4th feb 2010
the day of sodomee trial (like maggi mee)....
the day of exhibition of private intentions of intrusions of private areas with privates done in private surrounding being made public. of course siafool is privy to all these!
Friday, 5 February 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Reminiscing Form 1
28.1.2010
Reminiscing Form 1
Just the other day, Koay Tian Soo shared his Form 1 A class photo shoot (above). I am the third one sitting from the left end. KTS is on my left. Boy did it rekindle old memories. Memories of Rifle Range, Hutchings School and subsequent progression to PFS reignited certain electrical transmissions in some glial cells in the hypothalamus and the limbic system. This subsequently sparked some twigs in the cerebral cortex which in turn sent impulses down the central and peripheral nervous systems! I think I will start with the first few days in PFS. In the 70’s, the primary school assessment test was done in Standard 5. We were tested on Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Science and Kajian Tempatan. (I think). Incidentally, we were the guinea pigs in 1970 that started the curricula in Bahasa Malaysia (or Bahasa Melayu as it is referred to now). In that year 1974 Primary School Assessment Examinations, only Syed Abutahir obtained 5As. Aqbal Singh Sambhi and yours truly secured 4As.
Syed Abutahir is said to be older than his birth certificate age. He was the school Head Boy and was well composed of things. He was in the school soccer team as a striker. He used to be first in all class exams. In Std 1, both of us got 398/400 to be joint first in class. After that, it was usually he who is first. The others who had the joy of sharing this glory include Aqbal Singh, Lim Eng Seng and I.
An interesting rumour that circulated in Hutchings was that many boys there were actually older than their declared age. It is said that many of them were actually smuggled in churns on board trawler boats. It is interesting to see many Std 6 boys with pubertal growth spurts and facial hairs. I remember Dowlath Ali (many years my senior) who actually had to shave periodically.
Abutahir lost his father (only remaining parent) when he was sitting for Std 5 end of the year exams in which he defiantly maintained his first position in the class. After Std 6, he received a scholarship from MARA (with a recommendation from the Islamic Religious Studies teacher, Ustaz Sheikh Mohamad) to study in a residential school.
Aqbal Singh was then already signs of child prodigy. At around Std 5, he could discuss world politics and about the birds and the bees at length. He was tall and big built. Well, to one who is pint sized like me (the smallest in class), everybody appeared big. He kept a big thick turban which was knotted at his vertex. His father had a grocery shop and was brought to school by a Gujerati shop assistant. He used to have a great passion for Origami and used to carry around his faithful companion “Harbin’s Book of Origami”.
Coming back to the Assessment Exams, the results were the primary determinant of placement in secondary school. Being a feeder school to PFS, about 20 students with the best results will be placed in PFS followed by Georgetown Secondary and Westland Secondary School. I remember some the guys who made in to PFS with me – Aqbal Singh Sambhi, Ahamed Kameel (now Professor in IIU, he later was instrumental in my improvement in studies at the Upper Secondary School stage), Meer Sadik Habib (did well in athletics (athletics captain in Hargreaves house), a hit with the girls in Upper 6, later did Gemology in the US to take over his father roaring jewelry business and bring ‘Habib’s Jewels’ to its present status), Lim Eng Seng (a great rival in studies in Std 5 and Std 6, he left for KL later but reunited in USM – he did Chemistry), Sukhdev Singh (who think is a heck of a hockey player – he got to PFS ‘B’ team as a reserve player, joined MAS as a pilot and is now triple his size), Unnikrishnan (he joined us in Std 3 later joined RMAF, succumbed to IHD at a tender age of 42yrs), Leong Chee Keong, Leong Hoe Chew, Ronnie Cheam, Yong Chee Khuan etc. etc.
It was euphoria in the Sham household during the school holidays.
January came, and I had to sit for an assessment for placing into respective classes. The first thing I noticed during the pre-secondary school days was that there were far too many school rules and regulations. I was fascinated with the school tie that needed to be knotted; of course, nobody in the circle of people that I knew, could or need to know to knot a tie!
The first day of school in Form 1 was a cultural shock for me. There I was, a boy from low-cost flats, standing in the school hall full of tradition and splendour waiting to sit for the exams. There I was with an inferiority complex with minimal exposure to academia compared to those confident lads from high society oozing with knowledge and intelligence from all orifices, rattling in impeccable English whilst clinging on to their 300-odd paged paperbacks of Alistair MacLean and Leon Uris. I felt small, tiny, and I targeted myself for Form 1E. The exams commenced to place the students from Form1A to Form1H.
Results were announced late on the second day of school, after sitting for 3 papers. The teachers called in the names one by one on the second day after recess. I was pleasantly surprised and proud when I was placed in Form1A! I attained 248/300 marks. Rifle Range Boy does it again!
Friday, 29 January 2010
Still on 1Malaysia...
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- they would not speak Malay!
Fast forward again, past Y2K, scenario still the same. I am now in private practice. Only difference now, smatters of Indonesian Malay have fused in (e.g. 15 tanggal bulan 2) –due to bear necessity to converse with their Indonesian maids so that they can perform their dirty jobs at their pasar malam stalls so that they can get more money!
Bangadeshi, Myanmarese and Vietnamese who all started coming to Malaysia after the 90’s have all mastered the Malay language and can hold decent conversations with non-Chinese Malaysians. The irony of all these is that the non-Chinese Malaysian cannot communicate as well with his fellow Chinese Malaysian as he can with a foreigner. This is of course exaggeration! I do have many Chinese Malaysian close friends, colleagues and decent speaking patients.
The seed of racism is planted in each Malaysian individual. When he sees a fellow homo sapien, he will tend to automatically categorise and sub-categorise that individual him into his ethnic and sub-ethnic background – whether he is Malay, Chinese, Indian, Chindian, Eurasian or anything in between. This may need other sub-divisions in the case of Indians – whether Northern Indian, Southern Indian (Tamil, Telugu or Malayalee), Moslem, Sikh, Hindu, etcetera, etcetera.
SPM subject limit won't make us a sporting nation
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 these students a chance to achieve their dream, it will only demoralise them and they will be ever willing to fall prey to the ever expanding ‘brain drain' from our country. These students will be willing to take up foreign scholarships like the Asean scholarship and the like.
It would be interesting if the Education Ministry were to analyse the results of students who took multiple (more than 15) subjects to ascertain their performance. These students would actually be students who are above average students and who excel in the academic field plus have extracurricular activities to their credit.
The Education Ministry should remember that students who take multiple subjects are not depending solely on the Public Service Department (JPA) for scholarships. Many foreign universities and trusts, eg, the Asean Scholarship, Yale, Oxbridge, Harvard etcetera are ever willing to place them under their wings for further studies.
Some of these universities go on to finance up to 75 percent of their tuition fees to entice them to study in their varsities. It would be such an honour and credit to the Malaysian education system if such a thing happens.
It will go on to show that the Malaysian education system is of international standard. Perhaps, the Malaysian government can hand out loans to tie them to serve our country. Recovering the loan after their studies is another story altogether.
Students of mediocre standard will not bother to register for multiple subjects anyway, therefore the question of an inability to cope will not arise. Limiting the number of subjects that students take for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia is not going turn our nation into a sporting nation.
Students should be allowed to take more than 10 subjects for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia but limiting it to perhaps 14 with approval from the school authorities.
Scholarships should be given to truly deserving students taking into consideration their academic and extracurricular achievements and their socioeconomic background.
There must also be a special category of scholarships akin to the President's Scholarship in Singapore where the creme de la crème will be appropriately honoured.
We should improve our student loan service and servicing system so that all the needy will have the opportunity to study as well and not be let down by the nation. This will eventually help to keep the ‘brain drain' in check and increase loyalty to the country.
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 these students a chance to achieve their dream, it will only demoralise them and they will be ever willing to fall prey to the ever expanding ‘brain drain' from our country. These students will be willing to take up foreign scholarships like the Asean scholarship and the like.
It would be interesting if the Education Ministry were to analyse the results of students who took multiple (more than 15) subjects to ascertain their performance. These students would actually be students who are above average students and who excel in the academic field plus have extracurricular activities to their credit.
The Education Ministry should remember that students who take multiple subjects are not depending solely on the Public Service Department (JPA) for scholarships. Many foreign universities and trusts, eg, the Asean Scholarship, Yale, Oxbridge, Harvard etcetera are ever willing to place them under their wings for further studies.
Some of these universities go on to finance up to 75 percent of their tuition fees to entice them to study in their varsities. It would be such an honour and credit to the Malaysian education system if such a thing happens.
It will go on to show that the Malaysian education system is of international standard. Perhaps, the Malaysian government can hand out loans to tie them to serve our country. Recovering the loan after their studies is another story altogether.
Students of mediocre standard will not bother to register for multiple subjects anyway, therefore the question of an inability to cope will not arise. Limiting the number of subjects that students take for their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia is not going turn our nation into a sporting nation.
Students should be allowed to take more than 10 subjects for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia but limiting it to perhaps 14 with approval from the school authorities.
Scholarships should be given to truly deserving students taking into consideration their academic and extracurricular achievements and their socioeconomic background.
There must also be a special category of scholarships akin to the President's Scholarship in Singapore where the creme de la crème will be appropriately honoured.
We should improve our student loan service and servicing system so that all the needy will have the opportunity to study as well and not be let down by the nation. This will eventually help to keep the ‘brain drain' in check and increase loyalty to the country.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
1Malaysia
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 spayed with chemical laced water from the police water cannons! 1Malaysia – my foot indeed!
‘“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 spayed with chemical laced water from the police water cannons! 1Malaysia – my foot indeed!
Monday, 18 January 2010
On being vegetarian….
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 was imminent. Of course, there is always two sides of the coin. The Hinayana sect, on the other hand, believe that he succumbed to mesenteric infarction which may be a common occurrence for his advanced age of 80! I digress… way off tangent...
The story of veganism is the story of the affluence of man. When a man is a beggar, he will scavenge on leftovers at the bin. Life would be blissful, a full stomach and a warm place would be Shangri-La for him. As his stature (the beggar, no longer a vagabond but has an abode) improves, he will be picky about his food. He would want his food clean and unpolluted by other people and animal’s body secretion! Later, he would long for food to be prepared in a particular fashion – Chicken ala Kiev, tikka style, Duck Peking style and the list goes on and on… He would later be “enlightened”, he will suddenly realise that he has been doing it all wrong all this while. He will have the compulsion to be a vegetarian. Then, the need to go organic and so on, and so on…
There is a thin line between ingenuity and insanity. The heights of idiosyncrasy to stay vegan took new meanings when my daughter actually refused the “roti canai” offered at the temple, assuming that egg is an essential ingredient of this Malaysian dish!
Man is an animal of convenience. He will alter rules and regulations to suit his whims and fancies. For instance, Brahmins are generally accepted as epitomes of vegetarianism. But wait a minute, Brahmins residing around the Bay of Bengal actually consume fish, and their counterpart in the Kashmir Valley enjoy mutton. On a personal note, I know of a Brahmin who likes his steak well done!
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 was imminent. Of course, there is always two sides of the coin. The Hinayana sect, on the other hand, believe that he succumbed to mesenteric infarction which may be a common occurrence for his advanced age of 80! I digress… way off tangent...
The story of veganism is the story of the affluence of man. When a man is a beggar, he will scavenge on leftovers at the bin. Life would be blissful, a full stomach and a warm place would be Shangri-La for him. As his stature (the beggar, no longer a vagabond but has an abode) improves, he will be picky about his food. He would want his food clean and unpolluted by other people and animal’s body secretion! Later, he would long for food to be prepared in a particular fashion – Chicken ala Kiev, tikka style, Duck Peking style and the list goes on and on… He would later be “enlightened”, he will suddenly realise that he has been doing it all wrong all this while. He will have the compulsion to be a vegetarian. Then, the need to go organic and so on, and so on…
There is a thin line between ingenuity and insanity. The heights of idiosyncrasy to stay vegan took new meanings when my daughter actually refused the “roti canai” offered at the temple, assuming that egg is an essential ingredient of this Malaysian dish!
Man is an animal of convenience. He will alter rules and regulations to suit his whims and fancies. For instance, Brahmins are generally accepted as epitomes of vegetarianism. But wait a minute, Brahmins residing around the Bay of Bengal actually consume fish, and their counterpart in the Kashmir Valley enjoy mutton. On a personal note, I know of a Brahmin who likes his steak well done!
Saturday, 2 January 2010
A new year...
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 even though we are doing something divine.
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 even though we are doing something divine.
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