It's a Cucu Merdeka!

While the nation celebrates it's 55th independence day today, our family just had a Cucu Merdeka at about 8:00 pm today.

We've got many nephew and nieces. And, it's not actually our first such "cucu." But to have a "cucu" born on an auspices day for the nation like today, this is especially a special "cucu."

Alhamdulillah, both mother and baby are fine. They went into the hospital's labor room since aftermoon. Its been one long wait for the parents, especially the mother and the grandparents. 

No chili sauce please, we are Malaysians

That was breakfast this morning.

McDonald's sausage and egg sandwich with tomato ketchup as sauce.

Unlike other Malaysians, we can't stand chili sauce especially Maggi chili sauce. It really drives us nut to find chili sauce in our McDonald takeaway instead of the original American takeway that come with only ketchup (without having to mention tomato).

Just because Malaysian take everything with chili sauce, they presume every Malaysian only take chili sauce with their McDonald's burgers. .

Our more internationally exposed tastebud is more choosy. Different food goes with different sauces. There is no one sauce to go with all dishes the way Malaysian do with their ubiquitous chili sauce.

Perhaps it does not apply to all Malaysian. To the Chinese, they have many type of sauces. Light soy sauce is great with steam fish. Using many basic sauces like dark soy sauce, black bean sauce, plum sauces, hoi sin sauce, etc. they develop a variety of unique sauces for different dishes.  

Japanese have their own version of soy sauces. One popular industrial brand is Kikkoman that goes into their cooking. For sushi and sashimi, it has it's own soy sauces. There is also specially concocted soy sauce for yakitori.
 
Maybe this fascination with chili sauce is only a Malay habit.
 

It ain't you, Kit

Since we last wrote of Kit Siang's glaring insecurity on the release of Tanda Putera on August 17th,  Lim Kit Siang has gone from delivering an UMNO-like cliche preaching unity to threatening boycott like the goon that urinated at the flagpole in front of the Menteri Besar's house.

He must be deluded and full of himself to actually think the film is about him, specifically attacking him and his political party, DAP. No Kit, Tanda Putera is a moviemaker interpretation of history based on the sacrifice and exemplary leadership of two great men that gave their all for the country.

Definitely can't be you, unker.

Inspiring moment for young Sufiya

"Alamak ...panjangnya queue untuk salam Dr Mahathir," complained young Sufiya Khairudddin.

Anwar and Nik Aziz defensive on hudud

... and Mahathir got them where he wants them to be.

Utusan Malaysia's frontpage today reported Anwar giving an outright NO to hudud and citing hudud is not part of the Pakatan consensus and the Buku Jingga manifesto.

Sounding like UMNO of the past, He said Pakatan will need to reach a consensual agreement between the three parties of DAP, PKR and PAS before hudud can be accepted as part of the manifesto of Pakatan Rakyat.

Despite Utusan Malaysia's affirmative sounding NO in their frontpage, Anwar was actually non-committal by wearing his hat as the spokesman for Pakatan Rakyat and treading the potentially explosive political issue carefully.

He also said hudud could not be implemented yet. [Read Utusan here]

It is still not the strong answer the Muslim public wants to hear given Tun Dr Mahathir's masterly accomodative stance. Neither is Dato Nik Aziz's politically diplomatic answer acceptable.

Mahathir's buzz on Islamic state

Since PAS President. Dato Haji Hadi Awang announced PAS is ditching the Islamic state and championing the new cause of welfare state for political expediency at their 2011 Annual Muktamar, they have been in a constant state of flux from within and without.

In the light of growing pressure from the grassroot and conservatives in and outside (specifically refering to Dato Dr Hasan Ali) PAS, there is a new twist to the polemics of Islamic state and hudud.

Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad offered PAS to join UMNO in order to implement hudud. That is the old master in his elements springing a surprise with his great sense of timing and reading of the ground.

Damn if I do and damn if I don't. How will PAS response?

Selamat hari raya

from  A Voice 

of Another Brick in the Wall