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(peng’s note: This post is entirely a fictional creation of peng. Any similarities to anyone or any event is purely coincidental and I will not be responsible for readers whose imagination run wild!)
Take some humor with you when you retreat for the weekend. After all, animals say the funniest things! Have a good weekend!
One shy, sagacious, scintillating, sharp, supportive blogging buddy from the east.. (who do not wish to be credited, that’s why I am dropping so many hints here! 
) edited the 5 pictures in my ‘What are you‘ post to YouTube.
Enjoy viewing ‘What are you’ in a different format! Thanks to ‘he who cannot be named’. 
We feel helpless when we read of unfavorable court decisions. When we receive bad news. When we are confronted with threatening actions. When things are not certain.
I am in a helpless situation now. My father, hospitalized since last Wednesday, has recovered from his fall injuries but he is still admitted due to a condition not caused by the fall he had earlier. He went for another round of scan or scope, or whatever they call the procedure to look inside his body. Am I to do nothing and just leave the matter to the doctors, since medicine is not my field? Should I be in a state of denial instead, the solution is to ignore the issue? Am I to worry and fear for his health, yet keep quiet about it and not show my emotions? Of course the choice is mine, absolutely mine alone to make. What I should do. Seems like I am not out of options, right? But this post is not about my father and my options.
Let’s look at another scenario. You read of people being put away for reasons to protect the sanity of the people and the security of the nation, for example for making fake ICs. Without a trial in court. You think this is not right. What should you do? Deny there’s any infringement of human rights, better to mind your own business? Complain within the confines of your home? Write a letter to a person you think who could help, to speak your mind? Be participative to show your disagreement? Or keep quiet and do nothing about it? Doing nothing is watching the families of these people under detention suffer. Doing nothing is making it possible for others to be put away under the same law.
Now let’s look at what a holocaust survivor has to say about doing nothing… I borrow these passages from Daphne’s post on Auschwitz: Revisited.
These are excerpts of a speech by Dr. Eva Olsson, a guest speaker in Daphe’s University in Canada;
“The worst thing to have are bystanders. Bystanders are never innocent. Not doing anything is a choice. Remaining silent is as much as condoning it“
For many years, I kept quiet because I was afraid. I was in denial. I was afraid that if I spoke about it, it will happen again. BUT the grass will grow again. We must not forget the past, because otherwise, history will repeat itself. And we will never move on“
And the purpose of my living now is to bring awareness. As for all of you, what example would you live behind? Because the only thing worth keeping is what we have to give away, and that is our love..”
Do you love yourself and your family? Do you love your fellow countrymen? Do you love your nation?
If you do, you are not out of options to do the right thing. Join us to light a candle. Oh well, candles are prohibited. What the heck, a torch light would do. And your presence would do!
This is the finale. I saved the best for the last. And I would like to think most of us are these…
The questions continue … are you any of these?
(to be continued)
I am in the mood for some soul searching. As skin has many layers, so does face has many sides. What are you really? The torch bearer, the foot soldier, the fence sitter, the wet blanket, the critic or any of these?
(to be continued)
(peng’s note: This post is entirely a fictional creation of peng. Any similarities to anyone or any event is purely coincidental and I will not be responsible for readers whose imagination run wild!)
(peng’s note: This post is entirely a fictional creation of peng. Any similarities to anyone or any event is purely coincidental and I will not be responsible for readers whose imagination run wild!)
It has been an exhausting week, personally and on the blog front. Let us forget about our pains and hurts, our anxieties and worries for now. Let’s laugh at these animals talking…
peng’s note: I know, I did say I needed that Kit Kat but I cannot let this one go without taking a swipe. Anyway, it’s therapeutic!
This is a good article by Ng Boon Hooi for the Nut Graph.
The title is aptly placed as ‘BN’s Power Play’. He wrote about how the non-Umno component parties made ‘feeble’ attempts to challenge certain government policies. You will see who is the brave one, who is the ‘penakut’ (coward and lame duck) and who is the ‘tuan’.
Here are some key points that I wish to highlight (please read the whole article here)
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MCA’s shadow play … a brave outing with a cowardly end?
During the 55th MCA general assembly on 18 Oct, outgoing president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting raised eyebrows when he said the BN has to reform to resolve the perception that Umno dominates over the other component parties in the ruling coalition.
Despite an almost immediate denial by BN chairperson and Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the “Umno bully” theme seems to have struck a nerve among the component party members.
The MCA and Gerakan leaders have blamed some Umno leaders’ actions and perceived arrogance over the past few years for the results of the 8 March general election, which saw the non-Malay vote bank defecting to the opposition.
The ‘Penakut’…
Newly-elected MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong believes that there is room for discussion within the BN. He tells The Nut Graph that the MCA Youth has always spoken up regarding whatever issues they disagree with, such as the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and bumiputera equity.
However, unlike many of the delegates at the MCA assembly in October who were very critical of Umno’s dominant role in the BN, Wee prefers to focus on how best to re-balance the relationship between the component parties by overhauling the coalition.
The MCA and Gerakan have been the most vocal in lamenting the lack of consultation in decisions made by the government, especially over the ISA detentions that took place on 12 Sept 2008.
Yet, despite both parties passing resolutions at their respective general assemblies, neither party was willing to risk government displeasure by signing an opposition-initiated petition against the ISA in Parliament.
The ‘Brave One’...
The choice of whether or not to make a stand against a government policy or statement by a senior Umno leader actually lies with the individual leader, says Dompok. As an example, he points to the memorandum submitted by nine non-Muslim cabinet ministers in January 2006 calling for a review of laws to resolve religious disputes that affect the non-Muslims. After Umno leaders objected, eight of the ministers subsequently withdrew their endorsement of the memo. Only Dompok, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had the guts to refuse.
A year later, Dompok once again broke ranks with his cabinet colleagues by speaking out against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s remark about Malaysia being an Islamic state. The fact that he still remains in the cabinet is proof that some amount of criticism at least is tolerated within the BN.
Upko took a strong stand against the proposed Petronas gas pipeline project from Kimanis, Sabah to Bintulu, Sarawak, which the party said would not benefit Sabah. Angered by the prime minister’s decision to go ahead with the project, Dompok hinted at a possible review of the party’s position in the BN.
Amazingly, the threat worked. The cabinet agreed for Sabah to have its own petrochemical industry using the bulk of the state’s oil and gas resources, while excess oil and gas can be piped to Bintulu.
The ‘Tuan’…
But the idea that the BN needs to reform or that there needs to be change in the political balance does not meet with Umno Youth exco Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir’s approval.
Mukhriz, for instance, is firm in his belief that there is no real need for changes in the BN format, as called for by the outgoing MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai during the wing’s annual general assembly on 18 Oct.
As for bringing about a better balance of power between the parties, Mukhriz says it all depends on how the component parties present their views and whether it is brought up at the right forum — for instance the BN supreme council meeting.
But Mukhriz also tells The Nut Graph that it is also not fair for the other component parties to divert the responsibility for their problems, including the poor showing during the 8 March elections, to Umno.
“[The allegation that Umno is arrogant] is not the only issue, so how could it be possible to dump everything on Umno?” asks Mukhriz, who is vying to become Umno Youth chief at the party polls in March 2009.
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There you have it, three characters have so clearly displayed their true face. I would understand Mukhriz’s stand, as he’s defending his party, UMNO.
Dompok’s stand is clear, he stands up for his people.
MCA’s stand: I protect my rice bowl. I will not do anything to rock the boat and destroy my rice bowl! For if I issue threats, my ‘tuan’ may sack me. Yes, may sack me, and I dare not take the chance!
MCA, I am ashamed to be associated with you people (in terms of race)!
1. Today my father was hospitalized due to a fall. He’s ok but I am not.
2. Today I met my ‘brothers and their wives’ for the first time. They are ok, I am not.
I am truly knocked off by no. 1 and no.2. And I need a Kit Kat. In fact tons of Kit Kat!
I will be back when I am back. Meanwhile, hide your Kit Kats. Here’s a Kit Kat deprived individual who will do anything to get that Kit Kat of yours!
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