Thank you
It was my birthday yesterday on 29th April. A beautiful day with many beautiful wishes.
Thank you to my parents, my sisters ( and their pets ), and all my very wonderful friends for all the love and care that makes everyday in my life so memorable and full of surprises.
Thank You.
Christmas Gift ideas for Down Under
The fruit farmers' dream to gift wrap their love - finally come true with the arrival of square melons.
Courtesy of my kid sister who must have been skiving again, sneaking out during lunch time to do her grocery.
Grand Dame of Malaysian Legislature
If one building truly symbolises the democratic system that Malaysia practises, it is the Parliament House, built in September 1962 near the Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens. The building cost RM18mil and was the brainchild of Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Officially opened in 1963,the
House of Representatives and the Senate are located in the building.
We took this picture from our room in Hilton KL. You could see that the complex consists of two parts: the main building, which is a three-storey building, and its 18-storey tower annexe. Within the building are two national assembly halls: the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) and Dewan Negara (Senate). Although the designs of the two halls are the same, the smaller Dewan Negara has nice stained glass windows with traditional Islamic motifs.
Politics is my parent’s main sparring topics over the dinning table for all meals of the day. When LKY was still prime minister of Singapore, he was worried sick over the increasingly greying population of Singapore. To make matters worse female graduates were then (and by the way still are) getting married later or even never. He thus proposed a holistic embrace of the
Confucianism philosophy and emphasized selectively on very specifically chosen topics especially the concept that suggests home is where women should belong. Of course Confucianism is much broader that this. But when Editorials of major press, which some are proxy of governments as so we were told even as children, started singing praise of the wisdom of this one single concept, it was like adding pepper to the spicy curry chicken served at dinner.
My mother, a full time working mom, made it clear to all who were present at the dinner table, including her five young daughters, that today’s modern women has every right to determine who they want to be. The concept of freedom of choice was planted then in my young mind, thanks to that particular dinner. But for some strange reason no one has ever challenged my mother’s order that vegetables and fried fish are good for children, despite the concept of freedom of choices.
My father on the other hand championed “corporate governance” before Enron scandal made this term essential. His mood turns feisty if reports on corruption, racial policy and power struggle amongst our local politicians were served on the independent press for the day. When the largest local Chinese newspaper Nanyang was acquired by MCA, my father and his friends over their local kopitiam lunch, made a joint pact to stop their home subscription . While I treat parliamentary debates as noisy board room squabbles, he reads insights into every move and every policy that is passed. Over desserts, my dad will give his commentary and condemn the evil forces.
To be fair it is not all dooms days for him. There are Jedi knights in his eyes but their population is currently too small for him to change his view that dark side will prevail. My mother has a different opinion. She believes that good will trumph and though today’s cumulative results are just too insignificant for us to appreciate right now, the mountain is being moved at small steps every day.
Our cabinet has recently completed their debate on the 9th Malaysian Plan (9th MP) and is our prime minister Pak Lah’s answer to the nation to propel us one step closer to our vision 2020. I asked Dad if he thinks our nation will achieve the vision on time. He thought for a while, and said “Pak Lah has got to need more support”. Guess for the many dinners to come, we will continue to hear Dad’s commentary on the inroad Jedi knights are making.
A new parliament house is built in CyberJaya. But our grand dame will stand tall at the hilltop of the Lake Garden overlooking Kuala Lumpur, as she has always been since 1962. After all she is only at her prime 44.
"At 15, I set my mind upon learning;
At 30, I took my stand;
At 40, I no longer had doubts;
At 50, I knew the will of the heavens;
At 60, my ear was attuned;
At 70, I follow all the desires of my heart without breaking any rule."
extracted from Analects of Confucius
Never say never
A 1997 Prevention Magazine Survey of the general public found that about one third of the adult Americans say they frequently use "herbal medicines". One out of 3 Australians says that they visit practitioners of alternative medicine.Do you think by 2020, 25% of the Malaysian home garden will grow their own medicinal herbs?Paparazzi Lieterally means "buzzing insects" in Italian. Do you think by 2010, the word “brokeback” from Brokeback Mountain will be used to mean determination, tragic, impossible and added into the Oxford dictionary?
Haute couture literally means "elegant sewing". A couture dress can cost up to US120,000.
Do you think by 2025, custom print batik will be the privilege of high royal and collector items for the riches and can be sold for as much as US20,000?
Modern sushi began at a street food stall in the city of Edo, new Tokyo, in 1824 .
Do you think our very own banana leaves and teh tarik will be featured as the high cuisine in the menu of alternative dining?
In its origin, Tai Chi was a deadly art, jealously guarded by a few families, and used for killing. Tai Chi moves include "Stork spread wings", "Grasp the Sparrow" and "Carry Tiger and return to Mountain".
Do you think in 7 years time, Tai Chi and Silat will be taught in school as part of holistic health regime for young school children?
Waitresses who add a "smiley" face to their bills see their tips increase about by 5%. Men who do the same watch theirs drop by 3%.Do you agree that perception on sex and gender will hardly change as long as female continue to shoulder the biological reproduction function for the human species? Hence will it change when it comes a day men bear children?
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BUT before that give yourself a moment to ponder upon some of the things that were considered impossible only 5 years ago.
Gold Rush
Read somewhere that to make the most out of gold rush, is to get to the site first and sell shovels. Over lunch with EB and TT, I learnt that our common friend WL is taking a few months off to put his life long dream of building a resort into reality. Even during his corporate days as an IT consultant, he has never put off his passion for writing and his desire to create unforgettable memories for others. The idea of a resort that will provide top quality service was mooted at the most insane period when we were struggling to put a humongous system in place. I thought he probably was overworked then and needed some fantasy to let off his pressure. Two years ago WL surprised all of us by quitting his glamourous consulting career to become a writer for the country's top selling business weekly. Today he is in Chicago talking to business partners about his resort. From IT consultants to a writer to a resort owner. I am inspired by the courage he has to pursue his dreams. "
How do you expect to arrive at the end of your own journey if you take the road to another man's city?" (
Thomas Merton)
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. "
( Ralph Waldo Emerson )
A beautiful evening view from my balcony, overlooking the campus of University of Malaya and its football field.
When the press is not looking
Soroptimist Malaysia(SI) Region of Malaysia is celebrating 15 years of Soroptimism in Malaysia today at Pan Pacific Hotel. SI is the world’s largest non-profit organisation for women in management and profession who champions causes that affect women and children. Pheng, who is Lilian’s mother and an energetic lady, invited me. I have always been interested in topics concerning women and children and this is an excellent opportunity to understand the activities of NGOs in Malaysia.
Tun Dr. M was the keynote speaker. A forum shared by 4 panelists entitled “Peace at Home, Peace in the Country and Peace in the World” followed his speech. The four panelists are experts in their own rights respectively as human right activitist, established economist, NGO representative and famous writer.
Three things struck me from attending today's event. Speaking to some of the SI members, it struck me that their looks can be deceiving. On average, the SI members are in the age group 50- 60’s. Not all are retired profesionals. Some have given up their career in their younger days to focus on running their families. In spite of this, these ladies are very authentic, gregrarious, extremely fun loving and surprisingly sharp. They not only are fully aware of the happenings in our society, they observe keenly the events of the world. The context of peace, and hence the lack of it, is broader than just war between nations, which unfortunately has been Dr.M’s sole focus in his keynote speech today. To many of them, peace encompasses peace between nations, communities, ethnic races, husband and wife, and humanity at large.
My second enlightenment is their commitment to the causes they stand for. The keen involvement from the floor is a big contrast from the pin-drop silence in most IT conferences I have attended. Eager participants traded provocative questions, thoughts and laughters with equally knowledgeable and focused, albeit humorous and eloquent panelists.
To the rhetorical question from one of the participants on “How have we woman ourselves been responsible for bringing up men today who are pro war? ”, it was easy to allow the question slide into a disaster of self-blame on how mothers of warlords have failed miserably in their parenting skill. I applauded the panelists who immediately pointed out that parenting is a joint responsibility of both parents and todays’ conflicts amongst nations, sects or religions are attributed to a complex web of historical, cultural and political differences. There is no easy quick fix but certainly a consistent and aligned effort from every individual will move mountain.
A thought-provoking question of “Despite all that is said about equality, is it really feasible that a family have two captains and husband and wife both have equal rights to make or veto decision making? ” was raised. It caused a roaring laughter when one participant aptly replied on behalf of the panelists, “Don’t worry, sister. Let the men be head, and we woman be neck. The head will turn to where the necks want it to”
The third enlightment came from a discussion on domestic violence or peace at home. I have always taken for granted that home is where an individual feels safe in. However for victims of domestic violence, such definition became a mockery. On a deeper level for me as an individual, I feel truly blessed that my parents have provided us siblings with such a wonderful home.
I left after a delightful lunch, during which I got acquinted with many more wonderful ladies who shared generously with me their wisdoms in life. A note about Pheng, whose husband passed away when she was still pregnant with her youngest daughter,she single-handedly brought up her three daughters, worked as a fulltime MD of a international music company, active in community services and taking care of her own mother. How she managed to orchestrate such a successful forum with so many important VIPs while juggling between taking care of her own mother who happened to be be hospitalized during the same time, both her daughter and I were in awe.
Tomorrow on the papers, the keynote speech will be featured. But for the participants, we knew that though it is sometimes convenient for world leaders to talk about the world as divided between good vs evil, the hard work lies in addressing the complex sociological, cultural and religious differences that exists in our societies. Only with sheer determination, optimism and hard work on ourselves, our families and generations after generations will achieve peace. Now that the press is not looking, it is time to start work again. Salam, may peace be with you.
The fruit farmers' dream to gift wrap their love - finally come true with the arrival of square melons. 
