Here In My Home - Malaysian Artistes For Unity

Saturday 4 December 2010

Wake up lah!

Last night most of the Malaysian FB postings were about the price increases effective today. But yet I see people are lining up to buy the Ipads or whatever the latest smarphones is in the market, gold at 155 per gram, smokies for 10 bucks a pop and methinks these are the same type of people still griping they can't afford to drive their latest sportscars or new proton inspiras or whatever with such price increases.

And to me these are the also ones who are saying that the government are fooling around with our country's money. To what standards are you holding our government to when I have yet to see Malaysians die of starvation, country people catching rats for food, people rioting for food aid, cars abandoned by the roadside due lack of fuel or whatever images that you see from countries that are truly poor. Until I see again beggars in rags at our mosques or wherever, and Malaysians and not those foreigners preying on Malaysian generosity, I shall not complain but adjust accordingly. Malaysia and Malaysians are not that special to escape economic realities.

Yes prices are increasing, but I still don't want to leave a country in debt to my children. So deal with it.

Sunday 28 November 2010

Register Of RMN Active List Ships - Subsea Combattants

In 1965 the British withdrew from Malaysia their hydrographic assets and platforms and then transferred the responsibilities to chart the nation's hydrographic territory to the Malaysian Navy. The Hydrographic Department of the RMN was later formally established in 1969. The Royal Navy transferred a converted Ton class coastal minesweeper HMS Myrmidon that was commissioned in 1968 as the KD Perantau to become the navy's first survey vessel. This vessel provided the RMN the ability to execute hydrographic activities without any foreign navy's intervention. As KD Perantau alone was not able to meet the demand for hydropgrahic duties, a converted tug KTD Penyu was also pressed for hydrographic duties later on. The later acquisition of modern hydrography vessels enabled the RMN to commence gathering of bathymetric data that not only supplied nautical charts for surface ships but ultimately allows the vessels to be involved in the training , search and rescue missions and assisting in weapons training, anti-submarine warfare and submarine operations. This is especially useful since the Malaysian Navy after a 30 year wait has now received two modern attack diesel submarines to complete their 3 dimensional naval warfare capability. The submarines are not only a very good deterrent but is a very good force multiplier for a small navy like the RMN to act as a credible defence force for the nation. With the hydrograhic force working in concert with the submarine arm, the sub-surface will not be a stranger or an obstacle to achieving success.

Mutiara Class AGS

A225 1976/1977


Displacement: 1905 tons standard, 1949 tons full load
Dimensions: 71.15m x 13.52m x 4.75 m
Guns: Fitted for 1 x 20mm.
Electronics: 2 Racal 1226/1229 Navigation Radar, I Beam, Multi-beam Echo Sounder Atlas Hydrosweep MD 2/30 kHz, Deep Sea Echo Sounder Atlas Deso 25, Sound Velocity Probe 10 Inch, Motion Sensor DMS 3-05, Expandable Bathymetry Thermograph (XBT), 2 X Side Scan Sonar Klein 3000
Propulsion: 2 X Deutz SBA 12M 528 diesels, 1 controllable pitch propeller
Speed: 16 knots, range 8334Km at 16 knots
Crew : 155
Aircraft: platform aft.

KD MUTIARA was built locally in Penang by Hong Leong Lurssen Dockyard. She was originally commissioned to the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Fleet on 18th December 1977 with the pennant number A 152, but was renumbered after taking on grey livery and is the squadron leader to the 36th Hydrographic Squadron. Her endurance renders her sustainability at sea for a maximum period of 3 months. She is fitted with the latest state of the art Hydrographic and Oceanographic surveying system and is complemented with 4 surveying boats and 2 working boats. She has an impeccable record of successful hydrographic surveys and has contributed to the production of more than 50 nautical charts and completed her upgrade in 2004.

Perantau
Class AGS

A151 1995/1998


Displacement: 1505 tons standard, 2160 tons full load
Dimensions: 67.8m x 13.3m x 4m
Electronics: Integrated Navigation and Command System (NACOS), X band and S band, ATLAS I Band, Digital Survey and Mapping System 'HYDROMAP', Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), SYstem LEgere pour mesure le DIStance (SYLEDIS) - Electronic Position Fixing System, 1 multi-beam medium / shallow echo-sounder, 2 dual frequency Single beam Echo Sounder, Hull Mounted Acoustic Current Profiller (ADCP) , Sound Velocity Probe , Sub-Bottom Profiler, Expandable Bathymetry Thermograph (XBT), 2 X Side Scan Sonar Kl
ein 3000
Propulsion: 2 X Two Deutz MWM SB8 M628 diesels, 2 shafts Berg controllable pitch propellers
Speed: 16 knots, range 11, 112 Km at 10 knots
Crew : 96

KD PERANTAU was ordered from Germany’s Krogerweft but was built locally in Penang by Hong Leong Lurssen Dockyard. She replaced the former KD PERANTAU which was decommissioned in 1990. KD PERANTAU was built with a combination of local expertise in shipbuilding and design and the main hydrographic and navigation system are based from German's technology.
The ship was designed and equipped specifically for hydrographic surveying operation and conducting meteorological and oceanographic observations mainly in the tropics. he ship also carries two survey launch mainly deployed for surveying in shallow water equipped with shallow water multi-beam echo-sounders and short range UHF differential GPS.

Hidrografi Class HSL

Hidrografi 1 2005
Hidrografi 2 2009


Displacement: 8.5 tons standard
Dimensions: 16m x 4.45m x 1.5 m
Electronics: Navigation Radar, Echo Sounder, Side Scan Sonar
Propulsion: 2 X CUMMINS 6CTA8.3M(SW) diesels, 2 shafts x 1 fixed propeller
Speed: 19 knots, range 834Km
Crew : 14

In addition to the survey launches on board the hydrographic ships, the Royal Malaysian Navy has also commissioned two locally built hydrographic survey launches that operates independently to complement the ships' operations. Based in East Malaysia, these craft will be used for hydrographic survey and data collection.

Perdana Class SSK

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman 2003/2009
KD Tun Razak 2004/2010


Displacement: 1577 tons surfaced, 1711 tons submerged
Dimensions: 66.4 m x 6.2 m x 5.4 m
Weapons : 6 x 533mm torpedo tubes . 18 x Anti Ship Missiles/Torpedoes combination
Anti-Ship Missile: SM39 Block II missiles, Range : 50 Km
ASW: 533 mm WASS Balckshark wire-guided torpedoes. Range : 50 Km
Electronics: SUBTICS combat control system, I-Band navigation radar, Thales DR3000 ESM, TSM 2233 Mk II Hull Mounted Sonar, active/passive search and attack.
Propulsion: 2 x SEMT Pielstick PA4 200 SM D-12 DS Diesels, Exide Hagen propulsion batteries, 1 Jeumont Industrie Motor, 1 shaft.
Speed: 20.5 knots dived, 12 knots submerged ; range 667 Km at 4 knots submerged, 11 112 Km at 8 knots surfaced
Crew : 32


After a thirty year wait where the idea to induct a submarine force into the navy was first broached in the 1970s and the first submariners started training in 1985 but came back not to a submarine but a submarine planning duties, our first two submarines was finally declared fit for duties after passing their tropical, underwater and maintenance tests in november 2010. The Scorpene type submarines were cooperatively built in France and Spain and is based on a nuclear attack submarine design that ensures a very quiet platform in operations. Currently the most modern submarine in the region, these submarines are both armed with both anti-ship missiles and torpedoes that can be launched from their six 533mm torpedo tubes with a weapons capacity of 18 torpedoes and/or missiles. These are the Whitehead Black Shark wire-guided torpedoes from Italy and sub-launched SM39 Exocet anti ship missiles from MBDA and although it has been reported that the submarines can launch 30 mines alternatively, the type and whether the mines has been purchased is unknown. In addition, these submarine has not been equipped with AIPS (Air-Independent Propulsion System) which allows a greater submerged endurance and reduced vulnerability but this can be inserted at a later stage. The induction of these submarines now completes the naval capabilities of the navy in all the operational theatres it operates in.

Friday 26 November 2010

Nice Idea!


Credit : The Star Thumbnails

Bravo to the maths genius who thought up of this novel way to get to your floor on a lift. Our kids needs such mental arithmetic stimulation trust me!

Saturday 13 November 2010

My Wonderful Beans

I just wanted to share an article on the wonderful petai or what the Mat Salleh calls the stink bean, something that I swear by to relieve my constipation. This only one of the myriad health benefits claimed for the consumption of the beans but you really have to live with the side effects. The stink does not really affect you in the eating process mind you, but more during the release of the by-products process. That is the time when the wash room really needs the deodoriser. But I digress, let's share the article.

Sundaymetro

Wonder beans

Petai is good for you, all you have to do to enjoy its goodness is to get over the smell.

YOU EITHER love it or hate it. Those little green pods aptly called the ‘stink bean’ and locally known as petai come packed with a host of nutrients essential for the human body.

The health benefits of petai (Parkia speciosa) clearly outweigh the minor undesirable side effects such as its peculiar smell which some say is quite similar to methane gas. The beans are nonetheless an acquired taste and quite popular in Asian countries such Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Burma and some parts of India.

The flat, edible bright green beans can be consumed either raw or cooked. Unlike the durian which is notorious for its pungent smell and immediate distinct taste, there is a delayed response when it comes to petai.

Chockfull of goodness: Petai has many health benefits.

As you chew through a single bean, it slowly emits a pungency similar to garlic. Some people say there is a hint of bitterness as you swallow it but no two palettes are the same.

The long lingering after taste takes a while to get used to. Like asparagus, petai contains certain amino acids that give a strong smell to one’s urine, an effect that can be noticed up to two days after consumption.

When young, the pods are flat because of the underdeveloped seeds and they hang like a bunch of slightly twisted ribbons – pale green and almost translucent. At this stage they may be eaten raw, fried or pickled.

Petai beans actually look like broad beans and like mature broad beans, they have to be peeled before cooking. Petai can be found all year round and is available in supermarkets and certain wet markets.

People suffering from diabetes are encouraged to consume petai as it helps to regulate a person’s glucose levels.

It contains three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - and combined with fibre, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

The fibre content also helps with problems of constipation. The petai beans are rich in complex carbohydrates that can give you the same feeling of fullness, thus eliminating the chances of gorging on the wrong foods. Here are other ways the humble petai can help with various health ailments.

Depression – As petai contains tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, consuming a few pods can help one to relax and improve your mood.

Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) – The vitamin B6 in petai helps regulate blood glucose levels which can affect your mood.

Anemia – Petai also contains high amounts of iron, therefore it can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood, thus helps a lot in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure – Petai is very high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect remedy to beat high blood pressure. So much so the US Food and Drug Administration have allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the bean’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Heartburn: Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, eating petai can provide a soothing relief.

While there are many who can’t stand the lingering aftertaste and smell of the petai, some prefer to overlook that.

Housewife Jasmine Anas says she often cooks prawn sambal with petai for her family. “My two young kids haven’t acquired the taste for it yet but my husband loves it with sambal belacan too. I have been told petai has a good cleansing effect on our body as well,” she says.

Chris De Mello, owner of Mum’s Place Restaurant in Damansara Perdana, says their Cencaru Fish and Prawn Sambal, both cooked with petai are a big hit among the customers.

“Petai is actually a local delicacy in Negeri Sembilan, which is where I’m from and it started off as a favourite among the Malay community. But now, it is enjoyed by everyone and even my customers from foreign countries love the pungent taste. The health benefits of petai are huge and it is also known for its natural laxative effect,” says De Mello.

Some restaurants in Klang Valley which serve up good petai dishes include Jaring Restaurant in Bandar Sunway, Restaurant Sambal Hijau in Kg Sungai Penchala and Anggrek Kuring, which has branches in Puchong and Kota Damansara.

How to prepare petai

If you buy them still in their pods, gently break them out and peel off the green outer layer. Blanching them in hot water for about five minutes and eating them as part of ulam (Malay herbal salad) with sambal belacan is a favourite among many. The most popular method is cooking them in sambal, be it prawns or ikan bilis (anchovies).

Petai Recipes

Petai with Fresh Mushrooms and Cashew Nuts

(Courtesy of Jeanie Lee of New Formosa Restaurant)

Ingredients:

200gm halved petai seeds

One large onion, cut into small wedges

Two varieties of fresh mushrooms (according to preference)

50gm cashew nuts

One red capsicum, diced into cubes (Optional: Rub salt over capsicum and roast for 15 minutes until skin blisters, peel and dice into cubes)

One tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce or light soy sauce

Half teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

Method:

Soak petai for 10 minutes and dry. Toast cashew nuts until slightly golden brown.

Heat one tea spoon of oil in a non-stick wok and sauté onions until fragrant. Add capsicum. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle some water and stir-fry lightly and then simmer the ingredients for about three minutes. Add petai and stir-fry about two minutes. Lastly add in cashew nuts, oyster or light soy sauce and a pinch of brown sugar.

Note:

Due to reduced oil and seasonings in this recipe, it is suggested that the petai is soaked for a while to get rid of its strong smell. If you prefer the strong smell, you may cook the petai while sprinkling a dash of brown sugar to enhance its taste. Simmer the mushrooms to release their flavour while simultaneously enhancing the flavour of the petai. Onions are cut into wedges to retain sweetness and texture, which tastes better eaten with petai compared to when cut into rings.

Sambal Petai with Prawns

(Courtesy of The Cooking House in Desa Sri Hartamas)

Ingredients:

Half cup of petai beans

300g fresh prawns, cleaned and shelled

Three shallots

Three cloves garlic

One inch ginger

One cup of dried chillis (boiled in hot water, deseeded and blended with some water)

One stalk lemongrass, crushed

Two tablespoons of tamarind juice

Half cup fresh coconut milk

Pinch of salt and sugar

Cooking oil

Method:

Blend together shallots, garlic and ginger in a food processor. Heat some oil in a frying pan.

Pour in the blended ingredients and saute for a few minutes until fragrant. Add in crushed lemongrass and blended chili. Stir well and add in the coconut milk.

Next, stir in tamarind juice and add in the prawns.

Once the prawns are almost cooked, add the petai beans and cook for another few minutes until prawns are fully cooked.

Season to taste with sugar and salt.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

Finally Showing True Colors

Just one week after reminding the Government not to ignore the voice of the people as expressed in the protest site, the site owners have finally shown their true colors and it has been borne out the insinuation that the site has political overtones and is not as apolitical as it claims. I have suspected of this for some time based not only on its fans' political comments that the owner let slid, but on the more recent owner's own comments.

Now the site owners' have finally thrown off their cloak and announced themselves as part of BERSIH, a politically overt NGO that in its true form will never get my support. Bravo for pulling the wool over my eyes but I believe from now on the site will start to lose people's support.

Some recent comments are testimonials of this.



  • Shahryl Abd Latiff What crap is this! Clean politics? Tell me which country has clean politics since birth of mankind? No such thing! I'm sad and feel cheated into believing this page was non political. Obviously, the owners have their own agenda! You just lost a supporter for this cause!
    2 hours ago · 1 personLoading... ·
  • Martin Harnevie Betzen
    ‎@Shahryl. A lot of countries have clean politics. Just ensure free press and unbiased justice and it will develop automatically. However, I do agree that politics should be out of this.

    @All. I know BN/UMNO loyalists that are totally agains...t the tower and they will be turned off if this turns too partisan. Focus on the Warisan Memboros only, that's enough.See more
    about an hour ago ·

Jamal Pawanteh Although I agree with the principle of this point. I believe it belongs on another page. PLEASE ADMIN FOCUS JUST ON THE TOWER. Public accountability will just drag politics in and make a mess of things. You're message will then be lost in transmission.
16 hours ago ·

Dick Teh One issue at a time. Now we anti mega tower.

End of story.

I know there are other issues out there, but if we don't focus we will never get anything done.


and these are the excuses the owners have thrown back.



16 hours ago ·
1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower Mohd Firdaus, you are welcome to organise one. We are only borrowing a place for people to meet. And we are careful in choosing which functions to go. Is there anything wrong to show up at a gathering supporting electoral reform while we want public accountability?

about an hour ago ·
1M Malaysians Reject 100-storey Mega Tower good morning. short reply from our mobile. Assurance: this page is non-partisan. This is not a page for pakatan rakyat. Look at our postings' we have been civil to all party supporters. And this page will stay focused on mega tower and public accountability. More later? On the run.

Lame, pretty lame to me. So make your own decisions. I have already unlike myself from the site. Now if there is another really apolitical site that is protesting this venture, you will find me hitting the like button in no time.

Monday 8 November 2010

Sustainablity The Market Way.

While I was on vacation in Gambang, Pahang we found this Orang Asli stall selling kitchen cutting boards made of Tembusu hardwood. This is a hard as iron wood that to my detriment I found out the hard way when I knocked it with my knuckles to check if it was hollow or otherwise, and that action gave me a jolt like I was knocking against a hard metal door. Selling for Ringgit Malaysia25 upwards depending on the size, width and quality of the wood, I can confidently say that the quality and the finish is as good as any you can find in any kitchen equipment store.

In fact I can safely say that if somebody do their job right, these kitchen tools should be made available at the likes of Ikea as a sustainable method to help the indigenous people earn a good living from their living environment in the forest. The problem is that currently their product range is limited to cutting boards and some wooden spatulas only, as when I asked them whether they have a mortar and pestle for sale that I googled about, they said that they have not tried making such a product yet as it seems that they have not had any demand yet. The fact is that the article stated that such a product is also a sought after kitchen item as the Tembusu wood is neutral and will not affect the ingredients pounded in such a mortar. So I feel if given proper marketing guidance, the Orang Aslis here at least can find a very good sustainable market for their products unlike the ad hoc stalls with jungle bric a brac that is usually associated with the Orang Asli.

For my military enthusiasts friends at least, I would bet that they would be interested in the Black Kemuning keris and pungi stick below also sold at the stall but these need to be ordered if there is no available stock at the time of your visit.

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Now Who Is Being Irrational?


I joined the Facebook protest against PNB's proposed Menara Warisan because I sincerely believe that the project is unnecessary and because the Facebook initiative was a bi-partisan effort to request a rethink despite being a government supporter. I guess the government thought the effort was just a fly in the ointment but it slowly took off and the site is now targeting a million Facebook fan support to show the citizen's displeasure over the project. And that is just it, despite some attempts to polarise the page with anti government rants, overall it is an apolitical outlet for the real people's thinking.

Thus it is ridiculous for me to see someone with the stature of the Deputy Prime Minister ridiculing the people's own statements by saying that these statements are due to jealousy and that there is a hidden hand to ostracise the whole project. He even questioned the people's wisdom and paternalistically said not to question PNB's commercial wisdom that supposedly has brought billions of wealth to Malaysia so they must be correct this time and all the time.

But you are forgetting YAB, this is a citizen's action group that has shown it has traction and holds the pulse of the people in real time and with real access. It has managed to unify the people to voice out their displeasure against the project. So whether you like it or not, this is a 1Malaysia effort so do not pompously question the motives and intelligence of the supporters. These are real people with real concerns who really think that the money can be spent more wisely elsewhere. So get your act together or you may yet find yourselves paying the price politically. Now is not the time for the government to ignore the aspirations of the people when the Nation is facing challenges politically and economically. In exasperation, Malaysians may even find themselves introducing to Malaysia a new financial term in place of a 'bank run'. A 'Mutual Fund Run' anyone?

Thursday 28 October 2010

Not Transparent Enough For You Still?

For the dissenters who always says the BN Government is like an Ostrich and covers things up with rosy pictures, let's hear of what you think of this bold admission in the Executive Summary of the Economic Transformation Roadmap.

BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NOT ENOUGH

Malaysia is at a critical point in its economic development. There has been a loss of growth momentum over the past decade, and it has become increasingly clear that the historical drivers of growth can no longer be relied on to deliver strong economic outcomes. It is more difficult to generate high rates of economic growth in an increasingly competitive global economy. Growth can no longer be taken for granted, but needs to be earned. There are four reasons why a fundamentally new approach is required.


Historical Growth Engines are Slowing Down

Malaysia’s relatively sluggish economic performance over the past several years indicates that the historical engines of Malaysia’s economic growth are slowing down. A large part of the reason for this relatively poor growth performance has been slow labour productivity growth. To transform productivity, significant improvements are required in two areas. First, the level of business investment will need to be substantially increased. Achieving the 6 percent annual growth rate to 2020 will require private investment to grow by more than 12 percent over the next five years, a significant increase from the 2 percent per annum growth achieved in the past five years. Second, enhanced investments in human capital will be made to support a high-skilled, knowledge-based and innovation-intensive economy.


Risk of Being Stuck in the Middle

Malaysia is no longer able to remain competitive with low-income countries as a high volume, low-cost producer. At the same time it has not yet moved up the value chain and become competitive with high-income countries. Other countries are more competitive than Malaysia in both low-cost production and in high-value markets. This is not a sustainable position. Strategies that were successful in driving Malaysia’s transformation from a poor country, reliant on rubber and tin at Independence, into a diversified middle-income economy are not appropriate for the next stage of Malaysia’s developmental journey.


An Unsustainable Fiscal Position

Malaysia has run fiscal deficits every year since 1998, with a deficit of 7 percent of GDP recorded for 2009. Moving back to fiscal sustainability and achieving the Government’s commitment of a deficit of 3 percent of GDP by 2015 will require a change in direction. Investor attitudes to sovereign debt have changed significantly over the past two years, and capital markets may be less inclined to finance sovereign debt on the terms they have extended in the past. There is also increasing evidence of fiscal policy competition between countries, with governments cutting corporate tax rates to obtain a competitive edge. In order for Malaysia to offer competitive personal and corporate tax rates and invest in education, research, public services and infrastructure, it will need to strengthen its fiscal position substantially.

Increasing Global Competition for Markets, Capital and Talent

The global economy is becoming much more competitive. The emergence of new, highly competitive regional and global companies has eroded the strong position of Malaysian-based companies in the manufacturing and services sectors. In addition, companies, investors and talent have an increasing number of opportunities and location options. Malaysia, therefore, needs to demonstrate a clear value proposition in order to attract and retain them. Moreover, many other governments are aggressively positioning themselves to compete for talent and capital. The low levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) that Malaysia has attracted over the past decade are one indication of a weakening competitive position.

THE ETP IS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE GOVERNMENT AGENDA

The ETP is the Government’s economic agenda in response to these challenges.

So forget your dreams for a while about who should sit at the throne of power in Putrajaya. The reality has been clearly stated on what we are facing as a nation to survive economically. Read the ETP here and consider if you can assist to help our nation. Forget the rhetoric of the politikus and see what we can do with the government of the day, whether you like this fact or otherwise.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Karipap On The Train

It was with a little nostalgia when I read about the home stay rail packages launched by the Tourism Ministry, especially the sentence "the train will pass at least 21 small stations for people to experience the rural life". I have seen the related TV series “Welcome to the Rail World” and notes that these are basically about going for a home stay vacation by rail trips.

I wonder however if people realised that the journey used to be the adventure, rather than the destination. I still remember till today watching the green landscape passing you by via an open window, rather than getting enclosed in air conditioned airtight container that somehow disengaged you from the surroundings. In addition you also wonder if there would be a derailment that may delay the journey, either by weather or more dreamily by CT bandits sabotaging the tracks because as a young boy you can't help fantasize such things after watching emergency era armoured trains on display at the station.

Yet the most potent memory about such rail trips was the peddlers brigade who swarmed the coaches at each stop and went along for a short ride till the next stop, in the meantime peddling their wares which usually are an assortment of snacks or drink packets. Because of these peddlers, pity the buffet coach push cart salesman on board as his wares conspicuously do not receive any attention the nearer the next train station. The funny thing is that even though the best food etched in my mind is those curry puffs being sold by peddlers who got on at Tanjung Malim train station, I have not managed to get a similarly tasty piece outside the station or train ride, even though in the town when my family stayed there. Must be specially made to be sold on board the trains I guess. The other funny thing is, I have always wondered how these peddlers managed to get back to their original station in time for the next train, rearmed with fresh food and drinks for the itinerant travellers.

I hope the powers that be realise that these activities can be a touristy attraction on their own and not a nuisance, as I have seen travelogues featuring these on board peddlers as an added attraction. Think about it so that our rail journeys will not be too sterile.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

So this is humane society?

Hmm I wonder how could innocent dogs that was doing what comes naturally after not being fed was put down rather than tranquilized and maybe fed so that they would calm down. Was this a case of tidak apa or pure laziness or some sort of payback thought of by some smart ass in the team. The dogs are already judged and despatched even though their owners have not even had their day in court. These council workers should have their wrists slapped for this blatant inhumanity instead. It would have been easy to call any of the animal protection societies to handle the dogs if they are not up to the job themselves.

BANTING MURDERS: Lawyers' nine dogs put down

Six Rottweilers, two Dalmations and a bulldog were put down by lethal tranquilisers at the poultry farm in Sungai Gadung, believed to the scene of a quadruple murder.

The officers were seen entering the farm at 8.15am and left about two hours later with the carcasses in a pick-up lorry.

According to sources, since the murders were uncovered, the hungry dogs which were left unattended became aggressive and attacked other animals in the farm, such as goats, ducks and chickens.

The source said police had told the district council to catch the dogs but the team despatched to the area decided to put the dogs down as they were aggressive.

The carcasses were taken to the Sungai Sedu landfill in Telok Datuk, near here, to be buried.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Mosquito Genocide?

A Taiwanese woman has been reported to have won prize money for catching 1.5 kilos of mosquitoes or an estimated 4 million of the pests in just one month in a contest organised by a insect trap maker. Instead of being amazed by the feat, our local governments and health authorities should seriously check how this was done and in the event the insect traps actually contributed to the catch, to invite the company to set up shop here to manufacture for domestic consumption. Maybe then the fight against disease carrying vectors can be won especially if similar contests can be held. Who knows a local champion can actually be discovered through such measures so that we do not have to depend on "foreign technology".

TAIPEI (AFP) – A Taiwanese woman has taken a sizeable bite out of Taiwan's mosquito population, and won a 3,000 US dollar cash prize, by catching around 4 million of the bloodsuckers in just one month.

Huang Yu-yen, from southern Taiwan's Yunlin county, beat 72 rivals with a catch weighing in at more than 1.5 kilogrammes (3lbs 5oz), competition organisers Imbictus International, a company that makes insect traps, said.

The haul was more than double that of her nearest rival.

The company has sent an application to Guinness World Records asking that Huang be recognised as the world's leading killer of the pest.

Mosquitoes have been a major public health hazard in Taiwan, especially as carriers of malaria until its official eradication on the island in 1965. They are still responsible for the spread of dengue fever.


Saturday 9 January 2010

Do not put too much pressure on them la!

Reading the article below reminded me of my own experience with my own daughter. I admit that I put pressure on her to do well in her UPSR in the years before, but in the exam year I backed off and told her that this is it, it is now all up to her and the only thing I did was send her to a few examination seminars to motivate her and teach her some exam taking techniques. The fact is that even though I was no slouch myself in my own exams, I personally do not believe in last moment cramming for exams, as consistency in studying would do you better in exams was my personal philosophy. In fact my own UPSR equivalent exam was a blur to me, as I do not remember making any special effort to ace the exams, except later on I with my other class mates was called up during assembly to receive special awards for acing the exams as a special occassion for my primary school, as my batch was at the time the first group to have so many aces. This finally made me realise this exam was something special. But still this do not merit to me the pressure I see some parents put on their children, as although I was not there a similar incident to what happened in the article that was related to me by my wife shows that even with the best of efforts your kid cannot guarantee that they will ace the exam even when they are one of the identified potential scorers. Thus I do no mind my daughter was called Puteri Tak Disangka (The Surprise Ace) by her teacher when her name was called up as one of the scorers, but I pitied her potential scorer classmate named Puteri who stood up when that name was called, as Puteri herself was not called up finally. Imagine what went through her when the fact sunk in at the end.

The sadder fact is that of the 39 aces in her school, only two managed to get into residential schools, so what basis do you put pressure on your kid to struggle for good results at this age. My non bumi school mates scored aces at that age even though they didn' have a chance to get a similar reward of going to a residential school as I did, but when I asked them what motivated them their basic answer was that studying was a responsiblity to their family and not a chore in the sense of not being pressured, so they could actually realise their potential while still being kids. I quote from the article "I don’t remember going through all that in Year Six. I ran, played and learnt how to cycle. I rode my mum’s big bicycle till I fell and hurt my knee. And I still can laugh about that. My parents never put pressure on me to score. Whatever the grades on my report card, they just smiled and signed it. They knew I studied hard and played like mad, too …. just like my peers then." In fact I believe we all took a modified view of our school motto where instead of "Pray Hard, Study Hard" it became to be "Play Hard, Study Hard". So to parents of upcoming UPSR taking kids, why don't you pause a moment and consider this other quote from the article;

" Comparing my days and now, I see so much has changed. Society looks up to top scorers without realising we are actually creating unbalanced pupils. At Primary level, why can’t we just let them enjoy their life, like we used to?

To those who got straight As, congratulations. But what about the others who did not? Their self-esteem would have dropped a notch and this would affect with them throughout their Secondary school life. And we’d start blaming them again. Is that fair?"

Our kids will have their SPM and Uni days to prove their worth in exams, so try to avoid making them exam or study phobic in the preceeding years is my advice.

So if you would like to read the article, click this.