RIFLE RANGE BOY

12.1.2010 Still on 1Malaysia… When I was growing in the 70’s, at least the vision I had while growing in the low cost flats of Rifle Range in Penang , was that the Chinese were not well versed in conversational Malay. The young and old alike gave two hoots to learn the lingo what more to use it. They need not use it. They converse among themselves and their friends (who are also Chinese) in their mother tongue. They frequent shops run by Chinese and they chose to dine at shops serving their kind of food. Fast forward to 1988 and 1990’s – scenario pretty much the same – at least from the experience I got while working at HTAR Klang . They could not converse and give a decent description of their symptoms (but they can describe in detail to a fellow Chinese doctor/ nurse about their detailed salient progression of their disease complete with details about their escapade to the local GP and sinseh and the previous days’ treatment regimes. Bottom line, they had money – so who cares- th...

SPM subject limit won't make us a sporting nation Farouk Gulsara | Jun 2, 09 5:35pm Being the pessimist that he is and when the number of A scorers started increasing since the mid- 80s, my father used to say that the day would come when if one does not score all As in the public examinations, he would be considered a failure. [Photo] And sure enough, the day has come when there are not enough scholarships and remuneration to go around to whet the appetites of all the A scorers. So to get around this hurdle, students started taking more and more subjects to place themselves a niche above the rest. Students who decide to take multiple subjects (a phenomenal number of fifteen and above) do so on their own accord; they are not coerced or forced to by family members or peer pressure. Some of them may do it out of an undying zest to escape the shackles of poverty as we have always been told that education is the only way to improve your life if do not have money. By denying th...

9.1.2010 ‘“1Malaysia” my foot!’ wrote Manogaran Rethinam on his Facebook page. Just as people have been saying and what was depicted on the Hollywood movie “Wag the Dog”, spin doctors with the help of man’s strongest weapon of destruction – press and other forms of media of communication indoctrinate ideas into minds of individuals and skew their thoughts away from reality, akin to pulling the wool from the spectators’ eyes whilst their assistants would be literally robbing them blind. Malays were seen demonstrating after Friday prayers carrying placards with fiery messages, threatening the non Moslems/ non Malays not to challenge the special status of Malays, Islam and Allah. Only they can address their God as Allah, just like only I can call my mother “Mum”!!! This was classified as a peaceful demonstration by police. Turning back the clock to 2007 when the Hindraf supporters walked peacefully carrying photograph of icon of passive resistance – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi- they were...

3.1.10 Being vegetarian is a highly overstated virtue being propagated by its proponents to put the fear of God into the non-believers and cow them into submission. The same people will say “eat to live” not “live to eat”, but they lead their whole life by analysing what they eat. When you eat to live, you also logically should eat whatever food is given to you, vegetarian or otherwise! Eat to live may mean being careful in what you indulge in – whether it is clean (prepared hygienically, halal if you are a Moslem), laden with cholesterol (to clog up the arteries), rich with carbohydrates (which will increase your abdominal girth and place you at high risk of getting a coronary event) etc. etc… Maybe if you are Gautama Buddha, you will eat whatever is served to you, whether on a platter or on a leaf so as not to offend the feeder. According to the Mahayana sect, the Enlightened one was fed contaminated (? tainted) pork meat which he consumed willingly as his time to attain Nirwana ...

2.1.10 So yet another new year creeps in. The second decade into the twenty first century has started... New Year, New Resolutions... No, sir! Not for me. My resolution is not to make resolutions any more in any more years to come which itself is a resolution which I resolve not to resolute! The first lesson to learn in life is that there is no substitute to hard work and the confidence that you are doing to right thing and that you can and will succeed. There was an occasion when Prophet Muhamad was running from his attackers when the Prophet's army was overpowered. When the people saw him running, they were suprised. ' "How come we are running away from our enemies when we are the God's army?', they asked. To this He replied, "Run, for God is also running with us!". Lesson to learn from this snnipet is that belief is important, it will us the encouragement and the conviction for us to endeavour for the best. Procrastination will not lead to anywhere ...