A big blow to the Chinese community

It is very disturbing to hear the lost of Teoh Beng Hock, 30, who was found dead sprawled in a pool of blood on the 5th floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after falling.

Just look at how distraught his mom(pink blouse) is at the loss of her son. It should not be this way for the family.

(Photo courtesy of The Star)

Teoh was the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah. He was involved in a good cause to bring change to Malaysia via Parti Keadilan Rakyat(PKR). Teoh was a man of integrity, dedication and devotion to his task to serve the community better.

He was taken in under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission(MACC) for an enquiry. As most Malaysians know, MACC is going all out to catch people involved in corruption and who are going against the law. MACC's intentions are good and applauded.

However, their tactics at interogating people may need to be investigated and ammended if neccessary.

As to how and why Teoh fell down is still a big question. I do hope that a Royal Commission of Inquiry be formed to unfold the truth of Teoh's mysterious death. We need to find out how, who and why he fell. The people that are caught and proven guilty in this murder should be hung! MURDERERS!

Malaysian Chinese Association(MCA) is also pushing for a Royal Commission of Inquiry. It goes to show that the Chinese have come together irrespective of political parties for justice.

Based on what I have read, Teoh is not one to take his own life. This has been stated by his friends that Teoh was a man of high spirits.

It is so sad to see his wife to be who is carrying their child in her womb. She is 2 months pregnant. The day that Teoh died was the day that they were to be registered. I hope based on Chinese customs, they will marry in a special ceremony eventhough Teoh is now gone.

It is sad that the child she is carrying could not see his/ her father. However, someday the child should be proud of the late father as he was part of a force fighting for a new and reformed Malaysia.

He is gone but he will live on forever!

The photo above was used for the cover of Michael Jackson's album which I first started to listen.

My introduction to Michael Jackson happened before my primary school days. My brother was a hardcore fan and he had music videos of MJ on those old fashioned VHS video tapes. My aunt used to allow us to play the video every now and then and I was so thrilled by it! :D

My favourite video clip was from his music Bad. I guess I was fascinated by his black out-fit and his coolness being the leader of the gang in the video. I was very afraid of Thriller till today with zombies coming out from their tombs. :(

I guess he continued to evolve as the years passed becoming fairer. It was his song "Black and White" that caught my attention where he looked so different.

I feel his songs managed to penetrate all kinds of listeners both young and old. It is his charm and his cool dancing moves that fascinated audiences the world over. Ask people about MJ whether young or old and they will answer you yes they have either heard of him or watched him.

As I watch now on Youtube the many music videos of his time, what I noticed is the multi-racial dancers in the background. Only now I realize his hidden message to unite people of the world regardless of race which was something that was difficult, even back in the 1980s. I guess it was his way of playing his part towards breaking the barriers of race that still existed at that time. That barrier may have been broken from how the world is today in terms of the dependency and interaction of people amongst each other. However, racism sadly still exist today and it is just limiting us from discovering the culture and beauty of other races.

From what I believe, he really loved kids sincerely even if they were not his. He really took kids who were less fortunate and gave them a good time in his own haven called Neverland. The home come park was filled with entertainment rides, games and animals. He wanted to capture that happiness in his home and share it with people.

Honestly, I don't feel he grew up and was a child living in an adults body. How can you blame him since he shot up to stardom from such a young age and pretty much missed out on his childhood. His father was also pushing him to stardom to benefit from the talent of his children as he came from a very poor beginning.

Sadly on the 25th of July 2009 Michael Jackson passed away as a result of an overdose of prescription drugs. All can be said and done but nothing will change the fact that he is gone. What he has left behind is a true legacy and milestone in the music industry that has created such a global impact. It will be hard to find someone to match his credentials.

His father, Joe Jackson said that his son is now bigger than ever after passing away. It is sad that we did not appreciate him when he was alive then. It was those times when he was alive that we were so drawn to the sensationalized story of him accused as a child molester.

Michael Jackson was so big and had a lot of money. Who did not know that? Being a person who reads a lot that goes on in America, I know that there are many crazy people out there who want to capitalize on it by coming up with false stories.

Somehow the stories died off. Could have MJ paid them or fallen victim to their pleas? From what I heard MJ was such a kind guy and did not want any trouble. I feel he may have granted their wishes by giving them what they asked for.

Only end of last year he was involved in another lawsuit from a Sheik from Saudi Arabia who claimed he had breached a performance contract when actually it was the Sheikh that may have misunderstood the agreement. The issue was later resolved out of court.

His businesses also did not run well and were later sold off to corporations. I feel the reason for his financial dilemma may be due to his financial advisors who may have misappropriated his money or it could be MJ who may have splurged on the money that he had as his life was filled with extravagance.

I feel he died a poor man. He sold off his Neverland ranch in 2008 that he wants dreamed of and that he loved so much. He died in a rented mansion where he was alone.

I read about Lisa Marie Presley's post on her blog from CNN and I am able to gather how she(MJ's ex-wife and first woman he married) must have felt as a wife. You could tell she loved him and cared for him. She tried her best to help him combat the addiction to prescription drugs. He did tell her that he may end up like her father, Elvis, the King of Rock. The story may have turned out to be true. The story of MJ and Lisa is a story of love between a couple and not to be misinterpreted with the media as a public display of attention!

MJ inspired the world! Where do we go now?

R.I.P. Michael Jackson (1958 to 2009)

Demolition gone wrong!

Jaya Supermarket in Petaling Jaya has been around since the 70s. When I was a kid, I started going to the original one(I could not find any photos of the original building). Then in the late 1980s, adjusting to urbanization/ modernization, the supermarket went through a drastic face lift.

The skeleton of the old building remained but was cosmetically remodelled in blue. You could see it from miles away. The building was also extended out front replacing the open-air car park. The new car park was to be underground and also multi-storied on it's side. The supermarket has been closed almost 2 years ago.

3 weeks ago when I started training, I was chatting with the IT administrator of the training centre. He said that the building is to be demolished to make way for a new building. He said they will demolish the historical building but did not say when.

It was last Thursday that I left the training centre and went to fill up petrol at Jalan 222 and then to the HSBC bank and Maybank in PJ New Town. I casually went there and did my banking without feeling anything amidst.

After that, I headed back to my house. I used the Asia Jaya road which would lead to the Jaya Supermarket. I noticed that an unussual jam had built-up and the area looked chaotic with cars. Suddenly I felt something was not right but was not sure what it was.

So I reached the front of Jaya Supermarket and was about to turn into one of the lanes when a Rela Member stopped me and diverted me to go straight rather than turn in. I had noticed dump trucks linning the streets. I had thought they were re-surfacing the road and was thinking how good of the state government to improve public services. Then as I passed the supermarket there was the police, fire-brigade, ambulance and emergency assistance teams. I figured it could have been a riot or something, you know lah being in the big city, such thing can possibly happen.

I was curious. Can say Kay Po lah! Haha! So I parked the car down the road and walked up to the busy area where I saw a crowd. I actually wanted to go the Digital Mall nearby to get a new handphone casing. However, this gathering looked unussual so I went to the crowd first.

I asked a pak cik on his motorcycle what happened. He told me that the rear end of the building collapsed during demolition and that 20 people were buried alive. I was shocked and went closer to the scene.

Now how can a demolition go wrong? What were the construction workers doing in the building during demolition? How bad the communication of the demolition was between the workers and the team in-charge of the demolition? All these questions ran through my mind.

I feel that the team in-charge of the demolition to be responsible for this dissaster. They did not take the necessary precautions. The residents in front of the demolition site were still inhabiting the row of houses. Only today Sunday that the residents have been relocated to a nearby hotel until the demolition is over or when the local city council deems the area safe again.

It is very disappointing that in this current times, such things still can happen because of poor planning and miscalculation. The people in-charge did not consider the safety of the nearby residents as the supermarket is surrounded by houses and apartments. Only after this accident that the residents are being prioritized and placed in safe areas. Sadly they did not think of this earlier.

How on earth could they put so many cranes on the roof of the supermarket without considering the accumulated weight in tonnes put on the building which was the reason for it to collapse? I find this stupid planning and there was no application of common sense.

I think base on the newspapers, 7 workers actually perished. I think only 1 survived. 2 of them could not be identified because of how badly disfigured their faces were.

I do feel sorry for them as they are foreign workers and come from far to earn money to send back home. Just think of their families and how they will react to this news.

I have seen how organized demolition is done in the USA and Europe. The building collapses so gracefully and how detailed the planning was to ensure the safety of everyone from the workers to the residence nearby.

The rules and regulations of demolition should be tightened. The local city council should also conduct inspections to ensure that the rules are complied by the demolition team/ developer. It would be much pro-active compared to chilling at the local 'mamak' stalls in droves. The safety and welfare of the public should be their number one concern and I am sure it is stated somewhere in the constituition of the council. This could be a sign why the opposition may take over the country for better change that the public wants.

It is embaracing for us to brag about the tallest building or the longest roti to the world when the simple things are neglected.

Free Aung San Suu Kyi!

Aung San Suu Kyi is the face of democracy, fighting hard for the people of Myanmar. She is now 61 years old but her determination and drive is still the same as the early 1990s. She is greatly influenced by the late Mahatma Gandhi for his philosophy for non-violence and from Buddhist teachings.

Somehow, I really admire people like this who sacrifice their freedom, time, health and effort (in short their LIVES) for the greater goal of others.

The people of Myanmar were enlighted by democracy assuming from seeing how it's neighbouring countries were progressing well under this system. It was her drive to form the National League Democratic Union in 1988 and she felt that she could make a difference for Myanmar and it's people with democratization. To be honest with you, Myanmar is still way behind compared to other countries in Asia and can do with a person like Suu Ki to propel it to greater heights.

In 1990, she and her party won the national elections. Unfortunately, the party's victory was not recognized by the Myanmar Military @ Military Junta. The funny part is that the Junta were the ones who organized the elections. Such dumb assess!

In addition to not victoriously leading the new-Myanmar, she was placed under house arrest for the past 19 years since then. The only way for her to be released would be if she leaves her homeland, Myanmar.

During this time, she has painfully gone through the death of her husband in 1999. Throughout this time, they have only met 5 times since she was detained under house arrest. She has 2 kids whom are in their 30s and residing in the UK.

The Junta are probably having a smashing good time with wealth, booze and women, that they felt inferior for someone like Suu Ki, would be a party pooper by putting an end to their endless celebrations.

She has been recognized globally for her good intentions and efforts in bringing peace to Myanmar. In 1991, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Also, she won the Rafto Prize and the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought . In 1992 she was awarded the Jawarhalal Nehru peace prize by the Indian government.

Like many other famous but humble people who strive to make a difference, she too has her own quotes. One famous quote from Suu Ki :

"It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it".

Now I am sure you can just go to Google and search her. However, I wanted to provide a summary of her goals, achievements, her pain and her sacrifice for the good of the people of Myanmar from my perspective. The news about her from CNN caught my attention and made me draw interest to learn more about her quest for Myanmar's democracy.

The international leaders are clearly aware of this situation and have made many appeals to the Junta but to no positive effect. Perhaps now is a good time to jump in guys to take advantage of this delicate situation.

The situation is now at it's climax! She was promised to be released end of May 2009 by the Junta. Unfortunately, an American "clown" is in the picture. Nothing better to do one fine night, he claims he swam accross the river, where her house overlooks and got tired. So he seeked shelter and food from her house. Of all the houses and places to do a pit-stop, it has to be her house.

He is now being investigated for trespassing and interfering with Suu Ki's house arrest. Suu Ki is also now being trialed by the Junta for her offence in violating the house arrest by accepting and being in contact with the American. The American is nothing but bad news for her! If Suu Ki is found to be guilty, she will be jailed from 3 to 5 years(like has if the 19 years was nothing!).

I suspect, the Junta is using this as a reason to extend her arrest and put her out of politics for longer period. However, this would exceed the maximum punishment for person being placed under house arrest. Otherwise, she will be placed in prison just like the other pro-democracy activist who dreamt of building a new- Myanmar.

Please, let us join forces as global citizens and to rally for the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi!

Teacher's Day!

Love them or hate them, they played a significant role in our accademic years from kindergarten to university.

I was very impressed with some of the teachers I came accross. They were so devoted in their subjects and never showed any sign of boredom to what they taught. They deffinitely had interest and looked like hardcore geeks of their subject. They put in so much effort towards teaching and learning new things to be shared with their students. For example, a history teacher will be so into history including emphasizing on how important it is to document history and the whole process of documenting it. Sounds very deep and BORING but they felt it was an important component of the subject.

Puan Siva was my standard 1 teacher whom I dreaded. She was so strict and she used to punish me. Why? I never did my homework and found that education was not important! Never felt that READING was so important but felt the television was a better road to happiness! Yes, I was a very slow learner and took a long time before I could read. I was so scared of her and psychologically I was so worried of going to school.

Then, I changed. I did all my homework and learnt how to read. My parents made time to teach me at home and bring me up to pace. I appreciated their effort and doing homework actually gave me satisfaction in the end. It was that satisfaction of knowing how I can equip myself with knowledge and using it wisely and making full use of my intellectual ability. School became better for me. Thankfully I did very well in school and quite satisfactory in university! Haha!

I still remember the time when I got Pelajar Cemerlang in standard 6 back in primary school. Pn Siva was still teaching there at that time. She came up to me to confirm if the news was true that I got the award and I confirmed it. I noticed she was feeling proud that I got the prize and all her efforts and scolding had paid-off. I could only smile. I look back now and I should have said, "Thank you".

There were some who were just too smart in their field but could not teach. They failed to communicate well with their students and were unsuccesful in relaying their lectures accross to them. Student-teacher engagement is just as important as salesman- customer engagement. If you don't connect, no deal!

There were teachers who used physical punishment on students; slapping, canning, pulling the student's ear. Such punishment does not really educate and inform the student of the error made effectively. It just a form of cosequence to the mistake done by the student. A better solution would be to have a 1 on 1 with that student and talk about it. Understand why did it happen, the source of the problem and how to tackle the students problem in more pro-active way.

Some teachers in secondary schools are idiots! They fail to realize that their student are in a phase of maturing and are experiencing hormonal imabalances that is not the fault of the student but part of the human biological cycle. These are honestly stupid teachers and reflects their level of accademic achievement(not only certification related but level of understanding as a human).

Can teachers be regarded as only human and their acts should be accepted generally? NO. When one stands in front of the class, the focus of authority and attention is on that one person. That would be an ideal scenario where students look up to the teacher as a mentor, an educator or a provider of supreme knowledge. However, the treatment from the teacher is bias and unfair. They judge a certain group of students and pick the best and discard the rest. All students should be treated equally and respectfully in the classroom environment. In Malaysia or from my experience, that drive and determination from a teacher to a weak student has not been reflected unlike those happy ending stories in the movies where the teacher goes all out to see the weak student succeed.

The nature of accademic success should never be judged by the intelligence of the student but by how much effort the student had put in. The reason being psychologically if a student fails, the student sees him or herself as being intelectually inferior. If students make mistakes, educate them wisely and identify what was the root cause and how to circumvent it. Always remember to be positive to students as ones mental and psychological belief plays an important role in seeing how knowledge is absorbed and put to good use. It is always harder to work with negative people rather than positive people because negative people create a barrier on how far they want to go.

Then there were those and this population is growing rapidly of teachers who are just stupid. They do not know head or tail of their fields. There is no drive and determination within them. This is evident among the new graduates from the Maktab Perguruans. Many of them graduate but are of no substance or display any dynamism. They are just out there for the sake of getting a job, the assumption it is an easy job and they are lazy to do anything else. The government is pumping in money to them and introducing so many perks but they do not do their part in developing their teaching career. The term no pain, no gain is beyond their comprehension or to some unheard of.

Where are those teachers who had that love and devotion for classical literature from the early Western era as early as the Greeks? There are a few or none of these new teachers from the Maktab Perguruan who have that appreciation not only towards literature from the Western world but also from our very own local Malaysian literature. The awesome teachers of the 20th century who had such appreciation and interest in their respective fields are dwindling. Perhaps, if robots become educators someday, they could be programmed to express deep liking and understanding for literature or for whatever field.

Labour Day... a labour of love?

The word labour sounds so negative. What comes to my mind with that word is labourer; someone who is involved in cleaning the sewers and involved in heavy lifting of rocks and sweeping a highly vegetated garden. Labour also reminds me of the difficult task a mother has to undertake to give birth to a child. Just the sound of those examples above makes you tired and uninterested.

Let us be honest with each other and ask ourselves what on earth are we working for? It is not a difficult question and without any hesitance I am sure your answer will be MONEY. Let's face it, what can we get for free these days. Irrespective of physical belongings that we fall for, services also today is a money making industry. That is the reason why there are so many businesses that provide maintainence services and consulting services. Even offering your ideas is a service that is billed to a customer.

Some of us are fortunate enough to get our hands on our dream jobs. With this passion for the job, it drives us towards introducing new standards in the respective industry and achieving personal job satisfaction. Confusious did say, "If you choose the right path in your life, you never have to work a single day". This is something I believe in but if it is truely some thing that I have put into action or personally experienced is a question I ask myself often.

Some of us work for the sake of money and to survive in this highly inflated world. The job we have helps us to pay bills and keeps us contented with possessing the stuff we had always dreamed of having. We may really hate our jobs but we acknowledge the fact and realize that no work means no money.

As for me, I couldn't say my job is the greatest job or is the most fun job. But, I try my best to make it fun! Just having that enthusiasm and interest in something although boring really can make a difference. Being in the IT line, what is interesting is to see how the features of a software can be best developed to better serve the needs of the customer. Yes, to any lay person it sounds so geeky! Haha! It is all about providing additional features and services for the customer that creates the edge amongst our competitors in highly growing industry. There is so many things to read about and to learn on how we can turn those brilliant ideas into a reality and to break the barrier of the unimaginable. So, I have now learnt to love my job to a certain degree.

My objective here is to motivate those of you who feel your job really sux. Firstly, in this current economic turmoil, do realize and be happy that you actually have a job. Trust me there are many without a job and the boredom of sitting at home is killing them to the bone! Secondly, realize that the ultimate goal in life is happiness @ fun who won't deny that. So if you think work or life for that matter is boring, introduce a little fun to it! A change of attitude can really make a difference not only to yourself on the job but your whole working environment. A successful company is not one that has achieved outstanding results but has employees that are happy and has that eagerness to come to work each day to be a contributor towards the growth of the company and meeting the company's mission!

I just love thinking of those ideas as it really motivates me. You don't have to ask the boss to paint the whole office striking colours to add the fun but it could be the simple fun of learning something new and sharing it with your co-workers. It kind of gives you that satistfaction of sharing and feeling like a key contributor towards the growth of your team. Try to have that thought that you are an important figure no matter whatever position you hold and that your company just can't live without you! Haha!

Happy Labour Day everyone! :D

A fallen hero but soon to be resurrected!

The title may seem a little too dramatic for the absence of a neccessity that we utillise so much but we take for granted; our cars or to add a little luxury to the word, automobile. Most of us have them, while some are in the process of getting one and some who feel it is more convenient to use public transport or a motorbike.

Be it whatever car, from a Mazda RX-8 to a Perodua Kancil, the owners take pride in their machines for daily commute and simply for fun! I guess it is not only about the value of the car but the ability to be mobile and the freedom to move boldly where our hearts desire.

My recent post here is a sad one about something that both Ruby and I treasure deeply; Ruby's Perodua Kelisa Auto @ "Christine".

Last Wednesday, I received a call early in the morning from Ruby saying that someone had knocked her car from the rear. I jumped out of bed and made a few calls to my favourite Perodua service centre in Penang, near to the Gama shopping complex, but to no avail as it was before office hours. Thankfully Ruby was fine and was able to tell me what was going on at the scene.

Ruby's car could still move so she took the culprits contacts to meet up later that day to make the police report and subsequently arrange for the cars to be fixed. Well, most deffinitely the culprit's insurance company will pay for the repairs to Ruby's car!

As we speak, Ruby's car is currently in the Perodua Main Service Centre in Penang under the care of my "boys", hence, everything is "organized".

Dreadfully, it is going to take approximately two weeks to have the car repaired and collected by Ruby. It is something I very much dislike but I have no choice but to leave it in the hands of the relevant authorities.

The point that I would like to bring up here is the agonizing fact of owning a car but you can't use it because of someone elses fault. Yes, accidents are inevitable since the dawn of the car. When cars came, accidents came with it too. Nonetheless, I cannot stop outpouring my dissatisfaction over this.

Being without a car can be a real pain. I know what it feels like as I have been in the same situations before with my old car. God forbid anything were to happen to my new one!

No matter how careful we are on the road, there are always other factors that contribute to an accident; other motorist, road conditions and weather. It sounds pretty scary and some may be very stressed out with driving due to extreme stress of being involved in an accident. However, I assure you, in life, we can do so much. There will be always be other things that be the reason for things to go wrong.

What I have learnt from this event is that it is good to have an automobile association or a reliable insurance company that handles accident claims and towing away the car to a safe spot. In addition to that, the complicated paper work and people to see to get the issue resolved can be tedious.

Based on my experience, I am a member of AAM(Automobile Association of Malaysia) . My parents and my aunts have been loyal supporters of AAM for many years. When I first got my driving license, my mom got me a supplementary card under her as a precaution.

When I started working, I joined on my own as a member. They handle my roadtax, car insurance, my driving license, vehicle breakdowns and accidents (towing and all the necessary paperwork). It is convenient in the sense it puts you at a little ease of being a car owner and driving. The service I admit is not perfect but they get the job done.

One thing that I try to practice is defensive driving. Be always on the lookout and alert to different situations in traffic; motorist, road conditions and weather.

Motorist are unpredictable. They are like sperm that roam freely during conjugation to fertilize the egg. Some of them are in a rush and some are just plain stupid! We always need to anticipate the moves of such people for the bennefit of our safety and that of our our loved ones and the safety of our vehicles.

Roads in Malaysia are tricky. Some are good roads but most are not; roads are filled with uneven surfaces, potholes, confusing road-signs and road-kill. Using our instinct, we need to be always alert and adapt to these changes and abnormalities. Also, this is to protect the wear-and-tear of our cars like from potholes that could damage our undercarriage, tyres and suspension system.

Weather these days is unpredictable. The rain sometimes gets so heavy that it disrupts our view while on the road. A suggestion would be to switch on your lights and wipers and lower your speed. Never use your emergency signal lights as it gives the wrong impression that the car has broken down and is stationary.

Always ensure the tyres have sufficient thread to sustain grip while driving. A tip would be to check the grooves of a tyre with a coin. I suggest that if only 25% or less of the coin is "hidden", it would be best to change your tyres. Don't go for re-threaded or uncommon brand names. Stick to the main tyre manufactures like Sime Tyres. However, despite having new tyres, we still cannot take for granted the road conditions on a rainy day.

With this post in mind, I do hope everyone drives safe, be cautious while driving and try to help others by giving them a lift if needed! :)

Sleep more to feel healthy and happy!

When we were babies, we used to sleep a lot. In fact, our parents and grandparents ensured we slept well during our early years of our lives when our body adapts to the world, outside of the womb of the mother and to ensure the healthy growth of our body and organs. We would be put to sleep right after we had been nourished with milk. I still remmeber KLIM milk powder back then in my early years! :)

As I grew older, my sleeping hours has become less due to my activeness. I noticed this during my school days when there was tuition to attend and homework to complete. Then in university because of the Internet and the wonders of downloading and watching tv series and going out with friends up to the wee hours of the morning, time spent sleeping was less.

Now with work, I have to constantly keep myself abreath with the growth in IT and international economics so I spend a lot of time on the computer. Also with work during the day, it leaves me only with the nights to do my laundry, iron my clothes and wash my car. I wonder what will happen when I have kids someday? :S I may be so busy till my sleeping hours will be even more less!

However, despite my hectic lifestyle, time management is now totally super important to me. There are so many things to juggle but what I have learnt is to prioritize. I may not be satisfied that I could not get to wash my car on a particular day because of other chores like laundry but instead wash the car on another day. I know I may sound so rigid and up-tight but this is what I need to do to ensure smooth "operations" of my life.

The same goes for my sleep, I need to ensure that I have sufficient sleep and rest before starting a brand new day. I used to sleep at crazy hours of the morning on a work day. Now, with my timetable, I have enough rest to begin a great morning and day at the office. It may be long hours at the office but I will not feel tired because I have rejunevated the night before with sufficient sleep. I also feel, sleep plays an important role in influencing our mood for the next day.

Ruby and my mom have also been telling me to ensure I have enough rest and sleep so this was a form of encouragement for me to prioritize on my sleep. At first I was wondering how can I achieve sufficient amount of sleep. Then, after some minor planning to my lifestyle, I have that time now. I trully feel happier and healthier.

These days with the change of weather, I have been falling ill often. Who hasn't this year? If you haven't, your lucky! This was when I realized how important sleep was to heal the body. I mean you cannot avoid consuming medicine but with the sufficient rest and sleep helps to heal your body. For example, taking two Panadols and sleeping it off when your sick. The next morning when you wake up if your lucky, the illness may have gone away or have been less intensed.

This is what I have discovered and I felt I should share this with all of you. Less sleep is something we are all experiencing these days and we should do something about it as there are lots of bennefits from sufficient sleep.

Catching up on sleep over the weekend honestly never helps and wastes your good weekend for sleeping rather than getting out there and having fun! Sleep more people! :)

Thailand goes bang!

What comes in mind of the people of Thailand is there gentleness, respectfulness, courtesy and kindness. Some guys drool over Thai girls thinking they are the ultimate rosie cheeked soft-gentle sexy women wrapped in batik style cloth that would turn their wild fantasies into realities. The people that build up the country gives it a very peaceful and calm nation.

That mindset has now changed with the recent political turmoil that has rocked this holiday cum shopping destination. The people of Thailand are protesting for the return of the ex-prime minister, Thaksin, back into power. It is really sick and sounds disgusting.

Thaksin was charged in court for fraud and squandering the citizens money as his own. He use to be the ex-owner of Manchester City for a while before selling it off. There are stories that he was a billionaire even before being the premier but a lot of people are doubting how he became rich. As of now, he has divorced his wife to protect the wealth of his assets from being exposed to all.

With respect to his leadership, he seemed like a nice guy. I remmember the time he visited KL and met up with the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir. A lot of ties were forged for economic bennefits of both countries, monitoring the illegal trade of rice and petrol and safety at our borders at Bukit Kayu Hitam.

As for the current crisis, the protest is mostly contained within the busy Bangkok. The protesters clad in red T-Shirts march to the streets creating chaos; vandalizing military vehicles and terrorizing cabinet ministers of the coutry. Some say that these protesters are being paid by the billionaire ex-pm to organize such demonstrations. How can people say this is a peaceful protest? How can a once peaceful nation have a misconception on the term peaceful? Thais are not stupid people despite the language barrier towards the world but they could be clever in bull-shitting. This is bogus!

Thailand has been changing prime ministers like how Paris Hilton has been changing boy-friends. Where is the symbol of the country's stability? Can you just imagine the impact of this political volatility have on the nation's economy especially during this current economic crisis? Thailand is a haven for holiday makers but I am sure they will think twice if not three especially about their safety. When 9/11 happen in the US, it openned the eyes of the world that such catastrophes could happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone.

After Thaksin left office, there have been so many replacements. However, the people have some reason to get rid of them be it corruption woes and non-democratic selection of their leaders. Thaksin is hoping to return back to Thailand and regaining his control of the country as Prime Minister. This would include a some-how genius idea of clearing the charges against him and pretending nothing happenned. Fat hopes lah coming from a non-political science scholar.

I personally think that the current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is a nice guy. He is deffinitely a wise choice as leader having graduated from a prestigous institution in the UK. His international relationship is very good and is trying his best to boost the economy especially travel. If you go to CNN.com, you may still be able to view an advertisement of Thailand beginning with him introducing himself and elaborating on how wonderful Thailand is to the world.

The chaos continues until some form of convincing, clarification and persuasion can come to the country. I feel the best person to make this happen is the highly respected king of Thailand as everyone looks up to him. He is respected almost God-like and most Thais display their affection to him with his photo all over from inside their wallets, front of their shops and key-chains.

There is no place for the US to get involve in acting as mediator or whatsoever. This is not another Iraq or Afghanistan. It will do a lot bennefit to bring back the stability and peacefulness of the now torn nation. I am optimistic and hoping that things will return to before, once this issue has been resolved as Malaysia and Thailand have very close business ties.

The new Sheriff!

It has been a week now since Najib took over the relm as prime minister of Malaysia. I have nothing much to remmember of his predecessor except for his wide smile. :)

Being in Najib's shoes, it is a rather bad time to come in during the current economic crisis to deal with unemployment and the drop in purchasing power due to difficulty in obtaining loans. Also, with the severed relationship amongst races, it is difficult to pull everyone together to build a stronger and harmonious nation.

With more and more people being convinced that the opposition is better than the current government, it is hard to gain the peoples support for the governments efforts and policies. We have been waiting for Anwar but nothing has materialized. Who likes waiting? The opposition who is rulling certain states in the country are governing base on trial and error and still seem a little virgin to procedures and dealing with issues.

Trying their best to be transparent be it in murder trials, human rights and corruption, the new government is doing their best to win the hearts of the nation.

Mahathir is also back in the leading party having renewed his membership with the party. He is trully brilliant as we all know and has led Malaysia to outstanding heights. We are actually now somewhere in the world compared to our neighbouring countries. He has shown his support to the new premier. Somehow, whatever Mahathir says, we listen and we believe in it because concretely he has done a lot for us. Mahathir may have made some errors or misjudgement but what he did right has outweighed or substracted the bad.

From what Najib has done so far has made me think that he may be of some good afterall. Yes, it is quite evident there have been lots of rumors about him and some have judged his leadership and sincerity to serve the people. However, what I applaud of him is his vision. A vision is vital in bringing any organization or body to where one wants it to go.

Isn't he making some difference to the people so far? It could be a sign for better times to come I honestly feel. The release of the ISA detainees and booting of certain cabinet members whom we all felt hurt and unworthy by are amongst the changes he has done so far. ISA is now under evaluation of it's effectiveness it protecting the country and ensuring it is abiding my human rights policies. It is the same thing that Obama did for the US in shutting down Guantanamo.

He may not be able to solve the current economy crisis because it is a global issue and has hit badly in the United States and in Europe but he could try to repair the fault and defects of the previous administration.

Too be honest, anyone can lead the nation has long everyone is protected, no discrimination or marginalizing certain sectors and their is equal rights to citizens. Psychologically, it is difficult to bridge the divide amongst different races and culture. When people see differences, people see breakdowns that prevent us from achieving our goals together.

I know it sounds weird that I may have changed my views suddenly of who can best serve the people but it could be pre-mature and we shall see what happens. As for now, I would like to give my support to the new PM and see what he can do to fix the brokeness that has affected many homes throughout Malaysia. Let us give the new guy a chance! We may not know what may turn out of his leadership and I am saying that with positiveness and optimism for good change.

Ruby and Trevor - A great 1st year together!

It has been exactly a year since the 13th of March 2008 since Ruby and I made a vow to be faithful to each other. I am glad that this 'declaration' happened in my backyard of Pulau Tikus, where I come from in Penang and has created a very big part of me.

When the question was directed to her, she paused for a moment, smiled and said "Yes". That is the fondest memory I have of that moment. We were having dinner at the Western Food shop near my home. The Western Food shop is actually my neighbours house. I was so happy because I was really fallen for her.

Well, so what can I say so far?

I love Ruby. Love to me can be defined as the psychological and emotional attachment to someone special in your life that makes you feel high up above the clouds! :) She is too kind, honest, helpful and to me, everything. Ruby is my support. I cannot imagine doing anything more without thinking of her and including her in my life. At my age then, I realized that inner beauty was the most important thing to me compared to physical looks and I was charmed by that within her. It was all about creating an invisible chain to each other. Ruby is beautiful to me in every aspect inside and out.

For us to cross paths would be the most unthinkable for many reasons. Reasons that are too deep to decribe. Trust me, it wasn't planned. It just happenned! However, it must have been something magical or may I say spiritual that brought us together.

My late grandmother always told me that I must find a good girl. My aunt in Spain prayed for me to get a good girl. My parents also are very protective over me and wanted a good girl for me. My best friend, Gan, prayed for me to find the right girl considering the years of friendship that we have been in together and how well we know each others ways. When Ruby came into my life, things changed for the better. They were so happy for me.

This year has been a moment of learning each other and knowing each other better. I have my traditional and sometimes narrow ways, goal oriented to the max to get things done and my values of being simple and humble. Never forgetting also to put God in front of us at all times.

I also admit, I do have my weaknesses and am not perfect. I do make mistakes here and there but I learn from them. Like any other couple, we do have our differences and I have to admit we express it openly! Haha! That is something new I have learnt and it is good because we know very well how each other feels at that particular moment. We are different but I guess this difference has brought attraction to each other. I have learnt so much from her and I hope she has learnt something useful from me other than cars. Haha!

Thankfully, Ruby has been patient with me all the way and I feel very blessed to come accross Ruby.

Although we are apart due to our work commitments, there is never a day that goes by that I never think of her or miss her. I wonder what she doing and where she is. I have picture of her curling up on her chair at her house to a good book. That image will be forever be embedded in my mind.

I will always remember the time when I was jobless for 4 months and Ruby was there for me, supporting me financially and emotionally during those trying times in getting a job especially when the economic crisis of 2008 hit. That was the worst/ lowest moment of my life being jobless. The stress was very much on her as well, hoping for me to get a job soon.

With all that I have mentioned, Ruby is precious to me. I care for her safety and ensures she is safe with any company where she goes. I am thankful for her friends and those that have been kind for looking out.

The Volvo 240 may be the ultimate dream in my life but the feeling of being in love with Ruby is the one that has topped it all other than my family.

For all that I have done wrong Ruby, I openly appologise for those short-comings and seek your forgiveness. Let us learn, share and grow together especially with the Christian faith. God bless us both in our journey of life! ;)

Made in China?

I have become very fearful of anything that comes from China.

However it is hard because most of the things we use or eat is from China. China has made a lot of things over the years from plastic materials to candy. Their raw material is even used by local manufacturers in Malaysia as well.

They export to the entire world and I wonder which country in the world does not have something that is made from China?

Why am I so concern about China made products?

Firstly, the melamine attack that caused the death of babies brought shivers to all of us. Melamine was not only used in babies milk but also to make candy and biscuits. There needs to be a certain level of melamine in these food items in order to declare it to be safe to be consumed. Exceeding this limit would cause harm to those that consume it.

China is clever in mirroring or immitating reputable items. These cars, handphones and music players are produced to be sold at lower prices. These manufacturers try to capitalize on the wants of many who wish to possess the latest and most trendiest items around but cannot afford the real thing. Production of these items maybe successful. It may be impossible to differenciate an immitation from the original. However, has anyone thought of the quality standards that are involved?

Take for example Proton and Perodua are both manufactured in Malaysia. In terms of the quality and reliability of both these products, I am certain that most Malaysians will tell you who has the edge in this small national car manufacturing industry over the local competitor.

Hence, the same goes for China made electronic products. I have heard of handphone batteries exploding.

When this items become faulty, we keep saying, "Oh China made what". It can be seen as a sort of discrimination. If I were a high ranking official in the China government, I would certainly want to change this mind-set.

Recently, I was informed of the death of a fellow church member. It is heard that he was travelling in China and contracted a unique disease. The disease proved to be fatal as he passed away recently. Autopsies are being carried out to identify better the cause of his death.

I sincerely do not believe that anything is wrong with China. China is just as good as any other country in exporting goods overseas with their resources and labour available. However, they may have overlooked health and safety regulations in order to maximize profits.

Countries should come forward together to discuss with China on how to overcome the pitfalls. Perhaps awareness should be made clear to China on the impact it has on the world. Either strengthen the manufacturing policies in China or end up losing out on global market share. There could also be a boycott on China made goods to create the awareness on the severity if the problem persist.

Ash Wednesday!

Ash Wednesday was today and marks the beginning of Lent. It is a very important period in the Catholic calendar as we will go through 40 days(excluding Sunday) of preparation before we celebrate Easter. Easter marks the resurrection of Christ after being laid in the tomb for 3 days.

I love this period actually. It is the time for us to reflect on humanity and abstain from the luxuries of life. It is living like how Jesus suffered throughout this period before Easter. For me, it is a time to be humble and be appreciative to what I have and to remember those who are less fortunate than me. Let us remember those who are suffering because of war, injustice or illness.

Anyway, back to Ash Wednesday. I went to the Assumption Church in Jalan 222 after going home to take a bath to feel fresh after work. It was a rainy day and I hate rainy days as the possibility of accidents are higher. I took a slow drive and parked my car along Jalan Templer, rather far from the church as it was already packed with cars.

I didn't get a seat as I was a bit late and the church was packed with parishers who came after their work. I stood under my purple umbrella near to the porch. I tried as much as I could to listen to the homily given by Father Phillip Muthu who was talking about fasting and abstaining. Our fasting is very much different from the deffinition being practiced by Muslims. We still can eat during the day but nothing fancy or expensive. We are to live a simple daily life throughout these days.

What amazed me was when the church minister placed the ash over my forehead making the shape of the cross. She said, "Repent and be faithful to the gospel". I quickly sent an SMS to Ruby to share with her how inspired I was by the words.

To me, that sentence can be simply broken down in my own understanding:

Repent would be to admit and acknowledge the mistakes you have done. Be it skipping church, robbing or sleeping with your neighbour, confess it to God and move on. Sin in this world can never be avoided. It is because of human nature. As much as we pray and follow the holy teachings, we are still tempted by the evil or fall to the weakness of our humanness. God is loving and forgiving. He loves us.

Faithful to the gospel would mean living the word of God. Like as I said above, it is difficult to follow but we should atleast try. If trying is also difficult, then we should look deeper into ourselves to see what is stopping us from trying. It could simply be our attitude. Nothing is impossible.

I wish that during the moment of Lent, we may discover something new about God that will touch our hearts. It would be good to share it with your friends or family about what you discovered. Share it with people regardless of their religion or who they are. You never know as they may be touched by your words.

If you are having problems fasting and abstaining, consult your Muslim friends. I am sure they will be happy to share how they went through it during Ramadhan. Trust me, what they do is a lot harder than what we Catholics are doing. Nonetheless, some of them do it flawlessly and is not a hassle.

Also, pray as much as you can during this time wherever you are; in your car stuck in traffic jam or waiting for the Facebook website page to load. Although we may be saying short prayers, we are atleast still remembering God during this time.

Open your eyes to the world as you may receive messages indirectly from God that will stimulate your mind spiritually and move you.

God bless all of us during this moment of Lent and may it be a life-changing moment to us all.

Poor Karpal over-doing his best for the people

I am a concern citizen about all the local political news that has been going on in my country. I have reached a point of feeling disgusted and ventured to move to global news that is more interesting especially with what Obama is doing in the U.S. Atleast it is more satisfying and does make sense.

Big hoo-ha on what Karpal Singh said that a Sultan can be taken to court has become sensational news. A lot of people not happy at him for saying such things and now they are sending death threats to him and threating to harm his family. WTF!

Poor old man. At his age, he is still so active in the political arena. He started out as a young lawyer who grew into politics and being on the opposition side. The opposition party, DAP, has been struggling to take over the country in Malaysia since independence over the rulling party. The 2008 general elections finally showed fruits of their labour when they won in a few states.

Karpal's comments about the Sultan came about when the Perak state government under PKR(opposition) had to be desolved by the Sultan when the state exco members resigned. It gave BN the majority of seats in the state and BN was back in power without any state election taking place. Does this sound democratic?

So I guess people were not too happy about the dissolvement. Some tempted to challenge that decision and came out with possible solutions on how they are going to fix this issue. Karpal Singh is one of those some who challenged.

This has left me curious on who is right and who is wrong.

According to the 1957 Constitution of the Federation of Malaya with all the ammendments done throughout the years(taken from Wikipedia) , Article 181 states:

Article 181 guarantees the sovereignty, rights, powers and jurisdictions of each Malay Ruler within their respective states. They also cannot be charged in a court of law in their official capacities as a Ruler.

The Malay Rulers can be charged on any personal wrongdoing, outside of their role and duties as a Ruler. However, the charges cannot be carried out in a normal court of law, but in a Special Tribunal under the purview of the Council of Rulers.

I do not have much knowledge or experience with the law but from what I have learnt using my common-sense is that it is possible to take the Sultan to court under special conditions.

Come to think of it, would Karpal Singh even want to say something which is baseless considering the reputation he has as a prominent lawyer in Malaysia? We Malaysians aren't stupid and we can do our own investigation with the help of Google to validate his claims. Haha!

Also, could all the protest aimed at Karpal reflect the shallowness or lack of knowledge of us citizens on the constitution of our country?

Anything is possible. By using our common-sense and openning our closed minds, we should try and think about all this possibilities. We keep worshipping and thanking God for all his creations. Some of us dress up like prophets during the dawning of religion and camel handlers to show how religious we are to the outside world. But are we using God's creations to our fullest potential?

Jeez... I really do not know how I get this ideas and thoughts sometimes! Lol!

Time is certainly ticking... faster than you can imagine!

I was surfing cnn.com/living today and stumbled upon this article:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/02/03/o.kogan.40.something/index.html

It is certainly interesting on how the author narates how time has passed and what she has been through in the past 20 odd years. Although, most of it indeed are very feminine experiences, she writes, but it also tells of how time was like back then; the technology, food industry standards, social life, pass times.

It also brings back my memories of the past where a mobile phone was an item of luxury and I would be dieing to have one. I remmember walking around shopping complexes with pride in holding my aunt's gigantic Motorola flip phone. As time has gone by, throughout my experience of being a cell phone user, I have had a new mobile phone on average once every year since 2000 and it is now a mere need than a want. Or the years when the Volvo 240 was the ultimate executive car to own, with safety and power as a feature. Power at 8 valves in todays motoring standards? Yeah right.

Somehow I can imagine how the writer feels today after being through so much. Deffinitely the phrase "Older but wiser" can be applied in this context. Life is indeed a learning experience. We continue to learn new things everyday contiously or uncontiously. With information greatly multiplying so does our knowledge and we grow with times and deal with change.

I am sure she faced many struggles in her career and social life. She has probably learned from such painful lessons that have made her stronger in getting through the toughest moments of life. People like her would be the right people for the younger generation to consult during trying times. The environment we live in may have changed but with the right attitude and will-power within each of us, we can lessen or even eliminate the suffering.

The oldest real-life lesson that I have learnt was from my grandparents days when they worked hard and did not have much to boast about. Today, it can be attributed that because of their hardship, I am the generation that is inheriting the comforts and happiness that they had worked hard for but did not live long enough to see and enjoy. God bless their souls.

I will probably be like the author one day, reminiscing on the past and my early years like through looking back at the posts of my blog. A lot of good and bad has happened throughout my life that has only made me a better person. Life should not be lived with regrets but with optimism to what lies ahead. As much as we are enjoying our current moments, things change and so should we although it is really hard to accept this reality.

As I write this, I remembered the fridge magnet on my uncle's fridge that I stumbled upon only last week. It says "Let us grow old together, as the best years are yet to come".

My first week in KL

I hated the idea when my bro suggested to me that I work in KL doing SAP(a field in IT). I loved Penang so much as there was always things to do and being with the people closest to me. There was Ruby, mummy and daddy,my comfortable home, all my precious stuff(PS2,my LG flat screen tv), my pets (dogs and fish), my friends and the list just goes on.

The economy took a turn for the worst and started to slump in September 2008. When I was back in Penang, I did try hard with the help of my dad to get a job in Bayan Lepas, Butterworth or Kulim but there was no luck. I spent 2 months looking. For the fun of it and as it was going no where, I applied in KL with the help of my bro and I got a job in 2 days.

It has been a week working in Infocubed. It is located at Seksyen 20/ 70A Seri Hartamas. Sorry but I am still confused with the name Desa Seri Hartamas and just Seri Hartamas. It is like 9 km away from my uncle's house in Seksyen 22/ 40 Petaling Jaya. The company develops SAP Business Intelligence related software. Basically, it does all the stages of the development. I work with a team of 5 people who like me, still beginning to learn about SAP. My office hours are 9 am to 6 pm and I say that proudly compared to the odd working hours in Dell those days. Haha! The salary is great for starters like me and I am pleased overall. Nonetheless, I still have to put in effort to equip myself with the knowledge of SAP. Wish me luck!

Me on the way to work in my Myvi:

I have settled in well to my uncle's lovely home here. He has a spare room and it was vacant. My couz and her husband live in the other room. We have dinner once a while together or I just go out on my own. I have tried to make my room here as comfy as possible and sufficient with all my basic needs. I do the chores here like it is in my own home as my relatives have been most kind to let me stay with them. I even have a car park!

Below is a photo of my room:

Should my uncle go to his other home in Bangkok or my couz back to UK, I have the house to myself and I shall be the captain during their absence. The house is mostly vacant throughout the year so I will live alone. It's a big house so I pray that God will be with me at all times guarding my safety. I do all my washing of clothes at home and ironing so I save money there. I feel my relatives are happy I am staying with them to 'jaga' the place during their absence so it is a good thing.

Lunch(mix rice) at my working area is reasonable for KL standards costing an average of RM 5 with drink. Dinner mostly I have around Petaling Jaya side at coffee shops and they cost about the same.

I don't plan to venture very far out as KL is a huge place and I am unfamilliar with the roads. For me, the further I drive and getting myself into jams is going to freak me out and dread I moved to KL. So I try to avoid all of this as much as I can. Being here, I still have yet to go to Subang where my bro lives coz it is like 16 km from PJ. Yeah, I may sound thrifty but if you consider the distance, it is far. So I keep my life simple and don't stress myself out. I just travel short distances as of now, getting used to my new surroundings. Basically, PJ has almost everything you need.

Motorist here are more courteous and less crazy compared to Penang and this even includes motorcyclist. So far so good and I try not to be like my 'kiasu' self back in Penang. I am aware of 'mat rempits' and those 'racing-driver wannabes' so I try to avoid such roads that they normally use.

I went once to Tesco, Mutiara Damansara in the middle of the week as I had to get some stuff. It was ok and I didn't bother walking around to the adjacent Ikano or The Curve as it will just waste my time. Maybe when Ruby comes then I will go. Otherwise, there was no reason to go. From Hartamas, that shopping area is the nearest to me.

Planning and time-management here is crucial. There are traffic jams and peak times when shopping complexes get crowded with people. I hate crowded places. It is unlike Penang, where you can get out and drive. Here, you need to consider the time before going. Well, it is hard in a way but I am getting used to it.

I will be back in Penang only for Chinese New Year. I am trying to get myself comfortable here in PJ and learning more about the place. My parents will be coming down next weekend.

Argh... I hope Ruby comes too! Miss her sooo much! Thank God for the free calls,SMS and MMS from Digi that we communicate often. Long distance is ok for now with modern day technology.

Some times in life, one has to make sacrifices that is never easy to accept. I certainly hope my endeavour is for a greater cause that I can share with my loved ones. :)

Happy New Year 2009!

I am so glad it is a new year because it gives me a fresh start or a continuation with optimism in the things I endeavour.

Jumping into SAP is the biggest leap and change in career I have made. Looking for a job in Penang after my training in Kuala Lumpur was difficult as the economy had gone into a slump. Most companies had frozen their recruitment. Thank God for my bro who had fixed me up in his friend's company in Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. I am thankful that I finally got a job after resigning from Dell, 4 months ago. I am happy with the renumerations and experience that I am about to receive.

However, the 4 months were the best 4 months as I got to chill and lepak. Most importantly in these months, I took to reflect on where I am heading to as an individual and it has helped strengthen me. :D Reading was the best thing I did. Mostly online and there is this one book I have been reading which is Speaking with Confidence by Dale Carnegie. I just love inspirational books because it does deffinitely impact me.

As a partner in a loving relationship, I set forth to deepen my relationship with my partner. Growing with your partner is very important to sustain a lifetime of happiness together. There is never a right or wrong or a manual on how to be right. It is all about learning and experience. Some of my friends may not have had smooth sailing in this field. Sometimes maybe the best one is yet to come. Pray and have faith in God and never give up!

In preparation of getting through this year with regards to the economy, it is best to thread softly. The situation now is bad with recession and people losing their jobs. You can read news all around the world of people being impacted. It is difficult to forecast on how things are going to go for 2009. For those that have heard rumors that it will get worse, be patient and be optimistic. It may be dreadful but it is going to bounce back(hopefully soon). Only time will tell. Be grateful with what you have now. Try to save as much as one can and spend moderately. It is nice to enjoy life every once in a while and it should not stop. Life would be boring otherwise. We need to treat ourselves sometimes to help boost our morale!

As a Christian, I continue growing with God. I hope to learn more from God who speaks to me in so many ways; even from the actions of people around me. Sometimes the lessons are hurtful but it is through this lessons that make us better and wiser. One of my sources of inspiration is from Charismatic that is held in Immaculate Conception Church in Pulau Tikus. I may have to miss the sessions as I will be in KL but I am sure God will be with me and speak to me wherever I am. There is Charismatic in Assumption Petaling Jaya on Friday nights so that is something I can try to attend. That would be the time when I wanna come back Penang for the weekend so I need to juggle this. :D I hope this year, I will be able to inspire and share God's teachings with others. My biggest pleasure in my spiritual life is to introduce a stranger to Christianity! That would be the best thing to happen to me! I look forward. :D

Staying healthy is the typical New Year resolution but this is a must for me. I really want to try to keep fit and healthy. Ruby is my biggest supporter and motivator towards achieving my goal. I can never be like her but be a bit like her is good enough. I really admire her priority for healthy living.

Other than physical health, our mental health needs to be looked into. Our mental determines our actions and what we do physically. One thing I have learnt is try to stay as positive as possible. You may feel crappy at times when things don't go your way but looking positive and optimistic to the future for good things can happen. I believe the ride in life is always bumpy. We just gotta learn how to deal with it and handle it one at a time. One tip is to learn to smile a lot! It makes you feel positive and helps to give you a boost! Try to be happy as much as you can, every moment if possible. Do not set high expectations because you will get hurt.

Friends are very important in my life. I love making friends and I look forward to make more friends in 2009. My friends have been a big support to me in whatever I set out to do. Yes, sometimes I get offended or pissed off by them but they are just being sincere and because they care. Friends -> Happy -> Successful! Unfortunately, I do apologise to some of my friends if I could not have spent more time but the little moments we shared together are the best moments of my life! OMG, am I breaking into song for 2009! Lol!

For people that know me well, one of the physical or material things that I have been yearning for quite sometime is that modern classic Volvo 240. I just got tempted few days ago with an attractive offer. But considering the economy and my new job, I have postponed it indefinitely. Who knows I may celebrate 2010 with it! Rusdi, I bet your going to coax me more into getting it soon regadless of anything! Haha!

Let us all grow together as individuals. Make the best of life. Be happy! Happiness can never be bought. It is the sheer feeling within a person.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year 2009 and may God always watch over you regardless of who you are!

Wear your helmet!

As I write this post on the importance of wearing a motorcycle helmet, an accident has just happened at the junction near my house ( junction of Kelawei Road and College Lane), in front of Gurney Plaza. There was a loud bang and we are pretty used to hearing accidents along that stretch.

I first saw this white guy on his Malaysian made scooter stopping at the Pulau Tikus traffic lights at the junction of Burmah Road and Cantoment Road. He was kinda old and plum. I figured he must be a tourist and not familiar with our road regulations as he did not wear a helmet. He could have forgotten to wear his helmet or he could have been too ignorant / blur to notice that other motorcyclist had their helmets on. We Malaysians gave him that stare like are you mad as he was doing it in broad daylight without fear of the police.

The second incident(also at the same junction), two guys who work for Kim Gary Restaurant(they were wearing Kim Gary T's) stopped on motorbike at the junction. The rider had a helmet but the pillion was not wearing. I figured he must have just lost it or it was an emergency. I was on the way to Ruby's house using Codrington Avenue and a man stopped these two guys on motorbike. I was not sure if he was a plain clothes police man but he was giving them a lecture / warning on the dangers of riding without a helmet as he was pointing at the pillion.

I do not understand how people could be so ignorant of their safety as a motorist by not wearing a helmet. Trust me, I drive a car and also I fear of being hit by other vehicles although that is the risk we have to take on the road.

With the active clubbing scenes here in Penang, there is a high possibility of drunk drivers or driving under the influence. There are some who forget fear and drive really fast and others like me who keep a low profile and drive slow after a few drinks to not create any attention. I ensure my Myvi spotlights are even off! Haha! I guess driving slow if you had some liquor is a good idea as our reflexes tend to be slower.

I try hard to drive safe especially at nights. I hate to drive late nights especially weekends and I do it only if I must(I never like Ruby to drive home late so I prefer to send).

What more than the safety of a motorbike during late nights and rainy days? I am not saying accidents could be avoided if you wear a helmet but it certainly provides some minimal protection to your head rather than nothing.

My fear for motorcyclist being a former cyclist is being rammed from behind. Riding a motorcycle in Penang is a wise thing considering how near things are, narrower roads and it's cheaper to operate a motorbike. However, we should not jeapordise our safety.

Remember, we can be as careful as we want but are others as careful as us?