Peter Platter, how is the weather?

Sepp Blatter the survivor?
Sometimes one wonders who is right and what is wrong any more. Is there a divine power up there righting the wrong and otherwise, anymore?
So much of bad publicity has been given about the biggest football governing body of late of scandals, corruption and manipulation. The elections still went on as usual. The incumbent clung on to throne even after 8 years, in spite of the alleged misdoings, the competitors to the throne essentially put in cold storage and are outcast as a pariah. And it is business as usual. The victor, the 75 year old Sepp Blatter, promises of putting the house in order whilst in the same breath denied any money politics in the body's dealings of which which he was the boss for 8 years. If the house is already in order, then why bother to clean it up? Unless you have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), that is!
Of course nobody knows where the real truth lies. I guess it must be somewhere in between.
That reminds me of a somebody who denied having sexual intimacy but admitted being gratified, well, orally which was not (in his books) sex! And he survived that and had come out smelling of roses as a come back boy and a peace maker in the international arena presently.
Maybe it is my distorted view of reality or unfulfilled childhood dreams, I always taught that a leader is a model of whom his followers or subjects will try to emulate and behave. He sets the gold standard how one should act. The land owners' wives in ancient Egypt used to dress up like Cleopatra as she was their role model. When Madonna told the world that it was cool to flaunt your assets in a laced brassiere in the 80s, it caught like bush fire!
On the hand, there are people out there just to get you if you are rich and famous. Imagine an intern who decided to immortalize the special moment by preserving malodorous musky wild-oat sowed stained blue dress just in case she might need to used at the time of need for Deoxyribonucleio acid evidence. How convenient?
Hey, Big Guy, what are  waiting for? Show me a sign! You already have and I don't see it, you say?

Rifle Range flats — a living heritage

The Star - Thursday June 2, 2011.

RIFLE Range or Phak Cheng Por in Hokkien may not be the most sought-after address in Penang.
Yet it represents what some see as a vibrant, living heritage where long-time residents know each other by name and possess a strong sense of belonging seldom seen elsewhere.
Back in the early 70s, the nine blocks of 17 and 18-storey flats was trumpeted as the tallest buildings in Penang. And certainly the pride of those who lived there.
Liew Yeow Hooi, for instance, recalled playing buah guli (marbles) on the dirt road with his cousins.
“It was red earth then, not tarred like what you see now,” reminisced the 42-year-old, whose father was among the early settlers.
Fast forward to 21st century Penang, the residents are still a contented lot.
Many appeared unfazed by talk of an urban renewal project for the congested, rundown flats in Air Itam.
All they want are better parking, a cleaner environment, working lifts and the blocks repainted.
“No need to demolish or do any major upgrading,” said Liew matter-of-factly.
However, he got a little hot under the collar when talking about the state government’s plan to repaint the blocks.
“In 2008, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim promised to repaint Rifle Range within a month if Pakatan Rakyat came into power.
“Then recently — after two years of coming into power — the state government wanted us to bear 20% of the repainting cost which would come up to about RM105 per household.
“Why should we when it’s the government’s responsibility? Furthermore, it was an election promise — I still have the DVD of the ceramah,” he added.
Liew complained that in the evenings when the garbage trucks come by, the stench was unbearable to the point that having dinner was impossible.
“Even a simple problem like cleanliness remains unsolved to this day,” he grumbled.
Mary Chan, 55, agreed.
“Residents don’t dare park their cars near the blocks for fear of soiled sanitary napkins, faeces wrapped in newspaper or urine in plastic bags being dropped down on their vehicles.
“Drug pushers are also a common sight and the lifts are always breaking down.
“Solve these problems first before you talk about redeveloping Rifle Range,” said Chan, who has been renting a two-bedroom unit there for the last eight years.
Despite her grouses, Chan can’t imagine living elsewhere and has applied to purchase a unit for several years without success. She has been paying RM350 for monthly rental.
Quah Lean Sim, 74, described living here as hong pien (convenient in Hokkien) and has no plans to move out.
“I have been here for 40 years and am happy.The only thing I would like to see is the state government cleaning up the filth,” she said.
Penang Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Redha) chairman Datuk Jerry Chan drew criticism recently when he proposed that Rifle Range and other old low-cost flats be redeveloped.
He suggested tearing down the buildings and rebuilding them with more rooms and better amenities.
Teoh Ah Tee, 70, said the residents were not demanding and just wanted a fresh coat of paint for their homes.
“Even if the blocks were demolished, I won’t live to see my new home, so what’s the point?”
Retired army man Khoo Kar Beng, 70, said he bought his one-bedroom unit for about RM8,000 at a time when few wanted to live here.
“My block was virtually empty when I moved in. I was among the pioneer dwellers here.
“Repainting is good but don’t expect us to pay for it,” he said.
A reader, Ang Chui Hong, who wrote to The Star recently, urged the state government to conserve, rejuvenate and rehabilitate Rifle Range just like it had done with the heritage buildings in George Town.
“Rifle Range is a lively and vibrant piece of living heritage.
“Like many other families that have lived here for generations, I urge (the state government) not to demolish these blocks.
“The Rifle Range scheme is different from other housing developments. Residents here have a sense of belonging — everyone knows each other if not by their real names, then by their nicknames.
“Our doors are always wide open, except at nights when we sleep. It’s a safe place to stay,” Ang said.
Back in the 1970s, maintenance was only RM15 a month. Residents who paid RM30 monthly under the hire-purchase scheme for 30 years, would end up owning the unit.
“It was a sewa-beli (hire-purchase) concept. Where can you get a roof over your head at such a cheap price?
“It was a good deal. The market, post office, hawker stalls and bus stops were right at our doorsteps,” he said, adding that a unit now could sell for between RM30,000 and RM40,000.
After four decades since it was built, most second generation Rifle Range dwellers have shifted out, while their elderly parents refused to budge.
“It’s ironic but here we have the old and the very young. The middle-age residents have moved out but still bring the kids to their grandparents’ place regularly.
“In the afternoons, you can see the old folks with their grandkids running around,” he added.

Civilized Pressure!

Shoo the shoes!

Seeing slippers around the corridor of the
apartment reminded me of RRF. It used to be the
kids' pastime to kick somebody's (especially your
enemy's) slipper off the balcony to see whether
it lands on passer-by's head

Just the other day, I found myself invited to a Belgian friend's friend's house. After finishing their contract in Malaysia, they were heading home sweet home. They came in as a newlywed couple and they were returning with a newly born baby of a month old! Why I got invited? As the couple had 'gate-crashed' into my Deepavali open house celebrations before, they felt morally obliged to invite us (me and wifey) to this predominantly Belgian crowd filled farewell cum baby Mats' 1 month celebrations.
Now, why am I ranting about a baby's celebration?
After getting trapped in the maze of parking lot which had all exits (stairs and lifts) needing authority card to swipe for its usage, I finally made it to the couple's doorstep in one piece with the the help of an apologetic foreign guard who could barely speak English. That's high-end condo living for you - trapped in a virtual prison at the mercy of foreign guards.
When I finally reached the unit on the 26th floor, I was surprised to find shoes all arranged outside the house. Hey! I thought it is an Asiatic practice to enter a home without one's shoes and barefoot. Well, they have a newborn and walking in with the shoes seem unhealthy with all the bugs that accompany our footwear. Malaysia is a tropical country making it a fertile ground for moulds, insects and protozoans to propagate the year round.Our footwear makes a perfect conduit for these pests to infiltrate into our homes. In template climates, toes may get too cold for comfort and chill from the floor may literally seep to the bone, making it imperative for one to wear their footwear.

As slippers are traditionally seen as a dirty objects,
here Pakistanis are rejoicing when George W Bush
had a shoe thrown at him. Even though, footwear are
seen as low in the hierarchy of orders, paradoxically
only the rich could wear them in ancient times.

Interestingly, I have attended many functions hosted by affluent Malaysians that I know (where Caucasians are in the list of invitees) where the hosts insist that I walk into the house with my shoes. Asians think that moving up the ladder means walking with your shoes into your house.
At one time, when you run, you wear shoes. Research by footwear companies (?coincidental) made our feet well padded and cushioned to make our runs comfortable and to prevent immediate and future injuries (so they said). It has now taken a full circle. Now runners are advocating barefoot running just like our cavemen ancestors did as it develops all the intrinsic muscles of the foot and leg!

High achievers PSD scholarship dreams dashed

Malaysiakini

S Pathmawathy
May 26, 11
9:49am

Every year, we hear stories of high achievers not being able to secure government scholarships to pursue the courses of their choice despite fulfilling the necessary requirements.
Heamanthaa Padmanaban was among those had suffered this setback to follow her ambition to study medicine abroad and also did not qualify to take up a course in biotechnology locally.
The 17-year-old from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, scored 9A+ and 1A in last year's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations and was an all-rounder in extra-curricular activities.
"I qualified for cross-country runs and played hockey at state level, and was a schools champion in chess and badminton.
"In April last year I was among those chosen to participate in the Malaysia-America Soccer Exchange programme with 12 other women," Heamanthaa (right) said told Malaysiakini.
All these, besides her academic qualification, were means to secure a Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship to achieve her dream of becoming a doctor.
"I got the letter from PSD on May 13 and when I saw it I was happy thinking I must have qualified.
"After reading the contents of the letter I felt as if all my efforts and everything I had strived for had shattered.
"I cried and when I told my mum about it she broke down crying, too, she couldn't take it," she recounted.
Instead of an opportunity to study medicine or biotechnology, the petite and athletic looking Heamanthaa was offered a Diploma course in English at University Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
"If it was my ambition to teach English, I would have taken up the offer but I want to be a doctor. It doesn't make sense," she said.

'I believed in the govt'
Although disappointed, she has appealed for an alternative offer as she is determined to become a doctor, specialising in oncology.
But without a scholarship, Heamanthaa's chances of achieving her dream are bleak as her family may not be able to sustain and fund her tertiary education if she decides to pursue medicine privately.
Her father deals in health products and her mother is a primary school teacher while her younger brother is in Form 4.
"Private institutions have offered scholarships but they are only enough to pay tuition fees. I worked hard to study overseas and I believed in the government's word that students with 9A+ will be given scholarships and also to study the courses of their choice," said Heamanthaa.
In July last year, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had announced that PSD scholarships would be awarded to all students, regardless of ethnicity, who managed to score 9As or higher, for either local or overseas studies.
On May 4, the cabinet decided that all students who scored 8As and above in the SPM would be eligible for PSD scholarships and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Aziz reiterated that the promise will be kept.
Later, Nazri had rubbished Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong's allegations of malpractice in the PSD's selection of scholarship recipients.
The minister also said the PSD's focus includes medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, science and technology and several areas under social sciences.
"Two of my peers were offered medicine, one at a medical college in New Zealand and another at the International Medical University (IMU).
"We all got more less the same grades but why didn't I get any such offers? I want to do medicine and it is one of the critical courses under PSD," said Heamanthaa.

'Think about our feelings'
She related that during her 45-minute interview with four PSD panel members on April 13, she was asked several perplexing questions.
"They asked me why doctors don't want to work in rural areas; why PSD scholars don't want to come back to the country to work; and what inspires me to be successful.
In PSD's merit category - 85 percent is based on academic excellence, 10 percent on co-curricular activities and five percent on the interview.
Heamanthaa's father Padmanaban (right in photo) opined that it is unlikely for his daughter to fail her PSD interview, as she had received good remarks from the US Embassy visa approval officer when she attended an interview last year.
At a press conference yesterday, Heamanthaa said she had appealed to MCA and MIC as well as to several NGOs.
"Please give it to those who are worthy, that's all I ask, give scholarships to all those who deserve them," she added.
Imagine the anguish when their applications are rejected or not offered the courses they want, she said.
Another who suffered the same fate as Heamanthaa was Chair Sheng Min from SMK St Joseph in Kuching, Sarawak who obtained 10As, who said that he was only offered a scholarship to study engineering at Universiti Technology Petronas, while his two friends with 4As and 5As respectively were awarded scholarships to pursue science degrees in the United States.
"I hope this doesn't get repeated again in the coming years and the issue is addressed once and for all," Hemanthaa said.