Show of Force

I had lunch with Mr D70s before he left for Melbourne for his show-of-force trip.

He is very much infatuated by this girl that he recently met and decided to pursue her all the way to Melbourne.

I am not really interested in his sex life (if there is any!) - but we had good japanese lunch at the Gardens.




Yo, Mr D70s - Please return my Lonely Planet Australia and buy me lunch!

The politics of hypocrisy

I've got this from The Guardian

UK business interests in Burma are more important to this government than justice

The news is no more from Burma. The young monks are quiet in their cells, or they are dead. But words have escaped: the defiant, beautiful poetry of Aung Than and Zeya Aung; and we know of the unbroken will of the journalist U Win Tin, who makes ink out of brick powder on the walls of his prison cell and writes with a pen made from a bamboo mat - at the age of 77. These are the bravest of the brave. What shame they bring to those in the west whose hypocrisy and silence helps to feed the monster that rules Burma.

Condoleezza Rice comes to mind. "The United States," she said, "is determined to keep an international focus on the travesty that is taking place in Burma." What she is less keen to keep a focus on is that the huge American company, Chevron, on whose board of directors she sat, is part of a consortium with the junta and the French company, Total, that operates in Burma's offshore oilfields. The gas from these fields is exported through a pipeline that was built with forced labour and whose construction involved Halliburton, of which Vice-President Cheney was chief executive.

For many years, the Foreign Office in London promoted business as usual in Burma. When I interviewed Aung San Suu Kyi a decade ago I read her a Foreign Office press release that said, "Through commercial contacts with democratic nations such as Britain, the Burmese people will gain experience of democratic principles." She smiled sardonically and said, "Not a bit of it."

In Britain, the official PR line has changed; Burma is a favourite New Labour "cause"; Gordon Brown has written a platitudinous chapter in a book about his admiration of Suu Kyi. On Thursday, he wrote a letter to Pen, waffling about prisoners of conscience, no doubt part of his current empty theme of "returning liberty" when none can be returned without a fight. As for Burma, the essence of Britain's compliance and collusion has not changed. British tour firms - such as Orient Express and Asean Explorer - are able to make a handsome profit on the suffering of the Burmese people. Aquatic, a sort of mini-Halliburton, has its snout in the same trough, together with Rolls-Royce and others that use Burmese teak.

When did Brown or Blair ever use their platforms at the CBI and in the City of London to name and shame those British companies that make money on the back of the Burmese people? When did a British prime minister call for the EU to plug the loopholes of arms supply to Burma. The reason ought to be obvious. The British government is itself one of the world's leading arms suppliers. Next week, the dictator of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, whose tyranny gorges itself on British arms, will receive a state visit. On Thursday the Brown government approved Washington's latest fabricated prelude to a criminal attack on Iran - as if the horrors of Iraq and Afghanistan were not enough for the "liberal" lionhearts in Downing Street and Whitehall.

And when did a British prime minister call on its ally and client, Israel, to end its long and sinister relationship with the Burmese junta? Or does Israel's immunity and impunity also cover its supply of weapons technology to Burma and its reported training of the junta's most feared internal security thugs? Of course, that is not unusual. The Australian government - so vocal lately in its condemnation of the junta - has not stopped the Australian Federal Police training Burma's internal security forces.

Those who care for freedom in Burma and Iraq and Iran and Saudi Arabia and beyond must not be distracted by the posturing and weasel pronouncements of our leaders, who themselves should be called to account as accomplices. We owe nothing less to Burma's bravest of the brave.

www.johnpilger.com


John Pilger
Saturday October 27, 2007
The Guardian

One Morning at Pasar Kedai Payang

Joy ride

Just completed Kiara loop with Tiger Hill, who is itchy to upgrade his bike. I guess he deserves it. His current Cannondale (hardtail - oh so uncomfartable!) has been with him for years. But, just like Mr D70s, he takes really good care of his toys.



I am very happy (though I wish I was fitter) to ride Kiara again. Tiger took me to some trails I have not explored before. Beautiful! Even if you are not a mountain biker, you can surely enjoy trekking it on foot. Lovely trails with streams and all.



If you enjoy the nature, do try it.

The best thing is, it is just close by and you do not even have to drive out of the city to enjoy it.



I had a small crashed, wounded my knees :-(

Who are you

I just came back from an open house, AKA and the sisters.

The nasi lemak, the cook from Perlis was nice, esp the crispy fried chicken - simply delicious. Apparently, according to TFF, you have to boil the chicken first before frying to get that sort of crisp. I should try that one day.

Any way a lady approached me, greeted me - she knew my name. We talked for good 10 minutes.

Know what? Until now, I still can't recall who she is and where we met......

Si Buncit di Majlis Berinai

I am just disgusted!

Woke up quite early this morning.

As usual I watched the news and Malaysia Hari Ini on TV3 to keep track on the headlines of major dailies.

Among others the news covered a recent wedding in Sabah. The country’s No.1 and No.2 with their respective spouses were there.

Like their respective spouses who paraded for the majlis berinai in their chunky diamonds and pearls, the VVIPs in their expensive songkets, extra large to accommodate the big bellies that reached the pelamin first before anything else.

Disgusting!

Is it necessary to air a wedding on the national TV? What is the point TV3 trying to make? How could these people afford such expensive accessories (I did not mean their wives…) and lavish functions when their salary is less than 25K per month?

Each month I look at the 30 percent of my income slashed out for income tax, I get totally pissed off. Where does our tax money go?

It's Friday and I am a bitch!

Penarik Beca - Kuala Terengganu

Most of them are in their 70's. They have been in the profession since they were in the 20's. Still fit and strong. And definitely cheerful.

COKE Please

Went to have dine with KW at Decanter, Damansara Heights.

Quite a nice evening, cooling after the afternoon thunderstorm.

KW ordered beef noodle, fried rice and COKE.


The waitresses, obviously from Myanmar, repeated the order:

Ok sir, beef noodle, fried rice and COCK.

View from Room 900

Very nice!

Cahaya Mata ku

I just dumped my yellow baju melayu into the washer - stained with kicap my sis served with bakso. After 3 houses, I am beat!

I did not go to many open houses - only 3, a must every year besides my family.

Just came back from NS's grandma's house.

NS's mom, as usual sat next to me and tell me stories when NS's wasn't even born yet.


Auntie Maryam (you've got to pronounce her name correctly, like MAR YAM or she will make sure you will. She reemphasized, in the Quran there is one whole surah specifically for Maryam (Virgin Mary) and proud of it.

She started taking about names and told to me how they decided NS's name when Auntie Maryam was pregnant.


Auntie Maryam went to see her father (TSK) and asked this soon to be grandfather what would he name his first grandchild.

TSK answered: Cahaya Mata ku. In Arabic: Nuraini.

But, what if it's a boy?

I am only giving one name and it's Cahaya Mata ku, Nuraini.



OK. being a kind hearted / diplomatic wife and daughter-in-law, Auntie Maryam also went to see and consulted her father-in-law, A.


What would you name your first grandchild?

I'd name her Nur Ain - Cahaya Mata in Arabic

But what if it's a boy?

I am only giving you one name: Nur Ain - Cahaya Mata



Both gentlemen gave pretty much the same name for their first granddaughter and both of them sorta knew the baby was going to be a girl.


AMAZING!!


***I enjoyed talking to Auntie Maryam.

I really miss my mom :-(

Sweetness / Corniness?

"SWEET sms for a SWEET person from a SWEET person for a SWEET reason at a SWEET time on a SWEET SWEET day. wishing U HAVE a very prosperity HARI RAYA."

CNL


redplanet, take a guess.....

J (no no, not that one!)

M:"done"



J:"yay"

Selamat Hari Raya to all!

Those good old days....

I just came back from Kuala Terengganu last night.

Even though I go to KT very frequently, the most recent trip was rather…. emotional.



I have the chance to meet with 4 individuals, all in their 70’s, a Sikh, an Indian, a Chinese and a Malay. They are leaders in their own community. And they have been leaders for decades. Even though they are 3rd generation immigrants, to me they are Anak Jati Terengganu who were born in Terengganu, grew up in Terengganu and most importantly contributed in various ways to their community.



They are very proud of Terengganu, and they are proud to be orang Terengganu. The community has been living in harmony with each other for hundreds of years! They still practice their own customs, traditions, language and religion. But, when I asked each of them what was their most favorite food, Nasi Dagang were their answers, without even thinking.



These uncles grew up like very good friends regardless of their skin colors. They went to school together; played together they even visited each other house and makan. They are like brothers. Some of the Chinese men and women even had their very own Terengganu Malay names, like Salleh (Pok Leh) etc!



I asked my nephew who live in Terengganu the number of Chinese friends he has.

The answer: Tak dok (tak ada, as in non, zero, nil, zilch)

I think racial integration and harmony was greater then than now. It bugged me until today. We are not progressing! in fact we are digressing judging from how polarized our community has become.

Don't you wonder why?



*images owned by Dato' Wee's family

Site visit

These are a couple of aerial shots taken during one of the site visits to Kemaman Port, Terengganu. I had to brief a couple of guys from China the industrial installations surrounding the port.

Almost berbuka

I could't resist it.

I looked out my window and saw such a beautiful horizon, with double erections....

Songket Terengganu

These are exquisite collection of songket designed by TITS, painstakingly weaved at Pura Tanjung Sabtu.

I like TITS work because the design is classic, inspired by the collections of his family heirlooms, passed down within the royal house of Terengganu.



TITS has his very own identity which keeps the originality of songket that weived in Pura. A trained pair of eyes can tell the differences of his work. I only realize it after one of the loyal weavers told me about it.



I have nothing agaist the new designs of songket, but I prefer the classic finely woven Terengganu songket, timeless and just elegent!

Do you know the meaning of pain?

But then again, I don't think he feels the pain in this state of mind....