Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Among the SIGNS

The Signs of the End
I remember, as a child, tagging along or rather being dragged along. My mom would always drag us along with her whenever she went to listen to religious sermons. Either at a neighbour's hose or at the local “pondok”. Us being my brother, my sisters and me. The pondok was run by a well know Tok Guru. Haji Wan Leh. Another pondok was under a certain Pak Sheikh. I cannot remember his name. I went to the latter's school for Koran lessons and recitals.
What I am about to write here is the stories I heard from the Hajjah who gave lessons from our neighbours house. The stories about the end of days, the signs that shall appear to show that it is coming soon.
I remember her saying that in the coming days, people would go around naked. My young mind would just imagine how it would be like. Also she told us about how, in the end days,, mosquitoes would be the size of a chicken. And that there would be appearing, stranger and weirder things and occurrences. My body would shiver imagining a chicken size mosquito gunning for me. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaarrgghhHHH!!!!!!
Now when I reminisce about those days as a kid, I begin to see the true nature of her stories. I shall begin with the naked people. Ustazs and religious people would just say that, that refers to the way people dresses these days. But I beg to differ. I say no, that's not the case. People do go around naked literally. One can find them on specially designated nude beaches in some countries. One can also find them at nudist camps or clubs in most western nations. Not that I find it wrong. Its just their way of relaxing. They have their rules and principles. Period.
Next comes the stories about chicken size mosquitoes. This one I believe has been lost in the translation. Lets us look at what has beset us at the present time. We have dengue, malaria and a whole lot of mosquito bearing diseases. Next we see in the news is the bird flu virus. A chicken sized mosquito would just as well killed you as well as a dengue fever carrying mosquito.
One story that remember is from school lessons by an Ustaz. That was in secondary school. Sultan Abdul Hamid College to be exact. He said, in the days of end, you'd see Gunung Keriang flying by. Once, while on one of my trips back to my home town, I'd find that the landscape has change. As I strain myself to remember, I would recall the words of my Ustaz. But there's no hill or mountain flying by. Just that a hill has gone missing! Then another and another as the drive make it's way along my journey home. The hills and mountains didn't fly, but they moved. Not by themselves, but by man. That is besides the point, which is the prophecies, turned out to be true after all.
Strange things have been appearing in the news frequently. This are all brushed aside as freaks of nature, ignoring the prophecies of yore foretelling their appearances. Of course I can't back up my say here with any hard factual books or proof of ever there were any writings regarding all of the above. Of course there are books out there with these stories and lessons, just that I only got them through word of mouth.
They, being just part of my childhood. My growing up. Guess its up to you to make up your mind in this regard.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Blame somebody syndrome

That is the dilemma facing many of our people, read Malay.
I get sick hearing this blame game every morning over breakfast at my regular watering hole.
Once, I was observing three 4 year olds chatting, kids chat. Its like a cat talking to a duck and a chicken. As usual, one gets cranky. So I just went “harrumph!”. A father was nearby. I heard him say, “ I’ve got to lookout over my daughter. There’s no telling. She might just strike out.” What that father did not realize is, he’s the one who shape his little girl’s actions. I did not say anything, knowing his temper. This fellow went on about his neighbours. Not the household kind but at his workplace which he got along with his present neighbours. How they all will get into trouble when DBKL starts collecting rental and how undeveloped his neighbours are! Bla bla bla.
That reminds me of a few Malay proverbs. The English equivalent is ; when there’s a will, there is a way. “Like a toad under a coconut shell” is a direct translation from its original language. Or, “don’t walk like a crab, said father crab”.
What they forgot are some tenets of Islamic doctrines. Such as obey your leaders. Respect others or others opinion, knowing your subject and different terminology and interpretations by different scholars. Among other things, obviously they rank among the know not and learn not, ignorant! Ignorance is the bane of the Malays. Poor memory bank is another. One should not blame others when one does not lift a finger to change one’s predicament. Or if one stop one’s endeavour upon stumbling on the way.
Besides, there the bigger picture that we should look at. If you say the frame is our border, then read no further. What I’m saying is out there, beyond our region even! It’s the international situation. Who are pulling the strings there? Causing havoc all over the entire world with their political and economic maneuverings. Threats are subtly made, almost unsaid. Even with Obama, America is still ruled by the Jewish Lobby. so there.. Until and unless the world or muslims truly unite.. then forget about trying to make a change. period.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Never too late to have my piece.

Blabberings 


Whats the issue of the day? I'm typing anything that comes to mind, trying to recall. What do I think of Pak Lah? Well, I think he should leave, seeing at the damage he's done so far. The damage might just be perceived but it might also be true. 
To list them down would be impossible, seeing that I lack resources presently. Just to name a few would be justifiable though. Double tracking, The crooked bridge. The fourth floor. Any unsaid animosity to his predecessor. I think that should cover some thoughts I've been having. There are more, but they're not coming out of my head at the moment.
The latest brick is the one about their outburst protesting Tun's comments regards UMNO elections. A little childish if you ask me. Coming from the likes of Ahmad Shaberi Chik the Minister of Information.As competent people would do, they should just let Tun blab out what ever he wants, where is the freedom of speech that they have been championing?

Shaberi should realise what a fool he's out of himself, taking on the master of blab, LIVE! For the whole nation to judge. He should know better that not all Malaysians have the same IQ level. That shaker only got to make Shabby the fool is enough to bring the house down.

Come to think of it, even UMNO members don't have the same level IQ. Thats why there are leaders. And there are LEADERS. And about 3 million followers. The registered ones. Them too aren't that reliable, otherwise WE would have cruised thru.

I hope we'll get a new one soon. But I think the next one too will not be long in office. Just look at the number of schools that has been relocated. BBGS comes to mind. In its place, a grand commercial complex. Weld swimming pool behind it was long gone years before, depriving the likes of me a place to cool down and exercise at the same time. 

How many fronts can one cover at one sitting? Maybe I'll be back with more later. But just an after thought, if I recall correctly, we, as in Tun and Daim did sold bonds back then. Are we covered?

Ciao. 

Sunday, October 26, 2008

analyse this

I dream too much. Maybe they are nightmares. But, no. I’m wide awake. And they are not movies in my head. They are just thoughts, inspiration or aspiration. Call it what you want. But they come, there’s no stopping them coming.
I can list them, but I’m too lazy to jot them down. I forget easily. Perhaps there are other priorities occupying my head. For instance, what to have for breakfast. Do I have enough to pay for it? How do one dream when one’s breakfast is on hold?
Back in `77, there were 5 of us, apprentices, ages 18 or 19. one of them said, “Dude, your nose says that you're a dreamer”. I remember as a 10 year old how my nose sweats. Are these signs to our character? My mom used to say, “don't be as hot as chicken dung”. A malay idiom. You know, they cool very fast. Guess I got stucked. Between dreams and priorities. Never finishing what I started. Was it a curse unconsciously served on me?
Am I trying to blame somebody? I don't need to. What I need is to make a living. Though it looks like I'm hardly trying. I just read something, written by a very young lady. A reminder. Maybe I should turn to god. But god never changes us, unless we want to. We have to show we wanted to, but at times, even with effort, life still is stucked. Determination should be the order of the day. But we still need a goal. A target, not just a will. We need to know what we want to do. Do we let others show us or do we make that decision our selves. Did they influence us? Actually, rarely do I hear encouragement from those around me. Is it because my ideas are absurd or just plain stupid?
But the reality is, I only try to get others to help me. That’s the truth. I have to do everything myself, but aren't we in a community? Yeah, but there's only so much the community can do for you. But I did try, didn't I? Continuity, perseverance. That is something I don’t have. So I’m weak, is that it?
The dream, hope, inspiration and aspiration continues.

Typically me, analyse this.

Me
I want to make a mountain gorilla. About life size, in glass. What do you think? Can it be done? I say it can. I also wanna make an F1 racer. Life size. Some of the ideas or images I wanna make are gone, but they'll come back somehow.
How am I gonna built these images? The hows is the easy part, its the when and the why its not done is the hard part. Where are the materials? The fire needed. Fire in the stomach is on tap, fire to the torch is the one not available. The materials. Not available. So when are we to realise this images? You tell me,, cause I ran out of ideas.

Me the dreamer.

I dream too much. Maybe they are nightmares. But, no. I’m wide awake. And they are not movies in my head. They are just thoughts, inspiration or aspiration. Call it what you want. But they come, there’s no stopping them coming.
I can list them, but I’m too lazy to jot them down. I forget easily. Perhaps there are other priorities occupying my head. For instance, what to have for breakfast. Do I have enough to pay for it? How do one dream when one’s breakfast is on hold?

Friday, September 5, 2008

I'd just got news that my dear cousin has a recurrence of her cancer, but she's strong and hope we'll all be strong for her.