Why I Write ...

Purely as a form of expression to the emotions that run riot in my life at different junctures. This blog has seen several title revisions that also reflect the state of being and evolution I am constantly in. If one were to remain stagnant in hope of never changing their temporal present, one will awaken someday to much regret. Life is about living, evolving and adapting to the constant changes all around us.

My spot on the web is essentially a journey along with my monologue ramblings of my coherent mind accompanied by the incoherent thing called life. Read me if you like ... if you don't it is not the end of the world. I am at the very least a believer in humility lifts us further than pride.

Happy trails

30 September 2008

Festive Cheers and Sorrows .. Sept 30, 2008

The traditional Ops Sikap is in the 17th chapter and as of day 5 we've had 63 deaths ... and mostly bikers heading home for the Eid holidays.

Now what truly amazes me about this is that it's like an annual census ... people without fail during the Eid festivities will somehow or other manage to voluntarily kill themselves ... Just yesterday evening heading home I saw 1 motorbike death, 1 skidded car in the ditch, 2 remnants of an earlier accident and one maniac punk driver in a super powered car weaving in and out of the moving traffic for kicks I guess or perhaps the fact that the Ramadhan month was at its end, he might have wanted to die a fasting martyr or something ...

Then there's the bits about houses burning down, fingers and face and other bits and pieces blown off thanks to aspiring chemical engineers who decide that whatever is in the firecracker should be explored further and it's effectiveness further compounded into something more deadly or limb and eyesight disabling ...

YES YES Welcome to the annual pre-Eid madness in Malaysia.

As an aside, there are the glutony inducing Ramadhan bazaars where every imaginable delicacy is up for sale ... me thinks the general population of Malaysia actually gains several unhealthy kilos during the fasting month from all the 'Muhibbah Buka Puasa' sessions, everyone everywhere is attacked by an uncontrollable desire to tuck in ... who could resist since the fusion cuisine in this country is totally unmatchable anywhere else in the world.

But there's just something about being in Malaysia. So many reasons to celebrate and so many opportunities to cross racial, cultural and religious differences and immerse oneself in absolute symbiosis of peoples. But damn it we have the fooking politicians and their personal fooking agendas to spoil all the good and great things about this country.

I remember that integration back in the pre 80s was not something anyone had to harp about. It came naturally to the various people who colour Malaysia. Listening to my mom and her brothers tales of their school days and the mischief they got into collectively with the neighbours of all races is something as I grew up, I saw diminish and now it's almost extinct except for those tourism billboards that proclaim Malaysia Truly Asia.

You don't see kids of different races mixing. Let alone respecting each other differences, cultures or religions. You have to look really hard to find the true muhibbah spirit with feeling the undercurrents of 'keling' and 'babi cina' type sentiments ... and it really saddens me.

My two girls are forever asking me why the Melayu girls in class keep reminding them that they are not Melayu. I have no answers because I have idea what the parents of these little 8 and 6 year olds tell their kids that at an age when children should be least concerned about cast or creed, kids are segregating themselves and creating divisions that stick right through their adult lives ...

What the fook is wrong with the education system? The economic system? The plain human interaction values in this country today???? I dunno ... but I do know I still have the same excitement about every festive celebration in Malaysia. I remember my Lantern Festival walking round the neighbourhood with kids from all races and ages ... I remember the gatherings at Chinese New Year, at Eid, at Diwali and at Christmas and how much joy it brought to share in these celebrations with all my other friends.

I still have my doors open every Christmas. We all cook and entertain guests who come by .... sometimes on a whim an old friend drives by and suddenly 20 years is bridged because of the seasons joy. But this is not something everyone shares ... some have over the years come to see themselves as a superior class, and joining in the celebrations of 'infidels' is demeaning to their existence ... all I can say is I feel sorry for your narrow minded thinking.

Malaysia is losing her charm and beauty because of the blinkered thinking of these sadly growing numbers. And as another chapter in the year past draws to a close, it is my fervent wish that Malaysians will somehow find that balance that without a doubt puts us back in top form as a representation of Truly Asia ...

All our forefathers contributed to making this country what it became and they trusted the future generations to keep their dreams and visions alive, let us not disappoint them.

I am Malaysian and proud of it ... and I hope my daughters too will always feel that sense of belonging for this is our home ...

Selamat Hari Raya AidulFitri ... maaf zahir batin ... and please keep safe and for safety sake, buckle up behind.