Seditious & Racial Issues - WHY

In the past 2 weeks, there have been lots of "discussions" on the racial remarks by this one stupid UMNO-putra, Ahmad Pissmail with other 13 Penang UMNO Division chiefs. Problem is he is unwilling to apologise and still asked the other parties to apologise instead. He is either too proud or having a much-lesser-than-bird's brain. I'm leaning towards the latter for his kampung attitude. First world facilities, Third world mentality just rings right.

WHY are we Malaysian Chinese (pun intended) who should be considered as EQUAL Malaysians are called squatters/lodgers (in this Pissmail's words - Pendatang)?

WHY our PM Bodohwi had the "tidak apa" attitude towards this remark by only stating he would advise this Pissmail not to do it again? Isn't he supposed to take disciplanary actions against this Pissmail who stirred up the racial topics?

WHY not taking him to court on Sedition Act like what the current government is doing to some of the bloggers (ie RPK etc)?

WHY the double standards being treated for this UMNO-Putra Pissmail?

WHY are the topics of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat being removed from the Malaysian history books for the academic syllabus? Could anyone please explain this? It seems like both the legends are actually of Chinese descendent. That could the main reason why the topics vapourised from the books that were popular in my generation and those before mine.

WHAT difference is this racial topic compare to the Aparteid in South Africa decades ago?

After 51 years of independence, I am disgraced by this third world mentality in the borderless world. UMNO is still trying to play the racial cards in the Malaysian politics. I just learnt that Malaysia is the only country now that still has race-based parties, ie UMNO, MCA, MIC etc.

I do want to see some very stern actions being taken against this Pissmail shithead and his fellow supporters. Sedition Act should be the least and ISA with constant beatings should be the other extreme. I dare the PDRM to do this since RPK and other bloggers are being charged with acts that seem more beneficial to the minority few rather than in the interest of the majority public.

I doubt I am alone in this.......

oo0o

On a better note, here are some recent photos taken:





Peace out (may be piss off)........

Engagement & Wedding in August

I have been asked to cover a friend's engagement party and a colleague's registry wedding. To say the least, I'm actually honoured to be given these opportunities. I have been guided by a fellow photography enthusiast who is now doing photography professionally covering weddings, events and portraits. You know who you are. I have certainly grown in experience and knowledge of capturing light. Further to that, an encouraging comment coming from him personally few days ago is certainly an attainment after perusing thru my whoALSE Photographics site.

However, I would not just stop improving here. The day one feels s/he has achieved the best one could is the day stagnation creeps in. A well-known Kiwi photographer, Anthony McKee, quoted to me what his mentor taught him, "The study of light takes a lifetime". Surprisingly, this quote was changed from the original "The study of light takes a decade" that had been instilled in him 10 years before.

As such, I will strive harder to improve areas that require more attentions. Conversely, I think I'll rather be noted as an event's memory documentor and/or "time travel service provider" allowing one to go back in time by perusing at their captured images.

Now, here are some shots:

Paper, Compass, Fireworks......

What an Opening Ceremony of the XXIX Olympiad to remember! Zhang Yi-mou certainly made a huge impression with the direction of the Opening Ceremony by having "Paper scroll" as the main title along with Compass, plenty of Fireworks, Chinese Opera (with puppets too) and colourful Traditional Costumes. Footprints were left on the Paper by those athletes who attended the march pass. That's certainly a nice yet meaningful gesture.

It has topped Athen and Sydney while London will definitely have a problem beating that performances that were full of histories, past achievements/inventions and cultures.

Michael Phelps has just blown away his World Record in 400m Individual Medley (IM) by almost 1.5secs. In Athens, he did 4.08. In Beijing, he swam 4.03. This is just remarkable. Now one down, 7 to go for him......

In 400m Free, Park of South Korea and Zhang of China came in first and second respectively ahead of Larsen of USA. Park burst through the group from the 3rd hundred and kept the amazing speed to the end. Certainly, it's worthwhile to mention that 2 Asians filled the top 2 positions in the event. It's a rare ocassion especially in physical sports.

What a start to the swimming events.........! How I wish the finals are in the evening

Penang Hokkien - A Dying Dialect?

With Penang being listed as one of the UNESCO's Heritage City listing, there have been some discussion with issues pertaining to the uniqueness of Penang cultures, Penang Hokkien dialect being one of them. I have always gotten interesting feedback from friends, coursemates and colleagues that the dialect is very soothing and sweet to the ears from my conversations with fellow Penangites. These came from Singaporeans and Taiwaneses who speak Hokkien too albeit to a different tune! I found that I am able to understand their types of dialect while they struggle with our Penang Hokkien.

Having the opportunities to be in overseas, I realised that Penang Hokkien is definitely unique in its very own way. Some of the differences come from the mixing and melting of terms/objects/words with languages like Malay, English and Portugese. Perhaps the greatest influence is the Peranakan and Nyonya cultures, known as Straits Chinese.

Again, being overseas it is certainly tough finding opportunities to speak Hokkien. In fact, I have met some fellow Penangites while overseas not willing to converse the dialect. I for one prefer to converse Penang Hokkien in the presence of all Penangites and other Hokkien-speaking comrades. There are friends and relatives who are not keen in passing on this uniqueness to their children.

I have to admit that my knowledge of Penang Hokkien may not be as good as previous generations but I can say I'm much better compare to some of my peers as well as the younger generations.

One thing for sure is I can converse in Hokkien in the presence of other nationals with the confidence that they will not be able to understand "secrets", cursings and/or complains. Mandarin, English, Japanese, Spanish and Malay/Indonesian are some of the popular languages that mat sallehs could master but I can see those still looked cheery when we were cursing the shit out of them in Hokkien in their faces!

So, let us all keep Penang Hokkien dialect alive and kicking. I'm proud to be able to speak Penang Hokkien and understand its variants.

KNNMPKCCB......

LoL.....

On another note, here are some wedding pics taken in July............

Abductions by the Legal

I have just finished watching Rendition and the special documentary Outlawed by Witness on the DVD. It certainly is a worthwhile movie to sit through since it reveals some unlawful abductions of suspected individuals and subsequent interrogations in prisons of faraway land by the biggest crooks of all, CIA. These so-call suspects are transported from one prison to another and tortured without being formally charged nor their family members being informed.

This program is known as the CIA's Rendition program. It has existed prior to the 9/11 but has intensified and misused ever since 9/11. Can you imagine that a country that fight so hard for human rights is actually violating these rights itself? Should we believe in the words/speeches of those powerful that said they the government will not resort to torturing and unlawfully abducting for interrogations?

This movie and the documentary do indeed gave me a few points to ponder, especially now with the "disappearance" of the PI who released a Statutory Declaration (SD) implicating a well-known person and issued a subsequent SD reversing the first within 24 hours.

I guess once a person tasted power he/she will resort to anything and everything to not only hold on to the power but hunger for more, leading to more misuses.

Gloomy and Chilly

It's been a month since winter started. I never really like the chilly temperature and wind, esp those with single digit temperature. However, it has not been as cold as May and June last year. Having said that, I avoid heading out unless it's necessary just to prevent the incident from recurring. I had bronchial spasm in my first winter here in Melbourne.

Anyway, I again did a shoot with my friend last week and here are some of the pics taken.





On another note, Nikon has just announced another full frame (FX) DSLR and it's D700 of which it's with plenty of D3's features in a D300 body. Will I get it? I doubt so as I'm in need of 70-200 lens to complete my lens collection for event and wedding shoots. Perhaps, the existing 70-200 may get a minor update due to some complaints by the FX users. Time will tell.........