Mile Marker 418: End of a Chapter

So, here’s the end of the journey. By that I mean the end of a colourful and a very memorable period of my life yet. I’d use the entire adjectives in the English lexicon but still, I wouldn’t be able to reproduce that wonderful feeling in everyone reading this.

They’re special in their own way – conspicuous or otherwise. Every mention of the lab and every piece of picture evoked both gladness and a tinge of poignancy: glad to have established that bond and poignant because two years ain’t enough.

I’m well aware that there will be (and there has been) a getting together but it’s different. Like most people, we always hope that the good things don’t go away. Still, I’m happy to see them all settled down in their respective locations and I’m worried when one or two complain about work-related illness.

The bond is real, the mirth genuine, and the openness something to envy. We’re not pretentious and that love we display beats the grandiosity in which racial integration is being portrayed in the media. If we’re anything to go by, then what people see on the silver screen promoting racial harmony is everything but. We don’t need a list of standard protocols because we’ve achieved that.

Here's more food to mark our mates' departure: Asyura - undergraduates - Kak Mimi - undergraduates & birthday celebration

Regardless whether they’re undergraduate students on a relatively short sojourn or a postgraduate researcher with a seemingly endless amount of work to do, these people deserve a mention. A shout out to them that has appeared in Mile Marker 418: Loh Keat Lay, Mimi Taib, Poh Keng Chong, Teh Boon Aun, Lim Wui Chen, Lim Gaik Ling, Firdaus Latif, Shamimah Parveen, Nur Asyura, V. Kithalakshmi, Kelvin Swee Chuan Wei, Erna, Kang Wen Tyng, Khairiah, Shi Rou, Amira Suriaty, Rajiv Ravi, Sinan, Kiourmasi, Joanne Lee Yenping, Haw Boon Ping, Yusof, Yen Ying, Xiao Wei, Eric, Sok Wah, Shau Leong, and not wanting anyone to be last in the list, me.

I hold each and everyone close to my heart.

BERSIH 2.0: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Post-709. Damage control in progress. Still, I couldn’t believe my ears (or eyes, for that matter) when I get to know how the rally is being attacked (by the local mainstream media of course) and the support the rally got from the people, both at home and abroad, downplayed.

As the Prime Minister (I thought he’d do better) continues to be in denial, videos and photographs controverting his statements, claims, and praises [for the police] are aplenty. I felt really sad to watch how the police kicked one dude in the CS smokescreen. That’s low!

Here a nice vid I watched some moments ago. And videos such as this should be easy to find on Youtube now. Look out for the girl who shouted [back at the police I think] near the end of the video. That one gripped me! I think it was her anguish that I felt then.

And taking the acronym WYSIWYG, I suppose that words on the streets were true after all.

Anyway, after the rally, the #bersihstories hashtag was trending on Twitter. And this site here has the tweets. Head on over to bersihstories.

Lastly, I’d like to pay tribute to Madam Annie Ooi (or Aunty Annie a.k.a Aunty BERSIH). She, like the man in my previous post, attended the rally and their firmness of purpose touched me (and everyone else I’m sure). They have nothing to gain from all this except making this country a better place to live in for the younger generations.

Aunty Annie

This is the Facebook page created for her: Aunty Bersih – The lady of liberty

Of course, things aren’t that bad everywhere. Some had it better in other hotspots. And there are many who played “medic”, helping fellow Malaysians being overwhelmed by teargas and chemical-laced water. I salute them.

It was a day when we got together as Malaysians, stood (err... walked?) for a common cause, and shouted in one tongue. That, people, is the making of a better Malaysia.

 

BERSIH 2.0: We've Done Ourselves Proud

At home and abroad.

It’s over. I’ve been following the updates closely and I must say, at times I felt the lachrymal glands acting up. BERSIH is, and always has been, a peaceful gathering by members of the civil society. Of course, many things aren't going to show in the mainstream media tonight and tomorrow.

The same can’t be said about our men in blue though. Words on the ground may be exaggerated but if you read about the same thing for over 2 hours, that couldn’t have been lies. And oh, teargas was fired into the compounds of Tung Shin Hospital. Click here for pictures of the rally by Azlan Zamhari.

All in all, hundreds – including BERSIH Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan – were arrested (over 600 according to the number on the Police’s Facebook page). Teargas and water cannons were fired into crowds of people armed with only their desire to clamour for electoral reforms.

Shaking hands with the men in blue. See? They're supposed to protect us, not--

At 4 pm, they dispersed. For these people who began trickling into the city in the morning, it was a time when they’re Malaysian. It was a time when they’re not identified by the colour of their skin. For decades, we’re driven apart and taught to alienate one another. I truly hope today taught us what it means to be Malaysians. After all, we’re called Malaysians when we’re abroad.

Speaking of Malaysians at-large, the rally Down Under was a success. A stark contrast compared to how the crowds were greeted back home. I’ve spent some time gathering the photos and I’m sure in a week or so, the Global BERSIH 2.0 rally will have a complete collection. Click here for BERSIH the world over.

Good job, Malaysians. It’s a shame I stayed home today whilst this man walked with the rest.

Hidup rakyat!

[Edit: Here's the link to photos of the Global BERSIH 2.0 gatherings/ralllies]

BERSIH 2.0

[Edit 1214, July 9: I'm following Live updates on anilnetto.com and on LoyarBurok]

What a week it’s been: mass arrest, an audience with the King, and reneged words. I wonder if we’d made it to the list of “Top Ten Places You Have To Laugh At Before You Die” yet. See, by now many so called patriots (not the UMNO Youth’s Patriot movement) would have branded me a traitor. It’s spun in such a way that the moment you speak out against the government of the day, you’re an anarchist; hell-bent on destroying the country. It doesn’t matter if it’s a call against corruption or a rare earth processing plant.

As I’m typing this, some roads in Kuala Lumpur are closed and traffic diverted. The picture I saw does seem like a lockdown, which reminds me of scenes in The Siege. And nobody knows how the rally (and counter-rally) is going to turn out tomorrow at 2 pm.

Hii doing his one-man protest in support of Bersih in PJ. He was later detained. -The Malaysian Insider. Story here.

One thing’s for sure, BERSIH 2.0 has gone global. At least outside the country, these folks who gather will not be faced with possible arrests, threats by martial artists, or be called anarchists. Perhaps the best thing is that nobody will get arrested for wearing something yellow. The following listing was obtained from here:

UTC + 12 – New Zealand - http://on.fb.me/jMlCwc
UTC + 10 – Canberra, Australia - http://on.fb.me/kBLI2H
UTC + 10 – Sydney, Australia - http://on.fb.me/j0RzYt
UTC + 10 – Melbourne, Australia - http://on.fb.me/j0rDf1
UTC + 10 – Hobart, Australia - http://on.fb.me/jP0MWL
UTC + 10 – Adelaide, Australia - http://on.fb.me/klaDdS
UTC + 10 – Brisbane, Australia - http://on.fb.me/imhKwv
UTC + 09 – Osaka, Japan - http://on.fb.me/mUGxvB
UTC + 09 – Seoul, Korea - http://on.fb.me/lgB4oQ
UTC + 08 – Manila, Philippines – URL pending
UTC + 08 – Perth, Australia - http://on.fb.me/lihTnU
UTC + 08 – Taipei, Taiwan - http://on.fb.me/mIEOGW
UTC + 08 – Hong Kong - http://on.fb.me/lxYT2E
UTC + 08 – Singapore - http://on.fb.me/l87wNS
UTC + 07 – Bangkok, Thailand - http://on.fb.me/mmyiWc
UTC + 09 – Jakarta, Indonesia – URL pending
UTC + 02 – Egypt - http://on.fb.me/r4fvC2
UTC + 02 – Switzerland - http://on.fb.me/lQq8qB
UTC + 02 – Stockholm, Sweden - http://on.fb.me/kfrxAK
UTC + 01 – Austria - http://on.fb.me/kH9gBn
UTC + 01 – Paris, France - http://on.fb.me/joKlVQ
UTC + 00 – United Kingdom - http://on.fb.me/kQ9fsQ
UTC + 00 – Scotland - http://on.fb.me/kAefYr
UTC + 00 – Ireland - http://on.fb.me/pvu7iJ
UTC – 04 – Ottawa, Canada - http://on.fb.me/kb5OY4
UTC – 04 – New York City - http://on.fb.me/lWrJ8l
UTC – 04 – Washington DC, USA - http://on.fb.me/l9XgH0
UTC – 06 – Chicago, USA - http://on.fb.me/rjGpaq
UTC – 07 – San Francisco, USA - http://on.fb.me/jehClH
UTC – 07 – Los Angeles, USA - http://on.fb.me/iBJgM3

I sure hope everything would go smoothly later. Let’s see if it pans out. I look forward to pictures of the gathering in the cities around the world. You might be thinking why I’m not already in KL. Fact is, I gave the rally a long, hard thought. But I didn’t think I’d afford the trip there and the lodging too. If I’m still receiving my monthly stipend from my scholarship then I’d have typed this in a room somewhere in the city.

And whilst we're fixating on the rally, let us not forget those detained in connection to the rally; particularly the six from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Socialist Party of Malaysia). I remember asking my friend, "What communism?"

“I would like to thank everyone who is supporting us by the hours, prayers, urgent appeals etc.The 6 of us have not broken any laws and our crime is that we are socialists and we are attempting to put the issues affecting the poorer 60 per cent of Malaysians in the national agenda. eg. Hospital privatisation, minimum wage and decent wages.

Our detention is totally unwarranted and we are working within the democratic framework.“Udahlah bersaralah“ campaign which involves pamphlet distribution and awareness calls for people to think properly for the General Election. The action and activity is totally within the democratic space allowed by Constitution.
Sad to see, higher ups in police unable to differentiate national and constitutional rights from the political party in power. Stand up for democratic rights and let us not allow this kind of intimidation hold us back.

* Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj is the Sungai Siput MP and is currently detained with 5 others under the Emergency Ordinance. His arrest is related to his involvement with the upcoming Bersih rally.

Source: Susan Loone's blog

You might want to read:

Running Scared in Malaysia by former US Ambassador to Malaysia, John Malott

 

The Faces in Facebook

Created (again) a Facebook account for myself late last night after I found out that I don’t have a friend’s email address. Somehow, it never got saved automatically like it should each time I replied to a mail. So, like it or not, I have to “get in touch” with this particular guy via Facebook. It doesn’t help that he’s currently in India.

Love the effects on the Facebook logo

Once I got everything set up, I sent a message and went to bed. When I got up this morning, I expected a reply or none at all; considering how busy he gets treating the sick. Instead, I got 22 notifications for friend requests; the first a little after midnight and the last at about six in the morning. Now, you must think I’m somewhat flattered, right? Wrong.

But I was amused. Going through the list, I came across some names that I don’t even know. Seriously. Over the course of the day, I accepted (and added a few) a total of 18 and as I’m typing this, another 19 is awaiting action. Gosh!

I said I was amused because there’s one thing in common among them all. Make no mistake, these are people I know and they’re my friends – in the not-hostile-therefore-friends kind of friends. Sorry I digressed. As I was saying, the one common thing I see here is that these folks have so many friends that even Pavarotti will turn green with envy.

Give me thirty and I’d have a hard time meeting all of them and to catch up with them. We’re talking numbers upwards of 300 here. Three hundred?! Whatever for? I’m going to let you draw the conclusions about them and their friends.

As for me, I prefer the good old way of email (you see, snail mails are too slow and we’re asked to save the trees) and a phone call every now and then. We even have SMS. Not to mention, instant messaging clients too. Already, these new avenues of helping people “keep in touch” are making communications less err... Heartfelt? Now everyone’s into social voyeurism. We care, but only on the latest and juiciest of news. So, someone’s In A Relationship now. Jane Doe is mad with her boyfriend. I mean, even if you want to send your condolences, go to the family, sit down and mourn with them. Look them in the eye and assure them. Not post on the deceased's wall like he or she is going to read it.

I’m not against Facebook or any other social networking sites. It’s just that people learn to take friendship for granted. A relationship isn’t some short binaries nor is it sustained by the number of “Likes” and “Pokes”. True that it’s one way, and a cheap one, to communicate and say hi but there’s where it ends. I’d love to meet and yak over a cuppa. After all, L-O-L means much more than three letters when the optical and auditory nerves pick them up.

One thing that often happens (even in internet forums, mind you) is that texts we read are mere texts. It’s so easy to misinterpret the mood of the author without the intonation and expressions.

Of course , I didn’t want to be part of someone’s listings as just another number. These are mere embellishments by people on a quest to hit some number and most in that listings are either doing the same thing or simply forgotten.

Did I mention that I deeply appreciate the hype created by some friends for my "homecoming" to FB? Great people. Both within and without the net. Three cheers for them!

Did I also mention that I’m still considering if I should be here for just a fortnight and then get out after my initial goal has been achieved?

 

Letting Go

It’s been an eventful (or uneventful depending on how you wish to see it) day. I’ve replaced the strings on the guitar and spent some back-breaking time getting it in tune, for now.

Then there’s Youtube. As usual, I have my daily routine of [feather] weights and crunches. Boy, I’ve lost so much weight for the past two months; not that I’m fat to begin with.

As I wind down, I realize that there’s only so much one can do and try as we might, sometimes things just don’t go the way we’d have wished them to go. Be it as it may, we’d take comfort knowing that nothing ever happens by chance or by accident. I know that God is in control. It’s just the matter of yielding to God.

Sometimes, the fist ought to be opened or grip relaxed and we let go what we’ve been holding on to. Only then can we raise our hands in surrender; not admitting defeat, instead, to acknowledge the sovereignty of God.

Whoever said letting go of something or someone is always easy? But if it’s meant to be that way, then we’d have to be gracious about it. I’d like to remind myself, and anyone reading of course, that nothing ever happens by chance. And things occur for a reason, even if we’d never know what it is. Not now.

 

Thinking of Me: Niceties

It’s almost lunch time and I left my water bottle at home. Either I’m getting old or my mind’s somewhere else. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re thinking it’s with someone else. All I think of, besides completing my thesis, is me.

I’m thinking whether my being nice and all could mock me one day. I’m thinking whether my being cordial with people could leave me high and dry. Was I being too nice? Should I be glad or feel plain stupid?

Not that I’m looking to change or anything like that. It’s just that I feel that nice people, or in my case nice guys, seems to be on the losing end. Knowing me, some might think I’m too obsessed with nigahiga’s Nice Guys or with Wong Fu Productions’ Just A Nice Guy. Fact is, I loved both the videos and I think there’s some truth in them. Not gospel but a ubiquitous occurrence. I’ll leave it to you to judge but do finish all three parts of Just A Nice Guy even if you hate Asians.

I know all too well about preserving what I have and getting all teary in quiet. I know the feeling of being used and left unappreciated. But I never forget the smiles and thanks I get from being myself, nice. At this point, you’d think I’m looking for recognition and accolades but I’m not. I’ll still do what I can for anyone who’d ask.

Then why feel bad, you might ask? Well, I suppose we can tell when someone behaves differently at different times? Say, Jim calls and texts when he’s bored, lonely, and in some trying situation. Then Jim couldn’t be bothered about you when he’s surrounded by all the good things.

Perhaps, Jim isn’t a very sensitive person and he truly appreciates the help rendered to him. Who knows, Jim isn’t someone who’s used to saying thank you or say something to that effect. After all, Jim is being himself and maybe the next Jim who comes along will be better. Still, there are Jims out there who think only of themselves.

As for me, I hope I’ll know what to do if that day ever comes. Anyway, time to send a friend to the bus terminal. And today's Friday... Movie night! In my room, on my laptop, of course.

Nice Guys finish last? I won't refute that.

Just A Nice Guy - Part 1

Part 2

Part 3