Statement from YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad

The following was received by A PIECE OF MY MIND from Tun Dr Mahathir's office just a few moments ago.

A PIECE OF MY MIND calls for ceasefire from both Israel and Palestinian and prays for the dead, the injured and the many citizens of both countries that suffer from the war.

Statement from YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, Chairman Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War on the Israeli Invasion of Gaza

KUALA LUMPUR FOUNDATION TO CRIMINALISE WAR
Statement on the Israeli Invasion of Gaza

The Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War is shocked and angered over the Israeli invasion of Gaza since Saturday 27 December 2008. Our hearts go to the people of Gaza in this time of great distress.

We call upon the international community to immediately act in concert to call upon Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza and the slaughter of innocent lives forthwith. We support the call by the United Nations for an immediate ceasefire and an end to all military operations to facilitate relief work and delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

The Foundation also calls upon the governments of the United States, Britain and other major powers to put necessary pressure on Tel Aviv to stop the inhuman slaughter of Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza with bombs and other weapons.

DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Chairman

- end -

The Malaysian Chinese

These days, I realize that I have developed a habit just like Dr Mahathir.

Since becoming a blogger and expanding my readings, I tend to criticize my own race frequently, the Malaysian Chinese, just like how Tun’s occasional attacks targeted at the Malays with the height being the book – The Malay Dilemma.

Of course I have read the Malaysian Chinese version by Ye Lin Sheng. Not very interesting I would say and not as sharp as Tun’s Dilema Melayu book. A simple review of the book is available HERE.

Nevertheless, take a look at the 21st century Malaysian Chinese who always say other races especially some Malay leaders are racists and create instability.

The Malaysian Chinese perhaps forget that if they point a finger at others, four others are pointing towards them.

That is, a reality. Why am I raising this and what am I trying to harp on? Think about the following.

When the Malay leaders from various NGO launched petitions to the Ministry of Education, the UMNO Overseas Club and other executive leaders of the country, the Malaysian Chinese slammed and criticized that these Malays are trying to push our country 10 years behind again.

I can assure you that this is not hearsay but the truth for I am a Malaysian Chinese myself.

Yet, when Dong Jiao Zong came out of their shell (katak keluar dari tempurung), I wonder how many Malaysian Chinese actually tell Dong Jiao Zong that they are trying to steer the country’s education policy into the stone age?

Where were the critics among the Malaysian Chinese who seem to care a lot for the country and its education?

Webpages to read (which many have read I am sure) that are related to the DJZ controversies with the main focus on Science and Maths in English as well as the New Era College problem.

1. Dong Jiao Zong threatens to strike over language issue

2. Jiao Zong warns of mammoth demo

3. Go ahead and demonstrate, Hisham tells Dong Jiao Zong

4. Aisehman - The Science and Mathematics of English

5. Lovin' the Isle: An Introduction - The Chinese Dilemma

6. Dong Jiao Zong accepts resignation of four dept heads (DJZ vs Kua Kia Soong episode)

No one seemed to talk much about it. Even MCA at that time took a neutral stand and soothed the situation by standing in between Dong Jiao Zong and the Government of Malaysia.

I can’t blame MCA for doing so. If not, the situation would have been worse since we all know the controversies surrouding DJZ and its relationship with the Government.

However, Malaysian Chinese are highly responsive when leaders of other communities start making unfavorable suggestions or demands.

The case doesn’t end here. I once read my buddy’s blog who highlighted about the controversial Fatwa involving Yoga among Muslims.

I have said in the past that Marina Mahathir’s points presented in her blog (You Can Do It As Long As You Don't Move & Tomboy, Yoga...what next?) as response to the Fatwa were very mature and convincing. Even the Royal families were not very supportive of the Fatwa.

Whatever your opinion of the Fatwa is, we all must respect the diversity and differences.

The most important thing is that we all enjoy the peace and prosperity in Malaysia which neighboring countries like Thailand and Indonesia dream of.




We always ask UMNO leaders to remember that this is a multi racial country. But what about reminding the non Malay youths that they too must respect the culture and religion of the Malay Muslims?

Not many knew that this happened. Neither did I till my friend told me about it.

After seeing that video, I have something else too. Enjoy THIS video by Namewee, the guy who rapped Negaraku. In November 2008, he found a new critic.

Namewee made it interesting this time. He slammed the Chinese education in his latest video clip. The criticism of the independent Chinese schools and the Chinese education were swiftly met with a rebuttal by My SinChew (Namewee Makes Headlines Again).

Malaysian Chinese youths of today are beginning to speak up about the Chinese education dilemma.

Of course conservatives will not like what Namewee or youths like me speak out about the challenges facing Malaysia and the Chinese community, just like how Tun Dr Mahathir faced the blazing guns of the Malays.

Someday, I will write more about the Malaysian Chinese dilemma and the future of Chinese education.

Although I am critical of the Chinese, I am not an enemy of the Chinese be it in terms of education or culture. I merely attempt to remind the Malaysian Chinese that Malaysia must continue to be peaceful and prosperous with a multiracial society.

Janji Anwar Ibrahim - 100 hari

Hari ini, 26 Disember 2008, merupakan hari yang ke-100 Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menipu rakyat Malaysia.

Sejak bermulanya "tsunami Mac", Anwar dan pemimpin-pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat seperti Lim Kit Siang dan Haji Hadi Awang menimbulkan ketidakstabilan di Malaysia.

Ramai di kalangan rakyat Malaysia yang risau dan menimbulkan pelbagai spekulasi sama ada :

1. Anwar Ibrahim ikhlas memimpin Malaysia.

2. Anwar Ibrahim mempunyai senarai MP Barisan Nasional yang akan "crossover".

3. Anwar Ibrahim akan membentuk Kerajaan baru (A New Dawn For Malaysia).

Namun, segala-galanya satu pembohongan. Pengundi-pengundi di Permatang Pauh bukan sahaja ditipu. Malah, kepercayaan serta amanat yang diberi kepada Anwar Ibrahim dikhianati.

Sebelum 16 September, bukan main ramai penganalisis politik, blogger, media, kakitangan kerajaan dan sebagainya (termasuk pelajar-pelajar Universiti) yang begitu asyik meraikan Anwar Ibrahim sebagai Perdana Menteri Malaysia yang baru.

Ada suatu ketika dahulu saya menulis di Facebook - Anwar menggila. Pakatan Rakyat patut mohon undi tak percaya terhadap Ketua Pembangkang Negara.

Beberapa rakan saya membalas :

1. sabarlah sikit. akan datang

2. tunggulah, oktober 7 tarikh baru.

Akhirnya, genap 100 hari pada 26 Disember 2008, Anwar Ibrahim kini masih lagi Ketua Pembangkang Negara. Pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat ini bijak dengan Malaysian Agenda, saya akur.

Malaysian Agenda ini nampak mantap dalam tulisan tetapi sayang sekali, sebuah kapal yang mempunyai Timbalan Kapten dengan objektif yang berlainan akan tenggelam.

Lihatlah objektif DAP dan PAS. Kedua-dua parti ini bersama dengan PKR nampaknya hanya berganding bahu semasa Pilihan Raya.

Mungkinkah ini "nominal partnership, non practical alliance"?

Walaupun saya ini rakyat Malaysia berbangsa Cina, saya masih tetap menyanjungi Dato' Husam Musa.

Memanglah benar Dato' Husam Musa menimbulkan isu undang-undang Hudud baru-baru ini dan saya tidak setuju sepenuhnya.

Bagi saya, asalkan set undang-undang yang sedia ada kini mampu menjana satu masyarakat majmuk yang progresif, aman dan damai, apakah salahnya?

Tetapi, usaha-usaha Dato' Husam Musa dalam Kijang Care, di Kelantan dan dalam politik Malaysia yang menjaga kebajikan rakyat termasuk orang-orang Melayu, Cina dan India kekal dihormati saya.

Dua hari yang lepas, ada seorang yang bertanya kepada saya sama ada Najib mempunyai hubungan dengan Altantuya. Jawapan saya mudah.

"Entahlah. Tanya YB Tian Chua. Beliau kata dalam tangannya, ada gambar Najib dan Altantuya. Dulu ada "doctored picture". Mungkin yang tulen ada pada dia kot. Tapi dah lama tak dengar dari Tian Chua berkaitan gambar tu".

Pada pendapat saya, terlalu banyak "hearsay" (khabar angin) dan berita-berita yang langsung tidak benar sibuk dibincangkan di peringkat "groundroots".

Kadang-kadang saya bertanya kepada rakan-rakan dan ahli keluarga, kalau dahulu kami mengutuk setiap perkataan, janji dan tingkahlaku Barisan Nasional, mengapa

1. pembohongan pembentukan kerajaan baru oleh Anwar Ibrahim

2. penipuan Anwar di pintu Kedutaan Turki bahawa 4 MP UMNO akan "crossover"

3. penipuan Anwar bahawa ada MP-MP MCA dan East Malaysia yang akan "crossover"

4. gambar Najib-Altantuya yang Tian Chua kata ada

5. Pakatan Rakyat yang selalu hilang arah dan agenda

langsung tidak disoal dan Pakatan Rakyat terus dijunjung?

100 hari telah berlalu. Janganlah kata nak bentuk kerajaan baru. "Shadow cabinet" pun tak ada lagi. Dalam sistem demokrasi yang mantap, parti pembangkang biasanya akan mempunyai "shadow Cabinet".

Baca blog ini - "Uncommon Sense 14: Where is Anwar's Shadow Cabinet?" . Amat menarik perhatian dan membuat pembaca berfikir.

Namun, Anwar masih enggan membuat pengumuman tentang jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Menteri Perdagangan, Menteri Kewangan, Menteri Pengangkutan dan sebagainya sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat membentuk Kerajaan baru.

A PIECE OF MY MIND akan terus mengira hari-hari yang telah berlalu. Bacalah artikel baru di Malaysiakini - Sept 16 gone, what now for Anwar?

Anwar akan mencatur strategi baru. Kali ini, YB Permatang Pauh akan masuk terus ke negeri-negeri yang memegang kunci kepada Putrajaya - Sabah dan Sarawak.

Japan Times pernah melaporkan isu korup yang membabitkan Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Taib Mahmud. Rakyat Sarawak dan Sabah tak bodoh.

Sekiranya Barisan Nasional terus dengan kerenah dan pemimpin yang korup, maka yang alternatif akan diundi untuk membentuk kerajaan baru di peringkat negeri dan pusat.

Ketenteraman Sabah dan Sarawak tidak lama lagi akan bertukar menjadi krisis politik.

Menjelang tahun 2009, saya berharap Anwar tahu Malaysia akan mengharungi krisis kewangan sekali lagi. Demi Malaysia, berusaha bersama Kerajaan Malaysia dalam kapasiti sebagai Ketua Pembangkang Negara.

The Australian Experience - Part 3

Before I proceed, I have a message for my sister in Moscow. Sis, if you are reading this, we had so much fun in Melbourne! And I am sure you will be jealous of our holiday!All right :)

My convocation was on the 11th of December 2008. On the 12th morning, we took a flight to Melbourne and spent 6 days there. Jimmy and Alice tagged along and the 5 of us had a very memorable trip in Melbourne.

The happiest moment was of course a dinner at Meat & Wine Co, Southbank with Jimmy, Alice, Ash and Zi Hao. Even dad enjoyed his meal too ! Of course I had the famous full rack of pork ribs.

There was an Australian who told me he place 5 dollars on the table that I can't finish the full rack.

I finished it all up in 20 minutes (easily) with fries but unfortunately, he left before I had everything on the plate inside me. HMPH!

In Victoria, I took my parents to the Melbourne CBD (Uni Melb, Victoria Market, Lygon Street, Southbank), Philip Island (Warrook Cattle Farm, Koala Conservation Park, Penguin Parade), Mornington Peninsula (Ashcombe Maze and Gardens, Mornington National Park), Geelong, the Great Ocean Road, Ballarat (Sovereign Hill) and finally to Castlemaine (to visit my aunt and her husband).

Ice cream at Freddo's (Lygon Street). We had lamb pizza at my favourite shop before this, Intersection Cafe (highly recommended).

Dinner with friends at Southbank - Meat & Wine Co.
From left : Ash, Me, Zi Hao, Mom, Dad, Jimmy, Alice

Me and my full rack of pork ribs (partially blocked). The piece in the middle of the table is the same as my plate. So yes! Haha. Big piece huh!

Jimmy and Alice. Glad to have both of you with me at the dinner and the holiday!

Ash, me, Zi Hao. Clipped by two doctors and yet I was eating a lot. Mmmm.

Mom and dad with their salmon and lamb dish.

Dad enjoying his prawn and salmon meal :)

The next day, we headed off to Philip Island where we made stops at Cattle Farm, Koala Conservation Park and Penguin Parade.

The pictures I took at Koala Conservation Park was blurred with water marks because it was a stormy day.

As for the penguins, we took the VIP Skybox package (due to the storm and I wanted parents to be comfortable). Cameras were not allowed at the Penguin Parade. Again, no pictures for that part.

Mom at Warrook Cattle Farm feeding milk to the baby cows.

Me with some sheep!

Dad enjoying the nature and feeding the kangaroos.

Next stop was Mornington Peninsula. I think this is a beautiful shot of Dad walking through a lavender garden at Ashcombe Gardens.

Next stop was the cherry picking farm!

We drove down to Geelong after Mornington and put up a night at Four Points by Sheraton. Thankfully I had GPS to guide me. Everything was simple with a GPS.

The Great Ocean Road pictures.

The trees are blown hard everyday and look at their growth ... "senget" right? Haha.

Mom trying to pan for gold at Sovereign Hill. Seriously, there are still gold at this river in Sovereign Hill. My aunt and uncle managed to get quite a lot of mini gold pieces.

Now look at this picture. Caught this picture at Sovereign Hill. This is a place for turkeys. Look closely.

And this was what I saw !

The following day, after the Sovereign Hill trip, we drove over to Castlemaine to visit my aunt. On the way, I took this picture - rays of sunlight :)

And surprisingly, my aunt's housing area is "rural enough" till kangaroos roam around freely, even running into her house.

After Melbourne, we went back to Canberra where I finalized my packing to move things to Sydney (will be studying there next year).

I brought my parents around to The Australian War Memorial and the Old Parliament House. We moved on to Sydney for a short tour before my parents took their flight home on the 20th of December 2008.

-end-

Merry Christmas

A Piece of My Mind would like to wish all readers a very Merry Christmas. Some say Christmas has been very commercialized, some say this holy day is still very much intact.

Whatever it is, it is still an important day for Christians and A Piece of My Mind wishes everyone a memorable Christmas and a happy holiday.

I have some pictures of special Christmas trees that I took in Sydney. Enjoy.

A Christmas tree made from junk chairs and furniture at The Rocks, Sydney.

A beautiful Christmas tree at Darling Harbour.

Note : I realise Ipoh has 10 times more cars than in Canberra, the capital of Australia.

The Australian National University

On the 11th of December 2008, it was by far the most important day of my life. This was the day I graduated officially from the 16th best university in the world - The Australian National University.

I hold a Bachelor of Economics now and will proceed with my Master of Economics next year, subject to the approval of the Malaysian Government as I am sponsored by them.

A glimpse of my future, I would surely like to step into the EPU, MTEN or any Economic advisory panel related to Public Service and the Malaysian Government.

For now, let me enjoy my summer break and continue blogging.

Below are the pictures of my Graduation on the 11th of December. I was presented with the Bachelor of Economics scroll by the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Australian National University.

To begin, in the morning, a few of us had pictures taken with Chee Yeong. Sadly, he had to abort his plans to attend the ceremony as his grandfather passed away then and they had to rush home for his funeral.

He had time to spare and we took some pictures together.

The rest of the pictures are with my close friends. I do not have all the pictures yet because some of the pictures were taken with my pals' cameras.

Nevertheless, buddies you know who you are. Thank you for the memorable 3 years in ANU.


From left : Chee Yeong, Me, Liangwei, Yu Jin

From left : Me, Liangwei, Yu Jin, Haky (my Korean pal)

From left : Mohd Aimran, Me
Note : My buddy will be getting married in January. Congrats bro !

From left : Chern (former MASCA and MSO President), Me

From left : Yu Jin, Me, Liangwei, Lydia.
Note : No idea why the picture is so blur. Send me a better copy guys!

From left : Me, Liangwei, Abirami

From left : Me, mom, dad.

From left : Hazel, Me, Kar How, Liangwei

From left : Me, Yu Jin, Bakhtiar (who graduated on the 12th of December 2008)


The Australian National University Graduation Ceremony (Commerce, Business, Finance, Economics) on the 11th of December 2008.



FAMILY PHOTOS



The night ended with a celebration dinner at a Spanish Restaurant in Manuka. It was a happy moment for my family, relatives and friends.

We returned home and my family had to rush up to pack some luggage for our next part of the Australian Experience - Melbourne (6 days).