Wishing Happy CNY 2007

Courtesy of kickdefella

I can't find the lyric of that CNY song with the chorus "Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Nin". Really sorry for not having a song to accompany my wishes. Anyone?

While I am writing this, Najib from Subang Jaya is on his way to Sarawak to join his wife's family for Chinese New Year. He looks forward to return to Sarawak for the "power" soup treat from his Mother-in-Law.

Rahim converted to Islam by my late father. The family disowned him. My father told him, "You are still Chinese. Your parents remain your parents. Win their heart". Like for the last many years, he will be bringing his tudung-wearing Malay wife to his parent's home in Batu Pahat for dinner today.

Liz is an only daughter of a Malay-Chinese parentage. Mother reverted to Buddhism after her father died. Liz married her boyfriend from boarding school. For many years, she send her kids and servant to mother's daiy. The mother will see that the kids read doa before meal and perform solat. Liz will not be celebrate CNY dinner with mother anymore. Mother died few years back. Husband, Hamdy arranged for a Buddhist burial and procession.

I am just remembered of my Pak Cik Yunos, a Hokkien Christian that converted to Islam. Wife didn't convert and they had to divorced. She left for Australia to join a son. Pak Cik died some years back, leaving behind Mariam, Siti, and Ahmad from his Muslim wife. Since conversion, he never had anymore CNY Family Reunion dinner. He always tells me that he is still Chinese but "my" wife and children could never accept his conviction for Islam. Of late, Mariam, Siti and Ahmad will recive sister Yan Ling for Hari Raya and they attend CNY Family Reunion dinner with her and her aging mother.

Bank officer Kamal, whose Mother is Chinese, always look forward for the Family Reunion. The menu is only seafood. His childhood playfriend cousins will be returning to Malaysia for the holidays. Pious Kamal could never figure out if he is Malay or Chinese.

These are real life stories but the names are altered to protect their identity. There is no political, legal, and societal impositions. Its just people facing changes and situations in life. Tolerance is the solution. Time is the healer of pain.

Wishing my Chinese reader, if any out there.

Gong Hei Gong Hei

Xin Nien Kuai Le, Wan Shi Ru Yi

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
February 16th, 2007 11:50 a.m.

Comin' Back to Me: Tun in JB

The summer had inhaled
And held its breath too long.
The winter looked the same,
As if it had never gone,
And through an open window,
Where no curtain hung,
I saw you, I saw you,
Coming back to me.

One begins to read between
The pages of a look.
The sound of sleepy music,
And suddenly, you're hooked.
I saw you, I saw you,
Coming back to me.

You came to stay and live my way,
Scatter my love like leaves in the wind.
You always say that you won't go away,
But I know what it always has been,
It always has been.


A transparent dream
Beneath an occasional sigh
Most of the time,
I just let it go by.
Now I wish it hadn't begun.
I saw you, I saw you,
Coming back to me.

Strolling the hill,
Overlooking the shore,
I realize I've been here before.
The shadow in the mist
Could have been anyone
I saw you, I saw you,
Coming back to me.

Small things like reasons
Are put in a jar.
Whatever happened to wishes,
Wished on a star?
Was it just something
That I made up for fun?
I saw you, I saw you,
Coming back to me.

-- Jefferson Airplane, Surrealistic Pillow (1967)

Tun Dr Mahathir was in JB last Saturday February 10th, 2007. Nearing 82 and after a 3 month pause from a mild attack, he resume his struggle to put right to what has departed from.

I have a fond attachment for JB for there lies my childhood memory. Growth and progress have changed the view from my childhood imbedded vision. It is no more that state capital town with the expansive and beautiful landscape and great architecture.

Since last year, JB has become the political centrepiece that spark the lost in confidence with the national leadership. The April 12th, 2006 announcement to cancel the planned "Cy-enic" Bridge started it. Everyone and even the world was puzzled. Just two weeks earlier PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made the remark, "Not building the bridge is not an option."

Tun's lecture (streaming video here and downloadable here) gave a historical perspective of perjuangan bangsa.

He covered and raised many issues - from pre-bridge issue like Proton and AP, to the Bridge itself, and current issue such as SJER (South Johor Economic Region) cum Free Access Zone, Nepotism, and Dynasty. Lots of tossing across the Stairts. All the examples was his clear reminder:

• Do not deviate from the original aspiration of the struggle
• Be brave and smart to defend whats ours
• Put the interest of the nation ahead of others.

Its the Spirit of Independence wooing thru Tun saying ...

Coming back to me.

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
February 15th, 2007, 6:00 p.m.

Up-date:

Good buddy summed up the message from Tun as:

Never to fear pre-maturely changing leaders.

Yes, why fear change? Good buddy started blogging yesterday. I am too glad he is adapting to change. Between a close buddy and a long-time friend, there too many misguided chattermouth in between.

Read his first posting here.

Is there a compliment for me in here?

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
February 17th, 2007 1:30 p.m.

Man in the Mirror: It's Not Funny Media Prima!

I'm gonna make a change, for once in my life
It's gonna feel real good, gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street, with not enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind? Pretending not to see their needs
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know'
Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(Washed-Out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya' see
Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
(Starting with me!)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself and then make a change)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror (Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways (Change his ways-Ooh!)
And no message could've been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself and then make that...
(Take a look at yourself and then make that...)
Change!

I'm starting with the man in the mirror,
(Man in the mirror-Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
(You gotta get it right, while you got the time)
('Cause when you close your heart)
You can't close your... your mind!
(Then you close your... mind!)
That man, that man, that man, that man
With that man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror, oh yeah!)
That man, that man, that man
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
You know... That man
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself and then make a change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah
(Oh yeah!)
Gonna feel real good now!
Yeah yeah! Yeah yeah! Yeah yeah!
Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah
(Ooooh...)
Oh no, no no...I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good!
Come on!
(Change...)
Just lift yourself
You know
You've got to stop it. Yourself!
(Yeah!-Make that change!)
I've got to make that change, today!
Hoo!
(Man in the mirror)
You got to
You got to not let yourself...
Brother...
Hoo!
(Yeah!-Make that change!)
You know-I've got to get that man, that man...
(Man in the mirror)
You've got to
You've got to move! Come on! Come on!
You got to...
Stand up! Stand up! Stand up!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Stand up and lift yourself, now!
(Man in the mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!Aaow!
(Yeah-Make that change)
Gonna make that change... come on!
(Man in the mirror)
You know it!
You know it!
You know it!
You know...
(Change...)
Make that change

-- Michael Jackson, Bad (1987)


If this rather long lyric (which you can open on another window at the titled hyperlink to hear the song) is telling, its hightime the Media start learning to be the Man in the Mirror.

In last year's February 27th posting here, I questioned the lack of sensitivity on NST and the administration rather lackadaisical attitude to the apology given by them relating to the Danish caricuture that insult Prophet Muhammad.

This time around, Media Prima got themselves into a soup again and it is suppose to be hot.

Rocky's posting here alerted me on the rude act. A local actress cum comedianne, Rosnah Mat Aris, passed some rude comment on the Prophet's first wife in TV3's talk show, Sensasi. You can hear it here on U-Tube.

Rosnah made an immediate apology and there is no reason for me or anyone not to accept it in good faith. The power to judge does not lies with me but the Almighty.

TV3 has remain quiet to let Rosnah alone face the music from the public. This pissed me off sincee they are equally wrong to have allowed such rude remark be aired. On their part, they have not done any precaution, be it the compere or producer.

The fact that, Dato' Kamarulzaman and Dato' Farid Redzuan of TV3, being trusted people of the PM does not auger well with me. The last time around NST made a so-called unreserved apology. This time around ... nothing?

So much for NST, an associate company and under the management of Media Prima suing Rocky and Jeff Ooi on the pretext of ensuring bloggers are respnsible.

Read also MyKMU here entitled: Isu Rosnah Mat Aris: Adakah Media Prima dan pengurusannya maksum juga kali ini?

Its high time for PM to change them at MP (Media Prima). Make that change!

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
Januari 13th, 2007 4:00 p.m.

Sunday Bloody Sunday: Criminalise War Exhibition

I can't believe the news today,
I can't close my eyes and make it go away.
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long? Tonight we can be as one.
Broken bottles under children's feet,
Bodies strewn across a dead end street,
But I won't heed the battle call,
It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

And the battle's just begun,
There's many lost, but tell me who has won?
The trenches dug within our hearts,
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters torn apart.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, Tonight we can be as one.
Tonight, tonight.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

Wipe the tears from your eyes,
Wipe your tears away,
Wipe your blood shot eyes.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

And it's true we are immune.
When fact is fiction and T.V. is reality,
And today the millions cry,
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die.
The real battle just begun.
To claim the victory Jesus won,
On a Sunday bloody Sunday,
Sunday bloody Sunday.

-- U2, War (1983)


The PGPO Criminalise War Conference ended Wednesday February 7th, 2007 with the War Crime victims presenting their cases to the War Crime Commission. The Commission has agreed to establish a War Crime Tribunal expected to convene sometime in June 2007.

Exhibition will remain open till Sunday February 11th, 2007. You can checkput pictures of the exhibition on Lensa Malaysia and Jinggo's Fotopages February 5th-7th postings.

As you are entering the exhibition, you are led through a tunnel with flickering light bulbs. Then comes a bombardment of grafic images, figures and sound depicting near real cases victims of war and torture. The exhibition ends with pictures of peace drawn by children with the sound of Lennon's Imagine.

I am sure you will come out horrified and appreciate peace.

I'll be putting up the various papers and materials from the Conference in my next posting. Visit the the Exhibition. Its a worthy ...

Sunday bloody sunday.

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
February 9th, 2007 11:40 a.m.

Country Boy: Not a Dedication to George W Bush

Picture Courtesy of Man Badak

I went to a country that’s baked by the sun
I took them some freedom, I carried a gun
I handed out candy to every one
I cant understand why they hate me

I was told it was terrorist plans I would foil
By setting up camp on this foreigner’s soil
I’m sure that it’s nothing to do with the oil
The billions of gallons beneath it

Chorus:
But it’s just one more push
For George W Bush
We’ll cheer as cruise missiles
Take off with a whoosh
With fins of titanium
Nose cones of uranium
We’ll make the world safe and secure

Democracy’s fine if you’ve got lots of food
But the people out here seem to be in a mood
So we’ll give them Big Mac’s in exchange for their crude
And everyone soon will be smiling

We spend all this money in huge foreign aid
But my buddy was killed with a rocket grenade
And depleted uranium seems to have made
Most of the vets sick with cancer

Chorus

Uranium is dangerous it gets in the air
Inhaled by the children but we just don’t care
If they all get leukemia and all lose their hair
We’re engaged in a war against terror

I don’t think we’ll ever get out of this mess
The government controls both the science and the Press
While the people watch soaps to escape from the stress
And the generals make nuclear weapons

Chorus

We all love our country, we all love our moms
The US exported both nukes and dot coms
Hiroshima weapons, uranium bombs
Justice and peace and real freedom

Chorus

-- Dr Christoper Busby, Live at the PGPO's Criminalise War Conference 2007

This was an improptu performance by Dr Christoper Busby after presenting his paper during for Session 3A.

Dr Busby has given permission to make the MP3 version available here. If anyone wishing to "cut a record" or perform this song for profit, he request permission. The money could be really used for the Criminalise War worldwide campaign.

His papers and presentation will be available soon.

A Voice

PGPO Conference & Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur

January 6th, 2007 2:00 p.m.

Edelweiss II

Picture from Screenshot

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

-- Soundtrack from The Sound of Music (1965)


The Star Online, Sunday February 4, 2007

Dr M nominated for Nobel Prize

By JUNE H.L. WONG

PETALING JAYA: Four non-governmental organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina have nominated Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the Nobel Peace Prize 2007.

They are the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, the Congress of Bosnik Intellectuals and two Christian organisations – the Serb Civic Council from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croat National Council.

The move to nominate the former Prime Minister was spearheaded by Dr Ejup Ganic, who was Vice-President of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1990-96 and President of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina until March 2001.

Dr Ganic, currently the Chancellor of the Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, worked closely with Dr Mahathir in the 1990s when Malaysia provided economic, political and humanitarian support to a Bosnia-Herzegovina recovering from the trauma of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the 1992-95 civil war.

Nominations to the Norwegian Nobel Committee closed on Feb 1 and this year’s list includes former US Vice-President Al Gore, Finnish peace broker Martti Ahtisaari and Chinese dissident Rebiya Kadeer.

In a nomination paper signed by Dr Ganic made available to The Star, Dr Mahathir is described as the Third World’s “most illustrious contemporary” and its “most courageous advocate.”

Dr Ganic said that Dr Mahathir had influenced the world by leaving behind lessons on how diversity could be managed, conflicts reconciled and multi ethnicity harnessed to build a vibrant economic and political system.

He also highlighted Dr Mahathir’s “Prosper Thy Neighbour” policy, his enlightened vision of Islam and his work as an ambassador of peace in Iraq-Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, southern Thailand, Philippines and Aceh.

Dr Mahathir, 81, who retired from public office in 2003, launched the Kuala Lumpur Initiative to Criminalise War in December 2005 and chairs the Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) that was set up to implement the initiative.

PGPO’s “Expose War Crimes: Criminalise War” Conference and Exhibition begins tomorrow at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

Tun, just as you do not wish to be over-praised by this nomination. And, we know that this is a politicised prize. The nomination itself is a world acknowledgement for your work. You made us proud to be Malaysian.

A Voice
PGPO Conference & Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur
January 5th, 2007 12:00 a.m.

Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)

Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
Give me life
Keep me free from birth
Give me hope
Help me cope, with this heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach you with,
heart and soul

OM M M M M M M M M M M M M M
M M M My Lord...

PLEASE take hold of my hand, that
I might understand you

Won't you please
Oh won't you

Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
Give me life
Keep me free from birth
Give me hope
Help me cope, with this heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach you with,
heart and soul

OM M M M M M M M M M M M M M
M M M My Lord...

PLEASE take hold of my hand, that
I might understand you

-- George Harrison, The Best of (1976)


Perdana Global Peace Organisation (PGPO) is organising a Conference cum Exhibition from February 5th-7th, 2007 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm at the Putra World Trade Centre. The Conference Theme is EXPOSE WAR CRIMES: CRIMINALISE WAR is the continuation of efforts to publicise and garner as much support as possible to the Kuala Initiative to Criminalise War which was launched by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed in December 2005.

Tun is expected to deliver his key note speech on Monday February 5th, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. and open the Exhibition at 12:30 p.m. This year's Conference will assemble more experts than before, including a distinguish list of legal practisioner and expert on the War Crime Commission and War Crime Tribunal. The highlight will be the Victims’ Testimony & Expert Witnesses and Setting Up of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday February 7th, 2007. Detail of event here.

There is a Pre-Conference Press Conference to Bloggers and Press on Sunday February 4th, 2007, 12.30pm at Helang Room, Legend Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Come and participate. So, the next time you talk of World Peace ...

I might understand you :-)

A Voice
Kuala Lumpur
February 3rd, 2007 3:00 p.m.