My friend Ridhwan had been rather quiet about his wife, Rokiah's condition the last few weeks. I did not want to intrude and left them to their privacy after the second B17 protocol which was aborted for specific reasons. Today I noticed Ridhwan's latest post dated 30th January, 2009 entitled 2nd Report Card; I am heartened. Please read:
2nd Report Card - 21.1.2009
January 30, 2009 by randolph
So far:
B17, twice, Oct 08 1-19, Dec 08 11-26 (aborted after 16 days)
Transfer Factor Plus, Nov 08/Jan 09
Cellfood, started Jan 6, 2009
Carnivora/DMSO/Lymph Drainage/Lamonica, started Jan 19, 2009 + combination of Vit C, E, Selenium, others
Blood Test Results:
Overall CEA count:
Oct 20, 08: 1850
Dec 05, 08: 1156
Jan 21, 09: 493
Alpha Fetoprotein reading (remember - its mets to the liver):
Oct 20, 08: 7.3
Dec 05, 08: 3.9
Jan 21, 09: 6
CA-199 count:
High, being managed
CA-125 count:
Oct 20, 08: 204
Dec 05, 08: 157
Jan 21, 09: 109
Conclusion:
Cancer not only being controlled, but overall, cancer has reduced. The latest CEA count of 493 suggests that the count has dropped more than 100% since the last blood test, a good sign by any means. As always, there’s still a battle ahead, and we will fight the good fight with renewed hope and energy.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Obama Answers Mahathir? Yeah...You Wish! Listen Up Najib & Anwar!
I watched Barack Obama's swearing in ceremony and his inauguration speech. It seemed like a Hollywood movie the way the words were spoken so succinctly, forcefully and efficaciously. It seemed unreal and right out of a movie scriptwriter's keyboard. Notwithstanding that, Obama is obviously a great speaker and his words were inspirational.
I could not help noticing George Bush fidgeting in the background where he sat as everything Obama promised appeared counter to what the Bush presidency was about. In that sense, Obama seemed to be acceding to our Che Det's wishlist (or similar) but do not be mistaken, Najib and Anwar better listen carefully. Afterall, he did say; "...to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist".
I could not help noticing George Bush fidgeting in the background where he sat as everything Obama promised appeared counter to what the Bush presidency was about. In that sense, Obama seemed to be acceding to our Che Det's wishlist (or similar) but do not be mistaken, Najib and Anwar better listen carefully. Afterall, he did say; "...to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist".
The war on terror continues and there will be two additions; anti-corruption and environment conservation. But I can also imagine a certain Dr Jack Wheeler smiling cynically hearing the speech.
Nevertheless, Obama said the right things and referred to almost all the major ills facing our troubled world today. Whether he turns out to be the panacea, only time will tell but by identifying and admitting the problems alone, the world already has hope! My hope is that the problems will not turn out to be too big for the man we now refer to as the President of the US of A.
A sign that he is his own man was apparent when he was taking his oath of office before John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States. The latter boo-booed with part of the wordings but Obama was collected in ignoring the mistake and recited the right words.
Will Barisan Nasional have a place in Obama's world? CHANGE first la!
The full text of his speech as follows:
Obama's Inauguration Address: The Full Text
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.
The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.
We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.
We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality...
... and lower its costs.
We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.
All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched.
But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control.
The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.
Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.
Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.
They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy, guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We'll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard- earned peace in Afghanistan.
With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.
And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.
We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.
And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
To those...
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. Oh! oh! Is he talking about today's Malaysia?
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours.
It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.
These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.
In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river.
The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.
At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you.
And God bless the United States of America.
Nevertheless, Obama said the right things and referred to almost all the major ills facing our troubled world today. Whether he turns out to be the panacea, only time will tell but by identifying and admitting the problems alone, the world already has hope! My hope is that the problems will not turn out to be too big for the man we now refer to as the President of the US of A.
A sign that he is his own man was apparent when he was taking his oath of office before John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the United States. The latter boo-booed with part of the wordings but Obama was collected in ignoring the mistake and recited the right words.
Will Barisan Nasional have a place in Obama's world? CHANGE first la!
The full text of his speech as follows:
Obama's Inauguration Address: The Full Text
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed.
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.
The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.
We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.
We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality...
... and lower its costs.
We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.
All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.
The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched.
But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control.
The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.
The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.
Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.
Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake.
And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.
They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy, guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We'll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard- earned peace in Afghanistan.
With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.
We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.
And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.
We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.
And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.
To those...
To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. Oh! oh! Is he talking about today's Malaysia?
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.
We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.
And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.
It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours.
It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.
These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.
In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river.
The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.
At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you.
And God bless the United States of America.
Monday, 19 January 2009
Moving, Moving On...But Some Things Must Remain Unchanged
We had been unpacking at and prepping our new home in Puchong for a while now. There are so many boxes to open, so many things to decide and even more things to do! The neighbors must be wondering where these empty cardboard boxes outside our gate keep coming from; there is a new pile for the garbage man everyday!I had never done this without Jeannie and even then, she made most of the decisions (and did most of the work!). This time around it is Krystyn who has to "learn by doing" and she has been doing a great job so far.
Afterall, she is the only woman of this household now. JJ is our "muscle man" and I wonder how this skinny fellow has so much strength to effortlessly carry some real heavy stuff.
In consultation with Hui Sin's mother, they determined that January 16th 2009 was an auspicious day to "move". So January 16th it was and though we are still not yet living there now, we spent our first over-night at the house last Friday (16th). Krystyn also cooked the first meal there and she is just as efficient like Mummy. Hui Sin cooked a good chicken curry and Elaine was over for dinner with hubby Gary.
Jeannie would have been proud to see Krystyn carrying on traditions; she has taught her well. The motivations behind such traditional practices are not grounded in religion but in good intentions and often, filial piety. They are some of the values that were imparted since young.So many things have come to pass since Jeannie's untimely demise almost exactly one and a half years ago. For a while it had been just adjusting to Jeannie's physical absence and slowly, we are now doing things despite her absence. Jeannie had always encouraged the kids to grow and they are doing just that. Growth comes with moving on and moving into a new home is timely and symbolic. They are now charting their own lives based on much inspiration and values from Mummy.
However, some things do not change as Prince Cheah demonstrated. The first thing Krystyn did in the new house was to set up "Mummy's place". As soon as she played one of Mummy's favorite mantras on the CD player, Prince took to meditating as he used to do with Jeannie every morning for the years they were together. He has now claimed the space under Jeannie's photo as his own and did not move from there until the whole mantra finished. These photos tell the story. Later, when I can find them I will include past photos and audio/video for comparison.
Another thing that does not change is that we must always have our Taiping soy sauce...the best in the world! Even "Kajang mui" Jeannie loved it and we used to buy literally gallons from Taiping before it was sold in KL. The manufacturer is Kwong Bee Chun and the brand, Gold Deer.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Pre-CNY Tigers Gathering At Aliyaa
A gathering of Taiping Tigers at Aliyaa. The photos (courtesy of Tiger Chuah Lye Hock) tell the story:
Ho-hum...The KT By-Election Choices
This was from The Star Online today:
Yeah BN lost..that was only to be expected right? Right?
Personally, the moment BN announced its candidate, I lost interest in the actual election (and campaigning) process. PAS could field a monkey and still won...well maybe not, but any decent PAS candidate would have won because BN had already lost.
I would have enjoyed joining some Barisan Rakyat friends up in KT the past 2 weeks as they tried to do good work there, especially with the Chinese voters. The Chinese voters however, chose to behave typically Malaysian Chinese; they chickened out. They did not vote for change. Hudud anyone?
Factoring in all expected efforts and strategies from both sides, it just felt like BN was never going to win this one; whether with phantoms or premiums. The banal mainstream media hype and bias, and the equally banal and lop-sided alternative media pontifications and discourse made for a boring two weeks.
My question remains why the infamous Wan Ahmad Farid? Obviously it was not Najib's choice...or was it? Perhaps it was Hobson's Choice? The most common conclusion is that it was Bodohlah's (and therefore KJ's?) choice...but why did they choose to lose? Is there a bigger picture we do not see? Our Tun seems to think so:
Many opine that this by-election would be the measure of Najib. If victory meant so much to him yet he apparently did not have a voice (according to his damage-controlling spinmeisters) in the choice of candidate then what gives eh? Altantuya got yer tongue? Could the DPM be even lamer than the quack PM? Then, what the f(d)uck kind of a PM will he be come March? Who is holding his leash? We won't know for sure because there will be no curtain call but for some, it would certainly be curtains.
In the end, maybe we should not read too much into Wan Farid as the choice. It may merely be because he is the KT UMNO head and he had the deepest pocket with loose change to spare. Call it what you like: by-election or bye-election or buy-election; it looks like bye-bye Farid...for now.
Personally, the moment BN announced its candidate, I lost interest in the actual election (and campaigning) process. PAS could field a monkey and still won...well maybe not, but any decent PAS candidate would have won because BN had already lost.
I would have enjoyed joining some Barisan Rakyat friends up in KT the past 2 weeks as they tried to do good work there, especially with the Chinese voters. The Chinese voters however, chose to behave typically Malaysian Chinese; they chickened out. They did not vote for change. Hudud anyone?
Factoring in all expected efforts and strategies from both sides, it just felt like BN was never going to win this one; whether with phantoms or premiums. The banal mainstream media hype and bias, and the equally banal and lop-sided alternative media pontifications and discourse made for a boring two weeks.
My question remains why the infamous Wan Ahmad Farid? Obviously it was not Najib's choice...or was it? Perhaps it was Hobson's Choice? The most common conclusion is that it was Bodohlah's (and therefore KJ's?) choice...but why did they choose to lose? Is there a bigger picture we do not see? Our Tun seems to think so:
Many opine that this by-election would be the measure of Najib. If victory meant so much to him yet he apparently did not have a voice (according to his damage-controlling spinmeisters) in the choice of candidate then what gives eh? Altantuya got yer tongue? Could the DPM be even lamer than the quack PM? Then, what the f(d)uck kind of a PM will he be come March? Who is holding his leash? We won't know for sure because there will be no curtain call but for some, it would certainly be curtains.
In the end, maybe we should not read too much into Wan Farid as the choice. It may merely be because he is the KT UMNO head and he had the deepest pocket with loose change to spare. Call it what you like: by-election or bye-election or buy-election; it looks like bye-bye Farid...for now.
Monday, 12 January 2009
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right
Nothing justifies the wanton killing of women and children...not even the term, "collateral damage". Yet, collateral damage to one side is sacrificial pawns to the other. One of my favorite bloggers, Aisehman has this to say about that idiot Gazza - the well-known drunk and wife-beater, sometimes known for his football talents, and Gaza, where women and children are being slaughtered because men will not do the right thing. Please read: This is the last chance:
England football legend Paul Gascoigne said drink and drug addiction nearly killed him in 2008 and knows he is now on his last chance to save himself.
In an interview published on Friday, Gascoigne, 41, who is in a rehabilitation clinic on the southern English coast trying to get his life back in order, said going back on the booze would be the death of him.
“This is my last chance,” the fallen idol told The Sun newspaper.
“My mate Jimmy ‘Five Bellies’ says I’ve got more lives than a cat, and he’s right. But this is my last one.”
Gascoigne has battled alcoholism and depression since his playing days. Last year he was sectioned under British mental health laws. [Associated Press via The Australian]
I know, I know … this is not the time for jokes that are in poor taste.
But look at it this way — both Gazza and Gaza are fucked.
The blood of the Palestinian women and children are on the hands of not just the Israeli invaders, but Hamas as well.And I say Hamas is worse than the Israelis, because they hide behind their women and children.
The Israelis are cruel, but Hamas is crueler.
Hamas is nothing but a bunch of cowards, because it doesn’t actually fight Israel.
All Hamas does is lob largely ineffective rockets into Israel with the intention of provoking it into retaliating in a manner that we all know Israel is capable of.
That’s all that Hamas does in its so-called struggle to free Palestinians from Israeli subjugation.
Fucking stupid and useless. That’s what Hamas is.
You know what these brainless morons said the other day? Here:
… a Hamas leader warned that the Islamists would kill Jewish children anywhere in the world in revenge for Israel’s devastating assault.
“They have legitimised the murder of their own children by killing the children of Palestine,” Mahmoud Zahar said in a televised broadcast recorded at a secret location.
“They have legitimised the killing of their people all over the world by killing our people.” [The Times of London]
First, note that the fucking coward was safely ensconced in “a secret location” while he threatened to murder children.Second, how in God’s Most Holy Name could you even think of murdering children, let alone justify it?
They are children, for God’s sake.
They are utterly innocent. Sinless. Pure.
And listen to this other coward:
Abu Obeida, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, made his first appearance on Gaza television, his face masked in a red and white scarf, to goad Israeli forces massed outside the teeming city of 400,000 people. “We have prepared thousands of brave fighters who are waiting for you in each corner of the street and will welcome you with fire and iron,” he said.
I wonder if Abu Obeida is or will be among the waiting “thousands of brave fighters”.
“Welcome you with fire and iron” my ass.
Can you see how laughable this supposed threat is?
First of all, you’re threatening soldiers.
Soldiers are trained to handle “fire and iron”. That’s their job.
Second, these are Israeli soldiers.
Israeli soldiers were born with “fire and iron”. They sleep with it. They eat “fire and iron” for breakfast.
All that big talk is pure bullshit because we know Hamas is gonna get their ass kicked.
Morons.
So weep for the women and children of Gaza, for many more will die before this is over.
Weep, for ultimately, no one around them gives a shit about their safety and their lives.
Not Israel. Not Hamas.
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Barracking Barak Obama: Viewpoint by Dr Jack Wheeler
Just who is Barak Obama, the man who is about to assume the most powerful job in world politics? M Bakri Musa was perhaps too harried when he paid Mahathir a compliment by calling him Malaysia's Obama, as the rest of the world waits with bated breath for Obama to bring "change" to a world in dire need of stability.
Mahathir himself felt a need to write Obama an open letter to mark the new year. Certainly, his still pregnant silence on the latest Middle-East conflagration in Gaza does not bode well for a world leader on whose shoulders are placed "messiahnic" expectations. Maybe the problem is with the word "expectations" in the aftermath of the George W. Bush presidency but my two cents worth tells me it is still to early to call.
Mahathir himself felt a need to write Obama an open letter to mark the new year. Certainly, his still pregnant silence on the latest Middle-East conflagration in Gaza does not bode well for a world leader on whose shoulders are placed "messiahnic" expectations. Maybe the problem is with the word "expectations" in the aftermath of the George W. Bush presidency but my two cents worth tells me it is still to early to call. I must thank my friend Colonel Mike for the following heads up on what Dr Jack Wheeler said about Obama:
First, something about Jack Wheeler; Jack Wheeler is a brilliant man who was the author of Reagan's strategy to break the back of the Soviet Union with the star wars race and expose their inner weakness. For years he wrote a weekly intelligence update that was extremely interesting and well structured and informed. He consults(ed) with several mega corporations on global trends and the future, etc. I think he is in semi-retirement now. He is a true patriot with a no-nonsense approach to everything. He is also a somewhat well known mountain climber and adventurer.
Jack Wheeler's take on Barak Obama (viewpoint of just another conservative hack?)
The O-man, Barack Hussein Obama, is an eloquently tailored empty suit. No resume, no accomplishments, no experience, no original ideas, no understanding of how the economy works, no understanding of how the world works, nothing but abstract empty rhetoric devoid of real substance.
He has no real identity. He is half-white, which he rejects. The rest of him is mostly Arab, which he hides but is disclosed by his non-African Arabic surname and his Arabic first and middle names as a way to triply proclaim his Arabic parentage to people in Kenya . Only a small part of him is African Black from his Luo grandmother, which he pretends he is exclusively.
What he isn't, not a genetic drop of, is 'African-American,' the descendant of enslaved Africans brought to America chained in slave ships. He hasn't a single ancestor who was a slave. Instead, his Arab ancestors were slave owners. Slave-trading was the main Arab business in East Africa for centuries until the British ended it.
Let that sink in: Obama is not the descendant of slaves, he is the descendant of slave owners. Thus he makes the perfect Liberal Messiah.
It's something Hillary doesn't understand - how some complete neophyte came out of the blue and stole the Dem nomination from her. Obamamania is beyond politics and reason. It is a true religious cult, whose adherents reject Christianity yet still believe in Original Sin, transferring it from the evil of being human to the evil of being white.
Thus Obama has become the white liberals' Christ, offering absolution from the Sin of Being White. There is no reason or logic behind it, no faults or flaws of his can diminish it, no arguments Hillary could make of any kind can be effective against it. The absurdity of Hypocrisy Clothed In Human Flesh being their Savior is all the more cause for liberals to worship him: Credo quia absurdum, I believe it because it is absurd.
Thank heavens that the voting majority of Americans remain Christian and are in no desperate need of a phony savior.
His candidacy is ridiculous and should not be taken seriously by any thinking American.
...we will wait and see.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
Dear Santa... (UPDATED)
Bernard Khoo (Zorro Unmasked) had a guest on his blog. "Hantu" adds a nice touch as he "ghosts" Barack Obama's "reply"...please read:
For purposes of clarity I have positioned Mr Barak's reply point by point, after Dr M's, in red italics.....just in case your train of thoughts get derailed......
Dear Mr. President,
Dear Mr Former Prime Minister,
I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
I know you wouldn’t vote for me even if you could….just my gut feel, garnered from your writings. What a way to start a letter? Rather unfriendly and negative, if you permit me to volunteer. I hope you are feeling just right and not under the weather, despite your monthly injections?
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.
Come again….I am aware that you did pay big bucks to have a word with Bushy, and on returning you kinda bush-whacked him and America. NO? As to affecting you and your country, that is quite a motherhood statement.
I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.
I rallied my people with “YES WE CAN”….that sir, is not a promise. It is a commitment. Promises can be broken easily. Let me recall that when you were Prime Minister you changed the rules that made it difficult for anyone to challenge your premiership. They had to have a certain amount of nominations. Recently you reneged on that and told UMNO to abandon that policy.
Of course, the US of A needs a lot of changes. We change our President every 5 years. American’s will NOT allow me to be their President for more than two terms…10 years at most and not 22 years.
Your young country needs changes too. For a start,clean up your comical electoral roll; that laughable but devious postal vote thing; the corruption, which UMNO euphemistically label as money politics that you recently accused your own ex-party of being smeared with; that perverted ISA; your corrupt cops and toothless ACA; your blemished judiciary……I do not want to believe that you started this, but I am reliably informed that .......; blogs in your country also revealed that your country does not allow its citizens, opposed to the Government, to have free assembly and cannot ride bicycles and burn candles. Lets not get into what the pot called the kettle but do ponder on this saying of yore: Physician, heal thyself….(before dispensing medicine so liberally.)
Admittedly America needs a change too and we all live in glass houses. YES? If changes do not happen, you can be sure that my people will kick me off the White House! There can be no such thing as hanging on for two decades.
That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
Best hated….now that is something I am learning…. like saying “same difference” sir yeah?.... most hated I have heard. Yes arrogance is a no-no, yes? Like how your arrogant coalition lost 5 states and they still continue to be arrogant.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.
Making resolutions….that is a very western culture….you still believe in these yellow culture resolutions stuff…..by the way….I do not make resolutions….I make commitments. Resolutions are for the weak-willed.
1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated.
2) War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.
3) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.
4) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you. In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.
What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.
5) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.
6) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian
7) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries. Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.
8) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions. Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.
9) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.
10) Show respect for the United Nations.
Sir is this a coincidence? Your good friend Mugabesend me these 10 pointers too. It is not important who the original author is, but I assure you that Congress and not I, as President, will deliberate, decide on or reject your generous advice.
I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake. But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
I greatly appreciate your Christian thoughts.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
I do not wish to be a great leader….Hitler was a great leader…..I just want to be a GOOD leader.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
And to you the same sir.
Yours Sincerely,
Yours Cordially,
Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
Barak Obama
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
President-Elect
**************************************************
My earlier post:
Continuing the cut-and-paste start to my blogging year, this one by none other than our Che Det is not only hilarious, it is superfluous. He writes to Father Christmas Barack "HUSSEIN" Obama (isn't it a bit early in the year for Christmas cheer???) with his wish list.
The letter starts off with "Dear Mr President..." and he signs off as "Former Prime Minister of Malaysia" (as if to remind Obama of his Indonesian sojourn) and I have my doubts if the letter will ever reach the desk of Obama in the first place. He also very conspicuously uses the "Hussein" in Obama's name as if to appeal to his "muslim side" but refers to "un-Christian" actions in his letter (surely Obama will scratch his head if he reads it).
I am not knocking the content of Tun's letter, much of which I too agree with, but it is the letter per se. Perhaps he should have signed off as Current Chairman, Kuala Lumpur Foundation To Criminalise War rather than Former PM of Malaysia. We already have a "lame duck current PM", a "PM Designate" and also not forgetting that 16th September "PM in waiting" guy; now a former PM gets into the global arena.
Well, if Mr Hussein Obama were a Mr George Walker Bush; he may jolly well reply. That would then qualify him to a nomination for a Man of the Year award...Funniest Man, that is.
Please read:
Open Letter to Barack Hussein Obama President-elect of the United States of America
By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on January 1, 2009 3:59 AM
Dear Mr. President,
I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.
That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.
1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated. War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.
2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.
3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you. In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.
4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.
5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.
6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries. Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.
7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions. Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.
9) Show respect for the United Nations. I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
The letter starts off with "Dear Mr President..." and he signs off as "Former Prime Minister of Malaysia" (as if to remind Obama of his Indonesian sojourn) and I have my doubts if the letter will ever reach the desk of Obama in the first place. He also very conspicuously uses the "Hussein" in Obama's name as if to appeal to his "muslim side" but refers to "un-Christian" actions in his letter (surely Obama will scratch his head if he reads it).
I am not knocking the content of Tun's letter, much of which I too agree with, but it is the letter per se. Perhaps he should have signed off as Current Chairman, Kuala Lumpur Foundation To Criminalise War rather than Former PM of Malaysia. We already have a "lame duck current PM", a "PM Designate" and also not forgetting that 16th September "PM in waiting" guy; now a former PM gets into the global arena.
Well, if Mr Hussein Obama were a Mr George Walker Bush; he may jolly well reply. That would then qualify him to a nomination for a Man of the Year award...Funniest Man, that is.
Please read:
Open Letter to Barack Hussein Obama President-elect of the United States of America
By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on January 1, 2009 3:59 AM
Dear Mr. President,
I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.
That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.
1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated. War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.
2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.
3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you. In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.
4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.
5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.
6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries. Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.
7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions. Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.
9) Show respect for the United Nations. I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Charity Begins At Home; Fatah Does Not Love Hamas
The SIL continues his re-engineering and has latched on another opportunity to be in the news. What better cause than the Palestinian one. So as Che Det's pen-friend plays golf in sunny Hawaii while Gaza burns, SIL is at the Palestinian embassy (why not the US embassy?) with fellow foreign operatives protesting Israel's excesses in Gaza; but it appears Fatah does not love Hamas (read attached Malaysiakini article). So who loves who, for what?
Shouldn't SIL be more focused on efforts to save Malaysia's economic arse than getting involved in squabbles in somebody elses backyard? Oxford right?
SIL may be better off standing for elections at the next Palestinian poll after Israel exterminates Hamas for the PLO Fatah. He can also win unopposed under the PLO banner.
| Protest against Israel turns into war of words |
| Rahmah Ghazali | Jan 2, 09 8:00pm |
An Umno Youth-led rally against the deadly Israeli air strikes on Gaza Strip turned into a war of words today which saw the Palestinian ambassador having an argument with some protesters resulting in them staging a walk-out. The protest, held outside the Palestinian embassy in Ampang, was attended by 200 people, including Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin. Organised by the Coalition Against Israeli Aggression - a group comprising of Umno Youth, Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semananjung (GPMS), Majlis Permuafakatan Ummah (Pewaris) and Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM) - the protest was joined by a number of Palestinian foreign students. The demonstration was to express outrage against the Israeli air strikes that have over the past week killed more than 400 Palestinians and wounded 1,700 others in Gaza Strip.  Under the watchful eyes of two dozens of police officers who were stationed outside the embassy, the protestors kicked off the rally by marching about 100 metres to the embassy.However, the situation turned rowdy when the Palestinian ambassador to Malaysia Abdel Aziz Abu Ghoush ticked off some of the protestors who were holding photos of Hamas leaders.  He wanted the photos removed as “we do not want to show divisions in the internal affairs of Palestine”.“There should be no individual photos. We should show our support to all the Palestinians regardless of who they are. We should show our unity against Israel,” screamed Abdel Aziz from the balcony of the embassy building. But the protesters from Palestine - who were mostly foreign students studying in Malaysia - refused to back down and began arguing with the ambassador in Arabic. Palestianian protesters walk out A GPMS leader however tried to calm the situation down by asking the Palestinian and Sudanese student leaders to address the crowd. But Abdel Aziz was not happy with that either. “There should be no individual speakers. I am representing Palestine as such I am the only speaker here, besides Khairy Jamaluddin,” he said to angry protests from the crowd.  “We are representing Palestine too!” they shouted.That was when a handful of Palestinian protestors walked out from the embassy’s compound. As they leave, they held photos of Hamas leaders in the air. The Palestinians returned only when Khairy, who arrived at the embassy about half an hour later, managed to persuade them to stay with the protesters. The photos that sparked the controversy were those showing former Hamas leaders, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdul Aziz al Rantissi, both of whom were assassinated by Israeli missile strikes in March and April 2004 respectively. Other photos depicted current Hamas leader and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. ‘I'm not against Hamas’ Ambassador Abdel Aziz later denied that he is linked to Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), which has a major fall-out with Hamas.  “I don’t have anything against Hamas. I even have a photo of (assassinated Hamas leader) Sheikh Ahmed Yassin with me,” said Abdel Aziz (left). Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, has been squabbling with rival Fatah, a coalition member of PLO, since the death of long-time leader Yasser Arafat four years ago. The tension between the two intensified after Hamas won the Palestinian elections in 2006. Last Monday, Hamas sent a deadly barrage of missiles deep into Israel, killing three Israelis and wounding two others. Israel responded with deadly force with warplanes killing 200 Palestinians, including women and children.  Earlier, Khairy, who is also member of parliament for Rembau, gave a spirited speech to the crowd saying that the Coalition Against Israeli Aggression will always be with the Palestinians until “they gain their freedom”.“I am here to tell you that we, Malaysians - Muslims and non-Muslims - want to show our support to the Palestinians as this is concerning humanitarian and economic issues. This is about unity, freedom and justice of the Palestinians,” said Khairy. He also added that the coalition has successfully collected RM100,000 of humanitarian aid to be channeled to Palestine and has submitted a memorandum of support to the Palestinians to the ambassador. |
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Dear Santa...
Continuing the cut-and-paste start to my blogging year, this one by none other than our Che Det is not only hilarious, it is superfluous. He writes to Father Christmas Barack "HUSSEIN" Obama (isn't it a bit early in the year for Christmas cheer???) with his wish list.
The letter starts off with "Dear Mr President..." and he signs off as "Former Prime Minister of Malaysia" (as if to remind Obama of his Indonesian sojourn) and I have my doubts if the letter will ever reach the desk of Obama in the first place. He also very conspicuously uses the "Hussein" in Obama's name as if to appeal to his "muslim side" but refers to "un-Christian" actions in his letter (surely Obama will scratch his head if he reads it).
I am not knocking the content of Tun's letter, much of which I too agree with, but it is the letter per se. Perhaps he should have signed off as Current Chairman, Kuala Lumpur Foundation To Criminalise War rather than Former PM of Malaysia. We already have a "lame duck current PM", a "PM Designate" and also not forgetting that 16th September "PM in waiting" guy; now a former PM gets into the global arena.
Well, if Mr Hussein Obama were a Mr George Walker Bush; he may jolly well reply. That would then qualify him to a nomination for a Man of the Year award...Funniest Man, that is.
Please read:
Open Letter to Barack Hussein Obama President-elect of the United States of America
By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on January 1, 2009 3:59 AM
Dear Mr. President,
I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.
That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.
1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated. War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.
2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.
3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you. In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.
4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.
5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.
6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries. Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.
7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions. Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.
9) Show respect for the United Nations. I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
The letter starts off with "Dear Mr President..." and he signs off as "Former Prime Minister of Malaysia" (as if to remind Obama of his Indonesian sojourn) and I have my doubts if the letter will ever reach the desk of Obama in the first place. He also very conspicuously uses the "Hussein" in Obama's name as if to appeal to his "muslim side" but refers to "un-Christian" actions in his letter (surely Obama will scratch his head if he reads it).
I am not knocking the content of Tun's letter, much of which I too agree with, but it is the letter per se. Perhaps he should have signed off as Current Chairman, Kuala Lumpur Foundation To Criminalise War rather than Former PM of Malaysia. We already have a "lame duck current PM", a "PM Designate" and also not forgetting that 16th September "PM in waiting" guy; now a former PM gets into the global arena.
Well, if Mr Hussein Obama were a Mr George Walker Bush; he may jolly well reply. That would then qualify him to a nomination for a Man of the Year award...Funniest Man, that is.
Please read:
Open Letter to Barack Hussein Obama President-elect of the United States of America
By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on January 1, 2009 3:59 AM
Dear Mr. President,
I did not vote for you in the Presidential Election because I am Malaysian.
But I consider myself one of your constituents because what you do or say will affect me and my country as well.I welcome your promise to change. Certainly your country, the United States of America need a lot of changes.
That is because America and Americans have become the best hated people in the world. Even Europeans dislike your arrogance. Yet you were once admired and liked because you freed a lot of countries from conquest and subjugation.
It is the custom on New Year's day for people to make resolutions. You must have listed your good resolutions already. But may I politely suggest that you also resolve to do the following in pursuit of Change.
1) Stop killing people. The United States is too fond of killing people in order to achieve its objectives. You call it war, but today's wars are not about professional soldiers fighting and killing each other. It is about killing people, ordinary innocent people by the hundreds of thousands. Whole countries will be devastated. War is primitive, the cavemen's way of dealing with a problem. Stop your arms build up and your planning for future wars.
2) Stop indiscriminate support of Israeli killers with your money and your weapons. The planes and the bombs killing the people of Gaza are from you.
3) Stop applying sanctions against countries which cannot do the same against you. In Iraq your sanctions killed 500,000 children through depriving them of medicine and food. Others were born deformed.What have you achieved with this cruelty? Nothing except the hatred of the victims and right-thinking people.
4) Stop your scientists and researchers from inventing new and more diabolical weapons to kill more people more efficiently.
5) Stop your arms manufacturers from producing them. Stop your sales of arms to the world. It is blood money that you earn. It is un-Christian.
6) Stop trying to democratize all the countries of the world. Democracy may work for the United States but it does not always work for other countries. Don't kill people because they are not democratic. Your crusade to democratize countries has killed more people than the authoritarian Governments which you overthrew. And you have not succeeded anyway.
7) Stop the casinos which you call financial institutions. Stop hedge funds, derivatives and currency trading. Stop banks from lending non-existent money by the billions. Regulate and supervise your banks. Jail the miscreants who made profits from abusing the system.8) Sign the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements.
9) Show respect for the United Nations. I have many other resolutions for change which I think you should consider and undertake.But I think you have enough on your plate for this 2009th year of the Christian Era.
If you can do only a few of what I suggest you will be remembered by the world as a great leader. Then the United States will again be the most admired nation. Your embassies will be able to take down the high fences and razor-wire coils that surround them.
May I wish you a Happy New Year and a great Presidency.
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad
(Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
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