Some Christmas Cheering...

Christmas is most often a time of giving and receiving. Have you ever bought a Christmas present? A present that that person wanted all along? Something as simple as just a few pairs of.....socks? Read on for a heartwarmer...

December 23, 2009 

Operation Shoebox

Mary Southerland Today's Truth
James 1:17 (NIV) "Every good action and every perfect gift is from God. These good gifts come down from the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars, who does not change like their shifting shadows."

Friend To Friend
Before you hit the malls and plunge into the last days of shopping frenzy, set aside some time to pray, asking God to direct your shopping trip and give you insight as you purchase each gift.  Interesting thought, isn't it?  I have to admit that I tend to plan, think and worry about Christmas gifts more than I pray about them. However, I recently heard a true story that has changed my perspective on Christmas giving.

Each Christmas, Operation Shoebox collects and sends over eight million shoeboxes stuffed with small gifts such as candy, school supplies, small toys, toothbrushes, soap, and shampoo to children across the world.  In Mexico, hundreds of boys and girls gathered at the church in a small village, excitedly anticipating the arrival of their precious shoeboxes. 

Delightful chaos erupted as bulging shoeboxes, wrapped in brightly colored paper and ribbon were passed into the small, eager hands of each child. Wrapping paper was hurriedly ripped into pieces and tossed aside, a smile spreading across the face of each child as their long awaited Christmas treasures were revealed. 

However, one little boy dissolved into tears as he lifted the lid of his box and peered inside to see what he had received for Christmas this year. One of the Operation Shoebox volunteers spotted the little boy and hurriedly made his way across the church to see what the problem could possibly be. With the help of an interpreter, the volunteer asked the now sobbing little boy, "What is wrong?  What is in your box?" With tears streaming down his face, the little boy said, "Socks!" The worker instantly understood and assured the little boy that he could trade his box of socks for another box that might have crayons or a piece of candy in it. Alarm spread across the face of the child as he vigorously shook his head and quickly jerked the box away from the now somewhat confused worker. 

Clutching the shoebox to his chest, the boy began sobbing out an explanation to the interpreter who listened for a few moments and then, with tears spilling out of his own eyes, turned to the volunteer and said, "You won't believe this!" Taking a deep, steadying breath, the interpreter explained, "This little boy has a rare skin condition with which he was born. It seems to affect his feet more than any other part of his body. The doctors have tried various medications and treatments but finally told the little boy that nothing will work and his feet will never heal unless he begins wearing cotton socks. His parents cannot even afford food for this boy; much less provide socks for their son. So, all year long, he has been praying for socks." 

Have you ever considered the idea that your Christmas gift may very well be an answer to someone's prayer?  I have to admit that I have rarely, if ever, made a Christmas gift list with that criterion in mind. Always in a hurry, my first thought is usually how to find the greatest deal at the lowest price in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of effort and hassle at the first store I enter - and hope the person likes it - because that is what he or she is going to get. Ah, yes. That is certainly the heart of God, isn't it?

Join me in making this Christmas season different. Do not allow television ads, catalogues or shopping fliers dictate the gifts you give this year. Turn your Christmas list into a prayer list and you may very well end up giving an "operation shoebox" gift to someone you love. 

The BTN and TNB Wordplay.

The BTN and TNB Wordplay.BTN, Malaysia’s “pride and joy” set up during Mahathir’s time to promote “further understanding” among those select few who “needed” to understand the dynamics of society.

Yeah. RIGHT.

BTN is UMNO’s brainwashing machine to bring more division. Apparently they truly understood and embrace our colonists’ concept of divide and rule.

In December 16, 2009 New Strait Times, page 6, Anwar said that his speech was leaked out and revealed that he was once a racist bigot and that was in his “UMNO days”. Advice to you, sir, you should have admitted that you were once a bigot but now you no long are one because you have seen with your own eyes how much more nation-building integrity non-UMNO members have compared to those UMNO members you know. Just say your eyes had been opened and mind enlightened. Otherwise, you’d just be open to another slew of slanderous talk.

Najib, of course, had to agree BTN’s “contribution to the country”, because otherwise, he might’ve been thrown to the UMNO slaughterhouse. But since Nazri, I believe, is in-charge of BTN’s revamp, my suggestion to him is that he doesn’t just revamp the whole thing, but make it’s modules available for the public’s scrutiny. After all, if the government wants to show the rakyat their sincere interest in progressing the country, they should not treat the rakyat as fools.

That is, of course, if they still want our votes, and loyalty to the country. As we already know, we have a serious case of brain drain not only because the opportunities available overseas, but also because the rakyat’s faith in the country has dwindled to the extent it encouraged them to get out of the country.  Best part is many of the migrants are Malays.

Another point to UMNO, if you guys think that your “ketuanan Melayu” is so great, and the rest of us are just a bunch of “pendatangs”, then I think it would only be fair that you stop using the rakyat of other ethnic backgrounds to represent Malaysia in sporting events. After all, we are just “pendatangs”.

Moving on to TNB (NST, Dec 16,2009, page 19). You need to review the pacts HONESTLY. Stop jacking up prices as your mother likes it (English equivalent to “suka mak hang”). Sure you people get all the profits now, but it will bite you back at the end of the day. No, most probably not in your day, but in your children’s or grandchildren’s time. Then again, you guys probably don’t care about the ugly legacy you’re leaving behind, no?

And if you hadn't realised it already, if you shift the "B" in BTN to the back, you'll get TNB.

Coincidence? Or is it Malaysia's next conspiracy theory?

Language Problem or Racist Problem?

Commenting on:

Prisoners Barred from Using Mother Tongue

Malaysiakini, 10 Dec 2009

What the HECK?!

Seriously, "Malaysians" are so proud of their "multi-ethnic and multi-racial" background. The government is also so damn proud that they had the Tourism Board saying "Malaysia: Truly Asia" all around the world.

So, why can't the inmates speak in their mother tongue?

The officials cite "security reasons", but I say "racist reasons". It clearly violates the basic human right of speech! Sure, we don't want another charismatic, glamorous leader such as Hitler to rise from the ranks of prison inmates, and that's why every phone call is monitored.

However, to cite that the wardens can't understand the language of other ethnic groups and therefore forcing the inmates to speak in either English or Malay, just shows how narrow-minded, bigoted and inflexible these people are. It's no wonder since this undoubtedly had spawned from the idiots who STILL spew out the "Ketuanan Melayu" bullshit.

Fact of life, you wardens and other bigots out there: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language says that estimates of total living languages in the world vary from 3,000 to 10,000. Take a good look of yourselves in the mirror, and realize that in this world, the languages available to humans are too numerous for a normal human brain to digest, much less to master all of them. If this makes you think that this warrants your despicable behavior, then please DISCONTINUE your hiring of translators when you use taxpayers money for your overseas "official" visits.

To Zaini Hassan and his bigoted colleagues,

We know you jokers are giving Malaysians a daily dose of the BTN bullcrap, telling those of "other" ethnicity groups that we are "immigrants" even though some of us have been around since your oh-so-glorified days of the Malaccan Sultanate. To tell you the truth, we are more Malaysian than the whole lot of you, simply because we are more worried for the future of Malaysia than you.

To Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad,

Kudos to your book, "Moving Forward"/"Mendepani Zaman". Malaysia is in need of sincere, forward-looking leaders like you. I sincerely hope that you would not deviate in the future for higher gains or get shot down politically as your many sincere predecessors had experienced.

Racism is UNWARRANTED.

Compliments of TED Talks:


Nina Jablonski breaks the illusion of skin color | Video on TED.com

Arthritis: boon or bane?

Myra was a woman battered and scarred from severe arthritis. Her legs were held captive in a wheelchair, but her soul was forever free.  With one pencil in each crippled hand, she used the erasers to type words on her typewriter.  The joy of her efforts in typing the words outweighed the pain of creating them.
One day, when a friend was leaving Myra's home, she patted her wheelchair and said, "And I thank God for this!"  Prior to her wheelchair days, Myra's talent had been hidden like a treasure in the sand.  But after the crippling affect of arthritis confined her, the talent locked away freed her.  God used one of her most precious poems to show me our incredible worth.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

It was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
Hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people," he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three."
But, No,
From the room far back a grey haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow.
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as the angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet low,
Said, "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone," said he.
The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?
Swift came the reply
"The Touch of the Master's Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
All battered with bourbon and gin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine
A game and he travels on.
He is gong once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.
But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master's Hand
-Myra Brooks Welch

Decentralization?

Commenting on the article from Straight Talk:

http://khookaypeng.blogspot.com/2009/11/oil-royalty-caucus-should-lead-way-to.html

Decentralization: is it good or is it bad? Sure the current system where central planning marginalizes the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak in terms of infrastructure and economic planning, however the real question is what are the rakyat who live in these "oppressed" states doing?

Doing what the rest of Malaysia is doing for the past (say, 50 or more years?), sitting at the coffee shops sipping kopi O, savouring the buttery and sweet roti kiap, and BITCHING BEHIND THE BACK of the legislators they themselves directly or indirectly appointed. And by saying "indirectly", I'm referring to the suckers for didn't vote.

At the end of the day, in my humble but awfully inadequate opinion, it really doesn't matter whether we have a centralized or decentralized system, as long as our people are not willing to buck up and tell our politicians to shut their trap and just deliver, no way we can become a better country. We already have been mucking around in the mud for 52 years. Let's get ourselves out of this rut and not slosh any more deeper into the mud.

Anyways, kudos to Tengku Razaleigh. My hope for all Malaysian is that it's not just empty talk.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALAYSIAKINI!!!

10 years ago, they were born.
10 years later, they are still telling it as it is without cutting corners or sprinkling condiments.
Thanks to them, we get it as it is.
Thank you for all your writers and editors have done, and continue to do so.

This is for the 10 years Malaysiakini has contributed, and another 10 years and more to come!


http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/117442

November 17, 2009

Who Defines Your Worth? 

Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
Isaiah 43:4a (NIV) "You are precious and honored in my sight..."
Friend to Friend
Last winter, I bought my daughter a really cute jacket at the mall. It's a hoodie that's made of a cuddly fabric with cream, lavender, and mint green horizontal stripes. The jacket zips up in the front and is well crafted, stylish, and simply adorable.
When I bought it, I felt like the price on the tag was a fair one, so I gladly pulled out my wallet and paid the retail amount. I was a kid in a candy store on the way home. I fully anticipated a shriek of happiness from my little bag of beans when I gave it to her. Delightfully, I wasn't disappointed. Kennedy loved her new coat, and I was pleased with my purchase. Happy dances all around - until a week later, when I saw the same jacket in the same store at a greatly reduced price. Are you tensing up with me? Suddenly, I felt schnookered! Ripped off. Taken advantage of. As soon as I saw the red line on the price tag of the unsold coats, everything changed - Kennedy's jacket wasn't worth what I paid for it.
When we speak of the worth of something, we often consider it to be a relative term. One that has shifting factors. For example, last week the cute jacket was thirty-nine dollars, and now it's nineteen ninety-nine. The jacket didn't change, but its perceived worth did.
Now, consider the worth of a woman. Are the factors that determine her value based upon variable, shifting factors or are they based upon fixed factors? Seems to be a silly question, doesn't it? Fixed, of course! But, if the answer is so glaringly obvious, why do we struggle so much as women with feeling worthless? Why do we walk around feeling like that red lined jacket? I think it's because we often allow variable earthly factors to define our worth.
What kind of variable factors?
There are so many reasons why women feel worthless:

• Because they've been abused (raped, molested, physically abused, verbally abused...) 
• Because they've been told that they're worthless (by a parent, spouse, sibling, teenage child, or another...) 
• Because of choices they've made (divorce, infidelity, abortion, promiscuity, eating disorders, addictions, uncontrolled anger...) 
• Because they've been cheated on (infidelity, internet affair, pornography...) 
• Because they're co-dependent (conclude their value based upon other people - "If my husband isn't okay, I'm not okay.") 
• Because they don't collect a paycheck (stay at home moms that have left the work force, laid off employees, displaced employees, those on disability...) 
• Because they've battled an illness (unable to care for family, perform basic home duties, participate in ministry or Bible study like they once did, can't drive, cook...)

Unfortunately, the variable factors that we use to define our worth are endless. Many of us feel worthless. Why? We've felt ignored, invisible, insignificant, useless, undesired, ugly, unloved, or forgotten. We girls are emotional, broken in many ways. Great portions of our identity and of our personal value are wrapped into combustible packages of emotion - how we feel about this or that. The truth is, our worth has nothing to do with our feelings.
Trust me, I'm not going to try to convince you that I know everything there is to know about feeling like a woman of worth. Or about being a woman of worth. I am in the trenches with you. I struggle with normal woman things. I don't live a fancy schmancy, rose-colored wonder-life. I hit the snooze button several times each morning. I pack lunches for my kids. I spend countless hours of my life each year sitting in the car pool line. It's a never-ending struggle for me to keep the laundry done and my kids often have to fish for a matching pair of socks in the clean-clothes basket. My husband is my soul mate, but is far from perfect. For that matter, Brad should win a lifetime achievement award for enduring the drama of me! And my kids bring me both great joy and great frustration on a daily basis.
Is this sounding at all familiar to you?
See - I'm just like you, and I'm walking this faith journey right beside you. In fact, the more I know God, the less inclined I am to pretend to have life or faith figured out. Amen? I'm constantly tempted to define my worth with activities, emotions, and accomplishments. I've come to realize, however, that way of thinking is a spiritual dead end road. Scripture tells us that anything we do in our own strength or of our own goodness is of no value to God. "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6a, emphasis mine).
What I do know is this: because of Jesus Christ, I'm a woman of highest worth. Not because of anything else. I'm a grace girl. Not perfect by a long stretch. I've been changed by the unconditional love of God and restored to perfect beauty through the shed blood of Jesus. Because of love, we are His daughters, precious in His sight. In light of this, we need to set aside feelings that diminish our value, and embrace our proper identity: Child of the King of Kings.
Hear this, friend: feelings of worthlessness are from Satan himself. It burns me up that the enemy has such a strong grip on God's daughters in this area. We need to associate the word worthless with the word lie. That's exactly what it is, a big, fat lie! I talk to women all the time who bend a knee to negative feelings and live defeated lives because they don't quite know how to overcome their sense of worthlessness. God wants every one of us to experience healing and have an appropriate sense of self-worth.
So let's go back to Kennedy's new coat for just a moment. Imagine walking into God's department store. There on the rack, you spy a coat that is just plain fabulous - I mean stop-you-in-your-tracks fabulous! One-size fits all, the tag reads. Yeah, right, you whisper under your breath. Then you flip over the price tag and it's crazy expensive. Way beyond what you could ever dream of paying. Like, if you added up every dollar that ever passed through your hands - then multiplied that by ten thousand - that kind of expensive. Then imagine the storeowner walking over to you, slipping the coat off the rack and onto your shoulders.
"It's a perfect fit," He smiles.
"Sir," you manage with a whisper, "I could never afford such a coat. This is meant for royalty and I'm, well, just an ordinary girl."
"Oh precious woman, this coat is made especially for you, and the price has already been paid in full."
As the owner straightens the sleeves on your arms and adjusts the collar around your neck, you notice his hands - nail pierced hands. And suddenly you realize that this is the covering you were meant to wear all along.
You see, the Bible tells us that because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can be clothed with the "robe of righteousness." The apostle Paul tells us that when we are reconciled to God, we become His righteousness. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). There's no way we could ever afford or earn such a robe but Jesus gave His life for us - He earned it for us.  He paid the price and we receive the gift.  Why?  Because you're worth it. You are precious and highly valuable in the eyes of the One who sees. And you never, never, never have to worry about being on anyone's bargain rack again.
Let's Pray
Holy Father, I'm humbled at the very thought that I could be viewed as precious in Your eyes. Thank You for taking on my sin so that I could take on your righteousness. Please help me to see myself as You see me. Help me to thrive in Your beauty!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Why all Malaysian (NOT just Christians) should vote.

From Crosswalk

What Christian Citizens Must Do

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice (Proverbs 29:2, NLT).

Dear Friends,

In my last letter, I mentioned that some years ago, concerned with complacency by many Christians, I published a powerful little booklet titled, "Your 5 Duties as a Christian Citizen."

It is important that I summarize those five duties with you:

1. PRAY. Pray that God will send a great spiritual awakening to America. Pray for God's promise to heal a repentant nation according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. Pray without ceasing that God will move on the hearts of leaders in office, and that He will put godly leaders in office from the precinct to the White House. Pray that God will use you to be a witness and as an instrument of change.

2. REGISTER TO VOTE. If you are not already registered, do so at once. In some national elections, as well as for local offices, the winner is elected by a very small number of citizens because most did not vote. To serve God as a citizen, you must be a regularly participating voter, and you cannot do that without registering. Voting is a matter of stewardship.

3. BECOME INFORMED. Just as an untrained soldier is at the mercy of the enemy, so uninformed Christians cannot prevail against evil forces in the world of politics. Here are some ideas: Read about the issues -- many sources of information are available; organize, lead or participate in a study group to inform yourself about the structure of government, the issues, the candidates, and their views. But knowledge must result in action...

4. HELP ELECT GODLY PEOPLE. Help elect men and women of God to public office at the local, state and national levels. Support them faithfully throughout their terms of public service by lovingly sharing with them the biblical views on the issues, praying for them, and encouraging them. Help support righteous rule, which brings rejoicing: "With good men in authority, the people rejoice; but with the wicked in power, they groan" (Proverbs 29:2, LB). Another way you can help is by being a precinct volunteer.

5. VOTE. Your one vote carries as much weight as that of a billionaire, a corporation president, or a top government leader. Vote consistently in every election. Exercise the influence God has given you through our unique system of self-government.

By God's grace, and with your prayers and efforts, we can help restore biblical moral and ethical standards in our nation.

Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,

Bill Bright 

* The late Dr. Bill Bright was Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of Campus Crusade for Christ

INFJ: "Inner Nuances Fosters Journeys"

LoL...I'm pretty much borderline between INFP & ISTJ, but after looking at my first MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) assessment, I gotta admit I never really changed. Only reason i can think of why I can keep borderlining that two is that I actually manipulated the results, all because I can.

Yeah, i know. Flawed thinking.


For those who do know me, let me know if you agree with this yeah...?

Just to kill the curious, narcissistic fella in me.
=========================================================
You're future-oriented, and direct your insight and inspiration towards understanding yourself and thereby, human nature...your work mirrors your integrity....reflects your inner ideals...solitude and a chance to concentrate thoroughly on what counts most is important to you...you like to quietly exert your influence...you have deeply felt compassion and desire harmony with others...you'll go to great lengths to avoid conflict...

You understand the complexities existing within people...you don't call a lot of attention to yourself...you like to let your accomplishments do your talking....you look for a small group of people who understand and appreciate you and hang with them....you're gentle and don't like violence...

You'd rather have a few close friends instead of be at a big party ...you'll do well in college as your "day in the sun" where your brains count more than they did in that ol' shallow high school...you want your work to contribute to the general good...

You have a strong love of learning...you get along well with teachers and older people...you write well 'cause you can formulate your ideas clearly... you have integrity and consistency....you don't like the "politics" at work.. you'd rather be able to talk honestly with people than "play games." (you still play games on the Storm Palace, but would rather post! :) )...intuitive insights into situations...

You're quiet yet persistent and determined in your efforts toward long-term goals....when you work toward your vision, you win cooperation rather than demand it...even if you don't lead others, you still facilitate things... leisure time usually is solitary or involves the company of others particularly important to you...you're perfectly happy just sitting around with close buds discussing feelings...you'd rather have longstanding friends than make many new acquaintences...these deep friendships are important to you, even though you may not share much about yourself...

You become attracted to someone special and prefer this one deep one over many superficial ones...this depth, though, is only partially communicated outwards...you like a regular "date", revisiting the place where you first met your mates, or doing other symbolic things that help to continue or confirm the existence of the bond.

You may have an ideal standard of the way love is...you're often disappointed when reality doesn't quite match up....you want to give love and be loved... you enter into relationships just to be cared for...even when the other person isn't right for you and you know it....when you meet the right person, though, you are quick to get involved with them and make it a serious one... you'll end other relationships to be with this "right" one....

When you're scorned, you take it personally and retreat inward...you may obsess about the relationship and your role in the failure...you blame yourself for a failed relationship and might even need a period of mourning.

You should watch out for becoming blinded by the idealism of your visions or if you focus only on your ideas...this could make you ignore reality when it contradicts those lofty ideals...you could stay with a belief or commitment beyond what the facts would support (stubborn?)...you're loyal...

Also, you could lose out if you don't act assertively and are reluctant to intrude on others with your ideas...as a result, you could keep many important things to yourself...you'll then feel that your ideas are underestimated or unappreciated...maybe you should develop political saavy or assertiveness to sell your ideals...finally, you should be forthright with criticism of others...you're always doing the "If you can't say some- thing nice...." stuff. After you hold it inside, you'll blow up eventually.

=========================================================
By the way, if you guys wanna do the test (free one), go to:

http://haleonline.com/psychtest  or
http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html

But if you still wanna do the MBTI, you can check it out at 
http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/
WARNING: It's B***** expensive. US$175 for the online test. Convert the price yourself.

I did the MBTI before a few years ago for free 'cos my mom had some contacts. Plllllzzzzttttt! LOL.

To our fellow Malaysians, Muslims or otherwise

Saw this in the mail today, and i thought everyone ought to know about this, so that we don't get (or tell others) bullied by zealots of a certain religion, or be shot down by the leaders of "alternative" religions.

FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN MALAYSIA SHOULD BE PRACTICED AND RESPECTED BY ALL.
FYI, there's no such thing as THE religion as far as this world is concerned, because if there ever was, there would've been only ONE religion. Let people have the freedom to choose for themselves. After all, humans aren't that stupid.
=========================================================
The Malaysian Federal Constitution, Article 11 (1) states that :

"Every person has the right to profess (to declare, teach and affirm in public) and practice his religion (meet to pray, worship, carry out acts stated in holy texts or doctrine) and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it (preach, evangelise, invite to participate)."

And if you must know, Clause (4) is the law which limits our right to share the gospel to Muslims. (If you're interested to know the rest of Article 11, go here: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia#Article_11)

Did you know that the above 19 word sentence guarantees your right as a Malaysian citizen to start Christian Fellowships in every School,College,University,Place of Work in every state of Malaysia? This means that NO ONE can stop/ hinder/ ban and restrict any single one of you from starting/organising Christian Fellowships/events!

Do you know that if anyone so much as threatens action against you when you meet to pray for one another, intercede for your School and be led by the Holy Spirit to bless your school and friends, they are already on the wrong side of the law?

In other words, everyone is sanctioned and protected by the most supreme law in Malaysia to do Christian Fellowships. No one in the face of this country can rob that right from you. And if that's not enough, guess what? The Creator of the heavens and the earth, Yahweh, Jesus, Holy Spirit - God Himself is on your side.

Galatians 6:9 (New King James Version) reads:

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

While, Joshua 1:9 (New Living Translation) reads:

"This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

What kind of a statement is UM trying to get through?

I was actually intrigued by this by it's title : F*** Universiti Malaya!

Although I would have tried to word it in a less vulgar way, however, it captured my initial reaction to the mail exceptionally well...

Read the contents and I think Najib would shoot his foot for coming out with the dumb concept of 1Malaysia.

Interestingly enough, the racially-charge young man is STILL the Yang Dipertua of UM. I really am apprehensive of this nations future.

============================================

This is a letter from University Malaya's head of Graduates to all the students (maybe of a certain race only).  

Here it is below! For those not bothered in stressing your brains too much in understanding the written malay, I'll do the translation:

Therefore, I as the Head of Graduates of University of Malaya would like to advice all our fellow graduates of University of Malaya to combine forces and prepare ourselves together with all the necessary knowledge and preparation before we continue our fight in the actual battle field. This advice implies mainly to our Malay Graduates. We must treasure the sacrifices made by our ancestors which tried so hard to ensure that Tanah Melayu (Malay Land) is free from the intrusion of alien races. We must not fall into the category of those who forgets their roots until they will be taken over by other races. Graduates must prove themselves that we are capable and the best choice to take over the throne of governing the country in the future. This implies with the theme of MPMUM Progressive, Dynamic, Professional. There is nothing more important that can compared to our always-sensitive and improving Graduates. I also would like to advice all Malay Graduates to prepare ourselves in facing all sorts of unpredicted challenges that may occur in near future, relating to the rise of our fellow citizens, in particular to the non-Malay races. Don't let ourselves slack and allow our 'enemies under the blankets to attack us' (direct translation from the Malay idiom). Don't allow our Malaysia to fall into the hands of those who are irrelevant.




   


After reading this, I became truly speechless!

So stunned, so shocked! Why do I feel a one sided love for my country?

Malaysia... I love you so.. but what have you become........

Peace Fast results!

Fast for peace is OVER! 

 

Didn't really do much.. just puttered around the house and what not.

Apart from the headache and infuriating food scent towards the end...hey, it ain't so bad after all. We shud do this more often. After all, it's for a worthy cause...

Fast for the Nation, Peace for Malaysia 2009.

First time doing the total fast. It's daunting but hopefully will get thru it with no roadblocks of the unnecessary kind.

Fast for the Nation, Peace for Malaysia 2009.
 http://sivinkit.net/2009/09/12/fast-for-the-nation-peace-for-malaysia-2009-nurturing-a-better-home-for-all/

Cow heads gets pin from PDRM

All hail the cow heads!
Pray hard that a real life horror show of cow heads don't walk scot-free for raising racial tensions up a few notches...because that was expected.
Prove me wrong, Malaysia, cos I want to be proven wrong in this case.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/112335

Your feet isn't empty.

From Arcamax Jokes:

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, he said: "Now, students, if I stood on my head the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I should turn red in the face."

"Yes, sir," the boys said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little fellow shouted, "'It's because yer feet ain't empty."
 ____________________________________________

Laughing?
But isn't it the same thing we want to tell certain leaders, that last line?

terrorists or displaced heroes?

So Malaysia gained independence without bloodshed. Is that right?

Interestingly enough our communists who are in Thailand's peace villages are a peaceful lot who thinks BN is a scourge and Sejarah is filled with wrong facts. As most people suspected so already, I guess.

Hmm...
What say you?

From MalaysiaKini:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/111764 : Deleted from victors' history: The other freedom fighters
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/111765 : Why we stay here, even when we love home
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/111797 : The last of CPM's Indian communists

Severed Cow Head Forges On

This post is in regard to the demand Hindu American Foundation (HAF) made to the Malaysian government to conduct an inquiry to identify and punish leaders of the mob involved in last week's provocative and insensitive demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat.

__________________________________________________________

If that ever happened literally, it would not be stranger than fiction. It's downright blood-curdling.

On the other hand, it just might, in the not so literal sense of the phrase.
Why is that? Because this case where a large group of our religiously intolerant brothers may get away with their antics. Again.

Wanna know why i said that?
Simple.
Name me one case involving some high profile fellow behind playing wayang kulit that wasn't swept under the carpet.

I wonder anyone remembers Altantuya?

Conversion or Body-Snatchers?

Welcome to a certain place near the equator on the third rock from the Sun.
In this place, it's citizens have a problem of the religious kind. It's called conversion and the knowledge of it after a person's death.

http://www1.malaysiakini.com/opinions/111088

According to authorities, these converts, or muallaf as they are called, had converted at some point in their lives and regrettably did not inform their families.

However in the case of Mr. Gan Eng Gor, who was said to be a Buddhist convert to Islam and was ordered to be buried as a Muslim by the Syariah Court, his family insisted that Gan had never converted to Islam, saying he had suffered two strokes and could not speak at the time of the alleged conversion.
 
The reasons are plausible, but honestly, is there really a need to body-snatch from grieving relatives?
I can't say for sure because I do not have much knowledge about Islam enough to criticize the authorities who help bury the dead according to their rites. On the other hand, I question their (the authorities) motives of doing so.

This is because, to my limited knowledge that is, when a parent converts to Islam in Malaysia, the children will automatically become converts themselves, with or without consent of the children. Another thing is that when that person dies as a Muslim and the children are not Muslims themselves, whatever property that dead convert has, automatically goes to the baitulmal.

Another question I want to ask is: If Malaysian citizens have a right to religion, why is it that Islam is the only one one can convert in, and not convert out?

Please feel free to correct me and educate me.

Birthday Land

Happy 52nd, Malaysia!

Let's just hope the jokers running the country will stop ruining your party within the next ten years.

Till the old men like CSL who cling on to power even though their hair has turned white and had their public and private affair blown to the public, I shall remain cautiously optimistic for you and your citizens, including myself.

Concept of Race

The concept of race is a relatively new but extremely powerful four letter word.
Instead of emphasizing on the minor differences that we have, why don't we focus on something we already share?

I say let mountains be mountains and molehills be molehills.

Holy cow! What poor taste!

I think most of you have seen, or at least, heard a certain incident in Shah Alam, with a bunch of our countrymen making a derogatory sham another group of our countrymen.



What failed to amaze me was not their audacity to drag a cow's head, but rather the fact that some of these jokers who claim they live in Section 23, who will defend their rights to the very core of their soul, even if they need to shed blood.....

Do NOT live in Section 23 Shah Alam.

According to the Malaysian Insider that is.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/36283-state-calls-for-calm-over-cow-head-protests

I Quote:

"The decision to move the temple to the proposed site in Section 23 was taken because the area actually has a 40 per cent Hindu population.”
He said initially those who are opposed to the temple said it should not be built there because it has a 60 per cent Malay majority, subsequently it became 70 per cent and today it’s 90 per cent.                           -A resident from Section 23.

Is this how we want Malaysia to be? I sure as heck do not!

Happy 52 Years of Independence from Colonialism, Malaysia!
Can't say about the dependence on the other -isms though.

First Post

Heya Peeps!
Yup it's my first post on more serious issues happening in a country smaller than most called Malaysia.
Why?
Because I think this country has a future, but it has to be shaped from today to be what it can be 20 years down the road. It sure is going to be a rough, bumpy ride.
Ah, well. The road less taken is the one people regret the least, I believe. Though most would have liked the thorns and wild animals to be lesser when they are traveling.

Life IS tough. If you don't agree, you haven't lived long enough.