In Defense of Lee Chong Wei

The guy who broke 27 million hearts. Note the inconvenient protuberance. Don't tell me you never notice that. Bulls**t

I am feeling mightily depressed. I guess there are a lot of people out there who feel the same like me, both in Malaysia, and Singapore. 

Been feeling lousy ever since watching the Olympic gold medal match between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan. 

It could have been so much better played out. He should have put up a better fight. 

I suppose there are a lot of enraged Malaysians ready to lash out at Lee CW now, having dashed the dream of a first Olympic gold medal, and derailed a much anticipated public holiday too. 

But i gotta put across my 2 cents in his defence. 

True, Lee Chong Wei was not playing his usual games. He simply could not. 

His face during the match was that of a cowered opponent, not his usual expressionless poker face. I guess it was only normal to be intimidated, after all he was playing a Chinese opponent in a Chinese gymnasium, filled with Chinese spectators that thundered out a deafening 'Lin Dan Jia You!' non stop for the entire match. The resulting din permitted little intrusion of cheer for him, as far as i could tell from the live telecast. 

Got this from either BBC or Official Olympics sportsmen profile. They could have easily given him a more complimenting picture.

He must have felt like he was battling an entire army, one billion strong, all by himself. 

The irony is he is a chinese too, but we humans are very fixated on artificial stuffs, such as borders of nations. 

But that's not all. 

He had to shoulder the unenviable monumental task of gaining the country's first ever Olympic gold medal, which unfortunately translates very well into risk disappointing 27 million people should he fail. 

I almost forgot he campaigned for Ling Hee Leong's bid to enter the parliament not so long ago. Tsk tsk tsk. Stick to sports la. 

It's plain sad that the nation has no realistic hope of winning any medals in other sports. In a sense, he was made to pay for the inadequacies of the country's sports development programme. The burden would not have been so heavy if he did not have to be treated as the sole beacon of hope, the sole torch bearer who could bring us glory.

So much for the millions we poured into developing sports (or trying to build some sports hall in London for dubious reasons.) 

All in all, the odds were completely against him. 

Yes he definitely could have played better, but the circumstances could have been a lot better too. Don't give the poor chap a hard time. He must be the most depressed person in the entire Malaysia now. 

Now if you would excuse me, i have my own depression from empathizing too much with that fellow Penangite to nurse now. Good nite. 

Oh ya, we got a silver medal, if you have forgotten about that somehow. 

HK TVB Interviewing Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng

Just to share. Unfortunately all 3 clips are all in Cantonese and Mandarin, without English sub. 

香港无线电视节目- [檳城在望] 

Mercedes Saves You More Money Than Proton Would!

* Recently i have been tormenting my clinical groupmates with Malaysian politics over lunch. It just never fails to make them erupt in frenzied laughter. The antics are always darn funny. Here's the latest one.

Even the orang utans are put to shame by their antics

The latest talk in town was Terengganu State Government's purchase of a fleet of Mercedes Benz for the State Executive Councillors. 

(source: The Star)

Well, i really don't care if they buy Mercedes or beamers. They can even buy Bentleys, as long as they do their job (properly) and deliver. Any self-respecting corporations would provide progressively better rides for their executives up the hierarchy. Good results should be remunerated with just rewards. Otherwise there would be no incentives to work their ass off hard, right? 

But these buffoons just have to mess it up. 

So, getting a Mercedes is more economical, in the long run, than our good old Proton Perdana V6. Really?

Hmm, i get what he meant. You see, if you are chauffeured in a Mercedes, you don't have to do long-distance journeys anymore. Everybody will come driving to them instead! 

But wait, they are getting new rides, not new breast implants right? New rides won't do that magic bit... 

Anyway, last i checked (heh), the cost of maintenance goes up as the car gets more expensive, not the other way round. Well well. 

Oh wait! He really has a point there. Those Mercedes do have more durable gearboxes. 

But firstly i can't understand why the gearboxes needed to be replaced twice. Probably they had some Schumacher-wannabe moonlighting as chauffeur, racing down the expressway at breakneck speed and executing drifts ala Too Fast Too Furious style on a daily basis. 

Sup Gearbox. The only gearbox that needs regular replacement. 

But wait, a Perdana (RM120000k?) + repairs costing RM50000 = RM170000 is still half the price of what they had paid for a Mercedes E Class. 

And who the hell repairs a car for RM50000? Unless you repair your wallet at the same time too. You know, claimable expenses. You know, Ah Kong's account. You know, Malaysian politicians. 

Oooh.... Mercedes save you fuel costs... That's like saying showering using a fire hydrant saves you water bill. Come on...

Yes you can fetch a high price, but how much is the loss? Selling a second hand Mercedes at RM150k, you still lose RM195k. If you give away that pathetic Perdana V6 for free, your loss is only RM120k. 

The only far-sightedness i could detect is that of a medical issue. 

Yeah right, I am sure. I hope the angles that linger in his mind aren't all curves. 

More likely this, right?

As if it's not tax-payers' money if it didn't come from oil royalties. 

Is it just me, or you too feel that all those BN politicians are treating us like idiots? 

The more i think about it the more incensed i become...

Penang in Year 1986

I miss Penang Hill

Was surprised to find out that one colleague of mine in the department i work in has some ties to the little island i call home. 

His grandfather had migrated to Penang many years ago from Tamil Nadu, and over the years he was elected a Member of the Parliament for Datuk Keramat area, and was subsequently conferred a Datukship. Really impressive. 

While he remained with his families in Tamil Nadu, he had visited Penang many times. 

He has seen the ups and downs of Penang, he claimed.  

Penang in Year 1986 was comparable to Singapore. It was as impressive, as inspiring, and full of promise in his eyes. 

He came back 10 years later, only to discover that Penang has lost its allure. 

He is going to Penang to take his postgraduate exam next month. I am waiting for his assessment. 

A Couple of Sensible Ideas

The Wife says this. 

(Source: The Star)

The Husband says this. 

(Source: Malaysiakini)

That pretty much sums up what i think. Let's move on. 

---

Update at 6.20pm

The Old Man says this. (Damn cool sideburn right!)

Easily the best article on the issue. Go read. 

Funny that the old enemies make the most sense today. 

Petrol Woes Update: 78 sen more from midnight!

Breaking news from Malaysiakini.com!  (Update: and The Star!)

So it's gonna be RM 2.70 a litre. (Update: From midnight instead of from August! Still reeling from the shock...)

While it's not as distressful as the whopping RM4/litre, it will still manage a painful bite in our wallet each time we stop by a petrol station. 

RM 2.70 for a bowl of Penang Laksa. 40 bowls of them into the tank each time i pump. Haha. 

Now all that remains to be discussed is how much the annual RM 625 cash rebate means to you. RM 120 if you rides a bike.

If you drive a car below 2000cc. You are out of luck if yours is more than 2000cc.

Anyway the cash rebate is meant to compensate for the increment of price for 800 litres of fuel. 

---

(Source: The Star)

78 sen more for fuel

Jun 4, 08 4:55pm

The fuel price will see an increase of 78 sen by August - a massive jump from RM1.92 per litre currently to RM2.70, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to announce today. The premier's press conference on the matter is expected to start at his office in Putrajaya as soon as Abdullah arrives. The exact date for the new price scheme is still unknown.  This is among government measures to cut the spiralling bill for petrol, diesel and gas subsidies, which is expected to amount to RM56 billion this year. To offset the fuel price increase, the government is to offer rebates to motorists. Under the scheme, vehicles below 2000cc will receive a RM625 rebate annually - to compensate for 800 litres of fuel used under the new price. Motorcyclists will be given a rebate of RM120. The money will be paid by postal order. It is learnt that the rebate will be paid when motorists renew the road-tax for their vehicles. The government is expected to save RM4 billion under this new subsidy restructure. If petrol is to be sold at full market prices, it could be as high as almost RM4 a litre - about 100 percent above current levels. However the government is slowly expected to head towards totally abolishing the fuel subsidy. [Full report to follow]

(Adapted from Malaysiakini.com)

Cash for motorcyclists, small-car owners

Jun 4, 08 2:04pm

Ahead of an official announcement on the proposed lifting of fuel subsidies by Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi, several measures were leaked out after a morning briefing with mainstream media organisations. According to NST Online, which quoted a source from the cabinet committee on inflation which met yesterday, the government is likely to unveil the following measures: Direct cash payments to motorcyclists and small-car owners when the price of petrol goes up. The payments are expected to be made through postal orders. Tenaga Nasional to be allowed to increase electricity tariffs, with the exception of Sabah and Sarawak. No increase for LPG cooking gas and NGV for taxis. Gas subsidy to power industrial sector to be gradually reduced. Extra tax on independent power producers (IPPs) and palm oil millers. The decision of the cabinet, which met this morning, will be announced at 5pm at a press conference in Prime Minister’s Department. According to Domestic Trade and Consumer Minister Shahrir Samad, the government has set the goal of raising the pump price to market levels by August. Malaysia is moving to cut the spiraling bill for its extensive petrol, diesel and gas subsidies, which is expected to cost RM56 billion this year. Currently petrol sells for about RM1.92 a litre, among the cheapest in the region. If petrol is to be sold at full market prices, it could be as high as almost RM4 a litre - about 100 percent above current levels. [More to follow]

(Adapted from Malaysiakini)

Petrol Woes: Fuel Price Doubling Soon

*Attached is Malaysiakini's breaking news on fuel hike for your reference (Source unknown, but lifted from this blog) The Malaysian Government is expected to hike the fuel price again. This is going to be real bad when just about every essential items are costing more than ever. The worst part is that most of us will have no choice but to bite our teeth, as there is almost always no sensible alternatives. Apart from those who dwell in major cities, public transportation is almost non-existent in any other parts of the country. Even the buses and trains that ply the cities leave much to be desired.  If Government gets its way, petrol price will easily hit RM4 a litre. A full tank of petrol for a Proton Wira can cost as much as RM 100! In a country where fresh university graduates can only expect to earn a meagre RM2000 monthly, RM400 a month on petrol is just ridiculous (assuming the consumption of a full tank every week). Probably most of the population are earning much less than RM2000 a month! Sighs. I don't understand. Malaysia is a net exporter of petroleum. At a time when Government coffers are gleefully bloated from the insanely high price of petrol, the Government chooses to tell us that subsidizing the petroleum will cost more (RM 54 billion), ignoring the fact that we are actually earning much more from the same amount of petrol that we export too, thus better able to foot the bill.  Isn't it reasonable to expect an item to be priced affordably, if not cheap, for her citizen if we have them in abundance? Why burden the people?  I hope there are measures to make sure low-income citizens do not suffer from this whim of the Government. But the Government's track record in executing such measures just does not inspire confidence. Most of the time they don't even have a sound plan to begin with. That's Malaysian's plight.  --- Pump price at 'market levels by August'

Jun 3, 08 1:41pm

The government, which will announce the framework for its revamped fuel subsidy scheme tomorrow, has set the goal of raising the pump price to market levels by August, a minister said. "The prime minister will announce on Wednesday an indication of where we are going in terms of a fuel subsidy system," Domestic Trade Minister Shahrir Samad told AFP. "We have worked out the details of the subsidy plan and after the inflation committee meets today, it will have to be approved by cabinet (which will be meeting tomorrow)," he said. Malaysia is moving to cut the spiralling bill for its extensive petrol, diesel and gas subsidies, which is expected to cost RM56 billion this year. Currently petrol sells for about RM1.92 a litre, among the cheapest in the region. If petrol is to be sold at full market prices, it could be as high as almost RM4 a litre - about 100 percent above current levels. Shahrir said the details and implementation method of the new subsidy scheme would be thrashed out by August, when the full plan is scheduled to be in place. Gov't target: Market prices for petrol  "There are many smaller economic factors and issues that need to be sorted out so I don't think the full fuel subsidy plan can be delivered to the public today or tomorrow," he said. "What we are targeting for when the full plans are announced is that the price at the pumps throughout the country will be at market prices, so until the full plan is delivered, we will not be able to do this." Shahrir said the new subsidies would be a needs-based system, rather than the current arrangement which lowers the cost of petrol for all users no matter what their income. He told state news agency Bernama that the government was considering mechanisms including offering cash payments or setting quotas. The government is initially targeting Singaporeans and Thais who make day-trips across the border to fill their tanks with fuel that is substantially cheaper here. On Monday, it shut off petrol sales to Thais on its northern border and will also ban sales of petrol to visiting Singaporeans in Johor from June 9 as an interim measure ahead of the new subsidy mechanism. The government is braced for a public backlash over any further fuel price hikes, in a country where public transport is poor and many people are dependent on their cars. Since 2004, fuel prices have increased between 40 and 100 percent [see chart below]. The ruling coalition suffered its worst ever results in March 8 elections, losing five states and a third of parliamentary seats in a setback partly credited to anger over high prices of food and fuel. - AFP    (adapted from Malaysiakini)

Every Woman Should Carry A Condom

Spot check in Chung Ling High School, my alma mater. Lifted from this blog

'Spot check!' Screamed the leader of the horde of prefects invading the classroom. 

Everyone in the classroom shifted their bottoms nervously. A few guys turned pale, hoping fervently that the incriminating discs in their bags would somehow disappear into thin air. 

'Stay put and bags on the table!' The overweight adolescent prefect with pimply face was trying to act macho by roaring out the orders. He had a grain of rice stuck to the corner of his lip, betraying his packet of nasi lemak consumed in the Prefect Room's privacy, way before recess (which makes it illegal in high school).

Penang Free School Prefects from a bygone era when prefects were prim and proper, and honourable (from here) 

Sauntering down the aisle in feigned authority, completely ignorant that the back of his shirt was no longer tucked into his ultra low-waist pants, he chose himself a pretty victim. He poured the content of the bag onto the table. 

Choose your bag carefully, lest it reveal more than you desire. 

'What is this!' He held up the object in question with trembling fingers. The entire class looked in his direction and revered at the sacred object. 

The mysterious Ring of Sex Life in a thermal-sealed aluminium foil packaging

A wave of emotions washed over him. Even though he had seen condoms in porns (confiscated from the students), he had never seen one in real life. 

He would always gawk at the boxes of condoms on sale at the payment counter in supermarket, his eyes revealing an aching curiosity and sexual frustration. He would try to chat up ladies in clubs only to be ridiculed at as an adolescent. But that wasn't the case for his counterparts in the States! If only he attend American dorms colleges, he mused. 

Shaking off his disbelief at the haul, he inspected the delinquent more closely. 

Athena looked all sweet and innocent, with plaited hair running down the length of her creaseless uniform. Such decency! 

Such decency! 

He reminded himself that Japanese porn actresses were all sweet and innocent, with plaited hair running down the length of their uniforms too, and tried convincing himself that she was capable of such a heinous crime. 

Despite the thought process, his eyes lingered just a tad too long on her blouse. The uniform was unfortunately not as transparent as some religious group claimed to be. 

(Lifted from The Star)

Sighing silently, he pulled his eyes away regretfully from her chest to her eyes, all the while considering being more lenient with her and ask her out one night day. He smirked at the thought. 

'Why do you carry this to school?' He asked gingerly, not wanting to spoil his chances. Who'd believe such an innocent-looking girl would be so, erm, well-prepared. 

Expecting an admission to an amorous rendezvous in the school, he started imagining where such illicit activities could place. 

Sex in the University. Yes this site exists!

He was still dreaming an adolescent fantasy when the answer shattered his daydream. 

'Because the Deputy Health Minister said so!'

 (lifted from the The Star)

How stupid can he be. Sighs. 

Here in My Home

Malaysian Artiste for Unity

Beautiful. 

If only the politicians had never meddled in racial politics, Malaysia can be truly as beautiful as the video portrays. 

Let's just screw the racial politics will ya? 

For everyone else who isn't Malaysian, this conveys what we ordinary Malaysians yearn for. 

Not this. 

(lifted from The Cicak. photo by Wizan)

Updated at 2pm: RPK is Released!

Malaysia's first blogger to be charged with sedition (Source: Mob's Crib)

Finally i breathed a sigh of relief. 

After bail was posted yesterday, and after 2 candle light vigils, RPK was released at 9.30am. 

This guy is really principled, and is good at making his statements heard. He refused to eat prison food (which led to the prison guards claiming that he was on a hunger strike), citing that the food was paid for by the Rakyat (citizens in malay), and he did not agree that the money was well spent this way. Absolutely, wasting the nation's coffer to stifle the voices of the people is a real waste of taxpayer's money. 

Interestingly he was remanded in the same prison where the 2 suspects who allegedly bombed Altantuya were jailed as well. RPK claimed to be shouted and threatened by these 2 accused, and only agreed to post bail after the prison authority told him that they could not guarantee his safety in the prison...

Seriously, the prison authority sounds really lame. 

---

Raja Petra out, explains U-turn on bail

Syed Jaymal Zahiid | May 9, 08 10:13am

The only reason Raja Petra Kamarudin decided to post bail today was because he had received information that his safety might be in jeopardy. After the news portalMalaysia Today editor was released on bail at 9.30am at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court today, reporters were informed of to why he had suddenly changed his mind. "The prison authority told me that they cannot guarantee my safety because they had received some reports of threat and that Sirul (Azhar Umar) and Azilah (Hadri) had shouted and said that something will happen to me," he told reporters. Sirul and Azilah are the two primary murder suspects in the ongoing hearing of the killing of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a young Mongolian woman. Both are currently being remanded at the Sungai Buloh prison where Raja Petra prior to today, had been detained as well. Raja Petra also said that despite police attempt to guarantee that no harm will come to him by stationing Special Forces Unit (UTK) personnel to guard him, nothing was certain. "They told me that there are some 6,000 people in the prison and that there was no guarantee that any of them can't be bought including the guards so they advised me to meet my wife and post bail," he added. The popular blogger also dismissed suggestions by the media that it was most probably the prison condition that had forced him to change his mind. "I have been detained under the Internal Security Act before. They put me in solitary confinement which is worst than what I had experienced in Sungai Buloh," replied the blooger who looked tired but nevertheless in good spirit. Not on a hunger strike Raja Petra's decision to post bail was surprising as he had previously bewildered many including lawyers and family members by refusing to have any contact with them, including his wife Marina Lee Abdullah, two days ago. And this was just a day after he had refused to post bail after being charged. Marina had gone to the Sungai Buloh prison to meet her husband on Tuesday morning to ask him if he would want to post bail after having raised RM35,000 from well-wishers. However, she was told by the prison warden that Raja Petra did not want to see anybody, including her, and had also refused to eat. Marina was finally able to meet her husband yesterday and was told he had agreed to post bail. When asked why he had done so, Raja Petra said that he had no reason to meet them as he did not want anyone to convince him to post bail. "I had intended to stay until my hearing which is in October (but) changed my mind following the advise of the prison authorities," he said. He also said that he did not go on hunger strike as reported earlier but had refused to eat food provided by the prison. "The food is paid by rakyat. I don't think the rakyat money is being well spent so I refused to eat prison food," he said. A handcuffed Raja Petra was brought to the court from the prison at about 9.25am. He was wearing the same yellow long sleeved shirt and jeans that he wore on the day he was charged. He later changed first into a black 'RPK C4ME' T-shirt and then a yellow T-shirt. There were some 50 supporters waiting for his arrival at the court, who clapped their hands upon seeing him. He raised his hands to them. The supporters wore yellow T-shirt with Raja Petra's face and the words ‘Justice for all...tantuya' imprinted on it. Raja Petra, who has been charged for sedition, had opted to go to prison instead of paying the RM5,000 bail three days ago, which he said he could not afford. Hearing has been fixed from Oct 6 to 10 and Raja Petra would have to remain in custody until the hearing date in five months' time should he decide not to post bail. Charged with sedition Raja Petra was charged on Tuesday over his article that allegedly implied that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife of being involved in the killing of Altantuya. Raja Petra claimed trial to the charge. He was charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act for publishing the seditious article on April 25 on Malaysia Today. The charge sheet highlighted nine paragraphs of the article which was titled 'Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' as seditious. He is the first blogger to be charged for sedition in Malaysia. Meanwhile three men were detained by police last night for participating in a candlelight vigil held as a show of support for Raja Petra at Dataran Merdeka. Dang Wangi police chief ACP Mohamad Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said they were among a crowd of about 100 who had gathered at Dataran Merdeka since 8pm. "The protestors dispersed peacefully about and hour later but the three of them were detained for questioning and were subsequently released," he was quoted as saying in Bernama. He added the gathering did not have a permit from the police.  Najib denies accusations Najib, who is expected to take over from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the country's next premier, has denied the charge against Raja Petra was politically motivated, the News Straits Timesreported yesterday. "The government has always taken a very liberal stand with bloggers and the Internet. But there are laws in this country related to sedition and defamation. "Just because you operate from cyberspace, it does not absolve you from having those laws applied to you," he said, according to the newspaper. Analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who has links with Najib and top government leaders, has been charged with abetting the killing of 28-year-old Altantuya, whose body was blown up with explosives. Sirul and Azilah - two police officers from an elite force, whose duties included guarding the prime minister and Najib - were charged with the killing.

(adapted from Malaysiakini)

To Walk with RPK

(adapted from Malaysiakini)

I agree with Lilian, that it's more a symbolic gesture than anything. It's about how all of us are solidly behind RPK, to voice our solidarity with him.

 

It just pains me that another blogger of great calibre and integrity has been persecuted again, and for logics that, as usual, alludes us all. 

For the uninitiated, RPK is short for Raja Petra Kamaruddin, grandson of Raja Tun Uda (Penang's first Governor). RPK is the webmaster of popular news portal Malaysia Today, and is a influential orator who contributed immensely to the rise of the Opposition in the March Election. 

I have already banked in 1 USD to his paypal account. You can do so too. Details can be found at Malaysia Today.

More details at Rocky's Bru.