Merdeka - what does it mean to you ?

Today, I have been reading a lot merdeka messages from the newspapers, online news both main stream and alternative streams. It is contrary messages from the ruling government and alternative front. Of course, it is normal but for the true merdeka spirit, what does it means really to us ?

A birthday of our nation has a lot of meaning as to our own birthday too! How many of us sing NegaraKu these few days ? (Ah hem...I did !). Do you still feel proud when singing the song ? (with bulu roma tegak ?) If not something is very wrong here. Let's be clear here and I hope you will agree...the height or depth of the prosperity of our nation depends much on the sum total of each Rakyat's true love and support .

Personally, Merdeka means a lot to me...I am a free man and have my rights under the Constitution to do what I wish in achieving my Malaysian dream for the past 37 years !

It is also an appreciation for our forefathers fighting for our freedom especially against the Japanese, Communists and British. It also means that I do not need to go to war or live in fear like some of the other countries in the Middle East or Africa. I dare not imagine if Malaysia is in such a state to live in.

Whilst enjoying the freedom, I do acknowledge the threats of peace within our neighbourhood such as injustice, racial sentiments, in balance distribution of wealth, corrupt leaders and negative external forces. I pray for the resilience and intelligence of our Leaders from both BN and PR to strive for the common good of our beloved Malaysia. The differences in party understanding is norm among the political front (competition makes the community strong) but do not let it be the difference of our understanding to protect our true "Merdeka" from all the threats.

Merdeka ! Merdeka! Merdeka ! Let the shout of Tunku Abdul Rahman always lives in our mind, heart and soul !

A Father's Love

How deep can a father's love for his son be? Well, in the case of the Hoyt family, watch this video to find out:

The Star

Monday August 10, 2009

Kuching braces for water rationing

By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: More areas in Sarawak are facing water rationing, including its capital city Kuching, unless there is heavy rain soon, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam.

He said to date over 100,000 people were affected by water woes and the problem was getting more acute by the day.

“The rural areas in Sarikei and Mukah divisions in central Sarawak were initially hit, but the problems has now spread to southern Sarawak, hitting the state capital as well,” he said yesterday.

Kuching City has a population of about 500,000.

“More than 100,000 are in dire need of water now. It has become very dry. The most critical areas that need attention are Sarikei and Kuching divisions.

“Water rationing has already started in Sarikei. We will carry out rationing in Kuching as well soon. The water shortage is critical, even more critical than the forest fires and haze situation,’’ he said in an interview.

Dr Chan, who is state Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said rationing could not be avoided because the water levels in rivers and dams throughout the state were rapidly falling, some reaching alarmingly levels.

On the delay in cloud-seeding efforts, he said the aircraft was already on standby, but the operations could not be carried out because of the absence of rain clouds.

“Cloud-seeding will not work with low cloud density. For now, we must conserve the remaining water that we have in the dams and rivers as much as possible.

“That is why water rationing is the only option until we can induce some rain,” he stressed.

Dr Chan, who is also state Industrial Development Minister and state Agriculture Modernisation Minister, said the forest and peat fires raging in northern Sarawak were making the situation worse.

“The fires are spreading fast because the ground is dry,” he added.

Dr Chan, who visited the fire sites near the Sarawak-Brunei trans-boundary bridge, said the fires were getting worse.

He appealed to the public to stop all forms of open-burning, adding that without their help, the fires, haze and water-shortage problems would only deteriorate further.

More than 3,000ha of forests and peat land have already been ravaged by fires near the border, with another 1,000ha still on fire, causing massive air pollution.

Blog To Facebook

Starting mid 2007, I have started blogging upon the invitation of Ah Chiong @ Pat when he started this Alumni blog in running up to our 20th Anniversary Reunion in Feb 2008. It was a hit and months after that, there were so much activities on the blog lead by Pat and the group of Heroes, Mr. Tee, Ivy, WH and myself especially engaging in heaty conversation on various topics. Everyday, I ensure that I will spend considerably time on blogging and can't wait for comments to be sent or receive when a comment being posted. Wake up, I must sign on to see and before sleeping, to read any latest news...Huh, it was a great time indeed beside brushing up the skills of writing, thinking, putting up thoughts in written words or even jokes..

This run until the reunion day in Feb 2008, when Louis and gang found out this blog, and I could remember he had started to invite us to facebook and he urges us to sign up. Frankly, at that time, I was not interested to change as yet. Then, month after month, I learnt that Heroes, Mr. Tee. Ah Too and even Ivy started to hook up to Facebook. My sister also sent me an invitation in early 2008 but I have never responded not until nearly 10 months after that in Oct 2008, I tried to sign up and put in a hello remarks on the status...and then silent again for another 5 months...where I still loyally spent time in browsing blogs putting comments etc. I could notice that the traffic to blog has dwindle down especially from the usual main players..(you know lah) and then through their communication...they talked about mafia, triump, barns...tagging...etc... They have even stopped posting blogs either on this Alumni or their personal blog. What can I said, the attraction of FB is so personal that I think they just could not resist as it is instantly calling them...

In between the 5 months, I was quite frequent online in FB (about fortnightly basis) and didn't quite understand and like it. I have to seek the password revalidation few times as I forgotten my personal password. Ah ha...by March 2009, after having my blackberry...everything that is online is within my palm...so naturally it has now became my pet online programme beside the Malaysian Insider and Chedet.

FB is indeed a great online networking programme, a passing time programme some more, for Heroes, Mr. Tee and Ah Too, it is a gaming programme...a great place to do their strategy games...

If a vote being given for online attraction....
before 2008 - Emailing, flicker...
2008 - Blogging
2009 - FB
2010 - ?

So, guys what is the next online attraction ???

Meet the Killers

I met all the three killers @ White Tiger at Singapore Zoo recently. If you could remember that one of our fellow Sarawakian who works as a Zoo cleaner was mauled by them when he jumped over the fence.

They are still alive and no judgement was passed to put them down for killing a human. Well, they are protected species as only about 4,000 of them left in the world. So, i think based on consideration, it is the fault of the worker to jump into their protected areas and as animal instinct, they just jumped and kill him...so considered manslaughter, the punishment is still jail for life...so I think they are already serving their sentence for life as I do not think the Zoo keeper will set them free to the nature even if they did not commit the crime...:-)

However, as I observe the security of the areas, it seems quite relax and no wonder one could quite easily jump over and I wonder why the tigers could not jump from inside as it could be very easily done too !


I hope no more future incident as the Zoo, I rate it excellent for keeping it nice, beautiful, clean and interesting for a day out with our kids...