The Untold Story

Justice will be done

Read this

Of course, just like how YB J is "NOT" Teresa kok, Aminah is "NOT" Altantuya

You Know What I'd Like To See?

Solidarity.

Unity.

Utusan just published a short 'so-called fictional' story about a MP (obviously Teresa Kok) who gets killed for being anti-Islam and anti-Malay. I read it with great distaste.

Obviously the publishers have no ethics, no conscience and a disgusting liking for character assassination. But that's nothing new, is it?

Just yesterday, I was talking to a friend who works for one of the state councillors. He was telling me that some of the local suraus in their constitution are pulling some sort of trick again. Something akin to the whole Teresa Kok humdinger. And obviously, it's all blown out of proportion in the Malay dailies.

You know what gets me? It really never ceases to amaze me how these 'defenders of Islam' are so similar all around the world. When the Taliban was getting whupped by the US Army, they issued broadcasts proclaiming glorious victories. Same scenario in Iraq. And right here in Malaysia, some few of these 'defenders of Islam' proliferate. What great men you are, hiding behind the excuse of defending your religion to hurl barbed accusations at your opponents.

And in all of this, where is MCA's bravado? Where is Gerakan's muscle? The 'show' that they put on in 'defending' the rights of the non-Malays seems to be nothing more than a facade, doesn't it?

So tell me, who has shown unity so far? BN? Haha. They have about as much unity as a bald man has hair. When Teresa was accused, it was a Malay lady from PAS who came to help. MCA? Gerakan? Woefully silent. But I do like the fact that this lady (I'm sorry I can't remember her name) reached across the racial barrier to help out another person.

I know this is not being written very well. I'm still very disgusted at the short story I just read, which you can find here.

Anyway, what I would really like to see is Malaysians reaching across the cultural and racial divides that set us apart. I would love to see our beloved Malay brothers and sisters rise up and condemn the racial acts the Government is churning out. I assure you, if you could read and understand the Chinese dailies, you would see very little love for Gerakan and MCA. I believe the Indians have been vocal enough against MIC.

No we don't want to take over the country. This country is Malaysia, and it will forever be, not China or India. Don't buy the lies of the Government who say that we will take more and more and leave our Malay brothers and sisters behind in the mud. You guys are better than that. You don't need the coddling they're giving you (which is also enriching themselves at the same time).

Stand up and be counted. I know so many of our Malay brothers already reject UMNO and their racial ways. Just like how so many of us reject MCA and their spineless ways. What's left to be done is the joining of hands across races. Across cultures. Across languages. Across skin colours and long or short names. Across the racial barriers this maggot-riddled, selfish and arrogant Government has strived to place between us for so long.

Another thing that makes me wonder. Any sane person who reads the papers and the blogs, or sees with their own eyes what's going on, would surely be able to see just what a shame the Government is. They praise Malaysia and curse Singapore, and yet they seem so intent on destroying the country the way they stir up racial hatred. Have you ever been to a Biro Tatanegara course? My sister has, and I tell you, it is rotten to the core. It is so racist it's even amusing. A question was asked during the course; PAS has said that they can win enough seats to form the Government (or smth like that). A) PAS is lying, B) PAS is trying to trick more people into voting for them, C) PAS is stirring up trouble. And I cant remember wat D) was. But it was absurd to the point of imbecility. Not to mention hilarious of course.

So, back to the point. How do these people face their families and friends? How do they face their kids? What kind of a country are they sculpting for their kids? Do they really believe they are doing what's right for the country? Defending Islam?

Forgive me if I sound sarcastic or cynical (I still haven't found out the difference between both). I actually am pretty disturbed after reading that article.

Unity

Solidarity

Hope

May God help us to look past our differences, cuz a whole lot of people (read UMNO) sure seem hell bent on making sure all we see are our differences.

A Church of Imperfect People

Some of you might have heard of the whole Mike Guglielmucci issue down in Australia. For those who don’t here’s the story in short.

Mike Gug was a pastor in one of the prominent churches in Melbourne. For the past 2 years or so, he told everyone he had been diagnosed with cancer. He struggled against the disease valiantly. He even wrote a song that became famous, about how he was placing his trust in God, and how God is a healer.

To cut a long story short, it turned out that it was a farce. He hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer at all. I don’t know what he had, but it certainly wasn’t cancer. At first glance, it would seem he lied to everyone (his family included). He probably also made a lot of money from the royalties of the song he wrote.

As it turns out, he issued a formal apology, returned all the royalties he earned for that song, and confessed that he has a deep-seated problem with pornography. At least that’s what I was told by a friend I have in that church. So what do we say about this? I know a lot of people would be angry at him. A lot of people would sneer. A lot of people would point fingers at the Christian community as a whole and say “What’s so good about them? They’re the same as anyone else”.

What most people don’t realize is that the church is a church of imperfect people. Being a Christian does not mean we are perfect. We screw up too. We aren’t perfect. The only difference is that in our imperfection, we look to Christ for our perfection. Only He can cover our imperfections, which He did with His sacrifice.

So no, we are not and should not be holier than thou. We have the same problems as everyone else. Mike Gug made a big blunder. And he’s suffering the consequences now I believe. He sees the consequences in the eyes of the people he meets and the words of others. I don’t condone what he did myself, but neither do I condemn. And that’s because we all make mistakes. We all fall short of the mark. Just because he made a big public blunder does not make him worse than I am.

Have a look at the following lyrics from one of Switchfoot’s songs, Beautiful Letdown:

It was a beautiful let down
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone unknown and hurt
It was a beautiful let down
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do

In a world full of bitter pain and bitter doubt
I was trying so hard to fit in, fit in,
Until I found out
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong
But I don't belong

It was a beautiful let down
When you found me here
Yeah for once in a rare blue moon I see everything clear
I'll be a beautiful let down
That's what I'll forever be
And though it may cost my soul
I'll sing for free
We're still chasin our tails and the rising sun
And our dark water planet's
Still spinning in a race
Where no one wins and no one's one

I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I'm gonna set sight and set sail for the kingdom come
I will carry a cross and a song where I don't belong
But i don't belong
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Kingdom come
Your kingdom come

Won't you let me down yeah
Let my foolish pride
Forever let me down

Easy living, not much like your name
Easy dying, you look just about the same
Won't you please take me off your list
Easy living please come on and let me down

We are a beautiful let down,
Painfully uncool,
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures and the fools
Oh what a beautiful let down
Are we salt in the wound
Let us sing one true tune

I don't belong here
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Feels like I don't belong here
Let me down
Let me down
Feels like I'm let down
Let me down.
Cuz I don't belong here
Please
Won't you let me down?

I know that was pretty long. But look at the words in bold. That’s who we are. A church of losers and failures. A church of the uncool. But above all, a church of sinners saved by grace.

Where Are Your Hearts, BN MPs?

What is a government? What is a democratic government? In short, I can tell you what it is NOT. It is NOT a dictatorship.

You know what really shocks me? It's not the fact that our government is imperfect. No government is perfect, because no one is perfect. It's not the corruption; every government has some element of corruption and abuse of power.

It's the fact that in Malaysia's government, there is a charade - yes, you heard me right, charade - of "Follow the Leader". When was the last time you saw ANY of the BN MPs standing up against the government's stand? I immediately think of Zaid. (Btw, good job, man) And Bernard Dompok and a few of our Sabahan and Sarawakian brothers.

What about the rest? MCA? Gerakan? UMNO MPs? Do all of them agree wholeheartedly with every policy the top leadership makes? Isn't Parliament just a farce when its always just BN vs Pakatan? Do all of them agree with the DNA Bill? Or the recent abuse of ISA? Or the excuses given for the ISA arrests, which are an insult to intelligence? Does every UMNO MP agree with Ahmad Ismail's remarks?

No?

Then come right out and say it! Don't forget that MPs are elected public servants. There's nothing wrong with being a public servant, you know. It's not a derogatory term. It means people have put their trust in you to stand for what is right. To represent them.

How many people really believe RPK, Teresa and Tan Hoon Cheng were guilty in ANY way? And the way Tan and Teresa were released like.. It just makes their arrests reek of injustice.

So enough with the charade. If you don't agree with something the top leadership does, STAND UP for what's right. Even the 2 SAPP reps who did not agree with the party's decision to quit BN, well they made their views heard.

Do you know why I root for the Opposition? Amongst many other reasons, I know some of these people, and its obvious that at least some of them are here to serve the people. At least some of them are here to do the job they were elected to do.

So no, this is not hate mail. This is not an angry post. This is not to be critical about our Govt. It's an appeal to all you BN MPs who have even the tiniest shred of humanity in you. If you have a heart, search it. Life is short. How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be held in derision by a majority of Malaysians till the day you leave this world? Or do you want to be remembered as a simple person who did the right thing?

Stop politicking. Stop thinking about voters. Start doing the right thing. Start being sincere. That way you don't even need to think about winning votes, you'd already have done so.

Why Don't You Arrest Me too?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm talking about Raja Petra's arrest under ISA. Yep, they finally arrested the old guy.

To our dear narrowly-elected Government, do you really think arresting RPK will stop the movement of change? There's a saying that goes something like "If you want to kill a snake, cut off its head". That sure doesn't apply in this situation. You can bet your comfy Cabinet posts on it. Arresting him does not stop Malaysia Today. Arresting him does not stop the general public from disliking you.

In fact, arresting him stirs up a fresh wave of hatred for you. Even if Anwar's September 16 or 20 takeover never materialises, you'll be kicked out next elections anyway.

Or maybe you think that the people will be so inflamed against you that they will take to the streets, giving you an opportunity to declare a state of emergency. If that's the case, you don't realise that the general public will not stoop to violence or anything stupid. Even if there are protests and rallies, huge as they may be, THIS IS NOT ZIMBABWE.

You cannot stop the change movement. You cannot stop the winds of change anymore than you can stop an earthquake. Both of these have one thing in common. They are both acts of God. If it be God's will that you be thrown out of office, then you will be thrown out of office. Whether you go gracefully or in a self-humiliating way, that's your choice.

Arresting RPK changes nothing. We the people know your lies and your corruption. We know your schemes and your dastardly ploys. We know you for the snake that you are. So why don't you come arrest us too, if you're so intent on "keeping the peace"? Go ahead and arrest every single Malaysian who wants change. Go arrest every Malaysian who stands for justice.

I'm one of them too.

Another Sex Before Marriage Post

I read an article in The StarMag yesterday. I'm not going to post it up here (I'm pretty sure there's a law somewhere about plagiarism), not the full thing at least, but some excerpts.

"...I was one of those women who was seeking love after a marriage by giving in to the men who were only after me for sex. All I have to remind me of the four brief relationships were material gifts, not love"

"...However, I was fortunate to have finally found the 'right one' who loves me for myself and makes no demands on me. Although I should be happy, I am overwhelmed by my guilty feelings over my flings and fear one day that my past would be revealed to my current partner, which is why I kept putting off any marriage plans."

"So ladies, it is not worth it even if you are sleeping around for pleasure, for in the long run, you lose your dignity and life becomes meaningless. No amount of washing can take away the dirt I feel on my body!"

No preaching. There's really no need. I personally know people who have 'been there, done that', meaning the sleeping around. For love, for pleasure, whatever. You know what's common about all of them? They all felt the emptiness. Sex with no strings attached is pleasurable, yes, but it can never be fulfilling.

Oh I know there are many arguments about how premarital sex is alright. And seriously, I'm not condemning anyone who is doing it or has done it. It is not the intention for this post to be argumentative or condemning or judgemental. It is merely to state that from what I've seen so far, sex without commitment can never be half as fulfilling as when sex is cherished for what it is, a gift from God for a man and woman who have committed themselves and their lives to each other in a bond of marriage. Nowadays where the so-called "bond" of marriage appears to be so weak, it would seem idealistic to pursue the idea of saving ourselves for marriage. Well, who ever said that idealism is wrong?

Is it such a far-off idea for a man and a woman to fall in love, get married and live happily ever after? Sure, you get so many stores of unfaithful spouses, both sides of the gender. Is the problem with the constitution of marriage? Or is it with the people involved? Can't get along? Work on it. Arguing a lot? Learn how to give in. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, maybe it really is that simple. Maybe it's as simple as sitting down with our spouses and communicating. Or are we as a human race too immature to see the simplicity of the matter?

Anyway, I appear to be digressing. Do read this and this.

Cheers people. God bless!

So Ahmad Won't Apologise

It's not really the nature of this blog to be very political, but I can't help but post this, as it seems that not many people know about it (yet) and it certainly raised my eyebrow.

All I can say is...This is just getting more and more entertaining by the day.

Read this for more information =) And to all of you who aren't "racially challenged", have a great day!

A World Bigger Than Us

A good friend of mine is doing an assignment on certain mental disorders. Part of his assignment includes sitting in for sessions with psychiatrists and observing the patients. After a few of those sessions, he told me he feels as if he's been very sheltered his whole life. He didn't elaborate on what those patients had gone through but his exact words were "No one between the ages of 15-25 should ever have to go through those kind of things".

Abuse? Physical, emotional, mental and even sexual abuse? Likely, isn't it? And it affected these people. Results in depression, multiple personality disorders. Basically whatever they'd been through messed up their head real bad.

I did a short stint with an organisation that helped and raised awareness for child sexual (and other forms of) abuse after my college days. I chanced to look into a file one day which documents phone conversations with victims who call in to ask for help or report an incident. I have to admit I was pretty surprised myself at what some of them had been through. 5 year old kids being battered? 9 year old girls being molested and forced to do hideous things?

A cynical person would have said its a sick world we live in. I agree actually. It IS a sick world we live in, where evil abounds. Where some morals have sunk so low that we're worse off than animals. But at the same time, I believe there is hope, and that we CAN make a difference. That's what this post is about; making a difference.

I know some people who read this would immediately start to say "Hey, we're just individuals. We don't have the power to make rules or enforce them. What can we do?". We can do a lot more than it appears. But first let's examine the other alternative; apathy.

So since we 'can't do anything', I suppose all we're supposed to do is turn a blind eye to all the things that go wrong? That sounds absurd really.

What we really need to do is to start taking responsibility for our world. Not just our tiny lil worlds which only include ourselves and our friends and family, but to go beyond that. If we could start taking responsibility for our surroundings, our co-workers, employees, employers, our communities and our countries, wouldn't that make this world a better place? Wouldn't that make a difference?

We who live in Malaysia can consider ourselves to be really blessed. I know we've got a really messy (yet interesting) political scene at the moment, but we don't have major earthquakes, do we? We don't have a war on our hands do we? Here in Malaysia we're relatively safe. Most of us have enough to eat. Learning to count our blessings is not something that's very easy, but it sure opens our eyes to see how much we've been blessed with here.

For everyone who reads this, and also for myself, let's learn to give more of ourselves. We're surrounded by people who need it. Be it money, time, a crying shoulder, whatever. If we could just decide today to take a little more responsibility for a few others. If we could start to take an interest in other people's lives. If we could put ourselves in the shoes of the less fortunate.

Then we would see that there is a world bigger than us. We'd be amazed at the impact the slightest gesture from us could make.

P.S. I suppose I should interject here as a final note that if anyone is interested in sponsoring a less fortunate child, do visit www.worldvision.com.my

My 2 cents =)

To The Voters of Permatang Pauh

Vote with wisdom. Vote for fairness and equality. Vote for justice. Vote for righteousness. Vote for truth.

Vote against petty bribes and corruption. Vote against arrogance. Vote against high-handedness and self centredness. Vote against racial politics.

Vote against Islamization. Vote for hope for this nation. Vote for democracy.

Vote for Malaysia.

I believe in Malaysia. I believe God has a plan for Malaysia, and we have seen the first stirrings in the March 8 elections. I believe we all have a part to play and a hand to deal in this great plan. So many have left this country for greener pastures elsewhere. Let us not join that tide. There is hope yet for Malaysia.

Vote for Malaysia.

The Tale of The Prodigal Son

A tale is told of a young man who grew up in a well-to-do family. A young man hungry for excitement and bright lights. You don't get a lot of those living in a ranch. So he grew impatient with the mundane life he felt was beneath him. He went up to his dad, demanded his share of the inheritance, packed up and left.

Where else would he go? Why, Vegas of course! A fat bank account. A life of indulgence awaited. Parties night and day. Enough lights to light up the Arctic circle like a carnival on the darkest of winter nights. Who could resist?

As you can probably imagine, he had the time of his life. Girls, gambling, cars, suites, booze. Life just went from pleasure to pleasure. No responsibilities. Total freedom. He was surrounded with friends. Life in the fast lane. Fame and fortune.

Money, unlike fruits, don't grow on trees, and it certainly didnt' grow on trees back then either. Money, like any other liquid items, eventually run low. Our prince eventually had to *gasp* find a job. But no one would hire him. There was no way he could pass for a Vegas showgirl after all, and he wasn't really big enough to be a bouncer. His friends couldn't or wouldn't help him. They just simply melted away the minute they smelt trouble.

Finally he got a job taking care of the show horses. He suffered mistreatment from a cruel, greedy employer. And it didn't pay much, obviously, certainly not enough for any of the fine dining he was so used to. Not even enough for a regular cheeseburger and coke from McDs. He spent hours upon hours with smelly, sweaty horses. It's certainly no fun cleaning up after horses, no matter how beautiful they are.

It was hot and hungry work. It finally came to a point where he was driven to eat from the same trough the forses ate from. Did he think, "Hmm, a dash of salt is all it needs to make this a fabulous dish"? Certainly not! It brought back memories of his father's house, where even the lowest servant had better fare then this.

"But how can I go back?" he wonders. After snubbing his father and family and walking out the way he did.

In time his need overcame his shame. He left without looking back and began the journey home. As he approaches home he sees his father standing outside. He hanhs his head in shame, not daring to even look at his father. He's already planned to beg his father for mercy and ask to be accepted as a servant. He's prepared for the worst.

He hears running footsteps.

He gets hit by what feels like an oncoming train. Then he realises it's his father. And his father is hugging him. "My son, my son," he says, "You've come home!". He opens his mouth, his carefully rehearsed speech on the tip of his tongue. He starts to say he's sorry, but his father would not hear a single word of it. He calls his servants and asks them to bring out the finest robe in the house. He drapes that around his son. He pulls off the ring on his finger and puts it on his son's hand. The father orders a feast to be prepared and declares a day of celebration, for his son has come home.

Does that sound unrealistic? Would you do the same if your son did the same thing? I know someone who would - God.

That's our story really. We've been seduced away. An entire generation, an entire world drawn away from their Creator by the temporary pleasures of our Vegas'es.

But here's the truth. Like that father in the story, He awaits us. Standing each day on the doorstep scanning the horizon for our return. And He waits because He is a gentleman, Because it is a choice we make whether to come home or not.

Sooner or later, we all realise that life isn't the bed of roses we wish it would be. Challenges come our way. Financial problems, relationship problems, career problems, you name it. But do we know that there is better fare in our Father's house? Oh no, He doesn't take away our problems. He carries us through them.

Who is this Father? Is the father in the story a fool? No, he just loves. And likewise with God. He loves us. This God who created the stars in the sky and knows them by name (Psalm 147:4). This Father who knows the number of hair upon all our heads (Matthew 10:30). He who preserves our coming in and going out (Psalm 121:8).

He knows us, better than anyone. Better than we know ourselves. Do we know Him?

One Life pt. 2

This post is a continuation from pt 1 (duh). And if I may, I suggest reading that first before this.

So, in Part 1, I told the story of Srey Mom, a child sex worker, who was forced into the heinous trafficking trade. Was that her fault? Certainly not, and I'm sure anyone would agree with me. And yet, there are many children out there who are suffering the same fate she suffered years ago. There are many others who live from hand to mouth and have too little to eat. Others with no clean water. Others who have lost parents to disasters, accidents, murders and so on.

Doesn't that make you think how fortunate we are here in Malaysia? To be born in a place where we have enough to eat. Where there's hardly any chance we'd lose our parents or siblings in wars. Where its generally safe and peaceful.

Oh sure I know this country isn't perfect. No country is. Yes there's crime and corruption. But don't you think as a whole we're a pretty fortunate lot? But no, we don't really, do we? A lot of us complain and grouch about our jobs, and the petty dissatisfactions we have. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to judge others or be condescending. Too many times I'm like that too.

But this One Life exhibition brings to mind about how blessed we are to be here. Do we know that? I'm sure we do, subconsciously. But let's take a minute to reflect here. We've been blessed so so much. We've got jobs. We've got homes. We've got enough. We've got education. We've got so many other things which we take for granted every single day.

You know, there's a saying that goes "You never know what you've got till you lose it". Let's not wait till we lose what we've been blessed with. Let's reflect on the very fact that we have enough for a moment. Maybe not very much, but enough. Yes some of us may have to work 2 or 3 shifts to earn enough to feed ourselves and our kids. But we have enough. Many people out there don't.

Let's give a little out of what we have. I've mentioned this in previous posts. I once got flamed by a guy who said "if you're oprah or someone like that then you'll be rich enough and only then can you make a difference". Here's my take on it. You don't have to be Oprah. You don't have to be rich. Surely a person who has enough can give some to someone who doesn't have enough.

We don't have to give the clothes off our backs or quit our jobs and all become Mother Theresas. We can all make a difference. Small differences, but big differences are made up of small differences. Did you know a single pebble can start an avalanche? Why don't we start an avalanche?

All we need to do is realise how much we have been blessed. And when we've realised that, let's appreciate that. And then let's move towards a better future. We have the power to make a difference in our small ways. The little time or money or whatever that you and I can give can and will make a difference. In the Bible, Jesus multiplied a little boy's lunch to feed 5,000 people. All it took was one boy to be willing to start something. To give something of himself. God did the rest.

Try it, and let's be amazed at the results.

And I quote here the One Life Revolution motto: "You've got one life. Do something"

One Life pt. 1

Most of you've probably never heard of the One Life Revolution. I'll tell you about it. It was an exhibition that was held in Monash Uni, Mid Valley and finally in DUMC, a church in PJ. It told the stories of 3 children's lives and invited visitors to walk in the shoes of those children for 20 minutes. I only managed to visit 2 so I will tell both those stories. And I invite you to walk in their shoes even as I tell the stories. Please note the details might be very slightly different as I'm writing from memory.

Srey Mom, Cambodia

Imagine your father dying suddenly when you are 12. You don't understand it. One moment he's fine, and the next, he's dying of a disease you don't even know. Things get harder after he dies. Your mother has to work extra hard to support you, your 2 brothers and your aging grandmother.

One fine day, your mother abandons you. She leaves with your 2 brothers, leaving you with your grandmother. You don't know what to do.

You decide to go to the city to look for her. A neighbour makes exciting promises about the city. Opportunities. Money to be made. Ahh..Money. You swallow the bait and follow him. And then surprise surprise. He abandons you as well. Left on your own in a city you know nothing about at the tender age of 14.

You start to sell fruits to make a living. Not much, but some. You haven't managed to locate your mother and brothers.

Someone approaches you one day. Offers you a different life. And that magic word again; money. You follow her. You end up in a house. Several other girls are out front, dressed scantily. The owner of the house then tells you that money was paid for you, and you have to work off your debt, gaining a meagre salary in the process.

You are taken to your room. There's a dress hanging on the wall, and you are told to put it on. You start to protest, saying "There must be some mistake'" but you are beaten. Finally you give in. That's when the hell starts.

You are forced to have sex with many men a day. Cambodians, Thais, labourers, workers. They ask for a young girl. Again and again, you are brought out to be shown to 'customers'. They are rough with you, and none of them use condoms.

It starts to take a toll on you. You try to escape, but you are caught and beaten senseless.You start to feel sick. It scares you. You've heard of this disease called HIV. You've seen other girls at the house who have been diagnosed with HIV mysteriously disappear. You suspect they are turned out on the streets or worse.

Finally, you get to sick to work one day. The owner takes you to the hospital. You sense a chance of escape and you run out a door and hide in a garbage bin. You can see the house owner looking for you everywhere, but thankfully not the garbage bin in which you are hiding. Exhausted, you drop off to sleep.

You wake up screaming, when a nearby shopowner opens the bin and pours hot soup in. Your scream draws curious onlookers. They jeer at you and mock you, calling you a thief.

Finally you are reunited with your mother and brothers. Your mother operates a food stall in the city. But your happy reunion does not last long. Your sickness worsens. Spots and sores cover your body. People stop coming to your mother's food stall, afraid that they might contract the dirty and deadly disease you have. And so, your mother turns you out again.

You end up in a hospital to be tested for HIV. You are hoping you haven't got it, because you've seen the way people treat those who have HIV. But your hopes are once again dashed when the tests confirm you are HIV positive. You're still young. Perhaps 20 years of age. You are HIV postive...

How does this story end? Sree Mom eventually met a social worker from World Vision. Through this worker and World Vision, she has received help and care. She has been reunited with her family again, and they've been educated about HIV.

Now she is an active worker with World Vision working against child trafficking and prostitution in Cambodia.

To be continued in Part 2..

Live For? Die For?

I'd be willing to bet that a whole lot of people in the world today haven't got the slightest clue what to live for. And because of that, most of us just take the easier alternative; not to think and just live for ourselves. What does that mean? It means Me First. Everything else is second. Yeah, in today's culture aren't we all taught to take responsibility of our lives and careers? And isn't it "difficult" to get ahead in life unless we climb all over each other?

Me First.

You know what's interesting? Many a time we'll see in movies or in dramas about wars in olden days. And a common theme will always be patriotism. And we'll think of just how "patriotic" we Malaysians are and snigger.

Me First.

For some of us, we get "lucky". Our parents can afford education overseas for us. Or perhaps we get the opportunity to work overseas or migrate. And thus we go, leaving this country for greener pastures. Its easier elsewhere, they say. Politically stable. Better pay. Better standard of life.

Me First.

And for others, we just have to make do with what we have. We work longer hours at the office, hoping to impress the boss. We make snide manipulative remarks behind our colleagues backs, trying to get ahead. We "decorate" the financials at month and year ends, hoping for some credit. We keep silent when we see something wrong happening, hoping we'll be seen as "trusty" employees.

Me First.

Friends are not spared. We choose our friends carefully, don't we? They've got to be the elite. The same "social status" as us. We don't want to be seen with the geek in class or the plain looking girl at the office. We shudder to even think of shaking hands with the girl in class who's got AIDS and tremble at the thought of talking to the deformed guy sitting up front.

Me First.

We rationalise all the wrongs that take place in the world. Yes we do. With ignorant indifference we say that its ok to be gay and its ok to be promiscuous. Its all "perspective". We say this without even a moment's thought. I wonder how many of us would react if our own kids came home and told us "Hey Dad, I'm pregnant" or "Hey Mom, I'm gay". We hear every single year about how younger and younger children are starting to experiment with sex and various perversions. What do we do? Shrug, of course. Maybe a vague "What is this world coming to?" and we turn the page, more interested in Britney's latest adventure or something else.

Me First.

I could go on, but that would be beside the point. Yes I'm sure this is a highly controversial post. A lot of what I've just said is debatable. But I write from my heart. And I don't write without having thought a tad bit as well =) I probably might get flamed somewhat even but I don't mind.

There's a phrase that goes like this "You never know what you're alive for until you know what you would die for"

What would you die for? Perhaps when we've asked ourselves that and thought a bit, we'd see things in a different light. Maybe we'll even start to stand for something.

I stand for righteousness. I stand for making a difference. I stand for the morals and principles that our world was built on. I stand for love. I stand for peace. I stand for doing the right thing even when everyone around is doing the wrong thing. I stand for truth. I stand for putting others before myself.

I stand for Christ, the One who gave me freedom and the One who is the reason I am who I am.

Those are the things I would die for.

Victory Over Death

Strange title, isn't that? For most of us, death is the end. For a lot of Chinese folks, it's a taboo to even speak about death. It's a subject that arouses fear in them. Now, I'm not one who knows much about traditions and feng shui and stuff,except what I hear from people around. Apparently its bad to give a Chinese a clock because it symbolizes time is ticking towards death or something.

And they also believe that death is 'dirty', for want of a better term, of course. Imagine this. Apparently one day back in 1988, my grandad just happened to fall down dead on the kitchen floor. And get this. None of his children even dared to go near his body. Apparently it was superstition.

So we come back to the subject of Death. Let's face it. We're all gonna die someday. It could be tomorrow for all we know. Or even today. Or 40 years down the line. Life is short. Life is fragile. Like Shakespeare put it, life is a brief candle. We can eat as healthily as possible and still die of liver failure. We can be careful and cautious and still die in a freak accident.

My whole point is : Death is a constant. We all will face it someday. So let's stop playing games and skirting around the issue as if not talking about it will give us an additional 20 years lease of life.

So how do we face it? What's next? Heaven? Hell? Are those myths? Nothingness? Reincarnation? Nobody can say for sure can they? And isn't that why death is feared so much? Isn't that why there are so many deathbed conversions? People at the very end of the rope finally trying to secure their afterlifes.

Jesus promised us life after death. You may not believe in Jesus but there is no way you can ignore His claims. Jesus said that all who believe in Him will find life. Not just life after death but an abundant life here on earth. Abundant, of course, not meaning luxuries and wealth, but a complete and whole life. One in which we find peace. One in which we find joy. But more importantly is His claims about the afterlife. Cuz He claims there's an eternity beyond the grave. Not a few days or years or even decades. Eternity. Infinite. Period.

What will you do? Are you someone who has never considered what's beyond the grave? Have you shrugged it off, thinking you've got so many years ahead of you? Or are you someone who's searching for answers about this? Whatever category you fall in, there are answers. There is truth.

Read this blog post. I found it last night and I think it would do us all good. It sure did me good.

Giving

How much can we give? And I'm not just talking about money. I'm talking about time, energy, money, prayers and whatever else. I'm not just talking about charity. I'm talking about relationships too.

How much can we give?

Dont we look to protect ourselves only too often? Ever heard of this?

"Why should I give when I already have so little?"

Pertinent question, isn't it? Why should we give? We already have so little time. We're working 8 hours or 10 hours or 20 hours a day. We don't earn that much. Inflation's starting to get annoying. We're already so tired out when we get home from the day's activities. Weekends are treasure chests of rest. Why should we give that up?

I guess sometimes we don't count our blessings. We don't know how much we really have. We immerse ourselves in our own lives and clutch everything to ourselves as though we own them. But do we? Do we really 'own' the money we earn or the time we're given?

By now, I bet you're scratching your head wondering what in the blue blazes am I talking about, right? Patience, dear friends, I'm getting there, and for those of you who know me, you know Suspense is my middle name.. Yeah right, who am I kidding lol.

Back to the point at hand. Do we really 'own' what we receive here on earth when it can be taken so easily? I'll point out an example, and this is actually a parable from the Bible written from my memory.

There was once a rich man with a lot of land and crops. He stockpiled all his riches in warehouses and was obviously pretty proud of it. He was confident in his riches. And he made plans to live a luxurious life with the riches he had gathered. In his own words he said he would "eat, drink and be merry". By all appearances he was set for a long luxurious life.

But God said to him, "You foolish man, this very night your life will be taken from you. How then will you spend all the riches you've hoarded and enjoy your luxuries?"

Truly enough, we can all identify with this man. What excess or what little we have can be taken away just in the blink of an eye. Whether its our money or our time or our energy. These are things over which we don't have very much control of. Yeah we can go and invest our money in diversified portfolios to minimise risks, but who's to say all of those portfolios won't crash?

We can eat healthy and still get cancer (Of course I'm not advocating unhealthy eating lol). One fact of life is that we can be taken anytime. We can die anytime. And no I'm not afraid to use the word die. I could die today or tomorrow. And that's the truth.

So then why do we bother so much with hoarding? Interestingly, we hoard and yet we complain. We complain about rising prices and inflation and too little time and too tired and everything, but we fail to see how much we've been blessed. There are a lot of people out in the world who are living hand to mouth. There are a lot of people out there who have much bigger problems than a small paycheck.

Millions of people live on the brink of starvation. There are entire communities who do not have the basic amenities of schools and playgrounds and books. Multitudes of people live under the shadow of death each and every second of the day.

And we ask why we should give?

I ask in return. Why should we NOT give? What we have was given to us anyway. I don't believe we should be saving for our future when our brothers and sisters are dying from not having enough to even sustain themselves for tomorrow.

Of course I'm not asking everyone to give up jobs and go give your life working in Africa or donate evry single cent you have in the bank. It's just that as a society and as a community in general we have more than we need. We have more money than we need. We have more time and energy that we really need.

Let's give to those who need it more than we do. And its not limited to children in Africa or Myanmar. All around us we see people starving emotionally. We see people who are broken. Broken lives and broken hearts. These people need our time and our energy. They need our love.

Let's give. I believe that one does not know what love is until he's able to give without hoping for anyting in return. Let's give because we love.

After all, we're surrounded by people who have given to us. We've had parents who gave all they had for us (for some of us perhaps not). We've had teachers who sacrificed to make us better people. We've got a God who gave His all for us.

So let's open our hearts to give of ourselves to others. Life does not revolve around us. Never did and never will.

Brokenness

Ah that word.. Brokenness.. Do we hear it often? Probably not. What comes to mind? Broken families? Broken marriages? Break ups? Hmm.. Well it means a whole lot more to me. It means all of us.

Oh yes, you heard me right. All of us are broken in some way or another. We don't need to come from a broken home to be broken. We live in a generation of broken promises, broken values, a broken culture and that results in brokenness.

Ever wondered why we get so hungry for accomplishments and achievements when they're really nothing more than pieces of paper? Of ever wondered why we work so hard and long to hoard all that money and at the end of the day find that it wasn't worth it? Or why we've all started living for ourselves and ourselves alone? Or why crime and corruption and adultery have risen so much? Or why depression and suicide rates never seem to go down? Or why every other week you hear about bombs exploding everywhere?

That's brokenness for you.

Brokenness, not just on a personal level, but on a national and worldwide level. Let's face it. We ARE broken. We're a broken society. We've forgotten how to love and how to hope and how to care. We've forgotten how to live. Am I painting a bleak picture here? That's probably because most of us don't really know what goes on outside the 4 walls of our lives. I mean no offence of course.

We live in times where every major institution has crumbled and lies in shambles. The Governments are corrupted. In some parts of the world people have lost faith in marriage. Our moral system has changed to become something "subjective" rather than absolute. The judiciary systems are for the most part mere plays. The list goes on.

So is this the kind of world we want to hand down to our future generations? Do we want them to suffer from the mistakes of their forefathers? I for one say NO. I for one want to make a difference. And there are people all over the world today praying and hoping and living for that difference.

Every so often you hear a gem of a story. Perhaps it could be an old couple still very much in love after their 60th year of marriage. Or a story about a hero running through a burning house to save a stranger. Or a story of people giving up luxury and comforts to help the poor and needy of our world.

There seems to be a common theme or common denominator within all the above; the willingness to give. The willingness to put others before themselves. Yes, goodness and righteousness still exist in this world. And it is our duty to ensure goodness and righteousness will still exist, and indeed even be more prevalent in the future.

It's not that difficult really. It just needs a radical shift of our mindset away from ourselves to others. We just need to acknowledge that we are not perfect, no matter how perfect we look on the outside. We need to acknowledge our brokenness. Only then can healing for this generation take place.

Wouldn't it be cool if on one hand we could acknowledge we are all broken in some way or another; that we are still incomplete, and on the other still be able to pull our attention and concern away from ourselves to others? Try it. See how everything will change.

Little Miracles

Let's face it. We humans are a bunch of whiners. We complain and whine at just about everything under the sun. Coffee too cold, salaries too low, bosses too hard, subordinates too slow etc etc. Ever heard of the classic "Life is hard" quote? Well, it goes on to say you gotta work your butt off to make it in this world. Stuff like that. Uncommon? No. We're all guilty of it. I am too, to be completely honest.

Awhile back I posted something about The Miracle of the Moment. This is something similar. Little miracles, the ones we miss almost everytime. The small ordinary day to day miracles that take place in our lives. The tiny, 'commonplace' ones that change our world and change our lives without us even knowing.

Have you ever considered the sunrise and the sunset? Little miracles. Beautiful. Expressions of a Creator's creativity.

Have you thought about the hundreds of things that happen at the same time when you do something as simple as breathe? Oxygenation of the blood and all. The preciseness of our human anatomy.

Have you ever marvelled at the fierce beauty of a storm or how a sky can turn red with an impending storm?

Or when you held a newborn baby in your arms? The miracle of life. To see this tiny little wonder.

Have you considered that if we were 1 meter closer to the sun, we'd be done in very well, or in other words, well-done? Or if we were 1 meter further from the sun, we'd all resemble interestingly shaped ice stalagmites?

Have you ever been on a beach at night and taken the time to watch the stars and listened to the waves lap against the shore?

Or thought about one of the greatest miracles of all; love? How people would willingly lay down their lives for their loved ones, and some even for strangers? Why? Because love is powerful.

Life is short. Yet we insist on rushing through it with our noses buried in what we do. And that's how we miss these little miracles. Some people don't believe in miracles. I do. They take place all around us everyday. Will we miss them today?

Heart

I read an article yesterday. Someone basically slammed the school uniforms we have in Malaysia. I suppose she means the government school ones. She said that they are too ‘sexy’, as the colour (white) makes the uniforms transparent.

She goes on to say that this ‘indecent clothing’ will encourage rape, premarital sex, illegitimate pregnancies and even prostitution.

Hmm..Interesting isn’t it? For the sake of discussion and debate, how does a transparent or translucent blouse encourage premarital sex? As far as I know, premarital sex is a consensual thing. Will swathing women in 3 layers of cloth help in any way? I kind of doubt it. After all, even if women are wrapped up like dumplings, we live in an age where pornography is so freely available. We would know what’s underneath those wrappings anyway.

And as for rape, well if a man is hell-bent on rape, it doesn’t really matter if the woman is wearing a bikini or a school uniform, does it? Don’t think it would make a difference.

So where am I going with this post? I’m trying to say that you cannot treat problems in such a way. You can dump more ‘controls’ and ‘rules’ and ‘laws’ and ‘regulations’ and it won’t change a single thing. Wrapping women up will not reduce a man’s lust, or a woman’s, as things go these days. What is going to prevent premarital sex and pregnancies is not more rules.

Problems need to be fixed at the core, which is right down in people’s hearts. No matter how many laws are imposed, if people believe something is right, they’ll keep doing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s stealing or murder. If they buy the story that it’s ok, they’ll do it.

Interestingly, this situation happened 2,000 years ago. Back in the time of Jesus. The Pharisees (lawmakers) at that time were rigid disciplinarians. They followed the law to the letter. And the gospel that Jesus came to bring was about freedom and forgiveness. But these Pharisees could not accept it. They were so caught up with the law that they failed to see the truth.

And indeed, 2,000 years later, we have those among us who are so blinded by laws and regulations that they fail to see the truth. Evil springs up from our hearts. And no amount of laws will improve morals. We are a decadent society. And rules really don’t hinder us from doing much.

Yes, I agree a change is needed. But it’s not a change of school uniforms to prevent rape. It’s not a ruling to ban gay marriages to prevent homosexuality. It’s not a punishment imposed on broken families and divorces. It’s not more rules. A change of heart is what the world needs. We don’t need more logic. We need more heart. We need pure hearts.

And this applies to everything. If we had a change of heart, would we not be more loving? Would we not be more against infidelity and adultery? Would we not be less angry and less stressed and less disappointed and depressed? We have a whole beautiful world created by the hands of God for us. And all we do is rush about, part of a massive rat race that chases all the smallest things in life.

Life does not consist of the things one possesses. That’s a quote out of the Bible. The reason God gave us a heart is s owe can feel. So we can live. So we can hear when He whispers that there’s more to life than this.

But I digress..Let us set our hearts right. Life is not a game of rules. There is freedom in doing the right thing, but rules alone will never ‘make’ us do the right thing. A righteous heart will. A pure heart will. Heart. That’s where it starts.

The Search

Been pretty busy at work and other activities lately and that's why this blog hasn't been updated as frequently as I'd like. But I did manage to find some time to have some chats with a friend and colleague over the past 2 weeks.

Interesting things we chatted about really. Life, and what its purpose is. Achievements? Hmm, happiness? Good job? Something she said struck a chord within me. She said these words:

"What's life really about if all we do is grow up, work, and then die? And then just a few people will be sad, for awhile, and then they'll forget us too. So meaningless!"

I couldn't help it. I had to agree. If that's all we do in life, that's pretty meaningless. I'm going to post a link here to a post on another friend's blog. A post about Modern Life. Take a read and see if there's more to life than that.

Modern Life

Just Another Statistic

It's the classic story of Boy meets Girl. They fall in love. Head over heels. Ah, the joys of teenage love. Young hearts joined by the simple yet powerful bond of love and romance. The days are filled with smiles and laughter, flowers and gifts, small tokens of affection. Hours on the phone talking about nothing at all.

Somewhere down the line, He decides that She's the one for him. It couldn't have been a better 5 years. Or 7, whichever applies. And He decides is time to pick out a ring. He can't decide though. Men are terrible at shapes and designs, aren't they? It's part of their charm. Big, clumsy doofuses we are. So He gets Cindy from the office to help him out. And with her help, He picks out the perfect one. An exquisite little thing. Never mind the price. Love is blind after all.

And so He picks out the perfect place. Up on the hill where they've spent so many wonderful moments. Sunsets and sunrises. She's absolutely clueless. She thinks its just another night. And He springs her with the surprise. The whole I'm-down-on-one-knee-and-if-you-don't-say-yes-I'm-not-getting-up routine. Of course, She says yes. How could She not? He's the man of her dreams and She's never felt this way about anyone. She's spent entire nights dreaming of this moment.

The wedding is raucous, as most weddings are. Friends and family turn up in busloads to show their support. "They're a beautiful couple," the women say. And the men, being men, are probably slightly more interested in the food or the drink. Big, clumsy doofuses, remember?

It's the best day of their lives. Finally, all their dreams have come true.

Fast forward down the reel of time a little. 8 years and 2 kids down the road. What picture do we see now? He comes home tired. Work's been terrible the past year or two. Impossible deadlines, impossible superiors. Money's good but it doesn't feel like it's worth living that kind of life for it. She wants to talk. The kids need help. Little Sam just poo'ed. Babies have an incredibly accurate sense of knowing when to poo when you least need it. He brushes off her questions and pleads weariness. She sees a closed heart. Tempers flare. Just another day.

He's staring at the TV but he's not seeing the images. She's upstairs sobbing. "Why can't we talk anymore," she asked. And the only answer she could get was silence, heavy and ominous. A sign of impending doom. "Why can't we communicate?"

What happened to Boy and Girl? What happened to the years of blissful, ignorant love? So long ago, it seems, and yet just like yesterday. What happened? Life caught up, maybe? It's a cruel world out there when you grow up. Ever wondered why it's called the rat race?

Things don't get brighter. Things get worse. Yelling matches now. Daddy vs Mummy vs Kids. Long, cold, pointed silent matches too. He can't stand how She can be so insensitive and can't give Him what He needs. She can't understand why He doesn't open up. They can't understand what happened. Dark thought start to surface. Perhaps temptations. An affair or two. Just to get their minds off the problems. A blissful escapade into the wide open arms of ignorance and selfish desires. It's just a one night stand.

Finally, they decide to sign the papers. It's probably better this way, they think. It's not working out anymore. We tried. We failed. Better luck next time. Just another statistic.

----------------------------------------

Just another statistic, isn't it? People fall in and out of love all the time don't they? Marriage vows are frivolous, aren't they? Unrealistic. They don't provide for all the problems marriage brings, do they? They're just ritual verses. Tradition. Outdated. Repeated for the sake of repeating. Wrong. Dead wrong!

Do we know what commitment means anymore nowadays? Are relationships meant to be so fragile that a little testing and prodding can tear them apart? Gone are the days when the 'popular perception' was that marriage is forever. Till death do us part. Through the good days and bad days. Richer or poorer. What excuse do we have?

True, it's a fair enough argument that after some time, people don't get along anymore? Why? Communication. Or lack of it. Self-centredness. After awhile, we tend to forget that love is about giving, not receiving. Sure, it's easy to fall and love and be sweet and romantic when you're in love. But you know what's the greatest test of love? It's when you don't feel like you love him/her anymore. When you're plagued by uncertainty and doubt. When things aren't so straightforward. When you have no idea how you can make it through another day of the living hell.

What do we do then? In that very point of time. Most of us would give up, wouldn't we? It's certainly the easiest way out. Never mind the legal fees and the children. They're just accessories. Mummy and Daddy don't see eye to eye anymore.

There's still such a thing called unfailing love. Unconditional love. That's when you see her as the beautiful woman she is. Time and age will sap her physical beauty. She won't always look the way she did when she was 25 and you nearly broke your neck turning and twisting to look at her. It's when you see him to be the big, clumsy doofus you fell in love with underneath whatever he's changed into.

Unfailing love is when you can be the bigger man and sacrifice your own needs for hers, without hoping for something in return. Sure you're tired after a long day at work. Sure you don't feel like talking much. All you want is a break. But give that to her. Sacrifice it and talk to her. It'll make her day. It's not too late for small tokens of affection. For no reason at all. Just to show you care.

Love is a funny thing. It demands a lot. True love demands that you and I give. To give all that we have and all that we are to others. But its funny, in that no matter how much you try to out-bless God by blessing someone else, you can never out-bless God. You can never outgive Him. What am I trying to say here? I'm trying to say that although it may seem like a huge sacrifice to give and keep giving, it's always worth it. Cuz when we've come to a stage where we've learnt to give without hoping for anything in return, that's when we'll see the returns. And it's greater than we can imagine.

At the end of the day, relationships are never easy. Whether romantic or platonic. But it all boils down to a simple question; What kind of man do you want to be? What kind of woman do you want to be? What kind of friend/spouse do you want to be?

A lot of men and women of great renown and social standing miss the simple truth. They give in to pressure. Affairs, mistresses and scandals abound in our society today. That doesn't mean we don't have a choice. We can choose to be men and women of values and standards. It's all about our choices after all.

Learning to love and learning to be loved is not a duty. It's an awakening of our hearts to the beauty and love of God. As William Blake said, "And we are put on earth a little space, to learn to bear the beams of love."

No more statistics.

Miracle Of The Moment

Here's a song written and sung by a guy called Steven Curtis Chapman. I thought that it would be a good reminder to all of us to slow down sometimes and just count our blessings. We don't have to worry about the future or be broken cuz of our past. The only moment we can do anything about is the one right here right now. Let's cherish that. Let's forget about our troubles and struggles and resolve to be better people. Right here. Right now.

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

Chorus:
So breathe it in and breathe it out
Listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
And I don’t want you to miss
The miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history
And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about
And if it brings you tears

Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go
You gotta let it go
Listen to your heartbeat

We don't need to spend our entire lives planning for the future or carrying our regrets. We don't have to keep up with the rat race. Cuz when we do, we cease to see the beauty that's around us, and life becomes nothing more than a mundane routine, day in and day out. But lets lift our eyes above the mundane and look to the skies. Perhaps we'll see a little secret. A little hidden beauty. Small little miracles of the moment.

It Starts With You and Me

Lots of talk is going around now about corruption. In fact, such talk has been on everyone’s lips for the past few years. Ever since Our PM Abdullah Badawi pledged to fight corruption, corruption has been a hot topic. Accusations have been flying around, with the public bombarding the government with blistering accusations and condemnations, and the government blatantly denying any and all such statements.

Just recently, the stories of the Malaysian version of the “Desperate Housewives” hit the news. The Balkis RM 9.9m, while perhaps not absconded, was definitely abused. The stories of these wives going globe-trotting with the funds supposedly donated for charity probably aroused a lot of anger amongst the public. “Yet another case of BN corruption,” they say.

Stories of an ex-Finance Minister transferring RM 42 billion out of the country have also been flying around. Not to forget all those high value projects which appear to be mere ‘excuses’ for money to be wrongfully distributed to people who need political payoffs. Land transfer deals. Sky high purchase prices for everyday items like stationery and cameras. The list goes on.

However, I do believe that we’ve overlooked one very key area; us. We point out the government’s corruption but we forget about ourselves. Small amounts, you say? It takes small amounts to make up large amounts. Lets have a hypothetical example.

Let’s say 1,000 people a day pay a bribe of RM 50 to cops to avoid getting summoned. Assuming just a 5 day working week, that amounts to RM 250,000 a week or RM 13,000,000 a year.

And let’s assume another 1,000 people pay a RM 200 bribe to ‘buy’ a driving licence every week. That amounts to another RM 10,400,000.

Just those two add up to RM 23,400,000 a year. And that’s just an estimation, not including other kinds of ‘small’ corruption we indulge in. My point is this; how can we be condemning others when we ourselves are actively involved in our country’s corruption? Yeah, maybe it doesn’t run up to billions. Maybe we’re not stealing taxpayers’ money. But one thing’s for sure, we’re a part of this major industry called corruption.

The police has been voted as one of the least reputable institutions when it comes to corruption. But do we only blame the people who ask for bribes? Don’t the people who PAY them have a part to play? Of course we do! The next time you think of paying a bribe so your kid can pass his/her driving test, think again! Let’s not be pots calling the kettle black!

It starts with you and me. Small gestures like this count. When we, the lay people, make a stand, it counts. The recent elections proved this beyond all doubt! We, the rakyat, CAN make a difference. It doesn’t matter if we’re not in high governmental posts. It doesn’t matter if we don’t have armies or tones of funds to achieve objectives for us. When you and I make the right decision, it makes a difference.

For once, instead of convenience, choose to do what’s right. If our bosses are asking us to do something illegal, to ‘cook the books’, let’s choose not to do it. If we get stopped for speeding, let’s choose to pay the fine and not fuel corruption.

Do you think we can change the nation, change the world? Oh I’m convinced we can. It’s not too difficult after all. It starts with you and me.

The Sufiah Issue

By now, probably everyone in Malaysia knows about the Sufiah Story. The maths prodigy turned sultry star. Yes, our little Malaysian star has grown up. And what’s more, many names for her now circulate. The ‘Happy Hooker’, she is to some, and to others, just plain old ‘prostitute’.

The issue has kinda blown over now, hasn’t it? Headlines have a way of becoming obsolete. But before this one expired, many people commented that the Govt should no longer spend Malaysian taxpayers’ money on this girl, whether to help her or whatever. They felt that it was unfair for Malaysians to pay for someone who wasn’t even Malaysian anymore, and to make things worse, on someone like her.

My concern is not so much of the money. My concern is for her. Somehow, we’ve forgotten to be people. We’ve left our souls somewhere distant, haven’t we? Cuz now she’s ‘chosen her way of life’ so we adopt the there’s-nothing-we-can-do attitude. Yeah, she says she’s happy being an escort, but so what? Wrong is wrong. Yes, it’s her choice, but that doesn’t mean let’s all forget about her and leave her to rot for all we care.

What if one of our children turns out that way? What if our daughters become prostitutes and sons gigolos? How do we know many of them aren’t already? Sure we’re quick to condemn but it never really affects us till it hits home, does it? Reading about a family burning to death in the newspaper is so distant. We just shrug and say “Too bad,” and move on to the gossip page. And when one of our own family members burn to death, its then we feel the searing heat, we remember his/her last moments. Yeah, that’s a pretty gross analogy but it applies.

So anyway, why did she turn out that way? What conditioned her to actually enjoy the life of an escort/hooker/prostitute? I don’t know. Perhaps a myriad of different factors. Who could know what kind of home she came from that affected her as a child. Who knows? Maybe she went through a period of emptiness in her teenage life and found that sex is a quick fix, just like alcohol or dope. It could have been a million other factors, but whatever they are, we need to understand that it couldn’t be good. No, she was never meant to turn out like this, and neither are any of us or our children.

What could possibly cause her or anyone for that matter to view our bodies so cheaply that its ok to sell it? It doesn’t matter whether its for a Gucci bag or even a million or billion dollars for that matter? Is that what we’re worth? Sure, its pleasurable, but when did we sink so low? Our dear Sufiah may just wake up someday in the future, and realize how empty her life was. Why empty, you ask me. She had lots of pleasure, and expensive gifts, and probably money too.

It’s a simple answer. All those things are material. And we are more than just material. Materialism never fulfills. We can chase after all the material things in the world, and we can get them, but in the end..so what? So what? So what if I’ve got the new C-Class? So what if I’ve gotten 10 Harvard degrees and a job paying a million a week? So what if I’ve got a house bigger than 5 White Houses and 5 Air Force Ones? So what if I get to fly my own personal helicopter every weekend? So what?

Cuz someday, I’ll lie on my deathbed (assuming I have the privilege to) and inevitably I’ll look back at my life. And everything I’ve done will pass before my mind’s eye. The question is, will I be proud? Or will I be ashamed? Will I wonder why I even lived? Will I feel the pangs of shame and taste the tears of regret? Will I wish I had another 10 years to live how I should have lived?

Maybe I’ll smile. Perhaps I’ll thank God for showing me the way to live. And maybe I’ll be at peace, ready to die and be with God forevermore. It all depends on our choices, doesn’t it?

Sufiah’s made hers. But I will say this; let there be no condemnation. She made mistakes, and so do we. What we should do is not turn our backs on her and let her throw her life away. We need to rally behind her and say “No matter what you’ve done, we’ll always be here.” Can we do that?

Well this blogger has taken a stand to support Sufiah. There is a chance she will come back to the right path. And I will be waiting for that day, along with all who agree with me.

You know what’s more? This doesn’t just go out to Sufiah. This goes out to every young one out there who’s ever made a wrong decision or taken a wrong turn. Come back.

Belief Systems

Phrase of the day : Belief systems..

Humans are no different all over the world. Whether its Lucy in Mexico or Benaiah in Nigeria or Tom in Malaysia or Ahmed from Saudi. We all search for something more. Yeah of course we chase after money and love and all kinds of other things, but deep down, there's a deeper need in all of us.

So what's the new thing on the block? Scientology? Some other new age 'religion' or belief system? We take it all in stride in today's modern society. We've got the ones that have been around since before we learnt to wear clothes and the new ones that sprout up like weeds after rain.

You know what I find weird about a lot of the so called new age beliefs? I mean, no disrespect to them, but, it sure seems like a lot of them believe that after death, we'll become some kinda gods. But then again some of the old age beliefs aren't too far different after all.

The olden days Pharaohs of Egypt were so paranoid of death they built 'palaces' (pyramids) for their deaths. In fact they spent more time preparing for their deaths that they forgot about living. When they died, their wives would also be killed to 'accompany' the king wherever he was. Heck, they even bury the Pharaoh's cats and gold. Good ol' Shi Huang Ti from downtown China wasn't that different. He was the one with the 5000 terracotta warriors wasn't he? Forgive me if I got the names or numbers mixed up by the way.

I find a large similiarity with today's modern Chinese. Oh yes, they're getting VERY modern indeed. When I was a little boy, all they had was paper money to burn for the dead. And now? Mansions and Mercedes, maids and magazines, handphones and so on.. The very latest update I got (no idea how true this is) is that they now have email addresses for the dead, for example MrDead@hell.com.my. The things we think of.

Chinese people are also terribly afraid of death. Hence the numerous superstitions and traditions. It's not 'good' to give a clock to a Chinese apparently. It would be telling him to die or something like that. When someone dies, their family can't be visited or can't visit for 100 days because there's some 'uncleanness'. Would you believe that when my father's dad died one day on the kitchen floor, none of his children dared to go near the body? "Unclean". Well thats the belief system for you.

Why do we fear death so much? It's simply because no one knows what comes next. Why do we have so many conversions or sudden religious urges on deathbeds? Simply because in the face of death, we don't know what we're gonna face. Are we going to the Chinese 'hell' where you can get mansions your relatives burnt for you in your mail? Will it be the Muslim heaven where you get 4 wives or something like that? Will it be the Christian heaven where you get to be with God forever, or the hell where you are tormented forever? Will you be reincarnated as a pig or a horse or a king or a worm or a papaya? Ah, we don't know do we?

So then, why do we need belief systems? That's simple too. Don't need to be an Angkasawan to figure it out. Cuz deep down inside under all those layers we've put on top, is an innate need for something spiritual. We have our physical needs, our emotional needs, and last but not least, our spiritual needs. A writer put it this way: "There is a God-shaped hole in each of us that nothing and no one else can fill"

That's it. Our spirits long and crave for something spiritual. We can chase materialism all we want. We can indulge in everything the world has to offer but deep down there will be this empty place in our hearts that none of that can fill. In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon (reputedly the wisest man on earth at that time), drew away from his relationship with God. And instead, he pursued worldly things. he surrounded himself with gold and riches, with love and laughter, with wine and good food. And you know what he concluded after he had tasted everything good this world has to offer? He concluded that everything, yes you heard me, EVERYTHING was meaningless. It didn't matter he had everything, they were meaningless. Worthless. Guess that's a case of his God-shaped hole-in-the-heart not being filled.

So we search. We place our belief in idols, in different gods, some of us in our own selves. We place our faith in nothing (atheists). Interestingly, even atheists believe in something. They believe that there is nothing or no God.

So which is right? Is there a one true way to a one true God or is every God the same? does it matter if you pray to an idol or to a picture or to the sun or to some (God forbid!) teapot? Here's an easy way to tell. Have you found yourself in whatever you believe? I'm not asking you whether it works for you. I mean have you found your meaning in life? A purpose for living? Can you answer the question "Why am I here"? And do you know where you're headed when our short little candle of life blows out? it could be today, you know. We could all die today. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe we'll live to see and experience the joys of the rocking chair.

Do you know who you are? Is life just a tiresome vicious cycle or boring routine? Has life lost its flavour? Are you just living from day to day, life an endless blur? Are you heartbroken and thirsty? Are you an outcast in your own home and community? Are you lost and searching? Wandering, perhaps? Blindly trying different things hoping you'll find something? Are you struggling with addiction or some other kind of chains? Are you empty? Sounds depressing, doesn't it? But if we examine our hearts, a lot of us fall into one of those categories up there.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Let Me have control and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul" - Matthew 11:28-29

Keep searching, dear brothers and dear sisters. You will find.

Of the Love of Money

So who doesn’t love money, right? That’s why we work. It’s why we study. To get a good job that pays well. And of course the “paying well” part is more important than the “good job” part, right? Money is the good stuff that makes our month’s work all worth it at the end of the month. But where do we draw the line when it comes to loving money?

Of course there’s a difference between loving money and having money. No one can deny that money is important. It’s a basic and a core necessity. Without it, we wouldn’t have food on the table. Heck, we wouldn’t even have the table in fact. We wouldn’t have roofs over us, or beds under us. We wouldn’t have education. Yeah, money is important.

And yet some of us idolize money don’t we? We start measuring people by how much money they have. To us, success = excess. We envy the rich and famous. We chase money, believing it to be the most important thing in life. We chase money, for the future, both for ourselves and for our children, so they can get a good education, and we can get a comfortable life. We soak up the culture of expensive = good.

We think about money. We wonder how to make more money. We grumble that our paychecks aren’t large enough. We wish we had a fatter bank account. We think we’d be so much happier and better off if we had more money. Really? Would we really be better off with more?

Here are a few facts about the Love of Money. The Bible states that money is the root of all evil. What’s that supposed to mean? That we should give all our money away and become monks? Certainly not. It means that money ENSLAVES. It gains enough power over us that money controls us instead of the other way around as it should be. How do we know when we’re being enslaved by money? It’s when we’re never satisfied with what we have. It’s when we long and yearn for more, and yet when we get that more, when we achieve that “if only”, it never seems quite enough.

We think it’d be great to be a millionaire, but somehow when we do become millionaires, there’s not much joy or enthusiasm in that. At least nothing close to what we expected. How do I know? It’s simple. Think of all those Richie riches. Do note, however, that I’m not saying being rich is bad. How many of the super-rich are really happy? Yeah, they can buy whatever they want. They can go for holidays in the Caribbean every week. They can afford limos and jets. They have yachts named after themselves. They have their own islands. They have mansions the size of Singapore. They could probably afford a pet elephant if they felt like it. They can afford to drink champagne instead of water. They’re waited on hand and foot. They’re given preferential treatment and elevated to ‘demigod’ status.

But at the end of the day, does that really satisfy them? Does it fill the emptiness we’re all born with? Can you fill it with money?

If you can, then explain why so many of these Richie riches lead such broken lives (albeit luxurious ones). There’s no denying that abundance of money provides a luxurious life. And yet, why are there so many broken families, broken lives and emptiness? Just take a look at Hollywood for example. Those guys earn collectively probably as much as a small country. Look at the news of divorces, drug abuses and law breaking. The affairs and scandals. The broken hearts. Is that what we want?

Where we are now is a good indicator of where we will be in future. Already we’re complaining we don’t have enough money. Already we dream of enriching ourselves. What makes us think we’ll be fulfilled if we achieve all of that? So what if we can drive Lamborghinis and afford diamonds the size of a whale?

Does money give us security? To a certain extent, yes, but beyond that, no.. Yeah, it assures our children will have a good education and a good future in general. But that’s all. We all die someday. It’s a fact. We’ll never take anything with us. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got 5000 terracotta warriors or a pyramid to boot. So what if you’re buried with half a tonne of gold? We enter eternity naked, just as how we entered this world naked. So why do we insist on spending our lives chasing something that only lasts us a few meager years? We sacrifice our time, our lives, our health for this. We neglect our children in order to provide a future for them. That doesn’t make sense to me.

“Yes we know Daddy is busy at work, but can’t he even spend some time with us? Just a little everyday?”. Maybe our kids don’t say that, but don’t you think we should be spending more time with them? In a world of decadence, the role of parents becomes ever more important. Without that firm grounding, who knows what could happen to our children? Do we want our future generation to be a broken generation who grew up without their fathers? Of course there are effects!! Children get their affirmation from their dads. By affirmation, I mean gender wise. I’ll be talking about that more in my next article, but this suffices for now. A child with an absent or almost-always-absent father can experience severe negative effects! Do we want that for our children for the lame excuse of providing a future for them?

We live in the information age, but do we really know what life is? Life is more than hundred dollar bills. Life is more than cars and girls. Life is so much more than sex, drugs and rock and roll. Life is more than high paying corporate jobs. Deep down we know all that but we can’t pull ourselves away from our self-absorbed lifestyle. We can’t change the attitude of “better me than anyone else”. We can’t tear ourselves away from our materialistic thinking.

Life is more than material things. Life was never meant to be about us. I end by quoting the chorus of one of Switchfoot’s songs, This is Your Life:

This is your life, are you who you wanna be,
This is your life, are you who you wanna be,
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be,
When the world was younger, and you had everything to lose.
If you are living for nothing more than material things, remember that our souls are not made of sticks and stones. We’re meant to live for so much more. If your life now is not what you dreamed that it would be, it’s time to seriously sit down and think. Think whether you really know what life is. And if you find that you don’t, it’s time to start searching for the truth.

God bless you all

A Letter to all Chinese

So, I guess most of y'all must have read my letter to all Malays. Now its your turn, Chinese! Haha anyhow I'm writing this to address the Chinese people of Malaysia and these are my thoughts concerning our current situation.

I'm sure most of the Chinese around are pretty happy with the election results. That's just stating the obvious, isn't it? For many of us, we view it as the downfall of UMNO's lordship and their abuse of power. It's true, they did abuse their power. And a lot of Chinese have felt increasingly being pushed aside by the policies and actions of UMNO.

One of the major 'complaints' the Chinese have is about the ridiculous quota system that was (and still is) in place for now. I'm sure many of us remember the fiasco that took place a few years ago when the top scorers for the STPM examinations were not able to pursue their ambitions as the local universities offered them courses like marine biology and stuff. Of course, I'm not looking down on marine biology but if that's not what someone wants, then it doesn't suit. Well yeah, these top scorers sure were disappointed that all their hard work had gone to waste. They couldn't even pursue what they wanted to.

The quota system also infects other areas, such as the giving of scholarships. The Chinese are definitely angry over this one. Cuz we feel we need to work so hard and long to get what we want, and there goes some guy who gets it without trying just because he's born with the right skin colour.

Promotions at the job? Quota's there too. My own mother once got sidelined even when she scored the highest in her firm's promotion test, because they had to give it to someone else for quota reasons. Fair? Surely not. Cause for grievance? Surely yes!

And who can forget about the whole 30% bumiputera equity thing? Surely everyone knows that this 'quota' has been abused to the utmost. Remember the ASLI report? And how it got shut up so quickly? I honestly don't know if the bumiputeras already have that 30% or not, but most people feel it's terribly unfair. Companies built up with sweat and blood have to give up 30% ownership to some bumiputeras who weren't there when the sweat and blood was spilled. Sometimes even forcefully, or so I hear.

The list goes on. From basic rights to keris-wielding, the Chinese have grievances aplenty.

And so where do we go from here? How do we reconcile these grievances? How do we foster a generation of Malaysians instead of Chinese, Indian and Malay? Can we ask the Chinese to just let go of all the past hurts and insults? To just forget all the hard work and toil they had to put in just to put their kids through college?

It sure isn't easy, but I'm gonna say this is where forgiveness comes in. Don't blame the Malays for 'getting it easy'. It wasn't their fault that a selfish and arrogant government played up the issue of Malay rights and silenced any objections by declaring them as 'questioning the Malay rights and supremacy'. Even now the government tries desperately to rally the Malays against the Opposition through the media and especially Malay newspapers.

Don't blame the entire race for the crimes one or two committed. Don't hold it against them for having a government that plays by racial politics. It's not their fault.

To all my Chinese brothers and sisters, stop fleeing the country! Yeah, the grass always seems greener on the other side. And people migrate for a better future. I believe God put us here for a reason. Sure, there are a lot of things wrong in our country. So, being Malaysians, let's work together to rebuild a better nation.

I can't solve the grievances the Chinese race has. No one can. But take a look at the new governments, especially the Malay MB's, like Khalid and Nizar. To me it sure looks like they're building Malaysia, not Malay. Let this speak to your hearts. Remember that during our parents' time, racism was unheard of. Malays, Indians and Chinese rubbed shoulders and shared meals. They visited one another. They were friends. So why do we persist on trying to be opposite sides of a planet when we're in the same place?

Forgive and forget. It's really not that difficult if we keep our eyes on the future instead of on the past.

Here's to a better nation.
Here's to a better tomorrow.
Here's to the death of racism.
Here's to forgiveness and love.
Here's to Malaysia.

That's what it means to be Malaysian.

A Letter to all Malays

I'm a Chinese guy. And the reason I'm writing this letter to all Malays is in view of the recent happenings in our nation. It's been a pretty crazy couple of weeks, hasn't it? There were ups and there were downs. Newfound hope, disappointments, and hope again. So, why am I writing this, you ask.

I wanna start by saying this; I view all Malays (and Indians and all other races) as my brothers and sisters. I love you like I would love my brothers. And I would not hesitate to take a bullet for anyone of you. A bit dramatic, I know, but spare me my moment =)

As a Chinese, I see and hear the woes of the minority races of this country. Newspapers and other mediums which are not in English or Bahasa are certainly more transparent about a lot of issues. Even now post elections, the mainstream papers such as the Star, NST and so on are still being very biased. just the other day I saw a cartoon mocking Guan Eng for not wanting to stay in the CM house to save on that 300k it would cost to fix it.

Now, we know that with the winds of change having blown so hard, lots of things have changed. A lot of Malays are worried and doubtful. "What if our rights are taken away?" they ask. Of course, once again, the mainstream media is not doing anything to help in this issue. Papers in the BM language especially are stirring up even more doubt. Political motives, no doubt. But I urge you to consider what I'm about to say.

The NEP is a major debate topic now. For so many years, it has been the 'accepted' way of doing things. It's been the paradigm of Malaysia. And everyone is told not to question it because questioning it would be challenging the Malays' rights and their supremacy and what not. Please hear this. We're not trying to challenge the Malays' rights. We are not trying to send them back to paddy fields and take over the land and step all over the other races, contrary to what many politically-motivated sources would say.

Has it benefited the Malays? In many cases, the policy has been a spoonfeeding one. Yes you got that right. I'm not afraid to say it. It's been a spoonfeeding one. Local universities, in 'protecting the Malay rights', are afraid of failing students. My own cousins have managed to get into certain local unis (through connections, I might add), and they have admitted this; "They can't fail us". It doesnt matter if you don't know much. It doesn't matter if you graduate as a professionally qualified accountant and don't know simple debits and credits. They can't fail us.

And yet another example. Proton. No offense meant, but let's examine it carefully. It's been carefully protected by the Govt all these years. The taxes imposed on imported cars are just ridiculous, all in the efforts of protecting our national car maker. We should take pride in our national car maker, should we not? But do we? Why do Germans take pride in their car makers and Russians in their rockets and Americans in their military, but we can;t take pride in our national car maker? Simply because after so many years, they still can't make a proper window that works perfectly well. If you ask me, it's all the protection that stopped them from being competitive. Do you teach a baby to walk by carrying him/her all the time? Do you teach a bird to fly by wrapping it in 2 pounds of bandages in case it falls? NO!

The spoonfeeding is a silent killer, don't you see? I'm not saying that the Malays are backward or anything, but I'm saying they can be more forward. Please don't think that abolishing the NEP will destroy your rights. It won't. There will be justice and fairness. Instead of spoonfeeding, you will have to work harder. But you will walk better and sooner you will fly.

Give the new Govts a chance. Let us once and for all put aside skin colour. I am a Chinese, and I can say I love the Malays. I love the Indians. I love all the other races. When can we start to see beyond skin colour? When will we learn that underneath that fair or dark skin lies a person who is not much different than us? I long to see a Malaysia of Malaysians, not Malays, Chinese and Indians. Don't believe everything the media says.

Think.

Love.

Everything

Hey all again,

I found this really awesome video that I think everyone should watch. I really don't know who did the video, but the song is titled Everything by Lifehouse. Watch it and see if you agree with me.



Hope you guys enjoy it. Think it really puts things in perspective. Leave a comment when you're done to let me know if you liked it.

And if for some reason the screen is too small or whatever, the direct link is here:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=139f9c4c0036b123ee12

Of Grace and Finger Pointing

In the wake of our nation's 12th General Elections, it is probably only natural for the side which suffered heavy losses to examine and study the reasons for their defeats, And this has been done, to intriguing, and sometimes downright hilarious results.

The purpose of this article is not to criticize any certain sides or people, but rather to look into the mindset they have employed in conducting their ‘studies’. As such, no names will be mentioned, and I hope that you will join with me in an academic viewpoint instead of a critical and condescending one.

One leader gave the following reason for his party’s defeat in a state:

It is because of the outstation voters that we have lost. These outstation voters were influenced by the Opposition outside this state and have in turn influenced their friends and family members to vote for the Opposition.

Another leader gave this reason:

Christians and churches which I have worked with previously campaigned against me within the churches.

Some of you may immediately know who these people are just by reading the above, but once again I stress that the purpose of this is not to condemn anyone but to study this academically.

I personally find such comments to be extremely childish, for a very simple reason. And for that same reason, many of us do the same, albeit in different situations and circumstances.

We don’t like to see our own weaknesses.

No we don’t, do we? It’s much easier to point the finger at others but not ourselves. It’s always “Blame the weather” or “Blame him or her” or even worse, “Blame God”. Yet we seldom see our own weaknesses.

Interestingly, there is a verse in the Bible that describes this ‘phenomenon’ pretty accurately:

Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but not the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you shall see more clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3,5)

Coming back to the issue of the leaders who have given reasons why they have been defeated in the elections, perhaps it’s not such a mystery after all. Instead of coming up with such reasons, should they not have conducted some form of soul-searching beforehand? Should they not have considered the possibility that perhaps their parties were irrelevant? People have lost trust in them? The stories of corruption and abuse of power and arrogance have irritated enough people to vote them out?

Instead of conspiracy theories, should they not have looked within first? The same applies to our everyday lives. In our pursuit of success and excellence and accomplishments, we sometimes gain over-confidence. Over-confidence that leads to pride which blinds us to our own weaknesses.

We need to learn how to lose graciously. I definitely salute the likes of Dr. Koh Tsu Koon for being able to be gracious in defeat. And I believe people will remember him for being able to lose graciously.

At the end of the day, we don’t have to hide these weaknesses. We don’t have to pretend they’re not there. Because ALL of us aren’t perfect. We ALL have weaknesses. Why can’t we try humility? Why can’t we give way for honesty? Why do we need a ‘mask’ to hide behind? If we could all throw our masks away, wouldn’t this make our country a better place? Our families? Our world? Let's try being ourselves for a change

Yeah let's not try to be like this...

I told you masks weren't good...Lol