Cravings for Malaysian food
Penang Assam Laksa
Fried Koay Teow
Prawn Mee
Lam Mee
Koay Teow Soup
Yeah, I simply love noodles and yes, I am missing homeland food very much. I must really make a plan home and eat up to my heart’s content. Been updating with friends back home lately and it really reminds me of the good old times and all the good local food we have back home. Alright, what I can do now is just to be patient till I make my next trip home back and attack all the good hawker stalls. *hehe*
Pico Projector Displays
Unlock the Big Screen Experience from Small Devices
Microvision is working with business partners to enable better viewing experiences for mobile device consumers. Sharing photos, watching movies, and giving presentations using the small screens of today’s devices limits our ability to imagine, entertain, and share.
PicoP is an ultra miniature projection module capable of producing full color, high-resolution images but small enough and low power enough to be embedded directly into an accessory pico projector that connects to mobile devices.
For manufacturers who wish to bring to market next generation accessory projectors that connect to mobile devices, Microvision provides a PicoP display engine to meet OEM requirements. PicoP display engines are engineered for OEMs and made available through our supply chain partners to meet high volume production needs.
The time has come for a total new function that will upgrade our cellphones to the next level. What would you do if you got yourself one ? Yes, fun it may seem to be but imagine the cons that comes along with this technology. Just read the following from IHT.
Watching video almost anywhere you want
Tired of hearing other people’s cellphone conversations? It may get worse. Soon you may have to watch their favorite television shows and YouTube videos, too, as they project them onto nearby walls or the seat-backs of commuter trains.
Small digital projectors are in the works. These devices, when plugged into cellphones and portable media players, will let consumers beam video content from their hand-held devices to the closest smooth surface – entertaining themselves, annoying their neighbors and possibly contributing to a new warning sign: “No Projectors in This Area.”
The microprojectors, still in prototype stages, use light-emitting diodes, lasers or a combination of the two to cast a display in darkened spaces of up to 50 or 60 inches wide, or 130 to 150 centimeters, and perhaps even wider, and of 7 to 20 inches wide when there is ambient light.
Digital projectors were once bulky. These new models are small enough to fit into the pocket of consumers who want a big-screen experience from a small-screen device. Some of the models are expected to be on the market by the end of this year, if not sooner.
Prices have yet to be announced. But Matthew Brennesholtz, an analyst at Insight Media, a marketing research firm in Norwalk, Connecticut, said he thought that the projectors would initially cost about $350, then drop quickly to less than $300.
The projectors may be particularly useful for business presentations: showing a product video to small groups, for example.
No pre-meeting coordination would be needed to arrange for a screen. Instead, a patch of wall in a cubicle or at a restaurant could serve for an impromptu presentation. In a pinch, a manila folder or even a napkin would work.
Carolina Milanesi, a research director in London for Gartner, the research firm, said she thought that the microprojectors were most likely to appeal to business travelers who, for example, could use them to beam PowerPoint shows from their smartphones.
But Milanesi is dubious about the likelihood of consumers’ using them in public, because they could so easily be read by others. “I hate it even when I am on the subway and the guy next to me is reading my paper,” she said.
The projectors will first appear as free-standing companion units to cellphones and other devices, Brennesholtz said, connected to them by standard cables. Later, the projector modules will be directly embedded in phones, as cameras are today. About 16 manufacturers are working on miniprojectors, he said.
Insight Media forecasts a substantial and fast-growing market for the technology. “We anticipate total sales of more than $2.5 billion by 2012 for the companion models,” Brennesholtz said, and $1 billion in revenue for projector modules that are integrated into cellphones and other devices.
Cellphone service providers have been a driving force behind miniprojector development, said Jinwoo Bae, business team leader for Iljin DSP, a South Korean company that is working on a prototype.
“Revenue growth from voice service is becoming saturated,” Bae said, “so telecom service providers are looking for new revenue from video content.”
Iljin DSP’s microprojector, which will be marketed and distributed by SK Telecom, a large wireless operator in South Korea, projects images that are 7 to 60 inches wide, depending on a room’s lighting; the device’s light source is a combination of lasers and LEDs. The lithium-ion battery lasts about two hours, Bae said.
The company is also building a projector engine to be incorporated in cellphones. “We need to reduce the power consumption” of the module, Bae said. “A stand-alone projector can have its own battery, but modules integrated into a mobile phone use the phone’s battery,” limiting the amount of power than can be drawn, he said.
A miniprojector engine is now being manufactured by 3M, the U.S. technology company. It will be sold within a stand-alone projector offered by Samsung this year, said Mike O’Keefe, marketing manager for 3M’s mobile projection technology. The projector, called the Samsung MBP-100, connects to devices like MP3 players that have video output capacity.
Brennesholtz, of Insight Media, was shown a model of the Iljin DSP projector at a restaurant in New York when he met with executives from the company. “I’m not sure what the other diners thought about seeing a Korean sitcom projected on the ceiling of the restaurant,” he said.
As it turned out, there was too much ambient light for the image to look good on the ceiling. “But on a napkin, or on the cover of a box,” Brennesholtz said, “it looked fine.”
Malaysia To Bloggers: Forget The Past, Let’s Be Friends
Malaysia To Bloggers: Forget The Past, Let’s Be Friends
From Blog Herald
Malaysia, a country located in the South Sea of China has decided that opposing dissenting voices just may be bad for elections.
So instead of persecuting vocal bloggers, the government of Malaysia now wants to make peace with those who shout out against it from virtual microphones.
Dropping earlier threats of arrest, the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition now says it wants to listen to dissenting voices.
The information minister, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, says he is keen to meet bloggers and build a bridge for a two-way dialogue between the government and people.
Last year, the Malaysian government had begun cracking down against bloggers in a vain attempt to keep them from embarrassing the current politicians (translation: providing opposing viewpoints).
But now that the previous government has lost a lot of its former strength, they now want to make amends with the bloggers they (at least before) held little regard for.
While the future has yet to be decided, the question remains: Should Malaysian bloggers cuddle up with their former foes, or should they look elsewhere? Hopefully history will record a wise decision regarding this government’s offer.
***
I got to know about this news from my Dad from our long chat yesterday night and he’s been warning me not to post anything political on my blog for quite some time and I did not really get the picture but I finally got to know the reason to why he was worrying. What’s wrong with raising our voice freely about what we have in our thoughts on the internet ? For heaven’s sake, it is the modern age and we know clearly what we prefer. Pure black and white when it comes to these matters. You don’t have to come and shake my hands to win my vote (though I’ve not voted before yet). You don’t have to give me free campaign T-shirts or persuade me to go waving your party flag and hear you blab about things, pretending to be all happy just for you to win your golden seat in the parliament.
Just do what you need to do as a politician (both government and opposition parties) which is to make our country a better county. We, youngsters, are clear and vivid in our mind of what we want. So, the question is no matter which one of you are ruling, how prepared are you to prepare us the country we want to have ? Pay more attention on those topics rather than behaving like a baby trying to reason out on why you had lost big or cheering up and down that you’ve got 5 states in your hand from the past election. Mr. Government, the reasons for the big lost are clear and the country has voiced out. So, win your votes with your actions. You guys should know better than coming out with silly ideas, wasteful efforts trying to win the hearts of bloggers for your next step. I am pretty disappointed reading this piece of news. A shame to what I have pride in. So, revive what I hold pride in.
Hafiz, my DJ friend
Hafiz Hatim, a growing Malaysian icon
Always been a music lover since young. Even had his own band.
His own personal posters. Not bad. *hehe*
A celebrity, that’s what he is now.
Another pleasant surprise headed my way when I got to know that my friend, Hafiz Hatim, better known as “Abe”, from secondary school as well, is currently a DJ at a rather raising popular Malaysian local radio station, namely Fly FM, (before this, introduced my talented friend, Li San, who drew fabulous sketches on guys that make her drool *hehe*). He has his own show called “Rush Hour” where he co-host with Shel, his partner. For fellow Malaysians reading this, be sure to check his show out which is on air every weekdays, 4 to 8 pm. Support him by listening in, people !
Here’s the frequency for your area and you can even listen to Fly FM online (Firefox & Internet Explorer). Abe, if you are reading this, yeah, you are featured on my blog today and yes, promoting your show as well. *hehe* My sister, who is in UM now, says that she enjoys Fly FM better than Hitz FM when I told her that you were hosting a show. Good job done, dude. Alright, I wonder which wonderful friend of mine will be featured here next ? Anyway, stay tuned.
P.S. Girls, according to my friend Li San, Hafiz is also one of CLEO’s 50 most eligible bachelors this year in the latest issue. So, vote for him okay ! Argh, he’s definitely becoming a celeb. Thumbs up, dude !
Revival of the Blue Dragon
This time, Asashōryū caught Hakuhō
Let the pictures tell you the story. This time the Blue Dragon has swallowed up the White Bird. Bravo ! Asashōryū is making a come back and this is the type of sumo we are all waiting for. Hail the revival of the Blue Dragon !
Unbelievable voices
Marié Digby
Okay, let me start off by noting down how I came to know this golden voice. Well, some of you maybe thinking, "Hey, you are slow, man !" but, hey, I'm glad that even though I did take some time to find her, finding out about her randomly as how I did was definitely better than not at all. Here goes. Well, it is nothing that outrageous, rather than that, it is pretty simple. A friend of mine at Facebook marked her as his one of his favorite singers and I, who happened not to know her at all, out of curiosity, looked through her profile on Facebook and listened to the famous fire starter cover she's done with "Rihanna - Umbrella" and the very next instant, my heart got melted and I craved to see more and indeed, she had much to offer at her personal YouTube channel. Check out the rest. I personally enjoyed the "Linkin Park - What I've done" cover, the "Britney Spears - Gimme More" cover and the "Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder" cover.
Fellow netizens, we've seen again on how the power of internet turned a nobody like Marié into a star loved by many. Spread out the word and let's support her by buying her album when it's out. Can't wait for it to arrive here in Japan. Anyway, she's the daughter of a Japanese mother and Irish-American father. She plays the piano since she was a toddler and the guitar as well, amazing talent. A multi-talented singer songwriter which is definitely going to make the splash with her debut album. Her grandparents are in Kumamoto and that's one common thing we have together. The video clip where she introduced Suizenji-koen was something unexpected but amazing to see how people are linked up somehow.
P.S. Marié, do come and make live concerts here in Japan. I bet many of us here will love you and yeah, please do consider writing up some Japanese songs because that would something awesome. Or even perhaps doing some cover songs of the popular songs here in Japan. I definitely would love to see you covering up Utada Hikaru and Sheena Ringo. They are my top two favorites. And, yeah, doing some tie-up with the current great singers would be fantastic and a cover album of all your favorite songs would another masterpiece I would cherish. Two thumbs up !
David Archuleta
Next, the voice that I have in line is one of the famous voices on American Idol Season 7. I am no fan of the American Idol show and never ever did actually saw the TV program before but when I heard David A's voice singing my all time favorite song "Imagine" by John Lennon, I thought, "Wow, never did think anyone can do it as well as John himself." I came to know about David Archuleta because I was checking out who David Cook was since Li San, another talented friend of mine, drew an amazing portrait of him. Check out the sketch in my past few previous posts. Li San, David Cook is also a good singer I must say but this young boy is definitely a true talent. It's fun to see who would win the race. For the rest of you, you should check out on how he sang "Falling" by Alicia Keys when he was just 11. Amazing voice box.
Since he's a mormon, now I see how he learned how to sing a song beautifully, with the soulful voice that he has. But, I am glad his parents allows him to perform on stage like that because many mormon families here in Japan do not allow their children to glow as how they should be according to my experiences with some of the Japanese mormon friends I have here. Hate when they come ringing the door bells and trying to lecture you about the Bible. It's not right to force others to believe in something like that. Instead of spreading it the right way, you are just making a bad image of yourself. Although I have faith in Christianity myself, I want to be liberal in my religious thoughts and I think I am going a bit off the track here right now, anyway, David Archuleta's voice is fabulous. Amazes me all the time each time I hear his singings on YouTube. Check him out and also the other unbelievable voices on American Idol as well. Got to know about Taylor Hicks and he was amazing too. The famous Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Daughtry, the alumni of this show who had proved themselves in the world of entertainment and thumbs up for their hard work !
The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars
The 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars
From Forbes.com
1. LeBron James
How much ? $27 million. Born on December 30th 1984. King James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first conference title ever this year. When not on the court, James oversees construction of his 35,000-square-foot home outside of Cleveland, which includes a bowling alley, casino and barber shop. This year the cycling aficionado also acquired a minority stake in Cannondale, manufacturer of high-performance bicycles.
2. Reggie Bush
How much ? $24 million. Born on March 2nd 1985. Bush entered the NFL last year with a Heisman Trophy and a scintillating game that had companies lining up to have him sponsor their products. Deals with Adidas, Subway, Pepsi and EA Sports net Bush $5 million annually. His big money comes from his contract with the New Orleans Saints, spanning six years and worth as much as $62 million. Last year Bush earned $19 million in base salary and bonuses from the deal.
3. Maria Sharapova
How much ? $23 million. Born on April 19th 1987. Tennis’ “It” girl struggled with injuries in 2007, winning only one tournament and banking $1.7 million on the court. That’s down from five tourney wins and $3.8 million in prize money the previous year. Not to worry, Sharapova’s endorsement portfolio is one of the strongest in sports. This year she added Pepsi as a sponsor to an already impressive roster that includes Nike, Canon, Colgate-Palmolive and Motorola.
4. Michelle Wie
How much ? $19 million. Born on October 11th 1989. Wie showed incredible promise in 2006, finishing in the top five in three of the four Grand Slam events. The only other golfer to do that: Tiger Woods. But this year injuries often kept the 17-year-old wunderkind off the course. In the fall, she enrolled at Stanford where she is not eligible to play on the golf team because of her professional status. With endorsement deals worth $16 million a year, she shouldn’t have a problem with the university’s $33,000 annual tuition.
5. Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen
How much ? $17 million each. Born on June 13th 1986. The petite twins lord over Dualstar, the largest star-driven ‘tween merchandising empire on the planet outside of Disney. Mary-Kate and Ashley merchandise retails at Wal-Mart; their new high-end Elizabeth & James sportswear is available at Neiman Marcus. Not that the twins have given up acting. Mary-Kate has an extended role on Showtime’s Weeds, and generated headlines for her on-camera kiss with Ben Kingsley in the Sundance film The Wackness. Ashley is filming The Informers with Winona Ryder.
6. Daniel Radcliffe
How much ? $15 million. Born on July 23rd 1989. Better known as the title character of the Harry Potter film franchise, Radcliffe generated a media frenzy this year after he appeared onstage nude in a West End revival of Equus. The fifth Potter film, this summer’s The Order of the Phoenix, grossed $938 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of the year. Since his 2001 foray into wizardry at age 12, both Radcliffe and his paycheck have matured remarkably. The actor was offered a reported $145,000 for The Sorcerer’s Stone six years ago. His most recent role earned an estimated $14 million.
7. Hilary Duff
How much ? $12 million. Born on September 28th 1987. The pop star-actress-’tween merchandise mogul has replaced the Olsen Twins as your teenage daughter’s favorite. Her Stuff by Hilary Duff line of apparel and accessories is sold at Kohl’s, Target and Claire’s. Duff also licenses her name to footwear company Candie’s and Electronic Arts, which made her a character in the Sims videogame franchise. In April, she released her sixth studio album, Dignity, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard pop charts. Look for her in next spring’s action flick War, Inc., opposite John Cusack.
8. Avril Lavigne
How much ? $12 million. Born on September 27th 1984. The decidedly less-sullen Canadian songstress released her third album, The Best Damn Thing, in April; to date the Billboard-topping album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. And in a nod to the value of the international music market, “Girlfriend,” the album’s catchy first single, was recorded in seven additional languages, including Mandarin and German. The video for that song is the second most-watched video in history on YouTube.com.
9. Carmelo Anthony
How much ? $10 million. Born on May 29th 1984. Anthony took his game to a new level last season as he finished second in the NBA in scoring to Kobe Bryant. He averaged career highs in points, assists, rebounds and steals. This year Anthony kicked off a five-year, $80 million contract with the Denver Nuggets that he signed in the summer of 2006. His biggest endorsement deal is a six-year contract he signed with Nike when he entered the league in 2003, worth $3 million annually.
10. Keira Knightley
How much ? $9 million. Born on March 26th 1985. Knightley became a bona fide star as a result of her role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, though she wasn’t paid like one. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer locked her in to the first two films at scale; Knightley finally finagled a raise, to $5 million, for this summer’s At World’s End. The new face of Chanel, Knightley recently wrapped filming on The Edge of Love, about poet Dylan Thomas’ lovers, with Sienna Miller. In May Knightley won a $6,000 libel award against The Daily Mail after the British paper insinuated the reed-thin actress was anorexic.
Well, I’ve just only listed up the Top 10 here on my blog. If you want to know the rest, go to the link here. You can roughly get the picture already on how much these youngsters are earning. All the 20 of them are way younger than I am but they are earning like millions and millions of dollars already at such an age. Looking at the sum makes me wonder what the heck am I doing not earning a single penny yet ? But, of course, I do realize all the many differences I have when comparing with these 20 young kids. First of all, the talents these world icons have that I don’t. Many of them are professionals in the areas of sports or perhaps in the area of entertainment. Celebrities, ranging from singers to the popular faces of Hollywood.
Next, looks that they have that I don’t. Well, we all have to agree that we prefer seeing beauty and more beauty only on TV. I am not going to comment much on my looks. *hmph* Last of all, the environment they are blessed with that I am not. All of them have something in common, they were born in the right environment at the right time with the right conditions that allowed them to walk up the money ladder even life is filled with randomness. Oh well, I guess I just need to do with what I have now and also with what I can do and start earning when I do start working from next year onwards. Thanks to the government and SATO, I am currently living quite an easy life without having much to worry, especially about my tuition fees and daily expenses for my higher education here in Japan. I guess I should be thankful enough with what I am given and work on towards the next phase. Will I able to earn millions of dollars ? Well, that we will have to see from now on.
P.S. My junior, Ben, added that the job that these people is “high risk – high return” for they are always in the limelight, the center of attraction. Anyway, for sportsmen, if they get some real serious injury, that would end their career and perhaps at the same time, they have to suffer for the rest of their lives. As for celebrities, we can learn a lot from the Princess Diana incident where paparazzis are always swarming trying to get valuable shots of you wherever you go. This equals to no privacy at all in return of the big lump sum of money you get. Anyway, we are not sure whether that Diana actually passed away in an accident or somebody big in the palace just wanted her to go for her so-called “unforgivable deeds”. Anyway, she was a great lady and may her soul rest in peace. If you have any say regarding this, I welcome all of them. Peace.
Zock On !
Zock On !
Am in the mood for some funky music. Teriyaki Boyz in da house, people ! Enjoy Zock On! feat. Pharrell William & Busta Rhymes. A cool promotion video directed by Nigo. This is definitely one good piece of work. Get it goin’ people ! Simple love the part, “Yabame na baby, zock on! zock on!” Here are the lyrics below (not including Busta Rhymes’s rapping tho’). By the way, the pretty lady in the clip is a popular model here in Japan and her name is Jessica Michibata (mixture of Spanish, Italian and Japanese).
VERBAL
You want that?
She want that?
They want that?
Who want that?
Come get a little bit of this and a little bit of that
if you want a bit of this なら AH AH
言いたくて、言えなくて 良い作戦 見つかんなくて
Come get a little bit of this and a little bit of that
if you want a bit of this なら AH AH
ヤバメなbaby ヤバメなブレイクビーツ
今夜が山なら ラバダバ エントリー
テクニック 必要とあらばテクニクス
喰い気味に cut クイックリリース
あの娘は面食い おねだり SEXY
男の出る杭 グっと来る Come on！
ボッコボッコに 打ちのめされても
I want you baby ZOCK ON！
どうしてみても 無理そうなタイミング
どう転んでも 彼女は遮る
どうにもダメだから 引いてみた
でも引いたら それが 最後だった
脳天ビリビリ Just say give me give me
このテンションを保ってる ギリギリ
煩悩の数だけ 僕 浮かれ気味
チャンチャラチャンチャン、ZOCK ON！
KAWAII BABY！
GIGANTO！（ZOCK ON！）
MO-DAIMONDAI！
GIGANTO！(ZOCK ON！)
YABAMENA BABY！
GIGANTO！(ZOCK ON!)
だから Let’s Rock-on！Gimme some more Gimme some more
ダンスフロア直行 みんな ルーズコントロール
だから Let’s Rock-on！Gimme some more Baby come on
Baselineに またがり Booty shakin’！
いつ見ても変幻自在 これは事件だ 緊急事態
Thick ass thighs, I’m diggin your style
今夜こそ まじ触れてみたい (お願い！）
Big fat smile に 騙された天使
今宵も ふくらむ期待 (ア～イ！)
放し飼いの犬みたいにどこでも
ベロ出して すぐに ぺ～ロぺ～ロ
勘違いする KY
うざがり カード切り捨てる Like a セロ(ファイト！）
パンクラスからプライドまで
異種格闘技みたく 喰らいついて
離れないよ Your body like dynamite,
I ain’t letting you go tonight！
KAWAII BABY！
GIGANTO！（ZOCK ON！）
MO-DAIMONDAI！
GIGANTO！(ZOCK ON！)
YABAMENA BABY！
GIGANTO！(ZOCK ON!)
You want that? She want that?
They want that? Who want that?
Utada Hikaru’s Latest Album : “Heart Station”
Presenting “Heart Station”
It’s officially out ! Hikki’s latest album. I love the new design of her official website. Visit here to see it for yourself. The title of her newest album is the same title for one of her newest single, “Heart Station”. For this album, it is filled with many of her pretty new sensational music and pretty pop-ish, something different when compared to her past albums. I’ve always enjoyed the changes, all fresh and you really need to “digest” by listening a lot, to love her songs. Can’t wait to get my hands on it. Thanks Hikki and keep up the good work ! Love your music very much. Peace !
My home country, Malaysia
Malaysia opposition set to rule in five states
KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition parties were getting ready to take power in five of Malaysia’s 13 states on Tuesday, putting the country in uncharted waters with the government facing real competition for the first time.
A government led by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), backed mainly be the ethnic Chinese minority, was sworn into office on Tuesday in the industrial hub state of Penang in a quiet ceremony witnessed by sombre-looking civil servants who have only ever worked for the long-ruling National Front coalition.
The strongly Islamist Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) will lead or share power in four states, including three — Kedah, Perak and Kelantan — that share borders with Thailand, which has been battling an Islamic insurgency with historical links to Malaysia.
PAS and the DAP have vowed to review federal projects on the drawing board in their areas, but said would not stand in the way of projects that were already approved and were beneficial to the people, and have warned they would not tolerate cronyism.
Malaysia’s politics of patronage, whereby state contracts are given to businesses aligned with ruling-party interests, has nurtured a powerful political-business establishment whereby contracts are often awarded without open, competitive tenders.
The Edge Financial Daily said in an editorial on Tuesday that was a major factor in Saturday’s election, which handed the ruling National Front its worst electoral setback in history.
“Indeed, one can say that one reason why the people voted so strongly for the opposition in the elections is to send a message that they have had enough of political cronyism and awards of contracts and deals to politically connected companies.
DEAD CAT BOUNCE
The prospect that this nexus could be cut, and the possibility of policy gridlock now that the National Front has lost its iron-clad two-thirds majority in parliament and faces strong opposition in heartland states, has spooked the markets.
Malaysian shares plunged 9.5 percent on Monday, wiping out some $30 billion in market capitalisation, probably the biggest single-day loss in the market’s history.
Stocks had rebounded nearly 3 percent by 0300 GMT, but analysts saw it as a short-lived reprieve. “It’s a dead cat’s bounce,” said Kenny Yee, research head at OSK Investment Bank. “Certainly our market will be undergoing lengthy consolidation.”
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s National Front will be undergoing consolidation as well in the days to come.
He has a tricky task ahead in fending off leadership challenges, especially with his UMNO party — the dominant coalition partner — set to hold leadership elections in June.
He will also need to fill gaping holes in his Cabinet — four ministers lost seats in the weekend election, including Works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the head of the main Indian party in the coalition, who lost his seat in the weekend debacle.
The winning opposition parties have a delicate task ahead as well. The Chinese-dominated DAP has long harboured deep suspicions about the Islamist agenda of PAS, which advocates Islamic law for Muslims, including punishments such as stoning and amputations.
The DAP, PAS and the People’s Justice party of former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim were still hammering out their power-sharing arrangements on Tuesday in Kedah, Perak and central Selangor state in the first test of how well they will govern.
PAS kept power in Kelantan state and its government was due to be sworn-in on Tuesday evening.
A protest vote from ethnic Chinese and Indians, upset over what they saw as racial inequality in terms of business, job and education opportunities, had been expected in Saturday’s poll.
But Malays, who are all Muslims and traditionally support the National Front, completed a perfect storm for the government, giving PAS a record vote to protest against rising prices.
Without a two-thirds majority, Abdullah’s Front can no longer change the constitution or make some key appointments.
***
Malay demonstration highlights ethnic tension
PENANG, Malaysia: Chanting “Long Live the Malays!” several hundred members of Malaysia’s largest ethnic group gathered Friday on this largely Chinese island, defying a police ban on protests and raising communal tensions in the aftermath of sharp electoral losses by the country’s governing party.
Rapid moves by newly elected state governments to abolish some of the long-held privileges of ethnic Malays have challenged the core of Malaysia’s ethnic-based political system and inflamed the sensibilities of Malays, who until the March 8 elections thoroughly dominated politics through the country’s largest party, the United Malays National Organization, or UMNO.
The opposition parties that beat UMNO and its partners in five states say affirmative action should be based on need rather than ethnicity. But the opposition, too, is struggling to contain fissures along ethnic lines as a Chinese opposition party competes with its Malay counterpart.
“We’re living in very sensitive times,” said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Center for Public Policy Studies, an independent research center in Kuala Lumpur.
The affirmative action program favoring the Malays has been in place for more than three and a half decades and gives Malays everything from discounts on new houses to 30 percent quotas in initial public offerings of companies. It is known as the New Economic Policy.
“The term is very emotive,” Yeoh said. “I don’t think many people have bothered to investigate the details of the policy itself. But it’s an affirmation of their identity in the country, of their significance and their worth.”
Demonstrators here, who were dispersed by the riot police, chanted “Allah Akhbar!” – God is great! – and vowed to return for future protests.
“This will continue,” said Nasarudin bin Mat Nor, a 70-year-old retired schoolteacher who took part in the protest. “If there is no help for the Malays they will get poorer.”
Malaysians are split as much along religious lines as ethnic, with Muslim Malays governed by a separate legal system. The protest Friday immediately followed Friday prayers at a nearby mosque.
The election results showed that the Malays themselves are split between educated, wealthy and often urban Malays and poorer families living in the countryside.
“UMNO is going to go through some sort of consolidation,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, an independent polling agency. “A lot of people are looking for someone to take the fall for the results.”
For the first time since independence from Britain in 1957 the governing coalition has lost control of Malaysia’s largest and wealthiest states, including Penang, Selangor and Perak. The National Front coalition won 51 percent of the popular vote and just over 60 percent of the seats in the federal Parliament, down from 90 percent in the 2004 elections.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has vowed to stay on but is coming under increasing pressure to quit. On Friday, Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of the former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, openly called for Abdullah to step down.
Abdullah came to power in 2003 promising to sweep away pervasive corruption and make government more accountable. But a series of scandals, rising prices and protests by ethnic Indians over religious freedom and income inequality caused his popularity to plummet.
Mainstream newspapers here, which are mostly controlled by Abdullah’s party and its partners, have emphasized squabbling among opposition leaders as they take control of state governments. A swearing-in ceremony Thursday was delayed when the parties could not agree who should fill the top government post in Perak.
“This is a process of coalition forming that is part of democracy,” Tian Chua, the spokesman of the People’s Justice Party, told Reuters on Friday. “We are learning it.”
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Malaysia prime minister rejects
calls to resign amid rare political turmoil
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia’s prime minister has rejected calls for him to resign, claiming he won a “strong” mandate in elections that gave the opposition its biggest gains in the country’s history.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi acknowledged that support for his National Front coalition had plunged in last week’s elections from 91 percent of the parliamentary seats to 63 percent or 140 seats in the 222-member chamber.
Still, the ruling coalition managed to get a “strong majority,” just eight short of two-thirds of the seats, Abdullah said in an interview late Friday on state television.
“This is still a mandate given to me. I will not run away from my responsibility to carry out the wishes of the people,” he said.
Abdullah’s comments came after the son of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad asked Abdullah to resign to take responsibility for the election debacle.
Besides the decline in Parliament, the National Front also lost elections for legislatures in an unprecedented five of Malaysia’s 13 states.
The results “sent a sufficiently clear message regarding the people’s rejection of (you) as the country’s leader,” Mukhriz Mahathir, a government lawmaker, said in a letter sent to Abdullah on Thursday. It was made public Friday.
Abdullah said he has the full backing of members of his ruling United Malays National Organization, which forms the foundation of the National Front, and will let UMNO youth take action against Mukhriz.
However, he said he accepted that the vote signaled people were dissatisfied and wanted change. He said ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities were unhappy with the implementation of development plans.
“Whatever I can do I will do,” Abdullah said. “I will focus on the implementation and rectify weaknesses to ensure fair distribution for all races.”
But it was clear that the unexpected election results were causing tensions. In the first sign of partisan tensions after the polls, boisterous about 300 UMNO members protested Friday outside the state government office in the Chinese-majority Penang state.
Chanting “Long Live Malays,” they demanded that the newly installed Penang government, now controlled by the Chinese-dominated opposition Democratic Action Party, retain a decades-old affirmative action program for majority Malays. They dispersed after an hour when police arrived.
In Selangor state, about 60 UMNO members demonstrated near the Selangor chief minister’s office, demanding the state government not meddle with the NEP. They dispersed after 20 minutes upon seeing police vehicles.
Abdullah accused the opposition of instigating the Malays.
The government has tried to nurture harmony among the three races since ethnic riots in 1969 that killed more than 200 people. But ethnic Chinese and Indians have voiced growing fears in recent years that they receive second-class treatment. The minority disenchantment was a major reason for the National Front’s losses.
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Perhaps it is high time we all think about how we should provide financial help in our country. Giving help is fine but it is definitely not a method to keep a sustainable development in our country. By simply giving money just like that, I think we will only spoil and pamper our people and I don’t care whatever the race or ethnicity they maybe. Yes, there should be a basic sum of funding to the poor but not in a way that we should say, “You are a Malay, you get this amount. You are a Chinese, you get this amount. You are an Indian, you get this amount.”
Providing work in equal terms would be a far much better choice for a sustainable development. When people learn to work, they then only will be able to live with pride and learn that by with strong and eager will, they are able to seek a chance to go higher if they yearn to do so. If we continue to just throw in lump sum of money, we are not nurturing the people but we are just telling them, be satisfied with what you are and as long as you ask, we will give. It’s time to change and we all should have the freedom to voice what we have in mind. Towards a better country, I believe that all actions taken and seen now will lead us to there.
Li San, my talented friend
David Cook
Jared Leto
James Marsden
Choong Li San, my friend from secondary school, definitely knows how to sketch. I did not realize about her talents till like today, like right just now, when I saw the masterpieces above at her Facebook profile. She’s uploading her works and fixing her other sketches for public view at devianART. So visit here to see more ! Am glad I have super-talented friends. Bravo, Li San. Keep up the good work ! You’ll get somebody to buy them in the future ! *hehe*
