15Malaysia - Slovak Sling

The 9th video released in 15Malaysia. Learn how to bribe. Contains nudity :D

Road Taxed

Took I was 1/2 starting up from hibernation and 1/2 digesting the info of my colleague Hartanto in Ethics class at 8aaaaaa.m. Then after 30 seconds into his explanation about the practice of tax avoidance in Singapore,t hit me. I haven't replaced my road tax sticker that has expired on the 1th September. That was another thing I listed in my to-do list besides the assignments after the seminar. Gosh I can't believe I'm paying around RM60 to the government to drive on the potholes, lumps and sinkhole-riddled roads of Senadin. Anywho here is how the capitalist road tax looks like.

Okay la, just a proof that I abide by the law. But the whole thing feels fragile though, like a washing-machined RM5.

Okay this is new, it's blue in color. It used to be green. Complete with ads of insurers and colorful kaleidoscopic logos.

Took me a good 5 minutes to peel off the older road tax sticker. And the best thing is it left some irremovable leftover glue. Took me another 5 minutes to use soap and water to clean it off my windshield, but I forgot it's irremovable. So I just slapped the new sucker on the gluey outlines (honestly easier too stick it on as no more need to estimate where to stick). Um, thanks for reminding me subliminally H.

Then I realized, it's only the 3rd of September.

15Malaysia - One Future

The 8th video released in 15Malaysia. This is creepy. Watch and comprehend.

MACC & Nazis

LOL WTFBBQ. A parody of the downfall of MACC after the murder death of Teoh Beng Hock. WARNING: CONTAINS ANTI-GOVERNMENTAL SENTIMENTS

Of Sarawak Flag, Lost Patriots & Kampua

The other day I was heading to uni when I was hailed by the security guard at the security checkpoint.

Guard: *Waves his hands to hail me to stop*
Me: Owh nuts, did I run over someone yesterday?

Me: What's the matter boss?
Guard: Of all the cars so far only yours bear the flag

Guard: Don't know la kids today, they don't have the mentality of appreciating what others have done for them *does a screw loose gesture* but look at this it's beautiful
Me: Yea, hard to find real patriots nowadays. Okay, boss gotta go *gives a 1Malaysia salute*

Yes, the patriots are almost non-existent today. Most just want to gtfo of this corrupted country upon graduating. Some cluelessly wave the flag while rempit-ing around town. How degraded and lost the meaning of freedom have become. It's like celebrating Christmas getting excited about Santa instead of Jesus. An appreciation event that turns into an unappreciative celebration. And I know how it feels to be unappreciated, as well as its consequences. I love this state, it is always the first home to me. It's home to kampua.

15Malaysia - Halal

A very silly slapstick comedy demonstrating the proper Islamic way to slaughter chicken directed by Liew Seng Tat. This is the fifth video released in 15Malaysia.

I don't know about you guys but I do find some elements in the video to be a bit stereotypically racist. Apart from that it's kinda LOLable and Halal concept made simple. Babi... babi... babi... babi... babi... babi...

Grandma

Back when I was young, between 2 to 5 years old, I was one foolhardy, somewhat naughty and adventurous boy. I rode my first bike with 4-5 of my cousins hitchhiking (on the bike) before crashing on the concrete of the construction site of my would be Sibu house you see today. I got a big cut on my lips which is still visible today. Of course upon seeing blood I cried and ran back to my home. The first person to comfort me was my grandma. She was cool and all, and her usual treatment for such wound is a dab of minyak kapak. Of course she wouldn't scold me furthermore since I learned my lesson the hard way. No point to add insult to injury.

Then back when I was around 10Kg(?) my grandma would babysit me at home while my parents were out working. She always carried me around while she helped to do the house chores. One day when she was cooking and carried me on her left arm. Out of curiosity I touched the wok when she was not looking and got a nasty blister on the top of my left ring finger. I didn't cry but sucked on it instead, and this led to me sucking my ring finger instead of my thumb like most kiddies. The blister is now a permanent lump of flesh still visible today.

And then there's the usual moments when kiddies cried and cried wanting for something, like what you see at toy stores or ice cream joint. I had my share too back then. And my grandma would 'disciplined' me with methods that is so stern, you will need to fork the information out from me personally. Th methods maybe harsh, but they made a soldier out of me.

Then as I grew older I got naturally less mischievous. So was my grandma, except the mischievous part. Somehow I see the trend of the elders minding their own business at home and the rest of the family will only meet and talk with them when it's lunch or dinner time. Sometimes it's just eating and no talking at all. Same case for me. After joining in the rat race upon entering school, I seemed to start minding my own business and give a formal report at dinner time. So indulged with homeworks and tuition, I was oblivious of the things around me. One day wen I was tying my shoe laces for school, I was WTFBBQed by my grandma lugging a big assed kanaan (it's a Melanau term for a big 1/2 human-sized vase for bonsais, bunga kertas etc as seen to the left). She's a guru in gardening and the house is filled with her greens. So lugging that kanaan from one side of the yard to the other really took determination, so much that she didn't need my help when I offered one. Perhaps because I was smaller sized than the kanaan then and I might become a gardening death toll instead of help. Such display of determination from an old frail woman gave me the drive you see in me today.

She was also the first to introduce to me the concept of racism and nationalism. Perhaps because she lived through the Japanese occupation in WWII, the communist era and the Malaysian-Indonesian Konfrontasi war in the 1960s. The experience from the conflicts gave rise to the sense of self-defense from outsiders, and even after the war it applied to people not native of Borneo. I used to think everyone is the same in kindergarten. By then end of primary school, I Iearned to appropriately use terms like tou keling (Malays), tou sinah (Chinese), tou balah (Ibans) and others. A few attributes (stereotyping) were applied to these races, and I gradually found them to be true overtime. Although sad, this is the very stereotyping culture that is still being practiced by many Malaysians until today. This is why strangers don't earn my trust easily. It may take a few good deeds to convince me they are good people who does not fall within the stereotyped category.

Despite teaching the fundamentals to racism, my grandma was perhaps the first few pioneers of 1Malaysia 70 years before the PM introduced the concept. So strong was her family values that it transcends skin colors. Being a Melanau who married to a Chinese, she also adopted a few other children and treat them with her own children equally. Back then, life was tough and families with big number of children (especially daughters) were given away to families willing to help adopt. My mom and aunties were amongst the few who were given away and adopted by my grandma. From there onwards the family did not see skin colors as long as the new members display strong family values. Hence you can see the tree to have a variety of branches ranging from Melanaus, Chinese, Indians, Malays, Japanese and Caucasians. This is why you see me easily mingling with individuals globally as they display their own family values from which I could learn and assimilate. We are all 1Family.

Again like I mentioned, once you enter the rat race you are busy and will worry about your face. It still happens until now in my university life. As I'm busy going about with my studies and the family busy with their own business, grandma would just simply sit at her rattan chair by the main door watching the cars and people pass by in front of my Sibu home in the afternoon before getting busy with dinner again. I don't know what she's thinking when she observed the passing time, but her deep and calm look told me that she has done her part and she can take a rest. For her, the routine will be the same all over again tomorrow with the gardening, sitting watching time pass by and then dinner all over again.

Rest in peace grandma. 1912-2005

Saberkas Bazaar Ramadhan 2009

Some snapshots from the said bazaar in Miri. Despite the economic downturn, the bazaar is still full with the standard format of food. Mmmm P:

First shot of the bazaar and this guy happens to come into view. Aiya...

Ummm just a few weeks ago we had haze. Now we can experience it all over again with BBQ smoke. Memedihkan mata >.<

Barely 4pm a lot of food have finished.

Honey marinated chicken wing is MANDATORY

Some bawal and kembong being grilled with sambal.

RM12-RM15 terubok. Too bad it's not spawning season. The caviar is the best around.

And of course, kurma or dates to give you back those lost glucose.

Ramadan 2009 AD / 1430 H

Muslims in this region will begin the fasting month on the 22nd August, this Saturday. Here is the schedule for the Sarawak's Zone 2 imsak and breaking of fast year 1430 Hijra. Happy fasting.

Click here to download Sarawak Zone 2 fasting schedule 2009 (NIAH, BEKENU, MIRI, SIBUTI, MARUDI)

If you are not in Zone 2, you can simply Google your territory.

For those unfamiliar with the puasa/fasting concept, or simply thought it's all about not eating for a month, below are the basic info. If you prefer to stick to your stereotyping mindset on why Muslims fast, leave now. If you are interested in learning some more, take a few minutes to check it out:

History:
Fasting is an ancient and universal practice. The Romans, the Babylonians, the Cynic, Stoic, Pythagorean and Neo-Platonist philosophers commended fasting. The followers of Hinduism, Jainism, Confucianism, and Zoroastrianism practice it. The Jews observe an annual fasting on the day of atonement in commemoration of the descent of Moses from Sinai after spending forty days of fasting in order to be able to receive revelation. Jesus observed fasting for forty days in the desert and commanded his followers to fast. In brief, the practice of fasting has been common in one form or the other in all human societies.

Source: Holy Ramadan

Prior to his flight to Medina (known as Hijra), the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was in the habit of fasting three times per month when he was in Mecca and to a great extent when he settled in Medina. Not long, the Prophet(s.a.w) soon discovered that the Jews in Medina used to set aside one special day for fasting. The Prophet(s.a.w) then asked the Jews about the significance of the day. He was told that it is the day Allah helped Prophet Musa(a.s) (a.k.a Moses) to humiliate, defeat and drown the tyrant, Fir'aon. By all standard, since Musa(a.s) was a prophet of Allah and of course a Muslim, the Prophet(s.a.w) felt that Musa(a.s) was nearer to him as a Prophet than to the Jews. To this end, he ordered his companions to fast along with him that day.

Source: Abdullateef Bello

Concept:
In the holy month of Ramadan, a Muslim's abstaining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, etc., during the prescribed hours is the very manifestation of obedience to the Creator's will. Fasting constitutes a process of self-purification, self-righteousness, and spiritual development of one self.

Ham: Basically Muslims cannot do the mentioned things from break of dawn til sunset. After sunset it's okay to eat, have sex etc. Also, during Ramadan Muslims are abstained from indulging themselves in pleasurable activities such as checking out girls, talking shit, sleeping too much, procrastinating with assignments, spending too much on buying stuff and wasting too much time on Facebook. I may have made a few people terasa.

Health Issues:
Fasting in Islam is not prescribed to cause undue hardship. The Divine principle, as specified in the Holy Quran: (On no soul does God place a burden greater than it can bear...) (2:286). Hence several people will be exempted from fasting.

Ham: Should a person is unable to fast during Ramadan, the person must replace the missed fast on a later date if he/she is well-bodied.

Exemptions:
People who are exempted from fasting includes:

a) Persons traveling and the ill whose illness can be made worse by fasting. It is not recommended for such people to fast but if they do so, it will be accepted from them. If they choose to heed the recommendation and not fast, they must fast an equal number of days after Ramadan to make up for the days they missed.

b) Menstruating women and women with post-partum bleeding are not allowed to fast and it will not be considered valid if they do. But they also must make up for the days in which they did not fast.

c) Pregnant and nursing women, if they fear that fasting can be harmful to their children or to themselves, need not fast. If they don’t fast, they must make up for the days on which they break the fast. In addition, they must feed a poor person for every day that they broke their fast if they broke it because they feared only for the health of their children.

d) People who are not capable of fasting, either due to old age or incurable diseases, are not to fast. It is enough for them to feed one poor person for each of the days in which they fail to fast. The more people they feed the better.

Source: islaam.com

Salam Ramadan!

15Malaysia - Halal Trailer

Coming to 15Malaysia on 26th August 2009. "1Daging, 1Malaysia". LOL