while I am so active in blogging, 95% of my close friends have no clue what it is all about. When I try to promote this blogging thing, most aren't really interested.....
It's also funny but true that while I am so vocal over here in cyberspace, I would find it uncomfortable(shy) if people I know read my blog, certain ones, maybe because I have never told them my thoughts,...and then for them to get second hand info about my thoughts from the blog.
Gibran just commented to me this morning, "Finally went to your blog, so boring !! So much politics" Haha, I understand.....I hardly talk about those things in 'real life'. Sorry Gib, this blog is meant to maintan a serious side, cos I am wacky at other times mah ! : )
Anyway, I do find some friends who read my blog, and find it interesting...especially Li Mian and Kavetha. Well, it is kinda encouraging.
Recruitment for members of Parti Ayam Se-Malaysia The Founder-President of Parti Ayam would like to invite young and old Malaysians, above the age of 15, to seriously consider joining a newly unregistered political party, aimed at rejuvenating the political community, and offering a much-needed new form of governance to Malaysia.
You are very much needed if you have such qualities:-
1) Have no experience with any of the Barisan Nasional parties (especially the main three; this does not include any association with Parti Perikatan in the 60s), because of irreversible contamination. The fact that you have joined them in the past have totally disqualified yourself. We doubt your brains and your balls. We suggest you go for brainwashing.
2) You think that seats and tags and the plants and the marble floor in the Parliament have a better role to play in governance, legislation and democracy than the so called MPs.
3) You have been wondering till today, why are those interested to enter politics are those weird people, with backward thinking, greedy ambitions, and with a tendency to lick boots and saying 'YES' !
4) You also think that it is time to change the set of people occupying those seats. You think that although you are merely 15 years old, having read enough Reader's Digests and The Economists, surfed enough websites, and wrote enough karangan BM for PMR to qualify as a more sophisticated and well-read than half the population of politicians we have right now?
5) You also think that the pakcik kantin in your school/alma mater are just the same like Khir Toyo, besides the fact that both of them have beard.
6) You also find yourself laughing hard but crying within at all the idiotic headlines in the Star, NST and other mainstream newspapers.
If you think you are fit for Parti Ayam Se-Malaysia, we welcome you to join us. Please SMS us at 013-9843829 to register. Towards a new set of politicians !
Mr. Maklum Harap
Secretary General,
Parti Ayam Se-Malaysia
Chor Chee Heung, where are your balls?... or worse...brains?
To continue from my entry 'Malaysia Boleh?', the Bruce Almighty stupid saga is yet another example of Malaysia masih tak boleh. And to make it worse, our ministers have never anything wise and heartening to say.
The AMP execs who are also Muslims ( I presume), in charge of that Bruce Almighty contest, has already defended the contest, and spoke against banning the show. Can't we have a little bit of humour ? Are we in the dark ages, hello Hamid ? Dah nyanyuk ke dah extreme ? Yang pasal SMS lu diam buat apa ?
But the worst of all is to read Chor Chee Heung, the Deputy Home Minister saying nothing encouraging, but merely commenting that all films should be in harmony with all religions in this country. What utter bullshit is that ?
Have we seen Seven Years in Tibet? What about James Bond and Halle Berry in that temple? What about The Others, and many other Hollywood movies here that are actually mocking Christianity, but we are okay about it because the directors have their rights, and we have our brains of discernment ?
So "Datuk" Chor Chee Heung, to show us that you really deserve that spot in Putrajaya, please come up with fairer and wiser comments, or just SHUT up like that Chua Jui Meng.
The tauke would like to say sorry for the rude language, but he meant every word of it, because the month of July is really sickening with all these misjudgments by our ministers. Tiada orang yang lebih layak dan berkaliber ke yang masuk politik ? Apa pasal hampir semua ahli politik nampak macam IQ rendah saja ? Tolonglah, jangan bagi orang ketawakan Malaysia lah !
Dalam 60-an dan 70-an, boleh dikatakan Malaysia dilanda krisis keyakinan. Seolah-olah apa yang dibuat dan dirancang tidak menjadi-jadi. Keputusan kerajaan tidak disukai, polisi nasional baru menggangu ketenteraman segelintir masyarakat. Krisis subklinikal ini berterusan, sehingga kemuncaknya pada 1969 membawa kepada kesedaran dan kepahitan kepada rakyat dan pucuk pimpinan, dan juga institusi politik pada masa itu. Dari perspektif antarabangsa pula, tentulah negara-negara lain yang sibuk memerhati prestasi Malaysia dalam era pasca-Merdeka akan mempunyai pandangan yang kurang menggalakkan terhadap masa depan Malaysia, tidak kiralah mereka yang betul-betul kawan, ataupun yang kurang senang dari mula lagi.
Namun, Dr Mahathir seolah-olah membawa suatu gelombang perubahan kepada negara sejak beliau menaiki takhta sebagai ketua kerajaan. Sebagai seorang yang berfikiran jauh dan sangat teguh dan degil dengan pendiriannya dan visinya, Malaysia bertukar warna dan tema. Apa yang tak menjadi-jadi hilang, dan perasaan yakin pula yang melanda masyarakat Malaysia. 'Malaysia Boleh' seolah-olah menjadi rukun negara. Malaysia menjadi 'Bolehland' lebih-lebih lagi pada era pertukaran 80an-90an. Apa yang dirancang kerajaan sentiasa 'berjaya'. Projek itu berjaya, kita berbangga, Malaysia mencipta rekod baru, itulah, inilah. Macam-macam menjadinya. Tidak senang bagi seseorang untuk menukar warna dan tema Malaysia dalam jangka masa yang pendek. Oleh itu, Dr Mahathir patut dikreditkan dengan 'kejayaan' ini. Tentulah, media massa dan agensi kerajaan menjadi 'senjata' utama merealisasikan sebuah negara 'Bolehland'.
Tapi kalau kita melihat keadaan sekarang, pada alaf baru, suasana 'Bolehland' sudah basi pada zaman selepas Malaysia mengharungi krisis politik( Anwar-Keadilan), krisis politik-agama (PAS-Al Maunah-isu pengganas), krisis kewangan (Soros-KLSE jatuh-RM 3.80), dan krisis pecah amanah (rasuah).
Oh yes, media massa masih lagi hangat memuji Malaysia. Pucuk pimpinan masih lagi khayal dengan kejayaannya walaupun 'sedikit'. Terdapat lagi orang-orang yang terus dinodai oleh janji-janji dan promosi-promosi diaorang.
Tapi, bukankah jelas sangat kepada kita semua bahawa sebenarnya apa yang dirasai dan dilalui sebelum era Mahathir sebenarnya belum lagi meninggalkan kita. Cuma disapu di bawah permaidani. Disorok sana dan sini. Kerana mahu sangat berjaya, shortcut diambil. Akar-umbi kelemahan kita masih belum dihadapi dengan betul-betulnya.
Cuba kita lihat isu-isu hangat pada bulan Julai yang melanda Malaysia:-
1) SMS sebagai alat cerai
2) Karenah Majlis Perbandaran Klang buat ini buat itu, yang membazir tanpa mendatangkan manfaat yang konkrit
3) MCA dan kongsi gelap
4) Makmal komputer belum siap
5) Isu kemasukan universiti yang penuh kontroversi
6) Halangan perarakan anti-rogol
7) Transient ban pada ICT dan pementasan 'Bolehwood awards'
8) Kontroversi lantik hakim
9) Bazir duit iklan untuk berkelahi dengan si kiasu pasal air
10) Dan banyak lagi, pada bulan-bulan lepas dan bulan-bulan akan datang
Cukup jelas bahawa kita masih lemah, masih tidak cukup bergaya, banyak perkara yang masih belum 'boleh' lagi, malah amat memerlukan mekanisme pembetulan yang sewajarnya. Dah cukup panjanglah rasanya kita telah menipu diri sendiri dengan pujian pada diri sendiri. Dr Mahathir cuma berjaya menukar kulit dan imej negara, tapi isinya masih belum menerima perubahan dan pembetulan.
Komen pengakhir bulan, Warung Ikan Bakar -29/07/03
Last night, Pang stormed into my room and asked, " Tell me the 2 types of gastric carcinoma."
"er...ah..are you testing me ? er...exophytic and flat type ?"
"..no lah, that's just the presentation variation. Tell me the 2 different types."
"er..forgot alreadylah."
"intestinal and diffuse type loh. Okay, tell me the causes of renal clear cell carcinoma."
"er..forgot also lah..shit man, I forgot most of Part B stuff. Something to do with Von-hippel Lindau syndrome?.."
"Never heard of that. What's the genetic defect in polycystic kidney disease? Which chromosome?"
"err....(no clue at all, I give it a shot)..chromosome 11?..where are you getting at? What are you trying to prove anyway?"
"aiya, I bored lah with studying. I miss Part B stuff..."
" aiseh Pang,...now you know how poor my memory is, or how poor my studying skill is. Study for exam, and after that forget..."
Then Pang said something I forgot,and and went back to his room.
"Ooi ! Which chromosome lah ooi? Tell me lah." I shouted
" 16 "
(Later, I went to his room for "Band of Brothers".
Sigh, I think 90% of my coursemates would have forgotten all those things just like me. But is this dangerous? What's the point of studying if we forget most of it after a month or two? Are we too exam-oriented ?
Ever since the time of The Insider, Big Tobacco has adopted a new deceptive strategy, admit tobacco is bad, but what the heck, people would be too addicted to quit, we'll prevent further intervention to our sales and marketing, at the same time, recruiting new smokers to our clientele by promising them macho-ness and good lifestyle image by good PR and advertising. There's nothing a bunch of shameless lawyers, corrupted scientists, and deceptive ADmen cannot do.
To Li Mian, Kavetha, or any MS who happen to visit this blog,
I have something to show you guys:
Part C preparation !.
Thanks to google, I have managed to collect many photos that may be helpful for our pathology exam.
And Irene, you are probably right, I can never win that teh tarik from you. Blogging is just too fun, and furthermore, I am constantly getting bored of studying....
Virus came,
then the bacteria got invited,
now carbohydrates that entered,
hardly got burned beyond the basic need,
ending in abundant lipid,
giving me a new coat of fat,
a new set of flab
SHAME ON YOU who MURDERED AND GOT SO DARN PROUD ABOUT IT !
Qusay Hussein
The Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad released this photograph which it says is the body of Qusay Hussein. Dental records taken from the body yielded a 100 percent match for Qusay.
courtesy of CNN.com
"...Britain and Australia expressed joy and relief yesterday over the deaths of Saddam's sons,..."
"...British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the killings as “a great day for the new Iraq....''
excerpt from the Saddam’s sons killed in raid, The Star
The world must have gone sick. Real sick. Since when did the people of this world endorse MURDER so highly that one can express ultimate joy at killing someone? Even though that someone may be proven to be a criminal, a bastard, a pain-in-the-political ass?
If that is the case, how come we do not storm into Bush's White House or Ariel Sharon's office and have them killed? Haven't they too, proven to us, beyond doubt that they are WAR CRIMINALS?
The leaders' remarks over the deaths should be a solemn one, a humble one, even though their deaths may cease the rising instability in IRAQ.
With this piece of reporting alone, we can say that the world has stooped to a new level of immorality and inhumanity. Very soon, we would decay into the age of dis-civilisation.
I personally agree with this guy: ".....“This was a terrorist act,” railed Nezar Taha, an agricultural engineer, about the high-stakes operation involving hundreds of US troops backed by missile-launching helicopter gunships.
“They should have arrested them and put them on trial like other prisoners of war,” the 43-year-old said. "
Why don't they just kill Milosevic or Yamashita without the bogey trial? Just shoot them lah,... just as Bush, Blair and Howard had endorsed.
SHAME ON YOU who MURDERED AND GOT SO DARN PROUD ABOUT IT !
Shame on you too !
What a warm welcome... I would like to, again, thank the tauke, Fooji, for his warm and most ardent introduction of me, Teong. I really appreciate those of you who have given your feedbacks and welcoming me into the scene. It seems that many are anticipating some sort of special and inspiring cuisine from the new cook.
Blogging shares the same attribute with writing. It requires passion. When one has many thoughts but lack of the desire and zeal to express or in this context, to blog, there aint going be any blog entry regarding the thoughts though might be insightful, perceptive, and ingenious. Now that the new cook is in his final year, formal tasks, assignments and projects are stacking up, time to spend for blogging (writing articles) has to be, axiomatically, be reduced. Nevertheless, since the new cook shall not cease to have access to the WWW regularly, if not daily, he shall keep Warung Ikan Bakar alives and updated.
Hmmm...let me see what I have to serve for today. The new cook shall share about the tauke, Fooji. Indeed, he has been my great, faithful, akin, and accomodating buddy through the years since we started to know each others. We do indulge in a lot of same interests, mainly in commenting (most of the time critising) or having a cup or two of tea chitchatting over politics, education system, current issues, sensitive issues, and ins and outs of university life and trend especially in University of Malaya. Aside from serious and formal stuffs, we do crack jokes, do silly, immature and "bread-and-butter" actions from time to time, and also kidding and washing our eyes with "pretty girls" of course.
Of late, having been infatuated and driven by blogging, it appears that the crazier we are getting...in serving more tasteful grilled fish..."fresh punya ikan pari, nak berapa encik..."
Tan Su Wei is not only pretty, she is smart, and she sounds real good !
Asian-Family.cominterviewed her and I heard it (the interview must have been long long ago). Visit this internet radio for marvellous family content and listen to Miss Tan Su Wei, Miss Malaysia/World 2000
Beribu bintang di langit kini menghilang
Meraba aku dalam kelam
Rambulan mengambang kini makin suram
Pudar ilhamku tanpa arah
Sedetik wajahmu muncul dalam diam
Ada kerdipan ada sinar
Itukah bintang ataupun rambulan
Terima kasih ku ucapkan
Izinkan ku mencuri bayangan wajahmu
Izinkan ku mencuri khayalan denganmu
Maafkanlah ohhh....
Andai lagu ini mengganggu ruangan hidupmu
Kau senyumlah ohhh...
Sekadar memori kita di arena ini
Kau ilham ku ....
by Man Bai Performance every day by the tauke in 6th college H-block bathroom
The tauke is proud to announce that the Warung business has soared for the past few weeks with good traffic, and ego-boosting feedback and links. And of course, with such good business at hand, the tauke got himself a business partner to make things better and grill the fish harder !
As Teong have put it in his maiden blog entry here, he shall be the new partner(co-blogger) in Warung Ikan Bakar. Teong, as in O.B.Teong is an old friend of mine since our time together in ACS Ipoh (primary and secondary). Now a final-year computer science student in UM, he has been a good source of information regarding HTML coding and a deeper knowledge of how the internet works.
Teong, like the tauke, is a raw-amateur political commentator. His views are insightful, fair and honest with some spice here and there sometimes. His other interests rest in automobiles, Japanese tech, pretty girls(just like me) and social daydreaming.
Both of us discovered blogging at almost the same time, and have set up Ipoh Tauges together. It would be great to have him as a co-tauke of Warung Ikan Bakar, so that this blog would remain updated even if I am preoccupied with other responsibilities.
Now, let's see what Teong is going to write about next.....
Finally... To all visitors and fellow co-bloggers who visit this warung, be it on daily, regular, or occasional basis, I am Teong, a very close friend of the tauke. Since Fooji, the tauke is going to undergo his clinical training in Klang in a couple of months time, and knowing that he will hardly have the time and perhaps the chance to log on and subsequently blog, he has invited me to be a partaker of this warung, with hope that this warung will continue to serve an array of delicacies, on education, society, government, politics, youth, economy, etc.
I am most honoured and grateful to receive his invitation.
one two threee
neuroanatomy... four five six.....
I need a caffeine fix..
I remember when I first started this blog, I was in the middle of the Neuroanatomy course, in May. Months passed, and now it is 2 weeks to my final exam, and phooh...I have to revisit Neuroanatomy. And it reminds that time in May, I would study in the library from 8pm till 10.30pm and then I would rush to the computer lab to work on my blog. No, that's an understatement - I also spent my lunchtime for blogging, sometimes when my lectures sucked, I would leave the hall and go online. Even when studying I was not concentrating fully, thought and plans are forming in my mind on what to put in my blog, what to design, what codes to change, and other blogs to visit for inspiration....hah, those were the time.
Nope, I am still a relatively new blogger, not even a year-old yet, but looking back on how it started - it felt funny. It is as if I found a new drug, a new obsession. Studying seems secondary. This is what I call the adverse effects of over-blogging.
I have 2 more weeks to prepare, and I have forgotten most of the Neuroanatomy and physiology that was taught, as well as many other subjects. So it is back to studying...FULL TIME !
That means, reluctantly, the tauke of the warung shall cut down his time in front of the computer - meaning, less blogging. There is still some issues that I have yet to post in this blog - Manipal students, the changing trend of medical education, Malaysia's ridiculous turn of events, etc..etc.....but maybe after my exam lah !
My Mom loves it. I used to like it when I was 12, especially the juicy parts. But I thought people my age should have outgrown it.
" WHy on earth do you think I buy the Star on Thursday for? It's because I want to read the damn 'Tell it to Big Bro' lah !" said Gibran. Shawin, a fan since dunno-when, almost raised his leg in agreement.
For me, it's kinda a turn-off to read some people's problem due to their half-baked (well, at least most of them) maturity, and judgment.
"Dear Big Bro, I am a sexy, beautiful girl. I gotten to know A, and one day we had dinner and one thing led to another, and we had sex.....Then I found out B who is my best friend is in love with me....I'm confused,...A or B...or should I look for a C and a D ? Would there be a Z in my life? ....." (a bit exaggerated, sorry ) WHo is that Big Bro anyway?
I think we have friends that we can talk to, if really we have something curled up inside, do we need to publish it in a national newspaper? Most people, like my friends, read them not because it is educational, (if that's the aim of the editor to place the column), they read it because it is sensational and saucy, and juicy, and funny.
Maybe some just create a problem and wrote it to the Big Bro, just to read his reply, in the name of fun.
In the Star's Youth2 section, there used to be a 'Letters' section where youths wrote in to share their stories. I saw a lot of substance in those writings. But now, that section hardly exists, eaten up by the sensational "Big Bro". Do we need to pander?
Thanks to Chow Wai Kean: He taught to me to get this, by typing Weapons of Mass Destruction in Google, and then select "I'm feeling lucky!" ( Which means that it is first link that Google would bring you, if you, like Bush, is still trying to look for WMD.
The newspaper today quoted him saying that he is very sure that Iraq has a weapons programme. FULAMAK! What country tarak weapons programme? Wanna die standing when kena hentam?
and here's someone who tak habis-habis defend the US bomb-masters. Kononnya, dia seorang konservatif from the US political sense.
Midnight All These Years: Anwar, Mahathir, and the Search for Daylight in Malaysia
It is heartening to find someone who can write about the Malaysian sub-clinical crisis so well and without prejudice. Click here to read.
I particularly liked this line: "..I was curious more than anything else. I was never really a fan of Anwar, and I wanted to know exactly why he was sacked.
It turns out he was sacked for corruption and sodomy. I remember I tried just continuing on with my assignment after I had read about this. I remember being very hurt.
I could not imagine how anyone could be publicly humiliated in such a manner. I found myself in a very difficult position. I never really liked Anwar, and I never thought much of his Islamisation programmes when he was in power.
I found that I couldn't voice this to some of my friends who became Anwar's fervent supporters. However, I also could not imagine how such horrible laws could be used to silence and humiliate anyone.
I found that I couldn't voice this to my friends who remained Mahathir's fervent supporters. Most of my other friends refused to discuss the subject."
Malaysia is now reaching another peak of ridiculous events: Anwar's appeal, Mahathir-Badawi transition, DPM guessing game, Water dispute (ala you talk, I talk back) , Bolehwood ban, Education Ministry's meritocracy mum-raaa, municipal councils' chaga-ga, ISA weh-loo-looo....
Sembang kat warung: Alamak...ooi....tauke ni masih nak blog lagi,...exam dah dekat...pi raa study ! Sibuk sibuk taip komen sini komen sana buat pa ?
TV Smith is back with another masterpiece - The Naked Card Read it ! Very very funny. ( Not suitable for those offended with foul language : p )
I have yet to renew my IC, hmm...maybe there is no hurry after all....
Tauke, lu dah tua lah.... Nicholas Tse, the overrated Hong Kong star, is of the same age as me. The overrated, gay-ish, F4 - taiwan pop-group is younger than me. Joyce, the author the Blog of the Week, [This] Functional Life,(but her art and wit in her writing outsmart those way older than her) is only 18 years old. And how old is Tiger Woods? 22 like me ? Darn.....
This make me feel old, and feel under-achieved.
It seemed like only yesterday, that the achievers and wealth-owners are years older than me. But then suddenly, people of my age group are making waves here and there. Some are even younger than me.
I am not full of jealousy here, but my natural instinct asks me this, "err...Chee Hoe,...what about you?"
Yeah, that's right. What about me? Still a student, dependent on family for funds. One of my friend, Ian, is already travelling to Bangkok and Hong Kong periodically as an IT consultant. Kay Keat is already a Kancil-owner, working in Penang as a research engineer.
What about me? err... I have a bicycle....and I own an imaginery Ikan Bakar stall. Ikan kembong anyone ?
has finally hit the street for everyone ! Being a beta-tester myself, albeit a passive one, I have been able to observe how dedicated and diligent Aizuddin is in creating this blog-portal for Malaysian bloggers. ( Although, I still do not agree with his definition of a good blog, hehe...)
From a short period of blogwars, to debates of blog-definition, and finally beta-testing, and of course many late nights of coding by Aizuddin and company, we now have Project Petaling Street, your one-stop centre for blog entries that interests you. And to sweeten it all, any Malaysian blogger can now use PPS to bring readers to their blog entry. At the same time, enriching the Malaysian content of PPS.
"Racial harmony in Malaya was therefore neither real nor deep-rooted. What was taken for harmony was absence of open inter-racial strife. And absence of strife is not necessarily due to lack of desire or reasons for strife. It is more frequently due to a lack of capacity to bring to open conflict. The Malays and the Chinese may live as neighbours. They may meet each other in their daily business and even socially. But when they retire, they retire into their respective ethnic and cultural sanctum, neither of which has ever been truly breached by the other. And in their own world their values are not merely different, but are often conflicting.." The Malay Dilemma, Mahathir Mohamad - 1970
This paragraph was among many in the book that contains so many thoughts of our Prime Minister. Back then in 1970, he was still a young politician, and being young and idealistic, he puts down his thoughts on the Malay race and the socioeconomic dynamics of Malaysia extensively. I only manage to start reading The Malay Dilemma now. And what an interesting time to read this book as he is about the leave office this coming October. And I wonder, how many of his criticisms against the Tunku, the PM at that time, has actually fallen back on him, the present PM.
My interest in Malaysian history and politics is renewed as I manage to come across so many good books in our medical library. Currently, after the Animal Farm, I am now reading a few books that help me understand the Malaysia in the early post-Merdeka days. The books are Autobiography of Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Khoon- Mr Opposition, The Malay Dilemma, Paradoxes of Mahathirism, The May Thirteenth Incident and of course I shall reread the excellent Farish Noor's The Other Malaysia.
Reading these books make me doubt the efficacy of the History subject in our schools. The teaching of Sejarah starts from Standard 4 till Form 6, but yet, none of any of my history lessons back then compares to reading these books. The history textbooks, written in a dry and third-party, pro-government style hardly spark any imagination and inspiration in us. No wonder most of our schoolboys fail to appreciate Sejarah Malaysia.
Those who excel in the subject actually excel only in remembering the years and the names of people. Very few see the deeper sense of our history. When we reach Form 4, we should instead read essays and books written by our tokoh-tokoh like the Tunku, Dr M, Farish Noor, etc. No more dry textbooks that do not really give an accurate account. The teaching of Sejarah Dunia also fails to educate students on the real meaning of socialism, liberalism, revolution and so-on. Just a few paragraphs of historical account is not enough to teach us the underlying causes for the political and economical setting that we have now. Students should be encouraged to read more books beyond the prescribed textbook. I remember our history teacher showing us Robin Hood - The Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner to let us understand more on the feudal system. Now, that was really something.
History can be so interesting and inspiring. It would be a waste if our youths fail to grasp the intricacies of our Malaysian story upon leaving secondary school. This would be the pathogenesis of tin kosong mentality and extremism.
There was one time in ACS Ipoh while still a fourth-former, the Penolong Kanan (HEM) gave me the responsibility to kickstart a 'Supporter's Club' - ( Kelab Penyokong ). We were supposed to organise 'missions' to cheer for our school teams in various inter-school competitions.
Not many were interested, and I had to be the bridge between the students' lack of interest and nonchalance with the teacher's demands. Eventually, the job was passed to another person, a sixth-former. During a discussion with her, she told one thing - " Tell your friends that this is part of their education. It is not only about studying in your classrooms. "
Perhaps I was too naive to understand what she meant, I just nodded stupidly. But, I think I get her point now. Education is more than just schooling. It should be holistic. It's not just about books and exams. Mark Twain said in his novel - " Let not your schooling interfere with your education " ( something like that.... )
Sometimes, I wonder if the present education system is suitable for everyone. Is everyone interested in Algebra and statistics? What about those whose talent is in music, and dancing, or performing arts ? We are talented in many ways, in different ways, but the rigidity of our schooling methods, has continued to suppress those great potential. I was fortunate because I can adapt to the education system, meaning, I was able to go along with the style of teaching and the syllabus, and eventually, did well in the exams. What about those who do not find it suitable to their interest?
In university, the regulations and 'akta-akta' is eating up students' freedom in the name of peace. Our opinions and views are trivialised, and are made to just follow the flow that they determine. Slowly, our universities would become just like sekolah menengah, where the pengawas would write your name for being noisy or naughty. As young students, there should be a greater form of freedom than the current situation. There may be some black sheeps around who abused the freedom, but to have it totally suppressed because of them ain't so fair. When are we going to learn about expression of our thoughts and views? We would grow up as timid adults. How are we going to learn from our mistakes, the rights and wrongs, the selok-belok, the traps and twists of public communication if students' activities and campaigns are so tightly regulated?
In the end, are we just here in university to study and do nothing else constructive? Would universities then, just like schooling, would interfere with the true, holistic form of education.
Reading Malaysiakini these few days make me nervous. Why? Because it is my close friend and coursemate who is making the news. Who knows some of his remarks and another yet to identified student would be picked up by Malaysiakini and created a new twist to the meritocracy sandiwara. Even though I have so much to study as the Part C exam is just around the corner, I have to blog this, and as I do it, I am entertaining the greatest fear - that I would not sit the final exam with Pang. I really pray the dean and university would spare him from the harshest punishment for going to the press. All students should start to weigh this issue - Shall we dwell in the comfort of silence ? and if we do, are we comitting the crime of silence?
There are a few news report from Malaysiakini that is so unsettling to local uni students like me. Suddenly, we felt unsafe, unprotected, and democracy is so grey it looks almost like totalitarianism. Here's what I mean:-
2) Minister seeks explanation on intake of private medical students in UM - This is rather puzzling. I asked some of my batchmates, if they recall correctly, the Minister was there when the MOU with PCM was signed. Now, he seeks an explanation. Now, I am certain that he and the university would be angry by now, of having to explain this confusion and meritocracy-maligned ongoings. I really pray that they would NOT find a scapegoat in Pang. What Pang said was not seditious, but mere facts. It is merely an eye-opener.
3) Dapsy wants transparency on dubious UM intake - Looks like DAP has jumped on the bandwagon, riding on the recent exposure by UM students. I personally do not like washing dirty linen in public, and I personally do not like UM medical school getting such publicity. With more response from political parties and individuals, again, I hope UM students would not be the scapegoat. I think this issue should not POLITICISED, it is not a political issue, but an issue of meritocracy and education.
My last word for this blog - or rather question - How many would stand behind Pang HC, and risk punishment, if Pang really gets into trouble? How many would dare to speak up in support of him? How many would rather ruin the comfort of silence than to commit the crime of silence? . Saya sendiri pun belum pasti........
But then again, maybe I am a man of little faith, Pang HC instead said: "I am at peace. I have assurance that is called Jesus. He is with me, at least I would like to believe that." Amen to that !
What is socialism? In a nutshell - in a socialist society the means of production [1] are owned by the workers rather than by a rich minority of capitalists or functionaries. Such a system of ownership is both collective and individual in nature. The Socialist Website
"While the struggle for radical change in developed countries such as ours will never be a tea party, the conditions are there for it to happen. To begin with, socialism in a developed economy would mean shared prosperity rather than futile attempts to share poverty. And over time we are becoming increasingly better equipped to successfully run things without masters. We are becoming better educated. We have the experience of modern life. And even our crappy jobs require most of us to use our brains more than workers of past generations." excerpt from We need a new society ! Thanks to Nina, my self-imposed research on socialism has been expanded, or rather extended. In a setting coloured by poverty, and illiteracy and naivety, it is no wonder why socialism has failed to thrive in this world, just like the story by Orwell in Animal Farm. But as we progress to better conditions, the world now seemed better suited for socialist governance, rather than capitalism - which seems weaker and more absurd day by day. One of the biggest capitalist joker - Bush , could hardly explain about WMD while fighting to stay in office next year.
But then again, like Orwell pointed out, as long as there is evil desires, and crookery in human, it is difficult to let socialism take charge, the ideal way.
Once again, we are now in an 'exciting' period of time. In Malaysiakini today, the bubble that is threatening to burst all this while, has finally, you know, burst. Students and some lecturers have secretly complained about this. Please read Medical students refute Education Ministry’s meritocracy claim . I have earlier blogged about this earlier last week.
So, the public has been informed. Pang HC, our batchmate and President of Medical Society, has volunteered to reveal this. Another yet to be identified student has also revealed some 'damaging' facts. I am sure the university would not be happy.
Now, we pray that Pang would be free of any negative consequences. It takes boldness and courage from him to do this, which risk him of getting into trouble. I wonder if blogging about this would also get me into trouble. But then again, I think the points of argument in this issue is strong on our side.
Now, let me represent those of us who chose to make some noise to clarify one thing here: we complain and brought this matter up not because we do not love the uni, do not respect the authority, do not jaga air muka of the fakulti, but rather because we are genuinely worried about the huge enrolment of students this year, which would definitely affect the quality of teaching and availability of facilities. I think we should start picking up sentiments and comments, without any ill-feelings and punishing actions.
Further reading(source for my next blog entry): When quality is absent, meritocracy matters not - Prof. Khoo Kay Khim - Continuing from my entry on Bad habits of local med students, I shall analyse Prof Khoo's views on the current standard of students. If there is no quality in the first place, whatever entrance criteria would be of no use, we would still be admitting poor quality students ?
After weeks of absence, the Section 14 mamak restaurant reopened with a new name. I happened to patronise this place last night. Yeap, all the tables and chairs on the roadside were missing. One of us requested to open a table along the corridor, the waiter politely invited us to eat inside instead.
Inside the restaurant, it feels different, it is much brighter, and surprisingly, the ventilation is good. We had preferred to eat at the roadside (before the accident) because we want open space, that is supposedly less stuffy. Even the food seems to be more colorful. The roti telur bawang that I ordered was one still one of the best. The environment, though, seems different. It is just too bright. Outdoor dining is still fun. Maybe we should just ban the cars from the streets that we eat at.
TV Smith's latest article - Crash Test Dummies again unfailing tickles me. ( I would love to meet that Dr. Ina Leong, Terence !)
I remember there was a guy from the next class ( Form 5 ), who suddenly proclaimed his admiration for socialism during a BM presentation. Quite a number of my classmates were discussing about it afterwards, something like gossiping. Some even start to label him 'communist'.
In modern times where capitalism and democracy is king, we could hardly find socialism or communism acceptable. Taboo. Just plain foolish to even entertain such thoughts.
After all, politics today is not anymore about ideologies, it is about being a populist, of being an entertainer, of money and wealth creation, of high and lofty promises. The richness in thinking has been diluted by peaceful times, progressing to tin kosong mentality.
I am one of them, I guess, one of them who laughed at the guy next class who got attracted to socialism. But as we grow older, we see the destructive characteristic of capitalism - full of greed, hypocrisy, and dog-eat-dog mentality. (e.g. Soros, US domination, globalisation, decadence of moral values, etc.)
Maybe, there should be a new system of governance and trade, that finds the balance point between socialism and capitalism/democracy. ( To the political scientist out there, please correct me if i sound too naive and darn wrong ! )
I am currently reading George Orwell's Animal Farm. I hope my political horizons would be broadened upon finishing this classic.
Bad habits(poor qualities) of local medical students
1) Fought hard to enter medical school, but most did not continue fighting(working hard) to make the medical school he/she entered an excellent training ground - meaning, tak tahu jaga air muka of the faculty and uphold the quality, and embrace the faculty's mission statement. Do not give a damn if the school's going downhill.
2) Lazy - most take the opportunity to be a med student for granted, thus, only study when exam is around the corner, and during PBL and tutorials, he/she either skips it, or try to end it early, with no determination to make it a fruitful session. Sees such classes as 'kacau'/obligation.
3) Immature and shallow - do not give a damn about ideologies, of the philosophy of medicine, of medical ethics, of racial harmony and unity, of moral values
4) Disrespectful - talk bad about lecturers behind, unneccesarily. Take the staff of medical faculty - technicians, nurses, clerks, assistants for granted.
5) Kiasu and selfish. Hypocrites aplenty - some perceive collecting lecture notes as the greatest feat of a med student, meaning he/she would get upset if there is one set of notes he/she does not have, and start calling others as kiasu, padahalnya dialah yang sebenarnya kiasu. The real kiasu would tease people who study diligently and brand those as who attend more ward rounds than required, who clerk patients till late at night, as kiasu. The teasing stems from the real kiasuness within.
6) Dishonest/unethical - cheat in attendance, forge signatures.
Now, of course this yet another generalisation by the tauke. I know many good-hearted, genuine med students, but there are just as many students with such bad qualities. What is the root of this? I say - education system, stupid local values and mentality, and lack of spirit of excellence among students. Also - the medical school is at fault for failing to create impact on the students' outlook and imagination, and poor entrance criteria.
Bloggers on bloggers It's been a while since I visited d.y.t.i.a, a blog by a UKM medical student. She dug some nice way to classify bloggers. Here's what I dug from her blog ( all credits to eida..)
.......Though as someone who believes on CG Jung train of thought that all of us can be classified according to similar behaviour patterns otherwise known as personality types, I prefer to deduct it according to the Briggs-Meyer Typewatching Theory where they conclude that people in general are a mixture of 8 different aspects of personality types which is...
1. Extravert - Extraverts blog because they can connect to more people. Being exhibitionists, they are attracted to the voyeuristic aspect of blogging. They are more prone to talk about their daily lives, people who they meet
than thoughts.
2. Introverts - Blogs filled with reflective thoughts, self asessing analysis, views otherwise not known to others around them belong to Introverts.
3. Sensors - Facts.. facts ... facts... who thought about newsblogs were first of all a Sensor, where they rely and collect upon hard facts before making decisions or in the context of blogs, entries.
4. Intuitive - Being an Intuitive person, their blogs filled with their thoughts about vague things like gut feelings, worries. They rely on their instinct in writing their entries thus their blog is a place filled with ideas, observation and new insights in things around them.
5. Thinker - Analytical in nature, it is most probably the ones who started the whole what-is-blog topic is a Thinker (considering that most of the Thinker type personality are male, you can see why most of people involve in the BlogWars in the first place are... no surprise here.. are male). Their blog is an analysis of everything around them, they seek the whys in life and they argue both sides of the argument just for the sake of understanding it. In other words, these bloggers, thinks too much.
6. Feeler - People in the sidelines, telling for them to stop fighting, the refrees, people person.. these bloggers are those very in tune with other people and they think accordingly thus they tend to think of solutions that
can please everyone i.e. in Blogwars.. they are the ones who are trying to get everybody to make peace with each other again.
7. Judger - This bloggers are critical to details.. the minor, itty bitty gritty details, prefer to focus on the specific so if they review a movie in their blog it'll be filled with i.e. the movie sucks because the hero have a face like a 'papan', the heroine body was too anorexic for his taste, the actor cannot even pronounce French like French do, the effects look so fake you can even see stray pixels, the director is a fool for having too many vague concepts in a sentence confusing half of the audience... get the idea.
8. Perceptive - Whereas a perceptive blogger will summarise it this way
---> the movie sucks. End of story. This people would be more likely to say that they like the movie because they just do. They don't find any specifically good about the movie but they conclude the whole movie as pleasant, a visual feast, mind-numbingly beautiful, Keanu Reeves so gorgeous etc.
In the end, our very different personalities decides what kind of blog we have. Instead of alienating each other by trying to classify what's-a-blog-or-not, we should revel in our differences, celebrate our uniqueness.. isn't that a human thing to do? God made us different for us to know and love each other not to fight each other....
Last night, I called my mom, and said,
"Mami, ngo yau yat go pang yau, gai wak hui Sabah liew, holiday go jan si,...okay moh? Mou fan tui, hoh?"(mom, i got a friend who's planning a Sabah trip this coming holidays, you would have no objections, would you?)
She said," Sabah? Tou si jing gong la..."(Sabah, let's talk when it's really happening..)
me: Ng hai ya, oi hoi chi plan ga lah,...yiu mai gei piu, toong mai book place. Jan hai hui ga... (no mom, we have to start planning,...have to buy air tickets, and book place. really going..)
Mom: Tou tai go jai lo,....ng pei lei hui, jing gan yau wah ngo meh... (Big boy already, if I say no, you'll say this say that.. )
me: hehehehe.....
hah, that's my mom, one who is afraid of travelling herself. I know she would not forbid me, but she would let me go with a heavy heart. Terlalu sayang pada saya lah tu.....
So, I've made up my mind, told Carol I'm going,...now I have to something to look forward to during my long break this coming August.
The NST frontpage today surprised many of us here in UM medical school. I know the now famous 'the only one' Indian first-year student. Even without his name mentioned, somehow, we feel we have a star in the college.
But today I am not talking about him. I want to share my 2 sen on this issue. I have blogged about the mockery of meritocracy some time ago. Reading what our limping education general Musa Mohamad said today, I am compelled to write another blog entry, talking about this.
There are a few things that NST is not telling the public.
1) There is more than one Indian student in the current first-year. What Datuk Seri Samy Vellu is talking about is about the one who applied through UPU, meaning, through real MERIT. There are, I think, 3 other Indians, in UM medical school, through the twinning programme with Perak College of Medicine(PCM).
2) Now, there are 80 PCM students this year in UM medical school. They are supposedly to do their pre-clinical course here with us, and then leave for Ipoh for their clinical years.
3) NST reported that the intake this year is about 200. What kind of reporting is that? About ... give us the real number. Don't mislead. Actually the intake of real UM students is only about 160 each year. With the inclusion of PCM, the intake has blown to 240, risking compromise of quality teaching, and shortage of facilities.
4) There is no real meritocracy in intake because the PCM intake is based on another set of entry criteria, therefore, we can say that UM medical school is willing to enrol 80 more less qualified students, but not more than 160 students through UPU, which is the genuine way of enrolling, using your STPM of matriculations result. From our survey done by the Medical Society, most of the Bumiputera students this year come with CGPA 4.0 and the STPM students (non-bumis) with straight As with many tongkat, ( A1s in their papers). Meanwhile, the PCM students came with lesser results. But then again, like I have blogged before, qualification to medical school should not be based solely on exam results, it is way more holistic than that.
5) However, the mere intake of PCM students in UM is already enough to disqualify any claims made by Musa that the intake is solely based on meritocracy.
6) My last point is, if UM medical school is considered as the best one in the country, as the benchmark of superiority in achievements, please think again. UKM has 5 indian students, according to my UKM friend, Ben. That is more than last year's intake. So, actually the intake would fluctuate. It is no big loss if you are sent to USM, UKM or UPM instead of UM. While Tan Sri Professor T.J. Danaraj was still the Dean of UM medical school, we were really the best. But now, we are merely another medical school, with limitations and mismanagement. Nothing is so great anymore. It doesn't matter where one is trained, if you have the right mind and the right attitude towards medical training and career.
Lastly, I have to salute Samy Vellu for bringing this issue up. For being the most powerful Indian in the government, he has to play to role to stand up for his community. To make some noise. Let not use the issue of 'unity', or the corny word..Think as Malaysians..think beyond racial lines' to shut him up, Musa. The governing of Malaysia is still very racially based, let's be frank about it. We rather accept the fact, and joke about it, than be continuously fooled by the ministers' corny lines and statements.
I am about to reveal a shameful secret about my medical school. In fact, I am having mixed feelings right now, of disappointment, of anger, and also with a substantial amount of fear.
David Lim was moody when he wrote about what he felt about the sexual crimes that is painting a sad picture of our society. I have to agree. But what is really sadder is that there are sexual motivation and shameless exploration of sexually immoral jokes and acts by some of my seniors. And they use the orientation exercise to satisfy their perverted minds on the juniors. Juniors are being forced to act out sexual dances and sing perverted songs.
When I tried to confront them, while risking of being blacklisted by them, and future difficulty in working relations, I suddenly realised I had no real power. To them, they are merely preserving the tradition. What sickening tradition this is, and what greater thing we as seniors can do by cancelling this tradition. This stupid tradition. This sickening tradition. I despise the senior who originated such immoral thing. I despise the so many students, now doctors, who have continued this tradition.
At times like this, when the society is saddened by Canny Ong's rape-murder case, do we still have the stomach for such immoral jokes and acts? It is bordering on disgusting, and to think that these are the kind of people behind the lab coat and the medical student tags, I am totally ashamed, and this is one of the few things that keep me perpetually wondering what the hell is wrong with our education system, and our varsity ? What the hell went wrong with our integrity, and moral values.
Total bullshit. In the name of God, I shall fear no man. And for that, I despise you all who take satisfaction at such immoral things.
*W.I.B is the personal blog of fooji. He works for the ministry of health seven days a week, skips his breakfast and looks forward to a good dinner at the end of the day.
w.I.b:warung ikan bakar:
has finally hit the street for everyone ! Being a beta-tester myself, albeit a passive one, I have been able to observe how dedicated and diligent 
What is socialism?
I hope my political horizons would be broadened upon finishing this classic. 
